Bridgetown.
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foregin Trade Senator Maxine McClean, is urging graduates of the Unversity of the West Indies (UWI) to contribute to the institution.
Speaking in the Senate yesterday, on a resolution to approve using National Insurance Scheme funds to make a loan of $41 million available to the UWI.
McClean said while universities in North America are receiving substantial grants and funding from their alumi, the same cannot be said of the region.
"It hurts my heart as a former president of the alumi association,as one of the first contribtors to the Alumni Circle, it hurts my heart as a committed member of the UWI to see that major beneficiaries and particularly a lot of high ranking people who have graduated from the university never saw it fit to even join the alumni association", she lamented.
McClean told the Senate that while philanthropy is new to Barbados, it is important to assist in the building of countries such as ours.
She stated that while the Government is committed to financing educatio, former students and even staff of the UWI also have a role to play.
"I put it to any graduate of the UWI that yes we have a commitment as a people to support our university and those who are benefiting also have a commitment through their taxes to support the university, we should go beyond that and make philanthropic contributions" she suggested.
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