12 May 2005

Niue premier yet to decide on cabinet make-up

3:56 pm on 12 May 2005

Niue's premier, Young Vivian, has been returned to power and he says he's yet to decide the formation of a Cabinet.

Mr Vivian defeated the independent candidate O'Love Jacobsen in a parliamentary ballot by 17 votes to three.

His re-appointment comes after the island's 800 registered voters went to the polls ten days ago.

Mr Vivian's not ruling out the return to Cabinet of the former finance minister, Toke Talagi, who became an MP when his name was drawn from a hat.

"I have yet to decide, I think I will have a day to think about it, and I will select them on Friday. I have been talking to Toke Talagi about a number of things, but I haven't yet decided."

Mr Vivian has overseen the start of work to build a 4.7 million US dollar hospital.

Wellington has funded the facility to replace the hospital which was destroyed by Cyclone Heta last year.