23 Aug 2004

More talks in Cooks about Ariki role

4:17 pm on 23 August 2004

Members of the Cook Islands' body of traditional chiefs have been in further talks with the government to discuss reforms to their statutory role.

The House of Ariki members would like more financial support and a closer working relationship with parliament

Members of the House of Ariki also want to extend their annual terms to three years instead of one.

As the Cook Islands News reporter Ulamila Kurai-Marrie explains, it's been part of an ongoing consultation between the House of Ariki and the solicitor general:

"It's been ongoing since last year, more or less to amend the act. Previously the act was amended the year before to include all Arikis, which in other words means, as long as you are traditionally invested, you automatically become a House of Ariki, which previously it was not the case."

Reporter Ulamila Kurai-Marrie.

The role of the House of Ariki under the Constitution is to make recommendations to parliament on matters relating to the welfare of Cook Islanders