FORMER education minister Dr Nyan Gadsby-Dolly expressed concern that Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's annoyance at the University of the West Indies (UWI) for allegedly neglecting the Debe campus could cause upset in the region.

She spoke at a briefing hosted by Opposition Leader Pennelope Beckles in a room in the Red House, Port of Spain, after the ceremonial opening of Parliament on May 23.

The day before at her own briefing at the Red House, the PM had told the UWI administration to not interfere with the government's plans for a law faculty at Debe, warning, "Don't test me!"

Alleging malice and ill-will had kept the campus shut, she claimed as a result thousands of youngsters have been deprived of an education.

Gadsby-Dolly said, "I think it is quite an unfortunate development that so early in the term we have what seems to be a direct defiance of UWI to what was probably perceived as politicking."

She said UWI was in use in the covid19 period and UWI has been making strides based on talks at the level of its council to institute a Global School of Medicine at the Debe campus.

"Those discussions were ongoing but there were things that had to be worked out still with regards to that."

Apparently referring to the PM, she said, "It is unfortunate because we always maintain as a nation a very collaborative relationship with UWI and the council, the chancellor and the vice chancellor, and so on, so that we get a most synergistic relationship.

"So at this point I would describe the situation as quite unfortunate. I don't think it would redound to the benefit of our country nor UWI if that type of antagonism continues."

She said she was looking forward to Minister of Tertiary Education Prakash Persad getting involved and trying to come to some common understanding of how to move forward in this matter.

"It really is not a good place for us to be regionally, because as I say the campus – yes it is located here – but UWI is regional and we want to maintain that type of diplomacy, that we always enjoyed with the university." Replying to a question, she said the campus was used by the ministry of health during the covid19 period.

Asked if the government could take over the campus, she said, "We will have to go back to understand where the actual funding came from and what was the contractual arrangement.

"That is something that will have to be discussed and the legal document around that campus."

UWI, St Augustine, principal Rose Marie Belle Antoine, later at the function to mark the ceremonial opening of Parliament, spoke to reporters.

She said, "All I would say is that the university, the UWI, continues to collaborate with the government, as we always do, for the benefit of the country, for our development.

"That is our aim, that is our goal, moving forward."

Asked if the campus would be for law or medicine, she said, "We are in discussions. We are talking. There are meetings that will be happening.

"We went to Debe in the spirit of collaboration and we will continue with that