The Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of the South Pacific (USP), Professor Pal Ahluwalia, is facing significant backlash as staff unions at the Laucala Campus continue their strike calling for his removal from office. Rosalia Fatiaki, the general secretary of the Association of University of the South Pacific Staff Association (AUSPS), mentioned that the strike has entered its fourth day, and they are still waiting for formal communication from USP management.
As the strike unfolds, Professor Ahluwalia has come under heavy criticism from staff and political commentators due to his absence. A statement from USP clarified that he is currently engaged in official university business throughout the region, including recent events such as the opening of the new campus in the Solomon Islands and attending a graduation ceremony in Tonga.
This week, he is leading a USP delegation at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, where USP is participating in various formal events, including the announcement of ACU scholarships by King Charles III.
Despite this explanation, the unions remain unconvinced. Professor Ahluwalia was also set to attend a Fiji Government symposium but reportedly declined at the last minute due to his CHOGM commitments. Fatiaki criticized his actions, stating that while the campus deals with serious issues, he is attending overseas events and argued that USP is lacking genuine regional leadership due to its non-Pacific islander leader. The unions have emphasized that their stance is not politically motivated.