Selina Napa | |
---|---|
![]() Selina Napa in 2016 | |
Member of the
Cook Islands Parliament for Titikaveka | |
In office 21 June 2012 – 1 August 2022 | |
Preceded by | Robert Wigmore |
Succeeded by | Sonny Williams |
Personal details | |
Born | 17 October 1964 |
Political party | Cook Islands Democratic Party |
Selina Matenga-Napa MBE (born 17 October 1964) [1] is a Cook Islands politician and former member of the Cook Islands Parliament. She is a member of the Cook Islands Democratic Party. She is the daughter of former MP Dr Teariki Matenga. [2]
Napa was born on Mangaia and educated at Titikaveka School and Tereora College. [1] She has a long involvement in Netball, playing at a village level as a child before being part of the Cook Islands national netball team at the 1981 South Pacific Mini Games. [3] She played for the Cook Islands throughout the 1980s and 1990s, including at the 1987 World Netball Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, and the 1989 World Games in Germany. [3] Eventually she rose to be team captain. [3] She later played for and coached the Titikaveka Pearls, [4] and was part of the selection panel for the Cook Islands women's national cricket team. [5]
Napa worked for the Business Trade and Investment board, and then as campaign manager for Titikaveka MP Robert Wigmore for four election campaigns. [6] She was later an administrator and spokesperson for the Democratic Party. [7] Following Wigmore's death she was elected to Parliament in the 2012 Titikaveka by-election, which was also contested by her brother. [8] [9] In April 2013 she attended the inaugural Pacific Parliamentary Forum in Wellington, New Zealand. [10]
Napa was re-elected in the 2014 election. In 2015, she was appointed opposition spokesperson for Environment, Telecommunications, Tourism, and Youth and Sport. [11] In 2016, she was part of the Cook Islands' delegation to the second Pacific Parliamentary Forum. [12] She was re-elected again at the 2018 election. In December 2019 she was part of a protest by women MPs to permit the wearing of ei katu (floral crowns) in Parliament. [13] In February 2020 she was appointed Democratic Party spokesperson for Health, Environment, Justice, and the Trade and Investment Board. [14]
She lost her seat in the 2022 Cook Islands general election. [15]
Napa was awarded an MBE for services to sport, youth and the community in the 2007 New Year Honours. [16]