Pioneer envoy retires

ONE of Fiji’s pioneer diplomats, Semesa Sikivou, retired from the civil service after 41 years and his story was published in The Fiji Times on September 25, 1976.

A pioneer career civil servant, Mr Sikivou cleared his desk at Government Buildings and as he began his retirement leave, he said he was planning a new career in politics.

He was the first Fiji ambassador to the United Nations and the United States, and first high commissioner to Canada, and was hoping to collect an Alliance Party nomination for a national constituency seat.

Meanwhile, fellow diplomat Josua Rabukawaqa, Fiji’s first high commissioner in London, was settling down to a new job as the Foreign Affairs Department man in charge of the Fiji end of relations with the European Economic Community (EEC).

He said he would be particularly concerned with the responsibilities of the Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, as chairman of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries associated with the EEC.

Mr Sikivou, 59, was from Narocivo, Rewa, and was Deputy Secretary for Education before his appointment to the United Nations post after Fiji became independent in 1970. His career in the civil service included time in the army and educational courses overseas.

Before independence he was also elected a member for the central Fijian constituency.

“I am going to stand as an Alliance candidate for the national south–east seat now held by Adi Losalini Dovi,” he said.

“She has been extremely helpful and I understand she is to stand for the Suva City east Fijian seat held by Uraia Koroi.”

Mr Koroi, who was the then Assistant Minister for Communications, Works and Tourism, was expected to contest the Fijian communal RewaSerua-Namosi seat held by Fijian National Party leader Sakiasi Butadroka.

Mr Rabukawaqa, 58, had two years to go before reaching retirement.

As well as being high commissioner in London, he was ambassador to the EEC in Brussels.

He was involved from the outset in Fiji’s negotiations to become an SSC associate member.

Mr Rabukawaqa said he had several new assignments with Foreign Affairs in Suva, but his main function was to deal with EEC matters. New Secretariat

Most of his work would concern the secretariat which ACP countries were establishing in Brussels.

He would precede the Prime Minister’s trip to Brussels the following month.

“As president of the ACP countries, the Prime Minister has greater responsibilities and has to set up the new secretariat,” Mr Rabukawaqa said.

Picture: FILE Former Fiji High Commissioners Josua Rabukawaqa (left) and Semesa Sikivou at Mr Sikivou’s desk as this was his last day as a civil servant.

Picture: UNITED NATIONS Above: Semesa Sikivou ( right), the first permanent representative to the United Nations, presented his credentials to the then UN Secretary-General U Thant in New York. This picture was taken on October 13, 1963.