Kambon kicked off UWI campus

OFF YOU GO: Director of the Cross Rhodes freedom Project (CRFP), Shabaka Kambon, is seen being told to leave the UWI St Augustine Campus. PHOTO COURTESY THE CROSS ROADS FREEDOM PROJECT
OFF YOU GO: Director of the Cross Rhodes freedom Project (CRFP), Shabaka Kambon, is seen being told to leave the UWI St Augustine Campus. PHOTO COURTESY THE CROSS ROADS FREEDOM PROJECT

Principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI) St Augustine Campus, Professor Brian Copeland, has been accused of declaring Director of the Cross Rhodes Freedom Project (CRFP) Shabaka Kambon, persona non grata.

In a statement issued yesterday, Kambon also accused Copeland of preventing him from speaking during a November 30 consultation of UWI Alumni to decide on a new name for Milner Hall. Newsday attempted to speak with Principal Copeland as well as UWI Guild President Jonathan St Louis-Nahous about Kambon’s allegations but calls to both of their phones went unanswered. Kambon pointed out that it was his organisation, which “champions a Caribbean-wide critical examination of the people and values that are honoured in public spaces”, was responsible for initiating the process to rename Milner Hall.

This, he added, “led to the historic decision by the UWI in October to disassociate itself with (Lord Viscount Alfred) Milner.” CRFP said the Colonial official, for which the oldest hall of residence at St Augustine was named 90 years ago, “is now recognised as a racist and imperialist whose historical actions had far reaching negative consequences for black and brown peoples across the globe.” Kambon is calling on Copeland to ensure that the consultation process is genuinely open. “Nothing less is expected at the most prestigious tertiary level institution in the Region.”

“The CRFP and all good and right-thinking citizens of the Caribbean will not accept an outcome that does not feature a suitable Caribbean icon,” Kambon stated.

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