Fiji Government deport USP Vice Chancellor, head of a REGIONAL institution (pn681)

An anonymous (Agent Vinod) post on Facebook: The government did the right thing by deporting USP Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia. Professor Ahluwalia wasted Fijian taxpayers money on an investigation of bogus claims against Professor Rajesh Chandra. Professor Chandra is innocent.

There were 33 serious allegations against Professor Ahluwalia and Fijian government wanted them investigated by an independent investigator, Professor Ahluwalia refused the investigation and the Fijian government withheld the grant of $27 million.

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The University of the South Pacific is a regional university owned by its 12 countries members, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Samoa. The University has campuses in all member countries. Its main campus is in Suva, Fiji. Australia and NZ, as major financial supporters of the university, have representatives on its administrative body, the University Council

For some time now conflict has existed between Fiji's  pro Vice-Chancellor and Chairman of Council Winston Thompson and the University-council appointed Vice-Chancellor Pal Ahluwahia who has made numerous claims of mismanagement under the previous V-C Prof. Rajesh Chandra.

Yesterday the Fiji Government deported Prof Pal Ahluwahia and his wife on the grounds of   unspecified “repeated breaches” of the immigration act and their visa conditions. 

Whatever the rights or wrongs of the Ahluwahia and Thompson allegations, the Fiji Government had no right to effectively terminate the employment of Pal Ahluwahia. That action is the responsibility of the Council.  It was also the first time mention was made of  Ahluwaha's alleged "repeated breaches" and it is no surprise that several observers think these allegations contrived. 

The action does no credit to the Fiji Government which will lose it many supporters in Fiji, across and beyond the university region.  It is no wonder a suggestion has been made to move the main campus to Samoa. 

As a former senior academic at the University (1974-76 and 1994-99) and an Emeritus Professor, I am appalled by the Government's action. There are far better ways to resolve disputes.

-- ACW

Related

https://asiapacificreport.nz/2021/02/04/politicians-educators-advocates-blast-fijis-barbaric-expulsion-of-usp-head/?fbclid=IwAR3mshYJXf0EhTSch5I9sRYKuw10NQ794olmcNkpw_om4hOmL9v1usC3kzk

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/05/whistleblower-vice-chancellor-deported-after-midnight-raid-by-fiji-police