Independent Liberal Party (ILP) leader Jack Warner is sending a letter to Speaker Wade Mark today seeking an explanation on recent allegations about Mark’s Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree. Warner told the Guardian this yesterday. Warner said he believed People’s Partnership MP Anil Roberts’ reported boycott of the Parliament last Friday was based on an integrity stand after allegations concerning Mark’s UWI degree.
Roberts was absent from Parliament last Friday reportedly boycotting, after writing Mark that day expressing concern on the degree issue and seeking clarification on it. Roberts didn’t respond yesterday to text messages on whether he would attend the upcoming Lower House session. Warner said: “I myself am concerned by what I’ve read on the issue.” He does not plan to boycott Parliament, however. “I’ll write the Speaker tonight and send a letter to him tomorrow (today) asking for an explanation before I do anything else,” he said.
“I’ll give the Speaker a chance to explain what I’ve been reading as I need assurances from the Speaker that everything is above board. “I can’t feel comfortable if the Speaker is accused or guilty of what they allege he is.” PP House leader Roodal Moonilal did not reply to calls on Roberts’ action. PP deputy leader Suruj Rambachan said COP MP Roberts wasn’t in UNC’s caucus.
COP chairman Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan said she was not aware if Roberts had attended COP’s caucus and had no comment on whether she shared his concerns about the degree issue. PP MP Fuad Khan, however, said if he had had any problems with the issue he’d have spoken directly to the Speaker rather than writing. “I think the university has to be the one to come out and indicate there are certain things they do and we have to await any investigation and their vocalisation,” he said.
“But in the new age approach of education systems, UWI takes the decisions based on information they have and they decide exactly what their direction is.”
