I WOULD hardly be surprised if readers were to suggest that I mind my own business and not immerse myself in matters that do not concern me. I am persuaded, nonetheless, that there is, in this instance, considerable virtue in being ‘fast’, as we say in Guyana. I accept that National Awards are not bestowed on every deserving person. I believe, however, that in a small country such as ours, where, often, decades of yeoman service in the cause of king and country is unattended by commensurate material reward, National Awards become that much more important as a means of expressing gratitude.
Mr. Keith Burrowes, in my humble opinion, and his omission from this year’s Independence Anniversary honours roll was a genuine surprise to me. Keith is a highly talented Guyanese with an extraordinary capacity for hard work.
He has, at his country’s calling, and is currently undertaking several major critical national assignments all of which he has pursued with equal measures of diligence and competence. He is, simultaneously, Executive Director of the Health Sector Development Unit; General Manager of the Guyana Cooperative Financial Services;a member of the National Competitiveness Commission, and Chairman of the Implementation Committee of the Mayor and City Council. These are only a few of the positions he currently holds.
Each of these undertakings would usually comprise a fulltime job for most individuals. Keith does them all with a dedication and, moreover, with a seeming disregard for his fragile health. He soldiers often in great physical pain and largely in silence, sharing only with a handful of close friends the frustrations of his illness and the price that his family has paid and continues to pay for his dedication to Guyana.
There are times when I simply refuse to believe that Keith, in the cold light of day, demitted a senior position with a UN agency and agreed to undertake the drudgery associated with giving service to his country. In that context, I venture to say that Keith’s omission from the list of Independence Day National Awardees came as a profound shock to me.
And lest one is inclined to think that it is simply unrealistic to saddle one man with so many major undertakings, you have to understand Keith’s management style, which is underpinned by a belief in delegation, coupled with the creation of oversight mechanisms and the advocacy of consequences for those serving under him, whose performances do not match his high expectations.
If, perhaps, it may be too late to remedy Keith’s omission, and, I am sure, others – from this year’s list of national awards, perhaps this missive might serve to cause more deliberate contemplation of choices for national accolades in the future.