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September 2015
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A long-standing tradition in the construction industry, a ‘topping-off’ ceremony often signals the end of one phase of a building project. The presence of the Chancellor of The University of the West Indies Sir George Alleyne and Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles at just such a ceremony one month ago was ample proof (if any were needed) of the importance The University attaches to the creation of a new satellite campus in the south of Trinidad, Penal-Debe. This satellite campus helps advance The University’s mission, vision and core values. In particular, ‘accessibility’, one of The UWI’s seven core values, speaks to continued expansion to reach underserved populations. St. Augustine Campus Principal Professor Clement Sankat noted that, for the first time, persons living in south Trinidad will have “close access to a state-of-the-art facility and a quality tertiary education opportunity” provided by the region’s premier higher education institution. The Mona Campus also has a satellite campus in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Other responsibilities, he said, were to build more cohesive societies in which the people are educated to suppress their outdated social and class differences and pretences. ‘Our societies must eliminate inequalities and eradicate extreme poverty.’ Thirdly, higher education is required to ‘build a more inclusive political system where, by and large, people can be empowered to participate fully in local and national democratic organs and can feel confident in their elected representatives.’ Also speaking at the event were Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training, the Honourable Fazal Karim and Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Dr the Honourable Roodal Moonilal, in his capacity as Member of Parliament for the constituency of Oropouche East, in which the South Campus is located. Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar officially handed over the lease agreement for the site and, together with senior University and Government personnel, unveiled a commemorative plaque. In its first phase of operations, the South Campus will house The UWI St. Augustine’s Faculty of Law. The last quarter of 2015 is expected to be a transitional period as Law faculty and staff relocate from St. Augustine to Penal-Debe in preparation for the student intake. In order to make this facility the premier learning institution that is envisioned, phase one of the project also includes a student dormitory, a student union and sporting and recreational facilities including cricket and football fields, cricket pavilion, swimming pool and hard courts. Construction works began in August 2012 and overall completion is scheduled for the last quarter of 2015. The first student intake is earmarked for January 2016.
CAMPUS AREA (BUILDINGS)
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President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, His Excellency Brigadier David A. Granger, an alum of The UWI, noted that the responsibility of higher education, in general, and UWI specifically, was to help to build a more resilient economy than the one inherited: ‘We have to build one that can compete with the eagles of the West and the tigers of the East.’
SITE PROFILE