Tom Davis

Sir Thomas Robert Alexander Harries Davis (11 June 1917 – 23 July 2007) was a Cook Islands statesman, politician, sailor and medical researcher. He served as Prime Minister of the Cook Islands from 1978 to March 1983, and again from November 1983 to July 1987. He also worked as a medical officer, and as a medical researcher for the US Army and NASA. He was a founder of the Cook Islands Voyaging Society and constructed and voyaged in several replica vaka, including Tākitumu and Te Au o Tonga.

Early life and education

Davis was born on the island of Rarotonga and educated at King's College, Auckland. He was the first Cook Islands medical graduate in New Zealand, As Medical Officer, he reorganised the country's health system, establishing a nursing school In 1948, after completing a post-graduate course in tropical medicine at the University of Sydney, he was appointed Chief Medical Officer. She reported that they were "welcomed at Boston like heroes".

At Harvard Davis completed a Master of Public Health, He later joined NASA to work on the space programme He founded the Cook Islands Democratic Party in 1971, and was elected to the Legislative Assembly at the 1972 election, becoming leader of the opposition. He was proposed as Vice-Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific in 1974, ultimately losing to James Maraj. He was re-elected to the Assembly in the 1974 election.

He initially lost his seat in the 1978 election, but was reinstated after an election petition found that Prime Minister Albert Henry had corruptly used government money to fly in voters and secure a majority. Davis was subsequently asked to form a government and was sworn in as Prime Minister. One of his first actions as Prime Minister was to ban Czech-born "cancer therapist" Milan Brych from Rarotonga hospital and bar him from returning to the Cook Islands. As Prime Minister he pursued economic independence, reduced the government deficit, and unsuccessfully explored joining the Lomé Convention to obtain aid from the European Economic Community.

In 1979, he replaced the old flag of the Cook Islands of 15 yellow stars on a green background with the Cook Islands Blue Ensign. 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.

After being defeated in the March 1983 election, Davis became leader of the opposition again. The defection of cabinet minister Tapui Henry from the government six months later forced a second election, which returned Davis to power. In 1984, the defection of Vincent Ingram forced Davis' democrats into an uncomfortable coalition with the Cook Islands Party under Geoffrey Henry. Following the collapse of ANZUS over New Zealand's anti-nuclear policy, Davis declared the Cook Islands' neutrality as New Zealand would be unable to defend it. Davis subsequently opposed a New Zealand offer to hold military exercises in the Cook Islands to demonstrate its ability, but his opposition was overturned by Cabinet.

On 3 August 1986 Davis became the first head of government to formally consult with the Universal House of Justice, the supreme governing institution of the Baháʼí Faith. He resigned as Democratic Party leader after losing his seat in parliament at the 1994 election.

After leaving politics, Davis advocated for a Polynesian Economic Community. In 2004, he was appointed the Cook Islands' High Commissioner to New Zealand.

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. After divorcing her in June 1978, he married Pa Tepaeru Terito Ariki, the paramount chief of the Takitumu tribe in the Cook Islands, in 1979. She had nine children, three boys and six girls, from a previous marriage to George Ani Rima Peyroux. Pa Terito had become a Baháʼí in the 1950s; sometime after 1986, Davis joined the Baháʼí Faith. In 2000, Davis married for a third time, to American Carla Cassata, but they separated ten months before his death.

Davis was a keen sailor since childhood he later sailed it to Tahiti. He was a founder of the Cook Islands Voyaging Society and in 1994 led the design and construction of the vaka Te Au o Tonga, which he then sailed to Samoa. In 1998 he sailed aboard Nokia in the 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

Davis died in 2007 in Rarotonga, aged 90.

Honours and awards

In 1977, Davis was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal. He 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. The University of Otago awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 2005.