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President Of Fiji
The president of Fiji is the List of heads of state of Fiji, head of state of the Fiji, Republic of Fiji. The president is appointed by the Parliament of Fiji, Parliament for a three-year term under the terms of the 2013 Constitution of Fiji, 2013 Constitution. Although not entirely a figurehead, the role of president in the government is largely ceremonial, but there are important reserve powers that may be exercised in the event of a crisis. In addition, the president is the commander-in-chief of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces. History of the office The office of the president was established following two 1987 Fijian coups d'état, military coups in 1987 that led to the proclamation of a republic on 7 October, ending the Monarchy of Fiji, Fijian monarchy. Major-General Sitiveni Rabuka, who had masterminded the coups, formed an interim military government with himself as its head. He did not, however, take the title of president, and on 5 December appointed Penaia Gan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Flag Of Fiji
The national flag of Fiji was adopted on 10 October 1970. The state arms have been slightly modified but the flag has remained the same as during Fiji's Colony of Fiji, colonial period. It is a Defacement (flag), defaced cyan "Blue Ensign" (the actual Blue Ensign version of the flag is the government ensign), with the shield from the Coat of arms of Fiji, national coat of arms. It has remained unchanged since Fiji was declared a republic in 1987, despite calls from some politicians for changes. A plan to change the flag, announced by Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama in 2013, was abandoned in August 2016. Design Flags of the Union Jack.svg, Arms of Fiji.svg, The flag's bright blue background symbolises the Pacific Ocean, which plays an important part in the lives of the islanders, both in terms of the fishing industry, and the huge tourist trade. The Union Jack reflects the country's links with the United Kingdom. The shield is derived from the country's coat of arms, which ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1987 Fijian Coups D'état
The Fijian coups d'état of 1987 resulted in the overthrow of the elected government of Fijian Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra, the deposition of Elizabeth II as Queen of Fiji, and in the declaration of a republic. The first coup d'état, in which Bavadra was deposed, took place on 14 May 1987; a second coup d'état on 25 September ended the monarchy, and was shortly followed by the proclamation of a republic on 10 October. Both military actions were led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, then third in command of the Royal Fiji Military Forces. Background Both before and after Fiji gained its independence from the United Kingdom in 1970, tensions between the indigenous Fijian and Indo-Fijian ethnic groups (comprising an estimated 46% and 49% of the 1987 population, respectively) continually manifested themselves in social and political unrest. Prior to the 1987 coups in Fiji, the Indian population share as a fraction of the total Fijian population was increasing. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2006 Fijian Coup D'état
The Fijian coup d'état of December 2006 was a coup d'état in Fiji carried out by Commodore (rank), Commodore Frank Bainimarama against Prime Minister of Fiji, Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase and President Josefa Iloilo. It was the culmination of a 2005–06 Fijian political crisis, political crisis that had begun the previous year when the Qarase government introduced three bills to the Parliament of Fiji, Fijian Parliament. The Qoliqoli Bill, Qoliqoli, Land Tribunal Bill (Fiji), Land Tribunal, and Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill, Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bills dealt with the Modern history of Fiji, ongoing ethnic conflicts in Fiji and the aftermath of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état, 2000 coup, and were considered to be pro-ethnic Fijian. Bainimarama, the Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), presented the government with a list of demands on October 16 that included withdrawing the bills. Attempts at negotiation failed and the military ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Josefa Iloilo
'' Ratu'' Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda, (29 December 1920 – 6 February 2011) was a Fijian politician who served as the 3rd President of Fiji from 2000 until 2009 following the 2000 Fijian coup d'état, excluding a brief period from 5 December 2006 to 4 January 2007 amid the 2006 coup d'état. He held the traditional title of '' Tui Vuda'', the paramount chief of the Vuda district in Ba Province on Fiji's northwest coast. Like many Fijian people, he rarely used his surname and was known simply as Josefa Iloilo. He announced on 28 July 2009 that he would be leaving office on 30 July. At the age of 88, he was the world's oldest head of state. On 5 December 2006, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and former Acting President amid the 2000 coup d'état, seized power in a new coup d'état and assumed presidential powers. This followed failed attempts on Iloilo's part to mediate a solution to the long-running impasse between ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Bainimarama
Josaia Voreqe "Frank" Bainimarama (; born 27 April 1954) is a Fijian former politician and naval officer who served as the prime minister of Fiji from 2007 until 2022. A member of the FijiFirst party, which he founded in 2014, he began his career as an officer in the Fijian navy and commander of the Fijian military. Despite being suspended from Parliament, he served as the opposition leader from 24 December 2022 until 8 March 2023, when he resigned and was replaced by Inia Seruiratu. Bainimarama attended Marist Brothers High School, the Asian Institute of Technology and Dalhousie University. He joined the Fijian Navy in 1975 and rose through the ranks, becoming an able seaman and a midshipman in 1976, an ensign in 1977, and later promoted to a sub-lieutenant at the end of that year. He was promoted to lieutenant-commander in 1986 and became a commander in 1988. He later became captain in 1991. In 1997, he was appointed Chief of Staff of the Republic of Fiji Military ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a senior military rank, naval rank used in many navy, navies which is equivalent to brigadier or brigadier general and air commodore. It is superior to a navy Captain (Navy), captain, but below a rear admiral. It is either regarded as the most junior of the flag officers rank or may not hold the jurisdiction of a flag officer at all depending on the officer's appointment. Non-English-speaking nations commonly use the rank of flotilla admiral, counter admiral, or senior captain as an equivalent, although counter admiral may also correspond to ''rear admiral lower half'' abbreviated as Rear admiral, RDML. Traditionally, "commodore" is the title for any officer assigned to command more than one ship, even temporarily, much as "captain" is the traditional title for the commanding officer of a single ship even if the officer's official title in the service is a lower rank. As an official rank, a commodore typically commands a flotilla or squadron (naval), squadron of ship ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Supreme Court Of Fiji
The Supreme Court of Fiji is one of three courts originally established in Chapter 9 of the 1997 Constitution of Fiji, the others being the High Court and the Court of Appeal. In the current Constitution of Fiji, the Supreme Court is declared to be ''"the final appellate court"'' – in other words, there is no judicial authority higher than the Supreme Court within Fiji. In this respect, the Supreme Court takes over the appellate functions formerly performed by the United Kingdom's Judicial Committee of the Privy Council before Fiji became a republic in 1987. The Constitution gives the Supreme Court exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine appeals from all final judgements of the Court of Appeal. Cases could not be brought before the Supreme Court by individuals; only the Court of Appeal could decide to refer a case to it, or the Supreme Court could, in its own judgement, decide to hear an appeal. This court has the power to review, vary, affirm, or set aside decisions ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1997 Constitution Of Fiji
The 1997 Constitution of Fiji was the supreme law of Fiji from its adoption in 1997 until 2009 when President Josefa Iloilo purported to abrogate it. It was also suspended for a period following the 2000 ''coup d'état'' led by George Speight. Background The Constitution of the Republic of the Fiji Islands dates from 1997. It is Fiji's third Constitution. The first, adopted in 1970 upon independence, was abrogated following two military coups in 1987. A second constitution was adopted in 1990. Its discriminatory provisions, which reserved the office of Prime Minister and a built-in majority in the House of Representatives for indigenous Fijians (although they were at that time a minority of the population) proved very unpopular with the Indo-Fijian community, which comprised almost half the country's population, and in the mid 1990s the government agreed that it should be rewritten. Constitutional process In 1995, President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara appointed a three ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Resignation Of Ratu Mara
Fiji's President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara resigned under duress on May 29, 2000, and handed power over to Commodore Frank Bainimarama. In what politicians have called a "coup within a coup," Ratu Mara was whisked away on a warship on May 28. "If the Constitution goes, I go," he defiantly declared. A group including Police Commissioner Isikia Savua asked for his resignation. Chaudhry, for his part, has claimed that Ilisoni Ligairi, Speight's security chief, told him that Savua and former Prime Minister Rabuka were involved in the planning of the coup. "Ligairi can't lie as he was very much involved and is now awaiting trial at Nukulau Island," Chaudhry said. The military regime that took over appointed Ratu Josefa Iloilo as president. After the coup had been quashed, the High Court ruled on 15 October 2000 that Mara's replacement was unconstitutional and ordered his reinstatement, but Mara decided to spare the country further constitutional trauma by resigning officially, with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kamisese Mara
''Ratu'' Sir Kamisese Mara, (6 May 1920 – 18 April 2004) was a Fijian politician who served as Chief Minister of Fiji, Chief Minister from 1967 to 1970, when Fiji gained its independence from the United Kingdom, and, apart from one brief interruption in 1987, as the Prime Minister of Fiji, first Prime Minister from 1970 to 1992. He subsequently served as President of Fiji, president from 1993 to 2000. Early life and education: 1920 to 1950 Kamisese Kapaiwai Tuimacilai Uluilakeba Mara was born on 6 May 1920, in Sawana, Lomaloma, Vanuabalavu in the archipelago of Lau Islands, Lau, the son of ''Ratu'' Tevita Uluilakeba III, ''Tui Nayau'' and head of the chiefly Vuanirewa clan of Tubou, Lakeba and Lusiana Qolikoro from the Fonolahi Family of the Yavusa Tonga clan in Sawana. Fonolahi has lineage to the Tongan royalty and was also descended from an English missionary. Mara's title, ''Ratu'', which means "Chief," was hereditary; as the hereditary Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Speight
George Speight (; born 1957), also known by his pseudonym Ilikimi Naitini, is a Fijian businessman and politician who was the leader of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état, in which he and rebel soldiers from Fiji's Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit seized the Fijian Parliament and held Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry and 35 other MP's hostage from 19 May 2000 to 13 July 2000. He was convicted of treason in February 2002 and served a sentence of life imprisonment until receiving a presidential pardon on 18 September 2024. Speight is the son of politician Sam Speight, the brother of politician Samisoni Tikoinasau and the uncle of rugby players Henry and Sam Speight. Personal life Speight was born in Naivicula, Fiji, and educated at Suva Grammar School. before studying marketing in Australia and business at Andrews University in the United States. After graduating he worked in Australia as a bank clerk for Metway Bank, and was involved in the Wattle Group pyramid scheme. After retur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2000 Fijian Coup D'état
The 2000 Fijian coup d'état was a civilian coup d'état by an armed group of indigenous Fijian nationalists supported by the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit, against the elected government of Indo-Fijian Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, on 19 May 2000. This was followed by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara's attempt to assert executive authority on 27 May. Mara would resign under duress on 29 May, handing power to Frank Bainimarama, a commander of the Fijian military. The coups resulted in the removal of the elected government and its replacement by an interim regime headed by Josefa Iloilo. In March 2001, the Court of Appeal of Fiji ruled that the coups and interim regime were illegal. An elected government was finally restored by the 2001 Fijian general election. George Speight, the leader of the coup, was convicted of treason and sentenced to death. The sentence was commuted to life imprisonment, and on 18 September 2024, he was pardoned by Fiji's Mercy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
