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MEETINGS OF THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES
HELD AT
THE UWI MONA CAMPUS, JAMAICA, FEBRUARY 5-6, 2007
The Annual Meetings of the Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) which review the Biennial Budgets of the three Campuses, The University Centre and the University Hospital were held over two days at the UWI, Mona Campus, Jamaica, February 5 & 6, 2007.
Led by the Hon. Maxine Henry-Wilson, and her team, comprising the Permanent Secretary and two Senior Officers, the Minister was in attendance to deliver the Opening Remarks at the Official Function which was held at the Mona Visitors’ Lodge. The function preceded the meetings which officially declared the commencement of the two days of deliberations.
At the Opening Function, Ministry Henry Wilson in welcoming everyone said that the members of TACs could not have chosen a better environment in which to make difficult decisions regarding the University’s budget for the Biennium 2007/2008-2008/2009. She challenged the members to think strategically on behalf of the UWI, and the region and noted that their deliberations coincided with meetings which were being held in another of the islands by leaders who were also making some fundamental decisions on the way forward for the region.
She said that she did not consider UWI as competing with other institutions in the region, but rather as leaders in the field carving out niches of excellence: all the things that go into a good academy should be characteristic of UWI. Continuing, Minister Henry Wilson said that if this were not the case, then UWI would be ‘short-changing’ the region’s people.
With respect to the role of the state, Minister Henry Wilson mentioned that there were many issues and suggested that one of the fundamental considerations was the issue of ‘quality assurance’. The quality audits should therefore allow the UWI to ‘shine as a catalyst’, not only for economic development, but social and political development.
Minister Henry Wilson acknowledged that there were many right things happening in Jamaica, but the fundamental issue of our social relationships required serious attention. She noted that UWI’s role in changing the products of the higher education system in an effort to transform relationships among individuals was important. She said that such would allow us to live in an environment which was characterized by a better quality of relationships.
On the issue of funding the institution, the Minister said that we needed to be definitive about the type of institution that we required in order to attract funding, not only from Governments but from other sources. She urged the Permanent Secretaries present to act in the best traditions as policy advisors, and development analysts, in the two days of deliberations which would follow.
The participants included, Permanent Secretaries from the Ministries of Education and Finance of the three campus countries, Permanent Secretaries or their nominees from the UWI 12 countries, and senior management of the University and the UHWI. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture, Jamaica was host to the meetings.
The programme which was chaired by Mr. Winston Bayley, Director of Finance/University Bursar, included the Invocation by the Reverend Dr. Ralph Hoyte, Minister of St. Andrew Scots Kirk; Welcome given by Mrs Maria Jones, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Youth, Jamaica; Remarks by Professor E. Nigel Harris, Vice Chancellor; and the Vote of Thanks was given by Professor Elsa Leo-Rhynie, Principal of the Mona Campus.
Miss Rochelle Brooks from the University Singers sang the National Anthem of Jamaica and the participants at the Opening Session were entertained by musical selections from the Immaculate Ensemble, of the Immaculate High School.
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