The Cook Islands government has reportedly shelved plans to build a new civic centre on Atiu island which contineus to be affected by water supply problems.
The plans had been drawn up by Atiu MP, Norman George, who was sacked as deputy prime minister and minister in charge of outer islands earlier this month.
The mayor of Atiu, Aneru Tautu, had spoken out against spending almost a quarter of a million US dollars on government offices while people on the island had to use buckets because of the absence of a water reticulation system.
The prime minister, Dr Robert Woonton, has discussed the water problems with Mayor Tautu and the Atiu island council while the director of water works has gone to Atiu for a first hand look.
Mr George has described television footage of women and children carrying buckets of water from a well in the village of Areora as a politically motivated set-up.
