UNITECH SAGA - SOME HISTORY WITH THE USUAL LEGAL WRANGLINGS OF STAGG AND SAULEP

By Unitech Researcher

2006
In November 2006, members of the National Academic Staff Association (NASA) at Unitech went on strike after members voted unanimously to do so through a secret ballot conducted by the Electoral Commission. Among other issues, NASA wanted the Unitech council of Phil Stagg and Ralph Saulep to sideline the senior management team of VC Misty Baloiloi and Registrar Allan Sako and appoint a caretaker administration so that investigations can be conducted into the mismanagement of the affairs at the university and the misappropriation of university’s resources (P. Korugl, The National, 21st November 2006). However Stagg and Saulep colluded with Baloiloi and Sako and they had the upper hand in court. NASA was forced to comply with a court order to resume duties and see the 2006 academic year end without disruption.

2007
NASA stepped up the fight again at the beginning of the academic year in 2007 and demanded that the issues raised in 2006 be addressed by the council. In March 2007, after two weeks of NASA stop-work, heavily armed policemen arrested four NASA executives in a dawn raid on campus that left family members and executives traumatised. NASA members were absolutely shocked and bewildered. These executives spent a day and night locked up in the Lae police cell like criminals, all for the love of Unitech. The arrest was orchestrated by Stagg and Saulep through their connections with a judge in Port Moresby. The judge’s order was such that bailing out these executives was not going to be an easy task. NASA members against all odds and in admirable unity and solidarity managed to bail their executives. These executives were then ordered by the court to cease from all NASA activities. From this group of executives, two resigned some time later and the other two suffered heavy-handed tactics leashed out by Stagg, Saulep, Baloiloi and Sako. Their employment contracts were either terminated or not renewed by the University and they were evicted from the campus. NASA voted in a care-taker executive team and continued the fight. Lae police were advised to be on standby and to move into campus in case the students go on a rampage if the strike by national academics continued (P. Korugl, The National, 14th March 2007). The national academic staff then resolved to carry out a mass resignation exercise.

Part of Peter Korugl’s, The National article of 14th March 2007 reads:
“The NASA members have resolved to collectively and individually submit their resignations to the registrar of the PNG University of Technology effective as of 10pm, Sunday, March 11, 2007. “We therefore, request that all our severance benefits and entitlement be sorted out immediately,” the staff said in their letter. They wrote that “regrettably the decision was based on the fact that we have lost total confidence in the current senior executive management (SEM) (of Baloiloi and Sako) and the council (of Stagg and Saulep), hence our resignation en masse.” In the letter addressed to the registrar Allan Sako, they said this would have been avoided if the SEM were sidelined to allow for an independent investigation to take its course. “We have come to realise and learn today that the SEM is part of the council. NASA’s case against the SEM not only has been downplayed but that council has employed heavy handed tactics and intimidation against NASA members and executives, which are disproportionately excessive and highly traumatising for members and their families to bear. “This cannot be tolerated anymore and enough is enough,” they explained in their letter. The resignations affect the 13 academic departments and the distance education program run by the university. Ten of the members have PhDs, most with masters and a few with bachelors’ degrees. All have been with Unitech for 15 years or more. Following the mass resignation, students urged the Government to intervene and get the local academics to return to classes on Monday. “The Government must step in, sideline the senior management and bring the lecturers back to classes,” a student said.

In the end NASA was forced to sign a memorandum of understanding with the council and the national academic staff returned to work with the resumption of the 2007 academic year. As part of the deal to get the national staff back to work, it was agreed that an investigation would be carried out by a second independent team apart from one that had already been initiated by the Ombudsman Commission. A number of national academic staff resigned from the University during this time.

2008
In February 2008, just before the start of the academic year, Mr Ogio (now Sir Michael Ogio, Governor General of Papua New Guinea) who was then the Minister for Higher Education (as it was called then) finally saw it fit to use his powers to dissolve the Stagg and Saulep council. An interim council headed by Sir Nagora Bogan was appointed to take charge. As usual Stagg and Saulep took legal action; won the battle, remained in authority and continued to do damage at Unitech.

From 2008 onwards staff morale was at its lowest and staff groups began to disintegrate. All staff could do was watch helplessly and suffer in silence as Stagg & Saulep and Baloloi & Sako continued with their injustices, corrupt practices and mismanagement of the University. That year also saw a number of national academics leave the University also.

2012-2014
Towards the end of 2012 and nearly five years after being first appointed, Sir Nagora Bogan is again appointed by Mr. Arore, Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (HERST, as it is known now) to lead a new interim council. And again the legal battles by Stagg and Saulep continued. In March 2014, Sir Nagora finally becomes the new Chancellor of the University of Technology with new HERST Minister, Ms Delilah Gore at the helm of the ministry. And as usual the legal wrangling of Saulep with Stagg hiding in the background continues. Saulep is also declared as Acting Chancellor by the courts.

TO SIR NAGORA: THANK YOU! YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH ALL THIS WITH UNITECH. YOU COULD HAVE TURNED YOUR BACK AND WALKED AWAY AND NOT PUT YOURSELF THROUGH ALL THE PRESSURE, BUT YOU STOOD WITH UNITECH. TENK YU TRU!!! YU TRUPLA LIDA NA TRUPLA CHANCELLOR! ASA SUMBA!

In 2012, Stagg’s and Saulep’s stupidity finally paid off for Unitech; for crying out loud - stupid people in charge of a higher institution of learning! Only in PNG! When Dr. Schram arrived on the scene, Stagg’s and Saulep’s game of appointing someone who they think has qualification or lack of it which can then be questioned later, back-fired on them. Saulep says that it was an honest mistake that they made when Schram was recruited. From somebody forcing to be the Acting Chancellor, how dumb can you get, Saulep? By my money, it really looked as if it was a ‘carefully planned mistake’. Only stupid people could pull this one off! Stagg and Saulep thought that Schram would be one they could direct and manipulate as easily as they did Misty Baloiloi and continue with their reckless management of Unitech. Their evil scheme was set up such that if Schram did not comply and adhere to their rules; they will question his qualifications, sack him and get Baloiloi back or put in ‘ol boy blo grup’, the likes of Gonduan, Telue and Akoitai. Stories going around Unitech has it that Telue was boasting about being ready to be sworn in as the Acting VC as soon as Saulep was declared to be the Acting Chancellor by his judge in Lae. Sorry Telue, proud na show-off na hapim neim ya, plis lusim!

So when Dr Schram tried to do his work as the newly appointed VC and checked on the transactions and dealings of the University as any new CEO would rightfully do, he stepped right onto the toes or rather the big heads of Stagg and Saulep. And this has been what NASA has been crying about and trying to do since 2006. It is clear now that whilst NASA only managed to get hold of a few evidence of corrupt practices in2006, these were the ‘smaller deals’; the real deals will hopefully be exposed in due time. Further investigations should reveal the true extent of the corrupt practices of Stagg, Saulep, Baloiloi and Sako.

This is the reason why Saulep was hell-bent in making sure that Dr.Schram did not return to PNG. Through his connections, he was the one calling the shots over the visa and immigration matters and denying the entry of Dr Schram. His false campaign against Schram’s qualification has failed so now he wants to question the legality of the Sevua report. He wants to take legal action against those at the Immigration Division. He also wants to take legal action against students who visited the court house in Lae to check on his good lawyer. He wants the Vice Chancellor’s committee in PNG to speak out against Schram. For what? For using Social Media? Puh-leeaase! There are smarter people in the VC’s committee than you are, Ralph Saulep, unless of course you have people in this group who you can easily manipulate and make them to look as stupid as you are. Saulep also wants parents to condemn Schram. What utter rubbish! Whose parents are you talking about, Saulep? ‘Mipla ol papa mama sapotim ol pikinini lo Unitech. Ol mama pik na papa dog tasol ating bai sapotim yu’. Get real! Parents are tired of you. Leave Unitech alone and leave our children alone. The legal wrangling of Saulep continues and now he wants to take on Ministers Gore and Kua and the newly constituted council. Whew! MASOL LAWYER EM YU YA, SAULEP!

So the victory of the students in bringing their VC Dr. Schram back to Unitech is a victory for unity and solidarity in fighting for a just cause; of good over evil, justice over injustice, humility over pride, honesty over corruption, weak over the powerful, etc.etc.etc. Slowly but surely STAGG, SAULEP, BALOILOI, SAKO and their cohorts must answer for all the evil they have perpetrated at Unitech and in running this great institution down.

PRIDE AND POWER! GREED AND LOVE OF MONEY AND MORE MONEY AND MORE MONEY IS WHAT YOU ARE SAULEP! YOU AND YOUR FATHER STAGG!

So from the EVIL black corner, duo Stagg and Saulep will continue with their usual legal wrangling using their corrupt connections but from the GOOD white corner I am going to put my money on Mr. Kerenga Kua and Ms. Delilah Gore to deliver the killer TKO punch. Come on Kerenga! Go Delilah! Down with Phil and down with Ralph. Unitech wants to see Stagg and Saulep buried for ever.

Now read on the articles from The National and Post Courier published on April 16, 2008 and see how our current Governor General describes the Stagg & Saulep council and Baloiloi & Sako management back in 2008 when he was Higher Education Minister.

***********************************************
Minister calls for probe into Unitech allegation
THE NATIONAL
Wednesday April 16, 2008 (Page 4)
By ISAAC NICHOLAS

The Government has not exhausted its authority and power to restore common sense at the University of Technology, Higher Education Minister Michael Ogio told Parliament yesterday.

Mr Ogio also called for an independent investigation into the finances and administration including K3.5 million outstanding debt.

“This was what I intended to do when I removed the substantive council (Phil Stagg, Ralph Saulep and team) and replaced it with an interim council (Sir Nagora Bogan and others).”

Mr Ogio appealed for patience and respect of the legal process to take its course and hope that the courts can resolve the matter quickly.

He said the Unitech Council (Phil Stagg, Ralph Saulep and team) and management (Misty Baloiloi, Allan Sako and team) are to be blamed for losing their direction or operating their own café.

“The government has had very little say in the way it operates and is managed. It is an island unto itself, clearly demonstrating some sort of untouchable operation on the periphery”.

Minister Ogio in his ministerial statement to Parliament said Unitech was inundated with problems including lack of effective leadership, the claim of inefficient government funding support, lack of proper financial management, insufficient student accommodation, and lack of academic staff, and industrial relations issues.

Mr Ogio said the government has taken firm action to remove the roadblock and took action to remove the Unitech Council (Phil Stagg, Ralph Saulep and team) on Feb 8, 2008.

He said an interim council was established under law.

He said issues and problems highlighted by staff have been outstanding for six years with lists of allegations from 2001-06.

Mr Ogio said the excuse of lack of government funding could not be taken seriously as it was government policy for state Universities to generate their own funding.

He said that last year (2007) the government allocated K50 million to be spent on essential maintenance which Unitech received K19 million, and that to date only a quarter or K5 million had been used.

He said he was determined to pursue the aim of eradicating bad elements from the university which had not shown commitment to deliver quality higher education.

“It is sad indeed that the council (Phil Stagg, Ralph Saulep and team) has allowed its senior management (Misty Baloiloi, Allan Sako and team) to run into debt”.

He said that funds that had been allocated in past years have been used to pay for debts incurred through bad decision.

“It still has K3.5 million outstanding. This amount may well be the tip of the iceberg.”


************************************************
Ogio blames Unitech woes on ‘small group’
POST COURIER
Wednesday April 16, 2008 (Page 6)

THE council and executive management of the University of Technology have been blamed for the recent crisis faced by the university, Higher Education Minister Michael Ogio told Parliament yesterday.

Mr Ogio said the University of Technology was run by a small group of councillors (Phil Stagg, Ralph Saulep and team) and top management (Misty Baloiloi, Allan Sako and team) who had become so authoritarian and stubborn to discuss issues affecting the institution.

“The council and management lack effective management and have become inoperative and stagnant,” Mr Ogio said.
He said there were no better management styles and bad judgements exercised by authorities where the crisis lay with the staff dissatisfaction with the way the management of the university was operating the institution.

He said the management of the university had run into debts and funds allocated over the years had been used to pay off the debts.

Mr Ogio said the university had been living beyond its means with K3.5 million still in debts.

“I have decided to use the powers vested to me to terminate the substantive council (Phil Stagg, Ralph Saulep and team) and appoint an interim council (Sir Nagora and others),” Mr Ogio said.

I want to demonstrate firmness to bring about an urgent resolution which must release the University of Technology from the bondage imposed on it by a small group of self-serving individuals.

Mr Ogio said the Government had not exhausted its authorities and powers to do what it must do to restore common sense in this extremely important university.

Mr Ogio said his moves had been challenged in court by the university’s management but hoped all would go well for the benefit of the students, parents and the academic staff of the university.

Popular posts from this blog

MARAPE & PAITA ABOUT TO SIGN AWAY PNG GOLD

HIGHLANDS FRAUD F*CKS RUNNING GOVERNMENT AGENCY,,,

Connect PNG Unveiled: A Tale of Ambition, Scandal, and the Quest for Accountability

James Marape's Missteps Openly Exposed at Australian Forum

PNG GOVERNMENT MINISTER IN PORN VIDEO

James Marape: A Complex Political Trajectory

PNC CANDIDATE & FORMER NHC CEO FILMED WIFE HAVING SEX WITH COUSIN IN NHC CEO'S OFFICE