Pepperpot 05 15 2016

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Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

Prayer To Maroon Ancestors: To Create A New Cultural Paradigm For People Of African Ancestry ...went to the Cultural Centre on Wednesday night to see the Ministry of Cultural Cohesion’s presentation of ‘ONE’...my song ‘Sing Guyana-I’ was used in the performance finale. Kudos go out to Russell Lancaster and his team for pulling off such a considerable production, with only a few glitches. However, my main issue with the production is the premise on which the performance opens; two longtime friends, (African and Indian)

lamenting – “...look like dem waan bring back dis racial ting” (or something like that) I submit that “dis racial ting” never went away and will not go away unless we stop pussyfooting around the matter - confront it head-on. Each unique element of the Guyanese ethnic

mosaic must be free to clearly define and express itself (with no ambivalence) in the pattern of our national cultural identity.

History should be taught to Guyanese children with the idea of inculcating (in all of them), a sense of pride in self...of ► Continued on page III

After winning a design award for Guyana’s National 1763 Monument, Philip Moore was commissioned by the Guyana Government to work on the monument’s creation.

The monument was unveiled on Sunday May 23, 1976, by President L.F.S. Burnham, to mark Guyana’s 10th Independence Anniversary.

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016 ► From page II their original culture, and an awareness of the contribution each group/community has made and continues to make in creating the overall design of the Guyanese persona.

We especially need African Guyanese to understand and dignify their history, which does not begin as chattels of slavery.

Tonight at the Burrowes School of Art, we launch Yukuriba Heights by accenting our first creative initiative, the donation to BSA, of three (3) acres of land for establishment of a Philip Moore Artist’s Retreat with access to The Maroon Sculpture Walk. In this United Nations Designated Decade For People Of African Descent, The Maroon Sculpture Walk at Yukuriba Heights, first of its kind in the Caribbean, is dedicated to the memory of all Ancestor Maroons Of The Americas.

Without a doubt, what I most admire about Philip Moore is that he was a profoundly spiritual Black man with an intriguing sense of himself. Philip truly believed in his “godmanliness”, that he was “an ancient soul {reincarnated} in a modern body”.

Philip’s very being gave expression to the essential philosophy in W.E.B. DuBois’ ‘Credo’:

new life...decoding the cellular memories tattooed on the imperfected thoughts of our souls¸ memories that kill our ability to tell our children the ancient stories of old In this 21s century... save us from drowning...plummeting down into the black holes of resignation, degradation and unworthiness keep us from dropping below the negative thoughts...filled with self-hatred - denying us the experience of self-love ...pull us out of this illusionary underworld. destroy and reinvent this language of the underprivileged, underdeveloped, underclass and underserved stop the continuing spiral into the fiery flames of numbers codifying us as culturally deprived. Release us from these...negative thoughts...stuck in the dismemberment of our minds In this new Century, cleanse and purify us so that we may reach the ultimate vision where our historical records are kept, resting in trust, in the time capsule of our minds...

“...I believe in pride of race and lineage and self; in pride of self so deep as to scorn injustice to other selves; in pride of lineage so great as to despise no man’s father; in pride of race so chivalrous as neither to offer bastardy to the weak nor beg wedlock of the strong...”

We ask you, the true lords of the earth, to help us rise up beyond our historical circumstances of scarcity and lack...refreshed and renewed

And twas a Black man like Philip More Julian Mayfield was thinking about when he wrote –

...release our true power, let it soar, revealing to us the science and secrets of our great heritage.

“Magically greased, out of the locks and chains of definitions slips the Personal I...”

We seek TRUTH. We seek BALANCE. We seek JUSTICE. We seek DISCIPLINE & ORDER.

We need more Black men, more Black women, more Black people like Philip Moore...who would unabashedly stand up and declare to the world I AM! I’ve been lucky in my lifetime to be invited into the mind of a few extraordinary Black men and women like that. I trust that this three acre plot of Yukuriba Heights we present to Burrowes School of Arts today, for the establishment of a Philip Moore Artists’ Retreat, will serve as a sanctuary for artists like him; Philip Moore just wanted to be – that’s all, just to keep on being.

This prayer (below) “To Create A New Cultural Paradigm For People Of African Ancestry” was conceived by Dr. Barbara Ann Teer, a leading light in the ‘CULTURNOMICS’ movement Harlem USA, sixteen years ago, around the turn of the century. Since then, Barbara Ann Teer and her prayer intended to “REORDER, RESTORE, SELF EMPOWER, AND CODIFY THE ‘PARENT PEOPLE OF THE PLANET” has left an indelible impression on my mind.

Philip Moore’s “godmanliness” spiritually rejected all assumptions of superiority enshrined in racist philosophy. This is the friend I remember.

Therefore, today I can find no more appropriate way to honour our ancestors, especially Brother Philip Moore in whose name, with facilitation from The Burrowes School of Art, The Philip Moore Artists’ Retreat, is being established at Yukuriba Heights, than with the following excerpt from THE CULTURNOMICS PRAYER by Dr Barbara Ann Teer: “IN THE NAME OF OUR ANCESTORS AND OUR AFRICAN GODS... bring forth all the stillborn memories locked inside the physical and mental holds of a thousand slave ships....bring forth

let us swim in the spiritual waters of remembrance

let all the good that is rightfully ours take place let us come together resolved to break the chains of this mental anchor ...holding us hostage in the jails of our financial imprisonment release us from this economic system which has blocked our ancestors, energy flow, preventing us from the experience of

III our natural birthright unite our hearts and minds so that we may experience the infinite abundance of your universe and once again enjoy an abundant prosperous life let your spirit energy help us bring forth financial atonement forgive us for replacing our original mathematical theology...for living in the lie of oppression for more than 400 years forgive us for letting go of our spiritual practices and disciplines and for breaking the natural laws and principles that you gave us to live by In the name of our economic freedom and cultural autonomy, give us the strength to forgive all the many crimes committed against us help us once again to codify our own culture and systematically stand up one by one no longer a “minority” but a “Majority” people counting for ourselves For we are the original people, ancient parents of ...Planet Earth...we are the inheritors of all the natural resources needed to determine our own destiny...for this we are eternally grateful In this new century, help us to rebuild our own institutional infrastructures and nurture our own creative genius. Let the roots of our culture once again take hold and flourish...the fruits of our labour, bring a cultural and economic healing to our children take away their illusions of limitation, lack, materialism and exploitation...which have stopped their cultural and spiritual growth. Free them from the mistakes of past generations LET THIS SOULFUL CULTURAL HEALING AND THE NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE PLANET BE USED SYSTEMATICALLY TO BRING FORTH THE DISTRIBUTION AND MANAGEMENT OF FINANCIAL WEALTH NEEDED TO UPLIFT THE WHOLE OF HUMANITY AND CELEBRATE THE ONENESS OF GOD’S ENERGY AND LOVE.”

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Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

Points of Departure The politics of shaping a cultural identity (Pt. 2)

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By Dominique Hunter ast week’s article marked the introduction of a series of ideas and theories regarding the problematic nature of shaping the cultural identity of a nation with such diverse cultures as Guyana. Central to the concerns of the time was the need for integration, both within the country as well as regionally. But it became evident that the commencement of that process necessitated the complete overhaul of a nation whose history has been firmly rooted in the assimilation of the cultures of its colonizers (the Dutch,

French and British).

We would’ve no doubt inherited from our colonizers much more than just the names of streets and villages. Every time this territory would’ve come under foreign rule, the citizens (indigenous peoples, slaves and immigrants) would’ve been expected to adopt the dominant culture. In fact, the system of colonization meant that all inhabitants and indigenous peoples would’ve been considered minority groups and as such would be expected to assimilate in order to ensure a relatively uneventful rule by their colonizer.

A quick lesson on our country’s history will reveal that we changed hands several times in a rather short time span between the three vastly

different territories. In addition to that, we’ve had not one or two or three, but six distinct groups of people inhabit this space (whether they were native to the land or brought here under varying circumstances). One can only imagine that these people would’ve tried to hold on to their own cultures and traditions in an effort to cope amid the unfamiliarity of the new dominant culture. Whether they were successful or even given the opportunity to do that is something else entirely.

Regardless, our history teaches us that diversity has always been a central characteristic of this particular space. And in the weeks leading up to our independence, it became obvious that there needed to be system that recognized and respected each culture without asking that they abandon anything in favour of a collective national identity. And so entered the theory of cultural pluralism, proposing ideas that could possibly be the solutions everyone hoped for.

But what does this term really mean and is it an accurate descriptor for our cultural landscape? A number of terms would first have to be defined before we attempt to answer those questions.

In order for us to attempt to understand the implications of shaping a national cultural identity, we must first examine the meanings of those words and define their parameters. What do these words mean on their own and how do they change when grouped? Take for example the word culture: Culture refers to the ever shifting and dynamic group of characteristics that orient us in specific ways, evolving and adapting as social, political and economical conditions change. Identity, on the other hand, is a socially and historically constructed concept that is tied to key facets such as education, gender, race, class, religion and sexual orientation.

So what does it mean when those two words are combined? The psychologist Stephen Boch► Continued on page V

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016 ► From page IV ner describes cultural identity as being, "defined by its majority group, and this group is usually quite distinguishable from the minority sub-groups with whom they share the physical environment and the territory that they inhabit." Cultural identity is therefore inextricably linked to power and ideology. It represents the intertwining of one’s self image and culture as the complete conception of reality. Further, it is comparable to the idea of a national identity, in the sense that it describes characteristics shared by members of a specific community that extend above and beyond their own individual differences.

Cultural pluralism, or simply pluralism, attempts to move beyond the mere acknowledgement and tolerance of minority cultures in a single society, by celebrating the diversity of those cultures. So rather than embrace the “melting pot” concept of cultural assimilation by indigenous peoples and immigrants, each ethnic group would have the right to exist

on their own terms within the larger society without compromising their own cultural heritage.

This theory of cultural pluralism is not without flaws however and has, in the past, been attacked for justifying cultural separatism by promoting ethnically pure enclaves. Other critiques of the theory have been that it suppresses individuality, and that it elevates ethnic identity to a primary and more powerful status over other identities. However, proponents have responded that this theory thrives in an integrated as opposed to segregated society by fully accepting the dynamic nature and diversity of each culture.

Closely linked to the concept of cultural pluralism is multiculturalism, a theory often thought of as the same but is in fact, quite different from the former. Multiculturalism is a theory in political philosophy that demands solutions to the economic and political disadvantages that burden minority groups. And although it has been used as an umbrella term to describe the acknowledgement and tolerance of different

V cultures (particularly immigrants who are ethnic and religious minorities), it is quite unlike the pluralist theory. It attempts to impose a single uniform status on all cultures, suggesting that everyone’s identities and loyalties extend far beyond the parameters of nationalism and are connected to the much larger vision of worldwide community.

These complex cultural theories get even harder to decode when we consider that today there are increasing numbers of Guyanese citizens who claim multiple ethnic and racial backgrounds, and participate in multiple religious traditions. Is the theory of cultural pluralism still applicable to Guyana’s landscape or has it morphed into a hybridized version of cultural theories not yet documented? How do you attempt to shape a single cultural identity given so many overlapping and ambiguous variables? Could this difficulty perhaps be the reason for our apparent collective identity crisis? The investigation continues next week, as we get ever closer to understanding our dilemma.

Points of Departure is a four part series inspired by the pre-independence writings of several columnists of the then Guiana Graphic. The series is intended to reflect on key areas of cultural development and planning that were in discussions leading up the country’s departure from its British colonizer. As the name suggests, those discussions will be used as indicators to track the initial course of ideas proposed by thinkers of the time to present day realities.

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Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

By Subraj Singh

Benjamin Alire Saenz’s Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

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here is a quote in Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe which reads: “I bet you could find all the mysteries of the universe in someone’s hand.” The quote reminds me of the novel which holds it. After reading this book, you will come away with the feeling that the novel contains many lessons and answers to difficult questions that in another time in your life, perhaps when you were younger, you desperately craved for. Writing about the teenage experience is difficult. Writing about teenage sexuality within the teenage experience is difficult, complex and requires a delicate and deft hand. Yet, Benjamin Alire Saenze manages to do this to almost perfection in his beautiful, tender and genuinely warm novel about two interestingly-named Mexican-American boys, Aristotle and Dante, who fall in love with each other.

The book does fall into the category of LGBT Fiction, but it is so, so much more than just that. This is a book about growing up, about finding yourself, about family, about friendship and about love. It’s the kind of book that can be enjoyed by anyone. Take, for example, the

(Simon and Schuster, 2012) simple premise. Aristotle meets Dante and they become friends over the summer, but then Dante has to leave at the beginning of the new school year. Who didn’t have a friend throughout the few months during the school holidays, only to be separated when school started again or when you returned home? Aristotle’s relationship with his parents is strained for several reasons, including the fact that his brother is serving a life sentence in prison for murdering a prostitute after he found out she was a transgender woman. Nothing like that may have happened in your family, but who does not recall being alienated from his/her family as a teenager?

For a long time, only one of the boys acknowledges his love for the other. Now, tell me, who hasn’t been in the position where there is unrequited? Undoubtedly, one of the greatest things about the book is its universal appeal. No matter who you are, or where you come from, there are certain things, certain experiences we all have, which connects us and forms a large part of that phase of life we call “growing up.”

Saenz’s prose is spare and free of unnecessary embellishments. At first glance, it may appear as though he’s catering for his young adult audience by choosing to write in such a flow, and that may be the case, but more than that, Saenz’s writing contains a lightness, a breezy quality that reminds you, somehow, of the sunny days of youth. It is a strange thing, and a beautiful thing.

His characters too are extremely well-crafted. There is not a teenager in the world who will deny the accuracy of his presentations of Aristotle and Dante. Their every emotion and every decision (good or bad) in the novel are definitely believable. Saenz’s ability to convey the confusion and heartache of these two characters as they navigate life is something truly special. If you don’t believe me, then the slew of awards that the book picked up should be enough to tell you that it is a really well-written novel. You will love it, and you will be able to relate to it, and you will cry in the end.

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder I Hello Everyone,

hope this week has treated you well. I’ve decided to talk about a mental illness called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD. I see so many people about it – some of whom do not even understand why or how they have it and some who think they are “sick” but do not know what is going on. I’m going to explain it today.

WHAT IS OCD?

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is a mental illness much like depression and anxiety. It’s very common, long- lasting and encompasses both obsessions and compulsions. The obsessions are usually in the form of reoccurring, uncontrollable thoughts while the compulsions are uncontrollable behaviours.

These tend to interfere with everyday life, making it quite difficult to perform usual daily activities. It therefore tends to cause problems with work, school, inter-personal relationships and affects people of all ages.

For example, obsessions would be repeated thoughts of being around germs and therefore the compulsion would be constant handwashing. The most common kinds of compulsions are repetitive behaviours such as constant handwashing, checking to see if you have turned off the lights/stove and whether you have locked the doors. The symptoms are usually mild at first and then develop over time. Although they tend to worsen if the individual has unusual stress in their lives.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE OCD? Well of course, you will have the obsessions and compulsions but what else?

An individual with OCD will be very inflexible about every items. They need a certain type of soap, they have a particular schedule in the morning, things are organized in a certain way and these things are not to be troubled. They tend to have aggressive thoughts towards their self or others and cannot control their thoughts or behaviours. Some people will also have involuntary tics such as sudden movements about the body such as eye blinking of shoulder jerking. It is important to note that an individual with OCD are severely

affected by their own thoughts and behaviours. More often than not, they realise that these are abnormal and they severely dislike their habits.

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People with OCD 1

. Washers. These individuals are afraid of germs and contamination. Their compulsions are usually hand washing or showering.

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. Checkers. These individuals repeatedly and uncontrollably check things like whether they locked the door or turned off the stove.

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. Hoarders. These individuals cannot throw anything away for a fear that something bad will happen to them. They keep even broken and unnecessary items.

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. Arrangers. These individuals are obsessed with order. Everything has to be a in certain place at all times and must not be rearranged.

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. Sinners. These are the perfectionists that believe everything must be done right or they will be punished by some higher power.

HOW DOES ONE DEVELOP OCD?

Much like any other mental illness, there are multiple factors that determine its presence.

1. Genetics. Studies have shown that if a parent has OCD, the child is more at risk of developing it, especially if the parent developed it as a child.

2. Environment. People who have experienced severe childhood abuse (mainly physical or sexual) are more at risk for developing OCD 3. Stressful life events. A traumatic event can cause development.

4. Brain structure. There are abnormalities in certain areas of the brain such as the frontal cortex in people with OCD. HOW TO TREAT OCD? Although known as a life-long anxiety disorder, it is possible to treat OCD with medication and psychotherapy. The combination of both, like with any other mental illness, is best.

Treatment needs to be a priority as individuals with OCD usually have other mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders and alcoholism or substance abuse issues.

There are a variety of medications one can take to deal with their OCD but of course, you must talk to a doctor first as they are all prescription medications. Many people selfmedicate with alcohol and other drugs but I shouldn’t have to say that that isn’t the best thing to do.

The type of therapy mostly used is called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. It encompasses exposure and response prevention which means the individual is exposed to the

source of their obsession. For example, if you are a washer, you may be asked to touch something and be prevented from washing your hands after. After a while, the anxiety about not being able to wash up will go away on its own.

What can we do at home to help minimize symptoms?

Your lifestyle plays a major role in how you feel and can help you to manage anxiety and function more effectively.

1. Exercise and eat well. These are natural anti- depression and anxiety treatments.

2. Keep in touch with friends and family. Social isolation is normal in severe OCD cases but this just tends to worsen the symptoms.

3. Sleep well. This is one of the most important things.

Good sleep lowers stress, increases energy and brings about overall healthy emotional balance.

4. Do relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises. This of course lowers overall stress, a major OCD trigger.

5. Refocus your attention. If you feel an obsessive thought coming on, try to do activities that you enjoy such as going out with friends or listening to music.

Do you have a friend or family member with OCD? DO not criticise them but at the same time, try your best not to play along with their OCD rituals. Helping them check the stove/door will only reinforce their behaviour. Keep the communication positive and helpful- be the ear and the shoulder that they need. Mostly importantly, encourage them to seek professional help.

Thank you to everyone who has been writing in to caitlinvieira@gmail.com. Please continue to do so and let me know what you would like to talk about. OR stop in and see me at Woodlands Hospital Outpatient Department. For issues with drugs/ alcohol – Monday’s at 4:30. General mental health issues- Wednesday’s at 4:30.

Say Yes to Life and No to Drugs! Always!

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Refined sugar and tooth decay

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aries, which is a Latin word meaning decay, describes the progressive destruction of enamel, dentine and cementum.

These are the hard parts of a tooth and the process is initiated by germ activity at a susceptible surface.

The consumption of sugar in its various forms has long been associated with the development of caries.

In the United Kingdom, up until the seventeenth century, the diet consisted of unrefined whole foods, which wore down teeth. However, when fermentable carbohydrates became an important constituent of the Western diet in the seventeenth century, people began to develop caries.

Also, changes in flour-milling methods, which made flour more refined, meant that less chewing was required and caries-prone fissures (grooves) were not worn away.

Eating patterns also began a slow, gradual change.

For example, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, sugar was imported and consumed by the wealthy. Dental caries became increasingly common mainly among rich people because only they could afford foods made with refined sugar. Following these changes in diet, and as sugar became less expensive and more widely available to the general population, tooth decay became more prevalent.

The dental profession has been aware for over

half a century that the frequency of sugar intake is far more significant in the development of caries than the amount consumed at any given time. In the present day, caries is one of the most common oral diseases found in industrialised countries, the most common cause of tooth loss in both children and adults in the Western world, and is more common in certain social classes.

The most recent survey (The Health and Social Care Information Centre – Leeds, England 2014) indicated that 24 percent of adults from managerial and professional occupation households had teeth with visible coronal caries (decay on crowns). There were 28

percent from intermediate occupation households had similar visible decay while 35 percent from routine and manual occupation households suffered the same fate.

Although our consumption of visible sugar is declining, it is increasingly found hidden in many processed foods, including confectionary, soft drinks, biscuits and cakes. It is thought that around 31 percent of children starting school have visible tooth decay. During the twenty year period I worked as a dentist with the government until 2007, we did 2 National Surveys which showed that there was a gradual reduction of caries in school children aged between 5 and 12.

We concluded that this result was largely due to a number of factors, including improved oral health and dietary education of parents and children, wider availability and use of fluoride toothpaste (Colgate Palmolive was a co-sponsor with the Ministry of

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

Health – re-named Ministry of Public Health) , and regular dental checkups identifying early problems . Incidentally, in recent years, there has also been an increase of the incidence of caries in non-Western countries as diets changed to more refined sugars.

There are 3 main types of caries: smooth surface (usually a brown Dr. BERTRAND spot on a flat part), R. STUART, DDS. pit and fissure (usually a dark streak the presence of bacterial in the grooves of the biting plaque with the substrate surface), and root caries which is essentially fer(when root surfaces are ex- mentable carbohydrate posed which occurs mostly which feeds plaque bactein elderly persons). ria to produce the acid to For a tooth to decay erode the tooth’s structure. four things must happen. Finally, time is of essence.

First the tooth must be sus- When this combination ceptible, meaning that the occurs it indicates that it enamel must be exposed is now the crucial time to in the mouth (no crown, consult your dentist which porcelain or gold cover- should be as soon as posing). Then there must be sible.

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

IX

Appellate Court, ‘87

Judge erroneously found murder accused had no case to answer

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N 1987, a man charged with murder on the basis of circumstantial evidence was freed by a trial judge simply because that judge thought there was no case to answer.

On appeal, the Guyana Court of Appeal shuddered at what happened and held that the trial judge erred in entering a ruling of no case to answer.

In the case of the State versus Cecil Levine, the facts disclosed that Levine was seen committing the act.

The evidence of the State, it was contended, was entirely circumstantial because there was no direct evidence that Levine did the stabbing or was otherwise liable for his death.

The trial judge ruled that a prima facie case had not been established, and therefore that no defence was necessary.

The issue facing the Court was whether the trial judge erred in entering a ruling of no case to answer.

The Appellate Court was constituted by Chancellor Keith Massiah and Justices of Appeal Aubrey Bishop and Rudolph Harper.

It was held that the case presented by the State was sufficient for the jury to determine whether the guilt of the accused could be inferred of the circumstantial evidence. The trial judge erred in not putting the case to the jury, with appropriate guidance as to the legal principles applicable, it was decided by the Court of Appeal.

About the case, Chancellor Massiah said: I confess to disquietude over the fact that the judicial approach to be taken for the determination of a submission of ‘no case to answer’ appears to be still misunderstood.

“This question was addressed and definitively settled by this court three years ago in Alvin Michell, although the old court of Crown Cases Reserved had charted the proper juristic course nearly a century ago in R. vHookoomchand and Sagur [1897] LRBG 12, on a case stated Mr. Justice Sheriff.

“In the instant matter, the learned trial judge did not give attention to the principles enunciated in those Guyanese cases and others of a kindred nature, nor was regard paid to their English counter parts which culminate with R. v- Galbrath [ 198 ] 2 All E. R. 1060.

“In the result, the trial judge fell into fundamental error, and sought to determine issues of fact which clearly fell within the realm of the jury. What eventuated was a manifest miscarriage of justice as a situation where the evidence for the prosecution was crystalline, comprehensive, and compulsively cogent.

“I have had the advantage of reading in advance the opinion prepared by my learned brother Bishop, J. A., and I agree with the conclusions, at which he has arrived . In my considered judgment the submission ‘no case” ought to have been rejected.

“Bishop, J. A. : Thee years ago a question, similar to the one raised now, and also requiring an examination of circumstantial evidence , was considered by this Court (Massiah, C., Fung-a-Fatt and Vieira , JJA.) in the State v- Mitchell [1984] 39 WIR 185, by virtue of section 32A of the Court of Appeal Act, Chapter 3:01.

The response given then is appropriate in the instant discussion, and it is to be regretted that the wise words of His

Honour, the Chancellor, who gave the leading judgment of the Court, were not considered, at the trial of Cecil Levine to guide the arguments and influence the trial judge’s ruling. As in Mitchell’s case, so here, the no-case submission of defence Counsel should not have been upheld.”

In the present case, the facts provided by the State at the trial were many and relevant. Levine had been openly associating with the deceased’s wife, and minutes before the man was killed, Levine was seen escorting his wife.

When the two went their separate ways, the man approached Levine for a conversation, which he declined and soon after the men were seen facing each other; Levine’s hands on the man’s abdomen and the man’s bare hands on the shoulders of the accused.

Immediately before the encounter with Levine, the man had been physical well and without any injury, yet in “the twinkling of an eye” he was seen to disengage himself

By George Barclay from Levine, say something, stagger across the road and fall there . His intestines were protruding through a wound in his abdomen. That was one version.

“All that remained to be done was the given of pertinent directions to the jury concerning the law to be applied to the facts found by them, since the State had already satisfied the criterian of relevancy and sufficiency, thereby rendering intervention by the trial judge and the imposition of a directed verdict both inopportune and inappropriate.

“Ultimately, the special defences , which should have been adjudged by the jury were given finite weight by the trial judge , whose office was not imbued with that power .

As Haynes, J. A., as he then was, stated in The State v- Doris [1975] 23 WIR at p. 220: ‘( The jury ) had to be convinced that the conclusion of guilt was so strong that it was the only reasonable explanation of the facts found to be proved involving peradventure, consideration of the probabilities on the evidence in the light of human experience.’

“That pronouncement extends to the two special defences which Levine had canvassed at the trial.

“It would appear that instead of examining the evidence, with a view to ascertaining whether a sufficient case had been established, the trial judge embarked on an exercise while employing a higher standard of proof than was necessary at that stage, and which, in any event, was not lawfully within the province of the judge to pursue.

“The result is that the point of law raised here, under section 32A of the Court of the Court of AppeaL Act Chapter 3:01, as to whether the trial judge was correct in ruling that a prima facie case had not been established, thereby requiring a defence not to be led is meritorious.

“In fact, there could hardly be many cases, based on circumstantial evidence, whose attributes congeal to produce such an irresistible presumption of guilt, as in the case presented against Cecil Levine.

“There was no mystery here: the narrative of events was too plain to titillate the mind.

Harper, J. A.: “I too agree that the no-case submission should not have been upheld by the Trial judge.”

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Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

Overstock invests $4 million in Caribbean firm working on digital currencies (Reuters) U.S. online retailer Overstock.com Inc said on Friday it has invested $4 million in a financial technology company that is working to move countries in the Caribbean region to adopt digital currencies.

The investment was announced at a media conference in Barbados attended by principals from the financial firm, Barbados-based Bitt, and Overstock, according to a statement from the U.S. retailer.

"A major impediment to economic advancement around the world is the fact that the vast majority of humans are unbanked," said Overstock Chief Executive Patrick Byrne.

"Yet mobile penetration in some countries exceeds 100 percent. Bitt has a vision for the Caribbean of frictionless mobile cash, beginning with central banks transparently issuing digital fiat which is then exchanged on a blockchain."

In February of 2016, Bitt launched a digitized Barbadian dollar on the bitcoin blockchain, backed by the Central Bank of Barbados.

The blockchain is the underlying technology behind the digital currency bitcoin. On Friday, bitcoin traded at $416.19 on the BitStamp platform.

The company intends to digitize all of the fiat currencies found in the Caribbean and place them on the block-

Bitcoin (virtual currency) coins are seen in an illustration picture taken at La Maison du Bitcoin in Paris, France, May 27, 2015. chain so they can be easily traded among the islands, bringing modern solutions to a region historically limited by an inefficient exchange and settlement systems, the Overstock statement said.

Overstock has been one of the earliest advocates of digital currencies. It was the first U.S. company with annual sales of at least $1 billion to accept bitcoins as a mode of payment.

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

Women boxers punch through social taboos in Sudan (Reuters) Sweat drips from Arafat Abkar's brow as she dodges blows in an open-air arena in Khartoum's searing summer heat. Wearing only shorts and a t-shirt, the 22-year-old draws crowds in a country where Muslim mores mean women's boxing is a rare spectacle.

"When I train, more spectators watch because women's boxing is new and unfamiliar in Sudan," Abkar said proudly at the private Nile Club in the south of the city.

Sudan is ruled by Islamic law, which requires women to dress modestly. So, when she's in the street, Abkar follows the fashion by wearing loose, flowing garments and covering her hair.

In the ring, however, her bare head and defined muscles mark her out for criticism and ridicule. That is a price Abkar is willing to pay.

"People mock women who box. They think it's not feminine but they're wrong ... I don't think this sport will stop me getting married. So far, we've faced no objections from anyone, governmental or otherwise," she said.

Most families are not so supportive and another girl at the club said she boxed in secret as her family would object to her taking part in what they see as a man's sport.

Women's boxing was unheard of in Sudan until four years ago, when Sahar Mohamed took up the sport and represented her country at the All Africa Games last year.

She was defeated on points in the Middleweight category

by Yannick Azangue of Cameroon.

Since then, the Sudan Amateur Boxing Federation has sought to encourage women to join the sport despite social challenges.

"Four years ago, I was the first Sudanese girl to box and I faced big pressures from my family and people but I'll continue as this is my life's dream," said Mohamed at a state-run youth centre in Khartoum, where she trains.

Nearby, two women were training alongside men, shouting as they jumped from foot to foot and punched each other with worn gloves. The equipment is worn and basic, but the centre is busy, the atmosphere buzzing with young people practicing everything from martial arts to soccer.

"People watch satellite channels and look on the internet and that has changed the culture and given new courage to women in the past few years to pick up boxing gloves," Mohamed Yousef, head of the Sudanese national boxing team, said.

"The Sudan Boxing Federation asked us put more emphasis on girls to encourage them to continue in the sport."

Ali al-Aqraa, 78, a retired Sudanese boxing champion and the first to begin training women said a lack of funds, not enthusiasm, was the biggest hurdle.

Abkar was Sudan's weight-lifting champion and represented her country abroad before taking up boxing last year. She is one of four women on the boxing team at the Nile Club, where she trains three times a week.

"What pushed me to box was watching American champion Laila Ali," she said, referring to the daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali. "As I train night and day her image is in my mind. I hope to become a world champion like her."

XI

Sahar Mohamed Al Dooma, 26, practises boxing at Al Rabie club in Omdurman May 10,2016. (REUTERS/Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah)

XII

Neil Puckett, a Ph.D. student from Texas A&M University involved in the excavations, surfaces with the limb bone of a juvenile mastodon at a sinkhole in limestone bedrock at the so-called Page-Ladson site near Tallahassee, Florida, United States in this image released May 13, 2016. (Courtesy Brendan Fenerty/Handout via REUTERS)

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

Remarkable evidence of ancient humans found under Florida river (Reuters) Researchers who dove hundreds of times into a sinkhole beneath the brown murky waters of Florida's Aucilla River have retrieved some of the oldest evidence of human presence in the Americas including stone tools apparently used to butcher a mastodon.

Scientists said on Friday the tools, animal bones and mastodon tusk found at the site showed that people already had occupied the American Southeast by 14,550 years ago, about 1,500 years earlier than previously known.

The site provided some of the most compelling evidence that humans had spread across the New World earlier than the so-called Clovis people, who archeologists for six decades considered the Americas' first people. The Clovis people, recognized for their distinctive spearheads, are known from archeological evidence about 13,000 years old.

The artifacts painted a picture of human hunter-gatherers butchering or scavenging a mastodon, an extinct elephant cousin, next to a small inland pond. The tusk had cut marks from a tool used to remove it from the skull, perhaps to access edible tissue at its base.

Intrigued by previous archeological finds at the site, the researchers conducted 890 dives into the 35-foot-deep (11-meter) sinkhole in limestone bedrock at the so-called Page-Ladson site near Florida's capital Tallahassee from 2012 to 2014.

They excavated stone tools including a biface, a stone knife useful for butchering animals, and bones of extinct big mammals including camels, bison, horses and mastodons.

Florida State University anthropologist Jessi Halligan, who dove 126 times, said nomadic hunter-gatherers may have followed big prey like mastodons from water hole to water hole. Bones that appear to be from dogs suggest the hunter-gatherers had canine companions with them.

There were no humans in the Americas until people crossed the land bridge that once connected Siberia to Alaska during the Ice Age but the timing of that event remains mysterious.

"The evidence from the Page-Ladson site is a major leap forward in shaping a new view of the peopling of the Americas at the end of the last Ice Age," Texas A&M University archeologist Michael Waters said.

"In the archeological community, there's still a terrific amount of resistance to the idea that people were here before Clovis."

Only a handful of pre-Clovis sites are known in the Americas. There is controversy about the legitimacy of some of them. The Florida site is roughly the same age as one in Chile that is considered the most scientifically accepted pre-Clovis locale.

The research was published in the journal Science Advances.

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

Fashion and Design…

XIII

One to watch - Mabaruma’s Roell Gomes

R

oell Gomes has his eyes set on the world’s fashion capitals - Paris, Milan and the likes - but for now he is busy growing his brand, an unmistakable Roell Gomes brand, and preparing himself for the big outing.

He knows that to get what he wants would be an uphill battle, but then again, his burgeoning success as a designer in Toronto after a brief jaunt there, has given him a taste of a successful career.

He is not sure what caused him to like fashion, and he insists it has nothing to do with the fact that his Mom, Yvonne Gomes, is a career seamstress and his Dad, Wavell Gomes, is a career tailor.

From their home in Mabaruma Township, the Gomes’ churned out everything from school uniforms to business attire for public service workers.

But it’s not like he sat next to their machines and carefully eyed how they cut and stitch the pieces to fit.

He was busy with school – at North West Secondary - and because of his love for fashion would often envision how he could take a piece of fabric and construct well-fitted garment.

One day, an aunt dropped off a bag of scrap material at the Gomes’ house and mandated that it be given to Roell.

He grabbed three pieces of the fabric and decided he would put together a pair of casual trousers for himself. It didn’t fit; but that’s where the challenge began. He had to get it to fit right.

And so, at the age of 17, using an old Singer machine, he started work. He would put together his friends’ school uniforms – pants, shirts and even the ties – and also suits for his sisters to wear to their jobs.

Later, he succumbed to the lure of Georgetown and enrolled at the Government Technical Institute to study computer science. On the side, he made curtains and business suits.

His business came from his friends, and those who they would spread the word to.

With a drive to succeed, Roell enrolled at Brown College in Toronto, Canada, where he just completed a two-year programme in fashion techniques and design.

His stay in Toronto has helped shaped his outlook for the future – once a client gets their first piece from him, they keep coming back, and that tells him he must be doing something right. And that adds to the clients he gets from sharing out business cards at events he goes to, or even on the streets of Toronto. His specialties are evening gowns and bridal wear.

He enjoys the changing seasons of Toronto, as it gives him a chance to experiment and push beyond the boundaries he had set up for himself.

For the immediate future, Roell, now 27, eyes an internship with a design house in North America. He hopes this will serve as a stepping stone to further studies in fashion, and to being a designer to be reckoned with.

But wherever he goes, he wants his label always to identify with where he is from.

“I want people to know that ‘Gomes’ name and when it is mentioned, people must know that I am from Guyana.’

When Roell is not dreaming up his next big design, he is out at karaoke competitions on the weekend, and/or cooking for friends at home.

XIV

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

After delay, calorie counts to hit U.S. restaurant menus in 2017

(Reuters) U.S. restaurant owners will have an extra five months to post the calorie counts of the food they sell under a new federal deadline of May 5, 2017.

The national calorie disclosure rule is part of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, also known as Obamacare and aims to help consumers battle the bulge since Americans eat and drink about one-third of their calories away from home.

The regulation requires

calories to be listed on menus and menu boards at restaurants and other food retail establishments with 20 or more locations. In most cases, they also apply to vending machine operators with 20 or more units.

The postponement from the previous Dec. 1 deadline was contained in final guidance from the Food and Drug Administration released on May 5.

The rule's start date has been so delayed that early critics, such as McDonald's Corp, have been dis-

playing such information for years in compliance with rules set by California, New York City and other jurisdictions.

"I'm hopeful that the date will stick," said Margo Wootan, director of nutrition policy at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a long-time proponent.

Lobbyists for Domino's Pizza Inc, convenience stores and supermarkets helped push back the previous federal deadline, and the U.S. House of Rep-

A meal of a ''Monster''-sized A.1. Peppercorn burger, Bottomless Steak Fries, and Monster Salted Caramel Milkshake is seen at a Red Robin restaurant in Foxboro, Massachusetts July 30, 2014. resentatives in February passed legislation aimed at the weakening rule.

Tackling the American obesity epidemic has been a signature issue for the White House and first lady

Michelle Obama.

The White House publicly opposed the House bill saying it "would undercut the objective of providing clear, consistent calorie information to con-

sumers." But, it stopped short of issuing a formal veto threat.

Wootan and other experts said that the Senate version of the opposition bill is expected to stall.

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

XV

Sunday

Nostalgia Independence Fever

Some of the 125 Guyanese who touched down at the airport, then Atkinson, on May 16, 1966, for the country’s independence celebrations, to loud cheers by relatives and friends

Swiss House gift

On May 14, 1966, Prime Minister Forbes Burnham received a watch with a difference…it carried his portrait. The watch was specially imported by Mr George Khan, Manager of Swiss House. In photo Mrs Khan presents the watch to Burnham while Mr Khan looks on

Mountain Flag

Mountaineer Adrian Thompson and his seven-member group who were tasked with climbing the country’s highest mountain range – the Pakaraimas – to raise the flag on Mount Ayangana on Independence morning were given a big sendoff by Prime Minister Burnham at Public Buildings days before

Sunday

Nostalgia 210 New cars for Independence VIPs

Some of the 210 new cars which were loaned to the government by local merchants for use by VIPs attending the country’s independence celebrations in May, 1966. The cars, then valued at $1.5 million were driven by persons who were specially selected after hundreds of interviews which were conducted.

The chauffeurs wore special uniforms for the occasion

XVI

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

Forests re-grown on cleared lands in LatAm key for climate, land rights: study

(Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Forests re-grown on lands that had been cleared for agriculture in Latin America could play a key role in trapping carbon from the atmosphere and mitigating climate change if they are managed properly, researchers said in a study published on Friday.

Over the next 40 years, such second-growth forests have the potential to seques-

ter greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to all fossil fuel and industrial emissions from Latin America in the past two decades, said the study by scientists at the University of Connecticut.

While preventing deforestation is the best protection against releasing climate-changing gases, the study published in the journal Science Advances shows that re-grown forests have a

bigger impact in combating global warming than previously thought.

"Avoiding deforestation and supporting forest regeneration are complementary and mutually reinforcing activities," said Robin Chazdon, a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Connecticut and lead author of the study.

For re-growing forests to live up to their potential

in sucking carbon out of the atmosphere in the tropics, governments across Latin America need to work with local communities to ensure the land is protected, Chazdon said.

"There is a huge link between land rights and (forest regeneration)," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"If people don't own the land, they don't have incentives in its future... There is also a huge potential for community management of some

of these restored forests."

It takes between 40 and 60 years for forests to regrow much of their carbon storage potential following deforestation, the study said.

This process works efficiently if local people are involved in managing the transition and protecting the re-growth, Chazdon said.

In many cases, especially when small plots of land are cleared for agriculture or livestock, tropical forests can regenerate themselves, with-

out the need to physically replant trees, she said.

Brazil's re-growing forests hold the bulk of Latin America's carbon storage potential - 71 percent - followed

by Colombia, Venezuela and Mexico.

The potential of second-growth forests to sequester carbon could provide a solution for countries in Latin America to meet both their climate change and forest management goals, the study said.

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

XVII

China tech workers asleep on the job - with the boss's blessing (Reuters) Dai Xiang has slept his way to the top.

The 40-year-old Beijinger got his start as an engineer, pulling 72-hour shifts at a machinery company while catching naps on the floor.

After a switch to the tech industry and around 15 years of catching naps on desks and other flat surfaces, Dai co-founded his own cloud computing firm, BaishanCloud, last year.

One of his first orders of business - installing 12 bunk beds in a secluded corner of the office.

"For technology, it's more of a brain activity. Workers need time to find inspiration," Dai said. "Our rest area isn't just for sleeping at night, the midday is also OK." Office workers sleeping on the job has long been a common sight in China, where inefficiency and a surplus of cheap labor can give workers plenty of downtime in many industries.

But China's technology sector is different. Business is booming faster than

many start-up firms can hire new staff, forcing workers to burn the midnight oil to meet deadlines.

"The pace of Chinese internet company growth is extremely fast. I've been to the U.S. and the competitive environment there isn't as intense as in China," said Cui Meng, general manager and co-founder of start-up data company Goopal.

The company's programmers, in particular, work overtime every day, he said.

To get them through, they are allowed to sleep around lunchtime and after 9 p.m., either facedown at their desk or by commandeering the sofa or a beanbag chair.

LIVING AT THE OFFICE At its most extreme, some tech company employees even live at the office during the work week.

Liu Zhanyu at DouMiYouPin, a recruitment and human resources platform, bunks down in a converted conference room Mon-

Yu Xiaojian (L) and Li Yan, employees at Goopal Group, take a nap during a break at work around midnight, in Beijing, China, April 19, 2016. REUTERS/Jason Lee

day-to-Friday to avoid the daily commute of more than an hour to his home in Beijing's far eastern suburbs.

The head of the "large clients" department usually retires to the room shared with one or two others between midnight and 3 a.m.

"We have to get up at 8:30 a.m. because all our co-workers come to work at 9:30 and we wash in the same bathroom everyone uses," said Liu. While workers across companies said the potential pay-off of working at a startup was worth the long hours, they aren't without a social cost.

"My kid misses me, I get home and he lunges at me like a small wolf," Liu said, speaking about his threeyear-old son who he only sees on weekends. "That makes me feel a bit guilty."

Programmer Xiang Shiyang, 28, works until 3 or 4 a.m. at least twice a week at Renren Credit Management, which uses big data to help firms manage financial risk, leaving little room to social-

ize outside of work.

"I don't have that many opportunities or much time to find a girlfriend," he said.

The company provides cots for workers like Xiang to sleep on during late nights.

"Actually working over-

time is a very casual thing," he said. "Because I've invested the whole of my being into this company."

XVIII

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

A woman walks in heavy rain caused by typhoon Etau in Tokyo's business district September 9, 2015.

(REUTERS/TORU HANAI/FILE PHOTO)

UK receptionist petition on high heels at work gets 120,000 signatures (Reuters) A London temporary worker, sent home for wearing flat shoes, has collected more than 120,000 signatures so far in a petition calling for Britain to make it illegal for a firm to require women to wear high heels at work.

Reaching that total on Friday easily put Nicola Thorp's petition over the 100,000-signature threshold needed to have Britain's parliament consider holding a debate on an issue.

Thorp made headlines this week when she launched her campaign describing how she had arrived in flat shoes for her first day to work as a receptionist for accounting company PwC last December to be told she had to wear heels.

She told British media she refused an offer to go buy a pair of heels and was sent home without pay.

Portico, the agency through which Thorp got the job, had set the uniform guidelines and has since reviewed and revised its policy upon PwC's request. It now says "all our female colleagues can wear plain flat shoes or plain court shoes as they prefer".

Thorp started the government petition this week, saying "current formal work dress codes are out-dated and sexist".

"Employers are allowed to impose different dress codes for men and women, which is fair enough as long as that dress code doesn't favour one of the sexes," Thorp told Britain's ITN television.

"By making women wear high heels you are acting favourably towards men because their footwear doesn't affect their posture, their ability to move. It doesn't create long term health problems."

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

F

By Akola Thompson or many, when they choose an area of study, they tend to focus on that for the remainder of their life. However, ever so often passion leads people down new paths they would never have seen in the beginning.

Such was the case of Stacy Dos Santos- Rahaman who is now the Co-owner of Christa Marketing Solutions along with her husband of eight years, Chris Rahaman.

Their business is responsible for all the various aspects of marketing such as social media marketing, publications, marketing strategy, design development and its execution. She said that

while their initial company was Social Media Guyana, as her main job was as a social media manager, many prospective clients were looking for larger solutions than just one and wanted to stick with one company for everything. So, in an effort to satisfy that need, the business Christa Marketing was created.

Asked how her love for marketing came about, Stacy recounted that in earlier years, she read for a degree in Computer Science at the University of Guyana and gained her first job as a technician at a company called Solutions 2000. While there however, she was tasked with helping to sell the solutions, which they would have come up with.

Shortly after, she gained

The publishers: Chris and Stacey Rahaman

a job at the Guyana Tourism Authority and again, aside from her duties as a technician, she crossed over from Information Technology to marketing.

Realizing that she had a love for marketing, particularly in the area of tourism, Stacy decided to complete a diploma in it, successfully marrying I.T and marketing.

Stacy and Chris are also the faces behind the popular four-year-old Guyanese page, ‘Visit Guyana’ which celebrates and promotes various aspects of the country.

Initially, she said, the page was dormant and it was only at her husband’s prompting that she began updating it and “it grew overnight.” What we wanted to do, she said, “was give a pos-

itive side to Guyana online because when you Google Guyana there is so much negativity and we were trying to change this. It was just done out of love for our country “cause there was a need for a positive Guyanese space. It is sort of like a true reflection of what Guyana would be if you take away all the politics and negativity.”

Through the page, said

XIX

Stacy, they have encouraged a wave of people who have also created pages similar to their own and it has made other organizations pay attention to the power of the Internet. “Many were forced to improve their websites as they realized the large role the Internet had to play in branding and marketing,” she said.

With a growing need to promote their country, the duo decided to publish a tourism magazine. Initially, they had planned to make it a digital magazine as their business is e-marketing.

However, they soon realized people still want a publication and realizing that there are not many publications in the country, they decided to do that instead.

“We wanted to do something different that would speak to a need in Guyana, that’s how we came up with the name ‘Lime, Dine and Unwind’ which basically is a guide on where to go, eat, or relax.”

It was only two months ago that the pair decided on the Lime, Dine and Unwind Magazine and as such, they were strapped for time as they wanted to be published

in time for the 50th Independence celebrations.

While Stacy described the experience as being a “baptism by fire” as there were many challenges with information gathering due to their time constraints, she is proud of all they have been able to accomplish in the short space of time. “It showed us that two people can have a dream and make something out of it with absolutely nothing, including money,” she said.

The magazine is now available at various hotels, restaurants and liming spots.

With the support of the Ministry of Tourism and the Tourism Hospitality Association, the magazine will also be distributed overseas to various embassies.

The publication, which will be an annual one, said Stacy, is by no means the only publication they are working on. Work has already began on another magazine as they hope to make several publications which will all be tourism based as they want other countries to know that “Guyana is not just cookup and curry - we have so much more to offer.”

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Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

Spices cultivation in Guyana…

Black Pepper – King of Spices

K

ing of spices, black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is a perennial vine producing crop that could be produced for commercial purposes.

It is originated from Western Ghats of India and spread to all the pepper growing countries in Southeast Asia, some parts of Africa, as well as Brazil and Guyana in South America.

Brazil, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Thailand and Madagascar are the main producing countries. Black pepper is widely used in cooking and processing of food and perfumery. The quality of peppercorn can be judged from its pungency contributed by active component, piperine.

The National Agricultural Research & Extension Institute (NAREI) in its efforts to promote black pepper cultivation set up pilot plots throughout the country.

Farmers are encouraged to grow black pepper vines on

a large scale so as to capitalize on the very attractive price. Presently pepper corns /black pepper is being sold at $2,500 dollars per pound.

Framers interested in planting black pepper on a commercial scale could contact Mr. Ramnarace Sukhna at NAREI for technical support and guidance. Black pepper cuttings/plants are now available for sale at NAREI Mon Repos.

Commercially, black pepper is propagated through the cuttings taken from runner shoots, creeping shoots on ground and orthotropic shoots i.e. erect growing shoots.

Cuttings taken from fruiting branches produce bushy or dwarf plants. Cuttings with two or three nodes from runners or primary vines root better.

Black pepper plants under good management, continues to yield up to 30 years. They start bearing 12 months after planting and full bearing commences from the third year under conditions that exist in Guyana.

Development of black pepper plantations involves minimal investment during pre-bearing period, and much emphasis should be given for proper planting material selection. It is always advisable to grow a mixture of varieties instead of one as a safeguard from diseases and insect pests. Black pepper is a crop of humid tropics and thrives on a variety of soils with a pH of 4.5 -6.0. In Guyana, it can be successfully grown in the hinterland, Upper Pomeroon and on the coastland.

PROPAGATION i) Bamboo method of multiplication

Black pepper vines at NAREI Mon Repos

In ‘Bamboo method’ also called ‘Rapid Multiplication method’, a trench of 60 cm depth, 30cm width and convenient length is made. The trench is filled with rooting mixture comprising soil, pegasse, cow manure in equal proportion. Split bamboo with the septa (or split PVC pipes of 1.25-1.5m length and 8-10cm diameter provided with artificial septa) are fixed at 45 0 angle on a strong central support, at every 30 cm gap.

Rooted cuttings are planted in the trench at one cutting per bamboo piece. The bamboo splits are filled with rooting media and the growing vine is tied to the bamboo split using banana fibers or any other natural fibers. The cuttings need to be regularly watered. As the vines grow along the split of bamboo, it needs to be regularly tied to the bamboo. For fast growth, urea (1kg), superphosphate (0.75kg) muriatic of potash (0.5kg) and magnesium sulphate (0.25 kg) in 250 liters of water may be applied at 0.25 L per vine at 2 weeks intervals.

Once the shoot reaches the top of the bamboo split, the terminal bud is nipped off and the vine is crushed at about 2 nodes above the base, in order

to activate the auxiliary buds. After about 10 days, the vine is cut at the crushed point and pulled out from the bamboo split and separated as single nodes.

Each node will be having good root system with it.

These single nodes are rebagged in poly bags filled with potting mixture. The bags should be kept in a shed or cool, humid place and nurtured. Fresh sprouts will emerge from the axil of the leaf in about three weeks. The cuttings can be used for field planting in another one to two months.

ii) Serpentine method of multiplication In this method, rooted cuttings are trailed horizontally over poly bags filled with potting mixture at the rate of one bag under every node.

The node is firmly fixed to the mixture in the bag using broom pins so that rooting will be ensured. As the shoot grows, additional bags filled with mixture may be provided to the emerging new nodes. Good root system develops from the nodes in about three to four weeks.

At this time the shoot may be cut at every internode and the bags with the rooted nodes may be collected and kept separately till the planting time. It will be better to have the system in a roofed and ventilated shed.

ESTABLISHMENT OF PLANTATION Black pepper can be grown on live or dead standards or on the trees available on the backyards of the houses or other estates. With the receipt of the first rain in May, primary cuttings of Glyricidia (quickstick) or plum, are planted in pits of 50x50x50cm size filled with cow manure and top soil, at a spacing of 3x3m which would accommodate about 1111 standards per ha. Once the standards are established, black pepper can be planted.

With the onset of the rainy season, well grown healthy two to three node rooted cuttings of black pepper are planted on to these standards at one per standard on the north eastern side of the standard, in pits of 45x45x45 cm size. Before planting the cuttings, the pits are to be opened at a distance of 30cm from

B

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

XXI

Bamboo method of multiplication at NAREI Mon Repos

Imtiaz Rahaman & Dhanpaul Odith harvesting black pepper at NAREI

the standard and filled with cow manure and top soil.

The tip of the cuttings may be tied to the standard using coir or banana fiber. Young vines are to given shade.

FLOWERING, HARVESTING AND YIELD Black pepper comes to flowering after about 1012 months of planting in Guyana, once the vine is vigorously growing. The plant is self-pollinating. There may be two flowering seasons in Guyana: June-July and

February-March.

It may also take about 12 days for all the flowers in the spike to open. A spike is likely to have 60-80 flowers, these develop as berries. A berry usually takes six to seven months to mature. Maturity can be visibly assessed when few berries in a spike turn orange red. At this time the whole spike can be handpicked.

A healthy vine at the third year may yield about five to seven kg fresh berries. Dry recovery may be 30%. The picked spikes are separated manually or mechanically to remove the berries. The berries are then sun dried on a

clean surface for about 10 days. Mechanical separation with varying capacities of between 0.5-1.5 tons per hour is available.

The dried berries retain their characteristic black wrinkled appearance. Dipping the fresh berries in hot water for a minute before drying will enhance the appearance of the commodity. White pepper is prepared from fresh mature berries either by retting in water for about 8-10days followed by cleaning and drying, or steaming or by decorticating dry black pepper mechanically.

XXII

Harnessing Rights, Riches and Obligations of the Diaspora:

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

A Committee of Sorts Part 2

M

By Marlon Bristol

igrants are not considered generally to be a random group, and return or circulation to small jurisdictions such as Guyana remains a merit that policy should seek to realize.

Let’s take Return Migrants (RMs) for example, or those with an intention to return. It is sometimes argued, that this group of migrants, or in this stage of the migration cycle, RMs are known to be human agents of change. Murat Kotan, in 2010, advised that ‘the power to act and influence the state of the world and the ability to act purposefully on the basis of one’s own objectives are necessary elements of the concept of human agency’. In fact, human agents are active and not passive; their actions are embedded in a natural order per se, and it is often intentional and purposive.

Bovenkerk, in 1982, had indicated that RMs to Suriname did not turn out to be agents of change. But, Dennis Conway et al. in 2005, alluded to a new trend of younger RMs to the Caribbean as ‘human agents’ and their impetus to the region’s development success. These were migrants

returning in small numbers before retirement and living transnational lives. Consequently, they are able to impact development in part because, as Aga Szewczyk in 2015

Towards a Good Life in a Green Economy noted, younger generations not only embrace transnational lives but concomitant livelihood strategies as well. In fact, younger generations are more attuned to the risks and uncertainties associated with them migrating. Adapting to change, it is believed, becomes a normalized behaviour for this group. Additionally, this group treats structural constraints differently. Such evidence is a marked departure from what has mostly been the long-standing tradition that the volume of returnees have to be ‘sufficiently large’ to Marlon Bristol

► Contiuned on page XXIII

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016 ► From page XXII be impactful.

As Sabina Alkire puts it, in human development, human agency reflects a person’s ability to act on what he or she values or have reason to value. Amartya Sen, earlier in 1985, raised the issue of ‘a person’s agency freedom’ which ‘refers to what the person is free to do and achieve in pursuit of whatever goals or values he or she regards as important’. If we were to reflect in local parlance what this notion of human agency is, it would reverberate things we are all too familiar with. For those of us who were never migrants, we are familiar with getting advice on how to do things better, and what is cutting-edge or out-dated, an all too familiar ‘lecture’ from that person who has lived or vacationed abroad and has returned. That recurring theme that Guyana can do better, if only, coming from that once local mind, has now gone global. That epiphany of aware-

ness cornered by unknown but new experiences enlighten how family and country might do better. That former localized and seemingly limited existence, informed by travel, now comes with what can sometimes be perceived as ‘condescending and boastful delusions’ of what potentially can be. Scaled up and formalized governments sometimes see development potential of an enlightened diaspora as a rich source of resources.

However, Ronald Skeldon has offered some caution on using migration, or, as Lisa Akesson noted, return migration to spur development. This might be especially true for instance where the structural constraints are pronounced.

Such constraints might be referred to as those issues that do not enable connecting with the diaspora; facilitating return and targeting resources; integration; receipt and diffusion of resources and potential of what the diaspora has to offer in the local origin destination. For example, when Guyana had foreign exchange controls, the receipt

XXIII of remittances actually fuelled an underground and black market economy for foreign currency and items it could purchase. This parallel market was counter productive to what the national development agenda was geared to achieved, but came in handy for households. The liberalization of various aspects of financial markets locally and foreign exchange controls facilitated remittances, which now accounts for more foreign exchange than official development assistance, foreign direct investment, inter alia.

Addressing structural rigidities is a natural treatment of encouraging return, acknowledging some structural constraints will take longer to adjust than others. Policy alignment or adjustment could be one area in which we try to address structural impediments. And, targeting can focus policy to deliver exactly what it is we ask of the diaspora to deliver. This article continues next week. Comments can be sent to towardsagoodlife@gmail.com.

Marlon Bristol is a PhD Student researching the development impact of return migration to Guyana using parametric and non-parametric techniques. He is currently a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist with the Ministry of the Presidency. He is published and his is strengths include research methods, development economics, policy advice, project management and monitoring and evaluation.

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Oregon man's conviction for not changing diaper overturned (Reuters) An Oregon, USA appeals court has wiped away a father's criminal conviction for not changing his son's diaper for at least 14 hours, overturning a jury's verdict that the man was guilty of mistreatment.

The ruling by a three-judge panel on Wednesday found prosecutors in Lane County, south of Portland, failed to prove the dad, James Christopher Hickey, had failed to perform a diaper change for the boy on repeated occasions.

As a result, evidence of a "single untimely diaper change was not sufficient to allow a jury to find" Hickey had not protected the child from future "bodily harm," the Oregon appeals court ruled in a 10-page opinion.

The 5-year-old boy, who has autism spectrum disorder and a condition that makes him incontinent, had to wear a diaper because he was not toilet trained, according to court records.

Hickey put his two children, ages 4 and 5, to bed at 8:30 p.m. on Aug. 17, 2012, in the town of Springfield. They climbed out of their bedroom window and were found the next morning by a passing motorists, who called sheriff's deputies, according to court records.

The 5-year-old boy's diaper was heavily soiled, prompting a sheriff's deputy to change it as the boy, according to the deputy's testimony, "writhed in discomfort."

At that point, it had been at least 14 hours since Hickey put the child to bed, so the boy's diaper had gone unchanged for at least that long and his skin was badly irritated, according to the appeals court opinion.

The appeals court, while overturning Hickey's felony conviction of mistreatment, let stand his conviction on two counts of second-degree child neglect. Hickey served two years in prison in the case, including on the conviction that was overturned, but has since been released, said his public defender, Erica Herb.

"There was a lot of stuff that came out at trial that showed my client is not a bad person and is not a bad dad," she told Reuters by telephone. She added that she did not know if Hickey would sue prosecutors for damages over his conviction.

Lane County prosecutors could not immediately be reached for comment.

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

Pope Francis to look at giving women increased Catholic Church role: report (Reuters) Pope Francis has agreed to set up a commission into whether women could serve as deacons, local media reported on Thursday, a potentially historic move that could end male dominance of the Roman Catholic clergy.

Deacons are ordained clerics who sit just behind priests in the Church hierarchy. They can preach and officiate at baptisms, funerals and weddings, but are not allowed to celebrate Mass, hear confessions or anoint the sick.

Attending an international meeting of nuns at the Vatican, the pope was asked why women could not serve as deacons, with one delegate suggesting it would be a good idea to create a commission to study the issue.

“I think so. It would be good for the church to clarify this point. I agree,” he was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA. A Vatican spokesman said he could neither confirm nor deny the comments.

The Church teaches that women cannot become priests because Jesus willingly chose only men as his apostles. However, St. Paul refers in the Bible to a deaconess called Phoebe, leading liberal Catholics to argue that there is clear precedent for women to play a much more important role in Church life.

Conservative Catholics would likely put up fierce resistance to any such a move, eager to preserve clear and separate roles for men and women within the Church.

Pope Francis has stirred concern amongst traditionally minded Catholics over what they perceive as his liberal leanings on a range of issues, from divorce to the use of contraception.

Earlier this year he overturned centuries of tradition that banned women from a foot-washing service during Lent, upsetting conservatives and delighting women’s rights activists.

Speaking to the nuns on Thursday, the Argentinian pontiff said he had once discussed the role of female deacons in the early Church with a professor but remained uncertain about the question. “It was a bit obscure,” he said.

(Pope Francis (R) is greeted by members of the UISG (International Union of Superiors General) during an audience at the Vatican, May 12, 2016.

Osservatore Romano)

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Split-rumor Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne hug on stage

(Reuters) Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne appeared on stage with his wife and manager Sharon Osbourne on Thursday (May 12) to announce a summer weekend concert in California featuring 40 heavy metal acts.

It was the couple's first appearance in public together since Sharon told her cohosts on chat show "The Talk" that she was no longer

living with her husband.

The festival, named Ozzfest Meets Knotfest, will be headlined by Black Sabbath in what is being billed as their final North American show, and Slipknot.

It will take place on September 24 and 25 in San Bernardino.

The Osbournes, who have been married for more than three decades, have become one of Holly-

wood's most famous couples since starring in a reality television show, "The Osbournes", alongside two of their children, Jack and Kelly, which gave an insight into their family life in Beverly Hills. Sharon Osbourne, 63, was a regular panelist on U.S. reality TV talent show "America's Got Talent" and played out a battle with colon cancer in public.

Ozzy Osbourne (C) and his wife Sharon pose with Geezer Butler (2nd L) of Black Sabbath, Zakk Wylde (L) and Slipknot member Corey Taylor (R) at a news conference to announce the "Ozzfest Meets Knotfest" music festival at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles, U.S., May 12, 2016. (REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni)

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Jodie Foster's 'Money Monster' holds bankers responsible for financial crisis Director Jodie Foster (L) and cast members Julia Roberts, George Clooney and his wife Amal Alamuddin pose on the red carpet as they arrive for the screening of the film "Money Monster" out of competition at the 69th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 12, 2016. (REUTERS/Jean-Paul Pelissier) (Reuters) With Jodie Foster's "Money Monster", which premiered Thursday at the Cannes Film Festival, Hollywood is expressly holding the banks responsible for the financial crisis.

Foster's fourth feature film sees a TV financial guru played

by George Clooney held hostage live on air as Jack O'Connell in the role of a disillusioned viewer decides to take revenge after he loses money following advice from Clooney.

"I hadn't seen much response to the financial crisis by Hollywood," said Dominic West, star of "The Wire" and "The Affair" who plays a banker in Foster's film, told a news conference just before the premiere.

"This attracted me for that reason - it was holding the bankers to account in a very graphic, dramatic way that I think resonated very much. Then I realised I was going to be the evil banker," said West.

The film co-stars Julia Roberts, who makes her Cannes debut.

"I discovered the role would entail holding George Clooney hostage, likewise Julia Roberts and going after Dominic West with a gun and a bomb vest, a detonator..., so I thought that was within my capabilities," said O'Connell.

Clooney also praised "Money Monster" for trying to teach a lesson.

"It just seems that we've gotten used to the idea that some schmuck can get up on television and tell you where to put your money and they do it out of entertainment, and people listen to them and do it and lose things in real life, and the rest of the world goes on unhurt by all these things," he said.

Foster, 53, a two-time Academy Award winner as best actress who since 1991 has also directed "Little Man Tate", "Home for the Holidays" and "The Beaver", believes her new movie has just the right balance to find its audience.

"I think people do still want to make movies that make them think, that make them feel, that don't manipulate them," she said.

"But there aren't very many being made in the mainstream world. So one of the reasons why I think this film belongs here in some ways is that it's challenging how stories are told and that you do not have to choose between being a mainstream film and being an intelligent movie. You can be both."

"Money Monsters" comes a year after "The Big Short", about renegade Wall Street fund managers during the financial crisis. "The Big Short" won an Oscar for best adapted screenplay.

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Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

Environmental Protection Agency at Work

Promoting Environmental Awareness and Participation

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nvironmental awareness and participation is critical to environmental conservation and management. It is with this recognition, that the Education, Information and Training Division, was established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to plan and conduct programmes to promote environmental literacy in our society.

BEGINNINGS During 1998-2000, while still in its early stages, the EPA implemented an Environmental Awareness and Capacity Building Programme, with funding from the UNDP. This programme laid the groundwork for the EITD, raising environmental awareness of local government, media, and schools. Local government, specifically, RDCs and NDCs in the ten administrative regions of the country, participated in numerous workshops to increase awareness and understanding of environmental management and conservation. Several interventions were made in schools, including the promotion of environmental clubs; conduct of inter-school quiz competitions; teacher training workshops; and introduction of environmental education curricular material. Recognizing the influence of media, journalists were also engaged through workshops aimed at raising their awareness of, and interest in environmental issues.

ANNUAL ACTIVITIES Building on the groundwork laid in its early stages, under the UNDP funded Environmental Awareness Programme, the EITD began to implement an annual programme which is funded by the Government of Guyana. The annual programme comprises the development of materials, outreach, media activities, and capacity building components. The focus of the annual programme, is generally guided by the international theme of the year, while activities for each environmental day, follow a specific international theme. So what does a typical year of activities look like? Annually outreach activities are centered around eight (8) environmental days each year, with the International Biodiversity Day and World Environment Day being given strongest emphasis. This is because the EPA is the national focal point for the Convention on Biological Diversity and is the principal agency responsible for the environment in Guyana.

OUTREACH The EPA organizes and conducts a range of environmental awareness and education activities. Among these activities are youth seminars, coastal-clean-ups, walks, rides, exhibitions, classroom sessions, and poster competitions.

Youth seminars generally involve a cluster of 10-15 schools, each of which is required to deliver a presentation, poster exhibit, or artistic item on the theme of the seminar. It is typical for two seminars to be organized annually, one in observance of Biodiversity Day and the other for International Ozone Day. Seminars are rotated so as to give the opportunity to schools in all the regions of the country.

Coastal Clean-up activities are organized annually to mobilize the public to participate in removing debris that ends up on our shores. Initially, organized in Georgetown, Coastal Clean-up has been done in Regions 2, 3, and for many years now has been sustained in Region 6 and Georgetown.

The Green Walk was an activity usually organized to herald World Environment Day (WED). It was first started in 1999 and continued for 14 years to 2013, enjoying great support over the years, and on occasion was even extended to Regions 6, 10 and 7. The Ride-for-the-Environment was another activity that was usually organized in observance of WED, with the first one taking place in Region 10; it was since repeated in Regions 2 and 6.

Environmental exhibitions have also been successfully organized from time to time to engage the public on various environmental issues, their impacts and potential solutions. It is usual for exhibits to be interactive and to offer tokens as incentives to encourage participation by the visiting public. An important factor for the success of exhibitions is the participation of various sector agencies, private sector companies, and NGOs in hosting booths to showcase their link to the environment.

MEDIA ACTIVITIES Media has a wide reach and influence and is an important vehicle to spread environmental awareness and information. As such, the EPA as far as is possible, utilizes TV, radio discussions, and newspaper to inform the public of its work, and positive environmental behavior and action. Panel discussions are usually organized and aired on TV and radio in observance of environmental days with panelists drawn from relevant organizations and agencies. Similarly, newspaper features are published to inform the public of environmental issues and how they can play a part in the solution.

On a weekly basis, articles are published in the newspaper which seeks to inform the public on environmental issues, environmental days, EPA’s processes, etc.

CAPACITY BUILDING A range of activities are conducted to build capacity of specific target groups. These activities generally focus on environmental education, climate change, and composting.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION To give young people experience at outdoor education, the EPA has organized annual camps for schools. These camps are held at camping grounds along the Linden Soesdyke highway where they are able to learn experientially in a natural setting. This activity has enjoyed very positive reviews from participants over the years.

The EPA has also been holding environmental education workshops for trainee teachers annually. These workshops are also held at camping sites along the Linden–Soesdyke highway, introducing teachers to learning in the forest and to techniques that utilize the natural environ-

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016 ► From page XXVIII ment as a laboratory. The main objective of these workshops is to enable teachers to develop lessons that integrate environmental protection and conservation. Like the students, teachers greatly enjoy the hands-on activities and the experience of the outdoor classroom provided by the camp sites.

CLIMATE CHANGE The EPA has for several years now, been conducting activities to build knowledge on climate change and its impacts in primary schools. Classroom sessions are conducted

using a workbook developed by the EPA, which allows students to test their knowledge gained from presentations done by the EPA training team. This is an ongoing activity and so far sessions have been conducted in schools in several regions of the country e.g. regions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9.

Also on the EPA’s annual programme, are climate change workshops targeting women. These workshops are conducted with organized women’s groups, whether religious or social in nature.

Through collaboration with various partners the EPA has been able to expand its reach to many hinterland communities, to raise awareness of the need to prevent water pollution and to conserve water in the face of climate change. Also through partnership, the EPA has been able to do work with youths in regions 7 and 10 to enhance understanding of climate change so as to be better prepared for its consequences.

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT Addressing the burning issue of solid waste management in the country, the EPA has conducted numerous workshop sessions with communities and schools to bring attention to the Litter Prevention Regulations e.g., last year, in collaboration with a partner, workshops were held for several schools in New Amsterdam, Region 6.

A trash to fashion activity was introduced last year, with assistance of a JICA Volunteer attached to the EPA. This activity involves training in techniques of reusing trash as fashion with students’ talent being presented in a fashion show. The event was held last year in Georgetown and attracted participants from 12 schools. This year, it was held in Bartica, with more than 10 schools participating. This location was chosen in view of Bartica having recently gained the status of being a town, hence the need to address solid waste management, at all levels including that of schools.

XXIX The EPA has also held training workshops in composting at Anna Regina and St Cuthbert’s Mission. These workshops utilized the services of a very experienced local consultant and sought to illustrate to participants how different models of composters can be constructed and used.

GOING FORWARD As the EPA continues with its environmental awareness and capacity building programmes, it will continue to utilize partnerships and collaboration to increase activities and expand its reach in the country. Our outreach efforts have received good response wherever we go and we look forward to public participation in our activities and in positive environmental actions.

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Seven ways to wear eyeliner

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yeliners are key factor in creating a polished look. It comes in three main textures: powder, liquid and gel.

Knowing when and how to use eyeliners is crucial in achieving the perfect look. And perfection is always the aim of the game.

Eyeliners could be dated back to as early as the 15th century BC in the ancient Egyptian civilizations. Beauty in â–ş Contiuned on page XXXI

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016 â–ş From page XXXI ancient Egypt was regarded as a sign of holiness, and eyeliner was used around the contours of the eye (eye crease and waterline) to ward off evil.

This religious aspect, however, has given the dark black eyeliners a bad reputation. It's considered sexy, alluring, mystic and possessed. Then the punk rock, gothic era of the 1990s confirmed all the beliefs that eyeliner, especially worn heavily, is associated with the demonic But it couldn't be that simple; it would give eyeliner

more power than its wearer, and it's the woman who wears the eyeliner not the other way around.

There are several ways to use eyeliners, but here are seven ways to rock and dominate your eyeliners.

THE DRAGON BREATH Smudged eyeliner builds momentum and sets the tone of eye makeup. It gives the illusion of a wellshaped eye, because it contours and exaggerates the eye without any clear signs that makeup was applied.

Applying a pencil eyeliner on and around the waterline then smudging the edges with a blending brush goes the perfect faded look. Remember to set with an eyeshadow for it to last longer.

THE DOUBLE EDGED SWORD The latest trend of applying winged eyeliner in both the outer and inner corners of the eye. It ups the ante on the traditional winged eyeliner look. But this look isn't for the faint at heart. That's why I like to call it the double edged sword. It's intense, alluring, and possessive. It also requires a great level of skill.

This look might come easily to those who've mastered the winged eyeliner. The inner corners of the eye near the nose bridge is difficult to master, since there isn't much free space to glide the brush inwards. One way to apply this look is to press the side of the nose with an index finger, or to use a stippling motion from the inner tear duct towards the contours of the nose. Tape also helps - apply scotch tape along the eye to help guide you.

THE UNDER SWOOP This is an easy way to create a perfect cat- eye shape.

Apply winged eyeliner using sweeping motions on the outer corners of the eye...tape also helps here too. Sweep eyeliner underneath the base of the bottom lashes, fading inward stopping half way.

THE UPPER LEVEL Apply eyeliner just at the top. This is a more organic and probably the easiest way for the artistically challenged to apply eyeliner. Tilt your eye pencil in the opposite direc-

tion of the outer corners of the eye. Simply glide it along the lash line, in an effort to create a straight sleek line, sweeping outwards, then flick the tip of the eyeliner up and out to create a short wing at the edges. It lifts the shape of the eye, giving a more youthful appearance.

THE RAINBOW The unexpected twist of wearing eyeliner. Usually black or dark colors such as, teal or navy, is used to line the eyes. Adding every shade of color on the just above the base of the eyelashes in a typical winged format gives a playful twist on a classic look. It's fun it's creative and its bold.

To apply this look, start with white eyeliner. A smooth, creamy gel-textured white eyeliner acts as the perfect based for applying colour. As opposed to using a white base or primer, the white liner has smaller chance of smudging. Using an angled brush, dip into colours and gently pat colours

XXXI in, blending as you go. Avoid sliding the brush because it will also slide the base underneath. It's always best to pat.

The Tight Liner Tightlining the eyes is one of the best ways to apply eyeliner. It leaves no space in the waterline, and gives the illusion of a well-polished face; if you want to achieve perfection, tight-line your eyes. Press the eyelids at the base of the lash lines (both upper and lower at a time), exposing the waterline, and gently glide your pencil eyeliner along the natural contours of the eye. Or with a stippling motion, use a flatliner brush and gently apply liner.

THE ARABIAN It's the Double Edged Sword, combined with the Tight Liner: It's the most dramatic way to apply eyeliner. And it also helps to deflect light in the blazing desert sun. It's enticing, it's smoldering and its daring. It's a must have look!

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Chronicle Pepperpot May 15, 2016

Azhar is not an erotic film, says Emraan Hashmi (INDIAN EXPRESS) Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin’s biopic Azhar has managed to create good buzz in the run up to its release. While the match-fixing angle that will be showcased in the film has already piqued interest, it’s Azhar’s personal life and his hitherto undiscussed affair and subsequent marriage to Sangeeta Bijalani that viewers will be more eagerly looking forward to watch. And with serial kisser Emraan Hashmi and siren Nargis Fakhri playing Azhar and Sangeeta respectively it won’t be too wrong to hazard a guess that chemistry would be at its sizzling best.

While the duo can be seen passionately locking lips in the trailer, Emraan clarifies that the lovemaking scenes in Azhar wouldn’t be anything similar to Murder or his any of his other previous onscreen bold outings.

Says Emraan: “It’s not an erotic film. You can’t bracket it with Murder. Yes, there are kisses but we haven’t gone all out because it is not that kind of film. This film is predominantly about the court case, match-fixing, cricket world.

Stories of cricket that we have unheard of and narrated by the man himself. And then there are stories about his relationships. Like you saw in trailer, this is the story of a man and his relationship with his God, two wives and three match fixing allegations. So predominantly it’s about those allegations and other things come in the sub-plot.”

Emraan also refuses to compare Azhar either with Dhoni or Sachin. The actor sees Azhar in its own space and believes it has all the ingredients of Bollywood masala thriller. “It definitely has a lot of spice to make it a potboiler.” Azhar will open tomorrow in cinema halls across India.

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