Bernadette Ganilau
Encyclopedia
Bernadette Lavenia Rounds Ganilau, born July 5, 1951 as Bernadette Lavenia Rounds, is a Fiji
an writer, broadcaster, and politician, who recently served as Minister for Labour, Minister for Tourism, Industrial Relations, Productivity and Environment in the interim Cabinet
of Commodore
Frank Bainimarama
, having been appointed on 9 January 2007. In previous political roles, she served in 2000 and 2001 in the Interim Government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase
as Assistant Minister for Social Welfare, and from June to December 2006, she was Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives
, until the military coup
of 5 December.
Long a political activist, Ganilau's causes included women's rights and human rights in general, and has served as President of Women Entrepreneurs Fiji.. She spent much of mid-to-late 2005 campaigning against the government's controversial Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill
, which proposes to establish a Commission with the power to compensate victims and pardon perpetrators of the Fiji coup of 2000
. On 13 July 2005, she described the bill as one that would encourage hatred and violence rather than tolerance and accommodation.
Ganilau is married to, and has an adopted daughter with, Ratu Rabici Ganilau, a son of Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau
, Fiji's first President (1987-1993). Her brother-in-law, Ratu Epeli Ganilau
, is a well-known contemporary politician.
Ganilau contested and won the Suva City
General
Communal Constituency
for the United Peoples Party
(UPP) in the general election
scheduled for 6-13 May, defeating Cabinet Minister
Kenneth Zinck
. She was one of two UPP candidates returned in the election. Upon accepting office in the interim government in January 2007, however, UPP leader Mick Beddoes
, an opponent of the military coup and of the government formed by its leader, asked her to resign from the party.
In January 2008, Ganilau was "dropped" from the government during a Cabinet reshuffle. In November 2008 she established the Green Party of Fiji
.
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 writer, broadcaster, and politician, who recently served as Minister for Labour, Minister for Tourism, Industrial Relations, Productivity and Environment in the interim Cabinet
Cabinet (Fiji)
Fiji has the Westminster system - executive authority is vested nominally in a President, but exercised in practice by a Cabinet of Ministers, presided over by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is formally appointed, but not chosen, by the President: the President must appoint as Prime...
of Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
Frank Bainimarama
Frank Bainimarama
Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, CF, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Ratu , is a Fijian naval officer and politician. He is the Commander of the Fijian Military Forces and, as of April 2009, Prime Minister...
, having been appointed on 9 January 2007. In previous political roles, she served in 2000 and 2001 in the Interim Government of 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...
as Assistant Minister for Social Welfare, and from June to December 2006, she was Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee of 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...
, until the military coup
2006 Fijian coup d'état
The Fijian coup d'état of December 2006 occurred as a continuation of the pressure which had been building since the military unrest of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état and 2005-2006 Fijian political crisis....
of 5 December.
Long a political activist, Ganilau's causes included women's rights and human rights in general, and has served as President of Women Entrepreneurs Fiji.. She spent much of mid-to-late 2005 campaigning against the government's controversial Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill
Reconciliation and Unity Commission (Fiji)
The Reconciliation and Unity Commission is a proposed government body to be set up if the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill, which was introduced into the Fijian Parliament on 4 May 2005 is passed...
, which proposes to establish a Commission with the power to compensate victims and pardon perpetrators of the Fiji coup of 2000
Fiji coup of 2000
The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of a non-native Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, on 19 May 2000, the attempt by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara to assert executive authority on 27 May, and...
. On 13 July 2005, she described the bill as one that would encourage hatred and violence rather than tolerance and accommodation.
Ganilau is married to, and has an adopted daughter with, Ratu Rabici Ganilau, a son of Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau
Penaia Ganilau
Ratu Sir Penaia Kanatabatu Ganilau, GCMG, KCVO, KBE, DSO was the first President of Fiji, serving from 8 December 1987 until his death in 1993...
, Fiji's first President (1987-1993). Her brother-in-law, Ratu Epeli Ganilau
Epeli Ganilau
Brigadier-General Ratu Epeli Ganilau, MC, MSD, is a Fijian soldier and statesman, who currently heads the National Alliance Party of Fiji. His career has previously encompassed such roles as Commander of the Fiji Military Forces and Chairman of the Bose Levu Vakaturaga...
, is a well-known contemporary politician.
Ganilau contested and won the Suva City
Suva City (General Electors Communal Constituency, Fiji)
Suva City General Communal is an electoral division of Fiji, one of 3 communal constituencies reserved for General Electors, an omnibus category including Caucasians, Chinese, and all others whose ethnicity is neither indigenous Fijian nor Indo-Fijian...
General
General Electors (Fiji)
"General Electors" is the term used in Fiji to identify citizens of voting age who belong, in most cases, to ethnic minorities. The Constitution defines General Electors as all Fiji citizens who are not registered as being of Fijian, Indian, or Rotuman descent. Also included are citizens who do...
Communal Constituency
Communal constituencies (Fiji)
Communal constituencies have been the most durable feature of the Fijian electoral system. In communal constituencies, electors enrolled as ethnic Fijians, Indo-Fijians, Rotuman Islanders, or General Electors vote for a candidate of their own respective ethnic groups, in constituencies that have...
for the United Peoples Party
United Peoples Party (Fiji)
The United Peoples Party is a political party in Fiji, whose support base lies chiefly among General Electors - Fiji Islanders who belong to ethnic minorities, such as Europeans, Chinese, Banaban Islanders, as well as multiracial people...
(UPP) in the general 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...
scheduled for 6-13 May, defeating Cabinet Minister
Cabinet (Fiji)
Fiji has the Westminster system - executive authority is vested nominally in a President, but exercised in practice by a Cabinet of Ministers, presided over by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is formally appointed, but not chosen, by the President: the President must appoint as Prime...
Kenneth Zinck
Kenneth Zinck
Kenneth Vincent Zinck is a Fijian politician, who served in the Cabinet from 2001 to 2006 as Minister for Labour, Industrial Relations, and Productivity.- Elections of 1999 and 2001 :...
. She was one of two UPP candidates returned in the election. Upon accepting office in the interim government in January 2007, however, UPP leader Mick Beddoes
Mick Beddoes
Mick Malcolm Millis Beddoes, widely known as Mick Beddoes, is a Fijian politician and businessman from Nadi, who has led the United Peoples Party since 2000, and was the Leader of the Opposition at the time of the military coup of 5 December 2006...
, an opponent of the military coup and of the government formed by its leader, asked her to resign from the party.
In January 2008, Ganilau was "dropped" from the government during a Cabinet reshuffle. In November 2008 she established the Green Party of Fiji
Green Party of Fiji
The Green Party of Fiji is a political party in Fiji. The party was formed in November 2008 by former interim regime Cabinet Minister Bernadette Ganilau. Like other green parties, the party will follow principles of "ecological wisdom, social justice and non-violence, participatory democracy and...
.