Millions raised for UWI students

More than CDN$400,000 (approximately $45.3 million) was raised at the 15th Annual University of West Indies (UWI) Toronto Benefit Awards held recently at Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Toronto, Canada.

Hosted by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's anchor Dr Dwight Drummond, the gala event was at capacity with 450 guests, including executive-level business people, public personalities, and community leaders.

"We are extremely grateful for the generosity of the attendees, many of whom return year after year for a night of elegance, inspiration, and camaraderie," said Elizabeth Buchanan-Hind, executive director of the Institutional Advancement Division at The UWI. "Our theme this year was 'Lighting the Way Together,' and through sponsorship, ticket sales, the live auction, silent auction, and personal pledges, funds have been raised to enable more Caribbean students to pursue higher education, the pathway to success."

Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, said that while the institution is an elite university, it is not an elitist one.

"We are here as a public university for the upliftment of the poor, the empowerment of the historically disenfranchised; we are the engine of Caribbean development and a force for democratic justice," he said.

Scotiabank, the lead sponsor for the past 14 years, undertook the benefit event again and committed to the same for the next five years to the tune of cdn$500,000. Scotiabank was joined by other sponsors, Dr Donette Chin-Loy Chang, Sprott Inc, BDO Global, Bank of Montreal, and Sagicor Financial this year.

The annual event is also known for recognising individuals and organisations that demonstrate commitment to the betterment of communities in Canada and beyond, or have achieved outstanding success and brought prominence to the Caribbean, as well as persons of Caribbean heritage who have made significant outstanding contributions on an international scale in their respective field.

One of the highlights was the traditional auction, managed this year by Auctioneer Frances Fripp, and her team. The Royal Canadian Mint five-kilo pure silver coin was a hot- ticket item, valued at $13,000, and scooped up over that amount. Among the other items on the auction were a luxury three-night stay at the Harbor Club in St Lucia, two business class round-trip tickets to anywhere Air Canada flies, and the first rendition of the National Windrush Monument by renowned sculptor Basil Watson.