Jonetani Kaukimoce

Lt Col Jonetani Kaukimoce is a Fijian politician, who served in the House of Representatives from 1992 to 2006. From 1992 to 1999 he stood under the Fijian Political Party (SVT) banner. In the parliamentary election of September 2001 he won the Tamavua Laucala Urban Fijian Communal Constituency, for the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party (SDL).

Lt Col Kaukimoce served as a Government Minister between 1992 and 1999 in various portfolios including Youth & Sports,^[1] Tourism, Transport, Communication, Housing, Environment and Health. In his last 5-year term as a Member of Parliament he was bestowed the responsibility as Leader of the House from 2001 to 2006, but was not renominated by the SDL and retired from politics at the 2006 parliamentary election held on 6–13 May, and was succeeded by Jone Waqairatu. Kaukimoce was quoted in the Fiji Times on 3 April as claiming that he had won the SDL primary election, but had been rejected by the party hierarchy.

Six months after being elected into Parliament in 2006,the SDL Government and Jone Waqairatu was ousted via a bloodless military coup de tat executed by the Military Commander, Ratu Voreqe Bainimarama in December 2006 based on compelling evidence of corruption within the SDL Party that had subsequently flowed into the Government. Most of these corruption allegations and basically lack of good governance against the ousted Prime Minister (Mr Laisenia Qarase), the SDL Party and its cronies are sowly being prosecuted in the Court of Law.

An influential member of the SDL Party hierarchy, Mr Navitalai Naisoro, once stated that those who were chosen to contest the 2006 election under the SDL Party banner, which includes Jone Waqairatu, was chosen due to their downright ignorance, lack of political know-how and for some such as Waqairatu, their flawed past. Jone Waqairatu was formerly a Principal of Ratu Sukuna Memorial School and was involved in the poorly constructed school Hall despite the provision of substantial funding.

Lt Col Jonetani Kaukimoce died at the CWM Hospital on 11 March 2010. He is survived by his wife, Sisilia Tupou Kaukimoce [nee Fotu], 5 sons, 1 daughter and their families including 11 grandchildren with one more on the way.

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