Tom Davis (Cook Islands politician)
| Sir Tom Davis | |
|---|---|
| 2nd Prime Minister of the Cook Islands | |
|
In office July 25, 1978 – April 13, 1983 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | Albert Henry |
| Succeeded by | Geoffrey Henry |
| 4th Prime Minister of the Cook Islands | |
|
In office November 16, 1983 – July 29, 1987 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | Geoffrey Henry |
| Succeeded by | Pupuke Robati |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Thomas Robert Alexander Harries Davis June 11, 1917 Rarotonga, Cook Islands |
| Died |
July 23, 2007 (aged 90) Rarotonga, Cook Islands |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Pa Tepaeru Terito Ariki |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Occupation | Physiologist, politician |
| Religion | Bahá'í |
Sir Thomas "Tom" Robert Alexander Harries Davis, KBE (June 11, 1917 – July 23, 2007)[1] was a Prime Minister of the Cook Islands and a medical researcher.
Early life and education
Davis was born on the island of Rarotonga, his full name being Thomas Robert Alexander Harries Davis. He was the first Cook Islands medical graduate in New Zealand, finishing his studies at the University of Otago in 1945. He then served as Medical Officer in the Cook Islands working to improve the country's health system.
In 1952, he went to Harvard University, initially completing a Master of Public Health, before joining their Department of Nutrition. Subsequently, he worked for various parts of the armed forces as a research physiologist, before joining NASA to work on the space program.
Political career
Davis was a founder of the Cook Islands Democratic Party in 1971, and became opposition leader in 1972, going on to serve as Prime Minister from July 25, 1978, until April 13, 1983, and following the short first tenure of Geoffrey Henry, again from November 16, 1983, until July 29, 1987, when he left office while the Democratic Party was still in power.
In 1985 at a South Pacific Forum meeting he announced, mostly to gain local electoral kudos and in "bone-headed stupidity", that the Cooks would reconsider the relationship with New Zealand. David Lange, who disliked Davis, said if the Cooks wanted independence he would cut aid and remove New Zealand citizenship rights. Lange also said "We can probably throw in a second-hand Orion at a knock down rate so you can do your own maritime surveillance."[2]
On August 3, 1986[3] Davis became the first head of government to formally consult with the Universal House of Justice, the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith.[4]
Davis later went on to serve as High Commissioner to New Zealand.
During Davis's first term as Prime Minister, two changes were made to the constitution which altered the symbols of the country. In 1979, the Cook Islands Ensign was adopted to replace the previous flag of 15 yellow stars on a green background. In 1982, "Te Atua Mou E" was adopted as the national anthem of the Cook Islands, replacing "God Defend New Zealand". Davis wrote the music to "Te Atua Mou E" and his wife wrote the lyrics.
Personal life
Davis co-authored the autobiographical Doctor to the Islands (1955) and the novel Makutu (1960) with his first wife, New Zealander Lydia Davis.[5][6]
In 1979, Davis married Pa Tepaeru Terito Ariki (1923–1990), the paramount chief of the Takitumu tribe in the Cook Islands. She had nine children, three boys and six girls, from a previous marriage to George Ani Rima Peyroux. Pa Terito had become a Bahá'í in the 1950s; sometime after 1986, Davis joined the Bahá'í Faith.[4] Davis and his wife wrote the music and lyrics to "Te Atua mou e", the national anthem of the Cook Islands since 1982.
Davis died in 2007 in Rarotonga, aged 90.
Honours
Davis was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to medicine and the people of the Cook Islands in the 1981 New Year Honours.[7] The University of Otago awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 2005.[8]
See also
References
- ↑ "Sir Tom Davis dies aged 90". July 24, 2007. Retrieved September 28, 2008.
- ↑ Laidlaw, Chris (1999). Rights of Passage – Beyond the New Zealand Identity Crisis. Auckland, N.Z.: Hodder Moa Beckett (Hachette New Zealand). p. 56. ISBN 9781869587239.
- ↑ Thomas Pawlowski, J. (November 25, 1996). "A Brief History of the Baha'i Faith". Unpublished academic articles and papers. Spiritual Assembly of the Baha'is of Boise. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
- 1 2 Hassall, Graham (1996). "Baha'i Faith in the Asia Pacific – Issues and Prospects". Bahá'í Studies Review (Association for Baha'i Studies (English-speaking Europe)) 6. Archived from the original on November 14, 2007. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
- ↑ Subramani, "South Pacific Literature: From Myth to Fabulation", 1992, p. 14.
- ↑ Papa Tom Obituary, John Utanga, TVNZ archive, 1990.
- ↑ London Gazette (supplement), No. 48469, 31 December 1980. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
- ↑ "Honorary doctorate for former Cook Islands PM", University of Otago Bulletin, Issue 10, (20 May 2005)
