The awardees are Shemroy Pile, Jermaine Durant, Roshelle Mathias, Jamal Allen, Horish Persaud, Jessica Sattaur, Jeff Gomes, Kerano Gouveia and two more unnamed from Region Nine (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo, who were unable to attend the presentation ceremony in the Rupununi Room, Hotel Tower, Main Street, Georgetown, on Tuesday.

Most of them are from secondary schools in the city and East Coast Demerara, including St Stanislaus College, Bishops' High and Cove and John Secondary.

The bursaries are worth $25,000 for each academic year and the main aim is to assist parents with the purchase of uniforms and textbooks for the students with the money to be disbursed in three tranches, $15,000 in the first term and $5,000 each in the second and third terms.

Secretary of the Awards Committee, Mr Egbert Carter said the disbursement is being done that way to ensure the cash is used for the intended purpose.

He said the organisation also wishes to help Guyana develop socially and is, therefore, carrying out surveys and visiting various areas to the determine the cause of certain social problems with which the country is currently faced.

Carter said the main one on which they are putting focus is the rapidly increasing suicide rate in East Berbice and finding ways to either eliminate or reduce it will be a real challenge.

He explained, too, that WRISA is a non-governmental organisation and, although Rodney was of the WPA, the new entity is not part of that political party.

Facilitators present at the function were Ms Doreen Butcher of Victoria and David Jones of Buxton, both East Coast Demerara villages and Mr Norman Dalrymple of Stewartville, West Coast Demerara.

Among others in attendance were United States Ambassador to Guyana, Mr Ronald Godard and WPA Member of Parliament, Ms Sheila Holder, who gave the Vote of Thanks.

Carter said it was the inaugural event in a series of annual programmes that will take place as a result of discussions the committee held on July 10, 2001.

He said the committee consists of a 12-member Board of Directors, headed by Mr Christopher Ram as Chairman.

However, since its formation, the group has expanded its reach to help more children of Guyana.

According to Carter, the choice of the 10 was made by members in the five communities from which they came, on the basis of their performance and the extent of their need for school supplies.