The new interim cabinet line-up to be sworn at Borron House at 11 o'clock was
released by the President's Office this morning:
Laisenia Qarase - Prime Minister and Minister for
National Reconciliation Ratu Epeli Nailatikau - Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister for Fijian Affairs Alipate Qetaki - Attorney General and Minister for
Justice Ratu Jone Kubuabola - Minister for Finance and National
Planning Ratu Talemo Ratakele - Minister for Home Affairs
and Immigration Ro Teimumu Kepa - Minister for Women, Culture and
Social Welfare Ratu Inoke Kubuabola -
Minister for Information and Communication Ratu Tevita Momoedonu -
Minister for Labour and Industrial Relations Tomasi Vuetilovoni - Minister for Commerce, Business
Development and Investment Nelson Delailomaloma - Minister for Education Joketani Cokanasiga - Minister for Works and Energy Jone Koroitamana - Minister for Tourism and Transport Hector Hatch - Minister for Public Enterprises and
Public Sector Reform Keni Dakuidreketi - Minister for Youth, Employment
Opportunities and Sport Kaliopate Tavola - Minister for Foreign Affairs,
External Trade and Sugar Pita Nacuva - Minister for Health Ratu Tu'akitau Cokanauto - Minister for Local Government,
Housing and Environment Apisai Tora - Minsiter
for Agriculture, Fisheries, Forests and ALTA Ratu Inoke Takiveikata - Minister
for Regional Development
and Multi-Ethnic Affairs Mitieli Bulanauca - Minister for Lands and Mineral
Resources
Assitant ministers include:
Ratu Suliano Matanitobua -
Assitant minister, Ministry of Fijian Affairs Adi Finau Tabakaucoro - Assistant minister, Prime
Minister's Office - to assist with the preparation of a ten-year plan for Fijian
and Rotuman development Adi Senimili Dyer - Assistant Minister, Ministry
of Women, Culture and Social Welfare - to assist with Women and Social Welfare Bernadette Rounds-Ganilau - Assistant Minister,
Ministry of Women, Culture and Social Welfare - to assist with Women and Social
Welfare Marieta Rigamoto - Assistant Minister, Ministry
of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests - to assist with Agriculture and Fisheries.
she is also to assist the
Prime
Minister in the latter's responsibility for Rotuma Ratu Semi Seruvakula - Assistant Minister, Ministry
of Education Ratu Kolinio Rokotuinaceva - Assistant Minister,
Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration - to look after Police George Shiu Raj - Assistant Minister, Ministry
of Regional Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs - to assist with regular liaison
with Rural District and
services to
rural settlement and communities.
It is understood the delay in announcing the line-up was due to pressure from
hostage taker George Speight's group to include names they preferred. None
of these
people have been included on the list.
MINISTERS
IN THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT
The new line up of Ministers who will be formally appointed on Wednesday, 19th
July, 2000, to take over from the Caretaker Cabinet, is as follows:
Ministers in Cabinet - MINISTERS PORTFOLIO
1. Mr Laisenia Qarase - Prime Minister
2. Ratu Epeli Nailatikau - Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister for Fijian Affairs
3. Mr Alipate Qerataki - Attorney General and Minister
for Justice
4. Ratu Jone Y. Kubuabola - Minister for Finance
and National Planning
5. Ratu Talemo Ratakele - Minister for Home Affairs & Immigration
6. Ro Teimumu Kepa - Minister for Women, Culture & Social
Welfare
7. Ratu Inoke Kubuabola - Minister for Works and
Energy
8. Ratu Tevita Momoedonu - Minister for Labour & Industrial
Relations
9. Mr Tamasi Vuetilovoni - Minister for Commerce,
Business Development & Investment
10. Mr Nelson Delailomaloma - Minister for Education
11. Mr Joketani Cokanasiga - Minister for Information & Communications
12. Mr Jone Koroitamana - Minister for Tourism & Transport
13. Mr Hector Hatch - Minister for Public
Enterprises Public Sector Reform
14. Mr Keni Dakuidreketi - Minister for Youth, Employment
Opportunities & Sports
15. Mr Kaliopate Tavola - Minister for Foreign Affairs,
External Trade & Sugar
16. Mr Pita Nacuva - Minister for Health
17. Ratu Tu'akitau Cokanauto - Minister
for Local Government, Housing & Environment
18. Mr Apisai Tora - Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries,
Forests & ALTA
19. Ratu Inoke Takiveikata - Minister for Regional
Development & Multi-Ethnic
Affairs
20. Mr Mitieli Bulanauca - Minister for Lands & Mineral Resources
1. Ratu Suliano Matanitobua -
Assistant Minister for Ministry of Fijian Affairs
2. Adi Finau Tabakaucoro - Assistant Minister, Prime
Minister's Office (to assist with preparation of ten-year plan for Fijian & Rotuman development
and
monitor implementation of Beijing Action Plan for Women).
3. Adi Senimili Dyer - Assistant Minister, Ministry
of Women, Culture & Social
Welfare (to assist with Women & Culture)
4. Bernadette Rounds Ganilau - Assistant Minister,
Ministry of Women, Culture & Social
Welfare (to assist with Women & Social Welfare)
5. Mrs Marieta Rigamoto - Assistant Minister, Ministry
of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forests
(to assist with Agriculture & Fisheries. She is also to assist the Prime
Minister in the latter's statutory responsibility for
Rotuma)
6. Mr Eroni Lewaqai - Assistant Minister, Ministry
of Agriculture to assist with ALTA & Forests)
7. Ratu Semi Seruvakula -
Assistant Minister, of information and Communications
8. Ratu Kolinio Rokotuinaceva - Assistant Ministers
Ministry of Home Affairs & Immigration
(to
look after Police)
9. Mr George Shiu Raj - Assistant Minister Ministry
of Regional Development & Multi-
Ethnic Affairs) (to assist with regular liaison with Rural District Councils
and services to rural settlements and communities.)
10. Ratu Timoci Silatolu - Assistant Minister Ministry
of Health
11. Mr Simione Kaitani - Assistant Minister Ministry
of Regional Development and Multi- Ethnic Affairs (to assist with services
to Maritime Provinces.
12. Mr Peceli Lewaravu - Assistant Minister Ministry
of Education (to assist with Fijian and rural education)
STATEMENT
TO THE MEDIA BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE FIJI ISLANDS,
H.E. RATU JOSEFA ILOILO, MF,
MBE
Tuesday, 18 July, 2000
I have accepted with humility and gratitude my appointment by
the Great Council of Chiefs as President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands.
I, therefore, wish to take this opportunity to express my sincere appreciation
to the Great Council of Chiefs for the confidence and trust they have placed
in me and
my Vice President, Ratu Jope Naucabalavu Seniloli.
I would also like to pay tribute to my very distinguished and illustrious predecessor,
the Rt Hon Ratu Sir Kamisese and also Adi Lady Lala Mara.
Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara has been our leader over the past four decades. His
devotion to duty and his statesmanship will never be equalled. If you think
back of the
22 years he was our Prime Minister, never was our country faced with the problems
of unity, inclusiveness, and order and stability as we are facing today. And
never was our country held in such high esteem and respect in the international
community as our country enjoyed during his leadership. For he truly is an
outstanding statesman.
Finally. I make this point- I take very seriously the added
responsibility, which is attached to the office of the President of the Republic
of the Fiji Islands. And this is
that the office of President is also the highest national symbol of the unity
of our country as a unitary state, and the unity of our country as a multi-ethnic
and
multi-cultural country. Out of the many multiethnic and multicultural groups
who have made Fiji their home, and Fiji is a common home, we are one as one
nation
and one people.
My leadership as President will be one that is dedicated to
promoting national unity and one that is committed to encouraging moderation,
inclusiveness and
consideration and compassion for all in our country, irrespective of culture,
race, gender and geographical location within our country. As I have said,
we are one
country and one people. Everyone deserves to be shown equal concern and equal
consideration.
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