Today Guyana celebrates 51 years of independence from British rule having gained its independence on May 26, 1966. As part of the auspicious observance a number of persons have been identified for national awards for their sterling contributions to nation building.
Madame Yonette Cummings-Edwards
Leading the list of 69 awardees is Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary, Madame Yonette Decina Cummings-Edwards, who has been recognised with the Order of Roraima. Madame 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 is now the second woman to be appointed to the position of Acting Chancellor of the Judiciary.
Acting Chief Justice, Madame 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 Prosecution and Director of Public Prosecution, has been named among the recipients for the Cacique’s Crown of Honour along withSecretary General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ambassador Irwin La Rocque.
Environmental activist and pilot, Ms. Annette Arjoon-Martin, 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 alongside Secretary General of the Guyana Red Cross Society, Ms. Dorothy Fraser, Chief Librarian of the University of Guyana, Ms. Gwyneth George, Veteran Journalist, Ms. Julia Ann Johnson, General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), Ms. Coretta McDonald, Veterinarian, Dr. Karen Pilgrim and veteran educator, Ms. Gem Ann Rohlehr, among others.
Meanwhile, veteran Journalists, Mr. Enrico Woolford and Mr. Adam Harris, Artist and Sculptor, Mr. Winslow Marcellous Craig, Human Resources Management and Organisational Development Specialist, Ms. Sandra Jones are all among the recipients for the Arrow of Achievement.
President David Granger has said that the conferring of national awards is 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.
Below is the entire list of national awardees:
Order of Roraima
1 Yonettte Decina Cummings-Edwards
Cacique’s Crown of Honour
1 Alison Roxane Mc Lean George
2 Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith
3 Moeenul Hack
4 Irwin La Rocque
5 Murtland Raphael Massiah
Golden Arrow of Achievement
1 Ramsay Ali
2 Annette Arjoon
3 Lloyd Fitzgerald Austin
4 Everette Lancelot Carberry
5 Rhoda Amelia Stephne Clarke
6 Winslow Marcellous Craig
7 Jose Louis Da Silva
8 Jennifer Dewar
9 Dorothy Fraser
10 Gloria Regina Fraser
11 Ameena Gafoor
12 Samuel Jaidatt Goolsarran
13 Gwyneth George
14 Adam Elias Harris
15 Hilton GregoryHemerding
16 Sandra Hooper
17 Julia Ann Johnson
18 Sandra Valerie Jones
19 Raymond Mark Kirton
20 Hemraj Kissoon
21 Doris Ann Lewis
22 Tota Charran Mangar
23 Hyacinth Gloria Massay-Thomas
24 Julie Andrea Matthews
25 Coretta McDonald
26 George Gladstone McDonald
27 Ann Elizabeth McLennan
28 Marie June Mendes
29 Abena Nkenge Moore
30 Cecil Norman Murray
31 Vibert Virnen Parvatan
32 Jawahar Persaud
33 Karen Pilgrim
34 Andrew Godfrey Proctor
35 Khakan Ally Ramjohn
36 Gem Ann Rohlehr
37 Sonya Indira Roopnauth
38 Pradeep Parmanand Samtani
39 Godfrey Steve Statia
40 Barbara Patricia Thomas-Holder
41 Desmond Trotman
42 Patrick Everton Williams
43 Enrico Mortimer Woolford
44 John Carlson Yates
Medal of Service
1 Sandra Michelle Adams
2 John Andries
3 George Rupert Barclay
4 Erma Hyacinth Bovell
5 Camille Patricia Carrington
6 Patrick Nigel de Groot
7 Denise Dias
8 Merlene Ellis
9 Joan Anges Fredericks
10 Heeralall Makhanlall
11 Jenevieve Jenny Murray
12 Julio Perreira
13 Ryan Perreira
14 Emelda Sandy
Military Service Medal
1 Lt Col Lawrence Anthony Fraser
2 Lt Col Ramkarran Doodnauth
Disciplined Services Medal
1 Assistant Commissioner of Police Nigel Anthony Hoppie
2 Acting Director of Prisons Gladwin Andrea Samuels
3 Deputy Chief Fire Officer Winston Michael McGregor