Pepperpot 04 16 2017

Beauty ‌and the inner qualities

On Thursday morning the Minister within the Ministry of Education, Hon. Nicolette Henry met with the fifteen (15) Senior and Junior Delegates participating in the Miss St. Joseph's High pageant. Minister Henry met the young ladies for a breakfast meeting at the Cara Lodge where they discussed the Delegates' platform, the impact of the pageant and several other topical areas such as social media, education and careers. The pageant does not only focus on beauty but on developing the inner qualities of each girl. The Miss St. Joseph's High Pageant is scheduled for April 30, 2017 at the National Cultural Centre.

Sonia Noel 's â–ş Page II Afternoon Delight

II

Chronicle Pepperpot April 16, 2017

AFTERNOON DELIGHT ––Tea and Easter Fashion

LAST WEEKEND was splendid .When you love what you do even when you’re exhausted you enjoy it.

New Thriving launched Afternoon Delight and my team and I were tasked with organizing the event.

We had a sampling of teas and some delicacies a few weeks prior to the event and that was impressive.

When we decided Saturday at 3 pm I was not so sure if it was a bit too early but it certainly was not because people started coming early.

The tickets were sold out a few days before the event and many others were interested but they will get an opportunity Turn to page III ►►►

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AFTERNOON ... ◄◄◄ From page II

on the 6th May. I love tea and I have some every day.

Just as the language and culture of this beautiful country reveals a melting pot of traditions adapted from different colonial and immigrant influences over time, tea time in Guyana is no different. "Tea" is a broader term in Guyana, covering much more than beverages brewed with Camellia sinensis, the plant popularly known and used to make tea around the world. In the Caribbean, this tea imported from Asia is called "green tea" while blends made from plants, leaves, roots, and flowers are called "bush teas," sometimes used for medicinal purposes.

I enjoyed greeting people as they entered the venue especially the ones I met for the first time.

I never get tired of interacting with people and to think I was a very introverted child.

We were particularly happy to see so many guys because tea party mainly attracts females.

I even received a compliment from a blushing nine- year-old boy who thinks I am very beautiful.

Looking at families and friends beautifully dressed sipping tea and chatting, hugging laughing was a sight to behold.

The ladies made special efforts to wear some very creative hats and pretty hats that complimented their attire.

The family structure is a very important element to any society and we have to continue to host events families can attend together.

Family isn’t always blood. It’s the people in your life who want you in theirs. The ones who accept you for what you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile, and who love you no matter what.

I am anticipating an awesome weekend God willing in Bartica with my family for the Easter weekend.

Having breakfast and

watching the news with mom. Also catching up on things I would have missed for the last few months We have to live in those precious moments and create memories with our loved ones. Don’t think about the numerous things we need to attend to because if we do that we will never capture the full capacity of these moments.

Afternoon Delight offered a variety of hot and cold teas and delicacies of all sorts. I think we had too many sweet so the next event we will have a lot more savory snacks.

The amazing Easter fashion collection was amazing for kids, males and females and available at Makin’ Style Boutique where you can select from a number of local designers’ clothing and jewelry.

The outfit I wore which was designed by Vanda Allicock received so many compliments. My creative hat was designed

by Melba LaGadoue but I could not enter the hat competition (Melba’s hat design would have won).

Lorane Sears who is a new designer presented a fantastic collection and she is a name you will be hearing a lot about.

Beads of Elegance by Fiona Graham North jewelry was perfect for the prom collection I presented From the chunky to the small necklaces were all unique.

Afternoon Delight is set to be a daily staple for the newly built branch of the restaurant between 3 to 5pm.

For those persons who missed the launch you have another opportunity

to enjoy the ambience with a special Afternoon Delight on the 6th May - A tribute to Mothers.

“A mother is she, who can take the place of all others, but whose place, no one else can take”

III We have a line-up of wellknown mothers who will take the runway including myself.

We have a unforgettable two hours for you.

Get your tickets early from New Thriving and Makin’ Style and join us

as we continue to enjoy this journey called life BEYOND THE RUNWAY. Remember to check our FB page and send us an email to beyondtherunway1@ gmail.com

IV

Breach of Promise and Seduction

AN Indian immigrant, whose husband to be not only refused to marry her, but seduced her and married another woman brought a case of Breach of Promise and Seduction but heard that both actions were not maintainable.

The action was dismissed and she had to pay $200 costs to the defendant.

The plaintiff Shirley Kallicharran and Ramdeen Thakurdeen (defendant) were both descendants of Indian immigrants. The former was 22 years old at the date

of the trial and the latter was born on 4th January, 1949.

The plaintiff claimed that on the 26th December, 1966 she and the defendant had agreed to marry, but that the latter repudiated that agreement on the 27th March, 1967. She also claimed that the day before (i. e, the 26th March, 1967), he had seduced her. as a result she filed the present action claiming damages for breach of promise and seduction.

Counsel for the defendant submitted that neither

action was maintainable.

The case was heard by Justice Arthur Chung.

It was Held: (i) as regard the action for seduction the person seduced could not institute proceedings; (ii) although the Indian Labour Ordinance empower the male and female descendants of an immigrant to marry after the ages of 15 and 14 years respectively, without parental consent , under the general law an infant would not ordinarily be liable for any breach of contract which had been

Chronicle Pepperpot April 16, 2017

Court Case Files

entered into before attaining the age of 21, and accordingly, the defendant would not be liable for a breach of the marriage agreement.

ACTION DISMISSED. Ashton Chase for the plaintiff, K. Zaman Ali for the defendant.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Chung said, in the present case the plaintiff claims against the defendant:(a) Damages in excess of the sum of $500 for breach of promise to marry by the defendant to the plaintiff , made on the 26th December, 1966, the said breach being by repudiation by the defendant on the 27th March, 1967, at Stanleytown, West Bank, Demerara, in Guyana. (b) Further and in the alternative damages in excess of $500 for seduction of the plaintiff by the defendant on the 26th March, 1967, at Stanleytown, West Bank, Demerara, in Guyana.

At the trial the following facts were agreed on:1.

The defendant was born on the 4th day of June, 1949 as per his birth certificate. The plaintiff is 22 years’ old.

2.

The defendant

By George Barclay having courted the plaintiff from March, 1966 promised to marry her in June 1966 , and again in December 1966, and in consideration therefor the plaintiff on both occasions agreed to marry the defendant.

3.

Both the plaintiff and the defendant are Hindus and agreed to marry according to Hindu rites to be followed by registration of the marriage.

4.

The defendant subsequently repudiated both of the above promises and refused to marry the plaintiff.

5.

The defendant lawfully married another woman in April 1967.

6.

The grandparents of both the plaintiff and the defendant came from India to this country as immigrants under the immigration fund.

7. The defendant se-

duced the plaintiff in March, 1967.

Counsel for the defendant submitted that on those facts the action should be dismissed since:(a) The defendant being an infant cannot be sued for breach of promise of marriage. (b) An action for seduction cannot be brought by the plaintiff.

In the concluding remarks of his judgment Justice Chung said: In the circumstances I am of the opinion that the Indian Labour Ordinance was passed for the benefit of immigrants and does not impose a liability on an infant in the case of making him liable in an action for breach of promise of marriage.

In the circumstances the action was dismissed.

Cost to the defendant fixed in the sum of $200.

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V

literature (Signet Classics)

By Subraj Singh

William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (Part 1) WILLIAM Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Julius Caesar is about to make its exit off the current syllabus for CSEC English Literature. This means that it may be a while before, after this year, that high school

students will be exposed again to this particular play.

While people may gravitate towards Shakespeare’s works depending on what interests them – those attracted to gloom and darkness might have

a particular fondness for Macbeth or Hamlet while readers who prefer more romantic fare might rather indulge in Romeo and Juliet – there is something important about Julius Caesar that makes all its themes, especially the con-

cept of “power”, that are presented to the world particularly valued to the current generation of students in Guyana and the Caribbean who live in a world where the themes in the play seem to be more easily accessible and iden-

tifiable than ever before.

The plot, of course, concerns the assassination of Julius Caesar by a number of conspirators, including his close friend and ally, Brutus. Shake-

speare’s play continues well after the death of Caesar and extolls on the psychological effects the murder has on Brutus and relays to the audience the ramifications of

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Chronicle Pepperpot April 16, 2017

William Shakespeare’s ... ◄◄◄ From page V

the betrayal and the assassination.

To say that the concept of “power” did not have some role to play in the minds of Brutus, Cassius and all the other conspirators as they prepared to murder Caesar would be a woefully incorrect analysis of the play. Power, in fact, is what sets the chain of events into motion. After all, it is Brutus’ belief, perhaps passed on to him from the devious Cassius, that Caesar has too much power for one man and that one man alone in Rome should not

be able to possess such power lest he decides to use it for his own gains and against the people of the country. So while the belief in the magnitude in Caesar’s power played some part in his death, it is also equally possible to view Cassius, with his unscrupulous and manipulative nature as seeing himself as being somewhat of a successor to Caesar’s power, should Caesar be killed, thus giving him more motivation to be rid of Caesar because of the value of power.

Anthony, unlike Bru-

tus and Cassius, is devoted to Caesar and uses his eloquence and flair for words as a means of expressing his own form of power. The scene, for example, where he convinces the conspirators that he accepts them as friends or the scene where Anthony speaks to the crowd, roiling them up and inspiring them to seek vengeance against the conspirators are two good examples in the play where we see Anthony’s abilities with words being used to achieve ends that others might have had to resort to the use of swords in

order to obtain. It is not for no reason that Anthony’s “Friends, romans, countrymen, lend me your ears” speech is one of the most famous in all of Shakespeare’s plays.

Another way in which power is expressed is seen through the character of Calpurnia, Caesar’s wife. Calpurnia is superstitious and believes in omens and the portents that come from the priests. She uses her beliefs as a method of exerting some amount of control over Caesar, momentarily preventing him from going to the Capitol where he is scheduled to die. In that moment we understand how a belief system can be used as a form of power – one of the many ways in which the idea of what power is and how it works is expressed in the play.

The exposure to the different versions of power and the way they work, and the ways

in which they can be manipulated and used to manipulate, are particularly important for this generation of highschool students who, after writing CSEC, will be entering a world of work and academia that is probably as competitive and difficult to maneuver as it has ever been.

Power in literature is an ideal opening for an introduction to such a world and Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar with its ideas on power and religion, power and words, power and relationships, power and its excesses, has many valuable lessons to offer to these students.

Chronicle Pepperpot April 16, 2017

VII

Easter is much more than just flying kites

By Francis Quamina Farrier "LET'S GO FLY A KITE", from the heart-warming musical "Mary Poppins", is one of those sweet songs of yesteryear, when the air was clean and flying by airplane was so much less stressful, and to go kite flying did not expose you to injury and even death.

Kite flying is done in many countries around the world; from America, to Australia, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Haiti, Japan, Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Italy, Singapore and South Africa among many others.

However, unlike Guyana, kite flying is not done at Easter time in many of those countries. For example, in India, kite flying is engaged in during their Independence Day celebrations, which is on August 15.

In many American cities and states, there are Kite Flying Festivals which are not held at Easter time; some of those Kite Flying Festivals are held in New Jersey in late May, in San Francisco in early June, and in Washington State, in late August.

In Cape Town, South Africa, there is an annual International Kite Festival which attracts competitors from around the world. That festival is not held at Easter time either, but in late October, and demonstrates the "social cohesion" achieved in that former land of apartheid.

Closer to Guyana, in Haiti, kite flying for 2017 is already over. Haiti's National Kite Flying Day was on February 8, and maybe, that plane-load of Haitians who recently arrived here, was probably

along with tourists to that popular destination go on the beautiful and clean beaches and fly their kites.

Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory and an Associate Member of CARICOM. The first nonwhite to head the government of Bermuda, was Sir Edward Richards, who was born at Adelphi, Canje, Berbice, British Guiana in 1908. His mother died Sir Edward Richards planning to join us tomorrow for our popular Easter Monday kite flying on the Georgetown Seawalls, and to show off their attractive kites.

What a pity that their arrival was met with such alarm by those who are easily upset. Kite-making in Haiti is as creative as in Guyana, and maybe those Haitians just wanted to see for themselves just how clever and talented our kite-makers are, and make comparisons. After-all Haiti and Guyana are regarded as the two poorest countries in Caricm.

But the two countries have kite manufacturers of the highest abilities - from making the ‘kadee old punch’ to the larger starpoint ‘singing engine,’ and even larger kites.

Guyana and Haiti seem to be soul sisters as far as kite-making and kite flying goes. Kite flying is very much a family event in both countries. Many fathers are there with their children enjoying the special day, whenever it occurs.

Bermuda - a group of small attached islands located in the Atlantic 665 miles east of South Carolina, observes Easter with kite flying quite similar as we do in Guyana.

Hundreds of Bermudians

while he was yet an infant, and he was raised by his father and grandmother.

At age 21, Edward Richards migrated from his humble Adelphi village, East Canje, to Bermuda as a teacher, and later as a trained lawyer, he soared like a Guyanese star-point, ‘singing-engine’ kite with a long beautiful tail, dancing in the blue Bermuda skies,

and making history as that country's first black Premier. Sir Edward Richards was the official representative of Bermuda, at Guyana's first Independence celebrations in 1966.

While Kite Flying can be safe fun most of the time, there is a measure of danger to the sport, when certain negative el-

ements are injected into it. In Guyana and in other countries, including Brazil, China and India, some irresponsible and daring kite flyers, attach sharp items such as razor blades, to the kite lines and kite tails, with the intent of bringing down other kites. But in some instances, that causes

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VIII

Future development in dentistry THE FIELD of dentistry has been experiencing many innovations albeit not widely known. For example, for a number of years now research scientists have confirmed clinically the likelihood of people being immunized against dental caries. Having proven long before that the bacterial known as Streptococcus mutans, is the principal actor in the process of tooth decay, a comprehensive effort was made to use its protein to elicit the production of antibodies (defensive substances in the blood specific for a protein).

Evidence shows that the Cercopithecoid primates (monkeys), genetically closest to humans

can be vaccinated against acquiring caries.

Vaccination is the inoculation of a person (or animal) in order to bring about the immunity to an infectious germ.

The term vaccine is derived from Latin meaning cow. It originally involved immunization against smallpox, because the procedure started in 1796 when English physician Edward Jenner discovered that milk maids who had contacted the mild disease cowpox were immune to small pox. The development of the cowpox vaccine has since led to the production of vaccines against a wide range of diseases.

It seems that two predominant factors have re-

sulted in there not being a vaccine against tooth decay so far. On one hand the American authorities ( who are leading in such studies), have an extremely complex system in place whereby many hurdles have to be passed before a drug can be tested in humans. Secondly, as a part of the first obstacle, the tremendous impact this would have on the dental profession has been protracted consideration.

Many see the introduction of a vaccine against tooth

decay as being the first step in the process of dentists going into virtual self-extinction.

• Another procedure which is currently accepted as another future dimension within the realm of dentistry is the dental imager. This is a communication tool which bypasses words and emotions and presents an image of a patient’s face or smile for analysis, and allows the dentist to show the possible results of his proposed treatment to the patient.

It does this by capturing a still color picture of the person’s face or smile on a television screen, and then allowing the dentist to

Chronicle Pepperpot April 16, 2017

change on the picture any features of the patient’s appearance which he does not like. The result is compared side by side on the screen with the original image to give the client a ‘before and after’ picture which can be then printed out for him to take away for further consideration, and to show his spouse or friends.

Imagers consist of a video camera connected to a computer, a monitor screen and video printer.

The heart or rather the brain, of the system is the software and some specialized hardware within the computer. The on screen image is usually changed by using a device rather than like a pen on a plastic pad, which directs an arrow on the screen (the cursor) to select various options which are available for altering the image. This keeps the use of the com-

puter keyboard to a minimum except for entering text to the screen.

The programming is very powerful, which means that while it is very simple to operate, the dentist can do some fairly mind boggling things to the image in order to demonstrate to his patient the requested improvements. For example, individual teeth can be lightened or darkened; blemishes can be erased; teeth can be lengthened or widened; copied and placed into gaps; turned through any angle; flipped over to give a mirror image, and moved to and placed to any position in the image.

Because of this simple to use ability, imagers must be the most powerful information, education and marketing tool dentistry has ever had. This equipment is already being used in England and Germany

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Easter is much more ... ◄◄◄ From page VII

serious injury and even death to people.

For example, last year, during the August 15, 2016 Kite Flying Independence celebrations in India, two children and a man were killed in the Indian capital, when their throats were slit by glass-covered strings used by other kite flyers.

Here in Guyana, we are aware of injuries sustained by people in the past, from kite tails with razor blades attached to them. The Police

have arrested and charged some of those law-breakers, who were found flying kites which had items such as razor blades attached to the kite tails, which is illegal here in Guyana.

On the commercial side of kite-making, some Guyanese are now expressing concern that the local kite manufacturing industry is being undermined to some degree by kites imported from China, in more recent years. While those Chinese

manufactured kites are very attractive, there is the feeling that Guyanese-made kites, should be better supported and flown at Easter time.

In many countries, including China and America, kites are made in all sorts of designs, shapes and sizes; from birds to animals, including butterflies, and large creatures such as dragons, octopuses and wales. Meanwhile, this year, Blossoms of Guyana and the Guyana Embassy in Washington, DC, USA, have together,

organized a Pre-Independence Kite Flying Family Fun Day for May 7, at the Rosaryville State Park at Upper Malboro, Maryland. There are prizes to be won for kites which best represent Guyana.

Easter in British Guiana and now Guyana, kite flying is still an exciting time for Guyanese, as we "Tramp, tramp along the Highway" of independence, and across the swamp lands of official "Social Cohesion". On Easter Monday, 2017, thousands of us, white, black, pink and blue, PPP, PNC, WPA, AFC and XYZee, Christians, Hindus, Muslims and Rastafarians, will mingle together in happy sisterhood and brotherhood, on beaches and safe open spaces on the coast land, as well as in the mountain areas and the wide open Rupununi Savannahs.

It is the kind of unofficial "Social Cohesion" engaged in over the decades, at Easter

Haitian master kite maker at work on a large kite with the Haitian colours time and at other times, such as Phagwah and Diwalli. So come Easter Monday, Guyanese will fly kites once again, as we slowly and painfully edge towards the objective of becoming a Nation with citizens embracing our National Motto of "One People, One

Nation, One Destiny."

So at this Easter time, "Let's go fly a kite", but please be safe, and keep far away from live electric wires when flying your kites. And no razor blades on your kite tails. HAPPY EASTER.

Chronicle Pepperpot April 16, 2017

XI

Four non-violent inmates freed for Holy Week

FOUR Guyanese men were last week Monday freed from prison through the benevolence of the Food For the Poor organisation which has also helped paid the fines for inmates in several other countries to coincide with the religious observance.

Of the four inmates here, two are from the Georgetown Prison, one from the New Amsterdam Prison and one from Timehri Prison.

The men expressed deep gratitude, thanking the Food For The Poor-Guyana staff for their compassion, the organization said in a release.

"I want to thank you all for helping all of us out, and may God bless you in so many ways," said Uriel who was released from the Amsterdam Prison. Each man was given a Holy Bible, a change of clothes, personal care items, food and a monetary gift for transportation home.

The organization said it is tempting to judge a person who has been arrested and sent to prison.

But the punishment does not always fit the crime, especially in the Caribbean and Latin American prisons where overcrowding is a major problem. Food For The Poor's Prison Ministry Programme, which started in 1998, has helped to free, train and reintroduce nonviolent prisoners back into their communities as productive citizens during the Christmas and Easter season. This Holy Week, 152 inmates in four countries have been given a second chance. One such inmate is 20-year-old Kenneth of Honduras. He was one of 15 prisoners recently released in the Central American country.

Born in San Pedro Sula, Kenneth says he grew up in a loving home with both parents. He says he was very close with his mom and seven sisters. He loved school and playing sports, especially soccer. When he was 16, he says his mother was in an accident and received an electric shock by high-voltage cables, which has made it difficult for her to walk. By the time he was 17, Kenneth became the man of the house. He says without his father's support, he got involved with the wrong crowd and began looking for ways to make money to help the family.

Last July, at age 19, Kenneth snatched a gold chain from a man's neck while attending a cultural festival. He planned on selling it for money, but was caught by police a short time later. "When I was captured by the police I didn't want to go to jail, but I was forced to face what I had done. I had no right to take

the man's gold chain," said Kenneth.

Unable to pay his fine, Kenneth was sentenced to five years at the Pastoral Penitenciaria in San Pedro Sula, which turned out to be an unforeseen blessing. Determined to make the most out of his time behind bars, he learned several trades, including sandal-making, shoe repair, candle making and his favorite - furniture making in the woodshop.

"I am so grateful for these programs in prison. This experience has changed my life. With God's blessing, I want to open up my own furniture woodshop," said Kenneth. "I don't have any children, but I do have new choices for my life and I am very thankful to God for the people he has placed in my life to help me during this process."

"Life in prison is not easy nor is it supposed to be, but in the countries where Food For The Poor serves, the prisons can be dangerous and sometimes a deadly environment for inmates and the people working within these crowded facilities. This is why the training and reintroduction of nonviolent prisoners back into the community as productive citizens is so vitally important," said Robin Mahfood, CEO/President of Food For The Poor. "This organization will never advocate criminal behavior, but it's a terrible thing for someone to spend years in prison for a petty crime simply because they do not have the money to pay their jail fines."

The 15 prisoners released in Honduras were given personal care packages and travel expenses.

Nine men were freed from the Pastoral Penitenciaria in San Pedro Sula, and five men and one woman from the Privados de Libertad Para Conmuta Penitenciaria in Danli.

In Haiti, prisons located in Cap-Haitien, Fort-LibertĂŠ, Hinche and Port-dePaix agreed to allow Food For The Poor to pay the required fines of 108 nonviolent offenders. The majority of these prisoners were jailed primarily for stealing food or livestock to help care for their families. Desir, 53, a farmer and father of six lives in Cerca-la-Source. He was released on Tuesday after spending more than a year in the prison in Hinche for cow stealing.

"My wife was sick and the doctor required money to admit her at the hospital," said Desir. "I did not have any money and I stole the cow in order to save the life of my wife." Joseph, 55, who lives in Cap-Haitian, took vegetables from three

different gardens to help feed his family of eight. He said, "I didn't think I would get arrested and condemned to two years in prison."

Michel, who was arrested when he was 28 for stealing is now 37 and spent more than nine years in a Fort-LibertĂŠ prison. When Fr. Jean Fils informed him that Food For The Poor had paid his fine, freeing him after so many years, he silently stared into the face of the messenger on the other side of the fence, unable to move. Each inmate released in Haiti received a hot meal, a 100-pound bag of rice, personal care items and a monetary gift for transportation home.

"Freedom is often an

afterthought, until the day it's taken away. All of these inmates released this week in time for Easter learned the importance of that. It's my belief that they don't want to do anything, no matter the reason that could put them back in prison," said Mahfood. "Most of these prison fines are a few hundred dollars, but to a person without the means, a few hundred dollars might as well be a million."

In Jamaica, 25 nonviolent prisoners were released from the St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre, Spanish Town Court and Tamarind Farms in Spanish Town, the Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre in Portmore and Richmond

Farm Adult Correctional Centre in St. Mary. Each newly released person was greeted by Food For The Poor staff. They all were given words of encouragement, a hot meal, personal care items and money for transportation home. One of the inmates released from the St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre is a Taxi operator from St. James.

He was arrested in early March for failure to pay outstanding traffic tickets.

He explained that being in prison was difficult; he has a wife and two young children who depend on him for everything.

"I pleaded for more time to come up with the funds to pay for the tickets, but that

was denied so I was arrested. I did not get a chance to say good-bye to my spouse and our children. I think that was the most difficult part about being in prison, not knowing how my family would survive. Many nights I went without sleep because I kept thinking about their welfare," said the newly released man. "I am feeling good and overwhelmed at this moment. My children will be so happy to see me and I am looking forward to seeing them.

Thanks to Food For The Poor for making this possible for me and the other inmates. This was my first time in prison and it certainly will be the last."

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Chronicle Pepperpot April 16, 2017

#SupportCreativity

Travell Blackman Artist, designer and business phenom

CONTINUING along last week’s topic of art and entrepreneurship I thought it would be beneficial to share a few stories of persons who have found ways to successfully bridge the gap between the two seemingly disconnected modes of operation. It is my hope that these accounts would encourage persons who are interested but maybe hesitant to take a step in this direction in order to shape a more sustainable creative practice of their own.

Travell Blackman is no

A graphite pencil portrait

by Travell Blackman stranger to the local art scene.

On any given day social media users would find his exceptional artwork on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, with hundreds of likes and comments expressing interest in commission and/or acquisition. Blackman’s regular announcements of specialized workshops for both children and adults have also increased his popularity online and strengthened his position as the go-to person for meeting any creative requirement.

His is a prolific career that extends as far back as his adolescent years. In a recent interview he explained that his serious pursuit of art

Travell Blackman, artist, designer and owner of Innovign. began at the age of sixteen after his father suggested he enroll at the E.R. Burrowes School of Art. At that time he was two years below the school’s age requirement but an exception was made in his case based on the strength of his portfolio. Three years later he completed the certificate program and was recognized as that year’s Best Graduating Student. It was while in his second year that he began submitting entries to the National Drawing and Watercolour Competitions held biennially at the National Gallery of Art, Castellani House. He won an award that year and every year he submitted works since.

After Blackman graduated from the E.R. Burrowes School of Art he taught at President’s College for two years. He admits that although art was just as highly regarded as the other subjects taught there, he soon grew tired of the dull routine of following the same syllabus year after year. It was after leaving the teaching environment that he decided to adjust the course of his career to something that gave him a greater sense of personal fulfillment.

“Around 2006 I met some friends and we started a small business called Smart Enterprise. We had spent an entire year planning and researching before we even started. When we did start we were in a small room with one desktop computer but we had tons of ideas. We met every day for hours to talk about what we could do and how we could do it.

The company was divided into different departments so we dealt with

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Travell ...

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◄◄◄ From page XII

things like marketing and procurement. We also had Smart Clean and Maintenance. During the Cricket World Cup our company received large contracts for maintenance and housekeeping. We even started the Guyana Shopping Guide, which was the only one at the time. Smart Enterprise had gotten really successful after a while but because of the difference in vision of the partners involved we started butting heads. Eventually I left and the company dissolved around 2010.”

At this point he explained that he felt it necessary to shift gears once again to something a bit more relaxing, as he describes it.

Interestingly enough, his idea of relaxing translated to being actively engaged in something that encouraged his growth as a creative practitioner as well as a businessman. So that same year he enrolled at the University of Guyana to pursue a degree in computer science.

“You might wonder how someone could move from a certificate in art to a degree

completely.”

After he graduated from the University of Guyana in 2014, he decided it was time to get back into business. This time around he was determined to ensure a different and more successful outcome. He used the knowledge he had previously acquired about professional business practices to launch Innovign, a company designed to cover his expertise in both art and computer science.

“I try to incorporate the two as much as possible. Computer science itself relies a lot on art.

For example, if you’re going to create a website or an app, the first thing a person will see even before experiencing the functionality is the look of it, the design. And if you have an understanding of design then you will have a visually pleasing application. So they work nicely hand in hand.

Sometimes you might run into an application that is really good but just not appealing.

It doesn’t draw you in. Then there are others that are really nice visually but terrible when it comes to usage. So you just need to find that balance.

These children were smiles with their finished paper flowers. in computer science because they’re so vastly different. But they’re really not.

They’re both in the realm of creating. Computer science is all about problem solving.

It basically involves creating something intangible with codes and programs. We can look at a real world situation and figure out how you can use the computer or any electronic media to simplify or make that situation much easier. So you need to be able to analyze a situation really well in order to figure out methods of simplifying it for the user. It needs to be so simple that persons with any level of IQ could look at it and understand it

Innovign combines art and computer science to create that balance.

The company is divided into different departments to focus on different areas. So there is Innovign Art, which deals with art production and education; Innovign Developers, which covers things like web and mobile applications; Innovign Graphics; and Innovign Décor. I’m working on these areas until they are able to sustain themselves before moving on to others, instead of trying to do all at once.”

Blackman has managed to develop an efficient routine that allows him to focus equally on

each component of his business at different times of the year. The seasonal nature of the work commissioned for Innovign Décor grants him time to concentrate on his portraiture service, something he admits is always in constant demand. He also offers regular after school art classes for children as well as more Turn to page XV ►►►

A group of satisfied participants after completing one of Innovign’s paper flower workshops

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Travell ...

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Travell Blackman hard at work on a commissioned couple’s portrait

specialized workshops for both children and adults.

“One of the main reasons I started this was because I recognized that art in Guyana was not something that was highly appreciated. I wanted to show people that this is serious.

And for them to take art seriously we need to start with the younger generation. If they can develop a liking from a young age then we can nurture their development.

Because of the nature of the business, it’s not something that your life depends on. It’s more of an indulgence. The challenge for

me is to convince people that the money they spend would be worth the while.

So I’m always thinking of new and fresh ways to convince the public that there’s value to this.

It’s challenging at times.

Sometimes things don’t always work. I’ve tried a few things that didn’t work out well but that is all a part of the learning process.”

Although he admits the task of managing one’s own business can be quite daunting, particularly for someone trying to balance it with his creative practice, Blackman remains confident in his ability to

continue building on the dream he envisioned as a child.

“Owning your own business calls for a lot of patience and belief in what you’re trying to create. That belief is sometimes what fuels the drive when things get really hard. If you don’t have that kind of commitment then you shouldn’t get into small business.

The success doesn’t happen overnight. My firm is still pretty young. I started this in 2015 and I’m still trying to figure out ways in which I can make things better so that the business can grow.

Right now I’m in the

process of building the developing department. I’m working with two other persons on an application that the public could benefit from and that could see a number of persons gaining employment. Once that can sustain itself, like the art, we’ll move on to another project. So we’re still growing and I’m looking forward to working with more people.”

For more information about the services offered by Innovign you can visit their website www.innovigngy.com or find them on Facebook as Innovign Art.

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Religion and mental health Hello Everyone, I HOPE this week has treated you well Since this weekend is Easter, a religious holiday, I thought I would talk about religion and mental health. This will be general- not singling out any particular religion or faith. It will simply be about the benefits that can come from believing in a higher power; something greater than ourselves.

In addiction recovery, when we refer to a higher power, it can be anything of your choice – meaning a specific religion, a God, the sun, the moon, a tree- absolutely anything.

We have all seen the harm that certain groups do while claiming that their actions

are in the name of religion. I am going to stay away from that (and the negative in general) as I do not believe that is an accurate depiction of any religion or faith. The general consensus is, if one believes in a kind, forgiving and loving God, they reap only benefits. If one believes that God is judgmental and punishing, it will have a more negative effect on mental health.

For those of you who do not believe in any higher power, that’s absolutely fine.

However, it couldn’t hurt reading about something that can provide you with hope, a sense of security and provides an outlet for anger and sadness.

Firstly, what is religion? It is defined as a structured system of beliefs, practices and

symbols used to enable a close relationship to an individual’s chosen higher power. Of course, we know that different religions have different beliefs, days of worship, gods/prophets and ways of worshipping.

Again, we are going to stay as general as possible.

It is differentiated from spirituality as this is more of a personal quest to finding specific answers about oneself, life, our relationships and so on. However, keep in mind that the benefits of religion, any higher power and spirituality, are the same.

Usually, when we think of religion, we think of people’s sense of purpose and meaning in life; we think of compassion.

Many scientists/psychologists today believe that religion is a necessity for mankind.

That an individual can better handle stress, unpredictability, uncertainty and a feeling of a lack of control if they believe in a higher power. It mostly provides general

guidelines in how to live a better life. We have come a long way from the medieval ages when mental disorders were thought to be demonic possession.

Thoughts of a higher power allow for security, sociability, distraction and self-awareness. It lessens anxiety by taking away fear of danger or death. It can provide better empathy, understanding and kindness (which also greatly improves our relationships). Religion preaches peaceful and respectful relationships- that’s the intention anyway. It provides a new platform for love, hope, honesty and gratitude. The feeling of belonging to a specific group provides a psychosocial support that can improve self-confidence, self-esteem, productivity and efficiency. The belief in a higher power enforces acceptance, resilience Turn to page XVII ►►►

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Religion and mental ... ◄◄◄ From page XVI

and forgiveness- for both ourselves and others.

Religion also has positive effects on physical health. Studies show that people who strongly believe in a higher power are less likely to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes or do any illicit drugs. It’s been known to have a positive effect on one’s blood pressure due to strict diets. Research also shows that those who suffer from long-term illnesses such as cancer, recover faster if a higher power is involved. Again, keep in mind the common saying ‘healthy body; healthy mind.’ A belief in a higher power definitely helps substance abusers and addicts through recovery. If my clients believe in some sort of faith, they are more likely to be successful in quitting their substance of choice. Research also shows that attending religious services add at least seven years on an individual’s life span.

The mental and physical benefits above subsequently decreases social ills such as crime, spreading of diseases, road traffic accidents, school drop-outs, domestic violence and suicidal thoughts and behaviours.

It additionally helps an entire community as

studies show that people who are religious take part in more volunteer/ community outreach.

Despite the very public, mediatized harms of religion/ higher powers, these have been found and remain an important aspect of human life. When I do public outreaches, I never talk about religion, as there many different types practiced in the room.

However, when I see clients individually, it is definitely a topic we discuss in detail. I have found that when it comes to the topic of religion, no one is impartial. The topic always brings out strong opinions, deep feelings and even deeper values.

I have found that those who do practise some form of belief/ritual are more likely to recover from mental illness, despite the type. This is also the case for those who have lost loved ones, those going through a divorce, those going through financial strain and those that have had any other kind of trauma. Once the topic is approached with accurate and fair knowledge, respect, understanding and care, it is essential to the recovery of individuals. I recommend that all psychologists have basic understanding and knowledge of all religions being practised in Guyana (or whichever country they

are working).

Those of you who do not believe, we do not have to understand or believe, we simply have to accept and respect other people’s beliefs.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Thanking you for reading. Please keep sending any topics you’d like to talk about to caitlinvieira@gmail.com Or come in to see me at: Georgetown Public Hospital: Psychi-

atric Department: Monday- Friday – 8am- 12pm Woodlands Hospital: Outpatient Department Drug and Alcohol group meetings Mondays 4:15 Good mental health group meetingsWednesdays 4:15 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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More Than A Wife

Dear Uncle Henry, I am married to a very nice Muslim man.

I was once a Hindu, now I’ve converted to Islam. Life is good but I worry over my husband.

He has other ladies. When I confront him, he says a Muslim can have more than one wife. Is this true? I am jealous. Hope you can enlighten me. I read this column every Sunday.

Fazeela.

Reply Dear Fazeela, A man must stick to one wife. But if he wishes to take care of a needy family, that is charitable. In the days of the prophet, men were urged to take care of widows and orphans if they could afford but no sex must be involved.

Prophet Mohammad himself married widows and divorcees to care for them out of love.

A father entrusted his 16-year-old daughter to the Prophet’s care but she was not a

wife. He later got her married and she was still a virgin. If you can afford to look after more than one wife out of the kindness of your heart, fine. But remember the rule: treat equally.

Some rich Muslims still have harems (many wives). But they must all be treated equally. How many wives can do that?

One wife, one love. Tell your husband he is wrong to sleep with other ladies. And remind him that a man must treat his wife as though she is a garment unto him. Share your money. Be kind. Support without strings. Be charitable….but no intimacy. This talk of more than one wife is nonsense. It feeds the wicked. Tell him he is committing a sin. Demand your rights to absolute love and care and security. But do your ‘home-work.’ Too many men do drift away when the high tide of emotional discontent begins to ebb.

Avoid this! No room for sharing. Hold tight!

Uncle Henry

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THE PRICE YOU PAID

(CHRIST ALONE) Written by- Abiola Robertson

VERSE 1 “Where should we go to prepare the Passover for You to eat?”, the disciples asked.

“In the city, to a place prepared by a man you will see…,” Jesus replied.

What followed was a moment of great fellowship, then anxiety.

Little did the disciples know that it was going to be Your last meal with them before embracing Your destiny.

So You ate, and You drank, and You prayed, and You sang; having been anointed by the woman beforehand.

For some, it may have been a time of merriment, but for You it was preparation for Your eternal assignment.

Your disciples You tried to warn, but the gravity of Your impending situation they could not discern.

Some pledged to follow and support You, without understanding the vow that they made before You. But knowing the human frame, You knew, when tested they would fade or wane.

As the Disciples supped with You, in that moment, both good and evil were unveiled.

It was then that the new covenant was instituted, but also the divisive actions of one who was unashamed.

The schemes of Men were about to unfold, in an attempt to ensnare Your precious soul, But how possible could it be, when they had in their midst someone greater than they could see.

And in the moment of Your eternal assignment, there we saw Your true predicament.

VERSE 2 In the garden of Gethsemane, You thought about us – Yes, about You and humanity, If You did not fulfil Your assignment, what will be?

The choice was there before You, but not all could see, Whether to save a lost and dying world or simply just walk away uncaringly.

The Cross was before You and the Crowds behind You; what an awful place to be?

For You - an assignment so grave it brought immense sorrow,

a broken heart, and bloody agony; But for us, the wrath of God and a potential lost eternity.

So in compassion You persevered in Your journey.

Lonely it was, but only You could have accomplished it faithfully.

For a moment in your sorrow You said “…if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…,”

Showing us your human frailty.

But when You pondered in Your heart what it means for us, You gathered strength and said “…Nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will” An expression that will live on in our memory.

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THE PRICE ... ◄◄◄ From page XIX

VERSE 3 Fulfilling Your eternal assignment was not easy, for this is what was recorded in history: The New Testament tells how your friends - the disciples, faltered and became a discouragement.

Some denied you, fled in fear, one cursed and even swear, but subsequently had to shed some tears.

Who would believe You were the one they followed relentlessly before they disappeared?

But Your predicament did not end there, Your troubles had just begun evolving into the worst nightmare.

Your enemies -the angry crowd, religious leaders and secular rulers were now about to join the bandwagon, To perform their role as persecutors and not deliverers, by taking you before their Governing leaders.

Embarrassment and crucifixion was their agenda, not to prove your innocence ever.

Who among them was wise to open their eyes for them to see that You were their Saviour?

Pilate struggled with the decision to set You free, even though his wife tried to warn him that You were a “Just Man” and the punishment should not be.

So he washed his hands, thinking that was all that was required to make him guiltless for Your tragedy.

Not realizing that he too had a part to play in your destiny.

As for the by-standers, some shook their heads, hurled insults and gave distorted testimonies.

VERSE 4 What followed was your pain and suffering, persecutions like no other, the account is so mind boggling.

Yet some found it quite entertaining like when they are watching a game of duelling.

But the truth is that, they were watching Your agony and horrendous suffering.

As though this was not enough, they called You a bluff when You refused to answer their questioning.

Then they made You carry Your cross, because they believed that Your case before Pilate You had lost.

Your broken body could not bear the weight, so You fell beneath it in a moment of Your human weakness.

The end of the journey to fulfilling Your purpose was almost there.

Light was at the end of the tunnel, and it was going to be a brand new day.

Your trials, afflictions, false accusations and persecutions would soon go away.

Then suddenly Your circumstances changed...

Thank God for the relief that came - Simon of Cyrene was his name, He bore Your cross the rest of the distance, but even in this, there was not much re-assurance.

For He could not take Your place nor fulfil Your eternal assignment, It was meant to be Your race to complete and for Simon a temporary involvement.

VERSE 5 Then the inevitable came upon You, it was the hour of Your crucifixion, but yet our breakthrough.

You called out to Your Father, who could not bear to see His Begotten Son suffer.

So for a moment there was no answer, because the results were still forthcoming.

God already knew that You would succeed in paying the dues, so no need to respond in sympathy.

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Yes, Your mother’s heart pained, as she looked on in vain, not being able to save You. The hour was now at hand, Your persecutors thought that they were still in command as they pierced Your side with vigour.

But as You cried out to Your Father, yielded up Your Spirit and hung Your head in that last hour, Some thought it was a laughing matter.

None could comprehend the profoundness and purpose of this display…

The soldiers walked away to do the trivial and mundane, and to report the events and happenings.

To complete their “work” they cast lots for your garments, the only thing they valued in the moment.

But the devil could not succeed, humanity was about to be freed, From his craftiness performed in Eden.

VERSE 6 As You hung on the cross - dead, it appeared to be a finished matter.

But NO! WAIT A MINUTE! It wasn’t going to be.

You had just paid the price which no other human can offer, no matter how confidently rehearsed.

So it is time to remind us of the full story, that humanity can understand how they now walk in the victory.

And to know that our Salvation did not come easy.

For You paid a price that has made unforgettable history!

You were abandoned, accused and humiliated, Rejected, spat upon, beaten and blind-folded, You were mocked, forced to carry Your Cross, while being escorted, Nailed to the Cross, fed sour wine, pierced in the side, reviled and then crucified.

But little did they know, that You are the King they had on show, Who would then rise again the third day from below.

Neither the signs they could not see: The darkness, rented veils, the earthquake, open graves, and awakened bodies…

VERSE 7 On the third day, busting from the grave, you accomplished more than fame, That today your experience is worth far more than kind words of recognition or even an accolade.

For You brought forth our victory and appeared to many witnesses who told the story.

A victory that cannot be denied, no matter who tries to lie, avoid it or say it did not happen.

For we your followers know that You are our Lord and Saviour whom they had on “show”…

Their intention was to silence You and bring You down, but now You are surely risen!

There would be no other such act of Salvation, no believable imitation, diversion or deception.

To appear again, that is Your promise; whether we believe it, dismiss it, or simply want to forget it.

For You are a God of evidence, the manifestation of Your Word & signs are Your defence.

Those occurrences were signs of the greatest event that was to come, Yes, after Your persecution and death, came Your resurrection and ascension, witnessed by all around.

Now that event - Your Resurrection, has been registered in history as the greatest outcome.

It reminds us of the price that you paid to redeem humanity – your creation.

So we’ll wait on the ultimate feast and supper You promised your dear loved ones.

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Sacred Feast of Palm Sunday

By Shirley Thomas ROMAN Catholics in Guyana, on Sunday joined fellow Catholics around the world in commemorating the sacred Feast of Palm Sunday.

In Georgetown the commemoration started off around 8:30 hrs, with the traditional blessing of palms and coconut fronds at Churches within their respective parishes, after which there was a spirited procession with parishioners wending their way through the streets, waving intricately designed symbols made using coconut palm fronds as they glorified King Jesus.

As they triumphantly processed through the streets, with a member of the laity carrying the cross, parishioners lustily sang hymns of praise and worshipped the King of Kings, at the end of which they culminated at identified Churches within their parish clusters for Holy Mass.

The palms used during the procession are blessed and Turn to page XXIII ►►►

Flask Back: Rev. Godfrey Veerasammy. S.J. in the lead as the procession makes its way out of Our Lady of Fatima R.C. Church, North Road Bourda, before entering the Bourda Cricket Stadium for a joint Palm Sunday Mass in 2015.

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surrendered at those Churches, and will later be burnt, in order to secure ashes which would be applied to members’ foreheads on Ash Wednesday next.

This symbolic engagement undertaken on Palm Sunday each year, is in commemoration of the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, meek and sitting on an ass (a young donkey). Thereupon, a great multitude, waving palms, and flocking as he rode into the city, cut down branches from the trees and venerated and glorified Him saying: Hosannah to the King of David: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosannah in the Highest.”

And as the scripture says: “All this was done that it might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet saying: ‘Tell ye the daughter of Zion: Behold the King cometh unto thee, meek and sitting upon an ass and a colt the foal of an ass’.” (Matt. 21:5).

The triumphal entry is that of Jesus coming into Jerusalem on ‘Palm Sunday’ - the Sunday before the crucifixion (John 12:1, 12) The triumphal entry was a significant event, not only to the people of Jesus’ day, but to Christians throughout history. We celebrate Palm Sunday to remember that momentous occasion.

On that day, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a borrowed donkey’s colt, one that had never been ridden before. The disciples spread their cloaks on the donkey for Jesus to sit on, and the multitudes came out to welcome Him, laying before Him their cloaks and the branches of palm trees. The people hailed and praised Him as the “King who comes in the name of the Lord” as He rode to the temple, where He taught the people, healed them, and drove out the money-changers and merchants who had made His Father’s house a “den of robbers” (Mark 11:17).

Jesus’ purpose in riding into Jerusalem was to make public His claim to be their Messiah and King of Israel in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.

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Members of the joint congregations assemble at the Bourda Cricket ground for the joint Palm Sunday service and blessing of the palms.

Ras Trevor Smith XXIV

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– ‘De Original Kite Man’

… adding colour to your Easter

By Shirley Thomas WITH just a few days to go before Easter Monday, characterized by the ubiquitous kite-flying activities, the sale of kites is definitely picking up, and commercial areas in central Georgetown are already abuzz as vendors daily display their ware, transforming the landscape with colorful and uniquely designed ‘paper birds’.

But even though not restricted to any particular vicinity, over the last few

days there seems to be an ongoing hive of activities along Camp Street, bounded

by Robb Street to the north and Regent to the south.

So far some four of the more popular vendors around town have already commenced setting up their establishments on a daily basis at strategic points: two outside of Republic Bank car park on the western half of Camp and Regent Streets; and two more outside of Teleperformance on the eastern half of Camp and Robb Streets.

The vendors have been

plying their trade at those spots for almost 90 years collectively. But 54-yearold Ras Trevor Smith of William Street, Campbellville, who can be referred to in local parlance as the ‘Original Kite Man’ claims he has has been associated with kites almost from his mother’s womb.

“Since I was a child I just had this love of getting pointer together with a fine pin, and design a kite. At that time we called it ‘Kadeo Punch’ Kites – made from newspaper or just whatever was available.”

In fact the first kite was placed in Trevor’s hands eversince he was a toddler and by age five he began experimenting with kite-making. He first started thawing around with that pointer ‘Kadeo’ as a little boy, and as he grew and became more sophisticated, Trevor recalls he developed a taste for colorful imported kite paper displayed on slender wooden strips … and that was the real thing.

“To be honest I just had this joy of playing with kites, as every little boy would.”

His parents had 12 children

Ras Trevor Smith displays his kites on Camp Street

6 boys; 6 girls and they all looked forward to Easter so as to be able to experience the thrill of kite-flying.

Before he learnt to make the perfect kite, he recalls he had a brother-in-law (now living in the USA), who would make kites for him and his five brothers.

“But the problem is that, in those days, you couldn’t see your kite before Easter Sunday night,” he recalled.

“My brother-in-law used to put them away and then give us late the Sunday night. So like that, we couldn’t fly our kites before Easter Monday

and that used to take away from the fun and excitement of kite-flying. Then added to that, it used to take away from the period left for the activity.”

He likened it buying Christmas gifts for your children, then locking it away from them until Christmas morning. For Trevor, that couldn’t work and so it motivated him to start making his own kites.ssion”al kites.

But it was fun in the home around that period. “I recall that on Easter Sunday we all had to go to Church and celebrate the resurrec-

Chronicle Pepperpot April 16, 2017 tion of Jesus Christ. Then on Easter Monday mom would take us out kite-flying we’d have our lunch basket and she would be with us from morn until midday when she would take us back home and after that we were allowed to go back as boys and fly kites until 6:00 p.m.

By age 16, having finished school, and desiring to earn an honest living and be able to help his mom “with something” his first option was to go into kite making as a business, which he did systematically, consistently and perfecting in the trade with each passing year.

Kite-making was his passion and his yearning was to take it to another level.

And so, 38 years ago Trevor began making kites for sale. He started selling outside of the then Barclay’s Bank on that same corner and each year, as the season comes around he continues to do so religiously – rain or sunshine.

Designing and constructing the kites single-handedly, every year, the ‘Original Kite Man’ would make just over 1,000 kites of various sizes and designs for sale. . As the saying goes “Is not everyday fisher man does ketch fish,” and neither does he expect that every day there will be booming sales. But he is confident of making ‘good sales’ for the last three days leading up to Easter and Easter Monday as well.

He describes the holiday as a fun time. “It brings so

much joy and every member of the family can partake.

If the family goes into the park, the older ones who are not mindful of flying kites, can sit under the trees and read; eat and drink; play games or even help the younger ones raise, or on the other hand retrieve their kites if they burst away or get stuck in a tree.”

Other sellers in the Camp Street vicinity include: Carlyle Dainty, 45 of Craig Street, also in Campbellville who is also excited about making and selling kites, but claims that business this year is not doing so well. People approach them - rather enthusiastic about the kites, but seem not to have the money. Kites cost from $1,000 to $3,000, depending on the size. However he is optimistic about getting sales during the last week preceding Easter Monday.

Then there is Morris Prince of Duncan Street Campbellville, selling for the last 25 years you - no matter what, is proud to be of service to particularly the younger ones desiring to fly kites. Considering it a lucrative business and now refers to it as a family tradition.

Not least, there is Trover Gonsalves, also of Craig Street Campbellville who, full of optimism says: “Even though sales have not yet picked up, we’re getting that Easter feeling and we feel confident that sales will be booming before Easter Monday.”

Carlyle Dainty displays his kites

A family tradition – Morris Prince and his granddaughter at the family’s kite stand.

Trover Gonsalves invites you to check out his Easter supplies.

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The Cry Of The Deportee Dougla Joe

By Abdool A. Aziz THEY called him ‘Dougla Joe.’ He was born out of wedlock from a Negro father and East Indian mother in a predominant Indian community on the East Coast of Demerara.

After birth his father

Wilbert went into the ‘Bush’ as a pork-knocker and disappeared. His mother Kowsilla struggled to raise him. The community didn’t like her social life. She hanged herself.

‘Dougla Joe’ became an outcast because of his mixed blood.

STOW AWAY He moved to Georgetown and found shelter in ‘Tiger Bay. Later he stowed away on a merchant ship heading to Liverpool, England.

NOT GUILTY Over in the ‘Mother Country’ he did odd

jobs to survive but there was racial tension and when a white woman got raped they blamed him.

An all-white jury found him guilty and he was sentenced to five years in prison. Later forensic science would clear his name.

A PARIAH News had reached the shores of Guiana (1963) and his native community deemed him a pariah.

No rapist in their midst especially ‘Dougla Joe, they insisted. He had no shelter and no job. He became homeless and took refuge in an abandoned watch-house on the seawall. Many times the police would take him into custody on suspicion of criminal activities but he was always released. He didn’t commit any evil act.

They just placed a stigma on him and he left.

PLEADS FOR HELP He walked to Georgetown straight into the Chronicle news room.

And he related his dilemma simply: ”Dey don’t want me but where me must goh? Me navel string bury dey,”referring to his village.

GOOD SAMARITAN The Editor sympathized with him and offered some financial help.

He said: “Here, take this.

Go clean up. Buy some clothes, have some food and come back to me.”

This was the first time since his deportation that someone had been so kind to him. The big man broke down in tears. He was so grateful.

JOB AND TRUST On his return to his benefactor, he was given a job as a gardener and performed well. He also became security for the Editor’s handicapped daughter and her grandma, who was a paraplec in a wheelchair. Then one day, a fire broke out in the home. ‘Dougla Joe’ ran from the back yard and saved the child.

He dashed into the inferno and braving the thick smoke brought out granny. He heard

a cat screaming and the child pleaded with him to save her pet. Joe ran into the fire but the smoke got to him he paid the ultimate price burnt to death.

SHOCK TO VILLAGERS It was top press headline gardener saved two from fire. Lost his life while saving cat….the news shocked the folks of his native village they couldn’t believe the outcast could do such a heroic act. They felt ashamed and sad but proud. They took possession of his charred remains. He was their hero.

A MOVING FUNERAL The funeral was a moving one. Even the police turned pall-bearers.

One by one the villagers offered their apologies.

And so too, the Queen of England, who apologized for Joe’s wrongful imprisonment. The British counsel placed a purple wreath on his tomb and murmured: “So sorry Joseph…Rest In Peace” A TRUE DOUGLA All the mourners departed in tears. The Editor stood by the tomb like a sentinel in deep grief. He whispered: “Thank you friend for saving my mother and daughter. I will never forget your bravery, giving your life for others.

You are a true Dougla -black on the outside and white on the inside.”

THE EPITAPH The Epitaph reads: Joseph Wilbert 1933-1974.

Our Hero, please forgive us.

Do not judge the book by the cover. Draw a line. There is good and bad in all of us. A man has his inalienable right to live and die where he ‘navel string cut.’ Sleep on Joe… and Thanks.

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Guyana, Turkey to strengthen political consultation

GINA, GUYANA: The Governments of Guyana and Turkey will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on political consultation at the fourth meeting of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) that will be held in Istanbul, Turkey on April 20 to 21, 2017.

This was stated by Minister of State, Joseph Harmon at a post –Cabinet press briefing at the Minis-

Minister of State, Joseph Harmon try of the Presidency.

Minister Harmon said Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge and Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Audrey Jardine- Waddell will attend the meeting.

Minister Harmon said that the CELAC quartet is the highest quarterly coordinated forum of CELAC. He said that Guyana being the current chairman of CARICOM, the country is a member of that quartet.

The Minister explained that the CELAC Turkey mechanism was established in 2015 to pursue South Cooperation, to strengthen political dialogue and coordinate approaches to matters of common interest on the international agenda.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge CELAC is a regional bloc of 33 Latin American and Caribbean states. It was formed at the Unity Summit, which consisted of the 21st Summit of the Rio Group and the 2nd Latin American and Caribbean Summit on Integration and Development (CALC), in the Mayan Riviera, Mexico on 23 February 2010. The organisation aims to unite all of the Latin American and Caribbean states in order to strengthen the political, social and cultural integration of the region, improve its quality of life, stimulate its economic growth, and advance the well-being of all of its people. CELAC is a successor of the Rio Group and CALC. Members are: Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Co-operative Republic of Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Santa Lucia, Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela.

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Mabaruma, Port Kaituma to benefit from all-weather roads for first time GINA, GUYANA: Several communities in Mabaruma and Port Kaituma will get all-weather roads for the first time.

Minister of State Joseph Harmon has revealed that Cabinet has granted its approval for the award of contracts for the rehabilitation of six lots of all-weather roads in Mabaruma and Port Kaituma in Region One. During a post-Cabinet briefing Thursday, at the Ministry of Presidency, Minister Harmon explained that the road works are important and urgent. He noted that during several Ministerial visits to sub-region one and two in Region One, the residents had voiced their concerns about the poor quality of roads in Mabaruma and Port Kaituma.

The Minister of State indicated that Minister of Public Infrastructure, David Patterson has undertaken to visit and witness the works to be undertaken. “We expect that once infrastructure is put into a community, the community should help in protecting it because they are the ones who are inconvenienced when they are damaged or improperly used,” Minister Harmon stated.

The Central Kaituma wharf road to old road junction, Port Kaituma will be rehabilitated under Lot one for the sum of $51M. Under Lot two, phase two, the Port Kaituma to Matthews Ridge section will be

repaired to the tune of $334M. Lot three will cater for Central Kaituma catwalk road to Oronoque, Port Kaituma for $16M while under Lot 4, the Port Kaituma road from airstrip to Fitzburg Housing Scheme will be completed at a cost of $213M. The Kumaka junction to the waterfront by the market road area in Mabaruma will be rehabilitated under Lot five for the sum of $66M while the Mabaruma main township road to airstrip road will be rehabilitated under Lot six for $2M. In a recent interview with the Government information Agency (GINA), Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, Annette Ferguson had said that those roads are expected to be completed by the end of 2017.

The scope of works will see full rehabilitation of the roads using laterite, construction of culverts and auxiliary road works. “Majority of those roads are laterite roads so we would be using the laterite material along with a stabilised material so those are the materials that would be used to construct or repair the roads in those areas,” the Minister had explained.

Funding for these works is catered for in the 2017 budget under hinterland expenditure. A total of $2.302B was allocated for the continuation of road rehabilitation and construction in the hinterland

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Ministry of Natural Resources looking for land for Marudi miners

GINA, GUYANA: Minister of Natural Resources Raphael Trotman has committed to looking for mining lands for miners in Marudi as part of efforts to bring resolution over the long-standing dispute between South Rupununi miners and Romanex Guyana Incorporated.

Minister Trotman was in Lethem, Region Nine, on Wednesday to make a presentation at the Regional Toshaos Conference as part of his ministry’s outreach for the year. Later that day, the Minister held a public meeting with residents.

The on-going dispute at the Marudi Mountain was the primary concern raised at that public meeting. The Minister assured the residents that steps are being

taken to accommodate miners.

“What government is working on right now is identifying another portion of land with value for you so that we are not just going to tell you to move from here to go over there. We want to ensure that we’ve done some prospecting, that we have surveyed it, that it has gold or good prospects,” Minister Trotman told residents.

He cautioned residents that this will take some time since the Ministry will have to ensure that the land is outside of Romanex’s concessions and does not encroach on land titling extension requests of indigenous communities.

Last April, the Ministry of Natural Resources brokered a mediation agreement among, Romanex, miners and indigenous

communities to resolve mining disputes in Marudi.

However, there have been allegations levelled back and forth between the signatories over violation of that agreement. One clause of the agreement is the relocation of the “landing” in Marudi to facilitate an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA).

Shop owners are contending that the area identified for their relocation does not have basic amenities.

Joslyn Primus, a female miner, pointed out that there is no potable water at the new landing. Primus further noted that the allotment of the new landing is small and does not make provision for toilet facilities.

Addressing these concerns Trotman

said, “I will not ask anyone to be moved to a location that is insanitary, that is not prepared.”

Recent intervention from the Ministry of Natural Resources saw an agreement being met for the relocation to occur later this month. A team from the Ministry of Natural Resource’s Compliance Department and GGMC officers met with the signatories in Aishalton last week.

Minister Trotman said he is confident that the dispute will soon be resolved.

“All the sides in this process in Marudi Mountain accept that something has to change; it’s just a matter of how; so I’m confident that we will have a resolution and I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” the Minister said.

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Several communities to soon benefit from street lights GINA, GUYANA: Minister of State Joseph Harmon announced that residents of several communities will, within a month of the contracts being advertised, benefit from the installation of streetlights.

This was revealed during a post-Cabinet media briefing at the Ministry of the Presidency two days ago.

The areas in which the streetlights will be installed are Diamond, East La Penitence and Cummings Lodge amongst

others. “The Minister of Public Infrastructure is very proactive in these matters (infrastructural matters) and is very aggressive to ensure that these benefits are given to members of the public,� Minister Harmon explained.

The Minister said that the assigned contractors installing the streetlights in the communities will be given a period of time to prepare themselves for the commencement of the works.

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More probation officers for Region Two to tackle social ills

GINA, GUYANA: There will be more probation officers in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) as the Ministry of Social Protection heightens efforts to tackle social ills plaguing the region.

Domestic violence and disputes and child welfare issues are prevalent according to the region’s Senior Probation Officer, Carol Beresford.

Despite a small staff, Beresford said efforts are

ongoing to better handle these issues. She explained that the Ministry of Social Protection is currently training new probation officers. “We have to recruit them, train them and then send them out to the various regions so by next month we’ll get one and maybe next three months we’ll get three more, so that is what they’re working on,” Beresford said.

The Senior Probation Officer further explained

to GINA that while the department awaits additional staff, the current probation officers are working diligently to curb some of the child welfare issues.

The department discovered that there are many parents struggling with their children who are engaged in substance abuse.

“The children are drinking in school and smoking so when the schools reopen we plan on going to visit them because we know

it’s very challenging and expensive for parents to bring their children to the department for counselling. So we plan on asking the teachers for space at the school, and we will be working with the children,” Beresford underlined.

Additionally, this region is one that is affected by suicides. Beresford says efforts are also in place to discourage these incidents.

The region’s Probation Department will also be

hosting some sensitisation awareness programmes to better educate and inform persons on the issue, Beresford pointed out to GINA. There are plans also to implement the suicide hotline system for persons contemplating suicide, to call and receive counselling. On International Day for the Family which will be observed on May 15, the probation department will be planning several activities. “The objective

of these programmes is to bring families together, and we’re hoping that we can work with them and eliminate half of the issues that are going on at present,” the Senior Probation Officer said.

With government offering its full support, Beresford emphasised that her small team of probation officers will continue to work to eliminate the social ills in the region.

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Gov’t will work with Region Two to make it a more competitive producer, exporter – Minister Gaskin

GINA, GUYANA - Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin said that Region Two has a clear future in the agriculture and agro-processing sector.

He made the observation in light of the recently concluded Essequibo Agro and Trade Expo.

The Business Minister

said that this future was clearly demonstrated in the range of exhibitors that participated in the expo.

Minister Gaskin told the Government Information Agency (GINA), that the government would like “to see Region Two become a more competitive producer and exporter of agricultural

products. We are therefore prepared to work with this Region to achieve the full potential of its agriculture sector.”

The first Essequibo Agro Trade Expo hosted by the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce (ECC) was held on April 7 to 8, 2017 at the Anna Regina Community Centre Ground. The expo saw a number of participants

displaying their goods and services from the various sectors of the country. The two- day event saw persons from all walks of life visiting over 30 booths.

Goods and services ranged from doors, kitchen cabinets, hand bags, picture frames, leather slippers, green seasoning, and a variety of achar and pepper sauces, coconut water, and

information on how to start and maintain a business, among other goods and services.

Barakat Timbers LtdThis Company was established in 1993 and is located in Charity, Pomeroon. Director, Imtiaz Barakat said that the manufacturing of doors and kitchen cabinets was recently started. Barakat said that “whatever ends that is left over in the saw mill that is what we take and manufacture these items; nothing is going to waste.”

The doors and cupboards are made from Purple Heart, Tatabu, Crabwood, Kabukalli and locust. Barakat explained that the company is the first in the country to use the Simarupa wood to manufacture kitchen cupboards.

a living. One day Singh said a gentleman asked him if he could grind the spices for him so that the he can take them overseas. Singh said that initially the raw materials were ground with a hand mill but has since elevated to an electric mill and other modern equipment. Following his grandmother’s methods, Roy’s spices include turmeric, jerk seasoning, halwa masala, and cook- up and chowmein seasoning.

Chief Executive Officer of Amy’s Pomeroon Coffee, Louis Holder, said that his coffee is one of the oldest blends in the world. He said that it was introduced into the colonies of Berbice, Demerara and Essequibo by the Dutch in 1721. By 1810 British Guiana was

Anita Sankar Crafts– This is owned by Anita Sankar whose place of business is located in Charity.

Sankar displayed beautifully crafted Indigenous products including bags, hats, and souvenirs. She explained that she purchases most of her items from the neighbouring communities, while she is involved in “making process” as well. Sankar expressed hope that the Expo will boost her business.

Roy’s Quality Spices is located in Adventure, Essequibo Coast, Suddie, Anna Regina and Mon Repos market. The company originated in 1996. Sales and Marketing Manager, Govinda Singh said that his father traded the “raw spices” for

one of the largest exporters of coffee in the world.

Holder explained though that during that period a variety of coffee was planted on high elevation, while his coffee is growing on low elevation, he said that when farmers plant the farmers plant on low elevation, their yield decreases. “When your yield decreases your cost is higher,” Holder said. Holder highlighted that for the last three centuries coffee has been grown. Holder said that his blend is “straight forward” and the company prefers the local coffee houses to add flavourings of their choice.

The CEO said that when a person takes their first cup of coffee,” they

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should feel good, it gives you energy for the rest of the day, it makes your day and we recommend it at breakfast,” Holder said.

The Pomeroon Women’s Agro Processors Association is located in Charity, Essequibo Coast. Aunty Pam (only name given) said that the association comprises 10 women. The group commenced work in 2001 and was registered in 2002.

Aunty Pam said that the association started with the processing of caurambola fruits, then moved into pepper sauce, green seasoning and extra virgin coconut oil.

Aunty Pam stated that their Black Sauce is a “hit”.

She explained that the syrup that remains after processing the carambola fruit is processed into the Black Sauce that can be used to flavour fried rice, chowmein and meats. She said that “she is proud of the women that work with her on a daily basis.”Aunty Pam told the Government Information Agency (GINA) that all the ingredients for their production are locally sourced from the farmers in the Pomeroon and the Charity Market. The Head of the Association encouraged Guyanese to support more local produce and producers. She explained that such “an act” supports the economy and more importantly the livelihood of the farmers and producers.

Amazon Tropical Coconut Water commenced operations in January 2017.

Ed (only name given), CEO said that his company is located in the Pomeroon. He said that there is no artificial flavouring in his product, “it is 100 percent natural and simply your choice.”

Ed said that the response to his product since the launch has been overwhelming and they are currently working on acquiring export markets.

The process to the finished product is very simple Ed explained. He said that he will continue to upkeep the high standard of his product.

National Milling Company of Guyana Inc. (NAMILCO) – Affeeze Khan Marketing Consultant said that the response to their presence was “very good”.

He noted that some patrons were not aware of the variety of products that the company produces. Khan expressed confidence that the Expo would boost business.

The Expo also saw a

number of services being provided. The Guyana Geology & Mines Commission (GGMC) was present as well as the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons and the Institute of Distance and Continuing Education.

Beatrice Roberts – Austin- Social Information Officer said that the GGMC aimed at the Expo was to bring awareness to persons especially miners who were present at the Expo about safe practices in the mining sector, tips on protecting the environment when mining and how important declaring production is.

The Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) was also present at the Expo. Coordinator of the Ministerial Task Force on Trafficking in Persons ,Olilver Profitt (ag), said that even though it was an Agro Expo, TIP is a huge business and can take place in any sector.

He said that the response to the booth was overwhelming and that awareness campaigns need to take place all around.

Small tokens were given away for the correct answer to questions relating to TIP at the Expo booth.

Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE ),Tagebrithe Singh Jaichand- Administration Assistant said that their presence at the Expo was to highlight the courses that are being offered at IDCE which includes, cake decorating, home management, tailoring among other courses. While the University of Guyana was also in attendance with a similar aim to share information on the courses that the University offers and encourage person to acquire a tertiary education.

President of the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Daleep Singh, said that the chamber will push government and private sector collaboration as a key aspect for the development of the region.

Additionally, Regional Chairman, Mr. Devanand Ramdatt highlighted the Regional Administration’s support for both regional and national development.

President David Granger officially declared the twoday event open. He said that Region Two as a leading agricultural region contributes

significantly to Guyana’s food security.

The Head of State added that despite many challenges, there is great potential for economic development to take place through unity among all stakeholders.

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'Environmental and Climate Literacy'

Chronicle Pepperpot April 16, 2017 EARTH DAY PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE Forty seven years ago on April 22, 1970 the first Earth Day was celebrated in the United States. Earth Day began as a way to celebrate the natural world, as well as raise awareness of the destructive habits of humans against the environment.

At that time major rivers were polluted with trash, sewage and chemicals; air quality in Los Angeles and New York City was bad enough to cause respiratory problems and eye irritation; mining, oil drilling, coal burning and deforestation were relatively unregulated; and many important species such as the bald eagle, the California Condor and the wolf were facing extinction due to use of DDT and other poisons.

AN AWAKENING MOMENT A popular book written in 1963, “Silent Spring”

by Rachel Carson pointed out the alarming trend and showed how unbearable life on earth would be if species were silenced through extinction.

She showed us how foolish it would be to destroy the very environment that we depend on for our lives.

She also called on individuals and governments to stop the destruction and begin protecting nature. “Silent Spring” was one of the inspirations for the first Earth Day. At first it seemed that Earth Day would just be one day of students walking or cycling to school instead of riding in cars. But the momentum grew and Earth Day became the catalyst of the Global Environmental Movement.

47 years later Fast forward to April 22, 2017: In the United States rivers are clean, air pollution has been greatly reduced and the bald eagle and California Condor are no longer on the brink of extinction The Earth Summit which followed in 1992, saw the development of a number of conventions to safeguard human health and the environment and foster sustainable development.

Guyana, along with more than 190 other countries, will celebrate Earth Day this year under theme “Environmental and Climate Literacy”.

GREENING GUYANA As many persons may be aware, Guyana is moving towards a Green Developmental Path. The path will cover a number of areas such as; resource

extraction for sustainable development, protection, restoration and sustainable use of biodiversity, freshwater resources, renewable energy, development of green urban settlements, waste management etc.

You have a vital role to

play in this process, ensure you become educated so you can make informed decision.

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY The Environmental Protection Agency -Guyana has responsibilities for management of Guyana’s natural environment. Anyone planning to do development or exploitation of natural resources must apply to EPA for a permit.

If the activities are significant, an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) must be completed that will evaluate the potential risks of the activity to all existing resources and species, and ways to reduce the risks must be followed. EPA also monitors on-going activities such as logging, mining, oil exploration and drilling, road building, etc. in order to identify and regulate any unexpected damage to the environment and human health from these activities.

Repositioning to better support the Green Economy The EPA which is under the Ministry of Presidency, Department of Environment is currently restructuring and re-classifying the many duties and responsibilities into new programmes to better fulfill its mandate.

EARTH DAY 2017 CELEBRATIONS EARTH DAY JEOPARDY This year, given the theme of Earth Day, the Agency sought to raise awareness in a fun and entertaining way through an Earth Day Jeopardy Competition among secondary schools. The competition targeted schools with Environmental Clubs and preliminary rounds were held in Region 10 with participation from Mackenzie High, Linden Foundation and New Silvercity Secondary Schools; Region 3Uitvlugt, West Demerara and Stewartville Secondary Schools and Region

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4- Hope, Brickdam and Covent Garden Secondary Schools. Images, Region 10, 3 and 4 participants, respectively.

All of the students performed extremely well, however, only one winner could go on to the finals from each region.

The Earth Day Jeopardy Final Game will be held on April 28, 2017, among Brickdam Secondary, Linden Foundation and Stewartville Secondary. The final game will be televised at a later date.

TEST YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE LITERACY Try five of the fifty-one Earth Day Jeopardy clues from the semi-finals: 1. Use this to eliminate some light bulbs. It’s free!

2. Use one of these and you can ‘expel’ up to 7 gallons of water each use.

3. More frequent and intense storms; increased temperatures; rising sea levels; floods; and drought are just some impacts of this phenomenon.

4. This living mammal

is the largest animal that ever existed.

5. This insect is the most dangerous species in the world.

EPA encourages all schools and communities to plan some way to celebrate the earth and protect the environment on Earth Day and every day. Any school or community that would like to start or reactivate an Environmental Club can contact EPA, Environmental Communication, Education and Awareness Programme at 225-54712/225-5467-9 ext. 235 and like our facebook page, Environmental Protection Agency Guyana or email us at eit.epaguyana@gmail. com. If you would like to have educational programmes in your organization or community, do not hesitate to give us a call and let us share how you can help.

This Earth Day, make the commitment to better your life by taking action for a Green Guyana!

The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction. Rachel Carson

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New Alternatives for the Control of Acoushi Ants THE National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI)’s Plant Pathology, Entomology and Weed Science Department is currently

researching and developing effective bio-pesticides to combat Acoushi Ants.

NAREI had successfully developed Acoushi Ants bait several years ago. This

bait is being distributed free of cost to farmers. However, before the ants become immune to the existing bait NAREI is developing alternative baits and comparing

their effectiveness to those that are already on the market.

By incorporating botanicals and varying active ingredients, the Institute is ex-

pected to formulate a better way to manage the Achoushi Ant populations. Botanical materials from Citrus, Neem and Eucalyptus, to mention a few, will be incorporated into the locally produced ant bait.

All enhanced bait treatments are to be tested in open fields at different time intervals. Parameters such as bait attractiveness evaluated by checking the amount of visits to each will be set.

Tests are to be carried out in varying Regions to evaluate the efficiency of these materials.

In Guyana locally manufactured baits are used, which is manufactured using flour and wheat brand as carriers and contains fipronil as its active ingredient. As bait efficacy and bait preference tends to change over time there is a need to keep observing and varying treatment to achieve the most effective results.

Among distinct control methods, granulated toxic baits (pellets) are widely used and constituted by an insecticide with delayed action as active ingredient and an attractive substrate. This attractiveness is important in guaranteeing that a high percentage of the applied bait is transported into the colony, guaranteeing the efficacy of this method.

These leaf-cutting ants are considered one of the main agricultural and forest pests in Guyana. They are known to attack plants at any stage of their development, cutting their leaves, flowers, buds, and branches, which are then transported to the interior of their underground nest. This plant material is not utilized directly as food, rather, it is used as a substrate for a fungus which the ants cultivate and consume.

The fact that the vegetation is used only as base material for the insects’ only food the fungus allows them

Among potentially cost-effective and environmental friendly alternatives to synthetic insecticides are the botanical extracts, which can be toxic to workers of leaf-cutting ants, their fungi, or to both. Plant derived products represent an interesting target for new technology for ant control.

to exploit a wide range of plant species. A colony of Atta sp. can cut approximately 5 kg of plant material per day. Thus, these ants cause direct losses, such as the death of seedlings and reduction of tree growth.

They can remove up to 15% of the standing leaf crop.

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English 2017-04-16

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

So, naturalists observe, a flea Hath smaller fleas that on him prey; And these have smaller fleas to bite ‘em, And so proceed ad infinitum.

JONATHAN SWIFT (1667-1745) On Poetry (1733), 1.337

STUDY SUCCESS Dear Students, A paragraph can be simply described as a structure that may contain a lead sentence giving general knowledge. It also contains other sentences providing details. Its lead or main sentence does not have to come first, but quite often it does. This sentence helps to fit together the other sentences. A paragraph with carefully arranged sentences, with appropriate words and phrases introducing and combining them, can only result in a smooth-flowing structure. Be wise.

Love you YOUR WRITING How to become a better writer Read this gist of advice from an expert, Elizabeth Yates, author of “Someday You’ll Write,” on how to become a better writer.

Young writers, look at everything around you as if you shared its secret life. Listen and let the thing itself tell you its story. The intensity of your imagination will have much to do with the vivid quality and the spacious breadth of your writing. You are the eyes of the reader; you are the ears; you may often be the heart.

As you see and hear and feel, so will your reader when you write.

Yates supports John Burroughs [a famous naturalist] who wrote: “My thoughts go and scratch with the hens, they nip the new grass with the geese, that follow the wild ducks northward.”

occurred.

THE PASSAGE Six days after he arrived in town his animal was struck by the Tulsie Street trolley and seriously injured.

The following day the animal passed away, most likely of internal injuries, on the corner of Market and Fuller streets. The animal sank to the pavement, fell on the foreigner’s leg, groaned, and died. When the foreigner got his leg free, he got up and limped into the well-stocked drugstore on the corner and paid for a long-distance telephone call. He telephoned his brother on Jamaica, Queens. The call cost him a lot of money, which he paid to the attendant as requested as if he were in the habit of making such calls every day.

About the Passage The passage is a paragraph in which each sentence tells something different in relating the event.

Despite this, the sentences fit together. You will notice too that the author, with good reason, communicated other information in addition to what happened.

This kind of paragraph is called a narrative paragraph. All narratives tell a story.

What to Do In writing your own sequence-ofevents paragraphs, concentrate on the job of relating the events.

Let each sentence tell a little bit more about what happened.

Narrate the action in the same sequence in which the events actually

READING Author’s Purpose Read the selection. Then respond to the questions.

I believe that the only solution to the traffic jam in Campbell Street is to create a bypass. City traffic records show that more than 70 percent of the traffic on Campbell Street is simply passing through.

These are drivers who are going somewhere else but have no choice except to drive on Campbell Street.

These drivers would almost always use the bypass, thus reducing the traffic on Campbell Street. The city engineer says that Fritz Drive can be widened to serve as a bypass. This construction would cost relatively little and could be finished in less than a month. From my point of view, this is an obvious solution to the problem.

1. What is the author’s overall purpose?

A to inform C to entertain B to reflect D to teach 2. Which sentence establishes the author’s purpose?

A..I believe that the only solution to the traffic on Main Street is to create a bypass.

B These drivers would almost always use the bypass.

C The construction would cost relatively little and could be finished in less than a month.

D Fritz Drive can be widened to serve as a bypass.

3. What background does the

author provide?

A Information on traffic B Information on the city C Information on the condition of the road D Information on the people’s opinions about the traffic 4. If the author’s purpose were to entertain, what details might you expect to find?

A many facts C funny stories B long descriptions D personal opinions 5. How is the author’s purpose supported?

A with examples C with facts B with personal opinion D with stories AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Identify the adjectives in the following sentences. Point out the adjectives and the words modified.

Explain how the modifiers affect each basic sentence idea.

1. Harry rushed home and gobbled up the precious cranberry juice.

2. His mother’s searching glance terrified him.

3. Unfortunate Harry put two and two together and went flying from the tiny kitchen.

4. Now his home is decayed and crumbling, it reminds him of many secret doings.

5. He studied hard for the final nursing examination.

6. Seventeen moldy biscuits served as food for three vicious and quarrelsome chickens.

7. I have a sneaky suspicion that he had a missing father.

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Restaurant-Style Buffalo Chicken Wings INGREDIENTS • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour • 1/4 teaspoon paprika • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 10 chicken wings • oil for deep frying • 1/4 cup butter • 1/4 cup hot sauce • 1 dash ground black pepper • 1 dash garlic powder • Add all ingredients to list DIRECTIONS 1.In a small bowl mix together the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt.

Place chicken wings in a large nonporous glass dish or bowl and sprinkle flour

mixture over them until they are evenly coated. Cover dish or bowl and refrigerate for 60 to 90 minutes.

2.Heat oil in a deep saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). The oil should be just enough to cover wings entirely, an inch or so deep. Combine the butter, hot sauce, pepper and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir together and heat until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat and reserve for serving.

3.Fry coated wings in hot oil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until parts of wings begin to turn brown. Remove from heat, place wings in serving bowl, add hot sauce mixture and stir together.

Serve.