Guyana Chronicle Pepperpot E-Paper 04-10-2026

Sunday, October 04, 2026

Khaimwatie Seenarine

A 23-Year Journey A nursery educator’s reflections on teaching, curriculum renewal, leadership and the lasting responsibility of guiding young learners

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, October 4, 2026

When Teaching Meets Enterprise: A Teacher’s Lesson in Service

By Andrea Hendricks AT 26, Tyrecsa Wills is an educator, entrepreneur and future business psychologist whose work is rooted in education, creativity and practical solutions to everyday needs. As a business teacher for four years and a Business Psychology student at the University of Guyana campus, she is learning to connect theory with the realities of service, responsibility and enterprise. Her guiding belief is straightforward: do the work and earn the results. Wills puts it: “Input equals output.” She explains, “I believe that once we put our time, effort, discipline and commitment into something, it will eventually influence what we get out of it.” That principle has encouraged her to keep learning, creating and improving, even when the work becomes challenging. The same principle shaped Whiff & Click Creation, her home-based business in the Dazzel Housing Scheme. The countryside community lacked convenient access to printing services, and Wills saw that residents often needed documents, flyers, posters, photographs and other printed materials. She took the opportunity to provide a service in the community where she lives. For Wills, the business is also a practical education. “I wanted to experience entrepreneurship for myself to understand the challenges, decision-making, customer service, marketing and financial responsibilities that come with running a business,” she said. Whiff & Click Creation became both a business and a learning experience. Each service Whiff & Click Creation offers grew from a need Wills identified around her. She introduced photography after recognising how important identification photographs had become for document verification. People applying for a passport, visa, school placement, employment or other official documentation often need the correct photographs. Her creativity also gives her therapy and satisfaction,

especially when customers receive personalised items that become milestones or memories. At the same time, she wanted to assist small business owners who were struggling financially and needed affordable advertising materials. “I wanted to offer an

entrepreneurial journey. The business principles she teaches provide the theoretical foundation, but running a business requires her to apply those principles every day. “Many of the concepts I teach are things I have to apply in my own business,” she said. “Teaching has helped

me real-life experiences that I can bring back into the classroom.” That hands-on perspective can give students in the business stream a clearer understanding of how lessons operate beyond the textbook. “Instead of simply saying, ‘This is what the textbook

especially when no one is available at home to guide them with school projects and assignments. “I am happy to fill that gap at their service,” she said. The educational aspect of the business focuses on learning resources and support for the classroom. For

Printery section: Teachers’ Corner, Affirmation Station. Photo credits: Tyrecsa Wills

Business teacher, entrepreneur and Business Psychology student Tyrecsa Wills believes education should extend beyond the classroom.

option for entrepreneurs, organisations and individuals to create something that represents them,” Wills said. Her experience as a business teacher has guided her

me understand areas such as marketing, customer needs, business objectives, entrepreneurship and decision-making. At the same time, running my business has given

says,’ I can say, ‘This is what I experienced, this is what I learned, and this is how this concept works in real life,’” she said. “So, in many ways, my classroom teaches my business, and my business teaches my classroom.” Ongoing responsibility Wills sees her role as an educator as both a responsibility and a privilege. Through her business, she wants to contribute to students’ growth in and out of the classroom while making the work of fellow educators easier in her community. She hopes to provide hands-on, after-school learning that gives village students a better chance to excel,

teachers, those resources can assist with teaching practice and classroom preparation. Wills’ approach is not to find answers for students or complete their projects, but to guide them through the process. “I help students identify the tools and resources they need, show them how to find information, explain how to approach the task, and encourage them to work through the process themselves,” she said. She believes that learning how to research and solve problems can become a life skill beyond a single assignment. Balancing teaching, studying and operating a business brings its own pres-

sures. Wills has experienced the challenge of communicating with customers with different personalities, expectations, and needs. Misunderstandings can arise over prices, designs, deadlines or the final product, particularly when customers have not fully explained what they want. Scheduling helps her manage the competing demands. “I rely heavily on scheduling; I try to structure my time so that I know when I need to focus on teaching, studying, business responsibilities and personal time,” she said. “A schedule helps me move through my responsibilities more smoothly instead of trying to do everything at once.” She also takes on work she can manage and tries to stay in control of her time. “Sometimes, managing a business means knowing what needs to be done immediately, what can wait, and when I need to take a break,” she said. “For me, the goal is not simply to stay busy. The goal is to be productive without burning myself out.” Fulfillment all around The rewards come from meeting a need she recognised in the market. Whether the request is for a printed document, a personalised T-shirt, an identification photograph, an educational resource or a gift bundle, providing a solution gives Wills a sense of accomplishment. “I also find it rewarding when something I create actually helps someone, especially when it comes to education,” she said. For Wills, success is not only about making money. It is also about being able to say, “There was a need; she identified it and created something that helped to meet that need.” Her entrepreneurial plans include expanding Whiff & Click Creation with a rental division for small business owners who are starting and need space to showcase their goods and services without breaking the bank. She also wants to create affordable rental packages for funerals, weddings, birthdays and other events, particularly for customers with limited budgets who still want a meaningful TURN TO PAGE XVI

A 23-Year Journey

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A nursery educator’s reflections on teaching, curriculum renewal, leadership and the lasting responsibility of guiding young learners

Written by Andrea Hendricks KHAIMWATIE Seenarine has spent 23 years in education, building a career around the development of young children and the teachers who guide them. Her contributions to Guyana’s education sector include serving as a master trainer in the Renewed Nursery Curriculum and, more recently, working as a nursery field officer. Across those roles, she has remained focused on the classroom as a place where children should be encouraged to participate, explore and grow. Seenarine also led development of the first “Animal Friends Learning App”, created in 2021 and launched in 2023 by the Ministry of Education at Tuschen Nursery School. The idea began with a classroom moment that showed her the power of a different approach. “I saw how a particular child was never really involved or paying attention to me while I was teaching,” Seenarine told this publication. “So, one day, I decided to use my daughter’s tablet in my lesson. This immediately captured the children’s attention,” she added. The pupils’ enthusiasm for using the tablet in the classroom sparked the idea for the app, turning an attempt to reach one disengaged child into an educational initiative with wider appeal. The experience reflected a central part of Seenarine’s work: observing children closely and responding to what helps them learn. The app was born not from a desire to replace classroom teaching, but from a practical effort to make a lesson more engaging. For her, the episode demonstrated how a teacher’s attentiveness can transform an everyday challenge into an opportunity for creativity. Introducing the Animal Friends Learning App was a new step in nursery education, but the school later discontinued its classroom use because of new materi-

als and curriculum changes. During the period it was used, however, parents and pupils welcomed it and were eager to engage with it. Although the app’s classroom life was limited, the response

secure a job. What kept her in the profession, however, was a growing desire to nurture children and help them develop not only academically, but holistically. The joy she found in interacting with chil-

those activities. For her, nursery education is meaningful because it allows a teacher to witness a child’s development across the two-year milestone of early life. Her most memorable pro-

connecting policy and practice. Her task was not simply to understand the renewed curriculum, but to help other teachers apply it with confidence. That meant encouraging reflection on established

Blue Economy Seminar, China, 2026 Khaimwatie Seenarine, a 23-year education veteran and master trainer in Guyana’s Renewed Nursery Curriculum, reflects on innovation, leadership and the lasting impact of educators (Photo credits: Khaimwatie Seenarine)

to it showed the value of introducing learning tools that speak to children’s interests. A purposeful choice For Seenarine, teaching was not a career she deliberately selected at the beginning; rather, she believes it chose her. At the time, teaching offered her a way to

dren ultimately inspired her to remain in education for the long road. That commitment is closely tied to the way she measures success. Seenarine takes particular satisfaction in watching children imitate and mimic during role play and dramatisation, and in seeing their personalities and abilities emerge through

fessional experience was her participation in the Renewed Nursery Curriculum in 2022. As a master trainer, Seenarine helped shift perspectives on older teaching approaches while guiding and coaching teachers through the renewed curriculum. She describes the work as a responsibility to support teachers as they adjusted their practice and brought the new approach into their classrooms. Curriculum renewal also placed her in the position of

habits and keeping young learners’ needs at the centre of classroom decisions. Changes across the generations Seenarine is forthright when comparing children’s behaviour today with what she observed in the earlier years of her teaching career. “Some of the biggest changes I have seen in nursery education over the years are children becoming more undisciplined, a decrease in

good manners and simple table etiquette, and a way of interacting that can be seen as aggressive at times,” she said. Her observation points to the broader work involved in nursery education. Teachers are not only introducing children to early learning; they are also helping them develop habits of interaction, respect and participation. Seenarine’s concern about manners and behaviour therefore forms part of her larger view of education as a process that supports children’s growth in every aspect of their lives. Time is another constant consideration for Seenarine, who serves as an educator, entrepreneur and member of an executive committee. “It’s very difficult to find a balance in many instances; however, I try to work on priorities first, then divide my time among other tasks and responsibilities,” she said. Her service extends into the business community through her membership on the executive board of the Region 3 Chamber of Commerce. The role has given her a space in the business world as a woman and allowed her to broaden the ways she contributes beyond the classroom. “I gain the opportunity to network, participate, share knowledge and contribute to various aspects of the business sector in Guyana,” she said. Combined strengths The combination of teaching, entrepreneurship and community service has strengthened Seenarine’s understanding of leadership as a form of contribution. Each role gives her a different avenue to share knowledge, build relationships, and stay connected to the development of people and institutions. Together, they reflect a career that has grown beyond one classroom while remaining rooted in education. As World Teachers’ Day approaches on October 5, the long-standing educator is using the occasion to encourage teachers to recognise the value of their work. Her message is direct and grounded TURN TO PAGE IX

Advocacy at its best

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, October 4, 2026

Serving the community

By Michel Outridge CILANDELL Glen is a Guyanese social worker, adolescent and mental health advocate, and community development professional committed to improving the mental health and psychosocial well-being of children, adolescents, young adults, and families. Driven by a passion for creating safe, supportive and stigma-free spaces where individuals can speak openly about their mental health, Glen founded Desert Flower Guyana Inc. (DFG) in 2020. She said what began as a vision to promote mental health awareness and support individuals and families has grown into a social-impact organisation committed to building a mentally healthy generation in Guyana. As Founder and Executive Director of DFG, Glen provides strategic leadership to Desert Flower Guyana and has been instrumental in conceptualising and developing initiatives that respond to the mental health needs of vulnerable populations, she said. Glen added that, under her leadership, DFG has implemented and developed initiatives focused on mental health awareness, psychosocial support, counselling access, suicide prevention, youth empowerment and community engagement.

Additionally, Glen serves as the Adolescent Health Coordinator at the Ministry of Health (MOH), where she contributes to national efforts to strengthen adolescent health, sexual and reproductive health and mental health services in Guyana. Glen’s passion for service and change led her to volunteer. She first volunteered at Artistes in Direct Support under the guidance of Ms Desiree Edghill. She noted that this journey led her into the helping profession and drove her to complete her academic studies in Social Work at the University of Guyana (UG). Glen has a life filled with service. After Artistes in Direct Support, she joined the Rotaract Club of Georgetown, where she served and contributed to the development of children, adolescents and communities. During her time in the Rotaract Club of Georgetown, she served in several capacities, both locally with her club and at the District 7030 level. She served as President, Secretary, Vice President, and Community Service Director at the club level, and as Community Service Liaison Officer, International Service Liaison Officer, and District Liaison Officer to Guyana at the District 7030 level.

Cilandell Glen and others during one of her community projects to promote mental health among children, adolescents, young adults and families

Cilandell Glen

Glen is also a current Rotarian and Past President of the Rotary Club of Georgetown Central, where she serves as the Vice President for the Rotary year 2026–2027. Previously, she served as President in Rotary Year 2022/2023 and Public Image Chair in 2025/2026. In 2025/2026, Cilandell received the Rotarian of the Year Award. She told Pepperpot Magazine that she grew up in Bagotville, West Bank Demerara, with her family before moving to Georgetown, where she currently resides. Glen stated that her humble upbringing in Region Three shaped who she is today. She reported that she enjoyed her adventures in the back dam, climbing fruit trees with her brothers, and that these adventures contributed to her love for nature and the outdoors. The advocate related that she attended La Venture Nursery School in Bagotville, West Bank Demerara, and St. Andrews Primary School in Georgetown. However, after completing primary school, she attended North Ruimveldt Multilateral Secondary, where she spent two years before moving to the Academy of Precious Ones, where she completed her secondary education.

Glen said that, after secondary school, she attended UG, where she completed a diploma in Public Management, followed by a diploma and a degree in Social Work. Following her studies at UG, she completed a master’s degree in Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the University of Northampton in the United Kingdom after being awarded the prestigious Chevening scholarship in 2018. This was followed by a master’s degree in Social Work at UG and a postgraduate degree in Child and Adolescent Advocacy from the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. “My future aspiration is to complete a doctorate and contribute my drive towards empowering adolescents and contributing towards the development of my country,” she said. Glen said what she loves most about her work is the opportunity to impact the lives of adolescents and young adults countrywide. She added that it has always been her desire to contribute to the development of adolescents, young adults, her community, and her country. “I must say that I’m elated and honoured to be allowed to work in TURN TO PAGE VII

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, October 4, 2026

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Guyanese Nail Brand Puts Local Beauty on the Global Stage

By Andrea Hendricks

W H AT b e g a n w i t h a Georgetown nail technician mixing gel colours by hand to find the right match for clients has grown into a Guyanese-led professional nail brand preparing to enter the United States market. LNC Professional (Guyana) launched in Georgetown on September 7 with 26 shades designed to reflect the range of complexions its technicians encountered in the salon. Alongside its professional gel system, the company is building an ecosystem to address everyday business challenges behind the salon chair—from booking clients

now extends beyond colour. Through LNC Pro Suite, beauticians can view appointments, client histories, technician commissions and chair rentals while tracking sales, stock levels, product costs and payments in one system. LNC Professional began after a difficult conversation with the company’s long-time US supplier, which informed McPhoy that it was going out of business. “We needed a new source of reliable, safe and efficient nail products,” McPhoy said. She added: “Rihanna created Fenty Beauty for women like her, so I know I could create high-quality nail products for women in the Caribbean and around the world.”

brand.” As a nail technician, McPhoy said her experience has shaped LNC Professional into a brand that listens, cares and caters first to the needs of nail technicians. “A happy, happy nail tech equals happy clients,” she said. Her advice to young professionals, especially those in the beauty industry, is direct: “Start! Start! Wherever you are, with whatever you have. Focus on excellent customer service, and the rest will fall into place.” The LNC Pro Suite is designed to run the business side of a salon or barber shop, helping clients receive better service while giving owners a clearer view of their operations.

Launch of LNC Professional (Guyana) on September 7th, 2026, at Lexann Nail Creation. Leaders and supporters from the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana (WCCIG) at the ribbon-cutting ceremony

Lyndell Danzie-Black (left), CEO of Cerulean Inc. & Co-founder of WCCIG; Lexann McPhoy (right), CEO of LNC Professional (Guyana) & Global Chief Brand Officer

and tracking technicians’ earnings to managing inventory, reconciling cash, card and mobile-money payments, monitoring profitability and identifying where a salon is losing money. At the centre of the venture is Guyanese entrepreneur Lexann McPhoy, CEO of LNC Professional (Guyana) and Global Chief Brand Officer. Her experience in the Caribbean professional beauty industry revealed a problem that became the foundation of the brand: technicians routinely mixed products to create shades the market did not provide. That practical approach

For McPhoy, Guyana is home, and nail technicians deserve access to quality products comparable to those used by technicians in Europe. After 22 years of serving clients, she said she knows that Caribbean women come in all shades and styles. They are her priority. McPhoy also reflected that access to finance could have made her own business journey easier. Taking the brand global means everything to her. In an interview, she told this publication: “Guyana is not on the world stage now for only oil and Kaieteur Falls, but for a premium nail

Co-founder Theon Alleyne said the system brings records for commissions, stock pricing and available products into one place. It is intended to help entrepreneurs understand profits and losses, spend less time chasing payments and provide better service within limited time constraints. “With the payment-integrated system, clients can book their appointments and make their deposits. In this case, it would be MMG— Mobile Money Guyana. This system will provide a secure and reliable payment option,” Alleyne said. The platform is TURN TO PAGE XVII

Theon Alleyne, Lead Developer of LNC Pro Suite, Beauty & Grooming Professional Business Management Software

A Bigger Vision

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, October 4, 2026 Neil Benjamin of Hopetown Village doing what he loves: farming

Farmer urges youth to embrace climate-smart agriculture

By Michel Outridge ON just two acres of rich soil in Hopetown Village, West Coast Berbice, 34-year-old father of two, Neil Benjamin, is quietly engineering a high-tech agricultural turnaround. Every week, crisp pak choi, lettuce, sweet corn and plump boulanger are sold from Benjamin’s Farm and land directly on the tables of Guyana’s growing restaurant scene. Powered by modern drip irrigation, motorised tillers and zero-waste ambition, this modest plot in Hopetown Village is the launchpad for a bold, climate-resilient model of integrated farming, proving that technology and diversification can transform a backyard garden into a thriving commercial

powerhouse. Benjamin is not content with traditional crop farming alone. He is actively engineering a transition to a fully integrated, climate-resilient agricultural ecosystem that seamlessly integrates crop cultivation, poultry, swine, and apiculture under a single, sustainable banner. The drive towards diversification was born as much of necessity as of ambition. Not long ago, vandals targeted and destroyed Benjamin’s apiary, devastating his honey-producing hives and wiping out a crucial source of household income. For many, a blow of that magnitude might have prompted a retreat. For Benjamin, it was an eye-opening lesson in risk management. Determined to rebuild his lost hives, he resolved never again to

rely on a single income stream, realising that a resilient farm must feature multiple interconnected enterprises so that a setback in one area does not bring the entire operation to a halt. This forward-thinking mindset is the natural evolution of a lifelong journey in agriculture. Benjamin’s love for the soil began simply enough in his family’s backyard. Following his grandmother’s advice to pursue a practical trade after secondary school, he studied electrical installation at the Guyana Technical Institute (GTI). He then joined the Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), where he gained valuable hands-on cultivation experience while continuing to garden at home. Later, formal studies at the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) provided the business acumen and technical expertise needed to turn a personal passion into a commercial livelihood. Today, modern tools have replaced backbreaking manual labour on his plot. With a motorised tiller and drip irrigation, Benjamin manages his soil, labour and water with precise efficiency.

He views climate-smart technology as essential to reducing waste and boosting profitability. His immediate structural objective is to build larger shade houses that will protect his delicate vegetables from extreme weather spikes and allow him to supply local buyers consistently year-round. To realise these goals, Benjamin is tapping into government support systems designed to empower independent producers. He hopes to benefit directly from the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute’s (NAREI) shade house initiative, building upon training provided by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). The core principles of integrated circular farming are already underway at Hopetown. Benjamin regularly collects nutrient-rich manure from the modern, tunnel-ventilated poultry facility at nearby Onverwagt to enrich his soil. That success has spurred plans to raise his own flock of layers and broiler birds, producing fresh eggs and meat for market while securing a steady, on-site supply of organic fertiliser for his crops. He is very grateful for the sup-

port and technical guidance from the Guyana Livestock Development Authority (GLDA) Region Five Extension Officer, Kyle George, who has helped Benjamin turn his ideas into an environmentally sound operational plan focused on clean, high-quality food production. At the same time, Benjamin is laying the groundwork for a specialised swine unit. Eager to master the artificial insemination technique for his sows, he aims to introduce top-tier breeding genetics without the steep, ongoing overhead of housing and feeding a herd boar. Through strategic herd management, artificial insemination will let him precisely control breeding cycles and maximise earning potential. Even as new livestock ventures take shape, reclaiming his lost beekeeping enterprise remains a deep personal goal. Benjamin plans to re-establish his apiary within the nearby mangrove forest, offering bees ideal foraging conditions while bolstering coastal ecology. With technical backing from the GLDA, he looks forward to seeing TURN TO PAGE XVI

Farmer Neil Benjamin tending to his crops

Advocacy at its best

CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, October 4, 2026

a field where I can not only impact the lives of individuals but make a significant contribution to society, my community, my country and the world,” she said. Glen told Pepperpot Magazine that there are several things that keep her motivated; however, she would like to say that God, His plans and His purpose for her life keep her motivated. She credits her success to God and believes she was placed on earth for a particular purpose, and that each day she is guided into the lives of individuals and places and allowed to fulfil it. Glen related that her passion for creating change can impact and change the world, and she believes that by impacting one individual, that

person can have a ripple effect that will, in turn, create the change they all want to see. “One of my greatest desires is to leave the world a better place than I found it, and I know that this can be accomplished by impacting one life at a time. I believe in the mantra ‘Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth’. To live my mantra and to contribute to the development of my community, my country and the world, I volunteer with the Rotaract Club of Georgetown, Rotary Club of Georgetown Central and For the Children Sake Foundation,” she said. During her years as a volunteer, she has received the Rotaract of the Year award

(two years), Director of the Year award, the For the Children Sake Foundation Award of Excellence and Humanitarian Award, the 25 Influential Women’s Leader Award, and the Rotarian of the Year award. She also received the Chevening 2018 Scholarship to study for a master’s degree in the United Kingdom. Desert Flower Guyana Inc. Glen is the Founder and Executive Director of Desert Flower – Guyana Incorporated, a registered non-profit organisation committed to promoting positive mental health and psychosocial well-being among children, adolescents, young adults and families across Guyana. It was established in 2020 under Guyana’s Trust Deed

Act. The organisation was founded in response to the increasing mental health challenges affecting vulnerable populations and the need for accessible, community-based mental health support. The organisation works to reduce stigma, improve mental health literacy, strengthen resilience and expand access to quality mental health services through education, advocacy, early intervention, psychosocial support, capacity building and community partnerships. The vision is “To grow a mentally healthy generation by empowering individuals with the tools and skills to protect and manage their mental health.” The mission of Desert Flower – Guyana Inc. is to

promote a friendly, stigma-free environment for children and adolescents who are dealing with and are affected by mental health issues. Through its work, the organisation seeks to change this narrative by creating safe spaces where individuals can speak openly, access support, build resilience and understand that seeking help is a sign of strength. Three core pillars guide the work: Promote. Support. Empower. They promote mental health awareness and education, support individuals and communities through meaningful interventions and resources, and empower young people, families and communities with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to thrive.

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Since its establishment, Desert Flower Guyana has implemented initiatives aimed at improving the mental well-being of children, adolescents, families and communities, including: Let’s Talk Green Bench Initiative, Glow for Mental Health Out of the Shadows Awareness Walk, Light It Up Green Guyana for Mental Health Awareness Initiative. On October 9, 2026, Desert Flower Guyana will host its 6th Anniversary Celebration and Project Launch at Fresh Café. Following the anniversary celebration and project launch, it will host its 5th Annual Glow for Mental Health Out of the Shadows Awareness Walk and mini Mental Health and Well-being Fair.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, October 4, 2026

The art of being alone

NO feeling is quite as gut-wrenching as watching a train pass by, knowing that when its last carriage has passed, you will be left behind with no reflection to keep you company. Maybe that emotion is comparable to saying goodbye to someone at an airport, with a forbidden mixture of envy and sadness, as they move on to a better part of their life. Or it might be close to the isolation you feel standing in the middle of a crowd of strangers, with everyone seeming as if they have somewhere to be or someone to meet. It is a sense of coldness that takes residence in the parts of you that warmth

ought to fill. As cruel as this feeling can be, we must learn to understand it and eventually accept it. Each of us has a different path we are meant to take in life. This means that at some point, it will feel like we are being left behind, but we are not. We are just moving in different directions. Trying to go in the same direction as someone else just because you do not want to feel left behind is like planting a cactus in clayey soil or a rice plant in dry sand. There is a tiny chance it might survive, but it will never thrive. If you have ever gone to a restaurant and forced

yourself to order the same food everyone else was ordering to feel included, you might understand how the need to avoid being left out or left behind can negatively affect you. In that particular scenario, you would have lost a unique experience and the joy of trying something that you like. Perhaps it might have been worth it to share a happy moment with your friends. However, if we keep making choices again and again solely to fit in or feel included, it will eventually affect our lives more deeply, and the losses we experience will grow. What if, for example, we found ourselves struggling

to choose a career? Instead of making the effort to understand what we want to do, we might be inclined to take the easy route and follow someone else. At first, this choice may feel comforting because we have someone to share the journey with, and because we don’t have to face the prospect of being left behind while everyone else moves forward. Following others means we don’t have to be left behind, but it also means we will never get to embark on a journey of our own. Eventually, that ill-fitting choice will become a source of bitterness and discomfort. If you wouldn’t wear

someone else’s ill-fitting shoes to match them, why would you step into their lives and replicate their choices? Sometimes, members of our generation can become too comfortable with the idea of being comfortable. Not every journey, choice or discovery can be made in the company of others. In fact, the most wonderful part of soul-searching is done alone and without the help of others. If you are going down a path and feel like you are being left behind, take a moment to pause and consider what parameters you are using to decide whether you are going in the right

direction. If you are using the people around you to make that decision, then you may need to consider whether the answer you’ve chosen is correct at all! It is time for us to stop depending on directions from other people when we are the only ones who know what we want our destination to be. Human beings are not meant to be alone. More often than not, finding friends and people to love is what gives life its warmth and beauty. Nevertheless, we will enter and leave this earth by ourselves, so we must also learn to sculpt the path between these two milestones.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, October 4, 2026

Parenting: Not an Easy Job

PARENTING requires difficult choices and personal sacrifices. The rewards of raising a child well are innumerable, but how do new parents navigate a minefield of uncertainty?

Being Alone Many people sometimes miss this opportunity to take care of themselves. Remember, before you became a parent, you had to be on your own. That period has been important for many people, as it allowed them to recognise their true potential and make careful choices about their career paths. In your quiet moments, you can choose your friends, workmates, etc. This is often a great time to build a relationship. However, do not rush into a relationship; instead, enjoy this period of your life and take time to make careful choices. If you are tired of being alone and think it is time to move on, consider dating (courtship). Don’t fall for the first person who comes your way without doing your own research and gathering as much information as possible before you choose. If you settle too quickly and don’t gather enough information before deciding, you may regret your choice later. Be diligent in your choices, and

you may be happier in the future. Childbearing is not easy, but the rewards of being a mother are great. The number of children you may wish to add to the family will depend upon the couple. You must never allow anyone else to make that decision. However, be open to advice and make a careful decision with your partner. A man’s contribution to conceiving a child cannot be undervalued. Therefore, a man must not be seen as a mere sperm donor. When choosing a partner, consider someone you can live with for the rest of your life and who will provide for you and your family. In any family, women are important, and so are men. Parenting in Action Since you have carefully decided you will not be alone and have made all arrangements to be a parent, congratulations as you enter a world with many successes and challenges. If you work hard and smart enough, you might be able to overcome some of the problems. No parent will have a life free of challenges, but these challenges make you a stronger, smarter parent with experiences you can share with others. No university

can truly prepare you to become a parent; you will have to learn many steps as you go down that path. The stages of human life remind us that we were not born as adults but had to pass through many stages. Each step includes many lessons. Every child is expected to attend school, and parents must ensure the child seizes every learning opportunity. Not all children will become academically inclined, but some will make a difference in life. However, as a parent, you must guide your child/ children. As a parent, you will always need finances, whether for yourself or your child. As you read this book, you will see some of a parent’s financial needs and some of a child’s. A parent must make time to help their child with homework, which supports the child’s overall improvement. Some children may be involved in extracurricular activities, which may also add to their overall success. When a child has extracurricular activities, parents can be involved in some way. Meal preparation for a child is still a challenging issue. The food a child eats today may not be the same meal they want tomorrow. As a parent, you may spend your

A 23-Year Journey

in the profession’s realities. “We are invaluable people to our society and to the education sector. We shouldn’t let anyone make us feel less in any way in our profession,” Seenarine said. She also reminded teachers that the profession does not demand perfection, but it does require a willingness to continue growing. “No teacher is perfect, and learning is never-ending,” she added. The message reflects her own career, which has included classroom teaching, training,

curriculum work, innovation and service, all of which have required her to remain open to change. For those considering a future in education, Seenarine offers an equally candid invitation. “I will not sugar-coat it: it has never been easy, and it will never get easier. Once you are passionate and have a desire to share, come join the teaching ranks of educators and give it your best shot,” she said. Her words capture the demanding nature of teaching while also explain-

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ing why she has remained in the profession for more than two decades. For Seenarine, the challenges are inseparable from the privilege of helping children develop, supporting fellow teachers and contributing to the wider education sector. As Guyana observes World Teachers’ Day, her journey reminds us that an educator’s work can begin with one child, one lesson, and one decision to find a better way to reach a learner.

last few dollars to prepare a meal, only for your child to reject it. Some parents stay at home, while others must work. Both parents have their successes and challenges. A stay-at-home parent may not have to work overtime but may face other problems that make them regret the day they chose to stay home. The book carefully considers the roles of mothers and fathers, and it hopes their children understand these roles and work alongside their parents. Health, Religion and Moral Values of the Family While all parents want children to be active and healthy, that may be only their wish, as some children become ill. Parents are not robots, and they can also get sick. Many children hate to know that their parents are sick, and parents also hate to know that their children are sick. Sickness can impose fi-

nancial challenges on a family. A family member’s illness can take away much-needed funds and sleep. A family may have a child who has a disability and needs special care. These children must also be treated with love, like any other child. Some children may want to be religious, but it depends on whether their parents share the same religious beliefs. Many religious people may add moral values to society. Some religious institutions help shape individuals; they may provide counselling sessions for many people in communities, which can lead them to change their lives and turn away from wrongdoing. While parents are required to be responsible, they are not always so. Some parents may not even know what some of their responsibilities are. Sometimes, there is a narrow gap between what

a parent is expected to do and what they are expected not to do. Children may follow the example of responsible or irresponsible parents. Therefore, parents must set a good example. All families will have conflicts. Not all conflicts are harmful, as they can allow people to find their strengths or other ways to complete a required task. However, when conflicts are not managed properly, they can create many challenges in the family, with long-reaching impacts. Conflicts may be caused by any of the people in the family. For more information about Geary Reid and his books, please use this contact information: Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/ author/gearyreid; Website: www.reidnlearn.com; Facebook: Reid n Learn; Email: info@reidnlearn. com; Mobile: 592-645-2240.

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MANKIND DOES NOT NEED A DEVIL TO MISLEAD HIM; HE HAS AN EGO AND FRIENDS WITH SECRET HORNS, AND A WILLINGNESS TO BE COUNTED IN THE CROWD MANY years ago, as I sat in a yard with two brethren in King Edward Street, a marijuana cigarette was passed around. I coughed even before it came to me, so I rejected it. They taunted me because they were two converted brethren.

They taunted me for hanging with too much “bald head”; they expanded that I was hanging with too much “semi-bourgeois”. I laughed, and my buddies smiled, ignored me, and continued with their prophetic acceptances.

That was a strange time in GT, but who would look into the future and predict worse, in an unenvisioned, unthinkable growing arena of a hard-times scenario, entrapped and requiring mystic interpretations, when all was obvious?

This was a flaw of interpretation and a lack of research, but it was not the first time perceptions became entangled, and humans lost their gravity, ripping out their vision of what is. It is a common but terrible flaw because, as we have all ob-

served, a cost must be paid, and it is always the most innocent who suffer the injuries for too long when too many ignore the consequences of the errors referred to. Even in the face of impossibilities about to intensify and arrive at the blame-it-on…

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Death of the Soccer God by Dimitry Elias Léger THE peripatetic protagonist of Dimitry Elias Léger’s new novel, Death of the Soccer God (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $27.00), arriving almost a decade after his last novel, God Loves Haiti, is one of those literary creations one hardly encounters anymore in Caribbean fiction: a raconteur and scamp, a lover

of women and pleasure, and a lover and player of the beautiful game—soccer. Gilbert Chevalier is a wealthy, light-skinned Black Haitian whose proximity to famous people and involvement in Haitian politics give the novel the air of a nineteenth-century Bildungsroman. He is, in some respects, a lesser Mickey

Sabbath, although Gilbert lacks Sabbath’s sexual-deviation streak and, unlike Philip Roth’s character, is not Jewish. What they share is an exuberant commitment to living life to the fullest and a certain devil-may-care attitude toward personal fulfilment. Both are willing to risk much to pursue that singular

satisfaction. Gilbert falls in love with another woman on the night of his own wedding and abandons his bride for the enchanting Aurelie. This act of irresponsible spontaneity becomes a defining feature of his character, carrying him through a life of adventure, pleasure, danger and ultimately imprisonment, until he finds himself standing before a firing squad in the notorious Haitian prison, Fort Dimanche, where he has endured years as an inmate under the government of François “Papa Doc” Duvalier. The novel is told from the immediate predicament of Gilbert’s impending execution. He stands before the firing squad, blindfolded, waiting for the bullets to hit him. The familiar saying that “your whole life flashes before your eyes” becomes Léger’s central conceit: perhaps only when life is about to end do we think about it most completely—its pleasures, failures, loves, regrets, and losses. Gilbert’s thoughts constitute the novel. Standing in a prison yard before the firing squad, he remembers, regrets, suffers and relives the extraordinary life that has brought him to this moment. “Way leads on to way,” Robert Frost wrote, and the way to Gilbert’s death is a circuitous one, taking him from Haiti to the wider world and eventually back to his beloved homeland, the place from which he began and to which he remains emotionally tethered. Between leaving and returning, he has lived a full life, and he has lived it with gusto. Along the way, he has had plenty of time for two of his favourite things: women and soccer. Gilbert falls in love with

nearly every woman he meets, and they fall in love with him, which is hardly surprising. He is handsome, cheerful, amiable and overflowing with charm—a kind of Haitian James Bond. But Gilbert moves through women much as he moves through ports and places where he sojourns. Parting from his lovers is not always such sweet sorrow. They pass behind him like night, while his true north remains Haiti, where he has left his true love, Aurelie. His other great love, soccer, travels with him, or, perhaps more accurately, soccer takes him everywhere. In this sense, the novel is ultimately a love story, though not the sappy, sentimental sort associated with Erich Segal’s Love Story. It is closer in spirit to John Updike’s Brazil, in which genuine peril stands between the lovers and the possibility of reunion. Whether Gilbert and his beloved can ultimately return to one another is therefore bound up with the larger question of whether a person can ever truly return to the life he has left behind. The novel is firmly attached to a vanished historical past. Léger depicts an idealised Haiti of the 1940s and 1950s, a Haiti profoundly different from the country we know today. This is, in large measure, a novel of Haiti’s economic and political ruling class, particularly the mixedrace, mulatto elite into which Gilbert Chevalier is born and in which he remains firmly entrenched. Gilbert comes from a well-to-do Haitian family of German and African ancestry. He grows up without the privations that haunt poorer Haitians, surrounded by privilege and opportunity. Yet his childhood is complicated by his relationship with his

brother, Jackie, the son of a maid in the household and born to a different mother. The brothers’ relationship becomes another kind of love story: long-lasting, dependable, and rendered with considerable subtlety. Their bond is among the novel’s quieter and more affecting relationships. The Chevaliers are not wealthy, however, and Gilbert’s father, anxious to restore the family fortune, devises a plan. Gilbert must marry the newly arrived daughter of a recently arrived Nazi couple, and in exchange he must give up the soccer he plays every day. Gilbert agrees on one condition: his father must allow him to attend Columbia University in New York. A bargain is struck. But on the night of his wedding to the Nazi princess, who, judging by what she says and does, may be the real Nazi of the family, Gilbert sees Aurelie, a local woman from a poorer part of town, and falls madly in love with her. He abandons his bride for Aurelie. Léger turns to magical realism to dramatise the couple’s mutual elation. They dance with such abandon that they become light enough to float, eventually dancing upside down on the ceiling along with their equally buoyant guests. It is an exuberant and wonderfully improbable scene, perfectly suited to Gilbert’s romantic temperament. He has passed from his wife to Aurelie, but he must nevertheless leave his new love for Columbia University, in New York. The novel is rarely, if ever, boring. Gilbert’s life moves from one excitement to the next. In New York, he rooms with jazz trumpeter TURN TO PAGE XXII

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THERE WAS A ROOM III A story submitted to the Guyana Prize for Literature 2024

MONTHS passed, and during that period Shaan became closer to the family. His cousins nicknamed him “John Wick” and took him out to the farms, where he learned to drive some of the machines; they also taught him to swim and fish. That gradually built his self-confidence, and Uncle Jarred treated him kindly and gave him the tour of the house he had requested, but Shaan saw nothing out of the ordinary in any of the four rooms. “Where is the secret room?” he asked himself. After four months, he felt it was time for him to go home. He wasn’t sure if the bullies would still hurt him, so three of his cousins, tall and strong men, accompanied him home. On the way, he wondered, “Has the house waited for me?” The house stood there exactly as he had left it, except for the tall grass in the yard. He opened the gate with trembling hands and, walking in, he hugged a pillar, tears of joy in his eyes. “Y-you waited for me.” His cousins looked at him, puzzled, and Shaan explained, “This house is all I have.” They shook their heads a little with pity, and the eldest cousin handed him an envelope. “There’s some cash in there from Aunty Maya, and whenever you need assistance, let us know.” That touched Shaan’s heart, and he said, “Thanks so much.” Shaan settled down comfortably after they left, relieved he didn’t have to work all day, every day like before because of his family’s financial help. The bullies

didn’t come looking for him, maybe because they’d heard about the family support he now had. “It’s amazing h-how things can change for the better,” Shaan voiced to himself. On his eighteenth birth-

inheritance to you. At eighteen, you now have access to the money from the lease of her lands through a trust fund she had set up. The balance of her inheritance you will have control of at twenty-one years old.”

day, he awoke with a little extra joy in his heart, having made it to young adulthood. But that day brought a surprise that shocked him and left him heartbroken. He was in the kitchen, about to enjoy a special meal he had ordered, when a strange car pulled up at the house. A strange man wearing a suit stepped out. Shaan was puzzled, wondering why he was here. “Shaan Mathura?” the man inquired. “Y-yes.” “I am your late mother’s lawyer, and I have some documents for you.” In the sitting room, he listened carefully as the lawyer read the documents. “Your mother retained me four years ago to will her

“S-s-so what is h-her inheritance?” “The family home at Leguan, two hundred acres of land and her share of her father’s wealth now all belong to you.” That statement took Shaan’s breath away, and it took a while for him to process it. He looked at the lawyer and said in disbelief, “I-I am rich?” The lawyer smiled and said, “Yes, you are, son.” He then took out a bulky envelope and handed it to Shaan. “This is for your eyes only.” Shaan nodded and said, “Thanks,” as the lawyer took his leave, and he sat there motionless for a long while, staring at the envelope. He decided not to open the en-

velope until later, enjoyed his birthday lunch and a piece of cheesecake, and took a nap. After a long bath to feel refreshed and clear his mind, he sat down and, taking a deep breath, he opened the envelope. Inside were a letter and a sketch pad. He opened the sketch pad first and saw a horror story.

The first page depicted a young woman looking in fear at someone, with a pleading look in her eyes. Pages upon pages after were drawings showing the same woman being sexually abused, but the abuser was faceless. The scenes featured a small room with a bed and a chair with straps on both.

“W-wa-was this the room she mentioned with her dying breath?” Shaan wondered quietly, in shock. “Who did this to her?” He couldn’t place the room, but after looking closer at the details, he saw a mango tree through the window. In her last sketch, she depicted TURN TO PAGE XV

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When We Had Less, We Had More – What progress has given us, and what we have to remember to carry forward

THERE was a time when an evening in Guyana could begin with somebody pulling a chair onto the verandah and end with half the neighbourhood sitting there talking. Children moved between houses as though

every yard belonged to the same extended family. Someone cooked, someone brought something over, somebody else arrived empty-handed and still left with a plate, and nobody needed a group chat to coordinate

the whole operation. Somehow, everybody simply knew where everybody was. We had less technology, fewer conveniences and considerably fewer ways to entertain ourselves, yet ordinary life had a richness

that money could not manufacture. A coal pot could cook dinner, a transistor radio could provide music, a neighbour could provide conversation, and a yard full of children could provide an entire afternoon of entertainment. We did not need a subscription for every form of pleasure; we had people and each other for that. Of course, nostalgia has a way of polishing the past until every old memory starts looking like it was filmed through a golden filter. Those days had their hardships too. People struggled financially, families faced problems behind closed doors, opportunities were limited, and many conveniences we now consider basic didn’t exist. Progress has changed that reality in meaningful ways, and we should appreciate it. Guyana today has access to opportunities that previous generations could scarcely imagine. By the end of 2025, Data Reportal estimated that Guyana had about 684,000 internet users, representing 81.7 per cent of the population, while social media user identities stood at approximately 577,000, or 69 per cent of the population. A person in Guyana can speak instantly with family in Canada, America, England or anywhere else with an internet connection. A small business can reach customers beyond its neighbourhood. A young person can learn from universities, teachers and specialists around the world without leaving home. Families can send money, photographs, voice notes and videos across oceans in seconds.

Technology has given us access; it has given us speed; it has given us convenience; and it has also given us something rather amusing: the ability to be surrounded by hundreds of people online while simultaneously wondering who we can call when we actually need somebody. We have gained connection in one sense while sometimes losing presence in another. Psychological research gives us reason to pay attention to this. A large study examining more than 87,000 social interactions found that face-to-face interactions were associated with higher well-being than computer-mediated interactions, while digital communication still provided greater well-being than having no social interaction at all. The telephone, internet and social media are not the villains in this story. They have become useful bridges between human beings. The problem begins when the bridge becomes the entire destination. A WhatsApp message can maintain a friendship across continents. A video call can bring grandparents into a child’s birthday. A voice note can make someone feel remembered. A social media post can reconnect people who lost contact decades ago. Yet something feels different about sitting beside somebody. There is something different about hearing the laugh rather than reading “LOL”. There is something different about watching someone’s face change when they tell you a story, and there is something different about somebody showing up at your gate with a pot of

food because they heard you were having a difficult week. The old-fashioned knock on the door had an advantage that technology has yet to reproduce fully: somebody had to come to your house physically. Aristotle understood something about human flourishing that remains relevant. His philosophy of friendship treats relationships as part of living well, particularly relationships built through shared activity, goodwill and time spent together. His conception of community also involved people participating in a shared life and caring about one another’s well-being. A community is created through shared life. It forms when people cook together, celebrate together, grieve together, build together, and help each other through ordinary difficulties. It forms through small encounters that gradually build a sense of belonging. Psychologists even talk about the importance of “weak ties”, meaning the acquaintances and familiar faces outside our closest relationships. Research has found that everyday interactions with these people can contribute to feelings of happiness and belonging. This means the woman who sells fruit on the corner matters; so do the man who always waves when you drive past, the neighbour who asks about your children, the shopkeeper who knows your usual order and the person you greet every morning while walking the dog. These little interactions TURN TO PAGE XVIII

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THERE WAS A ROOM III

FROM PAGE XIII

her escape by climbing down the tree. Shaan then realised where he had seen that mango tree, but he needed more to confirm his suspicion, so he combed back through the drawings. He saw a wristwatch on the bedside table, and he remembered whose wrist he had seen that watch on. The realisation of what he was looking at and who his mother’s abuser was shocked Shaan so deeply that he felt suffocated and slammed the sketch pad closed as he tried to level his breathing. He still had to read the letter, and when he could breathe more easily, he opened the letter. “Happy 18th Birthday, son,” his mother wrote. “I knew I wouldn’t have made it this long to tell you myself, so I retained a lawyer to deliver this to you. I know you had questions in your mind as to why I was living such a wretched life and why I couldn’t care for you the way you deserved. My innocence, my ambition, all my joys and happiness were taken away from me by an evil one. He destroyed my life and caused my mother and father to grieve themselves to death following my disappearance. I had to escape and could not return, for the fear of being imprisoned in that room again to be abused over and over was too great. I wanted to die; I wish I had died, and I ended up living a broken life with a stranger. I lost everything, and carrying the burden of fear and trauma killed me one day at a time, but in my heart, I want justice. I want my abuser to pay for what he did to me, and I want the family to know what caused me to run away, and only then will my soul rest in peace. “If you could do that for me, son, when it’s over,

please take my ashes and inter them next to my mother and father. “I’m so sorry I could not have cared for you more, but everything I’ve inherited is now yours. “You’re smart, I know; just be brave and be strong. “I love you. “– Mom.” Shaan couldn’t cry, so deep were his pain and anger, and now he knew why she cried softly every night. He wasn’t sure how he would approach the abuser to give his mother justice, but he knew he had to do it. With that determination, he travelled to Leguan that weekend. He had the urn with his mother’s ashes, and after the boat docked at the wharf and he stood there waiting to be picked up by one of his cousins, he said quietly, “We are now at the island t-that was your h-h-ome.” His cousin dropped him at the family home, saying Uncle Jarred would be home later. “Thank you, man,” Shaan said with a little smile. He carefully put the urn in his mother’s room and said, his voice breaking a little, “M-m-mom, you’re in your old room.” Uncle Jarred came home soon after and clapped Shaan on the shoulder. “Congratulations, you’re now a young adult.” “Thank you.” Shaan smiled a little, appreciatively. “You don’t look happy about that,” Uncle Jarred observed. “I-I’m fine,” Shaan responded. “Just t-t-tired from the past week.” “Well, then you should have an early night.” “Y-y-eah, I’ll do that.” But he couldn’t sleep as his mother’s image kept flashing before his eyes.

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A Bigger Vision

fresh, locally produced honey return to his product line-up. Scaling an integrated farm of this magnitude requires capital. Benjamin has initiated the application process for a G$3 million loan through the Guyana Development Bank, a financial institution he views as a critical lifeline for skilled, ambitious producers who lack large initial reserves. If approved, the funding will go directly towards shade house construction, poultry housing, farm security and infrastructure en-

hancements needed to complete his integrated model. Looking ahead, Benjamin is confident that market demand will easily absorb his expanded output. As Guyana’s economy grows, he foresees an increasing appetite for fresh, locally produced foods. His long-term vision includes establishing a dedicated farmers’ market in Hopetown, creating a direct sales hub for himself and fellow neighbourhood growers. Above all, Benjamin hopes his journey inspires

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young people to see agriculture not as a legacy of toil, but as a modern, technology-driven business. With modern equipment, expanded training, accessible start-up resources and flexible credit options, he believes the barriers to entry are lower than ever. Through innovation and determination, Benjamin has turned a simple backyard garden into a thriving enterprise and provided a practical blueprint for farming’s future in Guyana.

Neil Benjamin on his farm, a daily routine

When Teaching Meets Enterprise...

FROM PAGE II

and presentable occasion. The plan is to make event planning easier and more affordable while aligning with the business’s printing section. As World Teachers’ Day is observed, Wills has a message for educators: “Remember you are human too, and give yourself permission to rest, breathe and take a step back when the load gets heavy. Don’t let the demands of teaching make you forget to take care of yourselves.”

A valuable career For those considering education as a career, she offers an equally direct reminder: “Choose teaching because you truly love it and not simply because it’s a job. It takes patience, heart and a genuine desire to make a difference.” Wills’ life brings that message into focus. In the classroom, she teaches business principles; through her enterprise, she tests and refines them; and through her community work, she shows how teaching can extend beyond school walls.

On World Teachers’ Day, her experience reminds us that educators are not only delivering lessons—they are helping build confidence, opportunity, and practical solutions for the communities they serve. For Wills, the connection between teaching and service is not an idea kept in a textbook. It shows in how she approaches her students, her studies, her business, and the needs of the community around her. Her example shows that practical learning can grow when knowledge is shared generously, applied thoughtfully and guided by a genuine concern for people. That balance also helps her understand what teachers carry and why they must care for themselves while caring for others. Wills’ work leaves a quiet reminder that an educator’s influence can continue through the confidence, resourcefulness, and sense of possibility they help others develop—one lesson, one solution, and one act of service at a time.

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Guyanese Nail Brand Puts Local Beauty on...

FROM PAGE V

also designed to work when internet connectivity is unavailable, a consideration for businesses operating across the Global South. Its features address challenges including language barriers for non-nationals using salons or barber shops, as well as booking and payment needs. The system also supports compliance and documentation used to verify accreditation. Alleyne said it is afford-

able and offers the benefits of operating a successful beauty-industry business without outside assistance. McPhoy plans to educate as many people as possible in the nail industry and provide the tools and products they need to succeed. “LNC Professional Academy is next in the pipeline for the entrepreneurs,” she said. The venture’s journey, then, runs from a hand-mixed

gel in a Georgetown salon to a Guyanese brand preparing for the United States market—and to a digital system intended to help the people behind the chair build stronger businesses. As LNC Professional prepares to enter the United States market, its Guyanese roots remain central to the brand’s purpose: giving nail technicians products that reflect their clients and tools

that support the businesses they run. With LNC Pro Suite and the planned LNC Professional Academy adding to its product range, the company is looking ahead to a wider stage while continuing to build from the needs of technicians and salon owners. LNC Professional sees nail technicians, beauticians, barbers, and other members of its professional team as business partners, not merely

customers. Their knowledge and experience help shape the products, services and business tools the company is developing, keeping the work grounded in the realities of the people who use them. That approach will also guide the planned LNC Professional Academy, which is intended to provide the knowledge, practical training and tools needed by people in the local beauty and groom-

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ing industry, where such support is much needed. The company is looking ahead to a future in which stronger support helps local beauty and grooming professionals build the businesses they lead. For more information, contact Theon Alleyne at info@lncprosuite.com or Tel: (592) 618-0644; Lexann McPhoy: (592) 622-2822, lexann@lncpronails.com. lncprosuite.com

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When We Had Less, We Had More – What progress has given us, and...

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form part of society’s invisible fabric. Modern life can make us very efficient at eliminating them, though. Nowadays, we order everything online, pay from our phones, work from home, communicate through screens, and shop without speaking to anyone. We can spend an entire day moving from one digital transaction to another without having a meaningful conversation with a single human being, and then we boldly announce that society feels

disconnected. Well, darling, society has been sitting in the same room with us; we just decided to hand phones to everyone. Eckhart Tolle has written extensively about presence and the modern pull of digital distraction. In one of his teachings, he describes technology as neutral and emphasises how consciously we use it. He encourages periods of technology-free time as a way to recover attention, creativity, and presence. There is no doubt that technology has

tremendous value, and it has undoubtedly become part of modern life; the real question is who is using whom. Are we using the phone, or is the phone using our attention? Are we choosing to open the application, or have we developed the habit of reaching for it every time there are three seconds of silence? Can we sit in a waiting room without immediately filling the space with scrolling? Can we eat a meal without photographing it before tasting it? Can two people

sit together for an hour and allow the conversation to become the entertainment? Our grandparents may have had fewer devices, but they had something many of us are desperately trying to purchase through increasingly sophisticated technology: attention from another human being. The irony becomes almost delicious. We have devices designed to connect us to the entire planet, yet research continues to show the importance of meaningful social

connection for health and well-being. The U.S. Surgeon General’s advisory on social connection describes connection as important to individual, community and societal health, while research also shows that social interaction can support well-being and reduce loneliness. The Dalai Lama puts the spiritual dimension beautifully: “The greatest degree of inner tranquillity comes from the development of love and compassion.” He connects human happiness with affection, compassion and our fundamental dependence upon one another. This exact teaching takes us back to the Guyana of our memories: the neighbour who shared food was practising community, the aunt who watched the children was practising community, the family that gathered around one television was practising community, the people who contributed to someone’s funeral were practising community, and the person who gave you a ride because your car broke down was practising community. These things had value precisely because they involved participation. Maybe this is what we need to carry forward: we can have the smartphone and still visit the elderly relative; we can have the internet and still sit on the verandah; we can have online friends and still make room for the people who live next door; we can build bigger houses and fill them with conversation; we can earn more money and become more generous with it; we can develop the economy while developing the habit of looking after one another. Progress becomes beautiful when it expands our possibilities without shrinking our humanity. Can we and should we bring back some of the old-fashioned pleasures deliberately? Below is a poem to reminisce on.

When We Had Less We had less, yet laughter stayed, One small room, one game we played; The night was long, the hearts were near, And simple things felt rich and dear. A neighbour’s door was never far, We shared our food beneath one star; A little given, a little shown, And somehow nobody stood alone. Now every hand can hold the world, Every message can be sent unfurled; Yet with the whole world at our call, Sometimes we barely know them all. We gained the speed, the choice, the more, The things our elders wished for before; But somewhere between the want and need, We lost the art of simply being. So build the house and buy the car, Reach for the things that take you far; Just leave a little room inside, For human hearts to sit beside. Call when a message would be enough, Visit when life gets busy and rough; Put down the phone, look up and see, The people who are still your family. Perhaps the wealth we need to keep Is found in promises we choose to reap; For all that progress brings our way, Love still makes the richest day. Romella Dasratt

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Death of the Soccer God by...

FROM PAGE XII

Miles Davis, spends nights in jazz clubs, and encounters John Coltrane and other luminaries of the era. He meets beautiful women and plays pick-up soccer in Central Park. Eventually, he is recruited for the United States World Cup team and travels to Brazil, where he scores the only goal against England in the 1950 World Cup, bringing him instant fame. Gilbert’s proximity to famous people is one of the novel’s most important conceits. In Brazil, he meets the young Pelé, as well as other famous Caribbean personalities. He travels through Europe playing soccer and moves easily

among the worlds of sport, music, politics and celebrity. Meanwhile, he remains separated from Aurelie, with whom he has a daughter, for ten years. When he finally returns to Haiti, he is immediately arrested and thrown into the notorious Fort Dimanche prison, where he eventually faces the firing squad. The novel is often philosophical, particularly in its meditations on God’s will and the relationship between divine intention and human agency. Gilbert argues with the Saviour himself, encounters that give the novel not only sporadic humour but also serious depth. Léger uses

these conversations to ask whether human beings truly control the paths they take or whether, looking backwards from the end of life, every choice begins to resemble part of a predetermined design. At only two hundred and twenty-two pages, Death of the Soccer God achieves the expansiveness of an epic. It is a well-written and often lyrical tale, exciting without being merely sensational and philosophical without becoming ponderous. Gilbert is an extraordinarily likeable protagonist, and even Miles Davis appears here in a more relaxed guise: a lovelorn genius of the horn rather than the famously

forbidding figure of musical legend. Léger renders the Haiti of the 1940s and 1950s with a knowing authenticity, populating it with characters who are vivid, complicated and memorable. Not least among them is the grotesque and masochistic Papa Doc, portrayed as a sexual deviant who has his way with Gilbert’s Nazi wife. Death of the Soccer God can be bawdy and violent, sometimes almost extravagantly so, but it is, for the most part, a remarkably balanced portrait of Haitian lives lived at different levels of society. Léger has written an entertaining and ambitious novel about

memory, desire, exile, history and the possibility of return. Gilbert’s impending death gives the story its urgency, but his appetite for life gives it its pulse. He has loved women, played soccer, crossed borders, known celebrities, survived political terror and repeatedly chosen pleasure over prudence. Now, standing before the firing squad, he has nowhere left to go but backwards—into the life he has lived. And in that final reckoning, Death of a Soccer God asks its most compelling question: what does a life look like when, at the very moment it is ending, we are finally forced to see all of it?

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, October 4, 2026

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, October 4, 2026

October 4th, 2026 STUDY SUCCESS Welcome, dear friend. Several revision techniques can help you prepare effectively for essay examinations. Try practising with past papers; blurting and checking your recall; creating mind maps;

studying in groups; reviewing key themes, quotations, and essay structures; teaching the material to the air; and recording and replaying yourself under realistic exam conditions. Finding the right approach

takes trial and error. Identify what works best for you, remembering that the most effective combination may vary from one examination to another. Work diligently towards your goals. With love.

THE PASSAGE Reading comprehension Reminder: Reading comprehension involves actively understanding, interpreting, and deriving meaning from a written text—not exhausting your mind. As you read, ask yourself questions, vary your pace purposefully, pause at strategic points, and summarise along the way. You are confident in your reading comprehension when you can easily decode words and printed symbols, understand most vocabulary at your level, and connect each sentence to the information before it. These skills should help you answer most examination questions about a text successfully. Read the following passage, and then respond to the questions based upon it. Pottery is the name given to all kinds of pots and utensils made from clay and other materials when they have been “fired” that is, hardened by heat in the potter’s kiln. Articles made of pottery include plates, cups and saucers, cooking dishes, wall and floor tiles, chemical storage jars, bathroom fittings, filters, drainpipes, electrical insulators and ornaments for the home. Pottery is one of the oldest crafts, which began to be practised as soon as man learned to control fire, and long before the melting of metals. It enabled him from very early times to make vessels for storing and cooking food, for carrying water, and for ritual burial purposes. Early vessels were shaped by hand and probably “fired” in a big bonfire by covering them over with dried grass and dead branches, which were then set alight. A great advantage in pottery followed the invention of the potter’s wheel and the kiln. It is not certainly known where the potter’s wheel was first used, but it is thought that by 3500 B.C., potters in Central Asia were using some kind of wheel. From there its use spread west and east to Egypt, Crete, China – and then to Ancient Greece and Rome. Your Ideas 1. Pottery is the name given to A.. all kinds of utensils. B.. all kinds of pots and utensils.

Lay on, Macduff; And damn’d be him that first cries, ‘Hold, enough! WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564-1616) “Macbeth” C.. domestic fittings and table dishes. D.. things made of baked clay and other materials. 2. The early making of pottery A.. pre-dated the discovery of fire. B.. post-dated the smelting of metals. C.. avoiding the need for storing and treating food. D.. was dependent upon the control of fire. 3. Before the invention of the potter’s wheel A.. it was impossible to make pottery vessels. B.. pottery vessels were shaped by hand. C.. potters could only be obtained from Central Asia. D.. pottery vessels were shaped by heating in a bonfire. 4.. The first potter’s wheel was invented A.. in Egypt. B.. in Ancient Greece. C.. in central Asia. D.. probably before 3500 B.C. Vocabulary 1. Find the following words in the passage and select the meaning you think most likely to correspond among the choices given. 1. bonfire (para. 2) A.. oven B.. kiln C.. outdoor fire D.. kitchen fire 2. fired (para. 1) A.. shot B.. burned C.. baked D.. covered Similar OR Different Say whether or not the statement is similar in meaning to the sentence from the passage indicated by the sentence number in brackets. 1. Anything made from clay is called “pottery”. (para. 1) 2. Early vessels were

probably covered with dry grass and brushwood which was then set alight to “fire” them. (para. 2.) 3. The invention of the potter’s wheel and the kiln made no small contribution to the art of pottery. (para. 3.) GRAMMAR Balancing prepositions Different words call for different prepositions to go with them. For instance, you would say abide ‘by’ (a decision), abide ‘with’ (a person), but in compliance ‘with’. There are times when we use angry ‘with’ (a person), angry ‘at’ (a machine), angry ‘about’ (the mess). Balancing prepositions means that if different prepositions are required to accompany words used in a compound, each preposition must be stated. See how the preposition ‘in’ is used in the following sentence: Our family members have respect and belief in the family’s aspirations. ‘Respect and belief in’ mean respect ‘in’ and belief ‘in’. But respect ‘in’ does not make sense. Omission of a preposition, therefore, caused a mismatch; the sentence should have been written like this: Our family members have respect ‘for’ and belief ‘in’ the family’s aspirations. Here is a second illustration: I can’t figure out why some of our family members have no appreciation or interest in our mutual problems. Can you see the problem with this sentence construction? Can you see that appreciation ‘in’ or interest ‘in’ is not balanced? The sentence must be written like this: I can’t figure out why some of our family members have no appreciation ‘of’ or interest ‘in’ our mutual problems.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, October 4, 2026

Take dental treatment in its stride

IT has been noted in interdisciplinary research into the human ageing process (gerontology) that it is the effects of disease, and not ageing itself, that are most significant for the perceptions of ourselves and others as either “youthful” or “elderly”. We should therefore not fear age, but we should be aware of health hazards. But then again, why is it that, no matter how wealthy we are or how many medical resources we have access to, we still die, even of “old age”? How come? Although the major problems

encountered in dentistry are generally commensurate with the patient’s ageing, widespread misconceptions about these implications persist. One of the first questions that patients must answer on a visit to the dentist is how old they are! We love to classify people by age. However, the date of birth can become more significant than the individual. Older adults do not lose their teeth because they have grown old. They lose them because of diseases, with oral ills often mirroring general ones. Remember, disease risk

increases with age. Dental disease and changes in saliva and mucous membranes may be early signs of declining general health in older adults. These may indicate a weakening of the tissues’ biological defence thresholds for different stresses. Few tissues in the human body must withstand what the oral tissues must, not only in terms of possible dryness, but also mechanically, chemically, thermally, microbially and galvanically (electrically). Oral tissues occasionally show relatively specific signs of systemic

illness and negative social habits, but more often show less characteristic reaction patterns that cannot be diagnosed immediately. These are, however, usually specific to the individual and thus form a kind of biological “fingerprint” which changes with variations in health. The vital point is that we are all biologically unique individuals from birth and become increasingly functionally diverse until we are very old. We must sooner or later “pay” for the way we have used our biological resources.

The way we pay has to do with our genetic make-up and the combined influence of the accumulated consequences of many years of physiological changes, bouts of illness, use and abuse of medications, risky lifestyles and wanton neglect of our bodies. From a psychological point of view, we become caricatures of ourselves in later years, and invariably we must take the blame. So, the core point is that, regardless of age or circumstance, we should visit the dentist of our choice and “take it from there”.

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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, October 4, 2026