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Linden Cave is the creator of the ‘Real #1 Guyanese’ boardgame; the first of its kind in Guyana. Cave’s goal is to encourage Guyanese youths to put down their devices and indulge in the traditional joys of a boardgame while learning more about their country (Photo by Delano Williams)
Sunday, AUGUST 9 2020
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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
Sista Pat in action in the Hall of the Americas at the OAS Headquarters in Washington, DC, on February 22, 2020 (Photo by Francis Q. Farrier)
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By Francis Quamina Farrier
F you have never heard of Patricia Anne Callender, professionally known as “Sista Pat”, then it is time that you do. In a previous article five months ago, I promised to tell her story, and here it is. Sista Pat is an extremely talented singer and entertainer of Guyanese birth who I saw on stage for the first time earlier this year, 2020. It was at the Guyana Jubilee Republic Celebration held at the Hall of the Americas at the Organization of American States (OAS), in Washington DC, United States of America(USA). Sista Pat grabbed my attention and admiration with her very first song when she commenced her performance that evening. She delivered some of the best-known and loved Guyanese and Caribbean songs. She was so dynamic, and not knowing her previously, I had to find out more about that Guyana-born, America-based, extremely talented performer. As such, I requested her contact information. We have been in touch by email over the past five (COVID-19 lockdown) months. Patricia was born at the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital in Georgetown, British Guiana. Her father was Trinidadian of African Heritage and her mother a Guyanese of Portuguese Heritage. The couple enjoyed a strong inter-racial marriage. Although she migrated as a young child to the USA with her parents in 1960, her interest and love for the land of her birth never waned. She knows and sings all the national and folk songs of Guyana. She sang those songs
at the Guyana Republic Jubilee celebration in Washington, DC on February 22, 2020. Sista Pat actually started singing with the Salvation Army in British Guiana when she was just a tiny two-yearold. However, that was short-lived, as she was taken to the USA when her parents migrated. Her growing-up years were in Brooklyn, New York. During her pre-teen and early teenage years, Sista Pat had the experience of living with a father who loved Caribbean music and a mother who did not. “It was not easy,” she lamented. Added to which she had doses of “Guyana licks.” She did not get proper information about her dual heritage as a child, she informed me. Nonetheless, she was interested in knowing as much as possible. “I pieced together a patchwork of stories in order to pass down some family history to my children,” she explained. In those early years, immigrants from the Caribbean in New York were not readily welcomed by Americans. “Go back on your banana boat” were the sort of things she was told. “I didn’t know where I fit. That’s when music came to my rescue,” she said. Sista Pat started performing publicly from the age of 16 and over the decades has done extremely well. She masters all the music genres of the Caribbean and audiences have always been well entertained by this talented daughter of Guyana. After over half a century away from the land of her birth, Sista Pat visited Guyana during March and April of 2018. “As soon as I entered the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, I felt like I’m home.” Here is one of the proofs from her own lips: “De fus t’ing I did was look fah way de
watah coconut man deh.” She also checked out Maggie’s Snackette on New Market Street in Georgetown where she bought lots of pastries, some of which she took back with her to America. During her stay, she won more Guyanese fans by performing at karaoke sessions in Georgetown regularly. There is so much more about this talented daughter of Guyana which I know will intrigue you. She is the mother of three brilliant grown daughters whose father she married - twice. He is Walter Tates, Jr., a talented saxophonist and also a professional in the entertainment business. It could be referred as being rather ironic that her husband’s band is called “One Nite Stand.” Over the years, Sista Pat has toured internationally. She is usually the lead Vocalist of the Peter Humphrey and the Oasis Band. Beyond music, Patricia is a graduate of the Hunter Collage where she gained a degree in Physical Therapy. She also taught Special Education and tutored autistic children. Patricia is a fine example of the tens of thousands of Guyanese in the Diaspora, many who, after decades of absence, continue to love and cherish their childhood memories. They are the Guyanese who would never speak disparagingly about Guyana, especially to non-Guyanese. As stated in the Guyanese folk song, “Small Days”, which she sings with such patriotism, Sista Pat lifts the Golden Arrowhead very high. “I’m 64 and still rocking. I’ve been blessed throughout my life and am so grateful to God to be showered with endless love of a spectrum of beautiful people worldwide,” she stated.
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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
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By Naomi Parris
UYANA the land of many waters is overflowing with nature, diversity and a tremendous history which is truly a beauty, however in this technological age, many are tied up with the internet and social media not finding much time to get back to their roots and talk about the good old days. Linden Cave, a 34-yearold father of three, is trying to get the Guyanese youths to put the devices down and refresh the minds of the old while taking them on an adventure with his Real #1 Guyanese boardgame. “What I’m trying to do is kind of inspire Guyanese, you know stir up our patriotism and our love for country, because there are a lot of interesting things about Guyana that we don’t necessarily know; that we don’t necessarily think about every day,” Cave told the Pepperpot Magazine. The young man, who edits and produce content for The Guyana Sugar Corporation (GuySuCo), noted that game is meant to “sort of tickle the brain” and make the players crave to know more about their country as there are many interesting facts about Guyana that the game brings out. The Real #1 Guyanese board game was birthed out of Cave’s youth group at his local church when he was asked to engage some younger folks at the church and he came up with the concept of the game to engage the children and young teens while educating them.
However, while he was in the creation process Cave stated that he thought of Guyanese who would have migrated and how they can have a piece of Guyana with them even when they are away and possibly share the country’s history with their children via the game.
said. Cave added that Guyana’s culture and history as the power to put the country on the map through commercialization, however, the game is more so about embracing the Guyanese culture. “Our culture, our history, our ‘guyanseseness’ - it has commercial value, yes, but this is not about com-
A glimpse of what the board game looks like
Local creative develops Guyanese-themed board game mother. Cave even added a feature to the game in honour of this grandmother, which is called ‘Ask yuh Granny’. However, he noted the most difficult part of the game was finding information for Guyana’s sports achievements, “While we have accomplishments, we literally have people that walk around with that information in their head - it’s not written down anywhere so now that I want to sort of
A few of Cave’s coworkers playing the Real #1 Guyanese board game (Photos by Delano Williams)
Hence, he decided to make the initiative global so that one day this board game will be in every Guyanese home. “My desire is to see this game in every single Guyanese household because it has enormous value. There is a tendency for people in the diaspora to try to be patriotic from where they are so again [I wish] to have this game in every single Guyanese home, in Guyana and outside of Guyana,” he
mercialising it- this is about embracing it.” ASK YUH GRANNY Aside from the usual history textbooks and internet sources, one of the best places to go to learn about one’s history and culture is to your grandparents and that is what exactly Cave did. The majority of information he gathered for the game were from teachings and conversations the young man had with his late grand-
compile it is difficult to get it written down,” he said. Cave hopes that the game will inspire Guyanese to pursue similar things and invest in documenting every inch of the country’s history to make more accessible to the populace, especially the young people. Aside from that, he is hoping that the game pushes more art enthusiasts to showcase their talents to make the country known internationally.
“So I’m hoping that it will sort of inspire other people to pursue similar things and really put us on the map in the right way so that we can sort of erase this thing that when you talk to Americans or any other foreigner they can be able to say ‘Yes, I know that country’,” Cave said. PASSING ON THE TRADITION Cave told the Pepperpot Magazine that one of his major goals is to have the game be the driving force that will see parents, grandparents and the older folks interacting more with the young people. “I want my children to experience, ‘sal-out’ and Chinese [skipping] and all these things that I know about growing up but then they don’t have any idea of what those things are, so it’s just using vehicles like this now to sort of encourage persons and remind them that they should really be passing these things on,” he explained. The game, Cave noted, serves as an educator while having fun, so whenever persons play it, they can leave with a new piece of information about Guyana. “All the answers are there so if you are playing and nobody knows the answer you can flip the card around and get the answer,” he said
HOW THE GAME WORKS
Real #1 Guyanese is a trivia-based game and the objective of the game is to collect all five pieces of the game. The first person to collect all the colours of Guyana’s flag is the winner. There are five categories of questions representing the five colours on the flag, each card has five questions and the objective is to go around the board asking questions from the five categories. The Real #1 Guyanese is a
board game for one to six players. Why six players? Guyana is traditionally a land of six ethnic groups: the Amerindians, Africans, Indians, Europeans, Chinese and Portuguese. The game pieces are, The Jaguar- Guyana’s national Animal; the Sugarcane Punt, because Guyana was founded on Cane Sugar; the Pork Knocker, the one-time cornerstone occupation for the Guyanese man. The hope of finding El Dorado, the mythical City of Gold, said to be located in Guyana, is the reason many took up work in Guyana’s interior; the Bauxite trolley, rich deposits exist in many regions; timber on a trailer, nothing like Guyanese hardwood anywhere else in the world; and the Tapir Van, the original Guyanese vehicle that is still in service all these years later. The players will make their way along a trail, around the map of Guyana, answering a series of questions on Guyana. There are five categories of questions, because the flag of Guyana, the Golden Arrowhead consists of five colours. History, Geography, Arts & Culture, Sports, Science and Nature are the categories. The game also features a few special features like ‘Ask yuh granny’ and ‘Tek a breezer’ which allows a player to get a free pass and ask for help or to take a quick “breezer” from playing. Cave related to the Pepperpot Magazine that he also intends to have the game in every school across Guyana by the new school semester, however, due to the lack of funding and printing opportunities he is unable to do that. For now, though, he added that there are only a few prototype copies that he has shown to several organisations and persons in hopes of receiving funding to make multiple copies.
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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
Some of the words designed by Chandranie Persaud
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By Gabriella Chapman
Stella Maris teacher, Chandranie Tiffany Persaud
H ILE many are complacent about the pandemic and how it is affecting them in many ways, some are making the best of this downtime. A 29-year-old Stella Maris teacher said that she used her free time she had and created a whole new source of income that affords her to live comfortably. Chandranie Tiffany Persaud is a teacher by profession and also a senior Kathak student at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center. The young woman told the Pepperpot Magazine that though this period has been difficult for most, she believed the answer to it all was keeping yourself occupied, doing things you love, and at the same time, finding a way to make more money. “It is absolutely understandable if each of us to feel stressed, anxious, fearful and frustrated but our mental health is very, very important. Working from home is already a challenge and this is why many person’s stress level will be high,” she said. “My advice for those who may find it difficult during this time is to plan enjoyable things to do during the day and better yet in the evenings. Don’t beat yourself up if you start running out of ideas; develop a new hobby, observe what is happening with kindness and come up with strategies to lift your spirit,” she encouraged. Additionally, creating a new stream of
income is very important, she said, and it eliminates any added stress that was caused during this COVID season. “I say this because I’m able to achieve other goals with the extra money and I’m able to live a more comfortable life,” Persaud said. Having some artistic skills, the young woman decided to take her hobby and create a “side job”. She creatively designs letters to form words and names for decorative purposes. “The idea of this new business venture is quite a funny one. I had gotten the idea from a good friend of mine, she said ‘Tiffany why don’t you get some letters and ‘bling’ them out nicely for your vanity?’ I eventually took her idea, made it a reality and since then I’ve been doing this small business. I had my online classes three days a week in the mornings and nothing to do for the rest of my time especially with this quarantine and curfew,” she said. The young woman noted too, that it has been a difficult period, especially for teachers. “I’ve been in the teaching profession since January of 2013 so that’s approximately seven-plus years and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. But during this pandemic as a teacher, more so a Grade Six teacher, I must say it hasn’t been easy. But I somehow managed with the aid of technology,”she said. “I’ve had my kids sign up for Zoom online classes and I created a WhatsApp group with my class parents so I would usually send the work in that group for those kids who didn’t have access to the online classes. So everyone was catered for some way or the other.” Balancing her love for teaching and her love for decorating, the young woman now has two streams of income and a very low stress level. She advises persons who may be inspired, to think, to question, to discover and to dream. “Think about where you can end up but always remember education comes first and always love yourself,” she encouraged.
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
Just days after the news broke of Guyana’s first case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in March, Guyanese all over the country went into a frenzy, rushing to pharmacies and their local vendors to stock up on sanitisation products, multivitamins and ‘bush tea’ herbs to protect themselves. Aside from that, many also began exercising to build their immune systems to combat the virus as it quickly swept across the country and the world at large taking lives and crumbling economies, which raised anxieties. In reminding persons to stay calm and practice good health during these trying times, Personal Trainer, Joshua Avinash Singh of Fit-Rex gym noted that while exercise and other health remedies are crucial, focusing on one’s mental health first will see a better a physical health to combat the virus. “You have to attack your mental first. What I have assessed with a bunch of my clients is that [they] go through a lot of anxiety and stress...you have to find peace within yourself first. Once you develop a good mental health, I think the rest will follow,” he said. Singh added that during this time, due to anxiety and stress, some persons found themselves binge eating which resulted in rapid weight gain over the past few months, which in the longhaul is unhealthy. As such he stressed that persons must first work on their mental state to practice good physical health. He noted that during the pandemic he has urged his clients to participate in soothing activities, like cooking- especially something healthy- listening to some music, interacting with family members, researching and, most importantly, limiting the amount of time you spend on social media which can also affect your mental well-being. The personal trainer noted that exercise should be a part of everyone’s daily routine and does not have to be anything extreme. “You should look at working out as a daily activity as a part of your life, don’t put it as a time gap like two times a week or four times a week. Simple jogging or skipping rope 30 minutes a day [is adequate]. You don’t necessarily need to go the gym or the
national park too, you can start right at home,” Singh said Nevertheless, he said, “My best advice to be healthy [in this pandemic] is to stay home and remain cautious. Stay indoors as much as possible and don’t rush to go outside.” Twenty-four-old Singh disclosed, that his gym had been closed since the outbreak of the virus in adherence to the COVID-19 precautions, however, he opted to try virtual exercise sessions with his clients and interested citizens but, to his disappointment, not many were responsive. However, Singh who has been a personal trainer for some 10 years now, noted that he has been making house calls too, where he would meet customers at their respective homes to have one on one sessions while maintaining social distancing. Personal Trainer, Joshua Avinash Singh Singh noted that to his delight many citizens have invested in athome workouts, equipment and meal planning to better improve their health and well-being during this time. He added that the tools, equipment and meal planning services are provided during his at-home sessions.
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Pursuing national
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UST after being sworn in, President Irfaan Ali highlighted that a priority for him will be to help usher in a process of national healing. National healing, with a particular emphasis on racial reconciliation, is a noble agenda and I place much hope in seeing
how this will be approached and subsequently, achieved. I gather that his sentiments originated from his cognisance of the divisive politics -laced with racial and ethnic tensions -- which characterised this protracted elections season. This isn’t something new, or something that emerged as a result of the 2020 elections;
rather, it was exacerbated during this time. The need for this healing, however, manifested itself prominently following the painting of the Black Lives Matter mural at the Square of the Revolution, ahead of this year’s Emancipation Day observances. A friend of mine made a post of asking if all the other groups would take to the streets and paint their murals. He ended that post with #OneNation. I engaged with him for a bit, because I believe that I must at least try to help someone learn before calling them out and cutting them off (that’s just me, though). My friend said that many non-African Guyanese feel ‘left out’ because of the mural; he opined that all races face all of the same problems and that all lives matter. I spoke about how Black Lives have been affected disproportionately and how “Black Lives Matter” doesn’t equate to “Black Lives Matter MORE” or “ONLY Black Lives Matter.” He maintained that the move seemed divisive, particularly during this tense election period, and argued that something more inclusive should have been done. Others jumped onto our thread of comments and argued that Black Lives, specifically, aren’t affected/ targeted in Guyana las they are in the US; some highlighted the hardships faced by the Indigenous peoples. I was immensely grateful when two of my other friends joined and tried to help the commenters understand that the mural is not divisive, but a simple but profound act of people speaking out against injustices. My friend’s view didn’t change but at the very least, we engaged cordially and that was a great first step. This specific occurrence, for me, was microcosmic of the issues we face in Guyana vis-a-vis ethnicity, anti-blackness and so on. It illustrated to me that there are very real ethnic insecurities, and there is a profound ignorance of the oppressive structures under which we continue to live (and how these structures affect different groups disproportionately. And this emphasised why the new President’s target of national healing is all the more important. The previous government made an effort in this regard, too. They established a Ministry of Social Cohesion, which later became a Ddepartment under the Ministry of the Presidency. No doubt, this endeavour was one which held much promise and signalled good intentions, but those efforts languished.
When I see a body like the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) creating a movie to help promote harmony, I think it’s nice and well-meaning, but I wonder about whether the movie is played outside of the Giftland Movie Theatres -- in communities and whether there is space for dialogue, for introspection and hopefully healing and growth. I wonder. For me, social cohesion (fostered through national healing) must come from grassroots organisation and dialogue. It requires a commitment to get into communities and interrogate the real and perceived injustices they endured, their feelings of insecurity, their learned feelings of disdain/dislike/contempt (whichever is applicable), and in what ways they want to see a more cohesive Guyana. I will assume, at this point, that cohesion is something all Guyanese want. That fallacy we love to perpetuate of being ‘One People, One Nation, One Destiny’ when we celebrate our national holidays with much grandeur is not a real representation of social cohesion, in my opinion. Intrinsically, I believe that ‘Apaan Jhaat’ (every group for themselves) ideology still shapes how many of us interact with and perceive the ‘other’ ethnic groups(s) in Guyana’s plural society. It is for this reason, I believe, that we cannot take social cohesion at face value; we cannot assume that we are a cohesive people because our families “laff and gyaff” and share in each other’s culture. I have seen the flaw in this for myself through my experiences with my family members. Professor David Hinda posits, “Guyana is a country that has always had at its centre the ethnic insecurity of all ethnic groups, but mainly the Africans and the Indian Guyanese.” I believe this, and I believe that we must look beyond the surface level and interrogate all our perceptions and the oppressive systems we have inherited and continue to uphold. I believe social media campaigns and cultural events and programmes are great and necessary too, but community engagement and dialogue must be a crucial component of any journey towards national healing. We have a lot to unlearn and learn again. But, it is not impossible. If you would like to connect with me to discuss this column or any of my previous works, feel free to email me at vish14ragobeer@gmail.com
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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
Focus on the Village
Pearl Village
(Carl Croker photos)
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By Michel Outridge his week the Pepperpot Magazine journeyed the East Bank corridor and visited the small close-knit village
of Pearl. Pearl, East Bank Demerara is home to former President David Granger and former Minister of Business, Dominic Gaskin, his son-in-law and Guyanese of all ethnicities, who co-exist in relative peace and harmony. It has four streets with a few cross streets, several dams and canals with a large back lands area but it is a peaceful country-side community that is located miles away from the city. It is tucked away between Sarah Johanna and Caledonia villages and it has about 300 residents, some of whom work in both the private and public sectors with a few small business owners. Pearl has a Nursery School in which children from the neighbouring villages of Land of Canaan, Pearl, Caledonia and Sarah Johanna attend and over the years they have developed good relations. The village has two churches, a play school and after care facility that is privately-owned and a few shops and a bar. According to folklore, before Pearl existed, the area belonged to the Dutch. There is evidence of it at a Koker in the village which was built by the Dutch. It was then a sugar plantation under the supervision of ‘Carter’ and then ‘Bagwandin’ (only names mentioned). The sugar cane once harvested were sent to a processing plant but after the venture
The Village shop in Pearl Village
became unprofitable the plantation was sold. It is whispered that there were once two Dutch sisters named Sarah Johanna and Pearl, who each inherited for themselves a piece of land, and that’s how the two villages got their names, like in most villages of today. It is said pearl is a “teardrop of the moon” a unique piece of jewellery of today that is worn by many and it is reflected in the quietude and picturesque image of this village. Pearl is a small, round object, usually white, that forms around a grain of sand inside the shell of a sea creature, especially an oyster. Pearls are valuable and are used to make jewellery. Pearl Village has the basic infrastructure of electricity, potable water supply, landline phone, internet services, cable, drainage and all-weather roads was paved two years ago which replaced pot-holed
streets. There is a ball field in this village but there is need for it to be developed and it is in an overgrown condition, as is. Almost everybody in the village knows each other especially, those that have lived there all their life and there are a few newcomers, as well. The Village matriarch Meanwhile, the Pepperpot Magazine encountered a group of residents at a sop in the village, among the group is the oldest resident, Edith Lynch, a respected elder, who is highly regarded. As customary she would take a stroll a few doors away from her home and sit and chat with the villagers, most of whom grew up before her and they fondly call her Mrs Lynch. She is well-known for her role as a fundraiser, who was instrumental in the construction of the Pearl Nursery School, which still stands today. The 84-year-old is a very jovial, spritely person, who is easy to talk to and doesn’t
take credit for her contribution to the community as a result of her direct humble attitude. She is a Jamaican, who migrated to Guyana and has been a resident of Pearl Village for the past 47 years. Lynch and her late husband, Eric, who passed away two years ago, worked at the ten Telecoms and they are among the early settlers of Pearl Village. The couple moved t o t h e community
when it had just two houses in the 1970s and the place was then cane fields and very busy. She told the Pepperpot Magazine that she worked at the Guyana Broadcasting Service (GBS) as a record-keeping librarian but quit the job to be a full-time mother of four. Her husband worked with Telecoms as such, they were the only residents in Pearl to have landline
telephone service back then. Lynch contributed greatly towards the construction of the Pearl Nursery School and was the major fundraiser, who saw the project through from start to finish. “We didn’t have a nursery school in the village and there was a need for one and I did what I could and nine months later a brand new school as built and the children of this village as well as nearby communities benefitted and others up to date,” she said. The elderly villager related that life in Pearl is good and peaceful because the people are united and they do not have any issues brewing and they enjoy each other’s company on a daily basis. “I would visit the shop in my street every day after completing chores and have a chat with the people and I do enjoy it because it is good to talk to your fellow villagers,” she said. After returning home, Lyn ch w as ob s erved reading a book in her verandah and it looked as if she was very comfortable at was.
Oldest resident, Edith Lynch with villagers in Pearl Village
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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
Dominic Gaskin in his relaxation mode at home with his daughter
(Carl Croker photos)
Focus on the Village
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By Michel Outridge
HARMENDRA Beemnauth is a resident of Pearl Village, East Bank Demerara, and has lived his entire life in that community as a local. “My parents are from here, so I born and grow up here and it is 54 years now this place is my home; and life here is very quiet,” he said. He is a forklift operator attached to John Fernandes Limited (JFL), but was not at work that day. Beemnauth is the father of four and resides in a cul de sac in Second Street, Pearl Village, where there are big trees at the end of the street used as a shade with wooden benches for an afternoon ‘sit-down’. “My wife passed away five years ago, so my daughter does the cooking and chores, so life is fair. As you can see, we are just here sitting enjoying each other’s company and conversation,” he said. He was among a group of locals who were at the village shop having some liquid refreshments and a good “gyaff.” “As a child, we used to go by Mrs Edith Lynch, the oldest resident and watch film shows; back then, they had television, so we are close in this village because we live nice and cooperate,” he said.
Pearl has been his home for the past 25 years because he wanted to get out of the city to a quiet place. That opportunity presented itself when he learnt that a plot of land was for sale in the village 25 years ago, and he bought it and constructed a house which is of an interesting and unique design. Gaskin said the lands in Pearl were developed in the early 1970s and were supposed to be for government officials,
PEARL IS HOME The Pepperpot Magazine also met former Minister of Business Dominic Gaskin, who is also a resident of Pearl Village.
Dominic Gaskin
owned. He added that the commute is bothersome from Pearl to the city, but they would avoid the rush hour and leave home early and return a bit later after the rush hour to avoid the traffic. “For me this is home, this place is quiet in nature and away from the busy city and it suits me just fine,” he said. Gaskin told the Pepperpot Magazine by the time he came to Pearl to reside, many of the elders had already retired and
Dharmendra Beemnauth
because it had water, electricity, roads and infrastructure. “When I came here to live there were just a few houses, but later many people moved in after buying the lands and made it their home and it is a residential, quiet place to live, where people tend to know each other and there isn’t too much lawlessness, but unity among the people,” he said. Gaskin related that Pearl has four main streets with some smaller internal streets and dams and has a five-acre backlands area; most of the remaining empty plots are privately
then they had some newcomers to the community, but they know each other and are neighbourly. “This is a safe place to live. One road in and out and it is small, so people tend to notice you when you come in and you are a stranger, because somebody is always sitting at the shop drinking and you can walk in here at nights and nobody would interfere with you,” he said. Gaskin stated that the land in Pearl is high, so when it rains they do not experience flooding. The father of four stated that Pearl Village is a long way from the city, but he doesn’t mind.
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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
Shennon Richards-Greene
Focus on the Village
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By Michel Outridge
HERE came a point in her life when the odds were against Junice Welcome, a mother of three. She found herself changing jobs and having to find people to take care of her children, while she worked with others. But then she had an idea which was later made a reality when she opened her own day-care and playgroup in Pearl Village. Two years ago, the Kiddie’s Treasure Day Care and Playgroup building was completed and the small business opened its doors to serve working parents who reside in Pearl and the neighbouring villages. Welcome honed her skills working with special needs children as a volunteer at Sorsha Williams Kids Foundation School for Autistic Children in the city. There, she spent three months and benefited from training and was asked to join the organisation as an em- p l o y e e , but declined and decided to open her own daycare and playgroup. “I know having my own business will be beneficial for me and my children, because my youngest is six
months old and having to get people to take care of him while I went to work was hard and the travelling was worse, so I had to become self-employed,” she said. Welcome stated that there was space in her mother’s yard at Pearl Village, East Bank Demerara, and she constructed a one-flat concrete building for her business. The place is outfitted with a kitchenette, a television, beds, cribs and other amenities to make the place comfortable and fitting for children to stay when their parents are at work. Unfortunately, the place closed its doors in March when schools were ordered closed by the Ministry of Education as a result of COVID-19. Presently, Welcome is awaiting word from the Child Care and Protection Agency to re-open. Normally Kiddie’s Day Care and Playgroup is open from 07:00hrs to 19:00hrs to cater for working parents who would drop off their children before going to work and would pick them up after. “We cater for parents who work late, so the little ones going to Pearl Nursery School would come here after classes and stay until their parents collect them,” she said. Welcome, along with a qualified teacher, would ensure that the children are occupied with teaching aids and other forms of learn-
Kiddie’s Treasure Day Care and Playgroup in Pearl Village (Carl Croker photos)
ing throughout the day. They also have adequate toys to occupy the children’s time during the ‘play segment’ and also gave them some television time. Welcome told the Pepperpot Magazine that since their two years in existence, they would ensure that the children participate in all events such as Christmas, when they have Santa Claus and a Christmas Tree and everything else to make the occasion memorable. “When I first opened it was challenging, but I got past that hurdle and at times we get new admissions and other times we have a few children, but taking care of children whether they are normal or have special needs is no bother, because I am really passionate about children and having the daycare and playgroup is a dream come through for me,” she said. The 32-year-old would prepare the children for kindergarten by ensuring that they know small words and their spellings. Kiddie’s Day Care and Playgroup in Pearl Village admits children from as young as four months old to four years nine months old for their aftercare and playgroup. HOME CATERING AT ITS BEST The Pepperpot Magazine also encountered a mother of four who is multi-talented and has returned home from The Cayman Islands. Shennon Richards-Greene is usually away in The Cayman Islands where she works as a professional chef, but due to the pandemic, she is home and has started a catering service for birthdays, weddings and other events. She is the mother of Junice Welcome and the daycare and playgroup is in her front yard in Pearl Village. “Growing up I was told by my elders you have to know to do every little thing in the home, especially when you have children you have to know to sew and I developed my skills on the sewing machine and am also a seamstress,” she said. She has been a resident of Pearl for the past 10 years and it has become her home -- a quiet place she likes. She is originally from Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara and also resided in the city and the house she occupies was inherited from her grandfather, who used to live there and she had to move in with him as he got down in age and eventually passed away. Richards-Greene was also a nurse and a teacher, who is in Guyana for a while and is finding things to do to occupy her time.
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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
Focus on the Village
The Assembly of God Church in Pearl Village, East Bank Demerara (Carl Croker photo)
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By Michel Outridge
LTHOUGH she is the village pastor, Pastor Jessie Gibson resides at Coverden Village, East Bank Demerara but ministers to the people in Pearl and its surrounding communities. According to Pastor Gibson, ministering to the people is a calling and it takes you wherever even if it is out of your village. She heads the Assembly of God Church in Pearl Village which is situated in the centre of the village. The church building was constructed by funds pooled together by members and the land was available and paid for in Pearl Village. Pastor Jessie stated that they have a few
members from within the village but some are from outside the community as far as Timehri, Soesdyke, and the highway. “We are very thankful we have our own building for the church because we started out as a crusade by the roadside then we rented a place and after some time we got the money to have a building erected on the land we bought,” she said. The Assembly of God Church in Pearl Village started 20 years ago and it is the second building which is standing. The congregation meets three times per week but due to COVID-19 they are doing services via Zoom and is hoping to reopen in two weeks’ time. Pastor Jessie said the church has a membership of 40 and she ministers to the people in Pearl and other villages. “Pearl is not a hostile community and the people are easy to talk to but their religious affiliation is a personal choice,”
she said. The Assembly of God Church has a youth group, a women’s missionary council, a deliverance department, and the men’s fellowship. PASTOR CLAYTON RODNEY FINDS PEACE AND QUIET IN PEARL VILLAGE For nine and a half years, Pastor Clayton Rodney and his wife have enjoyed the quiet of Pearl Village, East Bank Demerara. The elderly couple had a piece of land there for 23 years and it was the peace and quiet that made him move there for good so he can research and pray in the stillness while his wife enjoys the green landscape. The 70-year-old is a pastor of the Assemblies of God Church located at Covent Garden Public Road, also on the East Bank Demerara. “I was drawn to this place because of
the sleepy quietness although [it is] bushy we live in peace here and like it very much,” he said. As elders, Pastor Rodney told the Pepperpot Magazine that they don’t have a problem with noise nuisance and the people are very respectful, generous and neighbourly like a typical country-side village. He is originally from Meten-MeerZorg, West Coast Demerara and spent his boyhood days there, after which he relocated with his family to Mocha Arcadia, East Bank Demerara then to Providence. Pastor Rodney and his family ended up in Prospect where he resided for the past 38 years and then moved to Pearl Village. The father of three said one of his daughters still lives in the family house at Prospect. “Pearl is home for us now and we will be here,” he said.
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The children of Pearl Village out for a bicycle ride (Carl Croker photos)
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By Michel Outridge
EARL Village, East Bank Demerara, is unique because it is a small community that is residential, but is also a good place with a lot of greenery and its quiet nature lures people there. Ramlake Persaud, also known as ‘Bruckup,’ is the village milkman and he is also a cattle farmer, who has a flourishing garden. In his yard, there are many trees including fruits and vegetables and he has 11 cows, from which he gets a few gallons of milk daily to sell in and around the neighbourhood. The 66-year-old related that he moved to the village in 1976 when they had only one concrete road leading into the community, which had only a few houses back then and it was very bushy. Persaud stated that he was living on a five-acre plot at the back of the village with his wife and a child then. He had moved from his hometown of Leguan Island in the Essequibo River after things became difficult financially and he had to relocate in search of a job. Back in Leguan, he used to plant rice and had a few cattle. Persaud told the Pepperpot Magazine that he was employed with the then GUYWA now renamed Guyana Water Inc., where he worked for 19 years before retiring. The father of seven disclosed that he did not want to leave his home village, but he had to to make a better life for himself and family. He bought the land at Pearl for $5,000 and constructed a small house where the rest of his children were born. Persaud recalled that most of the people who were already living in the village were senior government employees and they were elderly; most of them passed away many
years ago. “When I came here it had 10 houses and a poultry farm at the back of the village, but the owner sold it to a Chinese family and we used to go there to buy plucked chicken at 75 cents per pound,” he said. From then to now, Persaud added that the village has developed and it has about 50 houses now with some empty plots. He pointed out that he would milk his cows every morning around 09:00hrs or thereabout and then go and sell the milk in Pearl and up to the Land of Canaan sluice, which is a few villages away. Persaud noted that depending on how much milk he gets he would sell it at $150 per pint, or whatever people can afford. “Back in the days when I had plenty cows I used to get a lot of milk and with the help of the children, I use to go till up the highway to sell milk,” he said. After the children grew up and left to pursue their own lives, he had to scale down on his small business and sold some of his cows and kept a few he can manage. Persaud stated that life in Pearl Village is good, because he is self-employed in his old age and he gets by with his milk business and he uses the fruits and vegetables from his yard in the kitchen. “I like to plant because that’s how we grow up, making use of the land to earn and I will continue to grow my own greens and fruits, because you always have something to eat that way,” he said. THE NDC COUNCILLOR Leon Bowlin is a Guyanese who lived overseas for some time; however, he returned to Guyana and is residing in Pearl
Village. He told the Pepperpot Magazine that he had a friend in the village and he used to visit him and g o t to like the quiet ambience of the place. H e then bought a plot of land and constructed a lovely two-storey concrete house and moved in 2014 with his wife. “Apart from the quiet which I like, the village is located on the East Bank of Demerara which I wanted, because if the need arises and I need to leave the country I can do so to the airport quickly,” he said. Bowlin is originally from Brighton, Corentyne, Berbice and worked with the government for many years before he retired and went overseas. He is also a councillor with the Good Success/Caledonia Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) under which Pearl Village falls and 12 other villages on that corridor. He disclosed that he went into NDC work when he was invited by a friend to one of the meetings and when he realised that Pearl had no representation, he volunteered his services to develop the village. Bowlin added that he has tried twice to get people to volunteer and bring the ballfield and park to a habitable condition, but it did not happen. “I am going to try one more time because I know the people need a place to go for recreational activities and so on,” he said. He revealed that working with the NDC is a bit frustrating and challenging at times, but he does his part to ensure that Pearl is free of garbage and the drains are cleaned. “I do my part to keep this village clean and maintained, then I assist with the other villages on the NDC level,” he said.
Home of Remigrant/NDC Councillor, Leon Bowlin
Part of Ramlake Persaud’s yard
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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
By Jared Liddell
OUNG people have a way of becoming innovative with their business ideas and ventures and making a stir in the process, and this was no different for creative mind and proprietors of one of Guyana’s quickly growing and recognisable businesses, Monifa Freso. The young businesswoman is the drive behind popular fruit juice and milkshake establishment Momo’s Moish. Freso stated that she started her business some two years ago while being employed at the Ramada Princess Hotel and explained that although she always had a vision to become an entrepreneur the avenue of smoothie making was no way in her line of vision. “I always loved business, and when I used to go to Chase Academic Foundation, my headmaster Mr Chase would tell us sometimes that young people usually prefer to go work with somebody, they don’t create their own jobs and try to create employment for others, and I listened to that and that stuck with me. So I decided that I will have my own business, and I felt like I wanted to own a clothing business, but that did not work out as I thought,” she explained. She told the Pepperpot Magazine that the journey with her own business in smoothie making started one day after her father made her a banana milkshake for work. She further said that she decided to share several of her workmates to taste and they liked it so much and kept saying how good it was, it was then that she got the idea that this could be a business venture that she could get behind. Freso said that she called her father and they made a plan to get the business up and running. Freso said that she was invested in the business explaining that in an effort to ensure that the business was successful, she left her previ-
ous job and started to w a l k and sell some of her products. After some time, she got a bicycle and decided to ride to be able to reach a wider range of clientele. She added that after several months of being persistent, she finally moved up and got a few big orders from a few business organisations including her former place of employment. Freso said that although she initially started her business with just milkshakes, the demand she received from her customers for her to add fruit juices was high. She stated that she finally decided to add fruit juices to her menu in February of 2020 but wanted to ensure that if she goes in this direction it will be something authentic and unique, to set her business apart and ensure that her customers remained satisfied. “I wanted everything here to be unique. I wanted my customers to say ‘this is rich, this is thick and this is awesome’ so I came up with my first juice- a three mix juice, that I made from pineapple, ginger and passionfruit,” she said. She stated that after seeing the appreciation that persons had for the three-mix juice, she decided to push it a little further and offer five mix juices made from mango, pine, passion, orange and ginger, which according to Freso has become one of her number one sellers. Freso further added that in her experience, having a business means never staying at one position, and always working to ensure that your business is the best that it can be at any given time. She said that it is also about making sure to take the time to learn the shortcomings that the business faces while being ready to address and face them head-on. She said she had to learn to never
give up and, in turn, that she would advise other young potential entrepreneurs to “ Never Give up, pursue your dreams keep your eyes on your vision and keep pushing through. Success is achievable.” Persons can purchase a bottle of at &B Cemetery
Road, Lodge Between Norton & Princess Street, or they can be on the lookout for the humble Business owner and CEO, Monifa Freso who continues to market and sell her product on the road.
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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
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t a e r t e ’s R
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UR lives sometimes go in a direction we did not plan but turns into a huge blessing. Having five books on Amazon was not a childhood dream and writing four of them in four months was certainly not something I told myself was possible for me. That is why Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my favourite bible verses: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. It reminds me that God had a plan for my life before I was born. Everyday something happens in my life to remind me that God is at the centre of it all. To think that God has written about on my life and it is a bestseller.I have a feeling I am only in Chapter One and it is already exciting. I am working on a few more that will be released from September, if God’s willing. Before I get to September, I need to get through August which is my birth month. I do plan to celebrate every day in August in a special way by gifting one of my virtual programmes, books or outfits to some blessed people. This gesture is adding so much happiness to my life, because when individuals are contacted their reaction is priceless. The climax of August will be a virtual Writer’s Retreat with Claudia Vidal. I met Claudia a few years ago while we were working on our first book and we instantly connected and we developed a strong and genuine friendship that we both treasure. She was one of the persons who read one of the excerpts when my books were launched at the Guyana Consulate in New York. We have been exploring ways to collaborate and during this season with the pandemic, we decided to collaborate on a Virtual Writer’s Retreat. I think this pandemic has pushed us and provided innovative options to new collaborative ventures. One of the objectives is to inspire and empower individuals to write compelling stories that impact the world. The retreat will be for three days from the comfort of your home where you can learn how to write for impact. O u r three-day virtual retreat covers the “Create Compell i n g Stories” curric-
ulum, broken
into multiple sessions, and uses interactive videos to connect participants (in small groups) via virtual breakout rooms. We have conducted a couple previews and clarity and it was great to experience eagerness and excitement people display during that session I can relate to that feeling because I remembered my first session with Kathy Kidd. That evening I was lying on my bed thinking I will be writing my book to publish on Amazon! If I can do this anyone can and that made me even more excited, because of the thought of others writing their books and sharing their stories. One of the things I decided from the start is to be as authentic as possible in sharing my story and I am happy I did, because those made me connect with my audience. Allow me to share a review from one of my readers: “One of my favourite books written by Sonia Noel is titled, ‘Living With Intention.’ My main reason for loving this book is due to the fact that this book is part of my growth. And also it helped me to have a different mindset of who I really am as an individual. This simple and inspiring book was read by me over and over, and every time I read this book I see something motivational that I did not see or read before. This might sound funny, but it is the truth. “The book Living With Intention is like a daily word for me. After reading my Bible and having my daily meditation, I found this book to be very motivating for me. I would either read a paragraph or a line that inspired me. This is a book that anyone who needs to borrow from me I would tell them to read it in my presence, no take away. Lol. “Living With Intention tells
Beyond the Runway with Dr. Sonia Noel ... Inspiring lives through fashion one that you can become intentional and very confident of yourself. Nevertheless, I was prompted by the Seven Days Healthy Challenge to re-read this book again a Chapter a day, starting with Chapter One, which speaks about the subject “Grow.” As I read, the word “GROW” registered to me and had me thinking, for we all know that the only way a plant can grow is that we have to water it daily or frequently. Or once a seed or a seedling is planted we have to nurture it so that it can grow and blossom into a beautiful plant. So, such is life; if we do not have light-minded or positive people around us who will water our thoughts and minds, then we will not “Grow.” An elated Sonia Noel stated in her closing chapter that she felt a sense of satisfaction that she was delighted to be part of a Movement birthed by her, Women Association of Sustainable Development (WASD). This is a movement that shows the word “Grow” in the true sense. So in my closing, I would like to emphasise on the word “Grow”: grow in your businesses, grow in your circle, grow on your job, grow in your relationships and in every areas [sic] of your life.” Grow”- Joan Jackie Butcher I encourage you to join this retreat if you have the desire to write your book, because you will have the framework for your book at the end. Our stories are not for us, but for those persons waiting to be inspired by your journey. E m a i l i n f o @ c re atecompellingstories. com if you are int e re s t e d a s w e continue to celebrate this beautiful journey called life BEYOND T H E RUNWAY.
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CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
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ANY areas in Berbice and Essequibo were always classified as “the country” or “rural Guyana”—if not the entire counties on a whole. While I cannot speak on the entirety of the ‘Cinderella County’, I can safely say that Berbice has always been subjected to this thought. Myself and many other Berbicians share the same sentiment that many areas in Berbice are underdeveloped, under-looked and under-appreciated. If it is difficult to find a job in Georgetown, one can only imagine what the struggles may be to find one in Berbice. If an event or activity does not occur in Demerara, then it cannot be done in Berbice. I believe our county receives the left-over resources and opportunities after these were awarded to others in more developed areas of Guyana. This is a major contributing factor as to
why many Berbicians would choose to move to the city or outlying communities around Georgetown. The lack of opportunities and inclusivity is what forces many of the “country” people to move towards “betterment.” We move to find new or better employment. We move because many offices, agencies and organisations cannot afford to pay for our hard-earned degree. We move because we are negatively stereotyped and we want to change that mindset that surrounds our people. We move because many Berbicians do not and will not inherit a generational wealth—they have to earn every penny and dream by themselves. Guyana is already a developing third world country. Berbice and its development are a few years, even decades behind that of Demerara’s. Raw resources are readily available but we ought to develop and maintain our human capital. For every child in Georgetown/Demerara who complains or is upset that they have to attend swimming classes,
there’s a child in Berbice who wishes we had an Aquatic Centre; for every prospective student at the UG Turkeyen Campus who is confused by the towering list of programmes offered, there’s another prospective student in Berbice who wishes that their future career is not subjected only to which programmes that are in demand; for every opportunity our fellow Demerara neighbours take for granted, we are saddened by disappointment. One’s geography should not limit one’s ability to excel. I am aware that similar and even worse struggles are prevalent for countless other Guyanese who live in rural or riverine communities across our country. Many of us are not cut out to be skilled farmers, labourers, harvesters; after all, that’s what we’re mainly known for, right? Even now, the agricultural workers have to adapt to the changes across the world and it is difficult to do so with limited resources. There are infinite “country” men and women who are forced to leave their lives behind, move to a
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new and strange environment, adapt to a new lifestyle, work and study to support themselves and their impoverished family just because they want to do and be better in life. Many will say if you can’t sit at the table then you should build your own. Yes, that’s true, but we cannot build our own table unless we have the resources, the skills and knowledge, the time and equipment and--most importantly--the support to build that said table. The times are changing and I will be enraged if I ever see a new and developed Georgetown/ Demerara while Berbice is disadvantaged towards opportunities. Will Georgetown be the only place the tourists are allowed to visit? Will we invest more into the existing resources to provide countless jobs for those in need? Will Berbicians have to move away from their homes just to work to fend for their families for much longer? Are we as a people ready to develop our country, holistically?
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FTER I had finished a thread on personality types some time ago, a reader informed me that he would consider himself an introvert, not by choice, but due to what he believes to be social anxiety. I’m going to talk about this as it is indeed a very common disorder. Everyone feels shy at times; occasionally we are nervous to meet new people, speak in public or simply to walk through big crowds. However, it doesn’t typically affect our dayto-day life. Social anxiety -- also called social phobia -- is a consistent discomfort or fear in interacting with others, or just being in crowded spaces. Some believe it is just a fear of public speaking but those with social anxiety have issues doing routine activities. Even one-on-
one conversations can be taxing, as these individuals often feel stressed and worry about saying or doing the wrong thing. They often miss out on exciting opportunities due to their intense fear of being judged, laughed at, embarrassed or criticised. They feel intense discomfort doing things that others consider normal such as eating in public or taking public transportation. If they are in situations that create or increase discomfort, physical symptoms such as sweating, headaches, stomach issues or rapid heart rate may even be experienced. If the fear becomes too intense, panic attacks can also occur. Symptoms of social anxiety typically begin in teenage years and levels of anxiety can either improve or decline with age. While it is rare, it is possible to detect social anxiety in young children with symptoms such as avoiding interaction with other children,
avoiding activities at school, not asking for help when needed or frequent and unusual crying. If you feel as though you may be suffering
from social anxiety, it is important to seek the right treatment as the disorder can have severe negative effects on self-esteem, self-confidence and overall self-worth. It interrupts normal social learning, relationships as well as school or employment life. There are many possible treatment options (for various levels of anxiety) but if you are experiencing social anxiety to the point where it is negatively affecting your daily life, I would advise you to go to your nearest health centre and share your concerns. You may see a general practitioner who can refer you to a mental health professional or if you are already aware of one, you can go straight to them. These individuals will typically ask a series of questions or may ask you to fill out questionnaires to get an idea of the extent of the anxiety. From there, they are able to decide what type of counselling method is right for you, as well as whether you need to be referred further for any medications that will help decrease some of the symptoms of anxiety. A combination of both counselling and medication is typically the best way to treat moderate to severe anxiety. There are also things you can do on your own. However, self-help alone is typically for those who have only mild anxiety. By now I hope you all know that education and awareness is the most important thing, to not only understand your disorder but to accept it. Research anxiety and know everything there is to know about what you’re feeling, including signs, symptoms and triggers. You can also start to practice something that researchers call ‘graded self -exposure.’ It
entails making a list of all the situations that create or increase your anxiety and expose yourself to them little by little. For example, if you have a fear of eating in public, you start with something small, for a short period of time and then further progress. The theory here is that you can train yourself to become tolerant of all exposures. If you have access to the Internet, you can go online and do activities that are dedicated to reducing anxiety. These usually consist of workbook activities that teach you how to challenge negative thinking and irrational patterns of thoughts that may result in anxiety. (Tip, you can google or YouTube how to do those things). Try mindfulness meditation! While I understand that many people don’t believe this works, it is very effective in reducing common symptoms of social anxiety. Mindfulness is a meditation technique designed to acknowledge and accept where you are in your life. It is an attempt to control your breathing and quiet your thoughts, only allowing yourself to focus on the present. People with social anxiety tend to over think and mindfulness teaches how to get back to the present as well as settle the jumbled thoughts in your head. The controlling of thoughts will help with the anxiety that comes with interaction. During a conversation, those with social anxiety are preoccupied with their own irrational thoughts rather than what the person is actually saying. For example, you may be focused on what you previously said, how the person may have taken it if you have something in your teeth and a million other things. Practising mindfulness will result in a more focused present. I realise it is difficult to seek help for social anxiety with social anxiety! It requires a lot of strength and tolerance. However, I need to reiterate how crucial treatment is as untreated anxiety can lead to other mental health issues such as depression, substance abuse and agoraphobia which occurs when the fear becomes so intense that even leaving the house becomes an issue. Please let me know if there are any other disorders you would like to talk about. Thanking you for reading. Please keep sending any topics you’d like to talk about to caitlinvieira@gmail.com Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always! Suicide Prevention Helpline – 223-0001, 223-0009, 623-4444 or 600-7896 Do not be afraid to reach out!
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
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HIS week I had promised the conclusion in a response to –Trinidadian Ramdath Jaggessar’s racist diatribe against the development heritage of Afro peoples in Trinidad and Guyana. But I will possibly do that in the future, the above subject needs to be addressed, as it revolves around the local dynamic of ‘self-contempt and the undercurrents of chronic racism’. Recently some women carried out a candle vigil around the 1763 monument and it raised some ridicule from persons in religion and nasty comments on Facebook and other social media idioms. Why? There’s no real rational reason but perhaps in one instant that they were Afro –Guyanese and the monument based on where you are in this society still needs definition, or the other, that arrogance of the self-righteous religious ego had to be fed, by condemning that which is not agreeable. When Freddie Kissoon penned his outrageous fictions titled ‘The Buxton Conspiracy’ some years ago, he mentioned that the insurgents holding out in Buxton practised Obeah. The fact is, that it was one of the local mercenaries who were paid to go after the insurgents who when he was killed, revealed a peculiar out of the ordinary feature, he was from Linden, it was noticed that he was bare
feet. I was asked by a sister from the coast after two others who came into the village with an assault team and lost their lives were also bare feet if I could explain what this meant. I explained to her that I knew that in some belief systems, bare feet are believed to connect a believer to protective powers of the earth, and I explained this to her. I also had a previous encounter with this particular experience. Some years before I had convinced a member of a religious organisation to allow me to take pictures of one of their rituals. He got permission from a priestess and I proceeded there. Along with me was Kenton Wyatt, who had an interest as a musician, folktale researcher and teacher. I told him however that my father had always said that when you enter certain ritual places keep on your shoes, don’t test with notions that this can’t happen, or duh can’t happen, just toe the line dem old people draw. We entered the location in the Ruimveldt area and located ourselves in the western side of the building; we were alarmed at the number of people awaiting the service of this high priestess, then the service as I termed it, began to happen. Devotees eating fire, and the white of eyes only visible, I began taking photographs, and then it happened. A stout woman shouted, “Somebody in here wid deh shoes on!” She was away from us, but turned to face us, with only the white of
her eyes visible. She was advancing towards us; I told Kenton: “ Time for us to leave bro,” and we were gone. Whether spirituality occurs with hymns, drum or candle rites, like the ‘Fast’ a popular practice among most religions, the faith and dedication, is believed to arrest and channel psychic or kinetic energy into an active conduit towards results. This is an argument on and about something we do not yet quite understand, but in theory, is accepted to exist. Based on a person’s awareness and situation, they seek spiritual or mystical help, a placebo as the psychologists like to define faith systems, more so when they produce positive results, so they can place faith, God and spirit into an antiquated cabinet of past things. But people are attracted and become connected to that mystical ambience that they can logically fit their situation into. In many cases with life’s challenges ‘faith and works’ can yield the humble inspiration of hope, where despair is overwhelming. The quick reaction to pounce on all that does not fit into one’s sacred corner of ideals and icons is in itself one of the oldest deficiencies linked to the human ego, and the forerunner of many wars and justifications for genocide and repression. The latter can be avoided by the difficult challenge to explore, two incidents have troubled me over the past years, but though I have engaged some persons from the related religious
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group, no plausible answer was forthcoming. On May 24, 2006, three perished in river during ritual- then in February 3, 2015 four persons again drowned in pursuit of a related religious ritual. This is a tremendous coincidence, if that is what it was, if not, then what? Every ancient religion has had Gods. Deities, sirens and rituals by rivers, lakes and the sea and those religions are still alive, Yemanja of the orisha a Yoruba Goddess of the sea, whose worship is popular in the Latin Caribbean and Americas. Science does not now, have the means to pronounce on whether this or that belief exists because of this or that natural cause, but to any writer or folklorist, who understands that the beat of the drum can throw someone into an alternative personality, as it did to the late Jules Innis who was standing next to me that evening in West Ruimveldt, causing him to conduct a ritual dance that he could not recall after they had used water from the canal some distance away to revive him. This experience had later pronounced on me that despite the con-men and salawala hustlers, that at a lower percentage there’s something that needs shrewdly exploring, rather than with the bigotry of arrogance to loudly dismiss, what perhaps has from the dawn of our consciousness have grown around us and will not, or cannot, just depart.
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HANK you for joining us again this week, as discussed in last week’s article, almost every home contains hazardous products. They are used in cleaning, home-improvement projects, automobile maintenance, lawn and garden care, and a variety of other tasks. However, behind all the usage of these products, come a number of health and environment problems. In order to avoid potential risks associated with household hazardous wastes, it is important for us to always know how to properly manage, store and dispose of these products. Here are some quick tips for managing household hazardous material/wastes include: • Read labels carefully before buying a product. Avoid buying products with labels containing words such as: caustic, corrosive, danger, explosive, flammable, poison, toxic, volatile, or warning; • Follow label directions on how to use a product and use the recommended amounts. More is not necessarily better, and may be hazardous to your health;
• Use safer products whenever possible. Safer alternative products can be found in stores. Recipes for making your own can be found in books available through most libraries or online; • Buy household hazardous products only in the amount you need for the job at hand; • Safely store the remaining, unusable products in their original containers until a household hazardous waste collection is held in your area; • Avoid hazardous products if you are pregnant; • Recycle what can be recycled in your area (waste motor oil, transmission fluid, antifreeze, automotive batteries, button batteries, etc.) Contact local solid waste officials for locations in your area; • Keep products in their original containers with readable labels;
• Use safety equipment such as protective eye wear or face shield, mask and or gloves when the label recommends avoiding skin contact, eye contact, or inhalation of vapours; • Use products up entirely. It is not hazardous waste until it is no longer wanted or usable; and • Share what you cannot use with a friend, neighbour, local business or organisation. Here are some quick tips you should follow for storing household hazardous material/waste safely: • Close lids tightly so that products will not dry out, evaporate, or leak; • Store hazardous products in a locked cabinet away from children and animals; • Store in a cool, dry area; • Store away from sources of heat, spark, or flame; • Store in original containers with label intact; • If the product container is deteriorating, place the entire container in a plastic bucket or glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Surround it with a non-flammable absorbent, such as kitty litter, vermiculite, or floor dry, to absorb spills; and • Separate flammables, corrosives, and poisons and
store them on separate shelves. For disposing of household hazardous material/waste safely Some quick tips for disposing of household hazardous material/waste safely include: Reuse: means to use the product again. Household solvents, such as paint thinner and paintbrush cleaner, can be used over and over. Let the used solvent sit undisturbed in a sealed container until the paint particles settle to the bottom. Carefully pour off the clean solvent and use it again. Warning Since these solvents are flammable, this activity should be done outdoors or with plenty of fresh air and adequate ventilation, and away from sources of heat, spark, or flame.
Triple-rinse container: is the prescribed treatment method for empty pesticide containers. To triple-rinse, fill the container 1/4 full with water close it tightly, and shake or invert so the rinse reaches all inside surfaces. Repeat this procedure two more times. Rinse water should be used to make up the pesticide mixture or applied to the area you are treating following the same precautions used with the full-strength pesticide. Plastic containers should be punctured to prevent reuse. Discard the rinsed container with your trash. Warning Do not triple-rinse pesticide containers in a household sink, or outside near drinking water wellheads. If you cannot reuse the rinse water, save unrinsed containers for a household hazardous waste collection. Recycle: is the preferred option for any household hazardous product that can be recycled. Try contacting jewellers or hearing aid service stores to see if they will accept button batteries for recycling. Automotive service centres may accept used motor oil, auto batteries, antifreeze, kerosene, and transmission fluid. Theatre and art groups, or housing “fix-up” organizations may be happy to receive leftover paint. Flush down drain: indicates that a product can be poured down the drain with plenty of water. If you have a septic tank, additional caution should be taken. Read the product label to determine whether the product might damage your plumbing or your septic system. Never mix wastes while pouring them down the drain. Always pour small amounts at a time to avoid splashing, and flush with plenty of water. Put in trash: indicates that a product is suitable for landfill disposal. Generally speaking, empty containers can be thrown away. Liquids should never be disposed of in the trash. Some products are acceptable for landfill disposal if they are hardened or dried up. Contact your local solid waste officials before throwing any hazardous product away. Remember “The environment is everybody’s business” Let us all do our part for a cleaner and safer Guyana! You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth. Our Environment,” C/O ECEA Programme, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, Georgetown, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
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EW dentures may feel awkward for a few weeks until you become accustomed to them. The dentures may feel loose while the muscles of your cheek and tongue learn to keep them in place. It is not unusual to experience minor irritation or soreness. You may find that saliva flow temporarily increases. As your mouth becomes accustomed to the dentures, these problems should diminish. One or more follow-up appointments with the dentist are generally needed after a denture is inserted. If any problem persists, particularly irritation or soreness, be sure to consult your dentist. Will dentures make me look different? Dentures can be made to closely resemble your natural teeth so that little change in appearance will be noticeable. Dentures may even improve the look of your smile and help fill out the appearance of your face and profile. Will I be able to eat with my dentures? Eating will take little practice. Start with soft foods cut into small pieces. Chew slowly using both sides of your mouth at the same time to prevent the dentures from tipping. As you become accustomed to the chewing, add other foods until you return to your normal diet. Continue to chew food using both sides of the mouth at the same time. Be cautious with hot or hard foods and sharp-edged bones or shells. Will dentures change how I speak? Pronouncing certain words may require practice. Reading out loud and repeating troublesome words will help. If your dentures “click” while you’re talking, speak more slowly/ You may find that your dentures occasionally slip when you laugh, cough or smile. Reposition the dentures by gently biting down and swallowing. If a speaking problem persists, consult your dentist. How long should I wear my dentures? Your dentist will provide instructions about how long dentures should be kept in place. During the first few days, you may be advised to wear them most of the time, including while you sleep. After the initial adjustment period, you will be instructed to remove the dentures before going to bed. This allows gum tissue t rest and promoted oral health. Generally, it is not desirable that the tissues be constantly covered by denture material. Should I use a denture adhesive? Denture adhesives can provide additional retention for well-fitting dentures. A poorly fitting denture, which causes constant irritation over a long period, may contribute to the development of sores. These dentures may need a reline or need to be replaced. If your dentures begin to feel loose or cause pronounced discomfort, consult our dentist immediately. How do take care of my dentures? Dentures are very delicate and may break if dropped even a few inches. Send over a folded towel or a basin of water when handling dentures. When you are not wearing them, store your dentures away from the children and the pets. Like natural teeth, dentures must be brushed daily to remove food deposits and plaque. Brushing helps to prevent dentures from becoming permanently stained and helps your mouth stay healthy. It’s best to use a brush designed for cleaning dentures. toothbrush with soft bristles can also be used. Avoid using hard-bristled brushes that can damage dentures. Some denture wearers use hand soap or mild dishwashing liquid, which are both acceptable for cleaning dentures. Avoid using other powdered household cleaners which may be too abrasive. Also, avoid using bleach, as this may whiten the pink portion of the denture. Your dentist can recommend a denture cleanser. The first step in cleaning dentures is to rinse away loose food particles thoroughly. Moisten the brush and apply denture cleanser. Brush every surface, scrubbing gently to avoid damage. Dentures may lose their shape if they are allowed to dry out. When they are not worn, dentures should be placed in a denture cleansing soaking solution or in water.
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ROM time to time this column carries articles on food items generally used by consumers. We have, for example, recently carried articles on turmeric and vinegar. The response we have had from consumers is very positive, since though they have used such items frequently, and indeed for most of their lives, they know very little about them. This week, we would be focusing on ginger, a much-loved spice, which is widely used for culinary purposes and medicinally. Ginger is believed to have originated in South-East Asia and was widely used by early Indian and Chinese civilisations some 5,000 years ago. It was introduced into the New World shortly after Columbus’ arrival and quickly spread throughout the Americas. In Guyana, it was widely used during the times of slavery and indentureship, much more as a culinary than a medicinal substance. It was used in cooking both meat and vegetable dishes and in making a large variety of confections such as ginger fudge and ginger-flavoured sweets of various kinds. Gingerbreads and ginger cakes had always been favourites. It was used as a cocktail mix in a large variety of drinks associated with the Caribbean and rum and ginger has held its own as a perennial. Ginger teas, flavoured with a variety of spices, were used as a convalescent drink and a treatment for colds, ‘flus and fevers and many doctors quietly recommended its use. Its most well-known use in Guyana and the West Indies is to brew ginger beer. Ginger beer is brewed in a variety of strengths and sweetnesses and is a Christmas celebratory drink. Ginger is one of the most easily grown spices. A fresh piece of ginger placed in a plant pot or any part of a garden or any bit of land surrounding the house would germinate in about 10 days with grass-like leaves with the smell of ginger. The ginger spreads as an underground root and is ready for reaping in about three months. Housewives in the poorer parts of the city always kept a ginger plant in their plant pots. The culinary uses of ginger are well-known so we will not reiterate them. The varied medicinal uses are however less known: In the first place, ginger makes an invigorating tea which could be used with milk and sugar or merely as it is brewed. From the times of slavery and indentureship, it was used as an effective relief against fevers and colds and its potency was strengthened with a dash of rum. It was long used as an effective treatment of nausea which could occur from the upset stomach resulting from surgery or chemotherapy. It is also used for seasickness. Owing to gingerol, its main bioactive compound, it is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Chronic inflammation is a leading cause of many diseases and pain. It is known to lower blood sugar and as such, it is an anti-diabetic. It had long been used in Alternative Medicine to treat chronic indigestion. It helps to stimulate the digestive process by removing food from the upper stomach to the intestines and by so doing, relieves pain and discomfort from the upper part of the stomach. “Bad cholesterol” (LDL), associated with heart disease, has its levels lowered by the use of ginger. Likewise, it is known to inhibit the growth of various “bad bacteria”. It is known to reduce menstrual pain. Two medicinal uses comparatively recently attributed to it is as a treatment for colon cancer, breast cancer and pancreatic cancer and as a protection against Alzheimer Disease and other forms of Dementia. The ginger root, like its relative the turmeric root, was used in the ancient Ayurvedic system of medicine as well as in ancient Chinese medicine for over 5,000 years and is still in use today. Western science has been researching both spices and turmeric is now being absorbed into Western Pharmacopeias, Ginger has however not attained the status of turmeric, but its widespread medicinal use is growing.
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AUG - 02 - 2020
English STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student,
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EEPING a diary or notebook can be very useful for you in study. With it you can monitor your learning progress and note
points of which you wish to be reminded. Note-making is a very important skill that fits hand-in-glove with notebook keeping. Notes that are easily read, brief, clear, easily understood, organised the way you can learn, and relevant to your study needs are good notes to go by. Always keep a good handy diary or notebook nearby. Love you.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Where observation is concerned, chance favours only the prepared mind. LOUIS PASTEUR (1822-1895) Address given on the inauguration of the Faculty of Science, University of Lille, 7 Dec., 1854. MAKING SENSE of the PASSAGE Reading Skill: Context Clues Context clues are hints or clues to the meaning of a word. These clues are quite literally hidden in plain sight in every reading text. Hints are found in passages, paragraphs or individual sentences. If you take notice of them, they can tell you the meaning of a word or phrase of which you are unfamiliar. Sometimes even the title of a passage or its illustrations offer context clues as well. They help you know what is going on within. The writer may include pictures also. There are many basic types of context clues classified in different ways. Here are labels given to some: 1. Synonym or Restatement clues (Repeat Context clues) 2. Antonym or Contrast clues 3. Definition or Explanation clues 4. General or Inference clues 5. Specific clues 6. Punctuation or Font clues E X P L A N AT I O N S A N D E X A MPLES OF CONTEXT CLUES 1. Synonym or Restatement clues (Repeat Context clues) Here the author uses more than one word that means the same thing. Examples: Freddy is a misogamist. He has always hated marriage. Kendell Simon felt remorse, or shame, for his unjust remark. 2. Antonym and Contrast clues Here the text may include a word or words that have the opposite meaning of the unknown term. (The text gives hint by telling what the words are not.) Example: Eva has always dressed extravagantly. I have never seen her in a dreary outfit. Attempting to avoid the road accident was futile; it was impossible for either racing cyclist to stop in time. 3. Definition or Explanation clues Here the author has an unknown word or phrase explained either within the sentence or in the sentence immediately after. Examples: On Friday in our science class, we viewed a film on tacamahac which is a yellowish substance with a strong odour collected from various trees and used as incense. The workers were elated because they were placed second in the bora farming competition. 4. General or Inference clues Here the writer lets the reader puzzle out a word meaning from whatever information is available. Information can be within, before, and after the sentence in which the word or phrase is used. (This is the most common kind of context clues.) Sometimes the reader has to read to the end of the section to puzzle out the complete or precise meaning.
5. Specific Examples clues Here the author gives specific examples. It can be one or more to define the unknown term. Example: The nature lovers were also able to observe and video several crustaceans, including crabs, lobsters, and mussels. 6. Punctuation or Font clues Here the clues hidden are found in capitalisation, italicisation, quotation marks, and even parentheses. Example: The celebrated ancient steamship crossed the ocean once in that troubled epoch (point in time). What to Do Now read the selection carefully, and then answer the questions below it. Robert Louis Stevenson was a puzzle. He grew up a frail boy in Scotland and was troubled by frail health throughout his life. However, this sickly author wrote stirring tales of adventure, including Treasure Island. Tall and thin, with a storklike walk, Stevenson looked as if he could be toppled by a gust of wind. Yet he was secretly tough and travelled all over the world. 1. What does the word puzzle mean in this selection? (A) difficult (B) mystery (C) complicated (D) game 2. In the selection, which words are clues to the meaning of frail? (A) Scotland, poor health (C) poor health, sickly (B) stirring tales, Scotland (D) troubled, adventure 3. In this selection, the word troubled means (A) instructed. (B) blessed. (C) bothered. (D) freed. 4. What does the word toppled mean in this selection? (A) knocked over (B) sickened (C) turned (D) irritated WRITING IN PROGRESS Summary Writing Summary writing is a skill useful for keeping your diary or notebook. A summary is a short statement that presents only the main ideas and points expressed in a longer piece of writing. It helps you to review and understand what you are reading or sometimes listening out for. To summarise, you need to first distinguish between important and unimportant details. Ask yourself questions like the following: ? Is this detail necessary for my understanding of the passage or talk? ? Would the resulting piece of writing hold together without this piece of information I am attempting to omit? Periodically recall and restate only key points and important details.
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― August 9, 2020
Ingredients
► 3 cups evaporated milk ► 1/2 can condensed milk (14 oz can)
► 4 eggs ► 1 tsp vanilla extract ► Nutmeg Instructions • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. • Heat milk, do not allow to
boil. • Beat eggs and add warm milk gradually to eggs. • This is called tempering and prevents the eggs from scrambling when added to the warm milk. • Add egg mixture to remaining milk and add vanilla. • Pour into greased baking dish and sprinkle grated nutmeg over top. • Place the pan in a larger pan filled with water and bake for 40 mins.
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