…President Granger ridicules Ali’s purported academic qualifications

PRESIDENT David Granger ridiculed the purported academic qualifications of the Presidential Candidate of the PPP/C, Irfaan Ali, jeering that these qualifications came from a “University of Uitvlugt” and a “University of Cumberland”.

The People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) is the biggest challenger to the incumbent A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) Coalition at the upcoming Regional and General Elections. Over the past few months, however, the credibility of the Ali’s qualifications has been called into question. It was alleged that a transcript issued by a school, identified as the Chamber Business School on the West Bank of Demerara (WBD), was used for his entry into a university in India, to pursue his Master Degree. It was subsequently reported, however, that the National Accreditation Council found no records of that WBD school’s existence.

While addressing the massive crowd at the D’Urban Park on Friday for the launch of the APNU+AFC elections campaign, President Granger said, “You know you’re dealing with honest people here. Nobody in my Cabinet ever went to the University of Uitvlugt… Nobody ever went to the University of Cumberland.”

His reference to the “University of Uitvlugt” was a clear reference to the non-existent WBD school. And cognisant of the controversy surrounding the qualifications of President Granger’s main political contender, the crowd joined the President in ridiculing Ali each time. President Granger also alluded to the presence of “fakes and frauds” in the PPP/C, while advancing that his government has been one that reflects transparency, particularly in managing Guyana’s resources.

While the controversy on the candidate’s academic qualification remains one which he shies away from when questioned repeatedly by members of the media, Ali received a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of the West Indies (UWI) last October. Similar to the President’s taunts at the candidate, leader of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan, criticised the PPP/C for having a candidate with “questionable” qualifications, at the campaign launch. Ramjattan gave full praises to President Granger, a candidate he deemed to be “Fit and Proper” for another term in office. And as he urged the supporters present at the D’Urban Park to vote for the coalition on March 2, he told them that their choice for their next president is simple: either they vote for President Granger, or for “an arrogant PPP government, led by Ali whose qualifications are questionable.”