Pacific Islands Monthly

New Year Begins With A

Political Bang In The Cooks

From Rarotonga and NZ correspondents

Cook Islands Premier Sir Albert Henry won his fourth parliamentary election on December 3. But he lost his two-thirds majority which would have enabled him to change the con stitution; lost face, some popularity, his temper and his urbanity when, five days after his Cook Islands Party won 14 of the 22 Legislative Assembly seats, with the remaining eight 'a gain of one) going to the Democratic Party, he threatened that he would become a dictator and would call to account Democratic Party supporters in the civil service.

Before leaving Rarotonga for New Zealand, Sir Albert declared at an official farewell at the airport that the Public Service had no place for supporters of a party working to overthrow the government.

“When I come back you will know what that really means,” he said, and added, after attacking “Beach combers who have come with nothing and been given wives and money”, that he was speaking “not as the Albert Henry you knew; this is a different Albert Henry”.

He charged Dr Tom Davis, leader of the Opposition Democratic Party, and his party with using underhand tactics in the election.

It was while he was attacking the New Zealand Press which, he said, had already soiled his name, calling him a communist and a dictator— although in some cases a benevolent one—that he threatened that he would be a dictator.

The Cook Islanders are now won dering whether he will carry out his threats. Some, who know him, be lieve that when his temper cools and he gets over his disappointment at his failure to crush the Democratic Party and the realisation that some islanders in New Zealand were will ing to spend their savings to beat him in the election, reason will prevail.

Anything smacking of dictatorship in the Cooks wouldn’t go down well with the New Zealand Government which has the power to put the screws on Sir Albert and his govern ment, especially when his reduced

parliamentary majority precludes him

from changing the constitution.

Was there a veiled threat in the comments by the NZ Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Robert Tizard, on the eve of talks between Sir Albert and NZ ministers on the Cooks’ political status now that responsibility for the Cooks has been transferred from Island Affairs to Foreign Affairs?

Mr Tizard said in Wellington that New Zealand reserved the right to review its association with the Cook Islands in the light of any changes in the relationship between the two nations.

If people wanted to be associated with New Zealand and to enjoy the rights and privileges of NZ citizen ship, then New Zealand expected them to conform to the way things were done in New Zealand.

“At the moment the Cook Islands has the best of both worlds,” Mr Tizard said. “It has full indepen dence in the South Pacific—but with the advantages of very close links with New Zealand; the rights to come to New Zealand and enjoy job oppor tunities, social security, and every thing else.”

New Zealand would not oppose independence but the islands’ gov ernment would also have to get a two-thirds support in a referendum, he said.

Later, on arriving in Auckland, Sir Albert stood on the balcony of his hotel and exchanged words with Democratic Party demonstrators in the street.

The flower-bedecked demonstrators carried placards bearing such messages as “How many demos will lose their jobs over this election?”— “Henry, last of the big spenders—

with NZ taxpayers’ money”—“Henry,

NZ taxpayers need a rest from you”.

Sir Albert’s reaction was a broad smile and the words “Beautiful, beautiful”, no doubt commenting on their appearance.

Dr Davis said Sir Albert would find it hard to prove corruption against the Democratic Party and,

particularly, against himself, and added, “There are laws to protect civil servants and we will use them to the fullest to protect our people”.

The election was the most bitterly contested one the Cooks have ever had, and, for those Cook Islanders who flew from New Zealand to re cord their votes, it was probably the most expensive one—at $2OO a vote.

In the most densely-populated area of Rarotonga, Te-Au-O-Tonga, Sir Albert retained his seat with 1,084 votes, but Dr Davis was only 36 votes behind with 1,048.

The other successful candidates for Te-Au-O-Tonga’s four seats were Eric (Man) Browne CIP (1,024), and Teanua (Dan) Kamana CIP (1,021). The other Rarotonga CIP sitting members returned were Tamataia Pera (409), Apenera Short (482), Tiakana Numanga (474) and Taramai Tetonga (464). The only other successful DP candidate on Rarotonga was William Heather (408) for Puaikura.

There was a surprise when sitting CIP candidate Tamarua Joseph Browne (1,008) lost his seat, while his brother, Man Browne, who only recently joined the CIP, was success ful with 1,024 votes.

In Aitutaki Island, a CIP strong hold, CIP candidates William Estall, Geoffrey Henry and Dr Joseph Williams, easily beat their DP op ponents. Tupui Henry, CIP, retained his Mauke Island seat with a wide majority. Newcomer to the political arena George Ellis, CIP, won the Manihiki seat, and Raui Pokoati, CIP Mitiaro Island, and Inatio Akaruru, CIP Pukapuka Island, comfortably retained their seats.

The sitting DP members for Atiu Island, Vainerere Tangatapoto and Pomani Tangata, had no trouble keeping their seats, nor did the sitting DP candidates for Mangaia Island, Pokino Aberahama and Ngatupuna Matepi. Dr Pupuke Robati and Tangaroa Tangaroa, sitting DP candidates for Rakahanga and Penrhyn Islands respectively, re tained their seats with ease.