Parveen Bala Explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Honourable
Parveen Bala
Honorific-Suffix:MP
Office:Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Leader:Inia Seruiratu
Termstart:10 October 2024
Office1:Minister for Employment, Productivity, Industrial Relations, Youth and Sports
Primeminister1:Frank Bainimarama
Preceded1:Laisenia Tuitubou
Termstart1:21 November 2018
Termend1:24 December 2022
Successor1:Agni Deo Singh
Office3:Minister of Infrastructure and Transport
Term Start3:12 May 2015
Term End3:21 November 2018
Predecessor3:Pio Tikoduadua
Successor3:Jone Usamate
Office4:Minister for Local Government, Housing and Environment
Term Start4:23 September 2014
Term End4:21 November 2018
Successor4:Premila Kumar (local govt and housing)
Mahendra Reddy (environment)
Office8:Mayor of Ba
Term Start8:1996
Term End8:2009
Successor8:None (position disestablished)
Constituency Mp10:FijiFirst List
Parliament10:Fijian
Term Start10:17 September 2014
Party:National Federation Party
FijiFirst (2014–2024)
Independent (2024–present)

Parveen Kumar Bala is a Fijian politician and former Cabinet Minister. He served as Mayor of Ba from 1997 to 2009, and in the Cabinet of Frank Bainimarama from 2014 to 2022. He is a former president of the Fiji Local Government Association.[1]

Local government

Bala was first elected Mayor of Ba in 1997, becoming the youngest mayor in the country. He held the position for 12 years, until the military regime disestablished elected local government following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état.[2] [3]

Bala was also an unsuccessful National Federation Party candidate for the House of Representatives in the 2001 election. He polled 28 percent of the vote in the Ba East Indian Communal Constituency.[4] He stood again at the 2006 election, but again failed to win the seat.[5]

Following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état, Bala was appointed Special Administrator of Lautoka.[6] The new Special Administrator for Ba (a non-elected position roughly analogous to mayor) is Arun Pravad.[7]

Member of Parliament

On November 2013, he was charged with dangerous driving causing death after a road accident in Lautoka.[8] The trial was delayed,[9] and despite facing charges he was selected as a candidate for the FijiFirst party in the 2014 Fijian general election and was ruled eligible to stand by Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem.[10] [11] He was elected with 6,358 votes. He was acquitted of the charge in July 2016.[12] [13]

Following the election he was appointed Minister for Local Government, Housing and Environment.[14] In May 2015 he was appointed Minister of Infrastructure and Transport following the resignation of Pio Tikoduadua.[15] As a Minister he promised to restore local government elections, but failed to do so.[16]

He was re-elected in the 2018 Fijian general election with 5,063 votes.[17] He was subsequently appointed Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations, replacing Jone Usamate.[18]

He was selected again as a FijiFirst candidate for the 2022 Fijian general election,[19] and was re-elected, winning 3604 votes,[20] but FijiFirst lost its majority, and he became an opposition MP.[21]

On 10 October 2024, Bala had been named deputy leader for the G16 faction.[22]

Notes and References

  1. News: Nasinu mayor wins . Fiji Times . 15 April 2007 . 28 December 2010.
  2. Web site: Ba ex-mayor says Fiji municipal reform was expected . 2 February 2009 . . 25 March 2023.
  3. Web site: Town bids Bala farewell . Fiji Times . 26 September 2014 . 25 March 2023.
  4. Web site: REPUBLIC OF THE FIJI ISLANDS PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF 25 AUGUST TO 1 SEPTEMBER 2001 . Psephos . 25 March 2023.
  5. Web site: REPUBLIC OF THE FIJI ISLANDS PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF 6 MAY 2006 . Psephos . 25 March 2023.
  6. News: Bala is new Lautoka Special Administrator . Fiji Gold . 8 May 2010 . 28 December 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110930192513/http://www.radiofiji.com.fj/fijigold/fullstory.php?id=27595 . 30 September 2011 .
  7. News: Timely gift for Ba town . Felix Chaudhary . Fiji Times . 18 December 2010 . 28 December 2010.
  8. Web site: Fiji Minister's trial date set for June . . 28 January 2016 . 25 March 2023.
  9. Web site: Fiji minister in court over road death . . 21 January 2015 . 25 March 2023.
  10. Web site: Boycott at Fiji's elections candidate list draw . . 23 August 2014 . 25 March 2023.
  11. Web site: Fiji PDP 'shocked' at court decision . . 26 August 2014 . 25 March 2023.
  12. Web site: Fiji minister acquitted on dangerous driving charge . . 23 July 2016 . 25 March 2023.
  13. Web site: Parveen Bala acquitted of his charges in court . Fiji Village . 22 July 2016 . 25 March 2023.
  14. Web site: Fiji’s New Cabinet Ministers Were Sworn In Today At Government House. . Fiji Sun . 24 September 2014 . 25 March 2023.
  15. Web site: Fiji has ministerial reshuffle after resignation . . 12 May 2015 . 25 March 2023.
  16. Web site: Gov minister predicts FijiFirst landslide . . 10 October 2018 . 25 March 2023.
  17. Web site: 2018 General Elections Dashboard . Fiji Elections Office . 2 June 2020.
  18. Web site: Fiji Government ministers sworn in . . 22 November 2018 . 25 March 2023.
  19. Web site: Bulitavu and Riddhi Damodar named as FijiFirst proposed candidates . Fiji Village . 30 October 2022 . 25 March 2023.
  20. Web site: Parveen Kumar Bala (478) . Fiji Elections Office . 25 March 2023.
  21. Web site: 24 December 2022 . Sitiveni Rabuka is Fiji's new prime minister . 24 December 2022 . . en-nz.
  22. Web site: Bala is G16 deputy leader . The Fiji Times . 24 November 2024.

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