Government refuses to release foreign worker numbers says, Te Kura O Te ‘Au

Concerns are being raised by Te Kura O Te ‘Au over the increasing numbers of departing Cook Islanders being replaced by foreign workers, prepared to work for lower salaries.

Recent figures presented to Te Kura O Te ‘Au by a local economist suggests that there are presently, between 5,000 to 6,000 foreign workers in the Cook Islands with only 9000 Cook Islanders remaining in the Cook Islands. If these figures are close to the truth, says Founder, Tarota Mataiapo, Te Kura O Te ‘Au is concerned that this may well pose the threat of Cook Islanders becoming a minority in their own country.
Yesterday, Te Kura O Te ‘Au called the Immigration Department to seek confirmation of the number of foreign workers presently in the Cook Islands. The response provided to Te Kura O Te ‘Au from the Immigration Department receptionists was as follows:
I am afraid we cannot release those figures, you will need to email our boss on kringi@mfai.gov.ck
Founder, Tarota Mataiapo, tells the Times, that these types of figures need to be made readily available to the general public. Te Kura O Te ‘Au is questioning the right of the Immigration Department to withhold such information. It is their job to monitor the inflow of foreign workers into the Cook Islands, especially at a time when our Cook Islands people continue to leave our shores permanently.
“At a time of Political Instability, the need to know these figures is crucial and critical to taking the Cook Islands forward”.
Te Kura O Te ‘Au is taking the issue seriously. The people of the Cook Islands need to be informed about who is here and why they are here, as well as, how many Cook Islanders are remaining. We need to monitor more frequently the amount of foreign workers entering into the Cook Islands. This can only raise the level of confidence in our people, that they as Cook Islanders will never become a minority group in their own Country.

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