Filipe Tuisawau

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Fijian Parliament

for SODELPA List
In office
14 November 2018 – 14 December 2022
Personal details
Political partySocial Democratic Liberal Party
People's Alliance

Ro Filipe Qaraniqio Tuisawau is a Fijian chief, politician, and Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the People's Alliance. He is the son of former National Federation Party MP Ratu Mosese Tuisawau and the nephew of former SODELPA leader Ro Teimumu Kepa.[1]

Before entering politics Tuisawu was president of the

South Pacific Tourism Organisation.[2]

Tuisawu unsuccessfully contested the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua nomination for Fijian communal seat of Rewa in the 2006 Fijian general election.[3] When his aunt Ro Teimumu Kepa was selected instead, he contested the seat as an independent, but lost to her.[4][5] Following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état he opposed the military regime's proposal for a non-iTaukei president.[6]

He was elected to the Parliament of Fiji as a SODELPA candidate in the 2018 election, and made his first speech in parliament on 30 November 2018.[7] In February 2019 he made homophobic tweets about new Zealand MP Tāmati Coffey, and said that there would be no same-sex marriage in Fiji.[8] In January 2020 he made further homophobic comments, opposing an LGBTQ fashion show.[9][10]

In June 2019 he was elected president of SODELPA.[11] In April 2020 the High Court of Fiji ruled that his election breach the party's and the country's constitution,[12] sparking a period of bitter infighting in the party[13][14] and culminating in the suspension of the party from parliament.[15] The split continued after the suspension was lifted, with Tuisawu backing party leader Sitiveni Rabuka.[16]

In July 2021 he was detained by police along with other opposition MPs in a government attempt to stifle dissent over its proposed land bill.[17][18]

In September 2021 following the announcement of the People's Alliance he was one of four SODELPA MPs expected to join Rabuka's new party. Tuisawa said he would remain a SODELPA MP until the end of the parliamentary term, and make up his mind then.[19] In April 2022 he withdrew his nomination as a SODELPA candidate, saying that it had been made without his knowledge.[20] In November 2022 once parliament had been dissolved for the 2022 election he resigned from SODELPA, attributing his departure to the party split.[21] He subsequently joined the People's Alliance,[22] and contested the election as a PA candidate.[23] During the election campaign, he criticised SODELPA for allowing former military officers involved in the 2006 coup into the party,[24] and accused them of orchestrating the prosecution and imprisonment of SODELPA MP Niko Nawaikula.[25] He was elected[26] with 2041 votes.[27] On 24 December 2022 he was appointed Minister for Public Works, Communications, Transport and Meteorological Services in the coalition government of Sitiveni Rabuka.[28] His first task as Minister was to re-establish the Department of Public Works, which had been split up in 2008.[29]

References

  1. ^ Laisa Lui (28 June 2019). "Bad Omen For Ro Filipe Tuisawau?". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  2. ^ Ashna Kumar (18 April 2017). "More speak out on SODELPA list of applicants for poll tickets". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Fijian chiefs locked in battle over seat". RNZ. 23 March 2006. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  4. ^ Nemani Delaibatiki (6 July 2019). "Rewa Chiefs Put In Precarious Position Over Party Politics". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  5. ^ Baro Saumaki (2007). "Bose ni Vanua and democratic politics in Rewa". In Jon Fraenkel; Stewart Firth (eds.). From Election to Coup in Fiji: The 2006 campaign and its aftermath. Canberra: ANU Press. pp. 213–224.
  6. ^ "Opposition in Fiji to suggestions of non-indigenous president". RNZ. 7 January 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Maiden speech by Opposition MP, Ro Filipe Tuisawau". Fiji Times. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  8. ^ Selita Bolanavanua (24 February 2019). "Ro Filipe Tuisawau's Tweet Gets Attention In New Zealand". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  9. ^ Nemani Delaibatiki (25 January 2020). "Nemani Delaibatiki: Ro Filipe's Attack On LGBTQ Community Is Hypocritical". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  10. ^ Matthew Rosenberg (22 February 2019). "Labour's Tāmati Coffey slammed by Fijian MP for expecting child with male partner". Stuff. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  11. ^ Elenoa Turagaiviu (28 June 2019). "Tuisawau elected as SODELPA President". FBC News. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Fiji high court rules election of Sodelpa president illegal". RNZ. 24 April 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  13. ^ "Division widens in Fiji opposition party". RNZ. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  14. ^ "Fiji's SODELPA factions hold their own board meetings". RNZ. 23 May 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  15. ^ "A split in Sodelpa sees it suspended from Fiji's parliament". RNZ. 27 May 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  16. ^ "Call for unity as Fiji elections office lifts Sodelpa suspension". RNZ. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  17. ^ Apenisa Waqairadovu (25 July 2021). "MPs taken in for questioning". FBC News. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  18. ^ "Fiji govt urged to scrap plan to amend Land Bill". RNZ. 1 August 2021. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  19. ^ Shalveen Chand (30 September 2021). "Are They Joining Rabuka?". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  20. ^ Luke Nacei (13 April 2022). "Ro Filipe plans next move – 'I have withdrawn my application from SODELPA'". Fiji Times. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  21. ^ Arieta Vakasukawaqa (2 November 2022). "Ro Filipe explains resignation". Fiji Times. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  22. ^ Nacanieli Tuilevuka (1 November 2022). "Ratu Naiqama And Others Leaving Expected: Duru". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  23. ^ Jone Salusalu (11 November 2022). "7 Women And 48 Men For The Peoples Alliance". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  24. ^ Arieta Vakasukawaqa (4 November 2022). "'It is total hypocrisy' – Ro Filipe on ex-soldiers joining SODELPA". Fiji Times. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  25. ^ Simione Tuvuki (1 November 2022). "Ro Filipe speaks out after exiting SODELPA". FBC News. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  26. ^ Singh, Indira (18 December 2022). "Top 55 confirmed". FBC. Archived from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  27. ^ "Ro Filipe Qaraniqio Tuisawau (479)". Fijian Elections Office. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  28. ^ Apenisa Waqairadovu (24 December 2022). "Siromi Turaga sworn in as new AG". FBC News. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  29. ^ Nacanieli Tuilevuka (28 December 2022). "Govt To Bring Back And Modernise PWD". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
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