"One UWI, One Alumni Family" 

Dame Ruby Lake Richards

Dame Ruby was one of two remaining members of the first cohort of 33 medical students who attended The UWI (then University College of the West Indies). She was also the first female, UWI graduate from Antigua and Barbuda and was honoured with an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from The UWI Five Islands Campus.

Dame Ruby was regarded as one of Antigua and Barbuda’s outstanding medical professionals. She started her journey in 1948, pursuing medicine at the University College of the West Indies. Of that inaugural class, she was one of ten women enrolled. She earned her medical degree in 1954 and then moved on to an internship at the Holberton Hospital in St. John’s, Antigua. Next, she alternated between the Carty’s Hill Clinic in Glanvilles—where she worked as a parish doctor—and her private practice, which she opened in the city.

In 1967, she migrated to Canada with her husband Sir Novelle Hamilton Richards, who was appointed by the Governments of the Eastern Caribbean to be the first Diplomatic Trade Commissioner to Canada. She pursued her postgraduate study in Canada and completed her specialisation in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Mc Gill University. In 1977, she received her Fellowship in the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

She also worked at the Reddy Memorial Hospital and the Montreal Children’s Hospital in Canada before completing her residency in child and adolescent psychiatry at McGill University. At McGill, she was employed as a lecturer assigned to the Department of Psychiatry, which she combined, with her role as a Psychiatrist at the Douglas Mental Health University for nearly 40 years. She retired in 2015 at the age of 93. In 2021, at a special convocation hosted by The UWI Five Islands Campus, she was conferred an honorary degree, the first Honorary Doctorate given by the Campus. Later that year, she was also honoured by the Government of Antigua and Barbuda with the ‘Dame Grand Cross of The Most Distinguished Order of the Nation (DGCN)’ for her outstanding contribution in the field of medicine. Vice-Chancellor of The UWI, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles noted, “Dame Ruby was a cherished icon who lived a life of service here in the Caribbean and internationally, an attribute of a true UWI graduate”. Pro Vice-Chancellor and Campus Principal, Professor Justin Robinson, also noted “As we celebrate our 75th anniversary and look forward to a century of excellence, we pause to celebrate the life of Dame Dr. Ruby Lake-Richards, one of UWI's finest alumna.”

Remembering Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford

The following statement is issued by Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice-Chancellor of The University of the West Indies, on the passing of Caribbean political stalwart, Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford. 

Reflecting on the political poetics of Caribbean small islands, I realize that long have I been of the view that while they are deeply troubled by their size, they are also adamant enough to say to the mighty ocean that seeks to engulf and erase them – ‘if you want to pass, go around!’ Ill winds, persistent and penetrating, have also made them even more adamant. These were my first musings when I heard of the passing of Sir Lloyd. 

As a political stalwart, Sir Lloyd was generally unhurried and often unshakable in his approach to divisive phenomena. This was also reflected in the manner in which he spoke.  The steady certainty with which he engaged spoke to a confidence endemic to his belief system. Democratic in orientation, the core of his politics was grounded in ‘love of country’. From the beginning, he threw his political weight behind the imperative of publicly funded education for the masses. This was a principle of his social democracy and the vehicle on which he believed the nation would travel to economic prosperity and social stability. In this regard, he never failed to stand his ground in the pursuit of access to development for the historically disadvantaged, and the necessity to blunt the social sword of the traditionally privileged.

Sir Lloyd was an intellectual product of the ideological vision of The UWI. He was for example, adamant in his commitment to national independence and dignified nation-building. He evolved as the quintessential servant leader and served The Right Excellent Errol Barrow’s strategy with skill and sustainability. When his turn came to serve as Prime Minister, he dug in his heels in defence of Barbados and its democracy and insisted that the rich and powerful had no personal keys to his private office. They too, like the mighty raging ocean, would have to go around. It was this sense of service to the nation that contributed significantly to its freedom from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) enchainment. 

Departing the Office of Prime Minister, he was called upon to serve his nation as ambassador to China. From Beijing, he often took the opportunity to remind us that there was nothing surprising about the appointment since his father often said to him that he would go far in life. His has been the remarkable journey of a steadfast soldier. The UWI community is honoured to celebrate him for living a life selflessly in the service of his people. Travel well Sir Lloyd and thanks for your lessons in the art of resilience. 

Michael Morrissey was a senior education advisor and author. He gained Master’s degrees in Caribbean Geography and Education at The University of the West Indies, later teaching at this institution for 25 years. He migrated to Jamaica in 1968 for his studies, obtaining an MSc in Geography and an MA in Education. He became a lecturer, and senior lecturer (1971-97) then was appointed as Hon. Consultant to the Vice Chancellor in 2003 and Honorary Professor in 2005 His prior published work focused on materials for Caribbean school students and readers on various facets of education. Mike was also a Consultant to most development banks (Inter-American Development Bank, Asian Development Bank, World Bank) and international organizations (UNESCO, UNICEF, ILO), and several donor organizations (USAID, UKAid).  He has published widely and is well known as a specialist in education sector development. He moved to Indonesia in 2006 and it was while on a long consultancy assignment in 2006 that his research on Asia Pacific-Caribbean links began. This eventually focused on Tahiti and Timor’s botanical contribution to the West Indian islands. One of his research interests was the East Indies/West Indies connection. Breadfruit was a main focus for him and he wrote Breadfruit Stories: A Tree's Journey from Tahiti to the West Indies, the 1760s to 1840s (2021). These thoroughly researched and historically accurate, entertaining, and insightful stories teach the history of this important superfood. He supported the work of the Trees that Feed Foundation. He also wrote the story for the award-winning film, Sweet Yellow Heart (2022) while completing his first work of non-fiction, Finnegan – a historical novel of Tahiti and Jamaica, inspired by a real-life character who accompanied Captain Bligh to Jamaica on his breadfruit mission in 1792. Mike was also the UWIAA South East Asia Contact and was delighted that his visit to The UWI coincided with the 75th Anniversary year of the institution on March 28, 2023. The Director of Alumni Relations for The UWI, Celia Davidson Francis notes that he reminisced with her about his time at the Mona Campus, was delighted to be back in Jamaica, and remained a proud alumnus.

 Dr. Doyle Slifer who was a retired Board Certified Clinical and Surgical Pathologist in the USA, was The UWI’s first foreign student in the Faculty of Medicine.  He said that the period from 1964 to 1968 turned out to be some of the best years of his life.  Today, Dr. Slifer is proud of The UWI’s high reputation and its rankings by the Times Higher Education. He was a very generous benefactor of The UWI Faculty of Medicine, donating a range of equipment to the laboratories, and sponsorships towards tuition and fees, consistently over 50 years. He made a US$250,000 donation to The UWI’s Global Giving campaign, joining in building a culture of philanthropy at the regional university in 2020. The gift was an initial investment towards the establishment of Dr. Doyle & Linda Slifer Endowment Fund, with the US$250,000 to exist in perpetuity and the investment income to be used to provide scholarships and bursaries to deserving medical students across the University’s five campuses. In thanking and commending him, The UWI Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles noted that “Dr. Slifer’s kindness and commitment to The UWI is deeply treasured particularly because he shares the University’s recognition that education is one of the most critical means to personal freedom and fulfillment, and contributing to nation and region building.” Dr. Slifer also reconfirmed his loyalty and indebtedness to the University and expressed his desire to extend The UWI legacy to deserving students by leaving an additional US$150,000 in his will for scholarships.

Dr Cecil Aird

Noted hand-specialist Dr Cecil Aird, operated the Carnegie Hand Institute and Surgery Centre, in Whittier Village in Rose Hall, St. James. He returned to Jamaica in 2015, to offer hand surgery skills to others, after 25 years in Tampa, where he pioneered that city’s first certified hand centre. The medical and training facility, operated by Dr Cecil Aird, was named in honour of one of Jamaica's top physicians and surgeons of the 20th century, Alfred Carnegie. A graduate of The UWI, Mona Aird, who was born in Westmoreland, was concerned about the lack of hand specialisation in the country. At the Carnegie Centre, he fixed a varied number of issues related to the wrist and reattaching amputated fingers by use of microsurgery. His expertise was endorsed by renowned attorney-at-law, Peter Champagnie, whose hand was almost severed by a pit-bull in 2014, who said Aird’s surgical skills saved him from deformity. Aird, spent the last 25 years in Tampa, Florida, pioneering that city's first certified hand centre. The former Cornwall College head boy and The University of the West Indies, Mona, graduate says one of his main reasons for returning to Jamaica was to pass on hand surgery skills to others. Aird noted that with three million people, there are six million hands however there was no hand specialist in the island. He fixed all problems related to the hands and wrist, including and not limited to reattaching amputated fingers by use of microsurgery. Aird replicated the successes he had overseas in Jamaica and helped patients at the Cornwall Regional Hospital and young doctors interested in the field. His centre treated chronic illnesses such as carpal tunnel syndrome, which affects persons who are constantly typing on their computers, in addition to degenerative diseases such as arthritis of the hands and wrists. Advancements in medicine and surgery allowed him to be able to fix a number of arthritic-type problems.

Dr. Karl Massiah, a Barbadian by birth, was an outstanding alumnus, an exceptional professional and leader in his field, and an unstinting advocate for The UWI. He entered the University College of the West Indies (later The UWI), in October 1959 and graduated from Mona in 1965. A leader in his class throughout their six years of arduous training, Karl excelled and was awarded The Junior Surgery Prize, The Chin Yee Prize in Surgery and graduated with Honours and The Gold Medal in Surgery, The Beckton Henderson & Dickinson Prize in Medicine and The Gold Medal in Pharmacology & Therapeutics. He was one of the first cohort of Jamaica-trained physicians to take the ground-breaking step of doing their internships in Barbados – an early move in the expansion of the UWI Faculty of Medicine. He then returned for a year of surgical training in neurosurgery and orthopedic surgery in Jamaica and later moved to Canada to specialize in orthopedics at the University of Toronto. He was appointed to the staff of the Etobicoke General Hospital, Toronto, as the founder and head of the orthopedic service. He was President of the Professional Association there and served in numerous capacities on its Board of Governors. When this hospital was amalgamated with others to form The William Osler Health System, Karl was again selected to be the Pioneer Chief of Orthopaedics and retired after 33 years of service. I met Karl first in 2005 when I became the Director of Alumni Relations. I was impressed by his love and loyalty to The UWI and will miss his valuable contributions. He continued to be involved as the Immediate Past President, and then as a Board Member of the UWIMAA Canadian Chapter and in fact was present at a Board Meeting two weeks before his passing. He was a great Pelican! Karl shared with me that one of his fondest memory of UCWI was meeting his future wife Pamela, a Guyanese student, at Mona, on Monday, October 5, 1959. Theirs is one of many romances that UWI spawned and they are a bona fide UWI couple, who proudly continue to celebrate their Caribbean roots, a fact about which his two daughters and grandchildren are justly proud. Karl's patriotism and passion for The UWI is legendary, and his seminal role in the creation of the Medical Alumni Association in 1988; and guidance as President and Board Member of the Canadian Chapter thereafter; - was the catalyst for all of its achievements, including the support of medical students in need, the sustainability of the secretariat in times of crisis, and the Medical Reunion Conferences themselves. His determination, leadership and vision have contributed greatly to the viability of the UWIMAA in the 35 years since its inception. This Chapter has bonded the UWI Canadian Diaspora/ Caribbean community, has given financial donations to the Faculty of Medicine, and has supported students and residents from UWI to pursue further training in Canada and then return to the Caribbean. In fact, Karl and Pamela hosted a UWI Medical Student one year, at very short notice, to enable her to take advantage of an international elective in Paediatric surgery at the Hospital for Sick Children also known as Sick Kids. His central role in establishing and fostering the success of the UWIMAA and its Canadian Chapter, bonding together the diaspora of UWI medical graduates in Canada, giving back to the Faculty of Medicine at UWI in many ways, and contributing to the specialty of Orthopedics in Toronto is legendary. He has been awarded both the Distinguished Medical Alumnus Award and the Vice Chancellor’s Award. His nomination was also supported by three distinguished UWI medical alumni: Chancellor Emeritus Sir George Alleyne, and Vice Chancellor Emeritus Professor E. Nigel Harris and Professor Emeritus Sir Henry Fraser. Based on his exemplary accomplishments, the UWI Chancellor, Robert Bermudez and the collective Chapters of the UWI Alumni Association, in celebration of The UWI’s 70th Anniversary, presented to Karl, the 2018 Pelican Award for excellence in orthopedics and service to the UWI Caribbean medical fraternity in Canada, and for representing the 1959-68 decade with distinction. Karl always sought to serve his University and believed in our “One UWI, One Alumni Family”, alumni relations mantra. On behalf of all his UWI Pelican colleagues, I extend heartfelt sympathy to his wife Pamela, his daughters, grandchildren, extended family, and his many colleagues and friends. Karl‘s passing has left a huge gap in the hearts of the Pelicans with whom he interacted and he will be remembered with love and admiration.

The life and legacy of Lloyd Stanford will long be recognized by The University of the West Indies. He was an outstanding alumnus and always worked to unite and engage fellow alumni from all five UWI campuses in the Ottawa area. I enjoyed working with him and will miss his astute observations and his valuable contributions to our alumni meetings. I can say with certainty that his commitment as the UWIAA Ottawa Contact was undeniable and evidenced by his over 17 years of involvement during which time he linked with UWI Pelicans of all ages in order to facilitate their UWI and Caribbean connections. In 1957, he gained an Honours Bachelor’s degree in French from the University College of the West Indies, when our university was still part of the University of London. He excelled academically and was also involved in literary society, acting, and debating; and did track and field, football, cricket, table tennis, and tennis at Mona. He was a proud Taylorite. I remember that he shared that one of his favorite UCWI memories was acting alongside Derek Walcott. Lloyd played Christophe in the UCWI production of “Henri Christophe” and Derek subsequently insisted on calling him Christophe, which became his campus nickname. Then he migrated to Canada and obtained a Master’s degree at Carleton University. He spent most of his adult life on the West Coast of Canada where he worked in the public service and founded Le Groupe Stanford Inc. a consulting firm specializing in, employment equity, multiculturalism, human resource, and international development. His fellow UWI Pelicans are proud that he was an advisor to Canadian Prime Ministers and Ministers of State on a range of social and cultural issues, including multiculturalism, justice, privacy, and human rights; and also led the establishment of the Canadian Human Rights Commission at the Department of Justice. His UWI colleagues also knew that he was the Co-founder and President of the Theatre Group Third World Players, founded in 1978 to stimulate interest in the cultural heritage of Third World immigrants, but which also spotlighted his talent in radio and theatre. Many tuned into his broadcasts. Lloyd never forgot his Caribbean roots and was a stalwart supporter of his Alma Mater: The UWI. He served as the UWI Alumni Association Contact in Ottawa since 2006 and was a generous benefactor to The UWI, establishing the C. Lloyd Stanford Fund from which the Elverine Melville Stanford and Armon Florizel Stanford bursaries were disbursed, (his parents’ names), as well as bursaries in the names of his exemplary teachers. He has also given to the Mona Campus and to the Open Campus, naming Antigua and Dominica as beneficiaries. Based on his outstanding accomplishments, on July 25, 2018, during the celebrations of The UWI’s 70th Anniversary, the UWI Chancellor, Robert Bermudez and the collective Chapters of the UWI Alumni Association presented Lloyd with the 2018 Pelican Award for excellence in the promotion of multiculturalism, equality, public service and representing the 1948-58 decade with distinction. Just recently, at the March 25, 2023, Central Executive Committee Meeting for UWIAA Presidents and Contacts which I host annually, I had the pleasure of presenting him with the UWIAA Contact Long Service Award. I established these Alumni Relations – IAD Awards to recognize and celebrate the UWIAA Chapters and individuals who excelled annually in terms of service to the UWI and in helping further build “One UWI, One Alumni Family.” And Lloyd certainly did!  Lloyd was admired and loved and his passing has left a huge gap in the hearts of the UWIAA Presidents and Contacts with whom he interacted. He will be greatly missed by them all, as well as by me. Lloyd always sought to serve his University and believed in our “One UWI, One Alumni Family” alumni relations mantra. It is because of alumni like Lloyd that The UWI is able to continue its mission of being an excellent global university, rooted in the Caribbean. On behalf of all his UWI Pelican colleagues, I extend heartfelt sympathy to his wife Anita, his children (Daniel, Marc-Andre, and Nathania) and grandchildren, his extended family, and his many colleagues and friends. We will remember him, especially on June 5, 2023 - what would have been his 90th birthday. There is no doubt that Lloyd Stanford will long be remembered by his UWI family.

Dr. George Edward Morris Husbands

Born in Bridgetown, Barbados in 1937, George Edward Morris Husbands, known as Morris, passed away on June 20, 2023, after a lengthy and heroic battle with cancer.

Morris enjoyed a distinguished career as a research chemist, spending over 30 years at Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories (now Pfizer) where he developed the first SNRI (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) -- Effexor (venlafaxine), which represented a significant advancement in the treatment of depression and created a new class of medication.

 After graduating from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica with a bachelor’s degree and Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, he was hired for a post-doctoral position at Iowa State University. From there he traveled to Wayne State University for a second post-doc. When a nursing student needed a chemistry tutor, he and a friend met her and her roommate for a burger. That roommate was Judith Lee Doyle, and they were married less than six months later on Valentine’s Day, 1969.

The newlyweds moved to Philadelphia where Morris started working at Wyeth. Their first child, Julian Morris, was born in 1971 and Jennifer Leigh was born in 1973. After Judy won their down payment on "The $10,000 Pyramid", they moved to Devon, Pennsylvania into a ranch-style home with a sprawling yard. A few years later, they moved to Berwyn, Pennsylvania, and then separated. Morris stayed in Berwyn and Julian and Jenn continued to attend schools in the Tredyffrin-Easttown School District.

As the primary caregiver, Morris balanced a demanding job with a significant commute while meeting the needs of two growing children. He became an empty-nester in 1991 when Jenn started college but stayed in the same home until he learned of his cancer diagnosis in 2021. Morris chose to move to Chicago to pursue treatment, moving into an apartment with a beautiful view of Lake Michigan, about three miles from Jenn’s house.

He received excellent oncology care from the University of Chicago and cardiac and primary care from Swedish Hospital. Although given six months to live when first diagnosed in September 2021, he of course overachieved and remained active and independent until April 2023, when his health finally began to decline. Morris made new friends and new memories during his time in Chicago, including two trips to his beloved home country of Barbados with family in 2022 and 2023.

He will be remembered for his kindness, his positive attitude, his impressive intellect, his love of jazz music and all Philadelphia sports teams, his devotion to his children, and, of course, his winning smile. Devoted father of Julian (Kerri) Husbands, M.D. and Jennifer (Michael Bennett) Husbands, Ph.D., proud grandfather ("Grandpa Mo") of Jamison and Kiley Husbands and Maya Bennett; dear cousin of Nicholas (Dionne) Timothy and children Keb and Kal. Adored friend of many.

Preceded in death by parents Muriel Hewitt Husbands and Julian Morris Husbands and spouse Judith Husbands.

Services are being planned. Please check back to this website for information as it becomes available. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation (https://uccrf.uchicago.edu/) in Morris' honor. 

Dr. Phylicia Ricketts joined the Department of Physics as a Lecturer in 2018 after having excelled as both an undergraduate and postgraduate student. She was a student-centered lecturer who taught at all levels. Her students recall her smile and the joy she brought to the classroom. She was also a brilliant researcher whose work focused on human exposure to essential, toxic, and radioactive elements from the environment. She became renowned for her work tackling the skin bleaching ‘pandemic’ in Jamaica which saw her contributing to the following media house articles:   Brown men’ wanted - Male 'bleachers outnumber females in Jamaica; Bleaching Warning and Bleaching cream alarm!.  Her research won her awards, including the Best Poster Award at the Women in Nuclear (WiN) 22nd Annual Global Conference held in Sydney, Australia, while still a graduate student, and a Canada-CARICOM Leadership Scholarship in 2015 which allowed her to spend time at McGill University pursuing collaborative research. She had a growing publication and citation record, with her last paper appearing in the highly ranked Environmental Science and Pollution Research journal in 2022, examining the health risks posed by inorganic elements in common consumer plastics.

Dr. Ricketts was an active member of staff who contributed to the overall strategic goals of the Department of Physics, particularly through the development of the BSc Biomedical Radiation Science and MSc Clinical Medical Physics programmes.

Dr. Rickett’s brilliance was recognized through several national awards including the Prime Minister’s Youth Award for Excellence in Innovation, Science and Technology in 2018 and the Science & Technology Xxtrordineers Award, 2022.

Outside of teaching and research, she played the clarinet in the UWI classical and Jazz wind ensemble.

Dr. Ricketts was an exemplary member of the Department of Physics and by extension, The FST. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family and loved ones during this difficult time. May her soul rest in eternal peace.

Follow the Faculty of Science and Technology on Instagram @uwimona_fst and on Facebook at @ The Faculty of Science and Technology, The UWI Mona. For enquiries, WhatsApp us at 1-876 552-4691, call us at 1-876-977-1785 or email us at fst@uwimona.edu.jm.

Dr. Keren Brathwaite

An alumna of The UWI Mona, Keren was a committed educator, co-founder of the groundbreaking Transitional Year Program at the University of Toronto, and renowned advocate for educational access and equity.  In recognition of her contributions, she has been honored with the City of Toronto Award of Merit, and the Distinguished Educator Award from OISE/UofT. In 2008, she was inducted as an Officer of the Most Distinguished Order of Merit of Antigua and Barbuda. In 2009, she was conferred an Honorary Doctorate by U of T, earning the title of Dr. Keren Brathwaite, Hon Doc.

Check out her obituary here https://newhavenfuneralcentre.com/tribute/details/1867/Keren-Brathwaite/obituary.html

and  watch a recap of her interview: https://youtu.be/GRi3asaxvpw

Dr. Henry Charles

The Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies (SALISES) acknowledges the profound legacy of Dr. Henry Charles, a trailblazer who during his lifetime was affectionately known as the “Godfather of Youth Work and Youth Development Studies”.  Dr. Charles was an influential advocate for youth. His contributions were key in shaping both regional and global youth policy-framing agendas. To celebrate his monumental legacy, SALISES held a virtual forum, entitled Empowering Peoples and Institutions – Youth Work, Youth Development on August 18, 2023.