NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Kamisese Mara

The Right Honourable Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara GCMG KBE CF, (May 6, 1920 – April 18, 2004) is considered the founding father of the modern nation of Fiji. He was Chief Minister from 1967 to 1970, when Fiji gained its independence from the United Kingdom, and, apart from one brief interruption in 1987, Prime Minister from 1970 to 1992. He subsequently served as President from 1993 to 2000. This article considers Catholicism in the broadest ecclesiastical sense. ... A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues with the aim to participate in power, usually by participating in elections. ... The Fijian Alliance, also known as the Alliance Party, was the ruling political party in Fiji from 1966 to 1987. ... The Right Honourable (abbreviated The Rt. ... Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. ... On the Orders insignia, St Michael is often depicted subduing Satan. ... Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions, in order of seniority: Knight or Dame Grand Cross... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ... It has been designated the: International Year of Rice (by the United Nations) International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO) 2004 World Health Day topic was Road Safety (by World Health Organization) Year of the Monkey (by the Chinese calendar) See the world in... Father of the Nation is a term used by many countries to describe a political or symbolic leader seen as a founding father of the nation. ... Fijis British colonial rulers established the office of Chief Minister in October 1967, along with the Cabinet system of government. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Fiji received its independence in 1970. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Fiji became a republic in 1987, when Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom formally abdicated as Queen of Fiji, following two military coups led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

Early life and education: 1920 to 1950

Kamisese Kapaiwai Tuimacilai Mara was born on 6 May 1920, in Vanuabalavu in the archipelago of Lau, the son of Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba, head of the chiefly Vuanirewa clan, and his first wife Lusiana Qolikoro, who was related to Tongan royalty and was also descended from an English missionary. Mara's title, Ratu, which means "Chief," was hereditary; as the hereditary Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands, he held the titles of Tui Lau, and Tui Nayau kei Sau ni Vanua ko Lau. He succeeded to the Tui Nayau title in 1969, following the death of his father in 1966; he was later installed as Tui Lau, inheriting the title left vacant by his cousin¹ Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, who had died in 1958. May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... Vanua Balavu (IPA: []) is the second largest island in Fijis Lau archipelago (not counting the islands of the Moala Group), and the main island of the Northern Lau Group. ... The Lau Islands (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. ... The Vuanirewa is the ruling clan (yavusa) of the Lau Islands, a scattered group of more than a hundred islands (16 inhabited) and reefs along the eastern edge of Fiji. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my [birth]right) Englands location (dark green) within the British Isles Languages English (de facto) Capital London de facto Largest city London Area â€“ Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 kmÂ² Population â€“ Total (mid-2004) â€“ Total (2001 Census) â€“ Density Ranked... Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. ... The Lau Islands (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. ... Tui Nayau is the title held by the Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands in Fiji and is synonymous with the title holders over lordship of these islands. ... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna (22 April 1888-30 May 1958) was a Fijian chief, scholar, soldier, and statesman. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Mara was educated first at Knox College, Otago University in New Zealand, where he studied medicine (1942 to 1945). He never finished his medical course, because his great-uncle and mentor, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna (who was then regarded as Fiji's paramount chief), seeking to groom him for future leadership of the nation, arranged for him to study history at Wadham College, Oxford University in the United Kingdom. Mara was distressed to abandon his medical studies, but, dependent on Ratu Sukuna for financial support, followed his orders without question, and graduated with an M.A. in 1949. In 1961, he returned to the United Kingdom to pursue postgraduate study at the London School of Economics for a Diploma in Economics and Social Administration, which he was awarded in 1962. In 1973, his old alma mater, Otago University, awarded him an honorary doctorate of laws (LL.D). Knox College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Otago in New Zealand. ... The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealands oldest university. ... This article is about the year. ... 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ... Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna (22 April 1888-30 May 1958) was a Fijian chief, scholar, soldier, and statesman. ... Wadham College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. ... The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... A Master of Arts is a postgraduate academic masters degree awarded by universities in North America and the United Kingdom (excluding the ancient universities of Scotland and Oxbridge. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... The London School of Economics and Political Science, often referred to as the London School of Economics or simply the LSE, is a specialist university and a constituent college of the federal University of London, located on Houghton Street in Central London, off the Aldwych and next to the Royal... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1973 calendar). ... Legum Doctor (English: Doctor of Laws; abbreviated to LL.D.) In the UK, Australia and New Zealand, the LL.D. is a higher doctorate usually awarded on the basis of exceptionally insightful and distinctive publications, containing significant and original contributions to the science or study of law. ...

Following his graduation from Oxford University, Mara returned to Fiji and married Ro Litia Cakobau Lalabalavu Katoafutoga, better known as Adi Lady Lala Mara, on September 9, 1950. Her title, Adi, is also hereditary; like her husband, Lala Mara was a chief in her own right, as the Roko Tui Dreketi (Paramount Chief) of Burebasaga and Rewa. The marriage was initially opposed by Mara's family, as Adi Lala was from a rival dynasty with which the Mara clan had a history of strained relations. The marriage proved to be a happy one, however, and in stark contrast to the prevalence of divorce among many of Mara's relatives, it lasted for more than 53 years. They had three sons and five daughters, two of whom have pursued political careers of their own. Their eldest son, Ratu Finau Mara, was a Cabinet Minister and parliamentary leader of the Fijian Association Party from 1996 to 1998, when he resigned to take up a diplomatic posting. Their second daughter, Adi Koila Mara Nailatikau, has also followed in her father's footsteps and has served her country as a career diplomat and politician. She was Minister for Transport and Tourism in 1999 and 2000, and currently (2005) serves in the Fijian Senate. Ro Adi Lala Mara Ro Adi Lady Lala Mara, maiden name Lalabalavu Litia Katoafutoga Tuisawau (January 4, 1931 – July 20, 2004) was a Fijian chief, who was better known as the widow of the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, modern Fijis founding father who served for many years as... September 9 is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years). ... 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Adi is a title used by Fijian women of chiefly rank, namely female members of chiefly clans. ... The Roko Tui Dreketi is the Paramount Chief of Fijis Rewa Province and of the Burebasaga Confederacy, to which Rewa belongs. ... Burebasaga is the largest of the three confederacies that comprise Fijis House of Chiefs, to which all Fijian chiefs belong. ... Rewa is a Province of Fiji. ... Ratu Finau Mara Ratu Alifereti Finau Mara (born c. ... 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. ... Overview The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fijis Parliament. ... The Fijian Association Party (FAP) is a former political party in Fiji. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... Adi Koila Mara Nailatikau Adi Koila Mara Nailatikau is a Fijian lawyer, who has served as a career diplomat and politician. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. ...

The making of a statesman: 1950 to 1970

After serving (from 1950) as an Administrative Officer in the Colonial Services, Mara was elected to one of four seats on the Legislative Council reserved for ethnic Fijians in 1953. (There were eight other elective seats, four reserved for Indians and four for Europeans and other minorities; a further twelve members were appointed by the colonial Governor). In 1959, Mara was appointed to the Executive Council, and in 1963 was given responsibility as Leader of Government Business and Member for Natural Resources (officially an advisor to the Governor, but in reality roughly equivalent to a modern cabinet minister). In 1964, he was received into the Great Council of Chiefs, which at that time was empowered to appoint two members to the Legislative Council. In 1966, he founded the Alliance Party, which, supported overwhelmingly by the ethnic Fijian and European communities (but not by most Indo-Fijians), won a majority of the seats in the 1966 election. In preparation for independence, the United Kingdom introduced the Westminster (Cabinet) system of government to Fiji in October 1967. The Executive Council was transformed into a modern Cabinet, and its members, who had hitherto been answerable only to the colonial Governor, were made fully responsible to the legislature. Mara was named to the new position of Chief Minister. 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link is to a full 1953 calendar). ... HI A governor is also, a monkey who is smart and can fly like a penguin is a device that regulates the speed of a machine. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Template:C20YearInnTopic 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... A minister or a secretary is a politician who heads a government ministry or department (e. ... For the Nintendo 64 emulator, see 1964 (Emulator). ... The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. ... The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... The Fijian Alliance, also known as the Alliance Party, was the ruling political party in Fiji from 1966 to 1987. ... Indo-Fijian - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... The general election to the Fijian Legislative Council in 1966 was the last to be held before independence from the United Kingdom was granted in 1970. ... The Westminster System - also called Parliamentary System is a democratic system of government modelled after that of the United Kingdom system, as used in the Palace of Westminster, the location of the British parliament. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 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. ... Fiji was a British Crown Colony from 1874 to 1970, and an independent dominion in the British Commonwealth from 1970 to 1987. ... Fijis Parliament is bicameral. ... Fijis British colonial rulers established the office of Chief Minister in October 1967, along with the Cabinet system of government. ...

One problem that threatened to delay independence was the failure of ethnic Fijians and Indo-Fijians to agree on a post-independence Constitution. Ethnic Fijians, including Mara, wanted a communal franchise, with parliamentary seats reserved for the different ethnic groups, who would vote on separate electoral rolls. It was believed that this would protect indigenous Fijian rights. Mara also considered that it was in Fiji's interests to avoid direct competition between political candidates from different ethnic groups, fearing that it would lead to social and political upheaval. Most Indo-Fijians rejected this proposal, believing that it would prevent them from obtaining a legislative majority, even though they numbered more than half of the population, and demanded that all Parliamentary seats should be elected by universal suffrage from a common voters' roll. In April, 1970, Mara and Sidiq Koya, leader of the mainly Indo-Fijian National Federation Party, met in London and negotiated a compromise. Fijians and Indo-Fijians would be represented equally in the House of Representatives, with 22 seats each; a further 8 seats would be set aside for Europeans and other minorities. About half of the representatives from each ethnic group would be elected only by members of their particular race, while the other half would be elected by universal suffrage. Following this agreement, Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970. Fijians are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Sidiq M. Koya is an Indo-Fijian politician and veteran Opposition leader. ... Politics of Fiji Categories: Stub | Fijian political parties | Fiji-related stubs ... For other uses, see London (disambiguation) and Defining London (below). ... Overview The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fijis Parliament. ... October 10 is the 283rd day of the year (284th in Leap years). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ...

Prime Minister of Fiji: 1970 to 1992

With independence, the office of Chief Minister was renamed Prime Minister, but its functions were substantially unchanged. Mara retained power in the first post-independence election of 1972. Internal divisions within the ethnic Fijian electorate led to the narrow defeat of his Alliance Party by the Indo-Fijian dominated National Federation Party (NFP) in the election of March 1977. He tendered his resignation as Prime Minister, but the NFP splintered three days later in a leadership dispute, and a constitutional crisis developed. The official representative of Queen Elizabeth, Governor-General Ratu Sir George Cakobau, ended up calling on Mara to form a new government. Although unquestionably constitutional, the Governor-General's actions were controversial. Many Indo-Fijians were outraged at what they saw as a deliberate cynical move on his part to keep the government of Ratu Mara, his fellow-chief (and distant cousin) in power at all costs. A subsequent election to resolve the impasse in September that year, however, appeared to vindicate Cakobau, when the Alliance Party won a record 36 seats out of 52. Fiji received its independence in 1970. ... Politics of Fiji Categories: Stub | Elections in Fiji | Fiji-related stubs ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ... Politics of Fiji Categories: Stub | Fijian political parties | Fiji-related stubs ... Fijis election for the House of Representatives held in March 1977 was the second since independence from the United Kingdom in 1970. ... Categories: Pages needing attention | Stub | Fiji-related stubs | History of Fiji | Politics of Fiji ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor), born 21 April 1926, is Queen of sixteen independent nations known as the Commonwealth Realms (and has previously been Queen of sixteen others). ... Fiji became a British Crown Colony in 1874, and an independent dominion in the British Commonwealth in 1970. ... Ratu Sir George Cakobau (1912-1989) was Governor General of Fiji from 1972 to 1982. ... A general election to Fijis House of Representatives was held in September 1977, to resolve the impasse of an earlier election that had been held in March. ...

The Alliance Party's majority was reduced in the 1982 election, but with 28 of the 52 seats, Mara retained power. Despite the loss of eight seats, the popular vote for the Alliance Party rose to 51.8 % - an all-time record. Part of the reason for this paradox lay in the distribution of the vote: the gains in the popular vote occurred mostly because of a swing of almost 10 % in the 11 "communal" seats reserved for, and elected exclusively by, Indo-Fijians, but 24 % of the Indo-Fijian vote was insufficient to translate into parliamentary seats, and therefore did not effectively offset small but very significant losses in ethnic Fijian "communal" seats. It was therefore a bittersweet election for Mara. Politics of Fiji Categories: Stub | Elections in Fiji | Fiji-related stubs ...

Convinced of the need to include Indo-Fijians in the government, he proposed a "government of national unity" - a grand coalition with the National Federation Party. The NFP, however, rejected the offer and remained in opposition. In the election of 1987, Mara was finally defeated by a multiracial coalition led by Dr Timoci Bavadra. His retirement was to be short-lived, however. Two military coups led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka seriously undermined the social and economic stability, and the international prestige, of Fiji. Mara was recalled to head an interim administration, with a view to restoring Fiji's international reputation and rebuilding the country's shattered economy. In 1992, he handed over power to an elected government. The general election of April 1987 was Fijis fifth since the country had gained its independence from the United Kingdom seventeen years earlier. ... Timoci Uluivuda Bavadra (September 22, 1934 - November 3, 1989) was a medical doctor who served for one month as the Prime Minister of Fiji in 1987 and who founded the Fiji Labour Party. ... Fiji Coups of 1987 refers to the 1987 overthrow of the government of Fiji by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, then third in command of the Royal Fiji Military Forces. ... Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, OBE, (born September 13, 1948) is best known as the instigator of two military coups that shook Fiji in 1987. ...

President of the Republic: 1993 to 2000

Following the military coups of 1987, Fiji had severed its links with the British monarchy and become a republic, with a President and two Vice-Presidents chosen by the Great Council of Chiefs. Following his retirement as Prime Minister, Mara was elected to the Vice-Presidency in June 1992, and became Acting President soon after, when the ailing President Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau was incapacitated. He assumed the office of President officially when Ganilau died on 16 December of the following year. Modelled on the British monarchy, the presidency filled a largely honorary role, but was nevertheless vested with important reserve powers, to be used only in the event of a national crisis. On May 21, 2003, the Police Investigations Department confirmed that they had opened an investigation into the resignation of the Fijis former President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. ... This article describes the British monarchy from the perspective of the United Kingdom. ... Fiji became a republic in 1987, when Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom formally abdicated as Queen of Fiji, following two military coups led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka. ... The Fijian vice-presidency is a mostly ceremonial office. ... The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. ... Ratu Sir Penaia Kanatabatu Ganilau (28 July 1918-15 December 1993) was the first President of Fiji, serving from 8 December 1987 till his death. ... December 16 is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... A reserve power is a power that may be exercised by the head of state of a country in certain exceptional circumstances. ...

That crisis came on May 19, 2000, with the Fiji coup of 2000. Armed gunmen led by George Speight forced their way into Parliament and kidnapped the Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, several Cabinet ministers, and a number of parliamentarians. Speight declared himself Prime Minister, and ordered Mara to step aside as president. Mara refused to negotiate with the plotters, and decided instead to dismiss the kidnapped government and assume emergency powers himself. His move backfired, however. In what politicians called "a coup within a coup," Ratu Mara was whisked away on the naval ship Kiro on May 28, where he was allegedly approached by a group of present and former military and police officers and ordered to suspend the Constitution. When he refused, ("If the Constitution goes, I go," he defiantly declared) the group, including the army commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, former Prime Minister and 1987 Coup Leader Sitiveni Rabuka, former military commander Ratu Epeli Ganilau (a son-in-law of Mara's), and a former Police Commissioner Isikia Savua, are alleged to have asked for, and possibly forced, Mara's resignation. He was subsequently taken to his home island of Lakeba in the Lau Islands. For the 80 year-old President, who was seen as the father of the country and had led it, in one capacity or another, for more than 40 years, it was an anticlimactic end. May 19 is the 139th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (140th in leap years). ... This article is about the year 2000. ... The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry on 19 May 2000, the attempt by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara to assert executive authority on 27 May, and his own resignation, possibly... George Speight George Speight, occasionally known as Ilikimi Naitini (born 1957), was the principal instigator of the Fiji coup of 2000, in which he kidnapped thirty-six government officials and held them from May 19, 2000 to July 13, 2000. ... Insert non-formatted text hereInsert non-formatted text here:This article is about the legislative institution. ... Mahendra Pal Chaudhry (born 9 February 1942) is the leader of the Fiji Labour Party and currently the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. ... 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. ... May 28 is the 148th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (149th in leap years). ... Commodore is a military rank used in some navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a Captain, but is less than that of a flag officer. ... Commodore Frank Bainimarama Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, popularly known as Frank Bainimarama, (born 27 April 1954), is the Commander of the Fijian Military Forces, who organized a counter-coup in 2000 to neutralize the putsch led by George Speight. ... Fiji received its independence in 1970. ... Fiji Coups of 1987 refers to the 1987 overthrow of the government of Fiji by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, then third in command of the Royal Fiji Military Forces. ... Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, OBE, (born September 13, 1948) is best known as the instigator of two military coups that shook Fiji in 1987. ... Ratu Epeli Ganilau (born 10 October 1951) is a Fijian soldier and statesman, who served as Chairman of the Bose Levu Vakaturaga (Great Council of Chiefs) from 2001 to 2004. ... Isikia Savua Isikia Rabici Savua is a senior Fijian diplomat, who has previously had a distinguished career in the Military and police forces before taking up his present post as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations on 4 March 2003. ... Lakeba (IPA: []) is an island in Fijis Southern Lau archipelago. ... The Lau Islands (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. ...

The military regime that took over appointed Ratu Josefa Iloilo, who had been Mara's Vice-President, to succeed him on 13 July 2000. After the coup had been quashed, the Supreme Court ruled on 15 November that year that Mara's replacement was unconstitutional and ordered his reinstatement, but Mara, wishing to spare the country further constitutional trauma, officially resigned, with his resignation retroactive to May 29, 2000. Ratu Josefa Iloilo Uluivuda (born December 29, 1920) is the President of Fiji. ... July 13 is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 171 days remaining. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... The Supreme Court of Fiji is one of three courts established by Chapter 9 of the Constitution, the others being the High Court and the Court of Appeal. ... November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ... May 29 is the 149th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (150th in leap years). ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

On April 29, 2001, Mara publicly accused the police chief, Colonel Isikia Savua and former Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, of instigating the coup. In what was to be his last public interview, Mara claimed that George Speight - who was then in custody and has since been convicted of treason - was only a front, Mara told Close-Up on Fiji Television that he confronted Savua and Rabuka two days after the coup about their possible involvement. "I could see it in their faces," said Mara, emphatically rejecting their denials. April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Isikia Savua Isikia Rabici Savua is a senior Fijian diplomat, who has previously had a distinguished career in the Military and police forces before taking up his present post as Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations on 4 March 2003. ... Fiji received its independence in 1970. ... Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, OBE, (born September 13, 1948) is best known as the instigator of two military coups that shook Fiji in 1987. ... The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry on 19 May 2000, the attempt by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara to assert executive authority on 27 May, and his own resignation, possibly... George Speight George Speight, occasionally known as Ilikimi Naitini (born 1957), was the principal instigator of the Fiji coup of 2000, in which he kidnapped thirty-six government officials and held them from May 19, 2000 to July 13, 2000. ... Fiji Television Limited is Fijis television network. ...

Mara told the programme that within half an hour of Speight's forcible occupation of the Parliament, Rabuka had telephoned Government House (the official residence of the President) to offer to form a government.

Mara said that he was shocked to learn that the Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit of the Army had been involved in the coup. He alleged that they took George Speight to Parliament, and that their senior officers supplied them with weapons, blankets, and food. Mara also declared that the Counter Revolutionary Warfare officers who joined Speight's coup had trained on a farm owned by Rabuka. Excerpts of this interview were broadcast on 29 April 2001; the full interview was not broadcast until 29 April 2004 - while his body was lying in state in preparation for his funeral. George Speight George Speight, occasionally known as Ilikimi Naitini (born 1957), was the principal instigator of the Fiji coup of 2000, in which he kidnapped thirty-six government officials and held them from May 19, 2000 to July 13, 2000. ... April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... It has been designated the: International Year of Rice (by the United Nations) International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO) 2004 World Health Day topic was Road Safety (by World Health Organization) Year of the Monkey (by the Chinese calendar) See the world in...

Whether Mara's resignation was in fact forced has been the subject of a police investigation since May 21, 2003, when the Police Investigations Department confirmed that they had opened an investigation into the events surrounding his departure from. Mahendra Chaudhry, the deposed Prime Minister, has publicly supported Mara's version of events, and has further alleged that Mara was blackmailed with a threat to kill his daughter, Tourism Minister Adi Koila Nailatikau, who was one of the hostages. Commodore Bainimarama has defended his role in the incident saying it was "necessary" at the time, and that Mara's resignation was, in fact, voluntary and that he had refused offers of reinstatement. Mara's daughter, Adi Ateca Ganilau (wife of Ratu Epeli Ganilau) appeared support Bainimarama's claims in a statement on 10 January 2005, saying that her father had resigned and had refused to return because he was upset by the abrogation of the Constitution. "He did not agree with the abrogation of the Constitution. That was probably why he refused to return to office. It was not that the military pressured him to move out," Ganilau said. She called for a thorough investigation into the abrogation of the Constitution, and for those who were legal advisers at the time to be answerable for their actions. May 21 is the 141st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (142nd in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mahendra Pal Chaudhry (born 9 February 1942) is the leader of the Fiji Labour Party and currently the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. ... Fiji received its independence in 1970. ... Adi Koila Mara Nailatikau Adi Koila Mara Nailatikau is a Fijian lawyer, who has served as a career diplomat and politician. ... Adi Ateca Ganilau with her husband, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, welcoming Fijian soldiers returning from peacekeeping duties in East Timor, June 2005 Adi Ateca Ganilau (born 1951) is a Fijian public figure, best known as the eldest daughter of the former Prime Minister and President, the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. ... January 10 is the 10th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Police have said they have faced "many challenges" in their investigation, finding many officers uncooperative. On 30 April 2004, the Fijian police said they were closely examining the recording of Mara's last interview, in an attempt to uncover new leads. Police spokesman Mesake Koroi declared that there was a lot of hearsay and rumours in circulation that would not stand up in a court of law. "Unfortunately we are hitting a brick wall in our investigations at the moment," Koroi said. On 2 May 2005, however, Commodore Bainimarama agreed to make a statement to the police about his own role in Mara's resignation. Commissioner of Police (Fiji)| Andrew Hughes said that no charges could be brought against Commodore Bainimarama unless it could be proved that he had actually forced the President to resign. On 5 January 2006, Hughes said that Mara's departure from the Presidency was one of seven major cases the police were still working on. April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining, as the last day in April. ... It has been designated the: International Year of Rice (by the United Nations) International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO) 2004 World Health Day topic was Road Safety (by World Health Organization) Year of the Monkey (by the Chinese calendar) See the world in... May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Police Commissioner (or Commissioner of Police) is the title of the chief officer of many law enforcement agencies. ... Andrew Hughes is an Australian police officer who currently serves as Fijis Commissioner of Police, an office he has held since 2001. ... January 5 is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Evaluation

Ratu Mara is regarded as modern Fiji's founding father. He not only led the islands to independence from British rule, and served the country for many years thereafter, but accumulated impressive achievements in office. During his tenure as Prime Minister, Fiji's economic growth was extraordinary.

Sugarcane industry

Under Mara's leadership, Fiji became a giant in sugarcane production. Between 1970 and 1987, the sugarcane crop more than doubled, from under 250,000 metric tons to 502,000. The sugar industry continues to be the mainstay of Fiji's economy, and more than 90 % of Fiji's sugar is exported. Mara's government led the way in negotiating special preferential marketing agreements with nations importing Fijian sugar, through the Lome Convention. Species Saccharum arundinaceum Saccharum bengalense Saccharum edule Saccharum officinarum Saccharum procerum Saccharum ravennae Saccharum robustum Saccharum sinense Saccharum spontaneum Sugarcane or Sugar cane (Saccharum) is a genus of between 6 and 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation) of tall grasses (family Poaceae, tribe Andropogoneae), native to warm temperate to tropical... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... The Lomé Convention is a treaty that regulated trade between the European Union and 71 (later 77) African, Caribbean and Pacific states (collectively known as the ACP countries) between 1975 and 2000. ...

Pine industry

Mara also founded Fiji's pine industry. Today, pine plantations, virtually nonexistent 40 years ago, cover close to 480 square kilometres throughout the Fiji Islands, and there is an ongoing programme to further expand area in all parts of the country. Fiji now derives more than $40 to 50 million a year in foreign exchange earnings from its forestry sector. Of this total, more than half is from pinewood chips exports. This industry now provides a substantial and increasing source of income to those in rural areas, including especially the indigenous Fijian landowners. Species About 115. ...

International achievements and honours

In the 1960s, Mara led a revolt by Pacific Islands delegates that brought about a restructuring of the South Pacific Commission. He also helped to launch the Pacific Islands Producers' Association. This evolved into the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Cooperation, which grew into the South Pacific Forum, an association of Pacific nations, of which Mara was a founder member. SPC is a TLA that may stand for: St. ... The Pacific Islands Forum is an inter-governmental consultative process which aims to enhance cooperation between the countries of the Pacific Ocean and represent their interests. ...

Yet another significant Mara achievement was his contribution to the negotiations that led to the signing of a new United Nations International Law of the Sea Convention in 1982. 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On the global stage, Mara was known for his strongly pro-American views. He supported visits to Fijian ports by nuclear-armed United States warships and submarines. He was a close ally of U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Mara was also known for his support for Taiwan. Although he did not officially recognize the Republic of China, he never hid the fact that his true sympathies lay there, and the Taipei regime, in gratitude, helped to finance the publication of his memoirs. The presidential seal was used by president Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ... Ronald Wilson Reagan (February 6, 1911 â€“ June 5, 2004) was the 40th President of the United States (1981â€“1989) and the 33rd Governor of California (1967â€“1975). ... National motto: None Official language Mandarin Chinese Capital and largest city Taipei President Chen Shui-bian Vice President Annette Lu Premier Su Tseng-chang Area - Total - % water Ranked 138th 35,980 kmÂ² 2. ... City nickname: the City of Azaleas Capital District Xinyi Area - Total - % water Ranked 16 of 25 271. ...

Over the years, Mara received many honours from around the world. In addition to his knighthood (a Knight of the British Empire, awarded in 1969), his honours from Queen Elizabeth II included the Meritorious Service Decoration, the Officer of the British Empire (1961), Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (1983), Chancellor of the Order of Fiji, Companion of the Order of Fiji, and Knight Grand Cross of the Pian Order with Star (1995). He was also a member of the Privy Council in London beginning in 1973. Recognitions from other governments included being made a Grand Master of the Order of the National Lion in Dakar, Senegal in 1975, and the Order of Diplomatic Service Merit of South Korea in 1978. He was also a Knight of the Most Venerable Order of St John of Jesuralem, and became Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific at Suva, which was founded with the support of his government. In 2000, Island Business Magazine named him Pacific Man of the Century, in recognition of his pivotal role in the founding of the South Pacific Forum. Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these... 1969 (MCMLXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... On the Orders insignia, St Michael is often depicted subduing Satan. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Her Majestys Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1973 calendar). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... This page deals with the order after its revival in the 19th century. ... The University of the South Pacific (USP) is the premier provider of tertiary education in the Pacific Region, and an international centre of excellence for teaching and research on all aspects of Pacific culture and environment. ... Suva is the capital of Fiji. ...

Criticisms

There were criticisms of his leadership, too, some of which he eventually acknowledged. Many Indo-Fijians criticized him for not doing more to thwart the 1987 coups which removed an Indo-Fijian dominated administration from office, and for giving his consent to a new constitution, drafted in 1990, which guaranteed indigenous Fijian supremacy and was widely regarded as racist, even drawing comparisons from some quarters with South Africa's apartheid system. Mara defended his role in the post-coup era of 1987 to 1992, arguing that he was doing the best he could in circumstances that he could not fully control, and that it had seemed better at the time to connive in the writing of a discriminatory constitution than to risk civil war at the hands of ethnic Fijian extremists. In 1996, he publicly apologized to the Indo-Fijian community for his role in the drafting of the 1990 Constitution. Mahendra Chaudhry, the leader of the Indo-Fijian community who in 1999 became Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister, said that he did not agree with, but understood, Mara's reasons for acting as he did, and accepted his apology for having done so. Other opponents, both Indo-Fijian and ethnic Fijian, were less forgiving, however. Fiji Coups of 1987 refers to the 1987 overthrow of the government of Fiji by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, then third in command of the Royal Fiji Military Forces. ... This article is about the year. ... A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982. ... Indo-Fijian - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Mahendra Pal Chaudhry (born 9 February 1942) is the leader of the Fiji Labour Party and currently the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. ...

Sitiveni Rabuka, who led the 1987 revolution, surprised many in 1999 when he claimed in an autobiography that he had carried out the coups at Mara's behest. Mara retaliated by suing him for defamation. Mahendra Chaudhry said that he did not believe that Mara had been involved. Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, OBE, (born September 13, 1948) is best known as the instigator of two military coups that shook Fiji in 1987. ... Fiji Coups of 1987 refers to the 1987 overthrow of the government of Fiji by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, then third in command of the Royal Fiji Military Forces. ...

Not all of Mara's critics were Indo-Fijian. George Speight, a commoner (i.e., one of non-chiefly ancestry) who led the 2000 putsch accused Mara of selling the country out to Indo-Fijians, and of working to keep power in the hands of a coalition of Fijian chiefs and Indo-Fijian businessmen, at the expense of Fijian commoners. This view was shared by dissatisfied elements of the Fijian population, mainly poorer people. George Speight George Speight, occasionally known as Ilikimi Naitini (born 1957), was the principal instigator of the Fiji coup of 2000, in which he kidnapped thirty-six government officials and held them from May 19, 2000 to July 13, 2000. ... The Fiji coup of 2000 was a complicated affair involving a civilian putsch by hardline Fijian nationalists against the elected government of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry on 19 May 2000, the attempt by President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara to assert executive authority on 27 May, and his own resignation, possibly...

Twilight years

Following his resignation, Mara retired to his native island of Lakeba. He continued to influence politics in Fiji, where democracy was subsequently restored, through his membership of the Great Council of Chiefs, which not only advises the government but also functions as an electoral college to choose the President of the Republic, as well as 14 of the 32 members of the Senate; at the time of his death, he was the longest-serving member of the Council. He remained Chairman of the Lau Provincial Council, a position he had held concurrently with his national offices for many years. Lakeba (IPA: []) is an island in Fijis Southern Lau archipelago. ... The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. ... An electoral college is a set of electors who are empowered as a deliberative body to elect someone to a particular office. ... The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. ... The Lau Islands (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. ...

Mara suffered a stroke late in 2001 while visiting Port Vila, Vanuatu, with two of his longtime friends, businessmen Hari Punja and Joe Ruggiero. He died in Suva on 18 April 2004, from complications arising from the stroke. His state funeral, led by Roman Catholic Archbishop Petero Mataca, which was spread out over three days (28 to 30 April) saw an estimated 200,000 people - almost a quarter of Fiji's total population - line the streets to pay their last respects to the man they regarded as the father of the nation, in an outpouring of public grief not seen since the death of Mara's presidential predecessor, Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, over a decade earlier. Apoplexy is an old-fashioned medical term, generally used interchangeably with cerebrovascular accident (CVA or stroke) but having other meanings as well. ... Port Vila (population 29,356) is the capital city of Vanuatu. ... Hari Punja Hari Punja (born 1937) is a Fijian business tycoon. ... Suva is the capital of Fiji. ... April 18 is the 108th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (109th in leap years). ... It has been designated the: International Year of Rice (by the United Nations) International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO) 2004 World Health Day topic was Road Safety (by World Health Organization) Year of the Monkey (by the Chinese calendar) See the world in... For other uses of the term, see Catholic Church (disambiguation). ... In Christianity, an archbishop is an elevated bishop. ... Archbishop Petero Mataca Petero Mataca (born at Cawaci, on Ovalau Island, 28 April 1933) is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Suva, Fiji. ... (Redirected from 28 April) April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 247 days remaining. ... April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining, as the last day in April. ... Ratu Sir Penaia Kanatabatu Ganilau (28 July 1918-15 December 1993) was the first President of Fiji, serving from 8 December 1987 till his death. ...

Legacy

Even in death, Ratu Mara stirred controversy. His state funeral was by no means universally popular, even among his close supporters. Claiming to speak for many of those who had been close to the late President, Joseph Browne, who had been his official secretary, claimed that it was the "height of hyprocisy" to have the armed forces, still commanded by the same officers who had unceremoniously deposed Mara from the presidency four years earlier, honouring him at his funeral now. Joseph Browne is a former Fijian civil servant, who was Official Secretary to the late President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, prior to Maras possibly forced resignation during the insurrection which deposed the constitutional government 2000. ...

A one-year period of mourning for the late Chief ended on 13 May 2005, with the close of a series of ceremonies that that started on the 9th. Those who had been observing mourning rituals symbolically changed from black clothes into their normal attire. (Members of the Mara family, however, said that they would continue to wear black for a further three months, until the period of mourning for his wife, Adi Lala, is over). Many thousands of people arrived in Tubou Village on the island of Lakeba to take part in the vakataraisulu ritual, which lifted taboos in place for the Mara family and the people of the Lau Islands. Mara's son, Ratu Finau Mara, who is widely expected to be named his successor as Tui Nayau, or Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands, was expected to participate in the vakataraisulu at the request of elders from Tubou and Levuka, but for undisclosed reasons, remained in Suva. In 2004, he had attended his father's state funeral in Suva but not his private funeral in Lakeba. His younger brother, Roko Tevita Uluilakeba, was believed to be out of the country. May 13 is the 133rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (134th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 9 is the 129th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (130th in leap years). ... Tubou is a village on the Fijian island of Lakeba. ... Ratu Finau Mara Ratu Alifereti Finau Mara (born c. ... Tui Nayau is the title held by the Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands in Fiji and is synonymous with the title holders over lordship of these islands. ... Levuka, Fiji Levuka is a town on the Fijian island of Ovalau, in Lomaiviti Province, in the Eastern Division of Fiji, of which it is the capital. ... It has been designated the: International Year of Rice (by the United Nations) International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO) 2004 World Health Day topic was Road Safety (by World Health Organization) Year of the Monkey (by the Chinese calendar) See the world in...

Addressing the Lau Provincial Council in Ratu Mara's honour, Fiji's current Vice-President, Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi praised him as a man of vision and compassion, who hated lies and lived by the truth. He praised him as a committed Christian who practiced what he preached, and who did not differentiate between people but treated all men alike whatever their race or religion. Madraiwiwi called on Lauans today to follow Mara's example. The Lau Islands (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. ... The Fijian vice-presidency is a mostly ceremonial office. ... Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi (born 1957) is the Vice-President of Fiji. ...

Another controversy was reported by the Fiji Times on 8 January 2006. His family was displeased, his daughter Adi Ateca Ganilau told the Times, that the same government that was working to release from prison persons convicted of offences related to the coup which deposed him, was also promoting an independent biography to be written by Australian academic Derrick Scarr, formerly of the Australian National University. This was contradictory, she said. "On one hand they want to praise him but on the other they are working to free those people who ousted him through the Reconciliation Bill," she said, referring to controversial legislation introduced by the Fijian government in 2005, aimed at establishing a Commission empowered to propose amnesty for coup-convicts. She reiterated her previously stated opposition to the release of coup-perpetrators, saying that he father would not have stood for it if he were alive. Fiji Times Online The Fiji Times is a daily newspaper published in Fiji. ... January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Adi is a title used by Fijian women of chiefly rank, namely female members of chiefly clans. ... Adi Ateca Ganilau with her husband, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, welcoming Fijian soldiers returning from peacekeeping duties in East Timor, June 2005 Adi Ateca Ganilau (born 1951) is a Fijian public figure, best known as the eldest daughter of the former Prime Minister and President, the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. ... The Australian National University (ANU), is a university located in Canberra, the national capital of Australia. ... 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 May 4, 2005, is passed. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Jioji Kotobalavu, the Chief Executive Officer of the Prime Minister's Department, rejected the criticism, saying that the government was not financing the book and that its involvement was limited to ensuring that Scarr had access to information sources. He considered that cooperation in the writing of the biography would be a fitting tribute to Ratu Mara, whom he called a great man. The Mara family should discuss any reservations with Scarr himself, Kotobalavu said. Joji Kotobalavu Joji Kotobalavu is a Fijian civil servant, who is currently the Chief Executive in the Prime Ministers office. ...

Personal life

Mara's interests included cricket, which he played in his younger years, rugby, golf, athletics, and fishing. He was a member of the Achilles Club in London, the Defence Club in Suva, and the United Oxford and Cambridge Universities Club in the United Kingdom. Mara's character was described as a combination of the forthright and the diplomatic, the inflexible and the dexterous, the imperious and the tolerant . He was known as a strong, imposing personality, but with an ability to forgive his opponents. A convert to Catholicism, Mara wrote of his faith: "Certainly it has been the rock on which I have been able to rely in good times and in bad, and it is the lodestone of my life." He wrote an autobiography, The Pacific Way: A Memoir. Mara was survived by his wife, Adi Lala (who herself died on July 20 the same year), and by two sons and five daughters; one son predeceased him. Image File history File links Marafamily. ... Image File history File links Marafamily. ... Ro Adi Lala Mara Ro Adi Lady Lala Mara, maiden name Lalabalavu Litia Katoafutoga Tuisawau (January 4, 1931 – July 20, 2004) was a Fijian chief, who was better known as the widow of the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, modern Fijis founding father who served for many years as... Ratu Finau Mara Ratu Alifereti Finau Mara (born c. ... Ratu Tevita Vakacere Uluilakeba Mara is a Fijian career soldier, with the rank of Major as of early 2006. ... Adi Ateca Ganilau with her husband, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, welcoming Fijian soldiers returning from peacekeeping duties in East Timor, June 2005 Adi Ateca Ganilau (born 1951) is a Fijian public figure, best known as the eldest daughter of the former Prime Minister and President, the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. ... Ratu Epeli Ganilau (born 10 October 1951) is a Fijian soldier and statesman, who served as Chairman of the Bose Levu Vakaturaga (Great Council of Chiefs) from 2001 to 2004. ... Adi Koila Mara Nailatikau Adi Koila Mara Nailatikau is a Fijian lawyer, who has served as a career diplomat and politician. ... For the insect, see Cricket (insect). ... A Rugby player Rugby football refers to sports descended from a common form of football developed at Rugby School. ... Golf (gowf in Scots) is a game where individual players or teams hit a ball into a hole using various clubs, and is one of the few ball games that does not use a fixed standard playing area. ... Athletics, also known, especially in American English, as track and field or track and field athletics, is a collection of sport events, which can roughly be divided into running, throwing, and jumping. ... For other uses, see London (disambiguation) and Defining London (below). ... Suva is the capital of Fiji. ... For other uses of the term, see Catholic Church (disambiguation). ... July 20 is the 201st day (202nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 164 days remaining. ... It has been designated the: International Year of Rice (by the United Nations) International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO) 2004 World Health Day topic was Road Safety (by World Health Organization) Year of the Monkey (by the Chinese calendar) See the world in...

External links

Categories: 1920 births | 2004 deaths | Alumni of the London School of Economics | Fijian chiefs | Knights Grand Cross of St Michael and St George | Knights Commander of the British Empire | Lauan people | Presidents of Fiji | Prime Ministers of Fiji | Tui Lau | Tui Nayau | Vuanirewa April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Ratu Sir Penaia Kanatabatu Ganilau (28 July 1918-15 December 1993) was the first President of Fiji, serving from 8 December 1987 till his death. ... Fiji became a republic in 1987, when Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom formally abdicated as Queen of Fiji, following two military coups led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka. ... Ratu Josefa Iloilo Uluivuda (born December 29, 1920) is the President of Fiji. ... Ratu Inoke Takiveikata served two non-consecutive terms in the 1990s as one of two Vice-Presidents of Fiji. ... The Fijian vice-presidency is a mostly ceremonial office. ... Ratu Inoke Takiveikata served two non-consecutive terms in the 1990s as one of two Vice-Presidents of Fiji. ... Fiji received its independence in 1970. ... Timoci Uluivuda Bavadra (September 22, 1934 - November 3, 1989) was a medical doctor who served for one month as the Prime Minister of Fiji in 1987 and who founded the Fiji Labour Party. ... Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, OBE, (born September 13, 1948) is best known as the instigator of two military coups that shook Fiji in 1987. ... The Lau Islands (also called the Lau Group, the Eastern Group, the Eastern Archipelago) of Fiji are situated in the southern Pacific Ocean, just east of the Koro Sea. ... Tui Nayau is the title held by the Paramount Chief of the Lau Islands in Fiji and is synonymous with the title holders over lordship of these islands. ... Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna (22 April 1888-30 May 1958) was a Fijian chief, scholar, soldier, and statesman. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Fijis British colonial rulers established the office of Chief Minister in October 1967, along with the Cabinet system of government. ... Ratu Sir Josaia Tavaiqia (1931-17 November 1997) was a Fijian chief who served as one of two Vice-President of Fiji from 1990 till his death in 1997. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII in Roman) is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Image File history File links Wikiquote-logo-en. ... Wikiquote logo Wikiquote is a sister project of Wikipedia, using the same MediaWiki software. ...

Contents

Early life and education: 1920 to 1950 GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");