Judge Mohamed Shahabuddeen: A Pictorial Biography’ Gifted to UG Library and the National Library of Guyana

The University of Guyana recently hosted the official handing-over ceremony for the book: Judge Mohamed Shahabuddeen: A Pictorial Biography by Mohamed Shahabudeen’s son Sieyf Shahabuddeen. The iconic publication will now add significantly to the body of literature that is available in Guyana and the region on the extraordinary life and career of celebrated Guyanese legal luminary Judge Mohamed Shahabuddeen.

This Pictorial Biography, which was written by Judge Shahabuddeen’s son, Sieyf Shahabuddeen, is full of informative text and lush with photographs chronicling the extraordinary life of one of the greatest legal minds of our time.

The cousin of the late Judge Shahabuddeen, Ms. Sharaon Correia, officially presented the book to the gathering and read a speech on behalf of Sieyf Shahabuddeen. In her brief dissertation, Ms. Correia detailed: “Judge Shahabuddeen was raised by an aunt in a poor village on Guyana’s Essequibo Coast. He attended school at a converted Dutch barn…He was appointed his country’s Attorney General. He earned five academic degrees without ever attending University.”

“The late Judge Shahabuddeen was a remarkable man who was elected a judge of the International Court of Justice (The World Court) and later the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia. He also served as a judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda. Judge Mohamed Shahabuddeen earned an international reputation as one of the world’s most brilliant and prolific jurists. He was even elected to the International Criminal Court,” she added.

Chief Librarian of the University of Guyana, Ms. Gwyneth George, expressed her appreciation for the donation of the book and noted that it is a significant addition to the library’s repository. Like the Vice-Chancellor, she noted that Judge Shahabuddeen had achieved distinction in his legal career, and that our students and all others involved in the legal field will benefit tremendously from the work captured in the publication.

Seven (7) copies of the publication were handed over to the University of Guyana’s Chief Librarian, Ms. Gwyneth George; five (5) copies were handed over to Prof. Gomathinayagam Subramanian, the Director of the UG Berbice Campus and six (6) copies were handed over to the Representative for Ms. Emiley King, Chief Librarian of the National Library.

At a simple, but significant handing-over ceremony held at the University of Guyana Library, Turkeyen Campus on Aug 12th,  UG’s Vice-Chancellor, XI, Prof. Paloma Mohamed Martin reflected on The underlining the importance of capturing, documenting and preserving the work, ideas and thoughts of Guyanese intellectuals and professionals, the Vice-Chancellor said: “I'd like to of course, commend the book, but also to place it in the context of a growing canon of Caribbean work and regional work that is beginning to appear... The voice of a people is resident in the work of their history, the spoken and written words of those who act in the public space, and in the intellect that is often lost because we as a people have not paid attention to the documentation and dissemination of what we write, what we think and how we've acted.”

According to the Vice-Chancellor, if current dominant narratives about us have to change, this will only happen through continuous and robust documentation and dissemination of our thought and practice. She expressed that persons should be able to find Guyanese public figures’ intellectual work using Google search since it is imperative that we become aware of what our own intellectual and public figures would have written or said.

“I am glad that it’s on kindle, since I think, this book is adding to a small but growing cannon of works that are searchable, that are online, that are accessible, and that are really in a space to make our people understand how powerful the intellect of Guyanese has been in the international space. And this particular jurist has made such a powerful contribution to not only this country but to the world,” the Vice-Chancellor added.

It is the Vice-Chancellor’s hope that this book will be incorporated into the regional law schools’ curriculum so as to celebrate the life of a stalwart in the legal fraternity. “It gives me great pleasure, on behalf of the University of Guyana and the country, to be receiving the book of a man of towering intellect,” said Prof. Mohamed Martin.

The book is available in black and white and coloured from Amazon and will also be available in the kindle electronic edition by October or November 2022.  The writer is taking no royalties, so the book is available at Amazon’s minimum list price.

Mrs. Sharaon Correia. Cousin of the author

Ms. Sharaon Correia handing over the books to the University of Guyana’s Vice-Chancellor, XI, Prof Paloma Mohamed Martin and Chief Librarian, Ms Gwyneth George and other UG officials

The Judge Mohamed Shahabuddeen: A Pictorial Biography book being handed over to the University of Guyana Berbice Campus Director, Prof Gomathinayagam Subramanian

The Judge Mohamed Shahabuddeen: A Pictorial Biography book being handed over to the Chief Librarian Guyana National Library Ms Emiley King.

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The University of Guyana now in its 59th year was founded in October 1963. “UG” as it is fondly referred to offers 150 programmes in over 60 disciplines in online, face-to-face or blended formats. UG delivers in a Guyana based system across eight campuses. It is the largest, oldest, most advanced and only state University in Guyana with a student population of over 10,000 “UG” has provided education, training and research for over 50,000 alumni over its 59-year history UG’s national and global impact and footprint is significant. Its graduates have risen to populate the commanding heights of national, regional and international organizations of repute in over 150 different disciplines. The mission of the University is to discover, generate, disseminate and apply knowledge of the highest standard for the service of the community, the nation, and of all mankind within an atmosphere of academic freedom, innovation and universal respect. UG's forward-thinking Blueprint 2040 is currently setting the course for the University's future design and institutional response to the changing needs of Guyana, the region and world. UG will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2023 and is stepping up its focus on becoming one of the leading and most sought-after educational institutions in the world for both staff and student.

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