Manasa Tugia

Who is Manasa Tugia?

Manasa Tugia is a Fijian politician, who served as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives from 2005 to 2006, and as Chairman of Parliament's Justice, Law, and Order Committee. In the latter role, he coordinated hearings into the government's controversial Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill.

Tugia won the Cakaudrove West Open Constituency for the Conservative Alliance at the parliamentary election of 2001, defeating the incumbent Laitia Toroki of the Fijian Political Party. He was elected Deputy Speaker in June 2005 to succeed Ratu Rakuita Vakalalabure, who was convicted and imprisoned for offences relating to the Fiji coup of 2000.

Tugia was considered one of the more moderate members of a political party widely regarded as strongly nationalistic. In November and December 2005, he advocated watering down the RTU bill, even though several leading members of his own party would stand to benefit from its provisions allowing for amnesty to be granted to perpetrators of the 2000 coup.