But is UWI doing enough to assist graduates to confront changes in international trading environment and implications for small, open economies like ours? There is only so much that institutions of region, such as UWI can do. The business sector armed with a more educated workforce must now do rest.

One thing is certain. UWI has over years engendered a spirit of regional cooperation and Caribbean identity. Without a doubt, University, as a regional institution, has served as a beacon in bringing people and countries of region together. To suggest otherwise is to be overly critical and to underscore efforts of Governments, University Officials and Graduates who have contributed to this process. But amidst these efforts, University Officials admit that numbers of OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States) registrants continue to decline. More and more students of region are looking towards programmes at foreign universities, albeit self funded and more expensive. Why is that? The answer may lie in fact that university has itself failed to adapt to changing climate.

The present economic climate requires region’s tertiary learning institutions to swiftly provide a broad base of skilled professionals. This, it is believed, will set in motion potential for region to compete with mega trade blocs that have emerged, in recent time. This requires that our learning institutions facilitate more wide spread and affordable access to education for people of region. The Developed Countries have resorted to online distant learning programmes to achieve this objective. Admittedly, one of compelling shortcomings of UWI is that while major universities around world have successfully established reputable online learning programmes, “UWI is still trying to play catch up.” The absence of an effective online learning programme that facilitates widespread and cost effective access to tertiary education, says it all. In context of our geography, it is indicative of University’s inability to adequately position itself to meet needs of people and countries of region.

Who is to say that UWI’s strategies and timing are not in keeping with demonstrated needs of its people? The real question is what role should UWI play in preparing region for CSME. Is there a defined role or a specific aspect for which it should assume responsibility? The issue of whether UWI is doing enough or what it should be doing will remain a topic for debate. What is beyond dispute is that UWI can and should be doing more to prepare region for challenges of CSME.

"We come to this circle with open arms, hoping for best for our families and ourselves. We listen to our leaders. We obey even when it does not sit well in our hearts. We condemn outside world for wanting our ways of life and peace, yet many of us grasp their ways and have no peace. We do for each other, we work day and night and then come to circle for peace in our lives.

Maybe sometimes we forget how big this circle of life is, maybe we put our ways too high on a pedestal and cannot leave them behind when we come to circle. Maybe we forget how important our children our to our futures, our mother earth, our very sanity. Maybe we forget our veterans who in circle we honor and forget when we are outside. Maybe we learn from our teachers, but they should not be teaching. Maybe there are good teachers and we are not listening.

Quiet now, listen to music of wind, birds, smell blossoms, close your eyes and sniff goodness of land, blue sky, warm earth. Keep your eyes closed and imagine a blue circle. Imagine that is us. Now imagine all pow wows in nation going on at same time on that blue circle. Make circle bigger, and bigger yet.

The circle of life does not stop when you leave circle of pow wow. The circle of life is as mighty as four winds, bigger than sky. If you have chosen to be a part of circle then remember circle is all of earth, and each person and animal on it. The Creator commands us to be caretakers of earth. The trees, animals, our old and young, our veterans and mothers, but most of all our neighbors."

Remember we are riding on good ship Lollipop, and it is up to us to make it better, if children and teens are going to survive they must believe there is hope to change things they believe they cannot change. Each of us can make a difference, one voice is all it takes. If you make it a billion voices, it will change dramatically, no teacher, no church, no political system can do that. Only you - parents and grandparents and aunts and uncles and friends can do that. You can change anything. Just cry out. Believe me, I do it each week and see those changes.

Maybe media, maybe our leaders have forgotten these things. Let us hope that you remember them, you teach them to your children, because they our are future, give them hope now to accomplish that goal, give them hope they need to survive. ---