The University of Guyana, on Sunday, November 23, 2025, launched the book titled, “Building a Better Future, Memoirs of A Caribbean Economist” at the Cara Lodge Hotel in Georgetown. This event honoured the author, distinguished economist, educator and diplomat, Excellency Professor Compton Bourne, OE, who is currently the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to the Federative Republic of Brazil.
In the light morning atmosphere, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Prof. Paloma Mohamed Martin, lauded the publication as a most welcome contribution to the Caribbean since the canon of Caribbean biography and autobiography is limited. The VC expressed tremendous gratitude to the author for the excellent work captured in the publication and noted that the entire academic community, policy makers and other stakeholders will find it very useful.
Mr Carl Greenidge, former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Finance of Guyana, in expressing thoughts on the masterpiece, noted that the memoir was not “restricted to economic analyses, banking and university administration” but presents social conditions and changes, economic challenges and social upheaval among other themes. It also included observations across the Caribbean on quite controversial topics and “showed the extent to which the author is anchored in his family” helping the reader to appreciate the importance of family in his life.
Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. Shelton Nichols, expressed that the Memoirs capture the aspirations of many who were privileged to study under Excellency Bourne, collaborate with him or witness his quiet insistence on excellence. It is distinguished by the way “he interweaves the evolution of his personal journey with the Region’s own development trajectory.”
Ambassador Compton Bourne expressed fulsome appreciation to Vice-Chancellor Prof. Mohamed Martin, for hosting the splendid ceremony and commended her on her leadership of the University of Guyana.
In his presentation, he attributed his success to a number of factors that have shaped him as an economist, educator, policy analyst and a person. These include his mother whose influence was subtle and pervasive, his being blessed with a good memory, his preference to stand back and observe, his being a nationalist, his political consciousness and keen interest in politics and his never accepting advice uncritically.
Professor Bourne further noted that the drivers for his success as a practising economist are “the elimination of poverty, the reduction of human vulnerability and substantial reduction in inequality of incomes and access to essential material and social services.” The unseen driver however would be the influence of creative writing on his appreciation of the imperative of improving the human condition. It was also music, painting and sports.
Professor Bourne ended on the note that with his extensive experience in the realm of higher education, his “central concern has been how to make universities more central and effective in their roles as agent of social and economic development and very importantly, social cohesion and how to make higher education more accessible to students from less advantaged economic circumstances.”
Remarks were also presented by Professor Winston Dookeran, former Governor of the Central Bank and former Minister of Finance of Trinidad and Tobago; Mr Walter Alexander, leader in the management and administration of education for several decades and member of the very first class at the University of Guyana in 1963; and Professor Andrew Downes, distinguished economic scholar, read by Ms Monisha Persaud, President of the UG Economics Society.
The book was published by Hannib Publishers England
The book is available for purchase on Amazon and will also be on sale at the University of Guyana Campus Store, Turkeyen Campus.
Click here for a recording of the ceremony: https://youtu.be/C3pJ9cyghGI
Click here for photos from the ceremony:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Rez9GVWcGp4pu-FuQG0Y_3SUHhpABEIl?usp=sharing
