Fiji’s newly-elected Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has begun to fulfill his promises, beginning with ending injustice to exiled University of the South Pacific vice-chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia and Dr Padma Lal – the widow of the late Professor Brij Lal.
In a statement issued today, Mr Rabuka said he would ensure Prof Ahluwalia returned to Fiji as soon as possible and Dr Lal to bring her late husband’s ashes home.
He is presently serving his duties from the USP campus in Samoa.
Mr Rabuka said he had also acted to assist Dr Lal to bring the ashes of the famed academic back home to Fiji from Australia.
Dr Lal too had been refused entry to Fiji, along with her late husband.
“I am ready to meet Dr Lal and Professor Ahluwalia personally,” said Mr Rabuka in the statement.
“I will apologise on behalf of the people of Fiji for the way they were treated.”
Mr Rabuka said he had promised his government would bring to an end the injustices suffered by Professor Ahluwalia and Professor Brij Lal.
He said the VC and Dr Lal were free to enter the country.
Mr Rabuka said prohibition orders against Dr Brij Lal and Dr Padma Lal, as well as Prof Ahluwalia were unreasonable and inhumane and should never have been made.
“I received a clarification today from the Department of Immigration that neither Dr Padma Lal nor Professor Ahluwalia were the subject of written prohibition orders,” the Prime Minister said.
