 How can The UWI improve? It is a massive, region-spanning institution that has had an incredible impact on Caribbean society. But no institution is perfect - especially one of this scale and with such an influence on the lives of so many.
In January 2019 UWI Chancellor Robert Bermudez announced a nine-member Commission on Governance to “examine the performance of The UWI, its management practices, features of transparency and accountability within the University system, and to make recommendations to the Chancellor.”
The Commission, made up of respected citizens from throughout the region, was in Trinidad and Tobago at the St Augustine Campus during UWI’s University Council meeting in late April. While here, UWI Today had the chance to speak to Commission Chair, renowned jurist Sir Dennis Byron.
UT: Sir Dennis, you have had a long and noteworthy career. Why did you decide to take on this important but laborious task in your retirement?
DB: It was difficult to say no. The University of the West Indies is one of the most important institutions for Caribbean integration, which I fully believe in and support. It has made a tremendous impact on the growth and development of our region. It is one of the best functioning regional institutions that we have.
When I was asked to make some contribution to ensuring its sustainability and improving the way it operates - that’s not something one could say no to.
Were there facets of the University that you saw and thought this might need some change or restructuring?
I think that part of the reason I was selected is that I, like many of the other commissioners, was not part of the university structure. So I did not come in with any preconceived notions based on intimate knowledge or experience. So it was very important for us to spend a fair amount of time getting as much information as we can both from the institution and also from the people who have been interacting with the University
We are spending the first part of our time trying to get as much feedback as we can from the key stakeholders of the University.
I believe you had your first town hall in Trinidad and Tobago recently.
Yes, this was the first.
Have there been any other mechanisms of communication?
We’ve been doing face to face meetings with several individuals and stakeholder groups. The initial work that we’ve done in this way has been at the (UWI) Mona Campus (in Jamaica). We’ve been there, speaking to many of the regional management figures, starting at the level of (UWI) Vice-Chancellor (Professor Sir Hilary Beckles). Then we met with the Pro Vice-Chancellors, campus principals, academic management, and others.
(UT: The Commission has carried out several stakeholder consultations through focus groups, public forums, interviews, and general surveys. They welcome submissions from all stakeholders within and beyond the academic community, emphasising the perspectives of students, alumni, governments as well as the private and social sectors.)
This trip to the St Augustine Campus gave us a special opportunity because of the University Council meeting (see story on page 5). Many of the governments were present through their ministries of education. So we were able to engage with a number of them. So we have had a broad spectrum of communication of information already.
How has that communication been?
It’s been good. Everybody we engaged came because they wanted to come. We extended invitations and persons who are interested in seeing the University work better have come forward. So we have had a number of fully free and open discussions.
Are you able to discuss any persistent themes that have come up?
Nothing has been decided yet. I doubt that would be useful at this stage as it would be me giving my personal impressions. Really I should speak on behalf of the Commission as a whole. This week is going to conclude with our first formal retreat. We will be meeting for two days at the University and during that period we will start formulating positions.
So after this Trinidad trip, what happens next?
We will continue our investigative process.We haven’t gone to the (UWI) Cave Hill Campus (in Barbados) yet, and we have to make another trip to the Mona Campus. We will also be starting to organise the information that we have received. We have promised to issue a report in September (2019). So the writing process will be starting now.
Seems like a lot of work.
Yes it is (laughter).
What would you like to come out of this process? What do you hope will be the end product of the Commission’s work?
We want to make a contribution to the vision of the University as a premier educational and research institution. We also want to make certain that it is sustainable and competitive and that it will be of service to our young people and continue to prepare leaders of the highest standard for the future.
Hopefully, all of this will contribute to the quality of life throughout the region, and ensure that we develop socially and economically, and that individual persons excel at all levels of endeavour. The objective, really, is to have a positive impact on our society.
Is there anything you would like to add in conclusion?
We’ve tried to develop a sort of “feel” for this phase of our work. What we really want to do is hear the voices. We think there is a lot of information, a lot of good ideas, lots of people have concerns, and some have recommendations. We would like our report to be relevant to the needs that the people have expressed and we would like it to reflect the best ideas that emerge in our region.
So at this stage my real concern is to encourage persons who have interests, concerns and ideas to pass it on to us. So that they can assist in developing the recommendations we send to the Chancellor.
Sir Dennis, thank you for your time.
The UWI invites all regional citizens to join the conversations. Learn more about the work of the Commission at www.uwi.edu/chancellorscommission and email your confidential contributions to chancellorscommission@oecs.int.
Chancellor’s Commission on Governance
- Former President of the Caribbean Court of Justice, Sir Charles Michael Dennis Byron (Chairman)
- Attorney-at-Law, Ms Judith Bowen
- Chairman, Sagicor Group Jamaica, Mr Richard Byles
- Human Resources Practitioner, Ms Angela Hamel-Smith
- Former Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Emeritus E Nigel Harris
- Director General, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, His Excellency Dr Didacus Jules
- Attorney-at-Law, Sir Elliott Mottley
- President of The UWI St Augustine Guild of Students 2018-2019, Mr Darrion Narine
- Director, Coffee Traders Ltd and President, The UWI Alumni Association, Jamaica Chapter, Mrs Jacqueline Sharp
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