Samoa has confirmed it will pursue moving the University of the South Pacific headquarters from Fiji to Samoa.
Radio NZ is reporting that the revelation follows the Fijian government's deportation of USP Vice Chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwalia and his wife after they were whisked away from their home in the middle of the night by immigration officers.
Samoa's Minister of Education, Loau Keneti Sio has revealed that moving the university headquarters to Samoa will be on the agenda of today's USP Council meeting.
Sio says the manner in which Ahluwalia was removed will also be tabled.
The minister further says there were issues to work through in moving much of a large campus but they were not insurmountable and Samoa offered many advantages, including stability.
[Samoa's Minister of Education, Loau Keneti Sio. [Photo Credit: Samoagovt.ws]
Meanwhile, New Zealand's Foreign Ministry has expressed concern at the implications of Ahluwalia's removal, and said it would work with other USP Council members for a resolution.
It has also sought information from the Fijian government.
The Fijian government has stated that the Immigration Department ordered Pal Aluwahlia and his partner, Sandra Jane Price, to leave Fiji with immediate effect following continuous breaches by both individuals of Section 13 of the Immigration Act.
It says that under Section 13 of the Immigration Act 2003, no foreigner is permitted to conduct themselves in a manner prejudicial to the peace, defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, security, or good government of Fiji.
The government statement says Aluwahlia and Price were foreign citizens in Fiji on work permits.
It says after repeated breaches by both individuals of the provisions of Section 13 of the Immigration Act, their actions have clearly violated the terms of their work permits, resulting in their subsequent deportation.
The government says similar criteria have been applied to other foreign nationals in Fiji in the past and, as a sovereign nation, Fiji will continue to enforce a zero-tolerance policy towards any breaches of its immigration law.
It says there are thousands of foreign citizens on work permits in Fiji who conduct themselves and their business in line with the requirements of the Immigration Act while making invaluable contributions to Fiji's socio-economic development.
The government further says following recent amendments to Fiji's Immigration Act, foreign nationals can work and do business in Fiji more easily than ever, and Fiji will continue to welcome foreign nationals whose contributions, experience, and investments enrich the lives of the Fijian people.
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