The future of Professor Pal Ahluwalia, the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of the South Pacific (USP), is now in doubt. A substantial majority, nearly 95 percent, of votes from the Association of USP Staff and the USP Staff Union have supported strike action aimed at removing him from his position.
Education Minister Aseri Radrodro has announced plans to convene a special meeting of the USP Council to address these pressing matters. Currently visiting Lau as part of a school visitation initiative, Radrodro has instructed his Permanent Secretary to prepare the agenda for the upcoming council meeting.
“I am working towards calling a special meeting of the USP Council to tackle the ongoing issues, including the potential strike by staff,” he stated. Upon his return to Suva, the minister will meet with Deputy Prime Minister Prof. Biman Prasad and the Minister for Employment to discuss their proposal to the council regarding the concerns raised by the staff unions.
Radrodro emphasized that USP operates as a regional university governed by its council, and as a member, Fiji will express its concerns.