The interim cabinet of Fiji was appointed in January 2007, following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état.
The coup deposed the Qarase government on 5 December 2006. The coup leader, Commodore Frank Bainimarama reached an agreement with deposed President Ratu Josefa Iloilo whereby Iloilo would be reinstated as president and Bainimarama sworn in as interim Prime Minister. Bainimarama was duly sworn in on 5 January 2007. Eight cabinet ministers were appointed on 8 January and another six on 9 January; a fifteenth, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, was sworn in as Minister for Fijian Affairs on 15 January.
Initial cabinet PortfolioMinisterProfilePrime Minister,Minister for Information,Minister for Home AffairsCommodore Josaia Voreqe (Frank) BainimaramaCommander, Republic of Fiji Military Forces.Minister for Finance,Minister for Sugar Reform,Minister for National PlanningMahendra ChaudhryFiji Labour Party (FLP) leader; Prime Minister 1999-2000 (deposed).Minister for Youth and SportsLekh Ram VayeshnoiFLP politician since 1992; former Cabinet Minister.Minister for Local Government,Minister for Urban DevelopmentRatu Jone NavakamoceaState Minister for National Planning in the deposed SDL-led government.Minister for Labour,Minister for TourismBernadette Rounds GanilauServed as one of two United Peoples Party parliamentarians in 2006. Former Tourism Minister (2000-2001).Minister for Lands and Mineral ResourcesTevita VuibauMarine geologist with a background as Principal Scientific Officer with the Mineral Resources Department.Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and ForestsJainend KumarRetired Director of Research with the Agriculture, Sugar, and Land Resettlement Ministry.Attorney-General,Minister for JusticeAiyaz Sayed-KhaiyumFormer President of Fiji Young Lawyers Association.Minister for Foreign AffairsMinister for External TradeRatu Epeli NailatikauFormer Military Commander, diplomat, Cabinet Minister, and Parliamentary Speaker (2001-2006). Son of high chief and prominent politician, Ratu Sir Edward Cakobau; son-in-law of first Prime Minister and former President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.Minister for Public Service,Minister for Public Service ReformPoseci BuneVeteran civil servant and diplomat; FLP Environment Minister in the deposed government. Estranged from party leader Mahendra Chaudhry.Minister for HealthJona SenilagakaliMilitary doctor and former diplomat; interim Prime Minister for one month after coup of 5 December 2006.Minister for EducationLieutenant Commander Netani SukanaivaluReserve naval officer, former Fiji Institute of Technology lecturer, and businessman. National Alliance Party (NAPF) candidate in 2006 election.Minister for TransportManu KorovulavulaLongtime civil servant and former Senator; NAPF treasurer and candidate in 2006 election.Minister for CommerceTaito WaradiBusinessman and President, Fiji Chamber of Commerce.Minister for Women,Minister for Social WelfareAdi Laufitu MalaniScion of the chiefly Gonesau clan of Nakorotubu, Ra Province; former regional director of the United Nations Development Fund for Women.Minister for Fijian AffairsRatu Epeli GanilauScion of the chiefly Ai Sokula clan; son of first President Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau and son-in-law of first Prime Minister and second President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. FLP: Fiji Labour Party NAPF: National Alliance Party of Fiji SDL: Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua UPP: United Peoples Party
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