The University of the West Indies, Vice-Chancellery. 31 October 2016 – Gillian M.S. Bristol, former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Grenada to the United States of America, has been appointed Director of The University of the West Indies’ Latin American Caribbean Centre (LACC), effective August 1st 2016.
A university-wide initiative, The LACC, which develops programmes to facilitate closer integration and cultural and academic exchange between agencies in Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe has existed since 1993. Ambassador Bristol brings to the Centre strong diplomatic and advocacy skills and sharp political acumen honed over her 20 years’ experience working in a multilateral environment. As head of the LACC she also sits within the newly established Office for Global Affairs at the University of the West Indies, Regional Headquarters at Mona, Jamaica.
A national of Grenada, Ambassador Bristol is an alumna of the St Joseph’s Convent High School in both Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago, The UWI and Tufts University. She obtained honours degrees from The UWI; a BA (Cave Hill), majoring in Spanish and an LLB (Mona) in 1985 and 1988 respectively. She also holds a Master of Arts in Global Affairs from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University, Boston, USA awarded in 2013.
In 2009, Ms. Bristol was appointed as Ambassador of Grenada, non-resident Ambassador to Mexico, and Permanent Representative of Grenada to the OAS. She headed the Grenada Mission in Washington D.C. and was responsible for all bilateral, multilateral and consular matters, including having oversight of the Grenada Consulate in New York. She was also charged with fostering closer relations between Grenada and Grenadians in the diaspora throughout the United States.
From 2009 to 2013, Ambassador Bristol served in several high-level positions at the OAS.She was appointed Chair and Vice-Chair of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (March 2010 to March 2012); President of the Retirement and Pension Fund Committee representing the OAS Member States (2009 to 2013); and from January to June 2011; Chair of the OAS Permanent Council, Coordinator for the Caucus of CARICOM Ambassadors in Washington, DC, Chair of the OAS General Assembly Preparatory Committee, Chair of the OAS General Assembly. As Chair of the OAS Permanent Council she was instrumental to the success of multilateral diplomatic negotiations leading to Honduras’ reinstatement in the OAS.
Ambassador Bristol also holds a number of professional affiliations, which include membership in Scotiabank Grenada’s ‘Together We Care Campaign’ to eradicate HIV/AIDS; the Directorship of the Grenada AIDS Care Foundation (GRACF), as well as Lifetime membership of the Founders Club of Music and Beyond, a non-profit organisation to promote Grenadian musicians.
At the Latin American Caribbean Centre, Ambassador Bristol replaces Mrs Annette Insanally who demitted office officially on September 30th 2016.
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Ambassador Gillian M.S. Bristol, Director of The UWI Latin American Caribbean Centre
About the Latin American Caribbean Centre (LACC)
LACC is a university-wide initiative which develops programmes involving all four UWI campuses and non-campus CARICOM territories.
Founded in 1993 with the endorsement of the Rio Group, and borne out of the vision of a more integrated region, LACC’s mission is to build bridges of understanding and cooperation between Latin America and Caribbean countries in order to span the spatial, linguistic, and historical divides which have traditionally separated our peoples. In this spirit, LACC has participated actively in the integration movement in the region with the support of governments, institutions and agencies in Latin America, the Caribbean and Europe. The Centre’s areas of operation encompass a range of collaborative activities designed to maximise opportunities for cultural and academic exchange, such as language training programmes, exchange programmes, seminars on intra-regional migration and other topics, cultural events, publications, and more.
About The UWI
Since its inception in 1948, The University of the West Indies (UWI) has evolved from a fledgling college in Jamaica with 33 students to a fully-fledged, regional University with over 50,000 students. Today, The UWI is the largest, most longstanding higher education provider in the Commonwealth Caribbean, with three physical campuses in Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and an Open Campus. The UWI serves 17 English-speaking countries and territories in the Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, The British Virgin Islands, The Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Turks and Caicos. The UWI’s faculty and students come from more than 40 countries and The University has collaborative links with 160 universities globally; it offers undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology and Social Sciences. The UWI’s seven priority focal areas are linked closely to the priorities identified by CARICOM and take into account such over-arching areas of concern to the region as environmental issues, health and wellness, gender equity and the critical importance of innovation.
Website: www.uwi.edu
