Cabinet minister Wilkie Rasmussen recently told Cook Islands News it was time for a leadership change in government.
Rasmussen said if Prime Minister Jim Marurai was unable to lead, then he should step down.
In response, Sir Terepai said it was unfortunate that Rasmussen chose to speak out so strongly against government’s leadership.
He believes this was one issue that needed to be discussed and solved internally.
“We can deal with this ourselves. He (Rasmussen) is entitled to say what he wants to say. But it gives the impression that we are not working together. That’s not true. That’s one person’s opinion,” Sir Terepai said.
Marurai is now more often than ever being referred to as a weak leader and government has been labeled leaderless — especially by the opposition party.
Sir Terepai said while people may perceive Marurai to be a weak person, more focus needs to be on the good that the PM has achieved.
“That’s the nature of the PM. He is a very humble person,” the deputy PM said. “He doesn’t boast about himself and what he does. One thing I know is that he is also an honest person.”
Sir Terepai believes that the PM has allocated ministerial portfolios so that the ministers can deal with important areas of governance.
It is the ministers that are responsible for making sure government was running smoothly.
“He (PM) is the figurehead of government. He delegates responsibility to us as ministers,” Sir Terepai said.
