Opposition leader and Rakahanga MP Tina Browne has made little progress over the course of two days, in trying to get answers from Pukapuka MP Tingika Elikana about a $640,000 charter vessel which left Rarotonga on Wednesday bound for Pukapuka.

Taxpayers have subsidised the return journey for 170 people of Pukapuka descent who live in Australia and New Zealand.

Elikana earlier confirmed with Cook Islands News that costs and logistics had been signed off by government, following approval by the Cabinet, on Thursday last week before he revealed the $637,000 figure.

Passenger fares and subsidised freight costs will cover a portion of the expense. Adults will pay $1000 for a one-way trip and $2000 for a return trip, while children will pay $250 each way and $500 for a return trip.

Government has already said revenue generated from passenger seat sales and cargo is not expected to cover the full cost.

Yesterday, Browne again asked Elikana how the whole thing came about in terms of the three years of preparation, and in regards to the expenditure.

He said the amount of money, the sum of money government in turn paid for the charter, in regards to what he had mentioned the previous day, the Finance Minister and Secretary of Finance, had had made it quite clear for the return of the money.

He was stopped by the Speaker of the House Tai Tura, who then said the conversation would continue next year.    

Browne had asked him to confirm the subsidy paid for the charter and if government had a policy in place for chartering ships to outer islands.

She asked how such a subsidy could be accessed.

“As I had mentioned yesterday (Wednesday), there was a timespan of three years,” he said.

“The question asked yesterday, was how did we access this charter. In regards to the money for the charter. The amount of money mentioned, that is the sum of money the government paid for the ship. Our Minister of Finance and Secretary of Finance, they have made it quite clear for the return of the costs.”

On Wednesday, Browne had asked Elikana to explain the policy on how he was able to charter the vessel.

Browne asked how she could apply for funding to take her family and people to their home island of Rakahanga.

On Wednesday, Elikana said the request had been discussed for the past three years by three groups of people.

There had been a request from a group to go to Penrhyn, another to visit Palmerston and a third to go to Nassau and Pukapuka.

The Penrhyn group withdrew their request, as did the Palmerston group, he said.