Cook Islands could get first woman PM

COOK Islanders appeared in a political quandary on Tuesday, two days out from a general election, as polls favoured Tina Browne to be their first woman prime minister but opposed her Democratic Party running the country.

A survey in the small South Pacific island nation of 18 000 people gave opposition leader Browne 29% support as preferred leader.

The current prime minister, Henry Puna of the governing Cook Islands Party, received only 22% support in the poll, with 28% undecided.

Puna’s party, which has served for two consecutive terms, was regarded as marginally preferred to remain in power. – AFP