FORMER parliamentarian Berenado Vunibobo has died at his residence in Suva after a short illness on Sunday.
Leca Vunibobo, a relative of the late Mr Vunibobo said the former politician had wanted to spend Christmas with his family at his residence and they didn’t know that it would be their last Christams with him.
Mr Vunibobo died at the age of 84 at his Tamavua home on Sunday at 2pm.
“The family is yet to meet as we are waiting for some of our family members from abroad before we can finalise on the funeral arrangements,” Mr Vunibobo said.
“He has five children, two here in Fiji and three are in the United States.”
Mr Vunibobo, originally from Waivou, Rewa was the only two of the surviving siblings of seven in his family.
Mr Vunibobo, was Fiji’s permanent representative to the UN from 1976-1980 and from 2008-2010, and Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Co-operation and Civil Aviation 1997-1998.
During his second term, he represented the unelected Fiji government led by Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.
He was succeeded in February 2010 by Peter Thomson.
He also served in many capacities during the term of the Sitiveni Rabuka government from 1987 to 1999.
He was also Minister for Trade and Commerce as well as Finance Minister during Mr Rabuka’s government.
