Professor Pal Ahluwalia has gone on the offensive against union demands that he be removed by writing to nearly 30 members of the University of the South Pacific Council encompassing the island nations plus Australia and New Zealand, its principal funders.
The Vice Chancellor underlines the fact that only 26 per cent of the total USP staff recently voted for strike action in support of his removal, lays out the precise reasons for the sacking of the USP academic, Dr Tamara Osborne, and makes it clear that he intends to complete his contract.
Grubsheet also understands that Professor Ahluwalia has gone on a legal offensive against union members who make public statements suggesting that he has engaged in corrupt conduct by threatening to sue them for defamation. One such letter from the VC’s lawyers has evidently gone to the now retired Elizabeth Fong over a comment she recently posted on Grubsheet.
The USP unions have been lobbying the Fijian government to use its influence to persuade the other countries on the USP Council that Professor Ahluwalia must go. But they are finding out that it isn’t easy to gain the numbers they need. And in any event, 26 per cent of the university staff is hardly the resounding mandate they needed to win this battle.
While the USP unions voted for strike action, we don’t yet know when that strike will take place. But with the main student union siding with the Vice Chancellor, students and their parents are unlikely to welcome their lectures being disrupted by a staff rebellion that doesn’t have majority support. Among staff or the USP Council.
Read on for the letter outlining the case Professor Ahluwalia has made to Council members (recipient of this copy redacted), which portrays Dr Tamara Osborne as misguided for thinking she could leak confidential information to Islands Business back in March but insists that USP was within its rights to dispense with her services.
Either way, the Vice Chancellor shows no signs of backing down on the demands for her reinstatement or, more pertinently, that he pack his bags and leave USP earlier to make way for a “Pasifika” appointment – one of the unions’ demands that isn’t finding favour with USP’s external funders because of concerns about nepotism and the prospect of a new VC from just one Pacific Island nation determining what happens at the region’s foremost institute of higher learning.
Two names are reported to be in the mix – the brother of the Prime Minister of Tonga – the current Deputy Vice Chancellor at USP, Dr Massaso Paunga – and the New Zealand-based Fijian academic, Professor Steven Ratuva. who is now one of Fiji’s representatives on the USP Council.
But they’ll first have to dislodge the Kenyan-born Pal Ahluwalia and judging from the following, he clearly isn’t in the mood to oblige.
NOTE: Certain individuals think “freedom of expression” includes the right to peddle unsubstantiated allegations and outright lies under the cloak of anonymity. I am under no obligation to publish their comments.
The recipients of the Vice Chancellor’s correspondence:
UPDATE WEDNESDAY: The Vice Chancellor spotted in the crowd at the at official opening of the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Nuku’alofa. ( Photo: Fiji Times)
Graham, is it true that PAL promised you he would recommend to the council that you recieve an honourary PHD as long as you print his ousting? Also is it true that PAL gave you the letter to publish?
I do not betray sources and neither does any ethical journalist. As it happens, I know several of the USP Council members personally but my lips are sealed. But in answer to your first question, the answer is “no”. Pal Ahluwalia has never promised me anything in return for anything. And that is the God honest truth.
For the record, I was asked immediately after the 2022 election whether I would accept an honorary doctorate of letters for my half century of service to journalism as a Fijian citizen and I gather that the recommendation to the Council was written by Associate Professor Shailendra Singh, the head of journalism at USP. He and I have never discussed it.
Nothing came of it and I’m not in the least bit surprised, given that I had soon made an enemy of both sides of politics in Fiji. I did hear from one source prominent in national life (not Professor Ahluwalia) that the USP Council had approved my honorary degree but that was the last I heard of it. And I don’t expect to be “Doctor Davis” anytime soon, given my ongoing notoriety. That too is the God honest truth.
No no and if that’s your explanation, than it’s your truth. I asked the question.
No, it is THE truth, not my truth.
Ask Shailendra Singh if you don’t believe me.
Sorry GD, though I would vote for you the truth is In many countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and the United States, it is not usual for an honorary doctor to use the formal title of “doctor,” regardless of the background circumstances for the award.
That’s according to google. But anyway I think you’d look chic in that USP brown cloak and cap clutching your parchment signed personally by Ahlumalia.
I was just kidding, Lorraine. I’d be petrified of being asked to deliver a baby in midair or have to give mouth-to-mouth to a dying politician.
Looks like “Strictly Confidential” in Fiji means it is for public consumption!
But then, this is Fiji and things here are done differently. This is a special place under the protection of the Lord! May I add, it is full of special people too, just ask them. The mentally challenged kind.
Another sad example of the racist agenda against anyone who is not itaukei
GD, I’m not sure if you support Ahluwahlia
You may remember Ahlu and his wife accompanied Charan Jeath to Auckland where they had a booze party and kicked out Tarana Journalist Akash who asked a simple question
We are still awaiting breakdown of that tax payer funded alchol fuelled night and whether Ahluwahlias travel expenses was met by taxpayers
A journalist must support a journalist
Raj, I have made it clear that while Pal Ahluwalia retains the support of the University Council, he should be allowed to run the university without the disruption the union campaign against him is causing. A 26 per cent vote of university staff to get rid of the VC is not a majority vote. And in any event, the Council runs the university, not the staff.
I have been totally consistent about this, whether it was the attempt by the FijiFirst government to remove the VC and his subsequent deportation or the current rebellion. The students at USP must come first and, incidentally, the main student union continues to back Pal Ahluwalia.
On your last point, journalists have no obligation to “support” other journalists unquestioningly and I don’t know where you have got this notion. It isn’t the Mafia or the Masons. I have no knowledge of the Auckland trip to which you refer but neither do I have any time for Radio Tarana, which blatantly manipulated the news during the time of the last government in favour of FijiFirst.
“A 26 per cent vote of university staff to get rid of the VC is not a majority vote….”
But, but, but, did you not Reade that out of the 26 per cent an overwhelming 96% voted to boot out Aloo? See how selective use of statistics can be twisted to mislead people? Haha!
As for the other bit, rajnia barking up the wrong tree. He needs direct his question to the minister for molasses.
Strictly confidential in Fiji simply means, don’t tell anyone I told you.
Truth in Fiji means, “whatever suits the narrative.”
Rambo and Co are in a complete mess. Or as the Aussie would say, “they’ve got their knickers in a twist.”
That should be “knickers in a knot”
And while we are at it, Aussies would also say this government could not organise a “piss-up in a brewery” nor could they organise “a f*ck in a brothel”.
That is how pathetic they are.