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[posted 09 November 2004, 12:00]
4th
November 2004
MEDIA
RELEASE
USP
VICE- CHANCELLOR
The
Fiji Labour Party finds it totally unacceptable the claim made by the
Minister of Education that Fiji did not make any
recommendation for the post of the Vice Chancellor.
Fiji
is the biggest financial contributor to the University with the largest
number of students. Therefore, any responsible government will take a
direct interest in the post to ensure that its interest and that of the
University is always a priority.
The
truth is contrary to what the Minister is reported to have said.
Information circulating in the public domain indicates that the Minister
collaborated with others to ensure that Professor Rajesh Chandra did not
get the position. It is being said that the Minister for Education was
instrumental in getting another regional candidate apply for the post who
subsequently withdrew for certain reasons.
The
claim made by Mr Jioji Kotabalavu, Chief Executive Officer, in the Prime
Minster’s Office that the Prime Minister had directed Fiji
representatives to support Professor Rajesh Chandra if there were two or
more candidates of equal merit is a farce.
The selected Australian candidate was taken to court for “failing
to exercise care and diligence” in executing his duty as a trustee of a
superannuation fund.
As
a corollary to Mr Kotobalavu’s statement, one can safely assume that the
Fiji Government would have supported the nominee as he was the best
available candidate. However, the Minster for Education is saying that the
Fiji Government did not make any recommendation. But the question arises
whether the Fiji representatives voted in the selection of the Vice
Chancellor. One does not need too much intelligence to analyse the role
some of the Fiji representatives play in the final outcome.
The
University of the South Pacific, and other universities, are bastion of
good governance and corporate integrity. The public is certainly entitled
to know what the government position is in light of the revelation in the
media on the status of the nominee. The information circulating on the
selection process is not as simple as Mr Kotobalavu would like the public
to believe. It raises more questions than answers.
Spokesperson
on Education
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