With the University of the West Indies (The UWI) owed billions of dollars by regional governments, Opposition Senator Dr Floyd Morris is pleading with the various administrations to pay up what is owed so the institution can continue to function in an efficient manner.

Morris is also calling for the various governments to increase their contributions where possible.

He made the plea in the Senate on Friday on the occasion of the UWI marking its 75th anniversary. He was speaking on the motion for adjournment.

In September last year, the Human and Social Development Committee of the Jamaican Parliament was told that the big three – Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago were paying only a fraction of the sum agreed on to fund The UWI. Combined, the three governments owed the institution approximately US$48 million (J$7.2 billion) as at July 31, 2021.

At the time, The UWI Bursar, Andrea McNish, told the meeting then that since 2009-2010, the three major funders of the university had started to give a commitment that was not equal to the full sum that was to have been paid. The administration of The UWI has, in recent years, been talking publicly about the shortfall and the challenges that it presents.

Senator Morris has now mounted an intervention in the Jamaican Senate.

“I am making an appeal for the Government of Jamaica, Government of Trinidad and Tobago, Government of Barbados, to make sure that their contribution to the institution is remitted on a timely basis and for those who have reduced their contribution in terms of the economic cost, to increase it to a level that will allow the university to function and carry out its mandate,” Morris said.

The UWI graduate argued that of all the universities in Jamaica, “the mission to ensure that a significant portion of the population has tertiary education, the institution that has the greatest capacity to do so is the University of the West Indies”.

He noted that currently there are some 19,000 students enrolled at The UWI, while 4,000 graduated last November.

“If there’s any tertiary institution that has the capacity to ensure that Vision 2030 becomes a reality it is The University of the West Indies and we have to make sure that the institution is properly resourced,” Morris emphasised.

Morris told the Senate that over the past several years “we have seen a decline in contributions from (various) governments”. He stressed that he was not blaming any particular administration, pointing out that the decline started in 2009.

“The contribution (from Jamaican governments) to the institution for the economic cost of students has declined to 38 per cent, moving from 80 per cent in 2009 and it is having a deleterious effect on the financial resources of the university,” said Morris.

The UWI is marking its 75th anniversary this year. Saturday, January 7 was observed as UWI Day following a declaration by Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen while an interfaith convocation service was held at the University Chapel on the Mona campus on Sunday.