Pepperpot 03 6 2016

T

he thought of coming to Guyana scared the life out of Pedro Paez Hernandez. He thought he was going to an African jungle and would not survive it. But he came and found a beautiful country and a hospitable people‌and he also found love.

Telesha Ramnarine explains why Dr Hernandez now calls Guyana home and has no plans of returning to Cuba.

â–ş Page XXIV Dr Pedro Paez Hernandez

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Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

CAGED BIRD

By Maya Angelou

A free bird leaps on the back of the wind and floats downstream till the current ends and dips his wing in the orange sun rays and dares to claim the sky.

Guyana’s National Bird, the Canje Pheasant.

Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly - Langston Hughes.

A forest bird never wants a cage – Henrik Ibsen.

The free bird thinks of another breeze and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees and the fat worms waiting on a dawn bright lawn and he names the sky his own

But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage can seldom see through his bars of rage his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom.

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom.

FREE AS A BIRD

“I gon give you five tousand dollars for that bird…now, now, now, man. Look it right here.”

days? Look banna, res yuhself!”...is Ignorant Rocks lickin-elip an beatin-down-d-price...

Ignorant Rocks got-on one-a-dem-wind-breaker ah seein some chupid people does-be-wearin fuh-look-like-if dey dress-up in winter-coat in-a-dis hot, hot, G.T.

“Yeah, he mad!” some-baddy else in d crowd holla-out; den-anada-one seh –

“Steeeuwpps! five tousand who?” ...is d bird-cage-man suckin-e-teet.

“Like you fall-out your cradle, or wuh? You ain start calling price to buy this baby, bro. Not DIS one. I challenge any one yall to bring anything gon beat he to sing when he crankup. If you want this one you better start talking price bro, I mean U.S. DOLLARS AND SENSE.” “WUH!? U.S. WHO? fuh a damn towa-towa? Is YOU who fall pon your brains. You know the exchange fuh U.S. dese

“Yeah! na ME U.S. dallas!”

An Ignorant Rocks sehin wit-e-wurds full-a-pain: “Banna, if I had it, I would pay it for that bird. That is a sweet, sweet bird.”

A nex-man seh – “Yeah, me too banna…I woulda pay it” an-e-lookin at datburd-in-d-cage wit-e-art-in-e-eye. The onliest bird could beatout the towa-towa to whistle? must-be only the coduri – “

(Conclusion)

Eh-eh! Yuh-see since duh-man seh-so? D burd-cage-man pounce-pon-e: “CO-DU-WHO? BOY you wild, or wuh? Not this chile – here I SHOWING-YUH –“ Okay, gimme dat burd...a-gat-a-ounce-a-goal...look-ithere. I gon buy it.

Ah doanno is-wuh fly-up in mih-ead, ah jus ear-mihself-tawkin like-if is na-me...is some-baddy-else in d crowd sehin-it. Ev-ry-baddy tun-rung fuh-see is-ou-seh-suh. An ► Continued on page VIII

Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

Make Lodge an Urban Village

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n the heart of the depressed south-east of Georgetown sits a bustling little village named Lodge. It is bordered on the north by Hadfield Street, the south

by Princes Street, the west by Vlissengen Road and the east by Mandela Avenue.

The village boasts neither significant enterprise, nor space for agrarian diversification. Houses are bunched together in defiance of city ordinance, grass grows untended and residents

build roadside huts and park their cars anyhow and anywhere.

But the collective unbridled intransigence will soon come to a halt with the rapid-fire construction at Durban Park, sparking a heart-warming revolution in the forgotten urban ethos.

Lodge, like so many other administrative divisions, wards and boroughs badly needs sustenance to maintain its village-like existence and the hope is that Local Government Elections will be the precursor of a major overhaul.

But, maybe we don’t have to wait on all the municipal politicking. Right before our eyes is the transformational development that could jump-start a magical revival of inspiration, not only for Lodge, but for Albouystown, Werk-en-Rust, Kingston, Charlestown, etc. The list is long but we have to start somewhere.

In urban planning and design, an urban village is a development typically characterized by medium-density housing, mixed use zoning, good public transit and an emphasis on pedestrianisation and public space.

Urban villages are seen to provide an alternative to recent patterns of urban development in many cities, especially decentralization and urban sprawl. They are generally purported to:

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Godfrey Wray Reduce car reliance and promote cycling, walking and transit use Provide a high level of self-containment (people working, recreating and living in the same area) Help facilitate strong community institutions and interaction Right after the March 18 local government elections, the new leaders must immediately move into top gear to fund the urbanization of Lodge Village.

Eye-sore structures and abandoned houses should be demolished. New buildings should be built with ownership offered to the Lodge-based community.

Mixed-income housing and single family homes should dominate the skyline.

And what has spawned this hope of a sudden gentrification of Lodge?

Enter the ambitious Durban Park project…a cornucopia of sporting activities all in one place. A hub of family-oriented activities that can enhance bonding and the challenge of “doing it together.”

Add commitment and enthusiasm.

But for those two interlocking concepts, Guyana would have been sucked into the dustbin of history, no longer relevant despite God’s healing hands and the bountiful resources under our feet just

waiting to be released.

Every time I drive past Durban Park I pause to inhale the intoxicating aroma of progress. I was a doubter. Now I am a firm believer. I can almost feel the energized morale of the community rising.

The new Durban Park can shape a new Lodge (more so Hadfield Street)… a mall, sidewalks, street lighting, transient housing for out of town athletes, sports museum with memorabilia of relevant disciplines, training facilities.

The absence of a municipal-type swimming pool is the one glaring omission. Someone forgot that a Guyana-born swimmer – Maritza Correia - won an Olympic silver medal in the 2004 Olympics in Athens. And also a gold medal at the World championships in Japan in 2003. She is the first black woman to earn a place on a US swim team.

What irony! Correia started swimming as a seven-yearold when a doctor suggested the sport could help with her scoliosis…a curvature of the spine. You should know the rest.

She swam for the US but she is ours. Motivation and determination are hallmarks of the greatest athletes. And public swimming pools in every region must not be seen as extravagant. The movement involving life, work and play is never seamless but the potential is there for Lodge to ignite a community bonfire.

Lodge residents should get “first jump” when it come to jobs in their area and at Durban Park. They would have a vested interest in protecting their livelihood and homes.

A strong sports management team must be put in place and the previously soggy, abandoned acreage transformed into a tourist attraction day and night.

The ebullience of happy children frolicking in a pool is a sight that has few equals. (Remember Luckhoo Park) Do it right for Lodge and the other urban utopias out there waiting for their opportunities.

And don’t forget the swimming pools in every region.

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Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

Women in art: A long history of exclusion

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By Dominique Hunter

ontinuing along last week’s train of thought regarding the disproportionate male to female ratio of exhibiting artists (and just in time for International Women’s Day on March 8), I felt compelled to share with my readers a general overview of the historical context that has shaped women’s position (or lack thereof) in the field of visual art.

There is a rather long and unfortunate tradition of art history that has, through a number of intersecting systems of oppression, methodically denied women artists of equal representation in exhibitions. Traditional art history successfully relegated women into obscurity by rendering their contributions as non-existent or “less than” those of men. And since this was an era where the white Western male perspective was largely accepted as the only perspective, it was almost impossible for women to be recognized as worthy counterparts. Indeed, you

would be at a severe disadvantage by simply not having the privilege of being born white, middle/upper class and, most importantly, male.

Before we go any further, I think it’s important to understand how women’s art came to be regarded as inferior and how that translated into every endeavor they undertook thereafter. During the Renaissance period (14th century) female art students were barred from studying the nude model (an essential component to every young artist’s training) on the basis that it was inappropriate. Nude model studies of the time were unique to History Paintings and this particular art genre was reserved for the best students who would no doubt go on to achieve great success.

So by forcing women to forego those critical studies, the “academy” effectively redirected women’s trajectories towards “less threatening” areas of portraiture, landscape and still-life. Things begin to get a little more interesting when you realize that although it was highly inappropriate for women to be exposed to male or female nudity for the purpose of study, it was acceptable

Thomas Eakins’ life-class at the Pennsylvania Academy circa 1855. A cow stands in for a nude man, acting as the model for the female students.

for women themselves to pose nude to aid the studies of men (quite an interesting stance on propriety at the time).

Fast-forward a few centuries and yet again women can’t seem to catch a break. Early fundamentalist Christian teaching of the late 19th century portrayed all women as evil, sexual temptresses who were responsible for leading men into sin. Now, although all women were portrayed negatively during this period, black women were seen as especially evil and further removed from “womanhood” based on stereotypes perpetuated by white slave owners that they were inherently promiscuous. This was the result of the initial encounter white males would’ve had with black women before enslaving and dehumanizing them in an effort to justify their exploitation and remove any resulting guilt.

Shortly after this anti-woman campaign there was a tremendous shift in consciousness. But before you breathe a sigh of relief, this wasn’t exactly the shift everyone was hoping for. A new era heralded the glorification of fully clothed women as “goddesses”, specifically, white women. In an excerpt from her book titled The Cult of True Womanhood: 1820-1860 Barbara Welter writes, “If anyone, male or female, dared to tamper with the complex virtues which made up True Womanhood, he was damned immediately as an enemy of God, of civilization and of the Republic. It was a fearful obligation, a solemn responsibility, which the nineteenth century American woman had – to uphold the pillars of the temple with her frail white hand.”

Welter describes the graveness of the responsibilities held by white women who were elevated as custodians of femininity and the tenderness that became synonymous with it. These virtues included piety, purity, submissiveness and domesticity. When combined, these qualities became the yardstick which husbands, neighbours, and society measured white women. Although the status of white women was elevated (but still not equal to men), the same couldn’t be said for women of colour. Notice that there was absolutely no mention of black women or how they factored into this new era. Again this is where stereotypes have altered trajectories. All of the virtues that defined “true womanhood” were largely thought to be absent in black women. So they were forced into the background, first by their gender, then race and finally slavery.

In the middle of the “true womanhood” craze there was also the Abolition Movement and later the Women’s Suffrage Movement. And although the latter had roots ► Continued on page V

Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

V

► From page IV in the former, there was an incredible divide regarding the focus (gender vs. race) of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. It wasn’t until the late 20th century that Feminism forced everyone to start having long overdue conversations about inequality and exclusion from art exhibitions based on all systems of oppression. The Guerrilla Girls is perhaps the most popular feminist group that has been actively fighting discrimination against women for thirty odd years. It was through a number of their graphic posters that museum and gallery statistics were revealed highlighting huge discrepancies in the ratio of male vs. female exhibitors.

Now although our current situation isn’t as dire as it once was, there is still a lot of work to be done. We are moving ever closer to dismantling long established hetero-normative roles and one can’t help but feel hopeful that a larger number of women artists around the world will be given the recognition they deserve.

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

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Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

VII

1950s row between landlord and tenant

Landlord approached wrong Court to claim damages from tenant

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N the case of Evelyne v. Latchmansingh, the plaintiff was the tenant and the defendant, the landlord.

The rental agreement was subject to the provisions of the Rent Restriction Ordinance, Chapter 186 (British Guiana).

The defendant served the plaintiff a notice to quit and subsequently brought proceedings before the Rent Assessor for possession.

The proceedings were terminated in favour of the plaintiff.

Thereafter, the defendant and his servant removed the walls , roof, and the front and back steps of the premises. The plaintiff was forced to seek shelter elsewhere and her furniture and personal effects were damaged by rain.

It was held that: (i) if it is necessary for a plaintiff to rely on any provision of the Rent Restriction Ordinance in order to establish his claim, the claim is one arising out of the Ordinance. (ii) in the action, the plaintiff’s claim was wholly dependent upon the question whether or not she was protected by the Ordinance and that being so the claim should have been instituted in the Magistrate’s court and could not validly be brought in the Supreme Court , the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court having been ousted by the provisions of s. 26 (1) of the Ordinance.

Action by a tenant against the landlord for breach of the covenant for quiet enjoyment , eviction , trespass by unlawful entry into the plaintiff’s dwelling house and the dismantling of the walls , etc., and breach of the contract of tenancy.

C.V. Wight appeared for the plaintiff and F. w. H. Ramsahoye for the defendant.

Delivering his ruling Chief Justice J. A. Luckhoo said: “In this action, the plaintiff claims the sum of $15, 000, as damages and pecuni-

ary compensation against the defendant for breach of covenant and quiet enjoyment , eviction and trespass by unlawful entry into the plaintiff’s dwelling house and the dismantling of the walls, roof and floor thereof and breach of contract of tenancy relating to premises situate at 130 Regent Street, Bourda, in the City of Georgetown.

“The allegation of the plaintiff, as set out in her statement of claim and as supplied by the evidence, was to the effect was that she was for some 14 years , prior to the month of May 1958, the tenant of the premises in question paying a weekly rental and that the defendant was her landlord for some time prior to material times subject to the provisions of the Rent Restriction Ordinance.

“The defendant wished to get possession of the prem-

, 1958 the defendant by himself and his servant removed the front and back steps giving ingress and egress into and from the premises and also removed the walls and roof. The plaintiff was forced to seek shelter elsewhere and her furniture and personal effects were damaged by rain as a result of the roof being taken off the premises by the defendant’s carpenters under the defendant’s directions.

“The defendant sought to show that at the material time, he had ceased to be the plaintiff’s landlord and that one Chand was instead the landlord . “In this attempt the defendant failed , and it is clear that the acts complained of by the plaintiff were done by and at the direction of the defendant himself and that Chand was sought to be used as a red

ises from the plaintiff and as the plaintiff was not agreeable to quit the premises the defendant served on the plaintiff a notice to quit. Thereafter the plaintiff became a statutory tenant protected by the Rent Restriction Ordinance.

“The defendant in December , 1957 ,brought proceedings before the Rent Assessor in the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court for possession on the ground that he required the premises for the purpose of reconstruction.

“These proceedings terminated in favour of the plaintiff on February 18, 1958, the defendant withdrawing the application.

Thereafter, on May 6 and 7

herring..

“Counsel for the defendant has submitted that this court is without jurisdiction in this matter as it is a claim or other proceeding arising out of the Rent Restriction Ordinance.”

Winding up his ruling Chief Justice Luckhoo added: “In the present action the plaintiff’s claim is wholly dependent upon the question whether or not she was protected by the Rent Restriction Ordinance and that being so, the claim should have been instituted in the magistrate’s court and cannot validly be brought in the Supreme Court , the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court having been ousted by provi-

sions of s. 26 (1) of the Rent Restriction Ordinance, Cap. 186 (B. G.) “The plaintiff’s claim must therefore be struck out.”

George Barclay

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Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

FREE AS A BIRD ► From page II

is simple-simple-so ah get in d-middle-d-bird-story; ah bargin-in-d-crowd, ah feelin-in-mihpocket, an ah-haulin-out d-precious-goal ah wuk-so-ard-to-get.

“YOU!” Ignorant Rocks shout-out wen-e-recognize-mih, den-e-let-out one laaaang suck-teeth: “Steeeeeuuwpps!”

Ah decide-fuh-ignore Ignorant Rocks... ah askin d-man-wit-d-burd-cage – yuh-gon-sellmih...?

“You deaf or wuh budday? Ah-seh I AIN SELLING! And too-besides you deh-pon-skinup...what ounce-a-gold you got?”

Dat is wen ah-tek-out-mih purso-stach; it wrap-up-in-a Bristol-cigarette-paypuh...tie-up wit-a corn-bag string. D rest-a-mih-kiddy safe in d emp-ty-inhaler dat ah useta-use since lang-time-in -d-back-dam-wid-Bage; it-gat d haff-ounce-an-two-penny-weight...it-deh deepdown in mih back-pack. Dis ounce is wuh ah did-meanin-to-sell to-buy-mih-supplies. Ah tekking-mih-time fuh-loose- out d-corn-bag-string...ah lissnin-d-people cussin-mih – “Steeeeuwppps!”

“Doan worry wit he. He only dramas-in! What ounce of gold he got to throwaway-so.”

“Eh-heh! Is only pomp he pomping-scene!”

“But suppose d man got d gold –“ “I showing yuh – yuh wanto bet that banna ain got no ounce of gold?”

“Even-self he got it, is cage-bird he gon-buy wit it? Steeeuwpps!” ...is d crowd tawkin-so wile dey pressin-in tight-tight roun me-an-d-burd-cage-man; tillah loose d-paypuh, an ah-expose-d-goal. D firse-ting-ah-ear sung-like-if d-crowd suck-in deybret, den aaall-togedda, dey let-out a laang suck-teeth...den quick-time wus Ignorant Rocks rite-up-unduh-mih...bussin-mih-eas-drum – “HOLD IT!”

Ah-tun-arung....Eh-eh, watch-ow d-banna holin-out-e-and (like barricade) an commandin d- crowd – “STAND BACK!” Eh-eh! Like e-tink e-is some dam-police-man or some-ting. Still, ah ain diggin-e. Wen ah done-open-up-mih-kiddy slow, slow, all-dough-d-crowd grow, yuh-cudda-ear-a-pin-drop; evry-baddy get silent an dey pressin-in-closuh, fuh-see-wuh-gon-appen; all yuh-earin now is dem car-orn in d traffic by d market-square an den some-baddy-in-d-crowd leggo a suddun big-blass-a-laff. Den before any-baddy cudda-open-dey-mout? is Igorant Rocks again – “HOLD IT! Anybody here know anything bout gold?” No-baddy in de crowd ain ansa-e.

“Well, I KNOW ABOUT GOLD, AND I SAY THAT THAT IS BRASS!” Ah cudden be-leave, wuh-ah-hearin.

“I know this man too. He does plant farm in the bush he don’t work gold. He don’t know NOTHING about gold. Is a con! HE IS A CON-MAN! “THIS MAN IS CONNING YOU BRO!” Ignorant Rocks seh, tunnin to d burd-cage man.

Buh befo-e-cudda-seh-anada-wurd, is Freebee comin-to-front from d-backa-d-crowd.

E-ain-seh-a-wurd-at firse – e-jus-stan-up-starin-at-mih, wit-e yellow, malaria-eye pulpin-oute-ead; den e start-beg-mih: “NO, NO, NO, PLEASE DOAN DO IT, BRO!” Jus den Freebee tun-pon Ignorant Rocks!

“SHUT-UP YUH SCUNT OSWALD! YOU BLEDDY-WELL KNOW...IS GOLD THE MAN GOT HERE!” Den Freebee tun-back-to-me; dis time, e-tawkin-wit-out-stoppin; is like-if-e-drink- watuhaftuh-haas, or e-mudduh-wipe-e-mout-wid-plate-clawt or some-ting – “Paddo, doan-do-it-doan-do-it-doan-do-it…I gon catch five birds for you…just gimme half of what you got here…is A WHOLE YEAR I-man in-an-out, in-an-out the backdam…is malaria in me ski...malaria TEARING MY RASS…not cause I ain say nothing when I see you just-now…is pressure teach me pride budday…I mek-up my mind dat I ain bumming no more…ain stinging and begging no more…but AH BEGGING YOU NOW bro…I BROKE LIKE-A-RASS! Yes, brother... is me, is me, is me…the same ole Freebee, see? I didn’t look so? but is me, and now I throwing away my pride… APPEALING to you – Eh-eh! Like d-banna waan-fuh-cry now or-wuh?

“DON’T DO IT!” Freebee-seh.

Still, ah ignorin Freebee...ah watchin d-bird-cage-man...ah asking-e: Yuh-waant-it-or-nat?

“Sheeeit! Is gold fuh-truth?”

“Naaah,” some-baddy in d crowd seh, “da is a whole lotta RASS!” “Is BRASS ah tellin-yuh!” some-baddy-else holluh-out.

“IT IS GOLD YOU FOOLS!”...is Freebee snarlin-at-dem – so-viscious...d-crowd fall-back, an Freebee move-in even mo-closuh, wit-e-and-stretch-out-to-touch wile-e-still-tawkin; e-tawkin-tawkin; e-tawkin-all-ova-e-face, like-if d-feva fly-up-in-e-ead an e-wurds fulla-wonduh mix-up-wit-e-memo-rees bout a-time -lang-ago...

“It is gold...is Siparuni chip-gold; I remember when we strike-it – ev-ry day, every day was ten, twelve pennyweights, purso…was clean just like this...was fine-fine nuggets…we didn’t have to burn it…didn’t have to…”

“Here, you got a deal budday,”...is d burd-cage man, chuckin Freebee outa-d-way, snatchin-d-goal outa-mih-and, an shovin dat burd-cage at mih; den-e-jus-keep gettin-up wile-e-stokesin-way-d-goal-in-e-packet. Ah colleck mih burd an walk-away from d crowd dat watchin-mih-now an grumblin like-if I jus duh-dem-some-ting; soma-dem, includin Mistuh Ignorant Rocks, start-folluh-mih. Wen ah reach a lill distance-away, ah open d-burd-cage, ah stick-mih-finga -in-side, an-a-jus shoo-dat-burd-out-dat-cage.

Go burd, go!…gwon, FLY AWAY BURD, yuh free now!

Eh-eh! Is-ou tell-mih fuh-do-duh? Is-den-is wen-d-story-appen; is-sheer-ell gon brukloose by d-Stabroek-Market-Square today.

Firse, Ignorant Rocks fly-up-to-mih-face, an e-leggo one right-punch BUP! den quicktime – BUP-BUP! is anada, den-anada-wan in mih-face. Well, DA is ex-ac-ly-weh-ah-didwant-e, a laang-ago – man-to-man…face-to-face. Ah fall-back, buh a-didden fall-down; ah balance-mihself-quick, an ah start-dish some serious-blows in Ignorant Rocks skin; d-crowd start-scream, an dem mini-bus an moto-cyar onkin dey-orn fuh-pass, an – Ah did-meanin-fun beat Ignorant Rocks till-e-saaaf today wen ah-ear-d-crowd-screamin: POLICE! POLICE! POLICE COMING! An-is-jus-so D-I – ME who ain do nutten to deserve it – end-up cage-up in-a-dis chokey in Brick-dam police-station an Ignorant Rocks walk-way free as a bird. Eh-heh, is simple-simple-suh....

The End.

Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

IX

Sleep and good mental health Hello Everyone, I hope this week has treated you well.

I would like to talk about Insomnia this week, a common problem that many people complain to me about and one that causes significant strain on our good mental health. Everyone has problems sleeping at times but how can we know when we need help?

Insomnia is a sleep disorder that causes difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. It can be both short or long- term.

Sleep is necessary for one’s good health and well-being- both mental and physical. Everyone has different sleep needs but it is recommended that one gets 8 hours of sleep per night.

Sleep helps us in ways that we do not think about on a daily basis. Yes, it refreshes us but it also is the main ingredient in our energy and concentration levels, mood and overall every day functioning.

Do you have insomnia?

Are you unsure? Here’s how to tell 1. Do you have difficulty falling asleep?

2. Do you wake up often throughout the night?

3. Is it hard for you to go back to sleep after waking up?

4. Is it difficult to get up in the morning?

5. Do you feel tired and irritable throughout the day?

If you’ve answered yes to the majority of questions, you may have or be at risk for insomnia How do we treat insomnia?

In my field of work, prevention is always better than cure. Here are some tips that could help to avoid insomnia.

1. Have a fixed sleep schedule. This means going to bed and waking up at the same time

What causes insomnia?

It can be caused by a multitude of factors that range from biological to environmental such as: 1. Sleep disorders such as narcolepsy or night terrors 2. Medical disorders such as heart condition or asthma 3. Psychiatric disorders such as depression, anxiety and mood disorders 4. Stress 5. Hormonal, joint or muscle problems.

6. Long term physical pain 7. Childbirth 8. Some prescription or over the counter medications (as a side effect.)

What can insomnia cause?

What happens to our bodies and mind if we do not get enough sleep?

1. Functional impairment the next day. Tiredness reduces your ability to cope with every day stressors- this can also lead to low self- esteem.

2. This fatigue can lead to social isolation which subsequently leads to loneliness.

3. Memory problems 4. Stress and negative thoughts. Tiredness can affect your ability to rationalise.

5. Irritability and overall low mood.

6. Increased risk of heart disease 7. Ineffective decision making and inability to multi- task.

8. Slowed speech 9. Road traffic accidents.

every day. This helps to body to maintain a steady pattern.

2. Avoid drinking caffeinated or alcoholic beverages for a few hours before sleep.

3. Avoid nicotine (cigarettes) for a few hours before sleep.

4. Avoid eating heavy meals for a few hours before sleep.

5. Avoid heavy exercise for a few hours before sleep.

6. Avoid activities such as hobbies or eating in bed- the bed is for sleep alone!

7. Keep your sleep environment quiet and dark right before bed.

8. Avoid napping during the day time.

If you feel you already have insomnia, kindly see a physician to determine the cause of it.

From there, you may be recommended cognitive behavioural therapy or prescription sleeping pills which need to be regulated by a physician as this can result to a dependency on the substance. This means the individual feels they can no longer sleep without it, which can cause further difficulties in the future.

Breathing techniques have also been beneficial. Below is an example of a breathing technique called the 4-7-8 exercise.

1. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound.

2. Close your mouth and inhale quietly through your nose to a mental count of four.

3. Hold your breath for a count of seven.

4. Exhale completely through your mouth, making a whoosh sound to a count of eight.

5. This is one breath. Now inhale again and repeat the cycle three more times for a total of four breaths.

10. Hallucinations and double visions (in severe cases) It has also been found that teenagers with poor sleep habits are twice as likely to use drugs, tobacco or alcohol.

Who is at risk for insomnia?

Insomnia can happen at any age but it is particularly common among the elder populations (those over 60). Individuals with a history of depression and anxiety, emotional stress, travels a lot through different time zones and work occasional night time shifts are also at risk for insomnia.

Other triggers include the abuse of drugs/ alcohol, familial or marriage issues and a death in the family.

Additionally, researchers believe that sleep is important for memory storage in the brain as sleeping reorganizes and restructures your thoughts. Practise is perfect when you are trying to learn something, yes but you will always perform better after sleeping.

Finally, there is a whole field of work dedicated to determine the importance of dreams and some researchers believe that dreams can be signs of disorders. For example, if you have very vivid of crazy dreams, it is a sign of heavy stress and a required break.

Overall, sleep benefits your heart, mind, weight and more. It is associated with a longer life span, higher levels of creativity, higher performance and endurance for athletes, higher attention span, higher levels of weight loss and lower levels of stress, irritability and depression.

It’s not just to get rid of those bags under our eyes so please get as much sleep as you can.

Please come in to GPHC and see a physician if you’re not getting enough sleep.

Thank you all for reading and please do write in to caitlinvieira@gmail.com and let me know what you would like to talk about.

Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always!

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Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

Prior to 1970, there were Instruments of Commission or State Warrants.

Officers commissioned were published in the Official Gazzette. On attainment of Republican status, the State Commission was introduced and all officers at the time of the were given instruments dated February 23rd, 1970 in the rank they were holding on that day. The instruments were actually given out by President Arthur Chung in 1972. This picture was of the the first ceremony. From left to right are Captain Ramesh Ramharack ( ADC), Dapt Keith Dyer, Major Neil Benjamin (Chaplin), Major David Granger, Major William (Rex) Owen, Major Carl Morgan, Lieutenant Colonel Leonard (Charlie) Muss, Mr Oscar Henry (PS OPM /Secretary of the Def Board). Captain RB Mitchell, Brigadier CAL Price (COS), Major Desmond Roberts, President Arthur Chung, Captain Marcus Munroe, Colonel Ulric Pilgrim, Major Joseph Singh, Lieutenant Colonel Vernon Williams, and Captain Pat Smith. (Photo submitted by Colonel (Rtd) Carl Morgan)

Sunday

Nostalgia Prime Minister Forbes Burnham gets a powdering at the pre-Phagwah tea party held by the Hindu Youth Organisation on this date, 50 years ago.

(Guiana Graphic photo)

Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

because of shame or because of his tenuous relationship with most of his family or because being the Subaltern is simply something inherited from a colonial past, Kello reduces himself to a Subaltern by choosing to suppress his own personal truths.

Quite interestingly, Espinet even presents children as Subaltern. She is able to show how children are often left out of the conversation and their voices disregarded in the many conversations that take place between the grown-ups in the children’s world. A good example of this happening is when Kello’s father and grandfather are debating whether

Ramabai Espinet’s The Swinging Bridge

R

By Subraj Singh

amabai Espinet is a Trinidadian-born writer whose novel, The Swinging Bridge, was published by Harper Collins in 2003. The novel tells the story of Mona Singh and the host of other characters who constitute her family. As a West Indian novel, the work focuses on postcolonial themes, tying them in with other important areas of study, such as gender, subaltern studies, the Indo-Caribbean experience, history, art, etc.

One of the most important facets of the novel is the way Espinet, in tracing the family’s history, manages to show how the West Indian Subaltern (which is, in its simplest definition, the individual who has been rendered voiceless in, and removed from, the dialogue between oppressed and oppressor) is an entity that has existed from the beginning of the Caribbean’s colonial history that has changed its form and method of formation, but is still very much present in our society.

Starting with Gainder, Mona’s great grandmother, who came to the Caribbean as a thirteen year old indentured immigrant, we see the Espinet’s attempt to speak for the voiceless indentured immigrant women who came to work in the West Indies. Her presentation of Gainder is one that shows us how foolhardy we are when people, thinking of indentured immigrants, often picture them as farmers and workers who were used to toiling the land from birth. Espinet’s Gainder is a talented singer and dancer, trained in the classical Indian arts, who upon her arrival to Trinidad is forbidden from practicing her skills. This shift in Gainder’s identity, from artisan to lowly indentured worker, is enough to remove the one-dimensional image of not only Gainder herself, but also all other indentured labourers who, like Gainder, would have had their own skills, their own stories, and their own histories that were lost as soon as they came to work on the estates.

Espinet also presents us with modern day Subalterns, such as her brother Kello, who as a gay man dying from AIDS is portrayed as a Sexual Subaltern – othered and rendered voiceless on account of both his sexuality and his illness. The interesting thing about Kello though is the fact that he seems to have chosen to be voiceless in the whirlwind of voices that is his family. Kello is one of the strongest and bravest characters in the novel and although he does speak, he never speaks about himself or his own wants and desires or his own experiences. Whether it is

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they should sell their home.

Subraj Singh Kello has strong feelings about this issue, but while the adults are arguing, his opinion is not heeded or even regarded as relevant.

The thing about the Subaltern though is that even though they do not have a voice, there are often people who speak for the Subalterns. Mona as the voice of the novel’s many Subalterns is one which does not further victimize the voiceless, but one which gives life to the Subalterns, telling their stories and redeeming their identities.

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Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

Crossfit taking Guyana by storm Is it for you?

out in your house, being Cross Fit “fit” will bring your house into order without feeling like you’ve just fought World War 3.

WHAT HAPPENS IN A CROSS FIT TRAINING SESSION?

L

et’s start with a question. If you’re like most of us trying to get fit, what are you getting fit for?

It seems such a simple question, but the reality is, most of us have no real idea what we’re getting fit for.

Sure, if you play a sport such as rugby, basketball or tennis, then there is your reason, and your motivation, to keep training. But if, like the majority of us, your answer is simply “I just need to get fit” then finding the right fitness regime can be a difficult task, not to mention sticking with your fitness regime when there’s no definitive goal.

Compounding the situation is the way we live our modern lives. It seems the further we stride into the 21st century, the less time we have to spend on ourselves, let alone exercise.

Many of us feel under constant attack, with ambushes around every corner looking to steal those valuable hours away. The days when we could spend two hours at the gym 4 to 5 nights a week, working out like Rambo, seem like a lifetime ago. If this is sounding all too familiar, then Cross Fit, a new workout craze that is sweeping Australia, could hold the answers you’ve been looking for.

WHAT IS CROSS FIT? Unlike traditional modes of exercise, Cross Fit doesn’t stick to the same old routine. Every workout, every day, is different. Your body is constantly bombarded with new challenges that require it to adapt. Boredom is not a word you will hear associated with Cross Fit! A Cross Fit is simple, hard and fast. Most sessions last no more than 15 minutes. Yes, you read that correctly - 15 minutes. But let’s put this into perspective. These 15 minutes will probably be the hardest you’ve ever done. It’s pretty safe to say that at every session, someone will throw up. In fact many believe this is a badge of honour, proof you’re training as hard as you can.

WHY SHOULD YOU CHOOSE CROSS FIT? In short, the main aim of Cross Fit training is to prepare you for anything that life throws at you. So rather than being fit for one specific purpose or indeed no purpose at all, Cross Fit gets you “fit for life” and every challenge life throws at you.

Next time you find yourself gasping for air after chasing your kids, or your knees buckling with the weight of your shopping bags, ask yourself if your fitness regime serving its purpose of keeping you fit. A Cross Fitter can walk, run, jump, sprint, leap, lift, carry, push, pull, hold and throw. They are fit AND strong, they have endurance AND power. So when anarchy breaks

Joining the Cross Fit family (who all support and motivate each other) allows you to throw out the traditional fitness handbook. Instead of running on treadmills, using pin loaded weights machines, or even fit balls, your new workout uses Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, calisthenics, gymnastics, sprints, plyometric, and a few hard-to-categories exercises more familiar to the SAS than fitness enthusiasts. Like I said, no such thing as boredom in a Cross Fit workout.

So if you’re exercising just to “get fit” consider changing your goal to “getting fit for life.” A change to Cross Fit training could be the fuel for your fire in your fitness journey; getting you fit for the most important challenge you will ever experience; the challenge of life!

A Cross Fit-style workout to try at home: Perform 10 reps of each exercise one after the other for 15 minutes. Get as many rounds done as possible, go as fast as you can without compromising your form or technique.

Exercise 1: Squats Exercise 2: Push-ups Exercise 3: Full Sit Ups Exercise 4: Burpees If you would like to see if a crossfit style workout is for you be sure to check out Enetworks Crossfitness Challenge that will be held Sunday March 13th 2016 at the National Park Tarmac!

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Confident and Confidential

Hiding your dark spots? Covering up those bags?

I

t's said that "age ain't nothing but a number" but, well, tell that to the wrinkles, and tired bags under my eyes!

I recently received a request to write about removing dark spots.

Properly disguising dark spots and covering up is an intricate process that should not be rushed.

A common mistake I often see is rushing makeup.

Sorry ladies, but you'll have to get up earlier to achieve a fabulous face.

The most effective manner of applying makeup is to use concealer the way dessert is consumed after a three course meal - in a small portion and only if necessary. As a matter of fact, try to avoid eating dessert all together. Skip dessert! Skip Concealer!

Go for a good foundation that will blend well with your skin.

N o w, m y beloved readers, using makeup to cover up blemishes and hide ones natural flaws is becoming a taboo subject.

There is such a thing as too much makeup, as much as some don't want to admit it. Life is not perfect; it's ok for you not to be perfect at all times. It's liberating, inspiring, sophisticated, and stylish to embrace the flaws. It's confident, cool, and considerate at times. It's becoming better manners to admit ones flaws. No one is flawless and attempts at flawless makeup will never be achieved. We'll just have to put that in our pipe and smoke it...ladies I'm

talking to you.

For dark spots in particular, if the foundation didn't quite do the trick, throw it out and get a new one! Ok, ok, after using a foundation the shade of your jawline or neck, then apply a concealer - the same shade of your face to the undesired region.

Pat the concealer on with your ring finger (using the ring finger is a more gentle application, since the warmth of your hand helps to blend the product and it's the least commonly used finger). Apply in layers until you have desired coverage. Don't use more than a pea size amount at a time in order to avoid looking cakey.

In order to camouflage discoloration, colour corrector a can be used as well.

But only apply on discoloured areas. It makes no sense correcting colour to a natural skin tone. Corrective colouring is often used for areas on the skin that may appear redder, greener, yellower, or bluer. Most dark-skinned and tannedskin tones wouldn't have that problem.

The best advice I can share to minimize discoloration is to stick to a skin care regime. Always remove makeup at nights and always apply sun screen in the mornings. Cleanse every day, twice a day.

The skin around the eyes is more sensitive as well so use eye creams.

It's best to consult your cosmetologist and beauty consultants to find the right skin care products for you.

It's a personal customizable process and you may other do your own research or

consult the professionals.

It's a difficult subject to discuss, but you must have

an open mind and be honest if you want to really solve the problem.

If you follow me on Instagram and these Makeup Chronicles you'll notice I always put glitter on it!

More on this topic next week.

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Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

The culture of managing the tribes of this era

C

ommerce and the cultures that depend and revolve around its activity can lead populations and the supporting hierarchies of those populations into a negative culture of resistance to change, especially if to the hierarchies, the consequence of change is a loss of the status quo. The dim realities that predominated in the past millennium can hardly be imagined in our Atomic /Quantum physics era.

But back then, trade mainly consisted for hundreds of years on the same and similar products; new product areas were colonised by force.

Monarchies and their supporting priesthoods with the same mysticisms were there to stay, unless decimated through conquest or natural upheavals. Generating the habit of cliques that held power presumably for eternity, the independent ideas of all society were demanded to kneel before their rude unnatural rights of entitlement and monopoly, which enabled their sole scrutiny and right to steal as a considered birth right.

That dismal world that spawned most of the revolutions in our history books did not altogether disappear. Residue of the resistance to change and to respond to ideas outside of the idealistic box is a story we can tell in Guyana, especially with the failures of the past administration to recognise and â–ş Continued on page XX

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Antibiotics off the menu!

Every year on March 15, World Consumer Rights Day is commemorated worldwide as a celebration and to strengthen solidarity within the international consumer

movement.

It is an occasion which comes under the auspices of Consumer International (CI) which is the largest Consumer Federation in the world and of which most

countries are either members or affiliates. The Guyana Consumers Association under the leadership of the late revered Eileen Cox became one of the earlier members of CI much over half-a-cen-

tury ago and the Association has always maintained its membership participating in all CI activities including the International Congresses.

Each year consumer organizations mark World Consumer Rights Day (WCRD) by highlighting an issue which is of importance to consumers worldwide. For example, one year our theme was "Cell Phones" or another year it focused on the very high "exploitative charges made by money-transfer companies" on remittances to Third World countries.

Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

CONSUMER CONCERNS: The highlighting of these issues helps to make consumers more aware of their rights and generally results in some improvements. The Theme this year, 2016 is "antibiotics off the menu".

The aim of this theme is to curb the widespread over-consumption of antibiotics in human medicine and the use of antibiotics in agriculture to promote faster growth of livestock rather than as a veterinary treatment.

Indeed, about 50% of the world's antibiotics are

Pat Dial â–ş Contiuned

on page XVII

Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016 â–ş From page XVI used in agriculture, most of it to promote rapid growth and artificially quick fattening of chicken and other farm animals.

Many people are aware of the dangers of over-consumption of antibiotics in human medicine but few are aware that all the meats they consume at fast food outlets, as for example chicken, have been artificially grown and fattened by antibiotics and that when they eat such meats they are ingesting dangerous amounts of antibiotics resulting in their unwittingly developing resistance to antibiotics used medically.

What is antibiotic resistance? It simply means that bacteria become resistant

to the use of antibiotics.

When antibiotics cannot act, simple infections such as sore throat, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, tuberculosis and gonorrhoea become more difficult and sometimes impossible to treat. And routine surgical operations such as caesareans and hip replacements become deadly. Appendicitis operations which once used to be deadly became routine with the advent of modern antibiotics. With antibiotic resistance, such surgery could again become deadly. If urgent action is not taken, we could be heading for a post-antibiotic era in which important medicines become ineffec-

tive and stop working. It is one of the biggest public health crises the world is beginning to face.

In the developed world, this crisis is being dealt with in three ways. Firstly, there is, as in the European Union, a complete ban on the use of antibiotics as growth promoters for livestock. Denmark has gone furthest in protective measures and is held up as the example of good national policy. In the United States, however, it is still permitted to use antibiotics as growth promoters.

The second approach is to secure the involvement of business. The three biggest international fast food chains are Subway with 44,500 restaurants in 111 countries, McDonald's

with 35,000 restaurants in 119 countries and KFC with 18,000 outlets in 115 countries. Consumer advocates and CI have been pressuring these chains to get on board and some progress has been made.

In March last year, McDonald's announced that chicken served in its United States outlets would be free from antibiotics within two years.

In October last year, also, Subway announced that across the United States, they would be serving chicken raised without antibiotics. A complete transition would

XVII happen within two to three years.

In Guyana, the biggest fast food chains are Banks DIH and Royal Castle and they are now being asked to get on board. A great part of the meats used in the restaurant business is imported and the restaurants themselves and other importers as well as Government must ensure that meat imports are not antibiotic raised.

The third way is for NGO's, the media and Governmental authorities to educate the public on the issue and also to cooperate with each other in public educa-

tion and information.

The Ministry of Business and its Consumer Division led by Ms Cheryl Tinnis have worked out an interesting programe for WCRD and the Guyana Consumers Association would be giving them full cooperation and support.

The campaign promises to be effective and successful.

The Guyana Consumers Association would soon be writing Banks DIH and Royal Castle asking them to come on board just as McDonald's and Subway have done in the United States.

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Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

Dr. BERTRAND R. STUART, DDS.

The basic cause of tooth damage Since ancient times, dentists have been imbued with trust and dignity. In Egyptian tombs, hieroglyphs have been uncovered showing an eye over a tusk. They date back to the fifth dynasty, indicating that even then, dentists were honored for their treatment of teeth. Today the profession continues to be made up of caring people who diligently follow the systems and teachings they learned at dental school. As their careers unfold, dentists expand their knowledge by attending seminars or courses and by reading books or professional journals.

The problem is that once a dentist graduates, he or she is usually too busy dealing with the daily workload of private practice to hunt for ideas that have not been presented at dental school, in journals, or during continuing education programs. In the United States, the majority of dentists have been trained to believe that prevention is flossing, diet control, regular dental cleanings, fluoride in water, and oral examinations. Many dentists are unaware of other methods that effectively stop dental problems. Most believe it is impossible to halt dental disease.

In dental school, for example, we never discussed such variables as acidic saliva or mentioned tooth damage that occurs directly from acidic foods or drinks in the mouth. Not one of us ever thought to inquire whether foods or beverages like lemon juice or soda created acidic problems for teeth.

We were never shown how to test the acidity of saliva or told about how it varies from person to person, from day to day, and even from situation to situation. Only one “fact” was hammered into our brains: Sugar is a major cause of cavities!

Dental training taught us to fear sugar and any food containing sugar or carbohydrates. Good dentists made patients worry about most of the foods in their home pantry: fruits (too many sugars); potatoes (too much starch); cereals, breads, potato chips, and crackers (too much of both); and of course candy, cookies, cakes, chocolates, and other desserts. Dr. R. M. Stephen’s graphs from the 1940s alerted us to the danger of snacking a colorful zigzag line that never reached a level of safety because there was no time for recovery between the “sugar attacks” Few dental students have discussed food interactions, the benefits of tooth-protective ingredients in a meal, or how to reduce acidity with tooth-friendly foods.

The majority of dentists think that patients should control their sugar and starch intake and floss better if they wish ► Contiuned on page XIX

Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016 ► From page XVIII to improve their oral health. Unfortunately, you can diligently follow these procedures and still experience dental disease.

Consequently, dentists have become discouraged about prevention, and most are resigned to a career of fixing their patient’s ongoing dental problems.

The knowledge of how to prevent cavities and gum disease dates back to the 1960s, yet even today many people think it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to have healthy teeth. Children and adults with bad teeth often do not know reasons for their problems. Too many people subscribe to an antiquated notion that worn teeth, chipped enamel, sensitivity, or bleeding gums are inevitable, or at the very least is a part of the aging process. Some people blame their troubles on

insufficient flossing or too few cleaning appointments.

Imagine that water is damaging a floor in your home.

Before you can fix your floor, you must find out where the water is coming from. If you cannot find the cause, no matter how many floor repairs you make, more water damage will occur. The only way to fix you problem is to find the source of the water, stop it, and then repair the damage. It is the same with your teeth. Where is the damage coming from? Until you find the source of your tooth problems, repairs will need to be done over and over, and possibly getting more expensive and complicated each time. To put an end to soft, weak, brittle, or sensitive teeth, you must find out what is causing the damage.

Dentists have known for years that damaged enamel can be hardened back to total health with a simple repair process that occurs naturally in the mouth. Under

XIX certain conditions, minerals from saliva can flow into teeth to strengthen them and in this way can even repair a cavity and prevent need for a filling. In addition, other techniques which embody selective application of concentrated fluoride, sealants and xylitol make comprehensive repair to teeth unnecessary. In fact, in 2008 a small group of dentists founded the World Congress of Minimally Invasive Dentistry to focus on prevention of dental disease and to promote techniques that preserve teeth and limit treatments that cut or damage them. These dentists believe in preventing of tooth tissue possible. In 2011 an international review paper described how dentists can use a natural repair system to limit the need for dental fillings and as a result practice minimally invasive or “minimally intervention” dentistry.

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The culture of managing ... ► From page XIV act upon the drastic changes on traditional norms of employment.

I evolved from around the early 1980’s through economic changes that impacted on accustomed Cultural economic norms, whether by natural social global seasons, or by lack of foresight. Those economic norms existed with specific negative Cultural parallels in the management of human customs. For many families, cash strapped decisions determined that the sister would get the lessons fee as males could always find something to do and eventually master a trade, and there were plenty of traditional labour demand jobs then.

This would descend negatively on almost two generations of Guyanese, because we were not consistently manufacturing for export; tradesmen were not seen as esteemed careers, but as reasonable providers.

The custom of senior females regardless of profession needing to know that at the age of puberty, driven by tribal impulses, developed over thousands of years as a species that their family males were talking to some respectable young lady. This assured the family of his being “Male.” Many of them opted for less respectable but more exciting engagements that resulted in the adhoc child-mother strata, resulting in, based on support limitations, dreams of careers being shelved and “Bread and Butter” became the order of the day. Only thirty five years ago, the Georgetown houses of mass muscle employment were “The Water Front.” These were the Rice Marketing Board, also known as Children Property, Transport & Harbours, the Stevedore belt from John Fernandes to Le Penitence, with the occasional Chip & Paint gig between Sprostons and Number One, and the Defence Force, a final shelter option for many.

The civilian job-hustle took up employment from Georgetown, lower East Coast and the West Coast in impressive numbers, and nourished dependant services, from German’s restaurant, Beharry’s Bakery, Beer Gardens in Kingston, lunch women and money lenders and dozens of dray carts.

Then between 1977 to 1991 dramatic changes occurred: computers, container importation, private interests in the rice and gold industries, resulting in much of the muscle mass employment disappearing.

The privatisation of the rice industry, that followed the arson of Rice Board, decimated all remnants of “Children Property.” Containers wiped out the Stevedore and suit case traders culture, and computers did the same for the clerical workers, the only consistent beneficiaries were the most times distrusted so-called workers-union officials.

Thousands of jobs were gone and nothing replaced them; there was no public acknowledgment of this vast loss of employment. Doubled with the collapse of the bauxite industry, what followed was an overwhelming flood of street sellers, the vender population increased tenfold, with the advent of the suit case traders, minibuses and taxis. That’s when drug trafficking emerged as the “most lucrative way out” with its entire unforeseen decimating Legion. That commenced the criminalisation of the nation.

The crucial year of 2016 has found Guyana in a better administrative position, but it is difficult to ascertain the damage of over two decades of Caricature Banana Republic handling, with a current limited economy, greater strategy is required. Today, the historical sugar Industry is at the Twilight of its Gods. Despite warnings nothing was done and now, this industry can no longer merit financially the political worship and idolatry it received before. However, what was not done before, with collaboration ► Contiuned on page XXV

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Back from the Brink: Saving the Red Siskin - Smithsonian scientists use novel genetic approaches to help bring an iconic bird back from the brink of extinction.

Text and photos: Smithsonian’s Institute for Biodiversity Genomics

I

n Venezuela, the red siskin (Sporagra cucullata) is known as el Cardenalito—or “little cardinal”—a tribute to its vibrant colors. This charismatic bird is part of the country’s national identity: It is the official bird of Lara state, the subject of well-known folk songs, and its image appears on the highest denomination currency, the hundred bolívar fuerte note. It is also one of the most endangered birds in the world.

The red siskins’ distinctive red-and-black plumage made it desirable. The feathers and even whole birds adorned elaborate women’s hats and other clothing items in the early 1900s, and it has been a popular caged bird in many countries. Great numbers were captured for the pet trade, and even now trapping continues illegally. But the main reason for its disastrous decline was the popular early 20th-century quest to produce a red canary, causing the red siskin to be trapped almost to extinction to meet the demand of aviculturists who were hybridizing it with domestic canaries.

The red siskin once graced the skies in large flocks across northern Venezuela into Colombia and the island of Trinidad. Now the bird has disappeared in many of these places, and the few isolated groups in Venezuela may number only several hundred individuals.

In recent decades, sightings in the wild have been increasingly scarce. That is, until a Smithsonian/University of Kansas expedition traveled to the Rupununi savannas of southern Guyana in 2000 and discovered a previously undocumented population.

That expedition was coled by Michael Braun, a research scientist in the Department of Vertebrate Zool-

ogy at the National Museum of Natural History, and Mark Robbins, collections manager for ornithology at University of Kansas, who first spotted the rare birds. “It was like seeing a ghost,” says Braun.

“Ornithologists had pretty much given up on this bird in the wild, outside of a small, local population in far western Venezuela near the border with Colombia.”

Robbins, recollecting the moment of discovery in Guyana said, “Quite unexpectedly, I heard siskins calling as they flew overhead and out of sight. A few minutes later I found the birds, including a male, sitting in the top of trees. When I realized what they were, I thought I must be dreaming.”

Even in their excitement, the researchers realized how extremely valuable these birds would be on the international black market for the pet trade, so they kept the information about their find a close secret while they sought official protection for the red siskin in Guyana. After it was added to the country’s endangered species list and legal protections against trafficking were in place, the scientists were able to publish their findings—without specific location information—to announce the discovery of Guyana’s population of red siskins to the ornithological community.

This important discovery attracted the interest of conservationists in Venezuela, who contacted Braun about protecting this bird. And from this, the Red Siskin Initiative was born.

with museum collecting and biodiversity documentation.

Now, in addition to his work in genetics, he spearheads the Red Siskin Initiative, a multifaceted conservation effort to bring the bird back from the brink of extinction.

The Red Siskin Initiative is an international partnership of public and private institutions that aims to protect the population in Guyana and restore sustainable populations in Venezuela through reintroduction. The Smithsonian’s participation is significant, hosting the project coordinator position and drawing on expertise from Smithsonian scientists at the National Zoo, Conservation Biology Institute, Migratory Bird Center, Tropical Research Institute and National Museum of Natural History.

Project coordinator Brian Coyle explains: “It’s such a comprehensive effort—it includes habitat protection, captive breeding, sustainable agroforestry, education and community involvement, plus a cutting-edge genomics aspect that’s really exciting.

It can serve as a model project for modern conservation.”

GUIDED BY GENOMICS In many ways, genomics will guide conservation

Red siskin in Guyana

efforts. Because extensive breeding efforts with other species like canaries have created numerous hybrid birds, it is important to be able to identify birds that look like red siskins, but have mixed ancestry, and exclude them from captive breeding programs for reintroduction.

Critically small populations are also prone to inbreeding, with the associated health concerns. Genetic methods can gauge relatedness among potential mates to prevent inbreeding and insure success of breeding efforts.

The first step is to as-

semble a whole genome for the red siskin. By combining short-read and long-read DNA sequence data, a novel hybrid-assembly approach developed by scientists at the University of Maryland, they expect to produce one of the highest quality genome assemblies of any bird.

Armed with the red siskin’s whole genome, plus low-coverage shotgun sequencing of nine other wild individuals from Venezuela and Guyana, researchers can develop molecular tools to identify hybrid birds, prevent inbreeding, find markers for

THE RED SISKIN INITIATIVE Saving the red siskin has become a passion for Braun.

He came to the Smithsonian 27 years ago to start a molecular genetics laboratory for the Institution, but also because he has always been interested in the biodiversity of the tropics. For his entire career, he has been involved

Venezuela's currency prominently features the red siskin

genetic disorders or disease, and understand the genetic differences between the two populations. The latter has become immediately relevant; preliminary data indicates that the two populations are genetically diverged to an extent that they will probably need to be managed as separate populations, and not bred together, in order to maintain evolutionary distinctness of each population.

The project is also working with Jesus ► Contiuned

on page XXII

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Pedro Paez Hernandez - The Cuban doctor who came to Guyana and is never going back

By Telesha Ramnarine GUYANA is nothing like what Pedro Paez Hernandez pictured when he was told he had to come here for work. A general medical practitioner in Cuba, he thought he was being sent to a jungle somewhere in Africa.

“It wasn’t my decision. It was very distressing to me when I heard I had to come here,” he told Chronicle. But having seen the beauty of the country and experienced the friendliness of its people, he now declares that he has no plans of leaving.

In fact, he believes that his marriage to Rena Singh-Hernandez, a simple village girl of Moruca, Region One, is ample proof of his love for the country.

“I imagined that I was coming to bare jungle. Guyana is really nice. It’s beautiful. The interior is very nice and I enjoy the rivers and the place. Some things are good, some things are bad, but you have to try to live with that.

Guyana, for me, is my second country now. If I have to go anywhere else, it will just be to visit.”

Hernandez, 39, came to Guyana in 2008 and was immediately sent to Mabaruma Hospital. After a couple of days, though, the then Health Minister posted him to Kumaka Hospital in Moruca. The year spent at that hospital taught him a lot, giving him experiences that he wouldn’t trade for the world.

Incidentally, when Hernandez Googled Guyana on the internet, the first image he saw was of the Amerindians

everything, including delivering babies!

To make matters worse, although Hernandez had some training in gynecology, never before had he delivered a baby on his own. He was always the assistant.

He can never forget the time a pregnant woman went to him with high blood pressure which caused her to suffer from something similar to epilepsy. “It was very hard to deal with this in somewhere like Moruca. In this moment, it was a very hard time for me.”

Another unforgettable experience for Hernandez was the night another pregnant woman was taken to

“I feel that my place is here in Guyana. My life is flowing better here. My work is more appreciated here and I can help more people. In Cuba, you don’t feel as though you are of much help because you have so many colleagues.

But here in Guyana, you can help a lot. I feel more valued here.”

With his wife Rena and daughter, Renatha conditions there were very bad. I got a lot of experiences that I know I wouldn’t have gotten in Cuba.”

The third remarkable experience in Moruca for Hernandez was meeting the woman who would later become his wife.

“She took a sick to the hospital and we started to speak and our relationship matured from then.” Together, they have a daughter, Renatha.

VALUED

Hernandez gained invaluable experience in Moruca and their thatched-roof houses. He was thus happy to be serving among the same set of people when he first arrived in the country. And they are the ones he credits for helping him to learn the English Language.

Apart from Mabaruma and Kumaka, Hernandez has also worked at Diamond Hospital, Leonora Cottage Hospital, and Lusignan Health Center. He finished his work under the Cuba/Guyana Government with the time he spent at Lusignan.

THE KERO LAMP Working in Moruca came with major challenges for Hernandez, including the fact that the village he was staying in usually had no electricity for the entire night. As such, after the light was cut in the afternoon, a kero lamp was used. The lighting from the lamp had to be used for

the hospital to deliver her baby. This girl had a mental problem and could not be referred to Georgetown because no planes were leaving Moruca in the night. “So all night we had to try to get her to push the baby. She didn’t understand because she was mentally unsound so it was very hard for me. In the morning when the medic and everyone else came, we got her to deliver the baby.”

Asked how many babies he delivered under such conditions, he said: “I started to count because I never did it alone. I forgot how many. I started to count on my hand but I lost count.”

Nevertheless, Hernandez values the time he spent in Moruca. “It was a big experience for me. I had to work 24 hours day and night. It’s not like now where we have many Cuban doctors coming to work. It was tiring and I had to get a lot of strength to get the work done. And the

Hernandez feels that his time as a medical doctor is better spent here in Guyana. “I feel that my place is here in Guyana. My life is flowing better here. My work is more appreciated here and I can help more people. In Cuba, you don’t feel as though you are of much help because you have so many colleagues. But here in Guyana, you can help a lot. I feel more valued here.”

In his Lusignan community, Hernandez also has a small clinic and would see people in the afternoons and on the weekends. “Not everybody has money to pay you, but I thinking the most important thing is for people to feel good. In Cuba and anywhere else, you need the money but you still want to help people.”

Hernandez loves that Guyanese people are so friendly and kind. “They helped me with all my problems. They have always found a way to help me and I appreciate that.

I have never forgotten those who helped and we are friends until now.”

He said he is also very grateful to the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Authority (GRPA) where he currently works. “I am grateful to GRPA and I enjoy working here.”

Hernandez believes in not just prescribing medication, but in actually helping people. “I love to be happy and I love to make others happy too. I don’t like problems and I don’t like to worry a lot.”

Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

The culture of managing ... ► From page XX the by-products of sugar, bauxite, rice, precious metals can all spiral new medium and small Industries. (Wales Estate can become the principle museum of Sugar in Demerara).

But it would be naive to think that the tribe immediately knows how to go about the dynamic of consistent small business existence, meeting acceptable marketable status. Thus, exploration is required to see what is

available and where lies the market and how to set the collaboration for equal benefits.

Unlike other administrations, this Government has got to do business with its tribe.

Therefore, its administrators have got to be bilingual, to convey the governments’ language and to understand the tribal practitioner’s dialect.

Again, the arts will prove a viable ally, and there are already signs that

the tribal Chiefdom understands that added shrines must be adhered to. The nation’s creative sons and daughters in all spheres will have to envisage and occupy a new landscape.

We are embracing the first light of the next 50 years with a small legitimate cash-strapped consumer population, but they are a population that from the earliest post emancipation-indentured period had an eye and taste for beauty and standards. Though beaten down, certain values still exist; values that can translate into industry to meet standards.

We identify and debate with merchants over cheap goods though our wallets can only afford

cheap goods. This means that we are not defeated, only subdued. Older nations and world powers understand the reality that the military haughtiness of nations are held at bay by the Odin Sword of all consuming weapons, so the national ego now rest with the respectability of products. Brand Names and the empirical realms of creative iconography all belong and have always existed with human trade, be it spices, sculpture, jewellery, the exchange of religious rites

XXV and rituals and slaves with special talents have all weaved the impulses of trade through past paler times towards today’s competing market cultures.

Guyana has much to sell. We have to get our population employed, mainly through self employment. The place of the artisan must be emphasised but we can only begin with what we have in hand.

To awaken ourselves first, we must be our best critics. For example, every

book about the usefulness of Coconut Milk should be written by a Guyanese.

The fact that our forest and mineral reserves has been handed out to foreigners must be reversed.

We live in an age of myriad commodities not all need heavy energy to transfer into commerce, we have the natural resources and talented people, what is needed is the ‘Will’ and the accompanying support mechanism. To channel the currents of the next 50 years.

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Back from the Brink ... ► From page XXI Maldonado at the Smithsonian’s Conservation Biology Institute to extract DNA from museum specimens collected in the 19th and early 20th centuries across Venezuela and the Caribbean. These samples are critically important to understanding past genetic diversity and population structuring that will help inform future conservation management.

Jesus Maldonada says, “Our group at SCBI has played a big role in the development of ‘ancient DNA’ technologies to extract, capture and sequence DNA from old museum specimens. DNA from these ancient specimens gives us a more complete picture of how the red siskin has changed genetically over space and time.” ► Contiuned on page XXVII

Members of the South Rupununi Conservation Society in Guyana

Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

Back from the Brink ... ► From page XXVI PROTECTION IN GUYANA Guyana’s red siskins are found in a remote area of about 70 by 100 miles. Since there seem to have been no known threats to this population prior to its discovery in 2000, monitoring and protection may be sufficient to sustain this population without additional external breeding efforts. However, habitat protection remains a priority, especially with the recent introduction of industrial mechanized agriculture to the area and the increasing frequency of fires in the savanna.

The main partner in Guyana is the South Rupununi Conservation Society. Many of the founding members of SRCS were guides and assistants to the Smithsonian expedition that discovered the red siskin population in 2000. “We have raised awareness of the bird in local communities, stopped its capture by local caged-bird traders, and guided many visiting bird-

watchers to their first sightings of this exceedingly rare bird,” says Chung Liu of the SRCS. “Our experiences have been invaluable in understanding the feeding habits and behavioral patterns of this minute and rare bird.”

Researchers from the Smithsonian, SRCS and collaborating organizations have been conducting field studies to define the population size, density and distribution. SRCS has been collecting blood samples so that the Smithsonian can assess genetic diversity and viability, and they are also banding birds for future studies.

Recently, the project has been collaborating with the Environmental Protection Agency–Guyana and Bird Life International to develop strategies for red siskin habitat protection that include establishing an Important Biodiversity Area.

In Guyana, efforts are focused on nurturing a culture of community pride and support for protection of the red siskin through training in conservation research and administration for volunteers from communities in the Rupununi region, promoting sustainable economic opportunities like eco-tourism and shade coffee, and developing a variety of environmental

XXVII education programs for Amerindian schools and villages.

A TEACHABLE MOMENT The red siskin is a high profile, charismatic, endangered species, and saving it will generate knowledge and awareness that can be translated to other threatened species.

“It's a teachable moment,” says Braun. “This bird is endangered because too many of them were harvested without regard to what the natural population could sustain. And that lesson then translates to many, many other aspects of how humans use and interact with their environment, such as overfishing, clear-cutting of forests and overdependence on fossil fuels.”

“We hope to have success at reintroducing the red siskin and recovering it to the point where it doesn’t need intensive management,” continues Braun. “It can be an example of wise use of the environment so that people understand that we need to pay attention to all aspects of how we’re using the environment in order to sustain the biodiversity and ecosystem services that we take for granted.”

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Towards a Good Life in a Green Economy

Breaking it down

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By Janelle Christian ike pop culture, there have been a number of buzzwords and catch phrases used over the years in discussions concerning our environment, which became popular to the extent that they were not only used by technocrats and politicians, but also the man in the street. Some of these include: ecotourism, carbon footprints, ecosystem services, biodiversity, global warming, climate change, sustainable development, to name a few.

But do we really know what they mean? Here in Guyana over the last seven years, the buzzwords have been the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and climate change.

While many are still trying to grasp an understanding of the LCDS and climate change, newer concepts of a Green Economy and the promise of a Good Life have been introduced to the Guyanese public. These new terms also require some definition or explanation.

In an attempt to answer the question of “What is a Good Life”, and contribute to the discussion over time, on how we get there, in my opinion it is necessary to first offer an explanation of the following key terms: Sustainable Development; Green Growth; Green Economy; Climate Change; LCDS and Quality of Life. According to the 1987 Brundtland Report, (i) Sustainable Development means development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, (ii) Green Growth means fostering economic growth and development, while ensuring that natural assets continue to provide the resources and environmental services on which our well-being relies (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development), (iii) Green Economy according the United Nations Environment Programme a Green Economy is one that contributes to ´´improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities´´. Further, it states that economic development should be achieved through public and private sector investments along ► Contiuned on page XXIX

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Breaking it down

► From page XXVIII a low carbon pathway. Such development should also promote the efficient use of our natural resources, while protecting and preserving our biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Climate Change simply means, the long-term change of the earth´s climate including changes in temperature, precipitation and wind patterns over a period of several decades or longer, while the LCDS is a framework to guide Guyana´s development plans along a low-carbon path, reducing our vulnerability to climate change impacts. Finally, Quality of Life is the product of the interplay among social, health, economic and environmental conditions that affect the human and social development of the Guyanese people.

The Government of Guyana has advanced/advocated a Green Economy Pathway as the vehicle for economic growth and development for the nation, which by definition has identified improved human development and social inclusion as one of its main pillars. No doubt the road to the “good life” is achievable along the green economy pathway. In this respect, the good life means that the policies, plans, programmes and projects of the government must seek to empower the poor and marginalized to take advantage of growing opportunities for wealth creation. Further, government should also create and promote the institutional framework and mechanisms for consultation and participation of the citizens in making decisions which affect their lives.

Economic growth and development achieved through the Green Economy Pathway will facilitate equal access by all citizens to basic services including health, education, water, sanitation, electricity, telecommunication and affordable housing. The Green Economy Pathway will also pave the way for improved living conditions through rehabilitation, upgrade and installation of public infrastructure, along with protection of the vulnerable, disadvantaged and excluded sections of society.

Further, for the achievement of a “good life”, government should ensure that the base - our natural capital- on which our livelihoods, nutrition, health, employment, income and wealth creation opportunities are dependent, is protected through policy reforms and sustainable investments that will reduce environmental risks and ecological scarcities. When basic services are within the reach of the average Guyanese, whether one lives in a rural or urban area or whether you one is rich or poor, one can safely say that one is on the road to a ¨Good Life¨. Like the concept of ¨quality of life¨, a good life is multidimensional and subjective and does not necessarily mean an improvement only in an individual´s economic position, but rather their general well-being.

The ´´good life´´ therefore is not as elusive as some may have us think or that it is only achievable through major infrastructural development projects and investments, but rather it is subject to the interpretation of the individual, who from his or her frame of reference, considers himself or herself to be in a better position than previously, whether through socio-economic improvements, access to services and opportunities, safety and security or personal fulfilment.

The next article will deal with Democratic Governance and the pursuit of a Good Life. Ms. Janelle Christian is a young professional with over five (5) years project management experience and an advocate for youth and community development. Ms. Christian is qualified in the field of environment and natural resources management with a BSc in Environmental Studies and MSc in Natural Resources Management. She is currently the Head of the Office of Climate Change. (Comments can be sent email address: towardsagoodlife@gmail.com)

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EVERYTHING makes craft - The upcycling genius of two women

Christine DeCambra, left, and Loreen DeCunha

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By Jasmaine Paye pon entering Everything Makes Craft on Brickdam, one is greeted by a colourful array of artistic creations: old glass bottles turned into centerpieces, wedding invitations, wall hangings, a collection of quaint but creative greeting cards and other beautiful handiworks made from upcycled materials.

These little innovations are Christine DeCambra - Forrester’s pride and joy, as she promotes her creativity hand in hand with the benefits of using upcycled materials to decorate one’s home.

The ingenuity and exquisite finish which encompass her work would make anyone assume that art was her first love. But prior to becoming a stay at home mom, Christine’s expertise was in business and accounting, and these things shaped the course of her work.

In 2013, she stumbled across the multifaceted benefits of upcycling while bonding with her children. “I had two children who just wanted to play and wanted my attention and wanted to engage me and I saw that we were just throwing out too many things,” Christine said.

It was then that she started to use household items to create little works of art with her children. “ The first thing we made, we used toilet paper rolls and old magazines and I have that hanging smack dab in the middle of the living room right now for anybody who comes to my home to see.”

Her homemade projects with her children began to capture the attention of the public after she shared them on social media. “One thing led to another and it quickly turned into a business,” she said.

It is her belief that the benefits of upcycling are threefold: it serves as a means for parents to bond with their children; it can reduce garbage build up; and can earn additional income. The first benefit, ► Continued on page XXXI

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EVERYTHING makes craft ► From page XXX

Christine says, is one of the most significant of them all. “Moms want to engage their children, be excited with them and share new things with them but we just don’t know how to connect with them, so we stick them in front of the TV or give them a new toy or the iPad,” she said.

Christine remembers using simple household materials as a means of entertainment while growing up and added that upcycling helps to bring back that novelty- which she admits, brought her much joy as a child. “It’s about bringing back that sort of bonding, and arts and craft is also very innovative and helps children to navigate through life, trying to figure out how to make this thing work, or make the best of a situation,” she said.

Since she started her business, Christine is also aware of the fact that due to the rarity of recycling and upcycling in Guyana. She is therefore a type of pioneer in getting the message of their importance out there. In the early days of her business, she said that through coverage from NCN she was able to get people to understand more about upcycling materials. She also expressed her wish to continue to spread the word in the future.

“I would like any opportunity, so if there are any organisations out there who would like to support Everything Makes Craft to get upcycling into the homes of stay-at-home moms, we would be glad to work with them so we can help them to start this thing,” she said.

To expand her business, Christine recently moved to her current location on Brickdam. She has also recently partnered with fellow art lover Loreen DeCunha, whose use of innovative tools and card making abilities help to make the business even better. Loreen also owns Creative Craft Expressions and specialises in making unique and memorable greeting cards at a quality that can hold their own with bigger names like Hallmark. Together, the two women are a creative force to be reckoned with, producing countless attractive upcycled works of art. “Lureen adds a detail to my work that really needed to be there; she has a bountiful assortment of tools - the correct tools especially to do card making,” Christine boasted, “and this is why it’s important to partner up.

“You may never know what that person may be able to bring to your business until you see the difference that it makes.”

With their new partnership, the two ladies have big plans for the future such as getting their own own building.

For the near future, however, they are busy preparing for other events. They recently participated in the Women in Expo at the Pegasus Hotel and will soon host a Bunny Fun Day on March 20 at the Promenade Gardens. Later in April, they hope to start their first batch of adult craft classes for women who have all been keen to join the upcycling culture and bond with their children as well.

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W

e all love getting ready for dates, or do we? Whether it’s your first or you’ve had fifty, date night can be terrifying. So I hope this goes without saying: be comfortable.

Painfully cute shoes, tight jeans that are uncomfortable, tops that show too much cleavage are not sexy. You don’t always need something new; you can mix and match your closet but if you are like me, raid your friend’s closet. You want to be able to walk, sit, and eat without thinking about what you are wearing.

If nothing else let your outfit be perfect and fun. I suggest brining out that pair of jeans that's good luck or a shirt that makes you feel confident or just that one piece of accessory that brings any outfit together.

I can help you put together an appropriate outfit for some common dating scenarios; pick and choose the element that suits your style. Get these outfits and more at Rarefinz at the Giftland Mall.

The ankle pants has a sexy silhouette and a 90’s fit that lets those heels pop, while a black halter top adds a classical look to this already lovely piece

Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016

Want to look hot but not that you spent all day trying? If so, choose sleek stylish outfits.

Intimate-inspired style will heat up any date. This silky slip dress makes it easy to get dressed up for a date night. Contrast its slinky femininity with an oversized tomboy plaid shirt or embrace it fully by adding heels

The u-shaped link with sweetheart neckline and waist cut out gives this slinky halter top a high on sexy details.

A pencil skirt adds a classy finished touch

Mark your spot and leave no questions about your on-point sense of style. A light cotton shirt keeps you looking clean; stand by your date feeling fresh

For those dates you’re not sure is a date, those casual outings with an old friend or you’ve been friend zoned, this might be your way out. This is one of those times you don’t want to seem as if you are jumping the gun. With a slightly longer inseam and just a hint of stretch, these flexible cotton shorts fit all shapes and sizes. The crisp fabric makes the bright paisley print pop.

Pair with white wrap top and make it ideal for a casual date.

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Water Conservation

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common saying goes ‘You never miss the water till the well runs dry’. While this is usually applied figuratively, we Guyanese are beginning to feel the literal effects of water shortage. In the middle of a prolonged dry period, the importance of water has been magnified.

Water is a precious resource that we humans really can’t do without. Water is applied in so many different ways. Water quenches our thirst, is vital in the preparation of our meals, is necessary for the growing of our crops, helps us to maintain sanitation, is utilised in our industries,

aids in the manufacture of various goods and can even supply our energy needs. With such a broad spectrum of uses, we are to be very careful about how we use our water resources.

Since water resources are limited, this is the perfect time to have a reminder about water wise practices.

•

Turn off the water while shaving or brushing teeth.

(Savings: up to 4 gallons a minute, or up to 200 gallons a week for a family of four!)

• Take short showers and turn off the shower while you lather. (If you keep your showers to under 5 minutes you’ll save up to 1,000 gallons a month.)

• When washing your hands, turn off the water while you lather.

• Do not use water to defrost frozen foods; allow foods to thaw overnight.

• Fix leaks. Significantly reduce water use by simply

repairing leaks in faucets and showerheads, pipes, and toilets.

A leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period of time. A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons per day. That would be like flushing your toilet more than 50 times for no reason!

• Set up a system to collect rainwater. This can be as simple as setting up a drum or barrel if buying a 450 gallon tank is unaffordable.

• If you use a hose to wash your car, use an adjustable ► Continued on page XXXV

Chronicle Pepperpot March 6, 2016 ► From page XXXIV nozzle or sprayer to turn off the water while soaping your vehicle.

• Wash only full loads of laundry or use the appropriate water level or load size selection on the washing machine.

• Consider purchasing a high efficiency washing machine, which can save over 50 percent in laundry water and energy use.

• Install water-saving shower heads and low-flow faucet aerators. Inexpensive, water-saving, low-flow shower heads or restrictors are easy for the homeowner to install and

is a great water conservation feature.

• Turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush.

There is no need to keep the water running while brushing your teeth. Just wet your brush and fill a glass for mouth rinsing.

• When washing dishes by hand, don't leave the water running while applying soap.

• Don't let the faucet run while you clean vegetables.

Just rinse them in a stoppered sink or a pan of clean water.

This same water can be used to water plants.

• Put a layer of mulch around trees and plants. Placing a layer of dry grass or compost will slow evaporation of moisture while minimising weed growth.

• Water plants either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Doing this reduces water lost to evaporation. Also, avoid watering when it’s windy since wind can blow water off target and accelerate evaporation.

While these tips are especially important in these times, we encourage all Guyanese to adopt these water saving practices even when it seems as though water is in abundance. Water is a precious resource that is not available to all in quantities that they need, therefore employing these saving water saving strategies are important.

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 AgencyGuyana.

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HOMOSEXUALITY AND PRIVACY IN INDIA

'Aligarh' an attempt to break silence

By Shilpa Jamkhandikar

(Reuters) Two of India’s finest actors star in a new Bollywood film that puts the spotlight on homophobia in India, with its makers hoping to rekindle the debate on homosexuality and the right to privacy.

“Aligarh” is based on the true story of a professor suspended by the Aligarh Muslim University for having consensual sex with a man. The film opens in Indian cinemas on Friday.

In 2010, Shrinivas Ramchandra Siras, a professor of the Marathi language at the university in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh challenged his suspension in court and won. A day before the order revoking his suspension reached the university, Siras was found dead. Police found traces of poison in his blood, but closed the case

citing lack of evidence.

The Siras case has been one of the talking points of the debate around homosexuality and the right to privacy in India. The country’s Supreme Court has refused to decriminalize homosexuality, punishable under Indian law by up to 10 years in prison.

National Award-winning actors Manoj Bajpayee and Rajkummar Rao star in “Aligarh”, with Bajpayee playing Siras and Rao a journalist who writes about the protagonist and later befriends him.

“The issue in Siras’ case isn’t of bias – although bias is always there. It is one of privacy. What he did in his own house is no one’s concern,” Bajpayee told Reuters in an interview.

“Aligarh”, directed by Hansal Mehta, paints a portrait of a lonely man bewil-

dered by the sudden turn of events in his life. It is an unusual film for Bollywood, a film industry that has traditionally ridiculed homosexuality through clichéd portrayals and crass humour.

“We are hoping that this

film lends a voice to those that haven’t had a voice for long. There is a taboo that is attached to even talking about homosexuality,” Rao told Reuters in an interview.

“We talk about it being a bad influence on our children. But children hear and

talk about terrorism too.

They don’t all become terrorists, do they?”

One of the major themes in “Aligarh” is the attitude towards privacy in small towns in India.

“Big cities are OK – you can find places to hide. But

in a small town like Aligarh, even your own house is not safe,” said Bajpayee. “For that reason, they chose the name ‘Aligarh’ – it is a symbol of small-town bias.

You can’t lead the life of your choice.”

These biases are evident in details through the film. A male colleague quietly pulls his hand away after Siras touches it while making an impassioned plea, and his landlord forces him to vacate the house after learning of the case.

Bajpayee says he relied on director Mehta’s vision of the film, and tried to give Siras his own voice.

“We had no way of meeting him, and he was estranged from his family.

For me, above all else, it was this man’s loneliness that struck me,” he said.

“That is what I have tried to portray.”

(Reuters) Elton John will perform in an ancient Roman theater in Pompeii in July as part of a world tour to showcase his new album "Wonderful Crazy Night", his Italian promoter said on Friday.

The concert has not yet been listed on the 68-year-old entertainer's official website but is advertised online by D'Alessandro e Galli.

"Elton John in the most evocative setting, July 12, Pompeii," the promoter's website says.

Pompeii was covered in hot ash after the Vesuvius volcano erupted in 79 AD. The ancient city is one of Italy's most popular tourist destinations, visited by millions every year.

It is still not clear whether Elton John will perform in what is called the Large Theatre, which holds about 1,400, or in the amphitheatre made famous by Pink Floyd Singer Elton John performs at the Hillary Victory Fund "I'm With Her" benefit concert in their 1972 film "Live at Pompeii", spokeswomen for the archaeological site and the for U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at Radio City Music Hall in the Manhattan borough of New York City, March 2, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Segar promoter both said.

The Large Theatre, where Pompeii's citizens once watched comedies and tragedies, 2,000, one Pompeii spokeswoman said. has held ballet and classical music performances for the past two years.

Pink Floyd's performed without an audience in the amphitheatre over four days in The Amphitheatre, where gladiators once fought, pre-dates the larger and better-known Colosseum in Rome by more than a century. The stone stadium can probably hold no more 1971.

'Happiest man in world' Rupert Murdoch marries ex-model Jerry Hall (Reuters) Rupert Murdoch wed former supermodel Jerry Hall in a low-key ceremony in central London on Friday, the fourth marriage for the media mogul.

The 84-year-old executive chairman of News Corp (NWSA.O) and owner of 21st Century Fox Inc, and Hall, 59, smiled happily for photographers after the ceremony at Spencer House, an 18th-century mansion built for an ancestor of Princess Diana.

"No more tweets for ten days or ever! Feel like the luckiest AND happiest man in world," Murdoch wrote on Twitter.

Murdoch, dressed in a navy suit, and Hall, wearing a pale-gray trench coat and flat shoes, began dating last summer after being introduced while in Australia and were first seen in public together at the Rugby Union World Cup Final in London in October.

They got engaged in January in Los Angeles where they had been attending Hollywood's Golden Globes awards ceremony, announcing the news in a classified advert in the Times of London newspaper, one of the many titles his group owns.

On Saturday, the couple celebrated the marriage with a service at London's historic St Bride's church, famed for its wedding-cake spire.

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch and Jerry Hall pose for a photograph in London, Britain March 4, 2016.

The spiritual home of British journalism, St Bride's was designed by Christopher Wren, who was also responsible for

Film depicting horrors faced by comfort women for Japan army tops Korea box office (Reuters) A film based on the horrors experienced by "comfort women" in Japanese military brothels during World War Two, whose doubtful commercial appeal meant it took 14 years and the contributions of 75,000 individual donors to complete, is top of the box office in South Korea.

Cho Jung-rae, who directed "Spirits' Homecoming", was inspired in 2002 to make the film when he saw the drawing "Burning Women", made during a therapy session at a shelter for elderly former comfort women by Kang Il-chul, who said she was taken away by Japanese soldiers when she was 16.

At the time, Cho was a volunteer at the shelter, the House of Sharing.

"The grandmothers told me that if I was going to make a movie, I should make it well so that their stories could be told. That was the biggest motivation for me," Cho said in an interview with Reuters.

The term comfort women is a euphemism for girls and women forced to work in wartime Japanese military brothels. South Korean activists estimate that there may have been as many as 200,000 Korean victims. Of 238 South Korean comfort women who shared their stories, only 44 are still alive.

In the first week of its Feb. 24 release, "Spirits' Home-

coming" topped sales at the CJ CGV and Megabox chains, and drew a total of 1,735,174 domestic viewers, the Korean Film Council said.

The release follows the landmark December accord between South Korea and Japan to "finally and irreversibly

A statue of a girl that represents the sexual victims by the Japanese military is seen in front of Japanese embassy in Seoul, South Korea, December 28, 2015

nearby St Paul's Cathedral.

The church is located on Fleet Street, where Britain's major newspapers were located from the 1700s to the 1980s.

Murdoch himself hastened Fleet Street's demise as a press hub when he moved his print works to east London.

"Within months the printing dinosaur that was Fleet Street was dead. By 1989 all the national newspapers had decamped as other proprietors followed Murdoch's lead," the church's own website says.

Australia's Sydney Morning Herald reported this week that the couple's 10 children from previous relationships would be at Saturday's service, with the six daughters acting as bridesmaids.

A native of Melbourne, Australia, Murdoch divorced his third wife, Wendi Deng, in 2013 after 14 years, saying their marriage had been irretrievably broken. Deng is a former executive at Murdoch-owned Star TV in China.

Texan model and actress Hall was in a long-term relationship with Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger for more than 20 years. In proceedings in 1999, it was annulled after the British musician claimed they had never been legally married. resolve" the matter with a Japanese apology to the women and a new fund of about 1 billion yen ($8.75 million) to help the victims.

The issue had long plagued relations between the two countries. Many South Koreans, including some of the victims, oppose the accord, saying the government had no right to accept an apology on their behalf.

The film has received a mostly positive response in South Korea, with an average 9.52 out of 10 viewer rating on the Naver portal. There have also been preview screenings in Japan and the United States.

"I was worried that the Japanese who came with (Korean) friends would leave in the middle of the movie, but surprisingly, they said they hoped many people watch the movie, and that they would let others know of the movie when it screens," Cho said.

While Cho came up with the idea for the movie 14 years ago, a lack of investors meant filming could not begin until April 2015. More than half of production costs were funded by 75,270 individuals making contributions totaling nearly 1.2 billion won ($978,880), according to the movie's website.

Closing credits list the names of donors, along with drawings by comfort women done during therapy sessions.

"I hope that this movie spreads like wild grass, so that everyone around the world can watch this film, and that it can become a beacon of peace so that there is no more war and no more suffering for women and children," Cho said.