Local government in Fiji

Parts of this article (those related to Towns and cities) need to be updated. The reason given is: Requires update per P:WP. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (April 2023)

|

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: Naiqama Lalabalavu

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
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* 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
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Constituencies

Open
Communal
National
* Legislative Council
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* Other countries

* v
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Fiji is divided administratively into four divisions, which are further subdivided into fourteen provinces. Each province has a provincial council.

## Administrative divisions

[edit]

The four divisions of Fiji The fourteen provinces of Fiji

Fiji is divided administratively into four divisions, which are further subdivided into fourteen provinces; the self-governing island[1][2][3] of Rotuma and its nearby islets lie outside any of the four divisions. Each division is headed by a Commissioner, appointed by the Fijian government.

The divisions are basically agglomerations of provinces and have few administrative functions of their own, but serve to foster cooperation among the member provinces for providing services.

### Provinces

[edit]

Main article: Provinces of Fiji

Division
(Capital)  | Province  | Area
km2[4] | Population
(2007)  | Population
(2017)[5]

|
|
|
|

Central
(Suva) | Naitasiri | 1666 | 160,760 | 177,678
Namosi | 570 | 6,898 | 7,871
Rewa | 272 | 100,995 | 108,016
Serua | 830 | 18,249 | 20,031
Tailevu | 955 | 55,692 | 64,552
Northern
(Labasa) | Bua | 1378 | 14,176 | 15,466
Cakaudrove | 2816 | 49,344 | 50,469
Macuata | 2004 | 72,441 | 65,983
Eastern
(Levuka) | Kadavu | 478 | 10,167 | 10,897
Lau | 487 | 10,683 | 9,602
Lomaiviti | 411 | 16,253 | 15,657
Western
(Lautoka) | Ba | 2634 | 231,760 | 247,708
Nadroga-Navosa | 2385 | 58,387 | 58,931
Ra | 1341 | 29,464 | 30,432

Rotuma

| 46 | 2,002 | 1,594

## Provincial council

[edit]

Each province has a provincial council which may make bylaws and impose rates (local taxes), subject to the approval of the Fijian Affairs Board, a government department. The board must also approve the appointment of the Roko Tui, or executive head of the provincial council, who is usually a high chief, although in recent years, commoners have sometimes been chosen.

The provinces used to have direct input into national affairs through the Great Council of Chiefs and the Senate. The Great Council of Chiefs was a traditional body which advised the government on indigenous affairs and also functioned as an electoral college to elect the President and Vice-President; 42 of the 55 members of the Great Council were chosen by the provincial councils, three from each province. In addition, 14 of the 32 members of the Senate, the upper house of the Fijian Parliament, were chosen by the provincial councils (one Senator each) and confirmed by the Great Council of Chiefs. The Military-backed interim government that seized power in a military coup on 5 December 2006 formally abolished the Great Council of Chiefs in 2012, and the 2013 Constitution promulgated by the regime similarly abolished the Senate. This effectively ended provincial input into national government affairs.

## Island of Rotuma

[edit]

The island of Rotuma, north of the main archipelago, is a self-governing dependency according to the Rotuma Act promulgated in 1927. The Fiji government includes it in the Eastern Division for statistical purposes (such as the census), but it has its own council, which is empowered to legislate on most local matters. Like a province, Rotuma used to choose (through its council) 3 members of the Great Council of Chiefs and 1 Senator.

## Provincial administration

[edit]

Below the provincial level, districts and villages, based on extended family networks, have their own chiefs and councils. Indigenous Fijian administration is based on the koro, or village, headed by a Turaga ni Koro elected or appointed by the villagers. Several koros combine to form a Tikina, two or more of which comprise a province. In addition, municipal governments have been established for the cities of Suva and Lautoka, and for ten towns. Each has a city or town council elected for a three-year term, presided over by a Mayor chosen by the councillors from among their own members. On 15 February 2006, the government announced legislation to change the local government term of office from three years to four.

Provincial administration, and its subdivisions, cater for ethnic Fijians, town and city councils cater for urban residents of all races. Local authorities have also been established for rural areas, with advisory powers, and these provide a voice to people of all races outside the provincial structure. The Ministry of Regional Development ensures that Fiji's rural areas are provided with the access to opportunities and basic amenities that are enjoyed by the urban areas. This is done through its district administrations which are involved in community capacity building, coordinating the development projects like upgrading of rural roads, upgrading of cane access roads, development of roads for access to cash crops and other capital programs in their respective districts. They also attend to some statutory functions such as registration of births, deaths and marriages, liquor licences and acting as Third Class Magistrates.

## Districts

[edit]

Fiji is divided into 17 districts, each with a district officer and five sub-districts with assistant district officers. The districts generally centre on towns and cities, but some follow provincial or tikina boundaries. The districts are: Ra, Tavua, Ba, Nadi, Nadarivatu, Keiyasi, Nausori, Navua, Vunidawa, Suva, Korovou, Macuata, Savusavu, Bua, Taveuni, Seaqaqa, Saqani, Tukavesi, Kadavu, Rotuma, Lomaiviti, Lautoka.[6]

## Towns and cities

[edit]

This article needs to be updated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (June 2015)

|

Location  | Founded  | Mayor (party)  | Councillors  | Area (km2)  | Pop. (2017)

|
|
|
|
|

Ba | 1939 | Parveen Bala (NFP) | 15 | 327 | 13,825
Labasa | 1939 | Pradeep Singh (FLP) | 12 | 360 | 22,204
Lami | 1977 | Tevita Buatalevu (SDL) | 12 | 680 | 20,217
Lautoka (city) | 1929 | Rohit Kumar (FLP) | 16 | 1607 | 60,925
Levuka | 1877 | George Gibson (Balance) | 8 | 67 | 3,277
Nadi | 1946 | Shalesh Mudliar (NFP) | 15 | 577 | 62,214
Nasinu | 1999 | Rajeshwar Kumar (FLP) | 21 | 4500 | 79,782
Nausori | 1931 | Vikash Singh (NRA) | 12 | 167 | 50,398
Savusavu | 1969 | Ram Pillay (SRC) | 9 | 800 | 5,494
Sigatoka | 1959 | Ratu Isikeli Tasere (SDL/NFP) | 10 | 127 | 8,940
Suva (city) | 1881 | Ratu Peni Volavola (SDL) | 20 | 2048 | 78,520
Tavua | 1992 | Chandra Singh (TRLTA) | 9 | 100 | 7,592
FLP: Fiji Labour Party; NFP: National Federation Party; NRA: Nausori Ratepayers' Association;
SDL: Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua; SRC: Savusavu Ratepayers and Citizens Party;
TRLTA: Tavua Ratepayers, Landowners, and Tenants Association

## See also

[edit]

* ISO 3166-2:FJ

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Fiji, Parliament of. Rotuma Act.
2. ^ "Laws of Fiji - ITC Services Online". Archived from the original on 2010-07-06. Retrieved 2010-07-13.
3. ^ Fatiaki, Anselmo (1991). Rotuma, Hanuạ Pumue. editorips@usp.ac.fj. ISBN 9789820200357.
4. ^ "2007 Census Analytical Report". statsfiji.gov.fj. Retrieved 7 Nov 2021.
5. ^ "2017 Population and Housing Census - Release 1". statsfiji.gov.fj. Retrieved 7 Nov 2021.
6. ^ "District Officers". Ministry of Regional Development. Archived from the original on 14 June 2004.

## External links

[edit]

* Population statistics
* Local Government in Asia and the Pacific - Fiji
* THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT SYSTEM IN Fiji

* v
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* e

Fiji articles

History|

* Heads of state
* Cakobau period
* Colonial period
* Governors
* Modern history
* 1977 crisis
* 1987 coups
* Military–church relations
* 2000 coup
* Reconciliation Commission
* 2005–2006 crisis
* 2006 coup
* 2009 crisis

Geography|

* Archipelagoes
* Cities and towns
* Earthquakes
* Provinces
* Rivers
* Rotuma
* Volcanoes
* Wildlife

Politics|

* Chiefly system
* Constitution
* Cabinet
* Climate change
* Elections
* Foreign relations
* Great Council of Chiefs
* Chairman
* Human rights
* LGBT
* Judiciary
* Law enforcement
* Local government
* Military
* Commander
* Monarchy
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* Political parties
* President
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* Prime Minister
* Leader of the Opposition
* Proposed charter

Economy|

* Central bank
* Companies
* Fijian dollar (currency)
* Stock exchange
* Telecommunications
* Transport

Society|

* Demographics
* Education
* Fijian (iTaukei)
* Indo-Fijians
* Health
* Languages
* Religion
* Rotuman people
* Squatting

Culture|

* Anthem
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* Cinema
* Coat of arms
* Festivals
* Flag
* Meke (dance)
* Literature
* Music
* Mythology
* Notable people
* Sports
* Traditions and ceremonies

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Local government in Oceania

Sovereign states|

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Associated states
of New Zealand|

* Cook Islands
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Dependencies
and other territories|

* American Samoa
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Political divisions of Fiji

Divisions|

* Central
* Eastern
* Northern
* Western

Provinces|

* Ba
* Bua
* Cakaudrove
* Kadavu
* Lau
* Lomaiviti
* Macuata
* Nadroga Navosa
* Naitasiri
* Namosi
* Ra
* Rewa
* Serua
* Tailevu

Dependency|

* Rotuma

Cities|

* Lautoka
* Suva

Towns|

* Ba
* Labasa
* Lami
* Levuka
* Nadi
* Nasinu
* Nausori
* Savusavu
* Sigatoka
* Tavua

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