Tonga has joined calls by a number of Pacific nations in calling on USP’s pro-Vice Chancellor from pursuing an investigation of Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia.
The dispute between the two Vice Chancellors has torn the USP campus apart, with many staff and students supporting professor Ahluwalia.
Ahluwalia, a Canadian, uncovered serious governance and management anomalies which led to an external audit by accountants BDO.
As detailed in our accompanying story, this uncovered irregular governance and management issues that predated the current vice-chancellor’s appointment.
Writing in the Samoa Observer, Soli Wilson reported that Professor Ahluwalia was then told by the pro-Vice Chancellor Winston Thompson that he was now being investigated for misconduct.
Professor Ahluwalia has since been suspended.
More than 500 members at USP have signed a petition in support of Professor Ahluwalia, USP Student and Staff Association representative Elizabeth Reade Fong said.
“The biggest victims are the students,” Fong said.
“The council must intervene on students’ behalf and Thompson.”
Islands Business reported that Nauru’s President Lionel Aingimea has called for an end to the attempts to remove Professor Ahluwalia.
He said the moves had been instigated by Fiji-based members of the university council.
“As the incoming Chancellor of the USP and one of the heads of state who own the University as well as being an alumnus, I am disturbed at the manner in which this matter is being played out,” President Aingimea wrote in a letter that was circulated to all USP Council members.
Samoa’s Minister of Education has asked for the investigation of Professor Ahluwalia to be dropped.
And that country’s Deputy Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa has urged the Member Countries of the USP, especially those in Council, to be more vigilant about their role on Council and take responsibilities for the saga in Fiji.
“Hopefully with this issue, the regional representation might wake up and pay some attention to what is happening at USP,” she said.
The main points
- Tonga has joined calls by a number of Pacific nations in calling on USP’s pro-vice chancellor from pursuing an investigation of Vice Chancellor Pal
- The dispute between the two Vice Chancellors has torn the USP campus part, with many staff and students supporting professor Ahluwalia.
For more information
USP students, staff call on council to drop ‘harassment’ of Ahluwalia
Nauru President calls for an end to USP saga
Deputy P.M. says decision of U.S.P. Executive Committee “nonsense”
