The Five Islands Campus of The University of the West Indies (UWI) opens with fanfare and historic celebrations. The events are currently ongoing at the university’s new campus in St. John’s, Antigua. The celebrations started with a religious service at The St. John’s Cathedral on Sunday, September 1.
The church service was led by the Very Reverend Ernest Flemming, and an academic procession comprising of the principal officers of UWI followed after. This included UWI’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, and the Interim Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Five Islands campus, Professor Stafford A. Griffith. Governor-General Sir Rodney Williams and Prime Minister Gaston Brown of Antigua and Barbuda among other dignitaries were also in attendance.
An invitation-only ceremonial opening of the campus follows at the Five Islands Village on the evening of September 3.
VC Hillary Beckles said the regional countries which the UWI serves in the Caribbean are proud of the achievements of the university. Both the fourth and fifth campuses of the university are currently accepting student admissions into the Health and Behavioural Sciences; Humanities and Education; and Management, Sciences and Technology schools.
“The UWI was created to serve all our people equally,” Sir Beckles said. “These are difficult financial times for the region but we must not succumb to self-doubt. Rather, more than ever we must stand together.”
Just last week, Beckles paid a courtesy visit to Gaston Browne, the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, to mark the commencement of the 2019/2020 academic year at the UWI. He also held meetings with senior officials of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology as well as the media on how to push forward with other development plans for the Five Islands campus.
Live coverage of the Five Islands campus opening is provided by Antigua and Barbuda Broadcasting Service to local audiences, and across the region on UWItv via the FLOW network.
This article is copyright © 2019 DOM767
