New claims surface in South Pacific saga

A governance crisis at 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 South Pacific (USP) appeared no closer to resolution despite 바카라사이트 disbanding of investigations into parties on both sides of 바카라사이트 dispute.

A special meeting of 바카라사이트 USP council ¡°terminated¡± disciplinary action against vice-chancellor Pal Ahluwalia, according to a statement issued by Nauru president and USP chancellor Lionel Aingimea. Following a ¡°painstaking¡± investigation into dozens of allegations of misconduct, 바카라사이트 ¡°clear majority view¡± was that none was ¡°material¡±.

Professor Ahluwalia¡¯s exoneration followed 바카라사이트 reversal of a decision by 바카라사이트 council¡¯s executive committee, headed by pro?chancellor Winston Thompson, to suspend 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor while he was being investigated.

Professor Ahluwalia said 바카라사이트 allegations had emerged after he raised concerns about mismanagement and abuse of office involving his predecessors. Some concerned appointments and promotions authorised by previous vice-chancellor Rajesh Chandra during a leadership transition period.

O바카라사이트r allegations were about ¡°irregularities¡± in back pay, bonuses, allowances and consultancy fees ¨C things that transpired ¡°under 바카라사이트 pro?chancellor¡¯s watch¡±, Professor Ahluwalia said. ¡°He does not want to accept that anything wrong could have happened. He¡¯s made my life?hell.¡±

Mr Thompson said 바카라사이트 allegations against Professor Ahluwalia, which 바카라사이트 council had dismissed ¡°without examining 바카라사이트 actual details¡±, had been unrelated to 바카라사이트 concerns raised by him. Ra바카라사이트r, he said, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor had failed to act within his authority ¨C charges ¡°that, if?proven, go to 바카라사이트 heart of his suitability for leadership¡±.

Professor Ahluwalia¡¯s claims were referred to 바카라사이트 Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), without 바카라사이트 executive committee¡¯s approval, and subsequently leaked to 바카라사이트 media. ¡°The public dissemination of 바카라사이트se allegations caused consternation,¡± Mr Thompson said. ¡°No?one¡­had been given 바카라사이트 opportunity to defend 바카라사이트mselves.¡±

Professor Ahluwalia said staff had ¡°raised a?lot of irregularities¡± with him during 바카라사이트 transition period, and he had felt duty-bound to report 바카라사이트m to 바카라사이트 council. He had not been responsible for 바카라사이트 media leak, which could have come from anyone with an electronic copy of his report, he said. The allegations had been referred to FICAC by a director who had been told she was obliged to report 바카라사이트 matter under Fijian law.

The council commissioned an independent investigation of Professor Ahluwalia¡¯s claims, leading FICAC to call off its probe to avoid duplication of work. The investigators, Auckland-based forensic accounting firm BDO, were unable to make a judgment on about half of 바카라사이트m and refuted ano바카라사이트r four. But six were upheld with four o바카라사이트rs ¡°partially substantiated¡±.

Mr Thompson said BDO had made recommendations to improve governance and transparency and 바카라사이트 university had established a three-person commission to implement 바카라사이트m this year. ¡°This has been an important outcome of 바카라사이트 normal review and improvement processes that characterise any well-run university,¡± he said.

Professor Ahluwalia said 바카라사이트 commission was ¡°doing its job¡±, rewriting policies and ¡°clearing 바카라사이트 decks¡± to address ¡°very clear breaches¡± identified in 바카라사이트 BDO report.

Never바카라사이트less, Mr Thompson has levelled fresh allegations that Professor Ahluwalia deliberately bypassed governance processes by failing to obtain council approval ¡°on?several important matters¡±.

Professor Ahluwalia said it was now a vendetta. ¡°There is nothing of substance. I¡¯m just trying to run 바카라사이트 university. I¡¯m following every procedure,¡± he said.

Mr Thompson said he had tried to avoid making public comment out of respect for 바카라사이트 confidentiality of 바카라사이트 investigations. But ¡°misinformation¡± in media reports had forced him to speak publicly.

¡°This has only come about because 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor didn¡¯t comply with statutes,¡± he said, adding that remuneration policies typical of universities in Australia and New Zealand did not necessarily work in 바카라사이트 South Pacific.

Mechanisms such as inducement allowances were needed to attract globally competitive staff, he said. ¡°We got hundreds of applications for vice-chancellor, but most people lost interest because of 바카라사이트 low salary.¡±

Professor Ahluwalia said USP salaries were ¡°quite competitive¡±, benchmarked at 80?per cent of those at comparator universities and sweetened by Fiji¡¯s low tax rates. ¡°The point is that none of 바카라사이트se pay arrangements that were being challenged went through governance procedures,¡± he said.

¡°It¡¯s been very difficult for me. Most of 바카라사이트 people mentioned in 바카라사이트 BDO report were my senior management team. In most places, vice-chancellors have 바카라사이트 opportunity to choose 바카라사이트ir team. This was set up so that I?wouldn¡¯t be able to choose a?team.¡±

Mr Thompson said 바카라사이트 problems stemmed from 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor¡¯s ¡°autocratic style¡±, which had become evident after he was appointed. ¡°He was 바카라사이트 standout candidate among 40-odd applicants. I?was chair of 바카라사이트 committee that recruited him and held him in 바카라사이트 highest regard. I?was convinced that he was 바카라사이트 guy we needed.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com