Peni Volavola

Captain Ratu Peni Volavola is the Lord Mayor of the Fijian capital of Suva.

Volavola, a Councillor representing the Tamavua ward, was elected Lord Mayor in 2003, under a memorandum of understanding between of his United Fiji Party (SDL) and the National Federation Party (NFP) of his predecessor, Chandu Umaria, according to which the two parties agreed to hold the Mayoralty for one year each, with the parties choosing the Lord Mayor jointly in the third year (2004). The coalition collapsed in 2004, however, forcing Volavola to forge a new coalition. In a rare display of cooperation between the SDL and the Fiji Labour Party (FLP), its main rivals at the national level, five FLP councillors voted for Volavola to remain in office. Vinod Lal of the FLP was elected as his deputy.

Volavola's reelection came in the face of criticism from Umaria that he had not built a single bus shelter during his first term as Mayor, a criticism that Volavola acknowledged, but defended citing the absence of funding. Umaria reiterated the charge during the municipal election campaign of November 2005. Volavola counter-attacked by accusing Umaria of mismanagement and abuse of public funds amounting to almost F$8 million while he was Lord Mayor, and on 11 November it was reported that Umaria was suing him for defamation.

In August 2005, Volavola ordered an inquiry into rumors of corruption involving Deputy Lord Mayor Vinod Lal. The inquiry was still current as the city went to the polls on 12 November to elect a new city council. The result was a landslide win for the SDL, which took 12 of the 20 seats, a gain of 5. The NFP retained only 5 of the 8 seats it had held, while the FLP was reduced from 5 seats to 3. The new council reelected Volavola unopposed on 17 November, with Josefa Gavidi, also of the SDL, as his deputy.

Squatter remarks

In late November 2005, Volavola found himself at the centre of controversy over remarks had had made, calling squatters "a bane in any society who bring lawlessness, unsanitary conditions and health risks"." Rev. Akuila Yabaki of the Citizens Constitutional Forum expressed shock at Volavola's comments, claiming Volavola's SDL owed its municipal election victory to the support of squatters living in the greater Suva area. "They (politicians) only ask them for their votes during election time and then condemn them after they have been elected and do nothing to alleviate their plight," Yabaki said.

Volavola responded, however, that his comments were not intended as an insult to squatters, but as an acceptance of responsibility to do something about their plight. He added that his party had received no votes from people living in squatter settlements.

Church official

Volavola was elected Vice-President of the Methodist Church of Fiji and Rotuma, Fiji's largest Christian denomination, on 31 August 2006.