House of Representatives of Fiji
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2008-01-17T22:01:05Z
Hemlock Martinis
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Diffusing [[Category:National legislatures]].
{{Politics of Fiji}}
The '''House of Representatives''' is the lower chamber of [[Fiji|Fiji's]] [[Parliament (Fiji)|Parliament]]. It is the more powerful of the two chambers; it alone has the power to initiate legislation (the [[Senate (Fiji)|Senate]], by contrast, can amend or veto most legislation, but cannot initiate it). The House of Representatives also has much greater jurisdiction over financial bills; the Senate cannot amend them, although it may veto them. Except in the case of amendments to the [[Constitution of Fiji|Constitution]], over which a veto of the Senate is absolute, the House of Representatives may override a Senatorial veto by passing the same bill a second time, in the parliamentary session immediately following the one in which it was rejected by the Senate, after a minimum period of six months.
Last but not least, the [[List of Prime Ministers of Fiji|Prime Minister]] and [[Cabinet (Fiji)|Cabinet]] must retain the confidence of a majority of the House of Representatives in order to remain in office.
== History ==
The House of Representatives in its present form dates from [[10 October]] [[1970]], when Fiji attained independence from the [[United Kingdom]]. Under a [[grandfather clause]] in the 1970 Constitution, the old [[Legislative Council (Fiji)|Legislative Council]], which had functioned in various forms since [[1904]], was renamed the House of Representatives and continued in office until [[1972]], when the first post-independence [[Elections in Fiji|elections]] were held. Membership of the House of Representatives was increased from 36 to 52 in 1972, and to 70 in [[1992]]. It presently has 71 members, all of whom are elected for five-year terms to represent single-member constituencies.
== Electoral system ==
* ''See main articles: [[Electoral system of Fiji]], [[Voting system of Fiji]]''
The electoral system has been changed a number of times since independence in an effort to meet the competing demands of Fiji's diverse [[Demographics of Fiji|ethnic communities]]. In elections from 1972 through [[1987]], Fiji was divided into ''[[Communal constituencies (Fiji)|communal]]'' and ''[[National Constituencies (Fiji)|national]]'' constituencies. The former were elected by voters registered as members of specific ethnic groups (12 [[Fijian people|indigenous Fijians]], 12 [[Indo-Fijian]]s, and 3 [[General Electors (Fiji)|General Electors]] - Caucasians, Chinese, and other minorities); the latter were allocated to specific ethnic groups (10 indigenous Fijians, 10 Indo-Fijians, and 5 General Electors), but elected by [[universal suffrage]]. The system was a compromise between indigenous demands for a strictly communal franchise (based on fears of being swamped by an Indo-Fijian block-vote) and Indo-Fijian calls for universal suffrage, and was never widely popular. Ethnic Fijian nationalists blamed the national constituencies for [[Fiji election of 1987|the election of an Indo-Fijian dominated government]] in 1987, and following [[Fiji coups of 1987|two military coups]], they were abolished by the new republican Constitution of [[1990]].
The elections of 1992 and [[1994]] saw all 70 members elected from communal constituencies; this system was widely resented by many Indo-Fijians, who complained that only 27 seats were allocated to them as opposed to 37 to ethnic Fijians, despite the near equality of their numbers at that time. A further 5 seats were allocated to minority groups.
A constitutional review in [[1997]] introduced a new system, with 71 members. 25 are elected by universal suffrage from [[Open constituencies (Fiji)|Open constituencies]] ("open" meaning that the franchise is open to all locally resident Fijian citizens, irrespective of their ethnic background), with the remaining 46 elected from communal constituencies, with 23 seats reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 for Indo-Fijians, 1 for [[Rotuma]]n Islanders, and 3 for "General Electors" - Europeans, Chinese, [[Banaba Island|Banaban Islanders]], and other minorities. Every Fijian citizen eligible to vote thus has two votes - one for an open electorate, and one for a communal electorate. The system remains controversial, however.
The ''open constituencies'' used at present differ from the former ''national constituencies'' in that while both comprise all registered voters on a common voters' roll, regardless of race, the open constituencies may be contested by members of any ethnic group whereas the national constituencies were ethnically allocated.
== Organization ==
At its first session following a general election, the House of Representatives elects a [[List of Speakers of the House of Representatives (Fiji)|Speaker]] and a [[List of Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives (Fiji)|Deputy Speaker]]. With a view to ensuring impartiality, the Speaker is not allowed to be a member of the House, though he must qualify for membership. The Deputy Speaker, however, is elected from among members of the House.
== Latest election ==
{{Fiji election of 2006}}
The current composition of the House of Representatives, together with its officers, is as follows:
== Speaker and Deputy Speaker ==
{| table width="75%" border="1" align="center" cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 style="margin:5px; border:3px solid;"
|td width="50%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Office'''||td width="50%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Incumbent'''
|-
|Speaker||[[Pita Nacuva]] [1]
|-
|Deputy Speaker||[[Niko Nawaikula]] [2]
|-
|colspan=2|[1] The Speaker is not allowed to be a member of the House.<br>
[2] The Deputy Speaker is required to be a member of the House. The current Deputy Speaker, Niko Nawaikula, represents the [[Cakaudrove West (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Cakaudrove West Fijian Communal Constituency]] for the ''[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua]]'' (SDL) Party.
|-
|}
== Open Electorates ==
{| table width="75%" border="1" align="center" cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 style="margin:5px; border:3px solid;"
|td width="30%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Electorate'''||td width="40%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Member of Parliament'''||td width="30%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Political Party'''
|-
|[[Ba (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Ba]]||[[Mahendra Chaudhry]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Bua Macuata West (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Bua Macuata West]]||[[Ratu]] [[Josefa Dimuri]]||Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua
|-
|[[Cakaudrove West (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Cakaudrove West]]||Ratu [[Osea Vakalalabure]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Cunningham (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Cunningham]]||[[Rajesh Singh]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Labasa (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Labasa]]||[[Poseci Bune]]||Fiji Labour Party
|-
|[[Lami (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Lami]]||[[Mere Samisoni]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Lau Taveuni Rotuma (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Lau Taveuni Rotuma]]||[[Savenaca Draunidalo|Colonel Savenaca Draunidalo]]||Fiji Labour Party
|-
|[[Laucala (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Laucala]]||[[Losena Salabula|Losena T. Salabula]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Lautoka City (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Lautoka City]]||[[Daniel Urai Manufolau]]||Fiji Labour Party
|-
|[[Lomaivuna Namosi Kadavu (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Lomaivuna Namosi Kadavu]]||[[Ted Young]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Macuata East (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Macuata East]]||[[Agni Deo Singh]]||Fiji Labour Party
|-
|[[Magodro (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Magodro]]||[[Gyan Singh]]||Fiji Labour Party
|-
|[[Nadi (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Nadi]]||[[Amjad Ali]]||Fiji Labour Party
|-
|[[Nadroga (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Nadroga]]||[[Mesulame Rakuro]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Nasinu Rewa (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Nasinu Rewa]]||[[Azim Hussein]]||Fiji Labour Party
|-
|[[Nausori Naitasiri (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Nausori Naitasiri]]||[[Asaeli Masilaca]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Ra (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Ra]]||[[George Shiu Raj]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Samabula Tamavua (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Samabula Tamavua]]||[[Monica Raghwan]]||Fiji Labour Party
|-
|[[Serua Navosa (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Serua Navosa]]||[[Jone Navakamocea]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Suva City (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Suva City]]||[[Misaele Weleilakeba]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Tailevu North Ovalau (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Tailevu North Ovalau]]||[[Josefa Vosanibola|Josefa Bole Vosanibola]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Tailevu South Lomaiviti (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Tailevu South Lomaiviti]]||[[Adi (title)|Adi]] [[Asenaca Caucau|Asenaca Coboiverata Caucau-Filipe]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Tavua (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Tavua]]||[[Damodran Nair]]||Fiji Labour Party
|-
|[[Vuda (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Vuda]]||[[Felix Anthony]]||Fiji Labour Party
|-
|[[Yasawa Nawaka (Open Constituency, Fiji)|Yasawa Nawaka]]||Adi [[Sivia Qoro]]||Fiji Labour Party
|-
|colspan=3|
* '''FLP''': Fiji Labour Party
* '''SDL''': [[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua]]
|-
|}
== Communal Electorates (Fijian) ==
{| table width="75%" border="1" align="center" cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 style="margin:5px; border:3px solid;"
|td width="30%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Electorate'''||td width="40%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Member of Parliament'''||td width="30%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Political Party'''
|-
|[[Ba East (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Ba East]]||[[Paulo Ralulu]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Ba West (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Ba West]]||Ratu [[Meli Saukuru|Meli Q. Saukuru]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Bua (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Bua]]||[[Mitieli Bulanauca]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Cakaudrove East (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Cakaudrove East]]||[[Naiqama Lalabalavu|''Ratu'' Naiqama Lalabalavu]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|Cakaudrove West||Niko Nawaikula||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Kadavu (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Kadavu]]||[[Konisi Yabaki|Konisi T. Yabaki]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Lau (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Lau]]||[[Laisenia Qarase]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Lomaiviti (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Lomaiviti]]||[[Simione Kaitani]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Macuata (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Macuata]]||[[Isireli Leweniqila]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Nadroga Navosa (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Nadroga Navosa]]||Ratu [[Isikeli Tasere]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Naitasiri (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Naitasiri]]||[[Ilaitia Bulidiri Tuisese]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Namosi (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Namosi]]||[[Ro (title)|Ro]] [[Suliano Matanitobua]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Nasinu Urban (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Nasinu Urban]]||[[Inoke Luveni]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[North East Urban (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|North East Urban]]||[[Nanise Nagusuca]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[North West Urban (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|North West Urban]]||[[Joji Banuve|Joji N. Banuve]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Ra (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Ra]]||[[Tomasi Vuetilovoni]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Rewa (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Rewa]]||Ro [[Teimumu Kepa|Teimumu Vuikaba Kepa]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Serua (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Serua]]||[[Pio Tabaiwalu]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[South West Urban (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|South West Urban]]||Ratu [[Jone Kubuabola]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Suva City Urban (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Suva City Urban]]||[[Mataiasi Ragiagia|Mataiasi V. Ragiagia]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Tailevu North (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Tailevu North]]||[[Samisoni Tikoinasau]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Tailevu South (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Tailevu South]]||[[Irami Matairavula]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|[[Tamavua Laucala Urban (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Tamavua Laucala Urban]]||Ratu [[Jone Wagairatu]]||[[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua|SDL]]
|-
|colspan=3|
* '''SDL''': [[Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua]]
|-
|}
== Communal Electorates (Indo-Fijian) ==
{| table width="75%" border="1" align="center" cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 style="margin:5px; border:3px solid;"
|td width="30%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Electorate'''||td width="40%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Member of Parliament'''||td width="30%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Political Party'''
|-
|[[Ba East (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Ba East]]||[[Jain Kumar]]||Fiji Labour Party
|-
|[[Ba West (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Ba West]]||[[Narendra Padarath|Narendra K. Padarath]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Labasa (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Labasa]]||[[Kamlesh Reddy]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Labasa Rural (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Labasa Rural]]||[[Mohammed Tahir]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Laucala (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Laucala]]||[[Dewan Chand]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Lautoka City (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Lautoka City]]||[[Jai Gawander]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Lautoka Rural (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Lautoka Rural]]||[[Udit Narayan (politician)|Udit Narayan]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Macuata East Cakaudrove (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Macuata East Cakaudrove]]||[[Vijay Chand]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Nadi Rural (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Nadi Rural]]||[[Perumal Mupnar]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Nadi Urban (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Nadi Urban]]||Dr. [[Gunasagaran Gounder]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Nadroga (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Nadroga]]||[[Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Nasinu (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Nasinu]]||[[Krishna Datt]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Suva City (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Suva City]]||[[Gyani Nand]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Tailevu Rewa (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Tailevu Rewa]]||[[Ragho Nand]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Tavua (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Tavua]]||[[Anand Babla]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Vanua Levu West (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Vanua Levu West]]||[[Surendra Lal]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Viti Levu South Kadavu (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Viti Levu South Kadavu]]||[[Chaitanya Lakshman]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Viti Levu East Maritime (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Viti Levu East Maritime]]||[[Sanjeet Chand Maharaj]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|[[Vuda (Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Vuda]]||[[Vyas Deo Sharma]]||[[Fiji Labour Party|FLP]]
|-
|colspan=3|
* '''FLP''': [[Fiji Labour Party]]
|}
== Communal Electorate (Rotuman) ==
{| table width="75%" border="1" align="center" cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 style="margin:5px; border:3px solid;"
|td width="30%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Electorate'''||td width="40%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Member of Parliament'''||td width="30%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Political Party'''
|-
|[[Rotuma (Rotuman Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Rotuma]]||[[George Konrote|Jioji (George) Konrote]]||Independent
|}
== Communal Electorates (General Electors) ==
{| table width="75%" border="1" align="center" cellpadding=3 cellspacing=0 style="margin:5px; border:3px solid;"
|td width="30%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Electorate'''||td width="40%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Member of Parliament'''||td width="30%" style="border-bottom:3px solid; background:#efefef;"|'''Political Party'''
|-
|[[North Eastern (General Electors Communal Constituency, Fiji)|North Eastern]]||[[Robin Irwin]]||Independent
|-
|[[Suva City (General Electors Communal Constituency, Fiji)|Suva City]]||[[Bernadette Ganilau|Bernadette Rounds Ganilau]]||[[United Peoples Party (Fiji)|UPP]]
|-
|[[West Central (General Electors Communal Constituency, Fiji)|West Central]]||[[Mick Beddoes]]||United Peoples Party (Fiji)
|-
|colspan=3|
* '''UPP''': [[United People's Party (Fiji)|United People's Party]]
|-
|}
== External links ==
* [http://www.parliament.gov.fj Official Website of the Parliament of Fiji]
* [http://www.parliament.gov.fj/parliament/mp/hr.aspx House of Representatives]
[[Category:Lists of members of parliament|Fiji, House of Representatives]]
[[Category:National lower houses|Fiji]]
[[Category:Politics of Fiji]]
[[Category:Government of Fiji]]
[[no:Representantenes hus (Fiji)]]