Although the Premier Sir Toke Talagi has returned to the island, Minister Billy Talagi remains Acting Premier.
BCN News has been reliably informed that Sir Talagi remains at home.
According to the Niue Constitution Act1974,Part 1 Section 9. Acting Premier, subsection 1 states “Whenever, by reason of illness or absence from Niue, the Premier is temporarily prevented from discharging his functions in Niue, the Speaker, acting on the request of the Cabinet, may, by instrument under the Seal of Niue, appoint another Minister to discharge the functions of Premier until such time as the Premier is capable of again discharging his functions or has vacated his office.”
However the Constitution does not state a time limit on the Minister holding the Acting position.
The Premier has been off island since his trip to Auckland for the Indonesian Pacific Expo in July and stayed on for medical treatment.
Sir Toke Talagi had not been seen in public events since March this year.