Students at the University of the West Indies (UWI) at Cave Hill staged a protest on Thursday, raising serious questions about the treatment of the Guild of Students and the management of its funds.
And though talks were held between UWI management and the guild later in the day, guild president Tyson Holder declined to comment on the outcome.
The student guild executive claims that attempts to address their concerns through formal channels have been met with administrative delays and a lack of transparency, leaving them with no choice but to take action.
“We came out to rally and state the issues we have been experiencing over the past two semesters,” said Holder. “We gathered at the Student Union and made our way to the Office of Student Services and then to the administration. Our protest was against [what we see as] financial mismanagement and the unjust transfer of our funds.”
But before the demonstration began, students were met with heavy security and a visible police presence. The protesters had not obtained permission to stage their demonstration and were asked to explain the purpose of their gathering.
“When we reached the administration building, security and members of the police service stopped us, asking why we were there,” Holder recounted. “I outlined our grievances, and eventually, the deputy principal came outside to engage us.”
Following a discussion, Holder returned to the group of more than 20 students and informed them that the executive had been invited for further talks with management, including Deputy Principal Professor Winston Moore.
Moore did not comment on the matter when approached by reporters.
At the heart of the protest is students’ claim that the university administration is systematically undermining the autonomy of the Guild of Students, closing the guild’s financial account, and transferring its funds to the Office of Student Services and Development for oversight.
“The administration has dissolved the guild’s financial management, preventing us from operating independently as a union. They claim this is due to mismanagement, but there are other ways to improve financial oversight without dismantling student governance,” Holder argued.
The protesters have issued a list of urgent demands:
The immediate reinstatement of guild executives as signatories on their bank account;
A full audit of guild finances during administrative oversight;
The restoration of the guild office manager’s role as a liaison between administration and the union;
Improved student accommodation services and a more efficient shuttle transport system;
Greater responsiveness to faculty representatives’ concerns;
Recognition of inter-club presidents as key contributors to campus life;
The reinstatement of guild autonomy in executing its duties as an elected representative body.
During the protest, Chairman of the Sir Keith Hunte Hall, Alens Plante also highlighted a number of grievances he urged authorities to address.
He said students are concerned about inadequate safety measures, unreliable shuttle services, and deteriorating living conditions.
Plante described the protest as a necessary step in holding the administration accountable and made clear that the movement for change must start immediately.
“It’s going to start today—not in the next minute, not tomorrow, not Saturday; today,” he declared. “We need action. We need our concerns to be heard. The satisfaction level of students here is too low.”
“There are too many issues on this campus, especially in the halls of residence. The slow response to resolving these problems needs to stop, and it’s going to stop today,” Plante added.
(SZB)
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