USP staff voice strong support for the vice-chancellor Featured
University of the South Pacific (USP) vice-chancellor and president Pal Ahluwalia. Photo: USP
27 August 2021. Staff at the University of the South Pacific allege the Fiji Government is conducting a vendetta against the vice-chancellor.
The government has decided to withhold millions in funding as long as Professor Pal Ahluwalia remained in the job.
The USP staff associations, in an open letter, said that what they call a vendetta has not been seen before in the USP's 52 years.
They said the illegal suspension and subsequent deportation of Professor Ahluwalia have resulted in levels of unity and support for him from students, staff, alumni and communities across the region and the world.
University of the South Pacific (USP) vice-chancellor and president Pal Ahluwalia. Photo: USP
The staff said this is testimony to the ethical principles and good governance that Pal Ahluwalia has championed.
They also said Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum have been dumbfounded by the consistent majority decisions and unity of the other regional members of the University Council in support of Professor Pal Ahluwalia.
The staff said the USP will survive this assault on its integrity and will emerge stronger.
Meanwhile, the USP chancellor and chair of its Council,, the Premier of Niue, Dalton Tagelagi, has said he is not yet prepared to make a public comment about the latest actions by the Fiji Government.
An assessment by USP academic Dr. Vijay Naidu is that the USP will struggle without the Fiji funding beyond the end of this year.
- RNZI
