Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has labelled the appointment of University of the South Pacific’s vice chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia – illegal.

Sayed-Khaiyum says this is a backward and divisive step that goes against the interest of students, governments and regional goodwill.

Sayed-Khaiyum claims Professor Ahluwalia’s desperate bid to drum up media attention and frame himself as a victim, has deeply divided the region.

He says in under two years in Ahluwalia’s charge 50 years of achievements have been out into dire jeopardy and Fiji was not alone in opposing the re- appointment.

“It signals a concerning complacency with a record of nepotism, cronyism, poor financial accountability and in some instances outright fraud by the former VC that risks straining the USP’s legacy.”

Sayed-Khaiyum says the USP Council’s attention has been drawn several times to the processes set-up in the USP statue on the appointment of the Vice Chancellor which Fiji insists the Council must adhere to.