UG commissions US$1.7M Sattaur and Ameena Gafoor Multipurpose Auditorium

The Sattaur and Ameena Gafoor Multipurpose Auditorium, located on the University of Guyana’s (UG) campus, was officially commissioned Thursday, January 15, after already hosting more than two major open-session events. The almost US$1.7M facility was funded by philanthropists Dr Sattaur Gafoor and his now-late wife, Ameena Gafoor.

Speaking at the event, UG Vice Chancellor Professor Dr Paloma Mohamed-Martin, expressed gratitude to the many individuals who contributed to the successful completion of the project.

Dr Mohamed-Martin also recognised several senior university officials, including the registrar, deputy registrar, director of the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education, director of communications, director of enterprise, and Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academics Professor Emmanuel Cummins, who participated online.

She further acknowledged the university’s students, many of whom were unable to attend the ceremony in person due to ongoing examinations.

“A lot of our students are writing exams today, so they are not here physically, but they understand the legacy that is being created here,” she said.

Highlighting the collaborative nature of the project, Dr Mohamed credited engineer Charles Griffith for his key role in designing the structure.

“I want to acknowledge the engineering genius of Charles Griffith, who was working at the university at the time on another project and helped us bring this vision to life,” she stated.
Dr Mohamed explained that the auditorium was conceived to significantly reduce the university’s expenditure on renting tents for major events.

She added that before the construction of the facility, the university relied on temporary measures to host major events, resulting in significant expenditure.

“Any time we had an event here, we were spending thousands – millions of dollars – just to tent this space…For graduations, we were spending between eight and fifteen million dollars just to rent tents for five or six days,” Dr Mohamed explained.

Professor Dr Paloma Mohamed further explained that prior to the construction of the auditorium, the temporary tented structures often proved inadequate due to leaking and obstructive support posts.

She also recalled the advocacy of a former student leader, Mr Gill, whom she described as a passionate sports enthusiast who consistently raised concerns about the lack of proper sporting facilities on the university’s campus during his tenure as student president.

According to Dr Mohamed, improving access to sports infrastructure was a major part of Gill’s agenda, particularly in support of the university’s basketball programme, which she noted remains strong and has since improved.

She added that at the time, student athletes, including members of the basketball team, were forced to train at external venues due to the absence of suitable on-campus facilities.
Dr Mohamed said that Coach Wilson and the team relied on the goodwill of private venues for several years, but access was eventually withdrawn during the COVID-19 pandemic when those spaces were needed for other purposes.

Also speaking at the symbolic opening ceremony, Registrar of the University of Guyana, Dr Nigel Gravesande, noted that the facility was designed not only to support academic pursuits but also to promote the holistic development of students.

He explained that even while the auditorium was still under construction, it was already being utilised for extracurricular activities, with four sporting disciplines making use of the space.

Dr Gravesande also outlined the long-term impact the facility will have on the university.
“In the context of the University of Guyana, two things stand out. One is the impact this facility has had in hosting our annual graduation exercises. The most recent saw a total of seven ceremonies with over 3000 graduates,” he said.

He noted that the auditorium allowed graduates from the university’s various centres, including Linden, Essequibo, Bartica and New Amsterdam, to come together in one space for the first time.

“It was the first time many students were seeing their peers from different campuses together to celebrate their success. That interaction helped them understand the value of a shared space,” he explained.

Dr Gravesande added that the facility has eliminated restrictions on invitations, allowing families and well-wishers, including those travelling from overseas, to attend graduation ceremonies.

“We have seen an influx of parents and families coming from abroad to celebrate – something that was not possible before when invitations were restricted,” he said.
“Some graduates never met their lecturers face-to-face. This facility provided them with that opportunity in a celebratory environment, while also allowing graduates to become familiar with the university grounds rather than having ceremonies off-site due to growing numbers,” he added.

Dr. Sattaur Gafoor also addressed the audience at the event where he revealed that his now-late wife was very interested in the project, being a former UG lecturer herself, who held fond regard for the university.

“This, the largest institution in Guyana, which can seat 3,500 persons, now guarantees that our graduands can come to the stage on their own campus come rain or sun,” he said.