IN order to further promote the friendly relationship between Guyana and China, tangible support has been given to the Windsor Forest Primary School at Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara by representatives of the Association of Chinese Enterprises in Guyana (ACEG) and the Chinese Embassy when they paid a visit to the school on Monday.

During a simple ceremony held at the school, H.E. Limin Zhang, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, presented cash prizes to ten top students from Grades Two and Six, and handed over 50 backpacks to the school’s headmistress.

Mr. Andrew Jin, President of ACEG, speaking briefly about the association, said that it was registered in February 2014. While the main objective of the ACEG is to promote trade and investment between Guyana and China, it would also be paying attention to honour its responsibility as a corporate citizen.

Mr. Jin made a pledge on behalf of the association that support to Windsor Primary will continue since the school is in the same location where the first generation of Chinese people landed in Guyana on January 12, 1853.

Ambassador Limin Zhang expressed his happiness to be with the teachers and schoolchildren. Ambassador Zhang recalled previous assistance rendered to the school, such as the leveling and hardening the school’s playground by China Habour Engineering Company, provision of schoolbags and stationery, etc.

Ambassador Zhang advised the students that a journey of a thousand miles starts with the very first step. Students are the future of the country, and they need to attend to their studies diligently in order to make themselves ready to join the society, he added.

On behalf of the visiting delegates, Ambassador Zhang gave the cash prize in red envelopes to the ten students, and handed over the fifty backpacks to the Headmistress, Ms. Bibi S. Dasrat.

APPRECIATION
Tianna Budhram, a Grade 6 student, made a short speech on behalf of the students. She expressed her sincere appreciation towards the monetary contribution as well as the backpacks presented by the Association and the Embassy, and pledged that the students would study hard to achieve academic excellence.

The names of the students who received cash prizes are:

GRADE TWO: Ariana Persaud, $30,000 for placing first with 97%; and Jonathan Boodram, $20,000 for coming in second with 96.4%.

GRADE THREE: Timothy William, $30,000 for placing first with 96.3%; and –  Brianna Singh, $20,000 for placing 2nd with 95.6%.

GRADE FOUR: Amelia Chatarprasad, $30,000 for placing 1st with 97.2%; and Ameena Mohammed, $20,000 for coming in second at 94.6%.

GRADE FIVE: Karuna Lall, $30,000 for placing 1st with 93%; and Ashana Kin, $20,000 for coming a close second with 91.4%.

GRADE SIX: Tianna Budhram, $30,000 for placing first with 91.2 %; and Shanti Singh, $20,000, for coming in 2nd 87%.

(By Asif Hakim)