President Donald Ramotar and Education minister Priya Manickchand joined relatives and friends of Cecelia Rebecca Tappin to celebrate her 100 birthday on Sunday.
“The President said that ‘Sister Tappin’ as she is fondly called, is an invaluable prize as she stands as a witness to 100 years of Guyana history,” according to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release. He urged members of her Lichfield, West Coast Berbice community to take the time to record some of the events that she still recalls.
“We are a combination of our past and our present and the more we know about our past, the better we will be able to deal with the future that lies ahead. We are fortunate to live in a country, where we have a mix of several ethnic groups and several cultural backgrounds and this must be seen as a strength for us,” Ramotar said.
In relaying her congratulations, Manickchand said the government is committed to doing everything in its power to ensure that its senior citizens enjoy their golden years.
GINA said Sister Tappin was born on January 8, 1912 to Sarah Reid and Holbert Williams. She was a vendor at the New Amsterdam Market and an active church member. She has six children, 24 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren.
