An advisory board has been established by the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona campus to support the governance of the Mona Infrastructure Restoration Fund (MIRF)—what officials are calling a transformative initiative aimed at restoring and modernising the campus’s ageing infrastructure and equipment.

The board is co-chaired by Patrick Hylton, former president and CEO of the NCB Financial Group and Minna Israel, former banker and special advisor on resource and development to UWI Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Hilary Beckles.

The board brings together esteemed leaders, including former prime ministers  P.J. Patterson and Bruce Golding; Sir George Alleyne, former UWI chancellor; Patricia Francis, former executive director of the International Trade Centre and chair of the Jamaica International Financial Services Authority; Karen Jones, CEO of Net Impact; Joseph Matalon, chairman of the ICD Group of Companies; and Dr Adrian Stokes, CEO of Quantas Capital.

Serving as ex-officio members are senior UWI officials Professor Densil Williams, UWI principal; Dr Donovan Stanberry, campus registrar; Catherine Parks Thwaites, bursar; and Peter Glegg, legal officer.

Support for the advisory board is being coordinated by the MIRF Campaign Secretariat, led by the Office of the Campus Principal in collaboration with the Alumni Relations and Institutional Advancement Division of the Mona campus. The secretariat will be responsible for tracking campaign milestones and outcomes.

At the inaugural board meeting at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, Professor Williams expressed his gratitude to members for accepting the call to serve and emphasised the urgent need to revitalise the ageing infrastructure at the Mona campus. He noted that many of the university’s core facilities, including lecture theatres, are more than 40 years old and have long surpassed their useful life.

With UWI now ranked in the top five per cent of universities globally, Professor Williams stressed the importance of aligning the campus’s physical environment with its academic standing.

“We must create a world-class environment that can attract the brightest minds from Jamaica and abroad, and position the campus to compete with infrastructure at the world’s leading universities,” he said.

Board members voiced strong support for the initiative and expressed pride in contributing to the creation of a modern campus that will produce the skilled human capital essential for Jamaica’s continued growth and transformation.

In the coming weeks, the university and the advisory board will unveil opportunities for alumni, philanthropists, foundations, corporate partners, global donors and citizens both in Jamaica and across the diaspora to support this vital national cause.