Pepperpot 02 07 2016 by Guyana Chronicle

► Page XVI

All Deborah Solomon was doing was showing up at her children’s basketball games to offer them support. But when the kids were suddenly out of a coach, she was asked to “help out.” Now, she coaches the team and has introduced the first female basketball team at the Bishop’s High School. She told Jasmaine Payne how it all happened.

Chronicle Pepperpot February 7, 2016

Before The Road To Brazil

Unanswered Questions; Moving Along

aced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof."— John Kenneth Galbraith Didn’t know exactly what to expect when I decided to introduce the idea that we should begin a national conversation on the topic “Who Were The First Guyanese?” I even shared last week’s column on my Facebook timeline, suggesting: “Whether you agree or not, I want to have your response to this idea….” I was warned that this was an issue as volatile as the identity and validity of the name ‘Jesus’ and would hardly be permitted to survive, much less nurtured as stimulus for a national debate; no one would be willing to respond, I was told. However, like the cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead, I’m inclined to "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world;” especially when historical facts supported by DNA evidence could prove that Africans were the first Guyanese. If this is true, then what became of them? Why is it that, except for some proof that they traded with the Amerindians when “They Came Before Columbus” long before the slave trade, that the living presence of Africans in the Americas (in Guyana?) get expunged? When examined carefully, what more would history’s palimpsest reveal that some historians like Dr Imhotep are discovering while others seem reluctant to investigate and disseminate? Why shouldn’t we examine the records...disclose the truth...encourage a national discourse sparking our children’s curiosity about their origins; an interest informed by facts and the pursuit of truth? It can be said that I’m behaving like that child living in a psychiatric home for children in the USA, in a story a friend told me a long time ago. My friend was working his way through college in a very challenging janitorial job in that institution. While vainly trying to appeal to the children not to make his work difficult for him; at the same time, he always warned them about the consequences. One morning he turned up to clean the dormitory and found feces splattered all over the walls and on this child who explained: ”I just wanted to see what would happen when the s**t hit the fan” What was the response to my call for a national conversation, you ask? It was ‘PIM-PIM,’ which in ole people’s parlance, means, no response – not a peep out of anyone; not even those I believed should have had an interest in following up. In this instance, “the s**t” definitely did not hit the fan. Since our nation’s historians, scholars, academics and certainly Guyana’s ► Continued on page VIII

Chronicle Pepperpot February 7, 2016

Church etiquette

Sam 16:17: “But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his (her) appearance or on the height of his (her) stature, because I have rejected him (her). For the LORD sees not as man (woman) sees: man (woman) looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” That Bible maxim was not the theme of last Sunday’s Mass, but it could well have been. And by the time I exited the holy edifice 90 minutes after I had entered, I was tormented with the fear that in today’s secular perspective many Christians, young and old, had lost their sense of church etiquette. In our materialistic world the church is perhaps one of the last social institutions where protocol, respect and reverence are supposed to be maintained. But sadly, times have changed rapidly and chunk by chunk the high esteem we held for that body throughout our lives is steadfastly being demolished. In our day (a long time ago) it was your grandmother who was in charge of church-going activities. Sunday school - that educational institution within the church catering to children and other young people – was a must. Dress was institutional. Neatly-pressed long-sleeved white shirts and black (or blue) short pants; colorful kneehigh socks and shiny patent leather shoes. For the girls, it was a simple hat, over-the-knee dress and ankle-covered socks. Vaseline, universally loved by granny, was the staple jelly for your hair and also all over your body, even your face. Whether it worked or not it was used to heal dry skin, help protect minor cuts, scrapes and burns. Silence in church was paramount: Silence prior to the service in meditation. Silence after the service in reflection. Genuflection : the lowering of one’s body briefly by bending one knee to the ground as a sign of respect. It was old school. But those shows of deference had solemn meaning. However, one of my politically astute friends recently pointed out that in our today’s egalitarian society kneeling takes on a rather invidious and servile meaning. I’ve taken note. The homily (a commentary that follows a reading of scripture) was about to be read when an apparition came striding down the centre aisle. It was a dazzling picture of iridescence which immediately brought on a harsh onslaught on the retina. One needed a pair of sun glasses to be able to look in his direction. As if by design, a diminutive man followed, dressed in a billowing multi-coloured shortsleeved shirt, many sizes too large and three-quarter pants with countless pockets. The clipclop of his footwear seemed to reverberate for ever as he journeyed to complete his ablutions

III

and returned, seemingly unaware or uncaring about disapproving glances. For him he had understood Godfrey Wray what the Bible meant when it said: “Rent your heart and not your garments.” Some churches frown on female members wearing slacks, make-up or jewelry. That’s their modesty policy. Some follow 1 Timothy 2:9. –“ I also want women to dress modestly with decency and propriety not with braided hair or gold or pearls or expensive clothes.” The United Pentecostal Church has serious guidelines: • No slacks because they immodestly reveal the feminine contours of upper leg, thigh and hip. • No make-up. • No jewelry except wedding ring and wrist watch. • No low necklines. • No sleeveless dresses and shirts. • No very tight or very thin clothes. • No dress hemlines at or above the knees. • No sleeves above the elbow. FOR MEN: • No uncut hair • No hair covering the top of a man’s ears. • No hair touching a man’s collar. For many men going to church is unmanly...definitely not in conformity with stereotypical masculine traits. Being with the boys, drinking bottle after bottle of beer, pushing aside domestic responsibilities, etc. The list is long, but the “lady has to understand.” Last week I ran afoul of one sponger. I had finished my GT beer and I said aloud, “See you guys, I have to go to church

tomorrow.” The silence was deafening. Then the parasite burst into raucous laughter, alerting everyone around of my perceived indiscretion of going to church. Whether it was derision or opprobrium, this Catholic does not want to know. Suffice it to say that I attended Mass the next day and gratefully accepted the wafer from Monsignor Terrence Montrose. As I walked back to my seat I saw the empty pews and wondered if and when they would be filled again. Perhaps the little boy and his sister, sitting next to me would herald a re-birth.

Chronicle Pepperpot February 7, 2016

“Goblin Market”

by Christina Rossetti

here are people in the world who think old books are boring. Well, clearly those people have never come across Christina Rossetti’s classic long poem “Goblin Market.” It is a scandalous and beautiful – more beautiful than scandalous – piece that can be described, according to one interpretation, as a poem of feminism and

sisterhood, filled with lesbian and Christian overtones. Yes, it was obviously a very bold piece for the Victorian era it was written in (1859, to be exact) and, in fact, still continues to stir controversy in literature classes to this day. In terms of plot, the poem follows two sisters – Laura and Lizzie – who are tempted to buy the delicious fruits that are being sold by a weird assortment of

goblin men. This inclusion of goblins – mythical creatures from European folklore – is one of the reasons why the poem is often regarded as having been written for children, as the goblins give the poem a fairytale-like quality. But, understanding the prudishness of Victorian society, it is possible to see why Rossetti may have felt the need to layer the real pro-feminist, pro-homosexual lean-

ings of her poem under a familiar trope from children’s poetry. Laura succumbs to the temptation of the goblin and partakes, heartily eating their fruits, a scene that Rossetti describes in highly sexual imagery: “She suck’d and suck’d and suck’d the more / Fruits which that unknown orchard bore; / She suck’d until her lips were sore…” The goblins then disappear (perhaps Rossetti’s way of taking a jab at the very real scenario of men using women and then vanishing into the night), leaving Laura to crave and pine for the fruits until she begins to go grey and wither away. Lizzie, deciding to save her sister ’s life, tracks down the goblin men and tries to buy some of her fruits. The men attack Lizzie, clawing at her and trying to force their forbidden fruits into her mouth – the scene can

Christina Rossetti, painted by Dante Gabriel Rossetti be regarded as a sexual assault on the woman (the goblins “Tore her gown and soil’d her stockings… Stamp’d upon her tender feet / Held her hands and squeezed their fruits / Against her mouth to make her eat”) and at the same time, the passage also has some overtones of the Biblical scene where Jesus, carrying the cross, is attacked by the crowd. Rossetti makes sure that Lizzie, the sister in the poem who does not succumb to temptation, is seen to be pure – almost as much as Jesus himself. When she returns home, Lizzie is dripping from the fruit juices of the goblins’ attack and she offers herself up to

her sister, encouraging her to take the rejuvenating juices so that she may feel well again: “Hug me, kiss me, suck my juices / Squeez’d from goblin fruits for you, / Goblin pulp and goblin dew. / Eat me, drink me, love…” It is in lines such as these where we see Rossetti comparing the relationship of the two sisters in words that do bring to mind lesbian, sexual imagery. Rossetti, in my opinion, uses such scenes to subtly advocate on behalf of lesbian relationships, implying in her poem that lesbianism and lesbian love is similar to the purity of both sisterhood and Christianity.

Chronicle Pepperpot February 7, 2016

Professional Art Practices: What you should already have (Pt. 2)

By Dominique Hunter oo often we take for granted that young artists know exactly what is expected of them professionally. And unfortunately, somewhere along the journey through our arts education, a huge chunk of that critical information gets withheld for whatever reason. So in an attempt to make the transition from art student to art professional easier, I wrote an article last week that covered three of the seven items every creative practitioner should already have should have in their starter kit (a curriculum vitae, biography and artist statement). This week I will be presenting the final four items, which are less about art theory and more about art business.

of a cellphone or “point and shoot” camera and that’s because they are terrible at capturing images that are true to the original artwork. You can try to use these cameras but they will require way too much editing and will most likely result in a grainy, over-saturated image. Do yourself a favour and invest in the proper equipment that will carry you through your creative career. In the meantime, if you know someone with a DSLR and they’re willing to let you have their child for a few hours, by all means “knock a borrow.” Ensure the flash is off and everything is lined up perfectly then start shooting! Dominique Hunter is an independent visual artist who recently graduated from the Barbados Community College with a Bachelor of Fine Art (First Class Honours).

Letters of recommendation Every single human being on the face of this planet will, at some point, be required to produce letters of recommendation for their prospective field of work. Contrary to popular belief, creative individuals are not exempt from this. For the young artist fresh out of art school, it would make sense to ask a lecturer or director to assist you. However, for those persons who have not passed through any art institution you can ask curators, established artists, writers, critics or any notable person operating within the creative field. The key to getting a positive response is developing and maintaining a friendly relationship with as many art professionals as you possibly can. I’m not telling you to constantly bombard them with unnecessary or inappropriate chitchat. There are ways to stay in touch and update them about your progress without being a nuisance. In the same way, it’s not smart to approach someone you haven’t spoken with since 2001 without first establishing a friendly conversation. Take into consideration that you cannot approach someone at the ninety-ninth hour and expect that person to take you seriously. Have respect for that person’s time and schedule by giving them adequate notice (at least two weeks). It is equally important to provide that person with the necessary information to complete the letter of recommendation: the name and address of the company/organization you are applying to; the purpose of the letter (grant, scholarship, job etc.); a brief description of the duties that would be expected to perform; a copy of your biography, artist statement and CV; and a few images of your artwork. These are all necessary for that person to make a convincing case that you are the right candidate for the opportunity/post. Finally, after you would’ve received your letter of recommendation, don’t forget to say thank you! Photographs of your work This subheading should actually read: “Photographs of your work that aren’t terribly dark, blurred or have a nasty glare somewhere in the middle from the lens flash.” This is perhaps the most underrated selling point of any young artist’s work that I have noticed here in Guyana. As a creative practitioner it is important that you always have good quality, high-resolution images of your work in your portfolio, preferably done by a professional photographer. The last thing you want is for your viewer to have to “imagine” pixels that aren’t there. However, if you’re now starting out and can’t afford to pay someone to do it then I’m going to share some tips to make it less obvious that you took the photographs yourself. The first important factor is your light source. If your home is unusually dark during the day then shooting indoor should be out of the question, unless you understand how to bounce artificial light sources. You should always try to photograph your work outdoor making full use of nature’s very own light source. If, at this point, you’re thinking about laying your canvas down in your backyard in the glaring sun, then stop. As much as possible always try to photograph your work in an upright position and away from direct sunlight. Ideally, you should shoot your work on an overcast or cloudy day. Look for a spot that does not have anything hanging overhead that can cast unwanted shadows. In the case of artworks behind glass, they should be photographed before being framed to prevent reflections obscuring the artwork. When shooting any sculptural work your background needs to be even more considered. Opt for a plain, solid black, white or even grey backdrop (all dependent on the colour of the actual sculpture) to place behind your artwork. Remember that the focus should be your work and not the pile of old car parts screaming, “Look at me!” in the background. If you’re using a fabric backdrop then it should be taut and tacked in place while you shoot. You don’t want any distracting folds or creases. Although technology has allowed for software like Adobe Photoshop to fix virtually any problem, why would you want to give yourself the extra work? Get it right in the frame. You will then need a DSLR camera (digital single-lens reflex) and a tripod (or any flat surface that is high and sturdy enough such as a table or stool). Notice there was no mention

Photographing artwork the right way

Dominique Hunter is an independent visual artist who recently graduated from the Barbados Community College with a Bachelor of Fine Art (First Class Honours).

Chronicle Pepperpot February 7, 2016

What can we do to prevent suicides?

Hello Everyone hope it’s been a good week for you all. The last few weeks I spoke about depression and where to go for help. I’ve had a suggestion, from a reader, to write about suicide this week. She said that it’s increasing throughout the country so it would be beneficial to write some basic information about Guyana, who is vulnerable and some advice on how to spot warning signs. Thank you for writing in and here goes. What is suicide? This is the taking of one’s own life- it always results in death whereas a suicide attempt does not. Some people also experience suicide ideation which means they have thoughts of suicide but have never made an attempt or might not have a plan to. Although it seems to be only completed by our Guyanese people, suicides are world -wide tragedies. Over 800,000 people die from suicide every year. However, as many of us have found out, Guyana has the highest suicide rate in the world. The world average is that 11 per 100,000 people will die from suicide while the rate in Guyana is 44 per 100,000 people. It is a sad and drastic lead and still a growing concern. Just to get a sense of how high that is – Trinidad is 13 and Barbados is 7 per 100,000 people respectively. In Guyana, over 200 people die from suicide each year and many more attempt. Those who attempt can be differentiated between those who complete suicide. For example, Guyanese who attempt suicide are mostly between the ages of 12-18, female, Indo-Guyanese, single and have no children. On the other hand, Guyanese who complete suicide are mostly between the ages of 20-49, male, married or accompanied, Indo- Guyanese and have children. However, both groups are likely to be from low- economic families and from Regions 2,3,4,5 and 6. What reasons may cause an individual to want to end their lives? Some risk factors for suicide are: - Family history of completed suicides - Depression and other mental illnesses - Alcoholism/ drug abuse - History of sexual, verbal or physical abuse - A physical illness / disability - Easy access to means of which can be used for suicide - Impulsive/ aggressive tendencies - A loss (Relationship, job, loved one, social support) However, it is most important to remember that the best predictor for a suicide attempt is a previous suicide attempt. What is the biggest problem with this list? As always, they are all major occurrences in and around Guyana. Now, people who experience any of the above will feel sad at times, yes but how can we tell if they are actually considering ending their lives? These signs can be different among different ages. Why are certain populations more vulnerable and how are the warning signs different? Teenagers are more vulnerable to suicidal attempts due to the peer, parental and academic pressure that is constantly

on them. Most feel pressured to succeed and are often pushed further than their own capabilities. They are young and haven’t fully developed effective coping skills and mechanisms, especially if they are from unstable homes. Warning signs for this group would be: - Isolation - Often seeming sad - Irritability - Unusual neglect of appearance - Increase in drug/alcohol use - Loss of interest in activities they once loved - Talking about suicide Many believe that if people speak about ending their lives they are looking for attention and will not actually do it. That is a myth- many people verbally reach out for help. The elderly are also a highly vulnerable community. This is due to many factors such as loss of loved ones, increased chances of physical illnesses/ disabilities as well as major life changes such as retirement and loss of independence. Warning Signs for them would be: - Stockpiling or saving medication - Rushing to make a will - Saying elaborate goodbyes - Reading up or speaking more about death/dying. We have also found that certain areas such as Berbice and Essiquibo experience more suicides than others. Even though Guyana has accumulated minimal official data as to why this is, there are some noticeable factors. The most common means of suicide in Guyana is pesticide poisoning and these areas are predominantly farming areas. This speaks to the dangers of easy accessibility of means. On the other hand, what these persons do not have easy accessibility to is proper medical treatment. I took part in a medical outreach in a small town in Berbice a few months ago. I met a man who had a piece of glass stuck in this eye for over a week. As there were no ophthalmologists in Berbice at the time and he was not afforded the opportunity to come to Georgetown, he suffered in pain all that time. Physical illness and chronic pain are also common causes of suicide. There is also excessive use of alcohol/ drugs, a lack of activities available and a high rate of familial abuse in these areas- all common causes of suicidal attempts and completions. Finally, there is the copy-cat effect. When individuals see that their family, friends and neighbours have chosen this route, it is common for them to follow suit. What can we do as individuals? At this point, everyone knows what the problem is but unfortunately not many know the solution. Instead of speaking about the number of suicides we have had this or previous weeks, let’s only speak of the helpline numbers. Instead of rates, change the conversation to warning signs so those around can help others. Let’s speak of the places that people can go to that will help their specific needs and situations. For example the psychiatric ward at GPHC for any mental illness

such as depression or anxiety, Phoenix Recovery Project in Mon Repos for live- in drug rehabilitation or Help and Shelter Crisis Centre on Mandela Avenue if you are suffering from verbal, mental or physical abuse. Parents, you play a vital role. I took part in a suicide prevention outreach in Berbice last weekend and got the opportunity to speak to a group of about 30 teenagers. I asked them if a personal problem ever occurred (ranging from a fight with a friend to pregnancy), who would they turn to? Every one of them said a friend – that they would be too afraid to tell their parents for a fear of verbal or physical abuse. It does not matter if they were all from Berbice or if your child wasn’t there. That is an accurate sample of mixed gender, ethnicities and ages which means that most Guyanese children will feel the same way. I asked the children whether they would confide in their teachers and the answer remained the same. This speaks to the importance of abolishing corporal punishment in schools because if children are afraid of their parents and teachers, who is there to turn to? Yes, they have friends but 13-18 year old peers are not equipped to handle many situations. Verbal and physical abuse ensures that you will very rarely know what is going on with your child and be able to help. When there is no person to turn to, children usually turn to alcohol, drugs, law breaking activities, the wrong crowd, school drop- out and then often enough, suicide. Be there for your children. Allow them to feel comfortable coming to you with any problem. It is possible to discipline children and young adults without verbal and physical abuse. The media- you play one of the biggest roles of all. The media is one of the most important things within our society – it’s our main source of information and most trust it as accurate information. However, the truth is- sometimes it’s not and the stories that are being reported really shouldn’t be. Yes, everyone has a job to do and Guyanese must be aware of what’s going on around them. However, when a person is a victim of suicide, at no point should their name, picture, address, means, reasons why or any other personal details be printed in the media. This is unfair to the families, the deceased and to all others who may be experiencing the same problem and now views suicide as a possible solution as others have chosen that path. I urge the media to do the same. Instead of putting these stories on the front page, kindly put the Suicide Prevention Helpline numbers instead. Write front page articles on warning signs and places to go for help rather than the individual who ended their life. This is a small step toward making a big difference. Everyone needs to remember that suicide is not the answer nor the end- it is only the end of finding a solution to your problems – and believe me – there are always solutions. Thank you again to all who read and write in each week. Next week I will write about what it’s like being a friend or family member of an alcohol/ drug abuser. Addiction is a family problem and it affects everyone which means – it is not only the abuser who needs help. Say Yes to life and No to drugs! Always!

Suicide Prevention Helpline numbers: 223-0001, 223-0009, 623-4444, 600-7896 ****************************** Keep writing in at caitlinvieira@gmail.com or drop it off in the box at Chronicle Head office on Lama Avenue.

Chronicle Pepperpot February 7, 2016

VII

Bookers Sugar Estates Ltd ’82 award

Defining hours of work and overtime on the sugar estates

dispute between the Plaintiffs (Respondents) and Defendants (Appellants) regarding hours of work, premium time and overtime pay was referred to

arbitration. The arbitrators stated that should there be an argument that is reached that is more favourable to the employees than the arbitral award; the former is to be binding. The Plaintiffs argued, at trial, that the arbitral award entitled them to receive one day’s pay for every week of the period of the award, as well as one additional time for work done on one of the six days they were scheduled to work, and two additional day’s pay for work done on one of the six days they were not scheduled to work in the week. The Plaintiffs requested that the Court confirm their interpretation of the award. The trial judge found in favour of the Plaintiffs. The Guyana Court of Appeal, constituted by Chancellor Victor Crane and Justices of Appeal Luckhoo and Vieira held that the trial judge lost sight of the distinction between premium times and overtime pay. Premium time was defined as applicable to extra payment for doing special work. Overtime pay, on the other hand, can be granted to employees for any normal work outside the eight-hour work day. Since these two forms of compensation are different in nature, it is not possible to say that one is more advantageous to the worker than the other, and so it is impossible to interpret the arbitral award as suggested by the Plaintiffs/Respondents. Appeal allowed. Costs awarded to the Appellants. Mr. J. A. King, SC, with T. Rodney appeared for the Appellants and Mr. A. Chase with D. Dial and C. Hamilton appeared for the Respondents. Chancellor Crane who delivered the judgment said: “The first and second-named Plaintiffs are dispensers and were at all material times employed by Messrs Bookers Sugar Estates, Limited , the first named Defendant, registered as a body corporate under the Companies Act and engaged in the manufacture of sugar for gain. The third-named Plaintiff is also a dispenser and employed by the Demerara Company Limited, another sugar factory engaged in the manufacture of sugar.

In the High Court, all three Plaintiffs sued both in their individual capacities and as representing thirty-five medical of the first-named Defendant , employees of the first-named defendant as aforesaid. The fourth-named Plaintiff is a registered trade union, No. 40, under the Trade Unions Act and was joined in these proceedings as an interested party in arbitration proceedings, conducted

by Mr. J. O.F. Haynes, S.C. in March, 1974. The third-named Defendant is also a body corporate , registered and incorporated under the Companies Act Cap. 89:01 , and is an interested party in the relief claimed against the first and second-named Defendant. In March, 1974, the National Association of Agricultural, Commercial and Industrial Employees and the Guyana Sugar Producers Association Limited agreed to refer to arbitration by Mr. J. O. F. Haynes ,S. C., a dispute touching , inter alia , the hours of work and overtime of dispensers employed by the first and second named Defendants ,and for all parties to be bound by the arbitral award. Mr. Haynes made his award on 27th November , 1974 and gave clarification of it in documents dated December 9th and December 20th , 1974. Continuing delivering his judgment , Chancellor Crane declared : “In the light of the above, overtime at 1 ½ types in the award may well turn out to be more profitable to the employee than premium time payment in the memorandum since it is quite possible for a worker to earn overtime on every day he performs ordinary work in excess of his normal eight hours per day . “Premium time may be earned only in respect

George Barclay of one day in the week. Overtime and Premium time are conceptually different payments in the sugar industry , and may not readily be compared the one with the other as being more advantageous to a dispenser . “Where it is said in Memo ‘E’ that ‘it will be seen that this will be a substantial improvement in the existing situation. “What it is meant to emphasise is a comparison between the existing situation where there was equivalent time off (i.e., no monetary payment for either premium or overtime) and the system of monetary remuneration now being ushered in under Memo ‘E’. “For the above reasons, we are unable to say like the trial judge that the conditions “laid down (in the Memorandum) are certainly more advantageous to the worker. “It must follow that it is impossible for us to interpret the meaning and effect of the Arbitrator’s award as suggested by learned counsel for the fourth-named Plaintiff as approved by the judge . “We find on the true construction of p 8 of Memo ‘E’, it does not mean that seven days’ pay should be given for a sixth-day work-week and for that reason we are unable to say there was justification for making any of the declarations or orders sought in favour of the Plaintiffs/ Respondents. “The appeal is therefore allowed with costs here and below’.

VIII

Chronicle Pepperpot February 7, 2016

Before The Road To Brazil

► From page II

Administration, do not seem to agree with the necessity to pursue this issue, since I can be identified as none of the above, wouldn’t it be “foolish consistency” to continue to belabour this question here? Better to return to the fiction of: FREE AS A BIRD! ...bout haf-pass-six dat mawnin areddy ah dun fetch d crab-wood seed up d hill...scoopout a big batch...ana was wukkin pon anada one wen ah hear a noisy cackle-cackle! cacklin squawk-squawk! squawkin in de bush; ah cock mih ears an kerry on wukkin. Ah hear it a-gain soon afta dat: cackle-cackle- cackle! squawk! squawk! squawk!...is a bull-tatter some-where pon d trail coming in. He did seein me all d time so is not me excitin-e now; is eida dat-e see animal, or is some-body comin. If ah did idle ah wudda-guh- see if ah-coulda hit a wild-hog or some ting…mih sal-fish-stock runnin low an fresh-fish getting-scarce-like-hell dese days since wata- droppin. Afta bout ten minutes, ah hear a hail-out – is people. Dey muss-be start walkin early dis mawnin. Wen ah look-up ah see a long-line-a-pork-knocka, ev-ry one wit a warishi-pon-e back. Ah glad to see dem… is long time now since ah see people; but…look all dis wuk ah gotta do…mek up mih mine...sen dem bout dey bizness quick-quick or dis hole day gongone-to-waste. Buh wen ah look-again, ah recognize mih ole swar Baje…is Baje-an-e-crew. Well, dat is okay – even if is hole day dey stay heah? fuh Baje – is okay...cause me and Baje we guh back a long way in dis back-dam…a long, long way. Baje! Baje! Baje! Wappnin bro? Yuh early man…is witch die-rection yuh comin from? Demerara Woods or French-man? “Naw man, oy sleep Ekuk Creek…truck break down last night just round there. Oy got some youth-man heah doan know the werks so oy training them … wake-up early…stead o waiting on the truck…ketch the late moonlight …tell the truck-man to check we here when he done repairs…. ” Baje, ah hope yuh tell alladem fore yuh bring dem dat “BUSH NA FUH BWOY!” “Oy tell them man, but…well we going to see who is man…time will tell, not so? Remember that ole werk you and oy did foin that time by that abandon…” – …ole shaft?...how yuh meanin IF I rememba Bage? Duh was we LASHOUT LOCATION; is how I gon fuh-get dat spot? Rememba how we had to get-on like-if d blows was killin we? cause we didn wan start a SHOUT in d backdam? I must rememba dat, bro. Yuh go-in back dere? Is years now man…you sure yuh gon fine d place? Yuh wanta come-an-help- yuh fine it?...was a-heapa-ole-wood-an-rock-an- bramble we did-pile-up to hide-it…rememba?....duh was how long ago? D bush must-be tekover dat spot – Look Baje, ah wudden promise yuh to stay…but if yuh wan-mih-come-help-yuh fine d place... But Baje seh: “Don’t worry...doan worry my brother. Oy done foin a edge and oy start werk already. Baje just come now to get you to come werk that dream with me, man. How you mean you can’t stay? Oy just coming back from Linden where oy pick up this crew and come here just to look for you; like you forget…” Dat mawnin ah look at mih ole I-dren Baje …how he lickin-e- whiskas like-if-e-tastin dat goal...ah see how d memory-a-dem coarse nugget we pick-up dat day in dat water-hole near dat ole-shaft, plus all d curry-powder we scrape-off d malgam-sheet; ah see alladat glintin in Baje eyes wen he look at me deep in mine an ask dat question. Is how I gon eva for-get dat day? How ah gon for-get wat Baje did seh to me wen we de-cide not to tell nobody else in d back-dam bout dat rich hole we fine; we siddown pon dat greenheart takuba and we reason... To be continued.

Chronicle Pepperpot February 7, 2016

â&#x2013;ş From page II

Chronicle Pepperpot February 7, 2016

The culture of male-ness

- contentions of a species

n Guyana, we dwell in the archetypical worlds of matriarchal and patriarchal impulses, as well as tribal versus caste tendencies. In all this fusion of modernisation, from the evidence before us, our sons are losing the social battle. Though there is the conclusion that the ratio is five females to one male, the percentage of males in prison, sleeping on the streets as drug addicts, walking around with mental problems are basically 75% male to 25% female. These are my observations, which can be adjusted by the corrections of professionals whose vocations place them in a better position; and I doubt that they can reverse my lay man’s statistics. For the past 5, 000 years, the role of the male was defined as Hunter, Warrior, and Defender of the Tribe with the definite role as father and protector with laws that dealt harshly with those who fell short of tribal decrees. Today much of this is subliminal, with added abstract coatings implied, like the notion of “The female side of the male’ (which has nothing to do with homosexuality) that applies to a nondescript behaviour formula of expectations that cannot be justified scientifically outside of the speculations and the agendas of specific interest groups. For example, a generation grew up to the music of the Mighty Sparrow’s ‘Every now and then cuff dem down, deh love yuh long and deh love yuh strong.” Then we have all heard politicians use the term ”Yuh gon still get to beat yuh wife.” This term was used in 1992 with the change of government. Every young man with sisters has had his fights in defence of his female clan, most times on promptings from his mother. In the early 70s at Leno’s Shop at the corners of Cooper and James Streets, in defence of a cantankerous sister, a brother lost his life horribly. He was gutted and lighted afire by the two offending biological brothers his sister had identified. After work at GRB during the late 70s, a group us went into the Globe cinema. The late ‘Bully’ Reid hinted to me that a couple further down in the seat was looking at me. Bully spoke hard enough for them to hear; I couldn’t make out their faces and forgot about them until intermission when I recognised the female to be someone whom I had attended school with and had no problem with. But before I could approach her, they vanished. I later learnt that she and my problematic little sister had a fight. The fellow she was with got involve vocally, and I was supposed to kick him up - on a promise made by my sister. I could have

been stabbed in the back, died without any notion in my final moments as to the why. Male abuse is a cultural problem reaching beyond so called modernised precept, and is currently handled as a Crusade rather than the issue it is.

I grew up in the Matriarchal group, so the nature of this article is based on that experience. A distraught friend visited me a few years ago to ask my opinion on a family matter, wherein his unemployed sisters who lived not too far had cultivated a habit of daily sending their children to have lunch at his home. After a while his wife, recognising the weight on their resources, told them to come only on Saturday. His sisters and Mom were up in arms against him for not putting her in her place. No one questioned the wisdom of his wife’s actions.

He couldn’t rationalise that no explanation would have sufficed, that this was a misplaced right of entitlement that had outlived itself and was partly responsible for the chronic mythology that many fathers were delinquent and had inadequately provided for their children and even themselves while being economically connected to siblings in a domino effect as their surrogate father-elder brother. I can remember going to pay for a loan my late mother had taken on her home for repairs at the Mortgage and Finance Bank in the 80s and was told by a friend at the Bank, ”You don’t own a house, but yuh paying loan on your Mother’s own.” I had long moved on on my own, renting, but it never occurred to me to do otherwise from what I perceived as a duty. This is what a female colleague described as the feminine side. I disagreed, because I don’t know too many sisters in my family who would do that, and not take the house. So I had replied to my friend from the Bank: “Where would they live (meaning my mother and siblings) if I don’t do it?” The male ego always thinks he has the time to look after self. The tribal mechanisms for harnessing individual pitfalls through group interception no longer exist in functioning terms. Today, the tribal hierarchy has become the state. Where did the isolation of the celebration of “Male-ness” begin? Does it lie in the declaration that males are not passing academic subjects with the equivalent numbers as females? Do the media imply that passes at the Industrial arts are not as flamboyant? I don’t see them splashed across the front pages of the papers or on the TV News. Because we don’t have local popular culture imagery that celebrates Industrial arts, the male drop-out is gravitated towards the Cul-de-sac hustle of small time vending or crime. I know mothers who took their sons out of school early, to help support investing in their sisters. This is prevalent in large families; it happened in my family, in two generations that I can account for. My mother once told me boys could always find something to do; and many others can relate to the sacrifice of the male. The mythical first builder of cities was Nimrod, grandson of Ham, son of Kush. The masonry symbols of his trade are today engraved in the logo of the order of the FREEMASONS. We must project the dignity of the builder, the scientific arts that envelope the majority of Male-ness as an honest stimulant for male self-esteem.

Chronicle Pepperpot February 7, 2016

My 10 steps towards achieving perfect health

hat exactly is perfect health? To be free from all illness and injury. Perfect physical, mental, and spiritual health is something we all want, but is it easier said than done? Not when you have the right attitude. Attitude is nothing more than how you feel or think about something or someone. To succeed at anything requires the right positive mindset. It determines behavior which can be seen through body language. Before you even open your mouth, your attitude resonates first. It’s no big secret, especially due to the information age, there is insurmountable data linking all manners of illness to some form of negative mental attitude/thought (fear, distrust, anger, selfishness, static thought, etc.). Here are a few examples: Abdominal cramps – fear Acne – lack of self-acceptance and self-hatred Anemia – lack of joy and afraid of living Arthritis – deep resentment and feeling victimized To make it worse, we add these common negative thoughts to perpetuate bad health: There is no such thing as perfect health You’ve got to die from something My father and mother had so therefore I….” And on and on it goes. Now let’s be realistic. Positive thinking and attitudes does not mean that you ignore your problems or gloss over them. Here are some more steps to take to create perfect health. • Know where you are with current state of health and write on a piece of paper (not your digital device) the goals you want to achieve. • Feed your body and mind with positivity. Look at everything you do from the foods you eat to your exercise regimen and attach positive attitude/thoughts that will yield healthy results. • If you have a health challenge, let your self-talk focus on acquiring solutions not drowning in the problems. • Create health affirmations and keep them in the “now”. Instead of saying “I

want perfect health,” change it to “I have perfect health.” Keeping thoughts in the present helps you to claim it. • Diet, of course, plays a key role in positivity. Eat sunflower seeds, spinach, and even protein to improve your mood. • Get some sunshine. Vitamin D from sunlight is a definite attitude booster. • Take folic acid, the B-complex essential vitamins which definitely regulate moods and Omega-3 fatty acids. • Do your homework. Find more ways to increase your positive attitude toward perfect health. .You cannot be healthy without adequate sleep. Period. . Meditate, have some alone time to reflect on the day and calm the mind, body and spirit. Know and believe that you have the power to change the course of direction and achieve the optimum health that already belongs to you. Start with changing your thoughts about perfect health and the only infectious disease you need to worry about spreading is your positive attitude.

Noshavyah King (Certified Personal Trainer, aerobics instructor, Sports and Conditioning Coach and Zumba Instructor) Owner of Genesis Fitness Express Located at Transport Sports Club

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CONSUMER CONCERNS:

Pat Dial

rom time to time consumers have approached the Guyana Consumers Association asking our advice as to what are the better cosmetics or even shaving lotions. Except when we have specific complaints, we have avoided making any general comprehensive statement on cosmetics because such products are very personalized and individual. Our Committee now feels that we must make a comment on the issue. Women, throughout history and in every civilization, have evinced an atavistic desire to be clean, well-groomed, distinctive and beautiful and have used "cosmetics" to help in this process. The use of modern cosmetics, as we know them today, begun with the ladies

in the courts of the French kings of the 17th and 18th centuries and from there, spread to all classes. In the 20th century, this was reinforced by Hollywood which employed many cosmeticians in the film industry. Max Factor, for example, served Hollywood before venturing into the wider national and international markets. In Guyana, the most common cosmetics used are hair dyes and hair straighteners, skin lotions and creams of many kinds, even skin-lighteners, lipsticks and nail polishes of many hues, eye-shadows and of, course, there were always perfumes. To keep their bodies shapely and healthy many women now engage in controlling their diet and in regimes of physical exercises, Yoga being the most popular and effective. Cosmetics have always changed or adjusted to the changing concepts of beauty. Two or three generations ago, cosmetics were largely of the nature of masks. Lipsticks and nail-polishes were all red or scarlet and rouges were very common. Hair-styles were also elaborate and were used, among other reasons, to create the illusion of oval faces, then regarded as the ideal shape of the feminine face. Today, the "natural look" holds sway and this is â&#x2013;ş Continued on page XIII

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Use beauty aids and cosmetics wisely

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Use beauty aids and cosmetics wisely â&#x2013;ş From page XII assisted by emphasizing certain strong and desirable traits of the female physiognomy. For example, a face which may have been once regarded in the past as indifferent is now metamorphosed into a striking one by emphasizing distinctive eyes or other particular features such as mouth or forehead. Elaborate hair-stylings have been succeeded by having the hair hanging down loosely towards the neck or shoulder or by the stylized disheveled-look. These hair-styles were first popularized by the French actress Bridget Bardot over a generation ago. In the Guyana cosmetic market, there are a large number of products produced by a variety of producers, some of them from Asia. The cosmetics on offer by the reputable stores tend to be middle-of-the-line; the expensive top-of-the-line products from such companies as Chanel or Balenciaga are not very common. Not all cosmetics on the market are safe and it is wise not to go for the cheap ones. For example, some of the very cheap lipsticks peel the very thin upper skin of the lip after a few usages, leaving the lip looking raw or whitish and the cheap hair straighteners could damage the scalp leading to loss of hair. Not all cheap toilet powders are healthy and could sometimes lead to itchy skins or even skin rashes. In buying cosmetics, one should be careful to check where the product is made for there are a large number of forgeries of the major brand-names sold on the local market. Almost all these forgeries come from East Asia. Before we conclude this offering, it is apposite to say a word about perfumes. Perfumes are one of the oldest cosmetics used by both men and women. In the East, perfumes tend to be oil-based while in the West, they are alcohol-based. The odours of very cheap perfumes disappear in a few minutes and many of them end up by having the smell of food essences. It is always safe to buy at least middle-of-the line perfumes though the better investment would be in top-of-the-line products. And topof-the-line products seem never to go completely out of fashion and whenever they are used they always remain distinctive. For example, at functions or occasions attended by affluent ladies, most may use top-of-the-line brands of perfume like Chanel #5 but yet there is no sameness or lack of distinctiveness among them. This is due to the fact, as a French perfumer explained to us, that individual body odours and personality become synthesized with the perfume. At risk of this article being longer than permitted, we would like to enjoin ladies to always strive after the "natural look". Nature, in its wisdom, has decked man and other living things in colours reflective of their climate and general ecology. For instance, it is characteristic of those living in the colder northern climates to have light or blond hair and those in equatorial and tropical zones to have dark hair. For someone with a brown or fairly dark complexion to dye one's hair in a deep sparkling blond may look incongruous. (email:patdial26@gmail.com)

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his week I’ve teamed up with Stacy Ramcharan, former beauty queen and one of Guyana’s hottest fashionistas, to show you how you can treat your self whether you celebrate Valentine’s Day or not. We are moving away from traditional red and white and showing you some unique styles cupid’s arrow won’t miss. We hope these looks inspire you to celebrate Valentine’s Day, however you choose, perhaps a weekend getaway, dinner with that special someone, clubbing with the girls, a relaxing day at the pool or a quiet evening with the family.

Getting ready just got easier. Slip into a one-piece denim jumpsuit which Stacy paired with red tube top, accessorize with wedges and a Tote bag.

The light fabric, soft pleating and a flaring skirt give this halter dress lovely, rippling movement, as the silky lining keeps you feeling luxurious. Stacy looks stunning in this bold floral print dress.

This two-piece mermaid skirt gets an edgy upgrade with lace fabric and sheer details. A generous amount of fabric and lining makes this outfit standout on Valentine’s; wear red shoes to pop this already stylish outfit.

Show some skin through a shapely, short, fitted lace dress with long sleeves. This look is romantic yet so sexy, fancy yet versatile. In this dress you will own the club or wow on an intimate date night.

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Deborah Solom - Coach…and cook

By Jasmaine Payne tanding no more than five feet tall, 53-year-old Deborah Solomon is still a whole lot of woman: a trained caterer in charge of her own canteen and a volunteer coach for youth basketball at the Bishop’s High School. Three days a week, Deborah can be found on the school’s basketball court surrounded by teens, who, you can tell, adore her. She looks like a natural on the court, but you’d be surprised to find out she actually knew very little about basketball before she started coaching four years ago. “I became the coach by default because the actual coach went to UG to study and nobody was there. I was a parent just going to every game that my son played; I was just sitting in the stands, but

“

I am very attached to the children, especially the ones I have recruited. It is good to see how they are transformed, from not knowing how to hold a ball, to now making waves on the team.”

Going through the paces: Deborah Solomon and student she coaches. (Samuel Maughn photos)

after the need arose and the headmistress asked me, I just stepped in and helped out,” Deborah said. At the time, her knowledge of the sport was limited to the very basics, so at first she would just fill in as a chaperone. Over time, with assistance from other coaches and her own reading and research about the game, Deborah developed enough skills to help the Bishops Basketball step up their game. Since taking up coaching, she has added two male teams to basketball in Guyana and also introduced the first female team to the school. She also introduced annual basketball camps during which she recruits and trains new

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mon

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Deborah has been able to convince others to take up playing basketball; she now coaches the first female basketball team at the St Joseph’s High School. players. With the help of a part time assistant coach, Deborah now manages all four of these teams, imparting to them valuable practical and theoretical skills of the sport. “It makes me feel young,” Deborah said, chuckling heartily at her own statement. “I am very attached to the children, especially the ones I have recruited. It is good to see how they are transformed, from not knowing how to hold a ball, to now making waves on the team.” Deborah’s position on the team has since earned her good reviews from parents and the school. She noticed also that many parents are very supportive of their children and faithfully attend their games, something which she admires. However, she expressed concern about instances where parents would seek to punish their children by keeping them away from the sport. She stated that this is counterproductive, as sports can do more good than harm in a child’s life. “Children being involved in sports while their parents are there supporting them is something that builds a rapport between them and builds that parent-child relationship, especially now that children are more focused on these gadgets; sports is a good way to stay connected with them, so we should encourage that,” she said. Of course, as a female coach, she did expect some opposition would come her way, but thankfully, Deborah admits that while this has not been

done in the open, this does not mean it doesn’t exist. “You get some vibrations from some of the people in authority who know that I don’t have a background in playing basketball, but that doesn’t trouble me. I am not moved by that because the teams I have taken to the games are most often winners; we play good basketball.” She admits that some of what she knows has been inspired by Anne Gordon – the only other female basketball couch in the country - who coaches the Kwakwani team, and while she admits that Gordon is an excellent coach, Deborah still basks in the glory that her own team has been able to beat the talented Kwakwani team on a few occasions. She credits her team’s skills on her teaching methods, stating that she gives the players to use their judgement even though there are established goal plans. This helps them to use their initiative and improvise while still being guided by the plan. Deborah is confident that many of them possess the skills to make it big. She is disappointed that there aren’t programmes in place to offer students as talented as hers the opportunity to access scholarships. “I don’t think the relevant bodies are investing enough in the players. We don’t send our students to tournaments and give them the exposure. There are also a lot of scholarships available, but we don’t get access to it,” she

said. Despite this, Deborah still ensures she provides her players with the necessary tools so that they could be on par should the opportunity of scholarships arise. Observing the passion with which Deborah speaks of basketball and the children that have become a beloved part of her life, one would forget that catering is actually her first love. A native of the Essequibo Coast, Deborah did her first bit of training at the Johanna Cecilia Secondary School then went on to Fredericks School of Home Economics. Later, she was granted a scholarship and was able to attend the Carnegie School of Home Economics. After working as a cook at the original Coal Pot location on Hincks Street, Deborah moved on her own by offering catering services for several years. Finally, she settled in at her very own canteen in the compound of the Durban Backlands Practical Instruction Centre. Yet, despite her passion for cooking, few can deny the value that basketball has certainly added to her life. With her full time day job, and her part time coaching, it’s hard to imagine how she does it. But Deborah is fortunate that both of the activities which dominate her life centre on things that she genuinely loves. This therefore gives her the opportunity to give 100 percent as she makes a valuable contribution to the lives of the children she coaches while fulfilling her own dreams.

Hindu youths host festival - as part of efforts to fight

Chronicle Pepperpot February 7, 2016

suicide among youths

he Dharmic Naujawaan (DNJ), the central youth arm of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha (GHDS), will be hosting a “Naujawaan Utsav” or a youth festival on Saturday Feb 20, 2016 as part of fundraising and awareness activities for their suicide prevention campaign. Youths from all across Guyana are expected to participate in various cultural activities such as singing, dancing and drama. The DNJ has used its central role within the GHDS to engage other youth branches from across the country within the Hindu organisation to participate in this event. The event seeks to help youths develop interpersonal, public speaking, artistic and other important social skills. “These skills are vital in transforming the participating youths, to formulate a positive attitude and gain invaluable experiences which they can then take and share with their respective communities across the country,” the Naujawan said in a statement. Earlier this year, the DNJ, along with the GHDS and social work professionals, held community outreaches in Essequibo and Berbice to address suicides. Over the fifteen years of its existence, the DNJ has also done regular charity drives, medical outreaches, community workshops, blood drives and youth conferences which have seen enormous support by the private sector and the general population which have been impacted. A programme of activities, outreaches and supplemental media material are planned for the remainder of the year, as the DNJ seeks to battle the plague of suicide among youths in Guyana. Tickets for the ‘Naujawaan Utsav’ cost $2000 and includes a dinner of authentic Indian cuisine, along with the concert commencing at 19:00 h. Tickets are located at Azeela Top Brands (Regent Street) and Cell Phone Accessories (second floor, Giftland Mall).

Vishnu Rasulan, winner of male singing competition at Kala Utsav 2015.

Dancers perform at Naya Zamana, an annual dance production of the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha

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Maximise your denture use

very safe ground in assuming that Dr. BERTRAND you would emR. STUART, DDS. phatically answer: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Definitely not!â&#x20AC;? ost peo- So, replacing your natup l e d o ral teeth with either a full not re- or partial denture is about alize the as desirable as having an p r o b - artificial leg. lems that arise after denDentures allow you tures are placed. How to chew; an artificial leg would you like to have an allows you to walk. The artificial leg rather than problem in both instances is your natural leg? I feel on the performance quality of

the artificial replacement in comparison to what nature originally provided. Quite simply, the artificial replacement will never function as well as your natural teeth no matter how good it looks. Dentures are not maintenance free; they need adjustments. It is not that the denture change; it is the tissues under the dentures that change. A denture adjustment is necessary when the denture material must be

removed from the denture to relieve pressure at pressure spots that occur when bone and tissue shrink. Since tissue shrinks as it heals, dentures that are placed immediately after the teeth are extracted sometimes need to be relined as soon

as the tissue has healed. All dentures need relining periodically to adjust for normal tissue changes. So a denture is not one-shot cure. It is very important to see your dentist once a year so the tissue under the denture can be monitored.

With this overview, let me offer a word of caution. Your dentist may offer you options on types of tooth replacements possible in your case. Offering you treatment â&#x2013;ş Contiuned

on page XXIV

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Maximise your denture use ◄ From page XXIII options is part of your dentist’s obligation. This is where you need to become a wise, informed dental consumer so you can discuss with him the best decision for your situation. As a general rule of thumb, fixed prosthodontics (crowns and bridges) are more expensive, than removable prosthodontics (full or partial dentures). However, fixed prosthodontics is usually a more desirable replacement. Dentures also vary in cost depending on the type of teeth, the material used to make the denture base, and the number of steps followed to construct the prosthetic device. If you find a place that claims to be able to make your denture in one day for much less than the fee being charged in the area by most other dentists, you will probably get exactly what you pay for. Let the buyer beware! They are no bargains in healthcare! The name immediate dentures sounds like something produced by a fast-food version of a dental office. However, ‘immediate’ in this context means that the denture is placed immediately after the dentist or oral and maxillofacial surgeon extracts the teeth. Here is a typical example of what happens in preparation for an immediate denture. The first phase is the removal of all teeth posterior to (behind) the cuspid teeth. These ridges are then allowed to heal and act as a stable base for the future denture. After the healing has occurred, the denture is constructed. Then, the natural teeth are extracted and the dentures are immediately placed in the mouth. This keeps the patient from having to be without his or her anterior (front) teeth at any time. There are many advantages to immediate dentures, besides the immediate esthetic considerations. They protect sensitive extraction sites, help control bleeding from the tooth sockets, and protect the surgical area by covering it, thus keeping food and debris out of the extraction sockets. An additional advantage that you might consider worth the extra expense of the immediate denture is that your dentist knows how your “natural” teeth appeared. Thus, he is likely to be able to construct a denture that more closely resembles your natural teeth. This makes the transition easier when you see your friends and family because your appearance is minimally changed. The other option is that it is possible, if you want, to change your appearance with new dentures. Finally, an immediate denture gives the dentist a better idea of how your natural teeth were biting. He can construct a denture that better stimulates the bite you had before extractions. Esthetically, immediate dentures are a better way to have dentures inserted than having dentures made after going through a period of being toothless. However, they do not present more problems. More denture adjustments are needed when immediate dentures are placed, and these dentures sometimes need to be relined a short time after they are seated. The reason is that the tissue, including the bone in the area, shrinks during the healing process after the teeth are removed. The healing process lasts about six months. This shrinking causes the denture to become loose, and the fit is altered. Relining is not needed as soon for conventional dentures fitted on ridges where time has lapsed after the teeth are extracted. Usually, the immediate dentures themselves are not any more expensive than conventional dentures. However, since immediate dentures usually have to be relined as soon as the ridges have healed, the reline is usually an additional charge.

Reason to live

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- A suicide survivor who experienced horrible experiences during his youth has come forward to tell his story. By Shauna Jemmott He tried to end his life, twice, but after one contact with the group called Prevention of Teenage Suicide (POTS), he sees life differently and is now one of the counsellors saving the lives of teenagers who have thought of ending their lives. “I took carbon (tablet) one time because that’s what was available in the house, and I also took gramaxone once,” says Dwayne. At the time, the emotional pain was the most excruciating he ever felt, surpassing whatever physical suffering he was experiencing. “The most I was doing was crying; and I felt as if it (life) should end.” Dwayne had troubles that grew overbearing. “I had my troubles with my family and I had school troubles and that pushed me. My father was not around. He left me when I was six. “My Mom and I moved from place to place to place. We moved all over the place and I came to have numerous step-fathers.

“It was hard for me and I was seeing my mother being abused brutally by these step-fathers and there was nothing I could have done.” He was still a child at the time, and as he struggled to be his Mom’s defender, he too became victim of an abusive stepfather. He never quite understood what was happening but complained to his Mom that the man had sexually abused him, but she chose to believe her lover, calling her child a liar. “I was 12; that was one of my mother’s guys. When these things happen and then you explain to your parents and they don’t believe you, that puts you in a depressed state, and I just couldn’t believe that she didn’t believe me; (that) she didn’t understand!” Dwayne attempted a smile, but he felt insulted. His manhood was grabbed at a tender age by a grown man. He matured with the idea that he was the guilty one. In school he was teased to the point at which he emptied all his belongings into the garbage bin, ran away from school and made his first

attempt, drinking a carbon tablet. “People didn’t really understand me. I was different from everyone else. “That was so hard! I was teased a lot, called names, troubled, picked on. It came to a point when I just took all my school stuff, dumped it into a garbage bin and just ran up the road and I was so upset. I was so furious and I ran up the road and I ran home.” It happened early 2004. Some months after, he drank the herbicide gramoxone. Dwayne and his Mom had an argument and she physically pushed him, resulting in him hitting his head on an iron pipe, falling unconscious. The evidence remains on his forehead – a healed laceration. “When I awoke, she came and she said ‘You’re not my son.’ “There was a terrible argument and I said well if I’m not your son then I don’t deserve to be here.” Dwayne became epileptic somewhere along the line of events and as a result, was plunged into a deeper state of depression after his own

family began insulting him regularly. “I was diagnosed with chronic epilepsy and I’m the only person in the family with that. When I found out that I had chronic epilepsy, my family shunned me and they told me that my sickness is an embarrassment to the family and that I am bringing down the family’s name due to me having chronic epilepsy.” It was so bad that during one of his attacks, a relative dragged him into a yard away from their home while it rained, and left him there unconscious, the young man said. At the time, he was sitting Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC). “He (his uncle) dragged my unconscious body across the road; it was like two houses away from where I live, and that caused my whole butt to be injured from the dragging, and then he dumped my unconscious

body in an empty yard which was two houses away from ours and I was lying there. “When I became conscious and the only thing I could have done was go inside and show my grandfather.” He said he couldn’t understand why his family treated him that way after they took his mother to court and were successful in a custody battle for him. While his dad was away, he was left in the care of his grandparents and his father’s siblings. In October 2015, while on campus at the University of Guyana, where he is reading for his first degree, he had his latest epilepsy attack. Dwayne said after someone telephoned his grandmother and informed her about what happened, the woman called him on his cellular phone telling him that his “sickness is an embarrassment to the family and that I should stop with this embarrassment.”

“Due to that, I felt it was my fault. “It’s only now they would call me and ask if I took my medication.” Dwayne was introduced to POTS Guyana, the organization managed by Miss Guyana World Lisa Punch. “I thank Lisa a lot because when I was going through a rough tine I would just message them and say, ‘can’t really take this anymore, this place is crazy.’ And she came, she spoke to me and she helped me go through what I was going through. And now I’m here I’m a member of the organization. I’m the operations advisor and I am willing to help others.” “I told Lisa that I can’t leave the organization. At this point the organization is keeping me going. If I am out of this organization, I’m afraid of what will happen. Even though I was a volunteer for this organization, I was still having problems.”

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Valentine ♥ Beauty Series

The kissable pout When choosing lipsticks always sample tones on your skin, preferably your hands. And choose shades that compliment your skin tone. Always blend different shades. There is only one you and unfortunately not every brand can change their lipstick colours to suit your everyday mood. So, it is imperative to pick three or four shades you like, then blend them according to your preference….you’ll thank me later! To apply the shade of your dreams, and have it last throughout the day, be sure to prep skin first. It’s imperative to moisturize with a lip balm first then apply makeup on the lips. An added tip: if you have dry chapped lips, use an exfoliating lip scrub, like ‘Mary Kay Satin Lips’ to keep lips smooth and lipstick ready. When applying your lipstick(s) line, do the lips first with a shade of lipliner a shade darker than the lip colour or a shade closest to your skin tone. • • • • • •

Line lips from the outer corners to the center of lips Smile as you go to get a smoother finish Hold the liner on tilt and glide along the natural lip line Smudge the lip liner towards the inner area of the lip Feather from the base the line inwards Use your finger to do so until it’s faded and blended and no straight lines are visible.

Smile as you apply your lipstick from the outer corner inward. Leaving no sharp edges. If you desire, a more ombré effect, leave the middle of lips untouched, and apply a tone a shade lighter to the inner area of lips. Smack your lips to blend, or use your fingertips. Use a tissue to remove excess oils from applied lipstick. Gently pressing your lips onto the tissue. Then no more, the more you rub your lips together the more lipstick is removed.

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Wildlife

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all times. * Must not be collected, held in captivity, hunted, killed or molested. * Some methods and devices are prohibited for collecting wildlife such as: * Setting fires to grass or any vegetation. * Using any device capable of producing electric current sufficient to kill wildlife. * Any person who proposes to engage in activities to farm, ranch, buy, sell or otherwise deal in wildlife needs to apply to the EPA for a Commercial License. * Persons can report crimes against wildlife to the Environmental Protection Agency. Every Year, World Wildlife Day is celebrated on March 03, to raise awareness on the world’s wild flora and fauna. Be sure to join the celebrations!

ildlife is important to humans living in all parts of the world and this is certainly true for us here in Guyana. Traditionally, the term wildlife meant wild birds and animals but it has now been expanded to include plants, fungi, and microorganisms. Our

Wildlife Management and Conservation Regulations (2013) captures this broader definition of wildlife as “any non-cultivated or non-domestic organism in the kingdom of animals, plants, protista, prokaryota, and fungi and any parts or derivatives thereof.” In other words if it is not domesticated then it is wildlife! At present the Wildlife Regulations is under the EPA. It was developed out of the recognition of the benefits tobe gained by conserving and managing our country’s wildlife. Wildlife plays an important role inmaintaining the ecological balance, for example, sustaining natural food chains so that living things at all levels of the chain can survive. The economic value of wildlife is perhaps the most well-known, people and countries derive income from wildlife in many ways e.g. through tourism and recreation. Wildlife is a storehouse of genetic information that can enable us as humans to recover from the loss of our modern crops to disease. Wildlife is critical for scientific reasons, e.g. population studies and its value extends to the social, educational, cultural sphere, e.g. it forms part of the way of life for indigenous peoples. In a nut-shell, sustainable development and human well-being are intricately linked to Wildlife.

Wildlife Regulations Quick Facts * Some wildlife may be classified as Critically Endangered(e.g. Leatherback turtle), Endangered (e.g. Sun Parakeet), or Vulnerable (e.g. Brazil-nut Tree, Jaguar, Arapaima) which are: * Protected throughout the whole of Guyana at

Share your ideas and questions by sending letters to: “Our Earth, Our Environment”, C/O EIT Division, Environmental Protection Agency, Ganges Street, Sophia, GEORGETOWN, or email us at: eit. epaguyana@gmail.com or you can contact the Agency on 225-5467-9. Also check out our facebook page, Environmental Protection Agency-Guyana.

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Chronicle Pepperpot February 7, 2016

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Chronicle Pepperpot February 7, 2016

Q&A with actor R. Madhavan on ‘Saala Khadoos’ (Reuters) For two years, R. Madhavan has worn braces on his teeth that he doesn’t need. The actor has worn them so that he can replicate a lisp like Mike Tyson for his role in the film “Saala Khadoos”, where he plays the mercurial coach of a young boxer from a fishing village in Chennai. Madhavan, otherwise known for his roles as a docile and all-round good guy in films such as “Tanu Weds Manu” and “3 Idiots” says the angst his character displays in this film is closer to his real personality. He spoke to Reuters about “Saala Khadoos” and why he thought the script was a “calling”. Tell me how you developed so many anger issues for this film (Laughs) Those anger issues have always been there. But it’s been hidden from sight. I have been exploring this side of mine more in Tamil cinema. My assistants will bear testimony to the fact that I am a very angry man. My wife saw the trailer and said “finally, the world will see who you really are”. I am one of those people who are really short-tempered, but I don’t lose it unless it is justified. Is that the reason you picked this character and this film? No, one doesn’t have the luxury of choosing a script because of a character trait that you want to portray on screen. That’s too much specification. If I get one normal script that is well-written and interesting … because that is what is hard to come by. When the script comes, it is a calling. This was exactly that. It was a story about broken people who are trying their best to stay afloat. These people are rejected at every turn by people who are happy with the mundane. I thought it was phenomenal. What are the kind of preparations you had to go through? I prepared for this for two years. I got the script in 2012. After “Tanu Weds Manu”, I went to Los Angeles and I learnt how to box and trained for it. I came back, wrote some additional screenplay and dialogue, and then set about finding the people to put this project together in India. Is there a reason you wanted it to be a Hindi film and not a Tamil film, given that it is based in Chennai? Actually, not all of it is based in Chennai. A large part of it is based in the Hindi belt. Yes, the character is a fisherwoman in Chennai, but it also features boxing towns like Delhi and Hisar. We haven’t made too many sports films in the industry, and there is a tendency to Bollywoodise those films. Do you think there is a need to do that? We just tried to make a story. I am not worried about bastardising it. It has to be a wholesome story. We were sure we didn’t want to do anything that makes it look false. Nothing in it should be a leap of faith for the audience. You said the film was based on true incidents. Who are these people? They are boxers, from around the country. Coaches, referees, people who have written about the sport. Sudha (director Sudha Kongara) went and interviewed these people and we realized one thing. Boxing is not a sport that people are willingly letting their daughters take up. You’ll never get married, you’ll break your nose – no chance. But when these girls in the ghettos andchawls (one-room tenements) go play this sport, you do well, and you get a government job. You get government accommodation. The whole family moves out of the chawl, and at least the remaining daughters can get married. It’s a route that people took to get into a better situation, and even in that process we developed champions. The kind of things these boxers have achieved – it is sad that there is not too much documentation about it.

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Lady Gaga to perform

'multisensory' Bowie tribute at Grammys

ady Gaga will lead what organizers called an "experiential tribute" to late British singer David Bowie at the Grammy Awards this month. The Recording Academy said Gaga would perform three or four of Bowie's songs in a "multisensory testament" to Bowie's creativity as a musician whose work constantly evolved over five decades. Bowie's unexpected death at age 69 in January after a secret cancer diagnosis shocked fans around the world and came just two days after the release of a critically-acclaimed new album "Blackstar." Gaga, a six-time Grammy winner, is also known for reinventing herself many times since she rose to fame in 2008. She had already been booked to perform at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Feb. 15. "But when David passed â&#x20AC;&#x201D; almost in a single moment â&#x20AC;&#x201D; we knew we had to change direction," Grammy ceremony executive producer Ken Ehrlich said in a statement. "We immediately spoke and agreed that she (Lady Gaga) should be the one to honor David. She's perfect for it," Ehrlich added. Singer Lady Gaga arrives at the 73rd Golden Globe Awards Music producer Nile Rodgers, who worked on Bowie's 1983 album "Let's Dance," will be the musical director in Beverly Hills, California January 10, 2016. (REUTERS/ for the tribute. MARIO ANZUONI)

Ooi was among those kicking off the show on Monday, dressing models in turtle necks, duffel coats and rolled-up jeans for a collection called "Class of 2525". "It's basically a reinterpretation of a schoolboy in the future. So, when I was thinking about schoolboys, they don't really have uniforms these days but they still kind of have the same kind of clothes, all of them," he said. "So, I just took out all their clothes from their wardrobe, like what they're wearing these days and reinterpreted it for

the future." Offering a more relaxed look, with T-shirts paired with loose trousers and coats, architect-turned-fashionista Carlos Garciavelez, focused on a more layered and baggy line. "This collection centers on the idea of a nomad going to the thermal baths in Switzerland," he said. "So, it's the idea of the explorer going to a spa ... of dressing and undressing. So we have a lot of kind of robes that are mixed in and out as outerwear."

Baggy and futuristic looks kick off NY men's fashion week (Reuters) Following a successful debut in July, New York hosts its second menswear fashion week, with dozens of established fashion names as well as new designers showcasing their autumn/winter offerings - from slick suits to casual wear. New York Fashion Week: Men's, launched by the Council of Fashion Designers of America, ran until Feb. 4 and featured designers such as Tommy Hilfiger, John Varvatos, Michael Kors and Malaysian-born, Brussels-based newcomer, Edmund Ooi. Ooi was among those kicking off the show on Monday, dressing models in turtle necks, duffel coats and rolled-up jeans for a collection called "Class of 2525". "It's basically a reinterpretation of a schoolboy in the future. So, when I was thinking about schoolboys, they don't really have uniforms these days but they still kind of have the same kind of clothes, all of them," he said. "So, I just took out all their clothes from their wardrobe, like what they're wearing these days and reinterpreted it for the future." Offering a more relaxed look, with T-shirts paired with loose trousers and coats, architect-turned-fashionista Carlos Garciavelez, focused on a more layered and baggy line. "This collection centers on the idea of a nomad going to the thermal baths in Switzerland," he said. "So, it's the idea of the explorer going to a spa ... of dressing and undressing. So we have a lot of kind of robes that are mixed in and out as outerwear." >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Photo saved as: fashion