Guyana chronicle pepperpot 11 12 2017

See inside:

Uncovering the history of our ancestors ► Page II

Two decades of road safety advocacy III ► Page

Tokyo dreams!

Daniel Williams bursting out the blocks in the boys 400M at the IAAF World U18 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya (photo compliments IAAF)

– Daniel Williams sets sights on Olympic Games in Japan ► Page

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Editor’s note

This week’s Pepperpot brings sober reflection to important issues in society. We look at the Mother’s in Black Movement and their work over the past 20 years to advocate for road safety, even as they continue to mourn the loss of their own children who died at the hands of reckless drivers. We also take a moment to examine the issues surrounding domestic violence

and the number of women who continue to die as a result of this societal ill. This topic is particularly relevant in light of the recent death of 22 year old Kescia Branche who was found brutalised and unconscious on the side of the road just a week ago. But even in all these things, we do take the time to celebrate: the accomplishment of a young man who has set his sights on the

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017 Olympic Games in Japan, and whose stellar performance thus far very well makes it likely that he could bring home a win for our country; the will of one young woman who encourages persons to embrace their cultural roots; and the experience of one young musician who represented Guyana at the biggest Latin American music festival in the world and has returned with newfound inspiration for the local music industry. It is our hope, as always, that these stories enrich your Sunday reading.

Uncovering the history of

our ancestors Indian Indentureship Exhibition at the National Archives

By Gibron Rahim

A model of a cane field and punt

“IF you don’t know history, you don’t know anything. You are a leaf that doesn’t know it is part of a tree.”

These words are attributed to the late author Michael Crichton. The truth in them is immediately evident. A people uninformed of their history fail to learn from it or to even recognise their place in it.

This is one of the lessons that can be gleaned from the recently-held Indian indentureship exhibition at the Walter Rodney Archives.

Two attraction at the exhibition immediately drew the eye to opposite sides of the room upon entry. To the left were original emigration documents of indentured Indians, all remarkably well preserved. On these yellowed and aged papers were details about men, women and even children who left India for British Guiana. And to the right were logs where information about the indentured labourers on the estates was recorded.

Family relationships, births and deaths were all noted. Carefully placed around the room were artifacts and models that together told the story of the indentured Indians.

The documents ensure remembrance of ancestors long gone. They also stand as a reminder of the harshness of life on the sugar estates. Ms. Karen Budhram, Senior Assistant Archivist at the Walter Rodney Stone ‘sil’ and ‘lorha’ that have Archives, kindly took the time been in Karen’s family for to speak with the Pepperpot generations Magazine and to elucidate the details of the lives of indentured Indians on the estates. The information she shared carried personal significance for her – most of the artifacts and documents on display were from Karen’s ancestors. However, the stories she uncovered through her research tell us that there were common threads in the lives of the indentured Indians.

Dying at a young age was one of the most unsettling discoveries of Karen’s research into her ancestors. Karen noted that many of her female ancestors died in childbirth while pneumonia claimed the lives of the men. A look at the estate logs revealed that early death was more common than not. Pneumonia, cholera and dysentery were all common in the harsh and unhygienic conditions on the estates.

The indentured Indians were allowed to keep their culture but it was a choice that came with a cost. Karen explained that, while they could keep their Indian names and give their children the same, the churches were in control of the schools. Immigrants who wanted to educate their children had to give their children Christian names. Marriages were only considered legal if they were conducted by a pastor. It was not even possible to register marriages on the estates. She said that in most cases, those who wanted to register their marriage had to travel all the way to Georgetown. This required time and resources that the immigrants did not possess. And they were bound to the plantation for a period of 10 years unless given permission to leave by their masters.

A SEARCH FOR IDENTITY Karen’s examination of the history of her ancestors was part of a personal journey for her.

She explained to the Pepperpot Magazine that she began her search for answers when she found

herself experiencing an existential crisis a few years ago. “I guess I was searching for my own identity,” she said. She wanted to connect with herself and her ‘Indianness’. She felt ostracised from her family since she married someone who was not of Indian descent.

Her search was partially motivated by the hope that she would find instances where her ancestors had challenged tradition.

The search for answers bore fruit. “Their lives [in British Guiana] were different from their lives in India,” Karen said. “When they came they had to change and adapt.” She wanted to explore that experience of adaptation and moving away from tradition.

She uncovered clear instances when her ancestors married across caste system lines. Some of Karen’s ancestors were ‘chamars’, a part of the group known as ‘dalits’ or ‘untouchables’ who exist outside of the caste system and even today struggle for their rights in India. Yet, as an instance of intermarriage, Karen’s ‘chamar’ grandfather married her grandmother who was descended from a Brahmin (a member of the highest caste) pandit.

Karen came across innumerable stories just from her research of documents and even from the oral history associated with some artifacts. This included one of her ancestors having been born on one of the boats on the way over from India. She was even able to construct a family tree (which was on display at the exhibition) that spanned generations.

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS Yet, though she uncovered much, Karen was also left with many unanswered questions.

Three women among her ancestors came over on the boats unaccompanied. Nothing she found could tell her the circumstances that led each of these three women to British Guiana. One of her ancestors travelled over all by himself when he was just eight Improvised birth record for an years old. Among the artifacts ancestor born at sea (Photo on display was a short sword. courtesy of Karen Budhram) The story told to Karen is that one of her ancestors fought in a war in India.

Besides learning about our backgrounds and how we ended up where we are, one of Karen’s realisations from her research is that we as Guyanese have more that binds us together than that tears us apart. “I think when we understand our history, we realise that we have a lot more in common than we have differences,” she said. By understanding that our ancestors all suffered under distinct and cruel systems we can understand each other better.

An individual journey into the history of our own ancestors can begin simply by sorting through old documents or artifacts from grandparents or by hunting down a family oral history.

The Archives offer free consultations to individuals looking to research their ancestors. Karen noted that dates are essential to the Archives in aiding the search. Our history may be more within our reach than we realise.

The general office of the National Archives can be contacted at 226-3852 or by email at narchivesguyana@gmail.com.

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

III

Two decades of road safety advocacy

How Mothers in Black turned grief into activism

By Ravena Gildharie WITH heavy hearts and staunch determination, they stood at the helm of the picket line in front of Parliament Buildings in downtown Georgetown for four years during the late 1990s, lobbying Guyanese legislators for necessary changes to traffic laws, rules and regulations that would strengthen the safety and security of all road users in the country. It was no easy task, but with commitment and purpose, the Mothers in Black eventually saw road safety legislation passed in Guyana for the use of helmets, seat belts, breathalyzers and radar guns.

Back in 1998, one of the two women behind the early `Mothers in Black’ movement was Lucille Bacchus of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, who lost both of her children in an accident in November 1996. Her son, Wally, 17, and daughter, Fareena, 16, were on a motorcycle traversing the Strathspey, East Coast Demerara, public road when an alleged drunk driver collided with the teenagers after hitting another motorcycle with a pillion rider, and thereafter losing control of his car. The Bacchus teens were at the time returning from Enmore.

“I have been crying every day since my children died.

It is a pain that don’t ever go away. It is a pain I don’t want any other person to ever feel and have to go through what I am going through. That is why I try my best to advocate

The late Wally and Fareena Bacchus

women were driven to up their campaign in 1998 after a fatal crash on Mash Day which resulted in the deaths of several persons including small children.

Dressed in black and armed with pictures of their lost loved ones, the women peacefully protested, and gained growing support as they continued day after day in front of the Parliament Building. They led a convoy of vehicles on a ‘Drive with Care’ campaign from Georgetown to Plaisance, seeking to draw attention to the speed limits that were instituted at the time, and which were believed to be contributing to speeding. Bacchus remembered that the group was pulled over during the campaign at the Sparendaam Police Station for obstructing traffic.

`Mothers in Black’ movement

road safety and create awareness that no one else has to suffer the loss I have suffered,” a tearful Bacchus related to the Pepperpot Magazine, during an exclusive interview. This November marks the 21st death anniversary of her deceased children. The late, Wally, succumbed to internal injuries just hours after the accident on November 16 while his sister, died in Trinidad seven days later.

“It has been 21 years, but I still feel like it happened yesterday…I worked hard to give my children a good education and I never got to see them make something of it…I miss

Painting of road crossing by GNRSC

my children dearly,” Bacchus stated. She recalled that the late teenagers were preparing for graduation from secondary school; her son was a former Bishop’s High student while her daughter had attended St Stanislaus’ College.

The grief was so immense, it sent Bacchus into severe depression and it also affected her health, marriage and family life. However, she found some solace in a bond with another mother, Denise Dias, who lost her 17-year-old daughter, Alicea, in an accident reportedly involving a drunken driver too, in August 1996. Dias subsequently formed the `Alicea Foundation’ from which evolved `Mothers in Black’.

Dias has been at the forefront of the non-profit road safety movement and has received national, regional and international attention for advocacy and successes over the years.

Dias participated twice in the Bill Clinton’s Global Initiative Conference in New York where she was invited to share her story about road safety and the `Mothers in Black’ movement.

Reflecting on the earlier years, Bacchus recalled that though they conducted two years of road safety advocacy under the `Alicea Foundation’, the

SEAT BELT LAW AND ROAD SAFETY ADVOCACY Amendments to the Motor Vehicles and Road Traffic Act in 2002 saw enforcement of the seat belt law, which still stirs some degree of uneasiness among drivers and road users. The most important section of the Act stipulates that “every motor vehicle shall appropriately be equipped with a seat belt assembly for the front seats for the driver and every passenger” and prescribes a maximum penalty of $10,000. A person who sits in the front seat of a vehicle and does not wear a seatbelt is liable to the penalty. In cases where a child travels in the front seat, the child, the Act stipulates, must be fitted with an Turn to page XVI ►►►

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

FILES E S A C COURT

Husain denied S.C Hons since 2004

Action misconceived, frivolous & vexatious VETERAN Lawyer Mr. Saphier Husain had his application to becoming a Senior Counsel under the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana, turned down since 2004.

The then Chancellor had acted on the advice of Attorney General of Guyana, Doodnauth Singh, a Senior Counsel.

In her affidavit in answer to the application by Husain, Chancellor Bernard added - “That I am further advised by Senior Counsel and verily believe that this action is misconceived, frivolous and vexatious and should be dismissed with costs.

The Chancellor’s Affidavit was drawn up by Mr. Doodnauth Singh, S.C. M. P., Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Attorney-at-Law for the Respondent and whose address for service and place of business is at the Attorney General’s Chambers, 93 Carmichael Street, Georgetown.

Describing herself as the Chancellor of the Judiciary of Guyana she added “That I have read what purports to be a true copy of the Affidavit in support of the Motion dated the 10th day of September, 2004 and filed by the Applicant herein.

That save where specifically admitted, I specifically deny each and every averment of fact and contention of law made and contained in the Applicant’s Affidavit as if same were set out verbatim and traversed seriatim.

That the facts to which I swear are true and within my personal knowledge save where stated to be based upon information in which case I verily believe same to be true and correct.

That paragraphs 2 and 4 of the Applicant’s affidavit are admitted.

That, no admission is made to paragraph 3 of the Applicant’s affidavit.

Paragraph 5 is admitted in so far as it states that the Plaintiff was admitted to practice law at the Guyana Bar. That, I have no knowledge of the averments in paragraph 6 of the Applicant’s affidavit.

With respect to paragraph 7 of the Applicant’s affidavit , the origin of the title of Senior Counsel has its roots in the colonial days of British Guiana where the nomenclature was one that of “Queen’s Counsel”.

The first local appointment of “King’s Counsel” was that of the Solicitor General, Kingdom in 1890. A few months later the Secretary of State directed Dr. Carrington, the Attorney General to also be appointed as one of her Majesty’s Counsel for Brirtish Guiana with precedence over Mr. Kingdom’s letters patent as Queen’s Counsel.

Before independence, the appointments were made by letters patent issued by the Governor on instructions from the Queen. Since independence however, the practice has been for appointments to be made by the Governor General (now the President), on the advice of the Chancellor tendered by the Attorney General as the appropriate Minister.

When Guyana became a Republic all Queen’s Counsel were appointed Senior Counsel and the new appointments were in fact made on the 17th March, 1970 but with effect from 23rd February, 1970.

Thereafter, all appointments to the honour of Senior Counsel have been made on the advice of the Chancellor tendered by the Attorney General to the President.

That further, paragraph 7 of the Applicant’s affidavit it is admitted to the extent that there is no written provision in the law or the Constitution for Attorneys-at-Law to be given the status of Senior Counsel. The title of Senior Counsel has its genesis in the English Legal System upon which our system in Guyana is based. It is an honour bestowed upon Attorneys-at –law on the basis of merit, and it is attained through

inordinately hard work

By George Barclay and selfless devotion to the practice of law. The title of Senior Counsel is bestowed upon those who have distinguished themselves in the profession.

That in respect of paragraph 12 , even though many persons had, prior to April 2004, applied to be appointed as Senior Counsel, there had never been a specific form for the application. The Committee to advise on appointments had created a standard application form for applications for appointment as Senior Counsel and those persons who had applied were given such application forms to re-apply.

The paragraph 13 of the Applicant’s affidavit is admitted.

The Applicant was not sent an application form since he did not fall within the category of persons described in paragraph 10 of this affidavit. However, the said application forms were available for any prospective applicant to collect from the Court of Appeal if they so desired.

That I am advised by Senior Counsel and verily believe that the orders being sought by the applicant should not be granted by this Honourable Court.

That I am further advised by Senior Counsel and verily believe that this action is misconceived, frivolous and vexatious and should be dismissed with costs.

This was the matter of an Appliction by Saphier Husain in the matter of Article 40 Part ( 2) Specific Title (1) Article 149,154 and 233 of the Constitution of the Republic of Guyana 1980 and Amendment thereto.

-andSaphier Husain - Applicant And 1. The Attorney General of Guyana 2. The Honourable Chancellor of the Judiciary Madame Desiree Bernard 3. His Excellency the President of the Republic of Guyana, in the person of Mr. Bharrat Jagdeo.

Respondents jointly and severally.

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

V

#SupportCreativity

By Subraj Singh

Lava Omer Darwesh’s “Du’a” and Writing About Violence Against Women LAVA Omer Darwesh is a 24-year-old poet and translator from Iraq. She lives in the city of Sulaymaniyah – where the streets are named after poets. Darwesh was the youngest resident at this year’s International Writing Programme at the University of Iowa. She has stated in an interview that she writes about “social and cultural issues” – and this is particularly reflected when one reads “Du’a” a short poem that can be found in her sample on the International Writing Programme’s website. This also happens to be the first poem I thought of when I found out about the terrible assault and murder of teacher, actress and mother, Kescia Branche. Darwesh’s poem is graphic and emotional and, therefore, it was easy to connect it to the never-ending tragedy of the loss of lives of women around the world, but particularly women in Guyana whose lives come to an end because of men adhering to one or a combination of factors that all grow out of the system of patriarchy – which is very much ingrained in our society.

“Du’a” describes the stoning of a young woman in the Middle East, who is being killed before a large crowd for the crime of “loving a boy from another world.” Of particular interest is the description of the way everyone stands around silently, watching as the girl is stoned. The writing is simple, slightly reminiscent of Rupi Kaur – and more effective – almost as if the poet knows that to write anything else would dilute the reality and emotional impact of the scene she is presenting. The doomed persona of

people say nothing when they see a man hitting his wife, or when a bus conductor is seen holding the hands of an underage girl, or a parent who beats their child. The poet makes complicit everyone who stands in the crowd, including those closest to the persona, while, at the same time, ensuring that the reader also feels the complicity by being apart from the violence and standing, like her family, as an observer.

Furthermore, these lines tap into the general culture of obliviousness and blindness that we have when it comes to violence against women.

“Love / Love is what made them merciless / Love” reads another line in the poem. This one is also reflective of the overall simplicity of the poem, while still cutting deep. Who hasn’t treated a loved one terribly while convincing oneself that one means well with statements like: ‘I only said what I said because I love you so much’, etc. The line is ironic because love is not supposed to hurt, yet we have the family of the girl who has condemned her to death and many people here in “Lava Omer Darwesh”

the poem says: “In the crowd I see / My dad, the first love of my life, / My brother with red sleepless eyes / The uncle who used to stop by / The grandfather who never said goodbye / All of them stood by me.” These lines are really powerful because they convey the collective blame that must be shifted on to a society that sits back and does nothing – a society like Guyana, for example, where so many

Guyana who “love” with fists. The thin line between love and lust and lust and infatuation and infatuation and abuse is explored in just a few words within Darwesh’s poem.

“Du’a” coming from a young Middle Eastern woman poet is interesting to me because while it speaks about a particular kind of violence against women – simultaneously highlighting oppression and the perils of patriarchy – it also manages to highlight the plight of women everywhere. But universality is a trait of good literature. With the young and talented Kescia Branche joining the seemingly never-ending list of Guyanese women who have been murdered by men – a list containing names like Babita Sarjou, Neesa Gopaul and transwomen like Desiree and Jada – I find myself seeking out literature that condemns violence against women more than ever.

Lava Omer Darwesh’s poetry is the first one I found earlier this year, and it remains one of the easiest to read and one of the most powerful I’ve come across.

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

Tokyo dreams!

– Daniel Williams sets sights on Olympic Games in Japan

By Rawle Toney IT was Mark Pritchard, in his book ‘The Astral Codex’, who said: “dreams are an insight into our psychology: they are what we are, but stripped of the conventions and norms of psychology, and the rules of the physical world.”

For 17-year-old Daniel Williams, who hails from Linden, much of Pritchard’s words which speak primarily of the journey to enlightenment, can be referred to, since

the Mackenzie High School (MHS) Sixth Form student is dreaming of representing the ‘Golden Arrowhead’ at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.

“Right now, that’s the focus; to reach the Olympics and not just to participate, but to win a medal for my country,” the soft, but well-spoken Williams said in an exclusive interview with the Pepperpot Magazine.

Williams’ coach, Johnny Greavesande, also believes in his athlete’s ability, noting “he’s improving tremendously every year

he wants.”

“I think this year was one of the best for me in athletics,” Williams said with a wide smile. He capped his outstanding year with a silver medal in the boys 400M at the IAAF World U18 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, where he ran a personal best of 46.72 seconds to finish behind Jamaica’s, Antonio Watson (46.59 seconds).

“My ultimate goal is to make it to the top, maybe a World Record, an Olympic gold; who knows? But honestly, if it weren’t for my coach pushing me, I would not have been able to accomplish half of the things I did,” said Williams.

Daniels Williams crossing the finish line at last year’s National Schools Championship to win the Boys 400M (Samuel Maughn photo)

and by then, he’ll be 20-years-old and I can say that he’s going to achieve exactly what

BALANCING ATHLETICS AND SCHOOL Prior to his outstanding performance in 2017, Williams also had a stellar showing in 2016, with his performance at the South American U18 Championships in Athletics, allowing him to leave his mark on the sport.

Williams finished the event in Concordia, Argentina, with three medals, having placed second in the 400M and High Jump, as well a bronze in the 200M. He was also the only athTurn to page XVII ►►►

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

HAVING a sore throat is something you are not likely to be too concerned about.

But adults with prolonged pain and a raspy voice should be aware that it could be a sign of something much more sinister. As surprising as it may sound most of the cancers we humans suffer from, directly or indirectly involves the mouth.

Smoking is a typical example. You could only smoke, chew tobacco or betel nuts with your mouth and oral and lung cancer accounts for nearly quarter of the total of the victims. This is without considering that there are numerous other instances of either ingestion, infection or irritation in which the causative agent is implicated by the oral structures.

Oral cancer is any malignant growth occurring in the oral cavity, lips or oropharynx (throat). In the early stages of oral cancer’s development, it often is painless, and the physicial signs may not be obvious. This makes it a very dangerous disease. Regular screenings by a qualified dental professional, combined with a person’s knowledge of the warning signs and symptoms will allow its discovery in the earliest possible stages when cure and survival are most likely. Early indicators include red and/or white discolorations of the soft tissues of the mouth, any sore which does not heal within 14 days or hoarseness which lasts for a prolonged period of time. Whereas, advanced indicators include a sensation that something is stuck in your throat, numbness in the oral region, difficulty moving the jaw or tongue, difficulty in swallowing, ear pain which occurs on one side only, a sore under a denture, which even after adjustment of the denture, still does not heal or a lump or thickening which develops in the mouth or neck.

Most oral cancers start in squamous cells (thin, flat cells) that line the lips, oral cavity, and oropharynx. Cancer that forms in squamous cells is called squamous cell carcinoma. Lesions on the mucous membranes (the lining of the mouth and throat), including leukoplakia (an abnormal white patch of cells) and erythroplakia (an abnormal red patch of cells), may develop into squamous cell carcinoma.

Oral cancer prevention is any action taken to lower the chances of developing oral cancer. When preventing oral cancer, one needs to focus on risk factors and protective factors for oral cancer. Risk factors are anything that increases your chances of getting oral cancer, whereas protective factors are

anything that decreases your chances of getting oral cancer. We should, therefore, reduce our risk factors and increase our protective factors for oral cancer prevention.

Some risk factors for oral cancer include: Tobacco use: In all its forms, tobacco is the largest contributor to the development of oral cancers. Not using tobacco is the single most important thing you can do to avoid oral cancers.

Excessive alcohol consumption: More than 15 alcoholic beverages per week may put you at greater risk. If you must drink, do so in moderation.

The combined use of alcohol and tobacco: This significantly increases the risk of oral cancer more than either by itself.

Excessive unprotected exposure to the sun: Unprotected exposure to sun will increase the likelihood of lip cancers. Use at least SPF 30 sunblock on your lips.

Low intake of fruits and vegetables: A diet that does not contain the protective nutrients of these foods increases the risk of developing a variety of illnesses including oral cancers.

Age: Older individuals tend to develop more disease in general, including oral cancer, as their immune system becomes less efficient.

HPV viral infection: Increasing numbers of young, non-smoking individuals are being diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer. The most likely causative factor is HPV-16 viral infection, the same virus responsible for more than 95 percent of all cervical cancer.

Race, ethnicity and economics: There are socio-economic factors that influence the development of cancers in different groups of people. For instance, blacks are diagnosed with oral cancer 2 to 1 over other races.

In addition, people who live in areas with poor access to healthcare, or for economic reasons do not routinely visit a dentist or doctor, are also at increased risk.

Recurrence: Previous head and neck cancer patients have a higher risk of a cancer recurrence which may occur in the mouth or other areas of the aerodigestive tract.

Gender: Statistically males get oral can-

cer more often than females.

Protective factors for oral cancer include: Dietary factors: Eating a diet high in fruits and fiber-rich vegetables may lower the risk of developing oral cancer.

Chemoprevention: Use of

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drugs, vitamins, or other agents to prevent or delay the growth of cancer.

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

Preservation and resurgence of Guyanese holiday traditions

A few days ago we heard some Christmas music on the radio and were reminded of the imminence of the advent of the holiday season. We were also reminded of the way in which Guyanese people, five or six decades ago, moved into the holiday season from November: An atmosphere of expectancy enveloped the society in a gradually rising crescendo

in mid-November. School children had their end-of-term parties and teachers were less exacting, and an air of relaxation and bonhomie pervaded the schools which quietly extended to the larger society. In the schools it was usual to stage parts of the Christmas story, in costume, using the various Christmas carols. For example, the birth of Jesus would have used the carols

“Away in a Manger” or “While shepherds watched their flocks by night”. Younger children, with unshakable belief, were all devotees of `Father Christmas’.

Thorough house-cleaning and sprucing up of the surroundings were done. Furniture was renewed and repainting of houses was all part of the preparations. These activities provided employment for handymen, joiners and carpenters.

The stores, even the smallest ones, were decorated, projecting the colourful fantasy of Christmas and they brought in special stocks for the holidays. These included a variety of gifts for the season and ingenious toys for children. Window-shopping was part of the joy of the Season.

It was unthinkable to serve one’s guests during these holidays with aerated drinks or food from restaurants or cakes from bakeries. All families were expected to serve locally-made drinks such as ginger beer, sorrel, carambola, jamoon wine or rice wine. Home-baked cakes such as black cake and a variety of fruitcakes were a de rigueur requirement of the Season.

One custom which only exists in the memories of older folk was the beautiful and colourful Christmas and New Year cards which were sold everywhere. Many of these cards had touching sentimental verses and though most could not be considered great poetry, they had a particular holiday charm and flavour. The artwork of many of these cards was memorable.

Owing to the sad and disastrous experience which Guyanese Society and Guyanese people had suffered over the last five or six decades, there was massive emigration and the effacing of cultural norms including many of the end-of-year holiday traditions.

In any country, despite its deep traditions having been suppressed in various ways, these continue to exist in the innermost recesses of the national psyche and could again manifest themselves. We, therefore, believe that many of our valued traditions could be resuscitated and again bring the joy in which past generations participated. However, in the first place, we must realise that the effort to renew our

houses and surroundings, preparing special foods and cultivating a spirit of relaxation is something cathartic. It is finalising one era - the old year- and entering a new onethe new year. And when we enter the New Year we would have done so free of the burdens of the past and ready to meet with optimism the challenges of the present. We must realise that all the holiday preparations and the effort to “finalise” the old year are of positive psychological importance.

We should therefore try to complete all outstanding matters by the end of the year.

Christmas and holiday shopping should be done early since there is less likelihood of buying things which one does not need, or buying over-priced goods because of their presentation and appearance. One would thus overcome “compulsive buying” which often overtakes consumers in the heart of the Christmas Season. In buying gifts for children, giving them books is preferable to the games which many of today’s parents seem to prefer.

Today, people seem to prefer to go out to public places of entertainment during the holiday season. Reviving the older tradition of the house party would again bring back the strengthening friendships and greater pleasure. Many happy marriages used to result from such parties.

One of the greatest pleasures which used to be experienced was the change of weather in November in the run-up to the holiday season, People in the past used to call it the “Christmas weather”. At this time the refreshing Trade Winds rise fanning the whole coast, and as Guyana is in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun moves away from the Earth moving towards the Tropic of Cancer finally reaching it on December 23. During this time, the sun’s light has a lighter gold and the days are cooler.

The light during the day seems to have various hues and sunsets are earlier. The sunsets tend to be pastel colours, different from the bright orange, turquoise and other bold colours of July and August and have a beauty of their own. The skies at this time have various shades of blue and not only the bright blue of August and the clouds are very silver. At sundown, the dusk is longer than at other times of the year and for the hour or so it lasts, it suffuses everything in a beautiful blue haze. The trees and vegetation at this time are of a pleasant green between the dark green of August and the spring green one often sees in March and all flowers are in bloom. Such common flowers as hibiscus, bougainvilleas, poinsettias, oleanders and buttercups brighten the environment.

The end of year holiday season and their traditions need preservation and resurgence and beginning this year is timely.

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

IX

The Irony of World War I, 99 years later

By Francis Quamina Farrier THE year 2017 marks 99 years since the end of the First World War (1914-1918), and I’ve decided to throw the spotlight on the last surviving Guyanese veteran of that war in which citizens of British Guiana were participants, fighting for King and country. He is Gerhom Onisemus Browne, who served with the British West Indian Regiment and saw action in North Africa and the Middle East.

During the 15 years in which I produced The Eighty-Plus Club, which was a weekly half-hour Radio Programme Series, I interviewed three Guyanese veterans of World War One. One of them was from West Berbice, one from Georgetown and the third was from West Coast Demerara. The lat-

ter,Gershom Barnabas Onesimus Browne, turned out to be Guyana’s last surviving World War 1 Veteran. He passed away on December 6, 2000, at the age of 102.

There wasn’t the kind of extended interactions with the two other veterans as I had with Gershom Browne. I had a long period of contact with him, visiting with him at his Bagotville, WCD home and interviewing him on many occasions, including for Father’s Day and Remembrance Day. So it was my privilege to hear some

first-hand stories about that First World War, in which many of the combatants fought face-to-face, most of them far from their homelands. I also learned quite a lot about the contributions of soldiers from British Guiana and the British West Indies; former British colonies which are now members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

During my interviews with Gershom, he spoke of joining the army on February 1, 1916, when he was a mere17 year old.

(The official age for joining was 18, but he was near enough, and so he was accepted).

The teenaged Browne shipped out for the War Front in faraway North Africa in November 1916, as a member of the ‘C’ Company, First British West Indies Regiment.

Most of those British Guianese were from

Members of the British West Indian Regiment on the Battlefield of the First World War. Today their great grand-children can’t enter Britain as freely as the great-grandchildren of the enemy they fought for Britain

leader in the Bagotville area for many years. He also created history as the only Guyanese to have written a `First Book’, when he was 100 years of age. His book “A History of Bagotville” was published just a few months before he passed away.

Gershom Browne was a regular feature at Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Cenotaph in Georgetown, up to the very last, before he marched off into Eternity in 2000. It has been 17 years since his passing, and I keep remembering his dignified presence at the Cenotaph in Georgetown every year, where he always placed a wreath at that War Monument on Remembrance Day. Allied Troops on camels in North Africa during the First World War There are four words inscribed on the Cenotaph in against the Turkish Army who was allies Georgetown; at the north is SACRIFICE. At Georgetown, Plaisance, Beterverwagting with the German Army. There were many the south is HUMANITY, at the east is DEtough battles which the British West Inand Buxton, according to Gershom.

VOTION, and at the west is FORTITUDE. His ship made stops at Trinidad, Bar- dies Regiment was engaged in, he told me.

Ninety-nine years after the end of that bados, Grenada and St. Lucia, picking up However, with the excellent training they First World War, it is worthy of mention other volunteers, before heading across the received, they were always victorious over the irony that the descendants of GerAtlantic Ocean, then through the Mediterra- the enemy. shom Browne and others of the British After the end of World War I, in Ocnean Sea and finally to Malta. Shortly after, West Indian Regiment who fought for the soldiers were transported to Egypt in tober 1918, Gershom along with 19 other King and Country in that First World northern Africa, putting their lives on the of his countrymen, were demobilised and War, would find it much more difficult to returned to British Guiana. Back in his naline to support Brittan and the Allies. gain entry into Britain now, than the deGershom saw action both in northern tive Land, this special veteran lived out the scendants of the Germans who Gershom Africa and Palestine. He spoke of fighting rest of his long life as a productive citizen, Browne and others fought against. a portion of which was being a community

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

Running the Gaunlet The Gold Medalist and the Midnight Bandit By: Abdool Aziz FIRST PRIZE FOR LITERATURE HE was 20 years old and fond of writing. He entered a national competition on Literature and won first price – a gold medal and $100. It didn’t surprise him, he wrote over 10 stories and scrapped them all. The last one based on ‘A Community set apart’ was handed in on the last day. He was confident he would win.

THE HONOUR CEREMONY A special concert was organised to present the prizes at the Queens College beginning at 20:00hrs, on a Sunday evening. He was the main invitee. At first he was reluctant to the attend. He was from the Essequibo and nights in Georgetown with the scourge of ‘Choke and Rob’ scared him. There were few taxis and they did not ply so late and he had no one to accompany him. It would be a treacherous journey from Kingston to Thomas Street, his uncle’s residence. But he decided to attend, more curious to meet and shake hands with the presenter, the now-late Sir David Rose, a stalwart he admired.

The Strategy That evening he walked from `Big Market’ to Queens College, well dressed, with a bag in his hand. He hid the bag beneath the stairs. In it were a worn-out cap, two odd-sized slippers and torn clothes, dirty and smelly. After receiving his coveted prize, his mind began to focus on the gauntlet.

He must run to offset the bandits. He could not stay on for the closing ceremony and group photo. He excused himself and came downstairs. He took out the medal from its cute container and withdrew the cheque from the envelope. He placed them in the hem of his shaggy pants. He had re-done those hems to seal these values, now with his new outfit he looked like a street bum. He hit the cruel and lonely street.

As he moved along he behaved drunkenly. He even smoked a cigarette. As he approached the Lamaha Bridge, two guys pounced upon him. One held a knife at his throat.

“Gee mee wha you got or ah kill you,” the robber shouted.

“Me na gat notting.” the writer emptied his pockets.

“Wah you doing coming from the sea wall?”

“Mee bin a saach fo food,” the writer lied.

They took away the crumpled pack of cigarette.

“He aint got notting!” said the pickpocket.

The other said, “Leh we dump he in the canal.”

He was released with one kick and slap and he was sent off, “Get Lost, you waste we time,” the robbers said.

THE SECOND RUN – IN By the `Parade Ground’, he was stopped by a cutlass-wielding bandit. “Tek out you watch, you ring and money! Drop it!.”

“Mee na get nothing, see,” he pulled out all his pockets.

“What you doing on the streets so late?”

“Mee a saach fo food, me hungry, gee me something nah.”

He got one broadside cutlass on his behind. “Shut up, tek off de pants!” the writer, trembling, obeyed. The bandit threw it into a garbage barrel. “Scram!” he ordered, the victim hid and later retrieved the trousers.

Gold – Safely Home In his uncle’s home, he explained his horrible attire.

“Oh my sonny, how clever!” he looked at the gold medal “Solid gold, sonny! What you plan to do with it?”

“I’ll melt it and with $100 dollar I will begin a degree course from London.”

“How ambitious Sonny!”

The next day’s front page newspaper read: ‘Young school teacher won the first prize for Literature.’ He wondered what those frustrated bandits felt knowing he had gold and money on him, so easy for the taking. He did graduate with a BA from London and began lecturing in the art of writing.

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

XI

Resilience I HAD a look at my funny calendar this week and saw that November 9 is known as “Chaos Never Dies Day”.

It is a made-up holiday with the intention of reminding people that disarray is a part of life (and always will be) so it doesn’t make it a bad one.

This got me thinking about the importance of resilience.

Like the holiday suggests, no one is immune to life’s stresses. Therefore, having a good life does not mean you do not experience any adversity or hardship but rather you have the ability to effectively and healthily deal with them.

That is the only secret to a happy life.

Resilience is an individual’s ability to overcome and bounce back from hardship. It means you learn from your mistakes and come back harder and stronger. It means that you remain confident and optimistic after setbacks.

Yes, it can be unpredictablewhere some days we have more than others but this can change.

We are all born with inherent resilience – a natural one that from birth (and especially during childhood) allows us continuous discovery of the world, even after getting hurt. However, as we age and inevitably experience difficulty, we need to find additional strength and strategies to adapt even more.

Of course, there are experiences that may weaken resilience such as any form of abuse or mainly- unhealthy coping skills such as drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes etc. However, looking on the bright side, this means that developing a strong level of resilience reduces drug abuse and a wide range of mental illnesses, as well as any physical symptoms that may stem from them. Resilience improves problem-solving skills, social skills, positivity, motivation, efficiency and performance while providing a more realistic outlook on life.

HOW CAN WE INCREASE OUR RESILIENCE? Practicing the basics of self-care definitely help. This means to eat, sleep and exercise well. When we are physically healthy, we are more likely to be mentally healthy.

The most important thing anyone can do is develop healthy coping skills. If we cannot healthily deal with hardship, then we are not dealing with them at all. Adapt ones that relax you in particular – whether it be deep breathing, music etc. Do things that make you feel good when you are upset. Make gratitude lists every day. It is always important to remember the things that we are grateful for in life.

Try and find a healthy mentor- someone you can look up to. Someone who you can watch healthily deal with their own mistakes and learn from it. This can be anyone- family, friends, co-workers etc. This also broadens your support system- something vital in overcoming obstacles.

Do some volunteering as this always puts things into perspective. Not only are you happier with yourself for

your selfless act but you are also seeing how much worse things can be.

Be more positive and optimistic! See struggle as temporary rather than permanent. Think of a difficulty as a challenge instead and learn from all mistakes- there is a lesson in every one of them. Understand that it is more of how we perceive a situation rather than the situation itself.

Sometimes a combination of low self-esteem and negative thinking can distort the facts of the situation which results in emotional rather than rational responses.

Having said that, build your self-esteem and self-confidence. It is much easier to bounce back when you know you could. You can do this by simply avoiding negative self-talk (the gratitude list helps with this as well). If you wouldn’t say it to anyone else, do not say it to yourself.

Remind yourself of all your good qualities.

Please understand that there will still be times when we hurt. Understanding, accepting and embracing our emotions is vital in developing resilience. I had a wonderful conversation with a friend the other day- who taught me a bit about happiness. He said that no one experiences happiness all day or even every day for that matter. The trick is to find your “Spoonful of happiness.” This means you find something small that may cause even the slightest bit of happiness and keep and use that feeling throughout the day. “Once you get your spoonful a day, you can have this eternal happiness”.

Thank you for reading and please send in any topics to caitlinvieira@gmail.com.

Also please remember when you can come see me.

Georgetown Public Hospital: Monday- Friday – 8:00hrs - 12:00hrs Woodlands Hospital: Outpatient Department Drug and Alcohol group meetings - Mondays 16:00hrs Good mental health group meetings- Wednesdays 16:00hrs Suicide Prevention Helpline Numbers: 223-0001, 2230009, 623-4444, 600-7896 Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always!

XII

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

#SupportCreativity

NETWORK BUILDING THERE is a pervasive image of the starving/tortured/clinically insane artist working for hours on end in complete isolation that, to this day, remains tied in the perception of creative practitioners across the world. And while there is no definitive way of measuring the accuracy or inaccuracy of those ideas, there is also no denying that some amount of isolation is required in order to do the kind of work that artists do. Most times there is a vigorous process of self-interrogation involved that may seem strange to observers privy to their working methods. But now more than ever, artists are being forced out of isolation in order to keep up with the competitive world of contemporary art production. Yes, they can to a lesser degree continue to work in isolation but they often spend just as much time or even more trying to figure out how to take their work out of the studio and get it into the public domain (after all, the work is created so that it could be seen). This is where the art of networking comes into play.

If you’re an artist who has made it through art school or any type of informal art training and you’ve begun a serious practice, then by now you’ve probably realised that you pretty much have to do everything yourself. You’re not just an artist.

You’re an “artist plus” meaning you’re an artist plus marketing manager plus agent and an endless list of other job titles. You don’t have the luxury of being just an artist unless you’re one of very few artists fortunate enough to get picked up by a gallery. Everyone else, on the other hand, is stuck in a vicious cycle of needing isolation but wanting exposure and struggling to find the perfect balance on his or her own. While some artists thrive on attention and make a career of being an eccentric “spectacle”, others have a crippling fear of public engagement. Regardless of where you fall on this spectrum, some amount of networking is necessary in order to advance your career. Recognising this and learning to embrace it is the first step towards increased opportunities and representation on various platforms.

No man is an island and this is especially true of artists. Trying to go at it alone will get you nowhere fast. It takes a collective effort to facilitate the success of any artist’s

career. There is an intricate system of mutual dependence among artists, writers, curators, agents, gallery owners etc. that is necessary.

Everyone has to show up for each other whether virtually and/or in real time. Whether you choose to argue the effectiveness of either presence doesn’t change the fact that both are important. In this day and age where social media reigns supreme not having an online presence is as good as donning a cloak of invisibility. In fact, I once heard

contact with someone. You can read their body language and they can read yours. It’s a much more organic way of communicating that has, in many cases, “sealed the deal” for connections that began online.

Having a strong community of other artists, writers, curators etc. to support your vision and the work that comes out of your studio is a crucial component of every creative practice. Why? It’s simple really. First and foremost (at least in my opinion), you need

someone say, “If you’re not on Facebook, do you even exist?” Now personally I have my own love/hate relationship with social media but it would be foolish of me to downplay its importance to furthering my own (or anyone else’s) career. But just as important as curating an online presence is to your career, so too is nurturing connections in the physical world. There is a different and unmatchable dynamic that unfolds when you’re in direct

someone to listen to you. Whether it’s to listen to you, rattle on about the crazy ideas in your head or to talk you out of giving up, sometimes you need a sounding board that isn’t your own reflection in the mirror. Most persons are under the impression that as an artist you communicate visually so, therefore, you shouldn’t have anything to actually say; it should all be present in the artwork.

But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

There is often a lot of thinking out loud that happens before, during and after the artwork is produced. Being surrounded by persons who are willing to listen and understand the highs and lows that accompany your creative practice, makes shouldering the burden so much easier. Ideally, this is one of the many ways having a strong network is supposed to work in your favour. And in the same way, those persons show up to offer you support, you too should, in good faith, reciprocate that and be present whenever your peers need encouragement.

Building a strong network also provides you with access that might have been previously limited or denied altogether. Now, while you are indeed looking for access (which also translates to opportunities, sales, etc.), this shouldn’t be how you make your introduction. You don’t want to come across as desperate and needy, nor do you want to seem arrogant since both are incredibly off-putting.

The key is finding the right amount of confidence and curiosity to sustain interesting conversations. So ideally, the time you spend socialising should be about the person you’re engaging with. Your objective should be learning more about that person and creating the kind of genuine conversation that will pique their interest in you and, by extension, your work.

Obviously, this kind of networking comes more naturally to some than it does others. For the more reclusive personalities, this may be a challenge whereas the more outgoing personalities would have no trouble charming an audience. Regardless of where you fall on this personality spectrum, with enough practice, you would be able to find your own creative ways to network like a pro.

Tip: For those struggling with direct engagement, a good idea would be to start with online forums where the pressure to have the perfect, witty and immediate response is removed. You can take your time to craft the perfect email, social media comment or whatever it happens to be. There are also options to undo and delete what you’ve written should there be any mistakes (granted they’re recognised before sending). Once you feel confident enough to take it a step further then you can challenge yourself by engaging with audience members at exhibition openings, readings etc.

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

XIII

Women in Agriculture Part six

Helping to manage pest and diseases in plants

Samantha Brotherson

TODAY, more than one billion people work in agriculture around the world. In developing countries, 43 per cent of those workers are women. Clearly, female agricultural workers play an important role in feeding the world.

Be it a farmer, agronomist or a research scientist—women in this era play a huge role in the local agriculture sector.

This week the National Agriculture Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) will feature 28-year-old Samantha Brotherson, as the agency continues to highlight how the roles of women have changed in the agriculture sector.

In 2011, after completing a Bachelor’s degree in General Agriculture at the University of Guyana, Brotherson gained employment as a Research Assistant at NAREI the following year. In 2015, she went on to pursue a Master’s of Science Degree in Biosafety at the University of West Indies, Cavehill Campus.

She graduated last month. Now she is attached to the Biotechnology and Plant Genetic Resources Laboratory as a Research Scientist. She said her recent educational achievement and training in biotechnology and biosafety are considered an asset in her field of work.

“I am currently involved in tissue culture projects that entail the establishment of protocols for the micropropagation of sweet potato, cassava and plantain in vitro.

These projects are vital for ensuring the conservation and preservation of our rich agricultural diversity,” Brotherson said.

She continued, “My work, therefore, entails scoping and acquisition of local accessions throughout Guyana and maintaining these accessions in vitro and ex vitro. There is also a production component where “disease free” accessions are produced and distributed providing farmers with planting material.”

Quizzed on her choice of career, the 28-year-old recited one of Steve Jobs’ famous quotes— your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.

And, the only way to do great work is to love what you do.

“I can safely say that I fell in love with agriculture.

After graduating from St. Joseph’s High School in 2006; I only thought of looking for a job, it never occurred to me of the need and importance to purse a tertiary education and this, of course, stemmed from my environment to just complete high school, excel and seek employment,” the research scientist noted.

She credited her career to, Raymond Shaw, who advised and pushed her to pursue her studies at the Universi-

ty of Guyana. “Mr. Shaw, encouraging me to pursue my education was a pivotal stage in my life and I would encourage young people to do the same.

Like Nelson Mandela said, “education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world.”

While it was a challenge to study and work, Brotherson was able to transfer her daily experiences into theories which made her studies a bit simpler. “My field of study was related to my everyday work programme.”

And, just like Shaw encouraged her, she is now encouraging young persons to pursue their tertiary education.

In Brotherson’s first two years at NAREI, she was assigned to the Plant Pathology Department as a research assistant. She worked on projects to con-

trol and manage the Black Sigatoka disease in plantain and Banana through Integrated Pest Management regimes throughout Guyana.

She also worked on the use of bio- pesticides to control the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella which is a major pest of cabbage in Guyana; identifying the causal agent of gummosis in pineapples (Ananas comosus); examining the use of plastic mulch to evaluate its effect on yield, plant height and days to flowering in eggplant (Solanum melongena) and the use of plant growth hormones to enhance the growth of macro- propagated plantain plantlets.

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

Passion for Guyana

By Shirley Thomas

AFTER residing in the United States for more than 30 years, a Guyanese duo, born and raised in Mahaicony, Guyana, is on a mission of giving back to the people of their beloved country, in the area of Public Health.

Orita Semple and Avanelle Crawford Thomas, both Health Educators residing in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, currently operate the “Before and After Holistic Childbirth Services” in Georgia, and have been in operation for close to 20 years.

Excited about the prospects of bringing the programme to Guyana, the two women who have been involved in such health initiatives for close to 20 years, can hardly wait to jump-start the initiative.

Orita Semple, who, in 2004, came to Guyana on an HIV Care and Support’ initiative declares: “I have a passion for Guyana. I am very passionate about what I do and giving back to Guyana. I have been doing this for almost 20 years and I am never tired of doing it, because it is something I love to do. I think that coming back home and working with the adolescents, would be superb, because that way, we can get them from the beginning, and so we Orita Semple will be able to prevent the likely problems. We are hoping that it doesn’t stop here, but we can take it throughout the regions of Guyana. I’d love coming back home and working with the adolescents.”

Avanelle Thomas who is the CPR Technician asserts: “I was born and raised in Mahaicony and left Guyana about 30 years ago. I live in Georgia and work alongside, Ms. Orita Semple, on other projects. We have the energy and we just felt that we can bring some of that training to our beautiful Guyana and it would benefit a lot of people. We’ll take it to the outlying areas as well. That’s really where we want to impact the community

health workers and deal with the pregnant moms and others who have never had any formal training. It’s something that is part of the pregnancy process – Helping moms; helping babies and where ever the pregnancy is, we are able to capture those basic things,” Thomas said.

PROGRAMMES HOSTED Recently, they made a big hit via A Maternal and Child Health Programme in Guyana, having just completed a two-day Childbirth Educator Conference at Grand Coastal Inn and three-days of site visits to various health centres in Region Four ( Demerara Mahaica).

nal and Child Health training sessions, conducted at Sophia and Grove Health Centres. It attracted 23 persons including nurses, midwives, medical doctors and peer educators from Regions Three and Four.

Both facilitators expressed sincere appreciation for the opportunity to lend their services to such a worthy cause.

The programme was sponsored by the Ministry of Public Health and had as its patron, Dr. Onika Scott, Head of the Adolescent Health Programme Ministry of Public Health.

Semple said that the idea was birthed during a visit to the International Orga-

Avenelle Crawford

The first workshop held from October 30 -31 at Grand Coastal Inn, was an initiative for adolescents and it was a Lamaze Training Programme. Lamaze Education, Semple explained, focuses on the pregnancy - from Conception to Post Partum, teaching the expectant mothers how to have a healthy birth. This takes into consideration: nutrition during pregnancy; complications and risk factors during pregnancy, postpartum; Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and Labour and Delivery.

The second engagement on November 2 and 3, took the form of on-site Mater-

nization of Migration, (IOM) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, conference held in May 2017. During this conference, Guyanese based in other countries were encouraged to bring their skills back to Guyana through business and entrepreneurship.

Semple recalls: “I met with Dr. Onika Scott and we talked about doing some Lamaze Training since the Ministry of Health wanted to change the dynamics of how the adolescent mothers go through pregnancy. The aim was to either help them change or help others to help them change their concept of what is a normal

and healthy pregnancy. One of the suggestions was to have a Lamaze Class Programme, teach them comfort measures in labour and delivery and what to expect as they go into labour - the do’s and don’ts. ‘‘The programme essentially taught the participants comfort levels in Labour and Delivery … So we were able to demonstrate a lot of that or facilitate the midwives and doctors who are there to help these moms in labour and delivery,” Semple said.

“In addition, simple approaches were taught that may be easily and readily implemented in an effort to enhance what is currently done by the doctors, nurses and midwives,” Thomas said.

C h i l d b i r t h E d u c ator Training is intended for midwives, doctors and community health workers who are directly involved in the labour and delivery process.

It includes a holistic approach to care from conception to Post-Partum in areas such as Lamaze (comfort measures during labour) Breastfeeding, Infant Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, Signs and Symptoms of Labour, prevention of pre-term labour, prevention of infant death through Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and choking.

The training workshop was opened by Dr. Basir of the Ministry of Health, Men’s Health Department, who encouraged attendees to be open-minded. He also asked attendees to return to their various clinics armed with the knowledge gained, ready to implement the many ideas and areas of exposure. Dr. Basir expressed the hope that this training will bring about positive changes to the way the entire labour and delivery process is conducted.

While the Ministry of Health has an Adolescence Health Programme, what the training did essentially was enhance the methods they currently employ, making comfort measures a unique feature.

folklore

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

CLASH OF THE OLD ORDER JAMOON lay deep in the countryside among heavy forest and a narrow winding river. It was an old sugar community that had seen its ancestors enslaved by the white plantation owners. Now the village lay scattered along three small mud streets.

The residents were still employed by the nearby sugar estate. Those not working there had found employment in the city. With no electricity or other modern facilities, the villagers lived a simple life. Some saw this as backward existence.

There was one very vibrant feature about this otherwise quiet place; its respect for folklore. Stories were in abundance about all sorts of creatures. Villagers had reported seeing, meeting and quickly leaving these strange and frightening spirits.

Of all the roaming spirits, the `Dutchman’ was the one that was most regularly sighted. He could be seen riding his horse regaled in his shining riding boots, bughouse hat and riding whip. It was a strange affair of 'Now you see me, now you don’t.' But whether you saw him or not you could hear his horse galloping along the lonely moonlit roads. Villagers learned to keep their distance. It seemed as though the Dutch spirit had a firm hold on this superstitious community. That is until another spirit decided to challenge him.

Some hapless soul living in the village brought home a `Baccoo’. The woman was forgetful and spent a lot of time in the city. Unfortunately, she forgot to feed the `Baccoo’. That was when the trouble began. The angry, hungry spirit reacted as expected. Bricks, bottles, stones, sticks rained down on the woman’s house and those of her neighbours. Anyone who dared to pass when it was in action got a chance to feel how a shooting target feels. Bam! Crack! Pow! Wack! People had to flee in order to escape missiles.

One bright moonlit night while `Baccoo’ was in an especially bad mood, Dutchman cantered by on his horse.

He was hit by a torrent of missiles. He beat a hasty retreat.

Next night, he returned ready for this obstinate creature. He

XV

By Neil Primus

cornered `Baccoo’ and his whip went to work in a vicious way. Poor `Baccoo’ got a good thrashing.

Two nights later, `Baccoo’ lay in waiting. As soon as the `Dutchman’ approached, he launched his surprise attack. But `Dutchman’ anticipated this. Now `Baccoo’ is a descendant of slaves and `Dutchman’ is a descendant of Plantation owners. Their animosity boiled over and a big 'pashway' began. It was lash fo pelt. Bam! Crack! Ply! Pow! Both parties sustained substantial injuries.` Dutchman’ retired to his tomb but unknown to him, the smart `Baccoo’ followed him.

That night when a sore and tired Dutch spirit tried to rest he got a rude awakening. Bricks, bottles, stones and sticks rained down on his tomb. He was furious but could not catch the elusive `Baccoo’. Next night, he decided to set a trap of his own.

He got some ripe banana, fresh milk and raw nuts and put them in a special spot where it could easily be seen by `Baccoo’.

Sure enough, the starving `Baccoo’ could not resist the goodies. Halfway through the meal he got his belly full of lashes.

Ply! Pow! Crack! `Dutchman’ was having

his revenge. They both realised that neither of them could win the war. A truce was called and they became friends. Some nights villagers say they see `Dutchman’ riding his horse and riding next to him is a short, big head black man on a donkey. Small man – small donkey!

Ha! Ha! Ha!

XVI ◄◄◄ From page III

appropriate child restraint system.

Fifteen years since the seat belt law was enforced, Bacchus explained that enforcement is still crucial to saving lives. She noted issues of speeding and drinking and driving as social issues that each individual must stand up against.

“How can a mother, or a parent sit in a car or a minibus with their child or children and not say anything to a driver that is speeding or driving in a drunken state? The onus is on you to protect your life and others. Each and every one of us needs to speak out against these kinds of behaviours on the roads,” Bacchus implored.

She noted that in the case of her children, the involved driver was given a three-year sentence for causing death by dangerous driving, but ended up serving an 18-month sentence. To this day, she remembers her son’s final words to her: “Mom, we were in

the corner. We were not wrong. We couldn’t do anything. He came and hit us.”

“Every time I see another accident and someone loses their life, it pains me terribly like a fresh hurt all over again and I want to stop it,” Bacchus indicated.

Over the years since, the `Mothers in Black’ has grown significantly with more mothers and supporters joining the movement. They have led numerous awareness campaigns and road safety advocacy including the painting of road crossings, training of drivers in the public and private sectors as well as school children; awareness talks, sessions and marches. Each year, the Mothers partner with the Guyana National Road Safety Council (GNRSC) to observe World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. They also conduct counselling and offer support services to survivors and relatives of accident victims.

Though their activities have somewhat toned down in recent times, `Mothers in

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

GNRSC road safety activity

Black’ is still alive and committed to road safety.

GNRC’s Romona Doorgen said the Council recognises the `Mothers in Black’ as a vital road safety partner and a strong support voice for victims and survivors due to the personal experiences of members. Working in collaboration with the Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO), GNRSC is moving to conduct training of professional counsellors for accidents survivors and relatives.

She noted that over the years the national road safety movement has attracted increased support from public and private sector entities as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and others who all recognise road safety as a serious issue. A road safety advocate for 11 years, Doorgen stressed the need for more educational programmes to ensure every citizen, young and old, understands and embrace road safety practices.

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017 ◄◄◄ From page VI

lete at the games to finish with three medals.

“It’s not easy studying and competing, especially representing your country where everyone is expecting you to do well, but, thanks to my coach, I was able to make it all happen,” the Mackenzie High School student related.

At the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations, Williams wrote eight subjects and earned a Grade One pass, four Grade Twos and three Grade Threes.

Since his showing in Kenya this year, several Colleges under the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) have reached out, making offers and showing interest, and Williams said that together with his parents, Ester and Eustice Williams, and his coach, he will decide on where he will attend school.

“I’m really an engineering person and athletics can only go for a certain amount of years, so I’m also preparing for life after athletics. Wherever I go to school, I want to ensure that it gives me a chance to study and be better in my craft,” the athlete stated.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT Asked about support, Williams showered the community of Linden with prais-

Daniel Williams

so thanks to everyone for the support.”

His parents, he said are “very supportive to the max, they push me all the time [and] ensure that I’m up for training in the mornings, and hopefully I get the results to one day make them proud of me and reward their efforts.” He, again, gave praise to his coach, who he said is “always pushing, and is more or less like a father figure to me, and without him, plenty would not have been possible.”

COACH BELIEVES! In an invited comment, Greavesande told the Pepperpot Magazine: “He’s getting faster and faster and right now, he’s healthy and I think he if continues along this path, stays humble and keeps working hard, he will certain see his dreams come

es. “Linden is a great community. The people here would always stop me in the streets [and] congratulate me. Some would say how proud they are of me, while some would offer encouraging words and warn me to stay focused on school and athletics,” he said. “I’m very grateful for the support given by those who would reach out and help in many ways because without them, it probably would’ve been very hard to keep up with the demands of the sport,

XVII true.”

According to Greavesande, Williams competes in 200M, 400M and High Jump and recently also started running the 100M because of his developed speed. Williams’ coach explained that they recently changed up his training regimen and other programmes, and will now monitor his progression.

He said that the aim is to see him lower his time, especially his Personal Best in the 400M (46.72 seconds) at the upcoming National Schools Championship at Leonora, providing that he has competition. “Competition is an important thing and he wouldn’t really have that at Nationals, but hopefully he stays focus and races against the time,” Greavesande said.

The burden of ‘Backpacks’ XVIII

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

School children and the increasing weight of school bags

By Michel Outridge SOME school children have a difficult task of fetching/hauling around large backpacks which look almost like suitcases to and from school.

This has become a norm in recent times in which it was long observed that school children are burdened with taking to school large bags which are often not easy to carry around.

It was noted that in an effort to avoid fetching large backpacks on their backs some parents

have opted to purchase pulley bags for their children to carry around.

TOO HEAVY A BURDEN These seem like children are ready for an overseas trip with large bulky pull-around bags which are equipped with wheels in addition to lunch bags which many of them carry in their hands.

Back in time, my school days involved carrying a book in hand with a pencil and off we went to school in the most carefree way without the burden of carrying around large bags.

Recently I observed a very young boy who was about seven years old trying desperately to enter a Route 40 minibus with one of those ‘suitcases’, a task he was not equipped for and had to be assisted by adults in that bus just to get the bag into the vehicle.

STRUGGLES Samuel Sinclair, a father of four told the Pepperpot Magazine that he was told by his young children that they have to take all their text and Turn to page XIX ►►►

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017 exercise books to school every day.

As such, he had no choice to make purchases of pulley bags and large haversacks for his children to accommodate all their books.

He explained that when the children reach Grades Five and Six, the workload is greater and they have to take more books to school every day.

Sinclair pointed out that it is very difficult for a child to move around and having recognised that, he would usually drop off and pick up his children from school daily. But for parents who are unable to do so, the burden is on that child to haul around large bags.

In addition, he stated that he would have to pick up his children from school and then relieve

them of excess books to take home before dropping them off at lessons.

In that case, the children will only have the required books for lessons and will not be burdened with books they do not need.

Sinclair contended that in this day and age with the advent of technology, visual tutorials should be introduced in schools and children would not have the need to carry around large bags.

Several teachers who wished to remain anonymous told this newspaper that the curriculum has been so designed that they cannot alter it but are aware of the struggles of the children carrying heavy bags to school.

Some of these teachers are also parents

themselves and cannot do anything to change the fact that the children will have to fetch their books to school.

When contacted on Monday, Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson did not immediately answer questions posed to him on this matter and requested a later call, but those calls went unanswered.

EFFECTS OF CARRYING LARGE BAGS TO SCHOOL We heard throughout our formative years that lugging around a heavy backpack was terrible for our backs. But now that we’re older, the damage may have already been done.

A 2010 study in the National Centre for Bio-

XIX technology Information, which studied a small test group of children around the age of 11, found that the constant weight of backpacks was actually causing spinal cords to compress and cause significant back pain. Those test backpacks were, at their heaviest, about 26 pounds.

Dr. Harvinder Sandhu, a spinal surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, says 26 pounds is on the lighter side.

“Schoolchildren these days are carrying these huge backpacks with around 40 to 60 pounds of weight,” he said. “Seemingly they think it’s only for a short distance. But when you add it up, the total weight is enormous.”

XX

Good things are happening

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

Beyond the Runway GIVING credit where it is due is a good thing to do but which is not often done.

Recently, two young ladies that are close to me shared a positive experience with a 911 call. They witnessed a robbery/car jacking and made a call to 911 while it was occuring. The call was answered and she reported what was happening. They offered to drive the victim to the station since her car was taken. They were very impressed that 911 had already alerted the police before they arrived.

Swift action like this from citizens and the police can contribute to a major reduction in criminal activities.

A five-year -old was in the car and also saw what happened.

He told his mom he thought bad guys were only in movies and not real life.

We just have to continue to pray for our nation and on Sunday, we did a lot of that at Love and Faith. We had such a tremendous worship.

Pastor Brooks’ sermon was based on the message from Mount Tabor.

I learnt so much about the various important functions of salt and the importance of us being the salt of the earth.

After church, I decided to attend the Guyana Open Golf Tournament at the Lusignan Golf Course. The atmosphere was beautiful and relaxing and the food was delicious. I love going to the golf course not only to enjoy golf but to interact with people I have not seen in a while. Avinash Persaud won again for the eighth time in the men’s category. Christine Sukhram also was undefeated and copping the title for the eighth time, as well. I told her that I will challenge her next year and she is so certainly up to the challenge. I do play a little golf but I probably need Tiger Woods to coach me to beat her , but I will still try. I am the type of person that will prefer to try and fail than fail to

with Dr. Sonia Noel

... Inspiring lives through fashion try. So I invite you all to come and witness the most exciting Guyana Open for 2018. The high point of my evening was the pleasant drive along the road. I must mention that Minister David Patterson is a man to his word. Last year my colleague, Debert Cook ,who is the publisher of African American Golf Digest was excited to visit the Lusignan Golf Course. She is looking at the possibility of hosting a high-level tournament here. I was so embarrassed at the state of the road and the garbage along the way. I told Minister of what transpired and he assured me that he will have the road done and it was

done. Thank you, Minister David Patterson and best wishes to you and your Ministry, as you continue to contribute to the development of beautiful Guyana.

The next highlight was the first Putting Competition for Schools. Male and female teams from Queens College, The Bishop’s High School and St. Rose’s High participated and the latter were the winners. I must commend Aleem from Nexgen for his vision to include the young people in the golfing arena.

This is how the sport will develop and trigger interest from a new audience. The youth are the future of our nation and we need to encourage and involve them more.

I chatted with some of the young men and women reassuring them that they all are winners, for just participating in this historic event. They are truly pioneers.

‘A strenuous effort must be made to train young people to think for themselves and take independent charge of their lives’- Anne Sullivan Send us a message to soniarnoel1@gmail.com and visit our FB page as we continue this beautiful journey call life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

XXI

Yet still, there are many decent men today In the face of numerous domestic killings

By M Margaret Burke

NOVELIST Margaret Atwood writes that when she asked a male friend why men feel threatened by women, he answered, “They are afraid women will laugh at them.” However, when she asked a group of women why they feel threatened by men, they said, “We’re afraid of being killed.”

However, there are men in Guyana today, as well as in other parts of the world that still cringe when a man kills a woman – regardless of the reason. Yes, there are still some men who hurt; who care; who weep; who are angered - outraged; who would like to see their equal be put to the gallows, or electric chair and be finished with.

Further, there are men who would think of their mother; their sister(s); loving grandmothers; aunties and other female relatives; and even their good friends who are females. The fact is that many men still ‘see’ some women as their confidants…the person they can trust – to hide their shame; to cover for them and even to cover them and so they would want no harm to come near them.

Some men were nurtured (only) by a woman - from the womb to the breast; literally drawing cold out from his snotty nose, while wiping the tears away from his face when they were bruised or tainted, offering that gentle and warm kiss on their forehead or cheeks. Some men do not forget.

INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS On the other hand, as a female companion, a man begins to admire a woman that he thinks he is falling in love with, and if allowed that relationship grows and so many things happen. Then eventually there may be marriage, reputed wife situations or just the ‘child or children’ mother scenario. One way or the other there goes lots of ‘lovable’ times - physical and emotional intimacy.

During these times other people become part and parcel of the whole arrangement: children have grown out of it; grandparents are now a significant part of the family; so also are aunties and uncles; cousins and many others – on both sides of the divide.

The thing to make one wonder then is: How come, with all these people directly and/or indirectly involved would people still reach to the level – that very low level- of sending the other significant other to the grave and in some cases sending themselves there too?

There is no easy answer for this question and here many may be tempted to judge the man, the woman, and the parent of the woman or the man. In some cases, some may have to be honest enough and take blame – but this is after the fact and obviously the wrong place since there is usually no turning back.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MEN What really causes this big switch where a man kills a woman he once loved or admired – and in some cases if you ask him, up to the time when he would have killed her, he may say that he was still in love.

Then what in fact made him kill her? Is it jealously; mistrust; insecurity or uncertainty; anxiety; poor judgment; being too possessive; the lack of ‘education’; the social conditioning; culture; or just an impulsive/rash decision?

Many wonder: How can a man who once shared breakfast, lunch and dinner with a woman, sometimes out of one plate; sleep in the same bed with a woman, in some cases for lengthy periods of time; make children that they loved; took care of other love ones within the family together and lots more, still turn around – in some cases premeditatedly, stab her up, chop her up, batter her, or even shoot her to death?

What is the psychological make-up of a man that can cause such a dramatic change in his treatment towards the woman?

Is it the feeling of pride; of rejection; of fear of living the past over again; or fear of the unknown – having to start all over again; of being defeated or betrayed, possibly by another man? Or is it just because a man is mostly physically stronger, want to show that he is this big, bad bully and ultimately a killer? What is it?

CONCERN FOR YOUR DAUGHTERS AND SONS One way or another, the nonsense has to stop, or at least the number of killings must be diminished. In addition to the rape, injuries by violent attacks, threats that cause many women to live in constant fear – sometimes being unable to function for their children or other loved ones must see a rapid reduction.

The fact is that far too many women are in danger of being violently attacked and injured or killed after they leave or try to leave their abusive partner. In fact, almost daily a woman is killed by an abusive partner or even an ex-partner who refuses to leave

her alone.

Some questions again: Are these men so distraught, not being able to find a way to deal with this break-up; So much in love and broken-up-at-heart; or is it that these men want to maintain power and control over these women; or because they see these women as a piece of ‘priced possession’ which will enhance their feelings of ‘machoness’?

SOLUTIONS The church or faith-based organisations; physical and emotional therapy; sharing within groups; anger management; more attention being paid to the young male, especially who show ‘troubled’ tendencies from a young age, are just some of the aspects of a plan that should be considered, especially for the young male’s

life – the earlier the better.

Some seem to feel that men are wired to be more violent than women; at the same time, women are expected to not only control their emotions but also be able to control the emotion of the men as well.

Emma Lindsay (Medium) said that instead of learning how to take a rejection gracefully, men will claim women should “let them down easy.” It comes right down to that Margaret Atwood quote (which started this feature), “Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them.” Men are so terrified of being laughed at, rejected or absorbing indignity in any way that they demand women risk physical violence so they don’t have to face the pain of rejection. (mercilinburke2017@gmail.com)

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Day

GEOGRAPHIC Information Systems (GIS) are designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyse, manage, and present all types of geographical data. The foundation of a GIS is data that is in some way, referenced to locations on the earth. To this, attributes such as name, types, address and contact information can be added.

GIS allows us to visualise scenarios and understand relationships, trends and patterns in our environment by digitally linking information to maps. GIS

is a tool that assists in making accurate and well informed decisions, especially in terms of environmental management.

As an initiative for people to learn about geography and the uses and importance of GIS, GIS Day was established in 1999. The Day is now celebrated on the third (3rd) Wednesday of November annually; this year it is scheduled for November 15th under the theme “Discovering the World through GIS”.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY AND GIS Human activities and their impacts on the environment are intricately inter-related with the earth’s ecosystems.

As a result, monitoring and

measuring these changes and complexities presents many challenges. GIS therefore, provides a means of visualising and analysing these occurrences in a structured and comprehensive manner.

As a regulatory agency in environmental management, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) relies on accurate and relevant data for planning, monitoring, research and release of data to the public. The use of GIS contributes greatly to the success of sound environmental management and is an integral part of the EPA’s decision-support system.

Some areas in which GIS is used are: ● Land use planning; ● Identifying potential areas of pollution or outbreaks;

● Identifying impacts of developmental activities on the environment; and ● Mapping deforestation and land degradation.

The use of GIS facilitates the streamlined workflow of the various programme areas of the EPA by providing a holistic approach to data management and information sharing. Field data collected during environmental inspections are used in tandem with baseline and other reference information to understand the existing infrastructure or to identify potential environmental issues which may arise. Since the natural environment is one which overlaps with multiple sectors and users, it is critical to collaborate with other Agencies and Organisations so as to

address cross-cutting issues and identify areas of high-risk activities.

The EPA continuously seeks new opportunities to improve its technological capabilities in order to enhance

the quality and credence of the activities it carries out. It is envisioned that as the use of GIS continues to grow it will become an increasingly relevant subject in today’s society. Further, with the establishment of clear policies and guidelines, properly trained personnel and accurately updated information, environmental health and well-being will be perpetually maintained.

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O ECEA Programme, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit. epaguyana@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook and Instagram.

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

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Musical Awakening

Gavin Mendonza represents Guyana at largest Latin American music festival

By Jasmaine Payne LAST week, thousands of musical artists and other music industry professionals converged in Colombia for the eighth annual CirculArt Festival, the largest music industry summit for Latin American, South American and other Spanish speaking countries in the world. The four-day event, which this year, lasted from November 2-5, served as an annual mass- networking platform for world musicians to share experiences, cultures and form lasting connections that could see future collaborations between countries.

Guyana, the only English-speaking country in South America, has never before been part of this festival, but this year, that all changed when local musician and `Feed The Flames’ band member Gavin Mendonca answered the call extended by CirculArt to attend the summit; a call which allowed this young musician the chance to experience a

Gavin with one of the Directors of CirculArt 2017 in Colombia

musical awakening that has infused endless ideas for how to improve the music industry in Guyana.

In an interview with the Pepperpot Magazine, a visibly excited Gavin explained that the opportunity to attend the event arose when Director of the Rupununi Music and Arts Festival, Dr Bob Ramdhanie, asked Gavin to represent the local festival at the international event in his place. “Bob was directly invited to attend the event as a roundtable professional representing the Rupununi Music and Arts Festival (RMAF), but he was heading to WOMEX in Poland to represent RMAF there. So I took his place,” Gavin said.

Having never travelled to that part of the world, Gavin had to figure out how to get there on his own and after much deliberation and juggling of flights, the young musician arrived in Colombia to be an ambassador for Guyana’s biggest music festival. Gavin also took this unique opportunity to make representation for other music affiliates from Suriname(Unkies Events and Bookings) and the Skyy Rock Festival from Trinidad.

“The roundtable event was held on Sunday and I was there as a Seller of Cultural Goods and Services and was placed in a position where I was able to meet and interact and receive pitches from musical artists from all across the world,” Gavin said. He was scheduled to meet with 27 musical artists who booked appointments with him in an interest to come to Guyana for the Rupununi Music and Arts Festival. He added that the interest in Guyana was so much, that he ended up staying beyond the scheduled time to meet with a number of other artists who insisted on making connections for future trips to Guyana.

“So I acted as a bridge between Latin America and Guyana. Lots of people wanted to meet me because Guyana was there for the very first time and everybody saw it as a new

opportunity. I felt like I was playing a very important role and it was a very rewarding one,” Gavin said.

LESSONS LEARNED After just four days in Colombia, having been exposed to the workings of the international music industry and making lasting connections, Gavin has returned to Guyana with a renewed sense of inspiration on how he can help to build his own music career, as well as, the local music industry. “Prior to going to Colombia, I thought I knew what I needed to do. I use to think outside of the box as

much as possible but there was a cap because there was a realm that I had never visited. I had no idea of its existence outside of my realm of thinking,” Gavin said. “What I was exposed to was a fully functioning creative industry, I was exposed to a whole new level of professionalism from the roundtable experience – every artist had a manager or representative on their behalf. That showed me the importance of having a manager, whether a tour manager, booking agent etc. There was a lot of structure; there was a business Turn to page XXVIII ►►►

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

Justice James Patt

The legal luminary head Guyana Elections Comm AN ideal candidate for the position of the Chairman of a critical organisation such as the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) must possess the qualities of impartiality, integrity and intelligence, qualities similar to what are expected of a former or current Judge, as is defined in the Article 161 (2) of the Constitution. , was President David Granger’s view when he selected 84-year-old Justice (Retired) James Aloysius Patterson and swore him in on October 19, 2017 as the Chairman of the body, which has the enormous task of overseeing the holding of General and Regional Elections in the country.

The Head of State no doubt knew that after a long and protracted process, where the Leader of the Opposition attempted to force his hand with several flawed lists of nominees for the post, he must find someone, who was well-grounded in law and who had a record of judicial competence that was beyond reproach. In this regard, he did not falter. As the debate continues countrywide over the selection of Justice Patterson to head the Commission, there is no doubt that he is a legal luminary and a force to reckon with in his own right, serving not only as the acting Chief Justice of Grenada but boasting more than 67 years of service in the legal field.

In a recent interview with the Press and Publicity of the Ministry of the Presidency, Justice Patterson said that while it was an appointment he did not see coming, he jumped at the opportunity when approached, as it allows him to continue to serve his country. Despite the shameless debate grounded in ageism, which is the prejudice or discrimination on the grounds of a person's age, Justice Patterson is still quite capable of functioning at maximum capacity.

“There are other aspects [to consider] other than age. One of the Members of the United States Supreme Court is around my age and that member is a she, and she is a marvellous, amazing woman. Her mental faculties still have the electricity a younger person. You can be of age and totally obtuse and stupid. It goes both ways. It doesn’t follow that perfection or an approximate aspect of that goes with age. I know… some very old people who are acute and working in their minds; they can think at speed,” he said.

What the new Chairman of GECOM did not mention though is that ageism is actually illegal in many developed countries, and prohibits private and public employers from treating an applicant or employee less favourably because of their age. This is a fact that is not foreign to even the Opposition Leader, who in his list submissions, nominated two candidates, who are older than 80 years.

How does Justice Patterson stack up when one considers the qualities of impartiality, integrity and independence? He says they are embedded in his character. “I have a long association with the law. I have been the acting Chief Justice of Grenada for some years. There is some talk about me not being Chief Justice but I have acted and all of the other attributes that the President adumbrated on, I think that I have all of them; impartiality, independence and integrity. To be an effective Judge, you must be impartial. I would like to go home and sleep at nights. I want to know that I have done my best and I have discharged my functions according to the law,” the new Chairman of GECOM said.

As he takes up the mantle and responsibilities associated with the Office of Chairman of the Commission, Justice Patterson

said that he has one mission and that mission is to discharge h “I am hoping to have the cooperation of all citizens of the interested in how they vote but they have a choice. That is all pears voting time and that people can put the country first. Th equates to how I feel about justice and I will not look at party a As a Judge, that is how you have to think and I would like to

CHILDHOOD AND EDUCATION

But who exactly is the man called Justice James Patterson were both in the education sector. Having lost his mother at a described as “very strict” but with a quest for excellence and that he would have liked to share a better relationship, there teaching him how to be a gentleman.

“I went to my father’s school and that was not a very ni children to abound and excel and that was the cause of severa were ‘unspoiling’ and severe most of the times and I would sa never related to me as I would relate to my children. So you l but he was a very clever man. He taught himself to read, wri and Greek but what I can thank him for is that he installed in m and if that ethic had endured now, you would have a different While Justice Patterson started his secondary education at lege before heading off to the Washington High School, and Cambridge examinations. In those days, the only Sixth Form Patterson opted for Central High School as that institution w wanted to sit.

“I ended my secondary education at Central High School an out at the Deeds Registry. If you consider my work at the Reg the law. In those days you had to go to England and you had right to call students to the Bar] to be able to do so. So I went As fate would have had it, Justice Patterson met former Pre and they became best pals. “We sat in what we called the mes friendship began there. Everyone knows that I am apolitical. ap ma ter tha par

196 atr and Ed

pan wit of in

im yea (D He J.O po he Justice Patterson during inspection at the opening of Parliament, Georgetown Law Courts.

Su

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

XXV

terson

ding the mission

his duties in an impartial and professional manner. e voting age because they have a primary duty to vote. I am not l I am interested in. I am hoping that the vitriol I see now, disaphat is what I want to see. I have a restless social conscience that affiliation to decide what are the things that are best for Guyana. go home and sleep in the nights,” he said.

n? As he would tell in the interview, he was born to parents who a young age, he was raised by his father, a headmaster, whom he d high standards from his offspring. While Justice Patterson said e is one thing he can unreservedly thank him for and that is for

ice thing during those days because headmasters expected their al collisions between my father and I. In those days headmasters ay compared to the person who I am and today’s dad, my father learn from your parent’s omissions as well as their commissions ite and spell Hindi, Urdu and Arabic and he started me on Latin me, how you must treat a woman. You must be a gentleman first t society,” he shared. t Queen’s College, he was later transferred to St. Stanislaus Colthen later to the Berbice High School where he took the Senior schools were Queens College and Central High School. Justice was offering Economics and Economic History, both subjects he

nd I consider that school my alma mater to this day. Then I started gistry, I have had roughly 67 years of unbroken association with to belong to one of the Inns [of Court, which has the exclusive t into the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple,” he said. esident Hugh Desmond Hoyte as a member of the Middle Temple sses, adjacent to each other and we ate in groups of four and our . I appeared at that man’s funeral because he was my friend, not political associate. Nobody can say that they have ever seen me arching for any party. They can’t say that truthfully,” Justice Patrson said, responding to criticisms from the political Opposition at he is a member of the People’s National Congress (PNC), the rty to which the late President belonged.

After being called to the Degree of the Utter Bar in November 64, Justice Patterson also became a registered nurse in the psychiric part of the Register of the General Nursing Council of England d Wales, while he was pursuing studies at the Council for Legal ducation for the Bar final examination.

From 1962-1966, he worked with John Morris, Wilkes and Comny and Nairnsey Fisher and Lewis company firms of Solicitors, th the approval of the Benchers of the Middle Temple, during part the period of the reading for the Bar. In 1970, while on holiday Guyana, he was admitted to the Bar in Guyana.

In 1972, he returned to Guyana and entered into private practice mmediately in the Chambers of the late Hector Patterson. That same ar, he joined the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions DPP) and was appointed as Senior State Counsel in January 1974. e subsequently resigned to take over the Chambers of the late O.F. Haynes, who left private practice for a Court of Appeal apointment en route to the Chancellorship of the Judiciary. In 1983, was invited to join the Judiciary of Grenada, an offer he took up.

In 1991, he returned to Guyana and took up a position on the upreme Court of Judicature before retiring in December 1996.

With much being said about his service as Chief Justice of Grenada, Justice Patterson said that the records speak for itself as he indeed served for a period. “I am not worried about that. There is nothing more that betrays an ingenious nature than untruths against a man’s character, so I dismiss it because there is nothing that I can do about it. I am not one to argue and debate; I listen and I keep quiet,” he said.

This was supported by Minister of State, Mr. Joseph Harmon, who during last week’s Post-Cabinet press briefing, said that regardless of whether it is a substantive or acting appointment, once that individual would have served in a certain capacity for a period of time, it cannot be disputed. “We have a lot of persons here in this country, who are acting but we don’t say that because they are acting that they aren’t in the position. We won’t say that the Chancellor of the Judiciary, who was acting until he retired wasn’t the Chancellor of the Judiciary. The Current Chancellor and Chief Justice are acting. The person has performed in those capacities; he has performed credibly as the Chairman of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the Prison Riot and you can see from the quality of that work whether this person is capable of dealing with GECOM or not,” Minister Harmon said.

FAMILY

A father of 12 children; six boys and six girls, Justice Patterson said that he is not only family- oriented but also a doting grandfather, great-grandfather and great, great grandfather. “I am a very happy and very proud of all of them. They are very proud of my appointment and they encourage me every day,” he says with a smile.

Outside of his professional life, he enjoys reading, mentoring and counselling young people, particularly men and enjoying a good game of cricket. “I am very shy and I am not publicity seeking. I like reading the Bible and practice it as best as I know how, and that makes me self-content. I love to read and follow current affairs, I have a thirst for knowledge that never ceases, and I love associating with young people. I love cricket and in my time we had all the greats but I lost interest when the West Indies started losing,” he said.

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

Encouraging entrepreneurship in young people

Youth Innovation Camp slated for December

By Gibron Rahim THAT eureka moment when a business idea occurs is only the first step in what can be a lengthy and difficult process for an entrepreneur. Anyone who has ever decided to start a business of their own knows how the process can be filled with hurdles.

It is for this reason that preparation for the process is invaluable. Young people at a crossroads in their lives can especially benefit from this sort of guidance. It is with this reason in mind that the Young

Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI), Guyana Alumni, in collaboration with the United States Embassy, has decided to host a three-day Youth Innovation Camp.

The Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) was launched in 2015 by then, U.S. President Barack Obama, as an opportunity for young business and civil society leaders from Latin America, the Caribbean and the United States.

A group from Guyana were chosen to be a part of the project: Shaunda Yarde, one of the Youth Innovation Camp organisers and

an YLAI Alumni herself, spoke with the Pepperpot Magazine about the experience she and her fellow alumni had. “It was one of the most fulfilling business experiences, especially as small business owners,” she said. She reflected on the ambience, the sessions and the variety of speakers catering to all types of businesses. All of these combined created a valuable learning experience for her and her fellow alumni. She explained that the programme featured panels composed of technology, food and management minds,

of study at university or even immediately moving on to entrepreneurship.

The Youth Innovation Camp will run from December 18-20 in Georgetown. An important aspect that Yarde noted is that the camp seeks to impact children from all 10 administrative regions of Guyana. Participants’ accommodation, meals and travel costs will be covered by the U.S. Embassy and YLAI Guyana. The three-day boot camp will be an entrepreneurial immersion experience targeting groups of three in the stated age group who are interested in becoming social or business entrepreneurs. The aim is to “promote and foster an entrepreneurial environment amongst youths in Guyana”.

The camp’s participants, who will be shortlisted from among the applicants to about 30, will be exposed to talks from business advisors and leaders in various sectors across Guyana during its course. They will receive training on developing their business plan to act as a guide for startup and future growth.

And, in the final phase, participants will be able to pitch their business ideas for a chance to secure seed funding to launch their idea.

“Some areas that we will cover include foundations of entrepreneurship, how to pitch your business or idea, e-commerce, mechanisms

The YLAI Guyana Alumni team (Photo courtesy of YLAI Guyana)

allowing a variety of opinions from different sectors. It ensured that the knowledge they gained could be applied to their own businesses.

On their return to Guyana, the group sincerely wished to channel at least some of the information they had acquired, especially with those under the age of 30. Their timing was fortuitous – the opportunity presented itself and the U.S. Embassy loved their idea and was willing to sponsor it. They narrowed down their target group to those aged 15-17 years old. Yarde explained that it is this group that will be thinking about the next phase of their lives. Teenagers preparing to leave secondary school may decide to seek jobs, attend university or they might even have business ideas. The YLAI Guyana Alumni realised that there was an opportunity to nurture these ideas at this critical stage. She noted that, after the camp, those business ideas can be developed through understudying in related organisations, choosing a pertinent course

to deal with failure, effective communication and much more,” Yarde said.

Participants only need to satisfy three basic requirements. Applications must contain teams of three and identify the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Applicants must also, as mentioned, be between the ages of 15-17 years old and must have a viable business idea and plan that can be implemented. The winners of the funding will be chosen after careful deliberation. The judging criteria will include most innovative, level of development of the business plan and a level of maturity displayed in the responses to questions posed.

The teamwork requirement for the Youth Innovation Camp is necessary and important.

Businesses, as Yarde noted, often require more than one person. She explained that YLAI Guyana is trying to show the value of Turn to page XXIX ►►►

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Guyana, China at 45

Chinese Embassy puts on grand cultural show to mark occasion THE Chinese Embassy here Members of the Sichuan Province hosted a cultural show last week Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble at the National Cultural Centre, performing at the event celebrating 45 years of diplomatic ties between Guyana and Beijing.

The event was attended by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo, ministers of government and members of the diplomatic corps.

In remarks at the event China’s Ambassador to Guyana, Cui Jainchun said it was a pleasure to join in watching the performance of Sichuan Province Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble in Aba’s Tibet and Qiang autonomous prefecture, in celebration of the 45th Anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Guyana.

“On behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Guyana, I would like to express warm welcome to the artists who came a long way from China and sincere gratitude to all the friends who made a lot of efforts in arranging this performance,” Ambassador Cui said.

He said just like Guyana, a country of six peoples, China is also a big family of fifty-six ethnic groups. “Sichuan is an example of harmonious inhabitation of multiple ethnic groups and integration of different cultures.”

Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Mrs Sita Nagamootoo shared friendly exchanges with Chinese Ambassador, H.E. Cui Jianchun, and United States Ambassador, H.E. Perry Holloway, at the grand Chinese cultural show at the National Cultural Centre

The ambassador said the Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble in Aba’s Tibet and Qiang autonomous prefecture, is a professional art troupe which has the longest history with unique styles, abundant contents, excellent team and distinctive artworks.

It also specialises in Tibetan and Qiang characteristics and a higher artistic standard performing team. It often represents Sichuan to perform abroad and is highly thought of by domestic and foreign experts and audience. Wednesday night, the artists presented a cultural feast of song, dance, instruments. “They bring not only wonderful performance, but also warm greetings of Chinese people towards the Guyanese people, as well as best wishes to the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Guyana,” Ambassador Cui said.

According to the Chinese envoy “distance cannot separate true friends even when they are far apart. The friendship between China and Guyana has a long history although we are separated by oceans.”

The ambassador said since the establishment of diplomatic Turn to page XXIX ►►►

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model that works. A lot of these countries also have extraordinary support within their countries, their industry, among their peers etc.; people were actually working together for collective goals.”

Moreover, after seeing the performances of these artists, many of whom have travelled the world and accumulated international acclaim and some of whom included winners and nominees from the Latin American Grammy Awards, Gavin is now infused with new ideas on how to promote and present his own music. “Many of these artists depicted particular genres, but in each stage presentation, they ensured that they infused strong cultural aspects into their wardrobe, their instruments, and their sound. Their presentations were creative

and out of the box and their delivery was impactful,” he said.

Gavin, whose own music at home has been known to transcend genres and promote traditional culture through his fusion of rock music and Guyanese folklore, has therefore seen a new avenue through which he can present himself as an artist while promoting Guyanese culture.

BUSINESS MODEL But more than that, Gavin is now back hoping to incorporate some of the things he picked up from the business side of the music industry. “I have been exposed to these business models and formulae of how to sell a product. I was studying each of those persons I met. I went with zero experience and came out with a wealth of knowledge.

I have paid close attention to the manager

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aspect and the importance of having a business-savvy manager,” Gavin said. “Now that I have come back, I want to raise awareness.

I believe that I can be a catalyst for positive conversation on social media. Everything is always problem-oriented but nobody can see the solution. It is about being proactive, solution-oriented in order to initiate change.

So I want to start conversations, hear the problems and seek to get solutions.”

This is a small step, but in Gavin’s head, there is a big picture, one that he hopes will benefit future generations. The young man admits though, that this festival and the knowledge he garnered from it are just the beginning. He will now seek to gather more information and see how he can bring it home.

“Music is now my career. I want to make that possible for younger generations. My main

goal is not necessarily to travel the world or get famous or get a lot of money but to ensure our culture and heritage are preserved and young people are offered the opportunity to appreciate these things. If all they are hearing is American music they will have zero appreciation for what is ours,” he said.

Stemming from CirculArt, the local musician has been invited to three other festivals: the Quelonios Festival in the Dominican Republic in January, the Folk Alliance International Conference in the US in February and the Eco Festival in the Canary Islands just off the coast of Spain in September. If he attends, Gavin will be sharing his folk-song infused Guyanese music to other parts of the world; something that, if not a first in the country’s history, is certainly a first for someone from this generation.

Chronicle Pepperpot November 12, 2017

High Price Undercuts Microsoft's Xbox One X Mic Drop Microsoft on Tuesday released its long-anticipated and much-hyped Xbox One X console, promising to push the boundaries of modern gaming and video entertainment.

The Xbox One X is the most powerful console in the world, with up to 40 percent more power than existing devices on the market, the company claimed.

"We built Xbox One X to give some creators the most powerful platform to bring their visions to life, and to give gamers the best console to play the games of the past, present and future," said Phil Spencer, head of gaming at Microsoft.

Xbox One X gamers can choose from 1,300 gaming titles -- the largest lineup in company history, he said. That includes more than 220 exclusives, such as Player Unknown's Battlegrounds, which will launch on Dec. 12.

Microsoft released 50 enhanced titles on Tuesday, including Forza Motorsport 7, Super Lucky's Tale, Assassin's Creed Origins and Fifa 18. Additional enhanced titles will become available as launch week progresses.

Microsoft pulled out all the stops to hype the console around the world, hosting Xbox Live sessions on Mixer with celebrity gaming enthusiasts ranging from DJ Khaled to James Corden and Chris Evans. Actor and WWE legend Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson even presented custom consoles to three Make-A-Wish kids prior to the launch.

◄◄◄ From page XXVII

ties 45 years ago, the two countries have witnessed ever-growing political, economic and trade relations and increasingly frequent exchanges in culture. The Chinese culture including Chinese language, arts, clothing and food is very popular with the Guyanese people. Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan are widely known in Guyana. I often encounter Guyanese friends who can speak a few Chinese.

Meanwhile, more and more Chinese people are attracted by the original natural scenery, distinctive music and dance of Guyana. “Exchanges and mutual learning will not only boost the development and prosperity of the unique culture of Guyana and ancient Chinese culture but also contribute to the deepening of mutual understanding and friendship between our two peoples. I believe that with the expansion of friendly exchanges between China and Guyana, the cultural and people-to-people exchanges will achieve greater progress, China-Guyana relations will reach higher level…” ◄◄◄ From page XXVI

working together to achieve a common goal. “Building the correct team is also a part of our camp course,” she said. “We would like to have a practical guideline for that element.” She emphasised that each part of a business team has different responsibilities and they want to highlight the importance of each at the camp.

There is true value in entrepreneurship, notwithstanding the difficulties that the path may hold. For those who choose to undertake it, entrepreneurship serves two purposes, as Yarde explained. It forces people to seek solutions to problems within their communities and it helps to develop those selfsame communities. There is also a personal gratification to owning and operating one’s own business that cannot be explained. “There is a sense of joy knowing that you can use your God-given talent to serve your community and empower others.”

The application deadline for the Youth Innovation camp is November 15. Further information can be found at the YLAI Guyana Alumni’s Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/YoungLeadersofGuyana/

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English THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

They are as sick that surfeit with too much, as they that starve with nothing. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616), The Merchant of Venice STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student, Not all of you would know this, and not all would be using this either: a quiet place to study.

It must of necessity be warm, well lit, and with adequate air circulation. Reference material must be at hand – notes, texts books, dictionaries – and all necessary tools like a telephone and a computer. Of course, your family and friends should not disturb you because your study periods to which you stick rigidly, have been made known. Any lost study sessions should be made up. Be wise.

Love you GRAMMAR Quotation marks Quotation marks tell us that credit is being given to the original speaker or writer of the expression enclosed within the quotation marks, and that the exact words are being reproduced.

Direct quotations are always enclosed in double quotation marks: the first set marks the beginning of the quoted matter, and the second set marks the end.

Today we look at two commands on how to treat direct quotation marks.

1. Enclose a direct quotation in quotation marks.

The direct quotation may be unbroken by explanatory words.

“I’d like to eat now,” said Jenny.

Lawrence said jokingly, “I think I have a scorpion.”

He laughed. “The joke’s on Hilleary.”

The direct quotation may be broken by explanatory words. Then an extra set of quotation marks must be used.

“Why,” he asked, “didn’t you tell his mother?”

“We’ve caught six young snakes already!” he shouted. “By six o’clock we’ll have twelve!”

Note: In the first sentence didn’t begins with a small letter because the entire quotation is one sentence, “Why didn’t you tell his mother?”

In the second sentence By begins with a capital letter because the quoted words are two sentences, (1) “We’ve caught six young snakes already!” (2) “By six o’clock we’ll have twelve.”)

2. If a direct quotation consists of more than one paragraph, place quotation marks before each paragraph but at the end of the last only.

“The real beginnings of modern scientific agriculture can be dated from the passage of the Morrill Act of 1862. This law gave the states 30,000 acres of the public domain for each congressman that they sent to Congress, the proceeds from which were to be used by the states for the establishment of agricultural and industrial schools.

“The result of this measure was the establishment of agricultural colleges, independently or in connection with the state universities, in almost state of the Union. Such institutions as the universities of Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, and California, and the Michigan, Iowa, Kansas, Oregon, and Texas agricultural colleges grew out of this general land grant.

“Twenty-five years later, in 1887, Congress passed the important Hatch Act, appropriating federal funds for the establishment and maintenance of agricultural experiment stations in every state of the Union. These stations have, through their research work and their educational activities, contributed incalculably to the improvement of agriculture.”

(From “Our Nation” by Eugene C. Barker and Henry Steele Commager) Something to Do Copy the following sentences. Supply quotation marks where they are needed, being careful the rules above.

1. Simon said that the wedding reception was well attended.

2. If you wish, said the dog hunter, I’ll care the pups.

3. I should like to become a veterinarian, Nancy said.

4. She mentioned her little dress; as a matter of fact, it was a creation by a famous Guyanese designer.

5. Don’t read that way, Sahara pleaded. You misinterpret the whole song.

6. When I’m tired, announced Bevin, I rest. That’s the sensible thing to do.

SPEAKING EFFECTIVELY How to introduce a speaker This input deals with speaking, and we are saying that a person leaving secondary school should know how to introduce a speaker at any forum.

Here are some tips to get you through your writing preparation for the event, considering the fact that you have the power to make the speaker’s task either easy or difficult.

In your written plan to be brief in your remarks attending to the following pointers: a) Tell the audience a few important facts about the speaker. Let it be earnestly truthful and not flippant. b) Weigh every word you use to carry your information and, bear in mind that you are not the main speaker. c) Conclude your introduction with words like: “It is a pleasure to introduce . . .” or something equally simple. [It is now time to nod at the speaker and, with a smile or a gesture, indicate that it is time for him to come forward.]

Things to remind yourself about at this point: 1) Take a few steps away from the speaker’s stand and indicate to the speaker to take his place.

2) Allow the speaker to take up his position before you, the introducer, return to your seat.

3). The speaker is now free to acknowledge the introduction briefly, and should then greet the audience with a suitable phrase like, “ladies and gentlemen.”

DO YOU REMEMBER? Identify the adjectives in the following sentences. First, point out the adjectives and the words modified. Second, rewrite the sentences without the adjectives, and then explain how the modifiers affect each basic sentence idea.

1. I woke up and had half a glass of strawberry juice.

2. Her searching glance terrified the little lady.

3. I put on the kettle next to the frying pan.

4. Decayed and crumbling, that burnt out barn at the edge of Lot 26 is the scene of many secret meetings.

5. We studied hard for the final Bible College test.

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Bollywood news

Halle Berry a fan of Indian film industry: Dia Mirza

Actress-producer Dia Mirza feels lucky to have shared the stage with Oscar-winning Hollywood star Halle Berry, and says she was glad to see the former James Bond girl's admiration for Indian cinema.

The Indian actress met Berry during a closed door event here. Dia, a former Miss Asia-Pacific, hopes Berry comes to Mumbai again soon.

"It was a wonderful opportunity for me to share a

platform with Halle Berry.

Our journeys have been so similar right from the beginning of our careers. From winning a beauty pageant to being a part of the film industry then turning producer, Halle and I really bonded over how congruent our lives have been," Dia said in a statement.

"Another thing that we share in common is our love for the environment. I was also very glad to hear that Halle is a fan of the Indian film industry and has

Sanjay Leela Bhansali refutes rumours about his film 'Padmavati' Ever since Sanjay Leela Bhansali announced his ambitious project 'Padmavati', speculations have been rife about the film having a romantic track between the Rajput queen (Deepika Padukone) and Alauddin Khilji (Ranveer Singh). Though the Padma Shri awardee filmmaker always maintained that the controversy was baseless — he issued official statements and a letter clarifying his stand earlier this year, on January 28 — rumours continued unabated.

Bhansali says, "Rani

Padmavati is depicted in the most honourable manner in my film. There is no romantic scene or dream sequence between Alauddin Khilji and the queen and these rumours are baseless. Due care and caution have been taken to ensure that the film does not affect her honour and dignity. I have made the movie with utmost honesty, responsibility and diligence.

I am deeply inspired by Rani Padmavati and this film is a tribute to Rajput courage, valour and sacrifice. It's a film that the entire country, particularly Mewar, will be proud of."

Meanwhile, following the overwhelming response to the trailer and the first song, 'Ghoomar', from the historical, the makers are launching the new track, 'Ek Dil Ek Jaan', today. Rendered by Shivam Pathak, this melodious romantic number establishes the strong emotional bond shared between Shahid Kapoor (Maharawal Ratan Singh) and Deepika's characters through a series of sequences.

'Padmavati', presented by Viacom18 Motion Pictures and Sanjay Leela Bhansali, releases worldwide on December 1.

watched some of our films too. She is a woman of grace and I hope to see her back in Mumbai soon," she added.

Before meeting Dia, Berry, who is known for films like 'X-Men' and 'Die Another Day', strolled on the roads of Mumbai. She shared on Instagram two photographs from her visit, one captured a skyline full of high-rises with the sun's rays adding an orange tinge to the sky, and another in which she is seen roaming around care-free.

While shooting for Talvar, I realized the brutality of Aarushi murder: Raj Sharma Though Raj Sharma, a resident of Noida's Sector 134, has worked in quite a few films including 'PK' and 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan', he says his role of Dr Dubey in Talvar had a strong impact on his mind. The actor has witnessed both the scenarios - the real-life one and the one in the movie. Raj talks about how incident impacted Noidawallahs, his role in the film, the locations where the movie was shot and more.

'The Nithari kand and Aarushi murder case - two most horrific cases happened in Noida and left everyone in shock' Raj has been living in Noida for the past 21 years, which helped him prepare for the role in the film. He says, "After Aarushi and Hemraj murder, the atmosphere in Noida changed completely. It was difficult for people to digest the fact that something

like this could happen so close to them. The two most horrific cases in the country - the Nithari kand and Aarushi murder case - happened in Noida and both left people in shock."

'People in Noida formed multiple opinions after the incident' Raj recalls, "While some people said that the domestic help killed Aarushi, some assumed that it was a case of robbery and murder. The public wasn't ready to believe that the parents have killed their daughter and even I believed the same.

Also, Aarushi lived in Jalvayu Vihar. It is

a safe area and people didn't expect such an incident to happen there. Wahan pe aisi baat ho gayi toh common aadmi kahan jayega?"

'Knowing everything about Noida

helped me do justice to my role in the film' He says, "It gives you an edge over others when you belong to the city the movie is based on. I knew everything about the case the locations, the perspectives that people formed after the incident. Being from Noida and knowing everything about the city helped me do justice to my role. In the film, it is shown how Aarushi was strangled to death and I am seen showing the pictures of the murder scene to a Noida officer. At that time, I actually felt the brutality of the incident. I really had goosebumps."

Entertainment

Hollywood is rapidly exiling predators ever happen. After all, convicted child rapist Roman Polanski has continued to work in the film industry for decades, if not in the United States; his most recent film, Based on a True Story, premiered in competition at Cannes this summer, and he was honored at Paris’s Cinémathèque Française just last month.

Woody Allen — who has operated within the shadow of sexual abuse allegations by his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, for years — also continues to work in Hollywood with relative impunity. Allen and

The landscape in Hollywood appears to be shifting, thanks to careful investigative reporting and brave sources who have substantiated years of rumors of sexual harassment and assault committed by powerful figures like actor Kevin Spacey, producer Harvey Weinstein, and comedian Louis C.K. As the topic remains in the headlines and the #MeToo movement pushes onward, new allegations of harassment and misconduct both inside and outside the entertainment industry seem to be published on an almost daily basis.

But while in many cases the entertainment industry has acted swiftly to break its ties with the alleged predators — canceling their films and TV shows and development deals, firing them from jobs, booting them from professional guilds, and issuing many statements about the need for change — there are some notable exceptions whose “open secrets” and even convictions have not prevented them from continuing to work in the industry. The proof of Hollywood’s willingness to really stamp out predators in its midst will come in how the industry deals with these men.

Hollywood has been making heartening strides toward cleaning house ...

The repercussions have been swift and visible. After hundreds of women came forward alleging sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape perpetrated by Weinstein, he was ejected from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and the Television Academy, and fired from his own company.

Spacey, accused by more than a dozen men and women of charges ranging from harassment to attempted rape, has been dropped by his agent and publicist, effectively fired from Netflix’s House of Cards, and — in an unprecedented move — replaced in the role of J. Paul Getty in Ridley Scott’s new film

All the Money in the World, after the film had been completed. It’s still scheduled for release on December 22; Spacey’s scenes will be reshot with Christopher Plummer taking over as Getty, and Scott is reportedly footing the bill along with the movie’s producer, Imperative Entertainment.

And after allegations of harassment against C.K. surfaced, HBO removed his past work from its streaming services and canceled his appearance in a forthcoming comedy special. Netflix announced that it will no longer move forward with a planned C.K. standup special. The release of C.K.’s film I Love You, Daddy, which was slated to hit theaters on November 17 after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, was canceled by its distribution company the Orchard and will not be eligible for any of this year’s industry or critics awards. And FX Networks, which had a deal with C.K.’s production company Pig Newton through which C.K. served as an executive producer on the shows Baskets, Better Things, One Mississippi, and The Cops, announced that it was canceling the deal.

These three cases aren’t the only ones of their kind — and it seems likely that more allegations and revelations are on the way. It feels like Hollywood is cleaning house. Hollywood’s swift efforts to expunge Weinstein, Spacey, and C.K. are heartening — especially when viewed alongside parallel cases in politics, such as the horrifying attempts to downplay similarly carefully reported allegations against figures like Senate candidate Roy Moore, accused of molesting a 14-yearold girl. ... but there are some prominent lingering exceptions Few people who’ve been in the industry for any length of time really believed it would

Mia Farrow, who adopted Dylan together while in a long-term relationship, were dating at the time of the alleged abuse; Allen later had an affair with Farrow’s adopted daughter from her previous marriage, Soon-Yi Previn, eventually marrying her in 1997. Amid several high-profile harassment and assault allegations in the news, Mia Farrow tweeted on November 10 that “There are rarely witnesses when a pedophile molests. Children too must be believed.”

Chota Roti Ingredients 2 cups of Flour 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 nutmeg 1 tbsp baking powder 2 cups milk 1/4 cup water (Optional)…1 egg can be added and 1 tbsp of melted butter Directions Add all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix well Pour milk, vanilla and water and mix well until it become a smooth batter Heat a flat pan and rub oil or butter on so batter would not stick Regulate heat so it would not burn the batter.

Pour batter onto and let cook Cook until you see the bubbles then use a spatula to turn it over cook until you see batter harden and take it off the pan.

Continue process until you use up all the batter Server with eggs,pancake syrup or whatever you like. .

Enjoy cooking.