Written by RYHEN KING
Monday, 12 September 2011 23:31
‘THE APPRECIATION DAY’ planned for President Bharrat Jagdeo and to be held at the Guyana National Stadium on Friday, is indeed a most timely event. It is most deserved as it is likely to add to the unity of Guyana. It comes while the president is still in office, showing that gratitude ‘must not wait’ until death or exit of any kind. If all goes according to plan, Guyana is set for a truly unprecedented event this Friday. The fact that funding is from the benevolence of the populace makes the event most clean and non-political. In the words of Minister Irfaan Ali, the event is really from the “people, from their hearts, (who) want to bring out thanks and convey their appreciation for the leadership of His Excellency. Although it is a very costly activity, it is voluntary in nature.’ Here is a valid reason in support of this event.
In many instances, local people tend to forget their heroes. They also tend to see them in a dim light. Yet, those same people are seen by outsiders for whom they really are. This is not to say that Guyanese are not in full appreciation of President Jagdeo, but at least it precludes that possibility. So it is good here to enumerate some of the accolades and comments bestowed on him.
First and not too long ago, in fact, on April 22, 2010, President Jagdeo was one of six winners of the 2010 Champions of the Earth, the United Nations’ highest award, for environmental leadership. In copping the coveted prize, the Guyanese leader entered the 2010 fold of winners, alongside some outstanding Champions of the Earth Laureates. These included President Mohamed Nasheed, Prince Mostapha Zaher, Dr. Taro Takahashi, Ms. Zhou Xun, Mr. Vinod Khosla. This coterie is most noble and outstanding, and it confirms the fact of Mr. Jagdeo’s personage in the area of environmental preservation and conservation. It is common knowledge now that President Jagdeo gained international recognition for his position on environmental issues within Guyana and on the global scale. At the onset of his tenure as President, this was most unthinkable.
When President Jagdeo received the award, UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Achim Steiner, captured in a most succinct manner, the kind of individual that the Guyana President has really become. The actual words need no elaboration.
“President Jagdeo is a powerful advocate of the need to conserve and more intelligently manage the planet’s natural and nature-based assets. He has recognized more than most the multiple Green Economy benefits of forests in terms of combating climate change, and also in terms of development, employment, improved water supplies and the conservation of biodiversity.”
Please note that The Champion of the Earth Award was first established in 2004. It is a special endowment, recognizing achievements in the areas of: Entrepreneurial Vision, Policy and Leadership, Science and Innovation, Inspiration and Action, and a special category for 2010, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management. So by virtue of receiving the honour, President Jagdeo deserved and veritable exaltation is confirmed. So Guyana’s President is truly a man to be appreciated. Then one can add a personal touch, and come up with another factor for honouring Bharrat Jagdeo.
For possessing an ever expanding intellect, President Jagdeo was conferred with two Honorary Doctorates. First, on February 6th 2011, Honorary Doctorate number one (from Peoples Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Now, Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University), came the President’s way at the 50th Anniversary of the university. President Jagdeo was selected by the Academic Board of the University for the Award and the conferral was held in the Kremlin, the seat of Russian Government. This simply added to his aura and came as no surprise. During his actual student years, his specialty was ‘Planning of National Economy’ and his thesis was ‘Rural Development in Developing Countries.’ The honorary culmination was quite appropriate and personally satisfying. Number two, an Honorary Doctorate of literature, was conferred on President Bharrat Jagdeo on February 8th, 2011, by the Padmashree, Dr. Dy Patil University in Mumbai, India, at its Annual Convocation Ceremony. In accepting the award, President Jagdeo alluded to the global trends of greater access to information, which will change the demand for educational services and technical expertise.
So at the level of setting Guyana on the international stage, and for personally expanding his intellect, one can understand why the people of Guyana really are in support of the ‘Day of Appreciation.’ The only caution necessary here is that amidst the celebration, exuberance must be controlled. After all, it is all Guyana in one locale, so space and time will be limited.
Excerpts from the Guyana Chronicle
Monday, 12 September 2011 23:31
‘THE APPRECIATION DAY’ planned for President Bharrat Jagdeo and to be held at the Guyana National Stadium on Friday, is indeed a most timely event. It is most deserved as it is likely to add to the unity of Guyana. It comes while the president is still in office, showing that gratitude ‘must not wait’ until death or exit of any kind. If all goes according to plan, Guyana is set for a truly unprecedented event this Friday. The fact that funding is from the benevolence of the populace makes the event most clean and non-political. In the words of Minister Irfaan Ali, the event is really from the “people, from their hearts, (who) want to bring out thanks and convey their appreciation for the leadership of His Excellency. Although it is a very costly activity, it is voluntary in nature.’ Here is a valid reason in support of this event.
In many instances, local people tend to forget their heroes. They also tend to see them in a dim light. Yet, those same people are seen by outsiders for whom they really are. This is not to say that Guyanese are not in full appreciation of President Jagdeo, but at least it precludes that possibility. So it is good here to enumerate some of the accolades and comments bestowed on him.
First and not too long ago, in fact, on April 22, 2010, President Jagdeo was one of six winners of the 2010 Champions of the Earth, the United Nations’ highest award, for environmental leadership. In copping the coveted prize, the Guyanese leader entered the 2010 fold of winners, alongside some outstanding Champions of the Earth Laureates. These included President Mohamed Nasheed, Prince Mostapha Zaher, Dr. Taro Takahashi, Ms. Zhou Xun, Mr. Vinod Khosla. This coterie is most noble and outstanding, and it confirms the fact of Mr. Jagdeo’s personage in the area of environmental preservation and conservation. It is common knowledge now that President Jagdeo gained international recognition for his position on environmental issues within Guyana and on the global scale. At the onset of his tenure as President, this was most unthinkable.
When President Jagdeo received the award, UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director Achim Steiner, captured in a most succinct manner, the kind of individual that the Guyana President has really become. The actual words need no elaboration.
“President Jagdeo is a powerful advocate of the need to conserve and more intelligently manage the planet’s natural and nature-based assets. He has recognized more than most the multiple Green Economy benefits of forests in terms of combating climate change, and also in terms of development, employment, improved water supplies and the conservation of biodiversity.”
Please note that The Champion of the Earth Award was first established in 2004. It is a special endowment, recognizing achievements in the areas of: Entrepreneurial Vision, Policy and Leadership, Science and Innovation, Inspiration and Action, and a special category for 2010, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management. So by virtue of receiving the honour, President Jagdeo deserved and veritable exaltation is confirmed. So Guyana’s President is truly a man to be appreciated. Then one can add a personal touch, and come up with another factor for honouring Bharrat Jagdeo.
For possessing an ever expanding intellect, President Jagdeo was conferred with two Honorary Doctorates. First, on February 6th 2011, Honorary Doctorate number one (from Peoples Friendship University of Russia, Moscow, Now, Patrice Lumumba Peoples' Friendship University), came the President’s way at the 50th Anniversary of the university. President Jagdeo was selected by the Academic Board of the University for the Award and the conferral was held in the Kremlin, the seat of Russian Government. This simply added to his aura and came as no surprise. During his actual student years, his specialty was ‘Planning of National Economy’ and his thesis was ‘Rural Development in Developing Countries.’ The honorary culmination was quite appropriate and personally satisfying. Number two, an Honorary Doctorate of literature, was conferred on President Bharrat Jagdeo on February 8th, 2011, by the Padmashree, Dr. Dy Patil University in Mumbai, India, at its Annual Convocation Ceremony. In accepting the award, President Jagdeo alluded to the global trends of greater access to information, which will change the demand for educational services and technical expertise.
So at the level of setting Guyana on the international stage, and for personally expanding his intellect, one can understand why the people of Guyana really are in support of the ‘Day of Appreciation.’ The only caution necessary here is that amidst the celebration, exuberance must be controlled. After all, it is all Guyana in one locale, so space and time will be limited.
Excerpts from the Guyana Chronicle
