Fiji Labour Party is questioning the delay in investigating long standing staff grievances at USP which has culminated in the current stand off between USP management and its unions.
The unions’ claims are legitimate backed up by an independent report to the USP Council in November 2023 on the Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia’s performance, says Labour Leader Mahendra Chaudhry who visited the striking USP staff this morning and was briefed on the situation.
A Special Council meeting in September 2024 agreed to set up an independent inquiry to deal with the matter but a terms of reference for this has still not been finalized.
The independent inquiry report was to have been presented to the Council Meeting in November 2024. This is now not likely to happen. The unions allege that the delay is deliberate considering that the Council Secretariat reports to the Vice Chancellor.
They want the VC to be suspended to allow for the independent investigation to take place unobstructed.
Mr Chaudhry said the USP dispute has been ongoing since 2021 and must be resolved swiftly.
There have been serious allegations of mismanagement, abuse of office, irregularities in promotions and even corrupt practices.
Some 150 members of the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS) joined by some members of the University of the South Pacific Staff Union(USPSU) went on strike on Friday calling for the termination of Vice Chancellor Ahluwalia.
They also want AUSPS president Dr Tamara Osbrne-Nakatini reinstated. A lecturer in Biology, her work contract was terminated in July ostensibly for speaking to the media regarding the USP dispute.
Allegations against the VC include cutting down on staff to reduce costs resulting in overloading of the remaining staff and pushing for more online courses even though students prefer on campus teaching. There are over 300 vacant positions which need to be filled.
Staff have also queried the sharp increase from $200 to $600 per diem rate for Suva the VC has awarded himself. Despite being ordered by the Council to relocate to Fiji the VC has not yet moved into the official residence at the Laucala campus which is lying vacant, preferring instead to stay in expensive hotels, claim the unions.
“ I am surprised that despite the current crisis at USP, the Vice Chancellor and senior management staff are in Samoa for CHOGM,” said Mr Chaudhry.
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