Two tugboats that will be support vessels for ExxonMobil’s operations offshore Guyana, were christened yesterday with names submitted by two secondary school students.

A Ministry of Education release yesterday stated that the company, G-Boats Guyana, had christened two new tugboats that will bear the names “A’rinra” and “Madame Kalina”. The names were submitted by a Grade 11 student of St. Ignatius Secondary School, Raymond De Cambra, and a Grade 11 student of Brickdam Secondary School, Kaylan Duncan, both of whom took part in a competition to name the boats that was launched in March 2022.

G-Boats Guyana is a joint venture between Edison Chouest Offshore and the Guyanese-owned John Fernandes Limited. The company has more than 18 vessels operating offshore Guyana in support of ExxonMobil’s Stabroek Block exploration and production activities.

The name A’rinra is a Macushi word for an electric eel. It is believed that the eel can withstand any storm or weather to get to its destination while the second name Madam Kalina was derived from the Carib tribe. The name was chosen to name one of the tugboats as it brings awareness to the tribe’s existence and contributions to the nation.

At the christening ceremony, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand said that she was pleased to have the schools involved in the naming process that allowed Raymond and Kaylan to represent Guyana and leave their mark on the new vessels.

She posited that it was also significant to recognize that Raymond attends school in one of Guyana’s hinterland regions while Kaylan attends school in Georgetown.

Meanwhile, Ross Chouest, of G-Boats Guyana noted that the ceremony celebrates the remarkable achievement of two exceptional individuals who have made their schools and communities proud.

He said that Raymond and Kaylan “used their ability to think beyond the ordinary and envisaged names that embody the essence of Guyana.” Further, it was through their “imaginative minds and creative spirits” that the perfect names will forever grace the vessels.

President of ExxonMobil Guyana, Alistair Routledge said that the new boats will be operating 100 miles offshore of Guyana to support the essential work that takes place to deliver the development of Guyana’s natural resources.

The winning schools received a donation of US$1,000 for the winning submissions. The prizes were handed over at the Brickdam Secondary School on June 28, 2022, and at the St. Ignatius Secondary School on June 29, 2022, the release added.