IN support of the university’s Endowment Fund, the University of Guyana’s 50th Anniversary planning committee launched a coffee table book titled “Heartbeat of a Nation” yesterday evening at the Georgetown Club. In attendance was the Chairperson for the University’s 50th Anniversary planning committee, Dr. Paloma Mohamed; Vice-Chancellor (VC) of the University ofGuyana (UG), Professor Jacob Opadeyi, along with the former Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Al Creighton and other long-standing members who contributed enormously to the publication of the book.
In her enthusiastic remarks, Mohamed emphasised the genesis and efforts placed in the publication of the book. She asserted that the university’s 50th Anniversary could not pass without something highly symbolic and historic; as such, the idea of such a piece was birthed.

“It is the first step of a long work in progress and we [planning committee] are exceedingly humble and grateful to be a part of this venture,” said Mohamed in high spirits.
In relation to the actual publication of the book, Mohamed expressed her appreciation to Inspire Inc. for ensuring the book’s ongoing progress and funding accordingly.
“This book shows a pictorial history of the University of Guyana and paints approximately seven million pictures of the university with photos of each decade to present that are all important and significant…,” said Mohamed.
Opadeyi on the other hand, expressed his profound happiness for this venture and elaborated on how fortunate Guyanese are to have a university as compared to some countries that do not own a university. He then stated that this is the “number one” significant thing that has been done for the university’s 50th Anniversary.
“Over the past years we have gone through downfalls but I can tell you, we are going to rise!” said the confident VC.
He then urged the gathering to work over the next 10 years in building this heartbeat of a nation.
Meanwhile, Former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UG, Al Creighton, in delivering his remarks on the details of the book, disclosed that the book possesses many archival materials, internal evidence, and even date back to the birth of the university, its origin and developments.
“It is Public Relations (PR) as it will help in promoting the University of Guyana and a stimulus for funding in a number of ways,” said a beaming Creighton.
He said that it is not an “overly ambitious” promotion, but rather a simple coffee table document that serves that purpose and is full of life that one will without a doubt, grab it off the coffee table. The book, Creighton says, contains minimal texts that accompany the photos, but still serves its purpose as it is easy to read and grabs attention.
“This book is extremely significant. It is a metaphor, a colony of language that tells a great deal of the university’s role in society as well as its role in Guyana,” added Creighton.
Moreover, both Mohamed and Creighton expressed similar sentiments in relation to the university being a target for steady downfalls but with this book, they anticipate better things when it is exposed to the world.
After all the speech proceedings, there was a magnificent rendition done by the popular Esther Osbourne, a student of the university, coupled with legal deposits of the book to the National Library and the university’s library and special presentations to the faces who made the publication of this book possible.
Once the book has proven to be a success in the market, the money will be allocated to the university’s Endowment Fund, which will focus entirely on refurbishing the library for students. It will also cater for student support, research and rebuild infrastructures among other dire necessities of the university.
Thus far, 800 copies of the book have been printed,and comprise 500 hard copies costing G$8,000 each and 300 soft copies costing G$4,000 per one.