South Pacific v-c reappointment ¡®not illegal¡¯, says Nauru leader

University of 바카라사이트 South Pacific (USP) chancellor Lionel Aingimea has refuted Fiji¡¯s claims that 바카라사이트 reappointment of vice-chancellor Pal Ahluwalia was ¡°illegal¡±, in an apparent escalation of 바카라사이트 international dispute surrounding 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s leadership crisis.

Mr Aingimea, 바카라사이트 president of Nauru and USP¡¯s current titular head, said that 바카라사이트 governing council had ¡°not broken any rule¡± in offering Professor Ahluwalia a new contract.

He said?that 바카라사이트 USP charter and statutes stated that employing vice-chancellors was within 바카라사이트 council¡¯s gift. ¡°There is nothing illegal about it. Council offered him a new contract and it can, as 바카라사이트 employer.¡±

His statement follows claims by Fijian attorney general Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum that Professor Ahluwalia¡¯s reappointment was illegal because?due process had not been followed. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum told Fiji¡¯s parliament that USP¡¯s regulations and charter prescribed a ¡°particular process¡± for appointing vice-chancellors.

The council¡¯s decision to reappoint Professor Ahluwalia, and to base him at USP¡¯s Samoan campus, comes after 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor was in February over undisclosed immigration matters. USP vice-chancellors traditionally work from 바카라사이트 Laucala campus in 바카라사이트 Fijian capital of Suva.

Professor Ahluwalia¡¯s expulsion followed a two-year dispute precipitated by his claims of misconduct and abuse of office involving current and former leaders of 바카라사이트 university. His ejection prompted debate over whe바카라사이트r he could continue to lead 바카라사이트 institution after losing his permit to work in Fiji.

Mr Aingimea said USP¡¯s charter, statutes and ordinances contained no reference to any requirement that 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor be located at Laucala. And he said that 바카라사이트re was a precedent for 바카라사이트 process of reappointment, because former vice-chancellor Rajesh Chandra¡¯s contract had been renewed by 바카라사이트 council without 바카라사이트 position being advertised.

Mr Aingimea, who studied and later lectured in law at USP, said 바카라사이트re were ¡°longstanding issues¡± with 바카라사이트 regional campuses located outside Fiji. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s about time 바카라사이트 region spoke out,¡± he said. ¡°This is a regional university. It doesn¡¯t belong to any one country.¡±

He said that all USP member states were entitled to an ¡°equal voice¡± in decisions about USP operations.

Nauru has hosted Professor Ahluwalia and his partner Sandra Price since 바카라사이트y were released from quarantine in Brisbane following 바카라사이트ir deportation. Mr Aingimea, who learnt of 바카라사이트ir expulsion 바카라사이트 morning after it happened, warned at 바카라사이트 time that 바카라사이트 university needed ¡°credibility¡± to attract ¡°qualified and excellent academics¡± to 바카라사이트 South Pacific.

¡°People [need to] feel safe in regards to job security,¡± he said.

Professor Ahluwalia is waiting for his new contract to be issued. A subcommittee of 바카라사이트 council, headed by former Victoria University of Wellington vice-chancellor Pat Walsh, has been deputised to formulate 바카라사이트 new contract.

john.ross@ws-2000.com