Ministers Set to Meet Over USP Saga
“The next meeting scheduled for the USP Council is around October/November. We will have the meeting of the three ministers sometime starting Monday and Tuesday.”
Monday 19 August 2024 | 10:10
The Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro,Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh, Opposition Member of Parliament Hem Chand is expected to call a meeting today to discuss the USP saga. Photo: Wati Talebula-Nuku
Three Cabinet Ministers are likely to meet today to discuss an agenda that will endorse a request to host a special meeting between Government and the University of the South Pacific (USP).
Minister for Education Aseri Radrodro reliably informed this masthead yesterday that he had assured Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka of his ministry’s intention for a special meeting between the three ministers.
The meeting will include Mr Radrodro, Minister for Finance Biman Prasad and Minister for Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Agni Deo Singh.
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“This is to be discussed on the agenda, push it up to the USP Secretary to call for a special meeting,” Mr Radrodro said.
“The next meeting scheduled for the USP Council is around October/November. We will have the meeting of the three ministers sometime starting Monday and Tuesday.”
Opposition concerned with USP saga
The Opposition has urged Government to immediately resolve the internal dispute between staff unions and the Vice-Chancellor and President of USP, Professor Pal Ahluwalia.
The University Staff and Support Staff Union (USPU) and the Association of USP Staff (AUSPS), obtained a mandate for a strike last Wednesday to remove Professor Ahluwalia.
More than 90 per cent of the members from the unions favoured the strike.
Shadow Minister for Education Hem Chand said staff unions at the university were at loggerheads with the management for the past few months.
“The secret ballot results reported in the media showed that a good number of staff members are dissatisfied with the leadership of the institution,” Mr Chand said.
“The University of the South Pacific employs about 70 per cent of staff who are Fijians, and we pay largest grant.
“The Fijian Government should ensure our Fijian staff welfare and concerns are taken to the USP Council through our representatives.”
He said the university’s primary focus should be to put in efforts to enhance the quality of education and research at USP.
“The Minister for Education (Aseri Radrodro) confirmed in Parliament last week that Government is aware of the concerns raised by the staff unions,” Mr Chand said.
“If the issues are not resolved, then strike actions by the unions will cause disruptions to students learning.”
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