The governing council of the University of the South Pacific has expressed disappointment at the deportation of Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia from Fiji.
The Council at its Special Meeting held today, (Friday) decided that it was not consulted over Professor Ahluwalia’s deportation, that 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 Council has established a Sub-committee, chaired by the President of Nauru including the Council Representatives of Australia, Tonga, Niue, Solomon Islands, Samoa and two Senate Representatives to look into this matter.
The Sub-committee will bring recommendations on these matters to Council.
Dr Giulio Masasso Tu'ikolongahau Paunga, will be Acting Vice-Chancellor and President.
Fijian officials took Professor Pal and his wife from their home at the USP Campus in Suva on Wednesday night and put them on a plane to Brisbane on Thursday morning.
Professor Pal claims he was kicked out for blowing the whistle on mismanagement at the institution, while the Fijian government said the couple were ordered to leave after continuous breaches of the Immigration Act.
Photo file FBC