{{Short description|Cook Islands politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=February 2017}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = | honorific_suffix = | image = | caption = | office = Minister of Education | prime_minister = Henry Puna | term_start = 16 January 2014 | term_end = 17 April 2014 | predecessor = | successor = Mona Ioane | office2 = | term_start2 = 3 December 2010 | term_end2 = 5 August 2013 | prime_minister2 = | predecessor2 = Jim Marurai | successor2 = | office3 = | prime_minister3 = Joe Williams | term_start3 = 10 November 1999 | term_end3 = 18 November 1999 | predecessor3 = | successor3 = Jim Marurai | office4 = Minister of Tourism | prime_minister4 = Henry Puna | term_start4 = 16 January 2014 | term_end4 = 17 April 2014 | predecessor4 = | successor4 = Mona Ioane | office5 = | prime_minister5 = | term_start5 = 3 December 2010 | term_end5 = 5 August 2013 | predecessor5 = Robert Wigmore | successor5 = | office6 = Minister of Marine Resources | term_start6 = 3 December 2010 | term_end6 = 5 August 2013 | prime_minister6 = | predecessor6 = Robert Wigmore | successor6 = Henry Puna | office7 = Minister for Outer Islands Development | term_start7 = 2006 | term_end7 = 21 July 2006 | prime_minister7 = Jim Marurai | predecessor7 = Jim Marurai | successor7 = | office8 = Minister for the Environment | term_start8 = 2006 | term_end8 = 21 July 2006 | predecessor8 = Wilkie Rasmussen | successor8 = | office9 = Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of the Cook Islands | term_start9 = 2004 | term_end9 = 2005 | predecessor9 = | successor9 = | constituency_MP15 = Arutanga–Reureu–Nikaupara | parliament15 = Cook Islands | term_start15 = 16 June 1999 | term_end15 = 21 July 2016 | predecessor15 = Ngereteina Puna | successor15 = Pumati Israela | majority15 = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|4|11|df=y}} | birth_place = Aitutaki, Cook Islands | death_date = | death_place = | party = Cook Islands Party <br /> Independent <br /> One Cook Islands Movement | alma_mater = University of the South Pacific | website = }} '''Teina Bishop''' (born 11 April 1959) is a Cook Islands politician, former Cabinet Minister, and leader of the One Cook Islands Movement. He was jailed for corruption in 2016.
Bishop was born in Aitutaki and was educated at Araura Primary school, Aitutaki Junior High School, and the University of the South Pacific before working as a teacher.<ref name="parlbio">{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.gov.ck/members/bishop.html |title=Mr. Teina BISHOP |publisher=Parliament of the Cook Islands |date= |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101001065919/http://www.parliament.gov.ck/members/bishop.html |archive-date=1 October 2010 }}</ref>
==Political career== Bishop was first elected to the Parliament as a Cook Islands Party candidate in the 1999 election. He briefly served as Minister of Education in the Cabinet of Joe Williams<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/1999/11/12/new-cook-islands-deputy-prime-minister-and-sir-geoffrey-henry-returns |title=NEW COOK ISLANDS DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER, AND SIR GEOFFREY HENRY RETURNS TO |publisher=Pacific Islands Report |date=12 November 1999 |accessdate=7 July 2020}}</ref> before losing the position when Williams lost a confidence vote to Terepai Maoate. while in opposition he opposed plans to build a casino in the Cook Islands.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pireport.org/articles/2000/08/07/cook-islands-party-says-%E2%80%98no-go%E2%80%99-casino-proposal |title=COOK ISLANDS PARTY SAYS 'NO GO' TO CASINO PROPOSAL |publisher=Pacific Islands Report |author=Jason Brown |date=7 August 2000 |accessdate=7 July 2020}}</ref>
In 2003 he resigned from Parliament over budget cuts to his constituency,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/144878/cooks-mp-delivers-resignation-to-speaker's-office |title=Cooks MP delivers resignation to speaker's office |publisher=RNZ |date=18 August 2003 |accessdate=7 July 2020}}</ref> precipitating a by-election in which he stood as an independent and was returned unopposed.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/146096/teina-bishop-returns-to-cook-islands-parliament-unopposed |title=Teina Bishop returns to Cook Islands Parliament unopposed |publisher=RNZ |date=5 November 2003 |accessdate=7 July 2020}}</ref> He was re-elected in the 2004 election, and elected Deputy Speaker, a position he held until 2005. In 2006 he was appointed as Minister for the Environment and Outer Islands in the cabinet of Jim Marurai, but resigned in July and rejoined the Cook Islands Party, precipitating the 2006 snap election.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/14066/v20n1-216-222-politicalrev.pdf |title=Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007: Cook Islands |last1=Jonassen |first1=Jon Tikivanotau M. |journal=The Contemporary Pacific |volume=20 |issue=1 |pages=216–22 |doi=10.1353/cp.2008.0015 |accessdate=7 July 2020 |archive-date=7 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200707192747/https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/bitstream/10125/14066/v20n1-216-222-politicalrev.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Bishop was re-elected, and spent the next four years in opposition.
==Cabinet and downfall== The Cook Islands party won the 2010 election and Bishop was appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Education, Tourism, and Marine Resources.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/194090/cooks-pm-announces-cabinet-line-up |title=Cooks PM announces cabinet line up |publisher=RNZ |date=3 December 2010 |accessdate=8 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cook-islands.gov.ck/cabinet.php |title=Who's who in Cabinet |publisher=Cook Islands Government |accessdate=15 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101125044753/http://www.cook-islands.gov.ck/cabinet.php |archivedate=25 November 2010 }}</ref> In May 2011 he increased the number of exploratory fishing licenses available<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/197371/cook-islands-govt-approves-an-additional-20-licences-for-exploratory-fishing |title=Cook Islands govt approves an additional 20 licences for exploratory fishing |publisher=RNZ |date=26 May 2011 |accessdate=8 July 2020}}</ref> and redirected licensing revenues to boost domestic fishing.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/200163/foreign-fishing-revenues-to-go-to-cooks-fishers |title=Foreign fishing revenues to go to Cooks fishers |publisher=RNZ |date=12 October 2011 |accessdate=8 July 2020}}</ref>
In August 2013 Bishop was stood down from Cabinet following allegations of corruption and fraud in his handling of the marine resources portfolio.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/cook-islands-govt-minister-under-police-investigation-5527288 |title=Cook Islands Govt Minister under police investigation |publisher=One News |author=Barbara Dreaver |date=5 August 2013 |accessdate=28 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202130951/http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/cook-islands-govt-minister-under-police-investigation-5527288 |archive-date=2 February 2014}}</ref> He was alleged to have mingled his personal business with his ministerial responsibilities in a complicated business arrangement to sell a fishing license to a Chinese company. He was reinstated to the Education and Tourism portfolios in January 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wp.issuu.com/cinews/docs/cook-islands-news-2014-01-16/7 |title=Bishop back in cabinet fold |publisher=Cook Islands News |author=Emmanuel Samoglou |date=16 January 2014 |accessdate=8 July 2020 |via=Issu |archive-date=10 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200710210032/https://wp.issuu.com/cinews/docs/cook-islands-news-2014-01-16/7 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He resigned again in April 2014, the day after the 2014 election was called, after a dispute over whether to dissolve Parliament.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/242006/cooks-minister-bishop-resigns |title=Cooks minister Bishop resigns |publisher=RNZ |date=18 April 2014 |accessdate=8 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cookislandsnews.com/item/46347-bishop-resigns-from-cabinet/46347-bishop-resigns-from-cabinet |title=Bishop resigns from Cabinet |publisher=Cook Islands News |date=18 April 2014 |accessdate=8 July 2020}}</ref> He subsequently established the One Cook Islands Movement to contest the elections,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/243340/new-group-emerges-to-contest-cooks-election |title=New group emerges to contest Cooks election |publisher=RNZ |date=5 May 2014 |accessdate=8 July 2020}}</ref> and was re-elected. In June 2015 he officially formed an alliance with the Democratic Party.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/276519/cooks-opposition-parties-cement-coalition |title=Cooks opposition parties cement coalition |publisher=RNZ |date=17 June 2015 |accessdate=8 July 2020}}</ref> The coalition was dissolved in December after a court ruled that Bishop should stand trial,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/291121/cooks-opposition-coalition-splits |title=Cooks opposition coalition splits |publisher=RNZ |date=2 December 2015 |accessdate=8 July 2020}}</ref> but in March 2016 he was elected leader of the opposition.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/299888/bishop-named-new-cook-islands-opposition-leader |title=Bishop named new Cook Islands opposition leader |publisher=RNZ |date=25 March 2016 |accessdate=8 July 2020}}</ref>
On 21 July 2016 Bishop was found guilty of corruption over his granting of fisheries licences while a Minister.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/309142/cooks-mp-teina-bishop-found-guilty-of-corruption |title=Cooks MP Teina Bishop found guilty of corruption |publisher=RNZ International |date=21 July 2016 |accessdate=22 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cookislandsnews.com/national/local/item/59625-teina-bishop-found-guilty |title=Teina Bishop found guilty! |author=Losirene Lacanivalu |publisher=Cook Islands News |date=21 July 2016 |accessdate=22 July 2016}}</ref> He was removed from his seat, sparking the 2016 Arutanga-Reureu-Nikaupara by-election.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/311313/cook-islands-by-election-date-set |title=Cook Islands by-election date set |publisher=RNZ International |date=18 August 2016 |accessdate=20 August 2016}}</ref> Bishop served a six-month term of imprisonment and was released in June 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/332655/homecoming-for-cook-islands-ex-mp-free-from-jail |title=Homecoming for Cook Islands ex-MP free from jail |publisher=RNZ |date=9 June 2017 |accessdate=8 July 2020}}</ref> He did not contest the 2018 election, but remained as One Cook Islands leader.
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bishop, Teina}} Category:Living people Category:1959 births Category:People from Aitutaki Category:Cook Islands Party politicians Category:University of the South Pacific alumni Category:Members of the Parliament of the Cook Islands Category:Education ministers of the Cook Islands Category:Environment ministers of the Cook Islands Category:Tourism ministers of the Cook Islands Category:One Cook Islands Movement politicians