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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 2, 2017
Banking on cherries
River ’s View hopeful agro-processing project will bear fruit
RESIDENTS of the Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) community of River’s View are optimistic that the cherry orchard agricultural project they have embarked upon will see the commencement of a small-scale agro-processing factory in the community. The residents, with the help of the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI), have planted 100 cherry trees and are watching them blossom every day. NAREI’s role in the project, which owes its genesis to President Granger’s ‘plant-a-tree’ concept, is to provide the necessary assistance to have the fruit orchard up and running. “This project was for all
the communities around the area, but to date, River’s View is the only community that came on board. The community provides the land and labour, and NAREI provides the plants along with the technical advice, staff and whatever chemical that will be needed in terms of pest management and so,” NAREI’s Crop Extension Officer Trisha Williams told this publication. Friday is the day designated for the community to work on the orchard. Work involves nurturing the seedlings and keeping them free of weed. The youths involved in the Hinterland Employment Youth Service (HEYS) also work on the orchard, in that they contribute to the practical agricultural aspect of the programme.
The cherry orchard at River’s View
FRESH CHERRY JUICE The cherries that will be reaped from the orchard were initially intended to support the community’s school-feeding programme by providing a cup of fresh cherry juice daily for children attending primary and nursery school. “Once the trees would have reached a bearing stage and we have excess, we plan to start focusing on processing,” Williams said. “We are looking at it as a way to also provide employment within the community, and in a way starting food security at some point as regards improving the nutrition of the residents,” she added. But, one of the major challenges bedevilling the project, Williams said, is
the daily battle between farmers and acoushi ants which would often devour the crops. Thanks to NAREI, however, the ants are kept in check with a regular dose of pesticide, which is provided not only to the cherry orchard project, but all the farmers who practise subsistence and small-scale farming in the community. “NAREI would provide the chemicals, in terms of spraying, and would also be there to give directions of how to use it,” Williams said, adding: “NAREI also provides training to the persons working on the orchard, in terms of how to control different pests and good agricultural practises in general.” But, according to Wil-
NAREI Crop Extension Officer, Trisha Williams
liams, acoushi ants are but the least of the farmers’ problems, as they also have to contend with wild animals that often reap their crops even before they can. And with the run-around they’re getting to acquire a firearm licence, it’s only adding to their frustration. Then there’s the age-old problem of water shortages. “We have the Essequibo River, but the farming lands are way down to the back, where there is no water source,” Williams said. “So, one of the things we would like to see eventually is intervention from the authorities to see canals and so on being accessed to the farm lands which will support irrigation and also a mode of transport.” GREAT PROMISE But in spite of the foregoing setbacks, she is optimistic that agriculture has great promise for River’s View, since there’s not just plenty of land there, but a willing labour force
as well. With the agricultural projects, the farmers are being encouraged to return to the fields, and with the introduction of farming technologies within the community, the youths can also get involved. “Farmers are also looking for funding, which is not readily available,” Williams said. “Remember, in these communities, we don’t really have transport for lands that we can actually take to financial institutions to get a loan; these are communal lands, and so there is no land title that a farmer can actually take to an organisation to say you can get a loan.” As a NAREIE extension officer for a number of years, Trisha Williams vows to continue working with the farmers and residents of her community to see the real potential of agriculture for the development of River’s View.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 2, 2017
Lindeners champion cause for the differently-abled --call for establishment of user-friendly spaces LINDENERS are calling on the relevant authorities to make learning and socialising easier for the differently-abled, especially those who are visually impaired. They say the problem is particularly acute for those trying to get an education, or the hang of a particular sport, as currently, none of the schools and sporting facilities in Linden cater to their needs. Currently, there are approximately 30 visually impaired students attending most of the schools in Linden. This is in addition to the several students with physical disabilities also attending regular schools, as students with mental disabilities attend the Special Needs School. For these children attending the regular schools, especially secondary schools, the challenges are so great, most of them eventually decide
to drop out of school rather than stay the course. Special-needs teacher, Shellon Swaving is attached to the Wismar Hill Visually Impaired Unit. She says there’s lots to be done for the differently-abled students, especially those who are visually impaired or wheel-chair bound. According to Swaving, none of the school’s facilities are disability-friendly. “The children in the wheelchair, as soon as they meet a certain age in secondary school, because there is no one to fetch them around, they have to drop out of school,” she said, adding: “We have so many of them at home; children with physical disabilities are not getting it easy.” LIMITED SUPPORT She also bemoaned the limited support received from the relevant authorities in this regard,
Special-needs Teacher, Shellon Swaving
as the regional education authorities give as much support as they can, but there is only so much they can do. Similar sentiments were expressed by special needs teacher, Jenelle Williams, who said the situation can be sometimes frustrating. “You need more support from the outsiders; we need to teach them life skills, and we don’t even have a kitchen here,” she revealed. Mackenzie High’s Relon Sumner, who is visually impaired, said that at one point, he wanted to drop out of school because of the various challenges he was facing, from neglect to bullying. He said that while he has now become a seasoned campaigner, since it’s going on four years he’s been in school, he worries about his younger brother, Roell, who is also visually impaired and is in Form One. “I went through it! But is he I studying, because he now start,” Relon said. Because of the limited systems in place for the students to participate in class activities and grading activities, it is as if they are just passing through school. Their mother, Ronella Jarvis told this publication that she visited several regional officials, ministers and Members of Parliament about the situation but nothing has changed. To her, the children’s future is at stake, as they are just passing through the education system. “I got a recorder for my son, and is like a waste of time, as he is just going with the recorder and coming home back with it,” Mrs Jarvis said, adding: “A few teachers might ask for the recorder; numerous times I go to the school and see my son sitting at the back of the class, and the teacher would say, ‘Oh, he is not doing this subject.’ And I would say, ‘Nothing is wrong with his ears! He
can learn!” Their father, Ryan Waldron said that the children and naturally intelligent, and their future may go to waste as nothing is in place for the children. “It really tough; it really hard! We need for something to be done to assist the children, because it is unfair to them,” Mr Waldron said. The few students who make it through high school are now required to travel to Georgetown daily if they want to write the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations. DAILY STRUGGLE Former student, Teshawn Rodney spoke of the daily struggle of travelling back and forth to attend classes at the Visually Impaired Unit in Georgetown to prepare for the examinations. “I had to travel to town every single day because Georgetown have the JAWS (Job Access With Speech software); so if you want to do it, you have to find the passage every day,” Teshawn said. And while the schools are not disability friendly, the sporting facilities are also an issue, because they, too, are not accessible to the students who are differently-abled and may want to pursue a sport or even attend a school event. The Mackenzie Sports Club Ground has been criticised for its short-sightedness in this regard as the main sporting facility in Linden. “Not because you have a disability means you can’t go to a Sports Club,” Teacher Shellon said. RECOMMENDATIONS Both teachers with whom the Guyana Chronicle spoke are calling for a medium that specifically deals with disabilities. “We need a channel
Advocate for the differently abled, Setra Oselmo
through the Ministry,” they said. “If we have a differently-abled child, we need somebody at the Ministry who deals with disabilities; we need a special-needs officer, just as there is a primary and a secondary officer.” There’s also a cry ing need, they said, for a nexus between the medical and the educational departments to effectively meet the educational needs of the entire differently-abled community. The struggles of accessing public buildings in Linden, they say, are not only experienced by students but everyone who is differently-abled in some regard. The plight of the differently-abled was also highlighted by designer and make-up artist, Setra Oselmo, who is herself bound to a wheelchair after losing mobility in her legs following a vehicular accident. Setra, who is a staunch advocate for equality in this regard, in a previous interview with the Guyana Chronicle made a call for all public buildings to become more accessible, as she has to be lifted into buildings whenever the need arises. Currently, there are only two buildings that
have been made accessible for persons who are differently abled. “With the exception of the Linden Hospital Complex and the Egbert Benjamin Conference Centre, nowhere has provisions for persons in my condition,” Petra said, adding: “The Banks, the Regional Democratic Council, the Sports Club are all difficult to traverse, and I have to be lifted 15 to 20 steps by my brothers when I have to go to those places. “And I’m no feather! So you can well imagine the strain I put them under!” This situation has deterred her from attending several events and transacting her own business at the bank and other institutions. “I love to shop, and I miss that above everything else,” she said, “as no shopping centre allows me to shop with my wheelchair.” Setra is calling upon business owners, governmental organizations and other stakeholders to have their businesses accessible to those who are differently abled, as they are a part of society as well.
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GUYANA CHRONICLE Thursday, March 2, 2017
The indefatigable Shantoba Bright Beauty of the Week... --A star athlete in the making JUST recently, she was honoured with the youth female athlete of the year award at the National Sports Commission’s Sports Awards Ceremony. This award, however, was nothing surprising for this 16-year-old Linden athlete who has received many accolades, medals and trophies since the commencement of her athletic career in 2013. Shantoba Bright, the little slim, shy-faced, pretty-looking Mackenzie High School student started making headlines, and was the centre of conversation in the sports arena in Linden four years ago, and with so much youth, vigour and motivation left in her, she will continue to make headlines in the sports arena. In fact, her noticeable humility explains that being the topic for conversation is not her main aim, but making her mother and family proud, and achieving her goal of making it to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Shantoba’s athletic potential was recognised in 2013 by her Physical Education teacher, Mr Kevin Bonnet who encouraged her to start jumping, as she has the built of a jumper. Said Shantoba: “I took his advice and competed in the long and triple jump for inter-school sports, and qualified immediately for Nationals. “There I won two gold medals as the Under 14 ath-
Shantoba Bright in action
lete.” And that’s when she started taking sports seriously, Shantoba said. She would later join the Upper Demerara Students Athletics Club, where she received maximum support from her coach, Mr Johnny Gravesande. “In 2014, I went to the CUT (Caribbean Union of Teachers) Games in Trinidad & Tobago and took part in a few field events,” Shantoba said, adding: “That was the first time I travelled overseas to represent Guyana; I placed fourth. I then went to the CARIFTA Games in 2016 in Grenada,
and I won two silver medals for both long and triple jump. I went to Argentina for the South American Youth Games, and I won a bronze; and I am now preparing to go to my second CARIFTA games in Curacao in April.” BOOKS AND TRACKS With such a rigorous training schedule and the several competitions, this Fifth Former has managed to perfectly balance both academics and sport so as to succeed in both. Preparing to sit 10 CSEC subjects in May, Shantoba is confident that she will be
extremely successful. “I have always been a bright girl,” she said. “I balance it pretty well, and I have a supportive mom and coach; I have always maintained good grades, and went to all of the prize-giving exercises and received prizes for both academic and sports performance. I have never failed any subject.” Shantoba aspires to become a lawyer and a professional athlete, and is determined to remain focussed and not get distracted, so as to achieve these goals. In addition to it’s being for her own satisfaction, she also prioritises making her mother proud, as she is a single-parent and has always supported her, despite financial constraints. “I was raised by my grandmother who died when I was eight,” she said. “Then I went to live with my mother, who is a single-parent. And she is very supportive of me, because she was a long-distance runner herself, but couldn’t pursue sports because she did not get any support. But she supports me, and gives me the necessary stuff that I need.” She also spoke of her strict Christian upbringing, which has resulted in her being the chaste and respectable young lady she is today. Shantoba also praised her very dedicated coach, Johnny, who is one of her main cheerleaders, but bemoaned the condition of the Mackenzie Sports Club Ground, which, if upgraded, athletics in Linden would go a far way.
‘AFC Cares’ treats Linden pensioners to breakfast
THE Alliance For Change Region 10 Regional Management Committee (RMC) on Wednesday morning treated pensioners to breakfast at the Mackenzie Post Office. As has been their wont over the years, the mining town’s pensioners had assembled at the post office from early in the morning to collect old age pension, which is distributed on the first day of every month. The ‘AFC Cares’ Linden initiative was led by Region 10 RMC Chairman, Ms Tracy Johnson and the RMC executives, and also included Member of Parliament, Mr. Audwin Rutherford, and the Prime Minister’s Region
Treating the elderly at Linden
10 Representative, Mr. Vladimir Glasgow. The community initiative is part of the AFC Cares and
AFC Outreach programmes which are being executed nationwide by AFC’s RMCs, Women For Change (WFC),
Youth For Change (YFC), and party activists. The WFC held several children’s parties last Christ-
The ravishing Asake Lee
LINDEN beauty Asake Lee has been turning heads for years, and is now turning minds as she upgrades her beauty with class, qualifications and a sassy personality. The 23-year-old is a University of Guyana graduate who holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations. This accomplishment was not a difficult task for the former Mackenzie High student who placed third in Region 10 when she sat the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE). She is currently the proud owner of an Online Boutique named “Little Black Dress”, and continues to rank high on the social ladder with her tantalising wardrobe and swagger. Despite being popular and outgoing, there is a quiet side to this “only-child”. She summed up her personality thus: “I enjoy reading, socialising, travelling and from time to time watching movies alone. I would describe myself as confident, determined and selfless. My most dominant attribute is being able to overcome life’s challenges, and with that, I gain tremendous strength. “One might wonder why I decided to have my own boutique, but I believe that we should follow our passions, and this is one of my greatest passions. Not only do I love being well dressed, but to be able to help others look that way brings me joy.” Her favourite quote is: “You can never be overdressed or over-educated.” mas, while the Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) RMC held Mother’s Day, Christmas, and other Thanksgiving events last year. The grouping also held feeding programmes, and handed out food hampers to persons in need in January of this year. An AFC team, led by Member of Parliament, Mr. Michael Carrington, and comprising Messrs
Raymond Hall and Dennis Atwell also visited the Moruca sub-region in Region One (Barima-Waini) and distributed food hampers and gifts to children in Santa Rosa during the Christmas season. The foregoing initiatives form part of the AFC’s ongoing work in the communities to offer assistance and support to our more vulnerable brothers and sisters.