Independent election winners, Rose Toki-Brown and Robert Tapaitau, and the One Cook Islands movement’s George Maggie filled the three Cabinet posts in the CIP caretaker government left vacant by former Cabinet minister and deputy prime minister Teariki Heather, Health minister Nandi Glassie and Agriculture minister Kiriau Turepu, who lost their seats in the June 14 election.
The appointment and swearing-in of the three new ministers, carried out at Government House and in the presence of Queen’s Representative Tom Marsters, gave the CIP 13 seats, enabling them to continue as government.
However, the Demo Party indicated on Friday that they hadn’t given up, placing faith in the success of four electoral petitions that the party has lodged.
Here are some more photos from Thursday’s swearing-in ceremony, which took on the air of a major celebration as the new cabinet ministers were swamped with ei and hugs from family and well-wishers.
- CS/RK