Jone Usamate Explained

Jone Usamate
Office:Minister for  Infrastructure and Meteorological Services
Term Start:25 September 2014
Term End:24 December 2022
Appointer:Frank Bainimarama
Birth Date:2 April 1962
Birth Place:Suva
Nationality:Fijian
Party:FijiFirst
Independent
Children:Four
Alma Mater:University of the South Pacific
Profession:Academic
Office1:Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources
Termstart1:16 April 2020
Termend1:24 December 2022
Succeeded:Filipe Tuisawau
Succeeded1:Filimoni Vosarogo
Appointer1:Frank Bainimarama

Jone Usamate (born 2 April 1962, in Suva) is a Fijian politician, who served as the Minister for  Infrastructure and Meteorological Services from 2014 to 2022 and Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources from 2020 to 2022 in the Fijian government.[1]

Usamate studied at the Suva Infant School, Veiuto Primary, Levuka Public and the then Kalabu Fijian before attending Lelean Memorial School from 1974 to 1979. He studied at the University of the South Pacific and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in administration and economics as well as a Master of Arts in management from Southern Cross University.[2] He was the chief executive officer for the Training and Productivity Authority of Fiji (TPAF) and was the Director for Technical and Vocational Education and Training at the Fiji National University.

In February 2012, he was appointed a Minister and sworn in by Fiji's President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau at Government House, Suva.[3]

He stood for Fiji First in the 2014 general elections. He collected 939 votes and was elected as a Member of Parliament.[4] He returned as a Government minister and left the Labour and Industrial Relations Ministry to become the Minister for Health. In September 2016, he was part of a cabinet shuffle and was moved to the Ministry for Employment Opportunities, Productivity and Industrial Relations.

Following the collapse of FijiFirst, Seruiratu remained in parliament as an independent, serving as chief whip of the opposition Group of 16 Bloc.[5]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Fijivillage. PM announces cabinet reshuffle, Faiyaz Koya sworn in as Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport. 2020-06-05. www.fijivillage.com. en.
  2. Web site: PDirector Technical Vocational Education & Training (TVET) – Mr Jone Usamate . 2014-07-05 . dead . https://archive.today/20140707060730/http://waf.fnu.ac.fj/staffdir/DTVET.aspx . 2014-07-07 .
  3. Web site: PACNEWS - Regional news . 2014-07-05 .
  4. 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 .
  5. Web site: Opposition splits in 2 - One led by Seruiratu, the other will be led by Naivalurua . Fiji Village . Navitalai Naivalurua . 5 August 2024 . 5 August 2024.