Charan Jeath Singh
{{Short description|Fijian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = The Honourable
| name = Charan Jeath Singh
| honorific-suffix = MP
| image = Charan Jeath Singh 2014.jpg
| caption = Charan Jeath Singh in 2014
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| primeminister =
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| office8 = Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs
| primeminister8 = Sitiveni Rabuka
| term_start8 = 24 December 2022
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| office9 = Minister for Sugar
| primeminister9 =
| term_start9 = 24 December 2022
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| constituency_MP10 = PA List
| parliament10 = Fijian
| term_start10 = 14 December 2022
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| constituency_MP11 = Macuata West Indian Communal Constituency
| parliament11 = Fijian
| term_start11 = 1994
| term_end11 = 1999
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| majority11 =
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|56|2018|10|06}}{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2018/10/06/singh-nfp-focus-on-helping-people/ |title=Singh, NFP focus on helping people |publisher=Fiji Sun |author=Shratika Naidu |date=6 October 2018 |access-date=3 January 2023}}
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| party = National Federation Party
People's Alliance
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Charan Jeath Singh is an Indo-Fijian businessman, politician, and Cabinet Minister. From 1992 to 2005 he was Mayor of Labasa. He is the founder of the CJS Group of companies.{{cite web |url=https://www.cjsgroup.com.fj/about/ |title=CJS Group at a Glance |publisher=CJS Group |access-date=3 January 2023}}
Early life
Singh is from Labasa and was educated at All Saints School and Labasa College before training as a pilot at Ardmore Flying School in New Zealand.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2022/11/04/businessman-and-nfp-stalwart-switches-political-allegiance/ |title=Businessman And NFP Stalwart Switches Political Allegiance |publisher=Fiji Sun |author=Shratika Naidu |date=4 November 2022 |access-date=3 January 2023}} He worked as a pilot for Air Pacific and Air Fiji from 1982 to 1987, when he went into business.
Political career
Singh was elected the Mayor of Labasa representing the Ratepayers' Association in 1992[http://www.oag.gov.fj/reports_2003/Special%20Audit/Special%20Investigations%20Report.pdf Report of the Auditor General of the Republic of the Fiji Islands] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928002458/http://www.oag.gov.fj/reports_2003/Special%20Audit/Special%20Investigations%20Report.pdf |date=September 28, 2007 }} but in the municipal elections of 2005 his Association lost in a landslide result to the Fiji Labour Party (FLP), winning only two seats.
In the 1994 general election, he won the Macuata West Indian Communal Constituency for the National Federation Party (NFP).{{cite news |title= Fiji Times '94 General Election Scoreboard|publisher=Fiji Times |date=1994-02-28}} In the 1999 general election he contested the Labasa Indian Communal Constituency for the UNLP but managed to get only 10% of the votes cast. Following the death of the sitting member, he contested the Labasa Rural Indian Communal Constituency in December 2003 for the National Federation Party (NFP).{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/146492/fiji's-labour-party-wins-by-election-in-labasa |title=Fiji's Labour Party wins by- election in Labasa |publisher=RNZ |date=8 December 2003 |access-date=3 January 2023}} During the election campaign Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry accused Singh of supporting the 2000 Fijian coup d'état.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/145705/labasa-mayor-takes-out-ad-in-fiji-paper-over-labour-allegations |title=Labasa mayor takes out ad in Fiji paper over Labour allegations |publisher=RNZ |date=14 October 2003 |access-date=3 January 2023}} Singh sued for defamation,{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/146424/labasa-mayor-sues-fiji-labour-party-and-its-leader-over-election-campaign-leaflet |title=Labasa mayor sues Fiji Labour Party and its leader over election campaign leaflet |publisher=RNZ |date=3 December 2003 |access-date=3 January 2023}} beginning a long-running suit. The case was eventually settled in January 2012 with a declaration that Singh did not support the coup in any way.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2012/01/08/charan-jeath-wins-coup-declaration/ |title=Charan Jeath wins coup declaration |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=8 January 2012 |access-date=3 January 2023}}
In the 2006 general election, he contested the Vanua Levu West Indian Communal Constituency, Fiji) for the National Alliance Party (NAPF) and again lost with only 14% of the votes cast.{{cite book |title=From Election to Coup in Fiji: The 2006 Campaign and Its Aftermath |author=Stewart Firth |publisher=ANU Press |location=Canberra |year=2007 |page=467 }}
Following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état he criticised the military regime's detention of journalists,{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/178709/fiji-businessman-critical-of-police-action-against-journalist |title=Fiji businessman critical of police action against journalist |publisher=RNZ |date=11 August 2008 |access-date=3 January 2023}} and was arrested by the regime for criticising Mahendra Chaudhry, who at the time was collaborating as interim finance minister.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2008/08/12/police-arrest-businessman/ |title=Police arrest businessman |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=12 August 2008 |access-date=3 January 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2008/08/13/i-was-treated-well-by-police-businessman/ |title=I was treated well by police: Businessman |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=13 August 2008 |access-date=3 January 2023}} He later formed the Fiji People’s Party in the expectation of contesting eventual elections.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2008/06/24/ex-mp-forms-new-party/ |title=Ex-MP forms new party |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=24 June 2008 |access-date=3 January 2023}} In 2013 he supported the regime's Political parties Decree, which effectively banned small parties,{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/209807/small-fiji-party-hails-regime's-party-decree |title=Small Fiji party hails regime's party decree |publisher=RNZ |date=24 January 2013 |access-date=3 January 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2013/01/20/singh-politicians-have-it-wrong/ |title=Singh: Politicians have it wrong |publisher=Fiji Sun |author=Maikeli Seru |date=20 January 2013 |access-date=3 January 2023}} and called for the mandatory death penalty for treason to deter future coups.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2012/10/06/singh-death-penalty-for-future-treason/ |title=Singh: Death penalty for future treason |publisher=Fiji Sun |author=Joelene Tuimoala |date=6 October 2012 |access-date=3 January 2023}} He supported the regime's 2013 constitution.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2013/09/11/constitution-way-forward/ |title=Constitution 'way forward' |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=11 September 2013 |access-date=3 January 2023}} He later applied to be a FijiFirst candidate for the 2014 election but was rejected.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2018/10/24/nfp-two-applied-for-fijifirst-tickets-first/ |title=NFP two 'applied for FijiFirst Tickets' First |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=24 October 2018 |access-date=3 January 2023}}
He contested the 2018 election as an NFP candidate,{{cite web |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/tarana/107702590/nfp-names-its-final-list-of-51-candidates-for-next-months-general-election |title=NFP names its final list of 51 candidates for next month's general election |publisher=Stuff |author=Arvind Kumar |date=10 October 2018 |access-date=3 January 2023}} but was unsuccessful.
In March 2022 he resigned from the NFP and joined the People's Alliance.{{cite web |url=https://www.fijivillage.com/news/Charan-Jeath-Singh-resigns-from-NFP-5rfx84/ |title=Charan Jeath Singh resigns from NFP |publisher=Fiji Village |author= Shanil Singh |date=25 March 2022 |access-date=3 January 2023}} He later said that he wanted to show that the PA was not a racist party but a multiracial team.{{cite web |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fijian-elections/i-left-nfp-on-good-terms-charan-jeath-singh/ |title=I left NFP on good terms: Charan Jeath Singh |publisher=FBC News |author=Elenoa Turagaiviu |date=29 November 2022 |access-date=3 January 2023}}
He contested the 2022 election as a PA candidate{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2022/11/11/7-women-and-48-men-for-the-peoples-alliance/ |title=7 Women And 48 Men For The Peoples Alliance |publisher=Fiji Sun |author=Jone Salusalu |date=11 November 2022 |access-date=29 December 2022}} and was elected{{Cite news |last=Singh |first=Indira |date=18 December 2022 |title=Top 55 confirmed |work=FBC |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fijian-elections/top-55-confirmed/ |url-status=live |access-date=24 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221218063858/https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fijian-elections/top-55-confirmed/ |archive-date=18 December 2022}} with 5616 votes.{{cite web |url=https://2022results.feo.org.fj/Home/CandidateResults?Id=73&CandidateBallotNumber=245&Year=2022+Official |title=Charan Jeath Singh (245) |publisher=Fijian Elections Office |access-date=3 January 2023}} On 24 December 2022 he was appointed Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs in the coalition government of Sitiveni Rabuka.{{cite web |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/parliament/siromi-turaga-sworn-in-as-new-ag/ |title=Siromi Turaga sworn in as new AG |publisher=FBC News |author=Apenisa Waqairadovu |date=24 December 2022 |access-date=24 December 2022}} He was also appointed Minister for Sugar. One of his first actions as a Minister was to invite Mahendra Chaudhry to chair the board of the Fiji Sugar Corporation.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2023/01/02/chaudhry-invited-to-lead-board/ |title=Chaudhry Invited To Lead Board |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=2 January 2023 |access-date=3 January 2023}}
References
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Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Politicians from Labasa
Category:National Federation Party politicians
Category:Indian members of the House of Representatives (Fiji)
Category:People's Alliance (Fiji) politicians