New UGBC Director outlines plans for campus

Jun 30, 2014 News

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By Leon Suseran
A new Director and Assistant Director have been appointed at the University of Guyana Berbice Campus (UGBC).
Dr. Subramaniam Gomathinayagam and his Assistant Director, Ms. Jacqueline Murray have outlined their plans and vision for the tertiary facility.  In their first interview with the media since assuming office in May of this year, the duo, who plans to take the Berbice Campus, with an approximate enrolment of 650, to new heights outlined their vision for the campus.

“The challenge is to cope with all the negative publicity we have been getting recently. We have been accused of being under qualified, when that is not so.”
She noted that 23 out of the 28 lecturers on staff have Master’s Degrees, while three of the five remaining are currently pursuing post- graduate studies. “So when we hear in the media that we are under qualified, it kinds of make us feel sad, and we know that our institution—if we don’t do something about it, it will affect us negatively.”
Murray would like Berbicians and Guyanese as a whole to know that “we are quite capable people here and we have the skills—we have people who have experience in education—not only Master’s Degrees…we have internal workshops that we keep and there are people clamoring every day at the Berbice Campus to go to professional development programmes.”
The Assistant Director said that the staff at UGBC does not lack ambition. “We may from time to time have troubles in terms of money—but like any institution, like any home, finance is something we have to manage and we are managing with whatever we have at this point in time.”
The Programmes being offered at the campus are growing, in that two new degree programmes will commence shortly, with the Bachelor of Social Work Degree already in progress and the Degree in Biology to come on stream in September. Additionally, four online programmes have also come on stream: Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Math & Physics, and Environment. They are working towards bringing the online Degree programme in Chemistry too.
“We would really like to have the support of the public, because we know for any institution to grow, there has to be a partnership with the institution and the private sector. We are reliant on the goodwill of people if we are to survive and we are here to serve them as a matter of fact, and if we can’t speak to them, we will not know what they need.”
She noted that it’s their vision to continue to develop the campus to one where they can be acclaimed internationally as a campus that can stand alongside any other. “We have students, when they leave here, they go to other institutions of higher education and they do extremely well—a student who did the Diploma in Accounts and that student was admitted to Harvard [University].”
“We just want to let persons know that when they come here, they will get nothing but the best.”
Ms. Murray has a Bachelor of Education Degree as well as two Master’s Degrees: in Finance, Accounting and Management and a Master of Education Degree. She is currently reading for her Doctorate in Business Administration.
She related that UGBC has a very good relationship with the Turkeyen Campus. The campus also has a 10- member Advisory Committee that will govern its internal affairs, “to charter a vision for the campus with private sector input.”
Current members include Mrs. Avia Lindie, Mr. Leekah Rambrich, Mr. Alex Foster, Mrs. Maureen Bynoe, as well as the UGBC Director and members of the community.
“We want to get the public to look at us differently—in a very good way! It is important to get the input of the private sector. Universities world over link with the private sector, not only for funding…”
Dr. Gomes, an Indian national, has been working at UGBC since 2005. “I am very happy to act as the Director…my staff are very cooperative, including my Assistant Director.” He said that it is a good opportunity to “develop the Berbice campus.” He has a Master’s Degree as well as a Doctorate in Plant and Soil Biology and has done extensive work in Plant and Soil Microbiology in India.
Currently, research is being done on mushrooms and DNA from Plant Pathogens. Soil testing is also being done to cure various plant diseases including rice and cash crop diseases.  The campus is collaborating with the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s Albion Estate as well to do other research. “I love to serve the community in terms of lecturer and Director,” he added.
Administrative Officer of UGBC, Mr. David Cort revealed that the campus’s Annual Reading Programme will commence on July 14. This year, Grades 5 and 6 students of the McGowan Primary School will be the beneficiaries. A network meeting with the private sector through the combined Chambers of Commerce is also in the planning.
It should be noted that the Cari-Science Conference, General Meeting and Symposium a mega- Science meeting of all Caribbean countries will be held from August 28-29, 2014 at UGBC, where over 25 member states will participate.

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