What a tangled web

THE EDITOR: It was most egregious of Tim Gopeesingh, to tell the nation that local medical students do not have to repay GATE monies. How much more dishonest does one have to be, to try and fool your followers?

Every tertiary level student who accesses GATE funding must sign a contract agreeing to repay their tuition, by working for a stipulated time period with the government or in TT.

Dr Gopeesingh knows this. He was a former minister of education in our country!

In 2016, D. Ryan Wellington, a former national scholarship winner, who did not return to TT after completing his studies in medicine in 2008, was ordered by High Court Judge Nadia Kangaloo, to repay over $3 million to the Government.

In that case, the court was told that a major part of government scholarship funds was spent on medical students and the state had suffered substantial losses because of their refusal to repay.

While on the topic of egregiousness, we must not forget the scathing response of the US Embassy to the TT Football Association President David John-Williams, as to why our Under-15 "Soca Princesses" failed to get visas to travel to the USA.

Applying for a US visa is a very rigorous process. Even if one is successful, your name must be sent to the US State Department and Department of Homeland Security before leaving TT. This allows them to screen undesirables. These processes take some time.

The US Embassy stated that the TTFA failed to properly plan, in advance, for the requisite visas. The football body "approached the Embassy about visas .. after (it) closed on Tuesday, July 31, to get their visas by Friday, August 3 with the Emancipation holiday in-between."

Is this how Mr John-Williams does his personal business? Now, our young football ladies have lost out on a great opportunity.

Where is your shame Mr David John-Williams?

The US Embassy statement could not be more Trinbagonian or more pointed in its conclusion, and it applies to both Dr Tim Gopeesingh and Mr David John-Williams:

"Don't let folks with cocoa in the sun mislead you."

Linus F Didier, Mt Hope