23/11/2025
โ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ ๐ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ ๐จ๐ง ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฌโ - ๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐ญ๐จ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐๐ฒ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฒ๐๐ง๐
When Georgetownโs Mayor, Alfred Mentore, walks across the graduation stage on Saturday, he will not only be collecting a Bachelorโs Degree in International Relations from the University of Guyana, he will be completing a very important journey he began more than two decades ago.
โThis degree made my job a lot easier. I was able to understand from an academic standpoint what I was doing in real life. It gave me a deeper perspective on how to address and apply my learnings to everyday matters and to make more informed decisions as Council head,โ the Chief Citizen proudly said in an interview with UGโs Department of Events, Conferences and Communication (DECC).
But Mayor Mentoreโs academic journey was anything but straightforward. More than 20 years ago, he pursued a degree in Economics in the late 1990s. Later, he switched to Banking and Finance in the early 2000s. Both times, life shifted, and so did his priorities. โI had to shelve my aspirations. I needed to secure a solid livelihood, develop a business portfolio, and build partnerships that created net worth. My work as a real estate investor and entrepreneur took precedence,โ he explained.
Eventually, he found himself drawn into another area he always cared aboutโpublic service. โI always had an interest in politics,โ he said. That interest grew into responsibility when he became a city councillor, later Deputy Mayor, and ultimately Mayor of Georgetown.
Still, the desire to finish what he started never left him. โComing full circleโฆ that has always been foremost in my mind. I felt it was necessary to complete this first step in my journey. And Iโm not stopping hereโmy masterโs is next. Learning is a lifelong journey,โ he said.
When he finally returned to university, it was during one of the most challenging periods in modern historyโCOVID-19. โIt was around 2020โ2021. I had to care for citizens, discharge my responsibilities as Deputy Mayor, and continue working as part of an essential service entity,โ he recalled.
At the same time, he was raising a young family, including two teens who still needed their fatherโs presence. โMy family gave me the support I needed. A lot of resourceful people played their part in helping me pursue this degree.โ
According to the Chief Citizen, balancing work and study was extremely difficult. โIt was hard and tiring. I had to switch on and off between work and study and still put on a brave face every day.โ Still, he found motivation in wanting to complete his degree before his daughter graduates next year. โI wanted bragging rights. And I wanted her to get her own moment,โ he said with a laugh.
โThe lecturers at UG were well informed and interactive. The experiences at UG strengthened my leadership capacity and widened my knowledge base. My learnings will truly shape how I see things locally, regionally, and internationally,โ he shared.
โMy role will always be to find workable solutions for the greater good of the City and the nation,โ he added.
As he prepares to graduate, Mayor Mentore has a heartfelt message for public servants, working parents, entrepreneurs, and young people who feel that pursuing their education is beyond their reach: โNever give up on your dreams. Keep your sight on the prize! If I could come full circle and dedicate the time, while running the city, to complete this journeyโฆ why not you?โ
He continued: โMany people are qualified for the job they are doing, but not certified. And sometimes someone comes along with a certificate and gets your jobโnot because theyโre more capable, but because theyโre certified. I believe certification and qualification are two distinct things. So regardless of your constraints, find a way to get certified. There are so many avenues now, online or otherwise. And Government is doing much more to make that journey possible.โ
Mayor Mentore reminds us that no matter how long it takes, no matter how many times life redirects you, and no matter how heavy your responsibilities becomeโyour dreams are still valid and still within reach.
SOURCE: https://www.facebook.com/uniofguyana
