Rowley against UWI Campus in Debe

Opposition Leader Dr Keith Rowley is objecting to the proposed establishment of a Debe Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI). Rowley was responding to an announcement by Attorney General Anand Ramlogan in Parliament last Friday. Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education Fazal Karim told the Senate days before that the sod-turning ceremony would take place on May 24, the first anniversary of Kamla Persad-Bissessar’s election as head of Government.

Rowley, speaking during a news conference at his Charles Street office yesterday, said UWI was a regional institution and consultation was necessary before any such development could take place. Rowley said the Government was expected to meet with UWI officials next month to discuss the proposal but a sod- turning date already had been made public. Questioned about the reasons for seeking to expand the institution in Debe, Rowley said it was an election promise but he said that area was not the most appropriate for citizens of T&T.

He said St Augustine was the most central location, even for the people of Tobago and other parts of the country. He said Government was attempting to establish a campus in Debe “because of the demography of the student population without discussion or agreement with the other parties in the University of the West Indies.” Rowley said the former PNM Government had located a piece of land in Orange Grove to expand the campus.

https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2011/01/25/rowley-against-uwi-campus-debe