Graduates at Nations urged to develop Guyana’s Resources

Nov 13, 2017 News

The Nations School of Business and Management held its first joint graduation ceremony on Saturday at Parc Rayne, Rahaman Park, Houston, East Bank Demerara.
It was here that the 54 graduates in five different courses were urged to develop Guyana’s resources by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mings Products and Services Limited, Stanley Ming.
Ming encouraged the graduates to not become complacent with what they have accomplished, but rather seek to strive for more achievements. He told the graduates that Guyana currently has the best resources that are still buried.
The CEO explained his statement by giving the graduates ideas of becoming entrepreneurs through the production of what Guyana does not produce which includes pineapple juice and coconut water among others.
Meanwhile, among the graduates was valedictorian, Nicholas Dawalat, who secured 11 distinctions and a ‘high distinction’ in the Australian Master of Business Programme. The graduate explained that the ‘high distinction’ is a place that is awarded to students who attain between 75-84.5 percent.
He revealed that he was informed by officials of the institution that he is the first student to have graduated with an overall distinction.
Dawalat, a 23-year old of Rose Hall, Berbice, during his valedictory speech said his greatest challenge was being supported financially during the period.

Some of the graduates

Valedictorian, Nicholas Dawalat receives his award

The graduate, who is presently an employee at the Guyana Water Incorporated as a Revenue Manager under the Customs Service Department in Region Six said, “Six years ago if someone had approached me and told me I would be an MBA grad, you would be manager, I would have looked at that person, like appalled.”
He said growing up for him was hard, but with the help of his supportive parents, he was able to reach to the stage he is at. He noted that his passion was to attain a Master’s Degree in Environment and Sustainable Development. However, he was unable to do the programme due to his limited financial resources.
The graduate went on to say that he did face some difficulties in becoming a student but was eventually accepted and became a student in January 2016.
Despite ‘the hiccups’ he faced that caused him to want to give up, he said he did have some supportive friends he now considers as family.
The programme, he said, taught him a lot. One of the greatest things he learnt was time management, according to him. He explained that his work environment affected his studies, but he however managed to study for at least five hours a day.
He said he appreciates the programme a lot because, “It gives students a ‘birds-eye view’ of situations in order to make rational, strategic decisions. Also in Guyana, there are many positive changes that we as MBA graduates can implement with the knowledge learnt.”
He thanked his many friends, tutors, family and His Divine help in closing and went on to encourage his fellow graduates to take Guyana to a “different dimension” through the knowledge they acquired by developing the country’s resources.