(Trinidad Express) A 24-year-old girl with cerebral palsy has successfully overcome her physical challenges to graduate from the University of the West Indies (UWI) with a Bachelors of Science Degree.
Shamla Maharaj was diagnosed with the permanent physical condition seven months after birth but it did not stop her from driving herself across the stage set up at the UWI SPEC in St Augustine in her motorised wheelchair to collect her degree in Agribusiness Management yesterday.
The moment brought tears to mother’s eyes, after all, she “stayed up with her for three years” and even lived with her at Milner Hall “because there are things she cannot do for herself”.
“Oh gosh,” her mother Chandra Maharaj said, “I am excited, happy, I feel proud…when she applied to come (to UWI), we didn’t even think she would get through, we was not expecting anything, we just came because she wanted to, but then she get through and finished the degree in three years with everybody else”.
Following the graduation ceremony, Maharaj said her daughter went through all the normal schooling procedures and “nothing special was done for”.
In fact, Shamla is one of a handful of physically challenged people in Trinidad and Tobago who have successfully overcome the limitations associated with being physically disabled.
At the age of four, Shamla left her home in Barrackpore and attended the Princess Elizabeth Special School where she graduated as the Best Overall Student and was the automatic choice for valedictorian. She then attended Barrackpore Secondary Comprehensive School from 2000-2007 where she excelled at Mathematics, English, Geography, History, Sociology, Principles of Business and Principles of Accounts before going on to do the Cape “A” level exams in the areas of Geography, Sociology and History.
“While she was in primary school, teachers always gave her an A, when she went to the secondary school too, she always did well,” Maharaj said.
Speaking to the Express, a shaking, yet smiling Shamla said, “I am just proud of being who I am and what I have accomplished, so it feels good”.
Inundated with well-wishers, including former social development minister Dr Amery Browne, Shamla said she had already enrolled in the Masters Degree programme.
“When I finish that, I want to work, I want to definitely work and after some decent job experience I want to go on to my PhD, hopefully,” she said.
Also receiving an honorary doctorate at yesterday’s ceremony were Thomas Gatcliffe and the late Doddridge Alleyne.
Gatcliffe, a former businessman and chemist who held positions such as chairman of Angostura Ltd, Director of Caribbean Communications Network and Chairman of the Caribbean Association of Industry and Commerce, is also one of only six privileged people to know the secret formula of the world-famous Angostura Aromatic Bitters.
Alleyne, who recently passed away at the age of 83, gave 40 of those 83 years to the Public Service, serving as Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Petroleum and Mines and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Development.
Alleyne’s service also extended to the United Nations when he served as Petroleum Adviser to the Government of Kenya from 1980-1982. He was inducted into the Queen’s Royal College Hall of Honour in 2003 and received the Chaconia Gold Medal for long and Meritorious Service to Trinidad and Tobago.
