The University of the West Indies (UWI) has welcomed the US$80 million loan agreement signed Tuesday between the Antigua and Barbuda government and the Saudi Development Fund for the expansion of the Five Islands campus.
UWI Pro-Vice Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, who was at the signing ceremony, said the agreement is a significant milestone in the development of the campus.
“It is a joy we are doing this at a time when by all indicators, by all assessments and reviews the reputation of the University of the West Indies has never been higher,” he said, adding that he has examined “very carefully” the master plan for the Five Islands campus, describing it as “a brilliant master plan with all the relevant facilities of a modern scientific university”.
Beckles had earlier said he wanted to celebrate Prime Minister Gaston Browne “for having the vision, courage and the fortitude.
“Without visionary leadership communities stagnate and in many instances retard. With visionary energetic leadership there rise and they are transformed and each generation thereafter receives the benefit of that.
“I know it was not an easy decision for the prime minister. In fact, objectively it probably was the most complex and difficult decision he has ever taken in his political life. But it was the right decision,” the UWI Vice Chancellor added.
In his remarks, Prime Minister Browne, who faced a general election on Wednesday, said the benefits of the loan agreement will go beyond building a knowledge economy.
“It represents a form of economic diversification in which we will be exporting educational services to the Caribbean and the rest of the world and our expectation is that the University of Five Islands will concentrate primarily on modern subjects, modern areas of training to develop skills that are required for the 21st century”.
These studies will include climate studies, finance and nursing.
UWI Five Islands Campus Principal, Professor Densil Williams , said he was pleased that the UWI could have partnered with the Antigua and Barbuda government “and the government would have had the foresight to look for investment and say come let us hold your hand , come let us partner together to make this investment happen”.
He said this is the largest investment ever made in the UWI.
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