[Source: Study Destinations]

The University of the South Pacific Staff Association has voiced concerns about the urgent requirement to fill vacant positions in the region, with a particular focus on Fiji.

Association President, Elizabeth Fong, has revealed that there are currently more than 450 vacant positions across all regional campuses, with 80 percent of these vacancies at its Laucala campus, which has been accumulating for the past three years.

Fong has also urged USP to consider adjusting staff salaries, given the additional workload that many employees are shouldering.

“The general feeling is overload, and that is something we’re trying to address. And any salary adjustment would be some compensation for that. It won’t take away the load. And our move is to get the positions filled.”

She highlights that financial constraints have contributed to the failure to fill these vacant positions.

However, she believes that the government’s approval to clear outstanding debts from the previous government could alleviate this problem.

This year, USP received an initial payment of $10 million, but it is known that the Fijian government still owes USP a substantial amount, totaling $116 million.

In response to these concerns, USP has stated that it has a well-defined strategic plan that identifies skills requirements in key priority areas and aligns closely with their recruitment plan.