Miami – Senator, Dr. Trevor Munroe, professor of government and politics at the University of the West Indies, trade unionist and political scientist, was recently conferred with an honorary doctoral degree – Doctor of Social Science – from the Florida International University during the Fall Commencement at the Miami campus on Monday, December 19.
Dr. Munroe was the first person from the English-speaking Caribbean to be honored in this distinction by Florida International University.
In commending Dr. Munroe, President of the FIU, Dr. Modesto A. Maidique, lauded him for his long-standing involvement with labor unions and contribution to strengthening Jamaica’s system of governance, his efforts at the forefront of a mixture of notable, distinguished intellectual, political and labor contributions which transformed him into a model scholar, activist and politician, not only for his native Jamaica but for the Caribbean and beyond.
Dr. Maidique also went on to described Dr. Munroe as Jamaica’s leading labor unionist.
Dr. Munroe began a long and distinguished career in the Jamaican political arena, after completing his education at the University of the West Indies (UWI). A Rhodes scholar, he completed his doctorate at Oxford University, London.
With vast knowledge and expertise in Caribbean democratic governance, constitutional reform, corruption, narcotics trafficking and labor market reform, he has written and co-authored numerous scholarly works, including eight books. His academic career has allowed him to be the recipient of two Fulbright Fellowships conducting research fellowships at universities in Canada and Europe.
While Dr. Munroe has been commended for his notable contribution to the public service, this has been evident in his ongoing commitment in civil society and the parliamentary arena.
He is now serving a second term in the Jamaican Senate having been appointed by Prime Minister, Hon. P.J. Patterson in 1998. During his legislative tenure, Senator Munroe has paid particular attention to issues of transparency, accountability and legislative reform in strengthening Jamaica’s system of democratic governance.
A key player in critical partnerships involving the island’s private sector, trade unions and government, he continues to serve as director of the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions, and a member of the Jamaica’s Labor Advisory Council. He also continues to serve as a consultant on several international academic and policy agencies.
Dr. Munroe was also founding member of the now defunct political party, the Worker’s Party of Jamaica (WPJ).
In accepting the award, Dr. Munroe praised the college administration for the diversity in its enrolment as nearly 80% of students are minorities. A large percentage of the college population is Jamaican nationals.
He encouraged the nearly 600 graduates to play their part in the process of change which was facilitated by the struggles of previous generations.
Regardless of race, religion or language, Dr. Munroe reiterated the students that “as one human kind, you must recognize, tolerate and value our diversity.”
He urged them to use today’s revolutionary communication technology to seek defense for ourselves and families and also to reach out to the whole human race reaching across the divide, to build justice, construct partnerships to help uplift humanity and to build a world where one day poverty like segregation shall be a thing of the past.
