Rajesh Singh
Encyclopedia
Rajesh Singh is a Fiji
an politician of India
n descent, who briefly held Cabinet
office in mid-2006.
A protégé of Ratu
Inoke Takiveikata
, the Qaranivalu (Paramount Chief) of Naitasiri
Province
, Singh was one of only two Indo-Fijians elected on the ticket of the ruling Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua
(SDL) Party of Prime Minister
Laisenia Qarase
, when he won the Cunningham
Open Constituency
at the Parliamentary election
held on 6 -13 March 2006. In the previous election
, held in 2001, he had attempted to win the Ra
Open Constituency for the predominantly Indian National Federation Party
.
Soon after the 2006 election, Singh was appointed Minister of State for Youth and Sports. In this role he was subordinate to Ro
Teimumu Kepa
, with whom his working relationship was tense. Fiji Television
reported on 28 September that Kepa had written to the Prime Minister a week earlier, charging that Singh was failing to cooperate with her. When he started publicly querying what he said were discrepancies in the accounts of the Sports Ministry and especially the Fiji Sports Council. He was dismissed on 13 October 2006. Takiveikata, imprisoned for his role in a mutiny
linked to the 2000 coup, had attempted to persuade Qarase to retain Singh, according to a Fiji Television report on 8 October, but to no avail.
Following the military coup
which deposed the Qarase government on 5 December 2006, Singh declared his willingness to cooperate with the new regime. Fiji Live
quoted him on 17 December as saying that he supported the stated intention of the Military to purge corruption and irregularities from the government and bureaucracy.
On 26 May 2007 Singh told Fiji television that he had resigned from the SDL and wished to contest the next election, but not for his former party.
A Special Investigation into the affairs of the Fiji Sports Council was released in early 2007 proving that concerns that Singh had raised were indeed substantative this led to the sacking of FSC CE and other officers.
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 of India
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 descent, who briefly held 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...
office in mid-2006.
A protégé of Ratu
Ratu
Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, Adi is used by females of chiefly rank.-Etymology:Ra is a prefix in many titles and Tu is simply "chief"...
Inoke Takiveikata
Inoke Takiveikata
Ratu Inoke Takiveikata is a Fijian high chief and politician. Since 1997 he has held the title of Qaranivalu, a senior chiefly title in Naitasiri Province...
, the Qaranivalu (Paramount Chief) of Naitasiri
Naitasiri
Naitasiri is one of the 14 provinces of Fiji and one of eight based in Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island.-Geography and infrastructure:Naitasiri as a province covers 1,666 square kilometers , the Province occupies the area to the north and east of Suva, the capital...
Province
Local government of Fiji
Fiji is divided administratively into four divisions, which are further subdivided into fourteen provinces; the self-governing island of Rotuma and its dependencies lie outside any of the four divisions. Each division is headed by a Commissioner, appointed by the Fijian government...
, Singh was one of only two Indo-Fijians elected on the ticket of the ruling Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua
Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua
The Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua is a political party in Fiji...
(SDL) Party of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Fiji
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji is the head of government of Fiji. The Prime Minister was appointed by the President under the terms of the now-suspended 1997 constitution....
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...
, when he won the Cunningham
Cunningham (Open Constituency, Fiji)
Cunningham 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...
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 March 2006. In the previous 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 in 2001, he had attempted to win the Ra
Ra (Open Constituency, Fiji)
Ra 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 for the predominantly Indian National Federation Party
National 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...
.
Soon after the 2006 election, Singh was appointed Minister of State for Youth and Sports. In this role he was subordinate to Ro
Ro (title)
Ro is a title used by Fijian chiefs in the Province of Rewa, as well as parts of Naitasiri, Namosi, and Serua. Both males and females are so styled; in other areas of Fiji, male chiefs are titled Ratu and female chiefs, Adi....
Teimumu Kepa
Teimumu Kepa
Teimumu Vuikaba Kepa is a Fijian chief and politician. A former students' coordinator at the University of the South Pacific when Kepa chose to enter the University to embark on her Bachelor of Arts Degree and was a principal of Corpus Christi Collegebefore that, until she succeeded her late...
, with whom his working relationship was tense. Fiji Television
Fiji Television
Fiji Television Limited is Fiji's television network. It was founded on 15 June 1994 as the first permanent television broadcasting network in the country, although television had previously been introduced temporarily in October 1991 to broadcast the Rugby World Cup as well as Cricket World Cup....
reported on 28 September that Kepa had written to the Prime Minister a week earlier, charging that Singh was failing to cooperate with her. When he started publicly querying what he said were discrepancies in the accounts of the Sports Ministry and especially the Fiji Sports Council. He was dismissed on 13 October 2006. Takiveikata, imprisoned for his role in a mutiny
Mutinies of Fiji coup of 2000
Two military mutinies took place in connection with the civilian coup d'état that rocked Fiji in 2000, the first while the rebellion instigated by George Speight was in progress, and the second four months after it had ended....
linked to the 2000 coup, had attempted to persuade Qarase to retain Singh, according to a Fiji Television report on 8 October, but to no avail.
Following the military coup
2006 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 deposed the Qarase government on 5 December 2006, Singh declared his willingness to cooperate with the new regime. Fiji Live
Fiji Live
Fijilive is an online newspaper and business and cultural directory in Fiji. The site is owned by the Future Group of Companies owned by Fiji entrepreneur Yashwant Gaunder....
quoted him on 17 December as saying that he supported the stated intention of the Military to purge corruption and irregularities from the government and bureaucracy.
On 26 May 2007 Singh told Fiji television that he had resigned from the SDL and wished to contest the next election, but not for his former party.
A Special Investigation into the affairs of the Fiji Sports Council was released in early 2007 proving that concerns that Singh had raised were indeed substantative this led to the sacking of FSC CE and other officers.