News Releases

Unlocking Williams's Legacy to create a New One

For Release Upon Receipt - October 19, 2023

St. Augustine


 

  [L-R] Distinguished Panellists: Ms. Diane Seukeran Former Member of Parliament for San Fernando West and Former Head of the South Trinidad Chamber of Commerce, Professor Bridget Brereton Emerita Professor of History (The UWI), Chancellor of The University of the West Indies Mr. Robert Bermudez, Professor Rhoda Reddock Professor of Emerita Gender, Social Change and Development at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of The UWI St Augustine Campus, Ms. Marina Salandy-Brown Bocas Lit Fest founder and Festival Director, Dr Aakeil Murray Lecturer History Department (The UWI) and Mr. Nirad Tewarie CEO AMCHAM T&T at the 75th Inaugural Panel Discussion.

 

St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. October 19, 2023- "Renaming our airport as the 'Dr. Eric Williams International Airport' would be a fitting tribute, shedding light on an untold story and providing inspiration for future generations." Such was the perspective of Dr. David Muhammad, Lecturer, Sociologist, Writer, Radio & TV Presenter, Director and founder of the Black Agenda Project and Kwame Ture Centre who advocated for the renaming of the airport in honour of Dr. Williams. He was among an impressive panel of distinguished speakers who participated in a discussion as part of The University of the West Indies’ (The UWI) ongoing 75th Anniversary celebrations. Held under the patronage of Mr. Robert Bermudez, Chancellor of The UWI, the event was entitled "Reflections on the Legacy of Eric Williams: Business and Development" and took place on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at the Dr. Eric Williams Memorial Library in Knox Street Port-of-Spain.

 Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of The UWI St. Augustine Campus, Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine, set the stage for an engaging conversation and emphasized Dr. Williams' profound influence across all aspects of society, particularly his focus on education and health as key drivers of development. Moderated by Emerita Professor Rhoda Reddock, the panel featured a distinguished group of leading business persons, economists, and academics who delved into the contemporary business landscape and its alignment with Dr. Williams' visionary ideals.

  By stressing that "As we celebrate 75 years as a university, it is imperative for us to reflect on the legacy of one who rarely was one of our most important architects." One of the other striking revelations of the evening was the call by Mr. Gregory Aboud, President, Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) for support for the agricultural sector and increasing black representation in business. He indicated, "One of the greatest disappointments of the great legacy of the brilliant man is that there are not enough black people in Business in Trinidad and Tobago" In fact, Mr. Aboud further purported that “there will be no greatness and no self-sufficiency and no improved quality of life for the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago without a proficient agricultural sector."

 Other panellists included Mr. Robert Bermudez, Chancellor, The UWI who acknowledged the challenge of defining a clear path forward 60 years after Dr. Williams' leadership. He urged for unity, stating, "Disagreements should not be allowed to destroy a society, certainly not one as multicultural as ours." Another distinguished panellist, Professor Bridget Brereton, Emerita Professor of History at The UWI highlighted the significance of heavy industries in Dr. Williams’ economic plans, saying, "If sugar symbolizes the bad past of colonialism, the Heavy Industries for him symbolized modernity and taking control of the economy." She highlighted Dr. Williams' foresight in recognizing that the oil boom revenues would not last and the need to invest in lasting benefits.

 Joining the discussion was Ms. Marina Salandy-Brown, Bocas Lit Fest Founder and Festival Director emphasized that democracy cannot thrive without an educated populace. She also acknowledged the challenges in realizing Dr. Williams' ambitious goals for education. Mr. Nirad Tewarie, CEO, AMCHAM T&T stressed the social responsibility of businesses in contributing to the betterment of society and the need for collaboration between the private sector and government for industrialization and economic growth.

 Dr. Aakeil Murray, Lecturer, History Department at The UWI highlighted the pivotal role of education in bridging human resource capital and economic progress, underscoring Dr. Williams' emphasis on educating the youth for national development. Ms. Diane Seukeran, Former Member of Parliament for San Fernando West and Former Head of the South Trinidad Chamber of Commerce praised Dr. Williams for breaking away from the colonial economic system and promoting business development through policies like import substitution and infrastructure development. She urged the private sector to collaborate with the government for the nation's development.

 Dr. Eric Williams, the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, held an indelible place in the history of The UWI. His contributions to academia, politics, and the region's socio-economic development remain immeasurable. The inaugural panel discussion not only celebrated the legacy of Dr. Eric Williams but also provided valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing Trinidad and Tobago in the contemporary business landscape. As Trinidad and Tobago moves forward, it can draw inspiration from Dr. Williams' visionary ideals to address new challenges and chart a path to a prosperous future.  

 The recording of the panel discussion can be viewed via The UWI St. Augustine YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9clOuOhw7k

End 

Ferdinand Ferreira Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (UTT), an author and veteran political commentator is greeted by Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of The UWI St Augustine Campus at the 75th Inaugural Panel Discussion

 

 [L-R] Chancellor of The University of the West Indies Mr. Robert Bermudez and fellow panellist Mr. Gregory Aboud President of the Downtown Owners and Merchants Association (DOMA) and Director of Jimmy Aboud Textiles at the 75th Inaugural Panel Discussion.

 

Attendees listen intently as discussions about Dr Eric Williams take place at the 75th Inaugural Panel Discussion.

 

 [L-R] Professor Rose-Marie Belle Antoine Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal of The UWI St Augustine Campus greets Ms. Diane Seukeran Former Member of Parliament for San Fernando West and Former Head of South Trinidad Chamber of Commerce at the 75th Inaugural Panel Discussion. 

 

 Professor Hamid Ghany, Former Director of the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute for Social and Economic Development (SALISES) and former Senior Lecturer in Political Science at The UWI St. Augustine poses a question to the panel at the 75th Inaugural Panel Discussion. 

 

 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 for the past 75 years.

 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 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). 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 in the World University Rankings, it is also in the top 25 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.

 2023 marks The UWI’s 75th anniversary. The Diamond jubilee milestone themed “UWI at 75. Rooted. Ready. Rising.” features initiatives purposely designed and aligned to reflect on the past, confront the present, and articulate plans for the future of the regional University.

 Learn more at www.uwi.edu

Contact