Monica Raghwan is a Fijian politician. She was elected from the Samabula Tamavua Open Constituency into the House of Representatives in the 2006 elections, defeating Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua's (SDL) star recruit, Tupeni Baba. [1] The win also made her one of the youngest members of the House.
Monica Raghwan was born in Suva, Fiji on 22 November 1967. Her father, Vijay Raghwan, is a builder and President of Fiji Masters Builder Association. After completing her primary education at Veiuto Primary School and secondary education at Suva Grammar School, she studied at the University of Madras, India graduating with Bachelor of Science majoring in Botany. She later studied at the University of the South Pacific, obtaining Post Graduate Diploma in Biology (Plant Breeding). She has been employed in her family business, Raghwan Construction and as a research agronomist. [2]
She was a candidate for the Labour Party during the last Suva City Council elections. [3]
Diane Edith Watson is a former American politician who served as US Representative for California's 33rd congressional district, serving from 2003 until 2011, after first being elected in the 32nd District in a 2001 special election. She is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located entirely in Los Angeles County and includes much of Central Los Angeles, as well as such wealthy neighborhoods as Los Feliz.
Irene Jai Narayan was an Indian-born teacher and politician, who had a significant influence on politics in Fiji. She came to Fiji in 1959 after marrying Jai Narayan, a well known school Principal in Suva, and began her career as a teacher. She taught in DAV Girls School and MGM High School in Suva before entering politics.
Brigadier-General Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, is a Fijian chief who was President of Fiji from 2009 to 2015. He has had a long career in the Military, diplomatic service, and government. From 2001 to 2006 he served as Speaker of the House of Representatives – the lower and more powerful chamber of the Fijian Parliament. He was also the chairman of the Parliamentary Appropriations Committee and of the House Committee. On 8 January 2007, he was appointed the interim Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade; he was moved to the post of interim Minister for Provincial Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs in September 2008. In October 2008, he became Indigenous Affairs Minister "and effectively Great Council of Chiefs chairman". On 17 April 2009, he was appointed Vice-President by the military government.
Josaia Voreqe "Frank" Bainimarama 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. 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.
Melissa Ann Hart is an American lawyer and politician. She was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2007, representing western Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district. She was the first Republican woman to represent Pennsylvania at the federal level. Prior to her service in Congress, Hart served in the Pennsylvania Senate, where she chaired the finance committee. She was the first Republican woman elected to serve a full term in the Pennsylvania Senate in 1990 when she was 28 years old. In her first run for office, Hart defeated an incumbent in a senate district that included parts of Allegheny, Westmoreland and Armstrong counties. In the 2006 midterm elections, Hart lost her bid for re-election to Democrat Jason Altmire. She challenged Altmire again in the 2008 election, but was defeated again.
Ofakilomaloma Swann, also known as Ofa Duncan, is a Fijian lawyer, academic, and former politician. She served in the House of Representatives of Fiji from 1999 to 2006, and was leader of the New Labour Unity Party.
Emasi Qovu is a former Fijian school principal, civil servant, and politician. He was a member of the House of Representatives of Fiji from 2001 to 2006. Whilst in Parliament he was appointed Government Whip in 2005–2006.
Pramod Kumar Rae is a Fijian trade unionist and political organizer of Indian descent. He was born in Suva and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree and Post Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of the South Pacific.
Kenneth Mang-Kwong Low is a Chinese-Fijian businessman and political leader. He unsuccessfully contested the parliamentary election of 1999 as a candidate for the General Voters Party (GVP) for the Western Central Communal Constituency. He also lost the Fiji national elections in 2001 for the Suva City Communal Constituency, where he was the candidate of the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL), but was appointed to the Senate as one of nine nominees of the Fijian Prime Minister, and became Vice-President of the Senate on 28 February 2005, the first Chinese-Fijian to do so, following the appointment of the previous Vice-President, Dr Ahmed Ali to a Government Cabinet position.
Jiko Fatafehi Luveni was a Fijian politician and Speaker of the Parliament of Fiji. She was a member of the FijiFirst party before resigning her party membership in order to take up the position of Speaker. This was because the Fijian Speaker is not a Member of Parliament and cannot be a member of a political party pursuant to section 77(1)(a) and section 77(7)(b)(ii) of the Fijian Constitution.
Islam has a high following in Fiji. There are about 60,000 Muslims in Fiji. Muslims in Fiji are mostly Sunni Muslim. In the 1966 Fiji elections, a Suva-based Muslim communal party, the Muslim Political Front, took part. Presently, Urdu is widely taught among Muslim schools for the Fijian Muslims all across Fiji.
Adi Mere Tuisalalo Samisoni was a Fijian businesswoman and politician, from Lomaloma village on the island of Vanua Balavu in Fiji's Lau archipelago. Samisoni was formerly a member of Parliament for the opposition party SODELPA. She served as mayor of Lami and as a member of the now-defunct House of Representatives.
Devanesh Sharma is a Fijian lawyer of Indian descent. He was the president of the Fiji Law Society for one year. In his capacity as president of the law society, he made many comments on the proceedings of the interim Government, led by Frank Bainimarama, and how the society did not agree with what the interim regime was doing.
Roko Tupou Takaiwai Senirewa Draunidalo is a Fijian lawyer and politician. She is a former member of the Parliament of Fiji and from 2018 to 2022 was the president of the HOPE party.
Satendra Nandan is an Indo-Fijian academic, writer, and former politician. He is one of Fiji's leading writers.
Barbara Lee Cooper was an American politician and a Democratic member of the Tennessee House of Representatives for the 86th District.
Jone Usamate is a Fijian politician, who served as the Minister for Infrastructure and Meteorological Services from 2014 to 2022 and Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources from 2020 to 2022 in the Fijian government.
Dr. Neil Prakash Sharma is a former Fijian politician, who served as the Minister for Health in the interim Cabinet formed by Frank Bainimarama between 2009 and 2014.
Premila Kumar is a Fijian consumer advocate, politician and former Cabinet Minister. She served as chief executive of the Consumer Council of Fiji from 2006 to 2018, and then as a Cabinet Minister in the government of Frank Bainimarama from 2018 to 2022. She is a member of the FijiFirst party.
Hon Wing William Yee was a Fijian engineer and politician. He was the first Chinese Fijian to be elected to the Legislative Council.