Former independent senator Rev Daniel Teelucksingh, Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Caribbean journalist Richard Anthony Best, are among 11 people selected to receive honorary degrees in October from The University of the West Indies.
Teelucksingh expressed surprise at the news on Friday and said he felt humbled and honoured to be among those who will be recipients of the honorary degrees.
In a statement, UWI said the degrees will be awarded by Chancellor Sir George Alleyne during the 2016 graduation ceremonies, which will kick off at the Open Campus in St Kitts and Nevis, on October 8. This will be followed by the Cave Hill campus in Barbados on October 15, the St Augustine campus, on October 20-22, and will conclude with the Mona Campus, Jamaica, on October 28-29.
The decision to confer the degrees was confirmed at the annual meeting of The UWI’s University Council held earlier this year. People of eminence in the arts and sciences or other fields of intellectual endeavour, or people who have made outstanding regional or international contributions are usually conferred with honorary degrees at the graduation ceremonies.
Teelucksingh, who was appointed as an independent senator from 1991-2001, served on numerous parliamentary committees and became vociferous on issues of domestic violence, sexual offences and women’s and children’s rights.
He was given a National Award for Public Service, Medal of Merit, Gold 2014 and an award for community service from the Inter-Religious Organisation.
Best, the founding president of the Caribbean Media Association in the United States, is a broadcast journalist, newspaper editor, former general manager of a radio and television station in the Caribbean who has covered the United Nations and the Organisation of American States for over 40 years.
Antiguan family physician Dr Sir Prince Ramsey, who has been treating HIV/AIDS patients in Antigua and Barbuda and providing free anti-retroviral medications for over 17 years, will also be conferred with a honorary degree along with current Chair of the Caribbean Broadcast Media Partnership against HIV/AIDS Dr Carol Jacobs; Dr Carissa Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) and Jamaican writer Professor Lorna Goodison.
Barbados-born attorney Sir Trevor Austin Carmichael, who is one of eight Organisation of American States experts responsible for drafting a new OAS Convention on International Contracts; American actor and film director Daniel Lebern “Danny” Glover, of Lethal Weapon fame, and Professor KE Bingsheng, President of the China Agricultural University, will also be given honorary degrees.
Local steelpan arranger Anthony Williams, who contributed to the development of the technology of the steelpan musical instrument and Fraser-Pryce, the first Jamaican woman to win the 100-metre Olympic gold medal, will also be awarded.
List of recipients for degrees
Open Campus (October 8, 2016)
Dr Sir Prince Ramsey – DSc
Cave Hill Campus (15 October, 2016)
Richard Anthony Best – DLitt
Sir Trevor Carmichael – LLD
Dr Carissa Etienne – DSc
Dr Carol Jacobs – DSc
St Augustine campus (October 20-22, 2016)
Professor KE Bingsheng –DLitt
Reverend Daniel Teelucksingh – LLD
Anthony Williams –DLitt
Mona campus (October 28-29, 2016)
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce – LLD
Daniel “Danny” Glover – DLitt
Lorna Goodison – DLitt