Guyana_Chronicle_Pepperpot_10_04_2022

Making a living on Wakenaam Island Guptie Jotis has mastered the art of pottery, making ceramic diyas, goblets, plant pots, kalsas and vases as a small business, right from his home on Wakenaam Island.

The hand-made pieces are done the old-fashioned way, with manual labour and it takes patience and time to craft the perfect piece of pottery (Delano Williams photo)

Sunday, April 10, 2022

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, April 10, 2022

Life as a female firefighter

AS the only sister among seven brothers, it’s not hard to imagine why it would be a breeze for

Crystal Joanna Taylor to pursue a job as a firefighter. The only female, on occasion, with as many as 12

Gender should not be a barrier to doing the things you love, Crystal believes

firemen on a scene, memories of her days growing up in a predominantly male household would often kick in.

The 26-year-old fondly recalls her childhood days in Riverview, Ruimveldt, with her parents and siblings and said there wasn’t anything her brothers did that she wouldn’t also do.

She understandably became a ‘tom boy’ among them and would not exclude herself from any of their activities.

Crystal didn’t have a specific career in mind, but when her mother told her what a firefighter does, she made it her goal to pursue a career in firefighting. Almost five years now with the Guyana Fire Service, Crystal said she is really enjoying the job and that she loves doing it.

Stationed at the fire service in Stabroek, a typical day would see Crystal equipping herself with her boots, helmet and jacket as she prepares to respond to a call with the rest of her team. Her superiors would make up the team, so her duties would vary depending on what she’s called on to do. But each time before they go out, the team would be briefed about the operation.

Crystal is often the lone female firefighter on the

Crystal on a fire scene (Carl Croker photo)

team, but having come to know the guys well, she feels comfortable with them and they’re all friends. So that makes everything easier for her.

As much as they look out for her and try to keep her from doing the things they perceive are dangerous, Crystal is always looking for an opportunity to prove to them that she can do the same things they can.

At times, even when they know that she’s capable of doing the job, there will still be some hesitation just because they’re dealing with a woman.

For example, they may not want her to go in front where a fire is happening, or they

may not want her to perform certain tasks. “But I keep insisting that I should do it,” she said.

“Males do have a tendency of underestimating you; you have to constantly keep proving yourself. It was hard to deal with at first, but as I got to know them I didn’t see the differences between us so much.

At times, I have to show them that just what they can do, I can do it too; sometimes even better,” she expressed during an interview with Pepperpot Magazine.

But this isn’t so difficult for Crystal to do. “Even though you have to constantly prove yourself showing that you can do the job, I grew

up in a male household, so it wasn’t hard to get accustomed to.”

Crystal believes that having the right mindset is necessary. “Gender shouldn’t stop us from doing the things we want to. Being a woman is power in itself; you don’t have to prove anything to a man or anyone else but to yourself,” she offered.

But the friendships she has gained with her co-workers just make life a whole lot easier for her. “You gain that attachment to them, get accustomed to the conversations; of course, there will be boundaries; I’m very comfortable SEE PAGE XVIII

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, April 10, 2022

‘I’m a fighter, always’ - escaping abuse and finding purpose through social work and the Spotlight Initiative “ABUSE doesn’t happen 24/7. There are beautiful days or months with love and affection and then there’s the abuse, and when that happens, we know that it’s going to end; we look forward to the next phase, and so, oftentimes, our brain tends to block out

upset,” says Wemyss. “That cycle continued throughout my childhood.”

Wemyss never doubted that her parents loved their children. The now 49-yearold Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Coordinator working with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

Wemyss de Florimonte, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Coordinator working with the United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA)

the bad parts.” – Wemyss de Florimonte, UNFPA Guyana Gender-based Violence (GBV) Coordinator, and survivor of GBV ‘Normal’ From the outside, the de Florimontes looked like an average, well-to-do family.

Mr. de Florimonte was a well-respected senior journalist, his wife was a nurse, and they had nine children together. But Mr. de Florimonte had a habit of consuming alcohol.

When he imbibed, it had an immediate effect on their Subryanville, Georgetown home. This would lead to conflict in the home.

As the youngest child, Wemyss recalls reciting the mantra “The blood of Jesus.”

It was taught to her by one of her sisters, who used her faith to comfort her siblings.

“To this day, I can’t hear that thing without getting

in Guyana believes that her parents did their best with the knowledge that they had.

“My father’s ideology was deeply rooted in patriarchy,” she says. “He also served in the Guyana National Service. When he came home, the whole house had to be clean. Food had to be on the table. If not, everybody had to be uncomfortable.”

In a house of 11 people, Wemyss often felt invisible, so she sought attention elsewhere. At the age of 15, she became pregnant by her 17-year-old neighbour. “I hid that pregnancy… but I did it for a reason, because I knew my family members were going to make sure I had an abortion,” she says.

Though she was young, Wemyss knew she wanted to keep the baby.

When the relationship with her daughter’s father did not work out, Wemyss, now

a teenage mother, entered another relationship. This relationship resulted in abuse.

After several attempts to leave, Wemyss finally decided she’d had enough after one particularly violent episode.

She says that her father was instrumental in giving her the courage to leave by letting her know that she was always welcome to return home if she was unhappy.

Finding purpose through social work After dropping out of school to take care of her baby and working for minimum wage most of her early adult life, Wemyss decided to complete her high school education at the age of 30. She graduated from the Critchlow Labour College with five Grade Ones at the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC).

She first set her sights on becoming a nurse like her mother, but her older sister, who is a social worker, encouraged her to pursue a social work degree.

Wemyss decided on a life in social work as she felt that her experience with her studies had helped her to heal from her own trauma.

“In Guyana, we do not have an agency that offers holistic support.

What we do is treat symptoms, we do not treat underlying issues…

I told myself I am going to study social work, and it will heal me. I want to understand how to be a better parent, how to get over this [trauma] and the way that I respond to situations. As a parent, I sometimes used to lash out at my children,” she says, “I recognised I was traumatising my children because of my trauma.”

What started as a journey toward self-healing turned into a passion for helping others. Wemyss fell in love with social work and all it entailed. As one of the older people in the class, Wemyss became a shoulder to lean on for other women. “So many women have gone through these things, and they’re still going through it,” she says. “I think because of my [outspoken] personality, they found it easier to talk to me, so I started being the unofficial class counsellor,” she explains.

After graduating with a

Wemyss giving a presentation to participants of a workshop for women living with disabilities during the 16 Days of Activism against GBV in 2021

distinction in her Social Work Degree, Wemyss worked as the Head of the Women of Worth programme with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security. The programme was a collaboration between the ministry and the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry Limited (GBTI) to provide small business

Tobago Office of the Prime Minister in 2018.

The Spotlight Initiative A Master’s Degree in Social Work at the University of Guyana brought Wemyss back to her home soil in 2018. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic kept her there. It was then that Wemyss heard about the Spotlight Initiative,

Wemyss believes that addressing gender-based violence requires a multi-sectoral, multilayered and community-centred approach (Photos courtesy of Wemyss de Florimonte)

financing for single-parent women at low-interest rates.

She later became the Monitoring and Evaluation and Community Development Officer at the Ministry of Tobago Development, working out of the Trinidad and

and now works closely with the UNFPA to execute projects under the programme.

“The Spotlight Initiative is one of the programmes that I support 100 per cent,” she says. “It addresses violence against women and girls

(VAWG) in a holistic way.

GBV is systemic. It’s rooted in all of our practices, our norms, our institutions, so addressing gender-based violence requires a multi-sectoral, multilayered, as well as a community-centred approach. We can make a difference with [the] Spotlight Initiative because it addresses gender-based violence or violence against women and girls from all these different angles.”

The six-pillar approach of the Spotlight Initiative addresses Laws and Policies, Institutions, Prevention, Essential Services, Quality Data and Civil Society/Women’s Movement.

Wemyss says that Spotlight Initiative programmes have been breaking new ground in Guyana, from the Gender-Based Violence App it helped develop to the Child Advocacy Centres that provide victims of child sexual abuse access to child-safe and child-friendly spaces.

Despite some progress, she says that more must be done to create cultural change so that women can come forward and share their stories or have the courage to leave their situations.

“I am a fighter, always,” she says. “And I was always taught to speak out and not be afraid. But [society] denigrates women so badly.

[It’s] as if we don’t understand that this is something that all of us might have grappled with - whether personally or through interactions with a survivor. [We need] to talk to survivors.

Let us support them, let us work with them, let us remind them that many of us went through this, but by the grace of God, came through. Support is everything.”

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, April 10, 2022

Early access to therapy is key for stroke patients WHEN someone suddenly gets a stroke, their life is turned upside down, at least initially, when a state of confusion sets in and they have no idea why they cannot move a limb or communicate a basic message to someone. The reality and severity of the new condition can take quite a toll.

At times, these individ-

It is for this reason that Rehabilitation Assistant Aloma Fredericks, like many other health practitioners, believes that the sooner they start physiotherapy after a stroke, the better. And by all means, remaining calm and researching the condition can prove helpful.

“Almost everyone has access to the internet. Make use of it; google and get

“When you get a stroke, it’s all about controlling your diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol. To prevent it, keep those things under control. Look at your diet, exercise, visit the health centre or have some form of medical checkup from time to time, especially if you go over age 40,” Fredericks, who has been working in rehabilitation since 1997, shared.

– Says seasoned ‘Rehab’ Assistant couldn’t move. “I was later informed that I got a stroke,” she told Pepperpot Magazine.

She made her way to the Brickdam facility, which sees approximately 25-30 stroke patients monthly, where she started therapy while at the same time taking a close look at her diet and exercise. “I

are Hypertension, Diabetes, and Cholesterol.

In noting how rehabilitation makes a difference in the lives of persons who may have had a stroke, she noted

things she believes can help someone avoid a stroke: making healthy lifestyle choices (eating healthy, exercising, and not smoking and consuming alcohol); knowing

The ‘Rehab’ department hosts a stroke sensitisation workshop every quarter uals may not have access to supportive family members or to the medical system, and this in itself can make them feel hopeless.

Think, for example, about a person living alone who suddenly comes down with a stroke or about someone whose economic situation is compromised; he or she has no one on whom to depend and must daily care for themselves. They may have bills to pay, or may be living in a rented apartment.

The anxiety can be quite overwhelming.

information,” Fredericks advised. She was one of the facilitators of a workshop held recently by the Rehabilitation Department of the Ministry of Health, based in the Palms compound.

It was a quarterly workshop to sensitise patients and caregivers about stroke.

Speech and Language Therapist Lisa Sam was also on hand to make a presentation on how a person’s communication is affected after a stroke, along with Department Director Barbara Lawrence and others.

Sixty-two-year-old Parbattie Singh knows now the value of doing all these things. At the end of last January, she suddenly developed a stroke, and to date, she cannot say for sure what really caused it. What she does remember, though, is that her pressure and cholesterol were high at the time.

After suffering a fall, Singh went to the hospital for treatment and recalled trying to make a fist with her left hand and just couldn’t.

It was then that she also realised that her left foot also

can tell anyone that therapy bring[sic] me back. I got strong. They [physiotherapists] gave me the courage and the mind to do my thera-

Speech and Language Therapist Lisa Sam

Stroke survivor Parbattie Singh

Helping stroke patients and caregivers better understand how to cope

py,” she expressed.

Meanwhile, Lisa Sam, who is also an Audiologist, has been working part-time with stroke patients over the past three years, and she’s also found that the major causes of stroke in Guyana

how the ‘Rehab’ department has been providing therapy over the years to patients in physical, occupational, and speech therapy and has also been making referrals for patients who need further help.

Sam shared some of the

your family’s health history, so that you can prevent certain medical conditions that run in your family; and doing regular checkups, whether young or old.

“Your brain is amazing!

It has the ability to re-wire itself, allowing you to improve skills such as walking, talking, and even using your affected limbs again. This process is known as neuroplasticity and it begins after a stroke,” Sam shared.

While it may take time to see improvement, she believes that rehabilitation activities will encourage the brain to start connecting to new healthy pathways.

“Building up those connections makes your brain better able at controlling your body and lets you get back to doing the things you once enjoyed.

So all hope is not lost; it just takes a lot of exercising and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.”

Sam also feels that there is a greater need for public information and education on the subject.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, April 10, 2022

Palm Trees Bearing Sweet Coconuts SPENDING a few hours at the 80-acre Stoll’s Coconut Estate at Enterprise on the Pomeroon River in Region Two is always an extremely informative, pleasurable and memorable experience for anyone who is fortunate to get there. As the visitor strides around that fertile agricultural enterprise, they would realise that they are at a special place in our beautiful Guyana. So, in this feature article, I will relate how it feels, at least for me, to be walking on the fertile earth which is part of an agricultural project

those trees are about 80 feet tall and laden with lots and lots of coconuts. Many are sold as “water coconuts.” Others for copra. Some of the trees are young and not quite ready to produce nuts as yet. Nonetheless, they are expected to be producing nuts within a year or two. The ongoing production will not only keep the Stoll family financially viable, but also contribute to the livelihoods of the 80 loyal employees and their families who work at the farmlands as well as at the adjacent Adel’s Tourist Resort. Adel Stoll, who was the

Farrier among the hundreds of coconut palm trees at the Stoll Coconut Estate at Enterprise on the Pomeroon River in Region Two

of that magnitude. The property has been owned and developed by two generations of the Stoll family for over half a century.

Within the boundaries of the Stoll Coconut Enterprise, there are hundreds and hundreds of coconut trees. Some of

matriarch of the Stoll family and founder of the resort, died there some years ago. During her period as the manager of the resort, she welcomed many tourists, some coming from as far away as Australia and New Zealand, and even today, arrivals from distant lands are still the norm. Local visitors

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and foreign tourists alike find the Stoll Coconut Farm not only a sight to behold, but an attraction to stroll around and be one with “Coconut Nature.” Enjoying the water from the nuts is an added pleasure for tourists to Adel’s, especially when the coconut water is chilled to the right temperature.

Those of us old enough will recall when the song “Coconut Woman” was recorded and made very popular by the Caribbean entertainer Harry Belafonte in 1957. That song promotes the health value of coconut water which is consumed by many Guyanese, some on a daily basis. There are scores of water coconut ventors in Guyana who are ready to cut open a water coconut at one end and present it to a buyer to drink. Those nuts are available not only in Georgetown, but also at dozens of other roadside water coconut vendors in many other locations in the country. Coconut water is also served at cocktail receptions and other similar up-scale events.

In that Harry Belafonte song, the singer makes reference that “Coco got a lot of iron. Make you strong like a lion” and many men, in particular, take that seriously as a means of supporting and increasing their virility. No doubt, however, there is health value in coconut water which is also good for women, and the singer Harry Belafonte gives a most expressive testament in his rendition of the song “Coconut Woman.” The female back-up singers in that recording also present equally impressive support, and the song is regarded as one of Harry Belafonte’s most memorable and popular from his early singing career.

While at school so many years ago, my generation of students was taught that every single part of the coconut tree is useful to mankind, and as such, we must regard the coconut tree as being very special. Starting with the tree’s fibre roots which hold the soil together, preventing easy erosion when they are planted on the banks of canals, creeks and rivers, was the first thing we were taught. In the old days and even today, in the rural areas of Guyana, the trunk is at times used to construct low-grade bridges, while the leaves are used for lowgrade roofs. There are so many other uses for the various parts of the coconut tree, including the manufacture of jewellery, ornaments and decorations, not to forget the use of branches to produce simple cricket bats and also what is called “Pointer brooms” using the stem of the leaves. The lifespan of a healthy coconut tree is about 80 highly productive years. Mention must also be made of landscaping and shade facilities, among some other more ideal uses such as somewhere for birds to perch and even build nests. Bravo to the coconut tree, a palm of elegance, the image of which is even used as the symbol of one of Guyana’s main political parties.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, April 10, 2022

Wakenaam Island - An idyllic place to settle

Wakenaam Island, Essequibo, simply a paradise, photos depicting the way of life of the people (Delano Williams photos)

THIS week, the Pepperpot Magazine journeyed to Wakenaam Island, Essequibo River, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) over land and sea to highlight the way of life of the locals.

The journey started from

the city where the team crossed over the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) to West Coast Demerara, to Parika, then boarded a speedboat which took half an hour to get to the island.

Upon reaching the island, the speedboat takes you to the Bridge/Palmyra, through a small channel. There is a small landing to offload passengers on that section of Wakenaam, then to its landing farther away.

Wakenaam Island is a lovely place with huge houses, vast rice, plantain, banana and cash-crop cultivation and good people who extend their warm hospitality to visitors.

Wakenaam Island is one of the 365 islands that are

in the Essequibo River, and it is home to plantains, rice, cattle, poultry, cash crops, coconuts and the most hospitable people.

According to the locals, Wakenaam Island is deemed a “paradise” with plantains being ‘gold’ presently due to their price and their vast cultivations. It is said to be the ideal place to enjoy a quiet, hardworking life.

Most of the people have lived all their lives there and do not wish to settle anywhere else because it is simply home, a place where it is very safe, and there is peace, and our national motto of “one people, one nation, one destiny” is truly defined in the way the people live in

togetherness.

Wakenaam is one of the largest islands (the others being Leguan and Hogg Island) in the Essequibo Islands group. It was occupied at one time by the Dutch in the 18th century.

The name Wakenaam is Dutch, meaning “waiting for a name” and still contains old Dutch graves at various locations on the island.

The place boasts a rich agriculture-based lifestyle as it is one of the largest producers of coconuts, plantains, bananas, rice, cash crops, livestock, poultry and cattle.

Over time, the island has SEE PAGE XII

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, April 10, 2022

The educators of Wakenaam Island - committed to the upliftment of their community

By Michel Outridge MOULDING the minds of learners is a great responsibility, and for Sheik Ahmad, the current headmaster of Sans Souci Secondary School, Wakenaam Island, Essequibo River, it is a task he takes seriously.

The school is a sprawling structure that is well kept

Mathematics and business subjects. He came from a family tree of teachers.

His father was a former headmaster and his mother was also a teacher who later became a housewife and it was his father who motivated him to become an educator in the public school system.

Ahmad recalled that

Head Teacher attached to the Sans Souci Secondary School, Sheik Ahmad (Delano Williams photos)

and painted in pastel colours that complement the environment. It was established in 1968 and is still in very good condition.

Ahmad became a teacher in 1998 to fulfil his true calling to the noble profession and he is versed in

when he was in the city, completing his university studies, his father asked him to return home and contribute to his community by becoming a teacher.

Today, 24 years later, he is still there doing what he loves the most, preparing

children for the future.

Ahmad’s teachings have produced a lot of top performers at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level, and it is just one of the many hats he wears as a resident and as a community-driven individual who is keen on development on the island.

The headteacher disclosed that in this changing world, they have adopted certain measures in school to ensure that those who are not academically inclined will also benefit from skills-training, since there is demand for such resources.

Ahmad oversees the work of 27 teachers at the Sans Souci Secondary School, the only such school on the island.

He told the Pepperpot Magazine that he is also a representative of the Wakenaam Regional Democratic Council (RDC) and he represents the people’s development needs and his door is always open to his fellow villagers.

As a listening ear, Ahmad added that he would often assist the people in whatever way he could through his office and as a person who understands the needs of the people residing on the island.

“Wakenaam is a paradise. The air is fresh and clean with no hint of pollution, a good place to be where we live as one with no racial undertones or bad

Former teacher Leila Mansarally

The home of Sheik Ahmad

vibes,” he said.

Ahmad added that he is also a cattle and plantain farmer and co-operates with his brother, the Chairman of the Wakenaam NDC, Sheikh Ahmad.

He is also a member of the masjid and a volunteer who participates in both religious, social and community work within Wakenaam.

Ahmad disclosed that he is the founder of the much-touted “Wakenaam Night,” which was hosted annually on the island.

“This place has produced a lot of people, who contribute to society and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and we are a hardworking people, one of the largest producers of plantains and coconuts,” he said.

Even though life on the island is fair, Ahmad believes that the produce should be converted into manufactured products to create employment and

boost rural development.

He explained that they have a lot of land which can be used for milk and food-processing and with their large acreage of rice lands, it is a plus because they also produce milk, about 3000 gallons per month from the cows they rear.

Ahmad added that with all their produce they can have a good standard of living if their produce is turned into manufactured products, a win-win situation for all.

The educator related that the island needs a call centre and perhaps part-time jobs for housewives, who can contribute significantly to economic growth because if both parties in a household work, the possibilities are endless.

Ahmad added that at Wakenaam Island they live with a lot of love and compassion for each other, and it is a very safe place to

settle, work off the land and live a good life. In the next 10 years, he is of the hope they can move from rural to an organised, self-sufficient state.

He noted that with agro-processing, there is a lot of potential and with that kind of investment, it will improve the lives of the locals.

“The people here are very cooperative, and we live in harmony because we are a large family and it is all about us here on the island and what we do to benefit all in totality. We don’t do things for our own benefit but for all, so the people here can be comfortable and have a good way of life,” he said.

Retired teacher and respected elder, Leila Mansarally Aunty Leila, as she is SEE PAGE XVII

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, April 10, 2022

Business activities on Wakenaam Island

By Michel Outridge BEING one of the largest plantain farmers on Wakenaam Island, Essequibo River, Satnarine Singh better known as ‘Tom,’ is optimistic that plantains have a lot of potential for development on the island.

The 57-year-old has been

week, and most of it is utilised right on the island with little or no value to him.

The father of three is a local of Wakenaam but was raised in his home village of Maria Johanna, but later relocated to another part of the island.

Singh explained that there is a need to reduce the advan-

can benefit directly without wholesale buyers manipulating the pricing and market.

The farmer added that with a Farmer’s Market, the farmers could get directly to the consumers, and the product comes off the market very quickly due to the reduced prices.

Singh stated that de-

Boneless, sun-dried salted fish

The home of Satnarine Singh

Arneka Persaud with his product

on a very large scale and it is considered gold now,” he said.

Singh estimated that about one million pounds of plantains come from Wakenaam annually and they want consumers to benefit from a reasonable price, since people are still paying $250 per pound for plantains, which he farming for the past 37 years and has 200 acres of plantain farm and provides employment for 15 to 20 people who have housing accommodation on the island, free of charge.

Singh told the Pepperpot Magazine that he produces about 800 pounds of high-quality plantains per

tage of pricing as it relates to retail marketing; for instance, a pound of plantain is $150 on the island and when it is bought for re-selling, the price goes up to 100 percent.

He disclosed that this method puts pressure on farmers in terms of demand, and there goes his call for a Farmer’s Market in which all

spite challenges, they have a lot to be thankful for on the island. They have received a lot of support from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA) and the Ministry of Agriculture.

“On this island, every inch of land is used for farming, so plantain is produced

said is ludicrous.

He pointed out that on the island they are trying to open up even more lands, which means a lot production and a better supply to consumers.

Singh also plants watermelons, and pumpkins and See Page XXII

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, April 10, 2022

Making a living on Wakenaam Island

By Michel Outridge

Guptie Jotis by his handmade clay brick oven

GUPTIE Jotis is very talented, having inherited in-bred skills through generations, who came from India. He has mastered the art of pottery, making ceramic diyas, goblets, plant pots, kalsas and vases as a small business, right from his home.

The hand-made pieces are done the old-fashioned way, with manual labour and it takes patience and time to craft the perfect piece of pottery.

Since age 13, he started making pottery on his own and, over the years, has turned it into a side business to bring in an income to the home.

Jotis is the father of three school-aged children, and he is a resident of Belle Plaine Village, Wakenaam Island.

He would buy the mud from rice mills on the island and begin his work of pottery, which is a slow process that requires exact skills.

The 52-year-old is also a farmer/fisherman and whatever else he can do for work, for an honest dollar.

The process starts when the mud is kneaded for a few minutes and then placed on the manual turn-table, which requires some manpower to turn to its right velocity then, the clay is formed by hands and moulded into whatever he needs to make right before your eyes.

It is an awesome experience, and the pottery takes three full days to sun-dry before it is baked in a clay oven, after which the final product is complete for sale.

Jotis told the Pepperpot Magazine that the small business is a joint effort between himself and a brother, Joshi Jotis, who resides in Berbice.

He reported that he is from a family of potters, and he is keeping the tradition alive today,

Meanwhile, his wife, Indrawattie Jotis isn’t sitting at home idly. She makes ice, milk icicles and custard to sell in addition to the cooking and house-

Nadir Mustakeen, the coconut buyer of Wakenaam Nadir Mustakeen is a resident of Wakenaam Island, who grew up in the

because he feels at peace when he is making ceramic pieces.

Jotis is a humble, quiet kind of a man, who isn’t of many words but when he speaks, it is with much wisdom and from the look of things, he is doing all he can to have a good life on the island.

hold duties.

She is a willing spouse who also lends support to her husband.

This couple has their pottery displayed in their yard and in front of their house to attract buyers as well as a marketing tool.

city and today, he has a blooming coconut small business in which he buys dry coconuts from locals for re-sale to exporters.

He started the business 15 years ago after a market opened on the island, and

Ceramic pieces made by Guptie Jotis (Delano Williams photos)

See Page XIII

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, April 10, 2022

Wakenaam’s NDC is for the people Boosting production and enhancing lives

By Michel Outridge WAKENAAM Island is the kind of place where you can sit quietly to enjoy watching the sunset and the dawning of a new day because of its location, tranquillity and ease of living.

It is one of those places you visit for the very first

who has lived all his life on the island.

He is a farmer who came from humble beginnings and worked his way up as the NDC Chairman for the people after he began advocating for his fellow farmers on the island.

Ahmad added that he came from a long line of

Cast net fishing at Wakenaam

Sheikh Ahmad, the NDC Chairman (Delano Williams photos)

time and stay a bit longer than you should, but it is worth it since it is such a beautiful island.

These were some of the sentiments expressed by many, including the Chairman of the Wakenaam Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Sheikh Ahmad,

farmers, his parents, and siblings. He was a teacher for some time before he transitioned into a farmer since they have some farming lands on the island.

He decided to try his hand at farming, and as he became familiar with the challenges faced by farmers, he began to

advocate at the regional level on their behalf.

Ahmad took on the role of NDC Chairman in 2018, and in his tenure, he has seen a lot of development within the island, one being the upgrading of the all-weather road, the main access road around the entire Wakenaam.

He disclosed that they had a potable water issue, but three months ago, a new well station was commissioned, and they are now benefitting from a reliable supply.

SEE PAGE XLIV

A female resident catching fish

Plantain and rice cultivations at Wakenaam

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, April 10, 2022

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, April 10, 2022

Wakenaam ...

FROM PAGE VI

benefitted from treated potable water which is more than adequate with the installation of a new well station, reliable 24-hour electricity, private internet services, cellphone services and the main access road that goes all around the island.

Wakenaam has four primary schools, one secondary school, five nursery schools, seven playgrounds, two community centres, one police station, one post office that is in dire need of rehabilitation, one hospital with a resident doctor and a lab, the Neighbourhood Democratic Council building, several stores and supermarkets selling hardware and groceries and two gas stations.

There is also a Rest House for visitors to stay, and on the lower flat of the building, there is the Magistrate’s Court.

The Wakenaam Ferry Stelling sits at the edge of the island, and most of the services are located in Sans Souci village, a central hub of businesses, that is thickly populated.

The population is estimated at about 4,000 with a mixture of people of different ethnicities. At one time the island had a total of 17,000 people, but a lot of people migrated, and others left for other locations to settle.

On the island, there are reminders of the Dutch inhabitants with a koker at Maria Johanna still operating with its original claybrick structure and many silk-cotton trees that are scattered all over Wakenaam.

There are 14 villages on the island and most of them are small, but it takes a while to get around the entire island, which is considerably large.

Supermarkets on the island

A map of a section of the island

A masjid at Wakenaam

Churches on the island

The Ferry Stelling at Wakenaam

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Making a living ...

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Nadir Mustakeen poses by the coconuts he sourced from the island

FROM PAGE IX

with the previous experience he garnered, he took advantage of the opportunity then.

Mustakeen would sell the peeled, dried coconuts to wholesale exporters in the city, who in turn would ship it out of the country.

At the time, he had 15,000 coconuts already peeled and bagged in the denominations of 50, which would be taken to Georgetown for export after it is sold.

His small business employs six persons, all from the island, but the locals would be tasked with peeling the dried coconuts before he buys them for bagging.

Mustakeen told the Pepperpot Magazine that coconuts have great potential on the island and the market has somewhat revived after it had a ‘slow death’ many years ago.

As a former Ministry of Agriculture employee, he stated that he would like to see extension officers on the island periodically to lend support to the coconut farmers, who have many challenges in getting a good harvest.

Mustakeen added that coconut farmers are plagued by diseases and good housekeeping is a must, since guidance is required for good cultivation on disease management.

Guptie Jotis, the potter at work (Delano Williams photos)

Coconuts that will be sold in the city to be shipped overseas

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ANGEL OF MERCY III

SINCE that day at the orphanage, Salima couldn’t stop thinking about Rahim and his conflicting emotions of pain, hate and intolerance. There was a side of him she had seen that showed love and care and with that image of him in her mind, a unique feeling slowly filled her heart.

“Salima,” her mother’s voice broke into her thoughts, “Let’s go, your father is waiting on us.”

She had visited the Queenstown mosque with her mother that afternoon and as they were leaving, her father said to her.

“Look across the street.”

She turned to look and saw Rahim, dressed in street casual clothes, astride his bike with a few of his biker friends.

“What is he doing?” she asked, not believing he would be exhibiting his rebellious lifestyle so close to the mosque.

“That’s one of his ways,” her father answered, “of showing dissent to his father.”

“His father is here?” Salima asked perturbed.

“Look at the other exit, that’s his father and two sisters, just leaving.”

“This is so sad,” she said quietly, seeing the unhappy look on their faces.

The next moment was a live drama of daring versus fear as the bikes revved loudly and blazed across the road, swerving dangerously to avoid collision with other vehicles and sped away, disappearing around the bend in the road.

Salima felt her heart racing, his daredevil antics giving her a bad scare and looking at his father from where she stood, she saw the grieved look on his face.

She had a restless night when sleep played games with her as he played games with death. The next day after a busy morning, she entered her office and saw a note on her desk, ‘Stopped by to say Hello – Rahim’ “That’s nice.” She thought but got taken up with work and thought no further about it.

Late the next afternoon, she saw another note, “Can’t see you to talk Dr. – Rahim”.

There was no number on the card to send an answer and she wondered why he wanted to talk to her. No more notes were left the following days but she saw him on Sunday at a colleague’s sister’s wedding on the West Coast. He was not there as the person she had begun to like and appreciate but as the rebel, drinking with friends. She tried not to let it bother her but she felt somewhat upset and when she looked at him she did not realize that feeling was reflected on her face. She couldn’t sleep that night and watched a movie, not wanting to think of him, when her phone rang.

It was Rahim calling.

She wondered why he would be calling her if he was with friends and she answered, “Hello.”

“Did I wake you, doctor?”

“No, why are you calling me so late?”

“I just wanted you to know that I’m home, I didn’t go out with any other friends.”

“Why do I need to know that?”

“Because you did not look pleased when you saw me at the wedding today. Why were you so disturbed?”

“I was not.”

“I know you were Doctor Salima and one day, I hope, you’ll tell me why. Good night.”

She sat lost in thoughts for a long time, not sure what her heart was telling her.

A couple days later, early in the morning, she was surprised to see him waiting by her office door.

“What are you doing here so early?”

He handed her a fresh red rose he had hidden behind his back and said, “Just in case I don’t see you during the day.

Can we have lunch?”

She couldn’t help smiling, “You know you could be nice when you want to, but I’m not sure I can go out with you.”

“Why?” “Well, your lifestyle and SEE PAGE XXX mine are very different.”

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The educators of ...

FROM PAGE VII

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fondly called, is a respected, well-known and loved elder in the community of Wakenaam and farther afield, having with many organisations, including church,” she said.

She was part of a cleaning group where they did community-based work at spent 40 years in the teaching profession in the public school buildings and weeded and was part of the craft exhibitions to showcase the local system.

Leila Mansarally began her teaching career in 1962 and is a resident of Belle Plaine talent.

Today, Mansarally is still active in church and the community, serving the people as the Village, Wakenaam Island. presiding elder at three branches of the Presbyterian Churches on the island. “[In] my days as a teacher, [it] was a dignified profession which was met with a lot She is part of the women’s group and is very engaged in fund-raising activities and the of respect and cooperation, and both teachers and parents had a good relationship. In those days, things were different, people were more open to suggestions, and an entire money is used to donate to hospitals and community outreaches in hamper distribution and village raised a child. Today, it is not so. Back then, you learn something new every day monetary handing overs.

“Growing up here played a vital part in my rounded upbringing, and it made me into a and I enjoyed my years of teaching because it was good. People were more motivated,” complete person, who fosters community-based development,” she said. she said.

Having taught three generations of learners, today, she is a household name, and as a She started teaching at Maria’s Pleasure then went to Anna Regina, Sans Souci, Fredericksburg, Windsor Forest, Arthurville, where she spent most of her teaching career at the mother of three and grandmother of four; she still performs counselling services free of charge and serves as a religious leader and elder in the community. primary level.

The 77-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that Wakenaam is home for her, and it is Mansarally told the Pepperpot Magazine that she went to in-service training as a teacher the place where she feels safe and comforted. at Battery Road, Kingston, and it was an after-school exercise.

A place she can look at the sunset and sunrise daily in her quiet moments and reflect She was teaching at Dolphin’s Government School then and worked in the day and afon life and future endeavours. ternoons went to class until she was qualified as a teacher.

“I always wanted to become a nurse because I was quite taken [in] with the lily-white uniform and the starched cap, but after high school, being from a poor family, I took the first job I got due to economic circumstances,” she said.

Mansarally retired in 2000, but was re-appointed as the temporary headteacher at Sans Souci.

“I really like helping people, especially the less fortunate. I contributed to society via a free after-school programme to assist slow learners in reading. I did my part as a volunteer

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Life as a female ...

FROM PAGE II

Crystal is often the only female on her team responding to a fire

with them.”

At times Crystal would work in the control room, which she said is just as important as being in the fields responding to a fire. “Being a firefighter means that you have to serve and protect. Every day is something new. Sometimes I work in the control room, which is just as hard as going to a fire. We have to dispatch whatever is requested in an area.”

Crystal can still remember one of the most interesting experiences she’s had on the job. She had just started working and was responding to a fire in the wee hours of the morning. On the way back from that fire, though, the team received a call about another fire in the same East Coast area. Even though being deprived of sleep, they nevertheless had to respond.

Photos: Fire 1: Fire 2: Fire 3: Fire 4:

Crystal Joanna Taylor (Carl Croker photo)

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Business activities...

FROM PAGE VIII

is thinking about going into coconuts, since the Ministry of Agriculture has opened a nursery at Wakenaam, which is very convenient for him.

“We the farmers also need a reliable speedboat service other than the two we have, which do not have a turn system with no schedule, causing lengthy delays to passengers to transport our produce directly to Parika to remain viable,” he said.

Singh added that they have increased the fare per passenger from $1000 to $1500 and it is a waste of time for the travelling public to have to spend such long hours waiting for the boat service which provides a poor service.

The farmer stated that despite that, Wakenaam is a happy place to live because it is very safe and they are a welcoming, hospitable people.

The sun-dried fillet banga mary slated fish small business Meanwhile, also on the island is the home and small business of Arneka Persaud, a local of Wakenaam, who has lived all his life there.

The 68-year-old resides with his wife, and together, they have a small roadside stand selling ground provisions, vegetables and their sun-dried fillet salted fish.

He is the father of two and they have a lovely home in Sans Souci village in Wakenaam.

Persaud told the Pepperpot Magazine that he would journey to Parika where he would buy the banga mary on a wholesale basis - about 30 pounds- after which he would take it home for the necessary preparation.

The villager added that the process of preparing the fish is lengthy and time-consuming, but they do it anyway as a small business to offset expenses.

He explained that the fish, once prepared, takes four days to fully sun-dry before packaging for sale at just $600 per pound.

“We newly started this business, only a month now, so we will see how it goes if we can continue,” he said.

Persaud said life on the island is good, but for it to remain that way they have to work.

Satnarine Singh (Delano Williams photos)

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THE WISE MOST TIMES WIN, WHEN REFLECTED ON POSTHUMOUSLY, BUT ARE CONSUMED IN THE FOLLY OF THEIR DAY I MET Compton Dick at the effective bottom house gym in Bent Street called ‘Muscle Craft,’ under the house owned by Mohan, my insurance agent who encouraged me to get into the weight programme.

This was the mid-1980s.

On learning more about the sport, I realised that it was expensive and, if foolishly driven by that aspect of the ego, could be dangerous. It was about this time that steroids appeared in Guyana, but I liked the health feeling it added to my jogging and the camaraderie. From the beginning, I, however, realised that Compton was different, he was Mohan’s grow mate, and I doubt that in his adolescence, he had ever travelled beyond the wards of Bourda / Alberttown where he hailed from towards any ward in old South Georgetown.

One area that struck me was while in gym gaff, I made a reference to architecture; he lit up, up to then I did not know that he was the chief architect at the then Ministry of Housing. The subject was whether ‘Victorian Architecture’ was all English, or whether it was a combination of styles accumulated through Britain’s colonising era. He agreed that it was possible because the book I had brought to score a bet with another gym member, Dasant, (not sure of correct spelling) who was also in the building, showed no similar architecture in the same 18th -19th century Europe.

Dick looked through the book, raised his brows, and asked me to borrow it and I refused, on the grounds of the Guyanese sickness of conveniently borrowing, then losing other people’s books. The name of the book is THE LAST OF OLD EUROPE; by AJP Taylor and I was extorted on the price by the late Bourda market book shop

owner, Elder De Jonge. We had, however, started a regular discussion on what was and had gone on with local architecture. It seems that Compton was not having a cordial relationship with the administrators of his duties at “housing.”

They somehow could not find appreciation for his approaches to the architecture that would have created a totally different air, had it been agreed to in the development of the Housing Schemes.

Mohan had briefly confessed to me about some unfortunate disruptions that Compton had experienced that had led to his often-broody mood, which apparently existed at a lower level before. But I then adopted an approach of engagement which worked; the thing is, I liked Technical Drawing, which is the ABC towards conceptual architectural design. I do think that the ranges of East-West Ruimveldt and other schemes could have been more people-friendly than the heated cell blocks they are-were.

Not because there’s a need for housing should mean anything goes. Diverse interests fragmented the gym crew, and more than that, the Mohans departed for the US of A. It had brought that chapter to a close. But somewhere between the end game of the Gym, Compton had become dislodged from the Ministry of Housing. A close brethren who worked under Compton returned recently to Guyana, and Compton came up after I commented on a colonial building on Craig Street. It was night, and I could hardly perceive its definitions. The brother said, “ They mocked Compton at “housing.” They called him the ‘mud-hose architect,’ because he indicated more of that in the design for housing designs.” Pointing at the Craig Street house, I concluded, “Rather than the concrete pillboxes, that are now everywhere, even

in areas like Alberttown where the cesspit problems have remained troublesome to residents for decades.”

Shortly before Compton, I presume, had retired, he gave me a short essay he Compton had composed, concerning his philosophy of architecture with reflections on Rudolf Steiner titled “Some Thoughts on the Politics behind the Steiner Argument,” with a background to Steiner’s Anthroposophical movement. The document was handwritten, on pastel pink 28lb paper. I viewed it briefly, then filed it, not sure of how to contextualise its content into a local working tool, after understanding Compton’s calligraphy, and forgot it. But when I unearthed it after moving some years ago, I recognised that Compton and the gym crew had in conversation argued many of these ideas, like the relevance of local design, whether in graphic arts, literary language or architecture, must reflect the aesthetics of our evolution.

I was wrong to think that he had just become inclined to this 20th-century German philosopher mystic, whose arguments, at a closer look, existed in the fount of all civilisations, adjusting and expanding to inhabit local geographical and cultural interpretations. In contrast to Guyana today, Compton was way ahead. We have become a township of alien concrete Pillboxes that should have emerged in a specific ‘Commercial-site’ similar to; but more elegant than the old Ruimveldt Industrial site, rather than in the core of residential Georgetown’ emerging in every ward and imposing on every humble yard.

In closing this first part tribute to Compton Dick, I leave with this reference by John P. R. Falconer, extracted from a paper on the use of wood in housing held in Canada 1971, that reflected SEE PAGE XXV

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THE WISE MOST TIMES WIN, WHEN REFLECTED ON POSTHUMOUSLY...

FROM PAGE XXIV

Compton’s argument of using wood rather than cement in local domestic building.

“Technicians from industrialised countries may lay too much stress on purely physical considerations and material comfort and be quick to introduce technological improvements. It is clear that housing solutions in developing countries, except for the elite minority, cannot afford the luxury of air conditioning or expensive architectural devices such as double roofs, brisesoleil, or heat-absorbing glass. Uncomfortable gain, storage, and emission of heat must therefore be kept within reasonable limits by the application of climatic and biological principles to planning and design, and by the selection and use of building materials based on their thermal characteristics…” confirming Compton’s argument.

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ROWEN WILLABUS SOLDIERS ON TO DEVELOP BLACK ENTREPRENEURS

A FEW months ago, the Black Entrepreneurs Association (BEA) was launched by Mr Rowen Willabus, one of Guyana’s most prominent ICT experts. However, there were no follow-up media reports, despite the fact that its aims and pro-

grammes were of national value and, if achieved, would help create a happier Guyana. At the time of its launch Ms Melissa Varwyk, spokesperson for the association, and Mr Willabus outlined some of the aims and programmes of the association, which were

largely educational.

In the first place, African Guyanese were enjoined to fully grasp that one’s income or wealth is not to be used only for consumption, but a portion, no matter how small, should be regularly saved to provide security and to generate further

wealth and that if one does not make the sacrifice of saving, one would always be impoverished and struggling. The stereotype of today’s young people, in particular African Guyanese, having to compulsively consume whatever they have, is belied by history. In the

1840s, the freed slaves who had literally saved penny by penny were able to buy abandoned sugar estates, establish villages such as Buxton and Victoria and build thousands of houses in all three counties. They fetched the purchase payments in wheelbarrows full of coins.

Small businesses should try to purchase the premises from which they operate, so that they could avoid the burden of paying continuous rental or having to remove after the site had acquired SEE PAGE XXVII

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ROWEN WILLABUS SOLDIERS ON ...

FROM PAGE XXVI goodwill. Premises could be bought by mortgage, and the BEA could provide guidance in this regard.

Mortgages are usually amortised against rentals. Also thought should be given to investing in other real estate.

The association has developed a relationship with IPED, which could help to accommodate loans. IPED was founded by the late Dr Yesu Persaud to stimulate entrepreneurship in Guyana.

IPED lends money to small businesses to further their development. All small businesses invoking BEA’s assistance must be properly registered, have a business plan and have committed management before being recommended by BEA. The Ministry of Tourism and Commerce has facilities for lending startups, and the BEA could provide necessary guidance.

The BEA has been networking with other African Guyanese organisations and other North America and Britain bodies that share the same vision and have been developing cooperation with them to their mutual benefit.

Such networking would have much relevance to the growth of African Guyanese entrepreneurs. training is an important

area of BEA’s programmes.

The personnel of small businesses and startups would be trained in the activities of the banking system, the Guyana Revenue Authority, the Procurement Authority; the National Insurance Scheme; the Local Content Law and procedures; and ICT training. Knowledge of these has now become a necessity for all businesses, no matter how small. An example of this, ICT has now become the language of business, and except one is fully aware of the Procurement Authority and its functioning, one would not be able to bid for projects and take advantage of the other offerings of the state. To take advantage of the wealth the oil-and-gas industry is offering, businesses and individuals must become acquainted with the Local Content Law. If anyone or group speaks of bettering the condition of its racial group, or is even imagined to be so doing, there is a small group of very vocal people who raise the cry of race and racism. Such people are almost invariably aligned with political groups or parties which feel that the only way they could mobilise a constituency is by crying ‘race’ and not by doing hard work of helping to develop the country or

its people. The BEA has a programme which is national and not racist, since it is now realised that the population of Guyana is so intertwined that it is impossible to harm any section without ultimately harming all. Similarly, if any section prospers or is bettered, all sections will ultimately share in the prosperity and betterment. Accordingly, programmes like the BEA’s are national, in that they are not helping to develop only a section of the Guyanese people.

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How not to be affected by other people’s emotions

MY previous columns on love and how to fall in love, acknowledging that some people may be unconsciously sabotaging their own relationships due to fear, has led to many other interesting questions. One reader mentioned that she wants to avoid relationships altogether because she is tired of someone other than herself having control over her emotions, and boy, do I think we all know what that feels like.

There are different variations, if our partner is upset, occasionally we are upset too- sometimes this is healthy support and other times, it’s the inability to control our own emotions.

What I gathered from her email was the latter, and therefore, I’m going to discuss ways that we can better control our own emotions, despite those of others around us.

First of all, I would never advise shying away from emotions as the ability to feel and express them is more important than most realise.

Our emotions can motivate and inspire us unless, of course, we become victims of them because as much as we would like to believe otherwise, moods are often contagious.

During arguments or being around other’s negative emotions, if healthily felt, is what aids us in feeling empathy, decision-making and conflict resolution, among many other things.

However, if we do not have control over channelling these emotions, they can take a negative toll on our everyday lives. One of the hardest things about other people’s bad moods and feelings is the emotions they tend to stir up in us.

For example, our partner is upset and showing it, so we get frustrated, or our co-worker is openly annoyed, so we become irritated. This can be normal, but how can we know if our emotions are affecting us in negative ways? It is if it causes issues in relationships, friendships, productivity, motivation and encourages unhealthy behaviours such as substance use or abuse.

Often, it is human nature to mimic the moods of those we care about, but there are things we can do to avoid this.

It is important to understand and believe that other people’s opinions and feelings are a reflection of them, not you. There are a hundred reasons outside of us why people feel the way they do. The person could have had an issue at work, with their family or just woke up on the wrong side of the bed. It happens. However, if you were not directly involved, your only job as a good partner, family member or friend is to ask if they are okay. If they take their anger out on you, below are the best options.

The first piece of advice will always be to disengage from the person and situation. Leave until you can understand and control your own emotions. This is not to be cruel, but to avoid further and unnecessary conflict.

Avoid emotional numbing – this alone time is to process your own emotions which arose from the situation. There are a few things to do during this alone time.

When you have identified your emotions, treat them as a puzzle rather than a problem. In other words, there is something to figure out, not fix. When someone we care about is angry or sad, and that mood rubs off on us, it is not for us to solve, but to simply show compassion and understand it.

We switch our thinking from one of fixing the problem to just curiosity, which makes it far easier to show compassion, empathy and willingness to be supportive.

During this time alone, it is also beneficial for you to validate your own emotions. If someone is upset and taking it out on you, which causes a change in your mood, that is normal and okay for you to feel negative emotions about that;

it is reasonable on your part and this validation allows you to think of a positive and corrective way forward.

Next is to clarify your responsibility in the situation. I hope you already know that you cannot control someone else’s feelings, nor should you be expected to change them.

If we assume responsibility for things beyond our control

(like someone else’s emotions), we set ourselves up for unnecessary disappointment and possibly resentment. Your role and responsibility (depending on the situation) could be to show support, and empathy and offer solutions if asked, not much else.

SEE PAGE XLVIII After this self-reflection, it

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ANGEL OF MERCY...

FROM PAGE XVI

He looked at her for a moment, then asked, “And to be seen with me wouldn’t be good for your image?”

She nodded, a tinge of regret in her eyes, “Something like that. And you also dislike my headwear, so it might look kind of odd.”

He nodded with the hint of a smile and said, “Only my family and now you know about my feelings on that issue.”

And moving a little closer to her, his eyes reflecting his true feelings, he said, “You’re different in a special way, and with a radiant smile I like.”

She was so surprised by his words, that she could not respond.

He handed her his card, “Call me if you change your mind,” and walked past her, close enough without touching her.

She looked at the card in her hand and said to herself, “I really don’t know what to think right now.”

Three days later, she called him.

He took her to a cozy, little Arabian style restaurant and she said impressed, “This is a nice place, I like it.”

“I knew you would because of your traditional beliefs and simple tastes.”

“Did you had that belief too?” she asked quietly, careful not to trigger his anger.

He took a little while to answer, “I lost that years ago, when my mother fell ill and died.”

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

He said nothing for a little while then in an unexpected, apologetic tone he said, “I think I owe you an explanation for disliking your headwear.”

She knew he was bothered deeply about something so she cushioned it saying, “Not quite. I just don’t understand why you do.”

He looked away and said nothing again for a while and when he looked back at her, she saw the pained expression on his face, she had seen at the girl’s orphanage.

“When it’s used as a symbol of oppression against a woman and from a child when you grow up seeing your mother’s pain and suffering because of obsessive religious beliefs and principles, how can you like it?”

She had known there was a reason for his hate and to hear him talk about his mother’s pain and suffering, the horror that was her life, it touched her heart, arousing a deep sympathy for him.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” she said, touching his hand, instinctively.

He looked a little surprised and managed a faint smile, “Thank you for your understanding and tolerance” It eased the tension ignited by his troubled memories and they had a nice lunch, talking about other things of mutual interest.

He stopped by her office sometimes and though she was not always there, she knew he had come by from the rose and the note on her desk. He sent short text messages to her phone and invited her to visit the girl’s orphanage whenever she had the time. A beautiful relationship was developing slowly as he tried to bring his life under control. But the differences with his father were still unresolved and one afternoon as she left the mosque, someone called her name.

“Dr. Mohammed.”

“Yes?” she answered, turning around and saw it was Rahim’s two sisters who wanted to talk with her.

“We want to thank you, doctor.” One of the sisters said.

“What for?” Salima asked.

“For the change that is happening to our brother, we had almost lost hope.”

They paused and looked at her, appreciatively, “You’re as beautiful as he says.”

Salima smiled warmly, saying ‘Thank you’ and they spoke a while longer.

But the journey was not yet over.

It was almost a week after Rahim’s sister had spoken to her and two days ago since she had spoken to him, when her phone rang, late in the night.

It was Rahim’s eldest sister, telling her in a shaky voice, “Doctor, Rahim had a bad accident, can you come to the hospital?”

To be continued…

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Do not forget AIDS

IT generally seems that the social spotlight has moved away from HIV infection and is focused on COVID- 19.

While this is understandable, please do not forget AIDS. Some years ago, HIV surveillance was done among patients seeking attention at the National Dental Centre, now

called the Dr Cheddi Jagan Dental Centre. Of those presenting questionable oral signs and changes in the cervical lymph nodes, 52 percent were confirmed as being HIV positive by CAREC in Trinidad.

For some time now, I have been systematically making

comparative analyses of the oral lesions I have encountered in persons actually suffering from AIDS. One major reason for these investigations among our population is to establish whether there may be any existing factor about this global plague hitherto not contemplated.

Two aspects of the problem were examined - oral manifestations and transmission. Oral candidiasis, commonly known as thrush, remains the most prominent sign seen in people with AIDS. These appear as white patches on the tongue or lining of the mouth. This condition should be treated early, since it could spread to the trachea (windpipe) and oesophagus (gullet). Besides, if this yeast should enter the bloodstream, the systemic effects would be devastating.

Acute gingivitis, stomatitis (sore mouth), Karposi’s sarcoma and hairy leucoplakia all constitute early manifestations of

HIV infection. General signs and symptoms include persistent diarrhoea, itchy skin rashes and chronic cold. Contrary to what is being purported, kissing (the amorous manner) represents an important mode of transmission of AIDS. In fact, this is being publicised on the internet, but like global racism, human society continues to live in denial because of the tremendous consequences of its universal acceptance. Now this is how the act of kissing can transmit the virus that causes AIDS. Acute gingivitis and periodontal diseases are very common conditions. In fact , it is reported that between 70 and 80 percent of all persons above 18 years old suffer from either disease to some extent. A constant feature is painless bleeding from the granulous tissue found in the gingival pockets, especially elicited by pressure on the gums.

Such bleeding may be evident in the toothpaste, and saliva one spits out during the process of brushing one’s teeth or on sugar cane, after it has been chewed. But this only happens when the condition reaches a significant level. In most people, mild gingivitis goes unnoticed.

Now, amorous kissing in which the tongue and lips are actively involved provides enough stimulus on the gums to cause some degree of bleeding from the inflamed tissues. Therefore, each partner would have a break in the continuity of his or her vascular system.

In other words, there is often the free exchange of blood SEE PAGE XXXV

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Do not forget ...

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from one person to the other during kissing episodes of lovers, although obviously in minute amounts.

Clearly, since the AIDS virus is blood-borne, an infected person can easily transmit the virus to someone from his bleeding gums via common saliva in the united mouths of a passionate kiss. So while public notices advocate prevention by means of a condom, no sharing of needles etc., the widespread transmission of AIDS continues through a seemingly harmless route.

Indeed, having one faithful partner at a time should imply not only sexual intercourse, but also include amorous kissing.

Whenever it is necessary to use a cup, spoon etc., which had been recently utilised by an AIDS victim, the items should be soaked in ordinary bleach for at least ten (10) minutes. To

date, ordinary bleach is the best known destroyer of the virus that causes AIDS. The National AIDS Programme Secretariat needs to be more vibrant, with an aggressive approach to the problem. Appropriate legislation should be enacted to protect the innocent as exists in other countries. This should include mandatory screening of certain workers.

My own view is that governments should at least begin to consider some form of isolation. An aggressive strategy to prohibit prostitution should be urgently implemented. The National Committee should be broader-based to include dentists and other professionals. Meanwhile, knowledge and vigilance continue to be the ideal defence, although the government should complement education with prohibitive laws.

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Through Time and Space The remarkable forces that shape Guyana’s Rupununi Wetlands IMAGINE travelling back in time to almost 2 billion years ago, long before dinosaurs existed, when the Earth was mostly water with only microscopic life. Any exposed land would seem strange and otherworldly, rocky landscapes completely bare of plants and animals. Though

most ancient landscapes have long disappeared, there is a little-known area along the northern coast of South America where ancient mountains from the Earth’s deep past still stand – a unique geological time machine that remains core to Guyana’s present and future prosperity.

At 1.7 billion years old, the Guiana Shield covers six countries, with Guyana at its centre. It contains the oldest mountains in the Americas and some of the world’s most unaltered natural landscapes. But because of the Shield’s great age, much of Guyana’s interior soils have been washed and weathered over millennia, leaving them very nutrient-poor.

However, it is in these highlands where most of Guyana’s rivers spring forth, carving canyons into this ancient landscape and creating the foundation for forests, savannahs, and all the wondrous habitats in between. Here rivers function like arteries, pulsing with the seasons and circulating nutrients across many habitats.

In the geographical heart of Guyana and the Guiana Shield sits the Rupununi: a wetland unlike any other with

a bonanza of rainforests, savanna, bush islands, mountains, oxbow lakes and large inland floodplains. About 180 million years ago, the Rupununi’s distinctive rolling savannahs sat at the bottom of a giant inland lake fed by rivers flowing off the Guiana Highlands. Smaller remnants of this primaeval lake still exist and spread across the savannahs, like an echo through time, during the intense Rupununi rainy seasons.

On this ancient floodplain, the headwaters of two giant South American rivers reach out across the savannahs and connect, creating a “portal” between worlds and watersheds and setting the scene for a remarkable but little understood migration of animals through a wetland unlike any other.

During periods of high rainfall, the region’s major rivers – the Rupununi, Ireng and Takutu – overflow their riverbanks, creating a slow-moving, shallow sheet of water that acts as a temporary path for fish and other aquatic animals to traverse.

The connection between the Amazon and Essequibo that happens in the Rupununi has allowed for the mixing of species from both eco-regions, creating a unique and extremely

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FROM PAGE XXXVI rich combination of animals, habitats and ecosystems. This mix includes some of the planet’s largest and most diverse bat and freshwater fish populations, as well as a giant Arapaima species that may be new to science. Despite the Rupununi’s extremely poor soils, the area’s intense seasonal flooding brings much-needed nutrients from its forested areas into its savannahs, driving the landscape’s ability to be productive and sustain the communities that live there.

With the area coming into focus for accelerated development – including international road links, petroleum, agricultural diversification, community development, conservation, and tourism development – integrated planning and management have never been more critical. The Rupununi is home to the Wapichan, Macusi and Wai Wai indigenous peoples, who have long depended on the area’s natural production for their livelihoods and well-being. Now covered by a mosaic of land uses – community-owned lands, protected areas, ranches, state leases, mining concessions, expanding urban centres, and the town of Lethem – the Rupununi and its continued productivity is central to achieving national prosperity. Protecting the richness of the Rupununi requires an integrated, landscape-level and nature-based approach. Whether designing roads to allow for water-flow or fostering sustainable economies across the region, there are still many nature-centred approaches available in pursuing development in the Rupununi; approaches that can bring needed benefits to Guyanese, while still decreasing how much natural production is lost in the process.

This critical wetland also contributes to the productivity of our coastlands. As it expands and contracts in the centre of Guyana, fine sediments flow in two opposite directions: north to the Essequibo and south to the Amazon. These sediments spend years travelling down their respective rivers, eventually meeting again on the far distant shores of Guyana’s Atlantic coast. Here, a powerful natural earth engine pulls new land from the ocean, creating extremely young coastal wetland ecosystems with the potential to save our coast from the most severe impacts of the climate crisis.

Look out for “The Mud That Makes Us: The extraordinary earth engine shaping and reshaping Guyana’s coast” as we take our exploration of Guyana to the oneof-a-kind coastal and mangrove forests along our shores.

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A moment in time

The beauty of the Haiku

THIS week’s article is inspired by Vanessa Goolcharran, a spirited, budding writer whose enthusiasm is infectious. In the accompanying photograph, you will see her submission: a haiku paying homage to Mother Nature.

I thought that this would be a fitting opportunity to delve into the elements of the Haiku and why, through its simplicity, it is considered one of the most beautiful poetic forms.

The first thing you should know about this ancient Japanese form is its signature 5-7-5 syllable pattern. That means, in its entirety, an English Haiku consists of three

lines of five, seven and five syllables, respectively. Japanese Haikus are a bit different because of the language, but those technicalities are for another time.

Haikus are beautifully descriptive and intended to be read in one breath. Traditional Haikus focus on a particular season and feature a juxtaposition of two images. Contemporary writers have, over the years, made some tweaks to the traditional form ranging from a variance in syllable pattern to subject matter beyond nature and seasons. Regardless of these variations, however, the basic philosophy of the Haiku is to focus on a brief moment in time, and bring new thought to a specific detail or item while using vivid, colourful language and imagery.

Basic tips on writing a Haiku * Decide on your subject. Commonly used focal points in Haikus are seasons or “Kigo” in Japanese. But other ele-

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A moment in ...

FROM PAGE XXXVIII ments can be used: animals, months, microscopic elements of a larger mechanism- like a raindrop or a blade of grass.

As mentioned, your subject does not have to remain within the realm of nature given the modern tendency to slightly stray from these practices. Using Vanessa’s example, she stayed the traditional course with the topic of Mother Nature to share how it makes her feel. * Use short phrases, but choose your words wisely so that they evoke vivid images. Vanessa chose words like “vast” and “rainbow colours” to show the extent and variety of what Mother Nature has to offer. * The Japanese use “kireji” or cutting words to create a pause or to break the meter and control the rhythm of the poem. Usually, that pause comes in the second line, but this is not a hard and fast rule. In Vanessa’s poem, the word “lulls” is abrupt and gives the reader a slight pause before they continue to its gentle end.

Are Haikus still relevant? * Having studied poetry as part of my Undergraduate pursuits, my biased response would be that all traditional forms of poetry still are, simply because of the discipline and technique that they help a writer to practise. * They can also add colourful and concise variety to your writing collection. If you’re writing a longer project, Haikus can be used as creative features to that project, for example, as the introduction to a chapter or even a prologue. * Haikus are also a great way of simply exercising your descriptive skills through an economy of words and creativity.

I encourage writers looking for effective writing exercises to read some Haikus (the work of poets Matsuo Basho, Tagami Kikusha, Richard Wright and Yosa Buson are good places to start) and experiment in their own time with the form.

About Vanessa Goolcharran Vanessa loved writing from the time she knew she could “put words together to make poetic sense”. In secondary school, she would experiment with mostly rhyming pieces and also attempted to write a romance novel at one point.

Over the years, Vanessa has expanded her love for reading and continued to dabble in poetry, posting them on social media. She believes that having her pieces published elsewhere would take her work to “another level”. Vanessa’s love for nature and its wonders is the inspiration behind her piece “Mother Nature.”

Never stop writing, Vanessa and all the best in your endeavours!

If you would like to have your work featured in this column, email thewritemind592@gmail.com

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Elevating lives and livelihoods “THIS has exceeded my expectations and I decided to do this, even when I doubted myself,” said Women in Business Expo 22 first-time exhibitor.

Many women echoed similar sentiments, and that is a big blessing to many. “All my Blue Lake Sorrell wine was gone before the end of the first day, and the same happened when I replenished on day two,” Ms Paul from Linden said.

The Expo has contributed to many lives and livelihoods over the years. I decided to share the sentiments of the phenomenal women who showed up with the intention to celebrate their businesses and climax Women’s History month.

A couple of days after the EXPO, I saw a post that reminded me why I started the Women in Business Expo, and it is great to lose yourself in something bigger than you that will add value to others.

Shameeza Alli shared on her FB post: “It has been five years since I have established my business, starting it off with pre-orders, then to a physical location in Sharon’s Mall and within less than three

months, everything for my business was burnt to ashes while I was pregnant with my son, not to mention it all happened during the pandemic! Starting all over again, I opened another new location in Regent Multiplex Mall just a few months after the fire, where I have regained most of my loyal customers! I have had days in my business where I felt so hopeless, confused and tired of it not being where I wanted it to be, but I held firm, and I keep making a tremendous effort every day and I must say hard work and perseverance did pay off since I have gained a reputation! Most recently, I met Ms. Sonia Noel, one of the most iconic, kind but strong women I will ever meet! Her introduction to me was, “ I THINK YOU NEED TO GIVE ME A HUG Ms. ALLI.” A hug that felt so warm! I watched this phenomenal woman speak and promote each and every single one of the businesses at her Expo! Even if she was tired, it was all covered behind a bright smile! It takes a powerhouse out of someone to be so strong! The opportunity you gave to me did not only helped me to display my products and attract sales at the Expo, but it has taught me to be a better person,

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FROM PAGE XL to give more and to expect little or no return! You have taught me that anything is possible once I work towards it! You have taught me to be confident and to stand when it is necessary! Very importantly, how to promote my business! How to work with other beautiful women who are business owners just like me! A lesson I will forever hold close to me!

This event has made me a better person and has increased my passion to serve, and I am happy when that becomes contagious in the EXPO Family and yea, I said family because it is.

The ladies were assisting each other to sell their products which was commendable and rare.”

I am sharing some other remarks by exhibitors.

“I am happy to be a part of this group. I felt as though I have found a whole family of sisters, and mothers to network with. I personally appreciate and admire Ms. Noel’s style, personality, confidence, passion, assertiveness and humility.”

Jennifer Thomside

“Expo 2022 showed me the importance of building and maintaining relationships with persons of all walks of life. It has also rejuvenated me simply by being in a room filled with aspiring and thriving businesswomen.”

Zi from Linden “Ms. Noel, you transform lives. I can say much more, but I will just say you change lives and God bless you.” Carol Nurse “This was a great experience for me and my business. I felt comfortable in this environment and was able to learn from others how I can improve my business. The response to my products was great, and I received lots of orders formats.”

Miranda Bernard, St Cuthbert’s Mission “This experience has been life-changing for me. Attending the Women in Business EXPO has surely broadened my horizons. I’ve begun to view things differently. I feel empowered and it has also given me the courage to dream big and aim high.” Crystal Wray “Launching my line of eyelashes at the EXPO was an honour. This event always gives the exhibitors so much and the togetherness that is felt here it is to duplicate anywhere else.” Meleesa Payne.

Thank you for inviting us and giving us this rare opportunity for the deaf people in business.” Tracey Cholmondeley.

Thank you Esan Benzy and Rudy Saul for capturing the invaluable moments. Thank you to Mr.Badal and Pegasus staff, Mrs Thom 93.1 Real FM, other mem-

bers of the Media, Mings Products and Services, Neil Sooklall and Impressions, Dr. Sabeeta and Cardinal Services, Spotlight Production, Beacon Cafe , all the exhibitors, volunteers patrons, and everyone who made this a reality. Many people asked me How do you do it? I give God the Glory as we continue to celebrate this beautiful journey called Life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.

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Because Britain underdeveloped the Caribbean A FEW decades ago, perhaps, the arrival of royal blood in the Caribbean would have been met with much pomp and flair, and certainly, much deference. The recent week-long Caribbean tour of the Duke and Duchess of CambridgeWilliam and Kate featured pomp, flair, and deference, certainly, but it also spotlighted changing perceptions in the Caribbean.

In Jamaica, Prime Minister Andrew Holness told the royal couple that the country was moving toward becoming a republic- a move made by Barbados last year that effectively removed the Queen as the Head-of-State. In The Bahamas, the royals were urged to issue a full and formal apology for their crimes against humanity- something they have never done.

According to the BBC, during the tour, Prince William expressed his “profound sorrow” over enslavement. He acknowledged it was abhorrent, and never should have happened. It forever stains history, the Prince posited further.

But taking proper ownership of Britain’s role in the horrific era of enslavement and the ensuing underdevelopment of the Caribbean remains elusive. Doing so would result in indemnification for the wrongs done to human beings uprooted from their countries, planted in the Caribbean, and forced to work for free to enrich the metropolitan countries.

That conversation on indemnification remains a crucial conversation since Caribbean countries grapple with the enduring stain of underdevelopment, derived from years of exploitation and now worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate crisis.

This brings into focus our reverence for the British monarchy and Britain all together. And as the UK Guardian

puts it: “Many members of Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean are increasingly questioning its purpose, especially since they have received little support during the pandemic.”

But, it appears, is one which the former enslavers and colonisers are not yet ready to engage in. Prince William expresses his profound sorrow but won’t announce Britain’s intention to provide reparations to the Caribbean- despite the chants, calls, and protests unfolding around his visit to the islands.

Contextually, reparatory justice relates to the action of making amends for a wrong done, by providing payment or other assistance to those who have been wronged. And as I

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have written about in previous columns, Reparations have been something that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has been advocating over the past few years through the CARICOM Reparations Commission (CRC).

Around the time the Duke and Duchess were in the Caribbean, commemorating the Queen’s platinum jubilee, I was alerted to the publication of a new book by distinguished Caribbean Historian Professor Sir Hilary Beckles. It is entitled, “How Britain underdeveloped the Caribbean.”

From the name alone, it is easy to discern that Professor Beckles gave the nod to renowned Guyanese historian Walter Rodney (who published a book entitled “How Europe undeveloped Africa.”)- a seminal publication that was as profound 50 years ago when it was published, as it is today.

But it was more than just the name. This new book adds to Beckles’ previous publication, Britain’s Black Debt; both books outline a key thesis: Britain’s exploitation of the Caribbean systematically subverted every indigenous development initiative from the region, preferring a dependency aid model instead.

Professor Beckles, who was tasked with chairing the CRC, attempts (again) to illustrate just how culpable the former colonisers are- particularly at a time when developing countries in the Caribbean are yet to ‘catch their levels’ but have been battered by the pandemic and are being battered by consistent natural disasters intensifying from the climate crisis.

For Professor Beckles, Britain must be held accountable

by Caribbean governments for its plunder of the region’s resources - both natural and human - that has left lasting legacies of debt, sickness, and dependency.

When I discussed reparations previously, I was confronted by the perception that African enslavement was a long, long time ago and that we should just forget about it and move on. I disagree with this notion because I am aware of research that supports the position that many of the Caribbean’s pervasive issues- including health issues (owing to the poor diet on the plantation)- are linked to enslavement.

We have to also appreciate the massive debt Caribbean countries have are because of the economic structure they inherited (during colonisation which followed emancipation).

Importantly, too, enslavement was a long period of treating Africans as though they were less than humans and not- deserving human beings, and as such, we see systems of white supremacy and black prejudice plaguing our societies today.

Altogether, these have contributed to the sordid legacy of Britain (and yes, other European nations) in our region.

I don’t believe that we are oblivious to the link between our present-day problems and our grave history, and so, we won’t just celebrate the monarchy as we once did. Consequently, I agree with the calls for reparations because, yes, Britain underdeveloped the Caribbean.

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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Wakenaam’s NDC is ...

FROM PAGE X

Ahmad added that blackout was a serious problem, too but now they have a power station working at full capacity, so power outages are a thing of the past on the island now.

He revealed that they are seeking to move towards a solar farm for cheaper power generation, and plans are in stream to make it a reality.

Ahmad reported that there are about 4,000 acres of farmlands on the island and today, farmers have more access to the lands than before and they can get loans to buy equipment to reduce time and labour as it relates to production.

He disclosed that Wakenaam has transformed into a productive, self-sufficient place where they grow their own food and have their own meats and fish.

Ahmad told the Pepperpot Magazine that back in 2000 they were suffering in terms of drainage and irrigation, but the administration stepped in and they benefitted from an

The Post Office

upgrade of the drainage system, which is critical for farmers.

In addition, heavy-duty equipment was donated to the island for the general upkeep of drainage which saw a good production for the past 10 years.

He reported that as a direct impact of climate change, they had moved their drainage network and although it is not at its full capacity, they plan to rectify that by next year.

In highlighting achievements on the island, Ahmad stated that they have about 12 kokers in Wakenaam and all the wooden doors have been upgraded and the one at Friendship is under construction presently.

Ahmad added that during his tenure, they have managed to successfully re-tool the NDC by buying their own tractor/ trailer and utilised the sub-vention to maintain the drains and 50 wooden kokers doors were replaced with steel.

He stated that they are hoping to acquire a garbage disposal equipment to reduce refuse dumping on the island and in the waterways by this year end.

Ahmad told the Pepperpot Magazine that a chips, coconut and juice factory, which started in 2014 is completed on the island and this investment will see the creation of jobs SEE PAGE XLV

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Wakenaam’s NDC is ...

The new well station on the island

CIIP workers in action

for residents and more money in the pockets of farmers.

He reported that the island will be outfitted with more street lights this year and the main access road will be resurfaced.

Ahmad stated that they have 18 CIIP workers attached to the NDC and they have been maintain the parapets, drains, road shoulders and the cemetery on the island.

The NDC Chairman noted that 99 percent of the lands on the island are privately-owned and as a result of good cooperation between the government and the Ministry of Agriculture they have received the necessary support needed in the agriculture sector to boost production.

Delano Williams photos saved in a folder in Graphics as Wakenaam.

Captions: 7436 – 7439 – 7441 – 7484 – 7492 – The Guest House and Magistrate’s Court 7495 – 7500, 75017575 – 7566 –

The NDC building

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World Health Day 2022 ‘Our planet, our health’ ARE we able to reimagine a world where clean air, water and food are available to all?

Where economies are focused on health and well-being?

Where cities are liveable and people have control over their health and the health of the planet?

April 7 was observed as

World Health Day. In the midst of a pandemic, a polluted planet, increasing diseases like cancer, asthma, heart disease, on World Health Day 2022, WHO will focus global attention on urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on well-being.? ?

WHO estimates that more than 13 million deaths around the world each year are due to avoidable environmental causes. This includes the climate crisis which is the single biggest health threat facing humanity. The climate crisis is also a health crisis.

Health Promotion for Well-being, Equity and Sustainable Development Our political, social and commercial decisions are driving the climate and health crisis. Over 90% of people breathe unhealthy air resulting from burning of fossil fuels. A heating world is seeing mosquitos spread diseases farther and faster than ever before. Extreme weather events, land degradation and water scarcity are displacing people and affecting their health. Pollution and plastics are found at the bottom of our deepest oceans, the highest mountains, and have made their way into our food chain. Systems that produce highly processed, unhealthy foods and beverages are driving a wave of obesity, increasing cancer and heart disease while generating a third of global greenhouse gas emissions.

While the COVID-19 pandemic showed us the healing power of science, it also highlighted the inequities in our world. The pandemic has revealed weaknesses in all areas of society and underlined the urgency of creating sustainable well-being societies committed to achieving equitable health now and for future generations without breaching ecological limits. The present design of the economy leads to inequitable distribution of income, wealth and power, with too many people still living in poverty and instability. A well-being economy has human well-being, equity and ecological sustainability as its goals. These goals are translated into long-term investments, well-being budgets, social protection and legal and fiscal strategies. Breaking these cycles of destruction for the planet and human health requires legislative action, corporate reform and individuals to be supported and incentivized to make healthy choices. https://www.who.int/

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THOUGHT FOR TODAY

April 10, 2022 STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student, Welcome dear friend.

Enhancing your understanding of any passage you face calls for a more extended and active engagement with vocabulary. Strengthen your skillfulness in dictionary use.

Strengthen your competency in other reference aids. Both capabilities help you prevail over stumbling blocks in determining word-meaning and deepen your word-knowledge.

Overcome the threats in figuring out word-parts or context clues (should they come about), or meanings of concepts of words in various contexts. Be wise.

Love you.

THE PASSAGE Instruction: Read the following passage carefully, and then answer all the questions that follow.

Low-Impact Aerobic activities?

Because long-term participation in some aerobic activities (for example, jogging, running, aerobic dancing, and rope skipping) may damage the hip, knee, and ankle joints, many fitness experts promote low-impact activities.

Low-impact aerobic dancing, water aerobics, bench, and aerobic-dancing, bench aerobics, and brisk walking are examples of this kind of fitness activity. Participants still conform to the principal components of a cardiorespiratory fitness programme. THR (target heart rate) levels are the same as in high-impact aerobics.

The main difference between low-impact and high-impact aerobic activities is the use of the legs.

Low-impact aerobics do not require having both feet off the ground at the same time.

Thus, weight transfer does not occur with the forcefulness seen in traditional, high-impact aerobics. In addition, low impact activities may include exaggerated arm movements and the use of hand or wrist weights. Low-impact aerobics are excellent for people of all ages, and they may be especially beneficial to

older adults.

(From Payne and Hahn’s “Becoming physically fit”) 1. What meaning would you put to each word or phrase as used in the passage? [The list is given in the order they are found.] aerobics fitness activity conform cardiorespiratory forcefulness exaggeration.

2. a) Beside the five activities named as high-impact aerobic activities, name two others that you may know. b) Number the persons you know who have been injured doing long-term high-impact aerobics. c) Which two high-impact aerobic activities are you personally particularly skeptical of? Give reasons.

3. What parts of the body are liable to be damaged on long-term participation in some high-impact aerobic activities?

4. a) Give the main difference between low-impact and high-impact aerobic activities. b) What exactly may happen?

5. There are variations designed to increase the heart rate in low-impact aerobic activities. What are they?

6. Give two reasons given by fitness experts favouring low-impact aerobic activities.

THE PASSAGE Read the poem below carefully and then answer all the questions that follow.

The Castaways The vivid grass with visible delight Springing triumphant from the pregnant earth, The butterflies and flowers in brief flight Dancing and chirping for the season’s birth, 5 The dandelions and rare daffodils That touch the deepstirred heart with hands of gold, The thrushes sending forth their joyous thrills, Not these, not these did I at first behold!

But seated on the benches daubed with green, 10 The castaways of life, a few asleep, Some withered women desolate and mean And over all, life’s shadows dark and deep

Moaning turned away, for misery I have the strength to bear but not to see.

(Claude McKay’s “The Castaways”) a) What do you think is

cause for activities described in lines 1 to 4 of the poem? b) The poet appeals to the reader’s sense of hearing in lines 4 to 7. Give TWO examples that show where this SEE PAGE XLVIII

He jests at scars, th at never felt a wound.

WILLIAM SHAK (1564-1616) Rom ESPEARE eo and Juliet, 1

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would be beneficial to participate in any activity which boosts your mood. If your mood has been affected, your first priority should be to lift your own mood, not anyone else’s. Unfortunately, it also tends to be human nature to participate in activities that currently support our current mood. For example, if we are

sad, we are more likely to isolate or be unproductive than do something to change our mood. However, that is a cycle we can change. Do activities that make you feel good about yourself, that make you feel happy and confident.

Now, when you are good and in control of your own emotions, you can re-engage with the person. This will be different depending on whether you were a contributor to the mood or not (meaning if there was a fight etc.) If you were a contributor, it’s best to return as viewing the problem as a collective “us” issue rather than a “you” issue. It’s often said that healthy couples, or any relationship for that matter, fight as them against the problem rather than making each other the problem. If you are a part of the problem, acknowledging your role and a healthy willingness to discuss solutions is always the best way to go- no blame games. If you were not a part of the problem which caused the mood, the best advice is to just listen to what the person has to say.

A pro tip that I hope everyone takes seriously please do not rely on anyone for peace of mind or your own happiness; you and you alone are responsible for that. Also, we are aiming here for emotional regulation, not emotional repression.

Human beings are emotional creatures and that is not a bad thing, once we learn how to control these emotions and deal with them in a positive way.

Thank you for reading. Please continue to send suggested topics to caitlinvieira@gmail.com

FROM PAGE XLVII

appeal was made. c) The “I” character in the poem was not touched by the beauty of the surroundings. What beauty did the person not touched by? d) The expression, “touch the deep-stirred heart with hands of gold,” conveys a feeling or emotion. What is the cause of the feeling or emotion? e) There are things that affected the character. What word does the poet use to show the reader a contrast in those things? f) State what the poet is calling the castaways of life. g) Quote TWO words pointing out the character’s attitude toward the castaways. h) What “misery” does the character turn away from? i) Briefly describe the poet’s created mood in the last two lines of the poem.

GRAMMAR Wordiness Effective diction is as economical as possible. Unnecessary repetitions, roundabout expressions, unimportant details, or general wordiness – these obscure the thought of the sentence.

Rewrite the following sentences, eliminating the wordiness. Proofread for careless mistakes in spelling or punctuation. Discuss your sentences with your study partners.

1. Eve would not give her consent to doing anything that most people considered improper.

2. Collect together the damaged floor fans.

3. “Did you ever in your life meet up with such a man before?” asked the victim’s mother.

4. A strange sound was audible in my ears.

5. She was frequently thirsty at numerous intervals.

6. The Jamaican beauty queen was universally admired by everyone.

7. Don’t be hard on him; he is just a youthful adolescent.

8. As a young woman, she performed many household duties and made a success of them.

9. The governing official of the city gave vent to a discourse on taxation.

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