Henry Re-elected

Cook Islands

Henry Re-elected After Five Years

Geoffrey Henry returns from opposition but fails to

secure an outright majority.

By Cheryl Lilly

LAST MONTH’S general election

saw the Cook Islands Party (CIP) led by Geoffrey Henry returned to power after five years in opposition.

But, while looking for a clean sweep of seats from the ruling Coalition Gov ernment and thus a clear, workable majority, the CIP managed to secure only 12 seats out of the 24 contested.

The Coalition led by Dr Pupuke Robati secured nine seats, one seat went to a non-aligned candidate and the remaining two seats and thus the balance of power went to the Democratic Tumu (Demo Tumu) Par ty led by Mr Vincent Ingram.

There has been much speculation on whether the CIP would have the support of the Demo Tumu and be assured of even forming a gov ernment; however, in an open letter published in the Cook Islands News on January 25, party leader Ingram dismissed these rumours and declared his party’s unconditional support to ensure stability in the country for the coming five years.

The swing against the ruling Coali tion on Rarotonga (where tne CIP won seven of the nine seats contested) was not reflected in the outer islands, where most seats remain unchanged.

The absence of any swing in voting has been attributed in part to the re moteness of these islands, in part to elector concern with parochial rather than national issues to which Raro tongans were mo e attuned.

Speaking to Pacific Islands Monthly shortly before his investiture as Prime Minister, Mr Henry expressed his un happiness at not having a clear major

ity. “Obviously we were disappointed

not to secure a two-thirds majority,” he said. “It will make it difficult to implement the law reforms that will ensure a clean government for today and tomorrow. We will need to negoti ate with the Opposition to see where their support is likely to come from.”

According to Mr Henry the Cook Islands, under the newly elected CIP Government, aims to be a leading na tion in the Pacific by the mid 19905.

“In the 19705, the Cook Islands had one of the best health and education systems in the Pacific and we were in fact the envy of many of our territo

rial neighbours. This we achieved on smaller budgets than most of the other countries,” he said. “We intend for the Cook Islands to have an education system of which we can all be proud; one that is more relevant to our needs as well as preparing our children for the demands of the out side world.”

Under the previous government the past few years have seen the health system reach an all-time low, with peo

ple fearing to be hospitalised and

those who could afford the airfare flying to New Zealand for treatment rather than risking admission to the hospital on Rarotonga. Education has also suffered badly, with little govern

ment input.

In what many people saw as an

attempt to shield itself from further public criticism, the Coalition Govern ment placed a ban on the state-owned newspaper and radio station. The ban, which prevented any political issues whether in the form of songs, adver tisements, recordings, letters to the editor or news being broadcast on the radio or publisher! in the news paper, came into force almost two months prior to the January 19 elec tions and was only lifted on January 4.

Sadly for the Cooks, what nad emerged over the months leading up to the election was that even though the standard of all essential services had seriously declined, Government ministers had continued to abuse the system. Of major concern to electors was the abuse of ministerial travel allo wances known in the Islands as the ‘Geat Travel Allowance Rip-Off. One minister was permitted to draw a daily travel allowance of up to three times the rate of the most expensive hotel while overseas; it has been estimated that more than SNZBOO,OOO was spent in the 1986/87 period alone by a handful of ministers who were not re quired to account for the money was spent. “We propose to establish a lead ership code that will present this situa tion recurring,” says Mr Henry. □