Graduates part of solution to Barbados’ economic problems

Chancellor of The University of the West Indies (UWI), Robert Bermudez is not only confident that Barbados will solve its economic problems, but he is equally certain that the graduating Class of 2018 are part of that solution.

In fact, he stressed that if the Barbadian economy is to be revolutionised, it will be done by the youth of this nation.

“You must take your place in the vanguard of this effort,” he urged Barbadian graduates, while addressing the Cave Hill Campus’ Graduation Ceremony,
yesterday.

“We at The UWI are firm in our belief, that our thousands of Barbadian graduates in every walk of life, are properly prepared to meet the challenges of these times and to justify the enormous investment that has been made by the people and government of Barbados in education.”

“I would like to thank the Government of Barbados for their support of our university and for the reintroduction of free tuition, an investment in the people of Barbados that will pay handsome dividends in the future,” he expressed.

According to Bermudez, the Cave Hill Campus has seen the expansion of the academic programme to better align it with the needs of the community. He highlighted that the newly established Centre for Professional Development and Lifelong Learning, provides continuing professional development, customised training, workshops, short courses, etc.

“This should become a hub for re-training and career advancement,” he signalled.

“The world we live in today is filled with a level of opportunity that has never existed in the past. We are capable of anything we put our minds to. We are only limited by our ambition and the size of our dreams.”

Moreover, the Chancellor observed that the environmental challenges will spur new industries, which will develop to support new technologies. He therefore urged the new graduates not to allow themselves to be boxed into the field which they studied for their degree.

“Let that be your starting point,” he indicated.

“Maintain a high degree of curiosity in everything and everyone. Opportunity often stares us in the face and we fail to recognise it. Sometimes it is packaged differently to what we were expecting. Often it seems to present itself at inconvenient times, beware of passing up opportunity. There is no guarantee that it will come to us again. Grab it and hold on with all your strength.”

The morning ceremony featured graduates from the Faculties of Humanities and Education, Science and Technology, Law, Food and Agriculture and Medical Sciences.

For his work as an agricultural scientist, an Honorary Doctorate, Degree of Doctor of Science (DSc) was conferred on Ghanaian academic Professor Ebenezer Oduru Owusu.

Professor Owusu, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, is an agricultural scholar with an array of career accomplishments, including the development of a system for the management of the millet head miner (an insect pest of pearl millet).

He has also been instrumental in the development of proposals and implementation of projects related to Japanese grants in aid to the Government of Ghana. Within the last 14 years, Professor Owusu has attracted approximately US$30 million for various projects in the health, education, agriculture and sports sectors of Ghana. (TL)