The University of the West Indies (UWI) Global Campus will formally confer an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree on distinguished Saint Lucian agronomist, educator, researcher and statesman Sir Calixte George during its Class of 2025 Virtual Graduation Ceremony on Saturday, January 10.
The honour recognises his “exceptional contributions” to science, public service, and regional development.
Originally scheduled for November 2025 but postponed due to Hurricane Melissa, the ceremony will celebrate graduands across the region, even as some in Jamaica continue recovery efforts.
Sir Calixte’s career spans more than six decades of service. A pioneering graduate of UWI St Augustine, he advanced agricultural research and farmer training across the Windward Islands, later leading the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and modernising the banana industry through WIBDECO.
His advocacy extended to workers’ rights, securing historic gains for civil servants, and to governance, where he served as Senate President, Leader of Government Business, and Minister across multiple portfolios. He also spearheaded telecommunications liberalisation in the OECS and was first chair of the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL).
Knighted as a Commander of the Order of Saint Lucia, Sir Calixte continues to contribute through writing and mentorship. Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of The UWI Global Campus Dr Francis O. Severin hailed him as “an authentic Eastern and Pan-Caribbean public servant” whose life exemplifies selflessness and service.
Congratulations Sir Calixte..well deserved.