The leader of the Fiji Labour Party, Mahendra Chaudhary, has raised concerns over the travel of the University of the South Pacific’s vice-chancellor, Pal Ahluwalia, to Samoa during the ongoing crisis at the university. Chaudhary visited striking USP union members at the Laucala Campus yesterday.
He expressed the Fiji Labour Party’s frustration regarding the delay in addressing longstanding staff grievances at USP, which has led to the current standoff between the university management and unions. Chaudhary highlighted that despite being instructed by the Council to move to Fiji, the vice-chancellor has yet to occupy the official residence on the Laucala campus. He noted that disputes at USP, which have persisted since 2021, need to be resolved promptly, citing serious allegations of mismanagement, abuse of office, irregularities in promotions, and potential corrupt practices.
Chaudhary asserted that the allegations against Mr. Ahluwalia are valid, having been substantiated by an independent report issued last November. The strike has now entered its third consecutive day.