Guyana Chronicle Pepperpot E-Paper 08-01-2023

On a quest to inspire young creatives, Guyanese cinematographer Yaphet Jackman, on December 26, screened a feature film that debuted on BET+, Christmas for Sale at the Caribbean Cinemas in Giftland Mall. Subsequently, a “gyaff with the cinematographer” was hosted for people to engage him with questions or comments about the film

(Photo by Fernando Castro)

Learning to accept her reality and making the best of it

“YOU don’t know what you have until it’s gone” is quite a popular adage, but one that took on special meaning to Lata Devi Jagmohan when she lost her sight about 10 years ago. She was just 18 and at the height of pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher. It’s a profession that she had always admired, but once she lost her sight, she had to scrap all hopes of pursuing it.

Growing up, Lata Devi, called ‘Streema’ always had an issue with her eyes but nothing that she took seriously. Born in Skeldon and raised in Canefield, Canje, in a very poor household, there wasn’t a chance for her to get an eye checkup and early diagnosis.

So whatever the problem was with her eyes, it progressed. One day when she was in school, at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI), having graduated from the Berbice Educational Institute with eight subjects, she suffered a life-changing event.

“My eyes took a drastic turn, and really started to irritate me. I had to be sent home from school, and since that day, I never went back,” Lata Devi recalled in an interview with Pepperpot Magazine a few days ago.

Because of her economic background, she’d often consider the value of getting a good education and a good job. She felt she was finally getting somewhere during her second year at NATI, but tragedy struck. She could no longer pursue the dreams she had in mind. “Then is when you know the value of what you had. It changed the way I looked at life,” she expressed.

Lata Devi has an inherited eye condition that causes her cornea to scar. Once she left school and began hospital ‘runnings,’ she was told by doctors that she had lost her right eye and was going to lose the left one if she did not do a cornea transplant. She went to Trinidad to do this operation twice, but they both failed.

“I have little to no sight in my left eye also, but there’s still some light entering, so it’s something to talk about. I can make out colours if they’re up close and make out some movements if someone walks past me very close,” she explained.

It was an emotional roller coaster at first, but once she was helped to come out of an immensely ‘dark hole’ by her family and friends, Lata Devi decided to move on with her life. She’s now at the University of Guyana (UG),studying to become a social worker.

“I think that if I had the support that I want to give as a social worker, things would have been easier for me to digest and cope with,” she shared as to her reason for wanting to become a social worker. “Ihad to learn to do it on my own and that’s not a bad thing.”

Currently, she’s an orientation and mobility officer helping to train others with a vision disability how to use their cane, smart devices, and technology, and live their lives without sight. As such, she still feels that she’s fulfilling her dreamof teaching after all.

”I keep telling people to be grateful for what they have. You don’t know what you have until it’s gone. You

might curse your life and what you have.I look at others in a worse condition, and I thank God for not taking away my legs or something like that,” Lata Devi shared.

Among the challenges she has to cope with daily is the stigma of having a disability. “People treat you differently. They just put you aside and judge you that you can’t do anything. People don’t want to employ us even as we have a right to employment. We may have the qualifications, but because we have a disability they won’t give us a chance.”

Apart from her strong system, Lata Devi explained that acceptance is a big part of helping her cope with her reality. “When I decided to come out from the dark hole I was in, my family supported me; they are my backbone. What I can’t change, I live with. Acquiring a disability was not something in my control so I cannot change it; I’ve learned to accept it and live with it.”

Her beautiful three-yearold daughter also became her biggest inspiration and inspired her to be strong and independent. “I don’t want her to see me as a weak mom, but as a strong woman fighting to be the best I can.”

After finishing UG, Lata Devi plans to pursue her career in social work even further.She wants those in the disability community to know that isolating themselves will not help.

“Come out and interact. Do not shut yourself out from the world. We are not outcasts; we are people like everyone else. Be grateful, be kind to others, and show gratitude.”

Currently an orientation and mobility officer, Lata Devi helps to train others with a vision disability

Acquiring a vision disability while still studying took a toll on young Lata Devi

Lata Devi is glad she embraced her reality and works to make the best of it

After finishing UG, Lata Devi plans to pursue her career in social work even further

Filmmaking comes full-circle

Guyanese filmmaker comes home to share BET+ production with local audience

By Trina Williams

On a quest to inspire young creatives, Guyanese cinematographer Yaphet Jackman, on December 26, screened his feature film that debuted on BET Plus, ‘Christmas for Sale’ at the Caribbean Cinemas in Giftland Mall. Subsequently, a “gyaff with the cinematographer” was hosted for people to engage him with questions or comments about the film.

The young boy from Bent Street has made a name for himself in filmmaking. Yaphet has evolved from being recognised as the “Upscale Poetry guy” to a Director of Photography on the “big screen.”

Bent Street Films, a media and consultancy production company that Yaphet started, is named after the area in Guyana where he was raised. He claimed that through that business, efforts have been made to integrate production labour and education, the latter of which is typically missing from programs intended to grow the local film industry.

In an interview with the Pepperpot Magazine, Yaphetreflected on the obstacles he encountered on his path to becoming the well-known filmmaker he is today.

“From a little Bent Street boy saying‘can you help me?’

to being this big director of photography is really a full circle moment for me, especially to sit and see the people who would have believed in me is something else,” Yaphet

underlined. The event was made especially unforgettable with his aunt, who gave him his first camera, in the audi-

when I was a little boy, that the Holy Spirit told her that she would see my name on the ‘big screen.’ It’s a full-circle moment for me. I did it for them. Even though my mother is not here, my grandmother is here and has seen my mother’s vision come through,” he said.

The Pepperpot Magazine also spoke to other persons close to Yaphet, who all expressed pride in seeing his work on the big screen. His wife, Nicole Jackman, voiced her extreme admiration for him. She added that she always applauded and commended her husband, regardless of how big or small his accomplishment may have been.

cole said. “I celebrate all of his work… even the small ones. I am proud of my husband because he worked very hard for this and to see Guyanese come out and wholeheartedly support is astounding.”

ence admiring his work.

“ My mother told me

“I am always proud of Yaphet and his work,” Ni-

Yaphet’s nursery school teacher, Valerie Lewis, told the Pepperpot Magazine that she spotted a lot of potential in him even at a young age and that his achievements are well justified.

Gale Doris further revealed to this publication that she was proud of Yaphet and his outstanding job and that she had known the Guyanese cinematographer since he was a young lad attending church.

‘Gyaffing with the Guyanese Cinematographer’ Yaphet chose the title “Gyaffing with the Guyanese Cinematographer” after the movie screening to make the segment intriguing and informative to all.

When asked about his reason for making the film, Yaphet admitted that although it was a Christmas movie, he is not a fan of the genre. The crowd then commended him for putting his best foot forward and achieving his first feature film.

While it was a shocker that Christmas for Sale was a low-budget film shot in

Yaphet and Nicole Jackman

>>>caption: Yaphet and Nicole Jackman pose with Yaphet’s nursery school teacher, Valerie Lewis

Attentive audience members at the screening of Yaphet Jackman’s production, Christmas for Sale

Yapheton the set of the BET+ original movie ‘Christmas for Sale’ where he served as the film’s cinematographer (Photo by Emmanuel Williams)

Guyana-born Adjunct Professor is a woman of pedigree

Aspires to work and serve Guyana

WHEN Rafeena Bacchus left Guyana in 1979, she was just a toddler and had no choice as to her new destination. Today, she boasts of being a proud independent woman whose meteoric rise in the legal field has been quite startling.

In an exclusive interview with the Pepperpot Magazine, Rafeena, who is currently an Adjunct Professor at Lincoln Alexander School of Law (Toronto Metropolitan University), explained that her dad, who hails from Grove, East Bank Demerara, where he had a chicken farm, left Guyana to attend school in the USA with the intention of sponsoring herself and mom later on.

“My mom, who was from Diamond, also on the East Bank, refused to wait and hopped on a flight a month and a half later with a toddler in tow and never turned back,” Rafeena explained during an interview with the Pepperpot Magazine.

She pointed out that the family didn’t have any status at the time and eventually sponsored themselves with the help of a kind immigration lawyer. “This story

roots in New York City, the family moved to Montreal before settling in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Rafeena has over 15 years of experience in civil litigation. She started her legal practice by being recognised as the first woman of colour called to the Bar in Prince Edward Island after having clerked for the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Prince Edward Island. She has also been called to the Bar in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Ontario.

Rafeena, who visited her homeland, Guyana, last October, pointed out that she’s inspired to work and serve the country, “using my legal expertise working with the government or in the legal system to impact positive change as we enter this new era for the country.”

Her career has been balanced between acting on behalf of insurance companies and working on behalf of the under-represented in human rights and social justice.

Rafeena disclosed that she was a partner at a prominent insurance defence firm that she called home for over a decade and has been involved in thousands of insurance matters as counsel

successfully argued before various levels of court and attended numerous out-ofprovince matters representing her insurer clients.

In terms of social justice and human rights, in the

has always inspired me to become a lawyer and the impact of small acts of kindness.”

After attempting to lay

for her insurance clients, including complex tort MVA, occupier liability, product liability, property damage, and oil-spill matters. She has

role of Programme Director and Senior Legal Counsel, Rafeena has dedicated three years to developing and overseeing a collaborative health justice pro -

gramme with Osgoode Law School’s student legal clinic, a community legal clinic to provide legal services and representation to those experiencing mental health crises. She has represented her clients at various administrative tribunals, including but not limited to the Hu -

man Rights Tribunal, Social Justice Tribunal, Landlord Tenant Board, and in workplace disputes. There was also a one-year sabbatical volunteering overseas as the Director of a Human Rights organisation in Cameroon, Africa. While in Cameroon, Rafeena directed a Centre

for Mediation programme wherein international law students would resolve disputes between local Cameroonian litigants.

An Adjunct Professor at the Lincoln Alexander School of Law (Toronto Metropolitan University), Rafeena teaches civil procedure and practice. This law school is recognised as one of the most progressive in Canada and it is built on four Key Pillars: innovation and entrepreneurship; increasing access to justice; equity, diversity, and inclusion, and sound academic grounding with innovative pedagogy.

Touching on her role at Lincoln Alexander School of Law, Rafeena said, “I am delighted to be part of this progressive faculty which aims at educating bright legal minds, using methods and ideas that do not fit into the square box of the past, but looks [sic]to ignite the fire of the future.”.

The legal professional pointed out that she is also the founder/mediator at her own firm, Bacchus Legal P.C., where she provides legal counsel and litigation expertise to external law firms.

Additionally, she has been appointed by Order in Council by the Province of Ontario as a Vice Chair and Adjudicator at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. In this role, she adjudicates and decides legal matters concerning the human rights of individuals and groups throughout the province.

Rafeena is also a board member of the Guyana Community House not-for-profit. The mission of this organisation is to create the first and only community centre for the Guyanese community in Ontario, Canada.

She is also a certified yoga teacher (trained in Bali, Indonesia) and is very passionate about meditation and mindfulness.

Rafeena has an undergraduate degree from the University of Western Ontario (Hons) B.A. in Business and Commercial Studies and an Honours Standing in Sociology. She also attended law school at Dalhousie University with a specialisation in Criminal Law.

Rafeena Bacchus

Rafeena with her mother

Rafeena with her father

Let’s talk about marine Life

NGO working to raise preservation awareness in remote areas

THE Guyana Marine Conservation Society is one of the organisations responsible for bringing awareness to the Guyanese community about preserving marine life and sea defence.

To this end, the non-governmental organisation is working on a community development project in Region One (Barima / Waini).

The Pepperpot Magazine sat down with Sarah Singh and Felicia Collins, both coordinators for the education programme, who are currently executing training in that region.

“We were able to implement most recently an education and training programme for both primary and secondary schools in the region, but with specific emphasis on primary school pupils for now in the Barima Mora area, which is the largest Mangrove area in the country,” Singh told the Pepperpot Magazine

fun and understandable for the kids. We are also working on educational posters

education can be very fruitful and satisfying, and according to Sarah, it is very rewarding to see the smiles on the children’s faces as they are taught.

The booklet is also used to conduct wildlife club classes in four primary communities in the Barima-Mora Passage- Imbotero, Morawhanna, Smith’s Creek, and Aruka. During these classes, the children are taught about the valuable natural resources in the Barima-Mora Passage, their importance, ways we can protect them, and so many other things. They get to put their creative side to use by producing beautiful drawings and they also participate in outdoor activities

such as crab-catching, bird watching and identification, and so many other activities that aid in making learning easy and fun.

Singh is a drone pilot and part of her responsibility is to train Indigenous girls in aerial drones. Then in the future, she will train on the watching drone.

“So far, I have trained girls from each of the communities to use aerial drones and establish the first-of-itskind Girls Indigenous Drone in Guyana,” Singh noted during her interview with Pepperpot Magazine.

About the GMTCS

According to information provided by the team, the Guyana Marine Turtle Conservation Society (GMTCS) is Guyana’s oldest and only marine-focused conservation NGO. “We are a pool of committed experts from academia, government, private sector, and indigenous backgrounds. We work together passionately to support and advocate for the protection, conservation, and management of Guyana’s marine and coastal biodiversity,” the group explains.

The NGO’s journey started in the 1980s when we worked with Indigenous communities to conserve the nesting habitats of four endangered sea turtles along the shores of what is now the Shell Beach Protected Area. In 2000, the Society was formally established as a non-governmental organisation under the Friendly Societies Act. “Aware of

Guyana’s growing marine and coastal conservation needs, in 2014, we expanded our mandate from its primary focus on sea-turtle conservation to other important marine species, their habitats, and wider marine and coastal ecosystems.”

Some of the NGO’s notable achievements are:

* Formal implementation of the sea-turtle conservation programme in the Shell Beach area between 2000 – 2011.

* Led the Shell Beach Protected Area process which resulted in it being declared a protected area in 2011.

* Mobilisation of donor funds to support various sustainable community livelihood activities, such as North West Organics, within and adjacent to the Shell Beach Protected Area.

* Education and awareness to local communities and the wider public on the value of marine and coastal resources, and advocacy to decision makers for the need of their preservation.

* Securing an annual no-fishing zone from the Ministry of Agriculture which reduced incidental mortality of sea turtles and increased leatherback populations.

* Construction of the Leatherback Sea turtle monument in central Georgetown.

This training for the various schools in the Barima Mora Passage area is being conducted at several schools. These schools include St Cyprian’s Primary School in Imbotero; St Peter and Paul Primary School in Morawhanna; St Peter and Paul Primary School (Annex) in Smith’s Creek; Aruka Primary School in Aruka; St Anslem’s Primary School in St Anslem; Unity Square Primary School in Unity Square; Barima Blackwater Primary School in Barima

School in Mabaruma.

According to Singh, the awareness sessions utilise presentations, animated videos, and other fun and interactive learning methods to raise awareness of the valuable natural resources of the Barima-Mora Passage, especially the mangroves, birds, mammals, fishes, and crabs.

“The team is currently working on animating each chapter of the booklet, which would assist in making the educational sessions more

which will be displayed in the schools to complement the information presented during the outreaches,” Singh related to the Pepperpot Magazine.

During her interview, Singh noted that after the outreach school sessions are done, the children are taught about aerial drones.

They are taught what they are and how they will be able to use them in the Barima Mora Passage Village.

Merging technology with

Blackwater; Hosororo Secondary School in Hosororo and Northwest Primary

Singh teaching students

Singh in the Field

Singh in the field along with another colleague

New road, new opportunities

LAST week the Pepperpot Magazine passed through several villages along the main access road to Mara, East Bank Berbice and highlighted the way of life of the locals.

The team first encountered Aubrey Chisholm, a farmer and a resident of New Ma-Retraite, who was about to go to his farm to tend to the crops.

The 56-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that he has lived his entire life at New Ma-Retraite Village, East Bank Essequibo and has a simple way of life which entails hard work, but the reward of living in a countryside community is a peaceful existence.

Chisholm added that he

Even though the small village isn’t thickly populated, Chisholm doesn’t mind at

cultivation.

“Here we does get a lot of rain and it comes like a

has enough space to do his farming, and he grew up in a long line of farmers, a generational trait because, in that area, there isn’t much one can do for permanent employment other than farming.

The father of six reported that there is no such thing as a boring rural life because there is so much to do and he is always setting plants and doing something on the farm.

all because it is a lovely place set in nature for a good life with a farm-to-table concept; eating wholesome, organic foods promotes longevity, something most of us aim for.

Chisholm told the Pepperpot Magazine that he is basically a ground provision, cash crop and citrus farmer, and he has farms at a few locations, so multi-tasking is necessary to upkeep his

squall with heavy breeze and it rains almost every day. It is only today we get a bit of sunshine and we are happy for it,” he said.

He is very happy that after many years they benefitted from an all-weather road which has significantly improved their lives in getting their produce out to the buyers and market.

Chisholm added that be-

fore the new road was paved, they had a mud dam that took a tractor and trailer two days to get out and suffered for a very long time.

He told the Pepperpot

Magazine that with the new road, these days, wholesale buyers would visit the village and buy the produce so they hardly have need to go to the market to sell.

Chisholm disclosed that some people would still leave their homes at midnight to get to New Amsterdam market as an early bird to sell off their produce on Fridays and Mondays.

He stated that their small village is a short distance from Mara, the last community on that 25-mile stretch of road and the place was once populated, but due to the state of the road and schooling for children, many people left.

Chisholm pointed out that they prefer to have internet because of the children and the residents would like to know what’s happening around the world in terms of news and he is of the hope

they will benefit soon.

He explained that before

- How the lives of the locals of New Ma-Retraite Village have significantly improved

Salema Guldeen preparing fish at her home for the pot.

Aubrey Chisholm (Carl Croker photos)

The new road passing through the village replacing a mud dam

Home/shop of the couple in New Ma-Retraite Village

The locals of Germina Village are optimistic about community-based development

By Michel Outridge

SILOCHNIE Bahagmati is a resident of Germina Village, East Bank Berbice, and she is self-employed as a shopkeeper who has a lovely tidy home and environment.

The 67-year-old is a pensioner and resides with her husband, a farmer, who has a small kitchen garden for the home.

With only three neigh -

Germina Village is a quiet place where you can hear the birds chirp, and it is quite breezy with a lot of greenery, an ideal place for a simple life.

Bahagmati stated that her eldest child is 50 years old and she has nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

“I really like it here. I am from here, so I am used to this way of life, nothing fancy and flamboyant and things

She added that she is most pleased about the all-weather road, which started construction six months ago, because the lives of the locals have been enhanced significantly.

The pensioner related that the only issue she has is her annual renewal of her off-license since the sanitary officials do not visit her village and she has to commute to New Amsterdam.

She is of the view that being a far-fetched village,

bours, Bahagmati doesn’t mind at all because she has good neighbours who would look out for her and each other.

The mother of three told the Pepperpot Magazine that

are basic,” she said.

Bahagmati told the Pepperpot Magazine that only death or sickness would make her leave Germina Village and she is satisfied with the way things are.

the sanitary officials should visit at least once a year to conduct inspections to fasttrack licensing of shops in the community.The resident of Germina Village stated that at her age to visit New Amster-

dam and do documentation is an all-day affair and she is usually fatigued.

“I don’t believe in doing illegal business.Even though my shop is small and no big profit-making venture, I have been doing the right thing for the past 28 years by getting licensed,” she said.

Bahagmati used to sell

groceries, but since the pandemic, things have slowed a lot, and people are not buying as before, so she would only have products that actually sell.

She has a lovely flower garden with a wide variety of plants and she has adequate seating of wooden benches and tables both inside her

shop and in front of her yard, under a huge tree which is just right for such.

Keisha Ali, the housewife

Also in the same village is the home of Keisha Ali and her family, a neat place which

Schepmoed Primary School

Home of Silochnie Bahagmati

Residents of Germina Village

Mara Police Station (Carl Croker photos)

Silochnie Bahagmati

Simplicity is the way of life in Magistrate Village

By Michel Outridge

HIRIRAM Jairam called Sudesh is a resident of Magistrate Village, East Bank Berbice and a farmer supported by his parents who are vendors at New Amsterdam Market.

The 27-year-old stated

perpot Magazine that he is a native of the village. Although small, they lead a very simple way of life where their time revolves around farming. They cultivate citrus and cash crops including pumpkins and he would move around via his motorcycle.

He explained that they do not have any taxi or bus service in that area. As such, transportation is very costly and only on Fridays canter trucks would pass through to transport people and produce at $100 per person and you have to pay separately for the load.

that he also supplies dry corn to some buyers, and he would have to peel a few dozen at a time when there is an order.

Jairam told the Pep -

Jairam describes life as reasonable andhe is very happy about the new road. Access is easier and they can traverse without issues these days.

At the time, he was home alone since his parents had gone to New Amsterdam Market to sell bananas, plantains and oranges.

Jairam added that things

are very quiet in that village and just a handful of people reside there and it is a calm place to settle.

As a local he doesn’t see himself moving out of the community soon but will leave his options open for future reference.

Ramdai Ramanand

The team also met Ramdai Ramanand, a widow, better known as Jean, who was awaiting transportation to get to Corentyne, to stay at a relative’s home for two weeks as a requested favour.

Ramanand told the Pepperpot Magazine that she and her adult son live in the same house and he is a farmer while she is a homemaker who takes care of the home and chores.

The 65-year-old stated that she is originally from Corentyne but came to the

rural village when she was just six months old to date.

The mother of seven added that her husband died two years ago and it was difficult to adjust but she is slowly getting accustomed to being a widow.

Ramanand explained that with no small children to care for, she has the time to travel and go places.

And only a few days ago, she returned from Linden following a vacation. She was spending time with her daughter.

She pointed out that she was asked to go and stay with some relatives for two weeks while her sister-inlaw is overseas and she was all packed and ready to go, eager to take on another mini vacation.

Ramanand explained that she is really happy that they have a better road replacing a mud dam and is of the

hope things will get even better with time.

She disclosed that the village used to be populated, but due to the bad road coupled with schooling, transportation woes and unemployment, many people opted to relocate and left the community.

The elder reported that even though things go in slow-motion in their village, life can be considered fair because the people eat fresh and are semi-self-sufficient.

“My son is a farmer and whatever is grown we sell and also use for the kitchen and the people around here share whatever vegetables they have,’ she said.

Ramanand added that there are no strangers in the community and it is just a few families remaining and it is a safe place to live.

Hiriram Jairam posing with one of the pumpkins from his farm

Home of Hiriram Jairam (Carl Croker photos)

A visit to Germina Village

By Michel Outridge

AT age 86 years old, Yvonne Prassstill has the energy of a teenager and she would use that zest to complete the chores and cooking daily for her spouse and a brother that resides with them in the tiny village of Germina, East Bank Berbice.

When the team visited, Prass was preparing a meal of fried chicken and some chips, having completed some chores.

The elder told the Pepperpot Magazine that her husband is a man of cleanliness and he would get up early in the morning to ensure the yard is tidy before doing some gardening. Then he would take some time for relaxation.

The mother of five stated that life in that small village is good and there isn’t much to worry about now since

they have a brand new paved road.

She related that before the road, they had a lot of

hardships traversing, but now she is glad that is over for them.

Prass is a native of Germina Village and in her younger days, after completing school she used to be a seamstress having been successful at sewing classes.

She enjoys a calm, peaceful life as a country person. There is nothing better than waking up to the sounds of the birds and the cool breeze of the trees and that clean fresh air that has permeated the atmosphere.

Prass told the Pepperpot Magazine that she would only leave the village when she has to go out or when she goes shopping in New Amsterdam.

Albert Kort, the elder Meanwhile, her brother, Albert Kort, a lively individual who hasn’t lost his sense of humour, is the live wire of the party as usual.

The 79-year-old related that he never got married because of his phobia of contracting diseases and never really regretted the decision.

Kort added that he used to work hard back in the ‘hey days’ when he had youth and a lot of energy rearing cows and farming, but these days he is contented with having a few drinks, some cutters and a smoke.

The elder told the Pepperpot Magazine that he has

no real health complaints except he has lost sight but not his senses.

He gets around quite well and is a chatty person who is always ready for a friendly gaff.

Kort explained that after the lady he was living with died, he moved in with his sister and he has a comfortable life where his nephew would usually take him to the optician for check-ups.

“At my age I am still looking for a lady even though I might not be able to see them,” he joked when asked what he wanted most.

Kort related that he has nine siblings and in those days, the black and white

phase as they called it the people had a lot of children and it was nothing new to have an entire cricket team in one house.

He, however, was glad for that bit of sunshine that day because he said it would rain a lot in that village making the place very soggy.

Kort has no neighbours’ on both sides and just a few houses some distance away but that’s fine since they are not afraid of the isolation in that far-fetched community.

There is an abandoned small wooden masjid next door and it has fallen in disrepair since the Imam passed away some time ago.

Sections of the home of Yvonne Prass, the garden and sitting areas

Yvonne Prass (Carl Croker photos)

Albert Kort

Home of Yvonne Prass

A satisfying life in Germina Village

By Michel Outridge

LIFE for Zaimoon Lindee and her husband, Bradley Lindee, is far from perfect but they have peace of mind and they are contented living in the tiny rural village of Germina, East Bank Berbice, away from a thick population.

The 54-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that last year was good for them because they completed

days to wholesale buyers.

The mother of four pointed out that all her children are grown and live elsewhere leading adult lives with wives and husbands.

Zaimoon added that she is a native of Germina Village, East Bank Berbice and she only left the village when she got married and went to live for nine years at Sand Hills, Berbice River.

She, however, returned with her husband to Germina

getting in and out of the mud dam which was in a very bad condition,” she explained.

The Germina Village resident said they don’t have any electricity but solar panels for lights, potable water, cell phone reception isn’t good and there is no internet so communication is an issue.

“A lot of times we at the back here and we don’t know what is going on because we don’t see any news or have

because they experience a lot of rain in that village and the dam was in a really bad state and even the tractors had difficulty navigating it.

He related that life in Germina Village is good but entails hard work and being self-employed I quite challenging.

Bradley is an employee with the village NDC and he is a Community Infrastructure Improvement Project (CIIP) worker who works four hours per day for week and is also a farmer to supplement the household.

“In this village, you can leave the doors opened and go to the farm all day and come back and everything is untouched so it is very safe and the people here are very neighbourly even though it is not thickly populated,” he said.

Bradley is the grandfather of three and for him he is enjoying a quiet countryside life as a farmer.

building their house and will make finishing touches here and there this year.

Zaimoon added that she is pleased to be working as a part-time employee at Mara Police Station so she can bring in an income to the home.

She explained that previously, she was unemployed and it was hard on her husband alone as the sole breadwinner.

Zaimoon stated that they have a small farm of cassava, plantains and bananas and when they have a harvest, they would sell at the New Amsterdam Market on Fri-

Village and was able to construct her house. Because of the hardships of the high cost of living and unemployment, they were forced to return to the countryside community.

Zaimoon told the Pepperpot Magazine that she has been living in the village for the past 20 years and even though they don’t have high-paying jobs, they make ends meet financially.

“Life will get betternow that we have a good road so things can only improve for us here. We are very happy about this new development because we used to endure a lot of hardships before

access to social media. Unlike other villages being far away has its disadvantages,” she said.

Meanwhile, Bradley Lindee told the Pepperpot Magazine that he is a local of Sand Hills, Berbice River and due to many challenges, he had to leave to make a better life for himself and family.

He added that with the paving of the all-weather road things have improved and before they had to leave their home a night ahead of their market day just to get out when it was a mud dam.

Bradley disclosed that

Zaimoon Lindee

Home of Zaimoon and Bradley Lindee of Germina Village (Carl Croker photos)

The locals of Germina Village are ...

Seating area of the shop and home

is well put together.

When the team visited, she had already prepared a meal and was relaxing with some neighbours under the house.

Ali is the mother of four and her husband is a farmer of citrus only.

She told the Pepperpot Magazine that she is from Ituni, Berbice River and

only relocated to Germina Village, East Bank Essequibo, in 2000 after marriage.

Ali stated that the village is very quiet and spacious with a lot of neighbourly people who live like family and she feels right at home in such an environment.

She explained that before they had good roads, they endured many hard -

ships getting their produce out of the community and had to spend days to do so.

But today, there is no need to suffer anymore since an all-weather road was constructed, making it easier for them to traverse and access is so much better to their farms.

Ali related that although they don’t have all the basic

Filmmaking comes ...

the span of six days, this was not his only work which was being admired. Yaphet’s cinematography reel consisted of excerpts from certain areas in Guyana. The reel is the cinematographer’s calling card. It is quite often the first impression made on a would-be employer, be that of a producer or director. It offers a short window of time to demonstrate your skills, style, sensibility, experience and talent.Yaphet affirmed that he is extremely proud to be a Guyanese cinematographer and, thus, wanted to display his home, Guyana, to the world.

In response to a question on what direction he thinks Guyana is heading in and where persons from the theatre field fit in,Yaphet recalled what it was like growing up and seeing local actors on the screen.

Bent Street Films’ objective is to give back to the younger innovators who have set their eyes on making it on the big screen to display their talents. “So, the

meaningful way that [Bent Street Films] is working on is truly creating workshops and educational opportunities.”This will give them a firsthand experience of learning and being in film, as well as the business and creative aspects of it, he explained.“Our dream has always been to bridge the gap.”Not many have the privilege of leaving their country to attend a professional school for filmmakers and Bent Street Films hopes to bring that privilege home.

The Guyanese cinematographer emphasised that Bent Street Films wants to make a difference. Therefore, workshops offeredwill be three to five months long and cost-effective.

Yaphet also touched on actors finding themselves in response to a question about advice to local actors looking to step onto the international scene. He explained that the US film industry could be brutal, and thus, if you are trying to be someone you are not, it can take a toll on one’s

FROM PAGE III

mental health. Therefore, one should always stay true to themselves.

In a conversation with a third-year Communication Studies’ student from University of Guyana, Yaphetrelated to their spoken frustrations. The student expressed that she has endured a fair share of discouragement from many people who disagreed with her passion for the filmmaking field. Yaphet said that he, too, understands the “point and shoot” talk. He further stated that he learned to trust his gut when shooting and encouraged the young student not to give up.

Despite the success he has made for himself,Yaphet outlined that the Guyanese film industry cannot thrive on its own. It needs support from its people. Guyanese were encouraged to support the Timehri Film Festival along with the “592 challenge” which is making its grand return in 2023.

necessities of life, they are comfortable and are optimistic that development will take place.

She added that the chil-

dren go to schools outside the village and transportation is an issue since there is no taxi or bus service.

“Despite the challenges

of being in a far-fetched village, life is simple and still comfortable away from the busy places,” she said.

SHE NOW WEARS SILK

AND so begins this new year of 2023 with greater possibilities for this nation to continue to rise magnificently. If one had said decades ago that this is where we would be today, it would have seemed like a fairytale.

But here we are on the threshold of becoming the richest small nation in this hemisphere.

And as I stood in my garden on this cool morning, breathing in the fresh air blowing in from the Atlantic

and listening to the twittering birds on the flowering trees, I said to myself, “It’s a blessing being here.”

This was home, for me, in the beautiful tropical country of Guyana; a country that has come a long way

from independence as it charted its destiny through challenges, stumbles, and hurdles sometimes too high to cross. It caused people to begin migrating in search of a better life but I did not leave. I stayed.

I stayed through the hard times, I stayed though jobs were hard to get when there was not enough food on the table. I stayed, although I did not see a bright future in pursuit of my career. North America, the land of dreams and opportunities beckoned and so began the gradual exodus for a poor, broken country that had not much to offer.

I had paintbrushes in my hand but could not see them, vibrant colours in my vision so the canvas remained blank, yet something held me back from taking that life-changing journey.

What was it?

Was it such a deep love for this place called home?

History has taught us many interesting stories of our past, of the ships that brought our ancestors to these shores, to plantation

life. The blood, sweat, and tears as they worked with unbroken resolve to build the foundation we inherited in this green land that became home. Yet, now to leave for a foreign land?

I wondered about the motherland with tears in her eyes and worn fabric on her body needing her sons and daughters to hold her hands so one day she could smile again and be dressed in fine clothes.

As a young girl, then, my mind had not encompassed everything about the country’s history and geographical landscapes so I read as many books and magazines as I could have gotten my hands on and I discovered many interesting facts, places, and stories. This country seemed to be a hidden paradise the world did not know of with astounding mountain ranges, endless savannahs, pristine rainforest, majestic waterfalls, and exotic flora and fauna. It was a country to love and be proud of but its weak economy could not hold back those who

wanted a better life and the young intellectuals with big dreams.

But nothing stays the same for time wrought changes.

I stayed and ventured into a small business to become self-independent. The business did well despite a shortage of stocks to sell and I managed to assist some poor people in the neighbourhood and financed a few children’s education. It was quite challenging to survive in those tough times and people continue to leave. I lost many close friends and some family to migration and my heart sometimes ached when I think of the good times we spent together. But life goes on for all it’s worth.

Decades passed as the country started to make gradual steps in reshaping its destiny for hopes created new days and belief set the tone and pace for a better tomorrow. There was a long way to go but a country with great potential was making progress toward a promising future. Many who had left and come back to visit were surprised by the development, some making welcomed investments and others charitable donations to the less fortunate.

The mother now had a smile on her face, a sparkle in her eyes, and no more tears.

Then came oil.

And began the rapid rise of a nation beyond all expectations.

Who could have thought decades ago that a fairytale story could have become a reality?

I always had a love for this country that’s home but now my heart is filled with happiness and I can see now all the vibrant colours to paint on my canvas. My first portrait would be the motherland in her unique beauty for now she glows with a beautiful smile and is dressed in rich silk.

How are you doing in the new year?

It was a blessing to ring in the New Year at the Love and Faith Ministry.

Apostle Claude Brooks never fails to deliver a message for us to have a paradigm shift.

I had many takeaways from his message, including the importance of renewing the mind because God will not pour new wine into old wineskins.

Fermented drinks such as wine expand, and since an old wineskin would already be stretched to its limit, the new wine would tear the seams.

This is why new wine needed to be preserved in new wineskins. As the wine expanded, the new skins would stretch to accommodate it.

Jesus was making a very specific point to John the Baptist. He was here to do something completely new. If John (or anyone else) tried to make sense of it through a lens of old expectations and regulations, they’d miss the amazing thing that was happening.

God has great plans for our lives for this new, but it is up to us to be in the right mindset to facilitate the manifestation. I can never forget the emotions I felt watching the last minute on the clock as the hand clicked every second. Many people worldwide drew their last breath and did not make it into 2023. I felt mixed emotions at that moment, remembering some of the happy and sad moments in 2022 and images of my 2023 mind movie. Most people probably already set their goals, and some are still fine-tuning. I am sharing some things to consider what will make our goal-setting more effective, giving us the results we anticipate.

This is designed to keep our commitment going for long periods, building our motivation and taking the necessary action to achieve our goals.

The AWESOME model has seven elements to ensure that

right track.

OBJECTIVE: You must have clarity on the steps you need to take to achieve your goal.

creating your action plan. It is great to write your goals down but creating an action plan is very important because that is how you get the results.

The suggested areas we need to apply were mentioned in last week’s column.

Now that we are clear on what goals we want, why they are important for us, how to know if we are moving in the right direction towards our goals, how to measure them, and the timeline they have, it’s time for you to create a system that keeps the momentum going for an extended period until you achieve your desired results. I will share this system I learned from Mindvalley Coaching.

Using the HAAM (Habits, Achievement & Reward, Accomplishments Motivation) system can be very useful in our planning.

Habits: These are pre-existing actions on which you want to build, or new ones that you can slowly incorporate into your routine. They must be easy to achieve, and you develop them over time.

Accountability: You need internal or external accountability to keep you on track toward your goals throughout the year.

Achievement and rewards: You should celebrate each milestone that moves you towards your goal and gives you a sense of accomplishment. Gamify your process! Incorporate gifts and rewards that you can give yourself along the way.

Motivation triggers: Find what motivates you to go forward and make space to incorporate those triggers.

We all have big, medium, and small goals and dreams. Our approach makes the difference. Myles Munroe said, “God will not give you a dream unless He knows you have the talents, abilities, and personality to complete it. His commands reveal the potential He gave you before you were born.”

I also love this quote by Ajit Nawalker

“The more clarity we get for our dreams, the easier it becomes to take action toward them. The more action we take toward our dreams, the more like those dreams will come through.”

our vision converts into reality:

AMBITION: This focuses on the future and the ideal reality we want to create.

WHY: Your ‘why’ will fuel your motivation and help you overcome any obstacle between you and your goal.

EXECUTABLE: Your goal has to be big enough to make you feel excited, but not too big to paralyze you with fear.

SPECIFIC: You must understand all the elements that make up your goal so you can measure if you’re on the

MEASURABLE: You have to have ways to measure your progress every month to know where you stand.

EXPIRATION: Your goal has to have an expiring timeline because a deadline will naturally move you into action.

These tips can assist you with setting your goals and

Dreams are something you create in your mind that can take any shape or form, while goals are based on taking action. With goals, a lot of focus and attention are needed. On the other hand, dreams don’t need that kind of focus. You can sit for hours and dream without doing a single thing about it.

I have lots of big dreams and goals and can assure you that I AM READY to make them a reality! I am seeking God’s guidance as they manifest in a way to make a significant contribution to humanity. We continue to celebrate this beautiful journey called life BEYOND THE RUNWAY.

I AM READY!

SVN contributes to national transformation in many ways

IT is a rarity in the educational history of any country for one school to provide an example that could be adopted by the Education System to improve itself. In 19th Century England, a Rugby School under the headmastership of Dr. Thomas Arnold was one well-known example. Dr. Arnold’s methods of school administration and his approach to discipline among the students, his curriculum and his elevation of the cultivation of ethical and moral life as a necessity influenced other great British Public Schools and the English Education System. The Saraswati Vidya Niketan (SVN) School at Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara, stands out as a school most deserving of such an accolade. Before we focus on the ways SVN has impacted the assumptions of mainstream educationists in Guyana, we think it is appropriate for readers to understand how private schools like SVN have evolved.

At the end of the 1930s, a revolution in secondary education began to explode. Into the societal changes which were responsible for this, we shall not go, but only to point out that at that particular juncture, many parents, even from the remote villages of the countryside, felt that their children could have a better future by joining the Civil Service, the commercial banks, and the big stores. Further, many now saw that a university degree was possible without going to England to study, an expense that no one could afford. This was now possible since the University of London had started offering overseas degrees, and several correspondence colleges offered tuition. The first step in the ambition to join the Civil Service and graduate with a London degree was passing the Senior Cambridge, or London Matriculation examination.

The secondary schools which offered these examinations were Queen’s College and The Bishops’ High School, which were government-owned, and St. Stanislaus College for boys and St. Joseph’s High School and St. Rose’s High School for girls, which were foundations of the Roman Catholic Church. The image of these schools was that their fees were very high, and that they catered only for the elite and upper classes.

To meet this demand for a large expansion of the secondary school system, several persons who had an avocation for teaching and entrepreneurial skills founded secondary schools in Georgetown and New Amsterdam.

THE GAMECHANGERS

These schoolmasters became legends, and among them were J.C. Luck, who founded Central High School; R.B.O. Hart, Enterprise High School; J.I.Ramphal, Modern Educational Institute; O. Alleyne, who founded Alleyne High School; and R. E. Cheeks, Cheeks High School. These schools competed with each other and advertised their successes at the Junior and Senior Cambridge examinations and the London Matriculation. These schoolmasters would visit parents, campaigning to recruit students and sell the virtues of secondary education. The staff recruited were persons who did their Senior Cambridge, and many of these were trying to study for London University degrees via correspondence courses. Queen’s, Bishops’, and St. Stanislaus remained the premier and elite schools whose results were unchallengeable and better than the private secondary schools; almost all staff of these schools held degrees from British universities. Yet, the private secondary schools were able to supply staff for the Civil Service and businesses, and many of their graduates went abroad after World War II and qualified in various disciplines.

The private secondary schools had now become an inte-

gral and necessary part of the country’s Educational System. Independence was granted in 1966, and the country became a Socialist State where Education was nationalised. The private secondary schools fell under government control, and students paid no fees. No private schools were permitted to be established. Secondary schools were graded, with the three top schools being top-of-the-line, and the system of streaming children of the primary schools by the Common Entrance Examination was instituted.

With Socialist management, standards declined, and at the beginning of the school year, parents desperately tried all means to have their children accepted into the “better” schools. It was a time of great confusion and great anguish for parents and even children, and those in the countryside felt even more hopelessness and despair.

Eventually, the State recognised that State control was not functioning very well, and allowed private schools to be established. Private schools, both in Georgetown and the countryside, sprang up. Most were below the standards of the better government schools, and were, in most cases, entrepreneurial

at conveying the Sanskrit meaning is to be expected, since Sanskrit is a language with compact meaning.

The school depended for its financing from the community, since Swamiji, like all Swamis, had no material possessions. The school began with a small building with the support from the Temple on the swampy portion of the land.

The school admitted children of any religion, race, or class, and all of its first intakes were those children who would not be admitted to any other school, since they were, in effect, streamed out of the Education System.

Gradually, teachers were trained, buildings and equipment were acquired, and Swamiji had the unrelenting task of administering the school, building new structures, and raising funds locally and from abroad. In a few years, the school’s buildings, equipment, and physical surroundings compared with the better Georgetown government schools. Far more important, the performance of students at the CXC, CSEC and CAPE examinations was superlative, and compared with the best in the country and, indeed, in the entire Caribbean. Just as an example, SVN’s Atishta Seenarine topped the entire Caribbean in CAPE in 2022 with 18 Unit I and II Grade Ones. Employers are increasingly having a preference for SVN graduates.

ventures. Two in particular, however, stand out: The School of Nations in Georgetown, and the Saraswati Vidya Niketan at Cornelia Ida in the countryside, which, in time, turned out to have as good results as the top-of-the-line government schools which once had a monopoly of the outstanding results at the Caribbean examinations. School of Nations has now moved away from being a purely secondary school to one involved in University Education.

Swami Aksharananda was the founder of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan School. Before he became a Swami, he was a brahmchari, devoted to a life of discipline and abstinence. In that persona, he did many notable things, among which was his membership of the Working People’s Alliance (WPA) with Dr. Walter Rodney, manfully struggling for Democracy and a better Guyana, and his achieving a Ph.D., and a Doctorate from one of the better American Universities. He saw the futility of politics, and went to Benares to study. Here, after ten years of rigorous tapasya and study, he was awarded the Swami rank. We shall refer to him as Swami-ji; ji being an honorific term of respect.

Swamiji assessed that in addition to poverty, the other great evil that had beset West Coast Demerara and Essequibo communities was the impossibility of the poor and disadvantaged having access to Education.

FOUNDING THE SVG

He, therefore, decided to found a school, synthesising the best Western techniques with the ancient time-tested values of Vedic Education. The name chosen for the school was Saraswati Vidya Niketan, which roughly translates as, “An abode of learning which humbly invokes the inspiration of Saraswati, the Cultural and Educational aspect of God”. This lengthy English attempt

SVN has provided an example that could be adopted by other schools in raising the Educational Standards of the country and we will identify a few of its characteristics: The early intakes of SVN were children who would not be admitted to other schools and its admission policy has always been ‘first come first served’. Such a policy saved hundreds of children from being denied an Education and indeed, many of these children have developed into being students who have performed well at the CXC in both CSEC and CAPE examinations. This policy has also freed numerous parents and children from the anxiety which afflicts them at the beginning of the school year. It has also prevented intellectual waste. The SVN example should lead to a review of the present policy of admission to Secondary Schools based on CE marks and streaming.

Second, SVN has exposed the long-held myth that a student has to go to a Georgetown school to do well. SVN has shown that the Education System countrywide could be uniformly elevated and is capable of delivering a good education anywhere in Guyana.

Third, the moral and ethical aspects of life are stressed. In almost all schools, their motto encapsulates some moral or ethical guidance, but students pass through the school without knowing the relevance of the motto. At SVN, in addition to the unobtrusive daily ethical teaching, the students know the motto by heart and it is prominently displayed in the school. That motto is Satyam vada Dharmam chara Swadhyayan Ma Pramadh which roughly translates: ever speak the truth, ever practice ethical and moral behaviour, always keep to your studies and pursue intellectual development.

There are other aspects of school administration worthy of emulation in elevating the Education System. At this point, we would like to remind you that SVN is a non-profit institution and that its fees are subsidised and kept affordable to the community by much voluntarism. The School is doing a great deal for the Social and Educational Development of Guyana and the State should make an input to it by undertaking to pay the salaries of staff. Such assistance should be accorded to other private secondary schools which meet the criteria set by the Educational Authorities and could not be across the board since several private schools are purely business enterprises.

--the State could make tangible acknowledgement by paying its teachers

2023 Is Here!

AS we begin a new year, we can put the festive season behind us. It’s time to make projections for the year ahead, considering how we think we fared in 2022.

The management and staff of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wish all our readers a prosperous 2023. The agency hopes that the last 12 months you spent with us were rewarding and reinforced your passion for nature and environmental protection.

It is usual for people to make resolutions going into the new year about things they would like to accomplish. Unfortunately, most new year resolutions fall by the wayside because of complacency and the tendency to fall back into our old habits. Habits are not easy to change; it is important to be persistent and committed to our goals for the new year. As we make our resolutions and opt to keep them, let us examine our actions towards the environment and include some resolutions to enhance the quality of the environment and your life.

With a better understanding of our role in life for protecting and managing our environment, it should be our desire to be better stewards of the environment.

Here are some little but significant actions you can take to help the environment in 2023. We can call them our “Green Resolutions.”

We can think about our choices:

Choose alternatives to plastic;

Switching to a reusable alternative over plastic will slow the rate of plastics entering our landfills, oceans and waterways; prevent wildlife such as our turtles from ingesting harmful toxic chemicals from which plastics are manufactured; and most importantly, change our ‘throwaway culture.’ Choosing alternatives which include cloth, paper, bamboo, etcetera over plastics will shift the use to reusable alternatives such as tote bags, paper cups /mugs, metal, paper or even

glass straws. Choose reusables over disposables

It is good practice to find

Choose to conserve water;

As children, we were often lectured about conserving water. It is not until we are

new re-uses for everything without becoming a hoarder before we commit to throwing them out. Reducing and recycling are already at the top of our minds daily, but it is evident that many of us are quick to throw things out which can be re-used in more ways than one. We can significantly reduce the amount of waste we generate. This can also help us save money, or create a new source of income for crafty hands!

Choose to plant a tree

Some spaces have it. Some don’t. Whether you plant a flower, herb or tree, this one act of greenness can change the future; another small yet ever-so-significant resolution we can so easily commit to. If we each planted one tree in 2023, the world would indeed be greener and a better place in which to live. Trees and plants will store carbon dioxide throughout their lives, helping to slow the buildup of heat-trapping gases in our atmosphere that have been rapidly warming our planet.

forced to live and function without water that we realise how much water we use and how much we need water. Even as water becomes scarce, humans still abuse this natural element of our earth. Take steps to use water sustainably, including fixing leaky pipes, harvesting and using rainwater, and avoiding food waste.

Being aware of the millions of people forced to go without clean water daily helps us value what many of us have taken for granted for years. With the Sustainable Development Goal Six being about “clean water and sanitation for all” impels us to make an effort to be conscious and aware of how much water we need, want and use in 2023. This can make an impact so profound that it will benefit us for years and centuries to come.

There are of course, many other earth-friendly habits we can incorporate into our daily lives going forward.

Happy New Year! Best wishes to all our readers for a productive and rewarding 2023, as we work together for a clean and healthy Guyana.

Let’s resolve for ‘perfection’in 2023

ACCOMPANYING and embellishing this feature article of mine, is the photograph of a dartboard. As you look at it, you will observe five darts stuck into the board’s surface. Two blue ones and two yellow ones, are on the lower portion of the board. The fifth dart - another yellow one - is on the bull’s eye. It was an effort of mine in which I was trying for perfection

in dart throwing. It’s never too late to keep on trying at anything you desire to perfect. The darts seen on the dartboard, were all thrown by me from just four paces away.

The dart which I got to the bull’s eye was no fluke but rather an achievement after careful study as to why I was previously missing the mark, and the darts getting so low on the board. I

realised that I was aiming directly for the bull’s eye. So, after thinking carefully as to why I was failing so badly, I realised that I ought to aim my throws higher; and so, I did. The result was a bull’s eye hit, after which I took the photograph. I felt a sense of achievement. A sense of joy, in that simple act of achievement. Getting that dart on my 2022 Christmas Dartboard gift, lifted

me onto cloud nine, as if by a super-power helicopter. As that song of long-ago states, “Little Things Mean a Lot” so some small achievements can sometimes elevate you as that other popular song states; “You Raise Me Up.”

NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

No doubt, you are now expecting me to reveal what were my New Year Resolutions for 2023. So sorry to disappoint. I do not make New YearResolutions. What I do, is make them anytime of the year, as the need arises. For example, I have been toying with the idea for decades of lobbying for the reopening of Lot 12 Camp Street in Georgetown. I do not refer to the Georgetown Prison itself, but to that Lot 12 block of Camp Street in Georgetown, which has been closedoff to

who explained that the closure was for security measure. Maybe a review of that “security measure” would be made again. Just consider how many extra gallons of petrol have been used by vehicles which have to make that detour over the years.

THE THEATRICALS OF PRISON ROOF-TOP DEMONSTRATIONS

The era of the prison rooftop demonstrations can be recalled, when prisoners would climb to the rooftop of the Georgetown prison, overlooking Durban Street, and shout their many grievances to the public. That attracted many citizens who reacted to the demonstrations as being theatrical. However, it was the resolve of the imprisoned men. That stopped when the prison authorities made their own resolution to plug the

Which begs the question; When will the prison be removed from that block of the city? Will the relevant authority make a New Year resolution about that? Experts have advised that the prison should be relocated outside the confines of “The Garden City” of Georgetown. The recommended new location which was given, was somewhere off the Soesdyke/Linden highway. The city block in which the prison has been occupying for over 150 years could then be utilised for a much better and purposeful Government project(s). However, it is up to the relevant authorities to make such a decision, but by first making a resolution.

This much is the hope on a personal level; that in weeks, or maybe months ahead, I will perfect my dart throwing skill, in a similar way you will also

vehicular traffic for decades. Some years ago, I posed that question to then Police Commissioner, Henry Greene,

way to the rooftop.

The issue of the prison being relocated has been on the table for many years.

perfect your chosen field. And that may be no New Year resolution.

Christmas 2022 Gift Dart Board with darts which were thrown by FQF

2023: The bi-centennial of the first non-violent protest movement

MOST of the reactions to slavery in the Americas were violent reactions by the enslaved, driven by the justified passion for settling scores in a likewise manner that slavery was institutionalised against the enslaved, except for rare incidents of human exchanges that also existed.

The Colony of Demerara was somewhat different from any other slave colony in the Americas. One must remove the mentality and construct of the colony from events that were happening in England, then the new Mother Coloniser of the original Dutch tri-colonies that embodied the then British Guiana. The planters and merchants were the local authorities, worse yet when the appointed Governor owned plantations, and considered the uninterrupted machinery of slave labour to ensure his comfortable post-service well-being.

Thus describes the Crown authority of the colony, Governor John Murray, and the pinnacle of his concerns.

August 20 is a significant date in the history of modern Guyanese; it has been described rightfully as the ‘Demerara Martyrs Day’, for it was martyrdom that enveloped the 1823 mass slave protest, from inception to end, not the practical combat insurrection that would have levelled the field, though it may not, in the longrun, have changed their world as they would have wanted it to. That it hastened the abolition in some ten years can be considered an outcome; it was usurped by the further four-year ‘subvention of African labour’ 1834 to1838, to the benefit of the planters. That event is referred to, erroneously, as ‘Apprenticeship’.

One of the foremost realities of Demerara is captured by the author, Thomas Harding, in his 2022 book, WHITE DEBT’, as follows: “The truth was that those who ran Plantation Success were encouraged to use violence to maintain control, so sugar production would be maximised. Indeed, Demerara was known as one of the most violent colonies in the British Caribbean. Why was this?

The colony had only recently been brought into the British Empire, and was, therefore, considered by the colonists to need ‘civilising’ compared with places with long histories of British rule like Jamaica or Bermuda. This perceived need for violence was amplified by the fact that the White population was greatly outnumbered by the Black population.” This is not to say that the Dutch, before the English, were more humane. Europe in itself did not generate much human treatment of underdog-slaves, serfs or commoners in their societies, or with their tribal conquests through war etc. in comparison to what was practised in Africa from varying tribal kingdoms that incorporated rights.

The other problem was the substance behind the pretext of the protest. The idea that had drifted to the enslaved population that slavery was abolished was not all correct. Conversations were meeting at the conversation table of the Governor on movements towards abolition, which seemed

a practical worry, because, in 1808, the British had stopped the human traffic of slaves, which left suspicions that based on the agitations by the abolition movement in the British Parliament, had left the slave-owning planters of the colonies uneasy. But the rumour that slavery was over and the planters were denying the enslaved their freedom was far from the truth.

But there was an even greater issue about Plantation Demerara that Jack Gladstone did not understand. The British were no doubt haunted to extremes by past events in the very West Indies; the British Military historian, Sir John W. Fortescue “Pitt and Dundus, had full warning that on this occasion they would have to fight not only poor, sickly Frenchmen, but the Negro population of the West Indies, yet they poured their troops into these pestilent islands, in the expectation that thereby they would destroy the power of France, only to discover, when it was too late, that they had practically destroyed the British Army” we don’t know if the psychopathic Lt Colonel Leahy who murdered innocent enslaved people in 1823 and even threatened the African of mixed heritage owner of Plantation Cove and John, and Bachelor’s Adventure, who protested on behalf of his enslaved workers; if Leahy was a survivor of Haiti? But Jack and his comrades had the warning of what happened in Barbados. Jack Gladstone was, however, convinced enough to think that a non-violent protest would work, which may have if the rumour he so believed was true. We can never fully understand what transpired with the thinking back then, except to say “that through them are we” and we owe their sacrifice the reverence it is due. I had designed a relative monument for that event, but Mayor H. Green, though supportive, did not have the economics to execute it. It accompanies this article. The 1823 Movement is permitted to use it on their letterhead.

More of Guyana for more Guyanese

FOR the first time in my life, I celebrated the new year in the Rupununi, Region Nine (Upper TakutuUpper Essequibo). In just a few days, I was able to experience so much with some of my closest friends, and my appreciation for Guyana has increased 10fold.

There are two key takeaways from the trip. The first is that I am certainly not as physically fit as I thought, which is especially necessary when climbing a relatively steep mountain. And the second is that there

would easily attract hundreds of people, at the very least. But according to the local tour guide, they barely do about two hikes a month.

Of course, heavy rainfall is sometimes a deterrent, but by and large, this experience is very accessible and affordable. It costs GY $3,000 per person to go up the 999 steps, outside of the cost to travel to the Rupununi and get to Moco Moco. And the tours are managed entirely by residents of Moco Moco, who diligently upkeep the environment.

The Rupununi is taken

nal travel can be expensive -- though, worth it (at least for me). Even with cheaper alternatives in places, like taking the bus to travel to the Rupununi, there are other factors to consider and be concerned about. For example, it took me about 13 hours to travel back from Lethem to Georgetown, and I got home from that gruelling journey in the wee hours of the morning. I was exhausted (long journey + the bumpy trail) but I had to get ready for a full day at the office in about two hours. By the time you read this column, I

is so much for Guyanese like me to experience right here.

My third takeaway is much more important to consider -- though if we’re talking about immersing ourselves in Guyana’s tourism destinations and experiences -- being physically fit helps.

On New Year’s Day, I trekked up the 999 steps at Moco Moco, Region Nine. That trek led to a clearing atop the Kanuku Mountains, providing a magnificent view of the savannah and the Pakaraima Mountains. I’ve done my fair share of hiking in a few places, including in foreign nations, but that view was easily the best I have witnessed. Nothing was obstructing or interrupting the view. Nothing but the crisp air and the late afternoon sunlight illuminated the entire savannah. It was just a spectacular experience that instantly erased the pain in my knees (until, of course, it was time to descend). The Moco Moco falls are also found at the bottom of the climb, offering the perfect ‘cool down’ after the trek.

You might think that this

as Guyana’s most frequented tourist destination, given how many experiences can be found there. It also boasts of the rich culture of the indigenous people and the general, warm, and welcoming feeling there.

Still, I believe that too many Guyanese have not been able to experience this place or other amazing destinations in Guyana. In fact, I can honestly say that dozens of my friends and family members were fascinated by what I shared on social media, and some expressed an interest in visiting, because they never ventured to the Rupununi before. I hope they visit!

Of course, I am not oblivious to the high cost of domestic travel, which is almost always the deterring factor for travelling around Guyana. It has deterred me before because I reasoned that I could hop on a plane to Trinidad, for example, for the same cost of travelling to some of the destinations in Guyana. That doesn’t mean that Trinidad is a better, more fascinating place to go; it just means that inter-

will probably still feel some amount of exhaustion.

I also acknowledge that tourism is viewed as a luxury and not necessarily a necessity, even though one can argue that fulfilling experiences and enjoyment contribute to a person’s well-being. Because it is viewed as a luxury, it means that people won’t easily spend or seemingly ‘splurge’ on themselves.

Considering these factors, I hope domestic travel can become more accessible for locals. That may happen through subsidised travel (similar to the inter-island travel in Trinidad and Tobago, for example) or perhaps, concessions, waivers, or some tax cuts for operators so that they can, in turn, charge lower prices. With some effort, Guyana can benefit from greater appreciation from her people.

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

You should not compromise your best self for a partnership or a relationship to thrive

WHEN you reflect on our relationships -- whether they be romantic, friendly, or family-oriented—how dependent are you on them? Do you often see your mood being highly influenced by their behaviour and actions? Do you feel as though you look to others for their validation on what you want or need out of life? Is your self-confidence lacking as it relates to you and how you take care of yourself? If you’ve answered yes to those—you’re probably highly dependent on others with whom you may be in a relationship, romantic or otherwise. We need to acknowledge the importance of togetherness and unity, but at the same time, individualism is just as important. There needs to be some sort of balance in navigating the two worlds side by side. By doing this, you’ll be able to place equal emphasis on yourself and the relationships you have.

I’ve heard one too many stories of adults who lose their sense of self in consenting relationships. It’s as if they’ve entirely wiped their identities and replaced them with their relationships identities. This should not be the case. I’ve attended many weddings where someone gets up to say their speech and includes the idea of “you two must become one,” within their advice for the couple. In my opinion, that’s a terrible idea and quite frankly, it’s terrible advice to internalise and practise. Metaphorically, it’s probably just something nice to say as it’s a regurgitation of many wedding speeches. However, in reality, and in practicality—it’s a NO for me. You should not forgo your self-worth, self-care, happiness, or personal needs for the sake of relationships. You can have an identity with your partner while simultaneously still maintaining your sense of self.

You shouldn’t give up one for the other. This goes for all other forms of relationships you have throughout your

lifetime. It’s easy to become co-dependent for many of us. It can manifest itself in almost every relationship we may have in some form or another. Nonetheless, it’s important to remember that you should set your boundaries to protect your identity, especially when the demands of others with whom you share relationships may seem overwhelming and uncomfortable. Your sense of self should not shift. Yes, compromise is important, but the self is more important. If by chance you’re in a relationship of any kind that thrives on your loss of self-esteem, identity, or worth—let me tell someone that it is not a healthy environment or position to be in. There may be exceptions, but one or nothing should thrive on you being less of who you are. With that in mind, this should not excuse your negative attitude or habits that may not be right suited for others to be around. You should not compromise your best SELF for a partnership or a relationship to thrive.

New road, new ...

the road was paved, many people decided to transport their produce via the Berbice River and it did not end well for them, so the new road which started last year is very good for the community.

Chisholm stated that although they would have to commute to the health centre at Plegt Anker they don’t mind because the road is good now, but they would like to see more development in the village, especially for the young people.

The farmer noted that they have a community centre ground at Ma-Retraite Scheme, the village before New Ma-Retraite but they need funding to have the place fixed so

they can provide a safe space for recreational activities.

Chisholm also has some ducks and chickens.

He reported that they have no electricity except for solar panels, but they have potable water supply and no internet service.

The reception of both local cell phone providers are very poor at their end and often they do not get any signal.

“Around here, you are confident no one will rob you and you can leave your doors open and return with nothing missing because this is a safe place to live,” he said.

Chisholm explained that his only problem is wild animals would often destroy his crops and he would have to spend time watching over it.

The farmer added that transportation is also an issue because there is no bus service and it is better if you have your own.

Chisholm would buy his citrus plants from Soesdyke/Linden Highway for $800 per plant for his farm for a good yield.

Fortunately for Chisholm, he is fully supported by his wife, Salema Guldeen, who was at the time cutting up some fish for which she will make a meal of fried fish with pak choi and rice for the family.

She is tasked with the cooking and keeping things in order while, the children would assist in their shop and to do the chores.

Carl Croker photos saved in a folder in Graphics

The interior of the shop

FROMPAGE VI

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

A little learning is a dang’rous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pieri- an spring: There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, And drinking largely sobers us again.

Dear Student, Welcome dear friend. Resume writing creatively from where you might have slackened over the holidays. Is everything well? Can you readily express your own ideas in your own

January 08, 2023

words? Does your writing have some literary quality, some “style”? Do you express yourself with clearness, exactness, and force? Improve and perfect things from your present juncture. Let correctness and effective organisation of sentences and paragraphs stand out. Find immediate responses for the question: “What shall I write about?” Be prepared. Love you.

IMPROVING WRITING Solution to last week’s ‘Finding original paragraphs in a given passage containing dialogue.’

NOTE: The original passage, as written by its author, contained one large paragraph, followed by three dialogue interactions, followed by a smaller paragraph, and then by two mini paragraphs. Specifically note that the direct speech in the first and largest paragraph belonged to the mother. Let us hope you were able to get the passage perfectly divided into its original paragraphs.

Behind the father the mother stood apologetic and defensive, wringing her hands in a classic stance. “Wasn’t that sad! Wasn’t that - sad! But we had no choice but to let him in, it was the only decent thing to do.” The father pushed passed her without comment. In the living room he saw that the lights were flickering as if on the brink of going out; . . . everywhere the father looked, a pulse beat mute with rage. “I wasn’t the one who opened the door to that man in the first place,” the mother said, coming up behind the father and touching his arm. Without seeming to know what he did the father violently jerked his arm and thrust her away.

“Shut up. We’ll forget it,” he said.

“But –”

“We’ll forget it.”

The mother entered the kitchen walking slowly as if she’d been struck a blow. In fact, a bruise the size of a pear would materialise on her forearm by morning. When she reached out to steady herself she misjudged the distance of the door frame – or did the door frame recede an inch or two – and nearly lost her balance.

In the kitchen the lights were dim and an odour of sourish smoke, subtle but unmistakably, made her nostrils pinch.

She slammed open the oven door. Grabbed a pair of pot holders with insulated linings. “I wasn’t the one, . . .” she cried, panting, “and you know it.”

IMPROVING READING

Comprehension of passage

Ken walked slowly towards his home. He had received his final grades for the term and, as usual, had excelled in Chemistry, Algebra, and Spanish. As he walked, he thought of things to do and places to visit during the two-month holiday, but nothing seemed as exciting as what his classmates had mentioned. Kareem, his best friend, would be going to Canada to visit an uncle. Indra would be working at the television station, and Lee had enrolled for a college course in computer programming. Ken could think of nothing except his chores at home and taking care of his brothers and sisters.

He reached the village around 2:00 p.m. and was welcomed by clouds of smoke and floating ashes. They sometimes surrounded the village for several days, and often soiled the washed clothes. He passed several goats and pigs that fed from the nearby garbage dump.

No one was at home when he arrived. He sat and watched the floating ashes and clouds of smoke. He soon felt tired and hoped his mother would return home early before darkness fell on the narrow, unlit, and deserted village streets. Recently she had been working extra hours.

1. Which of the following best describes the area in which ken lived?

(A) a village (B) a ghetto (C) a haven (D) a town

2. Ken is probably (A) eleven years old (C) nine to eleven years old

(B) seven to nine years old (D) older than eleven

3. Why did Ken walk home slowly?

4. Where do you think the smoke and ashes came

from?

(A) a village cook shop (C) a sugar cane field

(B) a garbage dump (D) a burning longhouse

5. If streets are deserted then

(A) they are too dark. (C) they are scary to walk on.

(B) people are already at home. (D) they are like a desert.

6. Why did Ken hope that his mother would return home early?

(A) He was hungry.

(B) He cared for his siblings.

(C) He was tired.

(D) He feared for his mother’s safety.

7. From evidence in the passage, give a suitable title to the story.

GRAMMAR and STYLE

Parallelism

Parallelism refers to the repeated use of phrases, clauses, or sentences that are similar in structure or meaning.

Example:

He plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people. (parallel verb phrases: verb-our-object)

Practice Exercises

Rewrite each sentence to correct errors in parallel structure.

1. Johnson was patriotic, intelligent, imaginative, and he had courage.

2. He wrote the “Mannequin”, designed his home, and was one of the people who founded a dress construction establishment.

3. Harry was a great speaker, Johnson was a gifted dress designer, and the talented military leader was Tomlinson.

4. Geer was passionate, eloquent, inspiring, and he was persuasive.

5. The school representatives’ statement accused the principal of oppression, of unfair judgments, of ignoring ministry mandates, and it said she bullied parents.

Writing Application: Write your opinion on an issue about which you have strong feelings. Use two examples of parallelism to emphasise ideas.

Treating infections with drugs.

CHEMOTHERAPY in dentistry mainly using antibiotics are used to fight bacterial infections. They may be taken in pill or liquid form or used as a mouthwash and then swallowed. Antibiotics are also given by injection. Produced by bacteria, moulds, and fungi, antibiotics can destroy or inhibit the multiplication of other types of organisms, especially bacteria. Some antibiotics are effective against fungi and a few viruses as well. Penicillin, erythromycin, and tetracycline are dentistry’s most commonly prescribed antibiotics.

Once an antibiotic is ingested, it may be toxic to intestinal bacteria. Desirable (“friendly”) bacteria as well as undesirable ones, will, therefore, be poisoned and destroyed. This leaves the intestinal walls unprotected against irritating or unabsorbed foods, causing inflammation of the tissues. Similarly, if an antibiotic is taken for a long period, the particular strain of bacteria it is meant to destroy may eventually become resistant. As a result, mutant strains of bacteria are produced. Another side effect of long-term intake of a particular antibiotic is that destroying bacteria produces an imbalance in the micro-organism population. For example, Candida, which is a yeast organism, proliferates with long-term antibiotic use because much of the bacterial population is destroyed

Antibiotics may produce an assortment of gastrointestinal complaints and various allergic reactions ranging in seriousness from mild rash to shock and even death. In addition, most antibiotics interfere with the estrogen in birth control pills, rendering the pills inactive. Some antibiotics raise blood cholesterol levels since the drug destroys bacteria that help rid the body of cholesterol. Since its discovery in 1941, penicillin has been the antibiotic used for the majority of dental infections. Side effects depend on how well an individual tolerates the drug. A person allergic to penicillin will usually experience a reaction within half an hour of taking the drug. In some allergic reactions, the muscles in the throat become constricted, causing breathing difficulty. In more serious reactions, the capillaries dilate, causing shock, which can lead to death if not treated immediately.

Other side effects of penicillin use reveal themselves from two hours to three or more days after taking the medication. These include fever, mental changes, oedema (abnormal accumulation of fluid in tissues), abnormal heartbeat, inflammation of the kidneys and renal failure, swollen tongue, many types of skin rashes, and inflammation of any or all parts of the mouth. Because penicillin crosses the placental barrier and is excreted in the mother’s milk, its use should be avoided during pregnancy and lactation.

The antibiotic choice for individuals allergic to penicillin is erythromycin, which was first used in 1952. Although food reduces erythromycin absorption, taking this drug with meals may be necessary because of its adverse effect on the gastrointestinal tract. Erythromycin is distributed to most body tissues and excreted via the liver in the bile, urine, and faeces. Side effects associated with erythromycin include gastrointestinal irritation, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomitting, and diarrhoea. All the side effects disappear when the drug is discontinued. Individuals taking digoxin, warfarin, or carbamazepine, and those taking theophylline for asthma or bronchitis, may experience adverse reactions to erythromycin and should avoid taking it.

Discovered in 1948, tetracycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic that affects a wide range of micro-organisms. It concentrates in the liver and is excreted into the intestines via the bile. This drug should not be taken by pregnant or lactating women or by children between the ages of two months and eight years because of its side effects. Tetracycline is secreted in the saliva and in the milk of lactating women and is stored in the un-erupted teeth of nursing babies. When the teeth erupt, they have permanent stains, which darken with age and exposure to light. A decreased growth rate in bones has also been demonstrated in infants and foetuses who have ingested and/or been exposed to tetracycline.

Although tetracycline is prescribed for severe gum disease, it should be taken with caution because of its

many side effects. Some of these side effects include lightheadedness, dizziness, and vertigo. People taking this drug should not drive or perform any hazardous

jobs. In addition, tetracycline reacts negatively with antacids, iron, oral contraceptives, barbiturates, and warfarin. With long-term ingestion of tetracycline, the

targeted organisms may become resistant to the medication. Because the resistant strain of bacteria cannot be destroyed by any antibiotic, the condition is called

a “superinfection.” Other antibiotics are prescribed in dentistry, but like the above antibiotics, they should be taken with caution and only when necessary.