Print

Mail

wiki links

Snap election held in Cook Islands

Cook Islanders voted yesterday in a snap election -- held two years ahead of schedule -- to select a new government for the politically volatile South Pacific nation that has seen eight coalition governments in 10 years.

Nearly 10,000 voters filed into polling booths across the nation's 15 islands in the Pacific Ocean and cast ballots for one of two main parties and a clutch of independent candidates.

Within two hours after voting ended, the nation's electoral office declared interim results for 21 of the 24 parliamentary seats, with the governing Democratic Party taking 11 seats and the opposition Cook Islands Party taking 10.

Polls before the ballot suggested that the two major parties were locked in a neck-and-neck race.

The major policies of the two main parties are closely aligned. Both have promised to support the tiny nation's primary industry, tourism, and the development of a black pearl industry that has attracted offers of marketing support from both China and Japan.

Both have also promised political reform to prevent lawmakers from swapping their party allegiance after the election, one of the causes of political instability during the past decade.

After voting booths closed the chief registrar of electors, Terry Hagan, said it had been a quiet day marred only by wet weather.

"We've had no problems so far," he said.

Final results are due on Oct. 2 after all ballots are collated.

One legislator from the Democratic Party had already been declared to have been elected after he ran unopposed for a Penryhn Island seat.

Democratic Party leader Terepai Maoate said earlier he was confident that Prime Minister Jim Marurai would win a resounding victory at the polls.

Cook Islands Party leader Henry Puna said the party's first task if it wins power would be to pass a budget.
This story has been viewed 1271 times.