Government was urged to “resist the temptation for political intrusion and micro-management” at the University of Guyana (UG) as 1367 students were bestowed with their diplomas and degrees at the institution’s 47th Convocation exercise held at the Turkeyen Campus on Saturday.
Although all convocations are special, the 47th convocation was extra special as it coincides with the university’s golden jubilee year, former graduate of UG and President of Fort Valley State University, Georgia, USA, Dr Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, said as he delivered the feature address. In congratulating the students, Griffith im-plored them to remember the words of Isaac Newton, “If I have seen further, it’s because of standing on the shoulders of giants.”
The professor also called on whichever political party is in government to “resist the temptation for political intrusion and micro-management.”
To the graduates, Griffith said that while their dream has come true, the “institutional” dreams of others, whom he identified as the late President Cheddi Jagan, have also come about with the development of the university.
Griffith asserted that this momentous juncture is an opportune time not only to acknowledge and celebrate the achievements of the “yesterdays,” but to ponder the prospects for the “tomorrows.” According to the Fort Valley State University President, it was “dreaming and doing” that led from an inaugural class of 164 students pursuing degrees in 1963 to an enrolment of over 5500 students in 2013 pursuing more than 60 programmes.
He also stated that the dreaming has witnessed many challenges, including budgetary, facilities and staffing and undeniably some of the challenges combined in time and severity to transform into crises. Some of these he said, were internal to the university while others were spurred by national political vicissitudes.
Griffith urged the graduates to recognize all those ‘giants’ who have inspired them and made sacrifices so that they can pursue their educational journeys. “Whoever have been your giants, this convocation should be about recognizing them too. They are the people who helped to make this day possible for you,” he said.
The ceremony was officially declared open by Pro-Chancellor Prem Misir. Eileen Selina Marray from the Faculty of Social Sciences was adjudged the valedictorian.
The Business Manage-ment graduate, in her brief speech, thanked all those who aided her in her journey while congratulating her fellow colleagues for their hard work over the years. Marray in quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson, exhorted her fellow peers to use their knowledge and to “not just go where the path may lead, but go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail.”
The Chancellor’s Medal was copped by Felina Maiko, also from the Faculty of Social Sciences. The Prime Minister’s medal for the best graduating student with the Degree in Public Manage-ment was awarded to Jewel Cheong, and the Pro-Chancellor’s medal for best law student was won by Eleanor Luckhoo.
This year marked the first time that the university conferred the Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Manage-ment, offered through the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences and the Master of Medicine in Paediatrics and Emergency Medicine, offered through the Faculty of Health Sciences.
Meanwhile, in commemoration of the university’s 50th anniversary, eight graduates from 1967 (first convocation), 1968, 1969 and 1971 marched with the Class of 2013. They were George Cave, Malcom Parris, Florine Dalgety, Oswald Kendal, Arthur Brown, Walter Alexander, Lorna McPherson and Desmond A Nicholson.
Also present at the convocation were Prime Minster Sam Hinds and Georgetown Mayor Hamilton Green.
