PRESIDENT Donald Ramotar yesterday attended the  Commemoration Service in celebration of the 195th Anniversary of St. Andrew’s Kirk, and in brief remarks to the congregation, acknowledged the tremendous impact the Congregational Church has made, not only on Evangelism in Guyana, but noted its remarkable impact on education in the country down through the years as well.

In recognising the sterling performance of the Church in Guyana, President Ramotar said to the leadership and laity: “I wish to congratulate you, all those who came before you and all those who today are maintaining and carrying on the work of the Church.”
Congratulating the Church on this very significant milestone, President Ramotar said that, being in existence for 195 years, is indeed something to celebrate,
Testimony to the fact that the Church has made and stamped its indelible mark on Christianity and education in Guyana, President Ramotar recalled as a child he attended the primary school, located alongside the Church at that same location on Avenue of the Republic and benefitted from the high standard of education it offered.
At that time the school was known as the St. Andrew’s Church of Scotland. His mother being an Congregationalist, when in the mid-1950s he was brought from Karia Karia in the Essequibo to Georgetown in pursuit of a better education and, his mother enrolled him at the St. Andrew’s Church of Scotland School.  He remained there until the mid-1960s, during which time he attended school under the tutelage of renowned educators: Headmaster Byrnes and his wife, Mrs. Olga Byrnes.
Yesterday, President Donald Ramotar was pleasantly surprised to find, that on arriving at the Church the person to greet him was, none other than Reverend Maureen Massiah, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Byrnes.
Recalling the impact Mr. and Mrs. Byrnes made on his life, he expressed gratitude to them, as well as other teachers, adding that “I have to thank them for my education, my discipline…They were achieved right here.”  And so a significant part of his childhood was spent in that same area,” the President said.
President Ramotar recalled that the period between 1961 to 1963, which he called ‘the hot spots,’ were probably the most important political years in this country.  Those years he said, were partly inspired by our colonial past and engineered from outside.  It was a period, he said, that helped to form some of his political and social consciousness.
Meanwhile, alluding to the influence of the Congregational Church on Guyana’s education system,President Ramotar outlined that one of the government’s priorities
is equal opportunity for everyone, so as to ensure every Guyanese will have a sound education. To this end, he said, over the last two decades, the largest portion of Guyana’s budget has been channeled to the social sector, such as : Health, education, housing and water pensions, social security and the like.
This comes against the backdrop, that development is not all about “…, all the gold that we have, or all the diamond that we have, or the fantastic tourist resorts that can be found anywhere in the world.  It is about the quality of that will take us forward.”  Crucial to national development is the development of the human resource, the President opined.
Meanwhile, among Guyana’s priorities for the development of the human resource, the President said, is to take young people [currently unemployed] off the streets and finding work for them  … Work that can allow them to express themselves. Such approaches he considered as being absolutely necessary if the country is to be taken to higher levels.
He said it is his hope and prayer that, before his term is out, Guyana will achieve its goal of Universal Secondary Education (USE, so crucial to promoting the unity in this country.  He said experience has taught us that in countries where there are high educational standards and a highly educated workforce, much can be achieved in terms of investment and economic development.
On a note of optimism, he declared: “I will look forward to the Church to help me sometimes,” adding that it seems that there’s a lot in common with him and the Church sometimes.
Eminently pleased about the enormous impact made by the Congregational Church on Christianity and education, President Ramotar expressed readiness to work with the Church in order to achieve goals for the betterment of people and ultimately economic development.
And of his visit to the Church yesterday,the President said, to him, it is a kind of homecoming, because of the many years that he  had spent at St. Amdrew’s, and the impact the people he admired on his life growing up in that environment.
In closing, President Ramotar reiterated his congratulations for the St. Andrew’s Kirk and its leaders and membership for their wonderful works through the years.
The sermon was delivered by the Right Rev. Cornell Jerome Moss, S.T.M, VII Diocese of Guyana.  And a Prayer of Dedication by Rev. Dr. Selby Ross.
Others among the distinguished gathering celebrating with the leaders and membership of St. Andrew’s Kirk were:  Prime Minister Samuel Hinds and former Chief of Staff of the Guyana Defence Force, Rear Admiral Gary Best.