Antigua and Barbuda’s Education Minister, Daryll Matthew, is urging residents to harness the potential opportunities emerging from the expansion plans of the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus (UWI FIC).
Expressing concern about the low turnout at a recent town hall meeting, the minister emphasizes the unprecedented transformative impact of the $80 million project on Five Islands, nearby communities, and the nation as a whole.
Stressing the project’s crucial role in national progress, Matthew underscores that the benefits will extend beyond contractors to positively impact all residents.
UWI FIC Principal, Prof. Justin Robinson, reinforces the importance of a university to community and country development.
Citing examples of other universities significantly contributing to their respective countries’ GDP, Robinson emphasizes that the expansion project is pivotal for UWI FIC to attain self-sustainability through critical mass.
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Well it doesn’t really matter if the turn out was poor. It is good to consult the public. That turnout maybe just means that there are no major objections. What did the people who actually attended have to say? Maybe take their opinions into consideration, adjust the plans if needed and move forward.
Yes, Universities can bring economic advantages, but apart from discussions, maybe also offer the population tangible ways of benefitting e.g. give grants or small business loans to persons who want to open relevant businesses in the area – eateries for students, rental housing for staff etc. Or, provide a list of potential future employment options at the institution so that persons can prepare themselves?
Also, we should not neglect the development of the lower institutions so that our students can be prepared as well as possible to enter.
I live in the country long enough to know that whether turnout is great or small or people have objections or not, the Government does whatever it wants to do. That is just formality to say that the community was consulted.
So true.
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