Coupfourpointfive: Ousted SDL Cabinet Minister sworn in as magistrate

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Ousted SDL Cabinet Minister sworn in as magistrate

Chaitanya Lakshman, who was today sworn in as one of the three magistrates and two judges under the New Legal Order, was one of the nine Fiji Labour Party MPs appointed as Cabinet Ministers in the SDL Labour Multi-Party Cabinet, headed by the former prime minister, Laisenia Qarase.

It's understood Lakshman worked for the University of the South Pacific law faculty and was employed as the legal officer in the Complaints Division of Fiji Human Rights Commission before he contested the 2006 elections for the Labour Party. He won the Viti Levu South-Kadavu Indian seat – one of the 31 seats won by FLP.

Lakshman was appointed as the Minister for Local Government and Urban Development. Sources say following the Frank Bainimarama coup, Lakshman also acted as the secretary of the Fiji Bus Operators Association and devoted his time to completing his luxurious home alongside the Queens Highway in Navua.

Sources say Lakshman was practicing as a lawyer from his home but was struggling for business.

Lakshman comes from a family of solid financial background. His late father and his paternal uncles all carried the title "Prince" before their given name. His uncle Prince Gopal Lakshman was a FLP member of Parliament from May 1999 to May 2000 and September 2001 to March 2006.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: Another dog who will face the full brunt of the law.; June 11, 2009 at 4:16 PM
Anonymous said...: You better watch u say about the Lakshmans. U will be beaten instead...; January 10, 2011 at 8:17 PM

YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST

While flags were flying high and the illegal PM prancing around Natadola entertaining G77 high flyers, a naval officer's family was in mourning.

During an exercise off the MV Kiro, anchored just off the Intercontinental Resort, a 51 yr old naval officer drowned under very mysterious circumstances.

Cranky Franky was not informed of the death until well after the meeting was over - and he proceeded with fanfare and fireworks - with no regard to his men or their fellings about their fallen comrade.

The diplomatic community gathered at the event would have understood if Frankly Bananas would have informed them of the incident and conducted a muted farewell - befitting an officer and a gentleman.

Police higherarchy confirmed the incident but were unable to offer a plausible explanation as to how the incident could have happened.

The country's oldest and now timid daily ran a short piece in Thursday May 19 on page 7 where Tuidravu said the naval officer was swimming to shore as part of a security detail exercise when the incident happened.

Is this an omen perhaps ? Something to think about especially since it happened within weeks of regime supporter Tui Macuata's mysterious drowning incident.