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Inatio Akaruru

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Inatio Akaruru in 1969

Inatio Akaruru CBE (31 March 1937 – 31 January 2014)[1] was a Cook Islands politician, cabinet minister and Deputy Prime Minister. He was a member of the Cook Islands Party.

Akaruru was born on Pukapuka.[1] He worked as a public servant before being elected as MP for Pukapuka at the 1968 election.[1] Following the 1972 election he was made Minister of Health in the government of Albert Henry.[2] A cabinet reshuffle in 1973 saw him given responsiblity for public works, electrical and harbour development.[3] The change of government at the 1978 election saw him leave cabinet, but he was reappointed to the same portfolios after the March 1983 election.[4] He again lost his position briefly following the November 1983 election, but the subsequent formation of a coalition government saw him reappointed in August 1984.[5] He later became Deputy Prime Minister to Geoffrey Henry.[1]

At the 1999 election Akaruru held the Pukapuka-Nassau seat by a single vote.[6] The result was challenged by the Democratic Alliance Party and declared invalid. A by-election in September 1999 was also subsequently invalidated.[7] Akaruru contested the resulting 2000 Pukapuka-Nassau by-election and was defeated.[8]

In 1977, Akaruru was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.[9] He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1992 New Year Honours.[10]

Akaruru was interested in bowls and was President of the Cook Islands Bowling Association from 1984 to 2006.[11] He represented the Cook Islands in Bowls at the 1990 Auckland and 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games.[11][12]

In 2020 the Cook Islands Bowls Association named a bowling green after him.[13]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 3 4 Ben Chapman-Smith (4 February 2014). "PM Puna honours former politicians". Cook Islands News. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  2. ↑ "In a Nutshell". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 43, no. 6. 1 June 1972. p. 127. Retrieved 5 November 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ↑ "Streamlining in the Cooks". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 44, no. 3. 1 March 1973. p. 22. Retrieved 5 November 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "Tokoroa woman in Cook Islands Cabinet". The Press. 16 April 1983. p. 8. Retrieved 5 November 2026 – via Papers Past.
  5. ↑ ""Strongest" cabinet in the Cooks". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 55, no. 10. 1 October 1984. p. 61. Retrieved 5 November 2026 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ Europa World Year Book 2004. Vol. II. London: Europa Publications. 2004. p. 3137. ISBN 1-85743-255-X.
  7. ↑ "Another by-election for Cook Islands Pukapuka-Nassau seat". Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center. 8 December 1999. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  8. ↑ Alex Sword (29 November 2000). "PUKAPUKA/NASSAU PETITION HEARING DECEMBER 15". Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center. Archived from the original on 21 February 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  9. ↑ Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). "Recipients of the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal 1977: nominal roll of New Zealand recipients including Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau". Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 425. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
  10. ↑ "New Year's Honours List". The Press. 31 December 1991. p. 5. Retrieved 5 November 2026 – via Papers Past.
  11. 1 2 "Inatio AKARURU C.B.E." Fox Sports Pulse. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
  12. ↑ "Akaruru powerful bowler". The Press. 23 January 1990. p. 21. Retrieved 5 November 2026 – via Papers Past.
  13. ↑ Melina Etches (29 September 2020). "Bowling green named after longest serving president". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 5 November 2026.
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