Giulio Massaso Paunga

Dr Giulio Masasso Tu’ikolongahau Paunga has been appointed acting Vice Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific following a full day USP Council meeting yesterday.

Paunga was appointed following the deportation of Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia.

Paunga currently holds the position of Deputy VC Regional Campuses, Estates and Infrastructure.

The USP Council yesterday afternoon released a statement saying they were not consulted over Professor Pal Ahluwalia’s deportation.

[Professor Pal Ahluwalia [Source: NFP/Twitter]

The Council also states that it has not dismissed Professor Ahluwalia and expressed disappointment that it was not advised, as his employer, of the decision to deport him.

The Council has established a Sub-committee, chaired by the President of Nauru including the Council Representatives of Australia, Tonga, Niue, Solomon Islands, Samoa and two Senate Representatives to look into the matter.

USP says the sub-committee will look into the legality of the deportation of Professor Ahluwalia and his wife Sandra Price, and ascertain if Ahluwalia’s contract is still valid following his deportation.

The meeting yesterday also discussed the possibility of a Vice Chancellor being based in and operating out of any other country apart from Fiji.

The sub-committee will bring recommendations on these matters to the Council as soon as possible.