presidential term is three years and a President can serve no more than two terms. After an election, the leader of the party with the most seats in parliament becomes Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is head of government. Judicial system Supreme court: Supreme Court of Fiji Ministry: Office of the Attorney-General The judicial system includes the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, High Court and magistrates courts, and is presided over by the chief justice. The High Court comprises civil, criminal, family, employment relations and tax divisions; and the magistrates courts comprise civil and criminal divisions, the juvenile court and small claims tribunal. The entire judiciary was dismissed by the President of the republic in April 2009 after the Court of Appeal ruled that the government that came into power in the 2006 coup was illegal. The present judiciary was established by the Administration of Justice Decree 2009 (No 9) of 22 May 2009. Government and politics Last elections: 17 September 2014 Next elections: 2018 Head of state: President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau Head of government: Prime Minister Rear-Admiral Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama Women MPs: 14% In October 2000 President Ratu Josefa Iloilo appointed a constitutional review commission to recommend a new constitutional arrangement for Fiji. In December 2000 Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon appointed Justice Pius N. Langa, deputy president of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, as his special envoy to help accelerate the restoration of democracy and promote national unity. A general election was held under the new constitution from 25 August to 5 September 2001 when 26 political parties participated (ten more than in 1999). In a poll that was judged by international, including Commonwealth, observers to reflect the will of the people, Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) took 32 seats, pushing the Fiji Labour Party (FLP – 27 seats) into second place, followed by Matanitu Vanua (six). SDL leader and head of the interim government Laisenia Qarase was sworn in as Prime Minister. Following the country’s return to democratic government, the suspension from Commonwealth councils (which had been in force since June 2000) was lifted in December 2001. A row soon erupted, however, when Qarase failed to appoint any FLP members to his cabinet or the Senate. An impasse continued, with Qarase only prepared to appoint ministers he felt he could work with, and FLP leader Mahendra Chaudhry insisting on his constitutional rights. In February 2002 the High Court ruled Qarase had failed to comply with the constitution when he appointed his cabinet and in July 2003 the Supreme Court upheld this judgment. But the impasse endured, with the two parties unable to agree on a list of cabinet appointments, the key issues being the number of FLP members (14 or 17) and whether Chaudhry himself should be included. F i j i The May 2006 general election was won by SDL with 36 seats, while the FLP took 31 seats and the United People’s Party (UPP) two. Commonwealth observers present reported that the result reflected the wishes of the people. Qarase continued as Prime Minister and, in accordance with the constitution, appointed a cabinet in which nine posts were filled by the FLP. FLP leader Chaudhry declined a position for himself. In December 2006 the army took control of government, dismissing the Prime Minister and President, and head of the army Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama assumed the presidency. This coup was immediately condemned by the international community and at a meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) on 8 December Fiji’s military regime was suspended from the councils of the Commonwealth pending restoration of democracy and the rule of law in the country. In January 2007 Bainimarama reinstated the President and became interim Prime Minister. Fiji’s Court of Appeal ruled in April 2009 that the military coup, which ousted the elected government in 2006, and the interim government that followed it were illegal. The ruling requested that the President appoint an interim Prime Minister and call a general election. In response, President Iloilo announced that he had abrogated the constitution and dismissed all the judges. He appointed himself as head of government and subsequently reinstated Bainimarama as Prime Minister. In July 2009 Bainimarama announced the retirement of Iloilo from the presidency; Vice-President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau assumed the role of acting President and in November 2009 was confirmed as President. Following Fiji’s suspension from the councils of the Commonwealth in December 2006, sustained efforts were made by the Commonwealth to engage the interim government to promote a return to constitutional democracy and to encourage a national dialogue aimed at tackling the underlying issues that led to military coups. On 1 September 2009, having failed to satisfy CMAG that it was committed to a timetable for restoring democracy, Fiji was fully suspended from the Commonwealth. In announcing this, Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said that the Commonwealth remained open to engaging with the interim government towards the restoration of constitutional democracy. At their biennial meeting in Perth, Australia, in October 2011, Commonwealth Heads of Government urged the interim government of Fiji to restore democracy without further delay, to respect human rights and to uphold the rule of law, and reaffirmed Governance institutions Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2014/15 161 Elections Office: www.elections.gov.fj Judicial Department: www.judiciary.gov.fj Ministry of Industry and Trade: www.mit.gov.fj Office of the Attorney-General: www.ag.gov.fj Reserve Bank of Fiji: www.reservebank.gov.fj South Pacific Stock Exchange: www.spse.com.fj
CEP template 2012
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