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Fiji

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Politics and government of
Fiji
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Politics of Fiji takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Fiji is the head of government, and of a multi-party system. Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य Fiji 's Head of State is the President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands. Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank An equivalent title Adi (andi is used by females of chiefly rank Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda, CF, MBE, MSD, KStJ, (born December 29, 1920) has been the President The Fijian vice-presidency is a mostly ceremonial office The position was created in 1990, to provide a constitutional successor to the President, As a former British colony, Fiji has largely adopted British political models and follows the Westminster, or Cabinet system of government in which the Commodore is a Military rank used in many navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a navy captain, but is less than Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Fiji has the Westminster system - executive authority is vested nominally in a President, but exercised in practice by a Cabinet of Ministers presided Fiji 's chief governmental legal officer is the Attorney General. The post of Leader of the Opposition is a political office common in countries that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. Fiji 's Parliament is Bicameral. The House of Representatives has 71 members The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. It is the less powerful of the two chambers it may not initiate legislation but may amend or veto it The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. The Speaker is the presiding officer of the Fijian House of Representatives. Fiji is divided administratively into four divisions which are further subdivided into fourteen Provinces Each division is headed by a Commissioner Fiji has established municipal governments for two cities ( Suva and Lautoka) and ten Towns ( Ba, Labasa, Lami Fiji's municipal elections of October 2002 produced results that allowed three major political parties the United Fiji Party (SDL the Fiji Labour Party Municipal elections were held for 11 of Fiji's twelve City and Town councils on 22 October 2005. The title of Queen of Fiji was held by Queen Elizabeth II between 1972 and 1987. Fiji was a British Crown Colony from 1874 to 1970 and an independent Dominion in the British Commonwealth from 1970 to 1987 Fiji became a British Crown Colony in 1874 and an independent Dominion in the Commonwealth in 1970 Fiji 's British colonial rulers established the office of Chief Minister in October 1967 along with the Cabinet system of government The colonial Governors of Fiji relied on the Executive Council for advice on proposals for legislation which after being discussed in the Executive Council meetings The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on The Constitution of Fiji is the supreme law of Fiji. Background The Constitution of the Republic of the Fiji Islands dates from 1997 The Constitution of Fiji begins with a Preamble, which sets out the historical cultural and political reasons for the drafting of the 1997 Constitution Chapter 1 The State The first chapter of the Fiji Constitution is titled The State Chapter 2 Compact The second chapter of the Fiji Constitution contains Sections 6 and 7 of the Constitution Chapter 3 Citizenship The third chapter of the Fijian Constitution, comprising Sections 8 through 20 of the Constitution set out the rules for Chapter 4 Bill of Rights Chapter 4 of the Constitution of Fiji is titled Bill of Rights Chapter 5 Social Justice Chapter 5 of the Fiji Constitution is titled Social Justice Chapter 6 The Parliament Chapter 6 of the Fiji Constitution is titled The Parliament Chapter 7 Executive Government Chapter 7 of the Fiji Constitution is titled Executive Government Chapter 8 Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga Chapter 8 Executive Government Chapter 9 Judiciary Chapter 9 of the Fijian constitution is titled Judiurt of Appeal (Fiji|Court of Appeal]] and the Supreme Court, and also Chapter 10 State Services Chapter 10 of the Fijian constitution is titled State Services Chapter 11Accountability Chapter 11 of the Fijian constitution is titled Accountability Chapter 12 Revenue and Expenditure Section 175 Raising of revenue The raising by the Government of revenue or moneys whether through the imposition of taxation or otherwise Chapter 13 Group Rights Section 185 Alteration of certain Acts (1 A bill alters any of the following Acts namely(a Fijian Affairs Act(b Fijian Development Fund Chapter 14 Emergency Powers Section 187 Emergency powers (1 The Parliament may make a law conferring power on the President acting on the advice of the Cabinet Chapter 15 Amendment of Constitution Section 190 Alteration of Constitution This Constitution may be altered in the way set out in this Chapter and may not be altered Chapter 16 Commencement Interpretation and Repeals Section 193 Short title and commencement (1 This Act maybe cited as the Constitution Amendment Act 1997 Chapter 17 of the Constitution of Fiji is named "Schedule Oaths and Affirmations The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a now dormant 1997 constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a formal assembly of Fiji 's senior hereditary chiefs, along with Ratu Ovini Bokini Ratu (born 3 November 1944) is a Fijian chief and political leader Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title This article lists political parties in Fiji. Fiji has a Multi-party system with numerous parties in which no one party often has a chance of gaining Historical overview Fiji 's electoral system is the result of complex negotiations compromises and experiments conducted over the years leading up to and following independence The Fijian House of Representatives consists of 71 members all elected from single member constuencies. A constituency is any cohesive corporate unit or body bound by shared structures goals or loyalty Open constituencies represent one of several electoral models employed in the past and present in the Fijian electoral system. Communal constituencies have been the most durable feature of the Fijian electoral system. National constituencies are a former feature of the Fijian electoral system. Fiji has held nine general elections for the House of Representatives since becoming independent of the United Kingdom in 1970; there had The Constitution of Fiji requires general elections for the House of Representatives to be held at least once every five years General elections were until recently scheduled to be held in Fiji in March 2009 Elections to the offices of President and Vice-President of Fiji took place on 8 March 2006, when the Great Council of Chiefs Fiji has had many coups recently in 1987 2000 and 2006. Fiji has been suspended various times from the Commonwealth of Nations, a grouping of mostly Fiji has a small number of diplomatic missions abroad - it does not even have missions on any neighbouring Pacific Island states Information on politics by country is available for every Country, including both De jure and De facto independent A parliamentary system, also known as parliamentarianism (and parliamentarism in American English) is a System of government in which Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its As a former British colony, Fiji has largely adopted British political models and follows the Westminster, or Cabinet system of government in which the This article focuses on the cases where the Head of Government is a separate office from the Head of State A multi-party system is a system in which three or more political parties have the capacity to gain control of government separately or in coalition Executive power is exercised by the government. In Political science and Constitutional law, the executive is the branch of government responsible for the day-to-day management of the State. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Parliament of Fiji. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. Fiji 's Parliament is Bicameral. The House of Representatives has 71 members

The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State

Contents

Constitutional Structure

Executive branch

Main office holders
Office Name Party Since
President Ratu Josefa Iloilo 13 July 2000
Vice-President vacant 5 December 2006
Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama 5 January 2007

Fiji's Head of State is the President. Chapter 7 Executive Government Chapter 7 of the Fiji Constitution is titled Executive Government Fiji 's Head of State is the President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands. Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank An equivalent title Adi (andi is used by females of chiefly rank Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda, CF, MBE, MSD, KStJ, (born December 29, 1920) has been the President Events 1174 - William I of Scotland, a key rebel in the Revolt of 1173-1174, is captured at Alnwick by forces loyal to 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. The Fijian vice-presidency is a mostly ceremonial office The position was created in 1990, to provide a constitutional successor to the President, Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations. Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Events 1477 - Battle of Nancy: Charles the Bold is killed and Burgundy becomes part of France. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य Tui Viti (King of Fiji (1871 to 1874 See also Tui Viti Seru Epenisa Cakobau: 5 June 1871 - 10 October He is elected by the Great Council of Chiefs, after consulting with the Prime Minister, for a five-year term. The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a now dormant 1997 constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. Although his role is largely an honorary one, modelled after that of the British monarchy, the President has certain "reserve powers" that may be used in the event of a national crisis. In a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of Government, a reserve power is a power that may be exercised by the Head of state without the In practice, attempts by the President to assert the reserve powers have proved problematic. In 2000, in the midst of a civilian coup d'état against the elected government, President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara announced on 27 May that he was assuming executive authority, but was evidently forced to resign two days later by the military commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama. The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian Putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of Prime Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara Kabakoro] GCMG KBE CF, ( May 6, 1920 &ndash April 18, 2004 Events 927 - Simeon the Great, Tsar of Bulgaria, dies 1120 - Richard III of Capua is anointed The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF with a total manpower of 3500 men is one of the smallest militaries in the world Commodore is a Military rank used in many navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a navy captain, but is less than

The President is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. A commander-in-chief is the Commander of a nation's Military forces or significant element of those forces

Actual executive power is in the hands of the Cabinet, presided over by the Prime Minister. Fiji has the Westminster system - executive authority is vested nominally in a President, but exercised in practice by a Cabinet of Ministers presided The Prime Minister is formally appointed by the President, but must be acceptable to a majority of the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. In practice, this usually reduces the President's role to little more than a formality, with the position automatically going to the leader of the political party or coalition that controls a majority of seats. This article lists political parties in Fiji. Fiji has a Multi-party system with numerous parties in which no one party often has a chance of gaining A coalition is an alliance among individuals during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own Self-interest.

There have been times, however, when there has been no clear majority in the House of Representatives. The parliamentary election of 1992 was inconclusive, and the position of the largest party, the Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei, was further undermined by subsequent defections. A general election was held to restore Fiji to democracy in 1992. Year 1992 ( MCMXCII) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar) The Fijian Political Party (better known by its initials SVT, which stand for its Fijian name Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei) is a party On such occasions, the President takes on the role of an arbitrator. After consulting with all the parliamentary factions, he appoints as Prime Minister the person he judges to be the most acceptable to the majority in the House of Representatives. If no such person can be found, the President is required to order a new election. Fiji has held nine general elections for the House of Representatives since becoming independent of the United Kingdom in 1970; there had

Another situation requiring presidential intervention arose following the 1999 election. The general election to the Fijian House of Representatives, held from 8 to 15 May 1999, was historic The People's Coalition won a landslide victory; with the largest party in the coalition, the Fiji Labour Party, winning a majority in its own right. The People's Coalition was an alliance of three political parties in Fiji, formed in March 1999 to contest the parliamentary election to The Fiji Labour Party (FLP is a political party in Fiji, which holds observer status with the Socialist International. Some of the smaller parties in the coalition expressed unease at the prospect of Mahendra Chaudhry, the Labour Party leader and an Indo-Fijian, becoming Prime Minister, saying that he would be unacceptable to indigenous Fijian voters that they represented. Mahendra Pal Chaudhry (born 9 February 1942) is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party. Indo-Fijians are Fijians who trace their ancestry to India. They number 311591 (37 Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. President Mara, however, persuaded them to accept Chaudhry as Prime Minister.

The Cabinet, consisting of around ten to twenty five ministers, is formally appointed by the President on the nomination of the Prime Minister. A minister or a secretary is a Politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional Government. According to the constitution, the Cabinet is supposed to reflect the political composition of the House of Representatives, with every party holding more than 8 seats in the House entitled to proportionate representation in the Cabinet. In practice, this rule has never been strictly implemented. In 1999, Chaudhry refused to give ministerial posts to the Fijian Political Party, saying that its demands were unacceptable. From 2001 to 2004, Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, whose coalition dominated by his Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua had narrowly won the 2001 election, refused to include the Fiji Labour Party in his cabinet, and avoided implementing several subsequent Supreme Court verdicts ordering him to do so by appealing each successive verdict, until the Labour Party announced late in 2004 that it was no longer interested in joining the cabinet. The Constitution of Fiji was restored by a High Court decision on 15 November 2000, following the failure of the political upheaval The Supreme Court of Fiji is one of three courts established by Chapter 9 of the Constitution, the others being the High Court and the "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "

Legislative branch

Fiji's Parliament consists of two houses. Chapter 6 The Parliament Chapter 6 of the Fiji Constitution is titled The Parliament The more powerful of the two chambers, the House of Representatives, has 71 members, elected for five-year terms. 25 are elected by universal suffrage. The remaining 46 are reserved for Fiji's ethnic communities and are elected from communal electoral rolls: 23 Fijians, 19 Indo-Fijians, 1 Rotuman, and 3 "General electors" (Europeans, Chinese, and other minorities). Indigenous Fijians, the native inhabitants of Fiji, are a mixture of Polynesian and Melanesian resulting from the original migrations to the South Pacific many centuries "General Electors" is the term used in Fiji to identify citizens of voting age who belong in most cases to ethnic minorities The House chooses a Speaker, who is not allowed to be a present member of the House. The Speaker is the presiding officer of the Fijian House of Representatives.

The "upper chamber," the Senate, is primarily a house of review: it may not initiate legislation, but may amend or reject it. The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. It is the less powerful of the two chambers it may not initiate legislation but may amend or veto it The 32 Senators are formally appointed by the President on the nomination of the Great Council of Chiefs (14), the Prime Minister (9), the Leader of the Opposition (8), and the Council of Rotuma (1). The post of Leader of the Opposition is a political office common in countries that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. The Council of Rotuma is a Municipal body on the island of Rotuma, a Fijian dependency Senators as well as Representatives may serve as Cabinet Ministers.

The Attorney General, Fiji's top legal official who sits in the Cabinet, is the only member of Parliament permitted to attend sessions of both chambers. Fiji 's chief governmental legal officer is the Attorney General. The Attorney General has voting rights only in the chamber to which he or she was elected or appointed, but is authorized to attend and participate in debates in the other chamber.

Judicial branch

Fiji maintains an independent judiciary, with judicial power vested in three courts (the High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court) established by the Constitution, which also makes provision for other courts to be set up by Parliament; Magistrates' Courts have accordingly been set up. Chapter 9 Judiciary Chapter 9 of the Fijian constitution is titled Judiurt of Appeal (Fiji|Court of Appeal]] and the Supreme Court, and also The High Court of Fiji is one of three courts established by Chapter 9 of the Constitution, the others being the Court of Appeal and the The Court of Appeal of Fiji is one of three courts established by Chapter 9 of the Constitution, the others being the High Court and the The High Court and the Supreme Court are both presided over by the Chief Justice (currently Daniel Fatiaki); the Chief Justice is barred, however, from membership of the Court of Appeal, which has its own President (currently Gordon Ward). The Chief Justice is Fiji 's highest judicial officer He or she is appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister Taniela (Daniel Vafo'ou Fatiaki CF is the Chief Justice of Fiji. Fiji 's Court of Appeal is chaired by the President of the Court of Appeal Lord Chief Justice Gordon Ward was a Judge on the Supreme Court of Tonga. The Appeal Court, which did not exist prior to the 1997 Constitution, has the power "to hear and determine appeals" from judgements of the High Court; decisions of this court may be further appealed to the Supreme Court, whose decision is final. The judiciary managed to maintain its independence from political control in the aftermath of the coups of 1987. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) Following the 2000 coup, however, its integrity was compromised, in the eye of many, when three judges (including Fatiaki) advised then-President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara to abrogate the constitution. Mara refused and resigned; a military administration replaced him. Then Chief Justice recognized the military government, triggering widespread disappointment to those who had seen the judiciary as a model of independence. On 15 November 2000, however, the High Court forced the reinstatement of the 1997 Constitution, which had been abrogated in June following the forced resignation of President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara on 29 May. Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. Events 363 - Roman Emperor Julian defeats the Sassanid army in the Battle of Ctesiphon, under the walls of the

Local government

There are four administrative divisions (Central, Eastern, Northern and Western), each under the charge of a Commissioner appointed by the central government. Fiji is divided administratively into four divisions which are further subdivided into fourteen Provinces Each division is headed by a Commissioner The Central Division of Fiji is one of Fiji's four divisions. The Eastern Division of Fiji is one of Fiji's four divisions. The Northern Division is one of four Divisions into which Fiji 's fourteen Provinces are grouped for local government purposes The Western Division of Fiji is one of Fiji's four divisions. The divisions are further subdivided into fourteen provinces, each of which has a Provincial Council. In addition, the island of Rotuma has the status of a dependency, and enjoys a degree of internal autonomy, with its own island council. Rotuma is a Fijian Dependency, consisting of the island of Rotuma and the nearby islets of Hatana, Hạf Liua, Solkope, Solnohu

Ethnic Fijians have their own administration in which councils preside over a hierarchy of provinces, districts, and villages. The councils deal with all matters affecting ethnic Fijians. The 55-member Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) includes 3 representatives from each of Fiji's 14 provinces and 1 dependency, 3 ex-officio members (the President, Vice-President, and Prime Minister), and 6 government appointees; former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is a life-member. Fijian is an Austronesian language of the Malayo-Polynesian family spoken in Fiji. Major-General Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, OBE, MSD, OStJ, (born September 13, 1948 is best known as the instigator of two military The Great Council of Chiefs advises the government, and also functions as an electoral college to appoint the President of the Republic, as well as 14 of the 32 Senators. An electoral college is a set of many electors who are empowered to elect a candidate to a particular Office. This prerogative of the Council has been delegated to the 14 provincial councils, each choosing one Senator.

Suva, Lautoka, and nine other towns have municipal governments, with city or town councils, each chaired by a Mayor. Suva is the Capital and largest city of Fiji. It is located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Central Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometers north of Nadi, and is the second port A township (or Municipality) is a settlement which has the status and powers of a unit of local government A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government These are responsible for the local affairs of all citizens, and are elected by universal suffrage. Universal suffrage (also universal adult suffrage, general suffrage or common suffrage) consists of the extension of the right to vote to

Political conditions

In April 1970, a constitutional conference in London agreed that Fiji should become a fully sovereign and independent nation within the Commonwealth of Nations. Year 1970 ( MCMLXX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link shows full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Fiji became independent on October 10 of that year. Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated

Post-independence politics came to be dominated by Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara and the Alliance Party, which commanded the support of the traditional Fijian chiefs, along with leading elements of the European and part-European communities, and some Indo-Fijians. The Alliance Party was the ruling political party in Fiji from 1966 to 1987 The main parliamentary opposition, the National Federation Party, represented mainly rural Indo-Fijians. The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A Intercommunal relations were managed without serious confrontation. A short-lived constitutional crisis developed after the parliamentary election of March 1977, when the Indian-led National Federation Party (NFP) won a narrow majority of seats in the House of Representatives, but failed to form a government due to internal leadership problems, as well as concerns among some of its members that indigenous Fijians would not accept Indo-Fijian leadership. Fiji 's parliamentary election of March 1977 precipitated a constitutional crisis which was the first major challenge to the country's democratic institutions Fiji's election for the House of Representatives held in March 1977 was the second since independence from the United Kingdom in 1970 Also 1977 (album by Ash. Year 1977 ( MCMLXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays The NFP splintered in a leadership brawl three days after the election; in a controversial move, the Governor General, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, called on the defeated Mara to form an interim government, pending a second election to resolve the impasse. Fiji became a British Crown Colony in 1874 and an independent Dominion in the Commonwealth in 1970 Education and early career Ratu Cakobau was educated first at Fiji's Queen Victoria School, then at Newington College in Australia (1927-1932 A general election to Fiji's House of Representatives was held in September 1977, to resolve the impasse of an earlier election that had been This was held in September that year, and saw Mara's Alliance Party returned with a record majority of 36 parliamentary seats out of 52. The majority of the Alliance Party was reduced in the election of 1982, but with 28 seats out of 52, Mara retained power. Fiji's fourth general election to the House of Representatives was held in 1982. Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) Mara proposed a "government of national unity" - a grand coalition between his Alliance Party and the NFP, but the NFP leader, Jai Ram Reddy, rejected this. Jai Ram Reddy (born 12 May 1937) is an Indo-Fijian statesman who has had a distinguished career in both the legislative and judicial branches

The Two Coups of 1987

In April 1987, a coalition led by Dr Timoci Bavadra, an ethnic Fijian who was nevertheless supported mostly by the Indo-Fijian community, won the general election and formed Fiji's first majority Indian government, with Dr Bavadra serving as Prime Minister. The Fiji coups of 1987 resulted in the overthrow of the elected government of Fijian Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra, the deposition of Elizabeth II The general election of April 1987 was Fiji's fifth since the country had gained its independence from the United Kingdom seventeen years earlier After less than a month in office, Dr Bavadra was forcibly removed from power during a military coup led by Lt. Col. Sitiveni Rabuka on 14 May, 1987. Major-General Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, OBE, MSD, OStJ, (born September 13, 1948 is best known as the instigator of two military Events 1264 - Battle of Lewes: Henry III of England is captured in France making Simon de Montfort the Rabuka had served with the United Nations peacekeeping forces in Lebanon. [1]

After a period of continued jockeying and negotiation, Rabuka staged a second coup on September 25, 1987. Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France The military government revoked the constitution and declared Fiji a republic on October 10, the seventeenth anniversary of Fiji's independence from the United Kingdom. Events 680 - Battle of Karbala: Shia Imam Husayn bin Ali, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is decapitated The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located This action, coupled with protests by the government of India, led to Fiji's expulsion from the Commonwealth and official nonrecognition of the Rabuka regime by foreign governments, including Australia and New Zealand. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island On December 6, Rabuka resigned as Head of State, and the former Governor-General, Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, was appointed the first President of the Fijian Republic. Events 1060 - Béla I of Hungary is crowned king of Hungary 1240 - Mongol invasion of Rus: Kiev Education and early career Ganilau was educated at Northern Provincial School, Queen Victoria School and Wadham College, Oxford University Mara was reappointed Prime Minister, and Rabuka became Minister of Home Affairs.

The Republic

The new government drafted a new constitution that went into force in July 1990. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Under its terms, majorities were reserved for ethnic Fijians in both houses of the legislature. Previously, in 1989, the government had released statistical information showing that for the first time since 1946, ethnic Fijians were a majority of the population. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. More than 12,000 Indo-Fijians and other minorities had left the country in the two years following the 1987 coups. After resigning from the military, Rabuka became Prime Minister under the new constitution in 1992.

Ethnic tensions simmered in 1995-1996 over the renewal of Indo-Fijian land leases and political maneuvering surrounding the mandated 7-year review of the 1990 constitution. Year 1995 ( MCMXCV) was a Common year starting on Sunday. Events of 1995 Year 1996 ( MCMXCVI) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar) The Constitutional Review Commission produced a draft constitution which slightly expanded the size of the legislature, lowered the proportion of seats reserved by ethnic group, reserved the presidency for ethnic Fijians but opened the position of prime minister to all races. Prime Minister Rabuka and President Mara supported the proposal, while the nationalist indigenous Fijian parties opposed it. The reformed constitution was approved in July 1997. Fiji was readmitted to the Commonwealth in October.

The first legislative elections held under the new constitution took place in May 1999. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) Rabuka's coalition was defeated by an alliance of Indo-Fijian parties led by Mahendra Chaudhry, who became Fiji's first Indo-Fijian prime minister.

The Coup of 2000

Main article: 2000 Fijian coup d'état

Chaudhry's government was short-lived. The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian Putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of Prime After barely a year in office, Chaudhry and most other members of parliament were taken hostage in the House of Representatives by gunmen led by ethnic Fijian nationalist George Speight, on 19 May 2000. George Speight, occasionally known as Ilikimi Naitini (born 16 May 1957) was the principal instigator of the Fiji coup of 2000, in which he Events 1535 - French explorer Jacques Cartier sets sail on his second voyage to North America with three ships 110 men and The standoff dragged on for 8 weeks - during which time Chaudhry was removed from office by the then-president Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara because of his inability to govern - before the Fijian military seized power and brokered a negotiated end to the situation, then arrested Speight when he violated its terms. Former banker Laisenia Qarase was named interim Prime Minister and head of the interim civilian government by the military and the Great Council of Chiefs in July. A court order restored the constitution early in 2001, and a subsequent election confirmed Qarase as Prime Minister. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar.

The Coup of 2006

Main article: 2006 Fijian coup d'état attempt

Disgruntled by two bills before the Fijian Parliament, one offering amnesty for the leaders of the 2000 coup, the military leader Commodore Frank Bainimarama asked Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase to resign in mid October, 2006. The Fijian Coup d'état of December 2006 occurred as a continuation of the pressure which had been building since the military unrest of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état The Prime Minister attempted to sack Bainimarama without success. Australian and New Zealand governments expressed concerns about a possible coup.

On 4 November 2006, Qarase dropped the controversial amnesty measures from the bill. Events 1333 - Flood of the Arno River, causing massive damage in Florence as recorded by the Florentine chronicler Giovanni Villani [5]

On 29 November New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters organised talks in Wellington between Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase and Commodore Bainimarama. Events 1777 - San Jose California, is founded as el Pueblo de San José de Guadalupe The Minister of Foreign Affairs is a major ministerial portfolio in the government of New Zealand. Winston Raymond Peters (born April 11, 1945) is a New Zealand politician and leader of New Zealand First, a Political party he Wellington (ˈwælɪŋtən is the Capital of New Zealand, the country's second largest urban area, the Peters reported the talks as "positive" but after returning to Fiji Commodore Bainimarama announced that the military were to take over most of Suva and fire into the harbour "in anticipation of any foreign intervention". [6]

Bainimarama announced on 3 December 2006 that he had taken control of Fiji. Events 1800 - War of the Second Coalition: Battle of Hohenlinden, French [7]

Bainimarama restored the Presidency to Ratu Iloilo on 4 January 2007,[2][3] and in turn was formally appointed interim Prime Minister by Iloilo the next day. Events 46 BC - Titus Labienus defeats Julius Caesar in the Battle of Ruspina. [4][5]

Contentious Issues

Most of Fiji's political controversies are related to the ethnic faultline that characterizes Fijian politics. Fiji is one of the rare countries in the world that officially imposes disabilities on a group that constitutes a large part of the population, on the basis of race. List of racism-related topics|Racism by country Racism, by its simplest definition is the belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that [6][7] It has caused an exodus of the Indians, who until recently formed slight majority in Fiji. [8]

Land tenure

One of the main issues that has fuelled the contention over the years is land tenure. Indigenous Fijian communities very closely identify themselves with their land. In 1909 near the peak of the inflow of indentured Indian laborers, the land ownership pattern was frozen and further sales prohibited. Year 1909 ( MCMIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Today over 80% of the land is held by indigenous Fijians, under the collective ownership of the traditional Fijian clans. Indo-Fijians produce over 90% of the sugar crop but must lease the land they work from its ethnic Fijian owners instead of being able to buy it outright. The leases have been generally for 10 years, although they are usually renewed for two 10-year extensions. Many Indo-Fijians argue that these terms do not provide them with adequate security and have pressed for renewable 30-year leases, while many ethnic Fijians fear that an Indo-Fijian government would erode their control over the land.

The Indo-Fijian parties' major voting bloc is made up of sugarcane farmers. Sugarcane ( Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae tribe Andropogoneae The farmers' main tool of influence has been their ability to galvanize widespread boycotts of the sugar industry, thereby crippling the economy. Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose.

Citizenship and residency issues

Dual citizenship is prohibited by the Constitution. Multiple citizenship, or multiple nationality is a status in which a person is concurrently regarded as a Citizen under the laws of more than one state. During the 2001 - 2006 parliamentary term, however, the Fijian government has been working on legislation to grant lifetime nationality to indigenous Fijians living abroad, exempting them from the dual citizenship ban. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The legislation, first introduced in 2003, has been opposed by the Fiji Labour Party, which considers it unfair to the Indo-Fijian community. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. The FLP has been promoting an alternative proposal to allow any former resident who has at least F$250,000 to return to invest, without bureaucratic hindrances. The dollar ( Currency sign: $; currency code: FJD) has been the Currency of Fiji since 1969 and

While supporting the change, Fiji Retailers Association President Himmat Lodhia said that Indo-Fijians should be included also. "This type of anomaly will breed feelings not conducive to the present stance of the Government when they are promoting goodwill and unity,"' Lodhia said.

Lands Minister Samisoni Tikoinasau defended the change, saying that it was unfair that Fijians enrolled in the Vola ni Kawa Bula (VKB, or Native Landowners' Register) should be regarded as foreigners on their return to Fiji. Samisoni Tikoinasau Speight is a Fijian politician who currently holds Cabinet office as Minister of State for The Vola ni Kawa Bula, commonly known as the VKB is the official Fijian Register of native landowners "It is unfair when a Fijian in the VKB who migrates overseas is regarded a foreigner upon his/her return at Nadi International Airport. It is absurd when the owner of the land is no longer accepted as a citizen of that land. That is not fair. The landowner status should not be taken away

Political parties and elections

For other political parties see List of political parties in Fiji. A political party is a Political organization that seeks to attain and maintain political power within Government, usually by participating in electoral This article lists political parties in Fiji. Fiji has a Multi-party system with numerous parties in which no one party often has a chance of gaining An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Fiji. An election is a Decision-making process by which a population chooses an individual to hold formal office Fiji has held nine general elections for the House of Representatives since becoming independent of the United Kingdom in 1970; there had
Main article: Fiji election of 2006
[discuss] – [edit]
Summary of the 6-13 May 2006 Fiji House of Representatives election results
Parties Votes  % Seats +/-
Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) 342,352 44. The Constitution of Fiji requires general elections for the House of Representatives to be held at least once every five years Fiji (Matanitu ko Viti फ़िजी officially the Republic of the Fiji Islands (Matanitu Tu-Vaka-i-koya ko Viti फ़िजी द्वीप समूह गणराज्य The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. The Constitution of Fiji requires general elections for the House of Representatives to be held at least once every five years The Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (occasionally known as the United Fiji Party but usually known by the acronym SDL) is a political party in Fiji 59 36 +2
Fiji Labour Party (FLP) 300,797 39. The Fiji Labour Party (FLP is a political party in Fiji, which holds observer status with the Socialist International. 18 31 +4
National Federation Party (NFP) 47,615 6. The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A 20 0 -1
National Alliance Party of Fiji (NAPF) 22,504 2. The National Alliance Party of Fiji (NAPF is a Fijian Political party. 93 0
United Peoples Party (UPP) 6,474 0. The United Peoples Party is a political party in Fiji, whose support base lies chiefly among General Electors - Fiji Islanders who belong to ethnic 84 2 +1
Party of National Unity (PANU) 6,226 0. The Party of National Unity (better known by its Acronym of PANU) is a Fijian political party founded by Ratu Sairusi Nagagavoka 81 0
Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party (NVTLP) 3,657 0. The Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party (NVTLP is a Fijian political party which champions Fijian Ethnic nationalism. 48 0
Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei (SVT) 238 0. The Fijian Political Party (better known by its initials SVT, which stand for its Fijian name Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei) is a party 03 0
National Democratic Party (NDP) 123 0. The National Democratic Party is the name of two political parties that have been formed in Fiji's history 02 0
Party of Truth (POTT) 51 0. The Party of Truth (POTT is a Political party in Fiji. It is currently without parliamentary representation. 01 0
Social Liberal Multicultural Party (SLM) 49 0. The Social Liberal Multicultural Party is a minor Political party in Fiji. 01 0
Coalition of Independent Nationals (COIN) 20 0. The Coalition of Independent Nationals (COIN is a Political party in Fiji without parliamentary representation 00 0
Justice and Freedom Party (JFP) 18 0. The Justice and Freedom Party (JFP is a minor Political party in Fiji. 00 0
Independents 37,571 4. In Politics, an independent is a Politician who is not Affiliated with any Political party. 89 2
New Labour Unity Party Didn't contest 0 -2
Total 767,695 100. The New Labour Unity Party was a Fijian political party, which broke away from the Fiji Labour Party in May 2001. 0 71
Source: Elections Office of Fiji. The former Conservative Alliance, with six seats merged into the SDL. The Conservative Alliance ( Matanitu Vanua in Fijian) was a nationalistic political party in Fiji, and a member of the ruling Coalition SDL got two seats less then SDL and CA together.

International organization participation

ACP, AsDB, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, OPCW, PCA, Sparteca, SPC, SPF, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Notes

  1. ^ Politics, Professionalism, and Peacekeeping: An Analysis of the 1987 Military Coup in Fiji, Andrew Scobell, Comparative Politics, Vol. The ACP States are the countries that are signatories of the Lomé Convention. Asian Development Bank (ADB is a regional development bank established in 1966 to promote economic and social development in Asian and Pacific countries through loans and technical The Colombo Plan is a regional organization that embodies the concept of collective inter-governmental effort to strengthen economic and social development of member countries in the The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ( UNESCAP or ESCAP) located in Bangkok, Thailand, is the regional arm of the The Group of 77 at the United Nations is a loose coalition of Developing nations designed to promote its members' collective Economic interests and create The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD is one of five institutions that comprise the World Bank Group. The International Civil Aviation Organization ( ICAO) an agency of the United Nations, codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation The International Criminal Court ( ICC or ICCt) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for Genocide, crimes against International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an International humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers worldwide who stated The International Development Association ( IDA) created on September 24, 1960, is the part of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD a specialized agency of the United Nations, was established as an international financial institution in 1977 as one The International Finance Corporation (IFC promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries as a way to reduce poverty and improve people's lives The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO was originally established in 1921 as the International Hydrographic Bureau (IHB The International Labour Organization The International Monetary Fund ( IMF) is an International organization that oversees the Global financial system by following the Macroeconomic The International Maritime Organization ( IMO) formerly known as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization ( IMCO) is a late 20th century Intelsat Ltd is the world’s largest commercial Satellite communications services provider The International Criminal Police Organization, better known by its telegraphic address Interpol is an organization facilitating international police cooperation The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW is an international agency located in The Hague, The Netherlands. The Permanent Court of Arbitration ( PCA) is an International organization based in The Hague in the Netherlands. The South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement (SPARTECA was signed in 1981 between Australia, New Zealand and countries of the South The Secretariat of the Pacific Community, or SPC (sometimes Pacific Community) is a regional intergovernmental organisation whose membership includes both nations The Pacific Islands Forum is an inter-governmental Organization which aims to enhance cooperation between the independent countries of the Pacific The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development ( UNCTAD) was established in 1964 as a permanent intergovernmental body United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established on November 16 The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO, French/Spanish acronym ONUDI, is a specialized agency in the United Nations system headquartered The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, or UNIFIL, was created by the United Nations, with the adoption of Security Council Resolution UNIKOM, the United Nations Iraq - Kuwait Observation Mission was established on April 9, 1991 following the Gulf War by The United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina ( UNMIBH) is an International organization formed under the United Nations Security Council The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo or UNMIK is the interim civilian administration in Kosovo, under the authority of the United The Universal Postal Union ( UPU, French: Union postale universelle) is an International organization that coordinates postal policies among member The World Customs Organization ( WCO) is an Intergovernmental organization that helps Members (Governments usually represented by Customs administrations from 173 countries TemplateInfobox Union for usage -->The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU was established in the wake of the Second The World Intellectual Property Organization ( WIPO) is one of the 16 specialized agencies of the United Nations. The United Nations World Tourism Organization ( UNWTO) headquartered in Madrid, Spain, is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating 26, No. 2. (Jan. , 1994), pp. 187-201.
  2. ^ Fiji Village, 04-01-07, 'Commander hands back Executive Authority to Ratu Iloilo ' "[1]"
  3. ^ Fiji Live, 04-01-07, 'I support army takeover: Iloilo' "[2]"
  4. ^ Fiji Village, 05-01-07, 'Commander Bainimarama sworn in' "[3]"
  5. ^ Fiji Live, 05-01-07, 'President swears in interim PM' "[4]"
  6. ^ http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:cx5D70Nj8MYJ:www.cdnn.info/special-report/fiji_coup/fiji_coup.html+fiji+racism&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1
  7. ^ Amnesty International
  8. ^ Migration News - Migration Dialogue
The Fiji Village is an online News service in Fiji. Published daily it covers political business sporting cultural and other news items and also Fiji Live is an online Newspaper and business and cultural directory in Fiji.
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