Minister Ferguson says applied for scholarship like ‘any other Guyanese’
Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson, who is one of the ministers of the APNU+AFC government awarded with a fully funded government scholarship, says she applied like a normal person would have done. Minister of State Joseph Harmon was asked to provide a list of all the persons who were awarded government scholarships to the Committee of Supply of the National Assembly last week.
The list showed that Ferguson and Minister within the Ministry of Education Nicolette Henry were awarded scholarships which are valued at $3.3 million each for this year.
Observers have questioned why two ministers, who were already drawing hefty salaries every month, were awarded scholarships.
When asked about the criticism, Ferguson said, “Personally I would’ve went through the procedure. I applied and my application was successful and I was granted. So, to say that you’re a minister and you should not have been granted a scholarship. I never made the decision so whomever was responsible for the approval I think would be best suited to give the response.”
She emphasized that she followed the process “like any other Guyanese” and was accepted at a university based on her credentials. “I was granted an approval by the Government of Guyana,” she asserted.
When questioned how she was made aware of the scholarship, Ferguson explained that she applied after seeing an advertisement. “It was advertised and I followed the advertisement,” she said.