Rex beats the odds

Niue

THE lone political hoarding outside

a takeaway shop in Niue’s main

street boldly proclaimed: “It’s

Time For A Change.” And in the is land’s sixth general election voters made it clear that’s what they wanted. Six new assembly men got the nod youth nudging out their senior counterparts.

Most of the backing went to village and common roll candidates sympathetic to the Niue People’s Action Party a small group strongly opposed to the Sir Robert Rex government which has dominated politics on the island since 1974. Topping the poll was Mrs Tauveve Jacobsen, a relative newcomer to local politics. She successfully gained a seat in a by-election last year and is renowned for her tough questioning of Cabinet Ministers during Assembly debates. She obviously drew in votes from supporters of Lady Patricia Rex who was re-elected but with a greatly reduced total. Matua Rex a former Cabinet Minister also sneaked in but with a reduced majority.

Newcomers to the 20 seat Assembly

include Fisa Pihigia former head of the Customs Department, Dion Taufitu for mer Clerk of the House, Morris Tafatu

a former politician who resigned be cause of ill health last year.

Dark horse among the 19 hopefuls who sought a common roll seat Sani Lakata ni from New Zealand sneaked in.

He is a founder of the NPAP and de spite being married into the Rex familv has been s trough opposed to past gov

ernment policies.

On election night NPAP leader Young

Vivian who was returned unopposed in the village seat of Hakupu was quietly confident he’d have a 12-8 majority in the new Assembly. But his confidence

was shortlived. Pre-election splits in the NPAP caused by a leadership row be tween Vivian and Lakatani soon de veloped into a gaping wound. Veteran politician PI-year-old Sir Robert Rex drove the wedge in deeper and within 24 hours after the election night, results shifted his lobbying machine into top gear.

In a surprise manoeuvre Sir Robert managed to lure at least four assembly men sympathetic to the NPAP into his camp and successfully retained control in a 12-8 turnaround which saw him com

fortably returned as premier and keep

ing Speaker Sam Tagilagi firmly in com mand.

The defections angered many electors who voted for change and left NPAP leader Vivian stunned. Major decisions now facing the new government include sorting out an airline service capable of meeting future planned tourist demands, cutbacks in the public service, and re pairing damage sustained to the Niue Hotel and Lord Liverpool Hospital dur

ing February’s Cyclone Ofa. □

Rex: back in.