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Dr. Faith Harding is dead
The late Dr. Faith Harding
Guyana has lost a former Government Minister, educator, women’s rights activist, community worker and psychotherapist, Dr. Faith Harding. Dr. Harding died yesterday afternoon in Guyana after a period of illness.
She had been ailing for the past three weeks and was a patient at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, in Georgetown. She was born in Cummings Street, Alberttown, Georgetown. She secured a Bachelor of Education Degree; Two Master’s Degrees, one in Arts & Curriculum and the other in Education.
Additionally, she held a PhD and was a qualified Psychotherapist having done extensive work on the human brain.
Dr. Harding was also a Consultant with the World Bank. She was a United Nations Past Consultant. Her work extended beyond the reaches of Guyana as she was also instrumental in the formation of the world’s newest nation, South Sudan, back in 2008, during her work with the UN.
The veteran mental health practitioner was instrumental in developing the Early Childhood (Nursery) Education curriculum for the Cyril Potter College of Educatiion (CPCE) in the 1980s. She also once held the position of Assistant Chief Education Officer within the Ministry of Education.
Additionally, she was employed in the Ministry of Planning and Development after which she was asked by then President Desmond Hoyte in 1985. She also restructured the Guyana Public Service after she was appointed Minister within that Ministry.
In 1992, she became a Member of Parliament of the People’s National Congress/Reform (PNC/R). In 1999, Dr. Harding was then called by the United Nations (UN) to embark on a peace-keeping mission to help restore democracy and stability to war-torn East Timor. She was also the Deputy- Governor of the Central Bank in that country.
In 2008 she came back to Guyana, but was called by the World Bank in 2010 while Sudan was in crisis; and helped create a new South Sudan.
In 2011, she ran for the Presidential Candidate position in the PNC/R but lost. It was after the campaigning, that Dr. Harding started to use the leftover monies from campaigning, in various neglected and vulnerable communities, helping the impoverished and rural women acquire skills and empowerment.
One of her largest groups, from Long Creek, benefitted much from her assistance.
Dr. Harding embarked on awarding four university scholarships. Additionally, over $100,000 in cash grants were awarded to students who needed it. Training was also provided for persons who wanted to become nurses.
She instilled a sense of financial empowerment in persons who wanted make money in the agricultural sector, by starting-up a massive sorrel-planting drive. She acquired 40,000 sorrel seeds from the Mexican Embassy, free of cost, in exchange for 400 tonnes of dried sorrel.
Just a few weeks ago, she attended a Conference in Nicaragua.
Dr. Harding leaves to mourn her husband, Patrick; and her son PJ, her siblings and many, many friends across Guyana and elsewhere. She will be missed by us here at Kaieteur News.
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