Guyana Chronicle Pepperpot E-Paper 27-03-2022

The people of Unity Village Ukesh Bipat is a resident of Unity Village, East Bank Essequibo.

He is a musician at heart and is part of a group called Shakti Melody.He has been singing for 40 years and is versed in film, chutney and religious songs.

Bipat, who is also a farmer, is one of many talented residents in the village (Delano Williams photo)

Sunday, March 27, 2022

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, March 27, 2022

Sixty Years of Peace Corps activities globally

T H E Peace Corps of America is now observing its 60th anniversary.

Those like myself who have had a long association with that American humanitarian organisation are taking stock.

We are analysing how much the organisation has contributed to Guyana and, if we can, to other countries around the world where they work.

As a journalist, I have had the opportunity to cover and write several feature and news articles on the Peace Corps activities in Guyana for the print and electronic media over the past three decades. Fortunate also, to visit the Headquarters of the Peace Corps in Washington, DC, in the USA on four occasions, and hear from the top brass their ongoing plans for the contributions by Volunteers who come to Guyana and serve with dedication and distinction. I was further priv-

ileged to meet and see some Peace Corps Volunteers in Ghana, one of the 60 countries where they also serve, principally in Education and Health.

On the occasion of its 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps a decade ago, I was commissioned to produce a short documentary on the work of the Peace Corps in Guyana. From that research, I found out that Peace Corps volunteers are usually young adults.

However, I met a few who were mature persons, who were at a stage in their lives when they could put a pause on what might be considered ‘normal’ at their age and serve as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years. Two of them were a married couple. Serving in countries and communities which were far removed from what they were accustomed to give Volunteers a great measure of satisfaction and accomplishment.

The film documentary , which I produced on the oc-

casion of the 50th anniversary, showing the many activities of the Peace Corps here in Guyana, was a joy for me. A special screening of that documentary was held at the Theatre Guild Playhouse in Kingston, Georgetown and attended by a cross-section of the society.

So how did the Peace Corps come about? It was an on-the-spot idea

by President John F. Kennedy while he was in discussion with some young adults. That was 60 years ago, and the Peace Corps continues to grow and serve. There have been some setbacks, such as violence visited on some volunteers. Nonetheless, the organisation continues to do its work undeterred here in Guyana and around the world. No doubt President John Fitzgerald Kennedy has left a lasting legacy in over 60 countries around the world.

Farrier with two Peace Corps Volunteers in Techiman, Ghana, September 2018

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, March 27, 2022

A passion for wastewater treatment Meet ‘Water Engineer’ Amanda Ramgobind

THIRTEEN years ago when Amanda Ramgobind worked in the Sanitation Department of the Guyana Water Inc. (GWI), she had an opportunity to see firsthand how sewage was being discharged into the environment without any form of treatment; how it affected the aquatic environment and the sicknesses and diseases associated with being in contact with untreated wastewater.

As she managed the daily operations of the Georgetown Sewer System, she developed a passion for wastewater treatment. She thus began researching it at the same time that she was pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Guyana (UG).

Her final year project at UG was the re-engineering of the

Tucville Sewer Station into an efficient wastewater treatment facility.

“After completing my BSc, I continued researching, doing online courses and joined various webinars on wastewater. At this stage, I was intrigued about the resources that can be recovered from wastewater treatment, such as biogas which can be converted to thermal and electrical energy, nutrients which can be used as fertilizer in agriculture and reclaimed water which can be used for potable and non-potable purposes such as flushing of toilets, irrigation, cleaning,” Amanda shared with Pepperpot Magazine.

So in 2018, she pursued a Master’s of Science in Water and Wastewater Engineering at Cranfield University, UK where she was exposed to a wide range of innovative treatment technologies used Inspecting filters at in different applications. It Better Hope Water was really no surprise to Treatment Plant her when her group won the David Neil- Gallacher Prize for the Best Design Group Project, awarded by British

Water and Wastewater Engineer Amanda

Water.

After completing her Masters, Amanda came home and continued to work at GWI, now being the Water and Wastewater Engineer attached to the Programme Planning, Design and Implementation Department of the company.

“A pilot wastewater Treatment plant was designed and set up at Tucville Sewer Station; it treated 3-5 m3 of domestic wastewater per day (black and grey water),” she related.

The process entailed physical treatment by screening using a submersible backwash screen, biological treatment using an up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, followed by a constructed wetSEE PAGE XVI land, and disinfection process.

Amanda explains the treatment process to Minister of Housing and Water Collin Croal and others

Samples of each stage of water treatment

Inspecting a Clarifier Tank before assembling at Eccles Water Treatment Plant

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, March 27, 2022

Making a difference in the lives of persons with disabilities

AVONEL Corrica loves her job. Because of the training that she has received in social work, she finds it easy to communicate and help persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Guyana.

In fact, she said she feels

they need.

There are times, for instance, when PWDs would visit the NCD to file a complaint, but would be unable to write their thoughts as well as they would express them.

“So I get their report together,

programmes and services that are most suitable for the disability community.

“I develop and implement as well as evaluate community-level advocacy strategies designed to inform NCD stakeholders of

that is posted on the NCD’s website, with regard to the activities being conducted and so forth.

“I love this field of work because I am able to make a difference in people’s lives; that’s where I get my gratifi-

Advocacy and Communications Officer at the NCD, Avonel Corrica

Speaking during a sensitisation session at CJIA some time ago

an overwhelming need to help them, especially when they’re in distress, and she knows that she can make a difference.

As the Advocacy and Communications Officer at the National Commission on Disability (NCD), Avonel gets to do just that. More of a supporting officer within the organisation, located at 49 Croal Street, she seizes every opportunity to promote the rights of PWDs and see that they receive the help that

forward it to the board and then whatever action is taken, I will provide them feedback.

I advocate for them in this way to ensure that their rights are protected,” Avonel shared during an interview with the Pepperpot Magazine.

She also strives to have a good understanding of what’s affecting them, so that she may be able to provide adequate and effective representation for them to policymakers, who would, in turn, develop

programmes, services, activities, and events that include PWDs. I also attend meetings on behalf of the NCD and meet with government officials on their roles, based on the Disability Act,” Avonel explained.

She also assists in preparing communication materials that staff within the NCD need to provide information to the public.

This aspect of her work would see Avonel producing a quarterly newsletter

Making a presentation during a sensitisation session with amputees at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre in 2021

cation from,” she expressed.

With a Degree in Communications, Avonel also holds a Degree in Social Work and a Masters in same from the University of Guyana.

“I like the way the Communications and Social Work aspects tie in, so that I am able to carry out my daily duties quite nicely.

Being a part of the change process is what I get my gratification from. It’s a mixture of the social work component; the mixture

comes in very handy for me. I don’t feel good if I am not able to contribute to the change in someone’s life. Every time someone comes to me, I get this urge to make a difference. That’s what I love about my job,” she shared.

Avonel has been able to help PWDs in very practical ways. For one thing, she has been coordinating the Identification Card Programme for them, so that when they visit the bank, hospital, post office, or anywhere else they need to do business, they can get access to services immediately. Such an arrangement works well for PWDs who cannot stand for long hours at places without any seating facilities.

She also coordinates a volunteer programme at the NCD, whereby persons with

or without disabilities render their services. “I also coach and support the volunteers because we had volunteers in the past who were not up to speed with what our mandate is. I also try to ensure that PWDs take advantage of the various services available to them through the NCD.” Avonel said that she has learned quite a lot on the job at the NCD, which she has been doing since 2014.

Before this, she has worked in about nine departments at the Ministry of Health.

Reflecting on how her interest in disability got started, she said: “When I was placed in the Disability and Rehabilitation Department in 2012, that’s where I started to develop an interest. So I was happy to get fully into it when I was offered the post at NCD.”

With Disability Rights Activist Ganesh Singh

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, March 27, 2022

Navigating the media fraternity as a female sports journalist “THE media has a significant influence both as a vehicle to transform society’s views on women and gender equality, as well as in normalising women’s sport. It has tremendous reach and the power to reinforce positive attitudes in society.

Frequent visibility of women’s sport plays out at a more implicit level, too, making it a natural and accepted part of the sports media landscape. It also acts as a counterbalance to negative stereotyping of women in the media, through the portrayal of positive, healthy, athlete role-models.”

This is according to a study conducted by the Women In Sport Organisation, a charity focusing on promoting the work of women in the sports fraternity and breaking down gender equalities in the sport sector worldwide.

Recently, the Pepperpot Magazine sat down with former Sports Journalist Tamica Garnett, who shared in detail regarding whether or not it is disadvantageous to play a major role in Sports Journalism in a predominantly male-dominated profession.

“For me, I would say it was advantageous. At the time when I was a sports journalist, I was one of the only females covering sporting events [locally], so the male journalists were very respectfully protective of me,” Tamica explained. “They were always willing to be helpful and provide guidance, and advise or check in to make sure I’m doing okay and not coming up against any issues. I got some of

my best sports journalism and life advice as a woman, thanks to my years as a female journalist.”

Garnett also recalled that when she first got involved in sports journalism, she was very worried about being treated differently, or seen as less, because she was a woman. But instead, she explained that she was judged on the basis of the merit of her work and her personality. “The only different treatment I received was that other male colleagues looked out for me a little more than they would a male colleague. This was both because I was a female and because I was young,” she said.

She noted that being in a predominantly male-dominated area also gives you a sense of pride and it’s a great confidence boost, particularly when you’re getting compliments for your work.

Garnett also reflected on some of the challenges she faced as a female Sports Journalist.

“When I started as a sports journalist, I was completely new to journalism, so a big challenge for me, in the beginning, was having confidence in myself and my work. I also had to learn and adapt really fast because even though it was all new to me, I was expected to hit the ground running and training was minimal.

Working was your training,” she explained.

Competitiveness According to Garnett, sports journalism, like many other disciplines, is a competitive arena. “There is always that drive to be

Tamica Garnett, former Sports Journalist with the Guyana Chronicle

the first to break a news announcement or get an exclusive interview. And that will always exist in journalism overall. I’m a naturally driven person, so I did feel a need to be competitive against anyone in the industry and prove myself as a competent sports journalist,” she said. “I did feel a need to be specifically competitive because I’m a woman competing against men. Because I was representing an entire group, and I wanted to show that we can be on par with, or even be better than, the men in this game.”

The question regarding attracting more female sports journalists to the profession was adequately addressed by Garnett, who

noted that she believes that journalism as a whole has a challenge with attracting persons to the profession, so sports journalism is part and parcel of that challenge.

“I do believe it’s an interesting area for more women in Guyana to get involved in, given that there aren’t many women involved, and it is a welcoming environment to women. But most of the women who would be competent enough to make it as sports journalists would be too preoccupied with other professions, and the incentives just aren’t there to attract more women to it,” Garnett told Pepperpot Magazine.

She added that she was excited and enthusiastic

about being a female in a male-dominated area.

“I wanted to break down stereotypes and do my part to put out a good image of a woman in a male-dominated area. I was very excited to break glass ceilings and be among those women who showed the world that as women, there really is nothing we can’t do. I was also in love with writing, as I still am, and the profession gave me a platform to sharpen my writing skills. I also loved how it forced me to be confident and grow as an individual and as a woman. I also loved that journalism gives you a platform to tell the stories of those whose stories need to be heard, and to bring attention to important issues,”

Garnett noted during her interview.

Garnett believes that women in sports and in sports journalism can go as far as their skills and abilities can take them.

“I think the biggest barrier to women getting into this field is more a matter of perception than there being actual impediments. I think many women may have self-imposed barriers that would make them choose not to get involved in sports journalism. Maybe they think that persons would put them down or see them as less, but I’m a testament to just how much that isn’t true about sports journalism in Guyana,” Garnett said.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, March 27, 2022

Unity Village A ‘bread basket’ community

People, places and things in Unity Village, East Bank Essequibo (Delano Williams photos)

in Unity

THIS week the Pepperpot Magazine visited the quiet, farming countryside village of Unity, East Bank Essequibo, to highlight the

way of life of the people.

The journey was over land, which entailed crossing the Demerara Harbour Bridge (DHB) and driv-

ing to Parika, then turning through the Hubu Access Road, which leads to many small villages along that stretch of road.

Unity Village is located between Blake and Hubu communities, and it is bordered by the Essequibo River and the vast farmlands.

It is home to about 250 residents, mostly farmers, homemakers and self-employed people, whose way of life is very simple, but they are hardworking.

Unity Village is the home of ground provisions, bananas, plantains and cash crops sold to both wholesale and retail buyers for resale.

The main economic activities of the people are farming and poultry rearing.

The people of Unity Village are very kind, welcoming and are the most hospitable of peoples, who would drop whatever they are doing to engage in friendly banter.

The village has a cemetery, one church, one rum shop, a sawmill and a small shop.

It is a small community where most people are either on their farms or out selling their produce.

Just a handful of the locals work outside the village, and some women are farmers, vendors, housewives and some are self-employed.

It is a quiet, breezy place, SEE PAGE XXXI

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, March 27, 2022

The people of Unity Village are diligent go-getters

By Michel Outridge PARMANAND Balgobind has a lot to look forward to, including celebrating his 60th birth anniversary, but living in the quiet rural village of Unity, East Bank Essequibo, is quite satisfying.

The 59-year-old is a farmer and minibus driver who plies the route 32 Parika to Georgetown.

Balgobind told the Pepperpot Magazine that he likes the simple way of life in Unity Village where most people are related, and they live side by side and the place is very safe.

“My wife was away for five months, and I did not lock the doors and nothing went missing,” he said.

He related that he used to live at Laluni, Soesdyke/ Linden Highway, but relocated to Unity Village where he settled.

He likes the quietness, but some parts sometimes get noisy, due to the large vehicles traversing and the many sawmills along that road.

Balgobind added that Unity Village is a good place

shortage, she had to put that business on hold for a bit.

The 56-year-old is the mother of two and grandmother of five.

This is a very hospitable family, and they are doing a lot to earn, instead of sitting around idly.

Parmanand Balgobind (Delano Williams photos)

to live because the people are good at heart, and they would assist each other in whatever way they can by sharing fruits and vegetables from their farms.

“From 07:00hrs to 14:00hrs, most people don’t be at home; during this time they would be at their farms tending to crops. The people here are hardworking,” he said.

He stated that if there is any kind of function, the people would come together to help, and they would come out to lend support, as well.

Balgobind added that he

would also use his minibus to do special hires and would go out to work early, take a break and then return in the afternoon for the peak hours.

He has a plot of farmlands, and he would tend to his crops of ground provisions, citrus, coconuts and cash crops.

Due to the heavy rainfall, he had ceased planting and will return to farming as soon as the land is prepared.

His wife, Swarsattie Balgobind called “Finey,” is a poultry farmer and she had hundreds of meat birds, but as a result of the chicken

The security guard/carpenter Also in the same village is the home of Rajendra Kumar, 56, a security guard who is attached to the Bhola Sawmill at Hubu.

He is a carpenter by trade, but due to not having steady work, he had to resort to be-

continues to do jobs, making furniture, and is in the process of renovating his house.

He told the Pepperpot Magazine that he goes to work from 16:00hrs to 08:00hrs shift and would return home to prepare meals and do chores.

If there is time he would

Ukesh Bipat, the entertainer.

ing a security guard.

Kumar used to reside in Suriname and was a carpenter for 25 years. Today, he

Rajendra Kumar at his home with one of the household furniture he made.

The pet parrot, Lora displayed by Bhavini Balgobind, granddaughter of Parmanand Balgobind.

take a nap.

At the time of the visit, Kumar was preparing a meal of curried fish and rice.

He returned to Guyana when his parents’ health began failing and his mother passed away recently. His father died three years ago.

Kumar would use his bicycle to get to and from work and has a simple way of life.

“I would use my skills to make things for the home, such as tables with wheels and other things when I have the time,” he said.

Kumar stated that he likes the village because it is safe and quiet, and it is a place of families, so there are no outsiders.

He reported that life is simple, but one must work to enjoy a good quality of life.

Ukesh Bipat, the entertainer/singer Ukesh Bipat is a very cheerful kind of person who loves singing, and he is part of a group called Shakti Melody.

The group performs at religious functions and other events.

There are four members in the group: a drummer, a harmonica player, and an octopod player. Collectively, they would host practice sessions before they perform.

The father of two is also a farmer, and he is part of the family business.

Bipat has been singing as long as he can remember for 40 years and is versed in film, chutney and religious songs.

The 50-year-old is also a talented dancer and performer on stage, and he is a resident of Unity Village, East Bank Essequibo.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, March 27, 2022

The farmers of Unity Village are hard workers

By Michel Outridge Mahindra Ramkissoon is the village tailor, and when that small business is slow, he would cultivate cash crops and ground provisions on a plot he has aback his house in Unity Village, East Bank Esse-

from his home as a tailor.

The 56-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that he took a liking for the trade early on when the boys used to go out and play, he stayed in at times just to learn to sew.

Upon his return to Guyana 27 years ago from

side in Suriname and others are here in Guyana, too.

The father of two added that he can sew any outfit from working uniforms to suits, to jackets, west cuts, skirts, dresses, blouses, school uniforms and pants.

All his work is made to order, and he is hoping he

Elderly farmer, Balram Bipat in his boat with freshly picked plantains from his farm. (Delano Williams photos) Home of Balram Bipat

Mahindra Ramkissoon’s sewing machines at his home

quibo.

It is a coveted trade he acquired as a boy, watching his father, he was a tailor too, and as he got older, he became confident enough to establish a small business

the neighbouring Suriname where they lived for 14 years, he established his tailoring business.

His parents have since passed away, but he has three siblings who still re-

can get a contract to sew uniforms for a large business that will provide him with a stable income.

He can sew clothing for both males and females in any style and design with the

heavy-duty sewing machines he has set up at his house.

Ramkissoon has a designated area for his trade and also has an ironing board

Some of the made to order clothing done by Mahindra Ramkissoon

and iron which is part of the completion process for suits and uniforms.

To supplement this small business, he would have to

farm part-time to earn, and when it rains heavily, the crops are underwater and he would suffer a loss, like See Page XIII

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, March 27, 2022

Utilising their skills in Unity Village The mother and daughter duo earning from their home

By Michel Outridge For 40 years Unity Village, East Bank Essequibo, has been Deomattie Ball’s home, a place where she worked on the farm with her late husband and raised four children.

She is better known as “Aunty Biggie”, and she has the only small shop in the village where she sells beverages, groceries and other things.

Ball is still taking care of a son, who is differently-abled and would sometimes assist in doing simple things.

Her other two sons reside in Barbados with their families, and her eldest, a daughter, resides with her.

Due to constant break-ins at her home, the young woman was forced to relocate.

“With the public assistance I would get for my [differently-abled] son, I would use it to buy things for him, so that goes a long way because he is unable to work or do normal things,” she said.

Ball told the Pepperpot Magazine that her husband passed away 17 years ago, and she had to do something for work to bring in an income to the home to assist in paying bills and meeting other expenses.

She decided to open a small shop and that has been there since, but it is not a big earner, due to the economic struggles, she would sell a few items per day.

Her husband was a farmer and worked with the drainage board for some time, and they collectively had 15 acres of farmland they cultivated.

Ball explained that it is leased lands, so after her husband died and her sons went overseas to work and live, she was forced to transfer it to other people since she could no longer plant.

She has a small kitchen garden of vegetables and fruits and a thriving flower garden.

“I would plant my own greens, but the rains caused flooding, and I lost all my crops, so when the weather is better I will re-plant,” she said.

Ball reported that apart from sawmilling work, there

is nothing else for work there except farming.

Her son-in-law would get a three-day a week work at a nearby sawmill, and the rest of the days, he is at home.

Ball disclosed that when there is a bountiful harvest, the neighbours would gift them with ground provisions and vegetables from their farms.

She was between chores and manning the shop when the team visited.

She has a modest home that is well-kept and has seating accommodation with a wooden table for that added comfort at her shop.

Ball is a very down-toearth, friendly, endearing woman who is at the ripe age of 70 and is getting by.

aback her mother’s house where she constructed a house Boodhoo used to reside there, but over time she suffered a few break-ins when she was not at home and out of fear relocated to her mother’s place for safety which is by the main access road- a convenient spot.

The property is about half-hour’s walk away from her mother’s house, and it is desolate, with just farmlands surrounding the place.

Boodhoo lost some valuables including her jewels and some money she was saving. After the fourth break-in, they moved.

She told the Pepperpot Magazine that the place is often muddy, and she and her daughter, Darshnie Boodhoo used to walk through kneedeep mud to get out when she was going to school.

Even though they had

hardships, her daughter excelled at school and gained 14 subjects at the exams and exited secondary school.

She began teaching at Stewartville Primary School a month now and would make the daily commute to and fro.

Boodhoo added that she decided to start a small business to supplement her husband’s earnings and began making homemade pepper sauce, achars and chicken foot with sour to sell.

She would get orders at times, and she would fulfil those utilising whatever fruits are in season, such as golden apple, mango, sourie and tamarind to make achars.

She would bottle it and sell from her home.

Boodhoo would also utilise her cooking skills and started a small catering business for religious functions See Page XXX

Deomattie Ball poses by her shop (Delano Williams photos)

Indra Boodhoo utilising her skills to earn in Unity Village Ball’s daughter, Darshnie Boodhoo, is 51 years old, and she is a stay-at-home mom of a daughter, who would make achars, pepper sauce and chicken foot with sour to sell.

She has a plot of land

Indra Boodhoo with her homemade golden apple achar

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, March 27, 2022

Retired headmaster is now a full-time farmer

By Michel Outridge After teaching for 36 and a half years, Seenarine Bhukhan better known as “Sir Mike” exited the government school system and started to fully concentrate on his farm.

He retired as a headmaster and taught at many schools along the West Coast Demerara and East Bank Essequibo corridors.

After retirement, he spent 10 years at National Centre of Educational Resources Development (NCERD) attached to the Literacy Programme and after which he finally hanged up his teaching gloves.

Bhukhan is a full-time farmer of ground provisions and citrus.

He reported that recently he suffered setbacks due to heavy rainfall his farm was flooded and through the regional administration they made request for a drainage upgrade which was done.

“We the farmers are happy that something was done to reduce flooding but more can be done to the drainage

system,” he said.

Bhukhan added that he recently started planting papaya but with the increasing cost for drugs and fertilisers he may have to reduce his cultivation.

His produce is sold to wholesale buyers who resell to vendors at most of the markets in several regions.

The farmer told the Pepperpot Magazine that farming is his way of life but everything is expensive these days and it is difficult to make a profit.

He disclosed that from Parika Junction to the last village by road, that is, Bendroff, it is 10 miles, and there are many small villages, and the people depend on farming as their primary source of income.

Bhukhan stated that the people are farmers and they have to contend with a lot of expenses before they can have a good harvest.

Meanwhile, in giving a historical background of Unity Village, East Bank Essequibo he related that Unity was originally a Dutch plantation which cultivated sugar cane on a

Blake Primary School, one of the schools where Seenarine Bhukhan taught (Delano Williams photos)

large scale.

It was divided into two large plantations named Johanna Cornelia and Johanna Cecelia in the olden days

but was later renamed Unity Village.

Bhukhan added that he is not sure how it was renamed but it happened and he grew

He stated that back then people did whatever they could to earn and some were also fishermen, utilising the Essequibo River.

Unity Village

up in the community and is still there.

He pointed out that it is a small village and back then it was not populated like now and it only had a handful of people, who reared pigs and they also were farmers, who lived off the land by cultivating crops.

Bhukhan reported that he remember there was also a sawmill and some of the men were employed there.

Bhukhan added that Unity Village was forested, and they had no roads, but over time the place developed, and more people settled there.

Unity Village is very populated and has about 120 residents, most of whom are farmers.

Bhukhan disclosed that the village produced a lot of good people and they have had many success stories despite challenges.

He reported that they have an aeronautical engineer and they have some teachers and other young professionals, who work outside the community.

Bhukhan told the Pepperpot Magazine that life in Unity Village is good but it entails hard labour and long hours of farming to be successful.

He stated that most of the ground provisions, citrus, fruits and vegetables come from Unity and the other villages along that long stretch of road.

Bhukhan disclosed that his produce would be sold, as far as, Mon Repos Market and other places.

The retired headteacher believes that farmers are the backbone of this country, and more emphasis should be placed on reducing the cost of agricultural equipment and fertilisers.

He related that with the increasing costs of such things has created an added burden on framers across the country thus, decreasing production.

He deemed Unity and other villages as being the breadbasket of the country since the people are all farmers who toil every day to have good crops even when the odds are against them in many ways.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, March 27, 2022

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, March 27, 2022

THE HISTORICAL MEMORY IS A CULTURAL, BIOLOGICAL AND CONSISTENT IMPULSE… - Exploring the current European landscape of conflict

AT the ERC, I insisted that the historical memory does not go away. It is a reference that persists, and modules must be developed seriously to engage what dwells in its shadows, both the real and the imaginary. To some levels, we attempted brave-

ly to dare this task. Now we are all spectators of a theatre where the historical memory can be construed to be the impetus of a dangerous adventure. Still, a development whose escalation we can be consumed by, or if good faith prevails,

we can be much wiser yet.

This article is a brief observation based on the relevant public discussions of the modern-era discussions and text of the evolution of the post-Roman European tribal conflicts.

On the related platform,

we begin with the Crusader era, and the Germanic Teutonic Knights, and their European conflicts against the Slavic peoples of the same, over the land space they occupied, that still bears the original name, East-Prussia, which was at

ulated with ethnic Germans.

From the 1200s onward, the turning point came with their direction of conquest against another Slavic people, ‘the Poles’ July 1410, the Western Slavic nations were their objective, Poland in the lead, at

ro-thinking, no doubt towards where ever they exploited, Von Treitschke in 1862 argued that “the Teutonic Knights were a bulwark against the Slavonic east, and: ‘In the unhappy clash between races inspired by fierce, mutual enmity, the

that time not populated by a non-Christian Slavic people, The T-Knights waged war, and it was a savage conflict, though brave and brutal the Prussians lost. Thus, the slaves were deported, enslaved and murdered; man, woman, and child.

East-Prussia was then re-pop-

Tannenberg the dye was cast and the Teutonic knights lost.

The ‘Knights’ were ignored in the said ‘Age of enlightenment,’ but of course, a new age of inhumanity was soon born, ‘the age of European colonization’ a principal work emerged that influenced Eu-

blood-stained savagery of a quick war of annihilation is more humane, less revolting, than the specious clemency of sloth, which keeps the vanquished in the state of brute beasts.’ Of course, the Slavs SEE PAGE XXXVII

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, March 27, 2022

The farmers of Unity... what is currently being experienced.

He is contemplating whether to re-plant but will have to since sewing jobs have been every now and then.

“When schools were closed, it was tough because I wasn’t getting any sewing of school uniforms, so I had to work on the farm to earn during that two years,” he said.

Ramkissoon will have to plough the land and replant his crops of corilla, bora, and peppers on his oneacre plot, and he used to plant bananas at his uncle’s farm.

When he has a good harvest, he would sell to wholesale buyers.

FROM PAGE VIII

The elderly farmer Even at age 76 years old, Balram Bipat isn’t fazed by old age or ill health and is pressing on being a farmer who has the support of his children.

The senior citizen told the Pepperpot Magazine that he was not on his farm that day when the team visited because they had a religious function the day before due to the passing of his wife.

He disclosed that she was ailing for the past 20 years, having suffered a stroke, and she recently passed away.

Bipat related that he is from Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara but settled in Unity Village, East Bank Essequibo, with his parents as a boy.

He has been living in the village for the past 70 years and is one of the elders in the community, who is well-respected both among his peers and the locals.

Bipat is the father of four and his children, his sons would assist on the farm and his daughters would sell the produce at the various markets.

He has 20-acre of farmlands but would only utilise 10 acres to plant ground provisions, cash crops, bananas and plantains.

Bipat’s farm is at Hubu High Level, which is about one and a half hours by boat from the Hubu Koker.

Since all his children work with him, making it a family business, he would only employ a few labourers when there is a harvest.

Bipat disclosed that he used to sell to several places as a fixed arrangement. Over time, they stopped requesting the orders. Today, he would sell to wholesale buyers and his daughters would sell the produce at markets.

Bipat worked in the city for a bit as a labourer before he started farming and in those days when he first settled in Unity Village, it was very forested and it only had a small mud track leading to their small house.

He reported that they used to use buggy, that is, the horse-drawn cart back then and on both sides of the dirt road it had the sweet-smelling ginger lily plants.

Bipat added that it just had a few houses scattered all over the place and it was called a ‘black estate’ where it had large scale sugar cane cultivation.

He said the village was named by the Dutch, who were the first landowners.

Bipat reported that back then to now, life has changed significantly through development. They have the advent of technology, but he, like other farmers, wished they had roads to access their farms, making it a ‘farm to market’ produce.

“There is a need for a Farmer’s Market too in which both farmers and consumers can benefit and with the rising cost of living, it will bring relief to the people in accessing cheaper produce,” he said.

Bipat related that the life of a farmer is seven days per week with no day off and it is hard labour for work.

These days, after a full day of work on the farm, Bipat would relax and at times socially he would take a few ‘drinks’ but he is fond of cricket since he played the game when he was much younger.

“If I play a game now my entire body would ache so I would just watch the game on television,” he said.

Home of the tailor, Mahindra Ramkissoon (Delano Williams photo)

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HEALTHCARE MOVES TOWARDS WORLD-CLASS IDEAL

A QUIET force seems to be infusing the nation’s psyche with the positive desire to transform all Guyanese institutions and Guyanese life into world-class and achieving the best standards of the developed countries. People of all

classes, of all political persuasions and professions, seem to have become possessed with that spirit. Its manifestation has been calm and not as overt as among the French revolutionaries when they marched from Marseilles to

Paris in 1789.

One segment of life where this spirit is evident is in the health sector, where modernisation has been approached in a pragmatic and holistic way without an overall blueprint.

For example, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony has been quietly executing a COVID-19 programme which is the best in CARICOM and one of the better ones in the world. Simultaneously, he has been upgrading the health sector legislation by repealing those laws which have fallen into desuetude and have no relevance today; other legislation is being revised to make them more relevant, such as the Antibiotics Act or the Medical Practitioners Act, whose amendments now make them entirely relevant; the third tier of legislative reform is the formulation of new laws such as the Emergency Services Act or the Pharmaceu-

tical Act that would encompass the current types of medication on sale and in use.

The most important and indeed, revolutionary new legislation which Dr Anthony has proposed to Parliament is the Human Organ and Tissue Transplant Bill, whereby a patient who requires a new organ to save or prolong his/her life is permitted to use the organ extracted from a clinically dead person, who had either been registered as a donor before death or whose relatives had consented to the removal of the organ after death.

The donor would only be pronounced dead after he/she had been examined and ascertained by two medical practitioners.

The donor would also only be pronounced as dead when they have displayed irreversible cessation or stoppage of circulatory and respiratory functions and irreversible cessation of the entire brain. Though the law does not take cognisance of the condition known as Near Death Experience (NDE), whereby it is believed that a person who may be clinically dead for up to an hour could regain consciousness, surgeons in quiet cognisance of the NDE phenomenon give some time before the extraction procedure.

There has so far been no unanimous scientific acceptance of NDE, but acceptance of its validity seems to be increasing.

The new law establishes a Human Organ and Tissue Transplant Agency, which will maintain a register of donors and those in need of transplants. Provision is also made for facilities for the efficient storage of organs, SEE PAGE XX cells and biofluids.

The new law prescribes some

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A passion for ...

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, March 27, 2022

From page III

According to her, the selected treatment processes allowed for resource recovery such as energy, nutrient, and reclaimed water using passive and eco-friendly technologies.

“This pilot wastewater treatment plant allows Guyana to fulfill local and international obligations while achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. A scaled up design was completed, and we are now waiting on funding for its implementation.”

While Amanda continues to follow her passion in wastewater treatment, research is ongoing on a sludge treatment plant for faecal sludge. She’s also working on several water treatment plant projects, the rehabilitation of Friendship water treatment and expansion of Better Hope and Eccles Water Treatment Plants.

“I have encountered many challenges and roadblocks along the way,” she reflected. “This has helped me to develop patience and build character. Giving up is definitely not an option for me and I believe with God anything is possible and if God leads to it, he will definitely lead you through it victoriously.”

Amanda said it doesn’t matter which school someone attended or their social or economic background. “Just believe in yourself and persist until you see the manifestation of the promises of God for your life.”

Amanda is now the Water and Wastewater Engineer attached to the Programme Planning, Design and Implementation Department of GWI

See page XVII

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ANGEL OF MERCY

“Doctor,” a voice called softly.

DR Salima looked up from the patient’s chart she was reading at the young woman lying on the hospital’s bed, her patient who grimaced a little in pain, but the joy of motherhood glowed on her face. She had given birth to triplets early that morning, two girls and a boy.

“How am I doing?”

“You’re doing great, Kavita,” Dr Salima answered her.

“Your daughters and son will have a healthy, strong mother to take care of them.”

“Thank you, doctor.” She reached out and held Salima’s hand, “Your hands are blessed, I’ll pray for you so that your life will always be filled with God’s rich blessings.”

Dr Salima smiled warmly and touched her patient’s hand lightly, thankful no complications had arisen during delivery of the babies. She had spent hours with Kavita during the labour pains, talking to her comfortingly, wiping sweat from her brows because the unbearable pain had sent a fear in the new mother’s heart. As a gynaecologist, Dr Salima

worked with pure dedication and care, her expertise solving the many challenges in an expectant mother’s life as she helps her to bring forth a new life into the world.

She was still in her office that night, looking through medical reports, when there was a knock at the door.

“Come in.”

It was her friend from medical school, Dr Laurel Simmons, a paediatrician attached to the same hospital. “[To]What do I owe this pleasure, Dr Simmons?” Salima asked, a tease in her voice.

“I haven’t seen you in a while doctor,” Lauren answered.

“I’ve been very busy at work and with visitors at home from the Middle East.”

“Oh no,” Laurel exclaimed with some measure of fear, “They’ll find a groom for you!”

“Relax Laurel. I’m not marrying anyone. They’re my father’s colleagues.”

“Oh thank goodness,” she sighed in relief, “This hospital couldn’t afford to lose a good doctor like you and I don’t want to lose my best friend to someplace in the Far East.”

Salima laughed and shook her head, always amused by Laurel’s humour.

“So I have to stay here for life?”

“Something like that, given you have become like an angel of SEE PAGE XVIII mercy in this hospital.”

“I love to give help and care, and I always strive to do my best,” Salima said in her usual modest manner.

“Who knows that better than I do,” Laurel said, sitting down and handing her colleague a report.

“There’s new medicine for Crohn’s Disease in children and I need your expert advice before I make recommendations to

the administrator.”

They spoke for a long while on the topic and when Dr Simmons left her colleague’s office, she felt more confident the new medicine could be more effective for the Crohn’s Disease patients.

Salima reached home late, and closing her bedroom door

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ANGEL OF ...

FROM PAGE XVII

behind her she took off her hijab, a symbol of her deep religious beliefs. She had a long, refreshing bath and fell asleep almost as soon as her head touched the pillow, a strand of dark hair falling softly over her face.

For Salima, every day began with God and ended with God, never mind she sometimes missed morning prayers. The visitors, religious learned men, with whom she had some interesting conversations, her mind always thirsty for new knowledge.

They were impressed with her high level of intelligence and they said to her father, “She should marry an Arab.”

“That decision,” her father said, “I would leave to her, because in this South American country, we give our daughters a certain form of independence.”

The men shook their heads, recognising the vast cultural differences between the societies, but were heartened that faith and prayers kept the bond of that religious belief unbroken.

Salima said ‘Goodbye’ to the guests and left for work. She was running a little late and as she exited the elevator, she almost collided with a young man walking hurriedly to get in.

“Sorry,” she apologised.

He looked at her sternly and said in a haughty voice, “Watch how you’re walking.”

Salima paused to look at him, noticing his official outlook and striking good looks, but she got a stern stare as the doors of the elevator closed.

“Wow.” She muttered to herself, “Talk about bad manners.”

She did not know that was the first encounter of many she would have with him that would test her patience and challenge her religious belief.

She had two emergencies that day for surgery, two deliveries, one that developed complications and during a short break, she had to deal with a report of a delayed supply of medication for the maternity patients. In discussing the issue with the administrator she was told, “The manager of the pharmaceutical company is not pleased with the report you sent, Dr Mohammed. He says the lapse did not come from his company.”

“I signed those orders,” she said with certainty, “How could the paperwork go missing?”

“I’ll have this matter investigated while you send through a new order and I think you should have a talk with the compa-

ny’s manager. This hospital has been doing business with them for decades.”

“Okay,” she consented, “But later. I’m needed in the ward right now.”

It was late in the evening when the pharmaceutical company’s manager came to see her.

“Come in.” Salima answered.

“Dr Salima Mohammed?”

She looked up, and standing in her office was the handsome, ill-mannered young man from the elevator this morning, looking smart in fine, casual wear.

“Yes?” He seemed a bit surprised that she was the doctor he had to speak to.

“I’m the manager of Jaffarally Pharmaceuticals and I think your report against our company is baseless and has no merit.”

Salima was a little stunned by his bluntness.

“Is that the way you discuss an issue in someone’s office?” she asked in a cordial manner.

“I’m a very busy man, I have a company to run and I don’t have much time for pleasantries.”

His condescending tone was quite displeasing to her but she said calmly, “Nowhere in my report did I accuse your company of any lapses.”

“It’s between the lines,” he said, “and I take offence to those strong words because I’m sure this is not my company’s fault.”

“The investigation,” she said firmly, “will determine whose fault it is because women and unborn babies’ lives depend on those medications.”

“Good, we’ll wait for that report and I’ll come to your office personally for an apology.”

He opened the door and turned back, giving her a strange intolerant look and asked unexpectedly, “Why do you wear that?”

“Pardon me?”

He was gone without an answer and Salima shook her head, wondering what his problem was. One week later she was working at night when he stopped by her office.

“Dr Salima Mohammed, the name has a nice sound to it.”

His face was unsmiling, but his tone was not harsh.

“Young doctors like you need to be more careful with your reports.”

“Oh,” she said, putting down her pen and sitting back in her chair, “It means the investigation cleared your company.”

He nodded and waited expectantly for her apology, something she didn’t have to do, but the administrator had asked her to consider apologising, given the fault was the hospital’s so the matter could be closed. She stood up and said not quite sincerely, “Mr Jaffarally, my apologies to you and your company.”

For the first time, she saw the hint of a smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

“You don’t sound like you mean it but I accept,” he said but still stood there, looking at her.

“Is there anything else?”

“Why have you chosen to wear that headwear?”

She looked at him surprised, “Why would you ask me such a question?”

“Just curious to know if it’s by choice.”

She hesitated a little, then answered him, “It’s because of my personal, traditional and religious beliefs.”

He shook his head a little, a wry look on his face and said in a low but firm tone, “I don’t like it.”

He left before she could respond and Salima stood looking at the door for a moment, perplexed at his sentiments because he was a Muslim.

On Sunday evening she was off duty for the night and had some time to relax with her family, and after dinner she asked her father, “Do you know the owner of Jaffarally Pharmaceuticals?”

“Yes, we went on the Haj pilgrimage together, he’s semi-retired.”

“Who manages the company now?”

“His two daughters and son, Rahim.”

“Oh,” she said, “so that’s who he is.”

“Have you met him?” her father asked.

“Briefly, at the hospital.”

Her father sighed deeply, a worried look crossing his face.

“That boy is causing his father a lot of grief. He has become a rebel, turning his back on his religion.”

“What caused that change?” Salima asked.

“That,” her father said, “is a long and sad story.”

To be continued.

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HEALTHCARE MOVES ...

socially protective measures such as the prohibition of the sale or trade of human organs, tissue, cells or biofluids, with the penalty for infringement being five years in prison and a fine of $5

million. Or there are specific requirements for organ transplants for minors, both as donors and recipients. There is also provision made for the donation of cadavers (corpses) to universities, medical

schools and other scientific programmes for the purpose of research. Another important social responsibility of the Transplant Agency is the execution of a comprehensive programme of public ed-

ucation to increase awareness among the organ- transplant population and become organ donors.

Dr Kishore Persaud, Head of Multi-Organ Transplant and Vascular Surgery Department of the Georgetown Public Hospital, welcomed the legislation and pointed out that it would bring relief to hundreds of patients who have suffered kidney failure and are receiving dialysis, one of the more expensive treatments. Many cannot have regular dialysis and thus live a poor quality of life as long as they manage to survive.

On the macro level of national health development, the government is still committed to building three Specialty Hospitals in the three counties. Some years ago, a Specialty Hospital was being funded and built by the Government of India, but when the APNU+AFC government

FROM PAGE XIV

came into office, they felt that the remaining funds in the project were better spent in general healthcare, and the donor was persuaded to this position; the Specialty Hospital was accordingly shelved.

Now it is again resuscitated.

The Ministry of Health is committed to establishing a world-class healthcare service in all parts of the country and is doing so by several streams of action.

In addition to the Specialty Hospitals, six new hospitals will be constructed across the country. Among them would be a children and maternity and psychiatric hospital. The ministry is focused on both the infrastructure as well as the quality of service, and in pursuit of this would be procuring modern equipment from the known and established manufacturers.

In furtherance of the ideal of providing healthcare of the highest quality, President

Dr Irfaan Ali, Vice-President Dr Bharat Jagdeo and Minister Dr Frank Anthony held discussions with an executive team from the world-renowned Mount Sinai Health System of New York.

The Mount Sinai Health System is structured around eight hospital campuses and includes more than 6,600 primary and specialty-care physicians and 13 ambulatory surgical centres.

The Executive Vice President of Mount Sinai, Dr Arthur A Klein, indicated the role they would play: “One of the most sophisticated investments the country needs to make in its people is healthcare, and we are here to work with the President in defining a plan in the development of more sophisticated healthcare, also healthcare access improvement; what we can do in Georgetown, but also in the rest of the country.”

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Guyanese parents ought to be more apologetic to their children PARENTING in Guyana often enforces an “obedience over everything” mantra. Children are taught to obey their parents under almost every circumstance. The idea of obedience is a common disciplinary practice in Guyana and the Caribbean, I do not agree with the usage of this to an extent, but that’s another article for another day.

Obedience often entails many things, inclusive of apologising when necessary. While children have to apologise and hold themselves accountable for their actions—even though they are minors with a developing mind and personality, parents aren’t held to that same degree of accountability. Most of the time, parents are afraid to be honest with their children that they are human beings who can also make mistakes. In a sense, they are afraid to be vulnerable and admit their faults. To be truthful, holding oneself accountable is already a tedious thing to do. It is even more tedious when we have pride and arrogance at heart. Hence, it is difficult sometimes for parents to apol-

ogise and hold themselves accountable, especially as it relates to their children. There was actually a viral meme that said, “Caribbean mothers never apologise, they just start acting nicely to you”. There is humour in this, but there is also an underlying issue that is deeply rooted in parenting styles in Guyana and the Caribbean.

Some Guyanese parents believe in exhibiting the hierarchy of a child-parent relationship. In their eyes, they hold “power” over their children and as such, they must act accordingly, i.e with authority. That’s a common mistake often made because they fail to understand that an apologetic parent allows for better communicaSEE PAGE XXIII tion and will give children a more realistic outlook to life

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Respecting each other is not difficult or outlandish EVERY now and then, something controversial comes up on the Guyanese side of Facebook, and it stirs much conversation and, sometimes, introspection. That was the case for me a few days ago, at Phagwah, when concerns were raised about the use of Phagwah to promote non-religious holidays. Having thought about it, I can only conclude that respecting each other is neither a difficult nor an outlandish thing for us to do.

In the interest of being crystal clear and frankly fair to all sides, there are several components to consider.

First, though many of our holidays are rooted in religious or cultural observances, I can appreciate that holidaysfundamentally- are days off from our usual activities- be it work or school. And I understand that holidays, generally, are a time to relax and unwind.

Whether it’s staying home and binging Netflix or going to a ‘wet fete,’ I would not fault anyone for wanting to do whatever brings them joy on this one day that you have to engage in some leisurely activity.

What I do have concerns about, however, is the seemingly unintentional disrespect we sometimes have for religious and cultural observances. Phagwah, for example, is a Hindu observance - a sacred time to observe the triumph of good over evil. Though the usual celebrations of the event- you know, the water-throwing, powder-smearing parts of itmight make it seem as though it is simply a day of frolicking and having fun, Phagwah remains a religious observance, sacred to the Hindu community.

For me, it is fine if you want to host or attend a ‘wet fete’ on Phagwah day. After all, Guyana is a secular country, and Phagwah is a national holiday. So by all means, enjoy the holiday.

My concerns, however, lie in scant regard for the religious underpinnings of the holiday. For example, when ‘wet fete’ is marketed as a ‘Phagwah wet fete.’ As a Hindu myself, I know that vulgar activities, replete with alcohol and even non-vegetarian cuisine, are not in keeping with the practices of Hinduism. I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with these activities (save for the consumption of SEE PAGE XXIII

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Guyanese parents ought to be more apologetic ... in general. Refusing to apologise and admit fault says a lot about the respect you have for your child—dare I say, lack of. In some Guyanese households, children are forced to grow up without ever receiving an apology from their parents. We fail to realise that these misinformed, emotionally neglected children will grow up to become adults one day. Those very children will grow up believing that an apology isn’t necessary when they’re wronged. Some of these children will even start modelling the behaviours and actions of their parents. They will reuse those very toxic parenting skills with their children, because that is how they were conditioned to think.

An “apology” in this article goes beyond just saying, “I’m sorry.” Some people simply say, “I’m sorry” and they believe that’s the end of giving an apology. Apologies should be sincere and should allow for a positive reconnection in parenting. Apologies can come in many forms—changed behaviour, learning new parenting styles, holding oneself accountable, being honest about your mistakes to your child, openly apologising and creating dialogue when you are in the wrong. You validate your child’s feelings and emotions when you apologise and admit faults. When you gloss your flaws over, you fail to acknowledge and understand that your actions hurt or harm your child. You probably yelled at your child, broke their toy or hurt their feelings by telling them you don’t like watching their favourite TV show. No matter how big, small, symbolic or insignificant your mistake may be—it merits an apology. It teaches children from an early age to take responsibility for their actions, especially when it has negatively affected someone.

FROM PAGE XXI

Respecting each other is not...

FROM PAGE XXII alcohol- but that’s a conversation for another column), but at some point, I believe that we have to draw the line and distinguish between simply enjoying a holiday and perhaps, unintentionally disrespecting some people’s religion and/or culture.

I wouldn’t be opposed to social activities, for example, being held on the day of Phagwah, but I would be concerned if a social activity, particularly one that may be contrary to the religious underpinnings of Phagwah, is marketed as a Phagwah event.

For emphasis: enjoy the holiday (however you please) but just be wary of how that enjoyment is promoted, for example, so that it does not infringe upon the sanctity of an observance.

I don’t think this is an unreasonable position, especially since Guyana has been a tolerant, multiethnic society, with respect for one another enshrined in our constitution.

Obviously, my sentiments are not confined to Phagwah alone. As a young girl growing up, I was always told of the sanctity of Good Friday, for example. Even in my professional life, this day remains sacred- in fact, it is one of the three days of the year (alongside Christmas Day and New Year’s Day) that a daily newspaper is not produced. And I would express the same concerns I am highlighting now on that day if there were events contrary to respecting the sanctity of Good Friday.

Just as I can respect that people don’t subscribe to the religious underpinning of Phagwah or Hinduism, generally, but would much rather a ‘free day,’ I think others can respect that Hindus don’t want their religious festival to be named with non-religious activities - especially those that might conflict with the religious or cultural underpinnings.

If you would like to connect with me to discuss this column or any of my previous works, feel free to email me at vish14ragobeer@gmail.com

In Guyana, many parents took the “easier” route of trying to keep their guards up by showcasing “perfect” human characteristics. In an ideal world, humans probably don’t need to apologise and take responsibility, but we shouldn’t force children to live in a world that doesn’t exist. If you’re a parent reading this, I urge you to come up with an effective and appropriate way to apologise to your child the next time you hurt their feelings, instead of finding an excuse or lying to them. Guyanese parents

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ought to stop holding onto the “power” they have in the relationship and start holding themselves accountable.

We, as a society, need to stop reintroducing these outdated and primate parenting styles and habits in the name of culture and traditions. I hope as new, expecting, prospective or existing parents, we educate ourselves and internalise what an apology merits before we project our emotions onto developing fragile beings.

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Foetal Alcohol Syndrome FOETAL Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a medical condition that a child develops through exposure to alcohol while in the womb. This means that when the pregnant mother consumes alcohol during pregnancy, it results in damage to both the brain and body of the child. While it would take frequent consumption for FAS to occur, there are no safe amounts of alcohol to drink during pregnancy.

What are the signs of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome?

There are numerous physical deformities and mental illnesses associated with FAS. Physically, a baby born with FAS will have a small head, small and wide-set eyes and very thin upper lips.

They would be below-average birth weight and height. In the womb, a baby would not have a fully developed liver and therefore cannot process the alcohol that can easily spread and damage vital organs. They often present with heart, kidney or limb problems. Heart murmurs and seizure disorders are also possibilities.

During development, there would be issues with sight and hearing, as well as thought processing, impulse control and judgement. There will be learning and memory disabilities fuelled by hyperactivity, poor concentration, intellectual disability and low motivation. All of the above affect their ability to properly communicate, have normal social skills and form healthy relationships.

All of the above symptoms affect mental health. Any change in routine causes an unusual amount of stress. There is depression and anxiety if the condition is severe. Many social issues such as legal problems, inappropriate sexual behaviour and drug use are also common in those with FAS. This usually results in affected pupils/stuents dropping out of school or experiencing unemployment. Unfortunately, the symptoms of FAS tend to get worse as the child ages. Please also keep in mind that heavy drinking during pregnancy can increase the chances of a miscarriage altogether.

Please keep in mind that it SEE PAGE XXV is also dangerous to consume

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Foetal Alcohol...

FROM PAGE XXIV alcohol while breastfeeding/ nursing a baby. It may not cause FAS, but it may affect their sleep/wake pattern as well as slow down weight and motor development gain.

How is FAS developed?

Through the mother, the alcohol reaches the baby through the placenta, the organ that is supposed to only nourish the baby. Therefore, you can prevent FAS by not consuming alcohol during pregnancy.

Basically, the alcohol that is absorbed by the foetus prevents sufficient nutrition and even oxygen from getting to its vital organs. If you are planning to become pregnant, it is beneficial to stay off of alcohol completely as you could not know when conception actually happens. While any amount of alcohol is dangerous during pregnancy, studies show that consuming alcohol during the first three months of pregnancy is the most dangerous.

Of course, the intensity of FAS will depend on what, how much and how often alcohol is consumed. Studies also show that if the pregnant mother is over age 35, smokes cigarettes and has a poor diet, the child is more likely to develop FAS. If you believe that your child may have FAS, there are a few things you can look for.

1. Alcohol was consumed during pregnancy, especially during the first three months 2. They have abnormal facial features such as those mentioned above 3. They have a growth deficiency – are they much smaller than those their age?

4. Do they have any central nervous system damage?

If the child has three or more out of the following four criteria, it is strongly recommended that they go into their nearest health centre.

How is FAS treated?

FAS cannot be cured, but it can be managed. The earlier the diagnosis is made, the more progress can be made.

Prescription medications may be beneficial, as it lowers existing and additional symptoms which include aggression, lack of focus/attention, inability to sleep or eat well, anxiety or depression. Physical therapy and early intervention also appear to lower the degree of FAS. Counselling has been proven beneficial for those with FAS. Counselling and behavioural training that focuses on social skills, coping skills, lowering stress and anger management are a great help to the affected individual.

Alternatively, home treatments such as exercise, herbal supplements, relaxation therapies, yoga and massages have also proven effective. Creative art sessions have shown to help with attention, aggression and lowering stress overall.

Those with FAS can live at home with their families, but a large percentage requires dependent living which means in-patient treatment in a group centre or home.

Seeing as though every child is different, it is also recommended that you schedule an appointment at your nearest health centre to discuss the best way to deal with your specific case.

If a child has developed FAS, studies show that there are a few protective factors that reduce the secondary symptoms of the condition. These include being diagnosed at an early age, living in a healthy, non-violent home, having a hobby such as art or music and participating in community activities.

There is a fear that admission of consuming alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding can result in shame, guilt or judgement. Do not let that fear stop you from reaching out for help. Please go to your nearest health centre if you feel your child is at risk for Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.

Thank you for reading and please send in any topics to caitlinvieira@gmail.com.

Suicide Prevention Helpline Numbers: 223-0001. 2230009, 623-4444, 600-7896 Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always!

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Celebrating with women in Bartica

“LISTENING to you last evening has triggered something inside of me and I now have some hope that I can be somebody.” I have been receiving messages of this nature for days from very young and not so young women.

I decided to take part of the celebration for Women’s History Month to my hometown, Bartica . It was one of the

best weekends I have experienced for this year and it was in my hometown Bartica. When I examined my schedule, it seemed impossible to fit in a weekend out of town, but my SEE PAGE XXVII

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Celebrating with women ...

From page XXVI level of intentionality grew when I enquired what was done for Women’s History Month and could not get info of any event. I am ecstatic I made the right call.

My Foundation distributed food items to mothers and

personal-care items to girls. A few weeks ago, we distributed bread to certain areas, but this time we had other food items with the bread, and the recipients were happy because facing the hike in prices, especially with kids, is difficult. Sunday

morning, I visited one of the senior citizens I had not seen for years. I was surprised that she recognised me immediately without my signature braids. Seeing her made me miss my favourite 100-year-old friend, Aunt Lou, who died in a fire. We had many great conversations on her back steps while taking a drink. The good old days, as they say. I think the river pulls me in, because it is hard not to go there. One of the pictures in the article was taken on the stage where I was first runner-up for the Bartica Regatta over three decades ago. I was working

XXVII on my confidence and self, and it took a lot out of me to go on stage with a swimsuit. Memories certainly don’t leave like people do, even the ones you sometimes wish they leave, lol.

The water always calms me and clarifies my thought; hence, I had one hour of productive expo work done.

We hosted an Evening of Inspiration in collaboration with Hope Foundation at the SEE PAGE XXX beautifully constructed Nizam’s Building in Third Avenue.

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Empowered Women Empower Women

UN WOMEN share “Investing in women’s economic empowerment is intrinsic to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It sets a direct path towards gender equality, poverty eradication, and inclusive economic growth. Now is the time to address the large gender gaps in economic opportunities and outcomes that exist in almost all countries. Women earn less, have fewer assets, bear the burden of unpaid work and care, and are largely concentrated in vulnerable and low-paying activities.”

The COVID-19 pandemic made these inequalities even more severe, widening the gaps. Women account for 70 percent of health and social workers, women bore additional household burdens during the pandemic, and lockdowns increased violence against women and girls—in some countries domestic violence increased by 30 percent.

Impetus for Change These sobering statistics provide the impetus for change. In light of the litany of challenges women continue to face around the world, it’s no surprise that so many organizations and policies have attempted to address the needs of women and girls. Programmes addressing women’s education and economic empowerment are not only beneficial, but they are economically transformative as well.

Women’s empowerment initiatives that highlight their right to influence social change for themselves and others, their ability to determine their own choices, and promote self-worth and self-confidence are direly in need.

Enter Women in Business International (WIBI) Dr Sonia Noel and Dr Sabeeta Bidasie-Singh launched their collaborative business venture, “Women in Business International” (WIBI) in tandem with International Women’s Month – March 2022. Women In Business International (WIBI) exists to connect women entrepreneurs and female-owned businesses to international markets. Both Sonia and Sabeeta are passionate about building local capacity; and so WIBI is an organic evolution of their desire to create opportunities to empower, encourage, and inspire women as part of a global village.

Leveraging the Power of Technology Women In Business International will leverage on the power of technology to foster collaborations using digital networks. The nucleus of this initiative is really about women’s economic empowerment and the drive to make this a social and economic imperative. With ongoing concerns around the business case for diversity and equality in the corporate sector, women entrepreneurship is shattering the “glass walls” phenomenon. Sonia and Sabeeta fundamentally believe that women are natural connectors, collaborators and love the power of teams, their passion is seeing other women win and celebrating those successes.

Let’s get a deeper appreciation for these two visionary founders of WIBI: Dr. Sonia Noel Amazon Best Selling Author, Speaker & Fashion Designer, John Maxwell Leadership Coach Dr Noel is celebrating 25 years in the fashion and creative industry. She is the founder of many socio-cultural industry staples in Guyana - Guyana Fashion Week - expositions of fashion; Sonia Noel Foundation - an empowerment agency for creative expression and philanthropy. Women in Business Expo - exhibitions featuring female creative entrepreneurs; Women Association for Sustainable Development - a women’s empowerment body fostering socio-economic transformation.

She is a woman of faith and is a very passionate and industrious creative artist, with a fresh new-world perspective on style and life. She was formerly a high school teacher in her hometown, Bartica, Guyana. Back then she was regarded as a smalltown girl, but one with a big dream who believed anything is possible. She is very proud of her Amerindian roots, and parlayed this indigenous South American creativity mixed with a cosmopolitan Caribbean flair, to craft a unique fashion aesthetic that became identifiably trademarked as the Sonia Noel brand.

Dr Sabeeta Bidasie-Singh CEO of Cardinal Services, a Houston-based manSEE PAGE XXIX

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agement consultancy and technology provider, who believes in the power of disruptive innovation in providing solutions to workplace problems. Cardinal’s model is built around emerging technology that delivers an immersive experience. Sabeeta has lived and worked throughout the Caribbean and on four continents, so her differential is firmly rooted in a local flavour with the international focus. She has spent the greater part of the last 15 years consulting for governments all over the world in the transformation push. She is an advisory DBA for InvesTT and her group forms an important part of the diversification efforts of the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Trinidad and Tobago.

Dr Bidasie-Singh has consulted in the reformation of the New India Education Policy (2020) for the government of India, the Accreditation of prior experiential learning for the Malaysian Higher Education Council and currently spends a significant portion of her time working in capacity development for minority, women-owned and diverse businesses in Houston, running the Operations of the Houston Minority Business Development Council. She consults for the Creative Industries of Trinidad and Tobago and is instrumental in the internationalization of the Global Value Chain for FashionTT’s projects. Sabeeta believes in the power of giving back and has several global philanthropic initiatives that she is hands on with.

Women in Business International hosts INSPIRE YOU 2022 This year, the Women in Business International hosted the distinguished INSPIRE YOU global conference aligned to the International Women’s Day #BreakTheBias theme. The event enlisted empowering women across the world, speakers from Australia, Germany, US, Guyana and Trinidad & Tobago; women who are game changers, who fearlessly support other women and offer their authentic self in serving their passion.

“We started INSPIRE YOU in 2017 with the main objective being to encourage women not to rob the world of their amazing contributions, because we all were

born with seeds of greatness.” Dr Sonia Noel

This year, the INSPIRE YOU speaker lineup included: Mireille Toulekima an award-winning Australia-based global entrepreneur, Energy and STEM consultant, published author and online talk show host and producer. A Petroleum Engineer who gained her experience working for more than 25 years in Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia in a range of technical and leadership roles for major oil, gas and energy companies. She has lived and worked across four continents and carries out empowerment work internationally. Mireille is the managing director of the Perth, Australia-based company MT Energy Resources, Global Chair Engineering of the eminent and prestigious G100 Club (comprised of some of the most powerful and influent top 100 women leaders in the world) and has published four books.

Sarona Samaroo is Vice-President of the recruitment and manpower agency, El Dorado Offshore. Sarona currently manages and oversees all regional operations for El Dorado Offshore. El Dorado Offshore has entities incorporated in Guyana, Trinidad, and Suriname due to the oil and gas exploration and discoveries there. Under her leadership, the EDO teams in each country were able to rapidly scale up El Dorado Offshore’ s business.

Sarona is a strong advocate for youth development and female empowerment in the workplace at all levels. She pushes boundaries and inspires those around her to do the same. Her innovation and creativity as an individual make her an asset to any role she serves.

Dr Safeeya Mohammed – CEO, SISU Global Wellness, John Maxwell Leadership Coach, UN WOMEN facilitator of the Foundations/ GBV Prevention Programme Motivated by the overwhelming burdens of ill health, escalating NCDs and unwellness in the Caribbean, Dr Mohammed founded an Organizational Wellness Consultancy aligned to the United Nations SDG 3. The pillars of Resilience and Behaviour Change were reinforced in her training at UNITAR in 2017. Since its inception in 2018, SISU Global Wellness has provid-

ed transformational training to a slew of organizations, namely, UNDP, Caribbean Development Bank, ANSA Motors, PROMAN,the Massy Group of Companies, creatives of ExportTT and several SMEs. Currently pursuing Lifestyle Medicine at Harvard University, her focus

is strategic interventions for the prevention and treatment of lifestyle-related diseases.

She added co-author to her portfolio in 2018, contributing her personal story of Resilience to the transformational anthology: Woman Across Borders, curated by

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Dr Sonia Noel. In 2019-2022, Dr Mohammed served as Chair, Gender Advisory Board, IGDS, UWI and actions initiatives supporting women’s economic empowerment and health equity.

Dr Natasha Gaskin-Peters, Director, Centre for Local Business Development – Natasha is an Economist with experience in both micro and macroeconomics. Natasha’s experience covers the real and fiscal sectors which includes modelling and forecasting of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), fiscal revenues, fiscal expenditure, and inflation along with analytics on the interlinkages between these two sectors. Presently, Natasha works with local companies in Guyana to assist them in enterSEE PAGE XXXIV ing the oil and gas value chain.

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I had the opportunity to interact with many young ladies from Three Miles and Bartica Secondary.

The feedback has been tremendous from all the activities, and that is a big blessing. The dorm students were excited to receive their personal-care items, compliments of DeSinco Trading. DeSinco Trading was the biggest contributor to our hamper distribution in Bartica. Thank you also Sara Khalil from New York, Le’ Treat Bakery, Shanta Imquie Youngkam for their contributions. Thanks to Mr Kassim for the venue, Teacher Carmel Smith, Mr Kenneth Williams, Regional Chairman Region Seven, Pastor Ivor, Estiva Lake, Cianna Persaud, Jo Anna Mc Kenzie and Shenella Gibson for assisting. Big thank you also Dr Sabeeta Bidasie Singh and Eldorado Offshore will be donating IPods for the students with the most impactful short story on “breaking the bias.”

Some of the students will also be given scholarships to the Virtual Writer’s Retreat.

I love it when the young people ask many questions and they sure did. One of the questions often asked is how did you become so confident? This question allows me to talk about my confidence journey and expand on a topic dear to my heart. I am on a mission to encourage as many people as possible to embark on this journey, and I have created a programme called Confidence Becomes you. Ladies who register during this month will receive a special price. We are coming to a close for this wonderful month celebrating women, and what better way to do that than the Women in Business Expo on the March 30 and 31!

Join us to celebrate with these amazing young entrepreneurs as we continue to break the bias on this beautiful journey called Life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.

Utilising their skills in... From page IX making seven-curry based on orders and other dishes for events.

She is well versed in Indra Boobaking too and can prepare dhoo displaying her just about any dish.

Boodhoo’s golden ap- homemade pepper ple achar is to die for. A sauce spicy well-done achar that has all the right ingredients for that added flavour is so tantalising on the palate.

“I started to cook from watching my aunt at age nine years old and as I grew I began preparing meals on my own and I got good at it and started baking too,” she said.

She would source fruits from the village or buy from the Parika Market to make her achars.

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Unity Village...

FROM PAGE VI where the only noise comes from passing vehicles that traverse that stretch of road going to sawmills and places.

The Hubu Access Road has three kokers, with the last being at Hubu and it is a busy place, since produce from the islands in the Essequibo River, and other villages that are on the mainland would be offloaded there.

Farmers utilise the kokers to get to their farms via speed boats and paddle boats which is often miles away.

In the same way, they would bring out their produce to be marketed.

Unity is a village of families, most people are

of many flowers, trees and budding gardens. There is a wide array of colourful flower gardens and potted plants in every yard.

It is a clean village that is maintained by the locals, since they do not come under any Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC).

Most of the elders have since passed away, and the new generation has inherited properties and farmlands left behind by their parents and fore-parents, who were the early settlers.

According to residents, Unity Village was an estate of sugar cane cultivation that was controlled by the Dutch.

It is also a village that goes deep into the farmland

related, and they reside side by side, and they have good cooperation among themselves.

The community has electricity, landline and internet services and a potable water supply, which is overly rich in iron content and is often smelly.

Most people plant their own vegetables and fruits, as such, they hardly ever buy, but other essentials are sourced at Parika, a central hub for business, or in the city.

The locals are from the village, and there are no strangers in this community, which is very close-knit.

It is a safe neighbourhood, and the people would leave their doors open all the time.

In Unity Village, the people do more than one job to bring in incomes to the homes and mostly rear chickens, make things to sell or utilise their skills, right from the comfort of their homes.

The village is a place

section, where there are many dwelling houses overlooking the farms.

Unity Village has many small tracks and alleyways leading to houses, and it is a nice village of good people.

Some people have their own vehicles and those who don’t would utilise public transportation via minibuses or hire cars.

Unity Village, East Bank Essequibo, is located six miles from Parika Junction.

The locals depend on farming for their livelihoods, and within recent times, they have been hard hit by rainfall which caused massive flooding in the farmlands and at their homes.

Many farmers expressed the need for a Farmers Market to sell their produce, since the wholesale buyers would often pay below the asking price and re-sell for a lot more.

They are of the opinion that a Farmers Market will both benefit the farmers and consumers.

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EARTH HOUR YESTERDAY, lights were turned off for one hour in observance of Earth Hour – not to be confused with Earth Day. For one hour, supporters in over 190 countries and territories around the globe turn off their non-essen-

tial lights as a show of commitment to fighting climate change and raising awareness of the issues facing our shared home.

But Earth Hour is more than just an hour for Earth - it’s a movement for our own futures, for the benefit of people and the planet. And it’s not only a symbol of solidarity it’s a catalyst for change, harnessing the power of the crowd.

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EARTH...

FROM PAGE XXXII In Guyana, Earth Hour 2022 turned our collective attention to single-use plastics – one of the major environmental crises plaguing all corners of the globe. In a world of convenience, many persons use plastic straws, plastic cups, plastic spoons, forks, knives, plastic food containers, plastic bags or plastic bottles on a daily basis. More often than not, these items are disposed of after just a few minutes of being in use. Have you ever thought about what happens after they are disposed of? Are you aware that the single-use plastics we discard doesn’t simply disappear when they are thrown out? Rather, they persist in the environment for a very long time, in most cases hundreds of years.

These “single-use” plastic items account for more than 7000 tonnes of solid waste discarded annually at the Haggs Bosch Landfill, according to the Georgetown Mayor and City Council 2016 statistical data. Each year about 8.8 million tons of discarded plastic flows into the ocean.

The issue of single-use plastics extends beyond their production and use – it extends to the indiscriminate way we dispose of these items and the fact that alternatives exist.

The solutions to some of the single-use plastic items can be derived from planning and making better choices when meal-planning, shopping and carrying out simple daily tasks. Materials exist locally to manufacture numerous alternatives – reusable bags, straws, food utensils and containers.

If you missed the Earth Hour celebrations, there are other ways you can show your appreciation and solidarity: 1. Reconnect with nature – explore nearby parks and green spaces or go hiking; 2. Cook vegan meals for your family and friends and challenge yourself to cook a meal where nothing gets wasted or get creative with leftovers; 3. Up your knowledge – awareness is the first step to action. You can start by watching nature documentaries such as the Our Planet series on YouTube or Netflix; or 4. Volunteer for the environment – whether you join a community group or participate in a one-time activity, lend your efforts to help improve the environment around you.

Dispose of your waste in the correct way and choose alternatives to single-use plastics!

You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Communications Department, 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.

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This entails conducting GAP analytics along with training and mentoring of these companies in order to improve their competitiveness and capacity to work in the O&G sector. Natasha is a strong advocate of SME development and gender empowerment, key pillars to economic development of any country.

Dr Auliana Poon is Germany-based and heads Leve-Global. She established Caribbean Futures Limited that became Tourism Intelligence International in 1990; Villa Being, Tobago, in 2000; Being Sustainable in 2010; the Tourism Intelligence Acade-

my in 2015; Lévé -the Event in 2016 and Leve-Global, that aims to cooperatively elevate Tourism, Trade and Lives, in 2018. A trained Economist, Dr Auliana Poon was the first person in the world to qualify with a doctorate in Technology and Tourism. She delivered the ‘Intelligent Island’ public Lecture in Singapore in 1991 and has led the teams that developed the tourism policy and strategy for the new South Africa; developed strategies for trend-setting companies such as Sandals Resorts International (Jamaica) and Conservation Corporation (Africa); developed the ‘tourism begins at home’ program that sparked the turn-around

in The Bahamas Tourism Industry.

INSPIRE YOU 2022 was held on March 22, 2022 and focused on conversations on the theme #breakthebias and more, as the distinguished speakers use the art of storytelling to empower and inspire the audience on how each of them has risen through challenges and barriers.

The Caribbean creative Richard Young, who has worked extensively in the region and in the diaspora, directing and producing fashion/arts/beauty/culture-related projects facilitated these conversations

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THE HISTORICAL MEMORY IS A... took the same interpretation of the essay and the Teutonic Knights from their perspective. See-Osprey -campaign ‘TANNENBERG 1410’ The Russian army would defeat Konigsberg {East Prussia} and occupy it, post-WWII RUSSIA: 1932-33 we begin with the man-made famine in Ukraine, which was caused

by Stalin’s confiscation of ‘all food’ and the prohibition of any food from entering the Ukrainian Republic. This led to an estimated number of deaths of over 4,000,000 people. In 2010, a Ukrainian court found Stalin, among others, guilty of ‘Genocide.’

The beginning of WWII, on September 17 Russia invaded Poland from the east, while on

September 1, 1939, Germany had invaded from the west.

The invasion of Poland was conducted by both Germany and Russia; on the agreement of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, the intent to steal land spaces, and with Germany to enact changes made by the WWI treaty of Versailles.

The downside of this was the application by Russia of settling old scores with defiant Poland. Perpetuating as reported by eye-witness reports of prison coaches driven by the NKVD (Russian secret police) speeding towards the Katyn forest -this time it was the Nazis who revealed on exhuming some 4,100 Polish officers, bound and shot behind the head that were mass

buried in the Katyn Forest, April 17, 1943. Other bodies found were Russian citizens of Stalin’s purges. This incident of the Polish officers is suspected of having happened in the spring of 1940. Germany would invade Russia on the June 22 1941, Operation Barbarossa had begun. The Germans would practise the most ruthless recommendations of Von Treitschke’s theory.

Ukraine saw the entrance of the Nazi army justifiably as liberation from Stalin, what is amazing is how quickly they applied to the extermination of peoples, while assembling them on the rouse of deportations, with cooperation to the Nazi Einsatzgruppen policies, and joined their ranks

of murder as the Ukrainian militia, to become participants in genocide, identified as western Ukrainians. SeeMASTERS OF DEATH by Richard Rhodes. The Poles in Volhynia and Eastern Galicia a population of some 60,000 people, were murdered as policy of the ‘Bandera Faction of the Ukrainian Nationalists.’

Then there was France, under Napoleon, who had invaded Russia in 1812, with an army of 600,000 men.

Upon entering Moscow after vicious defence engagements, the Russian army retreated.

But capturing Moscow did not produce the victory Napoleon had foreseen, soon without food, from a scorched-earth Russian defence application.

FROM PAGE XII

Thus, his army collapsed, enveloped by a relentless winter, Napoleon retreated with a remaining 40,000 men. This was the beginning and the end of Napoleon, the tragic retreat had broken the myth of the French invincibility. Thus, the historical memory vein that lies beneath the media reports of the troubling current Eastern European landscape and all of Europe. But mainly unknown to most of the world.

More important is CRIMEA: handed over to Ukraine by Khrushchev as a goodwill gesture, long a treasured location and a part of Russia, of some 200-plus years and home to their Black Sea fleet. This is no ordinary conglomeration of unsettling

issues.

In closing. It was Napoleon who commanded the largest military expedition to retake San Domingue (Haiti) from Toussaint, his secret orders to his brotherin-law General Leclerc, was the extermination of the African men under arms. This did not occur, because they defied Leclerc and France and became ‘History’s only successful slave rebellion-see Drums of Freedom-Saga of the Haitian Revolution-Graphic novel; on kindle. The question remains how does the suspicion and anticipation of provocative gestures be prevented that can summon the impulses of the ‘Historical Memory’?

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THOUGHT FOR TODAY All seems infected that th’infected spy, As all looks yellow to the jaundic’d eye.

ALEXANDER PO P 1744) An Essay on E (1688Criticism,

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March 27, 2022 STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student, Welcome dear friend.

Get into the habit of practising and revising what you have learnt, or you may lose the capacity to remember it well. You may find that

sometimes your situation gets so bad that you forget things you learned earlier in the day. This can happen at crucial times. You try to learn too much at one sitting.

And boom! There comes the blockage. Anyway, never omit to involve your study partners at times. Be wise.

Love you.

THE PASSAGE Instruction: Read the following abridged passage carefully.

“But why shouldn’t I?” my mother argued. “Lots of people’s mothers work.”

“Those are American people,” father calmly said.

“So, what do you think we are? I can do the pledge of allegiance with my eyes closed.”

Nevertheless, she tried to be discreet; and if my mother wasn’t home by 5:30, we would start cooking ourselves, to make sure dinner would be on time. Mona would wash the vegetables and put on the rice; I would chop.

For weeks we wondered what kind of work she was doing. I imagined she was selling perfume, testing dessert recipes for the local newspaper. Or maybe she was working for the florist.

Now that she had learned to drive, she might be delivering boxes of roses to people.

“I don’t think so,” said Mona as we walked to our piano lessons after school.

“She would have hit something by now.”

A gust of wind littered the street with leaves.

“Maybe we better hurry up,” she went on, looking at the sky. “It’s going to pour.”

We arrived out of breath and wet.

“Oh, you poor, poor dears,” said old Miss Crosman. “If your mother won’t drive you, I can come pick you up.”

“No, that’s okay,” I said.

“We just couldn’t get the roof of our car to close, is all.”

(Gish Jen’s “The White Umbrella”) What to Do Answer the following questions as far as what is stated or implied in the passage.

1. Why might the girls’ mother try to hide the fact that she is working?

2. Read the passage again

and then determine the relationship between the girls and their mother. Ascertain your answer in more than two sentences.

3. Write about the characteristics of each girl.

4. Write what you glean about their mother’s skills.

5. Who is the narrator of the extract? How can you tell?

6. Write a brief creative, fictional narrative about two young boys whose love for their kind grandfather was overwhelming. Transport your reader to a place where he has never been and introduce him to a whole new world of engaging characters.

Now, see how to check your handiwork: 1. Are there one or more well-developed characters?

2. Is there a conflict that keeps the reader asking what will happen next?

3. Is there a clear storyline or sequence told from a consistent point of view?

4. Is there effective pacing?

5. Does your narrative develop dialogue, suspense, and other literary elements and devices?

6. Does your title catch the reader’s attention?

7. What do your precise vocabulary and effective word choice look like?

8. Have you tried to make your writing error-free?

Composition Writing The friendly, personal letter The address The Date Dear Mother, I am sorry that I am not able to get home before Easter, but I am looking forward to seeing you then. (I still need to complete two very important nature assignments for submission within the next two weeks.) Shall we have a party on Easter Monday as usual? I hope you will let me have my allowance in advance so I can make up some presents.

I am very happy here now that I have gotten used to the strange surroundings. It seems so funny to me that when I get up to go to school everybody on the farm is already hard at work. The flower hedges are already trimmed and watered, the lawn grass is swept and free from fallen leaves and downy feathers. Then the work hands have already milked the cows and taken the horses on their exercise regimen. They start very early, and sometimes wake me up. I do not think I will be a farmer’s wife when I complete my schooling down here, even though I like open spaces. The country around here is uncluttered and lovely with clean-smelling air and a steady breeze. All fruit trees are in rows and evenly spaced.

The other day a large fruit-picker came to harvest the mangoes, pears, and cashews which were packed into crates to be shipped out of the country. As Cousin Vance told me, the pickers are easier to rent at this time which is the best time for the fruits to be picked, sorted and properly labeled for shipping. If rented amid stiff competition later, most fruits would have to be sold on the local markets. Yesterday, Saturday, I helped him separate the lesser-abled chickens from being in the way of their stronger sisters, and this morning I saw baby chicks just out of their shells in the incubator.

I am learning many useful and fascination things about nature that I never thought of before. I am enjoying my cousins down here, too. I wish sister could be here.

Yours affectionately, Georgiana Points to note: This friendly letter has some good points worth considering. a. It is correctly written, with accurate spelling and reasonably good punctuation. b. The daughter has made a fair attempt to arrange what she has to say. c. Her paragraphing is quite sensible. d. The setting of the letter is correct. The address and date are in position, and it ends in a way that is generally accepted as suitable for a girl or boy writing to a relation.

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Periodontics OF all eight specialist fields in dentistry, more dentists pursue periodontics than any other. A primary reason likely has to do with the fact that gum disease is a major problem that people face. What places it probably among the most dangerous of all oral diseases is that it is insidious and painless, while being the main reason people lose their teeth.

I do not find it strange that often when I encounter people in public, many of them remark, “Hello Doc, I have to come and see you for a cleaning.” Maybe it is because cleaning (prophylaxis) is commonly seen as the most painless dental procedure.

Gingivitis represents the characteristic host response to bacterial plaque. It is the most common form of periodontal disease and may affect over 90 percent of any population. The lesion is usually confined to the gum margin and is observed locally or generally. Gingivitis may persist for years without further progressing into supporting periodontal structures. However, in animal modules, gingivitis always precedes periodontitis and hence may be considered a prerequisite for disease initiation. Symptoms include red, shine, swollen and often painful gums, especially around the neck area of the teeth affected.

The best thing about periodontitis is that it is preventable. Prevention is achieved by thorough and proper brushing, flossing, adequate diet and regular dental checks Adult periodontitis is the most prevalent form of periodontitis. It is usually a chronic disease emerging from its precursor, namely gingivitis, as a result of long-standing plaque accumulation. Since not all gingivitis appears to progress to periodontitis, specific bacteria have been postulated to account for various diseases in various individuals.

The periodontal lesion is characterised by loss of connective tissue-fibre attachment to the root surface.

The progression of attachment loss was, for a few years, considered to occur in episodes of activity bursts. However, this concept has not been unanimously accepted, and the theory of this mode of progression may be explained on the basis of measurement error, using unique probes. Symptoms include the presence of a deep pocket between the gum and the tooth, bleeding and shaking of the affected teeth.

With early-onset periodontitis disease, forms are grouped according to the prevalence of the conditions which can be defined by the relatively young age of the patient and/or the specific local causative factors. They occur during childhood or adolescence and affect less than one percent of the population. Two particular groups have been characterised by the World Workshop of the American Academy of Periodontology.

Prepubertal periodontitis and juvenile periodontitis appear both in localised or generalised forms. The major clinical features are the presence of severely advanced lesions with bleeding when irritated, pus formation, deep pockets between the gum and affected tooth, but with relatively small plaque deposits at an early age.

Finally, necrotising periodontitis is usually accompanied by ulcerative lesions and appears to progress rather dramatically. Necrosis of the gum projecting between adjacent teeth and also of the bone from the ridge may be observed.

Today, it is seen mainly in persons diagnosed HIV positive. The major signs are profuse bleeding, pocket formation, gum retraction and bad breath.

LXIV

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, March 27, 2022