Solicitor-General (Fiji)
Encyclopedia
The Solicitor-General of Fiji
is the Chief Executive Officer of the Attorney-General's
Chambers, and as such assists the Attorney-General in advising the government on legal matters, and in performing legal work for the government. The present Solicitor-General is Christopher Pryde, who took office in July 2007.
Unlike the Attorney-General, who holds political
office as a member of the House of Representatives
or Senate
, the Solicitor-General is a civil servant. He is required by the Constitution
to hold a law degree
and to be a registered lawyer
.
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 the Chief Executive Officer of the Attorney-General's
Attorney-General (Fiji)
Fiji's chief governmental legal officer is the Attorney General. According to the Constitution of Fiji, the Attorney-General is required to be a qualified lawyer and sits in the Cabinet. The office of the Attorney-General is the oldest surviving executive office in Fiji, having been established...
Chambers, and as such assists the Attorney-General in advising the government on legal matters, and in performing legal work for the government. The present Solicitor-General is Christopher Pryde, who took office in July 2007.
Unlike the Attorney-General, who holds political
Politics of Fiji
Politics of Fiji takes place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic. Fiji has a multi-party system with the Prime Minister of Fiji as head of government. The executive power is exercised by the government...
office as a member of 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...
or 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 Solicitor-General is a civil servant. He is required by the Constitution
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....
to hold a law degree
Law degree
A Law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Such degrees are generally preparation for legal careers; but while their curricula may be reviewed by legal authority, they do not themselves confer a license...
and to be a registered lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
.
List of Solicitors-General of Fiji
The following persons have held the office of Solicitor-General since it was established in 1945.| # | Solicitor-General | Tenure |
| 1. | Alistair Granville Forbes | 1945 - 1948 |
| 2. | Brian Andre Doyle Brian Doyle Brian Doyle may refer to:*Brian J. Doyle , former press secretary of the US Department of Homeland Security*Brian Doyle , former Major League Baseball infielder*Brian Doyle , Canadian writer... |
1948 - 1951 |
| 3. | Philip N. Dalton Philip Dalton Lt. Philip Dalton was a United States Military Scientist. Dalton is best known for his invention of several slide-rule flight computers the most famous being the E-6B.-Invention:... |
1951 - 1953 |
| 4. | William Gordon Bryce | 1953 - 1956 |
| 5. | Ashley Martin Greenwood | 1956 |
| 6. | Henry Roger Justin Lewis | 1956 - 1963 |
| 7. | Donal McLoughlin | 1963 - 1971 |
| 8. | Harold Picton-Smith | 1971 - 1979 |
| 9. | Qoriniasi Babitu Bale Qoriniasi Bale Qoriniasi Babitu Bale is a lawyer and political leader, who has served twice as Fiji's Minister for Justice and Attorney-General, most recently from 2001 to 2006, when he was deposed in the military coup of 5 December... |
1979 - 1984 |
| 10. | John Richard Flower | 1984 - 1987 |
| 11. | Filimone Jitoko | 1987 - 1993 |
| 12. | Isikeli Mataitoga Isikeli Mataitoga Isikeli Mataitoga is a Fijian diplomat and is the current Ambassador of Fiji to Russia, presenting his credentials to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on 5 February 2010.-References:... |
1993 - 1997 |
| 13. | Nainendra Nand Nainendra Nand Nainendra Nand was the Solicitor-General of Fiji from 1997 to 2006. He had previously worked in the Office of the Attorney-General since 1983. He was dismissed from office on 7 December 2006 for refusing to cooperate with the military junta which seized power on 5 December.Nand was educated in the... |
1997 - 2006 |
| 14. | Christopher Pryde | 2007 - present |