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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. 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. He served as president of the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce, and in 1985 he was elected President of the Cook Islands Producers Federation.

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. At the 2004 election he apparently won his seat on the night, but the result was overturned three months later by an electoral petition. In the intervening period there was a leadership dispute within the Democratic party, in which Wigmore remained neutral.

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.

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.

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

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. He died on 13 April 2012.

References

1. "Robert Wigmore". Cook Islands Parliament. Archived from the original on 26 March 2009. Retrieved 24 December 2009.
2. ^ "'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.

• 1949 births
• 2012 deaths
• Deputy prime ministers of the Cook Islands
• Members of the Parliament of the Cook Islands
• People from Rarotonga
• Democratic Party (Cook Islands) politicians
• Ministers of foreign affairs of the Cook Islands