News Releases

UWI Statement on Recent Social Media Posts by Former Guild President

For Release Upon Receipt - December 24, 2024

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. December 18, 2024 – The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus (The UWI) categorically refutes the recent allegations and insinuations contained in a publication entitled "The Pelican Press Issue 001" issued on December 14, 2024 on social media by Ms. Kirby Moses. Ms. Moses was a former Guild President who was recalled as Guild President by her fellow Guild Members at a Special General Meeting of the Student Guild held on September 13, 2024. However, Ms. Moses has continued to wage a campaign seeking to challenge her removal, including this publication. Information posted in her publication alleging, inter alia, the Campus's mismanagement of Guild funds and corrupt and fraudulent activities, is baseless and contradictory and contains misleading claims, untruths, false and defamatory statements, unfairly targeting members of the Campus community, including senior University officers and its students. 

While The UWI has oversight of the financial propriety of all of its organs, including the Student Guild, ordinarily, the Campus Administration refrains from intervening in matters pertaining to the Guild of Students, as it operates as an autonomous institution within The UWI’s governance framework. Notwithstanding, given the seriousness of Ms. Moses’ untrue allegations, the unauthorized recording and sharing of private conversations with University officers, photographs, confidential University materials and student data, and the targeted harassment of both staff and students, The UWI has determined it necessary to make a public statement on this matter. The matter has escalated to a point where it poses a threat to the reputation of The UWI and the well-being and safety of our Campus community, necessitating the Campus Administration’s action.  

The unauthorized recording and sharing of private conversations, photographs and other confidential and sensitive information constitutes a serious breach of privacy and ethical standards and the targeted harassment of staff and students of the University constitutes conduct actionable under law. Moreover, such actions undermine the principles of trust, respect, and mutual understanding that are central to The UWI’s core values. 

In light of these events, we strongly urge all stakeholders, namely students, staff and the public to refrain from engaging with or amplifying unverified and harmful content contained in the said publication. Instead, The UWI encourages reliance on accurate and verified information provided through official UWI channels. 

This incident underscores the critical importance of responsible communication, particularly on public platforms where the impact of misinformation can be far-reaching. The UWI is actively reviewing this matter and will take all necessary actions to address it, including legal recourse where appropriate, to protect the integrity and well-being of our community. 

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About The University of the West Indies 

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is the Caribbean’s premier, higher education institution. One of only two regional universities in the world, it comprises five campuses across the English-speaking Caribbean and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. The UWI has been consistently ranked among the best in the world by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). 

Learn more at www.uwi.edu 

 

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