10 Facts About Robert Wigmore

Robert Wigmore served as a Minister in the Cabinets of Robert Woonton and Jim Marurai.

Robert Wigmore was educated in Titikaveka, and worked as a farmer, running Wigmore Farms and the Wigmore Superstore, the largest supplier of fresh fruit and vegetables in the Cook Islands.

Robert Wigmore served as president of the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce, and in 1985 he was elected President of the Cook Islands Producers Federation.

Robert Wigmore served as an under-secretary to Prime Minister Robert Woonton before being appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Agriculture in November 2002.

In 2005, in a further ruling on the 2004 electoral petition, the Cook Islands Court of Appeal upheld a High Court finding that Robert Wigmore had bribed piggery owners in his electorate in an effort to gain their vote.

Robert Wigmore was re-elected in a by-election on 7 February 2007.

Robert Wigmore rejoined the Cabinet in July 2009, replacing former Tourism Minister Wilkie Rasmussen who had been sacked for disloyalty.

On 23 December 2009, Robert Wigmore was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, replacing former Prime Minister and Democratic Party leader Terepai Maoate.

Robert Wigmore was expelled from the Democratic party, but a party conference in June 2010 restored his membership and appointed him party leader, with Rasmussen as his deputy.

Robert Wigmore served as Foreign Minister and Minister of Agriculture until the 2010 election.