Prime Minister Samuel Hinds on Tuesday commended the National Archives of Guyana for its dedication to recording the nation’s history, at the launch of National Archives Week 2011.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release, this year observances are being held under the theme ‘Records Management: Ideal tool for greater efficiency and effectiveness within the work environment.’ A plaque was unveiled in honour of the National Archives of Guyana’s inscription to the UNESCO World Heritage Register of ‘Documentary Heritage of the Indian Indentured Labourers.’ This nomination is shared with Fiji, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago and was recommended for inclusion in the Memory of the World Register in May 2011 as a group.
In his address, the prime minister also lauded Culture Minister Dr Frank Anthony for his ministry’s efforts and for the liveliness and passion they display in pursuit of archiving national records, particularly in documenting subjects that are important to Guyana’s history. “It is good for us to understand our history, since it will make it easier for us to understand the concerns, fears and insecurities of each other in society, and with that understanding, each citizen will be better placed to resolve mis-understandings, thereby hastening social cohesion,” Hinds said.
According to Anthony, the activities planned for archiving week are an extension of work the ministry is undertaking. He said the ministry uses the week of activities to highlight the importance of archiving and to educate the public and their role and advocate for better archiving practices through the hosting of a workshop.
A records management workshop was also hosted at the ceremony, which drew participation from various government and semi-government agencies that are responsible for decision-making regarding the management of records. Participants were given an introduction to functions of national archives, general accessioning guidelines for records managers, basic records management terms and principles to basic e-records principles and management.
The National Archives are now housed in a spacious and modern building and the processes to store data have been improved. Plans are also in train to improve the content of the records stored and to create electronic versions of them.
The agency has worked closely with UNESCO to archive inscriptions of indentureship ship records and the records of the Dutch West Indian company, as this is important to Guyana and world history. In addition, the agency plans to host an in-house exhibition, launch anew policy and a public lecture for secondary school children.
The National Archives of Guyana, under the purview of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, is tasked with promoting national achievement by ensuring that government officials can readily access information. The reception to launch the week of activities was hosted at the National Archives roof garden.
