April 8, 2025

In a ceremony that has garnered international attention, President Irfaan Ali of Guyana was recently bestowed with the Global Leadership Award for Open Innovation 2024 by the University of California, Berkeley. The accolade, presented at a prestigious event in Berkeley, California, recognizes leaders who have significantly advanced open innovation on a global scale.​

However, the honor has been overshadowed by longstanding questions regarding President Ali’s academic credentials. Reports have surfaced suggesting discrepancies in his educational history, notably concerning a bachelor’s degree purportedly obtained from the “Chamber Business School” on the West Bank of Demerara, Guyana—a school that investigative efforts have failed to substantiate.​Stabroek Newswhistleblowerguyana.org+4Stabroek News+4Stabroek News+4

In 2019, the Stabroek News reported that checks with Guyana’s National Accreditation Council revealed no records of the Chamber Business School’s existence. Further inquiries along the West Coast of Demerara yielded no evidence of the institution, with residents expressing unfamiliarity with the name. Joshua Safeek, who was the President of the West Demerara Chamber of Commerce at the time, claimed that the Chamber Business School was registered in 2001 and facilitated the education of over 200 students. However, these assertions have not been independently verified. ​Wikipedia+7Stabroek News+7Stabroek News+7

President Ali has consistently defended the authenticity of his qualifications. In a 2019 press conference, he stated, “​I have made all my certificates public, I stand by all my certificates.” He further emphasized his commitment to education, mentioning his ongoing pursuit of a PhD and an LLM in International Commercial Law. ​Kaieteur News+1News Source Guyana+1Stabroek News+1Stabroek News+1Stabroek News+2News Source Guyana+2guyana.crowdstack.io+2

Despite these assurances, critics have raised concerns about the timing and sequence of his degrees. Notably, allegations suggest that President Ali obtained a master’s degree before completing a bachelor’s, a deviation from conventional academic progression. Additionally, discrepancies in the spelling of his name across various certificates have fueled skepticism. ​Kaieteur News+1Kaieteur News+1Kaieteur News

The University of California, Berkeley, in conferring the Global Leadership Award, acknowledged President Ali’s contributions to open innovation, particularly in the context of developing nations. The institution has not publicly addressed the controversies surrounding his academic records.​

As President Ali continues his tenure, the debate over his educational background persists, prompting discussions about transparency and accountability among public officials. While the Global Leadership Award highlights his professional achievements, the unresolved questions about his qualifications serve as a reminder of the complexities leaders may face in their personal histories.

.