Inclusivity is a must in developmentcommunity-basedandevents
Alfred is also part of the planning committee for the Long Creek heri tage day festivities held on September 17 (Carl Croker Photo)
Kathy Alfred is the Vice Chair of the Community Development Council which oversees development initiatives for her village Tigerbone Banakari and its neighbouring Long Creek Village and is passionate about development in the two communities.
Sunday, September 18, 2022
who ruled an empire on which the sun never set. At its height, Britain possessed over 100 colonies and protec torates around the globe. British Guiana was its only possession in South America. The Queen travelled to 177 countries during her lifetime, including 56 Commonwealth states. She visited Guyana in February of 1966, just three months before British Guiana became Independent. While here, she addressed the National Parliament and also visit ed the Indigenous village of Santa Mission and the nearby tourist Resort, Timberhead, on the Kamuni creek in Region Three. She also took a train ride from Georgetown to Plaisance on the East Coast Demerara. The coach in which she travelled has been converted into a place of worship - the Chapel in the com pound of the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital. Two large portraits of the Queen and her husband, Prince Phillip, which were on display in the National Parlia ment Chamber for some years, are no longer there.
There are millions around the world who now deeply mourn and even lament the passing of this British monarch
Located in the National Park in Georgetown, these two trees were planted by HRH Queen Elizabeth ll (the one on the right)and her hus band Prince Phillip (Photo by Francis Q. Farrier)
Roses with thorns from Guyanese for Queen Elizabeth ll
The British once ruled well over 100 countries around the world and have impacted the lives of tens of millions of people at any given time in modern history. With the recent death of HRH Queen Elizabeth ll, many citizens of former British colonies have been actually celebrating the passing of the 96-year-old monarch. Many unpleasant statements have been made about her. However, many persons around the world would say kinder things about the Queen and her long reign while mourning her pass ing.
The National Park in Georgetown was previously known as The Queen Elizabeth Park. So, it is clear that the late Queen Elizabeth ll was well honoured by Guyana in many spheres of society in colonial times. During the colonial era, the image of the beautiful young Queen also adorned the covers of exercise books which were used by students in schools, on postage stamps and also on currency bills and coins.
PRESIDENT Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has declared tomorrow, Monday, September 19, 2022 as a “National Day of Mourning” for Queen Elizabeth ll, who died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, on the morning of September 8 at the age of 96. Having been on the British throne for 70 years, Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth ll, is the longest reigning British monarch in history.
II CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT Sunday, September 18, 2022
Guyanese of a certain age group are recalling - some happily, others with a measure of anger - the way in which their ancestors were mistreated, even dehumanised,
as though they were “children of a lesser god” before indepen dence.During the early reign of HRH Queen Elizabeth ll, persons of colour had absolutely no chance to be promoted to high positions in the British Guiana Civil (Public) Service, no matter how brilliant or accomplished they were. While British Guiana never had an established apartheid system, that policy subtly, and at times not-so-subtly, played out in many places; even in some Christian churches. There was once a sign posted in the St. Andrews Kirk on Brickdam, Georgetown, stating that negroes and dogs were not allowed in. That history of former British colonies, Guyana included, is the reason why so many people around the world, especially in former British colonies, have expressed unsavoury sentiments about the Queen since her passing.
The Queen was also honoured with school parades as well as by the paramilitary and police on her birthday. Queen Elizabeth ll has now transitioned to the after-life, but lots will be spoken and written about her in years to come. So, too, the tree which she planted in our National Park will be there for many years to come for British and other tourists to see and take photographs and videos.
May her soul Rest in Peace.
They refer to the many unfair pain and suffering which the so-called second-class British citizens had to endure for centuries in British colonies. Here in Guyana, there were the public hangings of Africans such as Quamina and Damon who were convicted for their demands for human rights and sentenced to death. Nonetheless, many young men in the British colonies, Guiana included, volunteered and fought in the two World Wars, some paying the ul timate price with their very lives for Britain. Those two World Wars were won for the British and their allies, with dedicated support by young men from the British colonies, including British Guiana.
She continued: “Growing up, you see how people call little children dumb and stu pid. I am happy that I have the knowledge now, and I have the ability to help those little children so that nobody will call them those names or laugh at them.”
every four years you run a course, it’s only then you would have eight or 10 persons…and I think UG and the Ministry of Health need to advertise the programme a little more. It’s also a matter of finding the lecturers for the course,” she related.
Having been a rehabili tation assistant for 12 years, Sonia has worked primarily with children with speech problems over the past four years. As much as she finds great joy in helping them, she cannot ignore the fact that the work becomes overwhelming at times, especially with just four speech therapists in the entire“Wecountry!needhuman resourc es. At the moment, we have one speech therapist in Lin den and three in Georgetown.
Not that she was com plaining about the work, but in relating some of her chal lenges, she noted how great it would be if more persons were added to the profession because the reality is that while the clinic continues to grow, the human resources remain the same. “We’ve had a drastic increase in pa tients over the past few years. Every week, and I am not exaggerating, there is at least one child who will come to our clinic and we can say we are seeing clinical signs of autism. Previously, we would see only one or two new patients a week; now, we are seeing a total of six to eight new patients every week.”
The clinic is there to help those children who cannot communicate with their par ents, who may not be flu ent in their speech, may be
The 38-year-old, who ab solutely loves her job, has an assistant but would still need to find herself on the ward to administer professional help. The assistants could not be sent out for such service as it’s a bit more technical in nature.
Sonia was part of the first batch to be trained by the University of Guyana (UG) in collaboration with the American Speech and Hearing Association which
“We don’t have a con secutive taking in of stu dents annually at UG. If
clinic for the first time, and they’re not saying anything; and then in a few months you have them saying car, boy, run; that brings so much joy to me to know that I have the opportunity to help.”
Improving lives with speech and language therapy
some adults who would show up at the ‘George town’ hospital’s Speech Language Therapy Depart ment that she is heading.
On the bright side, though, there are currently eight final-year UG stu dents who may be continu ing in the field after they soon graduate. Sonia and her superiors are only hop ing that this is the decision that all of them will make after graduation. “We do not know how many of them will join us…we real ly need help. The director is really fighting. She has already opened the vacan cies to hire these graduates. So we are just waiting and would be happy if all eight of them can join our service so that we can help more people,” she
They are also looking to see how they can work with schools. “Lots of persons working in pre-schools are not trained teachers. We need to teach them what they can do to help these children while they’re there all day with them. We have video chats with daycare teachers and show them little techniques to help. We also allow parents to video some of the sessions and share them with the teachers.”
IIICHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, September 18, 2022
Sonia and her team have been focusing a lot on teach ing parents to help stimulate their children’s learning and skills and have been seeing a lot of improvement in the children after they are dis charged.
THOSEsaid.LITTLESMILES
Explaining why she loves her job, Sonia shared: “I like talking, and I want every one to have the opportunity to talk. I love children and working with them…those little smiles. When you can have a child come to your
My clinic at GPHC alone has over 200 children. We have one room at the hospital, so the children are only hav ing therapy once a month. That’s how heavy we are at
Assistant Desia Wray working with a child
SPEECH and Language Therapist, Sonia Freder icks, often has to be in a hundred places at once as she daily strives to assist countless children and even
The current batch of UG fi nal year students who may join the field in future
stuttering and dealing with children laughing at them, or may simply be unable to express themselves.
the clinic,” Sonia related in an interview with Pepperpot Magazine.
Speech and Language Therapist Sonia Fredericks
designed the programme at UG. The problem is that the course is not being of fered regularly, or perhaps there could’ve been the possibility of more profes sionals joining the field.
the machines in the country, the semi-retired photographer thought this might just be the other business he’s been looking for all these years. He always knew that pho tography alone could not cut it, at least not in these times when the cost of living is continuing to skyrocket.
hit and finances were down, so I figured that I would try to build my kitchen cabinet my self. I accidentally stumbled upon this technology, and
“I bought my home in 2019 and didn’t have a proper kitchen. It was when COVID
Starting about a year ago, Saajid has been getting a lot of practice. “It’s just like any other job; you can have the best equipment, but if you don’t have the skill behind it, it doesn’t make any sense. I saw the machine, saved up for it and brought it in. At first, it was difficult to oper ate, so it took me some time to practise; Guyana’s wood is extremely hard and difficult
resenting a shortened form of his beloved daughter’s name, Zayara.With the country’s build ing sector booming, Saajid saw that it made sense to get into woodworking, especially as he was researching how to build his kitchen on his own during the pandemic when funds were low.
Working on a door
“I’m trying to tackle a niche market. I am the only one, I think, in this part of the world that is pushing the machine to its limit. With the building sector having a considerable boom in the past two years, I thought it was very wise to get into wood working,” he said, adding, “I just took a chance with this technology. I knew photog raphy was only a means to an end, so I wanted to do some thing else. I achieved ev erything I possibly could’ve with photography. Now, I only work for the clients I’ve had over the years; I don’t go looking for new ones at all.”
The 28-year-old, who is now a CNC machinist/op erator, formed his business ‘Zaya’ about a year ago, rep
By Telesha Ramnarine
IV CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT Sunday, September 18, 2022 SEE PAGE XXXIII
Saajid’s work after unwittingly discovering the CNC technology
Local entrepreneur unwittingly discovers CNC technology
SAAJID Husani may be popular for his exceptional photographic skills, but it is a technology that he stumbled upon lately that has his name being called in a different sector altogether. Engrossed in learning how to use the afterControlComputerisedworld-renownedNumerical(CNC)technology“accidentally”dis
Saajid as a photographer
covering it, Saajid is now creating some of the most attractive, stylish doors that can be found on the local market. CNC Technology is a computerised man ufacturing process using equipment controlled by pre-programmed software and code.
my mind just went wild with ideas,” he recalled during an interview with Pepperpot Magazine.Withonly a handful of
‘Running wild’ with ideas
Saajid is now creating some of the most attractive, stylish doors that can be found on the local market
Francis concluded that radio still remains relevant today especially since there is still almost a complete dependency on people for radio for people who live in the far-flung areas of our country for information.
Radio has always been a source of disseminating information to persons, espe cially in rural communities.
“Ourindustry.audiences are di verse. It is no longer someone waiting on the news at 18hrs. The news is twenty-four-sev en, it is on demand and I think that social media [and
She alluded to the fact that radio nowadays has be come both visual and audito ry with the use of streaming services.It,therefore, means that you as the broadcaster have to know your audience, and bear in mind that you are be ing viewed and listened to, as such you must be careful of the content that you produce.
Francis began her career at an early age. Radio, for her, meant a sense of purpose being fulfilled, since she believed that she was born with a gift to keep people informed and aware of the situations in and around the country.
because she completed her sixth form education, they had a programme called the “Onward, Upward pro
The girl from Mat thew’s Ridge in Region One (Barima /Waini) was happy to share that radio was not so much of a challenge since it was a passion for her. Still, for her, the challenge would have been working and studying since she was a student at the University of Guyana at the time.
She noted during her in terview that she always felt the influence and the power of radio. According to her, it
VCHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, September 18, 2022
can change lives.
lege, she applied to the then Guyana Broadcast ing Corporation (GBC) to be a radio announcer, but
“I ALWAYS wanted to do radio because from very early I was attached to the radio. Despite the fact that I had other activities to be engaged in, I always want ed to listen ardently to the radio,” says Debra Francis, a radio broadcaster with 104.1FM who has been living her childhood dream for over 25 years.
gramme” and she was given the oppor tunity to co-host the show with Meranno Isaacs and Aunty Lorraine, who were the announcers at the time.
“I had gone to University to pursue my studies after being employed, but then I was told that the best option for me would be to complete my studies and then work,” Francis told the Pepperpot Magazine.
She shared that when she completed her sixth form at St Stanislaus Col
There is a place for the Internet and modern-day technology, as we know it today. Francis, in her analysis of the matter, concluded that they are part of the commu nication
the internet] serves as a vehicle to get the message across to the audience, so while radio has its place, you also have to complement it with social media,” Francis opined.Often
times, the issue of making the transition from a hard news reporter to a broadcaster and making peo ple entertained is quite a metamorphosis and can be a challenge.Francis pointed out that as a broadcaster, you have to know your purpose and the specification of your role when you grace the radio.
The passionate radio broadcaster
“I am the first person [in my family] who wanted to do anything related to the Arts. Most of my fam ily members were business people. My dad is a busi nessman who came from the island of St Vincent and the Grenadines and my mom was a housewife, so I think naturally my siblings were into the business and entrepreneurship,” Francis told the Pepperpot Mag azine.
TRADITIONAL RA DIO VS THE GENERATIONINTERNET
VI CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT Sunday, September 18, 2022
to be held at the ball field at the entrance of the village.
and it has a lot of small trails leading deep into the forested area where there are small creeks, natural springs, shops, poultry farms,
also a primary school and anursery school, small shops, and hang-out spots.
rainwater for drinking and cookingTherepurposes.are also no
Banner advertising the upcom ing heritage day celebrations in the village PAGE XVIII
A large stage was be ing built and other prepa rations were being made to
get everything ready for the much-anticipated day where the local cuisine of wild meats tuma pot, roast, cassa va bread, hand-made wines, arts and craft would be on sale as well as, on display for both visitors and locals.
Long Creek is a large community which runs deep,
LONG Creek Village over looks the Soesdyke/Linden Highway and is home to more than 400 people of mixed ethnicities, including
Long Creek Village hosts its first-ever heritage day this year to observe Amerindian Heritage Month
dwelling houses, cash crop farms, churches, playfield andTheschools.village is inhabited by East Indians, Afro-Guya nese, Amerindian and Span ish immigrants and they co-exist in relative harmony, even cooperating to pull off the first-ever heritage activity
The village has no electricity nor potable water. The locals use solar energy and water from the village creeks and store
Amerindians, who main tain a very simple way of life.
Some of the locals of Long Creek Village (Carl Croker photos)
in theThevillage.village has a Health Centre, which is strategically located on the highway and is easily accessible. There are
Some of the trails in the village
SEE
all-weather roads in the com munity, just small sandy trails, but it is a beautiful
At the time of the Pepper pot Team’s visit, the people of Long Creek Village were in preparation mode for their heritage day festivities in their community on Septem ber 17, which was scheduled
Odessa McGarrell
and fried channa, among other things, to sell along with cold beverages and other packaged goodies.
McGarrell, a father of two, told the Pepperpot Magazine that charcoal pro duction is his main source of income and he provides
The entrepreneurs of Long Creek are making it happen
Ralph McGarrell’s charcoal operation.
make do here somehow,” he said.McGarrell explained that when he first moved to Long Creek Village in 1991, it was a swamp where he is currently residing and, over time, he invested money and labour to develop the place as it is today.
cluding a mini resort right within the community.
fewAfterdays. the wood is fully baked, it turns to charcoal and after the cooling process of two days, the charcoal is packed into salt bags, sold to wholesale buyers, and retailed.“Ilike to work, so living here is ‘right up my alley’ so
He disclosed that next
By Michel Outridge
Andy De Abreu, the farmer
On weekends and holi days, visitors would show up to have a family picnic and Odessa would accommodate them and prepare chicken, fish with chips and barbeque. Odessa is a native of Re gion One (Barima-Waini)
clean and Duringtidy.the week, Odessa said she would make home made bake and salt fish, boil
to speak, but it is not easy because, around here, there are no real jobs except for charcoal production, which requires labour and isn’t a one-man show. Long Creek is a beautiful place and we
De Abreu added that his
SEE PAGE XIII
employment for men in the village almost every day of the Theweek.40-year-old, a wellknown businessman, would buy end-products of logs directly from the village sawmills and supervise his workers in packing a pit after which it is baked for a
year he plans to host the heri tage day at his resort and will spruce up the place for the event where all are invited to celebrate.McGarrell will also con struct a stage, beautify the creek front, and make it even more appealing for visitors.
ers will assist and coopera tion will enable them to pull off the event.
She told the Pepperpot
a lot of vehicles passing on the highway which overlooks her Odessahome. reported that there is an entrance fee for vehicles and it is a safe environment, and they would even pay to ensure the surrounding is
He added that he put a lot into making the place liveable and with his wife’s support they will continue developing their living space
and just below is his shop, which is managed by his wife, Odessa, who also op erates the mini resort. The resort has seven benabs, a changing room, washroom facilities and a creek.
Magazine that she adjusted well because, at Long Creek, it is a similar environment as that in her home village Wo wena. The only thing differ ent she said was that she sees
Andy De Abreu is a farm er in Long Creek Village and he is a family man who is part of a family-owned business with his siblings, producing charcoal.Hehas a cultivation of cash crops in his yard and he would sell his produce right in the village and he is resid ing on lands which were once his grandfather’s and it had been handed down through generations.Thefather of four told the Pepperpot Magazine that that day they had just returned home to check on their ill son and prepare lunch, before heading back out for work.
Ralph McGarrell and one of his two sons (Carl Croker photos)
VIICHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, September 18, 2022
HARD work pays off and it is also a part of who Ralph McGarrell is. McGarrell is a local of Long Creek, Soesdyke/Linden Highway and a charcoal producer. His wife supports him with his business ventures, in
He added that the villag
Like most residents, they believe that with potable water, electricity and roads, their village will ultimately transform into a developing community.McGarrell lives on a hill,
“People used to tell me I’m mad you can’t live in a swamp, and look today how I made this place with the mini resort and all,” he said.
andMcGarrelllives. stated that he did some excavating and bought a lot of sand to fill the place since part of the land was filled with water.
The mini resort by the creek
and has been living in Long Creek for some years follow ing her marriage in 2012.
Giving a background of
“I would give back to the community because I don’t sell everything I grow and we have good relations and we look out for each other around here,” he said.
Rahaman will utilise one of the booths at the Long Creek ballfield where he will sell his homemade black potato wine, tocuma worms, and tuma pot of labba, Morocut fish and his specially made cassava bread.
The pet trumpet bird
A part of the farm
Kim Karim Rahaman at his creek, his favour ite place to unwind (Carl Croker photos)
Creek added that it took some time to clear and burn the land and prepare it to the state it is in now, and he credits his success to his wife, who is always by his side.
Rahaman reported that at Long Creek, he has a comfortable life where he would spend time on his farm and do all the things he didn’t when he was younger.
life in a natural setting is all
“One day, he asked me why I does be here so often and I told him and he replied ‘ok, I will fix that.’ He told
He does most of the farm ing and they do not buy teas or cocoa since they process their own and they have an abundance of fruits, vegeta bles and ground provisions, most of which is sold and the surplus given to locals.
He likes the fresh air, the space, fresh organic foods and the ambience of quiet ness, and, on his property, he has a creek and two natural springs and will develop the creek area into a mini resort in the near future.
how he got to Long Creek, Rahaman related that he used to frequent the community because he liked nature, and
He told the Pepperpot Magazine that when he first visited Long Creek, where his farm and home are, it was heavily forested and himself and wife cleared the land and built their little cottage and made the place what it is today.
Rahaman said that at one time, he had some sheep but he gave up on that. Today, he has a pet bird but added that the wild animals would some times invade his farm and
Rahaman explained that his produce are organic due to the rich soil composition of black sand and pagasse which takes longer to grow but it is wholesome and it would last a while, without beingTherefrigerated.residents preserve their meats and there isn’t any use for fridges there. They use solar energy for electricity and would cool off in the creek daily, which is just a five-minute walk from his home.“Ihave a fertile land that grows organic foods and a lot of space plus a creek. What else can I ask for?” Rahaman said.His farm and home are located down a long windy sand trail. It is a beautiful place ideal for quiet family life.
ploring and, one day, he met an elderly Amerindian man, who befriended him and the duo got close as friends.
The resident of Long
Today, the farm has 500 fruit trees and of the 11 acres, only five are under full cultivation. Farming was Rahaman’s pastime hobby after he returned from Ottawa, Canada, hav ing completed his studies in agriculture and he now does it daily.
Rahaman comes from a ‘well-to-do’ family but aban doned his city life in 2012 af ter hanging up his gloves as a professional landscaper and relocating to Long Creek.
VIII CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT Sunday, September 18, 2022
Home of Kim Karim Rahaman
Long Creek
By Michel ENJOYINGOutridgeaquiet
he fell in love with the com munity.Sometimes he was there to hunt and he did a bit of ex
A natural wonder and dream home
“I had a few wild hogs, who were better gardeners than me, and I had to give them away and a jaguar to the zoo, but he passed away not long after,” he said.
me he had 10 acres of farm land in the village and never looked at it. He accompanied me to Lands and Survey, I applied for the land, and I paid for it and that’s how I am here,” he Rahamansaid.reported that the elder told him “never to give up the land it will give you all that you need”. A few months later, the man passed away.
eat up most of the provi sions and sweet potatoes.
that Kim Karim Rahaman wants and he is basking in retirement as a farmer and a resident of Long Creek, Soesdyke-Linden Highway, an ideal place for a quiet, simple way of life.
Elaine Harry is also a resident who has a small shop in Long Creek and is the mother of five and grandmother of four.
Freitas, the securityWesleypersonnelDeFreitas is a security guard attached to the Long Creek Primary School, a post he held for the past year and he hopes to join the army later this year.
ONE of the friendliest locals of Long Creek Village is Ivonne Solomon, a mother of three who has been residing in the community for the past 35 years and is a poultry farmer.
Harry added that she is originally from Georgetown but relocated with her family at age
IXCHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, September 18, 2022
Due to a lack of job op portunities, he had to take up the security job and he works the 15:00hrs to 21:00hrs shift and would at times commute on his bicycle or take public transportation.Headded that the work
Eking out a living at Long Creek is challenging, but it offers a tranquil life
Ivonne Solomon (Carl Croker photos)
She stated that there is also no internet in the village and they only get internet via their cell phones using data service, which is expensive so the school children are disadvantaged in terms of access to technology.
Elaine Harry, the shopkeeper
The 55-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that she has been living in the village for the past 30 years. Four months ago, she established her own small business and it is going well so far.
She added that only the ‘die-hard’ people stay in Long Creek because of the lack of facilities but the tranquil peace is just right for her despite the disadvantages.WesleyDe
Although there is a GTT tower nearby, they are yet to ben efit from an ICT hub in the community which attracts many youths and school children.
The 38-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that she rears both meat birds and layers and would wholesale the eggs and layers to Solomonbuyers.stated that she was born in Suriname, but her mother relocated to Long Creek Village to reside with her parents when she was three years old.
The 18-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that he always wanted to become a soldier and he was working towards that career goal.
Presently, Solomon is also part of the heritage organising committee and they are working collectively to host their heritage day on September 17.
By Michel Outridge
The Long Creek CDC was established three years ago and it is now headed by Chair, Ava Famey, a resident and a teacher
She tied the knot in 2001 to her husband, who is a local of Region One and, today, they have a small business. Their eldest son is an Immigration Officer while the two others are still at Solomonschool.reported that she lives in the agricultural block of the village and she has three neighbours who are not close by and she is the Treasurer of the Long Creek Community Development Council (CDC).
attached to Kuru Kuru Primary School.
“Life13.here is simple, peace ful, but challenging because we don’t have certain basic necessities, but there is enough space and the air is fresh and clean. Not congested at all, and I prefer this kind of life here, away from the crowd,” Solomon said.
place is located about four miles away from his home.
De Freitas stated that he likes the village and the people because they are familiar with each other and it is a good place to reside and it would be even better once the place develops and they have more job opportunities.
Elaine harry Wesley De Freitas
“There is no transportation system here and the school children have to walk two miles or more to get to school and it is not easy and to go by taxi is $600 one-way and it is costly for the people,” she said.
She explained that her father is Guyanese, but his parents are from St. Vincent and most of her relatives reside in the sameThevillage.mother of three added that, at times, things are a bit difficult due to the lack of roads, electricity and facilities, but, nevertheless, she is thankful she was able to attend school up to high school at Dora Secondary.
She related that they will have the hottest pepperpot, tuma pot made with wild meats and fish for free sam pling and homemade tradi
tional piwari and fly wines.
and has always supported the community by providing jobs for the Alfredlocals.told the Pepperpot Magazine that Long Creek will put on a well-organised heritage day with lots to showcase, eat and drink, plus a stage show depicting their cultural talents.
She related that Tigerbone Banakari has a Multi-Purpose Resource Centre building which is incomplete and an ICT hub will be established
public sectors since 2011.
In addition, they will keep the people entertained via various games such as crick et, and some Amerindian games will be introduced.
AS a resident of Tiger bone Banakari and the Vice Chair of the Communi ty Development Council (CDC), Kathy Alfred want ed to see Creek.bouringunteeringofdevelopmentcommunity-basedonbothsidesthefenceandbeganvolwiththeneighvillageofLong
Kathy Alfred at the ball field overseeing works to build a stage for Heritage Day with the newly gifted materials
Alfred is part of the plan ning committee for the Long Creek heritage day festivities and that event, the first heri tage day celebration for the village, was scheduled for September 17 at the ball field.
of strangers and the influx of criminal elements, she said.
Alfred told the Pepper
Inclusivity is a must in community-based development and events
pot Magazine that there is inclusivity in planning and organising the heritage day in Long Creek, and the locals and CDC members have been supportive.Thedonations by the sawmillers were a great help and almost everybody in the village is taking part in some way and she is very thankful for that.
there.Alfred
She added that there has been an influx of Spanish immigrants in the village. She stated, too, that without elec tricity it is very dark at night and it is a cause for concern.
“I was always involved in planning events including heritage, but since 2019 I see a lot of things not going right, so I switched over to Long Creek to assist and the people are mobilised and cooperat ing,” she duepoliceicines.facilitylackquarterstoway,Centredays.oncetheneedsMagazineAlfredexplained.toldthePepperpotthatLongCreekanin-housedoctorandvisitingdoctorcomesweeklyonlyonWednesTheLongCreekHealthislocatedonthehighbutthereisnoelectricitythebuilding,andthelivingareemptyduetotheofbasicfacilities.AlfredreportedthatthealsoneedsmoremedThereshouldalsobeaoutpostinthevillagetotheincreasedpresence
She noted that, in recent times, there has been a lot of drug use among the young people and there have been incidents of pilfering.
“To make any event pos sible as a people we must unite and include everyone to be apart and people want to be involved in these com munity events and we give them the opportunity to do so,” Alfred said.
is no stranger to volunteer work and she has been fostering development with both the private and
She pointed out that visi tors will only pay for parking, but a table will be allocated for free sampling of Amerin dian cuisine and drinks while there will be foods, drinks, craft on sale at the booths they have set up.
X CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT Sunday, September 18, 2022
in preparation mode trying to get the wood to construct the stage, make stalls, and put other things in place for the heritage day.
By Michel Outridge
Kathy Alfred (Carl Croker photos)
Alfred noted that, de spite some challenges, Long Creek is a lovely place with good people and they were
The wood was donated by a businessman, Nazier Mohamed, who has one of two sawmills in Long Creek
She began volunteerism as her way of giving back to the community, and it started in 2011 when she got involved as a CDC member.
Alfred stated that they will be a five-Side crick et match, tug-o-war, ‘ac cessories in a bag’ game, needle floating competition and a cultural stage show at 16:40hrs with various dances such as the matapee, che-che, mora, and monkey followed by songs, skits and poems.
“Although I live on the Tigerbone Banakari side of the village, I want to see both villages benefit from com munity-based development. As such, we came together and decided to host our own heritage day,” she reasoned.
As he neared the culvert, the boys let loose the missiles, making sure not to hit him, just taunting him. The old man stopped singing and shouted swearing in Hindi, then cre olese, “Ow gawd, dem rascal boys, dem dis, ah yuh mudda nah train ayuh good, meh gon’ bruk ayuh foot!”
The boys pretended to leave and waited until Kenny turned the corner before following him to see what he was up to. They stalked out an old run-down house called the “Shoulin Temple,” where middle-aged men met to drink
Andrew, an African boy, from the backstreet whose grandmother operated a small laundry and Sunil, an Indian boy from the middle street, whose father was a cane-cutter, were best friends who loved to ride around on their bikes, an adventurous duo, giving helping hands to anyone who needed them, like Uncle Willie, that day, who was cutting down a dying mango tree. Their mischief though was inter fering with the drunks passing on the streets. On this day, they hid behind the culvert and waited for Uncle Bikarma, an old man with a prosthetic leg, who begged for his living, but spent most of his money at a ‘bottom house’ rum shop drinking, ‘white ball rum.’
“Suhani Raat Dhal Chuki Na Jaane Tum Kab Aaoge…”
IN a small settlement in the countryside, when it was the out-of-crop season for the sugar cane and there was time on hand waiting for the new crop, men went early in the mornings on the high seas to fish or to the jungle to hunt for wild meat. The women tend to their unending duties as homemakers, where sweat, laughter and tears complement each day. The young boys grazed the few herds of cattle and sheep, fished in the trenches and the more adventurous ventured to the black water creek be yond where the sugar boats passed. Cricket and marble games were played on the streets, riding their bikes or just being mischievous as most boys in that small estate settlement were.
“Wah dey in de bag?” Andrew asked suspiciously, know ing Kenny’s reputation for stealing.
The boys jumped on their bicycles and sped away, Sunil shouting, “Meh gun tell Aunty Malo yuh thief she duck!”
The afternoon was drawing close, so they rode to the small pastures to take the animals home and on their way they stood at the street corner, where the older boys were talking and laughing about Lagadoo, the half retard’s dramatics at the Police Station.
XICHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, September 18, 2022 SEE PAGE XV
had done. He emptied the tub and looked about frantically, not knowing what to do. He found some soap powder and washed the crabs and dumped it into the pot but now, after cooking, instead of kerosene oil, the crabs tasted like soap powder. The boys couldn’t contain themselves from laughing and Kenny an grily chased them out of the yard,“Meh gun kill de two ah yuh!”
“None ayuh business,” Kenny retorted, throwing the bag over his shoulder and continuing his way.
“Ayuh nah watch, whey ayuh ah guh?”
He always sang old Hindi movie songs with an intoxicat ed slur, as he slowly made his way home. The boys armed themselves with small bricks and waited for the old man as he trod along slowly with his stick, singing.
He swung his stick threateningly as the boys ran out from behind the koker and rode away on their bicycles, laughing loudly. Aunty Malo, an old lady passing by, searching for her two ducks that had wandered away, shouted after the boys, displeasingly, “Wah ayuh always trouble dis ol’ man fuh,Shebaie?”spoke to Uncle Bikarma comfortingly, “Guh baiya, wakTheeasy.”old man trudged along home, singing his melodies of yesteryear.Theboys stopped by Aunty Rose, who was busy in her garden and offered some help, but she ignored them and they rode away because Aunty Rose, though a nice, old woman, had a short temper, that is often triggered when anyone was intruding in her garden. The boys remembered vividly, the day, Dharmendra picked a few springs of thyme and she chased him all the way home with a cutlass – Dharmendra’s mother had to pay for the thyme – so everyone knew not to mess with Aunty Rose’s garden, especially when she had a cutlass in her hand. The boys rode to the front street turning the corner so fast, they nearly knocked down a man. It was Kenny, from the middle street, one of the older gamblers. Kenny jumped in the corner, swearing holding onto the ‘salbag’ he was carrying.
YOUNG RASCALS
rum every day as though it was a ritual. There were four men, there, that day and the boys watched as they peered into the bag, laughed and left to weed a yard for ‘drink money,’ while Kenny was left to cook. He took swigs from a quarter bottle, then emptied the contents of the bag and out flew Aunty Malo’s two“Ahducks.know dere was something wrang about dat bag,” An drewKennywhispered.locked away the ducks and brought out a small tub of crabs to cook. He swore under his breath as he searched around for ingredients so he did not see Sunil creeping in and replacing the jar of water with kerosene oil. Kenny threw some of the water in the tub to wash the crab and realized too late what he
ment and the Cadet Corps. The activities of the Scout Movement are well known in its efforts at charac ter-building of young peo ple and the Cadets, both in its present form, where it is almost an adjunct to the classroom and in its older form, where it was related to the military. The older form was adopted from Britain and was used in the better British schools and at Queen’s College, to the time when the school was
The newer form is the National Cadet Corps which has 34 schools affiliated with it in all 11 education districts and has a total of 2400 pu pils who are members with 337 teachers. This style of Cadet Corps concentrates on inculcating discipline, reading skills, guiding pupils towards careers so that they would focus on their future lives and avoid falling into the syndrome of aimlessness and even crime. The Corps
THE 35TH CARIBBEAN CADET ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE AND THE NEED FOR RESUSCITATION OF OLDER QC CADETS
Two or three of the Mas ters would volunteer to de vote themselves to the cadet corps, train as GDF officers, and be commissioned. They would perform their usual teaching duties. All QC Masters in those years had attended British universi ties. In its last years before the corps was phased out, Capt. Cecil Barker, Officer Commanding, was a grad uate of the University of London and taught Chem istry, and his Second in Command was Lieutenant Patrick Dial, who graduat
SINCE the Industrial Rev olution which began in the 18th century, free primary education and universal literacy of the population had been adopted as ed ucation policy in almost all states. In the late 19th century and in the 20th century, a number of extra curricular activities were used to assist the classroom in its drive to produce well-rounded students and two of the most import ant were the Scout Move
made co-educational.
drawn from the Upper Fourth and Fifth Forms with a few Sixth formers who could afford the time from their A-Level studies. The cadet corps wore GDF uniforms, were drilled twice per week by GDF sergeants and during the August holidays, would attend a two-week camp at Tacama where they learnt all military techniques, in cluding the use of firearms and the repairs of such arms.
Among the QC cadets who joined the army were Gen eral Granger, General Joe Singh, Cols Roberts and Morgan and Commissioner of Police Laurie Lewis, among others. When these former QC cadets went for further training at Mons and Sandhurst, these institutions were surprised at how much of the curriculum they had already covered in the QC cadet corps.
XII CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT Sunday, September 18, 2022
Omar Khan, act ing Chief of Staff of the GDF, the host of the con ference, recommended that the delegates focus on de cision-making and reading, which would be benefi cial to youth development. “Reading gives information and information aids good decision-making. We are who we are based on the decisions we made in our lives and it will also in fluence who we will be as we grow old. This forum is an opportunity for us to influence the youth at an early stage of their lives to make decisions that will
We would suggest that the old QC-style cadets be continued in a few schools such as Queen’s College, President’s College and the SVN school at Corne lia Ida.
Boys who wished to choose a military career with the GDF or a career with the police would be absorbed as cadet officers in those forc es when they left school.
TheHistory.boyswere
is exposed to a minimum of military drilling when they go to camps where they see different parts of the coun try and meet compatriots from different regions. The National Cadet Corps was first mooted when Queen’s College was made co-edu cational and its Cadet Corps was phased out, but it never got off the ground until it was resuscitated in 2018 and became a member of the Ca ribbean Cadet Association at the annual meeting in Trin idad and Tobago in 2019.
have good consequences for them as they develop and thus be positively able
ed from the Universities of Cambridge and London and taught
to influence their peers and the environment in which they operate… Both the Na tional Cadet Corps as well as the Caribbean Cadet As sociation have their positive and creative role to play in strengthening the education system.”The National Cadet Corps, as it is presently constituted, plays a valu able role in the educational development of the country, but the older QC-style, more militaristic Cadet Corps could also play a useful role in national development. It taught a strong sense of patriotism and a lasting ca maraderie among its mem bers, transcending all social divisions and providing the upper echelons of the officer corps of the GDF.
Guyana’s membership in the Caribbean Association was in keeping with the phi losophy of the CARICOM movement. This year, the association met in Guyana with the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) as hosts. The theme of the conference was: “Building Resilience, Fostering Networks and em bracing New Norms.’ The Chairman of the Caribbean Cadet Association, Lt Col Nathan Hyacinth of St Lu cia, remarked that the corps had successfully navigated the COVID-19 pandemic and had learnt a great deal from the adjustments it had to make and an example of this is seen where some of the participants are attend ing the present conference virtually.Col.
Mohammed is a downto-earth kind of man who has good relations with the com munity and even provides em
The 38-year-old stat ed that he has two other colleagues and they have wholesale and retail buyers and their small business is named Highway Black Diamond.
The entrepreneurs of ...
year’s heritage celebrations in the community, he donated the wood which will be used for the construction of the stage.
Saw miller, MohammedNazir
“As a person from Essequ ibo, we grew up giving; being benevolent is part of my family trait and it is no different today and if somebody come to me for help I would assist in any way possible whether it is ma terials or money,” he said.
In his spare time, he would fish and hunt and find things to do around the house and yard.
Cleveland James is a res ident of Long Creek Village and a charcoal worker who oversees an operation owned by a city businessman, his brother-in-law.Thefatherof one told the Pepperpot Magazine that he
is a native of St. Cuthbert’s Mission and for the heritage day in the village, he will be providing the tocuma worms.
Ralph and Odessa McGar rell at the shop
Eve De Abreu and her son with a newly found baby turtle which will be released back into its natural habitat
ployment for some of the locals. He has in his employ 27 workers.Thebusinessman resides in Diamond, East Bank De merara and would commute daily to his sawmill and his wife is of Amerindian de scent and she has a better relationship with the locals of Long Creek.
Nazir Mohammed’s sawmill
Cleveland James, the charcoal worker
Although Nazir Mohammed isn’t a resident of long Creek Village, he would spend a lot of time in the community at his sawmill which is located in the village.Heis one of two sawmillers in the village who would give back to the people and for this
XIIICHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, September 18, 2022 FROM PAGE VII
wife, Eve De Abreu is very sup portive and she would go with him for work, baking charcoal and even on the farm.
Nazir Mohammed, the sawmiller
Since that conversation intensified last year, it has evolved and integrated other considerations. These include a greater fo cus on technical and vocational competency, and on providing opportunities for children to excel in other areas.
SEE PAGE XIX
all expected to allow each learner to get an equal chance at success.
XIV CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT Sunday, September 18, 2022
tical doesn’t mean fair or equitable.
But I believe there’s more to consider.
Last month, it was reported that Guyana’s education author ities plan to introduce the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ), a Caribbean technical and vocational certification from the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC), in another 34 secondary schools. This effort is expected to target about 2,000Oncestudents.introduced, students would continue to focus on their academics, but that would be balanced with the acquisition of technical skills that make them more job-ready. Seeming, a win-win.Then, there are the children interested in sports and the arts.
During a recent visit to Suriname, I went to a school that focuses primarily on honing children’s creative talents (in dance and music, specifically) while still guaranteeing that
I can’t imagine the possible psychological harm children can experience at this time. Yes, some children can be moti
Last year, there was much conversation following reports that the NGSA could be eliminated as the Ministry of Education moves to make all secondary schools equal. What that simply means is that no matter the school a child is placed into, the same resources (trained teachers, technology and other nice things conducive to learning) would be supplied. Those are
So, revisiting this system of assessing children and placing them in schools might benefit more than one child.
A future beyond four subject areas
I don’t believe that the long-standing, rigid focus on grading and ranking children based on how they perform in an assessment of four subject areas is particularly fair. It might be a standardised structure that allows for a practical assessment of children’s academic development, but prac
Again, this year, the Education Minister repeated this. To her credit, it does appear as though this is being pursued with the focus on guaranteeing that all teachers in the local educa tion system will be trained in the next few years, and providing the same educational resources (textbooks and worksheets, for example) to all learners.
vated by academic excellence, but some would not be. Some children can excel in these four subject areas, but others learn differently, and may be interested in different things.
Consider, too, that some children may be experiencing different challenges at different periods. A child who seemed to be performing well throughout primary school could experience some challenges ahead of the assessment. And the nuances can go on and on.
Let me say immediately that there must be better ways of assessing children and nurturing their skills, talents, and interests than grading their academic performance in four subject areas.
MORE than 16,000 pupils wrote the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) this year. While much attention is often placed on the high flyers, and deservedly so, this year, I found myself thinking more and more about the maybe 15,800 children who weren’t recognised as top performers, and who might be feeling some pressure at such a young age.
It has been said that all secondary school students in Guy ana could have job-ready, technical, and vocational skills and certification by the time they complete their studies, as the Ministry of Education is pushing for a greater focus on more technical and vocational training.
“Because he guts deh til ah he foot battam,” Rajesh said, “Dat’s why he does deh all dem wedding house, fuh eat dem people seven curry.”
None of the boys answered, no one wanted to get on the wrong side of Uncle Krish, one of the strongest men in the settlement.“Meh,think he come from dah side” Rajesh ventured to say, pointing to Aunty Malo’s yard.
FROM PAGE XI
“Meh nah look out fuh no Police Jeep nex time.” Lagadoo said, eating his mango, hungrily.
Twilight set in, and the settlement came alive as the girls came out to play, the women laughed and chatted, melodious songs playing from radios, as lamps were lit, a settlement of people who shared each other’s lives, with hard work, rich laughter and camaraderie, even the drunks and the young rascals.
“Aha!” the man shouted, because only yesterday he and Aunty Malo’s husband had a problem and he had challenged the man to a boxing match, but the match ended in a draw, with no blows landing much to everyone’s amusement. The boys thought another boxing match would be on the cards, but the Police Jeep coming in the distance made everyone disperse hurriedly. Uncle Krish sat down quietly in the rum shop, drinking his half-quarter white rum and eating cherries for ‘chasers’. That’s why he was called the ‘Cherry King’
“Man, how yuh eat so much?” Sunil asked.
Lagadoo pelt the mango seed at Rajesh, who jumped out of the way and the seed hit Uncle Krish who was just passing by. The man stopped and shouted angrily, “Who do dah?”
XVCHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, September 18, 2022
YOUNG...
to the reality of know ing. Knowing does not evolve through specula tion and opinions that come through guess work, based on the confident whys and hows offered by good intended close friends. Because many people accept opinions based on who previous ly voiced it, meaning
THE NEXUS OF ARTS AND SCIENCE
share creativity. And I be lieve that this creativity al lows us to see and accom plish feats and become peo ple that did not exist before. We build on experiences and existing knowledge and capabilities. With science, we impact the world through our understanding and mas tery of universal experienc es. And via the arts, we influ ence by finding universality
“Science and the arts
in experiences that began with the personal. The Dor othy Jemison Foundation for excellence, named for my mother, works for people to excel across all disciplines and in whatever they do.”
A statement from an ac complished pool of experi ence should be followed by another. I came into contact
The knowledge of expe rience guides us to assert opinions and enables us to defend them if challenged. That knowledge comes from passing through the gauntlet of the pursuits that produce, at times, negative and depress ing outcomes, as well as inspiring, self-assuring ones; that, combined, lead
based on truth turn out to be disappointing, or at the least, questionable, especially in situations that turnout to be embarrass ing for us, had we ignored the above. In this article, I want you to take the touted idea that there are no compatibilities in ‘The Arts and Sciences’ as a ref erence example, sometimes voiced by people, we are sure, are in ‘The Know.’
Dr Mae Jemison, MD- VAN ITYFAIR 2016/2017 Dec.
persons they admire, to concede may be robbing yourself of empowering information that will sup port your self-confidence in an endeavour that may change your life posi tively had you stayed the course. Observation and research are gateways to clarifying why many of the ideas supposedly
SEE PAGE XVII
XVI CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT Sunday, September 18, 2022
with a clerical staff, who came to me and asked if I wrote and illustrated comic books. I responded that it was a work in process. Because I had not finished anything yet, my art was ‘cummerish’ and stories were not yet shaped, but I did do some rough cartoons about some supervisors on cardboard at GRB that gave workers a laugh. The thing with this fellow, when he brought some sketches to show me, he was good, bet ter than I was. I encouraged him to do strips like in the newspapers. His response
exchange. Styles of writers were argued on. You re ceived a Louis L’amour, for another of his books, a Sven Hassel for kind, a Frederick Forsyth for kind, and so on. So I was astonished when I approached an official some years ago on a project that involved books and he re plied that “they don’t read” in reference to some areas. Then how come so many vendors made a living by having book exchange and second book sales stands in all the markets of George town?
road or into a difficult situ ation in his work, he would take refuge in music and that would usually resolve
with the world of Einstein’s work through curiosity and by weaving a concept around an illustrated Sci-fi idea. So, I bought the spe cial issue of hadwasimportanttoldsecretterviewerAlbertshareallwithnerwhateditionMAGAZINE-Collector’sDISCOVER2013tofindoutwerehisthoughtsinthoughts.Ididn’tagreeeverythinghesaid,butwerehonest.WhatIwilliswhathissonHansEinsteintoldanInabouthisfather’ssanctuary:“Heoftenmethatoneofthemostthingsinhislifemusic.Wheneverhecometotheendofthe
all his difficulties.” Thus if we harm ourselves through a closed mind, all it means is, that we stand alone in a world of lessons that we haveNowignored.closer to home, Stabroek Weekend August 8, 2021, written by Joanna Dhanraj. The engineer Hu bert George, whose profes sional-employment life had nothing to do with the arts and culture. Yet, he raised with folk music permeating his childhood universe and was reactivated seriously through the influences of the late Combo 7 string band Guitarist, Clive David who inspired this industri al professional, himself a guitarist, to proceed once more to engage our folk music, this time to preserve this profound area of our national heritage, exploring
THE NEXUS OF ARTS...
FROM PAGE XVI
XVIICHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, September 18, 2022
But my most important memory of the GRB rests
access through his website. We have not yet correct ly, if ever possible, analysed the connections of human faculties to the gift of inno vation and creativity. What is evident is that there is much noise and fog that fills the space where certainty has not yet filled. But an open mind and observa tion always light the torch through the fog. Humans are multifaceted, but to earn ‘acceptance’ and ‘a living’, one can and will suppress latent gifts to their own detriment. For exam ple- years ago, I worked at the Rice Marketing Board, in the re-milling plant. Contrary to what is be lieved, so-called blue-col lar workers were ardent readers. Novels were ex changed. no one let you go without some equal novel
shocked me. He said if he did that, then he would be disinherited. He was in accounts and so was his father. We communicated and exchanged views on that creative area. He start ed drinking with his crew at top downtown places, and after the fire in 1977 that destroyed GRB, we lost contact. In conclusion, if that young accountant was allowed to embody inter ests in both areas, he may have naturally developed the equilibrium of a soul expressing all of its gifts.
XVIII CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT Sunday, September 18, 2022
It had been reported that the men were believed to be part of a hijacking ring. The stolen vehicles were stored and taken apart at the loca tion deep within the commu nity, down a small trail.
lived alone in the village and was last seen four years ago. Since then, residents claim there haven’t been any clues as to her Apartwhereabouts.fromthose con cerns, the people of Long Creek Village are friendly, and welcoming and they would entertain you with coconut water or a cold bev erage, and it is a place with a lot of greenery.
was busted and several cars and parts were found and several persons arrested.
A section of Long Creek is an agricultural block where scores of people were allocated 10 acres each for farming purposes, and the people are spaced out and scattered in the village.
place set in nature for a sim ple Thelife. locals, however, had some concerns. They stated that there is a need for a police outpost in the village, noting the fact that an entire ‘chop shop’ was in the vil lage- an operation where cars are hijacked and their parts are Theystolen.allege that they had no idea until the operation
There are no steady jobs in the village and many peo ple would have to walk for miles to get to school or work and the public trans portation system is via taxis which is costly since there is no mini bus service.
Life in Long Creek was described as simple and set in nature with many challenges and in need for an all-weather road, potable water supply and electricity.
The people of Long Creek are semi-reliant be cause they plant their own fruits and vegetables, rear their own poultry and would hunt and catch fish in the many creeks and canals in the Thevillage.inhabitants of Long Creek Village are charcoal producers, loggers, farmers, shopkeepers, a handful of self-employed folk and em ployees attached to both the private and public sector.
Long Creek Village hosts its ...
FROM PAGE VI
Another call for concern is the disappearance of a 90-year-old woman, who
Long Creek is between Hauraruni and Yarrowkabra as neighbouring villages and is bordered by the highway on both sides; the village goes up and downhill and some people reside on a slope.
PAGE XIV
Surely, we must be gin exploring similar ideas here in Guyana, instead of relying only on honing chil dren’s talents and passions during their extra-curricular time.
and the creative arts.
they were proficient in the core academic areas. There, all of the children attend dance and mu sic classes daily, and are allowed to attend more classes in the field they want to specialise in.
FROM
As such, I hope that we can continue talking about the system we perpetuate each year, and think about practical ways of improv ing it in the best interest of children everywhere.
These might not be ini tiatives that can be pursued readily, because of how entrenched the existing system is, but it is worth exploring, given the chang ing dynamics in our soci ety. It is well ventilated and widely accepted that there is a dearth of much-needed technical competencies, at the very least. And there is a growing need for more institutional support for children interested in sports
A future beyond four...
XIXCHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, September 18, 2022
If you would like to discuss this column or any of my previous writings, please feel free to con tact me via email: 14ragobeer@gmail.comvish
I have used for so long but never took the time to real ise their impacts. I’ve suc cessfully used icebreakers not just in schools but in corporate seminars, casual work environments, train ing with law enforcement agents, and so many more
derstand cultural differences, learn new skills and tech niques and bond all towards a common goal.
or work environment more pleasant and creating a healthier organisational culture.
As the name suggests, an icebreaker activity is de signed to “break the ice” within a group of people. They are group facilitation
groups. My most recent one got me thinking that anyone can benefit from these, making their school
XX CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT Sunday, September 18, 2022
Ice breakers are typically used with people who do not
I RECENTLY started teaching at the University of Guyana, and I began to think about activities that
Ice breakers and their benefits
SEE PAGE XXI
techniques that allow and encourage participants to open up, communicate, build or enhance relationships, un
When choosing your ice breaker, ask yourself what you are trying to achieve, what is best for the group of people
Finish the sentence
you are facilitating and what will encourage more openness, willingness and a common sense of purpose. Although it is recommended that icebreakers should be short and simple, there should be reasonably time committed to ensure you have achieved your objective for doing it in the first place.
Thank you for reading and please continue to send sug gested topics to caitlinvieira@gmail.com
These activities are now considered a mainstream communications tool and while there are many different types, researchers claim there are really just three overar ching types.
XXICHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, September 18, 2022
each person a random question to get to know each other better. Examples are “Who was your childhood hero?” or “If you could have any super power, what would it be?” The facilitator can make these up or take requests from the group.
Researchers say while they may seem trivial, there are three major benefits to icebreakers; community, interac tion, and empathy. A community is a group of individuals who share ideals, values or a common goal, but this can’t occur simply by putting them in the same classroom or office. Building a healthy community is a process that can take some time but can happen faster with meaningful ice breakers that allow the participants to listen, get to know, collaborate, support and become aligned with each other.
Ice breakers and their...
Interaction is also necessary for community building. There are companies that I go into where the staff never interact but expect to work harmoniously when sometimes put into teams. Icebreakers allow participants to step out of their comfort zone and allow for healthy interaction, which allows for better job and company success.
Word Association
participants to break off into small groups (ideally by counting off). They are each asked to share something really unique about themselves individ ually. Each small group must come up with five things that the group members have in common. For example, “we all have children” or “we all went to a Christmas tree lighting”. The group then shares their familiar and unique features with the rest of the groups.
Empathy is the ability to see situations through someone else’s perspective; it’s essential for strong team building and a healthy environment. Many ice breakers allow for members to take a step back, explore and under stand other ways of thinking and problem solving, which naturally tend to mature and foster healthy relationships. Simply, ice breakers also tend to energise and motivate participants, allow for practical learning and an opportu nity to share knowledge and cultivate creativity.
building ice breakers intend to create a collab orative environment to allow for teams to work together better. We’ve all butted heads with others while working with teams, but icebreaker activities have shown drastic results in reducing the possibility.
1. Interaction ice breakers which, as the term sounds, allow for people to engage with and get to know each other.2.
Here, each participant is asked to finish a sentence which the facilitator or other group members ask. Exam ples are “The riskiest thing I have ever done is…” or “I can’t go anywhere without my………”.
TheQuestionactivities.Game.facilitatorasks
Two Truths and a Lie Participants tell the group three facts about themselves but one of them is a lie. The group gets the guess which one is the
This ice breaker helps participants to explore the breadth of the area under discussion. Generate a list of words related to the topic of your event or training. For example, in a health and safety workshop, ask participants what words or phrases come to mind relating to “hazardous materials”. Participants may suggest ‘danger,’ or ’ ‘warning,’ etc. You can use this opportunity to introduce essential terms and discuss the scope (what’s in, and what’s out) of your training or event.
work together often or may not know each other at all, but they are just as beneficial if that is not the case. Just because you may see someone every day does not mean you ‘know’ them or even like them; icebreaker activities can help with that. They can be used during any part of a training session, but I believe it’s most beneficial at the beginning so everyone in the room can get comfortable with each other, be relaxed and have a little fun.
Sharing Ice Breakers are for participants who know each other but have not spent enough healthy time to un derstand or accept each other. They can share trivial things such as what books they are currently reading or who their idol is in order to build that empathic and respectful relationship3.Team
So, for your ice breaker to be effective, it’s best to decide which category best suits your group with a clear objective.Below are some effective and commonly used ice breaker
FROM PAGE XX
ThisFamiliarlie.Gameallowsfor
XXII CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT Sunday, September 18, 2022
say NO. You should find techno that works for you and frequently, you do this self-introspection. You should also try to engage in self-care activities before you feel prevention is always better than a cure after all. Learn to fill your own cup up before pouring into others—it is essential to maintaining mental and physical wellness.
CUP analogies and personifications have always inter ested me. From bible stories to Guyanese proverbs— there’s a thing or two to learn from them. One famous analogy is that we shouldn’t be pouring from empty cups or glasses. In essence, this simply means that we shouldn’t be giving things to people if we don’t have it to give. It’s as simple as that. While that specific saying means you can’t take care of others or tend to their needs—it isn’t always used in that context. It can be related to things that are intangible, such as love, at
tention or forgiveness. Or, it can even be tangible, such as money or gifts. For whatever reason, if you cannot give something to someone in an instance because you feel inadequate or you don’t have it within you to share/ give—then know that’s okay. How do you expect to give things that you don’t have?
Do check-ins with yourself often to find out how empty your “cup”. If you notice it’s a bit empty (you don’t have much within you to give)—then learn to
Many of us have people that depend on us daily— whether it be workmates, children or even spouses. The sad reality is that you can’t fully and effectively be the best parents your children needs if you aren’t the best version of yourself. You can’t help reduce the workload at work by working effectively to help your workmates if you aren’t
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Putting yourself first isn’t always selfish. In fact, you shouldn’t feel guilty or made to feel that way for doing so. Taking care of yourself or “filling up your cup first” allows you to rejuvenate and improve yourself so that you can ultimately do better and be better to or for other people. You can also think of yourself as a car that needs fuel. If you leave a car to be driven all the time without adding fuel to it, what do you expect will happen? To refuel yourself, you need to take care of yourself. That can happen in the form of self-care routines and activities. I’m constantly writing articles on self-care because as a young adult, it’s important that we understand why we should take care of ourselves. In this instance, we need to understand why we should take care of one’s self before we can tend to others. The lack of self-care leads to fast burnout.
‘You can’t pour from an empty cup’
the best version of yourself. You can’t be the best lover to your husband if you aren’t the best version of yourself. It all starts with you. I urge you all to start doing “cup checks” frequently.
The culinary arts sector isn’t just for glamour. Some would make it seem like you are just as good as the gourmet dish or the most exciting one you can make. The people skilled in culinary arts have more than just skills to make flashy presentations and work in the world’s finest restau rants. The people who are involved in that sector are people who are trained to understand and see food from a different perspective and when you say food, food is something that we all eat and need to survive. And if this is something we ALL need to survive from a nutritional perspective, from an access perspective and we’re ALL not getting what we need to survive, then the people who are trained in the arts of culinary really have a social purpose handed to them on a
SN: What is a food security activist and what inspires you to chart this course?
passionate you are about your craft and your desire for more people to be more aware of food security. Who is your dream partner to make that possible?
Along my journey, I have encountered many pur pose-driven people. I am not easily impressed, but among those people, Peter Ivey impressed me. I have invited him to join me on a number of virtual platforms and he always adds tremendous value. Peter Ivey is the CEO of The Reggae Chefs®, a culinary services company offering private (per sonal chef) and organised events that uniquely fuse Jamaican food with the country’s robust culture. He is also a trained Chef and Food Safety Instructor, a serial entrepreneur, a highly coveted speaker, a well-known thought leader and writer and a Originallyphilanthropist.fromJamaica, he has been living in New York for the past 20 years. Ivey’s love for his homeland is the main catalyst behind his work. His brainchild, The Reggae Chefs®, has been featured in Forbes, the New York Daily News, Caribbean Life, Television Jamaica and has been archived in The National Library of Jamaica. Ivey is the producer of ScatteredJamaica®, a video series highlighting the interesting and unexpected culinary and cultural links between Jamaica and places like Ghana, New Orleans, the United Kingdom and Panama, as identified in his global quest to discover the origins of the food and culture of his island home. Ivey is the Founder and President of The League of International Chefs Association (TLICA) whose mission is to support and mobilise a global network of food industry professionals to sustain communities by using food and culture to end hunger and poverty. He was also invited to present at the United Nations’ 2018 International Edu cation Week training. Mission: FoodPossible was featured in Forbes Magazine as the possible answer to the world’s hunger problem. There are so many more accomplishments from this very humble mentor and role model. I must admit that I never paid attention to the term food security activist before meeting Peter, and I am sure many will read about it for the first time. Here is a Q&A between him and I:
PI: I’m most proud of the people who I’m able to inspire. I Remember my son, when he was about 3 or 4 got a project in school and his teacher asked him who he most admires and my son said his father is a superhero because his father
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PI: A Food Security Activist is someone who understands that when it comes to access to affordable, nutritious food, the playing field is not levelled. A food security activist understands that for one reason or another, there are people who exist in communities and cities and countries around the world that don’t have access to adequate nutritious food for a sustained period of time. As an activist, you campaign relentlessly. You shout from the mountain tops for change to come into effect to change. As an activist, you do what you can within your power, so the people who actually have the power are inspired by your passion or to cause change. I was inspired to chart this course because of the great contradiction I learned while training to be a chef. I learnt that while the culinary field was exploding, global hunger and food insecurity numbers were als skyrocketing. In other words, there were more people going hungry at a time when more people were learning the skills of the culinary arts. This simply did not make sense to me. I decided I wanted to use my skills to feed people who really needed nourishment.
SN: What changes will you like to see in the culinary arts PI:sector?This
platter. We have to be responsible to people. So I would love for that sector together as a unit to become much more so cially responsible by watching what we waste as food, being mindful about replenishing our resources, and understanding our impact on the environment when we eat certain foods and harvest certain foods and how we harvest our food. I would love to see that sector become much more thinking about a regenerative perspective, thinking circular and thinking about
PI: My dream partner in the fight against hunger and food insecurity would be the people, the citizens of this world. As you know I have a t-shirt line called Food SecuriTEE and if you look at our slogan “ Apparel for the global warriors in the fight against hunger and food insecurity” is really to create a brand, regular apparel that food warriors, where regular people like myself can show and wear as a badge of honor where people can see us and recognise us. So my dream partner is not some big conglomerate or even other great people and organisations who are really and truly do ing the work and there are so many, but when we talk about dream...my dream partner is the globe, the people of the world collectively when we wake up and supporting work like Mission:FoodPossible supporting activists like myself supporting neighbours supporting farmers. If we were sup posed to collectively, BOOM! Wake up, that’s a powerful partnership. I wouldn’t need to name a conglomerate; I wouldn’t need to name another organisation to work with. It’s the people that we want to wake up. It’s the people we want to activate, collectively, that’s my dream partner. It’s the people I dream of partnering with to move in unison to eradicate SDG #2.
SEE PAGE XXXVIII
SN:sustainability.Iknowhow
Being inspired
SN: What are you most proud of?
is why I decided to do something about it and launch my latest venture, PIII Culinary Kits to activate social purpose in the next generation of chefs.
piece of trash you clean up can lead to a cleaner, health ier ocean. For more than 35 years, 17 million volunteers have joined the International Coastal Cleanup to collect more than 350 million pounds of plastic and debris, recording what they find and helping inform research and legislation worldwide. Ocean Conservancy (2022)
ICC remains the largest volunteer effort for the envi ronment, globally and in Guyana. We do more than pick up trash; each item that is collected is recorded. Data is then analysed and shared in reports which can be found on EPA Guyana’s website, giving us a snapshot of the state of marine litter, and aiding us in making better decisions for the management of our oceans and water resources.
DO NOT LITTER! Keep your waste with you until you can find a waste-disposal container.
If waste collection is not regular in your community, lobby your town council or NDC for better services.
PLASTIC pollution is a massive problem for our oceans, but your small actions can make a big difference. From plankton to whales, animals throughout the ocean are finding their homes polluted by plastics. Join us for the International Coastal Cleanup to be the change and #SeatheChange. Every bottle, every straw, and every
#Seathechange
We encourage you to adopt better waste-management practices starting at home.
As individuals, we have a responsibility for the environ
Take conscious steps to reduce the amount of waste you produce - re-think purchases and repurpose used items;
By taking these steps and more, you and your household can help reduce the amount of waste entering our oceans, which ultimately impacts the health of the planet and our own health. Remember, “The environment is everybody’s
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business.”
ment that sustains us:
Buy in bulk to reduce waste, and plastic waste in par ticular;Ensure that you have a waste container that is used to dispose of your household waste;
You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Communications Department, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguy ana@gmail.com, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
We acknowledge the tireless work of the National Coor dinators of ICC in Guyana, the Caribbean Youth Environ ment Network, and thank the numerous volunteers who have made the event successful over the years.
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It was at a building expo that he showed the country
He said the demand for the product has exceeded his expectations and that once it continues like this, he will definitely ramp up his effort to do more. His office is located at Success, East Coast Demerara.
just what he plans to bring to the market. Although starting out with doors, Saajid has
to work with.”
grand at an affordable rate,” he shared.Atthe moment, he point ed out that the options for doors in Guyana are very limited. “There is the steel door which rots in a few years and the panel doors, which is [sic] the going thing, because it’s the nic est option you can possibly get. The third option is the wrought iron steel doors which are extremely expen sive. So I have provided a newHeoption.”saidthe most satis fying part of it is that he can provide something to the country that people cannot get anywhere else in this part of the world. “People bring in furniture that they claim is handcrafted from India and other places but I came to realise that it’s simply this technology that they’re using.”
Even with some of the most intricate designs, Saajid said the product is set at an affordable rate
‘Running wild’ with ...
FROM PAGE IV
plans to move on to doing bedroom sets, etc. and even tually opening a small furni
Saajid’s business is called ‘Zaya,’ a shortened form of his daughter’s name, Zayara
ture factory where customers can find intricate designs with a more luxurious feel to them. “People like nice things and may want something grand. Well, I can provide that something
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PI: A friend of mine once told me that “if you can see yourself in the big picture then you can see yourself in the big picture.” It was so profound to me because that’s how I feel without ever using those exact words. So when I heard it, it was so profound that I felt like why I hadn’t heard this quote before? My 16-year-old self would have benefited from this. I would have wanted this knowledge to understand that when I look to the future, I should look for the greatest satisfaction in doing for others. That’s where the wealth is, that is where the riches are, that is where respect is, that is where you get the best night’s sleep. So at 16, when I left high school, well ready to take on the world dreaming of being this high-flying entrepreneur, I would have understood what that meant.
SN: What has been your biggest challenger to date?
is trying to solve hunger. I have a team that I work with that is dedicated. I’m most proud of the people that can choose to be anywhere at any given time doing their own thing and who choose to be by my side doing this mission. Whenever we have to execute a Mission:Food Possibe training, I have to speak to people and explain what we do, and whenever I’m done explaining what we do, the people who say, “say no more, I want to be a part of this project.” That is what I’m most proud of, the ability to inspire people. I’m proud to have the ability to inspire others when it comes to this work. I know you probably expect me to name an accomplishment, but my biggest accomplishment is the ability to light the fire inside others to fight alongside you. There is no reward bigger than that.
PI: I’ll tell that person to go for it! Make sure your passion about this . It won’t be easy. If it was easy, everybody would do it. Do not chase accolades, any glimmer of success and recognition see me receive. They have to remember that I’m more than ten years deep in this work. So I would say we need you. We need more of you. Go for it.
PI: My biggest challenge date has been more psychological than anything else. I’ve never shared this anywhere else before, but I’ve always had this relentless pursuit of success as an entrepreneur. It was literally all that consumed me for a while. However, to be passionate about food security and start learning about regeneration and learn what it would take to evolve as an entrepreneur and practice what you preach, that means it can’t be about profit. It has to be about community and people who don’t have, and if they don’t have, then that means no matter what I have, I also don’t have. I think understanding this as a young man making a transition, discovering more about the world and having your conscience activated, and having to stand true to that was something that presented itself as a challenge.
SN: What advice will you give to 16-year-old Peter?
I trust you feel the passion and conviction of this young servant leader as we continue to celebrate this beautiful journey called life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.
FROM, PAGE XXIV
SN: What will you say to someone embarking on this journey?
Being...
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THOUGHT FOR TODAY
Love IMPROVINGyou.
The rule is, jam to-morrow and jamyesterday – but never jam to-day.LEWIS CARROLL (1832-1898)Through the Looking-Glass, ch. 5
WRIT
Ms. Nors told Sandreen that her sister-in-law had gone on holiday abroad.
c) The Indefinite ‘This’. Even professional writ ers are sometimes careless about using ‘this’ to refer to an entire preceding thought. In such an event, the ref erence is so hazy that the reader may have to reread in order to be sure of the meaning.
Whose sister-in-law had gone on holiday abroad? Is it Ms. Nors’ sister-in-law or Sandreen’s sister-in-law? Now look at two possible revisions, either of which would be Sandreenexplicit:learned from Ms. Nors that the latter’s sister-in-law had gone on holiday abroad.
INGTightening your sen tence skills with explicit nessReminder:(continued)Explicitness is the ability to put down on paper a message that the reader can interpret in only one way – the way you intended. So far, we have learned about (and hopeful ly mastered) the following principles:a)placing words, phras es, and clauses clearly in the sentence,b)correctly placing a ‘which’ clause in the sen tence,c) looking closer at the ‘that’ clause in the sentence, andd) clearly stating the ‘who did what, or who will do what’ in coining sen tences.Today’s input marks the last session of your training in the art of being explicit when you write or speak. Today concerns pinpointing the pronoun reference in the sentence. When you use it, he, she, they, this, or anoth er pronoun to refer to some body or something, you must pinpoint the person, or the thing meant by that pronoun. Let your reader be eased from guessing your meaning.Here are some pitfalls you need to avoid under this principle:a)The Indefinite ‘It’. Consider the use of ‘it’ in thisThesentence.highland housing agents are offering a special discount to new house own ers, because it will mean more business for them.
Housing experts say that the demand for new homes will continue to grow in the future.
The unclear use of these pronouns in all their different forms, is also a common writing fault. Sometimes their referenc es are so uncertain that the reader is faced with a serious interpretation problem. Look.
The above message ex emplifies sloppy, as well as inexact, writing. A mo ment’s reflection would produce something like the following:When the new super market opened Saturday morning, the huge flood of delivery orders created a hectic sales Somethingday.to Do
When the new super market opened Saturday morning, huge delivery or ders flooded the office. This created a hectic sales day.
4. I could hear the dogs barking outside the house while typing my applica tion.
5. I could see the duck lings walking in a straight line through my bedroom window.
5. Seeking to improve her efficiency, an experi enced secretary was hired by Ms. Sydney.
They say that the de mand for new homes will continue to grow in the future.Who is meant by the ‘they’ in this sentence? A person who knew what he or she was talking about would have been specific with who said what.
ers because an introductory offer will mean more busi ness for Eventhem.more indefinite and confusing is the use of the ‘it’ in the following illustration:Ifyoucan keep a diary, please show it to Steve and Lawrence.Asyou read the fol lowing revision, note that the writer is much more explicit.Ifyou can keep a diary, please show Steve and Law rence how it is done.
Dear WelcomeStudent,dear friend.
and master them but have patience, for developing your skills requires lots of time and perseverance. Smart study is equivalent to better grades now and in the future. Be wise.
1. The landscaper bought the slashing machin ery who was here last week.
2. My sister works for a mechanical engineering company that repairs vehi cles three evenings a week.
3. Megan, my sister, promised after breakfast that she would visit me.
STUDY SUCCESS
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A. Test your ability to handle ‘who did what’ (from last week) and ‘in definite pronoun reference’ situations by discussing and revising the following sentences.1.Mr. Hyderkan told Kingsley that his plan had worked.2.They say that inter est rates might drop next January.3.We are telling more people because it brings us to the attention of more contributors.4.Ifthe dogs will not stay off the plants, put them in the garage.
6. When the changes were announced, the lan guage lecturers were con fused. This lost them some time to set test papers.
September 18, 2022
Ms. Nors told Sandreen that her, Sandreen’s, sisterin-law had gone on holiday abroad.Then, too, there is the favourite, but slipshod, ‘they say’ expression.
Do you see that ‘it’ in this sentence forces the reader to stop and think of what ‘it’ stands for? A person who knows about writing know-how would have used a definite refer ence.
b) The Indefinite ‘He’, ‘She’, and ‘They’.
B. All the following sentences contain phrases that are confusing because they are in the wrong place. Underline the phrase you think is confusing.
Study smart, not hard. Continue to be properly organised and prepared for tests and examinations and maintain high perfor mance. Let your attitude to work shift from pun ishment to opportunity to learn. Know what type of learner you are and what works for you. Develop those habits/techniques
TheLook.highland housing agents are offering a special discount to new home own
Here at home, some years ago, especially in rural areas, the chew stick was popular. Black sage and neem stalks were commonly used to clean one’s teeth. The most studied chew sticks are the Miswak, Fagara, Zanthoxyloides, Serindeia wernikei, Neem, Paku and Acaccia arabica. Research was conducted mainly in Nigeria, where 90 percent of the pop ulation uses the chew stick. In India, one can buy a neem chewstick in numerous stores.
Dental caries and gum disease determine the level of oral health status of a person. Unfortunately, such diseases are so common that eventually, every adult in the world has one or both. Therefore, these two diseases can be considered real public health problems.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended and encouraged the use of these sticks as an effective tool for oral hygiene. The experts confirmed that the toothbrush is not superior to the chew stick as regards its capacity to remove dental plaque.
Surprisingly, in stead of focusing on and knowing the real causes of the two major den tal diseases (which are simply dirt and diet) and instead of directing all the efforts to invent and encourage the use of effective tools to prevent and control these two diseases effectively, the profession has fallen in treatment which consumes too much time, resources, effort and money.
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Alternative medicine in dentistry
In general, every country has and should have its own system to prevent and cure its nation from diseases according to its resources and culture. I have always suggested through this medium that the government should establish a National Agency for Disease Control. Dentists and physicians trained in the Western scientific systems usually have views on the prevention of oral and general diseases that differ basically from those of local communities.
I CANNOT sincerely dispel the importance of alternative medicine, although I must confess that I am not a consum mate user nor a supporter of its widespread use. For example, why is it that despite in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, there is no significant water fluoridation nor comprehensive preventative programme, yet the population enjoy relatively good oral health? The answer to that question involves a practice that most of the world probably considers primitive – the use of neem chewsticks.
Chewing sticks are commonly used in Jordan, Saudi Ara bia and the United Arab Emirates for oral hygiene, religious and social purposes. A few months on a visit to the USA, I observed various brands of neem chewsticks selling in some major supermarkets in New York and Miami.
The juice extracted from most chew sticks has been found to have strong antibacterial activity against some oral Staphylococcus aureus and Anaerobic Streptococ cus. The use of the chew stick is entirely consistent with the Primary Health Care (PHCA) Approach Principles, particularly that of a focus on prevention, community participation and appropriate technology. By using it, the notion of self-reliance can be encouraged and imple mented in poor countries where it is available locally and does not need technology or expertise, or extra resources to manufacture it. It can be used by both children and adults. Thus, it is appropriate for all societies. In fact, I recall that in the late 1980s a Minister of Health told me he was seriously contemplating introducing the chew sticks as part of our oral health programme.
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