Vijay Singh (politician)
Encyclopedia
Vijay Singh is a Fiji
an politician of India
n descent, who represented the Vuda
Open Constituency
in the House of Representatives
for the Fiji Labour Party
(FLP) from 2001 to 2006, having retained the seat at the 2001 parliamentary election
with more than 57 percent of the votes cast.
In 2003, Singh was offered the portfolio of Minister for Fair Trading & Consumer Affairs , together with 13 other FLP parliamentarians who were offered cabinet positions by the Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase
but the FLP refused to accept this offer.
The parliamentary election
held on 6-13 May 2006 was marked by intrigue. The FLP replaced Singh as its candidate with then-Senator
Felix Anthony
, on what Singh claims was an undertaking that he would be given Anthony's seat in the Senate. This did not eventuate, and Singh is currently
pursuing legal action against the FLP leader, Mahendra Chaudhry
, for reneging on the promise that he is alleged to have made. Chaudhry, for his part, denies having given any such promise.
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 represented the Vuda
Vuda (Open Constituency, Fiji)
Vuda 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...
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...
for 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...
(FLP) from 2001 to 2006, having retained the seat at the 2001 parliamentary 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...
with more than 57 percent of the votes cast.
In 2003, Singh was offered the portfolio of Minister for Fair Trading & Consumer Affairs , together with 13 other FLP parliamentarians who were offered cabinet positions by the Prime Minister, 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...
but the FLP refused to accept this offer.
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 was marked by intrigue. The FLP replaced Singh as its candidate with then-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...
Felix Anthony
Felix Anthony
Felix M. Anthony is a Fiji Indian trade unionist and political leader.During the 2000 coup, he was illegally detained by members of the Taukei Movement, an ethnic Fijian extremist organisation....
, on what Singh claims was an undertaking that he would be given Anthony's seat in the Senate. This did not eventuate, and Singh is currently
August 2006
August 2006 was a month with thirty-one days. On August 10, an alleged plot to detonate ten airliners over the Atlantic Ocean was revealed to the general public as London Metropolitan Police arrested alleged conspirators. The month-long conflict between Israel and Hezbollah came to a halt after a...
pursuing legal action against the FLP leader, Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party...
, for reneging on the promise that he is alleged to have made. Chaudhry, for his part, denies having given any such promise.