News Releases

The UWI & Cropper Foundation launch project tackling the abuse of Remand Prisoners

For Release Upon Receipt - April 14, 2022

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. Thursday 14 April 2022 – On April 21, 2022, The University of the West Indies (The UWI), through its International Human Rights Clinic at the Faculty of Law, and partner, the Cropper Foundation, will officially launch the project, Addressing Human Rights Abuses of Remand Prisoners with Special Emphasis on Domestic Violence Murder Cases, funded by the European Union Delegation to Trinidad and Tobago. The launch and expert panel discussion will take place via the Zoom Platform from 4:00p.m. - 6:30p.m.  

This project targets both path-breaking litigation, in the form of a constitutional challenge, already initiated, to the remand system which results in undue delay, as well as training and life-skills for remandees. For the life-skills component, The UWI is partnering with the Cropper Foundation. It will also involve non-governmental organisations working in the criminal justice system. The project aims to propel positive change to the law, legal policy and prosecution practice on the remand system in Trinidad and Tobago, bringing them in line with international human rights standards. The project also includes a focus on female murder accused who were victims of domestic violence, bringing a special dimension to the issue of remand injustice.  

The project began in November 2020 and has already been successful in the filing of a Constitutional Motion, viz., Anthony Albert et al v The Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago, under the direction of the Project Lead and Attorney, Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine and attorney Mr. Gregory Delzin, Trinity Chambers. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic which has caused the closure of most sectors and further delay in the courts, this landmark litigation continued through the High Court, aiming to defend the rights of persons suffering under what is contended, and where persons languish for as much as 21 years awaiting trial. 

The Official Launch will feature remarks from H.E. Peter Cavendish, Ambassador and Head, Delegation of the European Union to Trinidad and Tobago; Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, The UWI, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Graduate Studies and Research, and Project Lead; Professor Raphael Heffron, Dean, Faculty of Law, The UWI, St. Augustine Campus; and Mr. Omar Mohammed, Chief Executive Officer, The Cropper Foundation. The Panel Discussion will comprise Panellists Ms. Debbie Jacob (award winning journalist and activist); Ms. Sophia Chote, S.C. (President LATT); Mr. Gerard Wilson (Former Commissioner of Prisons); Ms. Jennelle Corraspe (attorney); Mr. David Mohammed (activist); and Mr. Nicholas Ali (former remandee). 

The public is invited to register for the project’s Launch and Panel Discussion on Thursday 21 April from 4:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. by visiting the Action’s Facebook page at ‘Strengthening Human Rights in T&T’ at www.facebook.com/humanrightsadvocacyuwi or by registering here: https://bit.ly/humanrightsabuses.  

For more information on the UWI EU-funded project, Addressing Human Rights Abuses of Remand Prisoners with Special Emphasis on Domestic Violence Murder Cases, please e-mail humanrightsadvocacyuwi@gmail.com or the ThePVCResearch@sta.uwi.edu  

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About The University of the West Indies  

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region.  

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global 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 its Open Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.  

The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world. 

The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). In the latest World University Rankings 2022, released in September 2021, The UWI moved up an impressive 94 places from last year. In the current global field of some 30,000 universities and elite research institutes, The UWI stands among the top 1.5%. 

The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean, it is also in the top 20 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action. 

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”)

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