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Top News

Week ending Wednesday, January 20, 2009

Front page news stories on politics and current
events in Rarotonga and the Cook Islands.

PM presses for reform
2 shipping companies merge
6 arrests in police raids
Roadside deliveries no problem for Raina
Church leader urges Demos to settle ‘marriage problems’
Legal opinion supports PM’s view
500 get NCEA results
MPs still the key
PM must act now – Bishop
PSC waits on audit
ON THE STREET
PM ‘dodging’ money problems?
Sailors tough it out
Joint ministerial forum is still on
Tini review continues
CEO quits
Voyage of a lifetime coincides with Expo
Tiare petals count 5 to 8
No money crisis: Rasmussen
PM asks MPs to support reform
Tourism calls for innovation

Tata Crocombe and Iaveta Short consulted – call for public support

Prime minister Jim Marurai is taking steps to show he’s serious about a referendum on political reform.

In a statement issued yesterday he said he wants the public to support him in pressing ahead with political change.

The day after announcing he will put together a team to work on preparing the referendum, the PM met with Tata Crocombe and Iaveta Short – key figures in the ongoing call for political reform.

On Tuesday Marurai said cabinet had agreed to allow the people to decide on political reform measures in a referendum.

To help get there, he will re-ignite the steps he tried to pass in 2007 – an initiative he claims was knocked back on more than one occasion by the previous cabinet.

The meeting with Crocombe and Short was to discuss mapping the options for the referendum.

Crocombe has revived several reform initiatives under the economic development taskforce proposals from the 1998 Reforming the Political System of the Cook Islands report of the commission of political review which Short wrote with John Herrmann and the late Professor Ron Crocombe.

The same recommendations from both the 1998 review and the taskforce have recently been promoted again by the new group for political reform, Mou Piri.

The group began a public petition to parliament last month that calls for the number of MPs to be reduced to 19 – made up of constituency and national seats – and for the direct election of the prime minister by the voters.

While political reform has been promised by government for over a decade, the new pledge from Marurai may give some hope to Cook Islanders who see reform as necessary for social and economic development. Those who support the call for political reform say it will help stem the tide of locals heading for ‘greener pastures’.

Yesterday the PM said some reform measures will ultimately need to be addressed by the MPs and it will be up to the people to let their members know how they feel about change.

Political reform petition the best way to be heard now, page 7.

• Helen Greig

PDL (Pacific Direct Line) and PFL (Pacific Forum Line) have formed a joint venture company to provide shipping to the Cook Islands.

The new venture sees the withdrawal of two vessels which will be replaced by the larger MV Forum Pacific.

The withdrawn vessels are PDL’s Southern Phoenix, which will no longer operate the New Zealand to Cook Islands service, while PFL are withdrawing the service of the Forum Avarua.

The Southern Phoenix will make two more voyages from Auckland including one scheduled arrival in Aitutaki on February 2 before a final stop in Rarotonga on March 11.

The Forum Avarua’s last voyage is scheduled to depart Auckland on February 5 arriving at Rarotonga 10 days later before the new vessel takes over.

The joint venture agreement between PDL and PFL will see the MV Forum Pacific taking over both of these services.

Forum Pacific will begin on March 15 operating from Auckland to Rarotonga every 25 days.

Reef shipping will continue to operate the Southern Express into both Rarotonga and Aitutaki.

The merger means that the Cook Islands is back to a two-ship situation which freight forwarder Martin Brown of Davem International comments is more realistic and sustainable.

In a joint statement yesterday, PDL and PFL said the amalgamation of their two services “ensures the ongoing viability of this service so that Cook Island businesses can continue to have the benefit of two services and healthy competition in the trade lane”.

• Edna Takaroka

Police arrested six men after a target operation this week on burglaries, theft and drug offending.

An investigation which had been ongoing for the past couple of months culminated with a team of detectives executing search warrants on six homes on Tuesday and Wednesday morning.

The men arrested ranged from ages 15 to 22 and were from the Tupapa, Matavera and Ngatangiia area.

“The investigation team still has a lot of work to do to ensure that these cases are ready for trial,” police commissioner Maara Tetava said.

“Other lines of investigation are also being considered which may lead to further arrests.”

Charges have already been laid against some who appeared in the high court on Wednesday afternoon. Others were referred to the children’s court and the Juvenile Crimes Prevention Committee.

Tetava said further charges were being contemplated for some.

“Police will continue to carry out planned target operations and combined operations to address the current crime problem and road safety concerns.

“The support of the community is crucial to the success of these operations. We would therefore like to ask members of the community to not only report crime promptly, but also to provide information on criminals and criminal activities.”

This information will be kept confidential.

“To those who choose to do crime, be warned, we will soon be knocking on your doors,” Tetava said.

Anyone who can assist police in their fight against crime can call 22499.

• Police/DK

Raina Raina opens the ambulance door one more time. 10011321

Babies who couldn’t wait for the ambulance to get to the hospital are among the highlights of 35 years of service to the Rarotonga Hospital for 64-year-old Raina Raina.

The ambulance officer, who took on a supervisory role in 2008, recalls having to pull the ambulance over to the side of the road and deliver those babies right there with a nurse, before continuing to the hospital.

Raina retired on Wednesday following a farewell lunch at the hospital. He started his career in 1975 as a driver.

He said he has seen his hard times but enjoyed working with his colleagues, especially the older drivers and doctors.

He fondly remembered the help of Sir Terepai Maoate, then a surgeon at the hospital, who showed him and other drivers ways of handling patients.

“Some of the people I have worked with have retired, others have passed away. Some have gone to New Zealand and Australia.

“I have loved working with the other drivers, the nurses and doctors of the hospital,” he said.

Fortunately, Raina will have a special keepsake of his time in the medical profession, for his wife Mata Elizabeth was a nurse, who also worked at the hospital alongside him.

Raina says he will spend more time with his two grandchildren and on planting.

Acting secretary of health Dr Tupou Faireka and general manager for the hospital Pauline Kerr thanked Raina for his diligence and contribution to the ministry during the farewell and presented him with an envelope.

• Edna Takaroka

A prominent church leader is calling on politicians to settle their differences or step aside.

Apostolic Bishop Tutai Pere wants feuding Democratic Party MPs to resolve their “internal marriage problems” or hand over the reigns of government to the Opposition Cook Islands Party.

In his Churchtalk opinion piece on page 11 today, Pere shares his own views about the new division in the Democratic Party government saying it’s sad that it has survived three years of “rough and tough” only to lose face and character just nine months from ending its term.

“This is a classic example of a split in the marriage,” he says. “Any consideration for the children that have been born, bred and raised in the marriage? Any consideration for those who first put them in? Any consideration for whom they had sworn loyalty to?

“A husband cannot just divorce or throw the towel in over a few disagreements, counter-arguments, embezzlement of the family budget by the wife or vice versa,” says Pere.

He says as high standing people in the church, there has to be a way for the governing party to settle, restore, forgive, forget and move on.

“I pray and urge my respected leaders of the nation to please fulfill what you promised the country and people that you will govern to the very end. What is nine months to give the new cabinet a fair go, when some of you already held office way much longer, they’re still Demos aren’t they?

“If they fail to perform, appoint new ministers until all have held ministerial posts – another record for the Cook Islands.”

Pere’s message is that if the Demos cannot settle their differences then they should at least have the audacity and courtesy to call on the CIP to take over.

“Just stop playing buddy-buddy with each other just to make the number – we have seen enough of that many years back. Who’s kidding who? By the way, the Good Book totally and absolutely prohibits divorce in a Christian marriage except on the grounds of fornication or adultery, but as a last resort, (Matthew 5: 31, 32).”

“You have married Demo, stay Demo; married CIP, stay CIP.”

For our children’s sake, get married and stay married! – Page 11.

• Helen G

Prime minister Jim Marurai is content to rely on a legal opinion on the calling of parliament as he continues to thwart attempts to remove him from power by the majority of MPs.

The legal opinion concludes that without his advice the Queen’s Representative cannot call parliament to sit – a view the PM and the QR have both supported.

Last week the combined group of MPs from both political parties unsuccessfully petitioned the QR to call parliament without the advice of Marurai.

The MPs hope that if parliament sits they can pass a vote of no confidence in the PM and his cabinet.

Marurai may be forced to call parliament to sit well before the June budget to deal with the budget to declare the $1.75 Toa settlement payment said to be due in March and other pressing legislation.

However, he is well aware that as soon as parliament meets, he will face a vote of no confidence.

Yesterday Marurai released the six-page opinion by NZ constitutional lawyer Dr Alex Frame requested on January 9 and received three days later by solicitor-general Tingika Elikana.

Frame looked at the question of the power of the QR to call parliament under article 29 of the Constitution.

Frame concluded that there is no authority for the QR to exercise the power to call parliament under article 29 without the advice of the prime minister or cabinet.

In his opinion, Frame also drew attention to his 1999 opinion to government on a similar constitutional issue as well as the 2006 opinion of the late John McFadzien, a local lawyer who was called upon for constitutional advice leading up to the snap election that year.

But Frame’s opinion also concluded with a clear warning to Marurai’s new five-member cabinet that without the support of the majority of parliament they may well have to face making some tough decisions.

In concluding his opinion, Frame mentions part of his 1999 opinion which quoted the observation of 19th century British PM Gladstone that “the operation of ‘Westminster type’ constitutions required ‘good sense and good faith of those who work with it’, and that this tradition would ultimately ask a prime minister who is unable to maintain, or within reasonable time restore, his majority in parliament to take one of three courses: to tender his resignation as prime minister, to advise the calling of parliament to put the matter to the test, or to advise a dissolution of parliament so that fresh elections can take place”.

So if Marurai can’t mend the Democratic Party split in which his faction does not have the majority, he may have to make one of these undesirable choices.

Of these choices – resign, face the no confidence vote or call a snap election – any one of them would probably be welcomed by the 19 MPs who want the current cabinet removed – one way or another.

• Helen Greig

Tara Ngari got the results she wanted for NCEA yesterday – she will be among those students now heading overseas for tertiary studies. 10011431

Eighteen-year-old Tara Ngari is one of 500 local students who can now access national certificate of educational achievement (NCEA) exam results online.

Results for all 140,000 students (mostly in NZ) that sat the exams are available online, but they must register first to log in.

Tara and others who sat NCEA here will start receiving their results in the mail from today onward.

The former Tereora College student checked her results for her form seven year level three exams online at nzqa.govt.nz yesterday after receiving a text from her sister prompting her to find out how she had done.

As soon as she saw her results online, Tara called her mum with the good news.

“I think she was much happier than I was, for me my results could have been better or they could have been worse!”

As the eldest of Tangi, an early childhood education teacher at Blackrock preschool, and Meteorological Service director Arona Ngari, she says there’s been a lot of expectation for her to do well.

She claims it was not a nervous wait for the exam results for her, as she hadn’t really been thinking about it much over the festive season.

Tara says she was most surprised by her good result in statistics – crediting her exam performance in the maths subject to extra tutorials in the evenings of the exams with other students and a maths teacher leading up to the exams in November.

She believes her extra study paid off and is pleased that she has qualified for university entrance after sitting her level three exams for statistics, English, geography, science and physics.

Tara is one of 20454 students across NZ, Niue and the Cooks to gain a university entrance qualification from the 2009 exams.

Next month she hopes to be starting a two-year diploma course in Interior Designing at Waiariki Institute of Technology in Rotorua.

Tara says she might celebrate her exam results by getting together with a group of friends and doing something cool.

• Helen Greig

Majority support vital for political reform

Political reform advocate Tata Crocombe says the support of the majority of MPs would be the most practical way forward on political reform.

He says prime minister Jim Marurai’s renewed interest in pursuing reform is very commendable.

Crocombe heads the private sector member economic development taskforce formed by government last year asked to come up with ways to boost the economic growth of the nation.

One of the main recommendations of the taskforce was for government to pursue political reform as a means of paving the way for economic development. The taskforce recommendations echo those of the 1998 commission of political reform.

Crocombe says he feels positive about being asked to propose political reform measures to cabinet. He and the chair of the 1998 commission, Iaveta Short, have been asked to make a presentation on political reform to cabinet next week.

CINews asked Crocombe to comment this week on what a referendum on political reform may achieve.

Crocombe says if a referendum is run it would indicate the will of the people in terms of the best political system to meet the country’s needs of today and the future, rather than the current system that was designed over 50 years ago.

He says the system in place now needs to be overhauled to meet today’s circumstances, challenges and opportunities.

CINews also asked whether Crocombe believed the referendum Marurai has promised is the best way to bring about political reform.

“The most practical way forward is for parliament, or at least two thirds of parliament or 16 MPs, to agree on a sensible programme of political reform,” he says.

Crocombe says with goodwill and commonsense this would be very achievable in the near future.

Until now many MPs have baulked at reform, especially the reduction in constituency seats. Many in support of reform say reducing the number of MPs from 24 to 19 would create fairer representation of the people based on the ever-shrinking population.

Crocombe and Short have been asked to assist cabinet in exploring options to achieve a reasonable programme of political reform.

Crocombe believes that a referendum, if necessary, could be held either prior to or at the next election in September.

“The key issue is whether 16 MPs can agree a sensible programme of political reform,” he stresses.

• Helen Greig

Prime minister Jim Marurai must ‘do the honourable thing’ and either resign, call an early election, or face a vote of no confidence, says Opposition MP Teina Bishop.

Marurai has already admitted that he does not command the confidence of the majority MPs since the Democratic Party split and the larger faction joined forces with the CIP to oust him from power.

“The PM has to do the honourable thing as per the oath he swore (when he was appointed in 2004). He has to act now and choose which way to go. If he wants to call an early election, then so be it,” says Bishop.

Bishop’s party claim they have joined forces with 10 Demo MPs as a means to an ends – an early election this year.

There are now 19 MPs who are calling for the PM and his cabinet to step down. Their first attempt to oust the PM, the petition to the Queen’s Representative last week, was rejected. The MPs requested that the QR call parliament without the advice of the PM so that the vote of no confidence could be put to the test.

Bishop, who has seen the legal opinion to government from NZ constitutional lawyer Dr Alex Frame, says Marurai cannot continue to hide behind his stance that he is abiding by the constitution and is the only one who can call parliament to sit.

He says Frame said it all when he made mention in his opinion that a prime minister who does not command the majority of parliament traditionally only has three choices: resign, call a snap election or face a vote of no confidence.

“The PM and the QR now know that the fact has been established – the PM has lost the confidence of 19 MPs – the majority.”

Bishop says the basis of any democratic government is that the confidence or faith in any politician is first derived from the voters – that confidence is then transferred to the 24 MPs of parliament and given to a member when he is appointed prime minister.

“He (Marurai) has already admitted he has lost that confidence (of the majority). The constitution was not written to cater for this situation and this is why it is a matter of ‘good sense and good faith’. If the PM has the good sense then he has to act now.”

• Helen Greig

Economic taskforce chair Tata Crocombe. 10011420

Public service commissioner Navy Epati says he will await the findings of an audit report into the Toagate scandal, before launching an investigation into the financial secretary’s role in the whole affair.

Epati, who has returned this week from leave overseas, says he wants to meet with a number of people, including PM Jim Marurai, before any decisions are made on Sholan Ivaiti’s future.

“As in any employment matter, one has to abide by the principles of natural justice. Any dealings with Sholan must be in line with the rules of the game and that he is treated fairly just like everyone else.”

Epati says contrary to what the rest of the country thinks, the financial secretary’s position was what he discussed with Marurai on Sunday, December 20, at the PM’s residence.

“I had to meet with him on that day because he just got back from Copenhagen and I was flying out the following morning.”

Under the new public service act, the public service commissioner may, after consulting the prime minister, suspend a head of ministry from office for incompetence, disability, neglect of duty, or misconduct.

Meanwhile, Epati says the names of who will be the next foreign affairs secretary and island secretaries for Penrhyn, Manihiki, Rakahanga and Palmerston, should be known after recommendations by the selection panel are discussed by cabinet.

• Moana Moeka’a

Brian Tairea No, it’s a waste of time. Just wait until the end of term and start fresh. 10011504

Puna Katuke I think they should, the government is unstable at the moment. We should be looking at bettering the future of our country. 10011505

Poti Maeva I think we should just wait and see what they (current government) can do. 10011506

Mike Pynenberg No, I think the five that are in there are doing a good job at the moment. 10011507

William Corbett They should hang on till it’s due and see what happens. When it comes election time, we should get rid of them all. 10011508

Zarah Daniel I don’t think so, just wait until the end of term to see what happens. 10011509

Teresa Arneric No, leave it as it is. The election is coming up and we should see if these guys can clean up our financial situation. 10011511

Jarl Arneric Keep on running the country as they are and come next election we can vote them out if they’re not doing a good enough job. 10011510

Should the prime minister call an early election?

CIP leader Henry Puna says the government has urgent financial problems. 09091746

CIP leader Henry Puna says there are urgent supply needs

It is irresponsible and foolhardy of prime minister Jim Marurai’s five-member cabinet to avoid and dodge government’s responsibility to maintain money supply and pay its way, according to CIP leader Henry Puna.

The Cook Islands Party leader says by not calling parliament in order to deal with urgently required budget appropriations, Marurai is putting the country and its administration at serious risk.

He says there are reports of housekeeping cashflow problems in ministries and departments, tourism officials do not have already-approved budget allocations for urgent marketing, the pearl authority is awaiting urgent funding, and it appears that the Toagate settlements must be paid within a few weeks.

“The stability of the country is clearly not certain, and worst of all we still don’t have a financial report on the current situation, to know what sized debt we now have and how short term we can work ourselves clear until the end of the financial year,” Puna told Cook Islands News yesterday.

Not least of the pressures, he said, is the unknown nature of the terms of the government agreement to settle the damages claim with Toa Petroleum and Triad.

“In addition, there is the government commitment to the new Sydney to Rarotonga direct flight that requires government financial support.

“By refusing to call for parliament soon, the PM puts the Crown at risk of further financial penalties for being in contempt of a court ordered settlement.

“In addition halting or delaying financial commitments after months of hard work by the tourism industry could jeopardise a potentially lucrative direct Australia to Rarotonga air service.”

Puna said since the Democratic Party government imploded on December 24, there has been much comment and public speculation as to the Cook Islands Party’s position and role in the current political climate.

He said it is the CIP position that the only sensible resolution to the current constitutional impasse is to go back to the polls as early as practically possible and receive a legitimate mandate from the people as to who they want to govern the country.

“The Cook Islands Party have been approached by both sides seeking our support to form a majority government. Prime minister Marurai and his faction met with the CIP on December 24 asking for support, however he managed to form a cabinet with the support of four MPs. The CIP was then approached by the Democratic Party to seek our support for a majority in parliament. Again our primary condition was for elections to be called as soon as possible so that the country could go back to the people for a mandate to govern.”

Puna said that given the weight of public opinion against Sir Terepai Maoate and the Toagate scandal, the CIP could have just sat back and done nothing.

“Why get involved? It is the Cook Islands Party contention that normal order needs to be restored and that a majority is required to legitimately govern the country. This is why we have maintained that the main condition of support to either faction is the need for an early election, so that the people can decide.”

‘Take it to court’ – page 9.

• CIP/JW

Local junior Laser sailors Teau McKenzie and Aquila Tatira have had a hard few days of sailing in Australia, but are standing strong together. 10011747

Some hard sailing in difficult conditions helped local sailors Aquila Tatira and Teau Mc-Kenzie pinpoint exactly what skills they need to improve their sailing.

The two sailors have spent the past few days competing in the Australian Youth Championships and Youth Olympic Games Qualifiers in Australia.

McKenzie placed 41 out of 45 competitors while Tatira came 29th in a fleet of 45.

Laser coach Anne Tierney reports that the two sailors found the conditions in Australia very difficult.

“The combination of 45 boat fleet start line, the heat and flukey winds proved to be quite unsettling,” said Tierney.

“Aquila had several good performances, and was unlucky to be black flagged in a close start. Teau did not place well but has learned a lot from the experience.

“In their self evaluation each young sailor has pinpointed their strengths and weaknesses and has already shown in recent days the improved application of their experience.”

• Matariki Wilson

Prime minister Jim Marurai says plans for the first joint ministerial forum with New Zealand are still in place.

Last week Marurai said cabinet had decided to go ahead with the forum which is due to be held in Rarotonga this year.

The forum would be the second official visit of NZ prime minister John Key to Rarotonga – this time accompanied by his ministers.

Last July during Key’s visit as part of his ‘Pacific Tour’ the two leaders announced their new intention to hold the forum together each year.

In September, during Marurai’s visit to Wellington, he was due to meet with Key again to further talks on the forum between the two countries.

Marurai says he has continued to work with the New Zealand High Commission to negotiate a time for the forum and the content of its agenda which are yet to be confirmed.

• Helen Greig

It is understood that suspended Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC) chief executive John Tini is currently preparing his response to a draft audit report dated November 4, 2009.

Solicitor general Tingika Elikana said that a disclosure of documents had been made to John Tini.

Tini was suspended, on full pay, last September in order for an audit investigation into his handling of public funds to be completed.

He later filed civil proceedings to cease investigations, pending the outcome of a judicial review application, into matters which led to his suspension. However, the application was adjourned sine die last November after Tini and Sir Terepai Maoate in his capacity of attorney general, and as minister responsible for public expenditure review committee and audit (PERCA), agreed to certain undertakings.

One of the conditions was that PERCA was to provide any materials, as requested by Tini, in order for him to prepare a response to the draft audit report.

Tini, when contacted last week, said he had no comment to make.

- Moana Moeka’a

Tourism chief resigns but leaves legacy

Cook Islands Tourism chief executive John Dean handed in his resignation last week just a few months shy of his second year in the role.

His surprise resignation follows the good news of a 7 percent growth in visitor numbers for 2009.

Yesterday Dean said he had resigned for personal reasons.

Tourism board chairman Tata Crocombe said Dean had cited his wish to go into retirement.

However, it is understood that Dean’s decision to resign was influenced by continuing differences of opinion with Crocombe on the future of tourism – although neither of them will comment on this sticky issue.

Dean will complete his current contract year at the corporation on April 30 and then head back to Queensland.

“I believe I’ve been an asset to this destination. It’s not all ‘John Dean’ of course – but the nation’s had the best year ever for tourism and I’m happy to have been part of that,” he says.

Crocombe says the board is grateful for Dean’s contribution towards the positive growth seen in the industry.

When Dean took up the position in April 2008, he said his top priority would be maintaining and increasing airline schedules.

Another of his priorities was to increase visitor numbers significantly, particularly from the key market of Australia.

He’s now left a legacy in this respect with promising increases in Australian visitor numbers and the first direct flight from Australia to begin this year.

Dean brought with him valuable experience in airline negotiations and has successfully helped negotiate the continuation of the Air New Zealand Los Angeles-Rarotonga flight and the airline’s new four month trial of a direct Sydney-Rarotonga flight starting in July.

Crocombe says the flight is a breakthrough given that Australia is the Pacific’s largest tourism market – around 400,000 tourists frequent the region each year – and the Cooks still only get a small portion of them. In 2008 Dean said the Cooks was not a well known destination in Australia but that could be changed given time.

Pacific Blue is also set to introduce a new Sydney/Auckland/Rarotonga flight which should increase visitor numbers from Australia further. During his time as CEO, Dean has helped add two weekly Pacific Blue flights from Auckland to Rarotonga.

Crocombe says talks are already underway with Air Pacific for the return of a regular Nadi/Rarotonga flight which will connect to dozens of capitals – from Asia and Europe to America, Canada and Australia.

Dean now has well over 40 years experience in the tourism industry having previously served as chief executive of the Gold Coast Tourism Bureau and chief executive officer of Tourism Whitsundays in Queensland.

He was appointed following the 2007 resignation of Chris Wong who had headed the corporation for almost a decade but left amid serious allegations of misuse of public funds.

Crocombe says the CEO position will be advertised shortly with the aim of filling the vacancy as soon as possible going into a year where there is new focus and new direction for tourism.

• Helen Greig

One young Cook Islander could score the opportunity of a lifetime this year by being chosen to take part in a six-month ocean vaka voyage that aims to retrace the ancestral migration of the Polynesian people back to mainland China.

The project is being pursued by the government of French Polynesia and has been planned to coincide with the closing of one of the globe’s largest events this year.

World Expo 2010 in Shanghai, China, runs from May 1 to October 31 – an event that expects to attract more than 70 million visitors to over 200,000 Expo events at 35 venues. The Cook Islands is taking part in the event, which it expects will have major benefits for tourism.

Last Tuesday prime minister Jim Marurai’s office announced that the French Polynesian government has asked government to nominate a young Cook Islander to be part of a crew of Polynesian people to sail an 18-metre long single outrigger vaka west through the Pacific to China.

The Cooks will likely be first port of call on the voyage that will traverse the Pacific Ocean through Niue, Tonga, Fiji, the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan and end in Shanghai.

Marurai’s office indicated that it will ask the Cook Islands Voyaging Society to nominate a local person for the voyage.

Voyaging society president Ian Karika says that they will be helping the PM’s office with their search for a Cook Islands sailor to join the voyage.

• Helen Greig

Six-year-old Javanna Pierre and her two-year-old cousin Tepa Kelly Jnr with the unique tiare Maori blooms they discovered. Javanna is holding the two blooms she discovered with five and six petals while Tepa holds the next two with seven and eight petals. 10011804

Unique flower blooms have made headlines in the Cook Islands News over the past few years and this week a Takuvaine family have come across a unique blooming flower of their own.

When six-year-old Javanna Pierre of Matavera visited her uncle Tereapii Hosking in the Happy Valley on Monday morning, she discovered something special about her uncle’s tiare Maori tree.

She had decided to pick her mother a flower for her ear and she headed for one of the family’s old tiare Maori trees – a tree her uncle believes is over 20 years.

She discovered four tiare Maori blooms on the same branch flowering from two separate stems – two blooms from one stem and two from one opposite it.

If that wasn’t puzzling enough – she decided to count the petals on the flowers on the single branch.

She counted five petals on the first bloom then six on the next, seven on the one next to it and the last one had eight petals.

While there is nothing unusual about the number of petals on the flowers as tiare Maori commonly have between five and eight petals – what was strange though was the numerical order of the petals on the tiare Maori.

“I walk past this tiare Maori plant every day and I’ve never seen anything like this before,” says Tereapii.

Tereapii says he wished he could have brought the tiare Maori branch into CINews but his niece and her cousins had already picked the flowers for their mum.

Nevertheless they took time out to visit the newsroom to show off their unique blooms.

If you come across what you believe to be a unique or unusual discovery – call us at Cook Islands News on 22999 or pop in and see us.

• Matariki Wilson

Minister of finance and attorney-general Wilkie Rasmussen is hitting back at claims the country is in a political crisis and that government has problems of money supply.

Rasmussen issued a statement yesterday in response to a recent slew of allegations by the Cook Islands Party.

“The Cook Islands is not in a political crisis and nor is it experiencing problems of money supply and its government is not hindered in its ability to govern,” says the minister.

Rasmussen claims the criticism by those condemning the ‘cabinet of five’ in relation to these issues is untrue, shows desperation and political impropriety.

In the face of these statements of political ‘bad taste’, Rasmussen is assuring the public not to be afraid.

“It is not a political crisis when 19 MPs out of 24 rally together because one of their numbers was sacked for mismanagement of public funds. And it is not a crisis when the constitution allows for the remaining five MPs to govern,” the minister said in reference to the pre-Christmas sacking of former finance minister and DPM Sir Terepai Maoate.

“People have to remember that the executive branch of the country, which is the government, is distinct from the legislative and the judiciary branches. This is known as the doctrine of the separation of powers. According to this doctrine the cabinet of five can be challenged in parliament through a vote of no-confidence in the prime minister, but then again that process is guarded by the constitution and protocols in parliament known as the standing orders,” he explains.

Rasmussen says it is wishful thinking for the 19 members of parliament and their respective party officials to ‘hype up a crisis when there is in fact nothing’.

“All they are doing are fooling themselves and were also saying that they are willing to abuse the system for a sacked colleague, albeit one deserving of sacking for mismanagement of taxpayers’ funds.

“Frankly, the distortion of logic and common sense by the sceptics is unbelievably narrow and self-serving.”

And Rasmussen disputes allegations of money supply problems to government ministries and agencies – allegations voiced by CIP leader Henry Puna.

“Sure, several (ministries) are requesting for top-ups because of unplanned expenses but they do not critically disturb the normal operations. As minister of finance, I am exploring ways to save money and to fairly distribute funds so that business activities are encouraged and social services are improved.”

The minister says the current cabinet’s ability to govern is vested in the constitution and in the various acts of parliament that enable government to govern.

“We have a number of initiatives and 85 percent of them can be dealt with by the government, the public service and the private sector without resorting to parliament for approval,” he said.

“So people should not be afraid, instead they should analyse the options this government is putting to them with regard to political and economic reform because they will lead to better standards of living, health and education,” he concluded.

• Helen Greig

The PM Jim Marurai is calling on the public and MPs to support proposed political reform measures. 10011914

Prime minister Jim Marurai is calling on all members of parliament to support a new proposal for political reform.

Yesterday he announced that cabinet has responded positively to the proposed 12 point ‘political reform’ package that was outlined at its weekly meeting.

The proposal has been put together by reform advocates Tata Crocombe and Iaveta Short at the request of the PM.

Marurai says depending on the reaction of the other 19 MPs, there may be no need to hold a referendum.

He had previously suggested that his first step in achieving reform would be to hold a referendum so that voters could decide on their preferred options for change to the current outdated political system.

He said Crocombe and Short planned to meet with the Demo and CIP MPs and their party executives today to gauge their response to the proposal.

“I have already indicated to media that I would like the public to support the reform and I am calling on the MPs to do the same.”

Marurai says the proposed reform would include reducing the number of MPs either by two or five.

It is understood Crocombe and Short have strongly advocated a reduction of five seats to a 19 seat parliament.

Marurai says he has previously always supported the removal of two seats. He says he had thought that initially this could be the two other Mangaia seats (he holds the Ivirua seat).

Now Marurai believes the voters of each of the nation’s constituencies should have a say on which seats are done away with if the reform goes ahead.

He stresses if a referendum does not go ahead, public consultations will be held.

Marurai revealed that Crocombe and Short have advised against a referendum in the hopes that they can ‘sell their ideas for reform’ to the MPs so it can be approved by parliament.

Reform would mean changes to the constitution – changes that can only be made with two-thirds majority of the MPs support for them in parliament.

It is expected more details of the proposal for political reform will be released to media today.

• Helen Greig

Tourism board chairman Tata Crocombe. 10011901

Tourism board chairman Tata Crocombe says government is looking for a much bigger role for the industry going forward with new aviation opportunities and public infrastructure being set up to support tourism.

Crocombe said these new initiatives should see increased growth in the industry and a resultant positive impact on the economy over the coming year.

He also said the challenges ahead during changing times for the industry will require new innovations.

He made these statements during his address at the opening cocktail function for this week’s biennial tourism industry forum on Monday night.

Crocombe repeated the positive news that the Cooks had come through the economic crisis almost better than any other country in the Pacific by bucking last years trend of declining visitor numbers seen in the region.

He said the country had passed the 100,000 annual visitors number for the first time leading to a good performance for 2009, but cautioned that many new developments are needed to keep growing the numbers.

“I believe tourism will be bigger, stronger, more productive and be more important to the economy a year from now.”

Cooks look to tap into Australia – page 8

• Helen Greig

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