NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (April 11, 2023)- Premier The Honourable Mark A.G. Brantley has been selected as an honouree for the 2023 American Foundation for the University of the West Indies (AFUWI) gala, when he will become the first Nevisian to receive one of the Foundation’s esteemed Legacy Awards.

Hon. Brantley will receive the 2023 Vice Chancellor Award for Excellence in International Government and Leadership, at the AFUWI’s 26^th Annual Awards Gala “The Legacy Continues”, slated for April 20, 2023, at Park Avenue, New York City.

Premier Brantley, who graduated UWI’s Faculty of Law, Cave Hill Campus with a Bachelor of Laws, Upper Second Class Honours degree in 1994, is being honoured for his exceptional leadership and contributions to the regional community.

“I feel honoured as the first Nevisian to be recognized with this prestigious award. The University of the West Indies continues to be a critical engine of development for our shared Caribbean civilization. I urge all graduates and well-wishers to support the efforts of UWI as they celebrate their 75th anniversary this year,” said Premier Brantley.

The Honourable Brantley joins an elite list of AFUWI honourees, which includes NBA legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Patrick Ewing, award-winning actress Whoopi Goldberg; The Rt. Hon. Professor Owen Arthur, former Prime Minister of Barbados and The Hon. Mia Mottley, KC, present Prime Minister of Barbados; The Hon. Percival James ‘P.J.’ Patterson, KC, former Prime Minister of Jamaica; West Indies Cricket great Sir Garfield Sobers; The Hon. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines; and The Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas, former Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and its current Minister of Foreign Affairs.

This year the AFUWI honours excellence in six individuals who were born in the Caribbean or have heritage there – Hon. Brantley, Premier of Nevis and former Foreign Affairs for St. Kitts and Nevis; Professor Hazel Carter Ph. D.; Robert ‘Don Pooh’ Cummins, CEO and Entrepreneur; Mrs. Beverly Hunter, Senior Administrative Officer, UWI; Dr. Farley Cleghorn, Global Head, Health Practice of the Palladium Group; and Sandra L. Richards, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management.

Premier Brantley lauded the work of the AFUWI for its invaluable investment in the education of the youth of the Caribbean region, providing scholarships for needy students. According to the Foundation, “During the past 10 plus years AFUWI has provided approximately 500 tuition scholarships to students across the Caribbean region, donated $7.5 million in goods, and brokered multiple relationships with other tier one institutions.”

The Hon. Brantley, who was able to pursue tertiary education through scholarship and other financial assistance, understands first-hand the impact such generosity can have on the lives of young people of modest economic means. His academic achievements propelled his notable legal and political careers, affording him the ability to give back to the community through academic scholarships, sponsorship of community events and other philanthropic undertakings.