The Fiji Times
FWCC coordinator Shamima Ali and PM Voreqe Bainimarama. Picture: FT FILE
Hullo readers.
In The Fiji Times edition of Friday, February 19, 2021, our coverage of the situation at the University of the South Pacific continues, and today you will read about the Prime Minister’s public comment calling for the resignation of an award-winning USP academic who is also the wife of an Opposition MP.
The Prime Minister is touring affected areas, particularly schools, in the Northern Division that were affected by the recent natural disasters.
And while in the Northern Division, we bring you reports of the challenges – post-disaster – that northerners continue to experience.
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A USP Council meeting is scheduled for tomorrow.
Nauru President Lionel Aingimea, who is also chair of the USP Council, said he would make a statement after the council meeting.
The USP staff unions were meeting this morning.
When contacted by Fijivillage, USP said it was unable to comment at this stage.
Professor Ahluwalia, a Canadian, could not be contacted.
Fijivillage said it was also trying to contact USP pro-chancellor Winston Thompson.
The radio station said it had also asked Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, Permanent Secretary for Immigration Yogesh Karan, Education Minister Rosy Akbar and the police. None had yet responded.
USP Vice Chancellor Pal Ahluwalia was deported from Fiji. Picture: SUPPLIED.
University of the South Pacific vice chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia has confirmed to The Fiji Times that he and his wife, Sandra Price, were deported and boarded on a flight to Brisbane, Australia, this morning.
The move has stirred a lot of interest and condemnation on social media from a wide cross section of the community.
Human rights activist and former human rights commissioner Shamima Ali labeled the forceful removal and deportation as “shameful, outrageous and not the Pacific way.”
National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad said at a time when Fiji should be supporting victims of cyclones Yasa and Ana, Government was “instead focused its own petty jealousies”.
Change in alcohol prices not a deterrent for our social woes – Ali
Change in alcohol prices not a deterrent for our social woes – Ali
[image: file]
Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre Coordinator, Shamima Ali says while the prices of certain alcohol products will increase from January 18th, she thinks the increase is too less of a deterrent to stop people, in particular men, from buying and consuming.
Ali says government should have considered the repercussions of dropping the excise duty on alcohol in the first place.
She adds they are already receiving cases of men fighting with their partners over their alcohol and yaqona money and this little increase will only make matters worse for many women, girls and children already burdened with family issues and abuse.