Niue Legislative Assembly to determine if Opposition MP breached code of conduct by taking cannabis inside Parliament

A paper will be tabled in the next meeting of the Niue Legislative Assembly to determine the actions of the Common Roll Member Hon. Terry Coe.

This has been confirmed by the Office of the Speaker of the Fono Ekepule.

The paper will call on the Fono Ekepule to decide whether or not the veteran politician breached the Code of Conduct of the members of parliament by bringing into the Chambers a bag allegedly containing marijuana during the March meeting.

Given the Fono Ekepule does not have a Disciplinary or Ethics Committee and given this is the first time such an incident has ever happened in the history of the Fono Ekepule, this matter may very likely be referred to the Fono Ekepule House Committee according to high level sources.

At the last meeting of the Fono Ekepule two weeks ago, the leader of the opposition Hon. O’love Jacobsen was very vocal on the severity of this matter and that this be dealt with the due process of the law.

The Chief of Police has confirmed the matter is being investigated.Chief Edwards also wants to remind the community that it is everyone’s responsibility to report such matters to the Police. He says that not many people in the Fono Ekepule will know what cannabis looks like so it is important the the Police are contacted immediately because they will be able to identify if this package did contain cannabis or not.

Hon Terry Coe has said that he had taken the drugs into Parliament to show how easily drugs can be brought into Niue,calling for more strict laws on illegal drug use on the island.