Meli Bogileka
Encyclopedia
Meli Bogileka is a Fiji
an politician. He was the Secretary of the People's National Party
(PNP) up to its decision to merge into the Party of National Unity
(PANU) on 5 March 2006. This merger, an affair complicated by several about-turns, saw Bogileka appointed Secretary of the new PANU. (Bogileka had originally helped to forge the PNP as a union of a former PANU and another party, the Protector of Fiji (BKV); both parties were reregistered in January 2006, seceding from the PNP; the PNP and the BKV subsequently merged into PANU in March
).
First elected as a candidate of the original PANU to represent the Ba West
Fijian
communal constituency
in the House of Representatives
in the parliamentary election
of 1999, Bogileka subsequently served in the Cabinet
of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry
from 1999 to 2000, and was held as a hostage by gunmen led by George Speight
, who led a coup d'état
against the Chaudhry government, starting on 19 May 2000. Political realignments that followed the 2000 crisis saw him lose his seat in the election
held to restore democracy in 2001.
Bogileka has also stirred controversy by criticizing the legacy of modern Fiji's first statesman, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna
, who is regarded as a national hero. On 23 May 2005, he said that Sukuna's achievements had been overstated, and that his policies had confined Fijians to villages and marginalized them economically. He considered that Sukuna should have used his chiefly position to urge indigenous Fijians to work rather than remain in their villages in the name of culture. His comments provoked an angry reaction from the government, which issued a press release calling his statement "inaccurate" and saying that it should be "treated with the contempt it deserves."
Bogileka is also General Secretary of the Viti and Resource Landowners Association, which advocates the return to indigenous ownership of all "crown land" - i.e., government-owned land. This was not a political demand, he told the Fiji Sun
on 3 January 2006, but rather an insistence on the fulfillment of a promise made by Queen Victoria
in 1881, at Nailaga in Ba Province. He strongly disagreed with Military
Commander Commodore
Frank Bainimarama
for saying that the association should not "waste time" trying to recover ownership of the Queen Elizabeth Barracks
in Delainabua, Suva
.
It was announced on 12 March 2006 that Bogileka would contest his old Ba West constituency in the parliamentary election
scheduled for 6–13 May.
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...
an politician. He was the Secretary of the People's National Party
People's National Party (Fiji)
The People's National Party is a former Fijian political party.-Party history:The history of the PNP is representative of the many complex about-turns of Fijian politics: it was formed by a merger of the Party of National Unity and the Protector of Fiji , which were both formally deregistered on...
(PNP) up to its decision to merge into the Party of National Unity
Party of National Unity (Fiji)
The Party of National Unity is a Fijian political party founded by Ratu Sairusi Nagagavoka in 1998; as of 2006, Nagagavoka is the President of the party. A well-known member of the party was Apisai Tora...
(PANU) on 5 March 2006. This merger, an affair complicated by several about-turns, saw Bogileka appointed Secretary of the new PANU. (Bogileka had originally helped to forge the PNP as a union of a former PANU and another party, the Protector of Fiji (BKV); both parties were reregistered in January 2006, seceding from the PNP; the PNP and the BKV subsequently merged into PANU in March
March 2006
March 2006 is the third month of that year. It began on a Wednesday and 31 days later, ended on a Friday.-1 March 2006 :*Fijian Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase announces that the 2006 general elections will be held in the second week of May, from May 6 to May 13...
).
First elected as a candidate of the original PANU to represent the Ba West
Ba West (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)
Ba West Fijian Provincial Communal is an electoral division of Fiji, one of 23 communal constituencies reserved for indigenous Fijians....
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...
communal constituency
Communal constituencies (Fiji)
Communal constituencies have been the most durable feature of the Fijian electoral system. In communal constituencies, electors enrolled as ethnic Fijians, Indo-Fijians, Rotuman Islanders, or General Electors vote for a candidate of their own respective ethnic groups, in constituencies that have...
in 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...
in the parliamentary election
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, Bogileka subsequently served in the Cabinet
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...
of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party...
from 1999 to 2000, and was held as a hostage by gunmen led by George Speight
George Speight
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...
, who led a coup d'état
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...
against the Chaudhry government, starting on 19 May 2000. Political realignments that followed the 2000 crisis saw him lose his seat in the election
Fiji 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...
held to restore democracy in 2001.
Bogileka has also stirred controversy by criticizing the legacy of modern Fiji's first statesman, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna
Lala Sukuna
Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, KCMG, KBE was a Fijian chief, scholar, soldier, and statesman. He is regarded as the forerunner of the post-independence leadership of Fiji...
, who is regarded as a national hero. On 23 May 2005, he said that Sukuna's achievements had been overstated, and that his policies had confined Fijians to villages and marginalized them economically. He considered that Sukuna should have used his chiefly position to urge indigenous Fijians to work rather than remain in their villages in the name of culture. His comments provoked an angry reaction from the government, which issued a press release calling his statement "inaccurate" and saying that it should be "treated with the contempt it deserves."
Bogileka is also General Secretary of the Viti and Resource Landowners Association, which advocates the return to indigenous ownership of all "crown land" - i.e., government-owned land. This was not a political demand, he told the Fiji Sun
Fiji Sun
The Fiji Sun is a daily newspaper published in Fiji. Owned by Sun News Limited, it was first published in September 1999. An internet edition is also published....
on 3 January 2006, but rather an insistence on the fulfillment of a promise made by Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
in 1881, at Nailaga in Ba Province. He strongly disagreed with 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...
Commander 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...
for saying that the association should not "waste time" trying to recover ownership of the Queen Elizabeth Barracks
Queen Elizabeth Barracks (Fiji)
Queen Elizabeth Barracks is a Fijian Army base, located in the suburb of Nabua, in Suva. It is the national headquarters of the military.The barracks, commonly known as QEB, was the scene of an unsuccessful army mutiny on 2 November 2000...
in Delainabua, 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,...
.
It was announced on 12 March 2006 that Bogileka would contest his old Ba West constituency in the parliamentary election
Fiji election of 2006
The Constitution of Fiji requires general elections for the House of Representatives to be held at least once every five years. The latest election was held on 6-13 May 2006. Acting President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi issued a proclamation on 2 March, effective from 27 March, dissolving Parliament...
scheduled for 6–13 May.