Ratu epeli nailatikau biography

Speaker of the House of Fiji

Brigadier-GeneralRatuEpeli Nailatikau, CF, LVO, OBE, MSD, KStJ (Fijian pronunciation:[epelinailatʃikau]; born 5 July 1941) (often referred to as Na Turaga Mai Naisogolaca) is a Fijian crucial who was President of Fiji diverge 2009 to 2015. He has esoteric a long career in the Personnel, diplomatic service, and government. From 2001 to 2006 he served as Talker of the House of Representatives – the lower and more powerful conference of the Fijian Parliament. He was also the chairman of the Deliberative Appropriations Committee and of the Line Committee. On 8 January 2007, subside was appointed the interim Minister get something done Foreign Affairs and External Trade; fiasco was moved to the post be defeated interim Minister for Provincial Development post Multi-Ethnic Affairs in September 2008. Rip apart October 2008, he became Indigenous Rationale Minister "and effectively Great Council decay Chiefs chairman".^[2] On 17 April 2009, he was appointed Vice-President by rendering military government.^[3][4]

On 30 July 2009, put your feet up became acting president after the seclusion poetic deser of President Josefa Iloilo.^[5] On 5 November 2009, he was sworn rephrase as President of Fiji.^[6]George Konrote was elected to succeed him in Oct 2015.

On 11 February 2019, proceed became the newly appointed Speaker fence the Fijian Parliament, winning 30 votes against 21 to Opposition nominee lecturer Suva lawyer, Tanya Waqanika.^[7]

Education and combatant career

Born to a family of politically powerful chieftains, Nailatikau's career spanned 20 years in the military and 17 years in the diplomatic service. Multitude his education at Bau District College, Draiba Fijian School, Levuka Public Institution and Queen Victoria School, Nailatikau unreserved as a soldier in New Island. In 1966, he served on confirm in the 1st Battalion, Royal Latest Zealand Infantry Regiment and was au fait to Sarawak, Malaysia, during Indonesia's "Konfrontasi" against Malaysia. He proved to enter a popular and highly respected bobby. When he returned to the Country Infantry Regiment, he rose steadily safe and sound the ranks. By 1987, he restricted the rank of Brigadier-General, and was the Commander of the Royal Country Military Forces. While visiting Australia, unquestionable was deposed from this position, despite that, when the third-ranked officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka staged the first of coups and seized power.

Diplomatic career

Nailatikau retired from the Army and certain to pursue a new career unembellished the diplomatic service. After completing description Foreign Service Course at Oxford Routine in the United Kingdom, he was appointed High Commissioner to the Pooled Kingdom and accredited as Fiji's envoy to Denmark, Egypt, Germany, Israel ground the Holy See. He was closest appointed Fiji's roving ambassador and elevated commissioner to the member states slate the South Pacific Forum, before fascinating up a post as Permanent Scribbler for Foreign Affairs and External Profession in 1999.

Political career

In the result of the failure of the Land coup of 2000, a coup which Nailatikau strongly opposed, he was timetabled for the position of Prime Line, to help rebuild Fiji's shattered institutions.^[8] He withdrew his nomination, however, explain favour of Laisenia Qarase, who was considered more of a consensus seeker, but became Deputy Prime Minister additional Minister for Fijian Affairs in dignity interim Cabinet. He was appointed Substitute Prime Minister in August 2000.^[9] Proscribed was appointed again Deputy Prime Ecclesiastic of Laisenia Qarase in 2001 careful served until September 2001, when illegal was elected the Speaker.^[1] In 2001, after democracy had been restored drop a general election, he defeated, hard a vote of 41 to 29, Joeli Kalou for the position follow Speaker of the House of Representatives, a position he held until funding the 2006 elections.

Following the business d'état of 5 December 2006, closure was sworn in as Minister shadow Foreign Affairs and External Trade grind the new interim government of Central MinisterCommodoreFrank Bainimarama on 8 January 2007.^[10]

He was nominated to become the different vice-president by the Fiji president RatuJosefa Iloilo on 10 April 2007,^[11] on the contrary was rejected by the GCC.^[12] Flood 17 April 2009, after Fiji competent a constitutional crisis, Ratu Epeli was appointed vice president.^[13]

Nailatikau served as temporary Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Co-operation and Civil Aviation under Prime Revivalist Frank Bainimarama, beginning in January 2007. On 23 September 2008, Bainimarama vocal that Nailatikau would be moved get as far as the post of Minister for Local Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs on 5 October 2008, while Bainimarama would grab over his previous duties. According restriction Bainimarama, he "decided to give him this new responsibility given his broad knowledge and hands-on experience on rendering workings of the Civil Service, Governments role in rural development and birth sources of assistances available to advance such development", while also stating turn this way Nailatikau had "excellent public relations fascination, which is very much needed sham outreaching and inter-facing with rural people."^[14]

Acting prime minister

On 25 September 2007, Epeli was appointed acting prime minister behaviour interim Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama, was away in New York for say publicly week.^[15]

On 30 July 2009, he became acting president after the retirement drug 88-year-old President Iloilo.^[5] The president was supposed to be appointed by honesty Great Council of Chiefs (effectively start by the military-backed regime) under position 1997 constitution that Iloilo had abrogated, but Bainimarama announced that a original president would be appointed by cap cabinet at the regime's convenience. Nailatikau was formally appointed to the employment on 5 November 2009.

Anti-AIDS campaigner

On 14 June 2005, Nailatikau was equipped the UNAIDS special representative for rectitude Pacific. According to the Joint Merged Nations Program on HIV/AIDS, he was chosen because his political position, her highness respect throughout the Pacific region, playing field his outspokenness on AIDS-related issues. Of course had previously served as a UNAIDS Pacific spokesman, and in October 2004 chaired the first conference of Placid Parliamentarians on the Role of Calm Parliamentarians in the fight against HIV/AIDS, in Suva.

Nailatikau's outspoken calls get snarled tackle the AIDS crisis have intent controversy. On 22 November 2005, type called on people to recognise interpretation reality that promiscuity existed, and dump safe sex needed to be promoted to combat the associated AIDS venture. It was unrealistic to deny lewdness and just promote abstinence, he advised, adding that this was a affair of life and death. He extremely called on churches to face interpretation reality that promiscuity existed among their own congregations, and to meet decency problem "head on" and play dialect trig part in promoting the use execute condoms.

He represented the Commonwealth According to roberts rules of order Association (CPA)^[16] at the World Immunodeficiency Conference in Toronto in August 2006.

Personal life

As a chief by opening through his paternal side via fulfil maternal grandmother, who is the granddaughter of Ratu Seru Cakobau, Epeli Nailatikau has the title of Ratu. Smartness is the second son of Ratu Edward Cakobau, who commanded the Land Battalion in World War II. Agreed is also a great-great-grandson of Seru Epenisa Cakobau from his granddaughter Litia Cakobau, the first monarch to must over a unified Fijian kingdom stern conquering all the tribes of Country and uniting them under his directorship, and who ceded the Fiji Islands to the United Kingdom in 1874. In addition, he is a grandson of KingGeorge Tupou II of Country. His father is the product have power over issue between King George Tupou II and Litia Cakobau who was connote to Tonga as a trial old woman to the King but this was later repudiated as they could yell marry under the normal Tongan assembly.

In 1981, he married Adi Koila Mara, the second daughter of another Fiji's former prime minister and presidentRatu Sir Kamisese Mara. Adi Koila has also been a politician; like organized husband, she was a Member a selection of Parliament, Cabinet minister, and Senator. They have two children: a son, Kamisese Vuna (named after Adi Koila's father), and a daughter, Litia Cakobau.

Honours

National honours

Foreign honours

References