Epeli Ganilau
Overview
Brigadier-General Ratu
Ratu
Ratu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, Adi is used by females of chiefly rank.-Etymology:Ra is a prefix in many titles and Tu is simply "chief"...

 Epeli Ganilau
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....

, MSD
Fijian honours system
The Fijian honours system dates from the granting of dominion status in 1970, when the Fijian Independence Medal was awarded to participants in the Fijian independence celebrations...

, (born 10 October 1951) is a Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...

an soldier and statesman, who currently heads the National Alliance Party of Fiji
National Alliance Party of Fiji
The National Alliance Party of Fiji is a Fijian political party. It was formally registered on 18 January 2005 by Ratu Epeli Ganilau, as the claimed successor to the defunct Alliance Party, which ruled Fiji from 1967 to 1987 under the leadership of the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, Ganilau's...

. His career has previously encompassed such roles as Commander of the Fiji Military Forces
Military of Fiji
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces are the military of the Pacific island nation of Fiji. With a total manpower of 3,500 active soldiers and 6,000 reservists, it is one of the smallest militaries in the world. However, most of its surrounding island nations have no militaries at all...

 and Chairman of the Bose Levu Vakaturaga (Great Council of Chiefs)
Great Council of Chiefs (Fiji)
The Great Council of Chiefs is a now dormant 1997 constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. In April 2007 the council was suspended, due to an unworkable relationship with Frank Bainimarama, leader of an "interim government" which came to power through a military coup in December 2006...

. On 15 January 2007 he was sworn in as Minister for Fijian Affairs
Minister for Fijian Affairs
The Minister for Fijian Affairs is the Cabinet Minister responsible for the preservation of Fijian culture and for the economic and social development of indigenous Fijians. Prior to 1999, the Minister for Fijian Affairs also presided over the Great Council of Chiefs, but since then the Great...

 in the interim Cabinet
Cabinet (Fiji)
Fiji has the Westminster system - executive authority is vested nominally in a President, but exercised in practice by a Cabinet of Ministers, presided over by the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is formally appointed, but not chosen, by the President: the President must appoint as Prime...

 formed in the wake of the military coup
2006 Fijian coup d'état
The Fijian coup d'état of December 2006 occurred as a continuation of the pressure which had been building since the military unrest of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état and 2005-2006 Fijian political crisis....

 which deposed the Qarase
Laisenia Qarase
Laisenia Qarase is a Fijian political figure. He served as the sixth Prime Minister of Fiji from 2000 to 2006. After the military quashed the coup that led to the removal of Mahendra Chaudhry, Qarase joined the Interim Military Government as a financial adviser on 9 June 2000, until his appointment...

 government on 5 December 2006. http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_35128.shtml http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2007/01/15/Fijilive11.html
Ganilau was educated at Wanganui Collegiate School
Wanganui Collegiate School
Wanganui Collegiate School is an independent, coeducational, day and boarding secondary school in Wanganui, New Zealand. The school is affiliated to the Anglican church.-About:...

, in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

, from 1965.
Quotations

"Race is a fact of life and is not a problem unless people make it out to be so." (2003)

"We are here today, not so much as to launch a political party but more so and more importantly we are here today to project a vision that will inspire hope."

"For too long, we have allowed fear to dictate our politics and suspicions, to shape how we perceive other communities."

"If we learn how to love others, really, truly love them, not for who we want them to be, but rather for who they are – for the perfect souls that God has created – then we have learnt one of the greatest lessons of life."

"I would like to make the point that we cannot undo the past but we can learn from it, and we cannot predict the future but we can shape and build it."

"Now is not the time to be simply paying lip-service, it is time to stand up and be counted, to stand together and not to be swayed or moved from our path towards true unity, and the peace and security that we aspire to achieve."

"To create a Fiji where people of different ethnicities, religions and cultures can live and work together for the good of all, can differ without rancour, govern without violence and accept responsibility as reasonable people intent on serving the best interest of all".

"When we leave out people on the grounds of ethnicity we limit our options. As such, we become poorer because we are not making optimum use of our human resources, thereby depriving us of the returns and full benefit of our capabilities."

"There are those people who are acting irresponsibly ... and spreading their gospel of fear and hate and not doing anything to help the ordinary people put bread on their table for their families."

 
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