After 15 years at the helm of the highest decision-making body at The University of the West Indies Cave Hill, renowned businessman Sir Paul Altman will step down from the role of chairman of Campus Council on April 30. And he still wants to see the university reducing its dependence on the government for financial support.
Sir Paul, Managing Director of Altman Real Estate, made the announcement of his departure during the recent annual meeting of the council, saying he was honoured to have served the institution for more than a decade.
He noted that his association with Cave Hill dates back to 2003 when he served as a Chancellor’s nominee on the Finance and General Purposes Committee.
“I became acquainted with the stark realities of managing and resourcing a campus like Cave Hill, and the astuteness and dedication of staff involved in this process,” he said.
Sir Paul was appointed Chairman of the Campus Council in 2009, as a representative of the business sector, and that same year he was conferred an honorary degree by The UWI for his leadership in tourism development and heritage conservation in the Caribbean.
Reflecting on his tenure, Sir Paul said he was grateful for the opportunity to preside over 14 meetings of the Council.
“As I demit office as Chair of the Campus Council, I do so with rich memories and I wish to congratulate all those involved in this important institution and to encourage them to continue the excellent work as it moves forward with our outstanding principal, Professor (Clive) Landis, Registrar (Rommel) Carter, Deans and members of the management team and all those participating in the delivery of the various programmes and initiatives.”
Looking ahead, Sir Paul told senior members of the campus administration team present that he is inspired by the institution’s entrepreneurial efforts towards revenue generation, which he believes is the key to the sustainability of the campus.
He also has hopes of The UWI reducing its dependence on government funding.
“One of my main wishes for the future is that each campus sets its own targets for self-sufficiency. There must be a point in time when we wean ourselves of government funding. After 60 years of Cave Hill (as a campus) and 75 years (of The UWI) as a university, we continue to work towards this goal,” he stated.
Principal Professor Clive Landis, praised the outgoing chairman for his years of diligent and outstanding service to the campus.
“Sir Paul has been a fixture of campus life for a very long time. We are deeply appreciative as a community for (his) generosity in kind and in spirit. Sir Paul has really walked the walk and has helped this community grow greatly,” Landis said.
Sir Paul will be succeeded by Managing Director of the Unicomer (Barbados) Group, Trisha Tannis, who was one of Cave Hill’s three honorary graduates last October.
Tannis, who is also Chair of the Barbados Private Sector Association, has been credited for her steady leadership of the business community during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sir Paul congratulated her on her pending appointment, saying she is highly qualified for the role, and expressed confidence that she will serve with distinction.
Professor Landis noted that he looks forward to Tannis assuming her new role, adding: “For us, Trisha Tannis has been an excellent partner in helping to build out our entrepreneurial ventures, and these are only the beginning. I think she’ll be an ideal partner for the university.” (UWI)
