Guyana Chronicle E-Paper PepperPot 03-08-2020

Sunday, March 8, 2020

Guyana seeing higher enrollment of women at tertiary level – says Heal Guyana Founder

2020

Sharon Lalljee-Richard, Founder- Heal Guyana

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

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Historic Guyana Republic

Jubilee Celebration in New York City

Council General Hon. Barbara Atherley and Ambassador Riyad Insanally at Gracie Mansion during the Republic Jubilee Celebration (Photos by Francis Q. Farrier)

Three of the honorees; Anthony Alleyne, Claire Patterson-Mona and Mahadeo Shivraj

By Francis Quamina Farrier

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N THE occasion of Guyana’s 50th Republic Jubilee anniversary, the Mayor of New York City, Bill de Blasio and his wife, First Lady of New York City, Chirlane McCray, hosted 50 Guyanese who were honoured for their service to the city of New York. It was the very first time in the history of New York City that the doors of Gracie Mansion, the official residence of the Mayor were opened for a grand Guyanese celebration.

The 50 Honorees and their relatives and other special guests filled the Mansion. Also present as honoured Guests were Guyana’s Ambassador to the USA and the OAS, Dr Riyad Insanally and the Guyana Consul General to New York City, Hon. Barbara Atherley.

Guests were greeted on arrival with the pulsating

rhythms of the drumming of the celebrated Menes de Griot Group. The formal segment of the event commenced with the National Anthems of the USA and Guyana sung by celebrated Guyanese Tenor Baritone, Anthony Alleyne, whose powerful singing voice almost raised the roof of the mansion. That was followed by an address by the Guyana Ambassador, Dr Riyad Insanally, who spoke of the social and economic future of Guyana, subject to the Oil and Gas Industry which is now unfolding. There was then an address by the First Lady of New York City, Chirlane McCray, who has been an advocate for the treatment of Mental health issues for many years. She enlightened the gathering of the availability of treatment for those in need. “And it is FREE,” the First Lady emphasised. Concluding her address, the First Lady introduced her husband, the mayor, who upon entering, went up to his wife

and gave her a sweet kiss on her lips.

Mayor Bill de Blasio who was one of the Democrats who had entered the current Democratic Party nomination race for the Presidency of the USA at the upcoming November Presidential Elections was loud in his praise for the Guyanese community in New York City and of the contributions which they have made to the city over the decades. The principal advice from the Mayor to the Guyanese resident in New York City at this time is for them to ensure that they participate in the up-coming Census so that they will be counted and as such, benefit from the many areas of assistance available to resident New Yorkers. “It must be your coming of age, and Guyanese must stand up and be counted”, Mayor Bill de Blasio urged his guests. Then instructing them to raise their right hands and repeat after him, “The Guyanese community will be counted,” which was said three times, with much enthusiasm by all.

The source of this special Guyana Jubilee Republic Celebration was the brainchild of Pastor James

Richmond who hails from Hopetown on the West Coast Berbice in Region Five, Guyana.

Describing himself as a Poet, Pastor, Writer, Artist, Community Liaison and Political Consultant, Pastor James Richmond had done it before. For Guyana Independence Jubilee in 2016, he had successfully approached Mayor Bill de Blasio to have 50 New Yorkbased Guyanese honoured. “It was an easy task to approach him once again to host the Republic Jubilee Celebration (this time) at Gracie Mansion”, Richmond explained.

His special contribution to the evening’s celebration was his dynamic performance of his timely poem, “Guyana Oozing Oil”. Since migrating from his native Guyana over 30 years ago, James Richmond has visited his homeland on three occasions. His diverse community work in New York over the years has earned him many accolades including a New York City Proclamation in 2007.

Among the 50 honorees of the Guyana Republic Jubilee 2020 in New York City, were Educator Dr. Ivelaw Griffith, Dentist and Political Commentator Joey Jagan, Educator and columnist Dr. Dhanpaul Narine, Broadcaster and Political activist Mark Benschop, Movie and Stage producer Mahadeo Shivraj, Veteran Journalist Tangerine Clarke, Healthcare Executive, Cultural Ambassador and Social Justice Advocate Claire Patter-

son-Mona, Businessman and Community Activist Vishnu Mahadeo, Singer/Songwriter Courtney Noel, Entertainer Adrian Dutchin, Educator Dr. Juliet Emanuel, Cultural Organiser and Costume Designer Claire Ann Goring, Dancer and Choreographer Verna Walcott-White, Community Organiser Patricia Jordan-Langford, Writer and actress Ingrid Griffith and Attorney-at-Law Aminta Kilawan Narine and others. Two Special Guyanese were posthumously honoured; Basil Butcher and Jimmy Hamilton who were the founders of Mashramani at MacKenzie, now one of the three wards of Linden, Region 10, 50 years ago.

Reflecting on the success of the event, Pastor James Richmond said, “It was heartening to see Guyanese from across the five Boroughs of the city of New York and around the Tri-State area, come out in their numbers to celebrate Guyana and to display our Guyanese culture and cuisine together”. The native of Hopetown, West Coast Berbice was also recognised by Mayor Bill de Blasio as the person whose idea it was, and pointed out that, “It is the first time that such a celebration has occurred in the people’s house (Gracie Mansion)”.

In concluding, Pastor James Richmond said, “This is a significant achievement for us (Guyanese) as a people and nation.”

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, First Lady Charlene McCray and Guyanese James Richmond at the Guyana Republic Jubilee Celebration at Gracie Mansion, New York City

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

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INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2020

Guyana seeing higher enrolment of women at tertiary level – says Heal Guyana Founder

By Telesha Ramnarine

OMEN in Guyana are doing “exceptionally” well in the education sector so far as remaining in school and moving on to tertiary levels are concerned. In fact, Heal Guyana Founder Sharon Lalljee-Richard believes that the female number of enrollment at the university level has been double that of the male numbers.

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“free-thinkers,” and who aims to put the welfare of Guyanese before political loyalties and biases.

In an interview with the Pepperpot, as she reflected on International Women’s Day 2020, Lalljee-Richard thought about some of the positive developments surrounding women in Guyana and also called to mind some of the hardcore issues affecting them, such as domestic violence, that seems to be going nowhere.

So far as her comments on

Sharon is married to co-founder of Heal Guyana, Arun Richard, and they are parents to two young children

Lalljee-Richard, a dedicated and hardworking mother of two young children, remains passionate about doing her bit to help solve some of the ills in society, and as such, devotes a lot of her time toward promoting her Heal Guyana organisation.

Heal Guyana is a civil society platform that seeks to empower Guyanese and influence positive behaviour change, further seeking to embrace “free-thinking” above political loyalty and bias.

women in education are concerned, Lalljee-Richard, also Director of Tactical Branding, is of the view that more and more women are taking pride in educating themselves, and are demonstrating a commitment to completing their education.

“I think women are doing exceptionally well in the area of education in Guyana.

There is a huge gender disparity in terms of the level of girls staying in school. What we found is that the tendency for girls to stay in school has

Sharon (centre) was among the 25 most influential women awarded for her work recently

Keen on engaging in lots of research and fact-checking, a rather principled Lalljee-Richard is a stickler for accuracy, and likes to cross all her t’s and dot all her I’s. Her organisation is not political and features the perspectives of those who are

been higher,” she expressed, adding, “At the university level as well, we have had a large enrollment of females. I believe it is probably twice as much as males. There is also a very high graduation rate among women at the tertiary level.”

Compared to the circumstances that existed in the past, Lalljee-Richard is convinced that women are doing significantly better within the aspects of educating themselves and staying committed to that.

WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE Within the work arena, Lalljee-Richard’s research has shown her that although a lot more women are in the workplace as compared to times past, they are not without challenges.

“It’s a scenario where, based on the World Bank’s 2017 Report, women between the ages of 15 and 64; only 53 percent of them contributed to the labour force in comparison to 80 percent of men in the same age range. So it is sort of an interesting anomaly that women have had these lower employment rates.”

Although one may imagine that women’s education should coincide with employment and opportunities, Lalljee-Richard noted that this is not the case in Guyana.

“There is that lower percent of women taking part in the labour force and we’ve had scenarios of discriminatory social norms, lower incentives and a total breakdown of legal institutions.”

For example, she observed that some of the social norms are that women should stay at home as opposed to going to work, although this has been rapidly changing.

“Women are still showing a tendency of being highly overworked, underpaid, and they also have a higher tendency of being sexually harassed at the workplace.”

‘DROPPING THE CASE’ Lalljee-Richard lauded the work of the Social Protection Ministry so far as helping domestic violence victims is concerned, but she noted that despite all of the efforts, the country has not been doing well in this regard.

“We are still dealing with intimate partner violence and we know it has increased by 14.2 percent between 2011 and 2019, which is quite a disappointing figure.”

At the legislative level, Lalljee-Richard opined that there should be improved provisions to prevent women

from later going to a police station to drop charges against their partners. She is of the view that once there is substantial evidence that the woman was indeed beaten, the matter should continue against the man whether she wants it to or not. “It needs to become an issue of the state so that it takes the matter forward even if she is desirous of dropping the charge.

If that is done, men would think twice before they hit the woman.

“We need a strengthening of institutions. We have very good laws, but I believe with

Sharon Lalljee-Richard

Hosting a workshop for her advertising business, Tactical Branding

the current legislation, there is that opening where women can go to the police station and drop the charges. This has been a loophole that has been manipulated by men,” she continued.

She is also hopeful that

neighbours and family members would look out for each other more so that a strong network can provide help.

“Domestic violence affects the little ones more than anyone else. It is psychologically dangerous for

children and also cultivates a cycle of domestic violence,” Lalljee-Richard observed, noting that children should be encouraged to speak out when they see one of their parents is being abused.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

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Phagwah

A much anticipated holiday in the Cinderella county

Flashback -Members of the Golden Fleece Estate Mandir on the Essequibo Coast walking through the villages playing Phagwah

By Indrawattie Natram

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F ALL the national holidays celebrated in Guyana, Phagwah (Holi) is among the most anticipated ones in the Pomeroon-Supenaam region. The atmosphere during the day is always a celebratory one filled with many colourful faces. This year the hub of activities and celebrations will be at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground and Jaigobin Tarmac.

Annually, the Phagwah melas hosted by the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha and the businessmen attract thousands of persons who The burning of Holika on the night of Holi

show up to celebrate the holiday to the fullest. The festival of colours is usually celebrated with much pomp and ceremony in the region.

On Holi morning, scores of youths and elders would usually walk through the streets in the communities exchanging holiday greetings and drenching each other with coloured water and powder.

The celebration commences as early as 05:00hrs with neighbours and mandir members visiting the “Bonfire” site uplifting the ashes.

They then mix the ashes in water and drench each other and many of those who are still sleeping beyond that time are given a rude awakening with the splash

Youths of Hampton Court Mandir

of some cold iced water.

The first half of Phagwah morning is observed with water and the second half with powder.

The celebrations usually attract huge truckloads of persons from various villages driving through streets in a motorcade style, drenching each other and displaying a true sense of unity, cohesion and togetherness. Children are always the happiest throughout the season as they are given toys such as water guns filled with “Abeer” and are allowed to run through the streets provoking eldersthey are usually prohibited other days and holidays to do so.

Hindu homes are usually filled with sumptuous Indian dishes and sweetmeats. Sweetmeats and seven curries are usually

prepared and exchanged with relatives, friends and well-wishers.

Religious Holi services are usually conducted at various Mandirs throughout the coast where popular chowtaals, ulara, jhumar, lej, baiswara, dhamar, rasiya, kabir, jogira are sung.

Mandir members usually conduct hawan service after which persons play Phagwah with each other.

Mandirs also observe Holika Dahan or the burning of Holika the night before the holiday at various open spaces. Holi was burnt on phagwah night; full moon day of the Hindu month of phalgun. It is also known as the last day of the Hindu year based on Vickram Samvat. A huge structure is built which symbolises the act of King Hiranyakashayapur and his sister

Youths from Zorg playing Holi

Holika who had a boon which made her immune to the effect of fire. The King Kiranyakashayapur then put his son Prahalad, who refused to worship him as God, to sit on his sister’s lap who had a fireproof sari.

Prahalad, however, escaped unscathed and Holika was reduced to ashes instead.

The day usually ends with persons going to the Melas at Anna Regina.

There, many persons would converge, smearing each other’s faces and indulge in the cultural programmes that are organised by the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha.

The festival of Holi signifies the triumph of good over evil.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

Chowtaal singing brings communities together

By Indrawattie Natram

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RESIDENT of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha Essequibo Praant, Pandit Kaydar Persaud has said that Chowtaal-singing which is part of the Phagwah celebrations fosters togetherness amongst the people. He revealed this during an interview with The Pepperpot Magazine. Pandit Persaud said that Chowtaal-singing is what makes the colourful holiday alive and it is admirable to see persons from all ethnic backgrounds taking part in the singing.

President of the Essequibo Coast Praant Pandit Kaydar Persaud

He said that the Essequibo Praant is happy and satisfied at the participation it received at the recent Chowtaal Samelan held on February 15 at the Anna Regina Mandir. He mentioned the samelan is an annual feature that usually attracts scores of mandirs throughout the Pomeroon-Supenaam region. The programme is specially planned by the Praant to usher in the Festival of Colours- Phagwah.

Persaud further explained that based on the participation the Praant is receiving yearly, it shows that the Indian traditions are alive and more and more persons are showing interest. He, therefore, encourages mandir leaders to continue to sing Chowtaal,

Mandir members in semi-circle singing Chowtaal

Ulara and Holi songs leading up to the festival.

At the function, participants from various mandirs are involved in singing and the clashing of “Jaals.”

The singing of Chowtaal originated in 18381917; it was one of the Bhojpuri folk music genres transmitted by indentured workers to the Caribbean. In Chowtaal- singing, there are two rows of singers facing each other in a (semi-circle) with the ‘dholak” drummer at one end. The song undergoes various modulations and rhythm.

Chowtaal consists of various Jhumar, Ulara, lej, Baiswara, Dhamar, Rasiya, Kabir and Jogira.

Another mandir singing Chowtaal

Another section of the audience who attended

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

Ingenious Guyanese is proud of authentic local jewellery line

By Marissa V. Foster

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Guyanese entrepreneur; Kimberly Sattaur

IMBERLY Sattaur saw life’s potentials from an early age and couldn’t wait to grow up. She was a ‘tomboy’ who grow up in an extremely warm and loving environment. Her mother was a policewoman and athlete so she was the one who instilled a moral compass into Kimberly. She was exposed to different aspects of the Guyanese culture;

Kimberly Sattaur

Hinduism and Islam through her father and step-mother and Christianity through her mother.

Due to her mother’s athletic ambitions, she also got the chance to travel the Caribbean and wider parts of Guyana from an early age. Following her earlier years of education, Kimberly moved to Jamaica through

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

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RECEIVED an email from a young, 15-year-old girl who is pregnant. She explained her distress to me and asked me what to do and how to tell her parents. Rather than replying to her personally, I decided to write a column as I am pretty sure she is not the only person going through this at the moment.

There are many teenage pregnancies in Guyana, too many for any one’s liking.

First of all, if you have unprotected sex, which is sex without a condom or without any other contraceptive, there is a huge chance of getting pregnant. There are a lot of myths going around that certain positions, times of day, where you are, what you eat etc. can prevent pregnancy. However, I will say it again- the only thing that can prevent pregnancy is contraception or abstinence which means no intercourse at all.

While this is a stressful a n d

scary experience, it’s not one that can be avoided and the sooner you deal with it, the better.

The first thing you do is to make sure you are pregnant.

Missing a period or taking a home test can still be inaccurate. You should always go to your nearest health centre to do a proper test to make sure. These include urine and blood tests- blood tests being more accurate.

While you are there, you should also do a wide range of Sexually transmitted diseases tests as if you got pregnant, you are also a risk for STDs. Now, there is an important decision to make; you always have options. These include keeping the baby, giving birth and putting the baby up for adoption or terminating the pregnancy. This decision should be made with

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cision out of fear or pressure but rather accurate thought and knowledge.

If you decide to keep the baby, you need to practise proper prenatal care. This means no alcohol, cigarettes, any other drugs and taking medication and vitamins given by a health care professional. It also means eating a proper diet, staying physically active while gaining weight wisely.

Another thing to do is prepare for the future. Teenage pregnancy and childbirth tend to have negative effects such as substance abuse, school drop-out and less likely to be employed. However, you do not have to be a part of those negative

y c n a n g Pre

a trusted parent, guardian or health care professional.

If you are trying to decide whether to keep the baby, there are a few important things to think about.

Take the time to think about your relationships, who in your life can help you to raise a baby, can you be prepared in 9 months, are you emotionally and physically stable? Think about your responsibilities- what does being a parent mean to you, are you willing to sacrifice what needs to be sacrificed? Think about your future plans – what goals and dreams do you have? Are they still possible with a baby? Everyone needs to respect whatever decision you make at the end of the day.

Choice 2 is adoption, which means giving up your child, sometimes into the child care system or sometimes to a family which have longed to care for a child.

If you choose to abort your child, you should go and get all the information about what this actually entails. Depending on how far along you are, there are medications which you can take, or there are medical and even surgical procedures.

Never make a de-

statistics.

So, now, how to tell the people in your life? Your partner? Your parents or guardians?

Even though it’s very scary, this is a talk that you can get through. You can have this talk if you are worried that you may be pregnant or if you already know – either way, you are looking for support.

Many people worry that their parents are going to freak out and that’s very possible. It would be better if you understand why parents tend to take this news badly. Some are shocked and angry because they had bright plans for you, some feel you are not emotionally ready for intercourse, let alone a baby. Some will be disappointed and embarrassed because they care about what other people think. Some behave calmer than others simply because it’s their personality and in their nature to carefully handle a ‘crisis’.

However, as harsh as this sounds, none of this has anything to do with you.

How can you start? Start by finding the right time, make sure they are calm and have some free time then start by telling them the truth; that you’re scared, you trust them and most importantly you need them.

It’s best to come straight out and say it, without blaming anyone else. I’m pregnant. Give the receiver some time to absorb and digest what you’ve said. It is better to know your options before because be prepared to answer a lot of questions such as ‘what is your plan?’

‘Have you thought it through?’ or ‘what are you going to do now?’

Take some responsibility. Make sure your parents know that you are aware that this may be a disappointment. Show them you are responsible by having some sort of plan in place- this does not have to be a concrete one. Your parents may have some suggestions, listen to them. However, remember that the ultimate decision lies with you.

If you are concerned about your safety, have another trusted adult present.

Remember, they may be a lot of anger and maybe even threats but at the end of the day, good parents only want to know that their children are happy and healthy.

Thank you for reading. Please continue to send in your requested topics to caitlinvieira@gmail.com.

If you would like to make a private appointment with me, please text or WhatsApp 623-0433.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

Male gender issues, like every gender issue, cannot be addressed in isolation

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HE compilation of domestic murders over the past 20 years is staggering. My gender has been traditionally conditioned nurtured and impacted upon with a culture that has prepared us for the Army, Police Force and the risk-taking of breaking grounds in unknown territory like our early Pork Knockers who paid the rap-

ways, but definite common expressions of feelings and consequences are retained, that we can all identify with.

Mothers in all cultures have varying degrees of influence- positive and negative - on their sons, nephews and husbands since we’re discussing sons/men. I want to explore conversations expressed in all-male engagements across age groups at times, that cannot go unrec-

on the host home, and eke out gossip/advise on what they think the host should have and demand from her male, and if not given how she should act.

Because most girls are told men are like that and we’re like this.

A creed is formulated that gives little room for the diversity and common traits among both genders, good and bad. Recently I watched on the News a mother telling

experience sows the seed of mistrust, and an agenda of one, in a relationship of two, which so often in our experience, translates into arson or murder, and in some instances both. The sharing of a past negative encounter is an inner fire that craves expression, it’s natural, and its how our ancestors passed on knowledge as well as stereotypes and group fears. Group fears are also grounded in past experi-

no body, ummp! Hope he ent like duh,[ AC/DC] we family ent got nobody like that in it.” A cousin brought a young lady who she said was admiring me a long time and I never saw her. Under pressure we came together, ‘mo-pressure pon de meagre economy’ I sought some advice from some older men, the advice pointed to me getting help from a ‘Teaspoon Mama” (they call them ‘Cougars’

granddaughter age group, will go bad. The essence of it is that all intentions have to be reviewed, understood and measured within the area of consultations with the perceived affected soul.

Flashback to a profound reference that occurred on the East Coast some years ago, when a security guard brought home his service weapon shot his mom, aunt, lit the home afire and then

ids with hundreds of lives in the quest for the sprinklings of El Dorado to take their families out of poverty.

Men aren’t supposed to cry, we’re supposed to keep it inside, to contain it, and find placebos to enable us to move forward with heads held high. Nature, however, is unconcerned with our ancient warrior creeds and dictates, developed for the survival of the Tribe. I detest the term that ‘men must get in touch with their female side’, which is an opinion derived from all that I’ve mentioned before.

Just another stereotypical creed, human beings have similar emotions, that cultures, preferred topics and dogmas alter in different

ognised as been responsible for certain cultural terminologies that are colloquial snipe-bits of wisdom, like the reference to the ‘Silent old man in ‘E’ chair’, especially in a home dominated by women, more so in a matriarchal setting (I dealt with this cultural/religious difference of the Matriarchal-Patriarchal construct last week). In my experience, women if they are susceptible to comply and act without sifting things out, then they will be invaded and influenced by family and the proverbial drop in ‘friends (especially around lunchtime) group culture’ who always have a sweet story to tell, most of them without men of their own, once allowed they will proceed to advise

the story about her daughter’s stabbing by her husband, this mother stated that they were together as teenagers, he would go abroad and work and return. Then she said that her daughter worked very hard to build ‘Her house’... from this narrative one would extract that this teenage romance into adulthood generated no support from this male over the years if this is not what is implied, then what?

Disappointment, as well as one’s own bad experiences by a parent or guardian, should not be inculcated in a young person’s mind as a gender expectation-yardstick, resulting in the narrative of “I got fuh get wha I got fuh get, because he /or she gon do this or that any time.” Here an imported

ences and creeds, at times 100 percent embellished. 1975 is the year of even current nightmares when things weren’t going smooth. I was seeking irregular work, mainly on the waterfront, avoiding corner friends with ‘Ideas of how to get paid quick’ I thought that I would stay away from relationships until I fixed my own relationship with my economics. But every resolution has a Demon who challenges its validity, mine came from within, I come from a big family, nuff pickney.

Plenty concerned women, mom give birth to twelve, ten are alive, so mainly females would visit my great aunt’s home and enquire about me, like “Who’s Barry girl friend, I ent hear he name calling wid

today) and become a ‘Teaspoon Baba’ the late Prince Farley hooked me up with an Adelaide Street connection. The thing with Teaspoon Mamas is that they like multiple Teaspoon Babas. So I retreated, always had a fear of picking up stripes, wasn’t interested in Lance corporal, corporal or sergeant. ‘I’ and multiple can’t work, I keep low because she threatened to bring ‘9181-police car’ if I didn’t bring back the Clarkes and other gifts my youth had earned, with all Teaspoon Babas, male or female they have a peer partner to share received material blessings with, it’s a fact to this day, only now covens leading to murder have entered the equation, older males with

shot himself, too much constant interference by close relatives was the whisper. In 2011 a young man murdered his wife and then went into an exhausting deep sleep with her dead body. Also 2011, a cane cutter killed his wife and almost killed other relatives, he told the police “don’t worry try meh, I do it.” What went wrong, changes in lifestyles, economic values and our family culture in relation to what is now en-vogue have got to be reviewed and adjusted, by both gender groups not competing for blame, because a lot of men die from poisoning too, enough blame to go around, this is an epidemic, and we need solutions, not egos.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

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CalcuttaA place Village of

hardworking rice and livestock farmers

Focus on the Village

Calcutta Village signage

By Michel Outridge

HIS week the Pepperpot Magazine vis ited C alcut ta Village, West Coast Berbice and interacted with residents and highlighted the way of life of the people and development.

With a population of 373 residents of mixed races, Indo-Guyanese, Afro-Guyanese and a handful of Indigenous people, Calcutta Village is a place of serenity and togetherness.

The village is situated between the communities of Recess and Catherine and it is the home of livestock and cash-crop farmers, small-business owners and members of the disciplined services The village has a refurbished community centre and a large field for sporting activities and other events that can accommodate a large gathering.

The main roads in the community are good and there are streets lights and proper drainage and irrigation.

Calcutta has a nursery and primary school, while the nearest secondary school is at Novar and Belladrum.

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James Bond (Carl Croker photos)

Residents commute to the Cottage Health Centre at Mahaicony, a few villages away for medical services, but the place has many shops, bars and two discos.

This village has vast farmlands for large-scale rice cultivation and rearing of livestock, especially chickens and pigs and residents are making use of the space for such.

Calcutta has a rice mill nearby and 25 percent of the men work at this facility.

The Pepperpot Magazine met James Bond, better known as “Ole Bai,” who is well known and at the time he was

Men of Calcutta Village in a ‘gaff

sitting under a large tree in his yard with a few villagers, sharing a drink and engaging in a ‘village gaff.’

The 50-year-old stated that he is a native of Calcutta Village, a place he can’t stay away from.

“I was away from this place for three months at one time and I couldn’t bear it.

I had to return to my home village, no place is like where you are from, that goes for most people,” he said.

The welder added that he took the day off because in Calcutta one can work for three days and take the rest of

the week off.

“This village so nice nothing cannot be a problem here,” he said.

Bond, however, would like to see more residents join the Community Policing Group, which has a membership of only two, and hopes for the bridge to the Community Centre to be repaired for easy access.

He explained that over time, men from the village who went to the interior to work, returned with indigenous wives and there are quite a few in the community.

Bond told the Pepperpot Magazine that they would go to Park Square Fun Park, Mahaicony to unwind, have a swim and to relax generally and they also visit the Fish Shop and Guinness Bar within the village.

“This is a nice place to settle and people are generally friendly and cooperative. They often get together for projects and community development.

“This place people are always looking out for each other and everything just nice as you can see right now; we have no real worries and things normal,” he said.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

The friendly people of

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By Michel Outridge

ASON Jacey is a resident of Calcutta and apart from being a rice farmer, he also works in the hinterland.

However, when the Pepperpot Magazine visited, he was home and was part of a group of men in the village having a friendly chat.

The 30-year-old reported that apart from housewives, most people in the village have jobs either self-employed or working elsewhere.

During their spare time, the youths utilise the Community Centre Ground, which has a large ballfield and it is a peaceful place with no thieves or outside bad influence.

Jacey, a miner, said when he is not in Calcutta he is usually away in the interior working months at a time, but the community is his place of birth and his home is there.

As for Devon Jones, a farmer of pigs, sheep and rice, told the Pepperpot Magazine that life in Calcutta Village is good, Emmanuel Klass but it entails a lot of hard work and dedication.

Jones added that his day starts at 04:00hrs when he tends to his livestock; thereafter, he would go to his garden, look after his cash crops of bora and boulanger and then move on to his rice fields.

The 32-year-old stated that he also has some chickens and ducks in his yard which he has to take care of as well.

The father of three noted that Calcutta is a blessed place because there is a place for all and they find things to do to earn. “[In] this place, people don’t sit down and wait for nothing, they get up and get and we have a lot of people that are rearing livestock and involved in farming,” he said.

Jones pointed out that country life is very simple, but one has to be prepared to work to have a comfortable life and they try to utilise all the days of the week to earn a living.

He disclosed that the villagers have good relations with others in adjoining villages of Catherine and Recess, and they have no major issues, including that of race because the community is multi-cultured and they welcome everyone.

The Pepperpot Magazine also spoke with Emmanuel Klass, who is an Extension Officer at the National Agricultural Research and

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Devon Jones showing his pigs

Jason Jacey

Focus on the Village

Devon Jones with his sheep (Carl Croker photos)

Extension Institute (NAREI) at Onverwagt, West Coast Berbice and is also an agricultural man.

The 29-year-old said he has lived all his life in Calcutta and that is the place he will remain because it is home and a place where one can get a livelihood.

He explained that the village has a lot of rice and livestock farmers; as such, it would be good if they can have a processing facility for fruit juices or a canning factory and it can also provide employment for youths.

Klass is a cash-crop farmer of celery and boulanger among other crops and he would market his produce within the village. He also rears pigs and sheep and described life there as well and quiet.

“We get a lot of fruits here and we need a facility to take it [sic] for processing and a lot of mangoes goes to waste in this village; in addition, the youths also need work, some are seeking jobs,” he said.

a t t u c l a C

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

have been going out

Focus on the Village

By Michel Outridge

E IS said to be a village leader and a respected elder of Calcutta and he is no other than Wilbert Inniss.

This elderly gentleman told the Pepperpot Magazine that as far as he knows, the word ‘Calcutta’ originated in India and he is not certain if Indians resided there in the early years and the age of the village is unknown.

Inniss, a very pleasant and spritely person, reported that there is a rice company in Burma Road, where most villagers earn their livelihoods.

In addition, he reported that most folk are self-employed and have their small businesses, while some rear livestock and are cash crop and rice farmers.

The 71-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that most youths from the village gravitated towards the interior to seek their living and others are gainfully employed in the public sector.

“Life here is reasonable and generally people survive by working and they live as a family unit and almost everybody in the village are related, but within recent times the men of the community

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and bringing in outsiders as their ‘better half,’ he said.

Inniss added that these days he lives alone and has a lot to do including cooking, tending to his chickens and doing chores.

“I am self-sufficient and prepare my meals and do things in general for myself, because I am used to it,” the father of three said.

He stated that he had his grandchildren with him, but had just returned from the city where he had returned them.

“I would pass the day good, because I tend to my meat birds, from where I earn and I still have some time for leisure,” he said.

Inniss reported that the people of Calcutta are warm and welcoming and it was evident in his gesture, where he invited us in his house for a chat.

He pointed out that the communities of Calcutta, Recess, Abary and Catherine co-exist as one and people are comfortable; they ‘blow off steam’ by going out at the discos and the bars in the village.

Inniss stated that he is a functional father and grandfather, and even though he is divorced, he is very much a part of his grown children’s lives.

“Life nice and when you

are contented it gets better and one must not sit by wasting time, instead [one] must get up and get,” he said.

Inniss recalled he used to work at the Burma Rice Mill in the 1960s for many years and after hearing about a hydro project in the Mazaruni, he went there to seek employment.

“I had to spend three

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is a blessed place, says village elder

months there before I get a job as a labourer and after his knowledge of spare parts was made known, he was elevated to the person in charge of the stores and this was at Kawpau, Mazaruni,” he explained.

Inniss added that as he was running the stores from behind the scenes he was, however, promoted to Store-

keeper then to stores supervisor, where he spent eight years.

With money garnered from this job, he built a house which had a shop and then he tied the knot and started his family life.

Meanwhile, over the years, he had some domestic issues which caused his wife to leave, but now Inniss is not

in need of anything. Although a pensioner, he is very satisfied and he is always willing to extend his hand in gratitude to any visitor.

“Remember people are hurting and some in need of a hot meal and I always give, because it always returns to you in many folds and it is more blessed to give than receive,” he said.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

Staying busy is a way of life in

a t t u c l a CF

Yulisse Klass in the pointer broom-making process at her home

on the Village

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Ivor Hetemeyer in his pigs’ pen

By Michel Outridge

ULISSE Klass is a resident of Calcutta Village,East Coast Demerara, who is always on the go and is constantly finding things to do.

The 63-year-old is very able-bodied and in her spare time, she would venture down to the backlands where she would cut branches off the many coconut trees there and strip them to make pointer brooms.

Klass stated that depending on her time, she would make two or more pointer brooms which she would walk around and sell right in the village.

The mother of two has lived all her life in Calcutta, where she raised two grown sons and has four grandchildren.

The pensioner related that she never had to seek employment, but her task in the home was the housewife, where she kept things in order and made sure there were hot meals on the stove.

Her husband still works; he is an attendant at Mahaicony Hospital.

Klass stated that life in Calcutta is good and the people there are hardworking folk, who would toil from dawn to dusk to make a living.

The elderly woman also tends to her kitchen garden daily and still has time to enjoy her grandchildren and have a walkabout in the village for some chit chat.

The Pepperpot Magazine also met Ivor Hetemeyer, who rears meat birds these days.

When the team visited, he was in the process of plucking the chickens for an order that was going

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out of town.

Hetemeyer said he is known as the “chicken man” and the villagers are normal country people, who go about their routine of hard work daily.

He reported that some people are employed on farms and they are people who wake up early and start their day.

The 70-year-old stated that he spent his younger days working with the Guyana Bureau of Statistics collecting household data for surveys.

The pensioner added that he was involved in sports, was a goalkeeper, was into boxing, cycling and is said to be a very good cook as well.

But these days, Hetemeyer is taking things easily and is just tending to his chickens and pigs and still has time for family gatherings.

On the social side of things, he related that country folk know how to enjoy themselves and they partake in beverages at the shops and other ‘watering holes’ in the community.

Hetemeyer added that they have a refurbished community centre with a playfield and there are two discos.

The pensioner stated that life in Calcutta is generally good and it is a place of hard-working people, who earn from livestock-rearing and farming.

He related that Calcutta is a village that rear pigs on a large scale, because almost every house has a few pigs and it is usually sold to wholesalers and others.

The elderly gentleman told the team that they have seen their share of development with street lights, proper drainage and irrigation, among other things.

Yulisse Klass in her walkabout in the village selling pointer brooms she made as a side ‘hustle’ (Carl Croker photos)

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

A helping hand The hospi

table people o f Calcutta

By Michel Outridge

LTHOUGH pig farmer Ken Ramsay isn’t a certified veterinarian, he does assist villagers in taking care of their sick pigs.

A construction worker by profession, Ramsay has 32 pigs of his own, which he rears in his yard with the help of his four-year-old son Caleb.

Ramsay’s boar had injured its leg and he was lying in the mud for about two weeks, trying to let the mud heal him and when he was awakened by Ramsay, the animal was visibly upset and went right back to napping.

“The mud does heal the pigs when they are sick and that’s why he is agitated when I woke him up and until he is fully healed he will come out of that state,” he explained.

It was observed that in the pigs’ pen old CDs are hanging from the roof and Ramsay told the team that

A

they were placed there to ward off bats because when they suck the breasts of the pigs they cannot produce milk any more to feed their babies.

“My son, Caleb does spend a lot of time helping with the pigs and they know him and he does little tasks for me,” he said.

Ramsay added that at one given time a mother can give birth from seven to 16 babies and the price for a grown pig varies, while the young ones start at $7,000 each.

The father of six reported that life in the village is quiet and peaceful and people are generally friendly and humble.

The Pepperpot Magazine also spoke with Hazel Chester, who was at the time relaxing, enjoying the country breeze on a bench in her yard and watching her grandchildren play.

The 70-year-old told the team that her husband passed away two years ago and as a mother of four that

hasn’t been easy to cope with.

She related that she enjoyed working in her younger days, but now there isn’t much she can do, because she suffered a stroke which has left her physically challenged.

Chester added that one of her sons also passed away and left two children.

“I like the quietness of this place and it is a good village to settle and have a simple life as an elderly person,” she said.

These days she makes do with her old age pension and has her children who support her, but has started a few projects which she would like to complete.

Chester, like many other elders in the village, is basking in their golden age and is hoping that she will see many more years.

“Calcutta Village, West Coast Berbice, is home and my home to be exact, a peaceful place where people are practical and agile,” she said.

Hazel Chester

Ken Ramsay with his boar in the mud

Caleb assisting with pig-rearing

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en

igs’ p his p s) y b y to amsa er pho Ken R(Carl Crok

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Tea! Talent!

Togetherness!

T EA! Talent! Togetherness! The second CARTE BLANCHE was held in the Eucalyptus Gardens at the Theatre Guild.

Patrons dressed in white to have tea in the historic gardens and it was a spectacular image. Sipping Lipton Tea and having conver-

Some amazing pieces were submitted and judged. Amy Rambajan from The Bishop’s High School and representing Peter’s Hall emerged winners.

Dutch auctions are always exciting and patrons look forward to participating. The two main auctioneers, Nigel Hughes and Ron Robinson, were not available so I had to

substitute and from reports, I did better than I thought. I did jokes during the auction that I had made the tasty doughnuts but I told them in the end, it was from Le Treats: two precious items made from the greenheart bark from one million acres of forest in the Iwokrama Rainforest Reserve.

It was fitting that Dr Raquel

Thomas, who is one of the directors at Iwokrama, modelled this masterpiece. After competitive bidding, John Forde won and Wendy Hermanstine was determined to win the wall plaque. These were designed by the super talented Natasha David.

Much gratitude to Richard Young for leaving his

Beyond the Runway with Dr. Sonia Noel ... Inspiring lives through fashion carnival parties to be here in Guyana and he was magnificent with his contagious sense of humour. He was the perfect host. Jo Anne Forde never disappoints with her soulful voice and her brother John performed a captivating dance. The Alana Ward (guitarist) Akeem Adams (violinist) were mesmerising.

Maryam Haniff recited an inspiring poem. The National Steel Orchestra greeted patrons with their sensational performance. My collection was displayed by some gorgeous models including Ronda Graham, Dollisa Sookram, Neriza Ramlall, Rochelle Bailey, Shamara Duncan, Samira Duncan and Shenia.

Shawn English was the last performer and he always de-

sations under three giant eucalyptus trees were good for the mind, body and soul.

The Carte Blanche concept was born out of the notion to give accolades to our regional creatives within an imaginative, tropical, open-air experience which is set against a backdrop of pure elegance, represented by white textures. I believe everything I do is because of God and Pastor Frank who was visiting from Canada, was elated to lead us in prayer.

Guests were asked to dress in white to complement the white setting. The beautiful and creative centrepieces depicting the 50th Anniversary celebration stood out in the all-white atmosphere. The idea of the centrepieces was to foster youth empowerment creative initiatives by engaging the children in school.

livers. We had an amazing talent display. I must thank Dr Paloma Mohamed and the staff of the Theatre Guild for their contribution. This fundraiser for the Living with Intention Tour would not have been possible without our other partners. Tower Suites, Spotlight production, Metro, Le Treats Bakery, Impressions, CIDI, Star Party Rentals, Lipton, Pizza Hut, Beacon’s Cafe, Trails and Treasures, Crafted by Chey, Shanta’s Puri Shop and Denmore. The backstage crew and other behind-the-scenes staff that worked hard to make this a success. Cherie Crandon, Raquel Thomas-Caesar, Keisha Phillips,Jo-Ann Forde, Ronda Graham, Rudy Saul Eden Forde, Susana Agustina, Tonette Leacock, Shawn Duncan, Desiree Wyles-Ogle, Sophera Waldron, Racquel Shafiullah and daughters.

The pics you see in this article were moments captured by photographer Tremaine Thomas.

I looked around at all the beautifully dressed people from all ethnicities and sensed a feeling of togetherness in this garden. It was great to see some people pinning the LOVE REVOLUTION pin on each other. Visit the Sonia Noel Fb page to view the album.

We live in one of the best countries in the world and we take that for granted.

We need to appreciate how special we are as people and appreciate each other and the environment more, as we continue this beautiful journey called life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

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The festival of friend B

EST wishes to the people of Guyana on the occasion of the joyous festival of Holi (or Phagwah).

Holi is a spiritual event that recounts the adversities of Prahalad, his unshakeable faith and his eventual triumph over the forces of destruction.

It is also significant that Holi is celebrated at the turn of the seasons, the end of winter and the beginning of spring. This signifies rebirth and regeneration, universal

themes which are common to all the Guyana.

This festival was brought to Guya brothers and sisters over 180 years origins come from the Hindu and India tival has become national in character across the country, bringing people of al ethnicities together in the spirit of hope of happiness.

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dship and fellowship major religions in

ana by our Hindu ago. Although its an culture, the fesr and is celebrated ll races, faiths, and and an outpouring

Holi fosters the spirit of togetherness. It celebrates our shared humanity, without regard to social differences and divisions. It conveys a powerful message of friendship and fellowship.

Guyanese everywhere are encouraged to enjoy the festival of Holi and to celebrate the values of social cohesion and national unity, rejecting the forces of division.

HAPPY HOLI!

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The origins of dentistry

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FEW of my friends recently persuaded me to take a break f ro m t h e u s u a l remonstration and write something of a lighter annotation so today I will deal with dentistry from a historical perspective so that readers can appreciate the depth of the profession.

Oral diseases have been a problem for humans from the beginning of history.

Skulls of Cro-Magnon, who inhabited the earth 25,000 years ago, show evidence of tooth decay. The earliest recorded reference to oral disease is from an ancient (5000 BC) Summerian text that describes “tooth worms” as a cause of tooth decay.

The famous Papyrus

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

Ebers of Egypt contains references to diseases of the teeth as well as prescriptions for substances such as olive oil, dates, onions, beans and green lead, to be mixed and applied “against the throbbing of the blisters in the teeth”. An Egyptian lower jaw, dated by experts as originating between 4900 and 4750 years ago, demonstrates two holes drilled through the bone presumably to drain an abscessed tooth.

Perhaps those who made the most significant contribution to the principles of preventive dentistry are the Arabs. They attached great importance to clean teeth.

They described various procedures to “scrape” the teeth and designed sets of special-

ized instruments to accomplished that task. A very similar procedure still exists today. Mouthwashes and tooth powders w e r e applied by the Arabians using a “toothbrush”, a small polishing stick that was beaten and softened at one end.

While surgeons visited the homes of the wealthy patients to perform dental procedures, dentistry for the poor took place at the marketplace where self-taught vagabonds would extract

teeth for a small fee. Up to the early 1700s, much dental therapy was provided by “barber surgeons”. This jackof-all-trades would not only ext r a c t teeth but would do circumcisions and embalm the dead.

A l though the dentist began graduating from the first dental school in Baltimore, USA, a few years after slavery was abolished, until 1937 everyone practising dentistry here in Guyana were quacks.

The first batch of qualified

dentists (mostly Guyanese) began practising here in the early 1940s. In 1971 only seven dentists worked for the Ministry of Public Health.

Gold was the first material used for filling. Later the French described the use of soft lead. It was a Frenchman named Pierre Fauchard, who died in 1761, that is credited with being the Father of Contemporary Dentistry.

George Washington, the first US President had at least one set of dentures that were made of wood. Skilled craftsmen and carpenters made dentures from wood, gold, silver or ivory. These materials changed to rubber and balata when in 1851 a process to harden the juices of certain tropical plants

was discovered by Charles Goodyear. He developed the process of vulcanisation.

A popular brand of vehicle tyres is maned after him. The ability to mould this new material against a model of the patient’s mouth and attach artificial teeth allowed the manufacture of cheaper dentures.

A major contribution from the dental profession to the future of health care occurred in 1844 when a dentist named Dr. Horace Wells discovered that when nitrous oxide (laughing gas) is inhaled, anaesthesia follows. This is the first anaesthetic substance and is still used today. The medical community later modified and adopted it.

Calaloo

ALALOO is a popular leafy or salad vegetable available yearround on the domestic market. Small volumes are also exported from Guyana to Canada, the U.S. and Barbados. There

are two principal kinds of calaloo, produced from distinctly different plant species.

One kind comes from the Amaranthus family (Amaranthus spinosus) and consists of young, tender leaves and stems. The other kind

consists of the young, tender leaf and petiole of the eddoe plant. A diversity of Amaranthus calaloo types are grown, differing in size, shape, and colour of the edible leaves. The plants usually grow around 1 metre (3.3 ft) in length. Most growers

save their own seed or purchase seed of a selected race from another producer. This results in considerable variability in leaf characteristics.

In addition, several imported cultivars are also available through agriculture supply stores.

Diversity also exists in the eddoe calaloo, although to a lesser degree than with the Amaranthus calaloo. The young eddo (Colocascia esculenta) leaves are harvested when still tender and often used in soups or as wrappers for steamed foods.

50 days after planting. Leaf and stem texture is another commonly used indicator of when to harvest. Callaloo leaves should be harvested right after they have fully expanded. The leaves and adjoining stems should be tender, succulent, and free of fibre.

The tender young leaves and stems of calaloo can be harvested multiple times.

Most growers obtain about six harvests per plant from Amaranthus calaloo before it begins to flower and form seeds. Harvesting typically finishes when the plant beHarvest Maturity Indices gins to form seeds, as the Calaloo can be grown flavour diminishes and the quickly and harvested regu- texture becomes tougher. larly. Several different indi- Harvest of newly formed ces can be used to determine eddoe calaloo leaves may harvest maturity of calaloo, also occur multiple times including the number of from the same plant. Hardays following planting and vest typically finishes when the texture of the leaves/ the size of the young leaves stems. The number of days significantly diminishes due from seeding or transplant- to a loss in plant vigour. ing provides a rough estimate of when to begin Harvest Methods harvest. Harvest typically The tender young should begin about 45 to shoots of calaloo may be

cut from the plant with a knife or snapped off by hand. The delicate leaves and stems should be handled gently to avoid tearing. The freshly harvested calaloo should not be placed on the ground.

Rather, it should be put directly in the field container. Field containers can be baskets, plastic buckets, or well-ventilated plastic crates. To maintain product quality, callaloo should be put in the shade and kept as cool as possible. Avoid leaving the harvested calaloo in the sun or a breezy location. It is recommended that harvesting be conducted during the coolest time of the day, typically in the early morning. Calaloo should be harvested every 3 days. Regular picking increases yields. Flower buds should be removed as soon as they appear, since they reduce the plant’s production ability.

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#SupportCreativity

By Subraj Singh

Nazia Hassan (Image Source: BBC)

I

HAVE come to realise that Bollywood films have played an important role in the lives of most Guyanese people, especially those of us who grew up watching movies. I am sure if you ask any avid movie-watcher in Guyana, they will tell you that, yes, Bollywood did have a presence in our lives when we were growing up, even though we all gave up on the Indian film industry in the end. The beauty and the eternal sense of joy that radiates from Bollywood end up feeling superficial against the stark contrast of our lives. Maybe we stop believing in the fantasy that these movies present. Maybe with growing up comes an awareness of what is true and what is not, and maybe we decide to come to terms with our reality by removing the fantasy of Bollywood. Maybe the fantasy is replaced – and the song and dance clichés give way to new mechanisms (alcohol, sex, etc.) that help to tide over the gloom in our lives as we enter adulthood.

Whatever the case is, there are memories of Bollywood films that we inevitably end up recalling as we go through the many motions of our daily lives, and then there are days when the reverse happens – when a song or scene from a film reminds you of a moment spent with friends or loved ones.

For example, whenever I hear the name ‘Anjali’ I automatically think of Karan Johar’s seminal ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,’ and every Phagwah I just need to hear the melodies of ‘Rang Barse’ or ‘Balam Pichkari’ or ‘Holi Aayi Re Kanhai’ or any of the other popular Holi songs on the streets when I head out.

Even movies and songs that were not so well-received, or not so famous can make an impact. When I was in second form, for example, ‘Neal ‘n’ Nikki’ was beloved by all of the students in my class, and as a child, I was convinced that I would only find true love if my soulmate and I ended up as castaways on a lost and beautiful island like Hrithik Roshan and Amisha Patel did in ‘Kaho Naa Pyar Hai.’ There are times, also, when Bollywood movies and, more often, specific songs from the movies, manage to carve out particular niches within the Guyanese consciousness where they are seemingly meant to exist forevermore. For example, ‘Suhaani Raat’ from the 1949 film, ‘Dulari,’ holds a special place in the hearts of many of the older folks, but the song is specifically important to the early students of Queen’s

The Enduring Legacy of ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ in Guyana College (QC). I have met alumni from the school who speak of the music as being timeless and so relevant to the spirit of the school in their time that it transcended all social barriers, including race.

Another song that holds a unique niche in Guyana, though one that is far removed from ‘Suhaani Raat’ and its relationship to QC, is ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ from the 1980 film, ‘Qurbani,’ which starred Feroz Khan, Vinod Khanna, and Zeenat Aman. ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ is most often played at parties (weddings, birthdays, nine days, etc.), bars, and rum-shops. Those elements, rich with the atmosphere of joy, unfettered freedom, dancing bodies, and the laughter and chatter of friends, family, and relatives are exactly the avenues that have kept this particular song playing throughout the many years since 1980 and they are also the ones that will keep the song going for a very long time.

Now, what is interesting about ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ is the many contradictions, that most people remain unaware of, that come with it. It is mostly played along with imbibing and dancing, but there are many people who enjoy the song, myself included, on its own, as an excellent piece of disco/pop even when removed from the party setting. To add to the somewhat racy reputation of the song, we also have the music video that was coupled with it in the film. Whenever ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ is played, undoubtedly the first image that comes to mind is the legendary actress, Zeenat Aman (in her late twenties at the time), wearing a flower in her hair and the now-iconic red dress with the cutouts at the sides, lip-syncing to the song on stage in the film.

This clip, featuring a glamorous, brave, and sexy actress who was far ahead of her time, crooning sultrily might have even been considered bold or risqué by the more close-minded back in the day, and I assure you, if there is one Bollywood actress that the older gentlemen can immediately identify, it would be Zeenat Aman in that red dress, with the red lipstick on, and the red flower in her hair.

Here’s the thing that makes all of this interesting, though, ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ is a song to dance to and it is a very sensual song, and many a couple have used it as an excuse to get close to each other on the dancefloor over the years. The great irony involved here, however, is the fact that ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ originated from beginnings that were neither sultry nor provocative. Although Zeenat Aman lip-synced to the song (as most

Bollywood actors do), ‘Aap Jaisa Koi,’ was sung actually by a 15-year-old schoolgirl, from Pakistan. I wonder how many Guyanese people would be shocked if presented with this information. How much work would be needed to strip the sultriness and the beauty of Zeenat Aman from the song to reveal its innocent beginnings?

Nazia Hassan, now regarded as one of the most successful pop stars from Pakistan and often referred to as the “Queen of Pop,” was only 15 years old when she lent her voice to the song. Her vocals – mellow, rich, and velvety – would become known all across the world with ‘Aap Jaisa Koi,’ her first recorded song.

I find this irony involved in a song sung by a child from such a conservative country becoming such a classic rumshop/party song in Guyana to be fascinating. Perhaps there is a lesson here regarding what gets lost in a lip-sync, or maybe the lesson is about the talent that was Nazia Hassan, that she managed to sing so well at such a young age that she captured and maintained the attention of generations of people from all across the world with her very first song. She became the youngest ever winner of a Filmfare Award when she won for Best Female Playback singer for ‘Aap Jaisa Koi’ at age 15.

In an interesting Guyanese/Caribbean/Indian connection, for that same award, she was up against the famous Kanchan, who began as a singer in India and was also nominated at the same Filmfare Awards ceremony for performing another iconic song, ‘Laila O Laila’ (also pictured on Zeenat Aman and from the same film, ‘Qurbani’).

Nazia Hassan died at the young age of 35. After ‘Aap Jaisa Koi,’ she became one of the biggest pop stars in South Asia. At the height of her career, she gained degrees in Economics and Law, at universities in London, got married and had a child, and apart from her music was also known for also being very philanthropic. Her beauty, her long black hair, her scarf, and her unique voice made her an icon. I like to think that, as an adult, she would have enjoyed the idea of people wining and dancing and holding on to each other in tight hugs, smiling, singing along, laughing, or sometimes even crying, as they moved with their loved ones in time to a song that she sang when she was just a young girl who had been given her first shot at stardom.

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GUYANA MUST TRANSFORM ITS INSTITUTIONS FOR SUCCESS IN OIL ERA

INCE Guyana became an “Oil Country”, there has been a great number of prescrip-

tions put forward mostly by persons involved in politics as to what to do with the oil revenues. The consumers feel

that they should now make public what they had been discussing in their committees and their position on oil

revenues. In approaching this issue, we have some basic assumptions: (1) Oil is a national resource and as such should not be controlled by any political party but should be controlled by the whole nation. The mechanism for achieving this will be discussed below.

(2) Oil is not a self-generating resource as Agriculture but is a finite one that will come to an end. More than one country has experienced the trauma of diminishing oil reserves and the beginnings of a reversion to a struggling economy. Trinidad is an example.

(3) Oil is a commodity where its prices are determined by market forces. Sometimes oil prices could fall so low that producers could be selling almost at a loss. This means that Guyana should be prepared for times when it would be receiving little or no oil revenues.

(4) Oil wealth should not be consumed in a heady splurge as some are advocating. Rather, it should be used to generate wealth for present and generational security. The formula we are suggesting is that two-thirds of the revenues should be invested in developmental projects, some of which have been crying out for capital infusions for nearly a century now; and the other one-third would be used for consumption. We will touch on this in greater detail below.

(5) As the oil industry develops, there would be a large number of immigrants from different parts of the world attempting to settle here.

There would be so many that they would overwhelm the present small Guyanese population subsuming its cultural life and assumptions, and its legal and political institutions.

Measures, including a quick revision of the citizenship laws, will have to be taken to confront this danger.

(6) The Guyanese Diaspora including their children should be welcomed back to their motherland and in this regard, the citizenship laws will be amended to give them the status of all Guyanese by birth.

Further, people of Guyanese background who are employed in the Oil and Gas industries in other parts of the world and are desirous of working in the Guyana industry, should be welcomed and the oil compa-

nies must know that they have to employ such personnel, once suitable.

(7) In the media, there is talk of jobs being available for thousands in the oil industry but yet young people and others do not see or know where such jobs are or how to apply for them. All jobs available in the oil industry should be published by the State or Oil Authority and the methodology of applying. This should be in collaboration with the oil companies and their contractors.

People of Guyanese ancestry should be given precedence, even if they have to be trained.

We will now briefly discuss how the above mentioned points could be achieved: The oil revenues would be much more than the national budgets and the present governmental structures and even institutions were not designed to deal with such large sums of money. Accordingly, a special Corporation will have to be established for the oil industry which will be responsible for the collection of revenues and the allocation of funds, the formula of two-thirds to development and one-third for consumption being adhered to.

The controlling Board or Council of this Corporation must be truly national. It shall consist of nominees (not representatives) of the Parliamentary political parties, the Private Sector, the Trade Unions, and a few relevant NGO’s. No group shall have more than one nominee so that the board would not become too large or dysfunctional. The mechanism of this Board will have to be worked out in much greater detail.

Under the Board will be an Administrative Structure with a Chief Executive Officer within whose province will fall such matters as engineering, marketing, OPEC, negotiating with foreign counterparts and so on. The Board and its CEO will also be responsible for receiving and allocating funds to Government and the Sovereign Wealth Fund so that there would be greater transparency.

As suggested above, twothirds of the funds will be allocated to Economic Development and one-third for Consumption. The third for Consumption would be used by the Government for things such as increasing pensions

and upgrading educational and health services among others.

This will include the founding of specialty hospitals in each of the three counties.

There are a number of industries awaiting capital infusions such as the Sugar and Rice Industries and Agriculture in general. With the modernisation of Agriculture, there would be cheaper local food and the growth of a profitable export market. In the Caribbean alone, for example, there is a US$6 billion market awaiting Guyana’s food exports. The solar and hydropower industries could be resuscitated as well as other industries for import substitution and export.

The stimulation of and investment in Industry would require the establishment of a Development Bank which would make funds available and ensure that they are well used There are other facets and activities of this Oil Corporation which could not be dealt with owing to the limitation of space.

We will therefore now only touch on the large number of immigrants who will be coming into the country. This influx of immigrants could overwhelm our small population subsuming or even eliminating the Guyanese cultural norms which we developed over the last two centuries, our legal and political institutions and even our way of life as we know it today. Accordingly, if any immigrant is given longterm residence or naturalised, he/she should be able to speak and write English, should know the culture and history of the country and be willing to integrate. We could also use a formula once used in the United States where quotas of immigrants are given to the ancestral homelands of the present population of Guyana.

Our Diaspora and their children should be accorded a special status and should be allowed to enter and leave the country like any other native-born Guyanese. All of this demands that our Immigration and Citizenship Laws must be urgently revised and modernised. Guyana has very little time to transform its Law, Administration and even Constitution to successfully survive in this new Era of Oil which has suddenly come upon us.

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y n a h p i p e e e h m T i t t s r i f a f o r e t o v

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ARCH 2, 2020; a memorable day for all Guyanese, whether or not you voted.

As an opinion writer, I just had to share my experience with you all. From the title, you probably already gathered that I voted for the very first time in a National

to snap pictures of my inked finger afterwards? Check.

The adrenaline rush and racing heart? Check. I was fully prepared! My parents jokingly asked if I was heading over to write CXC again.

The GECOM officers went over the process with me and I placed my ‘X’ next to the party of my choice, placed

(Source: Marissa Foster)

Election. Also, yes, I know, I appear quite younger than how I look or sound but that’s not the point I’m trying to make. As clichéd as it may sound, voting for the first time is truly a once in a lifetime feeling. Before, when I was younger, I did not fully understand the meaning of elections, I was never interested in politics (still isn’t to some extent) and elections at that time did not directly affect my way of life. As I grew and I attended the University of Guyana, acquiring the knowledge I have today, my perspective truly changed.

Last week, I woke up to the sound of horns blowing and people shouting, “Wake up and go vote!” My father spotted the excitement in my face from two rooms away and he made sure that he went over the voting process with me. We spent the day together as we normally do and later in the golden hour of the afternoon, myself, my father and my mother head over to the polls. ID card? Check.

Neutral colour T-shirt?

Check. Fully charged phone

my ballot in the box and inked up my finger past my first-finger joint (I was that proud). In that very moment, I felt bigger than what or who I thought I was. I finally felt that one little action of mine can change the hereafter of my oil-producing country.

Voting to many is insignificant and to some, they do not care who wins or loses.

Or, for some, not voting is seen as a form of mild protest because they are not fully pleased by the manifestos of the contesting parties.

Whatever your choice for abstinence in voting, I respect it because nobody should be forced to do something (voting) if they do not want to. Nonetheless, I can safely say that I am someone who sees myself under those mentioned categories. I believe that if we only post our problems on social media or simply sit and count the sheep in the clouds—nothing will be done! You have a chance to change the projector and outcome of Guyana’s future. As a youth writer, I am pleased to see the outpour of new and young voters last week. The

epiphany of Guyana’s youth is finally coming, we are finally realising how important our voices and actions are.

I must say that the Guyana National Youth Council did an amazing job with their #InkItUp campaign. I learned a lot from it and to all the

other NGOs who shared details and encouragement to vote. By the time you’re reading this, the results are probably out and everyone is preparing to go back to their normal routines, but may I remind you to always keep in mind that voting and

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‘exercising your right/ franchise’ is of utmost importance. I hope the voices of our young people aren’t only heard again until 2025. Most importantly, as a voter (feels good saying that), I now have more authority and power to hold parties accountable for

their actions against their promises and manifestos.

I hope my storytime is of use to many of you, especially those who’ve never voted before or those who might have doubts about voting. In the words of a GNYC slogan, “Your Voice, Your Vote!”

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

Art and Psychology ― Highlighting the contributions and achievements of Lucille Cadogan

“THE heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night”, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

Just over two weeks ago several outstanding individuals were identified for National Awards, to mark Guyana’s 50th Republic Jubilee. Lucille Cadogan was awarded the Medal of Service for her contribution

over 50 years of professional and voluntary service in the field of Psychology, Education and Art, in Guyana.

Lucille Cadogan completed her training in education with a Master’s Degree in Psychology and a minor in English. Although she had longed to be an artist, during her years of study, she became quite fascinated with Psychology (the study of human behaviour). Her fascination did not diminish

her passion for art and craft.

While she studied at the University of London Institute of Education, she joined the art and craft division for her practical work. The class provided much insight into the correlation between art and psychology. She was very much fascinated at how art was used to test the intelligence quotient of a child.

Lucille served in the Ministry of Education from 1944 – 1992. In 1968 she

was the Head Mistress of Overwinning Secondary School. During her tenor, she made art one of the main subjects in the school’s curriculum. In 1971 – 72, she worked as an Education Officer. On her visits to schools, she often encouraged the art program. In 1987 she became a founding member of the Guyana Women Artists’ Association (GWAA). The group comprised women who felt that

art was only assigned to men and that the idea needed to be changed. As a member of the group she painted abstract, landscape and still life. She particularly enjoyed abstract and landscape work.

She used every travel opportunity to capture landscape scenes both within Guyana and beyond our borders. According to Lucille, her best abstract pieces were created during a period of unrest in Guyana. It was when she was confined to her home that she was able to explore several aspects of abstract art. Lucille attributes her background in psychology as the driving force that helped her to meet different persons at different levels.

During our interview, I became fascinated with the correlation between psychology and

art. I wanted to find out more so I asked her for a book that would guide my understanding. She gave me a book entitled, the psychology and education of the young by Margaret Munro.

In a chapter about the nature of perceptual learning, I gained a deeper understanding of the brilliance of artists who create depth and distance in their paintings.

As humans, we sometimes interpret or misinterpret, distance. “We can cover a tall tree on the other side of the park by holding up one hand – but we do not assume that it has shr8unk to fit. On the contrary, when our eyes rove over a landscape or an interior we do a good job seeing things the right size and shape, wherever they are. We usually have to make a special

effort to see that a receding object looks smaller and smaller, or else have it presented to us in special experimental conditions.”

From this simple excerpt, I can see how art is used to measure intelligence.

I plan to do some more reading on this topic simply because as an artist I’m excited to share the endless possibilities of art and how it is vital to our development. I, along with the other members of the Guyana Women Artists’ Association, celebrate with Lucille, a founding member, on her Medal of Service. She has inspired us immensely and we hope to continue her legacy.

Leaving some words of advice for young people she said, “the road is not straight in this life, the ladder you are climbing is very steep,

Lucille Cadogan honouree of the Medal of Service

but don’t give up. Even if it’s in the art field, or education field, whatever you try to do, do it with a will. There are times when you would be looking back but you look back to use the experience to push you forward. Keep climbing the ladder to success.”

Speaking to those from her generation she said, “I am hoping that those persons who are as young as I am would be leaving footprints on sands of time for others to step into, worthy footprints.”

In closing she states, “I am, with all humility, I am happy. I say with all humility because it has been conferred upon me that I have no regret for the work that I’ve done for my country.”

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International Day of Forests

ORESTS are essential for life on earth, providing food, life-saving medicine, materials for construction of homes and production of craft, protection of watersheds, provision of climate-regulation services, and habitats for animals and plants. Once well managed, they can contribute to the prosperity and well-being of current and future generations. Forests also play a crucial role in poverty alleviation and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

pacts people’s livelihoods and threatens a wide range of plant and animal species.

With all this being said we can still help to preserve and save our forest. How can this be done, one might ask? Ways to conserve forest biodiversity include; establishing protected forest areas and sustainably utilising forest resources.

Protected forested areas must be of a certain size, or consist of a well-designed network of forest areas, to allow the local forest ecosystems to continue operating effectively.

The forest surrounding the protected area must then be

The theme this year for the International Day of Forests is “Forests and Biodiversity.”

Forests are the most diverse ecosystems on land because they hold the vast majority of the world’s terrestrial species.

Forest biodiversity is threatened by rapid deforestation, forest fragmentation and degradation, hunting and the arrival of invasive species from other habitats. The forests are being destroyed and degraded at alarming rates (12 million hectares of forest a year. Deforestation comes in many forms, including fires, clear-cutting for agriculture, ranching and development, unsustainable logging for timber, and degradation due to climate change. This im-

carefully managed so that it serves as a buffer zone. These surrounding forests also allow local communities to earn a livelihood without infringing on the protected forest.

Additionally, the exaction of resources must be done carefully not to cause unnecessary damages.

FOREST CONSERVATION IN GUYANA Guyana has one of the highest percentages of forest cover in the world (87 percent of total land area*). Across administrations, there have been efforts to conserve and protect our forest resources. From the development of policy such as the Land

Degradation Neutrality- Target Setting Policy (managed by the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission) to the establishment of government institutions like the Guyana Forestry Commission, the Protected Areas Commission

and the Mangrove Department, Guyana has been at the forefront of forest conservation. The recently concluded projects funded by the EUFLEGT and FAO have ensured that community-based forest operators are brought

into compliance with the necessary authorisation processes that ensure good environmental stewardship.

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Com-

munications Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@ gmail.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

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Ingenious Guyanese is ...

her aunt Shelon and attended the Immaculate Conception High (one of Jamaica’s highest schools). She had to adapt to a new country, language and culture. Nonetheless, she persevered. Upon her return to Guyana after completing high school, she attended the St. Rose’s High School and obtained an Associate’s Degree at the CAPE level.

Kimberly subsequently chose Criminal Law to study at the University of Guyana but had to halt her studies due to an opportunity to migrate. Currently, she lives in New York and hopes to make a better life for herself and family there.

Kimberly in some ways feels very isolated and misses her home country very much. She feels the urge to come home from time to time but she knows her sacrifice is for her very own self-betterment.

Her family has always been involved in some aspect of business. She grew up seeing it, learning it and eventually gravitated towards it. Kimberly launched what she describes as her “two babies”: Karma by Kim in 2016 and The Walk In Closet in 2017. Karma by Kim is her authentic and handmade jewellery line. A friend of hers mentioned she wanted to make necklaces and as she was helping her, the idea of starting her own line of jewellery sparked within in. She has always loved jewellery and right after ‘shambalas’ were losing popularity and beaded bracelets were trending she decided to give it a shot. The variations of beads, colours and symbolisms inspired her to get creative with the process and put her heart and soul into every piece. On the other end of business, the Walk In Closet is a boutique which stocks mod-

FROM PAGE VI ←

ern and trendy clothing for women of all shapes and sizes.

Everything that glitters isn’t gold, she said, but she is happy that she was able to take baby steps towards bringing her reality through her brand. She is grateful for the support of her friends, family and boyfriend for her success thus far.

Kimberly always appreciates collaborations and networking with other Guyanese because she believes that together, we stand firmer. Apart from being a successful entrepreneur, she is also a model who worked for New York Fashion Week with Traits Model Management (TMM) now Strukture The Blog and she also worked alongside Sonia Noel and Randy Madray. Sattaur was also a Limacol and Caribbean Airlines Brand Ambassador.

Bracelets from “Karma By Kim”

One day, she hopes to become either a humanitarian, psychologist or motivational speaker are these career paths resonates the most with her. The plan is to come to a place where she is working again, goal setting and achieving, enrolled in school and building a future that aligns with her vision. This young entrepreneur advises Guyanese with similar stories as hers, by saying, “I saw a meme recently that read ‘You save everyone, but who saves you?’ Like figuring out a puzzle, I realised the answer is in the question and there’s a formula to it that can then work for you. ‘You help you, then you help others.’ It’s okay to be selfish, it’s okay to say no, it’s okay to set boundaries. We are all doing the best that we can with the information we have. Choose to be kind, compassionate, understanding, choose to be better, choose change, choose to dance outside of your comfort zone because that’s where the best things in life for you exist.” She continued by saying, “Don’t isolate yourself but be careful of who you surround yourself with because it shows and tells on you. What I mean by that is, you may think you’re immune to pick up people’s habits but you’re not, the subconscious is an interesting tool. School never ends, every day and every person you meet is an opportunity to learn something new. Don’t take people personally, they’re doing the best they can. “Never wish them pain. That’s not who you are. If they caused you pain, they must have pain inside. Wish them healing”. You don’t know what another person is going through so please when you can be kind. Learn to teach and be teachable.”

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Amazon, Google, Facebook, and Microsoft are asking Seattle-based staff to work from home because of coronavirus

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umerous tech companies have asked their Seattle-based employees to work from home to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Both Amazon and Facebook have shut down offices in the area after confirming that their Seattle-based employees have indeed contracted COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

As the outbreak continues to spread in the US, including in California and New York, the situation has worsened in Washington where the virus was first discovered Stateside. The state now has at least 70 confirmed cases and 10 deaths.

asking employees not to bring visitors to its Washington-based offices.

Facebook has shut down one of its Seattle offices after a contractor tested positive for novel coronavirus, and it’s encouraging the company’s 5,000 Seattle-based employees to work from home until March 31st, according to CNBC. That office will reportedly remain closed until Monday. Facebook has also restricted social visitors to its offices.

Microsoft is allowing employees in its Seattleand San Francisco-based offices to work from home through March 25th.

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said the company is “strongly encouraging” all of its employees to work

Here are the work-fromhome policies for some Seattle tech company offices that The Verge is aware of: Amazon has told employees based in Seattle and nearby Bellevue that it recommends employees work from home until the end of March, according to CNBC. The recommendation comes after Amazon confirmed on March 2nd that one of its Seattle-based employees was quarantined with the novel coronavirus.

That employee left work on February 25th and hasn’t returned.

Google is asking employees in Washington state who have the ability to work remotely to do so, reports GeekWire. It’s also

from home “if able.” He said the same guidance applies to Square, which he also leads. On Friday, March 6th, Twitter said a Seattle-based employee “has been advised by their doctor that they likely have COVID-19” though is still awaiting final testing. The employee hasn’t been in a Twitter office in several weeks, the company says, but it is closing the Seattle office “to deep clean” as a precaution.

Bungie, which makes the popular game Destiny 2, has asked employees of its Bellevue, Washington office to work from home and says it has rolled out infrastructure to let the company continue to de-

velop the game while fully remote.

Nintendo will let its

Nintendo of America staff in Washington and California work from home,

according to a statement given to Kotaku.

There are currently

over 101,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with more than 3,400 deaths.

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English

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GHT THOU AY: D O T for STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student,

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herever possible, revise topics in a logical, whole unit. Look for the natural breaks, subtopics, or parts in larger topics. Look at topics with new eyes; see things anew.

Use notetaking, practice papers, mind maps, highlighters, knowledgeable persons, well-designed flash cards and more to try to ensure your grade A. Get a rich understanding of one topic before getting into another: this forms part of self-testing. Revise with your kind of examination in mind. Your whole future hangs on this season’s revision performance.

Love you.

THE PASSAGE Once there was a man who was driving his car at dusk on a spring evening through part of the forest of Savernake. The primroses were just beginning but the trees were still bare, and it was cold: the birds had stopped singing an hour ago.

As he, Mr. Peters, entered a straight, empty stretch of road, he seemed to hear a faint crying, and struggling and thrashing, as if somebody was in trouble far away in the trees. He left his car and climbed the mossy bank beside the road. He then stood a moment, and presently heard a rustling and some strange cries in a voice which was almost human – and yet there was something too harsh about it at one time and too clear and sweet at another. Mr. Peters soon found that it was a swan that had become entangled in the thorns growing on the bank of the canal.

The bird struggled all the more frantically as he approached, looking at him with his yellow eyes, and when he took hold of it to free it, it hissed at him, pecked him, and trashed dangerously with its wings which were powerful enough to break his arm.

Nevertheless, he managed to release it from the thorns, and carrying it tightly with one arm, holding the snaky head well away with the other hand (for he did not wish his eyes pecked out), he took it to the verge of the canal and dropped it in.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sand f time.

HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW (1807-1882) A Psalm of Life

The swan instantly assumed great dignity and sailed out to the middle of the water, where it put itself to rights with much babbling and preening, smoothing its feathers with little showers of drops. Mr. Peters waited, to make sure that it was all right and suffered no damage in its struggles. Presently the swan, when it was satisfied with its appearance, floated in to the bank once more, and in a moment, instead of the great white bird, there was a little man all in green with a golden crown and long beard, standing by the water. He had fierce glittering eyes and looked by no means friendly.

“Well, Sir,” he said threateningly, “I see you are presumptuous enough to know some of the laws of magic. You think that because you have rescued – by pure good fortune – the King of the Forest from difficulty, you should have some fabulous reward…”

(From Joan Aiken’s “The Third Wish”) About the Passage What a wonderful piece of writing! The writer interwove real life and fantasy. See how it is devoid of all unnecessary words, intrusion of ideas, and pretenses. Also, how gently the reader is led into the world of fairy tale and magical powers.

This style of writing can be managed by any one of you if you try hard enough.

Observe the many writing qualities that came through with great effect: - Quick and progressive plot development - Clear thinking and action of characters - Simple narration - Clear and precise description - Excellent use of simple language - Straight forward dialogue - Magnetic lead up to the fairy tale and magic input Something to Do Respond to the following stimulating questions to get deeper into Aiken’s style of writing. Yes, we are looking at writing style which is how language is used to express thought

in writing. Here’s what two authorities have to say about writing style: i) The manner of expressing thought in language characteristic of an individual, period, school, or nation; ii) Style expresses the message to the reader simply, clearly, and convincingly; to keep the reader attentive, engaged, and interested.

1. a) Tell a friend why you think the writer deliberately created that opening scenery. b) What elements are in the opening?

2. a) Did Mr. Peters turn to the left or right while heading to the scene of the trapped swan? b) What elements of influence or non-influence were there in the encounter between man and swan? c) What external conflict does Mr. Peters face after he finds the swan?

3. Give what you think would be a fitting end to the story, paying attention to the writer’s influence. (Allow your study partner to offer constructive criticism).

4. What is implied by the following quoted pieces? a) “the primroses were just beginning” b) “the trees were still bare” c) “trying to extricate itself” d) “instantly assumed great dignity” GRAMMAR Recognising Adjectives and Adverbs Label the words in bold print in the following sentences and then write the word each one modifies.

1. The star called Rigel in the constellation Orion has a bluish-white tint.

2. Orion is located almost squarely on the celestial equator.

3. The stars form a picture of Orion, a hunter from Greek mythology.

4. He is standing with an uplifted club.

5. Three bright stars accurately represent his belt.

6. To the south, three fainter stars form his sword.

7. Another constellation, Pleiades, is a loose group of almost 3,000 stars.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― March 8, 2020

Katahar Curry

Ingredients √ 1 large Katahar (Green Bread Nut fruit) √ 2 large onions √ 1/2 head garlic √ 1 large hot pepper √ 1 tbsp ground garam massala √ 1 tsp ground geerah √ 2 tbsp curry powder √ 2 tbsp salt √ 1 tbsp vegetable oil √ 1/2-1 pt coconut milk

Method √ Wash Katahar, and cut into pieces. Peel and cut out core. Leave Katahar and peel seed. Cut seeds into small pieces.

√ Wash Katahar meat and drain. Peel onions

and garlic, wash with the hot pepper, then chop and grind.

√ Make a massala paste with the onion mixture, garam massala, geerah, curry powder and salt.

√ Heat oil in a large carahee. Add massala paste and Katahar seeds and fry for 3-5 minutes. Add Katahar and fry for 3 minutes.

√ Cover and cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 pint coconut milk and stir.

√ Cook for 20 minutes. Add more coconut milk if it is too dry. Test for flavor.

√ Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Serve with rice and dhal.

http://www.guyanesefood.com/

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