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The evolution of Fiji's electoral system |
Before Cession House of
Delegates
Legislative Assembly The Assembly was made up of twenty-eight members from twenty-one districts. The writs for the election was issued in August 1871and elections were held before the start of October. The Assembly began its first session on 3 November 1871, the second session on 24 March 1872 and its final session on 31 May 1873. During the third session, the Appropriation Act was rejected and the King dissolved the House on 11 July. Writs of election were issued for a new election, but as the Government attempted to allow native Fijians to vote, there were protests by the Europeans and the elections were never held. The King (Cakobau) continued to rule with the help of the Privy Council and his Ministers. 1
Colony of Fiji The first Legislative Council - 1875 Immediately after Fiji was ceded to Great Britain on 10 October 1874, the colony's first Governor, Sir Arthur Gordon, established an Executive Council with himself as President and six other European members. When Sir Arthur Gordon arrived on 1 September 1875, in addition to the Executive Council, he established a Legislative Council made up of the Governor, the Colonial Secretary, the Chief Justice, and the Attorney General as official members and four unofficial members drawn from the European community.
The first elected members of the Legislative Council - 1904 The European community continued to agitate for political reform and in 1904 a new Legislative Council was established with ten official members, six elected European members and two Fijians chosen by the Governor from a list of six provided by the Council of Chiefs. Indians were not represented but the Agent-General for Immigration who sat in the Council as one of the ten official members indirectly represented them.
Constitutional changes in 1914 and 1916 Changes to the Constitution on 31 January 1914 and 20
July 1916 provided for a triennial Legislative Council consisting of the Governor
as President, not more than twelve nominated members, of whom eleven
must be public officers and one may be a British subject not holding any
such office. From 1916 to 1929 an Indian was chosen as the twelfth
nominated member. There were also seven elected European members and two
nominated Fijian members chosen by the Governor from a list of six
provided by the Great Council of Chiefs.
2
Constitutional changes in 1929 Constitutional changes in 1937 Constitutional changes in 1963 In 1963, the Legislative Council was expanded to 37 members, of which 19 were official members (usually heads of Government departments) and 18 unofficial members, thus retaining the official majority. Of the unofficial members, 12 were elected, four from each of the Fijian, Indian and European groups chosen on a communal franchise. The Governor also nominated two from each of the communities. Although, for the first time ethnic Fijians and women were given the right to vote, illiterate adults were not permitted to vote, some people could choose between ethnic rolls and no provision was made for Rotumans, Pacific Islanders, Chinese and Part-Chinese to vote. There was also a number of changes to qualifications for candidates to run for office. Indian and European civil servants were prohibited from nominating as candidates, but this provision did not apply to Fijians as there were few qualified Fijians outside the civil service. Candidates were required, not only to be eligible to be registered as a voter, but to be actually registered.
Constitutional changes in 1965 At a constitutional conference in London in 1965 further changes to the constitution was carried out by which all adults were given the right to vote and the Legislative Council was to consist of 36 members. 25 seats represented Communal constituencies (9 indigenous Fijians (Fijians and Pacific Islanders), 9 Indo-Fijians, and 7 General Electors (Europeans, Chinese), elected on closed electoral rolls by voters registered as members of their respective ethnic groups. A further 9 members were elected from cross-voting seats allocated ethnically (3 for each ethnic constituency) but elected by universal suffrage. The remaining 2 members were nominated by the Great Council of Chiefs. The first elections under the new constitution were held in 1966.
Dominion of Fiji Constitutional changes in 1970 When Fiji attained independence from the United Kingdom in 1970, the Legislative Council was replaced by the House of Representatives consisting of 52 members. Fiji was divided into communal and national constituencies. The former were elected by voters registered as members of specific ethnic groups (12 Fijians, 12 Indians, and 3 General Electors - Caucasians, Chinese, and other minorities); the latter were allocated to specific ethnic groups (10 indigenous Fijians, 10 Indo-Fijians, and 5 General Electors), but elected by universal suffrage. Under a grandfather clause in the 1970 Constitution, the old Legislative Council was renamed the House of Representatives and continued in office until 1972, when the first post-independence elections were held. Republic of Fiji Constitutional changes in 1990 Constitutional changes in 1997 1.
R.A. Derrick, A History of Fiji: Volume One, Government Press,
Suva, 1950, pp.207 - 241 |
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Last modified on 05 Jul 2007 | Email me | © Surjeet Singh |