VICE-CHANCELLOR’S REPORT TO COUNCIL 2022—2023
CAVE HIll CAMPUS REPORT
The speakers for the opening event were the Honourable Davidson Ishmael, Minister of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology; Professor Clive Landis, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal, The UWI Cave Hill Campus; Dr. Jeanese Badenock, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, The UWI Cave Hill Campus; and Mr. Gary Palmer, General Manager of Carlisle Laboratories. Also in attendance were Principal Annette Alleyne of the Barbados Community College; Principal Ian Drakes of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute; Mr. Mark Hill, CEO Export Barbados (BIDC); and Mr. Wayne Marshall, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Industry, Innovation, Science and Technology.
Principal Professor Landis addressed the centrality of research and innovation to food security, noting that it also increased “the contribution to agriculture, to the economic development and diversification of the Barbados economy”. He shared that “The UWI and the Ministry will collaborate seamlessly on the phases of medicinal cannabis production from germ line, elucidation of new varietals, extension agriculture, and purification of medicinal cannabis products, quality control and certification to bring to market.” In her remarks, Minister McConney recognised the 15 years of “multiple challenges, stops and false starts” that had to be “pushed through” to arrive at the day’s celebration. She acknowledged the contribution of Dr. Chelston Brathwaite in his leadership of the task force. Speaking of the access to training facilities that the research park would afford to secondary and tertiary students, she said, “Authentic experiences where students can see the real world, research and experiments and practice will be a fundamental part of their learning experience.” Minister Weir believed that the park was demonstrative of the ways Government was giving support to the agricultural sector.
GROUND-BREAKING AT THE CENTRE FOR AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND INNOVATION AT THE CAVE HILL CAMPUS DUKES
On March 28, 2023 the ground-breaking ceremony at Dukes St. Thomas marked another milestone towards the launch of the Dukes Agri Industrial Park. The project, which is funded through a generous bilateral grant between the People’s Republic of China and the Government of Barbados, will support training, research, and innovation in the agricultural sector. Sitting on 28 acres and making up half of the China-Aid Project: Centre for Food Security and Entrepreneurship in Barbados, the Centre for Agricultural Research and Innovation was officially inaugurated with a ceremony attended by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley; Chinese Ambassador, Yan Xiusheng; Minister of Education, Kay McConney; Minister of Agriculture, Indar Weir; Member of Parliament for St. Thomas, Cynthia Forde; former Ambassador to China, Senator Dr. Chelston Brathwaite; along with members of the Edghill family.
From left: Prof. Clive Landis, Principal, The UWI, Cave Hill; His Excellency Yan Xusheng, Ambassador for China; and Ms. Cynthia Forde, MP for St. Thomas turn the soil while Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley; Minister of Education Kay McConney, and Minister of Agriculture Indar Weir look on.
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