The Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) on Wednesday launched its 2008 almanac at a ceremony hosted for the winners and runners-up in an essay competition held to highlight “unnoticed or unknown aspects of our nation’s beauty.”

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Radhakrishna Sharma said the almanac reflects the “ideas and experiences” of youth who, incorporating the theme “The Beauty of My Native Land” highlighted locations they believe are prime tourist destinations in the country. He said the bank is grateful to the students for their “tremendous response to our Competition [which] shows their eagerness to contribute to the building up of the body of information on possible vacation sites within our country.”

The winners are Michael Phang of Marian Academy, Puja Jaichand of the Suddie Primary School, Angelisa Alexander of Mae’s Secondary School, Johnny Dorrick of the Yupukari Primary School – Quatata Annexe, Leanna Phillips of the Santa Rosa Secondary School and Kerrie Hooper of the Corriverton Primary School.

The runners-up are Christina Johnnie of Covent Garden Secondary, Christol Subrattie of the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary, Mobindra Ganesh of the CV Nunes Primary, Fiona Ramlochan of the Cotton Tree Primary, Devika Jhagdeo of the Abram Zuil Secondary and Rodwin Paul of the Anna Regina Multilateral Secondary.

Sharma said the bank produces an almanac every year and since 2001 it has been using its pages to present messages from young people, “thereby allowing them the opportunity to express their creativity and their views, which would in some way impact on the society.” He said GBTI has hosted other successful competitions over the years, on different themes, and the growing participation it has seen speaks of the recognition the initiative has gotten from youth.

The CEO said the bank hopes this almanac, which incorporates its most significant theme to date, “will also strengthen the capacity of our tourism industry to