Three Cabinet Ministers will hold a special meeting next week to address the ongoing issues at the University of the South Pacific (USP) Laucala Bay Campus. Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro, currently on a ministerial tour in the Lau Group, announced the intention to convene this meeting.
The University Staff and Support Staff Union (USPU) and the Association of USP Staff (AUSPS) recently received authorization for a strike, aiming to remove the university’s Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwalia. A secret ballot conducted by the Ministry of Employment, Productivity, and Industrial Relations showed that over 90 percent of union members voted in favor of dismissing Professor Ahluwalia.
The unions have expressed concerns regarding Professor Ahluwalia’s governance, particularly regarding staff welfare. More than 550 individuals have registered as members of these unions.
The upcoming meeting will include Minister for Employment, Productivity, and Industrial Relations Agni Deo Singh, as well as Minister for Finance Biman Prasad, alongside Mr. Radrodro. “I have asked the permanent secretary to prepare the agenda for the meeting,” Mr. Radrodro stated. He confirmed that upon returning to Suva next week, the three ministers will discuss the situation at USP.