The Late Jai Ram Reddy. [Photo Credit: Fiji Pundit]

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has today paid tribute to the former President of the Fiji Court of Appeal Jai Ram Reddy who passed away last night in New Zealand.

Bainimarama says today Fiji mourns the loss of a patriot who championed the cause of common and equal citizenry that is now guaranteed in our Constitution.

The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude as Fiji honours the loss of a true son.

“Like the NFP leaders who preceded him, Jai Ram Reddy championed the cause of common and equal citizenry that our constitution finally guaranteed and that unites us as fellow Fijians.”

Reddy was 85-years-old.

Reddy was born in Lautoka in 1937 and had a long and illustrious career as a lawyer, politician, and judge.

He is considered to be Fiji’s longest-serving Leader of Opposition.

Justice Reddy was Attorney-General in Dr Timoci Bavadra’s short-lived government in 1987.

He went on to serve as President of the Fiji Court of Appeal.

He held this post briefly in 2000, and again from 2002 to 2003.

National Federation Party Leader Biman Prasad says the late Reddy was deeply committed to democracy, the rule of law and the politics of dialogue and cooperation.

“Justice Reddy is a towering figure in Fiji’s history. Like NFP’s founder leaders, Mr A D Patel and Mr S M Koya it is remarkable that he is remembered for his time in Opposition, not in Government. In that way, he proved the importance of leadership and vision over the narrow objects of political contests. He had a vision for the next generation, not the next election. He was deeply committed to democracy, the rule of law and the politics of dialogue and cooperation.”

On 31 January 2003, the United Nations General Assembly elected the late Reddy as a member of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, which is responsible for the prosecution of war crimes.