George Speight
Encyclopedia
George Speight occasionally known as Ilikimi Naitini, was the principal instigator of the Fiji coup of 2000
, in which he kidnapped thirty-six government officials and held them from May 19, 2000 to July 13, 2000. He is currently serving a term of life imprisonment
for his role in the overthrow of the constitutional government.
and 35 other parliamentarians for the i Taukei (indigenous) rights, including Cabinet ministers
. Announcing that he had deposed both the government and the President, Speight swore in serving ruling government member, Timoci Silatolu as Prime Minister by Ratu Jope Seniloli
, whom he proclaimed President in place of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. (Seniloli has since been convicted of treason
for aiding and abetting the coup.) President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara tried to resist Speight's takeover, but was abruptly removed himself on 29 May by Commodore
Frank Bainimarama
, the Commander of the Military
who subsequently abrogated the constitution, made himself Prime Minister and swore in his own President, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau (Ratu Jope Seniloli's cousin). (As of 2005, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara's illegal removal was the subject of a police investigation.)
The overthrow of the government saw support for Speight's cause as outbreaks of violence occurred in Suva
, Levuka
, Naitasiri, Tailevu, Ra, Nadi, Yasawa, Serua, Namosi, and on July 7 an army base on Vanua Levu
Island was overrun by his supporters.
Fifteen soldiers and two of their officers defected to the rebels and George Speight built up a strong private army. On June 9, Speight announced that he had abolished Fiji's multi-racial Constitution
. Three days later, Speight's car was sprayed with gunfire, but the army denied that soldiers were involved in an operation to kill him. On June 25, four female hostages were released. On July 13, Chaudhry was released following an agreement between the rebels and the military administration of Commodore Bainimarama. Claiming that he had signed the agreement "under duress," Bainimarama promptly rescinded it. On 27 July, Speight was arrested with 369 of his followers and charged with treason.
, which had swept away a government dominated by ethnic Fijians
and brought to power a multiracial
government led by Mahendra Chaudhry, who became Fiji's first-ever Indo-Fijian Prime Minister. Hints that the Chaudhry government might institute some form of land reform
also generated considerable resentment among sections of the indigenous population, despite constitution
al guarantees that ethnic Fijian ownership of 83 percent of the land could not be changed without the support of 9 of the 14 senators
appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs
, a wholly indigenous body. The leadup to the coup had seen certain politicians and other public figures play upon this resentment and foster public fear that native land might be alienated. Speight thus found sizeable number of sympathizers when he launched his putsch on 19 May.
Speight's partner, Torika Rawlinson, told the student newspaper Wansolwara that the original intention had been to execute members of the deposed government the night before the coup actually took place. She denied others' reports that Indo-Fijian businessmen had been involved. Her version has not been independently confirmed.
Speight was elected to the House of Representatives
using the name of Ilikimi Naitini. He was elected as a Representative for the Tailevu North Fijian Communal
constituency as a candidate of the Conservative Alliance Matanitu Vanua Party
despite his confinement on Nukulau Island. Speight was prevented by the speaker of the Fiji parliament, Epeli Nailatikau
, from taking up his seat in Parliament. Subsequently, that December he was expelled from Parliament for non attendance.
. However the government of the Prime Minister Hon. Laisenia Qarase
had abolished the death sentence in the House of Representatives on the day that Speight was sentenced.
President Ratu Josefa Iloilo
, who had replaced Mara following the coup, followed the advice of the Prime Minister and commuted Speight's sentence to life imprisonment
. Speight started serving his sentence on Nukulau Island
where he had been living out his exile. Following the decision of the Military government to close the Nukulau facility Speight was transferred on 20 December 2006. He is currently serving out his sentence at the Nuboro Maximum Security Prison. http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34558.shtml
during his imprisonment. According to the source, Speight's faith had led to a change of heart towards the Indo-Fijian community, and that he wished to participate in the upcoming Fiji Week, a series of prayer meetings and multicultural programmes aimed at reconciling Fiji's ethnic communities, planned for the week of 4 October through 11 October. "He now feels inspired by the word of God and would like to take part in the week of reconciliation," the source told the Australian Associated Press
. This request for permission to leave his island prison to take part in the observances was refused, however. At a more personal level, a spokesman for deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry said that on principle, http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2004/October/10-12-06.htm—provided that he reveal the identities of the persons who had planned and financed the coup. So far, no evidence has been revealed by Chaudary as to who these financiers were despite making these claims. Police Commissioner, Andrew Hughes has castigated Chaudary for making unfounded claims and indigenous groups have labeled Chaudary's outburst as an attempt to discredit the "indigenousness" of Speight's coup to cover his own shortcomings as a Prime Minister.
news service reported on 29 January 2006 that Speight and his associates had indicated his willingness to face the government's proposed Reconciliation and Unity Commission
and tell all they know about the alleged planning, financing, and execution of the coup. This was an apparent reversal of his earlier vow to remain silent.
Fiji Live quoted Speight as alleging that the real reason for the strident opposition of the military
to the legislation establishing the proposed Commission was that their and, in particular, Bainimarma's own role in the coup plot would be in danger of being revealed. The latest information revealed by some of the CRW troops arrested with Speight suggest that Bainimarama may have been the "real" coup leader after giving the go-ahead at the last security council meeting on Friday May 12, 2000 at Valelevu. His subsequent departure for Norway ensured that he was free from coup conspiracy.On his return not long after the takeover he sent a delegation made up of military spokemen Colonel Filipo Tarakinikini, Colonel Etueni Caucau and acting Commander Colonel Tuatoko to express his full support for Speight and ex SAS Warrant Officer, Ilisoni Ligairi. Both men were unaware of the pre-coup arrangements set up by Bainimarama.
A dispute arose however as to who should be in the caretaker government as Bainimarama expected to run the country with a few of his close advisers such as Colonel Jerry Waqanisau, Colonel Kacisolomoni, Colonel Paul Manueli and others. This conflicted led to a 56 day rule by Bainimarama after which he as forced to step down by Speight and to return the office of the Presidency to civilian rule. Inside sources reveal that Bainimarama manipulated his oblivious officers to finally achieve his pre-May 19, 2000 objectives of ruling the country of which is now a reality in 2008. The crux of proving that Bainimarama was involved in the coup of 2000 lies in that last meeting on Friday May 12 of which the then Police Commissioner Isikia Savua and Home Affairs Permanent Secretary, Konrote were present.
The University of the South Pacific
journalism school in Fiji
provided coverage of the upheaval on its website Pacific Journalism Onlinehttp://www.usp.ac.fj/journ/ and newspaper Wansolwara http://www.usp.ac.fj/journ/wansol/index.htmlhttp://www.lookinglassdesign.com/wansolwara/docs/5200.html until its website was temporarily shut down on May 29 http://www.asiapac.org.fj/PJR/issues/next/2001frontline.htmlhttp://journalism.uts.edu.au/archive/fiji_coup/index.html during the martial law period. The students' coverage archive is at the University of Technology, Sydney
, Australia. http://journalism.uts.edu.au/archive/coup.html
and European descent. The elder Speight is a war veteran who served his country in the successful Malayan campaign. He subsequently served as a backbencher in Rabuka's governments throughout the 1990s. His dual election win has proved the family's vast popularity up in Tailevu North.By the time his son attempted his putsch in 2000, however, Sam Speight was an opposition member of Parliament, his Fijian Political Party having lost power to the Indo-Fijian-led Labour Party
of Mahendra Chaudhry
in the elections
of 1999. This blue ribbon Fijian communal seat of Tailevu North is one of the largest provinces in Fiji and has the distinction of being won by the family in succession beginning with the Hon Savenaca Tokainavo, his sons, Hon. Ilikini Naitini (George Speight) and now by the Hon. Samisoni Tikoinasau (Minister for Lands). There is no doubting however their democratic popularity and the ardent campaign for indigenous rights.
Speight has a son, Ely (born 1998) with Torika Rawlinson.
Speight graduated with Bachelor's
and Master's
degrees in Business
from Michigan
's Andrews University
. He subsequently settled in Australia
, where he worked as a sales representative for the Computer Orchard, a Brisbane-based Apple Computer
dealer, and later as a branch manager for Metway Bank before returning to Fiji in 1996. He then became Chairman of Fiji Pine, Ltd. and of Fiji Hardwood Corporation, Ltd.. He also became a manager of Health Fiji, Ltd. but resigned due to shareholder personality conflicts.
Fiji coup of 2000
The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of a non-native Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, on 19 May 2000, the attempt by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara to assert executive authority on 27 May, and...
, in which he kidnapped thirty-six government officials and held them from May 19, 2000 to July 13, 2000. He is currently serving a term of life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
for his role in the overthrow of the constitutional government.
Fiji coup of 2000
On May 19, 2000, a disparate gang led by Speight stormed the parliamentary complex and kidnapped Prime Minister Mahendra ChaudhryMahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party...
and 35 other parliamentarians for the i Taukei (indigenous) rights, including Cabinet ministers
Cabinet (Fiji)
Fiji has the Westminster system - executive authority is vested nominally in a President, but exercised in practice by a Cabinet of Ministers, presided over by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is formally appointed, but not chosen, by the President: the President must appoint as Prime...
. Announcing that he had deposed both the government and the President, Speight swore in serving ruling government member, Timoci Silatolu as Prime Minister by Ratu Jope Seniloli
Jope Seniloli
Ratu Jope Naucabalavu Seniloli is a Fijian chief who holds the title of Turaga Taukei Naua and who served as Fiji's Vice-President from 25 March 2001 to 29 November 2004, when he was forced to resign following his conviction for treason on August 6 2004, and the rejection of his appeal early in...
, whom he proclaimed President in place of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. (Seniloli has since been convicted of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
for aiding and abetting the coup.) President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara tried to resist Speight's takeover, but was abruptly removed himself on 29 May by Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
Frank Bainimarama
Frank Bainimarama
Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, CF, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Ratu , is a Fijian naval officer and politician. He is the Commander of the Fijian Military Forces and, as of April 2009, Prime Minister...
, the Commander of the Military
Military of Fiji
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces are the military of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of 3,500 active soldiers and 6,000 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world. However, most of its surrounding island nations have no militaries at all...
who subsequently abrogated the constitution, made himself Prime Minister and swore in his own President, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau (Ratu Jope Seniloli's cousin). (As of 2005, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara's illegal removal was the subject of a police investigation.)
The overthrow of the government saw support for Speight's cause as outbreaks of violence occurred in Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
, Levuka
Levuka
Levuka is a town on the eastern coast of the Fijian island of Ovalau, in Lomaiviti Province, in the Eastern Division of Fiji. It was formerly the Capital of Fiji. At the census in 2007, the last to date, Levuka town had a population of 1,131 , about half of Ovalau's 8,360 inhabitants...
, Naitasiri, Tailevu, Ra, Nadi, Yasawa, Serua, Namosi, and on July 7 an army base on Vanua Levu
Vanua Levu
Vanua Levu , formerly known as Sandalwood Island, is the second largest island of Fiji. Located 64 kilometres to the north of the larger Viti Levu, the island has an area of 5,587.1 km² and a population of some 130,000.- Geography :...
Island was overrun by his supporters.
Fifteen soldiers and two of their officers defected to the rebels and George Speight built up a strong private army. On June 9, Speight announced that he had abolished Fiji's multi-racial Constitution
Constitution of Fiji
The 1997 Constitution of Fiji was the supreme law of Fiji from its adoption in 1997 until 2009 when President Josefa Iloilo purported to abrogate it. It was also suspended for a period following the 2000 coup d'état led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama....
. Three days later, Speight's car was sprayed with gunfire, but the army denied that soldiers were involved in an operation to kill him. On June 25, four female hostages were released. On July 13, Chaudhry was released following an agreement between the rebels and the military administration of Commodore Bainimarama. Claiming that he had signed the agreement "under duress," Bainimarama promptly rescinded it. On 27 July, Speight was arrested with 369 of his followers and charged with treason.
Motives for the coup
Speight claimed to be a Fijian nationalist and a champion of indigenous rights. He attracted support from certain elements of the Fijian population who were angered by the results of the 1999 electionFiji election of 1999
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.-Electoral system:Previously,...
, which had swept away a government dominated by ethnic Fijians
Fijian people
Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...
and brought to power a multiracial
Multiracial
The terms multiracial and mixed-race describe people whose ancestries come from multiple races. Unlike the term biracial, which often is only used to refer to having parents or grandparents of two different races, the term multiracial may encompass biracial people but can also include people with...
government led by Mahendra Chaudhry, who became Fiji's first-ever Indo-Fijian Prime Minister. Hints that the Chaudhry government might institute some form of land reform
Land reform
[Image:Jakarta farmers protest23.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Farmers protesting for Land Reform in Indonesia]Land reform involves the changing of laws, regulations or customs regarding land ownership. Land reform may consist of a government-initiated or government-backed property redistribution,...
also generated considerable resentment among sections of the indigenous population, despite constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
al guarantees that ethnic Fijian ownership of 83 percent of the land could not be changed without the support of 9 of the 14 senators
Senate (Fiji)
The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. It is the less powerful of the two chambers; it may not initiate legislation, but may amend or veto it. The Senate's powers over financial bills are more restricted: it may veto them in their entirety, but may not amend them...
appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs
Great Council of Chiefs (Fiji)
The Great Council of Chiefs is a now dormant 1997 constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. In April 2007 the council was suspended, due to an unworkable relationship with Frank Bainimarama, leader of an "interim government" which came to power through a military coup in December 2006...
, a wholly indigenous body. The leadup to the coup had seen certain politicians and other public figures play upon this resentment and foster public fear that native land might be alienated. Speight thus found sizeable number of sympathizers when he launched his putsch on 19 May.
Speight's partner, Torika Rawlinson, told the student newspaper Wansolwara that the original intention had been to execute members of the deposed government the night before the coup actually took place. She denied others' reports that Indo-Fijian businessmen had been involved. Her version has not been independently confirmed.
Elected to and expelled from Parliament
In August 2001, democracy was restored and in the subsequent electionFiji election of 2001
The Constitution of Fiji was restored by a High Court decision on 15 November 2000, following the failure of the political upheaval in which the government had been deposed and the constitution suspended in May that year. On 1 March 2001, the Appeal Court upheld the decision. An election to...
Speight was elected to the House of Representatives
House of Representatives (Fiji)
The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. It is the more powerful of the two chambers; it alone has the power to initiate legislation...
using the name of Ilikimi Naitini. He was elected as a Representative for the Tailevu North Fijian Communal
Tailevu North (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)
Tailevu North Fijian Provincial Communal is an electoral division of Fiji, one of 23 communal constituencies reserved for indigenous Fijians....
constituency as a candidate of the Conservative Alliance Matanitu Vanua Party
Conservative Alliance (Fiji)
The Conservative Alliance was a far-right political party in Fiji, and a member of the ruling coalition government. It was commonly known as the CAMV, a combination of the initials of its English and Fijian names...
despite his confinement on Nukulau Island. Speight was prevented by the speaker of the Fiji parliament, Epeli Nailatikau
Epeli Nailatikau
Brigadier-General Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, CF, LVO, OBE, MSD, OStJ, is a Fijian chief and the current President of Fiji. He has had a long career in the Military, diplomatic service, and government...
, from taking up his seat in Parliament. Subsequently, that December he was expelled from Parliament for non attendance.
Sentence
On 18 February 2002, Speight was sentenced to death after having pled guilty to a charge of treasonTreason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
. However the government of the Prime Minister Hon. Laisenia Qarase
Laisenia Qarase
Laisenia Qarase is a Fijian political figure. He served as the sixth Prime Minister of Fiji from 2000 to 2006. After the military quashed the coup that led to the removal of Mahendra Chaudhry, Qarase joined the Interim Military Government as a financial adviser on 9 June 2000, until his appointment...
had abolished the death sentence in the House of Representatives on the day that Speight was sentenced.
President Ratu Josefa Iloilo
Josefa Iloilo
Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu Uluivuda, CF, MBE, MSD, KStJ was the President of Fiji from 2000 until 2009, excluding a brief period from 5 December 2006 until 4 January 2007 . He held the traditional title of Tui Vuda, the paramount chief of the Vuda district in Ba Province on Fiji's northwest coast...
, who had replaced Mara following the coup, followed the advice of the Prime Minister and commuted Speight's sentence to life imprisonment
Life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is a sentence of imprisonment for a serious crime under which the convicted person is to remain in jail for the rest of his or her life...
. Speight started serving his sentence on Nukulau Island
Nukulau
Nukulau Island is a small islet belonging to Fiji. It is close to Suva, Fiji's capital, which lies about ten kilometers to the west. It is an island rich in history, which has played a pivotal role in Fiji's demographic and political development over the past 160 years.- History :Nukulau played a...
where he had been living out his exile. Following the decision of the Military government to close the Nukulau facility Speight was transferred on 20 December 2006. He is currently serving out his sentence at the Nuboro Maximum Security Prison. http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34558.shtml
Purported change of heart
On 15 September 2004, a source close to the Fijian government revealed that Speight had renewed his faith in ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
during his imprisonment. According to the source, Speight's faith had led to a change of heart towards the Indo-Fijian community, and that he wished to participate in the upcoming Fiji Week, a series of prayer meetings and multicultural programmes aimed at reconciling Fiji's ethnic communities, planned for the week of 4 October through 11 October. "He now feels inspired by the word of God and would like to take part in the week of reconciliation," the source told the Australian Associated Press
Australian Associated Press
Australian Associated Press is Australia's national news agency. The organisation was established in 1935 by Fairfax and The Herald and Weekly Times.AAP employs more than 175 journalists who work in bureaux in all Australian states and territories...
. This request for permission to leave his island prison to take part in the observances was refused, however. At a more personal level, a spokesman for deposed Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry said that on principle, http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2004/October/10-12-06.htm—provided that he reveal the identities of the persons who had planned and financed the coup. So far, no evidence has been revealed by Chaudary as to who these financiers were despite making these claims. Police Commissioner, Andrew Hughes has castigated Chaudary for making unfounded claims and indigenous groups have labeled Chaudary's outburst as an attempt to discredit the "indigenousness" of Speight's coup to cover his own shortcomings as a Prime Minister.
Willing to tell all
The Fiji VillageFiji Village
The Fiji Village is an online news service in Fiji. Published daily, it covers political, business, sporting, cultural, and other news items, and also includes the Yellow Bucket commentary, an editorial which does not necessarily reflect the views of the Fiji Village owners or staff, according to...
news service reported on 29 January 2006 that Speight and his associates had indicated his willingness to face the government's proposed Reconciliation and Unity Commission
Reconciliation and Unity Commission (Fiji)
The Reconciliation and Unity Commission is a proposed government body to be set up if the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill, which was introduced into the Fijian Parliament on 4 May 2005 is passed...
and tell all they know about the alleged planning, financing, and execution of the coup. This was an apparent reversal of his earlier vow to remain silent.
Fiji Live quoted Speight as alleging that the real reason for the strident opposition of the military
Military of Fiji
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces are the military of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of 3,500 active soldiers and 6,000 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world. However, most of its surrounding island nations have no militaries at all...
to the legislation establishing the proposed Commission was that their and, in particular, Bainimarma's own role in the coup plot would be in danger of being revealed. The latest information revealed by some of the CRW troops arrested with Speight suggest that Bainimarama may have been the "real" coup leader after giving the go-ahead at the last security council meeting on Friday May 12, 2000 at Valelevu. His subsequent departure for Norway ensured that he was free from coup conspiracy.On his return not long after the takeover he sent a delegation made up of military spokemen Colonel Filipo Tarakinikini, Colonel Etueni Caucau and acting Commander Colonel Tuatoko to express his full support for Speight and ex SAS Warrant Officer, Ilisoni Ligairi. Both men were unaware of the pre-coup arrangements set up by Bainimarama.
A dispute arose however as to who should be in the caretaker government as Bainimarama expected to run the country with a few of his close advisers such as Colonel Jerry Waqanisau, Colonel Kacisolomoni, Colonel Paul Manueli and others. This conflicted led to a 56 day rule by Bainimarama after which he as forced to step down by Speight and to return the office of the Presidency to civilian rule. Inside sources reveal that Bainimarama manipulated his oblivious officers to finally achieve his pre-May 19, 2000 objectives of ruling the country of which is now a reality in 2008. The crux of proving that Bainimarama was involved in the coup of 2000 lies in that last meeting on Friday May 12 of which the then Police Commissioner Isikia Savua and Home Affairs Permanent Secretary, Konrote were present.
The University of the South Pacific
University of the South Pacific
The University of the South Pacific is a public university with a number of locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. It is an international centre for teaching and research on Pacific culture and environment. USP's academic programmes are recognised worldwide, attracting students...
journalism school in Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
provided coverage of the upheaval on its website Pacific Journalism Onlinehttp://www.usp.ac.fj/journ/ and newspaper Wansolwara http://www.usp.ac.fj/journ/wansol/index.htmlhttp://www.lookinglassdesign.com/wansolwara/docs/5200.html until its website was temporarily shut down on May 29 http://www.asiapac.org.fj/PJR/issues/next/2001frontline.htmlhttp://journalism.uts.edu.au/archive/fiji_coup/index.html during the martial law period. The students' coverage archive is at the University of Technology, Sydney
University of Technology, Sydney
The University of Technology Sydney is a university in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The university was founded in its current form in 1981, although its origins trace back to the 1870s. UTS is notable for its central location as the only university with its main campuses within the Sydney CBD...
, Australia. http://journalism.uts.edu.au/archive/coup.html
Personal life
George Speight hails from Naivicula, about ten kilometers from Korovou in Tailevu Province. He is the son of Sam Speight (sometimes known as Savenaca Tokainavo), a prosperous farmer of ethnic FijianFijian people
Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...
and European descent. The elder Speight is a war veteran who served his country in the successful Malayan campaign. He subsequently served as a backbencher in Rabuka's governments throughout the 1990s. His dual election win has proved the family's vast popularity up in Tailevu North.By the time his son attempted his putsch in 2000, however, Sam Speight was an opposition member of Parliament, his Fijian Political Party having lost power to the Indo-Fijian-led Labour Party
Fiji Labour Party
The Fiji Labour Party is a political party in Fiji, which holds observer status with the Socialist International. Most of its support at present comes from the Indo-Fijian community, although it is officially multiracial and its first leader was an indigenous Fijian, Dr. Timoci Bavadra. It is...
of Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party...
in the elections
Fiji election of 1999
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.-Electoral system:Previously,...
of 1999. This blue ribbon Fijian communal seat of Tailevu North is one of the largest provinces in Fiji and has the distinction of being won by the family in succession beginning with the Hon Savenaca Tokainavo, his sons, Hon. Ilikini Naitini (George Speight) and now by the Hon. Samisoni Tikoinasau (Minister for Lands). There is no doubting however their democratic popularity and the ardent campaign for indigenous rights.
Speight has a son, Ely (born 1998) with Torika Rawlinson.
Speight graduated with Bachelor's
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and Master's
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
degrees in Business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
from Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
's Andrews University
Andrews University
Andrews University is a Seventh-day Adventist university in Berrien Springs, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1874 as Battle Creek College in Battle Creek, Michigan, it was the first higher education facility started by Seventh-day Adventists, and is the flagship university of the Seventh-day...
. He subsequently settled in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where he worked as a sales representative for the Computer Orchard, a Brisbane-based Apple Computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
dealer, and later as a branch manager for Metway Bank before returning to Fiji in 1996. He then became Chairman of Fiji Pine, Ltd. and of Fiji Hardwood Corporation, Ltd.. He also became a manager of Health Fiji, Ltd. but resigned due to shareholder personality conflicts.