House of Representatives of Fiji
Under a grandfather clause in the 1970 Constitution, the old Legislative Council, which had functioned in various forms since 1904, was renamed the House of Representatives and continued in office until 1972, when the first post-independence elections were held.The electoral system was changed a number of times after independence in an effort to meet the competing demands of Fiji's diverse ethnic communities.The former were elected by voters registered as members of specific ethnic groups (12 indigenous Fijians, 12 Indo-Fijians, and 3 General electors – Caucasians, Chinese, and other minorities); the latter were allocated to specific ethnic groups (10 indigenous Fijians, 10 Indo-Fijians, and 5 General Electors), but elected by universal suffrage.Ethnic Fijian nationalists blamed the national constituencies for the election of an Indo-Fijian dominated government in 1987, and following two military coups, they were abolished by the new republican Constitution of 1990.The last Deputy Speaker, Niko Nawaikula, represented the Cakaudrove West Fijian Communal Constituency for the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) Party.