Archive

Pacific

CoveragePost

Suspension of USP’s academic head ‘legal’ claims pro-chancellor

June 12, 2020

By Wansolwara staff The decision to suspend the academic chief of the University of the South Pacific pending the outcome of an investigation into allegations of “material misconduct” was made legally by the university’s executive committee, says pro-chancellor Winston Thompson. Thompson was responding yesterday to claims from concerned staff, students and some council members that ... <a title="Suspension of USP’s academic head ‘legal’ claims pro-chancellor" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/12/suspension-of-usps-academic-head-legal-claims-pro-chancellor/" aria-label="Read more about Suspension of USP’s academic head ‘legal’ claims pro-chancellor">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

Police hunt four covid-suspect Papuan prisoners after escape from hospital

June 12, 2020

Indonesian police in West Papua say four prisoners isolated for suspected covid-19 infection have escaped from Bhayangkara Police Hospital and are still at large. A number of prisoners, including Papuan independence activists, had recently been transferred to the hospital in Papua’s capital Jayapura. The escaped prisoners broke down the bars in their hospital room windows ... <a title="Police hunt four covid-suspect Papuan prisoners after escape from hospital" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/12/police-hunt-four-covid-suspect-papuan-prisoners-after-escape-from-hospital/" aria-label="Read more about Police hunt four covid-suspect Papuan prisoners after escape from hospital">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

Forum’s chief Meg Taylor backs Nauru call for urgent meeting on USP

June 11, 2020

By Sri Krishnamurthi. contributing editor of Pacific Media Watch The Secretary-General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Dame Meg Taylor, is the latest figure to support Nauru’s call to convene a special meeting of the University of the South Pacific Council in the long-running leadership saga. In a letter to incoming chancellor of the USP, ... <a title="Forum’s chief Meg Taylor backs Nauru call for urgent meeting on USP" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/11/forums-chief-meg-taylor-backs-nauru-call-for-urgent-meeting-on-usp/" aria-label="Read more about Forum’s chief Meg Taylor backs Nauru call for urgent meeting on USP">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

Media rights groups protest against Timor’s draft defamation law

June 11, 2020

Pacific Media Watch Timor-Leste’s Minister of Justice plans to present to the Council of Ministers a proposal to include criminal defamation in the country’s penal code. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Timor-Leste Press Union (TLPU) have protested against the move that would undermine press freedom and public interest journalism, reports ... <a title="Media rights groups protest against Timor’s draft defamation law" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/11/media-rights-groups-protest-against-timors-draft-defamation-law/" aria-label="Read more about Media rights groups protest against Timor’s draft defamation law">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

Secret report reveals widespread salary and allowance rorts at USP

June 11, 2020

By Michael Field in Islands Business Senior academics and staff at the University of the South Pacific in Suva are accused in a special audit report of manipulating allowances to pay themselves hundreds of thousands of dollars they were not entitled to, as several Pacific governments say Fiji is using the COVID-19 emergency as a ... <a title="Secret report reveals widespread salary and allowance rorts at USP" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/11/secret-report-reveals-widespread-salary-and-allowance-rorts-at-usp/" aria-label="Read more about Secret report reveals widespread salary and allowance rorts at USP">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

Fiji suspension move against USP chief ‘nonsense’, says Samoan deputy PM

June 11, 2020

By Soli Wilson in Apia Trouble continues to brew at the University of the South Pacific with the suspension of the vice-chancellor and President, Professor Pal Ahluwahlia, being met with student and staff protests in campuses and criticism from council members. Following months of opposition against the bid by pro-chancellor Winston Thompson to investigate Professor ... <a title="Fiji suspension move against USP chief ‘nonsense’, says Samoan deputy PM" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/11/fiji-suspension-move-against-usp-chief-nonsense-says-samoan-deputy-pm/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji suspension move against USP chief ‘nonsense’, says Samoan deputy PM">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

Fiji denies allegations of takeover at regional USP as criticisms mount

June 11, 2020

By Lena Reece in Suva The Fiji government has denied allegations being levelled against it of trying to “nationalise” the 12-nation University of the South Pacific, describing the claims as “baseless”. Fiji Minister of Education Rosy Akbar was responding to accusations made by some Pacific countries and individuals that Fiji was too heavily involved in ... <a title="Fiji denies allegations of takeover at regional USP as criticisms mount" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/11/fiji-denies-allegations-of-takeover-at-regional-usp-as-criticisms-mount/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji denies allegations of takeover at regional USP as criticisms mount">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

Journalist reports on USP payments scandal as campus backs reform VC

June 11, 2020

Pacific Media Watch After three days of protests by hundreds of students and staff at the regional University of the South Pacific over the treatment of their popular reforming vice-chancellor, an independent New Zealand journalist has now revealed damning details of previously secret governance reports. Journalist and author Michael Field has revealed that some academics ... <a title="Journalist reports on USP payments scandal as campus backs reform VC" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/11/journalist-reports-on-usp-payments-scandal-as-campus-backs-reform-vc/" aria-label="Read more about Journalist reports on USP payments scandal as campus backs reform VC">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

Albert Schram: University governance, academic freedom and institutional autonomy in the Pacific

June 10, 2020

ANALYSIS: By Albert Schram This article attempts to put the current governance crisis at the Fiji-based University of the South Pacific (USP), one of only two regional universities in the world, in a broader regional perspective. If Pacific regional integration and coordination means anything, then this would be a good moment to demonstrate it values ... <a title="Albert Schram: University governance, academic freedom and institutional autonomy in the Pacific" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/10/albert-schram-university-governance-academic-freedom-and-institutional-autonomy-in-the-pacific/" aria-label="Read more about Albert Schram: University governance, academic freedom and institutional autonomy in the Pacific">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

NZ’s $10m grant for Pasifika TV channel – MFAT clears the air

June 10, 2020

By Sri Krishnamurthi of Pacific Media Watch After Australia’s misguided attempts at handing over $17.1 of Australian-made television content to the Pacific region last month with programmes such as Neighbours and Border Control, questions have been asked about a $10 million New Zealand grant made in 2018. At the 2018 Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) meeting ... <a title="NZ’s $10m grant for Pasifika TV channel – MFAT clears the air" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/10/nzs-10m-grant-for-pasifika-tv-channel-mfat-clears-the-air/" aria-label="Read more about NZ’s $10m grant for Pasifika TV channel – MFAT clears the air">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

Fiji police raid opposition party headquarters in social media blitz

June 10, 2020

By RNZ Pacific Fiji police have raided the headquarters of Fiji’s National Federation Party, apparently in search of information related to social media posts. In a video shared to the party’s social media, it showed several plain clothes officers rifling through files, papers and storage last night. Speaking to RNZ Pacific shortly after the raid, ... <a title="Fiji police raid opposition party headquarters in social media blitz" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/10/fiji-police-raid-opposition-party-headquarters-in-social-media-blitz/" aria-label="Read more about Fiji police raid opposition party headquarters in social media blitz">Read more</a>

CoveragePost

NZ’s independence from Five Eyes has slipped, says former PM Clark

June 10, 2020

INDEPTH: By Guyon Espiner, RNZ News investigative reporter, with contributor John Daniell New Zealand has lost some of its independence within the Five Eyes intelligence alliance and been “drawn in a lot closer” to the US-led spy network, former Prime Minister Helen Clark says. She made the comments in new RNZ podcast The Service, which ... <a title="NZ’s independence from Five Eyes has slipped, says former PM Clark" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2020/06/10/nzs-independence-from-five-eyes-has-slipped-says-former-pm-clark/" aria-label="Read more about NZ’s independence from Five Eyes has slipped, says former PM Clark">Read more</a>