To Texas Governor Rick Perry

To Texas Governor Rick Perry:

The Coalition for the Reversal of Breast Cancer Mortality in African American Women (CRBCM) would like to approach you as the leader for the Texan Community to bring your attention to the fact that current conditions at CPRIT are not allowing this organization to fully complete its mission.   CPRIT is involved in a series of scandals depicted daily in Newspapers.  Frankly speaking, CPRIT's future and work cannot be continued under current management without endangering its potential.  CPRIT has grown nervous in deciding who gets grants.  This clearly makes it less likely to invest in low income and minority benefiting programs which in the eye of the public would be considered "riskier".   The bias is to pour money into the coffers of universities and Biotech companies which are  perceived as safer investments.  This severely compromises CPRIT foot print and the potential impact in the communities as small and minority corporations are excluded.

Despite the involvement of current management in CPRIT's birth, the CRBCM believes that the results of CPRIT will be covered with suspicions under current management.  Doubt has set in, and the journalists will not let go.  In fact, I truly believe that criminal investigation will soon kick in.  I am not an investigator.  But this mess should somewhere prompt the FBI to investigate this as there is a strong perception of  cronyism, and favoritism is rampant at CPRIT.  The bias for university funding and policy of favoritism to big biotech companies will soon have the Equal Opportunity Commission and Consumer Protection Agency to be involved.  This mess could be stopped by your intervention to remove or suggest a change of leadership at CPRIT.

The current CPRIT management is involved not only in shady deals, but the love of secrecy.  Why should a government Agency muzzle applicants to RFAs by claiming that the information they give them is privileged and can only be released to the public with CPRIT's authorization?  What is there to hide unless they are afraid it will reveal the poor quality of the work done at CPRIT?   As we speak, I went through the process.  What I got as review of my work is not at the high level claimed to characterize the reviewers.

CPRIT's management is a sinking ship because the attitude is wrong at CPRIT.  We need your leadership to weigh in and stop the drift before more money is wasted.  As a Coalition, we will continue to fight because the cause is too important.  We need to save lives and create jobs in El Paso.

Sincerely yours

Mutombo Kankonde, MD. MPh.
President
CRBCM