Dear Editor,
AND the plot thickens around Irfaan’s Ali’s academic qualifications. I can’t resist it. This is too sweet for Dr. Mark Devonish not to have a piece of. My critical analysis salivary glands are in overdrive.

Let’s start the comedy show with Dr. N.K. Gopaul, former Permanent Secretary under the PPP who penned a missive titled, “Mr. Irfaan Ali was qualified for the Master’s Degree programme”, which was published in the Stabroek News on 10th January. This missive created more questions than answers. So please permit me to ask the good doctor a few questions.
1. Irfaan Ali was not a holder of a first degree prior to undertaking this master’s in 2002. How was he qualified to pursue this master’s?
2. Was this ITEC scholarship publicly advertised? Was it open to all Guyanese?
3. What was the selection process for this scholarship?
4. If there was an interview, who was interviewed to make him the number one candidate? Were they all garbage collectors and cleaners?
Editor, how can we have a comedy show without the feral blaster and chief social media propagandist, Lady Priya Manickchand, who apparently took over from teenage heart-broken Kwame McKoy? She proudly displayed on her social media page a piece of useless document representing a post-graduate certificate achieved by one Mohamed Ali in February 2018 in Finance from Anglia Ruskin University. The lady of fire as usual failed to critically analyse the document and do a little research before she placed it on her Facebook page. Of course, me being the gentleman assisted her. I checked the university website,anglia.ac.uk, and discovered that to do a post-graduate certificate in Finance and Accounting, the basic entry requirement is a minimum of a bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance or business-related discipline, plus accounting and finance conversion course or another discipline, plus accounting and finance conversion course. Also, there is no post-graduate certificate in finance at the said university, so to give Irfaan Ali the benefit of the doubt I assume that the post-graduate certificate in finance is actually in finance and accounting. Also, the course is classroom-based and not online; but again, I will give Irfaan Ali the benefit of the doubt. Also, I checked the international alumni list from the said university and there was only one Guyanese alumnus in it’s entire history, since it’s existence from 1858. Because of strict data protection laws I cannot see the name and graduation year of that Guyanese Alumnus. I very much doubt it is Irfaan Ali, but I will give him the benefit of the doubt. The only Guyanese to ever graduate from that university in 161 years.

I knew that all along, a first degree is required to pursue a master’s since I did my master’s and postgraduate studies in the UK and I have lived in the UK long enough to understand the education system. Further, let me elaborate on the hierarchy of post-graduate qualifications. The lowest is post-graduate certificate, followed by post-graduate diploma followed by master’s then PHD. If our “President in waiting” already has a master’s, why then pursue a post-graduate certificate? It’s like having a degree from university then making retrograde steps to do CXC O’ levels in high school. It makes no academic sense. Also reviewing the exacting entry requirement of this master’s in finance and accounting course, the requirement of a first degree among other requirements, I am convinced that the post-graduate certificate in finance displayed on Priya Manickchand’s page in the name of Mohamed Ali is fraudulent and likely a criminal offence.

Then today’s Kaieteur News had me wetting my pants with laughter. A certificate from the University of Sunderland said that “Mohammed Ali was awarded the degree of Bachelor of Arts with second-class honours having followed an approved honors programme in business management.” This was in September 2006. Look at the different spelling of the first name. Come on mate, you already have a master’s. Why do a first degree? Also, he was doing this first degree while doing his master’s. An academic first. Anyway, Editor, you should know me by now. I have a keen eye and a “rude” mouth. Look carefully at that Sunderland University Certificate. I cannot find the university official seal on it. That is generally displayed on the bottom right. Not to mix up with the seal on the centre top.

Anyway, I investigated Sunderland University entry requirements for first degree at the website sunderland.ac.uk. What I found was revealing. First, this programme is for a duration of up to four years. Secondly, it is full time. Thirdly, based on what is indicated on the website, it is conducted in classroom and not online. I’m not surprised, most if not all undergraduate courses are classroom-based. Fourthly, the entry requirements are unique for each country. For Guyana, the minimum is a diploma in business management along with three ‘A’ levels at minimum Grade C, including maths. Irfaan Ali definitely does not have a diploma in business management. I cannot comment on his ‘A’levels achievements. I cannot recollect him leaving Guyana for overseas studies in the UK. I stand corrected. Finally, the course cost £11,500 per year or £46,000 in four years which is equivalent to G$10.4 million. That is beyond me as a medical consultant in the UK, but I’m quite sure that is a pittance for Irfaan. Let the reader draw their own conclusions. In my opinion this document is also fraudulent and likely a criminal offence.

Editor, you had enough? Sorry I have more for you. Irfaan Ali in Kaieteur News boasts that he submitted his dissertation for PHD last September 2018. My hands are shaking as I’m laughing. Let me remind you. He got his questionable post-graduate certificate in February 2018. Let’s ignore his master’s in 2002 because that makes no sense. Not that the postgraduate certificate makes any sense but let’s cut the guy some slack. Let’s assume he skipped postgraduate diploma and master’s and went straight to Phd, which is unlikely. A Phd takes at least four years of intense full-time research and studies. Irfaan Ali was either a government minister or an opposition MP during the last four years. Therefore, it could not have been full-time, hence part time, if available, was his only option. That would take about eight years. Anyway, Einstein-like Irfaan Ali did not need eight years. He did his Phd in seven months. Putting Dr. Ashni Singh, the Guyana scholar to shame. Brilliant!!

Also when a Phd dissertation is submitted it needs to be defended in front of an academic panel. Apparently, Guyana’s new doctor in waiting need not defend his dissertation since it is so earth shattering, paradigm shifting and ground-breaking that the panel exempted him from the dreaded viva.

And here we have it for Irfaan Ali. Fake Professor. Fake University. Fake leadership. To complete his CV for PPP presidential candidate, he only now needs a fake marriage. The Champion of the Earth can give him some tips on that.
I’m out. I’ve caused enough trouble.

Regards,
Dr. Mark Devonish MBBS MSc MRCP (UK) FRCP (Edin)
Consultant Acute Medicine
Nottingham University Hospital, UK