On January 25, MATT president Ira Mathur wrote to the UTT regarding the gender composition of the UTT Panel on Managing the Democracy of Media and Information Dissemination.

That query follows…

While I am sure it was not the intention of the UTT to practice gender discrimination in the composition of its panel on the Democracy of Media and Information Dissemination, the choice of an all-male panel for the discussion is causing serious concern among members of MATT, which represents a body of journalists which is equitably divided between men and women.Can you offer any rationale for what is turning into a slight on the corps of women journalists and offer any remedy?

In response, Professor Prakash Persad UTT president has responded as follows…

“I wish to advise that the panel discussion was expertly moderated by the experienced Ms. Franka Philip and as such, UTT is not of the view that there was any gender discrimination in practice or intent.”

Professor Persad has further offered MATT the university’s assistance in providing academic support and assistance in technical matters including, “Introductory webinars or lectures on technical issues.”

He noted by way of example that, “A case in point would be the challenges being faced at the highway extension at Mosquito Creek and the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Professor Persad’s full correspondence with MATT follows…

Letter dated February 3, 2022 to Ms Ira Mathur, MATTDownload