President Jagdeo swears in new Cabinet Ministers

Urges members to lead by example

September 9, 2006

The 19 appointees to President Bharrat Jagdeo’s Cabinet today took the Oath of Office, pledging their allegiance to the people of Guyana as they execute the functions of their respective offices, while the Head of State charged them to lead by example.

“If we want our country to achieve certain standards, we are the ones who have to set the example. And I will be requiring that of every Minister that we ensure that the standards in our performance are kept at the highest level so that we can inspire others to join with us in this exciting task,” the President said while delivering brief remark at the swearing-in ceremony at State House, Georgetown.

The Cabinet was selected mainly from the List of Candidates submitted to the electorate by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic and included some technocrat Ministers. The Constitution has a provision for four technocrats.

“We have a difficult road ahead of us, a road that is absolutely necessary that we tread on. We have made some promises to the Guyanese people and we in the PPP/C intend to fulfill those promises. And this team will work assiduously every single day to make these promises a reality,” the President said The President expressed confidence in the team of Ministers, nine of whom returned to the Cabinet along with ten new faces. He expressed hope that they would receive the support of Guyanese, their seasoned colleagues and also those who did not return to the Cabinet.

On this note he expressed appreciation for the service of the past Ministers, who he said, would continue to contribute to national development.

Noting that there are exciting prospects ahead for his Administration, President Jagdeo acknowledged that there will be many difficulties as well, ‘but I am confident that we can fulfill all the promises we made in our five-year development plan. I hope that we can work with each other, because in this partnership, it is important that we work with others. It is important that we remain humble,” he said.

President Jagdeo also expressed appreciation for the overwhelming support his Administration has received from Guyanese in the past and the anticipated support as the PPP/C enters another term in Office.

“I think this country has wonderful promises and if we all work together, we could make those realities,” he said.

Taking the Oath today were: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Rudy Insanally; Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Kumar Singh; Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Jennifer Webster; Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn; Minister in the Ministry of Education, Dr. Desrey Fox; Minister of Agriculture, Robert Montgomery Persaud; Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Priya Manickchand; Minister of Health, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy; Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce, Manniram Prashad; Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony; Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir; Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee; Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Doodnauth Singh; Minister of Housing and Water, Harrinarine Nawbatt; Minister of Education, Shaik Baksh; Minister of Foreign Trade and

International Co-operation, Dr. Henry Jeffrey; Minister of Local Government and Regional Development, Kellawan Lall; Minister of Public Service Dr. Jennifer Westford and Minister in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsarran.

Prime Minister Designate, Hon. Samuel Hinds and Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues were sworn-in earlier in the week. Dr. Roger Luncheon was returned as Head, Presidential Secretariat.

See Minister’s bio-data below:

PROFILES OF NEW CABINET MEMBERS
PRIYA DEVI MANICKCHAND

PARENTS: Krishendat Manickchand, Rice Farmer

Hyacinth Manickchand, Retired Headmistress

SIBLINGS: Anil Manickchand

Jaya Manickchand

EDUCATION: STELLA MARIS PRIMARY

1981-1987

QUEEN’S COLLEGE

1987-1992 (CXC SCIENCE STREAM)

U.G 1992-1997-L.L.B

HUGH WOODING LAW SCHOOL L.E.C

1998-2000

ADMISSION TO THE BAR IN GUYANA -October 10, 2000.

WORK EXPERIENCE:

Associate Attorney at Khemraj Ramjattan & Associates.

September 2000- February, 2002.

PRIVATE PRACTICE:

February 2002 to present.

Senior Supervising Attorney

Georgetown Legal Aid Clinic.

January 2004-October 2005.

Senior Attorney, Georgetown Legal Aid Clinic

October 2005 to present.

CHURCH

Member of Burn’s Memorial Presbyterian Church.

EXTRA CURRICULAR:

Executive Member, Guyana Bar Association 2002-2005.

Executive Member, Guyana Association of Women Lawyers 2002-2005.

Member, Guyana Medical Council 2002-2006.

Member, Board of Directors

Omai Bauxite Mining Industries O.B.M.I

2005 to Present

President , National Youth Council

Guyana Presbyterian Church

1997-1998

Director, Board of Directors

Guyana Rice Producers Association

2003-2004

Dr. Bheri S. Ramsaran MD

Dr. Bheri Sygmond Ramsaran was born on March 16, 1959. He graduated from the Medical Faculty of the People’s Friendship University, Moscow, in 1987 and then proceeded on further post graduate training at the same University for another year. The emphasis of this further year of training was on surgical skills. He was awarded the scholarship to pursue studies at the People’s Friendship University by the People’s Progressive Party. He joined the PYO/PPP in 1973 while at high school.

Dr, Ramsaran returned to Guyana immediately on completion of his studies and joined the staff of the Georgetown Public Hospital on September 21, t 1987 as a Government Medical Officer. A year later, he was posted to Region 6 to work at the New Amsterdam Hospital. From time to time he also served at the Skeldon and Port Mourant hospitals. He continued working in Berbice as a medical practitioner until mid 1996 when he returned to the Department of Surgery at the Georgetown Public Hospital. While at the Georgetown Hospital, he was promoted to the level of Medical Registrar. He also worked for several years at the Accident & Emergency Department of the Hospital in the capacity of a Medical Registrar.

On his return to Guyana he was elected at a PPP Congress to the Central Committee of the party and has remained a member of that body. He was also elected a member of the Executive Committee of the PPP from that time until 2003 when he declined nomination. He served as the Party’s Secretary for Education while being a member of the Executive Committee.

As a result of his continued political activism and close association with the trade union struggles, and more particularly FITUG, (of the late eighties), he was indicted by the PNC regime on trumped up charges and prevented from working at the New Amsterdam Hospital for several years until December 1992.

He became a member of the National Assembly in 1998. Dr. Ramsaran has represented the PPP and the PPP/C at various national and international fora in several countries. As a Parliamentarian he functioned as a member of the Public Accounts Committee and the Sectoral Committee on the Social Sector. He has represented the Party along with the General Secretary and other leaders of the PPP at the inter-party talks and inter-party committees during the Dialogue process.

Dr. Ramsaran was the Chief Scrutineer of the PPP/Civic at the 2001 General & Regional Elections.

Dr. Ramsaran has travelled extensively around Guyana, including the hinterland communities. His familiarity with these communities and his training as a medical practitioner prompted his promotion to the post of Director of Regional Health, Ministry of Health in 2003 up to the present.

DR. JENNIFER R. A. WESTFORD

Dr. Jennifer R A Westford was born in Georgetown, Guyana. She attended Dolphin Primary and Charlestown Secondary Schools. She entered the Medical profession in 1977and graduated as a SRN in 1980. She worked with the Ministry of health until 1982 when she became a member of the Guyana Defence Force’s Medical Corps. In 1984 she was awarded a Government of Guyana Scholarship to study in Cuba in the field of Medicine. She graduated as a medical doctor in 1990 and was attached to the Georgetown Hospital until 1995 when she was appointed Regional Health Officer of Regions 7 and 8.

She served in this capacity until 2001 when she was appointed as Minister of Public Service. Notwithstanding the demanding work load, Minister Westford graduated from the University of Guyana with a Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations in 2004. She continued her studies and in July 2006 graduated with a Master’s Degree in International Studies from the University of Canterbury, UK. She is currently embarking on studies to obtain a Master’s Degree in International Conflict Resolution.

Dr Westford also attained formal training in Human Resource Management, Conflict Resolution and Disaster Management, both locally and overseas. Dr. Westford is a strong advocate of discipline, ethnics and excellence in the work place. She encourages young people and adults alike to achieve all the academic knowledge possible, since her motto is “Reach for the Sky, but keep on stretching because there may be something else beyond that”.

Her ultimate career goal is to command a senior position in the United Nations Organisation.

Harry Narine Nawbatt

Name: Harry Narine Nawbatt

Date of Birth: December 19, 1946

Marital Status: Married

Children: three (3)

EDUCATION:

General Certificate of Education Examinations – 6 subjects

University of Guyana - Diploma in Accountancy – 1980 – 1981

University of Guyana - Bachelor of Social Sciences (Major in

Accountancy) – 1988-1991

University of Guyana - Diploma in Transport Studies (Distinction) – 1993- 1995

WORK EXPERIENCE:

1964-1967 - Teacher at Annandale Primary School

1967-1972 - Public Service – Clerk II, Asst. Sworn Clerk – Deeds Registry

1967-1992 - Public Servant – Accountant General’s Department, Ministry of Finance Accounts Clerk II, III and Assistant Accountant.

1972-1973 - Public Servant –Post Office Savings Bank.

1973-1985 - Public Servant – Ministry of Works and Plant Maintenance and Hire Division – Assistant Accountant, Accountant, Chief Accountant (ag) Senior Clerk, Chief Clerk (ag) as well as performing duties as Principal Assistant Secretary (Finance).

1985-1990 - Office of the Auditor General, as Auditor, Principal Auditor

1990-1996 - Chief Accountant, Guyana Airways Corporation

1996-2003 - Executive Director, Social Impact Amelioration Programme.

2003-Present - Project Manager – Poor Rural Communities Support Services Project (PRCSSP), a Project under the Ministry of Agriculture.

Doodnauth Singh S.C., M.P.

Date of Birth – June 16, 1933

Home address – Lot 255 Forshaw Street, Queenstown, Georgetown, Guyana

Called to the Bar in England – December 1958

Admitted to Practice in Guyana – January 1959

Private Practice – January 1961 then joined the Attorney General’s Chambers. He served as Legal Draftsman in the Attorney General’s Chambers – Legal Council to Income Tax and Customs and Litigation Officer

Police Legal Adviser and Member of the DPP’s Chambers

Returned to Private Practice in 1969

Practices in Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada, Antigua and Dominica

Special Prosecutor against Patrick John, former Prime Minister and Members of the Dominican Defence Force, Treason and Murder

Special Prosecutor in Grenada against Bernard Court and others for the murder of Maurice Bishop, former Prime Minister and others

Appointed Senior Counsel in 1985, continued in private Practice until June 2001 then appointed Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs.

Manzoor Nadir

Born on November 14, 1955, Nadir first served as a Minister in the 2001 -2006 Cabinet as the Minister of Tourism Industry and Commerce .

Mr. Nadir holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of Alberta, Canada and a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of Manchester, UK.

He first became involved in politics when he contested the 1980 elections on the United Force ticket. He was a president of the party’s youth arm and became its leader in 1991.

Minister Nadir served as a member of the UG Council from 1981 to 1986. He was marketing executive of the Guyana Pharmaceutical Corporation from 1980 to 1984. Nadir served as Secretary General of the eighteen countries of the Caribbean Youth Institute from 1985 to 1995. The CYI was an organization comprising political parties from the Caribbean.

He was first elected to Parliament in 1992 and Nadir is now completing his 14th year and beginning his fourth term as a Member of Parliament.

Minister is married to Maria and their children are Mark (32), Marcia (31) and Marissa (24).

Dr. Frank C. S. Anthony

Highly successful, results- oriented healthcare executive with a Master’s of Public Health from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel and Medical Degree from the Russian Friendship University, Moscow, Russia.

Dr. Frank Anthony severed as the Executive Director of the Health Sector Development Unit, in the Ministry of Health. This unit manages the following programmes:

IDB/GoG Basic Nutrition Programme
IDB/GoG Health Sector Loan
IDB/GoG Health Sector Policy and Institutional Strengthening programme [grant]
IDB/GoG Increasing Access for Primary Health Care for Amerindian Communities.
WB/ GoG HIV/ AIDS Prevention and Control Programme
Global Fund – HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB grant.

Dr Anthony previously severed as the national focal point person for the Essential Public Health Functions, and Chronic Non Communicable Disease, and Health of the Elderly within the Ministry of Health. He also severed as epidemiologist within the Ministry of Health and Government Medical Officer on the East Coast of Demerara and at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

Dr. Frank Anthony has tremendous expertise in HIV/AIDS, and is the secretary of the Presidential Commission on HIV/AIDS. He was session chair at the recently concluded international HIV/AIDS Conference in Toronto, Canada.

Dr. Frank Anthony is the first secretary of the Progressive Youth Organization, and was the Chairman of the National Youth Commission in 2002. He participated in numerous youth programmes, conferences both nationally and internationally. Dr Anthony participated as Guyana’s representative in the United Nations, World Youth Leadership Training Summit, UN Headquarters, Commonwealth Youth Program Exchange, Program, the Caribbean Youth Assembly, Trinidad. And was the leader of the Guyana’s Delegation Leader at the World Festival of Youth and Students. Cuba.

Dr. Frank Anthony has been involved in politics from since 1979, starting as a pioneer, in the Progressive Organization of Pioneers, before moving on to the Progressive Youth Organization and the People’s Progressive Party. Among his most notable contributions was the period when he served on the constitutional reform commission in 1998/1999. He actively promotes racial harmony in Guyana, and is currently the deputy chairman of the Ethnic Relations Commission.

Dr Frank Anthony has a strong interest in Sports Administration and severed in the National Sports Commission for many years.

He is married to Dr. Shanti Singh, and has two children Ashley and Jessica.

MANNIRAM PRASHAD

POSITIONS HELD

A former school teacher and insurance executive and an established businessman.

Mr. Prashad was also the President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Chairman of the Private Sector Commission and a former Director of Pegasus Hotel and the Guyana Airways Corporation. He was also a member of the Council of the University of Guyana.

POSITIONS CURRENTLY HELD

Presidential Adviser on Investment & Trade – Office of the President
Chairman - Cheddi Jagan International Airport
Chairman - Guyana National Shipping Corporation
Chairman - Property Holdings (Guyana) Limited
Vice Chairman - Guyana Office for Investment
Vice Chairman - Caribbean Export Development Agency (Barbados)

S.R. INSANALLY

Mr. S R Insanally was born on January 23, 1936 in Georgetown and educated at Queen’s College, Guyana. He also attended the University College of the West Indies – London University, the University of Paris, France and the University of Brussels, Belgium. His main areas of study were Modern Languages and International Relations. He was also the recipient of Fellowships in Diplomacy granted by the United Nations and the Government of Canada.

Prior to entering his country’s diplomatic service in 1966, Minister Insanally taught French and Spanish at Kingston and Jamaica Colleges, Jamaica, at Queen’s College, Guyana and at the University of Guyana.

From 1966 to 1969, he served as Counsellor at the Guyana Embassy in Washington, D.C. in 1970 and was appointed Chargé d’Affaires in Caracas, Venezuela. In 1972, he was transferred to the Permanent Mission of Guyana to the United Nations where, as Deputy Permanent Representative, he was active in the negotiations for the Second Development Decade Strategy.

On completion of that assignment, he returned as Ambassador to Venezuela from 1972 to 1978 with concurrent accreditation to Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. During that period, he participated in the work of various regional organizations such as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC) and the Latin American Economic System (SELA).

His next posting was as Permanent Representative to the European Economic Community in Brussels where he also served as Ambassador to Belgium and on a non-resident basis to Austria, Norway and Sweden. As a member of the Committee of Ambassadors, he played a prominent role in the negotiation of the Second Lomé (ACP – EEC) Convention. He was elected Chairman of the Sugar Sub-Committee on several occasions and later Chairman of the Trade Sub-Committee for the negotiation of a Protocol to provide for the enlargement of the Community. He was also appointed Special Rapporteur for the Joint ACP–EEC Assembly on the implementation of the Lomé Convention.

Mr. Insanally subsequently returned to Guyana as Head of the Political Division covering the Western Hemisphere. At the same time he served as roving High Commissioner to several Caribbean countries and as Ambassador to Colombia. During this period, he was also a member of the Board of Governors of the Institute of International Relations, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.

Since 1987, he occupied the post of Permanent Representative to the United Nations. In this capacity, he has led his country’s delegation to the General Assembly on several occasions. He was also Vice President of the United Nations Council for Namibia and in that capacity he was involved in the process which led to that nation’s independence. He was elected Vice President/Rapporteur for the Special Session of the General Assembly on International Economic Cooperation held in April 1990.

In 1993, he was elected President of the forty-eighth Session of the United Nations General Assembly and during that period served as Chairman of the Working Group on the Reform of the Security Council. He also presided over the World hearings on Development held at UN Headquarters.

Mr. S.R. Insanally has served also in 1999 as Chairman of the Group of 77 and as Chairman of the Preparatory Committee for the South Summit.

From 1994 to 2001, he served as Chancellor of the University of Guyana.

On May 17, 2001, Mr. Insanally assumed the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs.

During his extensive diplomatic career, he has attended high-level meetings of many other international and regional organizations such as the Non Aligned Movement, the Group of 77 and the Commonwealth. He also participated in the North/South Summit held in Cancun, Mexico in 1981.

Mr. Insanally has written and lectured widely on the subject of diplomacy and international relations in general.

In recognition of his long and distinguished service to this country, he was awarded the Golden Arrow of Achievement (A.A.), the Cacique Crown of Honour (C.C.H.) and in 1995 the Order of Roraima (O.R.). He also holds the Order of the Liberator (Gran Cordon) conferred on him by the Government of Venezuela in 1978 and National Order of the Southern Cross in the degree of the Grand Gross (Brazil).

He is a member of the Executive Board of the International Association of Permanent Representatives and of the Council of Presidents of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Dr. Ashni Singh

Prior to his appointment as Minister of Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh was the Director of Budget in the Ministry of Finance, an appointment he held since November 2001. Before this, he held appointments in the Office of the Auditor General as Senior Deputy Auditor General from February 2001 and as Deputy Auditor General from November 1993.

Dr. Singh has also served in several other senior public sector capacities, including as a member of the Governing Board of the Guyana Revenue Authority and the Board of Directors of the Cheddi Jagan International Airport Corporation, among others, and as a member of a number of technical and steering committees on matters such as public sector reform. His employment history also includes stints as a Postgraduate Tutor at the University of Lancaster in the United Kingdom, a part-time Senior Associate Lecturer at the University of Guyana, and a Pupil Teacher at Queen’s College.

Over the years, Dr. Singh has represented Guyana extensively in international and regional capacities. These include serving as a senior technical representative in Guyana’s engagement with the major international financial institutions and donor agencies such as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, and the European Union, and representing Guyana in various Commonwealth and CARICOM activities. Dr. Singh is also currently a Director of the Caribbean Public Finance Association.

Dr. Singh received his higher education in the United Kingdom, and has been awarded a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree in Accounting and Finance by the University of Lancaster, a Master of Science (MSc) Degree in Financial Economics by the University of London, and a Master of Arts (MA) Degree in Accounting and Finance by the University of Lancaster. He is also a Chartered Accountant. He obtained his secondary education at Queen’s College, where his accomplishments included achievement of Guyana’s top CXC results and Guyana’s top “A” level results in the respective years that he wrote those examinations, serving as Head Prefect of Queen’s College, and leading Guyana’s Delegation to the first ever Youth Summit of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which Summit he chaired.

Among his academic awards, Dr. Ashni Singh is a Guyana Scholar and is also the recipient of a British Chevening Scholarship Award granted by the Government of the United Kingdom.

MR. KELLAWAN LALL

Date of Birth : 12 March 1953, Rosehall. Canje

Address: Third Street, Cummings Lodge

EDUCATION: Overwinning Secondary School, New Amsterdam

Patrice Lumumba University – Moscow

Diploma in Journalism from the International School of Journalism in

Hungary

EXPERIENCE: Journalist – New Guyana Company, Guyana

Editor – International Review Magazine, Czechoslovakia

Political Advisor to former Presidents Dr. Cheddi Jagan,

Samuel Hinds, Janet Jagan and His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo

Mr. Lall is the father of two children. He joined the People’s Progressive Party in 1970 and at present he is a member of the Central Committee and the Executive Committee of the PPP.

Dr. Leslie Ramsammy

Profile

Minister of Health, Guyana (2001 – present)
Member of Parliament (1997 – present)
Member of Constitutional Commission (2000 – present)
Member of Public Accounts Committee, Parliament (1997 – 2001)
Member of Appointments Committee, Parliament of Guyana (2001-2006)

President, Executive Council, PAHO (2002)
Senior Research Fellow WINDRIF, St. George’s University, Grenada (2001- Present)
Member, University Council (Board of Directors), University of Guyana 1994-2001
Chairman of Board of Directors, Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Guyana.

Education

Post Doctoral Fellow, Neurochemistry, NY Institute Developmental

Disabilities – 1980 – 1983

Ph.D., Biochemistry, 1982, St. John’s University, N.Y.

Thesis: Modulation of the structure and function of fungal phopholipids by tocopherol.

M.Sc., Biology, 1977. St. John’s University, N.Y.

Thesis: The effect of aging on the fatty acid composition and positional distribution in fungal phospholipids.

B.Sc., Microbiology, 1977. Pace University, N.Y.

Research: The qualitative and quantitative analysis of polyamines in Tetrahymena pyriformis.

Professional

Experience: Minister of Health, Guyana - 2001 – Present

Member of Parliament, Guyana -1997 – Present

Senior Lecturer, Chemical Pathology, University of Guyana 1996 – 2001

Senior Fellow, WINDRIF (Windward Research Institute Foundation)

St. Georges School of Medicine 2001 - Present

President, Executive Council, PAHO – 2001-2002

Member, Appointments Committee, Parliament 2003 – present

Member, Public Accounts Committee, Parliament of Guyana –1997- 2001

Chairman, Board of Directors, GPHC – 1998-2002

Head, Health Sector Reform Unit, Guyana – 1998-2001

Director, Environmental Protection Agency – 1994-2002

Director, University Council, University of Guyana – 1994-2001

Member, Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Constitutional Reforms –2000- 2001

Director, Bio Med Labs of Guyana – 1994-2001

Chairman of the Board, Woodlands Health Care Corporation –1999 - 2001

Assistant Professor of Medicine, State University of New York – 1984 - 1993

Research Physiologist, Veterans Hospital, North Port, N.Y. – 1984 – 1993

Publications:

More than 70 scientific publication
Health Sector Reform, Guyana 1999-2004
Regional Health Authority, Guyana 2001
National Health Strategy, Guyana 2002-2006
HIV/AIDS – A Public Health Challenge (Book) in print.

PROFILE OF DR HENRY JEFFREY

Henry Benfield Jeffrey did his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom. Dr. Jeffrey graduated with his BA (Hon) Politics from the University of Warwick, while he did his Master’s of Science at the University of Loughborough where he specialized in Development Studies. He graduated from University College, Cardiff and Wales with his PHD in Management Philosophy.

Dr. Jeffrey began his career in the academic sphere where he served as a Lecturer and Principal of Kuru Kuru College in Guyana from 1975 – 1978. During 1984 – 1986 he performed the duties of Temporary Lecturer at the University College, Cardiff Wales. He was a Senior Lecture and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Guyana from 1988 – 1992. In 1992, he became the Director of the Graduate School of Social Science.

Dr. Jeffrey was Minister of Labour, Housing, Human Services and Social Security from 1992 – 1997. From 1997 – 2001 he served as Minister of Health & Labour. He assumed the post of Minister of Education in 2001..

Dr. Jeffrey has written several publications, which includes, inter-alia, Guyana: Politics, Economics & Society (1986), Problems of Development of the Guyana (1991) and Sustainable Development in the Guianas.

EDUCATION: Beterverwagting Government School

Tutorial High School

University of Warwick (UK)

University of Loughborough (UK)

University College, Cardiff, Wales (UK)

EMPLOYMENT: Lecturer: Kuru Kuru Cooperative College 1975 – 1976

Principle Research Assistant: Office of the General

Secretary of the PNC & Ministry of National

Development 1976 – 1977

Research Fellow: University of Guyana 1977 -1978

Senior Lecturer: University of Guyana 1988 -1992

Dean: Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Guyana

1989 -1992

Director: Graduate School of Social Science,

University of Guyana 1992

SOCIAL ORGANISATIONS:

Georgetown Club

Guyana Cricket Club

Guyana Squash Racquet Association

MAJOR PUBLICATIONS:

Marxism & Cooperativism, 1983, pp. 201

Guyana: Politics, Economics & Society (with

Colin Baber) 1986, pp.221

Problem of the Development of the Guianas (with Jack Menke) 1991, pp. 226

Sustainable Development in the Guianas (with Renote Tjon

Lim Sang) pp 128

MR. SHAIK BAKSH

NAME: SHAIK KAMRUL ZAMAN BAKSH

EDUCATION: Bachelor of Social Science (B.Soc Sc.) Economics and Management – University of Guyana

Master of Science (M. Sc) Management – University of

London

Employment Profile: (i) Clerk – Ministry of Education

Personnel Officer – University of Guyana
Lecturer – University of Guyana
Head , Department of Management – University of Guyana
Chief Executive Officer – Guyana Stores Limited
Managing Director – Guyana Oil Company Limited
Chairman – Guyana National Engineering Corporation
President – Caribbean Management Development Association 1990 – 1992
Member of Parliament 1992 – to present
Minister of Housing and Water 1998 - 2006

Robert Montgomery Persaud

Robert Montgomery Persaud , age 32, was born in Berbice on May 9, 1974. The third of four children, Persaud received his early education at Redeemer Primary School and St. Joseph’s High School.

He was awarded a Certificate through the United States Agency for International Development /Freedom Forum in Washington, DC, USA and a Diploma in News Agency Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communications in New Delhi, India. Persaud is the holder of a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree from the University of Guyana. He graduated from the University of the West Indies in 2005 with a Master of Business Administration (MBA).

Persaud is married and has a daughter.

At an early age his penchant for the media was exposed as he began pursuing a career in Journalism which he started at the Catholic Standard newspaper. He later became a Senior Reporter and then Editor of the Mirror newspaper when he was only 23 years old.

Until his recent appointment as Minister of Agriculture on September 9, 2006, he held the prestigious positions of Information Liaison to the President of Guyana and Head of the Government Information Agency (GINA)..

He also served as Director of the Guyana Broadcasting Corporation, Programme Director/Editor of Multi-Technology Vision Inc. and Chairman of the National Communications Network (NCN) overseeing the successful merger of GTV and GBC.

Persaud is also the Government of Guyana’s Coordinator of the Information Communications Technology Strategy (ICT4D Strategy) which was recently completed and launched.

In the political sphere, his political activism from an early age has seen him climbing the ladder from being the Chairman of the Progressive Youth Organisation (youth arm of the PPP), to an elected member of the Central Committee and at present, Executive Committee Member of the People’s Progressive Party. Persaud also serves as Public Relations Secretary of the Party.

Brindley H. Robeson Benn

Name: Brindley Horatio Robeson Benn

Born: Georgetown, January 7, 1953

Married: Dina Sheridan Benn nee Mohamed, two children Robeson (22) and Khadija (19)

Parents: Brindley Horatio Benn (Former Deputy Premier and Minister) and Patricia Eterizna Benn.

Experience:

Geological Surveys Department

Field Assistant

Guyana Geology and Mines Commission

Senior Field Assistant

Guyana Mineral Resources Agency

Petroleum Unit – Geologist.

Guyana Mining Enterprise

Specialist Geologist.

Linden Mining Enterprise
Chief Geologist
Manager, Product Quality and Research
General Manager, Mines and Product Quality
Chief Operations Officer
Guyana Geology and Mines Commission

Commissioner

Education:

Schooling: At Kwakwani, Graham’s Hall, Cummings Lodge and Queen’s College.

Universities:

Bergakademie, Freiberg, Germany.

University of New Brunswick, Canada.

B.Sc., Geology.

Specialization

Igneous Petrology.

Boards:

Former Chairman – Guyana Geology and Mines Commission

Director – Guyana Gold Board

Director – Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission

Jennifer Ingrid Marie Webster

DATE OF BIRTH: January 19, 1962 in Georgetown.

CHILDREN: 1

EDUCATION :

St. Gabriel’s Convent of the Good Shepherd School and Queen’s College. Bachelors’ of Science Degree in Accountancy - University of Guyana and the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados

Queen’s University of Canada with a degree in Economics.

At present pursuing the Executive MBA programme.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

She was appointed Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President in December 1999 and prior to that held several senior positions in the Public Service. Ms. Webster is a Professional Accountant.

Member of the Board of Directors of the National Communications Network (NCN) and the Central Bank, and up to the time of her appointment as Minister in the Ministry of Finance is the Government’s representative responsible for the Reform Strategies in the Public Service being implemented under the Public Management Modernisation Programme.

She is also responsible for the administering the Cuban Scholarship.

DR. DESREY FOX

NAME: Desrey Clementine Caesar- Fox

PLACE OF BIRTH: Warmadong Village, Kamarang Keng Upper Mazaruni District

DATE OF BIRTH: January 2, 1955

MARITAL STATUS: Single

NUMBER OF CHILDREN: Three sons, Terrence Fox Jr., Kwame and Mensah

EDUCATION:

Warmadong Primary School
Campbellville Government School
Georgetown Seventh-Day Adventist Academy
Georgetown Hospital School of Nursing
University of Guyana
University of Kent at Canterbury
University of Oregon
Rice University, Houston, Texas

QUALIFICATIONS:

Ph.D Linguistics, Rice University, Houston Texas, 2003
MA Linguistics, Rice University, Houston Texas, 2003
MA Environmental Anthropology, University of Kent at Canterbury, U.K. 1997
B.Soc. Sociology, University of Guyana

PROFESSIONAL STATUS:

Associate Researcher, University of Oregon
Co-ordinator of Amerindian Research Unit, University of Guyana
Lecturer in Linguistics, Department of Language and Culture Studies, University of Guyana
Lecturer in Amerindian Studies, University of Guyana
Curator, Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology

SCHOLARSHIP AND OTHER AWARDS:

PRESIDENTIAL Scholarship, Rice University, 1998-2003
European Union Scholarship to read for Master of Arts in Environmental Anthropology at the University of Kent at Canterbury (1996-1997)
Who’s Who among students in American University Award ( 2001-2002), Rice University, Houston, Texas
The 2001 Rice University’s Women’s Impact Award, Rice University, Houston, Texas
The Robert Lowery Pattern Price, 2000, Rice University, Houston, Texas
The Dennis Irving Prize, University of Guyana, 1998
Recipient of the Post-Doctoral national Science Foundation Grant, Rice University, 2002-2006
Recipient Guyana’s 38 th Independence Anniversary Service and Humanitarian Award, 2004 from the Guyana Mission, Consulate and the Guyana Tri-State Alliance, Inc.

SELECTED WORKS:

The Indigenous Condition in Guyana: A Situational Analysis of the Mabura Great Falls Community, University of Guyana, Co-authored with Professor George K. Danns.
Continuity and Change among the Amerindian in Guyana in Ethnic Minorities in the Caribbean Society, Dr. Rhonda Reddock ed. Published by the Institute of Social and Economic Research, St. Augustine, University of the West Indies.
Five Hundred Years After: Indigenous Women in the Caribbean Revisited. Published in the proceedings of the Second Gathering Conference of the Indigenous peoples in the Caribbean by the Ministry of Culture, Trinidad and Tobago.
Caught within the Cracks: the case of the Amerindian Women of Guyana. Published in Polygloth, USA
Zauro’no dok Akawaio Yau: Variants of Akawaio spoken in the village of Warmadong. Ph.D thesis, Rice University , Houston, Texas
Body Metaphors in Akawaio House Construction Published in the Journal of Anthropology, USA.

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