PROFESSOR Pal Ahluwalia has ensured the financial stability of the University of the South Pacific – even without Fiji’s grant of $27.7 million, says University of the South Pacific’s chancellor and Nauru President Lionel Aingimea.
He said USP had not stopped working despite the Fijian Government’s decision to withhold its grant funding.
“Well, Fiji’s grant to the university, for them to have given the grant would have been much easier, but there have been a lot of things that Prof Ahluwalia did to make sure that USP’s financial position – even without Fiji’s grant – is viable,” he said.
“He’s (Prof Ahluwalia) done great work in this area, and therefore, even though Fiji did not give its grant, it has hurt USP but it hasn’t stopped USP from working,” the Nauru President said.
The Attorney-General and Minister for Economy, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, had told Parliament that the Government had requested an independent investigation to be conducted after the allegations were raised by the university’s pro-chancellor and the chair of the audit risk committee.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said the allocation of $27.7 million for 2020 and 2021 would only be released if an independent investigation was conducted.
