THE RECEPTION hall at Kings House took on an air of effortless intellectualism when the Mico International Journal was officially launched in Jamaica by Governor-General, the Most Honourable Sir Howard Cooke recently.
The Journal, a potent collection of essays contributed by Miconians on educational and contemporary themes, was printed and published in Vancouver, Canada with the assistance and input of alumni as far afield as New York.
Sir Howard, himself a distinguished Miconian, who launched the publication, expressed pride at the contribution to the social development of Jamaica, made by graduates from his alma mater. He commented on the excellence demonstrated at the institution and declared himself anxious for Mico to take its rightful place among Jamaica's institutions of learning.
The Journal was edited by Professor Vincent Doyley, on whose behalf Dr. Ashley Smith, Honorary Jamaican Consul to Vancouver, made a presentation. Professor Doyley's presentation chronicled the Journal from concept to reality and declared that Volume Two of the publication was already being considered, with themes already identified and essays being accepted for a December 2003 deadline.
DISCOURSE
The informal gathering for the launch lent itself to lively discourse on the contribution of Mico to national development and the future, as regards the functions of the College. Dr. Smith, in noting the imminent establishment of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), commented that a need would emerge for much more foreign language training among the Jamaican population. He suggested that Mico could become what he designated 'the epicentre for language immersion', to deal with the expected challenges of language on the opening up of our borders under globalisation.
The idea was endorsed by Hon. Delano Franklyn, Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said that there was now a need to begin engaging the population in the dynamics of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) and the FTAA, not only with information, but also giving on awareness of the concepts and challenges of the new trade systems.
To reinforce the ideas, Dr. Packer, the Principal of Mico, informed the gathering that plans were well advanced for the institution to become a university college, having for some time now been engaging in collaborative programmes with the University of the West Indies.
Among those who participated in the launch of the Mico International Journal were Dr. Neville Ying, Chairman, Mico Foundation; Mr. Karl James, Board of Chairman; Mrs. Kay Anderson, Vice-Principal, Academic Affairs; Mr. Burchell Duhaney, Vice-Principal, Administration; Dr. Burnett Burton, President, Mico Old Students Association; and Mr. Walter Subadan.
