The Cook Islands health minister, Norman George, has changed the name of his party to the National Democratic Alliance Party.
Mr George says the move is designed to help differentiate between his party and the Democratic Party.
He says the Democratic Party was trying to win support by using a similar name.
Mr George says such a move was a sign of a desperate party.
"It's them that made the first move to change their name but when they saw that we were going to hang on they clawed back. They're very confused, they're very indecisive, they're full of very old party dissidents and they will continue to deteriorate until they are completely finished as a political force."
Norman George says the National Democratic Alliance Party has the largest representation in parliament with 9 MPs and he says he hopes to be able to win an outright majority in the 2004 election.
