The Alumni Association of The University of the West Indies (UWIAA) Open Campus on Saturday, October 13, held its second annual Pelican Awards Ceremony and honoured 10 distinguished alumni from five countries across the region who have excelled in their areas of endeavour, and made significant contributions both to their communities and to the development of The UWI.

The Pelican Award is the highest award that a UWIAA Chapter may bestow on a graduate. The association explained that alumni are nominated and selected by their peers to receive the accolade. A Pelican awardee is considered to be a role model for The UWI population globally and in particular, for the current cohort of students who are themselves future alumni.

Organised by the collective chapters of The UWI Alumni Association (UWIAA), the ceremony was held at Bay Gardens Beach Resort and Spa in Saint Lucia and marked the 10th anniversary of The UWI Open Campus.

The ten awardees were:-

1. Dr Jillia Bird OD, MS, from Antigua and Barbuda for her sterling contribution to health and excellence in optometry in the Caribbean.

2. Dr Reginald Alford Walwyn OBE; MBBS; MRC Ophth, from Antigua and Barbuda, for his sterling contribution to Medicine and Leadership and excellence in Ophthalmology in the Caribbean. Dr Walwyn, now 93 years old, was among the first 33 students who entered The UWI 70 years ago.

3. Dancia Penn Sallah OBE, QC, from the British Virgin Islands, for her sterling contribution in the field of politics and excellence in law in the Caribbean.

4. Dr Heskith Vanterpool, from the British Virgin Islands, for his sterling contribution to health and excellence in Gastroenterology and Cardiology in the British Virgin Islands.

5. Mr Gerard Farara QC, from the British Virgin Islands, for his sterling contribution to law in the Caribbean and beyond (USA and Hong Kong).

6. Dr Beverley Steele, from Grenada, for her sterling contribution to education in the Caribbean

7. Her Excellency Dame Pearlette Louisy, from Saint Lucia, for her sterling contribution to Education and Leadership in the Caribbean.

8. Dr Veronica Simon, from Saint Lucia, for her sterling contribution to education in the Caribbean.

9. His Excellency, Dr Didacus Jules, from Saint Lucia, for his sterling contribution to education in the Caribbean.

10. Renee Baptiste CMG, from St Vincent and The Grenadines, for her sterling contribution to law and politics in the Caribbean.