Ofa Swann

{{Short description|Fijian lawyer and politician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2016}}

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| constituency_MP11 = Suva City

| parliament11 = Fijian

| term_start11 = 15 May 1999

| term_end11 = 13 May 2006

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| birth_place = Vanua Balavu, Fiji

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| party = United General Party
New Labour Unity Party

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Ofakilomaloma Swann, also known as Ofa Duncan, is a Fijian lawyer, academic, and former politician.{{cite web |title=Government Senator unfit for leadership |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/140687/government-senator-unfit-for-leadership |access-date=24 March 2023 |publisher=RNZ |date=30 August 2002}} She served in the House of Representatives of Fiji from 1999 to 2006, and was leader of the New Labour Unity Party.

Swann is from Vanua Balavu in the Lau Islands. She was elected to represent the Suva City Open Constituency in the House of Representatives in 1999 as a candidate of the United General Party (now the United People's Party), garnering 31.9% of the vote on the first count, and 56.2% after votes for minor candidates had been redistributed under Fiji's transferable voting system.{{cite web |url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/f/fiji/fiji19995.txt |title=REPUBLIC OF THE FIJI ISLANDS PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF 8-15 MAY 1999 |publisher=Psephos |access-date=23 March 2023}} She retained the seat in 2001 as a candidate of the newly formed New Labour Unity Party (NLUP); this time the electorate was much more fractured and she polled only 12.5% of first-preference votes, but finished with 59.8% after the final distribution of preferences.{{cite web |url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/f/fiji/fiji20015.txt |title=REPUBLIC OF THE FIJI ISLANDS PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF 25 AUGUST TO 1 SEPTEMBER 2001 |publisher=Psephos |access-date=23 March 2023}} She was subsequently elected Deputy Leader of the Opposition.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/139458/fiji-deputy-opposition-leader-calls-for-resignation-of-some-members-of-cabinet |title=Fiji deputy opposition leader calls for resignation of some members of cabinet |publisher=RNZ |date=18 May 2002 |access-date=25 March 2023}} When Kenneth Zinck, the only other NLUP MP, defied orders from the party and joined the government, Swann remained a member of the Opposition.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/146470/fiji-cabinet-minister-dumped-by-his-own-party |title=Fiji cabinet minister dumped by his own party |publisher=RNZ |date=5 December 2003 |access-date=25 March 2023}}

Following the collapse of the NLUP she contested the 2006 election as an independent. Running against several nationally known candidates, Swann was defeated, polling only 341 votes out of more than 12,000.{{cite web |url=http://psephos.adam-carr.net/countries/f/fiji/fiji20065.txt |title=REPUBLIC OF THE FIJI ISLANDS PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF 6 MAY 2006 |publisher=Psephos |access-date=23 March 2023}}

Following the 2006 Fijian coup d'état Swann was removed from her position on the board of the Civil Aviation Authority of Fiji by the military regime.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/166841/fiji-coup-makers-revamp-top-administration |title=Fiji coup makers revamp top administration |publisher=RNZ |date=14 December 2006 |access-date=23 March 2023}} She subsequently studied for a Master's degree in Psychology at the University of the South Pacific,{{cite news |url=https://www.usp.ac.fj/alumni/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2021/08/USPAlumniNewsletter_201704_en.pdf |title=WHERE ARE THEY NOW? |work=Alumni News |issue=4 |publisher=University of the South Pacific |date=2017 |page=11 |access-date=25 March 2023}} and then worked there as a lecturer.{{cite web |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/psychological-first-aid-vital-says-swann/ |title=Psychological first aid vital, says Swann |publisher=Fiji Times |date=30 August 2018 |access-date=23 March 2023}}

In February 2023 she was appointed to the council of Fiji National University.{{cite web |url=https://www.fijivillage.com/news/New-Council-members-appointed-for-FNU-458rfx |title=New Council members appointed for FNU |publisher=Fiji Village |date=24 February 2023 |access-date=23 March 2023}}

References