Guyanese Archeologist, George Simon is among three recipients of the Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence. He is joined by Trinidadian Paula Lucie-Smith and Vincentian Professor Leonard O’Garo.
George Simon
All the recipients will be receiving TT$500,000 (Gy$ 16.5 million) in May along with a medal and citation to assist in their professional advancement.
Simon, a visual artist and archeologist, studied at the University of Portsmouth and London University. He recently made an archeological discovery in Guyana that may cause history books to be radically rewritten.
Along with a team of archaeologist, Simon examined a field of man-made mounds stretching several miles between the Berbice and Corentyne rivers dating back 5000 years. He is the second Guyanese Amerindian to receive the prestigious award.
Additionally, Simon and associates discovered the complex, populous settlements existed in this part of the world even before the pyramids in Egypt. He will receive the Arts & Letters Award.
The other laureates, Lucie Smith and Professor Leonard O’ Garo will receive the Public and Civic Contributions Award and the Science and Technology Award respectively.
Smith is the founder and CEO of the Adult Literary Tutors Association (ALTA). In 1990, she began teaching an adult literacy class of about 20 people on a volunteer basis, and formed ALTA in 1992. Today, ALTA classes are offered at 50 venues across T& T. On the other hand, Professor O’Garo is a plant pathologist from St Vincent. His work has been concerned with the use of science to treat and eradicate diseases that attack food crops in the Caribbean.
O’Garo became the United Nations bio safety co-coordinator, managing the United Nations Environmental Programme for the development of national bio-safety frameworks. Through his work, all OECS countries have received specialised training in crop protection methods for crops including pepper, tomato, onion, yams and papaya.
The announcements of the 2012 laureates were made at the Tatil Building, Port-of-Spain, recently by Emiment Persons Panel Selection Committee Chairman, Michael Mansoor.
This year’s recipients represent the fifth set of laureates to be recognised since the awards were launched in 2006.
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