Amidst exhortations…
THE University of Guyana (UG) graduated 1,400 students, with degrees, diplomas and certificates, at its 44th convocation last Saturday.

Proud parents, UG and Government officials were present as the graduating class of 2010 assembled at University Square, Turkeyen Campus, Greater Georgetown, despite heavy rains that interrupted the ceremony at one point.
Special awards were made to several graduates, including the President’s Award to 22-year-old Michael George, a graduate from the Faculty of Natural Sciences.

The title of ‘Professor Emeritus’ was conferred on Dr.  Joycelynne Eleanor Loncke, who is highly qualified in French and Music. She won a Guyana Scholarship in 1960 and studied at University College of the West Indies (UCWI), Mona, Jamaica.

Delivering the feature address was Justice Roxane George, a judge of the High Court of the Supreme Court of Judicature.

Herself, a former student and lecturer at UG, she challenged the graduands to be ever conscious of their legacy as they progress, not necessarily for great books to be written about them in the annals of history but for their contribution to be truly meaningful to those whose lives they touch.

“We need greater service from you who are graduating with skills so necessary for our overall well-being,” the speaker told them, reminding that they have the opportunity to provide leadership vital to the growth of Guyana as a nation and ensure that there is respect for human rights, while leaving a rich legacy for others to emulate.

With them now equipped with insight into the issues that need to be addressed to solve the peculiar challenges that face developing countries such as Guyana, Justice George advised them to uphold democratic values, social justice and fundamental human rights.
She focused her presentation on leadership and legacy and urged the graduands to utilise their powers of analysis and critical thinking and the skills and learning they acquired from UG to promote not just their field of expertise and training, but respect for human rights.

She observed that, apart from human rights and freedoms, Guyana’s Constitution also speaks specifically to the rights of women, children and indigenous people and includes those that speak of the right to education, health and a secure livelihood.
“It is now time to ensure that there is greater application and implementation of human rights norms,” she urged, adding that there is also an equality provision, as a fundamental right, which requires vigilance to ensure that it is upheld.

LIVING DOCUMENT

The Constitution is not just a legal document but a living document and one that should be appreciated and understood, she emphasized.
She continued: “As individuals, we have a responsibility to respect and uphold each other’s human rights and the values. Human rights issues are people issues which should shape and mould our values.”

Justice George noted that these rights can no longer be viewed as referring to purely legal matters, the business of the law graduands or the supposed pigments of over zealous lawyers who want to protect the rights of the accused, but they apply equally to the rights of victims of criminal offences.

She exhorted the graduands to appreciate that their interventions and planning must involve the application of human rights norms, so as to ensure that human rights concerns are researched, recorded, taught and told.

Justice George pointed out that there are a number of international and regional projects which have a positive effect on the livelihoods of large numbers of people.
Those, she said, highlight human rights at work.

Justice George remarked that, in Guyana, too, there are a number of similar projects linked to human rights that need to be understood.

In his valedictory speech, Michael George spoke about the importance of knowing when to have fun and when to take study seriously.

He recalled some of the fun-filled days he and his comrades enjoyed at UG over the years and exhorted them to return to Guyana and make a contribution, even if they leave to pursue their careers in a foreign land.

For a country that produces so many graduates relative to its total population, the valedictorian said “it is, indeed, a pity that we find ourselves still being a struggling nation.”

“It is our chance to make a difference,” he declared.

UG Chancellor, Dr. Compton Bourne; Pro-Chancellor, Dr. Prem Misir; Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lawrence Carrington and Registrar, Mr. Vincent Alexander, as well as Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Mr. Manniram Prashad were also in attendance.