USVI Public Records

Document text

dateline: UVI The monthly newsletter of The University of the Virgin Islands September 25, 2003 vol ix, number 9 The tragic events of September 11 were re- membered at the Univer- sity of the Virgin Islands with thought-provoking discussion at a forum titled “The Day the World Changed: 9/11 in Perspec- tive.” “All of us are af- fected, if not directly, in- directly by the conse- quences of 9/11,” Dr. Patricia Rhymer Todman said, as she spoke about the socio-psychological impact of the events. “When terrorists strike, the way we perceive the world is changed.” Dr. Malik Sekou described the attacks as “one of the Events Calendar greatest tragedies in modern his- tory.” Sekou, however, expressed his displeasure with the United States’ response, saying that President George W. Bush’s ad- ministration is “using this tragedy to engage in a broad, dangerous foreign policy.” He continued by saying that something is wrong with the U.S.-waged war on ter- rorism when, after invading Af- ghanistan and Iraq, the alleged ter- rorism masterminds Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein have never been found, nor have any weapons of mass destruction. “War on terrorism is an open-ended war,” Sekou said. Denying that Al Qaeda was sophisticated enough to carry out the September 11th attacks, Dr. Sekou contended that there is a much deeper plot behind what happened on September 11th than we know. Police Commissioner Elton Lewis said no country, nation or territory is too small to participate in the fight against ter- rorism. Because the aftereffects of terrorist acts in the west- ern hemisphere can have a negative effect on the economies of Caribbean nations, Lewis said that those nations are active in the fight against terrorism. Regional nations must be aware of enemies, and increase security to protect the tourism and agriculture industries, he said. The University of the Virgin Islands has teamed up with Banco Popular to allow easier access to cash by installing a new automated teller machine (ATM) on the St. Thomas campus. The drive-thru ATM is located at Penha House (Security) and is available 24 hours a day. An official ribbon cutting cer- emony will be held on October 2. The machine does not accept deposits. UVI Discusses the Aftereffects of Sept. 11 at Forum See 9/11 on the next page (From left to right) Dr. Patricia Rhymer Todman, Dr. Malik Sekou and Dr. Gilbert Sprauve at the September 11th forum on the St. Thomas campus. Dr. Simon Jones-Hendrickson and Police Com- missioner Elton Lewis spoke from the St. Croix campus. The fo- rum was video conferenced between the campuses. Sept. 25 Student Debate STT Sept. 25 AES Open House STX Sept. 25-26 Alumni Phonathon STT Sept. 25-26 Movie Series STX Sept. 28 Research Symposium STT Sept. 28 Basketball Challenge STT dateline:UVI 2 John Brewer’s Bay St. Thomas, VI 00802 GET CONNECTED TO UVI news, activities and accomplishments at . . . www.uvi.edu dateline:UVI is a production of the UVI Public Relations Office. Contact us by telephone at (340) 693-1056 FAX: (340) 693-1055 GET CONNECTED TO UVI news, activities and accomplishments at . . . www.uvi.edu “We must be able to control our borders,” Lewis said, adding that new funding will create a “border patrol” unit for the Virgin Islands similar to those that protect the U.S./Mexico border. The key to preventing future terrorist acts, he said, is commitment and collaboration. While most presenters focused on the September 11th of two years ago, presenter Dr. Gilbert Sprauve recalled the Sep- tember 11th of 30 years ago when US-backed rebels over- threw the democratic government in Chile, which led to the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Dr. Sprauve related a matter that disturbed him greatly. His grandchildren on St. Croix came home with school books that listed the Bill of Rights but added “the right to attack those who might threaten it.” Dr. Sprauve said that that “eye for an eye” philosophy will not solve anything. Those and other incidents have made him uncertain about the “innocence” the U.S. claims to have. Quoting former U.S. Senator Barry Goldwater, Sprauve lamented the mindset that, “extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice.” According to presenter Dr. Simon Jones-Hendrickson, “all of us live on earth where we have to be interdependent.” The thinking of the masses must change, he said, to avoid further terrorist attacks. The forum was video conferenced between the St. Croix and St. Thomas campuses. 9/11 Continued Student Clubs Rally for Membership at St. Thomas Activities Fair (From left to right) Daryl Pierre-Louis represents four clubs - the Softball Club, Cricket Club, Dominica Association and St. Lucia Association - at the Activities Fair. Humanities Professor and Debate Society Advisor Gene Emanuel, recognizing debators when he sees them, encourages a student to join the Debate Society. Khalilah Gordon, a Peer Health Educator, speaks to a student about the club.