Dr Phyllis Fleming-Banks, Dr Karl Dawson and Ms Avon Carty
The University of the West Indies, in collaboration with the Anguilla Community College, on Monday February 11th, held a press briefing at the Teachers’ Resource Center to explain UWI’s plans for its upcoming Anguilla Country Conference 2019. The opportunity to share these plans was taken in recognition of February 11th being designated as “I Am UWI Day”.
The meeting highlighted one particular feature of the Conference, namely the presentation of papers that the public is now invited by the University to begin to write and submit. The deadline for submissions is August 31, 2019.
The research papers should cover topics such as: Migration and the Caribbean Diaspora; Brexit and the British Overseas Territories; Democracy and Responsibility; Human Rights; Gender and Development; Environment and Development; and Economic Realities in Small Island States. The theme under which these works should be written is: “Communities at Crossroads: Change the Thinking, Change the Future”.
According to Dr. Phyllis Fleming-Banks, Country Manager of UWI Open Campus, “Country Conferences are designed to stimulate and highlight research on the host country and provide tools for national development. Since his installation as Vice-Chancellor of UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles has been highlighting the importance of an activist role of the University of the West Indies. That is to say the University must take an active role in leading the way in the development of our region.
“Research and data play a critical role in guiding this context, and in 2017 the local UWI Open Campus partnered with the Anguilla Community College and other stakeholders, to re-launch the Country Conference as part of the observance of the 50th anniversary of the Anguilla Revolution. The 2017 Conference attracted some 23 papers from 26 local and regional researchers on topics such as decolonization, self-determination, education, health, youth, culture, the environment, food security, tourism, commerce and the family.
“We are delighted to say that 19 of these participants, and 15 of those papers, came from Anguilla. With 2020 being on the horizon, the UWI Open Campus is again pleased to continue the collaboration with the Anguilla Community College and the public and private sectors… as we launch the 2019 Conference: “Community Crossroads: Change the Thinking, Change the Future”.
Other speakers at the Monday’s “I am UWI Day” press briefing included: Dr. Karl Dawson, President of the Anguilla Community College; Dr. Delroy Louden, First President of the Anguilla Community College; Mr. Stanley Reid, UWI’s Council Member; and UWI’s Public Relations Officer, Ms Avon Carty, and Mrs. Latoya Hobbs-Nurse, Anguilla Chamber of Commerce and Industry representative. They all encouraged members of the public to present papers in keeping with the theme of the conference.
