Jone Usamate

{{short description|Fijian politician}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix =

| name = Jone Usamate

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Jone Usamate 2016.jpg

| imagesize =

| alt =

| caption = Usamate at the Australian Embassy in Suva, December 2016

| order =

| office = Minister for  Infrastructure and Meteorological Services

| term_start = 25 September 2014

| term_end = 24 December 2022

| appointer = Frank Bainimarama

| taoiseach =

| predecessor =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1962|4|2|df=y}}

| birth_place = Suva

| birthname =

| nationality = Fijian

| party = FijiFirst
Independent

| spouse =

| relations =

| children = Four

| residence =

| alma_mater = University of the South Pacific

| occupation =

| profession = Academic

| cabinet =

| committees =

| portfolio =

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| signature_alt =

| website =

| footnotes =

| blank1 =

| data1 =

| office1 = Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources

| termstart1 = 16 April 2020

| termend1 = 24 December 2022

| succeeded = Filipe Tuisawau

| successor1 =

| succeeded1 = Filimoni Vosarogo

| appointer1 = Frank Bainimarama

}}

Jone Usamate (born 2 April 1962, in Suva) is a Fijian politician, who served as the Minister for  Infrastructure and Meteorological Services from 2014 to 2022 and Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources from 2020 to 2022 in the Fijian government.{{Cite web|last=Fijivillage|title=PM announces cabinet reshuffle, Faiyaz Koya sworn in as Minister for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport|url=https://www.fijivillage.com/news/PM-announces-cabinet-reshuffle-Faiyaz-Koya-sworn-in-as-Minister-for-Commerce-Trade-Tourism-and-Transport-rfx584/|access-date=2020-06-05|website=www.fijivillage.com|language=en}}

Usamate studied at the Suva Infant School, Veiuto Primary, Levuka Public and the then Kalabu Fijian before attending Lelean Memorial School from 1974 to 1979. He studied at the University of the South Pacific and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in administration and economics as well as a Master of Arts in management from Southern Cross University.{{cite web | url =http://waf.fnu.ac.fj/staffdir/DTVET.aspx | title =PDirector Technical Vocational Education & Training (TVET) – Mr Jone Usamate | accessdate =2014-07-05 | url-status =dead | archiveurl =https://archive.today/20140707060730/http://waf.fnu.ac.fj/staffdir/DTVET.aspx | archivedate =2014-07-07 }}

He was the chief executive officer for the Training and Productivity Authority of Fiji (TPAF) and was the Director for Technical and Vocational Education and Training at the Fiji National University.

In February 2012, he was appointed a Minister and sworn in by Fiji's President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau at Government House, Suva.{{cite web| url = http://www.pina.com.fj/?p=pacnews&m=read&o=2151464434f447282e20c827a18442 | title = PACNEWS - Regional news | accessdate = 2014-07-05 }}

He stood for Fiji First in the 2014 general elections. He collected 939 votes and was elected as a Member of Parliament.{{cite web|url=http://www.electionsfiji.gov.fj/2014-election-results/ |title=2014 Election Results |publisher=Fiji Elections Office |accessdate=2014-09-23 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921200245/http://www.electionsfiji.gov.fj/2014-election-results/ |archivedate=2014-09-21 }} He returned as a Government minister and left the Labour and Industrial Relations Ministry to become the Minister for Health. In September 2016, he was part of a cabinet shuffle and was moved to the Ministry for Employment Opportunities, Productivity and Industrial Relations.

Following the collapse of FijiFirst, Seruiratu remained in parliament as an independent, serving as chief whip of the opposition Group of 16 Bloc.{{cite web |url=https://www.fijivillage.com/news/Opposition-splits-in-2---One-led-by-Seruiratu-the-other-will-be-led-by-Naivalurua-x54rf8/ |title=Opposition splits in 2 - One led by Seruiratu, the other will be led by Naivalurua |publisher=Fiji Village |author= Navitalai Naivalurua |date=5 August 2024 |access-date=5 August 2024}}