The former Chair of the Fiji National University Council Semesa Karavaki (Photo: Fiji National University)
The former Chair of the Fiji National University Council Semesa Karavaki has today stressed that the government and FICAC need to urgently come out publicly, and confirm what they are doing in relation to the complaints that they have raised about FNU.
Karavaki says he is concerned that changes are made without the law being amended for the ministerial responsibility to be shifted from the Minister for Education to the Minister for National Planning who is the Prime Minister.
He also says there is no functioning FNU Council since the 10th of last month, and this is also a major concern, on who is overseeing what is happening at FNU.
Karavaki says the Prime Minister has not met them despite their repeated requests.
They have also filed a complaint with FICAC against the Vice Chancellor of FNU and the Permanent Secretary for National Planning on the 9th of last month however FICAC has not said anything.
They say this complaint was filed as they want urgent action from FICAC to ensure that there is accountability based on FNU being funded by the taxpayers of this country, and the Council having the responsibility to ensure that they have an oversight in governance related matters.
According to the FNU Act, the FNU Council appointments are supposed to be made by the line Minister who is the Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro however there is already an instruction that FNU will be under the Minister for National Planning who is the Prime Minister at the moment.
Any amendment to the law needs to go to Cabinet and then to Parliament.
The former FNU Council, under the leadership of Chancellor and Chair, Semesa Karavaki had earlier said that the bypassing of the lawful governance structure of FNU has created unnecessary uncertainty and has, unfortunately, fuelled speculation and division within the university community.
Karavaki said the former Council's work, including the critical initial stages of a review of the FNU Act and a planned external HR audit, has been abruptly disrupted.
He said central to the Council's concerns are serious governance issues that predate this reassignment.
Karavaki confirmed that on 13th January 2026, the Council resolved to address formal complaints against the Vice-Chancellor regarding governance and decision-making processes.
He said these complaints, from whistleblowers and academic staff, focused on contentious appointments and the awarding of academic titles within the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, as well as unilateral engagements with government on legislative review.
In line with its fiduciary duty, the Council said it had initiated due process to investigate these allegations thoroughly and impartially, including placing the Vice-Chancellor on leave pending investigation and mandating Council oversight for senior appointments.
The Council says it is therefore troubled that the submission to Government, which triggered the reassignment of FNU from the Minister for Education to the Minister for National Planning, was made unilaterally by the Vice-Chancellor without a Council resolution or even its knowledge.
Karavaki says they are prepared to engage constructively with the Office of the Prime Minister to support national development objectives.
However, Karavaki says the FNU Council expresses profound concern regarding the manner in which this significant transition has been initiated.
He says as the statutory governing body of FNU, established by the FNU Act to act in the University's best interest, the Council was not consulted prior to this decision.
Karavaki says they had formally requested an urgent meeting with the Prime Minister.
They also say the serious allegations of governance failures within the University management must be resolved through a proper, independent, and lawful process.
Karavaki says the former Council's initiated audit must be allowed to proceed without interference to restore trust.
We had earlier sent questions to the Prime Minister, Education Minister and FICAC. They are yet to respond.
