K.D. Knight Lauds NCU for Contribution to Nation Building

K.D. Knight, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, has lauded the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) for its support of the education process and nation building in Jamaica.
Speaking at the annual fundraising and awards banquet of the 84-year old institution on October 4 at the Airport Marriott Hotel, Miami, the Minister described the university as one where traditional values were inculcated and Christian ethics pursued.
Commending the work of the 400-strong membership of the institution’s South Florida alumni, Mr. Knight noted that the chapter, along with the 12 others throughout the United States, “served as viable extensions of the precepts and culture of the NCU”.
The banquet was part of the institution’s Alumni Day celebrations under the theme ‘Lifting.while climbing’. According to the Minister, the theme aptly described the university’s selfless efforts to prepare students to build a better society through empowerment and success.
The NCU, formerly West Indies College, was established in 1919 and gained university status in 1999. A total of 5,300 students from 30 countries are enrolled at the institution’s main campus in Mandeville, and three others in Kingston, Montego Bay, and Brown’s Town.
Minister Knight acknowledged that the acceptance of NCU internationally has been enhanced by the outstanding quality of the curriculum, the faculty, the success of the graduates and support from its alumni chapters.
He encouraged the audience to embrace the positive aspects of Jamaica’s national development “as a means of true upliftment”, assuring them of Government’s relentless commitment to ridding the country of the social ills that sullied its image abroad.
He cited examples of economic recovery and job creation taking place nationally through road construction projects, tourism recovery, increase in bauxite production, increased investment opportunities and cost reduction in the operations of Government.
Also participating in the function were Ricardo Allicock, Jamaica’s Consul General to Miami; Daniel Fider, Vice President of the NCU and Harold Clayton, President of the Florida Alumni.
The evening’s programme included the presentation of awards for contribution to the university’s development.