Back to Recent Activities 


 

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

REPORT ON ANNUAL RETREAT

FOR MANAGERS

OF THE BURSARIES & THE OFFICE OF FINANCE

Held in Trinidad, on April 30 and May 1, 2007

  • The Office of Finance, in conjunction with the St. Augustine Campus, hosted the annual Retreat held in Trinidad & Tobago, on April 30 to May 1, 2007.

 

  • This annual event is rotated by Campus and seeks to provide the opportunity for Finance Officers to meet with their counterparts from the respective Campuses and the Office of Finance to discuss issues which this year included:






1. Their role in the implementation of the proposed Strategic Plan 2007-2012;

2. The management of the University’s financial affairs and their reporting requirements,

3. The Open University

4. The Financial Code and procedures,

5. ICT and the current and future developments at the Campuses and the Centre.


PARTICIPANTS

  • His Excellency, Professor George Maxwell Richards, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

  • Mrs. Rita Portillo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education was in attendance at the Opening Session of the Retreat.

 

  • Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie, Professor Alvin Wint and Mr. Larry Goldson, made presentations, and were resource persons for the first day when the focus was on the Strategic Plan 2007-2012.

  • The participants heard from Mr. Devon Barrett, General Manager, Capital and Credit Merchant Bank who made a presentation on and discussed the possibilities and new directions from which the University’s Investment portfolio could benefit region-wide.

 

  • The External Auditors in all three Campus Countries attended on the second day, part of which focused on the Audits of the Campuses, the Centre and the total University.

  • Representatives from the UWIDEC and the Tertiary Level Unit facilitated the discussions on the Open University Campus.

ADDRESSES & PRESENTATIONS


The Topics were categorized as follows


Strategic Plan 2007-2012:


Critical Success factors in achieving objectives of the Strategic Plan

Professor Alvin Wint, Management Studies Department, UWI, Mona Campus

Role of Finance Managers in the implementation and Monitoring of the Strategic Plan – Mr. Larry Goldstein, President, Campus Strategies, Virginia, U.S.A

  • The Basics of the Knowledge Economy: How UWI must embrace these in the Strategic Plan – Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie, Principal, St. Augustine Campus
  • Overview of the Status of ICT at UWI: The Way forward –
    • Dr. Vivienne Roberts, Programme Officer Tertiary Level Units
    • Mr. Tommy Chen, Co-ordinator - Distance Education, St. Augustine Campus
    • Mr. Anil Chatergoon, Finance Officer, UWIDEC, Cave Hill Campus

    • Preparation of Financial Statements & External Audits

UWI Audit: Best Practices in Achieving a Pure Audit

Key Points in Preparation of Annual and Interim Financial Statements


Other topics covered included:

Update on Task Force on University Management Report

Institutional Performance Measurement Systems & Computing Standards

Financial Procedures & Guidelines

Relationships of Finance Officers- Across Campuses (Interactive Session)

Updates and Challenges & Prospects

Current & Future Developments at the Campuses and the Centre


OPENING SESSION

  • The Pro Vice Chancellor and Principal, Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie, extended a warm Trinidad welcome to all. In his address he assured his audience of commitment of the St. Augustine Campus to do whatever was possible to improve higher education in Trinidad and Tobago.

  • He said the Campus was willing to work with all stakeholders and in particular the relevant ministries responsible for Education.

  • He spoke of the need for collaboration and a strengthening of the relationship between the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) and the University of the West Indies, the absence, of which he said, would only result in chaos and confusion.

  • With reference to franchising of courses, Dr. Tewarie mentioned the successes experienced by the Campus in the quality of graduates who were being transferred to the UWI, resulting in the significant level of Honours Degrees being granted by the UWI.

  • His Excellency, the Honourable Professor George Maxwell Richards, President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and Guest Speaker highlighted the state of higher education in Trinidad and Tobago and explained the rationale need for the establishment of the University of Trinidad and Tobago.

  • He assured the audience that in his capacity he would personally ensure that the senior persons at the UTT seek to improve the dialogue with UWI. This was in response to Principal Tewarie’s observation that there needed to be more dialogue, clarity and collaboration between the UTT and UWI in order for a strengthening of Higher Education in Trinidad and Tobago.

  • His Excellency illustrated through using statistics and slides the research findings of the relationship between a country’s economic development and the state’s investment, with particular emphasis on Science and Technology, as demonstrated by the significant progress made by other developing countries. He sited examples of developing countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and others whose GDP doubled and tripled some countries in the Region, because of their continuing healthy investment in Education. He also lauded the UWI’s contribution to academic excellence in the Anglophone Caribbean including the key roles it has played in Governments and the Private Sectors.

  • Mrs. Rita Portillo, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education, brought greetings and an apology from the Min of Science Technology and Tertiary Education, the Hon. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, who had to attend an important sub-committee meeting of Cabinet,

  • Speaking to the purpose of the retreat, Mrs Portillo charged Finance Officers to be mindful of their roles, responsibilities, and accountability as financial management professionals, in a educational institution, which has over time been challenged by operating with less than the full complement of resources, because of sheer tenacity of purpose, and commitment to a Caribbean ideal of Human Development has continued to produce commendable outcome.

  • She said she believed that we were all convinced, that such development was within our reach, having reflected on human capital investments and accomplishments, notwithstanding the difficulties mentioned.

  • Mrs Portillo also charged participants to subscribe to being continuously relevant as the UWI sought to assist Caribbean Governments to achieve their respective national development goals, within a regional perspective.


Back to Recent Activities