Pepper pot 07 17 2016

â–ş Page XXIII

President David Granger’s rise to political power may have seemed unlikely even a decade ago, to his wife, First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger. In an interview with Lloyda Garrett, his Public Information and Press Services Officer, the President gave a rare candid insight into his life, his family, and the decisions that influenced him to seek the presidency.

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Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016

An Introduction to Imam Baksh

By Subraj Singh

I

mam Baksh is one of the newest writers to emerge from Guyana. His first novel, Children of the Spider, written for children and young people, won the Burt Award for Caribbean Literature in 2015 when it was submitted as a manuscript. Imam described himself as “moderately happy” after the win simply because, according to him, there was still a lot of doubt in his mind because, at the time, the book had not yet found an audience and one of his primary goals as a writer is

to ensure that readers are the ones granted the emotional experience offered by the book. After winning the Award, Imam’s novel has now been published by the Jamaican-based publishing house, Blue Moon Books, under its imprint, Blouse and Skirt Books, and was officially released on Friday, July 15th 2016.

The novel falls into the fantasy genre, relying on Caribbean folklore and Caribbean society in order to tell its tale. The story follows a young

girl named Mayali, as she escapes from the land of Zolpash and comes to Guyana in an effort to find her father. On her journey, she meets many friends and helpers and battles many enemies.

The novel is quite entertaining and offers Guyanese children the extremely rare opportunity to read a novel that is set in their own country, using their folk traditions, with characters who behave and sound like people they might actually know.

With his first novel,

the writer says that he hopes people can gain the experience of having lived as another person for a while when they read Children of the Spider, with the further hope that the reader can understand the social problems in the world of the characters, which, it should be noted, are also problems that exist in the very real world that the readers live in.

It should not come

Imam Baksh

(Book cover of Children of the Spider)

► Continued on page III

Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016

III

► From page II as a surprise that Imam writes for children, since he was very clear memories of himself as both a reader and a writer when he himself was a youngster. He says that he started writing since he was five years old and attempted, but didn’t succeed, at writing his first novel when he was twelve years old. Unusually, his favourite book to recommend to people is a children’s book, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Expury. Imam says that he also dabbled in writing fan fiction early on and only began to take writing seriously when he was twenty one and aimed to write short stories that could be sold to magazines and anthologies.

Despite having won awards for his writing, Imam does suffer from the same fears all writers have, as when probed about the worst part of the writing process he says that it is “the uncertainty about the quality of what you’re writing.”

Conversely, like all writers know, and perhaps are the very reasons why they write, are the good moments in the writing process, the best parts, with each writer claiming something special from the process for him/herself. For Imam, the best thing about his own writing process is the puzzle-solving effect of figuring out scenes, of sorting actions, dialogue and connections, and feeling those “happy explosions” in your brain once it has all been worked out. For Imam, the writing process also includes receiving feedback on the draft of the work at various stages in the creation of the text.

He maintains that the names of such people do not matter since “it is often different people at different times.” However, he does make the point

on the necessity of writers to receive feedback from readers and people close to them, noting the importance of giving a wide cross-section of trusted readers previews of the work. On the matter of receiving feedback while writing, Imam offers up the known rule of thumb which states that “if one person tells you they didn’t like something in your work, then it probably wasn’t to their tastes; but if five people tell you about it, then you probably need to figure out why it’s not working.”

Imam also offered up his opinion on the current literary climate in Guyana. He opines that many Guyanese writers may fail to succeed because they do not offer enough importance to the story.

He further expounded on this observation by stating that “they are too focused on the message and the agenda at the cost of an entertaining story.”

Although he does think Guyanese writers are everywhere, he does feel that Essequibo (Imam is a native of that county) can sometimes “be too isolated in many ways to feel like you’re a part of a national conversation” – a statement which is perhaps ironic, considering that Essequibo is the larg-

Imam, flanked by the second and third place winners of the Burt Award last year (Image via: BocasLitFest.com) est of our three counties, but definitely highlights the fact that there is good creative work being done not only in Georgetown and the areas in close proximity to the capital.

On the matter of whether Guyanese are supportive of their writers, Imam says that the people of our country “like the idea of writing and literacy” and that they “respect the intelligence and labour behind writing”, but at the same time he admits that he does not know whether they enjoy books

enough to support writers financially.

Imam Baksh studied at Queen’s College in the nineties, and then moved on to study English at the University of Guyana and Education at the University of Toronto before starting to work as a teacher. He described his high school as “a place filled with knowledgeable and expressive people” and that this was one of the factors which resulted in him learning to express himself in different ways – whether it

be through the telling of jokes or having debates.

Imam considers dialogue to be a strength of his writing and much of what he knows about dialogue and the way people speak was learnt during his days at Queen’s College. Interestingly, his next novel, which is described by the author as “an ole higue story” is set at the school and is entitled The Demise of the Queen’s College Ad-

venture Club.

Imam believes that young writers, in order to be successful must be open to criticism and must seek avenues for criticism. He also warns against hoarding ideas, saving them for when the writer believes they will be a better writer, and encourages young people to write now, pointing out that good ideas always replenish themselves.

IV

Cinemas, movies, and Guyanese society (Part 4)

B

By Terence Roberts y the 1980s, when the circulation of classic Hollywood films and subtitled European films from Italy and France began to end in Guyana, due to both new national ideological priorities, and inventories by film studios with plans for the video-cassette revolution, all the local Georgetown booking offices for such film studios were closed, and thousands of these film reels stored in George-

town were shipped back to the Metropolitan countries.

So intrinsic to the intellectual and social growth of Guyanese society was this cinematic period which lasted at least six decades that the negative effect of its absence would be felt on: (1) Both the self-pride cultivated by creating personal fashions, and an open-minded social attitude and behaviour among individuals; (2) the previous ability of citizens to accept their collective national identity as preferable to promoting insular ethnic values; (3) On the unguided behaviour of

Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016

a new post-1980s generation of Guyanese, some of whom went abroad and ended up in unlawful activities, incarceration, and deportation.

A large part of the inspiration behind a prior gentlemanly and debonair, ambitious â–ş Continued on page V

Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016 â–ş From page IV and cultured (even when adventurous) attitude of Guyanese men and women between the 1920s and 70s came from the massive amount of classic film culture they consumed collectively during those decades.

The whole idealistic point of such films aimed to capture not just the price of cinema tickets, but offer a model, or standard of attractive characterization, one gained by emulating in some benign manner, actors like Ronald Coleman, Dana Andrews, Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, James Stewart, Tyrone Power, Joel McCrea, Clark Gable, Gregory Peck, Montgomery Clift, Rock Hudson, Randolph Scott, Sidney Poitier or Harry Belafonte, in most of their film roles.

To a large extent these actors led the way in providing examples of male sensitivity, reform, humility, stoic optimism, humour, tolerance, family values, fair play, kindness, ambition, and innovation, in films like: Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939); Random Harvest (1942); Only Angels Have Wings (1939); The Awful Truth (1937); The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946); Daisy Kenyon (1947); Gentleman's Agreement (1947); The Hucksters (1947); Any Number Can Play (1949); Seven Men From Now (1956); Man Of the West (1958); Ride Lonesome (1959); Westbound (1959); Comanche Station (1960); The Misfits (1961).

Other actors like Robert Taylor, John Garfield, Charleston Heston, Richard Widmark, Paul Newman, Anthony Quinn, Laurence Harvey, alerted Guyanese male film viewers to the hasty, stubborn personality traits that could turn them into egotistical and macho men, mentally unbalanced individuals, corrupt professionals, racists, rapists, or ruthless social climbers and schemers.

All characterizations profoundly explored in insightful films like: The

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Naked jungle (1954); Party Girl (1958); The Far Horizons (1953); Body And Soul (1947); No Way Out (1950); Night And The City (1950); Room At The Top (1958); Last Train From Gunhill (1959); Take A Giant Step (1960); One Potato, Two Potato (1964) etc.

The absorption and comprehension of such films, sometimes seen more than once because the opportunity existed via their rerun circulation locally, made a previous older generation of Guyanese men who went abroad to Metropolitan countries in the 1950s and 60s, able to handle such Metropolitan societies with a prepared and strong experienced mentality, which in turn helped them to avoid criminality.

Whereas it seems many of a younger generation who were born after the 1970s, when the opportunity to see these films in Guyana had ended, drifted into wayward circles, drug trafficking, addiction, and criminality abroad, and were often deported; a development unheard of among previous generations of Guyanese immigrants.

For Guyanese who lived in the hinterland and along the coastal rural countryside, who were involved mainly in a proletarian agricultural lifestyle, the process of their social education and refinement involving multi-cultural communities and environment, race mixing, etc, could not be explored or taught only by schools, churches, temples, mosques, or community leaders, since such an experience was too new, expansive, and sensitive. The broad narrative content of numerous classic Hollywood films therefore staged countless examples of personal and social problems, while opening knowledge far beyond the various inherited one-dimensional interests of such rural districts.

The country cinema therefore became a major site where local rural and ethnic relevance was found in films with similar Western frontier communities, for example: wooden dry goods stores stacked with raw produce and materials, community gossip, superstitions, bigotries, stereotyping, etc.

Films like: Barbary Coast (1935); The Grapes of Wrath (1940); How Green Was My Valley (1941); Canyon Passage (1946); Duel in the Sun (1947); Broken Arrow (1950); The Big Sky (1952); Shane (1953); East of Sumatra (1953); Return To Paradise (1953); Bad Day At Blackrock (1954); Apache (1954); Taza Son Of Cochise (1954); Broken Lance (1954); Cattle Queen of Montana (1954); Apache Woman (1955); The Far Horizons (1955); The Rains of Ranchipur (1955); East of Eden (1955); Foxfire (1955); Oklahoma (1955); Giant (1956); The Spanish Gardener (1956); Island in the Sun (1957); The Big Country (1958); The Sheepman (1958); God's little Acre (1958); Porgy and Bess (1959); The Fugitive Kind (1959); The Old Man and the Sea (1959); Wild River (1960), etc. The proof that such films appeared in Guyanese cinemas between the 1930s and 70s, exists in local newspapers of those decades.

The damaging gap left in the continued refinement of Guyanese society due to the end of such selected film programs in Guyanese cinemas, also encouraged the increase of insular ethnic cultural acts after cinemas lost their original owners and were converted by new owners into venues for East Indian films alone, especially in neighbourhoods of multi-cultural and multi-racial citizens who were the majority of previous patrons.

Obviously attendance dropped, since such ethnic films from India (which in any case appeared at special programmes almost every cinema offered), did not possess, or contain, the broad relevance of diverse races and cultures interacting, or the social subject matter of classic American cinema, which all Guyanese were accustomed to and which also matched the national reality they shared.

As regards the ability of these past Hollywood films to analyse and explore the various motivations and solutions to criminal activities, Guyanese society in the past was saved much of the senseless violence and criminality it contains today. To look at: Ladies They Talk About (1935); The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946); White heat (1949); Johnny Eager (1942); The Asphalt Jungle (1950); Night And The City (1950); Party Girl (1958); Seven Thieves (1960); Cry Tough (1959); Once A Thief (1960), provides just a sample of films which defuse potential crime motivations which seduce the gullible today; also such films, along with recent new ones like : Bullitt (1968); Serpico (1974); Heat (1995); or Crash (2004), are perfect educational entertainment of specific film programs for Guyanese prison inmates, police, and other law makers today.

Up to the end of the 1970s Guyanese society was filled with intellectual interests and an optimism generated by the exciting, constant, public showing of such films in local cinemas. Even after the destructive political and racial violence of the early 1960s, Guyanese society quickly returned to everyday normality under the daily social guidance of such films in its cinemas. It would turn out to be the last wave in a golden age of Guyanese patronage of classic international film culture which needs to be once again locally known and understood.

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Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016

Erik Larson’s

By Subraj Singh

The Devil in the White City The Devil in the White city: Murder, Magic and Madness at the Fair that Changed America was written by Erik Larson and falls into the genre of non-fiction literature. The book deals with two equally fascinating aspects of American history that both occurred around the same time in the late 1800s.

The first of the two major topics in the book is the building of the “1983 World’s Fair” in Chicago. Interestingly, not a lot of people know about the World’s Fair and yet, it remains one of the most intriguing and truly glorious accomplishments of its time. The Fair was originally meant to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the New World. However, as the ideas came and grew, the Fair became much more than that. It became an entire city, painted mostly white, occupying hundreds of acres of land, with hundreds of buildings and attractions, which attracted people from all over the world. Larson’s novel tells with excruciating detail, through obvious extensive research, everything about the Fair, including interesting tidbits such as: Walt Disney’s father working was a construction worker during the building process, the original Ferris Wheel hosted in the White City and raining down nuts and bolts on spectators that were left on top of it by the mechanics and carpenters when it went for its first spin, and the animosity, delays and sheer bad luck that almost made the Fair a failure.

The second major entity the book focuses on is that of H.H. Holmes, a man who is widely regarded as America’s first documented, and one of the most prolific, serial killers. Holmes used the influx of visitors to the Fair as an opportunity to collect victims, and built the infamous World’s Fair Hotel where many of his victims, who were mostly women attracted to Holmes by his good looks and charm, met their demise. Holmes’ hotel contained hidden chambers, soundproof rooms, furnaces, tunnels, and various other mechanisms that were to ensure the continued success of Holmes’ career as a killer.

Larson’s book, therefore, tries to tell two stories at the same time, offering up both the stories of the World’s Fair and of H.H. Holmes. Therein can be found the main fault of the book. The two stories, despite being connected by the singular event that is the Fair never really gel well together and what we end up reading are two distinctive stories told in alternating chapters. There are moments, when one is forced to wonder whether if reading all the chapters on the World’s Fair on their own and then reading all the chapters on Holmes would have made the book as interesting as it should have been.

Then there’s the matter of Larson’s style. Although he is writing of non-fictional events and people, there is a sort of “novelization” of what is being written about, which has raised the question on whether the book is more speculative than factual. Overall, the book does present two topics that should be of immense interest to anyone interested in history or serial killers, and such people will enjoy the book.

(Vintage Books, 2004)

Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016

HIV pill could cut infections in gay, bisexual men by a third (Reuters Health) - The rate of new HIV infections among gay and bisexual men could drop by up to a third over the next decade if enough eligible men take a drug that protects against the virus, researchers estimate.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, eligible gay and bisexual men meet any of three criteria: they have unprotected anal sex in a monogamous relationship with a partner not recently tested for HIV, or they have unprotected anal sex with a partner outside

of a monogamous relationship or they have any anal sex with someone who is HIV positive.

Getting the drug, known as Truvada and manufactured by Gilead, to 40 percent of high-risk men would prevent 1,162 infections among every 100,000 gay and bisexual men over 10 years, researchers estimate in The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

The daily pill is a combination of two antiretroviral drugs that work to keep the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, from repro-

ducing in the body. Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2012, Truvada is often just referred to as PrEP, which stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis.

"We were all interested in estimating the public health impact and efficiency of PrEP," said Samuel Jenness, the study's lead author from Emory University in Atlanta.

Jenness and colleagues point out that PrEP is 92 percent effective in preventing HIV infections.

To see how PrEP might change the number of new infections over the next

decade, the researchers used a mathematical model that took into account HIV transmission rates among men who have sex with men and the CDC guidelines.

They ran several scenarios through the model and found that getting PrEP to 40 percent of eligible men - and having 62 percent stick to the daily regimen - would avert 33 percent of expected infections among all gay

VII and bisexual men in the U.S. over the next decade, compared to a scenario in which the drug was not available.

Getting PrEP to 10 percent of eligible men would avert about 11 percent of expected new infections, and increasing coverage all the way to 90 percent would avert about half of cases, the researchers calculated.

In a scenario where 40 percent of eligible men take PrEP, the researchers say, having 25 men taking the pill every day would prevent one new HIV infection.

Counseling men on adhering to the daily pill would maximize the public health investment by decreasing the number of men needed to treat to prevent one infection, they add.

Jenness told Reuters Health that currently, 5 percent to 10 percent of gay and bisexual men take PrEP. In an editorial published with the study, an HIV expert said he's not sure it's actually possible to get 40 percent of eligible gay and bisexual men to take PrEP. "However, PrEP studies from the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and other high-income countries are showing that those who seek out PrEP have substantial HIV risk and adhere well, resulting in near elimination of HIV acquisition," writes Dr. Jared Baeten, of the University of Washington in Seattle.

Those results show the men currently starting PrEP are good candidates, he said.

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Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016

The 1982 murder of Bartica waitress Nastawantee Persaud

I

N 1984 , the Guyana Court of Appeal found that a High Court judge usurped the functions of the jury in a murder trial when, instead of sending the matter to them, he found murder accused Alvin Mitchell not guilty of the murder of 32-year old waitress Nastawantee Persaud on defence no-case submissions.

He then directed the jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty in favour of the accused, who he subsequently discharged.

The then Director of Public Prosecutions, believing that the circumstances of the case required the judge to send the case to the jury for a verdict, utilized the DPP’s power under the law to request the Appellate Court to review the matter.

Consequently, the Guyana Court of Appeal, constituted by Chancellor Keith Massiah and Justices of Appeal Mr. Charles Fung-A-Fat and Mr. Frank Vieira who carried out the review, was critical of the judge’s action, as being irregular It was pointed out by the appellate court that where the defendant in a criminal proceedings submits a plea of no-case to answer at (or before) the end of the prosecution case the trial judge ought to send the case to the jury if, in his opinion, there is sufficient evidence on which a reasonable jury (properly directed) might (in the judge’s view ) convict , if, however, the evidence is so unsatisfactory, or unsound that no reasonable jury could convict on it, or if the evidence, (even if all of it is believed ) is so weak, tenuous or insufficient that it cannot yield a lawful conviction, the trial judge should withdraw the case and direct the acquittal of the defendant.

Chancellor Massiah noted that the evidence in the court supported the view that the jury should have been asked to decide the fate of the accused referred to 35 cases in support of the Appellate Court’s judgment including that of R.V. Hookoomchand and Sagur (1897) LRBG 12 .

At the review, Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Mr. Ian Chang, S.C. with Mr. Albert Baldeo, represented the DPP while Mr. David Wray appeared for Mitchell.

Under the heading “Reference by Director of Public Prosecutions” it was said that Alvin Mitchell was indicted with murder. At the close of the prosecution’s case, he submitted that there was no case to answer. The trial judge upheld the submission and directed the jury to return a verdict of “Not Guilty.”

The Director of Public Prosecutions of Guyana referred the following question to the Court of Appeal: “Was the trial judge correct in law on the evidence led by the prosecution in this case in ruling that a case had not been established requiring the accused person to lead a defence?”

Setting out the facts in his judgment, Chancellor Massiah said: “At about 8:30 a. m on Sunday, 7th February 1982, a party of policemen attached to the

Bartica Police Station made a macabre discovery at 2 Miles, Bartica-Potaro-Road.

There, in a clump of bushes about ten feet from the road where they discovered the dead body of 33-year-old Nastawantee Persaud. The body, clothed in a blouse that was unbuttoned, face upwards, was exposed from the waist down for the skirt was raised and the under garment was missing. The legs were spread apart, and there oozed from the vagina what appeared to be blood.

There was grass in the pubic area. Several injuries were seen.

Shortly before they made the discovery, the police party had come across a number of articles which were identified as the property of the deceased by

Lilapattie Romohan, the niece of the deceased .

Among the articles found was a shoulder-bag which was lying on the road . On the bag were what appeared to be drops of blood. About five feet away, in a clump of bushes, a pair of yellow panties was found. Attached to it was a sanitary napkin. What appeared to be blood was seen both on the panties and the napkin. Nearby was a girdle.

The police party, which Lilapattie Romohan accompanied to the Bartica-Potaro road had been galvanised into action when Romohan reported to the police station on the morning of February 7, 1982 that her aunt was missing from home .

At about 3 a.m., Romohan , one Waveney Gill and the deceased , together left the Nest Discotheque in Fifth Avenue, Bartica , where they worked as waitresses.

Romohan and her companions had worked the night shift and were on their way to the deceased’s home in Fourth Avenue where they all lived.

On their way home, they met Alvin Mitchell who was driving a land rover. Three other men were in the vehicle. Mitchell was a regular patron of the Nest, and the night before he was seen there at a dance.

Mitchell offered to take them home on the vehicle.

Gill and Romohan declined the offer. After some apparent hesitation, the deceased accepted, declaring to her companions that she would reach home faster

By George Barclay than they.

Her expectations never materialized , for when Gill and Romohan reached home on foot they discovered to their consternation that the house was securely locked and that the deceased had not arrived there.

Overcome by tiredness, they soon fell sleep.

When Romohan awoke that morning at about 7 a.m. the deceased was still not there. Naturally, Romohan became alarmed. She then went to her uncle’s home and inquired about the deceased but there she learnt nothing.

She next went to the Bartica Police Station and reported the matter. It was then about 8 a.m. The police left soon after for 1 ½ Miles, for Bartica-Potaro road, on the strength of what one Benjamin had told them, and they found the articles already mentioned about; shortly afterwards they discovered the dead body of the deceased.

The cumulative circumstance led the police to conclude that the deceased had been murdered.

Suspicion fell on Alvin Mitchell (the person last known to have been with her ) who by then had hastily fled to Georgetown. He was arrested there on 8th February, 1982 and taken to Bartica Police Station on 11th February where he was duly charged with murder.

Mitchell was subsequently indicted with murder and faced his trial at the criminal assizes in Georgetown in January, 1984. The evidence against him was almost wholly circumstantial. At the close of the prosecution’s case, counsel for Mitchell submitted that there was no case to answer. The prosecution vigorously contended that there was. The trial judge upheld the submissions and formally directed the jury to return a verdict of “Not Guilty” and Mitchell was accordingly discharged.

The Appellate Court, in reviewing the case as requested by the DPP, concluded that “When regard is paid to all those events and evidentiary circumstances it seems to me clear beyond peradventure that there is sufficient evidence on which a reasonable jury properly directed might have convicted Mitchell.”

According to Chancellor Massiah, “ That satisfies me the test in Hookkoomchand and all the other kindred cases which explain the relevant Common law position, including of course, the local cases that gave benediction to Hookoomchand.

“Whether the jury would have convicted Mitchell is not a consideration that properly comes within my purview. The evidence is sufficient on which they might have done so and that is enough for present purposes.”

Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016

The Parking CONSUMER meter scheme CONCERNS:

S

everal consumers as well as members of our Committee have been calling upon us to make a statement about the proposed establishment of a system of parking meters in Georgetown.

We had so far refrained from making any statement on the issue because we did not have any detailed information about its operation.

We were, of course, fully acquainted with the various views on the issue which had been so vigorously ventilated in the press but these tended to be concerned with legal or statutory issues. In this offering, we shall confine ourselves to those issues of immediate concern to consumers.

The raison d'etre of parking meters is to prevent traffic congestion in downtown areas of cities where commercial and other business activities are transacted. It also establishes more orderly and fairer parking.

If such business activities do not take place in other areas, as for example residential areas, then there is no need for meters. Accordingly, before a parking meter scheme is implemented in Georgetown, maps should be issued showing the areas and streets which are to be metered.

GECOM had recently published a number of maps of the various areas of the City for the last Local Government Elections and these may be useful to the Parking Meter Company.

The City Council, or whatever Authority would be responsible for overseeing the scheme, would have to ensure that the meters are calibrated.

This would ensure that

the timing devices are accurate and also that old or second-hand castoffs are not installed in Georgetown.

The Committee checking on the calibration would include representatives from the National Bureau of Standards and the Police. Every year the accuracy of the meters has to be tested, preferably by the Bureau of Standards.

In installing the meters, care must be taken to ensure that the ingress and egress of householders and business places are not impeded. If this is not done at the outset, lawsuits of various kinds could result.

Bus terminals and bus stops should be exempt from metering, since if they were, this would result in daily chaos and confusion in such places as both bus operators and commuters could see no reason why buses should pay for providing a public service and why fares should be increased by the operators having to pass on the metered charges to them.

Taxis waiting in the taxi ranks should also be exempted and this would cause no problem since the established taxi ranks in the City are very few.

Around the hospitals and Law Courts should not be metered. People go to the hospitals to take a sick person for treatment or to take the discharge of a patient. They may even go to receive treatment for themselves.

And the taxis which wait around the hospitals provide a very necessary service to the sick and their relatives who are mostly poorer folk who do not have cars.

Litigants and witnesses attending the Law Courts do not go there willingly, and at both the hospitals

and Courts, waiting for lengthy periods is a norm.

In similar vein, parking around the National Insurance offices should be exempt.

Sometimes cars, bikes and other vehicles have to be towed away from the meters for a number of reasons. If such has to be done, it is expected that the metering company has a safe and accessible station where such vehicles are kept.

And in towing away, care should be exercised not to damage the vehicle.

Most important, the

PAT DIAL parking fees charged cannot be exorbitant but must be affordable.

So far, from what has

been carried in the newspapers, the Company has arrived at its charges by computing its profits on the basis of cost of service plus 20% for City Hall.

The public's interest has not been factored in this equation.

On the face of it, therefore, it seems the company is planning to make a profit of at least 40% to 50%; no company in Guyana makes that kind of profit margin. It would seem that a new formula for charges has to be

IX

worked out and this could be done by the Company, the M&TC, the Private Sector and the Ministry of Business.

These are some of the major concerns of the consumers. They can all be successfully addressed and allow the Company to make a fair profit and also the consumers to be more comfortable. Some of these requirements could be included in the Agreement between the Company and Mayor and City Council.

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Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016

Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016

XI

A guide to getting started online (Pt. 1)

L

ast week’s article focused mainly on my own experiences using social media as a marketing tool for my work and how much those platforms have changed over time, forcing creatives into the “pay or punish” box. Now, while I’m positive that most entrepreneurs and business execs would’ve been familiar with the content I wrote, I’m not entirely certain my art colleagues were able to follow. And this is by no means any fault of theirs.

In fact, it would be indicative of our failure to adequately prepare those artists for the fastpaced world of art sales and marketing. As I’ve said before on many occasions, the education system has failed to teach them that they will have to learn to do a lot more than just make art in order to achieve a sustainable practice. So I’m here to use this platform to fill those gaps whenever possible.

As a creative practitioner, one of the most important investments you will ever make in your career is a good laptop. Before you consider anything else, this should be your priority.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell head from tail about anything that isn’t a MacBook because this is all I’ve ever owned. So I can’t suggest alternatives that are less pricey and are comparable in terms of performance. Although Apple products are notoriously difficult and annoying to work with at times, once you get past the hoops the performance overshadows any of those issues (or maybe that’s my own bias).

Once you’ve got your laptop, you will need to equip it with the relevant software. I’m partial to the Adobe Suite because it has everything you will ever need including Photoshop, Illustrator and Premier. These will be crucial when the time comes to edit and curate your content before publishing online.

In addition to a really good laptop, you will also need a DSLR camera, an external hard drive and a flash drive. At this point you’re probably wondering why you should expense yourself buying these items. Well, it’s really very simple. If you’re considering an online presence then you need to invest in the tools that will give you the most professional image.

Taking photographs of your work with your cellphone tells your online audience that you’re not serious about your work and that you don’t care enough to make the effort to present high quality images. Cellphone photographs are okay if you’re uploading them to your blog, but any professional art listing or website would require a lot more effort.

And when enough time has passed after you would’ve taught yourself how to use the camera, you might also need to invest in an external flash, tripod, lights, soft boxes, reflectors and backdrops, depending on the type of work you do.

Now, I don’t think I need to explain why you should have, at the very least, one flash drive (64 or 128GB). However, what I will emphasize is the need for an external hard drive. As a creative practitioner, you will be making work continuously, taking photographs and creating content as you develop your various bodies of work. Depending on your laptop to safely house your material for the rest of your life, is asking for trouble. Laptops are extremely unpredictable. They overheat, they freeze, they crash and they have the potential to erase your entire career as if it never existed.

I’ve had a few scares in the past, and after my heart couldn’t take it anymore I decided to invest in a two terabyte external hard drive (which I got from Starr Computers). They aren’t always 100% foolproof but they are, by far, much safer than simply leaving your files on your laptop (not to mention those files can slow your laptop significantly and affect its overall performance).

Now that I’ve covered all the gear you will need to start building your online presence, it’s time to move on the next crucial step, getting your Visa debit card and PayPal account set up. I’m a huge advocate for debit cards (as opposed to credit cards) because the fees are minimal, you can control your spending and there is no risk of racking up a massive bill at the end of every month. Some persons are disciplined enough for credit cards but I prefer to avoid temptation altogether.

While our local banks all have Visa credit card options, I know for sure that the Guyana

Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) has an additional Visa debit card option. It was much easier to get this card when I applied years ago (sometime between 2008 and 2010), than it is right now since the passing of the Anti-Money Laundering Act last year. Regardless, anyone desirous of being a Visa debit cardholder can enquire about the documents they would need to provide the bank.

To start I would suggest you put at least US$100 on your card. The majority of that money will be spent building your website, buying your domain name, paying your domain name registrar and paying for strategic advertisements that you will definitely need in the beginning of your online journey. Next I would suggest you set up a free personal PayPal account since you most likely won’t immediately qualify for their merchant account that caters to sales over US$5000.

PayPal allows you to link your Visa debit card or credit card to your account to make online payments safe and easy. In addition to making payments, PayPal gives your customers the option of purchasing artwork directly from your website by providing “Buy Now” and “Add to cart” buttons. They notify you of sales and also offer options to print invoices and shipping labels through their website. These are all major pros if you choose to bypass online marketplaces like Etsy, Artspace and Saatchi Art. Since building a website takes an incredible amount of patience and time I would suggest starting with much simpler (and free) social media platforms first, if you haven’t already.

Think about the name you would like to use and, as much as possible, try to register the same name across platforms. In the case of fine artists, it would be smart to use the name on your birth certificate. There are situations where persons have used alternate names and have had successful careers, but most art professionals encourage the former. However, this becomes problematic if you have a popular name in which case you’re forced to “pick a number” to attach at the end of your name. Regardless, whatever you decide on should be applied across the board (email, Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube, Skype etc.).

Next, select an appropriate and high resolution photograph of yourself or your logo if you have one, and apply that to all of your accounts. Having the same name and photograph across accounts helps viewers to identify them as the legitimate profiles where they can contact you or view your work. Remember, consistency is key when building a successful online image.

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Vermicomposting:

Promoting healthy plant growth

T

he indiscriminate application of various inorganic fertilizers has triggered many soil, water and health issues around the world.

Due to the extent of these concerns, various forms of organic fertilizers have since been

explored.

In Guyana, the National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) has been conducting experiments with vermicomposting, a biotechnological process whereby earthworms convert waste materials to a nutrient rich material.

The process of vermicomposting produces a peat-like material that is rich in Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorus, micronutrients, plant growth hormones, enzymes and various soil microbes.

NAREI is using the California Red worm (Eisenia fetida) to carry out the experiment. The earthworms are placed in vermicomposting bins to breakdown fresh cow manure and dried leaves. They have a crucial role to play in the entire process.

They consume the organic waste reducing the volume by 40-60%. An earthworm consumes materials similar to its body weight, and produces a cast (poop) that weighs roughly 50 percent of the materials consumed in a day. Their casts contain eight times as many micro-organisms as their feed, which promotes healthy plant growth. The casts do not contain any disease pathogens since the pathogenic bacteria are reliably

killed in the worms' gut.

What are the nutrients vermicompost provides?

How vermicomposting is done?

Fresh cow manure should be obtained and placed into an appropriate worm bin to a depth of 6-8 inches. A thin layer of dried leaves is added at the top. The California Red worms are then placed on this layer, followed by a layer of dried grass.

The bin should be continually monitored and watered every other day, or as required. When all the cow manure is converted to vermicompost, a process that usually takes two to three months, the bin should be emptied and refilled with fresh cow manure. It should be noted that an appropriate cover or shed be provided for a worm bin to prevent direct exposure to sunlight and other environmental factors.

What can vermicompost be used for?

1. As a seed starting boost that helps support the young plants’ growth.

2. As a form of organic fertilizer, thereby reducing the need for chemical fertilizers.

What are the benefits of using vermicompost?

3.

As a soil amendment.

1. Enhances plant growth 2. suppresses diseases in plants 3. Increases porosity and microbial activity in soil 4. improves water retention and aeration 5. Decreases the amount of waste going to landfills and in so doing benefits the environment 6. Lends support to the quest in the greening of Guyana’s agricultural sector.

Cognizant of these advantages, NAREI is trying to make plant seedling substrate to substitute for imported promix (a substrate that is used by most seedling setters). The vermicompost is being tested different boxes containing each of the following: coconut coir, charcoal, paddy shell and sandy type soils. The objective is to determine which one will have the physical and chemical properties when added to mychorriza

Vermicompost used at potting mixture

to promote healthy plant growth.

Earthworms at work

Water being applied to the vermicomposting bin

Down Moruca’s Way

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The Guyana Chronicle’s Alva Solomon is on assignment this weekend in beautiful Moruca in the North West District. He sent us these photos.

A boy rides across the Moruca Bridge, which connects Kumaka and San Jose

A speedboat leaves Kumaka

A speedboat pulls a canoe along the mouth of Moruca River, just off the Atlantic Coast

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Sultry and Smokey - Mastering the smokey eye!

A

smokey look done the right way is like a good illusion; when done correctly no one knows it exists, but you. The observer is none the wiser, and knows only what you show them.

Smokey equals no straight lines!

Some confuse a smokey look with a dark look.

Though it can be dark, that isn't always the case.

Smokey, in the world of makeup, simply means no edges or straight lines. Any well blended look can be considered smokey, whether it's grayscale or full colour spectrum.

A valid smokey eye looks effortless, and the trick is in the blending of products. No one should be able to see your technique, otherwise it's just bad makeup.

That means minimal brush strokes, evenly applied, and a smooth saturation of pigments.

The reason I love, love, love a smokey look is because it fades well, and has great stamina.

Good makeup is one that lasts even through the hot steamy weather. An example of well applied makeup and graceful technique is makeup that looks better and natural as it settles into the skin. That means it moulds and adjusts to the skin's natural process with little to need to retouch or reapply, only blotting if necessary to combat oiliness on the T-Zone of the face.

Makeup changes saturation throughout the day, based on body temperature and personal activity, and in that case, quality matters and trumps quantity. It's important to use the best product you can find with richest ingredients to develop a proper smokey look.

Side note: To appropriately prep facial skin avoid any product that will add gunky residue, like serums, anything with Retinol (Retinol when exposed to sunlight can cause pre-mature aging); try something lightweight like liquids or mousse-like foundations. BB creams leave a flaky ashy look. Opt for moisturizers instead of primers.

Primers also leave an ashy look.

For the eyes however, primer or any eye shadow base is a key factor in achieving the perfect smokey eye. The better the base, the better the outcome.

There are many right ways of applying makeup, but just as many wrong ways...it's always best to pat or stipple, not swipe or drag. Especially when executing a smokey eye.

You'll want product to look airbrushed, so light bouncing pats with a fluffy brush is the best technique.

The trick is in the eyeliner You'd have to use an eye pencil, a soft one. You can soften eye pencil with just a flash of heat, using a lighter. Apply eyeliner at the base of lashes, and around the tear ducts, also on the crease of the eyelid, from the inner corners to the outer corners. With a smudge brush (which has a stoutly shape with short soft bristles and a thick edge) gently fade the eyeliner, using horizontal strokes, and blending in small circular motions.

Eye liner first, eye shadow last.

When conducting a smokey eye look, the application technique matters more

in producing the right result. Matter of fact, it's the technique that's determines whether the look is smokey or not. With a smokey look, eyeliner acts as a base, and a guideline for the eye shadows being applied. The eye liner sets the tone for the entire outcome.

It isn't until after the eyeliner is applied and well blended that the eyeshadow is now safe to merge and make a happy union. The eyeliner is what gives the pigment of the eyeshadow its gradient ombrĂŠ effect. It's a lot more difficult to achieve a well-balanced smokey eye, using only different shades of eyeshadows, because powders especially need something to adhere to.

The opacity of the colour is also determined by the base, which is also why an eyeshadow primer or base is always best to apply before any makeup. Not only do primers make for good adhesion of product, making it last longer, but also it helps protect the skin.

Blend! Blend! Blend!

Once you've applied product, blend everything. Cohesion is the name of the game.

Where the product ends and begins should be a secret. As mentioned there should be no straight lines, no edges, only smooth, suave transitions... Even if it seems like you've blended enough, blend again.

Finish!

Apply mascara and fake lash extensions if desired to complete your smokey eye.

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How chronic diseases affect oral health

Since the most common chronic diseases are diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease, and because all three are significantly involved in the victim’s oral health, I will examine the implications.

Diabetes mellitus commonly called “sugar” is really a syndrome and not a disease.

While a disease is essentially a single entity, diabetes (mellitus and insipidus) is condition in which nearly every system is seriously affected. In fact, over 300,000 people die every year from this syndrome in the United States alone.

Diabetics suffer from a lack of an enzyme called insulin which is responsible for utilizing glucose. Without insulin, the blood sugar rises until it “spills over” in the urine. Protein and fat are burnt for energy, water is removed from the tissues and electrolyte (vital mineral

particles) is lost.

Excessive lipolysis (fat breakdown) leads to a large amount of free fatty acids in the bloodstream. The acid in the blood interferes with the uptake of oxygen by the cells and may depress consciousness to the point of a coma.

In addition, the high concentration of sugar in the blood eventually leads to glaucoma, skin disorders, heart disease, arthritis and an increased inclination for gangrene with amputation of the feet.

In a lecture to the general membership of the Guyana Diabetic Association, I highlighted three major consequences of diabetes on the oral health of its victims.

First, there is oral thrush (candidiasis). This appears as a whitish, creamy deposit on the gums. The gums may also appear red. Thrush is actually a fungus infection and can be found also in babies as well as people with AIDS.

Another problem of uncontrolled diabetes is the lack of proper healing after an extraction or oral surgery since the condition somewhat hampers the regeneration process. So while the treatment for advanced gum disease is extraction, this should be avoided in a diabetic. The key therefore is prevention through meticulous oral hygiene. One must also avoid dentures that damage the gums. The oral tissues reflect the cellular dehydration by being prone to gingivitis and candidiasis.

Hypertension, (high blood pressure) is a major cause of excessive bleeding after an extraction. The condition also exposes dental patients to stroke (brain hemorrhage) because the dental anesthetic contains a substance capable of further elevating the blood pressure.

Some stroke risk factors

cannot be changed, such as increasing age, gender (more men have strokes), diabetes mellitus, prior stroke and family history of stroke. Others can be controlled, including hypertension, heart disease, cigarette smoking, and lack of exercise, high cholesterol and high red blood cell count. Women using oral contraceptives tend to have more strokes.

Normal blood pressure is when the systolic pressure (when the heart contracts) measures less than 160 and diastolic pressure (when the heart relaxes between beat), measures less than 95. Ninety percent of hypertensive persons do not present a specific

underlying cause. However, excessive salt intake, alcohol use, obesity, stress and genetic attributes are common contributory factors. These patients are susceptible to arteriosclerosis (hardening of artery wall) and enlargement of the heart due to that organ having to do extra work. The result is often death by heart failure.

Persons who have defective heart valves should be extra careful about their oral health. An extraction done in such individuals may lead to subacutebacterial endocarditis, a potentially fatal disease. In event that an extraction must be done, the patient must be covered

Dr. BERTRAND R. STUART, DDS. with heavy doses of penicillin over a period of at least three weeks.

It is clear that many diseases cannot exist in isolation. There is always the involvement of other systems and organs. The principal cause of death among all human beings is cardiovascular disease (hypertension, heart disease, stroke etc). But the good news is that you need not be in statistics if you adopt a healthy lifestyle.

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E-cigarettes could cut smoking-related deaths by 21 percent: study (Reuters) E-cigarettes could lead to a 21 percent drop in deaths from smoking-related diseases in those born after 1997, according to a study published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research.

The study, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the National Cancer Institute and the Cancer Intervention and Surveillance Modeling Network, found that under most plausible scenarios e-cigarettes and other vapor products have a generally positive public health impact.

Multiple studies have sought to assess the impact of e-cigarettes on public health, with conflicting results. Earlier this year a University of California study of high school students found that those who used e-cigarettes were more than twice as likely to also smoke traditional cigarettes.

The latest study differs from prior ones because it summarizes patterns of use from national data, the authors said.

Previous studies have used local data that may have unusual patterns and are not necessarily representative of the whole country.

The study distinguishes between youths who vape who would not otherwise have taken up any nicotine product, and those who vape, who would otherwise have smoked cigarettes. When both those populations are taken into account, the benefit outweighs the harm, according to the study.

Many experts believe there are health benefits for smokers who switch completely to e-cigarettes.

"While the data are still not as clear as we would like, we present the entire picture with national data so we think our estimates are as good as we can get," said David Abrams, executive director of the Schroeder Institute of Tobacco Re-

A window display with different colour models electronic cigarettes is seen in a shop in Paris search and Policy Studies at the Truth Initiative.

Most previous studies count as e-cigarette users anyone who has vaped within the past 30 days. That can include someone who goes to a party and vapes once or twice.

"Those are not the people we are concerned with," David Levy, a professor of oncology at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and the study's lead author said in an interview. "We tried to get an idea of the number of people who progressed to established use."

On May 5, the FDA announced a final rule extending its tobacco authority to include e-cigarettes, pipe tobacco, cigars and hookah. The rule, which becomes effective in early August, requires companies to seek marketing authorization for any tobacco product introduced after Feb. 15, 2007.

Levy and other e-cigarette advocates say excessive FDA regulation could stifle the development of safer products that could more effectively displace cigarettes.

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XX

The Fastest Man in the World is HeForShe - Usain Bolt joins campaign for gender equality and ending violence against women and girls

U

Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016

sain Bolt, Jamaica’s Olympic champion and “the fastest man in the world” has signed on to the HeForShe Campaign.

Usain Bolt, an icon for track and field athletics who has established himself as the greatest sprinter of all-time, brings to the forefront of his global audience, the issue of gender equality and ending violence against women and girls.

The national launch of the HeForShe Campaign in Jamaica was a collaborative event with partners, the United States Embassy to Jamaica, Respect Jamaica, UN Women Multi Country Office – Caribbean, Digicel Jamaica, the High Commission ► Continued on page XXI

Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016 the positive impact they have on development, the economy and the family. It is imperative that everyone, women and men, support the goal of equality.”

"We promote gender equality and women's empowerment as a constant EU priority," José Luis Martínez Chargé d'Affaires of the European Union Delegation in Jamaica, said. "We are delighted to be part of this effort to raise awareness about violence against women and girls and encourage all Jamaicans to be part of the change."

In 2014 UN Women’s Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka launched the HeforShe Campaign. HeForShe is a solidarity movement for gender equality developed by UN Women. HeForShe calls on men and boys to work together with

► From page XX of Canada, the British High Commission and the EU Delegation to Jamaica.

The Jamaica campaign is marked by high level public commitments - Minister of Gender Affairs, Olivia “Babsy” Grange, Jamaican and international recording artistes – Beenie Man, and Omi and Jamaican activists Michael Abrahams and Owen “Blakka” Ellis and Mutabaruka.

Minister Olivia Grange commended the partnership between the U.S. Embassy in Jamaica, UN Women and her Ministry: “This campaign is an initiative which intends to reframe gender equality, from that of a women’s issue, to an issue which requires the full participation of both women and men. I believe that this approach is beneficial to all of society – socially, politically and economically.”

Representative for the UN Women Multi-Country Office in the Caribbean, Christine Arab said the active participation of strong partners is central to the success of the campaign: “Given the crucial role of men and boys as advocates and agents of change, HeForShe provides a platform for men to self-identify with issues of gender equality and its benefits, which liberate not only women, but also men, from prescribed social roles and gender stereotypes. We congratulate Jamaica on an impressive list of HeForShe Champions representing the voices of the nation and with the ability to reach to all corners of the island”, Ms. Arab added.

“The United States Embassy in Kingston is proud to announce its support for the campaign”, said US Ambassador Luis G. Moreno. He urged all Jamaicans and those who support Jamaica to take the HeForShe Pledge and “stand together to create a bold, visible force for gender equality”.

Canadian High Commissioner Sylvain Fabi is thrilled with the campaign. He noted “Our Prime Minister has made it very clear that in this day and age women must be treated as equals. Research demonstrates the critical role woman play and

XXI women and girls to end gender based discrimination, and within that, the most egregious violation – gender based violence. Through aligning with the HeForShe campaign men and boys will signal their commitment to working to realise gender equality in their homes, schools, workplace, communities, places of worship and fields of play, ultimately in all of their social spaces.

Over 1.3 million people globally have committed to HeForShe. Usain Bolt’s commitment and the leading HeForShe ambassadors’ participation is a lead up to the official launch of the campaign at month end. Please go onto our website – www.heforshe.org – and show your commitment to the campaign illustrating Jamaica on the world-stage. (UN Women Multi-Country Office – Caribbean)

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Who, really, is President David Granger?

P

resident David Granger’s rise to political power may have seemed unlikely even a decade ago, even to his wife, First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger. However, on closer examination, the President’s life experiences seem to have been specifically designed to lead him towards becoming the Eight Executive President of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana. This is the first in a two-part feature.

I

By Lloyda Garrett and Jasmaine Payne naugurated just ten days shy of the 49th Anniversary of Guyana’s Independence to a show of national pride that had seemed absent for many years, President Granger rode into office on a wave of popular demand for change and the palpable hope and desire for national unity of a new generation of Guyanese.

With one year in office under his belt, President Granger has advanced clear policy positions for the development of a Green Economy built on the sustainable management of the country’s resources, economic diversification in agriculture and other sectors, information technology, high quality and accessible education from nursery to tertiary levels, regional and domestic security and social cohesion.

The President has emerged as a champion for the protection of the nation’s patrimony and has sought to assert Guyana’s sovereignty, in the face of threats from Venezuela, by seeking a definitive, legal settlement to the border controversy with Guyana’s western neighbor, though the intervention of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. President [My Vision] was conditioned not Granger’s policies are so closely linked to the modern only by my own upbringing but day needs of Guyana, as it joining the Defence Force in 1965 stands at the cusp of a new and facing the Venezuelan threat age of economic and social reinforced my views that we needed to prosperity, that one would be united as a nation in order to protect not be incorrect in thinking that he is the right man for our territory and we were very poorly the moment. armed at that time compared with The President himself Venezuela; we had no aircraft and we has declared himself had no coast guard, we had no artillery President of all the people and we could have been overwhelmed and has demonstrated a deep and abiding love for the if there was a serious invasion. But people of Guyana. But as by 1969 we had overcome two of our much as we know about him, major challenges,” he said, referring to there still begs the question: attempts made by both Venezuela and Who, really, is President Suriname to claim part of Guyana as David Granger and what led him to the highest office on their own. the land?

Few can deny that President Granger has managed to bring with him a stronger sense of nationalism and hope. With every public appearance, President Granger preaches with passion about unity and his love and vision for Guyana.

But who is the man with the solemn face and the impeccable posture, the man that makes up the whole of President David Granger?

In an interview with Ms. Lloyda Garrett, his Public Information and Press Services Officer, the President gave a rare candid insight into his life, his family, and the decisions that have led him to running for Public Office.

“

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN Though born in Ruimveldt, Georgetown, it was in Bartica that President Granger ► Contiuned on page XXIV

President David Granger and his wife of 48 years, Sandra Granger (Photo by Saajid Husani)

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Who, really, is President D ◄ From page XXIII spent the first years of his life, and for which he holds some of his fondest memories. It is there, too, at the gateway to the hinterland that Guyana’s beauty and the diversity of its people became apparent to him.

“I regard Bartica as my home because that’s where I first became conscious of life and friends and family…I was always conscious of Guyana and Guyanese being a multiethnic society and people who mix easily with each other.

Bartica, of course, was a very pleasant place.”

For a young David, Bartica was his whole world for the first few years of his life, and it provided for him simple pleasures, which he grew to cherish greatly. There, he attended St. John the Baptist Anglican School, and in his spare time, the President recalled indulging in simple activities like kite flying, community centre games and swimming in the river.

These purely enjoyable activities served as the main sources of entertainment for children there.

“There were no organised sports in which we could participate in the type of athletics and the things that you see nowadays, but I would go frequently with my dad up the river -or what you call the line- when he was going about his policing duties, but the relationship among people was quite easy,” he recalled.

The President, who consistently advocates for the strengthening of the institution of the family, seemed influenced by his own upbringing and recalled the value that a close knit family life added to his life. Born to a mother, who was a nurse and a father who was a policeman, he was the seventh of eight children. They lived in the flat atop the Bartica Police Station near what is now known as the Modern Hotel. By the time he was born, his mother had given up her

President Granger and Lloyda Garrett enjoy a game of chess (Sandra Prince photo)

“

Every member of my family had some education. You always knew you had to go to school and never attempted not to go to school…that was the place you met your friends. We developed respect for each other and you developed respect for your teachers. And within my home there were always books. There were always elders in my family and you just knew that education was a necessity.

There was no option.” profession to become a full time housewife, while his father operated as a County Sergeant-Major.

President Granger described his father as very warm, though many people assumed him stern, due to his profession.

“He was certainly firm, but you know my best memories are of him and my mom, maybe because I was the seventh in the family; I had five sisters and two brothers.

“I won’t say that I was spoilt, but my memories of him are very pleasant and I only wish that he could see me now. He was born in 1905 so, was he alive, he’d be a hundred and ten years old,” the President mused.

EDUCATION It is hard to ignore that much of President Granger’s initiatives have had a strong focus on the country’s educational

system. Looking back on his educational background, and his own experiences and achievements as a result, it is simple to see why education plays a paramount role in his policies with regard to its importance to Guyana’s development.

“Every member of my family had some education.

You always knew you had to go to school and never attempted not to go to school…that was the place you met your friends. We developed respect for each other and you developed respect for your teachers. And within my home there were always books. There were always elders in my family and you just knew that education was a necessity. There was no option,” President Granger said.

At five years old, his family moved to Whim, Berbice, and though he dearly loved Bartica, he admitted that the move was not as traumatic as one would expect, since he was still within the “bosom” of his family. At Whim, the President started his Primary education spending three years at the Auchlyne Church of Scotland School. By the time he moved to Georgetown, Granger was eight years old and enrolled in the Comenius Moravian School.

In 1956, after writing Common Entrance at Sacred Heart, President Granger entered Queen’s College (QC), where his next eight years of secondary schooling would begin to carve him into the man he would ultimately become. Many may have heard President Granger speak with much passion about his time at Queen’s College, and with much reason. Though admitting that he wasn’t the best in his class, he said that he worked hard to achieve the results which propelled him into his professional aspirations in life.

This hard work was an achievement in itself, as the distractions of the disruptive period of the

Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016

David Granger?

The early years at Queens College 1960s affected the schools in the form of strikes and disturbances, and as a result, naturally caused selfdoubt with regard to students’ personal performance in school as well.

Still, the President believes that he received a wellrounded education during his secondary school years and it was the myriad activities offered at the school that assisted in rounding out the young David Granger.

A member of Molder House (G House), he was very active in extra-curricular activities and then social life of the school, boasting membership in the Cadets, the school’s newspaper (the Lictor – from which his love for journalism was born), the Chess Club and the debating club. He admited that he was not good at the athletic games so instead stuck to the academic means of passing his time.

“So there was a cultural milieu, which is very difficult to describe. You behaved, you dressed, you spoke in accordance with those unwritten codes and you joined clubs. Everything was not just books or even sports; there were so many other things you could do.

“I could only describe it as a sort of culture and when people left school they left with that culture and so it’s not a matter of being elitist, it’s a matter of being able to share a certain view of the world that you were not there out of greed or selfishness, or to beat the next person, but you were just there to be well educated and part of a community. I think that is what I left with and I believe that is what a lot of my colleagues left with,” he said.

President Granger said that the strong relationships between the masters and students and among the students themselves were much the cause for the success of the students as it evoked a type of mutual respect and school honour among the students.

“I think the masters had it easy because when any one of us misbehaved you were more afraid of the discipline from your colleagues than from the masters. Because if they felt you behaved in an unethical way or you caused the class or the group any embarrassment, you were really afraid of them.

They would have come after you after 3:00pm and that was the best discipline. You lived up to the expectation of your peers rather than to the discipline that was imposed by the masters,” he said. ► Contiuned on page XXVI

XXV Army days

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Who, really, is President David Granger?

Yet, Mr. Granger felt that this was not much of a leap forward that he envisioned for himself as the University was housed in the QC compound. With many of his peers studying overseas, he left UG to join the army, where he believed opportunities to study overseas would be available to him. “I put my university studies on hold and went away to Britain to study to THE DISTURBANCE PERIOD become an officer and then when I returned I was in uniform. So in fact my university education was interrupted for a significant part of my young adult life,” he said.

As referenced earlier, President Granger’s high school years were marred by the period While overseas, however, President Granger kept close tabs on the situation in his of inter-racial and political disturbances of the 1960s. At the time, a then teenaged David homeland. As Guyana headed toward Independence, he recalled the changing atmosphere Granger would have been at the beginning of coming into his own as a young man and the role and attitudes of the people of that time. he was to play with regard to making a meaningful contribution to his country. And while to “We were very optimistic because the disturbances had come to an end and the Prime this generation, the disturbances are little more than tales told in passing, for people growing Minister, at the time, established what he called a regime of consultative democracy and there up at that time, it is a period that remains etched in their memory to this day. The President, was widespread reconciliation. Communities, which had been torn apart by the disturbances, though admitting that he does not possess perfect knowledge of all that happened in this time, were visited. Many of the refugees, people who had been driven out of villages, during the touched on some of the events that he was disturbances, were resettled and there aware contributed to that sad era. was a powerful thrust to provide public “It had several dimensions. One was the services to the population,” he said. labour and industrial dimension because But Guyana was still struggling. There it was the first time I think in the English was no proper international airport because speaking Caribbean the entire public service the existing one had been burned down struck against the government in 1961 and in 1959, much of the coastal roadways 1962 and it was all tied up with political party and even sea defences were in a decrepit affiliation,” he said. He noted, however, that state and there were not enough secondary the industrial dispute was more due to salary schools. As such, the President said, much issues that affected the civil service because attention had to be paid to infrastructure the government at the time did not follow countrywide. recommendations in the 1961 Commission of Describing a very different time that Inquiry (COI). we can envision today, President Granger “In those days the government was run said, “In the 1960s, life was very, very by the PPP [People’s Progressive Party] different… It was a luxury to even own under Dr. Cheddi Jagan and elections a wristwatch. That’s why many of the were held in August 1961. So I would say markets had clocks because that was the agitation and unrest started as early as only way you could tell the time. There August 1961. In 1962, there was a huge were very few telephones and to make confrontation. Part of the central business a long distance call… it was called a district in Georgetown was burnt down ‘trunk call’. In fact when we first came and there was looting and a part of the to Georgetown you had what they called British army had to deploy troops here. party lines. Two completely separate That was short lived but it affected the houses would have one phone so when it confidence which the people had in the rang a different family would answer and government and in 1963 there was another it was crazy but there were simply not long strike. It was called the ‘Eighty Day enough lines.”

Sstrike’. It was probably the longest Sometimes with a bemused smile general strike in the English speaking on his face as he reflected on that Caribbean at the time,” President Granger time, he said, “Everything was very recalled. difficult, even the cameras; to get a This resulted in the shutdown of many family photograph taken you would President Granger shows the writer, Lloyda Garrett, his coin collection government offices, followed by protests and have had to go to a studio because (Sandra Prince photo) a shortage in goods and services. few people owned cameras. You (had) “So it was a very testing time. A few to be very rich to own a camera or a people were killed in 1962, a few were killed watch or a car and I would say that the in 1963 but the disturbances were taking place at different levels. One was the labour level and population was much poorer but in a way much happier. The city was very clean and many of the Trade Unions were aligned to different political parties. There was also political the services although very rudimentary, were reliable. You had clean water in the development because in 1962, Jamaica became Independent and Trinidad became Independent pipes, you had regular electricity and telephone service although you had to book a and Guyana under the PPP was attempting to become Independent as well,” he said. call overseas and wait several hours… We were not yet a modern state and that was In February 1964, the Guyana Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU) called a strike in the the duty of the government after 1964, to make Guyana into a modern country,” he sugar industry after the British Colonial administration changed Guyana’s electoral system said. from “First Past the Post” to “Proportional Representation.”

Still, Independence, which found President Granger, a young army officer in training in In his assessment, President Granger said that “it was a protest against the British Britain, evoked pride of country and this was not lost on him. He recalled that as May 26 imposition of the Proportional Representation system and many people were killed. The official approached, his mother sent him a picture of the Golden Arrowhead, which evoked both a record said 176 people were killed but it is suspected that many more people were killed and sense of patriotism and nostalgia. “I wished I was there because my colleagues were raising that period is known as the disturbances.” the flag and on parade. When I came back in June, maybe less than a fortnight after, I joined The President described a period between February and July 1964, where there were my first platoon and I felt very proud,” he said. murders almost daily and a bomb being thrown into a bus taking the school children President Granger admitted that at that time all those who were part of the GDF were of estate managers to Lusignan. There were also many cases of arson. In what became immensely proud to be Guyanese because the training standards were very high. And so began a struggle between the two major political parties, the fabric of Guyana’s nationhood his career of distinction in the military. Even as he defended his country in the Cuyuni against was torn apart as villages became separated by race and political loyalty became largely Venezuelan aggression and in 1969 in the Rupununi Rebellion, his love of country and belief fashioned by race. in Guyana’s sovereignty was only further strengthened.

As the President reflected on this period, painfully memories etched on his face, it is not “[My Vision] was conditioned not only by my own upbringing but joining the Defence hard to see why social cohesion has been one of the key principles of his leadership. He Force in 1965 and facing the Venezuelan threat reinforced my views that we needed to be described this period as “divisive”, to say the very least and Guyana entered its Independence, united as a nation in order to protect our territory and we were very poorly armed at that time a broken nation. compared with Venezuela; we had no aircraft and we had no coast guard, we had no artillery “It was traumatic and it did have an effect. It damaged race relations for a long time and we could have been overwhelmed if there was a serious invasion. But by 1969 we had thereafter. For example the PPP did not go to the Constitutional talks to decide the overcome two of our major challenges,” he said, referring to attempts made by both Venezuela Constitution for independent Guyana and apart from the token representation by a few and Suriname to claim part of Guyana as their own. of the leaders who boycotted the independence celebrations in 1966, I believe a lot of Remembering the Rupununi Rebellion, another dark time in the country’s history, he said, our problems, not only political problems but our ethnic problems, stemmed from that “I was able to see it at close range, you know, how hatred could divide this country. And when period,” he said. we arrived there all of the bodies on the ground were policemen. The rebels just killed the policemen and they ran out of the station - shot them where they were, no questions asked. I AFTER THE DISTURBANCES AND THE GDF just hope that we never return to that level of fierceness and enmity that I saw with my own eyes at Lethem...But these are experiences which strengthen your love for your country, not Guyana’s Independence in 1966 found President Granger a member of the Guyana Defence lessen. I never wanted to migrate and once I had put my hand on the plough I just stayed there Force(GDF). as long as the Defence Force would have me,” he said.

Having graduated from QC, he worked for a short time in the graphics department of a (Next week, we continue the interview, featuring “Mr and Mrs David Granger” and local newspaper and shortly after enrolled in the University of Guyana (UG) in 1965. the “Road to the Presidency”) ◄ From page XXV

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Insurance could protect India's solar panels from 'monkey menace' JAIPUR, India (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - When businessman Narendra Sethi first installed solar panels on the flat roof of his Jaipur home last October, they drew the attention of more than admiring neighbors.

Monkeys – regular visitors to homes and offices in India – climbed to the roof, damaged the panels and carried off the connector cables. Now Sethi's second generation of panels sit on supports raised 8 feet (2.4 meters) high, with their cables encased in shields and covered by plastic sun shade material.

"Mounting solar panels at a height acts as a sun shade, frees up roof area for better use and also keeps them out of reach of maurauding monkeys that hound the country’s roofs,” Sethi said.

India aims to more than double the amount of solar energy capacity in its national grid by next March, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.

With just 400 megawatts of grid-connected solar energy today coming from roof-top panels, expanding roof-top capacity would seem a natural focus in a sunny country where many homes have flat roofs.

By 2022, India aims to have 40,000 megawatts of grid-connected roof-top solar power – a huge expansion over today’s levels – and is offering 30 percent government subsidies on the panels to make that happen, according to the ministry.

But scaling up solar energy faces some unusual challenges in India, from extreme weather conditions to destructive monkeys – problems that might be dealt with not just through technological fixes but by offering nervous solar-panel buyers insurance policies.

Tanya Batra, a Delhi-based marketing vice president for Sunkalp Energy, one solar equipment provider, says she faces daily queries from potential customers about the resilience of the systems to extreme heat, heavy rains, theft and monkey mischief.

"It's a very common issue that is raised by clients in North India. Monkeys are a menace here. They destroy things, they roam around in groups, everyone is scared of them, they even bully dogs. So, when purchasing something as expensive as solar, it's natural for clients to be worried”, she said.

TILT AND SLIDE? But roof-top panels are becoming much more affordable, with prices dropping dramatically around the globe as their use increases. That, combined with the potential cost savings in electricity bills, is leading more buyers to take their chances.

Technological solutions are also helping. Some Indian ► Contiuned

on page XXIX

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A boy dusts off a solar panel installed on the rooftop of his house on the outskirts of Ahmedabad ◄ From

page XXVIII

solar companies now offer metal ties or sheathing to hold solar panel cables in place to minimize the “monkey menace”.

Batra also urges clients to “just tilt the solar panels at a certain angle, (and) the monkeys would eventually slip away.”

Monkeys in India are a threat to more than just solar installations. They derailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plans to bring provide wireless internet to Varanasi, his parliamentary constituency, by repeatedly chewing through the fiber-optical cables, according to a report by the Delhi-based Center for Science and Environment.

Animal rights activists argue the problem is not all the monkeys’ fault.

"It is not a 'monkey menace' but a human menace invading wildlife by cutting forests at large scale and allowing industries," said Gauri Maulekhi, the secretary of People for Animals.

"Human encroachments in forests are pushing out wild animals like monkeys from their settlements in search of food and shelter," she added.

MONKEY COVERAGE Officials in India’s renewable energy ministry say the ministry is investigating working with insurance providers to provide new coverage for solar panels, in an effort to boost take-up of solar systems.

The insurance would cover threats including natural disasters, extreme weather, theft and monkey damage, the officials said.

"Recommendations are being invited from a group of insurance companies to provide cover for solar installations in the country. In the coming weeks, the group is expected to submit a report to the government,” Tarun Kapoor, joint secretary of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Batra said such insurance, if it becomes available, “will certainly attract more buyers and push the solar market.”

"But that should be implemented faster as normally government policies take a lot of time to come into effect on the ground," she said.

Last month, the World Bank announced a $625 million loan to the State Bank of India to help solar distribution companies scale up through access to low-interest loans.

The aim is to add at least 400 megawatts of grid-connected rooftop solar capacity, or nearly 80,000 new solar rooftop systems if each produces 5 kilowatts of power, World Bank officials said.

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Facebook makes little progress in race, gender diversity: report (Reuters) Facebook Inc's employees are still mainly white or Asian males as the world's largest social network made little progress in hiring a more diverse talent pool over

the past year, it said on Thursday.

The findings in Facebook's annual diversity report reflects the scant progress made by Silicon Valley heavyweights in em-

ploying more women and minorities.

Last month, Alphabet Inc's Google released data on diversity, saying it had more black, Latino and female employees than last

year, but still lagged its goal of mirroring the population.

Women represented 33 percent of Facebook's global workforce as of June 30, compared with 32 percent a year earlier, the report said.

Women held 27 percent of senior leadership roles, up from 23 percent a year earlier.

Facebook said 3 percent of its senior leadership in

Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016 the United States was black, up from 2 percent a year earlier.

Among its U.S. technology workers, Facebook made no progress among two groups. In both 2015 and 2016, Hispanics made up 3 percent of tech employees while blacks made up 1 percent.

Facebook's overall U.S. workforce includes 4 percent of Latinos and 2 percent of blacks, unchanged from last year, the report said.

Asians represented 38 percent of Facebook's U.S. workforce and 21 percent of its senior leadership.

The majority of Facebook's global tech employees, at 83 percent, are men,

down marginally from last year's 84 percent.

In a voluntary survey of Facebook's U.S. employees about sexual orientation, 7 percent self-identified as being lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender or asexual. It was the first time the company released LGBTQ data about its staff.

Facebook is taking several steps to hire more minority workers, Maxine Williams, global director of diversity, said in a blog post on Thursday. These include a $15 million grant over five years to code.org, which expands computer science training to women and underrepresented populations.

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Do you want salad and the police with that?

Cool kebab shop owner ignores robber

(Reuters) An Egyptian kebab shop owner in New Zealand has become an internet hit after a video of him ignoring a wouldbe robber and continuing to serve a customer went viral, drawing more than a quarter of a million views.

Said Ahmed, owner of the Egyptian Kebab House

in Christchurch, said it was simply a "lucky" reaction to ignore the masked man, who walked into his restaurant on May 28 and demanded cash while holding what appeared to be a gun.

Ahmed, who has run his kebab shop for 15 years, continued to bag up an order and handed it to a

customer before walking away to call the police, the video shows, leaving the attempted robber to exit empty handed.

Canterbury Police released CCTV footage of the incident on Facebook last week in a bid to identify the would-be robber. The 27-second clip has since

drawn 255,000 views and has been shared more than 1,000 times.

Ahmed, 55, who was quickly dubbed by social media as the "chillest chip shop operator", said he was only thinking of his family and thought walking away would avoid a more serious outcome.

"I'm not a hero but, you know, I controlled my reaction," he told New Zealand media. "Quite lucky because that reaction come to my head in that moment."

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Actor Mark Rylance puts rights of tribal people centerstage in new film LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) Oscar-winning British actor Mark Rylance has left behind the splendor of "Wolf Hall" and poetry of Shakespeare to

appear in a film appealing for global support for the protection of indigenous communities and their land worldwide.

"Tribal peoples need

to be respected as contemporary societies and their human rights protected," says Rylance in the film, which was launched by Survival International on WednesCast member Mark Rylance attends the premiere of ''The BFG'' in Los Angeles, U.S., June 21, 2016.

(REUTERS/PHIL MCCARTEN) day, urging people to join the campaign to protect tribal peoples.

"Together we can prevent the annihilation of tribal peoples," says Rylance, who has been an ambassador for the London-based human rights group since 2010.

The star of the BBC series "Wolf Hall" and Steven Spielberg's latest film, "The BFG", Rylance last year narrated the film, "Last of the Kawahiva", which highlighted the plight of the Kawahiva tribe, a tiny group of Indians who still live without external contact in the Brazilian Amazon.

That film was part of a campaign led by Rylance which resulted in 14,000 emails sent to Brazil's government, which responded with a pledge to map and protect the tribe's land.

On April 19, Justice Minister Eugenio Aragao signed the decree creating the protected territory in a move seen as a significant gain for indigenous Amazon tribes.

However, with President Dilma Rousseff facing impeachment and Brazil gripped by recession, Survival International now fears that

powerful business interests could access the tribe's land and resources unless the decree is implemented soon.

The debate about how best to protect uncontacted tribes has polarised experts. Last week, the Brazilian government criticized a suggestion by two U.S. anthropologists in Science magazine that forcing contact with South America's isolated tribes was the only way to ensure their survival.

In a letter signed by 18 experts, Brazil's Department of Indigenous Affairs (FUNAI) rejected comments by Robert Walker and Kim Hill that staying hidden was "not viable in the long term" for the estimated 50 to 100 uncontacted tribes in Brazil.

Survival International campaigners say all uncontacted tribal people face catastrophe unless their land is protected.

"Whole populations are being wiped out by violence from outsiders who steal their land and resources, and by diseases like flu and measles to which they have no resistance," the group said in a statement on Wednesday.

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Christian dance instructor Narissa Spencer left a lasting legacy

L

ast April, the Christian dance instructor Narissa Spencer was killed in an accident in Georgetown while on her way to teach an aerobics class at the Open Bible church. Sandia Harold-Ramnarine chronicles her life in this ode to friendship and a common cause What are the possibilities when two strangers meet traveling a bus after the introduction by a bright and beautiful smile?

The character and attitude of the person behind that smile has left an anchor in the lives of many.

Narissa Theresa Spencer, with the wink of an eye, disappeared out of the lives of family, friends, students and acquaintances.

Narissa was born on March 8, 1975 and on April 28, 2016 her life was stolen by a reckless driver on Lamaha Street, Georgetown. But between 1975 and 2016, Narissa had built a rich legacy of commitment and diligence towards the things she loved.

Narissa Spencer Back in January, 2003 Narissa met the founder of WIST Ministries International (WIST) while traveling in a mini bus along the East Coast highway. She didn’t have to dig too hard to find the courage to form a conversation.

She quickly introduced herself, first by flashing her beautiful, signature smile and from that moment on she became a member of WIST. Narissa started as a diligent dance student committed to excellence. She quickly became a core member of the dance team and travelled to various churches and parts of Guyana to minister in dance with grace and excellence. It was no surprise when Narissa quickly developed and displayed the competence of a talented dance choreographer and later a dance instructor.

Narissa required excellence in all she did and always made herself available to be of assistance to others and to give of herself in whatever way she could.

Narissa had blessed dozens with her talent and gift of dance. She taught several dance groups at several churches.

One of those groups was the Better Hope Assembly Of God dance group. It was no surprise when the group won at sectional in the dance category at the Youth Convention.

But the sky was Narissa’s limit. She believed that with hard work, much more could be achieved. In 2013, Narissa motivated the dancers at the Better Hope Assembly of God

church to perform their best.

With Narissa as their instructor and choreographer, the East Coast Section won in the dance category at the National level. She was satisfied that her theory of hard work and diligence equals success.

She had been the back bone of WIST for many years and took a leadership role. She was a leader that made things happen and saw every project to the very end. She never gave a commitment and turned back.

Narissa held several offices in WIST including Director for Props and Garments and the Instructor for the Teens + levels one and two classes. This did not stop her from assisting in other roles.

Narissa carried not just an interest or love for dance but a love with a passion for dance and more so dance as a form of worship and praise unto God. Narissa cared not just for what she did but for the lives and cares of the people she did it with. She has been a faithful servant. She served God first and then served many of us who came into her path.

Narissa’s passing has left such a gap in the people whose lives she touched and the organizations that she served. She has made an invaluable contribution to the dance ministry in the nation. She is irreplaceable.

But she has left such a legacy and example for those of us who are left behind.

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Fun holiday activities for the kids Short Story… “I

The rooster that wouldn't crow (Part II)

By Artie Knapp

t’s probably just some old cow that got loose from the McHenry farm, Peter,” shouted Mrs. Harpole from behind the screen door.

I was taken from my home, and nobody even asked me if I was okay with it. I had a life at the McHenry farm, and was very happy there.”

As Peter and his daughters approached the barn, Toby was still sitting atop the wooden fence.

“Toby, this is your home now; I paid for you. Mr. McHenry was your rightful owner, and he had every right to sell you if he wanted. If it’s a nice hen you’re looking to settle down with, they’re plenty available on this farm. In case you haven’t already met her, Hazel’s the cute brown-andwhite hen over in the henhouse. She’s a little feisty, but I think you two would hit it off, once you get to know her.”

“Hello, Toby. Where’s the cow at?” asked Peter.

Toby didn’t say anything.

“Toby, where did that mooing come from?” asked Peter.

Toby started to shake, because he still had some moo left in him. He tried to keep it inside, but his body started to twitch as if he had been holding his breath for over two minutes. His shaking became uncontrollable. Unable to hold it in any longer, Toby let out the loudest MOOOOOOOOOOO! ever heard in Brackford County.

“But I already care about somebody else, and I miss her terribly,” said Toby in a sad voice.

Annie and Ellie jumped up and down with excitement.

“She isn’t a hen,” said Toby.

“Daddy, we have a cow now,” said Annie.

“What do you mean?” asked Peter with a puzzled look on his face.

“Yeah, listen to him moo, Daddy,” said Ellie. Both of the girls laughed hysterically.

Toby broke out in tears and said: “My Edna! Oh, how I miss my dear Edna!”

“We don’t have a cow,” Peter replied. “What we’ve got is a rooster with a weird sense of humour. Girls, go inside with your mother; I want to talk with Toby alone, please.”

“All right, all right, take it easy. Edna’s very important to you. I get it. That’s nice. I am curious though, Toby. If Edna isn’t a hen, what is she?”

Find out next week when the story continues.

But just in case you have an inkling as to what it is, write telling us about it and win yourself a fabulous prize. Waiting to hear from you.

“But Daddy, I want to play with him,” said Ellie.

The Harpole’s old rooster was down with laryngitis, so they bought themselves a new one named Toby from the McHenrys to help out on the farm, but something about him does not seem quite right. Papa Harpole and the girls are on their way to the barn to find out what it is.

“You heard me! Get along now!”

A

s the girls walked away, disappointed, Peter looked Toby over and shook his head. “Well, let’s take it from the top,” he said. “What’s with the mooing, Toby?”

Our mailing address is:

“Mr. Harpole, you seem really nice, and I hope that you’ll have some patience with what I am about to share with you.”

℅ Sunday Chronicle

“All right, I’m listening,” said Peter.

Bel Air Park

“I’ll explain the mooing in a minute, but first, there is something I have to tell you: Last night

You may also deliver your answer by hand at our office at the above address.

ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS

FOOD CHAINS (Part II)

IN LAST week’s feature, we learned that some animals feed only on plants, others on animals only, while some feed on both plants and animals. This week, we will take a closer look at the food chain.

Remember, all food chains begin with a plant; only plants are able to convert energy directly from the Sun! This is why plants are very important to all life on Earth.

We all eat to get ENERGY to grow and keep our bodies healthy.

Energy is passed from one organism to other through food chains!

For example:

“Toby, you’re going to have to get used to living here; this is your home now! Forget that hen over at the McHenry farm, and move on with your life!”

Fun Holiday Activities

Lama Avenue

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Fun holiday activities for the kids DYEING FOR SOME COLOUR

HOW TO PRESERVE WILD FLOWERS BONE up on botany, and save some mementos of summer by pressing plant leaves and petals.

The fun begins with collecting missions in the yard or another nearby nature spot; kids then preserve their finds by drying them in a press. Our own press is made from craft wood, newsprint, and cardboard, but you can also use a dictionary or phone book.

The pressed materials can be used to create sweet note cards, as shown here. Rubber bands help keep the pressure on, and layers of paper soak up moisture from petals and leaves.

What you need: 2 panels of craft plywood (available at craft stores) * Corrugated cardboard * Several large sheets of newsprint * Scissors or craft knife * Coloured duct tape * 4 thick rubber bands * Rubber stamps and ink Time taken: About 2 to 3 Hours Using one of the wood panels as a template, cut 4 pieces of cardboard and 16 pieces of newsprint to the same size.

2. Stack the cardboard and newsprint pieces, starting from the bottom and alternating 1 piece of cardboard with 4 pieces of newsprint, ending with newsprint. Place the wood panels at the top and bottom of the stack.

3. To create the binding, cut 2 strips of duct tape to the same length as the press. Place the first strip along the left side of the stack, half on the cover and half on the spine. Turn over the stack and repeat with the other strip of tape.

BE YOUR OWN METEOROLOGIST IS today’s forecast strictly for the birds?

Find out by making this old-fashioned weather device that measures ‘birdometric’ pressure, with the help of a friendly yarn worm.

What you need: *Craft foam in several colours *A pair of scissors *Glue *Hole puncher *Some yarn *Paper *A crayon or marker

1. Using a variety of coloured craft foam, cut out two (2) rectangles (ours were 6 ½ by 8½ and 5½ by 6 inches), the bird’s body, wing, and beak as shown in the diagram.

2. Hot-glue the foam pieces together as shown, attach an eye, punch a hole beside the bird’s beak for the yarn worm to wiggle through, and knot both ends of the yarn.

3. Complete the project by jotting down potential weather conditions, and hanging the birdometer outside to consult before braving any weather condition.

Pull the bottom piece of cardboard out of the press and discard it (this leaves space for the plant materials; the remaining layers are loosely bound, so they can be replaced as needed).

4. Slide the rubber bands around the press so they’re evenly spaced, then decorate the areas between the bands with the stamps and ink. Let dry.

5. To use the press, arrange flowers and leaves -- thin ones work best -- between double layers of newsprint, with only one layer of plant material between each section of cardboard.

Slide the rubber bands into place and let the press sit for 2 weeks.

6. To affix the pressed materials to paper for note cards or other crafts, use a mix of half glue and half water. Arrange the materials on the paper, brush them lightly with the glue mixture, and let them dry.

See you next week when we’ll have more fun things for you to do over the August ‘hols’.

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American archaeology students unearth a skeletons and clay jars during excavation works at the firstever Philistine cemetery at Ashkelon National Park in southern Israel, June 28, 2016. (REUTERS/Amir Cohen)

Philistines were more sophisticated than given credit for, say archaeologists

(Reuters) Philistines were no "philistines", say archaeologists who unearthed a 3,000-year-old cemetery in which members of the biblical nation were buried along with jewelry and perfumed oil.

Little was known about the Philistines prior to the recent excavation in the Israeli port city of Ashkelon. The famed arch enemies of the ancient Israelites -- Goliath was a Philistine -- flourished in this area of the Mediterranean, starting in the 12th century BC, but their way of life and origin have remained a mystery.

That stands to change after what researchers have called the first discovery of a Philistine cemetery. It contains the remains of about 150 people in numerous burial chambers, some containing surprisingly sophisticated items.

The team also found DNA on parts of the skeletons and hope that further testing will determine the origins of the Philistine people.

We may need to rethink today's derogatory use of the word philistine, which refers to someone averse to culture and the arts, said archaeologist Lawrence Stager, who has led the Leon Levy Expedition to Ashkelon since 1985.

"The Philistines have had some bad press, and this will dispel a lot of myths," Stager said.

Stager's team dug down about 3 meters (10 feet) to uncover the cemetery, which they found to have been used centuries later as a Roman vineyard.

On hands and knees, workers brushed away layers of dusty earth to reveal the brittle white bones of entire Philistine skeletons reposed as they were three millennia ago.

Decorated juglets believed to have contained perfumed oil were found in graves. Some bodies were still wearing bracelets and earrings. Others had weapons.

The archeologists also discovered some cremations, which the team say were rare and expensive for the period, and some larger jugs contained the bones of infants.

"The cosmopolitan life here is so much more elegant and worldly and connected with other parts of the eastern Mediterranean," Stager said, adding that this was in contrast to the more modest village lifestyle of the Israelites who lived in the hills to the east.

Bones, ceramics and other remains were moved to a tented compound for further study and some artifacts were reconstructed piece by piece. The team mapped the position of every bone removed to produce a digital 3D recreation of the burial site.

Final reports on the finds are being published by the Semitic Museum at Harvard University.

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Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016

ARIES - Your message is as upbeat as you are today and you feel like you're as good as gold. For once, there's no need to monitor your words before speaking them since your positive attitude won't likely offend anyone. Don't waste energy defending your behaviour. There's no reason to curb your enthusiasm now; accelerate confidently in the direction of your drive while it lasts.

TAURUS - You're eager for a play day and, fortunately, reality seems to be conspiring with you to make it happen. However, you might be so confident that everything will fall into place today that you don't put any effort toward manifesting your vision. It doesn't matter how smoothly events unfold; you need to take the first step by voicing your intention. Circumstances will follow a different trajectory unless you share your ideal scenario. Your words are very convincing now, but only if you speak them out loud.

GEMINI - The sparkle in your eyes tells it all today; you're looking to create some mischief and you should be able to do so without too much delay. But flying by the seat of your pants won't work now because thoughtful Mercury trines Mars in your 6th House of Logistics, requiring you to think through your day in advance. You are better equipped to take advantage of a sudden turn of events if you have a rough schedule sketched out. Ironically, spontaneity is especially kind to you if you already have a plan in mind.

CANCER - You're quite content in your own little corner of the universe today. Although your friends might encourage you to join them in a variety of activities, you're more inclined to spend some quiet time with your family or partner. You're not interesting in changing the world when you can carve out a piece of paradise to be your very own. Emotional rewards are yours now if you go deep instead of wide.

LEO - You're more flexible when it comes to making plans today than others expect. You're often the one with the inspiring agenda, but you're not usually willing to negotiate. However, the diplomatic Libra Moon is visiting your 3rd House of Communication, blessing you with an extra helping of people skills.

Even if your friends have conflicting preferences, you're capable of facilitating easy conversation that leads to a common goal. But don't wait for a better time to initiate a sensitive discussion; your chance to find a resolution now is as good as it gets VIRGO - You may be reconsidering your position on a complex issue because of a recent mind-altering experience. You might have learned something important that catalysed your thinking and is now rippling inward to impact your core beliefs. But don't let anyone push you one way or another just yet. Continue to gather information with an open mind and draw your own conclusions in a natural and organic process. It's been said that you're not using your mind if you can't change it LIBRA - Your notorious ambivalence is a bigger problem for others than it is for you. However, the ever-changing Moon's return to your sign is annoying if you thought you already made up your mind about your feelings. You might wish you took decisive action early in the day because your certainty seems to fade as the hours tick by. But things happen (or don't happen) for a reason.

It's better to wait until you're sure than to regret an overly passionate but premature reaction. Silence can be a source of great strength.

SCORPIO - Although you have a silver tongue today, you don't want to waste it on meaningless chatter. In fact, you want to investigate unspoken motives while talkative Mercury harmonises with energetic Mars, now moving direct in your penetrating sign. It's not as much fun splashing in the shallows when you can be fully immersed in the deep end of the pool. Luckily, there seem to be others willing to join you on your mystery mission. It's unnecessary to hesitate while the cosmic waters are calling your name.

SAGITTARIUS - People are attracted to your big ideas today. Everything you talk about seems like a grand adventure while still sounding feasible.

But you're probably not telling the whole story; if you did explain everything, others might be scared away. Some exploits are better experienced in the mind than in the real world. Don't hide any perilous details when stirring up interest for your undertaking. Arm everyone with all the facts so they are empowered to make the best decisions for themselves.

CAPRICORN - You have a rare opportunity to forge a new path in a current relationship today if you're willing to open your heart. Powerful communication is facilitated by a Mercury-Mars alignment that energises your 7th House of Relationships. But you won't be able to hide behind safe formalities or intellectual analysis as emotional water signs are prominent. It may feel awkward, or even scary, to express what you are feeling in the moment.

Allow your words to flow directly from your soul and your fears will dissipate as the conversation deepens.

AQUARIUS - You would like to follow your regular Sunday routine but it's impossible if your schedule is disrupted by events that are beyond your control. Luckily, you are blessed with the ability to adapt to the unexpected changes today, even if this is not your normal modus operandi. The most important tool in your toolbox now is your skill of putting your perceptions into words. Helping others see things in a new light initiates conversations that inspire you to greater heights.

PISCES - The most complex relationship dynamics are temporarily simplified today by some unknown cosmic intervention. For some reason, you're suddenly able to talk about a subject that was previously taboo. Thankfully, an honest discussion now reduces conflict to the point of non-existence, even if it would have started a war just a few days ago. But you must take the initiative or you'll lose the chance to finally clear the air. Don't let an opportunity that could change your life pass you by.

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Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016

English

Chronicle Pepperpot July 17, 2016

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Indian teen music star hopes to emerge from famous parents' shadow (Reuters) The teenage daughter of one of India's best known movie direc-

tors has had her first chart hit - with a song she wrote when just 11 years old.

Kaveri Kapur, now 15, hopes her voice and her songs will be what get peo-

The teenage daughter of one of India's best known movie directors has had her first chart hit - with a song she wrote when just 11 years old. Kaveri Kapur, now 15, hopes her voice and her songs will be what get people talking, rather than her famous parents: father Shekhar Kapur and mother Suchitra Krishnamoorthi

Befikre shoot was mindblowing: Ranveer Singh (Indian Express) Bollywood’s livewire star Ranveer Singh, who recently finished shooting for filmmaker Aditya Chopra’s Befikre, said that it was a “mindblowing” experience. “‘Befikre’ shooting was mindblowing. Aditya sir is just amazing,” Ranveer Singh said.

The film has already created quite a stir among the audience as Ranveer and actress Vaani Kapoor are seen lip-locking passionately in every poster released so far.

Asked about the excessive lip-locking scenes in “Befikre”, Ranveer quipped: “Yes, there are a lot of kissing scenes.

What should I say! They made me kissed so many times!”

ple talking, rather than her famous parents. Her father is Shekhar Kapur, who made the Oscar-winning 1998 film "Elizabeth". Her mother is singer and actress Suchitra Krishnamoorthi.

"Something that’s always been in the back of my mind is that I hope people are showing this appreciation because they like my music and not because of who my parents are," she

told Reuters in one of her first television interviews.

"I feel like it’s going to be harder to prove that you’re actually talented and that you deserve this as much when you have parents who make it easier for you, who give you more opportunities than lots of other kids."

Her hit love song "Did You Know" was launched on YouTube in June and

quickly made it into the Indian top 10.

Kaveri’s father expressed his pride in his daughter's work.

"Some of those compositions, they’re like world-class compositions.

Honestly, if she wasn’t my daughter, I might have used those compositions, stolen them, and used them in a movie," Shekhar Kapur said.

'People v. O.J. Simpson,' 'Game of Thrones' lead Emmy nominations "The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story," a TV mini-series exploring racial tensions that strained the criminal justice system 20 years before Black Lives Matter, dominated the Primetime Emmy nominations on Thursday along with HBO's medieval fantasy "Game of Thrones."

The 10-part drama on basic-cable channel FX chronicling the sensational, polarizing murder trial of O.J. Simpson in 1995 earned 22 nominations in all, including best limited series and best actor for Cuba Gooding Jr.'s title role as the disgraced former football star.

"The People v. O.J." viewed Simpson's trial through the prism of racial politics gripping the nation in the aftermath of the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King by white policemen in Los Angeles.

The show aired against a contemporary backdrop of rising tensions between minority communities and law enforcement over a series of killings of unarmed black men at the hands of police in cities across the country, giving rise to the Black Lives Matter protest movement.

"Game of Thrones" led Emmy contenders with 23 nominations overall, including nods for best drama series, two for best supporting actor and three for best supporting actress.

The hit show, based on George R.R. Martin's fantasy novel series "A Song of Ice and Fire," was named outstanding drama series at last year's Emmy Awards.

Rounding out the best drama race are Showtime's CIA thriller "Homeland," FX's Cold War espionage saga "The Americans," AMC's quirky legal story "Better Call Saul," Netflix's political mystery "House of Cards," the final season

of PBS's period melodrama "Downton Abbey" and USA Network's freshman cyberhacking drama "Mr. Robot."

TV FINDS HOME FOR DIVERSITY Thursday's Emmy nominees showcased a more diverse crop of talent in teleA scene from the The People v. O.J Simpson vision than in Hollywood's film industry, which drew nered 54 nominations, six of them for its 10-part documensharp criticism this year when all 20 performers nominated tary series "Making a Murderer." Amazon Studios scored for Oscars were white for a second consecutive year.

16 nominations, including 10 for its transgender comedy African-American actor Anthony Anderson, who co-host- "Transparent." ed the Emmy nomination announcements, shouted with joy as HBO's political satire "Veep" led the comedy race with he was named a contender for best comedy actor in the ABC 17 nominations, including a nod for best actress for Julia sitcom "black-ish."

Louis-Dreyfus.

Other nominees included Indian-American Aziz Ansari for Its competition, in addition to "black-ish," "Master of his debut Netflix comedy "Master of None," Egyptian-Ameri- None" and "Transparent," includes HBO's "Silicon Valley," can Rami Malek for "Mr. Robot" and black actresses Taraji P. ABC's "Modern Family" and Netflix's "Unbreakable Kimmy Henson for Fox's hip-hop series "Empire" and Viola Davis in Schmidt."

ABC's thriller "How to Get Away with Murder."

Among the shows snubbed by Emmy voters in major catPremium cable outlet HBO, a perennial powerhouse of egories this year was the Netflix prison dramedy "Orange is Emmy-lauded programming, again led all networks in nom- the New Black" and "The Good Wife," a usual Emmy favorite inations with 94 mentions in total. FX Networks was No. 2 that just ended its seven-year CBS run. with 56 nods, including 18 for crime drama "Fargo" in the Winners of the Emmy Awards, voted on by the 20,000mini-series category. plus members of the Academy of Television Arts & SciencOnline streaming networks also fared well. Netflix gar- es, will be presented Sept. 18 at a ceremony in Los Angeles.

Actor Idris Elba makes surprise appearance before Star Trek release (Reuters) British actor Idris Elba made a surprise appearance outside a London pub on Thursday where street artist Jim Vision had created a giant graffiti mural featuring characters from Elba’s new movie, “Star Trek Beyond”.

Elba, 43, climbed onto a scissor lift and was elevated to the top of the building where he added the finishing touches to the mural, spraying his signature underneath his "Star Trek" character, the British actor Idris Elba poses villain Krall.

Elba had found out moments before arriving for photographers at the that he had been nominated for an Emmy award for Evening Standard British Film his performance in the TV series “Luther”.

Awards in London, Britain “Very good, I'm very excited, and congratula- February 7, 2016. tions to everyone else who's been nominated," he told Reuters.

The London actor has long been considered one of the front-runners to be cast as the next James Bond. Earlier in the week, actor Matt Damon told Reuters that he would back Elba's casting as Bond.

“He makes everything he's in better and he would make that franchise better," said Damon.

"He's awesome."

Elba said that he had seen the clip of Damon, and said it was “amazing.”

“Listen, any compliment from Matt Damon is a very big compliment because he's an incredible actor, so thank you, Matt,” he said.

In June, Elba was named as one of the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which hands out the Oscars. Forty-one percent of invitees to the organization were people of color, following the “Oscars So White” controversy that dominated last years awards.

Saying that he had yet to speak on it, Elba remarked that it was “a really nice moment.”

“I think it's a very bold move for the academy to do that, and, of course, I'm a part of it, so that's great," Elba said.

"Moving in the right direction, we love that."

"Star Trek Beyond" will begin rolling out in cinemas worldwide starting on July 20.

Hollywood stands behind Jennifer Aniston's take on media sexism Hollywood celebrities are lining up behind actress Jennifer Aniston after she penned a blog criticizing the media for the way it scrutinizes female stars.

Melissa McCarthy, Jason Bateman and Olivia Wilde were among the A-Listers who showed their support.

"Everybody needs to stop tearing down women," McCarthy, 45, said on "Entertainment Tonight," after declaring she was "one hundred thousand billion percent" behind Aniston.

Former "Friends" star Aniston, 47, published the blog, "For the Record," on the Huffington Post on Tuesday, writing that she was sick of being harassed by photographers and tabloid reporters.

"For the record, I am not pregnant," she wrote.

"What I am is fed up. I'm fed up with the sport-like scrutiny and body shaming that occurs daily under the guise of 'journalism,' the 'First Amendment' and 'celebrity news.'"

"The objectification and scrutiny we put women Actress through is absurd and disturbing," Aniston also wrote, Jennifer Aniston saying that "we define a woman's value based on her marital and maternal status."

Aniston's husband, actor Justin Theroux, posted an image of her to his Instagram page with the hashtag #wcw for "Woman Crush Wednesday." He linked to her letter and wrote, "Here's just one reason why."

Aniston, who People magazine named as the most beautiful woman of 2016 in April, said she wrote the blog because she "wanted to participate in a larger conversation" even though she does not use social media.

The blog post was "liked" on Facebook more than 27,000 times by Wednesday afternoon.

“The way I am portrayed by the media is simply a reflection of how we see and portray women in general, measured against some warped standard of beauty,” Aniston wrote.