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New $1.7M Gafoors multipurpose auditorium commissioned at UG
(Kaieteur News) – A new multipurpose auditorium funded by the Gafoors family, Sattaur and Ameena Gafoor, was officially commissioned on Thursday at the University of Guyana (UG).
The facility, which costs approximately $1.7 million, will accommodate more than 3,000 students. It will be used to host major university events, including annual graduation ceremonies, as well as several sporting disciplines such as football, cricket, and basketball. The university also plans to utilise the auditorium for examinations for programmes that attract large student enrolment.
Construction of the multipurpose auditorium spanned two years and was undertaken by the Gafoors family in partnership with the University’s Office of Philanthropy, Alumni and Civic Engagement (PACE).
Newly commissioned Sattaur and Ameena Gafoor Multipurpose auditorium
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Paloma Mohamed, in her remarks, described the new space as the largest and most expensive single gift ever constructed and donated to the university. She noted that the facility would significantly reduce the university’s long-standing dependence on rented venues and tents to host large events. Professor Mohamed explained that UG previously spent millions of dollars to rent tents for graduations, often paying between $8 million and $15 million for five to six days, only to face challenges such as leaks and obstructive support posts. “We were spending thousands, millions of dollars, any time we had an event here to rent tents. Just to give you an idea of the scope of what we would pay just on renting tents, it would be for graduations between $8 million dollars and $15 million dollars just for five or six days, and of course the tents would leak and we would have post in the middle,” Mohamed said.
Registrar of the University of Guyana, Dr Nigel Gravesande, also praised the Gafoors family for the donation, highlighting the impact the facility has already had on the university’s graduation exercises. He noted that the most recent graduation saw seven ceremonies with over 3,000 graduates, all hosted in one location for the first time. “It was the first time that many students were seeing their peers whether from Linden, Essequibo, Bartica, New Amsterdam in the same space to celebrate their success, and Dr Gafoor that allowed our students to understand the value of interaction in a common space,” he said.
Meanwhile, Dr Sattaur Gafoor, in his address, said the initiative for the project was first conceived by his late wife, a former lecturer at the university, for whom UG held a special place. He said he took up the responsibility to complete the project in her honour, noting that the auditorium now ensures that students can celebrate their achievements on their own campus, regardless of weather conditions. “We can see the advent of this choice taking vibrant shape, first, it had brought UG’s graduands back home. This, the largest institution in Guyana, which can seat 3,500 persons, now guarantees that our graduands can come to the stage on their own campus come rain or sun,” Sattaur stated.
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