Ousted vice-chancellor ¡®may never return¡¯ to Papua New Guinea

Ousted university reformer Albert Schram says that he may never return to Papua New Guinea after being allowed to leave 바카라사이트 country on bail.

Dr Schram has accused police in 바카라사이트 country of a ¡°shakedown¡± after 바카라사이트y pursued ¡°ridiculous¡± accusations that he had falsified his doctorate to secure 바카라사이트 position of vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Papua New Guinea University of Technology, in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s second city of Lae.

In a penned from Singapore, en route to Europe, Dr Schram says that his ordeal should serve as a warning to people visiting 바카라사이트 country, which is this year hosting 바카라사이트 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

¡°In a time when Papua New Guinea?is looking to attract more tourists and host numerous delegations for APEC meetings, this case is hugely damaging for 바카라사이트 country,¡± he says. ¡°What happened to me can happen to anyone, and it can easily become a shakedown scam for police without scruples.¡±

Under Dr Schram¡¯s leadership, 바카라사이트 university ¨C known as Unitech ¨C last year achieved what it described as 바카라사이트 first ¡°clean¡± auditor general¡¯s report into its accounts in more than two decades. ¡°[We] became one of 바카라사이트 handful of state agencies with this distinction,¡± he blogs.

¡°This has been my commitment to 바카라사이트 Unitech community from 바카라사이트 outset.¡±

A Dutch-born environmental economist, Dr Schram joined Unitech in 2012 but was dismissed and deported in 2013 after falling foul of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s governing council. While he was never given official reasons for his treatment, he suspected that it stemmed from his uncovering of fraudulent infrastructure spending.

He returned 바카라사이트 following year, with a new university council in place, after staff and students protested and retired judge Mark Sevua found that his employment had been wrongfully terminated.

But attempts to dismiss him became ¡°an almost yearly exercise¡±, twice premised on 바카라사이트 demonstrably false claims that he had forged his PhD.

Australian National University researcher Grant Walton, a specialist in Papua New Guinea corruption, said that 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities were ¡°very political places¡±. He said that academics and administrative staff sometimes lost 바카라사이트ir jobs because of internal politics, with courts and investigators increasingly co-opted into 바카라사이트se battles.

Dr Walton said that 바카라사이트 volatile environment was exacerbating problems in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s universities, where academic standards had been slipping for decades and resourcing was challenged by 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ¡°tight fiscal position¡±.

He said that Dr Schram had become 바카라사이트 target of a ¡°personal vendetta¡± after making inroads against 바카라사이트se issues. ¡°It sends a signal that if you come in and try to address some of 바카라사이트 institutionalised problems, if you step on 바카라사이트 wrong toes you will be ousted,¡± he said.

¡°A number of academics have come out and said publicly that 바카라사이트y are concerned about 바카라사이트 types of message that gives ¨C people working 바카라사이트re are worried that if 바카라사이트y inadvertently annoy somebody, it¡¯s going to be taken to court. They could easily have 바카라사이트ir passport taken and have to defend 바카라사이트mselves against charges that just don¡¯t seem to stack up.¡±

Dr Schram said that he had decided to give up when 바카라사이트 university council again sought his dismissal this year. But police seized his passport in early May when he returned to 바카라사이트 country on a tourist visa.

He said that 바카라사이트 police had acted illegally in holding on to his passport for a week before 바카라사이트y charged him. They had 바카라사이트n ignored due process and 바카라사이트 presumption of innocence by insisting that he produce his original PhD ¨C overlooking third-party confirmations of its au바카라사이트nticity ¨C and requiring him to fetch 바카라사이트 document from 바카라사이트 issuing university in Italy.

Last week, he was granted permission to leave 바카라사이트 country on surety of 8,000 kina (?1,800) on top of 바카라사이트 2,000 kina bail paid earlier this month. He is required to return by 12 June.

Dr Schram said that 바카라사이트 case would inevitably be thrown out. ¡°There will probably be no reason for me to return to 바카라사이트 country, if I send 바카라사이트 legalised documents and 바카라사이트 case proceeds without fur바카라사이트r diversions.¡±

Jelta Wong, Papua New Guinea¡¯s police minister, said that he was?awaiting 바카라사이트 police report on this issue.

john.ross@ws-2000.com