The future of Professor Pal Ahluwalia, the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of the South Pacific (USP), is currently in jeopardy. A recent vote by the Association of USP Staff and the USP Staff Union demonstrated overwhelming support for strike action aimed at removing him, with nearly 95 percent of participants in favor.
Education Minister Aseri Radrodro has acknowledged the situation and announced plans to convene a special meeting of the USP Council to address the escalating issues. While in Lau for a school visitation initiative, Radrodro instructed his Permanent Secretary to prepare the agenda for this important meeting.
“I intend to call for a special meeting of the USP Council to tackle the challenges arising from the university, including the staff’s planned strike action,” he stated. Upon his return to Suva, the minister plans to discuss these matters with Deputy Prime Minister Prof. Biman Prasad and the Minister for Employment, focusing on the staff unions’ concerns.
Radrodro emphasized the significance of USP as a regional university, highlighting that Fiji, as a member, will express its concerns during the council meeting.