Table full BDO Report into USP in parliament, reinstate Ahluwalia and stand down Thompson – NFP President

The National Federation Party President, Pio Tikoduadua is today calling on the government to make the BDO Report into the University of the South Pacific public to taxpayers in Fiji, and table accordingly in Parliament. 

In a statement, Tikoduadua is also calling on the Minister for Education to ensure that the senior management team at USP suspends all large payments unrelated to the normal running operations of the university until the leadership crisis is resolved, ensure that the senior management does not execute underhanded tactics that victimize and intimidate the students or staff including dubious COVID-19 ploys, especially when they are preparing for exams next week, stand down Pro Chancellor Winston Thompson and reinstate Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia until the USP Council has met.

USP Pro-Chancellor Winston Thompson 

Tikoduadua also says Fiji must participate in good faith at the Special USP Council meeting that they understand to be scheduled within the next 5 days.

He says the BDO report should be made public to ensure the taxpayers know what has been happening at the USP, and Tikoduadua also says the people implicated should not be protected.

Following Pal Ahluwalia’s suspension pending investigations, Minister for Education, Rosy Akbar had stressed that allegations of Fiji attempting to nationalise the University of the South Pacific are untrue and quite frankly uncalled for.

Pal Ahluwalia

Akbar says they want to ensure that USP students, including those from Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa, Nauru and other countries do not fall victim to issues created by bad governance.

She also says the Fijian Government is concerned about governance issues at USP in light of a number of anomalies found by the USP Audit Team and wants the issues resolved quickly.

Akbar has expressed concerns about USP, which continues to be distracted from its core function of delivering quality teaching and education needed by our Pacific countries to build strong economies and prosper.

She also urged students to remain focused on what is most important - their education.

Akbar says as the host country with the largest number of enrolled students, and by far the largest contributor from the Pacific member countries, Fiji would like to see the matters resolved quickly through the internal mechanisms of the university.

She says it is clear, after studying all the material there is a need to address the governance anomalies which have disrupted the transparency at the university.

Akbar says a university is a place of learning and they must set an example to students, our future leaders, that any breach of rules will be investigated using the proper channels with action taken if and as appropriate.

Minister for Education, Rosy Akbar

The Fijian Education Minister says a large number of complaints against Vice-Chancellor Ahluwalia have been brought to the attention of the USP Audit Team prompting the investigation.

Akbar says the quantity and nature of the complaints were very serious and cannot be ignored.

She says the Vice Chancellor has been suspended while investigations are taking place, as per the procedure.

Akbar also says all USP Council members should be advocating for good governance and transparency and be an example to students.