So when UWI debe campus opening?

[nervewrecker]

What's up with this debe campus now?


Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[York]

What's up with this debe campus now?


Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

It was reported in the news that PNM said it was built in Penal without proper consultation?

And that ppl north of Caroni bridge won't know how to drive down south for 20mins to reach it.

Too much hassle to get the south visa.

And they won't understand the language spoken there.

[Habit7]

What's up with this debe campus now?


Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

All Max said was

"I wish to highlight the academic isolation of the new students and the reluctance of academic staff based at the main campus in St Augustine to commute to Penal."

All hell break loose from:
Max don't like South ppl
Max don't like Indians (he is married to one +30 years, who is from South)
Max Is a PNM
What Max really knows?

I think the biggest mistake he made is that the campus is in Debe not Penal. But as a former UWI professor and principal I think his opinion matters. Just like what Dr. Rowley said, was there proper consultation and data driven analysis to say Debe is the best place for the campus or was it that a location was chosen, friends and family buy the nearby land for apartments then UWI is told "here, do something with this."

If what he is saying is true then who cares what his haters think? Will UWI have a difficult time staffing the campus just like we spent 3 years building a hospital when there is no staff to work in it?

[UML]

Sankat: Debe campus not about politics

Published on Sep 17, 2015, 9:42 pm AST
By \\\\\ St Augustine


UNIVERSITY of the West Indies (The UWI) St Augustine campus principal Prof Clement Sankat said yesterday the expansion of the institution into South Trinidad had nothing to do with politics.

He was responding to concerns raised yesterday, following former president George Maxwell Richards' comments at the opening of the new law term, at the Holy Trinity Cathedral, Port of Spain, on Wednesday.

Richards expressed concern about what he described as the acade­mic isolation of students at the South campus of The UWI and said even staff members were reluctant to make the commute from St Augustine to the South campus.

He also suggested The UWI was in danger of losing its autonomy.

In a statement from The UWI yesterday, San­kat said of the expansion into South: “This has nothing to do with politics. It is about the university's commitment to increase and improve access to higher edu­cation. It is about universities in national development. It is a pity that these issues have been raised in this manner; I would have expected some prior dialogue at the very least.”

Sankat said plans for expansion into South and Tobago had been high on his priority list ever since he became campus principal seven years ago.

“It is a matter of record that in my very first address to the academic board at St Augustine in January 2008, I said one of my main objectives was to extend the campus into the South,” he said.

This, he said, was one of his four pillars then for the university, extending its reach to broader geographical spa­ces within the nation.

Since then, and through extensive research, engagement and approvals at the highest level of The UWI, the South campus, satellite of St Augustine, has come into being, he added.

Sankat pointed out that over time, the university has had to expand to different parts of the country and the region.

Satellite campuses are a common method of accommodating univer­sities' expansion plans, especially with increa­­sing enrolment and limited geographical space, he said, citing the UWI Mona, Western Jamaica campus in Montego Bay as one example.

With respect to Richards' comments about The UWI losing its autonomy, Sankat said: “The complexity of the relationship between The University of the West Indies and regional governments is not readily understood... While I would not go so far as to say that govern­ments interfere with the running of the univer­sity, there is strong rep­re­sentation—mainly min­is- ­terial—at the Uni­versity Council, the very highest sanctum where decisions are made.”

He added it would be unrealistic to expect there is not to be collaboration. “Therein lies the delicacy,” he said. “As in all relationships, the challenge is to find the balance so that one partner does not dominate the other.”

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20150917 ... t-politics

UWI Debe ‘particularly important’

Saturday, September 26 2015

VICE-CHANCELLOR of The University of the West Indies (UWI) Sir Hilary Beckles yesterday said that the UWI Penal/ Debe institution, “is particularly important with respect to community engagement, integration and impact.” This in response to former president George Maxwell Richards saying that UWI St Augustine campus was “in grave danger” of losing its autonomy, with regard to the recent opening of a law school in Debe.

Richards raised the issue during the ceremonial opening of the 2015-2016 law term two Wednesdays ago at an inter-faith service at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Port-of-Spain, of such issues. “It is with deep concern that some most unwelcome signs which suggested that the university was in grave danger from losing its autonomy which I regret to say was under considerable threat.

“The university must enjoy a good measure of autonomy because its contribution depends substantially on the activities of its academics and students to discuss, evaluate, criticise and investigate ideas and thus make available to the policy-makers and the community possible options,” Richards said.

He raised the issue of an alleged reluctance on the part of UWI staff to travel to the recently opened law school in Debe, Penal saying, “I wish to highlight the academic isolation of the new students and the reluctance of academic staff based at the main campus in St Augustine to commute to Penal.” However, in a release issued from UWI’s Regional Headquarters in Jamaica, Sir Hilary said UWI remains grateful for the investment in education in terms of its expansion into south Trinidad, which will serve the country and region in the years ahead.

“A project like The UWI St Augustine Campus in Penal/Debe is the largest public investment in The UWI since the establishment of the Cave Hill Campus in 1963, and so there will inevitably be a closer association between university planning and government planning. It will also, understandably, generate greater public discourse,” Sir Hilary said in the release.

He continued, The continued intimate relationship between the regional university and the ruling regional governments is something we treasure. In reality, the more dynamic and expansive a country’s education policy, and the more dynamic its minister of education, the deeper and more intimate is the relationship between The UWI and the ruling government.

These policies and deepened working relationships sometimes translate into high economic investment as the country’s administration recognises the importance of the development of its tertiary level sector. The intimacy that exists in this context can be easily misunderstood but it is very necessary for development. The site at Penal/Debe is particularly important with respect to community engagement, integration and impact. The investment in its full development offers vast potential to fortify the country’s development plan, and drive economic diversification that will not only improve the stability and wealth creation potential, but also offer better alignment and distribution of social capital with economic activity, and bridge existing north-south barriers. Referencing the mission of our noble institution, which is to support the inclusive development of our Caribbean region, at the last Caricom Heads of Government meeting, I spoke about the future of The UWI and our strategic direction.

As part of our leadership vision for the regional institution, I assured Heads of Governments that The UWI will get deeper into the engine room and drive growth and development.

“As an institution we are focussing on an even greater alignment between UWI and wealth generation. The region has to come out of this recession, and this can only occur through a deepening of the relationship between UWI, the regional governments and the private sector, but deepening does not mean that we are weakening autonomy.

In his release, Sir Hilary was also fulsome in his praise for the contributions by Richards. “We at The UWI celebrate Professor George Maxwell Richards. He is a distinguished, world-renowned academic, a legend and commanding figure that has contributed significantly to the development of The UWI and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, and so we must commend and thank him for his contributions,” the release stated.

http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,217568.html

[UML]

UWI’s vice chancellor denies the institution losing autonomy

Published on Sep 26, 2015, 8:24 pm AST
By Camille Hunte

UWI VICE CHANCELLOR: Sir Hilary Beckles

UNIVERSITY of the West Indies vice chancellor Sir Hilary Beckles has denied that the institution is losing its autonomy as suggested by former president George Maxwell Richards.

Richards made the statement during his speech at the recent opening of the 2015-2016 law term and said students at the South campus would face “academic isolation” as staff from the St Augustine campus were unwilling to make the commute.

In a statement on Friday, Beckles described the South campus as an “investment in education” that will serve both this country and the region in the coming years and said it was necessary for the university to have an intimate relationship with the State, in the interest of development. He said though this relationship could be easily misunderstood, the university maintains its autonomy.

“A project like The UWI St Augustine Campus in Penal-Debe is the largest public investment in The UWI since the establishment of the Cave Hill Campus in 1963, and so there will inevitably be a closer association between university planning and government planning. It will also, understandably, generate greater public discourse,” Beckles said.

“…Governments of the region have been visionary when it comes to The UWI with respect to the significant financial investments, while allowing the university to manage and chart its growth as an autonomous regional institution serving the broader public interest.

“Autonomy continues to be an asset we value and respect. At the same time, as governments change, we seek to build intimate and trusted relationships with and support the new governments because we want governments to succeed.

“The continued intimate relationship between the regional university and the ruling regional governments is something we treasure. In reality, the more dynamic and expansive a country's education policy, and the more dynamic its minister of education, the deeper and more intimate is the relationship between The UWI and the ruling government.

“These policies and deepened working relationships sometimes translate into high economic investment as the country's administration recognises the importance of the development of its tertiary level sector. The intimacy that exists in this context can be easily misunderstood but it is very necessary for development.”

“The investment in its full development offers vast potential to fortify the country's development plan, and drive economic diversification that will not only improve the stability and wealth creation potential, but also offer better alignment and distribution of social capital with economic activity, and bridge existing north-south barriers.”

Beckles however thanked Richards for his “contributions” saying he is celebrated by the university as “a distinguished, world-renowned academic, a legend and commanding figure that has contributed significantly to the development of The UWI and the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.”

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20150926 ... g-autonomy



Politics > Progress

[Rovin]

A $600m campus, but where are the students?
12 years later, UWI Debe Campus remains empty

Khamarie Rodriguez Oct 29, 2023

a excellent article here

too much to copy n paste so check it out ... https://trinidadexpress.com/special-rep ... VKFTisPho0

[xtech]

Nearly impossible to read the article on that website.

To many damn ads loading and want your attention

[zoom rader]

A $600m campus, but where are the students?
12 years later, UWI Debe Campus remains empty

Khamarie Rodriguez Oct 29, 2023

a excellent article here

too much to copy n paste so check it out ... https://trinidadexpress.com/special-rep ... VKFTisPho0

Looks like another red mis government slush fund.

The students probably abroad, then they come on tuner to blog

[hover11]

GOVERNMENT TO OPEN UWI PENAL/DEBE SOUTH CAMPUS----- CONSTRUCTION STARTED IN 2012 UNDER THE PEOPLE’S PARTNERSHIP

Trinidad Guardian:
The University of the West Indies (UWI) South Campus in Penal-Debe is set to officially commence academic programmes in August 2025, nearly a decade after its initially planned completion. This development marks a significant expansion of UWI's presence in southern Trinidad.

Project Background
Construction of the campus began in 2012 with a budget of TT$499 million and an expected completion date in 2014. The original plan was to house the Faculty of Law. In 2019, UWI announced that the site would instead be used by the Faculty of Medical Sciences. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the campus served as a national facility before being returned to UWI, which has since undertaken repairs and security upgrades.

Facilities:
The initial development phase includes:

A signature building for the Faculty of Law

An academic building for other UWI programmes and ROYTEC

A hall of residence accommodating 100 students

A student union building with food service facilities

Recreational facilities, including playgrounds and hard courts

Necessary pedestrian, parking, and roadway infrastructure

Location:
The campus spans approximately 40.5 hectares (100 acres) and is situated near Debe High School. It is bordered by the San Fernando/Siparia/Erin Road to the east, Papourie Road to the west, and the M2 Ring Road to the south. The address is M2 Ring Road, Monkey Town, Penal/Debe Regional Corporation, Trinidad and Tobago

The opening of the Penal-Debe campus is expected to provide increased access to higher education for students in southern Trinidad, contributing to the country's educational and economic development.

[RBphoto]

So UWI Debe opening. Why didn't the PNM make this an election talking point? How it announces opening days after UNC in power?

[hover11]

So UWI Debe opening. Why didn't the PNM make this an election talking point? How it announces opening days after UNC in power?

The weird thing is why were they basically sitting on a completed school for all these years

[hover11]

Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal is calling for a full investigation into the maintenance and use of the University of the West Indies (UWI) South Campus in Debe, which he says cost taxpayers nearly $1 billion but remains mostly unoccupied and in disrepair.

Read more:
https://www.cnc3.co.tt/moonilal-demands ... pus-decay/

[j.o.e]

So UWI Debe opening. Why didn't the PNM make this an election talking point? How it announces opening days after UNC in power?

I vaguely remember pre election talk about its opening but as a medical training facility or something so. Don’t quote me

[hover11]

So UWI Debe opening. Why didn't the PNM make this an election talking point? How it announces opening days after UNC in power?

I vaguely remember pre election talk about its opening but as a medical training facility or something so. Don’t quote me

That's strange because in 2011 is when Kamla said a uwi in south would benefit the country more than simply one uwi in st Augustine and that's when she sought financing to start the project. PNM had 10 years to build a UWI in south didnt happen under their tenure , they were just too lazy and didnt want to complete any project started by kamla

[The_Honourable]

So UWI Debe opening. Why didn't the PNM make this an election talking point? How it announces opening days after UNC in power?

I vaguely remember pre election talk about its opening but as a medical training facility or something so. Don’t quote me

You're correct. It was originally planned for the most part, Faculty of Law but that was scrapped. It was to be changed to the Faculty of Medicine about 2 years ago but stalled as UWI was looking for financing. It was partially used as a quarantine site during the covid 19 pandemic.

[hover11]

So UWI Debe opening. Why didn't the PNM make this an election talking point? How it announces opening days after UNC in power?

I vaguely remember pre election talk about its opening but as a medical training facility or something so. Don’t quote me

You're correct. It was originally planned for the most part, Faculty of Law but that was scrapped. It was to be changed to the Faculty of Medicine about 2 years ago but stalled as UWI was looking for financing. It was partially used as a quarantine site during the covid 19 pandemic.

I dont like how PNM simply had taxpayers money languishing for years first the children hospital , uwi south campus and the many secondary schools which started construction under the PP

[Gladiator]

So UWI Debe opening. Why didn't the PNM make this an election talking point? How it announces opening days after UNC in power?

I vaguely remember pre election talk about its opening but as a medical training facility or something so. Don’t quote me

The PNM wanted anything else there besides the intended purpose which is the Faculty of Law. They never provided any funding for operationalizing the facility or maintaining it in the 10 years they were there.

[matr1x]

So UWI Debe opening. Why didn't the PNM make this an election talking point? How it announces opening days after UNC in power?

I vaguely remember pre election talk about its opening but as a medical training facility or something so. Don’t quote me

The PNM wanted anything else there besides the intended purpose which is the Faculty of Law. They never provided any funding for operationalizing the facility or maintaining it in the 10 years they were there.

Pnm think only illiterate ppl living south

[gastly369]

So UWI Debe opening. Why didn't the PNM make this an election talking point? How it announces opening days after UNC in power?

The weird thing is why were they basically sitting on a completed school for all these years

Those Chris must list youths them parents will sacrifice and drop dem "south uwi" to get a better future

[zoom rader]

So UWI Debe opening. Why didn't the PNM make this an election talking point? How it announces opening days after UNC in power?

I vaguely remember pre election talk about its opening but as a medical training facility or something so. Don’t quote me

The PNM wanted anything else there besides the intended purpose which is the Faculty of Law. They never provided any funding for operationalizing the facility or maintaining it in the 10 years they were there.

Pnm think only illiterate ppl living south

Well, it's the opposite.

[matr1x]

So UWI Debe opening. Why didn't the PNM make this an election talking point? How it announces opening days after UNC in power?

I vaguely remember pre election talk about its opening but as a medical training facility or something so. Don’t quote me

The PNM wanted anything else there besides the intended purpose which is the Faculty of Law. They never provided any funding for operationalizing the facility or maintaining it in the 10 years they were there.

Pnm think only illiterate ppl living south

Well, it's the opposite.

Doh tell them that. Pnm froth at the idea

[RBphoto]

So UWI Debe opening. Why didn't the PNM make this an election talking point? How it announces opening days after UNC in power?

I vaguely remember pre election talk about its opening but as a medical training facility or something so. Don’t quote me

The PNM wanted anything else there besides the intended purpose which is the Faculty of Law. They never provided any funding for operationalizing the facility or maintaining it in the 10 years they were there.

Pnm think only illiterate ppl living south

I live 1Km from there and I can confirm that there are 4 doctors, 5 engineers, 6 teachers, 3 lawyers and a few other professionals I don't know personally that live between my house and the campus.

[one eye]

Why should it be an election talking point?

In 2023, they announced it was going to be opened, they were waiting for UWI to sort out their business.

The previous government was so bad that 4 doctors, 5 engineers, 6 teachers, 3 lawyers and a few other professionals live between RBphoto's house and the Debe campus.

Huuumph imagine how much there are outside 1km.

Only illiterate people living south, that's why Sando East and West, Point Fortin and La Brea are the usual red seats. Sometimes Moruga/Tableland.

Yeah south people always on the backburner.

[hover11]

Why should it be an election talking point?

In 2023, they announced it was going to be opened, they were waiting for UWI to sort out their business.

The previous government was so bad that 4 doctors, 5 engineers, 6 teachers, 3 lawyers and a few other professionals live between RBphoto's house and the Debe campus.

Huuumph imagine how much there are outside 1km.

Only illiterate people living south, that's why Sando East and West, Point Fortin and La Brea are the usual red seats. Sometimes Moruga/Tableland.

Yeah south people always on the backburner.

Who living in beetham , laventille, sealots, maloney, blue basin and east dry river POS? Please tell us the type of ppl one eye I'm curious

[j.o.e]

This type of conversation isn’t helpful whether you are a PNM/ UNC supporter. Let me help yall it have smart and dotish people everywhere.
Including on nr based on this conversation.

[pugboy]

it helps when the conversation is motivated by trolling

This type of conversation isn’t helpful whether you are a PNM/ UNC supporter. Let me help yall it have smart and dotish people everywhere.
Including on nr based on this conversation.

[hover11]

This type of conversation isn’t helpful whether you are a PNM/ UNC supporter. Let me help yall it have smart and dotish people everywhere.
Including on nr based on this conversation.

Does that take away the facts though I want to know the type of people who live in these areas. Why isn't anyone answering the question posed?

[one eye]

Moonilal posted pictures showing overgrown vines and moss on the railings at the Debe campus expressing his disappointment at the state of UWI Debe campus.

UWI St. Augustine made a response to the questions and ongoing public interest showing that it has not been neglected, most critical repair works and security enhancements have been completed.

Not a good look for the government.

[The_Honourable]

Moonilal and UNC social media exaggerating the issue while PNM social media minimizing the issue.

Moonilal makes it seem that the whole campus is in a state of disrepair which is false. Pnmites making it seem that is just a lil cut grass and pressure washing it needs, which is also false.

There is some truth on both sides.

PNM allowed UWI Debe to languish and was only partly used by the pnm government during the covid-19 pandemic as a quarantine facility. UWI themselves over the past few years has been doing restoration work with their own finances where some of the main areas are ready for intake of medical students. Other areas that UWI deem not to be of priority has deteriorated badly and needs funding to be restored.

UNC: The campus not ready! - Partially false

PNM: The campus ready! - Partially false

[death365]

tru dat eh .... i dos done cant understand them .... tham and d tobagonese too.

not to mention tha they on kno bright light and off ... while driving

And they won't understand the language spoken there.