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STATEMENT: Tony had a highly developed and sophisticated humility and humanity

For Release Upon Receipt - August 26, 2020

UWI


 The following statement is issued by the Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles on the passing of the Honourable Antony Hart, OJ, CD, JP, LLD.

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) salutes one of the great sons of Jamaica, the Honourable Antony Hart, OJ, CD, JP, LLD. He was a legend of his time—a humanitarian, philanthropist, and visionary.  These attributes earned him two of Jamaica’s national honours, the Order of Jamaica and the Order of Distinction as well as an induction into the Hall of Fame of the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica. 

Each time I had the privilege of meeting with him, the immediate and lasting impression that focussed my mind was his warm, compassionate smile that reflected his highly developed and sophisticated humility and humanity.

He was credited for the establishment of the Montego Freeport, which laid the foundation for the emergence of the second city as the island's tourism capital and the commercial centre of Western Jamaica. His contribution to education was equally noteworthy and in 2017 The UWI was honoured to present him with a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa.

Among his humanitarian initiatives was his programme to computerise one local primary school each year to ensure the readiness of Jamaican students for the global labour market. He was also coordinator of the mentorship programme at The UWI Mona – Western Jamaica Campus and engaged a group of prominent business people and professionals who committed to sharing their time and expertise.

The UWI joins with Jamaica and the Caribbean in mourning the death of this outstanding entrepreneur, philanthropist and statesman. He was an extraordinary man.

 

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Note to the Editor

 

Photo Caption

UWI Chancellor Robert Bermudez (left) greets the Honourable Antony Hart after he was conferred with the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws.

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 for 2018, 2019 and 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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