Brig Joseph: Adanna got no govt schol

Brigadier Peter Joseph has said that his daughter Adanna had applied on her own for scholarship assistance from the previous PNM government, but was unsuccessful. But the Government yesterday noted that Adanna Joseph had written directly to former prime minister Patrick Manning in 2004, seeking scholarship assistance and had listed “Brigadier Peter Joseph” as her father on her scholarship application form. Joseph, the former head of the Special Anti-Crime Unit (Sautt) yesterday issued a statement on the issue after Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar spoke about his daughter’s scholarship application during Monday’s 2012 budget debate.

Speaking about the $45 million scholarship programme under the then PNM administration, Persad-Bissessar had cited a July 2011 report done by the Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) which found substantial breaches of the EOC act in the scholarship programme. Persad-Bissessar had read out part of an application from Brigadier Joseph’s daughter, Adanna, who she said received $25,600 in 2004 to pursue a BA at Mount Saint Vincent University. Persad-Bissessar claimed an additional note was penned by Manning saying: “Does not qualify under needy. However, some assistance is recommended.”

The Prime Minister had displayed another scholarship application copy to then minister Joan Yuille-Williams. She claimed Manning had written at the top of that application: “Please handle this quietly.” Persad-Bissessar said a forensic audit would be carried out into the award of scholarships under the former government and that the EOC report would be sent to the Integrity Commission and the Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration and determination. Quoting the EOC report, Persad-Bissessar said scholarships were not awarded on a needs basis but on the basis of recommendations from ministers, including Manning. She had also echoed an earlier statement by Manning that “jail was not nice....” 

Yesterday, Adanna Joseph’s father Brigadier Joseph of the now defunct Sautt unit—which the PP Government terminated—however, said: “During the budget 2012 debate in Parliament on Monday, the Hon Prime Minister made a statement that my daughter Adanna Joseph received a scholarship valued $25,600 from the Ministry of Culture and Community Development. “I wish to state that my daughter did not receive an education grant from the Government through the Ministry of Culture and Community Development,” he said. “I state categorically that my daughter Adanna Joseph has never received an award of any kind for any purpose from the Government. “In 2004, Adanna Joseph on her own accord applied for a scholarship and was not successful...She was told that she did not qualify based on the criteria for an education grant.”

However, Minister Devant Maharaj who had headed investigations into the PNM government’s scholarship programme while he was head of Gopio in 2008-2009, insisted Joseph’s application brought into question whether there were influential links between the former PNM hierarchy and Sautt. Maharaj said the EOC report’s Item 46 noted there were instances where applicants were awarded grants, not based on financial need but on recommendations from then government ministers, and even Manning. The EOC report stated that some names were not provided to the commission by the ministry, but instead were found by EOC investigators upon their visit to the ministry.

As an example, the EOC report noted the issue concerning Adanna Joseph,  stating: “In 2004, Adanna Joseph received $25,600 to pursue a BA in  Public Relations Cooperative Education Route Programme at Mount Saint Vincent University. She is the daughter of Brigadier Peter Joseph. A note attached to the Interview sheet of the ministry stated the following, ‘Does not qualify under needy. However, some assistance is recommended.’” Additionally, attached to this  application form was a note from the then prime minister Patrick Manning on the Prime Minister’s official stationary with the words “Hon Joan Yuille- Williams. Please assist.”

The note also included what purported to be Manning’s signature and the date 04.10.24. One of Adanna Joseph’s documents on the issue also showed that Joseph wrote directly to Manning in an October 12, 2004, letter received by the Prime Minister’s office on October 26, 2004. In this, Joseph requested assistance to pay for a four-year course at a Canadian university at (CAN)$20,020 per year to obtain a degree. Another application document from the ministry for 2004 bursaries shows that under the column for “Social History” Joseph listed “Brigadier Peter Joseph” (sic) as her father plus other family details. Another of Joseph’s documents shows she was recommended by one S Belgrave. In the column for remarks was the sentence “Some assistance recommended” written by an unknown author.

Maharaj added: “This again raises the long-held suspicion that Sautt was a political tool of the past PNM administration since the EOC report indicates it seemed one could have received scholarships due to PNM connections.” Manning, declining comment on the issue yesterday, said: “Speak to my lawyers.” However, a PNM spokesman said it was normal for MPs to forward  requests for assistance which they received from people who were not their constituents to the relevant line minister.

Maharaj, though, yesterday signalled that the Government was moving swiftly to take action on the scholarship issue since certain regulations were breached. Maharaj wrote the Integrity Commission on Tuesday regarding the issue. He forwarded a copy of  the EOC’s report and breaches cited. He had written the Integrity Commission in December 2009, complaining about the scholarship awards.