Big Plans For Cook Islander

By Anthony Haas

Cook Islander and Victoria University graduate George Ellis, is destined for high places in the Cook Islands' civil service.

Mr. Ellis recently completed a B.Com. and, until his return to the Cooks in April, was in Treasury. He is one of about four Cook Islanders who have obtained university degrees.

If one comment, made to me by a Cabinet Minister there, means anything, Mr. Ellis would soon be appointed treasure in the Cook Island Civil Service.

Mr. Ellis left the Cooks as a scholarship student nearly a decade ago, but has made the occasional vacation visit home. He is married to Ellen Perry who is an Arts graduate from Victoria and was librarian here in 1967.

While travelling to Rarotonga, Islanders on board the G.M.V. Moana Roa with us, kept commenting that he would shortly become financial secretary.

This post is equivalent to Secretary to the Treasury in New Zealand. The post of Treasurer is the next in line.

Mr. Apinara Short, the associate Minister of Economic Development named by Albert Henry to become full Minister of Economic Development, stated that imminent changes in his department would bring Mr. Ellis to the Treasurer's post.

Whether he speaks for Mr. Henry or not is questionable, but Mr. Short stated that when the Secretary for Economic Development was appointed and if the current Treasurer Mr. Tom Overhoff accepted it, Mr. Ellis would probably be appointed.

In fact, Mr. Overhoff told me he was not going to accept the invitation. The incident not only illustrates how a graduate fares on return to such a country, but also some of the problems raised in developing the Island's economy.

And George Ellis is unlikely to be willing to take such a post so soon.

For some time now, Albert Henry has avoided making a decision he undertook to take two years ago, to appoint from overseas an agricultural administrator to the post of Secretary of Economic Development.

Mr. Overhoff has been in the Cooks for some time. His intention is to refuse the post for personal and administrative reasons.

Mr. Les Davis, the New Zealand High Commissioner to the Cooks, says he has urged the N.Z. Government to consider paying for a high salary outsider to ensure the key post is well served.

Henry has yet to make his move.