The governance crisis at Fiji National University (FNU) escalated dramatically when council chairman Semesa Karavaki was denied entry to the university’s Nasinu campus yesterday afternoon. He denounced the incident as “insubordination” and likened it to a coup, underscoring the increasingly tense relationships among the university council, the management, and the government.
Karavaki’s attempt to attend a scheduled council meeting was thwarted when security personnel prevented him from entering the campus. After making several futile attempts to reach the secretariat by phone, he expressed his confusion and frustration over being told by security that he could not enter the office, as they were following orders from higher authorities.
“This is like a coup. We will have our council meeting tomorrow, as I have not cancelled it, and we only take our orders from the Ministry of Education by law,” Karavaki asserted. He emphasized that the FNU Vice-Chancellor, Unaisi Baba, is essentially an employee of the council, tasked with serving its interests.
In light of the growing concerns surrounding Baba, whose leadership has recently come under scrutiny, Karavaki indicated that the council is considering several potential actions. These may include placing her on leave during ongoing investigations related to various allegations, reporting the matter to the police or the Fijian Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), or opting for immediate leave based on recent findings from an internal inquiry.
Although requests for comment from Vice-Chancellor Baba and Acting Prime Minister Filimoni Vosarogo went unanswered, the situation at FNU continues to develop, marking a critical juncture in its governance. The council appears determined to address the issues at hand, indicating that they are prepared to take assertive steps to ensure compliance and accountability moving forward. This development underscores the university’s commitment to transparency and governance integrity amidst the turmoil.