Easter Tradition 042314

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Easter Tradition

Easter Monday Extravaganza on 63 Beach EBONY NARPATTY/TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Every year thousands of people flock to 63 Beach to enjoy the fun and entertainment. Easter is the most prominent holiday celebrated in Guyana particularly on 63 Beach. People of all ages and walks of life gather together on the beach to enjoy the music, food, beverages and fun in the sun on 63 Beach. The weekend before Easter Monday people gather in the market square picking out fancy and attractive kites to fly. Others have already made their homemade kites one month in advance to participate in competitions. Young women and men shop at the local markets to pick up the latest trend in beach clothing. The trend usually consists of women wearing mini shorts, an upbeat strap top and a straw hat with sandals while men wear their baggy jeans, dress shirts or bright

T-shirts with a fancy cap and a bright smile on their face with gold teeth shining in the sun. LOL… Anyways… My article below titled “Easter Monday on 63 Beach was Splendid!” was extracted from the Guyana Chronicle May 2nd 2011. I am sharing this article to give you an idea of the traditional 63 Beach Easter Monday Extravaganza that takes place every year on Guyana’s hot spot.

So it was Easter Monday and everyone from across the country who love the annual fete prepared themselves with their colourful outfits, flip flops, sunshades, beach bags and even straw hats and headed out in their vehicles to experience the fun at 63 Beach.

There was a beautiful kaleidoscope of colours and a variety of unusual kites being flown in the sky by Guyanese chil-

dren to mark the third day from Good Friday, Christ’s crucifixion that Jesus had risen from the dead and will always watch over us from the heavens above.

The magnificent array of our Caribbean colours was truly marvellous to watch as the different kites soaring in the sky brought heartwarming smiles to the tourists on the beach. We are so blessed to own this powerful exotic beach. Partygoers, picnickers and revellers do not hesitate to take the opportunity to enjoy this superb vast beach, rated the largest Caribbean tourist beach that locals and foreigners flock to every Sunday and holidays.

Continued On Page 2

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TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Annual tradition Ebony Narpatty TC Reporter

Melissa,

22 - from Trinidad, is currently a fourth year student at the University of Toronto completing a double major in Criminology and Caribbean Studies.

When she’s not busy studying, Melissa enjoys baseball but academicwise she loves exploring the complexities and cultural contours of the societies that make up the Caribbean region as it continues to face revamped forms of colonialism and neo-imperialism, both domestically and on the international scale.

Continued From Page 1 -- A parachutist even crossed overhead towards the deep blue Atlantic placid waters that surrounded us that day. No high tide! Wow! It was a long and luxurious day at 63 Beach! People were enjoying the usual weekend sports such as Jet Ski rides, yachting and speed boating.

From an economic perspective there were more vendors than customers, meaning “Things brown boy!” Large beverage and beer companies, businesses and locals in the area all came out to sell. Reggae music had everyone dancing the night away. Even though I was running a small business on the beach I couldn’t help dancing to the rhythms that surrounded me and stole time to venture out on the beach to observe the various activities that were taking place. There were so many people and vehicles on the beach that it was difficult to move around. I believe the traffic police and the 63 Beach management committees could have done a better job allowing pedestrians a space to walk so as not to collide with the ongoing vehicular traffic that was slowly moving along the beach. One of my friends told me that it took him four hours to reach my stand as he had to crawl through the crowd to reach me. I

had a splendid time with family and friends and enjoyed the moment to its fullest. The aftermath of the excitement left a massive amount of litter strewn across the beach as there were no garbage bins in place nor TV commercials in advance to advise citizens on how to use the beach leaving only their footprints in the sand and not their garbage.

I believe a new beach management system should be put in place to regulate and zone this beautiful beach providing areas for activities and parking.

I hope you can plan your next trip with family and friends to 63 Beach on Easter Monday regardless of the flaws that still exist there. Both locals and tourists enjoy the sun, sand, waves and the fresh air from the Atlantic. So go out! Fly a Kite! Move to the music, get in the groove! Come out and Enjoy 63 Beach! I encourage everyone to experience a once in a lifetime magical moment on 63 Beach because no one does it like us!

Guyana is #1 for celebrating Easter on 63 Beach filling the air with laughter, music and merriment and that is the way it is supposed to be since we are celebrating the resurrection of Christ! I will always miss Easter on 63 Beach but I know I will return one day.

Easter in Guyana is like no other place in the world and I advise all to go out and have a grand time! Let’s stop with the boring North American Easter bunnies and chocolate egg hunts and bring the kids to Guyana to experience the true Caribbean flavour of flying colorful kites on 63 Beach. Guyana is proud of our magnificent Easter event! So… Party up! Cheers with ice cold beers in the sun on the beach!

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Corruption galore TRINIDAD -- The draft Procurement Bill, leaves procurement by the State and Stateowned companies wide open to corruption and is a “waste of time” in its present state, said Winston Riley, chairman of the Public Sector/ Civil Society Group on Public Procurement.

“You can burn the bill as it is a waste of time. There are loans from the international lending agencies for the procurement of goods, works and/or services that are outside of the remit of the Procurement Bill. We know that over 50 per cent of procurement for goods, works and services in our region is outside regulations. “With our approach of government to government it is about 70 per cent in T&T. So what are you having the Procurement Bill for?

We are wasting time,” he told the Guardian Sunday in a telephone interview.

In the first week of April, the Procurement Bill was brought to the Senate by Planning Minister Bhoe Tewarie, who said the bill would not be debated until three weeks have elapsed to allow time for public scrutiny and discussion. Tewarie said the bill was finally approved by the Legislative Review Committee (LRC) on March 17 and subsequently approved by the Cabinet on March 20.

Riley describes Clause 7 of the bill as “disturbing” and said this clause, which excludes government-to-government arrangements from the purview of the legislation, should be removed. “Clause 7 states that the act does not apply to the procurement of goods, works or services arising out of a treaty to which T&T is a party with one or more states or with an international lending agency. Any international treaty that has to do with goods or services is outside the bill.

“The Prime Minster just came back from China with billions of dollars worth of investment. There are other government-togovernment arrangements on the cards with Austria and Canada. There is the SNC Lavalin matter where the question of the sovereignty of the nation was in question. “If we allow countries to do what they want and choose who they want, then we have left out procurement itself.

The core issues in any procurement legislation

are accountability, transparency and the efficient use of public money.

“Just look at the massive expenditure spent on the National Academy for Performing Arts (Napa) and the Southern Academy for Performing Arts (Sapa) after they were opened.”

Riley said the issue of procurement legislation goes back many years. He said 35 years ago the then administration amended the Central Tenders Board Act to exclude government-togovernment contracts from the scrutiny of the Central Tenders Board.

As a result of that, the government was able to proceed with government-togovernment contracts. In an attempt to bypass the public sector slowness, administrations have also set up a plethora of special purpose state-owned enterprises “which destroyed all of our institutions responsible for the delivery of good, works and services utilising public money in T&T. Even now the boards are just areas where you distribute political patronage,” he said.

He said there were “shocking” things in the first two or three drafts of the bill. “The bill was a complete replica of several bills. It was highly regulatory, thus in contradiction with Parliament’s directives. The very foundation of the earlier versions of the draft bill was wrong in the first place.” He criticised the Opposition for asking the Government to set up a policy position on the bill as he said this had been done before.

“What has been surprising to us was that the Opposition asked the Government to put up a policy position which will carry the whole process backward. The White Paper was accepted as far back as the first budget speech of this Government. I do not wish to comment on why they did this.” Despite this, he said he is in discussions with the Government.

“The major objective is that Clause 7 must be deleted or redrafted before the bill comes for debate in Parliament. I am still in consultation with the Minister of Planning on this issue. We are still hoping changes and amendments will be made to the Bill before it is debated.” (Trinidad Guardian)

How a dehunidifier can help eliminate basement moisture problems The mild spring conditions GTA residents have recently experienced is a welcome retreat from the harsh bitter winter we’ve just endured. The spring thaw has eradicated most if not all of those unsightly snow banks, which gives Torontonians a clear indication that spring has finally arrived. There are likely numerous spring maintenance items on your checklist but keeping your basement dry is a critical component of home maintenance to fight against basement leaks, mould and overall property damage.

With the weather warming up outside your home, internal temperatures will need to be adjusted, and so will humidity levels. Warmer climate holds more moisture in the air and this affect can be felt inside the home, especially in the basement where humidity levels are highest. If you’ve noticed changes in your home’s air quality, it might be time for a dehumidifier which is one of the simplest yet most commonly overlooked basement waterproofing devices which can help ensure a dry basement throughout spring, summer, and year round.

A dehumidifier decreases the humidity levels by drying the air. Having a dehumidification system is not only an asset for your basement, but for your entire home’s air quality.

Even if you perceive your basement to be completely dry, a dehumidifier is capable of drying out moisture which is deeply imbedded within the small cracks of your basement and foundation. Left untreated, even small amounts of moisture can erode cracks and result in mould and mildew build-up beneath your crawl space and within your basement foundation. Dehumidifiers are an essential component of basement waterproofing.

Once it’s been established that you need a dehumidifier for your basement, either

due to obvious signs of moisture like when you smell mustiness, or not so obvious indicators like a humidity metre, there are really 2 types of dehumidification systems you can choose from; a condenser dehumidification system or a venting dehumidification system.

Condenser systems dry your basement by pulling the moist air and converting it to water. This collected water is considered a rather clean kind of greywater; not suitable for drinking, but acceptable for watering plants, though not garden vegetables. Some designs such as the ionic membrane dehumidifier disposes of the excess water in a vapour rather than liquid form. Most models require manual emptying of the drip output, and are equipped with sensors to detect overflow. Other models can be adapted to connect drip output directly to a drain via an ordinary garden hose. Some can even tie into plumbing drains or use a builtin water pump to empty themselves as they collect moisture.

Venting dehumidifiers skip the process of condensing the moisture into water; making them more energy efficient. They decrease humidity by venting the moist air back outside before it rises to the other levels of your house. Venting systems also have the advantage of dehumidifying and filtering your air at the same time, eliminating odour problems in your basement. Venting dehumidifiers have a powerful blowing motor that is strong enough to duct air into a finished basement space, while the unit itself can be tucked away in an unfinished part of your basement. Be sure to consult with basement waterproofing professionals for help in deciding which dehumidifier is right for your basements needs. (City Wide Group)

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

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4 Wednesday, April 23, 2013

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Rastas rally for legalisation of ganja JAMAICA -- Members of the Rastarian community Sunday braved the scorching sun as they marched from Half-Way-Tree to Trench Town in Kingston, as they joined the growing call for the legalisation of marijuana.

The group, which had gathered early at Mandela Park for what was dubbed a “Ganja Legalise It Day March and Motorcade”, left Half-Way-Tree just after 10:00 am as they made their way to St William Grant Park in downtown Kingston, and then to the Trench Town Culture Park for a rally.

The event, which was organised by Solomonic Productions and the Rastafarian Millennium Council, was well supported by the Rastarians who were adorned in their green, yellow and red while chanting “Jah Rastafari” and “Free up the ganja”, some carrying the Ethiopian flag.

One of the organisers, Maxine Stowe, said the Rastarians hope to be at the forefront of the discussion on ganja going forward, given the significance of the plant in their culture. Earlier this month, there was the official launch of the Ganja Future Growers and Producers Association which comprises political officials, medical entrepreneurs and academia who are currently lobbying for the lifting of the restrictions surrounding the use of cannabis.

“The debate is happening here in Jamaica and the Rastafarian community is the leading community in regard to the rights of ganja here. So we want to make sure that our community and our culture is protected as it is developed into a full-blown industry here in Jamaica,” Stowe said.

She said the Rastarians also wanted to ensure that the plant is not misused by those looking to gain from it financially.

“We don’t want no products to be developed like cigarettes that eventually came out of tobacco and made the thing cancerous. So we are also vigilant of all of this dissecting of the herb to make sure when you isolate the compounds, that you are not creating something that God didn’t ordain for the herb,” Stowe said.

She said the group has been in consultation with those who have been leading the talks on the legalisation of ganja, but they have not been in complete agreement

with some of their principles.

“We have been negotiating throughout all that time and have been present at all their launches and presenting our position papers to the Government and to the Ministry of Justice. We met with Minister Mark Golding and we gave him all of our points and we eventually submitted our ‘principles’ with regard to the legalisation and the use of the sacramental spaces, etc. We are expecting that within the policy development that that will come forward,” she added.

After their long walk, the Rastafarians were in a jubilant mood when they reached the Trench Town Culture Park and the unmistakably scent of ganja permeated the atmosphere as they partook in ritualistic dances, nyahbinghi chanting and drumming.

Then came presentations from several highprofile individuals, including veteran reggae artiste Neville ‘Bunny Wailer’ Livingston who said he was pleased with the increased attention ganja has been getting.

“I have been a lover of high-grade from I was as small as four years of age. My dadda used to be a high-grade dealer, so I know high-grade from before a lot of you people,” he said, adding that he was delighted that ganja is now the topic on ‘Babylon’s table’.

“I am proud and I am satisfied that although I don’t sell marijuana I am now going to be able to plant marijuana. Futuristically, I have 142 acres of land and we want more land because the amount of ganja that we are going to plant, Jamaica is not even big enough to hold it,” he said.

Meanwhile, Louis Moyston lamented the oppression of Rastafarians over the years for the use of ganja due to what he termed “Government bureaucracy, white supremacy and the church”. He also denounced claims that legalisation of ganja would inspire violence.

“A no ganja inspire violence; it is inequality and injustice [that] inspire violence and criminality and ganja must no longer be the scapegoat,” he told the rally. “[For] many people, it (ganja) is what keep them through their depression and what keep them to adjust to the reality of ‘Babylon’,” said Moyston. (Jamaica Observer)

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

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UK wants no role in Caribbean ganja debate ST. LUCIA -- The visiting British High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean says the United Kingdom does not have any role to play in the ongoing marijuana debate in the Caribbean “It’s not a debate that we have a role to play in although I know that it is raging wildly around the region,” High Commissioner Victoria Dean told reporters here.

Dean said she understood that there are different arguments at stake, with some people believing that marijuana can make an important contribution to the region.

However, she said it is an issue that needs to “run its course” in the Caribbean with “the right local players”.

Asked whether the final decision could affect the UK’s continuing contribution to helping to fight crime and effecting judicial reform in the region, Dean said whatever course is decided upon is one that the UK will have to respond to as it continues to work with the Caribbean in tackling crime, counter-narcotics and issues of a judicial nature.

“We are absolutely in tandem with the governments of the region, so this isn’t something we do on our own because it has a direct impact on countries in the region and a direct impact on the UK shores as well, so we would like to work along with the governments on any decision that they make,” the British diplomat said.

Last month, Caribbean Community (Caricom) leaders announced that they were creating a regional commission to analyse the possibility of legalising marijuana.

The announcement followed a two-day summit in which they discussed a preliminary report that found decriminalising medical marijuana could help boost the region’s economy.

St Lucia’s Prime Minister Dr Kenny Anthony has said that his administration cannot, at this point, take a position for or against the legalisation of marijuana. “It can’t be a yes or a no now, but equally we must be open to the findings of the commission,” he said. (CMC)

Chaguanas to crack down on errant land owners TRINIDAD -- Chaguanas mayor Gopaul Boodhan says the borough would be exercising the full powers of the corporation when dealing with abandoned lots. Speaking with the media at Endeavour, after touring 35 infrastructure projects that are being undertaken by the Chaguanas Borough Corporation, Boodhan said abandoned lots create many problems for neighbourhoods and are the nesting grounds for vermin, criminal elements and garbage.

He said the borough may very well accept the responsibility to clean these lots and charge the owners somewhere in the vicinity of $1,000 to undertake the work. He said the borough would first serve clean-up notices to landowners. “Nothing is wrong to buy land to speculate, but what is wrong is having those lots and not taking care of it,” the mayor said.

Mayor warns of elderly abuse Boodhan is urging burgesses to be on the

lookout for elder abuse. Boodhan said while the national community remains focused on child abuse, instances of elder abuse are still being swept under the carpet. He was at the time speaking with the media Sunday when he visited the Chaguanas Home for the Aged at Caroni Savannah Road. Boodhan said instances of elderly people being verbally and physically abused, harassed for their property and pension must be taken seriously.

He said the elderly must not be cast aside because they are no longer able to contribute as a result of their physical status.

The mayor said elderly people have a lot to contribute by way of experience, adding that in their youth, many of the elderly would have contributed towards the development of T&T into making this country what it is today. (Trinidad Guardian)

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Wednesday, April 23, 2014

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

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Pan Trinbago owes pannists $2m for Pan is Beautiful XII TRINIDAD -- Pan Trinbago still owes $2.1 million in prize money and trophies to steel orchestras and participants of the Pan is Beautiful XII national steelband festival, held in November 2013. Now five months since the competition, the participating steel bands intend to meet on Thursday 24 April 2014 to decide on what action they should take against festival organisers. The meeting will be hosted at the pan yard of third-place winners in the Single Pan Bands category, ‘D’ Original Woodbrook Modernaires, who are owed TT$70,000.

Pan Trinbago’s other creditors from the competition include first place winners in the Orchestras’ category, Codrington Pan Family; Golden Hands, winners of the Ensembles category and solo pannist Joshua Jabari Bedeau, who won the Soloists finals.

Emond Berkeley, an executive member of the ‘D’ Original Woodbrook Modernaires, explained that it was only after the festival had ended, that “Pan Trinbago people told us that they did not get the money from the ministry.”

“They are telling us that the Minister reneged on his promise to give them the money,” he continued, “but our point is that the funding should have been secured before they had any competition.” Contacted for comment, Minister of Arts and Multiculturalism, Dr Lincoln Douglas would not respond to a question of whether his ministry had, in fact, committed money to Pan is Beautiful XII. He said he would need to speak to Pan Trinbago to find out what they are saying about the ministry, after which he may need to issue a press release.

“I don’t want to speak,” he said, “until I have spoken to Pan Trinbago and to my staff.” But Berkeley said that a month before Carnival, participants were told by Pan Trinbago officials that meetings had been

arranged with the minister who was in the process of going to Cabinet for approval for the funds.

“It doesn’t seem that any money is forthcoming,” said Berkeley, adding that Pan Trinbago “should have been able to pay the money from the profit from The Greens,” their 2014 Carnival initiative designed to attract a younger audience by hosting a pooll n party and DJ music alongside the steel pan finals. “They are only depending on thee government and that cannot be the way forward,” he said.

Reflecting on the fact that thee theme of last year’s Pan is Beautiful XII wass Respect the Steelpan—Play it with Pride,, o Berkeley said that Pan Trinbago’s failure to pay prize money has been “totally disrespectful to us.” “We had to buy uniforms, providee g food for band members every night during practice… now we just want our money.”

Originally scheduled for Octoberr 2011, Pan is Beautiful XII was postponed,, among other reasons, because of “limited d funding” and recently at a prize-giving ceremony held in Port-of-Spain, Gerard Mendez, Chairman of the Pan Trinbago Northern n region, under which the Modernaires fall,, spoke of the challenges of dwindling corporate sponsorship. He said that one corporate sponsor had cut its commitment from m $100,000 to just $10,000.

Asked for comment on the nonpayment of participating bands in last year’ss d Pan is Beautiful XII festival, Mendez said that as the chairman of the northern region n he was not responsible for the payment off prize money for the competition. He said hee sympathized with bands who have not been n paid.

He suggested that questions be directed at the Pan Trinbago executive, butt neither Pan Trinbago President Keith Diazz

nor Vice President Byron Serrette, could be reached for comment. Calls to Pan Trinbago

Secretary Richard Forteau also went unanswered. (Trinidad Guardian)

GuySuCo ʻwithin sightʼ of 74,000-tonne first crop production target GUYANA -- Cheif Executive Officer (CEO) of the Guyana Sugar Corporation, Mr Raj Singh, has reported that GuySuCo’s production target for the first crop of sugar is within reach.

In an invited comment to this publication on Saturday, he disclosed that, to date, 62,000 tonnes of sugar have been produced; and once the weather holds, it is expected that the target of 74,000 tonnes would be achieved.

Singh noted that, except for Skeldon, Enmore and La Bonne Intention (LBI) estates, all GuySuCo estates are expected to complete harvesting in the first week of May. “The other estates — Skeldon and the East Demerara estates — are likely to complete their harvesting before the end of May,” he said.

The CEO reiterated that the industry depends on good weather conditions to meet its production targets. He said climate change has altered weather patterns, and this is affecting the industry’s output.

For example, he said, workers now have to make do with 80 or less opportunity days, whereas the industry used to enjoy 120 opportunity days. Accordingly, he said, climate change adaptation is a necessity.

In its review of the 2014 Budget, the National Assembly approved a $6B allocation for GuySuCo, which is deemed quintessential to the industry’s turnaround in that it is

expected to cover expenditures that include: conversion of 2,500 hectares of land to be suitable for mechanical operations, which will be done at a cost of $1.1B; and tillage and replanting of 9,200 hectares, to be done at a cost of $1B. Both efforts are consistent with improving cane production and yield. Upgrading of all sugar estates, including Skeldon, would cost $2B; and works on field infrastructure to improve field-to-factory access, besides purchasing of equipment, tractors excavators, bell loaders, and other purchases, would account for the remainder of the allocation.

The sugar industry employs approximately 16,000 workers during its peak periods, and facilitates about 1,500 cane farmers.

The industry is also the nation’s largest net foreign exchange earner, and a large proportion of its multi-billion-dollar revenue is circulated locally, thus enhancing many business enterprises.

Moreover, villages and communities surrounding the sugar estates also benefit from the industry’s expansive drainage network.

Government has said that, despite its challenges, the sugar industry remains relevant to the health of the national economy.

In 2013, sugar exports valued at US$112.2M accounted for 8.3 per cent of total exports, and the industry contributed 3.9 per cent of the country’s GDP. (Guyana Chronicle)

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Archbishop says only words of Jesus can save T&T TRINIDAD -- Archbishop Joseph Harris says capital punishment and new crime plans cannot make the transformation that is needed in T&T, only the words of Jesus Christ can do that for our society. Harris, delivering the homily at the annual Glorious Saturday mass, at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral on Harris Promenade in San Fernando on Saturday night, urged parishoners to re-commit their faith in the resurrection of Christ and the power of his words.

He told the faithful, all of whom gathered for the solemn mass to mark the period before Jesus’s resurrection on Easter Sunday, that they must keep “the words of Jesus alive so that they continue to inform and transform our attitudes and our actions.” This, he said, is important to us in T&T. However, Harris lamented that the transformation is needed in our society but, “we are like those thirsty persons who seek water in a cracked cistern (water receptacle) that provides no water.”

“Capital punishment and new crime plans are like those cracked cisterns.

They do not provide living water which facilitates new life. It is the pursuit of Jesus

who keeps his words alive in our hearts, who generates new life,” he said.

The archbishop, who prayed for the nation’s wellbeing, said, “By keeping the words of Jesus alive in hearts and in our minds that we will regenerate our moral and spritual values which our nation seems to lack at this moment.” The service, which is a key fixture on the Roman Catholic calender, began with a candlelight vigil as all the church lights were switched off.

After the singing of hymns and rejoicing in Christ’s resurrection, the candle flames were extinguished and parishoners listened to seven solemn scripture readings, each followed by hymns. At the end of the final reading from the Gospel of Matthew, which spoke of the angel’s instruction to Mary of Magdala and the other Mary to inform the disciples of Christ’s resurrection, all the lights in the church were switched on and the church bells chimed simultaneously, expressing the joy that Christ had risen.

Harris issued a special plea to parents to remember that they have a tremendous responsibility in their homes to raise their children with the words of Christ.

“Your homes must be schools in which your children learn to love the words of Jesus and learn to let the living words of Jesus inspire them to good things.

All homes, my dear parents, must be habit forming. May the habit of listening to God’s word be formed in your children who are the future of this beloved nation of ours,” Harris prayed.

At Saturday night’s mass the converted and those who accepted the holy Sacrament were baptised into the Roman Catholic faith. Harris, in his message to the ones who would have received the sacraments of initation, said they must commit themselves so that “these words of Jesus will become flesh in your words and your actions and attitude in rejecting satan from today.”

(Trinidad Guardian)

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

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TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Grandma Marthaʼs 103rd birthday Ebony Narpatty TC Reporter My Grandma Martha Regina Bunwarie was born on April 3rd, 1911 and resides at No. 64 Village. She is 103 years old and looks as awesome as ever! She still has the strength to be self-sufficient and enjoys relaxing during the day reading novels instead of minding other people’s business, which is something I admire about her. She lives with her granddaughter, a talented seamstress for myself and the community. She takes care of Grandma Martha who she calls “Granny”. Granny is famously known as a nice quiet elder in our society, speaking words of wisdom and sharing wonderful old stories about how 64 village was long ago. I can vividly remember visiting her, like little red riding hood, taking fresh fruits to her and listening to stories every now and then when I would have time off from my busy life filled with school projects, family business, and taking part in organisations to enhance the community.

I would sit by Grandma Martha’s side while she told me stories of my grandfather Mr. George Brijbassi’s rice mill and how beautiful and productive it was back then in “Ye Olden Days” Smiles… I can just imagine it. Men working hard in the rice mill drying paddy in the large concrete yard, chickens running around, my dad and his siblings making noises as children on the estate and my maternal grandmother “Poolbass” (her name meaning “Flower”) always busy taking care of her children, the rice mill workers and anyone who would stop by.

She always had extra paddy bags and other things to give away freely without a harsh word. My Grandfather, Mr. George Brijbassi on the other hand, was a strict man, a busy businessman attending regular rice marketing board meetings in Skeldon. Funny to say my Grandma Martha was witness to an incident my two aunts had when growing up. One did not want to lend the other her bicycle and she lamented “The girl didn’t take her mother nor her father,” meaning my grandparents were considered the finest and cooperative people in society and do not see how children grow up wayward with their own minds. My dad and Grandma Martha would tell me about Christmas in local 64 town area in Guyana. Around her time and my dad’s i.e.: 2 generations before and after, there was a masquerade party along the streets to celebrate the coming of Christmas.

This was the local carnival that existed back in the British Colonial Days. Her nephew would play the long lady on the sticks walking up and down, parading in a funny colourful outfit. I can just imagine that. It would have been something nice to see. I

wish that I could have seen this era to see how beautiful Guyana was. When I called to wish my Grandma a Happy Birthday, I asked about the old “Guest House” that still stands, looking ghastly by the entrance of the 63 beach. I asked, “What was the name of the old “Guest House” in the British days?”

She answered, “Essex House and it has been standing there for more than 100 years”. She claims the Post Office and many other government buildings and houses in the area are over 100 years old. I wonder why a Politics professor at the University of Guyana, living in the area would claim that the Guest House was once called “Barclays Bank” when describing the demographics of the 63 Beach area in a recent project???

Grandma Martha would tell me stories about how Guyana was very beautiful, flourishing with wealth, happiness and development in the British Days of Guyana.

“Everything was running so well, everyone got along well and everything was done according to the laws and procedures that made Guyana successful in the British Days,” she would remind me from time to time. What I love about my Grandma Martha is that I am not her own blood but she treats me as if I am her own as she treats everyone kindly in the village. She always welcomes everyone with a big smile and is not edgy like some older ladies that I know of and she is far older than they are! Wow! 103! A real milestone to achieve indeed! She keeps her hair short and always wears different, clean, flowered dresses and smells as fresh as a newborn baby. She enjoys the company of anybody sitting by her side, having a priceless conversation that will be remembered in history.

I can recall her 100th birthday. It was truly a very special day. There was music, people dancing, drinking, eating, and enjoying the excitement that filled the air. It was a lovely vibrant atmosphere. The birthday party was a special time for me as well. It was the first time my dad and I slow danced. It was our first father/daughter dance and I felt close to my father even though times were difficult in our lives. I guess it is memories like these that are golden and should always be cherished. My Grandma Martha wore a beautiful white laced dress with pearls and a fancy hairdo, looking gorgeous as ever. The night faded away into darkness but it was a celebration to remember with laughter, happiness and delighted souls that filled the event of the evening.

Some questions that would cross your minds to hear that someone lived to see 103 and over would be…

What does she eat? Well now that Granny has turned 103, she only eats porridge, cornmeal, barley, floured foods such as roti, bread, steamed fish, mashed potatoes, eddoes and provision soup. Back in the day she use to eat a lot of provision i.e.: eddoes, cassava, plantain, yams, and sweet potatoes ROASTED! Yes that is the secret. Staying away from fried foods will help you to live longer.

What are her hobbies and what is it that helps her live such a long life? As I mentioned before she loves reading and she is a very happy person. Grandma Martha always has a smile painted on her face and loves staying positive, engaging in constructive conversations. She likes remembering Guyana’s local history and sharing it.

How does she remember so much about her life? Her memory is amazing. I guess she is blessed to be that way. While some people can hardly remember what we were taught in high school, others remember every single detail and incident. She worked hard in the rice fields, cutting grass, clearing the large vastness of the Savannahs. She was a mid-wife if a nurse was not around in the village to deliver babies. She would take care of the mother and baby for 9 days. She planted provision and dried fish on a cutille (stand) in the hot Guyana sun so that they could roast the fish and eat it with bread or make fish choka to go with the provision.

Yes Granny was a hard working lady but it paid off because now she has a story to tell about her life instead of being a desperate housewife at home who has nothing much to say about their lives. She was a cook for the Skeldon Estate, long ago in the British days receiving good wages for her labour and she was not asked to work overtime. 8-3 shift meant 8-3! She was paid on a regular basis, not like today where the Guyanese governments hold back people’s pay for months and they have to try to survive by making their salary last for 2 months, meaning that it has lost value, becoming meager wages.

I can go on and on about Grandma Martha and all of her interesting stories… I do plan to write about her again in my future book on Guyana. All that I have to say is that it is sad that Guyana is not like it was long ago. It was a lively place to live with unity and harmony surrounding people’s everyday lives and allowing them to look forward to another day of success and happiness. Today, if you walk around 64 village, it is like a ghost town, a very depressing place to be.

It is only the school children that make the area bright. I do hope like Grandma Martha, my parents and other people in Guyana, particularly overseas Guyanese wish for the “British day ruling” to come back again, but if this is impossible I suggest that we have another neutral government to step in so that we can move forward with development and be the country we once were living in unity, equality and prosperity. Imagine we were once the breadbasket of the Caribbean. I do want to wish my Grandma Martha a Happy Belated Birthday. Eat a piece of leftover cake for me and I hope that you have a very successful year ahead filled with laughter, jokes, old stories, constructive conversations and engaging with local folks in the area. God Bless you Grandma Martha! You are one in a million. Wishing you many more birthdays.

Love your granddaughter in Canada Ebony Narpatty (Brijbassi).

Wednesday, April 23, 2014 11

12 Wednesday, April 23, 2014

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

President Ramotar says...

GUYANA -- President Donald Ramotar contends that the Parliamentary opposition parties’ cut of $37.4B from the 2014 Budget last week is mind boggling, considering the impact of the allocations on the socio-economic development of the Guyanese people, and the nation as a whole.

Spotlighting the negative signals being sent to investors, President Ramotar said: “There is a lot of sympathy being shown to us at this point in time from many of these investors, in recognizing the efforts that are being made to hold down and slow down development (by the Opposition).”

The Head of State noted that while his Government continues to engage investors to request their understanding, the current administration remains committed to ensuring development of the Guyanese people, and by extension Guyana.

Several investors have pulled out of local ventures because of the political hullaballoo and its diverse impact on the investment climate.

In January, Muri Brasil Ventures stated that misinformation, prejudice and hostility were the key factors in their decision to scrap a local investment venture. The company will no longer pursue its geographical and geophysical survey under the Permission for Geographical and Geophysical Survey (PGGS) in the New River Triangle area, which was granted by the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

Muri Brasil Ventures, in a statement, said: “Although the process was legal and transparent, this decision is due to the misinformation, prejudice and hostility to this proposed survey by persons and agencies which are fostering an adverse investment climate in Guyana.”

That decision, made on December 30, 2013, makes the company the latest major investor Guyana has lost. However, the Head of State stressed that Government will do all it can to continue to encourage investors.

“Our country is open to investment, local and foreign, so that we can improve our capacity; so we can expand on the goods and services that we give to our people,” Ramotar stressed.

Of recent, the major transformational projects that have been the source of much disagreement between the Government and the Opposition parties include: The Amaila Falls Hydro-power Project (AFHP), the Specialty Hospital, and the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA) Expansion project.

Over the last three years, under President Ramotar’s term in office, the parties have flipflopped with their support of these projects.

Support for Hydro

In the 2014 Budget considerations, both parties supported the allocation of $1.3B for the provision of the Amaila access road and related structures under the Ministry of Public Works’ 2014 budgetary allocation.

However, the $16.8B for the actual project, which was listed under the Ministry of Finance’s 2014 allocation, was disapproved by the parties.

The project involves construction of a hydropower plant in the area of west-central Guyana, where the Amaila and Kuribrong rivers meet. Electricity produced at the plant will be delivered to Guyana’s capital, Georgetown, and its second largest town, Linden.

The AFHP is expected to result in substantial savings to the nation’s coffers, particularly in terms of foreign exchange and the purchase of heavy fuel oil.

The potential benefits of a more stable and reliable source of energy via the advancement of hydro-electricity has, last December, been spotlighted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) as an area for continued focus.

President Ramotar’s position on the matter is that economies must serve the people, not vice versa; and with an expected saving of $9B in electricity subsidies, as well as savings on the $40B fuel bill, enormous contributions can be made to the infrastructural development, particularly needed in Guyana’s hinterland to aid and accelerate economic progress.

On July 18 last year, the combined opposition defeated the Hydro Electric Power (Amendment) Bill.

In August, the Government brought the issue back to the National Assembly and received the support of the Alliance For Change (AFC), but A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) voted the bill and motion down.

Contracts inked This year, $910M budgeted for the design, construction and equipping of the Specialty Hospital under the Regional and Clinical Services budget of the Ministry of Education were voted down.

However, at the commencement of the 10th Parliament, the House approved allocations for the project, which resulted in the Government entering legally binding contracts for which mobilisation advances were already paid.

A 12-month contract has already been inked with consultant VIKAB Engineering Consultants Limited and contractor Surendra Engineering Corporation Limited.

To date, the consultant has been paid some $34.4M and the contractor was paid $878.5M. The structural designs for the project have been completed, while the archi-

tectural designs are currently being reviewed.

On site, physical progress has been seen on the essential site preparation, which is some 75 per cent completed. On the building’s foundations, 361 piles have been supplied and 235 piles have been driven. Works are continuing.

The Specialty Hospital was expected to deliver enhanced specialised health services to the Guyanese nation, offer reduced cost for specialised surgical interventions, and promote a healthier population.

The project also features some scope for health tourism.

Possible penalties The Government now faces a similar challenge with the CJIA works as with the Specialty Hospital, since contracts have already been inked and entered into, with monies already advanced to contractors.

Guyana may lose the US$20.7M already invested in the project, and could face further penalties if the project experiences more delays and there is a breach of the contract Government has with the contractor, China Harbour Engineering Company.

The contractor has completed tests with respect to the construction of the 1,000 metres of runway lengthening. In addition, all geotechnical, geological and other engineering evaluations have been completed.

Additionally, a contract has been issued for the consulting engineers to provide oversight of the project.

The project features three components: (a) construction of a new terminal building measuring 16,000 square metres.

This building will have eight passenger boarding bridges and two elevators, as well as CCTV and departure control systems. (b) Extension of the main runway by 3,500 feet to a final length of 10,500 feet, which will increase CJIA’s capacity to facilitate the landing of Boeing 747-400 aircraft; and (c) the construction of eight international parking positions.

Last year, several countries expressed interest in Guyana’s push to develop a new international airport, according to Public Works Minister Robeson Benn.

The minister led a small delegation to the 38th International Civil Aviation Organisation’s General Assembly in Montreal, Canada. Representatives from Nigeria, Indonesia and other African countries quizzed Minister Benn on the opportunities that could be derived from the project.

In-depth discussions were also held with Princess Stella Adaeze-Oduah, Nigeria’s Aviation Minister.

The project is being partially funded by a US$130M loan from China, with the rest

coming from the public treasury. It is scheduled for completion in August 2015.

Appeal In the National Assembly last Wednesday, Finance Minister Dr. Ashni Singh appealed to Opposition MPs to be wary of the signals their positions on major developmental projects will send investors.

He pointed out that all of the developmental partners on some of the major projects have indicated that a signal of political support would be useful in convincing their own principals to move ahead with the projects.

“It is hard for Guyana to say to our partners, ‘Approve the financing for the project,’ when we in Guyana seem uncertain,” Singh said.

The minister made it clear that Government has no problem subjecting any of the major projects to any degree of scrutiny by the National Assembly.

He said, “We are happy to share any document, most of which we have done….

We are happy to provide any detail asked for.

My appeal is: bear in mind the signal we send to the rest of the world. “…there is no shortage of willingness to talk…that offer for questions to come remains open. We have no difficulty to continue discussion. “…when this House, last year, showed even some reluctance, that signal of tentativeness lost us several months and placed the partnership in jeopardy….

“A single signal of uncertainty can derail a project and demand a Herculean effort to keep on the rails.”

Singh pointed out that it was to Guyana’s good fortune that the country was able keep its development partners engaged.

“Another signal of tentativeness would do immeasurable and irreparable harm,” he stressed.

Unfortunately, the Finance Minister’s appeal for the developmental projects not to be derailed went unheard. The combined Opposition, in the end, voted to cut the 2014 Budget by $37.4B, reducing it from $220B to $186.2B. Last year the combined Opposition cut the Budget by $31B. In 2012, they cut it by $21B. This year’s cuts are the largest since the commencement of the 10th Parliament, and this is the third year of cuts under President Donald Ramotar’s term in office.

The Government is currently assessing its legal options, according to President Ramotar, to deal with what he has termed “unconstitutional” reductions of the 2014 Budget. (Guyana Chronicle)

14 Wednesday, April 23, 2014

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Ian Pantin, Patrice Roberts split- Artiste says she accepts the experience as just that Aba Luke Entertainment After merely two months of managing HD performer, Patrice Roberts, reports indicate that Ian Pantin has resigned the post of manager, this following a meeting between Patrice, her attorney and Pantin some two and a half weeks ago.

Diplomatically, Patrice Roberts told us that she accepts the experience as just that- an experience. She said Mrs. Montano, mother of soca megastar, Machel Montano has told her that every experience is a learning one, despite the fact that the best initial decision may not have been made. In an interview with EBUZZ this morning, a very introverted Roberts said she is not looking for a manager at this time and will rely on the assistance of Narissa Strong and Mrs. Montano to aid with bookings. “I

leave him (Ian Pantin) and all who’ve been unjust to me, in the hands of God,” said Roberts, going on to describe Pantin as unpredictable. “I really went into the situation in a positive light, hoping for success and a fruitful partnership for him and I, given the fact that he had just come out of a situation. I had put all my trust in him but not every situation you go into is the best one for you,” she rationalised. Patrice said she can now relate to situations of the recent past in which Pantin’s name had been called. She however refused to go into further detail on what had sparked Pantin’s decision.

Explaining that her solo career is not managed by Elizabeth Montano because the senior Montano has chosen to take a backseat where such matters are concerned, Roberts told us that even Farmer Nappy is managed and assisted by a separate team, outside of the HD team’s management. Not perturbed too much by the current scenario, Roberts said she will continue to meet her commitments with promoters in the coming weeks. “I’m performing in Toronto on the 19th and then I’ll be back in Trinidad to perform at an event at the Hyatt.

I head to Jamaica after that for a perfor-

mance with the band and then I continue my solo shows in New York, Orlando and Bermuda,”she explained, adding that fans can also expect to see more videos and social media updates soon.

Patrice admitted that she is in the process of organising her team, explaining that friend and videographer, Titan VCD is no longer a part of her professional career. She said they will always maintain their friendship but disclosed that Titan is now a part of Bunji and Fay-Ann’s camp and as such he will be obligated to traveling with them.

Having celebrated her 29th birthday on April 11th, Patrice told EBUZZ that she’s happy to have accomplished so much in her career at this age, adding that she celebrated her special day with friends, family and loved ones.

“It was fun!,” she said with a lighthearted voice.

Promoters wishing to book Patrice Roberts will now have to email, bookpatriceroberts@gmail.com, contact Narissa Strong by emailing grandison03@hotmail.com or Elizabeth Montano via email at ladymontano1@gmail. com. (EtceteraBuzz.com)

16 Wednesday, April 23, 2014

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Mind games at the Oval BARBADOS -- Jamaica captain Tamar Lambert ripped up the form book and gathered his third first-class hundred to fortify his side’s position against Barbados in their Headley/Weekes semifinal here Sunday.

Lambert shrugged off his patchy form this season to hit the top score of 121 to be the rock upon which his side built a first innings total of 302 on the second day of the match at Kensington Oval, for a lead of 57.

The 33-year-old Lambert reached his hundred from 164 balls, when he slog/swept a delivery from beanpole left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn over mid-wicket for the third of his four sixes.

He put on 114 for the seventh wicket with Dave Bernard Jr that took the steam out of the Barbadians and restored stability to their innings, after they slumped to 140 for six in the first hour after lunch.

Bernard supported with 42, Jermaine Blackwood made 37, John Campbell got 31, and night-watchman Damion Jacobs added 21.

Benn was the pick of the Barbados bowlers with five for 102 from 35 overs, offspinner Ashley Nurse captured two for 47 from 16 overs, and Fidel Edwards took two for 58 from 12 overs.

Batting again in their second innings, Barbados reached 18 for one, with Kraigg Brathwaite not out on seven, and Shai Hope unbeaten on five.

Left-arm pacer Sheldon Cottrell gave the Jamaicans a further boost, when he had lefthanded opener Omar Phillips caught behind for two.

Earlier, Jamaica, starting the day on 52 for one, were dismissed about half-hour before the close, following a pivotal hundred from

Lambert that also included a dozen fours from 173 balls in 220 minutes.

Left-handed opener Campbell, who was not out on 25 overnight, was lbw to Benn for 31, essaying a sweep in the first half-hour of the day.

Jacobs frustrated the Barbadians for close to an hour before he was caught at sillypoint, leaving Jamaica 98 for three.

Jamaica stumbled to 117 for four at lunch, when Andre McCarthy was caught at midwicket off Nurse for a duck just before the players left the field.

After the interval, Jermaine Blackwood was adjudged caught at silly point off Benn for 37, with television replays suggesting the ball had struck the turf first.

The Jamaicans were on the ropes, when Lambert, on 20, was dropped by Benn, but Carlton Baugh Jr (10) was run out, backing up too far when the ball ricocheted from the hands of the bowler.

Bernard came to the crease and with Lambert they resurrected their side’s chances in keeping with the religious holiday being celebrated around the world on the day, with a steady partnership that carried their side to 217 for six at tea.

After the break, they put the Jamaicans in the lead before Bernard was lbw to Edwards, triggering another period of instability that left the visitors wobbling on 264 for nine.

But Lambert farmed the strike in a last-wicket stand of 38 with Cottrell to reach his milestone and earn his side three valuable batting points, taking their aggregate for the match so far to six, two more than the home team.

Under tournament rules, the side that eith her wins or accumulates the most points either in n the semi-final will qualify for the final of the tournament which has now been

re-scheduled to start on Saturday.

Scoreboard BARBADOS 1st Innings 245 JAMAICA 1st Innings (overnight 52 for one) N Bonner lbw b Nurse 26 J Campbell lbw b Benn 31 D Jacobs c Phillips b Benn 21 J Blackwood c Phillips b Benn 37 A McCarthy c K Brathwaite b Nurse 0 *T Lambert c C Brathwaite b Benn 121 +C Baugh run out 10 D Bernard lbw b F Edwards 42 N Miller c Carter b Benn 0 J Taylor c wkp Dowrich b F Edwards 0 S Cottrell not out 5 Extras (lb6, nb2) 8 TOTAL (all out, 93 overs) 302 Fall of wickets: 1-51, 2-67, 3-98, 4-113, 5-125, 6-140, 7-254, 8-255, 9-264, 10-302.

Bowling: F Edwards 12-0-58-2; Cummins 7-033-0 (nb2); Nurse 16-4-47-2; C Brathwaite 14-431-0; Benn 35-13-102-5; Carter 9-1-25-0 BARBADOS 2nd Innings K Brathwaite not out 7 O Phillips c wkp Baugh b Cottrell 2 S Hope not out 5 Extras (b4) 4 TOTAL (1 wkt, 7 overs) 18 Fall of wickets: 1-10.

Bowling: Taylor 3-0-5-0; Cottrell 3-0-7-1; Miller 1-0-2-0 Position: Barbados trail by 39 with nine second innings wickets standing Umpires: P Nero, J Wilson (CMC)

18 Wednesday, April 23, 2014

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Mind games at the Oval TRINIDAD -- T&T skipper Denesh Ramdin made a brilliant move Sunday afternoon when he declared his team’s first innings on the second day of the Headley/Weekes Regional 4-day clash, in an effort to keep his team in the game in terms bonus of points in this semi-final clash at the Queen’s Park Oval.

T&T replying to the Windwards first innings score of 246 struggled to get runs on the board and reached 140 for eight when, Ramdin called in his men. The Red Force had gotten three bowling points when Windwards batted and the visitors got a batting point. By declaring his team’s innings with eight wickets down, he denied the Windwards getting their full bonus points allocation of three. They instead got two points. It means that with no points given for first innings win and no bonus points allowed in the second innings, T&T and the Windwards have the same number of points in this game so far, which is three. T&T will now look to play for an outright and if this does not come by, they will be hoping for a draw with all the rain around. An outright or a draw will take them to the finals.

Under the tournament rules for the Headley/Weekes Trophy it states: ‘In the event of either match in the Headley/Weekes Trophy ending with two competing teams on the same number of points, the higher placed team will be the team with the most wins in the WICB President’s Trophy stage’.

In this case, T&T would advance to the finals by virtue of having won four matches in the President’s Trophy stage, as compared to three by the Windward Islands.

The Windwards batting in their second innings reached 88 for two at the close, for an overall lead of 194 with eight wickets remaining.

T&T will now have an uphill task of

getting their desired result as they will have two days to negotiate.

Rain did show up on five occasions Sunday, wiping out 162 minutes, which means play today and tomorrow will start at 9.30am instead of 10am.

Earlier, T&T resumed on the bedtime score of 36 for three and after just three overs the players had to scamper off the field as the heavens opened. On the resumption, overnight pair of Jason Mohammed and Evin Lewis got to work. Things were moving along nicely for T&T when umpire Nigel Duguid gave Mohammed out leg-before. Replays showed he right hander was struck outside the line off the off-stump by Kenroy Peters. He dejectedly trudged off for 19.

Skipper Denesh Ramdin then came in and looked set for the long haul. The previous evening the right hander had taken to the nets with coach Kelvin Williams, working on his batting.

He and Lewis added 37 runs for the fifth wicket before Ramdin was the first of four men who would edge seamer Mervyn Mathew to the wicketkeeper. He made 25 from 60 balls and batted for one hour and seven minutes.

The right armer used the overcast conditions brilliantly to take his team into prime position. Rayad Emrit tried his best to inch T&T along as Lewis remained solid at the other end.

Emrit scored 21 off 20 balls with four fours before he left and soon after the Red Force declared at 140 for eight. Lewis was left unbeaten on 47 off 126 balls in 203 minutes batting, hitting five fours and a six.

Mathew the former West Indies under 19 player finished 4/19 to lead the pack for the Windwards.

SCOREBOARD TT vs Windwards Windwards 1st inns 246 TT 1st inns (36/3) L Simmons c M Mathew b D Johnson 19 E Lewis not out 47 D Bravo c K Lesporis b D Johnson 0 M Richards c T Theophille b L Sebastien 2 J Mohammed lbw b K Peters 19 D Ramdin c Charles b Mathew 25 A Hosein c Charles b Mathew 0 R Emrit c Charles b Mathew 21 I Khan c Charles b Mathew 2 S Gabriel not out 6 Extras lb5 5 Total for 8 wkts dec 140 Fall of wkts:33, 33, 36, 67, 104, 104, 138, 140.

Bowling: N Pascal 5-0-26-0, D Johnson 10-244-2, K Peters 14--6-18-1, L Sebastien 10-2-28-1, M Mathew 8-4-19-4.

Windwards 2nd inns D Smith not out 44 T Theophille lbw Emrit 11 J Charles c Hosein b Jaipaul 11 S Ambris not out 13 Extras 5lb, 4b 9 Total for 2 wkts 88 Fall of wkts: 45, 60.

Bowling: S Gabriel 5-0-21-0, M Richards 4-1-8-0, L Simmons 1-0-2-0, R Emrit 5-0-23-1, R Jaipaul 6-0-18-1, I Khan 2-0-7-0. (Trinidad Guardian)

20 Wednesday, April 23, 2014

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Caribbean Pot: Simple oven jerk fish recipe aan and nd pi ppimento ime meent nto wo w wood ood o iiss wh w wha what hat at ttrue ruue Jama JJa Jamaican am maaic ican an jerk is all about. However this is all about convenience and exciting flavors.

Chris De La Rosa Caribbean Cooking With Easter around the corner I’ve had several requests for fish recipes, so I thought I’d share a simple technique for making Jamaican style jerk snapper (fish), but with store bought jerk marinade and in your oven. I agree that making your own jerk marinade is much better and using a grill with coals

You’ll Need: 2-4 lbs Red Snapper 1/2 lime or lemon (for washing the fish) 1 heaping tablespoon of jerk marinade 1 tablespoon orange juice pinch salt and black pepper 1 tablespoon veg oil * Use your favorite store purchased jerk marinade.

Scale, trim (gut) and wash the fish with the juice of 1/2 lime or lemon.. rinse with cool

w wa water tteer an aand d pa pat at ddr dry. ry. C Cut utt ttwo woo sslits w litts li ts oon n the th he bback ack ack k (both sides) of each fish to allow for the jerk marinade to penetrate and do all-kinda good things. Stuff the cavity of each fish with a bit of thyme and scallions (bruise or crush with your knife to release the flavors) and sprinkle a bit of salt and black pepper.

In a small bowl mix the jerk marinade (use your fav) and orange juice, then brush it onto both sides of each fish. Try to get some in the cuts we made. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate in the fridge for about 1/2 hour (max 1 hr as the marinade will start to cook the fish after that).

Now preheat your oven to 400 F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Drizzle on the veg oil so the fish won’t stick

as it it do ddoes oes iit’s t s tthing t’ hing iin the oven. Set the baking tray on the middle rack in your oven and let it go for about 15 minutes. Then flip over and cook for another 8-10 minutes. This depends on how thick your fish are and how well done you like your fish.

There you go, a simple but exciting jerk fish done in your oven.. no need for an outdoor grill. Remember if you’re serving this to kids be mindful of the bones of the fish. If you decide to use fish fillets, try to get some with the skin still on and reduce the cooking time (again, depending on the thickness of the fillets) by about 1/2.

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Wednesday, April 23, 2014 21

Energy centres of the body Geeta Maraj Yoga Apart from the physical body, yoga philosophy teaches that there is a subtler body of energy which flows along the spinal column. The specific locations of this energy are called chakra centres. Chakra in Sanskrit means ‘circle’ and serves to describe these pockets of energy. There are seven main chakra points that are of importance along the spine.

The presence of chakras centres are similar to the energy centres recognized by other traditions, such as, the Asian art of acupuncture. Many additional cultures refer to degrees of energy in the body as can be noted in the Jewish belief system and Catholicism.

These pockets of energy are focused on when enhancing ones spiritual advancement. In Hinduism and Buddhism, it is believed that each chakra, when stimulated through meditation and focusing, brings about benefits to a specific part of the body and emotions.

The root chakra or the Muladhara chakra is the first of the charkas and lies at the base of the spine, the genital area. The Muladhara centre is described as having four petals, corresponding to the psychological

states of greatest joy, natural pleasure, delight in controlling passions, and blissfulness in concentration. It corresponds to the element, earth, and is also associated with excretion and the sense of smell. All qualities of the Muladhara chakra are associated with the bliss of realizing the Divine in the physical body. As such, the Muladhara chakra is the centre for material life, as well as, the centre that roots the subtle divine consciousness within material life. Consequently, it is also the basis for human existence in the physical world. When the energy of the Muladhara is blocked in humans, a sense of rootlessness in both the spiritual and physical aspects of life is experienced.

The second chakra is the Svadishthana chakra which lies in the spleen area. It is also referred to as the “sex chakra” as it corresponds to the element water and is traditionally associated with sexual impulses. The Svadishthana chakra is described as a lotus of six petals, representing the states of affection, pitilessness, and feelings of all destructiveness, delusion, disdain, and suspicion. This chakra controls positive thoughts.

When this chakra is clean, then the person thinks only positive thoughts, and no impure thoughts or feelings such as egoism and maliciousness are experienced. The purity of this chakra predicts the degree of positivity in one’s life. The awakening of this chakra produces the acceptance that all actions are beneficially predicted by a Supreme Force, and therefore should not be questioned.

The third chakra of the spine is the Manipura chakra. This chakra is described

as existing in the region of the solar plexus (navel area), corresponds to the element fire, and is represented by a 10 petals lotus.

The petals representing spiritual ignorance, thirst, jealousy, treachery, shame, fear, disgust, delusion, foolishness, and sadness.

When this chakra is stimulated and purified, one is at peace with others, and emotional stress and tension vanishes. The existence of this chakra can be felt as the knot which exists in the stomach area during tension, fear or emotions, such as when writing an exam or falling in love.

The heart chakra is the fourth chakra and is referred to as the Anahata chakra. This chakra exists in the region of the heart centre, corresponds to the element air, and is represented by a twelve petals lotus. The twelve petals of the Anahata chakra represents lustfulness, fraudulence, indecision, repentance, hope, anxiety, longing, impartiality, arrogance, incompetency, discrimination, and an attitude of defiance. It is the most important of all charkas because it contains the existence of ones’ ability to feel divine, pure love through everyone and everything. Pure love is said to be that love which is devoid of egoism, of selfish intent or expectations. As such, this chakra is said to control our emotions and consequently our spiritual elevation. Based on the purity of this chakra, our self esteem is predicted.

The fifth chakra, called the Vishudda chakra, lies in the throat area. This chakra is associated with the element ether and is related with balance. It is represented by a sixteen petals lotus, representing a series of

beneficial chants, musical tones, and nectar.

With purification of the throat chakra, one feels an inner, completely unshakable peace in spite of any circumstance. It creates a sense of strength and solidarity in one’s own ability to rest peacefully within one’s self. It is believed that the energy from this chakra fluctuates based on the type of interaction we are experiencing during a conversation. It reflects positive beneficial interaction, negative interaction and even mutual interaction, where neither party is influenced beneficially or distressed by the other’s energy flow.

The Ajna chakra is the sixth chakra and is also referred to as the Third Eye or Brow Chakra. The Ajna chakra lies between the brows on the forehead. This chakra is associated with the element of consciousness and is depicted by a two petals lotus associated with mind and body interactions. Ajna means “command” and relates to the sense of the Guru’s command in efforts of spiritual guidance.

The seventh chakra is called the Sahasrara chakra. This chakra is also referred to as the Crown Chakra. It is located at the pivot axis point of the skull , where the three platings of the skull intersect (the frontal lobe, the left and right hemispheres). This chakra is depicted by a thousand petals lotus representing that which is everything - Universal. The Sahasrara chakra is associated with the element The Divine, or thought. It is the basis of refined thought, knowledge, information and understanding. It’s essence is blissfulness.

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Why your detox is making you sick: Must-read article reveals dangers of aggressive detoxing I can’t tell you how many people have told me that a “detox” protocol made them feel extremely ill. They take detox supplements, pills or tinctures, and within a few hours they suffer dizziness, diarrhea, chills, outbreaks or even vomiting. These symptoms range from mild to severe, depending on the person and what they’ve taken. Such is the legacy of what I’m calling “extreme detox supplements” that seem to be designed to cause as much suffering as possible while framing it all as a “healing crisis.”

I’ve always had a problem with the idea that such symptoms are routinely explained away as a healing crisis; as if you must suffer before you can heal. In this mustread article, I’m going to blow away detox myths and reveal why many people suffer such extreme illness during a detox. I’m also going to teach you how to detox safely and get away from the serious health risks found in extreme detoxing protocols.

Also, I urge anyone reading this who is considering a liver detox, kidney detox or heavy metals detox to pursue such activities only under the supervision of a licensed naturopath or integrative medicine M.D. who can guide you with a personalized protocol that’s right for you. Don’t “wing it” when it comes to the serious business of an aggressive detox.

Detox basics: Your liver dumps toxins into your small intestine To understand why an extreme detox can make people feel so sick, you first have to understand how detox really works. This is an oversimplified explanation, but the fundamentals are correct: Your liver filters toxins out of your blood, including pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, ammonia and chemicals.

Your liver then dumps these toxins into your upper GI tract as part of a bile mixture used for digestion. Importantly, this reintroduces these toxins into your digestive system, where they can be quickly reabsorbed through intestinal walls and cause acute toxicity where you are essentially being “re-poisoned” with the same exact toxins your liver just pulled out of your blood.

(Note: Your kidneys also remove many toxins and flush them out of your body through urine. This is why kidney function is so crucial to your health. The heavy metals cadmium and mercury cause severe kidney damage, by the way.)

If you are eating a holistic, wholefood diet at the same time your liver is dumping toxins into your GI tract, then food fibers will tend to capture those toxins and trap them, ultimately transporting them out of your body through bowel movements. But if you aren’t eating any fiber -- for example, you’re on a “juice fast” or a “juice cleanse” -- then you have a potentially huge problem: You have no fibers to trap the toxins your liver is dumping into your small intestines!

So those toxins get reabsorbed right back through your intestinal walls and into your blood.

I’ve also done pioneering food science research on identifying which natural foods can absorb dietary heavy metals.

All this helps explain why drinking nothing but fiber-less juice (i.e. “jucing detox”) during an aggressive supplement detox can be disastrous. If you aren’t eating fiber during your detox, what you are really doing is: 1) Collecting all the heavy metals, toxins and poisons from your body’s cells, tissues and organs.

2) Concentrating them in your liver (and

bile).

3) Dumping them back into your small intestine all at once where they can now cause acute toxicity and poisoning.

This is all made even worse when the detox supplements you’re taking are more effective at pulling toxins out of your body’s tissues because then your liver is concentrating more heavy metals into bile and dumping them into your intestines. In effect, your body is concentrating the toxins, making them even more dangerous than they were before.

Fiber-less juice fasting while taking detox supplements may be a really bad idea What makes all this worse is the fact that many detox protocols demand that you drink only fiber-less juice such as wheat grass juice, celery juice, carrot juice, etc. at the same time you are taking aggressive detox supplements. The lack of fiber in these juices means that many of toxins pulled out of the blood by the liver will be reabsorbed in the gastrointestinal tract, possibly at acutely dangerous concentrations.

After the diarrhea and cramping finally stops, people will often say, “I feel SO much better now! The detox worked!” Except for the fact that everybody feels better after diarrhea stops. Feeling better after making yourself sick is not exactly my definition of getting healthier.

As part of a daily diet, of course, juicing can be incredibly healing. I’m a longtime advocate of daily juicing or even shortterm juice fasts, but juicing is by definition a fiber-less diet, and as a result it should never be used in conjunction with aggressive supplements that are going to increase the toxin load in the GI tract.

In other words: * If you are juicing, don’t take aggressive detox supplements at the same time. * If you are taking detox supplements, make sure you are eating whole foods with plenty of natural fiber.

Sometimes feeling like you’re poisoned means you are actually being poisoned I believe it is extremely unfortunate that detox participants who suffer extreme symptoms are always told those symptoms are, in effect, “GOOD!” Sometimes that’s simply not true.

Many participants in James Arthur Ray’s sweat lodge spirit journeys were also told that their extreme dehydration and hallucinations were “good” as well, but it turned out they were on the verge of death. Indeed, three people died in his sweat lodge experiences, and James Ray was convicted of negligent homicide. (He was released from prison last year.)

Even as they were on the verge of death, these people were told that their symptoms were all part of the “spiritual journey” from which they would emerge as stronger people. This is nearly identical to the extreme detox message told to many consumers, in which even serious illness is excused away as part of the healing journey.

As I’ve examined this issue more closely over the years, I’ve come to the conclusion that the detox supplement industry is in a worrisome state of denial about the safety of its more aggressive products. This is probably why the FDA banned cascara sagrada in 2002 for use in laxative products (but it’s still legal to use in herbal supplements).

Although it sounds bizarre, customers of extreme detox supplements made with cascara sagrada are actually taught that diarrhea is a sign of healing and is therefore something to be sought after when taking detox supplements.

I strongly disagree with this: diarrhea is never a sign of good health, and removing toxins from the body should never need to involve extreme suffering, nutrient loss or the kind of dehydration and cramping that comes with diarrhea.

Anyone who tells you a detox has to hurt to be effective should not be trusted.

Skip the extreme supplements and detox with real food The longer I’ve examined the detox industry, the more confident I have become in the fundamental idea that your everyday diet is the only detox you really need.

Every food item you eat every single day, in other words, should be part of a cleansing and toxin elimination lifestyle.

My view on this has evolved over the years, of course, and today I no longer believe we need to suffer through “detox” regimes to experience lasting health. A healthy, whole foods diet that’s rich in fresh fruits, vegetables and plenty of clean water is, all by itself, a “daily detox.”

Truth be told, your daily diet is either helping you eliminate toxins or accumulate toxins depending on what you eat. A diet of processed foods and contaminated supplements will increase your toxic burden, but a diet of fresh whole foods will naturally and automatically eliminate toxins.

Engaging in regular exercise that causes you to sweat will greatly magnify your body’s detox capabilities, by the way.

Many toxins are released in your sweat, and that explains why people who exercise regularly (or who use saunas as therapy) tend to be far healthier and less toxic than those who never sweat.

People who drink plenty of fluids also tend to be healthier: water helps your kidneys eliminate toxins with high efficiency.

Bottom line: Detox should never be a crisis My bottom line in all this? As one of the most widely-read voices in the natural health industry, I want to encourage us all to think in a more clear-headed manner about detox supplements and detox experiences. I have become increasingly convinced that extreme detox supplements may actually be causing more harm than good. Diarrhea is not healing, and the explanation that you need to suffer through a “healing crisis” just doesn’t hold water.

In truth, every glass of clean water you drink is a “detox” elixir. Every stalk of celery you chew and swallow is a detox food. Every glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice you drink is a detox beverage. Every algae superfood you eat is a “detox” superfood. Every exercise that produces sweat is a detox exercise, and every hike into nature where you are surrounded by trees is a detox hike.

Your body is already programmed to detox itself automatically (which is why you have a liver and kidneys), so if you embrace a healthful lifestyle, your body will automatically detox itself with every breath, every heartbeat and every bowel movement.

Healing shouldn’t hurt. If it does hurt, something’s probably wrong with your approach. (NaturalNews)

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Five health benefits of beetroot Beetroot, also often known as the beet, is a root vegetable that has been consumed since ancient times. Even the ancient Romans and Greeks thought beetroot had vitamins and minerals. In fact, today’s studies prove that not only are they loaded with beneficial nutrients, but beetroot is an amazing way to ensure that a person stays healthy.

A root vegetable, the reddish and bulbous portion of the beetroot is grown underground while its leafy top is seen above the ground. It grows in both tropical and temperate areas, and takes about two months to reach maturity. Though the plants have been cultivated for thousands of years due to their dietary benefits, it is only recently that their many health benefits have been explored.

1. Beetroot enhances sex The ancient Romans prized beetroot as an aphrodisiac and raised them as such. Today’s science supports this Roman practice. Researchers have found that beets contain high amounts of boron, an element that relates directly to the production of sex hormones in humans.

2. Beetroot equalizes mental health Betaine, the same component that is used by practitioners to treat depression using certain methods, is found in beetroot. Another great element that beetroot contains is tryptophan, which has been shown to create a sense of well-being while also relaxing the mind. They are also a great way to lower blood pressure, which can help offset the effects of stress on the body.

3. Beetroot increases energy levels Because the sugar contained in beetroot is released slowly throughout the body, even though the sugar levels are high, they help maintain steady energy levels. When compared to foods such as chocolate whose sugars are processed quickly by the body, beetroot, which is also low in calories, makes its energy boost last a great deal longer.

4. Beetroot is high in vitamins and minerals Because they are high in vitamin B and iron, beetroot is especially beneficial to those women who are pregnant. Vitamin B and iron are necessary for the growth of new cells as well as replenishing the iron levels that often dip at this time of life. In

addition, beetroot is high in the following vitamins and minerals: fiber, phosphorus, potassium, folic acid, beta-carotene, vitamin A, magnesium, vitamin C and betacyanin.

5. Beetroot helps cleanse the body Beetroot works to cleanse and clarify the liver. It can also purify the blood and has been shown to help prevent some forms of cancer. Eating beetroot can also indicate whether a person has low amounts of stomach acid. This is shown if their urine turns pink.

Adding beetroot to the diet is easy.

Many people simply add beetroot that is mashed and cooked to their smoothies. Another way to prepare it is by thinly slicing it before drizzling with olive oil and broiling it. (NaturalNews)

Ramp up heart health by eating more beans The medical profession is pretty vocal about the dangers of LDL, or the so-called “bad,” cholesterol. Having too much low-denisty lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in the body sets up a person’s arteries to harden and become narrow. This condition, known as atherosclerosis, substantially raises the risks for both stroke and heart disease.

Doctors recommend that levels of LDL cholesterol be at, or below, 200 milligrams per deciliter. Levels above this number warrant intervention of some type. In many cases, this means medication. However, even if a physician recommends that their patients begin a treatment to lower their cholesterol using medication, the person can also make changes at home to combat the issue.

Proper diet is crucial It should come as no surprise that what is consumed can affect the health of the body greatly.

This is true for the levels of LDL cholesterol as well. While the liver makes all the cholesterol the body typically needs, most people get additional amounts due to their diet. This added cholesterol is not able to be processed properly by the body, so it leads to build-up within the arteries. It is this build-up that often causes problems for people, especially as they reach their 40s, 50s and 60s.

Beans really are magic in this case According to Vanessa Ha, a research coordinator at St. Michael’s Hospital’s Clinical Nutrition and

Risk Factor Modification Center in Toronto, eating just one serving of cooked beans on a daily basis can cause a significant reduction in the amount of LDL cholesterol. The serving size of cooked beans, which are also often called legumes, that is most often referred to is about three-quarters of a cup.

The type of beans does not matter When researchers studied the results of 26 clinical studies that included 1,037 mostly middleaged men and women, they found no difference in the type of beans eaten when it came to their ability to lower cholesterol. While some of the study participants were determined to be moderately at risk for heart disease, others were considered to

be healthy.

Regardless of this, the same effects were enjoyed whether the participants ate chickpeas, peas, lentils or beans. Researchers determined that, over the course of only six weeks, participants who ate one serving of beans each day saw a 5 percent reduction in their levels of LDL cholesterol One key finding that should make nearly every health-conscious individual pleased is the fact that the variety of beans is not important.

Almost everyone can find at least one variety of beans that they like to eat, making it easy for them to keep their levels of LDL cholesterol in check.

(NaturalNews)

WOMAN ON FIRE GALA! Sunday 27th April 2014

www.womanonfiregala.com

Info/tickets: 647-713-3622

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Spring forward to improve health Dr. Matthew Weekes BSC DDS MTh DMin

Dental Health

Organized dentistry through its various providers and also the entire Dental Industrial Complex have to a significant extent focused on the prevention of dental disease. The results are evident in our youths who regularly have dental checkups, cleaning and fluoride treatments from an early age. There are many youths in Ontario and throughout Canada who have never had a toothache and the incidence of cavities appear to be decreasing in the highly developed cities and municipalities. This is the result of a culture of dental health awareness, dental visits, access to governmental dental health services, private insurances providers and media advertising displaying beautiful smiles. This is all good since less of us suffer from the painful effects of dental neglect.

This same trend should continue into

the medical field with a greater emphasis on prevention. Now we as dentists have gained your attention with respect to oral health, but don’t stop there. Think of your overall health and ways to improve it.

Diet and exercise is key to a healthier experience. Be concerned about what passes into your mouth. Get your kids in the habit of eating healthy foods, low in fat, sugar and salt.

Highly starchy foods will turn into sugar and if there is a history of diabetes in the family, sugar intake should be reduced. The use of sugar free drinks not only reduces cavities especially in poorly calcified teeth but may prevent or postpone the onset and management of diabetes.

Fatty foods increase the level of cholesterol and build-up of plaque in the vessels increasing the risk of stroke, heart attacks and death.

The cumulative effect of very salty foods could lead to high blood pressure, thus contributing to poor health.

Be careful what you breathe. Tobacco smoke contains cancer causing substances called carcinogens. Keep away from it. Any substance solid or liquid that is detrimental to your health should be avoided. If you have allergies consider wearing a mask when cutting grass or working in dusty environments.

Now that spring is finally here it is time for a health tune up. Think of exercise for

the whole family. If possible early morning or evening walks should be included in your daily routine as the minimal level of exercise. Parking your car some distance away from your destination and walking the rest of the distance is a good idea. Climbing some or all the steps at work instead of taking the elevator is beneficial unless your medical condition prohibits this activity.

Exercise for your children is very important. Get them involved in outdoor activities. Enroll them in at least one of the many community seasonal sports. Exercise keeps the body in shape, improves mental and physical health and contributes to a good night sleep.

Pay attention to what you eat. Trimming the fat off your meat and avoiding foods high in carbohydrates will help maintain a healthy physique. Eat more fruits, nuts and vegetables.

Just as dental checkups can improve your dental health, a medical checkup can improve, maintain your overall health, and prolong life. Don’t assume all is well because of the lack of symptoms.

Some of the common cancers such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, and colon cancer can be successfully treated if diagnosed early.

Make the improvement of your health a spring priority.

Crazy for coffee? News on this ancient health drink Dr. Lydia Thurton ND BASc

Health Tips That morning cup of coffee has long been considered a caffeine jolt to get the day going, and little else. New research continues to emerge about our beloved java and the results are positive. With over 1000 chemicals in every bean we are just beginning to understand how this famous drink impacts our body. The latest research indicates that coffee can lower our risk of most of the major diseases in Western society. Before I continue, I’d like to emphasize that coffee discussed in this article is not synonymous with iced cappuccinos, French vanillas or any of those sweet, sugary beverages.

Alright, now we can proceed.

As diabetes continues to wreak havoc on our health care system, we are continuously looking for ways to combat this nutritional dis-

ease. Turns out coffee drinking may be a great preventative measure. Chlorgenic acid is a naturally occurring chemical in coffee beans that promotes healthy blood sugar regulation. The chlorogenic acid helps muscles uptake more glucose (sugar), lowering your blood sugar.

Chlorogenic acid also reduces your body’s ability to make sugar and helps with weight loss. Not a coffee drinker? No problem. Green bean coffee extract, with chlorogenic acid, is available as a natural health product in health food stores.

Interestingly, when blood sugar is well controlled we are also at lower risk of cancer. Coffee drinkers have been shown to have lower rates of breast, colon and prostate cancers. Also having lower rates of the more aggressive types of tumors. Five to six cups of coffee per day could cut these cancer risks by approximately 50%. Few of us probably drink that much coffee, but even 1-2 cups showed a mild reduction in risk.

Cardiovascular disease is the number two killer of Canadians. Anything we can do to promote heart heath is helpful and we can add drinking coffee to that list. Coffee naturally has a slight blood thinning effect, preventing clots.

While drinking coffee can mildly elevate blood pressure in the short term, after eight weeks of drinking coffee regularly blood pressure de-

clines. One to three cups of java per day can reduce blood cardiovascular disease by 24% and increase your healthy cholesterol. It is important to note that in order to improve your cholesterol with coffee it must be paper filtered and not French pressed.

Coffee is a wonderful source of antioxidants called polyphenols. These helpful molecules benefit both our livers and brain.

Four cups of coffee per day dramatically decreased the incidence of liver disease. Both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease risk are decreased with daily java drinking. Caffeine coupled with the other chemicals in coffee slows cognitive decline and protects our nerve cells.

I caution against the use of individual serve K-Cups because of their negative environmental impact. Also worth considering the farmers growing our beans by supporting fair trade coffee and organic coffee, whereby the workers (and drinkers) are not exposed to harmful pesticides. If you feel like you cannot wake up or get your day started without coffee then it may be time to schedule an appointment with your naturopathic doctor to address energy levels. However, based on the most current research enjoying a daily cup, if not more, of dark, rich coffee can be a great benefit to your precious body.

The importance of stretching Monique Bartlett Fitness Before exercising, it’s important to do a warmup or stretching exercises to prevent accidents or to enhance your output during training.

To increase your flexibility and to avoid injuries, stretch before and after you workout. Almost everyone knows that stretching before a workout prevents injuries during the exercises, but only a few people know that stretching after a workout, when muscles are

still warm, can increase flexibility. Hold your stretching position for more than 60 seconds to increase flexibility. While holding your position for 20 seconds is enough for warm ups, holding each position for at least 60 seconds will develop the body’s flexibility.

Don’t go into a stretching position then immediately return to the relaxed position, and do it repeatedly. This is more appropriately termed as bouncing while in a position. When stretching, hold that position for several seconds, and then slowly relax. Bouncing or forcing yourself into a position during stretching can strain or damage some joints or muscles.

Make sure that you have stretched or warmed up all muscle groups. For some people, even if they have strong bodies, they tend to neglect the neck when stretching. Stretching the neck muscles can be as simple as placing the palm of one’s hand against the front of the head and pushing it. Then, do the same to the sides

and the back of the head. Stretch regularly to continually increase your range of motion and your level of flexibility and strength.

Workout to your capabilities and don’t try to keep up with others. Do not force yourself to do exercises that you are not yet capable of just because there are other people who can do it. Increase your limits slowly and listen to your body. There are days when your body may be too tired that you may have to consider reducing your intensity.

Rest in between sets to make sure that your body has enough time to recover its energy. Also, it is advisable that you don’t work the same muscle groups consecutively for two days.

The muscles grow during the period when you rest and not when you are working out. It’s also important to do aerobic exercises to strengthen your heart. This includes cardiovascular exercises such as skipping rope, running or swimming.

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Accepting an offer, private lending & RRIF Stephen Mohammed Finance Real Estate: Accepting an offer for your property can be nerve wrecking. Common concerns are: Are they offering too little? Am I making the right decision? Can I get more for my home? While these are certainly valid questions, other factors to consider are the conditions in the offer and the closing date. An offer will usually be accompanied by a schedule “A” with conditions for approval of financing and a home inspection. A condition for an apartment or condominium may also include a status certificate. A firm deal is always better than a conditional deal. You may come across an offer that has no conditions that may be fifteen thousand dollars less than an offer that may have a finance condition. It becomes a personal choice on which offer to accept. Ask the advice of your sales representative whether the market is a buyer’s market or sellers market. This may affect your decision because in a seller’s market you could expect more offers.

Mortgage: The mention of private lending sometime make clients cringe. It is however, not an avenue that brokers and agents neglect.

Clients that may not qualify under the regular guidelines need to consider this option. Expe-

rience in buying properties and understanding interest rates would be an asset to clients in their ability to understand the choice of private lenders. Private lenders provide an avenue for financing for clients that may already have a home, may have a lower credit bureau score or may not be able to provide the necessary documents to secure a commitment letter from a financial institution. Such lenders rely on the amount of down payment or equity the client has and the interest is typically higher than a typical bank or financial institution. You may be eligible for a first, second or third mortgage depending on your situation. Some private lending are interest only, which means you borrow a sum of money and throughout the term you make interest payments. At the end of the term you are required to repay the initial sum of money that is borrowed.

Finance: A Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) is a fund that is transferred from a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), a Registered Pension Plan (RPP) or from another Registered Retirement Income Fund. A RRIF can be established at anytime but must be done no later than the year an individual turns seventy one. A RRIF account can be set up through a bank, credit union, trust or insurance company.

Your financial advisor or agent will assist you in choosing the right type of RRIF and should discuss the contents of the investments within the RRIF. Once a RRIF has been established, the following year you will receive a yearly minimum amount. You may take out more than your yearly minimum amount but not less than that amount. For more information please visit http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/tpcs/rrifferr/menu-eng.html.

Offering “Express Entry” to Qualified Economic Immigrants OTTAWA -- Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander today announced that Canada’s active recruitment model for economic immigration will officially be called “Express Entry.” Set to launch in January 2015, “Express Entry” is a major step forward in the transformation of Canada’s immigration system into one that is fast, flexible and focused on meeting Canada’s economic and labour needs.

“Express Entry” will allow for greater flexibility and better responsiveness to deal with regional labour shortages, and help fill open jobs for which there are no available Canadian workers. “Express Entry” candidates who receive a valid job offer or nomination under the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) will be quickly invited to apply for permanent residency – a key distinction between “Express Entry” and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which is only used to fill temporary labour and skill shortages.

Formerly referred to as “Expression of Interest”, “Express Entry” will be open to skilled

immigrants and allow the government to select the best candidates who are most likely to succeed in Canada, rather than those who happen to be first in line. It will also prevent backlogs and allow Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) to better coordinate application volume with the annual immigration levels plan.

Qualified applicants can expect faster processing times of six months or less when invited to come to Canada in four key economic streams: the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program, Canadian Experience Class, and a portion of the PNP. With “Express Entry,” employers will have a key role in selecting economic immigrants and providing advice to the Government of Canada. To this end, Alexander also announced that over the course of spring 2014, CIC will work with provincial and territorial governments to hold a series of cross-Canada information sessions to provide employers with more information about this exciting new system. (CIC)

Indo-Canadian immigration continues to grow OTTAWA -- Today Canada’s Citizenship and Immigration Minister Chris Alexander, along with Member of Parliament for Brampton– Springdale, Parm Gill, affirmed that Canada remains a destination of choice for visitors, students and business travellers from India.

In 2013, Canada issued more than 130,000 visas to people coming to visit family, friends or as tourists. We also welcomed almost 14,000 students and admitted more than 33,000 Indian citizens as permanent residents of Canada.

For over a century, Canada has benefited from the talent and hard work of newcomers from India. Tens of thousands of Indians continue to make the journey to Canada every year to help us build our country, our economy and, in many cases, to settle permanently and become Canadians.

The government has been making changes to facilitate legitimate travel, welcoming more visitors, businesspeople and students to

Canada than ever before. The Business Express Program (BEP), introduced in 2008, was created to ensure faster processing of visa applications for businesspeople. In addition, the Worker Express Program, which provides expedited service to applicants sent to Canada by companies under the BEP, was introduced in India in June 2009 and has since benefited more than 7,200 Indian citizens.

In addition to the BEP, in July 2011, the government extended the duration of multiple-entry visas from five to 10 years allowing visitors to enter and exit Canada for up to six months at a time over a 10-year period. The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa remains a fast and convenient option for parents and grandparents who want to spend longer periods of time with their families in Canada. By the end of February 2014, more than 31,000 Super Visas had been issued, and almost 97 percent of qualified Super Visa applicants were approved. (CIC)

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

HWY 407 ETR Extension Tammy Flores 407ETR Matters The Province released the RFP for the remaining kilometers of Highway 407 this past week. Of course, the same investors in 407ETR are on the short list along with Blackbird Infrastructure Group and East End Transportation Group.

The investors in 407ETR were already awarded the build/design, operations/ maintenance of the extension from Brock

to Harmony, along with the links to Highway 401 and chances are that they will be awarded the remainder of the project. Although the Province claims the tolls will go to them, we all know that the investors will not be collecting tolls out the goodness of their heart. This company doesn’t do anything unless they are paid handsomely for it.

Despite what the Province may say about the deal that was struck when Mike Harris was the Progressive Conservative Premier, they don’t seem to have much of an issue with these investors and prefer to work with them.

Is that why they are hesitant to reset the agreement on the current 108 KM’s?

I mean after all, we know that resetting the agreement on the current 108 KM’s means the Province can recoup at least $1 billion as well as reign in the Customer Service issues that have landed the company in court.

The group, Stop the 407ETR’s

Abuse of Power, says that they are not a “stop the highway” group and sees the extension as a wise investment. They insist that the problem they have is the lack of regulation by the Province for 407 ETR’s debt collection remedy, the Plate Denial process. They want the Province to regulate this company into following the same rules as any other company.

The way Plate Denial is being exercised is extremely punitive. Given the excellent relationship the Province has with this company’s investors, they can and should do something to level the playing field for consumers. The group insist that it’s not an unreasonable expectation and that they will not give up until they achieve this goal.

Highway 407 is expected to be completed to Highway 115 by 2020.

Tropical diseases – take the necessary precautions Olivia Boodram Travel You probably have heard this old saying – “To be fore warned is to be fore armed?”

Well with no intentions of putting a damper on your travel plans, I am going to give you a heads up with some health issues that have nothing to do with a pre-existing condition. I am talking about “Tropical Diseases,” something else that you may want to think about and take the necessary precautions when you are booking your trip. Some of these diseases you may be aware of and some you may never have heard about, but I want you to be prepared and take the necessary precautions.

Dengue Fever An infectious disease caused by the dengue virus transmitted to humans by mosquitos.

Typically, dengue causes a severe flu-like illness with high fever lasting from 2 – 7 days, headache, rash, and severe body and joint pains. Most patients will recover from dengue infections. There is however a more serious form of the dengue virus, known as Hemorrhagic Dengue, and this one can be fatal and hospitalizes an estimated 500,000 people annually. At present there is no vaccine, or treatment for the disease, only management of the symptoms, lots of rest

and fluids. The best defense you can take to avoid being infected is to use insect repellent when visiting tropical and sub-tropical areas.

The risk of dengue is higher in urban regions than in nonurban areas, but dengue infections are increasing in rural communities.

Cholera Cholera is one of the many bacterial infections that can be classed under the category of “Travelers Diarrhea,” but there are many other diseases that fall under this category (E.Coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Giardia intestinalis). What is important to note is that they all basically cause the same symptoms.

All of these infections is characterized by acute, profuse, watery stools and often is accompanied with vomiting lasting more than 24 hours, which can quickly lead to dehydration. How do you contract any one of these intestinal bacterial diseases? – Through ingestion of fecal contaminated water or food, food that has been handled by someone who is infected, drinking tap water, ice cubes unpasteurized dairy products, raw fruits and vegetables or under cooked meat or seafood often offered by street vendors. Avoidance would be your best line of defense, but there is also a vaccination that can be taken prior to your trip, to decrease your chances of being afflicted by anyone of these bacteria’s. It is known as Dukoral and it is a vaccination that you drink and can be prescribed by your family physician.

Chikungunya Chikungunya – a Swahili term meaning “to bend up” – is a disease caused if bitten by an infected mosquito. The symptoms are fever

and joint pain, causing the affected person to bend, or be stooped, due to the discomfort of the joint pain. It has an incubation period that can be as long as 12 days but usually symptoms will start to show between days 3 – 7. Representing the first instance of local transmission in the Americas, WHO reported in December, 2013 cases of chikungunya in people living on the French side of St. Martin. Chikungunya is now being reported from seven other countries in the region, and the total number of confirmed or suspected cases has now reached approximately 3,700.

There have been 476 confirmed cases on the French side of St. Martin and 40 on the Dutch side. Other countries reporting cases include Martinique (364), the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, French Guiana, Guadeloupe and St. Barthelemy. Like Dengue fever there is no vaccine available at this time against Chikungunya, so your only protection is insect repellent since this mosquito usually bites during the day, whether you are indoors or out.

This is just a few of the tropical diseases that can affect you when you are away on your travels. However the list is as long as there are days of the year, so your best reference to find out about diseases, is to visit the website of - www.travel.gc.ca – prior to your travels and view the destination you are going to be visiting. This will also help you to determine if you need to visit a travel clinic or your family physician and get updated with your vaccinations, and any necessary prescriptions you may need to take or bring with you, to help make your trip a safe and healthy journey.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014 27

FOR SALE FOR SALE

METAL SHELVES: 3 metal shelve cases for cargo van. 1 in excellent condition, 2 in good condition. $500 for all 3. 647-3094606 RESTAURANT FOR SALE: Well established West Indian restaurant. Over 1800sq ft. Comes with all equipement. For info call 416-419-7858 for more details.

LAND IN TOBAGO: On Riseland Road, 10,500 square feet near the Airport, Royal Bank Plaza, Store Bay Beach and Mount Irvine Golf Course. Contact 647-467-3171 2002 HONDA ACCORD COUPE: Model SE, sun roof, spoiler and heated seats. In great condition, includes new winter tires, black on black interior. Certified and Emission tested, asking $4500. 416-705-9907

FOR SALE FOR SALE

FORWANTED SALE HELP

FOR SALE OPPORTUNITIES

HOUSE FOR SALE: 3 Bedroom house in Willowdeen St Catherin off Old Harbor Road, fully grilled, move in condition, fruit trees. Call 416-749-0148

EXPERIENCED MECHANICS: $20$25/hr Based On experience Brakes - Tuneups - AC - Electrical Maintenance - Repairs Call 647-778-4805

DISTRIBUTORS WANTED: Looking for self motivated individuals to help promote some natural health products. 416-721-9945

JAMAICA HOME: Jamaica Home for Sale. Near Ocho Rios. Spacious 2 story house, 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, hot and cold water, security grills, fully fenced yard, seasonal fruit trees, move in condition. Contact Yvonne 416-786-5149 msamie@rogers.com

WAITRESS/BARTENDER: Part time position available. Must be able to provide excellent customer service and have the ability to multi-task. Competitive wage .

Island Style Restaurant and Bar - Angela 416.722.6528 or 905.794.586

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS: Glass dining set with 6 chairs, couches, Indian and Chinese screens, electronics, light fixtures, Chinese carved coffee table, rugs, docking station and more. 416-752-3635

WAITRESS WANTED: Waitress/Bartender needed for Drupaties Restaurant and Bar on Ebenezer in Brampton. 416-419-7858

FOR RENT SALE FOR ROOM FOR RENT: Student Preferable.

Victoria Park and Main/Danfort. Call 416938-3753. Message 416-686-5502 WORSHIP SPACE: Space available for Worship. Available from 2pm Location Warden and St Clair. Call 416-938-3753.

Message 416-686-5502

COOK NEEDED: Looking for Chineese and West Indian Cook for busy restaurant.

Preferably with some experience or willing to train. Full time hours available. Call 647895-6905 SALES REPS NEEDED: Seeking sales reps to increase new business. Confident and self-motivated, highly skilled at aquiring new business. 647-722-6298

WORK FROM HOME: Looking for a part time job that I can do from home. NO MLM please, I’m looking for work - Sunil 647-988-3002 FRIDGE: Looking for a fridge for our church. Free or $50 and less. Call 416-9383753. Message 416-686-5502

FOR SALE PERSONALS

FOR SALE SERVICES

ESTHETICS ROOM: In the Oakwood ave and St Clair area contact Gurline 647345-1752 Business man looking for a Guyanese Indian woman unmarried as companionship

FOR SALE WORSHIP

FREEHOLD LAND: Harriman Park Point Fortin Trinidad. 27 Main Road - 6450 square feet. 18 Hillcrest Road - 9935 square feet. Serious bids to lamsaleslam@gmail. com or call 1-868-347-6191 VARIOUS ITEMS: Used commercial carpet cleaning machine, new carpet pieces, stereo receivers, speakers, sofa (like new) coffee table and TV stand. Bob 905-8205386

FOR SALE WANTED

Call 647-854-0335

PERSONAL TRAINING: Free personal training using either Chiropractor or Athletic Therapy insurance benefits email eric@habitual.ca for more info!

PEN PALS: Looking for male pen pals from Guyana or Trinidad. Between the ages of 50-59. Please email sharmen.singh@ yahoo.com

30 Wednesday, April 23, 2014

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Your Horoscope - April 23rd 2014 ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

CANCER

Whether it’s a carrot, need, goal, or fresh impetus, whatever it is stirring inside of you now gets a great big push from Uranus, Pluto, Mars, and Jupiter. Perhaps it’s you all fired up, or perhaps it’s some unexpected catalyst; either way, as of Sunday onward, it’s breakthrough time. Wednesday brings you to a cutoff point. Off with the old, on with the new!

Even if you don’t travel, the long weekend sees you gain added mileage, especially so Thursday through Saturday. On Easter Sunday, it’s one thing after another. Control and coping skills can be tested, but the Capricorn moon assists you. Monday to Wednesday thrusts you onto a next page, pronto quick.

It’s everything all at once. Past mid next week, the stars sort it out better.

Personally and socially, you’ll make good tracks Thursday/Friday. Saturday can roll along well, but don’t get too comfortable.

Sunday can be an uneven ride. Restraint and added patience is a good aim, but with the day so stacked, nobody’s a saint. Monday/Tuesday, stay observant and jump on it quick. Trust your gut instincts. Out of the box, fresh, or unique is the right pick.

Thursday through Saturday can put you onto an accomplishment upswing. Use these days to put your best foot forward and to wrap up what you can. On Easter Sunday, watch for added pressure from all sides. Try not to let resentment, frustration, or a confrontational moment get the better of you. Monday through Wednesday, you’ll thrust past several major hurdles, perhaps surprisingly so.

LEO

VIRGO

LIBRA

SCORPIO

It seems you have high hopes for Easter weekend, even if all that means is extra time to do as you please. Come Sunday through Wednesday, kickback time is over—if you can call it that! Intense stars continue through the month’s end. Easter day, you can feel inconvenienced or backed into a corner.

Monday through Wednesday brings you/it back to life. It’s blastoff time.

A personal or social recharge is ideal. Thursday to Saturday, aim to make full use of your time and build up for what comes next.

Easter Sunday’s stars pile it on extra thick, but like it or not, you need to face it. Monday through Wednesday requires everything you have and then some. Yes, it feels like too much, but gain is immediate.

Take nothing for granted and keep on watch.

Sunday onward, the stars bring it on hard and fast. Monday through Wednesday, you are hot-wired for action. Circumstances or another can take you by surprise. Once it hits full throttle, the next play is yours to call. Trust your instincts and let your courage guide you. Success is found through response, not reaction.

Put on your game face but try not to overshoot your budget, time, energy, or stamina.

You can motor along well through Saturday, but as of Easter Sunday, the stars thicken the plot. To next Wednesday, moment to moment requires you to be even sharper on the ball. Keep on watch for the unexpected.

Monday/Tuesday, there’s no choice but to hit the ground running.

SAGITTARIUS

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You can pump it through Saturday and get quite far along. By Easter Sunday, the wear and tear can get the better of you. You can be forced to confront what or who is confronting you. It can take you by surprise or perhaps you have been waiting for this moment to arrive. Either way, Monday/Tuesday puts the new reality on full thrust.

It’s brewing through Saturday. Easter Sunday through Wednesday, it’s out in full force.

You can’t control the outside forces, but you can control how you handle yourself. Jupiter, Uranus, and Mars fast-track you on to your new adventure. Day by day, your next steps will become clearer-cut. By next Thursday, you should have a good handle on it.

A getaway weekend can be ideal but you can’t escape the stars. By Sunday afternoon, the Grand Cross stars are pushing to get the show on the road. It’s in full thrust Monday/ Tuesday. The Aquarius moon keeps you a step ahead of the rest. Even if you are hit from all sides, it’s your time to shine.

Thursday/Friday, you’ll work it to your best advantage. Easter Sunday onward, your time may not be your own. Monday/Tuesday, out of sight is not out of mind. You may be able to stay out of the fray but you still have plenty to contend with. Next Wednesday to Friday, it will fall into place more naturally.

July 22 - August 22

November 22 - December 21

April 19 - May 20

August 22 - September 22

December 21 - January 19

May 20 - June 21

September 22 - October 23

January 19 - February 18

Answers available on www.TorontoCaribbean.com

March 20 - April 19

Across 1) Kit in case you get hurt [FIRSTAID] 5) Long paddle boat [CANOE] 6) Spray to repel these [INSECTS] 7) Potential picnic ruiners [BEARS] 8) Keeps drinks cold [COOLER] 10) Fire starters [MATCHES] 13) Cook it on a stick [WEINER] 14) Might have to boil this [WATER] 15) Sit around this [CAMPFIRE] 16) Treed area [FOREST] Down 1) Way to catch dinner [FISHING] 2) Prime swimming spot [LAKE] 3) Roasted sweets [MARSHMALLOWS] 4) Used to find direction [COMPASS] 7) Heavy-duty footwear [BOOTS] 9) Cloth shelter [TENT] 11) Home on wheels [TRAILER] 12) Take a ____ [HIKE]

June 21 - July 22

October 23 - November 22

February 18 - March 19

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Rewire your brain to grow your business part 1 Tina Dietz Business Development The human brain did not develop over time for people to “think outside the box.” Quite the opposite. We are wired to get safe and stay safe-to survive, not thrive. But if you are a business owner, you know that to grow your business requires decision making, risk taking, and fairly rapid change in order to meet your goals.

Without even meaning to, entrepreneurs run the risk of regularly triggering the infamous “fight or flight response” because your brain, as gorgeous as a machine as it is, isn’t so good at telling the difference between reality and not-reality.

For example, when researchers hook athletes up to biofeedback machines and ask the athletes to visualize playing their sport, their brains light up the same way as though they were really playing, and they have many of the same physiological responses as well.

Heart rate, muscle activity, and so on.

And consider this. You’re in the car, and you’re thinking about that conversation you have to have with your spouse or partner or child that you are not looking forward to, and all of a sudden you’ve had a 10 minute conversation with someone who wasn’t actually there—you have all the same emotional reactions and the physical reactions that go along with those emotions—but in reality you never had the conversation.

The problem with triggering the flight or flight response regularly goes beyond the emotional experiences of fear, nervousness, or anxiety. There’s also a significant impact on

what parts of your brain are available to you, the kinds of decisions you make, and an increase in stress hormones being dumped into your system like cortisol.

When you are in fear mode you activate the fight or flight response your reptilian brain and midbrain. In that moment when your brain thinks you are in danger you kill all your choices but two—fight, or flight.

It may not “feel” like flight or fight.

It might look like conflict, or flee…continue, or quit…my way, or the highway…or black and white thinking. If you find yourself saying (to yourself or others) this HAS to work.. this MUST work…then you’re in the grip of fear.

It doesn’t matter that there is no sabre toothed tiger trying to eat you, in the moment you are in fear, your creativity, your decision making ability, your critical thinking skills, all those hard won mechanisms in the human part of your brain are outweighed by your instinct to survive. Your amygdala, the emotional center of the brain, is hijacked.

So what do you do?

The key to productivity, clarity, and focus is to reduce fear, and increase confidence. My next article will focus on solutions and options to help you build a strong muscle in taming your brain. It’s not the “quick fix” that brings success, it is training, habits, and persistence that has us grow into being a phenomenal leader.

Are you worth the time and effort? Damn right you are.

This week, bring your attention to your thinking and notice when the black and white “musts and shoulds” come up for you.

Notice when you’re anxious, unsure, or shaky and just make mental note of when and where it’s happening. Keep a journal if you really want results. You can also leave a comment or question on the blog. Give yourself some compassion for being human, because we all deal with our inner mechanisms whether they are biological or otherwise.

Youʼve had a auto accident - now what?

Sherene Cole

CIP, CRM, CAIB, LLQP

Insurance Matters

You hear a horn, feel a bump and next thing you know, you hear the sound of crumpling metal. With all this going on around you, your thoughts race. You think to yourself…”What do I do next? Who do I contact? Where do I go to get my car fixed? Is my car driveable?” All of these questions fog up your mind and may confuse you. You may even feel terrified. But it’s important to stay focused and know what steps to take after an auto accident.

1. Don’t leave the accident scene – leaving the scene could lead to serious or even criminal charges.

2. If it is safe to do so, move the vehicles off to the side of the road: Make sure the situation is safe for all, including passing traffic.

3. Collect evidence at the scene of the collision: • Vehicle make, model and license plates of all vehicles involved • Take photos of the damage at the immediate accident scene if possible: Make note of weather conditions, stop signs, signal lights, etc.

• Location of the accident – including street names, addresses, nearby intersections.

• Driver’s license number, license plate numbers, name, address, phone number & email address for all drivers involved in the accident • Remember witnesses and passengers; take their contact information as well • Insurance Information: policy number & insurance company name from the “pink slip” 4. Report the Collision • Even if it’s minor, it is recommended that you file a report with the collision reporting centre in the jurisdiction where the accident occurred • You must call the police if there are injuries, more than $1,000 damage to vehicles, or damage to roadways.

• If possible call your insurance company from the accident scene and let them authorize the towing service on site or recommend an authorized tow truck operator.

• Never sign anything that you don’t understand – call your broker or insurance company first & ask for help or clarification.

Keep in mind…

• Stay calm • Don’t argue with other drivers, witnesses, passengers or on-lookers • Tell your story only to the police and the claims representative • Never admit liability • Most importantly, STAY SAFE! For questions, comments or if you would like to see a particular subject matter covered in future, please refer to my contact details in the editorial section on page 5.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014 31

32 Wednesday, April 23, 2014

TORONTO CARIBBEAN

Are you a leader? business.

The first one being Balance. I am sure you have heard this before and it definitely is a challenging thing to achieve especially when you are a business owner and have to go out and make the money, sometimes that hunt is all you are thinking about and the rest of your life might be put on hold for a bit as you aim towards that goal. Just a reminder that there are many different aspects that make up your life, your health (mental, emotional and physical), your family, your social life and friends, your spiritual life or religion, your business and finances to name a few. Balance is being able to find time for everything, now it may not be equal time and one week something might be more dominant then the next week, however scheduling and outlining time for all these important qualities of your life will help you achieve harmony in your life.

The next one is Humility. Ouch a hard one for some of us to get but it could be the vital piece that you are missing as a leader.

It could be as simple as allowing your team to take the credit instead of you, helping other people to shine brighter and giving recognition to others for their efforts (even though it might have been you that did it all). This is a piece if you look at some of the great leaders of the world, they embody this. It is about the unity of the whole (maybe that is your family,

Colleen Lindberg Business Development Fortune Magazine in their latest April issue published an article about the World’s 50 Greatest Leaders and it got me thinking, what makes a great leader? What truly defines leadership and why would anyone want to be a leader?

I know through my own experience that a leader in a self-employed business is a huge asset, as you are the business, so without your direction and guidance (on yourself) you wouldn’t have a business. However leadership qualities can be achieved in anyone’s life whether they have a business or not. This article gave a definition or shall I say story, about what defines these 50 people as leaders and in summary I chose 5 characteristics that I believe outline leadership (although there are many more) and can help you in your life and

business etc.) that gets things done. This would be an example where the saying “There is no I in team” would come into play. Attaining a humble spirit is a work in progress and focusing on it will allow you to make small shifts in attaining it, but most definitely it is worth it in the end.

Thirdly is Sacrifice. Now you might be asking yourself, you just talked about balance and now you are mentioning sacrifice.

There are somethings in life that are better suited to wait instead of receiving instantly.

Sometimes living in a moldy, old apartment for 3 years while you establish yourself is the better answer, then have a mortgage on a house with the uncertainty and expense. There will always be an opportunity where sacrifice will show up when you need to make a decision as a leader, whether it be lack of sleep, giving of your time when it feels like there isn’t any, giving of money etc. that as a leader you will get to choose when and why. As a leader you made a decision to do something, that is how you became a leader, you might have decided to stand behind a cause and not give up until you achieve the message of the cause, this might bring you into situations where you will have to choose to sacrifice a part of yourself (time, energy, money) to move the cause along. This is exactly what most of these top 50 leaders did.

The fourth one is Passion. You need to be committed to the cause that you are representing. Without that connection why would you sacrifice, give up time with your family etc. to achieve it. Leadership shows up when people can get really passionate about what it is they are talking about, fighting for, services and products that they are promoting etc. It is through this passionate energy that we are able to really get people on board with our vision, as we believe it and then they start to believe it too.

Lastly is Perseverance. It is by far one of the most important pieces as there will be a lot of opportunities for you to quit along the way to achieving a leader status, it might even happen daily. You have to be committed to the goal, keeping your eye on the end result and everyday move yourself closer to what it looks like. We could analyze a lot of the great success stories out there and at the root of them all, comes perseverance, not quitting and staying the course. As you may have heard before “If you build it they will come”. So continue to build it, if you don’t who will?

So I ask you, are you a leader? Do you represent these qualities in your life? Are you driven to achieve for the cause/business/ lifestyle? Something to think about over the next few days. Leaders are created, they earn their titles.

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