Guyana Chronicle Pepperpot E-Paper 05-06-2022

Whyaka Village ‘ will ways be home’ Udell Fredericks, is a native of Whyaka Village, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) who resides overseas but has returned home for a vacation. Reminiscing on her days growing up, Fredericks says this place will always be her home. She especially enjoys the bountiful fruits. “There is a lot to eat in Whyaka and it is always good to be here. The fruits are the best part of being there. Being here I get to enjoy the ‘fat of the land’ so to speak,” she told the Pepperpot Magazine (Carl Croker photo)

Sunday, June 05, 2022

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, June 05, 2022

‘What I love most is seeing my work touch someone else’s soul’ – Linden artist

KEVIN Thomas, a Linden-based artist, has his heart set on improving the art field in Guyana as he believes that not much attention is being given to those in the creative arena.

He wants to be able to make a difference in bringing art “back to life.”

The 28-year-old, who is also a registered nurse and part-time barber, feels that while it is difficult to make money as an artist, it is certainly not impossible. “In order to do so, you have to market yourself effectively and sell your pieces at a reasonable cost,” he posited.

Speaking in an interview with Pepperpot Magazine, he reflected that although he has always liked the medical field, he has been an artist for as long as he can remember.

“Since kindergarten [nurs-

Linden-based artist Kevin Thomas

ery school] I started drawing. Growing up, if someone wanted a map or diagram

drawn, they would come to me, and I would take a small fee from them.”

Kevin loves to see people’s reactions to their portraits

Kevin can do single portraits, couples, families, memorials, babies, etc.

It was in 2021, though, during the raging COVID-19 pandemic, when he decided to take up art at a professional level. He was hesitant initially, but his family and colleagues all played a role in helping him to go for it as they knew the quality of artist he was.

“There was a point when I stopped doing drawings and paintings due to my busy schedule, but family members and colleagues encouraged me to pursue it. Art was struggling in Guyana, so I

didn’t heed their advice to do it. But I did my first portrait of my son and posted it on social media, and that gained some amount of publicity, and from then on, things took off. Persons started contacting me.”

Kevin especially appreciates seeing the positive effects that his work has on others. “What I love the most is to see my work touch someone else’s soul. To see the reaction of someone to my art is one of the most wonderful feelings.”

Specialising in portrait drawings and paintings, Kevin can do single portraits, couples, families, memorials, babies, etc. He also mingles in other art forms like nature paintings and drawings, abstracts, poster making and murals.

Kevin finds success in displaying his work online and putting on some displays whenever possible so that people can view his pieces in SEE PAGE XII

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, June 05, 2022

Local company ‘Only Coconuts’ set to have line of products in all major markets globally

PRECISION Global Inc., with its trade name ‘Only Coconuts’, is gearing up to have its coconut line of products marketed in all corners of the globe, having pursued several internationally recognised certifications and having already entered major markets such as the European and American markets, among others.

P r o p r i e t o r Vi s h n u Ramdeen, who is now based in Canada, was cognisant of the nutritional value of coconut products and regularly added them to his meals. He wanted to ensure he had something healthy each day as he travelled extensively between Canada and the United States.

He realised, though, that most of the coconut products in Canada were imported from outside of CARICOM even as he knew all too well that there was an abundance of coconuts in CARICOM, and more specifically, in Guyana. So he thought, ‘Why not capitalise on such a market?’

Just three years after launching the first batch of products, ‘Only Coconuts’, based at Marudi Creek on the Soesdyke Highway, is perhaps the largest coconut processing facility in South America, with quality that may be hard to compete with.

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“Our coconuts are naturally grown in the fields of Guyana and carefully selected for every item we create.

All products are processed in our 45,000 sq. ft. nut-free fa-

Vice President – Finance Lesley Ramlall (left) interacting with President Irfaan Ali and Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley at Agro Fest 2022 Virgin Coconut Oil produced by ‘Only Coconuts’

cility without preservatives or artificial additives to ensure your fullest enjoyment and optimal health benefits.

Coconut Chips

As part of our commitment to you, we provide you only the best, only the purest, Only Coconuts,” the company boasts on its website.

The site also attests that all the all-natural superfood products are perfect for those seeking a wholesome lifestyle as they are

packed with healthy fats and antioxidants. “Coconuts are proven to support health and wellness when regularly consumed,” the company assured.

The line of products produced by ‘Only Coconuts’ includes virgin coconut oil, refined coconut oil, desiccated coconuts, coconut chips, and coconut flour.

Vice President – Finance Lesley Ramlall told Pepperpot Magazine that the ‘Only Coconuts’ is 90 per cent automated, meaning that

Coconut Flour

the company has inculcated technology in its production process.

“We have ensured from the inception that the quality and safety of our products are superior so as to give customers that assurance that whenever they consume our products, it is being produced in a very safe and secure environment,” he explained.

The company, with its 85 staff members, is not just producing a very healthy line of products, he noted, but it

insists on meeting various international certifications.

“Only Coconuts has the capacity to supply the entire CARICOM region. On a daily basis, we have the capacity to process 85,000 coconuts on an eight-hour shift. If there’s a need for us to increase that based on demand, we can go as much as 125,000 coconuts per day,” Ramlall disclosed.

Meanwhile, just last week, ‘Only Coconuts’ SEE PAGE XIV

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, June 05, 2022

Herbal health and beautification products continually gaining popularity

OUT of pure creativity and addressing the need to provide solutions to beautify the skins of both men and women, Alicia James has answered the call through the creation and the birthing of ‘Body Essentials’ .

In an interview with the

the body in terms of hair and skin has been with me for years now. Having my roots, so to speak, in a hairdressing salon, you would hear women complaining about issues with their skin and hair problems emanating from their youthful days. As

lems that she encountered.

Notably, after allowing her relatives and others to learn of her new-found products, “Body Essentials“ became a household name and is a tremendous success today.

Standing out While other hair care products are available all across the country and worldwide, James is confident that her products stand out because they are made straight out of her own kitchen.

“I do not want any chemicals in [my products] because I do not want any

Local Distributor Colin Klass and his overseas counterpart (Delano Williams Photo)

Ceo of Body Essentials Alicia James

Pepperpot Magazine, the small business owner revealed how vital such a venture is for many persons on the journey to achieving and maintaining healthy hair and skin.

“The idea of beautifying

a result, I always wanted to help with that,” James told the Pepperpot Magazine.

She recalled that almost immediately, she began work on acquiring the necessary manufacturing ingredients to bring a solution to the prob-

Facial Products displayed by Body Essentials

reaction,” James told the Pepperpot Magazine.

The entrepreneur mentioned quite strongly that her products speak for themselves and are geared to suit

Guyana’s climate. Additionally, she made it quite clear that her customers have given positive reviews after using her products.

According to the entrepreneur, the reason for her

being involved in the business and even manufacturing the products herself primarily sprang from the needs of the Guyanese community.

According to her, these products are comparable with foreign products of a similar nature.

The experience is quite interesting. While the same product may cost more, her products would be far less and thus would prove to be more effective, she explained. The products are also suitable for men, women and children, James added.

James remains confident that one of her success stories hinges on the fact that her products are sold in all 10 administrative regions of the country inclusive of the Massy Stores.

She stated that most of what she has taught is selftaught, but she is also confident that she will reach very far with her business venture. Through her business venture and entrepreneurial skills, meaningful and gainful employment for young people has also become a reality.

Herbal tea

Original

Detox Tea Vida Divina Products displayed (Delano Williams Photo)

Another entrepreneur venturing along the herbal/organic route is Colin Klass, former President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and a Chartered Accountant. Klass is now embarking on launching the Vida Divina franchise in Guyana.

Vida Divina was founded in 2016 by Dr. Esther Ramos and Armand Puyolt.

Vida Divina’s headquarters

are in Fontana, California.

Klass, himself a beneficiary of the multiplicity of the company’s products, shared with the Pepperpot Magazine his experiences.

“This actually stems from my experiences with the product in the United States. Vida Divina is a tea that started the entire process. My sister actually got me involved in it, but before I get involved in anything, I always test the product to determine its geniuses.

After testing, I recognised that some of the facts written are a reality in terms of the effects,” Klass attested.

He explained that one packet of tea gives the consumer about one gallon. “ You use like 16 ounces per day at your convenience.

As soon as you start using it, you see the changes in your lower abdomen,” Klass shared with the Pepperpot Magazine during his interview.

Klass also related that the sale of the product affords you the opportunity to earn your money and be healthy at the same time.

The Distributor noted that his product is making tremendous success since he brought it back to Guyana and began his distribution to his friends.

He also related the health improvement stories that he has received from the persons to whom he has distributed the products.

Klass related to the Pepperpot Magazine that his energy level is rising, and he can enjoy a healthier feeling because of the product’s effectiveness.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, June 05, 2022

Some Guyanese were out for the Independence celebrations in Maryland

AFTER two years of not getting together to celebrate Guyana’s Independence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, quite a number of Maryland-based Guyanese were in attendance at the St. John’s Episcopal/Anglican Church last Sunday. It was a mini-renaissance of sorts. Some of those who attended the event did not wear masks, while there were those who did.

The information which I received is that there are many, especially the elderly, who are not ready to resume preCOVID-19 activities and so did not attend the Independence event. For them, it is better to be over-cautious rather than take a risky chance, not knowing what might occur in terms of contracting the disease. However, the church was almost packed with those who felt comfortable and confident to venture out. The majority of them wore masks to protect themselves from any likely contraction of the COVID-19 virus.

The Guyanese who reside in Maryland, as well as those who are scattered nationwide in the United States, remember the Independence of their native Guyana and most celebrate it one way or another. This religious service at the St. John’s Anglican/Episcopal church has been one way in which the Independence of Guyana is celebrated in Maryland.

In her homily, American pastor, The Right Reverend Dr.

Howard Knights, formally of Bartica, with his mask, temporarily pulled down for the photograph, and other Guyanese at the Independence anniversary service at the St. John’s Anglican/Episcopal church in Mount Rainier, Maryland, USA

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Mariann Edgar-Budde, made reference to the recent financial oil and gas fortunes of the country. Even though she has, so far, not visited Guyana, it was evident that she is well informed of much of the make-up and current lifestyle and economic well-being of the country. She expressed the view that Guyana is a country which has a bright future, given its many natural resources, especially the recent discovery of lucrative oil and gas finds under the waters just beyond the country’s shores.

On that Seventh Sunday of Easter in this year 2022, the Gospel which was read was about unity; “As you, Father, are in me and I in you, may they also be in us, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” being an extract.

The call for better unity in Guyana is ongoing. Guyana is internationally known as a nation which has freedom of worship, and the three major religions - Christianity, Hinduism and Islam - are all given equal acceptance and respect. The usual reception, which is held after the service at the St. John’s church in Mount Rainier, Maryland, was suspended again this year. However, those who attended received an attractive takeaway package.

Mentors in life and mental health

‘If I have seen further, it’s by standing on the shoulders of the giants’ --Issac Newton

WE are humans; we are social animals by nature, and we need people to grow, thrive, and succeed in our life. Last month, we celebrated Mental Health Awareness Month with the 2022 “Loneliness” theme. In this fast-paced world, we are finding it challenging to find time for others in our lives and ourselves. And so, many of us suffer in silence and alone.

This stresses the importance of creating support systems in life, and safe spaces to talk about our challenges in personal and professional life. These support systems can be a mentoring relationship with family members, friends, partners, colleagues, managers, or professional mentors.

WHAT IS MENTORING? Mentoring is the process of helping another person, and a mentor is someone who can advise, support, and guide another person in the right direction. The best mentors can help us identify, clarify and express our inner calling.

Mentorship is a two-way process: It’s an interaction between humans, and not some transaction, so, don’t always expect to go straight up to people and ask for advice. Try to develop a genuine connection with those you admire, and provide help to them whenever possible.

TYPES OF MENTORS: Anthony Tijan, CEO of the firm, Boston Venture Capital, has identified five kinds of people that you can have as mentors in life. We all could use more than one mentor in life, and let us

use this as a guide to understanding the mentoring relationship.

1. THE MASTER OF CRAFT: These are the iconic figures or the best in your field. Whether you are a health professional, teacher, or an entrepreneur, these are the people who have gained wisdom through years of experience, and can help you identify, realise, and fine-tune your skills and strength to become an expert in your industry.

2. THE CHAMPION OF YOUR CAUSE: This mentor is the one who will talk about you and your services to others; they act as an advocate, and help connect and network with other useful people in your field.

3. THE CO-PILOT: These are your peers and colleagues who are always there with you, assisting in your projects, and advising you in navigating the challenges in your workplace. These are the people you are committed to supporting, collaborating with, and holding accountable to each other.

4. THE ANCHOR: This mentor doesn’t necessarily need to be an expert in your field; it can be a friend or a family member. We all go through challenging times, and we need anchors in our life who can act as a sounding board, encouraging us, and lifting us to stay focused on our values and goals.

5. THE REVERSE MENTOR: The word mentor is often related to someone who has years of experience, and is a senior person. But a mentee can also act as a mentor, and we all can learn from the people that we mentor in our life, too. Even though these people might have

fewer years of experience than you, or they can even be your students, they can give you an opportunity for feedback and fresh perspectives.

THE POSITIVE EFFECT OF MENTORING ON MENTAL WELL-BEING: We all have heard about the benefits of having a mentor in life, and it’s something that is encouraged in schools, universities, and also in workplaces to find, to have a mentor. Here we will understand the impact that mentoring can have on our mental health. Mentoring relationships can have a positive effect on mental health for both mentors and mentees.

HELPS TO MANAGE ISOLATION: Many of us who deal with emotional issues also deal with social isolation and withdrawal. We have our concerns about talking about or sharing our emotional problems with family and friends for fear of judgment and criticism. A mentor can act as a friend, confidante, or sounding board who can help you fight the feelings of isolation. Having a mentor is considered one such mental health support system. It can also be someone who has gone through similar experiences in their life and is able to help you navigate these challenges.

HELPS TO REDUCE YOUR ANXIETY: When we suffer from constant anxiety, it can affect our day-to-day performance of tasks and our general well-being.

Talking and sharing with a mentor can help minimise the feelings of anxiety and worries. I would SEE PAGE XXXI highly advise seeking professional

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, June 05, 2022

Mainstay/Whyaka An oasis of tranquillity, a place of nature at its best Whyaka Village (Carl Croker photos)

LAST week the Pepperpot Magazine visited the very scenic tourism destination of Mainstay/Whyaka Village in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) to highlight the way of life of the locals.

The team started out the journey since midnight to get to Parika to board the ferry. The ferry ride itself takes almost three hours before it reaches Supenaam Stelling.

From Supenaam, it takes about half an hour to get to Anna Regina by vehicle; from there one takes the access road to Mainstay/ Whyaka Village. The access road is just after the Anna Regina Police Station.

The access road is a long windy road where both sides

The bridge leading to Mainstay/Whyaka Mission

are used for rice, cattle and cash crop farming.

The Mission starts when you go over the bridge.

There is a toll gate, where payment is required upon entry.

There are also a few benabs for visitors.

There are no all-weather roads in this village which lead to Whyaka, Arouka Beach, Lake Tapacuma and Mainstay, the central point.

The toll gate at the entrance of the community

Mainstay/Whyaka is managed by a Village Council which comprises young professionals, all volunteers, who are gainfully employed.

All non-residents must leave the Mission at 16:30hrs, and permission must be sought before entering the village.

They have 24-hour security and the Toll Gate is also manned at all times.

Scattered along this vast

land mass are 1,000 residents, whose houses are perched on hilltops, sandy banks and along small trails, in a nature stetting that is breathtakingly beautiful.

In Mainstay/Whyaka Village, there is the Lake Mainstay Resort which has a quarter-mile stretch of sand beach, a 16-acre compound of trees and 34 self-contained cabins that can accommodate up to 160

persons.

There are the Horoshi Restaurant, the Wabure Deck Bar and a lot of outdoor activities both on land and the water.

The resort is fenced off from the village, which is right outside, and they have their own section of the lake, which basically overlooks the entire Mainstay village, SEE PAGE XXVIII

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, June 05, 2022

Earning in Mainstay is necessary for a good life

By Michel Outridge LIKE any other village, Mainstay Mission is a place with multi-talented people, as well as those who work from right within the community.

Keona Pearson is a sweeper/cleaner attached to Lake Mainstay Primary School and has been on the job for the past three months.

The mother of two stated that, while at work, she would take a ‘hold on’ at the school’s canteen, and she doesn’t mind because it gives her more to do instead of wasting time.

“I attended this primary school, but, over time, we outgrew the school, so the population has grown, and we need a new school, more so a bigger one,” she said.

Pearson reported that they grow food, and it is a farm to table concept and they only go to Anna Regina to do bulk shopping since they have small shops in the village.

The pineapple farmer

Leyton Pearson, the minibus driver, poultry and ground provision farmer Leyton Pearson is a minibus driver who plies the Georgetown to Lethem route and works mostly in the interior, but when things are slow, he would return home to Mainstay and rear chickens and have a ground

Leyton Pearson (Carl Croker photos)

Merlene Chappelle is a mother of nine, and, to earn, she became a pineapple farmer who would sell her produce at the Anna Regina Market.

The 52-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that she is originally from Pomeroon

Merlene Chappelle

River and left there when she was five years old.

Her family settled in Arouka, and, today, she is cultivating three acres of pineapples and shares eight acres of farmland with her daughter.

Chappelle added that, this harvest, she reaped 6,000 pineapples and was hoping to sell off the lot before it goes bad since it is perishable.

She started pineapple farming seven years ago and is having difficulties marketing her pineapples to wholesale buyers.

Chappelle noted, too, that transportation was also an issue for her in getting her produce out of the village to the market. It had proven to be a costly venture.

provision farm.

The 51-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that he would find honest work to earn instead of being idle.

Pearson stated that he is from McKenzie, Linden, where his father is from, but, since 1974, he grew up in Mainstay Mission.

The father of three reported that he liked the qui-

etness of the village and the lake because it was home for him, where he feels safe and comfortable.

“What is needed here to boost tourism is a better road. From here to Anna Regina is about seven miles and we have about 800 residents in Mainstay alone, so we would like an upgraded road,” he said.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, June 05, 2022

Boosting tourism in Mainstay Mission The tour boat on the lake (Carl Croker photos)

By Michel Outridge WITH a budding passion for developing tourism and his community, Joel Fredericks is determined to make waves and put Mainstay/Whyaka Mission on the map locally, utilising the resources at his disposal to make it happen.

As the former Toshao of the village, Fredericks, a native of Mainstay Mission, has many ideas and visions he will realise over time, and some have already come through.

Recently, he completed a project to boost tourism in his village. The Sunset Relaxing Boat Tour was launched, and it already hosted a birthday

Joel Fredericks

party on the lake.

Fredericks constructed a lovely specialised, handmade boat at the cost of $2.5M for events to be held on the lake, with a fee attached.

“I took my time and money out of my own pockets to build this boat, and I want to host events such as birthdays, weddings and others right on the lake, and we will accommodate that with all safety protocols in place,” he said.

The boat tour package is pocket-friendly which will amount to five hours on the lake for as little as $15,000 to $20,000 with life jackets.

Previously, Fredericks started out with the lake tour

via a small blue boat, but it was not enough. The people wanted better service, to be comfortable, and something which is more lavish.

He also is a gifted windsurfer and accommodates visitors who may want to indulge in some surfing on Lake Mainstay.

Fredericks is also versed in fishing, and night spotting of caimans, among other activities that are offered on the Mission.

“I want to create a better experience for visitors, and I am trying to come up with a package that will include every aspect of what we have to offer here including fishing, nature walks on the trails, a hammock pad, boat events on the lake itself among other things,” he said.

Fredericks is looking at creating an open space.

He already has the lands for nature walks, including a 45-minute hike to Lake Capoey Village.

Presently, he is constructing some new benabs with zinc sheet roofs instead of thatched roofs which overlooks the lake for added comfort and enjoyment of both locals and visitors.

Fredericks is into ho-

tel management in Region One, a boat builder/contractor who does many jobs to earn and when his expertise is needed, he would lend his support to his community in

Joel Fredericks on his boat

any way he can.

This native of Mainstay Mission is the father of five,is married and resides in a nice house in the village.

“I am passionate about

development in my village and we have a lot of potential in agriculture and tourism because we have the land and we have the picturesque lake,” he said.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, June 05, 2022

Mainstay/Whyaka is a developing, modern village that is going places

By Michel Outridge HAVING left her home village of Pomeroon River more than 40 years ago, Yvonne Pearson settled in Mainstay/Whyaka Mission after marriage and, today, that place is her home, a growing tourist destination with a lot of potential in agriculture and tourism.

She is a Member of Parliament (MP), the Village Toshao, Chair of the National Toshao Council (NTC) and a mother of five who is always involved in community-based development and politics.

Pearson told the Pepperpot Magazine that the people of Mainstay/Whyaka Mission lead simple lives, depending heavily on agriculture, logging and tourism for their livelihood.

Mainstay/Whyaka is said to be the home of the sweetest pineapples, the “sweet loaf” cultivated on a large scale.

On the edge of the village, there was a signboard that said “Welcome to the land of pineapples,” and efforts are being made to have that signboard erected there once again.

Pearson reported that in her tenure as Toshao, she will strive to revive agriculture to its full potential in the community.

She added that the Village Council is developing the lake area. So far, they have constructed brand new washroom facilities; new zinc-roofed benabs are being erected, and the general environment is being spruced up.

The 66-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that it was a project between the Village Council and the Government of Guyana (GOG), and a new guest house will be built to accommodate self-contained rooms, a ham-

Yvonne Pearson, Toshao of Mainstay/Whyaka Mission (Carl Croker photos)

mock pad will be added to boost the visitors’ experience, and Arouka Beach will be upgraded.

Pearson disclosed that private investors are welcome to partner with the village to enhance tourism packages and to have food shops and other businesses on the Mission.

She stated that they aim to revive organic agriculture by producing organic honey with part of the bee hive in the jars and an agro-processing plant for their pineapples to make jams, jellies, and juice, as well as a water purification facility where they will be launching their own brand of bottled water.

The Toshao reported that they will eventually go into ‘big-time’ agriculture since they have no shortage of land on the Mission for large scale agriculture, where five acres will be allocated to each resident for farming.

She pointed out that they are motivated to become organic-certified and are working as a people towards achieving that goal as it relates to agriculture.

Mission, Pearson stated that Whyaka means ‘first people of this place’, and it is the village the first settlers lived in until newcomers arrived.

She added that Thomas Ebenezer Pearson was the first self-appointed Toshao of the village and he invested a lot in education by starting the first school and hired a teacher, Sheik Kadir, from across the country, for one year and paid him out of his own pocket.

He was a logger, and when he saw the children running in the community, he was concerned and decided to construct a school for them to attend.

Pearson related that he was an outstanding resident/ leader and they dedicated the Resource Centre in his name with an inscription at the side of the building. The building also houses an ICT hub.

She disclosed that the Mission had produced a lot of good people, successful ones, who came back to serve the community, and they are proud they returned to aid in the development of the village.

Historical aspect of the Mission Meanwhile, giving a historical background of the

ICT Hub The current ICT Hub, which is housed at the Resource Centre, is being ex-

Community Centre ground/pavilion

Mainstay Primary School

Mainstay Multi-Purpose Hall/ICT Centre

tended to accommodate 20 new computers and air conditioning units.

Pearson said that, presently, they have nine University of Guyana (UG) students who are utilising the Resource Centre to complete their studies, and it happened during the pandemic when they had to return to the village.

She stated that the project was realised via the Office of the Prime Minister, and it shows that the Mission is on the move in terms of information technology advancement and is developing.

Pearson noted that they had aired some concerns about benefitting from an

all-weather road during a visit recently by President Irfaan Ali, and they are of the hope it will become a reality.

The village leader told the Pepperpot Magazine that they are looking forward to observing Amerindian Heritage Month in September, where the village will come together to celebrate in the traditional way.

She added that they will go paddling, fishing, and cooking traditional dishes, make wines, perform cultural dances and celebrate overall their achievements and at the same time strive to remember their roots while becoming a modernised village.

Pearson stated that the

Lake Mainstay Resort is part of the village, and they employ locals.

Sports As it relates to sports, the Toshao noted that they have a pool of good sportsmen and women, and they are very versed in football.

She added that they have their own Gold Star Sports Club, and they participated in the football league and came out as champions.

Pearson stated that they also host games on the Mission via floodlights, and on June 4, they will be competing against Wakapau Village.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, June 05, 2022

Serving the community as a teacher is fulfilling for Minerva Carter Mainstay Lake Nursery School (Carl Croker photos)

By Michel Outridge MINERVA Carter, a trained teacher who came from humble beginnings, chose to return to her village of Mainstay Mission and is serving her community at the Mainstay Lake Nursery School.

The 49-year-old is qualified in Early Childhood Education and has been teaching for the past 27 years, a job she loves - and it shows.

Carter related that she attended primary school after being deprived of going to nursery because, during that time, there was no nursery school in the village.

She later went on to Anna Regina Multilateral

Teacher, Minerva Carter

used to prepare breakfast early because she left home at 06:00 hours. By the time she made it to school on foot, she would have already eaten

The interior of the school

School, and she recalled it was not easy because she often walked to school, for miles to-and-fro, five days per week.

Carter told the Pepperpot Magazine that her mother

her lunch.

The teacher added that at times, she and her friend would be lucky to hitch a ride on a tractor or a passing paddy truck to get to school, and on those days, they were

very happy.

However, due to economic constraints, she had to quit school at Form Five level and didn’t write Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) exams because she got married young.

Carter was encouraged to start her teaching career by an educator from the village. She took that advice and wrote the teacher’s entrance exam and passed.

She went to Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) and, in 2010, was awarded as the best graduating student in Early Childhood Education for Region Two. Carter is pursuing a degree in education via a GOAL scholarship through the Government of Guyana (GOG).

“Life is good here, a beautiful place, with opportunities to develop self and the community. I wanted to become a nurse, so teaching wasn’t my first career choice, but here I am, and I am loving it as a teacher,” she said.

Carter likes teaching at the nursery level. Soon, the school will be gazetted to become a nursery school instead of a nursery class.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, June 05, 2022

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Whyaka Village is the best place for pineapple cultivation and to live off the land

By Michel Outridge

IT is a bittersweet time for Udell Fredericks, a native of Whyaka Village, Essequibo Coast, Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), who resides overseas but has returned home for a vacation.

The 69-year-old left the village when she was 16 years old, and it accelerated her teaching career in other villages along the Essequibo Coast and Pomeroon.

Reminiscing on her younger days, growing up in Whyaka Village, it was good. The village had many children and they played outside every day since they had a lot of wide-open spaces.

Fredericks added that back then, the village had a lot more people and the houses were closer to Lake Tapacuma because they had no roads, and it was a landing area for boats.

She stated that growing up in Whyaka was a happy time for her because things were simple back then, and upon her return now, there have been a lot of changes, but more importantly, she can fit in the community.

Fredericks told the Pepperpot Magazine that after she completed her training at Cyril Potter College of

Education (CPCE) she began going places to teach and taught at several schools before she migrated to the British Virgin Islands (BVI) in 1990.

She spent about 55 years in the teaching profession and enjoyed teaching at the primary level, especially Grade Six. “I like teaching that age group because watching them grow and develop academically is fulfilling as an educator. Years after, they would come to me, although I do not recognise some of them. They would say, ‘Miss, don’t you remember me? I am a doctor now, thanks to you.’ And that by itself is very rewarding, knowing I had something to do with that,” she said.

Fredericks told the Pepperpot Magazine that making sure one has a positive impact on the lives of children at an early age is essential for their upbringing and where they stand in education because moulding minds is quite a job to master.

She added that Whyaka will always be home for her no matter where she goes, and it is the reason she would keep coming back to enjoy the tranquility of the place.

Fredericks stated that

Home of Udell Fredricks in Whyaka Village

Whyaka is a farming community, mainly pineapples and most women are also involved in farming, and they would leave the village to sell their produce.

“There is a lot to eat in Whyaka, and it is always good to be here. The fruits are the best part of being there. Being here, I get to enjoy the ‘fat of the land’ so to speak,” she said.

She has been living in BVI for the past 32 years and will return home shortly after her vacation in Guyana.

She is staying at her sister’s place in Whyaka.

At the time the team met Fredericks, she was doing some outdoor yard work of raking up the dead leaves, a chore she doesn’t mind doing at all.

Her sibling is a pineapple farmer, who wasn’t at home.

She had gone to sell pineapples at the Anna Regina Market.

On Sundays, the locals would put out stalls to sell pineapples, and the rest of the days, they would have to commute outside the village to sell their produce of pineapples.

Fredericks reported that a lot of people have left the village, and today, only a fraction still resides in Whyaka Village.

Udell Fredericks (Carl Croker photos)

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‘What I love most is seeing my work ... person. “I am a self-taught artist. I developed my skill by practising every day and watching tutorials on the internet. I am aiming to de-

velop art in Guyana and to bring it back to life.”

And this is the same piece of advice that he wants to offer to other artists in the

country. “Continue working and developing your skill, continue practising and create pieces and advertise them through whatever means

there are because there will be persons who love your work,” he urged.

Kevin looks forward to the time he will be named “one of the greatest artists to ever come from Guyana.” “I also would want to be a part of [the] development within art in Guyana because art is something that persons don’t pay too much attention to in this country, and I would like to be able to change that in the future.”

He also has in mind furthering his studies in nursing. “I do plan on developing myself in this noble profession by going ahead and acquiring my degree in nursing.”

Meanwhile, several artists in Guyana feel that more can be done for those in the country’s creative industry and that they can be included in just about every sector if only people would recognise

SEE PAGE II

A collection of Kevin’s work

their value and the meaningful contribution that they can make.

“They can include artists in other careers like making movies, playing a bigger role in helping the police to sketch evidence,

criminals, and other things; in literature regarding diagrams and pictures; we can be included in every field of life,” local artist Alyce Cameron, had once suggested.

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Rejection is simply Redirection

LIKE everything else, rejection is a universal experience. Unfortunately, however, some take it harder than others and tend to cope with it in an unhealthy manner. Today I’m going to write about the upside of rejection, the part that we tend not to think about when we experience it. This can apply to any type of rejection- professional, romantic, social etc.

Rejection happens to everyone a lot, so it is really not that big of a deal. The crucial aspect is how you handle it.

Some people spiral and their self-esteem, confidence and resilience skills take a serious hit. At the same time, others may see it as a blessing in disguise and simply a redirection into something that was meant for them even more. Which are you?

Rejection does a few things. It leads to a general avoidance of any attempts as it increases the fear of possible rejection, it makes you anticipate rejection, it contributes to feelings of inadequacy or worthlessness and leads to false beliefs about yourself or the situation. Basically, feeling rejected is the opposite of being accepted.

So, how can we healthily deal with rejection?

First, it would help significantly to understand why rejection hurts us so much.

It is not because we are too weak or sensitive. There is actually an evolutionary reason why we need to not feel rejected, as our need for connection and acceptance dates back to when humans relied on being in groups to survive; when we feel rejected, there is a negative primal feeling that goes against everything we think we need for survival.

Coming into more recent times, psychologists have also realised that how we perceive rejection is also highly dependent on our attachment styles which are developed during childhood.

Those who had healthy relationships with parents and/ or caregivers have more secure attachment styles, which are also projected onto other people, self-perception included. This means that from a young age, some view themselves as loved and worthy and can therefore react better to rejection.

If this was not the case for you, it is okay. There are many ways to remedy this.

If you experience rejection, take the time to acknowledge and grieve the loss. Do not deny it- this is

This is the time to examine your thoughts. When you are considering the potential reasons of the rejection, stick to the facts only, not your feelings. Basic example – if you do not get a job that you applied for, sticking to the facts sounds like this “I may not have gotten the position because I was not the most qualified applicant”. The non-factual alternative that most people go to looks like, “The interviewer did not like me; I’m never going to get hired anywhere.” Those are feelings, and feelings are

something you wanted, and you did not get it. It is okay to feel disappointed, and it is okay to feel sad. Do not suppress these feelings- let yourself feel what you need to, but not for too long! You can come out stronger because of this.

An important first thought when being rejected is not to overthink it. There are a million reasons in any circumstance why you may have been rejected and, in the majority of situations, it has nothing to do with you. Most of the time, there aren’t always clear reasons for rejection and when we don’t have the answers, we tend to blame ourselves, assuming the worst. Consider alternative reasons than any negative ones going through your mind.

not facts, so do not let them derail you.

Now, if it is a situation where you were rejected because you actually did do something wrong, there is still a positive spin. What have or can you learn from this situation? Remove negative thinking and practise self-awareness, accountability and self-improvement.

There are ways where you can use rejection to your advantage. Keep your perspective rational- remember your good qualities and qualifications and that there were many times that you were not rejected. Give yourself credit for even trying, as many people do not even get that far.

Being rejected means that you took a risk on something that may have even been a long shot, that you came

out of your comfort zone and pushed past your usual limits. Do not stop putting yourself out there because of one rejection because if you’ve never been rejected, you’re probably living way too contentedly and deeply in your comfort zone. Where is the fun in that?

Ask yourself as a reminder as everyone has a tale where they were disappointed by something, but it turned out to be the best thing because something

better came along. If you do not have that story, the disappointment you’re feeling right now is probably that story in the making. Be patient, and what’s right for you will come.

Simply because of the evolutionary and attachment reasons we feel so bad when rejected, if you do feel this way, spend some time with people who make you feel loved and special, just as a reminder as you may not think that about yourself in

that very moment.

Rejection is just as much a part of success as actual success is. If you don’t have the lows, you wouldn’t appreciate how good the highs feel. This is a minor setback, and something significant is coming.

Thank you for reading, and please continue to send any suggested column topics to caitlinvieira@gmail. com

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Local company ‘Only Coconuts’ set ...

The company was conceptualised on the basis of the nutritional value of coconuts

FROM PAGE III achieved the Made in Guyana Certification Mark from the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS), thus further boosting the company’s reputation so far as safety and standards are concerned.

It was among the first three companies to meet all the requirements for certification.

Chief Financial Officer of the company Ravi Annand has said that the decision to pursue certification from

the GNBS was premised on the need to produce quality products. “In this business, if you are not careful, a lot of things can go wrong. Food safety and quality are key aspects that must be looked at and worked on deliberately.

They do not come by accident and we want to bring the best for consumers,” the GNBS quoted him as saying.

The Made in Guyana Certification Mark is a registered mark that

Only Coconuts has a 45,000 sq. ft. nutfree facility on the Soesdyke Highway (Photos sourced from Only Coconuts and GNBS)

aims to provide recognition to locally manufactured products on the local and international markets and is a signature of quality for authentic Guyanese products.

The certification is valid for one year, pending renewal based on the company’s ability to maintain the requirements of the programme.

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Choosing the right voice when compiling business correspondence MY long-term goal is to design holistic and comprehensive writing classes that I can offer to businesses and individuals for business and creative writing using the many resources I have gathered over the years in my own writing journey.

However, I can still share information from these resources covering essential points that can help budding writers and businesspersons looking to sharpen their skills.

Below are some tips from ‘The Smart Guide to Business Writing’ by Gay Walley. He asserts that good writing is compelling when written in a strong “voice”. Indeed, the voice you choose to write in makes all the difference in effectively communicating your message. In business writing, it is often a key to ensuring you get the required response and the required results.

Walley believes that the following points should always be kept in mind when composing content for business: Be direct People are impatient and will dismiss any document that takes “work” to understand what it is trying to communicate.

As much as possible, try not to be personal and get to the point of the matter. In other words, express only what the document is intended to communicate. Part of this can be achieved by using active language and omitting passive language.

Avoid colloquialisms Use proper English and don’t use slang. People interpret slang differently, and you are setting yourself up to both be trivialised and misunderstood.

Nothing is wrong with a little bit of humour Yes, a slight nod to humour is good. However, note that this should be done sparingly as one man’s humour could be considered another man’s rudeness. That said, wit is intelligence and if a witticism is appropriate to the business and does not hurt anyone and is relevant to the business issue at hand, by all means, yes. This would stand more for emails and powerpoint presentations. Also, humour could be the opening to a white paper but would not be appropriate in a business report or performance review. Therefore, context is critical when considering when to insert humour.

Avoid expressing anger The emotion of anger usually passes with time. There is no reason for your document to reflect your own reactions to a situation. On the other hand, if a wrong has been done, you can express it clearly, unemotionally, and factually. Let the words speak for themselves. You do not need to use pejorative terms or language that is based on emotion. Just state the facts.

Be polite and appreciative Thank you. Please. All the best. Regards. You may think they are overused, but, believe it or not, such pleasantries are the currency of business transactions. Give a compliment when it is appropriate. Recognise that people are people. Pleasantries are part of social convention, and social convention is to facilitate growth. People like to deal with polite people. People will remember your manners and want to do more business with you if you show yourself to be appreciative.

Avoid Cliches If you use language that is lively, with active verbs, people will experience your document more viscerally. You don’t want people feeling, “I’ve read this before. Nothing new here.” So take the time to search for the right verb to describe the action needed, the right adjective to describe the product, or the right set of words to describe what the product can do.

Be specific Specificity is the key to writing. You may feel as though you are being meticulous in listing every detail and even repeating it, but there is nothing wrong with being too specific when trying to achieve clarity. Be very specific in any writing you do.

Be concise While being specific requires a lot of detail, you have to balance that goal with brevity. Yes, that sounds tricky, but there is nothing worse than opening your email or mail and seeing a three-page long document that is not a legal brief or contract.

Very few people have time to read long documents unnecessarily in the business world. So always get to your point.

Edit As a practising editor, I can attest to the necessity of this tip. In the haste of getting things done, many people do not take the time to reread and edit their work. But business content riddled with simple errors do not reflect well on your work.

For presentations, proposals, or anything that represents the company at large, you need to edit. And edit. And edit. Every

time you come to your document, you may see something new to improve. This may sound like it will take forever, but you simply need to factor editing into your deadlines for completing projects. So when timing yourself, factor in time for editing. As Hemingway said, writing is editing.

These are simple tips that do not take too much time to learn and incorporate into your everyday business writing.

Over the next few weeks, I will continue to share helpful tips that can make your content shine in communicating for business.

If you are interested in contributing to this column on writing, email me thewritemind592@gmail.com.

Content sourced from ‘The Smart Guide to Business Writing’ by Gay Walley.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, June 05, 2022

The unannounced beginning of the Cold War JUNE 6, 1944: On this day, 78 years ago, the Allies (as the troops of all those countries which joined forces during World War II (1939-1945) to defeat Nazi Germany and its Axis colleagues were called), landed on the beaches of Normandy in German-occupied France, only to come face-to-face with the dreaded Atlantic Wall.

To back up a bit, The Atlantic Wall, then under command of the notorious Desert Fox, as German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel was known, was an extensive and elaborate system of coastal defences and fortifications built by Nazi Germany between 1942 and 1944 along the coast of continental Europe and Scandinavia as a defence against an anticipated Allied invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe during World War II. Code-named D-Day by the military high-command that set it in motion, the military offensive at reference was spurred by a chain of occurrences in Eastern Europe that not only sent shivers down the spines of the leaders of the 12 nations involved in it, but also had to do with Russia.

You see, it all began when Russia surprised her western allies on July 14, 1943, by starting what would go down in history as the greatest Tank Battle of all at Kursk, in western Russia. Led by General Pavel Rotmistrov, the Russian 5th Guards Tank Army descended on Nazi Field Marshal Heinz Guderian’s heavier and much more efficient Panther and Tiger tanks, defeated them, and made the bravery of the Russians and the T34 Tank military history. That defeat, better known in military circles as the Battle of Kursk, caused many Germans in the field to conclude that it was the beginning of the end for their beloved Fatherland, and the Allies to quickly deduce that the Russians were making good ground with no significant German resistance to speak of to deter their advance.

Soon enough, the Russians would be at the gates of Konigsberg, in east Prussia, and the decisive battle that would ensue (October 1944 - April 1945) make them seem in the eyes of every western European as liberators. Thus began the inevitable invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe.

NEW AWARENESS What do these events have to do with us here in Guyana? They succeeded in bringing new awareness into focus; a challenge to the once subtle and outward colonial supremacist racism. And while this awareness didn’t change anything immediately, it did garner the ‘anti-racist concept’ some new, fervent allies, and produced a platform for arguments long debated but scoffed at. Hitler, who was regarded in some quarters as ‘the necessary evil’, had brought these arguments naked to the forefront of human consciousness, where now only a high and low ground enveloped the Trials of Nuremberg in 1945. Nazism would take the blame for all colonial acts of racism for the moment, but this did not, however, include the atrocities committed by the Japanese in Asia and the Pacific, though films and books did manage to raise some semblance of awareness on the matter.

The Age of Isms had emerged; anti-colonialism and socialism versus capitalism, including human rights versus racism, all directly and indirectly waved their slogans and SEE PAGE XX

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ADDRESSING THE NOISE NUISANCE GPF AND EPA SIGN AGREEMENT

OVER the years, the Guyana Consumers Association has been lobbying the police to take action on noise nuisance. For example, an area of continuing concern is the Stabroek Market Square and the plethora of minibuses nearby with their distressingly loud music.

Recently, however, when the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) signed an agreement to collaborate in the field of training and the enforcement of noise management regulations, the consumer community, and, indeed, the public as a whole, felt that a new era of seriously tackling the noise nuisance had arrived.

In addition to the common law remedies, Guyana has an adequate corpus of laws protecting against noise nuisance with the 1976 Environmental Protection Act and its further regulations of 2000. The police, however, never comprehensively enforced the law, and this gave the impression that the law had fallen into desuetude and noise makers felt they could continue in their ways unhampered, and this is the fundamental cause why the noise nuisance persists.

The law defines noise as “unwanted sound which may cause or tend to cause an adverse psychological effect on human beings and includes vibration”. The same legislation goes on to define noise nuisance /noise disturbance as “any unwanted sound including vibration that annoys, disturbs, perturbs normal persons with reasonable sensitivities, or any unwanted sound which reasonably may be perceived to injure or endanger the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of any humans or animals or ignores movable or immovable property”.

Noise is measured by decibels, usually abbreviated as “dB”. A decibel is a unit of sound pressure level or intensity of sound. During the day, if decibels are over 75 dB, it is regarded as noise. At night, over 70 dB is likewise so regarded. These figures are arrived at because over 80 dB begins to impair the hearing and health of a human being. Noise is classified into four types: continuous noise, intermittent noise, impulsive noise, and low-frequency noise.

Many members of the public are unaware that there has been scientific analysis of noise and feel that if they are warned or charged by the police for noise nuisance, it is a subjective decision of the police. It is this assumption by many offenders which causes them to resist the Police warnings or orders and repeat their offence. A sustained effort has to be made by the police and other authorities to educate the public on the various facets of noise. Noise not merely causes discomfort to humans and animals; it could seriously damage the health and wellbeing of both humans and animals. It causes sleep disturbance, cardiovascular problems, damage to work and school performance, impairment of hearing and even loss of memory. The old, sick, working parents, those who work on shifts, have all suffered from loud music from jukeboxes, parties, restaurants, nightclubs, minibuses and even noise from building construction work.

Pets like dogs and cats have a much more delicate and sensitive hearing mechanism than humans, and they can hear sounds which humans cannot hear. This results in noise having a much more devastating impact on these animals. Some years ago, for instance, when squibs were being exploded at New Year and Diwali, dogs belonging to hotel guests at a large hotel in Georgetown became maddened with the excruciating pain the noise caused SEE PAGE XXV

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THE COLOUR OF AMETHYST

MARIA held the silver chain in her hand, its pendant, the birthstone of Pisces and as she looked at the amethyst gem, regrets glinted in her light brown eyes.

“It’s been such a long time,” she mused, “I wonder where you must be today and what you have become.”

The chain had been a birthday gift from her best friend, the friend she had stood by when he needed her, the friend with whom she had shared the same literary passions and dreams.

They were like one, as Pisceans sharing the same birthstone, but people change, desires change and she broke his heart when she couldn’t return the love he felt for her.

“He was such a nice person, gentle and lovable,” she said quietly, “But I couldn’t love him, not with the kind of passion of being in love.”

She put the pendant back in its velvet box that had sat at the back of her old desk drawer, forgotten.

They had become friends since the beginning of high school, which patterned changes in their lives, creating a special bond.

She was fair, petite and shy, a pretty girl with her long hair tied in plaits, portraying the look of pure innocence that attracted the older boys who tried to woo her.

He was fairer with trim, curly hair, smooth skin and a neat outlook, something different from the normal male personality that attracted ridicule and taunts from the boys. He wasn’t athletic. He ran like a girl, they said; he couldn’t play cricket or football and no one wanted him on their team, so he sat alone in class during break periods, reading. His classmates did not care much for his silent suffering, he was a brave soul trying to be normal.

But it touched her heart, and somehow she felt his pain, for she was closer to him, sitting alone in class too, reading, though for a different reason. She was scared of the close attention of the senior boys, a few who had broken up with their girlfriends for her, one of the girls

being her cousin.

It was something she was not quite ready for, having just crossed the threshold into adolescence, not wanting to fall prey to infatuation.

The two of them had sat at their desks, reading, not saying much, a boy and girl with pleasant countenances, who were excellent arts students, loved by their teachers.

One day he had walked over to her desk and asked her, a little nervously, “What are you reading?”

She had looked up and smiled for it was the sixth time she had been asked that question for the morning.

Now she felt she could answer, “Stephen King – The Pet Cemetery.”

“I’m reading James Patterson,” He said “I read his books too and anything else I can get my hands on.”

He had laughed, and that day was the beginning of a unique friendship. A pretty girl, boys were eager to befriend and a boy with a different personality.

Maria looked at the books on the shelves, neatly arranged, her priceless collection of literature, history and fiction and she smiled as fond memories of her friend found their way in her thoughts, lost they had been through the ravines of time. The one path they had walked SEE PAGE XXIX

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Transforming Guyana means doing better for all THE notion of a transforming Guyana is talked about every day, and, admittedly, there is evidence of this all around. Even with new roads and housing developments, which do indeed help to lift people’s standard of living, I believe Guyana’s true transformation lies in the realisation of improved conditions for all.

A few days ago, on our 56th Independence anniversary, a family living in a farming community called Barnwell, located aback Mocha on the East Bank of Demerara (EBD), experienced the worst tragedy imaginable. Early that morning, perhaps minutes after the Golden Arrowhead was hoisted at midnight, three young children perished in a fire.

The blaze claimed the lives of eight-year-old Timothy Kippins, six-year-old Triston Kippins, and one-year-old Zhalia Flue, who were all trapped in the one-storey wooden building. Their mother, a security guard, was at work.

This one incident alone, in my opinion, is a microcosm of many of the issues that continue to plague us. First, I think about the mother who, in the middle of the night, while many of us were tucked snugly in our beds, was at work earning a living. That a young mother has to choose to leave her children at home in their humble abode in a remote community with limited amenities tells us all that the family was not as well-off as we hope all people can be in this oil-producing economy.

Poverty alleviation should be a key priority in any nation, not just Guyana. And as we continue to grapple with the disproportionate impacts of global events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine/Russia crisis, we should be conscious of how the most vulnerable in our society are affected.

Yes, we’ve seen efforts from the government to cushion the harsh impact of these challenges. And yes, I can appreciate that prudent fiscal management is needed to save the country from wildly (and recklessly) exploiting newfound wealth. Yet, when tragedies like this occur, one cannot help but hope that our representatives never waver from the pursuit of creating a better country with better conditions for all. Any deviation from that path would lead us to many more Barnwell tragedies, and we simply cannot allow that.

On the Barnwell tragedy again, surely, questions would arise about why the children were left alone, but I am not in the habit of blaming anyone, especially young, working mothers, without knowing the full extent of their circumstances. And already, members of the public were offered some insight into the woman’s plight and circumstances.

That brings me to the second issue spotlighted by this tragedy: domestic violence. The young mother who lost three of her four children told reporters that she shared a relationship with an abusive ex-boyfriend. That man, she alleged, threatened to kill and bury her and burn her house down. She suspected that he may have been involved in the children’s demise, though the Guyana Fire Service stated that the fire was electrical in nature.

Regardless of the cause of the fire, we cannot ignore that this young woman had to grapple with abuse for some time.

She spoke out about the threats she received, one being that she would be harmed on her way to work. And I can’t help but wonder- did this abuse contribute to her living circumstances?

Did she choose to live quite behind Mocha because that was the only place she could afford on her own? Did she leave the children at home because she feared they might’ve gotten hurt had she taken them elsewhere?

We cannot divorce her experience with abuse from her earnest attempts at making a living for herself and her

family, and we cannot discount the woman’s abuse from the unfortunate event. We should not blame this woman for what happened to her children, nor should we forget that domestic violence remains a scourge in our society that demands our

concerted efforts to combat it.

Finally, I think about the community of Barnwell at large. Having trekked down the impassable road

SEE PAGE XXV

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The unannounced beginning ...

FROM PAGE XVI arguments. The world was slowly being divided between America and Russia, but it was a world that now had the ‘Atom Bomb’. Then there was the ‘Nuclear Bomb’ as well as Apartheid, which both had their governments, and managed to remain an impetus to anti-colonialism and a code of sympathy towards socialism. Also, events in Asia, Africa, and in Africa’s so-called Middle East continued to complicate the post-WWII world scene.

The new radical approach of then newly- Independent colonies like Guyana imposed a magnetic array of world situations that distracted many from asking and analysing the pertinent questions at home. Possibly, the first anti-colonial confrontation occurred in Indochina, and repelled a French reassertion of the colony. Led by Ho Chi Minh, leader of the Viet Minh who later became the president of Vietnam, the French were defeated at an abandoned airstrip at Dien Bien Phu. Then there was the Korean War, the Cuban standoff, Vietnam, India and Pakistan, Nigeria-Biafra, Congo, Border Disputes, Guyana’s included, the devastating Oil Crisis, the attack on OPEC, and combat against Apartheid South Africa. The constant mayhem that followed WWII enveloped the world of new small nations, distracting them on every level from assessing the threat of their own issues, from an anthropological perspective, on what was necessary to be done to fully address issues among their own populations and their needs, based on the available skills, cultures and talents. Colonial structures of ‘favouritism’, that asserted class and caste systems would have to be restructured. This led to disgruntlement and serious resentment, and accusations within. Caught in the predicament of having to choose one ‘Ism’ over the other, Socialism appeared to be the popular attraction.

NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT However, in 1976, the ‘Non-Aligned Movement’ was formally launched, providing a philosophical way out, in principle, for many Cold War-era small states, but not an immediate economic stimulus. Non-Alignment was not effective as a trading platform; these countries were still perceived as prey, and not seen as fit enough to be treated as equal partners. In the context of Guyana, efforts were made to expand the economy, but the technology to produce export-quality goods, in some cases properly done, was not cost-effective. In some areas, standards fell short, because in-house issues (as with some agri-products) were not addressed, while other areas, like the Cultural Industries were overlooked.

In retrospect, World War II was not merely about Europe at war; it encompassed an important era that brings clarity to our Independent national beginnings.

These cannot be ignored as the second frontier of conflict, or as the pains of growing up; of reconciling with self. Every accusation; every merit of failings and awakenings that we leave untold to another generation, is an accusation that will be pointed by our young at us, for not recording and telling ‘Our-Their -Timeline’ as a record to build upon.

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Transforming Guyana means ...

FROM PAGE XIX for 10 fields, the residents’ calls for a better road are understandable. The Fire Service itself stated that those

roads made it impossible for the fire engines to get to the burning house; firefighters instead were forced to trek through the mud.

Bad roads are an everyday complaint and one that, perhaps, the government is keen on addressing, given its large budgetary alloca-

tions and new developments.

Despite best efforts, though, one cannot ignore the fact that just one bad road- just one overlooked space- may result in a collective failure.

Again, we cannot allow this.

As a Guyanese youth, I look to the country’s future with much hope and anticipation. Though cynicism may sometimes best me, I believe that all people can enjoy a better quality of life right here if we continue advocating, questioning, supporting, and working towards that goal. In doing so, I believe that we can prevent future Barnwell tragedies.

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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ADDRESSING THE ...

FROM PAGE XVII

them and jumped out of the windows, smashing the glass and injuring themselves. On those same occasions, dogs and other animals belonging to private persons dashed out into the street and at least one was reported killed by oncoming traffic, while others were lost and never found again by their owners.

As we have indicated above, the main complaint we have had for the cause of this epidemic of noise nuisance is the dilatoriness of the police in warning or taking action against persons and institutions which infringe the law. The Minister of Home Affairs and the Commissioner of police should therefore make noise control one of the priorities of police work.

Other measures could be taken against the noise nuisance. Education: Some training at the Teachers Training Colleges should be offered on Noise and Noise Control. Every week, a few hours of noise and noise control should be part of the teaching curriculum in the schools. Or when licensing persons, businesses or institutions that may become possible generators of noise and become nuisances, licensing authorities should distribute educational material on noise nuisance to them.

The media could also be enlisted to assist in campaigns against noise nuisance. With sustained effort, noise could be brought under control, improving the quality of life of the community.

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ONE ONLY EARTH!

BILLIONS of US dollars are being spent on exploration within our solar system. The race is on to find out if life

can be sustained on other planets. Yet, on our own planetary home, we see and feel the effects of our collective actions on the

environment that sustains us; melting of glaciers and deforestation at alarming rates, ocean acidification, unsustainable commercial

consumption of wildlife, and the list goes on. While scientific exploration may tell us 20, 30, or 50 years from now that other planets are habitable, we need to think and act as if there is no option B. There is ONLY ONE EARTH! Here are some National Geographic facts that will help you to appreciate our shared home: * With a radius of 3,959 miles, Earth is the fifth largest planet in our solar system, and it’s the only one known for sure to have liquid water on its surface.

Earth is also unique in terms of monikers. * Every other solar system planet was named for a Greek or Roman deity.

Still, for at least a thousand years, some cultures have described our world using the Germanic word “earth,” which means simply “the ground.” * Earth orbits the sun

once every 365.25 days. surface is covered in oceans Since our calendar years of liquid water that average have only 365 days, we add 2.5 miles deep. an extra leap day every four * Earth’s crust and upyears to account for the per mantle are divided into difference. massive plates that grind * Like Venus and Mars, against each other in slow Earth has mountains, val- motion. As these plates colleys, and volcanoes. But lide, tear apart, or slide past unlike its rocky siblings, each other, they give rise to almost 70 percent of Earth’s SEE PAGE XXVII

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ONE ONLY...

our very active geology. EarthFROM PAGE XXVI quakes rumble as these plates snag and slip past each other.

Many volcanoes form as seafloor crust smashes into and slides beneath continental crust.

When plates of continental crust collide, mountain ranges such as the Himalayas are pushed toward the skies. * Earth’s atmosphere is 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and 1 percent other gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapour, and argon. * The atmosphere not only nourishes life on Earth, but it also protects it: It’s thick enough that many meteorites burn up before impact from friction, and its gases—such as ozone—block DNA-damaging ultraviolet light from reaching the surface.

Today we celebrate World Environment Day under the theme “Only One Earth”. We are reminded that the stakes have never been higher. The slogan calls on us humans to “live sustainably in harmony with nature”, a mantra that should be a part of our daily existence. While our individual consumption choices do make a difference, it is collective action that will create the transformative environmental change we need, so we can advance to a more sustainable and just Earth, where everyone can flourish.

Parents please visit https://www.prodigygame.com/mainen/blog/earth-day-activities-for-kids/ to do fun activities with your children to encourage them to appreciate and care for the Earth.

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Communications, 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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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, June 05, 2022 The signage to the airstrip in Whyaka

Mainstay Mission lakeside

Mainstay...

FROM PAGE VI presenting a very picturesque view.

Whyaka Village is a few minutes’ drive from Lake Mainstay, and there is a sign which reads “The Cradle of the Village”.

There are small tracks leading to large size houses that are modern in design, and there is an abundance of trees, fruits, plants and flowers.

Whyaka is said to be the place the first settlers came to live way back in the 1960s, and it was a landing then. The locals used boats to get around.

This section has about 25 residents, who are mostly pineapple farmers.

They are the large producers of the ‘sweet loaf’ pineapples, said to be the

munity centre, a Resource centre building/ICT hub, many shops, a guest house and the lake area which has a changing room, washroom facilities, benabs, sitting area with swings, wooden benches and a deck.

It is a large village which depends heavily on tourism and pineapple farming, although some people are self-employed and others have small grocery shops and snackettes.

Some people work outside the village, and there are some skilled professionals as well as folk who are multi-talented and do many things for work.

Mainstay isn’t a traditional Amerindian village.

Being so close to the Essequibo Coast, the residents are quite modern in their

Notices at the entrance of the village

sweetest in Guyana and the Caribbean.

In Whyaka, there is vast land space primarily used for pineapple farming on a large scale, and there are some houses side by side and also scattered.

Meanwhile, in Mainstay Mission, there is Princeville which is thickly populated with a mixture of people, being Indo, Afro, Amerindians and some mixed-race folk.

In this part of Mainstay, there is a Village Council office, a Health Post building which is being extended, a nursery and a primary school, a playground/com-

way of life. Still, they hold onto their roots and traditions, which come alive, especially during September which is designated Amerindian Heritage Month.

S ome people w ould make local wines from fruits grown in the village, and the people eat what they grow.

They enjoy a healthy life with fresh fruits, vegetables and freshly caught fish from the lake.

Mainstay/Whyaka is a lovely oasis, a place that feels right, a tranquil getaway for that perfect mini-vacation or weekend away to soothe the mind, body and spirit.

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THE COLOUR OF ....

FROM PAGE XVIII had separated in two and their dreams and passions sat on the shelves among the books, waiting.

She had not been home for a long time, having married and moved away, becoming a mother, a social worker and a sales representative and the girlhood dreams she had nurtured to become a lawyer became lost, somewhere, fate changing the course of her life.

She took down a book of poems he had given her as a valentine gift and as she flicked through, a worn piece of paper fell from between the pages – it was the shape of a heart with their names printed – ‘Maria & Chris – Friends forever’.

It was a friendship the boys in school couldn’t understand, for he did not have the looks and characteristics of a typical male, and she was spending her time with him on lunch dates and movies.

Only Maria knew it was not an attraction where the heart speaks of love nor the passion of a kiss. It was holding his hand to stop the taunts and the ridicule as he fought an inner battle to find a foothold in a man’s world.

She had begun to understand the feelings of infatuation and love from those who paid court to her as the years went by but she did not leave her friend, protecting his image for all the five years of high school. Maria replaced the book on the shelf and exited her old room for some fresh air in the garden, outside. As she sat on the swing, she thought, “I couldn’t believe I did that, no wonder it was so hard for him to move on.”

Maybe it would have been easier if she had, had a boyfriend and leave him to fight his own battles.

“But, maybe,” she thought, “It was meant to happen that way.”

Her heart found new desires with charming young men, for her as a woman that would become a part of her life as she began dating and the further down that path she walked, the farther back he was left, standing alone.

She had thought he would have found a life for himself as he began to work and interact with people of the outside world but what she did not know, that though he became more confident in himself as a guy, she had become his world and he never wanted her to leave. For Maria, the most difficult thing in her life, she had to do, was explaining to him, she did not share such close feelings, he was to her, just a special friend.

The pain in his eyes that day, that he tried to hide, left her with a sense of guilt and she did not see him again for a little while until they ran into each other at a book fair. He was with two beautiful girls he said from the office where he worked and it pleased her heart, easing the guilt from her mind that he was getting somewhere with his life.

Two months later, on her birthday, he brought for her the amethyst pendant that he told her he hoped she would keep forever to remember him.

“Oh no,” Maria exclaimed and running upstairs to her room, she opened the desk drawer and took out the pendant.

“I left it here when I got married and moved away.”

She clasped the chain around her neck and whispered, cross at herself, “How could I have forgotten?”

She laid in bed that night, sleepless for a long time, thinking of the friend and the husband, how different they were.

Her friend, had not a masculine outlook but his love for her was genuine. He appreciated her as a woman and supported her ambition and desires, a tolerant and selfless character.

Maria sighed deeply and turned her face in the pillow, hoping she could have a peaceful night sleep.

She had given up her best friend for the one whom her heart had spoken and in whom she had seen a beautiful life but not long after marriage, she discovered he had worn a false face. He was not what he had made her believe and too late, she had found herself sharing her life with someone selfish and arrogant, who did not value her worth and who cared not for her desires and ambition, but he called it love.

She had felt betrayed and the beautiful life she believed in, she never had. But it had been her choice, and she had to find her own little joys and happiness.

Maria’s eyes closed in sleep, the last thought on her mind, “I wonder if my friend is happy, if he found the right one to share his life?”

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Mentors in life and mental ...

FROM PAGE V

psychological help if you are dealing with intense anxiety or anxiety for a long term that is debilitating.

HELPS BOOST SELF-CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM: We all know that increased self-confidence can have a hugely positive effect on our mental health. Mentoring relationships can help us explore our ideas and grow in a non-judgmental space, which in turn can help us deal with the feelings of worthlessness and feelings of failure.

HELPS TO BUILD HOPE

FOR THE FUTURE: This pandemic situation has taught us all something, that is, the uncertainty of life.

We can experience fear from time to time, thinking about what lies ahead of us. Sometimes this fear can be crippling enough. Mentors in our life can help us guide, work towards our goals and accelerate our growth in life, thereby reducing our worries and instilling hope around the future.

‘A mentor is someone who allows you to see the hope inside yourself’ --Oprah Winfrey Gratitude and acknowl-

edgement to all mentors in my life who have helped me discover myself and my inner calling.

Thank you for reading!

Be inspired and inspire others in life. Mentoring is not a therapy session, and a mentor is not a therapist. It’s important to realise when you need professional help for your mental health issues and reach out at +592 613 9255, (Anju Vivekanandaraj, MSN., MSc(Clinical Psy), Registered Clinical Psychologist) for both Online and in-person therapy sessions.

Kindly send in your queries and feedback at innerpeacegy@gmail.com

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THOUGHT FOR TODAY Education is what when what has been survives learnt has been forgotten.

B.F. SKINNER (1 904-1990) Education in 1984 . New Scientist, 21 May 1964.

June 5, 2022 STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student, Welcome dear friend.

Now afterthorough preparation for the English Language examination through strategic study and care of mind and body, review time came along.You looked over specific and extensive exercises and past papers and included how to interpret and respond to questions correctly.You also recheckedtime-keepingand

dealing with distractions under examination conditions, and all other tipsfrom experts.

Now,with such strategic study, possibility exists that you have become a resounding winner.Be wise.

Love you.

THE PASSAGE Read the following passage carefully and then answer the questions below.

The Stress Response Why could something as familiar as a telephone ringing late at night cause a person to feel fear and near-panic? Why is it that your hands sweat, your muscles tense, and your appetite leaves as you wait in the hallway outside the classroom in which your final examination is to be held? These answers are simple and based on the body’s primitive interpretation of reality. The body is looking for energy because it believes that all change is threatening and can be confronted by running, fighting, scaring the “adversary” away, or engaging it in sexual activity (the flight, fight, fright, or folly response). For these responses, the body simply needs energy for physical activity.

1. Give possible meanings for the following terms: sweat; appetite; energy, change, folly response.

2. Suppose you are alone and sound asleep, and your house phone rings late at night, what assumptions would pass through your head before you answer the phone?

3. According to the passage information, what should the reader now recognise as “near-panic”?

4. Why do you suppose the author uses the term “the body’s primitive interpretation of reality”?

5. According to the passage, how do people confront change?

6. What do you think the writer means by saying “The body is looking for energy”?

7. Give THREE responses that the body simply needs energy for?

GRAMMAR (A)..Review of the Sentence: The Sentence Defined An understanding: When we answer a person’s question with a simple “yes” or a simple “no,” our one-word response says a lot. For example, assume that a friend asks, “Do you want to be my

partner at rounders this evening?” and your reply is “Yes.” Your one-word answer really includes some understood words.

Your answer really is “Yes, I do want to be your rounders partner this evening.” However, a simple “Yes” says it all.

Except when answering such questions, we seldom can communicate complete messages with single-word responses.

We must try to express yourselves precisely. Yes. We must know how to use sentences expertly.

Do you know what is a sentence? A sentence is a group of words that expresses a complete thought. If the thought is not complete, then the group of words is a fragment.

It is important that you learn to speak and write in sentences.

Look at eachgroup of words below and decide whether the words make sense. If they do not make sense, then the group of words is not a sentence.

A Quick Look No Sense, No Sentence a) We will receive a 5 percent discount if we use this bank card. (These words make sense; they express a complete thought. Therefore, they make up a sentence.) b) Shantell Edmonds is running for the office of leader of the local Girl Guides Association. (Again, these words make sense. They express a complete thought; therefore, this is a sentence.) c) If we do not receive the club badges within the next eight working days. (This group of words is not complete; it does not express a complete thought. This is not a sentence.)

PRACTICE In the following groups of words, tell which ones are sentences and which ones are not. Just say “sense” or “no sense.” Then, for additional practice, take each group of “no sense” words and add words as necessary to make sense of them.

1. Working as hard as he could.

2. To order a copy of “The New First Aid in English.”

3. Their pension was receivedat the South Park branch office.

4. Because Sandra forgot to send the payment.

5. Our end-of-year handwork exhibition ended two Fridays ago.

6. If you need more direction.

7. Since this bakery opened last September.

8. Devon Mundy was appointed first group vice president.

9. This building and fences will be pressure washed tomorrow.

(B)..Rapid Reading: One Good Reading Habit One good reading habit to help you gain speed is to look only at the beginnings of familiar words rather than at the entire words. Test your ability to do so by reading as rapidly as possible the following paragraph in which the endings of some familiar words have been omitted.

Your abil— to read is of— taken for gran--. Aren’t you, there--, surp—when you hear someb— make the state— that read— is and prob—always will be one of the most useful and most impor—skills taught in sch--?

Your work in elem— school, high sc--, and univ— is great— affect— by your abil— to read. As a stu--, you must be able to read qui— and thoro--. You must be ab—to read fast and enough so that you will have ti—for some pers—relax--.

In busi— you will have to read corres— and other writ— matter rela— to the busi— activity— in which you eng— ev— day.

(C)..Vocabulary and Spelling A skillful reader should have a well-developed vocabulary. Indicate whether the word in brackets has been used correctly in each of the following sentences. If not, what is the correct word?

1. The committee (past) the motion quickly.

2. No one will (except)the responsibility for the new error.

3. I drove 16 km.(further) than you did.

4. Suzan and Philbert followed the (recipe) for making the dip.

5. We need your (presents) at the meeting today.

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Importance of saliva

DID you know that no person can talk or eat if it were not for saliva? This fluid, commonly called “spit”, which is taken for granted, actually contains 31 different proteins plus 20 other substances, most of which comprise many metallic particles.

Many of the proteins and other constituents of saliva protect the soft and hard tissue of the oral cavity. The salivary mucins (slime) coat and lubricate the surfaces of the oral mucosa (lining). These larger molecules prevent bacterial adherence and colonization, protect the tissues from physical abuse and allow them to resist temperature change. Some of the proteins like lysozyme can degrade the cell walls of the bacteria e.g. histatin, lactoferrin and lactoperoxidase, and inhibit microbial growth. Some proteins such as salivary antibodies may protect the teeth against caries.

When the mouth is inactive, saliva flows at the rate of about one tablespoon every ten minutes. Conscious or unconscious, the flow never stops. While chewing gum, the flow rate of saliva averages one tablespoon every three minutes. The most remarkable finding of all studies is the enormous variability of flow rates for both basal (resting) and stimulating (chewing) secretions. These may have up to a 30-fold range. Thus, it is clear that a wide range of saliva production can allow normal oral functions. People with excessive salivary flow do not usually have bad breath.

A dry mouth is experienced when the salivary flow is reduced by at least 50 percent. The oral symptoms of xerostomia (dry mouth due to glands not functioning properly) are: these persons are often thirsty, have difficulty with swallowing, speaking and eating dry foods, need to sip water while eating frequently, have difficulty wearing dentures and often do things to keep the mouth moist. Bad breath is also a side effect.

Other signs and symptoms of the disease include burning or tingling sensations of the tongue, abnormal taste perceptions and fissures (cracks), and sores at the corners of the lips. General symptoms may also involve a dry throat, blurred vision with burning, and itching or sandy feeling in the eyes; a dryness, itching, and burning in the vagina, in addition to a recurrent history of vaginitis. Also seen are dry skin and nose, apart from frequent constipation.

Many of these symptoms may also be present in patients without xerostomia, but they are much more common in those with it.

Various other factors cause xerostomia, in addition to more than 400 drugs that can result in a decreased secretion of saliva. Without a doubt, the worst agent capable of causing the syndrome is radiation used in the treatment of oral and thyroid cancer. As far as possible, the glands should be shielded from the full dose of radiation.

Included in the diseases that may cause salivary gland hypo-function are rheumatoid conditions, AIDS, and certain common diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure.

Decreased chewing because of constant liquid diets and in patients whose jaws are wired when broken can induce gland atrophy (shrinkage), leading to dry mouth.

The ability of psychic states to depress the flow of saliva is well known. Depressive effects of anxiety and fear can result in lasting episodes of dry mouth. When no organic change can be found in a patient’s troublesome oral dryness, he should be advised to consult a psychologist or a psychiatrist to explore possible psychogenic factors. Treatment using antidepressant drugs tends to aggravate the degree of oral dryness.

Relief can also be had with sugar-free gum and the controlled use of bromhexine sulparam and pilocarpine HCL.

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