The University of the South Pacific maintains that it will not engage publicly on its recruitment processes or policies in respect to individual contracts after allegations surfaced of more people appointed to senior positions at USP without proper procedures being followed.

A paper being circulated alleges that some were appointments made without procedures being followed, allegations that the process and policy to ensure all senior positions be advertised if it is for a term of more than 12 months were not followed, allegations of favoritism, allegations of conflict of interest and some appointments made that may have allegedly breached work permits earlier given by the Fijian government.

When contacted by Legend FM News on the allegations raised about the appointments, USP says staff contracts are matters between an employer and employee and not for public scrutiny.

It also says all recruitments at USP are on merit in compliance and consistent with policies and procedures.

USP had made the statement after concerns were also raised by Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama that USP needs a good clean up and the university council needs to do that.

Attorney General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum had earlier stated in parliament that the government’s grant to USP will only be released once the USP Council accepts their request to have an independent investigation on the report made by the Chair of the USP Audit and Risk Committee Mahmood Khan.

Sayed-Khaiyum said they have requested for an independent body to look into the number of anomalies under Professor Pal Ahluwalia that were raised by Khan in his report but the request was not approved by the USP Council.

Sayed-Khaiyum added that whatever the finding is, they will accept it but Fiji wants good governance at USP.

He said unless and until this is done, they are not going to release the grant.

Fiji is the largest contributor to USP where they give a grant of about $32 million to $36 million every year while the second-highest is the Solomon Islands with $2 million.

In it’s meeting this week, the USP Council has directed the Secretary to Council to refer the allegations of breach of the USP Council Code of Conduct by Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council Winston Thompson and the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee Mahmood Khan to the Council’s Executive Committee.

Written responses by Thompson and Khan will also be referred to the Executive Committee.

The USP Council says this will then allow the process thereunder to take its course.

A USP Council statement says the recommendations are to be provided to the Council no later than 30th March 2021.

The USP Council also states that it was not able to consider further the matter of the contract of Professor Pal Ahluwalia as the Sub-Committee is yet to present its recommendations to the Council.

Questions sent to Pro Chancellor Winston Thompson and Professor Ahluwalia remain unanswered.

Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama has called on the National Federation Party Leader, Professor Biman Prasad to help in combatting corruption at the University of the South Pacific and to ask his wife, Doctor Rajni Chand to resign from the post of Director for the Centre of Flexible Learning at USP however Prasad says he has no say in university appointments.

Speaking to fijivillage from Seaqaqa today, Bainimarama says the issue is about the appointment of Doctor Chand and he is raising the question on why the USP position was not advertised internationally based on the university’s practice.

The Prime Minister also calls on Professor Prasad not to bring the USP students into this issue. He says he now wants to know where is the GDP in this debate.

Bainimarama also raises the question where does Prasad bring the issue of the Prime Minister making misogynistic comments when he is raising the issue about the appointment process.

When contacted by fijivillage, the NFP Leader says this is cheap politics and he does not determine who gets appointed and how they get appointed at USP.

Prasad says it is childish of Bainimarama to attack him for something he is not responsible for when the Prime Minister should know that the university policy is not determined by Prasad.

Prasad stresses that it is not his place to ask Doctor Chand to resign and it is childish for the Prime Minister to be saying that he is walking out of parliament with his PHD and to see where is his GDP now. Doctor Chand’s office has referred all questions to the USP Communications Department.

Professor Pal Ahluwalia says he will not comment.

Fijivillage is still waiting for USP Pro Chancellor Winston Thompson’s comments regarding these claims.

Fijivillage had questioned Thompson last week whether he had received reports and complaints of political interference, whether any investigations were conducted and whether questions were raised about certain appointment processes. He is yet to respond.

All recruitments at USP are on merit in compliance with policies & procedures – Act. Deputy VC

As debate on University of the South Pacific continues with allegations made by Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama about USP Vice Chancellor, Pal Ahluwalia and National Federation Party Leader, Professor Biman Prasad and questions regarding the appointment of Prasad’s wife, Doctor Rajni Chand, Fijivillage is still waiting for USP Pro Chancellor Winston Thompson’s comments regarding these claims.

Bainimarama says more will be coming after he alleged that there was political interference by Ahluwalia, and he has also alleged that National Federation Party, Professor Biman Prasad and Ahluwalia were working together.

Bainimarama has also alleged that proper processes were not followed when Professor Prasad’s wife, Doctor Rajni Chand was appointed USP’s Director for the Centre for Flexible Learning.

He is also asking why Prasad did not say anything about USP in the parliamentary debate on USP 2017 Annual Report last week and whether Prasad was worried that the issue regarding his wife’s appointment would be raised.

[image: Supplied]

Fijivillage had questioned Thompson last week whether he had received reports and complaints of political interference, whether any investigations were conducted and whether questions were raised about certain appointment processes. He is yet to respond.

Meanwhile NFP Leader, Professor Biman Prasad says the Prime Minister has stooped to gutter-level in his latest diatribe against him.

Prasad says the Prime Minister’s comments are childish.

He says unlike the Government, he is not that powerful so as to even think that he can pull strings for his personal gain, as claimed by the Prime Minister.

Prasad says with regards to the obtuse allegations levelled at his wife as a means to tarnish her credibility, she is highly qualified and an exemplary woman in her own right who he supports in her professional career, and he is proud that on merit and gender she is smashing glass ceilings as a beacon for other young women in Fiji. He says maybe that is why she was bestowed a 50th independence anniversary medal.

Prasad says he is proud of her and her academic achievements and Doctor Chand has earned her new appointment on merit.

He says they consider the Prime Minister’s attack on Dr Chand’s appointment as misogynistic.

When contacted for comments by Fijivillage, Professor Ahluwalia said that he will not make any comments. He had earlier said that there was no political interference on his part and meeting some people like Professor Biman Prasad at functions does not mean that he is politically interfering.

Highly acclaimed Poet and Academic Professor Konai Helu Thaman says it is time, in her view, for the USP Council to move on from Pal Ahluwalia, and start looking for someone from our Pacific spaces, someone who understands and has our region and people at heart.

In a four-page letter to members of the USP Council, Professor Thaman wrote that USP had a chance when the job was first advertised.

She said there was a very capable man of faith – a USP graduate, a university academic, long time member of Council and advocate of Pacific leadership but he was overlooked and the second time the job was advertised, the requirement for applicants to have full professorial (status) was inserted.

Professor Thaman wrote some members of the Council thought that the change was done in order to rule him out.

She says she is of the opinion that we would not be in this sad position if he was on deck but it’s not too late.

Professor Thaman says together we can find someone – a son or daughter of the Pacific, who will be able to bring back together the dismembered pieces of USP to form a renewed, reinvigorated and interconnected USP.

She is asking that this be done without the vote of our main development partners, who, whether they like it or not, tend to influence the way we look at ourselves as well as the world.

Professor Thaman wrote that she believes Ahluwalia, because of his divisive influence, vindictive tendencies and proven lack of leadership qualities, needs to go.

She says some of Ahluwalia's supporters see him as a martyr but I see him as an exploitative pretender and manipulator.

Professor Thaman says during the three years Alhluwalia’s been here, all that he’s done is try and bring down people in the name of good governance as if he has a monopoly on the concept.

She says she still believes that the number of breaches identified by the Executive Committee (the original one) need to be independently and properly investigated.

She further says from where she sits, she sees the silent majority among both staff and students, being sad and overwhelmed and just wanting to get on with their work or look to the sunnier side of the street.

Professor Thaman says unfortunately the whole issue has been so politicized that anything anyone says would be taken as a sign of taking sides, or conspiracy theory, whether within USP politics or Fiji politics or both, and depending on what side you are looking from, may prefer not to listen to any arguments from another side.

She says this is clearly demonstrated on social media, where at times, one wonders where all the love and goodness among Pacific people have gone.

Fijivillage reached out to Professor Ahluwalia for a response.

He says he does not reply to such nonsense.

The USP staff unions are demanding that the USP Council Sub-Committee looking into issues surrounding the contract of Professor Pal Ahluwalia obtains a second independent legal opinion and present the two opinions to the USP Council.

The Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff and the University of the South Pacific Union are concerned about statements made by Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum in parliament last Friday about the law firm Munro Leys and Fijian Government on Professor Ahluwalia's deportation.

Sayed-Khaiyum told parliament that USP's lawyers are Munro Leys and they gave a legal opinion.

The USP staff unions say the USP Council as Professor Ahluwalia's employer has not revoked his contract and therefore, in justice and fairness, they have been informed that the USP Council has agreed that Professor Ahluwalia will continue to receive his salary and full benefits of the position including reinstatement of his official email until a final decision is taken on the matter.

After the special meeting yesterday, the USP Council said it was not able to consider further the matter of the contract of Professor Ahluwalia as the Sub-Committee is yet to present its recommendations to the Council.

The USP Council has extended the appointment of Dr Giulio Masasso Tu'ikolongahau Paunga as Acting Vice-Chancellor and President until further notice.

Fiji was represented at the special USP Council meeting by Education Minister Rosy Akbar, Permanent Secretary for Education Anjeela Jokhan and the Solicitor General Sharvada Sharma.

We have asked USP for a response to the statement by the USP Staff Unions.

Joseph Sua has resigned from his position as the Chair and President of University of the South Pacific Students Association.

The USPSA says Sua’s resignation was primarily on the basis of him moving back to Solomon Islands.

It says while they were aware that students remained registered between end of a semester to the starting of another until the deregistration period, Sua’s account was deregistered on Saturday meaning he is no longer a registered student.

With this, Sua’s membership of USP Council has been hindered as a result of him moving back to Solomon Islands.

The USPSA Executive Committee has appointed Lepani Naqarase as the interim Chair and President of USPSA until such a time USPSA Council meets and holds elections.

Naqarase will represent the student body in the USP Council meeting tomorrow.

Joseph Sua who is the President of the USP Students Association has been told to step down ahead of tomorrow’s special meeting of the USP Council.

The USP Students Association claims that at the direction of the Pro-Chancellor Winston Thompson, the USP Council and Senate Secretariat informed them yesterday that Sua can no longer be part of the USP Council as he has been in the Solomon Islands since December last year.

According to the USP statutes, there have to be two registered students of the university to represent the student body on the council.

There should be one to represent the students based at the Laucala campus and one to represent students at other University campuses in the region.

The USP Students Association says as far as they are concerned, USP is a regional university and the USPSA President can represent them from any one of the member states.

They say if the Pro-Chancellor has realised just now that it cannot happen under the statutes of the USP, they will make immediate arrangements and will have to inform all USP students of the same.

The USP Students Association says this is disturbing because the secretariat knew since January that Sua had gone to the Solomon Islands. Sua was allowed to attend the last two special USP Council meetings this year.

The USP Students Association claims the Pro-Chancellor is working out the votes and wants to hinder USPSA’s participation in tomorrow’s special USP Council meeting.

In a letter sent to members of the USP Council, the USP Students Association says students voices must be heard and the Pro-Chancellor does not have the mandate to silence them.

They have urged the council to stop these intimidating tactics.

The USP Students Association says their executive committee is currently working on getting a student leader from Laucala Campus to represent students voices at the USP Council.

We have asked USP for a response.

Attorney General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has stated in parliament that the government’s grant to USP will only be released once the USP Council accepts their request to have an independent investigation on the report made by the Chair of the USP Audit and Risk Committee Mahmood Khan.

While making his contribution to the debate on the 2017 Annual Report of the University of the South Pacific, Sayed-Khaiyum says they requested for an independent body to look into the number of anomalies that were raised by Khan in his report but the request was not approved by the USP Council.

He says various anomalies were found in the report including the various appointments that were taking place which did not follow the requirements and regulations of USP.

The Minister adds whatever the finding is, they will accept it.

Sayed-Khaiyum says unless and until this is done, they are not going to release the grant.

Fiji is the largest contributor to USP where they give a grant of about $32 million to $36 million every year while the second-highest is the Solomon Islands with $2 million.

The USP Council has directed the Secretary to Council to refer the allegations of breach of the USP Council Code of Conduct by Pro-Chancellor and Chair of Council Winston Thompson and the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee Mahmood Khan to the Council’s Executive Committee.

Written responses by Thompson and Khan will also be referred to the Executive Committee.

The USP Council says this will then allow the process thereunder to take its course.

A USP Council statement after a special meeting yesterday says recommendations are to be provided to the Council no later than 30 March 2021.

This is being done in accordance with Article 6 of the USP Council Code of Conduct.

The USP Council says it was not able to consider further the matter of the contract of Professor Pal Ahluwalia as the Sub-Committee is yet to present its recommendations to the Council.

The USP Council has extended the appointment of Dr Giulio Masasso Tu'ikolongahau Paunga as Acting Vice-Chancellor and President until further notice.

Fiji was represented at the special USP Council meeting by Education Minister Rosy Akbar, Permanent Secretary for Education Anjeela Jokhan and the Solicitor General Sharvada Sharma.

The University of the South Pacific Council has appointed a subcommittee to look at issues surrounding USP Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwalia’s contract and the council will meet again on the 16th of this month.

The Council has made a statement saying that it was not consulted over Professor Ahluwalia’s deportation, it has not made a decision to dismiss him and expressed disappointment that it was not advised, as Professor Ahluwalia’s employer, of the decision to deport him.

The committee will be headed by Nauru President and USP Chancellor, Lionel Aingimea, one representative each from Australia, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Solomon Islands, and two representatives from the USP Senate.

The subcommittee will bring recommendations on these matters to the council.

In the interim, Dr Giulio Masasso Paunga, will be Acting Vice-Chancellor and President.

The council met all day today debating on Ahluwalia’s contract.

Fiji was represented by Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Education Minister Rosy Akbar, Permanent Secretary for Education Anjeela Jokhan, USP Pro-Chancellor Winston Thompson, Mahmood Khan and Fay Yee.

The USP Staff Association President, Elizabeth Fong says they are happy with the fair outcome and they will now wait for the committee’s report and the Council’s decision.

Speaking to Legend FM News from Brisbane, Professor Ahluwalia says he was blocked from attending the council meeting via zoom.

He also says only the council can decide on his contract after we asked him on whether his contract will be terminated if he cannot operate from the Laucala Campus.

Ahluwalia says there have been illegal attempts to frustrate his contract by removing him from Fiji.

He says Nauru President and USP Chancellor, Lionel Aingimea had already circulated that the USP Council should agree in the meeting today that the Vice-Chancellor can operate the university from any of the member countries.

When questioned on the Fijian government’s statement that Ahluwalia and his wife, Sandra Price had repeatedly breached the Immigration Act, Ahluwalia says he was never told about this until officials appeared at his house on Wednesday night.

Professor Ahluwalia also says there was no political interference on his part and meeting some people at functions does not mean that he is politically interfering.

He also says he and his wife were manhandled by the officials on Wednesday night which also resulted in bruises on his wife’s arm.

We have sent questions to Fiji Police.

Meanwhile, the Fijian government has stated that the Immigration Department ordered Pal Aluwahlia and his partner to leave Fiji with immediate effect following continuous breaches by both individuals of Section 13 of the Immigration Act.

It says that under Section 13 of the Immigration Act 2003, no foreigner is permitted to conduct themselves in a manner prejudicial to the peace, defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, security, or good government of Fiji.

The government statement says Aluwahlia and Price were foreign citizens in Fiji on work permits.

Although Fiji cancelled my work permit and frustrated my contract in a premeditated move, it is only Council that had the right to hire or dismiss the VCP. Please keep up your prayers for good to win over evil.

— Professor Pal Ahluwalia, USP VC (@pal_vcp) February 4, 2021

It says after repeated breaches by both individuals of the provisions of Section 13 of the Immigration Act, their actions have clearly violated the terms of their work permits, resulting in their subsequent deportation.

The government says similar criteria have been applied to other foreign nationals in Fiji in the past and, as a sovereign nation, Fiji will continue to enforce a zero-tolerance policy towards any breaches of its immigration law.

It says there are thousands of foreign citizens on work permits in Fiji who conduct themselves and their business in line with the requirements of the Immigration Act while making invaluable contributions to Fiji's socio-economic development.

The government further says following recent amendments to Fiji's Immigration Act, foreign nationals can work and do business in Fiji more easily than ever, and Fiji will continue to welcome foreign nationals whose contributions, experience, and investments enrich the lives of the Fijian people.

The USP Special Council meeting is currently underway at the Laucala Campus and Fiji is represented by Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Education Minister Rosy Akbar, Permanent Secretary for Education Anjeela Jokhan, USP Pro-Chancellor Winston Thompson, Mahmood Khan and Fay Yee.

The deportation of USP Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwalia and his wife is expected to be discussed.

We have received information that the council is currently discussing the contract of the Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Ahluwalia has told the ABC in Brisbane that the agenda of the meeting also includes the position of the Pro-Chancellor, Winston Thompson and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, Mahmood Khan. He says the discussion is also expected on the Vice-Chancellor able to operate out of any of the USP member countries.

Ahluwalia has tweeted that “as the council meeting has begun, I’m not allowed to join in. Please keep praying.” He included a photo of a computer screen with a zoom meeting invite.

Earlier;

Ahluwalia and his wife to serve 14 days quarantine in Australia before going to Nauru

Samoa to make another move today to shift USP headquarters to Apia

The government has stated that the Fijian Immigration Department has ordered two foreign nationals, Pal Aluwahlia and his partner, Sandra Jane Price, to leave Fiji with immediate effect following continuous breaches by both individuals of Section 13 of the Immigration Act.

It says that under Section 13 of the Immigration Act 2003, no foreigner is permitted to conduct themselves in a manner prejudicial to the peace, defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, security, or good government of Fiji.

The government statement says Aluwahlia and Price were foreign citizens in Fiji on work permits.

It says after repeated breaches by both individuals of the provisions of Section 13 of the Immigration Act, their actions have clearly violated the terms of their work permits, resulting in their subsequent deportation.

The government says similar criteria have been applied to other foreign nationals in Fiji in the past and, as a sovereign nation, Fiji will continue to enforce a zero-tolerance policy towards any breaches of its immigration law.

It says there are thousands of foreign citizens on work permits in Fiji who conduct themselves and their business in line with the requirements of the Immigration Act while making invaluable contributions to Fiji's socio-economic development.

The government further says following recent amendments to Fiji's Immigration Act, foreign nationals can work and do business in Fiji more easily than ever, and Fiji will continue to welcome foreign nationals whose contributions, experience, and investments enrich the lives of the Fijian people.

Ahluwalia and his wife declared prohibited immigrants and deported from Fiji

By: Vijay Narayan

Thursday 04/02/2021

USP Vice Chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia and his wife have been declared prohibited immigrants by the Fijian government, and deported from Fiji this morning.

The President of the USP Staff Association, Elizabeth Fong says they have received confirmation that Ahluwalia and his wife were taken in by Immigration and Police officials last night.

Fong says they were informed this morning that they were taken in between 11pm and midnight last night.

She says they were also getting reports from late last month about Ahluwalia’s work permit to be revoked.

A USP Council meeting is also scheduled for tomorrow.

The USP staff unions are meeting this morning.

When contacted by fijivillage, USP says it is unable to comment at this stage.

We are also trying to contact USP Pro Chancellor, Winston Thompson.

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USP SA wants to know the circumstances and nature of the public risk that Ahluwalia posed

PM should immediately rescind the deportation order of Ahluwalia and his wife – Prasad

Rescind deportation order - Chaudhry

The University of the South Pacific Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia has clarified that there are no job losses or pay cuts for their staff apart from their Executive Management who had already taken a 5% pay cut.

Ahluwalia says there is a lot of misinformation about job losses at USP and he wants to confirm that what they want to do is a proposed reorganization which has been necessitated by the timing of grants and also cuts through their operating grant and COVID-19.

He made these comments after Fijivillage also asked him on the effect of the Fijian government withholding the USP grant $27.7 million.

He says they could have done an across the board pay cut, but they did not as it would have been disruptive to the staff.

The Vice-Chancellor says they are meeting with staff with regards to the proposed restructure.

Ahluwalia says they did not want to burden national welfare by conducting a pay cut in all their partner countries.

He says the senate and professors met twice and they strongly endorse the new structure.

Ahluwalia says they now have to take their proposal up to the Council as it is the supreme body.

He says he is proud of his team who have worked relentlessly to find solutions.

Ahluwalia says at the beginning of the year when the news of COVID-19 came, they knew that they have to plan and this was also the time for them to really think about their students.

He confirms that Australia has committed to releasing AUS$7 million while New Zealand has lifted their grant to NZ$1.5 million.

Executive Director Finance Kolinio Boila says in the restructure, they are targeting a $15 million savings to sustain the University.

Boila says there are 90 academic positions and 26 non-academic staff.

He says they have about $5 million worth of jobs in the non-academic function which is vacant and they will not be advertising these jobs.

Boila says out of the 116 staff they currently have, in the new structure, they will need only 66 positions while 47 jobs will be floating around and will be moved into the non-academic functions.

USP Senior Librarian and staff representative, Elizabeth Read Fong says in this restructure they feel the rights of the staff are protected.

National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad claims the reason Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has suspended Fiji’s grant to USP is because he is unhappy that the USP Council did not take action against the new Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Prasad says the Council also did not agree to cover up the USP funding abuses exposed by Vice-Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia.

He says Sayed-Khaiyum is making this threat to assuage his bruised ego and if the Prime Minister has any concerns about the 30,000 Fiji and regional students and staff, he would immediately stop this nonsense from Sayed-Khaiyum.

Prasad says these funds belong to the people of Fiji and they are not the Attorney General’s playthings.

The NFP Leader says this behaviour threatens the long-term stability of the institution and is questioning how the university can plan for its operations if its biggest member is prepared to withhold funds any time it feels like.

Prasad adds the next threat will be to Vice-Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia as it is well known that the Fijian Government wants him out.

He adds the Government had made similar threats a few years ago when it threatened to withhold funding if Professor Wadan Narsey continued to be employed there who was later required to retire. We have contacted Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. He has not made any comments.

The Fijian Government had earlier said that the letter sent to the Pro-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific on 23rd of September 2020 speaks for itself.

In a statement, the government had said that for this financial year, $27.7 million has been allocated to USP, part of the Fijian Government’s contribution, which will be disbursed once a grant agreement is signed and upon resolution of the matters which have been highlighted in the letter.

It says from January 2020 to date the Fijian Government has paid $21.8 million.

The government looks forward to the matters in the letter being addressed expeditiously.

The Chairperson of the USP Audit and Risk Committee Mahmood Khan has made it clear that there is no influence from anyone and he is raising issues concerning the management of USP because he wants to help USP get back on track.

Khan says he is serving his country and if people take exception to him serving his country, then he takes exception to people picking on him simply because he is related to the Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

He says he applied for the position after it was advertised and got selected after he was interviewed.

Khan says there is no conflict of interest and he was appointed by the Minister for Education who asked for expressions of interest from people who wanted to serve on committees of tertiary institutions.

National Federation Party President, Pio Tikoduadua says by holding the government grants on the basis of allegations made by the Minister of Economy’s own relative placed on USP Council under his influence, is the worst case of abuse of power.

Tikoduadua says the law of the land is clear: USP is a legal entity founded by a number of Pacific Island Countries which by law are obliged to fund the university on a pre-agreed basis. He says the university’s financial accounts are audited by credible accounting firms registered to practice in Fiji. Tikoduadua says audited accounts for 2019 are unqualified and there is no basis for the government to withhold any fund.

The NFP President says if the government is unhappy with the way its grants are used, then it has recourse to the provisions of the Finance Management Act, under which it can itself audit the funds it has contributed. Mahmood Khan says he has been in Fiji for 3 years before he decided to serve his country.

Khan says he hopes people focus on the issue rather than personalising it.

He says at the end of the day, all he did as the Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee is report the matters that were referred to him by whistle-blowers and people who were concerned about the shortcuts being taken.

He says, unfortunately, he is being scapegoated because all he did was do his job.

Khan is a Chartered Accountant /Consultant with 45 years of experience in Public Practice, Investigations and Governance.

Khan was an Assurance Partner of BDO, Northland, Chartered Accountants for 30 years till retirement in 2016 when returned to live permanently in Fiji. He is a member of Fiji Institute of Accountants, Member of Institute of Aust/NZ Chartered Accountants and a member of New Zealand Institute of Directors. Khan was recognised as a Fellow by the New Zealand Institute of Accountants and a Fellow of New Zealand Trustees Association.

Suspension of Fiji’s grant to USP is childish - Chaudhry

Govt withholds $27.7 million USP grant until a resolution on the highlighted matters

The Fijian Government says the letter sent to the Pro-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific on 23rd of September 2020 speaks for itself.

The government has said in a statement that this is not a matter to be resolved through the media.

It says that for this financial year, $27.7 million has been allocated to USP, part of the Fijian Government’s contribution, which will be disbursed once a grant agreement is signed and upon resolution of the matters which have been highlighted in the letter.

It says from January 2020 to date the Fijian Government has paid $21.8 million.

The government looks forward to the matters in the letter being addressed expeditiously.

Earlier

Govt withholds $27.7 million USP grant until a resolution on the highlighted matters

The Fijian Government says the letter sent to the Pro-Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific on 23rd of September 2020 speaks for itself.

The government has said in a statement that this is not a matter to be resolved through the media.

It says that for this financial year, $27.7 million has been allocated to USP, part of the Fijian Government’s contribution, which will be disbursed once a grant agreement is signed and upon resolution of the matters which have been highlighted in the letter.

It says from January 2020 to date the Fijian Government has paid $21.8 million.

The government looks forward to the matters in the letter being addressed expeditiously.

Earlier

---

USP and government not making any comments on the withholding of Fiji grant to the university

By Vijay Narayan, Semi Turaga

Thursday 24/09/2020

Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and USP Vice Chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia

The University of the South Pacific is not saying anything today after revelations that the Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has decided to hold the grants to USP until allegations against the Vice Chancellor and other USP staff are dealt with.

USP Vice Chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia has declined to make any comments while the USP Council is also tightlipped on the issue.

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Minister for Education, Rosy Akbar are also not saying anything.

However National Federation Party President, Pio Tikoduadua says it is shocking that Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has decided to withhold the Fijian Government’s grant to the USP on what he says are flimsy allegations, which the USP Council has rejected.

The NFP President says the law of the land is clear: USP is a legal entity founded by a number of Pacific Island Countries which by law are obliged to fund the University on pre-agreed basis.

Tikoduadua says USP’s financial accounts are audited by credible accounting firms registered to practice in Fiji. He says audited accounts for 2019 are unqualified and there is no basis for the Government to withhold any funds.

Fiji has allocated $27.6 million for USP in the 2020/2021 National Budget. He further says if the Government is unhappy with the way its grants are used, then it has recourse to the provisions of the Finance Management Act, under which it can itself audit the funds it has contributed.

Tikoduadua says without this, holding any grant, is bordering on the illegal and absolute bad faith.

He also says it is widely known that USP has been mired in corrupt practices, which were the subject of a report by a New Zealand based accounting firm, the BDO New Zealand. He also says this accounting firm confirmed massive instances of abuse of funds uncovered by the present Vice Chancellor.

Tikoduadua also demanded that the BDO report be made public as public funds are used at USP. He says the public has a right to read the report by the accounting firm.

The NFP President says they demand that taxpayers money not be withheld by the Minister for Economy from USP, and that the Government allow USP to be governed by the USP Council as established by law.

Khan wants USP Council to carry out an independent investigation

Unfortunately the past is being repeated - Khan

Thursday 24/09/2020

The Chairperson of the USP Audit and Risk Committee Mahmood Khan is calling for allegations put forward by him and the Pro-Chancellor Winston Thompson against USP Vice-Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia to be independently investigated.

However the USP Council is not saying anything on the public statements mady by Khan and Thompson.

When Fijivillage sent questions to VC Ahluwalia, we were told that the Vice Chancellor will only answer to any allegations put forward to him by the USP Council.

On 1st June this year, Khan wrote to members of the USP Council indicating that he finds himself compelled to write directly to the members of council regarding various allegations and matters that have come to his attention.

He wrote that it requires immediate independent investigation.

There were 33 allegations.

Earlier this month, Khan wrote again to the council with a list of new allegations about some members of the USP staff.

Khan says all he has done is convey the facts to whoever it needs to be told to and he is not accusing anyone.

The Chartered Accountant claims things in the BDO report are being repeated by the new management.

He says these are allegations that have been sent to him and if they are material, actions should be taken against the persons that are liable.

Khan says he has also sent matters relating to other people for investigation and it is not only Ahluwalia so he does not understand why he has been accused of having a personal vendetta.

He says he actually wished that people looked at it from the point of view that he is trying to help USP get back on track.

Khan says there will always be people shooting him down because they are being fed one side of the story.

Earlier this month, the University of the South Pacific Council resolved that it is terminating the proceedings initiated against the Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwalia.

The USP Council says this is based on the detailed and painstaking work undertaken by the Special Executive Committee.

It says the Special Executive Committee decided on 24th August 2020 that there were no allegations where the consensus or clear majority view were deemed material.

While speaking on these allegations which Ahluwalia has been cleared of, Khan says he was never contacted by the committee that was looking into investigations of the allegations.

Khan says he was never asked to give any information to the Special Executive Committee.

He says the first thing they should have done is talk to him as he is the person that would have all the documents and information.

Khan has written to the USP Council about this.

He says he did not put up these allegations and they were brought forward to him as the Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee.

Khan says what he is saying is these are things that have been reported to him, please investigate and if its wrong then please take action.

He says he is sick and tired of wastage of funds and time and all the things that have been carried on – both in the past and in the future

Khan claims that unfortunately the past is being repeated.

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