BERNADETTE ROUNDS GANILAU

Bernadette Rounds Ganilau, is a Fijian writer, broadcaster, and politician, who served as Minister for Labour, Minister for Tourism, Industrial Relations, Productivity and Environment in the interim Cabinet of Commodore Frank Bainimarama, having been appointed on 9 January 2007. In previous political roles, she served in 2000 and 2001 in the Interim Government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase as Assistant Minister for Social Welfare, and from June to December 2006, she was Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives, until the military coup of 5 December.

Long a political activist, Bernadette's causes included women's rights and human rights in general and has served as President of Women Entrepreneurs Fiji. She contested and won the Suva City General Communal Constituency for the United Peoples Party (UPP) in the general election, defeating Cabinet Minister Kenneth Zinck. She was one of two UPP candidates returned in the election. Upon accepting office in the interim government in January 2007, however, UPP leader Mick Beddoes, an opponent of the military coup and of the government formed by its leader, asked her to resign from the party. In January 2008, Ganilau was "dropped" from the government during a Cabinet reshuffle. In November 2008 she established the Green Party of Fiji.

A Broadcaster, communicator and businesswoman. Bernadette currently owns ‘Pearl Traders & Outfitters’ at the Pure Fiji complex.in Suva.