Governor-General of Fiji

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Governor-General of Fiji
Coat of arms of Fiji.svg
Flag of the Governor-General of Fiji (1970-1987).svg
Style His Excellency
StatusAbolished
Residence Government House, Suva
Appointer Monarch of Fiji
Formation10 October 1970
First holderSir Robert Sidney Foster
Final holderRatu Sir Penaia Ganilau
Abolished6 October 1987
Succession President of Fiji

The governor-general of Fiji was the representative of the Fijian monarch in the Dominion of Fiji from the country's independence in 1970 until the monarchy's deposition in 1987.

Contents

History

Fiji became a sovereign state and adopted an independent monarch in the Commonwealth of Nations on 10 October 1970, with Queen Elizabeth II as Fiji's monarch. She held the title of Queen of Fiji until 1987, when the monarchy was deposed following two military coups, led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka.

The monarch's functions were exercised in Fiji by her representative, the governor-general of Fiji.

In 1987, following the monarchy's overthrow, the position of governor-general was abolished. The Fijian monarch was replaced with a president as head of state. With Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, the last governor-general of Fiji, appointed as the first president of Fiji on 8 December 1987 after resigning from the position of the governor-general of Fiji on 15 October 1987.

List of governors-general of Fiji

Following is a list of people who have served as governor-general of Fiji.

No.PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officeMonarch
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1 Arms of Fiji.svg Sir Robert Sidney Foster
(1913–2005)
10 October 197013 January 19732 years, 95 days Her Majesty The Queen (1959).jpg
Elizabeth II
2 George Cakobau (cropped).jpg Ratu Sir George Cakobau
(1912–1989)
13 January 197312 February 198310 years, 30 days
3 Penaia Ganilau (cropped).jpg Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau
(1918–1993)
12 February 19836 October 19874 years, 236 days

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