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June 2010
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From the Principal: In the Service of National and Regional Development
As Ministerial and other portfolios were announced, it became clear that several holders of these high offices, including those on the Opposition side, are alumni of The UWI, and in some cases, also former staff members. I am proud of them. The new Minister of Science, Technology & Tertiary Education, the Honourable Fazal Karim, worked previously as Business Development Manager at the St. Augustine Campus and we are pleased that he found the time to visit so soon after his appointment. Our conversation with him and the Permanent Secretary, Margaret Richardson, covered many areas, and as time goes by, I look forward to seeing the ideas and plans we discussed come to fruition for the benefit of our students, staff and the advancement of higher education. On reflecting on the significance of these appointments, it struck me that it reinforces the point I have been making that this University is creating a broad cadre of leaders who continue to rise to the challenges of leadership in the region. I often say that building leaders for our society is what distinguishes The UWI, and is one of the components of development that the University endorses fully. This is part of a wider vision that true development can only fully be achieved if we embrace the view that national service is an important element of personal and professional growth, which should be nurtured in our young people and supported by the private and public sector. We strive to create and support graduates who exemplify a strong sense of civic-mindedness and who respond readily to the call to serve. In light of this, I wish to thank the former administration for its support of the regional university, to reiterate my congratulations to our new administration and to pledge the University’s continued support towards building a more competitive Trinidad and Tobago and Caribbean region.
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Immediately after the national election results were revealed on May 24, the Vice Chancellor and I offered formal congratulations, on behalf of The University of the West Indies, to the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar, the first female Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and an alumna of The UWI.