Dr Lal Fires Shots at USP VC Pal Ahluwalia
qhe former Pacific Technical and Further Education (TAFE) chief executive officer Dr Hasmukh Lal has labelled Vice-Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific (USP), Pal Ahluwalia, as someone with a narcissistic personality disorder.
Dr Lal filed an employment matter against the USP for breach of contract when dismissed from the University.
He is represented by lawyer, Siddharth Nandan, from Reddy & Nandan Lawyers.
USP is represented by lawyers, Feizal Haniff and Pita Suguturaga, from Haniff Tuitoga Lawyers.
Dr Lal’s seeks claims of financial loss such as salary and entitlements under the contract, humiliation, and loss of dignity.
Trial Day 2: Examination in Chief and Cross-Examination
Dr Lal said his final project doctorate was tested for his academic integrity.
He said after his dismissal, he was traumatised and was under a lot of stress.
When he gained confidence, he wrote to his supervisor Dr Richard Coll explaining the situation and submitted allegation documents.
Dr Coll did not respond, but Atlantic International University (AIU) board of trustees’ chairman wrote to him and said his case was referred to them by Dr Coll and that an independent expert would test the academic integrity of his doctorate paper.
The independent expert named Dr Edward Lambert contacted him and conducted an oral defence question to test intellectuality.
Dr Lal received a letter informing him that AIU stood by its decision that there was no academic integrity breach in the doctorate paper submitted by Dr Lal.
On May 22, 2020, at 7.47pm, an email was sent by the USP to his solicitors informing him about the termination.
Dr Lal went to do some work on Saturday (May 23) but he was stopped by the security officers at the gate.
They told him that they received a call from the Vice-Chancellor Regional Campus officer not to allow him in.
He contacted his solicitors.
Dr Lal claims he was victimised and that there was a procedural failure while dismissing him.
He said at the age of 38 years, he was a successful CEO, bringing many achievements to USP at the expense of his health and family time but USP treated him in that manner.
He said he underwent trauma when his dismissal became news in the media, social media, and in particular, one media organisation named Island Business, which had a running commentary of speculative stories about him.
Dr Lal broke into tears when he said that his son who was in Year One heard from families and friends that his father was fired.
He also highlighted that $471,718 was his total claim on loss of salary and benefits excluding damages to loss of dignity and humiliation, costs, and interest.
His term of contract was for three years starting January 1, 2019. He was dismissed four months and 22 days after the contract began.
He said he was home for 15 months and 26 days and while at home, he applied for multiple jobs.
Dr Lal said nobody should go through what he had suffered.
“The treatment I received from the VC demonstrates characteristics of a person with a narcissistic personality disorder,” Dr Lal said.
“I urge USP not to do the same. What they have done to me as it is a huge suffering, humiliation, and traumatic experience,” Dr Lal said.
In cross-examination, Dr Lal reiterated that his final project doctorate paper was solely prepared by him.
Mr Haniff put to the witness that the doctorate paper was written by the research and analytical officer, Priya Devi.
Dr Lal said Ms Devi assisted him in data analysis and literature.
He said he prepared 95 per cent of the papers for his final project and it was his intellectual input in the paper.
He also denied instructing Ms Devi to conduct research and pre pare the paper.
Dr Lal also declined the defence counsel’s suggestion that he would have acknowledged Ms Devi as a joint co-author for the publication of the paper.
The trial is due to continue today.