Fiji regime summarily deports Pacific university head
Acting on the orders of Fiji’s Prime Minister and former military coup leader, Frank Bainimarama, authorities carried out a midnight raid at the Suva home of the vice-chancellor of the University of the South Pacific (USP) on February 3, and summarily deported him.
Up to 15 immigration, police and military officials forced their way into the home of Professor Pal Ahluwalia, a Canadian national, revoked his work permit and escorted the vice-chancellor and his wife, Sandra Price, to Nadi international airport. They were forced under military guard onto a flight to Brisbane the next day.
RNZ
USP campus in Fiji Photo: USP
The ongoing stand-off between the University of the South Pacific’s host country Fiji and its governing body, the USP Council, has put the regional institution’s future under scrutiny.
The latest crisis came to a head three weeks ago when the whistleblowing vice-chancellor and president, Pal Ahluwalia, and his wife were sent packing by Fijian authorities over accusations the couple breached provisions in their work permits.
The government claimed the Ahluwalias’ conduct was ‘prejudicial to peace, defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, security, or good government of the Fiji islands’ as stated under the Immigration Act.
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The Fiji Times
25 February, 2021, 12:05 am
HRADC director Ashwin Raj has called for an independent investigation into the University of the South Pacific saga. Picture: FILE
Hullo,
Leading the headlines in today’s
The Fiji Times edition of Thursday, February 25, 2021, we continue with our follow up on the situation at the University of the South Pacific.
This time around the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission director Ashwin Raj has broken his silence on the issue and has said that there should be an independent investigation into all issues arising out of the University of the South Pacific.
The investigations should include complaints raised by staff on the ongoing governance issues at the university, and also against the vice-chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia.