Prime ministers of Barbados, Belize, Grenada and Trinidad receive AFUWI awards
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| Published on Monday, February 8, 2010 |
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Some of the attendees at the recent AFUWI Awards
By Wellington C Ramos
BELMOPAN, Belize -- On January 28, 2010, hundreds of people packed the Pierre Hotel Auditorium in Manhattan, New York City, to attend the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies (AFUWI) $500 per plate On Thursday, fundraiser, when awards were given to alumni and others for their life accomplishments and support of the university over the years.
The Masters of Ceremonies for this event were Brenda Blackman, news anchor MY9, WWORTV, Maurice Dubois news anchor from WCBS-TV, and Lola Ogunnaikke of CNN. The alumni that were honoured were the prime minister of Belize, Dean Barrow; the prime minister of Barbados, David Thompson; the prime minister of Grenada, Tillman Thomas; and the prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Patrick Manning, who was unable to attend.
Other honourees who received the Vice-Chancellor’s Award were Sybil Chester, Karlene Chin-Quee MD, Maxine Griffith and Janet Rolle. These individuals contributed to their communities in the areas of health, education and community development.
Former President of Medger Evers College in Brooklyn, Dr Edison Jackson, who restructured and advanced his college, received the Leadership Award. Ann Marie Francis received the Corporate Award on behalf of Air Jamaica. Joie Lee accepted the Bob Marley Award on behalf of her brother Spike Lee, who was unable to attend.
Luminary Awards were granted to the following individuals: Earl Jarrett, Lesly Kerisany MD, R Danny Williams and Lowell Hawthorne, CEO and Founder of Golden Krust Restaurant and business for his success in business and his support to the institution. He donated $250,000 dollars to the University of the West Indies at the night of the event to provide scholarships for disadvantage students in need of money to attend UWI.
Dignitaries and VIPs in attendance included Professor Nigel Harris, vice-chancellor of the University of the West Indies; Winston Bailey, UWI financier; Gala Committee Chairman , Dr Karl Rodney, who had just returned from Washington DC to be with Professor Rex Nettleford, who suffered a massive heart attack and died last week; Sir George Alleyne, UWI Chancellor; former Mayor David Dinkins and his wife; Harlem congressman Charles Rangel; who gave a brief speech about the need for American-Caribbean relations; Deputy Mayor David Walcott, and several other corporate leaders and celebrities from the world of news and entertainment.
Some of the award recipients were unable to attend or give their appreciative remarks but all awardees made a video clip expressing their appreciations for the awards they received. Food and drinks were served during the break period and everybody had a chance to greet each other and pose for pictures.
In his closing remarks, UWI vice-chancellor Professor Nigel Harris thanked all participants for coming out in the freezing temperatures to show their solidarity and support to the University of the West Indies. UWI now has about 44,000 students throughout all of their campuses in the Caribbean. The university will be accepting all the students who were attending the university in Haiti and give them the opportunity to complete their studies at their campuses until they complete their degrees. They will then be able to return to their country to assist in the reconstruction and development of their homeland. | | | | Reads : 3672 | | | |
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