Joketani Cokanasiga
Encyclopedia
Joketani Cokanasiga is a former Fiji
an politician, who served as Minister for Public Works and Energy in the interim Cabinet
formed by Laisenia Qarase
in the wake of the Fiji coup of 2000
. He held office till an elected government took power in September 2001.
In early 2006, Cokanasiga found himself at the centre of an inquiry into alleged corruption in an agricultural affirmative action
scheme during his time as a Minister. The Fiji Sun
reported on 20 January that a letter to the Prime Minister and signed by Cokanasiga had condemned a Finance Ministry decision to suspend the program while an audit
was in progress, describing the suspension as "political suicide." The letter, dated 8 August 2001, was marked "Confidential." The audit found a discrepancy of F$16 million
in the accounts.
The Sun reported that Prime Minister Qarase had admitted the previous night that he had received the letter, but denied acting on it. "The 2001 general election
was close by and the audit found that millions of dollars had been misused," he was quoted as saying.
The Fiji Village
news service announced on 21 March 2006 that the SDL had decided not to renominate Cokanasiga for the general election
, which was duly held on 6-13 May. He was succeeded as Member for the Serua
Fijian
Communal Constituency
by Pio Tabaiwalu.
Cokanasiga is originally from Serua
. He is a former civil servant who also worked as a hotelier before reverting to farming.
On 15 August 2007, Cokanisiga accepted the invitation to be interim Minister for Fisheries and Forest in the Government led by Frank Bainimarama
.
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 politician, who served as Minister for Public Works and Energy 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...
formed by 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...
in the wake 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...
. He held office till an elected government took power in September 2001.
In early 2006, Cokanasiga found himself at the centre of an inquiry into alleged corruption in an agricultural affirmative action
Affirmative action
Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
scheme during his time as a Minister. The Fiji Sun
Fiji Sun
The Fiji Sun is a daily newspaper published in Fiji. Owned by Sun News Limited, it was first published in September 1999. An internet edition is also published....
reported on 20 January that a letter to the Prime Minister and signed by Cokanasiga had condemned a Finance Ministry decision to suspend the program while an audit
Audit
The general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
was in progress, describing the suspension as "political suicide." The letter, dated 8 August 2001, was marked "Confidential." The audit found a discrepancy of F$16 million
Fijian dollar
The dollar has been the currency of Fiji since 1969 and was also the currency between 1867 and 1873. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively FJ$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
in the accounts.
The Sun reported that Prime Minister Qarase had admitted the previous night that he had received the letter, but denied acting on it. "The 2001 general election
Fiji election of 2001
The Constitution of Fiji was restored by a High Court decision on 15 November 2000, following the failure of the political upheaval in which the government had been deposed and the constitution suspended in May that year. On 1 March 2001, the Appeal Court upheld the decision. An election to...
was close by and the audit found that millions of dollars had been misused," he was quoted as saying.
The Fiji Village
Fiji Village
The Fiji Village is an online news service in Fiji. Published daily, it covers political, business, sporting, cultural, and other news items, and also includes the Yellow Bucket commentary, an editorial which does not necessarily reflect the views of the Fiji Village owners or staff, according to...
news service announced on 21 March 2006 that the SDL had decided not to renominate Cokanasiga for 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...
, which was duly held on 6-13 May. He was succeeded as Member for the Serua
Serua (Fijian Communal Constituency, Fiji)
Serua Fijian Provincial Communal is an electoral division of Fiji, one of 23 communal constituencies reserved for indigenous Fijians....
Fijian
Fijian people
Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...
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...
by Pio Tabaiwalu.
Cokanasiga is originally from Serua
Serua
Serua is one of Fiji's fourteen Provinces. Its 830 square kilometers occupy the southernmost areas of Viti Levu, being one of 8 provinces based on Fiji's largest island. It had a population of 18,249 at the 2007 census, the most recent to date...
. He is a former civil servant who also worked as a hotelier before reverting to farming.
On 15 August 2007, Cokanisiga accepted the invitation to be interim Minister for Fisheries and Forest in the Government led by 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...
.