Miranda La Rose

This is the fifth entry in a series on civil society.

Marti Fernando De Souza, 39, Deputy Chief Education Officer with responsibility for Amerindian and Hinterland Education Development, is working to eliminate the disparity that exists in the education system between the hinterland and the coastland, create opportunities for trained and qualified teachers to teach, and to improve pass rates in examinations in hinterland areas.

This is the fourth entry in a series on civil society Apart from an introductory meeting when this government took office in August 2020, the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA) has been unable to meet with the Minister of Amerindian Affairs to discuss a number of issues pertaining to Indigenous Peoples’ rights, policy and legislative reform, says Governance and Rights Coordinator, Laura George.

Former national and Caribbean champion, US-elite and world-ranked table tennis player-turned-coach Idi Lewis is optimistic that should the state invest in providing sportsmen and women with their own homes, using revenue earned from oil and gas exploitation, local athletes would be a force to be reckoned with in the international arena.

This is the third entry in a series on civil society New NGO, Electoral Reform Group at this stage can only advocate for meaningful dialogue among Government, Opposition and civil society, apart from raising awareness in society about the need for electoral reform, says the group’s coordinator, economist Dr Desmond Thomas. 

Education and awareness of the importance of Guyana’s biodiversity and the Indigenous Peoples’ culture are among the objectives of tour packages offered by the company of award-winning specialist tour guide, master trainer and herpetologist Kenneth Butler Jnr.

This is the second entry in a series on civil society.

Grace Simon, now the community liaison with ExxonMobil Guyana, says her passion for helping people is what motivated her to pursue studies in areas that help people.

Now in her 27th year at the Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), analytical chemist Sharon Sue-Hang-Baksh has climbed the corporate ladder at the company, where she is now a board member with responsibility for technical services and holds the prestigious title of Master Blender.

This the first entry in a series on the current state of civil society in Guyana.

Nurtured by her godmother from a few months old and now a godmother to many, information technology (IT) business analyst Grace McCalman, 54, is among the pioneers of IT systems in both the local private and public service sectors.

From a school dropout to a representative of the people, Charlene Garraway, 55, took menial jobs to earn a living for herself and two daughters before returning to school at age 37 to complete her secondary education.

Earlier this year, after some ups and downs, Adrian Sydney Gomes, 58, of Maruranau Village, South Rupununi achieved his goal of completing a Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) in bilingual education.

Despite her professional background, Dhanmattie Sohai likes people to know she is a country girl for whom study, work and volunteerism are key parts of her life.

Growing up with two matriarchs in the home taught Lisa Thompson, 53, a counsellor, social worker, researcher, administrator and artist, the value of being independent through education, acquiring a life skill and of integrity in spite of many of life’s challenges.

On the death of her husband Clarence Young in October 2017, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Phoenix Recovery Project Inc, Samantha Prince-Young vowed to keep the facility open and almost five years later she is satisfied that the organisation is continuing to help people to reclaim control of their lives from addiction due to substance abuse.

The late Rueben and Patricia Adrian of Phasanali, Santa Rosa, Moruca could not afford to give their children secondary or tertiary education but four of their grandchildren are among the latest University of Guyana (UG) graduates.

Over the years, Myrtle Richards has worked to help others who could have fallen by the wayside to gain an education and life skills.

When Graham Atkinson, of Santa Rosa, Moruca, dropped out of the government’s hinterland scholarship programme after the first term in second form at Central High School in Georgetown, it may not have looked like the likely start for a man who has worn many hats, including that of social activist, broadcaster and former deputy toshao.

Needing to return to work to take care of her two children after her marriage failed, Vanda Allicock chose the worlds of fashion and massage therapy to not only earn an income and maintain a sense of independence but also to highlight the cultural traditions and beauty in nature so integral to the Indigenous way of life.