Guyana Chronicle Pepperpot E-Paper 07-05-2023

The Nibbi furniture maker of Upper Bonasika Creek

Dianand Sookdeo (Delano Williams photo)

New storybook by SRCS combines local stories and scientific results

- To spread awareness of Giant Anteaters in the Rupununi

“MAWUUSA and the Giant Anteater -- Experiences, beliefs and research from the South Rupununi, Guyana” is the title of a new storybook produced by the South Rupununi Conservation Society (SRCS) as a means of presenting researched information on Giant Anteaters in a simple and easy-to-understand format that could be distributed to residents of the Rupununi and the rest of Guyana.

The storybook tells the tale of a young girl from Katoonarib village called Mawuusa who wants to learn more about Giant Anteaters in Guyana. The information in the book combines local stories and beliefs with scientific results and conservation activities that were all collected through the SRCS Giant Anteater research and conservation project in the South Rupununi.

The book contains many beautiful illustrations drawn

by local artist Junior Rudolph, born in Masakanari. Its lead author is Erin Earl, who led the Giant Anteater research project and is a member of the IUCN Xenarthran specialist group.

In the coming weeks, the books will be distributed to communities throughout the Rupununi and are intended for children, teenagers, adults and anyone who wants to know more about Giant Anteaters.

“Unfortunately, the books are not for sale; however,

if an organisation, agency or community is interested in receiving copies of the books, they can email srcs.rupununi@gmail.com,” SRCS Programme Coordinator Neal Millar told Pepperpot Magazine a few days ago.

The research activities and publishing of the book were made possible with the support of the Sustainable

Wildlife Management Programme Guyana and the Small Grant Programme Guyana. Soon, Millar said the SRCS hopes to publish storybooks on the other species with which the organisation is working, including the Red Siskin and the Yellow-spotted River Turtle.

Providing some background information on the project, Millar recalled that prior to 2019, there had never been any research conducted on Giant Anteaters in Guyana. Whilst there had been a lot of research conducted in all of the other South American countries where the Giant Anteater could be found, Guyana had no data on the species. As such, it was not known whether the species population was decreasing, increasing or was stable.

The SRCS subsequently conducted two activities. The first of these was a camera- trapping exercise whereby SRCS trained local residents from four Indigenous communities - Katoonarib, Sawariwau, Shulinab and Wariwau -- to set camera traps.

The aim of this exercise was to collect information on the population size of Giant Anteaters in each community, their behaviour, their range and more. After a period of

three months, the camera traps were collected and the data was analysed.

Based on the images provided by the camera traps, SRCS produced multiple findings, including an estimated population of 37 Giant Anteaters in the community of Katoonarib. The figure was calculated by identifying individual anteaters. This can be done as every Giant Anteater is unique as they all have distinct markings.

Another interesting result from the camera traps was that

The book contains beautiful illustrations that were all drawn by local artist Junior Rudolph

Presenting researched information on Giant Anteaters in a simple and easy-to-understand format

Organisations interested in receiving copies of the book can email the SRCS

Leguan youths poised to enter Round Three of ‘Speaker’s Youth Debating Competition’

WHEN the three youngsters from Leguan Island entered Round One of the Speaker’s Regional Youth Debating Competition 2023, they were nervous. Being the first time they were participating in such a competition and one of the youngest teams, they felt somewhat scared and intimidated, especially as their opponents seemed well-seasoned.

So they lost the first round. But having gotten a taste of what it’s like from Round One, the three Leguan Progressive Youth Organisation (PYO) members - Annieza Ally, Shane Hackshaw, and Natalia Rasaul Maraj –picked up the steam and confidence needed to enter Round Two and win.

Having qualified themselves for the ‘nationals’ (Round Three of the Competition), all three individuals spoke about what a “thrilling, unique, and amazing”

everyone, the cheering on the live stream has been loud,

sive Organisation (WPO). “I never participated in debates before, but it is an amazing journey so far,” she told Pepperpot Magazine a few days ago.

She shared that she feels a sense of optimism at the resuscitation of the Leguan PYO where young people can channel their energies positively for self and community development. Upon completing her studies, she has in mind going back to the island to serve the communities there.

“I would like to see a crime-free modernised tourist destination and to see young people more actively involved in positive activities on the island to uplift them as young adults where it can be meaningful to the island,” Ally expressed.

As for 17-year-old Shane from Enterprise Village, he commented that it was a unique experience for him and the team and that even though the first match was rough, they were able to learn from their mistakes and win the next round.

Meanwhile, Speaker of the National Assembly Manzoor Nadir had said that the competition aims to pro-

is to promote the culture of democracy and the work of democratic institutions among people of all ages and

opportunity it is for them to participate in the competition that is usually aired live on the Parliament of Guyana’s Facebook page.

Specifically helpful to the team is the support that it is getting from the people of Leguan. Because the island is small and everyone knows

and this has had a heartening effect on the members of the PYO.

Annieza Ally, 23, of Maryville village, is a thirdyear Public Management student at the University of Guyana and a member of the Leguan’s Women Progres -

“We felt some pressure since we were one of the youngest teams and it was our first time. But the opportunities were not there prior and as young people, we feel a sense of pride representing our island and performing to a level that makes us proud,” Shane said, adding, “I hope that we can inspire other

youngsters to get involved and not feel intimated knowing they are from a small island.”

Natalia, the third participant, also of Enterprise village, offered that it’s been a thrilling experience so far. “To give my best in the debates and to show other young people in Leguan that they too can participate in these activities and benefit in many ways…Leguan residents are extremely supportive and it really motivates me to keep doing my best and make them proud!”

mote the work of the country’s democratic institutions. At its launch in the Chamber of the National Assembly, he had mentioned that the rationale behind these initiatives from the Parliament

across all locations.

Ally, Hackshaw, and Maraj are grateful for the support and mentorship of Fajina Khan and Carmilita Ali-Jamieson.

Leguan PYO members, L-R: Annieza Ally, Shane Hackshaw and Natalia Rasaul Maraj

Natalia Rasaul Maraj is doing her best to make her island people proud

17-year-old Shane Hackshaw

Annieza Ally wants to see Leguan as a crime-free modernised tourist destination

Laughter is life for Kirk ‘Chow Pow’ Jardine

‘CHOW POW’ is a popular name in Guyana especially among the comedy and drama-loving audiences.

Having brought laughs and entertainment to the Guyanese public for several years, the Pepperpot Magazine sat down with this great actor to talk about his life and career.

“I actually stumbled into acting; it was never a passion of mine. I acted in school and church plays at Christmas and Easter time but never went beyond there,” Chow Pow, whose real name is Kirk Jardine, said. “I was more into sports, mainly basketball and hockey. I am a school dropout, however, I loved going to the movies and loved music. My career in entertainment started with music. [I enjoyed music from the likes of] Bob Marley, Michael Jackson Prince, Third World, Steel Pulse, Earth Wind and Fire, Kool and The Gang Years.”

Jardine’s love for music led him to work in the local industry, having worked at Mohamed’s Record Bar, Majestic, and serving as a DJ for several clubs and events.

When it came to act -

ing, Jardine said this came naturally. “I never attended workshops, seminars, drama classes - nothing. I was trained on the spot by the best actors, actresses and directors that Guyana has to offer. The acting assisted in characterisation that is a big asset to standup comedy,” he said. He recalled that his journey has been one of a blessing. “I thank my creator for allowing me to walk that avenue. I call it ‘rags to riches’.

If you count my money, you would say ‘Pow poor’. If you could count my blessings ... you would still be counting,” he said.

The actor and comedian recalled that his style of comedy is hardcore - Def Jam style to be specific. “It could be categorised as dirty and offensive. As a matter of fact, I have been ridiculed for jokes that I told,” he admitted. “I once had to prove to a promoter that I can do one

hour without one bad word or adult joke. That was one of my best nights on stage anywhere in Guyana.”

Jardine revealed that he never really had a role model in terms of sports and drama. While he admits that he liked some actors and sports personalities, he has never taken on anyone as a role model.

He revealed that he likes comedy, and as a result he would watch a lot of Jerry Lewis, Carry on Camping and the rest. Bill Cosby, Richard Pryor, Charlton Heston, Clint Eastwood, AL Pacino, Dustin Holfman, Steve McQueen, Sammy Davis, Redd Fox and Eddie Murphy are some of the comedians he enjoys. “I never even one day thought I would have been on stage or in a movie,” he noted.

He explained that he loves all forms of art, but that stand-up is special. “I break barriers within myself through standup. It comes from the heart. The laughter is my reward,” Jardine expressed.

Although his life can often times be busy, Jardine said that that is not always the case, but he is taking

time to appreciate other things. “Of late, I have not been attracting attention of the promoters nor companies, so things have been quiet in my corner,” he said. “It’s good to see the new talent and I am in support of them all. I think people will ask, ‘Chow Pow where are you?’ because they are not seeing me on stage. Well I can’t hire myself so I have to wait until the opportunity presents itself. I am always in the ready.”

In the meantime, Jardine is involved in the production and script writing for the fourth season of the local show ‘Days Like Dese’ which he is part of.

“The hat I wear as an entertainer, caregiver, transportation provider and social media commentor is a very broad one. It has given me a platform to be of good service to many. I was once active in community service. Some mistook me for being a politician. I guess now they know different. I am a people’s person who appreciates good deeds and strive to give my two cents.”

Jardine believes that the

future of the entertainment industry is in the hands of those who are entrusted with it. “I can only contribute to its development if I am included in the process. The writers, directors, radio stations, TV stations, producers and promoters all have contact with me. They call from time to time but fortunately or unfortunately, I was not available or the price was too low,” he explained.

Jardine also took a moment to recall one of his outstanding performances: “My last outing was at Uncensored December 28. It was my return to the big stage in Guyana after ‘nuff’ years. I had a great time. I was introduced at 11:50 pm and my thoughts at that time was, these people are oversaturated; they might walk out as they know it’s the last act. Wrong. Those people remained in their seats and took in every bit of the performance. It was fantastic.”

The bountiful community of Bonasika Creek, Essequibo River

LAST week the Pepperpot Magazine visited the riverine community of Mole Island and Bonasika Creek, a tributary of the Essequibo River located in Region Three (West Demerara-Essequibo Islands).

Bonasika Creek is divided into two sections, Lower and Upper, and it is a branch in the Essequibo River which has 365 islands, some uninhabited, with the largest being Hogg Island.

The creek is a cold blackwater creek running along both banks where there are dwelling houses occupied by residents, some of whom have lived all their lives in that riverine community.

The main economic ac-

tivities of the people include farming and fishing.

Lower and Upper Bonasika Creek have two multigrade schools housing both nursery and primary and two health centres with a police outpost.

In Upper Bonasika Creek is the 10-door koker and the major attraction is the 5-door koker and savannah area used for sightseeing, picnics and fishing.

The population of Bonasika is about 2000, which consists of Indo, Afro and Amerindians whose only source of income depends heavily on farming.

All the lands in this riverine community are privatelyowned and it is utilised for

vine crops, citrus, ground provisions and cash crops.

Bonasika is a major food-producing community and the produce would go to either Hubu Koker or Parika Stelling to be sold to wholesalers and huskers.

In Bonasika, it is a traditional lifestyle which is very basic and simple and it entails hard manual labour by the locals, most of who toil the land to earn.

Rainwater is stored for consumption and cooking, while creek water is used for chores and bathing.

The people of Bonasika are very hospitable, friendly and welcoming and do not have any delays in inviting you to their homes where

freshly picked fruits, water coconuts, hot-off-the-fire foods and cold fruit juices await you with the creek in the background and it is a very calming and tranquil sight.

Being an isolated community where the only mode

of transportation is via boats the youths do not have a lot of job opportunities and because of poverty a lot of the secondary school students drop-out.

Taking this into consideration, the locals report that there is an urgent need

for a resource building or a multi-purpose centre for the community where youths can benefit from skills training to become gainfully employed or self-employed.

Locals are willing to do-

SEE PAGE XI

Dwelling houses and other scenes of Bonasika Creek, Essequibo River.

Life in Bonasika Creek

Navigating the ups and downs

By Michel Outridge

ANUDAI Lochan is a teacher attached to the Lower Bonasika Nursery/Primary School and she has a vested interest in moulding the minds of the young as a form of preparation for the world of work.

The 32-year-old stated that she has been in the noble teaching profession since age 16 and has always liked nurturing children.

She explained that she is passionate about teaching and she doesn’t mind the commute via boat five days per week.

Lochan, better known as Miss Annie, reported that she went to Leonora Secondary School because there is no secondary school in Bonasika Creek.

But the creek has always been her home. She lives comfortably in a house in the same yard with her in-laws which overlooks the creek -- quite a lovely view.

Lower Bonasika Creek School is a multi-grade school and she assists in both nursery and primary teaching.

They have 68 learners with only five teachers; the head teacher is from Zeelugt, East Bank Essequibo.

They have no internet at the school, but they have four 65-inch televisions with access to the learning channel programmes and discs are

used to promote learning.

Lochan related that they will be hosting a fundraiser to install internet at the school from a private internet provider.

The mother of two stated that she likes the quietness of the creek and teaching despite the challenges; it is her way of giving back to the community.

The farmers

Rampattie Sanicharia and her husband, Dinesh Ram -

lakhan have a simple way of life which includes farming and making pointer brooms and they reside in Lower

yields leave much to be desired for the past two years and the coconut trees are dying rapidly from an unknown disease plaguing the farm. He added that he has 18 months, three years and five years of coconuts and a lot of trees are rotting away, and they are trying newer drugs

to reduce the spread of both bugs and disease.

Ramlakhan stated that he would sell the produce to wholesale buyers at Hubu Koker whenever he has a good harvest.

He related that they have been unable to make a good

reaping for the past year since most of the cultivation is perishing. As a result, they haven’t made any profit.

In addition to the mysterious disease that is overwhelming the farm, they

The 33-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that together they have crops of coconuts and citrus.

Dinesh Ramlakhan explained that after the flood which destroyed his crops,

Bonasika Creek, Essequibo River.

Rampattie Sanicharia and her husband, Dinesh Ramlakhan (Delano Williams photos)

Omar Hussain

Aundai Lochan, the teacher

Ramkumar Singh

The vegetation that is dumped in the drainage leading to Ramkumar Singh’s farm, blocking access

The Nibbi furniture maker of Upper Bonasika Creek

DIANAND Sookdeo is a Nibbi furniture maker who mastered the skill over time. His talent is also his only source of income as a resident of Upper Bonasika Creek, Essequibo River.

The 54-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that his journey of Nibbi furniture-making started 10 years ago. He had a friend who was gifted in that trade and he learned a few things from him and over time, he began observing the art and he became intrigued and decided it was what he wanted to do.

It took some time before he could master the art of plaiting Nibbi to make rocking chairs, settees and tables.

The father of five reported that the Amerindians are gifted in this art and it is not an easy skill to harness, but he managed to do so over time and today, he is earning from it.

Sookdeo would make Nibbi furniture based on orders received and it would take a few days to deliver the final product via his speedboat to the Hubu Koker or Parika.

He explained that he would have to go and source the Nibbi, a hemi-epiphytic plant from the Manaka River or Goat Creek, Essequibo River, in his boat and that takes time then he would have to air dry it before using it to make furniture.

It is said that nibbi attaches itself to trees, but are rooted in the ground by aerial roots. The long, straight free-hanging roots are considered suitable for weaving, making it flexible for making long-lasting furniture.

Since the roots of nibbi can be collected without killing the plant, it is considered to have great potential as a non-timber forest product, which can be sustainably utilised.

After harvesting, new roots take about five years

to grow back to the soil. After collection, the “rope” is immersed in water to keep it bendable until use.

Once ready to be used, the outer bark is peeled off and the root is slit into long strips. Roots are harvested domestically and used for weaving baskets, tying thatches on roofs and making furniture.

Nibbi is one of the raw materials (along with Kufa, Clusia spp) necessary for producing the attractive wicker-type nibbi furniture, which supports a small but profitable furniture industry in Guyana and likewise,

would get help from his wife, Savita Ramkarran, to assist him whenever he has a large order of more than one piece of furniture.

The Upper Bonasika resident stated that he would try his best to give the customer what they desire in terms of design, style and pattern and it takes days to produce the final product.

The grandfather of five said he is glad to have such an extraordinary talent he can utilise to make his family comfortable.

“I am pleased that I don’t have to buy much materials to make nib bi furniture because it is made out of vines found in

He explained that he was a farmer and after losing his entire cultivation during the flood, he cannot financially re-plant and is seeking to restart, but after he has saved enough money to do so.

He used to cultivate ground provisions and with a low-interest loan he will be able to start a crop on his farmlands.

Sookdeo added that in his spare time, he would go to the savannah area by the fivedoor koker at the edge of the village to catch sweet-water

fishes which he would sell.

“To earn honestly there is no shame in doing things like catching fish, making

nibbi furniture or being a farmer because when you are hungry no one will feed you,” he said.

crafted from scratch.

Sookdeo told the Pepperpot Magazine that he would also have to source the Kufa vine to make his nibbi furniture, which is often in the same location.

He related that Kufa takes a week to air dry and nibbi furniture making is a long, complicated process that takes time, precision, and a high level of skill.

Sookdeo added that he

the natural environment and the hardest part is the actual making of nibbi furniture, which is precise and requires skills and talent,” he said.

Sookdeo told the Pepperpot Magazine that he moved from Crane, West Coast Demerara to Bonasika Creek, Essequibo River, when he was four years old with his family and has been residing there ever since.

The Nibbi furniture maker, Dianand Sookdeo (Delano Williams photos)

The Nibbi rocking chair

Volunteerism is alive and well in Bonasika Creek

By Michel Outridge

BISHNU Lochan is a resident of Lower Bonasika Creek, Essequibo River and he is a member of the Community Policing Group (CPG) and the Neighbourhood Police, who is attached to the Bo-

nasika Police Outpost on a full-time basis and also a farmer, who is active in community-based development projects.

He has been living at the location for the past 66 years since he moved with his parents from their home village of Ocean View, Uitvlugt

West Coast Demerara and they relocated to the High Level Canal area.

Lochan is well-known and well-respected among his peers and all the locals, who would often turn to him for advice and support, and he is always available to lend a helping hand.

With his personal mantra, “It is more blessed to give than receive,” he doesn’t hesitate to assist people in whatever way possible.

He is very active in all community-based initiatives and often goes beyond the call of duty and is also a volunteer with the CPG, doing patrols at night.

Lochan grew up as a boy in Bonasika Creek and made it his home after a cousin offered him a plot of land. He then made it his home after he got married and started a family.

The farmer explained that he grew up working alongside his father on their farm, something he adopted as a young man and comes from a family of four brothers and three sisters.

He, however, migrated to Suriname to work and he was doing just that for two and a half years until he got a message that his father was ill and he was needed back home.

Lochan returned to Guyana, learnt of his father’s death, and had to stay to upkeep the farm and take care of his mother and siblings.

Lochan added that when he used to live in the High-Level Canal whenever the tide was low it was difficult to get out; as such, his cousin offered him a piece of land in Bonasika Creek and he relocated there after building a house.

Back in those days, Lochan remembered paddling his little boat full of produce to take to the Parika market to sell and things were much slower, yet simpler than they are today.

He recalled that life was hard, money was little, and when they lost a crop to wild animals, it was frustrating to recover from the loss. He had to go and work with other farmers to earn.

Lochan reported that there has been much development in the river-

ine community over the years.

He is very pleased about it because Bonasika is a major food-producing community. To sustain their farms and livelihoods, drainage and irrigation is being boosted significantly in the community.

The father of two told the Pepperpot Magazine that the land in front of his home is eroding rapidly and soon, his house may end up in the creek if sea defence work isn’t done.

The local related that the CPG doesn’t have a boat and engine to do patrols and it is up to them to use their personal boats to assist in volunteer work for the community.

“We have to put our hands into our own pockets all the time to buy fuel to do patrols and other community-based work and it is time we get the resources to function effectively as a CPG,” he said.

8898 – Bishnu Lochan (Delano Williams photos)

Bonasika Creek shade house to enhance farming and productivity with newer crops

By Michel Outridge

FORTY-five-year-old told Latchman Mangal is a cash crop and citrus farmer who would sell his produce in the community and also at Hubu Koker.

Mangal explained that he came to live in Lower Bonasika Creek with his parents when he was just one year old and the family used to reside in Wales, West Bank Demerara.

The farmer added that he grew up in the riverine community and became a farmer because he didn’t want to work with people, so he is utilising his land to farm and earn.

Mangal reported that at times when the harvest

is plentiful and he needs an extra pair of hands, he would employ a worker since it is a 10-acre plot of cultivation, but mostly he would handle the farming himself.

He pointed out that his father was also a farmer and that’s the only thing he knows to do to earn, but he passed away 28 years ago while his mother is still alive and is 75 years old, and she is living with him.

Mangal reported that as a farmer whose livelihood depends on farming,he is often devastated whenever wild animals destroy his crops.

The farmer has since petitioned for a licensed firearm but has had no response from the authorities to date.

“In terms of thieves coming here to rob you, it is safe. This is a creek and a lot of people who don’t live around here don’t come, but we do have a few ‘bad apples’ among us, who engage in some unsavoury things to disturb our peace of mind,” he said.

The resident of Lower Bonasika pointed out that villagers would consume alcohol all night and paddle in small boats via the creek.

He reported that it is a dangerous thing because if they have an emergency, they will not be able to use the waterway to get out without encountering disaster due to the absence of light.

Another issue highlighted is the wanton dumping of

waste woods by sawmillers into the Essequibo River, which ends up in the creek and obstructs the boat’s engines and can cause the boats to capsize, a threat to lives and limbs.

The farmer related that there is also a need for the Police Outpost to be upgraded since it is in a state of disrepair and unfit for the accommodation of ranks stationed there.

The local of Bonasika also raised his concerns about shop owners and other people dumping refuse into the creek, an environmental hazard.

Bonasika Farmer’s Group

Mangal is the Vice Chairman of the Bonasika Farm-

er’s Group, which has about 130 members and that body was recently registered even though it was established in 2021.

He reported that following their registration as a group they have seen a vast decrease in membership and only about 12 members remain.

Mangal told the Pepperpot Magazine that their last meeting was held on April 26, 2023, and their immediate need to promote farming are two double-drive tractors to prepare the lands for crops and two excavators for land clearing.

He stated that about a year ago they were gifted a shade house to develop newer crops from NAREI;however, he hasn’t been getting the support from local farm-

ers to enhance the shade house.

Mangal disclosed that he and two other farmers will be embarking on a project soon and will be trying crops of ginger and celery first.

To enroll as a member of the group, a fee of $2,000 must be paid in full and there is a monthly subscription of $500 and once the shade house takes off, the group will receive a percentage of the profit.

“I am very grateful for the assistance from government via their cash grants following the flood and it was useful to help us get back on our feet to re-group and re-plant our crops since we lost our entire crops to floodwaters,” he said.

Latchman Mangal (Delano Williams photos)

New storybook by SRCS combines ...

FROM PAGE II

Giant Anteaters were often seen climbing trees. “This behaviour had never really

been observed throughout the rest of South America, so it was very interesting to see it occurring frequently in Guyana,” Millar shared.

The second activity conducted was completing household surveys in the four communities. The rangers were trained to go to

In the coming weeks, the books will be distributed to communities throughout the Rupununi

households and to ask residents of the communities a series of questions.

All of the results from

the activities have been used to develop conservation management activities for the species in

the four communities, including the creation of Giant Anteater Community Conservation Zones.

“Mawuusa and the Giant Anteater - Experiences, beliefs and research from the South Rupununi, Guyana” is the title of the new storybook (SRCS photos)

The bountiful community of ....

nate plots of land for the resource centre and a recreational park since there are no such facilities in that part of the country and they have to commute via boats to the closest central point in Parika.

Life is certainly not a ‘a walk in the park’ for these people, who often endure a lot of hardships on their farms, which are flooded, and invaded by wild animals, diseasesand pests.

Bonasika Creek is a major agriculture community. The current administration recognised the need to boost and upgrade the drainage and irrigation network to ensure maximum food production and reduce flooding incidents by digging canals on individual farms.

The Ministry of Agriculture, in partnership with the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI)

Mole Island

It is located in the creek, a tributary opposite Lower Bonasika and it was said to be built during the Dutch rule as the place where the men stayed to construct a bond to erect a 10-door koker.

Back then, it had a dam connected to the High-Level Canal to Parika and the Dutch drove and walked until manual labour was used with shovels to dig a canal separating both

sides of Bonasika from Mole Island.

Mole Island is a man-made island built by the Dutch and after that 10-door koker began to undermine rapidly and it was condemned and a five-door koker was constructed to reduce flooding and boost the drainage and irrigation network.

Today, the 5-door koker is still in operation and it is the major attraction for both locals and visitors, who would fish and have a picnic at the area which is backgrounded by a vast savannah.

is lending support to the farmers and they have been gifted fertilisers, drugs and seeds to re-plant since the las flood.

The locals have benefitted from the government’s cash grant of $100,000 per farmer and the $25,000 per household grant as well.

The people of Bonasika Creek are very thankful for the government’s intervention during their time of need and is willing to work with both the public and private sector to maximise food security and production.

Bonasika Creek is a community that goes on for miles and it is about 10 to 15 miles from Parika, East Bank Essequibo.

Locals traversing in the creek (Delano Williams photos)

Fishing in the Essequibo River

The makeshift cellphone station to make and receive calls due to poor signal at Bonasika Creek

THE CONVENTION ON BIODIVERSITY

BIODIVERSITY refers to the variety of species on earth at all trophic levels, from genes to ecosystems, and includes the ecological, evolutionary, and cultural processes that continue to support life. It includes the animals, plants and microorganisms that work together in a complex web to maintain balance within ecosystems to ensure the continuation of life on earth.

Ecosystems are responsible for cleaning air and water, providing medicine and food. As such, healthy communities rely on well-functioning ecosystems and well-functioning ecosystems are dependent on maintaining their biological diversity. However, in recent years, global biodiversity loss has been occurring at an anomalous rate.

This crisis is occurring under the radar and has the potential to endanger our food and water supply as well as our air quality and the existence of invaluable genetically diverse species and their contribution to medicine and other fields of science. For instance, we can turn our attention to the Amazon Rainforest which is home to over a quarter of the world’s terrestrial species and is directly responsible for the control of the climate in the southern hemisphere.

Biodiversity loss in the Amazon will affect the water cycle, resulting in a calamitous “die-back” of the forest that might convert large portions of the rainforest into savannahs, resulting in even more biodiversity loss. In addition, we risk the discovery of new species and the loss of the potential benefits that species could provide to our continued survival on earth. Recognising this, several environmental conventions have been negotiated with the intention of protecting species diversity and their habitats.

What is Convention on Biological Diversity?

Multilateral Environmental Agreements, popularly known as MEAs, are legally binding treaties by governments to address or mitigate environmental issues experienced globally, in this case, the loss of biodiversity. These agreements are no easy feat since they take considerable efforts and extended negotiations for sovereign nations with variegated interests to commit to environmental actions that can potentially alter their economic and social development. It is recognised, however, that countries dependent on the same ecosystems cannot make unilateral decisions regarding environmental management as the earth’s biological resources are finite,

complexly connected and crucial for economic and social development. As such, environmental conventions are important because they support worldwide co-operation to address environmental challenges by bringing them to public attention. They offer a framework for nations to co-operate in promoting sustainable development and environmental protection. These conventions frequently set benchmarks and rules that nations must adhere to, assisting in ensuring that everyone is striving toward the same objectives.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is a global agreement that aims to conserve and sustainably use the world’s biodiversity.

Adopted at the Rio Earth Summit in 1992, the CBD

A reflection on the past few weeks

IT is frightening the fast pace at which this year is going. My original plan for the second quarter was to be out of Guyana for Easter because of a project I am working on. Events were already in the planning stages in Capetown and Durban, but somehow, at the beginning of February, I started feeling the urge to be in my hometown for Easter, so I advised to have the events later this year. I

other things that were necessary for the next few days and I surprisingly enjoyed it because it is not one of my favourite things to do.

Sunday morning I was anxiously awaiting fish broth at Upper Level which is one of my favourite restaurants on the beach. I had my phone in the same pocket as my money and my money fell on the sand when I took the phone out. A guy I had not seen in years tapped me on the shoulder, telling me my money was on the sand. I hugged him, telling him it feels good to know that my hometown still feels like a family looking out for each other.

After having breakfast, I felt a compelling urge to go into the water with my clothing. I decided it would be unfair to get into a taxi with wet clothing then I saw Brian with his bike. After immersing myself in the water, I requested a drop home, and he said “no problem “.These little things reminded me that Bartica still possesses the elements I experienced as a child. After getting home from the beach I heard the worship from the LightHouse Assembly and got dressed in 10 minutes and was in church in less than three minutes because it is a stone’s throw away from my house.

When I looked at the pic with my handsome nephew and I in church, I realised it was another day without drawing on my eyebrows. Interacting with Pastor Rita and other members of the congregation is always special. Almost everyone was asking when my mom was coming back to Bartica because they missed her. My mom is so kind-hearted and caring and I am not surprised so many people long to be in her presence. My beautiful mom is still grieving for my brother and dad, who died 11 months ago and she never went back after the funeral. We all grieve in different ways and maybe it is easier for her not to be in the environment that reminds her of them.

After church, I went to the regatta which is a place I always meet my former students, family and friends. I did not think that the grass track would have been so exciting and I was intrigued by the performance of a rider from Georgetown. I believe he can go international with the right sponsorship, and I am optimistic his dream will become a reality. I passed briefly at the hat show at the bandstand on the beach.

SEE PAGE XVII

I was super excited to chat with my favourite li -

am happy that I stayed because it was one of my best Easter weekends.

The positive energy started from Parika on Good Friday with a wonderful greeting from familiar faces (like Gary Jordan, who sometimes refuses to take payment from me for the ride to Bartica) and some I have not seen in a while. My buddy Natasha joined me on this trip to experience Easter week and have her creative jewellery collection on show. Being met by the welcome team at the Bartica stelling with the wonderful steel pan music in the background set the

momentum for a wonderful regatta weekend.

While at the stall a young man noticed that my sneakers’ lace was untied and he willingly volunteered to tie my lace. We went shopping for some swimsuits, sunscreen and the

The Arts and their narrative have never been a challenge of mere simplicity

DEFINING the Arts in all their expressions, from its earliest recorded ages, have always transferred as storytelling records that allow us an insight into facts of life in that time. To belief and symbolic perceptions of its distinct age, some will remain a mystery, subject to our current imaginations, as have aspects of the Sahara rock drawings to the possibility of Alien visitors, etc. Throughout our recorded existence, whether with poetic heroic narratives, religious mythopoeia, love songs, poetry, ballad, or largerthan-life graphics on temple walls or columns, for those who have inherited those visuals and prose, we can choose to either empathise with or pity the humanity of that age, when we combine and interpret a time projection of their challenges, Guyana and its Arts are no different.

This article was prompted by an article published in Kaieteur news on April 9, 2023, titled “Art is much more than a reflection of reality” under the pseudonym of ‘Peeping Tom’. I honestly despise pseudonyms for hiding while at times casting

clueless and venomous opinions. That article, however, painted a picture of one who has insights into the arts but has not relied on this talent exclusively to survive.

I think that artists should source it, even as I invite this person to come forward as a real person, thus, the narrative of the first paragraph. Every artist has a significant role to play, the portrait painter for this first reference. I designed the backdrops for the Spectrum Night club at Tower Hotel at the request of the late, then-owner Richard Humphrey. I composed the backdrop screens, but when the top musician portraits were to be done, I called in my buddy ‘Ward’, an expert portrait painter to do his thing and we got paid because the ideal then is in the client’s satisfaction.

Secondly, in the initial teenage era of walking and selling paintings, while then employed at GRB,

I wasn’t doing well until it was explained by Nunes and other peddling artists about the category of paintings that sold that were deemed ‘Co-op Bank paintings’. These were primarily interior river scenes with taunting sunsets or sunrises. “These accountants at the bank, can’t appreciate far out ideas banna, deh want a familiar interior landscape, cause de farest deh ever guh, is to the airport.” That was the concept that defined that landscape and artists have earned to live.

I can remember when I designed a graphic novel on the impact of drugs in underprivileged areas, with art to accompany the script, and photographs. I couldn’t get it published, no ads, not even from the people at the Ministry of Education. UNICEF was interested but got no cooperation. This was the mid-early 1990s. I gave a friend, a former joint service officer who worked at the US embassy, to explore publishing help from the embassy. My friend called me about a week later and said that his boss said that he didn’t know that there were people in Guyana who saw things that way. However, he didn’t help. But my friend’s boss did become very ‘infamous’ on his Guyana tour of duty. It is well understood that art is supposed to propose deeper conversations, but with whom, about what, and at what cost? Nevertheless, some of us will pursue that philosophical passion, but an observer must carefully explore before such an analytical view can be shelved to posterity with honesty.

The ‘incognito pen’ then described the theatre as “The new label is popular theatre, where the audience goes to and does laugh at even tragedy.

I AM SOOMARIA AN

A YOUNG girl from the dusty village of Fathaha, south of Uttar Pradesh. In the unwanted embrace of poverty, dried tears on a face with a speck of hope in the brown eyes, bare feet kissed numb by the dry dirt, and ragged clothes on a body that craved warmth.

I sometimes looked up at the sky when tormented by the hunger pains and asked, “Why dear Bhagwan? Why this suffering?”

I always asked questions when it was dark and quiet, so God could hear my weak voice, but there were no answers. I did not give up hope, though, knowing he would

which time my Nana died. He had become sick but my father did not have enough money to buy his medicine. I watched my father carry that guilt with him which was so sad, and I wondered about my wish.

Then in the fourth month, something happened.

Strange white men came to our village.

They had been sailing to different ports searching for labourers to work in a rich, far-off land. After listening to their offers, many desperate men, some with their families, took the offer with the understanding that at the end of their contracts, they

leaving to follow a dream that in our eyes was painted in brilliant colours. But the shocking reality during that long journey splashed shades of grey on that painting.

The cramped ship, the inhuman conditions, and the disdain on the white men’s faces as poor souls who died during the journey were tossed into the sea.

After countless days and nights, the ship landed, I later learned, in a small South American country – British Guiana. My barefoot touched soft, green grass, the cool breeze blowing in from the river cooling my face, and for the first time, I felt I could

h ear me one day. I lived with that thought so even in the day, when a dry leaf falls from a tree whilst I am walking by, I would look up at the sky and ask, “Did you say something?”

So anxious I was for an answer to prayers, that could lift the burden of poverty so we could have enough food and comforts to smile with life.

One night I saw a shooting star and I jumped up almost, knocking over my little brother to make a wish, and I waited.

Days turned into weeks and weeks into months by

could return home with their earnings.

My father took me and my mother along with him for he did not want to travel so far away and leave us home alone. My little brother was left with aunts and uncles who hadn’t quite decided to go on the journey.

“We will be back as soon as we finish our contract,” he promised, “Take good care of yourselves and my son.”

Just before boarding the ship, I picked up a piece of dried dirt and put it in my pocket so the motherland could stay close to me until I returned. It was not easy

smile a little.

“How good would life be here?” I wondered.

My thoughts went to the families awaiting our return with hope, but as we were allocated to different plantations, I realised it had been a deception.

A one-room hut, harsh working conditions on the sugar cane fields, and the cruel whip that tore the skin on the backs of men were a far cry from a good life. The dreams we came searching for we had to toil to find until it was time to return home.

Achieving global goals in Guyana

LAST week, two important national events were held. The first was a stakeholder consultation on Guyana’s

second voluntary national review of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); the second was the sod-turning of a new regional hospital at Bath, West Coast Berbice.

The SDGs are global goals, organised thematically, that outline what countries hope to achieve by 2030. Achieving these goals means that we would’ve surmounted various challenges the planet and people face. The UN says, “[The SDGs] are a call to action to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy health, justice, and prosperity.” And Guyana is one of the many countries pursuing these ambitious global goals.

At the voluntary meeting held last week, several government officials and stakeholders posited that Guyana is inching towards achieving the targets set out in these goals even though the country, like most others, faced enormous challenges during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their statements aren’t unexpected or unfounded. There is incremental progress in transitioning to more renewable energy sources and better-quality water. There is a growing focus on improving access to education and healthcare. And it has been argued that macro plans are meant to help reduce poverty and improve people’s quality of life.

For the government especially, constant improvement is a pursuit that seems to be a no-brainer. So, yes, I think it’s fair to accept that we are inching towards achieving the SDGs though I will hasten to acknowledge that much more work needs to be done to cater to society’s most vulnerable.

Hours after that meeting, Guyana’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, and Health Minister Dr. Frank Anthony were among those attending the sod-turning ceremony for the new $6.6 billion hospital at Bath. Five other regional hospitals — all replete with modern facilities and services that are not currently provided in the regions— are being constructed at an overall cost of $40 billion. Altogether, it is believed that these facilities and the persons being trained to work there will provide much-needed services to residents of the areas and regions.

This second event, I believe, offers an example of how Guyana is attempting to achieve its global goals. Or, it shows some of what is being done to help the country inch towards meeting its SDG targets (in this case, it directly focuses on Goal #3: Ensuring good health and well-being for all).

I say this because, at the sod-turning event, the Health Minister did not hesitate to admit that specialised health services are unavailable in the region. As such, people in dire need often have to travel to the capital city of Georgetown for those services. Simply put, if a resident is involved in a horrible, life-threatening accident, life-saving procedures may be done in ‘town’. The new regional hospital, however, eliminates the need to take persons to Georgetown for specialised medical services. It means that more people can benefit from where they are. Of course, the construction of a new hospital does more than decentralise medical services; it also provides jobs and helps people earn to provide for themselves and their families. And more hospitals or health centres in regions and communities, ideally, can help encourage people to be more health-conscious (for example, eating better or seeking regular checkups) as opposed to these facilities only being accessed for emergency or critical care.

The construction of new schools or roads, like the hospital, aren’t standalone developments. And they aren’t developed with a single benefit. I think we can agree that our society demands more social safety nets for the vulnerable and a more equitable distribution of wealth, but I also believe that we can agree that much-needed investments are also helpful in improving people’s lives. At least, I certainly hope so.

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

A reflection on the past...

Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect And more often wear a smile, Remembering this special dash Might only last a little while So, when your eulogy is being read With your life’s actions to rehash... Would you be proud of the things they say About how you spent your dash?

I encourage everyone to ponder on the last question as we celebrate this beautiful journey called life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.

brarian from Bartica Secondary School Mrs. Jane Daniels. We have not seen each other in years and we had a chance to reminisce about the many times I shared my crazy dreams with her during my school years and she always encouraged me. I still possess many more crazy ideas and dreams and I pray they will manifest if it is God’s will.

I also passed at the burial ground to view my family’s tombs and decided to tour the richest place on earth (burial ground), according to Dr Myles Munroe and saw many familiar names of the young and not-so-young on the tombstones. One of the things that always catches my attention is the dash between the date of birth and the date of death. I often think of what my dash will represent and it is something we all should think of.

I also thought about a poem someone sent me and I will share it with you.

The Dash Poem

By Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak

At the funeral of a friend

He referred to the dates on the tombstone

From the beginning...to the end

He noted that first came the date of birth

And spoke the following date with tears, But he said what mattered most of all

Was the dash between those years

For that dash represents all the time

That they spent alive on earth.

And now only those who loved them

Know what that little line is worth

For it matters not how much we own, The cars...the house...the cash.

What matters is how we live and love

And how we spend our dash.

So, think about this long and hard. Are there things you’d like to change?

For you never know how much time is left

That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough

To consider what’s true and real

And always try to understand

The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger

And show appreciation more And love the people in our lives

FROM PAGE XIII

From Arrival Day to building the nation

IN the first week of May, Guyana commemorates two important anniversaries - Labour Day, which celebrates the working people of the world and

is an internationally celebrated anniversary; and May 5, Indian Arrival Day, which commemorates the arrival of the first Indian indentured immigrants to

Guyana.

Since Labour Day is an international celebration and would accordingly have attracted greater media coverage than Indian Arrival Day

which is a strictly Guyanese event, our offering today would therefore focus on Indian Arrival Day.

From the 17th century, the economy of Guyana and the West Indies rested on sugar production, which was done by the plantation system, which necessitated a large labour force. That labour force was supplied by slaves mostly from West Africa. By the beginning of the 1830s, the sugar planters knew that the emancipation of the slaves was in the offing and they had to find a new labour force. They frantically began searching for such a labour force and after trying Malta, Madeira, the West Indian islands, and China, they settled in India.

Between 1838 and 1917, approximately 240,000 Indian indentured immigrants were transported to Guyana from the Bhojpuri-speaking belt of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and from Madras, now known as Tamil Nadu. The Madrasis were very much smaller in number. Immigration was discontinued in 1917 because the Nationalist Movement in India was able to pressure the British Government to end it. The death rate among the immigrants was very high, even by Victorian standards, and over one-third of them died in the colony without being able to see their homeland again. Approximately one-third of them managed to return to India, and the other one-third remained in the colony. A good portion of those who remained were broken in health and unable to travel or continue working. They were decanted from the estates and found themselves among the homeless in downtown Georgetown and New Amsterdam where they ate a meal by doing odd jobs, mostly “fetching loads”. These homeless, hungry, and sick people were known as “jobber men”.

The life of an indentured worker was one of

oppression and poverty and very little different from the slaves whom they replaced.

former magistrate in the colony, wrote an explosive report on the conditions of the

They occupied the same logies with their mud floors which the slaves had once occupied, and their water supply was from canals in which pit latrines emptied. Their wages were very low and were often denied on one excuse or another and they laboured from dawn to dusk. Their wages were able to barely buy them basic food; indeed, the slaves were comparatively better fed. If they fell ill, they were placed in the same “hospital” which accommodated slaves, which was more like a prison and where the main medication was rum in various quantities. Only about 10 percent to 20 percent of the indentures were women, so there was little opportunity of establishing families. Further, the culture and religions of the indentures were despised and ignored, which compelled them to do their religious and cultural activities in the evenings and on Sundays.

When conditions became overbearing, there tended to be protests involving labour disputes, but these were termed “riots” that permitted the police to use firearms. During the period of indentureship, there were seven such big “riots” in which workers were shot and killed by the police. The last of such”riots” occurred at Enmore Estate in 1947, where seven workers were shot in their backs; these are remembered today as the “Enmore Martyrs”.

In the 1870s, DeVoux, a

indentured workers exposing the oppressions and injustices they suffered which compelled the Imperial Government to intercede. Reforms were gradually made and the conditions of the workers gradually improved. There was some relief in wage disputes; conditions in the hospitals improved; mosques and temples were permitted to be built and some Hindu and Muslim priests were allowed to practice; and one-third of the indentures had to be women which allowed for the establishment of families.

For the next four decades, the indentures and their offspring began to create a more normal life and to positively be involved in the process of nation-building.

Marriages became more frequent and the family structure grew; indentures and their offspring entered the rice, coconut, and dairy industries; some even ventured into shopkeeping, opening businesses in Georgetown and New Amsterdam. Several families migrated to the African villages, occupying the unoccupied front areas since such areas were subject to flooding. Some migrated to Georgetown and New Amsterdam. In both the villages and the towns, there were schools to which their children could attend since primary education was controlled by the churches which never built

The Arts and their narrative have ...

FROM PAGE XIV

Popular theatre has become so ingrained, (possibly in satire) that even if today a serious production, treated with themes and a strong underlying moral, was to be produced, the audience would laugh at every line.

The problem is that the joke is on them. This is difficult to deny, and the theatre arts population, ‘we’ must address its values within the context that we survive in. It takes me back to the mid1980s when I introduced the character of ‘The Elder’ in an illustrated story named ‘The Ornate Goblet.” A spe-

cific family in the arts wrote both Chronicle and Stabroek News, declaring that I was promoting an occult theme, while I should use my talent to “make people laugh”, the theme fitted into mystery adventure, the papers however, did ignore their letter but showed it to me.

The incognito person behind Pepping Tom who wrote that article drew an ironic class reference to the deep work of self-problem solving with two popular writers, both with commendable skill, both privileged in our colonial past,

From Arrival Day to ...

FROM PAGE XVIII

both tormented by inner self-loathing, one more than the other was enveloped by tragedy. We respond to Edgar Mittleholtzer and V.S Naipaul. They were, and we understand what the vexations of colonisation did more through them, though they still rest well with us in many ways. The resolve is that the predicament of the arts today is the quest for its freedom, to embody its true self, and to envisage how we will shape today for tomorrow from the portraits and sceneries that have shaped us.

any schools in the sugar estate areas where the immigrants lived. By the 1920s, however, there emerged several Indian doctors and lawyers, teachers, land surveyors, tradesmen of various kinds, and even a few trade unionists and politicians. In this process, the social and economic life of the country expanded and life became more comfortable.

In the 1940s and 1950s there occurred a revolution in secondary education. Several educationists, chief among whom were J.C.Luck,

R.B.O.Hart, R.E.Cheeks, O. Allen, and J.I.Ramphal opened schools and campaigned among parents to send their children for secondary education, most of whom would not have normally done so. These schools offered the Junior and Senior Cambridge examinations and the London Matriculation, which qualified students to enter the public service, the officer class in the police, and the teaching profession. Many more could now do correspondence courses for London

University degrees and even felt they could enter politics. The descendants of the indentured workers all became literate in English, and with the Secondary Education Revolution, an even stronger professional class emerged among them to help in all areas of economic and social development of the nation.

Guyanese celebrate Indian Arrival Day as commemorating a moment in the nation’s history that began the unleashing of growing strength and creativity.

I AM SOOMARIA...

That time never came for me.

The white colonial masters were reluctant to honour the contracts signed by the indentured servants, mostly by thumbprints, and the sweat we gave for pittance turned into blood and tears. But over time, the labourer’s discontentment and a deep desire to return home forced the colonists to honour the agreement and those who had saved enough or couldn’t work under such hardships returned home.

It was such a deep relief for my father, but we couldn’t return home just yet because he hadn’t saved enough money and the entire family left behind was depending on him.

“What do we do, Baba?” I had asked.

“I will work harder to save some more,” he said, “And two trips from now, we will return.”

That sounded quite reasonable to me and my mother, for ships were taking back labourers and bringing recruits, but it was a huge mistake my father made to delay our return.

I had grown into a young woman whilst working as a house servant and one day the colonial master from another plantation across the Demerara River came to visit. He saw me and requested my master to take me to his plantation to be his house servant.

I saw the pained, helpless look on my father’s face and the tears in my mother’s eyes, as she pleaded for me not to be taken away. Her pleas were not heeded and with laden feet and a grieving heart, I left for a new place far away. The piece of earth from my motherland I felt in my pocket, squeezing it tightly in my hand.

“I don’t know where I am being taken now,” I said silently, “But I still have you with me, Mother…one day, maybe…”

Time went on and I bore children for the master, trapped in a life I never wanted. I never saw my mother and father again and many nights I laid in bed sleepless, thinking of my little brother still awaiting our return.

How could fate perpetuate such agony and pain?

Who wrote these scripts of life?

The plantation that more or less imprisoned me was not far from the sea and on windy nights, I could hear the waves crashing against the seawalls. One late afternoon with the help of the old gardener, I slipped away to the seaside.

The sun was sitting in its crimson glory but my eyes just couldn’t appreciate that wondrous spectacle of colours nor embrace its brilliant beauty for I was watching the sea’s rolling waves. The deep yearning in my heart for home never faded, but the flames of hopes to return flickered.

I had grown older; my mother and father had returned home safely for which I was happy but sad that I was left all alone. I did not cry for I had no more tears left, just the pain in my heart I had learned to live with.

Home now seemed further away from me, and all those who were frustrated with the long wait to receive their passage to return bought pieces of land and decided to stay. But the good thing was they held onto their faith and culture and lived and worked each day with an unborn resolve to achieve something of worth in this land that now became home.

At the end of indentureship, the colonial master returned to England, bequeathing to me his house and some acres of land. So, from a servant girl, I became the mistress of a mansion and owner of lands. I never dreamed for one moment that I would have become a rich woman but it came at a heavy price. So much time had passed, and now being the mother of five children, how do I go back home?

Standing by the seaside one late afternoon, I untied the cotton that held the piece of earth from the motherlands I had picked up as a little girl. It had crumbled to dust over the years and dissolving it in a goblet of water, I poured it slowly over my head.

“I cannot come back to you now, dear mother, but you will always live with me.”

I stood there for a long time, watching the waves rise and fall, feeling in my heart that the boundless sea was my refuge. Then I turned and walked back to my mansion, my children, and a new life, for maybe this was my destiny designed by fate.

A simple wish on a falling star for a good life as a child in Fathaha, India, brought me this far.

‘Retail Therapy’ does not replace a therapist

DAILY life can be extremely stressful, leading to people finding unique ways to cope with its challenges. Perhaps, watching Netflix is a form of release after a hard day of work for some people. Others may need time away from friends and family to debrief after making a difficult life decision and some people may even enjoy “retail therapy” when they’re feeling overwhelmed with emotions. There are many other ways in which we can cope with stress, but I wanted to discuss the latter one mentioned—“retail therapy”. It’s also known as “shopping therapy” and is often used when we refer to anyone who uses commercial shopping to brighten their day or lighten their mood into a positive one. It is also used when the shopper wants to satisfy their compulsive urge. Some shoppers may not even want or need some of the items they purchase; they compulsively buy them for the sake of purchasing them.

In our ways, we’ve developed our unique response and coping strategies to deal with stress and its triggers. Some

you should treat yourself to something “nice” once and far. However, it’s important to note that when you do—ensure that it aligns with your budget, it won’t financially cripple

you or your family, or it’s an “unnecessary” purchase that you simply do not need.

can be positive, others can be very negative and some can be positive, but if overused—it can ultimately become a negative coping strategy in one’s life. It is important to note that the terms “retail therapy” and “shopping therapy” aren’t forms of psychological therapy. It is, however, described as a psychologically compulsive habit, trait, or dependency. The psychological terminology for such a behaviour is “oniomania”, which refers to an uncontrollable desire to purchase things. It’s important to note that shopping only gives you temporary or short-term relief from stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health-related issues. It’s also necessary to understand and be aware of and control this desire. Being aware is the first step to helping yourself overcome this dilemma.

Shopping online on Amazon or other shopping avenues (in person or online), frequently shopping after a stressful day is a prime example of retail therapy. As mentioned previously, shopping is only a temporary release. If you’re constantly relying on “retail therapy” with a fixed and average income—what’s going to happen eventually? You may be adding even more unnecessary stressors to your life because an overwhelming number of purchases leads to an increase in the amount of money you end up spending. Psychologists suggest that you try to replace “retail therapy” if you notice it may be more damaging than healing—with a better coping or release strategy such as going to the gym, reading books, or even journaling. If the use of money on unnecessary things is an issue, then you ought to find low-budget or low-cost alternatives. It’s important to note that you can still engage in retail therapy from time to time—by all means,

THE CONVENTION ON ...

FROM PAGE XII

has been ratified by 196 countries, including Guyana, making it one of the most widely accepted international environmental agreements. The CBD is a landmark agreement that aims to conserve biodiversity, promote sustainable use of its components, and ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources. The following are key accomplishments of the Convention:

• National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs): NBSAPs, which are national plans for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, must be created and implemented by all CBD signatories. NBSAPs, which provide a framework for national action on biodiversity, have been developed by more than 190 nations;

• Protected areas: The CBD has been instrumental in encouraging the establishment and efficient management of protected areas. Roughly 200,000 protected areas have been established as of this writing, accounting for roughly 14% of the world’s land and 7% of its oceans;

• Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS): The Nagoya Protocol, a supplementary agreement to the CBD, provides a framework for fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources. To date, over 130 countries have ratified the Nagoya Protocol;

• Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO): CBD produces the GBO, a flagship publication that assesses progress towards achieving the Convention’s objectives. The GBO has become an important tool for policymakers, providing information on the state of biodiversity and highlighting areas for action.

• Mainstreaming biodiversity: The Convention has helped to raise awareness of the importance of biodiversity and to integrate it into broader policy frameworks, such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change. This has helped to ensure that biodiversity is taken into account in decision-making across sectors.

Here in Guyana, we have also made significant progress in implementing the Convention.

• Protected Areas: Guyana has designated over 7.5 million hectares of its land and marine areas as protected areas, covering about 20% of its land and 2% of its ocean. This includes the Kaieteur National Park, which is home to one of the world’s largest single-drop waterfall and an important biodiversity hotspot.

• Indigenous peoples and local communities: Guyana recognises the important role of indigenous peoples and local communities in biodiversity conservation and has established Community Conservation Areas (CCAs) to support community-led conservation efforts.

• Biodiversity monitoring and research: Guyana has an established Centre for the Study of Biodiversity at the University of Guyana and a robust Biodiversity Research and Filming Process administered by the Environmental Protection Agency.

• Access and Benefit Sharing: Guyana has enacted legislation to regulate access to its genetic resources and ensure that benefits from their use are shared fairly and equitably.

For more information on the CBD, visit https://www.cbd. int/

Did you know? The EPA is the National Focal Point for the Convention on Biological Diversity in Guyana, and has a number of functions including the co-ordination and maintenance of programmes for the conservation of biological diversity and its sustainable use.

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Communications, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, Georgetown, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail. com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Life in Bonasika...

FROM PAGE VI have a cockle infestation, resulting in the eating away of all the young plants and trees.\

Ramlakhan stated that he is working with representatives from NAREI to try newer drugs to combat the disease that is overtaking the farm presently.

With all these challenges, the couple cannot employ workers as they used to, so they have to do all the work themselves.

Apart from working on the farm and doing chores, Rampattie Sanicharia would make pointer brooms from branches sourced from the coconut trees on their farm to sell.

“With children to send to school, the cost of fuel, the increase in food items things haven’t been as viable as it used to,” she said.

Omar Hussain, the citrus farmer

As a father of three, Omar Hussain’s only source of income is farming and he has five acres of ground provisions, cash crops and citrus.

The 53-year-old has lived all his life in the creek and a typical day starts at 05:00hrs daily when he would be on the

farm, tending to crops before sunrise and he would usually have to walk to get there.

He reported that the only job in that part of the country is farming and he grew into it since he came from a family of farmers and today, although they don’t have a lot of things, they live in quiet peace in a creek, which is very expensive to commute and buy essentials.

“This place nice but there is nothing for the youths to do. They drop out of school due to poverty and left to do whatever and most of them end up abusing alcohol and illegal substances and become a nuisance to society,’ he said.

Hussain pointed out that there is a great need for a place to have skills training and other remedial programmes to give them a second chance at careers and futures.

He added that only GTT has a fair signal in Bonasika Creek and the cellphones would have to be placed at a certain point to get signals to make and receive calls, their only connectivity to the outside.

Ramkumar Singh, the farmer

The 54-year-old farmer described life as fair in Bonasika Creek, Essequibo River, but as it relates to his farm at High Level Canal, he is denied access due to illegal dumping of waste.

Often his crops are left to rot because he cannot get to the farm and he would incur a lot of losses that cannot be regained.

He has crops of ground provisions and citrus on a fouracre plot. He reported that farming is an expensive venture from sowing to harvesting and they are happy they received cash grants and a boost to the drainage and irrigation network to reduce flooding.

Singh told the Pepperpot Magazine that small-scale farmers like himself suffer a lot of loss and the vegetation that is being cleared in Bonasika needs to be disposed of properly so he can get to his farm at any given time.

The schools in Bonasika Creek

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

Things unattempted yet in prose or rhyme. JOHN MILTON (1608-1674) Paradise Lost

STUDY SUCCESS

Dear Student, Welcome dear friend.

If you have to introduce a speaker at any level, make it an admirable performance. Cite a few brief important facts about him to boost his confidence and presentation,

May 07, 2023

and prepare the listening audience. Let your speech resonate sincerity; forget flippancy. Open by saying, “It is my pleasure to introduce ….” or something equally simple. Conclude graciously - face the speaker and beckon him forward to take his place. When he comes return to your seat. Love you.

IMPROVING READING

Choosing the sentence nearest in meaning to the original one

Instructions: Each sentence in this section is followed by four sentences A, B, C or D. Choose the one nearest in meaning to the original sentence.

1. Frank did not attend the memorial service because his wife, who had promised to accompany him, changed her mind at the last minute.

(A) At the last minute, Frank’s wife who had promised to accompany him to the memorial service changed her mind, so he did not attend.

(B) Frank would have attended the memorial service if his wife had not changed her mind at the last minute as she had promised.

(C) Since Frank did not attend the memorial service, his wife changed her mind at the last minute, although she had promised to accompany him.

(D) At the last minute, Frank did not attend the memorial service, because his wife who had promised to accompany him had changed her mind.

2. In 2002 Brazil became only the second country in the world to print anti-smoking pictures on cigarette packs.

(A) Although in 2002 Brazil printed anti-smoking pictures on cigarette packs, there were others who had done this previously.

(B) Brazil printed anti-smoking pictures on cigarette packs in 2002, thereby becoming the second country to do so.

(C) If Brazil had printed anti-smoking pictures on cigarette p acks in 2002, it would have been the second country to do so.

(D) Some countries printed anti-smoking pic -

tures on cigarette packs and Brazil is one of them.

3. You have become tardy in your preparations for your examination during the last two months, so you must burn the candle at both ends if you want to succeed.

(A) If the candles are not burnt at both ends, as you prepare for your examinations this week, you will fail because you have been tardy during the last two months.

(B) During this week if you want to succeed you must burn two candles in preparing for your examination, since you were tardy during the last two months.

(C) If you want to pass your examination during this week; you must work doubly hard, since you wore tardy during the last two months.

(D) Since you have not done much preparation for your examinations during the last two months, this week you must work doubly hard if you want to succeed.

IMPROVING READING

Instructions: Read the following poem carefully and then answer items 1-5 on the basis of what is stated or implied in the poem.

Taste of Endless Fruit

When a single kite is left in evening sky and I stand black against its saffron pulling in the night-covers with a single thread I think of you.

When chickens search the warmth of a hen’s wings;

When bats break a calm lake like scissors on a warm fabric where a lone fisherman waits alone, on the hill, I think of you.

1. There is a single kite (line 1) left in the sky MOST likely because

(A) night covers have descended

(B) the other kite flyers are asleep

(C) The lone fisherman waits

(D) It is late

2. What aspect of the sky does the poet focus on?

(A) Size (B) Shape (C) Distance (D) Colour

3. Of whom is the poet MOST likely thinking in the poem?

(A) A lonely old man (C) Someone he/she loves

(B) An enemy in hiding (D) An artist at work

4. “When bats break a calm lake, like scissors on a warm fabric) (lines 10-11) is an example of

(A) onomatopoeia (B) assonance (C) simile (D) personification

5. Which word BEST describes the poet’s tone?

(A) Nostalgic (B) Serene (C) Serious (D) Caring THE PASSAGE

Comprehending the passage

Read the following extract carefully and then answer all the questions that follow.

Country Baskets

“Hard Life” was an ill-mannered visitor who came to call on you in order to search up your cupboard when your back was turned so that it could go and tell everyone how things were bad with you. Hard Life would have trapped you if it were not for your own strength, and for the ties of blood, the generosity of some relatives who, as soon as they heard you were living hard life in the city, began to send you regular food baskets.

(a) State ONE action from the paragraph which shows that “Hard Life was an ill-mannered visitor” (line 1) (1 mark)

(b) Why can the writer of “Hard Life” be viewed as ironic? (2 marks)

(c) What is the writer’s purpose in this passage? (2 marks).

Dental disease and stress

THERE is a vicious circle between stress and dental disease. When someone is “stressed out” they tend to eat unhealthy. They are likely to consume more sugary foods, for example. So while the main causes of periodontal disease are stress and poor oral hygiene, another problem leading to gum disease may be poor diet. It is the missing link to the prevention and treatment of gum disease and is almost always ignored.

Diet is important in controlling periodontal disease because bacteria in the mouth use sugars for energy and reproduction. When stress causes your oral hygiene to become poor and your diet is high in sugar, more bacteria are produced. The higher bacterial level will then inflame the gums and may increase plaque formation in gum disease. If we consume a high-sugar diet, the body will produce more bacteria in the mouth. Combined with such a sugar diet, stress adds acid to our saliva and will show its results in gum disease. Studies have shown that it is more harmful to eat sugar-containing foods between meals than it is to eat them with meals. And we know that stress may result in us wanting to snack frequently.

We need vitamins and minerals in our diet. Vitamins help regulate our metabolism. A diet high in fibre and fruits and vegetables will help reverse gum problems naturally. Most important, we need the fats and proteins that provide the energy that helps build the cells of our body. To reverse gum disease naturally, we must alter our diet and discipline ourselves to maintain healthier eating patterns.

In isolated areas where groups of Amerindian people live, it is known that their teeth and gums are in a healthy state. I worked in both the North and South Rupununi for a long time and I know that these groups do not follow what we consider proper oral hygiene, yet they have healthy mouths. Why? They eat live foods and lead simple, stress-free lives. If these people came to live here in the city, their teeth and gums would start to show disease states due to the processed foods we eat.

People who are obese and eat sugary foods have a higher susceptibility to gum disease than those who eat a balanced diet. Soft and sticky food (like nutrition bars), which tend to remain in the grooves of the teeth, is also a culprit and can lead to tooth and gum problems. It is not the vitamin content but the natural sugars, such as honey, in these nutritional bars that get stuck in the grooves of your teeth.

I hope that you will begin to eat a balanced diet and try to consume the recommended daily allowances of nutrients.

The bone surrounding the teeth needs attention given to it that is equal to that given to other bones in the body. Vitamin A is needed for the formation of this bone.

Vitamin A deficiency in the mouth can show up as thin enamel, chalky patches on your teeth, decreased tooth growth, retarded eruption, malpositioned teeth, soft teeth, dry mouth, and defective dentin formation because it can decrease the activity of new cells. On the other hand, excessive consumption of vitamin A can result in a toxic condition characterised by itching skin, gum disease (gingivitis), and irritability. Other physical symptoms, such as poor night vision, lack of appetite and vigor, bladder stones, and hyperthyroidism, may manifest.

Too much or too little can affect your teeth and gums. Eating foods such as the following, in moderation, will help you to heal your mouth and reverse your gum condition. The soft foods containing vitamin A that are easier on the teeth are foods like apricot and cantaloupes. Harder foods include carrots, broccoli, and celery. Additional foods containing vitamin A are butter, cabbage, chives, egg yolk, and milk.

If you have a vitamin B deficiency, your tongue may show some early symptoms of enlarged taste buds (bumps on the side of your tongue) at the front and the side, with the taste buds in the back of your tongue becoming enlarged later on. You may also notice deep fissures and grooves down the centre of the tongue. Various foods fit into different vitamin B groups. Foods that are high in vitamin B include mushrooms, algae, yeast, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds.

Thiamin was the first vitamin discovered, so it is designated as vitamin B1. Symptoms of a severe deficiency of vitamin B1 include a burning sensation on the tongue, loss of taste, unusual sensitivity of the mouth’s inner lining (the cheeks and soft tissue), and cracks and sores in the corner

of the mouth. Cracks in the corner of the mouth, called “angular cheilosis,” are common. Foods rich in vitamin B1 that can help you avoid such symptoms are wheat, oatmeal, and legumes such as peanuts, and peas. Meat, fish, fruit, and milk also contain thiamin.