Government Refutes Claims of Vincentian Students Locked Out of UWI Campuses 

By Val Matthias. Updated 8:18 p.m., Friday, March 20, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4). 

Minister of Higher Education, Grenadines Affairs, Airports and Seaports, Hon. Terrance Ollivierre, has dismissed recent claims that Vincentian students have been denied access to classes at the University of the West Indies (UWI) campuses.  

Speaking to the Agency for Public Information (API) on the matter, Minister Ollivierre said that payments have already been made at UWI Cave Hill and Mona campuses, while arrangements at St. Augustine are currently being finalized.  

“It is absolutely not true. There is no truth in the matter that Vincentian students have been locked out of classes,” the Minister stated.  

He emphasized that consultations with UWI officials and students across Jamaica, Trinidad, and Barbados revealed no evidence of such disruptions.

“We spoke to persons in Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados, all the campuses, and even the students are perplexed and asking what is happening,” Ollivierre explained.  

The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting higher education and ensuring students’ success.  

“We value our students highly. We will do all within our powers to make sure they are successful in their studies. Higher education is an important aspect of the development of this country,” he said.  

In 2025, then Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves publicly rejected reports that students were barred from exams due to unpaid fees, confirming that the Chief Personnel Officer had processed all payments for Cave Hill, Mona, and the Global Campus in St. Vincent.  

More recently, opposition figures have alleged delays in scholarship funding and suggested that students were being “locked out” of classrooms and exams. Minister Ollivierre’s statement directly counters those claims, aligning with UWI officials who have confirmed that students remain enrolled and active across campuses.  

The government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring Vincentian students’ uninterrupted access to higher education at UWI. While opposition voices continue to raise concerns about funding delays, Minister Ollivierre insists that payments are being made and that students are not facing barriers to their studies.  

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