Yesterday, we had reason to interact with a young Barbadian who attends the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill. One of our frequent commenters, Bush Tea may feel vindicated by the feedback from this student. His refreshing insight – the young student has done more than most and started his own blog – about Professor Beckles vision for that tertiary institution caused us to ponder. After our pondering several IF statements emerged, here are three :-
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What IF the Professor is plain wrong?
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What IF the Professor’s vision is out of step with what is required to create a student for the world?
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What IF the Professor steely focus on cricket development is to the detriment of other initiatives which might prepare more Caribbean people to be self-sufficient?
Here is what our young UWI friend had to say:
Actually I want to do some investigating about the man who I referred to previously as a Social Prostitute, one Hilary Beckles, Principle Professor Dr. Pro Vice Chancellor. His one graduand from every household (no matter what) policy was lauded as a wonderful step forward for Barbadians from whom education was being kept (News to me cuz I swear a non-satellite person made sure it was accessible across the board.) Anyway, being a man of your intellect, you would be aware of the fact that there are ways of keeping things away from certain demographics by institutionalized racism/classism etc., however more subtle but none-the-less as separatist is the putting things out of financial reach. Now that *insert expletive* two faced *curse word curse word* is going to champion the sudden enrollment of under-qualified persons into UWI while simultaneously raising prices and passing them off as what’s the term again… um… Economic Costs for University, right. As both a student and employee I am annoyed at the system up there and the fact that man in good need of a slap and a shave is constantly revered as the Lord and Saviour of tertiary level cricket, er I mean education in Barbados.
I give him one big STUPSE!
Is this a majority view and if so what is the Student Guild doing about it?
Previous Stories
UWI Expansion Plans Misguided~Need To First Address Relevance.
Has Hilary Beckles Traded His Soul To Ensure His Legacy?
We need more of our young people to step out and air their beliefs. Invite the old foggies to a challenge.
What we need is a realitic grasp of what is going on in the Caribbean that they blame others for that is our own damn fault.
Anericanization, Globalization are all terminologies being used by people who do not have a clue what the hell they are talking about. Nobody no where need to be Americanized if they do not want to be. Is anyone twisting the hands of the US to Amercanize Barbados.
Barbadians cannot wait to swarm to the USA for Christmas shopping. Why? They go to Trinidad
for the same reason.
What about Chinaization and Indianization the emerging economies of the world with China inflitrating Barbados more so than the USA is.
The UWI is nothing more than a Socialist melting pot. Their curriculum is built around Third world Nations and Third World economies. And it is severely influenced by political interference like most things in the region including the press.
The Caribbean cannot even reach concensus among themselves and within the framework of CARICOM. Does this not tell us something?
Barbados and many others in the Caribbean want to live a developed Nations lifestyle on a third world economy. It cannot happen.
The economies of the Caribbean are rampant with corruption, mismanagement, third world economic policies, high debt, inflation and all the recipes for the financial situation they blame on Anericanization. This is the principle but not only cause for the high cost of living in Barbados. The reatil mercantile industry is gouging and price fixing while the Governments part in it all is high duties and taxes.
Compounding this situation is, that a substantial number of Barbadians and mainly wealthy ones are exempt from paying income taxes. Does this make sense when the Government is whining that it needs more money?
Every Nation in the world has to deal with serious changing economic scenarios. High oil, inflation, weather that impacts products, a devalued dollar (US) a increased dollar (Canadian) but they survive and their peoples standard of living is impacted miminally.
I think that the UWI had better start teaching economics and subjects based on World standards instead of around Caribbean standards.
I am sorry, I have to put a pin in No Name’s comment regarding UWI’s curriculum being based around 3rd world education. Having done a paper on education as a means of social development, it is a FACT that tertiary education is NOT based on ‘third world country’ needs, but Western Industrialized systems. What persons who like to rant and rave forget is we ARE Western Society, simply not industrialized. Where are we in relation to America and where are we in relation to Asia? We are certainly nowhere NEAR the Eastern hemisphere so why parade about us being Westernized?
On another note, though I am SURE No Name attended the UWI as almost everyone between 16 and 40 in Barbados has it seems, I think the individual would be well advised to research. Last time I checked UWI offered Accounts, Management and Economics as degrees in the Social Sciences, not Accounting Coconuts, or Management of Monkeys and certainly not Economics of Bont Ticks.
Another thing that all of the intellectuals should think about is this when it comes to blaming Americanization, Globalization etc for the high cost of living in barbados.
The CADRES poll if you believe it said 40 or 41% complained about the HIGH COST OF LIVING. Therefore I take it the other Barbadians had no concern about it. This suggest the problem is not due to Americanization or Globalization. It is a made in Barbados problem.
All they need do is find out the secret of why the majority of Barbadians do not believe food costs are high. And share it with the 40% who thinks it is. Maybe it is a figment of their imagination.
http://superlative1.wordpress.com/ Read my article Supermarket Time. There is a REASON why the wonderfully inaccurate CADRES poll is askew. 1)The field researches (i.e. the people who go around with the questionnaires) choose who they go to often.
2)Everyone at least SHOULD know that our standard of living versus cost of living is on par so it balances out and
3)What brought on all this talk about cost of living? I believe the comment about UWI was referring to the dubious manner in which student enrollment skyrocketed and the only thing that went up was the cost, not quality of education, not accessibility to services etc. Even security at the UWI seems set against students. Now if the argument that would be offered is that the students aren’t trustworthy, WHO called for such large scale faceless enrollment?
Superlative 1.
I responded to a students comments from the UWI that dictated what I said. Obviously the student is not singing out of the same hym book as you are.
All I am saying is most third world Nations emulate or want the lifstyle of the North American. Then turn around and blame it for their economic woes, deterioration of their morals, values, way of life etc. That was basically my point.
I also still think that the UWI curriculum with all due respect to you tends to focus and empathize with and on Carribbean cultural, social, economic and political realities of the region more than it does regions of the world that is quickly encroaching on your way of life and economnies. I am sorry if you are offended!
Were the student grounded in what you are saying maybe he/she might have couched their arguments somewhat more logically than they did.
I find and this now has nothing to do with the UWI that too many people in Barbados and Caribbean Region are trying to mask the economic challenges, high cost of living, lack of affordable housing, land etc to matters that have little or nothing to do with Globalization, Free Trade, Americanization etc. Some of the economic and social hardships so evident in Barbados and the region has been there long before these terminologies ever came into being. And are now getting worse more because of rich alien investment focused on land and land development. And made worse by Governments that do little planning or controlling of such development based on sound Environmental and Resources requirements.
The economies of the Caribbean or most of them and the way of life has and will continue to be impacted marginally by such things as Globalization, Free Trade agreements etc. Oil rich nations like Trinidad may be an exception but by and large the major number of Caribbean islands have little or no significant export industry.
The fundementals of a healthy Caribbean economy is no different to the fundementals of bigger and more developed Nations. Unless you keep debt, spending, inflation, taxes etc manageable you are going to have problems.
The Caribbean economies as I have said are mainly corrupt, spending is out of control, debt and inflation is high and no one seems to be able to address it because the Democratic process does not afford transparency. The press is certainly not doing its job and the people are the ones suffering.
My point is a lot of what ails the Barbados and Caribbean economies is locally made. It is not made or caused by external factors in the most part. That is my bottom line and I think that has to be the focus. No offence intended!
As you might have seen the student who contributed his/her thoughts was advised by the Blog Administrator not to use their name and I agree. But sir/madam isn’t that a hell of a commentary of a democracy blaming others for most of their economic problems?
Superlative 1
May I ask a question of you.
Let us say I got a degree in Economics, Computer Engineering or Medicine at the UWI. And went abroad to the USA, Canada or the UK. Are these degrees acknowledged and accepted as on the same level of degrees obtained in those countries?
Can I just arrive and put out my shingle?
I am merely curious this is not a trick question!
Well let’s see… in regards to your first comment regarding complaining third world countries it is clear that your focus is tainted by a view that these countries are blaming Americanization and Globalization on the hardships they are facing and that they shouldn’t.
1. The fact is Westernization and to a greater and more significant degree Globalization DO impact on the increasing difficulty of these countries to compete on a global scale. The genesis of the third world is that of exploitation and underdevelopment. I recommend reading such texts as How Europe Underdeveloped Africa and Economic Parasitism to get an understanding of how things were back in colonial periods. As for now, EVERYWHERE is in debt including said America due to Government spending. Corruption is not ideal nor is it limited to the Caribbean. Look at the situation America is in now, the US dollar is losing strength and is now beneath the Canadian dollar.
2. Stemming from being underdeveloped particularly for the Caribbean experience is the factor of size. Trinidad has a manufacturing sector which is large enough to support its local market as well as to export so whereas they may not be so quick to sing the tune of “Whoa is we, they got we money” you have to take their economic strength into consideration. As for them being oil rich, well even better, not only can they manufacture goods, they can use their own oil and sell some off to shipping lines. Finally Trinidad is way more expansive than Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Lucia etc., and can facilitate housing, commercial interests AND agriculture without having a land shortage call like the majority of the smaller islands such as Barbados so it’s unfair to use Trinidad in such a comparative manner.
3. Getting back to this concept of Americanization, you say America never twisted anyone’s arm to be more like them, with all due respect I have to wonder if you are abreast with Current Affairs. They place trade embargoes, influence countries in international relations, and they go so far as to invade territories JUST like the Europeans did back in the 15th and 16th centuries and beyond, to bring light to the barbarians. They are the single most war-mongering society on this planet to date. Take that into consideration before launching an attack on the Caribbean for having some degree of resentment over how America operates.
Getting back to your question on a UWI degree in a competitive global employment field. IF and I repeat IF the UWI would focus on improving the quality of education delivered not just how many students I can bring in so I can have the statistic quoted in the Midweek or Weekend Nation (News for Hire) then you wouldn’t HAVE to ask that question. I remember when Prof. Beckles was out seeking accreditation for his cricket campus and thought the best way was to build a couple more buildings, add a water feature, a few gazebos here and there and a big glass bohemath that serves to protect the cobble-stone for his arrivals, not the students going to their classrooms.
Superlative 1
Man/woman you pretty as ass with the sweet words but you do not say anything. you simply go around in circles so I cannot discuss anything with you sensibly.
Why did you not directly answer my question about is a degree from the UWI recognized as on the same level as a comparable degree from Western University, Oxford or Harvard? Yes or No!
All Nations screw each other. Isn’t Trinidad screwing Barbados with a fishing agreement. That is irrelevant!
The problem in Barbados and the Caribbean region is this and we deserve. The successful couldn’t give two shits about those in the gutter because they are not team players.
A Post on here said it all a few days ago about the discussion about Rihanna. He said Barbadians are like crabs in a bucket the minute one tries to climb out the rest pull him/her back in.
You are like many Caribbean Academics full of theories and excuses but no solutions other than to blame others that are doing well.
Have a great day and good chatting with you.
Your choice to attack me personally doesn’t change the fact that 1) you went WAY off target regarding the original message coming out of this whole discussing about the way things are at UWI. Clearly you don’t have a first hand experience to draw from hence you go on about people blaming americanization. As far as me ‘dancing around’ your asinine question I shall respond in this manner- How de ass I supposed to know? There are only 4 people who could answer that for you UWI, Harvard, Western University and Oxford. You may use your profanity towards me all you wish, I am superlative and impervious to your juvenile reaction to an intellectual debate. Furthermore I would have you know I am a student at the UWI not an old stilted and irrelevant Academic. As far as I can tell from your previous posts YOU oh nameless one, are the only person crying down anyone else with your negative and hateful remarks about Caribbean people. If this is the best your years of experience can bring you, I say it’s a good thing you were yesterday and younger persons who are more aware of the world are the future.
bravo superlative, bravo. I couldn’t agree with you more.
Superalative 1
Thank you my dear sir for coming out of the closet and showing the calibre of UWI student material.
Have a nice day!
Hmmm, is that the scent of hypocrisy I smell? Where oh nameless one did you receive your tertiary level education (assuming quite less than before that you have one)
But Superlative, as a student at the UWI and not an old stilted and irrelevant Academic, who teaches the students at UWI?????
……i haven’t read your article as yet, and I will. I happen to know the young Hillary Beckles and a bit of the current one, so it will be of interest to see your views of his stewardship of the Hill.
I have none that is why I do not talk the crap you do.
Re: superaltive1. Adrian you are wasting your time. “The lights are on but there is no one at home”. Move on!
Adrian, the point I was making in response to No Name’s attack on me suggesting that I was an old academic hence my stance on certain issues. As far as lights being on and noone being home I find you to be petty. Why are you STILL attacking me and not the issue? Is this really the best you have to offer?
BU are the comments below the blue bold typed heading “Here is what our young UWI friend had to say” the ones that cause you to question Hillary’s approach?
if so
….Superlative are they any more details to further what BU recorded from you on Hillary Beckles?
BU recorded Superlative as saying:
“His one graduand from every household (no matter what) policy was lauded as a wonderful step forward for Barbadians from whom education was being kept (News to me cuz I swear a non-satellite person made sure it was accessible across the board.) ”
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Did Professor Beckles not make the distinction, of University graduate? and was it tertiary education that the non-satellite person made accessible across the board?
….I am at your mercy to understand the goings on at UWI, so can you provide some details on what defines a person as under-qualified? is there a qualification check list i.g. so many o and or A levels cxc, cape, gsec, gce a written essay etc. What i am hoping for is for you to get a better understanding from you on your concerns and match them up against any possible changes that the UWI administration has entered into too, possibly in an attempt to capture a larger portion of Caribbean nationals seeking tertiary level education.
Superlative I am not attacking you anymore than you attacked me.
I responded to your comments civilly about the high cost of living in Barbados and you went on a tirade.
You cannot have it both ways!
If I am not mistaken you did not even have the courtesy to come out of the closet in your eralier posts and say it was you who talked with BU and who then posted your comments that I responded to.
You cannot suck and blow at the same time!
I must apologise to Adrian Hinds for my tardy response. In response to your ‘questions’, Government subsidised education or Free Education is nothing new, it has been going on since independence. If you want some greater degree of detail on that, then I can email you a document which you might find interesting. Regarding the goings on at the UWI when I refer to underqualified applicants, those were the words of a member of the administrative staff when we engaged in a discussion about the current trend in the quality of student and subsequent quality of education. Underqualified being persons who fail to attain the minimum entry requirements for the campus or the course of study they wish to pursue.
Beckles: Tertiary revolution is here
Published on: 11/14/07.
BARBADOS AND THE region are now in the age of the tertiary revolution.
In a recent interview, principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI) Cave Hill Campus, Professor Hilary Beckles, said more Caribbean people needed to go back to school and undertake graduate studies if the various economies and societies were to be protected.
“In the New Strategic Plan 2007 – 2012 the principal emphasis is on post-graduate studies and research. We need to have at least 20 per cent of our students enrolled in higher degrees, so we are now focussing on a new policy with respect to graduate studies,” he said.
Recently, UWI Cave Hill held its first ever graduate fair in Sherbourne Conference Centre, Two Mile Hill, St Michael.
Marketing officer Janet Caroo said the idea stemmed from a commission chaired by Sir Allen Fields last year which asked the UWI how well it was doing in developing society in the Eastern Caribbean.
“There was a recommendation that we needed to offer more top degrees to people who wanted or required more skills to do their jobs,” she said.
Caroo said ten new graduate programmes were introduced in the Faculty of Social Sciences and the fair was to bring them to the public’s attention.
She added the fair was also a chance for people to speak to lecturers, and co-ordinators of the various programmes as well as a chance for the university to get feedback so they could deliver programmes more effectively.
One of the featured programmes was the master’s degree course in cricket studies which focussed on improving management in the cricketing arena.
Another was in integration studies where Dr Kristina Hinds said: “We look at regional integration initiatives such as CARIFTA, CARICOM, CSME [CARICOM Single market and Economy], EU [European Union], AU [African Union] and more to see their impact on people’s lives,” she said.
Also present were various lending agencies such as Barbados National Bank, Royal Bank ofCanada, CLICO and FirstCaribbean, as most graduate programmes were self financed, with the burden of payment falling on the student.
However, Beckles said the university was engaged with Government in a new funding strategy for graduate studies.
“We have looked at the National Strategic Plan and have gone to Government and told them they needed to have more graduate level students and researchers in the areas specified in the plan,” he said.
Some of the recommended areas included tourism, international business, trade negotiations, health and well-being and social security.
“We have settled the matter of secondary education for the majority of our citizens. This is now the age of the tertiary revolution,” he said.
(CA)
What a long and superfluous article which yet again serves to say “Um… look, here’s your proof that I AM doing something other than cricket-izing the campus!” Although the Master’s in Cricket Studies is ‘one of the featured programmes’ which in my opinion could not show the blinded ones any more clearly his ‘focus.’ Furthermore, it’s sad that Sir Allan Fields the man that a good set of Bajans think is the local version of Satan had to challenge Hilary and UWI to upping the ante in terms of real world preparation and all Mr. Cricket could do is go AHA! Master’s in Cricket Research
Superlative1
You wasting your father’s money at Cave Hill.
You got more sense that the teachers up there – and more testicular fortitude too…
..but take it a little easier on Hilary, I still feel we could use him- if we get him straightened out…
Oh Superlative1 and Mr.Tea have you, you people given the Professor any credit for leveraging the many relationships he would have acquired during the Mutual Affair era with corporate Barbados and is now using it to the benefit of the masses? Have you people given the Professor any credit for pursuing a vision of educating his people because a literate people will have a chance?
Illiteracy=Crime & Social Instability
In other words to achieve his long term vision maybe he has elected to compromise in the short term?
Just asking.
I like giving trouble so let me ask you David, have you considered that Hilary simply took the baton in the last leg and even though he may seem as being ahead, it’s just cuz the forerunners did an excellent job.
Overeducation = Crime.
Capacity to commit crime = Crime
Extenuating circumstances = Crime.
The greatest of social injustices (crimes as far as I see them) are committed not by the little ‘illiterate’ person, but by those who SHOULD know better and may not need to commit crimes to improve their lot.
My Dear Superlative1 it appears to us that you have committed that most classic of mistakes. The use of extreme examples although useful at times do not afford one the opportunity to be realistic. The example which we gave i.e. illiteracy has a positive correlation with crime and unstable social behaviours is a baseline position which we feel comfortable espousing and defending.
Maybe your admirer Sherlock Tea maybe of assistance?
My dear David Watson;
Unlike Superlative1, I know when to read your provocations and to smile and move on….
However, if you insist, I have to side with my young friend here to some extent.
Your point about improving education to deal with crime holds NO water whatsoever – and I know that you know that.
As super1 said in his way, educating a crooked mind only results in larger levels of crime and more complex crimes (such as BOLTS and Flyovers) and situations where the criminals are actually able to REDEFINE the crimes so that they are no longer crimes…. you work that out…
this is why BFP is now calling for ‘INTEGRITY legislation”- because politicians thiefing people’s money is no longer a crime like in the old days…
So if Hilary is using that tactic he is even more hopeless that I an assuming.
In response to Superlative1….
you will grow up and you will realize that it is not as easy as you think to resist the temptations…
…think of a salary of $400,000 per year with car, house and house-help all thrown in. Add overseas travel in addition to LOTS of business travel with $250.00 per DAY in tax free per diems and endless free lunches and dinners…. and if you are so inclined , limitless opportunities for ‘consultancies..’
The problem I have with Hilary, is that I read him as DIFFERENT – HE would see through all this and CHOOSE to be HILARY… but No – he gone and do just like me…..
I blue vex.
Dear David
I have been taking lessons from Frank and I have come up with some startling conclusions that require sharing. Let’s expand on your hypothesis above to “prove” our theorum:
If
Illiteracy = Crime + Social instability
then by logic and subtraction:
Social INSTABILITY = illiteracy – crime
Social instability is a negative
Therefore by maths:
Social STABILITY = Crime – illiteracy
But since illiteracy is also a negative
Then:
Social Stability = Crime + Literacy
Thus we prove that the current situation with literate criminals is indeed the correct course for Barbados to proceed with, and we justify the use of crime and illegality to achieve any ends.
QED.
Of course, this is nonsense.
Very good Doctor G. This is just theoretical logic, man might not behave the same way as your equation. Remember, man operate according to the situation at that given time,; and that is real.
This evening I was having an impromptu debate with one of the administrative staff of the UWI Cave Hill and she in her defense of Beckles offered her input that she thinks/believes he has a vision for UWI and doing what he think is best to achieve this vision. When asked what the vision was, she could materialize no response. It was then it hit me- the problem isn’t Hilary Beckles, the problem lies in EVERYONE who has sat idly by going “I wonder why he doing that…” If you have a vision for development, make it clear. That’s how things are done. Even if the vision is tantamount to RUBBISH, at least those who might be affected by it can give feedback and add to the discourse, it’s called checks and balances..
We continue to get the feeling that you are a little too harsh on the Professor. A google will return so many hits detailing the vision for UWI by the well known historian. Theoretically, he is responsible, yes,for cascading the vision but he does have a ‘competent team’ who is integral to the process of communicating the vision. Maybe his message is not getting past key members of his team for reasons not entirely of his own making.
He is a big target so get him right?
If a ‘small man’ were trying to impose some of these… changes… on people, it would be a problem. He isn’t a lowly small man who’s getting picked on David, he commands the University of the West Indies and sits on the board of Sagicor. Yet everyone is quick to defend him like he’s their personal friend. Why is it we are so quick to call out the ‘white people’ for all the ills they have done but when black people are set to create even greater injustices, we just shrug and go “Eh, what can you do” and I think that is nonsense. I bet if Sir Charles O. Williams woke up one day (drunk as hell because that is the only way I see this one going down) and decided his first love was stick licking and decided on a large and heavily traversed area to cordon off access to it and reason Stick Licking competition- deal with it. You would NEVER hear the end of that. Yet, that is the reality when it comes to UWI and cricket.
David,
I have to be honest with you…. I like this Superlative1 person more and more with each post.
I have the greatest possible respect for anyone who has such a passionate dislike for cricket …
The ONLY really valuable asset we have in this place now – believe me… are our young people and it is REFRESHING to know that ones like Superlative1 are out there…
Super1 – a quick word of advice – …don’t let David lead you into sin…. he is REAL provocative ….
do as I do and say – “get thee behind me David…”
Hmm, A graduate in every home. Wonderful when taken at face value but what does that really say to our youth? Will having a graduate in every home make the country better? or will we just have more educated block men/women?
Some of us seem to think that everyone on the block is a drop out but I have seen otherwise. I can take you to a block right now where some of the guys left school qualified, but where will they work?There is currently an on going discussion about boys wearing long hair to school. Do you think that if a graduate applies for a job wearing locks he will be successful? Some of us will say “cut your hair” but there are some who do not see why a white man can work with long hair in a pony tail but a black man cannot be accepted with locks. Some wonder why women with locks are working everywhere but men cannot. Perception or Discrimination? Hmmm………..
We do notseem to have a shortage of qualified people, just of jobs relevant to their studies. I returned to Barbados in 1995 with a bachelors degree. For the first year I got the run around from government when I triedunsuccessfully to get a job as a civil servant. I went from place to place where I was told “you got a degree? we cyan afford tuh pay you”. I also got “we regret to inform you that you are overqualified for the positions we are offering at this time”. I actually ended up having to hide my bachelors to get a job. So tell me, why did I study for 4 years? I could have ended up on the block discouraged. I then had to struggle to get my own business set up. It worked out to my benefit, but I wonder how many others experienced the same? The present system is geared towards producing highly paid employees not potential employers. How many of our graduates are prepared to open their own business and employ others? Most graduates can only function as highly paid employees.
Oh Devil’s Advocate, thank you thank you thank you for addressing this great issue which no one else dear speak of, be it for lack of awareness of due to the fact that it’s more convenient to overlook it. During my conversation yesterday with said UWI Administrative staff member, I pointed out the whole saturation issue. On the one hand we now have everybody and their pet goldfish at UWI getting degrees, the quality of which is on a constant spiral downward on the other hand we have a job market in which everyone now has degrees so no one can say a degree is an advantage in the workforce. Remember when CXC’s used to land you a good job? then A levels? then an Associate’s degree? Now it’s a Bachelor’s to get an entry level job. If we aint careful JUST now you gonna need a Bachelor’s degree to hold on to the back of a garbage truck. You know what Hilary’s answer to that will be? BSc. Solid Waste Management w/ Environmental Disposal (Hons.)<— that is how the major minor degree will read.
Superlative1 your analogy is amusing, really it is but it does not accurately portray the predicament which the goodly Professor finds himself. Business Strategy 101 tells us that the Professor’s vision must be anchored some where. We are talking about cricket. Let us forward our hypothesis for consideration :-).
The Caribbean cricket playing countries recently hosted the CWC 2007. Whether at the individual level we agree with the decision or not, it’s a done deal. In order to make their dream a reality of hosting the third largest world event in the world it is reputed that our small islands sunk about 1 billion dollars in the cricket stadia and infrastructure.
A reasonable expectation which the leaders of our small islands indicated that they have is to rise to the pinnacle of world cricket once more.
This is where we make the connect to the much maligned Professor Beckles.
A deficiency which has been identified by all and sundry is the vacuum of non cricketing intelligence which our cricketers suffer. Professor Beckles it seems has decided to use his tertiary level institutions to ‘answer the call’.
This we believe is where Hilary has anchored his vision. So we would suggest to the Hilary haters that maybe the blame should be placed at the feet of the men who spent that 1 billion dollars. All Hillary is doing is to help them recoup the investment, after all the upkeep of the university is by the same leaders!
..talk what you like David, my man Superlative 1 TIGHT!!!
I like the BSc. Solid Waste Management w/ Environmental Disposal (Hons.)
I resigning from blogging and leaving things to Superlative1……
Yup that was a gone one.
Talk what you like, the hill like it productive contrary to popular opinion!
Grits teeth…. UWI managed to function before it became a cricket campus and his passion is cricket, he isn’t simply obliging anyone. You really think to tell me by your post that he doing somebody a favour? I think he went begging for a few coppers to pursue his dream… God bless David, it’s a shame his vision wasn’t classical ballet for I somehow suspect David may not be so adamant in his defense of the Beckles. Hmmm….
I do have to agree with Superlative1, Mr. Beckles’ passion is cricket and we must not be fooled. Yes cricket is deep-rooted in our culture and should be nurished like all other cultural activities, but one must not lose sight of the real problems. UWI is producing an increasing large number of graduates in highly saturated fields. The Devil’s Advocate has made some excellent points and has really elucidated the current situation which is getting worse. I shudder to think what lies ahead for me who will soon be returning to Barbados not only with a Bachelors (Hons.) but a Masters as well. As for David I am sure you are an avid cricketer/fan but I don’t care how you try to twist it a Postgraduate cricket programme is a waste of resources where we have such a glut in certain areas and a deficit in others…why not a Pre-Med programme, traumatology, physiotherapy, energy management, etc. It is no mystery the state which the QEH is in. If we are going to mass produce UWI graduates why not propagate some that we can actually use. Any good manufacturer knows the basic laws of supply and demand!
You guys just don’t get it do you? 🙂 The UWI and West Indies cricket are the two organs which have through the years not only forged the region and remind us that we are one people but in the case of cricket it has given us recognition on the world stage to a degree which no other sport has done.
Anyway I see Superlative1 calling out the calvary and we are alone on this issue, so at this juncture we offer a peace pipe!
I aint call a soul David lol. Anyway as my birthday approaches, you can keep your pipe and get me a gift from my approved list. Check my blog for The List.
Well David sir. Though I was not even planning on replying to such comments. I would just like to ask you one question. In the hour of medical distress are you going to call upon our well-trained cricketer? Lemme see hmmmm….cricketers/doctors and nurses. Difficult choice.
Ah boy! I like that lol. Furthermore cricketers don’t even go to UWI
Gentlemen,
I think that David was thinking more about who we would call in our hour of World Cup Distress ….
…for our medical distress we call American Airlines and rush off to Miami – like Gline and the rest.
Ah Bush tea thank you for bringing up those two points. I just want to explain to David that in life we have something called PRIORITIES. When de month come we could decide to buy food for de house or choose to spend it all on gadgets, or for fete-ing purposes. We all have that choice. That is where we come into what we call necessities and luxury items. Now if you are telling me that millions of dollars should be going towards cricket studies because of so-called World Cup distress (evident a necessity) and we should overlook the ‘luxury’ of finding a doctor to attend to us when we belly dropping out, then I apologize for my lack of insight. I guess that may be considered to some as appropriate use of our tax dollars and the UWI ‘amenity fees’ incurred by working class parents.
Well as Bush tea said we have the option of getting on AA and rushing to Miami but it’s a pity all of us may have neither the time nor the financial resources to do such.
David don’t get me wrong. I agree with the UWI- cricket-one people-world-stage recognition thing. But let’s face it cricket is a sport for many and possibly a career for few, and looking at the big picture how is developing that sector and neglecting others going to help us as a nation. Most job markets are satuarated and others in dismal deficit. How many more Management, Sociology and Psychology graduates are we going to pump out to go work at ScotiaBank and The Grantley Adam International Airport (where they quickly lose hope and drive due to lack of passion) when there are like 20 doctors, 4 physiotherapists, 10 mechanical engineers, 2 energy consultants and 2 agricultural development specialists (NB>> These are clearly gross exaggerations but they express qualitatively the real situation). David could you explain to me where all this money has gone in terms of investing in the future of our nation and how Beckles is going to make a brighter future for our youth? I have no personal vendetta against Mr. Beckles and I would quickly laud his efforts when I am convinced how having one (more than likely unemployed) UWI graduate in every family will be beneficial to our nation. How has he improved the quality of the UWI degree? How has this been exemplified other than by numerical analysis (enrollment and graduation statistics).
Wait wait wait! HOLD ON! I nearly forget! What good are new programmes at the UWI ANYWAY if you can’t find the books? The situation at Cave Hilary is more dire than may be realized. The library is in disarray and it’s not due to rowdy students ransacking the shelves, nor lazy staff not putting them back up, but lack of space and shelving and staff in general.
Of course, this isn’t going to be a problem for the Master’s students doing Cricket since there’s the CLR James Cricket Research Center conveniently located near the entrance of the campus. PRIORITIES!
David, you like you stir up a hornets nest with these UWI students yuh…
You very quiet now?!? what happen – licks too hot?
Serious though, you must be able to fine SOMEONE at cave hill or somewhere in the ministry of education who could answer these young people….and ease you a bit…
…or maybe they all got bogus degrees and haven’t been trained to stand the heat of open intellectual debate?!?
How about woodie? he ain’t looking for votes…?
BT we are enjoying the debate. Actually some commenters are doing so from the UWI domain. The problem is that they don’t want to identify themselves 🙂
Please let me clarify that I am not a UWI student, graduate or any form of its alumni, but I do follow closely its progress. It is not difficult to see these issues as they are blatant and though they might not affect me directly they will many members of my family and yours as well I am sure. So sitting back relaxing and smiling is not helping in the least. When everyone at UWI from ancillary to administrative staff and top educators start to ask why I am sure we will all get some clear answers.
I want to give an opinion on the method of deciphering degree G.P.A. at the University of the West Indies. I think that only using the second and third year grades is ludicrous. You cannot get a degree unless you pass the first level so why are the grades not included in your degree G.P.A? The Dean of the faculty of Humanities said that it is because students do not generally do well in the first year so this system helps them get a better G.P.A. I say bullllllll! I did very well in my first year! This system only encourages students not to do well in their first year. I have actually had students tell me that they only want a D (pass) in the first year subjects because the grades do not count. This system needs to be changed immediately. All grades should be considered for each student’s finally degree G.P.A.! The Ministry of education should also consider student’s Transcript as well as their Degree when deciding whether to grant them sponsorship! At present they only consider the Degree!
The Ministry of Educaction may not look at the transcripts but only at the class of the degree, but I can assure UWI students that foreign universities DO LOOK AT THE TRANSCRIPS, and that it looks bad for the student and the university for students to get excellent grades at CXC and CAPE (A Level) and then to get poor grades in the first year (because of the erroneous belief that first year grades do not count) It makes the graduate schooool applicant look like a joker and a time waster and IT IS IS HELD AGAINST YOU BY FOREIGN UNIVERSITIES. It makes you look like you don’t mind wasting your time, your teachers’s time and the money of the your parents and other tax payers.
It other words, it makes you look like a JOKER.