FijiFirst explained

FijiFirst
Native Name:iMatai ni Viti
Abbreviation:FF
Leader:Frank Bainimarama
President:Tema Varo[1]
Secretary General:Faiyaz Koya (acting)
Dissolved:1 July 2024
Headquarters:96 Brown Street, Suva
Youth Wing:FijiFirst Youth
Ideology:
Position:Centre
Colours: Light blue
Slogan:“The best future for all Fijians”
Seats1 Title:Parliament
Seats1:-->
Country:Fiji

FijiFirst (FF, Fijian: iMatai ni Viti; फिजी प्रथम) was a liberal political party in Fiji. The party was formed in March 2014 by then Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama. It was deregistered on 1 July 2024.[7]

Formation

The party was launched on 31 March 2014 with Bainimarama beginning a nationwide tour of the country in a campaign bus to collect the obligatory 5000 signatures necessary to register a political party.[8] The party collected over 40,000 signatures for its registration.[9]

Bainimarama says FijiFirst is a name that encompasses his political beliefs.[10] He announced his first candidate as party president Jiko Luveni.[11]

The party appointed former Fiji Labour Party senator Bijai Prasad as one of its Vice Presidents as well as the current Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum as the party General secretary. Bijai Prasad resigned as VP a day later citing a criminal conviction for larceny in the 1980s for which he had served jail time.[12] The Tui Macuata, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere was also selected as a vice president of the party. Vimlesh Kumar who is an accountant and an affiliate member of CPA Australia is listed as the treasurer.[13]

The party's application for registration resulted in six complaints,[14] including one claiming that "Fiji 1st" was previously used by another party.[15] Despite this, the party was registered on 30 May 2014.[16]

2014 election

The party released its first batch of 21 candidates on July 25, 2014[17] with Frank Bainimarama heading the list. As a result of the 2014 Fijian general elections, the party won 293,714 votes, 59.2% of all those who voted (495,105 voters), giving the party a clear majority with 32 of the 50 Parliamentary seats.[18]

2018 election

The party ran 51 candidates in the 2018 elections, ten of which were women.[19] FijiFirst won the 2018 general elections with a reduced majority from the 2014 elections. FijiFirst accumulated 227,241 of the votes that resulted on the party gaining 50.02% that allocated to 27 seats enough for the party to govern alone within a slim majority.[20] [21]

2022 election

Despite remaining the first party in the 2022 election FijiFirst saw its vote share reducing again down to 42.55%, causing the party to lose its majority in the Parliament.[22] With only 3 seats the SODELPA emerged as kingmaker,[23] and after 6 days of negotiations it decided to support a PAP-led cabinet, effectively ending FijiFirst's eight-year tenure and Bainimarama's 16-year premiership.[24]

On 29 March 2023, Inia Seruiratu was elected as the Leader of the Opposition taking over from Frank Bainimarama.[25] However, Bainimarama remained party leader.[26]

On 18 May 2023 the party was suspended and prohibiting from acting as a political party for 30 days for failing to submit annual accounts.[27] [28] The suspension was lifted on 9 June after the party submitted audited accounts.[29]

On 11 December 2023 Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum resigned as general secretary of the FijiFirst party.[30] [31]

Collapse and dissolution

On 31 May 2024 FijiFirst sacked 17 of its 26 MPs after they voted to increase their salaries against a party directive.[32] [33] When the MPs announced they would challenge their removal from Parliament, the party's administration, including party president Ratu Joji Satalaka, vice Presidents Selai Adimaitoga and Ravindran Nair, acting general secretary Faiyaz Koya, treasurer Hem Chand, as well as founding members Frank Bainimarama, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, and Salesh Kumar all resigned.[34] On 14 June Speaker of the House Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu ruled that the 17 MPs were not disqualified, as FijiFirst's notification was signed by Bainimarama, who as a convicted criminal could not exercise any functions in a registered political party.[35] During the dispute the registrar of political parties was informed that the party did not have a legally-required dispute resolution mechanism in its constitution, and threatened to dissolve it if this was not remedied.[36] The party was deregistered on 1 July 2024,[9] [37] [38] its MPs becoming independents.[39]

Electoral history

Parliamentary elections

ElectionParty leaderVotes%Seats+/–PositionResult
2014Frank Bainimarama293,71459.17% 32 1st
2018227,24152.94% 5 1st
2022200,24642.55% 1 1st

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nand. Edwin. FijiFirst appoints new party President. 2021-11-21. Fiji Broadcasting Corporation.
  2. Lal . Brij V.. 18 November 2014 . In Frank Bainimarama's Shadow: Fiji, Elections and the Future . The Journal of Pacific History . . 49 . 4 . 467 . 10.1080/00223344.2014.977518 . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220126034219/https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00223344.2014.977518 . 26 January 2022 .
  3. Web site: Bonapartism in the South Pacific: The Bainimarama Government in Fiji . MacWilliam . Scott . 2015 . researchprofiles.anu.edu.au . . 6 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211130025115/https://researchprofiles.anu.edu.au/en/publications/bonapartism-in-the-south-pacific-the-bainimarama-government-in-fi . 30 November 2021 .
  4. Book: Ratuva . Steven . Lawson . Stephanie . March 2016 . The people have spoken: The 2014 elections in Fiji . live . . 149 . 978-17604-6001-3 . 10.22459/TPHS.03.2016 . free . https://web.archive.org/web/20190407143830/https://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/p337333/pdf/book.pdf . 7 April 2019 .
  5. News: Talei . Akosita . 20 October 2018 . Fiji to stay secular state: Bainimarama . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20221126213010/https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fiji-to-stay-secular-state-bainimarama/ . 26 November 2022 .
  6. Ramesh . Sanjay . December 2015 . Fiji's Electoral Strategies: A Comparative Perspective . Pacific Studies . . 978-0-939154-77-7 . 38 . 3 . 329 .
  7. Web site: FijiFirst deregistered . FBC News . Kreetika Kumar . 1 July 2024 . 1 July 2024.
  8. Web site: 'I want a new Fiji' - Fiji Times Online . 2014-04-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140409093909/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=264241 . 2014-04-09 . dead.
  9. Web site: Fiji's Bainimarama lodges party application - Radio New Zealand News . 5 May 2014 . 2014-05-08 .
  10. Web site: Pacific.scoop.co.nz » Fiji First unveiled as Bainimarama's new party name for elections . 2014-04-26 .
  11. Web site: Fiji First registration now weeks away - Radio New Zealand News . 25 April 2014 . 2014-04-26 .
  12. Web site: FijiFirst man quits over criminal record . 2014-05-08 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140508102136/http://fijilive.com/news/2014/05/fijifirst-man-quits-over-criminal-record/57539/ . 2014-05-08 .
  13. Web site: I did not have to think twice - Tui Macuata . 2014-05-08 .
  14. Web site: Fiji First Party approval outlined . Radio New Zealand International . 2014-06-02 . 2014-06-03.
  15. Web site: Fiji First party registration decried . Radio New Zealand International . 2014-05-31 . 2014-06-03.
  16. Web site: Fijian PM's Fiji First party officially registered . Shanghai Daily . 2014-05-30 . 2014-06-03.
  17. News: Swamy. Nasik. FijiFirst candidates. 26 July 2014. Fiji Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924044004/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=275411. 24 September 2015. dead.
  18. Web site: 2014 Election Results . Fiji Elections Office . 2014-09-23 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140921200245/http://www.electionsfiji.gov.fj/2014-election-results/ . 2014-09-21 .
  19. Web site: Six political parties to contest Fijian elections . RNZ . 16 October 2018 . 16 October 2018.
  20. Web site: 2018 General Election: FijiFirst wins and will form next government. The Fiji Times . 18 November 2018 . 18 November 2018.
  21. Web site: 2018 General Election: FijiFirst secures 27 seats to form government . Talebula Kate . Fiji Times . 18 November 2018 . 18 November 2018.
  22. Web site: Fijivillage . Final results out with no party securing more than 50 percent of the total votes in the 2022 general elections . 2022-12-18 . www.fijivillage.com . en.
  23. Web site: SODELPA is kingmaker . 2022-12-18 . Fiji Broadcasting Corporation.
  24. Web site: 2022-12-20 . Fiji has a new coalition government; Rabuka to be PM . 2022-12-20 . RNZ . en-nz.
  25. News: Seruiratu elected Opposition Leader . Fijivillage . 29 March 2023 . 29 March 2023.
  26. News: Kumar . Kreetika . Bainimarama remains Party Leader . 9 May 2024 . . 9 May 2024.
  27. Web site: Four Fiji political parties suspended for 30 days over accounts . Fiji Times . 18 May 2023 . 18 May 2023.
  28. Web site: FijiFirst, New Generation Party and All People's Party social media accounts have gone offline . Fiji Village . 18 May 2023 . 18 May 2023.
  29. Web site: FEO lifts suspension of FijiFirst . Fiji Village . 9 June 2023 . 9 June 2023.
  30. Web site: Sayed-Khaiyum resigns as FijiFirst GS . FBC News . Jale Daucakacaka . 11 December 2023 . 10 December 2023.
  31. Web site: FijiFirst general secretary Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum resigns, launches criticism against government . RNZ . 11 December 2023 . 10 December 2023.
  32. Web site: Fiji's main opposition FijiFirst sacks 17 MPs who voted for pay rise . RNZ . 31 May 2024 . 10 June 2024.
  33. Web site: FijiFirst MPs terminated . FBC News . 31 May 2024 . 10 June 2024.
  34. Web site: FijiFirst party founders Frank Bainimarama, Sayed-Khaiyum and others resign . RNZ . 10 June 2024 . 10 June 2024.
  35. Web site: Speaker decides 17 FijiFirst MPs keep their seats, and refers Bainimarama and Koya for alleged probable breaches . Fiji Village . Vijay Narayan . 14 June 2024 . 15 June 2024.
  36. Web site: FijiFirst resignations 'shocking' - Supporters 'let down', says professor . RNZ . 12 June 2024 . 1 July 2024.
  37. Web site: FijiFirst Party de-registered . Fiji Village . Vijay Narayan . 1 July 2024 . 1 July 2024.
  38. Web site: No more party : FEO deregisters FijiFirst . Fiji Times . Shayal Devi . 2 July 2024 . 2 July 2024.
  39. Web site: FijiFirst Party Deregistered, Opposition to Serve as Independent MPs . Fiji Sun . Jone Salusalu . 2 July 2024 . 2 July 2024.

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