# Attorney-General of Fiji

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Political and legal officer in Fiji

Attorney-General of Fiji Loya Raraba kei Viti (Fijian) फिजी के महान्यायवादी (Fiji Hindi) Coat of arms of the Republic of Fiji Incumbent Vacant since 1 June 2025 Style The Honourable Reports to Prime Minister of Fiji Appointer President of Fiji Formation 1872 First holder Robert Wilson Hamilton

Politics of Fiji Constitution History Executive President (list) Naiqama Lalabalavu Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka Cabinet Attorney-General Siromi Turaga Leader of the Opposition Inia Seruiratu Legislative Parliament Speaker: Filimone Jitoko Judiciary Supreme Court Chief Justice: Salesi Temo Court of Appeal High Court Elections Electoral system Voting Political parties Post-independence elections 1972 Mar 1977 Sep 1977 1982 1987 1992 1994 1999 2001 2006 2014 2018 2022 Next Local government Recent local elections 2002 2005 Foreign relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister: Sitiveni Rabuka Diplomatic missions of / in Fiji Passport Visa requirements Visa policy Former and informal Monarchy Governor Governor-General Chief Minister Executive Council House of Representatives Constituencies Open Communal National Legislative Council Great Council of Chiefs Chairman Senate Vice-President Other countries v t e

The **Attorney-General** is a political and legal officer in Fiji.[1] The attorney-general is the chief law officer of the State, and has responsibility for supervising Fijian law and advising the government on legal matters. Like other members of the [Fijian Cabinet](/source/Cabinet_of_Fiji), the attorney-general is appointed by the [president](/source/President_of_Fiji) on the advice of the [prime minister](/source/Prime_Minister_of_Fiji).

According to the [2013 Constitution of Fiji](/source/2013_Constitution_of_Fiji), the attorney-general is required to be a registered legal practitioner in Fiji, with not less than fifteen years' post-admission legal practice, either in Fiji or internationally.[2] The attorney-general is a member of the [Cabinet of Fiji](/source/Cabinet_of_Fiji),[2] and is normally expected to be a [Member of Parliament](/source/Parliament_of_Fiji). The Prime Minister may, however, choose an attorney-general from outside Parliament after determining there is no suitably qualified Member of Parliament who supports the Government. An Attorney-General who is not a Member of Parliament may sit in Parliament, but may not vote.[2]

The office of the attorney-general is the oldest surviving executive office in Fiji, having been established in the [Kingdom of Fiji](/source/Kingdom_of_Fiji) in 1872. It continued throughout Fiji's years as a [British](/source/United_Kingdom) [crown colony](/source/Crown_colony) (1874–1970) and subsequently as the [Dominion of Fiji](/source/Dominion_of_Fiji) (1970–1987) and [republic](/source/Republic) (1987–present), with minimal modifications.

The attorney-general was the only Cabinet office, apart from that of the prime minister, specifically established by the [1997 Constitution](/source/1997_Constitution_of_Fiji), which required the attorney-general to be a member of either the [House of Representatives](/source/House_of_Representatives_of_Fiji) or the [Senate](/source/Senate_of_Fiji). A unique feature of the office was that except for voting rights (which could be exercised only in the chamber of which the attorney-general was officially a member), the attorney-general had the authority to participate in the business of both chambers of [Parliament](/source/Parliament_of_Fiji). This feature became redundant upon the adoption of the [2013 Constitution](/source/2013_Constitution_of_Fiji), which established a [unicameral parliament](/source/Unicameral_parliament).

## Role of the Attorney-General's Office

The role of the attorney-general is defined as "providing essential legal expertise and support to the Government". More specific functions include "legislative drafting", "legal aid", "the prerogative of mercy" (advising the President), "liquor licensing" and "film censorship".[3] Thus, the attorney-general is responsible for all legal needs of government departments, statutory bodies, and state-owned enterprises.

The office has three offices in [Suva](/source/Suva), [Lautoka](/source/Lautoka), and [Labasa](/source/Labasa) respectively. Government legal work in the country's [Central](/source/Central_Division%2C_Fiji) and [Eastern](/source/Eastern_Division%2C_Fiji) [Divisions](/source/Local_government_in_Fiji) is undertaken by the central office in Suva, headed by the [Solicitor-General](/source/Solicitor-General_of_Fiji), while the Lautoka office (headed by the [Principal Legal Officer](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Principal_Legal_Officer_(Fiji)&action=edit&redlink=1)) is responsible for the [Western Division](/source/Western_Division%2C_Fiji). The [Northern Division](/source/Northern_Division%2C_Fiji) is covered by the Labasa office.

## List of attorneys-general of Fiji

Note that some attorneys-general have held office in multiple consecutive administrations, particularly in the [colonial](/source/British_Empire) era.

### Kingdom of Viti (1871–1874)

No. Name Term of office Appointed by (King): 1 Robert Wilson Hamilton 1872 Seru Epenisa Cakobau 2 Charles Rossiter Forwood 1872–1873 3 Sydney Charles Burt 1873–1874

### Crown colony (1874–1970)

No. Name Term of office Governor 4 James Herman De Ricci 1875–1876 Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon 5 Joseph Hector Garrick 1876–1882 Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon 6 Fielding Clarke 1882–1886 Sir William Des Vœux 7 Henry Spencer Berkeley 1886–1889 8 John Symonds Udal 1889–1899 Sir John Bates Thurston 9 Henry Edward Pollock 1901–1903 William Lamond Allardyce 10 Albert Ehrhardt 1903–1914 Sir Henry Moore Jackson 11 Alfred Karney Young 1914–1922 Sir Ernest Bickham Sweet-Escott 12 Kenneth James Muir MacKenzie 1922–1927 Sir Cecil Hunter Rodwell 13 Percy Alexander McElwaine 1927–1931 Sir Eyre Hutson 14 Charles Gough Howell 1931–1933 Sir Arthur George Murchison Fletcher 15 Ransley Samuel Thacker 1933–1938 16 Edward Enoch Jenkins 1938–1945 Sir Arthur Frederick Richards 17 John Henry Vaughan 1945–1949 Sir Alexander Grantham 18 Brian Andre Doyle 1949–1956 Sir Brian Freeston 19 Ashley Martin Greenwood 1956–1963 Sir Ronald Herbert Garvey 20 Henry Roger Justin Lewis 1963–1970 Sir Kenneth Phipson Maddocks

### Dominion (1970–1987)

No. Name Term of office Served under: [1] Governor-General Prime Minister 21 John Neil Falvey 1970–1977 Ratu Sir George Cakobau Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara 22 Sir Vijay R. Singh 1977–1979 23 Andrew Indar Narayan Deoki 1979–1981 24 Manikam Pillai 1981–1984 Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau 25 Qoriniasi Babitu Bale 1984–1987 26 Jai Ram Reddy 1987 Timoci Bavadra 27 Alipate Qetaki 1987 vacant [1] The Attorney-General in this period was formally appointed by the Governor-General, but on the advice of the Prime Minister.

### Republic (1987–present)

No. Name Term of office Served under: [1] President Prime Minister 28 Sailosi Kepa 1987–1992 Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara 29 Apaitia Seru 1992 Major general (Rtd) Sitiveni Rabuka 30 Kelemedi Bulewa 1992–1996 Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara 31 Etuate Tavai 1996–1999 32 Anand K. Singh 1999–2000 Mahendra Chaudhry Ratu Tevita Momoedonu (27) Alipate Qetaki 2000–2001 Ratu Josefa Iloilo Laisenia Qarase Ratu Tevita Momoedonu Laisenia Qarase (25) Qoriniasi Babitu Bale 2001–2006 Laisenia Qarase 33 Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum 2007–2014 Rear admiral (Rtd) Frank Bainimarama Ratu Epeli Nailatikau 34 Faiyaz Koya 2014 (33) Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum 2014–2022 Jioji Konrote Wiliame Katonivere 35 Siromi Turaga 2022–2024 Wiliame Katonivere Major general (Rtd) Sitiveni Rabuka 36 Graham Leung 2024 –2025 Wiliame Katonivere Major general (Rtd) Sitiveni Rabuka (35) Siromi Turaga 2025 – Naiqama Lalabalavu Major general (Rtd) Sitiveni Rabuka [1] The Attorney-General in this period is formally appointed by the President, but on the advice of the Prime Minister.

## See also

- [Cabinet of Fiji](/source/Cabinet_of_Fiji)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Welcome to the website of the Office of the Attorney-General"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151024221144/http://www.ag.gov.fj/). *Office of the Attorney-General*. © Copyright 2005-2008, Office of the Attorney-General. Archived from [the original](http://www.ag.gov.fj/) on 24 October 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2015.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-auto_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-auto_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-auto_2-2) ["Constitution of the Republic of Fiji"](https://web.archive.org/web/20150923235116/http://www.electionsfiji.gov.fj/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Constitution-of-the-Republic-of-Fiji-.pdf) (PDF). *electionsfiji.gov.fj*. p. 55. Archived from [the original](http://www.electionsfiji.gov.fj/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Constitution-of-the-Republic-of-Fiji-.pdf) (PDF) on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2015.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Office of the Attorney-General](http://www.ag.gov.fj/) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20151024221144/http://www.ag.gov.fj/) October 24, 2015, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine) ([Fiji](/source/Fiji)), official website.

## External links

- [Website of the Office of the Attorney-General of Fiji](https://web.archive.org/web/20151024221144/http://www.ag.gov.fj/)

v t e Cabinet of Fiji Prime Minister Deputy Prime Minister Attorney-General Minister for Agriculture, Sugar, and Land Resettlement Minister for ALTA and Sugar Industry Minister for Civil Aviation Minister for Commerce, Business Development, and Investment Minister for Communications Ministry of Defence and National Security Minister for Education Minister for Employment Opportunities Minister for Energy Minister for External Trade Minister for Finance and National Planning Minister for Fisheries Minister for Foreign Affairs Minister for Forests Minister for Health Minister for Home Affairs Minister for Housing, Squatter Settlement, and Environment Minister for Immigration Minister for Information and Media Relations Minister for iTaukei Affairs Minister for Justice Minister for Labour, Industrial Relations, and Productivity Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Minister for Local Government Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs Minister for National Reconciliation and Unity Minister for Public Enterprises Minister for Public Sector Reform Minister for Regional Development Minister for Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation Minister for Sports Minister for Tourism Minister for Transport Minister for Women Minister for Works Minister for Youth Assistant Ministers Minister without portfolio

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v t e Attorneys general of the British Empire and the United Kingdom Legend Current territory Former territory * Now a Commonwealth realm Now a member of the Commonwealth of Nations Europe 1175-1921 Ireland 1708–1757 Menorca Since 1713 Gibraltar 1763–1782 Menorca 1798–1802 Menorca 1800–1813 Malta (Protectorate) 1813–1964 Malta (Colony) 1807–1890 Heligoland 1809–1864 Ionian Islands 1878–1960 Cyprus 1921–1937 Irish Free State v t e North America 17th century and before 18th century 19th and 20th century 1579 New Albion 1583–1907 Newfoundland 1605–1979 *Saint Lucia 1607–1776 Virginia Since 1619 Bermuda 1620–1691 Plymouth Colony 1623–1883 Saint Kitts *(Saint Kitts & Nevis) 1624–1966 *Barbados 1625–1650 Saint Croix 1627–1979 *Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1628–1883 Nevis *(Saint Kitts & Nevis) 1629–1691 Massachusetts Bay Colony 1632–1776 Maryland since 1632 Montserrat 1632–1860 Antigua *(Antigua & Barbuda) 1636–1776 Connecticut 1636–1776 Rhode Island 1637–1662 New Haven Colony 1643–1860 Bay Islands Since 1650 Anguilla 1655–1850 Mosquito Coast (protectorate) 1655–1962 *Jamaica 1663–1712 Carolina 1664–1776 New York 1665–1674 and 1702–1776 New Jersey Since 1666 British Virgin Islands Since 1670 Cayman Islands 1670–1973 *Bahamas 1670–1870 Rupert's Land 1671–1816 Leeward Islands 1674–1702 East Jersey 1674–1702 West Jersey 1680–1776 New Hampshire 1681–1776 Pennsylvania 1686–1689 Dominion of New England 1691–1776 Massachusetts 1701–1776 Delaware 1712–1776 North Carolina 1712–1776 South Carolina 1713–1867 Nova Scotia 1733–1776 Georgia 1762–1974 *Grenada 1763–1978 Dominica 1763–1873 Prince Edward Island 1763–1791 Quebec 1763–1783 East Florida 1763–1783 West Florida 1784–1867 New Brunswick 1791–1841 Lower Canada 1791–1841 Upper Canada Since 1799 Turks and Caicos Islands 1818–1846 Columbia District/Oregon Country1 1833–1960 Windward Islands 1833–1960 Leeward Islands 1841–1867 Province of Canada 1849–1866 Vancouver Island 1853–1863 Colony of the Queen Charlotte Islands 1858–1866 British Columbia 1859–1870 North-Western Territory 1860–1981 *British Antigua and Barbuda 1862–1863 Stikine Territory 1866–1871 Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1867–1931 *Dominion of Canada2 1871–1964 British Honduras (*Belize) 1882–1983 *Saint Kitts and Nevis 1889–1962 Trinidad and Tobago 1907–1949 Dominion of Newfoundland3 1958–1962 West Indies Federation 1. Occupied jointly with the United States. 2. In 1931, Canada and other British dominions obtained self-government through the Statute of Westminster. See Canada's name. 3. Gave up self-rule in 1934, but remained a de jure Dominion until it joined Canada in 1949. South America 1651–1667 Willoughbyland (Suriname) 1670–1688 Saint Andrew and Providence Islands4 1831–1966 British Guiana (Guyana) Since 1833 Falkland Islands5 Since 1908 South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands5 4. Now the San Andrés y Providencia Department of Colombia. 5. Occupied by Argentina during the Falklands War of April–June 1982. v t e Africa 17th and 18th centuries 19th century 20th century Since 1658 Saint Helena14 1792–1961 Sierra Leone 1795–1803 Cape Colony Since 1815 Ascension Island14 Since 1816 Tristan da Cunha14 1806–1910 Cape Colony 1807–1808 Madeira 1810–1968 Mauritius 1816–1965 The Gambia 1856–1910 Natal 1868–1966 Basutoland (Lesotho) 1874–1957 Gold Coast (Ghana) 1882–1922 Egypt 1884–1966 Bechuanaland (Botswana) 1884–1960 British Somaliland 1887–1897 Zululand 1890–1962 Uganda 1890–1963 Zanzibar (Tanzania) 1891–1964 Nyasaland (Malawi) 1891–1907 British Central Africa Protectorate 1893–1968 Swaziland 1895–1920 East Africa Protectorate 1899–1956 Anglo-Egyptian Sudan 1900–1914 Northern Nigeria 1900–1914 Southern Nigeria 1900–1910 Orange River Colony 1900–1910 Transvaal Colony 1906–1954 Nigeria Colony 1910–1931 South Africa 1914–1954 Nigeria Colony and Protectorate 1915–1931 South West Africa (Namibia) 1919–1960 Cameroons (Cameroon)6 1920–1963 Kenya 1922–1961 Tanganyika (Tanzania)6 1923–1965 Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)7 1924–1964 Northern Rhodesia (Zambia) 1954–1960 Nigeria 1979–1980 Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)7 6. League of Nations mandate. 7. Self-governing Southern Rhodesia unilaterally declared independence in 1965 (as Rhodesia) and continued as an unrecognised state until the 1979 Lancaster House Agreement. After recognised independence in 1980, Zimbabwe was a member of the Commonwealth until it withdrew in 2003. v t e Asia 17th and 18th century 19th century 20th century 1652–1950 Madras Presidency 1668-1947 Bombay Presidency 1685–1824 Bencoolen (Sumatra) 1702–1705 Pulo Condore 1757–1947 Bengal Presidency (West Bengal (India) and Bangladesh) 1762–1764 Manila and Cavite 1786–1946 Penang (Malaysia) 1795–1948 Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1796–1965 Maldives 1812–1824 Banka (Sumatra) and Billiton (Sumatra) 1819–1826 British Malaya (West Malaysia and Singapore) 1826–1946 Straits Settlements (Malaysia and Singapore) 1839–1967 Colony of Aden 1839–1842 Afghanistan 1841–1997 Hong Kong 1841–1946 Kingdom of Sarawak (Malaysia) 1848–1946 Labuan (Malaysia) 1858–1947 British India (India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, Burma) 1874–1963 British Borneo (East Malaysia and Brunei) 1879–1919 Afghanistan (protectorate) 1882–1963 British North Borneo (Malaysia) 1885–1946 Unfederated Malay States 1888–1984 Sultanate of Brunei 1891–1971 Muscat and Oman protectorate 1892–1971 Trucial States 1895–1946 Federated Malay States 1898–1930 Weihai Garrison 1878–1960 Cyprus 1907–1949 Bhutan (protectorate) 1918–1961 Kuwait protectorate 1920–1932 Iraq8 1921–1946 Transjordan8 1923–1948 Palestine8 1945–1946 South Vietnam 1946–1963 North Borneo (Malaysia) 1946–1963 Sarawak (Malaysia) 1946–1963 Singapore 1946–1948 Malayan Union 1948–1957 Federation of Malaya (Malaysia) Since 1960 Akrotiri and Dhekelia (before as part of Cyprus) Since 1965 British Indian Ocean Territory (before as part of Mauritius and the Seychelles) 8 League of Nations mandate. Iraq's mandate was not enacted and replaced by the Anglo-Iraqi Treaty v t e Oceania 18th and 19th centuries 20th century 1788–1901 New South Wales 1803–1901 Van Diemen's Land/Tasmania 1807–1863 Auckland Islands9 1824–1980 New Hebrides (Vanuatu) 1824–1901 Queensland 1829–1901 Swan River Colony/Western Australia 1836–1901 South Australia since 1838 Pitcairn Islands 1841–1907 Colony of New Zealand 1851–1901 Victoria 1874–1970 Fiji10 1877–1976 British Western Pacific Territories 1884–1949 Territory of Papua 1888–1901 Cook Islands9 1889–1948 Union Islands (Tokelau)9 1892–1979 Gilbert and Ellice Islands11 1893–1978 British Solomon Islands12 1900–1970 Tonga (protected state) 1900–1974 Niue9 1901–1942 *Commonwealth of Australia 1907–1953 *Dominion of New Zealand 1919–1942 Nauru 1945–1968 Nauru 1919–1949 Territory of New Guinea 1949–1975 Territory of Papua and New Guinea13 9. Now part of the *Realm of New Zealand. 10. Suspended member. 11. Now Kiribati and *Tuvalu. 12. Now the *Solomon Islands. 13. Now *Papua New Guinea. Antarctica and South Atlantic Since 1658 Saint Helena14 Since 1815 Ascension Island14 Since 1816 Tristan da Cunha14 Since 1908 British Antarctic Territory15 1841–1933 Australian Antarctic Territory (transferred to the Commonwealth of Australia) 1841–1947 Ross Dependency (transferred to the Realm of New Zealand) 14. Since 2009 part of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; Ascension Island (1922–) and Tristan da Cunha (1938–) were previously dependencies of Saint Helena. 15. Both claimed in 1908; territories formed in 1962 (British Antarctic Territory) and 1985 (South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands).

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