{{Short description|Cook Islands politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Tekaotiki Matapo | honorific_suffix = OBE | image = Tekaotiki Matapo 3 Nov 2011.jpg | caption = Tekaotiki Matapo in 2011 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1944|4|16}} | birth_place = Rarotonga, Cook Islands | education = Titikaveka School, Avarua Primary School, Tereora College | occupation = Politician, diplomat, police officer | known_for = Minister of Justice (1989–1999), High Commissioner to New Zealand (2011–2015), President of the Cook Islands Party (2018–) | awards = Officer of the Order of the British Empire (2022) }}
'''Tekaotiki Matapo''' {{postnominals|country=GBR|OBE}} (born 16 April 1944)<ref name=CINOBE/> is a Cook Islands former politician, Cabinet Minister, and diplomat. He is currently president of the Cook Islands Party.
== Early career == Matapo was born in Rarotonga and educated at Titikaveka School, Avarua primary School, and Tereora College.<ref name=CINOBE/> He joined the Cook Islands Police Service in 1962, later rising to the rank of inspector.<ref name=CINOBE/> He also served as a national representative in athletics, captain of the Cook Islands national rugby union team,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cookislandsnews.com/internal/sport/rugby-union/cook-islands-rugby-union-honours-legends/ |title=Cook Islands Rugby Union honours legends |publisher=Cook Islands News |date=31 August 2024 |access-date=31 August 2024}}</ref> and as president of the Cook Islands Sports and National Olympic Committee.<ref name="cinprof">{{cite web |url=http://www.cookislandsnews.com/national/politics/item/70404-matapo-new-cip-president-puna-still-leader |title=Matapo new CIP president, Puna still leader |publisher=Cook Islands News |author=Rashneel Kumar |date=15 August 2018 |accessdate=14 June 2020}}</ref>
== Politics career == Matapo was first elected to the Parliament of the Cook Islands in the 1989 Cook Islands general election.<ref name=CINOBE/> He was Minister of Justice of the Cook Islands from 1989 to 1999,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112083091014;view=1up;seq=29|title=Chiefs of State and Cabinet members of foreign governments / National Foreign Assessment Center. 1989:Nov.-Dec..|website=HathiTrust|language=en|access-date=2018-07-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015073049366;view=1up;seq=26|title=Chiefs of State and Cabinet members of foreign governments / National Foreign Assessment Center. 1990.|website=HathiTrust|language=en|access-date=2018-07-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=p-Y-AQAAIAAJ&q|title=Defense & Foreign Affairs Handbook|last=Copley|first=Gregory R.|date=1999|publisher=Perth Corporation|language=en}}</ref> (1989-1999) serving in the cabinets of Tom Davis and Pupuke Robati.
From 2011 to December 2015<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cookislandsnews.com/national/local/item/56303-two-tipped-for-high-comm |title=Two tipped for High Comm |publisher=Cook Islands News |date=2 February 2016 |accessdate=14 June 2020}}</ref> served as High Commissioner of the Cook Islands to New Zealand, being replaced by Teremoana Yala.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cookislandsnews.com/item/58130-new-high-commissioner/58130-new-high-commissioner |title=New High Commissioner |publisher=Cook Islands News |date=3 May 2016 |accessdate=14 June 2020}}</ref>
In August 2018 he was appointed president of the Cook Islands Party.<ref name="cinprof"/>
Matapo was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2022 Birthday Honours.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=63715 |date=2 June 2022 |page=B42 }}</ref><ref name=CINOBE>{{cite web |url=https://www.cookislandsnews.com/national/economy/four-recognised-in-queens-birthday-honours-list/ |title=Four recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours List |publisher=Cook Islands News |date=7 June 2022 |access-date=8 June 2022}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Matapo, Tekaotiki}} Category:Living people Category:1944 births Category:People from Rarotonga Category:Cook Islands international rugby union players Category:Members of the Parliament of the Cook Islands Category:Government ministers of the Cook Islands Category:High commissioners of the Cook Islands to New Zealand Category:Democratic Party (Cook Islands) politicians Category:Cook Islands Party politicians Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire
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