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RNZ
University of the South Pacific (USP) vice-chancellor and president Pal Ahluwalia. Photo: USP/RNZ
The University of the South Pacific council has voted to issue Professor Pal Ahluwalia with a new contract as Vice Chancellor, frustrating attempts by Fiji to remove him.
The governing body of the regional university also voted to relocate the Vice Chancellor’s office from the USP’s main campus in Suva, Fiji, to the its Alafua Campus in Apia, Samoa.
Professor Ahluwalia and his wife were forced to leave Fiji in early February after the government claimed the couple had breached provisions in their work permits.
By Samisoni Pareti in Suva
The governing body of the University of the South Pacific has put a stop to a long and bitter campaign by the Fiji government to get rid of vice-chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia.
With the strong leadership of Tonga and Samoa, the council voted to:
Issue a new contract for the vice-chancellor’s position to Professor Pal Ahluwalia
Relocate the VC’s office from the university’s main campus in Suva, Fiji, to the USP’s Alafua Campus in Apia, Samoa; and
Stipulate that VC Ahluwalia’s contract be a three-year term.
Fiji’s five representatives to the council were led by its Solicitor-General Sharvada Nand Sharma in place of Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum (who was attending a virtual session of the Fiji Parliament), and Education Permanent Secretary Dr Angeela Jokhan (who was until last year a senior academic at the USP).
The University of the South Pacific Council meets today to discuss the BDO Report which had highlighted a number of governance issues at the regional institution.
The report was compiled in 2019 by forensic accountant BDO Auckland following serious allegations by former Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia of mismanagement and abuse of office at the USP.
Lionel Aingimea
Photo: Nauru Government
But since November 2019, the report had not been made public amid calls for the council to do so.
Professor Ahluwalia and his wife were forced to leave Fiji in early January after the government claimed they had both breached provisions in their visas.