Litia Qionibaravi
Encyclopedia
Adi
Litia Qionibaravi is a Fiji
an chief
and civil servant, who served for more than thirty years in the Fijian Affairs Ministry before being appointed Chief Executive Officer
of the Fijian Affairs Board (FAB) on 17 June 2005 http://www.fijitv.com.fj/index.cfm?go=tv.resources&cmd=forumview&cbegin=0&uid=fijionenews&cid=1505. In this capacity, she oversaw the work of the country's fourteen Provincial Councils
. http://www.fijitv.com.fj/index.cfm?go=tv.resources&cmd=forumview&cbegin=0&uid=fijionenews&cid=10855, the Fijian Affairs scholarship unit, and the Secretariat of the Great Council of Chiefs
.
junta
that had seized power
on 5 December http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/12/13/13Fijilive21.html; the Military cited her alleged unwillingness to cooperate with the interim administration. Fiji Live
reported that three armed soldiers had evicted her from her office in the building of the Native Lands Trust Board (NLTB).
Fiji Television
reported on 24 December, however, that she had refused to accept her dismissal. Ratu
Ovini Bokini
, Chairman
of the Great Council of Chiefs
supported her stance, claiming that only the FAB was empowered to terminate her contract. http://www.fijitv.com.fj/index.cfm?go=tv.resources&cmd=forumview&cbegin=0&uid=fijionenews&cid=11114 She continued to work from an improvised office in the Great Council of Chiefs
Secretariat http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34440.shtml, in defiance of the regime, which appointed Ratu
Meli Bainimarama
, brother of Military Commander Commodore
Frank Bainimarama
, in her stead. Commodore Bainimarama reacted angrily on 17 December, with Fiji Live
quoting him as saying that the stance of the Great Council of Chiefs in refusing to recognize Qionibaravi's dismissal was indicative of their noncooperation with the Military regime.
The Fijian Affairs Board formalized the termination of Qionibaravi's contract on 20 January 2007. The newly appointed board - consisting of five five interim Cabinet Ministers
and chaired by Ratu
Epeli Ganilau
, the Interim Minister for Fijian Affairs
formally dismissed her at an emergency meeting called "to regularize the issue of Adi Litia," in Ganilau's words. http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=55548
as accusing Qionibaravi of having misused government funds to buy a personal vehicle and to pay the two workers renovating her house in Ma'afu Street, Suva
.http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34607.shtml On 23 December, Qionibaravi replied that she was "shocked" to hear the allegations, but refused to comment further.http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34622.shtml On 23 December, however, she held a press conference and angrily denied the allegations, saying that she owned no house in Ma'afu Street; she had an FAB office there, she said. The car had been purchased with a loan approved by her superior, the Permanent Secretary for Fijian Affairs, the Fiji Times
quoted her as saying.http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=54095
(14 December 2006), Qionibaravi hails from Ucunivanua in Verata
, Tailevu
Province
.
Adi (title)
Adi is a title used by Fijian women of chiefly rank, namely female members of chiefly clans. It is the equivalent of the Ratu title used by male chiefs. It is in general use throughout most of Fiji, although on Kadavu Island, Bulou is used instead....
Litia Qionibaravi is a 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 chief
Ratu
Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, Adi is used by females of chiefly rank.-Etymology:Ra is a prefix in many titles and Tu is simply "chief"...
and civil servant, who served for more than thirty years in the Fijian Affairs Ministry before being appointed Chief Executive Officer
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
of the Fijian Affairs Board (FAB) on 17 June 2005 http://www.fijitv.com.fj/index.cfm?go=tv.resources&cmd=forumview&cbegin=0&uid=fijionenews&cid=1505. In this capacity, she oversaw the work of the country's fourteen Provincial Councils
Local government of Fiji
Fiji is divided administratively into four divisions, which are further subdivided into fourteen provinces; the self-governing island of Rotuma and its dependencies lie outside any of the four divisions. Each division is headed by a Commissioner, appointed by the Fijian government...
. http://www.fijitv.com.fj/index.cfm?go=tv.resources&cmd=forumview&cbegin=0&uid=fijionenews&cid=10855, the Fijian Affairs scholarship unit, and the Secretariat of the Great Council of Chiefs
Great Council of Chiefs (Fiji)
The Great Council of Chiefs is a now dormant 1997 constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. In April 2007 the council was suspended, due to an unworkable relationship with Frank Bainimarama, leader of an "interim government" which came to power through a military coup in December 2006...
.
Dismissal
The appointment was supposed to be for five years, but 13 December 2006, she was dismissed by the militaryMilitary of Fiji
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces are the military of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of 3,500 active soldiers and 6,000 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world. However, most of its surrounding island nations have no militaries at all...
junta
Military junta
A junta or military junta is a government led by a committee of military leaders. The term derives from the Spanish language junta meaning committee, specifically a board of directors...
that had seized power
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....
on 5 December http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/12/13/13Fijilive21.html; the Military cited her alleged unwillingness to cooperate with the interim administration. Fiji Live
Fiji Live
Fijilive is an online newspaper and business and cultural directory in Fiji. The site is owned by the Future Group of Companies owned by Fiji entrepreneur Yashwant Gaunder....
reported that three armed soldiers had evicted her from her office in the building of the Native Lands Trust Board (NLTB).
Fiji Television
Fiji Television
Fiji Television Limited is Fiji's television network. It was founded on 15 June 1994 as the first permanent television broadcasting network in the country, although television had previously been introduced temporarily in October 1991 to broadcast the Rugby World Cup as well as Cricket World Cup....
reported on 24 December, however, that she had refused to accept her dismissal. Ratu
Ratu
Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, Adi is used by females of chiefly rank.-Etymology:Ra is a prefix in many titles and Tu is simply "chief"...
Ovini Bokini
Ovini Bokini
Ratu Ovini Bokini Ratu was a Fijian chief and political leader. Bokini, who held the chiefly title of Tui Tavua, succeeded Epeli Ganilau as Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs on 21 July 2004, and was reelected to this post for a full three-year term on 27 July 2005.A formal gathering of...
, Chairman
Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs (Fiji)
The Great Council of Chiefs is a formal assembly of Fiji's senior hereditary chiefs, along with some representatives of the national government and provincial councils, who may or may not be hereditary chiefs themselves...
of the Great Council of Chiefs
Great Council of Chiefs (Fiji)
The Great Council of Chiefs is a now dormant 1997 constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. In April 2007 the council was suspended, due to an unworkable relationship with Frank Bainimarama, leader of an "interim government" which came to power through a military coup in December 2006...
supported her stance, claiming that only the FAB was empowered to terminate her contract. http://www.fijitv.com.fj/index.cfm?go=tv.resources&cmd=forumview&cbegin=0&uid=fijionenews&cid=11114 She continued to work from an improvised office in the Great Council of Chiefs
Great Council of Chiefs (Fiji)
The Great Council of Chiefs is a now dormant 1997 constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. In April 2007 the council was suspended, due to an unworkable relationship with Frank Bainimarama, leader of an "interim government" which came to power through a military coup in December 2006...
Secretariat http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34440.shtml, in defiance of the regime, which appointed Ratu
Ratu
Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, Adi is used by females of chiefly rank.-Etymology:Ra is a prefix in many titles and Tu is simply "chief"...
Meli Bainimarama
Meli Bainimarama
Ratu Meli Bainimarama is a Fijian civil servant, who currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Fisheries and Forests. Prior to this appointment, reported by Fiji Live on 25 May 2006 , he was CEO of the Fijian Affairs Ministry...
, brother of Military Commander 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...
, in her stead. Commodore Bainimarama reacted angrily on 17 December, with Fiji Live
Fiji Live
Fijilive is an online newspaper and business and cultural directory in Fiji. The site is owned by the Future Group of Companies owned by Fiji entrepreneur Yashwant Gaunder....
quoting him as saying that the stance of the Great Council of Chiefs in refusing to recognize Qionibaravi's dismissal was indicative of their noncooperation with the Military regime.
The Fijian Affairs Board formalized the termination of Qionibaravi's contract on 20 January 2007. The newly appointed board - consisting of five five interim Cabinet Ministers
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...
and chaired by Ratu
Ratu
Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, Adi is used by females of chiefly rank.-Etymology:Ra is a prefix in many titles and Tu is simply "chief"...
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...
, the Interim Minister for Fijian Affairs
Minister for Fijian Affairs
The Minister for Fijian Affairs is the Cabinet Minister responsible for the preservation of Fijian culture and for the economic and social development of indigenous Fijians. Prior to 1999, the Minister for Fijian Affairs also presided over the Great Council of Chiefs, but since then the Great...
formally dismissed her at an emergency meeting called "to regularize the issue of Adi Litia," in Ganilau's words. http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=55548
Corruption allegations
On 22 December, Commodore Bainimarama was quoted in Fiji VillageFiji 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...
as accusing Qionibaravi of having misused government funds to buy a personal vehicle and to pay the two workers renovating her house in Ma'afu Street, Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
.http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34607.shtml On 23 December, Qionibaravi replied that she was "shocked" to hear the allegations, but refused to comment further.http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34622.shtml On 23 December, however, she held a press conference and angrily denied the allegations, saying that she owned no house in Ma'afu Street; she had an FAB office there, she said. The car had been purchased with a loan approved by her superior, the Permanent Secretary for Fijian Affairs, the Fiji Times
Fiji Times
The Fiji Times is a daily English-language newspaper published in Suva, Fiji. Established in Levuka on 4 September 1869, it is Fiji's oldest newspaper still operating....
quoted her as saying.http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=54095
Personal life
According to the Fiji SunFiji 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....
(14 December 2006), Qionibaravi hails from Ucunivanua in Verata
Verata
The Verata goat breed from Vera, Caceres, Spain is used for the production of meat and milk. The Verata Goat has been known to be fairly easy to handle; they are popular in the dairy and meat industries because of that, and the fact that they can adapt well to the different management systems. They...
, Tailevu
Tailevu
Tailevu is one of the 14 provinces of Fiji. One of eight Provinces based in Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island, its 755 square kilometers occupy the south-eastern fringe of the island, along with some central areas. At the 2007 census, the most recent to date, it had a population of 55,692, the...
Province
Local government of Fiji
Fiji is divided administratively into four divisions, which are further subdivided into fourteen provinces; the self-governing island of Rotuma and its dependencies lie outside any of the four divisions. Each division is headed by a Commissioner, appointed by the Fijian government...
.