A look at the stigma, challenges, and quiet changes around men’s mental health in Guyana
By Shaniya Harding
CRICKET is easily the most popular game in the Caribbean, and, in Guyana, the culture of cricket is as vibrant as anywhere else. But a new team is reintroducing the game with a twist: blind cricket. This year, the Guyana Blind Cricket Association (GuyBCA) competed in the 11th Regional Blind Cricket Tournament in Barbados, which took place from May 21 to May 28. It was
their return to competitive action after nearly a decade. Now back home, team captain Kevin Douglas and coach Travis Mohammed are reflecting on the experience and what it means for the sport and the visually-impaired community in Guyana.
A Game That Goes Beyond Sight: Captain Kevin Douglas
Thirty-three-yearold team captain and seasoned cricketer Kevin Douglas, first played blind cricket in 2008 and represented
Guyana the following year. Back then, the
idea of visually impaired people playing a game like cricket was still a new idea, and although he harboured a few fears, Kevin played and quickly fell in love with the game. “When I first started playing or was learning to play cricket, I wasn’t afraid, but I was nervous. Because it was the first time I ever played against another team and I was the youngest on the team,” he said. The recent tournament in Barbados, though challenging, was rewarding. The GuyBCA team didn’t make it to the next stage, but Kevin is still proud of their performance. “Our game was successful,” he added, “But the only thing, we didn’t make it to the running zone.” Kevin is visually impaired, a condition that both he and his family noticed quite early in his school years. Describing his vision, he shared that, “I could see but I can’t say how far. When the place is bright, I can see from half of the pitch. But when it’s dark, I can
only see where we’re walking,” he shared. After playing the game of cricket for more than a decade, Kevin is used to the questions that come when he tells others he plays blind cricket. “How blind people are going to see the ball? How are they going to know where it is?” Kevin often responds to these questions with an invitation to see the game first hand. “Explaining blind cricket and seeing it in person is when you believe, when you know blind people could actually play,” he said.
A frequent and bold voice on the rights of people with disabilities, Kevin believes there’s a need for more public support. He shared that, “More support is going to boost most of the players,” adding, “Some of the players come from all over Guyana, so we could at least get a tournament with ourselves and people could actually see how the game is played.” For Kevin, cricket is more like a way of life and his
teammates are more like family. “All of them are good players, they’re totally blind and they don’t know what colour I am. But the support I get from them is like family,” he said.
Beyond the game, Kevin also highlighted the daily challenges that blind and visually impaired persons face in Guyana. As he emphasised, there is much more space in Guyana for consideration and change in perspective when it comes to the blind and visually impaired in Guyana. “When we go to the Caribbean, people stop and put on a hazard light and give you clearance across the road,” he added, “Guyana, we don’t have the support for that. We need a lot of work in that area.” Kevin hopes that through visibility and education, more Guyanese can understand that being visually impaired doesn’t mean being incapable. “Not because you’re visually impaired means
By Shaniya Harding
WHEN we hear about men’s health, most tips and ideas typically revolve around diet and exercise. But men’s health, like all human health, is not fully understood unless mental health is also included. Every year in June, the world observes World Men’s Health Month as a way to look out for and care for the men around us. Still, addressing men’s mental health, particularly in a country like Guyana, remains a touchy topic for many. Whether it’s through a sit-down with a licensed professional or a deep conversation with the boys at the barbershop, men’s mental health needs to be talked about.
This week, the Pepperpot Magazine sat down with psychologist and model David Loncke to explore the hurdles that exist in men’s mental health, the gaps in available support, and what we can do as family and friends to encourage the men around us to open up. Loncke works with the Ministry of Health on well-being management, providing counselling, behaviour modification, psycho-education, and community outreach. But his passion for mental health goes beyond the government sphere. Loncke also engages in freelance mental health talks and peer education, using his platform as a model and creative to advocate for awareness. “I just genuinely love interacting with people. I’ve always had a gift for providing a listening ear and making people feel like they could be themselves and express themselves,” he shared.
David’s first job was what made him realise his passion for people. Just out of school, he worked as a lead agent in the concierge executive lounge at the Marriott Hotel. It was there he realised how naturally people gravitated toward him, not just for service, but to talk about their lives, feelings, and even ask for guidance. “I honestly felt like people just gravitated to me, not only for their guest needs but just generally talking about life and things they experienced, looking for recommendations and advice,” he shared. That experience planted the seed for his eventual journey into psychology and mental wellness.
Now, years later, Loncke’s
role places him at the forefront of mental health in Guyana, particularly when it comes to men. In his interview, he explained that the negative experiences men face when trying to access mental health care are deeply rooted in stigma.
“I definitely feel like men are apprehensive toward seeking help for many reasons. One is stigma and the fact that many people think that you’re weak. They think you’re not a ‘bad man’ or that if you try to get help or vent about your problems, you’re the problem, or you’re soft,” he said. Another major hurdle faced by men seeking mental health help is fear of a breach of confidentiality. According to Loncke, this fear is very real, with many agencies failing to respect the privacy of their clients. He added that even when men do try to seek help, they’re often met with judgement or betrayal. “Sometimes the agencies that are supposed to help are part of the problem,” he further noted that, “It’s so disheartening when people want help, espe-
cially men, and then you hear, ‘Oh, he comes and the girl said this and whatever, I never knew this about him.’ That person never comes back.”
But it’s not all doom and gloom. There are safe spaces for men in Guyana. Loncke has seen encouraging signs in places like barbershops and on social media, which have become new but impactful spaces for men to open up, feel safe, and be heard. “There are people who vent, even on social media. Though it may not always be in the best way, I appreciate that expression is meaningful,” he said. “I feel like the barbershop is such a therapeutic place for men. You have community, you have camaraderie, even if it’s the most professional conversation or the shallowest one, there is some sense of stress release and laughter,” he added.
Still, the conversation on men’s mental health needs all our voices. While individual conversations are powerful, Loncke emphasised the need for systemic change, especially to fill service gaps for both
young and older men. “There are people who need support, and they don’t have the resources,” he said. According to him, one of the most pressing challenges is that men in Guyana are often pulled in multiple directions, trying to meet everyone’s expectations: family, workplace, society. This leads to identity crises and eventual burnout. “Everybody has this need and expectation of you as a man, and you want to please everybody, so you’re pulled in different directions, and eventually, you do yourself a disservice,” he explained.
Looking at generational differences and coping mechanisms across age groups, Loncke shared that while younger men may turn to substance abuse as a coping mechanism, older men tend to display more anger-related issues. “There are people who bottle up emotions, and the only way they know to deal with it is the bottle, or drugs, marijuana, alcohol. In the schools, especially with teens and younger men, there’s a lot of vaping, marijuana use, and
alcohol.” He further added that “For older men, there are anger management challenges. That’s a big issue.”
And these concerns often start early. Loncke pointed out that many young boys showing signs of ADHD are dismissed as “just being boys.”
Left unaddressed, these patterns can develop into larger issues in adulthood: poor work performance, reckless behaviour, and substance use.
“What I would have learned in research is that studies show speeding on the roadways can be a symptom of ADHD in adult men. If we look at the statistics from the traffic reports, you’d want to know why all these accidents are happening. Most of the time, it’s speeding, substance misuse, or some other underlying issue,” he said.
While the creative space provides mental relief for Loncke, he is passionate about prioritising his own mental health. “I first try to practise mindfulness and self-awareness, relative to how I feel, and monitor my stress levels,
considering there are different types of stress, some that fuel performance.” He added that “If it’s a major issue, I check in with my professional. I have a mental health professional, too, because whether it’s projects or school, you could go to counselling just for guidance. I go to the gym as well.”
Fo r the men who are struggling to grasp or understand their mental health, or when it all feels like too much, Loncke has some advice, “I would say acknowledge how you feel and make the decision as to whether you want to continue feeling that way or whether you want to live a meaningful life. And if the answer is the latter, get yourself the help you need and surround yourself with people and things that help you.” Because while World Men’s Health M onth is a start, true progress begins when we create safe spaces, listen more, judge less, and give men permission and space to be vulnerable.
By Michel Outridge
BEING frowned upon wasn’t one of the things Wesley Apple, a clothing and textile teacher,
called, is one of the few male clothing and textile teachers in the city and has been in the teaching profession for the past seven years.
student in high school.
The educator added that she set the tone for him to make his own career choice, and he went about qualifying himself.
anticipated in the noble profession of teaching as a male among his female counterparts. But, over time, he gained the respect and support of his peers as a highly skilled educator.
The 27-year-old is the graduate senior assistant master (GSAM) at St. George’s School of Science, which was renamed following a fire that destroyed the building on July 20, 2022. The school reopened, hosting only First Form students, in September last year.
Sir Apple, as he is
Recalling his story, Apple was inspired by a female teacher, who was his role model. He was particularly in awe of her teaching skills, technique and mannerisms. She had a way with learners, and she was the one who motivated him to become the best version of himself.
Apple told the Pepperpot Magazine that she was like the bridge between society and what is expected of life. She provided guidance to him and to all her learners and was one of the best Home Economics teachers of her time as a
Moreover, I have a passion for teaching science, hence, I found myself at St. George’s School of Science in the food science department,” Apple said.
He explained that he keeps it all together in the classroom setting because teaching is deeply ingrained in him; it runs through his veins and is a job he loves. Being an educator is what he is and education was his way out.
Apple revealed that imparting knowledge makes him feel like he is serving his purpose in life, equipping students with life skills so they can, in turn, become marketable and contribute to society, making something of themselves.
The teacher said that from making an entire outfit from raw fabric to
at North Ruimveldt Secondary School.
He also went to the University of Guyana (UG) and earned a bachelor’s degree in Home Economics.
Apple grew up in Block 22, Wismar, Linden, and with a houseful of women who were the backbone of the home; they were always versed in the kitchen, so he developed his cooking skills there.
Apple is the secondto-last of four siblings and two of his siblings were teachers. However, his eldest sister left the teaching profession, and his younger sister also became a teacher, so he is not the only educator in his family.
Apple never felt odd because he opted to teach clothing and textile as a male teacher, but he earned
true to themselves in all aspects of their lives.
Apple said he worked with some lovely teachers at North Ruimveldt Secondary School; they were a close-knit bunch, and that even sparked his love for the profession more, due to their rapid acceptance of him.
As he would say, “I have come a long way,” indeed, and he sees teaching as an art worth doing over and over because of how he feels about it, very passionate and deep-seated.
Apple stated that the journey was not easy, but he achieved success due to perseverance and dedication. That young teacher gave him the confidence he needed to make it happen.
As a native of Linden, Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), he attended Silver City Secondary School but relocated to Georgetown a year ago to sustain his job as a city teacher at St. George’s School of Science.
“Clothing is my first love in the teaching profession in all aspects of the home economics field.
evolving in the science stream was a testament to his dedication to the job, and he always felt the need to upgrade his skills.
Apple attended the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) in 2016 and graduated as a qualified teacher, starting his career
the respect of the female teachers and they embraced his willingness to share his experience and expertise.
As a self-starter teacher, he has a friendly personality that matches his persona, and he excels at his job, guiding students and encouraging them to remain
Apple reported that St. George’s School of Science has a total of 73 students in First Form only, and in September, they will accommodate more students. They have a total of 15 teachers, all of whom are driven and ready to impart knowledge and wisdom to their students.
“Teaching makes me feel good inside out. I must bring about change. I do it in the form of teaching, in a classroom, at a school, and it is something I love to do,” he said.
By Shaniya Harding
IN 2019, when people were locked inside their homes and businesses grappling with losses, one business was blossoming. Launched in January of that year, Ambika’s Plant Shop and Shopping Centre is a Guyanese-owned plant shop featuring more than 300 different species of flowering plants. Today, the business is still thriving, with more people than ever becoming interested in plants. The woman behind the business, Roshanie Hanscoomar, says the reason plants will always be important is the same reason the plant business thrived during the pandemic: plants offer a type of therapy and serenity that cannot be found anywhere else.
Speaking to the Pepperpot Magazine, Roshanie shared that plants and gardening are among her biggest passions, and her journey began long before the pandemic.
“My love for plants was there since childhood because I grew up amongst a lot of plants. My mum [her sister] and my grandmother they always had plants…they always exchanged what they had for what the other person didn’t have. I was always surrounded by a lot of plants,” she shared. Roshanie’s earliest memories are tied to greenery and the serenity it brought. “Every time I visit my aunt or my grandma, there are many plants around, not forgetting fruit trees where you have a lot to indulge in,” she added. When she and her husband were building their new home, she started collecting plants to decorate. “I started to add one or two in my
collection, like hibiscuses and so forth,” she said. But when her local plant shop could not keep up with demand, Roshanie decided to open her own shop and source her own plants.
“I told my husband, every time we come, the plant shop is saying, ‘Come next week, I’ll get new stuff.’ They are getting these plants from somewhere. I said, you know what, I’m going to start this plant business in January,” she shared. January 14, 2019, marked the official birth of Ambika’s Plant Shop. However, like many small businesses, it began out of necessity and faced numerous
hurdles. As Roshanie explained, “The journey was started because of financial hurdles. And I told my husband we’re going to start this business and he said, ‘Are you sure?’ I said, ‘No.’ And all I had at that time was $14,000, and I started,” she stated. With that money, she bought 14 hibiscus plants at $1,000 each, taking a big risk for an idea she was passionate about. “I had a nursery. I started in my backyard and started doing a nursery and whatever. I started to do cuttings from plants that I had from before. I started to propagate one or two of my own,” she added. The excitement grew
as the hibiscus began selling. She brought them to her brother’s shop, where she left them throughout the day for potential customers. “I told him, you know what, I’m starting up this journey, and I need more people. People will pass through your doors and I think I want to come sell by you. And he said, ‘Yeah, why not? You’re welcome,’” Roshanie shared.
However, this arrangement meant commuting daily, which added an extra expense to an already tight budget. As Roshanie shared, “Every day I
take the bus, $100 to go. And I leave the plants there over the weekends and so on. And I travel back with $100. So that’s $200 a day. And every day I sell like three, four. I sell out for a week and so on,” she said. As the business picked up, she began expanding. “Every time I sell 14 hibiscus, I keep the profit, I keep investing. I’m not taking out. So then I started to do 20, and then I go into 30 and from hibiscus I got other types of plants,” she explained. But foot traffic was limited in her brother’s
TURN TO PAGE X
By Shaniya Harding
FROM challenges in compliance and certification to hurdles in understanding expenditure and capital, building a successful business comes with its own set of challenges. One of the leading challenges and complaints from new and emerging entrepreneurs is the lack of available information. But with the new age of technology and Guyana’s business sector being more vibrant than ever before, now may be the best time to open a business or even a side hustle of your own.
Fractional Chief Compliance Officer and head of EICCIO Advisors, Theon Alleyne, says, contrary to popular belief, Guyana has no shortage of business help and information; however, it is simply up to entrepreneurs to seek it out. With over 25 years of experience, Theon Alleyne is one of the most familiar and respected names in Guyana’s business and compliance sphere. With a background as a paralegal, Alleyne made the shift to compliance early in his career. Since then, he has worked with hundreds of businesses, not only helping them meet certain standards but also seeing them grow and develop.
Today, he also serves as Secretary and Public Relations Officer for the Region 3 Essequibo Islands–West Demerara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (R3CCI) and is a Board Member and Chairman of the Services Subsector for the Guyana Manufacturing & Services Association (GMSA). This week, he spoke to the Guyana Chronicle, where he shared some of his biggest business do’s and don’ts, hard-earned lessons that highlight why, while it may take a bit of extra effort, doing business in Guyana is worthwhile and
arguably easier than ever before.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Business
Drawing inspiration from the growth of his own business, EICCIO Advisors, Alleyne explains that there are a few leading factors that can significantly
personal or organisational goals, choose a particular decision that leads to the unravelling of the company. So, leadership is critical.”
Another often overlooked factor, he said, is the role of the customer. While many businesses
Fractional Chief Compliance Officer, Head of EICCIO Advisors, Theon Alleyne says, contrary to popular belief, Guyana has no shortage of business help and information, but it is simply up to entrepreneurs to go looking (Delano Williams photo)
impact and even determine the success of a business.
The first of those factors, he notes, is leadership, or what he calls “the tone at the top.” Shedding some light on the importance of this, Alleyne explained that “The commitment of leaders to either follow rules or the commitment of leaders to lead ethically plays a significant impact on a company’s success.” He further added that “Every day, you can read in both local, regional or global news about company leaders who, in order to meet metrics or in order to meet
they are violating some compliance rule. There’s a correlation between great customer service and great customer excellence and a company being compliant in its obligation.”
The third trait of a successful business, according to Alleyne, is innovation. Even some of the world’s oldest brands continue to shift, grow and evolve, and that, he says, is something every business should aim to do, no matter its size.
“The third one is on innovation. Companies that work on being innovative and being able to step up and provide solutions that customers may not even know that they have or they want are the ones that thrive. Companies that are delivering solutions that are needed in the marketplace succeed because there’s an absolute need for it. And once they can present in a way that the public can understand and adopt, they’re going to grow quickly,” he said.
Business in Guyana, opportunities and challenges
Even with a strong understanding of the foundational elements of business, Alleyne says entrepreneurs in Guyana face a few unique challenges.
In many cases, these small businesses do not have a formal board of directors—a structure that provides critical feedback, governance and accountability. Alleyne suggests that even if a business can’t form a full board, they should create some alternative support system. “A medium to large company would generally have a board of directors. A group of people providing advice. And smaller companies tend not to have that, but they need to find a replacement for that,” he further noted that, “If they find a replacement for that, the typical problems and challenges they’re having, they might have someone being able to mentor them or a group of people being able to mentor them, maybe at little or no cost at all, so that they can be more successful.”
es have taken in the past for success, those local approaches are going to start to erode because the entities coming in are more regional and global in nature, and they’re leveraging different tools for success,” Alleyne shared.
But the good news? There are resources to help.
Alleyne pointed to a number of programmes, including incubators and trade desks, that offer free guidance, sharing that,
invest time and energy in perfecting their products or services, Alleyne reminds entrepreneurs that customer service can make or break a business. “The second thing that’s really critical to companies and affects their success or failure is focus on customers,” he further shared that, “Focusing on customers is critical because when a company focuses on delivering customer excellence, the company thrives. When a company starts to cut corners and does not live up to customer expectations, generally,
Most of Guyana’s business sector comprises small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which account for the majority of the commercial landscape. Many of these businesses are focused on making ends meet, but in that daily grind, the value of good advice is often neglected.
“Small company owners are trying, they’re just trying to survive, they’re just trying to provide for their family, they’re just trying to serve the few employees they have and their customers. Often when they’re doing that, they’re not giving themselves the opportunity to find entities or persons that can act as their advisers on some of the boards so that they can grow,” Alleyne explained.
Alleyne strongly encourages SMEs to seek mentorship and business guidance through chambers of commerce or industry groups. “For all the medium companies, one great opportunity is for those companies to seek out mentors. And that might come in the form of chambers of commerce, or even to some extent, a small business group or institutions in Guyana that can provide that,” he said. He also shared that staying attuned to industry shifts and global trends is essential. “The biggest opportunity there is understanding their industry and where the world is going,” he added that, “Even those medium and large companies, many of them are family-run, family-owned. And a lot of them are focused outwardly to understand the truly changing dynamics in the marketplace.”
That outward focus is becoming increasingly crucial as local businesses face growing competition from regional and international entities. “The local approaches that business-
“The private sector commission and most of the chambers of commerce are providing incubator services where they’re advising businesses on what to do to succeed. Businesses can apply. They are going to go through an assessment, and then they’re going to get advice on the things they need to change to be able to succeed, and that is free. Information is there. People just don’t seek it out.”
He added that, “I know the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce has a programme for its members, the Private Sector Commission of Guyana, which most chambers of commerce are a part of— they have a trade desk programme that has been launched, and so this service is available to businesses. I know that the Women’s Chamber is partnering with the IDB to work on women initiatives. There are free resources out there for businesses, and I think businesses can avail themselves of this, and they’ll be successful.”
Theon Alleyne’s advice highlights a simple yet often overlooked truth: success in business doesn’t come from luck alone; it comes from seeking knowledge, listening to guidance, and remaining adaptable in a changing world. And in today’s Guyana, the tools for growth are within reach. All that’s left is for entrepreneurs to take the first step.
By Michel Outridge
IF you had told Shavana Goulchand years ago that she would become a female entrepreneur with her very own small businesses, she probably would have doubted that. But with a bit of encouragement and drive, she established herself with two separate businesses.
The 37-year-old from Cove and John, East Coast Demerara, is the proprietor of Touring Guyana, a small tour company based at her home with several full-time and part-time staff members.
She is a naturalist who loves travelling and experiencing new places, things, and people, and makes use of every opportunity to become trained and qualified as a tour operator.
Goulchand told Pepperpot Magazine that it was after completing the Accelerate Her Project
training at the Guyana Centre for Local Business (GCLB) that she gained the confidence and know-how to establish her small business, Touring Guyana.
“This training helped
me to stay focused, to understand marketing, networking, and to assess my finances,” she said. With an IT background, Goulchand worked at the Guyana Revenue Authority
(GRA), Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) and the Ministry of Finance. She had the opportunity to travel around Guyana, which piqued her interest in hosting tours, giving people the chance to see all parts of Guyana at a reasonable cost.
She reported that she began to see how lovely Guyana is, and ideas started to form in her mind, as her aim was to share the experience with others via a tour package without breaking the bank.
Touring Guyana Goulchand added
as a tour provider, safety is the hallmark of her business because it is essential for a good experience, as well as customer reviews and approval.
The businesswoman stated that she started out with some staffers when it became overwhelming to take calls and manage the business alone.
Goulchand added that she has a home office where staff take reservations and handle calls, and also has a lone employee stationed at Optical World, an eyecare business she established in
well as tour guides for peak season tours.
Optical World Goulchand also has another business, Optical World, located next door to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs on Thomas Street, which is managed by her sister, Nashella Goulchand, an optometrist providing cutting-edge, modern eyecare services in Guyana.
She explained that her sister is passionate about eyecare, so they partnered and opened Optical World, which currently has three full-time staff-
that she created Touring Guyana on social media and began posting photos only of her travels. Then, people began asking her for recommendations of places to visit, and she obliged.
She related that she genuinely wanted people to see all of Guyana, its beauty, and what it has to offer, and her spouse encouraged her to start the tour business, which began operations after the pandemic.
Goulchand said she entered it with genuine willpower because she didn’t know much about operating tours, so she approached the Guyana Tourism Authority (GTA) to become certified and licensed as a tour operator.
She pointed out that,
partnership with her sibling on Thomas Street – a second business venture.
She noted that she offers tours to several regions and has specific packages, and is about to launch a new product in the tour – a bush cook at a farm in Canal Number One Polder, where fruit picking and cooking will take place under a shady tree.
Also coming soon is the Bush Bar, a portable service for any location, such as a pop-up event for wine and snack sampling, which is still in the testing stage for approval.
Goulchand said Touring Guyana was established in March 2021, and now it has five part-time staff members and two full-time employees, as
ers and a student on work attachment.
Goulchand added that they took the risk and invested in the eyecare business, and so far, it has been fair, considering it is a new business that stands out with its reliable, efficient, and customer-oriented services.
She reported that they provide quality service, where they listen to customers and offer options and advice based on their eyecare needs, without overcharging for their products.
Goulchand noted that their service isn’t rushed; they provide the best eye care and will work with any customer to ensure optimum satisfaction in both service and product.
that you can’t play cricket. That’s what a lot of people in Guyana don’t understand,” he said.
New Experience and Changing Perspective: Coach Travis Mohammed
One Guyanese that has had his opinion on blind and visually impaired people in Guyana changed is the team’s coach Travis Mohammed. For Travis, it was his first time working with a blind cricket team. He had only two months to prepare the group before the tournament, but it was a journey
that changed his perspective. Having been a coach and player for years, Travis shared that before working with the GuyBCA team, his interaction with people who are visually impaired or blind was limited, and his experience coaching them was nonexistent. “They reached out to me two months ago and they asked if I could help them to prepare for the regional tournament coming up in Barbados. And I was anxious because getting to know them and see how they go about with their lifestyle and
to coach them even in cricket as a sport, I was anxious to do it. But I took the job on,” he added, “It was my first time coaching a blind team, it was even my first time interacting with a blind person.”
Despite the challenges, Travis said there was little difference in how he approached training. “Coaching them and coaching a regular team, it’s almost the same,” he noted. “They understand themselves and I find it interesting how they field in position, batting, listening to the ball, ev-
erything.” He admitted that at first, he was unsure of how it would all come together, especially with the B1 category, which includes players who are completely blind. But they surprised him. “Even though they are totally blind, they could bowl straight to the batter just by listening to calls from the keeper, it was amazing to see.”
Although the team didn’t win the tournament, Travis said what they accomplished was impressive. Guyana’s B1 player Anthony Robinson gained an impressive 146 runs,
which was the highest runs scorer for that category, and B3 player Joshua Augustin accomplished an additional 198 runs as the second highest runs scorer for the category. Adding to the challenges the team faced during practice, Travis says that their accomplishments are even more impressive than most. “They haven’t played a competitive match in nine years. We did not have much practice, no pitch practice, due to the weather and inconsistency with getting grounds, but they did great.”
At the closing of the tournament, he told the team just how proud he was. “I’m very happy with their performance and the way that they carried themselves during the tournament.” Moving forward, Travis hopes the Guyanese public can come to see blind cricket as they would any other sport. “People should support the game of blind cricket, because they feel the same joy as a regular cricketer playing a game,” he added, “I wouldn’t label them or the game as something different.”
FOR the second time, in a period estimated a year or two ago, my eyes fell on a woman hugging a kind of suitcase or some other carrying bag. I was almost certain this was the same person. It was the first assumption I made as I took a photograph and the memories that the group of people who had gathered then pursued. It had taken some time back then even to figure out which agency to call to remove this person that we concluded had lost the basic balance to injure whatever had brought this woman where she was. A guy came up on a bicycle and hailed me, “We doing this again bway?” I recognised him, he was there
the first time, and he reminded me that the institution that we should call was the ‘Fire Service’. Again, I couldn’t figure out what they had to do with situations like this. With no credit, I couldn’t call anyone, but when I arrived home, I did so and was answered. We have become like a war-torn nation that has grown accustomed to grief and human misery; the other curiosity is where people who have reached a condition like this can be accommodated. Incidents like this are an opportunity for me to open up the field of discussion with my children. Where does this take them? I got responses like, “Dad, this is not like your
time, people ent got time with other people’s problems, it cold out here, they could deh right deh, if deh ent look after deh self, this time cruel.”
I listened and then I responded that different experiences cause stress. Sometimes, it’s the sudden impact of social changes, when incomes are diminished, family betrayals… we continued for a while. Then the question arose: when you were a teenager, how would you have dealt with that matter? I repeated that there were telephone booths, and if you called the indicated number for a similar emergency, a medical pickup would come, ask some questions, and then take the person to the hospital.
They concluded that people were more human back then. Perhaps, I answered, but all the issues you are aware of today occurred then. When it comes to conmen and women, sibling rivalry, and betrayals of trust, people were more emotional then and suffered from that. Today it’s best to have paperwork for everything. Real paperwork can be a reminder, before yuh got to do anybody anything.
I don’t know what happened to the lady in the Avenue of the Republic Canal. Since I hadn’t returned to central town before composing this article, what was surprising was a sudden campaign at home, urging me to
sleep earlier to maintain my restful mood. Instead, we had a chat on AI – Artificial Intelligence as a way to lessen literary work. I then reminded them that AI has programmed functions, while humans are complex entities gifted with awareness, cognition, intuition, and emotions in their decision-making. “Where’s the book?” they asked me. “Not yet,” I replied as I made the Academia Letters on Awareness by Federico Bizzarri available to them, insisting that they make their own downloads. Yes, it was fun, and I did feel like having an early night. In the interlude, I’m sure, as parents, we all do.
establishment, forcing Roshanie, like any good entrepreneur, to innovate and change. She relocated her business back home in Vigilance, where she and her husband worked to establish the business's name. Then the pandemic hit, and unexpectedly, it helped develop the business rather than hurt it. “As COVID hit, it helped me so much because people were locked down. The pandemic knocked everybody down. They had nothing to do,” Roshanie said. Orders poured in, and she worked overtime to fill them. “I run out so much. People keep placing orders and you have to keep for them until it grow and whatever. And that is how it all blossomed, and here I am today,” she said. Roshanie credits her family’s support for the success of the business. “I wouldn’t have done this without family support and my backbone to the business. So today it’s my husband who always keeps pushing me, pushing me,” she said. Now, Ambika’s Plant Shop doesn’t only sell plants. The business has expanded to new locations around Guyana, selling plants and everything else you may need to start a garden of your own. “From plants, I ordered watering cans, all plant accessories, fertiliser, you name it,” she said. Gardening and plants continue to bring in good business years after the pandemic, ac-
cording to Roshanie. “Gardening is a therapy by itself. And people growing their own vegetables and the fruits and their own plants, there was more for you to do within your boundary,” she shared. Today, Ambika’s Plant Shop has grown to meet the increasing demand, selling a wide range of gardening tools and accessories, including everything from plant pots to soil.
One of the hurdles of growth, however, has been learning. Although she was not professionally trained, Roshanie devoted a significant amount of her time to developing her understanding of plants. She shared that there was a steep learning curve. “Even though I have a passion
for the plants, I had not much knowledge because there were so many plants and there were so many things to know. I stay up late at night, I use Google, I use the internet to
educate myself,” she shared.
From a $14,000 investment and a backyard nursery to multiple locations and a full-scale garden supply operation, Ambi-
ka’s Plant Shop and Shopping Centre is proof that every business is unique, and with passion, timing, and a bit of resilience, even the smallest businesses can blossom.
WHEN there was innocence, happy times, and the embrace of her family, a poor country girl would walk to school with her friends, pick wildflowers by the wayside, and play games on the streets in the afternoons. These were the wonderful memories of childhood days that were her precious gems.
Life for her was simple, with fewer comforts than those of her neighbourhood
friends, and as she grew up, she did not nurture any dreams, for as a poor girl, she was unsure what the future held.
“Would the one I marry Make me happy Or would there be tears?”
Questions answered as she became a young woman, as fate took her down different paths, rough and thorny. She had been right not to dream, for the tears were more than the hap-
piness.
Now she lay in a cold, dark room, the world no more her home.
“I see no colours
For over my eyes Lies a dark veil
Hands I can hold no more.
Where am I?”
Yesterday was just another day, listening to melodious songs on the radio, chatting with her close neighbours and walking down the street to the main
road for a car to go into town.
Now today…
The sound of crying and voices expressing shock hit her like a cold blast, and she opened her eyes, gasping, “Why is there crying?”
The voices were com-
ing from beyond the door, voices she recognised, and she sat up to call her sons to tell them she wanted to go home, but no sound came from her lips. The door stayed closed, and she bent her head, not wanting to see what was around
her, not wanting to believe something was wrong.
“I want to go home,” she cried, “My children are waiting for me.”
The door opened, and she saw her sons standing there, young men, deep
TURN TO PAGE XIII
FROM PAGE XI
sadness on their faces. She reached out her hand to touch them, to ask what was wrong, but they were not looking at her standing there. They were looking at the woman lying on the slab, their mother. She had been pronounced dead by a doctor at the hospital after she had collapsed on the road.
She turned to look and shook her head slowly, unable to believe the lifeless body lying there was her, gone from the world.
Her sons were saying, “How do we go back home without you? Why have you left us?”
“I didn’t want to,” she said in a soundless voice, holding their hands, but they couldn’t hear her voice nor feel her touch and they left with deep grief. She couldn’t stay there alone; she wanted to go back home to see her family and close friends, whom she would be leaving forever.
She left the cold dark room for home and the burden of death seemed to dissipate as she stood unseen among the mourners, listening to their sentiments, shock and regrets. Not everything said was good, for her life had been like torn fabrics of a loveless girl. The suffering and pain she had borne were the hallmarks of her existence that caused her to deviate into the wrong path. She had been a simple, reputable woman and she could have stayed that way after separating from her abusive first husband, but the death of her second a few years later and the failure of a third relationship caused her to lose all hope. Her carefree life, filled with drinks and friends, contrasted with the demands of society, revealing a woman who had reached her breaking point.
The mother she was, though, she did not leave her children behind. The love they shared and the bond stayed strong, despite
changes in their lives.
Society had criticised her lifestyle and judged her harshly, she knew, but to her, it didn’t matter, for no one knew her pains nor held her hand in times of need, the poor girl she had been.
Never a rainbow in her life, just grey shifting clouds.
The day of the funeral, she wanted to comfort her sons and daughters, but all she could do as a departed soul was to give them strength to deal with the unexpected tragedy in their lives, for she had left with them something priceless: a mother’s love.
It would soon be the time for her soul to ascend, she knew, so she walked further down the street to her birth home one last time. As she neared the corner, she stopped by the culvert where, many years ago, a little girl used to sit and watch the sunset.
That little girl was her. She sat down, but she couldn't see the brilliance of the sunset; yet, it gave her a form of comfort just from sitting there. Time rolled back the years, allowing her to see the girl she once was, playing and laughing, attending church in her pretty Sunday dress, and holding her mother’s hand. Such pure happiness slowly lost its glow when she got married at sixteen, a change that pushed her further and further away from the beautiful life she had once known. Memories would now linger of the good and bad of her life as a woman, and she wondered if the angel of darkness or the angel of light would come for her.
At the corner of the street, she saw the little girl standing with a bunch of wildflowers in her hand, a girl whose life had never known roses, and she smiled as a bright light from above descended.
The little girl smiled, too, and took her hand.
TOO many fathers have lived without a plan in their early stages, and only in their older age did they realise that they were living aimlessly from day to day. In many societies and cultures, fathers are expected to lead their families. A father should not ignore that great responsibility but be guided accordingly. He must be able to establish some standards to help discipline his children when the need arises so that they will live their lives with a purpose. The discipline meted out to the children must be done in love to make them better. Discipline is something that many people may have some concerns about. Still, it is often
used to bring a person into conformity with accepted norms and values that would make them better people in society and allow them to fulfil their purposes.
Many mothers are usually happy when the father leads the family. It prevents mothers from being under a certain amount of stress, allowing them to concentrate on other important aspects of family life. The discipline, direction, and caring a father executes may take the family into its full stride in life. Whatever standard the father establishes for the family, he is expected to keep it.
Being a father is not a fashion show or a statement to make a father famous. Fathers must
be involved in carrying out many duties. Those things they do should be necessary and help build themselves, their family, and many others. So, those men who want to become fathers, please keep in mind that you have activities to be involved in, so carefully consider and then make a choice.
Many fathers may feel there is no need to improve their academic skills. That has been a sad reality for many men. Many of them spend much of their lives involved in intensive labour activities, working for minimal compensation, and always under leaders who make their lives difficult. Father, if you can improve your academics and work diligently, there may be a day when you may be able
to lead people instead of always being led. Your family will expect you to receive an increase in compensation, which should not be linked to union negotiations but rather to a promotion. Some of the work fa -
thers may soon change as many organisations are working to reduce their expenditures by investing in modern technology, and these organisations may not need the work of some fathers. Therefore, help
yourself now by increasing your knowledge. A father must be able to love other people beyond his direct family. He cannot be concerned only about his family.
TURN TO PAGE XVII
is the basis of all development. If we could not communicate with each other, we would live and die as isolated islands. The knowledge that we may gain through the experience of our own lives would perish along
with us. Great persons who have changed our world for the better would cease to be remembered. Some of the most significant moments in history would lose their meaning, as their importance could not be conveyed to others.
Every skill and ability would have to be learned from one’s own ingenuity and not from the prior knowledge of others. Yet, the most dreadful part of it all is the fact that we can never tell each other what we are feeling. We could
never smile at each other and share the warmth of joy. We could never shed tears as we help another person shoulder the burden of grief. We could not even wave goodbye to mark the end of a true friendship. Nevertheless, as we go about our lives, we rarely realise how valuable it is to be able to communicate with each other in any way that we please. We do not realise how much of our lives are tethered around effective communication. It is so important, in fact, that something as seemingly minuscule as a difference in age can lead to disputes as different generations of people attempt to communicate in different ways. For instance, most younger generations are often accused of being poor communicators – of being secretive, cold, or curt in the way they interact with others. In turn, older generations are accused of being excessively formal in their communication –focusing more on the manner in which information is conveyed rather than the content of each message. These differences have likely been responsible for numerous breakdowns in communication within homes, schools and even workplaces! It is safe to say, then, that communication itself is an important
skill which takes practice and patience to learn. Regardless of our age, communicating properly is a seemingly mundane activity that can have a significant impact on our lives. While it may seem like the generation gap, language barriers, or other misunderstandings are insurmountable obstacles to effective communication, it is more likely that our own emotions are the more formidable barriers preventing us from connecting. The truth is that communication is more than just transferring information. It is the ability to connect with another person. Good communicators remain tethered to other individuals even after a conversation has ended. They are able to form lasting bonds by communicating their feelings along with the information they are transferring.
Perhaps one of the most intriguing perspectives ever offered on communication comes from the mystery of the Voynich Manuscript. The Voynich Manuscript is a book discovered near Rome, containing about 240 pages of indecipherable text and pictures. The book was written in a mysterious language, termed “Voynichese”, and it contains hand-drawn pictures of curious plants, stars, creatures, and constellations that do not exist in reality.
Although professionals have worked on deciphering the book for decades, none has been able to come up with a conclusive answer on what exactly the book contains. The manuscript’s strange allure has drawn in more and more people, who attempt to decipher it only to come away disappointed.
The Voynich Manuscript is a book that seems to have connected people not through the words that it contains but rather through the promise of mystery that it holds. Although we may never decipher what those elusive pages contain, the book has already taught us much about our qualities as a collective race. It has shown us that our greatest treasures are not in the resources that we procure, or the wealth that we save. It is instead in the things we choose to say and the knowledge we choose to share.
Our world grows when we step forward to say what needs to be said in the right way. We connect when we choose to share our thoughts, even when others seem to hesitate. The Voynich Manuscript shows us that it is not just words that unite us, but the feeling of power that comes from knowledge. Words left unsaid and thoughts left unspoken are like maps which have only been partially drawn.
FROM PAGE XV
When fathers have children, they also have to see other children, just as they do with their own children. The way some fathers treat other people’s children may be the very way they do with their children.
Section C: Fathers Need the Support of Society Fathers are not robots. They need the support of everyone if they are to accomplish their purpose. The more support fathers receive, the more they may be able to achieve than many people will anticipate.
Too many fathers are being ill-treated by society. Some fathers who are doing wrong things need to be told about their errors and that they must change. However, all fathers are not the same. Therefore, treat each father accordingly. Help fathers become the people they are meant to be. Try to be a source of encouragement rather than finding all of their faults.
Take opportunities to encourage and celebrate fathers. Many fathers only receive a negative review. However, people in society can create that positive change by celebrating them when it is appropriate. If they have made a mistake, provide a shoulder for them to lean on so that they will stop making those mistakes and know that a better life awaits them.
Men have challenges, but they are unsure who they can share their concerns with. Fathers are important and like to know that they are important. In addition to their challenges, look for their areas of strength and complement them. People are also encouraged to pray for fathers, as they need prayers.
Those in society can help some fathers by creating employment for them. Not all fathers may have the resources necessary to become entrepreneurs, but they may need the assistance of someone. For those whom you can help, do so, as you are helping fathers take care of their families.
Whenever fathers do wrong things, people must discourage them since their negative actions will affect their family and the society in which they live. People must encourage fathers, as far as practicable, to build great relationships with their families. Fathers may be facing challenges in their relationships, but they should not offer the first advice to leave their relationships, unless there is danger or other compelling reasons. As a society, we should encourage fathers to look to the creator, which may prevent many fathers from doing wrong things. Fathers, before you leave this wonderful planet, invest in your family. You must leave an inheritance for them. Your life may not have begun with certain blessings, but you can still make a positive change in your family. Invest in them and cause them to have many years of joy and financial success.
If you are a hard-working father, try to take care of your family and then take some rest. Your family needs you, so work hard and also take some rest. If you overwork, you may miss the time to spend with your family and may not be able to enjoy all the great things that you planned and worked for. Rest is important. As a father, you are important, so do the right things.
Here is the link to the book cover if you will need to include the book cover: https://reidnlearn.com/wp-content/up -
loads/2021/11/1787a8_03c6eab0fd8e4f9e8c96b6adfc171963_mv2-scaled.jpeg.webp
For more information about Geary Reid and his books, please use these contact information: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/
gearyreid
Website: www.reidnlearn.com
Facebook: ReidnLearn
Email: info@reidnlearn.com
Mobile #: 592-645-2240
Welcome dear reading friend. Today we begin to look at significantly enhancing your learning and understanding through active study combined with assistance-seeking. Active study starts with engaging directly with the material at hand, while help-seeking involves proactively asking for support from available
resources when facing difficulties. Use much recall from memory rather than passive rereading to improve retention. Recognise your struggle with a particular concept or task and state it clearly to your chosen helper for the best results. Be wise.
Love you.
GRAMMAR
Punctuation of a discur-
sive passage
Note: Punctuation is a part of grammar study. It involves the use of all the signposts that help with clear expression and writing conventions. These include in-sentence and end-sentence signals which help with the intended understanding of the written words. Included with the proper punctuation of conversations or spoken
June 8, 2025
speech, lifted commas are used to enclose each utterance, which can either be complete or incomplete, and each speaker needs a new paragraph. These paragraphs are indented. See example below.
I hadn’t got six giant steps away when a boy stuck his head out the door and yelled, “Hey, Slim, is this your paper?”
I looked back. My blue flyer!
Study the discursive passage below. It is taken from a children’s novel and needs all missing punctuation marks inserted. However, full stops and new paragraphs have been retained.
Choose which of your study partners you need to work along you and discuss your individual efforts, arriving at a consensus of opinion.
When Momma used to tell me about what happened to her her eyes would get big and burny like the whole thing happened the day before yesterday instead of all those years ago. Shed start moving around our apartment real quick picking things up and putting them back in the exact same spot.
Filth shed say about the hat. Absolute filth why the thing was positively alive with germs who knows what type of people had worn it Id say I dont know Momma. Shed say who knows how many years it had been worn by who knows how many sweaty little heads Id say I dont know Momma.
Shed say the entire band on the inside was black and im sure it was crawling with ringworms lice and tetters Id say yes Momma.
Shed say and that horrid little photographer didn’t care do you imagine it ever occurred to him to wash it
Id say no Momma.
THE PASSAGE
Writing the summary of a passage
Note: A summary is writing that provides the reader with a much shorter and concise overview of a longer text. This version contains the original main points and ideas of the author and has no room for expression of personal opinions or interpretations.
A good summary
Live all you can; it’s a mistake not to.
HENRY JAMES (1843-1916) The Ambassadors (1903), bk. 5, ch. 2
beside focusing upon key information must aim to be both accurate and objective.
What your summary must incorporate:
i) Identifying or understanding what the topic is about. (This is expressed in the first sentence or two of your summary.)
ii) Expressing the main point or central argument of the original text. (The topic sentence in each paragraph states what the author is trying to say about the topic.)
iii) Looking for recurring themes which show their importance.
iv) Getting up and including all supporting ideas for the central idea. (Often, these are found in each paragraph of the original text.)
v) Using paraphrases and avoiding direct quotes unless they are absolutely needed.
vi) Being objective and concise, avoiding your own opinions or interpretations.
vii) Including an introductory sentence that states the title of the text, author, and main point, and ending with a concluding sentence or a re-emphasising of the main point.
viii) Doing your checking for accurate information. (Here you compare the summary with the original text to ensure all essential information is included.)
Read the following text carefully and have a summary written for it. They were teasing Johnny – Jimmy and the others did. He accepted the piece of chalk with as much seriousness as if it had been a medal. “Thank you, Corporal,” he said with a nod… Johnny looked down at his plate and smiled. He was honoured and a little embarrassed by the way we had teasingly praised him.
We did not know how wrong we were. As far as I
know, not one Navajo code talker was ever raised above the rank of corporal, just as none of us were ever given any kind of official recognition or honour from the time we enlisted until the surrender of Japan. In fact, most of us never even got to wear one of those dress blue uniforms like the first one I saw on the Marine Corps recruitment poster. We were kept invisible. It was partially because our true duty was kept such a secret from so many. But I think it was also because we were Indians in what was still, even in the Marines, a white man’s world. It was easy to forget Indians. I never thought much about promotions at the time, though. There was too much else for me to concern myself with… THE POEM
Getting to about the poem
For Whom the Bell Tolls by John Donne
No man is an island, Entire of itself.
Each is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manner of thine own
Or of thine friend’s were.
Each man’s death diminishes me,
For I am involved in mankind.
Therefore, send not to know
For whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee.
1. In your experience what has the tolling of a bell represented? 2. What is the argument put up in the poem about isolation of any of mankind? Is anyone truly isolated though? Support your theory from the poem. 3. In what ways does the wellbeing of one person affect the other?
Dr BERTRAND R. STUART
I WAS recently asked the question: At what age should I start cleaning my child’s mouth? Well, parents or guardians have the responsibility of initiating the process of oral healthcare for their children, generally when the child is about four months old. This initial orientation is the most important and will be especially effective if sustained over the first ten years of the child’s life.
Here are some Do’s and Don’ts.
1. Try to gently rub the gums with gauze or a damp facecloth even before the teeth start to erupt. This will help your baby understand from an early age that bathing, hair washing, and mouth washing are part of their routine. It will also desensitise the gums slightly and may ease the irritation of tooth eruption somewhat.
2. Don’t dip the pacifier (comforter) in syrup or honey or other sweet substances because sweetness in the baby’s mouth for prolonged periods is guaranteed to cause tooth decay. Furthermore, it will only encourage a “sweet tooth,” which can facilitate future obesity.
3. Don’t put extra sugar into the drinks that your baby takes in the bottle. The child does not need extra sugar. There is enough energy for them in the normal foodstuffs taken in.
4. Fruit juices contain acids. Some of them – especially citrus fruit – are very high in acid content. This acid performs the same function as the acid produced by plaque. It demineralises the enamel. Therefore, avoid fruit juice in the bottle or at least dilute it with water (about 50/50).
5. Avoid carbonated (soft) drinks until approximately three years of age. Never put these drinks in a bottle.
6. Try not to let your
baby sleep with a bottle. This may lead to a bottle mouth. If necessary, ensure that the bottle contains only water.
7. Use an “orthodontic pacifier” to ensure that in the event of continued use, the pacifier does not lead to an enormous open space between the front teeth (open bite). Remember, sucking on a pacifier is normal up to the age of three years.
8. Do not give sweets or chocolates to an infant until at least 18 months of age. They don’t know that they are “missing” something nice and all it does is promote poor diet habits. Resist relatives from doing this, even though it may make you unpopular with them.
9. Kissing a baby on the lips is one way that the bacterium streptococcus mutans (which causes tooth decay) is introduced into the mouth. Try to limit kissing to non-family members to just a cheek kiss.
10. Cleaning your children’s teeth is essential. Many of the baby teeth must last your child until they are almost 12 years old, so the idea that “they fall out anyway” is just not acceptable. Baby teeth are essential for maintaining the space for the correct positioning of the permanent ones that will follow, so if your child loses teeth too early, you may be looking at a huge orthodontist bill later that might have been avoided. Additionally, when children are young, it is often difficult for a dentist to adequately restore cavities, so dental work may be required under general anaesthesia. This should be avoided if possible, and it can be, simply by maintaining strict oral hygiene measures from the beginning.
