Staff and students of the University of the South Pacific took to the main administration building at Laucala Campus yesterday, calling on the USP Council to listen to their long-standing concerns.

This comes as the Council holds a two-day meeting in Auckland to decide on key leadership matters facing the university.

As the USP Council continued its two-day meeting in Auckland, New Zealand today, staff and students gathered in protest once again calling for accountability and transparency from the university’s top leadership.

Their key concerns remain unchanged: the proposed exit package for Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia, and the potential reinstatement of suspended Biology Professor, Dr. Tamara Osborne-Naikatini.

“The result of the council meeting should be made communicated within 2 days through the Secretariat. So important issues today is the Pal’s exit package and Tamara’s reinstatement.

So, yesterday’s protest, lunch hour protest is just to re-emphasis what we’ve been protesting from last year it’s an ongoing matter.

And this matter is suppose to be resolved by the council.

Staff members say their frustrations have built up over time, and that despite raising concerns through formal channels, they have felt ignored.

Today’s peaceful protest aimed to reinforce what AUSPS claims they’ve been saying since last year—that the reputation of USP is at risk if leadership issues are not addressed quickly and fairly.

“In the protest of what is going on in USP because we are seeking attention from the university council who are currently meeting in their second day of meeting. And to highlight the fact that university council made a directive to the management to have a look at the case again but they still have not done that. And solely because of one man who continues to block justice and equitable action at USP for his personal agendas”

The protest, led by the Association of the University of the South Pacific Staff (AUSPS), drew a crowd of supporters who say they are standing up for the legacy of USP as a regional institution.
AUSPS is now waiting on a response from the USP Council by today, hoping their voices will finally be heard.

“Our major issue on behalf HDR students and Biology at USP. Our major issue is our supervisor’s unceremonious termination. She has been illegally sacked since last year. We’ve been asking and requesting the council to reinstate her. We’ve followed every channel at USP. And we realised USPSA Federal is not helping. Back than the old students the were leading they have told us a lot of things confidential. To the point that Emosi Vakarua the secretary general cannot be trusted. This where when you raise issues. In day one we were bullied at the table. I was told right there. This was right in the beginning we followed the channel”.

Fiji One News have sent questions to the Vice Chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia and is still waiting for a response.