George Konrote

Jioji Konousi Konrote

Konrote in 2015
Nationality Fijian
Ethnicity Rotuman
Education Natabua High School
Occupation Minister for Employment Opportunities, Productivity and Industrial Relations
Known for Former Major-General of the R.F.M.F
Former High Commissioner to Australia

Major General Jioji Konousi Konrote, OF, MC, better known as George Konrote, is a retired Major-General of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces and a former diplomat. He is currently Minister for Employment Opportunities, Productivity and Industrial Relations in the Fijian Cabinet.

Early life and military career

Konrote is a native of the island of Rotuma. His days as a pupil at Natabua High School in Lautoka, Fiji, are described in the prize-winning book on Fiji Kava in the Blood by Peter Thomson.

A career soldier, Major General Konrote enlisted into the RFMF in 1966 and trained with New Zealand and Australian defence forces, studying at institutions such as the Australian College of Defence and Strategic Studies and the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra, Australia, (where he became a fellow in 1996), and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in 2000.

Rising through the ranks of the Fiji Military, he commanded battalions of Fijian soldiers in their peacekeeping efforts in Lebanon during the Fiji's UNIFIL campaign, and was subsequently appointed Deputy Force Commander of the UNIFIL operation, and finally the United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Force Commander in Lebanon. In recognition of his contributions in these fields, Major General Konrote was awarded with the UNIFIL Peace Medal (1978), the Military Cross (UK, 1982), the Order of Merit (Italy, 1997), the Order of the Cedar (Lebanon, 1999) and was made an Officer of the Order of Fiji (Military Division) in 1997.

Diplomatic and political career

From 2001 to 2006, Konrote served as Fiji's High Commissioner to Australia.[1] After his appointment, equivalent to that of an ambassador, expired at the end of March 2006, and he was elected to represent the Rotuman Communal Constituency at the 2006 election,[2] and was subsequently appointed as Minister of State for Immigration and Ex-Servicemen in the Cabinet of Laisenia Qarase. His role in this portfolio abruptly ended when the government was deposed in a military coup on 5 December 2006.

Despite serving in the Qarase government, Konrote became a candidate for FijiFirst in the 2014 election,[3] winning 1,585 votes.[4] He was subsequently appointed Minister for Employment Opportunities, Productivity and Industrial Relations.[5]

References

  1. ↑ (9 June 2005). Fiji envoy attends minister's funeral in Australia, BBC Monitoring International Reports (from Fijilive web site, Suva) ("Fiji's high commissioner to Australia, Maj-Gen George Konrote ....")
  2. ↑ "New Fiji MP yet to decide who to support". Radio New Zealand International. 17 May 2006. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  3. ↑ "FijiFirst completes election candidate list". Radio New Zealand International. 2014-08-16. Retrieved 2014-09-24.
  4. ↑ "2014 Election Results". Fiji Elections Office. Retrieved 2014-09-23.
  5. ↑ "20-member Cabinet announced". FBC. 2014-09-24. Retrieved 2014-09-24.