There is doubt about a proposal that would see the Northern Cook Islands served by a ship chartered by the New Zealand Government to service Tokelau.
The Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Henry Puna, discussed the idea of chartering the Tokelau ship when it wasn't in use recently with the New Zealand High Commission in Samoa.
But since then Uma Shipping Cook Islands Limited has received a shipping licence to serve the northern group.
Mr Puna is now hesitant to confirm or deny the possibility of the Tokelau boat being used.
He says the Cook Islands needs to think long and hard about using the Tokelau ship because it would isolate the northern group from Rarotonga as the ship is based in Apia.
