…90% of records digitisedTwenty-seven years after the Parliamentary Library was first established in 1996, it officially opened its doors to a newly modernised facility which is now 90 per cent digitised and well-equipped with documents and books of former politicians as well as the country’s parliamentary history.The library was named after Guyana’s longest-serving Clerk of the National Assembly, Frank A Narain.
Former Clerk,, Frank A Narain along with Human Services Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud cutting the ribbon to officially open the library. Also in photo are former Speakers Ralph Ramkarran, SC, and Raphael Trotman
Speaking at the opening ceremony on Friday, Human Services and Social Security Minister, Dr Vindhya Persaud expressed gratitude to Narain for his parliamentary contributions as she lauded the initiative to have the library named after him.
“He has not only been serving this Parliament with distinction and being a repository of information, knowledge and wisdom when it comes to parliamentary practicing procedures, but he has taken the effort to compile so much that we as newer parliamentarians have the opportunity to learn, to look back at our history and to look forward bearing that experience in mind,” the Minister remarked.
She added, “I say thank you on behalf of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic, on behalf of the Government of Guyana, and on behalf of all those who would have benefitted from your knowledge. I think it is indeed fitting that an area of the Parliament earmarked to contain a repository of wisdom carried your name.
Meanwhile, Narain gave a brief history of the establishment of the library in February 1996, which was financed by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and was completed two years later, in May 1998.
According to Narain, he was at a meeting when he seized the opportunity to make his case for the provision of financial assistance to establish a well-needed library.
“I took the opportunity at the meetings I attended to put my case for financial help towards the establishment of a library to the US and the USAID. I was very fortunate that my proposal was accepted and the USAID appointed an agency called the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs to come to Guyana to implement the proposal,” Narain reflected.
He noted too that subsequent to his proposal being accepted, a team was established which was responsible for all operations to get the library in place.
