Mark Brown (Cook Islands)

Mark Brown is a Cook Islands politician and Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands under Prime Minister Henry Puna. He is a member of the Cook Islands Party.

Mark Brown
Mark Brown in 2017
Deputy Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
Assumed office
14 June 2018
Prime MinisterHenry Puna
Preceded byTeariki Heather
Minister of Finance
Assumed office
3 December 2010
Preceded byWilkie Rasmussen
Member of the Cook Islands Parliament
for Takuvaine–Tutakimoa
Assumed office
17 November 2010
Preceded byNgai Tupa
Personal details
BornAvarua, Cook Islands
Political partyCook Islands Party
Alma materMassey University
University of the South Pacific

Early life

Brown was born in Avarua on Rarotonga, and educated at Nikao Maori School, Nikao Side School, Tereora College and Gisborne Boys High School in New Zealand.[1] He holds a Diploma in Public Sector Management from Massey University in New Zealand and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of the South Pacific.[1] He has worked as a public servant, including as a policy advisor for the Prime Minister's Office and as head of the Ministry of Agriculture, and as a property developer.[1] He has served as Vice-President of the Cook Islands Chamber of Commerce, and President of the Cook Islands Touch Association.

Political career

Brown is currently vice-president of the CIP.[2] He unsuccessfully contested the electorate of Takuvaine–Tutakimoa in the 2006 elections, but was elected at the 2010 election.

Brown was appointed to Cabinet in December 2010 as finance minister.[3][4] He was re-elected at the 2014 election, and again in 2018. Following the 2018 election he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister, replacing Teariki Heather.[5]

In December 2019 a private prosecution for fraud was lodged against Brown and Prime Minister Henry Puna, alleging that a government-chartered aircraft had been misused. The case is still unresolved.[6]

In June 2020 Prime Minister Henry Puna announced his intention to stand down in September in order to compete for the role of Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum.[7] He nominated Brown as his replacement.

References
  1. "ADB Cook Islands: Handbook for ADB Missions" (PDF). Asian Development Bank. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
  2. "Opposition to focus on welfare and financial stability". Cook Islands Herald. 18 August 2010. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  3. "Cooks PM announces cabinet line up". RNZ. 2 December 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  4. "Who's who in Cabinet". Cook Islands Government. Archived from the original on 13 January 2011. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  5. "Brown DPM in new cabinet". Cook Islands News. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  6. "Cook Islands PM, deputy PM accused of fraud". RNZ. 11 December 2019. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  7. "The Cook Islands PM to stand down in September". RNZ. 17 June 2020. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
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