…President, PM hail contributions to Guyana

DESCRIBING her as a stalwart who made outstanding contributions to Guyana’s Education

System even before independence, President David Granger said Ms Carmen Jarvis, an iconic Guyanese, will surely be missed.
The former Secretary-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) passed away Wednesday evening in the United States (U.S.) at the age of 91.

“She was our country’s representative to UNESCO and in this regard, she was able to give Guyana great prominence in the world, particularly for heritage sites,” President Granger told reporters at State House on Thursday.
In expressing condolences to the relatives of Ms Jarvis, especially her two daughters, Jennifer and Alison, President Granger recalled that it was only last October that the renowned educator launched her autobiography in the form of a book, “From Seedtime to Harvest.”

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo said Mrs Jarvis has left a matchless legacy as a cultural ambassador, an educator and female exemplar. “I feel honoured to have known her and worked with her whilst she served as Guyana’s Secretary- General to UNESCO. She championed our cause for assistance in culture and education. It is a double loss that her successor, Mrs Inge Nathoo, also passed recently,” Mr Nagamootoo has said.
He noted that over the years, his acquaintance with Ms Jarvis “became, for me, a mother-like figure, a grand lady who was full of charm, who always had a gracious smile and who led an extraordinary life. I am sincerely thankful for her contributions to Guyanese society. My deepest sympathies to her children and other relatives.”

In her years of teaching, Ms Jarvis was employed at Queen’s College before being appointed Headmistress of The Bishop’s High School, where she served for 27 years. In 1979, she was offered the post of Secretary-General of the Guyana National Commission of UNESCO, which she accepted. During her tenure there, she attended and participated in every General Conference between 1980 and 2003 and had made meaningful interventions in every commission, even in cases where she was the sole delegate from Guyana. She was one of the longest-serving and also one of the most respected individuals to hold the post of Secretary-General and was awarded the Aristotle Medal by UNESCO.

Ms Jarvis was also responsible for Guyana being elected on the Executive Board of UNESCO twice, from 1983 to 1987 and from 1993 to 1997. She played an integral role in Guyana once being elected to the Man and the Biosphere International Council and several times to the Council of the International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC).
In 1983, she was appointed the first woman Chairman of the National Library Committee. She also served on the Council of the University of Guyana for some 14 years.

In 1981, she was awarded the Golden Arrow of Achievement for long and outstanding service in Education and Social Work. In 1998, Ms Jarvis was awarded a second national award, this time, the Cacique Crown of Honour for her outstanding service in Education and Social Work.