The UWI Faculty of Sport
Alumni and The UWI’s Triple A Strategy
UWI Global Giving Week
The UWI Global Giving Week St. Kitts & Nevis
MAY - AUGUST 2017
UWI CONNECT
The UWI Establishes Centre for Reparations Research
The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has established a Centre for Reparations Research. It will be formally launched on October 10, 2017 at The UWI Regional Headquarters.
legacies of such acts. These objectives stem from an understanding that many of the injustices and adverse effects of native genocide, African enslavement and colonialism in the region did not end with formal emancipation and independence and still need to be addressed and repaired.
The Centre will be led by Professor Verene Shepherd, former Director of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, Co-Chair of the National Council on Reparations (Jamaica) and one of the three Vice Chairs of the CARICOM Reparations Commission. According to the mandate of the 34th meeting of the CARICOM Heads of Government in 2013, the Heads of Government agreed to create a CARICOM Reparations Commission along with national committees for reparations in each CARICOM member country. To date, there are 12 national reparations committees all of which have been engaged in a range of activities designed to build public awareness on the issue of reparatory justice. The UWI Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles is Chair of the Commission.
More specifically, the Centre will focus on achieving three strategic goals: promoting research on the legacies of enslavement, colonialism and native genocide in the Caribbean and on how to bring justice and positive transformation to these legacies with a particular focus on CARICOM’s Reparatory Justice programme; working with national and regional reparation commissions and committees to promote education at The UWI and across Caribbean school systems on these legacies and the need for justice and repair;
The Centre for Reparations Research at The UWI will lead the implementation of CARICOM’s Reparatory Justice Programme, which broadly seeks to foster public awareness around the lasting and adverse consequences of European invasion of indigenous peoples’ lands, African enslavement and colonialism in the Caribbean; and offer practical solutions towards halting and reversing the
promoting advocacy for reparatory and social justice by building a capacity to provide consultancies to CARICOM and other relevant institutions, raise public awareness and support activism around the Reparatory Justice Programme.
CONTENTS
News from The UWI RHQ Leaders in Focus The New Faces of Sport Sports V.I.P. - Very Important Pelican Regional Impact
4 8 9 10 12 13
Alumni and Wealth Creation UWIAA News UWIMAA Paying Forward Student Alumni Programming Pelicans Soaring 2
15 16 21 22 23 24
UWI Grads on the Move Foundation News Literary Corner Happenings Across the Campuses In Celebration of Their Lives
26 28 29 30 31
UWI CONNECT
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
It is important that The University of the West Indies recognise and celebrate its diversity. Our Caribbean heritage and culture means that we are a region of a mixture of rich racial, cultural, ethnic, political, religious and social and economic backgrounds. This richness extends from our societies to our students, staff, faculty and alumni and this is reflected in the University’s Core Values, especially that of DIVERSITY, which is stated as follows: The UWI will foster a culture and work/study environment that is open and welcoming to different ideas and perspectives, acknowledges and values diversity, is inclusive of and affirms the dignity of all persons regardless of race, socioeconomic status, age, sex, gender identity and expression, physical and mental ability, sexual orientation, family or marital status, national origin, language, political or religious persuasion, health status, and other characteristics that make its constituents unique.
With the global climate being so changed and as the advocacy of hatred and division is being promulgated in some “developed” countries, let us in the Caribbean, as well as those of Caribbean heritage internationally, celebrate our differences, the very differences which make us stronger and able to cope in challenging environments. Let us collectively, as proud UWI Pelicans, make our light shine brightly from the West, and be role models in our circles of influence, as examples of respect and admiration for every unique being created.
Celia Davidson Francis Director of Alumni Relations, The UWI Editor-in-Chief
“Inclusion is a way of thinking, a way of being, and a way of making decisions about helping everyone belong.” Anonymous EDITORIAL TEAM Celia Davidson Francis (Editor-in-Chief), Dr. Suzanne Francis-Brown, Allison Fung, Marcia Erskine, Yvonne Graham and Nicole Nation
SOURCES IAD - The UWI Regional Headquarters, Campus and University Marketing and Communications Offices, Faculties, Departments, UWIAA, UWIMAA, Office of Administration, UWI STAT Corps, alumni and others.
PHOTOGRAPHY Campus photographers
PUBLISHING Stratcom Marketing Services Ltd.
UWI Connect is The University of the West Indies magazine, published quarterly for Alumni, Parents and Friends of The UWI by the Institutional Advancement Division, The UWI Regional Headquarters. Reproduction, republication or redistribution of content is strictly prohibited without prior written permission of the Editor.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of The University of the West Indies.
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NEWS FROM THE UWI RHQ
PROFESSOR ELSA LEO-RHYNIE AWARDED CHANCELLOR’S MEDAL On June 23, 2017, Professor the Hon. Elsa Leo-Rhynie, Professor Emerita of The UWI was awarded the Chancellor’s Medal by Chancellor, Sir George Alleyne at a special ceremony at The UWI Regional Headquarters.
She was a member of the Privy Council of Jamaica from 1996 to 2006 and was Chair of the GraceKennedy Foundation from 2008 – June 2017. She remains a member of the Board of the St. Andrew High School Foundation. Sir George Alleyne was delighted, as The UWI Chancellor, to present this special award of distinction to her, just before he retired. He certainly considers her to be a person who “has made a signal, substantial and likely lasting contribution to the welfare and development of The UWI”.
The Chancellor’s Medal is a special award of distinction made by The UWI Chancellor to a person who “has made a signal, substantial and likely lasting contribution to the welfare and development of The UWI, in the spirit of the CARICOM Heads of Government Declaration of Grande Anse which formally identified the leadership of The UWI in tertiary education and decided that its regional character should be preserved indefinitely for the preparation of skills and advancement of knowledge needed for the growth and development of the Caribbean region”. Professor Leo-Rhynie retired from the University in September 2007 as Pro-Vice Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Mona Campus; the first woman to be appointed to head a UWI Campus and the first woman to have served as both Deputy Principal and Principal. She was also the first Professor and Regional Coordinator of Gender and Development Studies at The UWI and played a leadership role in the establishment of the Centre (now Institute) for Gender and Development Studies. Her leadership and expertise has been recognised throughout her career and she has received several honours and awards, including the Pelican Award of the UWI Alumni Association in 2002, and the Order of Jamaica in 2015. In 2013, she was honoured by The UWI Mona Campus in the naming of a new Hall of Residence as the Elsa Leo-Rhynie Hall, and in 2016 she was the honouree at The UWI Mona Commemoration celebrations when she delivered the Commemoration Lecture, “Change and transformation at The UWI 1992-2007: Back on the periphery, looking back”. She has not only contributed to the University; she chaired the Dudley Grant Memorial Trust, which advocates on behalf of early childhood education in Jamaica, for over 25 years; and she has served as a member of Council of the Caribbean Examinations Council, The University of Technology, Jamaica, as well as the governing Boards of the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica, the University Hospital of the West Indies, the University Council of Jamaica, the United Way of Jamaica and the ICWI Group Foundation.
The UWI Chancellor, Sir George Alleyne presents the Chancellor’s Medal to Professor the Hon. Elsa Leo-Rhynie, Professor Emerita of The University of the West Indies at a ceremony at the University’s Regional Headquarters on Friday, June 23, 2017.
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NEWS FROM THE UWI RHQ
Pro-Vice Chancellor Copeland Inducted
On Saturday July 8, 2017, Professor Brian Copeland was formally inducted as the 8th Pro-Vice Chancellor and Principal of The UWI, St. Augustine. Professor Copeland officially assumed duties as Campus Principal in July 2016. Professor Copeland’s contribution to Trinidad and Tobago’s culture was outlined at the ceremony. He was awarded the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago (2008), the Chaconia Medal Gold as a member of the G-Pan development team (2007 joint recipient), the Guardian Life Premium Teaching Award (2002), BP/AMOCO Fellowship Award for Senior Academic Staff (2001) and many more. He is a “Caribbean man”, supporting regional integration and views The UWI playing a fundamental role in making this a reality.
Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles robes Professor Brian Copeland at his Induction Ceremony.
PVC Professor Archibald McDonald Awarded Prestigious Order of Jamaica Principal and Pro-Vice Chancellor of the Mona Campus, Professor Archibald McDonald, has been awarded the prestigious Order of Jamaica (OJ).
Professor McDonald joined The UWI, Mona in 1987, and has since played a pivotal role in the development of various programmes and initiatives, in addition to his administrative accomplishments at the institution. He is also credited with the establishment of the first Accident and Emergency Department in Jamaica at the University Hospital of the West Indies in 1993, as well as starting the DM Programme in Emergency Medicine; instituting post-basic training for emergency room nurses; and introducing the Doctor of Dental Surgery and Master’s in Sports Medicine and Forensic Science programmes to the University.
As Principal, Professor McDonald has transformed the Mona Campus into a modern university campus with world-class teaching and learning facilities and student accommodation, through innovative and out-of-the-box thinking, which led to the successful implementation of a number of private-public partnerships, including the Mona Campus’ Water Well Project. The well, which was commissioned on December 16, 2016, ensures that the campus has its own independent and reliable water supply, which has saved it approximately $10 million monthly.
Professor McDonald’s illustrious career also boasts him successfully guiding the Faculty of Medical Sciences to full accreditation from the Caribbean Authority of Medical Education and Other Health Professions. He conceptualised and oversaw the development and expansion of the state-of-the-art Faculty of Medical Sciences Research and Teaching Complex. 5
NEWS FROM THE UWI RHQ
NEW HONORARY DISTINGUISHED FELLOW OF THE UWI
“The former Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Honourable Portia Simpson-Miller was shaped by ‘a phenomenal rising from the grass roots and resilience at the highest echelons’ and feminists will find much to discuss, and the trail of accomplishments at the highest level, will provide room for robust interventions. The UWI, therefore, consistent with its practice of celebrating its prime ministerial leaders, will welcome her into its ranks as an Honorary Distinguished Fellow”, according to Vice Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles. The University has also made provisions for her formal association with the Institute for Gender and Development Studies in order to facilitate her writing of memoirs and other literary productions. “We see her as an elder who has so much more to teach.”
FORMER UWI ST. AUGUSTINE PRINCIPAL NOW SEVENTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF BELIzE Professor Clement Sankat, a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, who took up the position of President of the University of Belize (UB) in February, was officially installed in a ceremony on July 27, 2017 at the St. John’s Anglican Cathedral of Belize, Belize, that included an academic procession and musical interludes with an ensemble by The UWI academic and conductor Jessel Murray. Sankat was installed by the university’s Board of Trustees’ Chairman Harrison Pilgrim. Belize Governor-General Sir Colville Young robed him with his new academic gown. The ceremony was blessed by Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Belize, the Rt. Rev. Philip S. Wright. Among those present were government ministers and elected public officials, members of the diplomatic community, and representatives of The UWI, as well as UB students, staff and alumni. National universities in small developing countries should be supported in their roles because of the challenges they face in fragile economies he emphasised at the occasion. He said they also needed to be creative themselves so as to enhance and sustain human and national development. 6
NEWS FROM THE UWI RHQ
ALUMNI AND THE UWI’s TRIPLE A STRATEGY
and services for all things Caribbean Increase and improve academic/industry research partnerships Restore the financial health of The UWI Improving the quality of teaching and learning and student development Promote a single UWI brand consciousness Generate economies of scale and scope for The UWI Improving the quality, quantity and impact of research, innovation and publication Foster a Creative, Caring, Accountable, Motivated, Professional (CAMP) Team Foster the digital transformation of The UWI
The UWI Vice Chancellor is pleased to share The UWI’s new strategic plan. He notes this Triple A Strategy is the culmination of a year of consultations and reflects the best thinking of colleagues who gave their ideas generously during retreats. It emerged from an understanding of the role and requisites for the sustainability of The UWI within its national, regional and global environments. You may be familiar with the expression that “universities are not meant to serve themselves; they are resourced to serve their communities and nations”. Therefore, The UWI’s priority is to rebuild our own economic competitiveness and keep our house in good operational order while becoming more locally, externally and globally engaged and re-energised to confront the challenges of the region, drive it out of recession and improve the quality of life in the Caribbean. This is the fundamental objective of our new strategic plan.
The University’s leadership team is confident that this Triple A Strategy is perfectly suited for our present circumstance as well as charting and adjusting as we revitalise Caribbean development for the future.
As its name reflects, The Triple A Strategy which will guide us and the region over the next five years, rests upon three primary pillars: Access, Alignment and Agility. It hinges on widening access to quality tertiary education; greater alignment of The UWI as one university, with academia, industry and international partnerships relevant to the region’s needs and agility in using The UWI’s resources and capabilities to respond to the needs of customers, including alumni, in a changing environment. The greater relevance and dignity of The UWI depends on the strengthening of these pillars of service and survival, which are linked to these 12 strategic objectives below:
You can look forward to further updates from the senior leadership including your campus principals and the Pro-Vice Chancellor - Planning, Professor Densil Williams, as we move ahead. Since inception, the Alumni Relations Arm of the Institutional Advancement Division (IAD) has always aligned the Alumni Relations Strategic Plan with the University Strategic Plan. The UWI 2017 - 22 Triple A Strategic Plan is no exception.
Graduates will be made aware of HOW they and their fellow alumni can be INTEGRALLY ENGAGED and participate in the strategic process.
ACCESS ALIGNMENT AGILITY
The UWIAA Chapters will be leading the charge to ensure their members are connected and involved. For more information and facilitation please contact your Campus Alumni Officer.
To be a university for ALL Promote greater activism and public advocacy Establish a physical presence of The UWI on all continents To be the university of first choice for alumni and non-student customers seeking products
“One UWI, One Alumni Family.”
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LEADERS IN FOCUS
Business Management - Cave Hill
Germany, England and Prague, and has performed in Italy and Bosnia.
Microbiology - Mona
Mr. Ian DeSouza has been appointed as Executive Director and CEO of the Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management (SCHSBM).
Professor Paul D. Brown lectures Microbiology to undergraduate and postgraduate students in the Faculties of Science and Technology and Medical Sciences at The UWI, Mona. His areas of specialisation include basic sciences and molecular microbiology, in particular, leptospirosis and antimicrobial resistance. His published works include authorship of numerous chapters in books and encyclopaedia, peer-reviewed journal articles, technical reports, conference and scientific papers and abstracts. He was the recipient of The UWI Mona Campus Principal’s Research Award for Best Research Publication (Article) in the Faculty of Medical Sciences for 2012 and 2015. He is a member of several regional and international health societies and committees. He is also the Country Ambassador to Jamaica for the American Society for Microbiology; Vice-Chair of the Council on Microbial Sciences, and a Council member of the International Society for Infectious Diseases.
Mr. DeSouza has a wealth of business knowledge and experience from a career which spans 40 years in the financial and banking sector. He served 25 years with the Republic Bank Group, spending the last five years as Managing Director and CEO of Republic Bank (Barbados) Limited. The career banker also held management and executive positions at Bank of Montreal, Toronto, Canada, and Citibank (Trinidad and Tobago) Ltd. He is driven by a service-oriented impetus and a desire to significantly enhance the Caribbean’s socio-economic fabric. He has also utilised his immense financial acumen to spearhead numerous banking initiatives to develop the region’s corporate community and improve conditions for the wider general public.
Gender and Development Studies - The UWI RHQ
Seismic Research - St. Augustine
Professor Opal Palmer Adisa is the new University Director of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS), effective August 9, 2017.
Professor Richard Robertson is Director of the Seismic Research Centre (SRC), at The UWI St. Augustine Campus. He also served as Head of the Unit from 20042008. Since 1993 he has conducted numerous lectures for government officials, special interest groups, schools, civil society, media and the general public regionally and internationally.
She is an internationally recognised writer, educator, cultural activist and diversity trainer who works with institutions on issues of inclusion and fairness. She holds a B.A. in Communications/Educational Media from Hunter College of the City University of New York, an M.A. in English/Creative Writing as well as an M.A. in Theatre/Directing from San Francisco State University in California and a Ph.D. in Ethnic Studies/Literature from the University of California, Berkeley.
Geology/Volcanology is Professor Robertson’s general area of academic specialisation. His published works include one book which he co-authored, five book chapters and several journal manuscripts, research papers and over 100 other publications. Among his recent awards and accomplishments is the 2014 Anthony N. Sabga Caribbean Award for Excellence in the field of Science and Technology. He also led the SRC’s application for The UWI Vice-Chancellor's Departmental Award for Excellence which was awarded to the Centre in 2013.
Professor Adisa’s accomplishments as an author and poet include over twenty publications, both scholarly and creative, that centralise women, explore issues of gender, and the interstice of Caribbean and African Diaspora history. Her poetry, stories, essays and articles have been collected in over 400 journals, anthologies and other publications and she has also lectured and read her work throughout the United States, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, 8
THE NEW FACES OF SPORT
Dr. Akshai Mansingh has been Appointed as Dean of the new Faculty of Sport
Dr. Akshai Mansingh has been appointed as Dean of the new Faculty of Sport at The UWI. He is a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and Sports Medicine Physician who has looked after elite athletes throughout the region. A graduate of The UWI, Dr. Mansingh earned his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery and his Doctor of Medicine, Orthopaedics degrees at the Mona Campus. He also holds a master’s degree in sports medicine from the University of New South Wales in Australia. Dr. Mansingh has been a Lecturer in the Department of Surgery, Sports Medicine in Radiology, Anaesthetics and Intensive Care at The UWI, Mona since 2007, as well as the Programme Director and Course Author for the campus’ M.Sc. Sports Medicine degrees (for Physicians and Physiotherapists) since 2006. He is also the author of numerous publications in his various specialisations and has written on Methods for Injury Surveillance in International Cricket among many other cricket and sport science themes.
Outside his academic pursuits, Dr. Mansingh is Chief Medical Officer of both the West Indies Cricket Board and the Caribbean Premier League. He was a member of the inaugural International Cricket Council Medical Committee and is a member of its Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee. He has been a cricket analyst and commentator for over 20 years. He also serves as a member of several regional and international societies including The Caribbean Orthopaedic Association, Jamaican Orthopaedic Association, the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
The University of the West Indies, Mona, has appointed Dr. Sharmella Roopchand-Martin as the first Head of its Academy of Sport.
One section of the Mona Academy of Sport will focus on developing academic programmes in sport, ranging from short certificate courses to doctoral programmes. Another section will focus on intercollegiate sporting activities at the local and regional levels.
The UWI Appoints Head of the Academy of Sport
A native of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Roopchand-Martin has lived and worked in Jamaica for most of her life and has been lecturing in Physical Therapy since 1998. Dr. Roopchand-Martin joined The UWI as a full-time faculty member at the School of Physical Therapy in 2007, as a Lecturer of Orthopaedics, Neurology, Exercise Physiology and Research Methodology. She is a Physical Therapist, with a master’s degree in biomedical ethics, a master’s in rehabilitation science, as well as a doctorate in physical therapy.
The academy will also focus on the development of The UWI student athletes, as well as explore opportunities for increased competition at local and regional levels for their collegiate teams.
She is an active researcher with her work being centred mainly on active video gaming applications for sport training and rehabilitation, as well as water-based power training for athletes. These projects have included athletes at national and club levels from different sports. She has also published several papers in these areas in peerreviewed journals.
Newly appointed Dean of the Faculty of Sport, Dr. Akshai Mansingh, notes that the Faculty of Sport spans the four campuses, and on each campus the faculty has an Academy of Sport, which will conduct the work of the faculty. Source: Balford Henry 9
SPORTS
The UWI Faculty of Sport
In its new strategic plan 2017-2022, The UWI will be seeking greater alignment with industry as an activist institution geared towards revitalisation of Caribbean economies. To fulfil the strategic goal of Alignment, one of the strategic priorities will be the establishment of a Faculty of Sport across The UWI. The vision is for this Faculty of Sport to contribute to revitalising Caribbean economic and social development through greater focus on communities and industry value chains. The ultimate goal is for the faculty to provide local opportunities for education and training with The UWI offering multiple modalities of entrance and participation to a wide crosssection of persons regionally and internationally while maintaining quality and standards. The Faculty will therefore; be responding to diverse global and local opportunities in the sporting arena.
certificate, bachelor and master’s degrees in Sports Business, Sports Management, Sports Science and the Art and Science of Coaching. The new Faculty consolidates under a ‘One UWI’ umbrella of knowledge, sport programmes offered across all four campuses. The Faculty will operate by three disciplinary pillars: teaching, learning and research; professional outreach and engagement; public outreach and community development. Although the launch event was hosted in Jamaica, each campus participated via videoconferencing, delivering remarks virtually from their remote locations. Scores of members of the public and private sectors attended the celebrated event in Jamaica; as well as participated via livestream viewing, with several endorsements also coming from heads of government, the regional business community, athletes and other wellwishers across the region including: the Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness; the new UWI Chancellor, Mr. Robert Bermudez; Head of the Caribbean Development Bank, Dr. William Warren Smith; and many others. In a written statement, Prime Minister Holness said, “Today, we go a step further in the strategic development of sport in Jamaica and the region with the official opening of The University of the West Indies Faculty of Sport. I am confident it will bring diversity to the sport industry in Jamaica and to the wider Caribbean region. Sports certainly unite us as a people. This is another signal move in the integration process especially by having the Faculty of Sport at campuses across the region. In years to come I believe sports will be an even greater contributor, not only to our unity and pride as a
“If there is one industry that we can develop right now to diversify our economies and make our economies competitive, it is to build a sporting industry in our region,” stated The UWI Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles at the official launch of the University’s Faculty of Sport on July 26, 2017 at The UWI Regional Headquarters in Jamaica. He noted that the sporting industry is the place of the greatest convergence in the global economy. It is the place where all the industries are interconnected. He cited sport and entertainment, sport and technology, sport and medicine, sport and tourism and many other industries. “Sport is at the centre of all of that, translating into economic growth. The Faculty of Sport is the first to be established at The UWI in 40 years. It becomes operational in the 2017- 2018 academic year and will offer
UWI Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles speaking at the official launch of the University’s Faculty of Sport on Wednesday July 26, 2017 at The UWI Regional Headquarters in Jamaica.
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SPORTS people, but an even greater source of foreign direct investment, employment generation and greater development. I commend the leadership of The UWI in following through to see this project to fruition, and now the work begins. My wish is that this faculty becomes the centre of excellence across the world in sports.� Among the other speakers at the official launch ceremony were former Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Hon. P.J. Patterson; the Hon. Pearnel Charles, Minister of State in the Ministry of National Security; Mrs. Amanda Reifer, Director of the Academy of Sport at The UWI Cave Hill; Mr. Ian Jones, Director of Belize National Sports Council and Dr. Luz Longsworth PVC and Principal of the Open Campus.
L-R: Cricketer, Rovman Powell, The UWI Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles and Dean of the Faculty of Sport, Dr. Akshai Mansingh share a light moment at the official launch of the Faculty.
Donate to the Faculty of Sport at:
www.uwi.edu/giving 11
V.I.P. - VERY IMPORTANT PELICAN
DR. E. DALE ABEL
Dr. E. Dale Abel, Chair and DEO of the Department of Internal Medicine in the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, has been selected to deliver the University of Iowa’s 35th annual Presidential Lecture on February 18, 2018.
This medical graduate of The UWI Mona Campus is a Professor of Medicine and Biochemistry and currently holds the John B. Stokes III Chair in Diabetes Research and the Francois M. Abboud Chair in Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa. A Rhodes Scholar and Clinical Research Fellow with John G. Ledingham at the University of Oxford, England, graduating with a doctorate in physiology, he completed his internship and residency in medicine at McGraw Medical Centre, Northwestern University Medical School, and also served as Chief Resident of Internal Medicine at the VA Lakeside Medical Centre. He was a Clinical and Research Fellow and Instructor at Harvard Medical School, then went to the University of Utah in 2000 and joined the University of Iowa in 2013. He is the recipient of numerous national honours and awards, including membership in the National Academy of Medicine (2015) and is the primary author, co-author, or editor of more than 180 scientific publications. He is internationally recognised for his research on the molecular mechanisms responsible for cardiac dysfunction in obesity, type 2 diabetes, and type 1 diabetes. He is Director of the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Centre, Director of the Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Iowa, and incoming President Elect of the Endocrine Society. 12
REGIONAL IMPACT
Australia's Diplomatic Opportunity in the Caribbean
The traditional allies of Caribbean countries have reduced their involvement in the region, making it an opportune time for Australia to step in and create some valuable partnerships. But past experience shows that it must be more than temporary gift-giving and requires genuine engagement.
sustainable development of small island developing states (SIDS), much like Australia’s closest neighbours in the Pacific. A synergy of priorities has been established within the United Nation’s sustainable development agenda, and should be further explored. One approach would be through increased bilateral collaboration, leveraging this coalition of support for advancing shared priorities in sustainable development and in the affairs of SIDS.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) will soon publish a foreign policy white paper outlining Australia’s priorities in international affairs. While the objectives and partnerships are being finalised, there is merit in considering opportunities to strengthen Australia’s relationships with the 15 member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM): Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The Commonwealth and SIDS links represent the logical starting point for a partnership between Australia and the CARICOM states, and pave the way for greater collaboration through diplomatic, academic, cultural and economic channels. Support for candidatures
For Australia, CARICOM represents 14 votes in global candidatures. Whenever possible, CARICOM members coordinate and vote as a bloc, to leverage their influence within the multilateral environment.
The previous white paper, in 2003, signalled an engagement with CARICOM within multilateral forums, but there was no reference to interaction at a more substantive bilateral level. In practice, there were also minimal bilateral exchanges beyond Australia’s campaign for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2012. This ad hoc approach to engagement was a missed opportunity for Australia to reaffirm its relationship with the region, and a group of countries that could be significant allies within the international arena.
CARICOM’s endorsement and votes are valuable commodities in multilateral election processes, but particularly in the context of Australia’s current highprofile candidature to the UN Human Rights Council and its future UN Security Council campaign. However, Australia should be cautioned against taking a minimalist view towards engagement with CARICOM, particularly when Australia’s competitors are interacting more with the member countries.
Australia and the CARICOM member states have a longstanding diplomatic relationship, with prospects for even more sustainable and strategic partnerships on mutually beneficial issues. The impending release of DFAT’s white paper provides a timely forum for seizing these opportunities.
During Australia’s previous UN Security Council bid, CARICOM members saw Australia’s increased interests in their region as a promising pivot towards a sustained alliance. Unfortunately, many perceived the engagement to revolve around the promise of financial and development assistance only.
Common links Commonwealth
It was a short-term vision from both sides that ultimately resulted in disappointment after Australia’s election victory, and a cautionary tale about allowing genuine alliances motivated by temporary aid projects, rather than driven by long-term strategic partnerships. Australia’s outreach to CARICOM countries should remain authentic and transparent, and should be nurtured with a long-term view.
CARICOM states represent 12 of the 13 Commonwealth countries in the western hemisphere. As a fellow member of the Commonwealth, Australia’s alliance with CARICOM would benefit from their shared language, colonial history, legal systems and political traditions. Within a global community with a multitude of cultures, backgrounds, religions and languages, there is comfort and leverage in these commonalities.
Allies in international peace
Small Island Developing States
The majority of CARICOM members are island nations, and CARICOM has advocated in multilateral forums for the
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The current international environment is tenuous. Reliable allies are needed in the fight against terrorism, cyber security, humanitarian crises, drug trafficking,
REGIONAL IMPACT
The UWI Press Celebrates 25 Years of Best Sellers and Award Winners From 2017 - 2018.
money laundering, and other challenges to international peace and security. Australia and CARICOM countries have had like-minded views on how to tackle these issues for decades, but no significant alliances have yet been forged. This limited attention to engaging the Caribbean is neither new, nor unique to Australia. There has been a slide in genuine engagement from traditional partners for a number of years, which has allowed other countries such as China and Venezuela to step into the void. This has resulted in traditional partners facing a diminished influence in securing CARICOM support on international affairs. The impending release of DFAT’s white paper is an opportune time for Australia to re-examine its engagement with CARICOM. As Australia is aware, contributing to the closed-door work of the UN Security Council often relies on the goodwill and the support of allies in the UNSC. However, these alliances begin at the bilateral level.
See their catalogue at www.uwipress.com
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is likely to win a seat on the security council in 2019, Guyana in 2023, and Trinidad and Tobago in 2026. If they are successful, Australia could have influential allies in the security council, in addition to its traditional ones, to address the many global security issues the UNSC will debate. These are the types of benefits Australia could derive from a foreign policy engagement strategy with CARICOM.
THE THE U UNIVERSITY NIVERSITY O OFF TTHE HE W WEST EST IINDIES NDIES PPRESS RE S S JA MA ICA
Shared goals, not gifts
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Global partnerships should not be about aid, but rather about shared responsibilities, goals and ideas for working towards a common future. Adopting a limited engagement strategy does a disservice to both parties, limiting the long-term gains that could derive from greater interaction. Australia is a global player and has the potential to be an influential one. However, this would entail more meaningful engagement with like-minded countries around the world. As the CARICOM countries reposition themselves to become even more active in global affairs, considerable benefits can be gained by both Australia and CARICOM through the strengthening of their relationship. _____________________________ Carlisle Richardson is a former Ambassador of St. Kitts and Nevis to the United Nations and a former Sustainable Development Officer of the United Nations.
NEW & FORTHCOMING CATALOGUE 2017 | 2018
Taken from: Australia's Diplomatic Opportunity in the Caribbean by Carlisle Richardson (UWI alumnus). Reprinted with permission.
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ALUMNI AND WEALTH CREATION
The UWI Global Giving Week
St. Kitts and Nevis led the charge for Global Giving at the launch of the UWI Global Giving Week held at Government House, St. Kitts on August 1, 2017. The UWI thanks His Excellency Sir Samuel W. Tapley Seaton for his gracious support and for galvanising so many persons who have now contributed. Thanks too to the UWIAA St. Kitts and Nevis Chapter for their outstanding support. Over US$12K was donated at the extremely elegant and enjoyable launch event and from other follow-up calls.
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UWIAA NEWS
UWI Alumni Advocates Eager to Increase Alumni Engagement
The University of the West Indies has been increasing alumni engagement over the past 10 years and will augment involvement as it approaches its 70th Anniversary in 2018. The Director of Alumni Relations for The UWI, based at The UWI Regional Headquarters, Celia Davidson Francis, has been working strategically to raise awareness about the importance of Alumni Relations. She is pleased to promote the appointment of Carmen Nicholas Ph.D., President of the UWIAA Florida Chapter as the UWIAA Alumnus Representative at the University level from August 1, 2017 – July 31, 2019 and Mr. Craig Tuckett, UWIAA President of the St. Kitts and Nevis Chapter, who will operate as the UWIAA Council Representative at the University level from August 1, 2017 – July 31, 2018.
Carmen is an Early Childhood Education Specialist at the Early Learning Coalition of Broward County in Florida, USA. She holds at Bachelor of Science in Chemistry/Biochemistry from The UWI Mona and a Doctor of Philosophy in Applied Developmental Psychology from Nova Southeastern University. She specialises in curriculum development, programme development and teaching and is also a member of the National Black Child Development Institute and the Jamaican Women of Florida. Craig has just completed his Bachelor of Laws degree at The UWI, St. Augustine and attends the Sir Hugh Wooding Law School. He also holds a Diploma in National Development from Fu Hsing Kang College; Pei-tou, Republic of China (Taiwan) and a Bachelor of Science degree in Agribusiness Management from The UWI, St. Augustine. He worked for five years for the Government of Antigua and Barbuda in the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Commerce, Sports, Culture and National Festivals as Advisor and Chief of Staff to the Minister. He is the Managing Director of the Tuckett Group of Companies Ltd.
They will represent alumni at the Annual Business Meeting of the University Council and Senate, as well as on various University committees and will advocate for alumni collaboration. The encouragement of the involvement of young, professional and established alumni regionally, in the life of the four UWI campuses will be advanced; and Carmen and Craig will also work with the Director to ensure the engagement of the international UWIAA Chapters.
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UWIAA NEWS
UWIAA ST. LUCIA The new members of the Executive Committee of the UWIAA Saint Lucia Chapter are looking forward to building their Chapter into one of the premier professional organisations of their country and have many exciting plans to involve and engage members. Lydia Dariah, the President and Marcia Dolor-Lashley, the Vice President are pleased to advise that they will be ably assisted by the following team: • • • • •
Vice President Marcia Dolor–Lashley has a B.Sc. in Youth Development Work. She believes that her leadership skills, qualities and being a team player help her contribute, and she wishes to assist youth to be better individuals so they can contribute to national development. Secretary Sylvia Jeffrey has a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Studies with a minor in Economics and is passionate about working with volunteer organisations, and Public Relations Officer Gernan Duncan holds two degrees from The UWI, one from St. Augustine, and the other from the Cave Hill Campus. Treasurer Denise Gustave holds a B.A. in Management Studies from the Open Campus St. Lucia and is an Assistant Accountant at the Department of Economic Development, Transport and Civil Aviation. Assistant Treasurer/Assistant Secretary Neri Anna Alexander has a B.Sc. in Management Studies from The UWI and is currently pursuing an MBA (Finance). The Social Media Officer Beana L. Joseph is a recent graduate of The UWI. She studied Environmental Science and Sustainable Technology and worked with LuSATT (St. Augustine Campus) from 2014-2015 and with the Guild of Students from 2015-2016.
Secretary - Sylvia Jeffrey Treasurer - Denise Gustave Public Relations Officer - Gernan Duncan Social Media Officer - Beana L. Joseph Assistant Treasurer/Secretary - Neri Anna Alexander
The team looks forward to working with and supporting The UWI Open Campus, St. Lucia. President Lydia Dariah notes, “As an alumna of The UWI I believe it is important to give back to my Alma Mater, given the quality education this prestigious Caribbean institution has afforded me enabling me to attain a B.Sc. in Management Studies from the Open Campus and an M.Sc. in International Trade Policy from Cave Hill. I therefore want to continue demonstrating my Pelican Pride by volunteering my time and effort towards building a UWI Alumni Association that can contribute to the sustainability of The UWI and engage in impactful initiatives geared towards Saint Lucia’s social development”.
We congratulate this new alumni team and look forward to working with them to further build “One UWI, One Alumni Family”.
UWIAA St. Lucia Executive with Student Guild members
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UWIAA NEWS
UWIAA St. Lucia Meet and Greet As part of efforts to bring UWI alumni together to network and discuss the direction of the UWIAA St. Lucia Chapter, a Meet and Greet was held on Friday, August 25, 2017 from 6:00 p.m. at KeeBees Bar and Grill, Rodney Bay. The Association held a similar event on August 6, 2016 at the Pink Papaya Restaurant where over 20 persons were in attendance. The interactions were quite interesting as alumni reminisced about their UWI days and the many lessons learnt through their UWI experiences. The newly elected Executive welcomed alumni to this event and learned more about how they can assist in driving the Association forward.
Antigua Alumni Celebrating UWI Memories Together
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UWIAA NEWS
UWIAA Contact - California
Meet Rachel! Rachel is a proud Alumni Ambassador of the ViceChancellor’s UWI STAT Ambassador Corps. She says, “Those UWI Moments... one day I will never forget is my induction into UWI STAT. I felt as if I was joining a ‘special league’... like an honour society (in fact it was).... and I was truly honoured to have been selected”. A proud UWI alumna, she received her M.Sc. in International Relations and her B.Sc. in International Relations from The UWI, Mona Campus. She then did her LLB at the University of London and a Master of Laws at the University of California, Berkeley. She is an Attorney-At-Law, currently working with a leading law firm in San Francisco, California, USA, specialising in real estate transactions, project entitlement, permitting, environmental due diligence and more. She has co-authored, coordinated, and supervised several publications including studies and technical papers on Agricultural Policy in Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) countries.
Rachel looks forward to connecting with other UWI graduates in California and to keeping the spirit of the Pelican alive in that area of the globe. Contact Rachel at californiaalumni.uwi.edu
UWIAA Contact - South-East Asia
schools, now that peace has been established. Interestingly, in 2006, he met with the CEO of Zambia Open Community Schools (ZOCS) NGO on its plans to provide primary schooling opportunities for 175,000 out of school children. The Patron of ZOCS is Professor Michael Kelly, who received an Honorary Doctorate from The UWI in 2005.
Michael Morrisey lives mostly in Jakarta but is called the UWIAA South-East Asia Contact as he has lived in, worked in or visited the following countries: Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, the Phillipines, Indonesia, Singapore, Myanmar, Malaysia and Brunei. Most of the countries he visits are in conflict/post conflict. This photo shows his recent visit to rebel-held Karen territory in Myanmar, meeting with the rebel general (in pink sarong) on increasing access to
Contact Mike at asean@alumni.uwi.edu
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UWIAA NEWS
Sir George - Loyal Alumnus
She noted that The UWI had a long history with Grenada and a very bright future as the University seeks to expand its presence at Hope, and urged the alumni to support the UWIAA in Grenada.
UWI Alumni gathered in the late afternoon on July 6, 2017 in the lush gardens of Sandals LaSource, Pink Gin Beach, Point Salines, St. George's, to bid adieu to Sir George Alleyne, Chancellor of The University of the West Indies, for his stellar service to The UWI and his outstanding contribution to the alumni association which he served as Patron.
The Chancellor in his farewell remarks thanked the Grenada Chapter for hosting this Cocktail Reception in his honour. He reminded the alumni that even though he is demitting office he will always be an alumnus and willing to promote The UWI. He emphasised that all alumni should “give-back” to their Alma Mater – give of their time, talent and energy. He said give of your time to help the Sites, give of your time by mentoring a student and support the Global Giving Programme.
Among those attending the Farewell was alumna, Her Excellency Dame Cecile La Grenade and the Honourable Anthony Boatswain, Minister of Education; both pledging their commitment to preserving the excellence of The University of the West Indies. The formal session began with a warm welcome by Dr. Nicole Philip-Dowe, Head of the Grenada Site. Campus Officer of Alumni Relations, Mrs. Sandra Griffith-Carrington gave greetings and led the graduates in attendance in the reciting of The UWI Alumni Pledge.
Ms. Judy McCutcheon, the Grenada Alumni Representative, gave the Vote of Thanks and made a presentation to the Chancellor while Dr. Longsworth, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Principal, made a presentation to Mr. Peter Fraser, General Manager, Sandals LaSource for sponsoring the Reception. A Mix and Mingle followed the formal session where the alumni seized the opportunity to converse with the Chancellor and to connect with each other. This was a memorable occasion and an excellent opportunity for the Grenada Association to communicate and connect as they start to establish a robust presence in the Spice Isle.
Dr. Luz Longsworth, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Principal began her brief remarks by saluting the Chancellor for his commitment to the alumni from the very beginning of his tenure as Chancellor. She very vividly recalled that it was Sir George Alleyne who gave her an alumni pin when she was Head of the Belize Site. He cautioned her then not only to wear the pin with pride but to ensure that the alumni chapters remain vibrant. She took his advice and has continued to work with the alumni. Principal Longsworth stated emphatically that “the alumni are key to the future of The UWI as we need their input and participation in all the plans for growth and development”.
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UWIMAA
UWIMAA – Medical Moments
Sir George Honoured
The University of Toronto presented Sir George Alleyne with a Doctor of Science, honoris causa, for his work as “a scholar in academic medicine, and for his outstanding service for the public good, through his humanitarian work and contributions to global health”. Afterwards, Chancellor Alleyne and Lady Sylvan were feted by the UWIMAA Canadian Chapter.
Chancellor Alleyne with Dr. Trudy-Ann Brown and Dr. Natasha Richards, both in the Forensic Pathology Fellowship at the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto.
Chancellor Alleyne and recent UWI alumni trainees in Toronto.
A Heartfelt Thank You
It is with great pleasure that I write to express my deepest appreciation for being awarded the D. B. Stewart Prize in Obstetrics and Gynaecology for May/June MBBS Exams 2017. I was surprised and elated when I received the news that I had won the prize and I want to say thanks to the members of the UWI Medical Alumni Association - Canada Chapter - for making this possible. I worked really hard throughout medical school and also during my preparations for the MBBS exams and it is a good feeling to know that my hard work and dedication was good enough to be among the top performers in my exit exams. This award will assist me greatly and for that I am thankful. It will also play a role in motivating me to continue to do my best so that I can make my sponsors proud. I will continue to strive for excellence in whatever I do and I will keep the association updated re my progress and journey as a young doctor. Once again, thank you and please express my deep appreciation to all. Regards, Dr. Givana Witter, MBBS (Hons) The University of the West Indies, Mona. 21
PAYING FORWARD
UWI Medic Helps Pave the Way
The UWI School of Clinical Medicine and Research, The Bahamas is observing 20 years of service to students in 2017. Forty-nine students sat all three final exams and forty-nine passed Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynaecology - 100% pass rate. Forty-four out of forty-nine passed Surgery - 90% pass rate.
Dr. Mortimer G. Moxey, Clinical Tutor for the medical school gives an annual prize – The Dr. Mortimer G. Moxey Prize for the most outstanding student in Community Health at The University of the West Indies School of Clinical Medicine and Research, The Bahamas. The recipient is the student with the best overall performance in the fourth year Community Health clerkship based on an examination in the Principles and Practice of Public Health, a group research paper and a journal describing experiences in the clerkship in scientific terms and personal reflections and reactions to these classroom and field experiences in the Public Health arena. Further consideration is given to critical thinking and excellence in professionalism during the clerkship. The prize has been given at the annual Induction and Awards Ceremony of the School since 2004. It was initiated during the directorship of Professor Howard Spencer by Dr. Mortimer Moxey of The UWI Faculty of Medicine Class of 1980, to encourage and reward excellence in student performance in the Community Health clerkship. The 2017 recipient is Dr. Nekishia Rolle of the Class of 2017.
Dr. Nekishia Rolle, Class of 2017 receiving the Community Health Prize for the most outstanding student in Community Health from Dr. Mortimer G. Moxey, Community Health Tutor and Acting President, UWIAA, The Bahamas Chapter.
The Caribbean region to be more active and interventionist to achieve social and economic growth
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the United Nations Development Programme’s (UNDP) “Caribbean Action 2030” regional conference on SDGs hosted at The UWI Regional Headquarters on June 28, 2017, Dr. Luz Longsworth, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Principal of the Open Campus noted that, “To achieve the goals and objectives set out in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) framework of the United Nations, all institutions in our various countries must be “active and interventionist” in all areas that will accelerate innovation and growth. She stated that, “The UWI has joined the call to action to fulfill the Caribbean Action 2030 Agenda. It is no longer enough for the University to provide research support for these issues. The University’s 2017-2022 strategic plan centres on The UWI as an active player, partnering with governments, regional and international organisations and other institutions in all areas that will move the needle on the key issues of economic and social development, which will lead to just, peaceful and prosperous societies”.
The UWI and UNDP sign an MOU aimed at promoting social and economic growth in the Caribbean. L-R: Ambassador Dr. Richard Bernal, Pro-Vice Chancellor, Global Affairs, The UWI; Mrs. Laleta Davis Mattis, University Counsel, The UWI; Ms. Jessica Faieta, UNDP Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean; Dr. Luz Longsworth, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Principal, The UWI Open Campus; Mr. Bruno Pouezat, UN Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative for UNDP Jamaica and Mrs. Stacy Kennedy, Director of Development, The UWI.
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STUDENT ALUMNI PROGRAMMING
UWI STAT
Leadership Incubator The Governor-General’s Achievement Award (GGAA) was introduced in 1991 and honours previously unrecognised Jamaicans between 18 and 35 years of age who were doing exceptional work in their communities. In 2017, UWI STAT Ambassador, Keena Falconer of Portland, Jamaica was recognised for having demonstrated significant and consistent leadership and academic achievement, as well as a penchant for helping to promote volunteerism and community development. Being the recipient in the 18-24 age category for the parish of St. Andrew, he was recognised for his leadership through the UWI STAT Vice Chancellor’s Ambassadors Corps for which he was General Secretary, the Youth Advisory Council of Jamaica, the Commonwealth Youth Council and the CARICOM Youth Ambassadors Committee for Jamaica, for which he was the Community Initiatives and Outreach Coordinator. He was also recognised for his volunteerism work through the Good Deeds Foundation, the Inner-city Development Youth Association, the Shashamane Sunrise Foundation and the Jamaican Youth Empowerment through Culture, Arts and Nationalism (JAYECAN). Moreover, he was honoured for his stellar academic success throughout the years, which saw him receive a Government Scholarship to attend Ardenne High, graduate from said institution with 18 distinctions across CSEC and CAPE, being the recipient of several national awards, and most recently graduating from The UWI with a degree in Economics and Banking and Finance with First Class Honours. He acknowledges that the training he received in the UWI STAT Corps as well as the opportunities for exposure and networking were invaluable to his overall development. He will continue to serve as an Alumni Ambassador and promote and assist his Alma Mater.
From left: Alvin Rampasard (Uncle), Keenan Falconer, Debbie Falconer (Mother) and Joy Rampasard (Aunt).
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PELICANS SOARING
TRINIDAD JOURNALIST RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS NABJ “PERCY QOBOzA FOREIGN JOURNALIST AWARD”
Trinidadian Newspaper Columnist, Freelance Journalist, Media Trainer and President of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM), Wesley Gibbings, received the prestigious National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) “Percy Qoboza Foreign Journalist Award” at the NABJ Convention and Career Fair in New Orleans on August 11, 2017. The award is in recognition of his work in the promotion of press freedom throughout the Caribbean. It is named for the late Percy Peter Tshidiso Qoboza, Editor of The World newspaper in Soweto, South Africa, whose powerful columns ranged from coverage of the 1976 Soweto riots to the tragic horror of apartheid and the white minority government’s treatment of millions of black Africans. A journalist for over 35 years, he is the founding President of the ACM which was established in 2001. He is also a former President of the Media Association of Trinidad and Tobago (MATT). He has served on the Council of the International Freedom of Exchange (IFEX) and the inaugural Steering Committee of the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD). His journalistic career has spanned the broadcast and print media and his work has been published in newspapers and journals internationally.
Gibbings has written extensively on Caribbean media affairs and has presented papers on a wide range of subjects related to press freedom at conferences and seminars all over the world. He has also edited and contributed to a number of journalistic handbooks and has served as visiting Lecturer at the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication, The University of the West Indies in Jamaica and as a Training Coordinator for the Media Development Authority of Fiji. He is well known in Latin America and the Caribbean for his work on the promotion of press freedom and freedom of expression and is regularly cited on a variety of issues of concern to the media industry of the Caribbean. He has also been involved in journalism training programmes throughout the region. Gibbings currently serves as a member of the Coordinating Committee of the IFEX Latin American and Caribbean Alliance.
National Honours for UWI Pelicans Congratulations to the many awardees including:
THE ORDER OF JAMAICA (Fourth highest national honour)
Joy Spence OD, LLD (Hons) for the promotion of Jamaica’s rum industry and brand Jamaica globally;
Honorary Graduate, businessman and humanitarian the Hon. Anthony K. E. Hart
Loleta L. Davis-Mattis for sterling contribution to the Jamaica National Heritage Trust and the development of Environmental Law in Jamaica;
Donald C. Wehby for sterling contribution to the public and private sectors;
AFUWI Honouree housing developer the Hon. Phillip F. Gore
Professor Rosemary G. Moodie - for outstanding contribution in Philanthropy, Community Development and Medicine in the Jamaica Diaspora in Canada;
The University of the West Indies Pro-Vice Chancellor and Principal Professor the Hon. Archibald McDonald
Professor Horace M. Fletcher, former Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Mona and Consultant to the University Hospital of the West Indies.
Dr. Marcia A. Forbes for outstanding contribution to Multimedia Television Products, Public Service and Volunteerism;
THE ORDER OF DISTINCTION IN THE RANK OF COMMANDER (JAMAICA)
Howard Mitchell for outstanding contribution to the Business Sector and Public Service;
Ian Forbes for service through volunteerism in the field of sports and youth mentorship;
Dr. Kenneth David Vaughn for excellence in Orthopaedic Surgery and Voluntary Community Service throughout the Caribbean.
Kevin Hendrickson for outstanding contribution to the hotel and tourism industries; 24
PELICANS SOARING
Sherry Perrier
Sherry Perrier is an Alumni Ambassador from the UWI STAT Mona Corps. She joined the Corps in 2012 and while at The UWI, Mona she took part in a Safe Sex Awareness and HIV/AIDS Campaign, Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign, High School Visits, Labour Day Projects and the Jamaica Environmental Trust’s Beach Clean Up. She was selected as a Young Leader to attend the Young Leaders Town Hall Meeting with President Barack Obama in 2015. She holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Strategic Portfolio Management (2016) with core subjects including Equity Valuation, International Portfolio Management and Risk, as well as a B.Sc. Banking and Finance (Upper Second Class Honours – GPA 3.59, 2011 – 2014) from The UWI, Mona Campus. She has received recognition in many areas including: Dr. Angela Brown-Burke’s Youth Award in recognition of Local Economic Development - 2015 Top Performer and Best Presenter in Digicel’s Graduate Recruitment Programme - 2014 17th World Business Dialogue Delegate for Jamaica in Cologne, Germany - 2014 The UWI Premier Award for Service - 2014 Third Place Entrepreneur Builder, The UWI Business Model Competition - 2014 The UWI: Student Awards for Excellence in Leadership and Service 2012 to 2014 The UWI: Faculty of Social Sciences Deans List - 2012 to 2014 First Place: Owen James’ Young Investors Stock Competition’s 4th Quarter - 2012 The UWI: Faculty of Social Sciences Honouree for Academic Excellence - 2012 She credits UWI STAT for giving her the confidence and scope to highlight her existing interests and to explore new ones. She has been a: ‘Talk Up Yout” Ambassador and television programme guest advocating for various youth issues and providing solutions - 2015 Television Jamaica’s Smile Jamaica Guest Financial Advisor providing tips on how to teach children about money - 2015 Vice President of Communications and Internal Relations, UWI STAT Ambassador Corps - 2013 to 2014 Public Relations Officer, Careers Club, The UWI - 2012 to 2014 Peer Career Advisor, Placement and Career Services, The UWI - 2012 to 2014 Vice President, Young Investors’ Club, The UWI - 2012 to 2013 Faculty of Social Sciences Honour Society Inductee, The UWI - 2012 to 2014 Member of the Banking League, The UWI - 2011 to 2013 Her objective is to be an efficient, consistent and dedicated individual involved in tasks where she can learn, utilise her skills and creatively improve organisation and the global society. She is currently Commercial Financial Controller at Digicel Jamaica Large Markets Hub. 25
UWI GRADS ON THE MOVE Christopher Livingstone Samuda is the new President of the Jamaica Olympic Association. He is An Attorney-At-Law and President of Jamaica Paralympic Association. He is also the President of the Jamaica Disability Cricket Federation (JDCF) and is a founding partner in the law firm, Samuda & Johnson. He is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Creative Production and Training Centre Limited (CPTC), a Government-owned film and production institution which was established over 25 years ago. He is also the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Media Technology Institute. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree with Upper Second Class Honours from The University of the West Indies and a Certificate of Legal Education from the Norman Manley Law School. He was admitted to practice at the Jamaica Bar in 1986. Dr. Vincent R. Burton has been appointed President of Okyanos Centre for Regenerative Medicine, which is licensed by the Bahamas' National Stem Cell Ethics Committee (NSCEC). Okyanos is a leading adult stem cell therapy provider located in Freeport, Grand Bahama and combines state-of-the-art technologies delivered in a cell therapy centre of excellence. Dr. Burton is a UWI graduate with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery degree (MBBS). He completed his residency training in the United Kingdom at Queen's Hospital of Staffordshire, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital as well as Cambridge University's Addenbrooke's Hospital. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (FRCA) and has served as Chief Anesthesiologist at Okyanos since 2014. Prior to this, Dr. Burton served as House Officer at the Rand Memorial and Princess Margaret Hospitals in Nassau. He later became Senior House Officer at the Rand Memorial Hospital in Freeport and presently maintains his role as Consultant Anesthesiologist. He serves as Director of the Anesthesia and Intensive Care Unit for the Grand Bahama Public Hospitals' Authority and is Vice President of the Grand Bahama Medical and Dental Association.
Christopher B. Henry has joined Samuda and Johnson Attorneys-At-Law in the Housing and Real Estate Department and will also contribute to the Departments of Commercial and International Trade and Intellectual Property, Sport and Entertainment. He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Hons. from The UWI Mona and is a graduate of the Norman Manley Law School. He was awarded the Richard Wayne Lee Memorial Prize for his involvement in student activities, welfare and interests in the Law School. Mark Regis is now Country Chairman for the English and Dutch Caribbean Cluster at Shell (excluding Trinidad & Tobago). He graduated from The UWI St. Augustine Campus in 1989 with a B.A. in History and Political Science and has been a member of the Executive Committee of the UWIAA Trinidad and Tobago Chapter since 1991. He served as President of the Chapter from 2010 - 2012.
Darin A. Solomon, a member of the UWIAA St. Lucia Chapter has been accepted to pursue his master’s in project management (2017-18) from the University for International Cooperation, Global School of Project Management. He graduated from The UWI in 2011 with a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Management Studies. 26
UWI GRADS ON THE MOVE Dr. Inga Forde recently joined the Pulmonology Department at Mayo Clinic Health System in Eau Claire. In addition, she will care for patients in the Critical Care Unit and provide Centre for Sleep Medicine consultations.
Dr. Forde completed medical school at The UWI, Barbados. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Seton Hall University School of Graduate Medical Education, St. Michael’s Medical Centre, in Newark, New Jersey. She completed fellowships in critical care and sleep medicine at the Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education in Rochester, Minnesota, and pulmonary medicine at Yale New Haven Health, Bridgeport Hospital, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Dr. Caroline Burnett-Garraway has been appointed Medical Chief of Staff for the Princess Margaret Hospital with effect from August 2017. With more than two and half decades as a physician in the public health sector, she brings a wealth of training and experience to her new position. She is a graduate of The UWI Faculty of Medical Sciences undergraduate and graduate programmes in Jamaica and Barbados. In 2004, Dr. Burnett-Garraway completed the Leadership Development for Physicians in Academic Health Centres programme at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston. In addition to her clinical and administrative experience, Dr. Burnett-Garraway is a respected medical lecturer, and holds the post of Associate Lecturer, Department of Emergency Medicine at The UWI School of Clinical Medicine and Research programme located at the Princess Margaret Hospital. Dr. Caroline Burnett-Garraway is an accomplished musician having played violin with the Bahamas National Symphony Orchestra, the Bahamas National Chamber Ensemble, and the ever popular Strings ‘n Tings Quartet. She is married and has one daughter.
Dr. Stacy Stephenson-Clarke was appointed as the American Society of Microbiologists’ (ASM) Young Ambassador to Jamaica. This means that she joins a growing network of 62 Young Ambassadors of Science around the world who are passionate about advancing the microbial sciences in their communities and globally.
She pursued a Bachelor of Science degree in Microbiology at The UWI. She next earned a Master of Philosophy degree in Molecular Biology, and then upgraded to a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology which she achieved with high commendation, receiving an award for having one of the most outstanding theses for the year 2015/2016. Her dissertation examined quinolone resistance and gene regulation in uropathogenic escherichia coli. Since 2011 she has also done stints as a Teaching Assistant, Lecturer, Course Coordinator and Special Instructor in the Department of Basic Medical Sciences at The UWI. Mrs. Julie Reifer-Jones has been confirmed as Chief Executive Officer of LIAT. Mrs. Reifer-Jones is a graduate of The University of the West Indies, a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Barbados. Prior to joining LIAT, as Chief Financial Officer in 2008, Mrs. Reifer-Jones held several senior finance positions and has more than 25 years of experience in the fields of finance and management. 27
FOUNDATION NEWS
THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR THE UWI
Mix & Mingle
The AFUWI Mix & Mingle on July 6, 2017 was a resounding success. Held at Alvin and Friends in New Rochelle, an upscale restaurant and eatery, which serves an eclectic mix of Caribbean, American and Italian fare, the invitation only event was designed to celebrate longtime supporters and inform new ones about the Foundation and The UWI, as well as to promote networking.
scholarships. Additionally, there were games, treats and prizes. The Executive Director of the AFUWI, Ms. Ann-Marie Grant noted that she felt it important to recognise supporters and that the AFUWI sees itself as the catalyst for access to Caribbean tertiary education for students who are capable but just lack the financial means. Guests felt moved to contribute over US$5,000.00 and Ms. Grant in her turn, expressed the Foundation’s gratitude by saying that, “One can measure someone’s contribution as a human being, by their humanity to others”.
Guests heard about The UWI’s 2017-2022 Triple A Strategic Plan, and from past recipients of AFUWI
Ms. Ann-Marie Grant, Executive Director, AFUWI
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LITERARY CORNER
The Guyanese Culture
On the fiftieth anniversary of his country’s independence from colonialism, the author explores the culture of his native Guyana from its early days of slavery and indenture to the present, and speculates on its development over the next half-century. Strict control was achieved by the British through the imposition of their culture on the captive population and a “divide and rule” policy which sowed the seeds of racial conflict between the various ethnic groups. Resulting from various political forces, cultural diversity and racial harmony were diminished by ethno-racial animosities and violence, especially between Afro- and Indo-Guyanese. The author reviews old and new recommendations for resolutions to these problems, to see if a change in the political culture can bring about the social cohesion and national unity which are critical to Guyana’s future.
Important Moments by Milca Robinson Reid
Important Moments comprises poems, stories, monologues and plays that present episodes and themes predominantly from a Tobago perspective and spans approximately one hundred years. The book includes modern elements of crime, incest, AIDS, ethics, values, and healthy living. It also pays tribute to parents offering advice on raising their children. Stories of the present and long ago are embedded with glimpses of Tobago folklore. Monologues can be used for the "Spoken Word," while the book's drama can apply to stage performances or can be adapted for video presentations. Milca Robinson Reid exemplifies versatility as a way of life, combining the embodiment of academics and the arts. Born and raised in Tobago, her academic pursuits positioned her work as an educational psychologist, educator, and psychometrician. Her involvement in the visual and performing arts, community identification, membership in two literary organisations and other nongovernmental organisations, the study of English literature at secondary and tertiary levels, and a yearning for people's acceptance globally led her to become an author. She co-authored the book Tobago In Print.
Aunty C Children Book Series Mrs. Crystal 'Blake' Morrant, Class of 2013 has a B.A. in Media & Communication from the Caribbean School of Media & Communication (CARIMAC). She has great affinity for her Hall (Rex Nettleford) and was a member of the University Dramatic Arts Society (UDAS) for which she received a student award for her excellent contribution and service to the society. She is a Markets Associate at a global accounting firm and has recently written a Jamaican television series which is slated to be premiered on one of Jamaica's local television station. She is also the writer and creator of the children's book series 'Aunty C', which cater to children ages 3 – 6 years old. The books encourage child-parent interaction and promote reading, tracing, connecting dots, colouring and matching and other educational practices. There are currently six books in the series and each one introduces a different stage/level of learning.
“One UWI, One Alumni Family.” 29
HAPPENINGS ACROSS THE CAMPUSES
Cave Hill
The Cave Hill Campus hosted the inaugural Caribbean-China International Law Moot Competition, on May 22-24, 2017. The team from the Chinese University of Political Science and Law (CUPL) were the victors, however all students were praised for the high level of performance by the judges, led by Chief Justice Sir Marston Gibson. The Dean of the Faculty of Law Dr. David Berry noted that the competition represents the first step in strengthening the relationship between The UWI and CUPL as a MOU was signed the week before to work to establish a joint research centre, with exchanges of students and academic staff, as well as research activities including seminars, conferences and public lectures.
Open Campus
8th Annual Patricia Charles Memorial Lecture
Mona
Medical Practitioners Reunion - Class of 1987
More than twenty UWI, Mona, Jamaica-educated doctors who graduated in 1987, brought their families to Tobago on July 20-23, 2017 to be part of the class’ reunion event. It is the first time the reunion was held here. The event which brought together doctors from Jamaica, The Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, India, Dominica, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, was a peer-educated occasion which gave participants the opportunity to get up-to-date information on acute stroke management, island medicine, urology, deceased organ donation and ageing. In 1987 when the doctors graduated from Mona, it was the only campus of The UWI with a Faculty of Medicine.
The UWI Open Campus Saint Lucia hosted the 8th Annual Patricia Charles Memorial Lecture on May 25, 2017. Mrs. Patricia Charles was a former Resident Tutor of the School of Continuing Studies in Saint Lucia (now The UWI Open Campus), who dedicated her life to the furtherance of the Arts, Education and Culture in her adopted home, Saint Lucia. In attendance was Her Excellency Dame Pearlette Louisy, members of Mrs. Charles’ family, alumni, members of the diplomatic corps, and the general public. A warm welcome was delivered by the Head of the Open Campus Saint Lucia, Dr. Veronica Simon, followed by the introduction of the featured speaker, Professor Verene Shepherd, University Director of the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, who delivered a very well received lecture on "Education, Social Justice and Advocacy: The UWI to the World". The lecture paid tribute to the honouree, weaving together Mrs. Charles' interest in History, Heritage and Advocacy.
St. Augustine
The Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business presented the Distinguished Leadership and Innovation Conference under the theme Inspire, Innovate, Go Global. Challenge your potential to be innovative, take your leadership to new heights and business to the international playground with Jim Collins, Sir Ken Robinson and Pankaj Ghemawat on May 5 at the Hyatt Regency Trinidad. 30
IN CELEBRATION OF THEIR LIVES Dr. Anthony Norman Sabga, the late Chairman Emeritus of ANSA McAL, was awarded the Order of the Republic of T&T (ORTT) and the Doctorate of Laws bestowed upon him by The University of the West Indies for his contribution to the environmental landscape of Trinidad and Tobago. He left an indelible mark as one of the greatest Caribbean entrepreneurs of the 21st century. He rose above poverty, religious persecution, failures and crippling circumstances to become a legend in his own right, a patriot, family man and a stickler for education.
Dr. Suresh Birla joined the then Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management in the Faculty of Agriculture in 1970, as a Lecturer in Agricultural Economics and served until 2000, when he retired from teaching. During his tenure at the St. Augustine Campus, he was promoted to the position of Senior Lecturer in the Department and he also served as the Head of the Department for two periods from 1974 to 1977 and from 1986 to 1987. He also gave longstanding service as an Examiner in that degree programme. Dr. Birla supervised the research of many postgraduate students.
Dr. Peter Raymond Fletcher was the doyen of surgery in Jamaica. He graduated in medicine from The University of the West Indies with the MBBS, UCWI (London) degree in 1964. His mentors included Ronald Irvine, Don Gore and Ken McNeill.
He made valuable contributions to the work of the Caribbean Agro Economic Society (CAES) for several years and served as the First Secretary of the Society. He was presented with the Distinguished Contributor Award of the Caribbean Agro Economic Society (CAES) on the 13th January 2008.
He was a surgeon who led by example; consistent hard work meant many back-to-back all-nighters in the operating theatre. His unwavering self-discipline and 'regulated upbringing' made him intolerant to sloppiness and gratuitous rudeness of any complexion. His inherent sense of justice saw him giving of his best to all patients, irrespective of financial standing or social status. He promoted mutual respect and camaraderie.
Dr. Knox Hagley was a proud member of the class of 1957 and in the fullness of time he became the caring physician and grew steadily in the knowledge of his craft and his profession. He wandered very far over land and sea, seeking experience and drawing from the wisdom of others in places like Nigeria and England. For Dr. Hagley it was God, family, medicine, friends and community and he gave of himself freely to all. He was not only a good physician, but a great physician for as the iconic William Osler said, “The good physician treats the disease – the great physician treats the patient who has the disease”. There will be legions of patients who have benefited from that treatment. He was a professional’s professional. His patients and their relatives had confidence in his competence - a confidence that was enhanced by a superb ability to empathise and to communicate with frankness but with compassion and a patent integrity that was beyond reproach.
Although Dr. Fletcher received every honour conceivable from his peers - President of the Association of Surgeons (1990-92), Governor, American College of Surgeons (19901996), President, the UWI Medical Alumni Association (1991-1993) and Super Lion, Chancellor Hall, 1992 - he was never conceited. Being a patriot, he was specially appreciative of the national honour he earned - Order of Distinction, in the rank of Commander (CD) for contributions to Medicine in 2011.
He believed that medicine is be practiced not only for the good of one but should be professed for the good of society and there are generations of students and young doctors who would learn from and emulate him. He demonstrated that it was possible to be a first-class personal care physician and still be passionate about the public’s health. That was demonstrated by his work with the Pan American Health Organisation in Barbados and especially with the Jamaica Heart Foundation. He was excited and proud of the positive actions that the Government of Jamaica had taken to curb smoking. Through the years his was a loud and constant voice calling for the removal of this scourge of tobacco from our people and he trusted that the struggle to curb smoking will continue. He never lost his love for his Alma Mater, serving in many capacities - Lecturer, Head of Department and ever ready mentor. His indefatigable support of the Medical Alumni Association will not be forgotten.
Dr. Fletcher was an exemplary teacher who understood the unique value of mentorship long before the term became fashionable. His expressions of commendation were usually direct, encouraging and carefully measured, and his corrections unequivocal with a special intolerance for indolence and acts of deception. Dr. Elmo Bridgewater joined the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex (then Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex Authority – EWMSCA) as its first Veterinary Clinician in 1991. He spearheaded the teaching of clinical veterinary medicine at this campus and was instrumental in setting up the Veterinary Hospital. His pioneering work enabled the hospital to be opened in November 1991. He continued in this capacity until 1993 after which he joined the staff of The UWI School of Veterinary Medicine (UWI-SVM) as a Lecturer in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery. Although he retired in 1998, he was appointed the role of part-time lecturer and served in that role until May 2003.
Excerpt from tribute by Sir George Alleyne
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