May 25 2019
The Investiture Ceremony 2019, under the Orders of Guyana, was held yesterday at the National Cultural Centre, with almost four score persons being honoured for their service to Guyana.
The President bestowing awards on some of the recipients
The awards are bestowed based on work done in a diverse array of fields, such as academia, business, charity, economics, education, enterprise, faith, sports, and security.
The ceremony involved a tribute from the National Dance Company, and musical renditions of national songs led by the Guyana Police Force Band and Choir.
The awardees were honoured by President David Granger and the Chancellor of the Judiciary, Justice Yonette Cummings-Edwards.
The President recalled that the Constitution established the National Honour System to recognise persons whose service “has had immeasurable impact” on the country.
“These awards should never be disregarded or disparaged,” he said. The National Awards have to be restored to a place of prominence, he added.
The awards have been conferred annually, since 2015, and the President has assured that that practice will not break form.
Chancellor Justice Cummings-Edwards said that the nation was built through hard work, pain and sacrifice, and that these annual awards are to honour the persons who continue to build on the strength of the nation.
She noted the importance of recognising – even iconising – citizens for their hard work.
Receiving the Disciplined Services Medal were Deputy Commissioner of Police, Lyndon Alves; Assistant Commissioner of Police, Paul Langevine; and Retired Divisional Officer, Compton Sparman.
Lieutenant Colonel Courtney Arthur Byrne received the Military Service Medal.are Shameza Baksh, Taramattie Barker, Roxanne Barratt, Rosemary Benjamin-Noble, Donna Bowman, John Critchlow, Wavenie Dorsett, Hilbert Foster, Gloria Garraway, Lawrence Griffith, Soyinka Grogan, Claudette Heyliger-Thomas, Parmeshwar Jagmohan, Suresh Jagmohan, Ian Jardine, Mohamed Nizam Kassim, Bibi Fazeela Khan, Gordon Kingston, Kumar Lallbachan, Peter Lewis, Nasrudeen Mohamed, Terrence Anthony Poole, Leslie Ramalho, Harripersaud Ramsewack, Petal Ridley, Gail Robinson, Ramkarran Roopchan, James Sampson, Komal Singh, Zohora Singh, and Fitzroy Younge.
The recipients of the Medal of Service
The recipients of the Golden Arrow of Achievement
are Vincent Alexander, Lorene Baird, Ruth Benjamin-Huntley, Calvin Benn, Leslie Black, William Boyle, Negla Brandis, Paul Carto, Rudolph Cummings, Phillip DaSilva, Patrick Farnum, Egbert Field, Nicholas Fredericks, Malcolm Harripaul, Vincent Henry, Dickson Hooper, Leon Johnson, Kalam Juman-Yassin, Patrice La Fleur, Carl Lashley, Derrick Lawrence, Lawrence London, Julia Mansell, Suresh Narine, Christopher Nascimento, Lurline Nestor, Maxine Parris-Aaron, Rajendra Persaud, Eric Phillips,Sandra Shivdat, Gomathinayagam Subramanian, Morris Wilson, Genevieve Whyte-Nedd, Garfield Wiltshire, William Woolford, and O’Donna Allsopp.
The Recipients of the Cacique’s Crown of Honourare Frederick Case, Charles Fung-A-Fatt, David Hales, Riyad Insanally, Abdool Majeed, and Fr. Terrence Montrose.
President and Chancellor of the Orders of Guyana, David Granger
A Tribute from the National Dance Company
The Constitution of the Orders of Guyana makes provision for the National Awards.
The National Award tradition, as it is currently known, began in 1970 when Guyana gained Republic Status. Initially, Guyana had started out with two orders, The Order of Excellence and The Order of Roraima. These are the two highest orders that could be conferred on a citizen. The Order of Service was added six years later. It constitutes the General Awards: the Cacique’s Crown of Honour, the Golden Arrow of Achievement, and the Medal of Service.
Special Awards within the Order of Service are given for courage and bravery, military service and service to the Police Service, the Prison Service, and the Fire Service: the Cacique Crown of Valour, the Golden Arrow of Courage, the President’s Commendation for Brave Conduct, the Military Service Star and Medal, the Disciplined Service Star for Distinguished Service, and the Disciplined Services Medal for Meritorious Service, Long Service and Good Conduct.
Justice Cummings-Edwards said that citizens of other countries may also be awarded for service of an outstanding or exceptional nature.
