Filimoni Vosarogo
{{Short description|Fijian politician}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
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| name = Filimoni Vosarogo
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| caption = Filimino Vosarogo
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| office8 = Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources
| primeminister8 = Sitiveni Rabuka
| term_start8 = 24 December 2022
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| parliament11 = Fijian
| term_start11 = 14 December 2022
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| party = Social Democratic Liberal Party (2018–2021)
People's Alliance (2021–present)
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Filimoni Wainiqolo Rasokisoki Vosarogo is a Fijian lawyer, politician, and Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the People's Alliance.
Vosarogo worked as a lawyer and civil servant, including as legal manager for the land Transport Authority. In December 2016 he was elected chair of Fiji National Rugby League.{{cite web |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/vosarogo-continues/ |title=Vosarogo continues |publisher=Fiji Times |author=Maikeli Seru |date=15 December 2016 |access-date=30 December 2022}}
Vosarogo has appeared in a number of high-profile cases against the military regime and the FijiFirst government which succeeded it. In 2011 he represented former Fiji Land Force Commander, Brigadier General Pita Driti, in his trial for sedition and mutiny.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/197489/driti-case-deferred-as-defence-seeks-disclosure-from-fiji-state |title=Driti case deferred as defence seeks disclosure from Fiji state |publisher=RNZ |date=1 June 2011 |access-date=30 December 2022}} In 2019 he represented opposition MP Mosese Bulitavu in his retrial for sedition.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2019/04/04/mosese-bulitavu-jagath-karunaratne-are-free-at-last/ |title=Mosese Bulitavu, Jagath Karunaratne Are ‘Free At Last’ |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=4 April 2019 |access-date=30 December 2022}} In May 2019 he represented Fiji Trades Union Congress secretary Felix Anthony after he was detained by police for attempting to organise a protest march against job cuts.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/388324/police-search-fiji-trades-union-congress-hq |title=Police search Fiji Trades Union Congress HQ |publisher=RNZ |date=2 May 2019 |access-date=30 December 2022}} In 2020, he represented SODELPA MPs under investigation by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2020/08/26/sodelpa-lawyer-ready-to-represent-opposition-mps-for-ficac-questioning/ |title=SODELPA Lawyer Ready To Represent Opposition MPs For FICAC Questioning |publisher=Fiji Sun |author=Fonua Talei |date=26 August 2020 |access-date=30 December 2022}}
Political career
In August 2014 he was founding president of the One Fiji Party.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/249185/proposed-one-fiji-party-applies |title=Proposed One Fiji Party applies |publisher=RNZ |date=8 July 2014 |access-date=30 December 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/251195/numbers,-not-name,-reason-for-one-fiji-party-rejection |title=Numbers, not name, reason for One Fiji party rejection |publisher=RNZ |date=1 August 2014 |access-date=30 December 2022}} He ran as a One Fiji candidate in the 2014 election campaign,{{cite web |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/one-fiji-party-names-18-candidates/ |title=One Fiji Party names 18 candidates |publisher=FBC News |author=Shanal Sivan |date=15 August 2014 |access-date=30 December 2022}} and during campaign he opposed the FijiFirst regime's classification of all citizens as "Fijian" and its non-recognition of iTaukei.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/252693/party-says-consultation-needed-over-'fijian' |title=Party says consultation needed over 'Fijian' |publisher=RNZ |date=21 August 2014 |access-date=30 December 2022}}
During the 2018 Fijian general election he acted as lawyer for the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA).{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/378098/fiji-opposition-given-24-hours-to-serve-election-petition |title=Fiji opposition given 24 hours to serve election petition |publisher=RNZ |date=12 December 2018 |access-date=30 December 2022}} In August 2020 he contested the SODELPA deputy leadership.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/423746/five-way-contest-for-fiji-s-sodelpa-leadership |title=Five-way contest for Fiji's SODELPA leadership |publisher=RNZ |date=17 August 2020 |access-date=30 December 2022}} In December 2020 he was elected deputy leader, defeating Lynda Tabuya by one vote.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/432014/fiji-s-social-democratic-liberal-party-leader-viliame-gavoka-s-focus-ahead-of-2022-election |title=Fiji's Social Democratic Liberal Party leader Viliame Gavoka's focus ahead of 2022 election |publisher=RNZ |date=3 December 2020 |access-date=30 December 2022}} In February 2021 he opposed the government's deportation of University of the South Pacific vice-chancellor Pal Ahluwalia.{{cite web |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/usp-is-not-fijis-university-says-vosarogo/ |title=USP is not Fiji’s university, says Vosarogo |publisher=Fiji Times |author=Luke Nacei |date=4 February 2021 |access-date=30 December 2022}} In March 2021 he called for Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission director Ahswin Raj to be fired over the FHRDC's failure to oppose the FijiFirst government's policing bill, which restricted human rights.{{cite web |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/vosarogo-fhradc-director-should-be-sacked/ |title=Vosarogo: FHRADC director should be sacked |publisher=Fiji Times |author=Luke Rawalai |date=20 March 2021 |access-date=30 December 2022}}
In November 2021 he resigned from SODELPA to join the People's Alliance.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/456904/sodelpa-s-deputy-leader-quits-in-fiji |title=Sodelpa's deputy leader quits in Fiji |publisher=RNZ |date=30 November 2021 |access-date=30 December 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/filimoni-vosarogo-resigns-from-sodelpa/ |title=Filimoni Vosarogo resigns from SODELPA |publisher=Fiji Times |author=Arieta Vakasukawaqa |date=29 November 2021 |access-date=30 December 2022}}
He contested the 2022 Fijian general election as a People's Alliance candidate.{{cite web |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/politics/12-proposed-candidates-for-rabukas-party/ |title=12 proposed candidates for Rabuka’s party |publisher=FBC News |author=Litia Cava |date=3 May 2022 |access-date=30 December 2022}} During the election campaign he criticised the salaries paid to top public servants, such as land transport Authority CEO Samuel Charles Simpson,{{cite web |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/2022-general-election-simpson-was-paid-500k-a-year-vosarogo/ |title=2022 General Election: Simpson was paid $500k a year – Vosarogo |publisher=Fiji Times |author=Meri Radinibaravi |date=10 December 2022 |access-date=30 December 2022}} claiming that the FijiFirst government was paying a "different brain rate" for non-Fijians.{{cite web |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/different-brain-rate-for-expatriates-says-vosarogo/ |title=‘Different brain rate’ for expatriates, says Vosarogo |publisher=Fiji Times |author=Arieta Vakasukawaqa |date=2 December 2022 |access-date=30 December 2022}} Simpson subsequently quit shortly after the coalition government took office.{{cite web |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/lta-ceo-resigns/ |title=LTA CEO resigns |publisher=Fiji Times |author=Talebula Kate |date=30 December 2022 |access-date=30 December 2022}}
He was elected to the Parliament of Fiji with 4408 votes.{{cite web |url=https://2022results.feo.org.fj/Home/CandidateResults?Id=76&CandidateBallotNumber=248&Year=2022+Official |title=Filimoni Wainiqolo Rasokisoki Vosarogo (248) |publisher= Fijian Elections Office |access-date=30 December 2022}} On 24 December 2022 he was appointed Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources 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}}
References
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{{People's Alliance (Fiji)|state=autocollapse}}
{{Social Democratic Liberal Party |state=autocollapse}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vosarogo, Filimoni Wainiqolo Rasokisoki}}
Category:Fijian civil servants
Category:Social Democratic Liberal Party politicians
Category:People's Alliance (Fiji) politicians
Category:Members of the Parliament of Fiji