Trinidad & Tobago
Sundar Popo south auditorium
Port-of-Spain – Remarking he has “tremendous respect” both for the late Sundar Popo and his contribution to the musical artform, San Fernando Mayor Junia Regrello last week maintained the decision to name the theatre after Sundar Popo was “an error in judgment”.
Instead, Regrello said the Amphitheatre at NAPA’s San Fernando campus should have been named in honour of Calypsonian Black Stalin, and not after the local chutney legend. The theatre has been officially named the Sundarlal Popo Bahora Auditorium.
Regrello said during his tenure as PNM MP for San Fernando West during the construction phase of the South campus, he had insisted on naming the theatre in honour of the calypsonian Black Stalin. However, the change of name occurred when the People's Partnership administration came into power, and was done so in recognition of Popo’s contribution to the musical artform in Trinidad and Tobago.
According to Regrello, Leroy ‘Black Stalin’ Calliste, who celebrated his 77th birthday last week, should have had that honour. Regrello declared the calypsonian must now be given such an honour before his death, since through his art he has made valuable contributions locally, regionally, and internationally.
Said Regrello: “When I was the MP – when construction started – that was my recommendation. It was based on the fact that Stalin was born at Library Corner, so he’s a San Fernando boy. Stalin represented San Fernando and the calypso artform from the south tent, and he has been doing that for the past 50 years.”
Said Regrello: “When I was the MP – when construction started – that was my recommendation. It was based on the fact that Stalin was born at Library Corner, so he’s a San Fernando boy. Stalin represented San Fernando and the calypso artform from the south tent, and he has been doing that for the past 50 years.”
Additionally, “He represented us all over the world. He has awards and certificates. His music is timeless; his music will continue to be a reference point to when we look at the history of Trinidad and Tobago. Stalin’s material is really profound. He is the only San Fernandian who won the National Calypso Monarch competition and internationally. Stalin has an honorary degree. We don't want to honour Stalin when it’s too late.”
However, Regrello noted the amphitheatre should not be renamed, and he was not recommending a name change. Instead, he insisted Stalin be honoured for his contributions to San Fernando. Regrello further insisted he was not discrediting Popo’s contribution; rather, that Stalin receive his “due”, adding, “It has nothing to do with ethnicity or politically.”
Regrello noted there were options ahead, and the San Fernando council has been making recommendations for a tribute to Stalin.
Black Stalin won the Calypso Monarch five times. In 1995 he won the Calypso Monarch title with song, ‘Tribute to Sundar Popo’, which was in honour of his friend and fellow artiste.
Regrello later came under criticism for his comments, with Pundit Satyanand Maharaj accusing him of making a “racist call”. Maharaj called on Regrello to apologise, saying the “Indian” community was hurt, insulted, upset, and unsettled by his statement.
However, Regrello noted the amphitheatre should not be renamed, and he was not recommending a name change. Instead, he insisted Stalin be honoured for his contributions to San Fernando. Regrello further insisted he was not discrediting Popo’s contribution; rather, that Stalin receive his “due”, adding, “It has nothing to do with ethnicity or politically.”
Regrello noted there were options ahead, and the San Fernando council has been making recommendations for a tribute to Stalin.
Black Stalin won the Calypso Monarch five times. In 1995 he won the Calypso Monarch title with song, ‘Tribute to Sundar Popo’, which was in honour of his friend and fellow artiste.
Regrello later came under criticism for his comments, with Pundit Satyanand Maharaj accusing him of making a “racist call”. Maharaj called on Regrello to apologise, saying the “Indian” community was hurt, insulted, upset, and unsettled by his statement.
Maharaj declared it was upsetting to know if Regrello had his way, the Sundar Popo name would be wiped from the cultural landscape of Trinidad and Tobago. He added such thinking was a reflection of the PNM’s view of the contribution by the “Indian” population.
Said Maharaj: “After years of being accused of discrimination against the Indian population, nothing seems to have changed in the party that touts itself as a national party.”
He added: “Little or no Indians in the distribution of HDC homes; Indian lecturers at [the University of Trinidad and Tobago] fired; and little or no Indo-cultural activities at State functions. The racist call of the mayor is yet another incident of the PNM pandering to its ethnic base at the expense of national unity, appreciation, and tolerance. We can only hope we do not have to wait for a week for an apology, as in the case of the last PNM act of discrimination – the now infamous Sari Skit, as I now also call upon the mayor to apologise for his insensitive statement.”
Regrello responded saying his comments had nothing to do with race, and he had not even mentioned Popo was an Indo-Trinidadian.
“May I repeat that I never advocated a name change of the facility, and would strongly recommend that the space remains under its current name. For the record, what I said was that if I was the MP for the area when it was built, and the recommendation from me for the name of the venue was the Dr Leroy Calliste Auditorium,” Regrello said.
He added: “I went further to say that I am cognizant of the tremendous contribution made by Popo, but this was more profound than that. The real issue here is for proper recognition to be given to Stalin before it is too late. It is high time that we as a people stop seeing all that is in front of us through the lens of ethnicity. If they had named it after Ras Kommanda, who is of African descent and from San Fernando, my views would have been the same.”
Said Maharaj: “After years of being accused of discrimination against the Indian population, nothing seems to have changed in the party that touts itself as a national party.”
He added: “Little or no Indians in the distribution of HDC homes; Indian lecturers at [the University of Trinidad and Tobago] fired; and little or no Indo-cultural activities at State functions. The racist call of the mayor is yet another incident of the PNM pandering to its ethnic base at the expense of national unity, appreciation, and tolerance. We can only hope we do not have to wait for a week for an apology, as in the case of the last PNM act of discrimination – the now infamous Sari Skit, as I now also call upon the mayor to apologise for his insensitive statement.”
Regrello responded saying his comments had nothing to do with race, and he had not even mentioned Popo was an Indo-Trinidadian.
“May I repeat that I never advocated a name change of the facility, and would strongly recommend that the space remains under its current name. For the record, what I said was that if I was the MP for the area when it was built, and the recommendation from me for the name of the venue was the Dr Leroy Calliste Auditorium,” Regrello said.
He added: “I went further to say that I am cognizant of the tremendous contribution made by Popo, but this was more profound than that. The real issue here is for proper recognition to be given to Stalin before it is too late. It is high time that we as a people stop seeing all that is in front of us through the lens of ethnicity. If they had named it after Ras Kommanda, who is of African descent and from San Fernando, my views would have been the same.”
Port-of-Spain – Recipient of this year’s Chaconia Medal (Silver) for religion and culture, retired school teacher Pundit Bhownath Maraj, was elated and touched by the honour, saying he was appreciative despite not knowing who had nominated him. He received the award during Republic Day celebrations last week.
Said Maraj: “I am very appreciative and honoured that someone took notice of what I have been in the community. And all that I have done, I never looked for fame or any recognition. I believe in doing good and good will come back to you and I have been doing this. I do things from my heart.”
Maraj was teacher for the 37 years, and took early retirement to focus on helping youths in the community. He has been involved in temple, community, and cultural activities all his life, and chose to work with youths to keep them on the right path.
He continues to teach religious instruction at North Eastern College, which he has been doing so since 1971. He is also a founding member of the Ramleela Committee, and spiritual head of the Sant Nagar Hindu Temple, both in Sangre Grande.
He is also an executive member of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, and a senior member of the Pundits Parishad. His advice to young people is to never forget their roots and cultural heritage.
“Look at your roots – where you come from, and never forget that. It will be the guide to shaping you for the better. Youths must maintain their tradition and pursue their religious beliefs because it is life's guide. Listen to your elders. Though some adults are stern they mean well because they want you to succeed in life,” he said.
Said Maraj: “I am very appreciative and honoured that someone took notice of what I have been in the community. And all that I have done, I never looked for fame or any recognition. I believe in doing good and good will come back to you and I have been doing this. I do things from my heart.”
Maraj was teacher for the 37 years, and took early retirement to focus on helping youths in the community. He has been involved in temple, community, and cultural activities all his life, and chose to work with youths to keep them on the right path.
He continues to teach religious instruction at North Eastern College, which he has been doing so since 1971. He is also a founding member of the Ramleela Committee, and spiritual head of the Sant Nagar Hindu Temple, both in Sangre Grande.
He is also an executive member of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha, and a senior member of the Pundits Parishad. His advice to young people is to never forget their roots and cultural heritage.
“Look at your roots – where you come from, and never forget that. It will be the guide to shaping you for the better. Youths must maintain their tradition and pursue their religious beliefs because it is life's guide. Listen to your elders. Though some adults are stern they mean well because they want you to succeed in life,” he said.
Port-of-Spain – The sudden death of Indian classical singer Jameer Hosein last week robbed the Caribbean of one of its finest cultural ambassadors, a pioneering and versatile artiste, and a mentor to a generation of entertainers, Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal said last week. Hosein collapsed and died at his home in Kelly Village, Cunupia last Friday. He was a self-taught singer and musician who mastered the harmonium.
Moonilal said Hosein was “one of the region’s most skilled exponents of Indian classical singing, with unmatched artistry and resourcefulness, which he displayed at concert halls across the world”. He added: “His wide repertoire, vocal range, love for the craft and musical adaptability made him a rare cultural talent. He was a singularly gifted musical poet, a once-in-a-generation artistic exponent.”
He said Hosein’s death occurred at a time “when the legacy of local cultural icons was, most regrettably, being undermined or not acknowledged by certain insensitive or unappreciative national office-holders”.
Hosein was honoured with a Humming Bird medal in 2014 for his devoted and loyal service to culture.
“While Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean have lost a supremely talented cultural resource, we must be comforted and emboldened by his large body of work, which will entertain and serenade us for generations,” Moonilal declared.
Speaking on Hosein’s passing, chut.loss was a blow to local culture in Trinidad and Tobago, while noting the late artiste maintained a high standard of classical singing, and kept the artform alive.
“Like my father, the late great Isaac Yankaran, Hosein had this unique style of singing the Hindi and Bhojpuri songs that the local people loved,” Yankaran said. Yankaran noted with his passing, Hosein left behind a tradition he contributed to building, along with other notables who have since died, among them his father, Isaac, and his brother, Anand, Sonny Mann, Haniff Mohammed, and Roy Cooper.
Denise Chinpire, coordinator of Chinpire Promotions, said Hosein was active up until his death, and had performed at functions in July and August. “Hosein has left a void in this country, one that cannot easily be filled,” she said.
Karishma Dowtal, an accomplished singer, paid tribute to her grandfather on social media, saying: “That feeling of pride and joy I got every single time someone asked me if I’m your granddaughter, and if I’d follow in your footsteps. The immense honour I had of being introduced on stage by you. My first performance at the Divali Nagar because of you,” she wrote. Hosein’s funeral took place last week.
Moonilal said Hosein was “one of the region’s most skilled exponents of Indian classical singing, with unmatched artistry and resourcefulness, which he displayed at concert halls across the world”. He added: “His wide repertoire, vocal range, love for the craft and musical adaptability made him a rare cultural talent. He was a singularly gifted musical poet, a once-in-a-generation artistic exponent.”
He said Hosein’s death occurred at a time “when the legacy of local cultural icons was, most regrettably, being undermined or not acknowledged by certain insensitive or unappreciative national office-holders”.
Hosein was honoured with a Humming Bird medal in 2014 for his devoted and loyal service to culture.
“While Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean have lost a supremely talented cultural resource, we must be comforted and emboldened by his large body of work, which will entertain and serenade us for generations,” Moonilal declared.
Speaking on Hosein’s passing, chut.loss was a blow to local culture in Trinidad and Tobago, while noting the late artiste maintained a high standard of classical singing, and kept the artform alive.
“Like my father, the late great Isaac Yankaran, Hosein had this unique style of singing the Hindi and Bhojpuri songs that the local people loved,” Yankaran said. Yankaran noted with his passing, Hosein left behind a tradition he contributed to building, along with other notables who have since died, among them his father, Isaac, and his brother, Anand, Sonny Mann, Haniff Mohammed, and Roy Cooper.
Denise Chinpire, coordinator of Chinpire Promotions, said Hosein was active up until his death, and had performed at functions in July and August. “Hosein has left a void in this country, one that cannot easily be filled,” she said.
Karishma Dowtal, an accomplished singer, paid tribute to her grandfather on social media, saying: “That feeling of pride and joy I got every single time someone asked me if I’m your granddaughter, and if I’d follow in your footsteps. The immense honour I had of being introduced on stage by you. My first performance at the Divali Nagar because of you,” she wrote. Hosein’s funeral took place last week.
Port-of-Spain – The Petroleum Dealers Association has called on the government for a meeting to discuss the supply of fuel when Petrotrin is shut down on November 30. The request follows what PDA’s President Robin Naraynsingh said was the motoring public bombarding the group with questions about the continuation of fuel supplies following Petrotrin’s closure.
“The PDA has been inundated with a lot of questions with regards to the uncertainty that now exists with the petroleum dealers, and the closing of Petrotrin. There are a lot of ambiguities and uncertainties right now out in the public, and this is causing a lot of anxiety,” Narayn-singh said.
“We as petroleum dealers are the ones who do the retail industry and we attend to between 300,000 to 400,000 people on a daily basis. As a result of this, we are being asked a lot of questions, which we do not have the answers for. The ministry has not engaged us in any consultation to advise us of the rollout of this procedure of the closure of Petrotrin,” he added.
Naraynsingh said the PDA has not been able to meet with the government to discuss the future of their fuel supply, and there is need for clarity.
Said Naraynsingh: “Before you roll out something like this you should have had some consultation with the people involved, so we can allay some of the fears of our customers, which we have not been able to do. We want to have some clarity on the issue, all of us here invest our private money and business needs a certain amount of stability and if we do not have stability it causes a lot of uncertainty.”
He said the PDA also has cost-saving suggestions they would like to present to the ministry if they get a chance.
“Since the product is being shipped to Petrotrin and they are the ones that have the terminals and bunkers, can the petroleum dealers, in an effort to mitigate the cost of fuel, go to Petrotrin directly and buy fuel?” he asked.
Also, “Will that be a cost-saving factor on the population? Can we engage the ministry on this? But how do we get to the ministry when they do not interact with us? So these suggestions to mitigate the cost of fuel to the population, this is one of the suggestions the PDA would really like to explore.”
PDA member Marc Chin Aleong said another major concern for retailers is the reliability of a supply.
“As gas station operators, our concern is the cost of gas as delivered to us, the margin we would be able to make on it and the reliability and consistency of supply and to us. That is what the major issue is to us – what type of supply is it going to be?” he asked.
Additionally, “Are we going to get it on a consistent basis? If there are expected stock-outs, is there enough storage to maintain us over periods of time? Because if we do have to import it, what happens if a hurricane passes by and stops shipments from coming in?”
PDA secretary Saleema Sattar said dealers would also like to see the industry de-regularised, as they are struggling to keep businesses open while paying some 90 percent of their profits in business levy and the Green Fund levy. She said the retail profit margin for Super and Premium Gas is (TT) 22 cents per litre and the margin for diesel and regular gas is 17 cents per litre.
Said Sattar: “Our problem is that we have what you call an absolute margin as opposed to a fixed margin – it means that prior to the last increase we were making 17 cents regardless of how the price went up. So if the price is $1, you make 17 cents, if it’s $2, you make 17 cents, if the price goes to $3, you are still making 17 cents, and your gross profit comes down. In addition, our industry, having no control of the margin, have had to bear the brunt of very serious blows from a taxation perspective, business levy, Green Fund levy.”
She said after taxes, most dealers are left struggling to keep their businesses afloat.
“The PDA has been inundated with a lot of questions with regards to the uncertainty that now exists with the petroleum dealers, and the closing of Petrotrin. There are a lot of ambiguities and uncertainties right now out in the public, and this is causing a lot of anxiety,” Narayn-singh said.
“We as petroleum dealers are the ones who do the retail industry and we attend to between 300,000 to 400,000 people on a daily basis. As a result of this, we are being asked a lot of questions, which we do not have the answers for. The ministry has not engaged us in any consultation to advise us of the rollout of this procedure of the closure of Petrotrin,” he added.
Naraynsingh said the PDA has not been able to meet with the government to discuss the future of their fuel supply, and there is need for clarity.
Said Naraynsingh: “Before you roll out something like this you should have had some consultation with the people involved, so we can allay some of the fears of our customers, which we have not been able to do. We want to have some clarity on the issue, all of us here invest our private money and business needs a certain amount of stability and if we do not have stability it causes a lot of uncertainty.”
He said the PDA also has cost-saving suggestions they would like to present to the ministry if they get a chance.
“Since the product is being shipped to Petrotrin and they are the ones that have the terminals and bunkers, can the petroleum dealers, in an effort to mitigate the cost of fuel, go to Petrotrin directly and buy fuel?” he asked.
Also, “Will that be a cost-saving factor on the population? Can we engage the ministry on this? But how do we get to the ministry when they do not interact with us? So these suggestions to mitigate the cost of fuel to the population, this is one of the suggestions the PDA would really like to explore.”
PDA member Marc Chin Aleong said another major concern for retailers is the reliability of a supply.
“As gas station operators, our concern is the cost of gas as delivered to us, the margin we would be able to make on it and the reliability and consistency of supply and to us. That is what the major issue is to us – what type of supply is it going to be?” he asked.
Additionally, “Are we going to get it on a consistent basis? If there are expected stock-outs, is there enough storage to maintain us over periods of time? Because if we do have to import it, what happens if a hurricane passes by and stops shipments from coming in?”
PDA secretary Saleema Sattar said dealers would also like to see the industry de-regularised, as they are struggling to keep businesses open while paying some 90 percent of their profits in business levy and the Green Fund levy. She said the retail profit margin for Super and Premium Gas is (TT) 22 cents per litre and the margin for diesel and regular gas is 17 cents per litre.
Said Sattar: “Our problem is that we have what you call an absolute margin as opposed to a fixed margin – it means that prior to the last increase we were making 17 cents regardless of how the price went up. So if the price is $1, you make 17 cents, if it’s $2, you make 17 cents, if the price goes to $3, you are still making 17 cents, and your gross profit comes down. In addition, our industry, having no control of the margin, have had to bear the brunt of very serious blows from a taxation perspective, business levy, Green Fund levy.”
She said after taxes, most dealers are left struggling to keep their businesses afloat.
Port-of-Spain – Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha General Secretary Satnarayan Maharaj said last week there was no error in the organisation calculating the 2018 Diwali date.
Maharaj said the SDMS is one of several such bodies consulted annually by the Office of the Prime Minister on the date of Diwali, and it believed the announced date of Tuesday, November 6 to be correct.
Maharaj was responding to questions posed by the Sanatan Vidwad Vidyalaya Hindu School of Theology on whose advice the government follows on dates of some events in the Hindu calendar.
In a letter to the media last week, head of the School of Theology Pandit Vishnu Narine said “unfamiliarity with the basic tenets of lunar calculations (tithi), coupled with carelessly interchanging solar and lunar data, may well be the reason for this continuous, grave error”. He said proper calculations have shown the Festival of Lights should be celebrated in Trinidad and Tobago on November 7.
“For yet another time, our Hindu population is being subjected to the heart-rending situation whereby it is misguided on the date for Diwali 2018. Hindu Shaastras (law books) clearly declare that Diwali ought to be celebrated on the day which ushers in the sunset of the new moon in the month of Kaartik (October/November). That date is Wednesday, November 7, 2018,” Narine said.
He said it should be noted that places east, west, north and south of Trinidad and Tobago, outside of India, are observing Diwali on November 7. These include Malaysia, Australia, South Africa, England, Guyana, Suriname, the US, and Canada, he said.
The date is announced annually by the Office of the President, and was this year attributed to that office, but was issued by the Ministry of Communications.
Maharaj said yesterday the SDMS was one of the organisations consulted each year, but could not name the others. He questioned the legitimacy of some of the organisations that dispute the date each year, and said not every such outfit should be entertained.
Maharaj said further as is practiced by the relevant bodies in the Muslim faith for the annual observance of Eid-ul-Fitr, calculations for Diwali are done according to Trinidad and Tobago’s geographical position, and not those of other countries.
“As far as we are concerned, there is no dispute,” Maharaj said.
Maharaj said the SDMS is one of several such bodies consulted annually by the Office of the Prime Minister on the date of Diwali, and it believed the announced date of Tuesday, November 6 to be correct.
Maharaj was responding to questions posed by the Sanatan Vidwad Vidyalaya Hindu School of Theology on whose advice the government follows on dates of some events in the Hindu calendar.
In a letter to the media last week, head of the School of Theology Pandit Vishnu Narine said “unfamiliarity with the basic tenets of lunar calculations (tithi), coupled with carelessly interchanging solar and lunar data, may well be the reason for this continuous, grave error”. He said proper calculations have shown the Festival of Lights should be celebrated in Trinidad and Tobago on November 7.
“For yet another time, our Hindu population is being subjected to the heart-rending situation whereby it is misguided on the date for Diwali 2018. Hindu Shaastras (law books) clearly declare that Diwali ought to be celebrated on the day which ushers in the sunset of the new moon in the month of Kaartik (October/November). That date is Wednesday, November 7, 2018,” Narine said.
He said it should be noted that places east, west, north and south of Trinidad and Tobago, outside of India, are observing Diwali on November 7. These include Malaysia, Australia, South Africa, England, Guyana, Suriname, the US, and Canada, he said.
The date is announced annually by the Office of the President, and was this year attributed to that office, but was issued by the Ministry of Communications.
Maharaj said yesterday the SDMS was one of the organisations consulted each year, but could not name the others. He questioned the legitimacy of some of the organisations that dispute the date each year, and said not every such outfit should be entertained.
Maharaj said further as is practiced by the relevant bodies in the Muslim faith for the annual observance of Eid-ul-Fitr, calculations for Diwali are done according to Trinidad and Tobago’s geographical position, and not those of other countries.
“As far as we are concerned, there is no dispute,” Maharaj said.
Port-of-Spain – A group of specially trained police, including civilians with specialised training, is to be assigned to a new unit with its main focus to assist existing units bring closure to high-profile probes.
Last week Police Commissioner Gary Griffith said he intends to close “all the gates”, and all existing high-profile investigations when the new unit is formed.
“I am mobilising a very highly trained elite unit to respond to any major security issue in any major sting operation, as well as assisting in the closure of some investigations,” the Commissioner said.
Griffith said the new unit will be made up with some of the officers who worked in recovering kidnap victim Natalie Pollonais. Members will also be involved in intelligence-gathering and tactical exercises. He noted such a new unit is required, and there is an allowance for him to hire people as SRPs.
It will be a specific unit that deploys highly skilled people in specific fields with the objective to improve and speed up matters that require closure. Among these matters are kidnappings. The unit could also improve the efforts in the Fraud Squad, CID, other intelligence units, and the CSI.
Griffith denied information on social media that he had hired seven retired defence force officers to do an audit at the Finance Branch of the police.
Last week Police Commissioner Gary Griffith said he intends to close “all the gates”, and all existing high-profile investigations when the new unit is formed.
“I am mobilising a very highly trained elite unit to respond to any major security issue in any major sting operation, as well as assisting in the closure of some investigations,” the Commissioner said.
Griffith said the new unit will be made up with some of the officers who worked in recovering kidnap victim Natalie Pollonais. Members will also be involved in intelligence-gathering and tactical exercises. He noted such a new unit is required, and there is an allowance for him to hire people as SRPs.
It will be a specific unit that deploys highly skilled people in specific fields with the objective to improve and speed up matters that require closure. Among these matters are kidnappings. The unit could also improve the efforts in the Fraud Squad, CID, other intelligence units, and the CSI.
Griffith denied information on social media that he had hired seven retired defence force officers to do an audit at the Finance Branch of the police.
Port-of-Spain – The University of the West Indies has been ranked among the world’s top institutions in the 2019 Times Higher Education World University Rankings. According to a statement from The UWI, it has been ranked among the 1,258 top universities in world for 2019.
The ranking put UWI in the elite band of the top five percent of universities worldwide based on data showing there are over 25,000 recognised universities. The Times Higher Education ranked UWI at 591 out of the 1,258 universities which made the list, making it the only Caribbean institution on the worldwide list. It was also the only Caribbean university ranked earlier this year in THE's 2018 Latin America University Rankings, in the region where over 100 universities are contributing to sustainable development.
“In 2015, when vice-chancellor Prof Sir Hilary Beckles took over the reins, he declared an intention to radically globalise the University and to prepare it for regional and global comparisons within the THE's rankings. This required the considerable mobilising of the evidence relevant to its academic legacy and current strategic agenda as a strategic project. Vice-chancellor Beckles, in establishing an Office for Global Affairs, and giving a remit to the redesigned Office of Strategic Planning, recognised the need for UWI to be competitive internationally within a global sector. The Vice-Chancellor's vision to have UWI recognised within the top five percent of the best universities in the world has now been realised,” UWI said last week.
Said Beckles: “The excellence of UWI has been a well-kept secret for far too long. Now, with these very impressive global ranking results, we can begin to share with the world the story of this academic enterprise in the West Indies that highlights the intellectual achievement and scholastic contributions of the Caribbean community.”
The ranking put UWI in the elite band of the top five percent of universities worldwide based on data showing there are over 25,000 recognised universities. The Times Higher Education ranked UWI at 591 out of the 1,258 universities which made the list, making it the only Caribbean institution on the worldwide list. It was also the only Caribbean university ranked earlier this year in THE's 2018 Latin America University Rankings, in the region where over 100 universities are contributing to sustainable development.
“In 2015, when vice-chancellor Prof Sir Hilary Beckles took over the reins, he declared an intention to radically globalise the University and to prepare it for regional and global comparisons within the THE's rankings. This required the considerable mobilising of the evidence relevant to its academic legacy and current strategic agenda as a strategic project. Vice-chancellor Beckles, in establishing an Office for Global Affairs, and giving a remit to the redesigned Office of Strategic Planning, recognised the need for UWI to be competitive internationally within a global sector. The Vice-Chancellor's vision to have UWI recognised within the top five percent of the best universities in the world has now been realised,” UWI said last week.
Said Beckles: “The excellence of UWI has been a well-kept secret for far too long. Now, with these very impressive global ranking results, we can begin to share with the world the story of this academic enterprise in the West Indies that highlights the intellectual achievement and scholastic contributions of the Caribbean community.”
