Savenaca Narube, the Leader of the Unity Fiji Party and former Governor of the Reserve Bank, emphasizes the urgent need to address the ongoing staff dispute at the University of the South Pacific (USP). This call for action comes as the USP Staff Union has entered its fourth day of strike, demanding the removal of Vice-Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has acknowledged the staff’s adherence to the strike protocols and has urged the USP Council to hold an urgent meeting. The strike, which has primarily centered around issues of governance, has led to significant disruptions.
Narube visited the Laucala campus to express his support for the striking staff members, stating that core issues related to governance need to be thoroughly examined. “We need to drill down, and I believe what they (Staff) want is an investigation to bring out the truth about this. What’s wrong with that? The USP Council needs to support that,” Narube remarked. He noted that while the Council appears to endorse an investigation, there seems to be a delay regarding the investigation’s Terms of Reference.
Narube criticized Vice-Chancellor Ahluwalia for being away from campus during this crisis, attending official engagements in various Pacific nations, including Samoa for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. “When your organization is under fire, you go and put out the fire, don’t run away!” he asserted, urging Ahluwalia to focus on resolving the issues at hand.
The strike has also raised significant concerns among students, many of whom are facing postponements in their online tests and tutorials. Narube expressed that the welfare and education of students are being compromised, and urged those in positions of authority to act swiftly to facilitate a resolution, allowing exams to proceed as scheduled.
In parallel, Prime Minister Rabuka has noted that the actions of the USP Staff Union are in accordance with the Employment Relations Act of 2007. He has directed the Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro, to convene a meeting of the USP Council to address the staff union’s demands.
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