Challenge

shakes Rex

NIUE’S 82-year-old Premier, Sir Robert Rex, has survived round two of an on-going leadership battle, but is still likely to face stiff competition in the near future. Sir Robert recently sacked two of his ministers who he claimed “stabbed me in the back”.

Dumped were the Minister of Works, Health and Education, Frank Lui, and Minister of Finance and Economic Devel opment, Sani Lakatani.

Lui is a longtime supporter of Sir

Robert and a veteran island politician.

Lakatani is a newcomer. His Cabinet appointment was reward for crossing the floor after the April elections to secure Sir Robert the leadership post.

Appointed to fill the gaps were Young Vivian, a former Cabinet Minister under Rex in the 1970 s who later headed the opposition Niue Peoples Action Party, and Fisa Pihigia, a first term politician who’s former chairman of the PSA.

Vivian was allocated the finance, edu cation and administration portfolios while Pihigia becomes Minister of Public Works, Broadcasting and Business Re lations.

There has been speculation that Lui and Lakatani hatched the plot to oust Sir Robert during an August study tour of New Zealand. When the pair returned home a petition was compiled asking Sir Robert to step down. The letter con tained the signatures of 11 assembly members enough to warrant a vote of no-confidence in the leadership. How ever, within 24 hours three signatories withdrew, leaving Sir Robert no option but to fire Lui and Lakatani.

Sir Robert has been accused of being too conservative and unsupportive of moves to push ahead with social and economic development. He refutes that and claims no-one has ever discussed discontent with his leadership.

Sir Robert said he’s also been accused of not being tough enough with public service departmental directors who are “dragging their feet”.

“That’s not the way I work,” said Sir Robert, “and I will never change.”

Lui and Lakatani are not likely to sit on the backbenches for long. Round three in the leadership bout is predicted to take place before the end of the year.

Niue’s Legislative Assembly consists of 20 members, 14 of whom are elected from village constituencies and six from a common roll. The estimated population in 1986 was 2532. □

Rex: I was “stabbed in the back"