News

USP academics voice concerns

February 12, 2021 4:40 pm

A Senior Professor of Marine Science at the University of the South Pacific is calling on leaders and Council members to come to a consensus and to move forward for the sake of the regional institution and its students.

Professor Ciro Rico today published a statement and expressed concern over the consequence that differences between USP Council members would have on the reputation the institution has built over the years and the impact it would have on its current students.

Speaking to FBC News this afternoon, Professor Rico says USP has overcome so much over its 50 years and need to focus on delivering better for its students and not on differences amongst Council members.

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“Well yes perhaps there was some mismanagement of certain resources and that was all written in the BDO report or analyzed in the BDO report and really this confrontation should have ended up there. But it hasn’t it continues and continues and continues.”

Following news of the deportation of ousted VC Professor Pal Ahluwalia, Rico has made it clear that he is of the view the position of Vice Chancellor should be advertised.

“Now that he has been deported, his contract was automatically terminated, he is no longer the VC. The Position has to be advertised. A new VC has to be brought into the University and this fight, this idea of evil and good is just destroying the university.”

This afternoon it has also been revealed that former USP Academic Konai Helu Thaman also wrote a letter to the USP Council expressing her experience of work with the ousted VC Professor Ahluwalia.

In her letter, Thaman says a silent majority among both staff and students, are sad, overwhelmed and are just wanting to get on with their work.

Thaman is also calling on the USP Council to move on from ex-VCP Ahluwalia, and start looking for someone from our Pacific spaces, someone who understands and has our region and people at heart.