In 2008…
MINISTER of Public Service, Dr. Jennifer Westford has disclosed that 43 students completed studies in Cuba during 2008 and returned to Guyana to fulfill their contractual obligations.

She gave the information when responding to questions, in the National Assembly last week Monday, by People’s National Congress/Reform-One Guyana (PNCR-IG) Member of Parliament (MP), Mrs. Judith David-Blair.

Westford also reassured the House that the Government of Guyana has been able to provide each graduate from Cuba with relevant employment.

Asked when last the Government officer responsible for scholarship awardees visited them in Cuba, the minister said, currently, there are two officers with the responsibility in that country and 843 Guyanese students are studying at 15 different institutions in 10 provinces.

“There is a programme where those students are visited on a monthly basis by the Student Affairs Officers,” Westford informed.

She said: “As I speak, both of them are currently visiting two institutions in two separate provinces in Cuba.”

About the stipends received by each of the scholars in Cuba, Westford said every one is presently receiving CDN$50 per month and the increased amount will be told to this National Assembly when the Minister of Finance presents his 2009 Budget.

She said the money is now disbursed to the students in cash because they were getting less when the disbursement was done through their automatic teller machine (ATM) cards, after the administrative fee charged at the other end was deducted following the currency conversion.

Westford said it has not been reported to her ministry that students not receiving boxes sent them by their parents.