(Trinidad Express) The Trinidad and Tobago Government did not support the renewal of the term of office of The University of the West Indies (UWI) Vice-Chancellor Dr Hilary Beckles.
Responding to a question filed by United National Congress (UNC) Senator Wade Mark in the Senate on Tuesday, Minister of Public Administration Allyson West said at a special meeting of the University Council on January 20 and 21, the Joint Committee of the Council and Senate presented its findings to the University Council, which did not reach a consensus on the recommendations for the reappointment of the Vice-Chancellor.
West said government representatives from two contributing countries reserved their positions with regard to the reappointment of the Vice-Chancellor.
The T&T Government considered a number of reports, in particular the 360 assessment of the Vice-Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor’s self assessment, the report of the Chancellor’s commission on governance and recommendations of the joint Commission of Council and Senate.
“The Government noted that the financial position of the university over the years had been reviewed and while the Government was heartened by the positive contribution of the Vice-Chancellor to the reputation of the university, the deficit position of the university remained a great source of concern to the Government,” she said.
West said based on the information in the reports provided to the T&T Government, and having regard to the need for the role of the Vice-Chancellor to have a transformative outlook in the approach to the business of education, the Government did not support the reappointment of the Vice-Chancellor.
She said the Government did not delay the renewal of the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor. The term was due to expire on July 31, 2021.
“After significant deliberations of the meeting of the University Council on April 30, 2021, the Council agreed that the current Vice-Chancellor should be reappointed for a period of six years,” she said.
West said the Council comprises members each appointed by a contributing country of the university. She said the T&T Government, being a contributing country, would have appropriate representation on the Council and would be part of the approval process for the reappointment of the Vice-Chancellor. She said the Government is one member.
She added that the deliberations of the Council are confidential in nature and in keeping with good governance and ethical principles, which require the maintenance of confidentiality of boardroom discussions and the fabric of trust and congeniality that should exist among directors and members, the details of such deliberations are not made public.
She added that the Government was not made aware of any breach of procedures for the renewal of the reappointment of the Vice-Chancellor.
Mark asked whether West was aware that the Minister of Education wrote a letter in January indicating that T&T was in favour of searching for a new candidate for Vice-Chancellor, but the question was disallowed.
Mark asked whether West was aware of the “Bermudez triangle involving the Chancellor (Robert Bermudez), the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago and the principal of the university to remove Hilary Beckles”.
This question was disallowed.
Mark began another question on whether West “was aware that Chancellor Bermudez was a PNM (People’s National Movement) financier and wishes to fulfil…” But he was stopped by Senate Vice-President Michael De Freitas.
West said the royal charter of The University of the West Indies states that the Vice-Chancellor should be appointed by the Council after consideration of the Report of the Joint Committee of the Council by the Senate appointed for the purpose, which shall be an accepted committee to be chaired as the Council determines.
She said the Chancellor appointed the requisite Joint Committee of Council and Senate to oversee the process for reviewing the performance of the Vice-Chancellor, to consider the reappointment of the Vice-Chancellor, and to make a report to the Council.
Asked why the principal of UWI St Augustine Prof Brian Copeland was given a one-year extension of contract as opposed to a two-year extension, West said, according to UWI statutes and ordinances, a campus principal is appointed by the University Council on the recommendation of the Vice-Chancellor and the principal is eligible for reappointment for one or more than one such further period, upon conditions prescribed by the University Council.
She said in light of the global pandemic, a change in the leadership of the campus was not deemed to be in the best interest of the students, staff of the campus or the Government of Trinidad and Tobago at this time.
West said the tenure of the principal was reviewed along with the financial position of the campus and it was found that the stewardship of the campus, the reduction of the budget of the campus over the last few years, and the demonstrated thrust of the campus into entrepreneurship and innovation provided evidence to support the continuation of the principal’s tenure.
Based on these issues, the Government recommended the reappointment of the campus principal for a period of two years.
The University Council agreed in April 2021 that the principal should be offered a one-year contract with a possibility of renewal for a further year.
Mark asked whether the extension was a reward for the “Bermudez triangle”, but the question was disallowed.
In response to another question from Mark, West said neither the Ministry of Education nor the Minister of Education halted the interviews for the appointment of a new principal of the UWI St Augustine campus.
