Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06SUVA218
2006-05-23 02:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Suva
Cable title:  

FIJI'S NEW MULTI-PARTY CABINET: CONTINUITY AND

Tags:  PGOV PREL PINR FJ 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3864
RR RUEHPB
DE RUEHSV #0218/01 1430223
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 230223Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY SUVA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3105
INFO RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 1221
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 0026
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 0840
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON 1015
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SUVA 000218 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI'S NEW MULTI-PARTY CABINET: CONTINUITY AND
SURPRISES

REF: SUVA 214 (AND PREVIOUS)

Classified By: Amb. Dinger. Sec. 1.4 (B,D).

Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 SUVA 000218

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR FJ
SUBJECT: FIJI'S NEW MULTI-PARTY CABINET: CONTINUITY AND
SURPRISES

REF: SUVA 214 (AND PREVIOUS)

Classified By: Amb. Dinger. Sec. 1.4 (B,D).

Summary
--------------

1. (C) Fiji Prime Minister Qarase has named his Cabinet of
24 Ministers, plus 12 Ministers of State. FLP leader
Chaudhry plans to be Leader of the Opposition, but his party
will take 9 portfolios under a multi-party cabinet provision
of Fiji's Constitution. A number of FLP leaders want to give
power-sharing a good faith effort. Foreign Minister Tavola
retains his job, this time as a Senator, a welcome surprise.
Home Affairs Minister Vosanibola also returns, which is bound
to give Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) Commander
Bainimarama continued heartburn. See para 5 for a Cabinet
listing with comments. End Summary.

Foreign and Home Affairs Ministers continue
--------------

2. (U) Following quickly from the SDL's narrow election
victory last week (ref),Prime Minister Qarase has named 24
Ministers in his Cabinet and 12 Ministers of State (who are
not in Cabinet). Several key posts are unchanged from the
previous government. In a pleasant surprise, Foreign
Minister Tavola, who retired from elective politics, returns
to his job as an appointee from the Fiji Senate. He tells us
he received the request yesterday and "put away his fishing
pole for a bit." Home Affairs Minister Vosanibola, who has
clashed repeatedly in the past with RFMF Commander
Bainimarama, returns as well. Other senior returnees include
Attorney General Bale and Minister of Finance Kubuabola. A
couple of previous ministers allegedly tied to the coup of
2000 have been dropped, though another, Ratu Naigama,
remains, this time as Minister for Fijian Affairs. Another
person reportedly involved in 2000, Adi Samanunu Cakobau
(currently High Commissioner to Malaysia) apparently will
take a Senate appointment and become Minister without
Portfolio.

Labor accepts Cabinet portfolios...in the end
--------------

3. (C) The Fiji Labor Party (FLP) accepted Qarase's offer of
9 seats in the multi-party Cabinet, after considerable
deliberation. FLP leader Mahendra Chaudhry declined a

portfolio, wishing to be Leader of the Opposition. Whether
it is allowable for him to take the opposition role when his
party has accepted Cabinet posts is unclear under the
Constitution and could be subject of a legal challenge. We
are told Chaudhry's inclination was for the FLP to reject
Qarase's offer, even though the portfolios have important
Labor-oriented responsibilities; however, a number of senior
FLP leaders insisted that the party really must make a good
faith attempt to work with Qarase for the future of Fiji. If
down the line things don't work out, so be it; but to decline
the offer would offend a hopeful public. Thus, Chaudhry
offered a list of nominees with suggested portfolios. When
Qarase shifted some names around, Chaudhry had the FLP
boycott the formal swearing in this morning, May 23; but
shortly thereafter he announced FLP would accept the deal.

Comment
--------------

4. (C) Qarase named nearly half of Parliament plus three
Senators as Ministers or Ministers of State. The multi-party
cabinet requirement of the Constitution, plus the debts
Qarase owed all 14 Fijian provinces, required such numbers.
Having the highly respected Tavola continue in Foreign
Affairs will be welcomed throughout the region. The
reappointment of Vosanibola to Home Affairs appears a direct
slap at Commodore Bainimarama. We hear the Commodore takes
some heart from the appointment of Jioji Konrote as Minister
of State for Immigration and Ex-servicemen, under the Home
Affairs portfolio, since Konrote is a former Chief of Staff
of the RFMF and has dealt comfortably with Bainimarama in the
past. Still, Konrote is not in Cabinet, and the Vosanibola
appointment suggests Qarase is not looking for compromise in
his government's effort to resolve friction with the
military.

Fiji Cabinet list, with comments
--------------

5. (C) Prime Minister and Minister for Sugar Reform:
Laisenia Qarase. (Qarase has kept the sugar portfolio, an
important set of issues for Fiji and one in which he has
taken a personal interest.)

SUVA 00000218 002 OF 003



Attorney General & Minister for Justice: Qoriniasi B. Bale.
(Bale, the incumbent, is a capable and
conservative-nationalist lawyer, who played a major role in
drafting the Reconciliation Bill. He has told us the revised
bill to be submitted to Parliament soon will be much
improved. We reserve judgment.)

Minister for Finance & National Planning: Ratu Jone Y.
Kubuabola. (An incumbent.)

Minister for Education, Youth & Sports: Ro Teimumu Kepa. (A
female incumbent, and one of the three highest chiefs of
Fiji.)

Minister for Tourism & Transport: Tomasi Vuetilovoni. (Former
Minister of Commerce.)

Minister for Fijian Affairs, Lands & Provincial Development:
Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu. (Former Minister of Transport, and
one of the three highest chiefs of Fiji. He was convicted
and served a sentence for obstructing justice during the
events of 2000.)

Minister for Fisheries & Forests: Ilaitia Tuisese. (Former
Minister of Agriculture.)

Minister for Home Affairs & Immigration: Josefa Vosanibola.
(An incumbent, who has had a very rocky relationship with
RFMF Commander Bainimarama. See para. 4)

Minister for Information & Communications: Isireli
Leweniqila. (Former Minister for Youth and Sport.)

Minister for Public Enterprises & Public Sector Reform:
Savenaca Draunidalo. (Former Minister of Works and Energy;
former RFMF Colonel; recently implicated in planning for the
2000 coup.)

Minster for Women, Social Welfare & Housing: George Shiu Raj.
(Former Minister for Multi-ethnic Affairs, and one of two
ethnic-Indians who won SDL seats in 2006.)

Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs & National Reconciliation &
Unity: Ratu Meli Saukuru. (A well-liked high chief from Nadi
in Fiji's west, with excellent connections to the
ethnic-Indian community there.)

Minister for Public Utilities & Infrastructure Development:
Robin Irwin. (One of two independents to win seats in 2006;
ethnic-British but has been a businessman in Fiji for many
years.)

Minister for Environment: Poseci Bune. (Deputy head of the
FLP, and Minister of Agriculture in the 1999 Chaudhry
government; an ethnic-Fijian who is rumored to be the
illegitimate son of the late Ratu Mara; Chaudhry proposed him
for Minister of Agriculture, but Qarase made a switch.)

Minister for Labour & Industrial Relations: Krishna Datt. (A
former school teacher, trade unionist, and long-time FLP
leader, with good connections across party lines; Foreign
Minister in 1987; served as a majority floor leader in
Parliament in 1999.)

Minister for Curative Health Services: Dr. Gunasagaran
Gounder. (A medical doctor; was FLP Assistant Minister for
Health in 1999.)

Minister for Agriculture: Gyani Nand. (A former senior
official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who won an FLP
seat in 1999.)

Minister for Energy & Mineral Resources: Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi.
(An FLP stalwart from Fiji's west; speaks fluent Fijian; was
Minister of Information in 1999.)

Minister for Primary & Preventative Health Services: Udit
Narayan. (Won an FLP seat in 1999.)

Minister for Local Government & Urban Development: Chaitanya
Lakshman. (A lawyer and FLP newcomer.)

Minister for Employment Opportunities & Productivity: Ragho
Nand. (A school teacher. Qarase named FLP unionist Felix
Anthony for this portfolio, though Chaudhry had proposed

SUVA 00000218 003 OF 003


Anthony for Labor. In the end Anthony declined cabinet,
perhaps in part because his current position as General
Secretary of the Fiji Trade Union Congress has better perks,

SIPDIS
which he can retain as an MP but not as a Minister.)

Minister for Commerce & Industry: Sivia Tora. (A new FLP
member, who at one time served on the staff of Fiji's
diplomatic mission in Australia.)

Minister for Foreign Affairs & External Trade: Kaliopate
Tavola. (An incumbent who retired from politics this year,
but Qarase plans to name him for the Senate and is bringing
him back.)

Minister without Portfolio: Adi Samanunu Talakuli Cakobau.
(Currently Fiji High Commissioner in Malaysia and one of
Fiji's highest chiefs; she is alleged to have supported the
Speight coup of 2000. This appointment via the Senate
presumably settles a Fijian political debt. We hear her
cabinet responsibilities are still under consideration.)
DINGER