Sakiasi Ditoka Explained
Sakiasi Raisevu Ditoka is a Fijian politician and cabinet minister who has served as the Minister for Rural, Maritime Development and Disaster Management since 24 December 2022. He is also a member of the People's Alliance serving as its general secretary.
Early life
A former military officer, Ditoka joined the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and rose to the rank of major. He left the military in 2002 and joined the Public Service Commission. Ditoka was then appointed as private secretary to then Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase until his removal in a 2006 military coup.[1]
Political career
Ditoka was one of the founding members of the People's Alliance led by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.[2] The party was registered and subsequently launched in 2021 with him as general secretary.[3] Ditoka contested the 2022 Fijian general election and campaigned for more development as well as raising concerns about issues regarding health and education.[4] On 17 December he and Rabuka were interrogated by police over comments calling for military intervention to protect the electoral process.[5]
He was elected to the Parliament of Fiji with 1833 votes.[6] [7] On 24 December 2022, he was appointed as Minister for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management.[8]
Notes and References
- Web site: Chaudhary . Felix . 7 December 2022 . 2022 General Election : No such thing as a clean up campaign – Ditoka . 30 December 2022 . FijiTimes . en . 30 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221230081842/https://www.fijitimes.com/2022-general-election-no-such-thing-as-a-clean-up-campaign-ditoka/ . live .
- Web site: Fijivillage . People's Alliance announces founding members which include the Tui Nawaka and Ajay Amrit . 30 December 2022 . www.fijivillage.com . en . 11 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220111052226/https://www.fijivillage.com/feature/Peoples-Alliance-announces-founding-members-which-include-the-Tui-Nawaka-and-Ajay-Amrit-xr5f84/ . live .
- Web site: Rabuka's People's Alliance Registered As A Political Party . 30 December 2022 . fijisun.com.fj . en-US . 28 May 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220528125223/https://fijisun.com.fj/2021/09/08/rabukas-peoples-alliance-registered-as-a-political-party/ . live .
- Web site: Chaudhary . Felix . 7 December 2022 . 2022 General Election: Concerns more development – Ditoka . 30 December 2022 . FijiTimes . en . 30 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221230081840/https://www.fijitimes.com/2022-general-election-concerns-more-development-ditoka/ . live .
- Web site: Rabuka calls for calm after Fiji police interrogation . RNZ . 17 December 2022 . 31 December 2022 . 30 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221230225521/https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/480927/rabuka-calls-for-calm-after-fiji-police-interrogation . live .
- Web site: Top 55 confirmed . 30 December 2022 . Fiji Broadcasting Corporation . 23 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221223040948/https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fijian-elections/top-55-confirmed/ . live .
- Web site: Sakiasi Raisevu Ditoka (219) . 30 December 2022 . Fijian Elections Office . 30 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221230081842/https://2022results.feo.org.fj/Home/CandidateResults/47?CandidateBallotNumber=219&Year=2022%20Official . live .
- Web site: Vula . Timoci . 25 December 2022 . 2022 General Election: Fiji's new Cabinet Ministers and Assistant Ministers . 30 December 2022 . FijiTimes . en . 25 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221225101537/https://www.fijitimes.com/2022-general-election-fijis-new-cabinet-ministers-and-assistant-ministers/ . live .
