“Unity” group aims to win

Cook Islands

“Unity” group aims to win balance of power

A “party” that is against politic al parties aims to win the balance of power in the Cook Islands Parliament at this year’s general elections.

Known as the “Unity” group.

it first appeared in 1978, having been founded by three par liamentary defectors from the then Cook Islands Party govern ment of Albert Henry. Two were former cabinet ministers Dr Joseph Williams and William Es tall and the third, the late Raui Pokoati, a foundation member of the CIP. The group fielded seven candidates in the ’7B elec tions, none of whom was successful.

But Dr Williams, who is now

Unity’s campaign organiser, said

late last year that the group will contest every one of the 24 seats in the new parliament at the elections which must be held before June this year. He said he was confident they would win the balance of power and force a coalition government.

“Unity offers a distinct alter

native to both the CIP and Prime Minister Davis’s Democratic Party,” he said.

He claimed there was already a “very evident shift towards the middle”.

He said the present system of government was “inappropriate and incongruous to the setting and size of the Cook Islands”.

“Party politics, and its inhe rent divisive principles, is alien to our way of life and impedes progress in a small community.

It had split the 17,000 people of the Cooks and divided families. ”

“What is more important,” he went on, “is that the system is susceptible to abuse, misman agement and irresponsible action by a government.”

He cited the former Henry government’s financing of air craft to fly in voters from New

Zealand the event that brought about the ClP’s downfall and what he described as “the blatant squandering” of public funds on overseas travel by ministers in the present government.

Dr Williams said his group would fight the next elections on issues such as the economy, fis cal policies, constitutional changes and the performance of the Democratic Party government.

Prime Minister Sir Thomas Davis: The Unity group accuses his government of squandering money on travel.