"I am not asking you to change the world, all I am asking of you is to fulfill your dreams and be successful in your studies," the President exhorted.

He made the appeal yesterday at Le Meridien Pegasus Hotel, Georgetown, while delivering the charge at the orientation exercise for the 124 students, the largest single batch of scholarship awardees to Cuba to study in various fields of medicine and engineering.

The number of students should have been 125. But Balram Khandai, who was among the awardees, was killed by bandits during a rampage in July in Corentyne, Berbice following the 27th Congress of the People's Progressive Party (PPP).

Mr. Jagdeo urged the students to maintain high levels of discipline, morality and commitment to their studies, and to be worthy ambassadors of their country.

"You must respect yourselves and the culture of the land you will be studying in", he said.

The President reminded the students to always bear in mind that the Cuban Government was not compelled to grant the scholarships and they must consider themselves fortunate to have benefited from the "magnanimous gesture of Cuba".

He added that the gesture was even more generous in the light of the economic difficulties Cuba is facing. The United States is maintaining a four-decade trade embargo and economic blockade against the Caribbean island.

Sharing his experience during his studies abroad, the President stressed that there will be difficulties because of a difference of culture and environment.

However, he impressed upon the students the need to rise to the challenge and not to allow those difficulties to deter them from successfully completing their studies, because they have an obligation to themselves and all those who have contributed to make the scholarships a reality.

He advised the students to begin by trying to understand the culture and environment of Cuba, so as to be able to become adjusted to the lifestyle there.

The President made it clear that those students who are guilty of indiscipline and do not respect the laws of Cuba will have to return home, cautioning them that they are representing their families and are ambassadors of their country, hence they must ensure that "the flag of Guyana remains flying high."

He also encouraged the students to use their time constructively and to explore and seize opportunities to develop other useful skills, apart from their main field of study.

Cuban Ambassador to Guyana, Mr. Jose Inclan said that Cuba is a poor and developing country and the scholarships are not part of any extra resources, but a sharing of the limited resources at the disposal of the island.

The Ambassador assured the students that during their studies there will be no effort to change their philosophy or ideas.

Instead they will receive love and education from the Cuban people, and the gesture of the scholarships will help to further strengthen the strong bonds of friendship that exist between Cuba and Guyana and the English-speaking Caribbean, he said.

Public Service Minister, Dr. Jennifer Westford strongly urged the students not to become involved in counter-productive activities and to always remember that their primary goal in Cuba is to study, and as such they must not allow themselves to become distracted from their studies.

Westford, who studied medicine in Cuba, observed that Guyana has always had students of excellence and implored this batch to maintain those standards and make their country proud.

The students will leave Guyana for Cuba on September 20.

Some 350 scholarships were offered by the Cuban Government as a result of discussions held between Presidents Jagdeo and Fidel Castro in Havana last year.

Mr. Jagdeo hosted the students at a reception at his State House residence after the orientation yesterday afternoon.