Fiji Times | 20231801
Miss Hibiscus 1977, Miss Travelodge, Florence Julian, centre, with 1st runner-up, Miss Burns Philp Litiana Duribalavu, right, and second runner-up Miss Seaborne, Kelera Domolailai. Picture: FT File
Variety, it seems, was the spice of life for Litiana Duribalavu. Since leaving school in 1975, she worked as a dental student, business management cadet, air hostess, beauty consultant and then as an educational books co-ordinator for Desai Bookshops, according to a report by The Fiji Times on January 5, 1984.
In between all that, she was also a keen part-time model.
For the coming year she had made a firm resolution to settle down.
“I am going to work hard at my job and hope to save some money,” she said.
Litiana received her primary education at Delainavesi, Ballantine Memorial School then entered Adi Cakobau School.
After completing high school she took up dental therapy course at the CWM Hospital in 1976.
She quickly found that looking into people’s mouths did not interest her greatly. She left after 18 months.
“I wanted to do something totally different and at the time Burns Philp were offering school leavers a business management cadet trainee course, I joined them in 1977.”
The same year Burns Philp sponsored her as the company’s Hibiscus contestant and that year she was crowned Charity Queen.
During her prize winning trip to Australia it was arranged for Litiana to go through a crash course in modelling.
She appeared on a poster that BPs used to launch Revlon’s Charlie cosmetics and perfume in Fiji.
Litiana worked in various departments, selling crockery cosmetics, men’s, women’s and children’s wear and attended Fiji Institute of Technology (FIT) to do a business studies course.
She discontinued her studies when she left BPs in 1979.
“I wanted to travel and see different countries and joined Air Pacific as an air hostess in 1980.”
The glamour of flying did not last long. In six months she said she needed a break from work. Later, she went to work as a beautician for Emmalines Health and Beauty Studio.
Then one day the general manager of Desai Bookshops offered her a job. Litiana said she grabbed the opportunity.
“All along I was looking for something to further my education. I started taking classes at USP in constitutional law and I am determined to make a career at Desai.
“It is a complicated and responsible post. The USP, for example, places large orders for text and reference books or its library and students’ needs. I also look after the demands of FIT, and all primary and secondary schools throughout Fiji and the region.”