Guyana Chronicle Pepperpot E-Paper 27-02-2022

A visit to David James Scheme

David James Scheme is a community located aback Charity in Region Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam). The community is made up primarily of farmers who named the community after the late David James, a fellow farmer who distributed farmlands he owned among his colleagues. The close-knit village is home to warm and friendly people. In this photo, a young ‘David James’ resident shows off his new pet rabbit (Carl Croker photo)

Sunday, February 27, 2022

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, February 27, 2022

Republic 52 and counting

GUYANA has just celebrated its 52nd anniversary as a Republic in a very subdued way due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. There was the traditional flag- raising ceremony at the forecourt of the Public Buildings on Brickdam in Georgetown, with those in attendance wearing masks, a global norm for over two years now. Nonetheless, the Disciplined Services ranks put on quite an impressive show. There were other official flag-raising ceremonies across the country, such as at New Amsterdam, Linden and Lethem. In his address to the nation, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali stated that, “There have been many successes, challenges and threats” to the country. Many older Guyanese would recall that as a nation, Guyana has faced several challenges over the decades, such as the border claim by neighbouring Venezuela. They have seen Guyana become a haven for many Venezuelans who have been given a warm, neighbourly welcome as they flee their country, which has been experiencing many hardships for the past three years. Older Guyanese can look back over the past half-century with pride as they identify the many physical developments around them, such as construction of the bridges across the Demerara and Berbice rivers. The construction of the Linden Highway and the many new roadways in and out of Georgetown over the decades. Some of those roads were constructed as recent as last year, 2021. In many of the major projects, the World Bank extended hands-up financial assistance to Guyana as the nation continued its ongoing development of much-needed infrastructure. Construction projects such as docks and vehicle terminals were some of the other projects. The need for an improved air service to hinterland locations was also given consideration, improving the linkage of the coastland with many far-flung hinterland communities, some in the deep South Rupununi in Region Nine. While it is agreed that much has been done over the past 52 years since Guyana became a Republic, Guyanese feel proud of those achievements. Challenges such as the lack of cleanliness of the capital city of Georgetown and other towns need serious consideration and attention. There is the cry by more disciplined citizens for a cleaner environment in Guyana. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Guyana very hard, with some 63,000 affected and 1,215 deaths at this time. There was a dramatic peak after the 2021 Christmas and 2022 New Year holidays when it was obvious that many Guyanese became careless and were not maintaining the strict COVID-19 protocols of wearing a mask that covered the mouth and nose, as well as other strict protocols. Region Four has been identified as the most offending region, resulting in increasing cases and deaths. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health has already done over 532,000 COVID-19 tests. The hope is that by the next Republic anniversary in 2023, the cases of COVID-19 will have declined dramatically and go on to zero.

A GAC aeroplane at Aishalton in the South Rupununi, Region Nine (Photo by F. Q. Farrier)

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Ready to move Leguan Island forward – How one teacher is helping to make a difference

FAJINA Khan, Head of the Business Department of the Leguan Secondary School, has her heart set on making the island a tourist destination. To this end, she has been working diligently to bring about significant changes that can positively affect the island and its people.

Helping with the beautification project across the island

Fajina Khan

Because of limited employment opportunities in the past, Fajina decided that she would head into teaching, and has been in the profession for the past 22 years. However, her position as Secretary of the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) Leguan District allows her to be of further service to her community. “Since the country is on the move, I feel that Leguan has the opportunity to propel itself in a new direction, technologically speaking and

Fajina shares a light moment with NDC Councillor Dhansham Ramnarine during some ‘beautification’ work

otherwise, so I am trying to better the community,” Fajina told Pepperpot Magazine a few days ago. She has been using every opportunity available to help the residents to benefit from whatever is at their disposal. For instance, Fajina has helped people on the island to have access to the Small Business Bureau grant, which

now allows many of them to start up small businesses. She also worked with the authorities to pull off a massive toy and Christmas drive last December, and to organise an event to honour outstanding women on the island for International Women’s Day. These are initiatives that had not been done on the island for many years.

Furthermore, Fajina is also part of the beautification project on the island, where villagers are planting trees and undertaking other initiatives across the island. Tourist Hub

A voice for residents in need of help

Fajina strongly believes that Leguan Island can become a tourist destination. “We have a lot to offer; such beautiful beaches, the St. Peters Anglican Church built by the Dutch, the second-largest murti in the country, and excellent food,” she expressed. “When people come out, they want an entire package, and I feel that Leguan has

the capacity to offer that total package where people can come, have fun, relax and enjoy good food,” she continued. As part of a scholarship to India in 2007 on how to integrate Computer Science and teaching, Fajina drew inspiration on how she could better her community. “I was very inspired to see how one part of the country was advanced, while the other is not. It motivated me to come back and use all these ideas and concepts to bring Leguan on par with the rest of the country and world.” And so far, Fajina’s efforts have been paying off,

and the island has been receiving the government’s support. “Our roads are improved, we have 24-hour water supply, and the government is currently working on a solar farm for the island, so costs can be reduced to the residents. We hope to see the environment become more beautiful,” she shared. Persons can further their education through the GOAL programme and many teachers on the island are attending the Cyril Potter College of Education online. “I believe in women empowerment too, so that young girls in SEE PAGE XXIV

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, February 27, 2022

The ‘Mighty Midget’ – The one-man Olympian

By Frederick Halley THE name Martin Dias was synonymous with weightlifting in then British Guiana. Popularly known as “The Mighty Midget,” Dias, who has been living in Canada for the past 52 years, had the unique distinction of being his homeland’s lone representative at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Lack of funds meant there wasn’t a manager or coach. In a candid virtual conversation with the Pepperpot Magazine from the comfort of his home in Brampton, Ontario, Dias explained that he got into the sport of weightlifting through sheer coincidence, while confessing that he has no regrets since it was a very satisfying sojourn. According to Dias, after finishing work at then Bookers Store in the afternoons, it was customary for him to “help out” at his brother-inlaw’s jewellery shop as he intended to make that his occupation since he was fond of jewellery. In the meantime, he did a bit of bodybuilding to keep himself fit, since he also felt that he boasted a perfect body for that sport. A resident of King Edward Street, Albouystown, Dias pointed out that his main liming spot was Harold Lall’s shop, where consuming cider and milk with a few friends was a regular pastime. As fate would have it, during one of his visits to Lall’s shop, he was accosted by two gentlemen, most likely because of his physique, to join their club at the back of the said shop. Reluctantly, Dias took up the offer, marking the start of a remarkable career. Within

three months, he pointed out, he was already into the Novices National Championships, placing second in the bantamweight division. It was then on to the Junior and Senior Championships. Dias continued his prowess despite placing second in the latter. On the international scene, Dias is credited as one of the most decorated athletes to emerge from Guyana, but feels his exploits haven’t been fully recognised. This sentiment has also been echoed by his long-standing coach Ronald Blackman, who also resides in Toronto. During the years 1963 and 1964, he was considered the third-best bantamweight in the world. At the same time, he held all four Commonwealth weightlifting bantamweight records. Martin’s feats include capturing a Silver medal at the 1962 Central American & Caribbean Games in Kingston, Jamaica; Bronze medallist the same year at the British Empire Games in Perth, Australia; Gold medallist at the 1963 Pan-American Games in Sao Paulo, Brazil; British Commonwealth Games Silver medallist at Kingston, Jamaica in 1966 and Pan-American Games Bronze medallist in 1967 at Winnipeg, Canada. While he failed to “medal” at the Tokyo Olympics, which incidentally was the only international game in which he didn’t make the podium, Dias was the only South American and Caribbean weightlifter who lived up to his pre-Olympic Games billing. His total of 739.5 pounds tied him for sixth place. He was singled out by the Secretary-General of the World Weightlift-

ing Federation for special praise for his performance. What was more remarkable about his performance was that before leaving British Guiana, his record lift was 690 pounds. Prior to the start of the competition, Dias was two pounds overweight and faced the possibility of being disqualified The Japanese officials quickly placed him in a hot tub for about 10 minutes, where he sweated off the two pounds. This procedure, while successful in the weight reduction, tended to weaken him. Dias was, however, determined not let to this setback deter him. Using the setback as an impetus, he went on to achieve his greatest international total of 739.5 pounds. When he made his last clean and jerk of 292.5 pounds, breaking the Commonwealth record in the process, he received a standing ovation from the Japanese audience, fitting for a Gold medallist. Sixteen years later, Guyana would celebrate its first and only Olympic medal – a bronze for Michael Anthony Parris in boxing. But in 1964, Dias had won the hearts of many sports lovers in Japan and proved to the world how worthwhile it is to send even a one-man team to the world’s greatest sporting festival-the Olympic Games. According to coach Blackman, “when one considers the relatively crude conditions under which he trained and competed at home, his achievements take on huge proportions. The sobriquet ‘Mighty Midget’ bestowed on him by his gym mates speaks volumes of his abilities.” According to Blackman, “You have to travel

Martin Dias during his heyday as a weightlifter

with him and be present during his international competitions, as I have had the privilege and honour to do, to fully grasp Martin’s achievements.” Blackman recalled two incidents which he said demonstrated the character of the true champion – “In the 1963 Pan-American Games, trailing Fernando Baez, of Puerto Rico, the world record holder in the press by 23 pounds after the first lift, I overheard a conversation between Gary Hanson, the

American bantamweight champion and the great Tommy Kono, who was coaching Hanson. “Hanson wanted Kono’s assessment of Martin’s performance while Kono dismissed Martin as irrelevant. He said the lifter Hanson had to worry about was Hector Curiel of Curacao. “I immediately repeated the conversation to Martin, who said to leave it up to him and not to worry. Martin and I consulted, and we adjusted his ‘calls’ in the next two lifts- the snatch and clean and jerk and soundly defeated Baez, Hanson and Curiel. He, in fact, prevented the Americans, the world’s best at the time, from winning every weightclass. They were not too pleased, to say the least.” Blackman feels that Dias

has gone unsung for too many years. Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Jamaica, Canada and Japan have all given him a hero’s welcome and adulation, but not his homeland Guyana. “Let us not wait until he has left us, to honour and praise him. Let us do it now that he is here with us. He has served his country well. It is time that his country recognises his contributions.” An automobile “specialist,” Dias worked at Geddes Grant and Bookers before migrating to Canada and prior to retirement, the now 85-year-old did similar jobs in Canada with Chevy and Chrysler dealerships. Born at Mahaica, East Coast Demerara, Dias moved to Georgetown at an early age before migrating to Canada in 1969.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, February 27, 2022

A visit to

David James Scheme

A scene in the ‘David James’ community

RESIDENTS of David James Scheme, a community located aback Charity in Region Two (Pomeroon/ Supenaam), are still hopeful that the once-popular, thriving farming area would someday return to its former glory days. The older folks especially, who lived and worked in

the community back then, are full of fond memories of the environment that existed back then when people were much more connected and cooperated to get things done. Choomanlall (only name), 78, and Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Councillor Tilack Deo

Ramdial were among the first persons to settle in the community that was being led by a farmer called David James (now deceased). Because James looked out for each farmer and made a huge difference in the lives of many, the farmers decided to name the community after him. “The other farmers and

I named this place. David James was like the boss. He had political privileges and distributed this land to us.

Indira Ramnauth and her partner, Dindyal

He was a very good man and when he died, we named this

dial offered: “David James was a very good man in farm-

The community can also be accessed via the canal that continues from the Pomeroon River Residents are hoping for a better access road for the ‘David James’ community

Keon Adams has plans to return to the community and develop a farm

place after him. That name is now official,” Choomanlall shared. The farmers formed an association after James died in 1986, for which Choomanlall was the head. It allowed for great cooperation among them and for representation to be made as a group to the authorities whenever help was needed in the community. Reflecting on how the community got started, Ram-

ing time. He born and grow up here and had big farms. He gave each farmer piece of his land. He kept the farmers happy and gave them everything they needed to farm,” he recalled. In time, the government stepped in to help further, providing tools and seedlings to the farmers. People from Charity and other places started to go into the See Page XII

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‘We’re not rich, but we’re independent’ –says resourceful single parent and farmer By Telesha Ramnarine GLENORVIA Alexandria Sulker believes in saving her money. She would not be the person to indulge in the latest fashion or anything for that matter, which she deems unnecessary. She’s always kept at the back of her mind that once saved, that money can do something to improve her house or buy a necessary tool for farming. Pointing to a section of her house that she’s no doubt proud of, the 77-year-old

ago. “Life was wonderful when I first came here,” she reflected, adding, “The produce that used to come out of David James could’ve fed the whole of Guyana.” Now, though, “water mash we up,” Sulker, who has been a single parent for most of her life, told Pepperpot Magazine. “Uncle Ramo used to come and buy my pears; thousands of pears when the weekend come.” Having spent just nine years in marriage, Sulker decided that she might as well try to make life on her own.

Glenorvia Alexandria Sulker (Photos by Carl Croker)

farmer said: “Pear money alone built that.” Coming from Jacklow in the Pomeroon River, Sulker started living in David James Scheme more than 30 years

She adopted the approach that she didn’t need a man in her life, owing to some negative experiences. “I am happy because nobody don’t have to holler on

me, hit me- you see all this? (Pointing to scars on her face); damage my kidneys; falling down. Men broke me up, but I was mighty strong. All I wanted to do was look after my children and grandchildren,” the mother of four expressed. So Sulker did all of the hard work on her farm with the help of her grandsons. “I dig up all these drains. I arranged myself, wake up early and prepare something before heading off to work. Every morning before my grandsons went to school, I worked with them. I would dig the mud and they would go inside and bail it out until we surround this whole place.” Having successfully raised her children and 10 of her grandchildren, Sulker said she hardly has any regrets. “I enjoyed all the hard work I have done. I only regret that I can’t do the things I used to do but I still have the mind. I still work in the yard. If I don’t continue to work, I will die. So if it’s one hour a day I can go and knock-knock something or plant something, I would.” Furthermore, she is proud of how things have turned out with her family. “I raised 10 grandchildren on my own. They all turned out good for

Sulker is proud of how things turned out with her family

now. I ain’t raise no thief. I didn’t raise them to beg for anything or to borrow, not even a little sugar. I always tell them to work towards what they want. I mean, we aren’t rich, but we are independent.” Sulker believes that praying helped her get through. “Anything you ask God for, pray sincerely and be honest, and you will get it. God gave me the strength. I did not mind those children, God did.” She also did practical things to help her get through. For instance, she said she did not waste whatever money she received, either from the farm or from caring friends. “I don’t spend money wildly. I save so that I can buy something to better this grant. You have to live to your means.” She stuck with farming because of the benefits that it brought it her. “I love farming. If I don’t want to work a whole month or year, I don’t have to.

Sulker enjoyed raising her children and grandchildren on her own

Things at the back here are quiet. We all neighbours live good; anything happens you can be able to go to your neighbour.” Sulker has had her share of dealing with snakes on the farm and around her home. She has lost count of how many she’s killed over the

years, especially when she reared her pigs. Whenever the water comes up, she’d almost always find one in her fowl pen. But she has never been afraid. “I would just know when a snake is around. I would get like a signal and know when one is here.”

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, February 27, 2022

The life of a

‘coffin maker’ Where Badri stores some of his “boxes”

Prame Anand Badri (Photos by Carl Croker)

By Telesha Ramnarine OWING to his happy, amusing personality, Prame Anand Badri is a delight to converse with. He’s serious when speaking on matters of importance to him, yet he’d crack a joke in the middle of a sentence or be sure to include some wit or sarcasm. At first glance, though, jokes may be the last thing you’d expect from him, especially as he builds coffins for a living

and store his “boxes.” Not many people build coffins and store them; you’d more find people taking in an order when someone dies. Badri, though, will store as many as 12 boxes at a time. He has them in different sizes to suit. No wonder people in the community would often joke, “Yuh got my size Badri?” But many others detest the work that Badri does on account of superstition and fear of the dead. Badri couldn’t care less. Nothing disturbs his sleep, and he’d even help some of his customers to get the dead into the box.

Badri stores boxes in different sizes

“People are kind of skeptical of the boxes and would say they are scared when they’re passing,” Badri shared in an interview with Pepperpot Magazine, shortly after finalising the sale of one of his boxes for someone who drowned in a nearby community. The situation got so bad that someone lit a fire on his boxes, destroying seven at one time. There were other instances when people stole his tools to prevent him from continuing his work. Although having to constantly deal with such reactions, Badri continues. He knows that he is

Badri has had to move his “boxes” to a more secure location to avoid others damaging them

-- or “boxes” as he prefers to call them. The 62-year-old lived with his wife and children in Suriname before coming back to Guyana about 10 years ago, “to spend my last few days here” in David James Scheme, aback Charity in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam). Badri, a carpenter and joiner, has been making good use of the land passed down to him through generations to make

performing a useful service to the community. After all, who would they need to contact if they had a dead to bury? “I am the only person in Guyana where you can come and find a ready-made box.

I always have boxes. Sometimes I would give away boxes. Sometimes people would take it and don’t pay. It’s not something that I can’t take back if they don’t pay, so sometimes I just have to say ‘forget about it,’” Badri shared. On average, he’d sell about two boxes per month. Explaining how he got into the business in the first place, he said as a carpenter, people would often come to him for help with a coffin. “Then, you would have to leave whatever you’re doing to go and do that. So I said to myself, ‘it doesn’t make sense; let me make a few and keep them.’ It’s a strange profession, I know,” he admitted. He would especially appreciate it if the authorities could look into providing some assistance to him. “The state never assisted me even though I am doing a very good thing for the public. It’s difficult to find someone to work with me because people are skeptical. If they can come and say let’s give this guy a grant to buy more modern tools for his work; I don’t need land or advertising; just SEE PAGE XV tools to make my work easier.”

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Battling the odds to start over - The resilient flood-affected ‘David James’

By Telesha Ramnarine FOR all of his years living in David James Scheme, Yaugeshwar Paul had never seen water come up so high in the community. Like many other farmers, he’s had to deal with flooding in the past, but last year’s occurrence was unprece-

again; all over again,” he lamented when Pepperpot Magazine paid him a visit at home. He was quite happy for the visitors because he said no one goes to check on the farmers in the community, located roughly three miles in from Charity. He’s now hoping that the authorities will see the plight

Yaugeshwar Paul (Photos by Carl Croker)

dented; the farmers were under water all year round! The father of three, like

of the farmers there and render whatever assistance they

Paul has been transporting produce to Georgetown as a means of earning an income until he can return to farming

other farmers in the area started to bring produce from the village to Georgetown. This helped significantly to “brace” them financially as they all hoped for normalcy to return. “We have to do other work to survive. We have our own canter to take the load to town and that’s what been bracing us a little.” The business also helped out farmers in the area who could sell their produce to Paul. In the meantime, the authorities did some drainage work in the community to aid the farmers. They also built higher dams. But Paul and the rest of the farmers would not settle just for the business of bringing produce to town; they would prefer to get right back to farming. “This is we

Authorities have helped build high dams in the community to bring some relief to farmers

many others, lost everything in the flood that had worked so hard to cultivate. He had pear and orange trees, along with plantain, cassava, and other crops. Nothing survived. “Every single thing done, so we have to go all over

can in the form of farming tools, fertilizers, spraying cans, or whatever may be required to start the process all over again. “Three waters hit us for last year and we lost all of our crops. That was the highest water I see since I living

here. We had flooding before, but nothing like this. As soon as the land start to drain and we start to prepare to plant again, the water come back,” Paul recalled. Starting over After the flood, Paul and

living and this we depend on. We have no choice but to start over again, hoping that we can get some help somewhere through the line; it’s either planting material or something else that they can help with.” The task of starting all over again to plant is daunting. It requires money. And money for many of the farmers at the moment is difficult to come by. “It will take quite a while to get back. A simple crop would take about three months to come by. Cassava, you have to wait for nine months, or plantain, a whole year before you get a bunch. It’s not something easy; it’s a hard case for a farmer just roll on back and go again,” SEE PAGE XV

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For the love of farming

Local farmer still committed to the work despite heavy losses By Telesha Ramnarine AS a boy more than 70 years ago, Mr Choomanlall (only name) can still remember the days he’d help his parents out on their farm, especially on the weekends and when there was no school. Perhaps his love for farming stemmed from these experiences, but it was his own success with his produce that made him stick with this kind of work. At one time, he was known in Charity as the farmer who produced the most pears for the market, at times supplying as many as 5,000 pears a week. But like many other farmers in David James Scheme, flooding last year killed the majority of his pear trees. Added to constant flooding in the area, Choomanlall decided to scale down his operations because of advanc-

ing age. This doesn’t mean, though, that he wouldn’t help with the work that he’s hired the labourers to do. Born and raised on the Essequibo Coast, Choomanlall, 78, was raised at Abraham’s Creek in the Pomeroon River and then moved to what is now David James Scheme in 1984. “All we do in here is farming. My main crop is pear, but the flood killed most of them last year. I also plant greens like bora, ochroes, and other crops. But now I can’t do the work myself so I hire labourers,” the father of five explained. The main challenge for him is constant flooding, and it has had such an impact on him that at times, he wishes that he would have taken the teaching job that his father was getting for him as a young boy. But he was so into farming that he insisted he will not teach. “When I

saw the flooding last year, I felt to myself I should’ve taken the teaching job. Today, I would’ve been receiving a government pension or something.” But Choomanlall agrees that he should not allow feelings of regret to overwhelm him at this point in his life because apart from the challenges with the flood, he has experienced a fulfilling farming career. “I planted a lot of pear. At one time, I produced the most pears in Charity. Before 2006, I would sell 4 to 5,000 pears a week that I would take to Charity. Now, people would come in to buy. Before the flood last year, I would pick 2,000 to 2,500 per week,” he reflected. Choomanlall can also recall being able to take out 100 parcels of bora to sell at the Charity market. “Today [February 21, 2022], I took out eight parcels and

Choomanlall (Photos by Carl Croker)

Coconut has been one of Choomanlall’s main crops

all was [sic] sold out. Since the flood, it’s only today I reaped something, apart from the coconuts I sell,” he expressed.

Choomanlall making his way home from Charity market following the sale of his eight parcels of bora

Choomanlall had just returned home from selling his bora when the team from Pepperpot Magazine visited him. “I love farming. I used

to farm with my parents and we used to produce a lot of coffee. On Saturdays and Sundays, we would go help SEE PAGE XXIII

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Is there much for us ‘right hay’? AT the end of the recent International Energy conference, there was much buzz and excitement about Guyana’s prospects. Even so, I believe that many Guyanese don’t feel that excitement- for many reasons. I believe, however, that there are numerous emerging opportunities right here. Last week, I sat with a few of my colleagues, and I reviewed the music videos produced by some of the artistes who were vying for the Soca Monarch crown. One video that stuck out for me was Tenecia ‘Nekeita’ DeFreitas’ song “Right Hay.” We watched as she captured much of Guyana’s beauty in that video, and her message was clear: there’s a little bit of everything ‘right hay’ in Guyana. This song, for me at least, was an appeal for Guyanese to meaningfully assess the opportunities available right here in Guyana-especially now. And it made me think about how much we need to stay and help develop this country. I believe that many people like Nekeita are part of the cadre of young Guyanese contributing on their own, each day, to the advancement of this country- whether it’s in the arts and entertainment, in business or in business or otherwise. And that is crucial, particularly now. Our migration rate has traditionally been among the highest in the world, with a recent study illustrating that some 30,000 people leave Guyana annually. I’m sure that each of us knows at least one aunt or uncle now residing abroad, and if you’re lucky, you probably benefit from some of the ‘prags’ now and then. For me, many of my family members who live abroad

said that they migrated in search of better opportunities- be it employment or educational opportunities. Otherwise, I’ve heard stories of people migrating decades ago because they believed that living in Guyana was simply challenging. I migrated to Trinidad for my tertiary education and I’d still be there if the COVID-19 pandemic hadn’t changed the way educational content was delivered to me and tested (that is, online). During my short time in Trinidad, I had already received two attractive job opportunities that made me consider staying there beyond my studies. Admittedly, what made those job opportunities attractive was that I’d get to continue working in a field that I love while earning more than I am earning in Guyana. So I know, first hand, about the allure of migration- at least in this sense. Now, however, that seems to be changing. Because of the nascent oil-and-gas industry, it appears as though more attractive employment opportunities are becoming available. And I imagine that this will generate- as we are already beginning to seegreater demand for skilled labour. So even if we migrate for academic pursuits, returning appears much, much more attractive now. Of course, the situation is more complex than I’ve just mentioned. There is no guarantee that the emerging opportunities in Guyana will be exploited by Guyanese. There is no guarantee that Guyanese will benefit from the highly anticipated gains from the oil-and-gas industry and the spin-off development. If we are to meaningfully benefit from these opportunities and expected gains, then we have to appreciate the realities

by which we are confronted and we have to ensure that our benefits are secured by policymakers and elected representatives. The recently enacted Local Content law, I believe, is a good example of how steps can be taken to ensure that we can benefit from what we have right here. The new Local Content law provides increased benefits for Guyanese nationals and companies in the oil-andgas sector, regulating how foreign companies should operate here. It sets out the minimum percentage of Guyanese professionals and services that should be used. The law also states that local content refers to the monetary value of inputs from the supply of goods or services by Guyanese nationals or Guyanese companies, and includes local capacity development through knowledge transfer. And so, it’s up to all of us to take advantage of this law and lobby for other carve-outs that will help us benefit. It is important to note also that we certainly aren’t adequately prepared to capitalise on the myriad emerging opportunities - to provide services demanded or offer innovative solutions - because of our key skill gaps and other limited capacities (and these aren’t unexpected things). As such, building these competencies over the next few years will be essential. I just hope that we all can recognise these developments and be able to better align ourselves with these opportunities. If you would like to connect with me to discuss this column or any of my previous works, feel free to email me at vish14ragobeer@ gmail.com

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A BLACK HISTORY MONTH RESOLUTION

- THE INDIVIDUAL DUTY TO THE HISTORICAL MEMORY TO PROTECT ITS GENUINE ARCHIVES IT is commendable the effort of British Parliamentarian (of Guyanese roots) David Lammy to request a pardon for 21

of the victims of 1823. It was a British crime and they must act. What though is surprising is the inclusion of the term ‘1823 slave rebellion Convicts’ because, based on all the data I have explored that includes what is consid-

ered the first recorded narrative, by Joshua Bryant, writer and artist, who was here at the time, no mention of criminals and

convicts was assumed. He did refer to the rebelling/ protesting masses as “rebels.” The facts according to what was recorded, would deem 1823 as a rebellion against the continuation of slavery. That was the belief, though it was

misguided. The underlining situation was that the governor was also a plantation owner. The British army was recovering from

its defeat in Haiti some 22 years before, so there was suspicion, anger and hatred that fired many of the planter-class citizenry of Demerary at that time against the enslaved Creole -African population with murder and savage-

ry. There is a new book on the subject, ‘White Debt’ by Thomas Harding, an English writer, that adds to the understanding of 1823. The 1823 protest can be declared by all means by

Guyana as the era of the ‘Atlantic Slave Trade’s only peaceful protest, followed by Damon, who was hung on the eve of Emancipation before the Public Buildings, for protesting the concept

of ‘Apprenticeship,’ which was an insult to abolition and a human-labour stimulus to the post-emancipation plantocracy. Why SEE PAGE XIV

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A visit to...

NDC Councillor, Tilack Deo Ramdial

community to buy from the farmers. According to Ramdial, James also assisted with making a road for the benefit of the farmers. “The farmers had no problems with flooding, and the market was there; you didn’t have to study market…coffee, mango, FROM PAGE V

pear, guava; all kinds of crops. It had the value,” Ramdial expressed. Coffee, pear and coconut trees apparently were most popular back in the days. After James died, though, no one else pushed for the area to be developed. To compound matters, the community started to be heavily affected by flooding. After some time, farmers couldn’t survive there; a majority of them opted to leave. According to Overseer for Charity/Urasara NDC, Rameez Pir Baksh, about 60 farmers still live in the community today. Many of them are hopeful that a better access road and drainage work will be-

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come a reality so that more people would be encouraged to go in and farm. At the moment, as soon as rain falls a little, the community becomes flooded. Following the massive floods last year, the authorities have sought to build higher dams in the hope of bringing some relief to farmers. The dams have been helping. Keon Adams, a young man born and raised in the community, said he has big plans to go back into David James Scheme and develop a farm. Who knows in years to come that more development will happen at the back here with light and water.” Apart from the more than two miles of road from Charity, the community can also be accessed via the canal that continues from the Pomeroon River. Several residents expressed that they were happy for visitors because it is only during elections time that they would see people at the back there. One of the main concerns

Choomanlall and other farmers named the community after the late David James

stressed, though, is the poor access road that residents now have to contend with. It is especially challenging for Indira Ramnauth, who has a disability that renders her unable to walk. Her partner, Dindyal Dusrajh, would often have to help her out of the community with her wheelchair, and sometimes she would roll it on her own. But when rain is falling, and there is slush, she cannot make it on her own. “The hardest thing is the access road because it makes commute very difficult,” she shared with this publication. Her husband was helping her home as she clutched a few trays of eggs that she planned to sell in the community. Ramnauth is convinced that her life will be made easier if a better road becomes a reality.

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It’s okay to outgrow people, places and things

A GOOD friend and I recently had a conversation about how we were slowly outgrowing certain organizations and people with whom we were associated. There was no better word to use and even though we tried to make excuses in these said situations, the word “outgrowing” is most fitting. It means to stop doing or having an interest in something, somewhere or someone, as one matures. At first, I wanted to deny the fact that I am indeed outgrowing certain people and things, but in hindsight, my mind and growth are beyond those things. To stay, means to stunt my own personal growth and to stop the profession I’ve made to get where I am today. When we outgrow things and people, we are first mentally aware of it before we can physically act on it. We can be aware of such, and yet still, we may choose to stay because of connections, attachments or other personal reasons. It’s important we pinpoint when we’ve outgrown things and when we should move on from said things. It’s okay to outgrow people who may stunt your personal growth or when they can’t keep up with the progression you’d like to see for yourself. It’s okay to outgrow people who are comfortable with seeing you staying on a certain level only and hate to see you elevate yourself to become the best version of you. It’s okay to outgrow people who are draining, toxic and unhealthy for your well-being. Perhaps, you once had similar traits with them and that’s why you bonded over said toxicity, but if you somehow manage to overcome that—then it’s okay to let

them go. Your friends in primary school may be different from your friends in high school. The type of organizations you want to work for in your 20s may be different from the type of organizations you may want to work for in your 30s. The more we age and the more concepts we grasp better—the more our perspectives change. Mind you, a change in perspective doesn’t always mean growth. However, if you were morally, financially, physically, emotionally or mentally better than you were yesterday—if you’re doing better than you were yesterday, then that’s growth. Sometimes, we’re too attached and accustomed to routines, comfortability, familiarity, and the known. It’s hard to adapt to change, even when said change is important and needed. Your taste in music might change over time. It’s okay to start liking this new genre that you appreciate more. Your dreams of becoming a social worker may progress to become the dreams of becoming a policymaker. It’s okay to adapt to that career path. The house you live in may be too small for you and your family’s growth. It’s okay to start house hunting for a new one. Your mindset and work ethic changed for the better, but your office environment is still lackadaisical. It’s okay to move on to better employment. This is how evolution works. Over time, we evolve. If the surroundings, people and things around us fail to evolve with us, then that only does more harm to us

than good. If you can’t grow together with something, someone or somewhere without it hindering your personal growth, then it’s better to grow apart. Remember that not all roots can be planted in the same soil forever. Sometimes, it’s better to uproot yourself out of certain connections and plant yourself in a better, nurturing soil that will allow you to grow beyond your imagination. We’re afraid of change as humans, but we should

be able to honour growth and its importance. The act of outgrowing things we love and care for is never an easy or pleasant process to endure, but it’s needed if we want to spread our wings. You shouldn’t beat yourself up if you’ve outgrown something you wish you didn’t outgrow. You’ll be doing yourself a favour when you decide to let it go and focus on things that give true meaning to you and yours.

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A BLACK HISTORY MONTH ... FROM PAGE XI it is necessary for a comprehensive pool of clarifications on New World and continental African sources is because one of the most comprehensive directives of colonisers was to eliminate or confuse and de-emphasise the original knowledge of self of those forcibly defeated and colonised, and replace it with a self-contemptuous interpretation of self-misunderstanding. Thus, the majority of the self-entitled colonial mentality emerged among the oppressed as guardians of the ‘Great House.’ The projection of the European self on Egypt [Khemet], which has always been the inspiration and envy of the ancient world, began in earnest after that world had lost its former self to Persian-Greek – Arab incursions etc. But it was the post-Napoleon adventure 1798-1801 that generated a tremendous projection of Europeanism on the original people of ancient Khemet- mostly generated by art and its modern development of movies. Most victims of this propaganda, for instance, do not know that there has never been a statue or mummy that points to the ‘Cleopatra’ of the Mark Anthony-Julius Caesar romance. The entire ‘Cleopatra’ drama and imagery are products of applying heightened poetic licence. From the historical position of a Greek hierarchy with a native presence, the then Cleopatra (the subject Cleopatra) would have most likely have been a native African of mixed heritage. I wish to include a quick and not lengthy excerpt from an academic publication- “Professor Obenga replied that the Greeks applied the word Melas to the Egyptians, which means Black. None of the participants explicitly voiced support for the earlier theory, referred to by Professor Vercoutter in his paper concerning a population (Khemet) ‘which was ‘white’ with a dark, even Black pigmentation’. There was no more than tacit agreement to abandon this old theory” see ‘THE PEOPLING OF ANCIENT EGYPT & THE DECIPHERING OF THE MEOROITIC STRIP.” This and the mediaeval exploration of the Islamic MOORS will require a center of exploration that does not exist now in Guyana, except in a knowledge pool of private hands. The tech -mechanisms do exist. Whether the finance and commit do, is another question. We must understand the creation of distortion. It served and serves the attainment of coherence for people with primarily unreal contentions with Afro-peoples. Another area where popular assumption in entertainment and pseudo historical poetic licence, rivals science is with the ‘Phoenicians.’ Who were they? Were they a nation or of many nations? They did not call themselves Phoenicians, this was a name the Greeks gave them, because they manufactured a purple dye they called “Royal Purple” that the Greeks called “Phoenix”-thus Phoenicians. Terence Wise of OSPREY military books interpreted the Greek word ‘Phoenicians’ as meaning ‘dark skinned.’ They established Cartage. There is a tradition that they came from the land of Punt, are West Africans, then the Semetic projection was caste (Cartage is today’s Tunisia in North Africa, the local Arab population can be traced to Islam). Punt was an ancient African peopled nation based on Khemetic illustrations. Modern Archaeologists and historians (according to an interesting article in National Geographic October 2004) are seeking the Phoenicians through DNA, from what source is unsure to my lay man’s curiosity. In closing, I present a son of our soil, born in British Guiana, suspected of having his origins in either the East Coast Demerara village of Golden Grove or Georgetown. Professor George Granville Monah James researched and presented a pioneering work titled “THE STOLEN LEGACY” in 1954, that presented the obvious evidence why many of the works accredited to Greek sources were indeed the works of centuries; executed by the Khemetic mystery systems. Ph.D. George James taught at the University of Arkansas. He died mysteriously after his book was published. A reprint of this pioneering book is on sale currently at Austin’s Bookstore.

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The life of a... SEE PAGE VII

Dealing with Death Owing to his line of work, Badri was asked if thoughts of death often consume him. “I experienced a lot of death in my life so far, but I am not fearful of dying; I am not traumatised by death. I can even sleep in the boxes,” he said. Being a Hindu, he believes that death is just about changing worlds. “You leave this material world and go to the supernatural world, and then come back, and the cycle goes on like that,” he explained. Badri is baffled about why people would be scared of the boxes he makes. “They don’t realise that when you’re travelling on the road, you pass many burial grounds. Each tomb has a dead in it, yet they would not be afraid of that, but would be of my empty boxes.” But he doesn’t allow them to bother him. “I have so much freedom at the back here. I don’t have much stress. I don’t pay light bills. I got solar energy, water tank, my own house. I don’t have competition for miles on end.” Cremation vs Burial Badri feels strongly that more cremation sites should be created. “We have plenty burial grounds, yet cremation is better than burial. You have one spot and cremate thousands of bodies for years, and it remains there. To make a tomb is so much work and so much more costly, and it remains there for 40 or 60 years. The land remains occupied and filled.”

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Battling the odds ...

Paul expressed. The government has provided some amount of relief to the farmers, but Paul is hopeful that more will be done for them. He said he is too attached to the community to leave, even though many others have opted to move for work and better living conditions. “We accustom to life here, so it’s hard to leave this place. We know everything about it and we live here happy[sic], even though we going through all this trouble. Thank god for that up to now.” He believes in remaining positive through the difficulties. “You have to go with the flow; you can’t give up. Some people might get frustrated and give up but you can’t. You have to try again. You have to keep going all the time. It could be that it (flooding) may not come back for a good couple of years again and you can be able to achieve something in the meantime,” Paul Better roads will help to make the lives of farmers easier advised. Back in his school days, Paul would walk to maintain; there were no roads. He is hoping that the to school in Charity via a little track that his family had authorities will look into providing a better road to help

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WIDESPREAD AVAILABILITY OF CHEAP, RELIABLE POWER PRESAGES ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL REVOLUTION IN GUYANA THIS column has always avoided the issue of addressing the supply of electrical power on a macro scale, such as hydropower. This was so because the supply of hydropower, solar and wind power and natural gas had always so far been mired in politics and the Guyana Consumers Association cannot be involved in politics or be perceived to be so involved. At this moment, however, the supply of renewable power and even natural gas seems to have fallen out of the glare of politics, and this allows us to now speak about renewable energy, a subject of the greatest consumer concern. Most of the electrical power in the country is supplied by the Guyana Power and Light (GPL), which uses aging generators,run on heavy diesel oil. These emit Co2 gas, which is a negative climate change agent. Fossil fuel costs the country over US$100 million per year, and this results in the KwH costs being one of the highest in the world. Our electricity supply is also unreliable, resulting in frequent blackouts. This situation has negatively affected the quality of life of the population and has prevented investments, both local and foreign, from being made

in the production of goods and services. Eventually, the long-suffering Guyanese consumer was offered some respite when Dr Ashni Singh, Senior Minister of Finance, initiated the Amaila Falls Hydro Project (AFHP). The Amaila Falls was first identified as one of the best falls for hydro development by the Canadian company, Monaco, in 1976, during the Presidency of Mr LFS Burnham. As minister,Dr Singh was responsible for conducting extensive technical and financial studies of the Project and Environmental and Social assessments. Blackstone, one of the world’s most prestigious hydro developers, was engaged to do the project. In 2015, as the Project was about to take off, the government changed and the new government discontinued the it. Dr Singh felt great sadness as he knew that Guyana had lost a brilliant opportunity of embarking on transformative and accelerated social and economic development. In 2019, Dr Singh’s party returned to government and was determined to solve the age-old electric woes of Guyana once and for all. They aggressively embarked upon an energy mix of hydropower, SEE PAGE XVII solar, wind and gas from the

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WIDESPREAD AVAILABILITY OF CHEAP, RELIABLE POWER PRESAGES ... FROM PAGE XVI Stabroek offshore oilfield. Though gas is a fossil fuel, Guyana’s pledge to the International Community of achieving 70 percent renewable energy by 2030 is achievable by hydro and solar power alone. The gas brought ashore by pipeline from the Stabroek Block will be cleaner than the heavy fuels at present used by GPL and will reduce the price of electricity by half. The gas pipeline project is economically viable because the US$900 million investment would be amortised in a short number of years. The Amaila Falls project will begin in the latter half of 2022 and will be undertaken by China Railways Group, one of the most experienced and largest companies in the field. The BOOT model would be used - build- ownoperate-transfer to government at no cost after 20 years. They would sell electricity to GPL at US$ .07737 per KWH. In addition to Amaila, a similar hydro project will be undertaken in Region Eight. This will be identified in 2025 after the basic preliminary studies have been completed. Once up and running, it will produce some 370 megawatts by 2035. It should be mentioned that a hydropower system has an estimated lifespan of 100 years and replacement of mechanical and electrical parts would be 30 percent of the initial cost. Solar power has already been successfully and profitably used in a few businesses, such as Demerara Bank’s head office on Camp Street and will be an important part of the energy mix. The government has already secured funding of US$75 million to establish solar farms in eight grids which will supply 30% of electricity along the Essequibo Coast, Linden, Bartica, Lethem, Mabaruma, Mahdia, Leguan and Wakenaam. In the 2021 Budget, provision was made for the installation of PV mini-grid systems in the villages of Sebai, Waramadong, Paruima, Kurukubaru, Whyaka, Mission Capoey, Lake Top Capoey, Annai, St Monica and Karaburi. This drive to provide cheap and reliable power will fuel an industrial revolution, since both local and foreign companies could now manufacture competitively. Most importantly, the widespread availability of cheap and reliable power would improve the population’s quality of life and fuel an education revolution. The Amerindian communities in the interior would be among the main beneficiaries of this electricity availability, and such availability will narrow the differences in quality of life between coast and interior.

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Can we manifest good things into our life? THIS one is for those who have been feeling helpless or hopeless recently; for those who feel like everything they are faced with is a lose-lose situation; for those who feel even the right decision brings wrong and unfair outcomes and consequences. This is personal for me, because even I feel this way at the moment so I have been asking myself a lot recently – when things feel so wrong, can we manifest good things into our lives? Manifesting is the practice and belief that thinking positive and aspirational thoughts will bring them to life. So yes, thinking yourself into a better life. They say it can happen based on true and unwavering belief, which can cause unintentional and intentional action. Of course, some scientists debunk it based on extreme cases. For example, if you have a terminal

illness, you cannot manifest your way back to good health. Some also believe that it aids in complacency because it may unintentionally cause people not to act because they believe just thinking may be enough. There is nothing that doesn’t come with criticism, but you have to take what you believe and leave the rest. It is always better to

have faith than not, no? It still brings forward great results, so let’s focus on that. I look at it as an underestimated tool for setting and achieving goals. It is also critical in self-awareness as you cannot envision what you want in your life without knowing what you want in your life. The whole idea was coined by an Australian television producer Rhonda Byrne, when she published the book “The Secret” in 2006. It was initially met with laughter from critics but ended up selling over 30 million copies worldwide and is among the most popular and successful self-help books of all time. I can see why, because it brings forward an idea of hope, one that is so alluring that it tells people to believe that your thoughts are your only barrier and, therefore, we can control our only obstacles. Who wants to believe we are powerless over our own lives? It’s more around us than we think. These essential oils, sage, crystals and everySEE PAGE XXII thing else became common

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Medical disorders and dentistry

NO patient should suffer any deterioration of health because of dental treatment. Therefore, it is essential to establish as clearly as possible, within practical limitations of the dental practice, the presence and significance of medical problems likely to affect oral care. It is important to foster awareness of the magnitude of the medical history and patient assessment to determine whether a patient is fit to undergo dental treatment. Health and life expectancy in many countries are increasing, mainly because of improved social conditions, preventive medicine, the improved ability to treat the main

killing diseases – myocardial infarction (heart attack), cerebrovascular accidents (stroke) and improvements in medical care of hitherto fatal diseases. There are also relatively new diseases such as AIDS, COVID and a range of other problems resulting from advances in medical and surgical care. Thus, more people are surviving with chronic illness, and the population of elderly people is increasing. Oral health care has not always been forthcoming for patients with medical problems, and oral diseases are not always recognised as being part of a generalised disorder. There is little--if any--excuse for the unwillingness of dentists to care for seriously ill patients, as it would be a clear professional error. Compromised persons present, in general, few special treatment problems for the dental practitioner working with local analgesics only. Notwithstanding, although in rare circumstances, patients can die due to sequelae resulting from lack of oral health care. This is apart from the fact that death is relatively common in persons lacking the diagnosis and treatment of oral lesions, which may eventually prove to be cancerous. The prevalence of medical disorders that might affect dental treatment depends on the type of patient. Although everyone should be questioned on their medical histories, the elderly, handicapped and the hospitalised should be especially medically assessed before dental treatment. In societies where it is common for patients to request having their treatment done under general anaesthesia, there is a greater need to carry out a medical examination. It should be noted that although dental fear and anxiety are totally eliminated because the patient is asleep during the dental procedures, the serious medical risk involved when the general anaesthesia is induced should be a concern. In my opinion, dental fear and anxiety are not sufficient justification for general anaesthesia in dentistry. The basic reason why it is so important for medical assessment be done on a patient seeking medical treatment, is that many dental procedures can impact negatively on

the patient’s well-being when certain medical conditions exist. In this country, dentists generally disregard their duty to adequately screen their patients, because it is not usual for a patient to sue a dentist for malpractice or professional negligence. Another major reason is that Guyanese dental patients are not accustomed to their dentists requesting heart tests, blood and urine tests etc., or being questioned about their medical histories. When

this is done, patients often dismiss such as being inappropriate. This being the unfortunate reality, patients themselves should do their own screening for their own good or voluntarily submit information on their general health to the dental practitioner.

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LCDS 2030 – POLICY IN ACTION

“THE Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) is a framework intended to map the path of a new growth trajectory in a non-polluting way. Tropical-forest countries have long called for the ecosystem services provided by the world’s standing tropical forests to be properly valued through both public and private finance. This will enable people who live in forests and forest countries to create jobs and economic opportunity from an economy

that works with nature, instead of today’s reality, where forests are often worth more dead than alive.” — H.E. Dr Bharat Jagdeo, former President of Guyana (2009). Like most low-lying coastal states, Guyana is open to the devastating impacts of climate change. Climate change is the most critical global environmental problem of our time and the single greatest challenge facing environmental regulators. It is a growing crisis with economic, health and

safety, food production, security, and other dimensions. If global warming continues, our low-lying coastlands and their entire infrastructure, settlements, and agriculture stand to be devastated by sea-level rise and extreme weather events. Furthermore, our country is at a critical crossroad: we are a developing country and have limited resources for economic development. However, these very resources are needed to save the world from the disastrous effects of a changing climate. The Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 sets out a vision for rising to the challenge. The LCDS 2030 also sets

out how we can build a platform for the economy of the future, a low-carbon economy, where our world-class forests, biodiversity, water and marine resources are valued for the vital contribution they make to the health of our planet. What does the LCDS mean to me? While most of Guyana’s population lives on the coast, the services offered by our tropical rainforests and other ecosystems which are out of sight are numerous and beneficial – from providing fresh water, to helping keep the global climate stable, to providing opportunities for advances in medicine and income-generating activities in the tourism, forestry, and agricultural sectors. In fact, for the period 2009 to 2015, Guyana earned US$212.52 million in payments to be invested in the LCDS. This has created low-carbon jobs, enabled Amerindian villages to receive a legal title for communal lands, rehabilitated the Cunha Canal to protect against flooding, and started to equip Amerindian and hinterland communities with renewable energy, digital infrastructure, and sustainable livelihood opportunities. Did you know? Guyana’s forests alone provide value that is estimated to range from US$40-US$54 billion annually. How it started The LCDS was launched on June 08, 2009, with the revised version being published on May 24 2010, and subsequently was launched on March 2013. The new draft continues to propel Guyana on a pathway started in 2008, when we were the world’s first developing country to publish a Low Carbon Development Strategy. Our country believes that we can protect and maintain its forests in the effort to reduce global carbon emissions and at the same time attract resources for our country to SEE PAGE XXI grow and develop. In order

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LCDS 2030 – POLICY... FROM PAGE XX

to do this effectively in the long term, we need a clear vision and a plan of how to get there. This vision and plan were titled the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS). The three objectives set out in 2009 continue to provide a guiding framework and have been enhanced, based on knowledge gained since then, as well as new opportunities created by international progress. • Forest Climate Services and other Ecosystem Services • Stimulate future growth through clean energy and sustainable economic activities • Protect against climate change Guyana’s Low-Carbon Development Strategy 2030 creates new incentives within the economic sectors, namely, fruit and vegetable farming, aquaculture, sustainable forestry and eco-tourism. Through Sustainability Planning, for our Forestry, Biodiversity, Water and Ocean/Marine Resources. It also adds a new objective -to align with global climate goals This means promoting development and stimulating future growth for all Guyana’s people through a balance across: •Human capital: Ensuring that Guyanese citizens achieve greater health, education and other social outcomes. •Financial capital: Ensuring equitable access to finance for all, whether seeking to invest in start-ups, expand existing businesses or cope with unexpected external shocks. •Physical capital: Upgrading Guyana’s energy, transportation, digital, water, and housing infrastructure on a low-carbon, non-polluting trajectory. •Natural capital: Introducing mechanisms to sustain Guyana’s world-class natural capital to enhance quality of life for all Guyanese and deploy natural capital as part of solutions to global problems, including climate change, biodiversity loss and deteriorating water resources. Currently, Guyana relies on imported fuel, oil and diesel for its electricity generation, which is both expensive and carbon-intensive. As such the LCDS set out to stimulate future growth: Clean Energy and Low-carbon Development Green Jobs and Sustainable Livelihoods through Clean and Renewable Energy Digital Infrastructure and Low-carbon Transportation.

Further, the LCDS plans to focus on protection against climate change and biodiversity loss, climate adaptation and resilience, while aligning with global climate and biodiversity goals, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, etc. The mandate of the EPA supports the vision and practice outlined in the LCDS by: * Promoting the value of biodiversity in its education and outreach activities; * Supporting the sustainable use of natural resources by developing policies, guidelines and regulations; and * Ensuring that Guyana meets its commitments under the various environmental agreements, for which it has responsibilities. As Guyanese we should take pride in the scale of vision set out then, and reflect on the significant progress that was made since. We have taken steps to protect the environment and human health, but we do have a long way to go. You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Communications Department, Environmental Protection

Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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Can we manifest good ... FROM PAGE XVIII and gave people something to believe in. I myself wear a ring with a labradorite stone because it is believed to aid in healing from within and ward off outside negativity. I wear it every day because not only do I desperately want that to happen, but I mean, what if, right? So, let’s go into how we can manifest. First and foremost, which should be obvious, only think and want to manifest positive things; things that make you feel physically and mentally healthy. Be as specific as possible with these things. If you need help with this, you can try meditation or music- whatever generates passion and good vibes. As important as it is to know what you want, it’s equally important to know why you want it. What do you think it’s going to bring to your life? Why do you think it will be beneficial? How do you think you will feel when you have it? If you are not sure yourself, use those questions to guide you. Now, ask the universe for it and envision it as though you already have it. Change the words “I wish” to “I will” or “I do”. There are a few ways to do this. Some use scripting, which means writing it out. That has also been shown to be more beneficial. Seeing it in writing also makes it seem more plausible or achievable. Others use mediation to clearly think it, some use prayer, some use vision boards, some write a letter directly to the universe. There is no right or wrong way- do whatever feels right to you. Surround yourself with the right people. It doesn’t make sense to think and act positively when those around you are being negative or especially telling you that you cannot achieve something. You may want to be around people who are attracted and interested in who you are becoming or want to become; those may not be the same people around you right now. Focus on yourself only. Stay away from any unnecessary drama or thinking negative thoughts about others. Manifesting is only deserved when there is positivity all around. Trust and believe in the process. You may have heard of the “Law of Attraction” and that’s exactly what we are believing in when we believe in manifestation. In order to stay focused and not lose hope, acknowledge and celebrate any progress at all. Even if things aren’t happening as quickly or severely as you want it to, a baby step in the right direction is still a win. This goes into showing gratitude, not only for any progress but strong gratitude for what you have before you even started the process. Finally, while this whole thing is about hope, there is some realism at play. You can think positive thoughts, but it does require proactive steps towards your goals. It won’t happen overnight, and it won’t happen if your behaviors remain the same. Your thoughts, emotions and behaviours need to be positive, healthy and proactive. Final Gabrielle Bernstein, an author of multiple books regarding manifesting claims that mmanifesting is co-creating because it’s a collaboration between you and the universe. This means that knowing what you want is only half the battle, and one will not see any results without action. But these can be even the smallest actions to make a part of your routine. In her book, she gives an example for those who want to make a major career change, a small action would be to start networking with people in your new or desired field and practice for what the job interview would entail. Another small action? Try and think the way your future successful self would be thinking. Reframe your thoughts to already being someone who already has and feels your goals, dreams, and desires. I’ll end this column with something that Oprah often says Energy is everything and the energy we put out in the world is the energy we get back. If you want more love in your life, set your intention to be more loving. If you seek kindness, focus your energy on empathy and compassion.” Thanks for reading, everyone. Please continue to send column topics to caitlinvieira@gmail.com

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For the love of ... FROM PAGE IX

Choomanlall has scaled down his operations due to advancing age and other circumstances

them pick,” he reflected. Satisfied Choomanlall loves his community in spite of the hardships that the farmers have to endure. He focuses on the fact that the community is much more developed now, compared to 37 years ago when he moved in. “I like this community; the place is much better. All my life I did farming because I don’t like to work with people.” He received $100,000 from government as part of flood relief and said he was very thankful for it. “I am satisfied with that, but as compared to the rice farmers, government gave them $80,000 per acre. Some of the rice farmers did not lose their crops, but they applied for relief, whereas some farmers, bigger than me, only got $50,000. That wasn’t fair,” he said. Still, Choomanlall said he would not blame the government for this. “It’s the people that they sent to do the work. To me, they couldn’t even do the work. Three girls came and asked to see my ID card and later called again on the phone to get the number. I told them if I was their boss, I would have fired them.” Choomanlall has been encouraging the younger farmers to form an organisation similar to the one of which he was a part when he first came to the community. Through it, he was able to make representation for the community and then receive help through the regional administration. “Today, I feel that the government is doing reasonably well. I did volunteer work with the PPP (People’s Progressive Party) when I was a young man, although I never became a member of the party. One thing that bothers me though, is that they said they are going to renegotiate the ExxonMobil deal during the election campaign. I would like to see them do it,” Choomanlall shared. Sharing what he believes makes a good farmer, he said: “You have to be dedicated and love the job that you’re doing. You have to look after your crops every day.”

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Ready to move Leguan ... FROM PAGE III

Fajina can accomplish much work with the help of her supportive family

the community can access these opportunities and not be left behind. Many women in rural areas end up as housewives, but it doesn’t have to be like that.” Even as her goal has been to help residents obtain a better lifestyle and more togetherness, Fajina has been facing her fair share of negativity. “I always tell myself that I have a clear conscience of what I’m doing. My main aim is to move this island forward to help Leguan keep up with the times and not be left behind; to move this place to a different level.” She said good family support helps her to achieve this. “Being a woman and balancing family, work and business is not easy, but my husband is very supportive and he understands that women can go forward equally. I can say I am managing it with the support of my husband and family.”

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I WILL ALWAYS BE YOURS - CONCLUSION SHANTI woke up one Sunday morning, two weeks after Raj had left on a business trip, feeling dizzy and nauseous. The ill feeling persisted all day until her mother voiced her suspicion. “You may want to see a doctor?” “Why?” Shanti asked weakly, “Why am I so sick?” “Because you may be pregnant.” Shanti looked at her shocked, speechless for a long moment, then she exclaimed, “Oh my God!” and her hand instinctively touched her stomach “I can’t believe this happened,” she expressed ecstatically after the doctor confirmed the pregnancy. But that happy feeling slowly ebbed to uncertainty after she had some time to think of the serious complications

her pregnancy could have on her and Raj, given his family would not accept her and the worrying question on her mind was, “Would Raj be happy about this?” She did not go to work for two days and when she did return she tried her best to control the sick feeling. She had no way of sending a message to Raj, just waiting patiently for his return. He would be back soon, she knew, but his father extended his trip to another few weeks. As the days passed, unknown to Shanti, her mother and step-father were plotting how to benefit from the new situation she was in. In the eighth week of her pregnancy, Shanti was summoned by Raj’s mother and father. Fear entered her heart and as she walked to the study, she prayed silently, “Please God, don’t let them know about this.”

But it was too late! The cold anger on Raj’s parents’ faces was enough to tell Shanti they knew something. “So,” the lady spoke first, “Do you have any news for us?” “N-no, ma’am.” “What about the weekends at the Abary river resort, Aruwai and Lake Mainstay? Can you say anything about that?” Shanti said nothing, so scared, she felt her body trembling, wondering how they knew about that. “How often have I not reminded you of your position as a maid, of your low status, unworthy of my son?!” There was such deep contempt in her voice, Shanti could find no words to answer. “You thought it would benefit you greatly to get pregnant for him?” “N-no,” Shanti shook her head, “Please don’t say that.” She could now, not stop the tears and Raj’s father spoke for the first time in a low, harsh tone, “Your mother and step-father were here late yesterday to bargain with us to save my son the embarrassment of an illegitimate child if the price was right, so it can be aborted.” “What?” The shock and dismay Shanti felt were like a dagger through her heart. “I don’t know anything about that.” “It doesn’t matter what you know or how you feel,” the lady said heartlessly, “It’s unacceptable for you to be carrying my son’s child.” Raj’s father put several packets of money on the desk in front of Shanti, a sharp edge in his voice, “Here’s one million dollars, for you to abort the baby and have nothing more to do with my son.” Shanti looked at the money, and wiping the tears from her eyes, she took a deep breath to summon the courage to speak for herself and her unborn child. “Do you think that’s enough for a life?” she asked. “How much do you want?” the mother asked, icy hatred in her eyes. “You don’t have enough money to pay me,” Shanti said bravely, “A life is a blessing from God, it’s priceless.” She turned and walked away

feeling scared, unhappy and betrayed. On reaching home, Shanti looked at the woman who betrayed her daughter for money and she told her, “I can’t hate you, I just pity you because you’re lost. I hope you find your way back for the sake of your young sons.” Three days passed as Shanti tried to figure out where she could go to live and work. She awoke in the night, thirsty and went downstairs for a glass of water when she heard low voices outside. A strange voice was saying, “The boss has sent a message to you, that you must do the job for the money he paid you. Your step-daughter has to lose the baby before Raj returns.” “No worries,” the step-father responded, “It will be See Page LI done.”

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Caring for loved ones with Psychosis: A guide for caregivers WATCHING your loved one go through a psychotic episode can be alarming, confusing, and terrifying. When your loved ones show the signs of psychosis, acting quickly to get the necessary treatment ensures a safer, brighter future for them. Individuals with psychosis have a better chance of successful recovery when their family members are involved. Caregivers need to balance their own needs and those of the person with psychosis. They should manage their own exhaustion, sadness, grief, stress, and sleep disturbances. In this way, we can alleviate the confusion in the family, rebuild the relationships, and find sustainable solutions for long-term recovery. What is Psychosis? Psychosis is not an illness in itself. It refers to the symptoms that occur in various psychotic, mood disorders, and substance use disorders, such as, * Schizophrenia * Schizoaffective disorder * Bipolar disorder * Substance use Individuals experiencing psychosis have their perceptions confused, not knowing what is real. Their speech and behaviour make no sense. They can also develop anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances that affect their daily functioning in life. The two hallmarks of psychosis, hallucination and delusion, can further complicate their thoughts and understanding of reality. Challenges of psychosis in the family: Psychotic symptoms can cause a confusing shift between independence and dependence in the family. With the individual experiencing irrational thoughts and

perceptions, they may lose their grip on their relationships and life responsibilities. These warrant increased time and attention from the family members to be involved in the person’s care. Research evidence suggests that patients receiving informal care from family members have better outcomes, fewer inpatient admissions, reduced relapses, and better engagement with treatment. As a part of the caregiving role, many carers have to deal with distressing illness symptoms

from their loved ones along with challenging behaviours that may at times include an act of aggression and self-harm. With challenging behaviours, stigmatisation can occur in the home. This can place a burden on the caregiver and cause a feeling of guilt if a relapse occurs. Although caregiving can be rewarding for some, many have poor psychological functioning such as depression and other stress-related disorders. They may also experience exhaustion, sleep difficulties, feelings of loss, and grief. Their quality of life might get progressively worse for both the individual with psychosis and the caregiver, if they are not aware of managing their symptoms and life effectively. Tips for caring for someone with psychosis: Family members are an integral part of the long-term recovery for someone with psychosis. They can be an advocate, help find the best treatment options, communicate with professionals about the person’s symptoms, provide ongoing support, and compassion in their recovery journey. But caring for someone with severe mental illness can be an uphill battle. Here are some suggestions on how you can care for your loved ones. * Reach out for professional advice and support to improve the quality of your life and that of your loved one * Look and understand your loved ones from a compassionate viewpoint, as they are having difficulty in perceiving the reality * When the psychotic episodes are mild, direct the conversation to different aspects other than the harmful thoughts and feelings * Treat the person as a valued member of the family, so they don’t feel shame or guilt * Create a crisis plan with the help of professionals that can be very helpful in times of crisis and relapse into illness Self-help for caregivers: Forgive yourself-You might find that you are blaming

yourself when your loved ones are going through mental illness or when their recovery is not going well. So learn to be more kind and forgive yourself. Acknowledge your feelings- Learn to acknowledge your difficult feelings of guilt, grief, sadness or frustration. It’s the first step in learning to manage them. Be conscious of your limitations as a caregiver—Aim to be the caregiver who cares and is not the perfect caregiver. Give your best for your loved one, and when you cannot learn to get the necessary support from others in the family. Be clear on the limits of care and communicate this sensitively to the individual with schizophrenia or psychosis during times of wellness. Talk to somebody—Talk to other caregivers who are going through similar experiences. Be a part of support groups or communities that educate and inform caregivers about psychosis. Address your own emotional issues by getting professional counseling

services. Be open and inquisitive—Listen actively, communicate in a calm and understanding way when you are talking to your loved one with psychosis. Knowing what your loved one needs from you when they have a relapse will help you provide them with the care, they have learned to be more comforting during challenging times. Recognise the signs of stress—As a caregiver, you might experience stress, anxiety, and depression. Learning to recognise the signs of stress such as exhaustion, getting more sick than usual, not eating or sleeping well, getting irritated for no reason, and withdrawing from others is very important Make time for yourself and other relationships—Plan your own time so you continue to maintain your interests and relationships outside the relationship of care. Stick to general daily routines as much as possible. Managing grief—Many will experience a sense of loss or grief at some time when their loved ones have schizophrenia or psychosis. They may feel a sense of loss when thinking about their relationship with their loved one, their hopes for the future, or their own relationships and aspirations, which may have been affected by their loved one’s mental health. Give yourself time to grieve. Oftentimes, sharing your experiences with others will help to lessen the burden of grief. Maintain hope—It’s important to continue to believe that your loved one will get better and you will see better days together. Be kind and patient—It is normal for caregivers to experience bouts of anger and frustration. Try different positive ways to deal with these difficult feelings, like journalling, exercising, or talking to your friend. Thank you for reading! If you require any help with mental health issues, kindly call me (Anju Vivekanandaraj, MSc., Registered Clinical Psychologist) at 613 9255. Kindly send in your feedback, questions, or any topic that you would like to address to innerpeacegy@ gmail.com

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Imagine a world without purpose THANK you to those persons who continue to give feedback on my column. It was great to hear that you received some value because that is the intention. Myles Munroe’s content last week resonated with many people and caused many to reflect. I decided to share another excerpt from Pursuit of Purpose, and I believe it will impact more lives. “A lack of purpose and the impending tragedy that results from its absence is found not only in people but

Without this vision, we can only exist. We feel no passion for living, neither do we have a reason to wake up in the morning. Thousands of years ago, a king, known as the wisest man who ever lived, stated, “Meaningless! Meaningless! … Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). This was his conclusion after years of observing man’s life, activities, plans and achievements apart from a sense of personal and corporate purpose. These words and their sad

communist countries, and the proposed reality of the European Common Market alter the way we deal with the world, and it deals with us. Many industrialised nations are being transformed into Third World states as numerous people migrate from undeveloped nations. Long-established ideologies are evaporating in the fires of revolutionary changes. Institutions long held sacred are crumbling under the weight of social pressure. In almost every nation, the situation is the same. There

in all things. When elements of nature lose their purpose, chaos and destruction are the results. When nations, societies, communities, organisations, friendships, marriages, clubs, churches, countries or tribes lose their sense of purpose and significance, then confusion, frustration, discouragement, disillusionment and corporate suicide—whether gradual or instant—reign. Purpose is the master of motivation and the mother of commitment. It is the source of enthusiasm and the womb of perseverance. Purpose gives birth to hope and instills the passion to act. It is the common denominator that gives every creature an element of distinction. This guiding sense of purpose is more than an orientation towards a goal. Rather, it is a deep awareness that a common vision encompasses all life and existence.

echo have returned to haunt us nearly 6,000 years later. We face a world that acts like a spaceship that has lost its flight plan. Planet earth is like a mother whose children have lost all sense of direction and all value in life. Globally speaking, everything is in motion. Mergers and acquisitions, deregulations and changing agencies of control, information technologies and international competition all alter the shape and thrust of our economies and the way we do business. Changing demographics, realigned industry structures, new strategic alliances, innovative technologies, unaccustomed modes of working and the volatility of stock markets demand a fresh approach to commerce. Increasing competition, the shrinking of the world into one large global village, the move toward freer markets in former

is political confusion, ideological frustration, social unrest, economic uncertainty, moral bankruptcy, institutionalised corruption and disillusionment with religion. All inhabit an environment of fragile diplomacy. The world has become an incubator of stress, depression, hopelessness and fear. It seems that the kingdoms and the governments of this world are bankrupt. They no longer offer innovative solutions for these ever-increasing problems. Industrialised nations are as fragile as Third World nations. The tremendous changes in national and international situations, and the economic, political, social and cultural transitions that have accompanied these changes, now present a totally different global equation. There is also a generation in every nation that seems to have lost its

sense of purpose. They are out of touch with the values, morals and convictions that build strong families, secure communities, healthy societies and prosperous nations. Thus, the moral fabric of most societies is being stretched and tested to its outer limits. In every nation, the concern is the same. Many of the time-weathered institutions of the industrial

states are being tried by challenges that threaten to transform tradition and demand creative and innovative responses. The dynamic nature of the Third World and the developing countries, because of the infancy of their institutions and their industrial base, are even more hardpressed to respond effectively to this changing global environ-

ment. Political, civic, economic and religious world leaders are perplexed as they see their social infrastructure cracking under the weight of these demands of the new, complex society. A strange sense of insecurity, confusion and aimlessness accompanies these modifications. SEE PAGE XXVIII

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Imagine a world ... FROM PAGE XXVII

History shows that the value of life decreases, and the quality of existence diminishes when a generation loses its sense of destiny and purpose. A quick glance at our current world exposes a sad picture that demands our attention. We preserve nature, for example, but kill babies. We build solid houses but cannot construct lasting homes. We are smarter but not wiser, bigger but not stronger. We know more but understand less, and we live longer but enjoy life less

fully. We write more books but fail to take the time to read them. We go faster but get nowhere, conquer space but cannot conquer our habits, protect whales but abuse our children, go to the moon but wander far from home, and flirt with fantasy to avoid reality. The United States of America, the greatest nation in recent history, has come to a crossroads because of a lack of national purpose. Warren Bonnie, distinguished professor of business administration at the University of South-

ern California, stated in his book On Becoming a Leader, ‘America lost its edge because it lost its way. We forgot what we were here for. We talked about freedom and democracy, but we practised licence and anarchy … As a nation cannot survive without public virtue, it can’t progress without a common vision. America hasn’t had a national sense of purpose since the 1960s, when, in an unprecedented show of common cause, millions of Americans vehemently opposed government policies.’

P r o f e s s o r B o n n i e ’s words echo an ancient saying written by King Solomon: “Where there is no revelation [vision], the people cast off restraint …” (Proverbs 29:18) With the demise of communism in Eastern Europe, the last source of national purpose for America has evaporated. The “red” threat of the bear and the cold war no longer provide the common cause for national commitment that every nation needs. King Solomon’s words contain principles that every living thing should heed.

Where there is no purpose, there is no self-control, no moral conviction and no ethical boundaries. This principle is increasingly evident in both our personal and corporate lives.” The late Dr Myles Munroe is a precious gift to the world, and I thank God for working through him to impact lives like mine and many around the world. Let’s all go deeper inside and reflect on this last Sunday in February as we continue celebrate this beautiful journey called Life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.

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THOUGHT FOR TODAY For fools rush in w here angels fear to tread. ALEXANDER PO PE (1688-1744) 1711 Poem essay on Criticism , An

February 27, 2022 STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student, Welcome, dear friend. A form of narrative writing - the short story – has all the elements as novels. As you edit, examine plot, char-

acter development, point of view, story structure, theme, conflict, and setting. You can begin it close to the end. For instance, if you are writing about a young foreign, coconut estate heir, start where she sees the estate firsthand, and then reacts horrified. Build up backstory through writing tools like dialogue, flashbacks, and protagonist’s action. Be wise. Love you. THE PASSAGE Instructions: Read the following abridged passage carefully and then answer all the questions set on it. I never dreamed England would be like this. So cheerless. Determined, I held my breath but still I could hear no birdsongs. The room was pitiful in the grey morning light. I thought it looked rundown last night but daylight was happy to show me more of its filthy secrets.... No basin in the sink.... Inside was as wintry as on the street. This room would not do. I opened my trunk. The bright Caribbean colours of the blanket the old woman had given me in Ochi leaped from the case. The yellow with the red, the blue with the green commenced dancing in this dreary room.... I spread it on the bed. Miraculous – it was then that I heard a bird sing. Oh, so joyful. Finding colour through a window, its spirit rose to chirrup and warble. I determined then to make this place somewhere I could live.... I started with that sink and scrubbed it until I sweated.... (Adaptation from Andrew Levy, “Hortense”) Questions a) According to the first THREE sentences of the passage, what was the writer’s reaction to England? b) Identify TWO conditions of the room the “I” narrator found depressing. c) Give ONE detail from paragraph 1 which shows how cold the narrator found England. d) What TWO things are contrasted in paragraphs 1 and 2? e) Identify ONE example of personification used in paragraph 1. f) Identify ONE example of personification used in paragraph 2. g) What effect did the blanket have on the environment?

h) What did the narrator begin to do to boost her determination to make the best of England? GRAMMAR A. Positioning punctuation at the end of quotations The positioning of other punctuation marks inside or outside the ending quotation mark sometimes causes confusion. Yet the rules governing such cases are few and easy to understand. Pay attention as you are reminded of the following three principles. 1. Periods and Commas. Always place periods and commas INSIDE the second quotation mark. 2. Colons and Semicolons. Always place colons and semicolons OUTSIDE the second quotation mark. 3. Question marks and Exclamation points. If the words within quotations make up a question or an exclamation, then the question mark or exclamation point belongs with those words – that is, it belongs INSIDE the second quotation mark. Something to Do Correct any errors in the use of quotation marks in the following sentences. Write OK if there are no errors. [See KEY at bottom of exercises.] 1. Did Henry say he will be leaving “immediately after breakfast”? 2. Mrs. B. Quintyn asked, “Does anyone have a copy of the most recent chart of teenage pregnancy rates in the Caribbean”? 3. Obviously, these trainee nurses have what we call “the right stuff:” intelligence, ambition, and people insight. 4. All the cartons had been carefully marked “This Side Up”, but several had definitely been transported upside down. 5. “On Monday, February 14,” said Ms. Mauby, “we had an new addition into our family – twin baby girls”. 6. As soon as she saw the new mother, Mrs. Washington, Mavis cried out “Congratulations!” 7. Do you know why these scents are called “Paris Colognes” instead of “Paris Perfumes?” 8. “Before they left for vacation,” said Fern, “the family signed all the permits, didn’t they”? KEY: 1. OK; 2. Caribbean?” 3. stuff”: 4. “This Side Up,” 5. offices.” 6. OK 7. Perfumes”? 8. they?” B. Grammar and Style Semicolons and Style Compound sentences are formed by linking independent clauses – clauses that can stand alone as sentences – with a semicolon rather than a conjunction. This style is used to connect two closely related ideas. Example: They hurt his hand with the thrust of a knife; he feared he would shriek. Practice Work: Choose from among the independent clauses below to create compound sentences. Use semicolons to join clauses that will form powerful sentences. 1. Plans of escape rushed through Petal’s mind. 2. Fabre Hennery dropped from the bridge into the creek below. 3. The silent, interminable moment ended. 4. The shock of the cold water jolted him. 5. A thunderous roar shattered the calm. 6. Fabre Hennery surveyed the rocky landscape. Writing Application: Write a paragraph describing a scary experience. Mimic Bierce’s style by using compound sentences joined by semicolons. Ambrose Bierce was a famous writer. He wrote short stories, a book of humorous and cynical definitions, one other of quotations among others. His writing and philosophy were shaped by his career as a Union officer in the American Civil War. Example: “The extreme poverty in which he was raised helped to foster Bierce’s unsentimental pessimistic view; the brutality he saw during the war only cemented his cynicism,” is a description by one commentator. Was he influenced by Bierce? Look at Bierce’s writing: ‘“They will not do that again,” he thought; “the next time they will use a charger of grape. I must keep my eye upon the gun; the smoke will apprise me – the report arrives too late; it lags behind the missile. That is a good gun.”’

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I WILL ALWAYS BE YOURS ...

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Shanti put her hand over her mouth to stop the shocked gasp. Her step-father had taken payment to kill her unborn child! She couldn’t sleep for the rest of the night, fearful now for her life and Raj’s return had been delayed even further. By dawn, an idea had occurred to her and later that morning she told her mother she was going to see a gynaecologist. The doctor was a nice lady Shanti had once worked for and she told her her story, asking advice for somewhere she could go. The doctor gave her the address of a Help and Shelter institution far away from home. It broke Shanti’s heart to leave her two brothers but they promised they would take good care of themselves until she returned. Not one day passed without her thinking of Raj as her pregnancy advanced, hoping he would come looking for her. On the night the labour pains came, he was not there with her. She was all alone, just his name on her lips. It had been four years now since that night when her son was born. The alarm clock on her bedside awoke her at 3am and Shanti got up, sighing deeply, still tired from the day before. She began her day early every day to finish the food preparations on time for the market, to say her prayers and give Arun his bath and breakfast. She was brushing his hair in the morning when he asked in his sweet, innocent voice, “Momma, when is papa coming?” Her hand froze, a pained look flickering in her eyes and hugging him, she answered, “Sometime, soon,” not sure herself of the answer. Her son’s question played in her mind all day and she wished she could have given him a true answer. “I miss you so much, Raj,” she said softly as her eyes closed in sleep that night, “Have you forgotten me?” Raj stood on the balcony of his bedroom, staring blankly into the night. He felt so empty inside, with no excitement and passion for life anymore. He had turned with great plans for a future with Shanti, the poor girl who would not be a maid anymore but a lady of her own house. But the shocking news of what happened and the fact that she was gone hit him like a freak storm. He found it difficult to believe his mother and father that Shanti took money to abort the baby but his mother, fiercely determined to break their relationship, told him about Shanti’s visit to the gynaecologist. Raj was left puzzled, but in his heart, he knew something was wrong somewhere. He had to find her! Her family knew nothing, the doctor she had visited refused to disclose any information, but that did not deter Raj. After searching tirelessly for her with no success, he hired a private detective and gave him her photograph. “This is something only you and I know because she’s fearful for her life and living somewhere pretty much unknown. I want you to find her at any cost.” As time went on, deep tension developed between him and his parents and he eventually left his father’s company to start his own business. Four years went by for him, nights when he couldn’t sleep, days when he sat lost in thought thinking of her. “I miss you, Shanti,” he said quietly, “Where are you?” One day, not long after, whilst he was on a business call, a rap on the door interrupted him and the elderly maid announced, “A detective is here to see you, sir.” He immediately postponed the call and hurried downstairs. The detective handed him Shanti’s picture, an expressionless look on his face. “Tell me you have good news for me, man,” he said with almost a plea in his voice. The detective didn’t answer for a moment then he smiled, “I found her.” It was the day of Maha Shivratri and Shanti sat in the mandir, Arun in her lap, listening to the divine songs and prayers but somehow her mind kept wandering. Something was different today and she didn’t know what. She lifted Arun in her arms after the service and walked home slowly, not noticing the dark SUV parked on the street corner, nor the person who stepped out

until he called her name. “Shanti.” Shanti froze at the gate, hearing a voice she hadn’t heard in four years. She turned around slowly, joy and relief triggering through her body on seeing him. “Raj.” He looked at her and Arun, and asked in a choked voice, “Our baby?” She nodded. “I’ve been waiting for you so long.” “And I’ve been searching for you for four long years.” He hugged her and so overwhelmed they both were, they broke down in tears. That night after putting their son to bed, Raj said,

looking at him with adoration, “He’s such a sweet child, I know you would have been happy to have our baby.” She smiled, still emotional,” he asked about you and I wasn’t sure what to tell him.” “Well now you can,” he said and taking a diamond ring from his pocket, he slipped it on her finger. “I told you I’ll be yours forever, didn’t I?” She looked at the ring, tears filling her eyes and with his lips close to hers, he asked, “Will you be my wife?” “Yes,” she answered through her tears. He lifted her in his arms, their love story to continue, chapter after chapter.

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