Now in its fourth season of awards, the University of Guyana has announced its 2024 list of exemplars in science, business, the arts, and education who will be awarded honorary doctorates in this year’s convocation exercises. Alumnus of the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Guyana and Founder of Baron Foods Sir Ronal Ramjattan; Guyanese Toronto-based surgeon and medical innovator Dr. Narendra Chetram Singh; CEO and Founder of Hansib Publishing Mr Arif Ali and Creole Linguistics and English Language Specialist Professor Ian Robertson are among the eleven outstanding Guyanese who will be awarded at the various ceremonies when the University of Guyana hosts it 58th Convocation exercises scheduled for November 7 to 16, 2024.
Entrepreneur and philanthropist Victor Compton Insanally, shipping magnate Christopher Fernandes; finance and management specialist Ralph Bazilio; child rights activist and social worker Ann Greene; historian and consumer advocate Patrick Parbhu Dial; veteran Guyanese musician and culturalist Eze Rockcliffe and cultural icon Pauline Thomas aka “Auntie Comesee” round out the diverse and impressive list. The following are brief synopses of each awardee.
RONALD RAMJATTAN
Sir Ronald Ramjattan is a well-respected chemist/food technologist. He is the CEO and founder of Baron
Sir Ronald Ramjattan is a well-respected chemist/food technologist.
Foods Ltd. Sir Ramjattan began his academic journey at the Muslim Education Trust College in Brickdam, Georgetown. His passion for chemistry led him to the University of Guyana, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry in 1972.
Upon graduating from UG, Sir Ramjattan started his professional career as a chemist with GuySuCo before joining the firm of Ricks & Sari Agro Industries Ltd in Guyana as a Food Technologist. He was later transferred to manage the company’s operations in Saint Lucia and subsequently made the bold decision to establish his own company Baron Foods Ltd in Saint Lucia in 1991.
Under Sir Ramjattan’s visionary leadership, Baron Foods Ltd has evolved into the largest processing products manufacturer in the Eastern Caribbean. The company now boasts a portfolio of over 165 award-winning food products and exports to both the Caribbean and international markets.
This celebrated entrepreneur has received numerous awards, including the Business Person of the Year 1999 Award and the coveted Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” 1999 Award. In addition, he was bestowed with the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth 11 in November 2014. Ramjattan, who is also a notable philanthropist, will be awarded an honourary doctorate for Excellence in Science on Thursday, November 7.
DR NARENDRA SINGH
Dr Narendra Singh is currently the Director of Pediatric Critical Care Services at the South Texas Health System. Additionally, he is the Strategic Adviser to the Minister of Health in Guyana. In 2018, he retired as the Chief of Staff of Humber River Hospital, Toronto.
Dr Singh is also the Programme Director for the Pediatric Post Graduate Programme, the University of Guyana/Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, and Associate Clinical Professor, the Faculty of Medicine at McMaster University. He founded Guyana Help the Kids in 2009 to address neonatal and infant mortality rates in Guyana.
Dr Singh has received numerous awards including the Meritorious Service Medal of Canada and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Prix d’excellence (Specialist of the Year). He will be awarded an honorary doctorate of Excellence in Medicine on November 9.
ARIF ALI
Arif Ali has over 50 years of experience in publishing for and about the Caribbean in the United Kingdom. Ali’s career as a newspaper publisher started in 1973 with the acquisition of the West Indian World. Under Ali’s editorship, the West Indian World prospered, campaigning on various educational issues that were affecting black schoolchildren in Britain. Ali went on to further engage and communicate with the Caribbean, African, and Asian communities by establishing the Asian Digest (August 1980), the newspapers Caribbean Times (1981), Asian Times (1983), and African Times (1985), as well as Root Magazine (1987).
In 1997, Ali sold his newspaper companies in order to concentrate on book publishing, and Hansib remains “the biggest and most diverse black book publisher in Britain”. He is the recipient of many awards for his service including the 2024 Bocas Henry Swanzy Award for Distinguished Service to Caribbean Letters. Mr. Ali will be awarded an honorary doctorate in Excellence in Literature on November 8.
PROFESSOR IAN ROBERTSON
Following the completion of his secondary education at Queens College, Prof Ian Robertson went on to the University of the West Indies, Mona, where he completed the Special Honours degree in English. He returned to the University at the St. Augustine campus where he completed his Ph. D in Linguistics.
Prof. Robertson worked in the education system in Guyana, Trinidad, and Jamaica for more than forty years. He has also been actively involved in the work of the Caribbean Examinations Council having served as Assistant Chief Examiner at the CSEC English and as Chair of the syllabus development committee for the preparation of the CAPE Communication Studies.
In academia, his work has covered a number of areas, including Creole Linguistics, English Language Education in the Caribbean, and the Caribbean Oral Traditions, among other areas.
Prof. Robertson will be awarded an honorary doctorate for Excellence in Literature and Linguistics on November 9.
CHRISTOPHER FERNANDES
Patriarch of the Fernandes clan, international shipping magnate, and servant leader, Christopher Fernandes’ work experience covers a wide range of activities in the fields of business and management, as well as social, cultural, humanitarian, and sports in Guyana. He pursued his tertiary education at the Irish Management Institute and Pennsylvania State University. He is currently the Chairman of John Fernandes Group of Companies.
Chris Fernandes also served as the Hon. Counsel for Germany to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana from 2003-2010. He was the First President of the Shipping Association of Guyana Inc. (1995 – 2002). He was also the Chairman of the Caribbean Shipping Association.
In 2002, he received the Golden Arrow of Achievement (AA) Award for long and dedicated service in the field of Commerce and Shipping. Additionally, in 2007, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) for his outstanding accomplishments and significant contributions to the business community and the wider society. He will be awarded an honorary doctorate for Excellence in Business, Sports, Education and Civic Engagement on November 7.
ANN GREENE
Ann Greene is a career social work professional with over 45 years of experience in the Public Service in Guyana. She has served in a number of capacities in the Social Services in Guyana, starting as an administrative staff and moving to a probation and welfare officer a capacity in which she served for several years before reaching the height of the Chief Probation Officer and later Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency.
Greene is the recipient of the Order of Service of Guyana for long service with exceptional dedication in the probation and welfare service (2011). She also received other awards including the European Union Human Rights Award for relentless work for the development and protection of children’s rights in Guyana. Greene will be awarded an honorary doctorate for Excellence in Children’s Welfare, Protection, Social Services, and Professional Development on November 9.
RALPH BAZILIO
Ralph Bazilion has over 37 years of experience as a Certified Public Accountant in the US. He has built a distinguished career providing audit, accounting, financial, and management advisory services. As the CEO of Bazilio Cobb Associates and the Managing Partner of Watson Rice LLP, Bazilio has demonstrated exceptional leadership and expertise in both firms, guiding them to prominence in the accounting and consulting sectors.
Bazilio has a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of the District of Columbia. He is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Government Financial Manager. He will receive an honorary doctorate for Excellence in Business, Sports, Education, and Civic Engagement on November 8.
PATRICK DIAL
Pat Dial is a historian by profession. He served in numerous capacities in the public sector over several decades, including at the level of Permanent Secretary in the then Ministry of Information and Culture and as Executive Director of the Advisory Committee on Broadcasting which later evolved into National Broadcast Authority.
He also lectured History and Caribbean Studies for many years at the University of Guyana. Dial’s work on consumerism spans several decades and to this date, he serves as President of the Guyana Consumers Association. As a Justice of Peace, he provides assistance to members of the public. For his excellent work and contribution to Guyana’s national development, he was awarded the Cacique Crown of Honour (CCH) and the Golden Arrow of Achievement (AA). Dial will receive an honorary doctorate for Excellence in History on November 7.
VIC INSANALLY
Victor Insanally has had a long and illustrious career through which he has made immense contributions to the arts, culture, and public life in Guyana. He has been a pioneering force in Guyanese arts, culture, public relations, and philanthropy. His contributions to the creative and civic life of Guyana, particularly as a distinguished broadcaster, cultural leader, and pioneering entrepreneur, are unparalleled. Moreover, his devotion to the upliftment of Guyanese children through the Tina Insanally Foundation exemplifies his commitment to using his talents and influence for the greater good.
In recognition of his exceptional contribution to the field of the Arts, Theatre Guild of Guyana recently awarded him the 2023 Icon of the Arts Award for Marketing and Promotion of the Creative Spirit. In 1998, he was conferred with the Cacique Crown of Honour for his outstanding services to the country. He will receive an honorary doctorate for Excellence in the fields of Business and Entrepreneurship on November 8.
EZE ROCKLIFFE
Eze Rockliffe is a cultural icon. He is the lead for the Yoruba Singers band, formerly known as the “Kitty Young Ascrians”. Due to Rockliffe’s exceptional talent and leadership, the band has achieved many significant successes for over half a decade. Owing to the fact that the band has never broken up, it is by far the longest-continuing ensemble of its kind in the country. It is the first to have played at almost every version of the Caribbean Festival of Creative Arts (Carifesta), and the first musical group or outfit from Guyana to have had the honour to perform at the world-famous Maddison Square Garden alongside the Might Sparrow and the late Lord Kitchener back in 1983.
Rockliffe and the Yoruba Singers have more than 100 recorded songs, the majority of which are originals. Rockliffe will be awarded an honorary doctorate degree for Excellence in Performing Arts, Music, and Culture on November 9.
PAULINE THOMAS
Pauline Thomas – affectionately known as “Auntie Comesee” is a living legend at 102 years old. Her name resonates deeply within the realms of storytelling, folklore, and cultural preservation. Her legacy has not only enriched the artistic community in Guyana but has also influenced the wider Caribbean diaspora.
Thomas’s captivating performances at the Theatre Guild of Guyana set the standard for stage acting in the country, earning her widespread admiration for her ability to blend humour, pathos, and cultural nuance in her roles. However, it was her work as “Auntie Comesee” on the radio that truly solidified her status as a national icon.
Thomas’s contributions to Guyanese arts have been celebrated through numerous prestigious awards and recognitions, both locally and internationally. Some of her most notable accolades include: the African Canadian Achievement Award in Arts (2000), the Guyana Folk Festival Award from the Guyana Cultural Association of New York (2007), the Guyanese Artistic Music Awards – Storyteller and Actor Award (2008) and the Guyana Awards (Canada) for Media and Culture. At the remarkable age of 79, she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in World Religion and Fine Arts Studio from the University of Toronto. Thomas will receive an honorary degree for Excellence in Performance, Arts, and Letters on November 8.
These awardees join only 21 other honorary doctorates ever awarded by the University in its 61-year history.
