New Fiji ministers sworn in

Suva, Sep 24: A 19-member ministerial council was Wednesday sworn-in in Fiji by President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau.

Nailatikau administered the oath of office to 14 cabinet-rank ministers and five assistant ministers at Government House in Suva, fijitimes.com reported.

Former military strongman Voreqe Bainimarama, the newly-elected prime minister, is also the minister for sugar and iTaukei affairs.

Fiji First party, led by Bainimarama, won the parliamentary elections held last week in Fiji, home to a large Indian-origin population.

In the 50-member parliament, Fiji First won 32 seats, Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) won 15 while National Federation Party (NFP) won three seats in the general election held Sep 17.

Ethnic Indians comprise 37 percent of Fiji's population of around 900,000.

Most of them are descendants of indentured labourers who were brought from India between 1879 and 1916 to work in the country's sugarcane plantations.

IANS