Politics
Conventional Long Form Name: Republic of Fiji
Capital City: Suva
Type of Government: Republic
Date of Independence: October 10, 1970
National Holiday: Independence Day, second Monday of October
Chief of State: President Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU
Head of Government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE
Executive Branch Powers:
Cabinet: appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and responsible to Parliament
Elections: under the constitution, president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); in 2007 the Great Council of Chiefs was suspended from its role in electing the president; prime minister appointed by the president
Legislative Branch Powers:
Bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14 members appointed by the president on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, 9 appointed by the president on the advice of the Prime Minister, 8 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 1 appointed on the advice of the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 members reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1 reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms) Elections: House of Representatives - last held on 6-13 May 2006 (long delayed, the next elections reportedly will be held in 2014)
Judicial Branch Powers:
Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, all justices of the Court of Appeal, and judges appointed specifically as Supreme Court judges); Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, all puisne judges of the High Court, and judges specifically appointed to the Court of Appeal); High Court (chaired by the chief justice and includes a minimum of 10 puisne judges; High Court organized into civil, criminal, family, employment, and tax divisions)
Judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president of Fiji on the advice of the prime minister following consultation with the parliamentary leader of the opposition; judges of the Supreme Court, the president of the Court of Appeal, the justices of the Court of Appeal, and puisne judges of the High Court are appointed by the president of Fiji, upon the nomination of the Judicial Service Commission, after consulting with the cabinet minister and the committee of the House of Representatives responsible for the administration of justice; the chief justice, Supreme Court judges, and justices of Appeal generally required to retire at age 70, but may be waived for one or more sessions of the court; puisine judges appointed for not less than 4 years nor more than 7 years with mandatory retirement at age 65
Subordinate courts: Magistrates' Court (organized into civil, criminal, juvenile, and small claims divisions)
Suffrage: 21 years of age; Universal
Ambassador to the United States: Ambassador Winston THOMPSON (location of embassy not given)
Consulate in the United States: 2000 M Street, NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036
United States Ambassador to Fiji: Ambassador Frankie A. REED
United States Embassy: 158 Princes Rd, Tamavua (no consulates given)
Representative to the United Nations: Peter Thompson
Flag Description and Symbolism in Fiji: Light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the blue symbolizes the Pacific ocean and the Union Jack reflects the links with Great Britain; the shield - taken from Fiji's coat of arms - depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George; the four quarters depict stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove
National Anthem Audio
Capital City: Suva
Type of Government: Republic
Date of Independence: October 10, 1970
National Holiday: Independence Day, second Monday of October
Chief of State: President Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU
Head of Government: Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE
Executive Branch Powers:
Cabinet: appointed by the prime minister from among the members of Parliament and responsible to Parliament
Elections: under the constitution, president elected by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); in 2007 the Great Council of Chiefs was suspended from its role in electing the president; prime minister appointed by the president
Legislative Branch Powers:
Bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (32 seats; 14 members appointed by the president on the advice of the Great Council of Chiefs, 9 appointed by the president on the advice of the Prime Minister, 8 on the advice of the opposition leader, and 1 appointed on the advice of the council of Rotuma) and the House of Representatives (71 seats; 23 members reserved for ethnic Fijians, 19 reserved for ethnic Indians, 3 reserved for other ethnic groups, 1 reserved for the council of Rotuma constituency encompassing the whole of Fiji, and 25 open seats; members serve five-year terms) Elections: House of Representatives - last held on 6-13 May 2006 (long delayed, the next elections reportedly will be held in 2014)
Judicial Branch Powers:
Supreme Court (consists of the chief justice, all justices of the Court of Appeal, and judges appointed specifically as Supreme Court judges); Court of Appeal (consists of the court president, all puisne judges of the High Court, and judges specifically appointed to the Court of Appeal); High Court (chaired by the chief justice and includes a minimum of 10 puisne judges; High Court organized into civil, criminal, family, employment, and tax divisions)
Judge selection and term of office: chief justice appointed by the president of Fiji on the advice of the prime minister following consultation with the parliamentary leader of the opposition; judges of the Supreme Court, the president of the Court of Appeal, the justices of the Court of Appeal, and puisne judges of the High Court are appointed by the president of Fiji, upon the nomination of the Judicial Service Commission, after consulting with the cabinet minister and the committee of the House of Representatives responsible for the administration of justice; the chief justice, Supreme Court judges, and justices of Appeal generally required to retire at age 70, but may be waived for one or more sessions of the court; puisine judges appointed for not less than 4 years nor more than 7 years with mandatory retirement at age 65
Subordinate courts: Magistrates' Court (organized into civil, criminal, juvenile, and small claims divisions)
Suffrage: 21 years of age; Universal
Ambassador to the United States: Ambassador Winston THOMPSON (location of embassy not given)
Consulate in the United States: 2000 M Street, NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20036
United States Ambassador to Fiji: Ambassador Frankie A. REED
United States Embassy: 158 Princes Rd, Tamavua (no consulates given)
Representative to the United Nations: Peter Thompson
Flag Description and Symbolism in Fiji: Light blue with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Fijian shield centered on the outer half of the flag; the blue symbolizes the Pacific ocean and the Union Jack reflects the links with Great Britain; the shield - taken from Fiji's coat of arms - depicts a yellow lion above a white field quartered by the cross of Saint George; the four quarters depict stalks of sugarcane, a palm tree, bananas, and a white dove
National Anthem Audio
![Picture](/uploads/2/3/7/0/23708425/1387415784.png)
Fiji's Flag
Fiji's Chief of State, Ratu Epeli NAILATIKAU
Fiji's Head of Government, Laisenia QARASE