Josefa Vosanibola
Overview
 
Josefa Bole Vosanibola 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 politician, who has served as Minister for Home Affairs since 16 December 2004, when he was appointed by Prime Minister Laisenia 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...

 to succeed Joketani Cokanasiga
Joketani Cokanasiga
Joketani Cokanasiga is a former Fijian politician, who served as Minister for Public Works and Energy in the interim Cabinet formed by Laisenia Qarase in the wake of the Fiji coup of 2000...

. Prior to his appointment as Home Affairs Minister, he had served as Minister for Information, and before that as Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation, following his election to represent the Tailevu North Ovalau Open Constituency, as a candidate of the United Fiji Party (SDL), in the parliamentary election
Fiji election of 2001
The Constitution of Fiji was restored by a High Court decision on 15 November 2000, following the failure of the political upheaval in which the government had been deposed and the constitution suspended in May that year. On 1 March 2001, the Appeal Court upheld the decision. An election to...

 of 2001.

Vosanibola, a devout and outspoken Christian who has strongly defended the influence of the church in Fijian society
Culture of Fiji
Fiji's culture is a tapestry of indigenous Fijian, Indian, European, Chinese, and other nationalities. Culture polity, traditions, language, food, costume, belief system, architecture, arts, craft, music, dance and sports which will be discussed in this article to give you an indication of Fiji's...

, played a role in the foundation of the Christian Democratic Alliance
Christian Democratic Alliance (Fiji)
The Christian Democratic Alliance, better known locally by its Fijian name, Veitokani ni Lewenivanua Vakarisito , was a Fijian political party that operated in the late 1990s and early 2000s....

 (VLV) in 1998, and unsuccessfully contested the Tailevu North Ovalau Open Constituency for that party in the election
Fiji election of 1999
General elections were held in Fiji between 8 and 15 May 1999. They were the first election held under the revised Constitution of 1997, which instituted a new electoral system and resulted in Mahendra Chaudhry taking office as Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister.-Electoral system:Previously,...

 of 1999.
Quotations

"I fear God and if He is there for me, who else can be against me." (10 June 2005, Explaining his refusal to have police protection or bodyguards, despite threats to the lives of some of his cabinet colleagues).

"It was the scriptures that urged the people of this land to be tolerant and forgiving of others, even though they disagreed with their values and ways of life."

"Instead we tell the church to shut its mouth and even condemn it when at times it chooses to illuminate issues on a spiritual and moral basis, when it points to the need for tolerance, repentance, forgiving and sharing — the same principles it professed in the early days that chartered the course of modern day."

"Indeed all people of this country owe a vote of gratitude to the church for what it has done to this country in the course of our civilisation. I urge us to recognise this and offer our thanks to the church for its part in shaping the course of our history."

"Repentance, tolerance, forgiveness and sharing to name a few, are some divinely empowered words and processes without which it is difficult to see, how we could be here today as an active member of the international community."

"We welcome constructive criticism and will abide by our commitment to address the concern of the community at large on the issue."

"Peace, reconciliation and unity are sentiments meant not only for the person next door but for all people." Category:Fijians|Vosanibola, Josefa Category:Political leaders|Vosanibola, Josefa

 
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