THE EDITOR, Sir:
WHILE I do not share the views of those who refer to the University of the West Indies as an intellectual ghetto, I must confess that the university faculties consisting of what is considered some of the finest minds in our country have not contributed meaningfully to our nation-building with the exception of teaching.
Faculty members are always ready to blame politicians for the political divide and all sorts of assorted wrongdoings; businessmen, as greedy rip-off artists who think only of profits etc. However, they are seldom ready to propose solutions.
Recent comments by Professor Errol Miller in his Grace Kennedy Foundation 2001 lecture is an example of what comes out of the University, a lot of criticisms and no solutions.
First I would like to ask the Professor how he arrived at the fact that there were no good old days? Of course there were good old days and hopefully there always will be good old days. I emphatically agree with Martin Henry's comment, on the Professor's good old days and here I quote, "I think the professor's evaluation is excessively negative and one-sided."
Space does not permit me to comment on the seven points raised by the professor in his lecture. However, it would have been good to have some recommendations from the professor as to how we move forward, in order to create what he would consider good old days so that future generations will have the opportunity to make reference to the good old days without controversy.
History should not be ignored, but should never dictate our future.
I am, etc.,
DERRICK HAMILTON
Lyssons, St. Thomas
