Jim Marurai
8th Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
Incumbent
Assumed office December 14, 2004
Preceded by Robert Woonton
Constituency Ivirua
Born July 9, 1947 Mangaia
Political party Democratic Party
Spouse(s) Tuaine Marurai (deceased) did not die in 2005
Jim Marurai (born 9 July 1947) has been the prime minister of the Cook Islands since December 14, 2004 when he was elected by parliament by a vote of 14-9. He is a member of the Democratic Party (named Democratic Alliance Party from 1997 to 2003), the same party as his predecessor, Robert Woonton. Due to internal disputes, he left the Democrats in 2005 to form the Cook Islands First Party, governing in coalition with the Cook Islands Party. This agreement later broke down, and he formed a new coalition with the Democrats. He returned to the Democrats before the 2006 elections, remaining Prime Minister but not becoming party leader. Marurai was previously the minister of education. Marurai is a graduate of University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. As a secondary school student Marurai attended Tereora College in Rarotonga and was known as Niu World. He is from Ivirua, Mangaia.
Marurai’s wife, Tuaine Marurai, died on Wednesday, September 14, 2005 in Auckland, New Zealand after suffering from cancer. She was 56. She was buried on her home island of Mangaia.[1]
In May 2006, Marurai had a private audience and courtesy call with Emperor Akihito of Japan at the Tokyo Imperial Palace.[2] Marurai visit was part of the Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM 2006), which was held in Okinawa on May 26-27, 2006.[2]
External links
• [1] Cook Islands Office of the Prime Minister Official website
• Cook Islands Government
• Who’s who in Cabinet including P.M. Jim Marurai
• Marurai biographic notice on the Parliament of the Cook Islands website
References
1. ^ Cook Islands Government Online
2. ^ a b “COOK ISLANDS: Prime Minister To Meet Emperor Of Japan”. Cook Islands Herald (Pacific Magazine). 2006-05-15. http://www.pacificmagazine.net/news/2006/05/15/cook-islands-prime-minister-to-meet-emperor-of-japan. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
