Parties condemn move

THREE political party leaders are calling on Government to respect the University of the South Pacific’s legal existence as a corporate body and allow its council to govern the institution according to law.

A joint statement from the leaders of the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA), National Federation Party and Unity Fiji also cautioned against revoking vice-chancellor Prof Pal Ahluwalia’s work permit.

The party leaders say any such move would not only destroy Fiji’s standing in the Pacific region and globally, but it would also work against Fiji’s interests.

“USP could very well move the headquarters of USP to another Pacific country, thereby destroying hundreds of jobs of Fijians, and millions of dollars of revenue that the Government gets annually from these employments,” the statement said.

The party leaders said good corporate governance must be allowed to regulate the affairs of USP and not the rule of the jungle.

“By not paying USP the due sum, the Bainimarama Government is jeopardising the welfare of over 15,000 Fiji students, and thousands of students from our friendly neighbours in the Pacific region.

“Holding the grant and trying to push out the vice-chancellor displays the temperament of a spoilt kid who throws temper tantrums when not granted his wish by the seniors. The behaviour of the Bainimarama Government over the last year with regard to USP displays an un-Pacific like arrogance which can come only from people who do not value good corporate governance principles and Pacific cultures and traditions.”

The statement further claimed USP’s audited financial statements showed no evidence of any problem sufficient to get a contributing member to hold its grants to the university.

In an earlier statement Government said this financial year it had allocated $27.7 million to USP as part of its contribution, but it would be disbursed once a grant agreement was signed and upon resolution of matters it had highlighted in a letter to the university recently.

The government statement said that from January 2020, it paid USP $21.8 million, adding that it looked forward to the matters in the letter being addressed expeditiously.