Ministry of Public Admin not ready yet

I received an Additional National Scholarship from the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, for being a Top Achiever in the subject area of Sociology, in the 2004 A’ Level examinations.

Now, one year later, I have begun pursuing my degree in Psychology at the University of the West Indies, (UWI) St Augustine. However, much to my dismay and displeasure, the Scholarship Department at the Ministry of Public Administration and Information, is not yet "quite" ready to give out the financial assistance needed for the purchasing of books and other essential materials, for the 2004 Top Achievers of Trinidad and Tobago.

Therefore, I am forced to ask that if Discipline, Tolerance and Production are our nation’s watchwords, where does this Department’s priority lie? Where is their Discipline in getting their job done and ensuring that now, one year later, scholarship winners of 2004 can easily access all of our funds that we so rightly earned and deserved? Where is their Tolerance, in giving me a much better response than this one; "We don’t have no money to pay out de cheques yet (double negatives were quoted in such an informal manner, that I had to wonder if this was the Ministry that provides Information!) They looking for money!" This response I received personally from the Supervisor in charge of dealing with Scholarship matters. Lastly, where is this Department’s Production, in ensuring that cheques for personal allowances are paid at the beginning of every month and not the end?

My disgust extends to the Ministry because of their lack of concern and consideration shown towards such Achievers like myself, who may be studying both abroad and locally. I hope to show them that they need to do their job more efficiently and effectively, and hopefully much sooner than the two (2) or three (3) week period that I was told to wait on. After all, it has been a whole year already, should things not be in place for us?

I ask painstakingly; "Where does our Nation’s Pride and Priorities Lie?" my guess after finding out about such inefficiencies of this Ministry, is that it does not lie in the young people of our nation, who are striving, aspiring and becoming more successful. Please, the Administrative of the Scholarship Department of the Ministry of Public Administration and Information, help to prove my assumptions wrong!

KEISHA SEALY

Belmont