Timoci Bavadra

Timoci (Timothy ) Uluivuda Bavadra ( born September 22, 1934 in Namoi Village, Lautoka, † November 3, 1989 in Suva, Fiji ) was a Fijian politician and briefly prime minister in 1989.

Life

Bavadra, who was a doctor by profession, was chairman of the Fiji Labour Party and was on April 13, 1987 successor of the incumbent prime minister since 1970 Kamisese Mara.

A month later, his coalition government was overthrown on 14 May 1987 in a coup led by Major General Sitiveni Rabuka. Rabuka justified the coup with the fact that this was necessary for peace between ethnic Fijians and Indians living in Fiji, and to protect the land rights and the political influence of the indigenous Fijians. In fact, however, the coup paved the way for some of the worst outbreaks of violence among the different population groups in the history of Fiji. Successor as Prime Minister then was its predecessor Kamisese Mara.

After his death, Mahendra Chaudhry became the new chairman of the Fiji Labour Party in November 1989.