Page 6 - IB November 2019

We Say We Say

USP’s main Laucala campus in Suva. Photo:Samantha Magick
UPHEAVAL CONTINUES AT USP

“But I will say in this room because it is under parliamentary privilege is that it has very murky.
been a year of hell. I have suffered enormously and so has my family for doing the At their November Council meeting, the Directors of USP were given a routine,
right thing.” if timely refresher on the risks and responsibilities of Council members. They were
That was the testimony of University of the South Pacific Vice Chancellor, Pro- reminded that they were required to act in good faith in what they believe to be the
fessor Pal Ahluwalia to the Fiji Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Affairs best interests of the University.
this month. Writing in the Fiji Sun newspaper, Former Vice Chancellor Professor Rajesh
Professor Ahluwalia authored an internal report detailing allegations of abuse of Chandra Professor Chandra lays the blame for USP’s current woes squarely at the feet
office and questionable decisions at the university. Auckland-based accounting firm of his successor.
BDO was asked to investigate the allegations as a result. He further claims that the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption’s
Only a summary of the BDO report has been released, but that summary states (FICAC) decision to drop investigations into allegations of corruption, fraud or
amongst other points that: “oversight, governance and control of remuneration is a abuse of office at USP, vindicates him.
key weakness across the university” and that four remuneration mechanisms—in- Professor Chandra says he has been denied normal and agreed natural justice and
ducement allowances, responsibility and acting allowances, bonuses and consultancy that the USP Council needs to clear the names of those affected.
arrangements—“have collectively been exploited and have led to significant cash However FICAC has stated that it ceased (not completed) its investigation, and
leakage across USP over a number of years.” that it respected the decision of the USP Council to engage an independent investi-
It also said further investigation of the allegations is warranted. gator to examine the allegations.
This month Professor Ahluwalia revealed that Australia has slashed its funding to The USP vice-chancellor says a three-member committee will meet with the
USP from $14 million to $3.5 million as a result of the investigations. commission in late November to start the work on BDO’s recommendations on how
He also told the Fiji Parliamentary Standing Committee that USP is still waiting to change things at the university.
on the Fiji Government’s $9.9 million allocation for the 2018-19 financial year, and Professor Chandra wrote that “we remain in confusion.” On that we can agree.
its total grant for 2019-20. This confusion needs to be cleared up once and for all, for the well-being of the
Professor Ahluwalia has reiterated that the BDO Auckland report into the university and its students, current and future.
allegations will not be made public. This is a problem because the waters are still so

6 Islands Business, November 2019