Graduates urged – “Don’t forget UG, don’t forget Guyana”

Nov 12, 2017 News

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…during first of two UG’s 51st Convocation Ceremonies

There is no denying that there are some issues plaguing the University of Guyana [UG]. However, Dr. Dhanpaul Narine yesterday charged a segment of the graduating class of 2017 to do what they can to help overcome the prevailing challenges.
“Let us work to make the issues better, let us turn this whole thing around. So when you leave here keep UG close to your heart; don’t forget UG…don’t forget Guyana, your motherland,” appealed Dr. Narine, who was tasked with delivering the feature address at the first of the two ceremonies held yesterday to mark UG’s 51st Convocation.
The decision to host the two ceremonies yesterday represented an inaugural move by the university to accommodate the especially large 2017 graduating class.
A total of 915 of the 2,165 students eligible for graduation from UG this year were among the graduating faction who congregated at the National Cultural Centre yesterday morning.
Those who were conferred with their degrees, diplomas and certificates at the NCC were drawn from four Faculties namely: Agriculture and Forestry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Technology.
A UG graduate himself, Dr. Narine shared extensively about his modest upbringing and impressed on the graduates the importance of believing in their dreams and pursuing same to fruition.
The award-winning founder of the “Gandhi Peace March”, also stressed the importance of unity. He pointedly stressed, “If we can’t see beyond race in this country we are going nowhere…”

Dr. Narine, based on what he learnt during his humble upbringing asserted, “If you want to develop a country, you must educate women because women know how to stretch the dollar and how to plan for a rainy day; they work miracles every day.”
For this reason, he underscored the need for women to be treated with respect. He added, “Domestic violence will get us no where…we should not be seen as a Guyanese society where we brutalise women.”
Amplifying the importance of women might have been a tactical move by the feature presenter since it was a female graduate who was named the Best Graduating Student, and by extension the winner of the President Medal.
Delivering her valedictory speech Social Sciences graduate, Elsie Ann Harry, like Dr. Narine, emphasised the importance of addressing the shortcomings at UG in order to help with Guyana’s development.
But in her speech yesterday Harry did not merely attributed her success to hard work but she boldly asserted yesterday, “I am a living, breathing example of God’s grace…I have proven God.”
Her disclosure spurred a bout of resounding applause from her audience. She said that because of her Christian upbringing, she was able to embrace a verse from the bible, which states ‘…fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismay for I am your God, I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand’.
As she delivered her speech titled ‘Personal Renaissance’, Harry said that her renaissance started a long time ago and is still being realised. In fact she directing her remarks to her fellow graduates, noted that graduating from UG represents “one phase of my renaissance and yours.”

Even as she too stressed that the graduates have a role in helping to develop Guyana, Harry noted that “improving Guyana, ensuring that it not only survives but thrives, requires all of us.” “Contrary to popular belief not because Guyana find oil, it mean that all ah we gon get shine.” She added, “We, not the oil are literally the future…”
Harry said that while it is important to invest time into developing young people, it is also crucial that money is also invested.
Although Harry was named the Best Graduating Student she was not presented with her medal yesterday morning since she was not yet conferred with her degree in International Relations.
However, recipients of other awards included the Second Best Graduating student, Aarif Baksh, of the Faculty of Natural Sciences.
Also identified for awards were two other Natural Sciences students Daniel Persaud for the UGSS Award, and Dwayne McKinnon for the K. Juman Yassin Sport Award.
Also delivering brief remarks yesterday was Principal and Vice Chancellor, Professor Ivelaw Griffith, who noted that yesterday’s graduation wasn’t merely a graduation but rather a celebration.
He told the graduates, “You have endured, you have made it to the end of your academic journey at this level but I know that you know that your success here is not only because of your work.”
Professor Griffith recognised the other individuals including family, lecturers and others whose support were instrumental.
As he commended the students for their perseverance, the Vice Chancellor emphasised that the 2017 batch is now a part of the university’s history and also takes the title of being the largest graduating class.
Setting the pace for the start of the ceremony was Chancellor of the University, Professor Nigel Harris. He wished the graduates well in whatever path they opt to undertake. “I hope that you will remember and support the University of Guyana in years to come.”
“You are the cusp of a moment that might conceivably lead to considerable change in Guyana.”
Professor Harris was at the time referring to the discovery of oil and potential resources linked to this find. According to him, there is the possibility of financial resources coming to Guyana in an abundance perhaps never seen in Guyana’s history.
He, moreover, asserted, “With imaginative, creative, honest and daring leadership, all our people can benefit.”
He added, “It is important that those who lead us, mobilise these new resources, if they do materialise, to address some of the adversities that plague our country.”
The adversities to which he alluded are: poverty that effects sizeable numbers of urban and rural population; inadequate access to first rate education for many young people; improvement in health care given that the local health statistics are among the lowest in the hemisphere; the need to construct roadways and other infrastructure projects to develop the vast hinterland and most importantly, the need to address the racial and political divisions that have plagued Guyana for more than a century.
“As a young man I thought that these divisions would have ended in my generation, but 50 years later, solving the racial and political divide seems as intractable as ever,” Chancellor Harris said.
But according to him, the graduating class could in fact be the instruments of change.
“I hope you will garner what you have learnt here as well as summon your creative skills to capitalize any new opportunities that may come Guyana’s way. It will be in your power to link with your colleagues to address some of the challenges…” said Professor Harris.
“I hope and pray that 20, 30, 50 years from today, future generations of Guyanese can look back and say that you and those of you in your generation engendered the changes that enabled a more prosperous and peaceful Guyana.”
Also sharing words of wisdom at the Natural Cultural Centre ceremony was yet another UG graduate was Ms. Raquel Thomas-Caesar of Iwokrama International Centre for Rainforest Conservation and Development.

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