When we got back to the ship Flat Stanley and Flat Hal were surprised to discover we had been in another Capital city. Our tender dropped us off in Avatiu Harbor. On shore we flipped a coin and walked to the left – mostly because we were told the airport was to our right. The airport sounded less scenic. It turns out the Parliament for the Cook Islands is down near the airport!
We had a feeling when we saw quite a few government buildings while walking around that we might be in a capital city, but this one had the feel of a welcoming small town… much like Pago Pago, American Samoa.
With a little help from AI, let’s start learning about the Cook Islands government, The Cook Islands have a unique and interesting governmental structure. Here’s a breakdown:
- Constitutional Monarchy: The Cook Islands are a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand. This means they are independent in managing their own affairs but maintain a special relationship with New Zealand.The head of state is the British monarch (currently King Charles III), who is represented in the Cook Islands by a King’s Representative.
- Parliamentary Democracy: The Cook Islands have a parliamentary system of government. This means the government is formed by the political party that has the majority of seats in their Parliament. The leader of that party becomes the Prime Minister, who is the head of government.
- Free Association with New Zealand: New Zealand is responsible for the Cook Islands’ defense and foreign affairs if requested by the Cook Islands. Cook Islanders are New Zealand citizens and can live and work in New Zealand freely.
In essence, the Cook Islands govern themselves with their own parliament and prime minister, while maintaining a close relationship with New Zealand, including shared citizenship.
