Page 17 - Islands Business February 2023

Education Education

states that “no foreigner is permitted to
conduct themselves in a manner prejudi-
cial to the peace, defence, public safety,
public order, public morality, public
health, security, or good government of
Fiji.”
The real work of rebuilding the institu-
tion, which has been harmed not only by
the controversy over the Vice Chancellor
and Fiji’s blocking of grant payments,
but also by the COVID pandemic, is now
critical.
The Vice Chancellor says the Fiji gov-
ernment owes USP FJ$116 million, but
they understand the financial pressures
the new Fiji government is under.
And Ahluwalia’s future base is still to
be determined, with USP Chancellor,
Marshall Islands Senator Hilda Heine say-
ing that it is a matter for the upcoming
Council meeting.
Pal’s partner, Sandy Price has mixed
feelings about returning to Fiji, and has
vivid memories of the night they were
detained.
“With Pal, they sat him down and were
explaining a lot of things to him with
regards to the deportation, but with me,
they were very physical, so they grabbed
me; I was left with bruises, and I was in
my nightwear.
“They would not let me get changed
without a male and a female present in
the room; I wasn’t allowed to go to the
toilet; and they’ve taken all our phones
away,” she said.
“So I still live with that trauma, and
I’m still not ready to move back,” Price
shared.
Being based in, first Nauru, and now
Samoa, has given Professor Ahluwalia a
deeper insight into the parlous state of
some of the regional USP campuses.
“The region deserves to have a voice,”
he said.
Professor Ahluwalia says now it is time
to look forward.
“When I arrived in Nadi, I had said that
I forgive people and I don’t have any
vendettas; USP needs to move on from
the saga; it needs to get to the next
stage.”

editor@islandsbusiness.com

Islands Business, February 2023 17