Three Cabinet Ministers are expected to gather today to discuss plans for a special meeting involving the Government and the University of the South Pacific (USP). Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro confirmed yesterday that he had informed Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka about his ministry’s intention to hold this meeting.
The meeting will involve Radrodro, Minister for Finance Biman Prasad, and Minister for Employment, Productivity, and Industrial Relations Agni Deo Singh. “This topic will be included in the agenda to escalate it to the USP Secretary to organize the special meeting,” Radrodro stated. The upcoming USP Council meeting is set for either October or November, and the three ministers plan to convene sometime between Monday and Tuesday.
In related news, the Opposition has called on the Government to promptly address the ongoing internal conflict between staff unions and USP Vice-Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia. The University Staff and Support Staff Union (USPU) and the Association of USP Staff (AUSPS) received a mandate for a strike last Wednesday, indicating a strong desire among union members to see Professor Ahluwalia removed, with over 90 percent supporting the action.
Shadow Minister for Education Hem Chand noted that tensions between staff unions and university management have persisted for several months. “The results of the secret ballot, shared in the media, indicate that many staff members are dissatisfied with the institution’s leadership,” Chand said. “Given that around 70 percent of USP staff are Fijians and the largest grant is provided by us, the Fijian Government should ensure that the welfare and concerns of our Fijian staff are represented to the USP Council.”
Chand emphasized that the university should prioritize enhancing the quality of education and research. He also pointed out that Minister Radrodro acknowledged in Parliament last week that the Government is aware of the concerns expressed by the staff unions. “If these issues remain unresolved, strike actions by the unions may disrupt student learning,” he warned.