The Association of the USP Staff Women’s Wing Chair, Rosalia Fatiaki says the Women’s Wing congratulates Dr. Rajni Chand for smashing the glass ceiling as she has worked hard and has been recognized for her achievements including the Teaching Excellence Award at USP by Professor Rajesh Chandra and being a recipient of the Fiji 50th Anniversary medal awarded by President Jioji Konrote.

Fatiaki says they demand that the Prime Minister withdraws his comments and issues a public apology to USP Director for the Centre of Flexible Learning, Doctor Rajni Chand.

She says the Women’s Wing is dismayed by the Prime Minister’s attack on Doctor Chand on her appointment in his efforts to justify the link between NFP Leader, Professor Biman Prasad and the deportation of Vice Chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia.

Fatiaki says an initial thought passed through the minds of women and supportive males on how the Prime Minister’s comments of a woman who has smashed the glass ceiling contribute to advancing the Gender Equality Agenda.

She says Doctor Rajni Chand is a qualified academic who has earned the respect of her colleagues, staff and students in Fiji and the region. Fatiaki further says that applying due process, Doctor Chand was found suitable by a Committee of individuals well-versed with the needs of the university in the area of flexible learning.

The Women’s Wing says to make unfounded allegations against a woman staff member who got the job on merit is appalling of a national leader.

PM says he is not making misogynistic comments but questioning why appointment process was not followed

If you have evidence, take it to the USP Council - Prasad

Vijay Narayan

Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama says the University of the South Pacific Council needs to do a good clean up at USP and he is raising the question on why the position of Director for the Centre of Flexible Learning was not advertised externally.

Bainimarama is also raising the question where does National Federation Party Leader, Professor Biman Prasad bring the issue of the Prime Minister making misogynistic comments when he is raising the issue about the appointment process.

The Prime Minister has called on Professor Biman Prasad to help in combatting corruption at USP and to ask his wife, Doctor Rajni Chand to resign from the post of Director for the Centre of Flexible Learning.

Speaking to fijivillage from Seaqaqa today, Bainimarama says the issue is about the appointment of Doctor Chand and he is raising the question on why the USP position was not advertised internationally based on the university’s practice.

The Prime Minister also calls on Professor Prasad not to bring the USP students into this issue. He says he now wants to know where is the GDP in this debate.

When contacted by fijivillage, the NFP Leader says this is cheap politics and he does not determine who gets appointed and how they get appointed at USP.

Prasad says it is childish of Bainimarama to attack him for something he is not responsible for when the Prime Minister should know that the university policy is not determined by Prasad.

Prasad stresses that it is not his place to ask Doctor Chand to resign and it is childish for the Prime Minister to be saying that he is walking out of parliament with his PHD and to see where is his GDP now. Doctor Chand’s office has referred all questions to the USP Communications Department.

Professor Pal Ahluwalia says he will not comment.

Fijivillage is still waiting for USP Pro Chancellor Winston Thompson’s comments regarding these claims.

Fijivillage had questioned Thompson last week whether he had received reports and complaints of political interference, whether any investigations were conducted and whether questions were raised about certain appointment processes. He is yet to respond.