Local government of Fiji
Encyclopedia
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...

 is divided administratively into four division
Division (subnational entity)
A division is a type of administrative division of some Asian and African countries. Some have been dissolved or been renamed.- Administrative divisions :-England:...

s, which are further subdivided into fourteen province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...

s; the self-governing island of Rotuma
Rotuma
Rotuma is a Fijian dependency, consisting of Rotuma Island and nearby islets. The island group is home to a small but unique indigenous ethnic group which constitutes a recognizable minority within the population of Fiji, known as "Rotumans"...

 and its dependencies lie outside any of the four divisions. Each division is headed by a Commissioner, appointed by the Fijian government. The divisions are basically agglomerations of provinces and have few administrative functions of their own, but serve to foster cooperation among the member provinces for providing services. Each province has a provincial council which may make bylaws and impose rates (local taxes), subject to the approval of the Fijian Affairs Board, a government department. The board must also approve the appointment of the Roko Tui, or executive head of the provincial council, who is usually a high chief
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"...

, although in recent years, commoners have sometimes been chosen.
The provinces have direct input into national affairs through the 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...

 and the Senate
Senate (Fiji)
The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. It is the less powerful of the two chambers; it may not initiate legislation, but may amend or veto it. The Senate's powers over financial bills are more restricted: it may veto them in their entirety, but may not amend them...

. The Great Council of Chiefs is a traditional body which advises the government on indigenous affairs and also functions as an electoral college
Electoral college
An electoral college is a set of electors who are selected to elect a candidate to a particular office. Often these represent different organizations or entities, with each organization or entity represented by a particular number of electors or with votes weighted in a particular way...

 to elect the President and Vice-President; 42 of the 55 members of the Great Council are chosen by the provincial councils, three from each province. In addition, 14 of the 32 members of the Senate, the upper house of the Fijian Parliament, are chosen by the provincial councils (one Senator each) and confirmed by the Great Council of Chiefs.

Additionally, the island of Rotuma
Rotuma
Rotuma is a Fijian dependency, consisting of Rotuma Island and nearby islets. The island group is home to a small but unique indigenous ethnic group which constitutes a recognizable minority within the population of Fiji, known as "Rotumans"...

, north of the main archipelago, is self-governing according to the Rotuma Act promulgated in 1927. The Fiji government includes it in the Eastern Division for statistical purposes (such as the census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...

), but it has its own council
Council of Rotuma
The Council of Rotuma is a municipal body on the island of Rotuma, a Fijian dependency. Owing to the unique character of Rotuma, the powers of this council are greater than those of other municipal bodies in Fiji and in some ways it approximates a legislative body, though it is in every way...

 which is empowered to legislate on most local matters. Like a province, Rotuma chooses (through its council) 3 members of the Great Council of Chiefs and 1 Senator.

Below the provincial level, districts and villages, based on extended family networks, have their own chiefs and councils. Indigenous Fijian
Fijian people
Fijian people are the major indigenous people of the Fiji Islands, and live in an area informally called Melanesia. The Fijian people are believed to have arrived in Fiji from western Melanesia approximately 3,500 years ago, though the exact origins of the Fijian people are unknown...

 administration is based on the koro, or village, headed by a Turaga ni Koro elected or appointed by the villagers. Several koros combine to form a Tikina, two or more of which comprise a province. In addition, municipal governments have been established for the cities
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...

 of Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...

 and Lautoka
Lautoka
Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji and the second largest in the South Pacific. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometres north of Nadi, and is the second port of entry in Fiji, after Suva. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar...

, and for ten town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...

s. Each has a city or town council elected for a three-year term
Municipal elections in Fiji
Fiji has established municipal governments for two cities and ten towns . Each city or town has a council comprising between 8 and 20 members, elected for three-year terms, although the government announced legislation on 15 February 2006 to extend the term to four years...

, presided over by a Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

 chosen by the councillors from among their own members. On 15 February 2006 the government announced legislation to change the local government term of office from three years to four.

Provincial administration, and its sub divisions, cater for ethnic Fijians, town and city councils cater for urban residents of all races. Local authorities have also been established for rural areas, with advisory powers and these provide a voice to people of all races outside the provincial structure. The Ministry of Regional Development ensures that Fiji's rural areas are provided with the access to opportunities and basic amenities that are enjoyed by the urban areas. This is done through its district administrations which are involved in community capacity building, coordinating the development projects like upgrading of rural roads, upgrading of cane access roads, development or roads for access to cash crops and other capital programs in their respective districts. They also attend to some statutory functions such as registration of births, deaths and marriages, liquor licences and acting as Third Class Magistrates.

Fiji is divided into 17 districts, each with a district officer and five sub-districts with assistant district officers. The districts are generally based around towns and cities, but some follow provincial or tikina boundaries. The districts are: Ra, Tavua
Tavua District, Fiji
Tavua is a district in the Western Division on the north west coast of the island of Viti Levu in Fiji. It is part of the province of Ba. It is situated some 20 kilometers by road from Ba town. Its main economy is sugar cane, although the establishment of Tavua township was the result of a gold...

, Ba
Ba District, Fiji
Ba is a district situation on the North Western part of the island of Viti Levu in Fiji. The name Ba is also used for a province, a tikina , a town and a river. Ba district comprises the areas surrounding Ba Town and includes the Fijian administrative tikinas of Ba and Magodro. Ba district is in...

, Nadi
Nadi District, Fiji
Nadi is a district within Ba Province, located on the south-west coast of the island of Viti Levu in Fiji. Nadi is well known for its international airport, which long provided a communication link for travellers from North America to Australia and New Zealand...

, Nadarivatu, Keiyasi, Nausori, Navua
Navua District, Fiji
Navua District is located within Serua Province in the Central Division of Fiji. During colonial times it used to be a sugar growing area, but the closure of the sugar mill in Navua in 1923 led to a decline in economic activity in the district...

, Vunidawa, Suva, Korovou, Macuata, Savusavu, Bua, Taveuni, Seqaqa, Saqani, Tukavesi, Kadavu, Rotuma, Lomaiviti, Lautoka
Lautoka district, Fiji
Lautoka is a district situated in Ba Province, in the western part of the island of Viti Levu in Fiji. Lautoka District comprises the areas surrounding Lautoka City and includes the Fijian administrative tikina of Vuda. Lautoka district is in the Western Division...

. http://www.regdev.gov.fj/dos.htm

Provinces
Provinces of Fiji
The Provinces of Fiji , , are the 14 administrative units into which the country is divided, particularly in relation to the provision of resources and services to the indigenous Fijian population by the Fijian Affairs Board...

 - statistics

Division
(Capital)
Province Council Chairman Area
km²
Population
(2007)
Central
Central Division, Fiji
The Central Division of Fiji is one of Fiji's four divisions. It consists of five provinces - Naitasiri, Namosi, Rewa, Serua and Tailevu.The capital of the division is Suva, which is also the capital of Fiji. The division includes the eastern part of the largest island in Fiji, Viti Levu, with a...


(Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...

)
Naitasiri Ratu Ilaitia Tuisese
Ilaitia Tuisese
Ilaitia Bulidiri Tuisese is a Fijian politician, who currently serves in the Cabinet as Minister for Fisheries and Forests.Tuisese was appointed Minister for Regional Development and Minister for Multi-Ethnic Questions in the interim government that was formed in July 2000 the wake of the failed...

1666 160,760
Namosi Ratu Kiniviliame Taukeinikoro
Kiniviliame Taukeinikoro
Ratu Kiniviliame Taukeinikoro is a Fijian Chief and political leader. From 2001 to 2006, he represented the Province of Namosi in the Senate as one of fourteen nominees of the Great Council of Chiefs...

570 6,898
Rewa
Rewa Province
Rewa is a province of Fiji. With a land area of 272 square kilometers , it includes the capital city of Suva and is in two parts - one including part of Suva's hinterland to the west, and a noncontiguous area to the east, separated from the rest of Rewa by Naitasiri Province...

Pita Tagi Cakiverata (acting) [1] 272 100,787
Serua Atunaisa Lacabuka 830 18,249
Tailevu Josefa Seruilagilagi 755 55,692
Northern
Northern Division, Fiji
The Northern Division is one of four Divisions into which Fiji's fourteen Provinces are grouped for local government purposes. The administrative centre of the Division, where main governmental departments are located, is Labasa....


(Labasa
Labasa
Labasa is a town in Fiji with a population of 27,949 at the most recent census held in 2007.Labasa is located in Macuata Province, in the north-eastern part of the island of Vanua Levu, and is the largest town on the island. The town itself is located on a delta formed by three rivers - the...

)
Bua
Bua Province
Bua is one of fourteen provinces of Fiji. Located in the west of the northern island of Vanua Levu, it is one of three northern provinces, and has a land area of 1,379 square kilometers. Its population at the 2007 census, the most recent to date, was 14,176, making it the fourth least-populous...

Ratu Filimoni Ralogaivau 1379 14,176
Cakaudrove Sitiveni Rabuka
Sitiveni Rabuka
Major-General Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, OBE, MSD, OStJ, is best known as the instigator of two military coups that shook Fiji in 1987. He was later democratically elected the third Prime Minister, serving from 1992 to 1999...

2816 49,344
Macuata Ratu Aisea Katonivere
Aisea Katonivere
Ratu Aisea Katonivere is a Fijian chief and politician from the northern Province of Macuata, where he is the Paramount Chief and Chairman of the Provincial Council...

2004 72,441
Eastern
Eastern Division, Fiji
The Eastern Division of Fiji is one of Fiji's four divisions. It consists of Kadavu Province, Lau Province, Lomaiviti Province and Rotuma.The capital of the division is Levuka, on the Ovalau island...


(Levuka
Levuka
Levuka is a town on the eastern coast of the Fijian island of Ovalau, in Lomaiviti Province, in the Eastern Division of Fiji. It was formerly the Capital of Fiji. At the census in 2007, the last to date, Levuka town had a population of 1,131 , about half of Ovalau's 8,360 inhabitants...

)
Kadavu
Kadavu Province
Kadavu Province is one of fourteen provinces of Fiji, and forms part of the Eastern Division, which also includes the Provinces of Lau, Lomaiviti and Rotuma. Kadavu also belongs to the Burebasaga Confederacy, a hierarchy of chiefs from southern and western Fiji.It consists of Kadavu Island, Ono...

Ratu Josateki Nawalowalo
Josateki Nawalowalo
Ratu Josateki Tuivanuavou Nacagilevu Nawalowalo, commonly known as Ratu Jo Nawalowalo, was a Fijian chief, businessman, and the Chairman of the Kadavu Provincial Council...

478 10,167
Lau
Lau Province
Lau Province is one of fourteen provinces of Fiji. Its capital is at Tubou, at the southern end of the island of Lakeba. The province forms part of the country's Eastern Division , and of the Tovata Confederacy, a traditional hierarchy of chiefs from northern and eastern Fiji.Geographically it...

Ratu Josefa Basulu 487 10,683
Lomaiviti
Lomaiviti Province
Lomaiviti Province is one of the 14 provinces of Fiji. Administratively, it forms part of Fiji's Eastern Division and of the Kubuna Confederacy, one of three traditional chiefly hierarchies in Fiji.Geographically it consists of the Lomaiviti Islands....

Ratu Jo Lewanavanua 411 16,461
Western
Western Division, Fiji
The Western Division of Fiji is one of Fiji's four divisions. It consists of the three provinces Ba, Nadroga-Navosa and Ra.The capital of the division is Lautoka. The division includes the western part of the largest island in Fiji, Viti Levu, with a few outlying islands, including the Yasawa...


(Lautoka
Lautoka
Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji and the second largest in the South Pacific. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometres north of Nadi, and is the second port of entry in Fiji, after Suva. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar...

)
Ba
Ba Province
Ba is a province of Fiji, occupying the north-western sector of Viti Levu, Fiji's largest island. It is one of fourteen Provinces in the nation of Fiji, and one of eight based in Viti Levu. It is Fiji's most populous Province, with a population of 231,760 - more than a quarter of the nation's...

Ratu Ovini Bokini
Ovini Bokini
Ratu Ovini Bokini Ratu was a Fijian chief and political leader. Bokini, who held the chiefly title of Tui Tavua, succeeded Epeli Ganilau as Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs on 21 July 2004, and was reelected to this post for a full three-year term on 27 July 2005.A formal gathering of...

2634 231,760
Nadroga-Navosa Ratu Sakiusa Makutu 2385 58,387
Ra
Ra Province
Ra is one of the fourteen provinces of Fiji. Occupying the northern area of Viti Levu, the largest island, it is one of eight Viti Levu-based Provinces. With a land area of 1341 square kilometers, it had a population of 29,464 at the 2007 census, the last to date...

Simione Naikarua 1341 29,464
[1] The Rewa Provincial Council wants Ro Teimumu Kepa
Teimumu Kepa
Teimumu Vuikaba Kepa is a Fijian chief and politician. A former students' coordinator at the University of the South Pacific when Kepa chose to enter the University to embark on her Bachelor of Arts Degree and was a principal of Corpus Christi Collegebefore that, until she succeeded her late...

, the Roko Tui Dreketi
Roko Tui Dreketi
The Roko Tui Dreketi is the Paramount Chief of Fiji's Rewa Province and of the Burebasaga Confederacy, to which Rewa belongs.-Details on the title:...

(Paramount Chief of Rewa and of the Burebasaga Confederacy
Burebasaga Confederacy
Burebasaga is the largest of the three confederacies that make up Fiji's House of Chiefs, to which all Fijian chiefs belong.-Composition of Burebasaga:...

) to hold the council chairmanship. Until the coup of December 2006 she was a Cabinet Minister
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...

, and thus constitutionally
Constitution of Fiji
The 1997 Constitution of Fiji was the supreme law of Fiji from its adoption in 1997 until 2009 when President Josefa Iloilo purported to abrogate it. It was also suspended for a period following the 2000 coup d'état led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama....

 disqualified from holding a council chairmanship simultaneously, and the Provincial Council has decided to leave the position vacant until the constitution is changed.

Towns and Cities

City
or Town
Date of
incorporation
Mayor (Party) Councillors Area
(square kilometers)
Population
(1996)
Ba 1939 Pravin Bala (NFP) 15 327 14,596
Labasa
Labasa
Labasa is a town in Fiji with a population of 27,949 at the most recent census held in 2007.Labasa is located in Macuata Province, in the north-eastern part of the island of Vanua Levu, and is the largest town on the island. The town itself is located on a delta formed by three rivers - the...

1939 Pradeep Singh
Pradeep Singh
Pradeep Singh is the founder and CEO of Aditi Technologies.Pradeep Singh founded Aditi Technologies in 1994 after nine years in management positions at Microsoft, including General Manager of the Windows 95 mobile services group. He is also the founder of Talisma, a CRM software product company...

 (FLP)
12 360 27,949 (2007)
Lami
Lami
Lami, Fiji is an urban area in Rewa Province, Fiji, north-west of Suva. It was formally incorporated as a Town in 1977, and had a population of 20,529 at the most recent census in 2007. The municipal boundaries enclose an area of 680 square kilometers....

1977 Tevita Buatalevu (SDL) 12 680 20,529 (2007)
Lautoka
Lautoka
Lautoka is the second largest city of Fiji and the second largest in the South Pacific. It is in the west of the island of Viti Levu, 24 kilometres north of Nadi, and is the second port of entry in Fiji, after Suva. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane growing region, it is known as the Sugar...

 (city)
1929 Rohit Kumar (FLP) 16 1607 52,220 (2007)
Levuka
Levuka
Levuka is a town on the eastern coast of the Fijian island of Ovalau, in Lomaiviti Province, in the Eastern Division of Fiji. It was formerly the Capital of Fiji. At the census in 2007, the last to date, Levuka town had a population of 1,131 , about half of Ovalau's 8,360 inhabitants...

1877 George Gibson (Balance) 8 67 3,745
Nadi
Nadi
Nadi is the third-largest conurbation in Fiji. It is located on the western side of the main island of Viti Levu, and had a population of 42,284 at the most recent census, in 2007. Nadi is multiracial with many of its inhabitants Indian or Fijian, along with a large transient population of foreign...

1946 Shalesh Mudliar (NFP) 15 577 42,284 (2007)
Nasinu
Nasinu
Nasinu is an urban area on the island Viti Levu in Fiji. It is officially designated a "Town" despite its population . Nasinu is the most populous municipality in Fiji, having overtaken that of Suva , and is one of Fiji's fastest-growing towns...

1999 Rajeshwar Kumar (FLP) 21 4500 87,446 (2007)
Nausori
Nausori
Nausori is a town in Fiji. It had a population of 47,604 at the 2007 census, the most recent to date. This makes it the fourth most populous municipality in the country. Situated 19 kilometers out of Suva, it forms one pole of the burgeoning Suva-Nausori corridor.Nausori grew up around Fiji's...

1931 Vikash Singh (NRA) 12 167 47,604 (2007)
Savusavu
Savusavu
Savusavu is a town in the Fijian Province of Cakaudrove. The town is located on the south coast of Vanua Levu Island and had a population of 3,372 in the 2007 census.Savusavu is known as "the hidden paradise of Fiji."- Geography :...

1969 Ram Pillay (SRC) 9 800 4,962
Sigatoka 1959 Ratu Isikeli Tasere (SDL/NFP) 10 127 7,940
Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...

 (city)
1881 Ratu Peni Volavola
Peni Volavola
Captain Ratu Peni Volavola is the Lord Mayor of the Fijian capital of Suva.Volavola, a Councillor representing the Tamavua ward, was elected Lord Mayor in 2003, under a memorandum of understanding between of his United Fiji Party and the National Federation Party of his predecessor, Chandu...

 (SDL)
20
Suva City Council
The Suva City Council is the municipal law-making body of the city of Suva, Fiji's capital. It consists of 20 Councillors, elected for three-year terms from four multi-member constituencies called wards...

2048 85,691 (2007)
Tavua 1992 Chandra Singh
Chandra Singh
Chandra Singh was one of the eight nominees of the Leader of the Opposition to the Senate of Fiji after the 2006 elections. - References :...

 (TRLTA)
9 100 2,418
FLP: Fiji Labour Party
Fiji Labour Party
The Fiji Labour Party is a political party in Fiji, which holds observer status with the Socialist International. Most of its support at present comes from the Indo-Fijian community, although it is officially multiracial and its first leader was an indigenous Fijian, Dr. Timoci Bavadra. It is...

; NFP: National Federation Party
National Federation Party (Fiji)
The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party...

; NRA: Nausori Ratepayers' Association; SDL: United Fiji Party; SRC: Savusavu Ratepayers and Citizens Party; TRLTA: Tavua Ratepayers, Landowners, and Tenants Association

External links

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