Review of House of Ariki budget long overdue

President of the House of Ariki Travel Tou Ariki informed the Herald this week he is considering raising the issue with members of a review of the personnel and operating budget for the House of Ariki.
Tou Ariki said members often asked him when a submission for a review would be put to government.
According to the Assistant Clerk of the House of Parliament, Puna Rakanui, no review and adjustment of payments had taken place since Robert Woonton was Prime Minister.
The total gross appropriation for the House of Ariki is $100,000.
This is made up of personnel costs-$82,037 and operating costs-$17,963.
The personnel costs are made up as follows;
President $8,320
Vice President $5,200
5 executive Arikis at $4,160 each per year $20,800
10 ordinary Ariki members at $3,120 per year $31,200
Secretary to the House of Ariki wage worker $17,000
Super subsidy for salary and wage workers $400
Employers liability insurance $120
The operating budget includes such matters as airfares-$5,000, sitting allowance-$4,125, catering costs, boarding allowance, stationery and printing costs.
Other operating expenses relate to such items as the phone bill, electricity bill, fuel, maintenance and stores.
By contrast, the total appropriation for the Koutunui is $10,000 which is made up by operating costs for their annual conference-$9,300 and other operating expenses such as catering for their monthly meetings, stationery, printing and stores-$700. The executive members of the Koutunui do not receive any personnel payments.
The full details of the payments for the House of Ariki and the Koutunui are set out on page 16.
Tou Ariki says the cost of living has risen since Woonton was PM. He said some weeks he may be invited to 10 functions where he is expected to make a donation.
Due to the constraints on the travel budget, the House of Ariki is unable to meet as often as it would like. He said if government intended to sit this term for 100 days, then the House of Ariki if it is to consider government bills and make recommendations, will need to meet more often.
He said the boost planned in the tourism sector in terms of visitor numbers and development of the outer islands would impact on the traditional leaders in that the culture and traditional crafts were an integral part of tourism. Visitors to the outer islands would expect to visit historic marae sites and interact not only with the locals but also the traditional leaders.
He expects these developments in tourism will help to increase the status of the traditional leaders.
Tou Ariki wants government to view the traditional leaders as partners in the planned economic development initiatives. He hopes government will also project the same concept when important overseas dignitaries visit the country.
He said when overseas dignitaries visit the country and are officially welcomed, both the elected leader (the PM) and the traditional Paramount leader should jointly welcome such visitors. While this may occur when overseas Royalty or Leaders visit, it is not often the case when say an Ambassador visits. Tou Ariki feels it is important for overseas government representatives to understand that in this country there is form of “dual” leadership. When the traditional welcome element follows some way down on an important visitor’s official programme, the effect is to down play the role of the traditional leadership.
Tou Ariki is somewhat surprised that since the election, he has received no invitation to meet face to face with the PM. It may be up to him to extend an invitation to the PM to meet cordially.

Herald Issue 554 09 March
- Norm exposes Trio of Doom
- Briefs from PM’s media conference Tuesday
- Tourism Industry ponders $5 million draft strategy
- Norman George resigns from Cook Islands Party
- Letter of Resignation from CIP
- Norman selfish says Prime Minister