Robert Wigmore
12th Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
In office
23 December 2009 – 30 November 2010
Prime MinisterJim Marurai
Preceded byTerepai Maoate
Succeeded byTom Marsters
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
23 December 2009 – 30 November 2010
Preceded byJim Marurai
Succeeded byTom Marsters
Minister of Agriculture
In office
31 July 2009 – 30 November 2010
Preceded byNgamau Munokoa
Succeeded byNandi Glassie
In office
16 November 2002 – 7 September 2004
Minister of Tourism
In office
31 July 2009 – 30 November 2010
Preceded byWilkie Rasmussen
Succeeded byTeina Bishop
Member of the Cook Islands Parliament
for Titikaveka
In office
7 February 2007 – 13 April 2012
Preceded byTekaotiki Matapo
Succeeded bySelina Napa
In office
16 June 1999 – 7 September 2004
Preceded byTekaotiki Matapo
Succeeded byTekaotiki Matapo
Personal details
Born8 September 1949
Rarotonga
Died13 April 2012(2012-04-13) (aged 62)
Political partyCook Islands Democratic Party

Robert George Wigmore (8 September 1949 – 13 April 2012) was leader of the Cook Islands Democratic Party from 2010 – 2012, and Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 2009 to 2010. He served as a Minister in the Cabinets of Robert Woonton and Jim Marurai.

Early life

Wigmore was born on Rarotonga.[1] He was educated in Titikaveka, and worked as a farmer, running Wigmore Farms and the Wigmore Superstore, the largest supplier of supplier of fresh fruit and vegetables in the Cook Islands.[2] He served as president of the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce, and in 1985 he was elected President of the Cook Islands Producers Federation.[2]

Political career

Wigmore was first elected to Parliament as a Democratic Party candidate for the seat of Titikaveka at the 1999 election. He served as an under-secretary to Prime Minister Robert Woonton before being appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Agriculture in November 2002.[3] At the 2004 election he apparently won his seat on the night, but the result was overturned three months later by an electoral petition.[4] In the intervening period there was a leadership dispute within the Democratic party, in which Wigmore remained neutral.[5]

In 2005, in a further ruling on the 2004 electoral petition, the Cook Islands Court of Appeal upheld a High Court finding that Wigmore had bribed piggery owners in his electorate in an effort to gain their vote.[6][7]

At the 2006 election, Wigmore's election in the seat of Titikaveka was declared invalid by an electoral petition. He was re-elected in a by-election on 7 February 2007.[8]

Wigmore rejoined the Cabinet in July 2009, replacing former Tourism Minister Wilkie Rasmussen who had been sacked for disloyalty.[9][10] On 23 December 2009, Wigmore was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, replacing former Prime Minister and Democratic Party leader Terepai Maoate.[11] He was subsequently expelled from the Democratic party,[12] but a party conference in June 2010 restored his membership and appointed him party leader, with Rasmussen as his deputy.[13] He served as Foreign Minister and Minister of Agriculture until the 2010 election.[14]

Wigmore was re-elected at the 2010 election. In December 2011 he took a leave of absence from Parliament to allow him to be treated for prostate cancer in New Zealand.[15] He died on 13 April 2012.[2]

References

  1. ↑ "Robert Wigmore". Cook Islands Parliament. Archived from the original on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 "'Man of wisdom' honoured". Cook Islands News. 4 April 2012. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  3. ↑ "New minister joins Cook Islands cabinet". RNZ. 16 November 2002. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  4. ↑ "Cook Islands Party candidate wins petition against election result in Titikaveka". RNZ. 11 December 2004. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  5. ↑ "Cook Islands minister remains neutral for time being". RNZ. 19 November 2004. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  6. ↑ "Wigmore v Matapo (2005) CKCA 1; CA 14.2004". 19 August 2005. Retrieved 24 December 2009.
  7. ↑ "Cooks PM, ex-PM and cabinet minister implicated in bribery complaint". RNZ. 9 November 2005. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  8. ↑ "Tomorrow set down for final count from Cook Islands by-election". RNZ. 9 February 2007. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  9. ↑ "Sacked Cook Islands Foreign Minister has no regrets". RNZ. 31 July 2009. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  10. ↑ "Ministers & their portfolios". Cook Islands News. 31 July 2009. Archived from the original on 11 August 2009.
  11. ↑ "Cooks Deputy Prime Minister replaced, prompting a walkout". RNZ. 24 December 2009. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  12. ↑ "Cooks Democratic Party expels four members still in government". RNZ. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  13. ↑ "New leadership for Cook Islands Democratic Party". RNZ. 4 June 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  14. ↑ "Ministerial portfolio allocations (as of January 5)". Cook Islands News. 6 January 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
  15. ↑ "Wigmore on medical leave until March". Cook Islands News. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2012.
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