Tewarie: TT to benefit from new business school

Speaking at the school’s formal opening in Mt Hope on Monday night, Tewarie said Government and the university have had their fair share of tension over the years and this was particularly evident during the 1970s and the 1980s. He recalled experiencing some of this tension when he served as a government minister in the NAR administration of 1986 to 1991. Tewarie said UWI did not see the need for development of a school which focused on business and management studies at that time. He added that the private sector was equally sceptical about partnering with initiatives that were associated with UWI.

However, Tewarie said the reality was that development in any nation would "stand still" unless Government, the private sector and tertiary level institutions such as UWI, work together and this partnership must never be taken for granted.

The UWI principal said it was against this background that he was pleased to see the new school of business being wholeheartedly embraced by the private sector. Tewarie expressed his support for Government’s plans to implement free tuition at public tertiary level institutions from January 1, 2006.

Tewarie noted contributions made by deceased Public Administration Minister Gordon Draper (the Institute of Business (IOB) first executive director), and current IOB executive director Dr Rolph Balgobin to the development of the institution over the last 17 years of its existence.

President George Maxwell Richards said the IOB is an institution which is on par with "the best in the world" and is responsible for training more than 18,000 persons through its executive development programmes.