15 Jan 2010

Cook Islands Party says parliamentary sitting needed

12:06 pm on 15 January 2010

The Cook Islands Party says a parliamentary sitting must be held soon to sort out financial matters.

The CIP vice president, Mark Brown, says the Prime Minister plans to delay calling parliament as long as possible.

Jim Marurai may face a vote of no confidence from the 19 MPs outside of cabinet when parliament sits again.

But despite recent political upheavals, Mr Brown says parliament still has responsibilities and duties to perform.

He says matters requiring attention includes the $1.2 million US settlement payout to Toa Petroleum and budget talks.

"What we really have to do is ask the Prime Minister whether it's in the country's best interests for him to contravene the principles of democracy, whereby the majority have the right to govern. And whether it's correct for him to contravene the principles of our parliamentary system where he is basically using a flaw within the constitution to prevent parliament from carrying out its functions."

Mark Brown, the vice president of the Cook Islands Party