Pacific

Cooks MP Norman George not concerned about conflict of interest claims

16:44 pm on 11 November 2003

The Cook Islands MP, Norman George, says there is no conflict of interest in his work as defence lawyer for convicted forger Eddie Drollett and his position as special adviser to the prime minister.

Drollett, the former chief of staff in the office of the prime minister, was convicted of receiving secret commissions and forgery last week.

Mr George says there is nothing wrong with his work as a lawyer.

"I'm just an ordinary MP trying to make a living. I'm professionally in the clear and whatever people say about it, well if I was a plumber people would not complain about me continuing to do plumbing work."

And Mr George says investigations by the Audit Office and the New Zealand Serious Fraud Office into similar allegations of forgery against a man he appointed will show his practices as Minister of Outer-Island Administration were good.