This as a result of a number of reported acts of violence made against students living off Campus.

Earlier today, Acting Prime Minister Sir Louis Straker, who is at present deputising for Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, announced that following talks with officials of the university, the institution would keep its operations in this country. Sir Louis told journalists at a media briefing held at Cabinet Room, he led a delegation to Grenada on Thursday to meet with university officials and students of the college.

The delegation included Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Collin Williams, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Ag) Lenroy Brewster and Permanent secretary in the Prime Minister's Office Godfred Pompey. According to Sir Louis, the local branch has an enrolment of 360 students, and since the recent upsurge of violent acts against the students, 60 have relocated to Grenada. The remaining 300 will stay and complete their course in May.

During the period of May 2007 to January 2008 50 students will be doing their clinical rotations here. These students, he explained, would be rotated between Grenada and St.Vincent and the Grenadines every two weeks. Sir Louis said Chancellor of the university Charles Mordica told local officials that this arrangement might be temporary. He said a poll conducted on those students scheduled to come to SVG for the semester beginning in January 2008 revealed that 85% were opting not to. Sir Louis said all is being done to ensure that the students feel comfortable and secure and to protect the image of this country.

Additional security measures have been put in place. Police have been patrolling the surrounding area on a more regular basis, and a mobile police station has been placed on the campus. Sir Louis appealed to Vincentians to assist with the situation. He said this country benefited tremendously from the college being located here. He admitted that he believed the college is being pressured by concerned parents. The Deputy PM said he had been told that the institution was looking at the possibility of constructing more dorms on the campus.

Deputy Commissioner Lenroy Brewster said over the years the royal St.Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVP) has had a good relationship with the college. He said the recent increase in burglaries in the Calliaqua area had been of concern to members of the force. He said there had been a 24/7 patrol of the area, and according to him, the result had been encouraging as there had been not been any reported cases of burglaries. He said an integrated effort would be needed to solve the problem.

He said dialogue would have to be engaged with security firm owners with the aim of receiving the best from their security guards. "Once the security of a country is breached, all of us would suffer, economically," he said.