Sugar Cane Growers Council (Fiji)
Encyclopedia
Sugar Cane Growers Council (SCGC) represents the sugar cane farmers with the sugar
industry in Fiji
. It is made up of 38 members elected by the farmers and eight members nominated by the Government. The Sugar Cane Growers Council election is held every three years. The Council has a Chief Executive, the first one being Vijay R. Singh
, and a Chairman.
In elections held in March 1992 and the National Farmers Union
(NFU) won 33 of the 38 Council seats. In the 1998 elections, the NFU won 22 seats. In 2001, the NFU won 21 seats while the Fiji Cane Growers Association
(FCGA) won 16 seats. One seat went to an independent. In 2004, the NFU retained its majority, winning 22 of the 38 seats contested. The FCGA won fourteen seats and the remaining two seats went to independent candidates. NFU polled 52 per cent of all votes cast compared to the FCGA's 42 percent. The eight members nominated by the Government and the two independent candidates hold the balance of power. Since the NFU is supported by the Government Party's main rival, the Fiji Labour Party
, Government appointees to the Council have always been rivals of the NFU.
On 27 December 2006, Military
commander Commodore
Voreqe Bainimarama
, who had taken power in a military coup
on 5 December, suspended Jagannath Sami
, the chief executive, the Council, and Chairman Vijendra Autar, citing abuse of office, misuse of funds, irregularities in the elections of the Board of Directors and $80,000 growers' funds being used without proper approval by Board Members who went on a recent trip to India
. Commodore Bainimarama also revoked the appointment of eight council members by the deposed government of Laisenia Qarase
.
On 31 March 2007, former Fiji Labour Party parliamentarian Jai Gawander was appointed as the new chief executive officer of the Council. The General Secretary of the The Fiji Cane Growers Association
, Bala Dass questioned why all the Fiji Labour Party
members were being elected to run the affairs of the Sugar Cane Growers Council board. Dass said that the appointment was contrary to what the Interim Government was preaching.
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
industry in 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...
. It is made up of 38 members elected by the farmers and eight members nominated by the Government. The Sugar Cane Growers Council election is held every three years. The Council has a Chief Executive, the first one being Vijay R. Singh
Vijay R. Singh
Sir Vijay Raghubar Singh, KBE was an Indo-Fijian lawyer and politician who held Cabinet office in the 1960s and 1970s. Vijay Singh served in Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara's government in a variety of positions, including Attorney-General, and was President of the Indian Alliance, a...
, and a Chairman.
In elections held in March 1992 and the National Farmers Union
National Farmers Union (Fiji)
The National Farmers Union is one of Fiji's largest trade unions. It was launched in Labasa in July 1978 under the auspices of the Fiji Trades Union Congress, with Mahendra Chaudhry as its first General Secretary...
(NFU) won 33 of the 38 Council seats. In the 1998 elections, the NFU won 22 seats. In 2001, the NFU won 21 seats while the Fiji Cane Growers Association
Fiji Cane Growers Association
The Fiji Cane Growers Association is a cane farmers' union established in 1992 by supporters of the National Federation Party .After the 1987 military coup in Fiji, most of the farmers' unions curtailed their activities, leaving the National Farmers Union as the only active farmers' union in the...
(FCGA) won 16 seats. One seat went to an independent. In 2004, the NFU retained its majority, winning 22 of the 38 seats contested. The FCGA won fourteen seats and the remaining two seats went to independent candidates. NFU polled 52 per cent of all votes cast compared to the FCGA's 42 percent. The eight members nominated by the Government and the two independent candidates hold the balance of power. Since the NFU is supported by the Government Party's main rival, the 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...
, Government appointees to the Council have always been rivals of the NFU.
On 27 December 2006, 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...
commander Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
Voreqe Bainimarama
Frank Bainimarama
Commodore Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, CF, MSD, OStJ, Fijian Navy, known commonly as Frank Bainimarama and sometimes by the chiefly title Ratu , is a Fijian naval officer and politician. He is the Commander of the Fijian Military Forces and, as of April 2009, Prime Minister...
, who had taken power in a 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....
on 5 December, suspended Jagannath Sami
Jagannath Sami
Jagannath Sami has been a soccer player representing a premier district side in the Fiji Football Association competitions, a leader of the sugar mill workers, a leader of a farmers' union, a politician and Chief Executive Officer of the Sugar Cane Growers Council of Fiji but he is best known for...
, the chief executive, the Council, and Chairman Vijendra Autar, citing abuse of office, misuse of funds, irregularities in the elections of the Board of Directors and $80,000 growers' funds being used without proper approval by Board Members who went on a recent trip to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Commodore Bainimarama also revoked the appointment of eight council members by the deposed government of 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...
.
On 31 March 2007, former Fiji Labour Party parliamentarian Jai Gawander was appointed as the new chief executive officer of the Council. The General Secretary of the The Fiji Cane Growers Association
Fiji Cane Growers Association
The Fiji Cane Growers Association is a cane farmers' union established in 1992 by supporters of the National Federation Party .After the 1987 military coup in Fiji, most of the farmers' unions curtailed their activities, leaving the National Farmers Union as the only active farmers' union in the...
, Bala Dass questioned why all the 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...
members were being elected to run the affairs of the Sugar Cane Growers Council board. Dass said that the appointment was contrary to what the Interim Government was preaching.
List of chief executives
- Vijay R. SinghVijay R. SinghSir Vijay Raghubar Singh, KBE was an Indo-Fijian lawyer and politician who held Cabinet office in the 1960s and 1970s. Vijay Singh served in Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara's government in a variety of positions, including Attorney-General, and was President of the Indian Alliance, a...
(1985–1987) - Grish Maharaj (1987–2000)
- Jagannath SamiJagannath SamiJagannath Sami has been a soccer player representing a premier district side in the Fiji Football Association competitions, a leader of the sugar mill workers, a leader of a farmers' union, a politician and Chief Executive Officer of the Sugar Cane Growers Council of Fiji but he is best known for...
(2000–2006) - Jai GawanderJai GawanderJai Shree Gawander was appointed the chief executive officer of the Fiji Sugar Cane Growers Council on 31 March 2007. He has also been a member of the House of Representatives and research manager at the Sugarcane Research Centre in Lautoka, Fiji....
(2007–present)