Pepperpot 01 15 2017

Guyanese-American pushing her ‘Books’ dream

II

► Page

Veronica (extreme left) pose with representatives of the organisations to which books were donated and her local support team

Forging stronger ties ► Page

Dr. Riyad Insanally

II

Ambassador Insanally ready to promote Guyana’s interests in USA

See inside: A MAN OF ACTIONIII ► Page

Changes needed for a better Drama Festival ► Page

VIII

Flowers, Seashells XI and Feathers ► Page

II

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

Forging stronger ties Ambassador Insanally ready to promote Guyana’s interests in USA

By Francis Quamina Farrier WHEN Dr. Riyad Insanally was accredited as Guyana’s newest Ambassador to the United States of America and Permanent Representative to the Organisation of American States (OAS) last year, it was amidst what was arguably one of the most controversial elections the United States of America had ever seen and one which would go down in history.

Now, having taken up his demanding post in the capital of the most powerful nation on earth, Ambassador Insanally has his work cut out for him: to efficiently represent his native Guyana, a developing nation on the brink of oil discovery and green energy prospects.

On September 16, 2016, the Ambassador presented his Letters of Credence to President Barack Obama at the White House in Washington, D.C. In his remarks to the American president, Dr Insanally referred to the "friendship and cooperation" which the

two countries have enjoyed over the years.

Later, on October 30, Dr Insanally presented his Letters of Credence to the OAS Secretary General, Luis Almargo, at the organisation’s Headquarters in Washington, D.C. "It was a hectic period of settling in, but enjoyable,” the Ambassador said, adding that he "loves a challenge".

A career Diplomat, Dr Insanally is a graduate of both Cambridge University in England and the Harvard University, in the United States. He has over 25 years’ experience of diplomatic service at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Guyana, the CARICOM Secretariat and other international organisations. Showering praise on his predecessor, Ambassador Bayney Karran, Insanally said that he inherited a well-run embassy. “[But] with every transition there is a feeling that we need to raise the bar," he said. To that objective, the Ambassador says that his staff at the embassy is very supportive. He expressed gratitude to former Ambassador Karran for leaving a platform on which he could con-

tinue to build. "It is a matter of pride that we should have an attractive environment in which to work and in which to welcome our visitors", he concluded, referencing the Embassy building.

The Ambassador also spoke of his arrival in the United States and the adjustments he and his family had to make. "While it was challenging, it proved successful," he said, adding that early on, he had to turn his attention from his private domestic responsibilities, to his national professional responsibilities at the Guyana Embassy.

Among the first things Ambassador Insanally did after settling down at his new job, was pay a courtesy call on a Washington, D.C.-based retired Guyana Ambassador, Dr Eustace Ricardo Braithwaite who served as Guyana's first Permanent Representative to the United Nations, and later, Ambassador to Venezuela. Better known as the author of the bestselling novel, To Sir, With Love, Mr. Braithwaite passed away on December 18, 2016, at age 104. Ambassador Insanally was

a special invitee to represent Guyana at the private viewing of the body of the late author and Diplomat. "I was very happy and very privileged to spend an afternoon with him [just before his passing]…He was a special Guyanese," the Ambassador said.

With the election of Donald Trump as President of the United States of America, there will be many changes with regard to the previous running of the country.

Ambassador Insanally is conscious of this, and no doubt, will have to carefully assess what obtains in the future and act accordingly to ensure that Guyana and the United States continue their cordial relationship, which both countries have enjoyed over the years. Meanwhile, Ambassador Insanally plans to continue the tradition of the Embassy to engage the Guyanese Diaspora in making whatever contributions they can, not only to the successful running of the Embassy, but to the continuing development of the Motherland, Guyana, as well.

Guyanese-American pushing her ‘Books’ dream

By Shauna Jemmott WITH A SINCERE passion to help Guyana’s children explore through reading and invest in their own account of knowledge, Guyana-born United States Citizen Veronica Creech has travelled home to deliver books to a people of whom she knows little of. Thus heralds the birth of ‘Book Bridges Guyana’.

Creech left Guyana with her mom in 1970, the year of her birth and has returned for the first time days ago with inspiration from her mother Dorothy Hunt of Berbice, who always talked about some of the children whose performances in school were marred by the lack of resources.

As part of her work with charitable and non-profit organizations she travelled the world distributing books to English-speaking countries, and decided that this time, on her own, she would ensure her life’s work benefits children of the land of her birth.

“My inspiration for taking on this investigation is to honor my mother and father Clement Pereira from Bartica…I al-

ways had this compassion to come back when my mom told us why we left and how difficult it was here. I always remembered that and then I had the good fortune of actually growing up in America. I had a lot of resources. I always knew that I would come back and do something to honor my mom and my dad,” she told Pepperpot Magazine.

She said this first visit was a mission to investigate the needs of the country’s education system and other organizations for children, and establish genuine partnerships to ensure the mission of the project was accomplished. She did not arrive empty-handed. When the interview began, she had already distributed 500 brand new story books to children from birth to eight-years-old.

She worked in the non-profit sector, in NGOs in the United States of America (USA) with the most memorable part of her profession being her work with First Book, which can be located online at www.firstbook.org.

“So my whole career was preparing ways to make life and systems better so that people can have a better way of life. I had done that in the US with community organizing, health and education and connecting the low income family to the internet to ensure all were connected to enjoy the opportunities offered by the worldwide web.”

She described the organization’s project as an ongoing resource of brand new high-quality books for children ages zero to 18. During her four year stint with them she introduced organizations in the US who serve low income families, to First Book, and headed up the organization’s global investigation to find out what the impact would possibly be if they reached out globally and provide resources to organizations that served low-income children and families.

“So when I left that organization and I am working with the internet company, I thought I still wanted to connect that resource to the people in Guyana. Since I’ve been here… we went to the orphanage, we met the children and we talked with them, and I am seeing Dora the Explorer, I’m seeing Disney and I’m seeing all of the characters that make kids excited and that’s exactly the kind of book that we brought,” Creech said.

She was also able to donate some of the books to the Ministry of Education in Region 3, where she connected through the project to the Director of Regional Education, Director of Nursery Education and the Region’s Social Worker.

Connecting with people who live here and understands Guyana’s culture, she sees a public, private sector partnership as the only way Guyana will accomplish true progress in its various sectors.

This trip was about investigating what’s the need, and then who are the right partners on the ground that can help build those bridges into the right places, she said.

“If I send the books are they gonna sit on the docks? Who is gonna pick them up? Who is gonna be responsible for the Turn to page VIII ►►►

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

A MAN OF ACTION

By Neil Primus

GODFREY Carl Yhap, aka Nasty Man, popularly known as Piggy, is now sixty years. He walks with difficulty, assisted by a walking stick. He is also forced to use a wheelchair for journeys outside the home.

A year ago he had a stroke which changed his life.

Godfrey presently resides in Albouystown with his reputed wife Geza Baksh who has been his soul mate and the mother of four of his six children. This year (2016) marks 30 years of living together. His two eldest kids - Dane and Sherwin- are products of a previous relationship. They both live elsewhere and do not make regular contact with him. The children from his present relationship are: Diandra, Denzel, Cole and Dion.

All of them live with him.

Godfrey attended the Dolphin Government School and later South Georgetown Secondary followed by Tutorial High School. He recalls moving from one location to another during his childhood. He grew up in Albouystown. The family moved to Charlestown, then re-located to Festival City. Finally they moved back to Albouystown where he has lived ever since.

Godfrey told me of a chilling encounter he had when he lived in Charlestown. One night he spotted a man walking into his garage. He ran after the person only to discover that the man was headless. Seriously traumatized he dashed inside to tell everyone of his bizarre encounter. His mother had always suspected that he was born with a veil over his eyes (caul).

This condition causes one to see spirits when everyone else cannot. The next day she called him into the kitchen and held the struggling lad’s face over a steaming pot of rice being cooked. He claims that he never saw spirits again. Today he has had to undergo surgery to one eye to clear cataract and is blind in the other.

As a child he loved sports; primarily table tennis. He participated in many tournaments and competitions at the junior level and was very successful because of his skills. He was rewarded with a number of prizes and trophies for his achievements.

He played tennis at school, club and national levels. Although he loved the sport, when he started working he found less and less time to train and play. For a short period he played for his company Booker Shipping. During these competitions he remembers playing against players like Sydney Christophe and Brian Chu Hen. The next game he began playing was pools. He was an excellent player but the lack of scope saw this game being one of recreation only. He spent 20 years on the waterfront as a Forklift/Crane Operator. These were enjoyable years for him and he still holds fond memories of those times. He then resigned from Booker and became self-employed. He did buying and selling for a while then settled for a fixed business on La Penitence Public Road.

Thus the All Fung Dominoes Club was born. This small business included the sale of beers, cigarettes and beverages.

There was food for sale and some amount of gambling. He later branched off to also sell on the Meadow Bank Wharf early every morning. Business there was poor so he decided to

concentrate on the club because that business was popular and well patronized. Then the government of the day demolished his small business and put him on the breadline.

His friends and family all refer to him as a generous and kind man. He likes to joke around and is always making those around him laugh. Being disabled has curtailed his movement.

He now only leaves the house to go to the clinic.

At home he loves to play music and watch TV and movies; that was before the onset of his eye troubles. This now

Godfrey Yhap relaxing on his veranda

prevents him from watching TV so re resorts to music. He loves to debate and correct others but is usually a jovial and approachable fellow.

He has two guardian angels; granddaughters Shemayne and Sarafena, ten and two respectively. They are always ready to help him with tasks he experiences difficulty in completing.

They administer thrice daily eye drops and twice daily medication. They feed him when necessary, guide him around the house and keep his company. He is regularly entertained with songs including the ABC melody.

A TYPICAL DAY IN HIS LIFE GOES AS FOLLOWS ● Awake at 530am ● Breakfast ● Medication ● Bath

III

● Basil Bradshaw’s Morning Show ● Siesta (morning) ● Lunch ● Siesta (afternoon) ● Club 700 ● Judge Judy ● CNN News ● Channel 9 News ● Dinner (during news) ● Medication ● Channel 28 News ● Channel 65 News ● Retire “I remember working on the docks just after leaving school. It was tough but I enjoyed it. I learned to operate the Forklift and later the Crane. It was there that I learned to drive everything. At one point I was one of the best operators.

Whenever there was an out of town project I would be one of the first to be assigned to that job. I met sailors and ship employees from all over the world. Once I was able to meet the star of Home Alone 1 & 2. He was on a Cruise Ship that docked in GT. I will never forget those days.”

Godfrey has reduced his activities drastically and even his partner of 30 years finds it difficult to persuade him to venture out onto the street. He has sadly resorted to sitting around or lying in bed.

“Godfrey get reluctant now. He don’t want to go out. The only time I can get him to leave the house is to go to clinic.

This same man used to work every day, 24x7 at his club. He would sell and entertain patrons day and night. On weekends he cooked for everyone. He was hardworking and a busybody.

One disappointment is when he backslide some years ago.

He don’t go to church anymore,” his reputed wife explained.

Growing up in a household with both parents, two brothers and six sisters and later having six kids of his own, has ensured that he kept active. Now he is trying to grapple with the reality of vastly reduced eyesight and mobility - an Achilles Heel for a man such as Godfrey Nasty Man Yhap.

IV

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

Rice land rent issue in ’71 COURT CASE Files ended in victory for Respondent THE appellant Oodit who was sued for arrears of the rent of 100 acres of land, let to him for the cultivation of rice, ended up with the Federal Supreme Court dismissing the appeal with costs to the respondent.

Mr. S. D. S. Hardyal with A.Q. Fung-Kee-Fung for the appellant.

Mr. J. O. F. Haynes, Q.C., with L. F. S. Burnham, Q.C. and Mr.H. D. Hoyte for the respondent.

The F. S. C. was constituted by Sir Eric Halliman, Chief Justice, Justice A. M. Lewis and Justice J. F. Marnan.

Justice Marnan who delivered the judgment said: By his defence he admitted that rent was payable at the rate of $7.50 per acre, but alleged that the area let was 25 acres only, in respect of which he had made full payment.

The only contested issue of fact which was raised by the pleadings was as to the area of the land let, but at the close of the evidence it was argued for the defendant-appellant that the plaintiff was precluded from recovering any rent by the operation of s. 27 of the Rice Farmers (Security of Tenure) Ordinance,1956, which had come into operation during the defendant’s tenure of the land in question.

The learned trial judge found the issue fact in favour of the plaintiff-respondent, held that the point of law was not open to the defendant because he had not raised it by his defence, and gave judgment for the rent claimed with costs.

At the hearing of the appeal it was not sought to challenge the trial judge’s finding of fact, but the appellant’s counsel based his submission on two main contentions.

The first was that the supply to the tenant by the landlord of a statement in writing of the rate of rent claimed by the latter to be due was a condition precedent to the recovery of such rent.

The second was that the respondent’s failure to supply such a statement within the time limited by the Ordinance constituted an illegality of which the Court should take notice and upon which the defendant could rely despite the provisions of O. 17. R. 15.

Section 27 (1) of the Rice Farmers (Security of Tenure) Ordinance, 1956, reads as follows: “The landlord of any holding to which this ordinance applies shall within 30 days from the date on which this Ordinance comes into operation supply the tenant with a statement in writing of the basic rent together with the addi-

tions thereto under section 23 of this Ordinance claimed by the landlord as the rent payable in respect of the holding.

Thereafter, the landlord shall not later than the 30th day of April, in each calendar year, supply the tenant with such a statement in respect of the rent so claimed for the next ensuing year of tenancy.”

After touching on other aspects of his judgment, Justice Marnan added: The learned trial judge did not deal with the meaning of section 27 because he decided the condition precedent point upon the ground that O, 17. R. 15, precluded the defendant from raising it. Order 17. r,15, which corresponds to O. 19, r. 15, of the English Rules of the Supreme Court, reads as follows: “The defendant or plaintiff, as the case may be , must raise by his pleading all matters which show the action or counterclaim not to be maintainable, or that the transaction is either void or voidable in point of law and that such grounds of defence or reply, as the Case may be as if not raised would be likely to take the opposite party by surprise, or would raise issues of fact not arising out of the preceding pleading, as, for instance, fraud, limitation by statute, prescription, release, payment, performance ,facts showing illegality , either by statute or common law, or any provision of the statute of Frauds, which has been incorporated in the law of the Colony.”

Mr. Hardyal contended that an illegality had appeared from then plaintiff’s own evidence that it was therefore open to him to rely on it. He contended, moreover, that the court was bound to take notice of the illegality and, having noticed

By George Barclay it, to refuse to enforce a contract so tainted.

There was, however, nothing illegal about the contract of tenancy upon which the plaintiff was suing. Her failure to comply in due time with the requirement o s. 27 (1) was not necessary even an offence under subsection (2), and in no way tainted the contract as such.

It may be that if the rent claimed in the action had been in excess of the maximum permitted rent the action itself might not be maintainable though the contract on which it was founded remained legal, because then It would be sought by the action to controvert the Ordinance.

But the rent claimed is agreed to be correct.

Even assuming that the supply of a statement before the rent fell due was a condition precedent to the recovery of rent that condition was in fact performed. I can see no attempt to circumvent the Ordinance or anything illegal in suing for the agreed rent, when all that can be said against the plaintiff is that she had performed the supposed condition precedent out of time.

The principles applicable to cases such as the present are reviewed in the judgment of Devlin J. After taking all the issues into account Justice Marnan dismissed the appeal with costs to the Respondent.

Chief Justice Hallinan and Justice Lewis concurred.

Film

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

By Subraj Singh

Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals AT this year’s Golden Globes Awards ceremony, there was a bit of an upset from the very beginning of the show when one of the first awards for film – for the Best Supporting Actor category – was won

by Aaron Taylor-Johnson for his role in Nocturnal Animals over favourites such as Mahershala Ali for Moonlight, Dev Patel for Lion, and Simon Helberg for Florence Foster Jenkins. It came as a surprise not because Taylor-Johnson was undeserving, he actually gave a very well extracted and well thought out performance, but

only because the other actors had larger parts in films that had been gathering more steam during awards season than Nocturnal Animals. This brings us to the question, as I’m certain after Taylor-Johnson’s win many others are also asking, does Tom Ford’s film deserve its place among the best films of the last year.

My answer to this question would be a definite nod in the affirmative.

Tom Ford, most well known as a designer, is also a very skillful filmmaker as evidenced by his first feature film, A Single

(Nocturnal Animals, Focus Features, 2016)

Man, from a few years ago which gained an Oscar Nomination for its lead actor, Colin Firth. There is no doubt that Ford employs much of his skills relating to design, colours and aesthetics in his films, and while this may be more prominent in A Single Man, the way these techniques are handled in Nocturnal Animals are also very important.

For example, the way Susan (Amy Adams), an upper class gallery manager, appears neatly polished, well dressed and always surrounded by scenery that indicates her aloof existence in an uppity world of excess and materialism is then juxtaposed with the second storyline in the film – presented in a rural, dusty, Texas setting, the antithesis of Susan’s world – that exists in a novel, sent to her by her writer ex-husband, Edward (Jake Gyllenhaal). Thus, we are presented with such factions of evidence to show that Tom Ford is a capable filmmaker in the way he handles the multiple narratives running through the film and the way he uses the story within the story (the story of the novel within the film that viewers are watching) in a way that allows one to comment on and develop the other.

Nocturnal Animals is a psychological thriller and the way the film works on the audience’s mind is aided, in part, by the way the film’s narratives cross and interweave with each other. As Susan’s current marriage falls apart around her and as she tries to maintain her steely façade of normalcy, she uses her ex-husband’s novel as a tool, as both a mechanism to purge her feelings regarding her own situation and as an escapist mechanism, which places her back with her ex-husband who has written the book – as she envisions him to be the protagonist of

V the novel, with her lookalike as the character’s wife. In a sense, the book manages to unearth long-buried feelings and memories within Susan even as she starts to project her own thoughts, feelings and desires on to the story that she is reading.

And if that wasn’t complicated enough, Ford adds a third storyline later in the film, highlighting the relationship Susan and Edward previously shared, including the terrible thing that she did to Edward before leaving him which no doubt prompted the creation of his novel and the representations of the characters in the novel bear similarities to himself and Susan and then, furthermore, having bad things happen to their counterparts in the novel in order to not only tell the real story of Edward and Susan but also for Edward to be able to exact his vengeance in the end of the film – as insidious and subtle in real life as the vengeance in the novel is brutal and bloody – on Susan for what she did to him.

The film would not have been as good as it is if it were not for its director and screenwriter, Tom Ford. However, the same can be said for the talented group of actors (Adams, Gyllenhaal, Taylor-Johnson, Michael Shannon, Armie Hammer, Isla Fisher) Ford casts in the film – every one of whom commits and gives it their all. There is not a single bad performance in Nocturnal Animals and Amy Adams, as the lead, conveys so much even when she does not have lines, with the flicker of her eyes and her facial expressions as she reads the novel. Nocturnal Animals is a great psychological thriller that comments on relationships, revenge, art, and, more specifically, art as vengeance.

VI

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

Buyers need to be alert OUR column to-day will review the main consumer pitfalls in buying and selling transactions and will also briefly touch on consumers dealings with the Public Utilities. From time to time we will carry other articles educating consumers of their rights.

A consumer is generally defined as a person who purchases goods and services for his/her personal or household use. Pur-

chasing goods and services is not always a straight forward matter and consumers must exercise vigilance when entering into such transactions. When a person goes to a shop or supermarket to purchase a good, he/she must look for the price. Sellers by Law are bound to tag their goods with prices. The next thing he/she does is to ascertain the contents of the goods he/she is purchasing.

Such would include reading the labels and

examining the goods.

For example, there was some Brazilian-made oil on the market where the name "Olive Oil" was prominent on its colourful label and in much smaller type was "Soya Oil." The product was 20% olive oil and 80% soya, but a purchaser who did not read the label carefully could have been misled into thinking that he/she is purchasing "olive oil" at a bargain price. Or buying toilet soaps - most of them appear to be of the same size with some of them cheaper. If one examines the weight of the soap on the label, the cheaper ones are always of less weight than the dearer.

One must look for the expiry dates on all the products purchased, especially foodstuffs. The expiry date is there to tell the consumer up to what time a foodstuff is safe and wholesome. This is especially true of canned or potted goods. Sometimes in the supermarkets one may see a product exposed at a knock-down price but when the expiry date is checked, it is only good for two days.

Most important is to ascertain the expiry date of drugs for some begin to be toxic shortly after the expiry date.

Another important thing to check on is the brand and origin of the goods being purchased. Since Guyana is a free market, numerous sub-standard goods and goods with forged well-trusted brand names are imported into the country. Sometimes such goods are smuggled in from neighbouring countries. For example, milk or fruit or jams imported from a desert country which has no large diary or fruit farms are bound to be questionable. Recently, the Food and Drugs Department disallowed some sub-standard milk products originating in such countries from entering Guyana. Forged Western products with trusted brand names are flooding Third World countries including Guyana from East Asia. Such goods with forged brand names range from haberdashery, foodstuffs, hardware and consumer durables like toasters and microwaves. In buying such

goods, it is always wise to ascertain country of origin.

In buying any kind of goods, consumers must always acquaint themselves how to use them properly and safely. For example, in buying an electronic product or an electrical tool or medicines, one must read and follow the directions for use. Knowledge of the directions for use will allow for the product to be used with greater efficiency and in safety.

In buying any goods, it is important to get a receipt or bill from the seller. The bill should have the name of the shop or seller, the description of the goods and services purchased, the prices of the various goods purchased and the date of the purchase. The bill must be clear and readable and should be done in inks that do not fade or disappear in under a year.

The securing of a bill by the purchaser is of great importance. It ascertains that the purchaser owns the good or goods as against others who may try to claim them.

The Police accept bills as proof of ownership and the purchaser, for instance, avoids difficulties in Police searches. A utility receipt could avoid one's electricity, water or telephone being disconnected; the presentation of a receipt has saved many a consumer from the discomfort of having his/her services disconnected.

If one wishes to return a good to the seller because of some defect, he/she could only do so on the presentation of a proper bill. The seller would not make a refund, or exchange a good or even repair it except a bill is produced. Many East Asian shops do not give purchase receipts except one asks for them and some sellers may tell purchasers they will get a cheaper price if they forego the issuance of a bill because they would not have to pay Vat. To forego one's bill is a great risk and consumers are advised to always collect their bills. Future articles will deal with consumers and purchasers' other rights such as warranties and correct weights and measures.

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

VII

Headaches caused by dental disease HEADACHES have practically become a national pastime; they are the seventh leading complaint in outpatient medical care in Guyana. During the past year, nearly 90% of men and 95% of women have had at least one headache. An estimated 134 thousand Guyanese suffer some form of severe headache; they make tens of thousands of outpatient visits to physicians every year for this condition. Thousands suffer from migraine – about 12% of our population as a whole.

What most people, physicians included, do not realize is that a tremendous number of these headaches are related to the teeth. In my experience, as much as 85% of all head pain has been directly attributable to problems in the teeth and jaw, especially when new fillings, new dentures or crowns are placed – and it is readily alleviated with dental treatment.

When a friend told me she had been getting headaches nearly every day for several years, I immediately suspected a problem with her teeth. Sure enough her wisdom teeth were impacted. Since she never had specific problems with them, she did not know that they needed to come out. And once they were removed? You guessed it – 99% of her headaches have completely vanished. She does still report an occasional headache, but we have both come to the conclusion that once her three kids are abit older, those will probably miraculously vanish!

The result of stress, tension headaches are the most common, afflicting as many as 75% of all headache sufferers.

Ninety percent of all adults have had a tension headache, says the American Council for Headaches. Tension headaches are usually a steady ache rather than a throbbing pain; they affect both sides of the head. I believe psychological factors have been greatly overemphasized as a cause of tension headaches.

You might think that the only way to treat a tension headache would be to reduce the amount of tension or learn how to “relax” more, but that is not always possible or even easily

accomplished. It is also not only the answer.

Many times people under stress will clench or grind their teeth, which is frequently the result of a misaligned bite. As a result, the tension headache is almost always accompanied by spasms of the muscles which help to open and close the jaw.

To evaluate whether the headaches are bite related, a small mold can be made fitting over the upper front teeth, which the patient wears for several days. Often, the headaches stop entirely or diminish greatly. It is then known that a dentist can go ahead and make minor, but important adjustments to reshape the teeth so the patient can have long lasting relief.

When the bite is corrected, the strain is taken off the muscles which are free to relax and heal, while the patient continues to feel better and better.

TMD – formerly known as TMJ ( tempero-mandibular joint) syndrome is simply a dramatic extension of the classic tension headache. It is named for the Temporomandibular joint which is in front of the ear where the lower jaw rests in the skull bone socket. Often related to clenching and misaligned bite, over time the TMD syndrome can result in extreme spasms and trauma to the muscles not only in the jaw, but down the neck and shoulders. In many cases, even the back muscles are affected.

Between the top of the lower jaw, called the condyle, and the skull, is a cartilaginous disc. This serves as a cushion as condyle moves forward and down when the mouth is opening. If this gets displaced

slightly, there will occur a click or pop upon opening the mouth; sometimes the jaw may even lock.

Some symptoms of TMD include dizziness, headaches, migraines, facial pain, tooth pain, pain down the arms into the fingers, lack of jaw opening, and pain upon jaw movement, ringing in the ears, grinding of the teeth and chronic neck and backache.

Since the site the of Temporomandibular Joint is at the intersection of three major energy meridians relating to the stomach, endocrine system and small intestines, relief of TMD can spark a tremendous healing process in the whole body, relieving symptoms like stomach problems, chest pains and cold extremities.

VIII

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

Changes needed for a better Drama Festival

By Telesha Ramnarine

VETERAN broadcaster, actor and director Ron Robinson believes that the National Drama Festival could become “a glorified piece of mediocrity” if changes are not made in the way it is functioning at the moment.

The festival started three years ago under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, and is run by a panel.

Following the results of this year’s drama festival a few weeks ago, much criticism was heaped on former Chief Judge Al Creighton and the rest of the judges for decisions that were deemed faulty and biased.

But Creighton, accused by many of micromanaging the festival, has since sought to defend such. He later resigned from the post, citing his inability to endure “assaults” on his ability and integrity.

The Chronicle recently spoke with Robinson who is pushing some 60 years in the field

– Theatre old-timer Ron Robinson

of theatre at his National Communications Network (NCN) office on Homestretch Avenue, and although he is happy his ‘Miriamy’ team won, he stressed that certain changes needed to be made to make the festival more appealing.

First off, Robinson drew attention to the fact that the attention span of everyone, including adults, was limited. Hence, when the judges have to review several plays in one night, they get tired and cannot devote as much attention to each one.

“The judges are expected to judge some nights three or four plays and I don’t think that it’s right to have two one-act plays followed by a full length play. After a certain time, they cannot humanly judge the last play when they are getting tired; so the last play is going to be judged on a different level,” said Robinson during the interview.

The rules need to be changed, he feels, so that no one is allowed in more than two plays, perhaps one being a full-length play and the other in a different category, like a one-act play or a short play. “It shouldn’t be three, four, five entries. That, to me, smacks of not what theatre is all about. I can’t think of any director, and I have worked with some of the greats, capable of directing so many plays or acting in so many plays. Some will suffer; it’s humanly impossible.”

As such, the Ron Robinson festival committee would need to recognize that for the sake of the art, they have to insist on standards and quality. “And you can’t get that if you allow people to enter as many productions as they wish. People think when they enter a lot, it increases their chances of winning but being in the festival is not [about] winning, or getting money; it’s about giving the public the highest quality drama.”

Reflecting on this year’s festival, Robinson observed that there were a number of plays which fell down badly but still made it to the final, prompting many to question how. “I think that if Caribbean dramatists had come to judge, the results would have been quite different; an independent panel who knew no one. Maybe even Miriamy would not have won.

“The panel needs to be independent.

Nobody on the Guyana National School of Theatre Arts and Drama should be part of the judging because the whole festival is coming from students at that same school. You get to know people so well and they (the judges) ◄◄◄ From page II

duty? Hopefully there is no duty because they are being donated… and then physically to take the books and put them in a vehicle?

Who is gonna pay for a vehicle? Who is gonna pay for transportation?” she asked.

Creech said her dream for Book Bridges Guyana is great, and she hopes to establish connection with the President’s 5b’s program in which he plans to include the distribution of books to children across the country.

“I know that President Granger has devoted the current 3Bs and the next 2Bs are going to be books and breakfast, so that’s where I’m thinking. Upon evaluating my experiences here, I have learned that books are very much needed and wanted in Guyana. It is my aim to build book bridges that deliver 10,000 brand new books to Guyana every year. This goal will only be met if it is created as a public/ private partnership. I welcome people and companies to be in contact if they want to be a part of this effort. We need corporate sponsorship and a shipping partner who is able to

could be subconsciously influenced by persons in a production.”

Continuing to highlight the importance of an independent panel, Robinson said: “We can compare it with a beauty pageant. You don’t have to be a fashion designer to be a judge in a beauty contest. You are independent. Everyone has a different opinion, the judges’ scores are added up, tallied the very night and that’s it. The moment you have a lot of discussion and so on, yeah but this and but that; judge what you see, mark it then, add it up, that’s it. If two or three productions have the same marks, then you need to have discussions and consultations with the same judges.

“We feel that the judges can be influenced no matter how strong-willed they are. They can be influenced by the remarks made by anyone after a production. If you want to make those remarks, make yourselves available to the team after the judging. Talk to them and say what you thought was wrong; but the marks are already in, they are already tallied and that can’t change.”

Robinson is hoping that the issues surrounding the festival will be addressed forthwith and that those in charge will listen and pay heed to the suggestions of others. “The festival can be improved tremendously. I know it can, and I am hoping that the directors of the festival will listen and make whatever changes they know are necessary for a better festival.”

If not, he said those experienced in theatre will drop out of the festival and the younger ones entering will not have the benefit of such experience. assist with shipping and associated costs.”

Creech recognized that a “book is a luxury” and said it posed a challenge when children could not read by Grade 3.

“The third grade is where we go from learning to read, to read to learn. So if our kids can’t read to learn, then they haven’t learned to read… we’re having a big struggle right now, a big push to focus on reading,” she told this magazine.

While a book is just one precious gift, one small tool, she said, “parents and educators are the biggest tools we have,” and suggested that parents use reading with their children as an opportunity to bond and demonstrate the importance of reading.

She has also distributed books to the St Joseph Ursuline Convent; the National Library; HeadStart Georgetown. She has been supported here by her stepmom Pam Pereira and Aunt Joan Amo.

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

IX

Notes from the Vermont Studio Center Residency

A series of unfortunate events REMEMBER last week when I described traumatized by the experience that I would everything as off to a great start? Well, it get the shivers and recoil in agony every time seems the universe had other plans for me. someone said that word, Miami. I “lucked As much as I wish it wasn’t the case, I feel out” and found a flight the next day while like there’s always some level of drama most persons were stuck there for two and every time I have to travel somewhere via three days. It seemed things were finally airplane. taking a turn for the better.

I don’t even think my brain has had time Morning came and I to fully comprehend everything that has was brimming over with happened during the two days I spent trying e x c i t e to get to Vermont (yes, you read correct, two aight l traveled. Str ildings days). So I will attempt The road wel bu e ar er side ahead on eith resident artists and to condense everything e th e us ho that , the road I can recall from a rathe foreground Mill writers. In th R ads to the ed er eventful start to my going right le the main office and residency. which houses everyone gathers re It didn’t start out bad cafeteria whe nch and dinner lu t, as kf for brea in any way. In fact, my flights to Trinidad and Miami were both on time and without issue. What I wasn’t physically and/or mentally prepared for was the circus that awaited me when I got to Miami.

Things were worsened by the fact that the shooting that occurred at Fort Lauderdale airport just two days before diverted the traffic to the Miami International Airport.

Nerves were frayed, everyone was frantic and the air was thick with vexation. I felt like I ran for miles up and down that airport, and I was not wearing running shoes. Every time they announced a gate change there was a mad dash to get there. I probably did that about three or four times. It was hard to keep track with the breathless panting and all. Even so, I ran confidently each time, sure that it meant that I would board the plane. And technically, I did board the plane (three times to be exact before being asked to disembark each time).

Why did I have to disembark, you ask?

Well the first time they couldn’t find the pilot then they couldn’t find the crew. When it seemed like everyone was accounted for and after waiting for an hour on the plane, they announced that the flight was cancelled.

Apparently, neither pilot nor crew was on the ment, even did a ground or even in the state for that matter. little happy dance in the washroom while And so we ran again, this time to the rebook- I “showered.” Time couldn’t move fast ing line. It would be about five hours until I enough. When we finally got the call to got to the head of the line and found a flight board, I wanted to run through the airport out of Miami the next morning. screaming, “It’s over!” but I managed to You’d think I would’ve been upset, contain myself. I could only describe what having to sleep in the airport. But honestly, followed next as the universe’s way of I was just over the moon happy to know I reminding us just how cruel her sense of was finally getting out of Miami. I was so humour could be.

We boarded and sat for what felt like hours on the plane before the crew finally announced that the plane had no power and had to be charged. Strange, I thought to myself but still, just a minor delay. Nothing to worry about. At least we’d be on our way after that was done. Then a sinister thought popped in my head, “Suppose we had

weight of that saying. As the plane backed up, we heard two loud noises and it felt like the wheels rolled over something. At this point I think my eyes were probably wild with fright. Surely whatever just happened could be fixed in a jiffy and we’d be on our way. Maintenance eventually came to assess the damage and we were all chanting silent prayers that they’d clear us for flight. Then came the announcement, “Passengers are asked to disembark and proceed to Gate 38.”

I hadn’t lost complete hope yet since they assured us that we’d be put on another plane shortly. So we waited for half an hour only to hear that the flight was cancelled and there were no available flights out of Miami at that time. Instinct kicked in and everyone dashed across to the rebooking line once again. Three hours later I was able to find a flight out later that day. There was an additional stop along the way but at that point I would’ve taken anything. So my route that should’ve been Guyana to Trinidad to Miami to Philadelphia to Vermont was changed to Guyana to Trinidad to Miami to Orlando to Washington to Vermont.

When I finally made it to Vermont I was a broken person. The airline lost my luggage and all I had was the clothes on my back and a carryon filled with electronics. I had a total of two hours sleep in three days.

I didn’t have a proper meal in too long The view outs ide my studio and I endured the most uncomfortable shower “situations.” My eyes were already bloodshot red from lack of sleep so when the gusts of icy wind hit me, it was over. My vision was blurred and my sinuses were a mess. As fast as my nose ran the liquid froze on my upper lip before I even got the chance to wipe it off. My breathing was labored and my fingers were incredibly numb even with my “insuto dislated winter gloves.” embark a fourth time?” I chuckled and What sort of frozen hell disregarded that as fast as it entered my head. was this?

I was seated comfortably and there just was My artist friends were right, winter here no way that was going to happen. After all, is no joke. There’s nothing that can prepare the plane had already started to move. you for the second you step out of the airI’ve always heard persons say, “My port and the wind Mike Tyson’s the air out heart sank” and until that very moment I don’t think I ever truly understood the Turn to page X ►►►

X

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

Anyone who uses an G N I K C HA e-mail can be a victim

HOW to better protect yourself in the Online World After the recent yahoo hack went public, it left many people bewildered whether their account information was safe or compromised. Many users believe that a quick change of their password would be able to fix that issue. But is that enough? So what should someone do to protect their information? Just to make this clear, this article is not just for yahoo users but for anyone who uses their e-mail or logs into different websites with a username and password on a day to day basis.

Before we begin, the story behind the recent Yahoo hack was not actually recent at all. This hack was an ongoing security breach which was affecting users since 2013 but wasn’t announced by Yahoo until late 2016. This hack occurred as a result of an unidentified third party using Yahoo’s proprietary codes and utilized them to create cookies that allowed authentication and access to users’ accounts.

This hack affected over a billion users which happened to be twice as much as the last biggest hack. Names, telephone numbers, dates of birth, passwords and even some security questions were compromised in this hacking. Knowing this, the first thing that a user should do is change their password at least every six months. When changing a password, try to avoid predictable patterns

such as incrementing the last number or adding or deleting a character. For example, “peach1” to “peach2” or “peach***” to “peach**”.

Also try to use a mix-

ese an is a Guyan a id Mathew Moh or Fl of t uden technology st niversity U l Internationa

n building the Wolf Kah Side view of a number of studios which houses e I was assigned on including the ◄◄◄ From page IX

of your lungs. Suddenly your coordination is completely out of sync and your brain is struggling to understand this new madness.

Even the locals admitted that the wind chills were particularly intense that day. I didn’t stand a chance.

Eventually I got to the Red Mill (or the main office of VSC) sometime after 4am.

The taxi dropped me off and peeled out of there so fast Usain would be proud. I couldn’t be mad at him though. He was waiting for me at the airport for two hours. Our scheduled 12:20am arrival time turned into 2:30am.

ture between capitalized letters, lowercase letters, numbers, symbols and special characters. So instead of using “squash123,” try using “$qU@Sh!276”. Now I know these may be complicating at first but trust me it will be far more difficult for hackers or onlookers to decrypt your password if you use this mentality. There are additional ways where you could properly secure your email or login by using a two step verification method, which require maybe a cell phone number or fingerprint along with the password in order to gain access to your account. Second off are security questions. Many people overlook them since they just seem as useless questions that a person may never use.

But what some may not know is that if I knew your security questions and answers, I could access your account without even needing your password. Security questions don’t need to be changed as often as passwords do but they need to be properly kept so that if a hacker were to intrude into your account and change your password then you would be able to retrieve your information. With security questions, try to avoid the obvious which would be “What city were you born in?” or “What secondary school did you go to?” as many of the answers to these questions could be easily found on your mailing address, other emails, or much simply social media networks. Instead try something that couldn’t be easily

found online like “What was your first childhood friend?” Third, avoid entering in your email address on websites you don’t trust, since many of them may be hacked or be baiting websites. Some of these websites are put in place in order to get your information to sell to third party accounts which could result in an increase amount of spam in your inbox or either worse, stolen information.

Many of these websites could be identified by a slight variation in the URL, for Example: www.starrcomputerssss.com instead of www.starrcomputers.com so it is always important to double check the website you are on. Also another way to identify a secure website is to look to the left of the URL and see if there is a lock icon. This means that while on that particular website you will have a secure connection and your information will be private.

If you are still unsure with the website you are on but don’t want to leave as yet, enter in false information but it isn’t recommended as the best thing to do is to exit that website completely. There are additional ways that a person could further be secured but these are the most basic and easy methods to do so. Just remember as technology grows throughout the world, this leads to more and more cyber criminals and hacking incidents on the rise.

I hope this helped many of you become more aware and more equip to face the internet’s many foes.

An interior shot of the J. Steven Manolis Studio where I will be producing work for the next month

We spent an hour trying to find my luggage and an additional hour driving to the center.

While looking through the contents of my arrival package, which was left for me in the lobby, I was sure that I’d be sleeping comfortably in no time. I found the map that highlighted the route to the house I’d be staying in. It seemed simple enough. So I steeled myself, went back out into the cold and proceeded up the road, carryon in tow.

At this point my vision was still incredibly blurred, it was dark and I couldn’t find my house. I walked up and down the icy road asking myself, “Do they mean this corner or the next one? Should I continue walking all

the way this road? I don’t wanna try opening a house that isn’t mine and have them think it’s a burglar or something.”

After a few minutes I gave up and decided to walk back to the Red Mill. I made my way back to the only place I was sure about, sat in the only wooden chair I saw and allowed myself to thaw off. “I’ll just stay here until someone finds me in the morning when they start out to work. Just a few more hours anyway.”

At some point I must’ve dozed off for a bit because suddenly the door flung open and a gust of wind blew in. I looked up and saw this person standing there, framed by the doorway and the darkness from outside. Who was that

mystery person? Did I spend the remainder of the morning sleeping upright in the chair in the lobby? Look out for next week’s article to find out what happens next in the miniseries that is my life!

In September of last year I was nominated for a Vermont Studio Center residency and sponsored by the Reed Foundation. Notes from the Vermont Studio Center Residency is intended to be a series of articles chronicling my experiences at the U.S. residency starting from the issuance of the fellowship award until the conclusion of the month-long program in February, 2017.

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

XI

Flowers, Seashells and Feathers Alisa Khan Artistic Pieces by

Artist and Craftswoman, Alisa Khan

WHILE some Millenials waste their time away on social media, confirming the title of “Generation Me” that has been given to them in order to underline the alleged self-obsession and vanity of those of us born in the mid-eighties to the mid-nineties, Alisa Khan has decided to utilize social media for another important pur-

phase.

Although the business aspect of her craftwork has only recently started, Ms. Khan says that the response to what she does has been encouraging and that people are supporting her by buying the items she makes. She credits her start to a small Craft Show that was held at the Saint Stanislaus ground where she got her first large scale opportunity, albeit at a small show, to offer the world insight into her talents and skills. It is important to note that in true Generation Y fashion, Ms. Khan is self-taught and uses online blogs as her main source of learning more about the crafts that she makes. It is interesting to note the shift when it comes to crafts in Guyana – how in the past such skills were handed down in families and people were physically schooled in certain crafts whereas, the craftspeople of today are diligently using newer forums to both share and get access to knowledge. Ms. Khan relies on the online community not only as a means of selling her products but also as a way of getting feedback and (Framed Flower Art)

even portraits utilize a wide range of local flowers. And one of the perks of taking from nature in order to create art, to create something that will last a very long time is that nature is so bountiful and willing to give, making access to needed materials relatively easy. In fact, the most difficult materials to get are the synthetic pieces like the wiring, hooks and chain links that are difficult to

come in for a particular piece that several people are interested in (such as the framed world map made out of flower petals), she tries to make each one unique and special, different from the others in some way (whether it’s by changing the colours, etc.) while essentially remaining the same piece that is desired by the customer.

When asked whether she sees herself as an artist and what she does as art, Ms. Khan answers ade from (Jewellery M Feathers) in the affirmative, noting that d Seashells an although she does not use conventional methods that are designated to be “artistic” she does still very much consider herself to be an artist and her work art. She also says that her products are similar to other forms of art such as drawings and photographs, the only difference is the method she uses to convey what she wants to say. A good example of this is found in her piece entitled “Breathe”, where the flowers are arranged in such a dense and compact manner that it does have a stifling effect on the center of the piece where there are no flowers, but simply the word “breathe” existing in, and making, a space for itself, immune to, and rebelling against, the claustrophobic and beautiful effect of the flowers. It is almost as if the word “Breathe” is itself breathing.

Ms. Khan’s crafts are undoubtedly special and it is obvious that she does have a lot of skills in her area. One can only hope that find in Guyana. her work is among those that continue Commenting on the requests she has to inspire Guyanese people to buy crafts gotten from those who are interested in from our local artists and that as her work buying her products, Ms. Khan, like all grows and evolves, so too does the appregood artists, does not enjoy doing the same ciation and need for art by the Guyanese thing over and over again. So when requests populace.

(Framed Flower Art)

pose, one that is perhaps related to her own purpose in the Guyanese artistic landscape, that of marketing her crafts and artistic products that she creates.

Ms. Khan, keenly aware of the reach social media has on her target demographic (young people, Millenials like herself) has begun using her Facebook page, “Adornments”, to sell the array of exotic and intricately made pieces – everything from delicate and beautifully pressed and framed flowers to seashell necklaces and dream-catcher jewellery – that are starting to represent her own persona as an artist and craftswoman. Although her long term goal is to establish a store, her own space where people can come in and see all the items she has to offer, Ms. Khan seems perfectly at ease with the way she has incorporated social media into her business strategy in this initial

criticism from people which she can use to improve her items.

Ms. Khan, a former Science student at the Saint Stanislaus College, admits that making pretty knickknacks was not her first choice in terms of a job, but that it is has always been a hobby and arts and crafts were always what she was into. In many ways, this makes her similar to many other artistic people in Guyana who at one point or another shaped what were initially mere hobbies into businesses over time. She is also similar to other Guyanese craftspeople in the way a lot of what she makes is both inspired by and is created from material that comes from nature. Her jewellery, for example, is made of seashells that are all hand-collected at various seashores in Guyana, including locations like 63 Beach, that are not exactly within walking distance for her. Her framed flowers, arranged to create various designs, patterns, imagery and

XII

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

Greening Guyana THE transformation of traditional infrastructure and neglected spaces around the country aim at more efficient resource use, and contribute to a Green Economy. These measures link with the social pillar of the Green Economy concept. A Green Economy aims for people to feel included and secure in society. In simple terms, people are able to have a decent standard of living by having access to education, health services, jobs etc. Often, people think of the Green Economy only in terms of its environmental and economic aspects.

However, it is by no accident that the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in its definition of Green Economy puts human well-being and social equity first. After all, the whole reason for taking action to reduce environmental risks and safeguard the ecosystem is to benefit people now and in the future. As such, the Green Economy not only looks at low carbon development but also at resource efficiency and social inclusiveness.

Social inclusiveness, is a two-way street, along which people must not only take but must also give. So how can you give to transform undeveloped opening spaces in urban areas? What will you get by giving to make our spaces green? It is a fact that neglected spaces encourage illegal dumping and illicit activities. It is also true that many countries around the world are investing big in transforming land area that was once underdeveloped into green spaces.

GREEN SPACES Green spaces are areas generally set aside for recreational or aesthetic purposes in an urban environment. These can be parks, community gardens, playgrounds, seating areas etc. Community green spaces are places to experience the climate and the natural world. Unfortunately,

– one space at a time!

in modern urban society, community green spaces are often taken for granted.

Also, green spaces that do exist, are sometimes neglected and under-managed, causing a decline in the quality of the habitat and low public access.

BENEFITS By now, you should realize that the word “green” signals good things not just for the environment and its ecosystems services, but also for the socioeconomic component of sustainability. Let’s take a look at just a few of the benefits that green spaces provide.

Filter Air – Green spaces filter pollutants and dust from the air.

Shades and Cools Trees in green spaces provide shade and lower temperatures in urban areas.

Protect soil – The vegetation in green spaces hold the soil fast, reducing erosion of soil. This keeps our rivers and canals free-flowing and not clogged up with soil.

Saves water: Green spaces slow the runoff of rainwater; this slowly filters down into our aquifers where it is stored and slowly released to sustain our rivers, forests, pastures and fields.

Inspire – Green spaces provide inspiration and reduce stress; many artists take ideas from green spaces for their work. They also provide a place for you to relax and enjoy your leisure.

Meeting place – Green spaces enable you to share in a local resource, enabling you to become involved in taking care of your natural

environment and to make new friends.

Outdoor classroom Green spaces are an outdoor classroom, waiting to give an opportunity for training, volunteering and learning.

Wildlife Habitat – Green spaces provide a habitat for wildlife such as, birds and butterflies and frogs and add to the aesthetics of the local landscape.

Sports – Green spaces are ideal for holding community sports and for kicking your fitness into gear through walks and jogs.

CREATING A GREEN SPACE IN YOUR COMMUNITY Now you know about the many benefits green spaces provide, you should be encouraged to join in on the act of Greening Guyana one space at a time. As you

think about creating a green space in your community, here a few tips and steps on how to create a green space: STEP 1. FIND A SUITABLE SITE FOR NEW GREEN SPACE Having a suitable site should be your first task.

You will need to do some research to see if the site may have any overhead cables or pipelines that would restrict your project. This means that you should make checks with utility companies. Also, try to find out previous land use to ensure it is safe for future users.

STEP 2. SPEAK TO EXPERTS Once your group has found a suitable site, get in touch with organizations who can give advice and support to your green space project. Get the necessary approvals. The Environmental Protection Agency would be willing to assist with knowledge and guidance. We will also be happy to provide you with names of relevant organizations that could help.

STEP 3. FUNDING At an early stage, you will need to consider how much your project will cost.

You may then need to look for additional funds to support your project. Try creating a detailed plan of the cost for your project, then look to approach potential funders. It would be good to ensure that your group is registered and recognized, for transparency and accountability purposes.

STEP 4. MAINTENANCE OF THE SITE This needs to be considered from the very beginning. You may choose to do this through local volunteers, or to pay somebody; you may even get help from your local authority. It is really important to develop a plan for this. Approach your local government organs like your NDC’s and RDC’s and other similar groups in your community.

STEP 5. DESIGN A good design is essential and will maximize the use of any new or existing site. Any design of a community green space, or change to an existing green space, needs to represent and involve all users and potential users of a site.

Like always, we here at the EPA will be happy to assist you with creative and innovative ideas.

STEP 6. INITIATING AND PROMOTING THE PROJECT Once you have successfully planned your project, and secured enough funding to carry it out, you can then start to implement your project. As a group you might also like to celebrate the start of your project with a community event or family fun day; this will get people on board and raise awareness of the project.

So now you have the zest and the know-how, on how to make your environment a better place by creating green spaces, we at the EPA would like to hear and see how your efforts are coming along.

So feel free to give us a call on 2255471 or post your ideas and picture and ask questions via our facebook page @ Environmental Protection Agency Guyana.

Once again, we are always happy to provide assistance and guidance in any way we can. So let’s continue to make Green Guyana - one space at a time!

C/O EIT Division, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit.epaguyana@gmail.com

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

XIII

XIV

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

XV

XVI

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

XVII

Quality vs. Quantity VERY few of us have the privilege of experiencing both, but often times, us plebs and working class people, have to choose between quality and quantity.

Brace yourself, the Math is coming. A woman's intuition makes it easier for her to budget.

This is why women, are better than men at Finance, and those who are mathematically inclined would agree. Finance not only involves mathematics, but the ability to predict trends. Falling into every fad, and being tarried away with every trend, can be more expensive than sticking with quality affordable brands.

With beauty it's imperative that you be aware of what's worth the splurge and what's the soup du jour, the hottest and latest trend. It just might be wise to buy a Versace pink leather belt, but it would be the inverse and foolish to buy a silk pink shirt with glitter embellished paillettes to match your belt. That would be a splurge on a trendy piece that may soon come out of style and end up damaged tucked away in your closet.

When it comes to trendy pieces it's better to save than splurge. Unlike fashion however, the trick is adversely different. That colorful highly pigmented eyeshadow that comes once a lifetime is very well worth the splurge, that signature lipstick is actually worth the extra dollars.

Why? In beauty it isn't necessarily how much you buy but more of what you buy and how often you wear it.

Colour cosmetics are worth the splurge since it's both skin beneficial and in the long run costs less. A lipstick has a typical shelf life of about 2-3 years. But a liquid liner may only last up to six months. So that limited edition shimmering cobalt blue liquid liner isn't necessarily worth the price, if you're only gonna wear it once.

The debate on hiring a professional Makeup Artist stems from a price tag. Most MUAs worldwide charge between US$75-150. It's steep for the typical consumer. However, if you chose to buy the makeup and be your own makeup artist, it would cost you more money.

And you could end up with products you'll

orburst Lip Butter comes in similar dazzling shades for the low cost of $7.50.

EYE SHADOW Hue-ray! Finding a dynamic, highly pigmented eye shadow in a budge-proof formula just got a whole lot easier. Smashbox Limitless 15 Hour Wear Cream Shadow comes in 12 vibrant jewel tones—no creasing or smudging! Need a longer-lasting version for less? Maybelline Eye Studio Color Tattoo is only $7 and comes in 10 equally flashy shades.

BLUSH With the weather warming up, it's time to switch to a melt-proof cream cheek tint.

For a completely weightless rouge that will blend into your skin with a matte finish, snag $10 L'Oréal Studio Secrets Magic Smooth Souffle Blush. For a glittering alternative, nab Youngblood Luminous Crème Blushes Collection ($27 each) which boasts four glowing melon colors that serve double-duty as a highlighter. never use again, especially on your wedding day. It's always best to budget.

For deeper insight, I'll leave you with this article SPLURGE VS. SAVE: SPRING MAKEUP

by CINYA BURTON Have you finished your spring cleaning?

Time to fill those empty spots with some fab new finds! Whether you're looking to spend big on mascara or scrimp on lip gloss, we've rounded up this season's best new products at every price.

MASCARA Peep this! At $49, Guerlain Noir G de Guerlain Exceptional Complete Mascara is definitely a luxury purchase that's worth every penny. Not only does the fancy tube include a chic mirror jewel case, the formula also increases lash growth! For a less expensive but similar effect, opt for Cover Girl's new $8 Lash Blash 24 Hour Mascara. The long-lasting formula that will leave your lashes just as voluminous.

LIP TINT YSL's new Rouge Pur Couture Vernis À Lèvres Glossy Stain may have just launched in the states but it's already selling out! What makes this lip luster so special? The $32 tint combines the pigment of a lipstick with the brilliant shine of a gloss. If you can't score the highly sought-after product, Revlon Col-

XVIII

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

Budget 2017:

Business, Infrastructure and aligning goals with the Green Economy DEVELOPMENTS in Business and infrastructure have direct impact on a country’s economy, as both sectors promote innovation, productivity and economic growth.

Guyana’s potential as a business hub holds significant prospects, given the country’s bright future in the oil and gas sector. Even as Guyana prepares for economic expansion and diversification President David Granger and new Chair of the Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) has promoted Guyana among member states as a new frontier for investment in value added production and tourism.

Within the local business arena, the promotion of economic development through commerce is the responsibility of the Ministry of Business. The Ministry is primarily responsible for the development of a more conducive environment for local businesses, as well as foreign direct investment. The Ministry of Business received over $1.7 Billion allocation in Budget 2017 for the promotion of economic growth.

During the Budget Debates, Minister of Business, Mr. Dominic Gaskin, said that the allocation is aimed at achieving the Ministry’s vision of improving the living standards for all Guyanese in a diverse and green economy. He added Minister of Public Infrastructure, Hon. David Patterson, that through collaboration with the World Bank, a report has been created to address directly the indicators where during the Budget 2017 Debate, assured that the Ministry is well on its way to achieving its overall goals for Guyana can improve in the business sector. The findings of contributing to the development of Guyana the report has made it imperative for the Ministry to, over the next few years, seek to correct the deficiencies that placed the country at a disadvantage in attracting investors and eration. However these businesses continue to face many that affected business operations in Guyana. “In 2017, the constraints to growth and development. In this regard, Ministry will provide support for and facilitate the execution much focus will be placed on the provision of more formal of critical reforms in areas identified in the various reports opportunities to intensify capacity building within the small and assessments in order to significantly improve the ease business through implementation of the Small Business Procurement Programme this year through a collaborative of doing business in Guyana,” he said.

Government believes that small businesses hold signif- effort of the Small Business Bureau (SBB) and the National icant potential for job creation and national income gen- Procurement and Tender Administrative Board.

This year, the Minister said that the Bureau will continue

to work with small businesses to build capacity and prepare them for access to the programme. The SBB will also partner with other entities to offer business integration services to provide targeted support to small businesses with high growth potential by ensuring that they can access equipment as well as support services required to propel their development. Such facilities will allow for enhanced.

Work will also continue through the Guyana Office for Investment (GO-Invest) to promote and facilitate local and foreign investment, while also promoting the exportation of local goods.

With youth unemployment as a major concern for Government, Minister Gaskin said that his Ministry will pursue the expansion of private enterprise in order to increase employment opportunities for young Guyanese. The SBB will also be scaling up these activities in 2017 and will actively promote youth entrepreneurship as a means of channelling innovation towards economic activity. “Enhanced outreach activities in every region will be carried out. These will be done through individual agencies and will be an initiative of the Small Business Bureau as well as through collaborative efforts with other public sectors agencies,” he said.

One hundred Students from Educational institutions are expected to benefit from entrepreneurial initiatives. Ten Students will also be awarded grants towards the implementation of the ventures outlined in their business proposal through training they would receive. Other points of focus

Minister of Business, Hon. Dominic Gaskin during a walkabo of c

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017 within the Business sector include the improvement of the Sophia Exhibition Centre for the hosting of Guyana’s premier business exposition – GuyExpo and continuing to raise the standard of business operations through the National Bureau of Standards. These and other initiatives, the Minister said, will all contribute to the expectation of improved growth for this year as the Government continues to strive for the good life for all Guyanese.

While development of the business sector promotes innovation, diversification and economic expansion, infrastructural development is vital to economic developments as it provides access between means of production and markets, encourages productivity, and serves to ensure the reduction in production costs, thereby making firms more competitive and boosting the economy. President David Granger has said infrastructural development is the key to unlocking the vast potential of Guyana’s Hinterland and linking it with the Coast Land. Further, infrastructural development has to be done in the context of Guyana’s ‘green’ agenda.

The Ministry of Public Infrastructure has been working to transform the country and with a budgetary provision of $34.556 billion; over 13 percent of the total Budget, Minister of Public Infrastructure, Mr. David Patterson has assured that the Ministry is well on its way to achieving its overall goals for contributing to the development of Guyana.

Delivering his presentation during the Budget Debates, Minister Patterson outlined several high level transformative projects that are to be conducted with the generous allocations. Among these include the focus on the advancement of Government’s Green Agenda through the work of the Guyana Power and Light Limited. Minister Patterson said that the utility company is a major stakeholder in the achievement of the vision of Guyana’s ‘green’ economy. Initiatives include the commencement of preparatory steps for the introduction of renewable energy from intermittent and non-intermittent sources including wind, solar, biomass and hydropower.

The Government believes that an energy mix from such sources is the best option in order to decentralise the provision of renewable energy to various parts of Guyana and this is in keeping with the country’s commitment to increasing its renewable energy use to 100 percent by 2025.

With the need to ensure proper road and bridge networks and ensure sea and river defense, expansion works included on the Ministry’s agenda will take place on the East Coast and East Bank Demerara Highways, sea defences, the development of major roads, bridges and other projects. With increased road traffic, the need for the expansion of the two major highways has become an imperative over the years.

Works for the expansion of the East Bank Demerara four lane project funded by the International Development Bank started in 2011 and were completed in September 2016 under this administration at a total cost of US$17.7 million, but the Minister said that more work in this area is planned for the year 2017, while advancements have been made in the

XIX

Minister of Business, Hon. Dominic Gaskin met with business owners during a walkabout on Regent Street in December 2016 to discuss matters of concern affecting their operations

agreement for the East Coast Demerara Expansion Project.

Countrywide, the development of roads has also been a noticeable ongoing endeavour of the Ministry, with the construction and rehabilitation of urban roads being completed in Regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10 under the Miscellaneous and Urban Roads Programme. The Minister said that in comparison to last year, budgetary allocations for these two programmes have increased in every region for the year 2017. Moreover, the linking of the hinterland to the coastal area, a commitment that was outlined in this government’s campaign 2015 Manifesto, is a project which has come to realisation since government took office.

More than just the development of infrastructure, however, the Ministry is also involved with helping to contribute to the overall beautification of the country and several projects under its forte reflect this goal. One

out on Regent Street in December where he met with business owners to discuss matters concern affecting their operations

such project includes the beautification of the waterfront areas between Kingston and Ogle and Stabroek Market and Vreed-en-Hoop. Government proposes to complete these projects through partnership with the United Kingdom’s Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (DFID). The projects will be overseen by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and formal agreements were finalised for these projects in December. The year 2017 holds many prospects for the achievement of President Granger’s vision of building a green economy through as these Ministries continue in their mandate to contribute to the Good Life for all Guyanese.

XX

Quitting cigarettes HELLO Everyone, I hope this week has treated you well.

Today I would like to talk about habits, specifically tobacco (cigarette) smoking. This is a very common New Year resolution- with many people attempting to do so all around me. I myself have been through the struggle of quitting cigarettes. I am confident that many reading are doing the same- or knows someone who is- I hope this piece helps.

So, what is a habit? Basically, a habit is a reoccurring behaviour which happens both consciously or unconsciously.

We all have these, whether they are currently coming to mind or not. Smoking is a habit for many people, despite its known consequences. Smokers usually start in their teens and continue throughout adulthood. While it does happen, it is rare for an individual to start smoking in adulthood. The age old question is, since we all know the harms associated with smoking, why do some of us continue to do it? Nicotine (found in cigarettes) is one of the most powerful reinforcers- it is highly addictive.

It goes directly into the bloodstream, and flows in the pleasure centre of the brain, releasing chemicals that quickly allows us to feel good.

Before one can even think about quitting, the reason for smoking in the first place must be identified. There are many reasons why individuals pick up cigarettes. The first I believe is peer pressure due to the young age when it usually begins. When your peers or family members smoke and therefore encourage it, one is much more likely to do the same- whether they truly want to or not.

The second reason is self-medication to reduce stress or anxiety. This is most common among adults. It doesn’t matter what issue one is dealing with- work, family or financial stress, smokers believe that the cigarettes create instant relief and relaxation. There is also the controversial topic of rebellion- that adolescents/teens like to do something simply because it is frowned upon. I believe this to be true- from my own and my client’s experiences. There is a thrill that comes from breaking rules as a child, even when you knew betterdon’t you remember it? It is common for this age group to push limits set by parents, schools and communities. Media influences are also a cause for smoking. Smoking and drinking is still portrayed as ‘cool’ on too many programs. Parental influences is also a factor. Similar to alcohol use, children of smokers are twice as likely to smoke cigarettes as children of non-smokers.

Finally, individuals smoke because of a lack of information available to them. There are still some who are not aware of the devastating effects of smoking cigarettes. I hope this provides all that you need to make the healthier choice to quit. When you identify your specific reasons for smoking, then introducing substitutes/quitting will become much easier.

Now, why quit? The World Health Organization found that more than five million individuals die annually from tobacco related illnesses. Cigarette smoking harms nearly every organ

of the body which reduces the overall health of smokers in general. It is currently the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. In general, smokers are more likely to develop lung cancer, heart disease and suffer strokes than non-smokers. It makes its victims more likely to develop bronchitis and suffer from asthma attacks. Being a smoker makes you more at risk for broken bones, tooth loss, cataracts, diabetes and arthritis. Smoking makes procreation more difficult- for both men and women. Smoking while pregnant can cause early delivery, low birth weight and the possibility of death for the infant. Smoking can also interfere with your personal and professional life. I cannot count the amount of people I have met that say they would never be in a relationship with a smoker.

I have also met with many employers that claim they would never hire a smoker.

The sad truth is, this

whole column could have been of risks alone and it wouldn’t make a difference to some people. The only thing you really need to quit is the will to quit. Everything else is secondary.

I’m not going to say that quitting cigarettes is easy as it’s really not. Coming off of nicotine is comparable to coming off of heroin or cocaine- as it is just as addictive. To those who would like to quit but have never tried, you need to be prepared for the withdrawal stage. Withdrawal is your body’s natural detox from the substance and is the major cause of relapse.

If you are weaning off of cigarettes, expect a few physical and mental side effects. The withdrawal symptoms include headache, nausea, increased appetite, trouble concentrating, irritability, anxiety and trouble sleeping. These symptoms can

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

last up to a few weeks- push through it.

SO, HOW TO QUIT SMOKING? I do not recommend to try and quit cold turkey (which means completely) as your first attempt. If you feel you can or have even succeeded this way- good for you. However, most of my clients who try to do this fail before their first week. I suggest that you cut down over time, reduce the amount you take every day until it becomes zero. The key to doing is to buy less. Many people buy multiple packs at a time. Buy only one- when you are coming close to the end, start purchasing loose, single cigarettes.

Make a pros and cons list. Write everything you like about smoking on one side of the paper and everything you dislike on the other side. The dislikes will always be greater- use that visual representation as a daily reminder to keep at it. Examples of cons- costs a lot, makes you anti-social, people don’t like to kiss you etc.

Use alternatives. These include nicotine replacement gum (which you can get at pharmacies) and E-cigarettes. Although it is important to note that these are not permanent substitutes and should only be used for a short amount of time to abstain from cigarettes. I wouldn’t recommend anyone using these products for more than 2-3 months.

Increase your exercise. This gives you natural endorphins that automatically help with cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Carry around a healthy snack with you. Quitting increases appetite anyway so carry around some nuts or sunflower seeds to snack on when cravings hit.

Increase activities that make it difficult to smoke- for example, go to a movie.

Increase your intake of coffee or Coca-Cola etc. Caffeine is known to produce the same effects on the pleasure centres of the brain as Nicotine does. Note: this only works for some individuals. Some find this a trigger and increases cravings while others find it a good substitute. You have to try it to know which one you are. Also, this is not an option for anyone who is currently suffering from diabetes.

If you drink alcohol, decrease this for the quitting period as alcohol automatically signals nicotine cravings. Drink water and brush your teeth often. Both of these minimize cravings.

For those motivated by money, keep a jar with the money you would have used to buy cigarettes every week- watch it pile up. At the end of every month, buy something for yourself.

If you are trying but failing to quit at the moment, do not lose hope. It is extremely hard to quit cigarettes but it can be done. The average individual takes about 5 attempts to quit.

If the withdrawal is severe, go to your nearest health centre.

Are there any other habits that anyone would like help quitting? Let me know!

Thanking you for reading. Please keep sending any topics you’d like to talk about to caitlinvieira@gmail.com Or come in to see me at: Georgetown Public Hospital: Psychiatric Department: Monday- Friday – 8am- 12pm Woodlands Hospital: Outpatient Department Drug and Alcohol group meetings - Mondays 4:15 Good mental health group meetings- Wednesdays 4:15 Suicide Prevention Helpline numbers: 223-0001, 2230009, 623-4444, 600-7896 Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

XXI

‘Nicky’always knew she belonged on stage

By Telesha Ramnarine

EVER since she joined the Marigold Choir at Stella Maris Primary School at nine years old, she knew that the stage was where she wanted to be. And from then on, she never lost sight of her dream to pursue theatre.

Nicola Alana Moonsammy, known as ‘Nicky,’ 38, now says that theatre is her everything. “This is my passion. No matter what other jobs I did, I always ended up back in theatre. In fact, I left other jobs for theatre. This is my everything. I now I get to do what I love,” she expressed in an interview with the Chronicle.

“It’s something from within. I’ve always liked the stage; acting, singing. I guess I was born with the talent, I don’t know,” she continued.

Born and raised at Stevedore Housing Scheme, in Georgetown, Nicola attended Stella Maris Primary and shared her high school days between St. Roses High, Alen’s High and St. Joseph High. This is because her caring parents always tried to get her

With her daughter, Sandra Nicola Alana Moonsammy

into a better school.

She became mother to Sandra shortly after leaving school and after taking a break from her regular routine to care for her daughter, she went right back into theatre, eventually obtaining a diploma in theatre arts from the National School of Theatre Arts and Drama. Currently, she is an administrative assistant with the National Drama Festival (NDF).

DRAMA IN SCHOOL Nicola was fortunate to have as her drama teacher well-known actor Henry Rodney whom she said greatly inspired and motivated her in school. What is more, when she left St. Joseph High and went across to St. Roses, Rodney did similarly and hence continued to be her drama teacher.

In her later days after her child was born, Nicola recalled that she was rein-

troduced to theatre by her friend, popular actress Sonia Yarde, who then introduced her to characters like Gem Madho and Leon Saul. “I did a play called ‘For Better for Worse’ which was my first major role.

After this, there was no turning back; just play after play.”

Some plays that she can remember include “Old Story Time,” “Pizza Man,” “Mommy,” Turn to page XXIV ►►►

folklore

XXII

LIKE DIS?

By Neil Primus

THE night was dark. The wind pushed and pulled at everything in its way. The owl’s toowheet-too-whoo seemed to be coming from every direction. Dogs barked and howled. It was a perfect night to be safely in your house.

Cedric and Ravi were heading home. They lived in the boring rural village of Penance. It had nothing but trees, flies and mosquitoes; or so they thought. After a rocking fete they were now

making their way into the village. Both were high with weed and liquor in their systems.

Their voices could be heard a great distance away. They were laughing, shouting, arguing and cussing as they sauntered along. Both of them saw the old guy at the same time. He was sitting at the side of the road as if lost.

“Got a cigarette?” he asked as they approached.

Ravi offered him a cigarette and Cedric lit it with his lighter. When the glare of the lighter

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

By Neil Primus

revealed the face of the stranger, things went from normal to bizarre. The old man’s face was hideous and discoloured. That was something no sane person wanted to see, especially on a dark night along a lonely village road. The one feature that really freaked them out was his teeth. They were long yellowish-green, sharp and wicked looking. The duo took off for safer pastures. Full of energy they made a swift run to the entrance of the village.

They both stopped when they realized that they were alone. Turning into the village they continued on. On the road ahead of them a youth was walking. They caught up with him and began to chat.

“Yo out late soldier.” Ravi offered.

“Yea I jus tekking a walk. ”was the response.

“We coming from a big fete.”

“Nice.”

“Boy we jus met up wid a old man pon de dam. Dat fella ugly like sin.” Cedric disclosed.

“Really?”

“Yea man, Dis man had some of the worse

teeth I ever see. Long, sharp and deadly!” Ravi added.

The young man stopped walking and asked quietly.

“De man had a black hat?”

“Yes!” both shouted together.

“He was dressed in blue and black?”

“Yes!” both shouted in agreement.

The youth then turned towards them and asked.

“He had teeth like dis?”

Both youths felt real dread for the second time that night. The face they were now looking at was much uglier than the old man’s.

The teeth were longer, sharper and seemed to have a smudge of something red on the tips.

Both Cedric and Ravi moved as one.

A voice behind the speeding youth enquired.

“Yo aint want yo lighter?” The voice was that of the old man.

“NO! KEEP IT!” Both voices sounded as one.

ZOOM!!

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

XXIII

When cricket was cricket

I WILL always remember the day A m e r i c a n President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas -22nd November, 1963. I was at the GCC ground, Bourda covering a cricket match for the Daily Chronicle and there I shared grief with hundreds of overwrought strangers.

I will always remember Monday, May 29, 2000 when West Indies squeezed past Pakistan in Antigua to win the Third and final test and so take the series 1-0. I was at the Supreme Court and this time I shared unabashed joy with the Judiciary, legal luminaries, policemen, prison officers and the happiest prisoner I’ll probably ever see.

A motley crew some may be moved to whisper, but as diverse as we were, we were bound by a mutual desire for the West Indies to perform yet another miracle and put our hearts back in place.

I had gone to the hallowed precinct to conclude a transport matter and was seated quite respectfully, alert for my name to be called, when a prophet with a walkman said: “Nineteen more runs and Walsh batting.”

Well! Who tell he say that?

I for- got why I was there. With scant regard for the court’s sanctity, I made a mad dash for that little room at the head of the stairs where an angel had left a 5” black and white television set. Not even a COURTS super-sized color telly could look so good as grim-faced captain Jimmy Adams and a perplexed Courtney Walsh held a mid-wicket conference, with Tony Cozier cruelly recounting Walsh’s prowess as a batsman and reminding us of his unenviable record of ducks.

I confess and plead guilty.

At that stage I harbored serious doubts about any kind of victory.

The title of a novel sprang into my mind – Mission Impossible, for indeed the prospects looked very, very dim… and distant.

Bowed heads, a volley of musical “suck-

teeths” and clearly audible groans provided a tableau of expressions as the Jamaican pair whittled away at the target, escape a sure run-out, benefit from a close call and all the time enduring vociferous appeals heard all the way in Rawalpindi.

Lawyers always like to remind judges that “justice delayed is justice denied.” But that day was an exception.

The lady judge did an un-lady dash to the little room. A former Chancellor was already there and so too were opposing counsel, briefs and erudite presentations forgotten. The policewoman had forgotten her chicken fried rice on a bench and even

though an army of flies had invaded, she could not be bothered.

This was cricket, lovely cricket…a game that the English had invented but which the Caribbean had marinated and seasoned to produce a worldwide delight.

It is old and stale news now. West Indies won by one wicket and history will so record. But if you hadn’t witnessed those last minutes you’ll never understand the capture and rapture of the wonderful game.

Nothing matters at times like those, not even politics.

Oh, how I wish for more of those days.

(Godfrey Wray)

XXIV ◄◄◄ From page XXI

“Fair Picker,” and “Snapped.” She also stage-managed numerous shows including the Miss Guyana Universe Pageant, the inter-Guyana Festival, and the NDF. She recently wrote “Counterfeit Love” which was inspired in part by personal experience, and she is now working on “Forbidden Secrets.”

Apart from winning Best Actress in 2013, she wrote a play called “Guilty Pleasures” in 2014, which was entered into the NDF and won Best Production and other numerous prizes.

Nicola further directed a play for President’s College which entered the International Secondary School Drama Festival in Trinidad, which won best lighting, best actor and best supporting actor.

Among her other memorable days in theatre is when she represented Guyana at Carifesta in Haiti with a full length play called “Sauda.”

SACRIFICES Nicola has traveled to other countries

to perform in other people’s productions, but it is her dream to do her own plays internationally.

But Nicola feels that if people take local artistes seriously in Guyana, a lot more can be done in the field. While traveling, Nicola was amazed to see how well her colleagues overseas are paid.

“A lot of people don’t take us seriously.

They look at us and say it’s a hobby and we shouldn’t be paid for it. But we sacrifice a lot of our time. Some days, rehearsals last for six hours; you go home after hours in the morning.

“People don’t want to pay you and it’s frustrating at times. But I sacrifice a lot because of my love for it. There is not much money in it. You always have to have a back-up plan. I did work for private companies and they pay you a small fee for an ad that will be shown for six months,” she said. At least, Nicola feels that they should be compensated adequately for their travels.

Offering some words of advice to her colleagues, she said: “I would like to implore writers to be very cautious with

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

In one of her plays

their work. Some writers often cite suicide as a solution, but be mindful of the vulnerable people sitting in the audience.

Try to help people in your work. Writers can influence in both positive and negative ways.”

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

XXV

XXVI

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

XXVII

XXVIII

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

SO YOUR CHILD has turned 13 and you observe certain changes in his/her attitude. Don’t panic.

Do not label him/her a delinquent. Understand this is a turbulent time for him/her.

He/she will undergo biological changes especially in the area of sexual development. Physical changes, emotional turmoil and the school and peer group.

As he/she tries to leave the family (nest) and assert himself/herself, he/she is confused. Tempers flare, stubbornness occur, pre-occupation with his/her own

thoughts, more time alone and interest in the opposite sex boom. Happier with friends than family, he/she tries to understand his/her identity. No longer an obedient, submissive introvert, the world has opened up to him/her. Boyhood/girlhood days are gone. Manhood/ Womanhood awaits him/her. He/she is anxious to get there but the hurdle of teenage dilemma imposes itself.

How do you deal with your troubled teen? Here are some guidelines: 1. Continue to show your love. They will test you.

2. Answer questions honestly. Do not try to avoid the vulgar or the obscene. they will get the right answer from their school mates or peers and now social media.

3. Instead of the rigid rules imposed on them, relax some curfew time.TV time control music etc .Too much restriction creates a wedge in the relationship .But never give way and say: ‘I Aint able with you’. Sorry I make you try hard to control your anger in words or action.

4. Establish a parternship. Treat your offspring with respect and admiration .Do not stifle his right to self-determination and independence. He/she is a holistic person and created.

5. Never compare them to other siblings or others in the neighbourhood. Inspire –yes. He/she is no copy cat. He/she is an individual with his/her personality.

6. Never refer to the the good old days or in my time.” Teens don’t wish to hear of others or about your time. They are drowning in their existence.

7. Do not talk down to your kids and impose the power structure. Yes, keep that status of parenthood but in a subtle way establish a rapport-one to one.

8. Teenage behaviour is unpredictable. but its temporary. Most times indiscipline is the outburst of uncontrolled emotions. Be calm sometimes, ignore somethings, smile, but do not engage in conflict. Teens do regret their misbehaviour. Give them a chance to recoil.

9. Your culture, your religion is not theirs .Do not

XXIX

TEENAGE DILEMMA

impose it too much. These are modern times. Too many electronic gadgets. It’s the computer, cyber space and the cell phone - different interests, different values 10. Be in control but with a modest touch. Be strong but be resilient too.

11. This is an age of sexual explosion. Boyfriends and girlfriends abound. Nothing wrong in a cordial or platonic relationship but warn them of the penalty of committing fornication.

12. Teach them abstention or protection and patience

in marriage.

13. Emphatise with your kids. But do not condone wrong doing. A tough love approach is good 14. Let the relationship be elastic but do not give up.

15. Let them choose their own goals in life in accordance with their ability. They have a right to do so.

16. It’s a challenge, it’s a career. It’s a reward, but kids come first.

17. Be their friend and their confidant. A parent-child partnership pays dividends.

XXX

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

New Facebook Project Aims to Strengthen Journalism FACEBOOK on Tuesday unveiled the Journalism Project, which is designed to establish stronger ties with the journalism industry.

Through the project, Facebook aims to bolster the quality of journalism on the network. Among other things, the project aims to tackle the fake news issue that flared during the U.S. presidential election and its aftermath.

Among the steps on the Journalism Project's road map: Collaborating with news organizations to develop products, including creating new story formats to better suit their needs, and creating new business models to help partners better distribute and monetize their content; Partnering with the Poynter Institute to launch a certificate curriculum for e-learning journalism courses and providing local newsroom training with various partners; Working with The First Draft Network to provide virtual certification for content; Providing free access to social media analytics on the CrowdTangle platform Facebook recently purchased; Letting Page admins designate specific journalists as contributors so they can go live on behalf of the page; Providing a live update feature for publishers; and Continuing efforts to curb fake news.

The road map "is not directly related to fake news but is part of our ongoing efforts to work more collaboratively with our media partners," Facebook said in a statement provided to TechNewsWorld by company representative Liz Allbright.

"In the end we hope all of these efforts, together, will enable our community to have meaningful conversations, to be informed and to be connected to each other," the company added.

WHO BENEFITS? Facebook's plans could benefit mainstream media, which struggled to provide election coverage amid accusations of bias and competition from fake news reports.

"Approval of the mainstream media is around 6 percent -- lower than that of Congress," said Michael Jude, a program manager at Stratecast/Frost & Sullivan.

"Journalism's scrambling to find relevancy and legitimacy in this new online world," he told TechNewsWorld.

Fifty-eight percent of participants in a recent online survey said they trusted the websites they used to inform themselves.

Thirty-two percent said Facebook was their main source of news.

"Journalism as a craft has been significantly devalued by the last election, where major news sources dropped all pretense of objectivity in an effort to influence the election," Jude maintained.

"Rehabilitation depends on getting involved in efforts to provide objective news feeds that people can trust. In this sense, the Facebook efforts will help," he added. Facebook's efforts will "provide access to eyeballs" for its media partners, Jude said, which could lead to more effective monetization of their content and greater revenue.

NEWS AS A WEAPON OF WAR Fake news can be leveraged as disinformation or propaganda, as well as to carry malware, said James Scott, senior fellow at the Institute for Critical Infrastructure Technology.

While the Journalism Project may deter some fake news in the short term, "persistent adversaries will either develop more convincing fake news articles to propagate, or will develop methods to circumvent [the project's] controls," he told TechNewsWorld.

Adversaries "can easily define the parameters the project uses to categorize fake news and develop lures within those parameters," Scott explained. Further, the project "doesn't stop malvertising on legitimate sites linked to Facebook."

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

XXXI

XXXII

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

XXXIII

XXXIV

English 2017-01-15

STUDY SUCCESS Dear Students, Just how rapidly do you read? Some people only manage 150 words per minute; others reach nearly 1,000. Average speed probably is 350-400 words per minute. These rates assume that the reader understands what he reads. Speed will vary with the type of material read. How should Mathematics or science problems be read? How should most fiction be read? Share this information about yourself with study partners. Be wise.

Love you THE PASSAGE REWARD ‘The Evening Messenger,’ ever anxious to further the ends of justice, has decided to offer a huge reward to any person who shall give information leading to the arrest of the man, William Strickland, alias Bolton, who is wanted by the police in connection with the murder of the late Emma Strickland at 59 Acacia Crescent, Manchester.

DESCRIPTION OF THE WANTED MAN The following is the official description of William Strickland: age 43; height 6 ft 1 or 2 in; complexion rather dark; hair silver-grey and abundant, may dye same; full grey moustache and beard, may now be clean-shaven; eyes light grey, rather close-set; hawk nose; teeth strong and white, displays them somewhat prominently when laughing, left upper eye-tooth stopped with gold; left thumb-nail disfigured by a recent blow.

‘Speaks in rather loud voice; quick, decisive manner. Good address.

‘May be dressed in a grey or dark blue lounge suit, with stand-up collar (size 15) and soft felt hat.

‘Absconded 5th inst, and may have left, or will endeavour to leave, the country.’

Mr Budd had a younger brother, Richard, whom he had promised his mother to look after. In happier days Mr Budd had owned a flourishing business in their native town of Northampton, and Richard had been a bank clerk. Richard had got into bad ways (poor Mr Budd blamed himself dreadfully for this). There had been a sad affair with a girl, and a horrid series of affairs with bookmakers, and then Richard had tried to mend bad with worse by taking money from the bank. You need to be very much more skilful than Richard to juggle successfully with bank ledgers.

The bank manager was a hard man of the old school: he prosecuted. Mr Budd paid the bank and the bookmakers, and saw the girl through her trouble while Richard was in prison, and paid for their fares to Australia when he came out, and gave them something

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practise either of them.

MARK TWAIN (1835-1910), Following the Equator (1897), heading of ch. 20

to start life on.

But it took all the profits of the hairdressing business, and he couldn’t face all the people in Northampton anymore, who had known him all his life. So he had to run to vast London, the refuge of all who shrink from the eyes of their neighbours, and bought this little shop in Pamlico, which had done fairly well, until the new fashion which did so much for other hairdressing businesses killed it for lack of capital.

That is why Mr Budd’s eye was so painfully fascinated by headlines with money in them.

Something to Do 1. Study the two different parts selected from a mystery and try to understand the relations between them. a) Predict and anticipate events b) Summarise each part c) Recognise what the two parts of the short story are indicating 2. Come up with three additional sections to complete the

mystery including how the problem was solved by detectives.

THE PARAGRAPH A paragraph by examples We produce a paragraph by examples when we want to illustrate (explain, or clarify) something, such as a situation, belief, concept, object, or person.

Basically when we illustrate using a paragraph by examples, we give instances that show or prove what we claim.

It is a good position to conclude, that questions that ask what, how, in what way, etc., set us up to respond either by examples, explanation, cases, or details to illustrate our point.

Think of some other topics to illustrate by examples • Examples of uncomplimentary habits of people living in a long yard • Examples of ways in which social media has helped to strengthen family life around the world As you read the following paragraph, notice its unity.

Every sentence belongs; every sentence follows logically from the topic sentence.

Several ghost stories swirled around the mansion.

It is said that when August has two full moons, on the night of the first moon, Governor Dummer rides his white horse up the broad staircase as he did on the night of the grand housewarming in 1715. Another story concerns the smiling ghost of a child who peeped through the kitchen doorway. Not until her bones were discovered in a moldering box in the cellar and given proper burial, did the little apparition vanish. It is also averred that the ghost of an English officer who was killed in a duel on the lawn occasionally reappears in a full-dress uniform, with powdered wig, embroidered cloak, and sword.

(U.S. One, Maine to Florida, Federal Writers Project, WPA., Modern Age Books, Inc.) What to Do a) Write a paragraph of illustration by examples.

Use any topic that can be developed by that method to convince your readers about your position on it. b) Read your effort to well-chosen study partners. c) Listen to their comments, and d) Upgrade your effort for final approval; display it.

READING FOR FACTS a) Read the passage carefully. b) Recognise all facts. c) Bear in mind what the topic of the passage is about. d) Write down the most important facts which help to explain the topic of the paragraph – even if you forget some others.

Amazing Facts

Chronicle Pepperpot January 15, 2017

XXXV

Bollywood Movie Review

STORY: A star singer, Ronit is blackmailed by a jilted lover from his past Ashley, who blackmails and ties him to a murder.

REVIEW: Filmed in sleazy locations between Goa and Mumbai, Ashley is more of an extended soap opera than a Hindi film, complete with dizzying camera movements, extreme close-ups and louder than required background

score. In fact, TV shows have become slicker off late.

The antagonist Ashley is a Goan flower girl and a drug dealer who casually shoots up cops when busted with drugs. Her lover, Ronit ditches her when a shootout ensues and goes on to become a singing sensation in Mumbai.

As soon as he makes it to the peak, Ashley re-enters his life to blackmail him --- two crores please!

With poorly defined characters, a missing plot and

cheesy dialogues, there's little to enjoy in the film. Even Shakti Kapoor as a corrupt inspector, is such a weak villain, that you feel cheated out of watching his act as the baddie.

If given a choice, you're better off watching an early 2000 TV soap unless you like your movies full of forced thrills, a warped logic and, two dimensional acting and with Shakti Kapoor as a de-fanged, wimp of a villain.

OK JAANU STORY: Millennials Adi and Tara are in love and must deal with the most millennial of problems: commitment phobia and the pressure to appear

emotionally detached.

OK JAANU REVIEW: Throughout the movie, Adi (Aditya Roy Kapur) and Tara (Shraddha Kapoor)

seem to be running after trains or buses in motion, barely getting in before it’s too late - a great metaphor for the love lives of people of today’s generation.

Entertainment

Priyanka Chopra recovering after mishap on 'Quantico' set ACTRESS Priyanka Chopra is resting at home after a "minor incident" on the set of her ABC show "Quantico," the network said Friday.

Celebrity news website TMZ, citing unnamed sources, said Chopra had slipped and fallen during a stunt and suffered a concussion after hitting her head.

In a statement, ABC did not confirm this but said a "minor incident" took place on the New York set of the FBI drama series on Thursday night.

"It would be premature to comment further until we have all the information. Priyanka was examined by a doctor, released and is home resting comfortably," the network added.A representative for the actress said she will return to work after the weekend.

Walt Disney Co.'s ABC did not comment further on whether production of the show will

be halted, but trade publication Variety said production will not be shut down while Chopra recovers.

Chopra, 34, made her transition from Bol-

George Lucas' $1 billion 'Star Wars' museum finds Los Angeles home "STAR WARS" filmmaker George Lucas has settled on Los Angeles for the home of his $1 billion storytelling museum, after pulling the project from Chicago last year.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said Tuesday that the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will be located in Exposition Park in downtown Los Angeles.

"I believed in the vision for the Lucas Museum, and we went after it with everything we have — because I know that L.A. is the ideal place for making sure that it touches the widest possible audience," Garcetti said in a statement, thanking Lucas and his wife, Mellody Hobson.

The museum was initially planned for Chicago, but Lucas ran into legal challenges from an open-spaces group and pulled the project. Garcetti immediately moved to woo the filmmaker to house the museum in Los Angeles.

The proposed museum, valued at $1

billion and funded by Lucas, would feature exhibitions of Lucas' collection of paintings, illustrations and digital art from the blockbuster "Star Wars" movie franchise he started in 1977.

"South Los Angeles's Promise Zone best positions the museum to have the greatest impact on the broader community, fulfilling our goal of inspiring, engaging and educating a broad and diverse visitorship," the museum's board of directors said in a statement.

The proposed site for the museum is next to the University of Southern California, where Lucas studied film and met future collaborators including Steven Spielberg.

Lucas sold his "Star Wars" franchise to Walt Disney Co. in 2012 for $4 billion.

Disney rebooted the franchise with six new films, including a new trilogy in the space saga commencing with 2015's "The Force Awakens," and standalone stories such as December's "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story."

lywood to Hollywood as the lead of "Quantico," in which she plays an FBI recruit turned CIA agent. She will also be starring in the upcoming film reboot of "Baywatch."

Oatmeal Whole Wheat Quick Bread "There's no yeast in this bread, so it's good for special diets. You may also use soy milk instead of regular milk if you wish.!"

Ingredients • 1 cup rolled oats • 1 cup whole wheat flour • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1 1/2 tablespoons honey • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil • 1 cup milk Directions 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).

2. Grind oatmeal in a food processor or blender. In a large bowl, combine oatmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, dissolve honey in vegetable oil then stir in the milk. Combine both mixtures and stir until a soft dough is formed.

Form the dough into a ball and place on a lightly oiled baking sheet.

3. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until bottom of loaf sounds hollow when tapped.