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August 2012
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Message from the Principal: 50 feels good
We take as much pride in the gold medal so powerfully won by Keshorn Walcott, as we do in each of them, winners all, we say. The experienced among us know that these youngsters would have learnt much from this Olympic meet; knowledge that will serve them well as they prepare for the next Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. To our UWI student, Jehue Gordon, I want to assure you that this St. Augustine Campus is proud of you and continues to support your determined efforts. As a regional University, we rejoice in the achievements of our Caribbean athletes in London: abundant excellence. This year, the Campus will also be paying tribute to one of our finest: the Cocoa Research Unit, which turns 50 as well. This Unit has excelled in research that is internationally acclaimed, and as custodian of the International Cocoa Genebank, Trinidad, it is one of the world’s treasures. And as the nation observes the 50th anniversary with the pomp such an occasion deserves, we recall that two years ago, when St. Augustine marked its own 50th birthday, we saw it not only as a time of celebration, but as a milestone that demanded reflection and planning for the future. We noted the integral part played by the UWI St. Augustine Campus in the development of the human resource, manufacturing and industrial base of Trinidad and Tobago and in the growth of business and residential communities in Mt. Hope, St. Joseph, Curepe, St. Augustine and Tunapuna, in particular. We are confident that in the next 50 years, our South Campus in Penal/Debe will have a similar impact. We are energised by the direction of our new Strategic Plan for 2012-2017, which incorporates input from a wide section of our university community. It is a good time to look ahead and imagine the future we want – to build on our successes, set our goals for the next fifty years and beyond and work together in a determined manner to achieve them. |
The nation is well underway to commemorating its 50th anniversary of Independence on August 31. Celebrations were given a mighty fillip by the outstanding showing of our participants at the 2012 Olympics in London. We join the national community in saluting our athletes, who have brought us immense pride in their spirit, the dignity with which our flag was represented, and in the way they lifted their performances so that nearly all bettered their previous bests.