69 Guyanese conferred with National Awards

– among them 31 women

As Guyana celebrates its 51st Independence Anniversary, President David Granger and the Government of Guyana have conferred National Awards on 69 Guyanese, including 31 women, for their outstanding service and sterling contribution towards national development.

Leading the list of awardees is acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Yonette Decina Cummings-Edwards, who has been recognised with the Order of Roraima. Justice Edwards, who boasts an illustrious legal career that commenced in 1988, was sworn in to her current post on March 28, 2017. She served as a judge on the Court of Appeal of Guyana for several years, and was now the second woman to be appointed acting Chancellor of the Judiciary.

Acting Chief Justice Alison Roxane Mc Lean George, who was admitted to the Bar in October 1990, for service as a Senior State Counsel, Assistant Director of Public Prosecution, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions and Director of Public Prosecutions, has been named among the recipients for the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH), along with Secretary General of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), Ambassador Irwin LaRocque.

Environmental activist and pilot Annette Arjoon-Martins, who has been a driving force in marine conservation and mangrove replanting projects, has been named as a recipient of the Golden Arrow of Achievement (AA) alongside Secretary General of the Guyana Red Cross Society, Dorothy Fraser;  Chief Librarian of the University of Guyana, Gwyneth George; veteran Journalist Julia Ann Johnson; General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers Union (GTU), Coretta McDonald; Veterinarian Dr Karen Pilgrim and veteran educator Gem Ann Rohlehr, among others.

Meanwhile, veteran Journalists Enrico Woolford and Adam Harris; artist and sculptor Winslow Marcellous Craig as well as human resources management and organisational development specialist Sandra Jones are all among the recipients of the Arrow of Achievement.

President Granger has said that the conferring of National Awards was recognised as a mechanism provided under the Constitution of Guyana to give due national recognition to outstanding citizens. The regular conferral of national awards is a commitment made by President Granger.

Under the current Administration, 51 Guyanese women have already been conferred with National Awards. In 2015, 19 women from a total of 53 received National Awards. The Order of Roraima was received by one person; three received the Cacique Crown of Honour; seven received the Golden Arrow of Achievement; five received the Medal of Service and three received the Disciplined Service Medal.

In October 2016, a total of 32 women received awards – four received the Cacique Crown of Honour, 14 the Golden Arrow of Achievement, 12 the Medal of Service and two received the Disciplined Service Medal. A total of 86 individuals were conferred with awards. Additionally, 12 groups were conferred with the Medal of Service on the occasion of Guyana’s 46th Republic Anniversary in February, earlier in 2016.