President Donald Ramotar was Saturday the guest of honour at the opening ceremony of the Masjid an-Najm and Social Centre at what was formerly the Star Cinema in Albouystown, Georgetown. Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, former Labour Minister Manzoor Nadir and Secretary General of the Guyana Red Cross, Dorothy Fraser, were also among those present.
The building was constructed at the cost of $44M. It was funded through the generosity of the Muslim community, under the auspices of the Guyana Islamic Trust (GIT).
In his remarks, the president said that Guyana has a great reputation with regard to religious tolerance; here all religions flourish in freedom and peace, as there is a greater understanding among citizens of different faiths, greater than in many other parts of the world.
He said that the wellbeing of Guyanese citizens has been the cornerstone of successive People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) governments, a fact which the allocations in the national budget can attest to.
In 1992, government spent eight percent of the budget on the social sector; while last year over 30 percent was spent in this sector, as government is moved by the need to end poverty so as to create a better life for citizens.
The Head of State said that development of human capital is one of the principles that his government and the GIT hold  utmost important, which is why the latter will find a good partner in his administration, to collectively fight some the anti-social activities that plague society.
He added that Albouystown has much talent, which is often drowned by poverty, and expressed the hope that the Masjid, which is also a social and learning centre, will be used as a tool that will drive the potential of the people in the area, particularly the youths.
President Ramotar also assured his support for the centre, especially since both government and the Muslim organisation are driven by a common objective,  which is to move society forward.
Chairman of the Masjid an-Najm and Social Centre, Nazar Mohamed, said that this project was first visualised a few years ago during Islamic Awareness Week. The land on which it stands was donated; however, it had accumulated huge arrears of rates and taxes.
As a result, the GIT sought the assistance of the government, through the Minister of Housing and Water, Irfaan Ali, who in turn made representation on its behalf to former President Bharrat Jagdeo.
The former Head of State responded positively by making interventions at the level of the Mayor and City Council (M&CC) to have the debt waived.
The building is also an Information Communication Technology (ICT) hub under the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) programme.
The Social Centre provides Muslim education and training; family guidance and counseling; women’s education and development; skills training; literacy classes; social relief and welfare; a medical clinic and care for the elderly and differently-abled.