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January 2010
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From the Principal: The Spirit of Humanity
None of us could have remained impervious to the horrendous devastation wrought by the earthquake that shattered Haiti on January 12. Apart from the distress invoked by the gut-wrenching scenes in its aftermath, it called to the spirit of humanity within us and there has been an outpouring of efforts to provide some measure of relief to the ravaged island. The UWI will continue to lend its expertise in whatever way it can, and we expect this to be a lengthy process as time reveals in more precise ways the nature of the needs and the mechanisms that can be instituted. In the short term, our regional institution has already made it possible for staff and students to make monetary contributions through established bank accounts. I am appealing to our alumni to also join our efforts to mobilize assistance and to help Haiti recover from this disaster. At the St Augustine Campus, we have been discussing additional ways to enable support and are keeping our internal lines open for suggestions from our UWI community as well as to let everyone know what is being done. In the face of such overwhelming catastrophes, it is tempting to succumb to despair, to wonder interminably whether our efforts can even begin to have any impact in alleviating the suffering of our neighbours. We have to remain steadfast in the belief that every little bit counts, and we must not dismiss any act as too insignificant to make a difference. I encourage everyone to continue to be guided by the spirit of giving. It is what defines our humanity.
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Here at The University of the West Indies, we consider ourselves to be an integral part of the communities we serve throughout our region. In that regard, we have always felt duty-bound to use our resources and technical expertise to improve the quality of lives.