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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.
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party. Following a historic election in which he defeated the long-time former leader,Sitiveni Rabuka,the former trade union leader became Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister on 19 May 1999,but exactly one year later,on 19 May 2000 he and most of his Cabinet were taken hostage by coup leader George Speight,in the Fiji coup of 2000. Unable to exercise his duties,he and his ministers were sacked by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara on 27 May;Mara intended to assume emergency powers himself but was himself deposed by the military leader,Commodore Frank Bainimarama.
The Fiji Labour Party (FLP),also known as Fiji Labour,is a political party in Fiji. Most of its support is from the Indo-Fijian community,although it is officially multiracial and its first leader was an indigenous Fijian,Dr. Timoci Bavadra. The party has been elected to power twice,with Timoci Bavadra and Mahendra Chaudhry becoming prime minister in 1987 and 1999 respectively. On both occasions,the resulting government was rapidly overthrown by a coup.
Tupeni Lebaivalu Baba is a Fijian academic and politician,who founded the now-defunct New Labour Unity Party. Most members of this party later merged with several other centrist parties to form the Fiji Democratic Party. A former Professor of Education at the University of the South Pacific (USP),he later served as a senior research fellow at the Centre for Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland in New Zealand,from 2001 to the end of 2005. In the general election scheduled for 6–13 May 2006,Baba attempted a political comeback,this time on the ticket of the ruling Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL),a political switch that generated a considerable degree of public discussion. Although his bid was unsuccessful,he was subsequently appointed to the Senate as one of nine nominees of the Fijian government.
General elections were held in Fiji between 8 and 15 May 1999. They were the first election held under the revised Constitution of 1997,which instituted a new electoral system and resulted in Mahendra Chaudhry taking office as Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister.
General elections were held in Fiji in August and September 2001. The Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua party won 18 of the 23 seats reserved for ethnic Fijians and one of three "general electorates" set aside for Fiji's European,Chinese,and other minorities. It also won 13 of the 25 "open electorates," so-called because they are open to candidates of any race and are elected by universal suffrage. The remaining 5 ethnic Fijian seats,and one open electorate,were won by the Conservative Alliance,one of whom was George Speight who had led the putsch against the lawful government the year before. Chaudhry's Labour Party won all 19 Indo-Fijian seats and 9 open electorates. The New Labour Unity Party,formed by defectors from the FLP,won one general electorate and one open electorate. The three remaining seats were won by minor parties and independent candidates.
The Constitution of Fiji requires general elections for the House of Representatives to be held at least once every five years. The last election before Fiji's 2014 election was held on 6–13 May 2006. Acting President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi issued a proclamation on 2 March,effective from 27 March,dissolving Parliament. The previous parliamentary term had been due to expire on 1 October 2006.
Parveen Kumar Bala is a Fijian politician who currently serves as the Minister for Employment,Productivity,Industrial Relations,Youth and Sports. He previously served as Mayor of the Fijian town of Ba,and subsequently as Special Administrator of Lautoka,Fiji. He is a former president of the Fiji Local Government Association.
Anand Kumar Singh was a Fijian lawyer and politician of Indian descent. He was born in Bombay,when his family had temporarily moved to India. The family returned from India in 1951 to live at the birthplace of his father,Parmanand Singh,in Yalalevu,Ba. His father was one of the first three Indo-Fijians to be elected to the Legislative Council of Fiji.
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.
Pravin Singh was a Fijian politician of Indian descent,who won the Tavua Open Constituency in the House of Representatives for the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) in the parliamentary elections of 1999 and 2001.
Gaffar Ahmed is a former Fiji Labour Party (FLP) Fijian politician of Indian descent. Ahmed was born in Ba and is a former police officer. He represented the Ba West Indian Communal Constituency,one of 19 reserved for Indo-Fijians,from 1995 to 2006.
Dr Gunasagaran Gounder is a Fiji Indian medical doctor who,as a Fiji Labour Party candidate,defeated the Leader of Opposition,Jai Ram Reddy of the National Federation Party,in the contest for the Yasawa Nawaka Open Constituency seat in the 1999 general election. He was subsequently appointed Assistant Minister for Health in the Peoples Coalition Government led by Mahendra Chaudhry from 1999 to 2000.
Amjad Ali is a Fiji Indian politician. In the House of Representatives he represented the Nadi Urban Indian Communal Constituency,one of 19 reserved for Indo-Fijians,from 1999 to 2006,having held the seat for the Fiji Labour Party (FLP) in the general elections of 1999 and 2001. At the 2006 general election,he transferred to the Nadi Open Constituency and held it for the FLP.
Attar Singh is a Fijian trade unionist of Indian descent. As of January 2007,he is the General Secretary of the Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions (FICTU),one of two major umbrella bodies for trade unions in Fiji.
Anup Kumar is a Fiji Indian politician who won the Vanua Levu West Indian Communal Constituency,one of the 19 seats reserved for Fiji citizens of Indian origin,for the Fiji Labour Party during the 1999 elections for the House of Representatives. He then became the Minister for Commerce,Business Development &Investment in the People's Coalition Government led by Mahendra Chaudhry.
Suruj Mati Nand is a former Fiji Indian politician who won the Laucala Open Constituency,one of the 25 open seats,for the Fiji Labour Party during the 1999 elections for the House of Representatives.
John Ali is a Fiji Indian politician who won the Nasinu Rewa Open Constituency,one of the 25 open seats,for the Fiji Labour Party during the 1999 elections for the House of Representatives.
Pradhuman Raniga is a Fiji Indian politician who won the Nadi Open Constituency,one of the 25 open seats,for the Fiji Labour Party during the 1999 elections for the House of Representatives.
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