Mere Samisoni
Encyclopedia
Mere Tuisalalo Samisoni is a woman from Lomaloma
village on the island of Vanuabalavu in Fiji
's Lau
archipelago, She also is a Fiji
business person and politician, she currently resides in Suva
Fiji's Capital.
Open Constituency
for the ruling Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua
Party (SDL) at the parliamentary election
held on 6–13 May 2006. It was her third attempt to win the seat: her previous campaigns in 1999
and 2001
(for the SVT
Party) had been unsuccessful.
, and his first wife, Mere Tuisalalo Fonolahi
. She is well-known for establishing a successful chain of bakeries
throughout Fiji, and was married to the late Jimione Isimeli Samisoni of Rotuma, a doctor, lecturer and former Dean of the Fiji School of Medicine who had a great influence in the medical fraternity in Fiji and the Pacific. Together they had 4 children; John, Selina, Vanessa and Phillip.
which overthrew the government on 5 December 2006, Samisoni was detained by soldiers for questioning at Suva
's Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Fiji Village
reported, along with Daily Post
General Manager Mesake Koroi.(source) No reason was given for the questioning, but Samisoni had written a letter unsympathetic to the Military
to the Fiji Times
earlier in the week. In a letter to the Fiji Sun
published on 15 December, Samisoni claimed that soldiers had told her that if she did not discontinue writing letters critical of the military regime to newspapers, she would be imprisoned on Nukulau Island.
In April 2009, Samisoni was awarded the Doctorate of Business Administration by the University of the Sunshine Coast.(source)
Lomaloma
Lomaloma is a village on the Fiji island of Vanua Balavu in the Lau archipelago. It is part of the Tikina of Lomaloma which comprises 9 villages, which is further made up of 13 Yavusa which are further broken down into 42 Mataqali and 54 Tokatoka from early records first documented in 1881 by...
village on the island of Vanuabalavu 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...
's Lau
Lau Islands
The Lau Islands of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. Of this chain of about one hundred islands and islets, about thirty are inhabited...
archipelago, She also is a 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...
business person and politician, she currently resides 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,...
Fiji's Capital.
Politics
Samisoni won the LamiLami (Open Constituency, Fiji)
Lami Open is an electoral division of Fiji, one of 25 open constituencies elected by universal suffrage . Like the other open electorates, it came into being in 1999 and was used for the parliamentary elections of 1999, 2001, and 2006...
Open Constituency
Open constituencies (Fiji)
Open constituencies represent one of several electoral models employed in the past and present in the Fijian electoral system. They derive their name from the fact that they are "open": unlike the communal constituencies, the 25 members of the House of Representatives who represent open...
for the ruling Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua
Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua
The Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua is a political party in Fiji...
Party (SDL) at 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...
held on 6–13 May 2006. It was her third attempt to win the seat: her previous campaigns in 1999
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,...
and 2001
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...
(for the SVT
Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei
The Fijian Political Party is a party which dominated politics in the 1990s and was the mainstay of coalition governments from 1992 to 1999, but which is currently without representation in the House of Representatives.-Origins:The party was founded in 1990 as the political...
Party) had been unsuccessful.
Background
Samisoni is the youngest daughter of Keni Naulumatua, who held the title of Turaga na RasauTuraga na Rasau
Turaga Na Rasau is a traditional Fijian chiefly title of the Lau Islands.Prior to Fiji's colonial days, Fiji had many different Vanua with their own Paramount Chieftain which exercised no authority over the other; a saying from the island of Kadavu aptly summarises it “Nomu Turaga o sega na noqu...
, and his first wife, Mere Tuisalalo Fonolahi
. She is well-known for establishing a successful chain of bakeries
Bakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
throughout Fiji, and was married to the late Jimione Isimeli Samisoni of Rotuma, a doctor, lecturer and former Dean of the Fiji School of Medicine who had a great influence in the medical fraternity in Fiji and the Pacific. Together they had 4 children; John, Selina, Vanessa and Phillip.
Recent history
In the wake of the military coup2006 Fijian coup d'état
The Fijian coup d'état of December 2006 occurred as a continuation of the pressure which had been building since the military unrest of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état and 2005-2006 Fijian political crisis....
which overthrew the government on 5 December 2006, Samisoni was detained by soldiers for questioning at 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,...
's Queen Elizabeth Barracks, Fiji Village
Fiji 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...
reported, along with Daily Post
Daily Post (Fiji)
The Fiji's Daily Post is a newspaper that was formed by Wame Waqanisanini JR in Oct 1987, who owned 50 percent of the shares. Taniela Bolea was the original publisher. The majority shares were later owned by the Fijian government. The government now has 44.70 percent of the shares while Australian...
General Manager Mesake Koroi.(source) No reason was given for the questioning, but Samisoni had written a letter unsympathetic to 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 Fiji Times
Fiji Times
The Fiji Times is a daily English-language newspaper published in Suva, Fiji. Established in Levuka on 4 September 1869, it is Fiji's oldest newspaper still operating....
earlier in the week. In a letter to 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....
published on 15 December, Samisoni claimed that soldiers had told her that if she did not discontinue writing letters critical of the military regime to newspapers, she would be imprisoned on Nukulau Island.
In April 2009, Samisoni was awarded the Doctorate of Business Administration by the University of the Sunshine Coast.(source)