Guyana_Chronicle_Pepperpot_Epaper_17_07_2022

At just 20 years old, Divya Doerga has already achieved a Master of Business Administration specialising in Oil and Gas Management from the University of Bedfordshire, England (Photo courtesy of Divya Doerga)

‘I love education’

20-year-old now holder of MBA in Oil and Gas Management

Sunday, July 17, 2022

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 17, 2022

‘Twenty-Four Hours Left’ How a near-death experience turned into a motivation for one entrepreneur

JASHAWN Rutherford was a serving member of the Guyana Defence Force when he had an experience that would change the course of his life forever.

It occurred while out one night at a public event when an altercation ensued and gunshots rang out. He recalled that one of the two men who fired the shots into the crowd was standing right next to him. “I got extremely scared and ran. Projectiles [were] thrown everywhere,” Rutherford told the Pepperpot Magazine.

Against this backdrop, Rutherford became aware that he had to change his life for the better to make an impact in this current generation.

“I basically changed the course of my life. After I realised that things weren’t working out the way I wanted them to work out, I found myself in a situation where it could have actually cost my life,” he explained. “It was then I realised that, ‘Jashawn, you are not producing the kind of results from your life that are expected of you, so it is time to change course.’”

And thus, Rutherford launched the non-profit organisation, “Twenty-Four (24) hours left”.

Twenty Hour Left is an institute aimed at training and developing young people who are interested in starting their own business. The activities involve training persons to graduate from being employees to employers.

Twenty Hour Left has also been involved in motivating people to pursue their dreams.

“Twenty Hours Left exists to maximise myself, because we are at the forefront with respect to personal development in the Caribbean; we are helping thousands of people. I have a team of seven people training vigorously,” Rutherford told the Pepperpot Magazine.

Rutherford recalled that he had been through numerous

experiences of a similar nature, but nothing as eye-opening as this one.

According to him, this catastrophic event made him focus and reminisce on the background from which he originated, and the sacrifices the persons who raised him made for him to be where he is in life today.

Rutherford said that to raise the standard of his life, he began reading books, and studying the lives of others, who, according to him, had blazed the trail Jashawn Rutherford, regarding professional and perDirector of the orsonal development. ganization, “Twen“I implemented a one-bookty-Four Hours Left” per-month practice, where, when I got my salary, I started to purchase one book per month for the purpose of studying successful people in a systematic manner. As I began studying these people, I realised that there was one general theme amongst them all, and that is, they all valued time,” Rutherford said.

Coming out of these studies, the young man recalled that he utilised the knowledge gained to further develop his academia, writing his ‘A’ Levels examination, and becoming involved in the Toastmasters Club to develop his public-speaking career.

“The journey continued until there was this one soldier that was looking at me, and I had not the faintest idea, but his fixation made an impression on me, so much so that he asked me what it was that I was doing that he could emulate,” Rutherford shared.

Rutherford was careful to mention that he had resolutely made up in his mind that he would pursue his dream at all costs, regardless of the difficult elements he needed to face.

It was so critical that he pursued his dreams after he saw the life of his colleague change for the better. He then began to pursue his dream with such tenacity and passion.

“I brainwashed myself into success; literally did so. I did not avoid the noise from everyone else in the background in the barracks where I was. I would come out in the yard to study, as we say in Guyana, rain or shine,” Rutherford shared in a passionate voice to the Pepperpot Magazine.

His father, his inspirator, continued to motivate him, Rutherford added.

“My dream was to retire my dad. I so desperately wanted to support him, so much so that as I came out of high school, I enlisted in the Guyana Defence Force. But during the course of my personal development, it was pulling me more and more.

This stemmed from the fact that I would offer advice to people who were far older than me,” Rutherford explained.

ADVICE Rutherford, who is of the opinion that one must pay the price for what one wants, further noted that whatever your goal, you need to repeat to yourself and then pay the price, and sooner or later, it will come to fruition.

“Your thoughts would change the outcome of things; it will not magically change the outcome of things, but the perspective of the desired outcome will be different,” Rutherford told Pepperpot Magazine.

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 17, 2022

‘I love education’

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20-year-old now holder of MBA in Oil and Gas Management

AT j u s t 2 0 y e a r s o l d , Divya Doerga has already achieved a Master of Business Administration specialising in Oil and Gas Management from the University of Bedfordshire, England. Even though things were not always smooth-sailing, perhaps she succeeded because she saw the need to prioritise her academic achievements over what she deemed temporary social fulfillment.

There were many other things that could’ve occupied her time and taken up her energies, but her focus was always to act smart; to put in all of the hard work first and then to relax and enjoy it afterwards.

“I love education,” she expressed in an interview

Divya always gave priority to her studies

implement what I’ve learned. Whatever I would have done in both my Bachelor’s and Master’s; I would like to implement it into my personal and work life,” she shared.

Divya pursued her Master’s because of her work with operators in the oil and gas industry. She felt that doing so would help her to keep up with the trends in the field. Meanwhile, pursuing her PHD is surely on the cards, but she wants to do so when she feels that she is fully ready.

STILL SINKING IN Even as Divya is very proud of her accomplish-

with the Pepperpot Magazine, as she noted how there were

many things that she chose to turn down to pursue her

With her proud parents Vishnu and Davitri

really high; I think I missed only a single class last April,” she shared.

Although it became exhausting at times, Divya wouldn’t have it any other way. “You have to know what your goals in life are,” she said, adding, “I believe in hard work, and with hard work, you can get anything you want, especially when it comes to education. The possibilities are endless.”

She took all of the necessary, practical steps that would’ve helped her to succeed, including asking for advice, speaking to mentors, and burning the midnight oil. “Everything wasn’t

“Divya has always been my proudest achievement.”

– Vishnu Doerga education. Today, she is glad that she made the decisions ments, there are times when smooth-sailing. I chose the she did and is now ready to she feels very anxious and wrong studies, made missit back and enjoy the fruits nervous. “I feel like it hasn’t takes, even failed a few times, of her labour. sunk in as yet and I am still but what got me here today is “I am actually now in- processing it. I know the that I kept getting up and I vesting my weekends into work and sacrifices I’ve put never ever stopped because I reconnecting with family in to be able to achieve some- knew where I wanted to be.” and friends and those persons thing like this at 20, so I think One of her lecturers, Dr. I haven’t gotten to in the that’s definitely a lot to be Dexter Phillips, endorsed last two years; getting back proud of,” she said. this approach by Divya, deinto my social groove,” she The classes she took were scribing her as someone with quipped. on the weekends, from 09:00 an inquisitive mind and a Even so, Divya definitely hours – 16:00 hours, and staunch determination to has a focus on implementing during the week, she’d work succeed. She was also quite what she’s learned in her from 08:00 hours to 17:00 personable and always willstudies as opposed to just hours. At times, she’d well ing to lend a helping hand to having a piece of paper in go past 17:00 hours due to the her peers, according to him. hand to state her qualifi- roles she has in the different “Divya was a student in cations. “Knowledge and companies she works with. “I my MBA Dissertation class. competence are unbeatable. I would be doing assignments She’s one of the most hardam not studying just to have at 2 am and then having to a piece of paper saying I have get up for the classes. The SEE PAGE XXVIII a degree; I am studying to commitment level I had was

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 17, 2022

Local business constructing modern five-storey office complex

EVEN as Nandalall and Sabrina Algoo continue to make waves in the local customs brokerage indus-

- To introduce turn-key offices under its umbrella

and say they remain committed to serving humanity.

The Algoos began their

business over the years.

In their most recent move, the company, N&S Algoo Licensed Customs

Nandalall and Sabrina Algoo

Back when N&S Algoo started

try, the husband and wife business partners continue to credit their successes to their humble beginnings

customs brokerage business from the back of their vehicle but have made rapid progress in growing the

Brokerage Services Inc. has relocated its operations to Lot 165 Barr Street, Kitty in the building which once

housed the popular New Thriving restaurant.

“We will call it our temporary corporate office because we have plans to return to our original corporate office in Kitty in another two to three years,” Sabrina Algoo said in an interview with Pepperpot Magazine

on Thursday when they held a ‘soft opening’ at the new location.

With this being the tenth year of ‘Algoos’ as a corporate, the company outgrew its space owing to its remarkable growth. Hence the focus is now “to move with the times in having a modern

office to accommodate the new customers entering the country,” Sabrina offered.

The new building being constructed at the original location will be a modern complex with five or more SEE PAGE XXVI

The operations have been temporarily relocated to Lot 165 Barr Street, Kitty.

The former New Thriving restaurant will house N&S Algoo over the next two to three years

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 17, 2022

Riverstown Village – How to live and make each day count!

RIVERSTOWN Village on the Essequibo Coast is a small picturesque community that features lovely greenery in the form of rice fields, towering coconut and other trees, along with simple and hardworking

roses.’

Even as it was described as a “poverty community” by some residents, they couldn’t help but notice the development that has taken place in the village over the years. They are especially

somewhat easier.

Primary school teacher, Bharti Sookwah, who spoke

ing with the economic situation, though, the people get to really enjoy each day. As

The happy givers

A picturesque scene at the back of Riverstown Village on the Essequibo Coast (Carl Croker photo) Primary school teacher Bharti Sookwah (Carl Croker photo)

people – mostly farmers who get to take time out each day to just ‘smell the

grateful for roads, street lighting and other improvements that make their lives

The Riverstown Primary School.

to Pepperpot Magazine from her home in Riverstown ‘Sand’ – an area at the back of the village – is certainly one individual who is determined to make a difference in the lives of her village people.

T h e 2 8 - y e a r- o l d mother of three was able to provide some amount of insight into what the village is like daily. “It’s very quiet and peaceful here; nothing to be scared about.

People mostly do rice farming and gardening,” she shared.

With approximately 500 people living in Riverstown and jobs hard to come by, it is no wonder the folks here are highly self-sufficient. Apart from deal-

is the case with many households, the work is completed by noon or even before so that the rest of the day is available to them to simply throw back in their hammocks with little to stress about.

“I have no plans moving out because I enjoy living at the back here,” Bharti said, adding, “We have luxury space for our garden; we mine ducks, cows and a little of everything.”

A teacher at Riverstown Primary, Bharti has gotten to see, firsthand, how poverty affects some families, which has moved her to start a non-profit charitable group called The Happy Givers that seeks to help villagers in need.

“When you go into the school system, you would see the difficulties that children have. Those issues come from home, whereby people cannot afford certain

things, so we try to help people in our area. Especially during lunchtime, you would see some children bringing roti and butter to this day just because their family cannot afford much,” she shared.

Those with permanent jobs, though, decided that they want to help. “We are trying to develop our community. If we don’t do it, no one else would. We donate hampers to the needy from SEE PAGE XXIII

Bharti with her kids (Carl Croker photo)

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 17, 2022

‘Daubing’ the bottom house and using the fireside – Riverstown ‘auntie’ explains how to do both

By Telesha Ramnarine EVEN as Bissondai Lile has a gas stove upstairs, it is her bottom house fireside that she’d prefer to use every day. Perhaps she agrees with the popular saying that fireside food tastes different; better! Or maybe it’s simply because she has grown accustomed to using it decades over, ever since she was a child and looking at her mother cook for the entire family with it.

Lile is just not sure. All she knows is that the fireside is her comfort place.

She doesn’t mind the work that comes with using it.

For one thing, she explained how she’d have to go to the nearby sawmill and ask for pieces of wood that they were not using. Even on

of six, is originally from Leonora, on the West Coast Demerara. Her husband died about seven years ago, leaving her with their grown children and five grandchildren.

“I have a gas stove upstairs, but I don’t use it. You finish cooking faster on the fireside. They said when you cook on fireside, it does eat more sweet. My mother never had a gas stove; she always use fireside,” Lile shared in an interview with Pepperpot Magazine.

“We go to the sawmill and ask them, or sometimes we buy,” she continued, adding, “You put the wood in and rub your mud or soap power on the pot to make sure it don’t get black.”

She wakes up around 4 am to cook for one of her

Lile prefers using her fireside over her gas stove

Bissondai Lile (Carl Croker photos)

those occasions where she’d have to buy the wood, she would choose to have it no other way.

A resident of Back Street, Riverstown, Essequibo Coast, Lile, a mother

sons, who must get to work early. She’d then “hustle” to get her housework done before making her way to a fellow villager to help with some cleaning.

By 11:00hrs, though,

she’s already finished helping out at the little shop and is back home to have the lunch that she would have already finished cooking.

Continuing to explain what her day is like, Lile related how she would next take a bath and then relax in her hammock until it’s time to cook dinner.

Once a week, she would ‘daub’ her bottom house.

This is another traditional practice that Lile has kept over the years. She goes to the canal at the end of her street, digs the mud she needs and places it in a bucket.

According to her, she has been daubing ever since she got married as a young girl. Most times, one bucket of mud would do the trick, or sometimes two. This is something that she said she has grown up seeing her

family doing.

In times past, she explained that she would go down on her knees and use her hands to smooth the mud over. At times, the mud would be mixed with cow dung, which she said somehow didn’t smell bad.

But things have changed for the better. Today, she said

she’d simply use a mop to do the job. She said she would mix the mud with some water and then use the mop the same way she would use it to wipe her house.

“It make the place look nice and clean,” she said.

This is, of course, only when the sun is shining through.

“When the sun come out,

then yuh ah daub; yuh nah daub when rain ah fall,” she explained.

Lile has had to deal with instances when the rain started falling as soon as she was finished daubing. In such a case, she’d simply have to wait until the bottom house was dry to do it all over again.

‘Daubing’ using a mop instead of her hands

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 17, 2022

Working hard together – Meet Mukesh and Hansmattee

By Telesha Ramnarine

ASK for Mohan Sookwah in Riverstown Village on the Essequibo Coast, and no one would know who you’re talking about. Ask for ‘Fresh Oil’ though, and the villagers would point you to the exact street and house to find him.

They’d also know him by the name Mukesh. In fact, he is one of the more popular farmers in the village; his family being the first set of people to occupy what is now known as the Back Street in Riverstown.

The 53-year-old rice, cash crop and poultry farmer toils long and hard to make ends meet with his support-

ive wife, Hansmattee, whom Mukesh said has stood “foot and foot” behind him ever since they married 30 years ago.

The father of two, who plucks about 30 chickens a week, grew up looking at his parents’ farm; they worked rice and provision farms to support their eight children and were very poor. Because of such poverty, many of the kids, including Mukesh, did not get to attend school a lot.

Following in his parents’ footsteps, Mukesh has continued to farm over the past 40 years, making it the only type of work he has ever done. “Every month, I buy about 100 chickens; at least I get the mould for my gar-

den, and I get the chickens for the house use and sell a few. I really do it to get the mould for the garden,” he shared.

He and his wife have two stalls; one in Suddie, which they go to on Sunday and one at Anna Regina, where they would work on Fridays. To get their produce ready for the markets each week, though, is not always smooth sailing. “We really need a plucking machine,” he said, adding, “the labour cost is also there, and then you don’t find good people to work.”

Even with the challenges and hard work involved to make ends meet, there’s no place that Mukesh would

Mohan Sookwah and his wife of 30 years, Hansmattee (Carl Croker photos)

Mohan ‘Fresh Oil’ Sookwah

Mukesh wants to expand his poultry business

rather be. “If I go to Georgetown, by afternoon, I want to reach home. I fall in love with this place; I am comfortable here at home,” he said, noting how the place has seen some amount of development in terms of getting proper streets and road lights.

“We were the only people living at the back here, and now we got neighbours.

This whole place was a playground, and now people came to occupy the land.

Our Back Street area is now more busy than the public road,” he shared.

Commenting on his wife’s significant role in helping with the work, Mukesh said: “The only work my wife didn’t do was to dig the drains with me.

Other than that, she weed,

plant, and everything she do with me.”

He could not escape providing an explanation of how he got the nickname Fresh Oil. Beating around the bush, he said: “Long ago, we didn’t have well at the back here; they had ground pond in front and when you go out, all the boys would reach together. One of the boys call me that name, and I got vex and the name left on me.”

But his wife chimed in to clarify: “The boys them said his mom sent him to the shop to buy coconut oil and tell the shopkeeper that he want fresh oil. He used to always ask for fresh oil, and the name stayed.” At last, the answer was clear.

Mukesh always wanted “fresh oil.”

Meanwhile, when she

was just 20 years old, Hansmattee from the neighbouring village of Airy Hall married Mukesh in an arranged setting. “My mother and his mother used to sell in the market and they made the match,” she related.

She had known him before, though, when he used to pass her side to go and play cricket. When they married, he didn’t have a regular job. “So we started the farm, and I went to help him. We work hard together and we still working hard.

We start our day at 04:30hrs to start cooking and cleaning and go backdam,” she explained.

To this day, Hansmattee said she and her husband have enjoyed a good marriage with no serious problems ever coming up.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 17, 2022

Still going by the values of doing hard work and extending generosity

Denise in front of her stall along the Riverstown Public Road Denise manages an attractive stall with fruits and vegetables

DENISE Paul can still recall her school days when she’d help her single-parent mom at work and then make her way to school

the Essequibo Coast, with all that she learned from her mom, who is now deceased.

Denise, now 54, still wells up with tears whenev-

Denise Paul (Carl Croker photos)

afterwards. There were certain aspects of the job that her mom, Gomwattie De Putron, just couldn’t handle, so at just six or seven years old, the young Denise would do what she could before heading to school.

Today, she manages an attractive stall with fruits and vegetables along the Riverstown Public Road, on

er it’s time to talk about her mom; she still has not yet recovered from her death.

“At the age of six or seven, I started working to maintain them (her mom and brother).

I did domestic work; swept the concrete, fed the chicken, swept the yard, washed the toilet, etc. and then head to school,” Denise recalled in an interview with Pepperpot Magazine recently.

This was the routine even when she was in secondary school. “I grew without my dad; how my mom did it, I don’t know. She made sure we got a good education.

She died three years ago, and I never got over it,” she shared.

To this day, Denise, now married for 35 years, still reflects on all she learned from her mother. For one thing, her mother taught her to be generous. “She taught us to always give and not only to receive; that’s how I am all my life.”

So she’d prefer to give away her fruits and vegetables before they spoil. “I believe in letting people make use of it. You see your way more when you give,” the mother of four expressed.

She, too, has been a good mother to her children with all of them turning out well.

Two of them are teachers, one is a doctor, and the other is an engineer.

“My advice to people, especially young people, is to just be there for your parents. Don’t matter what situation may come; you will have misunderstandings but just be there for them because today they’re here SEE PAGE XXVII

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 17, 2022

LIVING WITH INTENTION RETREAT “I ENJOYED watching and listening to the way the people in your hometown greeted you,” my friend Phillipa said to me as I was interacting with some of the students I taught in high school and some of the people I went to school with. It was nice to see Emily Ramdass and give her a hug in this period of grief after her mom died. I am happy I heard her mom’s voice not long before she died. I have a way of reaching out to people when they are going through something. I messaged Emily just to check up on her and she mentioned her mom was very ill and she was by her bedside. She told her mom that I was on the phone and her mom encouraged me to keep doing the good things I am doing and that the youths in Bartica need it.

I have a few empowering projects planned for Bartica, and it is not only for the youth or females because my contribution

is to humanity, so males are included. I saw Calmeth Younge Aka (Gubber) in the supermarket while visiting Emily and he commended me about the Women Empowerment project and lobbied for the guys so he will be happy to hear that they are included. Many people know about the Women Across Borders Anthologies but not the Men Across Borders. I had discussions with both former and current Regional Chairmen, Mr Bradford and Mr Williams regarding some of the things to add value the people. They both are excited and Mr Bradford reminded me of the many years on the Regatta committee picking up bottles early in the morning to get the place ready for another event.

We caught up again over the weekend for the launch of the Summer Regatta at Aruwai Resort. I was invited to showcase my resort collection. It was an awesome feeling because in Bartica, it all started 25 years ago. I met some young ladies who are interested in designing and Bartica will kick off the countrywide designers’ search to celebrate my 25 years.

Spending back to back weekends in my hometown was a blessing and it was difficult again to leave. I have been meeting so many adults now that were students and they were showing me pictures of their children and grandchildren and inviting me to meet them. We decided on a reunion for early next year with the students and I am anticipating a great time

together.

I reminded Mr Bradford about the Bartons Steel Orchestra, of which he is the founder. I would love to see that pan yard resurrected because it will give young men and women options and will engage people in the community to work together because together, we can move mountains. The more options and empowering tools for their tool kits give them a chance at a better life. Not everyone can be self-motivated and that is one of the reasons I admire Ryan Johnson, who is the owner of the Backyard Resort and one of my students. This young man shared his vision with us while we were on the retreat and we were impressed. I did zip lining in Tennessee and he has implemented a smaller version that we enjoyed. We did miniature golf in the rainforest, which was unique.

We posted pictures and people are asking if all of these fantastic things are happening in Bartica.

Backyard Resort is now on one of the day tours as a result of a video I posted.

We stayed at the Regional Guest house because we needed to be close to the river and being close to the boardwalk was a plus. Breakfast at Upper Level after our meditation was epic.

That restaurant has the best steamed snapper and that was not only my opinion. The Sunset Boulevard Burger was also a hit.

Tanni, over the years, has certainly done well not only with food but great ambience. Bartica and the environs have so much to contribute to the tourism sector, and I believe in the near future, more things will be added to make the package

more attractive.

I intend to have the Living with Intention Retreat to different parts of Guyana, but it looks like a return to Bartica is in popular Demand. Last week, I shared some comments from the ladies who travelled to Bartica. Some of the ladies who live in Bartica shared how it impacted them.

“It’s been a while since I felt confident about myself but being with the ladies felt amazing and free. Interacting with amazing, grown, intelligent, confident ladies made me wish [that] we can do more. I am looking forward for more. It was a wonderful experience to be with you and I am looking forward to experiencing new places and new things. I am grateful.” Anesa “Blissful moments are created when your mind, heart and soul are in tune with each other. Furthermore, when you can share these happy moments with the ones you love and moreso, a complete stranger. This retreat came as a breath of fresh air and left an abundance of happy memories and unexpected friendships, filled with laughter, hope and good humour.” Rena When you try new things and you will find out you can do things you were scared of doing or worried about trying like zip lining. Nothing builds up your self-esteem like realising you can do it. Thanks to all the ladies that motivated each other and also gave the positive energy.

Once again, thank you, Miss Sonia Noel and the others, for making it an amazing retreat.” Sophia The reviews of people living there and visiting reminded me of how fortunate I am to call Bartica and Guyana my home. I challenge you to look at the words from our National Songs and ponder on them as we continue this beautiful journey called life beyond the RUNWAY.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 17, 2022

How to deal with Teenage Pregnancy I WAS speaking to some community leaders recently who were educating me on the surprisingly high rates of teenage pregnancy within multiple regions of Guyana.

These regions are not easily accessible, just like their health care options.

I was asked to write three

segments on the topic- the first directly to the pregnant teen, the second to the parents on how best to receive this information and offer support and the third on tips for teenagers on ways to raise children while maintaining good mental health. This is mainly because most of these girls cannot terminate

pregnancies due to either lack of health-care options or religious reasons.

I would like to first mention a few important things.

First, this is for unplanned teenage pregnancies, which would have happened in the legal sense. If your situation involves sexual abuse in any way, I strongly recommend seeking judicial support. Second, this article serves no agenda, opinion or advice on which option to choose. That is the basic human right of the mother only.

Undoubtedly, an unwanted pregnancy is a very difficult thing to deal with, let alone being a teenager while it happens. This further complicates the already confusing physical and mental changes of adolescence. It is extremely difficult to even think about taking care of someone else when you are only now establishing and excited about your own independence; it’s scary to think of moulding another human being when you are just now creating your own identity.

Everyone experiences different emotions, but this situation will elicit a wide range and spectrum of emotions, from excitement to anger to extreme fear. These are normal and even healthy; what is not healthy or beneficial is denial.

As a young person, finding out you may become a parent is overwhelming as there are lots to do- tell your partner, parents and, most importantly, make the best decision for you.

First, if you are pregnant and it is an option, the best thing to do is see a doctor right away- whether you intend on giving birth or not.

This is to discuss all possible options and to ensure you are in optimal health for all of them. If you are pregnant, there are three options. You can choose to give birth and

parent the child, give birth and choose adoption or terminate the pregnancy altogether.

It is a very difficult decision and one that I hope you have the right support in making or, if you are a parent, providing the right support.

I cannot provide much advice on the decision-making process as that is an extremely individualised matter.

Your choice will depend on so many different things. I can only say that your mental and physical health should always be considered a priority during this stage.

What I can do is aid in the difficult parts, such as telling your partner and parents and aid in preparing for what’s to come with either option you choose. It would be an ideal situation if you already knew what you wanted to do before speaking to anyone else. This way, you can explain your feelings and choice and ask for support. However, being a teenager means confusion and help required, so it is okay if you do not know right away which option is best for you.

Let’s begin with telling your partner. He should be a teenager too and will have similar fears that you do. I know some do not choose this option if they know they would like to terminate the pregnancy. I believe that is okay, too, but if you decide to share this information, do so calmy and rationally in a safe and comfortable space for you both. No one person is to blame here as this was a mutually irresponsible act. You may not get the reaction you

want or need, as everyone needs time to adjust to potentially life-changing news.

The same goes for telling your parents/guardians. I hate that I even have to say this, but it is too common in Guyana, not to mention, there are abusive parents, and many will be afraid to disclose. If this is the case, that sharing this information may be a risk to your safety, it is advised to have another trusted adult present. This can be anyone – another family member, teacher, priest or religious leader- who makes you feel comfortable and safe.

The best way is to be open and honest about how it happened, who with, how you feel, and what support you require. Just start speaking and answer any questions you believe they may have before they have to ask.

The average parent will feel scared and upset and you must let them take space to process the information and calm down. Please see next week’s column for the parent on how best to cope.

If you choose to go through with the pregnancy and raise the child, as I mentioned above, I will be writing about that in a few weeks.

If you are not physically, mentally, emotionally or financially ready to raise a child and you have decided that adoption or abortion is better, that is okay too; I would just like to tell you a few things to expect. There will always be an important difference between opinions SEE PAGE XII

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 17, 2022

Should ‘Ethics-PLUS’ be a requisite social study subject?

ETHICS is the scientific addressing of moral guiding principles in human social behaviour. It is a secular programme outlining (the PLUS) rational approaches to public office, family life and moral evaluation of relationships across the echelons of encounters, small and great, in the process of evaluating proven principles as against popular logic that will misguide. Why is this necessary? Because we live in an era that presents platforms of suggestions, dogmas, philosophies and popular belief exchanges that are imposing enough to change how we live with each other, like no other era before, domestically and otherwise.

How do we determine what is right against what is misguiding when faced with difficult social and economic challenges? With the advent of social media, sensitivity awareness must exist. Offensive human behaviour is not new, and must not be imported in a copycat fashion, allowing attitudes of rudeness defying reason to become a personal trait.

Indeed, “there is a time for everything under the sun”, and much is compelled by daily events, good and bad, that impact our social life. How do we construct the individual creed to make a difference, first in our lives, then equip ourselves to influence those around us? We must stay the rational course when disappointment grins in defiance.

This is a tempting response at an individual level, when efforts fail in the face of

overwhelming negativity, presenting the imposition that “This is how we do it now!”

We h a v e s u f f e r e d through in-house influences and retrogressive overseas behaviour patterns without engaging the origin, relevance and imposing cultural traits that shape, in the context of both (in-house and foreign) what are responsible for the adaptation or development of specific negativities. Conversations and actions within families, groups and supposed colleagues echo that dominance, lack of empathy and self, by any means necessary, were always right.

Human cultural behaviour functions on what it has experienced, witnessed, and the logic that it was taught.

Thus, the mind that has no prior capability to draw from an arsenal of common ideas, learned but not tested, will then need to critically balance the new enticing ‘custom of practices’ being proposed. And it will be found to be difficult to analyse the new logic and its assuring suggestions, implying decisions on the immediate, against considerations on reflection of the more likely harsh life-changing consequences proposed by the same decisions. For example, flashback to the incident at the airport some years ago, with a man and a suitcase with ‘illegal drugs’, and on the way to departure, he opted out of the operation and hurriedly headed out of the airport, abandoning the suitcase. Were I the arresting rank that later questioned him, I would have wanted to

know what was the inspiring notion when he entered the proposal, and the awareness that alerted him, causing him to abort it all in such a frantic manner?

I did not do ethics in school; I’m not sure that it was ever taught in our schools by that name. I do know that we did Scripture, but by the time I was in Second Standard, that was not a subject anymore. But then, there was Reading on the Timetable, and the discussions that followed entailed reasoning on characters that enabled perspectives on attitudes, motives and the question of what was noble, ignoble, good, not so good, and pure insincerity (evil).

This enabled a working understanding that even if, with intent, you divert, stumble and survive, there is a learned volume of references that are ethical in context, that can activate redemption. “What we call society and ‘the streets’ is open and eager to consume souls”, as the Cat Stevens song ‘Wild World’ implied, “it’s hard to get by on a smile”. At an early age, I was instructed that your credibility is a crucial asset if you want to be taken seriously. I didn’t understand this concept until maturity.

Over the past years, conversations with friends brought up subjects about the experiences we had in the communities we had evolved from. Some of the words of wisdom that have endeavoured us to persist and, when necessary, evolve.

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How to deal with... and fact and facts are the only thing worth sharing here.

Anger, guilt, fear of regret are normal emotions if you decide on adoption.

Many fears arise: that the child will not be taken care of, they will grow up hating you and the list goes on.

Many people have a negative view of this saying, “you’re giving up your child.” However, you are not giving up

a person, you are making an incredibly difficult decision on choosing a better life for them and yourself; it’s not giving up, its giving life to you both. It will absolutely come with negative emotions, but if you believe you made the right decision and get some counselling, you should be proud of that.

Abortion also comes with many emotions; you can feel fear, relief, guilt, sadness

and empowered all at once; this is normal. It is important to understand that while a decision may be right for you, you will still feel sad about it. Don’t confuse sad with bad. Seek help from the appropriate person based on your fears. For example, if its medical, see a doctor; if religious, see a religious leader.

If you have made a decision and you worry about regret, a helpful activity is

to write a letter to yourself explaining why you made the decision you did and why you felt it so important; this will aid with any feelings of regret in the future.

With any decision you make, I strongly advise that you talk to someone you

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trust and someone who cares enough to speak to you and allow you to make this decision with guidance rather than pressure.

Whichever decision you make, I hope you believe that you can still pursue any dream or achieve any goal

you want; it may just take a little longer and could be a little harder, but the best things always are.

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

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AFTER CENTURIES OF HOPE, GUYANA NOW BEGINS TO RECEIVE ADEQUATE DEVELOPMENTAL CAPITAL FOR ITS ECONOMIC REVOLUTION

ONE of the irritants which Guyanese people encounter is the steady stream of journalists who warn the country of the Dutch Disease, the expected splurge of wasteful spending and the need for a Sovereign Wealth Fund according to their own peculiar model. They become upset when they discover Guyanese are perfectly aware of the pitfalls of unexpected oil wealth and have taken their oil discoveries with mature equanimity and not with the wild celebratory abandon they expected of a “backward” Third World country.

Fortunately for the country, there are three or four leaders who have been exposed to the vagaries of international finance and have an insight into the workings of the specialised oil industry and have been conducting the affairs of the oil economy with fair success earning international respect.

Guyana is dovetailing the oil sector into the rest of the economy. From the time of Sir Walter Raleigh, Guyana was reputed to be a land of wealth and rich resources, but the door to these riches could not be opened except there was a massive injection of developmental capital. Oil revenues have now begun to supply this long desired capital and it is being used in a rational and balanced way to invest in all sectors of the economy simultaneously.

Guyanese people and their leadership, irrespective of their political affiliation, know that oil is a temporary resource that will be exhausted in 30 to 40 years, and oil prices will fall as the world moves to green power with the exploitation of solar power, hydropower and wind power deescalating the demand for oil. Accordingly, oil revenues must be invested in those areas of social and economic life that will continue to generate wealth and welfare way into the future. Such areas are infrastructure, agriculture, cheap power, social services and industry. The investment capital is limited and has to be deployed in a balanced way to all sectors, resulting in slower progress in the individual sectors.

We will now look at the investment in the various sectors: connectivity of various geographical areas and their populations would quicken economic development, integrate the population and allow people from the remote areas to enjoy the same social amenities such as Health and Education as Georgetown. Several of the Georgetown roads are being upgraded, the East Bank Demerara roads leading to the Cheddi Jagan airport are widened and upgraded and new connection roads like the one from Eccles to Ogle are being built. Construction of the Linden to Lethem and the Linden to Georgetown roads have begun and bridges over the Corentyne River

and Demerara River will, in a few years, become a reality. It should be observed that this road connectivity would allow the various Amerindian communities to enter the mainstream and access the same social amenities as others.

The absence of economically priced power has long inhibited the development of industry and the economy. This is now being addressed by solar and wind power schemes and hydropower, the centerpiece being the Amaila Falls Hydro Project. The natural gas pipeline project whereby a pipeline would be constructed from the deep sea oil wells to bring gas to West Bank Demerara is on the way. On its completion in

three years, this pipeline would reduce the cost of electricity by at least half.

Agriculture has always been the mainstay industry of Guyana, and with the oil revenue investments, it will generate a great percentage of the income of the country and be the main employer: The Rice Industry has been achieving higher yields; sugar is being resuscitated against very adverse conditions; coconuts is being developed into a major industry; fish farming has taken off, and the problems of deep sea fishing are being addressed; fruit and SEE PAGE XVI vegetable farmers are being as-

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ANGELS WALK ON EARTH ANIL closed the umbrella as the rain eased to a drizzle, standing in wet conditions at the car park sourcing passengers travelling to Georgetown. He was one among the many hire car drivers parked since early morning at the old stelling road in New Amsterdam.

The consistent rainfall was bad for the workday, but it was his livelihood and patience was in his line of work. He had two passengers and needed two more

Coast. No one wanted to take it because of the bad weather, and added to that, she wasn’t willing to pay anything extra.

She stood there looking around a bit helplessly and as Anil began to pull out of the park, she raised her hand and stopped him.

“Please son, this box is very important for my granddaughter. She’s pregnant and expecting her baby soon but I can’t travel until next week.”

She had that kind of

On the way, he got into an interesting conversation with the passenger in the front seat, a stout guy who did business in the City. The man was an ardent cricket fan and an expert in betting on the game.

“So what yuh think about de Warrior’s team picked for CPL?” Anil asked him.

“Looks good to me,” he answered, “Not sure dem can mek it to de finals though.”

“Why yuh say that?”

almost an hour ago. The drizzle became heavier and he said to himself, “Maybe I should just move on with these two passengers, drop off the two packages I collected and cut my losses for the day. At least I will be able to fill up back my tank.”

He knew from experience that not all days were good days.

gentle motherly air and the worried look on her face was something Anil couldn’t say ‘No’ to. It was a teaching he grew up with, to always show care and lend a helping hand to those who needed it. He took the box and the directions and as she pulled out of the park, she said, “Thank you, son. God will bless you.”

“Yep,” Anil said with a little smile, “We all need His blessings.”

Not far after passing Rosignol he picked up one passenger and another at Bath Settlement. He now had a full load and said to himself, “Grandma’s blessings are working bai.”

“Is cricket muh fren, anything could happen.”

“Like de last five finals,” a passenger from the backseat quipped in.

“Ah man mek some good money on da last final,” the passenger who answered to the name ‘Fat Man’ said, “Because ah bet against the warriors.”

The conversation continued between the two passengers on the game until Fat Man settled down and started to snooze. One passenger stopped off at Enmore, one at Golden Grove, and the journey continued in silence until they reached Plaisance.

SEE PAGE XVII

He was walking to his car when an elderly African woman alighted from a short drop car. All the drivers rushed to her but she wasn’t travelling. She just wanted a small bag dropped off at Plaisance on the East

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A breath of fresh air in the arts scene

BETWEEN unique gala and fashion shows and the innumerable, growing spaces for creative expression, it seems as though - at least for me - a fresh sense of importance and support is being directed towards the local arts scene. And you know, I am here for it!

Last weekend, I attended Gabrielle Mohamed’s “Spirits of the Mountain Crest” play at the National Cultural Centre.

That was the first time since 2019 that I attended a play, and it was the first time in a much longer time that I attended a local play.

While I was there, it struck me that over the past year, there have been so many events and spaces that facilitated or promoted creative expression. And it has not been confined to the more traditional ways I think the arts have been promoted here in Guyana (like plays, cultural shows, etc). There are things like the increasingly popular hip hop and poetry nights by Franale, or just the vibe and ambience that the Black Magenta (née Georgetown Club) promotes, allowing local musicians, artistes and poets to just have that space to express themselves.

And it is just great to reflect on all of this, particularly since I’ve spent the last three years immersing myself in the Trinidadian arts scene (even when the pandemic posted me right back home). In fact, one of the better parts of studying in Trinidad was constant exposure to that thriving arts scene. Over there, in the Twin Island Republic, I felt there

was always something going on. There was always some spoken word night, some creatives’ workshop or just creatives finding spaces to share their art, talent and/or ideas.

Like, having up-and-coming artistes just jam in the university’s cafeteria seemed to be such a normal occurrence.

Don’t get me wrong, I know there have always been people quietly or not-so-quietly pushing the arts forward in Guyana. The Guyana Annual, this Pepperpot Magazine and the Guyana Chronicle’s Buzz publication, and our very many staple events have been integral in providing space for the arts. It’s just that seeing those constant and evident spaces for creative people in Trinidad was something that easily caught my attention. And now that I am seeing those spaces emerge more and more here in Guyana, I couldn’t be happier.

Creative expression helps people articulate their thoughts, feelings and ideas, our beliefs and values. In societies like ours, the arts have SEE PAGE XXVI always been strong ways we

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AFTER CENTURIES OF HOPE, GUYANA NOW BEGINS TO RECEIVE ADEQUATE DEVELOPMENTAL ... sisted in several ways; poultry farms have been expanding, and for the last two years there have not been any shortages of chicken and eggs, and honey production has been growing. Most importantly, markets for agricultural products are being explored, and some, like the CARICOM markets, have been secured. Agriculture would continue to generate income and employment long after oil has declined in importance.

Education and health have absorbed a good percentage of the national budget: schools are being upgraded and new ones built; school equipment were upgraded; various projects have been made to assist children and parents financially, and 20,000 scholarships in various tertiary disciplines are being made available to aspiring students. Teacher training in various fields is being energetically undertaken.

The Ministry of Health has completed its world-class successful confrontation with the COVID-19 pandemic and had been upgrading hospitals and health centres; ensuring that pharmaceuticals are never in short supply; FROM PAGE XIII

introducing modern equipment in the hospitals such as digitising X-Rays; training doctors in specialised areas; making dialysis free by introducing more machines in the health system and also giving $600,000 per annum for dialysis patients who could not access the free treatment; and the programme of building a specialty hospital is still being pursued. Most recently, the Government of Guyana, Mount Sinai Health System of New York and Hess Corporation signed an agreement that would catapult Guyana’s Healthcare into a world-class service that will ensure affordability and accessibility to Guyanese citi-

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ANGELS WALK ON...

Anil asked to be excused for a couple of minutes to drop off the box the elderly woman had given him. He followed a street that wasn’t quite good, turned at the third corner and stopped by a flat unpainted concrete house.

“Don’t tek too long,” Fat Man urged him, “Ah got people waiting in town fuh me.”

“Yeah man, just have to drop off this box.”

Anil called at the gate but no one answered until the third call. A heavily pregnant young girl, not more than 18 years came out of the house and walked slowly to open the gate. She received the box with a warm ‘Thank You’ and as Anil walked back to his car, he heard a loud gasp and the sound of the box falling to the ground. He turned around immediately and saw the girl bending over a little, holding her abdomen.

“Are you okay?”

“I—I think my water just broke.”

“What?!” Anil exclaimed and called for someone from inside the house but no one answered.

“Nobody else at home?”

“N-no,” she answered.

She tried walking back to the house but her legs seemed weak and she stretched her hand out for help.

Anil opened the gate to help her and Fat Man called FROM PAGE XIV

from the car, “Wah you doing man, all ah we gon be late!”

“She water break,” Anil answered.

“What de…” Fat Man expressed.

Anil helped her to a chair on the veranda and asked, not wanting to delay his passengers, “How is nobody at home wid yuh at this stage?”

“My cousin gone to do some shopping.”

“Any neighbour you can call?”

“I don’t live here and don’t know anyone from here.”

“Damn!” Anil looked around, uncertain what to do because she was looking so scared and as Fat Man called out to him again, he said to the girl, “Call your cousin and tell her ---” The girl gasped in pain and said breathing unevenly, “I-I think de lab-labour pain coming on.”

“Okay, now is time fuh panic!” Anil expressed.

“Please,” she said, a plea in her eyes, “Can yuh take me tuh de hospital?”

Anil hurried to the gate and called to the two male passengers, “She gone in labour, ah gotta take her to the hospital.”

“Budday, you know what you’re doing?” Fat Man objected, “Yuh can get all of us into trouble.”

“How? By helping a pregnant girl to the hospital?”

“Yeah budday! You don’t know de girl or she family

XVII and if you do that and something goes wrong, how you gon answer for it?”

“I get what you saying,” Anil answered, “But she’s alone and scared, we can’t leff she.”

“Can’t understand why she home alone,” Fat Man grumbled, “Lewwe hope we don’t get into any kinda trouble.”

And they assisted Anil with the young girl.

The traffic was heavy, the lights seemed to take forever to change and she cried out in pain at irregular intervals. The three men in the car in silent panic mode knew not what to say to comfort her until they reached the public hospital. The two men hurriedly paid him their fare and left saying, “This stop good for us.”

Anil watched them go, wondering what kind of trouble they were afraid of. He couldn’t get a good parking spot and barely squeezed into one a little way from the hospital’s entrance. He had no help and there was only one thing he could do. He lifted her in his arms and walked hurriedly but carefully to the hospital.

As the nurses in the maternity ward got the girl settled to attend to her, her cousin called to say she was on her way.

Anil waited to make sure she was okay and one of the nurses noticing the concern on his face asked him, “Are you the father?”

To be continued

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An increase in life expectancy isn’t always an increase in healthy living NOW more than ever in our world’s history, people are living longer lives due to an increase in life expectancy across the globe.

Sadly, an increase in life expectancy doesn’t equate to healthy ageing. In fact, studies have shown that although people are living longer, most of the time they are not healthily ageing. So yes, we can probably live up to 70 years now in Guyana, but that does not mean we are living a healthy life. While ageing is a natural and constant process, many have also classified it as a disease. Whatever classification it may be to you, just remember one thing - it’s constant.

Ageing is ongoing. Our bodies and minds constantly undergo daily changes as the clock ticks. I am writing this article to inspire you all to make healthier, wiser choices as you age as it’s important to do so.

It’s important for your overall well-being as well as those closest around you.

We ought to be mindful of our overall health, how we can take care of ourselves and how we can maintain a healthy lifestyle. We’ve all probably adapted unhealthy eating patterns, unhealthy emotional coping mechanisms and even unhealthy relationships/bonds with others—just to name a few, along the way. While we learn from our environments, even from a very young age, that’s no excuse

for us to learn and do better for ourselves over time.

Your body and mind become more and more delicate as the years go by. Physically, a healthy eating pattern and diet should be implemented into one’s daily routine. If we aren’t mindful of what we put into our bodies, we sadly see the detrimental effects of it over time. Mentally and emotionally, you should willingly attend therapy sessions if you have to

such, I’m encouraging you all to consider your elderly years as you proceed into your youth. Every decision you make today will mean something more than what it already is tomorrow. I encourage you all to receive the necessary professional help for your mental, emotional and physical needs. The concept of “yolo” has been used throughout the early 2010s, but I can assure

or allow yourself to process emotions in a calming matter. I’m sure you wouldn’t want to live an older life full of emotional or mental instabilities.

While we now live longer than our ancestors, we also now age unhealthily in many possible ways.

It’s a sad reality, and, unfortunately, many of the unhealthy ageing that occurs are preventable. As

you that while you only live once, you also need to ensure that you live a healthy, fulfilling and wholesome life. As you go forth and continue to live your young lives, I encourage you all to proceed with caution. Love yourself enough to allow yourself to age healthily if time and circumstances permit.

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Riverstown...

lege of Education (CPCE) and wants to do the other two years online at the University of Guyana.

“I want to be a trained graduate teacher, and I also want to help my community.”

So far, she said the Ministry of Education has been very supportive of the school, providing adequate textbooks and other materials for the 92 pupils of the school. Currently, the primary school has 12 teachers, inclusive of the headmistress.

Some of the members of the Happy Givers group.

FROM PAGE V

Adventure to Fair Field,” Bharti related.

She now has 15 members from six different villages along the Essequibo Coast in her group who would pool their money each month to prepare hampers for persons in the different villages that they’re from.

“Whatever we can afford, we give, and whatever total we get, we divide it among ourselves and distribute the hampers to people in our respective villages. Three of us would go shopping and I would volunteer my vehicle to do the distribution,” Bharti explained. As for who would be chosen as beneficiaries, the members would look around their village to see who is most in need.

With plans to expand the initiative to cover even more villages, Bharti expressed: “I don’t make a lot of money, but I believe that the more you give is the more you get. That is what I tell the other members of our group.”

Bharti seems to always be on the lookout for an opportunity to do something for the people in her village. She and others are currently in the process of planning a reading camp for kids during the time that school is closed. She has also started a class at the village mandir to get the children involved in religion as well.

Bharti was trained for two years at the Cyril Potter Col-

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Those with stable jobs come together and pool their money to prepare hampers for the needy.

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ENFORCEMENT POWERS OF OFFICERS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY IDEALLY, recognising that the environment is important to human sustenance would lead to prioritising its protection. In such a scenario, persons would voluntarily manage, conserve, protect and improve the environment even in the absence of prevailing penalties for failing to do so. However, the reality is that sole reliance on personal commitments to effective environmental management proves insufficient for achieving an acceptable level of compliance with environmental best practices.

In view of this, the Environmental Protection Act Cap 20:05 (“EP Act”) and its Regulations identify various types of environmentally harmful activities, impose specific conditions or standards for those activities, prohibit the breach of those conditions or standards and penalise their breach. Further, at section 3(1), the EP Act established the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”), which is principally concerned with enforcing the provisions of the Act.1

Top 10 Enforcement Methods In order to ensure that preventative and remedial actions are taken to protect the environment, officers of the EPA utilise a range of enforcement options, including the following.

1. Formal Warnings Oftentimes, where it appears that a person is in breach of a provision of the EP Act, officers of the EPA firstly strive to encourage compliance by informing the person of the agency’s stance on the offending activity, the threat involved, the steps that can be taken to remedy the situation and the time-frame within which corrective action ought to be taken.

2. Prohibition Notices Where oral cautions and formal warnings fail, and it appears that a person is conducting activities which are harmful to human health and the environment, the officers of the EPA may proceed to issue a Prohibition Notice under section 27 of the EP Act. Such notices order the immediate cessation of the offending activity. Persons who fail to adhere to Prohibition Notices become liable to a fine which may exceed three hundred thousand dollars and imprisonment for up to one year.

3. Enforcement Notices Where an officer of the EPA observes that a person

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ENFORCEMENT POWERS OF OFFICERS ...

FROM PAGE XXIV is contravening or is likely to contravene a condition of an environmental permit, they may issue an Enforcement Notice in accordance with section 26 of the EP Act. If the person in breach of an environmental permit fails to adhere to an Enforcement Notice, an officer of the EPA may proceed to cancel or suspend the said permit.2 4. Cessation Orders Where any project is being carried on or has been started without an environmental permit as required by the EP Act, the EPA is required to immediately serve an order under section 15(2) of the EP Act, directing the person responsible, to immediately stop the project.

5. Fixed Penalties Where an officer of the EPA has reason to believe that a person has committed an offence, the officer may give that person a notice pursuant to section 46 of the EP Act, offering them the opportunity to discharge any liability to conviction for that offence by payment to the EPA of twothirds of the minimum prescribed penalty within 28 days of the date of the notice.

6. Clean-up Orders Where an officer of the EPA considers any premises, when viewed from a public road, street or highway, to be unsightly or seriously detrimental to the amenities of the neighbourhood by reason of litter, they may proceed to issue a clean-up order pursuant to Regulation 24 of Environmental Protection (Litter Enforcement) Regulations 2013, requiring the person in control of the premises, to remedy its condition.

7. Litter-removal Orders Where an officer of the EPA finds a person depositing litter in a public place without reasonable excuse, they may proceed to issue a litter removal order pursuant to Regulation 22(3) of Environmental Protection (Litter Enforcement) Regulations 2013, requiring the person to remedy the condition caused by their action.

8. Detention of Property Section 35(2)(f) and (g) of the EP Act provides that officers of the EPA may take any article or substance found in or on premises that they consider to have caused, or to be likely to cause pollution of the environment, and dismantle it, subject it to processing or testing, or detain it to ensure that the articles or substances are available for use as evidence in any proceedings for an offence under the EP Act. 9. Injunction Where a person has, is about to, or is likely to do any act or thing constituting or directing the commission of an offence under the EP Act, an officer of the EPA may, in accordance with section 47(1) of the EP Act, proceed to make an application to the High Court requesting that the court make an order which requires the person to either refrain for doing a particular thing, or to do a particular thing which would prevent the commission of an offence.

10. Prosecution Although the EPA makes every effort to encourage voluntary compliance with the EP Act, in certain instances, it becomes necessary to prosecute offences under the Act. For instance, where breaches have significant environmental consequences, where there is an apparent disregard for the law, or where the offender has been found guilty of breaches on previous occasions, officers of the EPA may proceed to initiate legal proceedings against apparent offenders, in accordance with section 32(1) of the EP Act. You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Communications, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit. epaguyana@gmail.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel.

1 Section 4(2)(d) of the EP Act. 2 Section 13(1)(a) of the EP Act

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A breath of fresh air ...

FROM PAGE XV

communicate who we are (think about resistance through the arts, or how we skillfully used the arts to preserve our culture when under threat). And one cannot overemphasise just how important it is to allow this to flourish.

In addition to Gabrielle’s play, I participated in a filmmaking workshop hosted by Rae Wiltshire. In that space,

I was fortunate enough to meet many of the movers and shakers of the local creative sector (Rae included!). And that workshop brought together actors, writers, technical folks and people like me who are just figuring out their creative voices along the way. Then there’s the Black Magenta. It is a hangout spot, but it isn’t just someplace you go to sit, drink something and spend time with your friends; as I mentioned, it’s a space that routinely features local creatives, offering

them the chance to share their craft with the rest of us. All avenues provide the arts with space to flourish.

I can’t say if this breath of fresh air that we’re experiencing now is because we’re slowly coming out of the pandemic restrictions, and creatives are finding ways of cutting through the pandemic-induced drought. Or perhaps, some of it could be attributed to the infusion of some resources through the cultural/ creative industries grant. Whatever the case may be, I think the time is ripe for us to capitalise on the momentum and meaningfully support those in the creative sector instead of treating them as a mere afterthought or a simple addition to otherwise bland events.

If you would like to discuss this column or any of my previous writings, please feel free to contact me via email: vish14ragobeer@gmail.com

Local business constructing modern ...

FROM PAGE IV

stories, and the team will be adding turn-key offices under its umbrella.

The complex, once completed, will see a hassle-free environment for transacting business, especially when it comes to parking. “We want to create a complex whereby parking will not be burdensome. Transacting business will be easy because we will be dedicating an entire flat for customer parking,” Sabrina shared.

Looking back on their accomplishments so far, she said she and her husband feel humbled, accomplished and blessed. Sharing a word of encouragement to budding young entrepreneurs, she said: “You have to love what you do, and you have to be careful and considerate of meeting obstacles in the way. Once you’re committed and have a positive mindset, you will be able to achieve.”

“I would advise any young budding entrepreneurs who would like to venture into the brokerage field to move with the times. Previously, brokers were not recognised as they are today. Having a broker’s license is very prestigious and adding an office has its advantages; anyone coming to do business here wants to see an established place,” she continued.

Meanwhile, Nandalall Algoo was one of seven persons who wrote and passed the Guyana Revenue Authority’s (GRA) broker exams in 2001, which had seen 75 candidates.

As Nandalall had explained, although there may be many persons who are seasoned in the business, very few of them are licensed by GRA. So having been successful at the exam, Nandalall kicked off single-handedly building his name in the customs business. In the meantime, his wife would assist him in the background in preparing invoices for his customers, among other things.

“The customers could not believe that we were operating from our vehicle,” she had said, and so she decided to quit her job in 2012 and join forces with her husband, after which they eventually acquired office space. Within just a short time, the business grew tremendously.

Their office at Public Road, Kitty, ran out of space to accommodate the number of staff members needed for the job, and the new branch office, at Public Road, Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara (WCD), was established to cater for their customers from the Essequibo Islands and from WCD.

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Still going by the values of doing hard work and... and tomorrow they’re gone.”

Describing herself as a home manager today, Denise said she helps her husband to sell mostly fruits, vegetables and provisions which they buy from farmers in the vicinity.

She would set up the stall from as early as 04:00hrs on the public road by bringing out the fruits and vegetables.

Having to fetch out the different tubs, her husband would also be there to assist. In fact, he is the one who runs the stall at home while she sells at Anna Regina Market on Mondays and Fridays.

“On Mondays, I wake up at 3:00am and on Friday at 1:00am and then head to the market for 2:30 am. It’s a joy to get up early because I know I am going to do something good,” Denise said.

In fact, waking up early is nothing new to her. “I started to wake up early when I was 17 years old. My father-in-law used to keep noise and announce it’s time to wake up, so I am accustomed to waking up early.”

When she went to live in Riverstown many moons ago, Denise recalled that she was told that the village is a little garden with bitter weeds. “Yes, it is, but you have to know how to make it through. You have to set an example in the way you live and carry yourself,” she offered.

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Should ‘Ethics-PLUS’ be a...

FROM PAGE XI

I was lucky to have lived in both rural, though for a shorter time, and urban communities. In a discussion with some brethren from boyhood days and our teenage timeline, we reflected with an awareness that the worst level of poverty is illiteracy. It disabled explorations into alternate ideas, against the dictates and concepts that are presented at corner gaff and reasonings, depending on who is the dominant authority. Though half-baked, it presented, as they say, as ‘Gospel Truth’, and we realised that because of social conditions, a subculture of survival could become a justified custom of practice, decorated with a creed of its own, that may be relevant to those who live it for a time.

But it becomes counter-productive with social changes, because social cultures do not remain stagnant, and change demands a revolution within. The balance of ethical reasoning can prevail for the evolution of a culture without losing its functioning identity.

There is knowledge in every experience. As humans, individuals and nations, when faced with personal controversy, we take forbidden chances; even making a habit of poor choices. Still, without the inner arguments of ethical dialogue, the redeeming acknowledgement of individual error cannot be reconciled with. Thus, it must begin early, to be able to balance the scales; it must be taught to be an organ of the subconscious.

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‘I love..

FROM PAGE III

working and dedicated students I know. I believe her success in the MBA can be attributed to her open-minded approach to learning,” Dr. Phillips further commented.

The MBA course combines core disciplines with innovative subject areas supported by the latest research in strategic management and leadership to develop business competence and strengthen confidence and credibility, providing practical and theoretical capabilities to master the complexities of a competitive and changing business environment.

The MBA (Oil and Gas Management) is a flagship qualification designed to meet the needs and aspirations of early career individuals through the combination of a general management education with the specialist area of Oil and Gas Management.

The course, according to University of Bedfordshire, adopts a practical and applied business curriculum and aims to develop an advanced knowledge of organisations and their effective management in the dynamic competitive global context, and the ability to creatively apply this knowledge and understanding to complex issues to systematically and innovatively enhance strategic business and management practice.

Successful completion of it highlights a student’s potential to have a real impact on the transformation of the organisation they are working with.

FAMILY SUPPORT Divya believes that it is important to have a very good support system and she is therefore grateful for the help she’s received from her parents Vishnu and Davitri, along with her other family members and friends.

Her family, she shared, has never tried to talk her out of pursuing any goal that she had in mind. Her parents have always instilled in her the importance of becoming a responsible adult and working hard for anything that she wanted. Nothing has ever been laid out on a silver platter, she related.

“Divya has always been my proudest achievement. She amazes me daily by her maturity and intelligence. When she joined us in our business development companies three years ago, she was considering the path to take educationally.

Coming from a business family and knowing that our country requires professionals who understand the oil and gas industry allowed her to choose the route of a MBA in Oil and Gas management,” her father related.

Her discipline and mental evolution throughout the course were exemplary, he continued. “I can see how her level of strategic thinking has impacted her vision and the performance of the three companies she is growing. Guyana’s future is bright not because we have this new windfall; it is bright because of Divya and all the talented professionals who are making the effort to develop themselves and this country. I’m immensely proud of Divya and excited about the many ways in which her life will impact our world,” the proud dad expressed.

Divya’s mother, too, shared that her daughter has always been a very disciplined child from a young age, especially when it comes to her academics. “She would always give priority to her studies and we are very proud of her achievements,” Davitri related.

Divya said the qualities that her parents instilled in her as an only child have shown her the importance of working hard and saving. In fact, she is proud of the fact that she has been able to pay for most of her education so far on her own.

“With my parents, it was not just about asking for something and then getting it; I always had to put in work or make sure that I understand the value of what I was asking for…There was nothing that I was just given.

Those simple lessons have remained with me throughout the years.”

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THOUGHT FOR TODAY That action is best , which procures the greatest happiness for the greatest numbers.

FRANCIS HUTC HESON (1694-1746) Inqu iry into the Original of Ideas of Bea uty and Virtue (1725) Treatise II. Concerning

July 17, 2022 STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student, Welcome dear friend.

Start your revision early.

It determines your course scores. If you want to do well, keep your work up-todate. This means planning so that you have time to do

your best work. You may find some subjects more difficult than others; nevertheless, keep abreast with them all. Refrain from ditching challenging subjects. Some subjects you dislike now may be important for the future. Do not give up on subjects too early. Be fair with them.

Love you.

IMPROVING WRITING Writing a Loving Story \Friends, what makes you want to continue reading something you have started reading? Can you describe how the author captured your interest? How did he set about doing it to you, his reader?

Why can some people constantly write good stories and others just simply cannot?

How did a writer ever think about a tree that bears all kinds of fruits, or even finding a gold mountain? Maybe one study partner would say, “He put his imagination into gear.” Maybe another would say, “He let his imagination run wild.”? Whatever is the trajectory, a good, readable, and much liked story resulted.

Young writers can soon become interesting authors when earnest pen touches paper.

Look at what follows.

There are kinds of things, places and people you have preference for. They fill an important place in your mind.

But have you really met any of them especially the people?

What makes them important to you? Think carefully before you tell your study partner.

People in stories are called characters (as you know already). Here are some important people that you might have already met along the way. There are clues to be noticed as you read, language detectives.

What to observe: Observe how each character is put against the other to create conflict, struggle, and plot in each of the five cases set out.

1. ....and his only alternative to escape from the labour of the farm and the clamour of his wife, was to take a gun in hand, and stroll away into the woods. Here he would sometimes seat himself at the foot of a tree and share the contents of his wallet with Wolf, with whom he sympathised as a fellow-sufferer

in persecution. “Poor Wolf,” he would say, “thy mistress leads thee a dog’s life of it; but never mind, my lad, whilst I live, thou shalt never want a friend to stand by thee!”

What do you call this kind of guy? Can you play on his characteristics for a lively story? I think you can if you think hard enough.

2. His left leg was cut off close to the hip, and under the left shoulder he carried a crutch, which he managed with wonderful dexterity, hopping about upon it like a bird.

He was very tall and strong, with a face as big as a ham - plain and pale, but intelligent and smiling. Indeed, he seemed in the most cheerful spirits, whistling as he moved about among the tables, with a very merry word or a slap on the shoulder for the more favoured of his guests. \What do you call this kind of guy? Can you play on his characteristics for a lively story? Yes, you can.

3. At length he came close to me, and then he kneeled again, kissed the ground, and, taking my foot, set it upon his head; this, it seems, was in token of swearing to be my slave forever. I took him up, and made much of him, and encouraged him all I could.

But he perceived the savage whom I knocked down was not killed, but only stunned with the blow, and began to come to himself…. He no sooner had it than he ran to his enemy, and, at one blow, cut off his head so cleverly, no executioner anywhere in the world could have done it sooner or better….

Can you play on the characteristics of the persons for a lively story? I think you can if you think hard enough. Think hard about the language, situation, and era.

Who is being described and who is describing him? Who was killed and by whom?

4. His head was small, and flat at top, with huge ears, large, green, glassy eyes, and a long, snip nose, so that it looked like a weather-cock perched upon his spindle neck to tell which way the wind blew. To see him striding along the profile of a hill on a windy day, with his clothes bagging and fluttering about him, one might have mistaken him for the genius of Famine descending upon the earth or some scarecrow eloped from a cornfield. Who is

this odd-looking creature?

What phenomenon is being described? Are you noticing clues to latch on to for a good story of yours?

5. After some moments of silence, which not one of us dreamed of breaking, “Gentlemen,” he said in a calm and penetrating voice, “I speak French, English, German, and Latin equally well…. What I now affirm is, that I have a right to speak of these seas, under which, in less than ten months, I have crossed 20,000 leagues in that submarine tour of the world, which has revealed so many wonders.”

If your interest is maritime touring, try this one, then.

What to Do Choose a stimulus from above and coin a good story, making any juicy additions that come to mind. Write without stopping until you have nothing more to say, then edit, proofread, and rewrite.

READING: Read Good Books 1. Sit with a few study partners and let the group make up a list of good books in which you found likeable people and important characters; material to create excellent conflict, struggle, and plot important to your study at this time.

2. Let each partner tell from which stories he/she has ever drawn material to make up an interesting and successful story.

3. Discuss thoughts on how some characters from stories live forever.

4. Describe a character from your imagination.

5. Write the names of the five best friends you have made through reading and write one short paragraph telling why teach is special to you.

THE PASSAGE: (from last week’s last item: Melville’s “Moby-Dick”) What to Do: Read the episode over and over again. Noting the writer’s way of expression.

See how his expression suits the occasion. Note the reaction of the other characters.

Note what technique(s) can be of use to you to improve your writing, and then try writing an adventure story that comes from your wild imagination after re-reading. Do not fear using dialogue. Make it lively, though. We wish you great success.

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Dentists and drug addicts THERE is hardly a day without the daily newspaper carrying an article about someone being accused or convicted of either trafficking or using cocaine or marijuana. In fact, Guyana can be considered apocalyptic in this regard.

While drug-abusing patients may be difficult to identify, an alert dentist can contribute significantly towards mitigating the problem. The following are general physical or behavioural signs that should alert the dentist to suspect that they are dealing with an addict.

1. Inability to spit normally 2. Changes in normal work habits, attendance or efficiency 3. Deteriorated physical appearance and personal hygiene 4. Efforts to cover up arms and wrists to hide needle marks (use of intravenous drugs results in discoloured

skin) 5. Wearing sunglasses at inappropriate times; addicts may be hiding constricted or dilated pupils or bloodshot eyes 6. The presence of poorly defined and low-grade fever. The narcotic addict, in particular, may approach the dentist posing as a legitimate patient to obtain opioid substances. The abuser may attempt to obtain paregoric, from which he can extract opium, by claiming to have a child who is restless and in pain because of cutting teeth.

An addict may fake pulpitis (toothache) or present with an oral abscess, requesting narcotics to temporarily relieve pain. He will usually claim an allergy to weaker agents such as codeine or propoxyphene and helpfully suggest that Meperidine or Percodan has worked well in the past. Narcotic abusers also seek morphine and hydromorphone.

A dentist who accommodates a drug abuser by writing prescriptions for large amounts of drugs runs a real risk. Having once committed such a criminal act, the practitioner may be blackmailed under the threat of exposure, mutilation or death into becoming a perpetual drug supplier for the abuser, his friends or the underworld syndicate.

Drugs of abuse are divided into three groups, central nervous system depressants such as morphine, alcohol, diazepam and nitrous dioxide; CNS stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamine; and hallucinogens such as marijuana and LSD. It may surprise many to learn that of the nine basic substances classified as drugs of abuse, morphine is by far the worst while marijuana is relatively harmless from a chemical standpoint. In fact, marijuana does not present tolerance or psychological dependence and only

mild physical dependence. On the other hand, morphine exhibits psychological dependence as well as tolerance.

Abuse of cocaine ranks second only to morphine. These drugs wreak havoc with the social fabric of society. The dentist’s role as an informed, concerned and empathic counsellor in matters of drug abuse, apart from the other relevant professionals, must be assumed as a personal imperative and not viewed as an intellectual abstraction. Whenever we are made aware of

the drug-related devastation or death of a friend, we discern the immediacy of ethical responsibility of social dimensions.

The poet John Donne wrote 370 years ago: “No man is an island…Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never sends to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.”

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