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Chronological
history |
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Bavadra's legacy |
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Party launch 1985 |
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July 6, 1985 |
The Fiji Labour Party was
launched under the aegis of the Fiji Trades Union Congress to fight the
Alliance Party's growing insensitivity towards the plight of the workers
and the poor. The inaugural meeting was held at the Fijian Teachers Association
(FTA) hall in Suva. Among the record number of people who attended
the launching were FTUC executives, politicians, professionals and
USP academics.
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1985 |
Municipal Elections
Suva City Council elections in October that year provided
the first test to the fledgling Fiji Labour Party. The party contested all the wards and
won a convincing victory giving Suva its
first Labour Mayor, Cr. Bob Kumar. It was a growing sign of
grassroots support for the new party.
The Labasa, Nadi Ba Town Council Elections were also
contested with Labour winning five, one and three wards respectively. It
also went on to win the well contested Lautoka Simla Ward by-election by a clear
margin.
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1986 |
The following year Labour got an
opportunity to test the political waters when it put up well known trade
unionist Mahendra Pal Chaudhry to contest the parliamentary by- election for the
North-Central Indian Constituency. Although he stood against stalwarts
from the NFP and Alliance parties, Chaudhry did exceptionally well losing
by a mere margin of 204 votes. His support in this traditional cane belt
district was indicative of growing support and strength. |
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Uday Singh, Alliance
Mahendra Chaudhry,
Fiji Labour Party
James Shankar Singh, National Federation Party |
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7644
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April 1987 |
For strategic reasons the Fiji Labour Party decided it
was prudent to fight the general elections in a coalition with the National
Federation Party so as not to split the Indian vote. The Coalition won the
general elections, toppling the Alliance perch on power for 17 years.
Labour's Dr. Timoci
Bavadra became Fiji's second Prime Minister.
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April 13, 1987 |
Fiji Labour Party President
and Leader, Dr. Timoci Bavadra, sworn in as Fiji's second Prime Minister
and Minister for Public Service and Fijian Affairs.
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April 1987 |
The swearing in of the Fiji
Labour Party and NFP coalition Government Ministers. Some prominent names were (Senator) Jai Ram Reddy - Attorney
General, Finance Minister - Mahendra Chaudhry, Dr. Tupeni Baba
- the Education Minister, Krishna Datt- Foreign Affairs
Minister etc. There was a real optimism in the country and the majority of
people were looking forward to the new Government carrying out its
policies of social justice and good governance. |
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May 14, 1987 |
The coalition government is
deposed by a military coup, led by Lt. Col Sitiveni Rabuka following
weeks of a deliberately orchestrated destabilisation
campaign. Cabinet and members of the government were held hostage for 7 days. The
country was thrown into chaos. There was widespread panic and fear among the
citizens. Sitiveni Rabuka claimed he had carried out the
coup to safeguard Fijian paramountcy. On their release, Coalition
leaders, in particular the FLP leaders, instigated a campaign to fight for
the restoration of parliamentary democracy and human rights in Fiji.
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June 1987 |
A delegation led by Prime
Minister Dr. Timoci Bavadra left to lobby overseas for the restoration of democracy in Fiji.
He received an audience with Sir William Heseltine, the Queen's
Private Secretary and Commonwealth Secretary General, Sir Shirdath Ramphal
while in London. Other delegations met with governments,
trade unions and political leaders from Australia, New Zealand, India,
United States, Canada, Papua New Guinea, and New Caledonia. Overseas trade
unions, in particular those in Australia and New Zealand imposed a trade
ban on Fiji which played a major role in forcing the authorities to
negotiate with the leaders of the deposed government.
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September 23, 1987 |
The negotiations led to what is
known as the Deuba talks and Accord headed by the Governor General Ratu
Penaia Ganilau . Dr.
Timoci Bavadra led the Labour delegation while the defeated Alliance
Party was headed by Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. A
political solution for a government of national unity including members of
both parties was formalised in the Deuba Accord signed on September 23,
1987. Sitiveni Rabuka struck again staging a second coup on 25
September, 1987.
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September 25, 1987 |
Second military coup. Deposed
Prime Minister Dr.
Bavadra along with many of his colleagues and sympathisers, and High Court
judges were arrested and held in detention at the Naboro Prison about 30 kilometres
from Suva. Chaudhry and Reddy evaded arrest. This time the military
abrogated the 1970 Constitution and imposed military rule. The Press was
banned, Radio Fiji was taken over by the military regime and a Sunday ban
on all activities including sports and entertainment was imposed.
Widespread atrocities were committed on innocent Indians by the army and
coup supporters. In December Rabuka relinquished power to an interim
administration headed Rt. Sir
Kamisese Mara but the military remained very much the real power in the
country. |
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May 14, 1988 |
Activists for
democracy arrested at Sukuna Park on the first anniversary of the coup,
among them Dr. Atu Bain and Dr. Vijay Naidu. May 14th became a black day in the history of Fiji
with black bands worn as a sign of mourning for the death of
democracy, and in protest against the dreadful day.
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September 1987 -1989 |
The fight for restoration of
democracy was intensified after the second coup. With most of NFP
parliamentarians including its leader running away, the struggle was left
virtually to Labour MPs and activists. Work on a review of the
constitution which had begun after the first coup, resumed. The
intention was clearly to draft a document which would ensure Fijian
political paramountcy. |
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November 3, 1989 |
Dr. Timoci Bavadra dies of
cancer. A record 60,000 people
attended the great leader's funeral at his home village of Veseisei five days later with schools
and shops throughout being
closed for the day in his respect. His wife Adi Kuini Vuikaba took up
leadership of the FLP at the request of senior executives. |
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1990 - 1992 |
FLP continued the struggle for
restoration of democracy despite serious personal threat to leaders from
the army and nationalist thugs. After 1990 much of the campaign was
focused against the undemocratic and racially 1990 constitution.
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1992 General Elections
Labour's deal with Rabuka
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General elections were called
under the racist constitution in 1992. At first the NFP-Labour Coalition
had decided to boycott elections under the racist constitution but the NFP
reneged on the agreement deciding to would participate in the
general elections. Labour continued its boycott stance until two weeks
before the elections when under pressure from supporters and for strategic
reasons it decided to enter the contest. Despite its late entry, FLP won 13 seats
of the 27 Indian communal seats in the House of Representatives stunning
the country with its achievement. Drama after the elections, saw the FLP enter into a deal with
Sitiveni Rabuka to support his candidature for prime ministership in return for an immediate review of the racially
discriminatory 1990 Constitution, Agricultural Landlords and Tenants Act
(ALTA), Value Added Tax (VAT) and the labour reforms |
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June 1993 |
The failure of the Prime
Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka to honour his part of the post-election accord
and his rather offensive and arrogant statements about his agreement
and intentions prompted Labour Leader, Mahendra Pal Chaudhry, to
lead a workout of the parliament by Labour MPs, withdrawing its support for the
government. FLP Secretary General, Navin Maharaj
resigned as the Deputy Speaker. The Labour walkout forced Rabuka into action
and within a week of the walkout, an extended Cabinet sub-committee was
appointed to review the racially discriminatory 1990 constitution.
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September 1993 |
The Cabinet Sub-Committee drew
up the terms of reference for a commission to review the constitution.
Labour felt the terms of reference did not adequately protect Indo-Fijian
interests which prompted it to re-enter Parliament to enforce
changes to the terms of reference. The Party also wanted the review
commission's report subjected to scrutiny by a parliamentary select committee,
a very important aspect not contained in the Rabuka/Reddy terms of
reference.
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1993 |
On its return, FLP worked closely
with government backbenchers led by Josevata Kamikamica and David
Pickering (Member of All National Congress in opposition) to defeat the
1994 Budget. The defeat of the budget brought down the Rabuka government
and forced through snap elections.
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April 1994 |
Election campaign saw the NFP
playing its ace card accusing the FLP of acting against Indian
in its post-election
agreement pact with Rabuka, the coup leader. As a result, Labour's
parliamentary seats declined to 7. Significantly, its support at the grassroots
level remained high with Labour amassing 47% of the total Indian votes
cast.
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1997 |
A three-man review Commission
headed by retired New Zealand governor general Sir Paul Reeves made
extensive recommendations which saw a new constitution take shape
following close scrutiny by a Joint Parliamentary Select committee. The new
Constitution was passed by both Houses of Parliament and approved by the
Great Council of Chiefs. It was widely acclaimed by the international
community.
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1998 |
Elections under the new
constitution was called for May 1999. To fight the elections, FLP entered into a
coalition with the Fijian Association Party headed by Adi Kuini Speed, and
Party of National Unity, headed by Tui Ba, Ratu Sairusi Nagagavoka.
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May 1999 |
The People's Coalition Government
won the polls with an overwhelming majority. It had run a popular campaign
based on a people's manifesto that promised social and economic justice
and good governance. The Party romped in with 37 parliamentary seats
with FAP winning 11 seats and PANU four - a total of 52 seats out of 71in
the .
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May 1999 |
Labour Leader, and for the
first time in Fiji's history a Fiji-born Indian, Mahendra
Pal Chaudhry, is sworn in as the Prime Minister of the Republic of the Fiji
Islands. He was also handled the important portfolio of Finance Minister
and in addition was Minister for Public Enterprise, Sugar and Information.
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May 1999 |
Peoples Coalition Government
Cabinet sworn in with the Dr. Tupeni Baba and Adi Kuini Speed as deputy Prime Ministers. |
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Coalition Government Cabinet 1999
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May 2000 |
The Peoples Coalition Government
lost no time in trying to fulfill its pledge to the poor and disadvantaged.
In the short period it was in office, it turned the economy around
registering a 10% growth for 1999 compared to minus economic performances
recorded in the previous two years. Investment levels rose tremendously creating thousands of new jobs and business boomed. Government brought
down the cost of living to a point where inflation was running at
virtually minus levels and initiated several measures to help the
disadvantaged and the poor society. (Please refer to Peoples Coalition Government
Achievements for more details)
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May 19th 2000 |
A band of terrorists led by
failed businessman George Speight storms the parliament with the help of
Counter Revolutionary Warfare Unit soldiers and takes the government and
its members hostage. The Prime Minister, Mr. Mahendra Chaudhry and his
son Rajendra Chaudhry together with 42 other Cabinet Ministers and backbenchers
of the People's Coalition Government were held for 56 days at gunpoint. There
was widespread violence and looting in the City of Suva. The City was in
ruins with the aftermath of burning and looting by indigenous marchers
and people were thrown into chaos and panic. Heinous atrocities were
committed on isolated rural Indian settlements.
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Hostage Labour Party parliamentarians
July 2000
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June 2000 |
Fiji's first ever-political
refugee camp emerged amidst continued terrorism in the Muaniweni and
Dawasamu areas. The police and the army were either unable or
unwilling to contain the
continued violence against the rural people many of whom were forced to
flee their homes to escape to safety.
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13 July 2000 |
The Prime Minister, Mr. Mahendra
Chaudhry and members of his Peoples Coalition Government hostages are
released.
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November 2000 |
A case filed
by the Fiji Human Rights Commission challenging the abrogation of the 1997
constitution, on behalf of a farmer, Chandrika Prasad forced to flee his
home in the wake of terrorist attacks. In a landmark judgment on the case,
Justice Anthony Gates ruled that the Constitution was still intact, that
Parliament should be recalled and government formed from within the ranks
of the elected representatives. The illegal administration of
Laisenia Qarase appealed the Gates ruling.
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March 2001 |
Landmark ruling in the Chandrika
Prasad appeal case whereby a Fiji Court of Appeal judgment upheld the 1997 Constitution.
It found that the army commander had no right to abrogate the constitution
and assume executive authority. It also found that the Qarase
administration was illegal and had no popular backing.
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March 2001 |
Post coup
authorities, the acting President, the army and the interim
administration, however, had no intention of restoring the People's
Coalition Government to office. They resorted to a series of extra-legal
manouvres to keep the status quo. The acting President
dismissed Chaudhry as Prime Minister and appointed Tevita Momoedonu PM for
24 hours to perform the constitutional functions of a PM i.e. dissolve
parliament and be consulted on his appointment as substantive President.
As (the illegally appointed President) he then declared fresh general
elections in late August and re-appointed the Qarase administration as
caretaker government.
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August-September
2001 |
The general elections saw
Qarase returned to power with a narrow majority. Chaudhry returned as
leader of the second largest party with 27 seats in the House. The FLP
claimed elections were not free and fair despite the finding by
international monitoring groups that it largely reflected the will of the
people. FLP's claim was later supported by disclosures that the Qarase
group had spent close to $30 million in a vote buying exercise. FLP
challenged the results of four seats - one was that of Krishna Prasad who
lost the Nadi Open seat to NFP's Prem Singh - the only seat won by NFP in
the general elections, confirming the routing it had received at the polls
in 1999.
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September 2001 |
As the second
largest party in the House, Labour was legally entitled to cabinet
positions in line with the power sharing provisions of the
Constitution. Qarase, however, formed the new government in
coalition with Speight's party but refused to accept Labour in his
government. The prime minister's failure to do so means Fiji continues to
have an unconstitutional government. It also means that 44% of the
country's population (the Indian community) have no voice in national
decision making. Fiji Labour Party mounts a legal challenge against its omission from the Cabinet.
The High Court referred the case to the Fiji Court of Appeal to expedite
matters.
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2001 |
Opposition Leader rejects four
of the eight Senate nominees submitted by the Fiji Labour Party. This
matter also had to be challenged in court by the Fiji Labour Party - it
eventually won the case and the matter was re4ctified with Labour
appointing all eight Opposition Senators in the upper House.
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October 2001 |
Fiji Labour Party Nadi Open
candidate, Mr. Krishna Prasad, mounts a legal challenge against the
Opposition Leader, Mr. Prem Singh, claiming that Mr. Prasad should be the
legal representative of that Constituency. Similar cases are filed in Suva
by FLP candidates, Mrs Lavinia Padarath, Joeli Kalou and John Ali.
Judgment pending.
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February 2002 |
In a judgment
delivered on 15 February 2002, the Fiji Court of Appeal ruled in favour of
the Fiji Labour Party in the multi-party cabinet case. It
found that Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase had acted in breached of the
constitution in refusing to invite Labour has been critical
of CJ Fatiaki's refusal to constitute the Supreme Court to hear the case
as a matter of urgency because of the national significance of the case. |
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February 2002 |
Krishna Prasad of Labour Party
wins the case and is declared the elected candidate of Nadi Open
Constituency. Opposition Leader appeals for a stay order against the
decision even though the constitution does not allow any appeal against a
ruling by the court of disputed returns.
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March 2002 |
The Appeals Court
threw out Prem Singh's appeal saying it had no jurisdiction to deal with
the case.
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April 2002 |
But Chief
Justice Sir Timoci Tuivaga grants the Opposition Leader an extension on
the stay order amidst growing controversy.
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April 2002 |
Seven Fiji Labour
Party Senators are sworn in and take their place in the
Senate.
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September
2002 |
Supreme
Court rejects appeal by Leader of Opposition Prem Singh
in the Krishna Prasad case. Prem Singh has to vacate Parliament and
Opposition leader's seat. |
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23 September
2002 |
Krishna
Prasad is finally sworn in as MP for the Nadi Open Constituency.
Government members boycotted his swearing in. |
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