(A piece from Radio New Zealand from last June. The Minister seems to have decided that all problems at UNITECH must continue and Schram should not come back. No consideration whatsoever for the staff and students, or the VC. AS)
Report into troubled Unitech will not be made public - Keith Jackson & Friends: PNG ATTITUDE
23 June 2013
RADIO NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL
THE PAPUA NEW GUINEA GOVERNMENT says an investigation it ordered into unrest at the University of Technology in Lae will not be made public.
The government ordered the inquiry after a split between the management and the board at the university sparked rioting by students.
The students and many staff have been strongly supportive of Professor Albert Schram, who was sacked as vice chancellor just a few months after assuming the job.
Acting minister of higher education, Don Polye, says the inquiry’s report is not a public document and will not be made public.
RNZI’s Lae-based correspondent, Oseah Philemon, says the government’s decision is weird.
“I know that people are concerned about that,” Mr Philemon said, “because they expected that report to be released publicly so that everyone knows exactly what has happened, especially the recommendations of Judge Sevua, who headed the investigation.
“The government has seen the recommendations and they’re going to pick and choose which ones they can implement and which ones they will not implement.”
“There are certain things they don’t want the public to know, in terms of the recommendations. That’s a bit worrying, because if that is the case problems at Unitech will never be solved.”
Mr Philemon said that people want to know the truth behind the Unitech controversy.
And he said he thought the chances of vice-chancellor Albert Schram being reinstated were “slim”.
“I don’t think Dr Schram will return to the country. Not that he doesn’t want to, but I think at higher levels of government and maybe in the bureaucracy, I fear that attempts will be made to ensure that he doesn’t return to Papua New Guinea or return to his seat as vice chancellor of Unitech” Mr Philemon said.
“Mind you, he still continues to be paid while living in Australia. So they really have to make a decision.
“Is Dr Schram going to come back as VC? Will he ever be allowed to re-enter Papua New Guinea, or is it all over for him?
“If it’s all over for him then I think they should say so and clarify that to him and just move on.
“The situation is calm at the moment, but it doesn’t mean that it’s all okay. I don’t think it is,” Mr Philemon said.
Report into troubled Unitech will not be made public - Keith Jackson & Friends: PNG ATTITUDE
23 June 2013
RADIO NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL
THE PAPUA NEW GUINEA GOVERNMENT says an investigation it ordered into unrest at the University of Technology in Lae will not be made public.
The government ordered the inquiry after a split between the management and the board at the university sparked rioting by students.
The students and many staff have been strongly supportive of Professor Albert Schram, who was sacked as vice chancellor just a few months after assuming the job.
Acting minister of higher education, Don Polye, says the inquiry’s report is not a public document and will not be made public.
RNZI’s Lae-based correspondent, Oseah Philemon, says the government’s decision is weird.
“I know that people are concerned about that,” Mr Philemon said, “because they expected that report to be released publicly so that everyone knows exactly what has happened, especially the recommendations of Judge Sevua, who headed the investigation.
“The government has seen the recommendations and they’re going to pick and choose which ones they can implement and which ones they will not implement.”
“There are certain things they don’t want the public to know, in terms of the recommendations. That’s a bit worrying, because if that is the case problems at Unitech will never be solved.”
Mr Philemon said that people want to know the truth behind the Unitech controversy.
And he said he thought the chances of vice-chancellor Albert Schram being reinstated were “slim”.
“I don’t think Dr Schram will return to the country. Not that he doesn’t want to, but I think at higher levels of government and maybe in the bureaucracy, I fear that attempts will be made to ensure that he doesn’t return to Papua New Guinea or return to his seat as vice chancellor of Unitech” Mr Philemon said.
“Mind you, he still continues to be paid while living in Australia. So they really have to make a decision.
“Is Dr Schram going to come back as VC? Will he ever be allowed to re-enter Papua New Guinea, or is it all over for him?
“If it’s all over for him then I think they should say so and clarify that to him and just move on.
“The situation is calm at the moment, but it doesn’t mean that it’s all okay. I don’t think it is,” Mr Philemon said.
The report being kept secret does not help the situation for now and the future.
ReplyDeleteI agree. What seems to be happening now is that first the government refuses to give me a visa, because of supposed risks to national security, then the report is published, which oddly clear my name. Subsequently, I would be dismissed because of not being able to take up the office effectively. It does not make sense.
ReplyDelete