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Epeli Ganilau
Brigadier-General Ratu Epeli Ganilau, Military Cross, MC, Fijian honours system, MSD, (born 10 October 1951) is a former Fijian military officer and a retired politician. His career previously encompassed such roles as Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, Fiji Military Forces and Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs, Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs, ''Bose Levu Vakaturaga'' (Great Council of Chiefs). On 15 January 2007 he was sworn in as Minister for iTaukei Affairs, Minister for Fijian Affairs in the interim Cabinet of Fiji, Cabinet formed in the wake of the 2006 Fijian coup d'état, military coup which deposed the Laisenia Qarase, Qarase government on 5 December 2006. Early life Ganilau was educated at Wanganui Collegiate School, in New Zealand, from 1965. He later graduated from the University of the South Pacific and from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, England, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force Staff College. Military career He enlisted in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brigadier-General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000 troops (four battalions). Variants Brigadier general Brigadier general (Brig. Gen.) is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000 troops (four battalions). In some countries, this rank is given the name of ''brigadier'', which is usually equivalent to ''brigadier general'' in the armies of nations that use the rank. The rank can be traced back to the militaries of Europe where a "brigadier general ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Politics Of Fiji
The politics of Fiji take place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic. Fiji has a multiparty system with the Prime Minister of Fiji as head of government. The executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Parliament of Fiji. The judiciary is mostly independent of the executive and the legislature. Following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état, the power was subsumed by the military. Nominal head of state Ratu Josefa Iloilo abrogated the Constitution of Fiji and dismissed all Courts, after the Court of Appeal ruled that the post-coup Bainimarama government was illegal. A new Constitution was promulgated in September 2013, and a general election was held in September 2014, won by Bainimarama's FijiFirst Party. The Economist Intelligence Unit rated Fiji as a "hybrid regime" in 2018. Constitutional structure Executive branch , President , Wiliame Katonivere , FijiFirst , 12 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ovini Bokini
Ratu Ovini Bokini Ratu (3 November 1944 – 15 January 2009) was a Fijian chief and political leader. Bokini, who held the chiefly title of '' Tui Tavua'', succeeded Ratu Epeli Ganilau as Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs on 21 July 2004, and was re-elected to this post for a full three-year term on 27 July 2005. A formal gathering of mostly traditional chiefs chosen by the country's 14 provincial councils, along with some appointees of the national government and the Council of Rotuma, the Great Council of Chiefs functioned as an electoral college to select Fiji's President, along with 14 of the 32 members of the Senate. Informally, the Council advised the Fijian government on every aspect of political life. Although not mandated by the Constitution, the chairman's role was therefore a very influential one. During late April 2007, all members of G.C.C were suspended by the Interim Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama. The suspension included the chairman, Ovini Bokini and a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Upper House
An upper house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house.''Bicameralism'' (1997) by George Tsebelis The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smaller and often has more restricted power than the lower house. A legislature composed of only one house (and which therefore has neither an upper house nor a lower house) is described as Unicameralism, unicameral. Definite specific characteristics An upper house is usually different from the lower house in at least one of the following respects (though they vary among jurisdictions): Powers: *In a parliamentary system, it often has much less power than the lower house. Therefore, in certain countries the upper house **votes on only limited legislative matters, such as constitutional amendments, **cannot initiate most kinds of legislation, especially those pertaining to supply/money, fiscal policy **cannot vote a motion of no confidence again ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tovata
Tovata is one of three ''confederacies'' comprising the Fijian House of Chiefs, to which all of Fiji's chiefs belong. Details of Tovata It is located in the north east of the country, covering the provinces of Bua, Macuata and Cakaudrove on the northern island Vanua Levu, as well as the Lau Islands. Paramount Title of Tovata The Tovata Confederacy, (like the Kubuna and Burebasaga confederacies) is a recent invention. It was conceived in 14 February 1867 by Ma’afu as cited in the Na Mata as follows: A tauyavutaka na turaga ni Toga o Ma'afu ena nona via vakacokovatataka na vanua era vakarorogo vua, ena veirogorogoci kei ira na turaga ni vanua o Bua, Macuata, Cakaudrove kei Lau. Lau here only refers to Lakeba and its neighboring islands, not the entire Lau today. The key word here is "veirogorogoci" which denotes "listening to each other". In other words, this confederacy's membership are equal in rank which is why during traditional oratures and discourses, it is refer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tui Cakau
The Tui Cakau is the Paramount Chief of Cakaudrove Province in Fiji. In Modern Fiji this chiefly title is regarded as the most senior in the Tovata Confederacy, and the third most senior in the country. Recent history The current ''Tui Cakau'' is Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu; he was installed on 8 May 2001 in succession to his father, Ratu Glanville Lalabalavu, who died in 1999. In April 2002, the courts dismissed a challenge from a rival claimant, Ratu Epeli Ganilau. Perhaps the best-known ''Tui Cakau'' in modern times was Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, who held the title from 1988 to 1993. He was Fiji's last Governor-General and first President. The present ''Tui Cakau,'' Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, led a political party, the Conservative Alliance (CAMV) and was a Minister in the government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase from 2000 to 2005, when he was convicted of involvement in the coup d'état that deposed the elected government in 2000. On 3 April he became the first-ever Ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Naiqama Lalabalavu
Ratu Naiqama Tawake Lalabalavu (born 23 December 1953) is a Fijian Paramount Chief and the current speaker of the parliament. He had served as the leader of the opposition. Tui Cakau In 1999, Lalabalavu succeeded his late father, Ratu Glanville Lalabalavu, as the Tui Cakau, or Paramount Chief of Cakaudrove and of the Tovata Confederacy, one of three confederacies to which all Fijian tribes belong. He was challenged in court by Ratu Epeli Ganilau, son of former Fijian President Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau who had himself held the Tui Cakau title prior to his death in 1993, but in 2001, the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Lalabalavu. He is a convert to Roman Catholicism. Lalabalavu is the father of SODELPA Member of Parliament Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu. Political career Lalabalavu was elected to represent the Lau-Taveuni-Rotuma Open Constituency in the House of Representatives in 1999 as a candidate of the ruling Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei (SVT), one of only ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Frank Bainimarama
Josaia Voreqe "Frank" Bainimarama (Fijian: ʃoˈsɛia βoˈreŋɡe mbɛiniˈmarama born 27 April 1954) is a Fijian politician and former 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. He has been serving as the opposition leader since 24 December 2022. 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, Bainimarama was appointed Chief of Staff of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces. In 1998, he was promoted to a Commodore and l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a senior naval rank used in many navies which is equivalent to brigadier and air commodore. It is superior to a 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 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 of ships as part of a larger task force or naval fleet commanded by an admiral. A commodo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Senate Of Fiji
The Senate of Fiji was the upper chamber of Parliament. It was abolished by the 2013 Constitution of Fiji, after a series of military coups. It was the less powerful of the two chambers; it could not initiate legislation, but could amend or veto it. The Senate's powers over financial bills were more restricted: it could veto them in their entirety, but could not amend them. The House of Representatives could override a Senatorial veto by passing the bill a second time in the parliamentary session immediately following the one in which it was rejected by the Senate, after a minimum period of six months. Amendments to the Constitution were excepted: the veto of the Senate was absolute. Following the passage of a bill by the House of Representatives, the Senate had 21 days (7 days in the case of a bill classified as "urgent") to approve, amend, or reject it; if at the expiry of that period the Senate had done nothing about it, it was deemed to have passed the bill. Composition o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
President Of Fiji
The president of Fiji is the head of state of the Republic of Fiji. The president is appointed by the Parliament for a three-year term under the terms of the 2013 Constitution of Fiji. 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 military coups in 1987 that led to the proclamation of a republic on 7 October, ending the 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 Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, the last governor-general, as the first president of the republic. A civilian putsch instigated by G ... [...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-m ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
