11 Aug 2005

Cook Islands Party ponders withdrawing from government

1:53 pm on 11 August 2005

The dumped Cook Islands deputy prime minister, Sir Geoffrey Henry, says his party's caucus will meet today to decide whether to remain in government.

The Cook Islands Party, whose caucus has been meeting this week, has elected its executives for the next year, retaining Sir Geoffrey as leader and Tom Marsters as deputy.

Sir Geoffrey says he feels heartened by the CIP decision to retain him, and that a plot to undermine him in the eyes of the party by dumping him as deputy prime minister ahead of the executive vote failed.

He says whether the party remains in support of the government remains to be seen but will be discussed at the meeting this afternoon.

"And it is at that meeting that the caucus, together with the executive, will spend time looking at all the options and hopefully come up with the best option as to where we will take the Cook Islands Party over the next few months or so."

Sir Geoffrey Henry