Paul Manueli
| Paul Manueli | |
|---|---|
| Born |
January 30, 1934 Noa’tau, Rotuma |
| Nationality | Fiji |
Colonel Paul Manueli is a former Commander of the Royal Fiji Military Forces,[1] a former Fiji Cabinet minister, Senator and successful businessman.
Biography
Military career
Manueli is of Rotuman and Samoan descent, he was a soldier in the Royal Fiji Military Forces, and a graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England. He had a distinguished career with the Fijian military, and while still a lieutenant, was appointed to the post of district officer on Rotuma for an interim period in 1960. He went on to become a Colonel and the first indigenous Commander of the Fiji Military Forces, which he led from 22 February 1974 until February 22, 1979.[2]
Post-Military Career
Following his retirement, he has enjoyed considerable success as a business leader and has served on the boards of numerous corporations, including General Manager of BP in the South Pacific. After the 1987 Fijian coups d'état, Manueli has held the portfolios of Minister for Home Affairs, Finance Minister and Minister for Justice in the Fijian Parliamentary Cabinet. Originally a member of the post-coup interim government, Manueli subsequently sought election and won the sole seat for the Rotuman Communal Constituency and was made a Cabinet Minister in Sitiveni Rabuka's governments. His most recent position was as Rotuma's representative on the Great Council of Chiefs, which was abolished in 2012. He also is a member of the executive board of Warwick International Hotels.
| Preceded by Brigadier D.J. Aitken |
Fiji Military Forces Commander 1974–1979 |
Succeeded by Colonel Ian Thorpe |
References
- ↑ (23 December 2006). Military, GCC agree to talks, Fiji Times, Retrieved November 22, 2010
- ↑ Fraenkel, Jon et al. (eds.) The 2006 military takeover in Fiji: the coup to end all coups?, p. 54 (2009) (ISBN 1921536500)