Jonati Mavoa
{{Short description|Fijian civil servant and politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| image = Jonati Mavoa.png
| office1 = Minister of Foreign Affairs, Civil Aviation and Tourism
| term1 = 1983–1985
| predecessor1 = Mosese Qionibaravi
| successor1 = Semesa Sikivou
| office2 = Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries
| term2 = 1979–1983
| predecessor2 = Charles Walker
| successor2 =
| office3 = Minister of Urban Development and Housing
| term3 = 1977–1979
| predecessor3 =
| successor3 =
| office4 = Minister of Communications, Works and Tourism
| term4 = 1977
| predecessor4 =
| successor4 =
| office5 = Minister for Labour
| term5 = 1972–1977
| predecessor5 =
| successor5 =
| office6 = Minister of Social Services
| term6 = 1969–1972
| predecessor6 = Vijay R. Singh
| successor6 = Vijay R. Singh
| office7 = Member of the House of Representatives
| term7 = 1966–1985
| predecessor7 =
| successor7 = Filipe Bole
| constituency7 = Lau–Rotuma
| birth_date = 12 April 1920
| birth_place = Kabara, Fiji
| death_date = {{death date and age|1985|6|16|1920|4|12|df=y}}
| death_place = Auckland, New Zealand
}}
Jonati Malamala Mavoa {{post-nominals|CMG}} (12 April 1920 – 16 June 1985) was a Fijian civil servant and politician. He served as an MP from 1966 until his death, and held several ministerial positions from 1969 onwards.
Biography
Born in Kabara in April 1920,International Directory of Foreign Ministers, 1589-1989: Supplement, 1945-1995, Volume 2, p172 Mavoa was a civil servant and in 1955 became the first Fijian to be appointed a clerk to the Legislative Council.[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-319422492/view?sectionId=nla.obj-374051186&partId=nla.obj-319628371#page/n158/mode/1up First Fijian Secretary of Legislative Council] Pacific Islands Monthly, May 1955, p157 He resigned from the civil service in 1966 to join the Alliance Party and stand in the elections to the Legislative Council in the Lau–Rotuma Fijian communal constituency. He was elected unopposed, and was appointed a Parliamentary Secretary for Natural Resources.[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-331795230/view?sectionId=nla.obj-338605772&partId=nla.obj-331922278#page/n12/mode/1up Fiji's new government] Pacific Islands Monthly, November 1966, p11 In 1969 he was appointed Minister of Social Services.[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-327993344/view?sectionId=nla.obj-336103163&partId=nla.obj-327995095 Fiji: new portfolios] Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1969, p30
After being re-elected in 1972 (by which time the legislature had been renamed the House of Representatives), he was appointed Minister for Labour, later becoming Minister of Communications, Works and Tourism. Following the March 1977 elections he became House Leader.[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-334955044/view?partId=nla.obj-335069030#page/n10/mode/1up With an election in the offing, Fiji's cliff-hanger continues] Pacific Islands Monthly, July 1977, p11 He was appointed Minister of Urban Development and Housing following the September 1977 elections, before becoming Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries in 1979.[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-337736628/view?sectionId=nla.obj-341066213&partId=nla.obj-337758669#page/n27/mode/1up Fiji: Sugar politics again] Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1979, p28 In 1983 he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Civil Aviation and Tourism. He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1984 New Year Honours.
He died in Auckland in June 1985, having been taken to New Zealand for medical treatment following a fall at his home.[https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-335185350/view?partId=nla.obj-335221500#page/n64/mode/1up Jonati Mavoa] Pacific Islands Monthly, August 1985, p65
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mavoa, Jonati}}
Category:Fijian civil servants
Category:Members of the Legislative Council of Fiji
Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Fiji)
Category:Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
Category:Agriculture ministers of Fiji
Category:Communication ministers of Fiji
Category:Fisheries ministers of Fiji
Category:Ministers for foreign affairs of Fiji
Category:Labour ministers of Fiji
Category:Housing ministers of Fiji