As we wrap up a jam-packed year of anniversary celebrations, which included grand opening gala concerts, gala fund-raising dinners, convocation and gathering of graduates, special commemorative stamps, postcards, directory covers, in-flight airline segments and special publications like 60 under 60; we thank you for heeding the call to ‘come celebrate with us’. Please continue to send us your comments about The Pelican by mail, fax and email.
Thank you ever so much for sharing with me a copy of the University’s Magazine, The Pelican, which features 60 of your best academics under the age of 60. It is a most fitting way to celebrate The University of the West Indies 60th Anniversary and at the same time, to show to the West Indies and the international community, the high standard of work that is being done in the region.
I am sure that it was very difficult to select the final 60 from the many nominations received and there are many, many more that could be included in this issue. We in the British Virgin Islands are very proud of those graduates who have returned from The University of the West Indies and are helping to develop the territory educationally, socially, economically, legally and in many other ways. I assure you of my Government’s support as you continue to train our people.
Again, thank you very much for this issue of The Pelican.
Yours sincerely,
Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE
Premier
British Virgin Islands
Forging relationships in the future
Thank you for your letter dated 18 July 2008 enclosing a copy of the University’s Magazine, The Pelican.
I look forward to forging the Bermuda-University of the West Indies relationship in the future.
Once again, thank you for thinking of me in this way.
Regards,
Dr. the Hon. Ewart F. Brown, JP, MP
Premier
Bermuda
Pelican warmly welcomes Bermuda to the UWI family, as the newest UWI contributing member country.
International recognition
Many thanks for sending me a copy of the publication 60 under 60, which was published to commemorate the University’s 60th Anniversary. It is an elegant volume which is done in the finest taste. I congratulate you on this effort. I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate you and your staff for the awards you have recently received. International recognition such as this can only be most beneficial to the University.
Yours sincerely
Hazel Simmons-McDonald
Pro-Vice Chancellor and Principal
UWI Open Campus
In the interest of accuracy
May I extend my congratulations on producing another crisp, well designed and informative issue.
The article and accompanying photos “The First Faculty” triggered a flood of memories which are indelibly imprinted on my mind. How can I forget arriving in 1949 at Palisadoes Airport, Jamaica and being taken by truck to Hut 21, Gibraltar Hall (no lights) on the Mona Campus of the University College of the West Indies?
In the interest of accuracy and for the record, I wish to offer these corrections:
1948-1957: Michael Woo Ming, one of the pioneers, is distinguished for his work as a cardiothoracic surgeon (he was the first Professor in this discipline at UWI), not in education.
1958-1967: The Tropical Metabolism Research Unit (TMRU) was established by the Medical Research Council, London on the Mona Campus in 1956 and only became a part of the UWI in 1970 when it was handed over to UWI with Dr. David Picou as the first UWI graduate to be Head and later Director, TRMU and Professor of Experimental Medicine. Research on veno-occlusive disease was not done at TMRU, but at UCWI by KL Stuart, G Bras, DB Jelliffe et al and first published in 1954.
“Tropical Research Viral Laboratory (later CAREC)…” should be Trinidad Regional Virus Laboratory (TRVL) which was established by the Rockefeller Foundation in Trinidad in 1952 and became affiliated with the UWI in 1961 when TRVL moved into quarters at Federation Park that housed the Colonial Microbiological Research Institute.
1988-1997: “The Eric Williams Sciences Complex came into being. The new School…”This bald statement conceals the innovative design and planning that blended economic use of space by several different disciplines (medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, nursing and pharmacy) at a single site under the direction of Professor David Picou who was Chairman and Project Manager of the Mount Hope Medical Complex Task Force (1978-1986). It should not be referred to as a “School” but as a Faculty of Medical Sciences with several different professional Schools.
Finally, the sidebar on page 40, is unbalanced: it highlights graduates, some of distinction who worked outside the Caribbean and fails to mention some researchers of world renown whose work was accomplished in the Caribbean.
Yours sincerely,
David Picou BS MB BS PhD CMT
Emeritus Professor
Pelican wishes to thank Professor Picou for his corrections.
