The latest appointee to the position of acting financial secretary in the Cook Islands says her challenge will be to increase productivity in a country which has less revenue.
The recruitment phase to find a permanent person has closed, but in the meantime Priscilla Maruariki, will be in the acting role for about three months, the first woman to be appointed to the position.
Ms Maruariki says she needs to ensure the government meets ongoing costs with a reduced income.
"Our revenues have been levelling off, at the same time we have pressing issues such as infrastructure and personnel that are required for the ongoing development of our economy so it's a matter of balancing our ability to pay for these developmental initiatives against our ability to pay for them."
The new acting financial secretary in the Cook Islands, Priscilla Maruariki,
