8 May 2002

Cooks mayors opposed to reversal of decentralisation

4:56 pm on 8 May 2002

The mayor of Mitiaro in the Cook Islands is flying to Rarotonga tomorrow to protest against government plans to reverse the devolution of power to the outer islands.

Mata Vavia says outer island mayors are concerned that the government wants to take away their budgets and centralise operations in Rarotonga.

Mr Vavia says he wants to meet with Norman George, the minister concerned, to voice his opposition.

"probably ask him, you know, think about our concerns in the outer Islands, cause otherwise, if he takes it back to Rarotonga, it will end up like before, like five years ago, that nothing comes to the outer Islands, everything stays in Rarotonga."

Mr Vavia says he expects there to be a formal protest after an outer islands forum which the mayors and some island councillors will attend later this month.