12 Facts About Jiko Luveni

Jiko Luveni was a member of the FijiFirst party before resigning her party membership in order to take up the position of Speaker.

The daughter of a former shopkeeper turned shipping magnate, Luveni came from the village of Nukuni on the island of Ono-i-Lau, in the Lau archipelago.

Jiko Luveni was educated at Lautoka Fijian School and then at Nabua Secondary School in Suva, before enrolling in Adi Cakobau School in Sawani.

Jiko Luveni graduated from the Fiji School of Dentistry in 1967, the first Fijian woman to do so.

Jiko Luveni resigned three years ahead of the expiry of her term to take up a post as HIV project officer for the Ministry of Health, working as project manager for Fiji Network for People Living with HIV, a non-governmental organization.

From 2007 to 2008 Jiko Luveni served on the board of the interim Fiji Sports Council.

In January 2008 Jiko Luveni was appointed Minister of Health and then as Minister of Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation in the interim government headed by Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.

Jiko Luveni was co-chair of a government task team established to make recommendations regarding "social cultural identity and nation building" for the proposed People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress.

In 2013 Jiko Luveni indicated that she would stand as part of Bainimarama's proposed political party.

Jiko Luveni was elected Chairperson of the Lau Provincial Council in April 2014, succeeding Filipe Bole, but after being announced as a parliamentary candidate for the FijiFirst party in July 2014, she resigned that post after only three months in office.

Jiko Luveni resigned her seat immediately following the election in order to become Speaker, the first Fijian woman to hold the position.

Jiko Luveni was formally elected Speaker on October 6,2014.