Campus News

9th Annual George Simmons Lecture Series

The 9^th Annual Public Lecture Series of the George Carlington Simmons Book Collection located at the University of the Southern Caribbean, took place on Monday, November 21, 2011, at the Calypso Lounge of the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

The theme for this year’s lecture was, “The Seed of Discontent: The Personal Distribution of Income.” Present at the event were the Honorable Fazal Karim; Professor Ramesh Deosoran, Chairman of the Police Service Commission; Her Excellency Eugenia Maria Marcano Casado; newly elected President of USC, Dr. Clinton Valley, and many faculty and staff members of the University.

The event this year was held under the distinguished patronage of the Honorable Kamla Persad – Bissessar who due to extenuating circumstances could not attended, but was well represented by the Honourable Fazal Karim, Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education.

“People ask me, ‘What is the point of the collection’?” said Dr. Simmons in his address to the attendees. “The point is for people to…stand in awe of the thing that is called a book.” He continued by speaking to the historical significance and the value of a book, especially one such as the Codex Sinaiticus, which currently forms part of the collection. The collection aims to disseminate and promote the pursuit of knowledge, thereby nurturing an ethos, which stimulates the intellect and ennobles the spirit.

This year’s discussion focused on the area of economics. Dr. Mickey L. Burnim, President of Bowie State University gave the Feature Address. He began by highlighting that “Our world today is characterized by much disharmony…much discontent noticed in our world today has a foundation in Personal Distribution of Income.” Societies today are focusing on the redistribution of income downwards, that is, taking from the rich and giving to the poor and so, this is much cause for our seed of discontent. Major outpourings in Greece, Madrid, Lisbon, London, California, and Manhattan all show the seed of discontent that has been planted as a result of PDI.

He made four recommendations for dealing with the problem of PDI that the world now faces.

· Providing better quality education for the poor

· Finding ways to use technology that will enhance the skills of people in the 90th percentile of the wage distribution

· Emphasizing science and technology as that are what will spur creativity

· Encouraging entrepreneurship

In the spirit of academic scholarship, Professor Patrick Watson gave his response to Dr. Burnim’s presentation. He mentioned that while in agreement that income inequality is a problem, his belief that is that PDI is part of a more fundamental problem which may be the Capitalist system. Quoting many scholars and magazines in the area of economics, Prof. Watson made his point. He agreed with the recommendations given by Burnim because they can bring relief to the poor and destitute, however he does not believe that they will assure greater equality in distribution of incomes.

More discussion was held on the topic through a question and answer segment facilitated by the presenters and other members of the panel. Copies of the Lecture will be available at next year’s 10^th lecture series.

 

Charlie Ann St. Cyr
stcyrc@usc.edu.tt