Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has ordered an independent investigation into the Fiji National University’s Council and management after whistle‑blower reports raised concerns about irregularities, and has moved to place the university under the Ministry of Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics. The amendments to the FNU Act were passed during parliamentary debate, setting the administrative transfer as the government seeks to reshape the university’s role in national development.
Opposition MPs used the debate to press the government on allegations first made in a whistle‑blower report dated January 2025. Opposition MP Jone Usamate told Parliament the report accused FNU management of discrimination in decision‑making, bullying, victimisation of staff and abuse of authority by university leadership. Usamate also said the Council had lodged a complaint with the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) and asked whether that inquiry would continue under the new arrangements. “If this change takes place, will that investigation with FICAC continue? Will it continue or not?” he asked.
Rabuka sought to reassure MPs that the move to a new ministry would not derail scrutiny of the university. He said any government‑led probe would proceed only on the basis of “verified substantive evidence” and that an administrative shift “does not take the onus out of [the] investigating agency.” The Prime Minister added the investigation would be independent and would examine matters raised by whistle‑blowers and others, signalling the government intends to follow up on the allegations.
The government framed the transfer of FNU into the Ministry of Strategic Planning, National Development and Statistics as a policy decision aimed at strengthening human capital investment. Rabuka told Parliament the change is intended to better align FNU programmes with sector‑specific workforce needs, increase productivity and support economic growth, while allowing market forces to help determine labour market outcomes.
Opposition speakers, however, warned that the timing and the move’s implications for oversight warranted caution. Usamate questioned why the Prime Minister had not engaged with the university’s former chairman — a government appointee — and asked for clarity on whether existing complaints and processes, including those involving FICAC, would be preserved and allowed to run their course. The Council’s reported complaint against FICAC, raised in Parliament by the opposition, adds an extra layer of complexity to how inquiries into university governance will proceed.
The development comes amid heightened attention to governance and accountability at public institutions, and amid recent high‑profile legal and administrative disputes involving anti‑corruption processes. Rabuka’s pledge of an independent probe will likely be watched closely by university staff, students and the wider public for signs of transparency and a clear timeline. So far, the government has not released details on which agency will lead the investigation, what its terms of reference will be, or when findings might be expected.
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