Georgetown’s Town Clerk Carol Sooba has been given one year to complete her Law Degree at the University of Guyana (UG) or face expulsion from the institution.
Following the announcement of Sooba’ confirmation as Town Clerk, which prompted concerns over her lack of qualifications, it was revealed that she had been pursuing a Law Degree at UG since 2006.
But according to UG rules, all students pursuing the law programme are allotted a maximum of six years within which they are to finish the programme before commencing two years of additional studies at Trinidad’s Hugh Wooding Law School. If any law student or any other student at the university
is unable to complete the programme s/he is pursing in double the time period allotted for the programme, s/he is supposed to be expelled.
However, the university has been lax in enforcing this rule for some time. This was because much of the university’s filing was done manually. UG’s staff, as a result, were required to pore over hundreds of files to find such information.
However, the university has computerised many of its systems, including those that handle the profiles of its students. Now, after a few clicks of a mouse, a student’s entire academic record can be made available.
Using this new asset many students who have gone over their allotted time have been notified that they have one year to complete their programmes, including Sooba.
Stabroek News has learnt that at least two students in the Law Faculty, including Sooba, due to multiple failings and low grades, have gone over the allowed time and therefore meet the criteria for expulsion.
The students, however, are said to have challenged the decision, and a body was set up to mull the situation over. Eventually, it was decided that they would be given one year to complete the programme.
Despite what seems to be Sooba’s lack of academic qualifications, the Local Government Minister, responding to criticism on Sooba’s confirmation as Town Clerk, said that she was the best candidate based on the ministry’s criteria. The academic qualifications needed for the job, as laid down by the ministry, includes a Degree in Law, a Degree in Economics or Degree in Urban Planning, or a Degree in Public Management. Sooba, whose highest academic qualification is a Diploma in Personnel and Industrial Relations from the University of Guyana, was picked ahead of other applicants such as Paul Clark, who possesses a Post-Graduate Diploma in International Trade, a Bachelor’s Degree in Law, a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, a General Nursing Council Certificate in Industrial and Social Studies and an Insurance Association of Guyana Certificate. He is currently pursuing a Masters International Business Law.
