Cook Islands Party leader and former prime minister, Sir Geoffrey Henry, has announced his retirement from politics.
Sir Geoffreys retirement ends more than forty years of political service to his country.
Sir Geoffrey says there were a couple of reasons behind his retirement firstly to his wife, and the events of the last week, where the Queens Representative dissolved parliament.
"What we had happening here was an extraordinary constitutional situation, resulting in a snap election. I decided it was best I step out now in order to give the new leader sufficient time to build a team together in readiness for this snap election."
