| Having stood the test of time for half a century, the University of Guyana is still on course to achieve its full potential as was envisaged at its inception on October 1, 1963. And although there have been some challenges in achieving the desired prospects, President Donald Ramotar is convinced that “we are going in that direction.”He underscored that while there is conspicuously a great deal to be done, much work have already started at the level of Central Government to achieve the desired outcomes.Head of State, President Donald RamotarHowever, he expressed some concerns that certain customs and habits must change in order for the University to progress. Moreover, the Head of State took a swipe at some aspects of the operations of the University stating that “university professors must give their marks to students much earlier, they must have a stronger and tighter relation,China Jerseys Cheap, more discipline in the system (and) more emphasis on developing the academic work.”The President’s passionate remarks, which also highlighted that politics has played a major role in undermining the development of the University over the years, were vocalised when he addressed a gathering in the George Walcott Lecture Theatre on Tuesday. The occasion was the start of a series of panel discussions to mark the 50th anniversary of the lone national university.According to President Ramotar the local university started amidst struggle and continued in struggle, a period which he classified as “difficult times.” In fact, he observed that national politics was reflected at the level of institutions during that time even at the level of the University. “Too much of it came to be reflected in the University of Guyana over the years and that has caused it not to achieve the fullest that it can achieve…while it is true, and we can beat our chest and say how many specialists we have produced,…much of our politics was reflected at this university that has probably held it back in many, many ways,” said President Ramotar.He disclosed during his deliberations too that he has on occasion met many of the alumni of the university now residing abroad, who according to him, have done well even for other countries in various parts of the world. Some of these individuals, the President said, were perhaps willing to return and give of their expertise to Guyana, a move that was probably hindered by the political climate.The President alluded to an instance of political tension which saw the President of the University’s Student Society back in the day being thrown out of the University along with his belongings which were burnt. And then there was the Walter Rodney affair, recounted the President, as he questioned,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, “Why shouldn’t a man like Walter Rodney be teaching at this University of Guyana?” Rodney, a fervent political advocate who was reportedly assassinated, was slated to take up an appointment as a professor at the local University in 1974 but was prevented from doing so by the then Government.And according to President Ramotar it was only a few days ago while in Atlanta,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, Georgia, United States, that he met with a number of top leaders in the Black community. Among those, he said, was a top US Economist who related that he was a student of Rodney’s. “This was a man (who was) speaking on CNN three days ago about the problems that would be caused by the shut-down of the US Government against President Obama,Jerseys NFL Wholesale,” said President Ramotar, even as he interjected “I hope that our opposition wouldn’t take a leaf out of that book.”According to him it has been recognised that much of the internal national politics was in the past reflected in the operation of the University, a state of affairs which still obtain today. And even as he emphasised the importance of embracing change,NCAA Baseball Jerseys, President Ramotar said that he, on a daily basis, work with the assumption that “all of us want to see our country develop and want to see Guyana be a better place.”“We might have different ideas of how that should be done but for Christ sake don’t let the different ideas paralyse us…let’s try them one at a time; life will tell us if we are right…who is right or who is wrong and we must be bold enough to make changes when we have made mistakes,Supply Authentic NFL Jerseys,” asserted the President. |
