Cook Islands leadership uncertain

4.30pm - By ANGELA GREGORY Pacific issues reporter



Cook Islands Prime Minister Dr Robert Woonton is not picked to keep his job despite the ruling Democratic Party wining the national election.

The editor of the Cook Islands News, Moana Moeka'a, said now the final election results were in there would be a leadership struggle for the prime minister's position.

The Democratic Party has 14 seats (down two from the 1999 election), the Cook Islands Party nine and one independent.

Dr Woonton held his seat by just four votes.

Mr Moeka'a said it was thought the Democratic Party leader, Dr Terepai Maoate, was the most likely to become the next prime minister.

Dr Maoate had been prime minister until he was ousted by Dr Woonton in 2002.

Mr Moeka'a said some unsuccessful candidates, like former MP Norm George, had already said they would seek recounts or petitions.

There might also be some party hopping, as had occurred in the past.

"We had five different coalition governments in the last term."

In a referendum voters overwhelmingly supported reducing the election term from five years to four.

Mr Moeka'a said that reflected an increasing disenchantment with the performance of Cook Islands' MP's.

"It's a coming of age."

He said the independents had polled about 20 per cent of the votes in the seats where they stood which was a relatively very good result.

"In the past independents were lucky to pick up 20 or 30 votes in each constituency."