Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji
Paraiminisita ni Viti (Fijian)
फिजी के प्रधानमंत्री (Fiji Hindi)
Coat of arms of Fiji
Flag of Fiji
Incumbent
Sitiveni Rabuka
since 24 December 2022
StyleThe Honourable[1]
StatusHead of government
Member ofCabinet
SeatGovernment Buildings
Term lengthFour years
PrecursorChief Minister of Fiji
Inaugural holderKamisese Mara
Formation10 October 1970 (1970-10-10)
DeputyDeputy Prime Minister of Fiji
SalaryFJ$ 328,750/US$ 149,431 annually[2]
Websitewww.pmoffice.gov.fj

The prime minister of Fiji is the head of government of the Republic of Fiji. The prime minister is appointed under the terms of the 2013 Constitution. The prime minister is the head of the Cabinet and appoints and dismisses ministers.

Description of the office

As a former British colony, Fiji has largely adopted British political models and follows the Westminster, or Cabinet, system of government, in which the executive branch of government is responsible to the legislature. Under the 2013 Constitution, the prime minister is the leader of the political party which has won more than half of the total number of seats in Parliament. If no such party exist, the Parliament elects the prime minister.

The prime minister of Fiji is technically the "first among equals," whose vote in meetings of the Cabinet carries no greater weight than that of any other minister. In practice, the prime minister dominates the government. Other ministers are appointed by the prime minister.

History of the office

Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara was appointed Fiji's first prime minister on 10 October 1970, when Fiji attained its independence from Britain. Mara previously served as Fiji's first and only chief minister, from 20 September 1967 (while Fiji still was a British colony). Mara's first term as prime minister lasted until 13 April 1987. He returned to the office for the second term on 5 December 1987, serving until 2 June 1992. As of 2014, Mara is the longest-serving prime minister of Fiji.

List of prime ministers of Fiji (1970–present)

Portrait Prime MinisterTook officeLeft officeTime in officePartyElectionHead(s) of state
Prime Ministers of the Dominion of Fiji
Kamisese Mara
Ratu Sir
Kamisese Mara
(1920–2004)		10 October 197013 April 198716 years, 185 days Alliance1972
1977 (Mar)
1977 (Sep)
1982		Elizabeth II
Timoci Bavadra
Timoci Bavadra
(1934–1989)		13 April 198714 May 198731 days Labour1987Elizabeth II
Vacant (14 May 1987 – 5 December 1987)[lower-alpha 1]
Prime Ministers of the Republic of Fiji
Kamisese Mara
Ratu Sir
Kamisese Mara
(1920–2004)
[lower-alpha 2]		5 December 19872 June 19924 years, 180 days Independent—Ganilau
Sitiveni Rabuka
Major General (Rtd)
Sitiveni Rabuka
(born 1948)		2 June 199219 May 19996 years, 351 days SVT1992
1994		Ganilau
Mara
Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Chaudhry
(born 1942)		19 May 199927 May 20001 year, 8 days Labour1999Mara
Tevita Momoedonu
Ratu
Tevita Momoedonu
(1946–2020)
[lower-alpha 3]		27 May 200027 May 20000 days Labour—Mara
Vacant (27 May 2000 – 4 July 2000)[lower-alpha 1]
Laisenia Qarase
Laisenia Qarase
(1941–2020)
[lower-alpha 4]		4 July 200014 March 2001253 days Independent—Bainimarama
Iloilo
Tevita Momoedonu
Ratu
Tevita Momoedonu
(1946–2020)
Acting		14 March 200116 March 20012 days Labour—Iloilo
Laisenia Qarase
Laisenia Qarase
(1941–2020)		16 March 20015 December 20065 years, 264 days SDL2001
2006		Iloilo
Jona Senilagakali
Dr.
Jona Senilagakali
(1929–2011)
Acting
[lower-alpha 5]		5 December 20064 January 200730 days Independent—Bainimarama
Frank Bainimarama
Commodore
Frank Bainimarama
(born 1954)
Acting
[lower-alpha 6]		5 January 200722 September 20147 years, 260 days RFMF—Iloilo
Nailatikau
Frank Bainimarama
Rear Admiral (Rtd)
Frank Bainimarama
(born 1954)		22 September 201424 December 20228 years, 93 days FijiFirst2014
2018		Nailatikau
Konrote
Katonivere
Sitiveni Rabuka
Major General (Rtd)
Sitiveni Rabuka
(born 1948)		24 December 2022Incumbent1 year, 22 days People's Alliance2022Katonivere

Timeline

Frank BainimaramaJona SenilagakaliLaisenia QaraseTevita MomoedonuMahendra ChaudhrySitiveni RabukaTimoci BavadraKamisese Mara

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 Fiji was left without a prime minister following two military coups in 1987 and a civilian coup d'état in 2000.
  2. ↑ Mara's party, the Alliance Party, was dissolved in the wake of the 1987 coups, so he was effectively a nonpartisan prime minister in his last term.
  3. ↑ Ratu Momoedonu was appointed Prime Minister on 27 May 2000, by the then-president, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, in order to meet a constitutional technicality. He resigned only a few minutes later, as soon as the technicality had been attended to, in order to allow the president to assume full executive power.
  4. ↑ Qarase was not a member of a political party when he headed the interim government in 2000 and early 2001. Following his reinstatement on 16 March 2001 (after two days' absence from office), he founded the United Fiji Party to contest the general election that was to be held later that year.
  5. ↑ Senilagakali was installed as Interim Prime Minister as Commodore Josaia Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama took control of the government. He was previously a highly esteemed medical doctor, the former president of the Fijian Medical Association, and was military doctor at the time of the coup d'état in 2006.[3]
  6. ↑ The Bainimarama government was dismissed as illegal by Fiji's Court of Appeal on 10 April 2009, leading to the prime minister's immediate resignation. He was re-appointed the next day by President Josefa Iloilo, following the latter's abrogation of the Constitution.[4][5]

References

  1. ↑ "Office of the Prime Minister Directory". Office of the Prime Minister. 29 December 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  2. ↑ "PARLIAMENTARY REMUNERATIONS DECREE 2014 (DECREE NO. 29 OF 2014)" (PDF). Government of Fiji. 3 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "Military now in charge in Fiji". Fiji Times. 5 December 2006. Archived from the original on 30 September 2007. Retrieved 5 December 2006.
  4. ↑ "Fiji's Bainimarama steps down as PM", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 10 April 2009
  5. ↑ "Commodore Bainimarama sworn in as Prime Minister" Archived 15 April 2009 at the Wayback Machine, Fiji government, 11 April 2009
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