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Simione Kaitani

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Simione Kaitani
Leader of the House
In office
May 2006 – 5 December 2006
Succeeded byNone (Parliament disestablished)
Minister without portfolio
In office
20 September 2005 – 13 May 2006
Prime MinisterLaisenia Qarase
Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation
In office
16 December 2004 – 20 September 2005
Preceded byJosefa Vosanibola
Minister of Information
Succeeded byAhmed Ali
Member of the Fijian Parliament
for Lomaiviti Fijian
In office
15 May 1999 – 5 December 2006
Preceded byNone (constituency established)
Succeeded byNone (Parliament disestablished)
Personal details
Political partyChristian Democratic Alliance
Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua

Simione Kaitani is a former Fijian politician and Cabinet Minister in the government of Laisenia Qarase. He was tried for taking an illegal oath over the 2000 Fijian coup d'état in 2005, but acquitted. He later served as Leader of the House, until removed from office by the 2006 Fijian coup d'état.

Kaitani was first elected to the House of Representatives of Fiji as an independent candidate to represent the Lomaiviti Fijian Communal constituency in the 1999 Fijian general election, and later joined the Christian Democratic Alliance (VLV). The VLV disintegrated in the political realignment that followed the coup, but Kaitani joined the newly formed Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL), and retained his seat in the election of 2001 as an SDL candidate.[1] He was subsequently appointed to the Cabinet as Minister for Information. In that role, he introduced a Media Bill in an attempt to control the media.[2]

In November 2002 he was refused a visa to travel to the USA over his alleged involvement in the 2000 coup.[3] In February 2003 Fijian police were reported to be considering sedition charges against Kaitani over a speech he gave to a protest march on the day of the coup.[4] In July 2004 he was one of several prominent people named in the treason trial of Vice-President Jope Seniloli.[5] In October 2004 Senator Adi Koila Nailatikau publicly accused him of involvement in the coup.[6] He denied involvement.[7] The police began an investigation, and in December 2004 he was charged with taking an illegal oath.[8] Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase announced that Kaitani would retain his portfolio despite being charged.[9] He was subsequently shifted to the position of Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation in a cabinet reshuffle on 16 December 2004.[10]

Kaitani was tried from June to August 2005. On 12 August 2005 a panel of assessors found him not guilty of taking na illegal oath.[11] The verdict was confirmed by the court on 15 August 2005.[12][13]

In September 2005 Kaitani was relieved of his Cabinet portfolios to make way for Conservative Alliance leader Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, who had completed a prison sentence for coup-related charged. Kaitani remained in Cabinet as a Minister without portfolio.[14]

He was re-elected in the 2006 election[15][16] and appointed Leader of the House. He remained in this position until the 2006 Fijian coup d'état.

References

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  1. ^ "REPUBLIC OF THE FIJI ISLANDS PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF 25 AUGUST TO 1 SEPTEMBER 2001". Psephos. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  2. ^ "Fiji Media Bill called draconian". RNZ. 16 May 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  3. ^ "A Fiji government minister has been denied a visa to travel to the United States". RNZ. 4 November 2002. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  4. ^ "Fiji police considering charging government minister with sedition". RNZ. 11 February 2003. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Prominent names feature in Fiji treason trial". RNZ. 8 July 2004. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  6. ^ "Fiji senator held hostage during Speight coup names alleged coup supporters". RNZ. 25 October 2004. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  7. ^ "Fiji's information minister denies any involvement in 2000 coup". RNZ. 25 October 2004. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  8. ^ "Fiji's Information Minister facing coup related charges". RNZ. 2 December 2004. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Accused Fiji minister to retain his portfolio". RNZ. 3 December 2004. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  10. ^ "Cokanasiga is dropped from Fiji cabinet during reshuffle". RNZ. 16 December 2004. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  11. ^ "Assessors find Fiji government minister not guilty of coup related charges". RNZ. 12 August 2005. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  12. ^ "Fiji transport minister acquitted in coup case". RNZ. 15 August 2005. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  13. ^ Bhim, Mosmi (2007). "The impact of the Reconciliation, Tolerance and Unity Bill on the 2006 election". In Jon Fraenkel, Stewart Firth (ed.). From election to coup in Fiji: the 2006 campaign and its aftermath. University of the South Pacific. p. 123. ISBN 978-982-01-0808-0.
  14. ^ "Fiji cabinet minister re-appointed to cabinet after serving eight month jail sentence". RNZ. 21 September 2005. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  15. ^ "REPUBLIC OF THE FIJI ISLANDS PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF 6 MAY 2006". Psephos. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  16. ^ "Fiji's Qarase retains seat as vote count picks up pace". RNZ. 16 May 2006. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
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