Health-related questions were raised in Parliament by the Opposition Democratic Party MP Nooroa Baker in anticipation of the border reopening on January 13, 2022.

Baker said he heard from health workers there was not enough staff working at the hospital.

He asked Government what would be done considering the country was expecting over 2000 tourists a week when the border reopened.

In response, Prime Minister Mark Brown said he was aware of the vacancies that needed to be filled at the hospital.

Brown said the positions were advertised and he was confident in the future the hospital would operate well.

Minister of Health Rose Toki-Brown will be making a statement on the matter today, he added.

Outside of Parliament, Brown told Cook Islands News the struggle with labour extended past health.

“Right across the board we need workers, so labour is going to be a challenge for us and something we need to address. Infrastructure Cook Islands needs engineers, Crown Law needs lawyers, that’s just the government agencies, little alone private sector and you’ve got attract those people in,” Brown said.

In another question, Baker asked where masks would have to be worn and if there would be any law in place.

Brown said an announcement would also be made on where and when a person needs to wear a mask.

“But in open public areas there is not mandatory to wear a mask, it’s up to us to apply our common sense,” Brown said.

“We should know to maintain things like hand washing, social distance and mask wearing. Most of us are adult enough to do the right thing without needing to write a law to do the right thing.”