From Mabaruma to Timehri
Looking at what it takes to settle down somewhere new
August 11, 2024
Mia and her family at their Timehri home (Samuel Maughn photo)
13th edition of Republic Bank’s
‘Pan Minors’ camp for August 12-23
THE Pan Minors Music Literacy Camp is being held for the 13th time this year. Established with a view to providing young people with an opportunity to learn and appreciate steelpan music, the camp also fosters other musical talents and cultural heritage.
Held annually, Republic Bank has been sponsoring the event, which is a product of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport under the National School of Music and the Ministry of Education’s Unit of Allied Arts.
This is the second year that Kellisha Edwards will be coordinating the camp, which will run from August 12 to 23 and will see participants from various school bands across the country.
“It’s a collaborative ef-
fort by the ministry and Republic Bank, and the camp is held to focus on strengthening the skills of players, whether new players or those from school bands around the country,” Edwards shared in an interview with Pepperpot Magazine.
This year, there will be seven regional camps: Region Two at Anna Regina Secondary, Region Three at West Demerara Secondary, Region Four at Buxton, Georgetown at the National School of Music, Region Six at Berbice High School, Region Seven at the Bartica Community Center, and Region 10 at the Mackenzie High School.
At the moment, organisers are reaching out to the different bands to see how many people will be attending. The target, though, is
about collaborating with others, teach them discipline, as well as causing them to be a bit more focused with their school work,” Edwards said.
The unit in the Education Ministry is assisting with the groundwork and coordination since it deals with the performing arts.
Joel Gonsalves, Education Officer – Music, shared that the camp is being taken to various regions across the country this year. “We are hoping that our students will benefit and that their interest will peak not only to play an instrument but also to advance
175 students.
“Music helps to open up the capacity of the students to learn more. It helps them develop a skill, learn
balanced curriculum.
and move to the next level of music which is CXC that is being offered in our country,” he expressed.
He pointed out that music is a part of the five priority programmes. “That also helps to highlight that at the end of a child’s secondary school life, at least the child will be given an exposure to play an instrument or two.”
Gonsalves said they are hoping that as a result of this, they will get students to buy into their programme so that they may be able to enjoy a
According to the Ministry of Education, the art form of steelpan playing originates in the Caribbean. “History has shown that it is the only musical instrument invented in the early nineteenth century. Studies have shown that music education at an early age greatly increases the likelihood that a child will grow up to seek higher education. In addition, students who had an exposure to music made better team players in the workforce,” the ministry said.
“The relationship between music education and better
performance in life is not accidental. If we want to continue as a creative society, finding solutions to the ever-changing world, we need to expose our children to the arts. Music will help to shape our culture, and it is the great equaliser among people of different racial, social and economic backgrounds,” it added. Just recently, the Amity Schools Steelband Festival, organised by the same unit in the Ministry of Education, was back again, with some of the best school bands across the country coming together to perform for the public at the Seawall Esplanade in Kingston.
Joel Gonsalves, Education Officer – Music
This year, there will be seven regional camps
The camp is being held for the 13th time this year
Held annually, Republic Bank has been sponsoring the event
The Ministry of Education’s Unit of Allied Arts is assisting with the groundwork
From skeptic to advocate
One woman is on a mission to change minds with the game
By Shaniya Harding.
CHESS is no easy game, which is precisely why it is considered a sport. With the King, Queen, and Rook, players are tasked with intense decision-making and must suffer the consequences of their choices. This is why the game is so highly revered for its difficulty, but more so for its ability to teach valuable lessons. This is why Marcia Lee fell in love with the game and is now seeking to teach children and women the significance of decisions.
Mother, wife, and now avid chess player, Marcia Lee describes herself as shy. A family woman, Marcia had no interest in chess several years ago. However, after learning the game of tactics from her son and husband, she knew she wanted to teach it to others. As Marcia told the Pepperpot Magazine, “I never thought that I would be interested in chess. I always looked at the game, and I said, you know, this looks boring. I don’t think I want to play this or be anywhere near chess. But then, my son and my husband taught me how to play.”
Chess began as a family game for Marcia. As she explained, “My son attended Marian Academy, and he started out by taking an interest in chess. And through the school, my husband started teaching chess; he also is a chess player and started supporting my son through the chess club there at Marian.” This was the first step into the world of chess. “In 2012, we started running the chess club there at Marian, so I started assisting my husband, because he was working. And he and I, after school on Fridays, started running the chess club, and I started getting into teaching chess,” said Marcia.
Marcia’s role in the chess community has evolved from a learner to a teacher and now a pioneer. The Chess in School programme took off during the pandemic, and Marcia became more involved with the Guyana Chess Federation in 2020 during the pandemic. “We took chess online during the pan -
Marcia Lee
The National Junior Championship Qualifiers Tournament, a key event in the Guyanese chess calendar, has seen a remarkable increase in participation. “Every year, we have about 40 to 60 students playing chess at these tournaments. Our National Junior Championship Qualifiers Tournament gets us 75 students every year,” Marcia says.
of chess
Federation just grew, largely with school children, because the interest was there online,” Marcia states.
demic. Then, I think in 2021 when they had the elections for the Chess Federation, I became the company’s secretary. Because we took several schools, we created online clubs for several schools, and we were able to get children playing chess online using our ChessKid.com platform,” she explains.
Marcia’s most remarkable achievement, however, is her work in establishing the Guyana Women in Chess community. Launched in 2021, this initiative has been instrumental in encouraging more women and young girls to participate in the sport. “We have been successful in getting some women to sign up with the Federation. So far, we have not had a tournament. Actually, that is on the agenda before the year is out. I want to be able to have a tournament just for women,” Marcia says.
The growth of chess in Guyana has been remarkable.
As Marcia explains, “I would say prior, like 2018, 2019, the interest was a bit less. But then it doubled or tripled, I would say, more during the pandemic. And then when we came out and we had tournaments and so on. The Chess
Marcia’s passion for chess extends beyond just playing the game; she believes it holds immense value for children and students. “I would like to encourage more students to play chess because I believe that it helps them as individuals and as students. It teaches them to think, to have patience. They have to think before they make a move. Basically, there are consequences to their actions. If they know that they make a mistake, it makes them, they have to make thoughtful decisions there.”
Marcia’s commitment to fostering these valuable skills in young people is evident in her tireless efforts to promote chess within the Guyanese education system. Today, her work is ongoing in promoting the beautiful game of chess among children and women as a beginner’s chess teacher. Currently, Marcia is spreading her love for the sport in local schools in Georgetown, namley, St Joseph High School and St. Stanislaus College. She recognises the game’s ability to develop essential qualities like strategic thinking, patience, and decision-making, which can serve students well in their academic and personal pursuits. Marcia’s journey from a shy skeptic to a pioneering complex chess advocate is truly an inspiration.
Marcia teaching beginners chess to a few students
Plant-based products for hair and beard debuts at Favor’s Hair Therapy
WHEN Falana Fraser established Favour’s Hair Therapy, it was out of love due to her son’s hair condition. Today, it has become a thriving small business empowering her to realise her true potential with her own haircare and beard products.
The products include hair oil, hair pomade, beard oil, beard wash and conditioner, edge balm, shampoo and conditioner, hair mist, beard and hair tools.
According to her selfnamed business, Favour’s Hair Therapy, “promote(s) healthy and strong growth for all hair types”. It is a small business that started in the kitchen, and it had a trial period before the products were launched.
Fraser is originally from Uitvlugt but resides at Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara. She is married and has a three-year-old son.
She explained that after the birth of her child, she noticed that he had issues with hair growth, and parts of his head were very patchy with no hair, and she wanted to change that.
Fraser led herself into detailed research, and after gaining knowledge, she experimented with some ingredients and made a hair oil from aloe, coconut oil and onion.
She began massaging the home-made oil into her son’s hair/scalp, and within a short time, she noticed a difference: his bald spots were replaced with new hair growth, and soon he had a full head of hair which could be held in a ponytail.
The transformation of her son’s once-patchy hair was replaced by full hair growth within three to four months, and today, his hair remains healthy and full.
Fraser told the Pepperpot Magazine that the positive results in her child’s hair process motivated her to make more of the plantbased hair oil and she began sharing it among family members.
The demand was great within her family tree, and one day, her father encouraged her to utilise her newfound skill to establish a small business to bring in an income to her home.
As such, in 2022, she launched her products in which the hair oil infused
with rosemary oil became the best seller. She branded her products and went about to become a registered busi-
is used in the production of the products, including essential oils.
Fraser added that as a
ness.
Fraser’s hair oil was then vetted as safe for use by the relevant authorities, certified and has its own label and packaging to market the products. She explained that the name “Favour” is a powerful Bible name which suited her small business.
small business, she operates from the confines of her home but has pick-up locations in the city and on the West Coast Demerara.
registered with the authorities is an avenue for networking and marketing the products, and it is beneficial to have all your prod -
afloat. She added that her vision is to produce top-quality, effective products and she would like to become num-
She reported that scores of people were genuinely interested in the products and even encouraged her to produce more. She was also complimented on her attractive packaging.
Fraser stated that although all the manufacturing takes place at her home, she would someday like to have a separate facility for that purpose, along with a store to sell and display her products.
“I advertise my small business via social media, that is, Facebook and Tik Tok, and I often have to produce daily content to promote my products and I can say I have a few loyal customers. I supply a few salons, spas and barber shops, the Guyana Shop and Coss Cutter Supermarket with my products in which sales have been fair,” she said.
Fraser is the holder of a degree in Public Management from the University of Guyana and is certified in law from London University.
The entrepreneur related that her products are all plant-based and give a therapeutic feeling when used and everything from plants
As a small business owner, Fraser says of all her products, three have been FDA-approved and she is working to get all certified but is registered with Guyana Marketing Corporation (GMC), GCCI and, GSMA and the Small Business Bureau.
She related that being
ucts certified, labelled, and well-packaged.
The mother of one stated that she is constantly inspired by customers and their reviews and testimonials of the products, and being a small business isn’t ‘all bed of roses’. It requires hard work, dedication, consistency and money to stay
ber one in haircare and beard oils.
“For the very first time, this year, I had a booth at the Emancipation Day celebrations in the National Park and I was pleased with the response I attracted through my products, which I am using as a motivating factor to keep going,” she said.
Being self-employed is quite empowering and she feels that there is no restraint in becoming successful in business through networking, marketing and consistency.
Fraser always represents her brand, Favour’s Hair Therapy, with her custom-made shirts and other products, which she proudly wears and display.
Falana Fraser, entrepreneur.
Favour’s Hair Therapy plant-based products (Yohan Savory photos)
Falana Fraser and her products.
‘The
harder it gets is the sweeter the victory will
be’
FOR 23-year-old Aaliyah Douglas, life is about embracing challenges and allowing them to bring out the positives in every situation. As long as something seems too difficult or makes her anxious, that’s the very thing she’d eventually decide to jump on, and, so far, she’s found that such things have led her to nothing but success.
Her latest feat was being crowned the ‘Miss Region Three Pageant 2024’ winner, which she had just happened to see on someone’s WhatsApp status. Immediately, she reflected, the thought of entering the pageant made her jittery.
“I started getting anxiety, but I told myself this is exactly why I should go for it because you never know what’s in store. So I said, win or lose, I will give it a try. I challenged myself to it and look at the outcome,” she shared in an interview with Pepperpot Magazine.
She didn’t tell people she would audition because just hearing her talk about it elicited some negative comments. So she kept it to herself, went ahead and auditioned, and got accepted.
Born and raised at Goed Fortuin, a small village on the West Bank Demerara neighbouring Schoonard and Versailles, Aaliyah is
– newly crowned ‘Miss Region Three’
an American University of Peace Studies student pursuing a professional counselling diploma.
Although she liked music, dancing and athletics since her nursery school days, she decided to put those interests on hold when she finished school to focus on work and more studies.
“I want to be a therapist and do counselling. I want to be an all-rounder and be able to assist people not only with talk therapy but to do things physically to help them. I like being involved in various things at once, keeping myself active,” she shared.
“From childhood I wanted to be independent and achieve great things for myself. That’s why I am always pushing for great things that will reward me and help me feel good about myself,” the ambitious Aaliyah, who is already a small business owner of AD Prints and Copying Centre, said.
“I was challenging myself doing things I feared and that anxiety would take me over, so I said to myself that everything I get a little anxiety about, I am going to do it because that is keeping me from achieving great things. Anxiety is a big man, so I said I am going after everything that anxiety keeps me from,” she added.
Aaliyah said she wanted
to inspire others and leave an impact. “Even though you have challenges, you can still get a good story out of it. The harder it gets is the sweeter the victory will be, so I use that as motivation to keep going.”
As she focused on the recent pageant, she also had to find time for work, studies, and her business, and even
though it got overwhelming at times, resulting in tears, Aaliyah said she pushed through, knowing that it was just for a time.
Her advice to others with similar circumstances is “Challenge yourself; come out of your comfort zone. You don’t know what you’re capable of until you step out.”
Newly crowned ‘Miss Region 3’, Aaliyah Douglas
Aaliyah makes it a point to get out her comfort zone and always finds success
Aaliyah wants to inspire others and make an impact on their lives
The night she won the pageant
Aaliyah entered the pageant to challenge herself and she won
Empowerment through entrepreneurship is worthwhile
By Michel Outridge
DOING multiple jobs to make ends meet and support her three children is a priority for small business owner Abiola Archer Clarke, who remains optimistic that she will succeed.
With the motto “Happiness is a clean and organised environment” included as part of her logo on her business card, Abiola Archer Clarke from Wismar, Linden is the small business owner of Spick and Span Cleaning Services and Supplies and would like to continue on the path to successful entrepreneurship.
The mother of three resides in Silvertown, and her small business idea was realised when she began writing grocery lists with cleaning supplies on a separate list. It started as a hobby before she began shopping for her home.
Clarke reported that she birthed the idea of creating a janitorial small business from her home. They had an unused verandah, and she converted it into a store for cleaning supplies.
Back then, she explained that she started writing shopping lists as a form of coping mechanism in 2020, but she didn’t have the funds to stock the store fully.
She, however, registered the small business with
Small Bureau for a grant of $300,000 as a starter for her business and established a cleaning service where she employed a few persons to professionally clean offices, businesses and homes.
She advertised her small business on social media and ‘word of mouth’ as news of her small business spread, and she got a few jobs.
Clarke reported that she couldn’t stock up her store with cleaning supplies, but the cleaning aspect of her small business was established, and it is still operating with four full-time staffers and two part-time workers.
She noted that she will be able to fully establish her cleaning supplies store one day, having garnered sufficient funds to do so. In the meantime, she is trying to keep the doors of her cleaning business open since she has to pay employees and manage it efficiently.
Clarke explained that whenever the cleaning services are needed, they would visit the location and assess the cleaning supplies/equipment needs and the pricing before the job is done.
She pointed out that getting contracts to do regular professional cleaning at offices has been challenging, but she has been getting a few jobs here and there, although
there is nothing permanent in the small town of Linden.
Clarke added that her small business is still growing and she is hopeful of getting permanent contracts to do professional cleaning so she can better sustain the business.
The entrepreneur told the Pepperpot Magazine that she has since registered with the Local Content Secretariat to see if she can benefit from
the oil and gas sector for professional cleaning services, but so far, nothing has materialised.
Clarke, however, remains hopeful that her small business will blossom as time goes by and that she will be recognised for providing professional, efficient, reliable services.
She would like to launch a laundromat business in Linden, but for now, she will concentrate on her cleaning service business.
Clarke is a native of Linden, and she attended McKenzie High School and after exiting the school system, she went to Linden Technical Institute for one year before she enrolled at the University of Guyana (UG), where she obtained a degree in Sociology.
Her passion was social work, and she wanted a career in that field, but due to circumstances of gaining employment in that area, she had to seek other jobs.
Although she applied to the Welfare Department, Linden branch, she could not gain employment there but hopes for a permanent job in that field where she can put her expertise to use.
Clarke stated that she is not giving up on her dream career and has been seeking employment since she graduated from UG in 2016.
However, between 2017 and 2021, she worked with the Bureau of Statistics based in Linden and had some part-time work with Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM).
“I never thought of becoming an entrepreneur, but as life happened, I had to pursue it since seeking employment is challenging and non-existent in Linden,” she said.
Clarke is a freelance writer for INFO 10, an online news outfit in Linden operated by a local journalist, but she is still looking for permanent work in sociology or other fields.
She explained that with a government job, she would be paying contributions to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), etc., and could open a bank account to get loans to expand her small business and build a network.
If it fails, she is willing to become a teacher to be gainfully employed fulltime while still managing her small business.
Abiola Archer Clarke (Delano Williams photos)
Spic and Span business card
Coming to call Circuit Area home
Work and life in Circuit Area Timehri
A FEW things are bound to come to mind when thinking about a race track. The noise of cheers, the many speeding cars and the excitement of everything. However, a small community of people think of home when they think about the race track. Circuit Area, Timehri, is a community of friendly, hard-working people who have ventured from various places around Guyana. Vernon Bevany came to Timehri, fell in love with both the community and the people, and simply stated: Talking to Pepperpot Magazine, Vernon told us whether it was the community, people, work, or something else that kept him there.
Peace and quiet are not words most think about when thinking about the South Dakota track. But this is exactly how Vernon Bevany describes his home, just shy of the famed track. Most days, the community is almost silent, with most people going about their daily lives. This way of life is perhaps what captivated Vernon on his first trip to the community. Born and raised in Beterverwagting (BV) on the East Coast of Demerara, Vernon ventured into the village as a young man seeking adventure and employment. Talking about his home, Vernon shared that, “From what I remember about BV, it was quite just like here in Circuit [Area]. I do not think it is quite [sic] anymore, though.”
While still a teenager, Vernon and three of his friends came to the newly developed Circuit Area seeking work. The group found work, and while the community was captivating, Vernon’s three friends returned home,
leaving him behind. Vernon shared his early years in the community: “At first, I came here with some of my friends from BV when we were still young. But they went back. The Circuit had just plenty of trees, and we did not have as many people as we do today. But I just liked the place, so I stayed. I found work here, got a wife, and have children here. I came here in October of 1995. I still remember when I came.” He said. Whatever it was that interested Vernon in the Circuit Area, it is clearly still there. As he explained, after settling in the community, he adapted to the way of life. Among the things he learnt was heavy-duty
machine operation. As a skilled operator, Vernon says he enjoys the work he does and has become well known over the years. Furthermore, Vernon shared that he was never formally trained for the job he does today. As he stated, “I have been operating machines for a long time now,. I never went to school for this. I just watch what other operators would do, pay attention, and do the same thing.”
Vernon, a hard-working man at heart, is among many of Timehri’s men who work outdoors and in manual labour. Vernon, for one, values hard work and is determined to continue working,
although he is more than 50 years old. As he stated, “I am already past a half-century; I am 53- years-old. But I like the work I do, and I am going to continue doing it.” He stated. Although a passionate worker, Vernon is also a family man at heart. As he shared, one of the main reasons he stayed in the community was his wife. As he stated, “I came to work and I did like it, but I met a woman; she is what really made me stay.”
Since then, the community has had some big developments, with the biggest being the drastic increase in population. According to Vernon,
more people have made Circuit Area their home in recent times. The community has its challenges, not yet being equipped with electricity or water. The people of the community utilise solar energy while various infrastructural works are happening in the area. Vernon’s ‘Circuit’ is where he calls home, and he hopes to continue doing so for a few years to come. As he stated, “I like it here in ‘Circuit.’ I don’t think I am going to move from here.
But I do go back and visit my family in BV on some weekends. But I do not think I am going to move.”
The father of three has
plans for the future and his hands are full with his three-year-old daughter. Father to two adult children, a small child now is a new adventure and challenge. As Vernon stated, “I have a three-yearold daughter now. She will be going to school in September.” Vernon is like countless people who have had their hearts stolen by quaint communities miles away from their home. Regardless of what led him to the village of Circuit Area today, Vernon has made quite a good life for himself by the track.
Vernon Bevany.
Vernon exiting one of the many machines he operates in the Timehri area ( Samuel Maughn Photos)
From Mabaruma to Timehri
Looking at what it takes to settle down somewhere new
By Shaniya Harding
WHEN 11-year-old Mai Farrier left her home in Mabaruma, she was just as excited as she was scared.
Today, the 21-year-old lives with her family in Circuit Area, Timehri. A small and peaceful community, the village is deemed one of the best places to raise a family. Mia agrees, as she spends most days at home with her one-year-old Jada. The young mother shared her story and interesting journey from her home in Mabaruma to Timehri. Along the way, she says there have been challenges,
near the Venezuelan border, home to fewer than 1,000 people, is where Mia spent most of her childhood. Mia says the community played a big role in her life and taught her most of what she knows today. Mia describes her home as quiet and rural, not too different from the village she calls home today.
Playing an even larger role was her family of 16.
The family of 14 siblings lived together and, in a similar fashion, faced their problems together. Mia explains that her love for her home runs deep, but her family faced countless challenges growing up. Talking about
but learning to accept and not look back are truly vital lessons in life, and so is looking forward.
The famed township of Mabaruma is considered by many to be the capital of Region One. A captivating place
her siblings, she said,“All of us used to live in the same house; it was not bad. That is just how we lived; it was good.”
The bright lights of Rosignol were the first things Mia remembered after leav-
ing home. As the family continued to face hard times, they began making serious sacrifices for the development of the children. Among the various steps, the family was also leaving the region.
As the youngest daughter, Mia left Mabaruma with her older sister when she was just 11. She says leaving the only home she has ever known was challenging and striking at the same time. As she stated, “Leaving Mabaruma was hard, but coming to Rosignol was a big change; the first thing I noticed was how bright the place was—the lights.” She spoke.
The move left an indelible mark on Mia. She says it was a big change and took a long time for her to get adjusted. As she stated, “Rosignol is very different from where I grew up. It had a lot more people and everything. It was a while before I got used to all of it.” She said. However, she adjusted to the change and gained a new appreciation for Berbice. Since then, Mia has lived in a few other places in Guyana, each one more new and more exciting than the last, but Circuit Area is where she began a family of her own.
With so many siblings, it is no surprise that the Mia family has spread out throughout Guyana, starting their own families in various places. When Mia came to visit another sister in Timehri, she liked the community, its peaceful nature and its loving people. A few years later, Mia has a family of her own, including her one-yearold, Jada. The mother and daughter spend most days at home, enjoying the serenity of the community without race. As she stated, “Right now, I am not working, and most days it is just me and my baby at home when my husband leaves.”
The trio makes a beautiful family and enjoys living in the community. Mia’s husband, a machine operator, finds steady work in the many sandpits of Timehri and
the Linden area. Mia expresses that the community does face its challenges. There seems to be a price to pay for peace. Mia explains that the community is home to fewer than 100 people spread out across a few miles, making being neighbourly difficult. As she stated, “The village is small; my neighbours live all the way down the road. It
could get boring sometimes.”
Mia admits that she does miss the excitement and liveliness of other communities, and in many ways, she misses her region.
“Since I left Mabaruma, I have never gone back. But I want to, and maybe I will sometime,” she shared.
Today, she calls Circuit Area home, learning about
the atmosphere and understanding the way of life in the community. Everywhere Mia has called home, someone has left something with her. Whether it is the white sand of Mabaruma, the hustle and bustle of Rosignol, or the serenity of “Circuit.” home is where the heart is.
Mia and her family at their Timehri home
Mai Farrier and her one-year-old daughter, Jada (Samuel Maughn photos)
Growing up in Circuit Area
A Timehri youth shares her challenges and big ambitions
By Shaniya Harding
CIRCUIT Area, Timehri is a small community covering just a few miles and housing just a few dozen homes. A quiet and tranquil community at heart, the village is home to just a few young people. The easy-going way of life leaves much to be desired when compared to the excitement of places like Soesdyke. Hidden several miles away from central Timehri, the Circuit Area offers tranquillity as well. However, the young people in the community wonder if it offers opportunities.
Circuit Area Timehri is one of those places where people say you can hear a pin drop. The people of this small community value peace and hold its quietness in high esteem. However, according to 23-year-old Kimberly Watson, her childhood in the village was rather mundane but still enjoyable. Kimberly is among the few people who were born and raised in the Circuit Area. She says the village is as it always was—not too many people or friends for her during her childhood. As she shared, “I grew up here in the Circuit Area. This village was always a quiet place,
even when I was small. I remember going to school and straight back; there was not much else to do in the village.”
However, although her childhood was primarily home and work, Kimberly says there were good moments throughout the years.
As she stated, “Growing up here since I was small was a bit boring, but it was good too. I enjoyed my time at school. That is where I had friends, and they made it fun.” She said. Kimberley attended a number of schools over the years, and her one regret is never graduating high school.
Journey through school
Our years in school are among the most crucial and challenging. As one of the few children in the community, Kimberly’s challenges with schooling began very early, with transportation being the biggest. As Kimberly explained, Her early years at Timehri Nursery began a long journey. As she stated, “I first attended Timehri Nursery. That was a bit difficult because we did not have transportation at that time. So a lot of time,
I would walk out.” But she did not let this challenge discourage her.
After Kimberly’s years in primary school, travelling and the vastness of Guyana again became a challenge when she was awarded a place at Dora Secondary. Although a good school, Dora Secondary is several miles away from Kimberly’s Timehri home. As she explained, “When I wrote the National Grade Six Exam, I was given Dora. I did not really appreciate the school because of where it was located. I left after a month or two and went to Supply Secondary.” Her time at Supply Secondary was well spent. This is where she was most happy, learning, and growing.
However, 2020 was a rough year for everyone. Kimberly was uprooted when school was reopened and was placed in Friendship Secondary. She explained that several challenges played a role in her decision to leave school in the fourth grade. As she stated, “I dropped out before I wrote CXC. I did not feel as though I was ready. After moving schools, it was hard to catch up.” She said. Kimberly says she is working on developing herself today.
Among her many other endeavours was craft. After high school, Kimberly got involved in crafting various items learning to make things like hand towels, tablecloths, and so on. Kimberly explained that this effort also ended prematurely: “I did not get to graduate from the crafting school. I learnt a lot of things. But because of the things happening at that time with my family and so on, I could not continue,” she said. Regardless of the countless
challenges, Kimberley intends to get a job and return to work.
Future endeavours
Getting a job as a young person could be challenging for many, and even more so without that much-needed experience. For young adults like Kimberley, ambition is as important as opportunity. She explains that she has had a few other jobs, but many were located far beyond the community. How-
ever, she does not see this as a challenge and is very optimistic about her future and potential for more. And like so many young people, I would like to see more chances to learn and grow in any capacity. As she stated, “I had a few jobs in the past, but I am looking for something else now. I would like to do something in healthcare.” Despite the challenges she has faced, Kimberly is determined to move forward.
Kimberly Watson (Samuel Maughn Photo)
Turning over a new leaf
A Timehri mother shares why she is starting fresh
By Shaniya Harding.
TUCKED behind the fast-paced races and loud voices of spectators is the lesser-known community of Circuit Area. Although there is some speculation surrounding the community’s name, most residents refer to their village simply as ‘Circuit Area’, a fitting name for the little village that overlooks the South Dakota race track. Among
the dozen or so homes and less than a hundred people is Beryl Brown.
Born and raised on the East Bank of Demerara, Beryl says her journey to Circuit Area was marked by both good and bad. After calling Circuit Area home for more than 20 years, Beryl says she is on another mission: getting a brand-new home for her and her daughter’ and giving
them both a fresh start.
Beryl explained that her first step out of Anns Grove came from her mother, who led the family to Hyde Park, another community in Timehri. Since then, Beryl says she has fallen in love with Timehri and opted to have a family of her own in the community.
As she explained, “I left Anns Grove when I was 15 because of my mom. She moved down here to Hyde Park, and I moved with her. I lived in Hyde Park, and I just stayed. I moved into the Circuit Area a long time ago, at least 23 years ago. I came here, and then my last daughter was born.” She
further added, “When I first came here, it was just calm and quiet.”
Beryl Brown is a vibrant mother and a passionate entrepreneur with much ambition. The mother of three came to the new village of Circuit Area, as many people have, through marriage and family ties. Growing up in Anns Grove on the East Coast of Demerara, Beryl says life at that time was vastly different, and to some extent, it was vastly better.
As she stated, “I am originally from Anns Grove. Growing up there was good. Most of what I remember are my small days, playing, and so on. The main difference between here, in Circuit Area, and Anns Grove is that Anns Grove was a lot brighter. It has a lot more people.”
Circuit Area and the majority of Timehri exude a quiet, easy-going atmosphere. Whether it is the simplicity of people interacting with each other at a neighbourhood shop or the silence of the race track without a race, Circuit Area is definitely a peaceful place. But this peace
is not without its challenges.
Beryl explains that the community is currently working with local law enforcement to eradicate the high number of home invasions the villagers have been victim to. As she explained, in recent times, the situation has improved with the presence of Guyana army ranks in the area.
An entrepreneur, Beryl runs a small business at her Circuit home. She explains that the business has been slow. With very little traffic and passersby other than at the Circuit, Berly says customers could be very few and far between some days. Moreover, she explained that the community’s population has seen a drastic decline.
As Beryl explains, over the years, more people have decided to leave the peace and quiet of Circuit Area’ and Beryl is no different as she plans to move as well.
For more than two decades, Beryl has called the Circuit Area home. Although she loves the village, she would like to acquire a home of her own and is on a jour-
ney to do so. After many years of living among family members and relatives, Berly believes it is time for her and her daughter to move from the community. She shared that the journey to doing this has been difficult, but she believes it is for the best. As she stated, “I like the circuit area, but the distance is too much. Right now, I am paying for my new house. I have a long way to go, but I believe I am going to make it.”
Beryl’s biggest inspiration for owning her home is her 23-year-old daughter, Kimberly. An ambitious young woman, Beryl believes leaving the community will give the family more opportunities. She admits it is no easy task, but she is determined to turn over a new leaf. As she stated, “I want to get a house for me and for my daughter.”
Beryl is like countless other mothers everywhere, always seeking to create better opportunities for their children, no matter what it takes.
Beryl in the shop she runs at her Circuit Area home
Beryl Brown (Samuel Maughn Photos)
BLACK CROWS FLYING
SHE stood at the water’s edge, her torn dress swirling around her legs, a lone figure shrouded in the shadows of the night. A foreboding silence hung over the beach as the tamed wind gently lifted the dark tresses of hair falling over her face. A pretty face it was, streaked with sand and dry tears.
A young girl in pain, alone, at the beach in the dead of the night.
What happened to her?
The deep, haunting look in her eyes, the ashen face and colourless lips told a story of something cold.
Hushed were the wind and water as something bad unfolded the night before on the sandy beach. No one heard her cries, her pleas on the deserted beach and when they were gone, a young body was left on the sand, helpless and broken.
She turned and walked back to the mangrove trees, no footprints in the sand, for late that night the pain had ebbed away like the tide, and one last tear trickled from her eyes as she took her last breath.
“How did this happen?” she cried, “They were my friends, whom I trusted to take me home.”
Her heart beat no more, and the coal-black eyes shed no more tears, but she was not going into the light, not now. It was not her time. She did not have to die, not that way. Not for someone who revered God and had good values. She was a classical dancer and a teacher, recognised for her talent and as an educator, it was all wrong, her death.
How, then, did evil interrupt her life?
No one had an answer.
All the media houses carried the story, and shock rippled through her community and the nation. The boys who had given her a ride home were held for questioning, but they all stated that they knew nothing.
Their story was that she had received a phone call on the
ly grieving family, who just couldn’t process the fact that she was no more in their lives.
On the day of her funeral, she went back home in her spiritual form to comfort her family and to confront her killers. They would be in attendance, she knew, amongst the huge turnout of mourners.
All her friends were there, those who were true, who had regrets. She saw their tears, heard their shocked whispers as prayers and songs eulogized her life. She stood amongst her family, holding her mother’s and father’s hands, hugging her brother and sister, wiping their tears.
She was supposed to have ridden home with her two friends, Aruna and Preity, that night after the cultural programme, but a late change of plans by them to go out with their boyfriends caused her to ride home instead with two male friends she knew very well. The other two boys she had met only once at a wedding reception, but they seemed like nice guys. On the way home, she had a bottle of fruit drink, and a slight drowsiness overcame her, which she thought was tiredness, but it must have been something else. She became dazed and did not notice the detour on the lonely road to the beach that would be deserted at that hour.
Betrayed by those who masqueraded as friends.
“Why? Where is my wrong?” were her soundless, agonising cries.
She looked up at the heavens and continued to cry, “You are my God. I believed in you. Where were you when I cried for help?”
The beach was silent as the lone figure sat with her head bent. There was no place in the world for her anymore.
“I died,” she moaned, “My mother and father have lost their little girl.”
A fisherman had discovered her body lying on the sand early the next morning. She stood there, unseen in her spiritual form, watching as the police cordoned off the area and canvassed the scene for clues. Word spread, and a crowd gathered, shocked and angry that such a horrible thing had happened to a decent young girl.
She had watched helplessly as her father, shocked beyond words, sank to his knees and broke down, crying as he looked at her lifeless body.
He had looked up at the heavens, his hands clasped, his voice breaking, “Why…why God? Why, my little girl?”
When the hours had gotten late last night, and she hadn’t yet come home, her phone turned off, and her mother experienced a deep feeling of dread, her father, brother and cousins had begun searching until daylight.
No one could console her father. What should she tell her mother, who was waiting at home battling her fears?
Even the heavens trembled that day at the mother’s cries for the child she had brought into this world, a blessing from
way home and asked them to stop for someone else to pick her up.
She raised her head slowly and stood up, looking at the heavens, a burning passion of pain and anger in her voice, “I will not come home, not until I have destroyed the monsters who took my honour and my life.”
She stretched her arms out, and from the abyss of death and darkness, she screamed, unleashing fury and agony.
“I call on dark forces to lend me the evil power to destroy those spawned from evil, and for that, I will give you my soul.”
The sky rumbled, the water became restless, and the wind howled as she waited under the mangrove trees.
One night, two nights passed, then on the third morning, just before the break of dawn, as the high tide rushed across the sand and the wind whistled shrilly, four black crows appeared from the far horizon. She stood up, her coal-black eyes watching as the crows drew closer and closer and alighted on the mangrove trees. Her wait was over.
The dark abyss had answered her call to fight evil with evil.
“For each new day, now,” she vowed, “stones will bleed.”
A wake had been going on at her home, and friends, family and people from everywhere had been attending to express their sympathies. There was no comfort, though, to her deep-
But they were not aware of her presence. Her mother, though, seemed to sense something and whispered, “Aryana?”
The family turned to look at her mother, and she broke down crying, “She’s here with us. My baby is here.”
The father hugged her, helping her to stay strong as the highly emotional services paid tribute to their young daughter’s life and honouring her departed soul to guide her on her final journey.
A cynical smile played on Aryana’s lips as the viewing began, and she whispered, “It’s showtime.”
Aruna and Preity just couldn’t stop crying. Such were their regrets for leaving her that night, but the fury burning in Aryana could not forgive them, so she threw out the fresh roses they brought for her. There were loud gasps from those close enough to see what happened, and the two friends stepped back, scared. Her killers were also approaching her coffin bearing red roses, and she called upon her emissaries of the dark world, “It’s time.”
The sight of the black crows, their loud cawing and wild fluttering wings, created a frightening scene as they flew circles around her coffin, then among the mourners who scattered to avoid the vicious birds. The birds were gone as fast as they came, but left in their wake were fear and shock. Never had anything of that nature happened at a funeral service. What could have triggered something so ominous was the burning question.
Aryana watched her killers hurriedly leave and smiled, cold fury in her eyes, “It’s just the beginning.”
To be continued…
God.
The shaping of Guyana through the culture of the villages
THE post-Emancipation villages were constructed to facilitate the very systems that worked in the interest of the Afro-communities from the inception of slavery, and each home and family was entitled to farmlands to the rear of the villages.
The homes were designed with accommodations for livestock and fruit trees. This had begun with the Dutch in Berbice.
The disputes in 1763 between the Creole Africans and the African populations led to many who were newly brought into slavery and were the vanguard of the revolutionary forces under Kofi. The analysis of the Creole slave population was rooted in whether the revolution would be successful in meeting the aims and ideals of the revolution or would fail, sensing that they would all be fighting not only the Dutch of Berbice. There were entire slave nations that were friendly to the Dutch in the Caribbean also, which would cause them to lose their own small farm permissions and livelihoods within slavery. These apprehensions did affect loyalties and caused subtle divisions within the 1763 Revolution, but this was, however, not the cause of its failure, but the fact that the anticipated foe was indeed the entire confederation of slave nation allies, as foreseen (see BLOOD ON THE RIVER by Marjoleine Kars). This conflict, specifically with the permissions for allowed farm space, would undoubtedly influence the plantation culture of mainly English plantations that emerged after Demerara was civilised by slave labour to accommodate facilitating food on the plantations, by and for its slave plantation populations, had become a feature of plantation existence.
Thus, Europeans also became partakers of African foods from an early age.
However, after the abolition of slavery, and the slaves had become the colonial subjects of the so-called Mother Country, other changes emerged. The post-slavery world was also rooted in new ideas and ideals. Most of these ideas were directed at the mass echelons of European divisions between the haves and the have-nots to entail the new realms of the industrial age. For example, with the European onslaught and genocide by some nations involved in the onslaught of Africa. The functional facade was Christianity, civilisation and commerce, as Sir Henry Morton Stanley indicated. “Stanley estimated that if every African in the Congo bought one Sunday dress and four everyday dresses, it would require 3,840 million yards of Manchester Cotton. worth 16 million pounds. And this did not include the cloth for winding sheets.” -see ‘THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA-by Thomas Pakenham’
This “functional façade” also applied to the older Colonies of the Caribbean. But with the arguments of the social balance of society now with intense debate, with minds like Karl Marx among others, the village farms came under new assault, “The villages of the Colony of British Guiana at once came under scrutiny and criticism. In the London Times, the cooperative village system was attacked and labelled; they were called, “little bands of socialists living in communities” Under the combined attack of the plantation and the government from outside, and the church from inside, the collective Village economy collapsed. See SCARS OF BONDAGE by Eusi Kwayana and Tchaiko Kwayana from Free Press.
The Farmer’s Association was started at Mara in Berbice in 1898 and quickly spread to Demerara and Essequibo. At the Victoria-Belfield Horticultural and Industrial Show in 1898, the Chairman went to extremes to explain that the exhibition was not promoted by the sugar plantation owners and was thus a project of their own resilience. The Village movement remains a foundation of modern Guyana.
REVISITING THE TOPIC OF MANGROVES
THIS column will again touch on Mangroves because of its importance historically, socially and economically.
When the Dutch colonisers first visited Guyana in the 17th century, they observed that Mangroves were growing along the entire coast, in some parts so thick that they could be considered mangrove forests.
The Dutch first settled on the coast and utilised the mangrove as a convenient and easy source of wood for house building, fires for cooking, and even for making boats and rafts. Only when they had cut down large stretches of mangrove and the sea had begun to come up on the land did they understand the importance of mangroves as an effective defence against the sea and flooding. They held up to their mangrove depletion, and to avoid the threat of constant flood-
ing, they began to move their settlements to the river banks towards the end of the 18th century. In 1815, when Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice finally ceded to Britain, they were united in 1831 to form the colony of British Guiana.
The British developed their colony much faster than the Dutch. Like the Dutch, they empoldered their agricultural land and built sea defences, but it was only in the 20th century, with the growth of Ecological Studies and a deeper understanding of the environment, that the full importance of mangroves came to be grasped.
The United Nations recognised the importance of mangroves by declaring a Mangrove Day each year with a relevant motto. In this year 2024, the motto is “Mangroves matter. Safeguarding our Coastal Guardians for tomorrow”.
Though this motto identifies the most important function of mangroves, that is to guard against the flooding by the sea and tidal waves and make the soil less fertile when it would have been impregnated with salt; other positives emanate from mangroves.
Mangroves provide a home for bees as well as feeding grounds since a large number of flowering plants grow among the mangroves. When hives are established in the vicinity, they provide bountiful honey supplies. Consumers much value mangrove honey.
Mangroves are a carbon sink and enhance Guyana’s efforts against climate change. They provide a livelihood for many coastal communities, one food resource being the varieties of fish that live among the mangroves. They are an ecotourism attraction with the rich biodiversity that mangrove forests offer, and the Guyana Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Agriculture are cooperating in this development. Mangrove restoration and preservation support several sustainable development goals (SDGs), to the degree that Guyana is seriously committed to achieving them.
At the recent function of unveiling the plaque at the Kingston Seawall Esplanade in commemoration of International Mangrove Day 2024, the Minister of Agriculture summarised the importance and impact of Mangroves: “Mangroves are our coastal guardians, vital to Guyana’s environmental and economic health”, he said, “they act as natural barriers against coastal erosion and surges, protecting our communities and infrastructure. With over 23,000 hectares of Mangroves, they support fisheries, livelihoods, and food security and provide habitats for diverse wildlife… Mangroves are important in sequestering carbon, enhancing efforts against climate change as outlined in Guyana’s Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030”.
The State has developed a 10-year National Mangrove Action Plan and an Inter-Agency Committee dedicated to promoting sustainable Mangrove management, and over 500 hectares of mangrove have been restored. Since 2010, over $1.9 billion has been invested in mangrove preservation and restoration, and regular injections of money are expected to be made as required. For example, $275 million has been allocated this year to rehabilitation initiatives in Regions Two and Five.
What are Green Spaces?
GREEN spaces, according to the World Health Organization, are ‘all urban land covered by vegetation of any kind’. This includes street trees, gardens, parks, landscaping around buildings, sports fields, flowerbeds, ponds, green entry-ways, green roofs, individual plants, and more. Green spaces provide long-term financial benefits as well as social and environmental gains.
Green spaces can positively affect humans’ physical health. Vegetation removes chemicals and filters particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide from the air. Noise pollution, which can harm peoples’ general well-being by causing stress, is reduced through green spaces.
Plants deflect sound, which may promote relaxation for nearby residents. Other benefits to physical health can be created by being in it, being nearby, or viewing nature.
In cities, nature provides cooling shade to neighbourhood streets, a safe harbour for pollinators, and rainwater absorption to reduce flooding. It’s widely understood that physical activity improves human health, but how parks, lakes, trees, and other urban green spaces boost physical activity and overall well-being is an unsolved piece of the puzzle.
As our world becomes more urbanised and city-centric, easily accessing outdoor natural spaces becomes increasingly challenging, especially for overburdened communities.
In a study of hospital patients, those assigned to a window with a view of trees needed less pain medication, healed faster, and were discharged more quickly than those without windows or those who only had a view of a brick wall.
Benefits
Building nature into cities can support overall health and human well-being, positively impacting mental and physical health.
Financial abuse needs more awareness
WHEN you are defining the term “abuse”, do you ever consider financial abuse in those definitions? Often, when I listen to people discuss abuse, I rarely ever hear them mention the category of financial abuse. That can be for a lot of different reasons. Perhaps people are unfamiliar that a person can be financially abused, or they simply do not accept this as a type of abuse. Whatever the reason may be, there are many studies and statistics to prove that people all across the world are being financially abused. For me, the first thing that comes to mind is when the elderly have their money or assets taken away from them without their consent. As with most cases of abuse, financial abuse also entails a struggle or imbalance of power.
Financial abuse can be overt or very unnoticeable. It is a form of family violence. Universally, I do not think enough people speak about the damaging effects financial abuse has on the victims. This is quite a powerful method that is used to “trap” victims by making them stay in an abusive relationship. Studies have shown that in 99% of the domestic violence cases that occur, financial abuse is also present. Contrary to the belief that only impoverished people can be victims of financial abuse, this form of abuse does not only affect a specific target population. In most cases, financial abuse occurs in romantic relationships where an abusive partner restricts and limits their partner’s access or ability to spend money. The “allowances” will be fewer and fewer as months go by, and the victim is often forbidden from being employed.
The abuser may use manipulation, fear tactics or even physical abuse to force these ideologies onto the victim if they do not comply. Some cases are often so extreme that even access to purchase food or visit a doctor is affected. Most times, victims are unable to leave these abusive relationships because of their lack of finances, assets or even education on financial independence and literacy. Most times, when victims leave their homes they’re either forced into a shelter or they return to their abusive partner where homelessness is not a concern. This is a key issue that needs further attention on all levels. Money gives one a sense of security and stability. Abusers use it as a tactic to control victims. If victims don’t abide by or obey them, they lose that sense of security or stability by receiving limited or no money.
This creates an unhealthy dependency. Financial abuse may also come in the form of leaving people in debt unknowingly, stealing the victim’s property, false insurance claims, evading child support or refusing to pay bills. It is not black and white. There are many ways that people can become victims of financial abuse. As such, I am pleading with you all to consider spreading awareness of what financial abuse is and let victims realise that they are indeed victims. Money is used as a powerful tool of control and oppression, and I hope that financial abuse in all of its forms is addressed effectively and efficiently at all levels.
What are Green...
Trees decrease stormwater runoff, preventing flooding and soil erosion. They also provide valuable habitats supporting biodiversity in insects, birds, other animals, and microorganisms.
Having access to green spaces has many psychological benefits. Research shows that time in nature can help lower your stress, reduce your anxiety, lessen your depression, ease
your mood disorder, lower rates of substance abuse, improve your concentration and focus, increase your feelings of calm, and recharge you emotionally.
Sustainability
From the planning aspects, urban green spaces include business, retail, leisure development, tourism development, employment centres besides residential areas, and the good planning of urban green spaces can play a role as a visual screen, a place for
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commuting and recreation by providing well-designed networks within the park and with the other areas.
Ideas for creating sustainable green spaces include the creation of public parks, mini-forests, accessible city
gardens, flower gardens, and facilitating an ‘awareness’ day.
You can share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O Communications Department,
Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: communications@epaguyana.org. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel.
THOUGHT FOR TODAY
Tell me not in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream! HENRY WADSWORTH LONG- FELLOW (1807-1882) A Psalm of Life
STUDY SUCCESS
Dear Student, Welcome dear friend.
Sometimes you receiveguidanceto reach a detailed comprehension of the text throughcompletinga dia -
AUGUST 11, 2024
gram (text relating to document). You receive a map, not to relate to it freely (like looking at a mere illustration), but to doa specific activity. You work with several given words from within the text that describe places and relate them to parts of the map. This accuracy activity requiresthe reader to closelyscrutinise the passage. Be wise.
Love you.
IMPROVING WRITING
Writing a loving story
a) How stories get written! Friends, what makes you want to continue reading something you have started reading? Can you describe how the author captured your interest? How did he set about doing it to you, his reader? Why can some people constantly write good stories and others just simply cannot?
b) Observe good storytellers!
How did a writer ever think about a running vine that bears all kinds of root crops, or even finding a lakeside of semiprecious stones? Maybe one study partner would say, “He put his imagination into gear.” Maybe another would say, “He let his imagination run wild.” Whatever is the trajectory, a good, readable, and much liked story resulted.
You, young writers, can soon become interesting authors when an earnest pen touches paper and there is no stopping until the story is told.
c) Get on with your consistent writing! There are kinds of experiences, places and people you have preference for. They fill an important place in your mind. But have you really fleshed out any of them, especially the people and places?
What can you say about their importance to engage readership? Think carefully before you tell your study partners.
d) Get on with your wide reading!
Here are some people,important enough to be written about by their writers. You might have already met them in your wide reading of stories. Notice thesecues as you read: the use of language, the word skills, the era, and the buildup of mind pictures.
What to Do
Observe how each character is put against the other to create conflict, struggle, and plot in each of the twopieces set out below.
1....and his only alternative to escape from the labour of the farm and the clamour of his wife, was to take a gun in hand, and stroll away into the woods. Here he would
sometimes seat himself at the foot of a tree and share the contents of his wallet with Wolf, with whom he sympathised as a fellow-sufferer in persecution. “Poor Wolf,” he would say, “thy mistress leads thee a dog’s life of it; but never mind, my lad, whilst I live, thou shalt never want a friend to stand by thee!” What do you call this kind of guy? Can you play on his characteristics for a lively story? Do it. I think you can if you mine your thoughts hard enough.
2. His head was small, and flat at top, with huge ears, large, green, glassy eyes, and a long, snip nose, so that it looked like a weathercock perched upon his spindle neck to tell which way the wind blew. To see him striding along the profile of a hill on a windy day, with his clothes bagging and fluttering about him, one might have mistaken him for the genius of Famine descending upon the earth or some scarecrow eloped from a cornfield.
Who is this odd-looking creature? What phenomenon is being described? Are you noticing clues to latch on to for your good story? Do one.
GRAMMAR PRACTICE
Uses of the full stop punctuation
Note: A full stop, also known as a period, is chiefly usedto end a sentence. It is mostly used at the end of declarative sentences (sentencesthat make astatementor states a fact) and imperative sentences (sentences used to express commands/orders or requests and also to give instructions or some advice). Imperative sentences do not require a subject.
A full stop marks a longer pause than a comma and a semicolon. Furthermore, it marks the end of a thought and the beginning of another.
Something to Do
Put the necessary full stops in the following sentences. Sometimes the full stop has been left out; sometimes a comma has been put where a full stop is really needed. See the example below.
After I had knocked away some bricks, I managed to get through the hole the sight that met my eyes startled me
After I had knocked away some bricks, I managed to get through the hole. The sight that met my eyes startled me.
a) When Mr. Richards came out to breakfast he told his wife Veronica that he was going to make a short trip in his new car the trip started at ten o’clock
b) Report to the captain he expects you
c) Below them appeared a man with a rifle, he fired at them, the bullets pierced the side of the car, and the vehicle began to lose speed rapidly
READING: Context clues
Hurricane Charley, a category four storm with winds up to 145 miles per hour, moved in from the Gulf of Mexico and struck southwest Florida on August 13, 2004. Before it hit, newscasters warned residents that the formidable storm was approaching. People who lived in certain areas had to evacuate to be safe. The hurricane made landfall at Fort Myers, a southwest Florida city, and then tracked across the state. Then, the hurricane moved out into the Atlantic and northward along the east coast.
1. What does “formidable” mean?
A) forthcoming B) disturbing C) powerful D) tropical
2. All the context clues help you determine the meaning of “formidable” except
A) residents had to evacuate to be safe B) 145 mph winds
C) the direction of the storm was northeast D) newscasters issuing a warning to residents
Dental treatment and Medical disease
PEOPLE must be aware of the importance of dentists knowing their medical history (for example, diabetes and heart disease) to determine whether the patient is fit enough to undergo certain procedures.
No patient should suffer any deterioration of health because of dental treatment. It is, therefore, essential to establish as clearly as possible, within practical limitations of dental practice, the presence and significance of medical problems likely to affect oral care.
The health and life expectancy in many countries are increasing, mainly because of improved social conditions, preventative medicine, the improved ability to treat the main killing diseases – myocardial infarction (heart attack), cerebrovascular accidents (stroke) and improvements in the medical care of hitherto fatal diseases.
There are also relatively new diseases, such as AIDS, COVID-19 and a range of other problems because of advances in medical and surgical care. Thus, more people are surviving with chronic illness, and the population of elderly people is increasing.
Oral health care has not always been forthcoming for patients with medical problems, and oral diseases are not always recognised as part of a generalised disorder.
There is little, if any, excuse for dentists’ unwillingness to care for seriously ill patients, as it would be a clear professional error.
Compromised persons present, in general, few special treatment problems for the dental practitioner working with local analgesics only. Notwithstanding, although in rare circumstances, patients can die because of sequelae resulting from lack of oral health care. This is apart from the fact that death is relatively common in persons lacking the diagnosis and treatment of oral lesions, which may eventually prove to be cancerous.
The prevalence of medical disorders that might affect dental treatment depends on the type of patient. Although everyone should be questioned on their medical history, the elderly, handicapped and the hospitalised should be especially medically assessed before dental treatment.
In societies where it is common for patients to request to have their treatment done under general anesthesia, there is a greater need to carry out a medical examination. It should be noted that even though dental fear and anxiety are totally eliminated because the patient is asleep during dental procedures, the serious medical risk involved when general anaesthesia is induced should be a concern. In my opinion, dental fear and anxiety are not sufficient justification for the use of general anaesthesia in dentistry.
The primary reason it is so essential for medical assessment to be done on a patient seeking medical treatment is that many dental procedures can negatively impact patients’ wellbeing when certain medical conditions exist. In this country, because it is not usual for a patient to sue a dentist for malpractice or professional negligence, dentists generally disregard their duty to screen their patients adequately. Another major reason is that Guyanese dental patients are not accustomed to having their dentist request heart tests, blood and urine tests, etc., or be questioned about their medical history. When this is done, patients often consider it as inappropriate. This is an unfortunate reality; patients themselves should do their own screening for their own good or voluntarily submit information on their general health to the dental practitioner.
