News Releases

Statement from Chancellor Robert Bermudez : Tribute to the late Rt. Honourable Owen Arthur

For Release Upon Receipt - July 29, 2020

UWI


The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica. Wednesday, July 29, 2020. The following statement is issued by Robert Bermudez, Chancellor of The University of the West Indies (The UWI), in tribute to the late Rt. Honourable Owen Arthur.

The Caribbean has lost a true champion of regional integration with the passing of the Rt. Hon Owen Arthur.  His leadership in operationalising the CARICOM Single Market is but one of his enduring legacies, and the region is the beneficiary of his commitment to getting that project underway. The UWI is proud of its distinguished alumnus, who was fearless and outspoken on issues of reticence by member countries of CARICOM to embrace closer integration and his voice in support of the full realisation of the dream of the founding fathers will be sorely missed.  

He will be fondly and respectfully remembered for his political acuity and skilful management of the affairs of his beloved Barbados both as Prime Minister and in Opposition.   

My sincere condolences are extended to his immediate family and the people of Barbados.  May he rest in peace.  

-End-

 

About Chancellor Robert Bermudez

Robert Bermudez is the 6th Chancellor of The University of the West Indies. His seven-year term officially began on July 16, 2017. A national of Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Bermudez has been an entrepreneur for over 40 years. He led the growth of his family-owned business, to a regional business throughout the Caribbean and Latin America and has enjoyed a distinguished career in business, serving as either Chairman or Board Director for several other corporate bodies in Trinidad and Tobago and the Caribbean. His vision for the University outlines a keen sense of the mission, effectiveness, relevance and interdependence of academia and the economy.

About The UWI

For over 70 years The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has provided service and leadership to the Caribbean region and wider world. The UWI has evolved from a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948 to an internationally respected, regional university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and an Open Campus. As part of its robust globalization agenda, The UWI has established partnering centres with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe including the State University of New York (SUNY)-UWI Center for Leadership and Sustainable Development; the Canada-Caribbean Institute with Brock University; the Strategic Alliance for Hemispheric Development with Universidad de los Andes (UNIANDES); The UWI-China Institute of Information Technology, the University of Lagos (UNILAG)-UWI Institute of African and Diaspora Studies; the Institute for Global African Affairs with the University of Johannesburg (UJ); The UWI-University of Havana Centre for Sustainable Development; The UWI-Coventry Institute for Industry-Academic Partnership with the University of Coventry and the Glasgow-Caribbean Centre for Development Research with the University of Glasgow.

The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Food & Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science & Technology, Social Sciences and Sport. 

As the region’s premier research academy, The UWI’s foremost objective is driving the growth and development of the regional economy. The world’s most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education, has ranked The UWI among the top 600 universities in the world for 2019 and 2020, and the 40 best universities in Latin America and the Caribbean in 2018 and 2019, then top 20 in 2020. The UWI has been the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists.  For more, visit 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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