Countrywide, Guyana has been in full celebration of Diwali which will be observed on Monday, October 24, 2022. In this photo, a dancer partakes in a cultural presenta tion at a recently-held Diwali celebration (Adrian Narine photo)
IT all started when Mae’s Schools in Subryanville, Georgetown, helped the Guyana Cancer Foundation (GCF) to sell its pins and ribbons during Cancer aware ness month. Gradually, the school began adding more and more activities to mark the occasion.
The Breast Cancer walk by students has now turned into an annual event, and this year’s walk was held last Friday (October 21) in the school’s environs.
The school would ask chil dren and staff to wear pink on the designated day and apart from conducting the walk, there would be cake for distribution, a photo booth,
appropriate decorations, and a talk with children by their class teachers.
“We at Mae’s believe in supporting others…we saw it fit to make it into an annual event in support of our men and women; I was reliably informed that men too suffer from breast cancer, so we would really like for this to get bigger and better as the years go by,” Acting Administrator of Mae’s Schools, Lucinda Mc Curdy shared.
Commenting on the intended impact the walk would have, she said: “We are going in solidarity and support. They might be small but they are aware that this deadly disease is out there and we are in support of the victims and the survivors.” Grade One Level Supervisor, Terrencia Tucker shared that just recently, some of the children in her class related to her that they have relatives who are affected by cancer. “So I am happy that they are being made more aware of it and how to deal with it,” she expressed.
Started just about three years ago, Tucker said each year, the school has taken things up a notch. The funds raised, she noted, would be donated to the GCF, led by advocate Bibi Saeedah Akhtar Hassan.
The school uses the opportunity to educate children about cancerActing Administrator of Mae’s Schools Lucinda Mc Curdy (third from left) and other teachers of Mae’s Schools The Breast Cancer walk by stu dents has now turned into an annual event
IN a well-prepared, coor dinated and researched effort, the President’s Youth Advisory Council (PYAC) did justice to its assignment of assisting officials in the country’s agricultural sec tor to better understand the challenges that plague women and youth and that restrict them from achieving their full po tential in the field.
Vice Chair for the PYAC’s Agriculture Sub-Committee Maria Fraser took the lead to organise the group’s par ticipation at the Ministry of Agriculture’s ‘Wom en and Youth Sympo sium’ that was held at Tain Campus, Berbice, in conjunction with the Food and Agriculture Or ganisation of the United Nations (FAO), and the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Ag riculture (IICA).
Organised as part of celebrations for ‘Agri Month 2022’ with the aim of promoting and reigniting the love for farming in the country, the authorities were brought up to speed by the PYAC, through an interactive ses sion, on four key issues that are affecting women and youth in agriculture.
Since its establishment last August 8, the PYAC has been researching and developing ideas in several areas, some having to do with agriculture, mental health and primary healthcare, ed ucation, and constitutional reform.
“The Ministry of Agri culture, through the Director General decided the best representation to say what challenges youths may face is the President’s Youth Adviso ry Council since we’ve been exploring how to get youths into agriculture,” Coordina
tor of PYAC Nalinie Singh explained about the event, held on October 14.
Co-chair of PYAC Tracy Shamsudeen shared: “We are trying to draw youths to agriculture to get them more informed about not just tradi
huge role in contributing to our agriculture sector,” she added.
The first major challenge identified was adaptation to the use of advanced tools and innovative technology with related challenges being lack
relevant scientific and statis tical information, reluctance of women and youths to participate in agriculture, knowledge and business management skills, lack of agriculture incubators, and establishing workable public
aging and labelling.
The associated chal lenges were capital-in tensive investment, cost of energy to maintain quality assurance standards, visually appealing and com petitive packaging, and mar
According to Shamsu deen, mentioned earlier, the PYAC in rolling out its programmes, is not just looking to see how youths can benefit; the intention is to look at the con stitution holistically and try to recom mend reforms where there might be defi ciencies.
In education, she said the council is trying to enhance the curriculum in literacy and numer acy where there may be a need for such revisions to raise the rates in Guyana since they’ve been found to be inequi table.
In executing their programmes, though, Shamsu deen said the PYAC ensures that it con
tional but innovative methods and to use technology and new equipment to develop our agriculture sector.”
During their interactive presentation, which was made both fun and interest ing, the PYAC members were able to shed light on their findings obtained through consultations. “Our mem bers from the Agriculture Committee are involved in farming. We all listed the challenges we encountered in the sector and then grouped them into four fitted catego ries,” Fraser told Pepperpot Magazine.
“Agriculture is an im portant sector in Guyana and worldwide. I strongly believe that youths are the now! Their creativity and innova tiveness can certainly play a
of exposure to technology, availability of new technol ogies, advanced equipment and tools, capital intensive investment, and unwilling ness of farmers to shift away from traditional knowledge.
The second challenge, readily available access to finance, was mentioned with linked challenges like capital investment associated with purchase of land, equipment and tools, collateral to access loans, information on how to access government funding and subsidies, and high inter est rates at the banks.
Further, the PYAC found that networking and capac ity building opportunities, was another key problem with related challenges being community and co-operation among farmers, access to
and private partnerships.
The fourth challenge identified was access to pack
ketability of products.
FORMER student of Anna Regina Multilateral School, Dr. Kurt Clarke, has honoured one of the country’s top CSEC students, Daniel Dowding with a monetary gift.
Dr Clarke, who graduated from the Anna Regina Secondary School, joined the list of individuals who provided cash donations to Dowding. Dr. Clarke said he has had a keen interest in education and has consistently supported families on the Essequibo Coast for over thirty years. One of the significant ed ucation initiatives undertaken over these years was the establishment of a scholarship fund at the 8th of May Secondary School since 1988, through which he has given financial assistance and purchased school supplies to young people in his community each year to motivate them to reach the stars.
Dr. Clarke said he was immensely impressed with Dowding’s performance and hopes that his honouring of the young man would motivate young people to pursue excellence and ignite a sense of commitment by responsible adults to invest in the academic development of our youths. Dr Clarke’s nephew, Pastor Exton Clarke, President of the Guy ana Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, made the donation on behalf of his uncle to Dowding recently.
Meanwhile, Dowding has affirmed that his faith in God was the driving and determining factor in his success. But he also praised his parents, teach ers and church family for also playing crucial roles in his achievements.
Dowding- a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and student of the Anna Regina Multilateral School, secured 25 subjects at the CSEC examinations, achieving 22 grade ones and three grade twos. In an interview-Dowding was asked what role did his faith in God play in his success, to which he responded: “Faith was the driving and determina tion factor for me and my success…It was God that kept me and faith that allowed me to press forward. The prayers of my mom and church family and well-wishers also held me together during that time,” the young man related.
In previous media interviews, Dowding had hailed the support he received from his family, friends, church and community, which he said also helped to keep him pushing
through the many sleepless nights, self-doubt and the pain of grief during the preparation for his examinations.
Asked what was his greatest motivation as he prepared for his exams, Dowding related that there were many, but noted that, “The greatest for me would be to be successful and to make all those who would have placed their faith and hope in me proud. Throughout the years, people would wish me well and give words of support and encouragement so, my success is dedicated to all who would have positively influenced me.”
An aspiring marine biologist, Dowding spoke about his study habits, noting that he implemented creative methods to maximise learning. “My study habit was one that ensured that I was enjoying the studying period and was having fun while doing so – whether it included me changing my voice and accent to relate to a particular history topic in a Caribbean country; impersonating the actions of careers in the agricul
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sults with policymakers to give them the vision of the country’s young people. “We collect those perspectives and share them with the policy makers; so they get information from us and we get information from them and from that we try to create policy in that direction so that we have the views from the top and from people on
the streets,” she explained.
Speaking on mental health and primary health care initiatives, Co-chair Josh Kanhai offered that the group of diverse young people sitting on the PYAC is looking to reduce the suicide rate in Guyana as a matter of priority as it’s been an issue for a long time.
“We have already put together and presented a pro posal to His Excellency and
we would have gained his guidance and OK as to how to implement this project,” he disclosed, noting that the focus will first be in Region Two since that region has one of the highest suicide rates.
The council, accord ing to him, is also looking at chronic diseases and promoting preventative medicines.
tural or science fields or even to pacing up and down my home to ensure that I was truly ab sorbing the content I was reading,” the young man said. He added: “Mainly, my studies would start around 9 pm and until 11:30 pm. I would wake up at 3:30 a.m. and continue until 6:30 am. Studying in vehicles was very rare. I would have headaches when a did such. Apart from studying, co-curricular activities were a must whenever they presented themselves.”
On the issue of parental support, Dowding said this was extremely important. “My parents are my first teachers, so they have always been there for me. They would have encouraged me and were there in all that I decided to pursue especially my mom. I don’t know how she does it, but she inspires me. They were prepared to go pay for the many subjects I wrote, which would have amounted to a little over $200 000. But thank God CSEC took off some of the fees due to the ramifications of the pandemic on the education sector and so I only had to pay one-third of the price. Additionally, I count it as a blessing that my mom had retired a good time before my exams when I was attending lessons, so she was there to take me home late at nights.”
Weeks before his first examination, Dowd ing’s grandfather passed away- a loss which took a toll on him. He had told reporters that despite his sadness, he kept his focus, which he admitted was not an easy task.
For his success, Dowding has received many accolades and the Guyana Conference of Seventh-day Adventist recently honoured him. At the celebration, Pastor Clarke, highlighted the significance of modeling excellence, espe cially in academia. He expressed pride and commenda tions to Dowding on behalf of the 65,000 plus members of the local church scattered across the 10 administrative regions of Guyana. Dowding has spoken previously about his passion for working with animals and hopes to secure a scholarship, which will afford him the opportunity to pursue a tertiary education, and secure his dream job as a marine biologist.
RECENTLY, a cartoon was published online, which attracted my atten tion so much that it is the catalyst for this article. The cartoon showed an over-crowded jumbo-jet aircraft, on which were the words “GUYANA AIR WAYS.” The GAC aircraft was supposedly taking off on a flight from Guyana to London, England. It was packed to over-flowing with Guyanese who seem ingly were fleeing their country in droves. The car toon showed some of them even clinging to the top and wings of the aircraft. While some feel that the cartoon
from Ogle on the East Coast Demerara, to several des tinations in the hinterland. So, it was not difficult, even back in Guyana’s pre-inde pendence years, to get on a plane and fly from the coast to locations such as Maba ruma in the north-west area of the country, or to Lethem and even to Aishalton in the mid or deep South Rupununi. Lethem, which is named for one of the British governors of British Guiana, is about one hour’s flying time from Ogle on the East Coast of Demerara to the Rupununi, and quite an adventure. It is located right on the border with Brazil and many visi
that Guyana would be empty in a flash if Guyanese are per mitted to enter En gland, the USA or Canada, is not totally accurate but is just a myth which contin ues to be perpetrated over the decades. Yes, it is true that as many, or even more persons who were born in Guyana, now live in other countries.
What is the purpose of composing a calypso ver sion of the Hallelujah chorus about that? If there is one thing about the Guyanese sub-culture which annoys true patriots, is the habit of so many Guyanese bad-talking
anese from the Essequibo Coast visiting Linden. Those from the Corentyne Coast going the Bartica, and so on.
In the Rupununi, there are activities such as horse back riding for city-dwellers who ride motorcycles or drive cars. In making these comments, one has to take in mind, the cost. The lifting of visa requirements for a visit to London does not auto matically reduce the cost of the airfare, which is rather steep to get from Guyana to London, England.
was disgusting, even set ting-up Guyanese to be disrespected abroad, and was promoting a country from which the majority of its citizens were ready to escape at the first opportu nity, others are of the view that there was some truth to the intended message.
My first reaction was that of nostalgia. The thoughts of a Guyana government-owned and operated Guyana Air ways Corporation are still vivid in many Guyanese minds. Many would have been passengers of either or both the domestic and international GAC Services. The domestic service flew
tors go over the border to do shopping. A portion of the flight is over the Pakaraima Mountain range. That gives a slap in the faces of those who say that “Guyana is below sea level.”
That cartoon mentioned of people trying to leave Guyana by their numbers proved offensive to many patriots who are happy and contented right here. They accept that there are many challenges, but they have no intention to fly off to England with a six-month visa, with the intention of becoming illegal immi grants when the visa ex pires. The constant message
their country openly. While so many things need to be fixed, lots of talk and little or no action is not the solution. Some years ago, there was a “VISIT GUYANA YEAR” in which Guyanese resident abroad, as well as non-Guya nese, were invited to return to the Motherland for a holiday. That project met with a mea sure of success. The Ministry of Tourism stepped up to the task at hand and got some success. More recently, there has been quiet buzz about another “Visit Guyana Year” for Guyanese at home to visit parts of the country which is, at this time, ‘foreign’ to them. For example, Guy
So, in a way, the eupho ria shown in that cartoon of an over-loaded jumbo jet with Guyanese passengers hanging all over it may take poetic licence just a bit too far. So, maybe the idea of a “Visit Guyana Year” in which Guyanese - both at home and those in the Dias pora as well - travel around the country to areas which they have never been to be fore, and enjoy being tour ists in their own country of 83,000 square miles, of rivers, creeks, lakes, hills, mountains and savannahs, is most inviting. No pass port or visa required.
LAST week the Pepperpot Magazine visited Cornelia Ida (CI), West Coast Demerara to highlight the way of life of the locals.
The village is quite large and has all the features resem bling a township with the many businesses that line the main public road.
Hague and Anna Catherina border Cornelia Ida Village and its population is about 6,000 to 10,000, with its inhabitants being predominantly Indo-Guyanese with some Amerindians, Afro-Guyanese and some Spanish.
Cornelia Ida or CI as it is referred to is divided into six sections. They are Sea View, Block X, Block Y, Block N, Cornelia Ida Squatting Area and Cornelia Housing Scheme.
The village has a Primary School, A Nursery School, a private school, two orphanages, several insurance companies and consultancy services, gym, a branch of E-Networks, auto sales, taxi services, roadside stalls, pharmacies, a pet shop, a laundromat, GWI Well Station, masjids, mandirs, churches, restaurants, bars, a gutter smith, supermarkets and many shops.
Cornelia Ida is a community with almost everything in terms of ingredients to make a meal and the shops are well-stocked
with other essentials, so there is no need to leave the village to go shopping.
The locals rear their own chickens and grow their own vegetables and fruits and can be deemed self-sufficient.
Additionally, the water trucks would pass through the com munity daily, just like the many fishermen on their bicycles, the milkman and trucks with groceries and greens.
Cornelia Ida is a quiet place with neighbourly people who go about their daily routines peacefully and most of the people know each other.
The community has developed over the years with upgrad ed roads and three new schemes to accommodate the housing needs of the peope.
It has both modern design houses as well as colonial-style dwellings with a lot of large edifices that compliment the ever-changing architecture.
The locals of Cornelia Ida are professionals employed in both the public and private sector, self-employed, stay-athome moms, skilled workers, fishermen, cane cutters, shop keepers, businessmen and women.
Cornelia Ida is a community set in traditions. Most of the el
People going about their daily lives in the village, places and things in Corne lia Ida (Carl Croker photos)
CHUS, better known as Aunty Anita, is a stay-athome mother who resides at Cornelia Ida Housing Scheme, West Coast De merara and passes the time by doing the things she loves at home.
When the team visited, she was sweeping the front of the yard ensuring that the place was well-kept and tidy as usual.
The 53-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that after her mother gave birth to her at the hospital in the city, she grew up in Cornelia Ida with her grandparents, whose house she still occu pies.
Aunty Anita explained that her mother died during childbirth. Being the only child, her father remarried, and she had to live with her grandparents.
However, at age 13, her grandmother who served as her maternal mother, passed away, and when she was just 19 years old, her grandfather died.
“I grew up here, at this house, left for me by my grandparents and I am taking care of it. Today I still live
here with my husband and my two children also grew up in this house,” she said.
The mother of two stated that she doesn’t get bored be cause she plants fruits, veg etables, plants and flowers to enhance the environment, plus does the cooking and household chores.
Aunty Anita added that she would only leave the house if she has bills to pay or do document-related busi ness or shopping.
Since her spouse works in Georgetown and both of her children reside overseas, she is usually home alone but doesn’t mind since she is surrounded by neighbours who live nearby.
“Life here is quiet and mostly peaceful, but I like it here because I like where I am from like most people and I am used to this place and cannot see myself living elsewhere,” she said.
Aunty Anita recalled growing up in the village was nice. Back then, it had a lot of children her age and, in the afternoons, they used to come out to play hopscotch, sal-out, hide and seek and other outdoor games.
She remembered that it had a wide canal running through their street; they
used to fish and swim in it as children.
Aunty Anita related that, as they grew older, many people migrated while some others died.
She reminisced that her childhood was good and she did all the things as a child should before growing up to have her own family.
When she was younger, that is, before marriage, she worked in the city but after
that she adjusted to being a housewife.
Aunty Anita told the Pep perpot Magazine that, annu ally, before COVID-19, she used to host a small service in front of the Christmas tree that was planted outside her yard for the children in the village and would share goodies with them.
It usually happened on December 1, but, for the past two years, she did not do anything due to the pan demic.
The Cornelia Ida resident stated that, in the olden days, when she was a child, most of the men worked at the sugar estate and the women stayed home to care for the children and were tasked with the household chores.
Then, the women did not leave the house for work, but as time changed and things became modern, women be came independent through education and began work
ing.
Aunty Anita pointed out that a lot has changed over time in the village and they have also seen some devel opment.
She is also thankful for the new street they will be getting soon.
Aunty Anita is one of the nicest people you will meet and there is abundant energy within her that is contagious, including her laughter when she talks about her childhood days.
Randy Crawford isn’t a fisherman who goes out to the Atlantic Ocean to fish, but he would buy fish from the local fisher folk to re-sell in the community.
When the team did its
walk-about in Cornelia Ida that day, he was passing through via his bicycle sell ing fish.
The 30-year-old reported that he would buy and re-sell whatever fish was in season for a small profit.
That day, he had “kurass” and “cumma-cumma” fish in a gallon bucket and the prices were reasonable.
The father of two stated that work was not readily available and he had to find work, so he began buying and selling fish.
Crawford reported that he was also a weeder and uses his brush cutter for day jobs within his home village of Anna Catherina and the nearby Cornelia Ida.
VEERU Kadhar is a talent ed individual whose skill is in demand as an electrician his phone would ring at any given time. Customers would want him to fix their
but would repair other house hold appliances and he would be on call and visit homes to get the job done.
He is familiar with the people and would go around on his bicycle for work.
broken appliances as soon as possible.
The 45-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that he is a city boy, but due to family issues, he relocated to Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara, which is now his home.
Kadhar stated that the village is quiet and is a place where you can buy things since they have a lot of shops, supermarkets, markets and other businesses.
As an electrician, he stopped fixing television sets
Krishna Roopan, the shopkeeper
Meanwhile, Krishna Roopan is a Cornelia Ida
Pepperpot Magazine that the house was given to him as the grandson and he has no real issues.
He his, however, pleased that his street is being up graded. He said it was long overdue.
team visited that day.
He was washing down the yard and wanted to com plete the task before the sun gets hotter while, his wife was in the kitchen cooking their spicy curry lunch.
first housing schemes to be established.
Shivdat stated that he has good neighbours and the place is very quiet and nice to enjoy a peaceful life.
The orphanage stays open through donations from the general public, the trustees and the owner, who lives abroad.
Housing Scheme resident and a father of one who would tend to customers.
He has one of two shops in his street and he sells gro ceries and cold beverages.
Roopan describes life as good and resides on the property owned by his great-grandfather, which was handed down through gener ations.
The 47-year-old told the
Roopan added that they have a few locals, who are addicted to alcohol and drugs and they would do some things at times, but apart from that it is a safe village.
“Like in every village we have a few bad eggs and when they drink up or smoke they misbehave but here is no cause for alarm,” he said.
In Cornelia Ida Pas ture is the home of Shivdat (only name), an effervescent 75-year-old who was doing some yard chores when the
The elder told the Pepper pot Magazine that the land he resides on was allocated to him as a sugar worker and it was a pasture before it was regularised, one of the
He related that sugar workers settled there in that part of the village and as the ‘big people’ passed away, the lands and properties were passed down to family mem bers.
The father of two noted that he has been living at the same location from age eight years old and is still there even after marriage.
Shivdat was a cane cutter for 29 years at the Leonora Sugar Estate and he also did some construction work from 1989 before he officially retired.
“When you are young and have health and strength, you must prepare for old age and the future because if you wait till you mature to make provision, it will be difficult,” he said.
It is a very well-kept place; everything seems to be in order as it should, and when the team visited, meals were being prepared for lunch.
Parsram began volunteer ing at the facility last year and he oversees the opera tion of the orphanage and is there every day to ensure all is well.
The Prabhu Sharan Or phanage has six volunteers who receive a stipend and they provide three meals plus snacks daily for the children housed there.
Parsram told the Pep perpot Magazine that chil dren ages six to 15 years old are housed there until they are removed to other places and it has every con venience just like home and with a mandir.
attending schools.
AS a man with a lot of phys ical pain, Arjune Sookhu is fully aware of the suffering it brings and wanted to bring relief to people strick en with body pains via his massaging techniques he offers from the comport of his home at Cornelia Ida Housing Scheme, West
did after some persuasion.
Bush was then the ‘mas sage man’ in those days and he lived at Windsor Forest, also on the West Coast De merara and many people visited his home for massage as pain relief.
The father of two said he was hesitant at first, but after some time, he started to prac tice on visitors and used what
conut oil and work his magic to make people feel better as it relates to pain.
Sookhu had a setback when he developed a medical condition which caused him unbearable pain.
He had to undergo sur gery and he hasn’t fully re covered, but when people show up at his house for a massage, he can’t turn them
management, but it works,” he said.
People from all over the country, even overseas visi tors to Guyana, would visit his home for the massage and would return for a few sessions.
Sookhu told the Pepper pot Magazine that he isn’t employed, so he would go to the back dam to fish and he would sell his catch to vendors.
He would go via his bi cycle about eight miles and throw his cast net for fish. He would usually leave home in the wee hours of the morning and return when he has a sufficient catch.
In addition, his spouse has a small shop and she
manages that during the day.
Sookhu has a Pitbull name Ginger, a husky called Fred and a parrot named El vis and they would keep him entertained.
Generally, therapeutic massage may relieve pain by way of several mechanisms, including relaxing painful muscles, tendons, and joints; relieving stress and anxi ety; and possibly helping to “close the pain gate” by stimulating competing nerve fibres and impeding pain messages to and from the brain.
Also most massage techniques are designed to promote pain relief, stress reduction, and improved movement in daily living.
Therapeutic massage has been shown to improve joint flexibility, relieve lower-back pain, and stimulate the re lease of endorphins.
It is said that deep tissue massage can be an effective treatment method for various conditions, including sports injuries and back pain. Ther apeutic massage may also relieve stress and help with health conditions such as fibromyalgia and high blood pressure. Deep tissue mas sage works to relax the body and relieve tension.
The massage offered by Sookhu is not for the faint at heart because the intensity may cause you to scream out aloud or even cry.
Coast Demerara.
The 62-year-old isn’t cer tified by paper, but he knows his stuff by experience and even though the first session entails unbearable pain, it is worth it because, in a few days, he assures you will feel relieved of body pains and lingering aches.
Sookhu explained that over time, he mastered the technique of massaging the body, especially in places with pain.
He learned massaging from a friend, Bush (only name given). When he used to frequent his home he was encouraged to learn and he
he was taught, which worked. He was, however, motivated and continued.
“I rubbed a man down and before he showed up he had a lot of body pains and the next day he saw me and told me that the pain is gone. He started to tell people and they start showing up at my house,” he said.
He began entertaining a few persons who learnt of his skill via word of mouth and as the news spread, people would show up at his home for a massage.
The visitor would lie flat on their stomach on a wooden bench and then use some co
away.
Sookhu doesn’t charge a fee per say but you can leave just $1,000 per session in a tin cup with a lid that is provided because he doesn’t demand any money.
Over the years, many people have benefitted from his massage and even peo ple with stroke after a few sessions, would get up and walk again after two to three weeks after being bedridden.
“I can tell where a person is hurting just by feeling that spot and I will massage it out, but it might be a bit uncom fortable as it relates to pain
By Michel Outridge
THE Stewartville/Cornelia Ida Neighbourhood Dem ocratic Council (NDC), which manages six villages, have been overseeing de velopmental works in all the communities that comes under their catchment area.
Overseer Savitri Gopaul of the Stewartville/Cornelia Ida NDC told the Pepperpot Magazine that internal streets are being upgraded, and some are completed while drainage and infrastructural works are ongoing in all the villages.
Gopaul said the six vil lages that comes under the Stewartville/Cornelia Ida NDC are Stewartville, Le onora, Groenveldt, Edinburg, Anna Catherina and Cornelia Ida.
She reported that they have five new housing schemes in these villages and under the Community Infrastructure Improvement Project (CIIP) they have been trying their utmost to main tain the drains and parapets.
Gopaul added that they have partnered with the Min istry of Infrastructure to up grade many internal streets in these six villages.
She explained that they have 19 CIIP workers and 116 part-time employees that began working at the health centres and schools in July this year, and they rotate in sets of two working 10 days per month.
Gopaul stated that they were supposed to have 216 part-time employees but only 116 were employed and they are hoping to fill the spots soon.
She related that the Stew artville/Cornelia Ida NDC is managed by 20 councillors
including the Chairman Jain arine Narine.
The Overseer pointed out that the NDC controls build ing, infrastructure and the collection of rates and taxes.
She stated that they have 10 constituencies and also process building applications, approval and recommenda tions, and cleaning of drains and parapets.
They do not do any gar bage collection since they do not have a landfill site in the region and it is too costly for
the undertaking.
Gopaul added that they have a tractor/trailer with a slasher and that is often utilised for the maintenance of parapets along the main public road, schools and community centre grounds.
She disclosed that they will be installing street lights in all the villages except Stewartville before the close of this year.
As the Overseer, Gopaul told the Pepperpot Magazine that she carries out decisions according to the bylaws and she has been at the job for the past nine years.
“You can never get accus tomed to people fighting for an inch of the land but this job is what it is; challenging at times, but I have learned a lot and I am still learning. Dealing with the public is difficult sometimes and then carrying out the policies like breaking roadside stalls and serving notices for removal of illegal structures from the government reserve can cause a lot of people to be upset,” she said.
Gopaul stated that there have been no increases for taxes and rates and so far, the locals have been paying up and they do collection
on the last working day of the month from 13:00hrs to 16:30hrs.
The Overseer reported that a staff from the Ministry of Health Vector Control Service, Wanica Britton has an office at the NDC to deal with environmental issues.
“We learn something new every day and I just don’t sit in the office I do go out in the fields and work and I like it especially checking complains and fact-finding matters,” she said.
Gopaul disclosed that the Stewartville/Cornelia Ida NDC needs a mini excavator and a dumpsite for garbage collection and disposal. Il
legal dumping is one of the main issues in the villages they oversee.
Meanwhile, Councillor Abdool Fazeel told the Pep perpot Magazine that the housing scheme section of Cornelia Ida was the first village established in that community many decades ago when people depended solely on the sugar estates for a living.
He added that Cornelia Ida was a plantation; most of the lands were owned by GUYSUCO and house lots were given out to sugar workers back then.
Fazeel stated that Corne lia Ida has a mixed popula tion and is a thickly populat ed village with six sections and the people’s way of life is very simple.
He noted that they have many civil servants, business people, and some self-em ployed folk.
The Councillor revealed that they are benefitting from an upgrade of the sea defence presently and he is happy about that development be cause they used to get a lot of flooding due to over-topping.
The last major flood was three years ago.
“More religious interven tion is needed. The people need to turn to God and be come more God-fearing be cause a lot of people walked away from religion and it plays a critical role in society and in families,” he said.
Fazeel is an Imam for the past 18 years and he is attached to the Anna Cath erina masjid and stressed that god consciousness ele vates us and we need to be come religious once again.
Verses of a Hindu devo tional song as the festival of Diwali approached.
On this auspicious oc casion, the souls of mortals across the Hindu world are touched by the beauty of the Goddess’s divine presence, for in their belief, she am plifies love, prosperity, and light. Thus in the darkest night, her light is the illu mination that guides and gives blessings as she is honoured by prayers, songs, and dances.
Stories of battle, fate, and love from the Hindu scriptures are told and retold and for one devotee named after Laxmi - the Goddess of Light, a sad story unfolds.
In a mandir, in a qui et area in the countryside, she sat, her eyes closed in prayers, always mesmerised by the devotional songs. Often her mind would travel back in time to the peri od of Kings, Mortal Gods, demons, and battles. As a little girl, her mind became impressed with the history of her Hindu culture and reli gion and as she grew up, she read many texts that gave her a deep understanding.
Epic stories of the Ra mayan and Mahabarat held her in awe and tonight, the true devotee she was, she sang telling one part of the story when it all began – the significance of Diwali, of the Palace in Ayodhya where Shree Ram, the Mortal God was born, his exile and his return on the darkest night when earthen lamps were lit to illuminate his path.
As she walked home that night from the mandir, Lax mi reflected on the beautiful love story of the Hindu God Ram and his wife Seeta and she wondered, “Will my hus band, my Ram, ever return?”
For four years, she had held onto hopes and faith that he would, one day, he would find his way out of
the dark world where he was lost and reunite with her. A young couple, they had been married for just over a year when tragedy intruded into their lives.
He had been riding home from work on his motorbike one night, having worked late, when a speeding Tundra driven recklessly by a drunk driver hit him. The massive brain injuries he had suffered had left his life hanging on a thin thread for weeks. The shock had literally shattered her world but her faith was deep and she refused to ac cept the fact that his chances for survival were very slim.
“No,” she had cried, “He isn’t leaving me, he can’t leave me.”
She had prayed for days and nights, imploring the Gods for answers, for a mir acle.
On the fourth week, his eyes opened and slowly, day after day, he recovered from his injuries, but something was wrong.
He was not the same person.
The injuries to his brain had affected his mental state, causing memory lapses and the conclusion from medical experts was that he might not fully regain his memory.
It was a devastating blow for her, his family, and ev eryone who knew him as a young, ambitious man, but her faith did not falter. Her heart had spoken the first time when she saw him acting the role of Shree Ram on the Diwali motorcade. Finding love on an auspi cious night was something she held special in her heart and just the same way Seeta stayed with her husband in exile, so Laxmi would stay with Ranbir until he found his way out of the dark world.
Tears misted her eyes as she reached home and lying in bed, her hand touching the empty space beside her, she whispered, “I miss you so much.”
On the doctor’s advice, she had brought him home for he needed love and care that were like a lifeline to him. Her soft voice, the songs she sang for him, hoping it would trigger the beautiful memories of the love they shared but just fleetingly he would remem ber. Things took a turn for the worse when he started having manic episodes that caused him to behave ag gressively and his doctor advised that he should be placed under psychiatric care.
It had not pleased her heart to do so, but she and his family were left with no other option having tried ev erything they could for him. The specialist doctor assured them that progress will be slow but he may recover to be himself again one day. Four years had passed by, his progress like laden footsteps and on her visits whenever he remembered her, as she spoke with him, he would hold her hands and cry, a deep plea in his eyes.
Every day she prayed, “Please, Lord, send my hus band back to me.”
Many people in his life have given up hopes that he would ever recover and she was advised by some to move on with her life.
“You’re young and beau tiful,” they had said, “With your whole life ahead of you. Why wait for him when there’s no coming back?”
“Because I believe,” she had said firmly, “I believe in the miracle of prayers.”
They had scoffed at her, telling her how stupid she was to give up so much in her life.
“How can I give up on a love blessed by the Gods?” she had asked herself.
For the past three years since he was under psy chiatric care, she had lit a diya for him on Diwali night, waiting as the oil
“Hey andhan ki maha rani Oh, Jai Laxmi Rani”
OVER the past few days, global attention has been directed towards Haiti because overlapping crises mean that the nation’s more than 11 million people are faced with dire living conditions. Now, more than ever, I think Haiti needs support.
Based on reports, the country is battling violence, a shortage of much-needed fuel, an outbreak of cholera, and starvation.
The violence, in particular, has mounted since the assassination of the country’s President Jovenel Moïse in July 2021. Now, some non-governmental groups working in the country dub this the worst period the country has experienced, even beyond the fallout from the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in 2010 that obliterated the Haiti economy.
Now, countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and others worldwide have been deciding how best to support the country without worsening a rather tenuous climate. And I think it is important that restorative aid is provided, but without hurting the millions of innocent people.
Haiti has always held a soft spot in my heart. As a Caribbean student of history, it would
be impossible and dishonest for me to view Haiti as anything less than a beacon of strength and resilience.
When it was known as Saint Domingue, Haiti was France’s crown jewel- the wealthy island with abundant sugar resources that was the source of French riches. But, it wasn’t long before Haiti became the first independent Black nation, forcing the French away
That victory came with its unique challenges, however. After becoming independent in 1804, the country was immediately made a pariah state internationally. A new nation that existed because of a successful revolt of enslaved people was a dangerous thing when en slavement was still the widely accepted practice. And so, Haiti found itself paying reparations to French slave owners and oppressors for more than a century, which perpetually stagnated the country’s development.
So, I’d argue that Haiti has always been battling one crisis after the next since its literal creation.
In 2019, when I attended the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA XIV) in Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), I was well-taken care of by a group of Haitian fashion designers and another group of Jamaican artisans. Because we spent much time together over those ten days, the designers managed to demonstrate the quintessential Haitian fortitude.
Designer Dayanne Danier, who heads Bien Abye, was one person who managed to demonstrate to me just how resilient the Haitian people continue to be (though, I needed no convincing). She told me stories of how Haitians make do with little resources but numerous challenges, in hopes of sharing their gifts of food, fashion, and the arts with the world. She told me how Haitians find ways of supporting each other even amid the unavoidable disasters they face and the inexcusable amount of racism and xenophobia. Danier herself was someone doing her part to help empower women by providing them with employment opportunities and connecting them with international markers.
But Haiti is no Cinderella story to be schmaltzy about.
The country and its people have experienced far more challenges than they ought to. Challenges that they did not create or initiate. For far too long, too, the country has been synonymous with poverty. Now, witnessing the country grapple with mounting, overlapping crises is hard to stomach.
It is surreal to imagine that while we enjoy our motorcade and Diwali celebrations here, millions of people in Haiti are grappling with unimaginable woes and we are living through history again. If there is any glimmer of hope, however, Guyana and other sister CARICOM states have been their full support for whatever interventions are needed on the island and that could potentially lead to a de-escalation of the situation.
One hopes so, at least.
If you would like to discuss this column or any of my previous writings, please feel free to contact me via email: vish14ragobeer@gmail.com
I believe the colour pink is worn more in October than anytime of the year because of Breast Cancer Awareness. I attended the Giving Hope and HEROC dinner, and it was a bitter sweet evening. I was in troduced to Dr Gooding and HEROC through my friend Lorna Welman Ne blette. I must commend the founder of the Giving Hope Foundation Dr Gooding and the team for consis tently advocating for this cause. Also to HEROC and the others who continue to support.
I watched the photos of the survivors flashing across the screens and listen to the stories of some of the survi vors share their stories and I thought of the people I have lost over the years, including my eldest aunt Avis, very good friend Juliet Stanton and in the last few week my friend in Florida De Ann Connolly Graham. I called her a few weeks ago to tell
her that I would be seeing her in November on my way back from Africa and she was excited that I was finally travelling but told me she was not feeling well and to pray for her. The cancer was back and aggressive, but I did not think that was the last time I would hear her beautiful voice. I was thinking about which outfit I was going to give her as a gift because she always supported my brand. When I saw the post about her death, I cried not just for her but for many others and I went back to read the story she shared in the 365 Invaluable Life Experiences Compilation book:
“ I’ve had many impact ful experiences that affected my life, both good and bad. I think my most impactful experience was being diag nosed with breast cancer, which affected my life both ways. I chose to focus on the good. I became more conscious of holistic well
ness practices and nutri tional eating as I focused on my healing. As a result of healthier eating, I lost 40 lbs, and surgery gave me perky breasts so I can go without a bra when I want to. More importantly, I be came more appreciative of my many blessings- the love and support of family and friends. I learned to ask for an abundance of love and God’s grace in my life.”
We connected instantly when we met and her pos itive energy draws you in. The last time I travelled in October 2019 we spent a wonderful evening together talking about life; her op timism is contagious. She was scheduled to Speak at INSPIRE YOU 2020 and that she did but virtually be cause of the pandemic. Many people contacted me sharing how powerful her message was. I looked at this pic with her in one of my tops and the wings in the background. I picture her in heaven as an
angel helping others as she did on earth. May her soul rest in peace. This week my state of mind was dif ferent while writing this article because this is close
to my heart. While writing, I learnt about a friend who has six months to live and another who is waiting for her results.
When I think about the
work the Giving Hope Foun dation is doing, extending people’s lives who were diagnosed with breast can.
SEE
NOTHING is what it is until you question it and verify all aspects of its anatomy. The knowledge base of many have risen to the level of survival against the readily acceptance of once ideas that worked in the interest of Con-men and con women. But there are many still in the hopeful wilderness of slick-talking earthly saviours. I did not grow up completely sheltered throughout my life, and I witnessed and was told off incidents by grow mates, workmates and the corner crew about endeavours that they had employed, knew off, and were involved with extracting money from believers through conning.
To put it in perspective, I have written several articles on the decline of ‘semi-literate labour-based employment’ and its effects on how most of our population live. It was hard before, but now it’s worse. Most of the confidence tricksters we grew up in revolved around selling imitation or ‘Canta’ jewellery, especially at ‘whore Houses’ with the support of prostitutes, proposing to sell just snatched gold jewellery. Then there was the burn money posse, who would trick people who have money into feeling that their cash could be multiplied through a process of reproduction called the ‘bun-money’. Many were fleeced by that crew. The mystics were among the most effective of the ‘Boards Men, and Women’. But most from that era have faded away, and people are much wiser, so the usual tricksters who couldn’t evolve are pathetic relics of another day.
I can recall ‘Jubal’, a con man with too many years gone, retelling a group of younger folk, including yours truly, about a scenario that happened to him. In fact, it was a scenario he had used in a con many years ago. I was about to say something when an older presence signalled me to say nothing. It seemed that if you lie consistently long
IN this week’s article, we continue to look at the EPA’s Environmental Guidelines for Poultry Rearing. As was stated in last week’s article, poorly managed poultry rearing operations can result in odour nuisances, water and land pollution and lead to human health con ditions of the skin, eyes, and ears. Waterborne dis eases such as diarrhoea can also be caused by pollut ed water emanating from poultry-rearing facilities. Hence, the relevance of these guidelines.
Diseases can enter a fa cility through new animals, equipment, or people and can weaken or kill birds.
Poultry manure and car casses also contain patho gens that can affect human health. To reduce diseases, the following tips should be considered:
* Store feed properly to prevent wild birds such as sparrows, crows, etc., from interacting with it;
* Quarantine new ani mals before they mix with the existing population;
* Wash and disinfect
equipment, e.g., crates, and clothing, before entering livestock zones;
* Vehicles that go from farm to farm should have special precautions such as limiting their operation to special areas, spraying tires, and treating parking areas with disinfectants;
* Have a veterinarian regularly check the animals for parasites and other dis ease vectors. Any sick birds should be kept away from the healthy ones and systems for the proper removal and disposal of dead birds should
duced through proper animal care and disease prevention, a few birds will inevitably die. In such cases, carcasses need to be properly managed and quickly disposed of to prevent the spread of diseas es and odours and avoid the attraction of organisms that can spread disease.
* Collect carcasses regu larly to prevent decay.
* Carcasses should be buried on property owned by the owner, or at a site approved by the relevant authorities, e.g., NDC.
* The area for burial
clothing such as gloves, long boots, respirator, apron, and other safety gear.
* Disease-free carcasses may be used for animal feed.
Wastewater can be gen erated from cleaning pens and while feeding water to birds. Manage wastewater
by applying the following:
* Prevent overflow of watering devices to reduce spilling of water.
* Install plants that can act as filters to absorb and trap sediments around sur rounding trenches or ponds, e.g., vetiver grass.
* Maintain a good drain age system around the hold
ing house. Drains for rain water should be diverted to avoid contamination of rainwater.
* Treat wastewater be fore releasing it into the environment.
Wastewater can be treat ed in one of the following
be put in place;
* Where possible, es tablish all-in and all-out systems with only one age group farm. On farms with multiple-aged birds, workers should always work with the youngest first before moving on to the older birds. Work ers should be trained on how to apply animal health products; and
* No slaughtering should be done on-site unless ap proved by the Environmental Health Officer of the NDC/ RDC.
should be at least 100 metres away from houses and water resources. The area should be stable, with clay soil and burial should be deep enough to avoid disruption by animals such as dogs, vultures, etc. When burying carcasses, use lime to elim inate odours and assist in making the carcass decom pose faster.
* If carcasses are to be burnt, this should only be done in permitted facilities operating under national and/or international stan dards.
* Persons handling car casses should be properly equipped with protective
ders have since passed away or migrated, however, so the lands and properties were handed down to generations and they are tasked with up-keeping the houses.
The village has many internal streets, shortcuts and dams leading to all sections of the community, which ex tends from the seawall to the back lands area, which were allocated for house lots.
Cornelia Ida is most ly well-kept, but since the Neighbourhood Democrat ic Council (NDC) doesn’t do any garbage collection, some people have resorted to dumping garbage in the ca nals and drains in the village and some even burn their refuse outside their yards.
Most residents have con tracted Puran Waste Disposal to do their weekly garbage collection with bins and bar rels provided and they pay a fee for the service.
There are a lot of Spanish families renting houses in this village. Some are Guy anese who had to return to their homeland to start life
afresh due to the economic crisis in neighbouring Ven ezuela.
Some of the men are em ployed as cane harvesters at the Leonora/Uitvlugt Sugar Estate and others are doing day jobs in and around the other villages.
In some sections of the village, it was observed in ternal streets were being upgraded to all-weather roads and soon the Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) will be installing street lights.
The NDC manages the maintenance of drains and parapets under its Commu nity Infrastructure Improve ment Project (CIIP).
Meanwhile, in Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara, there is the home and busi ness place of Romesa Khan, a 31-year-old mother who has a beauty shop with every little thing to spice up your life in terms of skincare, haircare, makeup, clothing, and bags among other things
She wanted to become
independent and established her beauty shop eight years ago by constructing a neat little building just at the front of her house.
“Growing up, I always wanted to work with myself, so it was a life-long dream because most of my family members have their own businesses,” she said.
Khan told the Pepperpot Magazine that her mother was her biggest motivator, the person who encouraged and supported her through it all and she was very thankful she had the guidance.
The small business has some interesting things and they are sourced right here in Guyana but of good qual ity and the prices are pock et-friendly.
Romesa Beauty Shop is opened every day except for Sundays and Khan is a very patient person who is there to ensure one spends sensibly.
She is originally from Windsor Forest but relo cated to Cornelia Ida 20 years ago making it her home and she seemed very comfortable.
SOME people believe there is hate or dislike for the wealthy, or 1 percent of the world, amongst the middle and lower classes. Many, including said classes, will say that sometimes it’s even a projection of jealou sy or envy. That may be the case in some instances but it isn’t always so. As a social worker and someone who sat through and enjoyed sociology courses, I am included to write on this topic. I want us to look beyond “envy” and “jealousy” when we discuss this topic. It must be nice to have your needs and wants meeting without having to wor ry about budgeting your next paycheck or feeding many mouths from minimum wage salaries. Many in the lower and middle classes probably aren’t envious of your riches. They simply wish life was easier for them. Quite frankly, I’m sure if many societal odds weren’t against them, many of them would be financially stable as well. It isn’t always their (our) fault.
Usually, in capitalism, wealth is unequally shared (in
the eyes of socialists). Money in an Econo my is not infinite. The more you earn and hoard your wealth, the more you take away from the poor. Usu ally, wealthy people also exploit the poor as well to get where they are. Whether it be they exploit them for their labour & pay them poor wages or other more vile ex ploitations—I think you know what I mean by those. I’m not saying all wealthy and rich people are the same. However, these are still factors to consider when we discuss wealth and riches. It allows for a holistic conversation and understanding of the dislike for wealth and money. The dislike for some people (when it isn’t deep-rooted envy) usually stems from the exploitation aspect
of earning such a status.
There are other underlying factors to consider as well. Such as; colonialism. Most of the multi-giant cooperation in the world were built with money/wealth worked for by slaves. Money/wealth is easily the currency for corruption & power imbalances in many social structures. This is some thing that is oddly familiar in our Guyanese culture—need I not say more? Racism, colourism, classism, and many other saddening social issues were deep-rooted in the fight for wealth. The advantageous social group intentionally created these social patterns to basically divide and conquer.
Sadly, this fight will continue long after our time expires on this earth—for many more years to come. I want lower, middle, and even moderate-income citizens to remember that a piece of paper should not determine your value. Your bank statement does not determine your worth. In a compassionate world, we should all be able to equally and rightfully succeed—no matter who we are, what we look like, or where we came from. These are things people don’t forget easily. The dislike for them doesn’t always stem from jealousy. Sometimes it stems from a much deeper, complex, yet hurtful place.
FOR the past few weeks, I have been writing about healthy divorces and co-parenting.
I received an email from a parent who stated only eight words – “my child is spoilt from my divorce, help!” I thought it was quite funny, especially asking for my help as I am not yet a mother. However, what I do know is behaviour and therefore, I know good ways to modify it. I’m going to talk about some qualities that may indicate a child is “spoilt” but it is not an attack on your parenting style on any level. Most of the time, parents do not even realise that they are reinforcing unhealthy behaviours as they not only just want what’s best for their children but they want it immediately.
Characteristics that indicate a “spoilt” child are vast. It can start with occasional whining, going into the often category. It can escalate to throwing fits and tantrums when they do not get their own way or outright disobedience when angry. They may demand without gratitude, hear without listening or may not be kind to others. In more serious cas es, you may feel as though you no longer have control over your child, and therefore give into every need, reinforcing these negative behaviours- just because it’s easier than lis tening to the tantrums.
If you can relate to any of these, take comfort in know ing that you are not the only parent out there who feels this way or does these things.
I did some research on quick ways to spot unruly be haviour and a four-word test came up.
1. NO- how does your child respond to this word? Unruly children usually can’t handle it and it typically worsens their behaviour.
2. ME- is your child self-centred and doesn’t care about any other needs than his/ her own?
3. GIMME- this is when a child may act a little selfish and never satisfied. They want more no matter how much they already have.
4. NOW- does your child have little patience and de mands instant gratification? Unruly children typically can’t wait for the things they want.
If you relate, don’t worry; things can be done and it’s never too late to modify be haviour. Psychology indicates that behaviour modification
is quite effective. It is simply the belief that good behaviour should lead to positive rewards and bad behaviour should lead to negative consequences.
Behaviour Modification encompasses quite a few things such as positive and negative reinforcement as well as pos itive and negative punishment.
Positive reinforcement occurs when you reward a child for good behaviour for the purpose of reinforcing or con tinuing that behaviour. An example of this is giving them a snack after they have cleaned up a mess.
Negative reinforcement occurs when a child is motivated to change his/her behaviour because something unpleasant will be avoided. An example is a child doing what you say to avoid a time-out.
Positive punishment occurs when a consequence is added to deter the child from repeating the behaviour. An example of this is telling a child to write an apology letter to some one they have harmed. Negative punishment occurs when something is taken away. For example, television or outside play time gets taken away for bad behaviour.
One of the most important factors for behaviour modi fication is consistency. Unless the consequence is the same for your child repeating the specific behaviour, it will not be effective. For example, if you always take away play time because of a tantrum, they would be less inclined to have one because they know what punishment is coming.
There are also some behaviours that parents may want to change.
Giving into your child’s every request may seem like the easiest solution, especially if you know there’s going to be a tantrum otherwise. But there needs to be an under standing that that is only going to encourage the behaviour to continue. Also, learning that you will get anything you want by behaving badly teaches a bad life lesson and im prints unrealistic expectations on the child. This can affect all relationships later in life. Doing this also diminishes the opportunity to learn other people’s opinions and points of view as well as logic and reasoning behind decision-making.
Empty threats! There is nothing more dangerous than an empty threat as children catch on quite quickly that there will be no consequence. If you want your word to count for something, deliver whatever punishment you promise.
Empty threats hold no value. For example, you may say they aren’t going to a party or the park if their behaviour is out of line. This is a quick reaction because parents also feel threatened when they are not listened to but you have to follow through with it.
Be consistent with con sequences. Behaviour will only change if kids are cer
tain of the boundaries and their consequences. I know many parents who get upset at certain things and then let it slide the next day. This is really confusing for children. As adult human beings, we definitely have flexible boundaries, espe cially during stressful times, but sharing that with our children is not okay. Clear set boundaries are crucial for behaviour change.
Let them experience dif ficult emotions. As parents, I get that you want to protect your child from any ‘nega tive’ emotion but these are essential for them to learn their personal needs, bound aries and desires in later life. We struggle seeing them upset but know that children effectively learning to deal with difficult emotions is es sential for their development and giving into their every
demand is a disservice.
Sometimes we over indulge and provide them with too many unnecessary material items but this can prevent your child from appreciating what they al ready have. It also raises unrealistic expectations for the future.
Bribing children- many are guilty of this as it makes it easier for the task to get done. However, there are a few problems with this. After the first few times, the stakes must be raised to get more behaviour done which means you’ll have to offer more. But more importantly, this teaches a child that ex
ternal rewards may be more beneficial and rewarding than the internal rewards, such as pride, that come from doing something good or productive.
Finally, focus on the problem, not the child them self. If you call children bad, stupid, rude or anything along those lines, you are labelling them and people tend to live up to their labels. Instead, their behaviour was bad, their tone was rude, their actions were careless, and so on. This teaches them that they can do better rather than feel they already fall into a certain category of people. However, keep in
mind that your children learn to communicate from you. If you lose your temper, you’re teaching them that that is the most effective way to communicate and they only model your own behaviour. Just the same, if you say please and thank you, they will see that as the correct behaviour and may even follow suit. Remember being spoiled is not a gene that is inherited, it is a learned and reinforced behaviour.
Thank you for read ing and please continue to write in to caitlinvieira@ gmail.com and let me know what you would like to talk about.
FROM
ways:
* Sedimentation using settling ponds, e.g., black tanks or constructed lagoons.
* Bio-digesters to treat the sludge and produce bio gas.
* Dewatering of resid uals and using wastewater treatment residuals in com post or as fertiliser.
* Apply chemicals to litter weekly to reduce the
conversion of nitrogen to ammonia.
* Using aluminium sul phate (alum) is recommend ed. Alum can be applied to poultry litter when changed at a rate equivalent to 5-10% of the weight of manure. Where possible, manure can
also be used in compost to reduce odour emissions.
* Collect dust: To pre vent dust emissions, areas where dust will be created, e.g., feed grinding, should have systems in place to
managed carefully to pre vent pollution and health hazards.
* Ensure there are sys tems to keep out pests, e.g., plug holes, seal gaps around doors and windows, use
essary and the impact they have on the environment.
* Choose the pesticide that has the least negative impact.
We advise all poultry op erators to take these Guide lines into consideration. We advise you to visit our office if you are operating without a permit. Additionally, you can find the complete Guide lines on our website: www. epaguyana.org.
collect dust.
* Dirt roads should be wetted frequently to control dust.
* When wire mesh is used for constructing pens, the sides exposed to neigh bouring residences should be blocked to prevent dust from affecting residents.
Managing hazardous waste
Pesticides need to be
traps, barriers, etc. This will help to reduce the number of pesticides needed.
* Control pests by using natural predators.
* Practise good house keeping in pens and oth er facilities to prevent the breeding of pests.
* Improve drainage to control mosquitoes.
* Assess whether or not the use of pesticides is nec
Remember, if you plan to set up or are operating a poultry rearing operation with more than 500 fowls, then you need to apply to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for Environ mental Authorisation.
You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Com munications, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGE TOWN, or email us at: eit. epaguyana@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
THIS year Diwali falls on 24th October. The dates on which Diwali falls dif fer from year to year since Diwali, like all Hindu and Muslim holy days and Eas ter, uses the Lunar calendar. Holidays that fall on specific dates of the year, such as, for example, Christmas or Indian Arrival Day use the solar calendar.
Phagwah and Diwali were celebrated some 5,000 years ago in the Bronze Age and are among the most ancient holy days celebrated in the world. As all ancient holy days progress over the centuries, various traditions, legends,
him to hand over his King dom, the heir apparent was his eldest son Rama Chandra.
Queen Kaiykeye, however, felt her son Bharat should succeed to the throne so she managed to manipulate the old king to send Ram into exile for 14 years. Ram, his wife Sita, and younger brother Lakshman then departed to the deep and distant forests to be in exile.
Bharat was then given the responsibility of ruling the Kingdom. Bharat was the epitome of nobility and integrity and decided that he would govern only in Ram’s name and never sat on the
all houses were illuminated and every street and path were lined with diyas and there was feasting and the exchange of choice sweetmeats. This first Diwali was perpetuated every year.
The next important tradi tion is that of Lakshmi Mata, Mother Lakshmi. Diwali marks the birth of Lakshmi and more importantly, her visitation on Diwali night to homes that are well-cleaned and illuminated, ensuring that devotees would enjoy economic prosperity in the coming year and an increase of knowledge. Many success ful business folks begin their
of The Good over The Evil; the light of knowledge will always overcome the darkness of ignorance; and that economic prosperity and wealth must be respect ed and cultivated and shared as Maha Lakshmi shares gold coins in an unending
flow to the world.
As mentioned above, the celebration of Diwali was confined to the Indian community and was only extended to other commu nities when it was declared a Public Holiday after In dependence. The Minister
of Education immediately before Independence was Mr. Brindley Benn and he appointed a History and Arts Council under the chairman ship of Ms. Lynette Dolphin with Patrick Dial as her dep uty. The History and Arts
SEE PAGE XXIV
and anniversaries become attached to them but these differences in their perceived origins do not negate their authenticity.
Diwali came to Guyana with the Indian Indentured immigrants in the 19th cen tury and its celebration was confined to the Indian com munity. It was only extended to the rest of the country after Independence when it was made a public holiday.
In Guyana, three main traditions are associated with Diwali: The first and most important is the return of Lord Rama from his exile to his Kingdom of Ayodhya; the second is the birth and pres ence of Maha Lakshmi, and the third is the slaying of the demon Naraksura.
King Dasratha, who had ruled the prosperous and happy Kingdom of Ayodhya had three queens and three sons. As the time drew for
throne but placed Ram’s slip pers on it.
While in the forest, the demoness Surpanakha took on the form of the most beau tiful woman and offered to marry Ram, who rejected her. She then went to Laksh man and was so insistent as to attack him; Lakshman cut off her nose. She returned to her brother Ravana, the great demon king of Lanka, who promised to avenge her and destroy Ram, who repre sented the good. He went to Ram’s hut and abducted his wife Sita and took her away to Lanka. Ram was able to raise an army with the help of Hanuman, cross to Lanka, defeat and kill Ravana, rescue Sita, and return to his forest abode. The 14 years of exile was about to end and Ram returned to Ayodhya. The people of Ayodhya rejoiced that their beloved king had re turned and, to welcome him,
accounts on Diwali. The icon of Lakshmi has one of her hands holding a pen, signi fying knowledge and another has a steady flow of gold coins emanating from it, in dicating economic prosperity.
The third popular tradi tion in Guyana is that Diwali celebrates the slaying of the demon Naraksura by Krishna.
In some accounts, it is Saty abhama, the incarnation of Mother Earth who slays him. The dying Naraksura became repentant for his wicked life and requested that his death be celebrated with illumina tions and festivity and this in cident was attributed to be the origin of Diwali. In Guyana, the Naraksura tradition is not strong in contrast to India, es pecially in South India, where it is a pervasive tradition.
Diwali, like all Hindu holy days, always conveys high moral and ethical les sons. It teaches the triumph
FROM PAGE XIII
Listening to the survivors’ stories reminded me of Dr. Good ing’s contribution to our society and the lives she is trans forming.
I recently reflected on how close we were to losing my fashionista Aunt Corin to cancer. We witnessed how God showed up and gave her another chance at life. I often mention how grateful I am for the presence of God in my life because I experienced first-hand his great ness not one in my life but the life of He restored her from the crown of her head to the soul of her feet. I ask him to cleanse my heart and let it be more about him because he deserves the glory. I thank him for his wisdom, and knowledge to navigate these challenging times.
I am thankful that he is a forgiving God because I know I can do better and have failed him many times, but God, I am trying and grateful for the things he is doing for me and through me. I encourage us all to keep trusting him because he is always working behind the scenes and has given us permission to use the currency of the Kingdom, faith. I have invested in that currency more recently and already seeing the return on my investment. Let’s be intentional about our spiritual growth, mental health and well-being as we continue to celebrate the beautiful journey called life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.
FROM PAGE XIV
enough, you can convince yourself about the validity of your own fantasies. This, in the context of reality, is a very dangerous develop ment, a confidence trick ery in a collapsing mental state of throwing self in ‘Boards’ strangled in one’s own web of lies, but this is a human thing and not only reserved to confidence tricksters alone, as I have experienced.
Today is not much dif ferent though the techniques are upgraded. Take, for in stance, this example. Two Sundays past, I received a landline call about quarter to twelve. The caller sound ed quite professional. The guy began by telling me that
I had won second place in a collaboration between GTT & DIGICEL and on behalf of GTT, I had won $175,000 and a refrigerator. He had the landline which is pub lic and he asked me if my mobile was GTT or Digi cel, then he gave me pin# 9198210, reassuring me that from Digicel I would get a phone, but I would have to purchase $8,000 in Digicel cards, as a Digicel support for the phone I was getting. Okay, I thought, we’re get ting there. I assured him that I would have to go out of the area because I couldn’t get the cards in the area, and I’m sounding excited too, so I insisted that he give me a phone number so I could
call him so as soon as I’m back with the sim cards, he can continue to advise me. With exalted confidence, he gave me this number # 227 8381. This is actually a GRA number (I assumed the intention would be me completing the competition by handing over the DI CEL pin numbers to this smooth facilitator and losing $8,000). My cooperation allowed him to provide the false phone number, and in deed he called back minutes before the hour was up. My youngest replied and told him that I’m not going to be back until Wednesday. I had included my youngest because, like us at their age, they pay attention to things
like competitions and most likely have schoolmates in these institutions to provide feedback. Elder folk are too busy trying to tie the bills together, and have long lost any faith in most promotions and competitions for the same economic reasons of where the cash in hand has to go.
I visited the commercial head office on mid-Brick dam, and paid my landline, which was much higher than the amount that showed up on my phone. I then spoke
to the supervisor about the incident. She was not sur prised, but in response to some questions, she suggest ed that I visit the PR people and make recommendations on concerns. Honestly, I’m not going to do that unless a contract is tied to the visit because ‘recommendations on concerns’ are intangible IPR project items.
The reality is we, the private and public work ing class,are looking for avenues out of economic and social problems. This
is the energy brew that the skill of the confidence trickster feeds on. The monetary urgency at the moment plaguing the mind can be vulnerable to ‘the promise of economic sal vation’ and willing to be enthralled into well-pack aged promises. The fellow who called me from ‘wher ever’ has talent, the skill to make it legitimately in the business world, on any legit promo, if he’s so inclined.
FROM PAGE XXI
Council was responsible for many of the activities which the Ministry of Culture now performs. The first proj ect the Council undertook was to reform the holiday structure of the country and
Patrick Dial was appointed to chair the subcommittee to do this. As head of the National Archives, he and his subcommittee produced a Report which recommend ed Ramnaumi, Diwali, and Phagwah as Hindu holidays and Eid-ul-Ahza, Eid-ul-Fitr,
and Youman Nabi as Muslim holidays. Before the Parlia mentary Committee could consider the Report, the PPP government went out of office and was succeeded by the PNC. The PNC govern ment omitted Ramnaumi and Eid-ul-Fitr and the only seri
ous disagreement of the PPP Opposition and the Muslim community had with the PNC was that Eid-ul-Fitr should replace Youman Nabi. The Government did not agree, and the new holiday struc ture was passed into Law by Parliament with bipartisan support. This new holiday structure was an integrative force in society and the orig inal History and Arts Council Report emphasized this.
Diwali celebrations have been improving with each year. It kicked off last Sun day with the Diwali light up by President Irfaan Ali at Rahaman’s Park and its usual programmes of illu mination and decoration of
homes and shops; its Ms. Diwali Queen contests; the exchange of tastefully pre pared food and sweetmeats; Diwali music heard every where; diyas everywhere; fireworks turning the skies into a dreamland of colour and light; noisy squibs and crackers; home pujas and services at the mandirs; children enjoying the fes tivities and atmosphere which will be cherished as
among life’s most joyous experiences; and a center piece of it all the colour ful, artistically illuminated float parade winding its way through the streets and attracting thousands of spectators from all classes, races, and religions. Diwali, like Christmas, has proved itself the most enjoyable, satisfying, and socially in tegrative of Guyanese fes tivals.
FROM PAGE XI
burnt low, that he would come home and call her name, but her Ram had still not found his way. She turned, hugging the pillow beside her and her eyes closed in sleep.
For the next three days, Laxmi dedicated herself to preparations for Diwali, lending her creative skills to her Mandir’s intricate design for the motorcade, a stunning display of colour, glitter, and lights. On the night of the motorcade, the spectacular floats, beautiful beyond words, sent a thrill of pride through her body.
“I wish you were here, Ranbir,” she said quietly, a soft cry in her heart, “It was a night like this when
we met.”
Such was her sadness. She did not go to the cultural show with her friends, just wanting to be alone with her memories and thoughts.
“I wonder what you must be doing right now?”
A sudden thought oc curred to her, that she could go and see him, now and show him the pictures of the floats. She called the doctor who thought it was a good idea and the male nurse let her in, standing by, in the eventuality of the patient’s behaviour becoming ag gressive.
Ranbir was standing in his room, facing the wall, his head bent and calling his name softly. She waited for his response.
A short moment later, he turned, his head still bent and she called his name again. He raised his head slowly, pushing his hand through his thick hair that had grown a bit longer and looked at her with a smile.
A surge of relief filled her heart, thinking he had made further progress in his recov ery but the dull look in his eyes dampened the feeling.
Nevertheless, she showed him the pictures on her phone and for fleeting mo ments, recognition glinted in his eyes. Then he got up and walked back to the wall.
She made to call him but the nurse attendant shook his head slowly and with a sad feeling, she turned to leave.
As she walked out of the
door, she heard him say in a quiet tone, “Laxmi.”
She stopped and inhaled deeply, fighting back the tears and turning to look at him, she saw tears in his eyes. For one helpless moment because of fate’s stumbling block in their way, they stood there look ing at each other, both of them crying.
The earthen lamps were lit on Diwali, illuminating the dark night, when Shree Ram came out of exile, guided by the Goddess of Light, a most beautiful, wondrous sight.
Laxmi lit a diya at her altar, but tonight as she did her pooja, she did not ask of the Gods for a blessing or a miracle. She closed her eyes and spoke instead to her husband, from the depths of her heart.
“I’m waiting for you, Ranbir, to hear your voice, if not today, maybe tomorrow or another day. I may grow old, you may grow old but whatever happens, I will always love you.”
The night wore on, the oil in the diya burning low and her eyes closed in sleep as the light flickered. A short while later, she was awak ened by Ranbir’s voice call ing her, “Laxmi.”
She sat up and looked at the altar, the flame was still burning, but all was silent.
“I must have been dreaming,” she sighed and as she got up from the sofa to go to bed, she heard his voice distinctly calling her name. She ran to the veran dah and saw him standing at the gate, as real as ever, his doctor with him.
“Ranbir!” she cried,
rushing down the stairs, gasping for words, “Are you…? Have you…?”
He put a finger to her lips, the smile on his face reflecting in his eyes and he hugged her, remembering, at last, who the beautiful woman was with the soft voice and sweetest smile, who never gave up on him, his wife
“I miss you, so much.”
Happiness filled her heart and songs seemed to fill the air as she stood there in her husband’s arms, a few diyas around still alight. Her deep devo tion and love had lighted a path for him to find his way out of the dark world, and on this Diwali night, she was reunited with her Ram – the miracle of prayers.
light as airAre to the jealous confirmationsstrong
proofs of holy writ.
Othello
Dear Student, Welcome dear friend. You can find ways to max imise how much you study within allotted times; also, how well you maximise retention of information. Both will boost your per formance on test days. Yes, exam days will become easier and less stressful. Reach forward relentlessly throughout the class from
day one. We cannot help reiterating taking proper notes, learning efficiently within classroom, staying engaged in the information, and studying enough weekly to review what you have learned. Be wise.
Love you.
The business letter of strong appeal
You might be asked to be a credit manager writing a letter of strong appeal to a customer who is lacking on his debt payments. Be guid ed by the examiner’s given scenario. Send the debtor a motivative letter positively worded but firm in its posi tion. Follow the persuasive letter plan we gave you some time back and include the following facets:
a) A general appeal to the customer’s sense of fair play; b) An appeal to fear of losing his credit rating; and c) An appeal to fear of losing his credit privileges.
The following letter il lustrates fully how the ap peal to fear can be carried out in the persuasive letter plan.
If we received an inqui ry concerning your credit, we would like to say, “Of course, Mr. Everton is an excellent charge customer. He always pays his account and, what’s more, he pays on time.” If we receive such an inquiry today, however, we unfortunately would not be able to be so positive.
You have been a good Courtland’s customer, Mr. Everton, and we value your friendship. But we do have a question about your inten tion of settling your current account. Frankly, we cannot imagine what is wrong.
Please help us to help you. Your credit reputation is a valuable asset, and we do not want to see it dam aged. Your credit reputation is in danger, however, unless you send us your payment immediately. The amount is $167,000.
You work for B.G. Elec tronic Networks, a large local retail store that specia lises in the sale and repair of televisions, radios, video games, and microcomput
ers. Johnny Desmond from Springfield Mission, Hull Island, purchased from you a television for $180,000.00. He paid $60,000.00 down and promised to pay the rest in eight monthly instalments of $15,000.00 each. Mr. Desmond paid the first two instalments but has not made any further payments. He is presently two payments ($30,000) behind. You have sent two reminders and a let ter of inquiry. Now write a letter appealing to his sense of fair play. Try to collect the $30,000 past due and remind him about his next payment, which is due late next week.
SETTING The liter ary term for time and place of action in a narrative is ‘setting’. In short stories, novels, poetry and nonfic tion, setting is generally created by description. Yes, descriptive words, phrases, whole sentences, and coined words let the reader get a clear indication of what the thoughts, place, action, or scenario is like. In drama, setting is usually established by stage directions and dia logue.
Setting is of great im portance in establishing not only physical background but also mood or emotional intensity. In turn, the mood contributes to the plot and theme of the narrative, par ticularly the short story of which is our concern here. But if we should look at, for example, how Rooplall Monar, a Guyanese writer, situated his opening para graph of his short story “Deaf Ears”, we will see that he uses the setting to create a mood of cheerlessness:
Baizee was always on the brink of suicide. He couldn’t understand why he was so confused, totally bewildered. Sometimes he saw himself clutching straw, not the self-satisfied, independent life he wanted. He knew somewhere, things had gone wrong in his affairs which showed particularly in his deteriorating health, his need of money, and the trou bled relationship between himself and wife.
Let us hope that a little more understanding comes your way as you re-read this
input and those to come. Read over your recent short story attempts too and form a judgement. Weep not, you will be able to have setting work well for you long be fore your examination next year.
At the heart of descrip tion are the specific details it contains. Here are THREE types of details you can use: ? sensory details: appeal to sight, sound, taste, touch, smell ? factual details: can be measured or checked ? figures of speech: words or phrases that are not meant literally - simile: comparison with like or as - metaphor: direct com parison
- personification: giving human features to something nonhuman Descriptive Details
How gathered: ? Ob serving ? Recalling ? Imagining ? Reading
Ours was the marsh country down by the river, within twenty miles of the sea. My first vivid impres sion of things seems to me to have been gained on a memorable raw afternoon toward evening. At such a time I found out for certain that this bleak place was the churchyard; and that Philip Pirrip, late of this parish, and Georgiana, wife of the above, were dead and bur ied. I knew that the dark flat wilderness beyond was the marshes; and that the low leaden line beyond was the river; and that the distant savage lair from which the wind was rushing was the sea; and that the small bun dle of shivers growing afraid of it all and was beginning to cry was Pip.
1. Give the meanings of the following words: marsh, raw afternoon, churchyard, leaden line, savage lair.
2. “My first vivid im pression of things” – ex plain. Were there impres sions before?
3. The mood created in the passage through descrip tion was -----
(A) happiness (B) be wilderment (C) bleakness (D) loneliness
CONVENTIONAL dentistry has certainly helped a great number of people to enjoy good dental function for many years now because it respects the fact that the mouth is an integrated part of the entire body and that it should always be viewed and treated in this respect. Its primary aim is to resolve a patient’s dental problems while impacting the rest of the body as little as possible.
It is, therefore important for dental patients to know that dental treatment is not without its fair share of adversities. So, even though many patients leave a dental office chewing and looking much better than before they went, some degree of negative impact on the rest of their body may result from their treatment.
The negative medical impact of dentistry can come from any part of a number of sources. Among the most common ones are mercury from amalgam fillings and bac terial toxins from root canal therapy. Commonly known as silver fillings or just amalgam fillings, these fillings should be called mercury fill ings since mercury has been and remains a full 50% of the content of these fillings. Patients must be told that if an old filling is being removed, the filings should be spat out immediately to minimise mercury expo sure. I have ceased using amalgam fillings in my practice for many years.
Unfortunately, dentistry continues to evaluate new dental materials primarily, and sometimes exclusively, by their mechanical characteristics. Insufficient effort is given in trying to evaluate whether a given material will have a long-term adverse effect on the patient. Stainless steel and other materials continue to be used in the mouth even though some studies seem to indicate that they could be implicated with causing cancer.
After all, this has proven to be the case elsewhere in the body.
Root canal-treated teeth are proving to be infected at times, and the toxins that have been isolated from them are often incredibly potent. Although it has not been conclusive, some researchers claim there is a strong reaction between the presence of root canals and the development of cancer and heart disease. The longer canal-treated teeth stay in the body, the more the immune system becomes compromised.
Pockets of gangrene in the jawbone are often found in sites of previous extractions. These toxins are essentially the same as those found in root canals and the product of aerobic mouth bacteria is forced to live in an anaerobic environment. Some dentists still think cavitations do not exist, even though they are extremely common, especially at the sites of wisdom teeth extractions.
Currently, implants continue to be done without bio compatibility testing, and they are often started at extraction sites where cavitations are already developing. Autoimmune diseases seem to be often aggravated or even initiated by implants.
Not enough emphasis is put on how severely the infec tion in the gums of the periodontal disease patient impacts that patient’s long-term health. Heart disease is clearly the result of such disease in many patients.
We recognise that the mouth and its contents can have a huge impact on a patient’s health and the way in which it is approached can either support our health or do the opposite. We have to understand that we function as a whole and, as doctors, we must pay attention to the whole work with other disciplines in order to create continuity for our patients.
