Pepperpot 02 07 2017

Keisha Edwards takes her final walk at the end of her showing of Synesthesia

Synesthesia ShaSha Designs takes bold, new step with launch of newest collection â–ş Page

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II By Jasmaine Payne WHEN people experience Synesthesia, their bodies undergo a phenomenal reaction, whereby the stimulation of one of their senses, leads to the automatic, involuntary experience of another. It is estimated that ‘Synesthetes’ can achieve such feats as tasting colour, seeing scents or smelling sounds, and it is said that they make up four percent of the population, but local fashion designer Keisha Edwards intends to evoke the phenomenon of an all-inclusive Caribbean experience to everyone who encounters her newest line from ShaSha Designs, Synesthesia. Launched on June 17 at the Caribbean Style and Culture Awards and Fashion Showcase in Maryland, the collection comprises ready-to-wear resort pieces and is made up of a beautiful array of vibrant colours, delicate fabrics and artistic prints. The collection itself is quite unlike what you have come to expect from ShaSha Designs, which has, in its eight years of existence, become well known for its close-cut silhouettes and formal tone. But much like the collection itself, this transition re-

Chronicle Pepperpot July 2, 2017

Synesthesia ShaSha Designs takes bold, new step with launch of newest collection veals just where Keisha is in her life at the moment. Currently studying for her Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Fashion Design at the Caribbean Academy of Fashion in Trinidad and Tobago, which comes on the heels of her completion of a Certificate in Fabric Selection and Design Styles from Parsons School of Design, in New York, Keisha’s current work is testimony to the things she has since learned in her studies. “When I think of the Caribbean, there are so many colours that come to mind, so I wanted to visually give you a feel of the Caribbean through the colours and the

A piece from ShaSha Designs’ Synesthesia (Photos by Jeff Butler)

silhouettes that I use in the collection,” Keisha told the Pepperpot Magazine in an interview. Her inspiration for the collection also came from a painting by Picasso, which she encountered during her Art History Class. And borrowing from his use of geometric shapes, Keisha used block prints of similar form on her clothing -- another first for ShaSha. “So now you have me incorporating stuff that I would have learned from my colour design class and the different techniques I learnt in class on how to apply it,” she said. But the transformation in her work can also be seen in her selection and use of fabrics -- also learned in school. “Because of what I learned in textile identification about ethics, I used a lot of natural fabric… so I thought a lot about the fabrics I use, how harmful it would be; then also there wasn’t any exploitation of anyone in the process of creating this collection. It is different. It is not something people are used to. It is very Caribbean, very cultural; it utilises a lot of light, natural fabrics, not too much of a tight silhouette; it is very flowy and feminine,” she said. But even though Synesthesia was new and different for her brand, it still remains uniquely ‘ShaSha’, and so, naturally, the collection has since been well received. GOING BACK TO SCHOOL Despite her eight years of success, Keisha still saw it necessary to go back to school, as she believes that one’s ability to learn about one’s passion is infinite. In fact, this is Keisha’s second Degree, but given that it is teaching her about her craft, she is excited to see where it leads. “Going to school has been an amazing journey for me because I’m learning so much. Before I left for school, everything that I knew about fashion designing would have been things that I taught myself or would have seen or researched. Now you are in an environment with the professionals, the people who are certified and they are teaching the expectations on an international level, so now I am learning so many different things,” she said. She recalls that while completing a course at Parsons and later at the E.R. Burrowes School of Art, where she encountered a lecturer from the Caribbean Academy of Fashion, both helped to whet her appetite for furthering her studies in Turn to page III ►►►

Chronicle Pepperpot July 2, 2017 ◄◄◄ From page II

fashion, the need to go back to school full time stemmed from a simple conversation with her father,who asked her to provide details about fabric, and who reminded her that there is a science to everything. “Going to school has now helped me to understand that there is a science to fabric. Now I know that there are natural fabrics, synthetic fabrics and all these things go into a category of what is protein fibre; what is natural and all these different things and it has opened a whole new world for me and has made me look at fashion differently,” she said. It is this wealth of knowledge which has, in turn, contributed to her craft that makes her encourage others to pursue education, or at the very least, some form of learning, regardless of where one is in his/her career. “I think that if you are passionate about something, you would want to know everything about it. Technology is advancing, time is moving forward and in order to compete in any market, you must have knowledge and must find different ways of doing things. If you as a designer don’t seek knowledge or educate yourself about your field, then you will be left behind,” she said. “I would definitely say you should seek as much knowledge as you can. Look to schooling as an option, it doesn’t matter how old you are, you can always learn something new. There are people who are so knowledgeable, because of their experience, but whether or not you are going to school, just be a sponge, ask questions. If you see someone at a certain level and

A piece from ShaSha Designs’ Synesthesia

you want to get there, ask them about what they did to get there, don’t always assume that persons won’t talk to you. We all can improve, we all can be better.” THE FUTURE OF SHASHA Keisha won’t finish school for another three years, but the show must go on for ShaSha Designs. She assures that she will still be taking orders and that the critical element would be timing. “I have a great marketing team and we have a plan on how to keep ShaSha Designs relevant… we have certain strategies to ensure there is visibility. I still have loyal clients. People are still talking about ShaSha Designs, so I think we are doing a good job in keeping the brand relevant in Guyana and via social media,” she said. To aspiring designers and other artists, Keisha advises that they continually seek knowledge and believe in their dreams, even if the people closest to them believe that those dreams aren’t possible. She is personally grateful that she has been able to follow her own dreams, and now with the added opportunity to learn about her craft and improve her work, she is sure that this could only mean good things for the future of ShaSha Designs. “I am happy to have been in the business for so long and I still have clients from when I wasn’t even that great ... but I have clients from since then that would have been loyal to the brand and they compliment me on my improvements and I myself can look at my work and see that I have come a far way,” she said.

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Chronicle Pepperpot July 2, 2017

FILES E S A C COURT

Rape victim could not negate consent

Federal Supreme Court frees rape accused BECAUSE the alleged victim at a rape trial failed to negate consent, rape ac-

cused Adams was freed by the Federal Supreme Court in 1961.

The appellant was convicted of rape. The defence was consent. The woman first accused the appellant before a constable of having snatched a ring and money from her. She repeated that accusation at the police station and made the accusation of rape only after the appellant had said that he had had intercourse with her with her consent. The only other evidence relevant to the issue of consent was that of the medical witnesses who were in conflict with each other. Held: the conviction could not safely be allowed to stand and the provisions of s. 16 (1) of the Federal Supreme Court (Appeals) Ordinance, 1958 [1958] should be applied. Appeal allowed. Editorial Note: Section 16 (1)m of the Federal Supreme Court (Appeals) Ordinance, 1958 [B.G.], provides as follows: “The Federal Supreme Court on any such appeal against conviction shall allow the appeal if they think that the verdict of the jury should be set aside on the ground that it is unreasonable or cannot be supported having regard to the evidence.” Appeal against conviction of rape by the Supreme Court of British Guiana. C. Weithers for the appellant. E. A. Ramao for the Crown. Justice of Appeal Rennie of FSC (Criminal Appeal Jurisdiction) delivered the judgment of the court. He said: This appeal is from a conviction of rape. On June 4, 1960, Special Reserve Constable, Newton Albert, was cycling along Sussex Street and came upon Vinton Jarvis and the appellant. Jarvis was holding the appellant’s bicycle. She called out to S.R. C. Albert and reported to him that the appellant had snatched a ring and 25 cents, from her. Albert took them to the Ruimveldt Police Station and reported to Corporal Dundas what Jarvis had told him on Sussex Street. Corporal Dundas then asked the appellant if he had heard what the Special Reserve Constable had said, whereupon the appellant said he had known Jarvis for six months; they had an appointment on that night and he took her to the back of Alexander Village and had an affair with her and, it is because he did not fulfill certain promises he made to her that she made the

By George Barclay

allegations against him. Jarvis denied knowing the appellant before that night. The appellant met this denial by telling Corporal Dundas that he could tell him the kind of underwear she was wearing. Confronted with such a challenge, Jarvis for the first time told of having been raped. It is in that setting that the jury had to decide whether or not Jarvis consented to the intercourse with the appellant. It does not appear anywhere in that setting that Jarvis made a complaint to S.R.C. Albert or to Corporal Dundas or to anyone else that she was raped. Her answer to the appellant’s challenge is clearly not a complaint. If she had complained, that fact could be taken into account to negative consent. But as we have already pointed out she did not complain; what she did was by way of face- saving and could not, in any way, negative consent. The only other evidence that deals with the question of consent is that of a medical witness who examined Jarvis and found slight generalised tenderness of her vagina and, expressed the opinion that such tenderness was never caused by intercourse by consent. On the other hand, another medical witness by the prosecution disagreed with the opinion expressed by the other doctor. The question now arises what this court should do in a case of that kind. Except in exceptional circumstances, a Court of Appeal will not upset the verdict of a jury for the simple reason that the jury had the opportunity of hearing and seeing the witnesses when giving their testimony. We consider that an exceptional case and one coming within the provisions of s. 16 (1) of the Federal Supreme Court (Appeals) Ordinance, 1958, which provides: “The Federal Supreme Court or any such appeal against conviction shall allow the appeal if they think that the verdict of the jury should be set aside on the ground that it is unreasonable, or cannot be supported having regard to the evidence.” This is a conviction that we think cannot safely be allowed to stand. The appeal is accordingly allowed, the conviction quashed and the sentence set aside. Appeal allowed.

Chronicle Pepperpot July 2, 2017

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#SupportCreativity

“Flowers for Algernon” By Subraj Singh

Daniel Keyes’

“FLOWERS for Algernon” is a science fiction short story by Daniel Keyes. It won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 1960 and went on to be expanded into a full-length novel and later was converted into a film. The constant exploration of the depths of the original short story that has been manifested in the forms of a novel and film, and other subsequent adaptations, is a good indicator that the

mouse named Algernon, and it is a success with both Algernon and Charlie. However, the effect is only temporary, and so, both Charlie and Algernon become three times smarter and then they start to regress to their old selves. The rest of the plot concerns the changes that take place in Charlie himself after the experiment, the way he sees the world and other people (including his doctors, co-workers and teacher), the way he

main plot of Keyes’ tale is something that readers and audiences have continuously returned to, which not only underscores its entertainment value, but also the allure (whether on account of its science fiction, psychological or emotional value) that the tale inherently possesses. The plot of the story concerns a factory worker named Charlie, who, on account of his low IQ, signs up to be part of a scientific experiment that aims to make him three times smarter. The experiment has already been conducted on animals, including a

sees himself before the experiment, and the aftermath of undergoing the procedure. From a Formalist literary perspective, where the form of the text becomes an important part of analysis, “Flowers for Algernon” is fascinating in terms of the language the story is written in, as Charlie is the one telling us the tale through the form of progress reports he himself writes. The writing within these reports improves as Charlie’s mental capacities improve and regresses as Charlie’s mind regresses. For example, the first lines written by Charlie are: progris

riport-martch 5, 1965 Dr. Strauss says I shud rite down what I think and every thing that happins to me from now on. I dont know why but he says its importint so they will see if they will use me. I hope they use me. Miss Kinnian says maybe they can make me smart. I want to be smart. In the sample above, the child-like and imperfect use of the language is an example of the form of the writing being used to tell us about an adult, Charlie, and where he is at mentally – which is significant because the mind and mental faculties are an essential aspect of the story. When this sample is juxtaposed with the sample of Charlie’s writing shown below, which is written after the surgery and after his IQ has tripled, the readers are informed, just by looking at the development of his writing, of how much he has changed. May 18 I am very disturbed. I saw Miss Kinnian last night for the first time in over a week. I tried to avoid all discussions of intellectual concepts and to keep the conversation on a simple, everyday level, but she just stared

at me blankly and asked me what I meant about the mathematical variance equivalent in Dorbermann’s Fifth Concerto. Of course, this formalist dimension is only one aspect that creates the fascination that can be found within people who read the story. There is a question that raises ethical and moral concerns about mental illness and intelligence; and the concern about the way people who may have mental deficiencies in society are treated is a core part of “Flowers for Algernon.” The way Charlie is treated by both his coworkers at the factory and the scientists who study him echo the dual ends of the spectrum in which differently-abled people in society are treated. Charlie himself is one of the best parts of the story and he truly is a wonderful creation by the author. He is sympathetic, likable, and an underdog. Charlie and his experiences in life are to be remembered. He stands out as one of those narrators, one of those protagonists, and one of those characters in classic literature, who will always come to mind when the question of great and memorable characters comes around.

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Chronicle Pepperpot July 2, 2017

Treating infections ABOUT 80 percent of the patients who seek dental treatment do so as a consequence of some kind of infection. Most, if not all, expect that if that person’s face is swollen then their dentist will automatically prescribe medications. But many times an immediate extraction is required. A bacterial attack can manifest as a condition which may range from a simple tooth decay (carie) to an acute facial abscess. There are two basic methods to control an infection: prevention and treatment. In both cases, nonpharmacologic (not using drugs) efforts are of considerable importance. In prevention, one must be concerned with eliminating those factors that lead to infection: bacterial plaque, oral debris, decayed teeth, etc. The incidence of post-surgical infections can be reduced by proper wound closure and the use of aseptic (sterile) and atraumatic (conservative) techniques. In the treatment of infections, one must provide indicated local treatment of infections, one must provide

indicated local treatment (scraping, incision, drainage, etc.) and supportive care (ensuring adequate rest, nutrition, and fluid intake). Antibiotic is only a part of the treatment for infections. The other major part is the removal of the cause of the infection. It means, therefore, that in order to solve the problem of a dental abscess the first step is to decide if the condition is acute or chronic. Acute abscesses must be drained and/or de-inflamed before instituting medication. It often happens that persons with facial abscesses consult physicians instead of dentists for treatment. While the physician can only prescribe an antibiotic, the dentist by necessity can also remove the causative agent (which is crucial) of the infection, in addition to prescribing the appropriate antibiotic. Someone who acquires a swollen face with a painful area as a result of a decayed tooth is suffering from the first stage of a periodontal abscess. It is important for the dentist to carefully examine and decide whether he/she should do the extraction immediately. Depending on the stage of the infection, anti-inflammatory and antibiotic therapy may be prescribed for at least five days. If an attempt is made to extract the offending tooth without first applying this treatment, two things may happen. The pus surrounding the tooth may disseminate to adjacent tissues or enter the bloodstream, thus exacerbating the situation, and, due to the acidity of the swollen tissues the

anaesthetic may not work sufficiently and so the patient would have a very painful extraction. The need for antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent sub-acute bacterial endocarditis in patients with rheumatic heart disease who are to experience procedures which are likely to precipitate bacteria in the blood stream, is well known. The recommended dosage for most patients is 600, 000 units of procaine penicillin G mixed with 200, 000 crystaline penicillin G administered intramuscularly one hour prior to the dental procedures, and once daily for two days following that. A second aspect of prophylactic antibiotic coverage relates to the use of antibiotics to prevent infections after any dental operation. Studies show that apart from rheumatic heart disease, as stated above, there is no need for someone to take antibiotics before having any kind of surgery, whether it is a simple extraction or periodontal surgery. Most bacteria that cause dental infections are within the antibacterial spectra of penicillin G, penicillin V, ampicillin, erythromycin, tetracyclines, clindamycin and the cephalosporins. Penicillin is the safest and most powerful antibiotic for severe infections. However, it should not be abused. It should only be used in severe infections, when the body ‘s defenses are impaired, where drug toxicity is particularly significant, as in infants, small children, the elderly, the debilitated, pregnant women and those with liver and kidney disorders.

Edu-Tainment Chronicle Pepperpot July 2, 2017

– Finding an engaging summer activity for your child By Ravena Gildharie With schools scheduled to be closed shortly for the July/August holidays, some parents may have already started looking for the ideal activities and events to keep their children occupied, entertained and educated during the two-month break. Several agencies and organisations, both state-owned and private, have opened up registration for their holiday programmes targeting children of varying ages and promoting a wide array of activities including heritage awareness, art and craft, skills building, swimming, music sessions and information technology classes, among others. While most of the programmes require a fee, there are a few being offered free of cost or with a minimal registration charge. Currently, the National Trust of Guyana is gearing up to pull off its Seventh Annual Children’s Heritage Awareness Programme in Georgetown and, for the first time too, in New Amsterdam, Berbice. The one-week activity is free of cost and targets children ages eight to 11, in Georgetown from July 24-28, and the following week in New Amsterdam. Participants will be given snacks and registration is currently open at the agency’s 94 Carmichael Street, location. The programme will be held from 09:00 hrs to noon at the Carifesta Sports Complex in Georgetown while a venue would be finalised soon for the Berbice aspect. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Trust, Nirvana Persaud said this year the agency has expanded its capacity to cater for approximately 50 children in each programme, and is pleased to extend the exercise beyond the City. Noting that it forms part of the Trust’s yearly awareness programme, the CEO explained that the sessions are facilitated by staff of the Trust and its partners from the National Museum, National Park, Botanical Gardens, Mangroves Restoration Committee and Burrowes School of Art. She noted that the activities would expose the children to both cultural and natural heritage and will include classroom sessions and tours to teach participants about monuments, heritage and historical sites as well as model making and archeology teachings. At the beginning of the programme, each child will be pre-evaluated while at the end, they will be given a quiz to determine what they had learnt. There will be group learning sessions and a public speaking forum where the children can share their experiences. At the end of the programme, each child will be issued a certificate of participation at a small ceremony. Persaud highlighted that the programme has received overwhelming responses over the years and there are plans to expand it in the future to other regions. SKILLS BUILDING CLASSES Meanwhile, the Sophia Sparkle Youth Group is also planning its annual Recreational Day Camp for the community’s children and it is also free of cost. The exercise would be held each week daily between 9:00hrs to 13:00hrs and caters for children from nursery level to teenagers. There will be interactive reading sessions, tours to various sites around the city, and a variety of skills building classes to teach participants tie-dye, handicraft, floral making and

decorating, sewing and catering among others. OTHER ACTIVITIES In addition, the University of Guyana’s Department of Language and Cultural Studies will be hosting its Emeritus Professor Doris Rogers Art Programme 2017, from July 10-21 at the Faculty of Education and Humanities Building, Turkeyen. The programme targets participants aged five to 18 years and will be offered at a cost of $10,000. Participants will be exposed to ceramics, sculpting, painting, textile, floral arrangement and drawing. The initiative is spearhead by Mr Michael Khan. Popular local artist, Travell Blackman, of Innovign Art has also scheduled similar summer art and craft classes specifically designed for children and adults. The sessions target children between the ages of five to 12, at a fee of $8, 000 and include all materials. The sessions will be held at South Road, Lacytown, between 10:00 hrs to 12:00hrs from July 10 to 14. According to the host, the classes will allow the participants to explore their unique creativity through drawing, painting, and craft, as all instructions are tailor-made for each child’s needs and interests. There is also a one-day paper flower workshop to be held on July 1 between 16:00 hrs to 19:00 hrs at a cost of $6, 500. Participants would be taught to create at least three different exquisite giant paper flowers that can be used for backdrops, arches, wall accents, or anywhere that needs beautification. For those who would like to learn to swim or to enhance their swimming skills, the Ministry of Education’s Department of Culture, Youth and Sport/National Sports Commission will conduct its annual August Vacation Swimming Programme during July 10 to August 18 at the Colgrain Swimming Pool, Camp Street. There are 10 swimming coaches and instructors to conduct the classes three days per week between 09:00hrs to 12:00 hrs. The programme is open to participants aged nine to 12 years

and a fee $1,000 along with the child’s birth certificate are required upon registration. There will be a formal opening ceremony on July 10 when the session commences. Foundation Seven is offering special summer classes to teach participants the use of the keyboard, guitar, drums, and

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recorder, along with voice training. Three programmes are planned between July 17 to September 1, 2017. Each class will run for two-weeks and are open to participants aged five years and upwards. The location is the Wesleyan Bible Building on Brickdam, opposite the Brickdam Police Station.

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Trench Town, Jamaica:

Chronicle Pepperpot July 2, 2017

Raw and unedited

By Vanessa Braithwaite “A BOB Marley did not make Trench Town, but rather, a Trench Town made a Bob Marley.” THIS is the rhetoric used by many residents of Trench Town; one of the largest inner city states in Kingston, Jamaica. Trench Town, despite being the most popular slum in Kingston, riddled with poverty, broken homes, dilapidated buildings and shacks, deplorable infrastructure, unoccupied youths and a history of crime, is often referred to as the “Hollywood of Jamaica”. Birthed out of this impoverished community were many of Jamaica’s famous musicians, sportsmen and national heroes. Some of these include Bunny Wailer, Alton Ellis, Mortimer Planno, Joe Higgs, Peter Tosh, Marcus Garvey, the Abyssinians and, of course, Bob Marley. These persons rose to greatness above the horrors of marginalisation, poverty and social ills, and it is this phenomenon which has made Trench Town such an iconic, tourism destination in Kingston today. Walking through the streets of Trench Town is like a walk through Tiger Bay or Albouystown, here in Guyana. The smell of ‘ganja’ permeates the air: the curious eyes of ‘limers’; the hungry faces of dogs; the back step salons; the tenement yards; the bare backs of children and the wall paintings of Haile Selassie ,Jah, and Bob Marley along with other Trench Town heroes, sum up the Trench Town experience. It was a raw and unedited experience of poverty in Jamaica and the fight for survival; famous lyrics of Bob Marley’s hit, ‘Buffalo Soldier’.

Despite there are some changes to Trench Town, more than eight decades since its formation, there are no real developmental or social changes to the community. Trench Town is approximately a 200-acre territory that was previously called Trench Pen, where farming and cattle-rearing took place. It was in 1937 that the area was subdivided to construct an urban township which was renamed Trench Town. Housing solutions known as tenement yards were built to facilitate the poor who once squatted there. One yard would occupy about 16 tenants who paid 12 shillings a month to the Government. Trench Town now has seven streets with a population of about 2,000 residents. TRENCH TOWN AND BOB MARLEY Bob Marley moved to Trench Town in 1956 when he was 11 years old with his mother Cedella Marley Booker who married Bunny Wailer’s father, Mr. Toddy Livingston. They lived on Second Street in a tenement yard which still remains occupied today, though now dilapidated. Bob Marley then moved to Sixth and Eighth Lower First Street in Trench Town, the tenement yard which now houses the Trench Town Culture Yard and Museum. It is a two-minute walk from his mother’s house. In this culture yard also lived Vincent ‘Tata’ Ford, who taught Bob Turn to page IX ►►►

Chronicle Pepperpot July 2, 2017

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Consumers welcome the new PUC chairman – Look forward to quick liberalisation

ON JUNE 21, Della Britton, a well-known Attorney-at-Law and serving Commissioner of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) was sworn in as Chairman of the PUC by President Granger. The Consumer Community, which from the inception of the PUC was fully involved in all its hearings, hereby extends a hearty welcome to Madame Chairman Britton, and as a stakeholder, again, we pledge our support to the Chairman and the Commission. Britton is an experienced lawyer and had been exposed to other disciplines and skills when she took her Master’s Degree from Columbia University. She therefore brings a rounded intellectual personality and tested ability to the Chairmanship. During the time Chairman Britton served as Commissioner, the Commission had to adjudicate on several difficult and complicated issues, especially in respect of the Telecommunications Utility. In these deliberations Chairman Britton saw at first-hand the knowledge, capability and professionalism of her fellow Commissioners. She also saw how helpful and able were the staff of the Commission. In her acceptance speech, she underlined this when she remarked: “We do have a dynamic group of professionals and the Commissioners are all capable of fulfilling their mandate, as all have years of experience and are professionals ... Our duties are strict under the Legislation and because they are strict we have mandatory obligations to the Consumers, the Utilities and to the Minister.” With this excellent PUC infrastructure she inherits, she will immediately start working. The liberalisation of the Telecommunication Sector is the first challenge Chairman Britton will encounter and she is well-prepared to meet it. “Plans are afoot as of now to have all things in place before liberalisation would have come into force,” she said. In getting ready for liberalisation, the PUC will have to engage new personnel to assist in the process. Such personnel would be best available in Guyana. Chairman Britton has promised to work

closely with the Minister of Telecommunications, Catherine Hughes who would be leading the liberalisation process. The liberalisation legislation which came into being last August has several new requirements, but the core of it concerns is the ending of the ATN/ GTT monopoly of the Telecommunication Industry. The liberalisation is expected to be completed by the end of July 2017 and this had been set as the deadline and, the public is looking forward to this in much expectancy. Minister Hughes however pointed out that before the liberalisation process is complete, a number of issues have to be resolved and this may go beyond the end of July, but that consumers and the public need not be alarmed since the process is moving in a straight line towards conclusion. The main issues which are in the process of being resolved are the engaging of a suitable consultant to advise on spectrum management and pricing, since in the past GTT enjoyed free or almost free spectrum and since the National Frequency Management Unit now comes under a new agency. GTT, on its side, is concerned with the pricing of spectrum and the process by which applications for new licences are received. In addition to these, ATN/GTT has a number of other issues still to be resolved which are of the nature of dismantling the monopoly and the payment of monies they owe to the Guyana Revenue Authority(GRA). Minister Hughes has reported that negotiations on all outstanding issues are going well. It is not expected that the Telecoms Minister and ATN/GTT would make public the process of these negotiations but this, however, does not preclude the GCA from giving its take on information which is already in the public domain. In this regard, there are three issues of which the negotiators would be reminded:(1) GTT has publicly stated that the Liberalisation Act was ending the Monopoly which they regarded as their private property, and for which the Government of Guyana (GoG)

◄◄◄ From page VIII

most of the fortunes are used to assist the needy in the community. With the vision of making Trench Town a tourism destination, crime is virtually low compared to previous years. It was in the same Trench Town that some of the infamous political incursions occurred, killing hundreds of persons in the 1970s. Bob Marley headlined the star-studded ‘One Love Peace Concert’ on April 22, 1978 which saw the unification of the two political rivals, Prime Minister Michael Manley and Opposition Leader Edward Seaga. Today, while there may be some occurrences of crimes in Trench Town, peace prevails among the residents, with everyone being their brother’s keeper. Despite how little may be in their possession, not a child will go hungry or an elderly unsheltered. The residents of Trench Town continue to look up to their hero Bob Marley, and apply in their lives the lyrics of his song Trench Town Rocks; “…don’t turn your back… give the slum a try… never let the children cry…cause you got to tell Jah, Jah”. Indeed, to them, Trench Town rocks.

to play the guitar and wrote the song ‘No Woman No Cry.’ ‘Tata’ was Bob’s hero, and the hero of many other famous Jamaican reggae singers. It was in the very same culture yard that the Wailers were formed and Bob Marley and the Wailers’ first album `Catch a Fire’ was recorded. The Trench Town Culture Yard (TTCY) and Casbah Bar is the first inner-city run project and in March 2006 was recognised as a National Heritage Site by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust. The TTCY is manned by members of the community and aims at promoting Trench Town as a tourism destination of Jamaica. The vision is that this will boost the community’s economy and eradicate poverty and the plethora of social phenomena plaguing the residents. Once tourism is boosted, then residents can get involved in self-employment, whether it is selling craft, fruits and offering other services to the tourists. BUSINESS STILL SLOW While the numbers have increased over the years, tour facilitators explained that business is still a little slow and

must duly compensate them. This Monopoly was given in the 1990 Contract between ATN/ GTT and the Government of Guyana. The GCA had long been advocating that the 1990 Contract was void and as such there was no monopoly in the strict sense, as such there is no obligation on Government to compensate ATN/GTT for loss of monopoly. The reason why the 1990 Contract was void was that the Government gave ATN/GTT the monopoly subject to their performing certain things. The most important of these was their obligation to institute universal landline services in Georgetown and throughout the coastland of Guyana and in five named interior locations. GTT has failed to do this and there is a list of thousands who require landlines and cannot get them, in addition to the demand for landlines in the new housing schemes. In GCA’s view, this fundamental breach of the 1990 Contract in addition to other less fundamental breaches voids the so-called Monopoly Contract.

(2) The GCA believes that ATN/GTT owes the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) at least US $40, million in taxes which they have resisted paying over the years. The GCA surmises that they will try to negotiate away from this debt by suggesting that it should be balanced against the loss of monopoly, among other things and that both sides should let bygones be bygones. The GCA holds strongly to the view that ATN/GTT should be made to honour their financial obligations to the Government. They have extracted enormous profits from Guyana beyond the wildest dreams of any local company. (3) GTT has been complaining that they have been making poor profits on the regulated services which are of course the monopoly segment of their business. If the so-called monopoly service is of such poor value, then it could scarcely expect to be compensated for this. We do look forward to the quick conclusion of negotiations and the advent of liberalisation.

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Chronicle Pepperpot July 2, 2017

Wise words to the youth – Be positive in your thinking, active in your doing – Make your passion into a career

By M. Margaret Burke

education; however they were adamant on me having one and did all DR. PATRICEE Douglas, fondly known they could. My father, especially, as ‘Dr Pat’ isn’t one that finds much joy would always sit at the table with me in speaking about herself. She would and ensure that I did my school homerather spend that time engaged in volun- work,” she said. teerism or an intellectually stimulating The young doctor admits that the conversation. family didn’t have much growing up, Patricee is described by those who but she always felt loved and had what know her well as outspoken, passionate, she needed to succeed in school. She humble, confident, and a “little crazy in the admits too, that despite not having head”. This statuesque young woman who much, she considers those the best stands five feet, nine inches tall, lives by days of her life. Rumi’s quote: “I am not this hair, I am not “I went to my mother’s workplace this skin, I am the soul that lives within.” to assist her on the morning of my She enjoys the simple things in life and primary school graduation so that she believes that “those who exalt themselves could have time-off early for my gradwill be humbled, and those who humble uation in the afternoon,” Dr Pat said. themselves will be exalted…I am happiest She further revealed, “I can recall when serving others,” she said, adding that while going to church there were she keeps this quote by Martin Luther King two sisters who would laugh at my Junior in mind: “Life’s most persistent and clothing and shoes week after week. urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for Once, it really got to me and I told others?’.” my mom and she said to me, ‘Child, “I enjoy getting lost in words, engaging life ain’t gon always be this way… Dr Patricee Douglas in intellectually stimulating conversations don’t take them on’. Then every year cine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) proand spending quality time with my loved a huge Maypole was kept in my village and gramme, which she successfully completed. ones. I am also a strong believer in tem- there was also an annual Christmas party for “I was fortunate to be selected as the perance and believe that it is one of the children at the entrance of my street and not inaugural scholar for SAGE (Scholarship virtues, if praconce was I able for Advanced Guyanese Education) in 2009. ticed, which A woman of many passions to go to those Hence, I was able to attend UG without havwill enable all either,” she re- ing to worry about how my tuition would be to get the most called. paid or about student loans,” she declared. out of life,” she said. Dr. Pat MOVING TO VOLUNTEERISM also admits that NON-PARIEL Volunteerism has also played a major she has a flair Dr P a t role in this young doctor’s life, and she said for the dramatic said that later that she has been constantly working on which spurs a on the family encouraging young people to get involved love for drama w e r e a b l e t o as well. “Volunteers are essential in makand poetry. move into their ing Guyana and the world at large a better own home, in place,” she said. In making emphasis on this, HUMBLE BENon-Pariel and she quoted Marian Wright Edelan: ‘Service GINNINGS s h e b e l i e v e s is the rent we pay for being. It is the very Dr Douglas that this was purpose of life, and not something you do is a born and one of the best in your spare time’.” bred country things to hapShe said that her love for volunteerism girl, who hails pen to her, as, also provided her with many opportunities from the village she said, it was for which she is grateful, including the of Haslington on in this new vil- opportunity to work with underprivileged the East Coast of Demerara, where she spent lage where she found herself and grew into women and girls across the coastal areas of the greater part of her childhood. She credits her own. Guyana, being selected as one of the 200 the village for her sharp tongue and witty “Subsequently I entered secondary Women Deliver young leaders from around personality. She later moved to Non-Pariel, school, wrote CSEC examination, and grad- the world, and being able to participate in where she currently resides. uated valedictorian. This boosted my confi- its conference in Copenhagen Denmark in “My parents and I lived in a small wood- dence tremendously and made me believe 2016. “It was also due to volunteerism I was en, one bedroom house. We didn’t have that I can do anything that I set my mind to. awarded a National Youth Award of Excelelectricity or running water in our yard, so I later went to President’s College where I lence: For outstanding voluntarily work in our only source of potable water was our wrote the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency the field of health and an award from my neighbour’s yard, where my father would Examinations (CAPE), came out as the top medical school that acknowledged my volhave to fetch daily in order to meet our student for my school, and the top 10 stu- untary work in 2015,” she said. needs,” she said. dent for the entire country. Her father was an auto-electrician while Dr Pat revealed that after leaving sec- BIGGEST ACCOMPLISHMENT her mother did an array of what others may ondary school, she applied for and was acDr Pat said that her biggest accomplishterm “menial jobs”: washing peoples’ dish- cepted into the BSc in Biology programme ment is actually discovering her purpose, her es, cleaning their houses, and even working at the University Of Guyana; a year later life’s true calling, which is the promotion of on a farm. “They didn’t have a secondary was accepted to do the Bachelor of Medi- the health and rights of women and girls.

“I am not looking to change the world but to bring about change in myself and those around me. If the work I do touches only one person that will make me happy. All that I achieved thus far is due to God’s goodness towards me,” she said. A woman of many passions, Dr Pat is on a mission to be a catalyst for change in people’s lives. “Women and girls’ health and rights, volunteerism, youth empowerment are but a few of my passions. However, I have been trying to channel those passions, to focus on one and try to effect change in that area, hence, I have been placing emphasis on work in this field,” she said. Asked what her message to young people would be, given the vast amount of knowledge she has garnered over the years, she said, “Young people, it’s ok if you don’t want to be a doctor, lawyer or an engineer. Break way from those conventional careers and do your thing. Go, be the greatest artist you can be; go, be the greatest fashion designer you can be. Once you love it go after it and stop

Dr Pat speaking to some young people

listening to the critics. The best thing you can do for yourself is to make your passion into a career. Be positive in your thinking and active in your doing. Invest in your future. Take a course, read a motivational book, get off FB (Facebook) and volunteer. Do something today that will benefit you tomorrow.” (mercilinburke2017@gmail.com)

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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome THIS week I am going to continue to spread awareness of illnesses plaguing our community. I have seen multiple pregnant women consuming alcohol during the last few weeks. I was surprised to learn that these mothers and some fathersto-be were not aware of the harm they were causing to their unborn children. I hope this piece brings awareness, acceptance and prevention of these harms.

priate sexual behaviour and drug use are also common in those with FAS. This usually results in school drop-out or unemployment. Unfortunately, the symptoms of FAS tend to get worse as the child ages. Please also keep in mind

depend on what, how much and how often alcohol is consumed. Studies also show that if the pregnant mother is over age 35, smokes cigarettes and has a poor diet, the child is more likely to develop FAS. If you believe that your child may

that heavy drinking during pregnancy can increase the chances of a miscarriage altogether. Is also dangerous to consume alcohol while breastfeeding a baby. It may not cause FAS, but it may affect their sleep/wake pattern, as well as slow down weight and motor development gain.

have FAS, there are a few things you can look for. 1. Alcohol was consumed during pregnancy, especially during the first three months 2. They have abnormal facial features such as those mentioned above 3. They have a growth deficiency – they are much smaller than those their age? 4. Do they have any central nervous system damage? If the child has three or more out of the following four criteria, it is strongly recommended that a visit is made to the nearest health centre.

WHAT IS FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME (FAS)? FAS is a medical condition that a child develops when the pregnant mother consumes alcohol while the child is in the womb. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy results in damage to both the child’s brain and body. While it would take frequent alcohol consumption for FAS to occur, there is no safe amount of alcohol to drink during pregnancy. WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME? There are numerous physical deformities and mental illnesses associated with FAS. Physically, a baby born with FAS will have a small head, small and wide-set eyes and very thin upper lips. They would be below average birth weight and height. In the womb, a baby does not have a fully developed liver and therefore cannot process the alcohol that can easily spread and damage vital organs. They often present with heart, kidney or limb problems. Heart murmurs and seizure disorders are also possibilities. During development, there would be issues with sight and hearing as well as thought-processing, impulse control and judgement. There will be learning and memory disabilities fuelled by hyperactivity, poor concentration, intellectual disability and low motivation. All of the above affect their ability to properly communicate, have normal social skills and form healthy relationships. All the above symptoms also have an effect on mental health. Any change in routine causes an unusual amount of stress. There is depression and anxiety if the condition is severe. Many social issues such as legal problems, inappro-

HOW IS FAS DEVELOPED? Through the mother, the alcohol reaches the baby through the placenta, the organ that is supposed to only nourish the baby. Therefore, you can prevent FAS by not consuming alcohol during pregnancy. Basically, the alcohol that is absorbed by the foetus prevents sufficient nutrition and even oxygen from getting to its vital organs. If you are planning to become pregnant, it is beneficial to stay off of alcohol completely as you could not know when conception actually happens. While any amount of alcohol is dangerous during pregnancy, studies show that consuming alcohol during the first three months of pregnancy is the most dangerous. Of course, the intensity of FAS will

HOW IS FAS TREATED? FAS cannot be cured, but can be managed. The earlier the diagnosis is made, the more progress can be made. Prescription medications may be beneficial as it lowers existing and additional symptoms which include aggression, lack of focus/attention, inability to sleep or eat well, anxiety or depression. Physical therapy and early intervention also appear to lower the degree of FAS.

Counselling has been proven beneficial for those with FAS. Counselling and behavioural training that focuses on social skills, coping skills, lowering stress and anger management are a great help to the affected individual. Alternatively, home treatments such as exercise, herbal supplements, relaxation therapies, yoga and massages have also proven effective. Creative art sessions have shown to help with attention, aggression and lowering stress overall. Those with FAS can live at home with their families, but a large percentage requires dependent living which means in-patient treatment in a group centre or home. Since every child is different, it is also recommended that you schedule an appointment at your nearest health centre to discuss the best way to deal with your specific case. If a child has developed FAS, studies show that there are a few protective factors that reduce the secondary symptoms of the condition. These include being diagnosed at an early age, living in a healthy, non-violent home, having a hobby such as art or music and participating in community activities. There is a fear that admission of consuming alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding can result in shame, guilt or judgement. Do not let that fear stop you from reaching out for help. Please go to your nearest health centre if you feel your child is at risk for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). Thank You for reading and please send in any topics to caitlinvieira@ gmail.com. Also please remember when you can, come see me. Georgetown Public Hospital :Monday- Friday – 8am- 12pm Woodlands Hospital: Outpatient Department Drug and Alcohol group meetings Mondays 4:00pm Good mental health group meetingsWednesdays 4:00pm Suicide Prevention Helpline Numbers: 223-0001. 223-0009, 623-4444, 600-7896 Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always!

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#SupportCreativity

Restorative visual narratives on the Guyanese migration experience THE Caribbean Cultural Centre African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI) recently opened its doors to an exhibition of works by an inter-generational group of Guyanese artists working across various media to deconstruct ideas of space and movement within the context of displacement and national identity. The exhibition,

aptly titled Liminal Space, was curated by Grace Aneiza Ali and represents her sustained interest in engaging with artists (both emerging and established) who not only wrestle with those ideas but who have also found ways of naviTurn to page XIII ►►►

Christie Neptune, Memories from Yonder, 2015, diptych of archival inkjet prints: 30 x 20 inches (3 editions) Andrew Lyght, G741 Drawing Structures, 2016, oak stick framing, acrylic paint, Prismacolor pencil on plywood sheathing, 45 x 40 x 14.5 inches

Carl Hazlewood, Demerara Song, 2017, acrylic, pastel, pushpins, map pins, gold cord, nylon cord, vinyl tile, vinyl tape, conte crayon, glitter, charcoal, grommets, polyester (from recycled plastic bottles), fabric, 94 x 108 x 7 inches

Victor Davson, Jhandi Flag #5, from the series, Jhandi Flags, 2017, glitter, sequins, acrylic on canvas, 28.25 x 27.75 inches (unframed)

Chronicle Pepperpot July 2, 2017 ◄◄◄ From page XII

gating the conflicting feelings often attached to them. Through their individual bodies of work, each artist has, in his/her own way, attempted to unpack the complex narratives of migration, bringing into sharp focus how perceptions of individual and national identity are continuously undergoing transformation. In a text outlining the framework of the exhibition, Ali explained that the number of Guyanese living outside Guyana far exceeds the number living within the country’s perimeter, a trend of movement she traced back to the 1960s.

Stanley Greaves, Bread Man, 2001, acrylic on canvas scroll, 42 x 32 inches

This physical shift away from “home,” however, does not discount or remove the emotional ties to the space. In fact, most times those ties are strengthened in an attempt to hold close that precious connection as they brace themselves to weather the challenges of what it means to be a migrant, particularly from a region often considered “peripheral.” “Liminal Space speaks to the emergence of the Caribbean diaspora in global metropolises. In fact, it is intentional that a majority of the artists featured in the exhibition live in the Tri-State Area around New York City—to reflect the region’s evolution as home to the largest Guyanese community in the diaspora. Yet, while the artists narrate experiences specific to Guyana, they simultaneously unpack universal tensions—the act of migration as a constant site of engagement and what it means to be an immigrant in our 21st century world,” Ali said. In July of last year, Ali curated Un|Fixed Homeland, an exhibition of photographic and photo-based works mounted at the Aljira Centre for Contemporary Art in Newark, New Jersey. This exhibition has, in many ways, laid a sound foundation for the multiple considerations of the relationship between land and body currently on display at CCCADI. The notion of a shifting “physical place” and “psychic space” of “home” that was central to the previous exhibition has been carried through and perhaps could be read as having developed out of an exploratory first engagement with those existing tensions. Neither show was meant in any way to be conclusive presentations of the “Guyana migratory experience,” just as no similar endeavour is ever meant to be. Instead, what they both have presented viewers with is the opportunity to bear witness to the unfolding of a small selection of personal histories of self and citizenship. In a less personal and more collective or national context, Guyana like many countries from the region, has a long and tangled history of movement (forced and voluntary) to and from its shores. It is precisely this history that Ali mines through the works of the 16 exhibiting artists, in an attempt to offer more “restorative narratives,” as she describes it.

“The artists in Liminal Space represent both spectrums of migration: the ones who leave and the ones who are left. They tease out symbols of decay and loss, avoiding trappings of nostalgia by envisioning avenues out of displacement. While their work engages the hard truths of a country defined by constant departure and deemed ‘a disappearing nation,’ they equally offer restorative narratives of why this homeland is loved,” she said. Artists with work on display in the exhibition include Kwesi Abbensetts, Damali Abrams, Khadija Benn, Victor Davson, Stanley Greaves, Carl Hazlewood, Dominique Hunter, Donald Locke, Andrew Lyght, Suchitra Mattai, Christie Neptune, Mason Richards, Karran Sahadeo, Keisha Scarville, and Arlington Weithers. Liminal Space opened on June 17 and continues until October 26 at the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute (CCCADI) in New York. Guyanese-born curator Grace Aneiza Ali is the recipient of the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts Curatorial Fellowship. She has spent her fellowship researching the canon of contemporary Guyanese artists, which still remains largely unknown on the world stage. Ali is a faculty member in the Department of Art & Public Policy, Tisch School of the Arts, New York University and the Editorial Director of OF NOTE —an award-winning online magazine on art and activism. Her essays on contemporary art and photography have been published in Nueva Luz Journal, Small Axe Journal, among others. Highlights of her curatorial work include Guest Curator for the 2014 Addis Foto Fest; Guest Curator of the Fall 2013 Nueva Luz Photographic Journal; and Host of the ‘Visually Speaking’ photojournalism series at the New York Public Library’s Schomburg Center. Ali is a World Economic Forum ‘Global Shaper’ and Fulbright Scholar. She holds an M.A. in Africana Studies from New York University and a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Maryland, College Park.

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Suchitra Mattai, El Dorado After All, 2017, thread, faux fur, leather, zippers, cord, ribbon, pompoms, chain on found woven seaweed rug, 4.7 x 7.3 feet

Keisha Scarville, Untitled #1, from the series, Mama’s Clothes, 2015, archival digital print, 24 x 36 inches

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The Wadada Lifestyle Art, fashion and finding balance with T&T’s Wadada Movement the products we use are natural products. We spend a lot of time in nature, on the beach, at waterfalls,” Ayanna said. “Basically our whole lifestyle makes it comfortable for you to feel royal in whatever you do and that is what our collections and our brand try to represent; something that is royal and could give any woman a confidence and a feel that she is beautiful; that she is woman. But everything we do is not just gender based. We love shopping but at the same time we could get down and drive a four wheel in the bush or in a mud track, or climb to the top of a waterfall. So it’s a good balance that we have of what we think our lifestyle should be: between nature and between modernism.” ABOUT WADADA MOVEMENT The twins have been designing since 2010 and it was then that Wadada Movement (Wadada is the Amharic word for ‘true love’) was established. They have since launched seven collections over the course of their career. To date, they

(Photo by Rachel Charles)

If you are ever given the opportunity to wear an original piece from Trinidad and Tobago’s Wadada Movement, then you would know what it is to live the Wadada lifestyle. And that is because every piece created by twins, Asha and Ayanna Diaz, the visionaries behind the brand, is infused with love, sincerity and a little bit of rebellion. The philosophy of their brand is such that they have never genuinely conformed to what’s trending on the market, and instead, make clothing that is accessible to all body types. This can be seen in their line ‘Street Wise’ which was showcased at the Caribbean Style and Culture Awards in Maryland, earlier this month. Each piece from the collection was one which spoke of being cool, comfortable, but in style all at the same time. Indeed, their style speaks their truth, as young passionate artists who wish only to imprint in the world the art of living life in a manner that makes you comfortable in your own skin. “I think people appreciate our style because it blends with our lifestyle, and it’s easy for everybody to adapt,” Asha told the Pepperpot Magazine. “It’s not just the skimpy clothes where only people who feel like they have the best bodies, could wear. Our pieces are able to accentuate any body type.” Additionally, both Rastafarian, the sisters agree that their practices also allow them to remain humble in their art and in life in general. “For us, a lot of things are very natural; lots of

Asha and Ayanna Diaz of Wadada Movement (Photo by Rachel Charles)

agree that their most successful line was their most recent, titled ‘Black Sabbath’ which allowed them to step beyond the norm of their designs and incorporate a more formal look. “We went a different route, we went a little more formal and had more custom made pieces rather than ready to wear and we had really good feedback and support from that collection. We stepped out of our box for that collection and I think that’s what people enjoyed,” Ayanna said. But much like in Guyana, the twins admit that the Trinidad and Tobago Arts industry has its challenges in terms of support for artists and sufficient platforms for showcasing their work- but they admit that much of this is slowly changing as the current government has introduced small business financing programmes that allow artists to access funding. “These things are currently only open to ‘TT’ citizens but I do think they are building it to where it could be. They have a lot of people from Caribbean islands that come to schools here for fashion or creative education and with that realisation they are now trying to move in that direction and open it up because ultimately we need everyone focused on the same goal to get to where we need to go,” Asha said. For them, however, their biggest challenge remains having a platform to sell their clothing. “For us to have an eCommerce platform we have to go to the US. It’s available here in Trinidad but it’s not accessible here for people like us… we don’t have [large amounts of money] to put down,” she said. Mass production also remains another issue on the twin island but the twins themselves have been able to side step that hurdle by seeking outside sources to produce their clothing. ARTIST LIFE But all in all, these dynamic designers enjoy the artist life, and while they engage in other artistic income earning ventures on the side, it is designing that holds their passion. Moreover, they enjoy being artists and the role that art plays in their lives. “Being an artist puts in perspective what life is about because I’m not caught up in the everyday eight to four job, so my life is not routine. So you could really appreciate different moments. It’s easier for me to appreciate simple things like a drive to a destination because I am not doing it every single day, at the same time, at the same hour. I feel that just being a creative and being an artist, my life has not been monotonous and I think that’s important for people, yes to have a routine but not to be monotonous in everything that you do… that is when you just lose the gratitude for things,” Asha said. Ayanna concurred, adding, “Being an artist has made me more humble. Not being part of a routine or being structured in a way that I have to follow a system allows me to create my own system which is the best thing that anyone can do for themselves,” she said. Asha and Ayanna were recently awarded the Award of Excellence- Fashion Innovation at the Caribbean Style and Culture Awards and Fashion Showcase, and they are extremely grateful to have been identified and to have their work showcased before members of the Caribbean Diaspora.

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For the love of your body By Kate Grey WHETHER you are tall, short, thin, curvy, muscular, black, brown, or white, you are blessed with one body that God personally moulded to make a unique and beautiful you. I have decided to focus on a topic that is a bit close to home for me and that is body shaming. Being a full figured young woman myself, it is not that easy but when compared to the last 10-15 years there has been a lot of improvements. There has also been some improvement in the fashion industry to include clothing sizes for bodies that are thin to full-figured. But with people becoming more aware of their bodies and the movement of body positivity, there is also an upsurge of body shaming. Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat have become the perfect breeding ground for persons to give their unsolicited opinions on your body. It is not just directed at full-figured women or men but persons who are very naturally thin are termed as anorexic among other names. The effects this disgusting habit has on an individual is almost irreversible (depending on the person). Some persons use the disguise of telling it like it is or helpful criticisms, but at the end of the day a spade is a spade and body shaming is body shaming. Now sometimes these thoughtless comments might be coming from a good place and are not meant to intentionally hurt, but still you can’t help but feel the sting when you hear someone say, “you’re eating out everyone’s’ food” or “a strong gush of wind would knock you down any minute”. There is no such thing as a perfect body; women and men come in all shapes and size, it’s called diversity and the world would be boring without it. Unfortunately, I have noticed that a lot of body shaming comments are directed at women, but an even more disturbing thought is these comments are coming from women more than men. I feel that as women we have a lot of odds already against us and we should be building each other up and, it just sickens me to see women tear each other down. Whatever the intention for the habit of men-

tioning or mocking someone because of their body shape or size, and especially doing so on a public platform is not healthy for that person. In fact, it is downright destructive. This is not tough love or helpful advice as some would like to call it. Instead, much harm can come from telling people these things. People can act out and end up suffering from self-mutilation, eating disorders, suicidal ideation, self-hate, and depression. It shatters a person’s self-confidence and self-worth; these individuals no longer feel like they have a reason to walk with their heads held high. This is especially dangerous for younger age groups. Going through adolescent years is already difficult with the constant change your body is undergoing, but to add society’s unrealistic view of the perfect body is just wrong. Guyana may not be on the same level as some countries when it comes to this issue, and most of the plus-sized women and men are a bit more comfortable in their skin than some people in the more developed countries but the trend of body shaming is starting to pick up here. I have an aunt that I keep at a distance due to some of the comments she would make. The first thing she would mention when I enter her gate is “Kate you have gained weight?” or “You need to cut down on the sweet” among other things, and this is something she says while sitting or standing on her steps. Because my parents always told me to respect my elders, I would just plaster a smile on my face, however, should she develop the ability to read my mind or if I decide to go against my parents’ teaching and respond to these comments, I would happily tell her that I own both a mirror and a scale and am aware of how my weight fluctuates so her opinions are not needed since I am active and try to eat healthily. Over the years, I have developed a habit of loving my body, after years of being the object of body shaming from fellow students and from teachers. Little children can be tough on each other, but try picturing a teacher, someone who is supposed to mould minds and nurture children, completely destroy a female teenage student’s self-confidence by calling her names and pointing out her faults in front of her peers. This unprovoked attack was something I had

to endure from a teacher at the tender age of 13 years old. Some may argue that we are getting to a stage where people are getting soft and everyone should develop a tough skin to deal with the real world, but as the saying goes: it’s not what you say but how you say it. Promote body positivity; be aware that someone’s body size or goals may not necessarily be yours. If you have an issue with how someone looks, keep quiet or simply look away. If you’re on someone’s social media page and you have an issue with the way they dress or

look then find another page. Please do not use your right to free speech to humiliate, alienate or embarrasses someone. The important thing that I hope people take away from reading this article is to love your body, since it is the only one you have, take care of yourself. Try to keep as much distance as possible from people who belittle you or constantly put you down. Know that what that person says is not the standard to live by. Surround yourself with positive and like-minded individuals and start living for yourself.

Music through the ages

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Keeping indigenous music alive over the years By Ravena Gildharie

IT was February 20, 1976, when Neville Calistro, an Amerindian village leader of Kabakaburi, first appeared on stage in Sophia, Georgetown, to sing at a birthday celebration for the now, late Prime Minister Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham. “I was not the ‘Mighty Chief’ then when I sang at Sophia, and people just saw me as an Amerindian man and kept shouting “Sing, buckman Sing.” So, I sang then as a ‘buck man’,” Calistro recalled. At the time, he was a member of the People’s Cultural Corps, through which he gained exposure at performances throughout Guyana. He eventually catapulted to fame and his name and music became recognised in and outside of the country. He is Guyana’s first indigenous calyp-

sonian, the man who fused the Arawak style mari-mari with calypso to generate his own musical ‘cali-mari’ genre and who performed for the Queen. The ‘Mighty Chief’ has written and produced numerous songs over the years featuring Arawak and Carib cultures, and he is also versed in the Akawaio language. Calistro is among a group of popular indigenous musicians who have worked aggressively over the years to preserve the native Amerindian culture, including the language and music. During the 1980s to 1992, he worked as cultural coordinator in the Pomeroon/Supenaam region fostering and exposing the indigenous culture through songs, dances and the traditional language. He established cultural groups in Manawarin, Akawini, Wakapoa, Mainstay, Tapakuma, St Monica and Kabakaburi. In

1986, he led the Kabakaburi group on indigenous performances in London, Jamaica, Barbados, Holland and Brussels. In 2003, he guided his five sons and one daughter along with their cousin, to form the ‘Calibro Band,’ which has gained its own popularity as an indigenous musical group. However, today the ‘Mighty Chief’ is saddened by the fading indigenous music and recalled his memories of the ‘Kayap’, once a tool of social cohesion among Amerindians. His view is shared by several other Amerindian musicians, including Arawak calypsonian Julian ‘The Mighty Pakuri’ Kattow. Kattow created quite an amusement in the musical landscape with his 2005 release of the song ‘Matapee.’ Whether it’s the hyped mari-mari beats or the catchy

Arawak lyrics, the song is noted to quickly stimulate any dance floor. But while the ‘Matapee’ has heralded its own fame, the Amerindian musicians are worried that indigenous music in its most native form is rapidly fading and may soon become a thing of the past. Apart from the declining dialects in the lyrics, the beats are becoming more integrated into modern and popular rhythms such as Reggae, Soca and Spanish to match the entertainment demands of the younger generation. ‘MATAPEE’ AND THE ARAWAK COMPOSER It has been observed too that a majority of the younger Amerindians are leaving Turn to page XVII ►►►

Chronicle Pepperpot July 2, 2017 ◄◄◄ From page XVI

their villages for the city in search of education and employment opportunities, and have been overlooking their culture and beliefs. However, the local musicians remain determined to preserve their culture and music and are employing various means to do so. Originally of St Cuthbert’s Mission, Kattow continues to produce and record his patriotic songs featuring the various indigenous beats combined with the Arawak lyrics. His songs are inspired by the Amerindian’s way of life, culture, beliefs, experiences and relationship to the environment. He has however integrated English translations into the songs along with the native language to make it more appealing to the wider audience. And so far, his method had been proving successful, as his music serves as very popular dance tunes at various cultural and entertainment events around Guyana. ‘Matapee,’ ‘Shifoda’ and ‘Arawak Man’ are widely known across diverse cultures and ethnicities. The calypsonian has already released one album with 10 songs written and recorded over the years and is currently working to record the second volume. “Now that most of the old musicians have passed away, so have the instruments that they used to make the music and I have noticed that a lot of the bands and singers now are using more of the English beat. You find some of the songs become reggae and rap, which is creative but I think we need to maintain some of the original forms of Amerindian music and this is what I have been doing, using the original beats and just adding different lyrics,” Kattow indicated. Recalling his childhood in the Pakuri village, he described how the Amerindians celebrated ‘Kayap,’ better known today by the wider population as Mashramani, a celebration after hard work. “In those days, we had self-help work and everyone would get together to go to the farm to do some community work or help someone in the village. At the end, there was cooking and drinking the piwari and there you had the music and dancing,” Kattow said. The natives used violins, banjos, Kwatro, maracas and flutes to make their music, while the audience danced in various native styles. Kattow started performing at these events and during birthdays, weddings and the festive season. He has since gained exposure across the country, performing at various events including Amerindian Heritage Month observances. Currently, Kattow is working with a team of other indigenous musicians from various areas to produce a jingle in observance of this year’s Amerindian Heritage Month observances to be staged in September. St Cuthbert’s has been earmarked as this year’s Heritage Village. SURAMA PRESERVING ITS MAKUSHI CULTURE In Surama, there exists one of Guyana’s largest indigenous cultural groups that feature a wide array of talents in-

cluding the native Makushi language, songs, dances, drama, designs, and art and craft among others. The group, led by Glendon Allicock and his wife, Jean, have been using music to preserve their culture. The couple writes and composes indigenous songs in the Makushi dialect with native rhythms using traditional instruments such as the shak-shak, drums and flutes. The songs are inspired by traditional stories to which the Amerindians can relate. “We actually listen to the stories told by our elders in the community and we put these into songs; my wife focuses on the lyrics, while I compose the beats… in addition to the instruments, we use the keyboard to add the sounds of the violin and flutes,” Allicock explained. The couple has been using these songs to verbally teach the Makushi language to the younger ones. Along with the songs, they are taught the use of the instruments and the dance moves. Allicock noted that some of the costumes are designed with shells and this adds to the creation of the native music, which he said is based merely on chants combined with various sounds. One of the couple’s most popular songs has been “Our way” done in the Shaman chant. To date, the couple has produced over 20 songs and they usually perform these at various events in and out of Guyana. Last December, the Surama Culture Group showcased their talents and culture to Prince Harry on his visit to the North Rupununi community. Over the years, these and other performers such as Manoel ‘King Perai’ Ferreira and the Couchman Family have represented Amerindians, showcasing their indigenous culture in various musical forms. ‘King Perai’ originally of the Pomeroon River was crowned Calypso King in 2015 and has produced several songs over the years. He acquired the name ‘Perai’ from a song he sang about the Piranha fish which was composed by a friend from Bartica. Since then, he has performed with many of Guyana’s top bands which included the Melody Makers, the Originals, the Sheriff Deputies, Pete’s Caribbean Fusion and El Sadiek.

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A few feet of water! By Abdool A. Aziz

THERE was a tragedy off the shores of Saxacalli, Essequibo River, at 04:00hrs one early morning. The private ferry launch hit a submerged piece of timber and flipped over. All the passengers were thrown into the dark, cold water. A tall miner previously addressed as ‘Redman,’ saw a lady beating the water in desperation. She had no life jacket so he gave her his. A passing boat then came to the passengers’ rescue, but one man was missing --‘Redman.’ He had floated out to sea on survival tactics he had picked up as a boat captain in the hinterland. He floated out with the tide and floated back in. A fisherman picked him up and brought him to shore. These are his tips to avoid drowning: 1. Never panic 2. Try to be calm and cool 3. Put body in a foetal position 4. Breathe slowly 5. Do not drink water especially if salted 6. Float with the tide 7. Try to inch your way to land 8. Fight sleepiness 9. Duck now and then to avoid sun heat 10. Keep up hope by saying

prayers. Redman was deeply dehydrated. Blisters on his face, feet bloodied from menacing aquatic predators. But he survived and cheated a watery grave. He was deemed a hero. But fate was to play another hand. Following his recovery from the river ordeal, the miner returned to work on his mining concession in the Potaro-Siparuni region. He operated solo. THE MAN HOLE One day while digging for gold, he heard the growl of a tiger. His eyes caught the beast coming at him. He backed away, slipping into a manhole, head first. His head was submerged in a few feet of water. He tried to scramble upright, but couldn’t shift his body. Water entered his lungs and he quickly drowned.

The crows in the treetops told of the tragedy and the body of ‘Redman’ was subsequently pulled out that narrow and steep hole. When the story hit the press, Redman’s photo was conspicuous and his previous brush with death highlighted. The woman he had saved by throwing his life-jacket was horrified at the news. She took charge of his remains. He was survived by his ageing mother who was placed in a nursing home. And the woman organised a campaign to have all holes filled following the search for gold. It was known as ‘Red’s Safety Code.’ As to the tiger, he vanished trying to relinquish guilt, but on a hungry stomach. The big ocean failed to swallow ‘Redman’ but a little mishap can announce your demise. A few feet of water!

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102-year-old Muriel Jean Smith takes to the skies A POPULAR saying from Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz goes, ‘There’s no place like home’. For Muriel Jean Smith, the 102-year-old Guyanese woman who left her homeland years ago, there is indeed no place like Guyana. Muriel was born on May, 17, 1915 and grew up in Station Street, Kitty, with her seven siblings. She attended the Queenstown Moravian School in her younger years, where she developed her love for reading. Later, she married ‘Captain’ Percy Smith. The couple had been married for 70 years, and had five children (two sons and three daughters) and it can be said that they ‘completed’ each other. While Jean was the talkative storyteller, she was never good at remembering important dates and figures, but Percy was just the opposite. They lived in Guyana for some time, but later migrated to Toronto, Canada in the 1970s, where they lived together until Percy passed away in 2015. RETURNING TO GUYANA After migrating, she explained that she travelled extensively throughout her life

It was her love for these things and the memory of just how much her late husband enjoyed them as well, that prompted Jean to get on a plane, despite her age, and come back home. For this trip, the centenarian was accompanied by her daughter Joy Okuefuna, the youngest of her five children. Joy had not visited Guyana for 28 years and Jean for five years, and thus they both opted to return to their motherland.

102-year-old Jean Smith, her daughter who is visiting Guyana with her, Joy Okuefuna (seated at right) and a family friend, Jem Young

alongside Percy. Nevertheless, she affirmed that Guyana will always be the best place to be. “We always came to Guyana. We enjoyed coming to Guyana,” she noted and continued, “Canada is good, but Guyana is the best.”

Here, she loves the fresh fruits and fish that she would get. In fact, despite being allergic to most seafoods, her favourite food is fish -- the sweet kind that you see only in Guyana, according to her.

VISITING GUYANA ‘ONE LAST TIME’ Before travelling to Guyana this time, Jean’s relatives said that the woman expressed that she would like to come back to Guyana one last time. During our interview, however, which soon revealed that the woman was lively and talkative and quick to make wisecracks, Jean joked that she has to return once more so that she too can get some of the oil that promises riches for Guyana. Since leaving Guyana, Jean and Percy kept abreast with the affairs of the country. Even now, Jean is still very much informed about Guyana’s affairs and was able to comTurn to page XXV ►►►

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Canal Number One son’s active life in Canada

Businessman and active Cricket lover, Azad Khan By Frederick Halley THIRTY-SEVEN years after migrating to Canada from Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara, Guyana, 65-year-old Azad Khan is into the business of designing and manufacturing liquid-filled power transformers, grounding transformers and speciality transformers in Canada. Having already served almost 34 of those 37 years at Northern Transformer, situated in Maple, Ontario, Khan has been given the green light to “carry on” at the company since his expertise is in demand and, according to him, retirement isn’t on the horizon. Northern Transformer was founded in 1981 to fill the growing demand in the Ontario market. The quality and robustness of the power transformers soon caught the attention not only of Canadian utilities, but farther afield. Since its establishment, Northern Transformer is credited with supplying the North American utility market with over 500 transformers, which include Substation transformers, Generation step-up transformers, Autotransformers, Specialty station service transformers and Single-phase transformers. Starting his “journey” in 1983 as a general labourer, Khan has risen to the position of supervisor and is mainly responsible for the training of new workers at the plant, which has since expanded into a new state-of- theart facility nine months ago. FOR THE LOVE OF CRICKET A man for all seasons, Khan also wears several hats among the cricket community in Ontario, serving as secretary for both the Canada Cricketers Umpires Association (CCUA) and the Scarborough Cricket Umpires Association (SCUA). He is also a qualified West Indies Cricket Umpires Association (WICUA) umpire, who is still actively involved in matches staged by the Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) and the Ontario Softball Cricket League (OSCL). As secretary of CCUA and member of the Education Committee, Khan is also one of its Cricket Umpires Training instructors since 2006 and conducts both oral and theoretical classes throughout Ontario, which includes Scarborough and Ottawa. According to Khan, his objective is “to lead and manage the organisation to achieve its stated goals and objectives and this could only be achieved through teamwork, effective communication, good interpersonal relationships and excellent decision-making. A highly self-motivated team player, Khan’s exploits in umpiring on and off

the field have been quite phenomenal. Apart from being secretary of the CCUA and SCUA and member of the Education Committee of the former, he was also the secretary and planning chairman of the Toronto Cricket Umpires & Scorers Association (TCU&SA) from 1995-2008. In 2002, Khan was awarded Umpire of the Year by the Toronto & District Cricket Association (T&DCA), the same year he also received accolades from the TCU&SA for his dedication to service. As an active member of the WICUA, Khan was mainly responsible for the setting up of the association’s website and Facebook page and along with its President, Basdeo Dookie, is expected to feature prominently at the annual convention, set for the University of the West Indies Jamaica campus from July 1-8, where he (Khan) is highly tipped to become the new Public Relations Officer (PRO). Khan’s resume as an umpire includes officiating as the third umpire in an International Cricket Council (ICC) Under-19 game at Maple Leaf, Toronto; standing in Under-19 games featuring Canada and Bermuda and being in charge of T&DCA Premiere final in 2001.

Azhad Khan

Khan has also volunteered his service in several cancer-related and Heart and Stroke Foundation related games, as well as officiating in Guyana’s independence celebrations, Ontario Cricket Association (OCA) and several high school matches over the years. LIFE IN GUYANA Prior to leaving Guyana in 1980, Khan disclosed that he represented McGillvary Cricket Club as a right-hand batsman and medium-pace bowler with some amount of success, but has since decided to concentrate

on the administrative aspect of the sunshine game. Before migrating, also, Khan played a major role in his family’s business-- a parlour-- next to the Starlite Cinema which was situated at Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara. Khan said his family was also well into farming at Canal Number One with pines and ground provisions included among their crops. Though living away from home, Canal Number One remains near and dear to Khan and he has been a member of the Canal Number One Reunion Planning Committee in Canada for the past 20 years. The committee is responsible for the staging of the annual picnic held during the summer holidays. This year’s activities are set for July 30 at the Thompson Park, Scarborough. Another former Canal Number One resident Michael Mangar heads the committee. A product of the then Muslim Educational Trust College, Khan has no intentions of slowing down either in the workplace, on the field as an umpire or as an administrator in the near future, and he assures that Guyana remains a special place in his heart, as it will always be home.

Khan, second from right, officiates in the cutting of the ribbon ceremony at the opening of spanking new state of the art Northern Transformer complex

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Government taking serious steps to implement recommendations in TIP report TRAFFICKING in Persons is the violation of a person’s human rights and it has become a global phenomenon affecting the most vulnerable amongst us in both developing and developed countries. Guyana is no exception and following years of neglect by the previous administration, the scourge was allowed to fester. However, the APNU+AFC Coalition Government, following its assumption to office in May 2015 implemented measures to effectively and efficiently tackle the issue, which has led to the country improving its ranking to ‘Tier 1’ on the TIP watch list. Trafficking in Persons (TIP) or human trafficking involves the recruitment, transport, Coordinator of the Counter Trafficking in Persons transfer or harbouring of persons using threat, Unit, Mrs. Tanisha Williams-Corbin, and another force or other forms of coercion, abduction, member of the Unit, Ms. Kwanda Edmondson pose fraud, deception or the abuse of power or with a passerby during a TIP awareness session at position of vulnerability of another person Linden Town Week 2017 for the purpose of exploitation, sexual or otherwise. It involves the exchange of payments of its vulnerable citizens and the security of the public and or benefits. both ministries, he noted are in the forefront of the struggle President David Granger, speaking at the launch of the to ensure that trafficking in persons is eliminated. National Plan of Action for the Prevention and Response to The National Plan of Action against Human Trafficking Trafficking in Persons 2017-2018 on January 18, 2017 ac- was deemed by the President as his Government’s response to knowledged that Trafficking in Persons is a serious crime and the need for the effective enforcement of the laws prohibiting a violation of human rights. The Head of State described it as trafficking in persons. The Head of State said that human a crime against humanity, which constitutes a form of modern trafficking must be confronted “fearlessly, frontally and day slavery. He said it is an affront to civilised society- de- fully,” with the legal framework being backed by the plan of nial of human rights, particularly of freedom from human action, which is aimed at eventually eliminating trafficking servitude. The President reminded that the Constitution and in Guyana. The Head of State said the previous administraLaws of Guyana “explicitly prohibit trafficking in persons.” tion’s efforts to combat trafficking in persons often reflected Persons, who are victims or potential victims of trafficking, “the notorious indifference of indecisiveness to the crime.” President Granger noted are entitled to the protection of the The seriousness of the crime, he noted, was de-emphasised law. However, he expressed dismay that under the previous administration much was not done to ensure that citizens were protected from the grip of human traffickers. “I recall that as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly I brought a motion on Wednesday 22nd May, 2013, four years ago, calling for the establishment of a commission of inquiry to investigate the crime of trafficking in persons. I urged the government of the day to lift the veil on trafficking in persons and to stop denying that the crime was taking place; denying that it needed to be eliminated. I added then the denial of the existence of trafficking in persons in Guyana makes matters worse,” he said. The President noted further that “I told the National Assembly then that trafficking in persons was a form of modern day slavery. I warned that trafficking was a crime of international jurisdiction and the culprits could be prosecuted for it in any part of the world. That motion titled ‘Appointment of a Commission of Inquiry to Investigate the Incidence of Trafficking in Persons in Guyana’ was approved by the National Assembly, but to our country’s shame it was never assented to and it was never implemented by the national president at the time.” However, things were to change, President Granger was sworn in as President on May 16, 2015, two years after. “I immediately changed the name of the Ministry of Human Services to that of the Ministry of Social Protection. I also changed the name of the Ministry of Home Affairs to that of the Ministry of Public Security,” he noted. This change was to emphasise the state's responsibility for the protection

with few efforts made to combat trafficking in a systematic way. Making reference to the annual dossier issued by United States Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, which reports on trafficking in persons around the world, President Granger said the past Government had failed to implement the report’s recommendations. “It has denied the validity of the reports, disparaged its findings and dismissed them. My sense of decency prevents me from repeating some of the language used to describe some of the previous issues of the report. The Government of Guyana today is solving the problem, not suppressing bad news. We are successfully prosecuting traffickers. We are collaborating with counter-trafficking non-governmental organisations, international organisations and friendly countries; we are strengthening the inter-ministerial coordination of our efforts,” President Granger said. The intervention techniques being employed by the Government of Guyana through the Countering of Trafficking in Persons Unit of the Ministry of Social Protection have proven successful over the years, Social Protection Minister Amna Ally indicated, with the number of identified alleged victims steadily increasing, an indication that more persons are trusting of the administration to report cases. In 2016 there were approximately 59 identified alleged victims with that number increasing to 98 this year and with support from the Countering of TIP department these persons have received the counselling and assistance they need to move on with their lives. For this year there have been three cases with two convictions. One person found guilty is currently serving three years imprisonment and restitution of

Members of the Public flock the Ministry of Social Protection's Countering Trafficking in Persons Unit, 'June Blu Craze' booth at the Stabroek Square to get better informed about TIP and its impacts

Chronicle Pepperpot July 2, 2017 $100,000 and the second conviction $100, 000 restitution to the victim, unfortunately, the Ministry lost one of the cases due to insufficient evidence. The Previous government failed to convict anyone for this crime, progress on the prosecution of criminal cases was at snail’s pace due to the backlog of cases and incorrectly filed paperwork, among other factors, including inadequate attention at the state level to tackle the scourge and allegations of bribery for rulings in favour of traffickers. During that era, there was limited public awareness of the existence of the problem in Guyana, despite global statistics indicating that over 30 million persons are enslaved every year in the cycle of exploitation. In the decade preceding the APNU+AFC Coalition Government the PPP administration failed to meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking in persons in Guyana, even with the existence of the anti-human trafficking law. Minister Ally noted that “the previous administration, I would believe did not place emphasis on human lives and human development and we found that many of the people, maybe they were not cooperating with the previous administration, but we find that they are more open to speak with us, they welcome the raids that we have been carrying out … and so our programme on a daily basis, though difficult we intensified them and we found that from 2015 to now the number in these cases reduced.” In its recommendations, this year’s TIP report called on the Government to fund specialised victim services, vigorously investigate and prosecute sex and labour trafficking cases, impose more stringent sentences, training for law enforcement, judiciary officials, and frontline responders, finalise the written identification procedures to better guide law enforcement officials, provide additional protection for victims and provide training for diplomatic personnel on human trafficking. Following its release, Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence, who held the portfolio of Minister of Social Protection in 2015, said the recommendations are all on the Government’s agenda to combat frontally the issue of human trafficking. She said it is the political will to bring to an end this form of modern slavery. It was the expectation of the Government of Guyana that the report would have highlighted the significant strides made from 2015 to present by the Coalition Government to improve its ranking. “We came in, we built this section, we got the task force going, we came up with an Action Plan and so we are working towards that, it is a work in progress, we started off where we were on ‘Tier 2’ and we went to ‘Tier 2’ watch list today we’re on ‘Tier 1’ it tells you that the Government is doing what it is mandated to do, that is to protect its citizens, we haven’t been able to accomplish everything but we believe that the focus and the plan that we have will certainly get us there,” the Minister said. Minister Lawrence said the Coalition Government recognising and acknowledging the existence of TIP from within and outside the country sought not only to increase the number of requisite personnel in the Counter Trafficking in Persons department but to build partnerships, giving further credence to the sentiments expressed by Minister Ally. “The

second thing we sought to do was to work with the NGOs and an MOU was signed with the Sisters of Mercy so that we could have a place for the victims where they could be protected, where we could be able to get them to get their lives back together so we have been trying to meet the minimum standards, the Task Force then kicked in …and if you note, the Task Force that we have is not just a Task Force with representatives but you have the Minister of Public Security heading that Task Force with the Minister of Social Protection, the Minister of Indigenous Affairs and the Minister of Health sitting on that Task Force, and I think that says quite a lot as to how the Granger Administration deals with this matter,” she highlighted. The Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons of the Ministry of Public Security has held a number training courses not only for officers handling TIP cases but for Prosecutors, equipping them with the necessary skills to successfully present a trafficking in person case in court. The training enables them to use evidence effectively to prove that perpetrators are guilty. These prosecutions are in line with the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act No.2 of 2005, while taking international best practices into consideration. This year’s TIP report said that the inter-ministerial taskforce, which is headed by Minister of Public Security, Mr. Khemraj Ramjattan, coordinated a number of successful police operations. It noted that in 2016, the government reported 19 trafficking investigations, 19 prosecutions, and two convictions; compared to 15 trafficking investigations, seven prosecutions, and one conviction in 2015, and seven investigations, four prosecutions, and one conviction in 2014. The court sentenced one convicted trafficker to three years imprisonment and required a restitution payment to the victim; it required the second trafficker only to pay restitution, a penalty inconsistent with the law and one that the anti-trafficking task force appealed. The appeal remained pending at the end of the reporting period. It further stated that the government did not report any investigations, prosecutions, or convictions of government employees complicit in human trafficking offenses, however, authorities confirmed that the police officer who was convicted of sex trafficking in 2015 was terminated from his position in the police force. Minister Ally acknowledged that while work is being done in the interior locations much more needs to be done to sensitise those persons living in remote and Indigenous communities. She said the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, which has representation on the Ministerial task force against TIP has been collaborating with the other agencies to conduct awareness sessions and assist persons who are victims of human trafficking. Coordinator of the Countering Trafficking in Persons Department, Tanisha Williams-Corbin speaking with Government in Action said that the Unit has been conducting and will continue to conduct Structured Awareness sessions with community leaders in the ten administrative regions to bring greater awareness of what Trafficking in Persons is and how they as leaders can assist the Ministry of Social Protection in the fight against it. She said much emphasis will be placed

Chief of Mission for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Robert Natiello, Minister of Social Protection, Ms. Amna Ally, Head of TIP Office IOM, Ms. Keisha Livermore at the closing ceremony for the training of Medical Practitioners on TIP

XXIII on psychosocial support for victims of the dreaded crime. According to the Coordinator, “we would be bringing stakeholders together to talk about how we can improve the services, also big on that agenda we would be exploring the possibility or the feasibility of putting shelters in other administrative regions…and from that we would be able to determine what our next steps are as it relates to victim support.” In recognition of the recommendations presented by the US State Department, the Ministry, specifically the TIP Unit would be placing a lot of emphasis on psychosocial support for victims of TIP and is currently meeting as part of its 2017 work programme is meeting with consultants to determine the way forward with its local documentary highlighting the impacts of TIP and raising awareness country-wide. Programmes in the schools and distribution of education paraphernalia on human trafficking continue to be an ongoing feature at the ministerial level. Looking forward, Ms Williams-Corbin said the TIP Unit will be launching a Blaze Campaign, which will be focused on Primary school students, who have not been targeted in previous years. “We are looking at how to bridge the gap between the parents and the children as it relates to TIP so we’ll be having some campaigns focusing on the parents and we would be having some campaigns focusing on the children, so we would be looking at some key areas, our stats would be guiding us on the way forward there,” Ms. Williams-Corbin said. A week of activities is on the Ministry’s calendar in observance of World Day against Trafficking in Persons on July 30, 2017, including mini-exhibitions key areas such as the Giftland Mall, Linden and Bartica. Additionally, the Trafficking in Persons report said that the Government of Guyana has increased its law enforcement efforts. Pointing out that the Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act of 2005 prohibits all forms of trafficking and prescribes sufficiently, stringent penalties ranging from three years to life imprisonment. These penalties, it noted are commensurate with those prescribed for other serious crimes, such as rape. The Ministry of Social Protection was the lead agency responsible for coordinating trafficking efforts and overseeing the Anti-Trafficking Unit (ATU) and in May 2016 the ATU added three new officers responsible for planning and executing the unit’s site visits and victim extraction exercises. The Government of Guyana is committed to enhancing education and by strengthening enforcement in order to eliminate the scourge of Trafficking in Persons entirely. The strict enforcement of human trafficking laws, President Granger said, requires action on a wide range of fronts, sensitising the public to the trafficking of persons and building institutional capacity to enforce the law. Public education, understanding and support are vital to success in eliminating the crime, since, according to the Head of State; Trafficking in persons is not fully or clearly understood by the average citizen and is often confused with backtracking. Hence the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Social Protection with support from other agencies and stakeholders are working arduously to gradually remove TIP from the country.

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A magnificent predicament for a Government Minister

Is the work of the 2015 clean-up campaign being undone?

By Francis Quamina Farrier “THE rain doing its work, but we not doing ours, and that is why we still getting flood.” That was the opinion of an elder citizen who was sharing her thoughts with regard to the continued flooding of a few sections of the city of Georgetown, after rain-fall. She is from the generation of those now depleting senior citizens who lived in our capital city, back in the days when it was known as ‘The Garden City of the Caribbean’, and when wooden vats and not large plastic containers were used to store potable water. The vats in the yards are all gone, but for our citizens 70 years and older, the memories of a cleaner capital city will always remain with them. The reality is that many older citizens of Georgetown are wondering why sections of the city still floods, sometimes after just a little rain-fall. They have been longing for the return to the era when Georgetown had many more canals which contained rain fall water, which averted any flooding. Those elders also know of the era when all canals and drains in the city were always kept clean and tidy. After over three decades of a very filthy Georgetown, many elders refer to the massive ‘Clean-Up’ campaign which was carried

out during the latter half of 2015, and are extremely pleased with the experience of the vast improvement which the city and citizens enjoyed during the following months. Unfortunately, they have come to the realisation that their situation is not exactly out of the woods. Some areas of the city still experience flooding after the showers, and many citizens are affected. Yes, sections of Georgetown are still bedevilled with floods after rainfall, and that is of concern by the affected citizens. There are areas of the city where students and adults can be seen wading through flooded streets. Even though not quite as terrible as the pre-2015 era, when many streets in Georgetown were transformed into canals after a shower, causing many citizens to lose thousands and even millions of dollars’ worth of property, there still remain areas of Georgetown which continue to experience flooding. CLEAN-UP CAMPAIGN During the pre-2015 clean-up of Georgetown, there were also lots of physical inconvenience, due to the regular mass flooding during and after the rains, and that seemed to be more regular than in the 20th century, when there were the traditional two Rainy Seasons, which were orderly and predictable. There is a growing number of (younger) Guyanese who have never experienced the past times when there were just two rainy seasons in this country; the big May-June rains and the December pre-Christmas rains. Most of the older folks, (the 70 plus age group), would also reminisce about what it was like to be able to plan outdoor activities with no need for a plan B, just in case it rains. During the just ended first half of 2017, there have been

lots and lots of rain fall, and many citizens in the affected areas are expressing a measure of disappointment and frustration at the on-going floods. Most citizens are of the view that the floods are unnecessary for the better part, and point out the need for another massive clean-up of major and minor arteries of the city’s drainage system. Some older citizens have recommended that prison labour should be deployed on a regular basis to help, “Keep the city clean”, as was done during the colonial era. That, of course, is frowned on in this day and age. “Prisoners have rights”, as some Human Rights advocates would say. Indeed, prison labour is somewhat controversial with voices raised against what is regarded as a retrograde step; in colonial times, prison labour was part of the “Keep the city clean” strategy. The fact of the matter is, clean-up campaigns would become unnecessary if we return to the culture of daily clean-ups. Or better still, a culture of not littering or dumping garbage indiscriminately, especially in the city’s water-ways. Regular and proper garbage disposal is also part of the solution.

CONTINUED FLOODING So why does Georgetown still suffer from floods after what many citizens regard as a great clean-up operation during the final months of 2015? Most of us know the likely reasons. After the massive clean-up campaign of 2015, many citizens, myself included, rightly congratulated City Hall and the Ministry of Public Infrastructure for a job well done. Georgetown was reformed from being the “Garbage City” of the past 40 or more years, to a much improved and impressive environment. There was change of a positive nature. The post clean-up rains came and there was no flooding as was previously experienced over the past decades. Concrete drains which had not seen the light of day for almost half a century, were once more gazing at the sunlight. Our capital city was returning to its previous title of being “The Garden City of the Caribbean”. Where for decades previously there were hills and mountains of litter and garbage almost everywhere, flowers began to bloom again, for example, along the southern end of East Street in South Cummingsburg. That particular undertaking was done by businessman, Mr Rahaman, who operates a fruit selling outlet from a truck at that location. For many months after that historic clean-up of Georgetown, garbage and litter were hardly seen anywhere in most areas of the city. Unfortunately, in more recent months, things seem to be returning to the garbage era. There are pockets of litter and garbage creeping back into some locations, including around the Parliament Building. During an exclusive meeting hosted by the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Dr. Bartland Scotland some months ago, a

promise was made to have the pavements around the Public Buildings kept clean and tidy. The north to south drain at the western side of the Public Buildings, is filthy and disgusting once again. A few vagrants continue to make the Brickdam and Cornhill Street pavements around the Public Buildings their home, with the resulting litter and filth along those special pedestrian walk-ways. While there are many attractive litter bins placed in quite a number of areas around the city, especially in the downtown business district, complements of the City Council and some corporate citizens, more obviously needs to be done to have the city of Georgetown looking better than it ever was in its almost two century history. Kudos and commendations must be given to such Corporate Citizens as Action Tyre, COURTS, John Fernandes Limited, Mings Products & Services and others, for their support in the efforts to keep the city clean. Some of those recently deployed litter bins are very colourful and attractive, and one has to agree that Georgetown, while struggling to regain its beauty, is succeeding to some measure, to keep a pretty face. The recent make-over was of a positive nature. Over the past year, many city streets have been resurfaced. Good for the City Council and more so, the Ministry of Public Infrastructure in particular. They did merit praise immediately after that initial clean-up campaign and the on-going resurfacing of so many previously pot-hole riddled streets. Bravo to Minister of Public Infrastructure, David

Patterson, for a job well-done. REMAINING PROBLEMS However, one of the disappointments for many citizens is the horrible condition of the two blocks of Bourda Street between North Road and Regent Street. It is a set-back which I have addressed in a previous feature. Some elders keep falling and injuring themselves as they try to navigate the many pot holes on Bourda Street. In the developed world, the City Council would have been in receipt of many costly lawsuits submitted by the lawyers of injured elders and others. The drains around the Bourda Market, are also very filthy and in need of better cleaning. The City Council has been lobbied to collaborate with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure to get those two blocks of Bourda Street resurfaced. That has so far not happened. Hundreds of citizens traverse those two blocks of Bourda Street every week, and are verily inconvenienced because of its horrible condition. The Ministry of Public Infrastructure says that it is ready to get the job done. It is now up to the City Council and the vendors to cooperate with the Ministry; City Council needs to relocate the vendors for a few days to allow the resurfacing work to be done, and the drains properly cleaned. The vendors need to cooperate with City Council and sacrifice a few days full earning, by going to another location identified by City Hall. The City Council, of course, Turn to page XXV ►►►

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ment on the discovery of oil off of our coast. Despite her age, the centenarian shows a great deal of independence -- both in her stories and in her normal life. In Toronto, she lives alone and manages to take care of Jean Smith exclaiming, “You’ve got to give God thanks!”

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will need to identify a suitable location, and Mayor Patricia Chase-Green indicated that she has already identified such a location near to the market. It is time to get the action going to improve Bourda Street for the thousands who traverse it every month. KOKERS AND CANALS For years now, I have been checking regularly on the koker out-falls in the city of Georgetown and at other locations. Most are reasonably silt-free now. However, we are not totally out of the woods, since some of those koker out-falls could do with some more attention at this time. So too, some of the principal canals in the city need work; the Church Street Canal and the Avenue of the Republic canal, being two prime examples. More recently, in many sections of the Avenue of the Republic canal, silt can be seen rising almost to the very surface. Nothing was done during the dry season earlier this year. It is certainly time for another desilting exercise to be done to that important section of the drainage system of Georgetown, as soon as possible. I have been noticing that the area of the city bounded by the Avenue of the Republic at the east, Water Street at the west, Home Street at the north and Croal street at the south, seem to be flooded even when the water level of the Avenue of the Republic canal is much lower. Although not an expert, one can assume that there are blockages from the drains to those principal canals, and that attention should be given to clear those blockages, no doubt within the culverts. A MAGNIFICENT PREDICAMENT FOR A GOVERNMENT MINISTER Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson, has been attracting quite a lot of positive buzz about how much work his ministry has achieved since his appointment. His success has, in a way, also brought him some negative buzz. There is the story of the great Italian American tenor, Enrico Caruso, 1873-1921 - who was seen trembling backstage just before making his entrance to sing to an adoring audience. On noticing his discomfort, the stage manager asked him what was wrong, to which Caruso responded, “The audience”. The Stage Manager was very puzzled and cheered up the singer saying, “Enrico, the audience loves you”, to which Caruso responded, “Yes, I know they love me. “From other singers they want 100 percent, but from Caruso, they want a 120 percent.” What a predicament! And so, that is exactly the predicament faced by Minister David Patterson; many citizens want a 120 percent from him, based on how much work his ministry has successfully done and he has already achieved, and in so short a time. What a magnificent predicament for that young minister of Government to be faced with!

herself for the most part. She explained that another one of her daughters, who is a Drill Sergeant, lives close by and would ensure that all is well. So far on this trip, Jean has been relaxing at home. During a quick drive around town though, she related that the cleanliness of the city is heartwarming. On July 18, she will be returning to Canada. Before that, one main thing that she wants to do is to visit a few senior citizens’ homes and orphanages. Jean joked that she’d like to see how many of her friends are still here. She’d also like to visit a few churches and ask the pastors to pray for Guyana and the President. The centenarian related her desire to visit the hinterland and Kaieteur Falls, but the unpleasant weather coupled with her inability to traverse that terrain on foot would not permit. Smith expressed a desire to meet with President Granger, but only “if he has time,” since she is cognizant that he is a very busy man. “God is very good to me,” the centenarian underscored.

XXV She was full of praises to God and urged all to give thanks to Him in good times and bad. She recounted that her grandmother would always tell her “Jesus is coming! Jesus is coming!” and that hope perhaps has given her strength all these years. Smith, however, joked that she is 102 years old and she doesn’t know how much longer she has to wait before he comes. Smith also posited that patriotism should be practised by all Guyanese. During the daunting time in Guyana’s history of Jim Jones, Jean remembered that many, even Guyanese themselves, detested the country. “Guyanese got to be Guyanese or else we gon lose it,” she stressed, while iterating that Guyanese have got to love who they are and their country. As was exclusively reported by the Guyana Chronicle on June 18, Smith was the first Centenarian to ever board a Fly Jamaica flight. Upon boarding the aircraft to come back home, Jean told the Pepperpot Magazine that the airline was very excited and honoured her during her flight.

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“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy,” Martin Luther King, Jr. VISITING the house and sitting on the stairs where Martin Luther King Jr grew up in Atlanta was not short of spectacular. The great man with passion and vision who had a dream began with humble beginnings. He did not live to see America elect a black president, but his legacy will never die. The next morning my friends Doreen and Dai invited me to climb Stone Mountain, which was a challenge because I am not as fit as I should be. The way we condition our minds is so powerful and it tells a story. People from all over the world come to Georgia for the experience. It also seems to be

a popular spot for marriage proposals and we were fortunate to witness one. Stone Mountain is a quartz monzonite dome monadnock and the site of Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain, Georgia. At its summit, the elevation is 1,686 feet (514 m) MSL and 825 feet (251 m) above the surrounding area. Stone Mountain is well-known not only for its geology, but also for the enormous rock relief on its north face, the largest bas-relief in the world. The carving depicts three Confederate figures during the Civil War: Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, and Jefferson Davis. As we were on our way to Stone Mountain, I told myself I needed to find a way to get to the top of the mountain. My mind told my body it was possible and my body obeyed. After the first 10 minutes, I was panting for breath and realised I

Chronicle Pepperpot July 2, 2017

Beyond the Runway with Dr. Sonia Noel

... Inspiring lives through fashion needed to control my breathing. When we got to the first rest stop which was quarter way up, there were so many people. Meanwhile, I was very tired and we are not even half way up! But I had some water and then said “Let’s go, Doreen.” She looked at me and said, “I did this so many times and you are doing better that me!” When we got to the halfway mark, so many people were telling their walking partners they were turning back, because it was too hard. It reminded me of life, careers, relationships and how it’s always filled with challenges and hurdles. This was definitely a hurdle for me. Many times we want to quit when things get tough, but sometimes that is when something great is about to happen. Challenges will always be there, but how you deal with them is what really matters. Try to encourage someone today not to give up, no matter what the circumstances are. I love this quote I am sharing with you. “Permanence, perseverance and persistence in spite of all obstacles, discouragements, and impossibilities: It is this, that in all things distinguishes the strong soul from the weak,” Thomas Carlyle Send us your emails to soniaenoel@gmail.com or visit our FB Page as we continue this beautiful journey called life BEYOND THE RUNWAY

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Region Two woman enjoys benefits of shade house KHEMWATTIE Ramnarine, 58, has been a farmer for almost 20 years. Standing at the backdoor of her home located at Perseverance, Essequibo Coast, she overlooks her 100 by 120 foot shade house farm. Her main crops are lettuce, pakchoi, celery, and eschalot. Khemwattie is one of the first farmers on the Essequibo Coast to adopt the shade house technology being transferred by the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) to farming communities. “Nine years ago, I was advised to build a shade house since my farm used to get flood out…So I decided to take the advice. Since then, my farm doesn’t get flood and I can plant all year round. Right now I am building another shade house in my yard,” Khemwattie said. Her farm is now being used as a demonstration farm for training purposes. NAREI recently used Khemwattie’s facility to conduct a training session on shade house agronomy for farmers. The session focused on the construction of shade houses, size, materials used, cost, benefits, preparation of beds, crops grown under shaded conditions, and pest and disease management. Khemwattie provided answers to questions posed by participants. Khemwattie recalled that prior to having a shade house, herself and family used to farm in the open. Their crops were exposed to the elements, especially flooding. This negatively affected the earning capability of the family. Today, the situation is much improved. Even with the passing of her husband two years ago, Khemwattie is still able

to maintain the farm. Owing to the shaded condition, sun, rain and weeds do not challenge her. In fact, she reaps crops for sale at Anna Regina and Suddie Markets twice weekly. Khemwattie’s story is similar to many female farmers

who have utilised this technology. NAREI has been providing technical support to a women’s group in Region Five that benefited from shade houses through Food for the Poor.

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A Tech-focused Future By Svetlana Marshall THE walls that have existed which affected the evolution of Guyana’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector are crumbling as more and more companies, groups and organisations join the Government in transforming the country’s technological landscape.

Even as a young group of Guyanese innovators gear up to participate in the inaugural Robot Olympics in Washington DC, USA this month, some of Guyana’s best tech companies, software teams and digital freelancers are preparing to host the country’s first Digital Industry Exhibition – devX – in August. For Eldon Marks – Founder of Version75 Solutions

Eldon Marks

(V75), and Co-Founder of weOwn space – devX will make history with Guyana’s first month-long online exhibition packed with an exciting series of events. devX is a ‘reboot’ of an earlier initiative that emerged from the collective of freelancers and tech startups which comprise the V75 Network. “What sparked this initiative was how frustrated the majority of our members felt about hardly ever acting on their endless supply of great app ideas. In addition, the ‘techpreneurs’ [tech-entrepreneurs] within our network needed a more powerful means to network and promote their products and services. In response to this, we sought to organise a public event to hold ourselves accountable and drive us towards producing and promoting our homegrown innovations,” Marks explained. Though the initiative was placed on pause for a while, the team in recent months re-initiated the project under the name devX to promote the work of local digital industry professionals and simultaneously attract much-needed investors. The month-long event includes live exhibitor presentations, talks from companies and industry experts on topics related to developing a digital industry and open house attraction events, such as game nights, socials and mixers for networking. “devX will give local tech companies, software teams and other digital freelancers a platform to showcase their best work, network with each other, attract local and foreign clientele and investors and inspire the younger generation,” Marks told the Pepperpot Magazine in an exclusive interview. In explaining the primary objectives of the exhibition, Marks said it is designed to demonstrate Guyana’s capacity for national competitiveness through the digital industry, while attracting potential investors and creating opportunities for local digital industry professionals on the International Market. Using the devX app, registered exhibitors will promote their products and services as the expo unfolds digitally from August 4-31. It was noted too, that during the same period, offline events will be held at a variety of locations, including weOwn’s space in South Ruimveldt, Georgetown. Website designs, web application, mobile apps, desktop app, robotics/embedded, tech services, animation, graphic designs, and research pieces and concepts are among the exhibits in the line-up for the much- anticipated event. Marks, who has been empowering persons through ICT for more than 12 years at the University of Guyana, said Turn to page XXIX ►►►

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exhibitors would be required to register before they are given access to the platform. Once permission is granted, the software developers would upload their exhibits for viewing by patrons, investors and even their fellow developers. “The platform allows us to transcend physical limitations and boundaries. It allows persons from not just Georgetown but all around the country to showcase their ability, using this online platform,” Marks further explained. Today more than 40 exhibitors have confirmed their participation;however, according to the social entrepreneur, the majority hail from Region Four. As such, the devX organising committee has been raising awareness among ICT stakeholders in other parts of the country to enlist their participation. “While it also transcends the boundaries of the city, persons would be easily able to share, so that they can showcase to all parts of the world,” he said. Like the exhibitors, patrons would be required to register using the app before they have full accessibility. However, it was explained that patrons and investors would be able to preview all of the exhibits before they register, but only limited information would be provided. Turning his attention to investors’ support, Marks said persons in the field of ICT, in particular software developers and programmers, are faced with the sad reality that acquiring local support from businesses is a difficult one. “Companies here still have a culture whereby they don’t appreciate the need for an extensive IT Department. They

A subset of the 60+digital industry professionals who turned out to the devX exhibitor’s open house on May 25. Among them were representatives from Sirca Inc., Intellect Storm, ECab.gy, Version75 Solutions, HoustyDesigns, UV3 Media, MicroTech Vision, SocialRank Media, AlphaTech IT Services, 21 Expressions, Innovative Systems Inc and other freelancers

are now becoming aware of how important applying ICTs to their operation is, and so, they are scouting for talent, they are now looking for developers,” he posited. The devX team is hoping, however, that the digital exposition would play a critical role in raising greater awareness on the importance of technology in today’s commercial sector. Thus far, three major businesses have enlisted their support for the online exhibition. Other companies have signalled their interest. The Government, through the Ministry of Public Telecommunication (MoPT), has also enlisted its support. Marks explained that the MoPT and the E-Government Agency, have funding available for the development of a number of e-services and projects, and access to a registry of local, skilled digital industry professionals would greatly aid in their procurement process. As a result, the ministry has opted to make use of the information that would be gathered during devX. Additionally, the ministry is also hosting its “code sprint” event during the month of August as part of the series of activities planned by the devX organising committee. When asked if Government was doing enough to develop our digital industry, Marks, in offering his opinion, said this Government is playing its part, and it is the private sector that must step up to the mantle. “I believe that Government is doing their part in terms of facilitating, and it should be that way, whereby the government facilitates the communities, but it really should be the responsibility of the various communities -- the private sector in particular -- to drive these initiatives and sustain them across regime changes for us to witness marked progress,” Marks opined.

The devX Organising Committee from left to right: Ashim Badrie, Karuna Persaud, Penelope DeFreitas, Brooke Glasford, Christopher Clarke (stooping), Eldon Marks, Candace Nelson, Asa Brouet, Joshua Gobin, John Housty. In absentia ( Juanelle Marks, Melissa Thorne, Ryon Persaud, Shemar Lindie, Lakeram Ramdhan, Satiesh Sheriff, Darryl Warner, Jason Barnwell)

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QC Graduates encouraged to ‘Rise up’

At annual graduation By Modesty Hossanah QUEEN’S College held its annual graduation ceremony on Thursday to honour the class of 2017. In attendance were parents, teachers, well-wishers, and special invitees. Among the special invitees were Honourable Dr. Frank Anthony, Mrs. Mohanlani Chatterdeo-Persaud, Neil Hopkinson and Sachin Ramsuran. The guest speaker Mrs. Chatterdeo-Persaud, a past student of Queen’s College, spoke of her time at the institution. She relayed the ups and downs of her school life, noting the changes the institution has experienced throughout the years. During her speech, the guest speaker made mention of the cap on CSEC subjects. She had “cried bitter tears” over the 10 subjects she wrote, thus she is more than astonished at the number of subjects students are attempting today. However, she believes that students should not be limited. Moreover, she believes that students who intend to write those high numbers of subjects should be monitored throughout Fourth and Sixth Forms. This would allow the school to determine whether they are capable of handling the lot. Additionally, Mrs. Chatterdeo-Persaud encouraged the graduating class in moving on to the next chapter of their lives, given that a lot of life’s next decisions depend on what they want to do later in life. Some may go on to UG, while others will return to Sixth Form to take A-levels. The guest speaker advised the Fifth Form graduates to return to pursue CAPE as it makes for a smooth transition from being “teacher-driven” to “self-driven.” Persons in attendance were treated to entertaining pieces by the graduates, including song and dance. One song, “Rise Up” sung by Paige Carter moved the audience to tremendous applause. Indeed, it is important to rise up; rise above the struggles and downfalls of life, especially since the path to success is not a straight one. In a reflection done by the Sixth Form graduates, one student reminisced on her favourite moment in QC. She recalled playing a game of ‘catcher’ in which practically the entire school participated. For her, it was amazing to see such unity and harmony, even in something as simplistic as a childhood game. Another student imparted advice to the students, saying how easy it is to become overwhelmed by the stress and pressure of school. He believes in spite of this, it is important to remember to have fun every now and then, and not get trapped within the cycle of school work and assignments. The principal, Ms. Jackie Benn, charged the graduates to remain steadfast. She quoted from the Greek philosopher Aristotle, saying: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” Shannon Woodroffe, the valedictorian, in her speech spoke eloquently of her time in the college. She divulged some of the major obstacles she had battled throughout school. Shannon recalls the support she received from her family, peers and teachers – it was this support that kept her going. She believes that anything, no matter how difficult, can be achieved if you remain disciplined and determined.

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Diabetic Retinopathy Workshop hosted for health care professionals By M Margaret Burke THE GPHC hosted its second “One-Day Workshop on Diabetic Retinopathy” for Health Care Professionals for Region Four (the East Coast Demerara area) at Project Dawn on Sunday, June 25, 2017. The workshop, which lasted for most of the day, was geared towards general practitioners and nurses, with the objective of increasing awareness of diabetic complications of the eye, known as Diabetic Retinopathy. The GPHC’s Department of Ophthalmology is the coordinating stakeholder of the Guyana Diabetic Retinopathy Programme of the Ministry of Public Health’s Guyana Diabetes Care Project. The programme aims to introduce screening and treatment of Diabetic Eye Disease in the public system. This programme is funded by the World Diabetes Federation and has multiple stakeholders assisting in the execution of the project, such as the University of Toronto and Orbis International. As part of this project, human resource development involves raising the awareness about Diabetic Retinopathy amongst health care professionals (such as general practitioners and nurses). A total of 27 health care professionals were trained in sessions about diabetes, nutritional aspects of diabetes care, counselling of persons with diabetes, how the disease affects the eye, screening for diabetic retinopathy and they were also taught how to examine the eye during practical sessions. At the end of the workshop, participants gave positive reviews on the workshop and indicated that they have a better understanding of how Dr Allison Training GPs on Ophthalmoscopy

During a practical session on testing visual acuity

Nutrition Educator, Ms. Lambert, lecturing to workshop participants at Project Dawn on Sunday, June 25th

diabetes affects the eye. The training team comprised GPHC staff and the curriculum/agenda of the workshop was developed by the Department of Ophthalmology. The training team of seven comprised personnel from various levels at GPHC and they included two ophthalmologists, a government medical officer, an optometrist, a diabetes educator and nutrition counsellor, a clerk and a nursing assistant. A similar workshop was held earlier this year at the Suddie Regional Hospital, Essequibo, in Region Two on Monday, March 27, 2017. A total of 27 participants were trained (15 Nurses and 12 General Medical Practitioners). (mercilinburke2017@gmail.com)

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English THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It is a custom More honour’d in the breach than the observance. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616) Hamlet Act 1, Sc. iv STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student, Letter-writing has its conventions, and here they are for your knowledge, understanding and wisdom. All letters – formal, informal, business – must obey certain conventions. You must never view them as time-wasting, old-fashioned devices that letter writers adhere to out of mere habit. If you study them carefully, you’ll discover that writing conventions increase the efficiency of correspondence by providing a frame within which essential information is worked. Be wise.

Love you. WRITING PERSONAL LETTERS Letter-writing conventions a) The writer’s address – Unless you are using writing-paper on which the address is printed (letterhead or letterheaded paper) you must always write your address at the top on the first sheet of your letter. For examination purposes your style can be indentation with commas or block without commas. b) The date – Letters must always be dated. In formal correspondences it is

frequently necessary to refer to an earlier letter and to identify it by its date. Undated letters can inconvenience and sometimes infuriate their recipient. Write it immediately under the address. You will lose marks if you forget to date your letter in the examination. Some acceptable forms of formal date writing in order of preference are: 8th June, 1964; June 8, 1964; 8/6/64; 8.6.64 c) The salutation – A letter is written to somebody and it must, therefore, begin by naming the person. Always begin with ‘Dear’. Other salutations are not your concern for examination purposes. End it with a comma. Indent the first line of your letter and all subsequent first lines in paragraphs. See below: Dear Aunt Eva, I am arranging my study time-table ……. . We meet in the School Library ………. . d) The formal close – The writer must ‘sign off’ or ‘formally close’ immediately at the end of the letter. Begin ‘Yours’ with a capital letter, all other words begin with a small letter. End this line with a comma. There is no full stop after the writer’s signature. Show respect and appreciation for the recipient. Notice some acceptable ways of formal closing below: Yours faithfully, Yours sincerely, Yours truly, Jamie J. Walters Jennifer Corsette e) Signing the letter – You have been given notice above. Do not ever write Mr, Mrs, Ms or Miss before your name. f) Matching up the salutation and the formal close - Look at some acceptable matching forms below: Salutation: Dear Mr Simon, Dear Sandra, Formal Close: Yours sincerely, Yours sincerely, Salutation: Dear Sir, Dear Madam, Formal Close: Yours faithfully, Yours faithfully, If you write to the editor of a newspaper, close with ‘Yours faithfully’ or ‘Yours truly’ and a comma at the end. WHAT TO DO Try practising to write a clear, east-toread letter where, among other stipulations, it has an introduction, a body and a conclusion. You must let each paragraph deal with one aspect of the subject. You must also link the paragraphs and arrange them in logical order. GRAMMAR Putting phrases in the right places

Using language comes so naturally to us that we rarely think about the ways in which we build words into larger linguistic structures – into phrases, clauses, sentences and paragraphs. Questioning ourselves about what we say is seldom necessary when things are going smoothly, but sometimes we come across problems. Here are two ways to overcome structural problems: 1) Think about what you have to write before writing and outline your sequence of ideas. 2) Make sure that the phrases are in the right place and that they are ‘cemented’ by effective punctuation. a) Remember that a phrase is a group of words that makes sense but not complete sense on its own. It has to become part of (be ‘built into’) a larger word structure. These three groups of words are phrases: 1. at the landfill; 3. at them; 2. on three television channels. b) Remember that a sentence is a group of words that makes complete sense on its own. It is an independent utterance. Note: A phrase and a sentence are each called a group of words that makes sense. But making complete sense on its own is reserved only for the description of a sentence. These three groups of words are sentences: 1. The certified pickers arrived at the landfill. 2. The new overseer shouted at them. 3. The incident was aired on three television channels. What to Do (A)..Build each of the following phrases into a sentence: 1. with tremendous patience 3. after his son’s birth 2. by the first month of the year 4. following the squabble You maybe now understand how to cement an idea between the capital letter at the beginning of a sentence and the full stop at the end. You maybe now understand also that fragmentation creates irritation and weakness in your writing. (B). Look at the following examples of sentence fragments and check to see whether you could have avoided anything similar. 1. Each week Matron Thomas meets a few nurses. Chiefly to encourage their self-confidence and posture. 2. The young dog-catcher secured the healthy dogs and cats. While his more experienced colleagues secured the willing buyers.

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Entertainment

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Everything We Know About the Top Gun Sequel Starring Tom Cruise According to Variety, Paramount Studios has given the sequel a tentative release date for July 12, 2019. And for those keeping track, that's 33 years after the original! After all of these years, there's still a huge need for speed. More than three decades after the release of the blockbuster smash Top Gun, moviegoers can look forward to a brand-new sequel already in the works. And while the star himself Tom Cruise confirmed the news just a couple of weeks ago, fans are receiving more and more teases of the project. "We're going to have the same tone as we had in the first movie. Stylistically, it's going to be the same. We're going to have the same score," Tom shared with Access Hollywood in a new interview. "We're going to have big fast machines. It's going to be a competition film like the first one." He added, "There's going to be aircraft carries. There's going to be jets." As for drones, Tom is staying mum on that one. While some may expect the movie to be called Top Gun 2, the actor revealed that the tentative title is Top Gun: Maverick. "I didn't want a number," Tom explained. "You don't need

a number." If you're thinking all of this information is coming out so quickly, you're kind of on to something. Just last year, Tom admitted on The Graham Norton Show that he was in the very early stages of trying to plan a sequel with Jerry Bruckheimer. Fast-forward to May when Tom surprised fans on Australia's Sunrise that the film is happening with filming starting "probably in the next year." While many details still remain up in the air—did you get that folks—one co-star has already expressed his interest in starring in the movie. Val Kilmer recently took to social media with an announcement: He's ready to spread his wings and fly. "Friends said it's official - #TOPGUN2 was announced today," he wrote on Instagram. "I'm ready Tom- still got my top gun plaque! Still got the moves! Still got it!" While we wait for more scoop and details to emerge, one thing is certain: Tom couldn't be more pumped for his latest project. "I'm very excited. I am really excited," Tom shared with Access Hollywood. "It's a great challenge."

Jamaican Dumplings with Plantains

Ingredients 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes 1/2 cup milk 1 ripe plantain, peeled and cut into coins Vegetable oil, for frying ADD CHECKED ITEMS TO GROCERY LIST

Directions Add the flour, salt and baking powder to a food processor and pulse to combine. Toss in the cold butter cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Add milk, a little bit at a time until it is completely worked into the dough. Once it comes together into a nice consistent ball and pulls away from the sides of the food processor, divide the dough into about 12 little balls. Push a slice of plantain into the middle of each ball and pinch the dough around the plantain so it is completely covered by the dough. Press each ball flat into a little cake, cover with a damp kitchen towel and allow to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before frying. Set a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 1/4 cup of vegetable oil. Prick the dumplings all over with a fork. Working in batches, pan-fry dumplings until golden and slightly puffy, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Season with salt and serve warm.