Sairusi Nagagavoka
Encyclopedia
Ratu
Sairusi Nagagavoka (born 1920) is a Fiji
an chief
and political leader from Ba Province
. He holds the traditional title of Koronubu na Momo na Tui Ba (Tiliva Koronubu) , commonly abbreviated to Tui Ba Bulu, and as such is one of two paramount chiefs in the Ba district of Ba Province. He is the current
President of the Party of National Unity
(PANU), which he founded in 1998.
Nagagavoka is regarded as a champion of multiracialism and multiculturalism, a rarity in a country whose electoral faultline is split ethnically rather than ideologically. He considers himself a protégé of the late Ratu
Sir
Kamisese Mara
, Fiji's longtime former Prime Minister
and President
, whom he has described as "a great leader who was able to unite all races in Fiji." He made this comment at a the campaign launch of the Fiji Labour Party
, to which his own party was electorally allied, in Ba Town on 11 February 2006. Speaking first in Hindi and closing in Fijian
, Nagagavoka said that the country could not afford divisions, and called on political parties to cooperate to build a strong nation.
In the wake of the military coup
which deposed the Qarase
government on 5 December 2006, Nagagavoka called on the people to accept the reality that the Republic of Fiji Military Forces
now effectively controlled the country. He boycotted a Great Council of Chiefs
meeting in the third week of December, and was quoted in the Fiji Sun
(20 and 24 December) as saying that political arguments were a waste of time and would only lead to more divisions. Prior to the coup, the Fiji Sun had quoted him (1 December) as saying that before the 1987 coups
and 2000 coup
, Fiji had been on the way to becoming an advanced and prosperous nation, but that the coups had thwarted the country's progress.
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"...
Sairusi Nagagavoka (born 1920) 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...
an chief
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"...
and political leader from Ba 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...
. He holds the traditional title of Koronubu na Momo na Tui Ba (Tiliva Koronubu) , commonly abbreviated to Tui Ba Bulu, and as such is one of two paramount chiefs in the Ba district of Ba Province. He is the current
December 2006
December 2006 was the twelfth month of that year. It began on a Friday and, 31 days later, ended on a Sunday....
President of 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), which he founded in 1998.
Nagagavoka is regarded as a champion of multiracialism and multiculturalism, a rarity in a country whose electoral faultline is split ethnically rather than ideologically. He considers himself a protégé of the late 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"...
Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Kamisese Mara
Kamisese Mara
Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, CF, GCMG, KBE is considered the founding father of the modern nation of Fiji. He was Chief Minister from 1967 to 1970, when Fiji gained its independence from the United Kingdom, and, apart from one brief interruption in 1987, the first Prime Minister from 1970 to 1992...
, Fiji's longtime former 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....
and President
President of Fiji
The President of the Republic of Fiji is the head of state of Fiji. The President was appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term under the terms of the now-suspended 1997 constitution. The Great Council of Chiefs is constitutionally required to consult the Prime Minister, but...
, whom he has described as "a great leader who was able to unite all races in Fiji." He made this comment at a the campaign launch of the Fiji 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...
, to which his own party was electorally allied, in Ba Town on 11 February 2006. Speaking first in Hindi and closing in Fijian
Fijian language
Fijian is an Austronesian language of the Malayo-Polynesian family spoken in Fiji. It has 450,000 first-language speakers, which is less than half the population of Fiji, but another 200,000 speak it as a second language...
, Nagagavoka said that the country could not afford divisions, and called on political parties to cooperate to build a strong nation.
In the wake of 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
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...
government on 5 December 2006, Nagagavoka called on the people to accept the reality that the Republic of Fiji Military Forces
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...
now effectively controlled the country. He boycotted a 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...
meeting in the third week of December, and was quoted in 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....
(20 and 24 December) as saying that political arguments were a waste of time and would only lead to more divisions. Prior to the coup, the Fiji Sun had quoted him (1 December) as saying that before the 1987 coups
Fiji 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...
and 2000 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....
, Fiji had been on the way to becoming an advanced and prosperous nation, but that the coups had thwarted the country's progress.