Open Letter - Open Campus - Uwi.edu

together, knowing that the small wounds that they received fromeach other were worth it in the end. As social beings, we need thepeople around us. We need to accept that we have spikes as welland can be just as challenging to live with. Let’s learn to live with thesharp quills of others and hope and pray that those around us canlearn to live with ours. There is strength in unity but we mustremember that the unit is made of individuals with differences. Eachof us must therefore find our place and appreciate each other eventhough sometimes we don't like each other. Every one of us is goingto have to work together more, read more, train more, think more,and most importantly, apply that piece of paper more.The Certificate, Diploma or Degree you receive has actual humanvalue not just material pay off. As Prime Minister Tony Blair said, “inthis new economy, talent is the 21st century wealth. If you've got theskills, you've got the education and you have the opportunity toupgrade and improve both, you’ll be able to compete and winanywhere. If not, the fall will be further and harder than it ever wasbefore.”Right now, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, there are amazingpossibilities. All of that is possible but none of it will come easy.Some of us have to make the sacrifice to build our nation. But no oneis forcing you to care. You can take your Diploma, your Degree, yourCertificate and walk out of here, and go chasing after the big house,and the nice suits, and all the other things that our money culturesays that you should want, that you should aspire to and that youcan buy. If you want, it will be very easy for you to leave here todayand not give another thought to what happens to St. Vincent and theGrenadines and the challenges we face. But I hope you don’t walkaway from the challenge. Focusing your life solely on making a buckshows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Letus use our education to not only talk but to build St. Vincent and theGrenadines.”Open Campus St. Lucia LiteratureWorkshop a Resounding SuccessOn Tuesday, January 25, 2011 the University of the West Indies OpenCampus, St Lucia Site hosted a one-day workshop dubbed‘Discovering St. Lucian Literature’ as its contribution to the 2011Nobel Laureate Week activities organized by Her Excellency, DamePearlette Louisy.rivaled many an art gallery with its impressive display of the worksand personal biographies of over eighty St. Lucian authors.The afternoon’s activities were brought to a close with a vote ofthanks by Campus Head, Mrs. Veronica Simon who expressed theOpen Campus’ special gratitude to 1st National Bank St. LuciaLimited for their generous support of the day’s activity.Dr. Antonia McDonald and herExcellency, Dame PearletteLoiusyLLouisyLouisyThe late Roderick Walcott, O.B.E.In April of 2009, The University of the West Indies Open Campus,St. Lucia was the proud recipient of a “Collection of Works”produced by the late Roderick Walcott, O.B.E. A listing of theplaywright’s works includes seventeen dramas, eight musicals andtwo screenplays. In 1976, Roderick Walcott was awarded the Orderof the British Empire (OBE) for outstanding theatrical work in St.Lucia. Mr. Walcott was also awarded the Saint Lucia Medal of Honor(Gold) for eminent and outstanding contribution to the Literary andPerforming Arts.Thanks to the generosity of the National Commission for UNESCO,the UWI Open Campus, St. Lucia Site has been able to preserve andhouse Roderick Walcott’s 250 item collection for the purpose ofscholarly research.Formal recognition of this achievement and ofthe Open Campus’ role in preserving the collection was given duringthe launching of the “National Memory of the World Register”recently held at the National Archives Authority of St. Lucia as part ofNobel Laureate Week celebrations.Photo exhibition of St. Lucian writersOpen Campus St. LuciaPraised for PreservingRoderick Walcott’s LegacyThe aim of the workshop was to expose teachers of Literature,Theatre Arts and English Language – and also up and coming youngwriters - to the plethora of work produced by St. Lucian authors,playwrights, and poets and to ensure that locally produced literatureof all genres finds its rightful place within the classroom.Congratulations toDr. Luz LongsworthThe workshop, which was graced with the presence of HerExcellency, brought together a wonderful mix of youth andexperience. Of significance were a book and photo exhibition put onby Open Campus Library staff. The corridors of the Open CampusCongratulations to Dr. Luz Longsworth who has earned a Doctoratein Business Administration (DBA) specializing in Higher EducationManagement. Her thesis title was: Leadership in the Virtual HigherEducation Environment: Towards an Appropriate Model and