Cook Islands opposition leader pens critical letter to John Key
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| Cook Islands Opposition leader pens critical letter to John Key. Photo credit NZ Heral |
Representatives from the Democratic Party met with Prime Minister John Key briefly on Tuesday (Wednesday NZT) in Rarotonga where he was visiting to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Cook Islands' self-government in free association with New Zealand.
Following that meeting opposition leader William Heather penned an open letter to Key calling for the government to rethink the way New Zealand offers some of its assistance.
“We have seen well-intentioned but misdirected aid projects. In one case, millions of dollars of donated heavy machinery with over $1 million expended in transportation costs was generously donated.”
But Heather wrote that a lack of a national development plan meant the machinery had been left to rust on sister islands.
While in Rarotonga, Key told media a lot of work goes into making sure aid is “effectively and efficiently spent and hits the right areas”.
Heather was also critical of Cook Islands prime minister Henry Puna's push for a seat on the United Nations - a proposal Key says the UN would never vote for.
He wrote that it was not what Cook Islanders want despite Puna planning to raise it again at the Pacific forum later this year.
Heather called on Key to go further to provide expert advisors and mentors, which were needed to develop the Cook Islands economy and government.
“In some cases, these mentors and advisors might come from governments in New Zealand and abroad...but we desperately need advice and assistance from your government in learning how to do this,” Heather wrote.
Key said that approach already existed in areas from business to education and it was possible more skilled people would be put on the ground in the Cook Islands.
“It's not all about bricks and mortar,” he said.
With Puna only holding a small majority in Parliament - he commands 13 votes in the 24 seat Parliament but only after the recent defection of a candidate from another party - Heather was critical of a lack of democracy.
He wrote that Parliament seldom meets “and when it does it is for short durations and is manipulated by government”.
While the opposition praised Key for the more than $42 million (US$27million) in aid that was pledged on arrival in Rarotonga along with a gift of $11.7m (US$7.6 million) to redevelop the national high school - other assistance was considered to do more harm than good.
Legislation passed earlier this year allows people to apply for New Zealand Superannuation while they are resident in the Cook Islands - previously a person had to be "resident and present" in New Zealand at the time of their application.
People wanting to return home to the islands to retire will be able to do so after the age of 55 without losing their eligibility for New Zealand superannuation.
Heather wrote that this was "indirectly contributing to depopulation in the Cook Islands".
The legislative change meant large numbers of Cook Islanders were leaving home late in life to head to New Zealand in order to qualify for superannuation - a move described as "counter-intuitive" given they often had no skill sets and ended up on the benefit system.
SOURCE: NZ HERALD
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