SUNDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER, 2014 – UWI TODAY
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committed people and volunteers are other
common challenges. But a specific challenge
for an organisation like ours is that because
we have a particular spirit in our Community,
our ministries have to have a particular spirit,
because we are a religious organisation we
want to make certain that our outreach to
people is not like that of a social organization
but a religious organisation. We seek to bring
the presence of God to people so people
working with us or volunteering with us must
make a spiritual journey themselves because
it is flowing out of that spiritual journey that
you yourself have with God that you can really
bring His compassion and love to people.
VB: How can people help?
RM:
People help in various ways. Our organisation
has had tremendous response from the
people of T&T. We could never do it without
that. And all the governments in the last
20-25 years have assisted us in some of our
ministries. People can assist us financially,
some people who have no family and live
alone leave us in their wills or make a pledge
to help sustain our ministries. People can help
us by volunteering. People can pray for us,
particularly those who are housebound. We
believe in the power of prayer.
VB: What does this honorary LLDmean to you?
RM:
I am happy for the Community and for the
many people who have been involved and
have been part of the community for 35
and 40 years doing work for the poor and
needy. I am happy for the recognition of the
Community, for the many people who are part
of the Community. I am very honoured to
accept this on behalf of my Community and
for the glory of God to whom I have given my
life and worked for these many years.
I would like to add something. In our country
and in the world today we are experiencing
a lot of turmoil, hopelessness, devastation,
defeatism – all of these things are crowding
in on us as peoples and nations all over the
world. Deep in my heart I feel it’s a turning
away from God that has caused this. We as
individuals feel we can do everything, we
could make everything, we can even make
people and sheep, and we can go to the
moon and we can do all of these things as
individuals. But the spirit that is needed to live
in harmony, the spirit that is needed to live
as brothers and sisters in families, in nations,
in the world today cannot come from what
we create. That has to come from our hearts,
and what is in our heart is what we put into
ourselves, and if we do not put into our heart
the source of love, the source of creation and
the source of beauty and harmony in the
world, which is God, then what we are giving
off in our lives will be devoid of all these
things. So my prayer for the world today is
for God’s mercy and God’s power to open our
hearts to receive this God of creation and this
God of harmony, this God of love and beauty
and mercy and compassion, so that we may
see a world reflecting all of these things which
are so needed today.
The four top places went as follows:
1st $50k: Timothy McIntosh
Decouvre
Production of a gourmet line of premium chocolate
cupcakes and desserts, synthesizing an optimal blend
of locally grown cocoa and internationally sourced
ingredients. Timothy was a winner of “Cupcake
Wars” on television’s Food Network. He graduated
with a first degree in chemical engineering from MIT
in 2008. He has been involved in the restaurant and
catering business since his return to T&T in 2012.
2nd $30k: Sean Aberdeen
Sport Management Global
(latent business)
Management support for young athletes to boost
their career through a suite of services including
sport marketing for teams and players; contract
negotiations; networking; event planning and
management; player representation, consultation
and advice. Sean completed his BSc in Sport
Management at UWI this year. He is a keen
sportsman and represented T&T at under-14 and
under-19 football.
OUR CAMPUS
From left: winners all: Sean Aberdeen, Timothy McIntosh, Richard Chase and Terrance Glenn.
3rd $20k: Terrance Glenn
Green Living
The company has designed an organic system of
production based on aquaponic principles for an
integrated aquaculture and agriculture process to
produce fish (tilapia and ornamental); seasonings;
fresh fruit and other plants. Future development will
expand operations to production of seasoned patties;
specialty sauces; teas and fresh vegetables. Terrance
recently completed his postgraduate studies at UWI.
The business has been in operation for the past two
years and was formally registered as an incorporated
company in 2014.
4th Hamper: Richard Chase
Palmetto Place
This is a start-up web and mobile development
company involved in the provision of web-based
marketplace and multimedia display advertising
services and solutions to small and medium sized
firms. Richard has been involved in this activity for
the past five years and operates as a registered sole
trader.
Building sustainable skills
that enable our graduates to look after themselves and pursue their dreams is
why The UWI partnered with the National Entrepreneurship Development Company (NEDCO) and the
Entrepreneurial Training Institute & Incubation Centre (ETIIC) to create the Entrepreneurship Boot Camp.
Open to all recent university graduates and final year undergraduates, participants were taken along the
road travelled by entrepreneurs and were taught business plan writing skills. On August 19 they presented
their plans and were assessed at a ceremony at the UWI Conference Centre.
Budding
Entrepreneurs
Rewarded
