QUESTION OVER WADE MARK'S EMBA DEGREE

[bluefete]

Several years ago, there was a student in UWI who was very, very ill.

This student went through all the courses for graduation except one. He did the course work for the final subject and died before the final exam.

UWI, despite pleadings, REFUSED to grant him his undergraduate degree, posthumously.

Whenever I see UWI giving "honorary" doctorate degrees to people, I remember that student who worked so hard and marvel at the unfairness of the system.

God does not sleep. So I am not surprised that this bacchanal has broken out.

[VexXx Dogg]

Several years ago, there was a student in UWI who was very, very ill.

This student went through all the courses for graduation except one. He did the course work for the final subject and died before the final exam.

UWI, despite pleadings, REFUSED to grant him his undergraduate degree, posthumously.

Whenever I see UWI giving "honorary" doctorate degrees to people, I remember that student who worked so hard and marvel at the unfairness of the system.

God does not sleep. So I am not surprised that this bacchanal has broken out.

This I have a problem with. God doh sleep for some obscure political bachannal, but he would sleep throughout genocide, child abuse/rape/torture/prostitution, murder, widespread disease, famine and starvation.
What does your God really do?

[New_SPECIES]

Several years ago, there was a student in UWI who was very, very ill.

This student went through all the courses for graduation except one. He did the course work for the final subject and died before the final exam.

UWI, despite pleadings, REFUSED to grant him his undergraduate degree, posthumously.

Whenever I see UWI giving "honorary" doctorate degrees to people, I remember that student who worked so hard and marvel at the unfairness of the system.

God does not sleep. So I am not surprised that this bacchanal has broken out.

This I have a problem with. God doh sleep for some obscure political bachannal, but he would sleep throughout genocide, child abuse/rape/torture/prostitution, murder, widespread disease, famine and starvation.
What does your God really do?

Woy... Woy... Woy...

It have a "Religion" ched for that nonsense!

[rfari]

Yeah fellas. Is political goats untying here. Nuh religious goats

[kjaglal76]

[New_SPECIES]

Yeah fellas. Is political goats untying here. Nuh religious goats

Well we know you lean more to the Political Goat herding...

Doh study me eh... Jus a lil "monkey-logic"...

[bluefete]

Mark suing over degree story
Published:
Monday, November 25, 2013
Yvonne Baboolal



There is sufficient evidence to prove a story in the Trinidad Express yesterday questioning Speaker Wade Mark’s Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree was politically driven. As such, legal action is being planned against the newspaper’s editor and the journalists who wrote the article, Government sources yesterday said. “Based on the evidence, and there is a lot of evidence, one is convinced this entire matter has been politically driven and is sheer political mischief,” the source said.





Asked against whom legal action was planned, the source replied, “The editor of the Trinidad Express and the journalists (who wrote the story).” When the T&T Guardian contacted Mark yesterday, he was spending time with his baby at home. He said, however, that he had referred the matter to his lawyers and declined to say any more on the matter.



The story claimed that programme director at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business (GSB), Brian Ghent, had tendered his resignation over the awarding of the EMBA to Mark. The article, quoting Ghent in his November 13 resignation letter to the school’s acting academic director Dr Ron Sookram, said he was deeply concerned over the circumstances surrounding the award of the EMBA degree to Mark.



The article then quoted “sources” which said Ghent’s resignation came on the heels of e-mails between top officials of the GSB who argued Mark did not fulfil all the requirements for his degree.





The story also quoted “school officials” who alleged Mark did not do the course work component of a mid-term exam, a group project and class participation, which all accounted for 40 per cent of the marks for the degree. The article said sources indicated Mark was allowed to graduate on October 26 after the school made several concessions to accommodate him.



Contacted yesterday, People’s National Movement (PNM) PRO Faris Al-Rawi said the party had absolutely nothing to do with the story. “Remember, the PNM also offered congratulations to Mr Mark on the achievement of the degree (in the House last Friday night). Maybe he is referring to some other entity in politics,” Al Rawi said.



Independent Liberal Party (ILP) interim chairman Robin Montano, meanwhile, offered: “When I read the article that was the first time I heard the accusation. To the best of my knowledge and belief, that was not the ILP’s doing. Speaking for myself, I had absolutely no knowledge of it.”

http://www4.guardian.co.tt/news/2013-11 ... gree-story

[bluefete]

Senator sees nothing wrong
By —Ria Taitt

Story Created: Nov 24, 2013 at 11:12 PM ECT

Story Updated: Nov 25, 2013 at 6:51 PM ECT
What the university did to facilitate House Speaker Wade Mark to whom it granted an Executive Master of Business Administration degree, was quite in order. In fact, the university was “unnecessarily harsh on Speaker Mark”, Independent Senator Dhanayshar Mahabir said yesterday.
Mahabir, who taught a core course in Economics between 1985 and 2011, said he had dealt with a number of cases similar to Mark’s. He said Mark’s case was by no means unique or irregular.
Mahabir said it was a “normal occurrence” for a student to have difficulty with a “core course” as Mark did. “Core courses are mandatory, difficult and students frequently don’t succeed on the first attempt . He added that they (core courses) are usually pre-requisite to courses in the final year or to writing a thesis. However he said lecturers have the flexibility to allow the student to move on while the core course is pending, based on the student’s record.

Mahabir said the Faculty of Social Science came up with new regulations that if a student had one course to pass, “usually a core course”, and he is short of that pass mark by five marks, a request can be made of the lecturers to allow the student to take an oral exam. He said the judgement of the lecturer and the second examiner would determine whether this is done. “I have passed a number of students in my core courses simply on an oral exams,” he said.

Mahabir said on the issue of course work, a student sometimes has to withdraw from the programme for a period of time. When the student re-enters, if the student had very good course work, the prevaling course mark would be transferred to his (the student’s) record. He said however that the problem with course work is that it is entered into the system only when the student has written the final exam. So sometimes if there are changes in the lecturers or if the course work component is lost, the student has to present the coursework to the head of department and the mark he received from the former lecturer. “And he will be allowed to do the final exam or we may arrange an oral exam. It is up to the judgement of the administrators- the dean, the lecturer and the head of department,” Mahabir said.

Mahabir chided the Express “for making a mountain out a molehill”.
“On this matter it is wrong and improper to focus on how we (the University) deal with students without at the same time asking (the question) is the University always above board when it comes to its recruitment. That is where I have had some issue. When a former Minister of Finance, Christine Sahadeo, was simply appointed as a senior lecturer in the management faculty, I didn’t think the Express newspapers said very much. But we in the academic community took umbrage because we didn’t think she had served the university long enough. We didn’t say anything.
Where these things occur no questions are raised. But when you are looking after a poor student, who is following the rules, we seem to want to create a big brouhaha. So this is where I think the inequity arises,” Mahabir said.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Sen ... 51611.html

[pioneer]

Best part is men who totin over this CXC slip lookin like Lara scorecard.

[zoom rader]

As I said this was a non issue headed by pnm reporters and tuners

[rfari]

u does really have to know your capability and not heng ur academic hat higher than u can reach. men like wade mark so should stick to postgrad diploma in public sector management or education or something so instead of embarrassing deyself. school is nuh for everybody

[eliteauto]

Best part is men who totin over this CXC slip lookin like Lara scorecard.

*tears*

[SmokeyGTi]

I was wonderinng when somebody would quote danny mahabir.
If this is indeed what happened then it is a normal occurrence.

[Habit7]

‘ANXIOUS’ MARK
...House Speaker threatens to sue ‘Express’, University officials explain why House Speaker received EMBA exam concessions

By Denyse Renne denyse.renne@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Nov 27, 2013 at 10:56 PM ECT
Story Updated: Nov 27, 2013 at 10:56 PM ECT

House Speaker Wade Mark was allowed to sit in a room by himself to complete his final Executive Masters of Business Administration (EMBA) degree exam because he may have been anxious.
This was the explanation given yesterday by University of the West Indies (UWI) Principal Prof Clement Sankat, executive director of the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business (GSB) Miguel Carrillo and Dean of the Faculty of Social Science, Errol Sims.
The three officials were interviewed yesterday by the Express at GSB’s Mt Hope offices at their request.
In seeking to clear the air on the circumstances surrounding Mark’s graduation, the trio admitted that Mark was granted two concessions, having failed the Management Accounting course twice in the past. When Mark took the final exam, according to a document obtained by the Express, he topped the class.
The Express asked whether Mark was granted any concessions by the school.
Carrillo responded: “One of the most important parts of being a student-centred institution which we are in the West Indies is that we will help the students, it doesn’t matter who they are, to be successful academically. We will support them and whenever we have a student who is actually taking the last course to graduate, those are in special circumstances where we, as they request, we might consider some concessions and those concessions are nothing special and are things that happen regularly in the UWI system.”
The Express queried exactly what were the concessions afforded to Mark.
Carrillo: “Basically we are talking about a special sitting. It’s that he requested to sit by himself and not with the other cohorts for the final exam. It was requested and approved. The student (Mark) didn’t have to come to class, however. He requested tutoring which is a normal practice in the UWI based on particular circumstances of the student and it was difficult for him to attend class.”
Carrillo added that the final examination administered to Mark was “properly invigilated by UWI and not the Arthur Lok Jack School.
“It was a regular examination. The others (students) were writing the exam at the same time. It wasn’t like we set a special exam for Mr Mark, others were doing the exam at the same time.”
Sankat explained as well that UWI also made such concessions for its students.
“They may have time constraints and they appeal to UWI, we listen and set exams for one person,” he said. Sankat said such concessions are made for students who may attend a funeral or whose “father or mother may have died”.
What was Mark’s reason for wanting to be in a room by himself?” the Express asked.
Carrillo: “There was no particular excuse, he just requested that and we passed that request along. But we have to understand he was sitting down alone with a lot of people he didn’t know and the other part, most important, is the kind of pressure, because it’s his last opportunity to pass and to graduate”.
Sims said: “It could very well have been anxiety. It was his final attempt. If he had failed the exam, he would be gone.
Sankat: “It got to him…anxiety.”
Carrillo: “Anxiety.”
Sims said the heads of departments and boards normally dealt with such requests and in the past there have been lots of cases where special exams have occurred but in Mark’s case, this was not the case.
The Dean explained that the examination consisted of two parts, the more critical being “ownership of the exam and the outcome is the written final exam. This is rated much more heavily than the course work”.
“The final exam is administered by the university in a written form, except in the case with persons with handicaps and so forth. But in written form it is invigilated by the university (UWI),” he said.
On the controversial issue of whether Mark was exempt from course work, Sims said with the course work there is greater flexibility whereby it is essentially the responsibility of the first examiner. He said the course work can take many forms which consist of group, individual or a combination of both.
Mark, however, was excluded from this and given an oral examination instead, according to Carrillo.
“Yes, he was, but it was part of the course work and the written final exam. Oral exams consist of questions that will reflect the general understanding of the concepts of the student,” Carrillo said.
Asked about the framework of such questions, Carrillo said: “We don’t have a framework on what the oral exam should consist of, it depends a lot on the nature of the course and perspective of the examiner so there is not necessary a standard.”
Sims said this was Mark’s third attempt at course work in the Accounting Management course and the oral was administered to him for a reason. He added that in the past, Mark had completed the other course work required.
He said the school had documentary evidence to show where a lecturer as required by university regulations essentially refused to carry out the instructions of the director to set the course work exam.
“The academic programme director who also has overall responsibility for the student also did not carry out his responsibility to see that the student is given the opportunity to do his course work. The regulations require that the gentleman (Mark) should be given his course work before his final exam.
“These two gentlemen..... for whatever reason contrived not to carry out the instructions of giving this man (Mark) his course work assignment,” Sims said.
Asked why they would do this , Carrillo said he did not know.
Carrillo was also asked to explain e-mails sent to Mark requesting that he contact him urgently and also what was the “wrong which needed to be made right” as stated in an e-mail Ghent sent him last Wednesday.
Carrillo said: “I wanted to let him know the programme director was raising questions for his course work and let the student know he complied with all the requirements.”
That e-mail to Mark had stated: “I would like you to contact me urgently on a matter that has arisen at the business school. We would also like to have a private and confidential email address and a physical address that we can use to send you a formal letter.”
The Express observed that the concerns, according to the e-mail exchanges were raised from July to August about Mark’s course work, so why was there need to contact Mark one month later.
Carrillo responded: “Because the programme director only communicated that to me on November 11 in an e-mail which is not published. Three hours after I replied that all course work will be available to him.”
Adding that all senior staff members once authorised have access to course work marks, Carrillo said he could not explain why checks done by Brian Ghent turned up none.
On November 13, programme director Brian Ghent submitted his resignation letter to academic director Ron Sookram.
His letter stated: “In keeping with several discussions we had, I believe it is important that I record here my deepest concern with the circumstances surrounding the award of the EMBA degree to Mr Wade Mark, as well as, the subsequent responses to me since I raised the matter.”
Sources said that Ghent’s resignation came on the heels of e-mails between senior officials at the GSB suggesting that Mark did not fulfill all the requirements for his EMBA degree.
The e-mails suggest that concessions were made by the graduate school to accommodate Mark and in some cases stated that Mark did not complete several core course works which would have enabled him to graduate.
Mark has denied that he did not complete his course work.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/ANX ... 03361.html

Wow, assigned private tutoring
private room to sit exam because you are "anxious"
oral exam instead of course work

I never knew UWI to be so charitable. Maybe I should've ask for concessions too.

[kaylex]

The turd degree

By Kevin Baldeosingh



Story Created: Nov 28, 2013 at 10:14 PM ECT
(
Story Updated: Nov 28, 2013 at 10:14 PM ECT )

As a writer and commentator, I perform a role that in other countries is described as “public intellectual” and which, in Trinidad and Tobago, is described as “talking crap”.
Since intellectuals are primarily defined by their adherence to fact, this is not a label I can refute. Given the popularity and influence of radio talkshow hosts, it is undeniable that crap-talking is the main form of public discourse in this place.
This is why our real smart men and smart women are politicians, pastors and beauty queens. Yet, perhaps due to the deleterious influence of foreign cultures where intelligence is respected, even these smart men have lately betrayed a tendency to prove how smart they are by acquiring academic degrees, albeit without an actual education.
The first prominent example of this was undoubtedly Pastor Winston Cuffie, who for many years now has been taking out paid newspaper advertisements in which he uses the title “Dr” even though his “PhD” is not accredited, with nary a word of complaint from the Advertising Association of T&T. Similarly, alternative medicine conmen pay for 30-minute slots on radio and call themselves “Doctor”, which is illegal, yet the same talkshow hosts who host these programmes want people in State companies who have bogus degrees to be jailed. This is not only hypocritical, but underestimates the intelligence needed to hold down a job you have no expertise in.
After all, who is to say that it doesn’t take more effort to get a false degree from a Pacific University than a real one from the The University of the West Indies? (No, that’s not a typo, it’s the title—UWI is found under T in the phone-book, presumably so citizens will know it’s not just “a” university of the West Indies.) Mind you, there are several outstanding academics at the The UWI, but none of them actually got their PhDs there. However, the brilliance of the individuals who graduated from the St Augustine campus is clearly demonstrated by a Facebook post from the UWI Alumni Association, which last Tuesday said that it “stands with the University Administration in attesting to the probity, rectitude and academic rigour applied to the award of University of the West Indies degrees”.
This not only means that no lecturer ever helped his girlfriend write her PhD thesis, but also that the UWIAATT took just three days to find proof refuting the Sunday Express report which cited emails between officials of the School of Business (SOB) querying the award of an Executive Masters in Business Administration to House Speaker Wade Mark. Moreover, the alumni’s evidence refuting the news article was so irrefutable that they didn’t even bother to post it in their post.
Additionally, the The UWI’s own statement assured that “The university remains committed to maintaining the high standards which we have established over more than 65 years of service to the region”, which means that it accepted programme director Brian Ghent’s resignation because he must not represent high professional standards and ethical principles, whereas the SOB’s executive director Miguel Carrillo, who granted Mr Mark’s request to do his exam alone without even asking for a reason, does. Unless, of course, by “high standards”, the The UWI meant some other kind of high.
All of which explains why I have never become a respected intellectual. Apart from having a BA from the The UWI myself, I know that my opinions carry no weight with people who matter because, although I’ve been a journalist for over 20 years, I’ve never been offered an exclusive interview, an SUV or sex.

However, I have been able to identify my shortcomings with the assistance of SOB executive director, Express columnist, Independent Senator, and anti-secularist Dr Rolph Balgobin. You see, in the emails published by the Express, lecturer Balraj Kristow says he consulted Dr Balgobin on the Mark matter but, when the Express asked Dr Balgobin about it, he replied, “I don’t know anything about that at all.” This, obviously, is the right approach if you want to be respected in T&T, since Balgobin in an Express column wrote that “We want change and call for change, but the change we want is required of somebody else, not us.” I had foolishly read this as criticism, rather than advice.
So I realise now that I have failed as a commentator because of what Dr Balgobin describes as my “ignorant secular logic”. I love knowledge and, even worse, love to share knowledge. Indeed, I have spent over 20 years writing what I believe and, even more dotishly, living by those beliefs. Which only works in this place if you believe in God, socialism, and KFC. I only hope I can follow the example set by the The UWI and Wade Mark so I can become smart enough to top a class in a course I failed twice before.
Maybe then I’ll finally be a respected intellectual.

kevin.baldeosingh@zoho.com

[eliteauto]

I hope there is a flood of requests for similar "accommodations" by others pursuing degrees and I hope that should any be denied they sue The UWI or ALJSOB

[nemisis]

I hope there is a flood of requests for similar "accommodations" by others pursuing degrees and I hope that should any be denied they sue The UWI or ALJSOB

these accommodations to anyone who completed a uwi degree can be seen as the university bending backwards to facilitate the student..... And any uwi student who don't have "pull" knows that uwi doesn't bend over they expect you too and will go as far as to tell you bite the pillow.

[rfari]

ah man see the web

UPSET OVER MARK
Sport Minister writes Mark seeking answers on degree

By BY Anna Ramdass anna.ramdass@trinidadexpress.com
Story Created: Nov 30, 2013 at 10:57 PM ECT
Story Updated: Nov 30, 2013 at 11:20 PM ECT
Sport Minister Anil Roberts boycotted the Parliament sitting last Friday, taking issue with the controversy surrounding House Speaker Wade Mark and his Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree.
Roberts wrote to Mark, requesting leave of absence from the House, stating his “mind, spirit and very being” were not settled over the issue and called on the House Speaker to provide clari­fi­cation.
Roberts, the Member of Parliament (MP) for D’Abadie/O’Meara who sits on the back benches of Parliament, close to the Speaker’s chair, was absent from the sitting at Tower D, Inter­national Waterfront Centre, Port of Spain, which started at 1.30 p.m. and adjourned at 4.30 p.m.
The Sunday Express exclusively reported last week that programme director at the Arthur Lok Jack Gra­du­ate School of Business (GSB) Brian Ghent had tendered his resignation over the awarding of the EMBA to Mark.
The source of contention was
that Mark did not fulfil the requi­rements to obtain the degree and
concessions were made to accom­modate him, and he was allowed to graduate on October 25.
Mark has maintained he never used his office to gain any special concession from The University of the West Indies (UWI) and he completed all the coursework required to attain his EMBA.
However, Roberts was uncon­vinced and offi­cially wrote to Mark, seeking answers.
In the letter dated November 29, Roberts stated he was writing with a “heavy heart” and has stressed he had the utmost respect for Mark.
“Being a swim coach of some me­rit, I have for 21 years taught my athletes that it is hon­ourable to have tried wholeheartedly and have failed rather than to seek con­cessions, short­cuts or artificial enhancement to achieve set goals, whatever they may be,” stated Roberts.
He said he did not automatically believe media reports and therefore needed Mark to clarify certain questions.
Roberts indicated Mark could respond either publicly or privately to his concerns.
He questioned whether Mark sought any concessions from the GSB to obtain his degree.
“Did you at any time seek any concession whatsoever from the hierarchy of the Arthur Lok Jack School of Business while you so hon­ourably and inspirationally attempted to fur­ther your education, qualification and letters?” asked Roberts, adding if so, what were they (concessions) and why.
Mark has never said conces­sions were made for him to achieve his degree.
He has not responded to Rob­erts’ letter as yet, the Sunday Express was told.
UWI principal Prof Clement San­kat, GSB executive director Miguel Carrillo and dean of the Fa­culty of Social Science Errol Simms told the Express in an inter­view that concessions were made for Mark.
They had said Mark was allowed to sit in a room by himself to complete his final EMBA degree exam because he may have been anxious and he was also given private tutoring.
In his letter, Roberts further que­­ried whether Mark used the letter­head of the Speaker of the House of Rep­resentatives for his personal use in com­municating with school officials.
“At any time while communicating with staff members, professors or administrators at the Arthur Lok Jack School of Business in your private capacity as a student, did you have cause to utilise the letterhead, stationary, insignia, or any other symbol of the most esteemed high public office which you now hold and have held for the past three and a half years?” stated the letter.
The Express has docu­ments showing Mark used the official Parliament letterhead when he com­municated with officials of GSB.
Roberts emphasised his concerns were not meant as a form of disrespect and it was in fact because of his deep­est respect for the office which Mark holds and for Mark himself that he requests clarification on these matters.
“I do so not to jeopardise, in any form or fashion, the reverence with which I currently look upon you as the judge in the highest court of our beloved land. I sincerely hope that you find it within yourself to accede to my humble, respectful request for clarification on these matters. You are my “coach” and I am your “athlete” and, thus, I need to b e guided accordingly,” stated Roberts.
“Honourable Speaker, I therefore humbly request your leave to absent myself from today’s sitting of the most Honourable House of Parlia­ment as my mind, spirit and very being are not at this time settled enough for me to take part in the manner expected through convention, practice and history of our beloved Parliament, which you have so strenuously and steadfastly upheld, prescribed and maintained over the past three and a half years,” he added.
Although Roberts requested leave of absence from the House, at no time during the sitting was this raised by Mark.
At the beginning of the sitting, Mark an­nounced leave was reques­ted from Tobago East MP Vernella Alleyne-Toppin and later on before the adjournment of the House, Mark stated he had received communication from Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bis­sessar for leave of absence from Friday’s sitting.
Contacted yesterday by phone and asked why he was absent from Friday’s Parliament sitting, Roberts responded: “I am in the country. I am in perfect health.”
Asked whether he had written to Mark, requesting leave of absence from the House, Roberts confirmed he did.
Pressed on the details of the letter and his request for clarification from Mark, with respect to his EMBA, Roberts said: “I have no comment to make on that. The content of the letter is private and confidential.”
Roberts refused to divulge any infor­mation when questioned further by the Express.
Roberts chose to boycott the Parlia­ment sitting on Friday where a private motion by Point Fortin MP Paula Gopee-Scoon was debated which called for the construction of the Point Fortin hospital.
The Sport Minister, in the compa­ny of his fiancee, Shandell Nicholls, opted to spend his Friday at the Hase­ly Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain where they took in the Intercol games.
Efforts to contact both Mark and Leader of Government Business Dr Roo­dal Moonilal for comment proved futile yesterday as calls to their cellphones went unanswered.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/Uns ... 52831.html

[zoom rader]

Duncy head PNM ppl, No wonder why the Public service is in a mess

Lalla in the middle

Former PSC chairman writes about conflicts at public bodies




Story Created: Nov 30, 2013 at 11:46 PM ECT
(
Story Updated: Nov 30, 2013 at 11:49 PM ECT )

The Public Service and Service Commissions
Kenneth R Lalla
This book is primarily about legal issues affecting public bodies in Trinidad and Tobago. Which, you might think, means only legal officials would read it. But the book is also, secondarily, a history of conflicts between citizens and the government and, as such, it is relevant to anyone who is concerned with how this society is governed.
This is especially so since the author used to be the chairman of the Public Service Commission, the Police Service Commission, and a member of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission. As such, Kenneth Lalla has unique access to, and insights into, the body of legal decisions which have shaped these important commissions, and the Public Service in general, over the past two decades.
This is well illustrated by one case which brought the Prime Minister and the President into conflict with the PSC. A civil servant whom Lalla designates ‘RR’ was recommended for the post of permanent secretary in the Ministry of Finance, approved by the PSC under one Prime Minister but, before he could be officially appointed, a new Prime Minister was elected who objected to RR’s promotion.
Lalla argues that “While the rationale underlying the vesting in the Prime Minister of a power to veto such appointments is clearly to afford the Government of the day the quality and calibre of managers of its choice to implement and administer its policies effectively and efficiently...since such appointments can only be made if the Prime Minister were to signify his ‘no objection’ it is obvious that the appointments would indeed be political in substance.”
Lalla does not call names, but he does provide dates. (This reviewer was unable to find a list of Public Service heads and PSC chairmen, which should be a standard matter of public record, on any Web page.) The issue began in November 1991, when Arthur NR Robinson was Prime Minister. The head of the Public Service, John Andrews, told the PSC that Robinson had no objection to RR’s promotion “subject to satisfactory security vetting”. But then the election was held in December and Patrick Manning was elected Prime Minister, and RR was promoted retroactively. But Manning objected to this, arguing that he had not been consulted, and obtaining a legal opinion from the Solicitor General to support his argument that the PSC could not legally promote RR. The PSC, then chaired by Lalla, rejected the SG’s opinion, noting that Robinson had had no objection and that the caveat of a security vetting was one which no PM had any legal authority to make.
At this point President Noor Hassanali became involved when Manning complained to him about the PSC. Hassanali told Lalla that the PSC, like the President, was bound by the SG’s advice, to which Lalla replied that the commission, unlike the President, was constitutionally independent of the executive. He also offered Hassanali his resignation, but was refused.
There are several such cases in the book, although the rest involve officials in lower offices. Lalla writes about a 1992 case when the Works and Transport Minister attempted to appoint a police officer as Transport Commissioner after the sudden resignation of the person occupying that post. The Public Services Association objected to this, and the PS defended the Minister (Colm Imbert) but Lalla writes: “As a public officer and Head of the Ministry, he knew and ought therefore to have advised the Minister that he (the Minister) had no authority, expressed or implied, to appoint anyone...”
About the civil service in general, Lalla says: “While it is traditionally expected for Civil Servants to serve the government of the day with honesty, integrity and political impartiality, historical facts and empirical evidence have established the contrary. Indeed there is positive and incontrovertible evidence in support of the findings that civil service managers have been found to be guilty of manifest bias and partiality towards ministers of another political party forming the government.”
Much of the book deals with the vexed issue of promotions within the Public Service. Lalla lists cases which, in sum, reveal how little meritocratic standards apply in Trinidad and Tobago. He notes cases where one individual whose highest educational qualification was a diploma was appointed as Director of Physical Education, even though the post legally required at least a Bachelor’s degree. Another similarly under-qualified individual was illegally appointed Deputy Director of Civil Aviation. Some people who had Master’s degrees were promoted to posts not requiring a post-graduate degree, while others were denied on the basis that their MSc was irrelevant. The book also shows how slowly reform takes place in T&T. For example, the Promotions Advisory Board, which used to decide promotions for police officers based mainly on interviews, was abolished in 1995 at the behest of the PSC. But officers had been complaining about the PAB since 1968 in the Darby Report, saying it was discriminatory and even corrupt. Similarly, it was only 22 years ago that the courts ruled that employees in the Public Service should have access to their performance appraisals.
Lalla also takes previous commission boards to task, because they also used interviews as a basis for promotions, a process which he describes as “in breach of or contrary to the principles laid down in regulations...totally inadequate, superficial and fraught with suspicion of favoritism [sic], discrimination and partiality.” He also cites a 1994 case involving the Teaching Service Commission, which kowtowed to the Presbyterian Board in rejecting an applicant for the position of primary school principal – a decision which the court found illegal with the judge noting that “I do not think that the law prescribes for the Church policy to dominate and take precedence over the laws of the country which apply to all citizens.”
Many of the cases cited by Lalla continue to have relevance to new issues. In the recent brouhaha where the Integrity Commission apologised to Attorney General Anand Ramlogan for not informing him that he was under investigation and then later said it had no obligation to do so, the case of Beetham vs Trinidad Cement Ltd provides the precedent. Lalla notes, “A person or body empowered or required to conduct a preliminary investigation with a view to recommending or deciding whether a formal enquiry or hearing may take place...is not normally under any obligation to comply with the rules of natural justice.” (Natural justice, simply put, is the right of an accused to respond to their accuser.)
As with almost all self-published books, Lalla’s text suffers from spelling, punctuation and grammar errors. There are also several repeated sections. Nonetheless, Lalla has done what few officials in T&T ever do—record their expertise and experience in book form. This is an important record of T&T jurisprudence, history, and politics from a man who was in the midst of many of the events dealt with.

[triniwhiteboi]

I feel more sorry for the people who think that a degree from Lok Jack is actually a big deal even if obtained via the proper means.

Seriously, are we really going and beat up over a degree that could probably take you Guyana for the farthest?

[rfari]

Wade mark was no-show last night for lok jack grad last night. Good move

[AllTrac]

I feel more sorry for the people who think that a degree from Lok Jack is actually a big deal even if obtained via the proper means.

Seriously, are we really going and beat up over a degree that could probably take you Guyana for the farthest?

THIS!!!!

[DFC]

Lok jack involved in the juice too.

[bluefete]

Wade mark was no-show last night for lok jack grad last night. Good move

HUH????


House Speaker Wade Mark, left, is congratulated by University of the West Indies (UWI ) Chancellor George Alleyne after he received his Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree on October 26, at the graduation ceremony at UWI Spec, St Augustine

[rfari]

That was the uwi grad in october. Last night was lok jack grad in hyatt.

Yeah .All dat tuh say i went hyatt. f*q

[zoom rader]

That was the uwi grad in october. Last night was lok jack grad in hyatt.

Yeah .All dat tuh say i went hyatt. f*q

being a waiter does not count

[bluefete]

That was the uwi grad in october. Last night was lok jack grad in hyatt.

Yeah .All dat tuh say i went hyatt. f*q

Congratulations!!!

[pioneer]

I feel more sorry for the people who think that a degree from Lok Jack is actually a big deal even if obtained via the proper means.

Seriously, are we really going and beat up over a degree that could probably take you Guyana for the farthest?

THIS!!!!

x2

[rfari]

That was the uwi grad in october. Last night was lok jack grad in hyatt.

Yeah .All dat tuh say i went hyatt. f*q

being a waiter does not count

yeah. True

That was the uwi grad in october. Last night was lok jack grad in hyatt.

Yeah .All dat tuh say i went hyatt. f*q

Congratulations!!!

Wife