Page 32 - IB April 2021

Opinion

THE LOW-DOWN ON USP

By Ambassador Kaliopate Tavola main campus, dating back to over 50 years ago when USP was
established.
In drawing to conclude ‘What Is to Become of USP?’ (see Is- In addition, it can be envisaged that Fiji’s geographical cen-
lands Business August 2020), I acquiesced to the prospect that trality in the Pacific Ocean renders the country’s geo-strategic
the University may already be undergoing transition from a pre-eminence adding to its political and economic influences.
‘public good’ to a ‘club good’. The basis of such a conclusion Fiji has had expansionary ambitions to be the entrepôt in the
was that ‘whilst USP – the tertiary education provider – does South Pacific Ocean and the financial centre through its South
not dwindle in supply as students consume it, it may however Pacific Stock Exchange.
be already excluding some students due to congestion.’ On the economic front, Fiji provides the largest number of
I then concluded as follows: ‘Such a reformulation of the students to the University. These students’ fees and govern-
university may not necessarily hasten big changes in the ment’s subsidies for them represent a big chunk of the Uni-
immediate term. However, the mix of political economy versity’s annual income. Professor Waden Narsey has pointed
considerations and ‘club’ myopia, intricately laced with local- out that currently all students’ fees alone contribute more
level geopolitics, may just trigger nuances that may further than twice that of all the governments’ grants together in the
undermine USP’s regionality that will cast a long shadow at university budget.
{ ”Fiji’s planned delay in the remittance of funds to subsidise the
Pacific regionalism.’ Fiji’s subsidies for the fees for its students are what many

fees of its own students is somewhat short-sighted. It lacks fore-
sight. It only jeopardises the education of its own students should
USP terminate these students for incomplete payment of fees.
Furthermore, such action jeopardises the viability of the whole
university since it affects the greatest number of students.” {

As it turned out, both USP and Pacific regionalism are have referred to as Fiji’s ‘grant’ to the USP budget. Grant – it
currently ‘in the soup’ – both distasteful, and the creeping is not. The contribution is that which enables the University
shadow that is engulfing them can spell disaster for the region to cover the costs of educating Fiji’s students. Furthermore,
unless solutions are found. it enables the University to sustain its critical educational role
I feel compelled therefore to re-visit my concluding on Fiji soil, thus rendering Fiji its biggest beneficiary across
remarks, in the interest of good order, to expand on it for many sectors of the economy.
clarity and greater comprehension. By greater understand- Fiji’s influences, arising from these political and economic
ing others’ positions, we can best strategise to avoid possible processes, have enabled Fiji to wield the big stick over time
snags that these positions can cause in future. to undermine, not only the university’s integrity and indepen-
My task now has been alleviated somewhat by some dence, but also the delegated tasks of the USP Council.
regional commentators who have been writing on these two Professor Brij Lal, for example, has written about Fiji’s
subject matters from since late last year. This is particularly intervention in silencing those seen by the Bainimarama
so as regards commentaries on the University; specifically, on government as those speaking out of turn as regards govern-
what I can term as the political economy considerations of ment policies. Government’s harsh and unwelcome interven-
Fiji’s membership of USP. tion at the time was conceded to because USP’s previous top
These commentators have touched on the political and management capitulated to the intervention.
economic processes that Fiji’s Bainimarama government has The silencing and eventual deportation of Professor Pal
been wielding in its interactions with other members in the Ahluwalia, whose only ‘crime’ was that he blew the whistle
USP Council in the conduct of the legitimate affairs of the on those before him who had committed a series of unpardon-
Council. By these interventions, the representatives of Fiji able financial misappropriation, corruption and mismanage-
have impeded the Council’s ability to solve its delegated tasks ment. Such disclosures were too close for comfort since they
that required collective action. discredited lackeys of government both in the top echelon of
It should be noted that, if Fiji was so inclined, its political USP’s management and in the Council.
and economic processes could have worked to support the His reported crime was on the basis of allegation that the
collective tasks of the Council. Instead, Fiji has opted to be good professor was a threat to the peace, order and security
acrimonious. of Fiji; and this led to the revocation of his work permit. He
Fiji’s political processes that leverage influence on the was then declared as persona non grata. This, in the absence
work of the Council obviously arise from its hosting of USP’s of evidence, remains speculative.

32 Islands Business, April 2021