![April – June 2006 [ CONTENTS ] 3 EDITORIAL Campus Correspondents Agriculture & Natural Sciences 4 LETTERS Exts](http://data.docslib.org/img/7a57b036f6f5320912915fbd6275934d-1.webp)
April – June 2006 [ CONTENTS ] 3 EDITORIAL Campus Correspondents Agriculture & Natural Sciences 4 LETTERS Exts. 3325/3319/3273/3098/3124 6 J’OUVERT Dr. Laura Roberts-Nkrumah/Mr. Cicero Lallo, Dr. Dow Maharaj/Dr. Margaret Bernard/ 8 UWI PEOPLE Dr. Anthony Achong Photo Club gets close-up Humanities & Education Exts. 2376/3338 Mr. Rawle Gibbons/ Farming community to reap benefits Mrs. Janet Fullerton-Rawlins
New Appointments Bursar Ext. 3382 UWI Professors promoted Mr. Anthony Precilla Standing Ovation Campus Bookshop Exts. 3520/3521 Ms. Auldith Davis 9 American foundation celebrates luminaries Campus Information Technology Centre (CITS) Ext. 3227 Hall –Mark of Service Mrs. Claire Craig
UWI SCS says farewel CARDI 645-1205/6/7 Mrs. Candace Dubarry bpTT aids Research at Matura CARIRI 662-7161/2 10 First Innings - Tishan Maraj Ms. Irma Burkett Caribbean Centre for Monetary Studies (CCMS) Ext. 2544 Ms. Arlene Caton 12 ON CAMPUS Campus Projects Office (CPO) Ext. 2412 UWI Goes To The UN Mr. Ivan Ramlakhan
Centre for Criminology & Criminal Justice St Augustine News 14 UWI PEOPLE Ext. 3352/3354/3355 Word Sound Music Ms. Vidya Lall & Mr. Ian Ramdhanie Distance Education Centre (UWIDEC) Ext. 2430 STAN Ms. Colleen Johnson 16 WORKSHOP April - June 2006 Engineering Exts. 3073/2170 Caribbean at Crossroads: Dr. Hamid Farabi/Dr. Clement Imbert IMF Deputy Director Outlines Path to Integration Engineering Institute Exts. 2197 Mr. Winston Rajpaulsingh 18 BOOKMARK Alumni Association (T&T Chapter) 680-8127/665-4425 Ext. 224 The Deosaran Files Mrs. Nalini Doon Pundit Centre for Gender & Dev. Studies Ext. 3573/3548 20 ON SCREEN Ms. Camille Antoine/Ms. Renette Ursha Feracho Dream To Change The World Institute of International Relations (IIR) Ext. 2011 MS. TAMARA BRATHWAITE 22 RESEARCH Institute of Business (IOB) 662-4681/6975/6 Anna Walcott-Hardy Mr. Jai Leladharsingh Editor Soufrière’s Inferno Law School 662-5860 Saving Lives 24 Mrs. Margaret Adams-Stowe Sean Lai Leung 27 ON STAGE Main Library Exts. 2337 (STARRS)/3600 (UEC) Design & Layout Ms. Allison Dolland Ogun Iyan- As in Pan Medical Sciences Exts. 4614/5219 Gerard Best Stan Online Dr. Monica Davis/Ms. Heather Woodroffe Carlene London Sport and Physical Education Centre(SPEC) Ext. 2594 28 NEW PROGRAMMES Mr. Jesse Blackman Alake Pilgrim A Place of Our Own Sir Arthur Lewis Institute for Social and Economic Studies Contributing Writers (ISES) [ISER] Exts. 2037/2534 30 CONNECT: EDDIE BAUGH DR. GODFREY ST. BERNARD Abigail Hadeed School of Continuing Studies 645-3127 Anthony Harris 32 ALUMNI MRS. HEATHER-DAWN CHARLES Benedict Cupid Colours Again Seismic Research Unit 662-4659 Ms. Stacey Edwards Aneel Karim 34 Margaret Burgess Social Sciences & Law Exts. 2039/3045 Arthur Sukhbir Mr. Douglas Mendes /Dr. Nasser Mustapha Vincent Lopez 36 IN THE NEWS Student Services Ext. 2096 Garth Murrell Unwritten Mr. Curtis Mike UWI photography club 39 Regional Gender Interventions & UWI Credit Union Ext. 3350/2600 Photography Tools For Redevelopment Mrs. Jill Thompson/Mrs. Marlene Sobers
40 From Qatar To The Caribbean Guild of Students (GOS) Exts. 2160/2250 Mr. KEIRAN KHAN
UWI Campus Security Ext. 2121 On The Cover Mr. Wayne Richardson First Innings: Works Department Ext. 2054 STAN is a publication of Mr. Selwyn Tom Pack The Marketing and Communications Office, UWI Medical Sciences The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. student and national Office of the Principal Ext. 2192 For more information please contact the Editor, cricketer, Tishan Maraj. Mrs. Indrani Bachan-Persad Anna Walcott-Hardy at Phone:662-9387; Fax:662-3858;email:[email protected]
C 2006. NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE Visit STAN online REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESSED PERMISSION OF THE PUBLISHER OR AGENT. www.sta.uwi.edu/stan
2 STAN APRIL - JUNE 2006 [ EDITORIAL ] LET US PROVIDE ANSWERS THROUGH RESEARCH
The University of the West Indies The first is democracy. We have inherited a par- was established shortly after the Second World liamentary system from the British and a liberal War, to provide a cadre of trained profession- democratic tradition, by and large, which we als for the West Indies. Its mandate has always would do well to nurture, develop and improve. been to advance the intellectual, cultural and On the nurturing side the key issue would be economic development of the West Indies open access to education by increasing numbers; through teaching, research, intellectual leader- the development side would certainly involve the ship and community leadership. strengthening and development of existing insti- tutions and creation of new institutions, and on Over the years many changes have been initi- the improvement side, I would think that greater ated as we have moved from colonialism to In- participation by citizens and greater responsive- dependence to a more mature appreciation of ness by government would be key elements. Caribbean solidarity in a more complex, com- petitive but interdependent world. Our system The second, not unrelated issue, is the issue of of governance has gone through significant a meritocracy. A democratic society is often changes; strategic planning has become the the foundation on which merit-based societies norm; technology has modified our teaching are built because it encourages those with tal- and learning practices; our collaboration with ent to pursue their dreams. It is important that other tertiary institutions in the region has we continue to nurture and support such a cul- intensified and we have, over the years, been ture which will, over time, provide us with our taking bold steps to undertake research that is wealth generating capacity whether in sports, of direct relevance and value to the society. culture, academia, business or entrepreneurship Dr. Bhoendradatt Tewarie in its variety of dimensions. Campus Principal - UWI St. Augustine In the contemporary period, however, we are required to do much, much more. The third issue, integrally related, is the is- sue of equity. In a democratic society that is that healthy, well educated citizens are any In today’s knowledge economy, in which any sys- merit based, the gap between the haves and country’s most vital national resource. tem of any sophistication is a knowledge system, have nots can widen, and it is important that it is the responsibility of our University to con- factors and situations which fuel such gaps be The brain power of a well educated population nect, cooperate, collaborate with other systems in attended to, in the interest of justice and fair makes strong learning institutions possible the world so that the pool of knowledge to which play. and, in turn, strong learning institutions make we have access will expand and so that as an a society and its economy competitive, more institution, we also may make our own contribu- It is time that the Faculty of Social Sciences, creative and adaptable. Moreover, a well tion to the ever expanding global pool. especially, begin to address such issues mean- educated, responsible citizenry tends to build ingfully so that the result can be enlightened social capital and community institutions Another of our responsibilities is to create learn- policy. There is no reason why the tensions even outside of their professional involvement ers who in turn will create learning institutions inherent in the goals of democracy, meritoc- at the workplace which further strengthens and learning systems wherever they go, ulti- racy and equity could not be addressed as part society and its democratic institutions. So that mately facilitating the development of a learn- of an active research agenda which explores education of the many, in a way, creates its ing society. This is an important issue because, the interlinkages and interrelationships. Such own virtuous circle, and is an important stimu- in the future, the competitive societies will be a research agenda will probably, inevitably, lus to genuine long-term development. So the those that can perpetually learn and adapt. end up addressing many of the current pressing University of The West Indies is already doing challenges that we face such as poverty, poor important work of a development nature in the And that brings us to a fundamental question, schools, family disintegration, community region simply by turning out quality graduates. which is, what should we at The University challenges, institutional weaknesses, appropri- of the West Indies be doing that would make ate State interventions, the need for additional But we must begin to make our impact the greatest impact on development in the institutions and infrastructure and so on. So decisively and dramatically in the field of region? There are many things that we could that at the end of the day, research on this development. What do we need to do to set be addressing that would be of value because subject may well involve scholars other than these countries of our region on the path to the region as a whole faces a great number of those from the Social Sciences. democratic development, where merit can rise development challenges; however I think that and justice and equity can also be served? It three inter-related challenges lie at the heart of We have come to understand that educational is not too much to ask The University of the the development dilemma for the region and institutions are among the key drivers of West Indies to provide some answers to these that we should be focusing on them. development in any society or economy, and challenging questions. www.sta.uwi.edu/stan STAN APRIL - JUNE 2006 3 [ LETTERS ] A Good Blend Great issue (January to March 2006). I like the articles featuring the “ordinary” mem- bers of sta and their achievements. This issue is a good blend of academia and other important news. Vibert Medford
e would like to thank our readers for taking part inST tANhe 2006 survey and for your unique, succinct yet comprehensive suggestions, some of which we have taken under advisement and hope to implement within the year. The results on the latest poll of 145 respondents rated STAN as follows: 13-.1% - Excel lent; 44.1 % - Very Good; 35.2 % - Good; 6.2 % - Average; 0% - poor; 2%did not respond to the rating question. Congratulations to the four randomly selected winners of the 2006 STAN electronic survey (Second Quarter, 2006) ; and of course many thanks to our very generous sponsors: fashion designer MEILING, The UWI Bookshop, MovieTowne and Subway.
STAN SURVEY WINNERS THE UWI MISSION The St. Augustine campus of The Javed Mohammed University of the West Indies is Prizes: A MEILING Gift Certi cate & A UWI Bookshop Gift Certi cate committed to the development of “[STAN] is very informative [you can] read all about UWI St Augustine. It tells Caribbean countries. At all times, it about the academic and non-academic facets of the University in a colourful and will seek to contribute to that d-evel attractive way. opment by producing graduates and research of high quality, -rel evance and usefulness in suf cient Harry Cassie quantity and at minimum cost. Prizes: A MEILING Gift Certi cate The St. Augustine campus, by “[the printed version] is very good…[I recommend] more articles on ATS sta . the conduct of its own sta and students as well as by the content of its academic programmes, will strive towards the inculcation of Christelle Parris social values of shared communal Prizes: Two Subway Gift Certi cates & Two Movie Towne gift certi cates responsibility, social justice, and- re spect and tolerance for di erences “The research articles are usually very interesting.” in beliefs, philosophy, ethnicity and culture.
Adrian Ramlal The St. Augustine campus aims Prizes: Two Subway Gift Certi cates at being an intellectual bridge to “[ I would rate STAN] as excellent…I like the conciseness and relevance to Campus the wider Caribbean region and life…you can improve the newsletter by making it more accessible to the common the rest of the world, assisting its student . Also some comics and jokes (if possible) wouldn’t hurt.” member countries to bene t from the rapidly growing and constantly changing world stock of ideas, knowledge and expertise, and itself contributing to that stock in ways that enhance the internation- al standing of the Caribbean.
4 STAN APRIL - JUNE 2006
[ J’OUVERT ] Celebrating the opening of events, facilities and programmes on campus
Association of 3rd Sonny Ramadhin Caribbean Distinguished Cricket Lecture Historians Featuring Sunil Gavaskar Conference 31st May, 2006 14th - 19th May, 2006 The 3rd Sonny Ramadhin Distinguished Cricket Lecture, hosted The History Department of the Fac- jointly by the Faculty of Social Sciences at The University of ulty of Humanities & Education at the West Indies, St. Augustine and Guardian Life of the Ca- The University of the West Indies, ribbean, will take place on Wednesday 31st May 2006 at will host the 38th Annual Conference of the Association of 7:00 pm at the Learning Resource Centre (LRC), St. Augustine Caribbean Historians (ACH) from May 14th - 19th, 2006. Campus. This year’s feature speaker is Mr. Sunil Gavaskar, This year, the conference will be used to mark the passage of renowned test cricketer from India. The lecture, which is hosted 200 years since the Abolition of the British Slave Trade. The during the cricket season in Trinidad and Tobago, is held in conference is part of a series of activities spearheaded by the honour of the great achievements of legendary West Indian History Department at the St Augustine campus, to memorial- Cricketer, Sonny Ramadhin. ize this significant landmark. Conference themes include - The For further information about the cricket lecture, contact abolition of the slave trade; The Chinese in Trinidad; Race and Mrs. Sandra Roopchand-Khan at 662-2002 ext. 3755 Race Formation; Race and Nationalism, Independence and Nationhood, Haiti, Migration and History Teaching. Industrial Engineering & For more information contact Dr. Heather Cateau, Management Conference 2006 at 662-2002 ext. 3036. 31st May - June 2nd, 2006
The Faculty of Engineering will host the Industrial Engineering Caribbean Studies Association and Management Conference 2006, at the UWI St. Augus- (CSA) Conference tine campus from May 31st - June 2nd 2006. The conference 29th May - 3rd June, 2006 is aimed at building engineering competence and leveraging the best management practices to meet the diverse needs of the Caribbean region. The 31st Annual Conference of the Caribbean Studies Asso- For further information, contact Prof. Kit Fai Pun, ciation (CSA) will be held at the Crowne Plaza, Port-of-Spain at 662-2002 Ext. 2068/2069 or e-mail: [email protected]. from May 29th - June 3rd, 2006. The conference is themed
- The Caribbean in the Age Modernity: The Role of the Acad- emy in Responding to the Challenges of the Region. Sessions Fiddler on the Roof will address pressing Caribbean issues such as: poverty and UWI Festival Arts Chorale hunger, sex slaves and the trafficking of women, crime, kid- 29th June - 2nd July, 2006 napping and drug trafficking, environmental degradation and its impact upon agriculture and tourism, as well as the health The UWI Festival Arts Chorale and the National Sinfonia, in crisis caused by the proliferation of HIV/AIDS. The Secretariat association with the Faculty of Humanities and Education, will for the CSA, located at the Faculty of Social Sciences, St. present four performances of the award winning Broadway Augustine campus, encourages interested persons to take ad- musical Fiddler on The Roof, from June 29th - July 2nd , 2006 vantage of early registration rates. at Queen’s Hall, St. Ann’s. Bring the family and enjoy the clas- For further information on the CSA, the conference and mem- sics including : “If I Was a Rich Man”; “Sunrise, Sunset”; and bership and registration, visit the conference website: http:// “Matchmaker”. The comedy/drama will start at 7:30 pm on sta.uwi.edu/caribbeanstudies/ or contact the Secretariat at Thursday - Saturday, and at 6:30 pm on Sunday. The produc- 662-2002 ext. 2670/ 2410. tion crew includes Louis Mc Williams, Jessel Murray, Adele Bynoe, Hazel Franco and Ken Crichlow. For information on ticket prices, email [email protected] or call 746-7499; 663-2141 or 663-2222.
6 STAN APRIL - JUNE 2006 Celebrating the opening of events, facilities and programmes on campus [ J’OUVERT ]
SCL 2006 Conference Faculty of Social Sciences 2nd - 6th August, 2006 Conference: Governance, Institutions and Networks The Society of Caribbean Linguistics (SCL), will host a confer- 18th - 20th October, 2006 ence themed ‘Caribbean Language Studies and Educational Development’, from August 2nd - 6th 2006. The pertinent ar- The Department of Behavioural Sciences, of the Faculty of eas of Caribbean language and linguistics will be addressed Social Sciences, UWI, will host an international conference at the conference. These include: - Phonology, Morphology, - Governance, Institutions and Networks, from October 18th Syntax, Semantics, Lexicon, Sociology of Language and So- - 20th 2006 at the UWI Learning Resource Centre. Leading ciolinguistics, Dialectology, Language Development or History academics within the field of public administration will present and Language in Education. The conference is dedicated to at the forum. These include: Professor Gerald Caiden, Profes- the memory of Douglas MacRae Taylor (http://www.lennox- sor Naoimi Caiden, Professor Jean Claude Garcia Zamour, honychurch.com/heritage.cfm?Id=248), linguist, anthropolo- Professor B Guy Peters, Professor Tom Christensen and Profes- gist, and authority on Dominican Island Carib language and sor Adrei Voludon . The conference will focus on five main culture. themes: Re-engineering Government, Crisis of Governance in For further information, visit the SCL conference website at a Small State, Development in an Inter-Connective World, http://www.scl-online.net/callforpapers2006.html. Peace and Security, and E- democracy. For further information on the international conference on Governance, Institutions and Networks, visit http://www.sta. ‘Caribbean International uwi.edu/conferences/governance/index.asp. Relations’ GIIR International Conference 16th - 18th October, 2006 4th Pan-Commonwealth Forum: The UWI Graduate Institute of Achieving Development Goals International Relations (GIIR) 30th October - 3rd November, 2006 will host an international conference on the challeng- The Fourth Pan-Commonwealth es of ‘Caribbean Interna- Forum on Open Learning (PCF4), tional Relations’ from 16th will take place in Ocho Rios, Ja- - 18th October 2006. The maica, from October 30th - No- conference will address vember 3rd, 2006. The theme the themes Regional Inte- of the conference is: Achieving gration: Opportunities and Development Goals: Innovation, Challenges; Trade, Finance and Learning, Collaboration and Debt Management Strategy; Caribbean Business Environment; Foundations. The PCF4 will bring Caribbean Perspectives on International Relations; Caribbe- together stakeholders from govern- an Foreign Policy; and Regional Development and Economic ments and institutions, including Growth. Papers are invited on the themes listed above. educators and allied professionals from throughout the world, For further information on the conference and the call for to share ideas and help to set the agenda for using open and papers, visit http://sta.uwi.edu/iir/news/default.html or call distance learning to advance international development. The 662-2002 ext. 2291. deadline for the abstracts surrounding the conference theme has been extended beyond the March 31st 2006 date. For further information on the PCF 4 and the call for papers, visit www.col.org/pcf4.
www.sta.uwi.edu/stan STAN APRIL - JUNE 2006 7 [ UWI PEOPLE ]
NEW APPOINTMENTS Congratulations & welcome to:
Mr. Jeremy Callaghan, Campus Registrar, Office of the Campus Registrar, St Augus- tine.
Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh, Lecturer in His- tory, Dept. of History, Faculty of Humanities and Education.
Mrs. Deborah Charles-Smythe, Senior Assistant Registrar, Graduate Studies & Research, Office of the Campus Registrar.
Dr. Cherrita Ramsaran, Students’ Medical Photo Club gets close-up Officer, Health Service Unit. Dr. Sarah Chin Yuen Kee, Student In April the UWI Photography Club held an exhibition of works by members at the UWI Counselor, Health Service Unit. Main Library, St. Augustine Campus. The exhibition featured some engaging images of Trinidad and Tobago in colour as well as black and white photography. Several members Dr. Ramesh Rao, Lecturer in Human Anato- of the Club got up close and personal with the flora, fauna and cultural landscape of our my, Faculty of Medical Sciences. islands, including Darceuil Duncan (President), Nicholas Khan, Jason Reid and Elizabeth Seebaran. To view more visit STAN on-line at www.sta.uwi.edu/stan. Mr. Paul Seerattan, Instructor in Dental Technology, School of Dentistry, Faculty of programmes for agricultural research, Medical Sciences. education, training and outreach in the Caribbean region. The alliance known by Dr. Abrahams Mwasha, Lecturer in Con- the acronym YUCAPA – Yara-UWI Com- struction Materials, Faculty of Engineering, munity Assistance Programme in Agricul- Civil & Environmental Engineering. ture, will achieve these objectives through cooperation between Yara’s Hanninghof Centre for Plant Nutrition and Environmen- UWI Professors tal Research in Dulmen, Germany and the Department of Food Production, based at promoted January 25, 2006 The University of the West Indies campus in Trinidad. One key area of support will Professor Dinesh Ramdath, Biochemistry include access to fertilizer application Unit, Department of Pre Clinical Sciences, Formalising the Agreement (l-r) Dr. Gregory technology developed by Yara - including Faculty of Medical Sciences Gouveia Head, Department of Food Pro- the very popular N-Tester - which allows duction, Mark Loquan President of Yara Trini- farmers to assess the plant’s nutritional Professor Funso Aiyejina, Department of dad Ltd., and Mrs. Phillippa Forde Perma- needs in order to optimise fertilizer appli- Liberal Arts, Faculty of Humanities and nent Secretary in the Ministry of Arigculture, cation. Dr. Gregory Gouveia, who heads Education Land and Marine Resources. the Department of Food Production, and Dr. Joachim Lammel, Head of product and Application R&D at Yara’s Hanning- Farming community to hof Centre exchanged visits and held dis- UWI Congratulates cussions over the past year. Moreover, as reap benefits a forerunner to the signing of the MOU, Dr. Professor of Electrical Engineering, Lammel delivered a lecture/presentation Stephan Gift on being honoured by The Yara Trinidad Limited demonstrated its in Trinidad to a full auditorium consisting of Friends of the Tobago Library Committee commitment to “developing people and UWI lecturers and students in the Faculty at the 14th Annual Awards Dinner in April enriching communities” with the recent of Agriculture, local farmers, representa- at the Hilton Hotel, Tobago. Professor Gift signing of a Memorandum of Understand- tives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land was presented with the Individual of the ing (MOU) on November 23, 2005 at the and Marine Resources and regional agri- Year Award 2006 by Dr Edwin Car Hilton Trinidad between the Department culture associations. The lecture/presenta- rington, Secretary General , CARICOM. of Food Production and The University of tion focused on realistic approaches for Former recipients include former Presiden-t the West Indies and Yara International ASA sustaining food production for a growing of the Republic, The Honourable ANR Rob / Yara Trinidad Limited. world population and increasing yields inson, Dr. Edwin Carrington and Dr Eastlyn on limited arable land. Further sessions/ Mc Kenzie. - Heralded as a “major benefit for the lo- workshops aimed at engaging local and cal and regional farming community,” regional farmers will occur in 2006. the MOU aims to provide collaborative
8 STAN APRIL - JUNE 2006 [ UWI PEOPLE ]
Hall–Mark of Service UWI SCS says farewell
Congratulations to His Excellency, The The UWI School of Continuing Studies (SCS) Most Honourable Professor Kenneth bade a fond farewell to Roslyn Humphrey, Octavius Hall O.N., O.J. for his recent former Senior Programme Coordinator, appointment as Jamaica’s fifth Gover- in a function held at the Senior Common nor General. On February 15th, 2006 the Room on Friday February 3, 2006. SCS former Pro Vice Chancellor and Princi- staffers, tutors and well wishers paid tribute pal of The University of the West Indies, in word, song and by way of the presen- In photo: (l-r) Elizabeth Buchanan-Hind, Institutional Mona Campus, replaced His Excellency tation of tokens of appreciation to Ms. Advancement, University of the West Indies (UWI/ The Most Honourable Sir Howard Cooke Humphrey, who served the School with IAD); Dr. Hazel Carter, President of the UWI Alumni Association (NY Chapter) Chancellor of the UWI Sir as Head of State. A graduate of UWI diligence and dedication for 10 years. In George Alleyne, Celia Davidson Francis, Director (1966), Professor Hall went on to gain a his address Dr. Bernard, Resident Tutor / Alumni Relations, IAD; and Vice Chancellor UWI, postgraduate Diploma in International Head of the SCS spoke of Ms. Humphrey’s Professor Nigel Harris. Relations at UWI St Augustine, as well indomitable spirit in the face of challeng- as MA and PhD degrees in History at es, of her tireless pursuits to ensure that the Queen’s University, Ontario. A former School’s programmes gained accredita- Deputy Secretary General of CARICOM, tion and of energy she put into ensuring American foundation he then joined UWI As Principal of the that the Associate Degree programmes celebrates luminaries Mona Campus in 1996 and was able to pioneered by the Mona Campus, came achieve wider dissemination of re- to fruition in Trinidad and Tobago. All
In celebrating “distinguished individu- search, curriculum reform, the modern- speakers at the function spoke of Ms. als who have graciously supported the ization of facilities, increase enrollment Humphrey’s affable manner, even with her event”, Professor Nigel Harris, Vice Chan- and a greater focus on student centred- demanding work schedule. Ms. Humphrey cellor of The University of the West Indies, ness, among other initiatives, during his retired from the SCS on December 31, presented “AFUWI” Awards to William tenure. 2005. Also honoured at the function on “Bill” Rhodes, Chairman, President & CEO February 03 was Mr. Sunil Jogie who left of Citibank and Senior Vice Chairman SCS in December for a position within an- Citigroup Inc. (accepted on his behalf by other organisation. Mr. Jogie worked with Citigroup Jamaica representative Peter the SCS for over two years. Moses) at the Ninth Annual American Foundation for The University of the West Indies (AFUWI) Awards dinner in Manhat- tan, New York in February. NBC “Today” co-host Al Roker was presented with his award by Tonya Lewis Lee (wife of film di- rector Spike Lee), Sir George Alleyne and gala dinner Chair Karl Rodney. Brazil’s Minister of Culture, musician and activ- ist Gilberto Gill was presented with the inaugural Bob Marley Award by Hon. Dr. Harry Belafonte Patron of the event and Professor Nettleford; while Professor Harris presented Vice Chancellor Achievement Awards to Christopher Chambers, Christo- pher Cowan, Laurie Fenton, Paula Madi- son and Robert Riley, recognizing them as “rising stars in their respective fields and as individuals who have made significant contributions to, or brought to promi- nence, issues that affect the Caribbean”. Sir George Alleyne, Chancellor of The University of the West Indies then present- ed awards to Caribbean luminaries The Hon. Arthur Bethel, Chairman of Sagicor, Barbados; the Hon. George Gobin, Gen- eral Manager of Microsoft West Indies; Sir bpTT aids Research at Matura Shridath Ramphal, former Chancellor, The University of the West Indies; the Hon. Lloyd Recently at an official handing-over ceremony at bptt head office in Port of Spain, Williams; Hon. Maurice Facey, O.J., J.P., officials from the energy company presented a cheque for $375,000 toDr. Grace Sirju- Chairman of Pan Jamaican Investment Charran, Head of the Department Life Sciences at UWI. The grant is being given to assist Trust Ltd; Ambassador Peter King, Special in funding fauna research at the Matura National Park. At the Ceremony were (from Envoy of Jamaica; and Professor Hon. Rex left) Dr. Sirju-Charran, Dr. Mike Oatham lecturer, Department of Life Sciences, Tyrone Nettleford, O.J., Vice Chancellor Emeritus Kalpee bptt HSSE Manager, Annalise Younglai, Bptt Environmental Challenger and The University of the West Indies. Rachelle Gibson, HSSE Technical Assistant. www.sta.uwi.edu/stan STAN APRIL - JUNE 2006 9 [ UWI PEOPLE ]
Tishan Maraj FIRST INNINGS FIRST INNINGS
“A lot of people call me a slow batsman because I stay at the crease a lot longer than a lot of other people to make the same runs. But that in itself requires patience,” said UWI MBBS student and promising young batsman Tishan Maraj, in re- sponse to the first of our ten questions—“What is the most striking feature of your personality?”
>
10 STAN APRIL - JUNE 2006 [ UWI PEOPLE ]
he questions, admittedly, are not our own—well, not really. They’re actually inspired by the infamous Proust Questionnaire and Bernard Pivot’s 10 questions from T Bouillon de Culture (probably more familiar to many as the 10 questions James Lipton asks during “Inside the Actor’s Studio.”) For this edition of STAN, we re-interpreted some of these questions, to gain a better insight into a UWI undergraduate student who admires honesty and patience and has scored an enviable balance between academics and sport. These are interesting times we live in - a small country of just over a million people producing a long list of gifted artists, athletes and academics from Nobel Laureate Sir V.S. Naipaul, to Peter Min- shall, from Dwight Yorke and Shaka Hislop to Captain Brian Lara, all inspiring a new genera- tion of Trinidadians and Tobagonians.
What is the most striking feature of your personality? Patience
What is your greatest achievement? I never really chose one as a “greatest” but I have several achievements that I hold close to my heart. Umm, winning the under-15 Cricket World Cup in 2000. I was the W.I. Captain and that was at Lord’s. That’s defi- nitely up there. Also, making the finals of the under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh.
What is your idea of perfect happiness? Knowing that everyone around me is happy.
What is your greatest fear? To do something that was really disappointing to my parents. Not just disappointing but something that could not be repaired. That would be up there with my fear of snakes.
What do you most treasure? Friendship. True friendship.
What quality do you look for in a woman? Honesty.
What quality do you look for in a man? In a guy, I don’t know. I don’t really look for anything.
What do you most value in your friends? The same thing: honesty. I like when they’re honest.
What sound or noise do you love? Silence. That counts as the lack of sound, I suppose.
How would you like to die? Peacefully, without pain and quickly. www.sta.uwi.edu/stan STAN APRIL - JUNE 2006 11 [ ON CAMPUS ] UWI GOES TO THE UN 11 UWI students travel to Harvard to take part in the model United Nations
In a continuing effort to Students were provided with provide opportunities to apply the opportunity to hone the classroom skills to real world situations, UWI skills that they would have ac- St. Augustine recently participated in the quired academically and to uti- 52nd session of the Harvard National Model lize them in an environment United Nations (HNMUN) from February where theory meets practice. 16th -19th 2006. The three day event also al- lowed participants to interact Ably led by Faculty Advisor Gale Rigobert, with students from countries an eleven-member delegation of postgraduate such as the Netherlands, India, and undergraduate International Relations Venezuela and China. students traveled to Boston to take part in Front Row(l-r), Narissa Seegulam, Keisha Scott, Ms Gloria de Mees It was the first time that (Charge d’Affaires, Embassy of the Republic of Suriname) Nicole the event hosted by the prestigious American Brown, Jessica Jones, Kimberly Gay Ivy League institution, Harvard University. UWI St. Augustine took part Back Row(l-r), Dindial Ramrattan, Jonelle Watson, Daryl Steele, Nicole Parris, Keron Niles The Harvard National Model United Nations in the event. In fact, UWI (HNMUN) affords students the opportunity St. Augustine was the only to instigate active debate to grapple with Caribbean delegation. UWI’s issues of key international importance and to participation was viewed as a engage in procedures and discussions akin to success by both the delega- the United Nations. tion and the organisers of the event. The UWI St. Augustine delegation was assigned the task to discuss issues of critical Upon their return, the del- importance, concerning the Dutch speaking egation hosted a presentation CARICOM state of the Republic of Suriname. ceremony to publicly thank The delegates participated in various commit- all those who contributed to Delegate Narissa Seegulam (Special Political & Decolonization Com- tees of the UN General Assembly, specialised their successful participation mittee) participating in an un-moderated meeting working on the agencies of the United Nations such as the in the conference. At the resolution paper, which later became “draft resolution paper 1.1” which was eventually passed by the member states Economic Commission of Latin America and ceremony which was held at the Caribbean and committees specifically the Graduate Institute of International Rela- Ms. Rigobert openly lauded the education designed for HNMUN such as the World Con- tions, the delegation showcased their Boston derived from the UWI experience and noted ference on the Unilateral Acts of States. experience with the many well-wishers who that the greatest benefit of participating in attended the ceremony. the HNMUN conference was the reinforce- In preparation for their participation at the ment and cementing to the value of the conference, the team went through an extensive Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of the “UWI” brand. training programme that included debate and Republic of Suriname, Ms. Gloria de Mees communications skills, parliamentary proce- reflected on the time that she spent with It is hoped that the overwhelming support dures, team building exercises, visits to the the delegation describing the students as that the 2006 HNMUN UWI St. Augustine Embassy of the Republic of Suriname, lectures the “future diplomats of the Caribbean” in delegation received will be replicated next from seasoned Diplomats and Foreign Service her feature speech. She also urged UWI St. year as UWI St. Augustine has been invited officers and academic research on the history, Augustine to consider hosting a similar event to participate in HMNUN 2007. culture, politics and foreign policy of the Repub- for the region’s students, such as a Model (Jonnelle Watson) lic of Suriname. CARICOM conference or OAS Assembly.
12 STAN APRIL- JUNE 2006
[ UWI PEOPLE ]
When my brother Chike said he was joining a rapso band, it made sense. The art form’s reputation for socially-con- scious lyrics and fiery delivery was no doubt attractive to someone from a family where Sunday Lunch and Friday limes often turn into (lovingly) loud cross-generational spats about issues of national and global impor- tance. Add to this his determination to learn and teach more about the history and culture of the West Indies, Africa and the African diaspora...Perhaps he realized that one of the most memorable ways to make your point is over a beat. But he is only one member of the band Word, Sound and Power that has begun to make waves on the grassroots music scene. Chantwell (Mark), Mudd (Muhammad), Skeeto (Kyle), Bukka Roots (Chike) and Akinlabi, are five young men with unique abilities, backgrounds and interests who, as their sobriquets indicate, have equally non-conformist tendencies, and a shared love of music and poetry.
In fact, their musical and literary sensibili- ties can be described as “selectively diverse”, with treasured collections that include Frantz Fanon, George Beckford, Karl Marx, Noam Chomsky, Paulo Coelho and Khalil Gibran alongside Lovelace and Shakespeare, Salman Rushdie and Marcus Garvey. Some of the band members’ favourite music selec- tions include reggae artists like Peter Tosh, Richie Spice and Chuck Fenda, Maximus Dan’s Soca-Reggae blend, Dancehall and WORD Zouk, unforgettable voices like Nina Sim- one, Tracy Chapman and Nora Jones, the Love Circle, the indomitable Stevie, Jill SOUND Scott, Lauryn solo and with the Fugees, jazz and classical virtuosos with names like Jaco Pastorius and Nitin Sawhney, and of course, the giftedly tortured Miles. In other words, MUSIC in rapso they have found a space like the The emergence of the new poets of rapso one in their CD cases, where old time kaiso meets rap - delete 50 Cent and BET booty- shaking escapades and think artists like Mos Def, Nas and Immortal Technique. >
14 STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006 [ UWI PEOPLE ]
One of the other things they have in com- Which raises the question, what do they can get you moving, most of all it wants to mon is that they are all UWI students; a sound like? When we hear the word “rapso” encourage you to think, to reflect on the life reality which surprises those who mistak- most of us rightly think Brother Resistance, you have and the one you want. enly equate “culture” on the St. Augustine Ataklan, Kindred, Ozymajic and 3 Canal. campus with “Free-drinks Thursdays”. On Word, Sound and Power builds on this The love of music meets the life of the the contrary, this group dances to the beat of heritage, and that of one of rapso’s “fathers”, mind...A revelation that there is nightlife in their own drum, played in this case by drum- Lancelot Lane, by creating a different sound Trinidad beyond clubs and fetes, to be found mer Akinlabi, with the occasional accompa- that is drum-based, with tighter, faster not only in the annual Rapso Explosion niment of flutist David, pannist Derren, and rhythms. Yet while their style is more akin and 3 Canal Show, but in monthly events Stephan, a guitarist. to the spit and flow of spoken-word artists in like U-WE Speak, Speakeasy, Songshine. cafes in Philly and rap artists from US inner Never heard of them? Well neither did I Along with their shared energy and pas- cities, refreshingly the language and accent until my brother began inviting me along. sion, it is difference that perhaps most is 100% Trini, with locally-inspired content. Word, Sound and Power making a name for gives this band an appeal among their Combine this with the complex lyrics of themselves on this scene. But these events growing following. This includes the guys who bridge the sometimes gap between are not only for rapso fans, having shifted the expression of each member’s individuality intellectual and activist and were born into concept of the all-inclusive from drinks and that comes out in their performances. And the quintessentially kaiso art of double food, to the scope of the performances. Com- I’m not just talking delivery and dress, but entendre, and you have a pretty good idea of ing to the mic are emerging poets and short the actual content of their songs which what you’re in for. story writers, instrumentalists and vocalists in are usually composed through a collabora- genres that range from rock, pop, reggae, folk, tive process. Their lyrics reveal that Word, So for all those who thought calypso was neo-soul, jazz and calypso, to those that have Sound and Power has a lot to say about boring and rap for (wannabe) gangsters yet to be, and may never be defined. Sparks the current state of UWI, our country and - think again. This hybrid, uniquely Trin- of mostly young talent, using their voices the world. And given all the cries about bagonian musical artform may join local and instruments to speak of their lives to the “the alienation of the young black male” reggae as a rising star of our music - bringing world; calling for positive change. in our society - it’s probably worth listen- rhythm, musicality and meaning together ing to, even if you don’t necessarily like, in a way that some claim is long overdue. It is only a matter of time before their agree, or feel comfortable with everything Rapso, like reggae, is not first and foremost sound becomes so loud that they cannot be you hear. party music, so even though this music ignored. Alake Pilgrim
SPOKEN WORD Here’s a brief and by no means complete survey of some monthly Spoken Word and Musical gatherings in Trinidad
WHAT’S HAPPENING WHEN WHERE CONTRIBUTION CONTACT (EMAIL)
Circle of Poets 1st and 3rd Wed City Hall,Port of Spain Free Nikita Yearwood [email protected]
Moonlight Gathering Twice monthly Blue Basin Park $15 Tyehimba Salandy - [email protected]
Songshine 1st Sun Trevor’s Edge, St. Augustine $20 Gillian Moor - (opp. Scotia Bank) ($10 - UWI students) [email protected]
Speakeasy 1st Thurs Skybar, Ariapita Ave. $20 Dara Njeri and Muhammad Woodbrook (see contact below)
U-WE Speak 2nd Wed Student Activity Centre Free Muhammad - Attn: Mudd (semesters only) Ampitheatre [email protected]
Writers’ Block 3rd Wed Auditorium, Queens Royal Free Kheston Walkins - College/Bishop Anstey High [email protected] School POS www.sta.uwi.edu/stan STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006 15 [ WORKSHOP ]
Caribbean at Crossroads: IMF Deputy Director Outlines Path to Integration
Deputy Managing Director of the In- gion’s strengths? In the decade to 2005, finan- ternational Monetary Fund, Dr. Agustin cial depth indicators for the Caribbean showed Carstens has said that the region is at “cross- great improvements,” Dr. Carstens continued. roads” in facing globalisation. He was speaking For example, the ratio of broad money to GDP at the Opening Ceremony of the 2nd Biennial increased on average in the region from about International Conference on Business, Bank- 50 percent to 80 percent during the period. At ing and Finance, which was held at the Hilton the same time, however, public debt increased Hotel and Conference Centre in May. rapidly. Indeed the region is now home to seven of the world’s ten most indebted emerg- As the key note speaker, Dr. Carstens went on ing market countries, with the average level of to explain that “the right time” to exploit key public debt to GDP rising above 90 percent, up Dr. Agustin Carstens opportunities “is now”. During his presenta- from 70 percent in the mid 1990s.” In outlin- international best practice for, among other tion he addressed a myriad of issues facing the ing the strengths of the region he also focused things, international disclosure and standard region, including migration, policy convergence on the “existence in most countries of vibrant corporate governance.” The Minister explained and the importance of integration as a means to democracies…[where] pluralism and democ- that the globalised context of trade and invest- improving competitiveness. “Our own experi- racy have flourished and racial gender equality ment were creating a high demand for principle- ence from looking at other countries around have long underpinned the political process.” driven, ethical leadership, characterised by good the world indicates to us that reduction of In addition to Dr. Carstens, who gained world corporate governance values such as account- trade barriers – not only within the region but wide recognition for his recommendations for ability and transparency. “The only way we will with the rest of the world - convergence and preventing and managing crises and for his improve is when we measure,” Sahadeo said, coordination of economic policies, and steps to work on economic policymaking following the underscoring that improving the governance of strengthen financial sector linkages are key to Mexican banking crisis of 1994, the Minister state-owned enterprises was an important objec- successful integration.” Dr. Carstens went on in the Ministry of Finance, Senator Christine tive of public policy. “What are suggesting today to speak to the audience of over 200 members Sahadeo, hinted at Government’s intention is that we measure governance.” of the business and financial sector on policy to introduce corporate governance ratings to convergence and coordination, as well as the state-owned enterprises, as part of an ongo- Sahadeo’s co-presenters on the Day Two development of financial markets. ing series of Government initiatives geared session on Corporate Governance were Dr. towards boosting investor confidence. Surendra Arjoon and Dr. Emily Dick-Forde, “Since independence the [Caribbean] region who lecture at the University’s St. Augustine has strived to develop financial markets Speaking at the Conference at The University and Cave Hill campuses respectively. Hosted that have strong cross-border linkages, but a of the West Indies’ Learning Resource Cen- by The University of the West Indies, St. question you may wish to ask yourselves is: tre, she revealed Government’s intention “to Augustine, The Central Bank of Trinidad and are these markets being tapped to serve the re- establish regulations that are in conformity with Tobago and Caribbean Money Market Brokers, the conference featured presentations from local policy makers as well as international and regional experts. Mr. Ewart Williams, Governor, Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, Mr. Ram Ramesh, Managing Director, CMMB, Mr. Brian Wynter, Executive Director, Financial Services Commission, Jamaica, Mr Errol Simms, Head, Department of Manage- ment Studies, UWI, Dr Anthony Bowrin, UWI Lecturer and Mr. Rabi N. Mishra of Harvard University were also featured at the Emerging Ideas: A cross section of the audience at the Conference’s Opening Ceremony Conference.
16 STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006
[ BOOKMARK ]
to the reader of 2004; there is plenty of unfi nished and conception is a major reason both for the national business here! For instance, there is a spread of HIV-/AIDS and other STDs, and for 1979 column on the need to decentralize educa- unwanted pregnancies. “The church preaches BOOKMARK tion, to give effective control over schools to self-control”, he notes, “but less of the realities of local bodies. The infamous sexual biology. Self-control can be better served Ramesh Deosaran has shift system is condemned with an understanding of the biological reality of always been an engaged in a 1981 article as the puberty”. In another column, Deosaran points out scholar, “public” intellectual, a “breeding ground” of anti- that parenthood is not simply a personal matter; University academic who has social valued and attitudes there is a social responsibility in procreating, maintained a consistent engage- inimical to learning – it is and rational approaches to family planning are ment over some three decades still with us 23 years later. urgently required. In general, he takes a com- with political and social issues The inadequate command mon sense, level-headed line on issues relating critical to Trinidad and Tobago. of English possessed by to sexual morality and family life, which is both He has always been involved secondary school graduates helpful and refreshing. An interesting column in the public arena, for a brief engaged Deosaran’s atten- of 1990 titled “The psychology of the East-West time as a party politician and tion in columns published Corridor Youth” is as relevant today as it was electoral candidate, for a much in 1985 and 1986. In the when fi rst published. longer time (and up to today) latter piece, he responds as an Independent Senator, to a demand for the teach- And we fi nd the same balanced approach when and for an even longer time ing of Hindi as a second Deosaran engages with cultural issues. In a as a regular columnist for the language in the schools thoughtful piece in the Guardian in 1988, he nation’s newspapers. It is his with dry wit: “Right now, writes on the assertion of ethnic cultural identity work in this last capacity which is featured in the I am still very worried about English as a fi rst versus the forces of globalization (without using present publication. language. After all we are still offi ciously saying the latter word, which had not yet become the “creamatorium”…’ cliché of today). It is a prescient discussion of The newspaper columns in this volume were issues which have only become more relevant written and published between 1971 and 1991. As we grapple with problems of violence in the since 1988. Articles of this type are nearly always highly topi- secondary schools, problems which many recent cal, and many are, by the same token, ephemeral commentators seem to think are new, it is instruc- As an academic who was also a part-time journal- – of little interest after the events which triggered tive to read Deosaran’s articles on this subject. In ist, Deosaran devotes any articles to the media. them have been forgotten. But the well chosen 1981, Deosaran was calling for trained counselors He consistently appealed for a free press; while pieces which appear in this volume are generally in each secondary school and for teachers to he can be critical of the media (he apparently of considerable interest today for they often deal receive basic training in student counseling. His once sued a newspaper for articles about him), he with issues which still resonate strongly in the guardian column of July 2, 1989 indicates that always insists that a free press is the bedrock of a Trinidad and Tobago of the early 21st century. The school violence was a big issue in the 1970’s, democratic society and polity. nation’s basic social problems have not changed when he headed a committee which made several essentially since the early 1970’s – perhaps recommendations to deal with the problem. In There is much we can learn from the articles in they have changed in degree or in their specifi c 1989, a “national consultation” was held on the this volume. The issues engaged in are still, by manifestation, but not in their substance- and issue. Some of his columns on education could and large, highly relevant and Deosaran’s bal- so Deosaran’s sensible, level-headed thoughts on easily have been written in 2004. anced, sensible views are welcome in this time these issues are still of relevance today. of hysteria and special pleading in the nation’s Deosaran also engages with issues related to public discourses. (From The Deosaran Files, Many articles deal with education, with what was family life and sexual behaviour. In his sensible, Preface for Volume 3, Focus on Education, Youth being described even in the 1970s as the “crisis” rational way, he argues for proper sex educa- & Society, by Professor of History, UWI, Bridget in the nation’s schools. And it is very striking tion in the secondary schools, pointing out that Brereton. ) how familiar the issues Deosaran writes about are ignorance among teenagers about sexuality
Like Heaven MUSIC (Niala Maharaj) Talk Boy Talk (The Poetry, Monologues and Humour of Miguel Browne)
Jit Samaroo (Original Notes, Original Steelband Compositions)
These and other publications and CDs are available at the UWI Bookshop.
18 STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006
[ ON SCREEN ]
n celebration of the life of I political and cultural activist, DREAM TO CHANGE THE WORLD writer and publisher Dr John Anthony La Rose, the film Dream to Change the World by prolific Trinidadian film-maker, Horace Ove, was recently featured at The UWI Learning Resource Centre, St Augustine Campus. At the showing introductions were made by Professor Gordon Rohlehr and David Abdulah, who both underscored the many achievements of the poet and publisher.
The documentary directed by the award- winning Ove has been described as drawing “on the visual archive of past events in the multi-cultural history of Trinidad…to tell the story of La Rose’s life”. Having worked extensively in film over the years (Photograph Courtesy Horace Ove) Home and Away: new world artists from left Samuel Selvon, John La Rose and Andrew Salkey in North independently and with the BBC, Ove has London in the 1980s. produced gems such as Baldwin’s Nigger (1969) featuring James Baldwin and Dick Gregory, King Carnival (1973) which explores the published as “Atilla’s Kaiso”. Years later he Negro Welfare Cultural and Social Association diversity of our local festival, Pressure (1974) would publish “Kaiso Music”, co-authored (NWCSA) which had played a central role in and Playing Away (1986) with a screenplay with David Rudder. the organizing of the June 1937 strike and anti- written by Caryl Phillips - based on a Brixton colonial revolt. Cricket team and the journey to play against An Executive Member of the Federated an English County cricket side. Workers’ Trade Union (FWTU), led by In 1961 he migrated to London and in August, Quintin O’Connor, La Rose was part of a 1966 founded New Beacon Books together with In Dream, La Rose talks about his life in delegation which included Dr. Cheddi Jagan his partner Sarah White.This bookshop and Trinidad and his travels abroad from Africa of the Guiana Agricultural Workers’ Union of publishing house, was named in the tradition to Europe. Although he left his homeland British Guiana, John Rojas of the OWTU and of the pioneering publishers in Trinidad in the almost forty years ago, he has been heralded Quintin O’Connor of the FWTU of Trinidad late 1920’s and early 30’s – the Beacon Group – as “undoubtedly one of the most important and Tobago, Ebenezer Joshua of the Federated which had notables such as CLR James, Albert people in the political and cultural life of the Industrial and Agricultural Workers of St. Gomes and Alfred Mendes. Caribbean in the latter half of the 20th Century” Vincent and Richard Hart of the Trade Union by David Abdulah. Council of Jamaica, which met with Grantley Also in 1966 John La Rose was an integral Adams of the Barbados Workers’ Union to member of the group which included Edward Born in Arima, Trinidad on 27th December discuss the future of the Caribbean Labour Kamau Brathwaite, Andrew Salkey and Aubrey 1927, La Rose’s father was a cocoa trader and Congress (CLC) in light of the formation of the Williams that founded the Caribbean Artists’ his mother a teacher who became Principal of US funded Caribbean Area Division of ORIT Movement (CAM) and was involved in the the Arima Girl’s R.C. School. After graduating (CADORIT). Later La Rose would renew his publishing of CAM’s journal – “Savacou”. from High School and a brief teaching stint at union activism. An activist and Honorary his alma mater, St. Mary’s College, he went Member of the European Representative for “His multi-faceted talent saw him being a to work with the late Cyril Duprey in the the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU), film producer, the most important being The very early days of Colonial Life Insurance he was awarded the OWTU’s highest award, Mangrove Nine, which dealt with the resistance Company in the Executive Office. He was the Labour Star, in 1988 for outstanding of the largely West Indian community to police an active member of the cultural and literary service to the Union and the working class. attacks on the popular restaurant named the life of Arima and Trinidad, being involved Mangrove in the Nottinghill area of London . with an Arima Literary group which included David Abdulah’s extensive biography went on In 1973 he produced a film for the BBC on the Neville and Undine Giuseppi and Arnold to focus on La Rose’s multi-faceted career as Black Church in Britain,” Abdulah explained. Thomasos. La Rose saw the importance of a founding member of the Marxist group the local cultural forms and was very interested in Workers’ Freedom Movement (WFM would After an exceptional life of innovation and the calypso, so much so that he co-authored become the West Indian Independence Party); activism, John Anthony La Rose died at with the Kaisonian Raymond Quevedo (Atilla which had as forefront members Christina Whittington Hospital, London, England on the Hun) the work “Kaiso a Review” later King and Jim Barrette, two of the leaders of the Tuesday 28th February, 2006.
20 STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006
[ RESEARCH ] Soufrière s Inferno UWI scientific team pioneers’ project on St Vincent Volcano
A team of staff and research of the Soufrière volcano on St. Vincent as In addition, considerable logistic sup- students recently undertook a field trip a template for similar hazard monitoring port (vehicles, drivers, aerial photo- to the Soufrière Volcano in St. Vincent in other volcanic island nations. The team graphs, maps, guide) was made available – the first of many aimed at building a is focused on improving the efficacy of to the team through the Soufrière Moni- 3D model of the volcano. The model is a volcano monitoring by building a geologi- toring Unit at the Ministry of Agricul- pioneering initiative, for while geological cal model for this volcano on St. Vincent. ture, Land and Fishery in St. Vincent. models exist for volcanoes in other regions The model will lead to a better under- in the world (eg Hawaii, La Réunion), standing of the volcano’s structure and In a region with several active volcanoes models have rarely been generated for the behaviour in turn leading to an improved it is interesting to note that two science explosive type that prevails in the Lesser ability to predict eruptions of Soufrière and disciplines are to be newly applied to Antilles. other similar volcanoes in the Caribbean. Soufrière: the study of the distribution and flow pathways of water within the volcano The Soufrière volcano is one of the most Several techniques will be used to (hydrogeology); and of the detailed gravity active volcanoes in the Caribbean and has construct the model which will relate distribution over the volcano. Gravity erupted explosively four times in the last surface features and subsurface structures distribution helps us to understand the 187 years. Although the most recent erup- and underground networks of water and internal structure of the volcano. And tion was in 1979, steam and hot gases with molten rock (magma). both require measurement of the precise the smell of rotten eggs still vent almost locations of sampling points using modern continuously from hot springs (fumaroles) The diverse backgrounds of the team surveying techniques. on the solidified volcanic “plug” inside members reflect the skills and experi- the crater. The rocks in such areas are too ence required to construct the model. Just how important the presence of water hot to touch with bare hands, and probes Members include Dr. Keith Miller, Head could be in promoting explosivity of erup- thrust into the fumaroles indicate tempera- of Surveying and Land Information tions is poorly understood. A significant tures close to that of boiling water. Department, and surveyor student, Ms. amount of water around the summit Arlene Atwell-Martinez; Dr. Nicolas area could act as a thermal buffer during The Seismic Research Unit at The Uni- Fournier, volcanologist, Seismic Re- renewed activity. versity of the West Indies has established a search Unit; Professor Joseph Hamilton, significant level of earthquake and volcano Head of the Petroleum Geoscience In contrast, a small amount of ground- monitoring throughout the Lesser Antilles. Unit, and hydrogeology student Ms. water would have the opposite effect Recently, it has begun detailed monitoring Magali Fournier. and favour highly explosive eruptions as >
22 STAN STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006 [ RESEARCH ]
Aerial view of the Soufrière volcano crater. Diameter of the crater is about 1 - 1.2 km. Photograph courtesy of the Central Planning Unit, Ministry of Finance, Planning and Development
The Soufrière Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in the Caribbean and has erupted four times in the last 187 years.
it vaporizes on contact with hot molten rock. It is intriguing that prior to the ex- plosive 1979 eruption a substantial crater lake had existed but subsequently has not reappeared.
During subsequent field trips the team of University of the West Indies students and staff will undertake repeat hydrogeo- logical and gravity measurements that will allow both the assessment of the presence of water at the top of the volcano and the temporal variation of the water table if any. Understanding the groundwater system near the top of the edifice, as well as the internal structure of the volcano, is therefore essential to better assess future eruption styles at Soufrière.
Financial support of this project has been provided by the Research and Publica- tions Funding Committee, the Seismic Research and Petroleum Geoscience Units and the Departments of Chemi- cal Engineering and Surveying and Land Information.
MPhil student Magali Fournier installing temporary rain gauges in the floor of the
volcano’s crater. Fournier) N. from (Photograph www.sta.uwi.edu/stan STAN JANUARY-MARCH 2006 23 [ RESEARCH ]
SAVING LIVES The UWI Telehealth programme brings world-class, affordable health care to sick kids
24 STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006 [ RESEARCH ]
A toddler laughs loudly in the back- “[Dr. Langer], the physician taking care of my boys told me about ground and talks to his brother in the the [UWI Telehealth] programme. He said that it would save secret language of young children. Leslie me money because I would be able to communicate with him via Sookoo speaks gratefully about the pro- videoconferencing and make fewer trips to Canada.” gramme that helped her sons become the healthy children they are today.
Johan and Tariq were born with anal atresia, a defect of the intestinal tract. At birth they were given a colostomy by Dr. Barrie Landreth-Smith, one of the paediatric surgeons at the Mount Hope Women’s Hospital, who advised Mrs. Sookoo that they were not adequately equipped to treat her children’s condition, and referred her to the SickKids Hospital in Toronto, Canada. After months of research and fund-raising, she took the babies abroad for two surgical operations (one on Mother’s Day and the other on the 4th of July).
Members of the Juman family. “[Dr. Langer], the physician taking care of my boys told me about the [UWI Tele- investigators in Trinidad & Tobago and Through the surgery and consultations, health] programme. He said that it would Canada. the family was saved the medical expense save me money because I would be able to of TT $270,000 through this programme. communicate with him via videoconfer- Mrs. Sookoo is a willing advocate of encing and make fewer trips to Canada.” the programme saying, “Nisa Philip “Well actually this whole procedure is a [Programme Manager] was very helpful lifeline to me...it’s very cost-effective,” ex- The Telehealth programme was estab- in making all the arrangements. The ap- plained her mother. Similarly for Natalia’s lished by the collaborative effort of the pointment went well. It was just as if we grandfather, Andrew Lara, the service was UWI Faculty of Medical Sciences, the were there with Dr. Langer. I think that seen as extremely beneficial. world-renowned SickKids Hospital, the [UWI Telehealth] is efficient and cost-ef- “It was wonderful - I never thought we had Atlantic LNG Company of Trinidad & fective a thousand times over. The boys that technology here...[we’ve had] a lot of Tobago (T&T), the Herbie Fund and are doing very well. They are as normal as suffering...from the time she was a baby.” the Ministry of Health (T&T). It was can be, thank God.” Recently good news formally launched under the patronage of was also given to one of the first recipients For Professor Zulaika Ali, Director of the His Excellency Professor George Maxwell of the UWI Telehealth service: Natalia Programme, its progress has been very Richards on September 14, 2004 to the Juman, a seven year old who loves car- gratifying, “It was very satisfying to actu- great satisfaction of Professor Zulaika Ali, toons and looks forward to going to school ally see the whole thing come together Programme Director. Through innovative to study the sciences, was suffering from after working on this since 2001.” teleconferencing technology, “real time” a serious medical condition at birth that consultations take place between local had proved fatal for three of her aunts. In The UWI Telehealth programme has health care professionals and specialists April 2005, doctors in Trinidad were able already benefited numerous children at the SickKids Hospital. The linkage to consult and discuss her case with their like Johan, Natalia and Tariq, and it is also strengthens local continuing medical colleagues in Canada. Almost exactly one expected to help many more. education in paediatrics and its sub-spe- year later after several video-conferences, Alake Pilgrim(UWI Annual Report) & cialties, as well as promotes and supports Natalia has returned home after a highly Anna Walcott-Hardy(STAN) collaborative research between medical successful medical procedure in Canada. www.sta.uwi.edu/stan STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006 25
[ON STAGE ]
Following its 2005 production ‘An Evening of August’, Bringing the script to life was a cast of veterans and newcomers, all of the UWI Centre for Creative and Festival Arts (CCFA), 2006 sea- whom are associated with the CCFA. Lead characters included Paul son continued with ‘OGUN IYAN- As in Pan’, in April. Held at the Massy (Kanga), Marc Antoine (Ogun), Karen Carnavon (Oshun), Jef- Scherzando Pan Theatre, the play captured a wide audience throughout frey Biddean (Cutter), Damian Richardson (Shabba), Anthony Fredrick its run. (Bull) and Samantha Stafford (Ana).
Written by playwright Rawle Gibbons, ‘OGUN IYAN- As in Pan’, is a Play director, Louis McWilliams, kept the audience engaged and in- description of the genesis, struggle and victory of the Steelpan. The play volved in the fast-paced scenes, while musical director, Harold Headley, is set within the period 1939 – 1950, a time in Trinidad’s history when ensured the play’s message was at the forefront with compositions of black cultural expressions (religious and celebratory) were banned. By drums, iron and steel, which played throughout the production. interweaving the history of steelpan with the religious beliefs of the Orisha, the playwright links the desire for free expression - the develop- Kudos to all who worked tirelessly on stage and behind the scenes from ment of the steelpan (OGUN IYAN), with religion - the Orisha gods, set to costume design. Carlene London Ogun and Oshun. The play examines the struggles that the pioneers of the steelpan movement endured to make the instrument locally, region- ally and internationally accepted.
St. Augustine Campus News and Features available STANONLINE exclusively at http://www.sta.uwi.edu/stan STAN Website Relaunched The official STAN website relaunches this month, with a new design and more exclusive online content. You can also sign up to receive the e-STAN newsletter, which includes updates on St. Augustine Campus happenings, more photography and opportunities to win great prizes.
Business, Banking and Finance Conference Recap the Business, Banking and Finance Conference: view Conference highlights and read pre- sentations made by the Honourable Patrick Manning, Prime Minister of The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Dr. Agustin Carstens.
Caribbean Philanthropy Conference Read about the UWI Development and Endowment Fund’s second Conference on Caribbean Philanthropy, held on May 2 – 5, 2006. Presentations included those from world-renowned actor and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Danny Glover, Reverend Dr. Calvin Butts, Pastor of the Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York and Rita Marley of the Rita Marley Foundation. This con- ference aimed at formulating an agenda on how to maximize philanthropy for the development of the Caribbean.
www.sta.uwi.edu/stan STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006 27 [ NEW PROGRAMMES ]
A Place of Our Own The St. Augustine Campus launches a Major in Geography
While geographers are not com- The new offering, which has found a And now for something lighter. monly known for their sense of home in the FSA, certainly provides a humour, geography jokes, as you can tell facility for Advanced Level Geography I went to the botanical gardens from the examples above, are definitely, students seeking to further their studies in West London. well, in a class of their own. The St. without incurring the expense of traveling Kew? (queue) Augustine Campus’ new Geography major abroad. But students and ministry officials promises to be just as special. aren’t the only ones expected to welcome Yes, it was really busy. the new programme with open arms. Sec- The programme’s Level Two and Level ondary school teachers seeking to remain I stubbed my foot Three course syllabi, which have already current in the field will now benefit from on a recent visit to an been approved by the FSA Board and the the option to further their studies right Indonesian volcano. St. Augustine Campus Academic Board, here at the St. Augustine Campus. Krakatoa? (crack a toe) are expected to gain final approval at the Yeah, and I’m still limping. May sitting of the UWI Board of Under- One case in point is Giselle Shalto, a graduate Studies just in time for the full Geography/ Food & Nutrition teacher BSc undergraduate degree to be launched at Providence Girls’ Catholic School, in September. Belmont. “When I became a teacher five years ago, The University of the West Indies already there was no Geography programme in ex- has an established Geography under- istence here and I hadn’t picked up a Ge- graduate degree at its Mona Campus. But ography text book in years,” said Shalto. the move to establish the St. Augustine “I think if you’re a teacher, you should at “The [geography] Campus geography degree comes, at least least have a degree in your subject area.” partly, in response to a longstanding department will demand from administrators within the When she stumbled across the Geography eventually be established Ministry of Education. Professor Narine- programme while registering for second either as a full-fledged singh, Dean of the Faculty of Science and year courses in Human Ecology, she im- Department of Geography or Agriculture (FSA), cited one document mediately signed up but kept her fingers signed by a Curriculum Officer, which crossed. In the previous year (2004), she as a part of the Department stated, “The teaching of Geography has had applied without success for a scholar- of Natural Resource suffered because of the dirth [sic] of teach- ship to pursue undergraduate studies in Management ers to teach the subject. This has been Geography on Mona Campus. This time, exacerbated by the unavailability of the however, she would not be disappointed degree locally.” with the outcome of her application; >
28 STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006 [ NEW PROGRAMMES ] nor with the quality of the programme is a watershed moment for the programme, for that matter, nation in the study of geography. although she did point to some of the practical dif- “As students get exposed to more of the culties with staf ng, peda- advanced work in Geography, they’ll step gogical materials, lab facili- away from saying, ‘Well, what can I do ties and logistics of physical with Geography?” as much as, ‘This is accommodation that still what I’m able to do with my Geography!’” had to be overcome. Rocke said, acknowledging in the same breath that the programme would, at least “Well, it’s still a work in for now, keep “closer to the mainstream.” progress,” she told me. “It’s just getting o the ground.” “We have to consider what we want to expose the students to. There is the core Dr. Gregory Gouveia, Head and then there is the edge. When I say of the Department of Food the edge, I mean, the latest development. Production, chairs the In Europe, they’re studying the Geography multidisciplinary committee of Homosexuality and the Geography of considering these and other Advertising Campaigns. This is what I’m issues relevant to getting talking about when I say the edge. But we the Geography programme couldn’t go there. Not yet.” Gerard Best “o the ground”, so to speak. Their ultimate vision is a programme covering both physical and human geography, Himself an environmental soil chemist, with compulsory (core) courses including Dr. Gouveia was one of many lectur- Geomorphology, Caribbean Landforms, ers, drawn from a variety of disciplines, Biogeography, Anthropogenic-Environ- who taught the wide range of Level One ment Interactions, Cartography, Climatol- courses o ered in its debut academic ogy, Caribbean Hazards, Culture-Environ- year. ment Issues, Locational Issues and Earth Science. “Geography is an integrationist study,” pointed out Dr. Judy Rocke, the pro- “Even without any formal advertisement, gramme’s geographer and another member we were able to get a class of forty. of the Programme Development Com- We simply advertised it to the students on mittee, “and we draw on di erent elds registration week,” noted Gouveia, all around us to come up with our own underscoring that the new programme’s geographic analysis. When you see it as an focus on local geography, applied integration of all these di erent ideas, I geography and issues a ecting Small believe that that’s when people will begin Island Developing States (SIDS), give it a to see themselves as Geographers.” “unique emphasis”, distinguishing it from other existing o erings. For Dr. Rocke, the Technical Advisory Services manager at the Institute of Ma- rine A airs, the establishment of the new
“Even without any formal advertisement, we were able to get a class of forty” Professor Dyer Narinesingh
www.sta.uwi.edu/stan STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006 29 [ CONNECT: EDDIE BAUGH ]
STAN recently caught up with celebrated writer and UWI Emeritus Professor Eddie Baugh at the successful 25th Anniversary Conference on West Indian Literature at our Campus.
So, how do you define a Caribbean writer now? Oh, well, that’s one of those almost impossible things. But per- haps a useful definition would be that a Caribbean writer is one who writes out of Caribbean experience and writes to Caribbean experience. And not exclusively because, for example, some of these writers overseas, their audience is legitimately also British, international as any writer hopes to be. But their work is energized by, and the subject matter has very much to do, either with the Caribbean or with the fact that they are products of Caribbean heritage. That’s a kind of wide and vague [definition] but the truth is that these definitions [...] always have grey areas and blurred edges. One could say, for example, that a Caribbean writer has to be somebody born in the Caribbean but it seems to me that if you do that you then create as many problems as you solve. It’s a working definition: it limits the area in a very sort of mechanistic way. Kwame Dawes, a prize-winning poet and fiction writer, he was actually born in Ghana of a Jamaican father and a Ghanaian mother. But there is no way that anybody reading his stuff would think of him as anything but a Caribbean writer. The longstand- ing woman novelist, Paule Marshall, of great eminence, is a black American writer, but she is very much a Caribbean writer in some of her books because she was born in the States, out of Barbadian parentage. And her work, some of it anyway, if you pick it up, you wouldn’t have any reason, unless you know otherwise, to think that this wasn’t a Caribbean person writing. Professor Eddie Baugh
Does she call herself Caribbean? I can’t tell you definitely but I believe so.
Is Naipaul a Caribbean writer then? Oh, well my answer to that is unquestionably yes. But everybody knows that Naipaul has almost made a point of saying that he does not wish to be considered as a Caribbean writer, because he finds that too limiting and so on. But it’s perfectly legitimate for him to define himself as whatever. It’s also perfectly legitimate for me to say, whatever he calls himself, I will still call him a Caribbean writer. Every writer, ultimately, addresses the world, but addresses the world from their specific location in the world. So a short answer to your question-Yes, I would call Naipaul a Caribbean writer. From left: Leroy Clarke, Lloyd Best, and George Lamming >
30 STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006 [ CONNECT: EDDIE BAUGH ]
By that logic, it isn’t necessary for the writer to define himself or herself as from the Caribbean. Exactly, by my logic.
What’s happening to the book, in the 21st century, as a product and as an art form? There were dire predictions in some quar- ters that the book would die with all the new digital technology, but there’s no sign that this is happening. What is happening is that literature is being diversified. For instance, there are a lot of literary maga- zines that are only on-line. They’re not published in print. You can only down- load them. What that has done for the literature is, it has opened up publication The Honourables: Dr. Gordon Rohlehr, Professor Kenneth Ramchand, Professor Eddie Baugh and opportunities. People are not bound now Professor Mervyn Morris (Mona) to go to print publishers and get a book In what way was this 25th Anniversary Apart from holding annual Conferences, accepted. I’m just saying that, in a general Conference special? what do you think is the role of the Uni- sense, that must be a good thing. Well, first of all, obviously it was special versity in Caribbean literature? simply because it was the twenty-fifth, but Well, our role as researchers and The down side of that, of course, which is that’s not an answer. You want to know teachers really, is to keep trying to find inevitable and must be accepted, is that any about the Conference itself. Well, it was forward-looking insights into and ap- old thing can get on-line. So there’s that special because the organisers, [Confer- proaches to the criticism of literature. aspect but one has to accept that as part of ence Administrator] Dr. Barbara Lalla and But of course, our basic function is to the general opening up of opportunities. her team, organised it to have a certain teach students. [...] international resonance. They made a Of course, a practical corollary of this is point of opening it up to some outstand- And of course, part of the function the business of copyright, you know, how ing international people. [...] was, inevitably even if not deliber- do you protect things that are on-line. ately, to help to promote West Indian Well, all of that is being worked on. Just It was also special because, as an acknowl- literature on the international scene, to give a specific instance of this “opening edgement that the event had been going and to the extent that some of the up”, I have a book on Derek Walcott that on for 25 years, the organisers made a people from UWI, like the people who was published last week in London on the point of using the occasion to honour were honoured-Ramchand, Rohlehr, 31st of March. It’s just called Derek Wal- four persons who had taught for many Morris-and others, like Prof. Carolyn cott; it’s just been published by Cambridge years in the UWI Literatures in English Cooper, Dr. Maureen Warner-Lewis University Press. And I’d signed a con- department, namely Professor [Kenneth] and other people, they have become tract years ago to write this book for print Ramchand, Professor [Gordon] Rohlehr, recognised now as international publication and it has been published. and from Mona, Professor Mervyn Morris authorities. The image of The UWI But not so long ago I got from Cambridge and me. [...] has been projected through them. All University Press a letter inviting me to these people are known and sought sign another contract which would make One other way in which the Conference was after internationally. So that that is my book available for digitisation in due special was that they made a point of invit- UWI on the world stage. GB course. And they explained that they’d ing Caribbean writers from outside, notably worked out systems whereby I would still Lorna Goodison, the poet, who is Jamaican get royalties from it and it would still be and who lives and works in the USA, and protected and so on. Shani Mootoo, of Trinidadian origin. [...] www.sta.uwi.edu/stan STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006 31 [ ALUMNI ]
CAolgoauinrs STAN spoke with YARA Trinidad’s President about the focus on “developing people and enriching communities”
It’s not often that you find the And he has contin- President of a leading multi-national ued to build on the organisation, who’s also an accomplished support Yara, formerly composer and musician. known as Hydro Agri, has given to Enter the unassuming President of Yara The University of the Trinidad Limited, Mark Loquan; a UWI West Indies over the honours graduate with a first degree in years. The company Chemical Engineering and a Masters has continued to fund Degree in Business Administration from student bursaries, the Fuqua School of Business at Duke including an MPhil Mark Loquan, President of Yara Trinidad Limited University - with a penchant for the Scholarship of US steel pan. $10,000 for two years, to begin no later that exceed USD 5.6 billion and a mis- than September 2006; as well as the sion to make farming more profitable and Loquan, is not a proponent of the “quick three million dollar donation towards the agriculture more sustainable, has part- fix”, instead he is committed to innova- construction of the modern auditorium nered with The University of the West tive, heavy-duty initiatives with lasting at the UWI Arthur Lok Jack Graduate Indies in research, education, training returns. School of Business (formerly IOB). and outreach.
“For myself, having a local perspective “I feel a strong sense of utilising your With a business focused on ammonia and in a multinational company, is building company’s expertise and know-how to fertilizer production, Yara International local pictures for the long term,” he ex- benefit the community you are living in, ASA / Yara Trinidad Limited signed a plained, seated in his Office at the Point because at the end of the day, these are Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Lisas Estate. the same people you recruit,” explains on November 23, 2005 at the Hilton Loquan (particularly important for the Trinidad with the Department of Food “I feel a very strongKenrick sense that at a lead- BurgessPresident of a company with an almost Production at The University of the ing organisation like Yara, we would hundred percent local labour force). West Indies. like to be affiliated with programmesManaging Director and projects Globalwith long term Competitive value…I’m It’s notStrategies that difficult toLtd. imagine that the Heralded as a “major benefit for the not really into the quick picture in the world’s largest supplier of mineral fertil- local and regional farming community,” papers.” izers, a company with operating revenues the MOU aims to provide collaborative >
32 STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006 [ ALUMNI ] programmes for agricultural research, by local composers such as Jit Samaroo joined the state side Silver Stars…It’s a se- education, training and outreach in the (Original Notes) and Ray Hollman rious hobby,” Loquan admits with a smile. Caribbean region. The alliance known (Changing Time). Having partnered Although he admits to being bitten by the by the acronym YUCAPA – Yara-UWI with the UWI in producing the Samaroo “pan jumbie” this “hobby” had to be put Community Assistance Programme in and Hollman music CDs in computerized on hold for a few years, as with his many Agriculture, will achieve these objec- format for teaching purposes for several promotions at work came an increase in tives through cooperation between Yara’s UWI Courses including Pan Arranging, the work-load and responsibilities. Hanninghof Centre for Plant Nutrition Pan Literature and Applied/Instrumen- and Environmental Research in Dulmen, tal Music, Yara Trinidad Ltd. is also in Then in 1999, Loquan began competing Germany and the Department of Food “discussion with other local organisations in the major league with his debut Steel- Production, based at The University and foreign universities and Steelpan pan composition, “Glory”, which was of the West Indies campus in Trinidad. European to have the scores included in played by one steelpan at the Panorama One key area of support will include ac- their teaching material”. finals. Then, a few years later in 2006, cess to fertilizer application technology he would score in the “big yard”, as no developed by Yara - including the very “I wish there was a greater appreciation less than eight steel bands selected his popular N-Tester - which allows farmers for the arts and culture and the con- popular composition, “Colours Again”, to assess the plant’s nutritional needs in tribution this can make in developing including: TCL Skiffle Bunch (arrange- order to optimise fertilizer application. society,” Loquan explained. ment by Liam Teague), Harmonites (arrangement by Earl La Pierre), Angos- This alliance occurs at a time when the Born in Trinidad in 1960, Mark E. tura Woodbrook Playboyz (arrangement region continues to struggle with a high Loquan was surrounded by music at an by Pelham Goddard) and Merrytones food import bill which, according to early age. There was always music in (arrangement by Selon Gomes). Remi- local economists, could be significantly the Loquan house, and the two girls and niscent of the melodic compositions of reduced with more local food production, three boys, loved to play the guitar and Kitchener, Colours Again, sang by Destra a cessation of preferential trading terms piano, especially at Christmas. Garcia would become a favourite, not for agriculture exports in the European only for Steelpan, but for revellers and markets and by WTO policies. Dr. As a teenager while attending St. Mary’s DJs throughout the Carnival season. Gregory Gouveia, who heads the De- College in Port of Spain, he took his partment of Food Production, and Dr. interest a bit further and began not just Undoubtedly, the multi-faceted UWI Joachim Lammel, Head of Product and playing music, but composing. He decided alum./composer/corporate icon etc./ Application R&D at Yara’s Hanninghof to start with “small goals that were built Mark Loquan may be described in many Centre, exchanged visits and held discus- along the way”. ways, but it is without doubt, that he sions over the past year. intends to bring a “local perspective” to a “I started to play the pan in 1993…and corporate multi-national. AWH According to Loquan to help farmers and assist the development of the country by focusing on a key area (food production) is an area of major concern for Yara.
Just as much of a concern is music literacy and preservation. Founding Chairman of the not-for-profit, NGO Music Literacy Trust, he has a strong belief in the need for students of music to be able to read and even compose music. Accordingly, Yara has partnered with UWI Centre for Creative and Festival Arts for the development of electronic scoring and recording of compositions Changing times Ray Hollman and Mark Loquan www.sta.uwi.edu/stan STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006 33 [ ALUMNI ] Margaret Burgess Attorney-at-Law
PRIVATE CHAMBERS & GLOBAL COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES LTD.
Kenrick Burgess Margaret Burgess MBA, MA (Div), Dip. Const. Eng. & Mgt., LEC, LLB (Lond.), MEd, Dip. Ed, BSc (Hons) Dip. Pub. Adm., Dip. Mgt., BSc (Hons) Civil Eng. & 34 STAN JANUARY-MARCHAPRIL-JUNE 2006 2006 [ ALUMNI ]
What services does Global Competi- How do you think UWI prepared you You came to UWI St. Augustine tive Strategies Ltd. offer? to make this career shift? from Tobago. What was it like living on-campus? Global Competitive Strategies Ltd. is It contributed everything! It is at UWI a Project Management Company. We that I first got exposure to higher educa- When I came to UWI in 1973, I lived re-organise companies, and put systems tion. I was able to explore the option of on Trinity Hall. Back then it was just and structures in place for the efficient different careers because of my training. two floors...It was very challenging for functioning of the company. My training and experience in Science me because it was almost like I had gone prepared me for Law because I apply the to a new country; this was my first time I’m very interested to hear about the problem-solving method we use in Sci- away from home. It really developed my transition from your first degree [BSc ence to the practice of law. independence. I had to depend on all the in Botany, Zoology and Chemistry at training I had received at home and the UWI St. Augustine]...and how you In addition, UWI prepares you to access values that my parents had inculcated in ended up in Law and Project Man- information and deal with unfamiliar me, to make sensible decisions. agement. situations. These are basic skills that you can apply in any discipline. This was the I have friends from that time who are in I am really more involved in Law than major benefit I received from going to different parts of the Caribbean. We still Project Management because in addition UWI. communicate via the internet or [in] other to serving as the attorney-at-law for this [ways]. Sometimes we share research or company, I have my own chambers. My Do you have any mentors from your information....that network is important. husband is the Project Manager... UWI experience? Is there anything you want Well after I graduated from UWI in 1977, Yes, my husband is my mentor, actually to say to our up and coming I taught Biology and Integrated Science, [he is] the first person who encouraged me graduates? Forms 1 to 6, for 25 years at secondary to make the transition from teaching to schools...first in Tobago and then in Trini- law...It was at UWI that we really started I want to encourage you the upcoming dad. I always loved Science and enrolled our relationship. We graduated at the graduates to launch out, and to recognise in UWI with the intention of sharpen- same time...After teaching for a number of that your first degree is just the start of your ing my skills and knowledge to become a years he challenged me to study Law be- journey. There are many areas that you can teacher. I studied for the Diploma in Edu- cause he recognised that the potential was get into. Continue studying and be versa- cation at UWI, and the Master of Educa- there, so I decided to try, and found that tile; you should be able to fit in wherever tion at UWI as well. [At that point] I had I really love the Law - something I didn’t you find yourself, but this will only happen a choice between continuing in Education even consider before. I also have mentors if you expand your borders, rather than or moving into another area. in the legal profession who willingly assist staying within the narrow confines of your and guide me through difficult areas. first degree. Never limit yourself! In what year did you decide to do that?
I started studying law in 1994 as a student in the external degree programme from “my husband is my mentor, the University of London and received tuition at the School of Accounting actually [he is] the first person who and Management. Having attained the LLB in 1997, I was accepted at the Hugh encouraged me to make the transition Wooding Law School and continued there from teaching to law...” for two years...I was called to the Bar in 1999. www.sta.uwi.edu/stan STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006 35 [ IN THE NEWS ]
UnArtistwritten Eddie Bowen on painting & patronage
“It’s all about colour,” artist and “enquiry into the architecture of image mak- UWI lecturer, Eddie Bowen explained ing”. Through his technique he has created a recently. “After being [in Trinidad] for 25 language of memory, he has truly written on years, observing,...I’m not trying to analyse, the canvas with colour. His art, wrought with [or] find meaning, I went straight to the motifs of roof tops, trees and tiered buildings, canvas...and the architecture [component] is reflects the dexterity of a draughtsman. just the framework to hang thoughts on.” In 1925, commenting on the work of the Bowen was speaking about his latest exhibi- Italian born artist John Singer Sargent, tion, 9x52, which has been something of an Vernon Lee wrote “the individual tempera- Odyssey for the Trinidadian painter. It is ment of every artist expresses itself with not surprising to learn that as a boy, he had unconscious imperative far more in how a profound love for architecture and even he paints than in what he chooses to be considered it as a career, but instead chose to painting” - this all seems very applicable to study fine art at Croydon College, U.K. A Bowen’s art. teacher, developer, landowner and fine artist, his self-described style of “creating a road Although he began construction on his through abstraction” has taken a prolonged “recent work” seven years ago, soon after the
36 STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006
STAN JANUARY-MARCH 2006 JANUARY-MARCH www.sta.uwi.edu/stan 37
need for visual art to be at the “centre of of “centre the at be to art visual for need often icons architectural the with harmony,
AWH
enduring optimism. optimism. enduring arts. During his talk, he also addressed the the addressed also he talk, his During arts. in perhaps or combined, be to seems work,
cally may be something of a testimony to his his to testimony a of something be may cally ian his work and the “lack of patronage” for the the for patronage” of “lack the and work his the in found therapy Munch- The
- ironi which - commitment his hide can’t CCA gallery, Bowen spoke candidly about about candidly spoke Bowen gallery, CCA
Yet after the paint has dried, Eddie Bowen Bowen Eddie dried, has paint the after Yet painters, friends and patrons seated at the the at seated patrons and friends painters, father. his of strokes robust the by balanced
In March, in a room of about 50 students, students, 50 about of room a in March, In work, the into eye the draw blue of blocks
dry laugh. laugh. dry Letters of Comfort of Letters , Zane’s small, chunky chunky small, Zane’s , in
- it’s like a desert.” Bowen explained with a a with explained Bowen desert.” a like it’s - environment. environment. instance for - successful proved laboration
the canvas. And when they go out there there out go they when And canvas. the the battle between industrialisation and the the and industrialisation between battle the - col The pieces. the of some on collaborate
seen it - I’ve seen these kids hopping from from hopping kids these seen I’ve - it seen from colonialism and squatter’s rights to to rights squatter’s and colonialism from to Zane son his allowing often night, the
“We may have about twenty Picassos - I’ve I’ve - Picassos twenty about have may “We cal, as well as global, socio-political themes, themes, socio-political global, as well as cal, into late paint would he There Souci. Sans
- psychologi many through working viewer, in beach-house his to residency, a had he
never taken into account”. account”. into taken never the pieces may also be therapeutic for the the for therapeutic be also may pieces the where Arts, Contemporary Caribbean at lery
a career, as the “intrinsic value of the work is is work the of value “intrinsic the as career, a ment of colour and delineation of space, space, of delineation and colour of ment - gal the from canvases the brought he 2004
future for those who choose the discipline as as discipline the choose who those for future - place on focuses artist the Although Yoga). in so And marriage. his of disintegration
an artist in Trinidad and Tobago and the the and Tobago and Trinidad in artist an tive state - Bowen is a great proponent of of proponent great a is Bowen - state tive the from fall-out” “emotional the from ing
spoke with despair on the difficulty of being being of difficulty the on despair with spoke - medita a of more perhaps (or equilibrium of - emerg after later; years many pieces the to
the University and not the periphery”. He He periphery”. the not and University the repeated in his images; both seeking a state state a seeking both images; his in repeated returned only Bowen Zane, son his of birth
it’s like a desert. a like it’s
from the canvas. And when they go out there - - there out go they when And canvas. the from “
I’ve seen it - I’ve seen these kids hopping hopping kids these “seen I’ve - it seen I’ve
We may have about twenty Picassos - - Picassos twenty about have may We [ IN THE NEWS ] NEWS THE IN [
[ IN THE NEWS ]
opment Studies (Cave Hill), and Dr. Roger understanding of gender as well as their skills in Approximately twenty-five Hosein, Department of Economics. the areas of policy formulation and application. participants from across the Caribbean region came to Trinidad for an intensive training One of the highlights of the course was a Apart from its on going offering of undergradu- course on Gender Sensitive Policy writing, screening of the film,The Shape of Water, by ate and post graduate courses and degrees in organised by the UWI Centre for Gender and Professor Kum-Kum Bhavani of the University gender and development studies on all three Development Studies at the Chancellor Hotel, of California, Santa Barbara. Narrated by ac- campuses of the UWI, the Centre for Gender St. Ann’s. tress Susan Sarandon, the documentary shared and Development Studies (CGDS) is well unforgettable stories of the ability of several poised after over one decade of formal institu- In putting forward the rationale for the course, resilient women to empower themselves in vary- tionalisation to extend its services in different Professor Patricia Mohammed noted that this ing situations of oppression and discrimination. capacities to the regional environment. Not was not to be constituted as a “workshop” only has this tradition been inherited from com- but as an intensive training course geared to With great ingenuity, the film showed enhance serious understanding of the assump- interviews with women from India to Sen- tions which inform gender and development egal (Africa,) the Middle East (Jerusalem) to strategies. Brazil, giving “voices to the voiceless”. In each
REGIONAL GENDER INTERVENTIONS & TOOLS FOR REDEVELOPMENT Gender Training & Sensitive Policy Course launched Professor Patricia Mohammed Patricia Professor Augustine St. UWI CGDS,
“What has become clear to those of us who portrait, gendered analysis and feminist (an- mitted regional institutions such as Women and teach gender and development studies is that, thropological) methods were used to explore, Development Unit of Barbados, led by Peggy as with other complex and sophisticated new discuss and highlight the struggle for change: Antrobus in the eighties, but equally the long ideas, the transmission of knowledge and skills from the politics of Israeli occupation to fe- standing Summer Institute in Gender offered requires devoted time and commitment of male circumcision. Ultimately, the 70-minute by the Centre for Gender and Development learners. For too long it has been assumed that documentary proved to be an excellent tool Studies at Cave Hill. The Summer Institute, gender is mysteriously and easily transmitted for discussing the interplay between policy, brain child of Professor Eudine Barriteau, without the benefit of applied learning and practice and society, as the five-day workshop enables groups of practitioners and advocates teaching. A course which brings together the got off the ground. as well as students to meet every two years, for valuable experiences of those who are actively a six-week course in gender training. Two- involved in the field with the experiences of After the launch, participants traveled to the day and three-day workshop interventions in those who teach, write and research gender is Penal/Debe Corporation to participate in an various Caribbean territories, coupled with necessary at this time.” interactive consultation on creating a gen- consultancy services in the form of policy writ- der policy for that area. This was a practical ing and manual preparation are key initiatives Among the list of experts and facilitators were component of the workshop and according to of the Centre. Over the last three years, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign those present proved to be highly educational capacity building of the staff of the CGDS has Affairs (Trinidad & Tobago), Mr. Lester Efebo and useful. been enhanced particularly by the partnership Wilkinson, Regional Programme Director for between Judith Wedderburn, Director of FES UNIFEM (Caribbean Office) Ms. Roberta A partnership with the Centre for Gender and (Friedrich Ebert Stiftung), Cecilia Babb of Clarke, Legal Consultant Ms. Gaietry Pargass Development Studies UWI , St. Augustine and CPDS, Barbados and Professor Patricia Moham- and Programme Coordinator for CARICOM- the UNIFEM Caribbean office, led by direc- med of CGDS, UWI St. Augustine. A series of Gender Desk, Ms. Halima Sa’adia Kassim. tor, Roberta Clarke, as well as Jeannette Bell gender sensitive policy making workshops by Among UWI resource persons and participants of the Canada Caribbean Gender Equity Fund, these three organizations carried out in Domi- were Professor Barbara Bailey, Regional Head Caribbean Policy Centre Development (CPDS) nica, St. Vincent, Jamaica and Barbados led to Centre for Gender and Development Studies, and the on going work with women’s bureaux the production of a manual and interactive CD Professor Patricia Mohammed, Acting Head throughout the region, ensured that this on gender sensitive policy making which is now Centre for Gender and Development Stud- intensive gender training course was a success. widely used throughout the region, including ies (St. Augustine), Ms. Gemma Tang - Nain Undoubtedly, advocates, practitioners and aca- being translated into Dutch for use in Suriname. Acting Head, Centre for Gender and Devel- demics in the field strengthened their analytical www.sta.uwi.edu/stan STAN APRIL-JUNE 2006 39 [ IN THE NEWS ]
from Qatar to the Caribbean The inimitable, award-winning Professor Dawe connects with Gerard Best on the UWI flagship Petroleum Geoscience & Engineering programmes, non-renewable resources and being British.
They talk about wettability. dwarfed the six-foot Dawe, who sat at his PC, in Petroleum Geoscience and MSc programme They ask about miscibility, immiscibility and hunched over the telephone. To his left, on in Petroleum Engineering. low interfacial tension displacement, all the a small, blue, plastic server, were a bottle of physical properties of petroleum fluids. They Cremora, a box of crackers and a spray can of The three-year undergraduate degree pro- say the oilfield is the cornerstone of modern pesticide. Stranger than fiction. gramme, which allows students the option of civilisation. Which is only natural-they’re specialising in either Petroleum Geology or Engineers. Petroleum Engineers, to be exact. “It’s unique. There isn’t another in the Petroleum Geophysics, really is quite special And Professor Richard Alan Dawe, who heads world like it,” Dawe said, some way into our in at least a couple of ways, the first of which is Petroleum Studies at The University of the interview. He wasn’t talking about his office the fact that it is directed by something called West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine, is one of though, but his Department’s programmes: a Joint Industry/Academic Advisory Commit- them. namely, the (relatively) new BSc. programme tee (JIAAC). Described as “a sounding board
Professor Dawe’s office, located upstairs in the ...the programme ... was asked for by the principal play- Petroleum Geoscience Unit, Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, ers of the petroleum industry of Trinidad, particularly the looked nothing like I expected. The office floor Geological Society of Trinidad and Tobago (GSTT); it has was a minefield of boxed-away files. The walls support from the government; and it has been accredited by were plastered with busy-looking, stacked-to- the-ceiling, book-laden shelves that almost the Geological Society of London.
40 STAN JANUARY-MARCH 2006 [ SPORT ] [ IN THE NEWS ]
munity. Not that Professor Dawe is a stranger Yes, his sense of humour, apparently, is also to academic distinction. As early as 1963, in British. But if there’s one thing he’s dead his undergraduate days at Oxford University serious about, it’s oil and gas. Wait, that’s two (St. Catherine’s College), Dawe held an Ethel things, isn’t it? (I’m not much of an engineer Behrens Trust Award; as a post-graduate, the myself.) Gas Council Scholarship. One entry, among a list of honours on Professor Dawe’s CV, reads: “When will the energy run out?” Professor “1993 - present, Referee for research projects, Dawe asked me rhetorically. The answer was Kuwait University”. more unexpected than the question. “Energy itself won’t run-out but oil and gas will. It’s a That’s right-Kuwait. (Dawe is no stranger to non-renewable resource. So we should be using the Middle East, either.) In fact, for two years our time now to explore very carefully other before he came to UWI in 1999, Professor methods. A lot of people think that there’s got Dawe held the Occidental Chair in Petroleum to be sustainability in energy. Well, the sun Engineering at the University of Qatar. and the waves, if properly captured, can give plenty.” Qatar, if you don’t know, is a Muslim state bordered by Saudi Arabia. It is the country Sun? Waves? Trinidad? Alternative energy with the largest gas fi eld in the world (now source? Coincidence? (I think not.) Professor Richard Alan Dawe estimated to be some 900 trillion cubic feet) to obtain industry advice and reactions to and is the richest country per capita on the “But there’s still research to be done.” cau- proposals for change and improvement in our planet. To get some idea of what it’s like for tioned Dawe, “New-fangled things are being Petroleum education,” the JIAAC is particu- a Petroleum Engineer to move from Qatar to invented all the time but we’ve got to have the larly helpful in obtaining industry scholarships, Trinidad, consider this: there is an oilfi eld in money to pay for them or the inventiveness to work placements, project ideas and funds. Qatar that is approximately 61 miles long-al- recognise them and develop them ourselves.” most the length of Trinidad! GB Secondly and perhaps more importantly, the programme represents a point of convergence “I spent two years there and it’s a completely for Trinidad’s political, corporate and educa- different culture, which is fascinating, having tion powerhouses. It was asked for by the been in Britain all my life.” principal players of the petroleum industry of Trinidad, particularly the Geological Society of Indeed. Twenty-two years (1975-97) at the Im- Contact Information Trinidad and Tobago (GSTT); it has support perial College, Department of Earth Resources Petroleum Geoscience Unit, from the government; and it has been accred- Engineering, London. Before that, six years Department of Chemical Engineering, ited by the Geological Society of London. (1969-75) as a Senior Research Fellow in the FACULTY OF ENGINEERING, Chemical Engineering Department of Leeds The University of the West Indies, Professor Dawe says the BSc programme “has University. And one year, before that, as an the potential to be recognised globally as an Assistant Lecturer in the Chemical Engineer- Trinidad and Tobago, W.I. ideal setting for the recruitment of qual- ing Department of the University of Manches- Tel: 868 662 2002 Ext. 3686 ity geoscientists for petroleum exploration ter Institute of Science and Technology. Fax: 868 662 4414 and engineering.” Dawe should know. The Email: [email protected] Professor was instrumental in fast-tracking the “Coming here is also fascinating because I programme’s development from conception to don’t feel totally foreign here, partly because For more information on reality in a matter of months, from April 2001 you still have the remnants of the British Prof. Richard A. Dawe, to August of the same year. Furthermore, the Commonwealth. You drive on the same side visit his UWI webpage at programme was one of the main reasons that of the road...on a good day. And, certainly, http://www.eng.uwi.tt/depts/chem/staff/ Dawe won, in 2005, the Vice Chancellor’s the UWI civil service, you know, the way dawe.html Award for Excellence for research accomplish- UWI works, is very much like the University ments and service to the University com- of London.”
42 STAN JANUARY-MARCH 2006