812:, it was clear that Vijay R. Singh was losing favour with the leadership of the Alliance Party, when he was not nominated for his existing safe seat and instead was given another (less safe) seat in a constituency where he did not have any political following. He won the election and was made Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Social Welfare. Not happy with this "demotion" he soon resigned as a Minister and resumed private practice. He was then elected
820:. In mid-1975, when the Minister of Education announced that the Government would not subsidize school fees for non-Fijians, Vijay Singh was among its most vocal critics, describing the decision as "deplorable because of its distressingly repellent odour of crude racialism." In 1976, he was elected the Speaker and resigned from the presidency of the Indian Alliance.
765:. The Federation Party had no hope of winning the seat and to confuse voters selected another Vijay Singh. From then on he started to use the name, Vijay R. Singh (Vijay Raghubar Singh - using his father's first name as his middle name.) The ploy by the Federation Party backfired, as Vijay R. Singh's opponent was a clerk and he asked the electorate,
721:, signed the 1960 cane contract in defiance of the majority of the Federation of Cane Growers. He later became the President of a united Kisan Sangh and held this office until the mid-1990s. He was an active leader of the joint committee of all sugar cane growers associations, established to restructure the sugar industry and when the
657:. With no tertiary education available in Fiji, and not able to afford to travel overseas for further education, he took up employment in his uncle, Hari Shankars', accountancy and import business. Seeing his determination to pursue further studies, his uncle offered to finance him to study law. He began legal studies at
799:
was established. He also introduced a program to extend secondary education to rural areas by the establishment of Junior
Secondary Schools. He was later appointed the minister of commerce, industry and cooperatives and was instrumental in the establishment of a flour mill, steel rolling mill and a
842:
and
Minister for Economic Development. Differences between him and the Alliance leadership widened and he resigned from both the party and the Senate in 1979. In 1982, he joined the National Federation Party (NFP), whose leader's moderate style appealed to him, and soon became a key adviser to its
927:
on 17 August, barely six weeks before his death, Singh claimed that an emotional Ratu Mara, who had abruptly resigned the
Presidency in the midst of the coup crisis, had told him of his own suspicions about Rabuka. Although unsubstantiated, Singh's claims were not new: Mara's own last recorded
813:
871:. He succeeded but was barred from returning to Fiji, having been declared persona non-grata. He then settled in Australia. After the restoration of democracy in Fiji he returned and resumed his law practice in Suva in 1991.
741:, and other organizations opposed to the Federation Party, he was involved in the formation of Fiji's first multi-racial political party, the Alliance Party. He joined the Alliance Party independently of Ayodhya Prasad's
928:
interview had expressed strong suspicions about Rabuka's possible involvement in the 2000 coup. Singh's claimed conversation with Rabuka was, however, the first known purported confession from Rabuka.
867:. In order to bring pressure on the regime in Fiji to restore democracy, he lobbied at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Vancouver in October 1987 to have Fiji expelled from the
1017:
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and
Publicity Manager. When the Congress was wound up in 1967, its members joined the Indian division of the Alliance Party, the Indian Alliance, with Vijay R. Singh as
1350:
863:
In 1985 he resigned his seat in the House of
Representatives and began work as chief executive of the Sugar Cane Growers Council but this career was cut short by the
986:
1340:
1135:
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In June 1976, he became the first Indo-Fijian to be knighted by the Queen for his services as a citizen, as a member of parliament, Minister and
Speaker. In the
800:
second brewery in Fiji. He played an active part in multi-party talks held in London, culminating in the new constitution and Fiji's independence in 1970.
831:. He then began speaking out publicly on issues affecting the Indian community but accepted nomination for an Indian Communal seat that he could not win.
780:
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963:
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705:(an umbrella organisation of various sugar cane unions to negotiate with the CSR) and the subsequent negotiations that took place with the
1385:
653:. He attended the local Arya Samaj school for primary education and obtained his secondary education at Marist Brothers High School in
1425:
787:, who retained all power. However, the portfolio, which encompassed Health, Education, Housing and Social Welfare, was upgraded to a
706:
1121:
898:, claimed Telawa, whose party calls for indigenous supremacy and for Christianity to be established as the state religion.
1051:
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The
Alliance Party still needed him as they needed a qualified lawyer to be the Attorney General. He was appointed to the
1085:
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905:, the architect of the 1987 coups, had personally told him that he was the main instigator behind the scenes of the
894:
and other churches for supporting the coups was insensitive to
Christian beliefs and to the predominantly Christian
878:, published in 2006, in which he recited his version of the events surrounding the coups in Fiji. The book offended
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in 1953 after only two years, the shortest period of study permissible to sit the final examination. He became a
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617:. He quit the party in 1979 following disagreement with Alliance leadership and later joined the opposition
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but his attempts to use foreign media to influence the election backfired and the NFP lost the election.
750:
621:. Vijay Singh was involved in the restructure of the Fiji sugar industry and was a leading member of the
356:
725:
was established in 1985, he was selected as its first Chief
Executive. He also became a director of the
722:
702:
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535:
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prior to the election. This was not a ministerial post in the modern sense, as Singh and his fellow
1312:
827:, he lost the pre-selection for Alliance Party's nomination for his National seat to the prominent
606:
54:
757:, he was elected to the Legislative Council from the East-Central cross-voting seat which covered
1405:
868:
697:
While in Labasa, Vijay Singh became involved in cane farmers unions and was the president of the
1400:
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931:
Sir Vijay R. Singh died on 25 September 2006 in
Brisbane, Australia, after a long battle with
614:
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189:
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8:
745:
and worked himself to a position of influence within the Party by taking up the posts of
689:
and Suva. In 1956 he married Maya, with whom he had a son, Vinay, and a daughter, Madhu.
783:
comprised a minority of the Executive Council and were technically only advisers to the
1217:
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681:, Australia, and Fiji. In February 1954, he returned to Fiji and began to practise in
646:
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729:, thus providing sugar cane farmers a direct say in how Fiji's sugar was marketed.
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was introduced in September 1967. It was during his term as Minister that the
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From 1985 to 1987 he was Chief Executive of Fiji Sugar Cane Growers Council
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Following the Alliance Party's win in the election, he was appointed the
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767:"Which Vijay Singh do you wish to vote for - the clerk or the lawyer?"
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on the NFP ticket in a national constituency in his home town of
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and was the eldest of 14 children. He came from a prominent
1022:. University of London: Institute of Commonwealth Studies.
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regarding the 1960 sugar cane contract. He, together with
16:
This article is about the politician. For the golfer, see
909:
also, and that his main target was not the government of
666:
890:. Singh's strident criticism of some ministers of the
814:
Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives of Fiji
1346:
Indian members of the House of Representatives (Fiji)
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692:
598:
office in the 1960s and 1970s. Vijay Singh served in
1421:
People educated at Marist Brothers High School, Fiji
1411:
Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire
901:Singh's memoir also made controversial claims that
701:. He was also a key player in the formation of the
1087:Islands of Turmoil: Elections and Politics in Fiji
991:Journal of South Pacific Law - Fiji Islands Crisis
1351:Indian members of the Legislative Council of Fiji
1332:
605:government in a variety of positions, including
1341:Speakers of the House of Representatives (Fiji)
1208:Speaker of the House of Representatives of Fiji
874:Singh's last public contribution was his book,
215:Speaker of the House of Representatives of Fiji
590:(13 July 1931 – 25 September 2006) was an
357:Member of the Legislative Council of Fiji
1286:Member, House of Representatives of Fiji
1252:Member, House of Representatives of Fiji
1050:Mara, Ratu Sir Kamisese (January 1997).
888:called for the book to be banned in Fiji
446:Member, House of Representatives of Fiji
375:Member, House of Representatives of Fiji
913:, but the aging Ratu Mara, who was now
1333:
1391:National Federation Party politicians
1396:Fijian politicians of Indian descent
1049:
950:
948:
775:, a portfolio that had been held by
20:. For the writer and filmmaker, see
1356:Indian members of the Senate (Fiji)
1235:Member, Legislative Council of Fiji
1083:
1015:
732:
13:
1122:Curriculum Vitae - Sir Vijay Singh
804:Alienation from the Alliance Party
693:Contribution to the sugar industry
22:Vijay Singh (writer and filmmaker)
14:
1437:
1386:Alliance Party (Fiji) politicians
1136:CONDOLENCES motion in Fiji Senate
1115:
1016:Lal, Brij V (22 September 2006).
984:
945:
145:20 September 1967 – 1976
1426:Deaths from cancer in Queensland
797:University of the South Pacific
707:Colonial Sugar Refining Company
594:lawyer and politician who held
350:As Minister for Social Services
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978:
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1:
938:
665:in 1951. He graduated with a
628:
1173:Minister for Social Services
1127:Review of Singh's biography
1084:Lal, Brij V. (August 2006).
727:Fiji Sugar Marketing Company
7:
838:and given the portfolio of
613:, a division of the ruling
609:, and was president of the
10:
1442:
1159:Member for Social Services
1132:(largely in his own words)
960:Kulacoco New Fiji Goodchat
882:(the leader of the fringe
773:Member for Social Services
723:Sugar Cane Growers Council
703:Federation of Cane Growers
289:Member for Social Services
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1371:Attorneys-general of Fiji
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1107:– via Google Books.
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1053:The Pacific Way: A Memoir
1039:– via Google Books.
743:National Congress of Fiji
685:. He also had offices in
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987:"A DIMINISHED JUDICIARY"
818:House of Representatives
633:Vijay Singh was born in
603:Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara's
584:Sir Vijay Raghubar Singh
55:Attorney General of Fiji
38:Sir Vijay Raghubar Singh
737:In 1965, together with
435:President of the Senate
246:Ratu Sir George Cakobau
168:Ratu Sir George Cakobau
86:Ratu Sir George Cakobau
1376:Fijian trade unionists
956:"Sir Vijay Singh dies"
793:responsible government
677:of the High Courts of
429:Prime Minister of Fiji
258:Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara
204:Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara
180:Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara
98:Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara
884:New Nationalist Party
324:Until 10 October 1970
208:Until 10 October 1970
194:Until 10 October 1970
985:Singh, Sir Vijay R.
671:University of London
133:(Various portfolios)
1381:Fiji sugar industry
1144:Government offices
400:Himself (1976-1977)
1293:Succeeded by
1276:Succeeded by
1259:Succeeded by
1242:Succeeded by
1225:Political offices
1218:Mosese Qionibaravi
1193:Succeeded by
896:indigenous Fijians
865:Fiji coups of 1987
739:Ratu Kamisese Mara
699:Labasa Kisan Sangh
625:movement in Fiji.
282:Mosese Qionibaravi
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1320:Succeeded by
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1215:Succeeded by
1181:Preceded by
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1166:Succeeded by
997:on 1 October 2015
966:on 1 October 2015
911:Mahendra Chaudhry
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506:25 September 2006
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962:. Archived from
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847:. He won the
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1101:. Retrieved
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1067:. Retrieved
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1045:
1035:30 September
1033:. Retrieved
1018:
1011:
1001:29 September
999:. Retrieved
995:the original
990:
980:
970:29 September
968:. Retrieved
964:the original
959:
930:
918:
917:. Pleading
900:
880:Saula Telawa
876:Speaking Out
875:
873:
869:Commonwealth
862:
833:
829:K.R. Latchan
822:
807:
770:
766:
736:
696:
632:
583:
582:
508:(2006-09-25)
485:13 July 1931
453:
424:Appointed by
413:
382:
364:
343:Succeeded by
310:Elizabeth II
296:
277:Succeeded by
236:Elizabeth II
222:
154:Elizabeth II
140:
122:Andrew Deoki
117:Succeeded by
76:Elizabeth II
62:
26:
1366:2006 deaths
1361:1931 births
1306:John Falvey
1201:R. D. Patel
1152:A. D. Patel
859:Later years
789:ministerial
777:A. D. Patel
719:Kisan Sangh
592:Indo-Fijian
538:(1979-1985)
533:(1965-1979)
492:Ba Province
398:(1972-1976)
396:R. D. Patel
336:A. D. Patel
331:Preceded by
270:R. D. Patel
265:Preceded by
110:John Falvey
105:Preceded by
18:Vijay Singh
1335:Categories
1317:1977-1979
1290:1982-1985
1273:1977-1979
1256:1972-1977
1239:1966-1972
1212:1976-1977
1190:1967-1976
1163:1966-1967
939:References
920:sub judice
759:Vanua Levu
649:family in
647:Arya Samaj
629:Early life
559:Profession
517:Queensland
925:Fiji Live
915:president
907:2000 coup
892:Methodist
781:"members"
753:. In the
751:President
747:Treasurer
715:Viti Levu
713:, of the
675:barrister
521:Australia
458:1982–1985
454:In office
418:1977–1979
414:In office
387:1972–1977
383:In office
369:1966–1972
365:In office
301:1966–1967
297:In office
227:1976–1977
223:In office
141:In office
67:1977–1979
63:In office
53:22nd
886:), who
843:leader,
785:governor
635:Yalalevu
551:Children
513:Brisbane
488:Yalalevu
316:Governor
186:Governor
1168:Himself
816:of the
808:In the
717:-based
679:England
623:Jaycees
596:Cabinet
463:Speaker
392:Speaker
347:Himself
306:Monarch
232:Monarch
150:Monarch
72:Monarch
1094:
1060:
1026:
933:cancer
836:Senate
683:Labasa
663:London
563:Lawyer
543:Spouse
1105:2015
1092:ISBN
1071:2015
1058:ISBN
1037:2015
1024:ISBN
1019:Fiji
1003:2015
972:2015
761:and
687:Nadi
655:Suva
643:Fiji
503:Died
482:Born
1171:As
763:Lau
667:Law
661:in
588:KBE
42:KBE
1337::
1090:.
1056:.
989:.
958:.
947:^
935:.
853:Ba
651:Ba
641:,
639:Ba
637:,
586:,
565:,
519:,
515:,
494:,
490:,
1005:.
974:.
24:.
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