House of Representatives of Fiji

Former lower house of Fiji; abolished in 2003

Politics of Fiji

Constitution

* History

Executive

* President (list)

Naiqama Lalabalavu
* Prime Minister

Sitiveni Rabuka
* Cabinet
* Attorney-General

Siromi Turaga
* Leader of the Opposition

Inia Seruiratu

Legislative

* Parliament

Speaker: Filimone Jitoko

Judiciary

* Supreme Court

Chief Justice: Kamal Kumar
* Court of Appeal
* High Court

Elections

* Electoral system

Voting
* Political parties
* Post-independence elections

* 1972
* Mar 1977
* Sep 1977
* 1982
* 1987
* 1992
* 1994
* 1999
* 2001
* 2006
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022
* Next

Local government

* Recent local elections

* 2002
* 2005

Foreign relations

* Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

Minister: Sitiveni Rabuka

* * *

* Diplomatic missions of / in Fiji

* * *

* Passport
* Visa requirements
* Visa policy

Former and informal

* Monarchy
* Governor
* Governor-General
* Chief Minister
* Executive Council
* House of Representatives

Constituencies

Open
Communal
National
* Legislative Council
* Great Council of Chiefs
* Chairman
* Senate
* Vice-President

* Other countries

* v
* t
* e

The House of Representatives was the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament from 1970 to 2006. It was the more powerful of the two chambers; it alone had the power to initiate legislation (the Senate, by contrast, could amend or veto most legislation, but could not initiate it). The House of Representatives also had much greater jurisdiction over financial bills; the Senate could not amend them, although it might veto them. Except in the case of amendments to the Constitution, over which a veto of the Senate was absolute, the House of Representatives might override a Senatorial veto by passing the same 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.

Also, the Prime Minister and Cabinet were required to retain the confidence of a majority of the House of Representatives to remain in office.

The House of Representatives was suspended by the 2006 military coup. The 2013 Constitution abolished it and replaced it with a single chamber Parliament.

## History

[edit]

The House of Representatives dated from 10 October 1970, when Fiji attained independence from the United Kingdom. Under a grandfather clause in the 1970 Constitution, the old Legislative Council, which had functioned in various forms since 1904, was renamed the House of Representatives and continued in office until 1972, when the first post-independence elections were held. Membership of the House of Representatives was increased from 36 to 52 in 1972, and to 70 in 1992. By the time of its suspension and abolition it had 71 members, all of whom were elected for five-year terms to represent single-member constituencies.

## Electoral system

[edit]

* See main articles: Electoral system of Fiji, Voting system of Fiji

The electoral system was changed a number of times after independence in an effort to meet the competing demands of Fiji's diverse ethnic communities. In elections from 1972 through 1987, Fiji was divided into communal and national constituencies. The former were elected by voters registered as members of specific ethnic groups (12 indigenous Fijians, 12 Indo-Fijians, and 3 General electors – Caucasians, Chinese, and other minorities); the latter were allocated to specific ethnic groups (10 indigenous Fijians, 10 Indo-Fijians, and 5 General Electors), but elected by universal suffrage. The system was a compromise between indigenous demands for a strictly communal franchise (based on fears of being swamped by an Indo-Fijian block-vote) and Indo-Fijian calls for universal suffrage, and was never widely popular. Ethnic Fijian nationalists blamed the national constituencies for the election of an Indo-Fijian dominated government in 1987, and following two military coups, they were abolished by the new republican Constitution of 1990.

The elections of 1992 and 1994 saw all 70 members elected from communal constituencies; this system was widely resented by many Indo-Fijians, who complained that only 27 seats were allocated to them as opposed to 37 to ethnic Fijians, despite the near equality of their numbers at that time. A further 5 seats were allocated to minority groups.

A constitutional review in 1997 introduced a new system, with 71 members. 25 were elected by universal suffrage from Open constituencies ("open" meaning that the franchise was open to all locally resident Fijian citizens, irrespective of their ethnic background), with the remaining 46 elected from communal constituencies, with 23 seats reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 for Indo-Fijians, 1 for Rotuman Islanders, and 3 for "General Electors" – Europeans, Chinese, Banaban Islanders, and other minorities. Every Fijian citizen eligible to vote thus had two votes – one for an open electorate, and one for a communal electorate. The system remained controversial, however.

The open constituencies differed from the former national constituencies in that while both comprised all registered voters on a common voters' roll, regardless of race, the open constituencies might be contested by members of any ethnic group whereas the national constituencies were ethnically allocated.

## Organization

[edit]

At its first session following a general election, the House of Representatives would elect a Speaker and a Deputy Speaker. With a view to ensuring impartiality, the Speaker was not allowed to be a member of the House, though he was required to qualify for membership. The Deputy Speaker, however, was elected from among members of the House.

## Latest election

[edit]

Main article: 2022 Fijian general election

## Speaker and Deputy Speaker

[edit]

Office | Incumbent

|

Speaker | Pita Nacuva [1]
Deputy Speaker | Niko Nawaikula [2]
[1] The Speaker was not allowed to be a member of the House.

[2] The Deputy Speaker was required to be a member of the House. The last Deputy Speaker, Niko Nawaikula, represented the Cakaudrove West Fijian Communal Constituency for the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) Party.

## Open Electorates

[edit]

Electorate | Member of Parliament | Political Party

|
|

Ba | Mahendra Chaudhry | FLP
Bua Macuata West | Ratu Josefa Dimuri | Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua
Cakaudrove West | Ratu Osea Vakalalabure | SDL
Cunningham | Rajesh Singh | SDL
Labasa | Poseci Bune | Fiji Labour Party
Lami | Mere Samisoni | SDL
Lau Taveuni Rotuma | Colonel Savenaca Draunidalo | Fiji Labour Party
Laucala | Losena T. Salabula | SDL
Lautoka City | Daniel Urai Manufolau | Fiji Labour Party
Lomaivuna Namosi Kadavu | Ted Young | SDL
Macuata East | Agni Deo Singh | Fiji Labour Party
Magodro | Gyan Singh | Fiji Labour Party
Nadi | Amjad Ali | Fiji Labour Party
Nadroga | Mesulame Rakuro | SDL
Nasinu Rewa | Azim Hussein | Fiji Labour Party
Nausori Naitasiri | Asaeli Masilaca | SDL
Ra | George Shiu Raj | SDL
Samabula Tamavua | Monica Raghwan | Fiji Labour Party
Serua Navosa | Jone Navakamocea | SDL
Suva City | Misaele Weleilakeba | SDL
Tailevu North Ovalau | Josefa Bole Vosanibola | SDL
Tailevu South Lomaiviti | Adi Asenaca Coboiverata Caucau-Filipe | SDL
Tavua | Damodaran Nair | Fiji Labour Party
Vuda | Felix Anthony | Fiji Labour Party
Yasawa Nawaka | Adi Sivia Qoro | Fiji Labour Party

* FLP: Fiji Labour Party
* SDL: Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua

## Communal Electorates (Fijian)

[edit]

Electorate | Member of Parliament | Political Party

|
|

Ba East | Paulo Ralulu | SDL
Ba West | Ratu Meli Q. Saukuru | SDL
Bua | Mitieli Bulanauca | SDL
Cakaudrove East | Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu | SDL
Cakaudrove West | Niko Nawaikula | SDL
Kadavu | Konisi T. Yabaki | SDL
Lau | Laisenia Qarase | SDL
Lomaiviti | Simione Kaitani | SDL
Macuata | Isireli Leweniqila | SDL
Nadroga Navosa | Ratu Isikeli Tasere | SDL
Naitasiri | Ilaitia Bulidiri Tuisese | SDL
Namosi | Ro Suliano Matanitobua | SDL
Nasinu Urban | Inoke Luveni | SDL
North East Urban | Nanise Nagusuca | SDL
North West Urban | Joji N. Banuve | SDL
Ra | Tomasi Vuetilovoni | SDL
Rewa | Ro Teimumu Vuikaba Kepa | SDL
Serua | Pio Tabaiwalu | SDL
South West Urban | Ratu Jone Kubuabola | SDL
Suva City Urban | Mataiasi V. Ragiagia | SDL
Tailevu North | Samisoni Tikoinasau | SDL
Tailevu South | Irami Matairavula | SDL
Tamavua Laucala Urban | Ratu Jone Wagairatu | SDL

* SDL: Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua

## Communal Electorates (Indo-Fijian)

[edit]

Electorate | Member of Parliament | Political Party

|
|

Ba East | Jain Kumar | Fiji Labour Party
Ba West | Narendra K. Padarath | FLP
Labasa | Kamlesh Reddy | FLP
Labasa Rural | Mohammed Tahir | FLP
Laucala | Dewan Chand | FLP
Lautoka City | Jai Gawander | FLP
Lautoka Rural | Udit Narayan | FLP
Macuata East Cakaudrove | Vijay Chand | FLP
Nadi Rural | Perumal Mupnar | FLP
Nadi Urban | Dr. Gunasagaran Gounder | FLP
Nadroga | Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi | FLP
Nasinu | Krishna Datt | FLP
Suva City | Gyani Nand | FLP
Tailevu Rewa | Ragho Nand | FLP
Tavua | Anand Babla | FLP
Vanua Levu West | Surendra Lal | FLP
Viti Levu South Kadavu | Chaitanya Lakshman | FLP
Viti Levu East Maritime | Sanjeet Chand Maharaj | FLP
Vuda | Vyas Deo Sharma | FLP

* FLP: Fiji Labour Party

## Communal Electorate (Rotuman)

[edit]

Electorate | Member of Parliament | Political Party

|
|

Rotuma | Jioji (George) Konrote | Independent

## Communal Electorates (General Electors)

[edit]

Electorate | Member of Parliament | Political Party

|
|

North Eastern | Robin Irwin | Independent
Suva City | Bernadette Rounds Ganilau | UPP
West Central | Mick Beddoes | United Peoples Party (Fiji)

* UPP: United Peoples Party

## See also

[edit]

* Speaker of the House of Representatives of Fiji

## External links

[edit]

* Official Website of the Parliament of Fiji
* House of Representatives

* v
* t
* e

Fiji articles

History|

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