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Dominica recognises Professor Sir Hilary Beckles with one of the country’s highest awards

For Release Upon Receipt - November 3, 2016

UWI


The Government of Dominica has conferred the country’s second highest state award – the Sisserou Award of Honour on Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles. The award was presented by President of the Commonwealth of Dominica, His Excellency Charles Angelo Savarin, at a ceremony earlier today, November 3, 2016; as part of Dominica’s 38th Independence celebrations.

 

The Sisserou Award of Honour, created in 1967, is named after the national bird, the Sisserou (imperial amazon/Amazona imperialis) – a parrot indigenous only to Dominica, particularly near the island’s rainforest.

 

In an official correspondence, Prime Minister of Dominica, the Honourable Roosevelt Skerrit stated, “The Government of Dominica has taken a decision to advise the President of Dominica to confer the Sisserou Award of Honour in recognition of your (Vice-Chancellor Beckles’) contribution to the Commonwealth of Dominica and the region in the field of education”.

 

In responding to the news of the award, Vice-Chancellor Beckles said, “This is an unexpected and extraordinary honour that gives me considerable personal satisfaction as an educator and much pride as Vice-Chancellor of The UWI. Serving the Caribbean people in both capacities is my principal objective and Dominica is one of my favourite societies in the world.  I am deeply moved by this recognition and I give thanks.”

 

Vice-Chancellor Beckles is among a total of six distinguished persons who received the Sisserou Award of Honour this year. Other awardees included: Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Ambassador Irwin LaRocque for his contribution to public service; Dr Curvin Ferreira, for his contribution to medicine; former Government Minister Julius Timothy, for his contribution to politics and business; Ms Jennifer Astaphan, for her contribution to public service and Mr Cecil Peter Shillingford, for his contribution in the field of disaster management.

 

End

 

Photo captions:

·       DSC 9198: President of the Commonwealth of Dominica, His Excellency Charles A. Savarin presents The UWI Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles with the Sisserou Award of Honour.

·       DSC 9244: Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of The UWI congratulates fellow awardee, Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, Secretary General of CARICOM, while Dr. Gerald Grell, former UWI Pro Vice-Chancellor looks on.

·       DSC 9254: Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of The UWI is flanked by Dr. Lennox Honychurch, UWI Open Campus Council member (left) and Dr. Gerald Grell, former UWI Pro Vice-Chancellor (right).

Photography credits: Charles James. 

Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, an Economic Historian, was installed as the 8th Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies (The UWI) on 30, May, 2015. Before assuming the office of Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Sir Hilary was Principal and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University’s Cave Hill Campus in Barbados for thirteen years (2002-2015). Sir Hilary is a distinguished university administrator, and transformational leader in higher education.

For his complete biography, visit:  http://www.uwi.edu/VCBiography.asp

 

About The UWI

Since its inception in 1948, The University of the West Indies (UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a full-fledged, regional University with well over 40,000 students. Today, UWI is the largest, most longstanding higher education provider in the Commonwealth Caribbean, with four campuses in Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Open Campus. The UWI has faculty and students from more than 40 countries and collaborative links with 160 universities globally; it offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Food & Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science & Technology and Social Sciences. UWI’s seven priority focal areas are linked closely to the priorities identified by CARICOM and take into account such over-arching areas of concern to the region as environmental issues, health and wellness, gender equity and the critical importance of innovation. Website: www.uwi.edu

 (Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)

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