News Releases

UWI students congratulate first female TT Prime Minister

For Release Upon Receipt - June 2, 2010

St. Augustine


 

The Guild of Students of The University of the West Indies (UWI) St Augustine Campus has issued congratulations to Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar, inaugurated Wednesday as the first female Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, following that country’s national elections of Monday 24th May, 2010.

In formal correspondence addressed to the country’s new Prime Minister, Mr Hillan Morean, President of the UWI St Augustine Student Guild, expressed “the humble expectations of good governance, communication, professionalism and service, from all members of Parliament, whether they may be Government or Opposition.”

Speaking on behalf of the student body of the University, the Guild President in his letter said, “The Guild will seek to engage in discussion with the new Government in consideration of the UWI, proposed tertiary education plans and expansions, concerns and support for the better of the student population. Some of these matters include partnering to fight unjust practices of landlords off campus and crime around the campus. Late last year, we lobbied the Government at the time to take a closer look at the rental market in St. Augustine and environs, and the country on a whole. While talks ceased with the calling of elections, we feel very confident that the new Government will re-engage us in our plans and issues as we work toward the benefit of the students of the UWI.”

The letter also congratulated the new Member of Parliament for St Augustine, Mr Prakash Ramadhar, and acknowledged the “great relationship with the former MP Mr. Vasant Barath, who assisted in efforts to improve security around the campus, as well as assisting our lobby to install pedestrian crossings at the main gates of the campus last year.”

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About Kamla Persad-Bissessar

Mrs Kamla Persad-Bissessar holds an Executive MBA from the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business of The University of the West Indies (UWI), and is a former Lecturer at the Department of Language and Linguistics at UWI Mona Campus in Jamaica. She started her formal education at the Mohess Road Hindu School, the Erin Road Presbyterian School, the Siparia Union Presbyterian School, and the Iere High School. She studied at the Norwood Technical College, London, and received a Bachelor of Arts degree (BA Hons), Diploma in Education and a Masters in Education from UWI Mona. She was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to attend New York’s Columbia University, but opted to pursue the Bachelor of Laws (LLB Hons) from UWI Cave Hill Campus in Barbados. She excelled at her Law studies and was named the top student at her graduation from the Hugh Wooding Law School in Trinidad and Tobago, winning prizes for the Most Outstanding Student and the Best Overall Performance.

About UWI

Over the last six decades, The University of the West Indies (UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a full-fledged University with over 40,000 students. Today, UWI is the largest and most longstanding higher education provider in the English-speaking Caribbean, with main campuses in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and Centres in Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St Christopher (St Kitts) & Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent & the Grenadines. UWI recently launched its Open Campus, a virtual campus with over 50 physical site locations across the region, serving over 20 countries in the English-speaking Caribbean. UWI is an international university with faculty and students from over 40 countries and collaborative links with over 60 universities around the world. Through its seven Faculties, UWI offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Engineering, Humanities & Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Pure & Applied Sciences, Science and Agriculture, and Social Sciences.

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