Sainiani Boila 
The late Mereia Taufa Vakatale. [Source: Yavu-Batiki/ Facebook]
Fiji’s first female Deputy Prime Minister Mereia Taufa Vakatale has passed away.
The Vakatale family confirms in a statement that she passed away on Saturday afternoon.
The late Vakatale was a former politician and served in Cabinet under the Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni iTaukei Party from 1993 to 1995 and from 1997 to 1999.
She was the first Fijian woman to pass the New Zealand University Entrance examination and upon graduating from the University of Auckland in 1963, the first Fijian woman to receive a Bachelor of Arts degree.
She was Fiji’s first female Deputy PM in 1997.
Her funeral service will be held this Friday at the Wesley City Mission Church, Butt Street in Suva at 9am.
She will be laid to rest at the Lovonilase Cemetery.
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