Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhary has raised concerns about Pal Ahluwalia, the vice-chancellor of the University of the South Pacific (USP), traveling to Samoa during the ongoing crisis at the university. Mr. Chaudhary visited striking USP union members at the Laucala Campus yesterday.
“The Fiji Labour Party is questioning the delay in investigating longstanding staff grievances at USP, which has led to the current standoff between the university’s management and its unions,” Mr. Chaudhary stated. He noted that despite being instructed by the Council to relocate to Fiji, the vice-chancellor has not yet occupied the official residence at the Laucala campus. The disputes at USP have persisted since 2021 and need to be resolved promptly. Allegations of mismanagement, abuse of office, irregularities in promotions, and even corrupt practices have surfaced.
Mr. Chaudhary asserted that the allegations against Mr. Ahluwalia are credible, having been supported by an independent report released last November. The strike by USP staff has now entered its third day.