Meli Bainimarama

{{Short description|Fijian civil servant (1945–2015)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}

Ratu Meli Bainimarama (24 September 1945 – 30 November 2023){{cite news|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/291090/bainimarama-leaves-cop21-early|title=Bainimarama leaves COP21 early|publisher=Radio NZ|accessdate=3 December 2015}}{{cite web |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/ratu-meli-bainimarama-dies-after-a-short-illness/ |title=Ratu Meli Bainimarama dies after a short illness |publisher=Fiji Times |date=3 December 2015 |access-date=23 April 2023}} was a Fijian civil servant and diplomat. He was the older brother of Fijian dictator Frank Bainimarama.

Bainimarama hailed from the village of Kiuva, in Tailevu Province. He joined the Fiji public service in 1967 as a cadet and rose through the ranks.{{cite web |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/nations-honour-ratu-meli/ |title=Nations honour Ratu Meli |publisher=Fiji Times |date=4 December 2015 |access-date=23 April 2023}} In 1989 he was appointed permanent secretary to the Ministry of Labour and Industrial Relations. He then served as permanent secretary for various other ministries, including the Ministry of Transport, Civil Aviation, Fijian Affairs, Provincial Development, Multi Ethnic Affairs, and Fisheries and Forests.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2015/12/03/ratu-melis-funeral-on-saturday/ |title=Ratu Meli’s Funeral On Saturday |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=3 December 2015 |access-date=23 April 2023}}{{cite web |url=http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/05/25/fijilive9.html |title=CEO reshuffle healthy: Huggett |publisher=Fiji Live |date=25 May 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070317053237/http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/05/25/fijilive9.html |archive-date=17 March 2007}} Following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état he was appointed acting chief executive of the Fijian Affairs Board, replacing Adi Litia Qionibaravi, who had been ousted by the military regime.{{cite web |url=http://www.fijivillage.com/artman/publish/article_34391.shtml |title=Adi Litia terminated |publisher=Fiji Village |date=13 December 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061227004222/http://www.fijivillage.com:80/artman/publish/article_34391.shtml |archive-date=27 December 2006}}{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/166809/fiji-military-announce-more-changes-to-key-positions |title=Fiji military announce more changes to key positions |publisher=RNZ |date=13 December 2006 |access-date=23 April 2023}} In this role, Bainimarama supervised the workings of the Secretariat of the Great Council of Chiefs and of the fourteen Provinces.

The Fijian Affairs Board officially appointed Bainimarama as its chief executive officer on 29 January 2007, but as part of a reorganization of the civil service by the interim government, Bainimarama was dismissed, along with twenty-two other Chief Executive Officers, on 21 January 2007 after just one day holding the position formally. He was one of four terminated to be re-employed immediately, as a consultant advising the FAB.{{cite web |url=http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=55687 |title=Sacked CEOs now consultants |publisher=Fiji Times |date=22 January 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207204735/http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=55687 |archive-date=7 February 2012}}

In 2011 he was appointed Fiji's High Commissioner to Malaysia and Ambassador to Thailand.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2011/12/15/ratu-meli-named-envoy-to-malaysia/ |title=Ratu Meli named envoy to Malaysia |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=15 December 2011 |access-date=23 April 2023}}