Professor Pal Ahluwalia, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of the South Pacific (USP), is facing mounting pressure as staff unions at Laucala Campus demand his resignation. The Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff Association (AUSPS), represented by General Secretary Rosalia Fatiaki, announced that the strike has entered its fourth day, with no formal response received from USP management.
As criticism against Ahluwalia grows from staff and political observers, he has been notably absent from the campus. A statement from USP clarified that he is currently engaged in official university duties across the region. Recently, he officiated the opening of the new Solomon Islands campus in Honiara and participated in a graduation ceremony at the Tonga campus. Additionally, he was involved in the Pacific Islands Universities Research Network meeting in Port Vila, Vanuatu.
This week, Ahluwalia is leading the USP delegation at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Apia, Samoa, where USP is expected to play a role in various ceremonies and discussions, including the announcement of ACU Scholarships by King Charles III.
Despite these explanations, the staff unions remain unconvinced. Fatiaki noted that Ahluwalia was also supposed to attend the RISE – Fiji Government symposium at the Fiji National University but declined at the last moment due to his commitments in Samoa. She expressed frustration over his absence, stating, “While the houses are burning at Laucala Campus, the Vice-Chancellor is on a plane to Vanuatu last week.” Fatiaki emphasized that the unions are not trying to politicize the issue but are firmly against the current leadership, citing that USP has lost its regional identity under non-Pacific leadership.
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