political CMrrgflts

A whole new ball game in the Cooks Parliament

The new coalition government in the Cook Islands (PIM Sept.

P. 5) faced its first parliamentary session in August. The coalition, of Prime Minister Sir Thomas Davis’s Democratic Party and Geoffrey Henry’s Cook Islands Party, was formed amid fears that Vincent Ingram, a member of the ruling “Demo” party, would vote against the budget thus effectively “hanging” the parliament in which the Democrats have only a 13-11 majority. A correspondent in Rarotonga reports.

The first day of the Cook Islands parliamentary session in August, with the new coalition government, showed a little of the uncertainty associated with any new or unfamiliar situation.

But this uncertainty was associated more with the nuts and-bolts business of getting legislation through parliament

than anything else, especially since the portfolios had been redistributed and there was un certainty as to which minister was in charge of what bill.

Otherwise it was evident that the coalition wanted to get the wheels of the country moving again and suspended standing orders so that debate on the

budget could get underway.

All the roles were changed, and it will obviously take a little getting used to.

Indeed, the Speaker at one stage just stopped short of addressing the new Deputy Prime Minister Geoffrey Henry as Leader of the Opposition.

But the new coalition means not just a two-party govern ment but a literal mixing of seating arrangements in the chamber itself.

Along the former opposition benches was a Democrat/Cook Islands Party mix, side by side.

This mixture was emphasised in the seating of Geoffrey Hen ry and Sir Thomas Davis to gether, and the speeches of

Sir Thomas Davis

support and approval of the coalition by MPs Tangaroa Tangaroa and Raymond Pirangi.

Said Mr Tangaroa, who was one of two ministers to step down for the coalition, “Demo cratic Party supporters and Cook Islands Party supporters are happy and are working happily together.”

Said Mr Pirangi, “the time for opposing each other is over.”

Addressing members Papa mama Pokino and Vincent Ing ram, who had said they would be standing for an opposition view in relation to the govern ment, he asked that they “be

patient about what you have in mind because both sides have only just come together in unity.’’

“Manea” replied Mr Ingram, who is the member for Mikao- Panama.

Mr Pokino, the member for Ivirau, explained that they did not want government to think what whatever was brought before the House would neces sarily pass smoothly. He would, as indicated also by Mr Ingram, act responsibily and would oppose only “what I think is not good for the country."

Mr Ingram said that he, like the member of Ivirua, was opposed to the coalition gov ernment. He did not elaborate.

Geoffrey Henry