Pelican Awardees - Dr. Patricia G. Turnbull and Dr. Domnick Frazer with H.E. Dr. June Soomer, UWIAA Interim Chair, Mrs. Desiree Flanders-Harrigan and UWI Open Campus BVI Staff. Photo: Provided

The Awards were presented to the two outstanding UWI Alumni on December 16, 2021, at a special ceremony hosted by the UWIAA BVI Chapter and The UWI Open Campus BVI.

The Pelican Award is the highest honour that a UWIAA Chapter may bestow on a Graduate of the University. It is conferred on Alumni who have excelled in their chosen fields and have had major positive national, regional or international impact.

A Pelican Awardee is considered to be a role model for The UWI population globally and in particular for the current cohort of students, who are themselves, future alumni. 

Dr Turnbull, who matriculated at The UWI Cave Hill 50 years ago this year, received the award for professional excellence and outstanding contributions to Education. The accomplished Educator, Writer and Researcher in Cultural Studies is a published Author and Poet. She is a founding faculty member and former Principal Lecturer at HLSCC.

Her cultural work spans over forty years of service, support, and collaboration with diverse government agencies, private businesses, NGOs, schools, and individual artists in the planning and production of a range of creative projects including the formulation of a BVI cultural policy; facilitating local history workshops and awards; delivering readings, lectures and presentations on cultural and creative imperatives; consultation and judging of writing contests, calypso competitions, and festival parades; editing and promoting local publications, and mounting book exhibitions at home and abroad.

Dr Frazer completed his studies in Medicine and Surgery at The UWI Mona Campus in 2005 and was awarded for his professional excellence and outstanding contributions to the field of Medicine. He currently serves as Emergency Room Operations Supervisor, Clinical Lead for the HIV Clinic and has the distinction of being the first Medical Director of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in the Territory.

He is the current Chairman of the BVI Medical and Dental Council and also serves on several other committees at the BVI Health Services Authority. He is noted for his work in HIV and infectious diseases, especially during the pandemic.

A Certified Assessor for Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians, Dr Frazer is also a Certified Advanced Cardiac Life Support Instructor with the American College of Surgeons and was instrumental in the development of and delivery of the programme for the local training of Advanced EMTs in collaboration with the HLSCC and the Caribbean Association of Fire Chiefs.

The Awards were presented by the Interim President of The UWI Alumni Association BVI Chapter, Mrs Desiree Flanders-Harrigan and Chair of The UWI Open Campus Council, Her Excellency, Dr June Soomer.  

Dr Soomer, who is currently in the BVI on assignment for the UN/ECLAC, was recently elected by the United Nations General Assembly as one of five independent expert members of the UN Forum of People of African Descent. In congratulating the Awardees, she highlighted the importance of loyalty and the power of the collective, indicating that throughout her career The UWI has been at the forefront, opening doors.  

Noting that she also grew up in the BVI, Dr Soomer urged UWI Graduates in the BVI to step forward to contribute to the Association, as this country has a large number of outstanding UWI Alumni, she said.

Manager of The UWI Open Campus British Overseas Territories (BOTS), Dr Phyllis Fleming-Banks has also applauded Dr Turnbull and Dr Frazer on their awards.

“We are proud of your achievements and your national, regional, and international contributions,” she said.  According to Dr Fleming-Banks, the BVI continues to lead the way in recognition of Alumni in the BOTS.

The BVI had the distinction of receiving three of the ten UWIAA regional Pelican Awards from The Open Campus during the University’s 70th-anniversary celebrations in 2018: Dr Heskith Vanterpool and Queen’s Counsels, Dancia Penn and Gerard Farara were presented with the commemorative Pelican Awards by The UWI Chancellor during a special ceremony in St. Lucia in October 2018.