During his nine-year tenure as Mangaia’s executive officer, Anthony Whyte, improved essential services, revitalised community infrastructure and enhanced the quality of life for island residents, leaving a lasting positive impact, writes Rod Dixon.

In 1998, Anthony Whyte, an Australian electrician, landed on Mangaia, the southernmost of the Cook Islands, to find a community grappling with economic “transition”.

“No one had any money,” Whyte recalls. “Workers had no tools, and there was nothing to work with. The transition team had left, taking everything with them.”

Sent by the Ministry of Energy’s Api’i Timoti to replace an outgoing Australian volunteer, Whyte inherited a struggling power station with just three employees.

The machinery was outdated, resources were scarce, tools non-existent and electricity was only available until midnight.

“The machines were so worn out they used as much oil as fuel,” Whyte says.

“The power was unreliable – lights would dim and sometimes explode. Most homes were fitted with just two power outlets and three bulbs.”

For a decade, Whyte trained young Mangaians to become electricians, but many left the island once they gained marketable skills.

A turning point for the power station came in 2008 when Whyte secured two Cummins diesel engines – now the standard across the outer islands. With these upgrades, the power station stabilised.

Meanwhile, workers were trained to Level 3 qualifications in a collaboration with CITTI. By 2025, most of the team will achieve Level 4 certification, becoming licensed electricians. Unlike earlier years, the workforce now remains on the island.

Mangaia’s power station has since earned a positive reputation in the outer islands, providing training and project support to other islands, including Palmerston, Rakahanga, Pukapuka, and ‘Ātiu.

Mangaia’s rock crusher, vital for aggregate for all the island’s infrastructure projects. ROD DIXON/25012402/25012404

Whyte also led the transition to 24/7 power on Mangaia in 2003, carefully calculating loads, fuel consumption and costs to make the upgrade feasible.

Born in Adelaide, South Australia, Whyte grew up in the small port town of Goolwa where his parents ran the local pub.

After his father’s death when he was 13, Whyte stepped in to help his mother manage the business. He later apprenticed as an electrician at General Motors Holden, working on the machinery that built iconic cars such as the Holden Commodore and Monaro.

At 21, Whyte married and had two sons. For 15 years, he operated his own electrical business, but by his late 30s, already divorced, he was ready for a change.

Volunteering through Australian Volunteers Abroad brought him to Mangaia, a move that would define his later career.

In 2015, after 17 years at the power station, Whyte was appointed Executive Officer (EO) of Mangaia when the previous EO moved to Rarotonga.

Over his nine-year tenure, Whyte spearheaded a series of transformative projects, helping to secure $1 million in funding for infrastructure improvements on the island.

Highlights include the restoration of Mangaia Hospital, upgrades to Mangaia College and the Mangaia Administration building, and repairs to the cyclone-damaged wharf shed. The power station also benefited from a new 20,000-litre fuel tank and the island’s rock crusher was revived after years of hiatus.

In partnership with Vodafone Cook Islands, Whyte worked to rollout fibre optic cables to the villages of Tamarua and Ivirua/Karanga, providing television, FM radio, and internet access, bridging the digital divide for outer village residents.

Whyte’s efforts with Infrastructure Cook Islands to modernise Mangaia’s water supply will reach a milestone in May, with the completion of a 140,000-litre storage tank for Oneroa.

Renewable energy also became a priority, with the installation of a 3-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant. This clean energy project has not only helped stabilise the island’s power supply but generated sufficient revenue to create 16 casual jobs, helping to retain young people on the island and stem population decline.

Reflecting on his time in office, Whyte also highlighted the success of the Mangaia Bicentennial Celebrations in June 2024, which commemorated 200 years since the arrival of Christianity. The event attracted over a thousand visitors to the island for a week of festivities, fostering a sense of pride and unity among the community.

Anthony, Moetu and daughter Angela Whyte. ROD DIXON/25012403

Whyte credits all these accomplishments to the unwavering support of the Mangaia Island Administration staff, successive mayors, Council members, Aronga Mana, and local MPs.

“None of this could have been achieved without their tireless efforts,” he reiterates.

Among his personal milestones was his marriage to Moetu Ruatoe of Tava’enga. Together, they have three daughters: Janet, Katherine, and Angela, the youngest of whom recently graduated from Auckland University with a degree in Chemical Engineering – a proud moment for the family.

Now retired from his executive role, Whyte is focusing on his family and his entrepreneurial ventures, which include a car rental service and an electrical business. He also continues to manage Mangaia’s television station and produces weekly news segments for CITV.

His contributions to Mangaia, from stabilising its power supply to revitalising public services and infrastructure, have left an indelible mark.

For the people of Mangaia, Whyte’s efforts have lit a way —both literally and figuratively.