UWI: Financial flaws found with Guild funds

The discovery of financial irregularities was why the control of funds was taken out of the hands of the Guild of Students of the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI).

This was revealed in a statement yesterday by UWI’s management after students staged a protest over various issues on Thursday morning.

The rally, led by guild president Tyson Holder, was to protest “systematic erosion” of student rights and autonomy. They marched from the Students Union to the Office of Student Services and finally to the administration building.

“We were protesting against the financial mismanagement, the closure of the guild’s financial account and the transfer of this cash to the Office of Student Services and Development for oversight,” Holder explained.

Yesterday, management said a team of university officials met with guild representatives “and both sides have agreed to collaboratively compile a list of action items for execution within a mutually agreed time frame”.

However, it added: “The university also wishes to note that adjustments

made to access funds allocated for use by the Guild of Students were implemented in agreement with the guild and in accordance with a management audit of guild finances. These stricter financial controls followed the discovery of financial irregularities.

“This decision was not taken lightly but reflects our commitment to transparency, accountability and responsible stewardship of resources. Notwithstanding this commitment, the campus does acknowledge that there is scope to engage with the guild to find a mechanism to balance the independence sought by the guild with the need for financial control.”

UWI said the mechanism used would enable the students’ governing body a “reasonable measure of independence to adequately and responsibly fund student activities”.

(PR/NS)