In some quarters, it is being said that the Caribbean’s development agenda has stalled. Rudderless, some say, the region is adrift and without a plan of action. The most effective response is to call for the rekindling of the Caribbean spirit that has brought the region thus far out of bondage—slavery, indenture, and colonialism, and has given it the confidence to build independent nations that are sustainable and can serve as models for cultural diversity, tolerance and social stability.
As Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, I am dedicated to the active and engaged role of the academic community in promoting growth in both the economy and the society. By focusing on sustainability, we can build competitive industries while developing a more civil and sophisticated society.
My deepest thanks to you: the entire leadership team, the wider UWI community, and our network of partners and stakeholders, for your hard work and support. I believe that, through your efforts, we have demonstrated academia in action in 2015-2016, in service to the region. There is no doubt that working together, we can revitalize Caribbean development.
