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The Inner Wheel Annual Hat Show
CHRONICLE EASTER SUPPLEMENT March 28, 2016
-bringing special joy every Easter THE Inner Wheel Club of Georgetown is proud to remain pioneers of the largest Easter-related activity in the country through its Annual Hat Show. The event was birthed by the Inner
Wheel Club founding member Gem Eytle in 1987, and remains the Club’s biggest event to date. Head of the Club’s Community Outreach Committee, Marva Patterson, has said that proceeds from
Two Inner Wheel members at the 2001 Hat Show
Participants at the Hat Show
the Hat Show are donated to the various charities for which the club is responsible, including the sponsoring of selected students through school. Patterson has said she is amazed to see how the event has grown over the years, attracting close to 100 entries annually. “The event has become so popular that even if we ever try to shelve it in any particular year, the public won’t allow it,” she said. Preparations for the Hat Show are said to begin from as early as five months prior to the event, because of its present gargantuan size. Patterson said that with the growth of the Hat Show came an increase in donors, all who want to contribute to spreading the joys of Easter through the practice of making and wearing symbolic themed hats. “We think it’s the creativity and challenge that attracts them, and the fact that there is no other such event as big as this in the country,” she said. She mentioned that, over the years, the club has also been approached by other groups, including churches, for guidance on how to host their own shows, and that
the Inner Wheel Club of Georgetown is always willing to give advice in the interest of spreading the joy of Easter. Patterson said the show has become such a constant for people that there are entrants who have been participating for as long as 15 consecutive years. From time to time, she said, the Club also seeks to switch things up for the entrants. “One time we had an Indian display, another year we had an African display, and then another time we had a bridal theme.” Patterson said that keeping up with the themes and the changes can sometimes be a challenge, because the club is small, with just 23 subscribed members. What is more, she said, the club would do well with assistance from younger people for the Hat Show, in an aim to keep it “fresh”. This year’s Hat Show will be held, as always, in the Promenade Gardens on Saturday, April 2, 2016; and registration will begin at 14:30hrs. Entry into the show costs $300 and will be followed by a customary tea party which costs $2,000. Categories for the Hat Show are: Elegant, Original, Comical and Topical.
CHRONICLE EASTER SUPPLEMENT March 28, 2016
Easter hymns and their origins
AS WE remember the Resurrection of Jesus the Christ, let us reflect on two well-known hymns that honour the occasion of Easter, and let us take a look at the origins of these songs. BECAUSE HE LIVES This hymn was written by renowned Southern Gospel Musicians Bill and Gloria Gaither. The hymn “Because He lives” came about at a testing time in the Gaithers’ lives. It was the 1960s, and the Gaithers were expecting their third child. Bill was recovering from a bout of mononucleosis and their family and other church members were the objects of false accusations and belittlement by non-believers. At that time, the educational system was also being infiltrated with the “God is dead” idea, while drug abuse and racial tension were increasing. But it was then that the couple was inspired, and this inspiration gave birth to one of the most famous Southern Gospel songs of our time, “Because He Lives.” The first verse is a presentation of the Gospel of Christ, reminding us of His death, burial, and Resurrection. In the second verse, we see the life of a new baby and sense the assurance that Christ alone can give.
Lyrics: God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus He came to love, heal, and forgive. He lived and died to buy my pardon, An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living just because He lives. How sweet to hold a newborn baby, And feel the pride and joy he gives. But greater still the calm assurance, This child can face uncertain days because He lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future, And life is worth the living just because He lives. And then one day I’ll cross the river, I’ll fight life’s final war with pain. And then as death gives way to victory, I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives. Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone!
Because I know He holds the future And life is worth the living just because He lives! CHRIST THE LORD IS RISEN TODAY This hymn is one of the most popular Easter hymns. Most of the stanzas were written by Charles Wesley, and the hymn appeared under the title “Hymn for Easter Day” in Hymns and Sacred Songs by Charles and John Wesley in 1739. It remains a traditional processional hymn on Easter Sunday. Lyrics CHRIST the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Earth and Heaven in chorus say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia! Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia! Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia! Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia! Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia! Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia! Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!
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Lent and the younger generation 4
THERE tends to be, these days, the belief that the younger generation is not so much interested in the religious aspect of things; what with technology, social media, and all the myriad advancements and options that serve as possible distractions in the world today. While, admittedly, some have become preoccupied with these things, in Guyana, religious holidays still see support from a large number of youths. Easter is one holiday in which there is still a strong youthful presence, and it extends beyond the multitudes of children who fly kites on Easter Monday. In fact, hundreds of young people participate in the holy practice of Lent as a means of ‘going back to basics’; where they can take a break from the fast-paced life and focus on more important things through abstinence from certain things, and even prayer and fasting. The season of Lent observes the
CHRONICLE EASTER SUPPLEMENT March 28, 2016
sacrifice of Jesus Christ through prayer, penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement, and self-denial. During Lent, many Christians commit to fasting or giving up certain types of luxuries as a form of penitence. The period of fasting begins on Ash Wednesday and ends approximately six weeks later, before Easter Sunday (usually a total of approximately 40 days). This event is observed by Christians in the Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Methodist, and Roman Catholic churches.
JERMAINE HORATIO, 31
HOW THIS GENERATION CELEBRATED LENT “During Lent, I decide to fast and abstain from meat, with the exception of fish. Fasting was tough on some days; it required intense self-discipline and strength of character to get through the period. I do this annually because sacrifice is good for the soul. “Lent is a time when I can imitate Jesus and follow Him from the garden of regular life to the desert of self-denial and sacrifice. Lent is a time of preparation of our souls as we repent of our sins. We remember that it was our sins that Jesus suffered and died for on Good Friday. “I believe it is a season for all of us.
ASHAKA KING, 26 We can reflect, re-choose, and re-shape ourselves and our futures,” says Candace Lam, 27. “As a child, I was taught to give up something for Lent. For this year’s Lent, I gave up alcohol entirely and meat for two days every week; and altogether during Holy Week. Giving up these things enables my mind to become stronger. “I like to know and prove to myself that I am fully capable of abstaining from the things that I enjoy. I have been observing Lent for the past four years. It is important to me mainly because I often don’t get the chance to go to church, so I use this period to reinsert myself into the doctrine of Catholicism. Indeed, it is true that many young people do not observe
CANDACE LAM, 27 this Holy period. “I am often faced with surprised reactions when I tell someone I’m on Lent. However, I use the time to tell them about its importance, and encourage them to partake in the fast,” says Jermaine Horatio, 31. “I have an issue with vanity, so I actually gave up makeup for Lent this year. I don’t know, it kind of felt strange at first, because I had to go to work and people were asking me if I’m alright because I didn’t have makeup on. “This was the first year I did it, but I felt like focusing on the non-superficial things was important while observing Lent in the spirit of Easter. I’m not sure if I could do the same thing next year. It was tough, but I’d try,” says Melissa Trim, 25. “This was my first year observing Lent. I’ve fasted before, but never for such a lengthy period; and it was proposed to me by a friend, so I took it as a sign and went full throttle. So I gave up everything: meat, alcohol, partying, and I incorporated a bit more prayer in my daily routine. “It honestly helped me, and it wasn’t as hard as I imagined it would’ve been. My faith in myself and the Most High has been strengthened. I know for a fact now that I can resist urges and temptations. The power of prayer is real. “However, I also expected to lose some weight, but I gained five to seven pounds,” says Ashaka King, 26. GIVING UP THE INTANGIBLE While much focus is often placed on material things, Christian leaders often encourage believers to practise giving up intangible vices that could hinder their walk with Christ. Some of these things include attitudes such as hatred, negativity, bitterness, worry, ungratefulness, envy and sorrow. Christians say that attitude and habits like these could be holding people back from walking in their full destiny. As such, these are things that we could add to our list of things to abstain from, not only during the period of Lent, but beyond.
CHRONICLE EASTER SUPPLEMENT March 28, 2016
The religious and cultural significance of Easter By Jasmaine Payne
IN A WORLD in which the religious significance of certain holidays seems to have been drowned out by commercialism, Bishop of the Diocese of Guyana, Reverend Father Charles Davidson, says there are still remnants of a strong message for persons to reflect on at Easter. In fact, the Bishop, ordained and consecrated at a special ceremony earlier in March, has said that, despite signs of commercialism, the Easter holiday instills in people a sense of hope that allows them to come out of the “doldrums” of complaining and begin to recognise that there is something beyond the disappointments in the lives they live, by offering them something to look forward to. THE STORY OF EASTER Easter is a Christian observance that symbolises the Resurrection of Jesus the Christ, who was crucified three days prior (on the day we call Good Friday). Easter allows Christians to understand the significance of God’s sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ as a means of redeeming the world, and giving the people a deeper sense of hope in terms of a present life as well as an eternal life, or life after death. “Easter doesn’t stand on its own,” the Reverend said. “It is part of the Christian understanding of the redemptive work of God, which begins with the birth (Christmas), the death (Good Friday), the Resurrection (Easter) and the Ascension, when He goes back into Heaven.” EASTER AND THE IDEA OF UNITY Outside of religious customs, Guyana is known for its mass display of kites on Easter Monday, when thousands of Guyanese of all races and religions converge by the coast and other major locations to partake in the customary kite flying. The Reverend said that, despite its religious roots, this activity serves as both a reminder of the meaning of Easter as well as a unifier of the races and cultures of Guyana. Christians believe that the act of kite flying is a representation of the Resurrection of Jesus the Christ rising from the dead. “Most religious things are corrupted by secular society for various reasons. The most important one would be commercialising the religious observances; and so, more often than not, the real meaning of the
celebration is lost. But I think there is still a residue of the real meaning, particularly in the sense of kite flying,” Reverend Davidson said. He added that, whereas the practice of kite flying in Guyana was in the past primarily a Christian observance, today -– like many other holidays -- the practices are all inclusive of various races and religions; and, upon examination, can be seen as a means of unifying us.
we seek, he opined. Asked whether religion is used as a means to divide, the Bishop responded in the negative. He said religion is not responsible for divisions in Guyana. Instead, he said, it is partisan politics which has contributed to the divisions we see today. “The sad thing is that because partisan politics goes alongside two dominant races, there is the temptation
REVEREND FATHER CHARLES DAVIDSON
“With the emphasis on the various religions that exist in our community, the appreciation of one’s religion is something for all of us to begin to examine and to see how we can, as a nation, recognise that we have more in common through the various celebrations we have,” the Reverend said. Using diversity as a means of unifying may seem contradictory, but the Reverend says it is quite the opposite. In fact, he said, unity does not mean the destruction of everything else, but, instead, the combination of differences to achieve one goal. “Unity -- as we understand it in the Bible -- has diversity in it. The Church is seen as the body of Christ, and if we think in terms of the body…all the different parts of the body work together for the common good,” he said. As such, the Reverend said, in a multicultural society like Guyana, it is not the dominance of one religion but, moreso, the coming together of the religions that would allow Guyanese to appreciate the importance of each other’s culture. It is this coming together that should lend itself to the unity that
to say that religion has something to do with it, but I think it has to do with the way politicians manipulate the races in Guyana for their own means, which is destructive,” the Reverend said. FOND MEMORIES In his personal life, Easter plays a significant role for the Reverend, who holds fond childhood memories of the holiday. The Mackenzie, Linden native attended the Christ the King Anglican Church as a child, and remembers being active in the Easter traditions there. He said the children would be given Easter eggs made of chocolate as a treat on the Easter holidays. This tradition has stuck with him, he admits, adding that in most of the churches in which he has since served, there would be similar egg hunt activities for the children. At the Church where he serves as Reverend, this is an annual event for the children there as well. Today, the Reverend, who recently re-migrated to Guyana, is interested
in seeing current Easter activities that occur. He mentioned that he may very well visit the Seawall to see if the customs are anything like he remembers while growing up. “The pattern when we were growing up was always that we all had kites, and we would find some safe place to fly, and that’s a cultural thing…so we will live out our childhood in the lives of those people who are flying kites on the seawall and other places,” the Reverend said.
SYMBOL OF THE EASTER EGG While kite-flying remains the main means of observing the Easter holiday, Easter eggs have had prominence in some groups in society. Historically, the egg was seen as a symbol of rebirth of the earth in pre-Christian celebrations of Spring, but the egg itself came to be defined by early Christians as an Easter symbol relating to the Resurrection of Jesus, with the shell of the egg being likened unto the tomb from which Christ arose. The custom of the Easter egg originated in the early Christian community of Mesopotamia, where persons stained eggs red in memory of the blood of Christ which was shed at His Crucifixion. The Reverend said, too, that the whole practice of Easter egg hunts, usually hosted for children, could have also been a means of engaging children in a wholesome type of activity while reminding them of the significance of Easter. EASTER MESSAGE Every year at Easter, Reverend Charles said, his message changes to adapt to the context of what is happening at the time of the message. Of course, the core of the message still deals with the importance of Good Friday as the ultimate sacrifice of a good God who gave His only son for the sins of mankind, while reminding Christians that there is something greater than death which can be experienced in their lives after death. This year, The Reverend’s Good Friday message centred on the death of things that people once held on to as important, and how that holding on has lent itself to the decadence of our society. His message therefore sought to encourage Christians to begin to use their understanding of what Good Friday is all about in relation to Easter so that it would help our society to become a place where we all can live in hope and experience the joys of living in Guyana.
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CHRONICLE EASTER SUPPLEMENT March 28, 2016
Good Friday traditions in the Caribbean
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F all the Christian holidays observed throughout the year, Easter takes on the most religious significance because of its remembrance of Jesus the Christ and God’s sacrifice made at this time. Since Christianity is a dominant religion in the Caribbean, Easter celebrations are therefore quite dominant in vari-
ous Caribbean countries. The Easter celebrations mostly begin around Good Friday, although celebrations sometimes start from as early as Ash Wednesday. While most Easter observances take on the form of celebratory events, Good Friday is often seen as a more solemn day, as it commemorates the day on which Jesus was crucified. “Most of what we
did traditionally on Good Friday we are still doing now,” one church elder has said. “Originally, it was a sorrowful experience going back to the Passion, but now, because of the benefits of the sacrifice of Christ, it is seen as a period of celebration.” He said the practice of having a church service or mass on Good Friday is not a biblical practice. “Scripturally, it is supposed to be more about mourning, because when you think about what was done - the act was a cruel act; it wasn’t good in terms of killing the Son of God, so it should have been a more solemn occasion,” he said. Apart from Church services, however, the practices on Good Friday have traditionally centred on some superstition in Guyana and other parts of the Caribbean. One such superstition says the white of an egg placed in a container of water on Holy Thursday will, by Good Friday, form a pattern of coagulated egg white that can be used to predict the future. Another superstition people believe is that cutting the physic nut tree on Good Friday will yield a reddish fluid which represents Christ’s blood and His suffering. “I’ve heard these things, especially with the bursting of the egg; but no one has ever come out with anything of substance to say I saw that I will die in two weeks or next year so; so the thing, I believe, is a myth,” the church Elder said. POPULAR EASTER TRADITIONS IN THE CARIBBEAN These traditions are also practised in other
parts of the Caribbean, like in Jamaica and Grenada. There is the belief that the beach is not a good place to go on Good Friday, because going there will bring bad luck. The concept arises from the thought that it is bad to be working on your tan on the day of the Crucifixion. A version of this superstition also prevails in Belize, where people fear they will turn into mermaids or that the sea will claim a sacrifice. Otherwise, Good Friday practices also include things like eating fish and vegetables, but no meat. In Guyana, the local dish Metemgee (Metagee) would usually be prepared. Churchgoers would be dressed in black as a sign of mourning, and usually no work would take place on that day. To d a y, h o w e v e r, while there still remains some superstition, and while some of the practices are still observed, it is not strange to see stores open on Good Friday, or even for barbecues and other backyard parties to be held. But for the Christian community, Good Friday remains one of the holiest and most sombre holidays. It is respected and observed in solemnity and reverence.
AN EASTER PRAYER
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By Bishop T.D Jakes
Dear Lord, I kneel in a moment of reverent silence, seeking words but finding none to express the wonderment my soul experiences in the face of such unfathomable love. How does one approach You in this season when we commemorate Your suffering service to a lost and dying world? No matter how opulent my expression of praise may be, it cannot convey the enormity of my appreciation. It is with great introspection that I recognise my wretchedness was the catalyst through which Your righteousness was offered up - my sacrificial lamb in bloody recompense for the justice sentence on my soul. How could You forsake the sanctity of the celestial, the trajectory of the triumphant, and the magnificence of heavenly mansions only to immerse yourself into our injurious, sinful and chaotic world? Your all-encompassing love enabled You to give the ultimate sacrifice for us, who are the consummate
failures. Not one continent escaped sin, a fallen and depraved humanity lost and without hope in this present world, and yet You redeemed the rejected, restored the wayward, procured the pathetic and empowered the incompetent. Yes, with every pulsating laceration cutting deeper into Your spotless flesh, Your precious blood made streams in my desert places, pouring from Your body washing down into my sins like mudslides into the ocean of Your grace. It was You that submerged me into the sea of Your love. My praise goes ever upward like bubbles dancing in the air. Your timing was so impeccable that before Hell could announce its victory, You arose with the stealth of a lion, snatching the sting from death and yanking the victory from the grave. Early before daybreak You arose, folding Your grave clothes, rolling back stones, and with the gallantry of the prince You are, You were seen strolling through the garden in time for a Sunday morning stroll. That is why this day and every day we cast our crowns before You and give all glory to You. You are
the Christ, the hero of all who have ever fallen in the battle to sin. You are the CEO of Heaven, the Master of the Universe and the Redeemer of the Soul. Receive this humble praise as a deposit on a debt I could never repay. Your Majesty the Great, my King the Chief Potentate of Heaven, Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever, Amen.
BISHOP T.D JAKES
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Scenes from Rupununi Rodeo 2016 T HE highly anticipated Rupununi Rodeo was again hosted in Lethem over the Easter Weekend. Enjoy some of the moments from
that event! Rupununi Rodeo Group Facebook message: “For us in the Rupununi, Rodeo is like Christmas. It is that one time of year that everyone returns: that friend you haven’t seen all year; that sister or brother that has been gone for years; you even meet family you never knew you had; you make
new friends, new family. Cold beers, caiprinhas, and of course our El Dorado make that catch-up gaff all the sweeter! For us, Rodeo is our spirit, embodying the unique lives and blends of the Indigenous traditions with the Vaquero lifestyle. An event like no other set in a place like no other. Rodeo is that time of year that cultures blend, spirits soar; and no matter the heat and dust, you’ll be smiling because you know [you’re] home… Welcome to the Wild Side: Rupununi Rodeo 2016”
Scenes from the Rupununi Rodeo 2016
A display by Rodeo performers at the Rupununi Rodeo 2016
First ever Vaquero Parade at the Rupununi Rodeo 2016
Scenes from the Rupununi Rodeo 2016 (Photos by Daniel Gajie)
CHRONICLE EASTER SUPPLEMENT March 28, 2016
Biblical passages and quotes for Easter
EASTER follows the 40-day fasting period called Lent, during which many Christians repent, pray and fast. The Lenten season began on Wednesday, Feb. 10, known as Ash Wednesday, and was set to end on the day before Easter Sunday, called Holy Saturday. Below are biblical passages, quotes and sayings to share this Easter: BIBLICAL PASSAGES — “But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His stripes we are healed.” — Isaiah 53:5 — “And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth
shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’s Resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.” — Matthew 27:50-53 — “He himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” — 1 Peter 2:24 — “And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.” — Mark 10:34 — “Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, He cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over Him. The death He died, He
died to sin once for all; but the life He lives, He lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” — Romans 6:8-11
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The White House Easter Egg Hunt
PERHAPS one of the largest Easter the nation gather on the South Lawn egg hunts in the world is hosted annu- of the White House for games, storyally on the lawns of the White House. telling, entertainment, and egg rolling. Every year, as much as thirty-five See page 14 thousand lucky guests from across
President Barrack Obama with guest
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CHRONICLE EASTER SUPPLEMENT March 28, 2016
Pegasus Hotel Easter Egg Hunt
THE Pegasus Hotel hosted its Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, and even minor showers couldn’t dampen the spirits of the children who attended. Here are some scenes from the Hat Show. Photos compliments of the Pegasus Hotel Guyana.
Preparations for the egg hunt
Children were treated to face painting Children and parents busy during the egg hunt
Hunting!
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Easter on Number 63 Beach THE Region Six Administration, through Regional Executive Officer Dr. Veerasammy Ramayyah and Office of the Prime Minister’s Regional Representative Gobin Harbajan, has teamed up with a few businessmen to spruce up the No. 63 Beach for today’s Easter celebrations. Dr Ramayyah said they have noticed, over the years, that the No. 63 Beach is the place of choice for kite-flying and other activities, but people are usually stuck in traffic for hours because of congestion. He said a ‘beach committee’ has been in existence for some time now, but it has not been active for quite a while. Stakeholders have therefore formed themselves into groups to implement emergency works to ease the congestion and make the beach more hospitable. As such, the group with which he is involved is working to make available at least three additional entrances to the beach in order to ease the congestion. This would take the total to five entrances into the beach. These entrances are going to be at the Numbers 58, 60, 62, 63 and 64 villages. Work started on Saturday to have the additional entrances ready for yesterday’s and today’s activities. Dr Ramayyah said the regional stakeholders have taken it upon themselves to make the beach a tourist at-
traction in the long run, and will seek to have allocations from the 2017 budget to finance projects to further enhance as well as maintain the beach. Dr Ramayyah also pledged that as long as he is in office, he would
was done of recent…but we will do whatever we can to make it better. Don’t expect anything exuberant or exquisite, because a lot of work has to be done, and I am not sure if we can get all that we plan done; but
several of his heavy-duty equipment to work on the entrances and parking facilities. Lewis also undertook the cleaning of the shoulders of the Number 57 to 66 Villages. Businessmen Rajen-
ister Regional Representative Gobin Harbajan told Guyana Chronicle that he has a special interest in the beach, and sees the need for tourists to have a hassle-free trip to one of Guyana’s major tourist destinations.
Prime Minister’s Regional Representative, Gobin Harbajhan, (fourth from left) in discussion with Region 6 REO Dr. Veerasammy Ramayyah and members of the business community at the Number 63 Beach ensure at the very least that the beach is maintained. He said enhancement of the beach required a lot of work, and he doubted whether the work would be finished by today, but the group had promised to employ its utmost efforts to improve the condition of the beach. “The beach is in a deplorable state, and nothing
I promise it will be better than its current state,” Dr Ramayyah has said. He also said that since the regional budget does not have provisions for the works being undertaken, a few businessmen came on board with their equipment and have pledged to undertake some works. The businessmen include Peter Lewis, who put
dranauth Parsram and Abraham Subnauth have put their resources towards improving the Numbers 58 and 61/62 dams respectively. These dams are to be used as accesses from the public road to the beach. Also on board is Mohindra Persaud of the Nand Persaud Group of Companies. Office of the Prime Min-
He said he visited the beach recently and realized that thousands would be visiting the location today and onwards, thus he called a meeting with the REO, Regional Engineer, and Businessmen Mohindra Persaud, Peter Lewis, Rajindranauth Parsram and Abraham Subnauth to discuss plans to put systems in place for improving the
beach. Harbajhan said the works included clearing the shoulders of the dams as well as getting rid of overgrown bushes and garbage. He said a team of about 30 volunteers was expected to assist as well, while others were given a stipend to help in the cleanup process. As far as long-term plans are concerned, the group is looking to resuscitate the ‘beach committee’ which will oversee the affairs of the beach and make recommendations for its upgrade. He noted that in keeping with the President’s plan in regard to community involvement, the NDC, and by extension the regional administration, will play a more integral role in the upkeep of the beach. Like Dr Ramayyah, he has pledged his support to see the beach being the number one tourist destination in Region Six. The Number 63 Beach is one of Guyana’s leading tourist destinations; and annually, thousands of people from all walks of life converge at the location for Easter Monday, August 1st and weekend celebrations. On weekends, people enjoy cricket, beach volleyball, swimming, football, relaxation and exercise among other activities on the beach. The beach stretches for approximately 10 miles, and covers over 12 villages.
Easter egg traditions
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CHRONICLE EASTER SUPPLEMENT March 28, 2016
TODAY millions of us are tucking into delicious chocolate eggs as the Christian world celebrates Easter Sunday. But while many will be at least vaguely familiar with the story of Easter, its relation to eating mountains of oval-shaped chocolate treats is less clear. SO HOW DID IT COME ABOUT? Easter celebrates the Resurrection of Jesus after His Crucifixion. Christians believe Jesus was crucified on Good Friday and rose again three days later. The three days are known as the Easter Triduum. Even before the birth of Christianity, the egg was seen as a symbol of Spring, a celebration of the rebirth and reinvigora-
tion after the harshness of winter. That’s why the Mesopotamians -- an ancient Christian community living in an area roughly covered today by Iraq, Syria and Kuwait -- used to stain eggs red to symbolise the blood of Christ. Eggs would then be cracked against one another, leaving just empty shells - a symbol of the empty tomb Jesus left behind. The tradition survives today in the shape of egg rolling, representing the rolling away of the rock from Jesus’s tomb. Over time, Easter eggs became more and more elaborately decorated, perhaps most famously by Russian jeweller Peter Carl Fabergé, creator of the priceless Fabergé eggs as Easter gifts for Tsars Alexander III and Nicholas II. The introduction of chocolate eggs is a relatively new phenomenon, originating in France and Germany in the 19th century. And as chocolate production became more sophisticated, the Easter festival, like Christmas, became more marketable. Nowadays Easter is a big deal commercially -- retailers and manufacturers love to get in on the holiday and persuade us to part with our cash by buying Easter eggs, cards and anything depicting bunnies. And it could get even bigger if campaigners get their way and Easter becomes
a fixed date in the calendar. Easter is currently a “movable feast” - a date determined by the lunar calendar, rather than the normal Gregorian or Julian calendars, which follow the cycle of the sun. Campaigners want the next US Government to help parents, schools and businesses plan their holidays by fixing the date of Easter. Ministers may be asked to ensure it always falls between April 9 and 15. Lobby groups also claim the move would boost the economy.
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The White House Easter Egg ... From page 11
See page 15
CHRONICLE EASTER SUPPLEMENT March 28, 2016
The White House ... From page 14
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