Antigua & Barbuda becomes site of 4th University of the West Indies campus

The University of the West Indies (UWI) will formally inform the Antigua & Barbuda government later this week that the twin-island nation has been chosen as the location for the regional tertiary institution’s 4th landed campus, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced.

Browne told radio listeners that he had been in discussions with UWI Vice Chancellor Hilary Beckles on the issue.

“Sir Hilary called myself, and the Honorable Attorney General [Steadroy Benjamin] and he informed us that the members of the University Council have now unanimously approved the 4th landed campus for Antigua & Barbuda,” Browne said, adding that following the announcement by The UWI, an implementation committee will be established by the university.

“My understanding now is that the chancellor will inform the various council members; he would then issue a formal statement to that effect and he will then mandate the university to establish an implementation committee,” Browne added.

Browne said the 3 campus countries – Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago – which had concerns about the 4th landed campus have now been satisfied.

“You know, there are 3 countries who had reservations. Those reservations have been lifted,” he said.

“The government has in the past said it would fund the university by a windfall tax on financial institutions and by diverting some funding to the prime minister’s scholarship program,” said Browne. -(CMC)