Inia Seruiratu, the opposition leader, has urged the Fiji Government to take action to address the ongoing issues at the University of the South Pacific (USP). He expressed concern over the unresolved standoff between USP management and staff associations, which he believes is negatively impacting students’ education.
Seruiratu indicated that the tensions leading to this situation have developed over several months and could have been avoided if the university had been receptive to employees’ concerns. He also supported calls for an investigation into governance challenges at USP, suggesting that the vice-chancellor should “go on leave” during this process.
He criticized USP management for characterizing the strike as concerning issues that they claim fall outside collective agreements, expressing disappointment that the management has not sought intervention from the USP council to address the staff’s grievances.
Seruiratu emphasized that the ongoing conflict should not be allowed to persist at the expense of students’ education. He stressed the serious nature of the allegations raised by the staff association and insisted they warrant thorough investigation.
He called for urgent actions from all stakeholders to resolve the issues raised by staff unions and highlighted the importance of maintaining USP’s standing on the international stage to foster future leaders from the Pacific region. He asserted that leadership dedicated to the best interests of the Pacific and its people is essential.
He concluded that the Fiji Government, being the largest single donor to USP and a member of its council, has a responsibility to step in and help resolve the situation, emphasizing the need for decisive leadership to protect the future of the students and the region.