On February 5, 1985, police seized placards from unemployed University of the South Pacific graduates who staged a demonstration outside the National Gymnasium in Suva, the venue of the National Economic Summit.
According to an article published by The Fiji Times the next day, about 40 graduates, who qualified in 1984 from the USP, assembled at a service station near the gymnasium before marching with placards and shouting slogans to the summit venue.
A spokesman for the group, Gyaneshwar Raju, said the group wanted to present a petition to Prime Minister Sir Kamisese Mara, who was attending the summit.
When Mr Raju approached the entrance to the gymnasium to present the petition, he was stopped by ASP Savenaca Tuivaga, who asked if they had a permit to stage the protest.
When Mr Raju replied in the negative, ASP Tuivaga asked them to leave the area immediately as the protest was illegal.
ASP Tuivaga threatened to arrest the protesters if they carried on with the demonstration. He also ordered his officers to seize the placards from the group as they walked away.
The placards were smashed into pieces by the policemen.
The graduates, who had kept a spare supply of placards in a car, then staged a protest from inside the university campus, lining the Laucala Bay Rd.
As each ministerial car passed the group, they jeered and shouted slogans. Policemen in vehicles and on foot kept a close watch on the group.
At one stage, two officers from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) approached the graduates in a van and took pictures of them. Some students turned their backs on the CID officers.
Mr Raju said the Government had cheated students.
“We have not been given teaching positions with appropriate salary scales, which are offered to all teachers,” he said.
“We are of the view that the Government is morally, if not legally, bound to employ us on full salary.”
