USP grant will be released when there is an independent investigation on the Mahmood Khan report - AG

Attorney General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has stated in parliament that the government’s grant to USP will only be released once the USP Council accepts their request to have an independent investigation on the report made by the Chair of the USP Audit and Risk Committee Mahmood Khan.

While making his contribution to the debate on the 2017 Annual Report of the University of the South Pacific, Sayed-Khaiyum says they requested for an independent body to look into the number of anomalies that were raised by Khan in his report but the request was not approved by the USP Council.

He says various anomalies were found in the report including the various appointments that were taking place which did not follow the requirements and regulations of USP.

The Minister adds whatever the finding is, they will accept it.

Sayed-Khaiyum says unless and until this is done, they are not going to release the grant.

Fiji is the largest contributor to USP where they give a grant of about $32 million to $36 million every year while the second-highest is the Solomon Islands with $2 million.