Pupuke Robati
Encyclopedia
Sir
Pupuke Robati KBE (9 April 1925 – 26 April 2009) was a Cook Island
politician who was the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
from 29 July 1987 to 1 February 1989.
Robati was from the island of Rakahanga
. He completed his primary and secondary schooling in Manihiki
and Rarotonga
. He studied medicine at the Fiji School of Medicine
and graduated as a surgeon in 1948. On returning to the Cook Islands, he worked in Rarotonga, Mangaia
, and Atiu
. In 1966, he received training from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Otago
.
Robati was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Cook Islands
in the 1965 election
as independent representing the district of Rakahanga. He was re-elected in the 1968 election
, and in 1972 he joined the newly created Democratic Party
. He was re-elected in eight more general elections as a candidate for the Democratic Party.
Beginning in 1978, Robati was a the Deputy Premier
in the Cabinet of Premier Tom Davis
. On 29 July 1987, he succeeded Davis as Prime Minister after Davis retired from politics. During his 18 months as Prime Minister, the Parliament of the Cook Islands
enacted a constitutional amendment that added a preamble to the constitution which recognised the "heritage of Christian principles" in the Cook Islands and declared that the people of the Cook Islands "remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day, being the day of the week, which, according to a person's belief and conscience, is the Sabbath of the Lord." The Cook Islands also successfully applied for membership in the World Health Organization
during Robati's tenure.
The defeat of the Democratic Party in the election of 1989
ended Robati's tenture as Prime Minister. From 2001 to 2004, he was the Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament
. In the 2004 election
, Robati lost his seat to the independent candidate Piho Rua
. The election was later subject to an unsuccessful electoral petition. This defeat marked the end of its political career. At the time of his defeat, he was the longest serving Cook Islands MP.
Robati was a boxer
, and in 1944 was the Cook Islands' champion bantamweight
boxer. He was the chair of the Cook Islands' federation of amateur boxing for more than 30 years.
In 2001, Robati was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.
Robati died at Middlemore Hospital in Auckland
, New Zealand
.
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Pupuke Robati KBE (9 April 1925 – 26 April 2009) was a Cook Island
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
politician who was the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
The Prime Minister of the Cook Islands is the official rsponsible for heading Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's government in the Cook Islands, a self-governing territory in free association with New Zealand. The office was established in 1965, when self-government was first granted to the islands...
from 29 July 1987 to 1 February 1989.
Robati was from the island of Rakahanga
Rakahanga
Rakahanga, part of the Cook Islands in the central-southern Pacific Ocean, is one of the most unspoiled places on earth. The atoll is 1,248 kilometres from the Cook Islands capital, Rarotonga and lies 1,111 kilometres from the equator...
. He completed his primary and secondary schooling in Manihiki
Manihiki
Manihiki is an island in the Cook Islands known as the Island of Pearls. It is a triangular atoll north of Rarotonga.- History :Polynesians are believed to have lived on Manihiki since at least 900 or 1000 AD. Kupe was the first to explore Aotea Roa. Kupe came from Manihiki, also known as...
and Rarotonga
Rarotonga
Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, with a population of 14,153 , out of the country's total population of 19,569.The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings and international airport are on Rarotonga...
. He studied medicine at the Fiji School of Medicine
Fiji School of Medicine
The Fiji School of Medicine is a tertiary institution based in Suva, Fiji. Originally established in 1885 as the Suva Medical School. After merger with leading institutions in 2010, FSM is now called called College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences under Fiji National University. It striving...
and graduated as a surgeon in 1948. On returning to the Cook Islands, he worked in Rarotonga, Mangaia
Mangaia
Mangaia is the most southerly of the Cook Islands and the second largest, after Rarotonga.-Geography:...
, and Atiu
Atiu
Atiu, also known as Enuamanu , is an island lying at 187 km to the northeast of Rarotonga, in the Southern Islands group of the Cook Islands Archipelago.-Geography:...
. In 1966, he received training from the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
.
Robati was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Cook Islands
Parliament of the Cook Islands
The Parliament of the Cook Islands is the legislature of the Cook Islands. Originally established under New Zealand colonial rule, it became the national legislature on independence in 1965....
in the 1965 election
Cook Islands general election, 1965
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 20 April 1965 to elect 22 MPs to the Cook Islands Legislative Assembly. The elections were won by the Cook Islands Party and saw Albert Henry become the Cook Islands' first Prime Minister....
as independent representing the district of Rakahanga. He was re-elected in the 1968 election
Cook Islands general election, 1965
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 20 April 1965 to elect 22 MPs to the Cook Islands Legislative Assembly. The elections were won by the Cook Islands Party and saw Albert Henry become the Cook Islands' first Prime Minister....
, and in 1972 he joined the newly created Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Cook Islands)
The Democratic Party is a liberal political party in the Cook Islands. It is currently the Opposition party in the Cook Islands Parliament.-Early years:...
. He was re-elected in eight more general elections as a candidate for the Democratic Party.
Beginning in 1978, Robati was a the Deputy Premier
Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
The Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands is the second most senior officer in the government of the Cook Islands. From 1965 to 1981, the position was called the Deputy Premier. When the office of Premier was renamed to Prime Minister in 1981, the Deputy Premier became the Deputy Prime...
in the Cabinet of Premier Tom Davis
Tom Davis (Cook Islands)
Sir Thomas "Tom" Robert Alexander Harries Davis KBE was a Prime Minister of the Cook Islands and a medical researcher.-Early life and education:...
. On 29 July 1987, he succeeded Davis as Prime Minister after Davis retired from politics. During his 18 months as Prime Minister, the Parliament of the Cook Islands
Parliament of the Cook Islands
The Parliament of the Cook Islands is the legislature of the Cook Islands. Originally established under New Zealand colonial rule, it became the national legislature on independence in 1965....
enacted a constitutional amendment that added a preamble to the constitution which recognised the "heritage of Christian principles" in the Cook Islands and declared that the people of the Cook Islands "remember to keep holy the Sabbath Day, being the day of the week, which, according to a person's belief and conscience, is the Sabbath of the Lord." The Cook Islands also successfully applied for membership in the World Health Organization
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health. Established on 7 April 1948, with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the agency inherited the mandate and resources of its predecessor, the Health...
during Robati's tenure.
The defeat of the Democratic Party in the election of 1989
Cook Islands general election, 1965
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 20 April 1965 to elect 22 MPs to the Cook Islands Legislative Assembly. The elections were won by the Cook Islands Party and saw Albert Henry become the Cook Islands' first Prime Minister....
ended Robati's tenture as Prime Minister. From 2001 to 2004, he was the Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament
Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament
The Speaker of the Cook Islands Parliament is the presiding officer of the Cook Islands Parliament. The manage the House in accordance with its Standing Orders and according to the traditions of the Westminster system....
. In the 2004 election
Cook Islands general election, 2004
General elections were held in the Cook Islands on 7 September 2004. Initial results showed the Democratic Party winning by a wide margin, but close results led to 11 electoral petitions being filed, delaying the date Parliament could sit until mid-December...
, Robati lost his seat to the independent candidate Piho Rua
Piho Rua
Piho Rua is a Cook Islands politician and member of the Cook Islands Parliament.Rua was born on Rakahanga and educated at Aitutaki Junior High School and Tereora College. He had a twenty year career as a police officer before becoming a public servant and serving as Chief Executive of the Prime...
. The election was later subject to an unsuccessful electoral petition. This defeat marked the end of its political career. At the time of his defeat, he was the longest serving Cook Islands MP.
Robati was a boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, and in 1944 was the Cook Islands' champion bantamweight
Bantamweight
Bantamweight is usually a class in boxing for boxers who weigh above 115 pounds and up to 118 pounds . However, in Mixed Martial Arts it is 134-136 pounds . Wrestling also has similar weight classes including bantamweight...
boxer. He was the chair of the Cook Islands' federation of amateur boxing for more than 30 years.
In 2001, Robati was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.
Robati died at Middlemore Hospital in Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.