A solemn assembly was on Wednesday hosted by the University of Guyana (UG) in memory of the first Deputy Vice Chancellor of the institution, Harold A Drayton.
Among the gathering of individuals who attended the ceremony to pay tribute was the Vice Chancellor, Ivelaw Griffith; Deputy Vice Chancellor, Barbara Reynolds; Pro Chancellor, Retired Major General Joseph Singh; the University of Guyana
Dr Harold Drayton during one of the university’s past events
Students Society (UGSS) President Norwell Hinds; lecturers and students.
The UGSS President delivered a presentation on the life of Dr Drayton and his accomplishments during the four decades in which he served as a lecturer and administrator locally and in the Diaspora.
Dr Drayton was born on August 20, 1929 in the then British Guiana. He was educated at Queen’s College and later graduated with a degree and PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.
At the invitation of Premier Cheddi Jagan, he returned to British Guiana to assist in the establishment of UG in 1963. When the doors of the university were finally opened, he was the first Guyanese to sit on the administration as he was appointed Deputy Vice Chancellor. He also served in the capacity of head of the Biology Department where the training of medical technologists would subsequently evolve that department into a full faculty for Health Sciences.
Homage was also paid by Professor George Danns, Malcolm Rodriques and Vonna-Lou Drayton.
A former student of the late doctor, Professor Danns in his remarks described Dr Drayton as “a son of this soil, an activist committed to social justice, a lecturer, an academic administrator who led the foundation for the development of the University of Guyana.”
Dr Drayton served as Deputy Vice Chancellor from 1963 to 1964.
