The cast net maker of Uitvlugt Village FIFTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD Muntag Alli of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, learned the skill of knitting cast nets as a boy. His father once worked with fishermen mending their cast nets whenever they returned from sea and that’s how Alli learned to knit cast nets and began making them. Now, this is one of Alli’s sources of income, among other handy skills (Carl Croker photo)
Sunday July 11, 2021
II
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
This thorny issue of public photography
By Francis Quamina Farrier SOME years ago, with police officers milling around, I took video footage of the famous Scotland Yard Police Headquarters in London, England. It was used in a news item here in Guyana on VCT Channel 28, on my return to the country. I commence this article with that scenario because I am going to focus on the phobia of people who are so scared of public photography that it boggles the mind of rational persons. While it is true that there are those countries where the authorities do not only frown on public photography, but come down hard on anyone who takes photographs in public spaces, I am of the view that Guyana is not such a country. Who says that taking photographs within the public domain is illegal? That it is something to get you into trouble? As someone who has taken photographs and video recordings in many countries around the world, including America, Australia, Britain, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Jamaica, Suriname, Trinidad, Venezuela, etc., I find it worrisome that here in Guyana, the country of my birth, it is not always easy. One can be detained by police officers who obviously do not know the law pertaining to that social and professional activity. For such law enforcers, a camera
is regarded as an instrument of subversion, and that they are obliged to arrest or detain anyone using a camera in public. Such police officers need to understand that detaining or arresting someone for taking photographs in public is not a crime. I mention that because of a personal experience that ended in the High Court in Georgetown. I had sued the Minister of Legal Affairs over the detention of my person by two uninformed Guyana Police ranks, while I was taking video footage of a repaired public school, which is located next to the Aurora Police Station on the Essequibo Coast, in Region Two. When they shouted to me to stop recording, I advised them to call headquarters in Georgetown for advice, since I was not committing any illegal activity. Instead, the two officers came and dragged me into the police station and detained me for a little less than 15 minutes. The incident was seen by someone who telephoned my editor-in-chief, who telephoned the police commissioner, who telephoned the divisional commander, who then telephoned the police station. I was then released. I sued, and the case went to the High Court with Justice Carl Singh on the bench and Counsel Nigel Hughes my lawyer. The matter was settled in less than 10 minutes with a decision that I receive damages of $30,000 for that
Farrier seated on one of the powerful motorcycles of the Ghana Police Service(Photo by Ghana Police Officer, Soloman Anane)
illegal detention. Over the decades, I have done video recordings and still photography on five continents - Africa, Australia, North and South America and Europe, and that incident on the Essequibo Coast was the only occasion when I was detained by law enforcers.
It is well-known that I relish telling some off-beat stories in my news gatherings. There was that occasion when I saw about two dozen police motorcycles parked in a long line on a street in Washington, DC, in the USA. I was fascinated and so commenced video recording them; after all, they were
Photographing policemen at work in the public domain, from a respectable distance, is not illegal in Guyana (Photo by Francis Quamina Farrier)
parked in the public domain with no sign stating that it is illegal to photograph them. Realising that they had registration plates from a variety of states, I meticulously ensured that I got their state identification in the footage. Then the sound of a strong male voice zoomed from behind me; “Like em, eh?” It was a burly six-foot-plus white police officer in uniform and with all accessories - a gun included. “My police officers in Guyana don’t have such powerful motorcycles,” I informed him. “Want to take a ride?” he asked. That was an offer which I couldn’t refuse, and so, giving the video camera to my colleague, and putting on the safety helmet which the officer had given me, I mounted the pillion seat of that United States police motorcycle and was given a ride around the block. The video footage was used as part of a TV news item which I did on the VCT Channel 28 Newscast, on my return to Guyana. Over three decades later, I still tease members of the motorcycle division of the
Guyana Police Force, telling them that even though my income tax help to provide the upkeep of their motorcycles, I have never had the pleasure of having a ride on any of them. While on a more recent visit to Ghana in West Africa, I got at least to sit on one of their large, impressive police motorcycles. There is that grey area about taking photographs of buildings such as foreign embassies. While in a small foreign country, and going by the embassy of a very powerful country, I observed a number of signs which state, “NO PHOTOGRAPHY.” Then sometime later, a pre-teen went online and downloaded a bird’s eye view of the interior section of the compound of that embassy and showed it to me. Security and modern technology! This much I would admit, I would never take video or still photographs in a public space if I am alone and two gangs are shooting at each other, and they can see me.
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
Uitvlugt A vibrant village
III
Uitvlugt Village (Carl Croker photos)
By Michel Outridge
The Uitvlugt/Leonora Estate Dispensary
Focus on the Village
THIS week the Pepperpot Magazine visited the countryside village of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara and featured the people, their way of life and the village. Uitvlugt is a large place that extends from the foreshore to way down to the backlands area and it is divided into several sections. Uitvlugt is divided into Ocean View, #2 Housing Scheme, Casbah, Pasture, the pre-fabrication/ Venezuelan Housing Scheme, De Groot Incline and the New Housing Scheme. It is home to about 8,000 people of mixed ethnicities but mostly Indo and Afro-Guyanese. Uitvlugt Village has six churches, two mandirs, two mosques and other buildings, including three nursery schools, the only surviving Uitvlugt/Leonora Sugar Estate on that corridor, the Es-
tate Dispensary, the primary schools, the Community Centre Ground and the Uitvlugt Secondary School. The village comes under the Tuschen/Uitvlugt Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and it is located between the villages of Zeeburg and Stewartville. The community has a lot of internal streets, some of which were recently re-surfaced into an all-weather road, street lights, good infrastructure, electricity, potable water supply, internet and landline services. The community is a place of many houses, small, medium and large sizes and some very interesting designs, which add a touch of colour to the landscape. Many residents have budding flower gardens, while, others have their own kitchen gardens, growing fruits and vegetables. Some folk have their
place clean and well-kept while, others can do with some garbage collection. NDC Developmental Highlights The Chairman of the Uitvlugt/Tuschen Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) Ramzan Ali, told the Pepperpot Magazine that recently they completed and replaced two bridges that were rotten with reinforced concrete bridges at Ocean View Mandir Street and at Anchor Bridge. He reported that they constructed a walkway path at the pasture area and are presently placing boulders to strengthen the sea defence at Ocean View to prevent overtopping during the high tide. Ali added that generally they have been maintaining drains, canals, and trenches in the entire Uitvlugt village and parapets have also been SEE PAGE XV
IV
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
The resourceful people of Uitvlugt Village
By Michel Outridge FOR Latchman Rambarran, a resident of Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, life is leisure, since he is retired and is enjoying his pension. The 61-year-old stated that he relocated to the village in 1996 when he was allocated the plot and built a house. He reported that he was a cane harvester with the
has paid off. Rambarran added that it was because of his years of service and long-serving time he is able to enjoy his retirement benefits. “I would encourage my children to hold onto a steady job in the sugar industry, because the benefits are good and after retirement you can enjoy life without having to work again,” he said. Rambarran told the Pep-
had so many working years in him to give. The father of three resides in his own house with a son, his daughter-in-law and grandchildren and he would wash his own clothes and do little things, but they would prepare meals and take for him. But at 09:00hrs Rambarran has already performed his daily morning prayer after a bath and was sitting outside
Jean Sahadeo and her husband Rajkumar Sahadeo
Home of the Sahadeos
Guyana Sugar Corporation (Guysuco) for more than 30 years and today, his hard work all through the years
perpot Magazine that he worked at Uitvlugt Sugar Estate from 1990 to retirement age and he is happy he
Latchman Rambarran (Carl Croker photos)
on his bridge, basking in the sunshine. The Abdool family As for Rafeikh Abdool and his family, they were making the most of good weather to do some cement work in the yard. The 71-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that life is good and he is from the Pasture section of the village, the old housing scheme in Uitvlugt and relocated 28 years ago. The father of five stated that he has a tenant on the lower flat of his house and he would take care of the child when she is away at work and holds the boy as an adopted son. When the team caught up
The plants, vegetables and greens on sale
SEE PAGE IX
Focus on the Village
Sherwin Karran’s shop
V
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
Muntag Alli knitting a cast net at his home (Carl Croker photos)
The cast net maker of Uitvlugt Village By Michel Outridge IT was while going through Ocean View, Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara the team stumbled upon Muntag Alli, who was comfortably knitting a cast net at his home. The 56-year-old is quite an all-rounder who does construction work, but learned the skill of knitting cast nets as a boy. Alli disclosed that he used to watch his father making cast nets by hand, a painstaking task that requires excellent handiwork, patience and good eyesight. He reported that his father used to work with fishermen mending their cast nets whenever they return from the sea and that’s how he learned to knit cast nets and began making them. He added that depending on the size of the cast net he makes of nylon twine it would take days to complete one. The father of three told the Pepperpot Magazine that when he is not making cast net he would buy and sell fish in the village to earn because he returned to Guyana after 33 years in Venezuela and is renting a place. He explained that he is Guyanese, from Leonora, but left the country of his birth for a better life and migrated with his family to neighbouring Venezuela, but when that country began experiencing
an economic decline, he was forced to return to his home country. The resident of Ocean View, Uitvlugt, said when he returned things were hard finding a place to live and having to start over his life. He explained that he lived here for 22 years then left Guyana and returned three years ago. Alli added that he had to start over from scratch and is renting a downstairs and would do any work available to earn, since things haven’t been exactly easy. “It would take two weeks to make a five-foot cast net and this is really my childhood hobby I would do from time to time and have cast nets in store to sell to make a living when I cannot get work,” he said. “This isn’t a run-of-the-mill kind of work, it is like being a tailor, sewing, but in the form of knitting and you cannot take your eyes off the cast net because with one wrong move you are in trouble,” he said. Alli added that he would knit for a few hours straight then take a rest because his eyes would hurt and then start the next day; or if he has cast nets to complete, he would try to finish them the same day. At the time, he was knitting a five-foot cast net that was hanging from a nail on a post and he was in the standing po-
sition using both his hands at the same time to knit the cast net. Alli stated that he would knit cast nets that are up to 11 feet long and that would take weeks to complete. “I would work, knitting up to three to four hours at a time to finish a cast net, but when I can’t any more I would take a break to rest my eyes,” he said. He had in stock five finished cast nets for buyers, so when people come to make a purchase they do not have to wait for him to finish making the cast net he has. Alli disclosed that they are trying to get a plot of land, so they can build a house to avoid paying high rent. He added that the neighbours are friendly and they get along well, but their goal is owning their own house and they are making small steps to achieve just that. Alli and his wife both seem content for the time being and are willing to rebuild their lives here in Guyana.
Focus on the Village
One of the cast nets he has in stock for sale
VI
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
A life of entrepreneurship
By Michel Outridge WHEN most men leave for the barbershop you know that they will not be back anytime soon, and it is because they have to wait their turn or it is a ‘chill spot’ where men meet to be groomed and take the time off to unwind among their peers. Well, it may be both for a lot of men, who would leave their homes or wherever else and go to the barbershop and return hours later. And this is exactly what happens at Shawn Sulemon’s barbershop located in Ocean View, Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara. He has a nice, cosy barbershop, a place where men would gather, wait out their turn to have their hair cut, beards trimmed and other grooming services while watching television, taking a selfie with the selfie ring
Bibi Sattaur
Shawn Sulemon
He is versed in cutting both male and female hair and also does a variety of grooming services, such as eyebrows line-up and
itself motivated [me] to get trained and become a barber and provide a reliable service to the community, and I want to help others to realise their
Bibi Sattaur with customers in her salon
Inside the barbershop
light, do a video, or just sit it out in the massage chair that is there for customers. Shawn is a qualified barber, who is looking forward to setting up his own barbering school and will make the necessary extensions to his barbershop for such a project. He returned to Guyana in 2009 after spending 20 years in the United States of America (USA) and wanted to do something for himself here, so he got qualified at Hair Tech International and earned a diploma in cosmology and barbering.
beard-trimming and shaping. The father of two told the Pepperpot Magazine that life is good, because he has a place where people visit and spend a lot of time and mostly on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, he would have a lot of customers. The barbershop is opened from 09:00hrs to up until curfew time daily and mostly ‘regular’ customers, people who are known to him and repeat customers would come for the services provided. “I like art, so that in
true potential in the world of barbering,” he said. Sulemon stated that he doesn’t do any appointments because he doesn’t want to be biased and people would wait their turn and things are in order, as he operates on a first-come, first-served basis. He is popular on social media with his Facebook page called Babj’s Hair Kutterz Westside Hustlerzzz page, where he has an active presence via videos, of his SEE PAGE XXIV
Focus on the Village
Shawn Sulemon cutting a client’s hair in his shop (Carl Croker photos)
The well-kept Uitvlugt Nursery School
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
Tending to plants in the Uitvlugt Nursery School compound (Carl Croker photos)
By Michel Outridge EVEN though the building has a unique design it is the cleanliness and well-kept compound of the place that
who has been there since last February and is also part of the teaching circle of eight teachers, who have been registering children for the new school term.
Headteacher Cindy Harris
stands out at the Uitvlugt Nursery School, which has a lovely garden of various flowers. The school sits on a large plot of land, which is fenced and it is conveniently located just off the public road at Ocean View and is easily accessible. Uitvlugt Nursery School is headed by Cindy Hinds,
“Registration was expected to finish last Friday, but we are catering for latecomers… and we want to ensure that all the children who have attained the age to attend nursery school are admitted,” Harris said. The headteacher told the Pepperpot Magazine that they are presently registering children who have attained
the age of three years, three months and should be three years and six months before admission to the school. She reported that they have 96 children in total on their attendance roll, and even though the school has not opened for face-to-face teaching or more than a year, they would visit a few times per week to ensure that the place is in order and that it is cleaned. Hinds added that they would also come to the school to distribute worksheets and collect finished ones from parents, weekly. The headteacher disclosed that although she is in charge of the school, she works with all her teachers including, acting headteacher Dhumti Deonarine, called Tina, who has been at the Uitvlugt Nursery School for the past 16 years. She used to reside in the same village but relocated to De Willem, also on the West Coast of Demerara and all teachers would come out to ensure the children get their worksheets on a monthly timeline. “Most of the children are doing the worksheets and handing it [sic] in back, but some aren’t doing anything, so we have some setbacks but we are working with parents and reaching out to them in whatever way we
Focus on the Village
VII
The Uitvlugt Nursery School
The cleaners
can to assist them in getting the children to do school work while at home during this pandemic,” Deonarine said. The teachers would also be around to ensure the yard is sprayed and weeded every month and these works are done by the regional administration. The Uitvlugt Nursery School has two cleaners, both from the community, and they would clean and de-weed the flower pots and ensure that the plants are watered three times a week. Hinds stated that they have good relations with the community and stakeholders and whenever they need assistance, they would get from both government and the business sector. “For this year’s work plan we are looking to put in a window in my office because there is none and there
Acting headteacher Dhumti Deonarine
is a need for one at least, so a businessman from Zeeburg, West Coast Demerara, will assist, but we are awaiting word from the ministry for such a project to take place,” Hinds said. As for teacher Deonar-
ine, she says the best part about teaching is dealing with the little ones and she takes pride in her job and it feels good to mould the SEE PAGE VIII
VIII
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
Self-care is vital in today’s world
By Dillon Goring
AT a time when much interest is being paid to self-preservation and care, one entrepreneur, Marcia Daniels, is leading the way along this line. The young entrepreneur who owns Marcia‘s Unique Spa, related to Pepperpot Magazine that she has a passion for the business and a love to see persons take care of themselves, hence the reason she ventured into this business. “I take my time when dealing with a customer, is like I am not satisfied if my service has not done well, no matter even if someone comes late is like I just can’t leave a spot undone,” she said. “Everyone who comes to my spa, they say it is different and I think my personality has a lot to do with the business, because like my comments and so on my page, would be like nice personality…” Daniels told the Pepperpot Magazine during an interview. Daniels started the business three years ago, but took a break to pursue employment at a major company. She recalled that she got bored and realised she wanted a job where she would be on the move, thus, this service fit right into her preference. Daniels was careful to note that she has received commendable reports about the success of her business from her clients and as a result, other clients are recommended to “taste” the elegance and uniqueness she has to offer. International Clientele When it comes to international experience, Daniels told Pepperpot Magazine that she has established a payment plan for persons who reside overseas, whereby monies are deposited into an account, so that persons could treat their families even if they live abroad. Daniels noted that she wants to establish a good list of clients before expanding her services to the outlying regions of the country. She reported that at the start of the pandemic, she had stopped her service, but has since started again. She further noted that as the effects of the pandemic grew increasingly unbearable, thoughts of closure had begun to settle in her mind, but she allowed the power of perseverance to prevail and she kept going. She noted that as the customers enjoy her excellent service, they would recommend others to make full use of the services she offers. Daniels also said that she would allow customers to enjoy the best when relaxing without the use of electronic devices such as phones or even a television. Daniels advises anyone who wants to start a business to have a plan. She further made mention of the fact that you must start with the intention of not giving up, because it would start slowly but perseverance is the key.
Marcia Daniels, owner of Marcia‘s Unique Spa
The well-kept ... FROM PAGE VII minds of children and sees it as preparing them for the future. She is also very passionate about teaching and had always had her eyes set on becoming a teacher and when she did it, she was the happiest. The Cleaners For cleaners of the Uitvlugt Nursery School, Pauline Seemangal and Tamieel Sooklall working at the school is just like cleaning and taking care of their own homes. The women from the look of it do a good job keeping the many potted plants and flowers weed-
f re e a n d w o u l d w a t e r and mould the plants, as well. Seemangal told the Pepperpot Magazine that she has been working at the school for the past 15 years, a stable job, she appreciates and does what she is paid to do. The mother of two added that as part of her duties she would clean the plants and flowers and make sure they are watered after doing the indoor cleaning. The 56-year-old stated that she really likes her job and misses the children because she is so accustomed to them. Meanwhile, Tamieel Sooklall said she is from Uitvlugt Pasture, another section of the village
and would go to work three times a week, since the pandemic and schools were closed. The mother of two noted that she has been working at the same school for 21 years and likes her job so much so she would clean it just as she does her own home. “When you like what you do it is easier to work and you do it with a sense of responsibility and pride and this is my aim,” Sooklall said. The 46-year-old stated that during her time working at the Uitvlugt Nursery School, she has met a lot of people and became friends with both teachers and parents.
IX
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
The resourceful people... with the group, Abdool, his wife and daughter were mixing cement to plaster with cement, their garage. Abdool disclosed that he lived and worked most of his life in Barbados as a construction worker and is back home to enjoy his golden years. The family has a poultry business with 200 meat birds they would pluck and sell when they reach the age to be sold. “This is a nice place but like any village at times we had bickering with the neighbours over things but is nothing to be alarmed about,” he said. The shopkeeper Meanwhile, another resident, Sherwin Karran told the Pepperpot Magazine that he is a man of many trades; he is a miner, a shopkeeper, a cane cutter and a construction worker. The 40-year-old stated that he opened a small shop in Uitvlugt Pasture where he resides and would also make
cement blocks to sell while, manning the shop. The father of two reported that he is originally from Mabaruma, North West District, Region One and relocated 12 years when he married a woman from the village. It has been 12 years and he wanted to stop working in the interior, since his children were growing and he wanted to be around as a father. “I invested the money I had from working in the bush and opened this small shop which has almost everything little thing ranging from groceries, beverages, clothing, footwear and household items,” he said. Karran added that business would pick up when sugar workers get paid and on weekends. The village Justice of Peace/Commissioner of Oaths Jean Sahadeo is known as “the village adviser,” since she would render assistance
Some of the items on sale
The greenhouse
FROM PAGE IV
Home of Latchman Rambarran
to the many people who visit her home to access the services she provides. She is a Justice of Peace/ Commissioner to Oaths and would often go out of her way to help others without taking a cent more than often. “If I don’t have to use my printer, ink, paper, computers
or other things the service is free, if I only fill out a birth certificate form and would often advise others on documentation,” she said. The 76-year-old retired three years ago after working with the Guyana Rice Producers Association for many years. The mother of two these
days is assisting her son in his garden to set up their greenhouse which they have in their yard. They would sell the vegetables and fruits from their home. She however lamented that the drains in the village needs to be cleaned regularly, since they reside not far
from the seawall and they had a flood due to high tides in 2018. “I provide a service because I am doing it for the people, the community and I see it as community serve and not as a money-making venture,” she said.
X
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
WORLD POPULATION DAY
WORLD Population Day is observed on July 11 each year. World Population Day, which seeks to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues, was established by the then-Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989, an outgrowth of the interest generated by the Day of Five Billion, which was observed on July 11, 1987. This year, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fertility will take centre stage as the main theme for the commemoration. While this theme does not necessarily speak to the work of the agency, or the impact on the natural environment, let’s take a look at the impact of population growth. Population growth is the increase in the number of people living in a particular area. Since populations can grow exponentially, resource depletion can occur rapidly, leading to specific environmental concerns such as global warming, deforestation and decreasing biodiversity. It must be noted that population growth is only one of the factors that cause environmental degradation. Earth’s carrying capacity Influenced by the work of Thomas Malthus, ‘carrying capacity’ can be defined as the maximum population size an environment can sustain indefinitely. Whether we have 500 million people or one trillion, we still have only one planet, which has a finite level
of resources. The answer comes back to resource consumption. People around the world consume resources differently and unevenly. An average middle-class American consumes 3.3 times the subsistence level of food and almost 250 times the subsistence level of clean water. So if everyone on Earth lived like a middle-class American, then the planet might have a carrying capacity of around 2 billion. However, if people consumed only what they actually needed, then the Earth could potentially support a much higher figure. SDG 12 Worldwide consumption and production — a driving force of the global economy — rest on the use of the natural environment and resources in a way that continues to
have destructive impacts on the planet. Economic and social progress over the last century has been accompanied by environmental degradation that is endangering the very systems on which our future development — indeed, our very survival — depends. Sustainable consumption and production is about doing more and better with less. It is also about decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation, increasing resource efficiency and promoting sustainable lifestyles. Sustainable consumption and production can also contribute substantially to poverty alleviation and the transition towards low-carbon and “green” economies. A few facts and figures: * Each year, an estimated one third of all food produced – equivalent to 1.3 billion tonnes worth around $1 trillion – ends up rotting in the bins of consumers and retailers, or spoiling due to poor transportation and harvesting practices; * If people worldwide switched to energy-efficient light bulbs, the world would save US$120 billion annually; * Should the global population reach 9.6 billion by 2050, the equivalent of almost three planets could be required to provide the natural resources needed to sustain current lifestyles. The State of the World’s Population Report can be found on https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/ SoWP2021_Report_-_EN_web.3.21_0.pdf 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. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
XI
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
Downsides of being an overachiever
WHEN I’m tasked with an assignment or job, I always try to do it to the best of my ability. I work above and beyond to get said tasks completed. I even try to do more than what is required of me. Many people around me will say that this is one of my best qualities and it’s what I’ve always been most popular for. Ever since I was a little girl, this has always been one of my strongest characteristics, but as of lately, I feel as though it has become my weakest. The more I read up on said quality, the more I understood that I am an “Overachiever.” This label finally allowed me to understand why I am the way I am. The striving to go “above and beyond” finally made sense. As an overachiever, your biggest fear is failure. You will do whatever it takes to complete the tasks at hand, but you also try your best to never fail. Any form of failure for an overachiever proves devastating. Overachievers are concerned only with completing the
task. They equate success with reaching the finish line of goals and tasks. Overachievers are also perfectionists. They will oversee and micromanage every aspect of a task, even if it’s a group task. They are also most concerned with the future and tend not to live in the present. Their minds are constantly on “what comes next” and how they can think ahead to plan what comes next. Many might see these as “good qualities.” They can be, but there are also many downsides to living this way. All of these characteristics of an overachiever can cause severe anxiety and fear. It can also lead to being severely burnt out and overworked. I feel crippled whenever I receive negative feedback from someone about a project I’ve done, or when a task wasn’t completed as planned. When things don’t go as planned, I tend to get frustrated and sometimes I end up taking that frustration out on others closest around me. I’ve also noticed that I have a constant need to surround myself with other overachievers because they “won’t hold me back” with my goals and plans. I also feel as though I take on too many responsibilities. This results in me working more than the average person at my age. I can’t seem to say, “No, thank you” to a task, even though I know that I already have enough on my plate. When things don’t go my way, I tend to become anxious. As I type this article, I am also very burnt out from my studies and my work life. I am in a constant state of being tired and not having enough time on my hands. As such, I came to the realisation that I need to slow down and breathe for a bit. I hope that this article can allow those who are just like me to introspect and self-actualize about going above and beyond in every aspect of life. It’s good that you want to succeed at everything you do and not only succeed, but also be the best. However, you do this at the risk of disrupting your mental sanity. You will overwork your mind and body to the point where you can’t cope and won’t be able to get anything done at all—like myself at the moment. You ought to realise when to stop and when to say NO. There’s no need to rush to the finish line and there’s also no need to allow yourself to be overworked, just so you can upkeep an “image” for others to see. The only person you’re in a competition with is yourself and the minute you realise that, the more this concept of wanting to overachieve will make sense. You won’t be able to actively get rid of this quality completely from your being, but what I can say is that the least you can do is take care of your mind and body frequently. Do not neglect your mental and physical health. You can practise self care, connect with friends and family and even try talking to a counsellor when you feel these urges and anxiety of overachieving comes on. Life’s already hard as it is, the least you can do is be kind to yourself.
UN World Population Day 2021
RIGHTS and choices are the answer: Whether baby boom or bust, the solution to shifting fertility rates lies in prioritizing the reproductive health and rights of all people In this second year of COVID-19, we are suspended in an in-between state, where parts of the world are emerging from the deep recesses of the pandemic while others are locked in battle with the coronavirus as access to vaccines remains a distant, deadly reality. The pandemic has compromised health care systems particularly in the area of sexual and reproductive health. It also exposed and exacerbated gender-based inequities: gender-based violence increased under lockdown, as did the risk of child marriage and female genital mutilation as programmes to abolish the harmful practices
were disrupted. Significant numbers of women left the labour force – their often low-paying jobs were eliminated or caregiving responsibilities for children learning remotely or for homebound older people increased – destabilizing their finances, not just for now but in the long run. Against this backdrop, many countries are expressing growing concern over changing fertility rates. Historically, alarmism over fertility rates has led to abrogations of human rights. UNFPA advises against reactionary policy responses, which can be extremely harmful if they violate rights, health and choices. The agency emphasizes that women must be empowered educationally, economically and politically to exercise choice over their bodies and fertility.
World Population Trends It took hundreds of thousands of years for the world population to grow to 1 billion – then in just another
200 years or so, it grew sevenfold. In 2011, the global population reached the 7 billion mark, and today, it stands at about 7.7 billion, and it’s expected to grow to
around 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and 10.9 billion in 2100. This dramatic growth has been driven largely by increasing numbers of peo-
ple surviving to reproductive age, and has been accompanied by major changes in fertility rates, increasing urbanization and accelerating migration. These trends will have far-reaching implications for generations to come. The recent past has seen enormous changes in fertility rates and life expectancy. In the early 1970s, women had on average 4.5 children each; by 2015, total fertility for the world had fallen to below 2.5 children per woman. Meanwhile, average global lifespans have risen, from 64.6 years in the early 1990s to 72.6 years in 2019. In addition, the world is seeing high levels of urbanization and accelerating migration. 2007 was the first year in which more SEE PAGE XXVII
XII
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
MESSAGE ON A TREE BARK AND one day, not long after, she did see him at the Bourda market. He was helping two indigenous women with baskets of fruits and vegetables. “Hey,” he said with a happy smile. “Hi,” she responded with a nervous smile, though within her she was delighted to see him. “I have been wondering if I would see you again.” She shook her head slightly to give him a little warning, saying in a low tone, “I’m not alone.” That was when he noticed the two bodyguards not far behind her and realising she couldn’t talk to him, he stepped away a little so the two women he was assisting were now standing next to her as she did her shopping. They told her what he wanted her to know. “We are his aunts in charge of a charity for Indigenous people in the city.” “That’s nice!” she expressed. “And whenever Stephan is in town he always takes us around shopping.” “That’s wonderful,” Anuradha said, glancing at him with a warm smile, “Someone with a selfless nature.” He nodded with a casual smile to say ‘Thank you’ as they
PART 1II
continued their shopping at different sections in the market. She heard a little more of his life in his home of Region Nine, the rivers, creeks and waterfalls he knew like the back of his hand. “Can you ask him how he knew I wrote the message he found in the river?”
“He had seen you a few times at the beach when he passed with one of his boats,” his aunt related to her, “And had been drawn to you sitting there so lonely.” Anuradha glanced at him again, wondering what new game fate was playing with her. Anyone could have found those messages and not known they were written by her, but he did. She tried to focus on choosing some avocado to buy when one of his aunts said, “He thinks you are very beautiful and he loves your smile.” Her hand paused on the heap of avocado and she looked up directly at him, her heart beating with that new intense feeling that should have made her happy but instead, a stalking fear from years of living under strict rules shadowed that beautiful feeling. She said to his aunt, “Tell
him thank you for his compliments but those words will just be a part of my dream. I have to go now.” That night after dinner, her husband came to the upper balcony where she usually sat in the ambience of the night sky and after a long, tense moment he asked in a low, deep voice, “Who were the strange people in your company at the market today?” She answered calmly knowing he would’ve gotten that report, “Two indigenous women from a charitable organisation.” “And the young man?” “Their relative, I think.” “The same fella at Canal No. 1?” She took a brief moment before answering and could have said ‘No’ but a lie she knew would not be a good thing for her. “Yes,” she answered quietly.
He looked at her for a long, unnerving moment then got up and holding her on the shoulders, his hands digging into her flesh, he said with a sharp edge in his voice, “I hope I don’t hear about him again.” She sat there for a long while after he left, looking up at the peaceful sky in silent grief. Weeks passed and several days she went down to the beach, hoping to be able to send a message to Stephan not to talk to her again, but she did not see him. Then one day she heard a soft hum and looking up she saw his boat not too far off in the water. She wrote the message in the tree bark and threw it in the water, knowing he would be able to retrieve it, and she walked back slowly to the mansion. Life went on as months passed and a new year began. She saw Stephan on a few occasions but he kept his distance from her as she requested. “One day, maybe,” was all she said in her mind, not wishing, but just hoping something could change in her life. But the change that came was unexpected and shocking. For the past few months her husband had made several trips overseas, more than he usually did, he changed his diet, his tone was less sharp and he looked a little pale. Though there was no love from her in that relationship, she had spent SEE PAGE XIII
XIII
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
HUMAN REALITIES OF THE XX DESTRUCTIVE INTERIOR FLOODS XIV
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ―― Sunday, CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT Sunday,February January 28, 10, 2021 2021
THE SEAWALLS FOREVER!
REVISITING THE GUYANA/ VENEZUELA CONTROVERSY SOON TO COME BEFORE THE ICJ
IN this offering, we have met with the COVID-19 President Ali. “Many of our . . . “This is going to highlighted the serious pandemic and shortly after, brothers and sisters across take some doing to bring floods which have inundat- with the disastrous floods. In Guyana are faced with the about a recovery. Huned the Interior and which addition, he had to bear the worst disaster we have ever dreds of homes have been is one of the greatest nat- heavy burden of governance had, or they have ever had, ruined, while thousands of ural disasters which have which included unprecedent- in the history of our coun- farms have been completely affected Guyana in its re- ed challenges such as man- try, You may not see it obliterated; mining camps centGuyana/Venezuela history. People controversy in aging thewill empty, infrastructure here. I have just returned nascent indus- and THE againoil shortly discussions where factualare bases invariably become Georgetown and Region in some areas completely from Olive Creek, Kurupung try from the government’s come up before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). blurred. who have been spared side; engaging the diaspora bottom, Jawalla and Kama- destroyed. Only seeing it at InFour Guyana, most oflie thedeep writings on the controversy have In thisisoffering, we will depart from this with normseashells and try to THE Seawalls consciousness of Guyanese today ratherwith muddy was once and these destructive floodsin the firstcovered hand could give you the I spoke people in a mature and meaningful rang… been of a historical and factual nature and this is a good answer two questions that many have been asking since the people, but especially Georgetowners. Yet it has rarely there would always be children exploring and picking by the effectiveness of the way; dealing with exhaust- of Jawalla and Kamarang full extent of the gravity ofup thing, since the Guyanese are of theof two Guyanese boats inthey Guyana’s terribeen noticed by the news media andnot the encouraged last problems time it wasseizure seashells different sometimes find large Hope Drainage Canal, are public the disaster”. . may . Over the where their entire livescolours; havefishing ing legal/electoral mentioned as an item of national concern was or sixtorial conch shells. tolargely move their attention into the of arguments waters by a Everything Venezuelan navy ship.weeks, The first question unaware of the last few the President been destroyed. and realms executing his five party’s years ago when theofOcean the wall and flooded they worked The foreshore or continental and falls terrible suffering our overtopped beengradually visiting rises the affected for all their hasshelf programme of economic, the yards parallel to the Public Road. This was the first every 20 years and today, the foreshore land between Camp Interior compatriots and social and political trans- lives has disappeared . . . communities everywhere time inthe living memory that formation there was of such an occurrence Street andyou the speak Pegasusabout Hotel has almost risen and to the height though media have in the country has beenof when Guyana into a And and itphotographs led to great of panic. authorities hurriedlyAli con- thetheimpact, wall andI coconut trees and other vegetation grow on it. carried the The speaking with them. He and am talking modern state. President
structed a barrier of standing concrete slabs on the Walls to counter such overtopping. In the last few weeks, the Seawalls have again featured in the news, but in a happier vein. From Camp Street to the Demerara River, the wall had become disfigured by an accumulation of unsightly garbage and no one assumed the responsibility of cleaning it. A homeless man, Carl Melville, who sometimes slept there was noticed by Dwayne Hackett trying to clean the garbage and immediately volunteered to help him. Hackett placed the incident on social media and immediately numbers of persons volunteered their services. First Lady Arya Ali was one of the first to volunteer and the Ministry of Public Works, the Director of Solid Waste Department of the flooded areas,City they haveandhas overwhelmed, to you about the farmer his team, including the CDC, Georgetown Council the not Fire been Service notbecame been able to commubut Fire has shown involved with her. The Servicehis mettle by who grew his livestock over have been bringing them nicate the the enormity of and the in aconstructively cleaned bandstand few days all the meeting all the last four generations, but emergency supplies of food, human suffering and the which is no longer there to- drinking water, medical supchallenges. garbage was removed and Seawalls appeared privations and loss of life’s day . . . Listening to a father plies and medical help and With remarkable energy as if they had always been maintained! Many savings which flood devotion, have been highthe in their praisesand of this examplehe has been in tears telling me that his arranging shelter and have victims areresponsibility. suffering. even those have farm completely leaving Georgetown and vis- avocado of civic Likewise, theissea has reclaimed thehelped land along thewho Kitty SeaAlmost all the Presidents relatives and friends who gone, but worse, the trees iting the flood-hit commuThe Seawalls had always been the promenade and park for wall where houses once stood. Indeed, a substantial building of Guyana from the time of nities, walking through the will no longer be there after live on higher ground to get the people of Georgetown and the surrounding villages from is still standing close to the wall near the Kitty Pump Station, independence were confront- water and bringing comfort the floods. With his 15-year- to them. the last quarterproblems of the 19th continued to be so until oldbutson the standing sea is underbehind it. Old fishermen who sethave their nets ed with serious as century The floods beenon to theand flood victims almost the 1960s when the country became plagued with political tenthe foreshore sea could vividly describe the cyclical rise and soon as they acceded to of- daily. His empathy with him, he glances at his son caused by the continuous, there were robberies on thesufferings Seawalls. For most of the andfallsays of the beach. fice,sion butand President Irfaan Ali their ‘what is this boy very heavy rainfall attributis reflected and fewer Seawalls. going The Seawalls provided favourite place change for health enhas1960s, had to therefore, face morefewer serious to climate and to do?’ These are very a ed in hispeople wordsvisited whichthe captures In its heyday, the Seawalls were the most delightful place thusiasts. Many would go there to practise deep breathing challenges than any of the the human reality better than emotional times across the the neighbouring countriesof in Georgetown. The of the seascape and the country. the cleanThe and scale fresh sea breezes. Others be cyclinginor others. President Ali, onevast of openness have also would been suffering of the most journalists: landscape, as the blue “You skies may and not silver clouds, even training for cycle races. most notable were oursurrounding youngest Presidents, the sametheway. The critiis not understood by Probably know whatthe disaster ever-present seagulls steady flow of the remarked health-giving those the of ones whoRegion went for physical culture. of thiscould group soon as he was sworn in and wasthe is cism that Many measures us in Four.” happening,” trade winds and the enveloping peace and quietude attracted would go to the Seawalls by either jogging to get there or by hundreds of people at all times of the day. The beach which cycle and they would arrive there at 5 o’clock, long before
MESSAGE ON A ...
Research work helping curb...
got to meet the young wife.” forced through desperation Anuradha said nothing, to accept my marriage pro10 years of her life with just smiled cordially, know- posal to save your famiwrong ly. That selfless nature is him and she began to feel ing that whatever Fromwas Page III worried. She asked several with their father they would something unique that I love times, noting the changes in most likely blame her for about you. I love your simseveral in thedidvillage. “So we plicity and they – accusing andshort quietdocumentaries demeanour, his timate heath. for that area andit, zone in the space of 18 months, called the will work with the villagers through Life a lotof “Is something wrong her of wanting to inherit his but I put you “Secret some 33 Giant Anteaters Giant Anteaters” and each to create certain rules and wealth. of grief with my obsessive with you?” were identified. episode and focuses on you different help know what they behaviour Onethem weektoafter they left, forced to His answer was always, According aspects of the work being and called should her not do. husband oneFor live under my rules.” “No, I’m fine.” to Millar, re-hershould searching Two more episodes example, no one allowed done. in his study andis said, He paused, took a feware Whateverthe it animals was he includdid night going horseback expected be continued, released this to“I kill them, keep them as a deep have something imbreathstothen not ed want herout to on know, but to tell you.” took this sickness for me andhis following from aportant pet, destroy their habitat, and “Itmonth. when son and them daughter She sat andinwaited, lifealso anddoes I realfrom his previous marriage distance to be able to stock light The on team a lot a fire certain hopplaces, to reflect was something muchwork, I have been visited him, it increased up on more scientific her infor-ingsoitthat of how awareness including wenot can further protect ised hurting you.” worry. They One greeted mation. of her the with thingsbad. environmental education. the population.” he began, He paused again project to drinkfor open contempt. they discovered is that the “I know,” have another The SRCS has“that been They have never been happy, water couldan “Well, well, finally animals love towe climb trees. yougranted which they and haveshe designed two years of addi- some FROM PAGE XII
see the regret in his eyes. “Anuradha,” he said in a quiet tone, “I am sorry for all the hurt and pain I have caused you, and I hope you can forgive me so when I depart this life, I can go on in peace. This cancer is killing me, I don’t have much time.” A silence heavy with emotion hung over the room as she sat there, tears streaming down her face. He was crying silently too, and after a long while he wiped his face and said in a hoarse voice, “You can go now.” She couldn’t sleep nor could she stop crying, feel-
have beenhad taken the sun risen.by the AP- Ali has already rolled out a is, why isadministration the Venezuelan public sowere convinced NU+AFC three-phase Plan: First -they ImOn moonlit nights theorSeawalls always athat crowded have a valid claim to two-thirds of Guyana’s territory and the present administration mediate relief; promenade. Many went to socialise withemergency friends, but all went why their politicians somoon bellicose aggressive about which has the been in Office for second -from rehabilitation by to enjoy beauty ofarethe risingand the sea and the only eight months to avert rebuilding roads and other this claim? And the second question is, why did President blue-green moonlight which was brighter, since there were these floods istotherefore infrastructure together with Maduro of Venezuela this time seize thevarious boats no road lights dilutechoose it. Others wouldtoenjoy the meaningless, since these restoring homes and liveliwhen he would alienate the Guyanese phasesheofknew the New Moon with the background of population purple skies
and cause embellished the international community to condemn or with thousands of stars which appear disapprove brighter of his action, Venezuela intersince leaving there were no cityisolated lights. Others nationally on the issue. would go to the Seawalls in the late afternoons to The answer to the sunsets first question began during theinto Cold admire gradually transforming the light ofof dusk. War: At theblue beginning the 1960s Britain had decided to joysthe of colony the Seawalls were the withdraw fromAnother Guyana of andthe grant independence, earlylikely evening concerts givenof bythe the newly Militia but it was very thatSunday the Prime Minister the Police at the Bandstand which independentBand stateand would be DrBand Cheddi Jagan, an avowed attracted of people. Their repertoire conMarxist. U.S. Cold hundreds War interests tried to persuade Britain sisted ofindependence, light classical music Strauss’ and to delay Guyana’s but allsuch that as Britain could ballet Delibes’ pizzicato promise wasother that waltzes, she would handmusic over such power to a non-ComandMinister. Sylvia, atAmerican least one English patriotic such munist Prime Intelligence feltsong that this “This royal throne of Kings” and British offerasneeded further insurance andand so Guyanese they devised Caribbean songs. The concerts arranged a plan whereby theirfolk client Venezuela wouldwere threaten to for early evening so that children could attend; many Guyanese in later life have admitted that their first exposure to classical music was from these Bandstand concerts. On Easter Monday thousands of kite-flyers climate change floods are hoods; thirdly - longer-term turned out from five o’clock in the morning. Kites unprecedented and no one development plans including were all hand-made and were in a variety of shapes could have foreseen them. drainage. President Ali has such as boxes, birds and snakes, but the predomThe rivers do not drain, but already had Parliament alloinant shape was the Guyanese octagon and in overflow their banks, some- cate $10 billion towards thea variety of colours. Singing engines, a kite which times by as much as 20 feet. first phase. made a loud droning sound, was All oneGuyana of the most The governmental authoriand popular. people Kite-flying picnicking. Thedesire Easter ties, in those was areasalways wherecombined it is of with goodwill would kite-flying today a paleto reminiscence of country the heyday. possible, have beenistrying to see the quickly As mentioned the political tensions do some emergencyabove, drainage emerge from and the criminality disaster, bykept the people use of away large from agriculthe Seawalls 1960s. By the since itinisthe estimated that invade Guyana if are there wasstable any of(Gross a Marxist tural machines, but quite the possibility loss of GDPagain Do-to 1990s life had become more and people began government being installed inambience Guyana.Product) aware thatthenovel solutions mestic would be frequent Seawalls, but the had changed. There The 1899 Arbitral Award had the boundaries of such as draining directly more than that of the 2006 grew up stalls lining the parapet ofsettled the Public Road from the Guyana and Venezuela and these boundaries were fully into the Atlantic Ocean as floods, which was estimatKitty Pump Station to the Pegasus, selling refreshments and accepted bystalls bothwere parties and ed the communiHope does will have atInternational 59 percent. Seawalls all ofCanal these well-lit. The character of the to beOne considered. President ty. of the junior lawyers representing Venezuela had changed from a peaceful promenade to a lively fair. at the arbitration, MalletPrevost, left ais letter was not Now that the tourism industry beingthat revived, the toSeawalls have been opened until after his death. In that letter, still offer an attractive attraction. he claimed that the Arbitral Award was the result of an arrangement between Britain and the Russian arbitrator to deprive Venezuela of its rights. After more than half a century, Venezuela, based on Mallet-Prevost’s posthumous ing deep for the hisAward will, Anuradha wastwoleft letter, nowpity rejected theman Arbitral and claimed who had taken away every- stunned. thirdsfrom of Guyana’s territory. posthumous thing her, but who was Mallet-Prevost’s He had left his entire esletter was the causus Venezuela used to threaten Guyana big enough to apologise to tate to her and just two small and this continued after the Cold War, the raison d’etre her, and being the compas- portions of his wealth to for his the claim, had she ended. sionate person was, she children. Mosthis lawyers and historians“Unbelievable,” who took anywas notice accepted apology. her of He Mallet-Prevost’s letter left the world on a dismissed thought. it as a historical cold, December morning waytohome across curiosity or very flimsy evidenceOn onher which attempt to and shea felt true grief in her the Demerara she upset long-accepted Arbitral Award. But the River, Venezuelan heart, not trying to stop the looked the flowing politicians and the Venezuelan publicatgave credencewater and tears as shetofollowed the and sighed deeply. importance Mallet-Prevost’s posthumous letter,Eleven which funeral procession to the in years she had crossed would have been dismissed the ago modern world. But cremation site, a thin black that river as a poor, the Venezuelan politicians and public still live in theyoung 19th veil over her face. bride. Today she was crosscentury Napoleonic were One month later,world sittingwhere ingterritorial again asconquests a rich, young regarded as acceptable and even heroic. In today’s world, in the lawyer’s office with widow. thislate 19th-century rejected. her husband’sethic son has andbeen completely A new chapter in her life. The Guyana/Venezuela has been an albadaughter for the reading of controversy The design of fate. tross around the necks of Venezuelan politicians, since they
XIV
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, February 28, 2021
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
XIII
THE CAMP STREET CHAPTER
ON THE AWARENESS OF THE AESTHETIC AND THE ‘BEING’ OF OUR YOUNG NATION Part II THE Camp Street chapter is a reference captured over two decades ago that occurred at 228 Camp street by participants, where resided an unofficial bachelors’ hub of souls
headed by my elder brother and revolved around a peculiar era of our modern times. My brother passed recently and since there is no culture of the social chronology of peri-
IN concluding this discussion, which is intended to raise questions within the reader and inspire responsible actions among those that acquire decision making positions or are already there, we cannot arrive at a sensible without considerations in retrospect. So in a brief flashback, we must recognise, what we have lost to our physical memory reference archive, and use this as inspiration, to be able to raise a natural alarm, a connection to the aesthetic sensitivity alerting us to the fact that we need to have a historical memory in respect to our surroundings, as buildings, landscapes and architecture are inherent of memories in both the conscious and subconscious awareness. We have to become other than people who occupy a geographic space on this planet, and relate to what is the necessary thinking that will enable us to address from the now onward what is significant to telling our stories, especially stories important to our timelines. When we became independent, the euphoria of self-governed nationhood intoxicated us, it had its grounds for intoxication alongside sober examination. We did not make the observation that all around us within the borders of countries we still held controlled admiration for, had retained the edifices of past times. Our own coloniser England never dismantled Hadrian’s Wall. In more ways than one, from previous colonisers and also from despised local leaders, they kept the memory for reflection, in our Caribbean, Christophe’s spectacular fortress of defence in Haiti will remain, regardless of his history. Europe with the obvious white supremacy that emerged with colonisation did not destroy the sculptures of Afro-European Knights, artworks and literature that spoke of, or alluded to the African presence in a much older Europe, of course, they didn’t in-depth celebrate them either, and also hid their identities with new portraits and in movies. Where we erred in Guyana was not to use the structures that became available with the decline of trademark services like the Trains, to build museums dedicated to that part of our historical memory. Why preserve the physical imagery of the past? Simple, our ancestors lived it, for the historian, the creative mind, the investigative journalist, the physical location is important. The development of museums was a continuous peeve of the late Dr. Dennis Williams, who had identified Five Museums to be built, he insisted that a marine museum would have been a must. I can now imagine a display of the ship’s kitchen on Lady Northcourt with its cook, the portrait of indifference ‘John’, ‘keep away from John’s kitchen, and why?’ A caption should read before this rude faced ship’s cook made of papier máché –“whose kitchen lay beneath a toilet, from which water dripped continuously, or so we were made See Page XIX
ods passed in Guyana, I think that it is pertinent to record the Camp Street Chapter and its characters, to capture a specific era, the 1970s, which is and was a tremendous modern era
- An era and its characters
in human consciousness if you paid even the slightest attention. The house was occupied by my late Aunt Anita after she left with my cousins for the US of A; thus, my brother John Braithwaite, who passed recently as Ibrahim Nazar Lawrence (mom’s maiden title was Mac Arthur Lawrence) moved up as the helm’s man. I moved there from West Ruimveldt around 1976 and slowly grooved around ( observing rather than jumping in) what was going on there. The mood was
one of seekers, dabblers, past performers, egos and survivors. The list of characters unveiled a roll call as follows: Jeff, who like my brother, worked at Telecoms; Tony Caesar aka Zaar, whose folks I knew from Laing Avenue; formally the drummer of ‘GT Boom band’ that was an impressive Guyanese group of musicians; Eldon the seeker (who passed away in Brazil- Salvador some months ago); Roydon Heinzen, who I dubbed quietly ‘The Occultist’ I was a skeptic, because
I drew characters for a crew from a book they had that they guarded well, named ‘The book of Demons’ the art was done to be indented on a bottom paper. My suspicions came alive when one of the crew turned up in “West” and told me what the game was about, there had been a falling out. Apparently, the seemingly clean invisible bottom paper was the key, when put in a calabash of water the monster artwork came alive, visibly. I SEE PAGE XVII
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021 The Uitvlugt Secondary School
Uitvlugt ... FROM PAGE III
weeded. “We are doing some concrete drains in Uitvlugt Pasture and also strengthening the road shoulders, since the internal streets are a one-vehicle stretch and other upgrading of roads,” he said. In addition, the NDC Chairman stated that they have cleaned interlocking drains in the village and have embarked on a clean-up campaign to rid the village of garbage. He explained that refuse disposal remains an issue in this village-like most and he is encouraging villagers to dispose of their waste properly, instead of dumping plastic bags with household garbage into the drainage canals and trenches.
Guyana Water Inc. Well Station in Uitvlugt Village
Ali added that some people continue to dump garbage indiscriminately into the canals, trenches and drains and when it rains and the place is flooded, the NDC would get the blame; but he insisted they are doing their part and people need to keep their surroundings clean. He admitted that Uitvlugt Village is a large catchment area and they would maintain the infrastructure when they can with the resources at hand. Ali noted that Uitvlugt Village is not a neglected place and they have benefitted from infrastructural developments in recent times.
The village signage
One of two mosques in the village
XV
XVI
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
FARMING AFTER A FLOOD
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, May
THE floods of 2021 have inundated hundreds of farms and hundreds of t h o u s a n d s o f a c re s o f croplands in Guyana. Fortunately for some farmers, the floodwaters drained off fairly quickly and they were able to return to the fields, assess the damage, and begin to think about planting a crop. Repairing farm fields af-
ter floods is possible, but it can be time-consuming and labour-intensive. Farmers are eager to get into their fields and do something, but this can result in compaction, ruts, and further damage to fields. Patience is a virtue when bringing flood-damaged croplands back into production. To avoid compaction of these soils, it is crucial to let soils
drain and dry out sufficiently before removing any large debris from fields or working the soil. Inventorying what needs to be done and planning your course of action is critical for flood recovery. The most noticeable damage from floods is (1) where the land erodes, (2) where floodwater transported materials such as sand or gravel are deposits of into fields; and (3) loss of beneficial soil microbes and the function. The question now becomes, ‘what to do to bring fields affected by flooding back into production?’
these fields by loosening this subsoil. In other cases, floodwaters may remove the fertile topsoil, requiring inputs of fertilisers for optimum production. In all cases, gullies and gaps should be assessed to determine the cost of corrective ploughing, and the quality of topsoil on these surfaces before a decision is made on the way forward.
future years.
Art & Essay Competitions for UN International Year of Fruits and Vegetables Steps to Optimize Your Soil Fertility After a Flood
Floods bring with them a lot of potential for nutrient additions and losses to agricultural fields and the only way to know the nutrient status of your field is through a soil-fertility test. * After the soil surface Field flooded with is dry, the soil should be standing water for long tested to determine fertilizer periods requirements to optimize crop yields. This may result in dam* It is recommended that age from the loss of benefi- the soil surface be allowed cial soil microbes (mycor- to dry before starting fieldrhizae fungus and rhizobia work (especially the use of Field Temporarily bacteria) and their function. machinery) to prevent comMINISTER of Flooded Agriculture, Mustapha with strong wa- the When Hon there wasZulfikar standing paction. Wet soils are more recently launchedter the Ministry Art and currents water of for Agriculture’s several weeks prone to compaction. ComEssay Competitions in observance of oxygen the International on the field, soil pacted soils lack pore space Year of Fruits and Vegetables. This may result in dam- is reduced (as water holds and restrict root growth and Those at theage launch included Chief Officer of from deposits and ero- less oxygen than Executive air) which movement of air and water the National Agricultural Extension sion. Where sand andResearch oth- causes part and of the soil phos- in the soil. Institute (NAREI), Mr. Jagnarine Singh; Country Representative er materials are deposited phorus (P) to be present but * When planting of leThe Food and Agriculture Organisation, Dr. Gillian Smith, (<10cm), farmers will have unavailable to the plant. gumes (including soybean) Country Representative of IICA, Wilmot to move in with ploughs to Thus, Mr phosphorus appli- Garnett.s after flooding, the seed The ministry with the toFood and levelcollaborated out the piles and blend cation is required avoid should be Agriculinoculated with ture Organisation United Nations and them in of with the the original purple-stunted plants – a(FAO) rhizobia to help ensurethe nodInter-Americansoil.Institute Agriculture Earthmovers will for have Cooperation sign of P deficiency. Alter-on ulation and nitrogen fixa(IICA), to launch programme of activities for the to be Guyana’s employed for larger natively, it is recommended tion, as flooding can reduce International Year of Fruits and Vegetables piles, which may be used to plant a cover crop (le- 2021 some of under the microbialthe poptheme, “Good for to fill You.” ditches,levelling the gumes or small grains) as ulations responsible for this Guyana’s programme of activities the art and field and making it easier soon as possible. includes This will process. essay competitions, and V egetables Exhibition, Farmto plant. Fruits In cases of sandy re-establish the population * Phosphorus deficiener’s Markets, raising awareness the food-safety standards deposits, sand makes the of on mycorrhizae fungi need- cies (evident by slow, earand guidelines soil for fruits and ly prevention more drainable and and of vegetables ed to release the unavailgrowth and purple of cofood loss and waste. smaller water-holding ca- ability in the soil. louration) may still occur, Minister Mustapha the consumption fruits pacity. Thus, thenoted irrigation that Nodulation in legumes even if soil of tests indicate an and vegetables cycle is will paramount balanced be shortened for to may promoting be a problem after aa adequate amount ofand phoshealthy diet and lifestyle, as well ascondition achieving the as UN Susmost soils necessitating flood. The of less phorus, flooding can tainable Development ofoxygen Zero Fruits and frequent irrigation.Goals Also, the soil resultsHunger. in a loss decrease the populations Vegetables are deposited “Good for are rich in microorganisms vitamins, materials mayyou,” be of soilthey nitrogen, because of soil reminerals and are an excellent source of dietary fibre and of poor fertility, requiring of enhanced denitrification. sponsible for increasing they strengthenhigher ourfertiliser immune They are alsoavailability. a good inputs for systems. Thus, it is recommended phosphorus way to generate income for farmers. production. Alternatively, that seed inoculation be * If cash crops are not “With the COVID-19 theplanted food supthe deposits may bepandemic fertile done with disrupting a rhizobia-bac- being after floodply and linkages, the need to teria transform and rebalance the requiring fewer fertilisers. to ensure nitrogen fix- ing, consider planting a way food is produced and consumed has become even more In all cases of deposits, a ation in the first crop after cover crop to protect the apparent. The observance ofbethe International soil Year Fruits determination should a flood. from of further erosion and vegetables made 2021 timely reminder of the importance aboutis theasuitability Weeds may be another and to promote the growth of fruits and vegetables human security, of the material for in ploughfactor thatnutrition, may affect crops food of micro-organisms that health and economic prosperity,” the minister stated. ing into the soil. after flooding. Farmers may are essential for nutrient According to On NAREI’s CEO, Jagnarine the the other hand, when need to Mr. use additional weed cycling.Singh, The fungi mycorlaunch represents ancauses important milestone agriflooding erosion, control (chemical or in me- Guyana’s rhizae require live plant cultural development and serves of the it may strip index soils to their chanical) and thisas mayain-reminder roots to grow; thus, fields importance of fruits vegetables healthy lives. compacted and plough pan layer crease costs.for Also, floodwalacking growing plants “The Government of Guyana through 15 – 20 cm below its orig- ters can bring in new its weed agency tend to haveNAREI low amounts is tasked with inal delivering technology tocontrol farmers that will surface. In this case, seeds that increase of arbuscular mycorrhiallow increasedploughing production and productivity,” he added. is needed to fix costs and reduce yields in zae. Mr. Singh noted that by 2030 the world’s population
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
THE CAMP STREET ... FROM PAGE XIV immediately demanded a raise of pay when the other three came around, and reluctantly got it. So, I was a skeptic. Then there was Whitney, also from West Ruimveldt. He too passed away some years ago, after coming back home from America, Whitney had left before 110th street, as the corner of Wellington and Robb Streets was called, disappeared. The common edifices that made that part of Robb Street popular and Rootsie were all gone; Tang’s bakery, Metroplole cinema, Oasis, King Boys Club and Chokit were all gone. Vance, Vibert Stephen, my brother-in-Law was another visitor, and Mike, who said that he was a seaman. The mood and the drive
were rooted in the search for spirituality, clarifications of Black History an interpretation of the times of the 70s, lets put it this way, vibrations (feel the vibe) from Vietnam, new literature on Black History, the music of the civil rights, ‘What’s going on’ from Marvin Gaye, Jimmy Cliffs’ ‘Vietnam’ Swamp dog’s definitions and Stevie Wonder’s greatest Christmas Album, without doubt, the 70s musically is not yet surpassed as a decade of poetic and creative hair raising rhythms and lyrics that emerged across the Americas, and there was no shortage of local string bands, talent and a living arts movement, thus, we were inspired. The Camp Street chapter had both inspiration and disillusionment. I was the artist in school, though abandoned
for years. At Camp Street I returned to my craft. Jeff gave me some of his brother’s Black History literature, mainly from the J.A Rogers collection and with sparked creativity, I was going to put the stories that were active in my mind into illustrations and scripts. The study of the abstract and complex worlds of history as a cosmic tapestry and placing its transcendental interpretations into common events require a reconstructed intellect, lifestyle and balanced way of life grounded on principles to justify the silent personal triumphant breathing of the ego in knowing, and to share what was not common, according to the ancients, one such book of many that was available in the Bachie was ‘The Oahspe’ that had a term that “ The lesser light dwells
with the masses, the greater light with the seekers” or something to that effect. The smarter of the Chapter’s crew agreed to everything but continued with their usual state of mind from before entering the Chapter, my younger brother Lenny also joined the chapter. The musician was a tireless lecherous soul and was banished from the ‘crib’ for introducing a pornography novel to the younger sisters of a member, he went on selling Icicles under a roots name of ‘Papalacks’ I heard of his passing long after the event, though I did see him selling on some occasions. I came into conflict with my brother when he fell in love with a young upper Charlotte Street lady and wanted a courier to take some flowers- a card of
poetry he wrote and a gift to the lady’s home. I told him that’s not the modern way, you take the lady out to dinner or the Disco, get to know each other then really get to know each other after a reasonable agreeable time. He said that I was ‘too carnal’ and Royden took the gift. There was some experimentation with marijuana based on Ravenscroft Book on the mystical side of WWII, my witnessing of ganja casualties in the scheme excluded me from that. Then when I faced Vivian, British and another two in the yard in Camp Street over a pump that my brother acquired from a colleague in politics that these guys proposed were theirs, from a failed Rasta agricultural community in North Fork
XVII (unsure of the spelling, this was in the Mabaruma district) the only visible pashwa contender was Vivian. So it was between us and we were both armed. It seemed telepathically that we concluded that “we got fuh reason pon dis” it wasn’t worth it and he took his spectators out of the yard and I went upstairs to mine, peeping through windows. This article is a mere brief reflection of the Camp Street Chapter. All in all, the Camp Street Chapter was a microcosm of Georgetown – Guyana in the 70s and it gave such a perspective of what to expect from organisations, political parties and even families, “yuh ent gon win dem all, yuh might even loose yuh self, but yuh got fuh give it a shot”
XVIII
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― CHRONICLE Sunday,PEPPERPOT February 28, 2021 ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
Quality Time Alone
o not always know what I’m looking losing your phone would be on a scale of 1-10. 98 percent y phone is such a normal part of my said 10 and 2 percent said 9. They all claimed that it would my hand that I cannot count the numbe the worst material possession that they could ever lose. I WANT to thank everyone gestion as the weeks go by. really dislikes going out hedforfor it, while it wasI wanted actually inthis myand onlyThey to say that feelings of anxiety, irritation and consistently emailing to start with does it continued when he me topics to discuss. It particular one, as I whole- is pressured by his friends. o when I get upI amin heartedly the morning andIt brokeoverwhelming sadness would be felt if they were to lose their really excites me that relate to it. my heart when he writing on topics that acA reader wrote in and asked: “what’s wrong with e going to sleep is check my phone. I phone today. tually interest people and I explained that he likes to me?” There is absolutely promise and to coversomething every sug- be alone a lot of time, nothing wrong with you or healthy must bethedone. It seems harmless, right? Caring so much about a and found that women were more phone? Well, this week I’ve been really paying attention d to their phones simply because men to the importance that I and others around me give to a ocial media apps. Also, older people phone, rather than what’s actually going on around them. e addicted. I believe this is because Our phones -- whether we are speaking to other people, use smartphones (My father actually using social media or playing games -- can be addictive as they alter our moods, beliefs and trigger enjoyable y colleagues and friends how bad and unenjoyable feelings. Apart from obviously being my or any gathmain source of communication, my phone ismedia myplatforms newspaerings/meetings that you are pressured into attending. per, watch, alarm, map, recorder, day planner, calendar, Many people need to alone time to regroup, camera, music player, calculator, a weapontake (sometimes) collect thoughts and build a set of patience. This is and my friend when I’m bored or lonely- fresh basically evimportant to really process what’s happened throughout erything. However, it is also my constant interrupter and the day and how we really distractor. I (I imagine much like most of you outit. there) feel about Many people equate behave a deep desire to know everything thatingisalone going on. with being lonely, but those are two very differI believe that is human nature. But when does it become ent things. It may sound like a clitoo much? ché, but only when you quality time alone can Well, I believe it’s too much when it has spend a name. ‘Noyou really know who you are whatof you being want out of mophobia’ is the term coined to describe the and fear life. You are open to clear, un-inwithout a mobile phone. Seriously, what haveuninterrupted we comeandto? fluenced train of thought. I promise that all your It becomes an addiction when the object begins toyou,control important realisations, logyour life andmeinterferes with your daily activities, work, ical thinking and and decision or anyone else who likes the benefits of this, so that making happen when you’re to themselves. all of you who feel this way relationships.to keep I read somewhere that “The biggest alone- or obstacle maybe in counHe used the word ‘an- can stop being so hard on selling; it does not happen to productivity is which connectivity,” but overuse can affect ti-social,’ has a pretty yourselves for simply being when you are out limingaand negative connotation to it, who you are. possibly drinking. lot more thanbutour productivity. The truth of our even the more positive It’s not that I don’tis, like overuse One of my favourite sayoptions such as introvert do people or anything like that; ings is, “you’re not missing phones can harm ushave psychologically, socially physically. not really much of a it’s that the days are some- and anything when you’re getdifference. times so overwhelming that ting your act together.” With regard to people affecting skills, many of us Many call me an-our timesocial alone is needed to justhowYou build friendships lots of reasons;conversation recharge. What’s wrong really matter. know miss out on ati-social jokeforor good aswithwethat were on You our I don’t like to go out much that? those people who seem to when I do, I don’t talk around peopleour know everyone? It does not phones? Howand many times have We weareannoyed good friend much unless I’m extremely most of the day, needing mean that they are not lonely comfortable with the group be as productive and en-onsimply or family member because weto were posting social media because having lots of people or environment ergetic as possible. Not to of acquaintances or even that we I’m in.are If it’shaving with peo- mention the other sources how much fun withallthem? It truly affects ourit is friends does not mean ple I don’t know, a lot of the time, I’m in a corner. I’m going to talk about
that can bombard us with information and many of it negative - news, social
the quality ones we need in SEE PAGE XX
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
XIX
XX
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
Quality Time ... SEE PAGE XVIII our lives. These healthy and important relationships are only built and flourish during one-on-one time and in the right environments. This means that if you choose a more ‘anti-social’ life, it can actually consist only of meaningful relationships and conversations. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I really dislike small talkwhich drastically increases the more you go out. There is a theory claiming that in a two-hour long conversation, there are only 10-15 minutes of quality information being shared. I live a much healthier life during my anti-social periods. We all know that when we go out, we are more likely to eat unhealthily,
consume more alcohol than intended, as well as have less sleep than intended. All of this contributes to having low energy and motivation the next day - whether there is an official hangover or not. For example, I rarely go to the gym or do any additional work the day after a night or even late afternoon out. You also save lots of money. I don’t know about you guys, but most times when I go out, I spend more money than I plan on things I really don’t need. It aids in a drama-free life. You will always have some kind of drama in your life but when you go out, you may either make it public or get sucked into other people’s stories. May sound cool and funny, but have you ever tried peace instead?
Something I’ve noticed is that people trust me more because I don’t go out. They feel more comfortable opening up to me because they don’t see me with lots of people all over the place as if I don’t have a house. This aids in another point: when I go out, people are always excited to see me as they rarely see me out. You know those people that are out so much that you almost get tired of seeing them? Yea I don’t have that problem. If you are hard on yourself because you aren’t as social as most others, that’s okay too. Not only is Guyana an extremely social culture, but our generation is the most social of all with social media and other technology that allow us to eas-
ily have friends all around the world. I’m also not necessarily pushing anyone to spend more time on their own- if being around people all day make you happy, then good for you. I’m simply trying to get people to simply accept who they are.
If that is not you, that’s fine either way Actually, next week I am going to discuss the positive sides of being social, as you can really argue both sides of anything. Thank you for reading. Please continue to send 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 ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
XXI
sharing their journeys XXII
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
ng seven amazing women from the Women Anthologies. ost of Watch Radio NY requested an interasked him if it was okay for me to invite join me. I am sharing some excerpts from
Evan Phillips -- born in St Lucia, living in
towards being a Midwife of Purpose came f being broken, displaced, and rough this journey, I experienced a divorce, ate and got displaced r education administrator’s position. Coupled y were two major eclipses my life. An eclipse happens when you can r calling becomes greater than your current Through this process, you can transcend to a thinking where you can connect with your yourself as one with nature. blett – born in Guyana and living in NY began to have the real experience of dreamg my dream world alive. I was immediately interview with the agency where they tested in using Microsoft Office and typing speed.
Value every day because death is inevitable
I AM experiencing mixed emotions at the start of the last of 2021. 2020 had a record number of deaths (not all COVID) including my dad and we were afraid that 2021 was following closely. I cried so much at the virtual funeral service for Chris Bassoo. I met Chris when he came to Guyana to introduce Tagg TV and we stayed in contact. His vision was out of the box and he shared some very creative ideas. He exuded confidence and contagious optimism to connect with people. He always encouraged me on my journey which he understood because we are both dreamers who find a way to make our dreams reality. Even while he was stuck in Brazil during the pandemic we chatted on messenger. He shared a short story in the 365 Invaluable Life Experiences and this is an excerpt from his story: “This is the first time in my life I have talked with my partner so much. I have learned so much more about myself and I can see both my good side and bad habits. This isolation has really caused me to pause and reflect. I am very grateful that we have our health and happiness, and I am grateful for our future!” That was the last word in that story and from the content of our conversation, it seemed like a very bright future. I looked at this life
One week later I completed my assignment with CTO and was now ready to move on to my next career move. I called Monique to let her know I was available as we agreed and she was so happy to have me start my first temporary assignment with Deutsche Bank. My first
body and thought of the high-energy, larger-than-life character I got to know. Myles Munroe said the richest place is the burial ground and Chris is certainly taking some golden idea nuggets with him. He was not a person to give up and he would have fought until the end. Every death reminds us that none of us gets out of here alive. I was home alone and my mic was muted so no one could have heard and at one point I could not stop crying because I cried for many reasons. I looked at his mom Cheryl and I saw a familiar expression that reminded me of my mom at my brother Sherwin’s funeral. I remembered my foster dad, my brother, my friend Denise and a friend (Mark Rhodius) who was buried on the same day in Bartica. As a teenager growing up in Bartica I love going to the cinema on weekends and Mark bought my tickets many times. The same day my friend Sean’s younger sister died and my very good friend (over 30 years) Nickey Greenidge’s father died of COVID. The Greenidges are like family and this news is devastating news. When I look at Stacy standing there looking at the man she loved, it broke my heart. She also shared an inspiring story in the compilation book. I am so touched by her compelling words which reflect on the kind of relationship she shared with Chris and I feel convicted to share a part
especially while sipping a glass of red wine in a nice atmosphere. I remember Herbie from the Sidewalk Café days. Proverbs 18:16 tells us that our gifts will make room for us. Our gifts also take us places and Herbie is proof I knew that I would be in When I was six years assignment lasted two weeks, of that because his music covering someone’s vacation. old I started school in Mesa, big trouble if I told my dad has taken him to over 100 Due to my work ethic and Arizona, so I began staying what had happened. It was a countries. I reconnected with secret: the desire to go the extra mile, with my mom him kind that could get meearlier this year when and her husband routineI landed another assignment Mr. in the same department for ly. It was like going from into big trouble. I didn’tand Mrs. Marshall(relatives) but hosted an event at six months, then another for heaven to hell. It was a horror know how much trouble, their beautiful Anira Street three months, which finally story that’s yet to be writ- I wasn’t willing to cottage. He is great at intake a chance. “Shhhh... led to my permanent posi- ten. While at grandma’s I tion, allowing me to live a was filled with the love of Don’t tell anyone.” teracting with people and thatof evening he was chatting Maybe it’s the trauma a grandma and Jesus daily. dream. someJohn who was visiting Dr. Safeeya Mohamed – On the other hand, at my my experience, but forwith Guyana. It was a pleasant mother’s house, I was filled reason I still cannot rememTrinidad surprise to see him and John We received the updates with Rock ‘N Roll, drugs ber how often it happened, singing when some of the old hit that the accident was horrific and inappropriate, wild sex songs. it It reminded me of the and that the victim was stuck parties. Ultimately, from it started, or even when shows on the islands where such an environment you can ended in the car. the tourist join the performThe vehicle had to be cut imagine the kinds of abuse ers. I was telling Herbie, Penny Phakahi –South open to get to the victim. It that mom’s house provided. Steve, and John during the never occurred to me that When I was 11 years old, Africa I have had my share of how much I enjoyed grandma Shirley died and my my brother break could be remotely in- stepdad left. My mom had turmoil and I strongly believe the session and John started tur- Old Rugged Cross volved. The next thing I an emotional breakdown, so that it is these stints of singing remember, I was looking at I ran away! I couldn’t take moil that brought me and Herbie started playing this far in my life. the I was any more. the body of my brother guitar and I joined in, my I am the worst singAndrea Edwards – born and perhaps is still in covered in blood in a although hearse. The strident, agonis- in Guyana, living in Florida refinery process. er. We found out that John As a young girl, I wrote grew many gospel songs As I sat in the back of ing scream of my mother in with you: the A&E that bathing, my changing feeding on hisI knees to wash up with one clothes main ambition, dad’s Nissan Bluebird, and sang one for us and a “I am grateful to be in has andnot taking her everywhere in a bucket because launwanting to get away, peered through the windows early morning fewfar other gospel songs. This a loving relationship he goes. is on on busi- dromats were to of away closed from thedue system at the he images escaped my with mindaalmost 17 When was an amazing experience man who years didn’t later think as twice ness calls, hethe holds her of andthe COVID-19.” thinking or the boxand that fence Guyshe howled I remember the people I about stepping up to look rocks her so I can rest. He I decided as thefind evening we often ourselves ana Botanical Gardens and “my son died, my lovein.and care about who are after our daughter andnobody’s me bathed when I couldn’t approaching to lighten Apart from understanding Zoological Park. Thewas radio son died, help- me no longer with us. while I recovered from a and didn’tblasted hesitate make this heavy day. ILuise Armmyself always dared to Every life has a story and the to popular ing us!” But nobody could, C-section.as When COVID-19 thesong hotel stong is life “ was a be different, which calypso “1985” by said, “Music his spirit departedsure at thehe cleaned I would love to read Herbie’s hit a month organised food and I feltconstant like listening struggle to whenbook sur-in the near future as we calypsonian. pointlater of and we room anda then-popular were stranded in Brazil, andday, wentI grocery shopping jazz music, so Julian’s rounded by mywas situations. I would have just celebrated impact. Up to this continue this beautiful jourhe continued to take care when I couldn’t, to hear the super up under a strict my sixthso I could the placegrew I ponder where the strength ney called LIFE BEYOND Christian family with my quiteofoblivious camenever from seen to navigate of us. I have a restthat after my birthday, many hours talented Herbie Marshall. THE RUNWAY. step granny, to theHe concept of time, but man look night. after a baby from breastfeeding. got down I am agrandfather fan of liveand music, that song would not allow as my mother lost her mom Shanon Paar – Arizona me to forget SEE PAGE XXV that it was 1985.
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
XXIII
XXIV
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
A life of entrepreneurship FROM PAGE VI
work. Sulemon’s wife is a beautician, but admitted that her husband’s barbershop overshadowed her small business; so presently she is renting her salon for $15,000 per week. “I am self-motivated to help others and I will open my barbering school sooner rather than later,” he said. The salon
Also in Ocean View, Uitvlugt, West Coast Demerara, Bibi Sattaur, a mother of two, has a salon and specialises in hair-colouring, relaxing, waxing, make-ups, dressing brides, haircuts, facials, manicure, pedicure and nails. The 32-year-old told the Pepperpot Magazine that it was from scratch she started with the help of family, because she separated from her common-law husband
and had to leave her salon in Stewartville, also on the West Coast of Demerara. She started afresh at her parents’ place at Ocean View, Uitvlugt, and presently business is a bit slow due to the pandemic, but she would get customers on weekends. The 32-year-old stated that the salon is the only income for her to support two school-age children and she would make the most of it.
Sattaur opened her salon in 2009 and is qualified, since she earned a diploma in cosmetology at Nayelli’s School of Cosmology. “I am back living with my parents, they have been supporting me; my brother constructed the salon and I had to equip it, so it’s been hard to start over, but here I am and I will continue to make strides, since I want to do the massage course,”
Inside the salon
she said. Sattaur’s salon is located just off the public road at Ocean
View, Uitvlugt, and she is opened daily from 09:00hrs to 18:00hrs from Mondays to Sundays.
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
XXV
The call for ‘climate reparations’ is an important step towards reparatory justice XXVII
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, February 28, 2021
Aye or no for parliamentary decorum?
IT was a point of immense pride for me, as a young Caribbean citizen, that the new Chairman of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne made a strong call for climate reparation against the backdrop of the natural disasters that have plagued the Caribbean just this year. According to the Prime Minister, the volcanic eruption in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the massive flooding in Guyana and Suriname, and the recent passing of Hurricane Elsa have underscored the vulnerabilities thethe region. DURING this past week’s edition ofof‘In National These natural disasters, he explained, Assembly,’ Parliamentarians debated adversely the 2021 impact National lives and which livelihoods in the Caribbean, constantly placing Budget, was presented earlier in the month by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for finance, Dr. Ashni Singh. The debate, however, spotlighted a lack of decorum in the Parliament. It is both understandable and acceptable for the different sides of the house -- the government and opposition sides -to have opposing views on the budget. After all, the national budget illustrates the government’s vision, priority areas, and general policy direction, since it points towards what policies, programmes and plans the government intends to use Guyana’s money to fund. It would be strange for each member to agree on every single thing, since various individuals have different priorities and views and perhaps different sides of the house have different plans, projects, or policies that would guide Guyana’s developments; and, that is completely fine. It is neither nor remotely the countries of theunderstandable Region in a precarious state. acceptable, however, elected officials, in as Members of In light offorthis, he firmly stated sworn that those irresponsible Parliament openly hurl insults each other and countries that(MPs), damagetothe environment with at their emissions make racist, sexist, remarks.And It is he notcalled acceptable and practices shouldhomophobic be held accountable. on for this level disrespect to be entertained theclimate National CARICOM to of take up the mantle of pushinginfor Assembly. reparations. Contextually, reparatory justice relates the action ofreThe normalisation of racist, sexist, andtohomophobic making amends for a wrong done, by providing or marks in our common, social spaces might be apayment conversation other assistance those have for another day,tobut for who crying outbeen loud,wronged. this is our National Reparations, as I Parliament, have writtenasabout several times Assembly! Or, our it is more commonly before, beentouting something has been adcalled.have It is not at thethat busCARICOM park! vocating overthe theastonishment past few years CARICOM Imagine onethrough would the experience, years Reparations Commission (CRC). And through CARICOM’s from now, if they were to revisit the hansards. Instead of 10-Point Action Plan forthorough Reparatory Justice, of thethe Community only well-articulated, analyses $383.1 bilislion seeking tothat have thepresented Europeanfor powers that exploited the budget was the year 2021, there would Africans andsignalling Indigenous people payor forthinly the injustices. be remarks homophobia veiled insults of link between thecapabilities. colonial exploitation and injustice an The MP’s reproductive meted out to our ancestors who toiled on salient the Caribbean To be fair, however, there were a few presentaplantations and forged the nations we live in today and tions. On the first day of the debate, it is a point of pride the environmental challenges we face today, might not be that two women -- MPs Susan Rodrigues and Amanza readily apparent and cannot be explained in this column Walton-Desir whoitare new Parliamentarians -- made alone. But, simply, all also comes back to the systemic issues good presentations that one would expect at this forum. that have contributed to our underdevelopment. Though this absence of decorum from many of the Wider Caribbean Historian, Professor Verene ShepMPs,is perhaps, not a new occurrence in the local context, herd, in a panel discussion earlier this year posited, “... it begs us to ask ourselves: valuable contributions isit impossible to examine thewhat present ecological crisis inare our electedSmall officials making at this forum? vulnerable Island Developing States (SIDS) in the One would hope that the elected by people Caribbean without recalling andleaders understanding thethe manner Guyana, whether in government or opposition, would inofwhich we have been subjected to the precarious position.” maintain a certain level decorum in the house. In disFirst and foremost, theofgeographic location in which charging theirnations duties towards theestablished people of the nation, at the the Caribbean have been is vulnerable least,disastersit is expected that theyhurricanes, would engage in critical tovery natural earthquakes, floods, and volcanic All ofThe these, in one small region. And, to analyseseruptions. of the budget. budget debate should attempt Professor Shepherd underscored that orour ancestors were pinpoint deficiencies in allocations, indicate what other “forcefully transported” Region areas of priority shouldto bethis focused on.so that their labour couldThis be exploited to enrich theinEuropean powers. is how you operate a democracy, where transGeography aside, however, draws attention the is parency and accountability areshe underpinning tenets.toThis land by the of monocropping sugar and all howdegradation-caused you respect the sanctity Parliament. of And above mass ledadequately to the lossrepresent of valuable, protective else, deforestation is this how you the people of the forestry. The production of sugarcane, research Professor nation you committed to serve? Parliamentary affairs -- evShepherd has led to the towards loss of species andthe ery singlereferenced, aspect-- should be geared enhancing habitats. development of the nation and its citizenry. And even worse, she stated, is the and dynamic the “GlobAdmittedly, clever innuendos wittyofremarks have allong North” and “Global South,” or the “developed world” and in been part of parliamentary presentations, not only the “developing world” which illustrates global uneven Guyana, but around the world. The addition of clever satire development. has its usefulness in communication, no doubt. Much of
Certainly, the Caribbean Region and Caribbean people Malini whorepresenting was an assistant the training of Parliamentarians thatpoor a semblance of decorum Are theyMaharaj, adequately us andlecturer our bestin interests are not wholly absolved from so their or loose environDepartment of Economics in the Faculty of Social Sciences could decisions. be maintained the National Assembly. is of envi- at all times? mental Yet, Iinwish to draw attention to Itone (also my Introduction to Microeconomics lecturer!) exsioned that such training sessions would also help to guide my favourite on-campus experiences during my time at the plained that in the Caribbean, the major sources of income the officials on West proper parliamentary procedures. I hope we can do better. University of the Indies (UWI)- a panel discussion on Butaalso, theseCaribbean. events should force us to reconsider what are all natural-resource SEE PAGE XXVI building resilient we expect and accept from our elected officials -- all of If you would like to discuss this column or any of them-- while they discharge their responsibilities towards us. my previous writings, please feel free to contact me via Are they articulating our collective values when they make email: vish14ragobeer@gmail.com racist, sexist, homophobic, and other derogatory statements?
XXVI
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
The call for ‘climate ... based. As such, she contended that once something happens to the environment, there will be complications in how Caribbean nations create incomes. Importantly, she also highlighted that “the economics” of environmental protection makes it difficult for Caribbean countries to ambitiously pursue certain environmental goals- no matter how environmentally prudent such actions would be.
My economics lecturer illustrated the point anecdotally, relating that a hungry man cannot be told not to cut down a tree if that is his only source of income to buy food. Despite all of the wider environmental benefits that can be garnered from allowing this tree to grow, it is the only foreseeable source of income. Let’s look at Guyana, for example. We are not unaware that pursuing an oiland-gas trajectory might not
be the most environmentally sound decision. The recent destruction of swathes of mangroves at Malgre Tout/ Versailles, for the creation of a shore base, is a good example of how economic development may result in some amount of environmental destruction. Yet, it has been said that the revenues from this industry are needed to usher in Guyana’s low-carbon, sustainable future. It is the dichotomy that we seemingly cannot avoid.
Insofar as we do make decisions that affect the state of our environment, I agree with Professor Shepherd’s assertions that we are least responsible, given our history as exploited colonies that have grown up in a global world order where we have always been second to the nations built on the Carib-
FROM PAGE XXV
bean people’s struggles. And I agree with her assertion that we must advocate for a reparatory approach to addressing this issue. So today, when we think about the impact of poor environmental decisions--such as harmful emissions from fossil fuels, pollution, and degradation -- we must think
about the historical context of it all and why calls for climate reparations are not outlandish and unjustified. 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
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
UN World Population Day... FROM PAGE XI
people lived in urban areas than in rural areas, and by 2050 about 66 per cent of the world population will be living in cities. These megatrends have far-reaching implications. They affect economic development, employment, income distribution, poverty and social protections. They also affect efforts to ensure universal access to health care, education, housing, sanitation, water, food and energy. To more sustainably address the needs of individuals, policymakers must understand how many people are living on the planet, where they are, how old they are, and how many people
will come after them.
According to Wikipedia: “World Population Day is an annual event, observed on July 11 every year, which seeks to raise awareness of
global population issues. The event was established by the Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989. It was inspired by the public interest in Five Billion Day
on July 11, 1987, the approximate date on which the world’s population reached five billion people. World Population Day aims to increase people’s awareness
on various population issues such as the importance of family planning, gender equality, poverty, maternal health and human rights. The day was suggested by Dr. K.C.Zachariah in which population reaches Five Billion when he worked as Sr Demographer at World Bank. While press interest and general awareness in the global population surges only at the increments of whole billions of people, the world population increases annually by 100 million approximately every 14 months. The world population reached 7,400,000,000 on February 6, 2016; the
XXVII world population had reached 7,500,000,000 at around 16:21 on April 24, 2017. The world population had reached 7,700,000,000 on year 2019. In November, UNFPA, together with the governments of Kenya and Denmark, will be convening a high-level conference in Nairobi to accelerate efforts to achieve these unmet goals. On World Population Day, advocates from around the world are calling on leaders, policymakers, grassroots organizers, institutions and others to help make reproductive health and rights a reality for all.”
XXVIII
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
XXIX
XXX
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
XXXI
XXXII
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
XXXIII
XXXIV
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
XXXV
XXXVI
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
XXXVII
XXXVIII
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
XXXIX
XL
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
XLI
XLII
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
THOUGHT FOR TODAY And naked to th e hangman’s no ose The morning cloc ks will ring A neck God mad e for other use Than strangling in a string. A.E. HOUSMAN (1859-1936) Reveillé
JULY 11, 2021 STUDY SUCCESS Dear Student, Welcome, dear friend. You summoned your best efforts under prevailing examination conditions and your excellent self-confidence, good preparation
techniques, flawless tutelage, and good stress- management skills were in full operation. Yet, you continue to evaluate your chances. Why overdo it? Tackle relevant and interesting activities. Send out job applications, fill in forms for higher institutions of study, seek membership of worthwhile local clubs, or even absorb a new hobby or two. Examination results will be out. Be wise. Love you. THE PASSAGE Where one stage of child development has been left out, or not sufficiently experienced, the child may have to go back and capture the experience of it. A good home makes this possible – for example by providing the opportunity for the child to play with a clockwork car or toy railway train up to any age if he still needs to do so. This principle, in fact, underlies all psychological treatment of children in difficulties with their development, and is the basis of work in child clinics. The beginnings of discipline are in the nursery. Even the youngest baby is taught by gradual stages to wait for food, to sleep and wake up at regular intervals and so on. If the child feels the world around him is a warm and friendly one, he slowly accepts its rhythm and accustoms himself to conforming to its demands. Learning to wait for things, particularly for food, is a very important element in upbringing, and is achieved successfully only if too great demands are not made before the child can understand them. Every parent watches eagerly the child’s acquisition of each new skill - the first spoken words, the first independent steps, or the beginning of reading and writing. It is often tempting to hurry the child beyond his natural learning rate, but this can set up dangerous feelings of failure and states of anxiety in the child. This might happen at any stage.... A young child might be encouraged to learn to read before he knowns the meaning of the words he reads. On the other hand, though, if a child is left alone too much, or without any learning opportunities,
he loses his natural zest for life and his desire to find out new things for himself. IDEAS: Select the answer which is most accurate according to the information given in the passage. 1. The principle underlying all treatment of developmental difficulties in children A.. is in the provision of clockwork toys and trains. B.. offers recaptures of earlier experiences. C.. is to send them to clinics. D.. capture them before they are sufficiently experienced. 2. The child in the nursery A.. doesn’t initially sleep and wake at regular intervals. B.. quickly learns to wait for food. C.. always accept the rhythm of the world around him. D.. always feels the world around him is warm and friendly. 3. Learning to wait for things is successfully taught A.. only if excessive demands are avoided. B.. in spite of excessive demands being made. C.. because excessive demands are not advisable. D.. is achieved successfully by all children. 4. Eagerly watching the child’s acquisition of new skills A.. should be avoided. B.. sets up dangerous states of anxiety. C.. is universal among parents. D.. is characteristic of materially developed societies. 5. The encouragement of children to achieve new skills A.. can never be taken too far. B.. should be left to their teachers. C.. will always assist their development. D.. should be balanced between the extremes of pushing and lack of interest. Find the Topic: Choose the phrase or sentence a), b) or c) which most adequately identifies the main point made by the paragraph or paragraphs indicated. 1. Para. 2 a) The baby’s life in the nursery. b) Learning patience to wait for food. c) The gradual process of learning discipline.
2. Para. 3 a) The delicate balance between parental support and excessive interference. b) How parents eagerly watch their children’s development. c) The dangers of leaving a child on its own too much. Vocabulary Find the following words in the passage and select the meaning you think is most likely to correspond among the choices given. 1. train a) sequence b) exercise c) discipline d) vehicle 2. underlies a) gives the lie to b) understates c) is the basis of d) undermines 3. conforming to a) adapting to b) confronted with c) reforming d) reshaping V O C A B U L A RY & SPELLING There are words which are often confused. Here is a list of five: raise, raze, rays; costume, custom. Write each in a sentence that illustrates its meaning. The first one is done for you. raise: to lift up. “Raise your dining fork if you agree.” NOTE-TAKING Just as you use three-byfive cards when developing your working bibliography, you can use cards when taking notes. As you find a piece of information that you need to use, write it on a note card. In the upper right-hand corner of the note card, write the number of the source from the working bibliography. \You might want to put your initial by any of your own thoughts that you jot down on note cards. By initialing your own comments, you will be able to keep straight which information comes from other sources and which comes from your own interpretation. You will see why later. There are three ways of making notes: paraphrasing, summarising, and writing direct quotations.
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021
XLIII
Whole-body Dentistry EVERY year, tens of thousands of Guyanese needlessly suffer from a broad range of preventable illnesses. Less serious conditions such as excessive fatigue and headaches may go unnoticed, or will be incorrectly attributed to ageing or stress. Hundreds of individuals develop more serious symptoms such as arthritis, colitis, heart disease, infections, hypertension, thyroid imbalances, migraines, kidney damage and other diseases. These people will become ill for no apparent reason. But more often than not, there is a reason for these diseases: their mouth. The renowned German physician, Dr. Reinhard Voll, based on more than 40 years of research and observation, estimated that nearly 80 percent of all illness is related entirely or partially to problems in the mouth. This important statistic would surprise almost all health care practitioners. Most physicians and dentists, despite knowing better, soon overlook almost entirely the fact that attached to every tooth is a person. Traditional dental practices can often cause physical illness and trauma, and can actually do more harm than good. The truth is that every dental procedure is an invasion of the human system and many generate an adverse response somewhere in the body. The milder symptoms are often confused with what we have been led to believe are the normal side effects of stress-filled lives or the natural ageing process. By now you are probably wondering why then go to the dentist if there is the distinct possibility of acquiring something negative? Well, that may explain why a new breed of dental practitioners is emerging. These dentists are offering important alternative solutions to traditional dental practices. While for obvious reasons the profession’s name cannot be officially changed, many refer to the new concept as Whole-Body Dentistry. Consider for a moment that the human body entirely comprises billions of tiny particles of energy. Within this energetic system, there are pathways called meridians. Every organ and every part of your body is directly linked to a specific tooth or area of the mouth via these meridians, or energy highways. This connection is so strong that any dentist embracing the concept of Whole-Body Dentistry can often accurately
“guess” your dental history simply by reviewing your physical symptoms. For example, a patient came to me with chronic sinus problems which seem to have no cause or cure. Without even examining him, I immediately asked if he had any root canal work done on his upper molar, which relates to the maxillary sinuses. He was amazed that I “guessed” correctly and further conversation revealed that the sinus problem started after the root canal therapy. The offending tooth was removed and within a week, the sinusitis disappeared. Needless to say, this is by no means a common occurrence.
It can often be that simple. The new concept makes the dentist look like a detective, sorting through a series of clues and signals and putting the information together in a different way to discover the real source of problems. Often extracting a misaligned or offending tooth will alleviate a whole host of seemingly unrelated physical symptoms in a
matter of days. Some problems will actually correct in the chair. You cannot underestimate the impact of your teeth on your entire body’s health. It is critical that patients appreciate the relationship between their mouths and the rest of their bodies, so they can participate in their own treatment decisions.
XLIV
CHRONICLE PEPPERPOT ― Sunday, July 11, 2021