Guyana Chronicle Pepperpot E-Paper 20-08-2023

For the People, By the People

Community development by the community’s own

Devina Chufoon and Virgil Watts are both Members of the Neighbourhood Democratic Council that coordinated the clean-up campaign which is responsible for villages from Rosignol to Zeelust. On Sunday, the NDC, CIP workers, and various community memvbers banded together to clean up Number 4 Village (Edderton) as part of an ongoing campaign (Japhet Savory photos)

Sunday, August 20, 2023

When British Royalty travelled in a train in Guyana

QUEEN Elizabeth ll of Britain and her husband, Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh, while on one of their two visits to Guyana in the 1960s, had the pleasure of travelling on one of the Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) trains from Georgetown to Plaisance on the East Coast of Demerara. It was an officially organised event. Hundreds, including students, lined the route to see the Royal Couple. The carriage in which they made that historic journey is now within the compound of the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Georgetown, and is identified as “The Chapel.” There is no note on the carriage stating its part in Guyana’s history and Guyana’s hosting of members of the british royal family in the persons of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth ll and her husband, Prince Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh.

Previously it was part of the British Guiana fleet of train carriages of the historic Georgetown to Rosignol Transport and Harbours Department (T&HD) Train System. Back in the day, hundreds of persons

used that service on a daily basis during the colonial era. It functioned well and was always on schedule. It was never late, was my personal experience. In the earlier years of my boyhood, I can readily recall trains which functioned George-

town-Rosignol and Vreed-enHoop-Parika, using steam to power the engines. I can recall seeing the operators stoking the engines with added wood to keep the boilers producing sufficient steam to power those trains. The hissing sounds are still very clear in my memory.

I can recall when diesel trains were introduced. It was a big deal which gave lots of excitement, whether they were passengers or not. Those who worked on the trains in whatever capacity did their jobs in service to the passengers. They realised that they would not have a job without passengers using the service. The trains were always well-maintained; kept very clean at all times. There are still persons of a certain age, who used the train service as youngsters, who can verify the high standard of the T&HD Train Services. With the termination of the T&HD train service in 1972, this carriage was taken into the compound of the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital and first used as a Cafeteria for a number of years. Miraculously, it survived the devastating fire that destroyed a major hospital section on May 10, 2010. Finally, this train carriage is now being used as a catholic chapel.

The train service in British Guiana made history since it had the very first trains to operate on the continent of South America. The service commenced in 1848 and operated from Georgetown to Mahaica. During the first

A former carriage of the Georgetown to Rosignol T&HD Railway system in British Guiana

(Photo by Francis Quamina Farrier)

Promoting agriculture and nature tourism in Guyana;

Day trips planned at Adel’s Rainforest Resort

BEING a humanitarian is more than giving back to the community, and, this year, in time for the festive season of Christmas, Zena Bone, owner of Adel’s Rainforest Resort will be hosting day trips for school children.

Bone explained that it will allow them to spend some time at the nature resort and they will be treated to lunch, all produce from the grounds of the resort, freshly prepared by the kitchen staff with the same “farm to table” concept.

She added that the pupils will be drawn from the primary level, from Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), and she is catering for 30 in about three day-trips per week leading up to Christmas. Bone told the Pepperpot Magazine that the idea was conceptualised after her School Camp initiative fell through the cracks due to a lack of co-operation, and she wanted to replace it with something else.

She disclosed that the school-aged children will be transported to the resort via a boat, compliments of the resort owner and will benefit from a nature walk on the grounds of the resort upon arrival.

Bone reported that they will also participate in canoeing in the canal and explore the nature grounds during the excursion. The visitors will have an opportunity to feed the monkeys in their natural habitat on the property. The resort provides bananas for them daily, which is nothing unusual.

She stated that lunch would be served at the resort and it will be a guided tour and the children will also be given a goody bag to take home with them following the tour.

During the visit, Bone told the Pepperpot Magazine that she will engage in a pep talk and be on hand to facilitate the tour and answer any questions the children may have while at the resort.

Bone grabs at every opportunity to share the resort experience with the locals of Region Two and farther afield and provides both free and paid services at the property, a nature oasis ideal for any occasion and event, even family gatherings and couples.

About Adel’s Rainforest Resort

Adel’s Rainforest Resort is located in the Akawani Creek, Pomeroon River and it sits comfortably on a six-acre family-owned land and accommodates 20 persons at any given time.

It is a cozy, comfortable nature resort that is so pleasing to the eyes and the ideal place to spend countless hours bird-watching, sitting by the creek, or walking, exploring the grounds of the animal-friendly resort.

Bone, an overseas-based Guyanese, owns Adel’s and has invested a lot to promote agricultural and nature tourism through her resort.

Adel’s Rainforest Resort is on six acres of land which is covered in citrus, ground provisions, plants and a variety of flowers and is home to many species of birds and endangered animals.

The plantation is protected by Bone’s three dogs. It is considered a safe and perfect location for a getaway, family outing, or for a few nights away at the resort which has been in the family for about 145 years. Still, the land sat dormant for 45 years before Bone inherited it from her grandmother, Adel.

The resort was named after her late grandmother to honour her memory and contribution to

the family.

“I thought of coming here when I had a hotel in Barbados, the Golden Sands Hotel, with 27 apartments. When

I saw the decline of tourism in Barbados, I had the idea of eco-tourism and agriculture tourism in Guyana, so I happened to go to a meeting and sat with ‘Butch’ Stuart, who owns the Sandals chain of hotels in the Caribbean and we talked about it for me to sell my hotel and come into this business,” she said.

Bone added that she returned to her homeland Guyana, began clearing the forested land and constructed Adel’s Rainforest Resort, but unfortunately, she had to return to the U.S. for a few years.

“I thought of leasing. Then I went into the arrangement of splitting profits with an English lady, which was a disaster. So, after two and a half years of looking at the venture, I called an end to it and came back into the business. So, there was a time when you heard Adel’s was going down and it bothered me terribly, and it either was to sell, which I couldn’t because I couldn’t answer to my superiors when I get on the ‘other side,’ since the land has been in the family for 145 years. How could I take it out of the family? Hence, I am here,” she said.

Although the resort sits on only six acres of land, the plantation runs up to 250 acres up the Akawani Creek. She is considering leasing the land for farming to promote agricultural tourism.

Apart from the resort, Bone has farmlands at Grant Enterprise, Pomeroon River, and has leased that plantation to locals, who have a thriving coconut business.

On that estate, they have the family house, where she would stay occasionally.

Adel’s’ Rainforest Resort can accommodate up to 20 persons overnight and they have activities such as fishing, night-spotting, bird-watching, swimming and nature walks on the grounds of the resort, among other things.

There is a lot to do and eat while at this nature property and such will cause you to return.

Zena Bone

Rising to the challenges in the entrepreneurial world

“MY reward is when a client comes to me and they are in pain, and by the time I finish working with them and they leave my massage parlour, they are pain-free.” These are the words of Samantha Henry, a specialised massage therapist. Henry is now one of the country’s leading massage therapists, but as time passed, she developed a great love for the job.

The specialist sat down with Pepperpot Magazine to share how she developed her love for massage therapy and skin care over the years.

“Years ago, I was given the opportunity to go to St Vincent and the Grenadines to study theology, but my heart’s desire was to be a nurse, but because I wasn’t given the opportunity to be a nurse, I didn’t get to go to nursing school. But while in St Vincent, I was given the opportunity to study to become a nail technician, and I continue to study and I use it to support myself,” Henry told Pepperpot Magazine. “Utilising the opportunities that were afforded to me, I went to study aesthetics which is skin and massages.”

Henry recalled being in the class and being told by the teacher that she will be a great massage therapist.

She added that, with massages, you can assess critical areas that need attention through touch, as against doing skincare and other body services.

“A client would come into me and they would be in pain and my reward is when the client comes out of the room, that client is not in any pain at all, or for instance, if I am working on somebody’s face and treatment after treatment and I see that person’s face comes around, I get my reward,” Henry shared with the magazine. “My dream to become a massage therapist and to own Rejuvenate Health Spa did not happen just like that.”

Like every other career in life, Henry has had her fair share of struggles. After she graduated with a certificate in massages, her heart’s desire was not to stay there.

After returning to Guyana, massages were not the talk of the town in those days, and securing jobs in the area was difficult to come by, so she looked for alternatives until she could secure herself in her comfort zone of massage therapy.

“We tend to look at massage therapy as a luxury, but massage is really like eight hours of sleep, it boosts your immune system, it helps you with your mental health, it speeds up your metabolism, and much more benefits,“ Henry told the Pepperpot Magazine.

Henry’s determination to pursue her career led her to walking around Georgetown with a suitcase with massage paraphernalia going from home to home and offering persons the service.

After a while, she got enough funding to get a building to conduct her massage practice, but the place was not the most conducive environment to work in, so she pursued it until she got something better.

With much persistence, Henry finally found a place where the ambience, and atmosphere met her work standards, and there is where she bloomed and blossomed in her field.

There is where the idea of the establishment of Rejuvenating Health Spa was birthed, according to Henry.

Henry shared that during COVID the business experienced a downturn, but, nevertheless, with much perseverance and measures that were put in place after the reopening of the nation, she regained the confidence of her clientele.

“Because we do mostly therapeutic massages, and because of the pains they would experience, they started to find ways to come; we sanitise the place so that our clients would feel safe,” Henry said.

Rejuvenated Health Spa celebrated five years of service recently, and its continued goal is to effectively serve the nation in a great and more excellent way.

Samantha and staff of Rejuvenated Health Spa

Samantha Henry ( Proprietor of Rejuvenate Health Spa )

The spirit of giving

By Dillon Goring

IT has been the practice that whenever you are enriched with good things and have benefitted from things that make a great person, you always want to give back to the community.

These were the sentiments expressed by former media operative, Toriana Bryan Grandison, as she recently disbursed scholarships to students and pupils in the community of Mocha Arcadia, which is situated on the East Bank Demerara, through the Roy Wilson Memorial Agape Scholarship fund in memory of her late grandfather Roy Wilson.

Its main purpose is to assist students and pupils who are successful at examinations, such as the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate Examination (CSEC) and the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).

The Roy Wilson Memorial Agape Scholarship, totalling one million dollars, is a Scholarship Award designed to honour Grandison’s grandfather Roy Wilson, who invested in the lives of young people in the village of Mocha Arcadia.

Grandison‘s grandmother told the recipients that “Education is very important; without education, you are nowhere; we will continue to support you.”

The former journalist explained the purpose of the fund.

“………….. it is so prophetic that [this activity] is being done at a church because it was at this church that I was raised, and when I first desired to attend the University of Guyana, my tuition fees were sponsored by Shilom Gospel Hall to do the pre-law programme; so now that I am back in Guyana, I am moved to give back, because I believe that my life is one of service, so I am announcing a scholarship fund of one million

Guyana

Bryan and Recipients

According to Grandison, the fund aims to assist two students who would have excelled in technical or vocational studies or in the sciences.

Toriana made mention that once the students can prove that they have done really well in school, recipients would be chosen from among applications submitted.

Toriana noted that someone did it for her and she wants to give those students who are struggling financially.

This year’s award focused on students receiving a scholarship to attend the University of Guyana, the Guyana School of Agriculture, and various secondary schools across the country.

The awardees include Saskeia Liverpool of the Eugene Dupuch Law School-Bahamas, Shontell Major, who will be studying for a degree in accounting, and Trevon Barker, who wants to give back to his community by pursuing a Diploma in Agriculture at the Guyana School of Agriculture. Eleanna Joseph of the Covent Garden Secondary School rounded off

the list of secondary and tertiary students.

Keyng Lee Bryan, Donovan Smith, and Josiah John, the top performers of the recent National Grade Six Assessment at Mocha Primary, also received monetary bursaries as they prepare to head to the St. Stanislaus College, St. Roses and St. Joseph’s High School, respectively.

The community of Mocha Arcadia will never be the same and, according to Bryan, there are plans to do more and make this event an annual one.

Several overseas organisations have contributed to the lives of students and pupils of various institutions, including primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Dollars “, Grandison shared.

Matriarch of the Award Programme and students

No 4 Village

Staying true to family, culture and a strong sense of community

A close-knit community full of family and love; is perhaps the best way to describe No. 4 village. Located at West Coast Berbice, the residents of No. 4 and the surrounding villages share much more than a common location.

The community has a strong agricultural past and in recent times, has seen a boom in business. Going from a community of self-sustainable farmers to a village bustling with entrepreneurs. The Focus on The Village team spoke to three men who shared their experience living in the small village of just around 2,000 people.

Although it ismost commonly known as No. 4, many residents emphasised the fact that No 4 village is also named Edderton. People like Virgil Watts, Reverend Johnson and a man known commonly as Brother Abu, explained that No. 4 is more than what it may seem.

A Close-Knit Community

Traveling through No. 4 and its neighbouring communities, a strong sense of oneness is felt in that everyone seems to know and love everyone else, like one big family. And the reason for that most likely lies in the fact that they are. As Virgil Watts explained, most of the villagers are related in one way or another.“I’ve been living in No. 4 for 49 years. It is predominantly Afro-Guyanese. We have some traditions

like the soiree and things like that. But added to that, most people are families. The Johnsons, the Watts, the Paynes, we are all related in some way. That is the common thing about the communities like No. 4. We are all very close,” he said. Reverend Johnson, as he prefers to be called, has lived

in No. 5 village and says, besides its name, there is very little difference among the villages like No 4 and No 5. Being one of the places that were bought by freed slaves, Villages No. 3, 4 and 5, were once all one big plot of land that was home to a few African families.

“These villages, No. 4, 3 and 5 came out of slavery.The people came together,pooled money and bought the land. The villages bought were No. 4, No 5 and No 3. The survey for the agreement of purchase was done in 1860. And the land was purchased in 1861 in the month of February,” Reverend Johnson continued. Furthermore,many aspects of history of the various villageshave been preserved. One such aspect is the memory of James Roome.

James Roome was said to be a integral part of the founding of the villages. He played the role of mediator between African and plantation owners who they bought the land from. Roome took money from the Africans and bought the land in their place. As brother Abu explained, “Mr Roome went to do the transactions because, at that time, black people weren’t allowed to do certain transactions by themselves. So, he facilitated that transaction.” He then went on to highlight the fact that similar to how No. 4 is named Edderton, the last village,No 5 was named Roome.“No. 5 is named Roome. Roome was one of the Planters in the estate. The name No. 5 came on after a long time. It was given after regularisation and so on,” he said.

From then to Now

As much as villages like No.4 stay true to their roots, with their strong respect for tradition and deep love for culture. They have, without a doubt, seen the villages evolve throughout the decades. Like many other African villages post the colonial period, people of No 4 village and the like took to farming to sustain their people.

These eras, a brother Abu calls them, mark different periods in village No 4 and its neighbours. “It commenced as a farming community. Because in that era, there wasn’t any work for black people. And thee farming that was done was subsistence farming, not farming done to export anywhere else. Because of the conditions of the time, that is why farming was the main source of sustenance.”

Following the age of farming, many people started seeking a livelihood outside of their community. And in some cases, outside of Guyana entirely. As brother Abu stated, “After a while, some men from the villages went into the interior with a balata company. When those conditions existed in the colonial era, some people, to relieve themselves, went to England. People began to migrate. The first wave of migration was to England, the second was to the US and the third was to the Caribbean.”

Most of the remaining population were farmers. But those who weren’t sough to start businesses for their families and generations to come, thus, ushering in the new age of business in the villages. A stroll through villages like No. 4, it is evident that the community is still home to a plethora of thriving businesses. And with the rate at which new businesses are opening and old ones are growing, it is safe to say the era of development is not over for No 4.

Today No. 4 and its nearby companions are still involved in agriculture to some extent. Beyond the main roads and many houses, there still lays fields of vegetation. Places like No. 4 have existed and survived many challenges over the years. But they have managed to foster development and growth in every aspect. All while keeping the same values of family, culture and a strong sense of community.

Virgil Watts

Life in No. 4 Village is a breeze

AS generations come and go, one thing is for certain: many people have passed on a skill or business to their child/ children, who manage to keep it alive even after the parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents are no longer able to do so.

In each village, there are those people who were fortunate enough to have a business to inherit at some point in their lives. For mechanic Jevon George, that is exactly the case. George, has lived in No. 4 Village, also called Edderton, for around 30 years now.

As a mechanic, George says he finds joy in what he does. While mechanics are often spread out all around Guyana and can be found in almost every community, they sometimes come with more than one within a certain location/ community.George stated that his father is one of the driving forces that led him towards his interest in being a mechanic.

George said that he has always enjoyed taking things apart and rebuilding/ fixing them. At his shop, we saw several vehicle parts, tools and other equipment he would use for his business. After his father passed away, George said he took over his workshop, continuing the trade that his father passed on to him.

Not only is George a mechanic, but he says he does many side businesses, including being a bus driver. While he does not do this often, George said he would work the route from Berbice to Georgetown and back.

George noted that while there are some challenges in his

profession, he continues to persevere against all ends of it. Also using his skills in the community as his full-time profession is Beresford Pearson who is a contractor. Pearson, age

47, said he has lived between No. 4 Village and other places, but came there when he was in his 20s. “I used to live in town for a while, but I never like Georgetown,” he said, adding that the things that would happen in Georgetown don’t happen in that area. Additionally, the father of five (all of whom reside out of Edderton) noted that everyone lives in love and as one.

Pearson said that he ventured into construction at the age of 20 and has been doing it ever since. “It’s a trade that I’ve liked since growing up,” he said. Pearson worked in construction in Linden with another contractor and subsequently moved from place to place, even managing to go out of Guyanato do construction work. He stated further that it is a job he enjoys a lot.

Jevon George (Japheth Savory photos)

A street in Village Number Four

Agriculture still thriving in No 4 village

Diversity in every aspect in Edderton

LIFE in Village No. 4 (Edderton) could not be more exciting for those visiting and residing there. In addition to having small businesses, there are those who work in the rice and sugar industry, which helps with

fields.

For a young woman with a passion and a dream that has been rooted since childhood, life is only going to get better.

The aspiring designer and mother of two, Preya, said

age of 10, she learnt sewing from her grandmother, who also enjoyed sewing. She said it is her passion and has been doing it professionally for about five years now.

With time, she went on to learn more about her craft

Although he lives in Edderton now, Seeram said he is from Canje. He said that compared to Canje, living in Edderton is ‘alright’.

Further along, there is a woman named Evelyn, commonly known as Dolly, of Dolly’s Tasty Corner.

Dolly took time out of her daily preparations for the day’s sales to chat with our team. She said that she has lived in the community for her entire life with each of her children. Most of whom were helping her out.

Dollyis the mother of four children and the grandmother of nine; and is happy and proud of it all.

our country’s agricultural economy.

Not only does that benefit Guyana, but families can be fed andhoused comfortably by doing these jobs in the

that Village Number Four is a place she has called home for her entire life. Preya said that she has found her passion in garment construction. The young mother said that at the

and hopes to one day expand and do more than just sewing.

“I did the BIT training programme, garment construction. I have a certificate. But I’m hoping to go deeper in the garment construction.”

The Board of Industrial Training, (BIT) programmes provide competency based vocational training for employment. Furthermore, Preya has a bright future ahead of her, with the goal of having her own small business in a few years.

About the Village, Preya said that it had been five years since she’s been living at her current home, however, she did grow up in Edderton.

In addition to sewing the 28-year-old and her common-law husband, Seeram, have a shop right in their yard, where they sell different types of items to persons in their community.

Seeram said he works at the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GUYSUCO) Blairmont Estate in Berbice.

This Estate is still in operation and is home to the locally branded Demerara Gold Sugar.

He said that he has worked there for aboutthree to four years at this point.

She shared that she has lived in that village since she waseight or nine years old. Dolly was born in Wismar, Linden and moved to the village with her mother.

She said that she enjoys life in Berbice and all the great things that happen there. However, she hinted at the lack of funds being pumped into communities like theirs in those particular areas.

When asked about her business, Dolly exclaimed

that she has been in the food business for a number of years now, and doesn’t

seem like she will be slowing down any time soon.

Preya and her son posing for a photo at her work station

Food on the flames at Dolly’s Tasty Corner

Ms. Dolly, of Dolly’s Tasty Corner (Japheth Savory photos)

For the People, By the People Community development by the community’s own

By Shaniya Harding

IN many communities, there is the common belief that somethings done in that community just has to be a cooperative effort. According to the people of Village No 4, one of those things is keeping the community clean. Every so often, the people of No 4 and surrounding villages get together to show love to the place they call home.

Championing for a better Community

The wee hours of Sunday morning saw several people come together for the greater good of their community. Members of the Neighbour-

in the constituency banded

Rosignol to Zeelust. This time around, the clean-up was focused on the Rosignol market. But this is just a glimpse of the multiple cleaning and restoration projects regularly done in the community by the community. The 18 members of the council all reside within the constituency they represent. And because of this, they do the work they do with great passion.

having held office for three years now, Devina came to live within the constituency at No 4 about six months ago.

impactshe is hoping to have, she stated that, “As a new council comes, they want to produce more and give more to the people.” She went on to explain, however, that for an initiative like this one, the work and preparation is harder

New roads and New Begins

One of the noteworthy characteristics of the people of No 4 village is their unwavering welcoming nature. The Fous on the village team was offered a tour through the community because, according to many residents, the only way to know about the village is to be in the village.

hood Democratic Council, CIP workers, and various people from the ten-day programme along with CDC

together to clean up the community.

The NDC that coordinated the clean-up campaign is responsible for villages from

Playing a major role in developing communities like No 4 village is Devina Chufoon. As the constituency’s overseer, Devina and her team have plans to take their village to new heights. Devina Chufoon is ambitious as the overseer at the Rosignol to Zeelust constituency. After

Although she originally hails from the village of Blairmont, she says that No 4 has become a place she is happy to call home.

In the time as an overseer, she has seen the communitydevelop and bloom. While

than it may seem. “The clean up campaign started at 6 am in the morning. But as the overseer, that is, the administrator of the NDC, I have to be out extra early to ensure that tools, refreshments and machinery are in place,” she said.

The community is still strongly involved in agriculture, as many of the villagers are still farmers of one kind or another. The quiet neighbourhood has streets littered with small gatherings of people, further emphasising its strong sense of community. Although still very much a traditional place, village No 4 and the surrounding villages are undergoing changes done by those outside of the community as well.

Most recently in the neighbouring No 5, there has been a series of road developments that have been praised by many of the villagers. The villagers of No 4 are a diverse lot. As much as the community

as a resident, she has come to call this close-knit village home. The 29-year-old, along with her council are seeking to usher in more development.

“Well, we are a new council in power after local government elections. And the new council has new ideas, new initiatives. The first initiative since we took office is the major clean-up campaign.”

On the matter of what

The community and its various collaborative efforts are not easily pulled off. But as Devina states, she and her team’s love for what they do makes it a little bit easier.

Devina stated, “People ask me how I get my job done; it seems like so much. But one thing I can say is that if you love what you do, your job becomes very easy.”

may be known for farming, they are also adaptable. Today a walk through the community’s few streets will show a strong business presence. With everything that has been done and is set to be done in the community and with the continued corporation of the people, the village is slated for greater things.

Devina Chufoon

Council woman Alama Johnson

Council Woman Latchmidayal Bissoondayal

The clean-up campaign in motion (Japhet Savory photos)

Most recent road done in neighbouring No 5 village

One of the bridges that connects the villages to each other

Business Owners and Chefs; Village Number Four has it all

By Faith Greene

NUMBER Four Village, also called Edderton, has a great history behind it and a very positive and prosperous future ahead.

Speaking with the Pepperpot Magazine was the owner of Fraser’s Liquor Restaurant, Mr Fraser (only name given). Fraser is the father of six children (three boys, three girls) and one grandchild. He noted that four of his children are in America and the others are residing in London.

Fraser’sestablishment sets the atmosphere most adults look forward to after hard days at work or stress filled week. It is where they go to unwind and listen to the sounds of yesteryear and some of today. Where men, and women can eat and have drinks, relax with friends (old and new), and if their interested and lucky, can participate in bar’s popular Sunday night Karaoke.

Asked about his bar, Fraser said, “This is my pension. I am a Chef. A Marine Chef. I do my cutters myself. I left my

that he has had his share of disappointments from one moment to the next but has progressed through them despite his odds. The entrepreneur added that his future is in the business he

customers travel from as far as New Amsterdam to have drinks with him, and some from the neighbouring Village Number Three.

“People coming whole day, whole night. Business, I cannot complain. Some days it’s good, some days it’s slow, some days it goes fast. You have to accept what god gives to you.”

Fraser even credited his wife, Yvonne as the boss of the establishment while he is away on sea. He noted that she looks after every aspect of the logistical side of the business.

On the inside of the bar, the wall on the right has a picture of a boat with the words, ‘Big Ship Sailing on the Ocean’, and on the boat itself are the words, ‘MV Lady Yvonne’ in black lettering.

Furthermore, he urged people to never murmur. “My mother said never murmur. Even when she says that when it’s bad times don’t cry, because when it’s good times, you not gonna smile alone, you gon laugh when it’s the good time,” he said.

Fraser has plans to establish sleeping quarters for his staff in the future, specifically for those who will be travelling long

niece and I trained her. She never went to school. She doesn’t have to go to school. The school is here.”

“I taught her everything. What I know, she knows,” Fraser continued.His career as a Marine Chef spans over 26 years in the food industry. He said that he started out working at the Park Hotel, which was once located on Main Street, Georgetown, in the lot opposite The New Thriving Restaurant.

From there, he moved to Tower Hotel and worked as a chef there for a short time until he left and moved on to Gravity, on Camp and Regent Street, also in Georgetown. “I worked there as a pastry chef downstairs in a cafeteria. That’s the first quality centre they had in Georgetown, before they opened that one at Berbice car park.”

From Gravity, he worked at Guiding Light, after which he left Guyana. He went to the island of Antigua where he returned to school and became a chef. He noted that he worked at another hotel called, ‘Saint James Club’ for many years before leaving that job and went Europe for several years.Fraser said

created. “This is my future. This is my old age. You get to that point. You never know it,” he said.

According to Fraser, working on a ship, there is no guaranteed pension when he retires, so he had to create his own. However, he noted that while he did not have everything in order at the beginning of the business, he is now registered and legally owns his business and has the relevant documentation around the establishment as proof.

The businessman said he has hosted the karaoke and oldies night every Sunday night for the past six months. He said that several of his

distances daily just to get to work.

In the end, he said, you need to have a contented mind, no matter what it is you’re doing. And to give God thanks and praise in everything that is done.

Mr. Fraser, of Fraser’s Liquor Restaurant.

RENEWED ALBOUYSTOWN OFFERS REAL ESTATE BARGAINS

IN the last two months, there have been several media reports of the renewal which has been taking place in Albouystown. Until the 1950s, Albouystown had the reputation of being a culturally ebullient suburban village with the largest settlements of Portuguese, Chinese and East Indians in the city. The owners of properties lived on them, in most cases with a tenant living in the flat below or in a small house elsewhere in the yard. Since the owners of the properties lived on them, houses were kept in good repair, and in many cases, there were small gardens in front of the yards. In most yards, there were fruit trees of one kind or another, including mangoes, jamoons, genips, sapodillas, at least one coconut tree, breadfruit, star apples and every yard, de rigueur, had a clump of sugar cane. All the neighbours of various ethnic groups lived in the greatest amity and would assist each other in a variety of ways.

A large proportion of the city’s tradesmen lived in Albouystown - here were the tailors, the goldsmiths, carpenters, hatmakers, shoe repairers, tin smiths, and plumbers many of whom worked at the shelter belt, which supplied the city with piped water. Transportation of goods of various kinds for the business community was done by horse or donkey carts, most of which were in Albouystown.

There were a large number of grocery shops which were usually at the juncture of two streets and there were three bakeries and three large rum shops which produced their own individual blend of rum. There were also four drug stores, including one owned by the father of Mr Hamiliton Greene, who became one of the country’s most important political leaders. The one medical doctor was Dr J.P. Lachmansingh, whose surgery was at James Street near the Albouystown Market. Dr Lacmansingh, though not a wealthy man, collected fees only from the wealthy and served most of his clients free.

Most of the stevedores, that is the workers who loaded and unloaded ships, lived in Albouystown and H.N.Critchlow became their leader and organised the first Trade Union in Guyana. There were several churches and one large Hindu temple to which was affiliated the Dharamshala which provided a home for the poor of all races and religions. The head of the Dharamshala was Pandit Ramsaroop Maraj, who stands out as one of Guyana’s greatest philanthropists. A strong Cumfa organisation also had regular ceremonies with drumming and dancing.

The various racial groups lived in fraternity, celebrated with each other, and were with each other in sickness or death.

Then came the 1960’s and the country was overtaken with racio-political strife of a kind which had never before occurred in Guyanese history. People moved into communities where their ethnic group was in majority and people from the countryside moved to Georgetown. Many of these people, particularly Africans, found their way to Albouystown. All the Portuguese and Chinese and many East Indians left the ward, and almost all the Portuguese and Chinese emigrated to North America. The owners who had left the ward neglected their properties which, in many cases, deteriorated and the City Council seemed to have turned its eyes away from the ward. Now there seems to be a new attitude.

The Central Government, all the political parties and the City Council are committed to the renewal of Albouystown. The first major effort in this development has been Independence Boulevard which promises to be another Regent Street; many houses are being renovated; the drains are

all being concreted and are functional, making Albouystown one of the best drained parts of the city. Several persons have begun to build blocks of flats and new people have begun to occupy the ward.

Albouystown has now become the most attractive part

of the city for investment and properties could still be obtained at bargain prices. As important, all the political parties and Government are now committed to its renewal, so a brighter future awaits Albouystown.

THE AGE OF SLAVERY TO EMANCIPATION AND RELIGION

THE adoption of the Hebrew text, copied from the Khemetic records that were attached to the later writings that revolved around the maa´Kheru, the ‘Truth speaker’ the Khemetic name for the ‘Christ’ was then merged with the former to become the ‘Bible.’ This adopted religion by the former Romans was then used to eliminate paganism in Europe in the effort to create the nations of Christendom under Roman rule, eventually identified as the Byzantine empire. The term ‘Christians’ was the name that the Roman Emperor Constantine attributed to the Faith-believers (void of idols) that he encountered, and was later impressed by these same believers of a ‘foreign faith’ that his empire offered in the arena to be devoured by likewise foreign animals; it is believed that Constantine’s faith was especially infused, after the martyrdom of the Theban Mauritius of Aganaum, who knew this faith in his African homeland and refused to slaughter its believers; in time this martyr would be called Saint Mauritius. This first paragraph is an introduction that would need beyond this article to relate in detail, but is intended to provide a basic understanding of how religion played an active part in the Trans- Atlantic-slavery that developed Europe and the Americas.

Christianity and Islam were fashioned to allow the inhuman exploitation of so-called Heathen peoples, the destruction of American civilizations of that period and the African slave trade were stipulated by Holy men as justified, likewise were the common savagery of the Spanish inquisition, the conquistador era and slavery. Now, to the early plantation existence of the Dutch 18th Century colonies of Essequibo, Berbice, and Demerara, and comments on religious life. Dr. MC Gowan quotes the British physician George Pinckard, who noted, “The total neglect of sacred ordinances …prevails in these colonies. All the ceremonies of the Sabbath were utterly disregarded. No church or temple is to be found in the settlements … Sunday, it is true, has been set apart as a day of rest, but no solemn ceremony marks it as the Sabbath. Idleness and merriment alone distinguish it from the other days of the week” - A SURVEY OF GUYANESE HISTORY A COLLECTION OF HISTORICAL ESSAYS AND ARTICLES

BY

A GUYANESE SCHOLAR -

Dr.

Winston Mc Gowan.

Pinckard continues, “ Christmas… is a holiday to the slaves who usually receive some indulgences of food, and some present of clothing to augment the happiness of SEE PAGE XVI

The possibilities of partnerships are endless between Ghana and Guyana

I believe that there are many similarities between Ghana and Guyana and that they are more evident as the two

the two countries even before independence and so many similarities. I learnt through Francis Quamina Farrier that

Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Guyana’s first President Forbes Burnham had a close relation-

countries are fostering more partnerships. This West African country has cemented a place in my heart after my visit last November. My main reason for visiting was to receive an award from 28COE (Credentials of Entrepreneur) for my contribution to the fashion and beauty industry.

Looking back at my time in Ghana, the award is the lease of the things that truly made my trip significant and memorable. I am still trying to decide who takes first place for the most hospitable people between these two beautiful countries so I will settle for a tie. There is a history with

ship. Even the flags have similar colours and I love the way the Ghana Chamber Guyana used to their advantage in creating their logo.

I must thank my friend Wesley Kirton for inviting me to the first Ghana-Guyana Local Content Conference hosted by Ghana Chamber of Commerce Guyana Conference. The conference opened with remarks by Gabby Otchera-Darko Esq, Chairman, GCCG. Both days had very informative panel discussions and impressive keynote addresses. The competent

SEE PAGE XXVIII

RESPONDING TO ENVIRONMENTAL EMERGENCIES

WITH Guyana’s rapidly expanding development across all sectors, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) must be equipped and trained to respond effectively to environmental emergencies in order to reduce environmental impacts and risks to human health. o effectively respond, the Agency has developed Guidelines for Environmental Emergency Response and has trained approximately 60 percent of its staff in the Incident Command System, while another 15 persons were trained in Shoreline Cleanup Technique. Additionally, the Agency has invested in a vehicle and environmental monitoring equipment to aid in effective response.

According to the United Nations Environment Program, an environmental emergency is a sudden-onset disaster or accident resulting from natural, technological or human-induced factors or a

combination of these, that causes or threatens to cause severe environmental damage as well as harm to human health and or livelihoods.

According to the EP Act Cap 20:05, the EPA responds to environmental emergencies and provides technical support to sister agencies responding to environmental emergencies, including the Civil Defense Commission (CDC) and the Guyana Geologies and Mines Commission.

Given the EPA’s mandate to oversee the effective management, conservation, protection and improvement of the environment; and to prevent or control pollution, it is our responsibility to respond in an operational role for environmental emergencies. Technical advice is provided to the government, industry, and the community before, during, and after emergencies through scientific, engineering, and regulatory expertise on the environment and the impacts to health from pollution caused.

Besides the major benefit of providing guidance during an emergency, developing a plan has other advantages. During an emergency response, discoveries of unrecognized hazardous conditions that would intensify an emergency situation can be addressed to eliminate them. The planning process often highlights or pinpoints challenges such as the lack of resources (equipment, trained personnel, supplies, etc.), or items that can be corrected before an emergency occurs. In addition, an emergency plan promotes safety awareness and shows the organization’s commitment to the safety of its workers.

As the probability of an occurrence of an emergency is often times high, preplanning is necessary. A well-thoughtout, well-organized emergency response plan will help to eliminate these issues. An urgent need for rapid decisions, a shortage of time, and a lack of

RESPONDING TO ENVIRONMENTAL

FROM PAGE XIV

resources and trained personnel can lead to chaos during an emergency.

Time and circumstances in an emergency mean that normal channels of authority and communication cannot be relied upon to function routinely. The stress of the situation can lead to poor judgment resulting in severe losses.

The CDC has developed a number of plans to respond to environmental emergencies, including the Guyana National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (August 2020), Flood Preparedness and Response Plan, and Disaster Risk Management. Environmental emergencies that have gotten the EPA’s attention during the past year and to date included tailings spills, chemical spills, fuel spills, and a suspected oil spill. Other emergencies include bird strikes, fish kills, and spin-off incidents from natural hazards, e.g., an earthquake damaging an industrial facility, which releases hazardous materials.

The EPA’s Emergency Response System (EERS) has two designated telephone numbers that members of the public can dial to report environmental emergencies and request the Agency’s response. The EERS will be operational daily on a 24 hours system. The numbers designated for the EERS are (592)- 225-5469, 592-623-4594, and (592) 623-4614. As part of this system, the Agency has designated officers who are specialized and prepared to respond to specific environmental emergencies e.g. fish kills, chemical spills etc.

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

THE AGE OF SLAVERY TO EMANCIPATION...

the festival. We have seen new hats distributed among the men of a whole gang and a bit of course canvas for a petticoat given to each of the women, and never were children more delighted with toys as these poor beings were on the joyous occasion of receiving these humble, but to them splendid offerings. Some fresh meat was also served out

to them as a high feast for dinner.”

The slaves were also encouraged to visit other plantations where friends, relatives, lovers and fellow passengers who had made the forced voyage into slavery were confined to, and dances were allowed. This was encouraged with the intent to humanize slavery, to minimise the pent-up anger

of the slave by the weighted burden of the cruelty of the slave system, in the hope that it would curtail slaves running away, rebellions and other forms of sabotage against the plantation. But when it came to establishing the church and teaching literacy in the English context, this was a different development, as it implied a new level of shared aware-

ness and the resuscitation of deeper cultural memories.

“In the 1790s, there were no Church buildings, but with the rise of British influence, some services were conducted on Sundays by the chaplain of the British Garrison in a small room in the courthouse in Stabroek, likewise with the Lutherans in Berbice and the Dutch-reformed church in both colonies. The Anglicans catered exclusively for the minority white population. They prohibited slaves from attending services for fear that exposure to Christianity would make them more discontented and rebellious.” This fear was based on the content of the scriptures that revolved around the liberation of slaves through divine guidance and human

participation.

Also, the authority of the Mosaic law - Exodus 21:16 - implied that, “ A man who steals a man and sells him to another must be put to death,” etc. The Congregational Church did make a difference (The Protestant denominations ). The 1823 non-violent protest, to which this year is the Centennial Commemoration of that tragic event, of which so many lost their lives upon the whims and psychotic fantasies of Colonel Thomas Leahy, John Croal and Michael Mc Turk {a trickster}. The latter was knighted not for his support of random executions in 1823, but for the fiction he after created towards his legacy. Activists of this centennial must possess a copy of Thomas

Harding’s ‘White Debt’ and da Costa’s Crowns of Glory…, along with themes of Afro-Guyanese history. The indoctrination into Christianity after emancipation, of the colonial British subjects did not revolve around the work of the protestants, but with the colonial advertising campaign towards economic interests that followed the Industrial Revolution, with the scramble for Africa; “If every negro in the Congo bought one Sunday dress (Church clothes) and four everyday dresses, it would require 3,840 million yards of Manchester cotton, worth 16 million.” Sir Henry Morton Stanley- ‘The Scramble for Africa by Thomas Pakenham’.

Two steps forward

A recently-concluded T10 tape ball tournament brought much excitement on and off the field over the past several weeks. It demonstrated what is possible when stakeholders come together to support sports development in Guyana.

The tournament featured teams from nine of the 10 administrative regions. The players were drawn from communities across the country, hoping to become the best T10 tape ball XI in the country. And President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s ‘One Guyana’ initiative was a huge focus here.

I managed to catch several games and was my happiest self over the days I went to the tournament. It was refreshing seeing so many people flock to the grounds for the shortest format of the game and it was exciting seeing some of the timeless Guyanese cricketing stars take to the field again. At the end of it all, the Eccles All-Stars emerged as the inaugural champions.

There’s no doubt about my love for cricket in any shape or form, but I won’t spend the next several paragraphs gushing over the matches and how happy I was. Instead, there are a few specific things I’d like to point out.

The tournament’s first noteworthy aspect was its sheer public support. Whether it was the Everest Cricket Club Ground or the Enmore Community Centre Ground, venues were packed on the weekends when the matches were being played. And it should go without saying that attracting enough people to fill a set of stands at the National Stadium is nothing ordinary. This tells me that there is an appetite for more cricket and sports activities in Guyana (the support at the Guyana Cup horse racing event the day after the T10 finals further evidences this, in my opinion). There are logistics and human resource deliberations that must take place, but I believe a steady stream of big, or at least well-supported, sporting events could give people (like music) more things to look forward to and possibly, make the sport sector more sustainable.

That brings me to my second point. The tournament could not have been executed as well as it was if there wasn’t sound state and private sector backing as well. President Ali, for example, was the tournament’s patron, and that, I believe, established much goodwill and interest. He decided to play in charity matches and the private sector was able to raise at least $17.5 million for 11 orphanages, animal welfare groups, and other charitable organisations. If sporting events aren’t sustainable enough on their own (including by bringing in their funds), support is needed from other stakeholders to fuel the development of the sports persons and their games. That means sponsoring athletes when they need to travel to distinguish themselves and represent Guyana, or paying it forward at home so our sportspersons don’t have to grapple with less-than-optimal facilities. It doesn’t require a doctorate to know that continued support, in cash and kind, translates to better performances all around.

There are more schmaltzy takeaways from the tournament too. As I alluded to earlier, it was part of the President’s One Guyana agenda. At its core, that agenda seems to be pushing for Guyanese to join hands and work towards a common goal. In a big-picture sense, that common goal must be developing the nation and its people. Sports have been accepted- perhaps since time immemorial- as a way of bringing people together and galvanising their focus toward achieving a common goal. So as the President pursues his One Guyana agenda, I’m sure he is already seeing how he can harness sports to aid his pursuits.

Still, there’s sobering news yet. Even though we took two steps forward, it seemed as though we had to take one step back.

Earlier in August, it was reported that the Athletics Association of Guyana (AAG) had to cancel the National Senior and National Junior Athletics Championships due to the unavailability of an appropriate venue.

It seemed as though a series of unfortunate events prevented these championships from being held and this conundrum served as a reminder of why ongoing investments in sport facilities across the country are crucial. It also demonstrates how

much more we should focus on supporting our sportspersons. Yes, positive developments make me hopeful for the future, but we cannot wish away the very real issues we grapple with. I’m thrilled that this new T10 tournament attracted so much support. I would be overjoyed if we kept that same energy all

around.

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

It’s about time we include ‘green skills’ alongside the dialogue of employment

DAY by day, we’re visually seeing and even experiencing the effects of climate change. It’s not a myth or conceptual idea; it’s real, and every country has its own challenges and problems because of it. Don’t believe me? Look for old pictures of Guyana’s coastlines and you’ll see the drastic difference when comparing it to the current ones. Ever noticed old structures of what used to be old seawalls in Guyana? Or, have you noticed the additional heightened structures that were made to the Kingston seawalls? These weren’t made by accident. They were made because our coastlines are below sea levels and unfortunately, every year, our oceans increase their volume by 0.13 inches. That’s one of our country’s many struggles with climate change and like many other countries worldwide, we’re desperately looking for solutions to help.

The term “Green Skills’’ might be unfamiliar to many in terms of its use in language. Nonetheless, what that term symbolises has been put into practice by many people worldwide. Green skills are the abilities, attitudes and understanding needed to develop and live in a sustainable society with efficient resources. If we are to change how we utilise new sustainable resources, we will need specific skills on how to apply such. There is usually a structural change when this happens in economies. This creates “green jobs’’ or alters existing jobs by fitting greener solutions into play. It’s also important to note that there’s a difference between “green skills” and “green jobs’’. Green jobs are career-centred, specialised roles that are dedicated to improving the environmental outcomes around us. There needs to be some sort of revision and restructuring on all employment levels.

A low-carbon, “green” economy is a must in this day and age. The Guyanese workforce ought to be trained in the specifics required to do their part essentially. If we lack these necessary skills, obviously we will be unable to develop and support a sustainable economy. The idea of a green economy transition will be dragged out. This can even cause structural unemployment. As we implement policies and regulations to accommodate a green economy, we should also do the same for our workforce. Green skills aren’t only meant to be environmentally sustainable but also innovative. How can we think and create unique ways to utilise our waste products? This includes Guyanese mechanics learning how to maintain electric vehicles. It includes farmers in the Corentyne using AI technology to reduce waste. It includes Human Resources departments using alternatives to document instead of paper.

Every country has an ideal plan to create a new “green” economy for their citizens—it requires “green skills” to get there. As such, each country will desire different sets of skills based on their ideas of development and the directions the country in question wishes to follow. Only 23% of UK students are aware of “green skills”, according to WSP. With that in mind, it’s an evolving conceptual idea and I’m hopeful that it reaches within the walls of our local classrooms soon so that students can be aware of an important aspect that may be required of them in years to come. Going “green” requires much more from all of us than fancy slogans and community engagement—it’s real work that requires commitment, knowledge and practice. We ought to find ways to allow our human systems to work with Mother Nature, not against it—if we’re hoping to slow down the rate of climate disasters.

IN LOVE WITH YOU

“Miss Collins.”

Rachel looked up from a report she was reading at the boy standing at her desk.

“Yes, Antonio,” she answered with a warm smile. Antonio had always been a shy boy, but now, as he looked at his teacher, he felt the courage in his heart to say to her in a steady voice, “I think you’re a nice person and I want to thank you for helping me so much with my work.”

He held out a box of chocolate to her as a ‘thank you’ gift.

It was Teacher’s Day!

“Aw,” she expressed, touched by the boy’s gesture.

“Thank you, Antonio.”

As a teacher with a love and passion for her work, she applied skills of patience and tolerance. It helped her students to gain confidence and self-belief to excel in their studies. In each child she saw the potential for success, and with a pleasant personality, her inspiring attributes made her a favourite teacher in high school.

As the day progressed, more students expressed their gratitude with nice little gifts and at the end of the school day, she felt truly touched by their thanks and affection. It’s amazing the positive impact she made from doing what she loved; smiling for the world, sharing the joy and happiness of those whose lives she touched. But deep within her was a pain, a pain hidden so no one ever saw the reflection of it in her eyes. She only thought of that betrayal that broke her heart in her quiet moments.

Yet, though, there was one beautiful thing that helped her to stay strong and filled her heart with love.

It was her little son!

She walked the short distance to his primary school and he ran to her as soon as he saw her, gleefully handing her a card, “Happy Teacher’s Day, mommy!”

“Aww, this is so beautiful,” she laughed and hugged him, “Thank you so much, baby.”

After reading him a bedtime story that night, she watched his sleeping angelic face and bemoaned, “How could he have left us and walked away?”

Many questions she had asked herself that past four years that she couldn’t find answers for. She had known her ex-husband for three years before they got married and never once had she seen any flaws in his character to cause her to have any doubts about his love for her.

It was a wicked deception and she hadn’t seen it coming.

“How could you profess to love someone then cheat and lie?”

The truth of his lifestyle had blindsided her and when she had refused to continue forgiving him for that, he had walked away and never looked back.

“How can I ever love again?”

On Saturday afternoon, she took Nathan to a basketball game, trying her best to fill in for the father’s absence. As a little boy, he loved sports, so her brother and nephews would step in from time to time to assist. But sometimes, she saw that longing look in his eyes when he saw other little boys with their fathers. He never cried nor looked unhappy, as though understanding, at such a young age, how much she was trying.

“I love you, Mommy,” he often told her with a hug that always touched her heart.

Life was now just she and her son, striving as a single mother to sustain their lives and home.

Men from different backgrounds showed interest in her, but she was still feeling the pain of betrayal to want anyone in her life.

“You have to go on living your life, my child,” her mother had advised her, “Your ex-husband has.”

“That’s easy for him, Mom,” she had said with a bitter tone, “It’s not for me.”

“You’re still young and your son would need a fa-

IN LOVE WITH...

FROM PAGE XXIV

ther figure in his life.”

Rachel had taken a deep breath and said calmly to her mother, “It would be difficult trusting someone again in my life and worse yet, in my son’s life.”

She had deep doubts that someone could genuinely love and care for her son as their own. She rejected all advances given to her by family and friends and focused on her work, her home and her child.

The August holidays soon came around and one week before school closed, an old student, a reigning basketball star from the US paid a visit. It sparked excitement among the students and the girls became somewhat mesmerized by him.

“Oh my gosh, he’s so tall.”

“He’s so handsome.”

“I think I’m in love.”

Rachel overhearing their breathless expressions shook her head with a knowing smile, “The youthful years.”

“Yeah, cute kid.”

There was a little pause and looking at Rachel, he asked her, “You don’t remember me, do you?”

She looked at him for a long moment then said a little apologetically, “I’m sorry, I don’t.”

He shook his head a little and smiled, “I was your fourthform student; I was fifteen and you were twenty, a young

assistant teacher.”

Recognition slowly dawned on her, bringing back a memory of ten years ago that left her speechless as she looked at him. He had given her a note before he left for overseas.

“I am in love with you. Will you wait for me?”

To be continued…

She didn’t go with the other staff members to the meet and greet in the auditorium but stayed in class to finish off some work. As she left her classroom for home, she saw students with autographed basketballs and their shirts.

“I wonder who he is,” she questioned silently as she walked down the road to collect Nathan.

The August holiday was a welcomed break for her with outstanding work to do at home, in the vegetable garden and spending more time with Nathan. One week into the school vacation, she had just finished preparing her special Sunday lunch when Nathan ran in excitedly, “Mommy, there’s someone here to see you.”

“Who is it?”

“I don’t know, but we shot some hoops.”

Nathan had been in the yard playing with his mini basketball hoop.

“I wonder…” Rachel opened the door and was stunned at the incredibly handsome young man standing there tall with a well-defined body.

“Hey,” he greeted her with a pleasant smile.

“Hi,” she managed to say after regaining her composure briefly, “How can I help you?”

“I was in the neighbourhood and thought I could stop by to say ‘hello’.”

She looked at him a little puzzled and asked, “And you are?”

“I was at your school last week, an old student…” he left the little introduction unfinished.

She gasped as it dawned on her who he was, “Oh my goodness, I didn’t realize.”

“That’s okay.”

Nathan was tugging at her hand, “Mommy, can he come in?”

She looked at the visitor and asked, a little hesitantly, “Uh, would you like to come in?”

“Sure.”

Nathan was overjoyed being close to a real basketball star and Rachel said with a happy smile for her son, “I guess you have another fan.”

When British Royalty ...

FROM PAGE II

few years, the service was exclusively for the transportation of cargo.

Later it was upgraded and included passenger sections. The service was well supported by the Upper, Middle and Lower ‘class’ sections of the population. The trains had first, second, and third class accommodation. Passengers of each class paid a different price for their tickets, with the First Class paying the highest and the Third Class paying the lowest price. Some passengers used to cheat the system and travel in a ‘higher’ class in the train than what they had paid for.

That was a practice which they never always got away with on a regular basis since there were Inspectors who wore impressive uniforms and stern countenances. They made unexpected checks and went from carriage to carriage, checking passengers’ tickets to ensure they had the right ticket for the train section in which they were travelling.

The T&HD trains had a ‘romance’ of sorts to them. The ‘click-clack, click-a-de-clack’’ of the wheels as they rolled across the small openings between each rail below, was almost like music. That sound was mesmerising and even welcomed by many passengers, especially those who desired to enjoy a nap. As one would appreciate, those who had to make a trip from Georgetown to New Amsterdam, for example, had to rise early, complete what had to be done at home, which many times included preparing a meal and get to the Train Station on Lamaha Street near Thomas Street on time. It was always a long and tiring day for the travellers.

Should the journey be from Georgetown to the West Coast of Demerara, that journey included a Demerara River Ferry crossing, and it was the T&HD Ferry steamer, the MV QUERIMAN that did that service. That was a long time before the Demerara Harbour Bridge was constructed. The dumping of the MV QUERIMAN ferryboat on the Eastern bank of the Essequibo River near Ampa Bay, is considered a disgrace by many of the thousands of Guyanese who it ferried across the Demerara River for many decades. Many feel that it should be moored somewhere convenient as a tourist attraction.

The trains which did the Vreed-en-Hoop to Parika service ran on a smaller gauge track than the Georgetown to Rosignol track. Anyway, as the saying goes, in certain situations, “Size doesn’t matter”, and both services did the job for which they were constructed and put into service; that of getting the travelling public safely and comfortably to their intended destination.

The historic railway systems in British Guiana included Services between Georgetown, the capital city on the Demerara River, and Rosignol on the Berbice River. In those early years, the sixty-plus mile train journey between the two destinations took over six hours. However, that was so, not because they were not bullet trains, but mainly because of the many and lengthy stops between the two locations. The most popular stop between Georgetown and Rosignol was at Mahaica. That was so because there were vendors who sold many popular items, especially snacks such as Fish-and-Bread. Passengers never complained about the length of the journey, since for the majority, that was the only train service they knew, and they had none other with which to make a comparison.

Those who used the train service found it much more comfortable than a journey by road, which was extremely rough in those times. There were many potholes and the roads in those days were not covered with asphalt. They were built with what was known as “red bricks.” Some sections of the public roads had two strips of concrete on which drivers would keep their vehicles to have a better ride. All-in-all, travelling by train was usually the popular choice. On one of her two visits to Guyana, Queen Elizabeth ll of England travelled from Georgetown to Plaisance in the carriage pictured in this article. Maybe it should be a bit of a tourist attraction, especially for English and other Brits.

The possibilities of partnerships...

panelists were Dr. Martin Pertab (Head of the Local Content Secretariat Guyana), Nicholas Deygoo (CEO, Vreed-enhoop), Mr. Timothy Tucker (CEO RID-O-PES INC) Dr. Kwame Baah Nuakoh (GM Strategy and Investment GNPC) Mr. Bobby Gossai Jnr (Senior Petroleum Coordinator at the Ministry of Natural Resources), Prof. Suresh Narine (Executive Co-Chairman, CGX Group, Canada, Guyana) O-A Danquah ( CEO, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation ) Egbert Faibillie Jr (CEO, Petroleum Commission, Ghana)

Prof Paloma Mohamed Martin (Vice Chancellor, University of Guyana) Nora Wahab (Business Development Manager, Rigworld Group, Ghana) Tony Harris (President & CEO e-Magic Inc, Canada, Guyana), Beatrice Mensah-Tayui (CEO Cybele Energy Inc, USA, West Africa) Felicity L. Jaforktuk (Zeepay, Country Manager, Barbados and Guyana) ,Kweku Boateng (Director, Local Content, PC, Ghana) Stanley Raja Ahorlu Esq (MD, Prime Meridian Docks, Ghana).

During these discussions, I realised how much we can learn from the players in the Ghana Oil and Gas Industry and

was happy to hear VP Dr Bharrat Jagdeo expressing at the conference that he is supporting the Chamber and the joint venture partnership with the two counties. I found the info interesting. Although this is not an industry I am familiar with,

I have an interest in spinoff business ventures. I learnt a few things from Mr Bossai’s and Mr Pertab’s presentation.

1.The development of local content benefits for the Guyanese economy with effective partnerships and joint ventures from our local companies working with the right foreign partners.

2. The development of better linkages for direct and indirect businesses of the oil and gas sector and other positive externalities for related sectors and industries. These are all part of growing the economy both for the oil and non-oil economy.

3. Measuring local content growth within the economy and providing for new areas of local content application for the oil and gas sector.

4. Adjusting our targets and applying new areas of economic opportunities for businesses. This is being done in a consultative manner with the local private sector.

5. Ensuring that there is sustainable business growth, linkages with the economy and cooperation among the various industry players that can foster better business opportunities.

6. Providing a comprehensive legal and fiscal frame-

work to manage the oil and gas sector with improved policies, laws and institutions.

Nick Daygoo gave a presentation on VEHSI (Vreeden Hoop Shore Base Inc.) is a joint venture between NRG Holdings Inc., a Guyanese consortium of majority locally-owned businesses. What stuck with me in the presentation is VEHSI is committed to providing community benefits through employment opportunities, environmental stewardships, provision of technical advancement programmes, supporting education delivery and social cohesion in Region Three because not very often we hear how the people will benefit. Other presenters were Mr. O-A Danquah (CEO, GNPC Kofi Abban,Group CEO, Rigworld International Group Stanley Raja Ahorlu Esq (MD, Prime Meridian Docks, Ghana Nicholas Amenyo (Business Development Manager, Rigworld Group, Ghana Mr. Rodney K. Acquah (Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation of the Petroleum Commission).

Stanley Amerteifio, CEO GCCG said, “We would say the conference,being the first of its kind to be conducted by the Chamber was successful.

The patronage was good although we would have loved for more Guy-

The possibilities of partnerships...

anese people/companies to be present as it would have benefitted them more. There were also many takeaways. One that resonated with me was from Kwaku Boateng, the Local content Director at the Petroleum Commission Ghana. He stated that local Guyanese companies shouldn’t focus solely on the equity participation but should also focus on the job participation as that would ensure that they actually gather the skills that would build their capacity. “We at the chamber hope that the local Guyanese companies present would not only inform the Guyanese people who couldn’t make it about the importance of local content creation and capacity building but would also partner with Ghanaian businesses to create synergies and share experiences in order to build local capacity, bridge the gap between Ghana and Guyana, Africa and the Caribbean and further help ensure that the future generations of both nations will become products of economic powerhouses created through this economic and cultural partnership. We witnessed the signing of one such partnership with e-Magic Inc. and West Coast Gas at this event and anticipation similar JV in the near future.”

I have to also commend the moderators who did an excellent job other than Nana Adjoa Hackman Esq (Petroleum Policy & Law Expert, Managing Partner, Africa Legal Associates (ALA), Ghana) Mr. Alex Graham (CEO, Tagman Media & Host of Energy Perspectives) Narinder Surae Esq, who did not ask one of the panelists any questions.

Mr. Rodney K. Acquah (Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation of the Petroleum Commission).

We also had the honour of Ogyeahoho Y.Gyebi 11 who is head of the National House of Chefs and he promised me

that my next trip will be enjoyable as a result of meeting him. I am so impressed with Ghanaians, as well as their delicious chocolate and feel a connection from the day I

FROM PAGE XXVIII

visited that country. I have a feeling this will be written about in my next book as we continue to celebrate this beautiful journey called life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student,

Welcome dear friend. From the very beginning of improving your reading capacity try to develop the power of inference along

August 20, 2023

different lines. Try to infer unfamiliar words through their contexts and again through word-formation and derivation. Is it a noun or verb? Can its form help? Look at the context. Is the word repeated somewhere else? Is there any contrast or analogy that can help you derive the meaning of the word? Try to make a guess. Be wise.

Love you.

GRAMMAR

Predicate agreement with compound subjects

Reminder: Compound subjects joined by ‘and,’ ‘or’, or ‘nor’ are compound subjects.

1) Subjects joined by ‘and.’ A compound subject joined by ‘and’ is clearly a plural subject and takes a plural verb.

Example:

Mr. Sampson and Mrs. George have been successfully coordinating Earth Day in this village youth club since 2019. (The two subjects are joined by ‘and.’ The plural verb ‘have’ is correct.)

2a) Exceptions: Certain subjects can be joined by ‘and’ to identify one person or thing.

When both parts of the subject identify the same person or thing, the subject is singular, and its predicate must be singular.

Examples:

D. Webster’s coauthor and business partner receives half the royalty on these books. (Here the subject refers to one person, who is both co-author and business partner to D. Webster. The singular verb ‘receives’ is correct.)

D. Webster’s coauthor and his business partner receive half the royalty on these books. (This is a genuine compound subject because two different persons are referred to.)

Fish and chips is the mid-morning snack that will be served. (Fish and chips is one snack; thus, the singular verb ‘is’ is correct.)

2b) Another exception to the compound subject rule occurs when the compound subject joined by ‘and’ is modified by ‘each,’ ‘every,’ or ‘many a.’ In such cases the subject is considered singular and takes a singular predicate.

Examples:

Each table and chair ‘is’ on sale until August 27. (‘Is’ is correct because ‘table and chair’ is modified by ‘each.’)

Every headteacher and gym -

nasium manager ‘has’ been invited to dinner with his or her spouse. (The singular ‘has’ and ‘his’ or ‘her’ are correct because the compound subject is modified by ‘every.’)

‘Many a’ farmer and landowner has asked for more information on land prices per acre. (Farmer and landowner is one person.)

What to Do

Apply the agreement rules concerning compound subjects to the following sentences.

1. Every man and woman in the dancing company commuting by airplane (is, are) covered by this insurance policy.

2. The language option students and their tutor (was, were) invited to visit our west wing to browse the new language teaching journals.

3. Georgeanna and Martha (does, do) not consider this visit important to their examination success.

4. Many a parent and teacher (has, have) become an executive through (his or her, their) hard work.

5. Every inventory clerk and warehouse manager (has, have) been bonded.

6. Her agent and advisor (is, are) her husband, Samuel.

THE POEM

Analysing and interpreting the poem Manhole Covers

The beauty of manhole covers - what of that?

Like medals struck by a great savage khan, Like Mayan calendar stones, unliftable, indecipherable,

Not like old electrum, chased and scored, Mottoed and sculptured to a turn, But notched and whelked and pocked and smashed

With the great company names: Gentle Bethlehem, smiling United States. This rustproof artifact of my street, Long after roads are melted away, will lie Sidewise in the grave of the iron-old world, Bitten at the edges, Strong with its cryptic American, Its dated beauty.

(Karl Shapiro)

What to Do

1a) How do the comparisons in lines 2 and 3 of the poem above make the manhole covers seem exotic and mysterious? b) According to the speaker, what will finally become of manhole covers? Why will they be cryptic?

(Reminder: When you look at comparison look for writer’s style, or choice of words that signal something and indicate relationship, details, and focus. Note the images formed.)

2. In which lines of the poem do you find the devices of parallelism and simile?

(Remember that parallelism is the repetition of a grammatical structure, e.g., What do we want with flowers? What do we want with their shapes? (Remember 1) that parallelism emphasises and links related ideas in writing, and

(2) that a simile is a comparison between two seemingly different things. Look for signal words such as ‘like’ or ‘as.’)

3. If you say that the first eight lines of the poem above describe the manhole covers, what does the last six lines do. How significant is the function of these last lines?

His little, nameless, unremembered, acts Of kindness and of love.

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH (1770- 1850) Lines composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey (1798), 1.34

Dental disease as we age

ALTHOUGH it can be said that the major problems encountered in dentistry are generally commensurate with the patient’s ageing, there is widespread misconceptions about such implications.

Interdisciplinary research in the human ageing process ( gerontology) has demonstrated that it is the effects of disease and not ageing itself, that is most significant for the perceptions of ourselves and others as either “youthful” or “elderly.” We should, therefore, not be afraid of age, but we should be aware of health hazards.

We often become demure about our age as we grow older. We are so influenced by today’s youth culture that youthfulness remains ideal. But this is not necessarily so.

One of the first questions that patients must answer at a

cific for the individual and thus form a kind of biological “ fingerprint” that changes with health variations.

The vital point to note is that we are all biologically unique individuals from birth and become functionally increasingly diverse until we are very old. We must sooner or later “pay” for the way we have used our biological resources. The way we pay has to do with our genetic makeup and the combined influence of the accumulated consequences of many years of physiological age changes, bouts of illnesses, uses and abuses of medications, risky lifestyles and wanton neglect to care for our bodies. From a psychological point of view, we become caricatures of ourselves in later years and invariably, we must take the blame.

visit to the dentist is how old they are! We love to classify people by age. There is a risk, however, that the date of birth becomes more significant than the individual.

The elderly person does not lose his or her teeth because he or she has grown old. They lose them because of diseases, the oral ills frequently mirroring the general ones. Remember, the risk for disease increases with age.

Dental disease and alterations in saliva and mucous membranes may be early symptoms of a decrease in the general health status of elderly persons. These may indicate a weakening of the tissues’ biological defence thresholds for different stresses. Few tissues in the human body must withstand what the oral tissues must, not only in terms of possible dryness but also mechanically, chemically, thermally, microbially, and galvanically (electrically).

Oral tissues occasionally show relatively specific signs of system illness and negative social habits, but, most frequently, less characteristic reaction patterns are seen that cannot immediately be diagnosed. These are, however, usually spe-