UWI STAT Mona Corps

Members of the UWI STAT Mona Corps Executive, as well as Ambassadors Designate, as a part of their National Visit mandate, were hosted by the Jamaican Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Information, the Hon. Alando Terrelonge. These visits aim to highlight this Corps of young leaders to the regional governments and the role of UWI STAT in enhancing the Mission of UWI, through national and regional mandates, as well as to promote the Climate Change Advocacy Network and to seek synergies with various government ministries.

This important meeting took place on November 4, 2019. Mona Ambassadors and Ambassador Designates informed the State Minister about the Mission, Vision and Mandates of the Corps and each member was able to speak with him thereafter. He noted how well each Ambassador spoke and lauded the selection process of the Corps.

The Minister then spoke about Climate Action and he believes that UWI STAT Mona could play a large role in a major project being undertaken currently with UNICEF. The programme entails speaking to youth at various schools and making them aware early, about the dangers of Climate Change affecting the region and how we may each play our part. The Minister pledged to liaise with the Crops further and we were then able to outline how the Corps had already hosted two regional Youth Climate Change Conferences and that we are seeking to bring Climate Change advocates and groups together through our advocacy network. We also noted the acceptance of our poster presentation at the International Conference on Sustainable Development at Colombia University in New York in September 2019. Minister Terrelonge also discussed with us the Plastic Ban and personal responsibility vis-à-vis environmental preservation and he challenged the Mona Corps to take our advocacy efforts further. We took the opportunity to outline some of the current programmes of the UWI through the Alumni Relations Arm of the Institutional Advancement Division (IAD) such as: E-Mentorship and the virtual Soft & Life Skills Series.

As the session concluded, I am proud to say that Minister Terrelonge praised the Mona Corps and stated that he was impressed with our insight and with our leadership qualities.

Report by the UWI STAT Mona President – Shamar Wedderburn