Marieta Rigamoto
Encyclopedia
Marieta Rigamoto is a Fiji
an politician. As as independent candidate campaigning for improved roads and hospital services in Rotuma
, she won a hotly contested election
for the Rotuman Communal Constituency in the House of Representatives
in 1999, and was returned with an increased majority in the election
of 2001. Since then, she has served in the Cabinet
of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase
as an Assistant Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, and was appointed Minister for Information and Media Relations on 12 July 2005, succeeding Ahmed Ali
, who died on 4 June. She announced in February 2006 that she would not be contesting the upcoming parliamentary election
.
in Science
(BSc
) from the University of Hawaii
in 1969. She later completed postgraduate work at the University of London
in 1971.
She worked in the civil service from 1966 to 1998. Her assignments included the Ministry of Agriculture (1969–1982), and the Public Service Commission (1975–1976). She was Principal of the Fiji College of Agriculture from 1982 to 1989. Her last civil service appointment was in the Office of the President, from 1994. She retired from the civil service on 1 December 1998.
on 8 February 2006, Rigamoto confirmed earlier reports of her decision to retire at the parliamentary election
expected by November
at the latest. There were other interests she wanted to pursue, she said, and as Rotuman Islanders were allocated only one communal constituency, it was time to allow someone else to hold it. "Something that you have to accept right from the beginning is that you could be in today and out tomorrow," she added. She was succeeded by George Konrote
, a former Military
officer and diplomat.
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. As as independent candidate campaigning for improved roads and hospital services in 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"...
, she won a hotly contested 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,...
for the Rotuman Communal Constituency in the House of Representatives
House of Representatives (Fiji)
The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. It is the more powerful of the two chambers; it alone has the power to initiate legislation...
in 1999, and was returned with an increased majority in the 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. Since then, she has served in the 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...
of 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...
as an Assistant Minister in the Prime Minister's Department, and was appointed Minister for Information and Media Relations on 12 July 2005, succeeding Ahmed Ali
Ahmed Ali (politician)
Dr. Ahmed Ali was a Fijian academic and politician who held Cabinet office several times from the late 1970s onwards. Unlike the majority of his fellow Indo-Fijians, he was aligned with the Alliance Party of Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara in the 1970s and 1980s, and with the United Fiji...
, who died on 4 June. She announced in February 2006 that she would not be contesting the upcoming parliamentary election
Fiji election of 2006
The Constitution of Fiji requires general elections for the House of Representatives to be held at least once every five years. The latest election was held on 6-13 May 2006. Acting President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi issued a proclamation on 2 March, effective from 27 March, dissolving Parliament...
.
Education and early career
Rigamoto was educated at Dudley High School from 1957 to 1962, and subsequently graduated with a Diploma in Tropical Agriculture from the Fiji College of Agriculture in 1965, and with a Bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
(BSc
BSC
BSC is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Science and technology* Bachelor of Science , an undergraduate degree* Base Station Controller, part of a mobile phone network; see: Base Station subsystem...
) from the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
in 1969. She later completed postgraduate work at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
in 1971.
She worked in the civil service from 1966 to 1998. Her assignments included the Ministry of Agriculture (1969–1982), and the Public Service Commission (1975–1976). She was Principal of the Fiji College of Agriculture from 1982 to 1989. Her last civil service appointment was in the Office of the President, from 1994. She retired from the civil service on 1 December 1998.
Retirement
In an interview with the Fiji SunFiji Sun
The Fiji Sun is a daily newspaper published in Fiji. Owned by Sun News Limited, it was first published in September 1999. An internet edition is also published....
on 8 February 2006, Rigamoto confirmed earlier reports of her decision to retire at the parliamentary election
Fiji election of 2006
The Constitution of Fiji requires general elections for the House of Representatives to be held at least once every five years. The latest election was held on 6-13 May 2006. Acting President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi issued a proclamation on 2 March, effective from 27 March, dissolving Parliament...
expected by November
November 2006
November 2006 was the eleventh month of that year. It began on a Wednesday and 30 days later, ended on a Thursday....
at the latest. There were other interests she wanted to pursue, she said, and as Rotuman Islanders were allocated only one communal constituency, it was time to allow someone else to hold it. "Something that you have to accept right from the beginning is that you could be in today and out tomorrow," she added. She was succeeded by George Konrote
George Konrote
Major General Jioji Konousi Konrote, MC, better known as George Konrote, is a retired Major-General of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and a former diplomat. From May to December 2006, he was a Fijian Cabinet Minister. He is a native of the island of Rotuma...
, a former Military
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...
officer and diplomat.