The University of the West Indies has learnt with profound regret of the passing of John Maxwell on Friday, December 10, 2010.   The Memorial Service for John Maxwell will be held on Monday, December 20, 2010 at 10 am at the University Chapel.

Mr. John Maxwell, veteran journalist and environmental activist has been involved in media since the 1950s.  He was also a lecturer at the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communication (CARIMAC), UWI, Mona and The University of Technology, Jamaica. During his six decade career in media he published over 1,500 columns and has been interviewed regularly by local and international media as an expert in his field. He has been an icon in public education especially in areas such as democratic governance, decolonisation and other related topics.  John Maxwell was a passionate and unstinting advocate for the protection of beaches and other environmental causes in Jamaica and throughout the region as well as for the political liberation of Haiti. John Maxwell was recognized for his outstanding contribution by the University of the West Indies, Mona with an honorary Doctor of Letters degree in 2009 during the annual Presentation of Graduates Ceremony.

John Maxwell’s passing is a tremendous loss for the university to which he devoted much of his life. The University extends its most sincere condolences to his wife, children and to all the other members of his family.

The Memorial Service for John Maxwell may be viewed at www.tw.mona.uwi.edu/node/646