The country today mourns the loss of former prime minister Sir Terepai Tuamure Maoate.

The late Sir Terepai died, aged 77, in Rarotonga yesterday after fighting a long battle with prostate cancer.

A medical doctor by profession, he was vocal about his illness and used his story to inspire Cook Islands men to make prostate cancer screening a priority. He also this year spearheaded the formation of the Cook Islands Prostate Foundation.

Sir Terepai, a former prime minister and deputy prime minister, has been a Democratic Party stalwart for decades.

The Democratic Party has expressed its sincerest condolences to Sir Terepai’s wife Lady Marito and their children and grandchildren.

Party president Sean Willis said the party remembers him as a ”very hardworking man“ with ”very high ethics“.

”It’s a great loss not only to the Cook Islands Democratic Party but to the people of the Cook Islands as a whole,“ he said.

Opposition leader Wilkie Rasmussen has called the late Sir Terepai a political ”heavyweight“ who was proactive and goal-orientated.

He said Sir Terepai leaves a great legacy behind, as a high achiever and a politician who was unwilling to compromise his principles.

”The country will certainly miss Sir Terepai for his services to Cook Islands politics and I believe that he leaves a legacy,“ Rasmussen said.

In terms of his political achievements, Rasmussen recalls Sir Terepai’s ”determination to create reserve funds for the Cook Islands“ in his capacity as finance minister.

He also remembers that Sir Terepai was the minister ”responsible for getting the Italians to write off the balance of the debt owing on the Sheraton“ and that he negotiated for the extension of the Cook Islands’ ocean territory.

”As a politician he was a heavyweight in moving things,“ Rasmussen said.

As prime minister, the late Sir Terepai wielded great influence.

”I also believe he is one of those prime ministers who raised the profile of the Cook Islands. I recall several times he paid a visit to Prime Minister Helen Clark in New Zealand and certainly Ms Clark took note of his submissions, especially with regard to portability of our super funds and with our bid at the time to become a member of the United Nations and indeed of the Commonwealth.“

Rasmussen said the Democratic Party will greatly miss its former leader.

”From the Democratic Party’s point of view we will miss him for setting down principles of achievement and of...non-compromise,“ he said.

Sir Terepai has been involved in politics for nearly 30 years.

Born in 1934, he was educated at Ngatangiia Primary School, Fiji School of Medicine and the University of Auckland. He worked as a medical doctor before being promoted to director of clinical services for the health ministry in 1976.

Sir Terepai was elected as member of parliament for Ngatangiia in 1983. In Tom Davis’ cabinet he held ministerial portfolios of health and agriculture, and between 1985 and 1989 was appointed deputy prime minister.

Following an election that resulted in a hung parliament and subsequent coalition shuffling, he became prime minister in 1999.

In 2002 he was ousted by Robert Woonton, and resumed his role as leader of the opposition.

Sir Terepai was again appointed deputy prime minister in 2003, but soon after resigned and tabled a motion of no confidence in the government.

A year later, the Democratic Party fragmented and a faction supported Jim Marurai for prime minister, which meant Sir Terepai became not prime minister but deputy prime minister.

In 2009 cabinet ministers showed their support for their leader, Sir Terepai, by resigning when he was sacked. The late Sir Terepai ran unsuccessfully in the 2010 general elections, but remained closely affiliated with the Democratic Party until his death this week.

For his long service to Cook Islands politics he was knighted by the Queen in 2007.

Over the years his ministerial portfolios included health, finance, agriculture, foreign affairs, ombudsman, public expenditure review committee and audit, attorney general, development investment board, small business enterprise centre, commerce commission, parliament services, broadcasting and national superannuation fund.

Sir Terepai was also the holder of the Maoate Mataiapo title, and active in his village. He was a keen planter and fishermen, even during the busiest times of his political career. A devout Christian, he belonged to the Cook Islands Christian Church.

He was also president of the Cook Islands Golden Oldies for a time.

Government will be holding a state funeral for the late Sir Terepai on Friday, but final arrangements have yet to be confirmed.

The Democratic Party will also be calling caucus to confirm its own arrangements for paying tribute to its former leader.

The Cook Islands has this year also lost former prime minister Sir Geoff Henry and former leader of the opposition Robert Wigmore.