 Sir Meredith Alister McIntyre, a champion of Caribbean integration, celebrated intellectual and scholar, and Vice-Chancellor of The UWI from 1988 to 1998, passed away on April 20 in Jamaica. Born in Grenada, Sir Alister was renowned for his more than half century dedication to the development of the region and his almost lifelong relationship with The UWI. He was 87.
Chancellor of The UWI, Mr Robert Bermudez, expressed his condolences to Sir Alister’s wife Marjorie, their children and grandchildren.
“The region has lost a transformational leader; a giant among men whose contributions to our development shall continue to benefit this generation and generations into the future,” he said.
Sir George Alleyne, Chancellor Emeritus, said “His legacy to our University of the West Indies is enduring and the many changes he introduced to improve its governance and management are withstanding the test of time.”
Early in his career, Sir Alister became a lecturer in economics at The UWI Mona Campus. He would eventually reach the heights of his academic career, becoming Vice-Chancellor in 1988.
“He was also instrumental in ensuring that the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) recognised the pivotal role played by The UWI in the human resource development of the region and enshrined The UWI in the 1989 Grand Anse Declaration, setting the Caribbean Single Market and economy (CSME) in motion, as a regional institution in perpetuity,” Mr Bermudez said in his statement on his passing.
Among his numerous career highlights is his 1974 appointment to the post of Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). His awards include the Order of the Caribbean Community (OCC), national honours from Jamaica and Guyana, and Knighthood from the Queen of England in 1992.
In a statement on the passing of Sir Alister, UWI Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles described what he called “The McIntyre Moment”, a new era for the university:
“A generation of academics, leaders, and administrators was schooled in the McIntyre model and mentality. It is evident today, 21 years after his term, that our strategic planning cycle is still driven by the compelling imperative of economic development and social transformation. His vision, and his mission, remain robustly relevant.” |
