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Jim Marurai

Jim Marurai (9 July 1947 – November 2020) was a Cook Islands politician who served as Prime Minister of the Cook Islands. He was a member of the Democratic Party.

Jim Marurai
10th Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
In office
14 December 2004 – 29 November 2010
MonarchElizabeth II
Queen's RepresentativeFrederick Tutu Goodwin
DeputyGeoffrey Henry
Terepai Maoate
Robert Wigmore
Preceded byRobert Woonton
Succeeded byHenry Puna
Minister of Education
In office
29 June 1999 – 29 November 2010
Prime MinisterGeoffrey Henry
Joe Williams
Terepai Maoate
Robert Woonton
Himself
Succeeded byTeina Bishop
Minister of Police
In office
29 September 2005 – 29 November 2010
Prime MinisterHimself
Preceded byPeri Vaevae Pare
Succeeded byHenry Puna
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
2009 – 23 December 2009
Preceded byTerepai Maoate
Succeeded byRobert Wigmore
In office
28 July 2009 – 2009
Preceded byWilkie Rasmussen
Succeeded byTerepai Maoate
Member of the Cook Islands Parliament
for Ivirua
In office
1994 – 5 July 2017
Succeeded byTony Armstrong
Personal details
Born(1947-07-09)9 July 1947
Ivirua, Mangaia, Cook Islands
DiedNovember 2020(2020-11-00) (aged 73)
Ivirua, Mangaia, Cook Islands
Political partyNew Alliance Party
Cook Islands First Party
Democratic Party
SpouseTuaine Marurai (deceased)
ChildrenJason Marurai, Anna Marurai, Eion Marurai, Tokoa Marurai, R Marurai
Alma materUniversity of Otago

Personal life

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Marurai was born in Ivirua, Mangaia.[1][2] He attended Ivirua and Oneroa Primary school and then Tereora College on Rarotonga and Napier Boys' High School in New Zealand. He later studied to be a teacher at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand.[2][3]

Marurai's wife, Tuaine Marurai, died on 14 September 2005 in Auckland, New Zealand, at the age of 56 after suffering from cancer. She was buried on her home island of Mangaia.[4][5]

In March 2020 Marurai went missing from his home but was found after two days.[6] He died in the first week of November 2020 in his home in Ivirua.[1][7]

Political career

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Marurai was first elected to Parliament in a by-election in 1994.[2] He served as an opposition backbencher for his first term, and joined Norman George in splitting from the Democrats to form the New Alliance Party.[8] Following the 1999 election he was appointed Minister of Education in the coalition Cabinets of Geoffrey Henry[9] and Joe Williams.[10] He retained the portfolio under both succeeding Prime Ministers, Terepai Maoate[11] and Robert Woonton.[12]

Prime minister

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Marurai was re-elected at the 2004 election. When Prime Minister Robert Woonton was expelled from the Democratic party for forming a coalition with the Cook Islands Party, Marurai joined him in the newly formed Demo Party Tumu (later known as Cook Islands First).[13] When an electoral petition found Woonton's seat was a dead tie, Woonton resigned, and Marurai was elected Prime Minister.[14] Initially he governed in coalition with the Cook Islands Party as part of a power-sharing deal which would see CIP leader Geoffrey Henry become Prime Minister after two years,[14] but in August 2005 the agreement broke down and Marurai formed a new coalition with the Democrats.[15] Terepai Maoate became Deputy Prime Minister again, and a month later the remaining CIP Cabinet Ministers were sacked and replaced by Democrats.[16][17]

In October 2005 Marurai suspended Police Minister Peri Vaevae Pare from Cabinet over an allegation of wrongful use of public funds;[18] Pare was subsequently asked to resign after he was convicted in January 2006.[19] In March 2006 two government MP's crossed the floor and sided with the opposition in an unsuccessful plot to bring down the government.[20] The High Commissioner to New Zealand, former prime minister Rober Woonton, was sacked for his involvement in the plot.[21] The resulting deadlock in Parliament was broken when Environment Minister Teina Bishop resigned and joined the opposition[22] and the Cook Islands Party won the 2006 Matavera by-election.[23] To avoid a confidence vote, Marurai dissolved Parliament and called a snap election.[24]

The Democratic Party won the resulting 2006 election[25] and agreed to back Marurai as Prime Minister again.[26] Shortly after the election his government pushed a controversial Media Standards Bill to regulate the media.[27] In May 2007 Marurai attended the 8th Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders in Washington, D.C., and expressed disappointment with the lack of commitments by the United States.[28] In August 2007 he hosted New Zealand Governor-General Anand Satyanand,[29] and in October he made a state visit to China.[30]

Marurai's coalition came under strain in early 2008, with an outbreak of bickering and calls for Ministers to be sacked.[31][32] In late 2008 Foreign Minister Wilkie Rasmussen publicly called for both Marurai and his deputy Maoate to step down.[33] In July 2009 Rasmussen was sacked for plotting with the opposition.[34][35] In December, a million dollar legal settlement from a failed bid to buy the Toa fuel tank farm led to the sacking of Maoate and a walkout of Democrats from Cabinet.[36][37][38] Marurai was subsequently expelled from the Democratic Party.[39] In January 2010, with both the Democrats and the Cook Islands Party opposed to his premiership,[40] Marurai announced that he would not be "calling parliament for at least several months" as no sitting was required until it was necessary to pass a budget.[41] He later announced that he had no intention of calling Parliament until September.[42]

Marurai was readmitted to the Democratic party at a party conference in June 2010.[43] He subsequently announced that he would not continue as Prime Minister if the Democratic Party won the 2010 election.[44] Marurai was re-elected to his Ivirua seat in the 2010 elections, but his party was ousted.[45] He resigned as Prime Minister on 29 November 2010,[46] but continued to serve as a backbench MP.

Despite saying that the 2010 term would be his last, Marurai stood again for Ivirua in the 2014 election and was elected unopposed.[47] He resigned for health reasons in 2017.[48] The subsequent 2017 Ivirua by-election was won by Tony Armstrong.[49]

References

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  1. ^ a b "'Gentleman Jim' – a man for the people". Cook Island News. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Hon. Jim MARURAI". Parliament of the Cook Islands. Archived from the original on 1 October 2010. Retrieved 29 November 2010.
  3. ^ Emmanuel Samoglou (7 November 2020). "Jim Marurai: The unexpected prime minister". Cook Islands News. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
  4. ^ "Mrs Marurai to be laid to rest in Mangaia". Cook Islands Government Online. 13 September 2005. Archived from the original on 1 October 2010. Retrieved 29 November 2010.
  5. ^ "Cook Islands makes preparations for funeral of PM's wife". RNZ. 17 September 2005. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Former Cooks' PM found after going missing for two days". RNZ. 11 March 2020. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Former Cook Islands PM Jim Marurai dies". Radio New Zealand. 6 November 2020. Archived from the original on 6 November 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  8. ^ Wilkie Rasmussen (1999). "Cook Islands in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 1997 to 30 June 1998". The Contemporary Pacific. 11 (1): 209–210.
  9. ^ "SIR GEOFFREY HENRY REMAINS COOKS ISLANDS PRIME MINISTER, NEW CABINET MINISTERS". Pacific Islands Report. 30 June 1999. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  10. ^ "COOK ISLANDS MINISTERIAL PORTFOLIOS". Pacific Islands Report. 11 August 1999. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Portfolio Allocations". Pacific Islands Report. 2 December 1999. Archived from the original on 1 July 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2020.
  12. ^ "COOK ISLANDS PRIME MINISTER WOONTON'S AND NORMAN GEORGE'S LONG PORTFOLIO". Pacific Islands Report. 18 February 2002. Archived from the original on 8 July 2020. Retrieved 8 July 2020.
  13. ^ "Cook Islands prime minister forms new party". RNZ. 1 December 2004. Archived from the original on 2 July 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2020.
  14. ^ a b "Jim Marurai is new Cook Islands prime minister". RNZ. 15 December 2004. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  15. ^ "Cook Islands deputy PM dumped, new government formed". RNZ. 9 August 2005. Archived from the original on 10 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  16. ^ "Cook Islands PM sacks two more ministers". RNZ. 12 September 2005. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  17. ^ "Viceroy swears in two new Cabinet ministers in the Cook Islands". RNZ. 16 September 2005. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  18. ^ "Cooks police probe cabinet minister Vaevae Pare". RNZ. 3 October 2005. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  19. ^ "CONVICTED COOKS MINISTER ASKED TO RESIGN". Pacific Islands Report. 31 January 2006. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  20. ^ "Attempt to bring down government failed, says Cooks PM". RNZ. 3 March 2006. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  21. ^ "Cook Islands envoy sacked for plot to oust own PM". The New Zealand Herald. 7 March 2006. Archived from the original on 22 October 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  22. ^ Jonassen, Jon Tikivanotau M. "Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007: Cook Islands" (PDF). The Contemporary Pacific. 20 (1): 216–22. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 July 2020. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  23. ^ "Cook Islands government plays wait and see game". RNZ. 21 July 2006. Archived from the original on 13 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  24. ^ "Cooks parliament dissolved". RNZ. 25 July 2006. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  25. ^ "Democratic Party in Cook Islands begins celebrating". RNZ. 28 September 2006. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  26. ^ "Cook Islands Democratic Party back Marurai re-appointment". RNZ. 29 September 2006. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  27. ^ "COOKS PRIME MINISTER BACKS CONTROVERSIAL MEDIA BILL". Pacific Islands Report. 24 April 2007. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  28. ^ "COOKS DISAPPOINTED IN WASHINGTON CONFERENCE". Pacific Islands Report. 4 June 2007. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  29. ^ "NZ Governor General to visit Cooks". RNZ. 16 August 2007. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  30. ^ "COOK ISLANDS LEADER BOUND FOR CHINA RED CARPET". Pacific Islands Report. 2 October 2007. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  31. ^ "Cooks PM concerned over bickering among cabinet ministers". RNZ. 22 January 2008. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  32. ^ "Cooks PM gets info about party visit through local media". RNZ. 22 January 2008. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  33. ^ "Cook Islands Foreign Minister says Marurai and Maoate should step down". RNZ. 30 December 2008. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  34. ^ "Cooks Foreign Minister sacked for plotting against PM". RNZ. 30 July 2009. Archived from the original on 10 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  35. ^ "COOKS PRIME MINISTER FIRES FOREIGN MINISTER". Pacific Islands Report. 30 July 2009. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  36. ^ "Cook Islands opposition accuses govt of mismanagement". RNZ. 29 December 2009. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  37. ^ "Cooks Deputy Prime Minister replaced, prompting a walkout". RNZ. 24 December 2009. Archived from the original on 5 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  38. ^ "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.
  39. ^ "PM sacked by Demo Party". Cook Islands Herald. 23 December 2009. Archived from the original on 18 March 2011. Retrieved 27 December 2009.
  40. ^ "Cook Islands Party says current political stand-off unacceptable". RNZ. 18 January 2010. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  41. ^ "Fearing ouster, Cooks PM won't recall parliament for months". RNZ. 21 January 2010. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  42. ^ "Cooks PM holds off parliament for another seven months". RNZ. 23 February 2010. Archived from the original on 11 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  43. ^ "New leadership for Cook Islands Democratic Party". Radio New Zealand International. 4 June 2010. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  44. ^ "PM confirms his passing of the baton after the election". Cook Islands herald. 10 June 2010. Archived from the original on 18 March 2011. Retrieved 11 June 2010.
  45. ^ "Preliminary results show Democrats ousted in Cook Islands election". Radio New Zealand International. 18 November 2010. Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 9 July 2020.
  46. ^ "Marurai stands down". Cook Islands News. 30 November 2010. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2010.
  47. ^ Emmanuel Samoglou (10 July 2014). "Marurai waltzes into office". Cook Islands News. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  48. ^ "Former Cook Islands PM Jim Marurai To Resign From Parliament". Pacific Islands Report. 5 July 2017. Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  49. ^ "Ivirua by-election has predictable result". Cook Islands News. 24 August 2017. Archived from the original on 14 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
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