Parmod Chand (sometimes known as Pramod Chand) (born 1955 or 1956) is a Fijian politician and former member of the Parliament of Fiji. He is a member of the National Federation Party (NFP).

Parmod Chand
Member of the Fijian Parliament
for NFP List
In office
21 March 2017 – 14 November 2018
Member of the Fijian Parliament
for Macuata East Indian Communal Constituency
In office
25 February 1994 – 15 May 1999
Succeeded byNone (constituency disestablished)
Personal details
BornLabasa, Fiji
Political partyNational Federation Party

Background and family life

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Chand was born in Labasa on Vanua Levu.[1] His father was NFP politician Vishnu Prasad.[1] He worked as a businessman and sugarcane farmer,[2] and ran a bus company.[3] He has served as president of the Fiji Bus Operators Association.[4]

Chand is also a pastor for the Assemblies of God church in Labasa.[5]

Political career

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Chand served on the Labasa town council between 1992 and 1996.[5] He was first elected to the House of Representatives of Fiji in the 1994 general election, winning the Macuata East Indian Communal Constituency for the NFP. He contested the Macuata East Open Constituency in the 1999 and 2006 elections, losing on both occasions by large margins.

In January 2006, Pramod Chand as the NFP's Senior Vice-President condemned the Fiji Labour Party for offering support to the Military to depose the government. "The FLP is now trying to return to power not through the ballot box but by the barrel of the gun," he said. He called the call "treasonous" and "treachery of the highest order", and called for a police investigation into public statements from the FLP's President, Jokapeci Koroi.[6]

When elections were restored after the 2006 Fijian coup d'état he contested the 2014 election for the NFP, winning 1014 votes.[7] This was not enough to secure election, but he re-entered parliament in 2017 following the resignation of former NFP MP Tupou Draunidalo.[2]

In December 2017 Chand was questioned by police over allegations of sedition,[8] however no charges were laid.[9]

Chand stood as a candidate in the 2018 election[10] but gained only 864 votes and was not re-elected. He stood again at the 2022 election, winning 1857 votes,[11] but again missed out on re-election.

References

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  1. ^ a b Shratika Naidu (26 January 2017). "Parmod Chand Ready for New Role". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b Arieta Vakasukawaqa (21 March 2017). "Chand vows to fight for issues of the north". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Too many public service vehicles says bus owner". Radio Fiji. Archived from the original on 17 July 2011.
  4. ^ Ashna Kumar (11 September 2016). "All Stakeholders To Work For A Common Goal: FBOA". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Parmod Chand" (PDF). National Federation Party. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  6. ^ Reaction to the 2005-2006 Fijian political crisis
  7. ^ "2014 election official results". Fiji Elections Office. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  8. ^ "Police questioning of Fiji opposition MP condemned". RNZI. 12 December 2017. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  9. ^ "Fiji Director of Prosecutions finds no grounds for charges against MP". RNZI. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 18 October 2018.
  10. ^ "Chand does not want two men govt while Sayed-Khaiyum wants people to see what Fiji has achieved". Fiji Village. 25 October 2018. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Parmod Chand (483)". Fijian Elections Office. Retrieved 28 December 2022.