…Delay in allowance hits hard on Fiji students

STUDENTS studying at various Universities in Fiji have been hit hard over the prolonged issuance of their monthly allowance for May.

Landlords came knocking on their doors as the month enters its first half, with examinations a week away, the students are yet to receive their full allowance from the Solomon Islands Government.

On Thursday last week, the government only gave FJ$300 to each student and promised to pay in their remaining $740 of their $1040 monthly allowance this week.

Our source from the University of the South Pacific (USP) Laucala campus reliably informed this paper that they are deeply worried because the month has already entered its first half, and exams begins on 29 May.

The matter has also worried students as they have also been informed by the education attaché that payment of allowance will continue to be affected until such time the country’s ailing financial situation is back to normal.

“Most of the landlords here requires rental to be paid on time. It’s already half of the month and the landlords’ keeps on pressurizing us to settle rental bills.

“Our other worry is because our exams begin on May 29, and we really need our allowance to be paid in no later than this week,” said our source from Laucala campus.

The students called on the government to quickly settle their full allowance this week.

Education attaché to Fiji informed student leaders that no extra funds was received on Friday, the day they were initially told the remaining amount to be paid in.

“Students were paid $300 and the balance of $740 will be paid next week [this week] when this office received more funds. I appeal to all of us to seriously consider that our economy at the moment could not timely pay in funds to sustain students allowance and tuition bill that are all due.

“Payment of allowance will continue to be affected until such time only our leaders know,” the education attaché informed students.

Meanwhile, the source said monthly rental is $200 to $300 paid by each student and this has become a burden on them.

The source said their only hope is that the government must speed up the payment and must be paid this week, or else send the students home.