The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica. Wednesday, April 6, 2022—The following statement is issued by Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies, on the passing of His Excellency Ambassador Vance W. Amory former Premier of Nevis and Government Minister in St. Kitts and Nevis, and alumnus of The UWI.
The University of the West Indies community is saddened by the untimely departure of our alumnus, friend, and champion, His Excellency Vance Amory, former Premier of Nevis within the state of St. Kitts and Nevis. In recent years, our Vance advanced many university initiatives within the Office of the Prime Minister, the Honourable Timothy Harris—also a distinguished alumnus.
I recall, some six years ago, calling upon him to assist the University, through the office of his Prime Minister in the negotiation of an ‘assets for cash’ strategy in order to facilitate governments in meeting their agreed financial obligations to the University within the context of their narrowing fiscal space. He was excellent in every sense and provided the basis for PM Harris becoming our Ambassador-at-Large with respect to negotiating government receivables.
Across the ‘UWIverse’, Vance will be remembered as a dedicated and loyal colleague who committed his intellectual energy to the regional democracy and integration movements. Always kind-spoken within his firm advocacy, he was an effective mobilizer of our best values and thoughts. His emergence from student life to public service was colourful and spectacular. His legacy as a high-quality public servant is well respected and within the university community, it will be assured and deeply respected.
We also recall his representation of The UWI Cave Hill Campus on the cricket field where his prowess as an all-rounder remains fixed in the memory of the Barbados cricket community. What a rounded and rooted student he was known to be!
We shall miss our departed brother but will feel empowered by the greatness and goodness found within his humanity. We offer our condolences to his family, friends, and the good people and government of St. Kitts and Nevis. Blessings upon his journey home.
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About The UWI
The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region.
From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.
The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.
The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). In the latest World University Rankings 2022, released in September 2021, The UWI moved up an impressive 94 places from last year. In the current global field of some 30,000 universities and elite research institutes, The UWI stands among the top 1.5%.
The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean, it is also in the top 20 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old). The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action.
For more, visit www.uwi.edu.
(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)
