On 21 June, a ceremony for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the UWI-CERMES and Harris Paints and Robert L. Jones took place at the Jacqueline Wade Conference Room, Hilary McDonald Beckles Administration Complex on the Cave Hill Campus. The official signing was the culmination of months of discussion between the two entities. 

Ms. Neetha Selliah, CERMES Programme Coordinator, was instrumental in securing the annual grant valued at USD 20,000 for the next five years to assist research in and improve access to postgraduate training at the MSc and PhD levels in environmental resilience and sustainability. Harris Paints Group of Companies, Chairman and President, Mr. Robert Jones, and Product and Trade Marketing Manager, Ms. Tracy Johnson, initiated the discussions with UWI-CERMES in 2022 during the company's 50th anniversary celebrations. An indigeneous Barbadian company, Harris Paints, is the leading paint manufacturer and industrial paint company in the Caribbean. Embracing the company's philosophy of giving back to its Caribbean communities, the idea of contributing to education in sustainable development and resiliency aligned perfectly with the mission of CERMES to make a significant contribution to sustainable development in the Caribbean region. The MOU was the next natural step.  At the signing, CERMES Director, Dr. David Yawson, commended Harris Paints and Mr. Robert Jones for choosing to finance education  to support environmental sustainability efforts in the region. CERMES thanks Harris Paints for its generous support and looks forward to a lasting partnership with another Caribbean giant.



L to R: Harris Paints Group of Companies Chairman and President, Robert L. Jones, Chief Executive Officer, Ian Kenyon, and Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the UWI Cave Hill Campus, Prof. Clive Landis, sign MOU agreement. Photo credit: UWI