President of Nauru Lionel Aingimea [Source: Wikipedia]

The University of the South Pacific Special Council meeting on Friday will be the only meeting this week to appraise members of events at the Laucala Campus in Suva.

The President of Nauru Lionel Aingimea who was earlier calling for the meeting to be held tomorrow has also agreed to the Friday meeting.

USP Pro-Chancellor Winston Thompson says Aingimea has written to him today, confirming that he will avail himself for tele-conference via zoom on 19th June.

Winston confirms one of the items up for discussion is the Executive Committee’s move to suspend Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia last week.

“The members of the council have all been circulated on the latest situation where the only meeting that will be taking place will be the one on Friday.”

Aingimea in a letter to the USP Pro-Chancellor stressed that the university is owned by the member countries for the benefit of the people and the needs and well-being of the communities of the South Pacific.

The Nauru President goes on to say in the letter that it should be included in the agenda of the meeting; council members to determine whether the decision of the Executive Committee to the suspend the Vice Chancellor was made in bad faith and should be overturned.

Meanwhile, the Pro Chancellor says that council members need to receive papers well in advance of meetings and it would have been unfair to call the meeting tomorrow at such a short notice.

A number of USP member countries have indicated they do not support the suspension of Professor Ahluwalia.