Tangata Mouauri Vavia (born 8 September 1949) is a Cook Islands politician and former Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party.
Tangata Vavia | |
|---|---|
| Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Transport | |
| In office 17 October 2008 – 23 December 2009 | |
| Prime Minister | Jim Marurai |
| Succeeded by | William (Smiley) Heather |
| Minister for Outer Islands Development | |
| In office 30 January 2003 – 5 November 2003 | |
| Prime Minister | Robert Woonton |
| Succeeded by | Tapi Taio |
| In office 16 September 2005 – 27 September 2006 | |
| Prime Minister | Jim Marurai |
| Minister of Justice | |
| In office 17 November 1999 – 11 February 2002 | |
| Prime Minister | Terepai Maoate |
| Succeeded by | Norman George |
| In office 30 January 2003 – 5 November 2003 | |
| Prime Minister | Robert Woonton |
| Preceded by | Norman George |
| Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of the Cook Islands | |
| In office 1999–1999 | |
| Member of the Cook Islands Parliament for Mitiaro | |
| In office 24 March 1994 – 14 June 2018 | |
| Succeeded by | Tuakeu Tangatapoto |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 September 1949 Mitiaro |
| Political party | Cook Islands Democratic Party |
Vavia was born in Mitiaro in the Cook Islands. He was educated in Mitiaro then at Avarua, Nikao, Nikao Side School and Tereora College.[1] He worked as a postal clerk, then as a police constable before being elected to Parliament as member for Mitiaro in the 1994 elections.[1]
Vavia was elected Deputy Speaker in 1999. He subsequently served in the Cabinet of Sir Terepai Maoate as Minister of Justice and Outer Islands.[2] He lost his position when Robert Woonton replaced Maoate, but was reappointed briefly in 2003 when Woonton's coalition with the Cook Islands Party fell apart.[3] A further coalition realignment in November of that year saw him resign his portfolios and join the opposition.[4]
In 2005, following the demise of Jim Marurai's "partnership government", he rejoined Cabinet as Minister for Outer Islands Administration.[5][6] He was re-elected in the 2006 election, and appointed Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Cook Islands Investment Corporation, and Transport.[7]
Vavia resigned his portfolios in December 2009 in protest at the sacking from Cabinet of Democratic Party leader Terepai Maoate.[8][9] He was re-elected at the 2010 election. At the 2014 general election, he received exactly the same number of votes as his Cook Islands Party opponent in his Mitiaro constituency. A by-election was held in November, then retroactively cancelled by court order before the ballots could be counted. In December, Vavia was awarded the seat by the court following a recount of the July results.[10][11] He subsequently lost the seat at the 2018 election.[12]
References
edit- ^ a b "Hon. Tangata Vavia". Cook Islands Parliament. Archived from the original on 1 October 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
- ^ "Portfolio Allocations". Pacific Islands Report. 2 December 1999. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "Cook Islands deputy PM sacked". RNZ. 30 January 2003. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "Two Cook Islands cabinet ministers resign". RNZ. 6 November 2003. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "TWO NEW MINISTERS JOIN COOK ISLANDS CABINET". Pacific Islands Report. 15 September 2005. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "Viceroy swears in two new Cabinet ministers in the Cook Islands". RNZ. 16 September 2005. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "Changes announced to Ministries". Cook Islands Herald. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
- ^ "Cooks Deputy Prime Minister replaced, prompting a walkout". RNZ. 24 December 2009. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
- ^ "Cabinet Ministers Resign in Support of Party Leader". Democratic Party – Cook Islands. 23 December 2009. Archived from the original on 9 July 2011. Retrieved 25 December 2009.
- ^ "Mitiaro recount favours Cooks Democrats", PINA, 4 December 2014
- ^ "Cook Islands Court Confirms Mitiaro Seat Belongs To Demos", Cook Islands News, 17 December 2014
- ^ "Preliminary Results from Votes Counted 14-06-2018". Cook Islands Ministry of Justice. 14 June 2018. Retrieved 18 June 2018.