Guyana Chronicle pepper pot E-paper 26-04-2020

Sunday, APRIL 26, 2020

Celebrating ‘Girls in ICT’ %

― 70 of jobs in next decade to be found in IT sector

Indrawattie Hirai is an ICT entrepreneur and co-founder of the A+ Computer Training Centre (ACTC). She is also a member of the advisory board for Girls in Tech Guyana and is among several young women who are making significant strides in the ICT sector and deserves to be celebrated in honour of “International Girls in ICT Day” which was observed on April 23

II

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

Mohammed Rafiq sang that

By Francis Quamina Farrier

I

‘The World is One’ World is One”. The lyrics commence; “Although we hail from different lands, we share one earth and sky and sun, remember friends, the world is one.”

And at this time, the entire world is certainly one, under the attack

F you are a regular reader of my feature articles here in the Pepperpot Magazine, you will know that I often quote songs. So here we are with the beautiful unifying song, “The World is One”, which was recorded by the celebrated Indian playback singer Mohammed Rafiq.

At this time, the world is one big victim of the powerful silent unifier - the unseen enemy - the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. It remains the principal hot topic all around The late Billy Braithwaite of the world after Guyana Airways Corporation many weeks, and likely to remain so for the next few months.

But back to that beautiful Mohammed Rafiq song, “The

from the COVID-19.

According to official reports, the deadly coronavirus has already affected more than 1.72 million people and killed

over 107,000 worldwide, and the number keeps growing with every passing day. There has been quite a number of Guyanese who have died in

right things, especially social distancing, so that the city of Georgetown will be rid of the COVID-19 as soon as possible.

According to reports, municipal

knew Bacchus and Braithwaite, the death of New York-based former Advertising Manager at the Guyana Chronicle Newspaper is of note. Many of us know someone who is either fighting for their lives or have already succumbed from this silent killer disease. However, this health tragedy has proven to be a blessing to those with the ability to make face masks.

Business is booming for them.

On the lighter side, the lyrics of many songs are being rewritten with messages, mostly funny, about the coronavirus.

For example, the song, “How do you solve the problem of Maria” from the Musical “The Attendees at the International Theatre Sound of Music”, is now, Exchange April 1993 from India, South “How do you solve the probAfrica and Guyana, in Sydney, Australia, lem of corona”. “We Are the an example that “The World is One”, in World” has a version entitled good times and in bad times “We are the Cure”. The Drifters song “Stand by Me” is now “Stay at Home”. On the local scene, SSignal Productions which is headed by the talented Bonny Alves, has produced an original composition about the scourge of the COVID-19, the USA. The exact with artistes number is still unsuch as Charknown. At the time maine Blackof writing this arman and Eze ticle, Guyana has R o c k e l i ff e recorded 67 cases performing of citizens who in the Music have tested posiVideo vertive with the virus sion. and seven deaths.

L e t ’ s Guyana is doing close with fairly well in terms of this little story The late Jim Bacchus of preparedness and preabout that MoJim Bacchus Travel Service vention. Hospitals and hammed Rafiq (Photos by Francis Q. Farrier) clinics have been briefed song, “The World and are almost fully prepared is One”. I’m walking for the worse, while hoping for across the campus of the the best. The leaders of most University of Sydney in AusIndigenous villages have also m a r tralia where I am attending closed their communities to kets in Georgetown are a World Theatre Exchange visitors. While on the Coastland being thoroughly sanitised for Theatre operatives of quite a number of Community regularly. The Mayor and City the British Commonwealth Policing Groups have joined in Council has also been setting of Nations in 1993. An atthe life and death battle. Guy- up handwashing stations around tendee from India is slowly ana is a country of freedom of Georgetown for use by citizens strolling ahead of me quietly worship, but although houses who have to be out and about singing that Mohammed of worship have been closed engaged in essential services.

Rafiq song “The World is down since the coronavirus The Ministry of Public One”, probably induced by was identified in this country, Health has been giving regular the presence of the variety the faithful have been praying up-dates on the evolving situ- of other participants from for deliverance from within ation and what is being done all around the British Comtheir homes. Many Guyanese to fight off this deadly silent monwealth. I creep up behave taken the advice of the killer virus. On a personal level hind him and from a solo, Medical Authorities, and have I have lost three friends of over it becomes a duet. He turns been obeying the issued offi- 50 years, who have succumbed around and asks me where cial instructions. Nonetheless, to the COVID-19 abroad. Vet- I’m from as we engage in a Guyana is not quite out of eran Travel Agent Jim Bacchus, friendly conversation. After the woods, as it were. As the formally of New Amsterdam, exchanging a few pleasantanti-COVID-19 battle goes on, died in New York. So too, an- ries we shake hands and the more and more corporate citi- other friend of mine, Veteran song continues; this time a zens are stepping forward and Guyana Airlines Corporation duet. “...remember friend, giving support, such as Food Manager Billy Braithwaite, The World is One”. He from for the Poor. who also died in New York. India and myself from GuyGeorgetown Mayor, Pan- Poet and Dramatist Michael ana - living worlds apart dit Ubraj Narine recently ex- Gilkes has been a friend of - but it was for that forever pressed some dissatisfaction mine at the Theatre Guild in magical moment, I have alwith the actions of some stall- Georgetown, going back to the ways remembered that sweet holders and shoppers at the 1960s. He fell victim to the Mohammed Rafiq song, “The Stabroek and Bourda Municipal COVID-19 in England where World is One”. So, too, now markets. The First Citizen has he died. Although I did not with the COVID-19 pandembeen imploring them to do the know Leon Gaskin as well as I ic, in 2020.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

III

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

IV

Celebrating ‘Girls in ICT’ A

Rosanna Ferreira

number of young, bright and talented young women in Guyana are contributing positively to the country’s ICT sector (Information and Communications Technology) and are leading the way to a more buzzing industry locally.

International Girls in ICT Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday every April to create a global environment that empowers and encourages girls and young women to consider studies and careers in this growing field.

“It always brings me great excitement to observe International Girls in ICT Day, because every year, we continue to see the growing momentum that this occasion generates internationally,” Minister of Public Telecommunications Catherine Hughes expressed.

In a written statement to mark this year’s occasion, the Minister observed that the growth and attention garnered by International Girls in ICT Day annually is testimony

Penelope DeFreitas

%

― 70 of jobs in next decade to be found in IT sector

that the world is increasingly recognising the importance of equipping girls and young women with the necessary skills to become ICT professionals.

“In today’s world, ICTs play an integral role in our professional and personal lives. Moreover, as the necessity of ICTs increases, the need for digital skills continues to grow. Currently, there is a significant skills shortage in the ICT sector and yet we recognise that seventy percent of jobs in the next decade will be found in this sector,” she pointed out.

“This, therefore, is an opportune time to inspire girls and young women to take an interest in the careers and other opportunities available in this dynamic field and to position their studies along a pathway that can lead them to such careers. Girls and young women who are skilled in app development, coding, computer science and other related skills will quickly be able to access these opportunities given the growing need in the sector,” the minister added.

Here in Guyana, she offered that while the process has started, she has seen a burst in en-

trepreneurial activities amongst especially young Guyanese from animation to the development of apps. “I am proud of these achievements. So, as always, I applaud the commemoration of this day and urge our girls and young women to keep their eyes and ears open to all that the ICT sector has to offer and to consider these options.

The Pepperpot Magazine spoke with some of the young women who are making a positive impact in the ICT field, and below are some of their stories: Penelope DeFreitas, Head of Department of Computer Science at the University of Guyana: Penelope holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and post-graduate diploma in Education from the University of Guyana. She has also obtained a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from the University of the West Indies, Mona campus, with research interests in the areas of E-Learning, Computer Science Education, Human Computer Interaction, and E-Waste.

Her journey and love for ICT started in the early 2000s when she received her first computer and got access to the internet.

Obtaining a background in a few software tools and maintenance of computers built her confidence and piqued her interest to move on to advanced level of studies.

In 2004, she joined the University of Guyana to pursue a diploma in Computer Science. “I learned how

to programme using C, design databases, create simple websites, work and manage small teams, make use of data structures to solve problems, recreate my favourite games, etc.” she told the Pepperpot Magazine.

Some of the notable projects she worked on alongside her colleagues included a graphical model and tutorial of the solar system using OpenGL and C++, e-solutions for paper-based systems at UG, a prototype for an e-banking system and an undergraduate research project entitled - “Calculus with a Twist: An Exploration of Methods for Effectively Conveying Math Principles To Right Brained Individuals”. “The undergraduate research course

fluential in helping me to think like a scientist, inventor and change agent.”

Among the set of entities reaching out to Penelope to offer full time openings, was the University of Guyana. “My time at

proved to be to most i n Jubilanté Cutting

TURN TO PAGE V

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

Celebrating ‘Girls in ...

the University of Guyana has been a rewarding and blessed journey.

As Head of Department, I have received countless opportunities to act as an ambassador of Guyana and build my professional profile.”

Jubilanté Cutting, Founder of Guyana Animation Network Inc. (GAN)

Jubilanté’s work with GAN allows her to be a digital advocate for creating opportunities for young people and children in the industry. “My work entails advocating for opportunities, but I go beyond that in actually providing training opportunities for the young people and children,” she told this publication.

For the past five years, GAN has been providing those opportunities through training of different skills such as digital painting; using the Wacom tablet; in Adobe illustrator which allows persons to enhance their digital skills in illustration; in comic art design; in areas of pencil 2 D animation and 3D animation and game design, and coding for children to build their own animation and games.

GAN continues to capitalise on local, regional and global opportunities for

young people and children. GAN is hosting a summer camp that is fully virtual for the first time during July 20-25 and persons can begin signing up.

Their plans include to establish a digital school that will attract not only Guyanese but creators from anywhere in the world.

Rosanna Ferreira, ICT engineer at National Data Management Authority (NDMA).

Rosanna graduated from the University of Guyana with a Bachelor’s of Science in Computer Science and she also possesses a Master’s in Business Administration. As an ICT Engineer, some of her duties include leading government e-services projects, which call for a lot of planning.

“I love technology. I believe it makes life so much easier and simplifies many everyday tasks.

Therefore given the nature of my job and where I work; under the mandate of the NDMA (to lead the egovernment program for Guyana using the whole of government approach), it means that I get to do what I love using the very thing I love; helping people by the use of technology,” she expressed.

While those in the ICT sector are often accused of being

nerds and anti-social, Rosanna said they are still required to speak with people quite often to understand their needs to ensure the successful implementation of projects when thinking about the end-users.

Her future plans in the ICT sector include a doctorate and she sees herself expanding the knowledge that she has in other ICT areas. “Programming; maybe some networking; the sky is the limit. And it’s said that if you love what you do, you would have never worked a day in your life - it’s a fib; you will feel tired, some days drained and some days even frustrated but your love for what you do will certainly give you a sense of accomplishment for every hurdle you encounter and a sense of fulfillment most of the time.”

Rajni Persaud, Intern Technology Developer at v75 Inc

Rajni’s interest in technology sparked in the fifth form when she built her first programme.

“I was surprised at how smaller things like a simple ‘for loop’, ‘if statement’ and ‘variables’ could be put together in a few lines of code t o Rajni solve Persaud basic

problems.

F r o m there on, I wanted to learn more and more,” she ex-

pressed.

Rajni gradually grew inclined towards technology, as she felt that it gave her the freedom to create anything. As such, she decided to pursue a career in the field of Computer Science. After being granted a scholarship to continue her studies at UG, Rajni decided against registering for Computer Science as the classrooms were not fully accessible. She then started finding out about possible alternatives.

“Last year, an opportunity came in the form of an essay competition hosted by Girls + Tech.

As a participant, I was invited to attend the Gala. It was here that I shared my story with Ms. Evie Khanai-Gurchuran, the Managing Director of Girls + Tech. And from that day onwards, she has been there supporting me in every possible way. It was at that same event, on May 11, 2019, that I met Mr. Eldon Marks, Founder and CEO of V75 Inc. I shared my story with him as well. He immediately invited me to visit V75 Inc/ NeXus Hub Inc. Upon visiting, I was offered an internship at V75 Inc, which I accepted.”

Her journey, as a developer, officially began when she went to V75 Inc/NeXus Hub Inc. “This environment is perfect for learning, as it gives you the freedom to create and innovate. As a young developer, I was given the opportunity to choose a project; anything I wish to create. I also design how it will function and set the goals I wish to achieve upon completion of this project.

“Shortly after, I was given my first ‘real’ project to build a developer personality test. I started exploring Laravel and creating user interfaces, as I built my first fully functional application. Building this application, was quite an experience, primarily because it was here that the components

started connecting naturally and it worked fine with minimal effort.

I was also allowed to participate in MOPT’s Hackathon 2019.

Spending 48 hours with the team, doing what I love the most is truly extraordinary.”

Indrawattie Hirai, ICT Entrepreneur

Indrawattie Hirai (Arti) is an entrepreneur, who co-founded the A+ Computer Training Centre (ACTC), when there was a need for one on the West Coast of Demerara. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and has worked in many community projects that taught coding to youths, mentor and encourage young girls to get involved in coding.

V FROM PAGE IV

Some of her projects, in collaboration with the Ministry of Telecommunication, were to provide free computer training to youths in the Vreed-en-Hoop Community and orphanages on the West Coast of Demerara. She is also a facilitator for the Code Camp Programme that is provided the youths in various regions of Guyana through the Ministry of Public Telecommunications.

Through her business, she provides free community Cyber Security seminars in various villages in Guyana.

Herself and team at ACTC, in collaboration with various Governmental and Non- Governmental Institutions have provided free Computer Repairs Training

in 2019 to 96 unemployed youths from Regions 2, 3, 4 and 6, so they can gain employment or become entrepreneurs themselves.

Indrawattie’s upcoming project is to provide basic Computer training to 100 mothers who are computer illiterate, so they can assist their children with assignments and other like projects and also teach them to use the computer to elevate themselves. She is currently furthering her studies to become a Cyber Security Analyst. Her main goal is to inspire girls/ women to get involved in the Information Technology field.

Indrawattie is also a member of the advisory board for Girls in Tech Guyana.

VI

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

Empathy in a time of anxiety E ACH week, for the past five weeks or so, I’ve used this space to share my thoughts on the seemingly ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic and I was oddly surprised when I realised that I hadn’t yet taken the time to address the need for empathy during this period of anxiety.

As a disclaimer, let me say that empathy (or understanding and navigating feel-

ings, generally) is something I’ve only recently begun actively learning about, since, for most of my adult life (not that it’s been very long), I did not see the importance of this. However, the upheaval in my life caused by my move to Trinidad to study and more recently, the COVID-19 pandemic, have both contributed to my newfound appreciation for empathy and emotional awareness.

The novel coronavirus

and COVID-19 are an unexpected and unprecedented disruptions in my life, as I have become accustomed to. I’ve written articles about the ramifications of this pandemic on the economy, on health and wellness (including mental health and mental wellness), businesses and generally, on daily life for the average Joe. And while I like to think I have a general idea of the impact, much of that is only what’s in my imagination. So then, how

is it that I feel some sort of deep emotion in my chest (or somewhere in that general area, wherever feelings are felt) whenever I think about how people are responding to this situation?

I didn’t want to parade as an expert and go on talking about empathy and feelings, and kindness and all those words that I can easily throw around to sound like a decent human being. So I thought about reading and learning first, and luckily,

my friends have been gently pushing in this area for some time now, so, finding material wasn’t difficult.

I revisited a video by Brené Brown on what is “empathy”, which also spoke about distinguishing empathy from sympathy. A loved one sent this video to me in April last year, and I looked at it only because she told me to (not very ‘decent human being’ of me); I didn’t genuinely internalise it. One year later, I have seen the error in my ways.

Brené shared that empathy is a choice that people make, and a vulnerable choice at that, to position yourself in someone else’s perspective. It encompasses four tenets: perspective-taking, staying out of judgement, recognising emotion in other people and communicating.

Essentially, she said, “Empathy is feeling with people.”

Shinelle Bayrd, Founder and President of The Wellness Centre (TWC), a local mental health support organisation, shared with me recently that this pandemic is not only a global health crisis, but it is also a global mental health crisis. Due to the measures taken to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and COVID-19 itself, she indicated that persons are going to feel increasingly anxious because of the reality with which they have to contend, which is also influenced by their varying personal experiences.

Empathy isn’t only about those things that I can connect to personally, but it is also about connecting with people, without having the personal connection to whatever they’re experiencing. According to Brené, a response rarely

ever helps someone (especially if you try to paint a person’s situation with a silver lining), but it is the simple fact of recognising and understanding that someone is going through something that adversely affects them that shows your empathy.

I feel for people who aren’t going to be rescued by institutional safety nets and welfare programmes during this pandemic, and people who are part of the informal sectors of the economy, who have no choice but to face the threat of COVID-19 to earn an income. I also feel for people who have been forced to stay at home in situations that aren’t the best for their health and wel-being.

Though I believe that this bit of empathy is drawn from my reality, it is a start in being a more compassionate person. And I would hope that from reading this, this is something that you all would think about too.

When I reread these words I’ve written here, I’m probably going to feel very awkward and convince myself this is a ‘cringey’ piece. I’ll probably also think about how weird people might think I am after reading this, and chastise myself for not writing on a less personal topic, such as the consequences of this past week’s slump in oil prices for Guyana (you can read my article on that on the Guyana Chronicle’s website, nevertheless). But, that’s alright. I’m learning to be okay with those thoughts and feelings and I’m learning that these words may also be just as important to somebody else.

Love & Light.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

The home of Focus the sweetest pines, well-kept yards and the nicest people

VII

Belle Vue

on the Village

The dog, Facebook napping

By Michel Outridge

H I S week the Pepperpot Magazine journeyed to the serene and picturesque village of Belle Vue, West Bank Demerara,

T

formed more than 50 years ago by 55 farmers, who left their places of abode in Essequibo, Demerara and Berbice and went there to start the co-op of cane farmers.

The other section is the Belle Vue New Scheme which

The village is home to about 450 residents, who are cash crops, cattle and rice farmers, some private sector workers and some self-employed folk.

In every yard, there are fruit trees and thriving kitch-

fresh pines. This resident is originally from Long Pond, also on the West Bank Demerara but came to Belle Vue after marriage more than 23 years ago. The union has produced six children, three grown and three school-aged.

Muniram told the team that she sells the produce from the farm and her husband does the tending to the crops. Collectively, they make ends meet to support their family with an income from daily sales when they have crops of cassava and pine.

She related that they would do their shopping at either Vreed-en-Hoop, Sister’s Village Market and in the city. ‘‘Well you can’t sit and complain so we are doing what we can to make a living and I have to put up with the sun because this is my job and we depend on it,’’ she said.

Muniram stated that they have been into farming for the past two years and it is a patient kind of living because pines take 18 months just to bear flowers, then another

Pine vendor and resident of Belle Vue, Sapna Muniram at her roadside stand The sweetest pines of Belle Vue

Belle Vue Village (Carl Croker photos)

where the team interacted with the locals, thus, highlighting their way of life.

Belle Vue is home to Guyanese of mixed race, Indo-Guyanese and Afro-Guyanese, who co-exist in harmony without any issues.

The village has two sections. The first is Belle Vue Pilot Scheme which was

has many modern houses and good infrastructure.

Belle Vue is French and it means “Pretty View” and it is indeed a pretty place to reside with lush cane fields, the Demerara River in the background and friendly people.

Belle Vue Village is sandwiched between Stanleytown and Good Intent.

en gardens to ease the pockets of residents. The village has a workshop, a church, a few shops, a few bridges which connect the village to the Public Road and a community centre with a large field for sports activities.

Sapna Muniram is a vendor and a resident, who was by the roadside selling farm-

The 40-year-old related that when they have crops she would go to the Public Road and set up her small stall to sell the pines from 08:00hrs to till about 18:00hrs. ‘‘This village is a cane cutting place where residents depend heavily on cane farming for a living but with the closure of the Wales Estate a few years ago were forced to do other jobs to support our families,’’ she said.

Muniram reported that her husband cuts cane at the Uitvlugt Sugar Estate on a part-time basis but with COVID-19 he has to rely on farming until things return to normal.

five months to ripen. ‘‘Back dam work not easy and my husband does it and went already and is home taking a rest to return in the afternoon to tend to crops,’’ she said.

Muniram added that most villagers are related and know each other because they are descendants of the first 55 cane farmers that were the first settlers in the village.

She had company, her dog, named ‘Facebook’ because of his intense curiosity of social media. He was sleeping under the stall and would only get up when she is ready to go home, she said.

VIII

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

Focus on the Village

Zaheer Bashir

By Michel Outridge

ELYWN Rogers is a resident of Belle Vue, West Bank Demerara and he has a very thriving kitchen garden of fruits and vegetables.

When the team visited he was assisting his son with some homework, under their shed, in the back yard. The boy is being home-schooled with some online programmes since classes are out until further notice due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

The father of three has lived all his life in the village and when he is not at work, he is at church.

Rogers related that life in Belle Vue is good, a quiet area where people live in unity and peace.

“I put in some work in the kitchen garden when I have the time like now, I finished put down some seedlings and free some plants of weeds,” he said.

Zaheer Bashir is a villager of the New Scheme and an Uitvlugt Estate worker who said he was laid off due to COVID-19 and is hoping the virus passes on so he can return to work to upkeep his family.

“Right now I am not doing anything for work so I am living off some money that was set aside for instances such as this,” he said.

Since he is not into farming, Bashir said he will have to look for work until things return to normalcy. He also has a small kitchen garden and the produce is used for his kitchen.

Bashir added that life in Belle Vue is relaxed but one must work for a living since you cannot sit and get things at the ready.

“You cannot sit and complain you have to get up and do something to earn and I have to seek an alternative job soon,” he said.

S

Waiting out the curfew and surviving COVID-19

Selwyn Rogers

Bashir was part of a group of men from the village, who hang out in the tray of the old estate truck on a daily basis to catch up on village chat.

“We convert this truck tray into a liming spot because sitting here you get the cool breeze and in the afternoon we come out to relax and unwind after a hard day of work,” he said.

Bashir reported that most men in the village used to be

cane farmers but as time passed they went into other jobs.

He explained that the people in the village have established small businesses to earn and many are security guards.

Bashir disclosed that villagers were allotted two acres of land each to farm and some have utilised the plots to farm while others are yet to do same.

The village has shady trees under which makeshift tree truck was used as seating for residents along the roadside.

Men of Belle Vue liming in the tray of the estate truck (Carl Croker photos)

The defunct Belle Vue Fair Trade Co-op Society building

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

IX

f o n e The wom

e u V e l Bel

Passionate volunteers and talented homemakers

By Michel Outridge

ITH the COVID-19 curfew, Belle Vue resident, Mandy Singh, who is a volunteer in social work in her community and further afield was doing her part in the fight against the novel virus.

She has a sewing machine and with her sewing skills put to good use, she was making fabric face masks to assist her brother, who works at a city private sector business place, to distribute to his colleagues.

“I have the time and I can do it so why not and here I am

W

herself and life.

“When I was small people used to live family but it is different now but there are no issues here and we go about our business,” she said.

Singh has a kitchen garden of fresh fruits and vegetables and was kind enough to offer some the team some fever grass and sour sap leaves to make tea.

The Pepperpot Magazine also met Dian Ramrup who invests her time and money in her flower and plant garden.

Her yard is well-kept and her sitting area is one of the cosiest, a really nice place to sit and relax or to have a cup of tea.

The finished fabric face masks made

by Mandy Singh

making these face masks to give away free of cost and we are like that because we like to help people in whatever way we can,” she said.

Singh teaches after-school classes free to children in the village but that has been put on hold because of the Coronavirus. “ The police came to visit and asked what we need and donated some paint and we painted the community centre building and we appreciate it but we don’t have furniture to have classes for the children,” she said.

Singh added that before the Coronavirus she held a oneweek camp which was sponsored for the children in the village and that was successful with an attendance of 10.

She explained that the children in the community need after-school tutoring because they have some difficulty reading.

This resident stated that she has never sought employment but might in the near future and has put a lot into volunteer work and is willing to work with any non-governmental organisation to assist children and the needy.

Singh pointed out that Belle Vue is a very quiet place and she is accustomed to the eerie quiet of the place.

“I am home so whatever I can do to help others I contribute and this village is a cane farming one but the people do other work now,” she said.

Singh added that she visits Trinidad and Tobago at times but apart from that she is home-grown and is at peace with

Dian Ramrup showcasing her many plants (Carl Croker photos)

Mandy Singh and her fever grass

The sitting area has a rocking chair among many other chairs, a hammock, mats, flower plants in home-made pots and artificial flowers in Dutch bottle vases and others that decorate the walls.

The 34-year-old told the team she is originally from La Retraite, also on the West Bank Demerara and used to live at the current location for five years and had moved away but returned after her father-in-law took ill.

She has been in Belle Vue for the past several years and her husband is an excavator operator and they have no children yet.

“Life is a bit challenging right now because we can’t go out as we should to do business and other things but we are coping and I went to the Plant Shop to buy plants for my yard and that felt good, almost therapeutic,” she said.

She has a small plant shop in her back yard and spends a lot of time tending to them.

Ramrup has a neat apartment aback her father-in-law’s house which is decorated with flowers as well, much to the distaste of her spouse, who thinks it’s too much.

“I am a flower person and my mom is too so I guess it runs in the family and I take it up as a hobby, a good way to spend my time and I really enjoy every minute of it,” she said.

She has a lot of Dutch bottles and when asked where she got it, she related that her husband was at a work site digging with an excavator to prepare the land for a building and he found them and brought it home.

“Well you would have heard stories from your elders about taking Dutch things home but once you find it you can take it but you can’t dig into any tombs or things like that,” she said.

She has made some nice plant pots after watching a video on YouTube in different colours and sizes.

Ramrup said old clothes and cement were used to create the plant pots and they are not for sale, just for decorative purposes.

She told the team that it is a good neighbourhood to live and she enjoys the quiet and breeze.

X

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

‘Bush-cook’ in Belle Vue Passing time during a pandemic Jailall Rameshwar taking home his cows (Carl Croker photos)

Focus on the Village

Men of Belle Vue fishing

‘Bush-cook’ preparation in the backyard

By Michel Outridge

ITH nothing to do and all the time to do, Gayatri Lall, her husband and the children of her street in Belle Vue New Scheme, West Bank Demerara decided to utilise the time to make a ‘bush-cook’ of chicken cook-up-rice in their back yard.

The group had set up a makeshift fireside of bricks and had gathered some leaves and pieces of wood to start the fire. The ingredients were at the ready and before you know it the pot was bubbling, while the children played in the yard.

Lall, a pleasant woman with no children of her own has taken the responsibility to tend to the children in the neighbourhood.

“I don’t have children but these children are like my own because they are at my house a lot and we get along good,” she said.

Lall related that they were out, taking a break from being indoors to doing some outdoor activities.

The housewife added that collectively, they did some manual work on the property but they do not reside at the location since the house is not quite finished.

Lall and her husband reside in the next street and they have been there for the past 26 years.

“We had nothing to do after cleaning up so we said why not a ‘bush-cook’ in the yard to pass time and it is a good way to relax after being indoors for a while,” she said.

The Pepperpot Magazine also met Jailall Rameshwar, known as “Azim”, a local, who was on his way to take home his cows and sheep.

The animals were grazing in an empty plot across from the Public Road.

Jailall said he has been living in the village for the past 48 years and does buy and sell fish right in the community.

He related that the buying and selling of fish from Meadowbank Wharf, in the city, is a part-time job.

Jailall is a cattle farmer with four cows and more than 20 sheep and he tends to his animals daily.

“I worked at the Wales Estate for 28 years and when it closed down I had to do other jobs and with the pay-out money I invested in cattle and I am earning from the venture,” he said.

Jailall disclosed that life isn’t complicated as it often seems because one has to do things to enhance their life.

“Life isn’t a bunch of roses but you have to make it worthwhile and work,” he said.

Jailall added that Belle Vue New Scheme is a nice place to live and life is fair there once one has a job to bring in an income.

He was on his way with his bicycle and bamboo to take home his sheep and cows.

W

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

A good time to help others

Seecharran Rabindranauth

XI

Kowsilla Mangra

How residents are making do in difficult times

Focus on the Village

Bibi Bashir and her brother, Abdul Bashir in their front yard

The tray of an estate truck used as a ‘liming spot’ for locals

Shop of Kowsilla Mangra (Carl Croker photos)

By Michel Outridge

IBI Bashir and her sibling, Abdul Bashir are both unable to work but both depend on other financial sources of support to maintain their nutritional and needs and to pay bills.

Bibi Bashir never benefitted from the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pension but she had been depending on the public assistance benefit, but that was ceased a few months ago due to some glitches.

She said that she is being told to wait on a telephone call before visiting the local office.

Bibi Bashir is a mother of two grown children, who have their own families to take care of. She noted that she fell some years ago and is unable to have the full use of her right hand.

As such, she is unable to work for a living and also has varicose veins in her feet which makes it painful to walk. Despite

B

these challenges, she is still hoping life gets better.

As for Abdul Bashir, he is diabetic, who is taking it easy although his disability benefit was cut since 2016.

The siblings, had their dog, ‘Princess’ nearby keeping a watchful eye on the team during our visit.

Meanwhile, down the street, the team met Kowsilla Mangra, who has a shop and was selling from the inside due to COVID-19, so she was observing social distancing.

This woman, an elder as well, said she has been at the location for the past 25 years, due to marriage and it is her mother-in-law’s place.

After she passed away they took over the small shop and began residing there, a few years ago, they have a house in the village, as well. She had locked the gate and was sitting on a bench and only got up to sell. Mangra was handing items over the fence and also relaxing after completing household chores.

The team also encountered Seecharran Rabindranauth, a resident of the Belle Vue New Scheme.

He was taking in some afternoon breeze and hoping to meet up with the men of the village in the ‘ol’ liming spot, an abandoned estate truck which used to transport sugar workers.

The men made it into their ‘chill spot’ and have a hammock to relax and the wooden benches in the tray of the truck is used to sit.

He described life in the village as challenging since he cannot work as a painter due to the curfew.

Rabindranauth had just finished cutting his neighbour’s hair since there wasn’t much to do he was making use of the time.

The father of three related that his wife left with the children 10 years ago and ever since he resides alone.

“Coping after a break up is not easy but life goes on and I am trying to be helpful to others in the community,” he said.

XII

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

d n i M e t i r The W by Jasmaine Payne Self-Publishing vs Traditional Publishing

I

Which path should Caribbean writers take?

N his 2003 Anthology ‘Ariadne & Other Stories’, Guyanese writer Ruel Johnson said: “A real publishing industry in the Caribbean is non-existent. Our far-flung and fragmented geography, small population and an increasing apathy towards literature are just some of the factors that combine to make the production and sale of books ‘adventurous’ in economic terms.”

Unfortunately for Caribbean writers, 17 years have passed, and this is still the case. There are little to no options in this Region for native writers to get their work published traditionally. The only pathway left for us, therefore, is to either invest our own money into the project or to embark on the arduous process of seeking sponsorshipeven with the existing apathy towards literature to which Johnson alluded.

For many reasons, the Caribbean literature canon consists of a proliferation of self-published or indie-published works. While this pathway has, itself, increasingly become the path of choice for writers internationally, the lack of an established industry in this region leads to the persistence of issues pertaining to copyright, mass production, marketing and funding for Caribbean writers.

The few options that are within our grasp My knowledge of all the options that exist is, by no means, exclusive. In fact, I write simply as a fellow stakeholder in this arena, in search of said options of getting my work out there.

Based on my experience, I am aware of the seemingly-defunct Guyana Prize for Literature, which was the most recent local option that allowed Guyanese writers to

get their manuscripts published and access training via workshops. In the Caribbean, among the more well-known options for writers is the Bocas Lit Fest which, through its annual festival and other initiatives, fosters networking and creates links among writers, readers, publishers and others. I have otherwise stumbled across entities like CaribLit, which makes connections between Caribbe-

an writers and the United Kingdom; and The Caribbean Writer, a regional publicationbut neither seem to be very active recently- unless you count their interactions on Twitter. The Commonwealth Prize also recognises Caribbean writers, but none of these are concrete publishing options, and only a few cater for full-length manuscripts or the longevity of these writers’

careers. Further, the ability to get their attention seems to be shrouded in the perception that there are many gatekeepers that make it hard for a wide inclusion of writers to get published.

How to self-publish your book So, as a result of what I highlighted above, self-publishing remains the easiest way we can get our work out

there, if we ever are to stand a chance as writers. So, if you are considering this option, here is some information on how you can go about doing that.

Self-publishing or indie-publishing means that you can bypass all the red tape of sending a book proposal to an agent and trying to sell your manuscript to taking your content into your own hands

and presenting it to the public on your own terms. When an author self-publishes, they manage and control the entire process and they own all their content. This means that the writer is responsible for writing as well as ensuring the editing, publishing, marketing and distribution of the finished product. Depending on where you choose to sell your published book, you can also earn between 40 to

100 percent of the profits earned on sales. For example, self-published authors could receive 70% of the royalties for an eBook priced between $2.99 and $9.99 when they sell on Amazon.

Drawbacks of being self-published This seems like a great deal especially since you have total creative and mar-

keting control and can also get your book on the market much faster than the traditional route. However, there are drawbacks to this independent process. First, it is a lot of work to do on your own, so you will still need to hire professionals (editors, marketers, printing presses etc) to get it right, and without sponsorship- which is hard to get- you have to invest 100% of the money.

Additionally, in trying to cut costs, many self-published authors end up doing the entire thing on their own which brings out a low quality and standard of work and even results in poor marketing, sales and ultimately profits.

This is the struggle of the self-published author.

The lack of quality has therefore created a stigma in the self-publishing world.

Many traditionally published authors and those in that arena look down on self-published works as substandard or a shortcut of the “real” process. This has gradually begun to change, however, given that bestsellers such as ‘The Martian’, ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’, ‘Eragon’ and ‘Legally Blonde’ – all of which were also made into movieswere all initially self-published works and are proof that with the right bit of luck and marketing tactics, you can earn real money from self-published work.

Final bit of advice As I have outlined before, Caribbean writers already don’t have the luxury of choosing between self-publishing and traditional publishing unless they have lots of luck and patience to pursue the traditional route. If you can find the money to invest in putting out your own project, then by all means, go ahead. However, I have noticed that many persons end up rushing this process just to make quick sales and/ or call themselves “authors” overnight. That is, of course, not the way to go. Following up from my advice on how to write a novel, I would say to persons looking to get published: do your research, take your time and write a good finished product, invest your money in getting professionals to bring it up to standard and market it properly.

If you do not have the money, then take the time to learn the process well and execute the project on your own, but before you do so, ensure that at the very least, it can stand the test of time next to other bestsellers on the shelf.

Interested in contributing to this column on writing? Email me at thewritemind592@gmail.com

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

e h t e h f t o f o e u l e a u v l a v e h TThe s g n i h t e l p sim

T

H I S season is allowing me to reflect more than normal and I am enjoying it immensely. I am also listening to the interesting things people are saying and posting.

Some people are bored while others are panicking and feeling hopeless and some are optimistic that this too shall pass.

Some are worried about their next meal, the house rent, the car or house they just bought or a business.

One of the terms we are hearing often in “we are all in the same boat”.

I believe we are in the same storm but in different ships or boats and the winds and waves affect us differently. Your ship may ride the waves better because of the way it was constructed and material used.

It can be difficult but I believe is very important to see beyond what is in front of us. One of the things most of us are recognising the value of the simple things.

Like Raquel and I stopping at OMG to enjoy a cone while on our masks distribution mission. We sat in the vehicle and totally enjoyed that cone with the ordinary cone cups because we don’t need the extra sugar from the waffle cups. We are both sweet enough anyway lol. It is healthy to laugh in this season even if we have to laugh at ourselves. My granddaughter Payton Elizabeth tried to kiss me through the screen on the phone a few days ago and it made me laugh while realising that this may be

our reality for a while. I miss all the movie dates with my grandson Jaidyn.

The last movie we saw at Giftland was Sonics The Hedgehog and we had already decided what was next on the list. As an entrepreneur, we can get consumed by business and have less time for the things that bring us the most joy.

I have learnt some lessons in the past year and I am intentional about using them to make me a better person. My brother Sherwin who passed away last year was planning to value the

things and people he took for granted but unfortunately never got the chance.

One essay I never get tired of reading is the one that was reportedly written by Steve Jobs in the last days of his life. It forces me to value what we call “the small stuff” that gives us big joy.

“I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes, my life is an epit-

ome of success. However, aside from work, I have little joy. In the end, wealth is only a fact of life that I am accustomed to. At this moment, lying on the sick bed and recalling my whole life, I realise that all the recognition and wealth that I took so much pride in, have paled and become meaningless in the face of impending death. In the darkness, I look at

the green lights from the life-supporting machines and hear the humming mechanical sounds, I can feel the breath of the god of death drawing closer …Now I know, when we have accumulated sufficient wealth to last our lifetime, we should pur-

sue other matters that are unrelated to wealth …

Should be something that is more important: Perhaps relationships, perhaps art, perhaps a dream from younger days Non-stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me.

God gave us the senses to let us feel the love in everyone’s heart, not the illusions brought

about by wealth.

The wealth I have won in my life I cannot bring with me. What I can bring is only the memories precipitated by love.

That’s the true riches which will follow you, accompany you,

XIII

Beyond the Runway with Dr. Sonia Noel ... Inspiring lives through fashion giving you strength and light to go on.

Love can travel a thousand miles. Life has no limit. Go where you want to go. Reach the height you want to reach. It is all in your heart and in your hands.

What is the

most expensive bed in the world?

Sick bed …

You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear the sickness for you.

Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost — Life.

When a person

goes into the operating room, he will realise that there is one book that he has yet to finish reading — Book of Healthy Life.

Whichever stage in life we are at right now, with time, we will face the day when the curtain comes down.

Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends. Treat yourself well. Cherish others.”

I am sure many of you read these words before and it has impacted you.

Notice he never mentioned, “I should have created another apple product or purchased another jet”. It was the simple things he craved in the end.

Those things we take for granted most of the time are priceless and provide the most happiness. I am questioning my ‘why’ more these days and I know I am not alone.

I would love my readers to interact with me more in this season.

E m a i l b e yondtherunway1@ gmail.com and sharing one lesson you have learnt during this crisis as we celebrate this journey called life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.

XIV

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020 #SupportCreativity

By Subraj Singh

'The Great British Bake Off’and Baking During the Quarantine

C

OOKING has undoubtedly been one of the pastimes that people with the time and resources have returned to in the wake of the lockdowns and self-quarantin-

ing that have emerged all over the world due to the coronavirus. Baking, especially bread, seems to have emerged on social media as the staple that most people, particularly in North Amer-

ica and Europe, have turned to. While I am certainly not a baker, I have found one foolproof way of connecting with the many people who choose to use the quarantine as an opportunity to bond

with their loved ones in this manner, and that is through my bingeing of the BBC baking competition show, “The Great British Bake Off.” Now, let’s be real. Everyone loves reality cooking

competitions. There is just something about the idea of chefs hustling and rushing to cook large batches of visually appealing and delicious food while operating under a short duration of time and with ingredients that they may or may not be familiar with. Anyone who has seen “Chopped” or “The Final Table” knows that someone’s dream can come to an end just because he or she used too little salt or left something cooking for a few seconds longer than it needed to. In cooking competitions, the stakes are high and the tension is real. This is a part of what makes “The Great British Bake Off” so appealing to me, but there is no doubt that there are some other particulars that set this show apart from others of its kind.

“Bake Off,” for example, seems to thrive on being regarded as a good-natured, happy, humorous version of other TV shows where competitors may become manipulative, nasty, or cutthroat in their attempts to win. On the contrary, based on the episodes that I have seen, “Bake Off” often features a cast of diverse bakers who almost always seem to represent the very best in people. The bakers are often kind, helpful (going so far as to aid their competitors when they are running out of time or having a meltdown in the middle of a competitive session), and, most importantly, they always keep the mood of the show light and funny, filled with warmth, a variety of puns, while presenting the viewers with a visual representation of what it means to be determined and perseverant at something that you truly love and are passionate about. Without a doubt, unlike other shows, “Bake Off” is shaped by the people it invites on to the show rather than the format of the show, and this is important because it does seem that the appeal is determined by the competitors, the people who come from everyday walks of life, and not necessarily by the machinations of producers and ‘TV people.’

Then there is the matter of

the food. The show has presented a variety of delicacies and, being a complete foodie, this pleases me. Furthermore, “Bake Off” has been truly educational to me in the sense that it has taught me about the many different things that can be made using flour. Additionally, I now have the ability to tell when someone has presented me with pastry that under-baked just by looking at it, along with many other baking-related tidbits of knowledge. The show has also got me thinking about cuisine as art, particularly after seeing how much artistry (sculpting, painting, building) goes into creating everything on the show, from pies shaped into Rapunzel’s tower to a collection of cupcakes that came together to form a sea monster

Photo by Hüseyin on Unsplash

– all truly astounding stuff.

While, I have not been inspired to bake, myself, and I am perfectly content with watching other people make delicious food, I can say that right now I am living through this particular television show in the same way that one lives through “Game of Thrones” or “Killing Eve.” I feel the clock ticking away. I am there with the bakers when they make a mistake or spill something. I feel their emotional reactions when a cake falls or a bun fails to rise, and I also have my own personal favourite bakers to root for. It really is like watching any other TV show.

So, while the world continues to wait out this current situation, and many people choose to bake with their families, or with their cats, or by themselves, I am definitely okay with watching “Bake Off” until everything in the world is resolved. Catharsis, the purging of built-up emotions within the individual, happens in several ways. One way is to cook, to make food.

Another way, my choice, is to watch TV shows so I can escape through the lives of the characters and, in this particular case, the charming, talented, and intelligent bakers who appear in “The Great British Bake Off.”

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

XV

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

t e t n a l in

g

th

e

c ur v

e

F

XVI

W

Flattening the curve by Alyce Cameron

HENEVER I visit an exhibition, I visit with the hope of meeting the artist. Besides having my interpretation of their work, I like to hear the story or message behind the piece. In my opinion, knowing this adds value to the work and increase my appreciation for the piece. At this critical juncture, social media is the only gallery available for exploration. While one of the main disadvantages is not being able to see the actual work and explore its texture and details, social media is a very convenient way to know more about an artist’s work and his/her thought process.

Recently I saw a drawing on Facebook that caught my attention. The piece was entitled Flattening the curve.

The drawing was created by young artist Alyce Cameron, using artist markers. One can clearly see that the drawing represents the COVID-19 pandemic. But what was the idea behind the name? And how does it relate to the image?

Alyce explained that to flatten the curve, we are advised to practise social distancing. Social distancing deprives us of the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual bond that society needs. Nonetheless, persons are making the necessary adjustments by connecting on social media. “I immediately thought of the long-distance relationships.”, she said.

Alyce uses red cups as a creative way of communicating.

The cups also represent the survival tactics and traditional medicine we use to stay healthy. The string represents the distance between the cups. It is strategically made using curved lines which spell ‘long’. A heart shape is made before the word to symbolise the love and kindness we show when we reach out to others. The brown trees represent the manipulation of nature by scientists. Alyce believes that their experiments are a threat to humanity and the planet.

The green symbol in the centre is the coronavirus that is separating and killing us. The sunray in the background represents the sun and its healing power, which offers hope and a possible cure for us.

When I saw the drawing, the cups took me back in time, to a childhood of fun and creativity. Although the virus is strategically positioned, the cups represent the ingenuity of humans to overcome. Regardless of the distance and the obstacles before us, we will find ways to communicate. It’s a simple piece with a good message.

In addition to creating artworks for us to remember this time, Alyce is also producing reusable face masks for the general public at an affordable cost. The mask-making venture started when her uncle asked her to make some for him and his colleagues, friends and family. After making a post on Facebook she was further guided by a health and safety officer regarding the preferred material and method.

Please note that a reuseable facemask will not prevent you from contracting the virus. It is just a precautionary measure in place to help reduce the spread. For Alyce, making these masks is not only her way of helping but it is also a means of earning. If you are interested in getting a facemask, you can visit her Facebook page Alyce McGarrel. Stay safe, until next time.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

XVII

MOTHERS OF MERCY, SISTERS OF COMPASSION

A

GES before the formation of the nurses’ fraternity as we know them today, the practice of women and men looked upon as healers flourished in tribal societies. By gender, their prominence may be ascribed in legend based on matriarchal or patriarchal preferences. Harnessing trough years observation, at times from animals and trial and error, they assembled medicine chests of herbs, roots and fruit towards the healing of the afflicted in their respected communities. These are of course the predecessors that inspired the first oral and written medical doctrines, creeds and manuscripts of the old world that the post-medieval practitioners inherited.

It is inspiring that the World Health Organization (WHO) has nominated 2020 as the year of the Nurse. Commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, noted as the lady of the lamp during the bloody Crimean war of 1854. Florence Nightingale is a significant part of that history, but not all of it.

Nothing stops the Caribbean fraternity of Nurses from adding another significant name for recognition and commemoration from our fount of gifted souls, in this respect the name and works of Mrs Mary Seacole of Jamaica. The unique child of an Afro-Jamaican mother and a Scottish army officer stationed in Jamaica, born Mary Jane Grant, November 23, 1805. As a child, Mary took to the unusual interest of nursing the cats and dogs of her neighbourhood, and

when older, she extended her interest to the nearby elderly folk. Mary was inspired and no doubt inherited the innate inclination of a healer from her mother who was nicknamed ‘The Doctress’ Her mother kept

her brother to set up a hotel, while there; she diagnosed what might have been the cause of the Cholera in the region. Again when the Cholera returned to Jamaica In 1853, her skills and approaches were most effective.

by the Americans she was the guest of honour. There the prejudices of the day unfolded from one American guest who toasted her sarcastically, ‘regretting that she was not born white and laughingly suggested that she

a lodging house in Kingston where she nursed army officers and their families. At 12, after much observation, Mary was allowed to help her mother with the patients. Mary Seacole as an adult was infected with Cholera when the epidemic hit Jamaica in 1850, applying methods and approaches she recovered. She then travelled to Panama with

She returned to Panama in 1854 and her arrival coincided with the Cholera epidemic in that country. There in Panama she applied her knowledge to assist Cholera victims and acquired the reputation as the ‘yellow woman from Jamaica with the Cholera medicine’ she was the celebration of the city and was invited to the 4th of July banquet given

should be bleached to make her so’. “Well gentlemen I expect that there are only two things we are vexed for. The first is that she ain’t one of us; a citizen of the United States, the other is that providence made her a yellow woman. Gentlemen, let’s drink to the health of Aunty Seacole.”

To which Mary Seacole replied.

“I must say that I don’t alto-

gether appreciate your friendly kind wishes with regard to my complexion. If it been dark as any negro’s I would have been just as happy and useful, and as much respected by those whose respect I value, and as to the offer of bleaching me, I should, even if it were practicable, decline it without any thanks. As to the society which the process might gain admission into, all I say is, from the specimens I have met here and elsewhere, I don’t think I shall lose much from being excluded from it. So, gentlemen, I drink to you and the general reformation of American manners.”

In 1854 another European war was alit, fuelled by religious contentions and national ambitions, that would include the British, French and Turks against Russia. The field of combat was Gallipoli-Crimea. By this time Mary Jane Grant had married Edwin Horatio Seacole, an invalid with English class pretentions, she not too long became a widow, with her mother also then diseased, she threw herself into her work as a healer, and with the Yellow fever outbreak in Jamaica in 1853 her services were again indispensable. Then Mary’s intentions became centred on the new theatre of conflict, where she was determined to go and participate as a Mother of Mercy, but upon applying and presenting her services to Florence Nightingale, who was then recruiting nurses for the campaign, she was rejected.

[Another opinion was the objection by the military, generally of having medical women on the Battle field] undeterred, Mary Seacole arrived at the Crimea,

financing her mission and built an establishment known as the Mess-Table and the British Hotel, and provided health, healing and support services to British troops, there is a perception that battlefields only incur wounds from weapons, but there are great possibilities of dysentery, yaws, Cholera, invasions of lice etc. Battlefields are places of death and that ‘Horseman’ does not know restraint; to which W.H Russell the London Times war correspondent wrote of her “In their time of illness, these men in common with many others, have found a kind and successful physician. Close to the railway, Mrs Seacole formally of Kingston Jamaica and of several parts of the world such as Panama and Chagres has pitched her abodeand here she doctors and cures all manner of men with extraordinary success. She is always in attendance on the battle fields and has earned many a poor fellows blessing...”-abridged.

She remained in Crimea after the war, having stood the hardships better than Florence Nightingale who had to be ordered home because of illness. Mary left Crimea broke, but the gratitude of the British people had reimbursed her. She passed on May 14, 1881. Mary Seacole is well celebrated in Jamaica, but that is not enough, we of the Caribbean Plantation, of CARICOM, must have our MAMA MERCY, Mary of Healing, of equal merit and stature to Madam Nightingale. Sources- World’s Great Men of Colour vol. 2-J.A. Rogers: -National Library of Jamaica.

To the people who can’t get out of bed

T

HIS one is an important one for me because there was a time when it was difficult for me to get out of bed in the morning. Sometimes it’s hard to find a purpose and you’re not alone in this thought.

It’s more than the bed is comfortable, the covers are warm, your body is in the most comfortable position; it’s the feeling that no matter what, you do not want to get out of that bed. You might feel there is no reason to but a strong part of you really does want to get up, you just can’t. Fear not, some things can be done.

Sometimes, its medical conditions, such as depression or Dysania - that’s the word psychiatrists use to describe those who don’t get out of bed – but other times, its things that we can do on your own, without any professional help.

I’m not shying away from professional help because typically if you can’t get out of bed, it is a sign of serious depression and you should seek help for that. However, I’m going to talk about what you can do in the beginning stages because if you can’t even get out of bed, how are you going to seek professional help?

First you can make changes while you’re still in bed. The first is to try and regulate how much you sleep. A good night’s rest (8 hours) is important but sleeping all day is not. Too much of anything isn’t good for us- even sleep. So, have a good night’s rest but try and stay awake during the day.

Next, relaxation- just because you’re lying in bed does not mean

you are mentally relaxed. To do this, you should try some form of mediation, laying there and doing deep breathing, focusing on the present and acknowledging how you feel.

Try some stretching, some light exercise like yoga poses- this can be done in bed and can bring energy and motivation.

Entertainment is key but not enough that it keeps you in bed.

You want to find stuff that makes you feel good enough to want to get out of bed. This can be music or movies but it has to be the right genre; uplifting and motivational.

You can read self-help books or books that provide motivation to make lists of short and long term goals and dreams. Try journaling – write down your thoughts and feelings; what’s keeping you in bed and what you think can make you come out of bed.

Try some light therapy, if you have a window in the room, open the blinds and get some sunlight as vitamin D helps with motivation and energy. If you don’t, simply leave a light on during the day; do not lie down in darkness all day.

Eat some food- even if it is in bed; keep your energy up with healthy food and snacks. Although, it would be best to start a list of things you can do out of bed- eating should be one.

When you’ve done all of this, after a few days, use your journal to make up a morning routine.

This can look like this.

Sit up- get out of bed- have some breakfast- do some stretch-

ing – focus on what’s around you that needs to be done. Is it house work, school work – anything that you have to do? Make a list of things you enjoy doing and do them one at a time- do not overwhelm yourself.

Some people find it beneficial to give themselves responsibly such as get a pet so you know you need to get out of bed to care for them and in turn, they care for you.

Find someone to talk to, someone who understands your situation and gives you the motivation to want to get up.

Stick to the same routine every day until you can do a little more every day. Your day does not have to start at 6am, you start it whenever you’re ready.

Remember that mental health is connected with physical health and staying in bed all day can create additional physical issues that may make things worse.

Think back to a time when you weren’t stuck in bed. What were you able to do? What gave you joy? Desire can provide tons of energy. Visualise successful moments and days from the past and future.

Taking small steps forward is still moving in the right direction- forward!

Thanks for reading. Please send any topic you would like to discuss to caitlinvieira@gmail.com.

If you would like to book an in person or phone- private session with me, please WhatsApp or message 623 0433

XVIII

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

THE CARIBBEAN COURT OF JUSTICE O VER the last year and especially since the passing of the no-confidence motion in Parliament in 2019, the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ) has been featuring in the news. Many people

who talk glibly about the CCJ, however, have little or no knowledge of what it is or even where it is. The interest in the Court generated by the recent political cases brought before it provides an opportunity for informing the

public about the Court.

Before we touch on the activities of the Court it is useful to explain what the Court is: In colonial times, it was the final Court of Appeal for the West Indies and other parts of the British Empire was the Privy

Council in England. In its appellate jurisdiction, it dealt with both criminal and civil matters and its decisions were highly regarded and generally became precedents.

When the West Indian colonies were granted their

Independence by Britain, it was expected that they would establish their own Appellate Jurisdiction; in the meantime, they were permitted to continue to use the Privy Council as their final Court of Appeal.

The Privy Council itself had preferred that these former colonies use their own Appellate Jurisdiction and had made this known.

In 2002, 12 CARICOM states including Guyana, as part of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, signed the agreement setting up the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ).

A few states signed with some reservations but Prime Minister Basdeo Panday signed without any provisos on behalf of Trinidad and Tobago. It was agreed that the Court should be established in Port-of-Spain, capital of Trinidad and Tobago.

To avoid any political influence being exerted on the Court, it was decided that the Court would not be financed by the national exchequers but rather by a loan of US$100,000,000 to be serviced by the signatories. The Court has been meeting its expenses by drawdowns from this loan and up to last year, it was still in a strong financial position.

The Court has two jurisdictions - its Original Jurisdiction and an Appellate Jurisdiction.

In its Original Jurisdiction, it is an International Court with exclusive jurisdiction to interpret and apply the rules set out in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas and to decide on disputes arising under it.

In its Appellate Jurisdiction, it is the final court of appeal for criminal and civil matters for those CARICOM states who have amended their Constitutions to enable the CCJ to perform that role. At the moment, five states have acceded to the Appellate Jurisdiction - Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Suriname and Guyana. It is expected that in due course, the other states will accede to the Court’s Appellate Jurisdiction since by signing and ratifying the Agreement they have indicated their commitment to making the CCJ their final Court of Appeal.

Though CARICOM’s two most populous states, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago have not as yet acceded to the Appellate Jurisdiction, the majority opinion in both states is for moving away from the Privy Council and using the CCJ. The main reason why some persons wish to cling to the Privy Council is that they believe the CCJ may be subject to local political and other

influences and as such some decisions may show bias. Many argue, on the other hand, that the Privy Council is the last vestige of colonialism and full Independence would come only when a state moves away from it. And there are other more practical reasons: It is far more expensive to go to the Privy Council than to the CCJ; keeping the Privy Council and not using the CCJ denies poorer folk appellate justice since they would be unable to meet the costs of going to the Privy Council; the judges of the Privy Council have little idea of the nuances of Caribbean Jurisprudence or Caribbean Society and may sometimes co-opt a Caribbean judge or decline to adjudicate a Caribbean case.

The CCJ consists of seven judges and at present, five are Caribbean and two are foreign-born. Since its establishment, the Court has been able to attract judges of the highest calibre and the recruitment process is a very exacting one with a panel from various parts of the Caribbean. In its short existence, the Court has won for itself much respect from legal circles and the ordinary Caribbean citizen.

Guyana has been using the Court more than any other state in many different types of matters. The Court has adjudicated in several important land matters, giving valuable precedents.

Of more recent years, it has considered several political and constitutional cases which have been amply reported in the media. it has also protected the rights of ordinary Caribbean citizens against the state as in the Myrie case against Barbados and the TCL case against Guyana. Probably, one of the most interesting appeals heard by the Court was that brought by four transgender persons who were convicted of cross-dressing, an offence for which the Guyana Courts from the late 19th century had convicted as of course. Many thought that these cross-dressers had little chance of their appeal being upheld. In allowing the appeal, the Court declared that the impugned section violated the appellants’ right to equality, non-discrimination and freedom of expression and that Section 15 3(1) (xlvii) was unconstitutionally vague and offended the Rule of Law. This decision has moved the Law affecting the LGBT community further than Parliament has so far done.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

The workforce in Guyana should not be a ‘front’ for modern slavery

By Youth Perspective

M

O S T of us are already home due to social distancing and might not even realise that a holiday is right around the corner.

You’re now probably wondering, which holiday is that?

Well, Friday, May 1 is ‘Labour Day’. More than anything in this world, as human beings, we need support. We flourish and excel in environments where we have a ‘backbone’ to fall back on. Without the support of my parents, I would not have been able to attend school. Without the support of my lecturers, I would not have been able to maintain a high-standing GPA. Without the support of my friends, I would not have been able to function effectively in classrooms environment. That list can go on and on but at least you get the picture I am trying to paint. We all need some form of support in life, in all aspects. Workers and working environments are no different.

Hence, on this day we observe the unity between workers and their respective unions; we observe the strength and resilience of workers and we also acknowledge plans that will better the working class for generations t o come.

not careful and upfront about certain issues in the workforce, we will fall back into that cycle of slavery. Call it, ‘modern slavery’ if you may. Historically, there are many pieces of evidence of mistreatment and inhumanness of workers. These are real people, with real families and real issues. They work for survival and they work honestly. It is about time we truly give credit where it’s due.

I grew up watching workers on the television or the road marching in their red, white and black attire. I never truly understood the meaning of Worker’s Day and perhaps I still do not because I am not a full-time worker. However, what I do know is that their problems should be everybody’s problems. When they cry for an increase of salary, better policies in their working environments and even improved qualities of technology and infrastructure.

We should listen, we should pay attention. May I also use this opportunity to point out the ‘ridiculousness’ of certain private companies? It is absurd as to how underpaid and overworked some private employees are and they have to endure this on a day-to-day basis. Are your money and personal gains more important than humanity? Some companies pay workers little to nothing for time-consuming and complex jobs. Who can these workers speak to? How do we expect them to do better if that’s the only job they can find?

Guyana is moving into an era of advancement and first world potent i a l . Ye s , t h e

Modern slavery in workplace

In Guyana, ‘May Day’ or ‘Worker’s Day’ as we commonly call it is more momentous than we can imagine. Can you imagine a life in our country without the working force? Can you imagine the thousands of people who will be left without a job? What then, will happen to their loved ones? Our workers and overall economic and social growth depend on how effective the systems and policies of our workforce are. I want everyone to remember that your time and efforts are very valuable. Let it not be forgotten of how brutal and exasperating the colonial days were. The efforts of our accentors were never recognised or rewarded rightfully. If we are

COVID-19 outbreak is making that reality a blur right not but we’re still on that very path. This virus is only slowing us down, but surely we will get there. Hence, we ought to do better. For our workers and ourselves. My articles do not sugarcoat issues and I hope I did not disappoint with this one either. We need to stand behind our workforce and uplift them. Guyana is a unifying country, right? Well, let that be evident in our actions. With all of that said, I’d like to wish you all an early ‘Labour Day’ and always remember that your time and efforts are valuable. You should not stand for a ‘front’ for modern slavery.

XIX

XX

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

XXI

XXII

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

APRIL - 26 - 2020

English STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student,

D

ISCUSSION is a group activity which helps the learner to form a clearer picture of his progress.

He who uses discussion to check his learning quality at regular intervals learns faster than he who studies in isolation and runs on self-checks. Anyway, quickly get into the habit of explaining things you have learnt; and responding to investigative questions. And, remember, all group partners are required to directly participate in discussions at each meeting. Active learn-

ing produces excellent rewards.

Love you.

THE EXCERPT The day my son Larry started kindergarten he renounced corduroy overalls with bibs and began wearing blue jeans with a belt; I watched him go off the first morning with the older girl next door, seeing clearly that an era of my life was ended, my sweet-voiced nursery-school tot replace by a long-trousered, swaggering character who forgot to stop at the corner and wave good-bye to me.

He came home the same way, the front door slamming

THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

If we shadows have offended, Think but this, and all is mended, That you have but slumber’d here While those visions did appear.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616) A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act 5, Scene 1.

open, his cap on the floor, and the voice suddenly become raucous shouting, “Isn’t anybody here?”

At lunch he spoke insolently to his father, spilled his baby sister’s milk, and remarked that his teacher said we were not to take the name of the Lord in vain.

“How was school today? Did you learn anything?” his father asked.

Larry regarded his father coldly. “I didn’t learn nothing,” he said.

“Anything,” I said. “Didn’t learn anything.”

“The teacher spanked a boy, though,” Laurie said. “For being fresh,” he added.

“Who was it?” I asked.

Laurie thought. “It was Charles.

The next day Laurie remarked at lunch, “Well, Charles was bad again today. Today Charles hit the teacher.”

“Good heavens,” I said, mindful of the Lord’s name.

“Why did Charles hit the teacher?” I asked quickly.

“Because she tried to make him colour with red crayons,” Laurie said. “Charles wanted to colour with green crayons, so he hit the teacher and she spanked him and said nobody play with Charles, but everybody did.” …..oooooo…..

On Saturday I remarked to my husband, “Do you think kindergarten is too unsettling for Laurie? All this toughness, and bad grammar, and this Charles boy sounds like a bad influence.”

“It’ll be all right,” my husband said reassuringly.

“Bound to be people like Charles in the world. Might as well meet them now as later.” (“Charles” by Shirley Jackson)

About the Excerpt

The writer, Shirley Jackson, was writing about her energetic son. Notice how she borrowed her characters and events from her own life and wove them into her fictional story. You, too, can use this technique.

You need to keep on observing life around you and recording them in your writing response journal. Make jottings on people, places, things, conversations, and so on.

Revisit the notes frequently to have a hold on your cache of possible story inputs.

What to Do 1. Pay attention to the type of clothing Laurie changed into. Write what you see and the significance the change implies.

2. What was Laurie saying that made Charles get himself into trouble at school?

3. Write the evidence that suggests Laurie was admiring Charles, his character.

4. Point out to a fellow study partner instances where it can be proven that the story is told by first-person narrator.

5. Let this story, “Charles,” influence you to produce a “Charles” of your own. Substantiate it with entertaining personal and vicarious experiences. Read it to your study partners and request comments on your characters and plot movement.

WRITING IMPROVEMENT Working toward a Final Version – Sentence Errors Let us look at editing to correct sentence errors. Begin this stage by taking a careful look at your sentences. Make sure that each sentence expresses a complete thought in a way that is grammatically correct. When you are finished with that, use a checklist like the one below to see whether you have covered all loopholes.

Sentence-Editing Checklist: 1. Have I avoided sentence fragments? 2. Have I avoided run-on sentences?

3. Are all pronouns used correctly?

4. Are all verbs used correctly?

5. Have I avoided double negatives?

6. Have I avoided wordiness?

Look at this edited paragraph which follows: Father had always hoped for a boy, and the fact that I was not one came as a blow to him. It is not that he dislikes girls, but he was hoping for a second Ty Cobb in the family.

I don’t mean to brag, but that famous slugger was Father’s third cousin twice removed, and nothing would have pleased my pop more than to have me follow in my celebrated relative’s footsteps. Therefore, he proceeded to mold me into a junior Babe Didrikson.

NOTE: You can only become a better writer to the degree of effort at which you work to improve your writing. Be persistent; keep on editing your personal work; encourage your study partners also.

It should be a good incentive to know that all writers, even famous ones work steadily at trying to improve their writing in many ways.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020

Pizza

Ingredients Θ This is for one 12 inch Pizza so you will need one 12 inch Pizza Pan Θ 2 cups all purpose flour Θ 1 tsp. yeast Θ 1 tsp. sugar Θ 1/2 tsp. salt Θ 1 cup warm water Θ 2 tbsps. cooking oil Θ 100 ml pizza sauce Θ 2 mushrooms ( optional ) Θ 5 sweet peppers Θ 125 grams mozzarela cheese grated (half of a large slab) Θ any toppings you like Θ approx. 75 grams pepperoni

Method 1. to a mixing bowl add flour, yeast, sugar and salt, mix together 2. add some water mix a bit and add the cooking oil 3. by adding water gradually, knead into a dough similar texture to bread dough 4. roll out the dough to the size of your pan (12 inches) or close, add some flour to your pan before placing the dough 5. make sure to spread the dough and bring the edges up against the side of the pan to keep the ingredients in once it is baking 6. fork some holes in the dough.

7. cover and let rise for 20 mins.

8. once risen, press down dough to the original shape at the beginning 9. add sauce then a layer of cheese, then the other toppings of your choice and less cheese at last at the top 10. bake for 15 - 20 mins. at 480 F

realniceguyana.com

XXIII

XXIV

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― April 26, 2020