In spite of controversy brewing over a panel discussion on the 2015 budget scheduled to take place at the University of the West Indies St Augustine campus on Wednesday from 6.30 pm to 9 pm, the event will go on as scheduled. The meeting is being hosted by the Student Guild, in conjunction with the Heliconia Foundation for Young Professionals and the PNM Youth League.
Those listed to speak at the event are opposition leader Dr Keith Rowley, opposition senator Dr Lester Henry, student guild president Matthew Peters and youth speaker Melissa Pulchan. Sources have confirmed that Rowley will attend the event. Ravi Maharaj, a UWI employee, in an email copied to Peters and copied to politicians, the media, St Augustine campus principal Prof Clement Sankat and others, raised concern over the event.
Maharaj’s email described the event as “a political meeting” that was being held “under the guise of academic forum.” Maharaj was also concerned about the flyers affixed at the campus walls to promote the event. “Why would the picture of Dr Rowley, featured across a quarter of the face, so glamorously display his balisier tie, given that it's the PNM's official logo?
“Why would the panel consist of only members of the PNM? And why collaborate with the Heliconia Foundation, which is rooted firmly within the ambit of the PNM?” The email, dated September 13, spoke about the need to preserve the integrity of the university. Maharaj said Peters dismissed a suggestion by him to include Government and Independent senators in the panel to ensure a measure of balance.
Contacted for comment yesterday, Peters said the panel discussion was organised after Heleconia Foundation asked the Guild to arrange it. He said the Guild will be inviting other political organisations and groups including the People’s Partnership (PP) and the Independent Liberal Party (ILP) to hold similar panel discussions shortly. He described Wednesday’s meeting as the first in a series to be hosted by the Guild. Peters said he will be speaking on the issues affecting university students, including GATE.
He said Wednesday’s panel discussion will go on as scheduled.