George Pitt-300, Kete Ioane-30
Pitt’s rally deals Demos a crushing blow, he pledges to donate his MP’s salary and allowances to a Trust fund and ensure the three villages in the Vaivaitau electorate get their own TV station, the Vaivaitau CIP gains over 100 new members

George Pitt (right) with "Rambo" at Thursday's rally

A last ditch attempt by an increasingly desperate government to torpedo Pastor George Pitt’s rally at Vaipae, Aitutaki on Thursday evening, resulted in a crushing blow for the Demos sitting MP for the Vaivaitau electorate, Kete Ioane.
On a night when over 100 people signed on to join the Vaivaitau CIP in support of Pitt, he pledged, if elected, to donate his MP salary to a Trust fund to help the people of Vaivaitau electorate and to ensure they got a TV station.
At least 300 people from the Vaivaitau electorate attended Pitt’s rally while Ioane could only muster some 30 people to his leadership studded counter rally. Pitt’s rally, which was filmed, was said by many present to have been the largest ever held in the electorate. It was held in the open air, at a private home next to the Vaipae rugby field and began at 6pm.
Government’s attempt to woo constituents by plucking Ioane from the obscurity of the dusty back benches where the party had decreed his fate, and elevating him rapidly to Ministerial status over the bewildered bodies of more deserving members, had no impact in an electorate Ioane had done little to elevate. Neither did the sudden appearance in the electorate by current government leaders, the PM and DPM. They may as well have been ghosts passing in the night.
By contrast, Pitt, who is standing for the Cook Islands Party (CIP) did not have any CIP leadership “muscle” at his rally, apart from CIP member Teina Bishop who gave a stirring speech calling those in attendance to support Pitt.
Pitt delivered a short but stunning speech the highlight of which were two amazing pledges which had the people cheering.
Pitt spoke of his decision to enter politics, his being born and raised on Rarotonga, entering the Ministry when called by God, establishing a family business to secure the future of his family, his fight against especially political corruption, how he came to be in the Vaivaitau electorate and what he was going to do for the people of the electorate.
Pitt said God had ordained him to be in the Vaivaitau electorate to serve the people. He had lived in the electorate for over two months to find out how the people were coping with life and what they needed.Then came the stunning pledges. Firstly, Pitt told the audience he was not going into politics for the money. “My pay is for you.” Pitt said. He said after he becomes an MP he will donate his MP’s pay and allowances, around $50,000 a year, to a Trust to be set up and run by a board elected by the electorate who would then process applications for funding for sport, community needs, cultural activities, churches and so on.
Pitt told the audience that senior CIP members had told him such a scheme would make other MPs angry.
Pitt’s second pledge drew enormous applause and that was within a 100 days of being elected he would ensure the three villages of Vaipae, Tautu and Vaipeka got their own Television station.
Pitt said a DVD was being made of these pledges so people could hold him accountable.
“We believe what we see and doubt what we hear,” said Pitt, “I’m going to show you I’m a man of the people.”
Pitt said he was a man of his word who pledged himself to work very hard and do his best for the people.
He said he was entering the last part of his life and devoted himself to helping people. He had chosen to help the people of the electorate because they were at the bottom and the only way they could go was up. He said he would run a “clean” campaign and that he would not say one bad word about the opposition. Pitt told the audience that he had conveyed that message to Dr Maoate and had urged him to “play clean- avoid dirty politics.”
There were two further notable highlights that evening. Firstly, over 100 people signed on to join the Vaivaitau CIP. Secondly, Prime Minister Hon Jim Marurai arrived and spent 15 minutes at Pitt’s rally.

- Charles Pitt

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