See inside: Impacting the lives of women in Region Two
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Celebrating the strength of a woman
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This inspiring interpretive dance was one of the many features at a special ceremony in honour of International Women’s Day hosted by the Ministry of Social Protection on March 8 (Samuel Maughn photo)
#Pressforprogress Empowering women and girls
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Chronicle Pepperpot March 11, 2018
Celebrating blind women By Shirley Thomas FOR full three hours on Wednesday there was great jubilation at the Guyana Society for the Blind (GSB), at St. Phillips Green, as more than 70 blind and visually impaired members of the Society came together to usher in the celebration of International Women’s Day in Guyana. Hosted by humanitarian worker, Justice of the Peace and Commissioner of Oath to Affidavits, Hermon Bholaisingh, and his daughter, Susan Bholaisingh, visiting from London, the celebration was a tremendous success. Suzanna will celebrate her 42nd birth anniversary on April 6, and as is customary, her father treats the GSB on such an occasion. Wednesday’s celebration had the moral support of the Chairman of the GSB, Mr. Morris and Administrator, Ms. Theresa Pemberton, as well as spiritual input from religious representatives which set the tone for a programme filled with tremendous anointing. But not only were they treated to a sumptuous three-course lunch, it turned out to be virtually an evening of elegance and sweet reminiscence, evoking feelings of
nostalgia, and in some cases, causing tears to flow freely. The programme began with prayers, after which the guests were choicely entertained - treated to the best in gospel music as well as golden oldies, dating back to the early 60s and many danced. Popular vocalist, Ray Persaud, was at the microphone rendering a superb selection of heart-warming gospel music, even as he played the keyboard, backed by his band
The ‘Mighty Smoker’ entertains the gathering
“Quality Sound International.” Before they knew it, the atmosphere was so electrically charged, that and as the members danced, the ground under their feet sort of quaked. There was also a segment of talent exposition during which former celebrated vocalists such as the “Mighty Smoker” and “Edward Parika” entertained the audience. Lunch was served, after which the host and others greeted all present and offered
Mr. Bholaisingh and daughter, Suzanna
special greetings to the women on the occasion of International Women’s Day and thanked the ‘brothers’ for joining in the celebrations. They were urged to continually give God thanks for his mercies, and have discerning eyes to spot the good in women and to give credit and recognition, and indeed to celebrate them for who they are. Meanwhile, female members as well, expressed kind sentiments to all gathered, for making the occasion a success.
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“Now – #PressforProgress” in commemoration of International Women’s Day 2018 By Gibron Rahim
The speakers during a Q&A session
“PRESS for progress” was the theme for International Women’s Day 2018. This theme was formulated with the World Economic Forum’s 2017 Global Gender Gap Report in mind. The findings in that report suggest that gender parity – a numerical concept related to gender equality – is over 200 years away. Press for progress then is a call to action to accelerate gender parity and equality. This theme was evident in the “Women 4 Guyana” International Women’s Day 2018 celebration. The event, held on Wednesday last in Marian Academy’s auditorium, was titled “Now – #PressforProgress” and was under Conversations With Selwyn’s “Brand You”. Conversations With Selwyn (CWS) was founded in 2012 by Selwyn Collins, a Guyanese-born author, broadcaster, motivator and mentor. CWS is a New-based weekly WebTV broadcast. On these broadcasts, hosted by Collins, he hosts conversations with people from many different backgrounds where those individuals speak about their journeys and the ways they use their gifts and abilities to empower and help others. It is in this same spirit that “Now” was held. irst up to speak was Han Granger-Gaskin. Han, holder of a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature and a postgraduate diploma in Development Management, is also the proprietor of Topaz, a jewellery manufacturer and retailer. In witty fashion, Han related how she has been able to run a successful business while raising a family. “I cannot claim to be different in this from the thousands of Guyanese woman who have constructed their own successes in their own lives,” she said. She explained that raising a family is by no means an easy task and one she accomplishes with help from her supportive husband. The tenets of her business, she said, are quite simple. “Treat your customers and your employees as you would like to be treated” was among her thoughtful principles in that regard. Next up was Simona Broomes. The Honourable Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources was there to speak, not as a minister, but as a woman. She related her beginnings
The audience at “Now – #PressforProgress”
as a buyer and seller of gold at the age of 16 in her native Bartica. It was in a male-dominated sector, at a time when there were no phone lines, electricity, proper roads or access to healthcare that she had her start. She recalled having been once thrown off a boat in the rapids of the Mazaruni River by an inebriated man, saving herself only by clinging to a branch until she was rescued by a passing boat. And that was among numerous close calls. After returning from a surgery in Cuba that restored her ability to walk, Broomes established the Guyana Women Miners Organisation (GWMO) in 2012, to empower women in the mining sector.The path of determination and dedication by the mother of three led to her being appointed a minister of government in 2015. Addressing the audience from the United Kingdom, via videoconferencing facilitated by VNet, was Dr. Samantha Tross. The Guyanese-born Tross is among only six per cent of female surgeons in the UK and was the first Black British woman to become a consultant orthopaedic surgeon. Noting the tremendous strides women made in 2017, she said that 2018 will be a year of even greater achievement. The next speaker was Rosalind Kilkenny McLymont, journalist, author and executive editor of The Network Journal with a black belt in Tai chi. She has roots in Queenstown on the Essequibo Coast and Beterverwagting on the East Coast of Demerara and left these shores for New York in her teenage years. She was a part of the Open Admission Strike at City College of New York in 1969. After she graduated from City College she applied to study for a master’s degree in Latin American Studies at New York University (NYU). Her plans ran into an obstacle – she was not a fluent Spanish
speaker which was a requirement. She made the decision to move to Spain to immerse herself in the language. She travelled to and lived in Spain on a budget. Years later found her living in Africa, fulfilling a Garveyan calling. From being almost kidnapped in Uganda to actually being kidnapped in Paris to being held at gunpoint in the Congo, she has led an eventful life. Nevertheless, she affirmed her love for people and said, “I believe you have a wellspring of power in you.” Speaking to the audience next was Dr. Asante VanWest-Charles-Le Blanc. She is a medical doctor, clinical densitometrist and medical herbalist. She explained that she had thought of different career ideas before settling on medicine. She did not know how she would be able to afford her studies but, fortunately, her grandmother helped her to get a loan to study in Cuba. After overcoming numerous obstacles along the way she graduated as a medical doctor. That though, she said, was not the end of her story. She had to learn to be an entrepreneur, to manage her own business, and all in a foreign country. It was indeed a difficult fight but she succeeded. One of her pieces of advice was to take five minutes in the morning to regroup and prepare to face the day. “You are healthy if you do this,” she said. “You can take on the world.” The final speaker for the evening was Sherry Ann Dixon, the award-winning Guyanese journalist, transformational lecturer and keynote speaker. In a spirited delivery, Dixon emphasised, “We are here celebrating women for Guyana!” Among the notable points she made was the importance of the words that are directed at children, referring to the indelible that words can leave on people even into their adult lives. She also spoke about the importance of acknowledging the work of women in Guyana who came before. “If it was not for those women we would not be where we are,” she stated clearly. The evening was graced by the recitation of a spoken word piece by Nuriyyih Gerrard, penned by Lloyda Nicholas-Garrett. After opening the event with the National Anthem, Delisha Wright returned to the stage to sing a beautiful cover of Alicia Keys’ “Superwoman”. She emotionally related afterward that the song was dedicated to her late mother, her own superwoman. A question and answer session was also held with the speakers who were in attendance. Various prizes from the event’s sponsors were distributed to lucky audience members. At the end of the programme, Mr. Selwyn Collins himself addressed the attendees. He thanked the event’s sponsors and prize donors, including Gizmos and Gadgets, The Masterclass Institute, ActionCOACH Guyana, Java Coffee Bar, the University of Guyana, RED Entertainment and Herdmanston Lodge. In closing, Collins said, “We must take back the rein of respecting our women.”
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Chronicle Pepperpot March 11, 2018
Living the fruitful life ‘Auntie Data’ celebrates 45 years as a market vendor By Shirley Thomas AN entrepreneur in every sense of the word, at age 69, Jasmattie, also called “Auntie Data” - a winsome and endearing vegetable and fruit vendor, is Stabroek Market’s ‘Auntie Data’ selling agricultural produce aback of Stabroek Market.
oldest and longest-serving female vendor, providing a much-needed service to the people of Guyana. Auntie Data, for almost 45 years, has been faithfully plying her trade in fruit and green vegetables, through thick and thin, in sickness and in health, through good times and bad. She’s been providing a virtual ‘Farm to Table’ service. The industrious Auntie Data will be celebrating her 70th birth anniversary on April 14. She told the Pepperpot Magazine that the produce she sells comes from Wakenaam in large quantities and she would make big purchases from the wholesalers and store them in her stall on the Stabroek Market wharf. She recalls that back in the day she would sell in smaller quantities on her stand opposite a popular gas station, which no longer exists, in front of Stabroek Market, better known as ‘Big Market’.
The market vendors then, lived in camaraderie and the market was virtually a crime-free environment, much unlike today. This was to the extent that the agricultural vendors made the wharf a home over the weekend. Sales were assured and brisk on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and so they would return home on Mondays with quite a ‘pretty penny’. In fact, it was the common view held, she said, that, “you coulda lock up your goods in the stalls and come back a week later and find them just the way you left them, but not today.” Just last October, a relative’s stall was broken into on three occasions. Nothing has come out of it, and that is just one instance of the nuisance, vendors say. “We used to sleep right out here in Jasmattie in the prime of her youth
‘Auntie Data’ and her husband ‘Mukoo’ early in their marriage
the stalls. They had decent toilet and bathroom facilities and kitchen. The vendors would cook in that area which is now a ‘cook shop mart’ (north of the Fire Station),” she said. But Data didn’t even have to cook her own meals since she had a sister-in-law, Betty Rafiq, living in central Georgetown who provided meals for her. And whenever she had to be away from the home, her husband who used to work with the Transport and Harbours Department ((T&HD) would take care of the children – five boys and two girls- ensuring that they went to school. A FIGHTER But even though the distance from her home in Wakenaam posed a challenge, Auntie Data never harboured any thoughts of giving up. She was a fighter. Because she was dealing in perishable produce, Auntie Data very quickly developed a strategy, and so she would concentrate on selling bananas first since they are prone to getting ripe quickly; leafy vegetables on the second day; limes on the third day, leaving pumpkins for later. And so she never ran into difficulty. But all in all, business was good and she would quickly sell out the bananas and other produce over the weekend. There were people coming from Linden, Canal, Bonasika, Parika and all over to make purchases. Linden people would come Sunday, Monday and Thursday and would shop big. People from Canal and Bonasika would come by boat and they would load up and go back. In 1998, she moved to Crane, on the West Coast of Demerara, which made logistics easier for her. Comparing the earlier days to today she said: “Long ago you see pon a Sunday, yuh ain’t gat hands fuh sell. Turn to page VI ►►►
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Women of Substance Impacting the lives of women in Region Two By Indrawattie Natram FORMED with the intention of transforming the lives of women living in the Pomeroon- Supenaam Region, the Women of Substance Organisation located at Henrietta village has reached out to scores of women since its establishment on October 22, 2015, through a number of strategic and informed training sessions. To date, a remarkable number of women have been trained in areas such as catering and floral arrangements, 35 of whom are currently enrolled at the Essequibo Technical Institute (ETI) earning a Diploma in Food Preparation. According to President and Founder of the non-profit organisation, Ciselyn Jonas, empowering a woman in today’s society is the best gift. “When a woman is empowered she is able to capitalise on the knowledge, skills and self-confidence necessary to participate in the development process of not only herself and immediate surroundings, but also nationally as well,” Jonas said. As such, the organisation has partnered with both Governmental and Non-Governmental organisations in providing the neces-
“We have reaped many successful stories since our establishment, many of the women can now do a floral arrangement and be paid for it; many of them have opened their own small business selling clothes; some have even opened their own restaurants. This was made possible through the training and advice
President of the Women of Substance Organisation, Ciselyn Jonas
sary training for women. Women have also become their own managers by establishing their own businesses and catering shops as ways of earning for themselves through programmes hosted by Women of Substance.
Children who benefitted from kites last year Easter. A member of the Organisation is posing with the children
Some of the members of the organisation at a recent fund-raising activity
we provided to them” Jonas said. TACKLING SOCIAL ILLS Jonas said the group, which has 18 active members, has also reached out to persons who Turn to page IX ►►►
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Chronicle Pepperpot March 11, 2018
Celebrating the strength of a woman THE WORDS of popular Jamaican artist Shaggy’s song says, “Don’t you underestimate the strength of a woman”. This statement can be fittingly used to describe a woman who has demonstrated that there is no limit to a woman’s strength. Only a few days ago, women were internationally celebrated as the fight for equal rights and recognition in society continues. But this fight has certainly come a long way. The right to be employed is now being enjoyed by millions of women across the world, but the right to be employed in vocational fields and to pursue non- traditional careers is something enjoyed by a lesser fraction of women, more so young women. Malesha Gamble is one young woman who has proven that a woman’s strength is not only in her tongue or in her ankles to gracefully step into an office with heels, but a woman can also throw on overalls, wear steel-toed boots, cover her hands in dirt and do labourious work. This 28-year-old mother of one, who resides in the mining town of Linden, is the only female in her entire auto-electrician department at Bosai Minerals Group (Guyana) Inc.
Having to daily face colleagues who may ultimately see you as incapable of possessing what is needed to be an auto electrician is something Gamble described as ‘challenging’ but as the old saying goes, ‘a woman only falls if she wants to.’ Gamble has decided that she does not want to fall and continues to show her fellow male colleagues and supervisors that since she was a young girl, she wanted to pursue this vocational field and just as they have, she did too. “I always like doing ‘man’ stuff. Growing up, I was like a tom-boy.I played football and so. I attended the Multilateral school and I chose to go into the Tech Stream. It was only four of us and since then I did a lot of electrical stuff and so on. After Multi, I attended the Linden Technical Institute where I completed the auto electrician course. I was then employed at Bosai as an apprentice and I got permanent afterwards,” Gamble said. As a result of displaying excellent working skills, she was employed on a permanent basis and though she continues to be seen as ‘just a woman’, she goes to work every day with a renewed strength to prove that she can do it. “I try to see past all of those things and just do what I have to do, I am not given less work or treated differently, we all are given the same work so I just do what I have to do,” she said. While she may have to put on the manly disposition at work, after a shift of 12 hours, she automatically transforms into a mother and wife-to-be. In the remaining 12 hours, she is tasked with looking after her son and her home and trying to catch a few hours of sleep. “It does be very hard on me,” she said. When asked whether she has any regrets about choosing an unconventional field, she said no. “As an electrician, I don’t have to call anyone to do any of those stuff in my house or pay anyone or take anything to the workshop. I fix things myself and this saves me money and I am also able to help out in my community. I help persons to fix their stuff also,” she said. For other young women who may want to pursue a similar field but may be discouraged by all of the challenges that come with it, Gamble encourages them to pursue their dreams and it will work out in the end. Though these skills take a lot more practise, it is all about determination and strength…..something that all women possess.
Malesha Gamble
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even at my age. We have to remember that is not every day that fisherman does catch fish. When we get a little, we should put up a little out of that little. Don’t go on a spending spree and next few days you don’t know what to do. Above all, keep your capital flowing and the business will keep growing,” was her admonition for young people and others in the entrepreneurial business.
“Oh the market ain’t going good now at all. The sales slow, money not circulating and plenty goods spoiling because you can’t get to push it off. We can’t carry them back so we have to dump everything that don’t sell,” Data said dolefully. But vendors on the Stabroek wharf are perturbed, fearing that they will soon be displaced for maintenance works that will soon take place. Auntie Data also commented that the attitude of the market constables to vendors is not nice, stating that they need to be more cooperative and polite. However, she expressed kudos for the revenue staff out of the office of the Clerk of Market who are more polite and respectful. But even with circumstances being what they are, Auntie Data is resolute ‘Aunty Data’ and her two sisters “Baby (now about sticking it out to the deceased) and Rose who now resides in end. “I wouldn’t give up, Holland
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Reigning Calypso Monarch, Lady Devotee, living by her name SANTA ROSA, one of the largest and more populated communities in Region One (Barima-Waini), is where this year’s reigning (regional) Calypso Monarch came from and has been living most of her life. Full of verve, it is said that this young woman is always ready to take up any challenge; at the same time, she is also ready to inspire and to teach. Those who know her well have spoken of a lady who is a genius in many ways, has been self-taught in many of her endeavours and is every willing to teach both children and adults alike. Lady Devotee, whose real name is Ingrid Harris, is the reigning (regional) Calypso Monarch (2018). She is also a music teacher for the past 17 years, teaching from Grades One to Six at the Santa Rosa Primary School. “I started teaching in 2000 and from 2003 I started training children for calypso and up to this time I continue to see success with the children – gaining from 1st to 3rd places all the time,” she said. The 37-year old says that she is also married to a man she describes as being very loving and supportive of her in all that she sets her hands to do. They are the parents of four children between the ages of 19 and 13. “My eldest daughter is currently at the University of Guyana pursuing a pre-medical programme in Biology; while my second daughter is at the Carnegie School of Home Economics pursuing a Home Economics
Management programme, while the other two are still in school. NATIONAL AND OTHER EVENTS As the Education Chairperson of the Moruca Sub-Region, Harris has responsibility for all the national and other events within the communities. These include all the education activities such as science, debating competition, Spelling Bee competition, and any other education event at a national level. She informed the Pepperpot Magazine that she is also busy with sports within the Moruca Sub-Region, where she does voluntary work and hold the position as Chairperson of this sporting body as well. In addition, Harris also occupies the position of the President of the Atkinson Brothers Football Club in Moruca, North West District, Region One. She was proud to tell the Pepperpot Magazine that football has become one of the biggest sporting events in the community and, “This team of footballers were the first to have the five-a-side and under floodlights too.” She continued by reiterating that while this is the most popular game within the community, as president she is always willing to have both the young and old categories active in the game. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT “I am proud to say that there is a lot of
development in the Moruca area at this time. In fact, there is growth everywhere. There is much advancement from Mabaruma and many other places within Region One and many people are involved,” she said. She added that as a woman, a school teacher of music, as someone who is involved in different levels of education projects too, such as science and spelling, she is still finding time to be a good wife and also a good mother to her children and many other children who may need me within the community from time to time.
Harris said that she has been engaged at different levels in all, if not most aspects of life in her community – from farming, small business, mash competitions, and others. She said that she is happy as an Amerindian woman to be making a difference in the lives of others, and not only that of her immediate family. She said that women can do many good things to make each other feel proud; make their families be proud of them, and even make themselves feel that sense of pride. (mercilinburke2017@gmail.com)
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Chronicle Pepperpot March 11, 2018
Fatherless boy back in school with support from hundreds of strangers THE outpouring of love and financial support to the family of 13-year-old Chatram Ramphal has landed him back in high school and on the path to a better life.
After losing his father seven years ago in one of the most horrific road accidents to occur in Berbice where 12 persons were killed, life has been a constant struggle for the family.
Chatram has been in and out of school and his focus was to help his mother to put food on the table, so he would go fishing with his siblings to make ends meet. After learning about his plight and his desire to attain education, hundreds of persons came together and are now making this boy’s dream come through. He has been attending school regularly for the past several weeks and spends most of his afternoons attending extra lessons as he works to get back on track with his studies. “I’m glad I can go back to school. I want to thank everyone who helped me to go back to school and I wish I can go to school every year until I finish and show them what I can do,” the boy said. “To all the people who help me, God will bless them and give them more and I will try my best to get back an education.” His mother, Bibi Sookram, was by his side and saw him off to school. She is grateful for the kindness of strangers who have helped them in the past and those helping now. “I’m so glad for the help and everyone who [helped] God will bless them and they will have more. I’m so happy for my son,” the mother said. She has committed to ensuring he goes to school regularly and will be taking extra lessons to get him back on track. While she is
Chatram on his way to school Turn to page X ►►►
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The barefoot journey
One man’s trek across South America By Michel Outridge THE journey from Argentina to Guyana took 10 years for Ignacio Fitzsimon who arrived here by walking and hitch-hiking. The 30-year-old Argentinian told the Pepperpot Magazine that it was worth it- all while noting what a beautiful, picturesque country we live in. Fitzsimon arrived in Lethem from Brazil by foot on January 17, 2018 and spent 15 days there before heading for the city of Georgetown. The foreigner is hoping to get his passport so he can return to Argentina to visit his siblings before heading for the Caribbean. Fitzsimon said he walked barefoot Ignacio Fitzsimon through the trails in the interior and he instantly fell in love with Guyana. He described the town of Lethem as a ‘storybook town’ which made him almost want to stay there. He said he was on a spiritual journey called “Nirvana”, a Buddhist term which involves seeking the fulfilment of the perfection of a human being. While in Guyana, Fitzsimon said that he is staying in the streets and has received generous donations of food from people he has met. He told the Pepperpot Magazine that all he has on his ◄◄◄ From page V
have been victims of various social ills. She said counselling is being offered to persons with suicidal tendencies and even those who are involved in abusive relationships. She also conveyed that in extreme cases where the organisation’s volunteers are not sufficiently equipped, referrals are made to the Region’s Probation and Welfare Department. The organisation is also involved in a massive sensitisation programme empowering teenagers on topical issues as well as providing advice to them through seminars and workshops. “We are particularly working with school dropouts in getting them registered at the Essequibo Technical Institue. We want them to know that there is still a chance and the chance we are giving them is to see transformation take place,” Jonas said. Women of Substance is also providing resources for those in need of enhanced entrepreneurial skills. This led the group to host several fund-raising activities on a regular basis to sustain and enhance their financial status. Persons from various organisations and agencies were also invited in the past by the group to provide lectures as a means of empowering women culturally, socially and financially. HUMANITARIAN GESTURES To date, Women of Substance has conducted several feeding programmes in the most vulnerable areas of the region with particular focus on children. Feeding programmes are held during Easter and Christmas seasons, as the organisation plays a major role in bringing smiles to the faces of their beneficiaries. Kites are also distributed during the festive season of Easter. Being cognisant of the fact that Information Technology has also taken our world by storm and as a people, we must evolve to meet its demands, the organisation has also recently become a haven for members of its immediate and neighbouring communities as it now houses one of the eGovernment ICT hubs within the region. Individuals can be seen flocking to the hub daily accessing the available WiFi signal. Jonas said that currently, funding is a major challenge but with the persistent attitude of her members they are certain the tides will change for the better. She said the establishment of the hub will now provide a wider scope for women and a means through which they can be continually empowered. The group of women provide free counselling to those in need. Persons who would like to join their movement can make contact on 592- 689-4337 for further information.
journey is the clothes he is wearing and his arrival in Guyana is the last lap of his 10-year journey which he describes as ‘bittersweet’. Fitzsimon was a software developer before he embarked on his journey. Ten years ago, he quit his job and abandoned his normal everyday life to make his way across the world barefoot; a journey which he said was not easy. As a child, Fitzsimon knew that he yearned for more and when he was older he started meditation and then he read some books and realised his true calling was to go on a spiritual journey around the world. He related that within an eight-year period he mustered the courage to set out on the journey and with great suf-
fering he lived on the streets having journeyed to Chile, Peru then Brazil from his home country of Argentina. Fitzsimon said when he was younger he had several jobs but he never felt like he was truly fulfilling his purpose in life and wanted to step out of the box. As it is, he has no plans of getting married but says if it happens, so be it. He stated that after his parents passed away he wanted to live free of all material things, and soon he chose to surrender himself from everything. Fitzsimon said his journey entails finding inner peace and on the way around the continent he was able to accomplish that. Eventually, the man admitted that all the experiences he gathered in his life were replaced by inner peace. “Inner peace is not in a place but it is in one’s self and is the perception; a state of mind. I would like to encourage people to face their fears and go beyond their limitations to set themselves free,” Fitzsimon said. Fitzsimon said Guyana is a very beautiful place. He even attempted to climb one of the mountains in the Rupununi but found out it was not such an easy task.
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thankful for the financial support the mother of five who is working with a neighbour selling fish will be investing some of the money she is given to establish her own business and sustain her family. “You have to show everybody that you can do this and take your education because
we are poor and you have to help us out...he will go to school on time and I will do my best to ensure this because we now have help so I have to do that,” she said. Chatram’s sister Kumarie is delighted that her youngest brother is being positioned to attain an education and break the cycle of poverty that has been plaguing their family.
Chronicle Pepperpot March 11, 2018
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of RK’s , Roshan Khan, who also runs the RK Human Love Foundation drove to Berbice and donated a bicycle to the lad, while others donated a computer, iPad, clothing, footwear, groceries and other needed items. SHEA volunteers during repair S a v i n g H a n d s works to Ramphal family home Emergency Aid (SHEA) started a throughout school and has also committed GoFundMe page with the permission of to monitoring his progress at school. the family and has used some of the funds Even though they have received raised to make their living environment help their focus remains on justice for more conducive and to support Chatram Chetram, Snr, who died at the No. 19 throughout high school. The organisation Road on October 29, 2010, with 11 other will start a Trust Fund to support him persons.
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‘My life will never be the same’ Burnt Charity teen relates her story By Indrawattie Natram
where she will undergo major surgery. The entire teen’s body is currently disfigured due to burns.
WAKING up to immense pain every morning has now become a norm for 17-yearold Susan Culpepper who A CHANGE recently suffered at the hands Culpepper is hoping that of her abusive boyfriend. The her scars will eventually disteenager who is still trying to appear after her plastic surgery get a grip on what had hapand that she will be able to live pened that evening, related a normal life physically. She, to the Pepperpot Magazine however, said that the emothat life for her will never be Seventeen-year-old Susan tional scars will forever remain the same. with her even after the surgery. Culpepper in happier times Almost a month ago, Cul“Right now my daughter is pepper was set alight by her very depressed, there are times ex-boyfriend while at her present boyfriend’s when she would say, ‘Mommy I just feel like home in Charity Housing Scheme, Region Two. giving up’,” Culpepper’s mother said. After suffering from an abusive relationship, she The woman added that 2018 has been a dark had decided to move on when jealousy stepped year for them as she is now unemployed because in and her ex decided to disfigure her by setting she now has to take care of her daughter. The her on fire. mother said that she used to sell crabs for a living The teenager had suffered tremendously at but now she cannot go to catch them because she the hands of her ex-boyfriend, Kyle Goddette. is currently looking after her daughter. At one point she recalled that Goddette burned She stated that although they are poor she her clothes and cut her face with a bottle out of received support from family members and she jealousy. makes do with what is provided. Goddette has been granted bail and is presThe family has alleged that Goddette is still ently walking free in society while the teenager is making threats stating that he is not finished as being treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital yet with them. Only recently he reportedly threatCorporation (GPHC) Burns Care Unit. ened one of Culpepper’s sisters. Her condition has been listed as unstable The family is very dissatisfied with the manand according to her mother, Cheryl Benn, her ner in which the case is unfolding in the court daughter is like a toddler again. system and they are of the opinion that Goddette “It hurts me to see her like this. I have to should have been remanded. feed her like a baby, bathe her and do everything “I want this Goddette to be in jail for what he because she still suffers from intense pains in her has done to my daughter. He was never married feet,” the mother related. to my daughter, he was just in a relationship, and Luckily, the teen will be transferred to a med- he had no right to destroy my daughter,” Culpepical institution in the United States of America per’s mother said.
The family is, however, and $200,000 for unlawfully hoping that there will be a transescaping police custody. formation in the teen’s life and The tragic incident octhat she can live a normal life curred on February 3, around while the Justice system deals 03:00 hours at Lot 702 Charity with the accused. Housing Scheme, Essequibo Kyle Goddette, a labourer Coast. of Charity Housing Scheme Reports are that the girl’s was slapped with two charges current boyfriend was at on February 9. It was alleged home with Susanna Culthat on February 3 he unlawpepper when they smelled fully and maliciously wounded smoke. They immediately Susan Culpepper with intent to The main suspect, Kyle got up, at which point they Goddette, was granted commit murder. noticed the bed was on fire. bail after the incident The other charge read to They ran to the western door him was that on February 4, he of the house where they saw also unlawfully escaped from police custody at the suspect before he fled the scene. The now the Charity Police Station. boyfriend raised an alarm and neighbours After pleading not guilty, $500,000 bail quickly gathered, formed a bucket brigade was granted for the attempted murder charge and extinguished the fire.
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Chronicle Pepperpot March 11, 2018
Chronicle Pepperpot March 11, 2018
XIII
Young Guyanese making positive strides in international tech industry
– says every youth should have a chance to be part of STEM By Navendra Seoraj PEOPLE oftentimes say that Guyana is light-years away from becoming technologically inclined like the rest of the world, yet there are Guyanese youth, like 28-year-old Kevin Fraser, who are playing a major role in inventing gadgets that are currently being used by developed countries. Growing up in the community of Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara (ECD), Kevin Fraser always had a knack for fixing things. “As a child, I loved to break open things to see why they worked and then had to try my best to fix them before anyone found out… cause is lix in yuh tail if you’re just breaking people’s stuff,” said Fraser, in an interview with the Pepperpot Magazine. While his passion was to invent things, he still took his academia seriously while studying at the St. Margaret’s Primary School and later the North Georgetown Secondary School. His stint in secondary school locally was short since at the age of 13, he moved to London, England with his family. Although he missed home, he still kept his passion close to him and today after completing his Guyanese-born Electronic studies, he is a successful Electronic Engineer who Engineer, Kevin Fraser (professionally) breaks stuff and fixes them back or His theory is that those even invents new things but on a larger and more solutions would help in knowserious scale. Fraser is basically living his dream by aiding in the inven- ing if the koker should be opened during high tides or left tion of new music-making devices for the digital age. He works for a growing British technology company closed and risk the whole dam called ROLI Ltd. ROLI comprises a team of people from collapsing. He encouraged the many disciplines who are creating new music-making devices Government and officials to study in Amsterdam and other for the digital age. Their products connect with others in the ecosystem developed countries that are because they want music creation to be as conveniently under sea level. Fraser’s ideas for developseamless as other digitised areas of life. By inventing new, connected tools they are extending the joy of music-making ment locally were endless and also included the importance to everyone. And Fraser is proudly a part of that process. In addition of youths in the advancement to his passion for inventing, he also said he has a vested in- of the country. Science, Technology, Enterest in music, technology and cameras. At ROLI he helps to design, assemble, test and debug innovative products created gineering and Mathematics (STEM) is one of the drivers by the company. “I want to make technology attractive and accessible to of technological advancement more people… and to make persons aware that they do not and he commended the local have to be academically gifted to innovate and invent,” Fra- STEM movement for the work ser said, adding that he wants to inspire people, particularly they have been doing. “I believe that everyone Guyanese, to invent and innovate their ideas while having should have the opportunity to fun by learning and solving problems. Being a son of the soil, he believes that Guyana is a really get involved with something great place but it would be good to equip the people with the like that, not just the academeducation and skills that are related to the country in areas ically gifted folks…If I had that are needed. This way, he thinks that people would make a the chance I would actually living by doing things they love while improving the country. open a printed circuit board Fraser referred to an example of the recent overtopping company in Guyana and train of the seawall on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD). The and teach locals. Every tech electronic engineer suggested that technology could help project that Guyana produces, Guyanese know where flooding is most likely to occur by we would manufacture evpossibly having buoys that track the level of water and by erything in Guyana, from the having sensors on and around kokers to test what force of circuit boards to the aluminum cases that would house the water it could withstand.
products,” said the ambitious Fraser, who noted that he would definitely try to give every child a chance at a STEM project. For youth who are interested in being a part of STEM education and projects, he encouraged them to “do, do, do” because no matter what it is, the more you do the more you learn and get better at whatever it is. Realistically people often overthink things so he implored them to find something they like and take the necessary steps to self-educate themselves. He echoed the sentiments of Henry David Thoreau which read: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.”
Kevin getting down to business at work (ROLI photo)
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Chronicle Pepperpot March 11, 2018
Hydroponics technique suitable for urban farming HAVING large fertile lands is not a precondition for growing crops. Hydroponics technology has made this possible, par-
ticularly for urban farmers, who have limited access to land for agricultural purposes. This technique enables farmers
to grow plants without soil. Instead, a nutrient-rich solution is used to deliver water and minerals to the roots of plants. While this technology is not new, it is now gaining popularity in the global farming community. Locally, several farmers have incorporated the technology into their farming practices, contributing to Guyana’s green agriculture agenda. One such farmer is Bharrat Ramsundar, of Dowding Street, Kitty. For the past four years, Ramsundar has been utilising the hydroponics technology. He became familiar with the technology through a partnership initiative between the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) and the Partners of America. This partnership was further strengthened through the Organisation of American States (OAS). The OAS Project: Organic, Hydroponic and Hybrid-System Growing for Caribbean Schools and Modeling for Local Caribbean Entrepreneurship Project saw the construction of a hydroponics facility at NAREI in 2015 and the training of several local farmers. Thanks to that initiative, Ramsundar is currently operating a successful agri-business at home. He was able to construct the hydroponics facility himself using PVC pipes, metal frames, pumps, reservoirs, and timers. The construction of a 60-ft long bed to accommodate 750 seedlings costs approximately $250,000. However, recouping the cost of the initial investment could happen within a short period, he noted. Chief Executive Officer of NAREI, Dr Oudho Homenuath, during a recent visit, pointed out that the facility is a good example of urban agriculture. He noted that the farmer through the use of technology is demonstrating that producing high-quality food in an urban setting is possible. In a district known for retail commercial activities, Ramsundar has converted a section of his concreted yard into a modern farm. Every 21 days, he harvests fresh disease-free green lettuce and celery. The majority of his crops are sold to two supermarkets on Sheriff Street. The remainder is sold to a resort and neighbours. “Planting using hydroponics is better than farming in open fields…I find the crops to be of a better quality…My lettuce could last up to two weeks in the fridge…There is little or no disease or pest infestation…Also, there is no need for crop rotation or resting of the soil…I can plant continuously, which is important for me to supply my customers,” he noted. Speaking on the day-to-day operations of the farm, Ramsundar said the hydroponics facility is not technical to operate. However, proper management of the crops from seedlings to harvest is essential. Because there is no weed and hardly ever any pests, he is able to manage the farm by himself. Ramsundar’s next project is to construct a seedling nursery producing hydroponic seedlings. Currently, he is sourcing seedlings from private nurseries for his operations. However, since they are not hydroponic seedlings they take sometime to acclimatise to their new environment.
Chronicle Pepperpot March 11, 2018
XV
FILES E S A C COURT
Custody of distillery apparatus...
Magistrate acquits - Full Court convicts IN 1966 farmer Nandalall who was found in possession of a distillery apparatus for the manufacture of bush rum had the matter dismissed against him after the magistrate declared that the defendant was charged under the wrong section. Customs Officer Seerattan who instituted the charge appealed the magistrate’s ruling. The Full Court presided over by Chief Justice Harold Bollers which heard the hearing, found that the magistrate was clearly wrong and a conviction ought to have ensued. The appeal was allowed and the order of dismissal set aside. The facts of the case disclosed that on March 31, 1966, about 1.10 pm, the appellant, an officer of the Customs and Excise Department , went with another Customs Officer and a party of policemen to the backlands of Perseverance , Essequibo, where in a very bushy area the respondent was found sitting in a boat in a branch of the Mainstay Lake and another man was seen swimming about 10 yards away from the said boat, in which was found a copper coil and a retort with attached gooseneck . The appellant disclosed his identity and told the respondent that he believed that the said articles to be part of a bush rum still, whereupon the respondent said that he was going to make a drum of bush rum for his son’s wedding. He was then arrested and, along with the articles, seized, was taken to the Anna Regina Police Station where he was later charged with being in “possession” of distillery apparatus for the manufacture of spirits, contrary to section 104 (3) of the Spirits Ordinance , Chapter 319. The respondent closed his case after the prosecution had done same, and the magistrate dismissed the respondent, upholding his counsel’s submission that the charge was brought under the wrong section and should properly have been brought under Section 11 of the Spirits Ordinance ,Chapter 319 (which relates to distilling spirits without a licence) In her Reasons for Decision, the Magistrate stated that she found that the respondent was found in possession of the above-mentioned articles and that those said articles could have been used for the manufacture of spirits, but she was of the opinion that the prosecution could not succeed under Section 104 (3), the section charged. That section envisaged a warrant and seizure which was not the case before her and, although the exhibits could have been used for the manufacture of spirits , they were not in fact so being used when the respondent was found in possession of them and she accordingly dismissed the complaint. The prosecution appealed on the ground that the learned Magistrate was erroneous in a point of law when she held that the charge was brought under the wrong section. Delivering the Reasons for its decision, Chief Justice Bollers who sat along with Justice Arthur Chung, held that: (1) The submission that the appellant should have been authorised to enter and search the place where the distillery apparatus was found was worthless in view of Sub-section (5) of Section 104 of the Ordinance , since that made
it quite clear that any Customs Officer may seize any distillery apparatus without warrant. (2) Under Sub-section 6 of Section 104 of the said Ordinance, it is provided that anyone found in a place where distillery apparatus for the manufacture of spirits is found or in the vicinity thereof, shall be ”deemed” to be the owner or person in charge of the apparatus unless he proves to the contrary, and here, the respondent had never attempted to discharge that onus. (3) The statement of offence and particulars were wrongly worded and the proper charge should have been according to the wording of Section 104 (3) itself, viz., “custody” of distillery apparatus - instead of “possession” of distillery apparatus – and this would present no real difficulty since the magistrate had found that the respondent was in possession of distillery apparatus for the manufacture of spirits, and it was trite that anyone who is in possession of something must necessarily be in custody of it. (4) Accordingly, the acquittal of the respondent, by the Magistrate was clearly wrong and a conviction ought to have ensued. The Court, in order to achieve that object would order that a conviction for the offence of “custody” of distillery apparatus contrary to Section 104 (3) be substituted and that the complaint and conviction order be amended accordingly, and the Court would impose a fine of $250 or three months imprisonment plus one day’s imprisonment and the respondent would be given three months to pay the said fine. The appeal was allowed and the Magistrate’s Order of Dismissal was set aside. The then Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions, Mr. J. Gonsalves-Sabola appeared for the appellant while Attorney-at-Law, Mr. E. Hanoman represented the respondent. According to Chief Justice Bollers, in the present case the respondent never attempted to discharge the onus placed upon him in respect of Sub-section (6) and therefore must be deemed to be the owner or person in charge of the distillery apparatus for the manufacture of spirits. The submission that the Customs Officer should have been authorised by warrant to enter and search the place where the distillery apparatus was found was worthless, in view of Sub-Section (5) which empowers him to seize the distillery apparatus without a warrant. The acquittal of the respondent by the magistrate was therefore clearly wrong and a conviction ought to have ensued. We therefore allowed the appeal and set aside the order of dismissal. We, however, concurred with the observation of counsel for the appellant that the statement of offence and particulars of offence in the charge were incorrectly worded and the proper charge should have been according to the wording of Section 104 (3) –“custody of distillery apparartus” - instead of “ possession of distillery apparatus” as appears in the statement of offence and particulars of offence. This situation presented no difficulty for the magistrate found that the respondent was in possession of the distillery apparatus for the manufacture of spirits, and is trite that anyone who is in possession of some-
thing must be in custody of it and indeed, the evidence in the present case clearly disclosed that the respondent was in custody of the distillery apparatus. Hence we made the order that a conviction for the offence of custody of distillery apparatus contrary to
By George Barclay
Section 104 (3) be substituted and that the complaint and conviction order be amended accordingly and a fine of $250 or three months imprisonment be imposed.
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Chronicle Pepperpot March 11, 2018
This Elderly Gentleman welcomes age 80 By Francis Quamina Farrier PLEASE permit me to announce that tomorrow, March 12, 2018 I’ll be celebrating my 80th birthday. I am hard pressed to realise it since it seems to me as though it was only last year that I celebrated my 18th birthday. Now here I am at 80 years of age! Goodness, gracious, me! So it gives me great pleasure to relate to you, just
The Bishops’ High School Prefect Andrea Luthers pinning the “Parent of the Year 1987 Award” on Farrier
a few of the things which happened in British Guiana/ Guyana and the rest of the world, during the early and later portions of the past eight decades, and which I enjoy talking about from time to time. .The very first thing which I must mention includes some of the hot topics which I heard during my first seven years of life. Yes, I do remember many of them clearly. Issues related to that raging Second World War, were the principal ones. It was a World War in which citizens of this country volunteered and fought in, for King and Country. I can clearly remember the older folks talking about British Guianese having to learn to speak German, as Germany, after invading neighbouring Poland in September 1939, was defeating country after country in Europe at the time. The name Adolph Hitler, and the name of the American heavyweight boxer, Joe Louis, were mentioned quite often in British Guiana of the late 1930s and the early 1940s, especially after the African American, beat the German Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Max Schmeling, in their second boxing encounter in September 1938, defeating the German in a blistering first round knock-out. That was just five months after I was born, but it was something which was spoken of for years after, especially since it was an African American who had demolished one
of Adolph Hitler’s (white) “master race” boxing champions. There was greatness in both of my parents; my father who migrated to British Guiana from Grenada, always planted fruit trees when moving from one location to the next during his hinterland working years. My mother, a Guyanese, always trained her children from a very young age, never to hit, or allow ourselves to be hit by anyone. There was no domestic violence in our home. In my McDoom Farrier receiving the National Award of The Village home, phoMedal of Service (MS) from President Arthur tographs of Boxing Chung, in 1978 champion, Joe Louis, of the USA, and EmDuring those early years, British Guiana was peror Haile Selassie of Ethio- a country - actually a colony - in which there pia, along with Jesus and close was active apartheid. members of our relatives, Many whites lived in exclusive comadorned the inner walls of the munities, especially on the sugar estates, house. Conversations includ- the timber grants and the bauxite and ed famous American athletes gold-mining operations, to which nonsuch as the Olympic champion whites were not permitted, except the maids sprinter, Jessie Owens, and the and the gardeners. There were no “WHITES popular baseball player, Jackie ONLY” signs as they were in the United States of America at that time, but the locals knew where Farrier at the little typewriter on which he typed “The Tides of Susanburg” they were not permitted to be; and over a dozen other plays where adventuring into could have landed them in jail for trespassing. They also knew that there was a ceiling in the Public Service to which locals were never promoted, no matter how educated and capable. During the mid-1950s and into the 1960s, I recognised lots of political and trade union activities. There were national luminaries such as Hubert Nathaniel Critchlow who I saw in person a few times. There was Joseph Pollydore, also Richard Ishmael, the educator, trade unionist Robinson. Both were African Americans, at and businessman; he was the founder of the that time referred to as “Negroes”, and were Richard Ishmael Secondary School located also spoken of very much with admiration in on Woolford Avenue in Georgetown. There those early years of the 1940s. were political luminaries such as Forbes I also heard lots of talk that the butcher Burnham, Cheddi Jagan, Janet Jagan, Peter of the 20th Century, Adolph Hitler, the ul- D’Aguiar, Jainarine Singh, Jane Phillips timate dictator of Nazi Germany, wanted a Gay, Sydney King (now Eusi Kwayana) and world populated only with blond hair, blue- Ashton Chase, the latter two are still with us, eyed people. Hitler had millions of people and in their nineties. killed for that and for achieving world domiDuring my 20s, I saw a deep political nation. That is what I heard the older people divide in the country, which developed into saying. Then, one day, I heard the news that a racial divide. But through it all there were Adolph Hitler had placed a loaded gun to his those patriotic citizens who would have head and pressed the trigger, blowing out his none of it and took the high road, extracting brains. Germany had been finally defeated from the National pledge, “... to love my and the rest of the world exhaled. fellow citizens”. Let me tell you about my growing up in Since this is a Feature article, and of a British Guiana from the mid-1940s to the limited length, let me briefly mention just a mid-1950s. It was in McDoom a village few personal highlights of my 80 years on neighbouring Agricola. All the six races planet Earth: Winning First Prize in the Priwere there, and so I knew what Social Co- mary Schools division of the National Road hesion was, way back then, which was long Safety Essay Writing Competition; winning before that term became official in usage. Best Actor at the 1965 British Guiana Drama
Festival; being commissioned by the Programme Director of Radio Demerara, Rafiq Khan, to write “The Tides of Susanburg”; winning the First and Third Prizes of the National Independence Playwriting Competition; receiving a private grant from the author of the best-selling novel and hit movie, “To Sir, With Love”, E.R. Braithwaite, to attend a Summer study-course in Journalism and Voice at the Banff School of Fine Arts, the University of Alberta, Canada. At age 29, my marriage to someone who I rate as among Guyana’s top twenty, best-ever secretaries, Patricia Bernadette Blackmore, is one of the highlights of my life. Last April, we celebrated our 50th Wedding Anniversary. I certainly have to mention the birth of my two wonderful daughters Arlene Zoisa and Venita Ayodele, as great events in my life. Another highlight, which was being the recipient of the National Award of “The Medal of Service” in 1978, takes a pale second place to my award as “The Bishops’ High School Parent of the Year, 1987”. In more recent times, I have been presented with quite a number of “Life Achievement Awards”. That certainly gives a factual signal that time is running out, even though I know that there is still much more work to be done. Although a firm law-abiding citizen, I have to admit that I had two brushes with the Law: my unlawful detention in Antigua by rogue immigration officers, and my unlawful detention by rogue police constables at the Aurora Police Station on the Essequibo Coast, here in Guyana. In the former instance, just before I decided on litigation, I received an official apology from the Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, the Hon. Lester Bird. In the latter case, I was awarded $30,000 in damages by Justice Carl Singh in the Guyana High Court, where I filed a litigation against two members of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) and won the case. Both ranks involved in that unlawful detention were subsequently fired from the force for other rogue activities. My attorney in the court case was Mr. Nigel Hughes. Continuing to press for a written apology even though I had won the court case, a written apology finally came to me from Police Commissioner Laurie Lewis. I have to say that arriving at age 80 is like arriving at a beautiful city which I had helped to build; you do remember my Radio Programme Series, “The Eighty Plus Club”, which was on the air for a 15-year period. One of the regular listeners of the show was President Desmond Hoyte, who in a letter to me when I sought permission to interview his mother, Gladys Hoyte, mentioned that he would be happy to be a member of The Eighty Plus Club, should he reach that special age. Sadly he did not. Tomorrow, God’s willing, I will.
Chronicle Pepperpot March 11, 2018
XVII
COCAINE AND GANJA
OVER the last year there have been several incidents reported in the media of drug addicts attacking and assaulting citizens going about their ordinary business. These drug addicts wander the streets, often carrying pieces of wood, or sticks or even broken bottles. Last Christmas Eve, at about midday when shoppers were out in force, an athletic-looking addict stood at the corner of Robb Street and Avenue of the Republic, wielding a long and dangerous whip which could have caused serious hurt, even blinding, to an unsuspecting passer-by. Last week, the son of a respected professional who had degenerated into a drug addict, suddenly attacked one of his father’s patients and beat him to death. The father heard the commotion and tried to intervene during the assault on his patient but he had to withdraw since he too may have been killed. The addict was taken into police custody and charged with murder. Persons under the influence of drugs seem to lose their minds or their minds become perverted into machines of inflicting violence on others. They seem to lose their powers of reasoning. Most of them, however, could not be classified as insane as say, schizophrenia patients, and so they would not normally be sent to the Mental Hospital for psychiatric treatment. In Guyana, two types of drugs are commonly used by drug addicts - cocaine and ganja. Very small quantities of other types
such as ecstasy could sometimes be found, but drug users are firmly hitched to cocaine and ganja. Cocaine is a foreign import, mostly originating in Colombia. Guyana, by the activities of criminal drug dealers, has become a transhipment port to North America. The cocaine in local use seems to derive from these transhipment stocks. There are numerous ingenious ways cocaine is smuggled out of the country and these are exposed from time to time as smugglers are caught. One of the retributive incidents of cocaine smuggling occurred a few years ago: A member of a family who resided abroad visited his family and was returning with a few bottles of rum. Unfortunately, he forgot to pack the rum and it was left with his hosts. As there was no possibility of sending the rum to him, they decided to use the liquor. Two or three members of that family died from drinking that rum because it was spiked with cocaine. The other common narcotic is ganja. Ganja is home-grown and has been in common use since the 19th century. There is no chemical process to produce it as is the case with cocaine. Ganja is simply the dried leaves and stems of the ganja plant and is used either as a tea but far more often, it is smoked. It was introduced to the West Indies by Indian indentured immigrants who used it in certain religious ceremonies. That accounts for its Hindi name, ganja. Its use was strictly religious and there was never any addiction. Even when other ethnic groups adopted it,
there was never any addiction. It was sold in the shops in the 19th century as is commemorated by the well-known folk song “Ganja Mannie”, where the African buyer is asking the Portuguese shopkeeper Mannie or Manuel to let him have a shilling’s worth of ganja. The Jamaican Rastafari cult adopted ganja for ritual use and seems to have fully taken over the Indian tradition of its use. Rastafarians use an Indian-style smoking pipe, the cheelam, and other Hindi words are attached to its usage. Ganja was known to make its users “high” just as high wine (strong rum) did, but it rarely resulted in violent criminal behaviour. Cocaine and ganja were, at one time, not regarded as feared and dangerous narcotics until after World War II. Cocaine was widely used as an anaesthesia in dentistry and was sold at the drug stores. And little notice was taken of ganja and its use. The transformation of cocaine and ganja into dangerous addictive drugs which could result in violent anti-social behaviour only came about in the 1950s and was a transference from the United States to Guyana and the West Indies. And, as if to underline this transference, the American name “marijuana” began to replace the native name “ganja”. Cocaine is much more dangerous to mind and body than ganja. Indeed, there are groups in the West Indies, including Rastafarians, who are calling for the use of ganja to be legalised, pointing out its medicinal value and that it has been legalised in Holland and at least one American state. Local lawmakers cannot, however, ignore the transformation which has occurred in the concept and use of these drugs. These drugs, as they are in America, are now regarded as dangerous and anti-social.
The majority of deportees from the United States are believed to be cocaine users and they increase the local demand for the drug. Cocaine is the basic drug used in the drug trade with the United States and has connections with much of the serious crime in Guyana. National territory is illegally entered by cocaine-transporting aircraft and even small submarines for the same purpose. It has brought added policing costs on the taxpayer and more burdens on the judiciary and opprobrium to the country. To the ordinary Guyanese citizens, however, their immediate concern is removing violent drug addicts from amongst them, addicts who could attack them without warning. Citizens are therefore interested in preventing young people from becoming drug users by means of education and in the rehabilitation of addicts and users. Education could be done along the lines of the anti-tobacco campaigns, at least one module in the curriculum of the Teachers Training College so that teachers would be able to bring anti-drug education to the classroom and Parent Teachers Associations (PTAs) should be involved so that parents may be alerted of the ways of protecting their children from drug use. Rehabilitation of drug addicts and users should be a specific countrywide programme of the Ministry of Public Health, and personnel should be professionally trained in rehabilitation work to staff rehabilitation centres. At the moment there are only two rehabilitation centres, one privately-run and the other a voluntary one conducted by the Salvation Army. With Education and Rehabilitation supplemented by efficient policing, drug use and addiction could be brought under control and eventually miniaturised.
folklore
XVIII
THE WALTZ KING
Chronicle Pepperpot March 11, 2018
By Neil Primus
By Neil Primus NEVILLE was a happy-go-lucky man. His one and only mission in life was to enjoy it as much as he could. His favourite pasttime was dancing. Any dance, any place and he was there. He had one interest in dance. He loved to waltz. He was known as the Waltz King aka known as `Floater’. This was due to his skill at seamless waltzing. Whenever he entered a dance, many people stopped dancing just to admire him at work. He would cover an entire dance floor - from corner to corner – in one song. Many young ladies vied to get his attention. The only ones who did were those who could handle themselves on the dance floor. Neville moved from village to village according to where the dance was being held. Once he went into the countryside to attend a big village dance. His reputation preceded him. When he entered the dancehall he saw many people looking at him with admiration and awe. And when the DJ started to play ‘Oldies’ he swung into action. After earlier scouting the ladies, he knew which ones were good enough to keep up with him. He didn’t want to end up like his best friend. You see, he and Cedric had gone to a dance together. They were friendly rivals and always tried to out-do each other. He took his time to choose his partner but Cedric grabbed the first one that came to hand. They both moved out on the dance floor. He started swooping and floating while Cedric was fighting and struggling. In his recklessness, his friend had grabbed the worst dancer and was paying dearly for his recklessness. The woman fought him all the way. When he could take it no longer he tried to disengage and withdraw. But she would have none of it. She did not want to be abandoned in the middle of the dancehall. They suffered this way and that until at last it ended with both of them falling flat in the middle of the floor. People roared with laughter and they both beat a hasty retreat. Cedric stopped dancing after that. When Neville started dancing he did not stop until the music changed or the dance ended. He went from one woman to another. His pool was small because some of the better dancers were already taken. Some of the few he danced with stopped out of exhaustion. Then he came upon a beautiful foreigner and decided to try her out. She was white, petite and beautiful. As soon as he swung her onto the floor he knew she was the number-one dancer. She
was light as a feather in his arms and they floated on into the morning never seeming to tire. As they swept across the floor he made his move. “You are a wonderful dancer. I love dancing with you.” “Thanks. You are a good dancer too,” he returned the compliment. “What’s your name?” she asked. “They call me ‘Floater’ or ‘The Waltz King’!” “Oh, you are the Waltz King? I always wanted to meet you.” “Why is that?” “I wanted to prove that I was better,” she replied laughing. “You are a great dancer for a lady.” “Who taught you to dance?” she enquired. “My father, I would stand on his feet and he would spin me all over the floor. After that, I knew I would be the best dancer ever. Who taught you to dance?” he enquired. “My mother. She is a much better dancer than I.” “I would love to dance with her,” he ventured. “Really?” she murmured. “She’ll be here shortly.” The music stopped and he realised that the dance had ended. Just then another beautiful white woman entered the dance. “Nice to meet you,” she said, flashing a bright smile. “Sorry, you arrived late. Let me walk you both home.” They left the dancehall and headed towards the back of the village. They chatted as they walked. “We live just around the corner, turn on your left opposite the playfield.” When they came around the corner, a number of things occurred. Music was blaring from a home next to the playfield. “Want to dance Waltz King?” the mother asked. But the Waltz King had other things on his mind. He noticed that the playfield had one thing opposite it, the cemetery. “You tell me dat yo living in de cemetery?” he tried to crack a weak joke. Both were ‘dead’ serious. “We both do.” Neville began to feel like a big-time floater. His head felt light, his tummy griped and his body shook. “Come on let’s dance Waltz King!” She soon realised that she was speaking to thin air. The floater was gone. Some say he ran, others said he did a speedy moonwalk. But the reality was that he had vanished.
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Transitioning from STEM to STEAM AGAINST the backdrop of a rapidly evolving world, ‘STEM’a collective term for the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics- has been touted as the vehicle necessitating innovation and competitiveness. While there is the global impetus placed on developing STEM, some schools of thought have attempted to push the benefits of ‘STEAM’. The first time I was introduced to this concept was by Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry (who was then the Junior Minister) at the launch of the ‘Youth Innovation Project of Guyana’ (YIPoG) in May 2017. Addressing the gathering, she explained that STEAM involved the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Anthropology, Archaeology, Arts, Architecture, and Mathematics. Notably, as opposed to the global ascription of STEM, this concept sought to incorporate the Humanities/ Arts subjects. I was very surprised when I first heard about STEAM and even more surprised when I heard that it was an extension of the STEM concept to include these other areas. The arts are not usually seen as a necessary facilitator of development. As a Science student for five years, in a ‘Science’ school, I was privy to the general assumption that the Sciences was the stream for the smarter folks and that those persons aligning in the other streams, especially the Humanities/ Arts stream, were just not as smart or hardworking. It came as a great surprise to many when at the Sixth Form level, I decided to pursue a Degree in Humanities (and even more surprising that I took an interest in Sociology, not Law) instead of continuing my pursuit in Science. I came to understand in my studies (though many may disagree) that Sociology is hailed as the ‘Queen of all sciences’ by founding father Auguste Comte, who also related that it was the most complex science to study. Another founding father, Emile Durkheim argued that Sociology could be as objective as the natural sciences and proposed the study of “social facts” garnered through “positivism”- an approach to the study of society that specifically utilises scientific evidence, like experiments, statistics and qualitative results, to reveal a truth about the way society operates and functions. As such, I became cognisant of the importance of the Arts. And it turns out, I’m not the only one. This past week, the regional science fair for Georgetown was held at Queen’s College. The fair was held under the theme: “Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics- paving the way for a green and sustainable society” and featured an entire host of projects from the nursery to tertiary level, all presenting ways to improve this country through the use of STEAM. What was amiss however was that there seemed to be only one project which highlighted the use of the Arts. It was the Tucville Secondary school with their Social and Behavioural Science project guided by the slogan: “Don’t take away their dreams.” Every other project relied heavily on the Sciences and Technology to present solutions to local issues. Nevertheless, a prerequisite for each project was to show how the solution presented, integrated the use of all components of STEAM. While the projects may have presented innovative and impeccable solutions to local problems, they would have had to show how they employed the use of the sciences and the arts. While doing a bit of research on STEM and STEAM, I came across an article written in the Washington Post (2015) by Dr. Loretta Jackson-Hayes, an associate professor of chemistry at Rhodes College in Memphis. Dr. Jackson-Hayes posited that while the US has been touting STEM as a facilitator for competitiveness, especially in its attempt to consolidate itself as a superpower in all facets of the global sphere, ‘Liberal Arts’ (the Arts/ Humanities) were vital. “To innovate is to introduce change. While STEM workers can certainly drive innovation through Science alone, imagine how much more innovative students and employees could be if the pool of knowledge from which they draw is wider and deeper. That occurs as the result of a Liberal Arts education,” she wrote. Global development hinges on scientific advancements, undoubtedly. But without the Arts to compliment these advances, how applicable would they truly be?
Of course, this by no means seeks to undermine or discredit the impact and importance of STEM but rather seeks to highlight the importance of the Arts and of harnessing the sciences and the arts, collectively.
I cannot express how happy I am that my country has recognised that the Arts are critical for development and that it has actively facilitated ways of harnessing the two. STEAM is the way to go!
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EPA building the capacity of women LAST Thursday, Guyana joined the rest of the World in celebrating International Women’s Day. International Women’s day is not just a symbolic day on the International Calendar which highlights the value of women around the world. It also provides the opportunity for us to recognise and reflect on
the progress and significant contributions of women to development on all spectra; particularly as it relates to environmental sustainability. It is only fitting that the unbridled contributions of women in Environmental Protection, Management and the sustainable use of natural resources are highlighted. In Guyana, there are many women driving the work of the environmental sector. The EPA has over the years been building the capacity of women to make interventions within their homes, workplaces and
communities. Undeniably, women have direct contact with the environment as farmers, homemakers, agriculturalists, water resources managers and traditional scientists among others. Women are not only knowledgeable about the environment, they are also protective and caring.
EPA BUILDING WOMEN’S CAPACITY IN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT The Environmental Protection Agency has been instrumental in involving women in protecting the environment through training workshops, seminars and other forms of outreach. The topics include; climate change, waste management, energy and water-wise practices and biodiversity management. Interventions were made in a number of communities in Regions One, Three, Four, Five and Six. Understanding that the environment is everybody’s business, it is the civic duty of all Guyanese to be more responsible users of our environment. Acknowledging the important role of women in environmental sustainability and achieving Guyana’s green trajectory, the EPA will continue to build the capacity of women across Guyana in the field of environment and development. We salute women working in the environmental field.
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Sweet piano music XXII
WITH a record of 60 active years in the music industry,the piano icon, Laurie Evan Rupus Greenidge has made his name and stamped his fame locally and internationally as an accomplished pianist and piano tuner. He is the proud holder of a Certificate in the repair of pianos, having been awarded a scholarship by the London College of Furniture, a polytechnic located in the East
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End of London which offered training in piano repairs. Returning to Guyana two years later, fully equipped as a piano repair expert, Greenidge gained affiliation membership status with the American Piano Technician Guild and the Institute of Musical Instrument and Technology London. His studies were followed up with attendance at annual seminars and conferences, as well as the issuance of monthly journals and newsletters.
Laurie Greenidge
Originally from Bajan Quarters, Skeldon, Corentyne, Greenidge who now resides in the Diamond Housing Scheme, East Bank Demerara, celebrated his 77th birth anniversary last Monday and spent the day engaging in sober reflection and thanking God for his life and the gifts with which he has blessed him. Though visually impaired, Greenidge is in no way handicapped in doing what he set himself to, and so cherishes the more than 50 glorious years, both on the ‘piano keyboard’ and ‘inside’ the piano, constantly making things right for the pleasure and entertainment of others. It is perhaps through such experiences that he has learnt to be very appreciative of the functioning of his other senses. Having lost his organ of sight, he has been leaning heavily on the senses of hearing and feeling or touch to detect when the piano is ‘off-key’ and what keys to touch to produce the desired sounds or symphony. Even though there has been a sharp decline in the use of pianos locally, except for churches, Greenidge continues to be preoccupied with piano music and the tuning of pianos. He is currently the organist at Smith Memorial Church in Brickdam, alongside Jane De Freitas who is a keyboardist. Greenidge observed that people tend to see persons who are blind with pity and based on that, stigmatise them – believing that others have to do everything for them (the blind persons). He, however, refuted this assumption and said that with initial guidance and the right type of training, those same blind persons can become independent and empowered to lead productive lives. He noted many success stories concerning the empowerment of the blind and other disabled persons, notably during his tenure as Vice President of the Guyana Society Turn to page XXV ►►►
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Samsung launches Galaxy S9 with focus on social media Samsung Electronics Co Ltd unveiled its flagship Galaxy S9 smartphone on Sunday with an emphasis on visual applications for social media, hoping to attract tech savvy young consumers to weather a market slowdown. With the global smartphone market set to stay flat or even shrink after meager growth of one percent last year, vendors are focusing on features designed to encourage consumers to ditch their old phones earlier than they would have previously. Samsung launched the S9 at the mobile gadget fair in Barcelona, attracting thousands of reporters to see how the world’s biggest smartphone maker could innovate in a category in which the big players are technologically closer than ever. DJ Koh, Samsung’s president of IT and mobile communications, said the most important function of a phone today was “visual communication”, and the Galaxy S9 had been designed for the visual and social generation. It features improved cameras, an artificial intelli-
gence-powered voice tool, and social media functions that are easier to deploy than previous offerings. New features include an automatic super-slow motion camera setting that looks primed to show up on Instagram feeds soon, and software that turns selfies into instant emojis. Analyst Ben Wood from CCS Insight said the S9 and larger screened S9 Plus were all about incremental gains over the S8. “The S9 underlines the dilemma all leading smartphone makers are facing. Innovation in smartphones has plateaued and now it is all about marginal gains be that screen technology, camera features and processing power,” he said. “This is potentially a tough sell for Samsung but the real goal of the S9 is making an already good product even better as Samsung takes the fight to Apple,” he said. Huawei Technologies Co Ltd [HWT.UL], Samsung’s Chinese rival which ranked third globally in sales last year, launched a notebook PC and two Android tablets earlier on Sunday. It is launching its new flagship in Paris next month. “With the absence of any flagship smartphone announcement from any of its major competitors, Samsung had a great marketing window of opportunity to claim leadership in the high-end smartphone market, coming back in the race with Apple’s iPhone X,” said Forrester analyst Thomas Husson.
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Time Management and Mental Health YOU know those people who get so much more done in a day than we do? Those people who make us feel like we don’t do enough? Obviously, they do not have more hours in a day than we do, they simply use the time better. What may not
be obvious is how to do this. Many of us have a wide variety of responsibilities- familial, employment, educational, social most of us even have all at the same time. Considering all our duties and the fact that time management is a crucial factor in
our mental health, I am not only going to talk about its effects but also how to better manage our time. If we plan our time better, we not only get more done, we are more efficient, satisfied and motivated yet relaxed; we are less likely to procrastinate over time. We experience less stress and more self-confidence and self-esteem. We find stability and reach our goals. I think we would all appreciate a life where we feel we are getting everything done at the appropriate time and yet still have time for ourselves. What are some things we can do to better manage our time? Firstly, it is important to identify what your personal obstacles are. Is it procrastination?, Disinterest?, Distraction?, Forgetfulness?. Knowing this will allow you a starting point and the knowledge of the true reason you don’t manage your time well. If you do not know the answer to this, a suggestion is to document your time for a few days to identify how productive you are, at what times and what typically interrupts this. Write a to-do list of what needs to be done. Start with the most to least important. This means that at the very least, the essential things will be completed. After you have done this, it is time to organise and prioritise. Disorganisation often leads to procrastination and unproductivity. Keep your spaces clean and your tasks easy to find and do. Prioritise based on your values. Sometimes we won’t get everything done, but if we get the right things done, your day has a good ending. Your to-do list must be a realistic one. Visual progress fuels motivation. If you see yourself ticking things off throughout the day, it will provide the push to do more. However, if the list is unrealistic and you don’t get it done, it will have the opposite effect and de-motivate you for the following day. Break the items of the list down. It becomes easier to do when it’s easier to read, decide and execute. For example, if you have a report to write over the next three days, decide on what day you are doing research, writing, proofreading etc. It’s much less overwhelming this way. The to-do list also creates a schedule that allows a high chance that our day will go as planned. Doesn’t that sound like it will ease stress? Also remember that when doing a task it is more likely to be completed if you devote your entire focus to it. Keep in mind that time management is not about doing everything that needs to be done, at all costs but rather using appropriate time effectively. For example, forfeiting sleep, eating well or exercise to get other things done will ultimately result in added stress and issues. Spread out tasks that are sources of stress. We can often predict the tasks that cause us large amounts of stress. If avoidable, try to do only one of these a day. If you try to do multiple or all, it may result in a burn out where nothing is done. Turn important tasks into habits. Research shows that even the most mundane tasks become easier to do when made a habit. For example, whether it is cleaning your house or responding to emails if you schedule a certain time to do these every day or week, they become habitual rather than stressful. Learn to say no and to delegate. If you already have lots to do, it is okay to say no to other people. On the other hand, if you have too much to do, it is okay to pass some on to the appropriate people. You do not have to do everything yourself. Finally, remember to take a break and know your capacity for stress. Overworking is counterproductive and more often than not results in burn out. One study I found actually showed that the most productive and efficient an individual can be is when they work straight for 52 uninterrupted minutes, then take a break for 17 minutes; go back to work for 52 minutes and so on. I’m aware that many of us do not have the luxury to do this, but the moral of the story is that short but frequent breaks allow for more and better work to be done. It doesn’t matter what the tasks are, learning to better manage your time to do them will result in less stress and more focus, productivity, efficiency and (in the end) relaxation. 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: Psychiatric Department: Monday- Friday – 08:00hrs-12:00hrs 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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for the Blind. “I was tasked with the responsibility of training the blind and finding meaningful employment for them and was heartened at the response. I was also active in the Coalition for Citizens with Disability and personally mobilised and started up another Group called Federation for the Disabled and had good results,” Greenidge recalled. He explained that he was not born blind. He recalls sitting at the back of the class and not being able to see on the chalkboard. Having lost his mother when he was eight years old, he reported his inability to see this to his aunt with whom he was living in Berbice. Visits to the specialist revealed that he was visually impaired, because of a weak optic nerve. But because it was not properly managed, the condition developed into blindness by the time he was in his teens. Greenidge began attending training sessions at the Institute for the Blind. “There my interest was predominantly with craft, but I had interest in music as well. I learnt to play the piano with Babsy Payne in Henry and Durban Streets where she taught music. I was also associated with the late, Winston Woolford Drakes, who played the musical organ and was a member of the popular Cid and the Slickers musical band,” he reminisced. Other persons with musical influence on his life included: the popular saxophonist, Sony Thomas who had a band; Mr. Donald Jones, one of the very few piano tuners around, and who was instrumental in getting the scholarship for his to study in London;Ms. Lynette Dolphin, Chair of the Department of Culture in the Ministry of Education; and Michael Nedd who studied at the London Academy of Music and still resides in London. His late wife, Paulette Craig was also a pianist and won a Piano Competition at a Music Festival at Queen’s College several years ago. And today, ever grateful to his sponsors, affiliates and others in the support system, Laurie Evan Rupus Greenidge asserts: “My experience both locally and overseas I consider beneficial both to myself and the country at large. My work in servicing pianos took me to a number of places in the country and I would have met many persons as well, some of whom are my friends today.” In those days, Greenidge recalled, there were a lot of pianos around. They were in churches, schools, upper-middle-class homes and concert halls, including City Hall which no longer has one. They were a source of elegant sophisticated music, but today there are only a few pianos and organs around, namely at St. George’s Cathedral; Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Brickdam; St. Andrew’s Kirk; St. Phillip’s; Smith Memorial; St. Thomas Moore and a few others, apart from the National School of Music. While Greenidge does not believe that piano music is a dying art form in our local context, he agrees that it is gradually on its way out, making way for ‘keyboards’. To this end, he is sending out a strong admonition to churches, parents, teachers and the School of Music, to do their level best to influence young people to learn piano and support piano music. “Let them get involved in piano music; play the organ, though not ignoring the electronic keyboard,” he said. He explained that whereas the electronic keyboard has huge components of built-in music within the system, it is not so with the piano. What the pianist or organist puts in, is what they get out and it is instant, not stored. That is where creativity comes in. “You have to be more thorough, therefore, to play the piano requires much skill and practice,” he said. He concluded with a final appeal to pianists in the making, to avoid the temptation to play the instrument ‘by ear sound’, but to read the music sheet at all times, before striking a single chord.
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HEAD OF THE ER By Abdool A. Aziz
DOCTOR Karen Raginski hails from a family of doctors who are brilliant and skillful. She rose to become the head of the ER at age 49. She loved her profession and was on call at the time, dealing with trauma cases. She had just ‘repaired’ the abdomen of a bullfighter gored by a raging bull. She went outside for a ‘smoke’, her pager rang. She rushed to the trauma table. THE SHOCK The patient was her only son, Errol. He was in a coma and was the victim of a motor accident. Her heart dropped to the ground. Her eyes watered. She felt like crumbling to the floor. But she had to struggle to remain calm and lead her team of
surgeons to save this grossly, injured youth. The diagnosis: fractured skull, broken arm, damaged rib and a crushed ankle. We are still human, imperfect and subject to sensitivity and emotions. Here was a mother face to face with a critical case and though ‘floored’ needed to retain her professionalism and get on with the job. It’s a thin line between personal interest and objective measures. A life was on the line and a treasured one at that. The x-ray revealed a splintered cranium but no damage to the meninges (the thin membrane covering the brain). The arm and ankle were reparable, but the damaged rib was her worry. The lungs can be damaged and fatal. Her worse fear was realised as the x-ray showed the rib piercing the lung. Swift action was taken to remedy the situation but it was too late. Dr. Raginski watched as the blip on the monitor became a straight line. She lost her son. It was too much,
she collapsed. Her colleagues rushed to her aid. A mother in grief. She herself became bedridden as Errol was wheeled into the mortuary. It was a terrible accident. The guilty driver died at the scene. Errol had to be extracted by using the ‘Jaws of Death’. Only a month ago he had bought a Lexus sport and his mom warned him of the dangers on the road, especially on Saturday nights. The dead driver was drunk. Errol had no alcohol in his blood. What a tragedy. A young life wasted. Dr Raginski resigned from her job at the hospital to work for MADD- Mothers Against Drunk Driving and she founded an organisation to raise funds for the victims called ‘Errol’s Care’. She always recalls that fateful night when she battled to save her only son. It took a toll on her fragile soul but she manages to pull through life, knowing that Errol is helping others even from the grave.
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#SupportCreativity
By Subraj Singh
Art Shapes People / People Shape Art: “The Smiling Lombana” EVERY family has secrets. In Guyana, there is a theme of the forbidden that is shot through the spine of this country and the many buried conversations regarding topical issues such as crime, sex, race, and religion that we refuse to address. So it is easy to understand how the Guyanese society is one that swells with secrets, ripening until, like boils, they rupture one by one. This is one way in which Guyanese may be able to relate to the “The Smiling Lombana”, Daniela Abad’s highly personal documentary in which the Colombian director relates the true story of herself, her mother and
aunts, her grandmother and, most significantly, the story of her grandfather, the Colombian sculptor, Tito Lombano, and the secret he kept from his family. This film is one that can be useful in the effort to twist the gaze of Guyanese audiences away from the silver screens of Hollywood and onto movies that celebrate and represent the experiences of the Caribbean and South America, simply because of its familiarity in the theme of family secrets, which thrive in our society. “The Smiling Lombana” was the opening film at the 58th International Cartagena Film Festival, which was held in Cartagena, Colombia and presented some of
the finest contemporary works of Latin American and World Cinema. The documentary is narrated by the director herself, which, perhaps, might be considered one of the film’s few flaws, with the insertion of Abad into the story she is telling. Here is an art form in which the artist is inserting herself in a more blatant rather than, unlike most other artists, in a subtle manner. There might be a significant lesson in voice in storytelling and art here, as Abad, like her aunt and grandmother, is related to the enigmatic man at the centre of it all. Abad is as much part of the story as any of the others – it is
the story of her grandfather. Her voice then becomes the contemporary, Millenial voice, joined with a chorus of women who have all been affected by Tito, the man known as the Smiling Lombana. It makes sense that in her own artistic work, the director would include herself since it not only stems from her, but it also tells her story about the personal, about her family, and about herself. The story, the artwork, is as much Tito Lombano’s as it is hers. Perhaps, this is a reminder to all artists that all stories we tell through our art are our Turn to page XXVIII ►►►
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own stories in some way, regardless of how removed it might seem from our immediate environment. From a technical standpoint, the “The Smiling Lombana” is sound – utilising a myriad of voiceovers, pictures, old home video footage and an assorted array or images to shape the mixed life of Tito Lombano. Born poor and gifted, he relied on his skills as a sculptor to make his way to Europe where he met the woman who was to become his wife. The theme of Tito’s artistic skills is a resounding focal point in the documentary, represented in the way his works are alluded, but also
in the way the idea of art being a creation, shaped by an artist, might be indicative of the ways in which Tito also shaped himself and his life, which, like itself was only a reflection of the truth or what was real. Tito’s popular sculpture, The Old Shoes, larger than people, with one of the shoes lying on its side of the other half which remains upright, in particular, has a similar history of ruin and renewal, like Tito, which is why it makes an appearance in the documentary. As a work of art, the documentary succeeds in telling the story of a man without the man himself ever appearing, as he died before Abad began the film. It is an
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exercise in how to create a character and the director does it in such a way that we get a thorough understanding of who Tito was as a person. Using interviews, research, symbolic imagery, an excellent soundtrack, and stories she has heard from her family all her life, Abad has managed to craft her grandfather back to life again. He captures the audience’s attention with his good looks and charm. He makes us blush with the lightness with which he dances or exercises. His skills as a sculptor are remarkable and there is a general sense of charm that emanates from every image we see of him. All of the women, even wife whom he has betrayed, still betray some affection for the man which shows more than anything else that love – like art – which fuels art, often endures and manifests itself in new and unexpected ways, in new and unconventional mediums.
“The Smiling Lombana, directed by Daniela Abad”
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Children with bad breath MOST people believe that bad breath is an adult problem. Therefore, it is most shocking to parents when they smell foul breath coming from their little angel. If it persists, they often worry that something is seriously wrong with their child. As one mother said to me recently, “I’m afraid that my child is rotting inside.” It is true that chronic bad breath in adults can be a warning sign, which in extreme cases can even indicate stomach cancer. But in children, though, bad breath (halitosis) is hardly ever connected with anything that serious. A study published in the April 2016 issue of the Journal of Pediatrics reveals that most bad breath in children comes either from the mouth itself or from the nasal cavity. There are several things in the oral and nasal cavities that can cause bad breath in kids. The most common cause is simply poor oral hygiene. Bacteria feeding on stagnant saliva and food particles is the cause of the classic “morning breath.” And we all know that morning breath can turn into” afternoon and evening breath” if your child does not get a good tooth and tongue brushing in the morning and at night. Tooth decay can also be a culprit. If the decay has not yet affected the root of the tooth your child may not experience pain but only present a smelly breath. Both acute and chronic sinusitis have been associated with bad breath. In these cases, though, halitosis is not the only symptom. Sinusitis is usually accompanied by a daytime and nighttime cough and possibly fever, swelling of the face or a thick yellow-green nasal discharge. Bad breath can signal a throat infection. Usually, your child will also complain of a sore throat. As with sinusitis, the smell is probably coming from the bacterial infection itself and from the bacteria feeding on stagnant saliva because your child is mouth breathing. A smelly mouth may also derive from seasonal allergies. These can cause pooling of mucus in the back of the throat (postnasal drip), which go along with a consistent coughing and bad breath. A dry cough gets worse at night and there are itchy eyes and a runny nose. If you discover that your child has bad breath, it is advisable not to tell him or her because it will make them feel self-conscious. Children will have lots of time as they grow older to obsess about bad breath, and there is no need to get them started prematurely. Instead, use this as an opportunity to teach your child good self-care habits. Explain to them that washing teeth is as necessary as washing other parts of the body. Let your child pick out their own toothbrush. It is likely they will choose their favourite colour or one that is fancy for them (handle tip as a rabbit’s head, etc.) Just make sure that the toothbrush has soft bristles and the head is the smallest available. The toothpaste should contain fluoride. Commercial mouthwashes and breath freshener lozenges are poor substitutes for brushing teeth and are not recommended for kids. Supervise your child’s tooth brushing twice a day, something many parents overlook in the rush to get out the door in the morning or to get kids to bed at night. Brushing your teeth with your children is a good way to teach them how to do it properly since they like to copy. Once any two of your child’s teeth touch, you should start them on flossing. This will make the gums healthier and remove decaying food particles. If you see food caught in your child’s tonsils, have him or her try gargling with
warm water to dislodge the food. Make sure that your child gets regular dental checkups at least once a year beginning at his or her first birthday. Finally, if you suspect that your child has shoved something up his nose, then contact your health provider for further advice. Generally, it isn’t a great idea for parents to try to fish out the object because they usually succeed only in shoving it further up the nostril. If bad breath doesn’t go away with careful dental hygiene,
consult your dentist. If the bad breath is accompanied by a cough that lasts more than 10 to 12 days or by a fever or thick nasal discharge, then contact your health provider.
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Apple plans biggest iPhone yet for 2018 Apple Inc is preparing to release three new smartphones later this year, including the largest iPhone ever, a device that may have a bigger display than arch-rival Samsung’s flagship phone, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the products. The trio also includes an upgraded handset the same size as the current iPhone X and a less expensive model with some of the X’s key features. The new phones could revive the screen size wars of years past at a time when smartphone makers are straining to come up with new features to lure buyers in a saturated market. Global smartphone sales were down 0.1 percent last year, according to research firm IDC, with Apple and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd expanding shipments only 1.9 percent and 0.2 percent, respectively. The iPhone maker is already running production tests with suppliers and is expected to announce the new phones this fall. However, the plans could still change, the report said. (bloom. bg/2HNO4wg) Apple declined to comment. Its shares were up almost 2 percent at $178.95 in midday trade. Earlier in the day, billionaire Warren Buffett talked up his company’s stake in the iPhone maker, which also helped boost shares. Bloomberg reported the largest iPhone could have a screen of close to 6.5 inches (16.5 cm), larger than the 6.2-inch (15.75 cm) Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus announced on Monday in Barcelona, Spain, and larger than the current Samsung Note 8’s 6.3-inch screen. Samsung traditionally announces new Note series devices in the fall, so it is possible it might launch a larger screen around the same time Apple’s new models hit the market. But Bob O’Donnell, head of Technalysis Research, said the reported trio of new iPhones was “a very logical extension of the product line” for Apple: “One bigger, one cheaper, and one upgrade to the existing iPhone X.” The Cupertino-based company earlier this month forecast disappointing revenue of $60 billion to $62 billion for its fiscal second quarter ending in March, with a number of media reports pointing to slack demand for iPhone X after unit sales failed to meet expectations in the run-up to Christmas. With global smartphone sales roughly flat, vendors are focusing on features designed to encourage consumers to ditch their old phones earlier than they would have previously. “The whole nature of smartphone purchase decisions have changed,” O’Donnell said. “It’s not about what is the newest, greatest model. It’s about when is my phone so old I need to upgrade, and what’s available when I need a new one.” Samsung on Sunday unveiled its flagship Galaxy S9 smartphone with an emphasis on visual applications for social media, improved cameras, and an artificial intelligence-powered voice tool. Bloomberg said the body of the larger phone will be about the same size as the iPhone 8 Plus, but the screen will be about an inch larger than 8 Plus’s, thanks to edge-to-edge design. Apple also plans a gold-colored device to help boost sales in Asia, Bloomberg reported. Apple is also preparing an update to the regular-sized iPhone X, Bloomberg said, adding that the phones are expected to use next-generation A12 processors and will continue to include stainless steel edges and will be Apple’s high-end smartphone offerings. What remains unclear is whether Apple will also cut any current iPhone models from its lineup. The company has kept older models like the iPhone SE - essentially an updated iPhone 5 - on shelves to an unprecedented degree, providing lower-priced offerings for developing markets like India. Apple has also embraced the used iPhone market as a way to expand its share of smartphone users. When customers sell their old iPhone for a new one, the old iPhone “winds up with another customer somewhere else that is perfectly fine with having a previously owned iPhone,” CEO Tim Cook told investors on an earnings call earlier this month.
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English THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Thrice is he arm’d that hath his quarrel just. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616) Henry VI, Part 2, III. ii STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student, Your chances of examination success are significantly greater for you who have been preparing all along. If you are exposed to and practised in proper study and examination techniques, then you are better off than those who are not. Work hard; there is no substitute for it. Grasp your subject matter solidly; desist from relying on inspiration. Know that study techniques on their own would not see you through; couple them with a solid grounding of subject matter. Be wise. Love you. GRAMMAR Making verbs agree with their subjects 1. A verb should agree in person and number with its subject. Here are some verb-subject situations that may cause you difficulty. 2. a) Use is, was, has and their contractions with subjects in the third person singular. b) Use are, were, have, and their contractions with all plural subjects. If the subject is I,
use am, was, have, and their contractions. He is here. The boys aren’t here. I am here. 3. Always use a plural verb with the pronoun you. Sandra, you are booked. Girls, you are booked. 4. Use don’t with the subject pronoun I; use doesn’t with subjects in the third person singular. Use don’t with all plural subjects. I don’t know the key word. These towels don’t look clean. She doesn’t know him. Doesn’t Randy Simon live there? 5. Do not be misled by an introductory there. It is not the subject. There are no books. (Books, the plural subject, needs the plural are.) 6. If a predicate nominative differs in number from the subject, make the verb agree with the subject, not the predicate nominative. Her favourite gift is magazines. Magazines are her favourite gift. 7. i. Use a plural verb with many or both. Though the following use is found: The two-some, many a: Many a (is used with) a singular verb: Many a famous soldier has been buried there. ii. Use either a singular or a plural verb with any, such, or none, depending upon their meaning in the sentence. Has any of the mail been opened? Have any of the letters been opened? Something to Do Choose the correct verb for each sentence that follows. 1. (Don’t, Doesn’t) Guppy live near Sandra? 2. They (was, were) an hour late. Time (doesn’t, don’t) mean much to them. 3. It (doesn’t, don’t) seem right. Thirteen cookies (are, is) not many for your darling. 4. My first choice (is, are) those blue berries. 5. (Have, has) anyone in your household lost a gold watch? 6. here (go, goes) the Sunday School Superintendent. 7. It (don’t, doesn’t) matter how much it (cost, costs); I need it. 8. (Was, were) you looking for Maisie? 9. (Have, Has) any of the gifts been opened? 10. There (are, is) no Johnny Splice living here. LAST WEEK’S SOLUTIONS 1. Possessive Pronouns The use of possessive pronouns 1. One benefit of this equipment is that it’s easy to operate. 2. Alan, whose signature is on this cheque? 3. No, it’s not too late to order the Screen Writer II programme for your word processor. 4. Whose voice is that on the loudspeaker? GOOD WRITING: Communicating for results The correct word in brackets 1. Ask for a copy of Frank and Simon’s report to their supervisor on projected sales for next year. [one report from both owners] 2. The estimated income for my son-in-law’s business next year is $30,000,000. (The apostrophe is put upon the word ‘law’, not the person.) 3. Ms Bimm’s and Mr Paul’s new franchise operations, which each purchased within the past five months, are doing very, very well. (Two owners of two operations.) The Passage Read the passage, and then answer questions that follow. It is the opinion of my grandmother, God bless her, that all men should labour, and at the table, a moment ago, she said to me: You must learn to do some good work, the making of some item useful to man, something out of clay, or out of wood, or metal, or cloth. It is not proper for a young man to be ignorant of an honourable craft. Is there anything you can make? Can you make a simple table, a chair, a plain dish, a rug, a coffee pot? Is there anything you can do? And my grandmother looked at me with anger. I know, she said, you are supposed to be a writer, and I suppose you are. You certainly smoke enough cigarettes to be anything, and the whole house full of smoke, but you must learn to make solid things, things that can be seen and touched…. (William Saroyan’s “The Shepherd’s Daughter”) The Questions Give the meaning of the following terms as clearly as you can express yourself: opinion, labour, something, anger, supposed, craft, ignorant, writer. Why does the writer say of his grandmother “God bless her” in the first line? Does he believe in a God? What do you think about his demeanor? Describe “good work” in the third line according to the grandmother, in two separate sentences. Give two sentences of your own that can describe the grandmother’s attitude to the grandson who is a writer?
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Bollywood news
Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles to remember Sridevi Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) festival will pay homage to Bollywood diva Sridevi by screening one of her biggest hits 'Chandni'. The festival will open on April 11 with ‘In the Shadows’, starring Manoj Bajpayee as a reclusive shopkeeper who vows to rescue his young neighbor from abuse at the hands of his father. The film also features Ranvir Shorey, Neeraj Kabi, Shahana Goswami. Rima Das’ ‘Village Rockstars’ will close the five-day-long movie extravaganza on April 15. This year the festival will feature four world premieres, three North American premieres, two US premieres, and 14 Los Angeles premieres. “This year’s lineup is a testament to the
Hansal Mehta’s “Omerta”, featuring Rajkummar Rao as notorious real-life terrorist Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and
rich variety of genre, style and skill that exists within the Indian filmmaking community. We’re enormously proud to present this collection of exciting, inspiring, and challenging stories that are sure to make for a thrilling festival experience,” IFFLA’s Director of Programming Mike Dougherty said in a statement.
“The Ashram”, directed by Ben Rekhi and starring Sam Keeley, Melissa Leo, and Kal Penn are also part of the line-up.
Braised Chicken with Pineapple
Akshay Kumar and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announce Asmita initiative on Women's Day
The Maharashtra government, under the Asmita scheme, will facilitate easy access to sanitary napkins for adolescent girls in all districts of Maharashtra. This initiative was announced by Akshay Kumar and the Chief Minister Of Maharashtra at an event in Mumbai. Taking forward their narrative of women-friendly governance, the department of Rural Development will be conducting awareness campaigns in districts of Maharastra. Actor Akshay Kumar, who was advocating a similar cause with his film ‘PadMan’, congratulated the Chief Minister for taking up this initiative. “Congrats to the Maharashtra Government & Hon. CM @Dev_Fadnavis ji & @ Pankajamunde ji for the launch of #Asmita scheme on #WomensDay to make sanitary
pads available to girls & women from rural areas at very subsidized rates,” he said in his post. The government will be making it affordable by increasing usage from 17 to 70 percent by giving a pack of 8 napkins to Zilla Parishad school girls for only Rs 5. Apart from this, sanitary pads will be available in almost every village and will be sold by women of self-help groups. The government launched a state-wide campaign to provide low-cost sanitary napkins to every school girl in government schools across the state. In addition to school-girls, the Maharashtra government will also provide sanitary napkins to women in rural communities at 62 paise per pad.
Ingredients 3-3 1/2 lb chicken 1-2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 oz margarine 1-2 onions, chopped 4 tbsp chopped eschalot 4 tbsp chopped celery 1 oz flour 3/4 pt stock made from the chicken giblets or 1 chicken stock cube 1 tsp Chinese or soy sauce 1 tsp tomato ketchup pinch of nutmeg 1 small pineapple, sliced 2 large tomatoes, skinned and chopped chopped parsley to garnish Method 1 Clean and wash the chicken in a solution of lemon juice or vinegar and water. 2 Dry the chicken on a clean towel. 3 Joint the chicken.
4 Season with salt, pepper and a little of the chopped garlic. 5 Heat the margarine in a frying pan without browning. 6 Fry chicken until slightly brown, cooking legs and breast first. 7 Remove chicken from pan and place in an ovenproof dish. 8 Skim off any brown bits from the pan. 9 Add chopped onion, garlic, eschalot and celery and fry. 10 Blend in flour, stock, Chinese or soy sauce, tomato ketchup and nutmeg. Pour over chicken. Cover with lid or foil. 11 Place dish in oven at 400 degrees and cook for 20 minutes. 12 Remove lid, arrange sliced pineapple and chopped tomatoes on top and leave to cook uncovered for a further 15 minutes. 13 Decorate with chopped parsley. Serves 4-6
Entertainment
Lisa Bonet Speaks Out About Bill Cosby's "Sinister, Shadow Energy"
It's been 26 years since the last episode of The Cosby Show aired, and now Lisa Bonet is speaking out about her onscreen dad, Bill Cosby For years, Bonet has kept quiet about the allegations made against her disgraced co-star, while a few of the other cast members have come out defending Cosby, including Phylicia Rashad and Malcolm Jamal Warner. But in an interview with Net-a-Porter's PORTEREdit, she opens up about how she really felt about him. Asked whether she knew
Khloe Kardashian Shares Tips to "Look Thin" in Photos Khloe Kardashian is sharing her tips on how to “have a sick bod” in social media pictures. In a post on her app entitled “5 Hacks to Look Thin AF in Photos,” the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star gives her fans advice on what to wear, what to avoid and how to pose for pics. “Dolls, you know I’ve never met a filter I didn’t like and I don’t hate on Photoshop, but there are even more stealth ways to look like you have a sick bod in pics,” Khloe writes. “My tips really work, too!” Khloe continues. “Study up below and get ready for your Insta comments to blow the f*ck up, lol!” Let’s take a look at all of Khloe’s tips below: 1. Hide Behind You Squad: The first tip Khloe gives is to hide behind your pals in photos. She says that you can "literally halve yourself" by "strategically" getting close to your BFFs. 2. Have the Photographer Shoot From Above:
Khloe writes that you should only allow the person taking the picture of you to shoot from above because it's the "only flattering angle." 3. Stick Out Your Chin: Khloe tells fans to stick out their chin in photos and “just say no to double-chin vibes!” 4. Use Your Arms and Shoulders: “Hands on hips,” Khloe writes. “Bonus points if you angle sideways and use your camera-facing arm. Shoulders back and away from ears. Always.” 5. Wear Black and Vertical Stripes: Khloe says to avoid wearing prints and horizontal stripes in photos because they “add instant bulk.” Khloe also offers a couple of bonus tips, telling her readers, “A spray-tan is your bestie and direct sunlight is your mortal enemy (squinting enlarges your jawline). If you’re sitting, cross your legs at your ankles so your thighs and calves look super slim. And, when in doubt, put a bag over your belly, like I did to hide my baby bump!”
about the sexual harassment allegations surrounding Cosby, the actress replies, "There was no knowledge on my part about his specific actions." Instead, she speaks about an energy that she felt from him—"that type of sinister, shadow energy" that can't be concealed. So, while she was not aware of the alleged incidents as they occurred, she always felt something about him was not right. About 60 different women have come out accusing Cosby of sexual assault, none of whom Bonet knew
of at the time. But had she known about the allegations, she would’ve spoken out about them sooner. “If I had anything more to reveal then it would have happened a long time ago,” she says. “That’s my nature. The truth will set you free.” The two actors are known to have had previous tensions in their professional relationship where Cosby did not approve of Bonet doing a nude scene while working with Mickey Rourke in the film Angel Heart, leading him to fire her over “creative differences.”
Now, Cosby is looking at a retrial for the sexual assault allegations, led by Andrea Constand, one of his victims, in the upcoming weeks. In response to his current situation, Bonet says “I don’t need to say, ‘I told you so’. I just leave all that to karma and justice and what will be.” Bonet seems confident that justice will be served, whatever the outcome will be. In the meantime, Cosby will be in court for the next few weeks facing his alleged victims as he awaits the court’s final ruling.
Barack Obama Discussing Netflix Production Deal Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama may be trying their hands at something new—Netflix! According to The New York Times, the 44th president of the United States and his right-hand woman may be heading into the world of entertainment by producing a series of "high-profile shows" for the streaming company. Per the report and others, the politician is currently in "advanced" negotiations to provide exclusive content to stream with his wife, but the format and further details have not yet been set. Netflix had no comment on the report. As the NYT described, the deal would provide Obama with another unfiltered connection to the public much like social media. On Instagram alone, he has already amassed more than 17 million followers. While he and Michelle are no strangers to being on television, producing is a brand new element in their high-profile careers. Since saying goodbye to the White House last year, the couple immediately took time out of the spotlight to travel. However, they did not forsake their public work, launching Obama.org on Inauguration Day and, last March, signing a deal with Penguin Random House for joint memoirs. Michelle’s book,
Becoming, is slated for a Nov. 13 release. As their potential foray into the Netflix world continues behind the scenes, Barack did pop up on one of the service’s newest series already, the monthly My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman. As the late-night alum’s first guest, the two wasted no time swapping stories. “President and Mrs. Obama have always believed in the power of storytelling to inspire,” senior adviser Eric Schultz told the newspaper. “Throughout their lives, they have lifted up stories of people whose efforts to make a difference are quietly changing the world for the better. As they consider their future personal plans, they continue to explore new ways to help others tell and share their stories.”