The president of the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce is concerned that an ambitious government programme to invest in infrastructure in the outer islands will not provide the answer for the issues they face.
Teresa Manarangi Trott says the chamber generally supports the 20 year infrastructure plan but it doesn't believe it will necessarily lead to development.
The deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Dr Terepai Maoate, has said upgrading the airports, the harbours, and the water and sewerage systems will help stem the flow of people leaving the outer islands and provide the basis for tourism to develop.
But, Mrs Manarangi Trott says this may not occur.
"Yes, we do need infrastructure improvement but that's only one way of actually helping and developing the outer islands. Just simply improving infrastructure is not necessarily going to mean that people are either going to stay there or development is going to occur."
Mrs Manarangi Trott says there needs to be some major changes to the way in which the outer islands are managed and the way in which government services are provided.
She says public service employment in the outer islands is probably overweight and there needs to be support to move people into the private sector.
