Tekii Lazaro

Tekii Lazaro
Member of the Cook Islands Parliament
for Pukapuka–Nassau
In office
7 June 2011 – 14 June 2018
Preceded byVai Peua
Succeeded byTingika Elikana
Personal details
Born(1954-05-28)28 May 1954
Died8 August 2020(2020-08-08) (aged 66)
Political partyCook Islands Party

Tekii Lazaro (28 May 1954 – 8 August 2020)[1] was a Cook Islands politician and Member of the Cook Islands Parliament. He was a member of the Cook Islands Party.

Lazaro was educated at Niua school and Aitutaki High school, and studied to be a meteorologist in Fiji and New Zealand.[1] He served for 35 years in the Cook Islands Police as a Meteorological Officer.[2] He stood in the seat of Pukapuka–Nassau in the 2010 election, and narrowly won the seat on the night. A subsequent election petition found him guilty of bribery, and declared his election void.[3][4] Lazaro contested and won the subsequent by-election.[2]

In 2012 the Taxi Association complained that Lazaro was picking up tourists in an unlicensed taxi van.[5] He was told to get an appropriate licence.[6]

He was re-elected in the 2014 election,[7] and appointed Associate Minister of Finance.[8] He retired at the 2018 election and did not contest the seat.[9]

  1. ^ a b Melina Etches (15 August 2020). "MP Lazaro laid to rest". Cook Islands News. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Lazaro confident before final count". Cook Islands News. 8 June 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  3. ^ "Pukapuka election result void". Cook Islands News. 17 February 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Free massages had 'political purpose'". Cook Islands News. 17 March 2011. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Unlicensed taxi taking tourists". Cook Islands News. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Lazaro must get a licence, say police". Cook Islands News. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  7. ^ "CIP wins majority in final count". Cook Islands News. 18 July 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  8. ^ "PM announces key appointments". Cook Islands News. 16 October 2014. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
  9. ^ "On the campaign trail..." Cook Islands News. 25 June 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2020.