cooks | sacked media boss threatens government

by jason brown, editor, avaiki nius agency

Cook Islands Media boss George Pitt has been sacked as chairman from the capital's state power board - and is threatening to bring the government down because of it.
Pitt confirmed he had received a letter of dismissal from the state-owned enterprises management body, the Cook Islands Investment Corporation.
"I know who is behind this," he told daily Cook Islands News.
"I must warn cabinet that I will bring this government down."
A decision to sack Pitt from his position as chairman of Te Aponga Uira o Tumutevarovaro - the Rarotonga Electrical Corporation - was made while Prime Minister Jim Marurai was overseas at the annual Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Papua New Guinea.
The former chairman's brother, Trevor Pitt, has been Marurai's closest adviser since taking power late last year.
Acting Prime Minister Dr Terepai Maoate had previously been regarded as a supporter of the Pitts and their frequently dual roles inside government and the media.
He apparently backed Pitt's dismissal following an independent but unfavourable review by TAUT of fuel import prices involving some of the country's biggest business interests. 
George Pitt heads the Pitt Meda Group, a family owned business with one television station, one radio station and three newspapers, the Cook Islands Herald, the Cook Islands Times and the Cook Islands Independent, all weeklies.
It is not the first time George Pitt has held a government position - or been sacked from one.
Pitt's sacking numbers among perhaps half a dozen different positions inside government he has held since taking over broadcasting stations from government starting in 1997.
He has previously acted as chief adviser to a former deputy prime minister, now speaker of parliament, and as chairman of Telecom Cook Islands.
Trevor Pitt has been a member of the country's little known National Information Infrastructure Committee, as well as other positions inside and outside of government.
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