Suspension of Fiji’s grant to USP is childish - Chaudhry

Fiji Labour Party Leader, Mahendra Chaudhry says the Economy Minister’s decision to suspend Fiji’s grant to USP, is simply childish.

Chaudhry says it looks like Fiji is on its own, like a lone wolf crying foul.

The FLP Leader says he is concerned that students’ university education will be affected and it will also affect the overall reputation of USP.

He also believes that USP Pro-Chancellor Winston Thompson is unable to accept the USP Council’s decision not to investigate Vice-Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia.

Chaudhry says he hopes the Prime Minister is taking notice of this and will take some action to maintain Fiji’s reputation as a brother to the smaller Pacific Island nations.

Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has not made any comments.

Govt withholds $27.7 million USP grant until a resolution on the highlighted matters

The Fijian Government says the letter sent to the Pro-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific on 23rd of September 2020 speaks for itself.

The government has said in a statement that this is not a matter to be resolved through the media.

It says that for this financial year, $27.7 million has been allocated to USP, part of the Fijian Government’s contribution, which will be disbursed once a grant agreement is signed and upon resolution of the matters which have been highlighted in the letter.

It says from January 2020 to date the Fijian Government has paid $21.8 million.

The government looks forward to the matters in the letter being addressed expeditiously.