Taito Waqavakatoga

Taito Waqavakatoga (5 August 1944 — 12 December 2017)[1] was a Fijian politician and former civil servant who served as President of the Senate of Fiji from 2001 to 2006.

Waqavakatoga worked as a civil servant, beginning as a Field Assistant in the Agriculture Department.[1] In 1987 he organised the harvest of sugar cane in the Labasa and Seaqaqa districts, during a harvest boycott by farmers protesting the 1987 Fijian coups d'état. From 1990 to 1999 he served if the office of the Attorney-General of Fiji as Registrar-General.[1] In 2001 he was nominated to the Senate of Fiji as one of the representatives of Rewa Province, and was elected President of the Senate.[1] He served in that role until 2006.[1]

Waqavakatoga's tenure as Senate president was controversial. He tolerated seditious speeches by supporters of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état.[2] in December 2004 he was referred to the privileges committee for his management of the chamber.[3] When Senator Inoke Takiveikata was jailed for treason over the coup, Waqavakatoga waited a year before stripping him of his seat, during which time Takiveikata continued to receive salary.[4] On 7 December 2005, Waqavakatoga confirmed that he was the coordinator of a local group affiliated to the Inter Religious Federation For World Peace International, which has ties to the controversial Unification Church. He joined Opposition Leader Mahendra Chaudhry in criticizing a government decision to ban Moon, who had been scheduled to address a conference in Nadi on 6 December, from visiting Fiji.[5]

From 2007 to 2009 he served on the board of the Fiji Visitors Bureau.[1] He died on his farm in Navua in December 2017.[1]