Guyana Chronicle Pepperpot E-Paper 20-11-2022

Male cosmetologist raising the bar in the female-dominated business

Nigel Phillips is a resident of Rosignol and is a male cosmetologist specializing in nails makeup and spa services. He was a security guard at the Blairmont Sugar Estate, but after becoming tired of the job, Phillips had a chance encounter which led him to being qualified in the profession and later opening his own business. Though he was at first hesitant because of what society would say about him, Phillips has no regrets about the choices he has made and his current success (Carl Croker photo)

Women on the move in entrepreneurship

By Dillon Goring

BRANDING is an impor tant element of any busi ness. An entity’s brand stra tegically communicates its identity. With an aim to em power women-owned busi nesses to strengthen their brand identities, the Wom en Entrepreneur Network of the Caribbean (Guyana Chapter) is focusing on women and the rebranding of their businesses.

At a recently held event, women entrepreneurs were encouraged that rebranding and relaunching themselves are critical to their sustenance in the business world.

According to immediate past President of WENC, Ju nette Sturat, who spoke to the Pepperpot Magazine recently, the trajectory of WENC mov ing forward to ensure that local businesses, particularly small businesses, can begin their ascension to the top.

“WENC is at a stage where we are dealing with rebranding. We are dealing with membership, mentor

ship and projects- projects in the sense that we are helping these business organisations to move forward,” she ex plained. “Our next event is on the 19th of December, where we will have a finan cial analysis, which will cata pult our members in the next direction by hosting a session on financing your business.”

Additionally, she re marked that while the organi sation primarily operates out

economic space in the society.

According to the immediate past President, WENC’s main interest is to boost support and drive entre preneurs in our society.

Meanwhile, a young en trepreneur who goes by the name of “Freedom,” spoke to the Pepperpot Magazine about the need to be creative in the business world and use

dreams and passions.

“I say that from a per sonal perspective, where my Mom stayed at home with us and did massage, so she did these things at home, she had that side income to assist where assistance would be

of the United States, it should be able to suit the Guyanese society.

Sturat was quite con cerned that one of the major issues facing entrepreneurs right now is the support to grow their businesses.

“ You can take a loan from the bank or a family member loaning you some money if you don’t have the support and drive and the capacity. It is all about capac ity. We must be able to build entrepreneurs to the level where they fully understand their role in business,” she explained.

Back in 2013, when the group was established, it was realised that women had played a significant role in the economic and social de velopment of Guyana, there fore, it was important for them to be afforded adequate

that to support oneself finan cially, thus following your passion and dream.

“I never like being the same. I always believed in being different and creative and seeing beauty in unique things. I grew up as a child with that concept. I was at one of my friend’s events, and we were looking for traditional wedding presents, but I didn’t like what I saw, so I decided, why not cre ate something different and people loved my creation and the passion ignited from then on,” “Freedom” told the Pep perpot Magazine.

The entrepreneur is of the view that women and their entrepreneurial businesses are one of the ways that addition al finances can be garnered. It can be used as a means of supporting oneself, while at the same time following your

needed,” she said.

As is often encouraged, when faced with challeng es in your business career, “Freedom” made it clear that people will be faced with challenges and they might feel as if they want to quit and that their business is at a standstill, but she encouraged them never to give up.

She also urged that even if you have to challenge your self by speaking to your crea tive work and reminding it that it was meant to bring an income, do so, but, again urged that whatever you do, don’t give up on your dream and passion.

WENC Guyana will now align itself with strate gic organisations and influ ential persons who can aid in meeting the needs of its members, according to the immediate past president.

Veteran businessman launches biography

Back in Guyana after 33 years!

REAL estate mogul in New York Ken Subraj has cer tainly not forgot ten his roots here in Guyana. Back in the country after a whopping 33 years, it was a pleasure for him not just to visit the old sites where he worked but to launch his biogra phy which is filled with some of his thrilling life stories and lessons.

The almost 82-year-old busi nessman launched his book titled, “Foot prints of a Farmer” by Richard B. Ma hase in New York and subsequently in Guyana last week at the Government Technical Institute (GTI), where he was

a student well over 60 years ago.

Subraj wanted to launch his biography on his 80th birthday, but it was delayed by some two years due to the Coronavirus pandemic. “The main thing is to leave my legacy,” he said in an interview with Pep perpot Magazine, as he modestly reflected on how he was get ting down in years.

“I wanted to see my roots, what’s here, what they’ve done to the place since I left and most importantly, what I can do to help. They can read my book and ask me anything; I’ll tell them what I know and what I can do to help, free of cost,” he joked.

The book speaks to Subraj’s upbring ing and education, his main days of working in Guyana at the Min istry of Works and

the Guyana Baux ite Company and his subsequent employ ment in the Middle East on mega projects in the Oil and Gas

industries of Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and UAE, with his head office in Athens, Greece. It also sheds light on his role as

president of the vast rental empire Zara Realty Holdings in Queens, New York.

“Being here more

Ken Subraj flanked by Minister of Culture Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson, Principal of GTI Renita Duncan and other notable personalities at the launching of his biography

Having worked extensively in the public works sector, Ken Subraj and team pay a courtesy call on Public Works Minister Juan Edghill

Local media personality all set to bring Cacique Consulting on board

her own boss.

The 36-year-old be lieves that venturing out in this way is scary ter ritory. “But I think some amount of fear is a good thing. I am more excited than anything else about the prospects of building a legacy of my own and humbled that this could serve as an inspiration to others who are afraid to step out on their own,” she shared in an interview with Pepperpot Maga zine.

she was raised among certainly helped her cope with the difficult circum stances that she experi enced.

By Telesha Ramnarine

MEDIA personality

Janelle Persaud has nev er been afraid to push boundaries. As someone who always held herself to high standards, she shrewdly approached

each of her previous jobs as a stepping stone to the next big thing in her life. Now that her brand new businessCacique Consulting – is on the horizon, she is definitely excited about the possibility of being

Born and raised in Lethem, Region Nine, Janelle attended the Arapaima Nursery and Primary Schools before moving on to St. Ignatius Secondary. She came to Georgetown, sadly, for her dad’s funeral when she was just 16 years old and never returned to Lethem. Her mom, who was imprisoned at the time, died five months later.

Imagine how happy Janelle was at being given an opportunity of a life time to further her educa tion and live her dream of becoming a journalist! Furthermore, she feels that the strong women

“I feel incredibly lucky to have been raised in an extended family led by some strong, in dependent women; my grandmother, mom and aunt. These women, in their own unique ways (not all positive) have played a significant role in shaping who I am to day,” she expressed, add ing, “I have a 14-year-old son, Nathan, who is an important part of my sto ry and quite unfairly, also responsible for building my character.”

CACIQUE CONSULTING

Having worked in media and communica tions for nearly 20 years, Janelle, at one point worked her way into the Ministry of Foreign Af fairs after securing a BSc in International Relations at the University of Guy ana.

She then moved on to ExxonMobil Guyana to learn more about the new oil and gas industry and in less than three years, earned an early promo tion to Media and Com munications Manager.

Now that she’s set up Cacique Consulting, Janelle said that she is excited about the pos sibilities and benefits of oil and gas and how the resources can catapult massive economic growth and development in Guy ana.

“Business as we once knew and practised is changing and I believe that it is incumbent on us to adapt to those changes. As the Guyanese econo my opens up, local com panies are forced to think of non-traditional ways of brand visibility and marketing,” she offered.

Cacique Consulting

was set up not only to help local companies cre ate scalable strategies and plans for local audi ences in this space, but also to provide advice on

gional guesthouse. “I got a name that allows me to pay homage to my grand mother and aunt, two of the strongest, bravest women I know.”

the kinds of policy ad justments and standards needed to participate in an economy that includes international players.

“On the other hand, we intend to assist in ternational companies to navigate the Guyanese market; who are the ap propriate stakeholders to engage, and what are some of the cultural sen sitivities to consider etc.”

Cacique is the name of a family guesthouse that Janelle’s grandmother opened after deciding to end her service at the re

The new business will offer such services as: Strategic and Cri sis Communications, Executive Coaching and Speech Writing, Reputation and Brand Management, Advocacy and Government Rela tions, Media Relations, Social and Digital Me dia/Content Creation. Other Business services include procurement, preparation of bidding documents, and Guy ana Revenue Author ity/National Insurance Scheme Compliances.

Founder of Cacique Consulting Janelle Persaud

With her aunt Stella – a strong, independent woman in Janelle’s life

During her employment with ExxonMobil Guyana

Rosignol A bustling village

By Michel Outridge

LAST week the Pep perpot Magazine vis ited the full-of-life village of Rosignol, West Coast Berbice, a central hub for many activities and busi nesses, to highlight the locals’ way of life.

Rosignol is the last

village before the Ber bice River Bridge, and it is a huge community which is divided into two sections, A and B, bordering D’Edward and Blairmont villages.

The village’s pop ulation is more than 10,000 and has a squat ting area which is thickly populated and

has a lot of children.

The main economic activities of the people are cash-crop farming, rice-farming, poultryfarming, livestock and cattle-rearing, fishing, vending, businesses, self-employment and skilled workers.

There are sugar workers attached to the

Blairmont Sugar Es tate, vendors, business owners, public servants and ordinary folk who have various skills, earning an honest dol lar by doing many jobs.

Rosignol Village has two large fishing complexes employing dozens of villagers and it is a central point for

shopping with two mar kets, one at Stelling Road and the other on the roadside, on the ac cess road itself.

Rosignol has com mercial banks, super markets, malls, shops, stalls, groceries, bars, barbershops, salons, boutiques, stationery, sawmills and printing businesses and a wide variety of services.

Rosignol Village is

between the D’Edward and Blairmont com munities.

There are about 1,100 houses in Rosignol, varying from large houses to modest, cottage-style wooden houses in all shapes, sizes and colours.

The Stelling Road Market is held there only on Saturdays, and since the closure of the

The village signage at Rosignol

People, places and things in Rosignol Village, West Coast Berbice ( Carl Croker photos)

The people of Rosignol

Withstanding the test of time through their resilience to earn

By Michel Outridge

INSTEAD of being idle and wasting his life away doing things he ought not to, Junior Luxton George is do ing his best to earn as a fisherman to make

was making his way home via bicycle and it was the opportune time to photograph his hand some catch of trout.

After realising he could not get a steady job, he decided to try his hand at fishing and

when he started fishing he had to learn from scratch five years ago, and today, those lessons paid off because he is a seasoned fisherman among his peers.

“No matter what your hustle is, once it is an honest job, there is no need to be ashamed of what you do to feed your family,” he said.

The father of one related that in Rosignol, jobs aren’t readily avail able, but one can utilise their skill to make a liv ing by doing something they know.

Claudette Kurtizous, the single parent Meanwhile, Clau dette Kurtizous is a mother of seven who is a snackette owner vend ing tasty homemade egg balls, pholurie, and cassava balls, among other things to earn.

She has a stall right in front of her house at Back Street, seaside at Bennett Dam, Rosignol, which is convenient for her to take care of her children.

The 35-year-old re ported that she is also a farmer of pigs and creole fowls, but due to constant flooding, her livestock perished.

Kurtizous stated that there is need for a drainage upgrade in the village, since they are

prone to flooding al most every time it rains.

“My house is open for children in my vil lage, even though I have seven children all the kids in my street would be at my house daily, and that is nothing out of the ordinary for me.

The people of Rosignol live in peace and are neighbourly and share whatever they have and I know no matter how difficult things get at times, my children will grow,” she said.

Nazmoon Mohamed,

his family comfort able.

The 29-year-old was on the ‘hustle’ and was holding a large catch of a trout he was taking home after a fishing expedition that day.

The team caught up with George when he

would make day trips with four other men from his village.

Upon return to shore, they would sell the catch and divide the money, which is their only source of income.

George told the Pep perpot Magazine that

Junior Luxton George with his catch of a trout following a fishing trip that day (Carl Croker photos)

Claudette Kurtizous with one of her seven children

Home of Nazmoon Mohamed

‘Giving isn’t an option, it is a priority in my life’ Rosignol businesswoman committed to helping community

offering free extra les sons to learners.

She recently started another project to give $7,000 vouchers to two teenagers every month for the purchase of basic

hygiene products for one year.

Lancaster-Glasgow explained that there is a great need for young girls to be equipped with basic hygiene

products such as deo dorants, sanitary pads, and skin lotions, so she wanted to contribute to their upkeep.

She related that pov

By Michel Outridge

SOME of us give of what we have while others say they will give back when they have enough, but for candy shop owner Marva Alicia Lancas ter-Glasgow, giving is a blessing and not an option, but a priority in her life.

With that simple mantra, she has be come cognisant of the needs of children and the elderly and would contribute by prepar ing hot meals, goodies bags and whatever else is required to make care packages for people in the community.

The Jarvis Street, Rosignol, West Coast Berbice resident told

the Pepperpot Magazine that apart from being a businesswoman, she is also an accountant and as her late father did, she is also contributing to society.

Lancaster-Glasgow stated that her father, who recently passed away, had been be nevolent for more than 40 years.

“We are created for a purpose and we all must fulfil our roles and be able to touch the people around us by giving back of what we have, because if we wait to have enough, it might never happen. Today is the day to give back to make a difference in the lives of others,” Lancas ter-Glasgow said.

Giving back has been

instilled in LancasterGlasgow from a tender age and after complet ing high school, she saw the need to empower the less fortunate and began

The benevolent Marva Alicia Lancaster-Glasgow in her shop (Carl Croker photos)

Marva Alicia Lancaster-Glasgow displaying some of her candies and chocolates

Male cosmetologist raising the bar in the female-dominated business

BEING a male salon owner in a femaledominated job cer tainly did not deter Nigel Phillips, better known as Hakeem, from fulfilling his calling and to fully realise his hidden tal ents as a nail techni cian, make-up artist and spa specialist.

The father of two told the Pepperpot Magazine that he was

initially hesitant to en ter the beauty world as a small-business owner because he was concerned about what society would say about his career as a man.

The 43-year-old ex plained that financially things were hard on him as the only bread winner for the home, and he was a security guard at the Blairmont

Sugar Estate posted at the sentry, and he was tired of ‘pulling the gate.’

Phillips added that his life changed for

On that day, he was giving away two prizes of free courses to any two males who called in during the live pro gramme.

Phillips said he did place a telephone call, but after the airing of the show, he was awarded the free nail course since he was the second male to call in and he accepted the offer.

“At that time, I had no interest in that kind of work because I was afraid of what soci ety will think about me, but my wife en couraged me to go ahead and embrace the training with an open mind,” he said.

However, after completing the threemonth course in nails and spa, he was suc cessful and with the

advice of the facilita tor, Kevin who told him to do his best and not let any of the ladies beat him.

He graduated as the top student for that nails/spa course and later went on to do a professional make-up course in the city, a Glam Squad.

Phillips stated that he was arriving late

the better when one day, his spouse was watching a television programme with the owner of Kevin’s Re flections Beauty Salon, and he was offering courses in Rosignol, West Coast Berbice.

Nigel Phillips called “Hakeem” (Carl Croker photos)

Nigel Phillips filling in eyebrows on a customer at his salon

Natural nails done by Nigel Phillips

TURN

Being a pastor and having a life of servitude are fulfilling for Rosignol religious leader

passed away he was tasked with filling in as the serving pastor there.

The father of six re lated that after he returned to Guyana from Canada where, he was residing in 2009, he started a small church from under a bot tom house at Sisters Vil lage, East Bank Berbice after which he gained mo mentum and was able to construct an acceptable church edifice.

By Michel Outridge

FOR 78-year-old Hem chand Ajodha, churchplanting and doing God’s work is never tir ing, and it is a blessing ministering to the people to fulfil his true call ing of being a religious leader.

As the Pastor of Faith Abandon Life at Sisters Village, East Bank Ber bice, he would commute to attend church services and prayer meetings and visit members whenever the need arises and he has an open-door policy, and his home is always open to all.

Ajodha is available at any given time due to his love of God’s work; so much so, that he has built two church buildings and is pastoring at the third presently.

The Rosignol Village, Welcome Street resident told the Pepperpot Maga zine that he has been re siding in that village for

the past 40 years and is originally from the As sembly of God (AoG) Church, but branched off to the Faith Abandon Life

Church after things went wrong.

He explained that he is not a man who is of confusion and chaos, but rather of peace and due to his faith in God, he moves under his directions and that way, things happen for the best.

Ajodha stated that af ter the Pastor of the Faith Abandon Life Church

Ajodha disclosed that he also built a church at Blairmont and after the top flat was dismantled, where he used to reside and the church was taken away from him, he had to part ways and start his own congregation else where.

“I managed to keep it together even after all the adversities because as a man of God I had no choice. Being the kind of kindred-spirit person I am, it helped me stay grounded in the faith de

TURN TO PAGE XVII

Home of Pastor Hemchand Ajodha (Carl Croker photos)

Pastor Hemchand Ajodha

Hemchand and his wife, Shireen Ajodha

Veteran businessman launches...

much to be desired in Subraj’s view and he couldn’t help but reminisce on the days he worked in them.

“I recall we had a record-breaking pro duction of 10 million cubic yards, close to 140 million tonnes. Now it’s only about 1 ½ million cubic yards which is a significant drop. I don’t know how much money you are going to get out of that.”

THE IMPOR TANT LESSONS

son lauded that Sub raj chose to share his story with the young people at the insti tution he attended. “It’s important that you pay attention to the story that comes along with Ken’s suc cess,” he urged the students gathered.

FROM PAGE III

than 30 years ago, I saw some things which have blown me away; they’ve done well in certain areas, but in other areas, I’m disap pointed. I’m blown away because there are some capital im provements, new in frastructure,” Subraj

shared.

As for Linden, where he spent a con siderable amount of time working in the mines to bring out the bauxite and repair the machines, he ob served that there have been few changes since his departure.

The current state of the mines leaves

During his brief visit to Guyana late ly, Subraj was able to pay courtesy calls on several government functionaries and to visit places of inter est to him. He also donated copies of his book to various in stitutions, including the National Library, University of Guyana and Bel Air Prima ry School, which he attended more than seven decades ago.

At the GTI cer emony, Minister of Culture Youth and Sports Charles Ram

He impressed upon them the need to pay attention to the important lessons that can help them fast-track success. “He (Ken) had to leave the country to get greater opportu nities so that he can pursue his dreams; today, you don’t have to leave. Those op portunities are be ing presented to you. His life lessons and success are not just about where he start ed; it’s about how it moved forward. Listen to the story of Ken,” Minister Ram son further advised the students.

He also reminded them to take advan tage of the opportuni

ties being presented to them by the gov ernment so that they can build their ca reers, even if it means ending up in one they had not started out with. “Ken started at GTI but ended up as a real estate mogul. He could’ve stayed in the same area of his learning, but he was nimble enough and had the courage… to grow his career,” Minister Ramson ob served.

Principal of GTI Renita Duncan said she was super im pressed with Sub raj’s personality and thanked him, espe cially for the new three-storey, stateof-the-art building coming on stream. “Thanks for under standing the vision of improving techni cal and vocational education in Guyana and for contributing so generously,” she added.

Deputy Chief Education Officer

- Technical, Ritesh Tularam, conveyed commendation and gratitude to Subraj and his family on behalf of Education Minister Priya Man ickchand.

Meanwhile, au thor Mahase, a for mer Guyanese me dia manager, has written and pro duced radio and tel evision shows over the past 35 years. He served as the Chief Sub-Editor and columnist of the Guyana Chroni cle in the ‘80s and ‘90s, after which he wrote, directed and produced sev eral documentaries and three sitcoms (notably, Agree to Disagree) for the Guyanese audience. In 1992, he was awarded the Best Graduating Student in Mass Commu nication from the Indian Institute of Mass Communica tion, New Delhi, In dia.

Subraj (right) with author Richard B Mahase

Veteran businessman and philanthropist, Ken Subraj

Signing a book for a pupil at Bel Air Primary which he attended more than seven decades ago

Door of return

Francis Quamina Far rier is one of the people who is closely following my journey on the con tinent of Africa. Uncle Francis has traversed this motherland and has a lot to share. I particu larly asked him to share his story on Elmina cas tle.

“It was dark...really dark when the lights were switched off in the dun geon where the tourists

were. It was to give us the actual experience of one aspect of the Atlan tic Slave Trade. It was also to give us an idea of what happened to those who were held captive and waiting to be shipped across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa to countries in the Western Hemisphere, where they were sold into slavery. There was a muf fled gasp by members of the touring group as we

were, in a way, taken back in time to the era of the Atlantic slave trade from West Africa.

In more recent times, the dungeons have been transformed into tourist attractions of a sad nature. The deep darkness lasts for only a minute or so, after which the lights are switched on again. How ever, it enters the experi ence of tourists who many times shed tears as the tour

guide gives a historical commentary about the suffering of those who were actually held cap tive in those dungeons. It is difficult for most tourists who visit those dungeons not to have a measure of emotional stress while having that very brief experience of being in a pitch-dark dun geon, where it is even difficult to see the other persons who are around you.

More recently, on the outer side of the “DOOR OF NO RETURN” in Ghana, the following sign has been written; “DOOR of RETURN.” That sign is an invitation for Af ricans in the diaspora and others to visit these castles and tour those his toric dungeons. Ghana, in particular, has kept those dungeons as lessons and experiences for the many thousands who travel from near and far to see them. They are now “Tourist Attractions” of a painful type. They invoke deep emotions for many tour ists, who think about what it was like for those who were uprooted from the shores of Africa, and taken to countries in the western hemisphere, where they were enslaved, for centu ries, is heart-breaking”.

The experience with the closed doors was jolt ing for me.The sound of the doors locking is still aching in my ears. I stood there trying to imagine what that must have felt like for an extended period but could not. Kweku and

Kofi accompanied me on this tour, but it was their first time. Kweku gave her comment last week and Kofi gave a different perspective. He captured the videos and photos for the trip. “The first time I visited the cas tle, the smell lingered in my nostril for some time. I tried to comprehend how sometimes this heinous act could have been part of our history. This trip was different because I saw it through your eyes, Sonia , and felt it through your emotions. It penetrated deeper than I anticipated.”

His comment made me even more aware of how our emotions and energy can affect people in a negative and posi tive way. I tried but could not control my emotions. At one time I put back against the wall and closed

my eyes to put faces the figures I imagined. a chill went through my body when I held the original iron bars that were used in the dungeons.

Ester Adams who is a Guyana that lives in the US, also shared her expe rience.

“In amazement, I lis tened to the brief history of the castle while walk ing around the perimeter. Standing in the centre of the castle grounds and being told that the Portu guese captains prayed in the name of God to bless the slave ships, their jour ney, and cargoes made me question God like how and why and for what reason.

The first stop was the dungeon where they held the captive slaves as Kof fee explained, the floor was so full of faeces over

THE TRAGEDY OF CREATIVE-BASED BUSINESSES AND FINANCIAL ENTITIES

A FRIEND not so long ago said to me in a phil osophical moment that God has given Guy ana tremendous crea tive talents, but how it is wasted and that one day he will stop. I paused, empowering his prophetic, cryptic pronouncement for a moment. I replied that the talents have got to pursue their liberation, by some means, even against overwhelming odds. That’s why per haps God placed them in a low aesthetic hu man sphere to conduct through their works a civilizing course of evo lution.

Less than a month from that conversation, a peculiar challenge came to me. I received a phone call from a major house hold electronic distribu tor enquiring if I needed a loan. Of course, I did. So I visited the store and was told to bring this and

that to verify that I was gainfully employed, can show that I earn and have such a capacity to repay. One question that came up a couple of times was: “When last did you do a hire purchase with us?

Last year you made pur chases, but they were cash purchases. The last time you had a hire-pur chase was years ago?”

We looked at each other, the answer is obvious.

I buy hire purchase, I pay more, I buy cash, I pay less. Then came the important query, “What kind of business are you in though?” I replied, “The arts” “Oh, can you give me a list of who you supply to monthly?”

they asked. “It doesn’t work that way,“ I said. “

Hhhmm! Where do you buy your supplies? How much did you spend for the last six months?” “It’s bought overseas, most of it, when capable, it’s best to make bulk purchases,

most of the stuff needed, don’t sell here. ” “Why?” they asked. “Because what we do, with the arts and other creative folk is diverse, and there’s only one artist, I’m aware of on Water and Hol mes street that stacked pro-Arts stuff, as against school art class stuff.” ”Ohh? I don’t know how I can fit you in for this loan. The supervisor wants you to have it, so do I, but, what we have to work with, on the pa per work has nothing about what you’re talking about.” And so the con versation was concluded in a cordial way. I didn’t get the loan. In the file I took to her, quite aware that its value would be of no significance, were two copyright certifi cates. I had to explain what they were and that their value superseded the loan amount, to which no writer/Illustra tor would allow to be

lost on a small loan, that would serve an immedi ate, necessary purpose. Nothing about the outcome of the experi ence surprised me. The arts as an industry has been active in the precolonial world as append ages to religious beliefs through guilds where talents were developed and perfected to meet the need. Frescoes were developed at some stage to hype the potency of leaders. The first wall paintings were in Khemet first, then Greece. All others are dated as later: but the arts were not open as decorations in homes, it seemed designs were allowed as in South and West African houses car ried outer wall designs, but in Asia, temples ben efitted from that.

With Guyana in the late modern era, the 1900s onward, local paintings were about, until recently, the prolif

eration of prints revolved around religious iconog raphy, Euro-defined Je sus paintings etc. Today, the Arts are in a grey area. The knowledge and needs required seem to require more than the ordinarily aware person, and more of a common knowledge, even though we ‘Arts-Creative com munity’ are still strug gling with livelihoods towards laws to protect our incomes. I have taken small loans from the bank in the past, and from one to the other of the loan staff, it’s like encounter ing personalities from different dimensions.

Some years ago, I had borrowed a loan to buy a 8.5x11 scanner that fulfilled an immediate use, but was limited to what was required. After paying off the first loan, I applied for a second loan, again to buy anoth er scanner, this time an 11x17 scanner. The loan

clerk asked why I needed two scanners, indicat ing what do artists want with scanners. Anyway, she was almost hostile. I reminded her that I had paid off all the loans that I had taken before, I had my suspicions and went to a senior loan clerk who processed the loan, which I paid off.

The fact is with a Copyright Certificate, pledging a volume of work that is valued in content alone would merit the level of loans most artists are inter ested in. As a member of the Small Business Bureau, I’m aware and participated with both Gillian Griffith Ed wards and Dr Lowell Porter with interesting approaches to categorizing and building ca pacity with small busi nesses. Whether com panies or sole traders had begun, I’m unsure whether it’s continued.

A bustling village...

FROM PAGE V

ferry service, a lot of small businesses have relocated to central Rosignol, while others went out of business.

The village also has two lumberyards; all essentials can be pur chased within the com munity, and there is no need to journey to the city to shop, except for certain hard-to-get things.

Rosignol has two health centres, two primary schools, one ‘A’-List Secondary School and three nurs ery schools.

The village also has mandirs, mosques and churches.

The locals are very friendly and welcom ing. They consist of both East Indians and Afro-Guyanese, who reside side by side, and the people are gener ally neighbourly.

Community high lights

Rosignol Village is maintained under the Zeelust/Rosignol Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

The Chairman is Chaitram Puran, who is from the neigh bouring village of

D’Edward.

He told the Pep perpot Magazine that the NDC covers seven villages and the com munity of Rosignol is quite large in terms of land space and is a central point for busi nesses, making it a busy shopping area.

Puran revealed that 60 percent of the vendors sell on the roadside at Rosignol and the land space on which they operate is not under the NDC, so it is not regularised for a tarmac, but the ven dors have since formed a committee.

The chairman add ed that Rosignol is a peaceful place and not a high-crime area, even though they have had break-ins and thefts.

He disclosed that there is a squat ter settlement within Rosignol, a low-lying area recently flooded due to heavy and con tinuous rainfall.

Puran explained that the village was once farmlands that slowly developed into a squatting area that consists of Train Line and Bennett Streets.

People, places and things in Rosignol Village, West Coast Berbice ( Carl Croker photos)

The people of...

FROM PAGE VI

the businesswoman

Nazmoon Moham ed is a mother of two and a businesswoman who has a snackette at Rosignol, West Coast Berbice and is a local of the same village.

Mohamed is pleased about a lot of things as it relates to her life, but mostly achieving the ripe age of 50 years old.

On November 4 she celebrated her 50th birth anniversary and she hosted a party with family and friends.

Mohamed is very thankful for her strict upbringing; as she ma tured, she realised the importance of having grounded children.

Her mother passed away six years ago, but her father is still alive and he has aged gracefully to age 82 years old.

These days, Mo hamed is taking care of her five-year-old grand-daughter, Natalia Samara Roberston and taking things easy.

This Rosignol res

villages three times per day out of the need to ask for help to pay for food, since she is stay ing with relatives who provide accommoda tion for her.

Ramdayal reported that she is too elderly to work and she did not want to go around asking for hand-outs, but she had no choice

ident has one of the cleanest yards and en vironments, which is well organised and it is part of who she is.

“Cleanliness is next to godliness and hav ing my place clean is a priority because that is the way I was taught, and I will never do away with being tidy. It speaks volumes,” she said.

Elizabeth Ramday al, the elder

At 63 years old, Elizabeth Ramdayal cannot enjoy being a senior citizen because she simply cannot af ford to stay at home.

She would go out to

and applied for public assistance five months ago and is still awaiting a response.

The elder told the Pepperpot Magazine that she has some ail ments and at times, she would force herself to go out and ask for help.

Following the death of her husband a year ago, Ramdayal has no means or resources and had to resort to begging.

She has to pay $5,000 per week for meals and once she gets the public as sistance she will quit begging because it has become quite a bur den for her.

Nazmoon Mohamed with her grand-daughter, Natalia Samara Roberston

Elizabeth Ramdayal

Rosignol businesswoman...

FROM PAGE VII

erty causes many dis advantages among our youths and the need for certain things creates an opening for teens to be lured into early preg nancy.

Lancaster-Glasgow stated that from time to time, she would make care baskets for the el derly in the village and there is a group of chil dren she takes care of by providing hot meals and would take them out for a treat to a fast-food restaurant.

She would also go around the village and assist street dwellers with a meal. This year she plans to extend that project to New Am sterdam and is asking for persons to come on board by providing food, clothing and other basic things to distribute to the needy.

Lancaster-Glasgow told the Pepperpot Mag azine that many people do not have self-control and are overwhelmed by alcohol and drugs.

“At any given time, they will show up and I will give a meal, I never see giving as a burden instead, for me it is a blessing,” she said.

The mother of two noted that she was born and raised in Jarvis Street, Rosignol and she is familiar with the peo ple and as a candy shop owner, she would al ways try to lend a help ing hand because she recognises the genuine need.

Lancaster-Glasgow has a shop that sells a wide variety of imported candies, beverages and a small amount of grocer ies.

Her business is known as the “Lancas ter Shop” in Rosignol and it is an online candy import venture with nov

elty and unusual goodies to excite both adults and children, making buying such candies affordable.

Lancaster-Glasgow offers a variety and also themed animated good ies for birthdays in the form of lollipops, and chocolates and it is in deed a business with a difference.

She pointed out that all candies are imported from different countries and the candy business started from one barrel between herself and a school friend who re sides in Canada.

He began sourcing candies and sending them back to Guyana for her to market.

The candy shop is two years old and a wide cross-section of Guya nese supports the busi ness by placing orders of large quantities as well as, sample packs of different candies.

Lancaster-Glasgow reported that in August, she hosted a food drive and reached out to peo ple who genuinely need a meal and it is a good feeling to give.

“People don’t forget kindness and no matter in what form it is given, it always comes back to you 10-fold and I will continue to give no mat ter what,” she said.

This Old year’s Night she will take to the streets to distribute a hot meal to people in the streets and would like to partner with others to ensure that they reach the people they need to.

Lancaster-Glasgow stated that the peo ple’s appreciation is tremendous and she is happy to be making a difference because she doesn’t accept money, but if people can donate clothes, goodies and food, that would help.

Some of the goodies, candies, sweets and chocolates in the shop

Male cosmetologist raising...

FROM PAGE VIII

at his job at the estate and decided to quit after one year.

It was then he opened his own sa lon at Bennett Dam, Rosignol, West Coast Berbice after realising he had the potential to make his mark in the salon business.

“Starting a new business and being a salon it was difficult at first, because people did not know of my ability and they did not trust me. As such, I had to build my cli entele from scratch. Today my expertise is in demand and peo ple from all over the country would visit for the service,” Phil lips said.

He told the Pep perpot Magazine that some people used to go to his salon and say, “Hakeem, I will try you when I want to do my nails and I will see what you can do” but he looked past those comments and strived for perfection.

Phillips’ small business is Basic Beauty Nail Zone and his rented salon is lo cated at Bennett Dam, Rosignol, where he has recently installed a solar system to off set the frequent power outages in that region.

This nail techni cian is always on the go and during his free time, he would assist a lady with her gar den and do chores at

home.

It has been nine years since Phillips established his salon offering manicure, pedicure, nails, eye lash extension, browfilling, and make-up every day except Sun days from 10:00hrs to 18:00hrs, based on appointments for both genders.

On holidays, Phil lips would provide employment for one nail technician to as sist and doesn’t deal with walk-ins, since he would be fully booked.

Phillips would source his gel nail polishes and other supplies locally and overseas and buy them based on demand.

“I am very proud of what I do and I try to keep up with the latest trends in nail designs; and when clients bring a particular pattern or design I will try to do it or just be honest and tell them I can’t do it,” he explained.

Phillips is origi nally from Wakapoa, Region One and relo cated to Region Five in search of work; he was the security guard at Church’s fast food outlet at Rosignol, the same place he first met his wife to be.

The salon owner has since acquired a plot of land at Bath Village and will be embarking on the con struction of his house soon. He is present

ly renting a house in Bennett Dam.

Phillips related that becoming selfemployed has changed his life and he became financially stable and it is safe to say he has a comfortable life and it is because of God and his wife, who is very supportive and would save his earn ings.

“I never knew I could become so good at what I do as a nail technician, but I ac quired the skills and I applied myself and today, I can say be ing a salon owner has assisted me greatly in achieving a lot. I have every little thing that is needed in the home and my family

is comfortable,” Phil lips said.

He stated that mar rying his wife and opening his own busi ness was the best thing in his life, and because of his choices, he is successful.

Phillips reported that he is hopeful his daughter will acquire the relevant skills to assist him in the salon and he is encouraging her to do henna, hair and make-ups.

This small-busi ness owner is also a volunteer who con tributes to society, teaming up with an other resident to pro vide hot meals to the elders in the community.

Basic Beauty and Spa at Rosignol

Being a pastor...

FROM PAGE IX

spite many trials and tribu lations,” he said.

As the founding mem ber of the church, Ajodha remains humble due to his belief and accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour since he was 16.

“Doing God’s work is fulfilling and quite a blessing due to the fact [that] I never wavered in my belief, because when I completed high school

work was hard to get and I was lost despite being qualified, I took on a job with the water company. People used to laugh at me saying he got subjects and working at Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), but I worked my way up and when I left I was a supervisor,” he said.

Pastor Ajodha told the Pepperpot Magazine that he has no regrets turning his life to God; today, he

can attest that his life is even better than before.

He pointed out that he is heavily supported by his wife, Shireen, whose role in the church is Worship Leader and she plays an integral part in both the home and church.

Ajodha added that since the COVID-19 re strictions were lifted, they returned to regular wor ship service on Sundays and on Wednesdays; they

have prayer meeting and Bible studies.

In his little free time, he would engage in his home gardening of fruits and vegetables, while his spouse would tend to the flower plants.

Ajodha prefers to go out to minister to the peo

ple and would take the time out to do outreach es and visitations at the homes of members and would generally keep a check on the people.

He has a liaison with the sister church in Can ada, and he is in contact with his overseas broth

ers and sisters via online Bible studies and prayer meetings.

Ajodha hopes that most people would turn their lives over to God before it is too late and enjoy a fruitful existence of purpose serving the Lord in full.

Leadership VS Dictatorship

LEADERSHIP positions and capacities are every where. However, it is essen tial to note that not every one who labels themselves as a leader is an actual leader. Sometimes, their “ leadership “ style isn’t

leading the team or guiding them at all. No amount of money, power, or resources will ever allow you to be a leader unless you pos sess certain skills, abilities, and characteristics—those genuinely needed to lead

others in a positive direc tion. You see, many “lead ers’’ think once they get the job done that’s leader ship. No! The method is just as important as the outcome. I can get the goal and task done, but if at the

same time I am forcing my team members, causing them emotional distress, or negatively impacting their performance—is that really leadership? A dictator will probably see results, sure. But at what cost to their team-mates?

It’s hard to mistake a dictator for a leader. In fact, a dictator is often mistaken as a leader because many people don’t often see the difference. Some equate the characteristics of a dictator with that of a leader, because dictatorship is all they know. One of the major differences between a leader and a dicta tor is that the leader looks to motivate his/her team, whereas a dictator seeks to have absolute/sole power. Simply put, a leader inspires others to implement their visions without coercion, fear, or selfishness. To be able to lead, you have to put aside your personal agendas and consider the wellness of your entire team. We live in a world today that demands fewer dictators and more leaders. The authoritative leadership styles are slowly changing into democratic ones because people are slowly starting to understand what type of leader they want to represent and guide them.

When it comes to the consequences of one’s actions,a leader has much to be held accountable for. A dictator commands work to be done and often ignores feedback, whereas a leader should be able to evaluate and determine the needs and wishes of the people who follow your lead. There’s a reason why many campaigns for office and leadership posts often emphasize the need for transparency and accountability. Trust is one of the most important fac tors to consider when in a leadership position. Your team-mates must be able to trust you and your decisions. They should be able to have confidence in you and what you’re doing.

In almost every aspect of life, leadership is required.

In church, the pastor is seen as the leader of the congre gation. In most workspaces, the supervisor or overseer is seen as the leader of the employees—this is done to ensure that the workers follow through with their goals. In school, sometimes a team leader is appointed to ensure that the group of

ple, hurt other people. The fact that “leaders” lash out or spew negatively onto team-mates often means they have unresolved issues that need addressing. My best advice is to ensure you work on yourself and get the help you need before even attempting to take on a leadership role. You can’t

students completes specific assignments promptly and accurately. The quality of leadership is what affects the entirety of success in a group or organization. I believe respect should always be a two-way street. Team lead ers must be able to respect their team-mates at the end of the day to build trust and an overall better bond.

The truth is, hurt peo

guide and inspire others if you’re not at your very best. “Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily, even if you had no title or posi tion”, said Brian Tracy. If only many of the “leaders” in our communities shared the same sentiments—we’d have more effective groups and organizational func tioning in our country.

Door of return...

agine slaves were kept in a cramped and filthy cell with hardly any ventila tion. There was no space to lie down and some died while standing.

As an Indo-Guyanese, it was a great honour to visit this historical castle and it still gives me goosebumps to date. I urge my compatriots

to make a visit if possible.”

My sister Raquel had recommended that it was a must-visit place in Ghana and she was correct. “It was a privilege to visit the Elmina Castle in 2011. A deeply emotional experi ence of a sad time in his tory but one that connects us with our heritage in a

deep sense. Every Carib bean citizen should experi ence this,” she said. We will be hosting a night of storytelling when I return and if you are interested WhatsApp 6289044 for more info as we celebrate this beautiful journey called life BE YOND THE RUNWAY.

the years of captivity it had to be excavated. In the hot box is a natural sauna with a stench float ing around.

The next room was where they held the mis behaved slaves. No win dow and this room was lower than the others. When the door closed there was hardly any air flowing in the room. On the walls to date, you can see the dying claw marks made by the suffocating slaves.

The last stop was the holding area which is called the door of no return. It was high tide when we made the visit. We were asked to exit. Then we were welcomed back to the motherland. The waves crashed on

the beach as I looked to the peaceful horizon with Koffee’s voice explaining how many tossed them selves overboard. As I exited in tears flowed to know my fore parents endured such an excru ciating experience and survived so that I can have so much privilege that I don’t take anything I’m given or achieve for granted anymore.”

Eric Phillips lived on the continent of Africa and always encouraged me to visit and I am hap py I finally did. He shared his experience.

“My trip to the castle was a watershed event for me. As a student of history, especially Afri can history, and as some one who has visited 40

African countries and lived in South Africa for 7 1/2 years, my visit was a cleansing event that made me stronger and more at peace with myself. It reinforced the greatness of our people. Even after suffering a holocaust and European occupation and colonisation, we continue to rise. I hope every Af rican person gets the op portunity to touch African soil, so that their spirit can be grounded and their lives re-oriented.”

Kenneth Rampersaud said, “A Memorable and Emotional Experience at the Elmina Castle in Ghana, Africa. Even af ter centuries, the stench of slave dungeons took me by surprise. A scent I will never forget. Im

Francis Quamina Farrier at Cape Coast Castle in GHANA

BURIED ALIVE II

A FARMER riding his bicycle alongside the road was in imminent danger as the car took the turn too close, hitting him, his hapless body flung a far way. Preity couldn’t stop scream ing and worse yet, when Brian drove away, leav ing the lifeless man lying on the roadway.

“You can’t do that!” she screamed.

Dravid grabbed him around the neck and shout ed, “Stop this car, now!”

Brian stopped the

someone!”

“That is wrong,” Drav id said vehemently, “You can’t do that.”

“Yes, I can,” Brian said, “And I want your sol emn promises here, now.”

Preity shook her head, “I won’t do it. It’s murder. Just the way a drunk driver killed my father.”

Brian looked at her, a dangerous glint in his eyes, “Lies can leave, but the truth dies here.”

Dravid stood up to his brother, “Are you out of your mind?! You can’t

id’s phone rang. It was his father.

He answered quickly and shouted, “Dad, dad, I need your help! ---”

Brian knocked the phone off of his hand and as Dravid tried to retrieve it, the two brothers came to blows.

In a desperate attempt, Preity tried to get the phone but Brian’s phone knocked it out of her hand and grabbed her around the neck.

Dravid fought valiantly but lost against his older,

car abruptly and turned around, punching Dravid in the face.

“Shut up! Both of you!” he said angrily, “I need to think.”

He drove to a desolate place off the highway and exited the car, a wild look in his eyes.

“That was an unfor tunate accident that we can’t do anything about. This…” he stressed, “No one will talk about.”

“What do you mean?” Preity asked tearfully, still in shock, “You just killed

harm us!”

“Yeah? You want to push me?” Brian threat ened, “I’m apparently the bad one and you’re the good one who gets every thing.”

Dravid inhaled deeply to keep a calm composure and not be tempted into an argument. He took Preity’s hand and said, “I need us to leave here now.”

“And do what? Go to the police?”

“Yes, it’s the right thing to do.”

At that moment, Drav

stronger brother and fell, hitting his head on a rock.

“Dravid!” Preity screamed, breaking free from Brian’s friend’s hold, and tried to pick him up, but he had lost conscious ness.

“Please,” she cried, “He’s your brother. How can you do this?”

“I never really liked him,” Brian stated with no remorse, “And now, I have to deal with you.”

“No, please!” she got up to run but too late.

Parents keeping good mental health

MANY of my columns recently have focused on how to have a healthy di vorce and best co-parent to ensure a positive and healthy development for the child. I received a few emails about what parents can do that can keep them on a healthy path while also making sacrifices to better their families.

From what I have seen and heard, being a parent is the most difficult job and the most thankless.

Parenting is challenging in many ways and, therefore can become problematic if the parents do not have or are not maintaining good mental health. It is especially hard (and also common) if they are parenting with an existing mental health illness.

You may think your child’s mental health comes first and most of you prioritise it that way. However, there’s a famous analogy that comes from the first and simple rule we are told to do in the case of an emergency when in an aircraft. If something goes wrong, you must put your mask on before attending to anyone else in your care. This encompasses a valuable life lesson because if you do not take care of yourself, you will not be equipped to take care of anyone else effectively.

The truth is parents often feel isolated and unsupported in their struggles, even though many others are experiencing the same. It is not surprising, as nurturing is supposed to be your job. However, unless you make personal health the number one priority, your ill health will negatively affect your parenting either way.

If you are parenting with a mental health issue, there are a few things that you can do to make the process easier.

Firstly, do not be afraid to confide in your loved ones and ask for help. This in cludes your children if they are old enough to help with certain chores or any minor things that may make your life a little easier. This hap pens so often that children who care for or aid a parent with mental health difficul ties are known and labelled as ‘young carers.

I’m aware of the difficulty of this due to stigma and your fear of others thinking you may be unfit to parent. This is disappointing as many par ents with physical health is

sues are rarely questioned. On the contrary, they are praised for ‘managing it all’ while those with mental health is sues are often stigmatised and not offered the same help and praise.

Mental health issues make everyday duties feel like chal lenges and there will be days when you cannot carry out your usual parenting respon sibilities. Furthermore, this happens to every parent, not just those with mental health issues.

You can do things to man age or even prevent mental health issues.

As always, begin with the basics, such as maintaining a healthy diet and regular exer cise. I know this is difficult if there is an existing illness, but you can find something that you enjoy doing as physical activity that increases your heart rate can be considered exercise. Develop self-help tools and healthy coping skills. What are you going to do if it’s a low day? Do you have any healthy relaxation go-to techniques?

Do not give up. Try differ ent treatment options if you feel that a particular one isn’t working for you. It’s a rar ity when an individual finds what most benefits them on the first attempt. This could pertain to types of medica tion, counselling sessions, etc. Explore as many aid options as you can.

Stay organised as many maintain good mental health through healthy and consist ent routines. One is much more likely to stick to a schedule than randomly do what’s expected of you every day. For example, if you have a specific day and time set to exercise, you are more likely to succeed.

If you feel as though you are struggling with a mental illness, I would advise against hiding it from your family. The more you talk about it, the more understanding and comfort develop. It especially allows your children some clarity about how they can help and gives them freedom and relief to share their own struggles.

Why not start a support group with other parents in your community? Every par ent struggles and listening to and sharing with others in similar situations may de crease your feelings of stress, denial, or guilt. You may also

learn better strategies than the ones you are currently using.

I hope all parents commit to making their mental health

a priority this week. Please remember that with the right support and use of available resources, it

is more than possible to be a great parent while managing a mental health illness.

Thanking you for reading. Please keep sending any top ics you’d like to talk about to caitlinvieira@gmail.com

EPA GUYANA CELEBRATES GIS DAY

OVER 20 years ago, Jack Dangermond, the founder and president of Esri, envisioned people collaborating and sharing how GIS affects every one. This led to the es tablishment of GIS Day, which was first observed in 1999. Since then, the explosion of geospatial technology has expanded that idea into a global event that shows how geography and the realworld applications of GIS are making a difference in business, government,

and society. It’s a chance for organisations to share their accomplishments and inspire others to dis cover and use GIS.

The EPA Guyana utilis es GIS and Remote Sens ing in its day-to-day activi ties to inform key decisionmaking processes. The EPA uses GIS for environmental screening, environmentaleffects monitoring, model ling, and mapping. Every application submitted for authorisation to the agency is screened spatially for potential impacts and to

identify key environmental receptors that may poten tially be affected. Compli ance monitoring and effects monitoring are also done utilising GIS and Remote Sensing techniques.

One exciting way the EPA utilised GIS recently was in modelling the po tential trajectory of a simu lated oil spill conducted by EEPGL on November 03, 2022. The GIS Depart ment utilised the data given in a simulation situation and predicted the potential impact on land and marine life. The model was created using the WebGNOME

platform provided by Na tional Oceanic and At mospheric Administration (NOAA). This platform allowed for input of key para meters and real-time wind and ocean currents data. In addition to the trajectory of the simulated spill, the GIS department also prepared maps of the environmental sensitivi ties in the potential impact area.

This November, EPA Guyana will join hundreds of organisations worldwide in hosting in-person and virtual gatherings that will celebrate the impactful

work of GIS profession als and serve to ignite the imagination of future in novators who will further advance global progress using GIS.

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environ ment”, C/O Communi cations, Environmen tal Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguy ana@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Ins tagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

BURIED ALIVE...

FROM

He grabbed her around the neck, trying to suffo cate her. She fought back hard, hitting him in his face, but that enraged him and he hit her repeatedly until she blacked out.

Preity opened her eyes, slowly gasping for breath.

It was dark, she could see nothing and she tried to move, crying out in pain, but she couldn’t move to either side.

“Oh God, where am I?” she cried silently.

She tried to scream but there was not enough air in her lungs.

“Oh, dear Ma,” she prayed, “Please don’t let me die here. I have to go home, my mom is waiting for me.”

Tears wet her cheeks and almost as an answer to her prayers, she felt a vibration in her pocket.

“My phone,” she gasped, “Thank God they didn’t take it.”

But her arms could not move freely to get the phone. She knew it was her mom calling and she struggled to move, her arm scraping against something rough, tearing her skin until her fingers grabbed the phone.

“Mom!” she cried, gasping for breath.

“Preity, where are you?” her mother asked, desperation in her voice, “It’s late. I’ve been calling so long.”

“Mom,” Preity said, breathing in deeply, the little air she was getting, “I think I’m buried alive.”

The mother was stunned, so shocked that she was unable to speak for a heart-stopping mo ment.

“What are you saying, Preity?” she cried, “Oh please, dear God, tell me I didn’t hear right.”

She started to cry and Preity swallowed hard not to break down, not to let the icy fingers of fear overcome her.

“Mom,” she called, “Mom, please, you can’t break down. You have to stay strong to find me.”

“How did this happen, my child? Oh, God ---”

“Mom, listen to me

carefully,” Preity said be tween gasps of breath, “I’m not getting much air and I can barely move, every second is precious. I want you to record eve rything I say and take it to the police.”

She related everything from the moment she got in the car with Dravid to when Brian beat her into unconsciousness.

“I don’t know what happened to Dravid, mom. Talk to the police to find him too. Please hurry, I can’t die here, I can’t die.” She said, her voice fading away.

At the station, detec tives were called in to listen to the phone record ing as the tearful mother battled to stay calm.

“A report of this acci dent on the highway was sent to us a short while ago,” one of the detectives said, “We have to talk with your daughter now.”

Preity’s mother di alled her phone and she answered immediately, “Mom.”

“The detective wants to talk to you, baby.”

“How are you doing, miss?” the detective asked her.

“Not good, sir,” she answered tearfully.

“Try to stay calm. We need you to help us find you,” he said, an urgency in his voice.

“Now, tell us when he drove away after hitting the man, did he turn right or left?”

She thought for a mo ment, then answered, “He turned left.”

“Can you remember anything else?”

“No,” she said, a little sob escaping her lips.

“That’s okay, Miss, we’ll work with what you have given us. Now describe what is around you.”

She paused a little as she gasped for air. “I feel rocks around and about me in a small space.”

“Then you must be confined in a small cave. A team from the location you’ve described will be now dispatched to start searching the area whilst we pick up the boys for

questioning.”

Detectives picked up Brian and his friend in no time at a bar, investiga tions revealing they were with the girl and speed ing up the highway. What was shocking was that they had dumped Drav id’s body on the roadway, where he could be found and he was now lying in the ICU at the hospital,

suffering from a concus sion to his head.

Two young men’s confessions could have shifted the balance for Preity to be found faster but Brian and his friend maintained their inno cence of any wrongdo ing, even after intense questioning but the po lice had enough to detain them as the investiga

tions continued. Brian’s father was adamant his son was telling the truth, that Dravid had dropped him and his friend off at a roadside bar and some one else along the high way must have hijacked his car. The detectives were careful not to let out any information on the phone recording be cause with the money

and contacts Brian’s family had, a leak could endanger the life the girl was clinging onto. So, the story of the missing girl was not given to the media that night as po lice units searched deso late rock areas along the highway, hoping to find her before it was too late.

To be continued…

Sinking further after COP27?

THE final round of this year’s United Nations (UN) climate talks, COP27, were held this past week, and while world leaders and their negotiators battled over much-needed funds to help small, develop ing states recover from the climate crisis, I couldn’t help but think about the grim outlook for us in the Caribbean.

I pen this column days before the end of this year’s talks. Right now, it is still unclear whether the richer, devel oped nations of the world and the international fi nancial institutions (like the World Bank and In ternational Monetary Fund) will agree to new financial deals in the interest of protecting smaller countries and their people. The hesi tancy those countries and bodies had all these years is seemingly enduring.

And it is worrisome. Days before this year’s conference got underway, I was part of a community hangout on climate change. There, journalists who are in terested/experienced in climate change reporting discussed the upcoming conference, and listened to stakeholders explain some of the expected outcomes and shortcom ings of COP27.

As Caribbean journal ists, the “loss and dam age” conversation was an important considera tion for us. Our leaders have been among those from the Global South advocating for loss and damage funding, simply

because we are battered yearly by the increas ingly harsh effects of the ongoing climate crisis.

For context, loss and damage funding is a con cept that underscores that poorer, developing countries affected by cli mate disasters (think the recent horrific flooding in Pakistan and similar events that frequent Guy ana and the wider Car ibbean) should receive funds from the larger, de veloped countries whose gas emissions have con tributed to the climate crisis in the first place.

A draft text from COP27, reported on last week, indicated that countries were consider ing this fund, but were still hesitant to commit. This is certainly unsur prising. Funding and fi nancial arrangements agreed to at previous cli mate talks did not materi alise fast enough, if they did materialise at all.

But this time, there is a growing sense of de spair. Unless those small er, poorer, developing countries get the funds to rebuild from the disasters that battered them and strengthen their defences against the effects of the climate crisis (again, for illustrative purposes, a massive flood or rising sea levels), their very existence is threatened. This isn’t some unimagi nable, dystopian reality. Simulations from inter national climate change reports indicate that Georgetown, Guyana, could be among nine cit ies underwater by 2030, unless the climate cri

sis is slowed. Yes, 2030 is literally about seven years away. Prime Min ister of Barbados Mia Mottley warned of a bil lion refugees by 2050, unless governments act now to solve the climate crisis.

Yet, this funding, viewed as the most cru cial part of solving the crisis, remains a conten tious issue. It’s not that countries don’t believe that with adequate funds, countries can diversify their economies, or tran sition from harmful fossil fuel use to more natural sources like wind, solar, and hydropower. It’s not even that richer countries don’t believe that they have unfairly benefitted at the expense of the very existence of smaller states. Rich countries, like the United States for example, believed that agreeing to lose and damage funding could open up countries to le gal liability. Essentially, if the richer countries agree that they have been contributing significant ly to the climate crisis (which they are) and they voluntarily provide financing to mitigate the effects of the crisis on developing nations (which they are hesitant to do), then, what’s stop ping them from being legally compelled to do more? It’s similar to the refusal of European na tions to apologise for en slavement, instead issu ing statements of regret. Funny how diplomacy and those things work.

Fortunately or unfor

Sinking further after...

FROM PAGE XXVII

tunately, an experienced Caribbean climate nego tiator advised the group of journalists against hoping for sweeping changes. Multilateral ism, he said, just doesn’t work that way.

After internalising it, I realised that I did know this. Expecting wide spread social change,

like complete agreement with the need for loss and damage funding and immediate monetary contributions from de veloped countries was not realistic. Sure, agree ing to these things seems almost painfully logi cal to me, yet the major players remain seem ingly unsympathetic to the plights of possibly

millions, if not billions of people.

So, I participated in that engagement, and followed COP27 reli giously, hoping our world leaders would ‘ketch some sense’. Until now, we await the finer details of their agree ments, and we march towards COP28, won dering how much time

we have left before the crisis obliterates Guy ana’s coastal plain, or sinks small islands in the Caribbean.

If you would like to connect with me to discuss COVID-19, this column, or any of my previous works, feel free to email me at vish14ragobeer@ gmail.com

CHALLENGES OF AN AGEING CARIBBEAN AND AGEING WORLD

IN the past, this column addressed the issue of the aged in modern societies, especially urban commu nities, from an individual and familial perspective. In this offering, we will discuss ageing from a soci etal standpoint about Car ibbean countries and also refer to worldwide trends.

ECLAC had done a study and produced a Re port on “The Ageing Car ibbean: 20 years of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing,” and last month, there was a vir tual international meeting of Caribbean governments, relevant NGOs, and aca demia to discuss the find ings and recommendations of this report.

Population ageing has been affecting all Caribbean countries and has acceler ated faster in some coun tries than others. Before we look at the position in any individual country, it would be useful to overview the Caribbean as a whole: in 2000, 10% of the popula tion was over 65 years old about those of working age between 15 and 64 years. In 2020, this figure reached 14 per 100 in about 15 to 64 years; by 2030, it is estimated to be 20 per 100.

As mentioned above, some countries have an ageing population greater than the Caribbean aver age, including Barbados, Curacao, Martinique, and the Virgin Islands. Others, including Belize, Suriname, and Guyana, are below the Caribbean average. They all, however, face the same ageing trend with the same concomitant social and eco nomic problems.

Such problems, to be addressed, would include pension systems, health systems, and long-term care services for the ageing

and aged. In Guyana, for example, the main pen sion scheme catering to the working population, the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), after being in the surplus from its establish ment, now finds its reserves have begun to diminish gradually. This pressure on the NIS reserves is due to the requirements of Old Age pensioners. The same kinds of pressures are build ing up on the health ser vices and the economic workforce.

In addressing this grow ing percentage of older per sons in society, it is impera tive that Guyana and other Caribbean countries review and update the laws relating to ageing and older persons and develop policies of adequately supplementing pensions and guarantee ing a minimum pension income; expanding oppor tunities for older persons to participate in decisionmaking; and strengthening organizations representing older persons.

It is apposite to quote the words of ECLAC’s Caribbean Director, Ms Diane Quarless; “Popula tion ageing represents an opportunity to utilize the skills fully. Knowledge and experience of older persons. It will require tackling age discrimination, a more flex ible approach to retirement, and more support for those with health conditions or disabilities.” Ms Quarless’ prescription is one that the Caribbean and other West ern societies could adopt as a matter of policy, since it is a time-tested one. In West ern societies, human life is regarded as moving straight from birth to death with out any breaks. In ancient traditions, for example, the Hindu tradition, life is

CHALLENGES OF AN AGEING CARIBBEAN AND AGEING...

FROM PAGE XXIX

regarded as falling into four distinct though not exclu sive, segments. The first segment is that of child hood and then studentship when one is educated and prepared with the skills to live creatively in the world. From this stage of life, the person then passes into the second segment of, that of a householder when they marry, raise a family, build

houses, and contribute to their family’s and society’s economic well-being. The Third Segment is the one to which Ms Quarless refers and where the person grad ually releases their hold on material possessions and devotes themselves to public service. The fourth segment is when one seeks God if one is a theist and learns to overcome the fear

of death.

The trends of ageing or younger populations have become linked with the question of overpopulation in individual countries and the world. This concern of overpopulation, that is, population outstripping the economic and social abil ity to comfortably meet their needs and also being destructive of the environ

ment and biodiversity of individual countries and the planet, has become the main focus in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Before the 18th cen tury, populations grew very slowly but with the advancement of medicine, knowledge of hygiene, public health systems, and greater food supplies, populations began to grow

at a faster rate. By the middle of the 20th cen tury, countries began to be concerned that they had too many people for their economies to support.

Countries such as India and China took measures to limit their populations. All countries began to limit immigrants. This contrasts with earlier cen turies when people were

regarded as valued assets and immigrants were ad mitted without much op position.

Aged and ageing pop ulations may lead to the stabilization of popula tions and may even result in the eventual decline of populations. Aged and ageing populations may therefore have both posi tive and negative effects

November 20, 2022

chances in the dark.

C. pick up his neighbour’s mangoes.

D. leave home in the dead of night.

6. Support your answer for question 5 using one thought ful sentence.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

People are beginning to see that the first requisite to success in life is to be a good animal.

HERBERT SPENCER 1820- 1903) Education (1861), ch.2

STUDY SUCCESS

Dear Student, Welcome dear friend. Your exam is creeping clos er and closer. Prepare to succeed. The following re minders are helpful: Get a clear understanding of the examination content and format. Spend less time in areas where you are already strong. Take practice tests for what they are worth to you. Make a practical study schedule right away and split up your time wisely. Take some suitable private lessons to efficiently sharpen your performance and confidence in good time. Be wise.

Love you.

THE PASSAGE

Tom was all ears as he lay in bed and counted the mangoes that fell from Mr. Johnson’s Julie mango tree. Mr. Johnson had the biggest and sweetest Julie mangoes in the village. Tom smiled each time he heard a mango fall on the galvanized roof of Mr. Johnson’s wooden house.

He planned to get up early to get some of the man goes. Most of the time they fell, remained on the ground, and rotted. Mr. Johnson did not sell any of them, neither did he give any to the school children who stood on the road and yearned to taste the juicy mangoes.

Two hours passed be fore Tom finally fell asleep. Six hours later he got up as the clock chimed five times. He pulled his trousers over his pyjamas, put on his boots, grabbed a bag, and sneaked outside into the darkness.

He was nervous as he walked around blindly in the darkness and hoped that he would not make any loud

noises to wake up Mr. Johnson. Finding mangoes was not an easy task. He stooped several times to feel objects that he mashed. Ten minutes later he returned home and hurried to his room to inspect and con ceal his prized mangoes.

Tom felt a great deal of excitement. He smiled as he opened the bag. Suddenly he screamed as something jumped out of the bag and landed on the floor. It croaked once. It hopped, and croaked again as Tom ran from the room screaming loudly.

Something to Do 1. Which would be a suit able title for the passage?

A. A Mango Hunt C. Afraid of Being Heard

B. Afraid of the Dark D. An Unpleasant Surprise

2. The story takes place

A. just after sunset. C. after sunrise.

C. before dawn. D. at twilight.

3. Tom could not see in the darkness but he was depending on his sense of ......

A. smell. B. touch. C. taste. D. sight.

4. Why do you think Tom wanted to conceal the man goes?

A. He would probably have been punished by his parents.

B. He would probably be forced to share the mangoes at home.

C. He was a greedy small boy.

D. He did not want his parents to sell them.

5. The story’s final event shows that it is dangerous to

A. plan to gather mangoes in the early morning.

B. take unnecessary

7. Write a short story about a boy who found himself in a frightening situation where he gathered up the wrong stuff in the dark.

IMPROVING WRITING

Before you start writing question 7 above, start writ ing at all, make an outline for yourself – planning, writing, polishing.

Planning, writing and polishing will be looked at in some detail just to remind you of an approach you can use, not that you have not been shown this already, but that some things need repeating again and again.

Quickly speaking, plots need things happening to develop and carry the story forward to a climax. They need change, pace and shape. Plots also need people, charac ters, that can be recognised as ‘real’. These must be felt and understood. You, the writer must believe in your characters and be interested in them, and have the know-how to bring them to life.

Writing. Your story must have atmosphere. There has to be a setting – places, houses, furniture, weather, cars, ani mals. People have looks, per sonality, voices, mannerisms; they scream, cry, dress, are baby, teenager, elderly, thin, fat, sickly.

A careful and realistic blending of people, events and setting creates atmosphere in your story. Use your vivid imagination in a controlled way to build up atmosphere impactful enough to draw your reader into the story.

Use the five senses. Both writer and reader have them. Allow your reader to employ his five senses in vary ing degrees to assess and cap ture the essential feel for peo ple, places and things you are writing about. Let them see, hear, touch, smell, taste what you are offering. Remember that you are to share the story experiences.

Polishing. Once the plan ning and the elements of the plot, people and atmosphere are worked out, you can fire away at your writing in a steady controlled way. The inventions are yours, you know

Oral Infections

THERE are two basic meth ods to control an infection: prevention and treatment. Nonpharmacologic (not using drugs) efforts are of consider able importance in both cas es. In prevention, one must be concerned with eliminating those factors that lead to in fection: bacterial plaque, oral debris, decayed teeth, etc.

At least eight out of every 10 patients who seek dental treatment do so as a conse quence of some kind of infec tion. Most, if not all expect that if that person’s face is swollen, then their dentist will automat ically prescribe medications. But many times, an immediate extraction is required.

A bacterial attack can manifest as a condition that may range from a simple carie (tooth decay) to an acute facial abscess.

The incidence of post-sur gical infections can be reduced by proper wound closure and the use of aseptic (sterile) and atraumatic (conservative) tech niques. In treating infections, one must provide indicated lo cal treatment of infections, one must provide indicated local treatment (scraping, incision, drainage, etc) and supportive care (ensuring adequate rest, nutrition, and fluid intake).

Antibiotic is only a part of the treatment for infections. The other major part is remov al of the cause of infection. Therefore, to solve the problem of a dental abscess, the first step is to decide if the condition

is acute or chronic. Acute ab scesses must be drained and/or de-inflamed before instituting medication.

People with facial abscess es often consult physicians in stead of dentists for treatment. While the physician can only prescribe an antibiotic, the dentist by necessity can also remove the aetiologic agent (which is crucial) of the infec tion and prescribe the appropri ate antibiotic.

Someone who acquires a swollen face with a painful area as a result of a decayed tooth is suffering from the first stage of a periodontal abscess. It is important for the dentist to carefully examine and de cides whether he/she should do the extraction immediately. Depending on the stage of the infection, anti-inflammatory and antibiotic therapy may be prescribed for at least five days. If an attempt is made to extract the offending tooth without first applying this treatment, two things may happen: the pus surrounding the tooth may disseminate to adjacent tissues or enter the bloodstream, thus exacerbating the situation, and, due to the acidity of the swol len tissues the anaesthetic may not work sufficiently and so the patient would have a very painful extraction.

The need for antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent subacute bacterial endocarditis in patients with rheumatic heart disease who are to experi

ence procedures that are likely to precipitate bacteria in the bloodstream is well known.

The recommended dosage for most patients is 600,000 units of procaine penicillin G mixed with 200,000 crystalline penicillin G administered intra muscularly one hour before the dental procedures and once dai ly for two days following that.

The second aspect of pro phylactic antibiotic coverage relates to the use of antibiotics to prevent infections after any dental operation. Studies show that apart from rheumatic heart disease, as stated above, there is no need for someone to take antibiotics before having any kind of surgery, whether it is a simple extraction or periodon

tal surgery.

Most bacteria that cause dental infections are within the antibacterial spectra of peni cillin G, penicillin V, pheneth icillin, ampicillin, erythromy cin, tetracycline, lincomycins, clindamycin, and the cepha losporins.

Penicillin is the safest and most powerful antibiotic

for severe infections. Howev er, it should not be abused. It should only be used in severe infections, when the body‘s defences are impaired, where drug toxicity is particularly significant, as in infants, small children, the elderly, the debil itated, pregnant women, and those with liver and kidney disorders.

FROM PAGE XL

what you have in mind, so fire away. Get involved, invent and envision. Revise, polish, but do not despair. Polishing takes time - full time or parttime and it is for all writers to engage in. When you look at all the small amendments, insertions, precise grammar you will realise that polishing brings perfection.

Now look at stories you have recently written. They need polishing as you now so clearly see. Take a few and begin to work them to ‘perfection’. Display them in your study space at home or somewhere in your classroom.

Key to Last Week’s Vo cabulary and spelling

A.. Annul (v.), to cancel, “We hereby annul our con tract for the proposed ceramic exhibition.” Annual (adj.),

yearly. “For the fifth time, our annual report has been awarded a prize for beautiful photography.”

Emigrant, one who moves out of a country. Im migrant one who moves into a country. “Mr. Farnum is an emigrant from his native land and an immigrant to his adopted land.” (Quick Trick: Connect the ‘e’ in ‘emigrant’ with ‘exit’, the ‘i’ in ‘immi grant’ with ‘in’.)

B.. 1. Is Peter as qualified as she?

2. The winner was he.

3. Invitations will be is sued to whoever is willing to go.

4. She asked that the mer chandise be sent only to me and the Wainwrights.

5. Everyone got the mes sage but them.