As discussions continue over the terms of a New Zealand-Cook Island bubble, business owner and MP Tamaiva Tuavera (Captain Tama) wants the country vaccinated first
Captain Tama's boat cruises have been operating for nearly 30 years. Before the borders closed, he employed 18 staff but has reduced that number down to five.
But with a country dependent on tourism, the owner and operator says the situation in the islands is dire.
“It's a struggle and we're really starting to feel the pinch now and, if we're feeling the pinch now, then everyone is feeling it,” he said
The business receives more than 20,000 visitors per year, amounting to almost $1.1 million in revenue. With large staff cuts and constant pressure to adapt to the current covid climate, it's proving difficult for business to continue.
“We've lost 85% of our economy and all of that comes from tourism. We don't have anything else to fall back on like aquaculture,” he said.
Keen to get moving
This morning at Parliament, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown met Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta, with the focus on ensuring the right process is in place to open the borders.
“Importantly, as we respond to the economic challenges that we're confronted with, we have to be vigilant and mindful,” Mahuta said.
Prime Minister Brown was eager to get things moving.
“We are now looking at a stage of how to recover and rebuild our countries. Our country, in particular, is very hard with the economic impact of border closures.”
According to Tourism Rarotonga, economic activity has declined significantly and international visitor expenditure has dropped from $28 million in April 2019 to zero in April 2020.
Although Captain Tama is in full support of his prime minister's call for the travel bubble, he’s concerned about the repercussions
“I would actually love for our people to be vaccinated before the bubble opens. I'm suffering business-wise but my people still come first. I would not jeopardise their lives to earn a few dollars” Captain Tama said.
With Cook Islands health officials arriving in the country today to talk vaccinations, this could be a step in the right direction of having more people back in the islands, to help the economy of tuakana flourish.