Will's Word: Delay in releasing China deal is utterly ridiculous

It’s Tuesday and we’re still none the wiser about the deal the Cook Islands signed with China last Friday.

One would have thought by now the details would be available in full to ease concerns and tensions with New Zealand.

But nope, we’re still waiting. And I tell you what, I’m frankly over it - as I’m sure the rest of the Cook Islands community is.

Prime Minister Mark Brown has repeatedly promised to release details of the agreement – which looks like it may happen today.

Regardless though, the fact we’ve had to wait this long is just utterly ridiculous.

At this point, the question isn’t just about transparency; it’s about sheer incompetence.

How is it possible that Brown or the communications team supporting him can’t manage to release a document in a timely manner?

It’s communications or PR 101, and they are failing at it.

Listen to Will's Word on Facebook.

The longer this drags on, the more it looks like they’re either deliberately withholding information or simply terrible at their jobs.

Either way, it’s a bad look, and it’s only fuelling distrust.

If they truly want to avoid unnecessary panic, they need to stop fumbling the ball and get those details out - before the whole thing blows up in their faces.

That’s Will’s Word.