The death has occurred in Suva of Fiji Labour Party president Lavinia Padarath after a short illness.

The death was confirmed by her son Ben.

Ms Padarath, who was 74 years old, was admitted at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital last Friday.

Fiji Labour Party tribute

Fiji Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry said in a statement that the death of the loyal and committed party member who was one of the founders of FLP would be a great loss to the party.

He described Mrs Padarath as a wonderful person.

“She had a curious sense of humour, which she occasionally displayed. A devout Christian, she insisted on beginning every Party meeting with a prayer,” Mr Chaudhry said.

“She was deeply committed to her role as party president. She succeeded Jokapeci Koroi in 2011, and proved her mettle over the years as one who could take up any challenge.”
Public service career

Mrs Padarath served as the Minister for Women, Culture and Social Welfare in the 1999/2000 Labour Government and was appointed a Senator in the Upper House in 2006.

She was appointed Party President in 2011 after the death of Jokapeci Koroi.

Mrs Padarath had a long and distinguished career in public service.

A New Zealand trained and registered nurse by profession, she served as general secretary and President of the Fiji Nurses Association, a post she held for seven years.

She maintained her link with the nursing fraternity by playing an active role in the Retired Nurses Association.

She had a long involvement with the National Council of Women, serving as its secretary and President.

Early in her career, Mrs Padarath left government service to join the US Peace Corp (Fiji and Tuvalu) as its Associate Director of Health.

When her husband, the late Adishwar Padarath, a well-known Fijian journalist, was posted to the Fiji mission at New York in 1988, she moved there with her family and worked as a nurse clinician at the United Nations Medical Centre.

In New York, she maintained her active involvement with NGOs that held consultative status with the UN, representing the World Federation of Methodist Women and the Pan Pacific South East Asian Women’s Association.

She is survived by her two sons, Ben and Julian, daughter Anna and four grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Edited by Epineri Vula

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