Minister of Public Administration Allyson West said the government of TT did not support the reappointment of Prof Sir Hilary Beckles as vice-chancellor of UWI when his term expired on July 31.

She was responding to questions in the Senate from Opposition Senator Wade Mark on Monday.

West said there was a government representative on the University Council, which was part of the approval process for the reappointment of the vice-chancellor. She said, as per UWI statutes, a joint committee of council and its senate reviewed the performance of the vice-chancellor and presented its findings to the council, but did not reach a consensus on its recommendations about his appointment.

“The government considered a number of reports, in particular the 360 assessment of the vice-chancellor, the vice-chancellor’s self-assessment, the attained report of 2016, the report from the chancellor’s commission on governance, and recommendations of the joint committee.

"The government noted that the financial position of the university over the years had been renewed and while the government was heartened by the university’s efforts regarding its reputation, the deficit position of the university remained a cause of great concern.

"Having regard to the need of the role of the vice-chancellor to have a transformative and new outlook in the approach to the business of education, the government did not support the reappointment of the vice-chancellor. We were concerned, and remain extremely concerned, about the financial affairs, and it is for that reason we did not support the reappointment of the vice-chancellor.”

She said the government was not made aware of any breach of established procedures for the renewal of the reappointment of the vice-chancellor. She said TT had appropriate representation on the University Council, as one of 17 contributing countries

Speaking about the renewal of the appointment of UWI St Augustine principal Prof Brian Copeland, West said the government recommended that his contract be renewed for a further two years.

“In light of the effects of the global pandemic on the country, a change in the leadership of the campus was not deemed to be in the best interest of the students or staff of the campus or the government of TT at this time.

"The tenure of the current principal was reviewed, along with the financial position of the campus, and it was found that his stewardship of the campus, the reduction of the budgets of the campus over the last four years, and the demonstrated thrust of the campus into entrepreneurship and innovation provided evidence to support the continuation of his tenure.”

She said after significant deliberations at the meeting of the University Council on April 30, the council agreed that Copeland should be offered a one-year contract, with the possibility of renewal for another year.

West said the government did not halt interviews to fill the position of principal of the St Augustine campus.

She explained that under UWI's statutes and ordinances 2012, a campus p