PM Ardern here for holiday

Kiwi prime minister Jacinda Ardern arrived in Rarotonga yesterday for a holiday with fiancé Clarke Gayford and their daughter Neve.

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern has chosen the Cook Islands as her destination for a family getaway.

The cheerful looking Ardern arrived in the country yesterday with her fiancé Clarke Gayford and their year old baby Neve.

They were greeted by prime minister Henry Puna and his wife Akaiti, Cook Islands Tourism chief executive officer Halatoa Fua and staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Rarotonga International Airport’s VIP lounge.

Ardern and her family was adorned with fresh ei garlands by prime minister Puna. Her arrival went relatively unnoticed by people at the airport.

Ardern and her family were then whisked away to their accommodation. It is believed they left for Aitutaki where they will spend most of their time while in the country, late yesterday.

According to sources, Gayford will be using the trip to shoot for his Fish of the Day television show aired by Mediaworks in New Zealand. But an official source said that Ardern and her family were in the country “purely on holiday”.

The television show promises to “take you on a journey to stunning locations, introduce you to fascinating locals, and surround you with some of the world's most amazing ocean ecology”. Gayford has been traveling from the tropical South Pacific to the icy islands before Antarctica, challenging himself to catch fish, learn about the species and location, and then unlock secret mouth-watering recipes for his Fish of the Day.

It has been a busy and challenging year for prime minister Ardern and this trip will provide her with an opportune time for a well-deserved break from the political affairs of her country.

The New Zealand prime minister’s office asked that their privacy during the trip be respected. Ardern, who turns 39 on July 26, became the 40th prime minister of New Zealand in October, 2017.