The name of the Parliamentary Library at Public Buildings, Georgetown was changed yesterday to honour Frank A Narain, the longest-serving Clerk of the National Assembly.
The facility is now known as the Frank A Narain Parliamentary Library, the Department of Public Information (DPI) reported yesterday.
Narain served in the position for 36 years.
During the ceremony at the Public Buildings, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud said Narain has made innumerable expert contributions to Guyana.
“Narain has not only been serving this Parliament with distinction and the repository of information and knowledge when it comes to parliamentary practices and procedures. He has taken the effort to compile so much that we, as the newer parliamentarians learn and look back at our history,” she said.
Narain extended gratitude to everyone who has helped him during and after his time as a clerk. He also lauded the event as “the greatest honour in his 91 years”, DPI said.
Narain’s position as deputy clerk was made public on May 25, 1966, the day before the nation attained independence.
In September 1966, that appointment went into effect, and he was appointed Clerk of the National Assembly, a position he held until 2002 when he retired, DPI said.
Plaques were presented to former Speakers of the National Assembly including Raphael Trotman, Ralph Ramkarran SC, Dr Barton Scotland SC, and current speaker, Manzoor Nadir.
Meanwhile, Nadir stated that the naming ceremony forms part of several activities to commemorate 70 years of parliamentary democracy, DPI said.
“We have 70 years of parliamentary democracy and 70 years of challenges with many hurdles that are the successes. And the parliamentary library is one of the successes…So, our democracy is a work in progress. Our library is the storehouse of all that we have done and other parliamentary democracy, ” Nadir said.
