-says Minister Edghill

THE 13th Graduation Ceremony for doctors from Texila American University (TAU) was a momentous occasion held at the Guyana Marriott Hotel in Georgetown, where the Minister of Public Works, Bishop Juan Edghill, extended his congratulations and underscored the pivotal role of medical practitioners in the development of Guyana’s health sector.
Minister Edghill highlighted the government’s commitment to modernising various sectors, with a special emphasis on healthcare.

Speaking at the ceremony Monday night, he commended TAU for its contributions, stating, “This university is answering the call and seeing the opportunity that was made available, benefitting from government incentives and frameworks for the establishment of a campus in Guyana. They have played a role, and they continue to play a role in what we hope to achieve.”
The minister stressed the importance of resource development in healthcare and shared insights into the government’s strategy.

According to him, in resource development in health care, President Irfaan Ali and the Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, assured the young people of Guyana that the government is prepared to “take every young person who is adequately qualified, train them in the various fields in the medical profession, and while they are going through the training, they will be given a stipend too. And not only that, but upon the completion of their training, we will ensure that you get a job.”

Minister Edghill emphasised that the government’s implementation of this strategy aims to retain and engage qualified young individuals in Guyana.
“We are doing this because we face the reality that a number of our own medical professionals who have been equipped and trained have been attracted by the incentives that are available in other parts of the world. We are not shortsighted; we know where we want to go and what would take us there, and we are making the necessary investments,” he noted.

The Public Works Minister further explained that the government was paying attention to four key areas as a nation.
He stated, “this university and your graduation fall right in the slots of the key pillar of human resources. We cannot modernise the health sector if we don’t have the people and the staff. We can build all the buildings, buy all the equipment, and make all the budgetary allocation to buy drugs and medical supplies, but if we don’t have competent brains, skills, and a dedicated and committed work force, then we would just have shells in various places and regions.”

Stressing to the graduating class of 2023 that Guyana’s future is strengthened by their education and their role in the broader framework of human development, Minister Edghill said, “we are certain that we could get to that destination because you are playing a very important role in that.”

Moreover, Minister Edghill lauded the parents, relatives, and supporters of the graduating doctors, acknowledging their fortitude and diligence in attaining their medical degree and underscoring that their achievements would not have been possible without their sacrifices and backing. He also commended the Texila American University (TAU) for its endorsement and integration of the government’s scholarship initiative, enabling numerous Guyanese individuals to pursue online education.

The Public Works Minister expressed admiration for the educational resources in Guyana, specifically the University of Guyana (UG), for consistently producing skilled scholars who occupy key positions within the medical establishments across the nation.

According to the Minister, “The head of medicine at the Georgetown Public Hospital is a renowned Guyanese, the person who heads the medical school, a renowned Guyanese…there are several people in the top positions in the medical fields, but more so, they were trained in Guyana and are doing a fantastic job.”

Finally, Minister Edghill said that “we have turned the corner, where we are no longer in our heads to think that only good things come from abroad. We are recognising right here on our soil that our institutions, which are homegrown with the support of partners in various parts of the world, can produce quality people to modernise and transform Guyana.”