Christine Gill displays a black pepper harvest at Hosororo in Region One, which has been designated Guyana’s capital of spices.
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Chronicle Pepperpot November 15, 2015
The Quest for Hidden Gold
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By Maureen Rampertab MISTY morning, portrait of white from nature’s collection of stunning natural scenes in the Hinterland. The awesome Pakaraima mountains, the amazing waterfalls and gushing clear streams, the rich forest with its flora and fauna, were for the natives a world of their own,
a hidden paradise. For one native boy, it was a world of adventures, mysteries and mythical beings. The forest was his home from dawn until the sun sets in its ageless, splendor of hues. The animals and birds were his special friends and as he ran, the bow and arrow slung â–ş Continued on page III
maureen.rampertab@gmail.com
In a Magical World
Chronicle Pepperpot November 15, 2015 across his shoulders, his bare feet were as swift as the wings of his feathered friends, the Goldena and the Continga. He was on his way to a place deep in the forest, where grew a garden of rare orchids, so rare, the scent had a healing power. The secret garden hidden by wild impassable shrubs had for a long time been guarded by the hideous King Toad, who had been living under a curse, broken by Kupono and his friend, the Golden Nightingale. a curse that had restored the glistening lake, beautiful swans and rare orchids that were like a garden with a touch of heaven, unique on its own. Now, he could visit the garden anytime and pluck any flower whenever its healing power is needed. It was now desperately needed, as the boy ran, for the Chief’s daughter was struck by a strange illness that only the healing power of the orchid could cure. It was a long journey and Kupono stopped to drink the cool, refreshing water from the stream, when a sudden chopping sound, followed by a loud crash, startled him. He ran towards the sound and saw a strange man, standing by a fallen tree, shaking his head in distress. Kupono looked at him for a long moment, not sure if he should talk to him, when the man threw down his axe, sat on the trunk of the fallen tree and moaned, “Oh when do I find the gold so I can see my family again?” Kupono sensed the strange man’s deep distress and stepping out cautiously from behind the trees, “What is your distress, strange man?” The man jumped up and picked up his axe in one swift motion then stopped when he saw it was a native boy. “Who are you? What are you doing here?” “I’m Kupono, of the forest and I was just passing by when I heard the crashing sound.” “You’re a spirit form?” “No, just an ordinary boy.” The man sighed deeply and sat down again, “No one can help me, I’m doomed.” “Why? Have you been cursed?” ► From page II
“By bad luck, yes,” the man said wryly, “Bad luck to be a poor woodsman living in a neglected village, to have my only brother living a bad life, always in trouble.” He stopped and sighed deeply again, truly a distressed soul. “His latest bad deed may cause me to lose my family.” “How’s that?” “He stole a cache of gold pieces from the miner he was working with and disappeared. No one heard from him for months and one day a letter, old and faded, arrived at my home, with a strange diagram and some scrambled words that said, “Yours to keep if you can find it, for all the troubles I’ve caused you, the miner does not deserve this gold, he’s evil. He has killed my best friend and if you find this gold, please help his family and forgive me if you can.” “What did you do?” the boy asked, intrigued. “Nothing. I put the letter away, until the gold miner found me. He wanted his gold back at any cost, accusing me of hiding my brother. I told him I know nothing, but he burnt my house down and took away my wife and daughter. He said if I didn’t find and return his gold, my family would die!” The man handed a badly crumbled diagram to Kupono and said desperately, “I’ve been searching the forest for weeks, but cannot find this place.” Kupono looked at the diagram from all angles, mystified himself, but he couldn’t delay too long, for the Chief’s daughter was too ill, so he went on his way for the orchid, promising the woodman to help him in the morn. It was truly a mystery and summoning the King of swans, Kupono told him of the woodsman’s quest. “When I served the evil wizard,” the swan said, “I saw this rock formation in the black lake, where the most menacing of reptiles
III live. How did the woodsman brother find his way to such a forbidden place?” “A deeper mystery,” Kupono said, “How do I help the woodsman to retrieve the gold?” “You’ll have to wait on the full moon when a mysterious force drains the water from the lake and the reptiles find refugee elsewhere, then you can reach the rock.” Kupuno related to the man what the King of Swans had told him and on the full moon, he and the woodsman went to the lake. They watched increduously as the water drained and the serpents slithered away in the forest. In a deep hollow in the rock formation, they found the hidden gold. The woodsman held the cache with trembling hands, remembering his brother’s words to keep the gold, but thinking of his family held hostage by the evil miner. “I will have to return the gold,” he said quietly, “Because my family’s lives are more important.” Not far from the miner’s camp though, there was the sound of angry voices and gunshots. The woodsman and Kupono hid behind a thicket of trees and watched the scene of gunplay between two rival camps. “What has happened to my wife and daughter?” he asked fearfully. “It is not safe here, I think you should return to your village,” Kupono told him. The woodsman returned to his village, hoping and praying in his mind, his family was safe and true enough, they were there, having escaped, traumatized but safe. The miner had been killed so the woodsman now had nothing to fear, he was now a rich man. He thanked Kupono for his help for the one great good of his brother would have remained a mystery if it wasn’t for the native boy and his mythical friends of the forest.
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Inadequate penalties meted out to ‘fraud convicts’ since ‘71
Chronicle Pepperpot November 15, 2015
… Appellate Court stressed need for stiffer penalties
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By George Barclay INCE 1971, the Guyana Court of Appeal, led by Chancellor Edward Luckhoo, noted that judges in Guyana were imposing inadequate sentences against offenders of serious fraud cases and called for stiffer penalties to be imposed on such offenders. Current cases show that the situation has not changed considerably from what it had been in 1971. In 1971, Chancellor Edward Luckhoo and Justices of Appeal Guya Persaud and Victor Crane made the above comments at the hearing of an application by a postmaster who was convicted and sentenced for fraud. In his application, the postmaster was seeking an extension of time within which to appeal against his conviction and sentence. The Appellate Court held there was no merit in the appeal, as the evidence had clearly proved the applicant guilty
of the offence and the summing up by the judge was fair. The facts of the case disclosed that the case for the State was that the applicant, a postmaster, had falsified certain accounts being a record of stamps which he, as postmaster, had received from time to time from the General Post Office. The evidence was clear that the stamps had been received by the applicant and taken into stock by him. He did not sign the two orders for the stamps and did not return them to the General Post Office as he was requested to do. When his books were checked, it was found that the entries relating to the two quantities of stamps had not been made by him as he was required to do. On conviction for falsification of accounts, he made an application to the court for an extension of time within which to appeal. At the hearing of the application for extension of time within which to appeal, Senior Counsel Mr. Fred Wills appeared for the applicant while Mr. George Pompey, the then Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, represented
George Barclay
the State. Refusing the application, Chancellor Luckhoo, noting the prevalence of the fraud cases, said that he would like to support what had been said by his brothers Persaud and Crane in relation to the matter. He added, “It has become all too evident, from the cases of reported fraud, especially within relatively recent times, that its prevalence calls for serious attention. Too many people seem to be on the look out to dip their hands in the public coffers and line their pockets with ill-gotten gains. ► Continued on page V
Chronicle Pepperpot November 15, 2015 ► From page IV “This disposition to get rich quickly is a plague on our young nation, which should be provided with a better example on the part of those who, like the appellant, occupy positions of trust. “As my brother Crane has pointed out, the sum involved is not an insignificant one. In two transactions alone it was sought to create a loss to this country of over $10, 000. This is shocking and disgraceful. In my view, on the facts, the plan was not only daring, but revealed a certain measure of disquieting neglect in the operation of the system employed. “What my brother Crane has said on the question of punishment should be noted by judges who have
to deal with situations of this kind. Clemency could be sometimes misplaced by the imposition of inadequate sentences in cases of serious fraud. If the appellant had appealed against his sentence and this appeal was properly before the Court, I might, on the facts before me (and subject to what was said), have found it difficult to restrain myself from increasing the sentence; for not only is the offence of a heinous nature, but the prevalence of such like offences involving public offices and servants in a position of trust is not a matter to be lightly glossed over. And, moreover, the device used indicated a great deal of premeditation. “I would like at this stage to repeat what I said in a similar case of falsification of accounts – the case of the Queen v. Peter
Richard Osborne (Criminal Appeal No. 55 of 1968) – in the hope that those responsible for looking after the systems which operate in the various departments of revenue, might exercise a greater vigilance to ensure, as my brother Persaud pointed out, that they are faithfully operated and not be allowed to break down through carelessness of improper motivations. In the case of Osborne, I said these words: “It does not concern this Court that others, in one way or another, may not have been implicated in the daring fraud. But the observation cannot be resisted that something must have been rotten in the state of safeguarding public funds, in that particular sector, which permitted an ‘unknown’ person who was not a work-
man and never earned any money, to receive payments week after week for over 40 weeks in one year, sometimes twice above that of the other legitimate workmen, by a process of concoction. “The net result of this was that over $3, 000 was paid out for a period of less than one year to a non-existent workman. One shudders to think, if there are other instances, to what extent the public coffers may not have been otherwise impoverished! “Eleven months after
V this fraud had been in progress, a clerk in charge of the Yard Office of the Ministry, at the commencement of his duties as such, checked to see that the names of persons who actually worked were names of persons which were put on the pay list for payment. He checked the time slips of workers against what was recorded on the pay lists. He was not detailed to do this job, but he felt it should be done and did so. This was what led to the discovery of the particular fraud, and demonstrates
that vigilance and honesty of purpose will reveal what indolence and connivance will suppress. “It is for the authority concerned, and other similar authorities, not only to be satisfied with the system in use, but to use that it is honoured in thought, word and deed, if public funds are not to be scandalously squandered,” Chancellor Luckhoo declared as he agreed with his brothers to refuse the applicant leave to appeal. The conviction and sentence were affirmed.
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Chronicle Pepperpot November 15, 2015
Chronicle Pepperpot November 15, 2015
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Sunday
Chronicle Pepperpot November 15, 2015
Nostalgia Foreign Affairs Minister Clement Rohee assists Venezuelan Ambassador Vallenilla with a drink shortly after the opening session of the Guyana/Venezuela Joint Commission, November 11, 1993. The Commission is now dormant.
President Desmond Hoyte in conversation with Britain’s Prince Phillip during his visit to Guyana in early 1993. In October that year, Mr Hoyte lost the general elections, ending 28 years of PNC rule, and bringing in the PPP/C, which governed for 23 years until it lost the seat of government following the May 11 polls this year.
Prime Minister Hamilton Green greets Venezuelan Foreign Minister Reinaldo Figuredo Planchart in the presence of then Ambassador to Venezuela Cheryl Miles, October 2, 1990. Mrs Miles returns to Venezuela shortly to take up the same post, Ambassador to Venezuela.
Chronicle Pepperpot November 15, 2015
Guyana’s inaugural Jazz Festival launched
G By Ravin Singh
UYANA’S inaugural Jazz festival – G-Jazz Festival – which is billed for December 11-14 was officially launched on Friday at Moray House, with a promising schedule which aims to promote Jazz music through workshops and dance, pan and poetry competitions. The festival, which mirrors a similar one hosted annually in St. Lucia, is being spearheaded by the International Committee of the Queen’s College of Guyana Alumni Association (ICQC) and will be executed through a collaborative effort with Healing Arts Foundation and the Theatre Guild. Contending that Guyana has a very strong tradition of Jazz music composition and recording which has been neglected to some extent, the organisers of the event projects not only a forum for enjoyment, but recognition of
the art form created, inspired and performed by Guyanese. It is against this backdrop that UK-based David McAlmont, Trinidad-based Ruth Osman Rose, Courtney Fadlin who is based in the Eastern Caribbean and Derry Etkins stationed in Turks and Caicos are listed to be among the artistes headlining the maiden Jazz festival. Speaking at the launch yesterday, Executive Secretary of ICQC, Alfred Granger, explained that the Jazz Festival is expected to be funded through branding donors, ticket sales and donations from organisations, businesses and citizens. Estimated at a cost of $10M, the event, described by Granger as an “expensive” one, is also expected to attract donations from the Tourism and Education Ministries. The Executive Secretary also explained that most of the entertainment performances will be done for free and the funds generated from the 4-day event will be deposited to charities. These charities include Just Off
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The Road, Step by Step Foundation for Children with Autism, Child Link Inc, Rescu, Queen’s College, Lisa Punch Foundation, Help and Shelter, Joshua House, Tina Insanally Foundation and the Theatre Guild. With 2,400 tickets expected to be printed, all of the charities which had confirmed their participation by Friday last are expected to collect their tickets by tomorrow with Queen’s College being the leading beneficiary with 800 tickets. Comprising the list of activities planned for the event are Jazz dance competitions, Floetry (Poetry) competitions, Disc Jockey (DJ) playoff competition, pan jazz competitions, workshops, and a number of concerts featuring local and overseas based artistes including Charmaine Blackman and Quick Pick, Ruth Osman Rose, David McAlmont, Guy Davies and Courtney Fadlin, among others. Monetary prizes ranging from $25,000 to $500,000 will be up for grabs in the competitions.
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Chronicle Pepperpot November 15, 2015
(A look at some of the stories that made the news ‘back-in-the-day’ with CLIFFORD STANLEY)
TWO PLAYS THIS MONTH
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(Guyana Chronicle June 2, 1969)
he Related Arts Group is busily rehearsing for its third session at the Theatre Guild Playhouse, Kingston Georgetown. The group will play for seven days-June 25-July 2. The Plays are: Bertram Charles :”The Alexin of our cure” and “Another Place Somewhere”. “The Alexin of our cure” is a tense compassionate drama underlining the power of the mind. “Another place somewhere” is tough and hard-hitting. It portrays the plight of “un-accommodated” Man. American born Charlyn De Burst who did much amateur drama in New York will be guest actress. She plays “Jeanne” in “Another Place Somewhere.
DRACULA HAS RISEN FROM THE GRAVE
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(Guyana Graphic June 5, 1969) racula has risen from the grave.“You just can’t keep a good man down. Christopher Lee. Never has one man’s mastery over women been so completely overpowering and completely terrifying. Your blood will boil. “Curse of Frankenstein” Strand- Today 1-4.45-8.30; 16 years and over.
SHOP RUM EXPENSIVE (Daily Chronicle January 5th 1969)
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n aged Essequibo farmer told a magistrate that he was forced to drink bush rum because shop rum was too expensive. Gildharrie, called Browne, of Ha mpton Court, was charged before Magistrate Satrohan Singh at the Anna Regina Court with having bush rum in his possession. He pleaded guilty and told the court that he worked hard during the day and when he went home in the afternoon feeling tired, he usually took his “little toops.” The magistrate fined him $250 with an alternative of four months imprisonment and advised him to stop drinking the illicit brew since it was injurious to his health.
RADIO LICENCE DODGERS FINED A TOTAL OF $635
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(Guyana Graphic June 6, 1969) agistrate Winslow McWilliams of the Traffic Court yesterday devoted his entire day to dealing with radio licenses dodgers and fined 127 persons who appeared before him a total of $635. Those who appeared before the Magistrate included an ex-international Guyanese cricketer, a retired school master, housewives and city businessmen. In the case of a Doctor at the Georgetown Hospital, De-
PRINCE BUSTER IS COMING
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(Guyana Graphic June 1, 1969)
rince Buster, Jamaican singer and composer of over one hundred hits, including “Ten Commandments” and other “Rock Steady” hits, is coming on June 11 for a one night in Guyana at the Globe theatre. Prince will be the featured performer in the Reggae 69 Revue which is comprised of top flight Jamaican performers including the “Soul Sisters” , “Bob Andy”, “The Strollers”, “Jackie Opel” and a leading Jamaican Rock Steady “Reggae Band”, led by Ken Lazarus formerly of Byron Lee Band.
GUYANESE TRAINING IN CYPRUS (Guyana Chronicle June 4th 1969)
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ance Corporal Mohabir Singh (25) was one of over 100 officers and men of the 1st Battalion the Lancashire Regiment who crossed by sea from Malta, where the Battalion is stationed to Cyprus recently. The exercise not only gave the Lancashires the opportunity of realistic training in unfamiliar areas, but also practiced them in mobility, the key word in the modern Army. Mohabir, who comes from Palmyra, East Canje Berbice, comes from a military family. His father , now a Superintendent in the Police Force, was formerly a Captain with the 11th Ghurka Rifles and his brother is a Sergeant with the American Army in their 101st Air Cavalry Division- the famous Screaming Eagles. Lance Corporal Singh was a Policeman before he joined the British Army and since then he has certainly seen the world. His career has taken him to Malta, Bahrain, Sharjah, Libya, Cyprus, Kenya and he has seen active service in Aden where he was wounded by a terrorist hand grenade. Mohabir is now a fully trained infantryman and has the responsible task of commanding a section of rifle-men in one of Britain’s best Regiments. Despite the work involved, he still finds time to go horse-riding and deep sea fishing , both favorite hobbies of his. He is also a good long distance runner and a member of his Battalion’s shooting team. fense Counsel pointed out that the medical officer had recently qualified and returned home. He added that a relative had given him the radio but he did not realize that it was not working nor that a licence had not been taken out for it . This was however done after the licensing officer visited him. The Doctor was reprimanded and discharged. An American Clergyman who pleaded guilty said that he was not aware that a license had to be taken out . He said that it was the first time that he had been approached about a license for his radio since he arrived in the country two years ago.
SOME RECIPES:
(Guyana Graphic June 5, 1969) BISCUIT WINE: INGREDIENTS: 6 biscuits; 1 .5 ounces yeast; 6 lbs sugar; I gallon water. METHOD: Break up all biscuits; Pour all into a Jar; add yeast and sugar; then leave for one week; then strain and bottle out. Don’t cork the bottle too tight. Excellent with ice. CONTRIBUTED BY Mrs. Gwendolyn Seecharran, #40 village West Coast Berbice. PEPPER WINE INGREDIENTS: 5 ripe bird peppers; 5 pints water; 1 bottle beer or ale; sugar to taste. METHOD: Cut peppers crosswise; add to sugar beer and water; Brew for half an hour; strain bottle and label; Tie cork if it is not a screwed on one. CONTRIBUTED BY: Bibi. Z. Mohamed , Peters Hall EBD,. PAPAW MILK SHAKE INGREDIENTS: 1 medium ripe papaw; 1 pint milk; 3 ozs sugar; flavoring as desired. METHOD: Wash peel and mash papaw through a sieve. Add sugar and sweeten; Mix with milk; Flavor, swizzle, whisk or shake with ice. Serve at once. CONTRIBUTED BY Joan A. Marsh, Golden Grove Village East Coast Demerara. GUAVA BEVERAGE INGREDIENTS: 4 ripe guavas; 2.5 pints water; 3.5 teaspoons of sugar; a pinch of salt. METHOD: First put the water in a pot with the guavas (chopped) to boil for half an hour. After boiling strain it; then while cooling, put in salt and after cooling, add sugar. Throw it into a glass and add ice. CONTRIBUTED BY: Joyce Blair, Three Friends Mines Demerara River.
(Clifford Stanley can be reached to discuss any of the foregoing articles at cliffantony@gmail.com or cell phone # 694-0913)
Chronicle Pepperpot November 15, 2015
Canada's Miss World aspirant to
keep mum on rights
if let into China: organizer
Miss World Canada Anastasia Lin poses with her crown before an interview at her home in Toronto, Ontario November 10, 2015. (Reuters/Chris Helgren) (Reuters) THE chief executive of Miss World Canada said on Thursday its finalist in the beauty pageant, a human rights activist, has agreed not to speak about rights abuses in China if she is allowed in for the finals of the competition. Canada's China-born contestant, Anastasia Lin, said this week her visa to travel to the pageant at a Chinese resort had been delayed, and her father harassed by Chinese officials, after she spoke out about human rights abuses in the communist country. Ike Lalji, the chairman and chief executive of Miss World Canada, said he had assured officials at the pageant's London headquarters that Lin would focus on the contest and not "her cause" if she was allowed to attend the Dec. 19 contest final in Sanya, China. "I guarantee if she goes there she will just focus on the competition, she will not get involved in her cause," Lalji said in a telephone interview. "It's a compromise." But Lin, an actress and Falun Gong practitioner crowned Miss World Canada in May, said she had not agreed to be silent about human rights abuses. "They can't guarantee anything without getting me involved, and this is the first time I've heard of this," Lin, 25, said in a telephone interview. "I have never agreed to such a thing." Lalji said he has had no contact with Chinese officials or the Chinese host of the final contest. He is giving assurances of Lin's cooperation to Miss World officials in London, and they are in contact with China to try to win Lin's invitation letter. "They are the ones communicating with the ministry of foreign affairs in China," Lalji said. No one at Miss World in London was immediately available to comment. An official at the foreign affairs office of the Sanya city government in China hung up the phone when told a reporter was calling. Lalji said it was not a matter of censoring Lin, but of compromising to respect China as host. "It doesn't mean I support China, but I understand China, because they fear a controversy is going to happen," he said. "I understand China's position too, because she is powerful. She has the whole media behind her." Lin, 25, testified at a U.S. Congressional hearing on religious persecution in China in July.
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Celeste David uses her voice to bless hungry souls
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By Alex Wayne OT much is heard about Guyanese temptress Celeste David these days, and one often wonders what has become of the promising musical career she had started so gallantly some years ago. When I last bumped into her about two years ago, it was while on a visit to Vizion Sound Records (Anira Street, Queenstown, Georgetown), where she was just enrolled as one of their new and very sassy female vocalists. When this songstress invaded the local entertainment scene, she was a bit shy and secluded as could have been easily deduced from her somewhat timid performances at the Pegasus Hotel and other locations. One has to agree that since she came from a Christian background, she would naturally be hesitant to engage in all the onstage theatrics that come with being an entertainer. But it only took her about a year to blossom and with much help from her sister, runway diva Jennelle David, she was soon on her way to becoming one of the local songstresses that possess that natural suave and sizzle that comes with presenting live dance hall, soca and even reggae performances. Celeste has graced stages both locally and internationally, and has blazed quite a trail for others to follow. Even though she may have retreated from the scene somewhat, word is out that she is taking timeout to create joy, but this time for the Creator. And she is quite right, since it is always wise to use our talents for the glory and honour of the Creator, through whose grace we exist. Folks at Vizion Sounds have indicated that Celeste in back in church, and is using her voice to spread the Gospel, and to warm many souls that are cold and hungry for divine blessings. Celeste Felicia Dawn David, was born on October 30, 1986, in the ancient county of Berbice. On that date, a singer, the last in a family of six, was brought into this world by parents, Reverends Brian and Marilyn David. Her educational background was derived from Trinity Street Nursery, â–ş Continued on page XIII
Chronicle Pepperpot November 15, 2015 One can never forget her flair for exquisite fashion
Chronicle Pepperpot November 15, 2015
Celeste David uses her voice ... ► From
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Saint Theresa Primary and culminated at Canje Secondary School. Singing from the tender age of four in her parent’s church, “The Open Bible Mennonite Church”, she obtained an early exposure to the stage and subsequently grasped every opportunity to showcase her talent. Soon enough, she became a regular feature, performing at school concerts, community gatherings and other forums such as weddings and funerals. With two strong influences, namely Lauryn Hill and the late Whitney Houston, she developed a distinct singing style which exudes poise, and confidence. She is also a quite accomplished song writer, dancer, model, and designer, all of which complements her stage presence. When she learnt of a Jingle competition that was being promoted by the local telephone company several years ago,she decided that it was time for her to venture into the big league and entered the competition. After the results were announced, she was awarded the number two spot from a field of over one hundred contestants. Although this did not result in her immediate stardom on the local scene, continued consistency and perseverance began to pay dividends in the form of a hot crossover single, “Back It Up’, which led to her tremendous popularity. This single was produced by Danley Major of Kingdom Friends Production of Guyana and was followed by others such like, ”Had Enough”, which depicted a passionate appeal to sisters to ‘keep it real’, and not accept any more sloppy treatment from their male partners. Not long after, she delivered, “Ma Sweetness”, a hot soca rendition with the Cricket Dance Rhythm. With a rapidly growing repertoire, she is capable of singing Reggae/Dance Hall, R&B, Soca, Crossover Music, Gospel and even Jazz, and has recorded in Barbados with the award winning studio, Monstapiece Entertainment Inc, where she was tutored by Brian Corbin. She then penned two more songs, “Little Secret”, which was produced by Peter Copin of Monstapiece Inc and Kurt Riley out of Jamaica on the Golden Gate Riddim, along with “Like So”, which was produced
by ‘ Spida Man Studios’ out of Guyana and mastered by Peter Copin of Monstapiece. All of the above is a clear indication of the versatility of this young songstress. Dedication and hard work gained her even more recognition in 2011 on Bajan Stages at the Crop Over event, the Soca Titan Show and at ‘Thursday Nights Saga’ at Ship’s Inn with the Strategy Band. She was happily accepted by the Barbadians and was further recognized in Trinidad and Tobago at the 2012 International Soca Awards where she was nominated for, “Best New Female Soca Artiste”. Baby Cham and Terbulance, both out of Jamaica, along with Robert Hatcher from 2007 America’s Got Talent, were all left in awe when she flawlessly accompanied them on different occasions with her rendition of Alicia Keys part
in, “Ghetto Story Remix’, ‘Want a Natty’ and ‘Closer I Get To You”, at their various shows in Guyana. She has rapidly become a force to be reckoned with and is even touted by some as “The Hottest New Find” in a vastly improved and very competitive local music industry. Favorable reviews from international and local music industry players are constantly showered upon her. She is also consistently featured in the media on websites, television programmes as well as the newspapers. Celeste is now Guyana’s Diva! These, along with numerous other indications, have confirmed the widespread belief that this stunningly attractive musical personality, who is blessed with exquisite elegance, charisma and versatility, is indeed ready for the path she now pursues.
XIII The Guyanese songstress that now spreads the Gospel through her melodious vocals.
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Chronicle Pepperpot November 15, 2015
Dell’s EMC Deal Could Fall Apart on Tax Rule
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ichael Dell’s ambitious $67 billion plan to take over storage giant EMC may face a big tax burden that could complicate or derail the deal entirely. Dell insiders are worried the company could end up being on the hook for a tax bill of up to US$9 billion. The worries stem from Dell’s unusual proposal to use a new type of stock share to help pay for the acquisition. Their concerns are also rooted in EMC’s wildly successful investment in the software company VMware, the value of which has risen by tens of billions of dollars since EMC acquired it in 2003. The combination of factors has some Dell execs concerned, sources said, that certain key aspects of the deal may not qualify for the sort of tax treatment they consider essential for the transaction-the biggest tech acquisition ever proposed-to succeed. In order to offer EMC shareholders $33.15 a share for the company, Dell plans to pay them $24.05 per share in cash. The remaining $9.10 is to be made up by offering EMC shareholders tracking stock linked to VMware. (EMC owns an 81% stake in VMware, while 19% of its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange; those shares have declined by about a third since the deal was announced last month.) The tracking stock is intended to offset the amount of debt Dell would have to take on; it is also meant to help Dell avoid a heavy tax liability.
No Time to Respond to Email? Let Google Do It.
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oogle this week unveiled Smart Reply for Gmail on iOS and Android. It uses machine intelligence and neural networks to suggest up to three possible responses for incoming email, based on the content of those emails. The system learns from users' responses to suggestions to fine-tune its offerings. It has a repository of 20,000 Smart Replies that will continue to grow with time. Smart Reply will be available in English in Google Play and Apple's App Store. How Smart Reply Works The Smart Reply system is based on a pair of recurrent neural networks, one of which is used to encode incoming email and the other to predict possible responses. The encoding network examines incoming emails word by word and produces a list of numbers, known as a vector that captures the gist of what's being said. This vector is independent of syntax. For example, it will come up with similar vectors for the questions "Are you free tomorrow?" and "Does tomorrow work for you?" The second network takes this thought vector -which can be thought of as a meme and creates a grammatically correct reply one word at a time. Gmail is using long short-term memory network architecture for the neural networks because it will work even when there are long delays, and it can handle signals with a mix of low- and high-frequency components. Google engineers developed a machine learning system for mapping natural language responses to semantic intents. Knowing how semantically similar two responses are lets the system suggest responses that vary in both wording and underlying meaning. There will be some mistakes at first as the system may fail to interpret memes correctly all the time, but "people will be forgiving because I think they do understand that, for anything, there's a learning curve.
Growing food on MARS…to eat or not to eat!
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efore humans go to Mars, as NASA is planning for the 2030s, there's a lot of work to be done, such as developing and testing a rocket that can get there and studying the effects of long-term space habitation on the human body. This is because it's going to be a long trip. It took Curiosity just over eight months to get to Mars from Earth. NASA is trying to reduce that time to around six months, but even so, that's at least a year travelling in space without any access to fresh food. Unless, of course, NASA can figure out a way to grow plants, not just in microgravity transit conditions, but on the Red Planet itself. This is where Bruce Bugbee, director of the Plants, Soils & Climate Department at Utah State University, enters the picture. Bugbee and his team of researchers have been growing plants primarily in ground-based growth chambers, although if you remember the lettuce grown and eaten in space earlier this year, that was Bugbee's work too. Between the ground-based growth chamber and the growth chamber aboard the International Space Station, Bugbee believes that it's very possible for plants to grow in space and on Mars with current technology. The growth chambers on Earth are closed systems, like a huge refrigerator, where the plants are grown hydroponically. There is no natural light. Humidity, temperature and carbon dioxide levels are tightly controlled so as to simulate the environment. The biggest problem is that Mars is about 1.5 times farther from the sun than the Earth is, and only gets about 60% of the light. This means that plants on Mars would grow at about 60% of the rate of Earth plants, even when exposed to full Mars light. So, are you prepared to eat a quantity of red vegs?
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Rome's refilled Trevi Fountain basks in restored glory ROME | By Isla Binnie (Reuters) WATER coursed back into Rome's Trevi Fountain for the first time in over a year on Tuesday as the city showed off the latest privately-funded restoration of its prized landmarks. The stone rendering of Tritons guiding the shell chariot of water god Oceanus glowed with new high-tech lighting after the most drastic clean-up in its more than 250-year history. Marking the end of an aqueduct said to have carried "Virgin Water" to ancient Rome, the fountain now boasts fresh pumps and a pigeon deterrent system following a 2.2 million-euro ($2.4 million) facelift. The work, sponsored by fashion house Fendi, began in 2014, some 25 years after the last major restoration, amid concern over stone laurel leaves tumbling from the facade. "We heard two years ago just by chance that the fountain was losing pieces and we immediately called the Rome government," Fendi Chief Executive Pietro Bec-
cari said. Transparent barriers around the basin and a footbridge that had allowed visitors to observe restorers at work were removed, returning the scene of screen siren Anita Ekberg's late night dip in the 1960 film La Dolce Vita to its former glory. Tourists in the piazza, named after the three roads ("tre vie") that once met there, waited to throw a coin into the newly-crystalline water in homage to the tradition that doing so guarantees the thrower a return trip to the Italian capital. "It's in the movies and it's beautiful, especially now that it's been all cleaned," said Hannah Cowley, 33, a nurse on her honeymoon from Australia. "I've been watching it on (a live online camera) and hoping and hoping and hoping that it would be ready while we are here." Known for its luxurious furs and Baguette handbags, Fendi is one of many private firms that have poured money into monuments across the country as a three-year recession hit state coffers.
The company has also paid to restore Rome's "Four Fountains" and the Fascist-era "Square Colosseum". Culture Minister Dario Franceschini has called for more public and private investment in Italy's heritage, and introduced tax cuts of up to 65 percent for these donations. Elsewhere in the Eternal City, luxury shoemaker Tod's is completing a restoration of the Colosseum, jeweler Bulgari is overhauling the Spanish Steps and Russian tycoon Alisher Usmanov has pledged to restore an ancient basilica in Rome's forum.
People take pictures during the opening ceremony of Rome's Trevi Fountain, November 3, 2015. (Reuters/Alessandro Bianchi)
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Hitler was shrewd, not so hypnotic, new German biography says (REUTERS) A NEW biography of Hitler by a prominent German historian is likely to stir controversy with its argument that the Nazi leader's political acumen has been underestimated and that the belief in his hypnotic grip over Germans is inflated. Peter Longerich's "Hitler", to be published on Monday, is a 1,295-page tome that includes material from the diaries of Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels and early Hitler speeches. "Overall, you have a picture of a dictator who controlled much more, who was more closely involved in individual decisions than previously thought. I wanted to put Hitler as a person back in the center," Longerich told Reuters in an interview. Recent works on the Third Reich have placed more emphasis on the social and political climate that led to the rise of Nazism after defeat in World War One and crippling reparation demands. Soon after World War Two, Germans clung to the belief that they had been held hostage by a criminal gang led by the charismatic Hitler, bent on conquering Europe and exterminating Jews. Longerich, a professor at London University, argues that while all Hitler's policies and the results were catastrophic, he acted smartly in specific situations. "The question why he managed to get so far needs to be addressed: Obviously he had the ability to exploit individual situations in his own interest and for his own aims," he said. Even his racial policies, which culminated in the murder of at least 6 million Jews in the Holocaust, were in large part down to political opportunism, says Longerich, who does not think Hitler was radically anti-Semitic at an early age. "Around 1919-1920 he realized he could be successful in politics by embracing and inciting anti-Semitism," he said, adding it became a central element only in the 1930s. Hitler's skill in taking power is even more striking given that the Austrian-born art student was a 'nobody' with no ideology until he was about 30. Only then, refusing to accept Germany's defeat, was he drawn to the early Nazi party. Longerich also seeks to debunk the theory that Hitler had an irresistible charisma that captivated Germans, arguing it was largely artificially constructed by the Nazi propaganda machine which pumped out pictures of entranced fans at rallies. The author does not exonerate Germans, saying large parts of the population supported Hitler while others were opportunistic in following him, but he argues that there were social tensions and discontent, for example within the church. "It would be illogical to think that a deeply divided country like Germany suddenly united
behind one person and shared one political view," Longerich said. Seventy years after his death, Germans' attitudes toward Hitler are still evolving, Longerich said. "I don't think there is any enthusiasm for Hitler but we are seeing taboos being broken," he said, citing recent films about the dictator and a debate about the publication of "Mein Kampf". As fears about right-wing radicalism in Germany grow due to the refugee crisis, he warns that with a "rougher" political atmosphere, "the potential of a single political figure is a factor which should not be underestimated".
A woman reads Peter Longerich's new book 'Hitler' in Berlin, Germany, November 5, 2015. (Reuters/Hannibal Hanschke)
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OH BEAUTIFUL
GUYANA
Are we going to be ready for le deluge?
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OT so long ago seven Caribbean journalists travelled to Guyana to take a first-hand look at the country’s tourism potential. It was a revelation. It was awesome. The amazing topography and vast natural resources, the tropical rainforests replete with exotic flora and fauna, the wide expanse of rich virgin territory – all served as a pleasant warning that the South American Republic was set to become a major eco-tourism destination in the near future. And while tourism was still a relatively new industry, it was then the fourth largest foreign exchange earner for the country, having made inroads into the Diasporic and traditional markets in North America and Europe. As we zipped through a corridor of overhanging vegetation we stared spellbound at a curious scene. A petite, bare-footed Amerindian girl sat in a canoe, blowing bubbles through a bamboo shoot. Between puffs, she sang “Oh Beautiful Guyana,” a national song that thanked nature for being so kind to a land blessed with abundant resources. The girl’s brother, sitting next to her, was fighting a global war with his hand-held electronic game. The paradox of Old World – New World co-existence was not lost on the journalists on a three-day visit to Guyana as guests of the tourism authorities. It brought home the fact that even as they were world-wide travellers, they were unaware that such beauty and magnificence lay within easy reach and at little cost. It didn’t take long for us to be completely overwhelmed and bowled over. Between arrival and departure, we were exposed to the beautiful and verdant Interior and a city proud of its historical landmarks. I saw Kaieteur Falls for the first time and I continue to see it in my mind’s eye. Those who haven’t seen it must quickly correct that omission. It’s simply majestic and merits a separate article. I fell in love with Baganara Island Resort. It aims ‘to bring your dream to life’… and it did for me. One hundred and eighty-seven acres of lush green foliage, table tennis and beach volleyball combined to provide much needed exercise for us - Brooklyn and Manhattan-based practitioners. Shanklands Rainforest Resort, nestled between the mighty Essequibo River and the unspoiled forest, awaited us. I opted for rustic accommodation that included a hammock and I slept the sleep of the innocent. At dawn I watched parrots and macaws in a series of races that had no lanes, no officials and no finish lines. I followed the course of a jetliner, so tiny in the sky, my vision unimpeded by high-risers or smog. The quiet was deafening. No telephones, no intrusions, no mosquitoes. We left Guyana sated with knowledge, the desire to visit again and the resolve to get the word out that Guyana IS the place to go for a vacation. But that was then…a wonderful, heart-warming tour for a group of 7. Now the upcoming 50th Independence Anniversary celebrations next May will probably have to cater for 700,000 visitors. The big question is: Are we ready to start getting ready? Answer: Six months can never be too early to start preparing for such a superlative event… one as important and essential to the country’s future. And while we must applaud the ebullience and bubbly enthusiasm pouring out of the relevant ministries and agencies, we must remind that the road ahead is going to be strewn with a
myriad of obstacles and veritable landmines. Godfrey Wray It will be no cake walk. United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon stated in his message on the occasion of World Tourism Day (September 27, 2015): “Let us work together to maximize the immense potential of tourism to drive inclusive economic growth, protect the environment and promote sustainable development and a life of dignity for all." With five consecutive years of growth, tourism has been a major contributor to the economic recovery, creating jobs and opportunities for communities in many parts of the world. With an increase of 4% in international tourist arrivals in the first semester of 2015, the sector follows an increasing trend that is estimated to reach 1.8 billion international tourists by the year 2030. In 2014, international tourism receipts increased by US$48 billion to reach a record US$1,245 billion. An additional US$221billion was generated from international passenger transport, bringing total exports from international tourism up to US$1.5 trillion, or US$4 billion a day on average. The above are staggering facts and figures. And to think we might have the capacity to earn a sizeable chunk if we do our thing right. Get out the check list: *From the time people land at the airports (Cheddi Jagan International and Ogle) up to when they’re waving goodbyes, they are our responsibilities. Will security be up to scratch? Will there be enough CCVT cameras all along the East Bank and East Coast roads to engender some feeling of safety. I still remember the brazen robbery of the money changers. *Tourism workers must be trained and prepared for all events – front office, house-keeping, food production, food and beverage services, travel consultants, tour operators. Hotels, resorts and restaurants must start mounting seminars to prepare the workforce especially with new genres like gastronomy and wine tourism becoming key components for experiencing the culture and lifestyle of any destination and a growing travel motivation. *Squeeze everything out of our vaunted eco-tourism market – typically defined as travel to destinations where the flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions and no damage is done to the environment. *Encourage a partnership with social media which can lead to huge advantages for advertising and marketing strategies. *Offer incentives to restaurants to brush off the catering menus and to embrace the use of local ingredients. Refurbish our sports facilities (National Gymnasium already looking good); recreate exhibition sites and city centre venues with easy transport links; reward ‘clean’ communities. Involve schools in traditional things like Plaiting The Maypole. The list can go on and on. However Tourism Minister Cathy Hughes seems to have a grip on things with United States investigative heavyweights, National Geographic, USA Today and Huffington Post, scheduled for a visit here in a few weeks. The ‘familiarisation tour’ is part of a drive to showcase the unique attraction of Guyana to the US market. And hopefully the rest of the world.
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pare a thought for its picturesque landscapes and its warm people – but the real beauty and wealth of Region One is its rich soil, and it is gearing up to propel a revolution against the importation of spices. Well known for its organic cocoa project engineered by its women, and the 167 acres of ginger cultivation which draws bargain-hungry huskers up its river twice a month, Region One is quickly becoming known as Guyana’s capital for spices – from turmeric to Black Pepper, and there are others too being considered, such as cinnamon and cardamom. (Photos are by Delano Williams)
TURMERIC FACTORY
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own at Hosororo, just a short distance from Mabaruma – the administrative district of Region One – this tiny building is generating excitement. It will soon be provided with equipment and signal the start an ambitious project to process turmeric. The National Agricultural Research and Extension Institute (NAREI) has provided farmers with thousands of rhizomes (root stock), and so over 205 acres of turmeric are now under cultivation in the Region. The woman standing in front of the building is Sherina Francis of Wanaina.
GROWING COFFEE
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assing along the hills of Region One, any of the older folks will tell you stories of coffee plantations of Region One of long ago, and there are still some of the trees standing as evidence. Here at the NAREI nursery in Hososoro, they are trying to get farmers interested once more.
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BLACK PEPPER CULTIVATION
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hona Smith, a native of Hosororo, checks up Black Pepper under cultivation. Black Pepper, which can sometimes sell for as much as $2000 a pound, is being grown in Region One as an experiment. For now, the yield is handed out at exhibitions to curious Guyanese. Ramnarace Sukhna, who heads the Spices Project at NARIE, says the fresh black pepper has the same pungency and taste as the processed, imported black pepper. In India, where he studied, Sukhna says it takes three years to get black pepper off the vine, but because of the soil of Region One, you can reap in just one year, using the serpentine method used to grow the vine.
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hese washing and drying houses are in the compound of NAREI at Hosororo. They were built as part of the spices project in Region One. Tons of turmeric from farmers will be processed here, and then they will be sold to big companies such as Beharry, Chin’s, and Continental, which currently import raw material for their manufacturing operations. It is estimated that these and other companies import over US$1 million of raw spices and process it back for the local and export market. Mr Sukha, the NAREI research scientist shares the view of many others: “We should not be importing spices; we have the technical skills, we have the acreage, and we have the planting material to push a spices industry to commercial scale in meet our own needs and begin exporting in 10 years.”
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New conservation group: Ban commercial sale of wildmeat (TRINIDAD EXPRESS) A NEWLY formed wildlife conservation group is attempting to bridge the gap between hunters and conservationists, and is calling for sustainable hunting by hunters. Wildlife and Environmental Protection of Trinidad and Tobago (WEPTT) is promoting sustainability regarding wildlife in Trinidad and Tobago. The members of the organisation include Kishan Ramcharan (Forester I) and conservationists Kristopher Rattansingh, Kristian Rattansingh and Taariq Ali. The conservation-
Members of Wildlife and Environmental Protecttion of Trinidad and Tobago (WEPTT): (top left) Kristopher Rattansingh, (top right) Taariq Ali, (bottom left) Kishan Ramcharan and (bottom right) Kristian Rattansingh during their rescue and relocation of Marvin, a silky anteater on October 14. ists have been making headlines lately with their volunteer efforts across the country. Their most recent rescues and relocations included the silky anteater, caimans in Valsayn and assistance with the bottlenose dolphin in
Orange Valley. However their biggest breakthrough occurred while volunteering in collaboration with Rio Claro Police Station and Forestry Division which led to the arrest of a man who had snakes in his possession for the
purpose of consumption last month. They have also been involved with rectifying disputes between hunters and conservationists. According to Rattansingh, the only side they have taken is that they want to ensure the continuity of Trinidad’s protected species and eliminate poaching whilst establishing the mutual agreement of sustainability between hunters and conservationists. He said that there is a need for the push of the implementation of sustainable hunting, since the “concern is wildlife, having and protecting wildlife while we have it and so that their children and generations to come can have it too”. Rattansingh said that there is a need for more wardens, “but if we strictly regulate how many animals of specific breed, size and species and hold hunters responsible for ► Continued
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New conservation group ... ► From
page XXIV their catches with systems such as tagging (hunters purchase tags for each of their kills, where they will have to document each kill per tag and return that documentation to forestry for accountability)”, said Rattansingh. According to Rattansingh, the accountability comes with enforcement by game wardens and if while patrol they find people with untagged animals the violators can be fined and licenses revoked. He said, “One of the issues that needs to be addressed is that I know of many poachers who want to apply for the honorary game warden program so they can have respective access and powers to use that loophole and poach without being caught. Which I personally (not WEPTT) think that banning wardens themselves from hunting is a good combatant of this loophole. I think it’s a reasonable sacrifice for being a warden”. He also said that the game wardens and Forestry officers need to be armed as these officers encounter armed hunters and poachers in areas unfamiliar to many and have nothing and no one to protect them. Rattansingh is suggesting a ban on the commercial sale of wild meat which he believes is a major reason for
the extreme poaching which is occurring. He said, “A ban on commercial sales should have happened yesterday. Wild meat being sold commercially is one of the biggest problems we face. Not only does it promote poachers but it enables them. If they can’t sell it, poaching will decrease. Please note, decrease not stop. Another thing is many of these people who stand on streets selling wild meat is mostly an illegal trade. Many of those vendors don’t have permits to possess the animals they sell. The next thing is many of the consumers don’t have permits to possess the animals they purchase. These are violations of the
conservation of wildlife act, section 5 2(b) which states that it is illegal to possess an animal or any part thereof without its respective permit”. Rattansingh is also calling for law reform. He said the current act that affects Wildlife, The Conservation of Wildlife Act, Chapter 67:01 is in desperate need of revision. The fines in place are almost non-existent and do nothing to put a real dent in the crimes that are being perpetrated. He said there is desperate need for the revision of listed species and the laws themselves. “The fines themselves need to be increased, so our protected animals are actually protected and vi-
olators need not worry about only losing some pocket change”, said Rattansingh.
He said that education is key and “if people understood the importance and
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necessity of our local wildlife, they would have more respect for their lives too”.
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motorcade but he is enlightened about an important matter. Ricky realises that his cousin Jai has a serious problem. How can he help the situation? Why is Akeem calling Mohan? What is the terrible secret between Jai and Ashma? Philip answers the phone and receives some important information. Will Shanta’s story be credible enough to hold Mohan? Don’t miss this week’s episode.
THIS WEEK’S PREVIEW: Nov. 16-22, 2015 Moon ah run till daylight ketch am. Can Mohan run fast enough? Philip takes Abby and Jennifer to see the lights of the Diwali
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Escape claws: Tigers, piranhas may join Indonesia crocodile prison guard (REUTERS) WHEN Indonesia's anti-drugs czar announced plans to guard a death-row prison island with crocodiles, the government rushed to explain that it was just a joke, but on Friday Budi Waseso said he was now thinking of using tigers and piranha fish too. Media quoted the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) chief as saying that he had already obtained two crocodiles from a farm to study their power and aggression and may ultimately put as many as 1,000 in place to keep convicts from escaping. "The number will depend on how big the area is, or whether perhaps to combine them with piranhas," he told reporters, according to the rimanews.com portal. "Because the (prison) personnel numbers are short we can use wild animals. We could use tigers too – for conservation at the same time." Piranha fish, meat-eaters with sharp teeth and powerful jaws, are indigenous to South America and are not found in Indonesia. Waseso and officials at his office were not immediately available to comment on the reports. Indonesian President Joko Widodo declared a war on what he has dubbed a "narcotics emergency" after taking office a year ago, basing his campaign on a study that showed at least 40 people a day were dying from drug use. He has repeatedly refused clemency to traffickers and more than two dozen, mostly foreign, drug convicts have been executed this year after a five-year moratorium on the death penalty. In separate comments on the TVOne channel, Waseso rejected critics who said his plans to use animals as jailors were trampling on the human rights of convicts. "We have to look at the whole problem," he said. "These people are murderers - mass murderers. Shouldn't we also look at the human rights of their victims?"
The head of the Indonesia's National Narcotics Board Budi Waseso (L) looks at a crocodile during a visit to a crocodile farm in Medan, North Sumatra, on November 11, 2015 in this photo taken by Antara Foto. (Reuters/Septianda Perdana/Antara Foto)
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US based ‘Laramade Musical Theatre’ heads to Guyana
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In photo from left are Laramade Musical Theatre’s Launce Northe (writer), Linda Northe-Noel (Public Relations Officer), and Director, Oral Welshman. By Alex Wayne GUYANESE are certainly in for a pleasant Christmas treat since the USA based, ‘Laramade Musical Theatre’ will be staging one of its signature featurea at the Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown. The event dubbed ‘Joie de Vivre’ is an initiative made possible through a joint collaboration between the US based Theatre Company and the Pegaus Hotel, and will be staged as a dinner theatre production. The event is slated for Friday, December 18, 2015, and will also feature performances by our own Classique Dance Company, Kenrick Cheeks Dancing Delights, with television personality Basil Bradshaw as the evening’s emcee. They of course will be joined on stage by members of the Laramade Musical Theatre, so patrons are guaranteed a show of a lifetime. In a recent interview with overseas-based Artistic Director Oral Welshman, this publication was informed that the event will feature a twenty member local cast who will join forces with members from the theatre company to bring the show to Guyana’s shores. He said that the inclusion of Guyanese on the show is to allow a platform where local talent can be showcased in the various arts, and also for the visiting cast to embrace and become acquainted with Guyanese culture. He added that another objective of the show is to raise the bar of theatre in Guyana, which will be tackled by the fusion of both local and foreign ► Continued on page XXIX
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US based ‘Laramade Musical Theatre’ ...
Talented Guyanese dancer Kenrick Cheeks has vowed that his dancers will put on a show to die for. artists on the same stage. He added that the New York based, professionally managed, musical theatre company, with over twenty five years of performing experience in reputed dance companies, will indeed put on a show that will be talked about for years after its conclusion. Laramade Musical Theatre is comprised of ten members whose focus is in musical theatre, the Big Band era and Caribbean folklore. Their most recent performances have been in honor of the Barbados Independence Celebration at the Wyngate Theater in New York, and the Jimi Hollaway Jazz Production at The Terrace on the Park location, in New York. The event to be staged at the Pegasus is a Broadway style production comprising dynamic acts of acting, singing and dancing in the Jazz and Classical Indian dance idioms. The purpose of staging this production is twofold, since the theatre company has a strong purpose of giving back to the society that has nurtured them, and this production will be showcasing the myriad talents of Guyanese ethnic diversity. Both the Guyana Pegasus and the Guyana Cancer Society have endorsed this project, and folks at Pegasus believe that the launch of this production at their venue would enhance the hotel's entertainment profile for the Christmas season. The Cancer Society, on the other hand, sees Laramade as a company that is consistent with its institutional image. Furthermore, this publication was informed that part of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the Cancer Society here.
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Members of the Classique Dance Company who are carded to perform at the event.
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Tobacco standard and regulatory legislation need to be effectuated By Pat Dial A FEW months ago this column carried an article on the dangers of tobacco consumption and called for the resuscitation of the modern tobacco regu-
latory legislation which had been prepared when Dr Leslie Ramsammy was Minister of Health. We also called for the quick adoption of the Tobacco Standard proposed by the Bureau of Standards. The Standard being proposed by the Bureau of Standards is the Caribbean Regional Standard and deals with the labelling of tobacco products. Consumer advocates were therefore happy to see one of the national newspapers of a few days ago carrying an entire middle page with banner headlines mentioning the dangers of tobacco use and indicating that a Tobacco Regulatory Bill would soon be introduced in Parliament. The newspaper report mentioned that both the Minister of Public Health and the Minister within the Public Health Ministry were both enthusiastic promoters of the Bill. We have not been able so far to peruse the Bill in its present form but we are quite confident that it would be modern
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CONSUMER CONCERNS: legislation and would not differ much from the Bill the Ministry of Health was proposing a few years ago. Tobacco is one of the greatest killers in the world and millions of people die a premature death because of tobacco use. Among the many ailments and sicknesses which tobacco use causes are emphysePat Dial ma which is the swelling of the lung tracts, thus restricting the inflow of oxygen and expulsion of carbon dioxide; lung cancer; stomach ulcers caused by the reduction of resistance to the bacteria that cause stomach ulcers; osteoporosis caused by the restriction of oxygen into the blood; deformed sperm causing new-born children to have bodily deformities; and of course heart disease of many kinds. The onset of the effects of these and other diseases caused by tobacco use come on gradually and when they are recognized or discovered, it is often too late. ► Continued on page XXXI
Chronicle Pepperpot November 15, 2015 ► From page XXX In the Developed Countries, tobacco use has been steadily decreasing and thus the tobacco companies have been turning their attention to promoting their products in the Third World, especially among the young and with much success. In Guyana, tobacco use seems to be rising if one judges by the increases in tobacco sales of the tobacco company and by the frequency with which one encounters smuggled tobacco products being vended on the streets and in some small shops. Accordingly, both the tabling and passing of the Tobacco Regulatory Bill and the adoption of the Tobacco Standard should be done with immediacy. The Standard adopted by the Bureau of Standards is the Caribbean Regional Standard for labelling as already mentioned. This Standard gives actual graphic art-work with warnings further elucidating the graphics. There are 42 such graphic warnings with suggestions of how they could be rotated. These graphic warnings vividly cover tobacco-related ailments such as premature aging, mouth cancer, still births, gangrene, strokes and lung cancer. These graphic warnings are to be placed on cigarette boxes and other containers of tobacco products. Tobacco companies have a record of using their vast resources to oppose such legislation and warnings and the tobacco company which controls Demerara Tobacco Company (DEMTOCO) is British-American, one of world’s biggest multi-nationals. We do not forsee any of the opposition which occurred in other countries since Guyana is very late in passing such legislation. Mrs Amanda Cavill de Zavaley, the recent Chairman of DEMTOCO, indicated as much when she was replying to the question of a shareholder at an Annual General Meeting of the Company. The shareholder asked how would the Company respond to the growing anti-tobacco campaigns and anti-tobacco
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legislation. She replied that the Company has dealt with similar issues in other countries and would be able to absorb such effects and take corrective action. The Ministry of Education would do well to introduce some basic information of the dangers of smoking tobacco and other dangerous substances as a small module in any of the relevant courses being taught at both the primary and secondary levels. Also, the issue of children smoking should be introduced at parent-teachers meetings. The Guyana Consumers Association will formally ask the relevant authorities to expedite the tobacco regulatory legislation and the adoption of the Standard. (GCA’s email: patdial26@gmail.com)
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Adele's '21' deemed Billboard's greatest album of all time (REUTERS) ADELE’S Grammy-winning 2011 release "21" was deemed by Billboard magazine the greatest album of all time based on chart position and the soundtrack of the 1965 Julie Andrews movie "The Sound of Music" came in second. The British singer racked up the most weeks - 24 - for an album by a woman atop the Billboard 200 album charts and saw 78 weeks in the top 10, Billboard said in a ranking released this week based on chart positions dating to 1963. Adele's follow-up album, "25," is due to be released on Nov. 20. The first single "Hello" has already broken records for digital sales and music video views. The Billboard rankings used a descending point system that awarded the highest value for weeks that an album spent at No. 1 with consideration for changes in chart-ranking methodology over the years. Despite having a record 19 No. 1 hits, The Beatles placed only 54th on the all-time great album rankings with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," which spent 15 straight weeks at the top in 1967. But the Fab Four from Liverpool were named the top all-time act, followed by The Rolling Stones. Country-turned-pop singer Taylor Swift, who has had four albums hit No. 1 since 2006, gave her a No.8 ranking in the greatest acts. Billboard noted she was the only act among the all-time top 30 to have started a chart career since 2000. The Oscar-winning "Sound of Music" soundtrack spent a record 109 weeks in the Billboard 200 top 10 and was a regular presence there from 1965 to early 1968.
British singer Adele performs the song ''Skyfall'' from the film ''Skyfall,'' nominated as best original song, at the 85th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California February 24, 2013. (Reuters/Mario Anzuoni/Files)
Elvis tops UK album chart for second week (Reuters) KING of rock and roll Elvis Presley topped the British album charts for a second week on Friday with his 12th UK Number 1. Nearly 40 years after his death, Elvis became the male solo artist with the most UK Number 1 albums last week with "If I Can Dream," a collection of his classics featuring orchestral reworkings by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The album notched up over 88,600 combined chart sales, giving him the second-fastest selling album of the year behind Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' "Chasing Yesterday", the Official Charts Company said. New entries Little Mix’s "Get Weird" and Ellie Goulding's "Delirium" took second and third place in the album chart, pushing Rod Stewart's "Another Country" down from second to fourth place. There was another trip down memory lane this week with a deluxe reissue of the Beatles' album "1" entering at number five. In the singles charts, Adele was top for a third week with Britain's fastest-selling record of 2015 "Hello," which also topped Britain's weekly streaming chart with 4.7 million listens. Justin Bieber's "Sorry" was number two in the singles charts, followed by 2014 X Factor runner-up Fleur East with her debut single "Sax".
Shabana Azmi bats for Shah Rukh Khan While there has been a stony silence over the radicals' attack on Shah Rukh Khan over his statement on the growing intolerance in our country, actress-activist-parliamentarian-crusader Shabana Azmi spoke up on the subject. "Shah Rukh Khan has merely expressed his opinion, he
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Shabana
hasn't broken the law, he hasn't indulged in violence, but speaking his mind is enough for the State to post a posse of policemen outside his house!" She sees this as fight between liberal and radical elements. "I've said this before. This is not a fight between Hindu and Muslim. It's a fight between ideologies. We need to have the liberal Hindu Muslim Christian ON THE SAME SIDE against the intolerant Hindu Muslim Christian ON THE OTHER." Shabana recalls her own brush with intolerant elements a few years ago. "I respect Shah Rukh Khan for his fearless stand. But I've been called a traitor, an anti-national, a woman with Pakistani blood running in my veins by the Shiv Sena, and not a crow stood up for me." Shabana Azmi sees the irony in the same elements which accused her of being anti-nationalistic, coming forward to support Shah Rukh. "The same Shiv Sena is calling BJP names for calling SRK anti-national!!" She strongly condemns radical attempts to equate the Indian Muslim with Pakistani leanings. "It is vile that there are repeated attempts to posit an Indian Muslim automatically as Pakistan loyalist. It suits Pakistan fine and you play into the
hands of people like Hafiz Saeed whose raison d'etre is to fuel enmity between the two countries." Shabana Azmi doesn't see intolerance as a newly acquired crisis in our country. "Intolerance has always existed and will continue to do so as long as there are human beings. It exists in pockets of the Congress, the Left and the BJP. How the intolerance is dealt with is the business of the STATE. Apni dukaan mat chalao, just deal with it in the way it should be handled in a democracy. Show that you mean business. Kehni aur karni (word and action) should be the same." Shabana maintains there should be an ongoing interaction between people of India and Pakistan. "Let's not confuse the governments of both countries with their people. India must keep the pressure on the Pak govt to stop cross-border terrorism because that is non-negotiable. But people-to-people contact should continue to be strengthened because there are many elements on both sides of civil society who want peace. When you stop people to people contact you serve the cause of people like Hafiz Syed who thrive on divisiveness. Whose side do you wish to be on? That is the question that begs to be answered." (Bollywood Hungama)