Ratu Penijamini Veli (1874 – 27 August 1938) was a
Fiji
Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
an chief, civil servant and politician. He served as a member of the
Legislative Council from 1937 until his death the following year.
Biography
Born in 1874,
[ Veli joined the civil service in the mid-1890s. He became a sub-inspector of native constabulary in 1906, before being appointed ]Roko Tui
Roko may refer to:
* Roko (given name), a Croatian masculine name
* Roko, a surname:
** Amy Roko, the stage name of a Saudi Arabian comedian
** Nasoni Roko, a Fijian rugby union player
* Roko (title), a title of chiefly rank used in Fiji, includin ...
of Macuata Province
Macuata is one of Fiji's fourteen Provinces, and one of three based principally on the northern island of Vanua Levu, occupying the north-eastern 40 percent of the island. It has a land area of 2004 square kilometers.
The Province has 114 villag ...
in 1909.[ Although he later retired, he was subsequently reappointed to the post.][
The Legislative Council was reconstituted prior to the 1937 elections to have five Fijian nominated members, who were chosen by the Governor from a list of ten submitted by the ]Great Council of Chiefs
The Great Council of Chiefs ''(Bose Levu Vakaturaga'' in Fijian) was a constitutional body in Fiji from 1876 to March 2012. In April 2007, the council was suspended, due to an unworkable relationship with Frank Bainimarama, leader of an "interi ...
. Veli was one of the ten nominated,Fijian Chiefs Would Hand Over Land to Government
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', November 1936, p63 and subsequently one of the five chosen by Governor Arthur Richards. In April 1938 he was awarded a Certificate of Honour by the Governor.[Honours for three Fijian chiefs]
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', May 1938, p53
He died in August the following year.[Ratu Penijamini Veli]
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', September 1938, p11
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Veli, Penijamini
1874 births
Fijian chiefs
Fijian civil servants
Members of the Legislative Council of Fiji
1938 deaths