6 Oct 2014

Luveni sworn in as Fiji speaker

2:11 pm on 6 October 2014

Fiji's new parliament has opened and elected Jiko Luveni as speaker, making her the first woman in the position.

Her election also marked the return to Fiji being a parliamentary democracy - just under eight years since the military carried out a coup and closed parliament.

The new legislature, which has 50 members from three parties, is now housed in the refurbished parliamentary chamber, which is part of the complex of government buildings in central Suva.

The opening of parliament came shortly after the prime minister, Frank Bainimamara, made a minor reshuffle of the government sworn in last month.

He returned the position of attorney-general to Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, who held the post before the election.

The prime minister cited the heavy workload of Mr Sayed-Khaiyum's other portfolio, finance, for the change.