Dear Editor,
Individuals with bogus degrees (and doctorates too) from universities without walls are being appointed to prominent positions. It also happened during preceding governments including the earlier stint of PPP. However, Dr. Cheddi and Janet Jagan and Desmond Hoyte and Forbes Burnham would not permit those frauds. Burnham, in particular, would not tolerate academic fraudsters and cherished engaging accomplished academics. What message is being sent to our youths and when bogus degrees are used to hire individuals in leading positions?
If they are without walls, how would these universities have classrooms and how can they train anyone in academia? Individuals simply pay them a fee of several thousand dollars and they print a doctorate certificate in your name. There several such universities in America and Europe.
For whatever reason, this administration seems to attract the worst characters to manage agencies. Some people compare it to an evil empire. The administration does not seem very interested in anyone who has outstanding character and is a model citizen and or have quality academic credentials. A set of fraudsters have been recruited or is looking for work. It is so shameful that bogus degree holders are being employed. One is being appointed as High Commissioner and the persons hired are not embarrassed. What message does this send to genuine degree holders or those pursuing certification in accredited universities or other tertiary institutions.
Some time ago, a bogus doctor headed GuySuCo. Another bogus degree holder is heading an investment agency. And there are others too. The position they hold or held don’t require a degree. Why the need to claim degrees you did not earn? Who are they trying to impress and fool? They are enjoying junkets and fooling investors and the globe that they are “doctors” when they hardly attended universities.
A doctorate requires several years of studies and one has to go through BA studies (four years), MA studies (two years), and PhD studies (two years) for not less than seven years of full time university attendance along with taking countless exams along the way. The degrees also mandate writing dozens of papers including writing a Masters thesis of not less than 100 pages and a PhD dissertation of not less than 250 pages (original work).
Bharrat Jagdeo and Yesu Persaud have received honorific degrees and are referred to as “doctors” but they did not earn PhDs and don’t claim so. They were awarded honorary degree for their contributions to society and are entitled to use their titles as “Dr”, but not those with bogus degrees. Whether it is the Singh’s or Ramchand or Ali’s or Persaud’s or Ramsaroop’s or Greene’s or Allen’s, it is wrong to mislead people about degrees and to use credentials not earned to get a government position.
Yours truly,
Calvin Braithwaite
