Georgetown: History was created when, on the recommendation of the University of Guyana Academic Board, the University Council at its 2018 Annual Business meeting recently unanimously adopted the proposal to confer the university’s first honorary doctorate degrees upon four outstanding Guyanese at the 52nd Convocation of the Turkeyen campus held on Saturday at the National Cultural Center.
In commenting on this milestone in the 55 years of theinstitution, Chancellor of the University Professor Eon Nigel Harris said, “Therecognition of individuals who have distinguished themselves through theirdiverse accomplishments and exemplary service with the award of honorary degreesis a University tradition that dates to the middle ages. I share the delight ofour University of Guyana in initiating these awards. It represents yet anotherstep in the transformative growth of our University. The honorary degreerecipients, to be conferred with the Doctor of Letters (DLitt), have all madetheir mark in their respective fields of music, business, philanthropy andIndigenous rights.
At the ceremony which begins at 9:00 h, Mr Edmond (Eddy)Grant will be conferred for excellence in music and civic engagement and MrYesu Persaud for iconic leadership in business and banking; Mr Jairaj (Jay)Sobhraj was conferred at the second ceremony at 13:00 h for excellence inentrepreneurship and philanthropy, while Ms Laura George will be conferred at the third ceremony, which begins at 17:00 h, for outstanding community development and advocacy.
The honorary doctorates are being bestowed inaccordance the University of Guyana Act, Section 18 (e) which grants theUniversity the legal authority “to confer Honorary Degrees and otherdistinctions, provided that all degrees and other distinctions so conferredshall be conferred and held subject to any provision which are or may be madein reference thereto by the university”. Moreover, one of the powers ofAcademic Board under Statute 15:2 (d) is “to make recommendation to the Councilwith respect to the award to any person of an Honorary Fellowship or HonoraryDegree or title of Professor Emeritus’’.
The current proposal had successfullypassed through all previous vetting procedures. University Vice ChancellorProfessor Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith noted that “This historic conferral is part ofthe Renaissance pursuits of the University, which entails rebuilding andrebranding the University, central to which is celebrating exemplars ofexcellence in order to inspire young and not-so-young citizens. I am honouredto have the opportunity to place the spotlight on these four outstandingcitizens.” The honorands will join more than 1,700 students from Faculties of Agricultureand Forestry, Earth and Environmental Sciences, Education and Humanities,Engineering and Technology, Health Sciences, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences,and the School of Entrepreneurship who will be conferred with degrees, diplomasand certificates.
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