(Trinidad Express) Programme director at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business (GSB) Brian Ghent has tendered his resignation over the awarding of the Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) to House Speaker Wade Mark.
The resignation letter which has been obtained by the Sunday Express is dated November 13 and addressed to the acting academic director, Dr Ron Sookram.
Ghent stated: “In keeping with several discussions we had, I believe it is important that I record here my deepest concern with the circumstances surrounding the award of the EMBA degree to Mr Wade Mark, as well as the subsequent responses to me since I raised the matter.”
Sources say that Ghent’s resignation comes on the heels of e-mails between top officials at the Mt Hope-based Lok Jack GSB which indicate that Mark did not fulfil all the requirements for his EMBA.
Despite this though, sources say Mark was allowed to graduate on October 26 after the GSB made several concessions to accommodate him.
School officials told the Sunday Express Mark did not do the course work component which consisted of a mid-term exam which accounted for ten per cent of the marks, a group project —25 per cent—and class participation of five per cent.
All of the other 22 students who took the programme had course work marks.
When contacted for comment last week, Ghent said:
“I am sorry but I have no comment, you need to contact the GSB on that,” he said.
The Sunday Express has in its possession copies of e-mail exchanges between executive director at the graduate school Miguel Carrillo, Ghent, learning assurance officer (EMBA and MBA SEM) Kavita Siewraj, lecturer and programme director Balraj Kistow, director of Academic Development Kamla Mungal and first examiner Howard Dottin.
Following Ghent’s resignation, sources say there are now queries by other senior officials as to how Mark was allowed to graduate without submitting any course work and instead given an oral examination in its place.
The e-mails suggest concessions were made by the graduate school to accommodate Mark, who in asking for leniency used the letterhead of the Parliament.
In fact, the correspondences showed that up until August 28, Mark did not have any course marks.
Contacted last Friday afternoon, Carrillo who is not in the country said: “Thank you for your call but all matters regarding students’ course work and grades are private.
What I can basically discuss with you are all procedures were followed according to the regulations of The University of the West Indies and by extension the Lok Jack Graduate School of Business. Mr Wade Mark passed his course work, Mr Mark passed the final exam, he passed the course and he graduated according to regulations.”
He added: “Mr Wade Mark passed the course work in previous exams and he passed the final exam and therefore we have a passing grade for him and that would be the outcome and the comment I can give to you.”
The Sunday Express on Friday afternoon also contacted Mark.
The Speaker maintained he never used his office to gain any special concession from The University of the West Indies.
“And you can verify that with the principal of UWI or the gentleman in charge of Arthur Lok Jack (Carrillo).
I completed all the course work required. I did my examination on August 13 and I did my oral on September 25, so I completed all the requirements to satisfy and I got a written correspondence from a lady known as Ms Steele and I graduated,” Mark said.
Asked whether he was aware of the concerns raised that he had not completed the required courses, Mark said no.
But Sunday Express sources say that a UWI official and a GSB official were the ones who advised that Mark be awarded the course work mark.
Lok Jack GSB director Dr Rolph Balgobin, who was contacted for comment last week, said he knew nothing about the issue.
“I don’t know anything about that at all, you should speak to Miguel Carrillo about that because it is an examinations matter. I can’t comment on that.”
Balgobin said he was not involved in the examinations process and does not even teach that course, “so I really have no idea about that. I have no formal authority to give approval for any such thing”.
He added: “The only person who can govern a course work exam is the first examiner, there is no one else who can do that.”
Kistow when contacted said he could give no comment because it involved student confidentiality.
“I will not be able to comment on that because it is a matter concerning a student. I will have to refer you back to the school where that is concerned,” he said.
Pressed further on his role in the facilitating of the concessions, Kistow insisted he could not comment on anything concerning the issue.
“I can’t make a comment at this point in time, the school will have the solution and I prefer if you take it from that end. I will be wrong to make a comment at this time, especially in a matter where a student is concerned,” he said.
The Sunday Express asked if Mark was granted the concessions because of the office he holds. Kistow declined comment.
Contacted for comment on the issue, Mungal directed all queries to Carrillo.
“I am not in a position to answer those questions. Anything in terms of special concessions comes through the executive director’s office so I think you really need to speak with him,” she said.
Efforts to contact Sankat for a comment were unsuccessful as the Sunday Express was told he was in a meeting and therefore unavailable.
A message was left at his office on Friday morning asking that he return the call urgently since a comment was needed with regard to questions about Mark’s degree.
Shortly after a representative from the Marketing and Communications department at UWI returned the call enquiring what the call was about.
Again, the Sunday Express expressed the urgent need to speak with Sankat directly.
However, up to press time he had not returned the call.
