| Sir Tom Davis | |
|---|---|
| 2nd Prime Minister of the Cook Islands | |
| In office July 25, 1978 – April 13, 1983 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | Albert Henry |
| Succeeded by | Geoffrey Henry |
| 4th Prime Minister of the Cook Islands | |
| In office November 16, 1983 – July 29, 1987 |
|
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | Geoffrey Henry |
| Succeeded by | Pupuke Robati |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Thomas Robert Alexander Harries Davis June 11, 1917 Rarotonga, Cook Islands |
| Died | July 23, 2007 (aged 90) Rarotonga, Cook Islands |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Pa Tepaeru Terito Ariki |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Occupation | Physiologist, politician |
| Religion | Bahá'í |
Sir Thomas "Tom" Robert Alexander Harries Davis KBE (June 11, 1917 – July 23, 2007[1]) was a Prime Minister of the Cook Islands and a medical researcher.
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Davis was born on the island of Rarotonga, his full name being Thomas Robert Alexander Harries Davis. He was the first Cook Islands medical graduate in New Zealand, finishing his studies at the University of Otago in 1945. He then served as Medical Officer in the Cook Islands working to improve the country's health system.
In 1952, he went to Harvard University, initially completing a Master of Public Health, before joining their Department of Nutrition. Subsequently, he worked for various parts of the armed forces as a research physiologist, before joining NASA to work on the space program.
Davis was a founder of the Cook Islands Democratic Party in 1971, and became opposition leader in 1972, going on to serve as Prime Minister from July 25, 1978 until April 13, 1983, and following the short first tenure of Geoffrey Henry, again from November 16, 1983 until July 29, 1987, when he left office while the Democratic Party was still in power.
On 3 Aug 1986[2] Davis became the first head of government to formally consult with the Universal House of Justice.[3]
He later went on to serve as High Commissioner to New Zealand.
In 1979, Davis married Pa Tepaeru Terito Ariki (1923–1990); she had nine children, three boys and six girls, from a previous marriage to George Ani Peyroux. Pa Terito had become a Bahá'í in the 1950s; sometime after 1986, Davis joined the Bahá'í Faith.[3] Davis and his wife wrote the music and lyrics to "Te Atua mou e", the national anthem of the Cook Islands since 1982.
Davis was knighted in 1981. The University of Otago awarded him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 2005.[4]
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