— UG Berbice valedictorian urges

SOME 220 were conferred with degrees, diplomas and certificates when the University of Guyana Berbice Campus (UGBC) held its 16th convocation ceremony on Saturday.

Berbice radio personality Treshan Budhram from the “Morning Spice Show” was adjudged this Year’s valedictorian.

Addressing the gathering on the university tarmac, he urged his fellow graduating class of 2017 to channel their achievementsw into becoming innovators.

“As graduates of the University of Guyana, we could know nothing or we could do anything. We say not finding the ideal job. Friends this is the reality. We may not find that job, that career, we hope for but that does not mean we should accept it – if we can’t find that job, create it, make it happen, use what we learn and do not allow external circumstances to define who we are. Let us use our degrees to become innovators – let us believe that we can achieve anything. We can enter this campus with different backgrounds and life experiences and we can now leave this campus as a collective unit ready to transform our communities into a nation we can be proud of.”

Budhram also encouraged the graduates to put Guyana first, since this is necessary to move the country forward.

“Our country needs our dedication, commitment and diligence and our county deserves our time, investment and creativity. Our communities require our expertise and wisdom. Let us own our mistakes and failures in the same way which we place our successes and achievements, because only then we can take up the rightful roles and allow Guyana to evolve. I urge you to believe in yourself, give yourself the opportunity to press against the shoulders of mediocrity – defeat it and press on to make this country great,” he said.

University of Guyana Chancellor Professor Nigel Harris during his short address, urged the graduating class to make good of the opportunities that will present itself with the discovery of oil here.

“This is not the end or is it the beginning of your educational journey, but in the words of a well-known statesmen, ‘this may be for you the end of the beginning.’ If you are to prevail in your life’s journey, you will have to expand in learning and knowledge many times over,you will likely need to reboot and remake yourselves many times to survive a rapidly changing world. You are at a cusp of the moment that might conceivably lead to considerable changes in Guyana.

With the discovery of oil and other minerals, there is a possibility of considerable increase in the financial resources coming to Guyana perhaps in an abundance never seen in our history. With imaginative, creative and daring leadership, all of our people can benefit. You can be the instruments of change. I hope you will summon your intellectual and creative skills to capitalise on the new opportunities that may come Guyana’s way,” he said.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Ivelaw Griffith noted that of the 220 graduates, the largest batch came from the Faculty of Education and Humanities.

Kenisha Gopual, 20, who graduated with an Associate Degree in Biology, was the youngest graduating student while John Alexander, who graduated with a Diploma in Public Management, was the oldest.

A couple, Jon and Nicolita Collins, were also among the graduates.