The Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education is holding a Stakeholder Consultation on Securing and Expanding the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses (GATE) Programme. We are asked to select student representatives to represent the Lok Jack GSB and deliver a 10 minute presentation on the following topics:

1. a Strategic Working Life
Accountability in
Institutions
Stakeholder Consultation on Securing and Expanding the GATE Programme
L A WilliamsEnterprises
11/22/2011

2. Abstract
The Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education is holding a Stakeholder
Consultation on Securing and Expanding the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses
(GATE) Programme. We are asked to select student representatives to represent the Lok
Jack GSB and deliver a 10 minute presentation on the following topics:
Venue
Topic Date Location Time
Accountability of
Institutions
Wednesday 23rd
November 2011
Chaguanas Borough
Corporation
Cor. Taitt and Cumberbatch
Street, Chaguanas
9.00 a.m. to
10.00 a.m.

3. Leah A Williams
L A WilliamsEnterprises
11/22/2011
Leah A Williams is pursuing the Masters in Human Resource Management at the
Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business. Her aspirations include, developing a
thriving strategic human resource consulting practice, utilizing her international
experience and education. With degrees in Hotel Revenue Management, Hospitality
Management and Accounting, as well as experience in the luxury sector of the
Hospitality industry of both New York and London, Ms. Williams has set her sights
on providing strategic business planning services to small and medium sized
businesses within the Hospitality Sector.
Ms. Williams has recently relocated to her birth country Trinidad and Tobago after
living abroad for 15 years between New York, London and Valais, Switzerland. She
prides herself on the valuable lessons learnt through such varied experiences, and is
relishing the opportunity to impart her knowledge while in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Hospitality industry has taught Ms. Williams the efficient and effective use of
quality time and resources, to accomplish set goals, while taking time to savour life.
Philosophy – a Strategic Working Life

4. Speech
Good Morning. Honourable Guests, distinguished participants, it is with great
pleasure that I greet you as a student representative of Arthur Lok Jack
Graduate Schoolof Business.
Coming from a family of women where education is KING! I have great
appreciation for the accessibility that the government provides, by continuing to
offer financial assistance to the people of Trinidad and Tobago, through the
Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses Programme, better known as
GATE.
I have been invited to speak on behalf of my fellow students, to give our
perspective on the accountability of institutions in relation to the GATE
Programme. For the purposeof this discussion accountability is defined as an
obligation or willingness to acceptresponsibility.
Once a student is accepted at an institution and has agreed to the terms
stipulated by the GATE programme, he or she is justified in holding the
institution accountable.
It is my intention that we look at accountability in relation to four areas
1. Communication
2. Trust
3. Respect
4. Support

5. Any institution that can build these components into the relationship with the
student is on the right path. It must be noted, that for these areas to thrive, there
must be an open channel of communication between the institution and the
student body. Leveraging the power of communication within an institution,
affords the institution the opportunity to build a culture, which inspires trust,
respect and support. It is crucial that the institution places itself, in a position to
listen to the needs and concerns of the students, in addition to its other
stakeholders, as communication inspires commitment from all parties. The
institution’s key to building a culture that breathes trust, respect and support, is
illustrated in its mission and or vision statement, as well as its values.
Trust
John Harold a Unionist member of the Canadian House of Commons once said
“Without trust, words become the hollow sound of a wooden gong. With trust,
words become life itself.” To this end, institutions should be clear, that they
play a significant and pivotal role in the life and prosperity of Trinidad and
Tobago, as they are responsible and entrusted, with the future leaders of the
nation.
Upon entering an institution the student trusts that,
1. The institution is legitimate i.e. recognised by the ‘social contract’
established with the government, as well as accredited within the
education level being served.

6. 2. The educational facilities will be a properly outfitted establishment,
providing a setting conducive to a positive learning experience.
3. The offered educational programs will be relevant to the times and
updated in relation to industrial trends and or advancements.
4. The faculty would be adequately qualified, enough to be referred to as an
expert in his or her field, referencing both their experience and
educational background.
5. The institution will hold the students themselves accountable to the
elevated learning standards necessary to attain the education goals set.
Respect
Integrity is the binding force that holds trust in place. The institution should
guard its integrity with ethical conductand fair practices. Kantian ethical theory
states that, “what is right for one personis right for everyone,” and, also
illustrates a respect for persons in that people should be treated as ends in
themselves and never as a means to an end.
A student can only expect to be treated as a person and all interactions with the
institution should be fair and not marred by prejudices and inconsistencies.
Respectcan also be fostered through a spirit of transparency, where the
institution must be forthright, on the critical, education value drivers, which
include student achievement, areas in need of attention and institutional
performance. Students would trust that the conductof the institution and its

7. representatives, be it faculty and or staff, would be respectful in maintaining a
reputation of high standing, which is aligned, with a codeof ethics and the legal
parameters of the law.
Support
While Emerson may have pontificated individualism, in an educational setting,
it is vital that supportbe a key component, of the institution’s philosophy.
Upon becoming a student of the institution, the relationship through
communication, trust and respect bolstered by supportbecomes familial and
thereby insuring the institution’s accountability. It is also the institution’s
obligation to the student that he or she is provided, with supportsystems which
would encourage and foster a positive learning experience.
The obligation of supportdoes not end with graduation, as the student is now
and forever a part of that institutional family. It is upon leaving the secure
setting of the institution that the student is mostvulnerable and the institution
should have facilities in place that provide guidance and support. Supportis
vital as the student fulfils his or her obligation to the GATE programme, as they
become a positive contributor to the Trinidad and Tobago workforce. The
institution should always be mindful that supportcreates an arena that is ripe for
innovation.
In conclusion

8. Developing a culture where trust, respect and fairness flourish, requires
dedication. The GATE Program inspires a culture which motivates and the
benefits are clear: improved teamwork among stakeholders, stronger loyalty,
and a sense of self worth, higher performance and greater productivity. To this
end, as a recipient of GATE each student must be accountable for achieving,
understanding the applied work and developing a mastery, with the
understanding that learning is challenging, individually meaningful, and
lifelong.
Thank You.