UWI exams in jeopardy, lecturers withhold papers

Several exams at the University of the West Indies (UWI) are now in jeopardy for the second time this year as lecturers withheld paper submissions on Friday. With a 4.30 pm deadline for exam-paper submissions to the university on Friday, several lecturers refused to as the West Indian Group of University Teachers (WIGUT) continued to protest over the two per cent salary increase offer from the Government.

Although WIGUT marched on the principal's residence during a protest at the St Augustine campus, Professor Rose Marie Belle Antoine was not there. Instead, campus registrar Dr Dawn-Marie De Four-Gill met with the protesters. WIGUT president Dr Indera Rampersad told her the onus is now on the university to get the Government to increase the remit from two per cent to a "reasonable" one.

"All of my members have the exams. They have prepared their exams. They are ready to go but we're not going to submit until we get something better," she said.

Rampersad told Newsday she understands the group's rejection letter was forwarded from the Minister of Education, Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, to the Minister of Finance, Colm Imbert. She hopes this augurs well for their mission.

"That may be good news, the Minister of Finance was an executive member of WIGUT when he was at UWI and so was the Prime Minister so we are hoping they would identify with the cause," she said. She said the university and Government have two weeks to respond to the union with a "better offer." She said only when this is done will exam questions be submitted.

During the protest action, Rampersad led some three dozen members into the new student administration building where she formally told assistant registrar for examinations Nardia Allain-Thomas that the exam papers would not be submitted. She also asked that the timetable remain unchanged.

"The students are not going to be getting exams because you can't treat staff like this. The academic, senior and professional staff are all involved in the exam process," she said.

In April, WIGUT threatened to withhold exam papers until UWI got permission to begin salary negotiations. Following this, the union's membership upheld their end of the deal and released exam papers, avoiding any major disruption. Newsday is awaiting a response from principal Belle Antoine.