Sir Albert-Bitter

But Obliging

-Bows Out

To the advantage of the new govemment the changeover came on the eve of the weeklong celebrations for the thirteenth anniversary of the promulgation of the Cook Islands constitution. While Rarotongans attended dance festivals, sports events, carnivals and a grand ball in holiday mood, the new cabinet a satisfactory mix of old campaigners and new young blood - met almost daily to lay the new administrative foundations. Most Rarotongans, relieved that the long and divisive period of the court dispute had ended, were happy to let them.

Sir Albert - who was disappointed and shocked, and sometimes bitter in private -

eased Tom Davis’ task by ask

ing for national co-operation

and goodwill at every public opportunity. He stressed that the law had made its decision, and that he supported the rule of law. He and Dr Davis shook hands on the dais at the packed official constitution ceremony, and Sir Albert demonstrated he could still wag a wicked bottom in a dance, to the delight of the crowd.

Nothing that has happened,

or is yet to happen (charges are

probably pending against him

as a result of the judge’s find ings), can detract from the fact that Sir Albert Henry has left an indelible mark as a South Pacific leader and personality.

Whether he is more fool than

knave, or something else again, history will decide.

Hundreds of people waited outside his house on the night of the court decision, in a spon taneous gesture of condolence and support. He plans to get back into the assembly at the Mitiara by-election within a few months, and meantime may make a direct appeal to the UN to decide whether Mr Justice Donne was acting in the best interests of justice in a de cision which replaced a whole government, giving the new administration almost a full term in power. Sir Albert told me that in settling “such a ten der matter, in such a small

country”, justice, as distinct

from the letter of the law, would have been better served by installation of a caretaker

government pending new by

elections “to give the people a chance to say what they think about it”.

He is also bitter about what he thinks might have been New Zealand government influence on the events that followed the general elections, and a belief that some of the Democrat fly-in voters also arrived for free (which Dr Davis firmly re jects).

There is no legal appeal to Mr Justice Donne’s decisions, and in any case his lengthy judgment quotes legal

precedents for all the various alternatives that were open to him, including the calling of by-elections. He appears to have been strongly influenced against this alternative on the basis that new elections would cause hardship to honest can didates, party workers and gen eral voters, especially those who came from New Zealand at their own expense, and that the principle is “he who breaks the rules should bear the brunt”.

He said the time period be fore the elections would also mean a continuing atmosphere

of uncertainty and apprehen

sion in the islands. The alle gations were serious, as the amount involved in the bribery was equivalent to 2.8% of the

total Cooks budget expendi

ture and involved 9.3% of the total votes cast in the three Rarotongan constituencies involved, so he held that “it is better that there be an un equivocal denunciation of the misdeeds of the offending can didates and their agents than that by-elections be ordered which may allow the trans

gressors indirectly to profit

from their misconduct which, especially in the case of the main perpetrators of the whole scheme, was of vast pro portions”.

Meanwhile Premier Davis is

showing the much-needed ad ministrative experience that even his detractors acknowl edge he has, and has said that the new government’s most urgent task is to bring to life again island exports, and re verse the present trend of an import bill seven times higher than exports. He also plans to change the constitution to make it unneccessary to fly in voters, and has the two-thirds

parliamentary majority to do

it.

Apprehension in Rarotonga that great numbers of public servants would be sacked by the new administration turned

out to be unfounded, as minis ters told their departments that people who were efficient had no fears irrespective of their

politics.

The new parliamentary Op position leader is Sir Albert’s cousin, Geoffrey Henry, and Sir Albert’s son, Tupui, is

deputy leader.

“As Her Majesty’s loyal Op

position, we certainly intend to do a better job in opposition than the opposition of yes teryear,” commented the

quick-witted Geoffrey Henry

in the assembly. “Then you will be doing well!” replied the new

premier, with equal goodwill.