Some of the honorees pose with their awards
The late former First Lady Viola Burnham was among a list of 250 persons of African ancestry who were honoured by the Council of Friends of New Amsterdam (COFONA) for their contribution to New Amsterdam and Guyana.
COFONA held its awards and recognition ceremony on Sunday at the Berbice High School auditorium. It was part of the group’s activities to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the Berbice Slave Rebellion and the 175th anniversary of emancipation.
The late Mrs Burnham, along with television station and hotel owner Rockcliff Christie and civil engineer/contractor Courtney Benn were recognised as business persons and entrepreneurs of New Amsterdam. Persons were selected under 13 categories, including community leaders, uniform service, educators, writers, and trade unionists.
COFONA also honoured persons in the fields of music, dance, culture, politics, law, medicine, religion and sport.
In the category of community leaders, former radio personality James Sidney and former Deputy Mayor Hyacinth James were honoured. Prisons Director Dale Erskine was among several recognised for outstanding uniformed service. The list of educators included head of Stanford University Dr Ewarth Thomas, Joyce Thomas, and former Regional Educational Officer Catharine Archer.
Journalists
Veteran broadcaster Ron Robinson headed the list of four journalists recognised; the others are Guyana Times’ Andrew Carmichael, Guyana Chronicle’s Juene Van-Keric and Kaieteur News’ Samuel Whyte. Among the writers honoured by COFONA was Edgar Mittelholzer, while Guyana Teachers’ Union President Colin Bynoe and former Chief Labour Officer Norman Semple were honoured as outstanding trade unionists.
Head of the Presidential Secretariat Dr Roger Luncheon and former Finance Minister Carl Greenidge headed the list of politicians. That list also included Nigel Hughes. Several persons who made their names both at home and abroad were also acknowledged for their sterling contributions to the legal profession. Among them are JOF Haynes, Michael Baird, the late Rupert Trim, Claudette La Bennett, Kim Kyte-John, and Ian Chang.
Dr Royston Anderson and Dr John Austin along with National Psychiatric Hospital administrator Leila Clark-Daniels and Dr Carl Niamatali received awards for their contributions in the field of medicine.
Reverend John Smith, who was credited with fomenting the 1823 Demerara Slave Revolt, was honoured as an outstanding religious leader.
In the field of music, dance and culture, Edith Peters, Ivlaw “Brooks” James Leon Saul and Shondel were some of the honorees, while former West Indies opening batsman Clayton Lambert headed the list of sport personalities. Also recognised for their sterling contribution towards the development of sport were Desiree Lancaster (table tennis); Jeff Roberts (boxing); Carl Moore (cricket); Roger Alphonso (football); and Sherwin and Petra Ford.
COFONA President Dr Leonard Lewis said the organisation attempted to give recognition to some individuals of African heritage who would have excelled since 1763.
Meanwhile, New Amsterdam’s Mayor Claude Henry, who was also recognised as one of the more influential mayors along with Errol Alphonso, noted that the process to select the awardees started three years ago and involved both residents of New Amsterdam who currently live overseas and those at home.
By Guyana Times