Irene Jai Narayan
Encyclopedia
Irene Jai Narayan, was an India
n born teacher and politician, who had a significant influence on politics in Fiji. She came to Fiji
, in 1959, after marrying Jai Narayan, a well known school Principal in Suva
, and began her career as a teacher. She taught in DAV Girls School and MGM High School in Suva before entering politics.
to contest the Suva Indian Communal seat in the Legislative Council
against Andrew Deoki
. Deoki was an experienced political campaigner, having represented Suva in the Legislative Council since 1959 and had wide social contacts. He was the only non-Federation Indian member elected in the 1963 elections. A.D. Patel was of the opinion that a female candidate would be able to counteract some of Deoki's influence in the constituency. In the end Irene Narayan won easily by 5,676 votes to 2,779 votes. She increased he majority in the 1968 by-election. For a long time, she remained the sole Indian female member of the Legislative Council.
in the 1972
, 1977 (March)
, 1977 (September)
and 1982 elections
, from the Suva Indian Communal Constituency. In 1977 when the National Federation Party split into two factions, she joined the "Flower" faction, with Jai Ram Reddy
, opposed to Sidiq Koya
's "Dove" faction. In the September, 1977 election, the "Flower" faction won most of the seats reserved for Indians, Jai Ram Reddy became the Leader of the Opposition
and Irene Narayan played an influential role within the "Flower" faction. In January 1977, The Fiji Times honoured her as its Woman of the Year. .
from 1977 to 1979, and Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 1979 to 1985. In 1985, following the resignation of Jai Ram Reddy, she narrowly lost a bid to lead the opposition, to Sidiq Koya. Relations between her and the new leader remained strained and she resigned from the National Federation Party (NFP) after electoral setback in a by-election, accusing Koya of favouring his own supporters over party unity and stating that "the NFP has no future and is no longer virile as an opposition party."
, Irene Narayan surprised everyone by joining the Alliance Party, which she had bitterly opposed throughout her political career. The Alliance Party was aware that she would not be able to hold the Suva City Indian Communal seat on its ticket and so rewarded her with the marginal seat of Suva Indian National Constituency. The Alliance had never lost this seat but in the general election
of 1987, the loss of this seat led to the narrow defeat of the Alliance Party.
in 1987, she was one of the few Indo-Fijians who agreed to serve (as Minister of Indian Affairs) in the transitional government of 1987-1992, a government that was widely condemned by many of her fellow Indo-Fijians for promulgating a constitution
that many of them saw as racist as it ensured ethnic Fijian
political supremacy. She served as a Senator
from 1994 to 1999, and in 1985 co-founded the Fiji Indian Congress. Although not a Christian herself, she played a leading role in the founding of the Christian Democratic Alliance
in 1999.
Early in 2005, Narayen joined the National Alliance Party
, a new party founded by Ratu Epeli Ganilau
as an attempt to revive the defunct Alliance Party. She participated in the official launch of the party on 8 April 2005.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n born teacher and politician, who had a significant influence on politics in Fiji. She came to 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...
, in 1959, after marrying Jai Narayan, a well known school Principal 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,...
, and began her career as a teacher. She taught in DAV Girls School and MGM High School in Suva before entering politics.
Member of Legislative Council
In 1966, she was handpicked by the then leader of the Federation Party, A.D. PatelA.D. Patel
Ambalal Dahyabhai Patel, better known as A.D. Patel, was a Fiji Indian politician, farmers' leader and founder and leader of the National Federation Party. Patel was uncompromisingly committed to a vision of an independent Fiji, with full racial integration...
to contest the Suva Indian Communal seat in the Legislative Council
Legislative Council (Fiji)
The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970.-The first Legislative Council:...
against Andrew Deoki
Andrew Deoki
Andrew Indar Narayan Deoki was a Fiji Indian statesman who served his community as a social and religious leader, a soccer administrator, a member of the Legislative Council in colonial Fiji, a member of the Senate in independent Fiji and as the Attorney General.- Contribution to Soccer in Fiji...
. Deoki was an experienced political campaigner, having represented Suva in the Legislative Council since 1959 and had wide social contacts. He was the only non-Federation Indian member elected in the 1963 elections. A.D. Patel was of the opinion that a female candidate would be able to counteract some of Deoki's influence in the constituency. In the end Irene Narayan won easily by 5,676 votes to 2,779 votes. She increased he majority in the 1968 by-election. For a long time, she remained the sole Indian female member of the Legislative Council.
Member of House of Representatives
Irene Narayan was elected to independent Fiji's House of RepresentativesHouse 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...
in the 1972
Fiji election of 1972
General elections were held in Fiji between 15 and 29 April 1972, the first since independence from the United Kingdom in 1970. They were characterised by the lack of rancour between racial groups, typical of the 1966 general election and the 1968 by-elections.The result was a landslide for the...
, 1977 (March)
Fiji election of 1977 (March)
General elections were held in Fiji between 19 March and 2 April 1977. A split in the ethnic Fijian vote, which saw 25 percent defecting to Fijian Nationalist Party of Sakeasi Butadroka, an extremist organization which advocated the "repatriation" of Indo-Fijians to India, led to the narrow defeat...
, 1977 (September)
Fiji election of 1977 (September)
Early general elections were held in Fiji between 17 and 24 September 1977, following the impasse of an earlier election that had been held in March...
and 1982 elections
Fiji election of 1982
General elections were held in Fiji between 10 and 17 July 1982. The paradoxical results were both a triumph and a setback for the Fijian Alliance Party of the Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. The Alliance captured an unprecedented 51.8 percent of the popular vote - the first time that it...
, from the Suva Indian Communal Constituency. In 1977 when the National Federation Party split into two factions, she joined the "Flower" faction, with Jai Ram Reddy
Jai Ram Reddy
Jai Ram Reddy is an Indo-Fijian statesman, who has had a distinguished career in both the legislative and judicial branches of the Fijian government...
, opposed to Sidiq Koya
Sidiq Koya
Siddiq Moidin Koya was a Fijian Indian politician and Opposition leader. He succeeded to the leadership of the mostly Indo-Fijian National Federation Party on the death of the party's founder, A.D. Patel, in October 1969, remaining in this post until 1977...
's "Dove" faction. In the September, 1977 election, the "Flower" faction won most of the seats reserved for Indians, Jai Ram Reddy became the Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Fiji)
The post of Leader of the Opposition is a political office common in countries that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. It did not originate in Fiji but has a long tradition; in British constitutional theory, the Leader of the Opposition must pose a formal alternative to the government, ready...
and Irene Narayan played an influential role within the "Flower" faction. In January 1977, The Fiji Times honoured her as its Woman of the Year. .
Resignation from NFP
She served as president of the party from 1976 to 1979. She was also the Opposition WhipWhip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
from 1977 to 1979, and Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 1979 to 1985. In 1985, following the resignation of Jai Ram Reddy, she narrowly lost a bid to lead the opposition, to Sidiq Koya. Relations between her and the new leader remained strained and she resigned from the National Federation Party (NFP) after electoral setback in a by-election, accusing Koya of favouring his own supporters over party unity and stating that "the NFP has no future and is no longer virile as an opposition party."
Member of Alliance Party
Between 1985 and 1987, the NFP again went through internal turmoil and many of its Parliamentarians resigned from the Party, but while most joined the fledgling Fiji Labour PartyFiji 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...
, Irene Narayan surprised everyone by joining the Alliance Party, which she had bitterly opposed throughout her political career. The Alliance Party was aware that she would not be able to hold the Suva City Indian Communal seat on its ticket and so rewarded her with the marginal seat of Suva Indian National Constituency. The Alliance had never lost this seat but in the general election
Fiji election of 1987
General elections were held in Fiji between 4 and 11 April 1987. It was historic in that it marked the first electoral transition of power in Fijian history...
of 1987, the loss of this seat led to the narrow defeat of the Alliance Party.
Post coup politics
Following two military coupsFiji coups of 1987
The Fiji coups of 1987 resulted in the overthrow of the elected government of Fijian Prime Minister Timoci Bavadra, the deposition of Elizabeth II as Queen of Fiji, and in the declaration of a republic...
in 1987, she was one of the few Indo-Fijians who agreed to serve (as Minister of Indian Affairs) in the transitional government of 1987-1992, a government that was widely condemned by many of her fellow Indo-Fijians for promulgating a 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....
that many of them saw as racist as it ensured ethnic Fijian
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...
political supremacy. She served as a Senator
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...
from 1994 to 1999, and in 1985 co-founded the Fiji Indian Congress. Although not a Christian herself, she played a leading role in the founding of the Christian Democratic Alliance
Christian Democratic Alliance (Fiji)
The Christian Democratic Alliance, better known locally by its Fijian name, Veitokani ni Lewenivanua Vakarisito , was a Fijian political party that operated in the late 1990s and early 2000s....
in 1999.
Early in 2005, Narayen joined the National Alliance Party
National Alliance Party of Fiji
The National Alliance Party of Fiji is a Fijian political party. It was formally registered on 18 January 2005 by Ratu Epeli Ganilau, as the claimed successor to the defunct Alliance Party, which ruled Fiji from 1967 to 1987 under the leadership of the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, Ganilau's...
, a new party founded by Ratu Epeli Ganilau
Epeli Ganilau
Brigadier-General Ratu Epeli Ganilau, MC, MSD, is a Fijian soldier and statesman, who currently heads the National Alliance Party of Fiji. His career has previously encompassed such roles as Commander of the Fiji Military Forces and Chairman of the Bose Levu Vakaturaga...
as an attempt to revive the defunct Alliance Party. She participated in the official launch of the party on 8 April 2005.
See also
- National Federation PartyNational Federation Party (Fiji)The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party...
- Alliance Party
- National Alliance Party