Statement from the Principal of The UWI Five Islands Campus: “Standing Together in Grief, Action, and Love”

Ladies and gentlemen, members of our Five Islands community, my heart is heavy today as I stand before you, not as an academic, not as an administrator, but as a parent, a neighbour, and a Caribbean soul deeply wounded by this unspeakable tragedy.
We are gathered in the shadow of immense sorrow, mourning the brutal and senseless loss of an innocent child—one of our own. A young girl, full of promise, laughter, and dreams, was taken from us in an act so cruel that words cannot capture the depth of our anguish. The Five Islands Primary School, our neighbour, a place of learning and joy, now bears the weight of this profound tragedy. Our entire community feels the pain, the outrage, the grief.
But we must not let this heartbreak paralyze us. We must channel our sorrow into action, our anger into protection, and our love into change.

A Call to Action
1.⁠ ⁠Supporting the Family – No family should have to endure this kind of loss alone. The UWI Five Islands Campus stands in full solidarity with the grieving family. We commit to providing support, whether through counselling, financial assistance, or simply standing by them in their darkest hour. I urge each of you—our faculty, students, and the wider community—to do the same. Let us be their strength when theirs is gone.

2.⁠ ⁠Ensuring the Safety of Our Children – This cannot, must not, happen again. We must demand stronger protections for our children. We need enhanced security measures in our schools and communities. We need educational programs that teach our children how to recognize danger and seek help. We need every adult—every parent, every teacher, every neighbour—to be vigilant, to be aware, to be a protector.

3.⁠ ⁠Justice and Accountability – We must insist on swift and firm action from law enforcement. The perpetrators of this horrific crime must face the full weight of justice. At the same time, we must look beyond punishment and ask ourselves: What more can we do? How can we, as a society, prevent this from happening to another child?

Standing Together
There is an old Caribbean saying: “One, one cocoa full basket.” This means that when we each do our part, together, we can create something powerful. Today, I call on all of us to do our part—to support this grieving family, to demand a safer community, and to promise, from the depths of our hearts, that we will not allow another innocent child to be stolen from us.
Let us turn this pain into purpose. Let us honour this young soul not just with our tears, but with our actions.

May she rest in peace. May we rise in resolve. And may we, together, ensure that our children can live without fear, grow without harm, and dream without limits.
Thank you.