University honours long serving staff

Nov 06, 2009 News

Some of the awardees

The University of Guyana honoured its most senior staff by holding a Long Service Award Ceremony at the Umana Yana on High Street yesterday, the theme was appreciation.
The chairman Mr. Vincent Alexander said in his opening remarks that this might be considered a ritual because it happens every year, however “those who have served twenty, twenty-five and thirty years respectively can hardly see this as a ritual for it is only once that this can be celebrated.”
This was the first time the event was held at the Umana Yana.
Vice Chancellor Professor Lawrence Carrington expressed gratitude for the many years that those being honoured had served at the university. “We are conscious of the migration of skills and it is heartening to see you investing your loyalty to the university.
The governance of the university must be expressed in fairness and stability and that requires hard working staff to maintain the institution which will make a direct contribution to society.
This is not a retirement ceremony but only recognition of service. Long service is not only a personal accomplishment but a relationship between the university and staff, we have decided to have awards for excellence beginning from next year since the staff must be recognized for the quality of work,” Carrington said.
Awardees were represented by a senior staffer Mr. Dickson Hooper who in responding said that they were extremely grateful and moved by the acknowledgement. Hooper encouraged his colleagues that once they keep doing what they do best and keep on the ship it would not sink.
The twenty year awardees are Ms. Yvonne Ageday, Ms. Jasodra Babooram, Ms. Gloria Cummings, Ms Marcellin D’ Aguiar, Mr. Phillip Da Silva, Ms Thelsa Garnette, Ms Celestine Griffith, Ms. Gracelyn Simmons, Ms Hemawatie Singh, Ms Barbara Thomas-Holder and Mr Charles Thomas.
The twenty-five years Awardees are Mr. Oswald Aaron, Ms Claudette Austin, Ms Syndrene Harris, Mr Rayman Khan, Ms Jacqueline Morris and Dr. Marlene Cox.
And those with thirty years at the institution are Ms Michela Cumberbatch, Ms Cheryl Edinboro, Mr Dickson Hooper and Mr Latchman Sukdeo.