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UWI TODAY
– SEPTEMBER 2015
OUR CAMPUS
The UWI Chancellor Sir George Alleyne makes a point on stage
Marking an end, a beginning
The UWI St. Augustine South Campus, Penal-Debe
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.
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.’
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suppress their outdated social and class differences and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,
SITE PROFILE
Approximately 70 hectares (172 acres), in the
vicinity of the Debe High School, with lands that
are part of a gently rolling greenfield sugar estate
lands previously operated by Caroni 1975 Ltd. It is
bound on the east by the San Fernando/Siparia/
Erin Road, on the west by Papourie Road and on
the south by the M2 Ring Road.
CAMPUS AREA
(buildings)
24,050 sq. meters
Vice-Chancellor Prof Sir Hilary Beckles is greeted by Campus Principal Prof Clement Sankat. Others in picture (L-R) Minister of Housing and
Urban Development, Dr the Hon. Roodal Moonilal; The UWI Chancellor Sir George Alleyne; Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and
Tobago, the Hon. Kamla Persad-Bissessar SC; President of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, His Excellency Brigadier David A. Granger
and Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training, the Hon. Fazal Karim.
Photos by Atiba Cudjoe and Dexter Superville
in his capacity asMember 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.
