February 2009


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Campus Notes

A New Moment of Change in the Western Hemisphere : Realities and Opportunities
Three short months before the 5th Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, The University of the West ndies (UWI) St. Augustine hosted a Public Lecture y Ambassador Albert Ramdin, Assistant Secretary- General of the Organisation of American States (OAS) analysing this historically unprecedented moment in hemispheric and global affairs. In the lead-up to Ambassador Ramdin’s lecture, the global economy continued to reel from financial crisis, America’s newly inaugurated first Black President settled into office and began to tackle a range of thorny and contentious issues, and the whole world continued to look on at the unfolding conflicts in the Middle East.

Titled, ‘A New Moment of Change in the Western Hemisphere: Realities and Opportunities’, Ambassador Ramdin’s distinguished lecture took place on Monday 26th January, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. at the Learning Resource Centre (LRC), UWI St Augustine Campus. The Public Lecture took a closer look at some of the factors converging in the background to the landmark Summit of the Americas.

In his feature address, Ambassador Ramdin provided a strategic analysis of the geopolitics of the western hemisphere in the context of current global challenges. The lecture also included an appraisal of the fundamental changes taking place in the hemisphere, and generated discussion on the forthcoming 5th Summit of the Americas, scheduled to take place in Port of Spain, from the 17th to 19th April, 2009. Ramdin also provided some recommendations on strategic directions for CARICOM.

Ambassador Ramdin, a national of Suriname and a distinguished Caribbean diplomat, was elected in June 2005 as OAS Assistant Secretary General. He previously served as Suriname’s Permanent Representative to the OAS in the late 1990s and was Adviser to the OAS Secretary General on the Caribbean, especially Haiti. He has also held senior office in CARICOM, concentrating on relations with other regional groupings in the hemisphere, and in Suriname as advisor on economic, financial and foreign affairs.

For further information, please contact Ms. Patricia Sampson at 662-2002 ext. 2084, 2011 or 2038

Lok Jack GSB Launches Energy MBA

The University of the West Indies (UWI) Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business (GSB) successfully launched its first International MBA (IMBA) Energy Management Specialisation class, on Tuesday 6th January, 2009. The move to develop an Energy Specialisation was derived from the explicitly expressed needs of the energy sector, and other related stakeholders within the energy sector. To meet this need, the GSB designed the Energy Management Specialisation for the existing IMBA programme to include new skills and competencies which are needed to sustain and improve the competitiveness of the energy sector.

The IMBA Energy Management Specialisation is intended to provide students with the knowledge required to effectively manage within the oil and gas industry, as well as to appreciate the technological evolution and current needs and changes of the industry. Furthermore, the programme is designed to expose students to the latest development in the global energy business environment and develop a cadre of highly trained energy based business managers and practitioners in the country and the wider Caribbean.

Prior to launch of the specialisation, the School conducted extensive research in order to determine the avenues which should the focused of the course. Additionally, specialist inputs were received from prominent energy sector executives and energy companies including bpTT and Repsol.


Volunterism BOOK DONATED TO UWI MAIN LIBRARY

Mrs. Janet Jones presents her Book - ‘Volunteerism’ to Ms Jeniffer Joseph (L), Ms. Erica Williams Connell and Ms. Kathleen Helenese-Paul, Librarian, Mrs. Jones previously donated over fifteen volumes of newspaper clippings on Dr. Eric Williams to the Eric Williams Memorial Collection (EWMC)

First Caribean gives $70,000 US to UWI Research

Two lecturers from The University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine Campus, have been awarded research grants from the First Caribbean International Bank (FCIB). These grants were given to Professor Patrick Watson, Director, Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social & Economic Studies and Dr. Roger Hosein, Lecturer, Department of Economics.

In a recent press conference, Professor Watson gave a brief overview of his research entitled “Cross- Border Equity Flows in the CARICOM region. He expressed that the principal objective of his work is to determine the nature and extent of cross-border trading in the CARICOM region. After completion Professor Watson’s research is intended to produce recommendations for policy makers.

Dr. Roger Hosein also discussed his current work on the “Oil Boom: Rebuilding a culture of Entrepreneurship and the need for micro-financing in a petroleum rich sub-economy”. Hosein presented empirical data which suggested that the level of productive agricultural and industrial activity is much less in areas where the oil industry is present. He attributed this to people developing a ‘handout mentality’ which prevents them from engaging in entrepreneurial activities. Dr. Hosein intends to provide prospective solutions and policy recommendations for these and other related issues.

This initiative from First Caribbean is not limited to the St. Augustine Campus, but includes the Mona, Jamaica and Cave Hill, Barbados Campuses. Collectively, the research grants amassed a total of US$70,000.

Mr. Ian Chinapoo, Managing Director – Capital Markets, FCIB, expressed his company’s view “that an important contribution can be made to Caribbean development if a research culture is fostered that brings together the interests of academia and practitioners in the banking sector.”