Speaker of Parliament Filimone Jitoko has publicly congratulated two women of Fijian descent who he said have "made history" after being elected to legislative bodies in the United Kingdom and Scotland, describing their achievements as a source of pride for Fiji and its overseas communities.
Speaking in Parliament this morning, Jitoko highlighted the success of Sureena Brackenridge, who now represents a North East constituency in the British Parliament, and Simita Kumar, newly elected to the Scottish Parliament for Edinburgh South West as a member of the Scottish National Party. The Speaker said their elections reflect the wider success of Fijians and their descendants who have built lives abroad after leaving Fiji in search of greater opportunities.
Jitoko recounted a meeting with Brackenridge last year in which she told him her grandparents had migrated first from Fiji to New Zealand and later settled in the United Kingdom during the 1960s. He described Brackenridge as "full of energy, vibrant" and noted her active role in diaspora networks, including the multi-party Friends of Fiji and the Pacific Association, organisations that maintain links between Pacific communities and lawmakers in the UK.
On Kumar, Jitoko emphasised her personal journey from Suva to Holyrood. He said Kumar grew up in the Samabula suburb of Suva, attended Dudley High School, and migrated to Scotland with her parents in 1987 when she was 17. "That she has made it to Holyrood in a very short time as an ethnic minority speaks volumes of Honourable Kumar’s silent fortitude and tenacity," the Speaker told parliamentarians, praising her determination and service.
Jitoko framed the victories as part of a broader narrative of diaspora achievement: "Some of our great descendants have moved elsewhere in the world, taking greener pastures with better opportunities and futures for themselves and their children," he said, adding that many Fijian migrants and their children "have made a success of themselves." He extended the official congratulations of Fiji’s Parliament to both women and offered a personal note of support, quoting his granddaughter: "you go, girls."
The endorsements come as the Fijian Parliament continues to mark milestones for women at home and abroad. While Jitoko’s remarks focus on representation in overseas legislatures, they also underscore ongoing interest in diaspora engagement and the role of Fijian communities in shaping policy and advocacy beyond the Pacific.
Both Brackenridge and Kumar’s elections will be watched by Fiji’s political and expatriate communities for what they could mean in terms of visibility and influence for Pacific issues within British and Scottish political fora. Jitoko’s public recognition signals official acknowledgement from Fiji’s Parliament and a willingness to celebrate and leverage the achievements of its diaspora in international political institutions.