This year we’re not only reopen for business but seek to diversify our economy and the opportunities for our people by turning to the wealth of our ocean, writes Prime Minister Mark Brown.

Kia Orana kotou katoatoa and Happy New Year to you all.

When I look back at my message to you at this time last year – I look back on the incredible and unforeseen challenges and changes we went through in the year 2020.

At that time it was apparent that 2021 would be equally challenging – but with signs of hope, a new vaccine had been developed and there was light on the horizon. And we did well, we got vaccinated and we opened our borders for a brief but amazing few months.

Now, as we look ahead to the year ahead of us, I feel confident in saying that those signs of light are not just on the horizon but breaking through the clouds as we truly begin to recover from the trials of the past two years.

This does not mean that we can now just sit back and enjoy the sunshine however. The work to protect our people and revitalise our economy is and has been ongoing – and 2022 will be no different in this regard.

At the forefront of these efforts is our health ministry Te Marae Ora, who have already worked so hard to keep Covid-19 out of the Cook Islands while also doing everything they can to protect our people from this virus should it find its way in.

Our world-class vaccination programme is a key aspect of this defence – and vaccination is in fact the best protection we have against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Thanks not only to Te Marae Ora but to all of our people, we lead the world in terms of vaccination rates, with 97 per cent of our eligible population now fully vaccinated including for third doses on Rarotonga with Aitutaki and the rest of the Pa Enua to come.

In addition to this, I expect our 5-11 year olds being given approval for vaccination this month.

Vaccination saves lives, and it is our best path back to a safe reopening of the border so that our people can get back into business and people can start earning their proper wage and salary.

I know that many of us are also looking forward to meeting with our families and friends that we have not seen for the last two years. We cannot wait for the world to move forward; some parts of the world are moving backwards. I have seen some of the most developed countries in the world struggle to reach 70 per cent vaccination and a new resurgence of Covid. We have done enough for ourselves so that we can start to move forward ourselves. 

Let us remember that we are a people with a voyaging history that had the courage to sail across the ocean – armed with the technology of the day in our vaka that could sail into the wind, filled with the traditional knowledge of navigating by the stars, the moon the wind and the waves – we come from ancestors that discovered hundreds of islands across our ocean before anyone else. We were not a people that sat in fear and huddled to ourselves. When we combine our strengths with our faith as a nation then we can lead the way and show others how things can be done.

2022 will be a defining year for our country as we not only reopen for business but seek to diversify our economy and the opportunities for our people by turning to the wealth of our ocean. I look forward to this year and what it will bring for us. I hope you will join me in welcoming in a wonderful year ahead.

Kia Orana e Kia Manuia.