Government to probe scholasrhip scandal

Community Development, Culture and Gender Affairs Minister, Marlene McDonald told Parliament Friday there would be an investigation into the secret scholarship list by her ministry.

It comes on the heels of a growing scandal over the list that the ministry was forced to hand over to Indo-Trinbago Equality Council (ITEC) when the organization went to court seeking it through the provisions of the Freedom to Information Act.

The government had refused to provide any information on the matter when the opposition requested details in Parliament a year ago, citing privacy matters.

The list shows an ethnic imbalance in the award of scholarships for tertiary education and several people whose names appear on the list as beneficiaries of large sums of money have stated that they never received one cent in assistance.

"Mr Speaker, I have noted the appearance of several articles in the media with persons disclaiming receipt of assistance from the ministry. I wish to assure this honourable House and the national community, that all such claims are being investigated by the ministry and all such persons are being asked to contact the ministry at their earliest convenience," McDonald said.

She said all those who received bursaries were in genuine need of the money and told the House none of them did anything wrong. "Stand proud! Stand tall! This Government will continue to serve you unwaveringly," McDonald declared as she defended her government and the awards.

She said several former and current Opposition MPs made written and verbal requests to the ministry seeking assistance for their constituents but didn't give details on whether anyone identified by those individuals were awarded scholarships.

And she again raised the issue of privacy on the basis of her initial refusal to supply information on the matter.

"Mr Speaker, none of those who sought financial assistance did so with the expectation that their personal circumstances would have been exposed for public ridicule," McDonald said.

She apologised, not for the fiasco, but to the people whose names have now been made public "and now find themselves and their families facing acute embarrassment through media exposure".