Politically led by principles and values that matter
Political talk, Party Dynamics and Candidacy Lobbying has begun and will intensify as we lead up to the general elections. Who will be the next set of Cook Islands Politicians?

The suitability of the ‘Person’ to carry out what is needed within a constituency is what our Cook Islands Constitution of 1965 pronounces. It highlights the importance of a person’s attributes and abilities, and how they should be positioned within a set of guiding principles and values; respect, integrity, duty of care and transparency to name but a few. More importantly it places a strong emphasis on what outcomes are to be achieved. They are twofold; unifying our Cook Islands people into shared prosperity and making sure that decisions are made towards the best interests of our Cook Islands people and their land. So have we achieved these outcomes? If not, why not?
The late Sir Thomas Davis, Pa Tuterangi Ariki advocated the need to select good leaders who could improve upon our political system, not just for the sake of saving money, but to ensure that the needs of our people were being met. His strong felt need to select and empower good leaders and to remove incompetent leaders was his ideal and for many today, is still the ideal sort after.
Although the Cook Islands has tried to select good leaders and be rid of incompetent leaders, we still have not been able to produce a shared prosperity outcome and neither have we made decisions in the best interest of our Cook Islands people and their land. Instead, we have accumulated ourselves into high debt, stimulated a high exodus of Cook Islanders to Australia and New Zealand and frequently through mortgagee sales lost our native land to the banks.
People are attracted to a career in politics for various reasons. In most cases their reasons are mostly linked to pressing issues of concern within their relative constituency or they are identified by members of the community as being an individual who possesses the necessary attributes and capabilities to improve or bring necessary change to key issues at a village or country level. So, do we have people like this among our communities for the upcoming general elections? Of course we do, but unfortunately not everyone puts their hands up to enter into a career of politics; Cook Islands style. For some people the cost of entry is too high and it is easier just to stay to the side.
Cook Islanders are becoming more aware of what they want in a Politician and what they do
not want. It is clear that Cook Islanders in general what a change of the type of Politician that they want. Overall their ideal politician must be led by a set of guiding principles, have the ability to work the political system to the advantage of the local residents and innovatively address constituency needs without detrimental impacts made on the people and environment of the Cook Islands.

Herald Issue 463 10 June
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- Budget will decide if residents prosecute Government over landfill
- Forestry project sucking Mangaia dry
- Budget 2010 – fiasco or disaster?