Three Cabinet Ministers are set to hold a special meeting next week to address the ongoing situation at the University of the South Pacific’s Laucala Bay Campus. Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro, currently on a ministerial tour in the Lau Group, announced the planned gathering to the media.
The University Staff and Support Staff Union (USPU) and the Association of USP Staff (AUSPS) recently secured a mandate for a strike aimed at the removal of Professor Pal Ahluwalia, the university’s Vice-Chancellor and President. 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, specifically citing issues related to staff welfare. Membership in the unions has surpassed 550 individuals.
The meeting will include Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Agni Deo Singh, and Minister for Finance Biman Prasad, alongside Radrodro. “I have requested the permanent secretary to set the agenda for the meeting,” Radrodro stated. “Upon my return to Suva next week, we will convene with the three Ministers to discuss the circumstances at USP.”