Guyana Chronicle Pepperpot E-Paper 15-05-2022

‘Common Cent$’ and how it can help improve your financial literacy

Matthew Gaul recently graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance with Distinction from the University of Guyana earlier this year. Passionate about developing his country and giving back to society, Gaul launched the ‘Common Cent$’ podcast, which teaches people about financial literacy. The programme touches on topics such as investing in the stock exchange, the importance of paying your taxes, controlling your expenditure and other finance topics (Photo courtesy of Matthew Gaul)

Sunday, May 15, 2022

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May 15, 2022

‘Guyanese-Canadians for Unity’on the move - stages impressive Spring Luncheon

THREE months after its inaugural launching, which was done via Zoom and saw participation from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Winnipeg and Saskatchewan, the Guyanese Canadians for Unity (GCU) is on the move.

At an impressive Spring Luncheon held at the spacious District Lounge, Pickering, Ontario, last Saturday and attended by Guyana-born Canadian Senator, the Honourable Hassan Yussuff and several Guyanese associations representatives, an ebullient Janet Naidu, founder and President of GCU, expressed the view that her association was at a pivotal point now, ‘to come together and be re-energised and to help one another feel valued as part of this society and at the same time to give back to Guyana in times of need and where possible.”

The aim of the GCU is to work to bring together Guyanese-Canadians and friends of Guyana to preserve and foster principles of human rights, equality, social justice, democracy, peace, prosperity, and unity for the progressive development of Guyana. It also aims to foster social engagement and the preservation of Guyanese heritage within the Guyanese-Canadian community.

The GCU is currently looking into an initiative on human services to help children in Guyana overcome difficulties in their lives.

According to Naidu, “we have been coming together in many ways through the years, through formations of organisations to serve our community here and participate in the wider Canadian landscape. Many of our folks have contributed

significantly to this great journey, and many continue to also give back to Guyana through donations to worthy causes.”

The GCU head reminded the audience that “for most of us, Canada is our home.

We also know that. Guyana is like another home - some of us were born there, and some were born here, even if one parent happens to come from Guyana. We cannot take away the special essence of how heritage plays an important role in our existence. No matter where we go, we carry with us our heritage.”

Expressing delight at the in-person gathering, Naidu pointed out that “we have endured the isolation of lockdowns because of the pandemic. The uncertainties of our well-being loomed over us. Today, we continue to brave the dynamics of

trying to stay safe. We are trying to get back on track with the happenings in our lives. Let me say that, when opportunity comes, we must seize it.”

Naidu cautioned that while “we must keep moving, we must continue to take all necessary precautions to stay safe. With all that’s been going on around us in the world, we are coming together - as one people - with our diverse cultural heritage and interests - to share this moment in time.

“Let us try to create a sense of belonging within our community. We continue to be patriotic Guyanese living in Canada as Canadians. We are proud of the diversity of our heritage, be it our ethnicity, religion, gender, age, lifestyles, ability and our many unique selves.”

According to Naidu, “Apart from preserving our heritage, friendships continue to be formed, memories treasured, expressing care towards each other and we also continue to come together as a community.

“Even though we have left the shores of our birth country, as Guyanese-Canadians we continue to come together to share in our common interest. We not only

gather to enjoy everything Guyanese, but we also have that giving-back spirit deeply rooted in us.”

Naidu disclosed, “We formed this organisation to continue to foster a similar social engagement in our community. We allow our generosity to come alive where we make a difference in the lives of others.

“We want to be positive, to be united and build on our strengths. Many of us want to have the Canada-Guyana connection - perhaps to go back, visit, travel, and some may want to volunteer in needed causes.

“We must never give up on striving for positive changes. Let us be courageous and try to overcome tough situations. Let’s try to jump the hurdles that come our way.

“We in the Guyanese diaspora share these fundamental values and more. If we want to emerge triumphant, we must continue to persevere, especially at those times when we are most tested. Let us stay united, supportive of one another and grow in our strengths.”

Senator Hassan, in brief remarks, said he knew the difficulty of building an or-

ganisation since he led one which had over three and a half million people and despite the fact that it was so hard and diverse across the country, it was always a challenge.

Senator Yussuff, who is one of Canada’s most experienced labour leaders and the past President of the Canadian Labour Congress, wished the GCU and its executive members well in building their organisation, knowing the organisation but equally, of course, sustaining it.

He pointed to the fact that there have been organisations created in the past that brought Guyanese together to ensure that they work in unity, but from time to time, they lost interest and moved on.

Yussuff was appointed

by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to the Senate of Canada in June 2021 He was the first person of colour to lead Canada’s union movement. Prior to that,Yussuff worked as a truck mechanic with General Motors for 10 years before getting involved in the labour movement.

In 1988, he joined the Canadian Auto Workers union SEE PAGE XXIII

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May 15, 2022

New pain management technique now available to local physiotherapists LOCAL physiotherapists now have their hands on a brand new technique in the area of pain management called Osteopathy, thanks to a course that was coordinated by the Guyana Physiotherapy Association Continuing Education Committee.

The technique was introduced here in Guyana last week by Dr. Steven Sanet, a specialist in Osteopathic medicine who hails from Pennsylvania and who has been travelling the world to teach such techniques.

The use of Osteopathic medicine is expected to enhance the already existing physiotherapeutic techniques that local physiotherapists use. It is another skill that they can learn to add to their treatment, another technique

to help patients manage their pain without the intervention of medication.

Osteopathy is a manipulative art of medicine that uses the body’s own healing mechanisms for repair and wellness, which has a grounding philosophy that the body is a whole unit; not just a combination of pieces.

It was founded in 1874

by Andre Taylor Still, who was a traditional physician, and who approached the human body as a wondrous machine, capable of its own healing when its physiology and anatomy were operating optimally.

“The philosophies on which he built his system of manipulation included the holistic approach of treating the body as a complete system rather than chasing

Jana Edghill, Physiotherapist and Secretary of the Guyana Physiotherapy Association

symptoms. Dr Still said it is the job of the Osteopath to ‘find the health’ in the body rather than just treat disease,” Jana Edghill, Physiotherapist and Secretary of the Guyana

Physiotherapy Association told Pepperpot Magazine.

“Dr Still considered that structure and function have a relationship, and the goal of treatment was to restore normal structure and aid the body’s own natural healing mechanisms,” she continued.

Physiotherapists locally have been making a significant difference in the lives of patients, helping some in worst-case scenarios to recover just fine. While many patients are often wheeled in because of immobility, many are able to walk right out after receiving therapy from physiotherapists who often demonstrate a great degree of patience and care.

Edghill undoubtedly speaks for many other phys-

Dr. Steven Sanet, a specialist in osteopathic medicine

According to her, the treatment can be used for a wide array of conditions from back pain to shoulder and neck pains, sinus prob-

Dr. Sanet introduced Osteopathic medicine in Guyana during a training session last week

Physiotherapists from all across the country were able to tap into the training

Dr. Sanet explains the technique

iotherapists when she says that it is important for them to continue improving their skills in the profession. As such, the introduction of Osteopathy is a great idea and a step forward in improving the skills that they already have.

lems, headache, shortness of breath, and for children with disabilities who need help with physical development.

Regarding the new treatment that is now available, Edghill described it as a “very hands-on treatment

technique that doesn’t require any expensive equipment.”

It’s a skill that can simply be developed with the hands.

“That’s why it’s such an important tool to have in your bag; you’ll be able to treat patients when you go to outreaches in far-flung regions.”

For the course that Dr Sanet conducted, therapists from all across the country were able to benefit, including those from far-flung areas in Regions Two, Seven, and Nine.

“The purpose of the course was to enhance our techniques in the area of pain management, and we are looking to do this course again at a more advanced level to learn more advanced techniques from Dr Sanet,” Edghill said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Sanet, D.O, is an internationally acclaimed American Osteopathic physician, lecturer, and founder of the Osteopathic Health and Wellness Institute (OHWI) in the United States as an alternative for those suffering from pain and illness. He has also founded the Osteopathic College of Ontario (OCO) in Canada to bring this non-surgical choice to the world for those where medicine has not worked or is not affordable. The college and faculty teach Osteopathy in more than 40 countries with the goal of making accessible this drugless medical art.

A local physiotherapist benefitting from Dr. Sanet’s training

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May 15, 2022

SRCS to engage six Rupununi communities on creation of ‘Red Siskin Conservation Zone’

THE South Rupununi Conservation Society (SRCS) recently announced its Conservation Leadership Award by the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP) which represents the final step of support that has spanned almost 20 years from when SRCS was first awarded a ‘Future Conservationist Award’ in 2005.

The award is expected to be used to help create a Community-Based Conservation Management Zone to protect the Red Siskin across its range in Guyana since the country is one of the few places where the Red Siskin can be found.

This zone is essential in

The CLP award will go towards increased efforts to protect the Red Siskin

Guyana is one of the few places where the Red Siskin can be found

protecting the Red Siskin from threats, including habitat destruction and trapping.

The bird has already been classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

In the early 2000s, a group of scientists from the Smithsonian Institute accompanied by local guides from the tour operator, Rupununi Trails, made a discovery that was set to shock the global scientific community and drastically change the future of conservation in the Rupununi. The group identified a Red Siskin (Spinus cucullatus), a seed finch that, until then, was only known to be found hundreds of miles away in northern Venezuela.

At that time, the Red Siskin was classified as “Critically Endangered” due to

SRCS, in collaboration with six Rupununi communities, will create a Red Siskin Community-Based Conservation Management zone

its history of being intensely trapped for the purpose of selling which resulted in a severe population decline to the point where it was almost impossible to find one in the wild.

The unexpected discovery of the Red Siskin catalysed a group of nature-loving friends who had noticed a decline in the abundance of wildlife in the Rupununi to form SRCS in June 2002.

The aim of SRCS is to “through adaptation, sustain a healthy environment for the people, plants and animals of the Rupununi.”

The first task for the newly formed SRCS was to understand more about the Red Siskin and to ensure that their

first grant by the Conservation Leadership Programme (CLP). This was “Stage One” of the grants offered by CLP and was referred to as a “Future Conservationist Award.”

This funding allowed SRCS to train new recruits in skills such as binocular use, GPS use, bird identification and bird handling to become SRCS rangers.

After this first CLP award, it was difficult for SRCS to secure another grant due to the same issues. As such, the members spent the next five years volunteering to collect important information on the Red Siskin.

Then, in 2013, SRCS was awarded the “Stage Two” of funding by CLP known as

Since the discovery of the Red Siskin, the number of tourists travelling to the South Rupununi has significantly increased

population was safe from the threats that they had faced in Venezuela. To do this, SRCS recruited members from Indigenous communities across the South Rupununi who shared the founding group members’ passion for wildlife, the environment and adventure.

However, at this point, SRCS had no funding or previous experience with managing grants.

Yet this changed in 2005 when they were awarded their

the “Conservation Follow-up Award.” This grant helped SRCS to accelerate efforts to collect data that was new to science, including the range of the Red Siskin in Guyana, their population size and their genetic code.

The success and attention brought about by the second CLP grant then allowed SRCS to successfully apply to other grants to broaden their work on the SRCS. Over time, it then allowed SRCS to expand its work to other threatened species, including the Giant Anteater and the Yellow-spotted River Turtle.

However, despite the SEE PAGE XI

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May 15, 2022

‘Common Cent$’ and how it can help improve your financial literacy ‘COMMON Cent$,’ a financial literacy podcast, seeks to help young people become aware and educated about various financial matters. The name alone says it all. Its founder and host is a young Guyanese, Matthew Gaul. He recently graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance with Distinction from the University of Guyana earlier this year. Gaul is also a former Youth Parliamentarian in the 2019 batch.

He was the first President of the International Decade for People of African Descent Assembly Guyana’s Youth Committee during the period 2019-2021. “ I am a very simple person who loves God, sports, books and money,” Gaule explained to the Pepperpot Magazine. He is also quite passionate about the development of his country and the upliftment of his brothers and sisters. ‘Common Cent$’ has touched on a plethora of topics, including investing on the stock exchange, the Matthew Gaul

importance of paying your taxes, Controlling your expenditures and others.

The ultimate objective of “Common Cent$” is to equip young people with the knowledge to make informed financial decisions that will ultimately provide the foundation for living comfortable lives. Gaul expressed that the show has been positively impacting young people, based on the feedback received over the past nine months. More young people are becoming interested in investing in the local Stock Exchange, more young people are becoming business-oriented and more young people are striving to spend their money wisely.

The idea for the show was initiated during the onset of the pandemic in one of Mathew’s final year courses. He was tasked with preparing an analysis of an Inter-American Development Bank report titled, ‘Review of Financial Development and Inclusion for Guyana: Assessment and Options for Reform which

outlined the paucity of financial literacy initiatives in Guyana and the wider Caribbean.’

Additionally, a Ponzi Scheme, Blessings Circle and other fraudulent schemes started to infiltrate the Guyanese society and eventually grew out of control, with thousands of persons being ensnared to the tune of millions of dollars. This further fuelled his passion for creating a platform that could educate the populace on financial matters. Hence, his journey with ‘Common Cent$’ began.

“I’ve currently completed seven episodes in Season II with three episodes remaining. I try to package education with entertainment to ensure that I effectively reach my target audience,” he explained. “I’ve also been privileged to have [several personalities on the programme, including] Economist Richard Rambarran; Manager of the Guyana Stock Exchange, George Edwards; young Guyanese artiste, Kareem Lewis; psychologist Will Campbell and other productive, ambitious young people in the society, including the founder of Pan Jazz, Reon Miller, Attorney at Law Chevy Devonish on the programme to share their wisdom and knowledge.”

Balance The host continued to encourage young people to live a balanced life. “Many people in the financial field make individuals feel bad about spending. I’m an advocate for spending wisely and saving to fulfil future goals. Additionally, it is very important to prioritize and not allow your spending habits to be dictated by social media. More-

From Left, Guyanese PsychologistWil Campbell, ‘Common Cent$’ host, Matthew Gaul with popular Guyanese Artiste, Kareem “cKush” Lewis

Matthew Gaul behind the scenes of ‘Common Cent$’

over, young people should endeavour to live within their means and desire to be wealthy through legitimate means.” He continued his positive encouragement by saying, “As Guyana’s economy continues to experience a paradigm shift, it is important for youth to position

themselves to benefit from the bounty that is coming to Guyana. It is important to note that corporate Guyana, including Georgetown Capital, Lucozade Guyana, M&M Snackette, Reminiscent GY, Virtual Solutions Guyana, Au Moyeu and Regal Designs Enterprise have supported the

initiative from the inception.

Many times, the private sector receives flak for not being supportive, but I’m grateful that more businesses are recognizing the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility.”

The Pepperpot Magazine finally asked Gaul what future plans are in store for his financial, and educational journey. “After Season two of ‘Common Cent$’ is completed in early June, I hope to complete physical outreaches in communities to spread the importance of being financially literate, as well as hosting quarterly ‘Money Talk’ sessions,” said Matthew. ‘Money Talks’ will be an event where young people can physically meet to hear from experts in the financial and business field, ask questions and have engaging conversations and expand their network in a safe environment. Season III of Common Cent$ is scheduled to return in September, 2022.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May 15, 2022

Kaneville Gardens A thickly populated village ‘ripe’ for development

Kaneville Gardens Village, East Bank Demerara (Carl Croker photos)

THIS week the Pepperpot Magazine visited Kaneville Gardens, East Bank Demerara to highlight the way of life of the locals.

Kaneville Village is bordered by Grove and Craig, and it is tucked away just after Samatta Point Village.

The village runs deep and its inhabitants are of multi-ethnic descents comprising of Indo Guyanese, Afro Guyanese, Amerindians, mixed-race and some newcomers, Spanish people, who are renting dwelling houses.

Kaneville Gardens is

The village signage.

home to many like-minded people from the grassroots level to budding professionals, skilled people, skilled

professionals and people who work within the private and public sectors.

The village has many

small shops, bars, churches, a mosque and a nursery school at Samatta Point.

Kaneville Gardens is thickly populated with more than 5,000 residents. Of that, an estimated 70 percent are children and youths, and it has more than 1,200 house lots.

There are 23 internal streets, all named after the many species of birds found in Guyana, and it is a community which developed rapidly within a span of five years under the then President, the late Cheddi Jagan, who regularised the once squatting area.

During that period, the village benefitted from all-weather roads, potable water, electricity, landline phone and internet services.

A handful of people began squatting in Kaneville Village when it was landowned by the state, being Guysuco’s in 1992.

A year after the houses were destroyed during an exercise to get the people off the land, the area became

even more populated,and the then President,Dr. Cheddi Jagan listened to the cries of the people.

During a village meeting Dr. Cheddi Jagan authorised the dwellers to remain there.

He, however, fulfilled his promise of regularising the community and through community-based initiatives by the first settlers, the village was developed.

People from all across the country began occupying the lands in Kaneville when they learned that they could own their own home and escape the burden of paying rent.

Most things can be sourced within the village such as groceries, meats, fruits, and vegetables but locals would journey to the city or nearby villages to make bulk purchases on a monthly basis.

Many utilise the banks and other facilities at Grove, which is just nearby, rather than going to the city.

Kaneville Gardens comes under the purview of the Grove/Diamond Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and it was noted that the drainage network of this

village needs some attention since it is flood-prone.

Apart from four internal streets, this village has good all-weather streets, which connect the entire community and some connecting wooden bridges linking Kaneville to other villages, including Grove.

The people of Kaneville Gardens rear their own chickens, pigs, and livestock and some have small kitchen gardens with fruits and vegetables.

Residents are of the view that, with a community centre ground, the children and youths will have a place for recreational activities and sports, and there is a great need for a police outpost in that village owing to the increase in crimes there.

The nearest police station is at Grove and the mode of transportation is by taxi since there minibuses do not traverse within the community.

Kaneville Gardens has a sign displaying the name of the village and it is a fairly clean village with lots of shops, a busy place, be it at night or during the day.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May 15, 2022

‘We are here to stay’ Kaneville Gardens residents proud of their community’s development over the years

By Michel Outridge THERE is nothing like home and it is no different for Derek Samaroo, a resident of Kaneville Gardens, East Bank Demerara.

It is a place he has been residing for the past 20 years and it is indeed a plus for

concern me. They [criminal elements] don’t bother me and I appreciate that,” he said.

He is originally from Dennis Street, Campbellville, Georgetown and in his bid to own his own place, relocated to Kaneville Gardens.

Devon Cort (Carl Croker photos)

the people to benefit from development since the village went from a swamp to a developing community with the necessary infrastructure.

The 52-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that he was very pleased with the

His family also moved to that village and his mother is his neighbour and that is very convenient.

Theresa Jackson, the self-employed of five Meanwhile, in the same

Jackson is the mother of five sons, the eldest is 22 and the youngest is a toddler. She was motivated to start her own small business since the prospect of working for people was not in her favour.

Two years ago, with the money she had in savings, she invested in some clothes and footwear and began selling at the roadside just in front of her home.

“It was during the pandemic and I had to do something to earn and that was my best option as a mother,” she said.

Jackson added that she used to have her stall on the main access road but decided to relocate it to in front of her home.

As a form of independence after her separation from marriage, she became a single mother with five children, and she doesn’t believe in sitting idly by.

Having a small business is empowering for Jackson, who is of the view that anything is possible through hard work and determination.

She is supported by her children, but some are grown and are leading their own lives.

“These boys get big, so

Theresa Jackson at her stall

cheese, egg ball, boil and fried channa with sour, among other things and she would sell them from a glass case they have set up along with local fruit juices as well as carbonated sodas.

The single parent would sell every day until the snacks are sold out.

“It doesn’t matter where you live. You have to make your life good by being a good example to your family

and don’t go in people’s way.

Around here it is better to mind your own business to avoid problems,” she said.

Devon Cort, the landscaper/bus driver Devon Cort is also a resident of Kaneville Gardens who is a minibus driver and a weeder.

He has a nice cottage in the village and his place is well-kept.

Cort is the father of seven and that day when the team visited, he was in the process of preparing a meal of corilla and fried fish with rice for the family before heading off to do a job of landscaping right in the village.

The 48-year-old reported that he had been residing in the community for the past 20 years and came from the village next door, Craig.

Derek Samaroo and his granddaughter Theresa Jackson and her youngest son

way the village had developed over the years for their comfort.

The father of one stated that there was need for a play park for the children and some of the roads needed upgrading.

“In here, you have to watch yourself and look out for others as it relates to crimes, but I stay in my lane and I do not mix up or get involved in things that do not

village is the home of Theresa Jackson and her extended family. She has a small business of selling haberdashery and delicious homemade snacks via her roadside stall.

The 38-year-old lives in an apartment in the lower flat of her parents’ house and in another section, a sister lives with her family.

Her parents live in the upper flat of the two-storey edifice.

the money that mommy used to get cut because they have girlfriends, and they are getting a portion too, still better than nothing,” she said.

Jackson is originally from Ann’s Grove, East Coast Demerara and relocated with her family 21 years ago to Harpy Eagle Street, Kaneville Gardens.

She explained that her mother would make fried chicken, macaroni and

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May 15, 2022

Kaneville Gardens resident instrumental in contributing to community development

By Michel Outridge MOHAMED Alli is a resident of Kaneville Gardens, East Bank Demerara and he is one of the first settlers of the village who advocated for community-based development within the village.

As a squatter, he began occupying a plot in the village in 1992, and his house was dismantled when the authorities launched an exercise to clear the land, which was state lands, belonging to the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo).

However, in 1993 after a protest exercise, the then President, the late Cheddi Jagan, visited the village and held a meeting where he told residents they could rebuild and live there.

He made good on his promise to regularise the squatting area and then the community was developed with the basic infrastructure thus, enhancing the lives of the people.

The 56-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that after it was legal to live there, he formed a group to foster development in the village

and things started to happen when they approached the administration and several agencies for help.

“I visited SIMAP and IDB after crafting a fiveyear developmental plan for the village and sought assistance, and it was given.

We got roads, light and water and it was good for the people,” he said.

The father of three related that it was a matter of prioritising things and what they needed first was water and they applied for that service with the help of the agencies that came on board

Mohamed Alli at his home (Carl Croker photos)

to partner with them.

Alli added that through their village group, Kaneville Citizen Development Com-

Home of Mohamed Alli

mittee of which he was the chairperson, they also visited the then President Jagan in 1999 to advocate for roads.

Based on their request, the late President Jagan returned to the village and during a walkabout, he promised to see that four streets were paved into all-weather roads to bring ease to the people who walked on mud dams.

Alli stated that over time, they approached the Ministry

of Housing and asked for more roads in the village to be made into ‘crush and run’ composition and it happened.

He related that the then Minister of Housing, Shaik Baksh visited and personally saw that the roads were done and later, they reached out to IDB and got all-weather roads in the entire village.

“I took a lot of time to volunteer my services to this community because I wanted development to take place rapidly, and that’s how we got so many things, so quickly and the people that were with me on this journey were old-school, good people, who invested time to assist,” he said.

He noted that people like Gregory Baker, who has long passed away and many others, some of whom migrated and others passed on were instrumental in developing Kaneville into the residential area it is today.

Alli told the Pepperpot Magazine that the transformation from a squatting area to a developing community was welcomed by the people, who, at that time, craved development.

The resident pointed out that when he first began living in Kaneville, it was a swamp, overgrown by bushes, and it had a small track which led to the canal over which a piece of wood served as the bridge.

Alli reported that at nights he would be at home, then he had a little house,

and he would hear a ‘splash’; he knew he had to go,in the darkness, and render assistance in getting the man, who had imbibed heavily, out of the canal.

“When I hear a splash at nights I knew what had happened. It was someone overboard because it was a piece of wood they had to navigate to get over. After it happened several times, I began asking for wood to build a proper bridge because someone would lose their life, and a better bridge was constructed,” he said.

Alli explained that his five-year development plan for the village included a playground, the land was identified, but nothing happened after that.

He added that a police station, schools and a drainage upgrade were also included and these days he doesn’t have the time to volunteer since he has a business to run and he is often overseas.

Alli is originally from Kitty, Georgetown but relocated to Craig with his family and later lived at Grove and it was when he got wind of the news that people were squatting in Kaneville he grabbed the opportunity.

“I was renting and I wanted to get out of that, so I went to squat because I wanted my own house and today, I have my own house and a business right here in Kaneville,” he said.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May 15, 2022

The people of Kaneville Gardens have a spirit of perseverance

By Michel Outridge

AT 77 years old, Latifan (only name) is spending her days taking care of her grand-daughter, who has been entrusted to her since she was two days old.

The girl is Eliana Zarah Thomas, who is nine years old and is attending school.

Latifan enjoys taking her grand-daughter to and from school, but, apart from that, she is satisfied staying in.

She is among the first settlers of Kaneville Gardens, East Bank Demerara and has been living there since 1995.

“The music does be too much for me at nights, but I try to cope. Living at the edge of “Wrong Turn” Street isn’t the ideal spot because it is a four-corner and all kinds of things take place here,” she said.

Barbot Paul, her late husband, was fatally killed during an armed robbery at their home in 2006. He was a shop owner and a contractor at the time.

Being a widow wasn’t easy at all, but over the years, she has accepted the fact that he was no longer here in the physical form and life goes on, regardless.

Latifan told the Pepperpot Magazine that living in Kaneville Gardens comes with its own challenges, and one of her main issues was flooding.

However, her cries for help in getting a modest house did not fall on deaf ears. Her Muslim brothers pitched in and contributed to the construction of a flat concrete which she is currently residing in.

Latifan called “Aunty Shira”

This senior citizen has a lot to look forward to, including the celebration of her 78th birth anniversary in July.

She would like to have her family members around, be it in the form of her son, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

“I am a pensioner and I am getting old-age pension and I get by with that and also contribution from my son and the Muslim brothers from the Kaneville Masjid,” she said.

Latifan related that Kaneville Gardens was her home and she had no intention of exiting that village despite some issues.

She is originally from Middle Walk, Buxton, East Coast Demerara and relocated to Kaneville Gardens many years ago in search of a better quality of life. The prospect of owning her own home was most tantalising.

Latifan’s companions are a grandson, Mustapha Persaud, 25, who is married with one child and her beloved

grand-daughter who is obviously the ‘apple of her eye’.

Persaud told the Pepperpot Magazine that he was a member of the Kaneville Mosque and as his way of giving back to the community him, along with others, would cook food and feed the less fortunate every week.

Shamane Solomon, the vendor Meanwhile, in the same village is the roadside stand of Shamane Solomon, a mother of six who is simply trying to take care of her children.

She has a small busiSEE PAGE XIV

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Shamane Solomon at her roadside stall vending fresh fruits and vegetables (Carl Croker photos)

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May 15, 2022

Volunteerism and entrepreneurship are alive in Kaneville Gardens

By Michel Outridge

BEING a Councillor attached to the Grove/Diamond Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) requires volunteering your services but being the village pastor as well, Angad Ram incorporates volunteerism to his advantage to minister to the community.

AS a people person, Ram established the Health and Welfare Committee of Kaneville Gardens in the early days of the late President Cheddi Jagan’s regime.

It was formed following a community meeting with Jagan to regularise the then squatting area.

Ram told the Pepperpot

Magazine that he had been living in Kaneville Gardens for the past 25 years and was the pastor of the New Testament Baptist Church in the village, which is the largest, in terms of buildings.

The Councillor reported that way back a plot of land was allocated for a playfield, but nothing was ever done to make it into a suitable place for sports and recreational activities for the community, and it was now overgrown by bushes.

The plot is located at fourth field, on the southern end, at Toucan Street and has been abandoned for 20 years.

“We really need a playground with a community

centre building for skills training, a place where the youths and children can go for sports and recreation because this village has a large population of children and young people,” he said.

Ram added that 70 percent of the population in Kaneville Gardens are children and young people and it was imperative they get somewhere to go to engage in activities that will be beneficial for them.

He stated that the names of the street were given by the then Community Development Council (CDC) members and named after the many species of birds found in Guyana.

Ram is also the Presi-

dent of the Parent-Teachers Association (PTA) of Samatta Point Nursery School and is a local contractor by trade.

The Councillor reported that there was a great need for a police outpost to be established in Kaneville Gardens owing to the high crime rate within the community.

He related that the village also needed street lights for the safety of residents who traverse the area in the nights, especially those who have to walk home, after work, after hours.

Despite some challenges within the community in terms of having certain facilities to enhance the lives of the locals, the village had seen its fair share of development over the years.

He remembered when they had to roll up their pants and walk through ankle-deep mud, but today, they have good roads and the other basic infrastructure needed to boost the lives of the people.

Ram is the holder of a Doctorate in Human Psychology and has a degree in Theology.

The father of four told the Pepperpot Magazine that he had been a Councillor for the past three years and finds the volunteer work to be fulfilling where he makes representation on behalf of the locals at the NDC level.

Ram disclosed that through his intervention, after 25 years, piles of garbage

The shop at Hummingbird Street, Kaneville Gardens

- large fridges, freezers and other bulk refuse - which were lying by the roadside were removed and taken to the dumpsite.

He pointed out that eight tractor loads of garbage were removed from Kaneville Gardens.

Ram is, however, willing to lend the use of the church building to facilitate skills training for the youths in the community because he promotes youth development and would like the idle minds to be meaningfully occupied.

Shelvin Oxford, the shopkeeper Shelvin Oxford is a local of Kaneville Gardens and a shop owner who has a small shop in the community, which is considered the ‘chill spot’ where villagers meet up for a cold drink.

The father of two told the Pepperpot Magazine that he was from Agricola, but he wanted to get out of that village because it was during the crime wave.

The 45-year-old added that he heard that he could go and squat in Kaneville and he took a chance and was still there to date.

It was in 1993 that he moved in with his family and later he built his own little house in that village.

His shop is located away from his home. The shop is at a prime location, road corner, convenient at Hummingbird Street, Kaneville Gardens.

Oxford sells groceries, and beverages among other things.

“Life here is how you make it, I don’t trouble nobody, and I stay put and earn honestly,” he said.

Shop owner, Shelvin Oxford (Carl Croker photos) Pastor: Angad Ram and his wife

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SRCS to engage six Rupununi ... progress made in understanding the Red Siskin, SRCS rangers discovered that the Guyanese population of the Red Siskin was under threat from trapping, trading and habitat destruction. If these threats were left unabated, it was possible that the Guyanese population of Red Siskins could have severely declined. As such, SRCS applied for the third and final stage of CLP funding, known as the “Conservation Leadership Award” to find a solution to this problem.

Now that the SRCS has been awarded the stage three grant, it will allow the organisation to further engage the six Indigenous communities on whose titled and proposed extensions where the Red Siskin’s range occurs – Sand Creek, Sawariwau, Katoonarib, Rupunau, Shulinab and Potarinau - to work together to find a solution.

It is planned that SRCS in collaboration with the communities, will create a “Red Siskin Community-Based Conservation Management” zone, which would be one of the first of its kind in Guyana. The zone would cover the known range of the Red Siskin and have a set of rules whose purpose is to protect the Red Siskin that will be decided upon by the six communities. The zone would then be monitored by SRCS rangers from each of the six communities with the aim of a reduction in the number of threats and a hopeful increase in their population.

Since the discovery of the Red Siskin, the number of tourists travelling to the South Rupununi has significantly increased, with eager bird-watchers travelling from all across the world to see the magnificent little red bird. This has benefited the local communities, who are now able to find opportunities as guides, caterers, accommodation providers, transportation providers and more.

FROM PAGE IV

The Red Siskin has been classified as “Critically Endangered.”

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XIII

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SILENT THE CRIES

A STORY, drifting with time, decades ago, told and retold of a young man’s sudden death.

“It was a night like this,” his eldest sister related to the family gathering.

They had all come home from abroad for a vacation, and always, when they were together, they would talk about him.

“No one was home that day,” she continued, “for there was a wedding a few villages away.”

The younger generation of nieces and nephews, who could not remember him, or knew him at all, listened intently, “Why didn’t he go to the wedding?” a young niece asked.

“He had some unfinished work on the farm.”

“And no one noticed anything strange about his behaviour?”

“No, for he was always a quiet person.”

A short silence descended on the family as memories of a loved one, a good son, who ended his life, twenty-two

hushed tones, he ended his life.

His family had stared, shocked, on their return at the lifeless figure hanging from a rope on the mango tree.

To this day, no one knows why.

Anarkali, one of the young nieces, intrigued by the story of her uncle, whom she could not remember, looked at her grandmother, sitting quietly in a corner.

She touched her hand in a comforting gesture and asked, “Grandma, are you okay?”

The old lady looked at her and tried to smile, but sadness over the decades had not drifted away with the waves of time and her lips trembled.

“Nothing was ever the same again, my dear.”

Anarkali squeezed her hand, affectionately and said, “It was an unexpected tragedy and such shock and pain, sometimes last a lifetime.”

The old lady nodded and said softly, “He was my first son and

the back door on the upper flat, quietly, she stepped out on the verandah. From there she could see across the farmlands to the No.55 foreshore.

“There must be something,” she thought. “Some little detail that was missed.”

Finding the truth was a personal interest for her and as a law student, her analytical knowledge in unsolved cases was a great asset.

Her birth home and its culture she did not know much of because her parents had migrated when she was just five. But there was a connection here that bonded her, giving her a sense of belonging. This tragic tale she had heard several times before from families but it never aroused her interest like it did, hearing it here, where it actually happened.

The mango tree was still in the yard and from where she was standing, she could see it in the shadows. She closed her eyes and tried to visualize her uncle, standing there with the rope in his hands, looking at the tree

years ago, became refreshed in their minds.

Unforgettable, that tragedy.

On the wall hung a framed, black and white picture of a handsome, pleasant-looking young man, in whose eyes, the world seemed to shine, but on a Sunday night, as the farmland laid silent and the waves touched the foreshore, in

I still don’t know why he left me that way.”

Anarkali laid in bed, that night, thinking, unable to sleep.

“How could, no one not know?” she questioned, “Why would a good, hard-working young man, who was not a drinker or victim of abuse, end his life so quietly, with not a word, not a message left behind?”

She got up and opening

limb, tying the knot and his flirt with death, his last breath, the look in his eyes.

“What was he thinking, were there regrets?”

“Anarkali,” a voice behind her said.

She opened her eyes, startled and turned around.

Her father was standing at the doorway, a little worried.

“What are you doing out here so late?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” she answered.

He joined her on the verandah, not looking at the mango tree but eventually his eyes were drawn and he sighed deeply.

“How old were you when it happened?” she asked him.

He did not answer for a while, looking up at the starless sky and when he spoke, there was a slight tremor in his voice.

“I was ten years old and

I couldn’t quite understand, at the time, what had really happened. But many nights I came out on this verandah, hoping to see him, so he could tell me something.”

Anarkali, held her father’s hand, touched by his deep sentiments, never knowing how much his brother’s death had affected him.

A cold gust of wind blew in from the river and father and daughter went back in the house, without saying

anything further.

The family’s vacation commenced with a religious function, to give thanks to God, visits and donations to several charities, entertaining family get-togethers and tours to beautiful places.

Coming home was always wonderful and as the days went by, Anarkali continued asking questions about SEE PAGE XXIX

XIV FROM PAGE IX ness selling fresh vegetables and fruits at the corner of ‘Wrong Turn’ Street, a hotspot for bars and other happenings.

Solomon is squatting on the reserve where she has a small wooden house and she

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May 15, 2022

is originally from Sophia, Greater Georgetown.

She told the Pepperpot Magazine that she is a single mother and after working with the Craig NDC for a few years, she decided to start her own small business.

Solomon began buying

fresh fruits and greens at Stabroek Market in the city and has to wake up early and leave home at 02:00hrs to make the necessary purchases to sustain her business.

She added that it was a sacrifice, but she has to upkeep it because she is the

Latifan and her granddaughter on their way to school that day

The stall at ‘Wrong Turn” four-corner in Kaneville Gardens

sole provider for her home.

The entrepreneur stated that the transportation costs via taxi would add up, but she had no other mode of travelling. She would return home with her load by minibus.

Solomon would set up her stand every day and

would vend until 22:00hrs daily since she sells perishables.

“I have to get the fruits and vegetables off because, at times, if it doesn’t sell, it would spoil, and I would suffer a loss without making a profit,” she said.

She is also trying her

hand at selling freshly cutup fruits which are placed in a bowl for convenience and proper presentation.

As a single mother, Solomon simply cannot give up and is willing to go the extra mile when it comes to providing for her children, all of school age.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May 15, 2022

Building a shared future for all life INTERNATIONAL days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, mobilise political will and resources to address global problems, and celebrate and reinforce

Day for Biological Diversity annually on May 22.

Biological diversity is often understood in terms of the wide variety of plants, animals and microorganisms, but it also includes genetic

agricultural landscapes) that host multiple kinds of interactions among their members (humans, plants, animals).

Biological diversity resources are the pillars upon

humanity’s achievements.

Given the importance of public education and awareness about biodiversity, the UN decided to celebrate the International

differences within each species — for example, between varieties of crops and breeds of livestock — and the variety of ecosystems (lakes, forest, deserts,

which we build civilisations.

Fish provide 20 per cent of animal protein to about 3 billion people. Over 80 percent SEE PAGE XIX

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Big skills gaps to fill BASED on public statements made by government officials, preliminary assessments and growth projections indicate that Guyana may need another 100,000 skilled workers over the next few years.

Last week, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Guyana (UG) Professor Paloma Mohamed told a GIPEX forum that existing data suggests that Guyana’s workforce may need some 30,000 to 50,000 people in the next five years.

What this signal is that there will be growing skills gaps here unless avenues of bridging those gaps, whether by developing the local population or attracting foreign skills, are pursued.

By the time this column is published, I should have completed my final, final examination for my undergraduate degree. Because many people around mebe it, family, colleagues, or friends- knew I was nearing the end of my degree, I’ve been constantly engaged on my plans for the future. And more often than not, I have been asked whether I plan to stay in Guyana or migrate to work/ further my studies.

And the more I am asked the question and forced to think about my post-university plans, the more I realise how differently I view Guyana and the development ongoing here now.

Several years ago, when I was just about to start sixth form, I was enthusiastic about eventually migrating for academic pursuits and/ or my professional development. Admittedly, then, my aspirations were influenced by the many family mem-

bers and friends who have migrated and been able to live seemingly well-off lives abroad.

Even though I knew I would always come back home, the allure of the opportunities that were (hopefully) available beyond Guyana’s shores lingered. Now, however, the allure for me is being part of the rapid pace of growth and transformation right here in Guyana.

As I wrote in a previous column, I’m sure that many of us- the young (and not so young) idealistic, optimistic Guyanese- picture ourselves as integral to the development of Guyana. I’m sure that many of us hope that we can provide the much-needed skills here.

Yet, the reality is that our country has long grappled with a phenomenon called “brain drain”, wherein much of the skilled human resources migrated, thereby diminishing the pool of skills and talent available in-country.

Based on the aforementioned projections alone, I am convinced of the crucial need for me, and so many others, to stay and clinch the opportunities that may become available to us.

But let me hasten to add that expected development (economic development, specifically) may not necessarily or automatically translate into gains for citizens. Expected gains may include increased employment opportunities, more social safety nets, or just generally, a higher standard of living that one might expect from some of the more developed migration destinations.

Additionally, a 2020 World Bank Publication ti-

tled: “A pivotal moment for Guyana: Realising the opportunities” noted that higher education in Guyana is both low and not well-aligned to the labour market needs.

Consequently, key interventions and considerations are needed to help develop, retain and attract the much-needed skills. That’s certainly a tall order- but not an impossible or impractical one.

Already, admittedly, there are some efforts underway.

Take, for example, the impetus for pushing technical and vocational training and distributing scholarships through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL); these lend to the development of a more skilled population.

Then, let us consider the local content requirements of the new Local Content law as one of the more structured ways in which Guyanese skills are being developed (through knowledge transfer) and are harnessed.

With these efforts, I believe that there should be a greater focus on linking local labour market needs with training and clearly- defined provisions for Guyanese and by extension, Caribbean people to benefit. If this is not done, I fear we may end up in a situation where we are forced to import skilled labour while the local human resource pool remains largely untapped.

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

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THE UNTWINED TIMES OF INDENTURESHIP… Pawns upon the economic chessboard of the Plantocracy With the advent of Emancipation and the fluctuating fate of Sugar, with the reality of Emancipation, the plantations still needed the consistent workforce of cheap labour.

Thus, Indentureship was inevitable, as they faced the new demand for civilised treatment from the abolished Afro-population. For this, the planter-dominated Colonial

administration turned to the then British colony of India, colonial decrees in India had affected all aspects of life. The new system of land tenure and the importation of cheap

machine-made products f ro m E n g l a n d c re a t e d more problems. The village handicraft industries suffered terribly. Hundreds of thousands of villagers lost their traditional livelihoods and turned to agriculture for a living, but agriculture was sea-

with time, disappeared into the African villages.

The Plantocracy corrected that by including an additional number of indentured women with future arrivals. Also, by creating a ‘Boundary Yard’ policy that was put in place to curtail the labourers from

sonal - see Mangru-Indians in Guyana: apart from caste pressures, with livelihoods lost, thus, the lure of a five-year contract of paid Indentureship seemed an attractive way out for many affected, most came from India’s poorest states, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The first indentured labourers who were brought from India arrived on May 5, 1838. The Whitby and the Hesperus landed with a cargo of 396 persons.

Only five per cent were women. Many of the men in assimilating this new world took Afro-wives and,

leaving the Plantation estate, to be contaminated by Creole values.

Creole values constituted what brought the first labour protest in the colony of British Guiana, which occurred in 1842. Most of the technical estate work was done by manumitted Creoles. Thus, a demand for the rights for higher labour wages, allowances of food and medical support for workers. These privileges were denied by the planters. Then, in 1842, Indentured labour was by that time also brought from Sierra Leone, the West Africans supported the strike,

having arrived from a nation that understood slavery, and where liberated slaves were settled when the British outlawed the Atlantic slave trade (1807). They even demanded repatriation based on the betrayed promises of Indentureship (1840-1) though many of them integrated into the existing townships of New Amsterdam and Georgetown, as were the villagers in search of employment (see themes in African Guy-history): The next group of Indentured labour were the Portuguese, arriving from the island of Madeira in 1835. Madeira was stricken by poverty during that period; see ‘The Portuguese Of Guyana’ Mary Noel Menezes: this was a European sugar-growing nation, most likely introduced by the Moors therefore it was construed they would be applicable as effective indentured labour. This did not work from the conclusions of Governor Light; “The Maderians, in particular, proved vulnerable, and Governor Light admitted “they died so fast that common humanity would not let us do it” their importation was discontinued for a while. The fact is that the indentured from India also suffered from Cholera deaths, but there was no consideration halt in their indentured importation. Portugal was different. They were not a British colony but were an ally to British trade and colonial politics; In fact, the indentured PorSEE PAGE XXI

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Perfectionism fails us

I RECENTLY received an email from a distressed young man who told me how unhappy he is and how little he does because he cannot seem to do everything just right.

He used the word “perfect” a few times and brought me to the decision that I need to instill in everyone that even the thought of being perfect would be your biggest downfall and deterrent from achieving anything in general, let alone large goals.

The word shouldn’t even be in the dictionary as nothing is truly perfect.

Attempting to achieve perfectionism, an impossibility by any sense of the word, typically brings self-defeating thoughts and behaviours, low self-esteem and confidence, anxiety, depression, substance abuse and a wide range of other mental health issues.

Initially, having mental health issues such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) can also cause a need to strive for perfectionism.

It would help if you knew where your need for perfectionism might stem from so you know what to personally work on. Striving for perfection does not come from strength but rather feelings of inadequacy, insecurity or fears of failure. It is sometimes used as a personal and protective shield against personal blame or shame. Maybe it was instilled in you at a young age to always put your all into what you do. However, being perfect is not the same as striving to do your best. It is not the embodiment of healthy achievement and growth.

In case you are not sure if this is a mistake you are making, I’m going to list out some signs that may suggest you are a perfectionist.

Perfectionists tend to - Avoid performing any task unless they feel they can do it ‘perfectly’ - Miss out on activities others are doing, that they may even desperately want to do, but do not because of fear of comparative underachievement or embarrassment.

- Not see a task as completed unless it fits their narrative of “perfect”; meaning projects take an excessive and unnecessary amount of time to complete.

- Focus on the end of a project and its expected ‘perfection’ so that the process itself is not enjoyed.

- Have difficulty being happy for others who are achieving success.

- Constantly compare themselves to others with the personal reflection always being negative.

- Have issues with relationships or friendships because of personal high expectations and as well as the other person’s perception of a perfectionist often being hostile.

- Pay a lot of attention to their physical appearance and have great insecurity if there is even one little imperfection.

Perfectionism or striving for it takes away from very important things in life such as basic pride of learning, progress, hard work and gratitude and is a quick and clear road map for being unhappy.

There are also different types of perfectionism and it is important to determine which one you may be acting on.

There are personal standards perfectionism, the healthier of all if you are already in this position. This is someone who creates and adheres to a set of personal standards that motivate them to be the best person they can be. Others may still consider these standards to be high, but they are motivating and beneficial to the person who sets them. This type of perfectionism is thought to be the least harmful as it typically does not lead to excessive stress or burnout. You can only consider yourself as this

type if your goals and attempts at achieving them make you feel excited and accomplished rather than overwhelmed or fearful.

Another is self-critical perfectionism which instead results in individuals experiencing feelings of intimidation, frustration and hopelessness in their own goals as they cannot meet their unrealistic expectations.

The last is socially prescribed perfectionism, which stems from a societal demand for excellence placed on individuals.

This can be as simple as the pressure parents put on children to receive excellent grades or the pressure put on individuals with perceived high professions such as doctors or lawyers.

Those suffering from this type constantly seek outside validation to determine their personal self-worth.

What can we do to become more comfortable with the thought of imperfection?

First of all, this takes a lot of self-compassion and cognitive restructuring- re-training your self-deprecating thought processes.

Breaking out of this vicious cycle of perfectionism involves acknowledging that we all have our imperfections and accepting that it is okay. It means making mistakes and learning not to define our selfSEE PAGE XXIII worth by them; it means being

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May 15, 2022

Building a shared... for all.

You can share your of the human diet is provided ideas and questions by by plants. As many as 80% of people living in rural areas in developing countries rely on traditional plant-based medicines for basic healthcare.

But the loss of biodiversity threatens all, including our health. It has been proven that biodiversity loss could expand zoonoses - diseases transmitted from animals to humans- while, on the other hand, if we keep biodiversity intact, it offers excellent tools to fight against pandemics like those caused by coronaviruses.

Biodiversity Day allows us to re-examine our relationship to the natural world. Over the years, themes have brought to our attention issues affecting biodiversity or specific categories of biodiversity; this year’s theme takes a slightly different route in messaging. The theme “Building a shared future for all life” for this year’s celebration brings awareness of the necessity of the earth as a global village and [requires us] to think and act strategically for the security of the future of our planet. The slogan was chosen to continue building momentum and support for the post-2020 global biodiversity framework to be adopted at the upcoming UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15).

As the global community is called to re-examine our relationship to the natural world, one thing is certain: despite all our technological advances, we are entirely dependent on healthy and vibrant ecosystems for our water, food, medicines, clothes, fuel, shelter and energy, just to name a few.

While there is a growing recognition that biological diversity is a global asset of tremendous value to future generations, the number of species is being significantly reduced by certain human activities.

Biodiversity remains the answer to several sustainable development challenges. From nature-based solutions to climate, health issues, food and water security, and sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity is the foundation upon which we can build back better.

From ecosystem-based approaches to climate and/or nature-based solutions to climate, health issues, food and water security and sustainable livelihoods, biodiversity is the foundation upon which we can build back better. That is the main message from the CBD, a key international instrument for sustainable development.

To achieve this, it will take the effort of everyone to build and everyone with the shared value to promote a sustainable future FROM PAGE XV

sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Communications, En-

vironmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN,

or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram

XIX and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May 15, 2022

THE UNTWINED TIMES OF ... tuguese sent their complaints to their King and not to the English Governor. Thus, the conspiracy to extract them

from labour work and use them to neutralise the growing success of manumitted Afro-Business development

was convenient. This, in the morbid imagination of the Planters, would force the manumitted Africans

back to the plantations, it didn’t work, and it backfired when the King of Portugal intercepted the case where

FROM PAGE XVII a Portuguese man had killed his Creole wife and was set free (Riots and conflict followed, even the colonial

XXI Lawyers lamented this legal outrage). But socially, even though they were benefitting from the links of Portuguese with British royalty, the editor of their paper O Portuguez can be quoted “he habitually denounced the fact that many Portuguese fraternised with Creoles, lived with Black women, and abandoned the Portuguese language in favour of Creole English. Yet, these very social features may have contributed to the ability of the Portuguese to make common cause with the Creole of various strata” see Walter Rodney-A History of the Guyanese Working People, 1881-1905. The Chinese were at the tail end of Indentureship (1852-91) and were different in the context of their demands and reaction to the colonial planter’s always wrong assessment towards other cultures; the Chinese maintained their gambling and opium-smoking club room, the Creolized Chik-chik board emerged out of the Chinese, the bound yard policy did not quite work with the Chinese, inadequate victuals, brought out a possible other reality of the Chinese, when in gangs they proceeded to raid plantations with cutlasses tied to staffs (similar to a Chinese/ Japanese spear) people died, they even proceeded to raid the farmlands of the nearby Afro-Villages, in all most Chinese left the plantations to set up shop in the townships.

See-Cultural Power, Resistance and Pluralism Colonial Guyana 1838-1900 by Brian L. Moore. Caribbean labourers did come, but they were also British subjects and were coming to Demerara as free subjects long before Emancipation.

In closing, the contention with Indentureship from the position of the manumitted creole population was the fact that upon purchasing their villages, they were legally included as taxpayers, which they paid. In response, they would benefit from drainage works from the colony administration.

Instead, the authorities used the tax monies to aid in the import of Indentured Labour. The villages suffered from flooding, losing crops and livestock. Even more painful was the infant mortality rate from contaminated waters. The value of the loss of life and property was never addressed but did open a new struggle as the villagers refused to pay taxes. For interested students, the listed books in this column are a good start.

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Key elements of speech-writing

I FIRST had the opportunity at speechwriting in 2011.

The CEO of the company with which I worked was required to give a speech at an International Women’s Day event. Ecstatic, I put my all into this piece and submitted four pages

of what I thought was a moving address. When the CEO reviewed the speech, his only remark was “It sounds like a woman speaking.” I was disappointed, to say the least. But they say hindsight is 20/20 for a reason because, upon re-

flection, I realised that the CEO was right. The speech did sound like a woman speaking because a woman wrote it. But it shouldn’t have because a man was required to deliver it.

And that is one of the most important elements of

speechwriting: your speech must sound like the person delivering it. Speechwriting is a type of ghostwriting, so, naturally, speechwriters must have the unique ability of fluidity of voice. That is, they must be able to communicate the personality of the speaker so that what they are saying is considered sincere and trustworthy by the audience.

It is the first lesson I learned.

Over the years, I have been grateful to be able to practise this technique throughout my subsequent speechwriting endeavours. I’ve received comments about how “cool” some people think speechwriting is and I must admit that I agree, because, not only do you get to contribute to crafting powerful and creative rhetoric, but every time a speechwriter undertakes a speech, their writing skills get massive exercise through the transformation of their style into the style of that speaker.

If you’re interested in becoming a speechwriter, here are some of the elements I have learned that are truly helpful to the craft: Watch your language Content that is written to be spoken needs to be written much differently than content that is written to be read. The language used for speeches needs to be clear, simple and direct, written in short, distinct sentences that can be easily understood by any audience.

Know your audience This is usually the first step in every piece of communication. By assessing criteria such as gender, profession, age, political affiliation, occasion and other similar criteria, you can understand how to lay out your speech and the type of language to be used.

Choose Your Core Message Rule of thumb is that the average speech runs no

longer than 20 minutes. Occasion and length of programme must also be taken into consideration when deciding how long to keep the speech. Once this is understood, choose the core message of what the speaker will present. Focus on the type of audience and the occasion, then centre the message on subject matter relevant to these aspects.

Ensure that you have significant knowledge about the topic. Here, research is often necessary to provide context.

Speeches aim to inspire, and your audience often wants to hear the opinion of the

speaker. So always aim to have strong points by which the audience can be moved or persuaded.

Utilise Devices One expert has been quoted as saying, “The language of the speech should also be poetic—replete with alliteration, metaphor, and other figures of speech. Such adornments, far from being superfluous, enhance meaning and emphasise relationships among ideas.”

Speechwriting, therefore, gives you the perfect opportunity to dress up the English language using those fancy literary devices you learned in school that you thought would never come in handy.

Devices such as repetition, sentence variation, parallelism, alliteration, rhetorical questions, and antithesis can add useful flair to your speech.

Develop Structure to Deliver Your Message Decide on the goal of your speech, then do a brief outline of introduction, body and conclusion. The intro-

duction should be used for salutations and highlighting important themes, the reason for the event and what the speaker aims to address.

The body gets to the meat of the matter, utilising those devices for a variety of styles and impact. The conclusion should bring all those points to a head and close with a solid message to the audience, be it a call to action, encouragement or some other positive sentiment aimed at exhilarating the audience.

Avoid common mistakes Keep in mind that the speaker needs to keep their audience engaged, not drained. Keep your speech less than 20 minutes unless otherwise required. Avoid jargon that may be lost among the audience; avoid redundancy. Don’t make your sentences too long as this may cause the speaker to stumble while reading and never write a speech without first consulting with the speaker, so that you can both be on the same page with regard to the finished product.

Speechwriting can take on a whole class by itself, but these are the first points you need to start thinking about before you go further. Generally, though, once you do your research, understand the audience and occasion, derive a strong message and know your speaker, speechwriting could be one of the most rewarding types of professional writing for those interested in adding it to their portfolios. It brings knowledge about various subjects; it helps writers to diversify their skills while creating poignant content aimed at inspiring people.

If you ask me, that sounds like a good deal all around.

If you’re interested in contributing to this article on writing, email thewritemind592@gmail.com

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Perfectionism fails...

vulnerable. It means accepting that good is good enough.

Noticing your self-critical thoughts when they appear is a great first step in shifting your thinking. Unhelpful thinking often involves words like “should” or “must”.

Take time to ask yourself whether your goals or their timeframe are actually realistic or are you setting unrealistic goals that are untimely, leading to your feeling like a failure. Remember that the fear of failure is typically far greater than the failure itself. If this is happening, try breaking your goals into smaller components, with

longer timeframes and with a bigger support system. Remember that perfectionism isn’t a behavioural pattern but rather a way of thinking about yourself.

Also, always remember that every single person you speak to can relate more to failure than they can to success.

As hard as it is to believe, when we fail, we grow as we learn so many lessons,

My favourite example of new ways of operating and this is Thomas Edison, the our own level of resilience. inventor of the light bulb. He

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openly shared that it took him years and over 10,000 experiments to get it functional.

When asked how he felt about that, he famously said, I did not fail 10,000 times.

I successfully found 10,000 ways it would not work. If you learn from a loss, is it really a loss?

Also, failure just genuinely makes for a more interesting life story. Imagine someone telling you, I tried this thing one time and got everything I ever wanted and life has been so easy.

How annoying is that? It doesn’t make for a good story- failure, learning from it, struggle, persistence and then

success is a good life story; one to be proud of.

Do not strive for perfection, simply strive for being better than you were yesterday and then every day after that. The best version of yourself without comparison to anyone else’s life. J.K Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, said, “It is impossible to live without failing at something unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.”

Thank you for reading and please continue to send suggested column topics to caitlinvieira@gmail.com

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Face masks should still be worn, even if restrictions are relaxed A F T E R a few visits to the United States around the 2000s, I’ve always noticed that the Asian population of New York wears masks in every public venue and setting they’re in.

My mother and I always found this strange. We would see doctors wearing masks only in hospitals back home in Guyana (back then). I also

never bothered to ask or research why the Asians would wear masks, even if there isn’t a pandemic.

After the COVID-19 pandemic, my understanding of the importance of wearing a mask became clearer.

It turns out, many of them wear masks for different reasons based on their unique culture and country. In fact, the Japanese

have been wearing masks since the 1950s. They wore them to protect themselves from air pollutants during the rise of industrialisation in Japan. The Japanese also would wear masks if they are sick with influenza to avoid sneezing onto others. The acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2002 forced Chinese, Taiwanese and

other Asian populations to wear masks due to the deadly SARS outbreak.

All in all, the Asians wore masks long before the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m hoping that this helps you to understand why it’s important to imbed it into our daily routine and even our overall culture as well.

The world we know today is a completely different

world from what we knew it as in 2019-2020. From then to now, a whole lot has changed. I’ve written dozens of column pieces on the changes, impact and challenges faced by many during the global pandemic.

Most people will tell you that the pandemic is over.

We’re “free” to live our lives as they were in 2019, prior to the COVID-19 outbreak.

However, the Centre for Disease Control and other related institutions disagrees with that position. Earlier this year, Guyana saw an incredible decrease in the amount of COVID-19 cases accounted for. However, as of May 10, 45+ new cases were recorded. Many will call me a pessimist after SEE PAGE XXV

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Face masks should still be...

FROM PAGE XXIV reading this but I tend to work with the facts presented in-front of me and if that means that I am not as optimistic as I should be about the proclaimed new “normalcy” we have—then so be it.

With the relaxation of certain restrictions and guidelines, many of us, including myself, would not feel the need to wear a face mask. A part of me simply wants to be “free” and a part of me wants to be responsible. After seeing the new cases, I realised that even with freedom, there must be responsibility. We should always hold our-

selves accountable, even when we know there won’t be any repercussions to our actions. In this case, even though the guidelines are relaxed, it should be a moral responsibility to ensure that you do what is necessary to protect yourself and also to protect those around you. I couldn’t see it back then, but I can understand it now. Even after the SARS outbreak was over, the Asians still wore face masks to protect themselves and those around them.

While I used this example of face masks, I hope you can apply it to almost every other decision you choose to make “post-pandemic”.

It is also my hope that we

take heed and learn from our mistakes. Over 40 cases have been recorded and within the blink of an eye, that can multiply if we are not cautious and careful with the decisions we make.

The decisions we make as individuals usually add up to a collective failed effort or success story to the issues we face as a nation. If every single citizen of our country decides that they should do what’s necessary (relaxed guidelines or not) in order to remain safe and sound from the deadly COVID-19 virus—then that makes our collective chances as a nation better to combat the rise of new cases.

Pictures; Wearing masks

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Insight into the Natural Resources Fund (NRF) SEVERAL consumers over the last several weeks have been asking us to give some explanation of the Natural Resources Fund (NRF). They claim that themselves, the public at large and even the employees in the Ministries under which the Fund falls are ignorant of what the Fund is or what are its functions. The EXXON exploration contract and the Natural Resources Fund have been submerged in bitter verbal exchanges.

Each side of the divide accused the other of betraying the national interest and the media focused on the recriminations and explained very little about the NRF. The public’s lack of knowledge of the Fund is therefore understandable. In this offering, we shall try to give readers enough for them to understand what the Fund is. Detailed knowledge of it could only be obtained by reading the legislation which established the Fund.

Natural Resources Funds are often called Sovereign Wealth Funds and are today found in almost all oil-producing countries and there are several models of them, each claiming to have certain specific advantages.

Many years ago, when oil deposits were first discov-

ered in developing countries, the international oil companies were able to make one-sided contracts with governments whereby the companies were able to commandeer the greater part of the oil wealth, leaving a smaller part to the politicians and kings who had colluded with them.

The countries and their populations gained very little and remained in poverty and underdevelopment. The pattern, though most obvious in oil, occurred with other resources.

Guyana, for example, at one time earned very lucrative incomes from Sugar and Bauxite, but none of this was saved or invested with the result that when hard times befell these industries, there was much unemployment and suffering.

In the 20th century, much after World War II, people of the oil-producing countries and their politicians began to understand that Oil resources were finite and their wealth had to be conserved and properly invested, or they would slip again into poverty and underdevelopment when prices fell or resources diminished.

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Insight into the Natural ...

With the growth of the gloFROM PAGE XXVI balised world, all countries began to understand their national interest and the concept of Sovereign Wealth or Natural Resources Funds began to take root.

As a guide for the administration of Natural Resources Funds, the 24 Santiago Principles evolved and were universally accepted. These 24 guidelines advocated good governance, accountability, transparency, prudent investment and maintaining a stable and open investment climate. With respect to the Natural Resources Fund of Guyana, all political parties and the population as a whole desire that politicians are distanced from the assets of the Fund; that all revenues from Oil and Gas are widely known and deposited in the Bank and all withdrawals from the Fund be also widely known; that some of the funds be used for social development such as Education, Health, Housing, Culture and ensuring the population is well fed and as fully employed as possible. All are also agreed that a portion of the Fund is invested in economic development in wealth-generating and self-perpetuating Industry and Services, and most importantly, that a fair proportion of the Fund remains untouched for the inheritance of future generations.

There are several models of Natural Resources/ Sovereign Wealth Funds available. They all resemble each other; a country’s leadership chooses a model it evaluates to be best suited for its country’s requirements.

We will describe the essential framework of the Fund model Guyana uses: The Guyana Natural Resources Fund keeps to the guidelines of the Santiago Principles. In its architecture, it has a Public Accountability and Oversight Committee of nine members. These nine members consist of one member from the National Assembly, three religious community representatives, two representatives of the Private Sector, two representatives of organised labour, and one representative of the professions. Political parties are not represented on this Committee.

Then there is a Board of Directors of the Fund consisting of five members. These are appointed by the President in accordance with a number of prescriptions which eschew subjectivity on the part of the President. Of the five Directors, one must be appointed by the National Assembly and one from the Private Sector.

It is expected that the funds will be safely and profitably invested. Thus, there is an Investment Committee which will have a Private Manager and an Investment Manager. Since investment is a highly skilled and professional activity, an Investment and Advisory Services Company has been engaged to work in tandem with the Committee.

In its operationalisation, the monies of the Fund are deposited into the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States, with the Bank of Guyana having responsibility for operational management. The Bank of Guyana would not be acting in isolation but could look to the involvement of the public accountability and Oversight Committee, the Board of Directors and the Ministry of Finance.

There is a secure system of withdrawal of money from the Fund. All withdrawals must be deposited into the Consolidated Fund and will be gazetted. It must be remembered that cognisance of knowledge of the Government’s economic policy and development agenda is always ubiquitous.

The ultimate oversight body of the Fund is the National Assembly. There must be monthly, quarterly and Annual Reports on the Fund and the Annual Report has to be tabled in the National Assembly and the Fund is subject to both external and internal audit. Officers and others associated with the Fund who may commit any misdemeanour would be brought before the Courts and penalties are exemplary.

The Fund has just begun to be operational and close attention has to be paid how its procedures and personnel are performing.

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SILENT THE...

her uncle’s suicide, so her grandmother could find closure.

Many stories she heard of suicides and she wondered how no one ever heard the silent cries of the victims. It was something that seemed normal in this rural, farming area, for there was no centre for professional counselling.

“Maybe I should study psychology and move back here.”

She mused, “To help people understand the value of life.”

It was drawing close to the end of the vacation and she discovered nothing new that could have thawed the cold case.

“Why, Uncle Raj?” she asked, as she looked at his picture on the wall. “Why didn’t you leave a note, so your family could have understood?”

She had excused herself from an outing, that day, to stay at home so she could think, undisturbed. Searching for answers, she found a few old family albums and looking through them, she noticed the picture of a strange, pretty, young girl in several of her uncle’s pictures. She was always standing in the background, looking at him with an admiring smile.

“She seems pretty young,” Anarkali observed, “She couldn’t be his girlfriend.”

No one had ever mentioned a girlfriend.

She showed the pictures to her grandmother, whose eyesight was not so good but an older aunt, looking at the picture, recognised the girl.

“It’s the doctor’s daughter,” she said, “The family had come from the city on a medical outreach programme in the village.”

“Was she here when the tragedy occurred?”

The aunt thought for a moment, “I don’t think so, she had left…” she paused, deep in thought, then a flash of recollection lit her eyes, “Come to think of it, Raj had not been himself for a while then.”

“How?” Anarkali asked, her excitement building, sure she was onto something.

“He was moody and worried.”

“Did anyone ask him what was worrying him?”

She shook her head slowly, “It’s normal for people to not be in a good mood sometimes.”

“Always the mistake,” Anarkali said, “Not paying close interest to a person’s change in behaviour.”

She held up one of the pictures with the young girl and declared, “This girl, most likely, holds the key to this tragedy.”

The two older women looked uncertain and, saying no more, Anarkali went up to the room, her Uncle Raj once shared with his three brothers. She walked around slowly, looking at small places, where something little could be hidden.

“There must be something here, everyone missed,” was her thought and climbing on a chair, she passed her hand along the window ledges, encountering dust and a large but harmless spider. She searched all the ledges in the room, finding some old coins and two mini toy cars but nothing else.

She stood there on the chair, a bit deflated but reluctant to give up because she had felt she was getting somewhere.

“Now what?”

She looked up at the inner framework of the roof and her eyes caught a piece of blue thread, stuck between the rafter and zinc on the roof. Being a girl of average height, it was a difficult task, reaching the thread but she tried and standing precariously on the top back of the chair, her fingers barely touching the thread, she pulled it slowly, knowing it could snap.

At the end of the thread was a piece of paper, discoloured by time.

Anarkali gasped and in her excitement, she missed her footing and fell hard on the floor. She laid there for a while, the breath knocked out of her and slowly she got up, groaning in pain, as her aunt ran upstairs to see what had happened.

She held up the paper, laughing a little, “I found something.”

It was a little note, written with shaky fingers – a suicide note.

Anarkali read what he had written twenty-two years ago, before he took his life.

“I made a mistake, she was too young. How do I undo this? What do I say? The love in her eyes, the temptation was too strong and I got her in trouble. Her father, the doctor would be unforgiving and the deep disappointment in my mother’s eyes I would not be able to see. What do I do?

There’s only one thing…one thing would save both of us, tonight I will go far away. Sorry mother. I love you.”

The old lady sat on the sofa, shocked, tears, streaming

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down her face.

“He could have told me, I would have helped him.”

Two decades ago, strict traditional rules, once broken was like committing a crime and in most cases, families were unrepentant, punishment for the guilty, severe. The caste system also played a great part in those rules and in Raj’s case, a farmer boy falling in love with a girl from a upper class family was unacceptable.

“Where is she now?” Anarkali asked.

“No one knows.” Her older aunt answered, “She left and never returned.”

After twenty-two years, the truth of a loved one’s sudden death was found, hidden for so long. Now the family’s mind would be at peace, when they think of him, a good son, whose silent cry they did not hear.

At the end of the vacation, as Anarkali bid her birth home ‘farewell’, for now she made a promise in her mind, “I will find this girl, whom he loved so she can know why her lover took his life.”

He died to save her.

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THOUGHT FOR TODAY Friendship should be more than biting Time can se ve T.S. ELIOT (1888- r.

Murder in the Cathe 1965) dral, pt. 1

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May 15, 2022

May 15, 2022 STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student, Welcome dear friend. It happens that many students do not do as well as they could in examinations, not because they cannot do the set work, but because they

have not revised properly.

Do not neglect to organise revision. Spend enough time with subjects you love and those that challenge. Balance between examination work, household chores, and relaxing yourself. You cannot revise all your work just before examination when there is not enough time. You will panic. Be wise.

Love you.

THE PASSAGE Read the following advertisement carefully and then answer the questions below.

‘Tough Weed Killer’ Gets Right to The Point.

Unlike ordinary weedkillers ‘Tough Weed Killer’ kills more than just visible leaves and stems.

It travels systematically down the tips of the roots killing the whole plant. So even the toughest weeds, like couch-grass and ground elder, are well and truly dead.

What’s more, its advanced wetting system speeds up absorption reducing the risk of rain washing it off. It’s also biodegradable and won’t travel through the soil, damaging other plants.

And as soon as it’s dry, your children and pets can play safely.

It couldn’t de easier to apply, with the ready-to-use ‘Tough Weed Gun’! Or, for larger areas use ‘Tough Weed Killer’ in your sprayer or watering can. (a) Explain the play on words suggested by the expression “gets right to the point” in the advertisement naming statement. (b) The advertisement claims that ‘Tough Weed Killer’ is biodegradable and won’t travel through the soil damaging other plants. To what type of person would these claims be most likely to appeal? (c) What impression do you get from the statement “So, even the toughest weeds ... are well and truly dead”? (d) Quote TWO phrases in the advertisement which try to show that the writer is speaking directly to the reader. (e) Identify ONE statement that is clearly of fact and ONE statement that is clearly of opinion in the advertisement. (f) How can a picture of a taproot (a main or primary root, with smaller lateral roots arising from it) add to the effectiveness of an advertisement like this one?

THE PASSAGE Read the following passage carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

Monday morning found Tom Sawyer miserable. Monday morning always found him so, because it began another week’s slow suffering in school. He generally began the day with wishing he had had no intervening holiday; it made the going into captivity and fetters again so much more odious.

Tom lay thinking. Presently it occurred to him that he wished he was sick; then he could stay at home from school.

Here was a vague possibility. He canvassed his system. No ailment was found, and he investigated again. This time he thought he could detect colicky symptoms, and he began to encourage them with considerable hope. But they soon grew feeble and presently died wholly away. He reflected further.

Suddenly he discovered something. One of his upper teeth was loose. This was lucky; he was about to groan, as a “starter”, as he called it, when it occurred to him that if he came into court with that argument his aunt would pull it out, and that would hurt.

Mark Twain 1. Give the meaning of each word group, as used in the passage: miserable, slow suffering, intervening holiday, captivity and fetters vague possibility colicky.

2. Where was Tom when he was doing his thinking?

3. What prospect was making him miserable?

4. What message should the clause or statement “and he investigated again” bring to the reader? What is the attitude of the writer to his character, Tom? 5. What made the misery worse on Mondays? What is the misery saying about Tom? 6. What is meant by the words “canvass” (compare “canvas”) and “system”?

7. What would Tom do in “canvassing” his system?

8. What caused him to reject his first idea?

9. Why did he not adopt the second idea?

10. In what sense was Tom facing captivity and fetters?

11. In the phrase “came into court with that argument” what court is meant, and what argument?

12. What is the difference between a symptom and an ailment?

13. What is meant by holding the tooth “in reserve”?

14. Find words used in the passage to refer to feelings, and what other words to refer to thinking?

THE PASSAGE Read the following passage carefully and then answer the questions that follow.

Recently I saw an unusual snowman. He was made of tumble weeds! In some parts of our country one kind of large tumbleweed grows many hundreds of tiny branches.

In the fall these weeds dry up and can be easily blown away by a gust of wind. The weeds become round as they are rolled and bounced about. You can understand why tumbleweed is such a good name for them. The tumbleweed snowman which I saw was made of three tumbleweeds stacked in order of size. The dull brown of the weeds had been covered with white paint. A long carrot nose, a black stovepipe hat, and cloth eyes and mouth had been added.

1. When did the writer see the snowman?

(A) Not long ago (B) Several years ago.

(C) At Christmas time (D) When the writer was a child.

2. Where did the author probably see the snowman?

(A) In a snowy neighbourhood. (B) Along the western seaboard.

(C) In the North pole. (D) In the Southwest 3. Why was the tumbleweed man called a snowman?

(A) He was made in the winter. (B) He had a jolly face.

(C) He had the right shape and colour.

(D) He had his name written on him.

4. Why is tumbleweed a good name for the plant?

(A) Young people tumble over it.

(B) Its branches tumble over and over.

(C) It is silky. (D) It is hard to catch.

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First-time denture users

THERE are numerous questions that new denture wearers ask that need to be answered. This especially important to dispel myths on the one hand and to help these patients to obtain maximum benefit from their prosthesis on the other.

What will new dentures feel like?

New dentures may feel awkward for a few weeks until you become accustomed to them. The dentures may feel loose while the muscles of your cheek and tongue learn to keep them in place. It is not unusual to experience minor irritation or soreness. You may find that saliva flow temporarily increases. As your mouth becomes accustomed to the dentures, these problems should diminish. One or more follow-up appointments with the dentist are generally needed after a denture is inserted. If any problem persists, particularly irritation or soreness, be sure to consult your dentist.

Will dentures make me look different?

Dentures can be made to closely resemble your natural teeth so that little change in appearance will be noticeable.

Dentures may even improve the look of your smile and help fill out the appearance of your face and profile.

Will I be able to eat with my dentures?

Eating will take little practice. Start with soft foods cut into small pieces. Chew slowly, using both sides of your mouth at the same time to prevent the dentures from tipping.

As you become accustomed to chewing, add other foods until you return to your normal diet.

Continue to chew food using both sides of the mouth at the same time. Be cautious with hot or hard foods and sharpedged bones or shells.

Will dentures change how I speak?

Pronouncing certain words may require practice. Reading out loud and repeating troublesome words will help. If your dentures “click” while you’re talking, speak more slowly.

You may find that your dentures occasionally slip when you laugh, cough or smile. Reposition the dentures by gently biting down and swallowing. If a speaking problem persists, consult your dentist.

How long should I wear my dentures?

Your dentist will provide instructions about how long dentures should be kept in place. During the first few days, you may be advised to wear them most of the time, including while you sleep. After the initial adjustment period, you will be instructed to remove the dentures before going to bed. This allows gum tissue to rest and promotes oral health. Generally, it is not desirable that the tissues be constantly covered by denture material.

Should I use a denture adhesive?

Denture adhesives can provide additional retention for well-fitting dentures. A poorly fitting denture, which causes constant irritation over a long period, may contribute to the development of sores. These dentures may need a reline or need to be replaced. If your dentures begin to feel loose or cause discomfort, consult your dentist immediately.

How do I take care of my dentures?

Dentures are very delicate and may break if dropped even a few inches. When handling dentures, do so over a folded towel in case it drops from your hand. When you are not wearing them, store your dentures away from the children and the pets.

Like natural teeth, dentures must be brushed daily to remove food deposits and plaque. Brushing helps to prevent dentures from becoming permanently stained and helps your mouth stay healthy. Unclean dentures can cause bad breath and gum infection. It’s best to use a brush designed for cleaning dentures. However, a toothbrush with soft bristles can also be used. Avoid using hard-bristled brushes that can damage dentures.

Some denture wearers use hand soap or mild dishwashing liquid, which are both acceptable for cleaning dentures. Avoid using other powdered household cleaners or toothpaste, which may be too abrasive. Also, avoid using bleach, as this may whiten the pink portion of the denture.

Your dentist can recommend a denture cleanser. The first step in cleaning dentures is to rinse away loose food particles

thoroughly. Moisten the brush and apply a denture cleanser.

Brush every surface, scrubbing gently to avoid damage.

Dentures may lose their shape if they are allowed to dry

out. When they are not worn, dentures should be placed in a denture-cleansing soaking solution or in water.

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