NZ and Cooks reaffirm relationship during celebrations

Transcript

New Zealand and the Cook Islands have reaffirmed their special relationship at a formal ceremony in Rarotonga today.

The day marks Constitution Day in the Cook Islands and Sally Round, who is covering the event, has witnessed crowds of people taking part in the festivities.

SALLY ROUND:  At least a thousand people have come from the outer islands, what's known as the Pa Enua, they've been here over the last few weeks actually but today was culmination of all the events.  They gathered on the foreshore in Rarotonga at Constitution Park.  Big tents were set up, all the people with their beautiful head-dresses and island shirts sitting down in the shade watching various dances and traditional welcome for the dignitaries.  Many of them were accompanying John Key, the Prime Minister of New Zealand, who was here also to celebrate the 50 years of New Zealand's friendship treaty with the Cook Islands.  There were also representatives of the 39 countries who the Cook Islands have a relationship with.

KORO VAKA'UTA:  What sort of format are the celebrations taking?  What sort of things are happening?

SR:  Basically it's been a day of speeches.  This morning there was a thanksgiving ceremony at the large auditorium here.  The Prime Minister Henry Puna gave a speech and he started off the day actually having a game of golf with John Key just to prove the friendliness between the two sides.  Later in the afternoon they moved to the waterfront and made some formal speeches where they reaffirmed those ties.  John Key made a point of saying that New Zealand will continue help ensure that the Cook Islands has its voice heard internationally.  There has been this controversy and slight hiccup in relations where the government of Henry Puna has been pushing for a United Nations seat.  Now he says he doesn't want to talk about that over these celebrations.  It's a time to celebrate the friendship with New Zealand, but he's not going to let the subject drop.

KV:  You mentioned people from all over the Cook Islands gathering in Rarotonga for these celebrations so it looks like everyone is getting involved but has there been any opposition to this?  I understand there were concerns about cost and things like that.

SR:  From one quarter I heard the cost of a quarter of a million dollars mentioned but I don't think any cost has actually been formally released.  The French navy helped to transport those hundreds of people from those far-flung islands and others have come by other means and of course that all costs a lot of money.  There have been murmurings about the cost of this.  There has also been opposition to the amount of money spent on cars.  $600,000 to transport the dignitaries around but Henry Puna has been careful to say that the vehicles will be sold on after this occasion.  The Democratic Party, who I spoke to this morning, are part of the coalition opposition.  They said that this is a time to celebrate and that is important and whatever the cost it is an important time for the Cook Islands.