The minister suggests a complete overhaul of government is needed to take a serious look at whether it is addressing the relevant concerns of the nation.
“Things have to change now,” he said. “The government is not dysfunctional but it is not achieving its objectives.”
He believes the under performing government is due to differences in leadership style and because of the understanding of government and the way it ought to govern.
“The responsible thing for him (PM) to do is that if he feels he is not capable, then I think he should exercise the option of stepping down,” he said.
Rasmussen believes it would be “silly” to call an early election because the PM called one only two years ago.
“If I’m calling for change its not just with the PM — I am also calling for change with the deputy prime minister,” he said.
He admits that he heads a faction of the Democratic MPs that are dissatisfied with the direction government is taking. The group is now often referred to as the “secret seven.”
“There are eight of us,” he told Cook Islands News.
Rasmussen said the current government has reached a point of no return and that there’s now no choice but to seriously consider the continuation of its present leadership.
It’s not the first time Rasmussen has said the PM should step down. Over the past two years he has also continually called for Deputy Prime Minister Sir Terepai Maoate to “retire.”
A similar call has come from the Cook Islands Party. “If the government can’t work together and provide real leadership, it should ‘get out of the kitchen,’ ” said party leader, Henry Puna.
“We are serious and we are prepared,” he added. “We are the alternative government. I think the people in this country are sick and tired of the lack of leadership of the prime minister and his cabinet. Prime Minister (Jim Marurai) has openly admitted he is not in control of his cabinet and therefore his government. He has admitted that cabinet is divided — that cabinet is not who he would like. His whole government is crumbling — and he says he’s not ready to let go.”
He said Marurai’s government members have been fighting among themselves and people are sick of seeing that spill over into the public arena through the media.
“They are entitled to fight among themselves but what this country needs now is leadership — that means united leadership. It is very unlikely we will see that for the remainder of this government’s term,” said Puna.
MP Norman George threw in his two cents on the issue of leadership saying what the country faces today is a Demo Party government in defeat.
“Both the PM and the DPM are a clear and present danger to this country. They are divided. The PM is always dangling in thin air. There is an inherent weakness in a PM that can’t make a decision,” George said.
