— for thriving local agricultural engineer Litecha Constantine
THE perfect example of the popular parlance, “as one door closes, another opens,” is the life of Litecha Harriram Constantine, an agricultural engineer and woman of many caps who traded her dream for a path that leads to great success.
Born and raised in Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, she moved a little further down the line to Diamond New Scheme, where she continued her formative years.
Growing up with a strong and independent mother, Suzie Harriram, who was an electrician by profession and her father Sundar Harriram, a cane cutter and bus driver, Constantine saw the importance of independence through the lens of her mother’s eyes.
After the completion of her secondary education at the Central High School in Georgetown, she applied to work at Giftland Mall as a cashier, but her heart’s desire was to become a doctor.
Her intention was to elevate herself to a profession that would allow her to care for others and practically give back to society.
So Constantine started to enquire and a friend of hers, Kumar Jagasar, told her of a scholarship that was advertised in the Guyana Chronicle newspaper.
Feeling very optimistic, she jumped at the opportunity and applied for the scholarship to Cuba, but unfortunately, she was denied a spot in the medical field.
Unable to sustain such expenses on her own, the woman thought that her dreams were crushed, but little did she know that as that door closed, another was about to open.
She felt hurt and disappointed, but just when she thought that all was lost, she was asked if she’d be interested in a scholarship to do agriculture engineering instead.
Having no idea about agriculture, Constantine decided to put her dream aside to take up the offer and the challenge in Cuba.
There, she spent six years and completed her degree in engineering, after which she returned to Guyana and was assigned a job at the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA).
Driven by her passion to constantly elevate herself, Constantine did not settle there in her position; she moved on to the Agriculture Sector Development Unit, where she worked on the foreign-funded projects. During that time, she was also studying for her MBA in oil and gas management.
Today, the 32-year-old, a proud wife to her supportive husband, Dr. Mark Constantine, head of the Ministry of Health’s Psychology Department of Training and Education (Mental Health Unit), she is an engineer employed at NDIA.
She operates in the areas of project monitoring, inspections, mechanical equipment repairs and maintenance and she is also a proud holder of an MBA in oil and gas management.
But Litecha is not quite finished with studying as yet. In fact, according to her, she’s just getting started with her professional achievements.
This future thinking woman is on the verge of completing her second master’s degree (public policy and administration), along with her PHD in business.
Litecha said: “My job gives me the most wonderful experiences as I get to be involved in a lot of field activities and hands on approaches. Prior to this employment, I worked as an engineer for Schlumberger in the wireline field, where I had the privilege of visiting and working in the United Arab Emirates.
“I must say that this was a wonderful experience, hopefully not once in a lifetime. I further spent time in Brazil and Suriname. These experiences add up to create unforgettable memories. I enjoyed my time in the oil sector, and as a woman, I can honestly say I faced zero discrimination or gender bias while working there. I love my job.”
WOMANLY ADVICE
“I believe strongly that a woman has her roles to play in this world, but you are not limited because of gender. With the right attitude, faith and perseverance, nothing is impossible.
“Sometimes we tend to weigh ourselves down with our own insecurities and what society thinks. Who cares what society thinks! Be you, be proud, be positive, wear that dress and pop, and I can assure you the outcomes will be in your favour,” said Mrs. Constantine.
