SUVA, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Fiji's new coalition government announced its cabinet on Saturday after Sitiveni Rabuka, leader of the People's Alliance (PA), was elected as prime minister of the Pacific island nation.

According to the Fijivillage news website, the new cabinet for the PA, the National Federation Party (NFP) and the the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) coalition government was sworn in at the State House on Saturday.

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka also holds the minister for roreign affairs, climate change, civil service, information and public enterprises portfolio.

NFP leader Biman Prasad, one of the three deputy prime ministers, is the minister for finance, strategic planning, national development and statistic.

SODELPA Leader Viliame Gavoka, also one of the three deputy prime ministers, is the minister for tourism and civil aviation.

Manoa Kamikamica, one of the three deputy prime ministers, is the minister for external trade cooperatives and SMEs.

Siromi Turaga is the attorney general and minister for justice.

In the general elections held on Dec. 14, the FijiFirst party (FFP)-led by former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama gained 26 seats, the PA won 21 seats, its partner NFP secured five seats and the SODELPA captured three seats.

Under Fiji's electoral system, a party can form a government if it wins 28 seats or more in the 55-member parliament. The FFP had been in power since 2014, but it failed to secure the majority of seats in parliament this year.

The PA and the NFP have already formed a pre-election coalition. The SODELPA decided on Friday to join to form a coalition government, which now has 29 seats in parliament. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)