National awards to be re-launched next year

“This has been a topical issue on cabinet’s agenda”–President Jagdeo

The Alliance For Change (AFC) is to move a motion early next year seeking to resuscitate the annual National Awards and Investiture Ceremony after years of absence, says Raphael Trotman. During the last sitting of the National Assembly, Trotman reiterated his position on the issue while stressing the importance of the national event being staged.

“A country needs awards because the people need to see that their peers are achieving and are being recognized,” he outlined. He lamented the fact that an entire cycle of primary school students would’ve passed through the system without witnessing the ‘red carpet affair’. “They have read about it in books, like history,” he pointed out. “It’s a national shame and abomination.” The AFC leader is of the opinion that the ordinary folks, like firemen, police officers and other servants, are more deserving of national awards, and should be so granted. 

The last National Awards and Investiture ceremony was held in 2002.

However, several accomplished Guyanese have, over the years, been awarded for their contributions and successes. 

Some of these are prolific West Indian batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul; President of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Dr Compton Bourne; and Pandit Shri Prakash Gossai. 

Non-Guyanese have also been privileged to receive a national award from this country, with outgoing Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula Da Silva being the latest. 

He received Guyana highest honour, the Order of Excellence, on November 25, 2010. 

President Bharrat Jagdeo, in an invited comment, disclosed that names are being collected for these awards as government gears for a relaunch of the initiative in the New Year. He, however, could not give a specific date for this relaunch. 

“This has been a topical issue on cabinet’s agenda for several months now,” Jagdeo revealed. “The AFC knows this,” he added. 

The issue for the president is having ‘any and every one walk around’ with a national award. 

According to him, individuals who are found deserving are still awarded in the absence of an actual ceremony. 

The National Awards and Investiture ceremony, which have not been held in 10 years, are usually announced on May 26, Independence Day. 

The National Awards and Investiture ceremony had become a tradition ever since Guyana gained republican status in 1970.