UWI reducing expenditure due to COVID fallout

Jason Cross, Gleaner Writer

Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies (UWI), Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, says the institution will be significantly reducing its expenditure as it faces economic strain related to COVID-19.

Beckles was speaking today during an online press briefing.

"We will then bring forward new COVID budgets for approval and then begin the process of rolling out a new era and future, in which we manage our university's resources, policies, and programmes skilfully, helping the institution to maintain global status," he said.

Beckles said if the university is to survive the impact of COVID-19, a unified approach among Caribbean nations is required.

Referencing the decline of West Indies cricket from its glory days, he said the university would not suffer a similar fate.

"Our university is absolutely certain that it is only the intensive care management approach that will get us through this difficulty. We'll have to work hand-in-hand with all our governments as a team,  quarter by quarter, until we can put our economies back on track and keep our university flying high.”

Beckles said that for this to be accomplished, the university would have to engage in ongoing strategic cash flow management, noting that the institution’s resources are feeling the economic crunch.

"The only way is for our region to come together to help and collectively imagine a post-COVID-19 world with the university at the centre of that conversation, assisting our governments on all levels, sleeves rolled up, down in the trenches, helping this regional economy to be restored to good health and in the process, protecting the global ranking and global quality of this university," he said.

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