The government believes the document, which has the signatures and fingerprints of the chiefs, may have been sent overseas and ended up in the wrong hands.
Cooks Deputy Prime Minister Terepai Maoate told a number of the country’s chiefs that he was worried and concerned where the takeover proclamation some of them signed would end up.
“That document could easily be on the way overseas,” said Maoate.
A New Zealand Maori, Bruce Ruatapu Mita, persuaded eight of the country’s 15 Ariki or traditional leaders to sign the declaration.
But his influence is fading, with one of his most powerful supporters, the president of the House of Ariki, now changing her mind. Ada Rongomatane said she did sign the proclamation earlier, but was now pulling out.
However, it may be too late. Her signature as well as her fingerprint is on the proclamation, which is nowhere to be found. Maoate said the government would have to make a statement that this is a scam.
The kingpin behind the proclamation, Bruce Mita, is under police investigation and staying well out of the public eye.
Many on the islands are furious, believing he has discredited the Cook Islands. The government is considering deporting him and is keen to point out the quiet island nation remains peaceful.
“There is nothing for people in the country and overseas to be worried about what took place, security wise,” said Maara Tetava, the deputy police commissioner.
The House of Ariki has been meeting to decide where to go from here and on whether the chiefs will work with the government or perhaps continue their plans to take over the running of the Cook Islands.
That decision was expected on Friday but a coup was looking increasingly unlikely.
Maoate said eight chiefs seeking to dissolve Parliament and seize control of the country risk being charged with treason, according to NZ Herald.
The chiefs met Maoate to discuss their actions, which some have described as an attempted coup.
