Prime Minister Mark Brown is leading a delegation of Parliament members and representatives of the Cook Islands Niuean community, to Niue for its 50th self-governance celebration this Saturday.

Close to 2000 of Niue’s population will be celebrating the country’s 50^th year of self-governance starting this weekend, which is expected to attract thousands of visitors from overseas, including from the Cook Islands.

Cook Islands Office of the Prime Minister spokesperson Jaewynn McKay confirmed that a charter flight would transport the delegation to Niue, with a scheduled return on Sunday, October 20.

“A charter flight carrying Prime Minister Mark Brown, Members of Parliament, and representatives of the Cook Islands Niuean community will depart from Rarotonga tomorrow, Friday 18 October, to participate in the 50^th anniversary celebrations of Niue’s self-governance,” McKay stated.

“Niueans have been an integral part of the Cook Islands community for many years, and this event strengthens the cultural and familial ties between the two Pacific nations.”

The charter flight also provides members of the Cook Islands’ Niuean community with an affordable opportunity to travel and participate in this celebration.

It is anticipated that PM Brown’s visit will also open the door to engage in bilateral discussions with Niue’s Prime Minister, Dalton Tagelagi.

He will also be extending an invitation to the Niuean counterpart to attend Cook Islands’ 60^th Constitution anniversary next year during these dialogues.

Sisi Short, a board member of the Cook Islands Niue Community, expressed excitement about the opportunity to travel with the delegation from the Cook Islands, to return to her birthplace and to explore it once again.

“It’s great we’ve reached the 50^th year of self-governance with New Zealand and I think it’s a good thing and the country still hasn’t got the population to be able to bench that and I think people like us need the support from New Zealand as a country,” Short said.

“Celebration itself is good to see and it’s probably the same as what we do here in the Cook Islands, they have dancing and all kinds of cultural stuff but I would say as a Niuean, Niue is a bit similar to here but the Cook Islands is a bit more populated.

“It’s great to be able to go there this time as I’ve never been back for quite a few years.”

Short was born in Niue and moved to Samoa when she was six years old. Their family then moved to New Zealand before she moved to Rarotonga some years ago.