Pepperpot 2014 11 23

Zeelugt -A thriving location with a tropical glow but marred somewhat by school dropouts and criminal elements

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Beyonce To Release New Song ‘7/11’ Page Next Week XLIV

It’s not Deepika Padukone, find out who is Katrina Kaif’s toughest competition? Page XII

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Patience Ozokwor Page stars in XIII Malawian film

Scarlet Roses

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

(continued)

Torn between two loves

“AMELIA” “WHOSE voice is calling me?” she wondered.

She laid in bed, sleepless, thinking about what the old man had told her that she was a pilot and her plane had crashed, the accident causing her to lose her memory. She knew, now though her mind was still in scattered pieces, that search parties were looking for her.

“My family must be worried,” was her distressing thought, “And I’m so far away from home.”

Her eyes closed in sleep, close to the morning hour and when she awoke, sunlight was streaming through the window. The two pretty little girls were standing by her bedside with fresh flowers. Amelia sat up and smiled, feeling somehow like this was all a dream.

“The two of you are like the flower fairies” she said to them.

They took her hand and led her to a hut nearby where there was a bathtub expertly crafted from the rich woods of the forest to hold water.

“This is unbelievable” she said, quietly, as she stepped into the water, warm and scented from the floating flower petals.

It surprised her that the natives had such luxury but as she relaxed in the tub, for those calm moments that soothed her mind, she realised it was because of the innovative thinking of the Englishman. The girls helped her to dress in native’s clothes and brushed her hair, adorning it with a string of tiny petals. She looked at her reflection, hardly recognising who she was anymore and turned around as the hunter came into the hut. He was looking different, his long hair neat, his face clean shaven, and he wore jeans and t-shirt, definitely a look to appreciate.

“Nice” she said to herself He looked at her for a long moment before he said with a slight smile, ‘Beautiful’ and

held out his hand, “Come with me, breakfast awaits you.”

Breakfast was in a larger hut, the interior looking like a little banquet hall, the dining table and chairs carved from the finest woods, stunning craftsmanship. Amelia looked at the old Englishman, truly impressed.

“This is amazing, you have brought a little of the outside world here.”

“Not me” he said, inclining his head to his son standing beside her, “It’s his creative mind and expert hands.”

She turned and looked at the hunter, a deep look of amazement reflecting in her eyes, “This is incredible.”

He smiled, still that slight smile, playing at the corner of his mouth, pleased she was impressed.

Breakfast was a nice little family affair with the old man, Samuel, his son, Nate, a close resemblance to his father, two daughters, more native than European, and his grand-daughters , the two pretty little girls who had brought her flowers and was taking care of her.

“Did you sleep well?” Samuel asked her.

“Not too well, I’m worried about my family.”

maureen.rampertab @gmail.com “Try not to” he advised her, “Your mind needs to be relaxed, not stressed. The trackers left since before sunrise, they should locate the search parties soon and until then, you’re in good hands.”

She smiled at the old man warmly, thankful for his kindness and understanding-a man of God, honoured by the natives.

And his son?

She glanced at Nate, his long hair giving him that little wild look, effortlessly attractive and a body that would take a woman’s breath away. He turned and looked at her and for a brief moment, his eyes held hers, before she looked away.

“What am I thinking?” she admonished herself, “I’ll be leaving here soon.”

The food was served, setting her mind at ease and she almost gasped, not having a seen so much food in many days. The flavour of real native dishes, she had never tasted and she savoured the pure delicacy of the pepper pot, cassava bread, beans and corn, a glow of satisfaction on her face.

“That was very good, I thank you for this

wonderful meal,” she said to the native/European family who were beginning to give her life a new meaning.

Nate stood and held out his hand to her, “Come on, let me show you around my home.”

She took his hand and as they walked out the hut, she turned and looked back at the old man. He nodded his head a little as though telling her, “It’s okay, you’re in safe hands.”

Nate took her or a walk along the meandering streams, its crystal water like the drink of life and she watched amazed and thrilled, the exotic birds and rare flowers, a secret haven of nature, unknown to the world. Nate held her hand sometimes so she could not lose her balance on uneven ground and twice he lifted her over the rocky areas. His arms were strong and he moved with the ease and agility, his masculinity, natural and rugged something she was beginning to like. He was careful with her, knowing for a woman of the outside world, her bare feet were virgin to the naked jungle floor and streams.

He sat her down on a rock in the middle of a wide stream, so she could rest a little, the cool water rushing past her feet and he said to her, “Look closely in the water and tell me what you see.”

Through the clear water, she saw fishes swimming leisurely and tiny glints of something. “I’m not sure” she said “What is it?”

He reached under the water and scooped up a handful of small rocks, holding it up to the sunlight and she gasped, recognising it was gold.

“No wonder you father said, this place is something of heaven, its richness and beauty undisturbed” “And you have not seen it all” Nate told her “This is our world, our home.”

He pulled off his shirt that had gotten wet, wringing it dry and tied it around his waist then lifted her off the rock. For one timeless moment, standing their close to each other, it looked from above, like God had recreated man and woman in a beautiful garden.

He took her back to the village, knowing she must be now tired and hungry. The midday meal was outdoors, a little way from the huts, in a garden setting, just the two of them as the children ran around playing.

“Is this your creative work too?” she asked.

“No, it’s the work of my sisters.”

“You have an amazing family” she said with a little laugh, not realising how the troubles from her mind had disappeared since breakfast.

Continued on page V

Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

III

By Petamber Persaud

Preserving Our Literary Heritage Expressions 2 ‘EXPRESSION 2’ exploded and imploded on the stage of Theatre Guild Playhouse last Sunday, November 9, with flourish, silk and excitement. This new forum for poetry was well crafted and beautifully executed with all the pieces falling neatly into place from idea to act. The veteran producer, the selected poems, the seasoned performers, the consummate readers, the stage managing, the props, the costumes, the lights, the sounds, the technical supervision, the appreciative audience etc. all combined to ensure a high-quality, fluid and exciting show.

An extract from the printed programme will serve as a good guide as to the scope and range and promise of this new forum for poetry.

Coolie Mother by David Dabydeen performed by Scheherazade Khan Coolie Son by David Dabydeen performed by Petamber Persaud I come from the nigger yard by Martin Carter performed by Lloyd Marshal After Carter by Ruel Johnson performed by Sean Thompson and Derek Gomes Fragment of poem by Mahadai Das read by Vanda Radzik accompanied by Sonia Yarde Three poems on violence against women: Rise up written and performed by Sean Thompson Sickle by Kai Davis performed Nuriyyih Gerrard Murdered by Mahadai Das performed by Sonia Yarde Three pieces on cricket: Homecoming by Ian McDonald read by Kit Nascimento Cricket written and performed by Jennifer Thomas The master batsman by Paul Keens-Douglas performed by Ron Roberson If I were a love poet by Rudy Francisco performed

by Mark Luke Edwards Who wrote this script written and performed by Randolph Critchlow and Sonia Yarde Two extracts from Shakespeare’s ‘Merchant of Venice’ and ‘The Tempest’ performed by Dereck

Gomes et al Other pieces included ‘I am a Christian I am sorry’

by Chris Tse; ‘A poison tree’ by William Blake; ‘In Flanders Field’ by John Mcrae; ‘The Plan’ by Robert Fernandes [from his recent collection of poems, ‘The Voice and Vision of Robert J. Fernandes’] read by Damian Fernandes; and ‘Cure-Foh-Al’ written and performed by Petamber Persaud.

‘Expressions’ is a new poetry forum. This new

GEM MADHOO-NASCIMENTO

platform for poetry aims to extend the landscape of Guyanese Literature and to heighten the appreciation of poetry. What started tentatively in May has now become a smooth mechanism of poetry excellence.

And most of the credit must go to the producer, Gem Madhoo-Nascimento, whose work could be better understood through the sentiments expressed in the poem, ‘The touch of master’s hand’ by Myra Brooks Welch. The poem tells the story of how an old battered violin on auction couldn’t raise three dollars but after a tune was played on it by a master, it went for three thousand dollars.

The producer, Gem Madhoo-Nascimento, declared she was inspired to launch such an event after witnessing the resoundingly successful, ‘See More Poetry’, at the playhouse to mark the birth centenary of A. J. Seymour. That activity was staged by the National Library on Sunday January 12, 2014. A note from the producer on the printed programme reads hopefully ‘Expressions’ will become a regular feature on the Theatre calendar.

Based on the feedback of ‘Expressions 2’, there is no doubt this poetry forum will become a regular feature in the social calendar of Guyana.

(Responses to this author telephone (592) 2260065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com) WHAT’S HAPPENING • The book, ‘From Ashes to Ferro-Concrete: A History of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 1914 -2014’ by Joanne Collins-Gonsalves, published by the Guyana Heritage Society will be launched on December 8, 2014, at 6.30 pm in the Church.

• Coming soon the autobiography of Sir Shridath, ‘Glimpses of a Global Life’ • Look out Sharon Maas’ new novel, ‘The Small Fortune of DorotheaQ’, and Ryhaan Shah’s third novel ‘A Death in the Family’.

• On Amazon is ‘Turtle Myrtle’ by Juliet Madhoo-Bipau

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

The Portuguese of Guyana A study in culture and conflict by Mary Noel Menezes, R.S.M Introduction by Dr Dimitar Angelov University of Warwick Very much in keeping with the cosmopolitanism of its subject, the idea for The Portuguese of Guyana: A Study in Culture and Conflict took shape during a visit to India, in 1992. Whilst lecturing at the University of Pune, formally Poona, the author, Mary Noel Menezes, R.S.M, a Guyanese of Portuguese descent, was asked if any research had been published on the history of the Portuguese in her country.

Inspired by this question, Menezes compiled a collection of documents, Scenes from the History of the Portuguese in Guyana, which was then followed by the present work.

The Portuguese of Guyana: A Study in Culture and Conflict draws a fascinating social portrait of the indentured labourers who began migrating from the island of Madeira to British Guiana, shortly after the 1834 Abolition of Slavery Act had come into effect.

The author is meticulous in laying the scene for her characters and begins her account with an insightful overview of the socio-culMARY NOEL MENEZES tural context from which these labourers emerged.

Thus, Madeira features prominently in the book, almost acquiring the symbolic status which the Portuguese migrants bestowed on it as a country of origin. By the 1830s Madeira was inhibited by a eclectic body of mostly European settlers for nearly four hundred years, and had developed a dynamic economy of agriculture and trade. However, due to periodically failing sugar and wine crops, as well as political instability in Portugal between 1823 and 1834, the economic fortunes of the Madeirans, especially of its agriculture workers, were in rapid decline. It was precisely these workers that formed the overwhelming majority of indentured labourers who set off the British Guiana in search of South American “El Dorado”.

On May 3, 1835, the first group of forty Portuguese arrived in Demerara, after a seventy-eight -day’ journey via London. Twenty of them were contracted by James Albuoy of La Penitence and Liliendaal, and the other twenty by R.G. Butts of Pln. Thomas. At the beginning, it was the planters who covered the transport cost for the workers, but between 1841 and 1842 immigration from Madeira was funded by the colonial government.

As Menezes observes, the rural population of Madeira was perfectly suited to the type of work which was available for them in the British colony, as they were “well-versed in agriculture with sparse means.” But they were also perfectly suited to secure the dominant position of the planter elite in the new political and economic situation post-abolition. In the strictly regimented society of nineteenth-century British Guiana, where class boundaries were perceived to coincide with those associated with the position of the African slave.

The very idea of daily toil in the fields was held in contempt by both the Black and Amerindian population of the colony, whose feelings were particularly vehement in the wake of the 1834 reform. Faced with the prospect of their land going fallow and their capital rapidly depleting, the planters had to find an immediate solution to the labour shortage. And for this they turned to Europe first.

Given that the vast majority of indentured labourers who were to arrive in British Guiana in the course of the nineteenth century were of East Indian origin, the choice of Portugal as a source of labour may strike the contemporary reader as unusual. The rationale behind this decision was the realpolitik of

interracial relations in the colony, which Menezes reveals in all its intricate complexity. By importing workers who were white in appearance, the planter elite were hoping to raise the profile of agriculture work and persuade the locals to return to the fields. The Portuguese were thus far more than simply cheap labour; they were to be deployed as an ideological weapon in the post-abolition race relations which was to help the European elite regain some of the power they enjoyed prior to the 1834 Act. Much as they wanted to employ token white workers in the fields, the Guianese planters, themselves, were not in the least taken by the new comers’ appearance. Although European in origin, the Portuguese laboureres were relegated to a “racial” category of their own, very much like the East Indian and the Chinese migrants who would arrive in British Guiana later in the century. Clearly, the association between occupation and race was holding strong in the minds of the colonial elite, although their action seemed to indicate otherwise.

Upon their arrival in British Guiana, the Portuguese found themselves confined to a detached, at times even segregated life, and it is amongst the chief merits of the present book that their complex social predicament is analyzed in depth.

For it was the peculiarity of their place in the colony, as the author so persuasively argues, that bred antagonism and even outright conflict between the migrants and the locals. The Black population, in particular, responded with predictable dislike to the favouritism with which the colonial; administration received the Portuguese. The planters’ efforts to set up these new arrivals as model labourers reflected poorly on the Creoles’ work ethic and did little to promote good relations between the two ethnic groups.

Quite apart from the miscalculated reaction of the Blacks, the plans for hiring Portuguese workers backfired on another important account. In accepting their indenturship, the majority of the Portuguese were motivated by the prospect of fast profit with which to return to their native Madeira. In pursuit of a good life back home, they threw themselves hard into work, often to the detriment of their own health. Yet the Portuguese ambitions to better their financial lot were not confined to agricultural labour alone: “After completing their indenture (in some cases they left the estates before so doing) the Portuguese used their capital and that of their families to establish

rural shops”. The speed with which this transition took place can only be described as remarkable. Out of the 15,704Portuguese labourers who were engaged in Guianese plantations between 1841 and 1849, only 5,206 remained working on the cane fields by the end of 1849. If in 1841 there was only one Portuguese-owned shop, by July 1952 the Portuguese held 312 out of 423 rural shop licenses in Demerara and Essequibo.

Such unexpected social ascendance created frictions in the colony, especially because, as seen above, some Portuguese were not particularly scrupulous about observing the letter of their indenture contracts. This, in addition to the inability, even unwillingness of the colonial administration to enforce the terms of indentureship, was a constant source of irritation for planters and Creoles alike. The former were losing valuable labour force and the capital they had invested in it, whereas the latter felt marginalized even further by this rather unexpected change of fortune for the new arrivals. What galled the Creoles beyond endurance was the preferential treatment that the Portuguese received in obtaining credit to move into commerce.

The Portuguese community thus found itself increasingly isolated in the colony, a position vividly summed up by Menezes’s description of “oil in water.” Their distinct cultural identity and the strong patriotic feeling they had for their native Madeira added even further to their image of irredeemable otherness in Guianese society. To begin with, they spoke little English. The commercial and personal links they maintained with their country of origin confirmed the primacy of the Portuguese language in the migrant community. Even though they were born in Guiana, the sons and daughter of the Portuguese shopkeepers had to maintain the business contacts of their parents, order goods from Madeira and make the occasional trip across the Atlantic. Another important factor that slowed down the integration of the Portuguese into the colonial society was their religion. As Catholics they were a minority in an overwhelming Protestant British Guiana, but even amongst their fellow Catholics they suffered discrimination. According to Menezes, the British Catholics found it difficult to relate to what they saw as excessive devotion in the Portuguese and found the not infrequent extramarital affairs of their men shocking. Finally, their refusal to become British citizens coupled with their devotion to the Portuguese King caused them to be viewed as suspicious by both the colonial administration and subjects. In truth, the Guianese authorities offered little incentive to the Portuguese to adopt British nationality, yet the negligible number of those who did so – only ten were nationalized for the period between 1858 and 1888 – is symptomatic for the deep-seated lines of division which kept the Portuguese community apart.

Menezes places due importance on the political implication of this isolation. The fact that the DR DIMITAR ANGELOV Portuguese continued to live in British Guiana as foreign citizens throughout the nineteenth century prevented them from having a voice in the government of the colony.

Originally, the newly arrived indentured labourers and petty traders were far too preoccupied with ensuring their immediate survival to take an interest in the political affairs of their adoptive country. This trend continued as they moved from huckstering to shop-keeping and, gradually into large-scale businesses such as hotel ownership, pawn broking, mining, woodcutting and the food industry. Yet once they secured themselves a position at the high-end of the economic hierarchy, the Portuguese began to feel the constraints of their

Continued on page V

Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

IX

Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

The Portuguese ...

Scarlet Roses

From page II

She looked around, lost in thought for a moment, “I wonder if it’s real or it’s all dream that I will soon awaken from?”

He looked at her, her fairness and beauty, the smile on her lips, something he wanted to be real, not a dream.

“How do I know it’s a not a dream?” she asked, touching his hand instinctively.

“I have an idea” he said and leaning close to her, he kissed her, a soft, lingering kiss that sent waves of emotion through her body, she could not remember ever feeling.

A sweet kiss, that awakened her to the reality she was not dreaming.

“Amelia” She gasped at the sound of a voice calling her again, the same voice and she pulled away from Nate, a confused look on her face.

“Are you okay?” Nate asked, concerned.

She stood up, not sure what was happening to her, trying to piece together the fragmented pieces in her mind so she could remember. The stress took toll, her head beginning to throb and everything suddenly became dark. The last thing she remembered was Nate’s voice and his arms holding her.

Arvin drank some water from a small spring, splashing it over his face, trying to wash away some of the tiredness.

The search party had stopped to take a break, fatigued but not disenhearted knowing they were on the right trail, having found pieces of her uniform on the lower limbs of trees. The

V

year, was only made possible after they had won over the votes of the Peoples’ Association, an organisation of Blacks and Creoles which was opposing the economic interests of the colonial plutocracy.

Menezes’s book analyses in depth the ramifications of this pivotal moment in the history of British Guiana.

The political alliance between Blacks and the Portuguese, which had been bitterly opposed until the very end of the nineteenth century, heralded a new era in the government and race relations in the colony. The 1891 Constitution, which allowed for wider representation at the colony’s political helm, helped both communities, as Menezes aptly puts it-to “realise the truth of the memorable words of that famous American statesman, Benjamin Franklin, that those who do not hang together would surely hang separately.” The success of the Portuguese-Black coalition ended the seventy-odd years of social and political isolation of the Madeirans in British Guiana. By reaching out to the descendants of the former African slaves, whom they were imported to replace, the Portuguese proved they could see beyond racial and cultural prejudice and work towards a common future with their fellow countrymen: a frame of mind that would be at the heart of the building of independent Guyana sixty years later.

Quite apart from its perceptive analysis of colonial economy and politics, the book’s main strength lies in the rice and balanced account of the human dimension of the Portuguese migration to British Guiana. The author has used her insider’s perspective in the culture of her native community to recreate exuberant characters and riveting life stories. The Portuguese men cut the daunting figure of short-tempered, at times even dangerous pioneers who could, nevertheless, be overwhelmed by religious piety and a deep-felt affection for their families, often left thousands of miles away. Menezes’s description of the Portuguese woman is equally complex and vivid. Traditionally regarded as the Mistress of the Household, or “dona da casa,” the Portuguese wife was expected to confine herself to the domestic hearth and look away from her husband’s indiscretions. Yet many a Portuguese would turn their hands to more than domestic work, some proving themselves equal to the most successful businessmen in the field of commerce.

One such female entrepreneur was Mrs. Carlotta Augusta

Gomes who took up trading at Le Ressouvenir and later moved to Plaisance where she enjoyed a prosperous career for no less than forty-five years.

Menezes’s sympathy and understanding of the Portuguese way of life has helped her see beyond the often stereotypical image of the Portuguese shop-keeper whose only preoccupation in life was his material success. The Portuguese of Guiana reveals the rich historical contribution to culture, sports and journalism which the community made to the life in the British colony.

Perhaps in keeping with their extrovert nature, the Portuguese excelled in particular in the fields of music and drama.

Having descended from the rigidly class-stratified Madeiran society, they engaged in both high and popular forms of artistic expression. Musical talents such as nineteenth century opera divas Mary Christina and Mary Amalia De Vasconcellos, were the first in a succession of classical singers of Portuguese origin that continued well into the twentieth century.

In 1876, members of the community founded a philharmonic band Primeior de Dezembro, named after the Portuguese Independence Day from Spanish rule, and in 1892 a folk band, Estudiantina Restauracao de Demerara, was established. Both these bands played in the concert halls and public spaces of Georgetown to the delight of Guianese residents of all ethnic backgrounds.

Like music, the dramatic art brought together people from all wlaks of life. And, as menezes demonstrates, the Portuguese were very much the heart and soul of theatre in the Bristish colony. In particular, their flair for farcical humour and comic songs made their performances a preferred entertainment for many, although the plays were put on in the original Portuguese. When in June of 1888 the Portuguese Amateur Dramatic Club staged the comedy Os Filhos De Adao, it attracted far more attention than the scene from Richard 111 which the Georgetown Amateur Dramatic Club was presenting at the same time.

From the cane field to commerce, through the arts and, finally, into politics, the Madeiran Portuguese, who in the 1830s had found themselves disowned by the diverse people along the Demerara and Essequibo, were gradually integrated into Guianese society as the twentieth century began. Menezes’s book offers a rich and detailed account of their journey, with insight and heart-felt emotion that befits the tone of a family memoir. Her book comes to a close in the 1920s, but with British Guiana becoming a Crown Colony in 1928, and eventually gaining its independence in 1966, the Portuguese continued to play an active role in the life of their adoptive country.

This role, of which her own work is ample proof, Mary Noel Menezes leaves to other historians to explore.

other search party had returned but Arvin did not give up, vowing to search until he found her, dead or alive. The idea of finding her dead felt like a deep wound in his heart and he continued to pray in his mind.

Amelia opened her eyes and saw the old man sitting by her bedside, worried, no one else was in the hut.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“I don’t know” she sighed, the pain in her head gone, “What happened?”

“You lost consciousness while you were with Nate.”

“Oh!” she exclaimed softly, remembering the kiss, the voice calling her name, and the confusion in her head.

“Nate, is he here?”

“No, he’s feeling guilty that he caused this.”

“No” she said, sitting up slowly, “I don’t know what caused this.”

“The memory loss has caused your mind to become fragile” Samuel explained, “And extreme stress can lead to a breakdown. Whatever is bothering you, you have to deal with it calmly to avoid turmoil in your mind.”

She leaned back and closed her eyes for a brief moment, a hint of frustration in her voice. “Why did this have to happen to me?”

The old man patted her affectionately on the head, “There’s a reason for everything dear, you have to stay strong for faith is the greatest healer.”

He left the hut after giving her some herbal medicine to drink that would help her to relax. Nate came in a little while later and taking her hand, he kissed it apologetically, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have....”

“It’s okay” she said, not wanting him to feel bad, “I guess I was too stressed.”

He stayed with her for a while talking, to bring a smile back to her lips, the little girls helping in their own way, until the medicine took effect and he told her, “Rest now, I’ll come back later to take you to watch the sunset.”

She fell asleep with a little smile on her lips and as promised he came back later in the afternoon, just after she had taken a warm bath. She looked radiant and he blew a kiss to the heavens. “Thank you, dear lord.”

They sat by the river’s bank, watching the sun set in its crimson splendour, a masterpiece created by the ingenuity of divine hands. He put his arm gently around her waist so she could rest her head on his shoulder, sitting there in silence, a comforting embrace. It was late when she went to bed and he kissed her softly on the cheek, “Sweet dreams for tomorrow.”

After three more tiring days of trekking in the endless jungle, one of the men from the search party who was always walking ahead, came back with a worried look on his face.

“What is it?” Arvin asked, fearful of bad news.

The man held up a ring - her engagement ring.

Arvin took the ring, trying his utmost to stay calm in his mind.

“Where did you find this?” he asked in a low tone.

“Follow me” the man said and he led them to the spot where Nate had shot the tiger.

The carcass of the animal was still there with the arrow in its chest.

“She was at this spot,” the man indicated to Arvin, “And someone standing that way shot the tiger and took her away.”

Arvin looked around slowly, trying to deduce where the hunter could have walked and he looked at the ring in his hand, again, saying in his mind, “He couldn’t have gone far with you. I will find you.” (To be continued)

From page IV

political marginalisation.

Throughout the nineteenth century, the colonial administration had adopted a series of discriminatory practices that were more or less explicitly aimed against the business and other interests of the Portuguese. The sale of spirits, which had become a virtual monopoly of the Portuguese retailers, was subject to extremely high license fees that were bringing substantial revenue to the colony whilst at the same time helping “the white ruling authorities to restrain the independent growth of Portuguese economic power and wealth and to underline their subordinate status”. When brought to court, mostly for alleged business malpractices, the Portuguese were never assigned official interpreters, although such were provided for the newly established Chinese community. The government looked favourably at the Chinese willing to open liquor shops as they were expected to break the Portuguese monopoly in this niche market.

Such constant frictions with the colonial authorities gradually awakened the Portuguese into political consciousness and by the 1880s they had joined with other progressive social groups demanding a reform of the colony’s power structure.

However, it was not until 1901 that the first Portuguese candidates ran for public office. Although they suffered defeat, the political significance of their attempt was enormous as it highlighted the severe demographic limitations of the Portuguese vote. With a total of 12,066 people, the Portuguese community represented a small fraction of the 300,748 strong population of British Guiana at the turn of the twentieth century. Given the voting restrictions for the non-naturalised residents in the colony, introduced under the 1891 Constitution, the number of eligible Portuguese voters was merely in the hundreds.

In retrospect, the implications of the electoral defeat of 1901 were twofold. It highlighted the crucial importance of naturalisation for the Portuguese minority whilst, on the other hand, stressing the urgency of a wider political support for their candidates. The lessons of these early steps were quickly learned and in 1906 the first Guianese of Portuguese descent, property owner and merchant J.P Santos and barrister F.I Dias, took seats in the predominantly legislative Court of Policy and the executive Combined Court. The success of both Santos and Dias, who had become naturalised the same

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

Extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons IN this country, like any so-called underdeveloped country, extraction constitutes the major procedure performed in all dental clinics. But do these patients know enough of what it entails? Now the extractions are performed for a wide variety of reasons. Among tooth decay (dental caries) that has destroyed sufficient tooth structure to prevent restoration is the most frequent indication for extraction of teeth. These are commonly referred to as “stumps.” Extractions of impacted or problematic wisdom teeth are routinely done, as are extractions of some permanent teeth to make space for orthodontic treatment (straightening of teeth). There are many other reasons why teeth are extracted such as badly damaged, abscessed, shaking badly, “riders” etc.

Extractions are often categorised as “simple” or “complex.” Simple extractions are performed on teeth that are visible in the mouth, usually under local anaesthetic, and require only the use of instruments to elevate and/or grasp the visible portion of the tooth. Typically the tooth is lifted using an elevator, and subsequently using forceps rocked back and forth until it is loosened from the alveolar bone. Complex extractions involve the removal of teeth that cannot be easily accessed, either because it has broken under the gum line or because it has not come in yet.

In a complex extraction the dentist makes an incision in the gum to reach the tooth and may also require the removal of overlying bone tissue. After the tooth is removed, a clot will usually form in the socket. Occasionally this clot can become dislodged, resulting in a condition called dry socket also known as alveolar osteitis. This is not uncommon and occurs almost exclusively after extraction of lower molars, due to their lesser blood supply than their maxillary counterparts. Certain factors contribute to its development, such as age, smoking, birth-control pills, extent of surgery performed to extract the tooth, duration of time the extraction site was surgically exposed, and various others. Dry-socket lengthens the healing process and usually causes severe pain and discomfort that is often not manageable with pain medications. It is sometimes treated with a medicated gauze, resorbable gel-foam or surgical packing that is changed (or replaced) every two to three days until granulation tissue can cover the bone at the extraction site. Often, these dressings contain a material called “eugenol,” an obtundant which alleviates dry-socket pain.

Occasionally complications may include infection and the dentist may opt to prescribe antibiotics pre- and/or post-operatively if he/she determines the patient to be at risk. Also, prolonged bleeding could occur. The dentist has a variety of means at his/her disposal to address bleeding, however, it is important to note that small amounts of blood mixed in the saliva after extractions are normal-even up to 48 hours after extraction.

Swelling is often dictated by the amount of surgery performed to extract a tooth (e.g. surgical insult to the tissues both hard and soft surrounding a tooth). Generally, when a surgical flap must be elevated (i.e. and the gum covering the bone is thus injured), minor to moderate swelling will occur. A poorly-cut soft tissue flap, for instance, where the periosteum is torn off rather than cleanly elevated off the underlying bone will often increase such swelling. Similarly, when bone must be removed using a drill, more swelling is likely to occur.

Sinus exposure and oral-antral communication can occur when extracting upper molars (and in some patients, upper premolars). The maxillary sinus ( a large natural cavity) sits right above the roots of maxillary molars and premolars. There is a bony floor of the sinus dividing the tooth socket from the sinus itself. This bone can range from thick to thin from tooth to tooth from patient to patient. In some cases it is absent and the root is in fact in the sinus. At other times, this bone may be removed with the tooth, or may be perforated during surgical extractions. The doctor typically mentions this risk to patients, based on evaluation of x-rays showing the relationship of the tooth to the sinus.

It is important to note that the sinus cavity is lined with a membrane called the Sniderian membrane, which may or may not be perforated. If this membrane is exposed after an extraction, but intact, a “sinus exposed” has occurred. If the membrane is perforated, however, it is a “sinus communication.” These two conditions are treated differently. In the event of a sinus communication, the dentist may decide to let it heal on its own or may need to surgically obtain primary closure-depending on the size of the exposure as well as the likelihood of the patient to heal. In both cases, a resorbable material called “gelfoam” is typically placed in the extraction site to promote clotting and serve as a framework for granulation tissue to accumulate. Patients are typically provided with prescriptions for antibiotics that cover sinus bacterial flora, decongestants, as well as careful instructions to follow during the healing period.

An extraction could also involve nerve injury which is primarily an issue with extraction of third molars. However, this can technically occur with the extraction of any tooth should the nerve be in close proximity to the surgical site. Two nerves are typically of concern, and are found in duplicate (one left and one right side): 1. the inferior alveolar nerve, which enters the mandible at the mandibular foramen and exits the mandible at the sides of the chin from the mental foramen. This nerve supplies sensation to the lower teeth on the right or left half of the dental arch, as well as sense of touch to the right or left half of the chin and lower lip.

2. The lingual nerve (one right and one left side), which branches off the mandibular branches of the trigeminal nerve and courses just inside the jaw bone, entering the tongue and supplying sense of touch and taste to the right and left half of the anterior 2/3 of the tongue as well as the lingual gingiva (i.e. the gums on the inside surface of the dental arch).

She Discovered The Secret of Her Parents’ Divorce SHORTLY after my 17th birthday my parents called me and my brother, who is two years younger, into the living room for a family meeting. I always hated that because it meant something bad was about to happen.

My parents sat us down and explained they were separating because they were just too different or some bull rap like that. I had seen it coming but my brother not so much.

It’s been a month, school started and we made it work. Our parents weren’t going to make us choose. We came and went from each house as we pleased. Recently my dad found out that before him and my mom separated, my mom was cheating with a man she met at a concert.

I never would have expected this from her. She always instilled these ideas into me about right and wrong, and here she is being a hypocrite. She tried to contact me and my brother but we’ve ignored her.

I’m just so angry. I will never accept this guy whoever he is. He may be nice, but because he disregarded that he knew my mom was married and still dated her, I will never welcome him into the family.

I’m sad to say my mom and this dude totally disrespected my dad, and that’s not okay with me.

I know she’s my mom and all, but as of right now I don’t want anything to do with her.

GRETCHEN Gretchen, kids love the word hypocrite. Why? Because kids don’t have freedom of expression or freedom of action.

They are always being told what they can and can’t do. They constantly hear: this is right, that is wrong.

You were taught what is right and what is wrong by a woman who committed one of the worst wrongs in a marriage. Your mother’s teaching is part of the reason you feel as you do. You were betrayed. You have a right to feel betrayed. So do your father and brother.

Some people excuse anything in their family. They are not dealing with reality.

But you are not giving her an excuse. You face the reality of what she did. That is the only way your mom can face the reality of what she did.

If everyone accepts excuses and says, “Oh, we can’t judge anyone,” then there are no standards, nothing to be held to. She has to suffer the consequences, and one of those consequences is her daughter doesn’t respect her.

If we are indifferent, that means nothing is wrong; anything goes.

Your mother knew it was wrong and she did it anyway. If we don’t give people who do wrong consequences, we condone their behaviour.

You have a right to feel as you do and your mother deserves what she is getting from you. As the innocent spouse, your dad may feel better knowing that his kids understand right from wrong and understand what he is going through.

There is a way to part from a spouse, and a way not to part. Your mother chose the way not to part. Though the reason for the separation may not have much to do with the cheating, your mother put a whole different face on it when she cheated.

You don’t start a new relationship before ending the one you are in.

While this knowledge is new and you are shocked and surprised, you will feel like this. You will feel like this until you know for certain she understands that you don’t accept her behaviour. You will feel like this until some of the shock and awe are gone.

The passage of time diminishes most things. Likely you will accept her back into your life, perhaps sooner than she deserves, but it will happen. It is just one part of her whole. It is only one part of who your mother is. Wayne & Tamara

Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

VII

Federal Supreme Court frees convicted rapist in an exceptional case

By George Barclay CONVICTED rapist Adams was held on a complaint of larceny and later was accused of rape, after he maintained his innocence of robbery and set out to prove that the alleged victim was his lover who had been prompted to bring the theft charge because of his unkept promise to her.

The woman denied the lover allegation by the accused, but after he set out to prove his point that night by identifying her underwear, etc. the complainant in a direct turn around, moved away from the larceny charge, and for the first time reported that she was raped by the appellant.

The said policeman who was investigating a report of robbery took a statement from the woman in relation to the rape allegation.

That policeman went on to charge Adams with rape and at his trial before the judge and jury the mixed jury believed the story as told by the complainant, and convicted Adams for rape.

After being convicted Adams appealed against the conviction and sentence.

That appeal was heard by the Federal Supreme Court, constituted by Judges Rennie, Archer and Wylie, who allowed the appeal and set aside the conviction and sentence.

Adams was freed by the Federal Supreme Court.

According to the facts of the case as disclosed by the Federal Supreme Court, Vinton Jarvis complained to the police that the appellant snatched a ring and 25 cents from her during that night.

The appellant replied that he had known her for six months and had an affair with her and that her allegations were made because of his failure to fulfill certain promises to her.

Upon Jarvis denying the affair of having known the appellant before, the appellant said that he could tell the kind of underwear she was wearing.

Jarvis, then for the first time told of having been raped. The appellant having been convicted of rape ap-

pealed the ruling.

The FSC held that: (i) Jarvis’s statement that she was raped was by way of face saving and was not a complaint that could be taken into account to show that she was consistent in her conduct or to negative consent; (ii) save in exceptional circumstances a Court of Appeal will not upset the verdict of a jury, but the conviction could not safely be allowed to stand.

APPEAL ALLOWED C. Weithers appeared for the appellant while E. A Romao, Senior Crown Counsel represented the Crown.

Delivering the judgment of the Court Justice Rennie said: “This appeal is from a conviction for rape. On the 4th June, 1960, Special Reserve Newton Albert was cycling along Sussex Steet and came upon Vinton Jarvis and the appellant.

Jarvis was holding the appellant’s bicycle. She called out to Special Reserve Constable Albert and reported to him that the appellant had snatched a ring and 25 cents from her.

Albert took them to the to the Ruimveldt Police Station and reported to Corporal Dundas what Jarvis had told him on Sussex Street. Corporal Dundas then asked the appellant if he heard what the Special Reserve Constable had said, where upon the appellant said he had known Jarvis for six months, they had an appointment on that night and he took her to the Back of Alexander Village and had an affair with her and it is because he did not fulfill certain promises he made to her that she made the allegations against him.

“Jarvis denied knowing the appellant before that night. She said that she never went to the back of Alexander Village with him. The appellant met this denial by telling Corporal Dundas that he could tell him the kind of underwear she was wearing.

“Confronted with such a challenge, Jarvis for the first time told of having been raped. It is in that setting that the jury had to decide whether or not Jarvis consented

to intercourse with the appellant. It does not appear anywhere in that setting that Jarvis made a complaint to Special Reserve Constable Albert or to Corporal Dundas or to anyone else that she was raped. Her answer to the appellant’s challenge is clearly not a complaint.

“If she had complained that fact could be taken into account to show that she was consistent in her conduct and it could also be taken into account to negative consent. But as we have

ing been raped. It is in that setting that the jury had to decide whether or not Jarvis consented to the intercourse with the appellant.

“It does not appear anywhere in that setting that Jarvis made a complaint to Special Reserve Constable Albert or to Corporal Dundas or to anyone else that she was raped. Her answer to the appellant’s challenge is clearly not a complaint.”

“If she had complained that fact could be taken into account to show that she was

already pointed out she did not complain; what she did was by way of face saving and could not in any way negative consent.

Such a challenge, Jarvis for the first time told of hav-

consistent in her conduct and it could also be taken into account to negative consent.”

“But as we have already pointed out she did not complain; what she did was by way of face saving and could

By George Barclay

not in any way negative consent.”

“The only other evidence that deals with the question of consent is that of a medical witness who examined Jarvis and found slight generalised tenderness of her vagina and expressed the opinion that such tenderness is never caused by intercourse by consent. ‘ “On the other hand another medical witness called by the prosecution disagreed with the opinion expressed by the other doctor.”

“The question now arises what this court should do in a case of that kind . Except in exceptional circumstances, a Court of Appeal will not upset the verdict of a jury for the simple reason that the jury had the opportunity of hearing and seeing the

witnesses when giving their testimony.”

“We consider this an exceptional case and one coming within the provisions of Section 16 (1) of the Federal Supreme Court (Appeals) Ordinance, 1958 which provides: “The Federal Supreme Court on any such appeal against conviction shall allow the appeal if they think that the verdict of the jury should be set aside on the ground that it is unreasonable or cannot be supported having regard to the evidence.”

“This is a conviction that we think cannot safely be allowed to stand.

The appeal is accordingly allowed, the conviction quashed and the sentence set aside. Appeal allowed.”

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

THE SECOND STRIKE

By Neil Primus IVAN was holding a Thanksgiving Service. He had been in the profession of healing and helping people for nearly six years now. Due to his trade he had become very rich. He refused to accept what he was doing as Obeah. Instead he told everyone that he was a healer. Some people believed that he could heal anything and paid well for his service.

Today he was giving thanks for everything.

Six years ago Ivan was broke, unemployed and angry at everything and everyone. He got into incident after incident. Then his ailing mother sent him to spend some time with his grandfather in the country. It was there that he was introduced to the business of healing. He saw many people visit his grandfather looking sick and when they emerged they were smiling.

The old man made lots of money. Ivan decided then that this would be his vocation.

Six months later he had spread the word and had started accepting clients. At first the traffic was a trickle. Soon more and more people started arriving. Ivan found that he could now afford many things he had previously gone without. Although he knew little about healing he sought advice from his grandfather and prepared medicines from local herbs, bushes and roots. These concoctions he sold as his panacea. Somehow it seemed to be working.

For the Thanksgiving he had invited many villagers,

friends and family. There were also a few of his grateful clients attending. There was plenty of food, drinks, fruits, rum, cake, bread, milk cheese, biscuits and three bottles of perfume.

Incense burned filling the small space with its intoxicating odour. The ceremony got on the way. Everyone formed a conga line and shuffled around the table as Ivan chanted some sort of gibberish.

Half way through the ceremony there was a loud knocking on the door. Some people entered bringing a man for him to heal. Ivan asked them to come another day but they offered him twenty-five thousand dollars, an offer he just could not refuse.

The man was in his mid-thirties, six foot plus with shoulders as broad as a barn door. His relatives explained that the man was haunted by Jumbie. One of the elders who normally assisted Ivan put the sick man to sit in the centre of the room. Ivan and the elder laid their hands on the patient.

Ivan began one of his usual commentaries.

“I can feel and sense many different Jumbies in this man.

There is a Chinese spirit, an African spirit and an Indian spirit.

It was now time for decisive action. Taking a small gravel (Small hammer used in court by a judge), he began hitting the man all over his body. The knee, the back, the head and the chest took quite a beating. The back and chest were given special attention.

The music of Little Jones started playing and they all

danced around the sick man. Some elders began beating the man with cabbage brooms and the shouting and chanting grew louder and louder. Many of the guests forgot about the Thanksgiving and got physically involved. The healing intensified. As the session progressed things escalated to an embarrassing level.

In the midst of the beating, praying and singing, the sick man sprang into action. With speed and brutal accuracy, he started to share some licks of his own. He beat everyone especially his family. The elders and poor Ivan took some punches thumps and kicks.

Soon the celebrants had stopped singing and chanting and started shouting and screaming in agony as licks rained down on them. Howls of terror could be heard a street away and even the very old were ducking and dodging. It was every man for himself. The younger folks exited the nearby windows without the assistance of wings. The elders made straight for the two main doors unwilling to take a dose of their own medicine.

Ivan sought refuge under the banquet table. The long black tablecloth concealed him successfully. When all had fled followed by an irate muscleman, Ivan crawled out from his place of refuge and began to eat hungrily. He did not intend to waste a morsel. News reached him the next day that the sick man did not have Jumbie after all. The man had been recently discharged from the Psychiatric Ward.

Understanding … from a teen’s point of view!

Foster Care

By Vishani Ragobeer HELLO there! How was your past week? Mine was good! Today, I’ll be discussing “Foster Care.” Foster care is basically the caring of a child/children when they were abandoned, in a broken or damaged family or chose to leave their biological parents. I thought about writing this topic in observance of Foster Care month- i.e. this month.

Throughout Guyana there are many public foster care homes-or better known as orphanages. At these places, the children are given a second family and are given the same opportunities as everyone else. Some of these places are funded by the government under the child protection agency while others are private entities. Though not widely done, there are also many families that take in some of these children and bring them into their family.

As we are getting into the season of giving, I am personally asking each and every one of you, my readers to help these children in some way or the other and keep in mind that they are the neglected, the broken, the lost, the

unwanted and the unloved and this is their second chance of having a happy family. The help need not be monetary- you could just go to one of the orphanages and spend the day reading stories for them, playing with them or teaching them something beneficial. Maybe you guys can even provide a meal for all of them- I myself have personally done this many times courtesy of my mommy.

Last year during this time, my class teacher, classmates and I each brought stuffed toys and we compiled them, and on the day of our school party, a few of us took all the stuffed toys to the Convalescent Home and we gave them and spent some time there before returning to school. While there we saw a vast amount of children- some even disabled, and at first they were hesitant towards us but the way their faces lit up when they saw the toys was priceless! After spending just a mere two hours there before heading back to the party, it was surprising how quickly you became attached to these children.

This year we plan on doing the same thing again, so I would urge you all to do something-however little.

Before I go, I know it’s coming down to the end of the term and we all have lots of exams, so please let’s start

Vishani Ragobeer studying and remember your goals!

* Quote of the week (by Unknown): “To give doesn’t mean you have a lot, but it means you know what it’s like to have a little.”

Good bye! See you again next week right here on your favourite and best newspapers!

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

Meet Lynette Carter

XI

Dedicated to helping the needy

“In life, you have to give back something to society … your time, your money, or your goods.”

By Telesha Ramnarine

LYNETTE Carter is thankful for the fine sprit her parents instilled in her and her nine siblings – that of showing empathy and being ready to lend a hand to those in need. Today, she believes that her upbring-

ing but satisfying.

“You feel comfortable that you are able to help persons in disasters and talk to them during this time. Sometimes they just want someone to talk to and knowing that you offered some comfort to someone allows you to sleep quite comfortably at

girl come to town, you don’t know Georgetown and you have no relatives here so I had to live in the Barrack Room which was near to where I worked,” she recalled.

She was promoted until she reached the rank of sergeant. But things did not go too well in the Force at this time, she said, and

Ms Carter (fourth, right) enjoys being of assistance to the needy ing is responsible for the types of jobs she has taken up.

She worked in the Guyana Police Force (GPF) for 36 years, but finally found her real interest when she took up work with the Guyana Relief Council (GRC). Currently the Administrative Officer, Ms. Carter said: “If you didn’t have that kind of background, you couldn’t do this job.”

At 67-years, retiring is still not on Ms. Carter’s mind. “Once I have health and strength, I will work. If you stay at home and do nothing, you will just get older,” she told the Chronicle a few days ago.

She appreciates the discipline that working in the Police Force taught her but after her retirement, she decided that she wanted a job that would allow her to contribute more of herself to society. She heard about an opening at the GRC and successfully went after it.

“In life, you have to give back something to society; your time, your money, or your goods.”

Being high in praise for the organisation, she said working at the GRC is not challeng-

so she had to remain a sergeant for quite some time. After being there for so long and not being promoted, she decided to pursue Industrial and Social Studies at the Critchlow Labour College which subsequently allowed her to gain entry into the University of Guyana (UG).

“I did a degree in management and I can safely say that I was the first police woman to get a degree in those days because the opportunities were there but you had to go out and take them.”

To facilitate the studies at UG, she recalled that a Government of Guyana Scholarship aided her so that she was able to attend the university fulltime.

“Fortunately for me, I did not have to do national service so I finished the degree in four years. I went back to the Force and was given accelerated promotion from a sergeant to an Assistant Superintendent,” she said.

This led to her working in different areas across the country. She was second in charge of the ‘E’ and ‘F’ Division (Interior), then she became Commander of the ‘G’ Division (Essequibo), and then Commander of ‘D’ Division (Leonora). When it was about time for her retirement, she came down to the Department of Development at the Force’s headquarters.

Being the ambitious person she is, Ms Carter began pursuing law even before she left the Force. She managed to obtain a degree in 1997 but could not make it to Trinidad because of financial constraints. “So I have the first degree. I’m waiting until they get the law school here and then I might probably be the oldest one going to finish off law,” she said.

Ms Carter believes in honesty, respect and contentment and advises: “Whatever you earn let that be sufficient for you.” She is the mother of one son-Kevon.

night.”

WORK AND STUDY As a youth, Ms Carter sent out several applications but only the GPF would respond to her and so she took what came her way. Not to say that she regrets her years in the Force, but now she is doing something that brings meaning to her life each day.

She grew up on the Island of Leguan in the Essequibo River but moved to Georgetown to attend secondary school at the Guyana Oriental College. Before moving to Georgetown, she attended what is now the Success Primary School in Leguan, formerly known as the Canadian Mission (CM) School.

After successfully completing her secondary school studies, she returned home and wrote several applications for work to agencies in Georgetown as Leguan, being primarily a farming community, did not have the opportunities.

She was accepted in the GPF in 1966 and worked there until 2002. “You had to learn the job in the GPF from scratch because country

Taking the lead at an exposition organised to showcase the work of the GRC.

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

It’s not Deepika Padukone, find out who is Katrina Kaif’s toughest competition?

MAYBE it’s time for Ms. Kaif to revamp herself and come up with a new strategy for her career. We say so because someone is as popular as she is and that young actress is also taking away a lot of her endorsements we hear. Read on to know who we are talking about…

Katrina Kaif’s latest film Bang Bang co-starring Hrithik Roshan has turned out to be a blockbuster but the leggy beauty needs to pull up her socks and that too ASAP. Yeah, we know she has two films lined up – Jagga Jasoos and Phantom. We are also aware about her wax statue being made at the Madame Tussauds but if the latest grapevine is true than Kat is losing in the endorsement race.

And its because of Alia Bhatt. Yes, you heard that right! Media reports suggest that Ms. Bhatt is as popular as Katrina in the AD world. In fact, a lot of Dhoom:3 babe’s commercials are now going to the Highway

actress as advertisers feel the latter connects with the youth even more strongly. We kinda agree with that because Mahesh Bhatt’s beti has indeed managed to charm millions within a short span of time – be it in Bollywood or in the AD world.

While Karan Johar’s protege is going places, we think this is a wake up call for Katrina. Because we all know celebs make big moolah through endorsement deals and we are pretty sure KK doesn’t want to lose out on too many, hai na? Also, the Jab Tak Hain Jaan girl has been hiding from the limelight for too long. Guess she needs to go all out and make her presence felt.

After all, its always nice to be seen and heard when you’re a celeb. And apart from Alia, a lot of other young actresses are also in the race so the game is only going to get tougher for Kat wethinks! (Source: Bollywood.com)

Here is how Salman Khan’s sister Arpita Khan got married to Aayush Sharma!

OMG: Shah Rukh Khan to romance Katrina Kaif again?

IF the latest grapevine is true then King Khan and Kat will soon be seen together on the big screen yet again. Read on to know full scoop…

Shah Rukh Khan and Katrina Kaif teamed up for the very first time in Jab Tak Hain Jaan which was late Yash Chopra’s last directorial venture.

Not only the film turned out to be a blockbuster, the lead pair’s crackling chemistry also got noticed. And looks like we’ll get to witness the same chemistry on 70 mm pretty soon.

We say so because Aditya Chopra is apparently planning to rope in SRK and Kat for his next directorial venture. We hear Rani Mukerji’s hubby has already started penning down his

next and he has even discussed the story with the Happy New Year actor.

That’s not all! If the rumours are to be believed than Khan has verbally given his nod to the project as well.

For the same film, Adi is considering to cast Ms. Kaif as the female lead. The Chopra scion is not only fond of the leggy beauty but the two also worked together in Dhoom:3 and we all know what was the end result of their collaboration. Interestingly, Aditya’s film is going to be a romantic one. In that case, let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope SRK and Katrina soon sign on the dotted line.

SALMAN Khan’s baby sister Arpita Khan got married last Tuesday night in a fairy-tale ceremony!

Salman Khan’s most loved sister Arpita Khan couldn’t have asked for a more perfect wedding ceremony. She tied the knot with her Delhi-based beau Aayush Sharma at the Taj Falaknuma palace last Tuesday night.

A flurry of stars descended to the wedding venue to share the happiness of the Khan family. Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif, Karan Johar and Kabir Khan also took priceless group photos. Singer Mika Singh performed at the wedding and Salman joined the stage with his brothers Sohail Khan and Arbaaz Khan.

Aamir also joined the Khans on stage when Saleem Khan took the microphone.

Among the ladies, Priyanka Chopra and Katrina dazzled in their outfits. PC wore an Abu-Sandeep saree. The blushing bride Arpita Khan too wore an Abu-Sandeep wedding trousseau.

The wedding cake weighed 150 kgs and a team of 7 people made it in a span of 3 days. It’s certainly the most lavish cake we’ve ever seen at a celeb wedding!

So take a look at all the fun that went down in Hyderabad because it was certainly the biggest wedding of the year. We cannot wait for the reception of the happy couple in Mumbai.

Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

XIII

Patience Ozokwor stars in Malawian film NOLLYWOOD iron-lady Patience Ozokwor, popularly known as Mama G, is billed to feature in a local Malawian film titled “The Return. The film is written and directed

by Rising Choreos and Theatre Company in Malawi.

Ozokwor who arrived that country last Monday is expected to tour all the three major cities of Lilongwe, Blantyre and Mzuzu to perform live on stage.

According to the company’s Director, Joyce Chavula, the play centres mainly on love, orphanhood and child trafficking,which are true stories happening in the society.

In her words, “these are the issues which our

society cannot deny, they are there in us and we want to showcase them to the public

on how they affect us, both the positive and negative side.”

Jim Iyke expresses his undying love for Nadia Buari

Ozokwor, she disclosed will be cast as a wicked woman in the play who mistreats orphans and traffics children for economic gains.

She added that the company has taken advantage of Ozokwor’s trademark of being a wicked woman in most of the films she has acted to feature her in their play.

Commenting on the movie, Ozokwor said as an artist she is ready to take any role in the play either wicked or not because she sends a message to the public.

She added that her coming to Malawi complements her program of sourcing out potentials from African countries to join Nollywood. Ozokwor is the second Nollywood star to come to Malawi after Desmond Elliot.

Tania Omotayo Grabs Nse Ikpe Etim’s Butt WIZKID‘S boo, Tania Omotayo was recently photographed grabbing the butt of Nollywood actress, Nse Ikpe Etim.

It was a ladies night out somewhere recently which had the married actress along with the likes of Tonto Dikeh, Tania Omotayo and Moji Adewale and others in attendance, all hanging out somewhere and Tania probably couldn’t resist the urge to have a feel of Nse’s butt.

Genevieve Nnaji, Rita Dominic, Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Kate Henshaw & More – Red Carpet Fashion At 2014 AFRIFF Closing Night IT was a night of glamour & fashion when the 4th edition of ARIFF (Africa International Film Festival) drew to a close last night at Tinapa, Calabar.

The closing night brought out all the A list

THEY have been surrounded by a lot of controversy but they have been able to withstand the storm and stayed together.

It’s now quite clear that Jim Iyke is totally sprung on the Ghanaian actress and model.

In expressing how much happy he has become and the joy Nadia Buari

has brought into his life, he had this to say: “A relationship is an amazing phenomenon A beautiful fusion of two souls; deep, sensual, warm, selfless, strong, edifying, spiritual, consummate-only when nobody knows your business.”

Nollywood stars from Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, Genevieve Nnaji, Rita Dominic, Kate Henshaw, Ramsey Nuoah, Mbong Amata, Beverly Naya and many more.

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

WhatsApp, BBM, Facebook -Communication or Addiction

Of lately, every time my friends/family members feel happy or angry, the first people to find out are there WhatsApp, Facebook or BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) friends. “I feel a constant need to update my status,” they say…

No too long ago, I attended a Maticore (A Hindu Religious Ceremony-The Friday night before the wedding)

where the people who were closely involved in assisting with the preparation continuously took “time off” to check their WhatsApp or BBM. Surprisingly, most of them are relevantly young people who should be focusing of their studies/career-don’t know of any school in Guyana which uses the BBM system to teach, do you? You visit your family just to know you sitting there almost all by yourself-they are busy with the “ping ping”, yes the WhatsApp, Facebook or BBM. One psychologist said “the number of people suffering from this unhealthy addiction to the BB has increased drastically, even resulting in breakdown of real relationships, “Spouses feel jealous because many users spends more time on the phone. It could be the new cause for divorces,” “BBM forces the brain to switch on and off constantly. It drains you mentally, and results in reduced attention span and hyperactivity.” Thank God I don’t have one. No offence guys.

See my friends, People experience restlessness if they don’t receive messages, and panic if they’ve left their phone behind. There’s also the need to constantly check it. They tend to miss events happening around them and there is a drop in their performance at work or school too.

The entire story revolves around a fear of being alone , the constant need of updating status location updates ,etc. are just to urge someone comment and start a conversation same was the case with Facebook , this will not happen if people start socializing at hangouts and give themselves a break from their busy schedule. But hey, don’t get me

wrong, BBM, WhatsApp are very good if you don’t abuse it. So let get to know it a little.

BlackBerry Messenger, WhatsApp and Facebook messenger are instant messaging app just for smartphone owners. They let you communicate in real time with the people who matter most with features like confirmation when message have been delivered and read, and the ability to send pictures, videos, voice notes and more…

BlackBerry Messenger, WhatsApp, Facebook, Tango, etc can be a definite asset, if you want to exchange messages with other users. With it, you can: • Carry on a real-time conversation with friends and colleagues in several different locations -- or carry on several conversations simultaneously.

• Chat with a group.

• Send and receive an unlimited number of messages worldwide for free with no per-message charge.

• Get messages without filling up your inbox.

• Know whether a buddy is online, available or busy.

• Let your contacts know your own availability for instant messaging.

• Manage log-in and contacts as you would if you

were using an IM program from your PC. • Continue using other programs and send and receive e-mails while BlackBerry Messenger is running.

• Invite someone to join your list and start communicating without setting up a separate IM account.

• Be notified by a specific ringtone or vibration setting each time a message arrives from a particular person.

With most instant messaging services, you download software that becomes the client on your computer or smartphone. That client connects to the provider’s server, using a proprietary protocol for communication. Once you’ve logged on, the client sends the server your connection information (IP address), your computer port number and the names of everyone on your contact list.

The server creates a temporary file with connection information for you and your contacts. Then the server determines which contacts are logged on and sends that information to your client, as well as letting the contacts know you’re available.

After that, the server is no longer involved, and all communication is between your client and that of your message recipient.

With BlackBerry Messenger, however, the server stays involved as it would if you were sending e-mails. All communications go through parent-company Research in Motion’s servers as you continue to exchange messages.

That also means you can’t use BlackBerry Messenger unless you have a BlackBerry Internet plan, or data plan…

Money talk, you pay, you get!

My advice give yourself a specific time to check messages, don’t take it to the Mandir, Mosque, Church and lunch room, try and switch the phone off after hours. Avoid keeping it under your pillow at night, and definitely don’t take it into the washroom. Give yourself a chance to be alone!

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THOUGHT for TODAY I am not arguing with you – I am telling you.

JAMES MCNEILL WHISTLER (1834-1903) The Jentle Art of Making Enemies (1890)

Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

English

Finally my train came snaking down the track and with a screeching of brakes, it halted before me. It yawned and I stepped aboard.

I swayed back into the car and threw myself into a dusty green seat.

Suddenly a bell rang, and off we jerked. I sat there watching the back porches and trash littered lots whiz by. Even the sun didn’t seem to STUDY SUCCESS reach these forbidden places. Often it halted at stations and swallowed Dear Student, more people. Soon we burrowed underground into musty blackness.

Keep a watchful eye on how you are spending your time these Lights flashed on and hand-holds swayed in rhythm. The roar of the days; whether you know what you are doing and why you are do- train drowned all the other noises. Suddenly the train squealed and ing it. Some useful questions to ask yourself when studying are: scraped to a stop and vomited its load. I rushed off the train but halted What am I reading this page for? What do I want to find out? Am in my tracks to gaze down at the poor beggar. How ugly and cruel the I concentrating? What is the time? Be good to yourself. city seemed. I forlornly scaled the stairs and stepped into the light air.

Love you.

Beautiful sky scrapers iceberged heavenward, illuminated by bright sunshine. I then realised that there is real beauty in a big city.

THE PASSAGE Something to Do It is the opinion of my grandmother, God bless her, that all men Evaluate the above passage by responding to the questions that should labour, and at the table, a moment ago, she said to me: “You follow. must learn to do some good work, the making of some item useful i) What is the subject of the passage? Is it one that the writer to man, something out of clay, or out of wood, or metal, or cloth. It seems personally to know something about? is not proper for a young man to be ignorant of an honourable craft. ii) Is the author’s purpose clear to you? What is clear?

Is there anything you can make? Can you make a simple table, a iii) Is the narrative sincere and convincing; does it seem to reflect chair, a plain dish, a rug, a coffee pot? Is there anything you can do?” the true feeling or belief of the writer, or does it come over that he And my grandmother looked at me with anger. is only using known phrases and ideas? Discuss this question with “I know,” she said, “you are supposed to be a writer, and I sup- keen study partners. pose you are. You certainly smoke enough cigarettes to be anyiv) Is the theme well planned? Is the sequence of ideas or events thing, and the whole house full of smoke, but you must learn to clear and logical? Does it have unity, coherence, and emphasis? make solid things, things that can be seen and touched….” v) Does the writer show keen observation? Does it arouse your (William Saroyan’s “The Shepherd’s Daughter”) interest?

Something to Do vi) Are specific, colourful, forceful words and phrases used in the i) As clearly as you can express yourself, give the meaning of writing? Do they arouse vivid images? Thrash out this question in each of the following terms found in the passage: opinion, ig- detail together with questions iv) and v) above. norant of an honourable craft, smoke enough cigarettes to be vii) Check for sentence variety. Is it wide-ranging? Name, and anything. then talk about the kinds of sentences used by the writer. ii) Why do you think the writer says of his grandmother, “God Grammar bless her”?

Respond to the following exercise in a dash. iii) What can betermed “good work” according to the world toWork the exercise by correcting any errors or obscurities that you day? Together with some study partners, think about some good may find in each sentence. Note the excellent ones. examples.

1. Another troubling cause of road accidents are vehicles with iv) After rereading the passage, give one word of your own that dazzling white headlights. can aptly describe the grandmother’s attitude towards the grandson 2. The mother picks up the baby and return to the bed. who is a writer.

3. The baby hold with flesh-coloured hands and whimper satisv) iv) Share the passage with other study partners and get their faction. candid opinion of its gist. Start debating teams ‘for’ and ‘against’ 4. In the personal experience competition the class did more than what the grandmother stood for. was expected of it which surprised their teachers.

5. Even before reaching the age of fifteen some youngsters begin ANOTHER PASSAGE to think seriously about sex partners.

I awoke to the hum and the hunk of traffic beneath my window. I 6. Mahatma Ghandihave a monument in the Promenade Gardens. dressed and ate as I had every morning for the last year. Stumbling 7. “The well-oiled drums pulse fearfully-voluptuously, as great down the dark stairs, I swung the door open to greet another day. hearts in death,” wrote the poet.

The soft morning sunshine caused me to blink as I walked down 8. “I’m afraid we’ve got a bad egg,” Mr. Bishop said. the busy street towards the towering black “EL” station. Dodging “Oh no my Lord, I assure you! Parts of it is excellent!” refuted a pigeon, I climbed up the stairs carpeted with cigarette butts and his butler. broken whisky bottles. Immediately I ducked outside to escape the 9. Nash fondly said to his best friend: “I want to paint for screams of angry children and the booming of the loud speaker. I painting’s sake, because the infernal landscape has a beauty of stood there with people brushing past me and trains whizzing by. its own that I can see and am eager to capture.”

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Chris Hemsworth Named ‘People’ Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive

Beyonce To Release New Song ‘7/11’ Next Week

The time has finally arrived!

CHRIS Hemsworth was announced as ‘People’ magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive for 2014. Seriously, was there ever any doubt?!

What a year for Chris Hemsworth! After filming Avengers: Age Of Ultron and In The Heart Of The Sea, he was named People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive!

From his undeniable good looks and his impeccable body, there’s honestly no way Chris, 31, wasn’t the top pick!

Chris Hemsworth Is Sexiest Man Alive — Named ‘People’ Magazine’s Hottest Guy We’re going to need a minute.

Chris Hemsworth was announced as 2014?s Sexiest Man Alive and his photo shoot for the honor is almost too hot to handle! Just look at that cover.

Justin Bieber Hopes Spiritual Retreat Will Help Win Selena Gomez Back

J

USTIN is embarking on a two week retreat to heal his heart, get in touch with God and Selena! HollywoodLife.com has exclusively learned that Justin hopes the retreat will help Selena ‘realise how serious he is.’

Justin Bieber, 20, is reportedly spending two whole weeks in Rancho Mirage, Calif. for a spiritual retreat with Pastor Carl Lentz, who is also tight with Selena Gomez, 22. Though it’s been a great thing for Justin to get in touch with his spiritual side, he’s also going on the retreat for another reason: “to win Selena back!”(Source: Hollywood. com)

BOW down and turn up your radios next week, because Queen Bey will reportedly release her next single, ’7/11,’ on Nov. 25, following the release of ‘Beyonce: Platinum Edition Box Set.’ We can’t wait!

Beyonce fans, prepare yourselves! On Nov. 25, an extra track of Beyonce’s from the Platinum Edition, “7/11,” will flood the radio as the superstar’s new single! The song will reportedly hit the radio just one day after the Platinum Edition of Beyonce’s self-titled album is released into stores. We can’t wait to indulge ourselves!

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(A look at some of the stories that made the news ‘back-in-the-day’ with CLIFFORD STANLEY)

BATTLING LEPROSY ON FOUR FRONTS (Guyana Graphic July 21, 1968)

The problem of leprosy is being tackled in Guyana from four sides, said Mr. Chetram Singh Administrator of the Georgetown Hospital who supervises the Mahaica Hospital, the institution for leprosy.

He said that popular businessman Mr. John Fernandes “who is really a true friend of the Georgetown Hospital “gave the institution an air-conditioned theatre.

Mr. Fernandes was also providing the funds for further structural improvements to the Theatre.

Since the completion of the Theatre a few weeks ago, 70 operations on patients’ hands feet and eyes were performed by the Medical Superintendent Dr. J. Tiongson.

Mr. Singh disclosed that the department of occupational and physical therapy had been opened to work in close collaboration with this new phase of rehabilitative surgery.

Mr. Singh said that when people became well again and were put back “into circulation” they should be beneficially occupied and that was why a number of projects had been undertaken jointly by the employees of the hospital and the patients.

He added that these projects included basket making, rugs, mats , other crafts, farming and poultry rearing.

A few months ago a farm project to teach patients how to raise pigs, was launched by officials of the hospital.

The guiding light behind the project was Ms.V. Adams Warden of the Hospital.

BROTHER QUALIFIES AS LAWYER, SISTER GAINS B.A (Guyana Graphic July 3, 1968)

A brother and a sister, who left the country more than four years ago to further their studies, have qualified in their fields in Britain and the United States.

Mr. Clement O. Richards has qualified as a Barrister-at-Law at Gray’s Inn while his sister, Mrs. Lloyda E. King has gained the B.A Degree in Sociology.

Mr. Richards and Mrs. King are brother and sister of Transport and Harbours Assistant Supt. (Goods), Mr. Vernon Richards.

Mr. Richards who will be called to the Bar in England shortly was a first class trained teacher at Providence Congregational School Berbice before leaving the country in 1963.

Mrs. King who is the wife of Mr. Olin E. King will graduate shortly from Pasadena State College where her husband also is a student.

NOW A MAGAZINE FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY (Guyana Graphic July 4, 1968)

The Georgetown Chamber of Commerce is producing a new bi-monthly magazine called “Guyana Business” to cater for the needs of the local business community.

At a press conference Tuesday to launch the new publication, , the Chairman of the Chamber’s Public Relations Committee, Mr. Eric Stoby, said that Guyana needed a good well produced magazine dealing with the activities of trade commerce and industry.

He felt that with the coming of Carifta, it was more than ever important and indeed urgent that there should be a vehicle to keep businessmen completely in touch with what was happening in the area.

Guyana Business, he said, aimed to fulfill this function and he urged local businesses to make it a success.

GUYANA SENDS MEDICAL MISSION TO BRAZIL (Guyana Graphic July 12, 1968)

A medical goodwill mission is flying out of Guyana this morning for the Amazonas area in Brazil to help in relieving the suffering of people stricken with leprosy.

Headed by the Superintendent of the Mahaica Hospital Dr. Jose Tiongson, a specialist in bone and reconstruction surgery ,the six-member mission will spend three weeks in the Amazonas leprosy hospital in Manaus.

“We expect to operate on at least thirty cases,” the leader said as he and other members of his team including his wife Mrs. Tiongson, Sister Mary Carmen (Superior) Sister Mary Benedict of the Mahaica Hospital and two Staff members Mr. Vincent Lewis and Mr. Michael Budhoo were packing their suitcases last night for the trip.

The mission is going to the Amazonas at the request of the Brazilian Government and with the approval of the Guyana Government.

Dr. Tiongson who along with the members of his team have been given special leave by the Ministry of Health to carry out this mercy mission, will also evaluate the situation during the three week stay.

“POLIO” CAMPAIGN GOES UP-RIVER (Guyana Graphic June 12 1968)

The Ministry of Health resumes its mass anti-polio inoculation

programme in the Wismar-Mackenzie Christianburg area from 9 a.m to 1 p.m. tomorrow and Friday.

The centres are St. Aidan’s Anglican school , the Health Centre and the Recreation Hall at Wismar and Christianburg Community centre.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Health said that children between the ages of three months and six years should be taken to these centers on either of the two days to receive doses of the vaccines which will be administered six weeks apart.

PROPERTIES SOLD AT PUBLIC AUCTION (Guyana Graphic May 17, 1968)

Eighteen properties at Rose Hall Corentyne have been sold at public auction this year for non-payment of taxes.

The properties which value thousands of dollars, have been sold for only $2,513.79, the amount of taxes owed to the Rose Hall Local Authority .

The overseer of the village disclosed that while rate collection for the date was better than last year’s for the same period, there was still a large amount of rates uncollected.

As a result, he said, 215 notices of persecution had been sent out to offenders

CHEAPER FLIGHTS TO KAIETEUR SOON (Guyana Graphic March 23, 1968)

The Guyana Airways Corporation wants to introduce regular flights to Kaieteur Falls much cheaper and to slash rates by half as from the coming Easter Holiday.

This step is aimed at paving the way for more rapid development of the country’s tourist industry and promoting the idea of local holiday resorts for Guyanese.

General Manager of the GAC Mr. Lanny Abrams said that Corporation hopes to complete work on the Kaieteur airstrip in time for the Easter Holidays when the new low cost flights to the waterfall would begin.

The rates would be 50% lower than the rates charged for the Grumman flights to the area at the moment.

Overnight facilities would be provided at the terminal building to be constructed at Kaieteur top .

Work on this building is due to begin shortly and provision would be made for visitors to spend a night or two in the area, Abrams said.

(Clifford Stanley can be reached to discuss any of the foregoing articles at cliffantony@gmail.com or cell phone # 694 0913)

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Book Review:

“The Tie that Binds”

by Pauline Ramessar Hussain

A walk through Indian homes in the 1950s

By Shivanie Sugrim PAULINE Ramessar Hussain, a Guyanese born author who published her first novel: “The Ties that Bind” in 2012 capturing Indian women’s life in the 1950s Guyana through the life of a teenager and her utmost desire to pursue an education.

“The Ties that Bind” seeks to tell the story of a teenager named “Vena” who dreams what every girl would want: an education and her charming prince. The antagonists proved to be the parents of Vena since they were mere obstacles in achieving her desires. Vena is seen to be brought up in a Hindu home and must adhere to the customs and traditions of the religion. Unfortunately, she developed strong feelings for Sameer, a Muslim which was later transpired to her parents, subsequently leaving her to be forced into an Pauline Ramessar Hussain arranged marriage.

Realistically, in the rural villages of Guyana many scenarios like this are encountered. Although this novel was penned to highlight life in the 1950s for girls like Vena, the reality is such that not even a tad has changed. Indian families that are not familiar with the positive outcome an education can prove to their children’s life are often upholders of this reality.

Moreover, not only has the author marvellously illustrated the pros and cons of being brought up by illogical Indian parents but it also hovers around religion and its demands in the simplicity that lies within its diction. Additionally, unlike many other Guyanese writers, Hussain penned this novel in English since it is the official language of Guyana albeit Guyanese Creole is widely spoken countrywide. Her choice was rational since she felt it would have been “cumbersome to translate each sentence,” and would have ideally distracted the “flow of the novel.”

Hussain’s masterpiece holds slight similarities to Gaiutra Bahadur’s “Coolie Woman: The Odyssey of Indenture” which travels back in 1903 during indenture ship and targets the life of Indian women who were stripped of having any particular authority in society. Hussain’s character Vena can testify to such a case since her voice was invisible to her parents as well as her society. This novel is an awakening to the Guyanese community since beneath its delicate lines one can see its advocacy for a change in homes like Vena’s.

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Prafulla Chandra Ray - Wanted to use the marvels of science for lifting up the masses

A pioneer in Indian chemical research

PRAFULLA CHANDRA RAY

EARLY Life and Education: Prafulla Chandra Ray, one of the first Indian chemical researchers, studied at the prestigious Edinburgh University. After graduating from university, he took a position as a Chemistry Professor at the Presidency College in 1889.

Berthelot who was a very famous chemist, helped and encouraged him with his admirable research in Ayurveda.

Ray was born in Raruli-Katipara, a village in the Khulna District of present day Bangladesh. His father Harish Chandra Ray was a land proprietor. Up to the age of nine, Prafulla Chandra studied in a school in his village. In 1870 his family migrated to Calcutta and Ray and his elder brother were admitted to Hare School. in 1874, while Ray was in the fourth

standard, he suffered from a severe attack of dysentery, which hampered his health throughout his life. Due to the severity of the attack, Ray had to postpone his studies for couple of years and return to his ancestral home in the village. However Ray himself considered this disruption in his studies as a blessing in disguise as it allowed him to read much more widely than what would have been possible within the constraints of school curricula. Amongst others, he read Lethbridge’s ‘Selections from Modern English Literature’ and Goldsmith’s Vicar of

Wakefield. After recovering from his illness Ray returned to Calcutta and took admission in Albert School.

In 1879 he passed the Entrance Examination and took admission into the Metropolitan Institution (later Vidyasagar College) which was established by Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. At that time the Metropolitan Institution had no science classes or laboratories and Ray attended lectures on Physics and Chemistry Continued on page XVIII

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Prafulla Chandra Ray From page XVII in the Presidency College as an external student. Here he was specially attracted by the chemistry courses of professor Alexander Pedler. While studying for his BA examination, he applied for and was awarded in 1882 one of the two Gilchrist Prize Scholarships after an all-India competitive examination. Without completing the course for his degree, Prafulla Chan-

dra proceeded to Britain and enrolled in the BSc programme of Edinburgh University where he studied Physics, Chemistry and Biology amongst other subjects. But Ray did not confine his studies to only natural sciences. He also developed a strong interest in history and read books like Rousselet’s ‘L’Inde des Rajas’, Lanoye’s ‘L’Inde contemporaine’, ‘Revenue dex

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deux moneds’.[clarification needed] He also read Fawcett’s book on political economy and ‘Essays on Indian Finance’. After obtaining his BSc degree from Edinburgh University, Ray embarked on his doctoral thesis (DSc) in the same university and completed his doctorate in 1887. He was awarded the Hope Prize which allowed him to work on his research for a further period of one year after completion of his doctorate. His thesis title was “Conjugated Sulphates of the Copper-magnesium Group: A Study of Isomorphous Mixtures and Molecular Combinations”. While a student he was elected Vice-President of Edinburgh University Chemical Society in 1888.

CONTRIBUTIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS: In 1902, his research work of History of Hindu Chemistry was published. In 1892, he established Bengal

Chemical and Pharmaceutical Works that incredibly flourished under Ray’s management. Ray represented many Indian universities at international seminars and congresses. He got elected as the Indian Science Congress President in 1920.

Prafulla Chandra Ray wanted to use the marvels of science for lifting up the masses. Many of his articles on science got published in renowned journals of his time. Ray was a very passionate and devoted social worker and he participated eagerly and actively in helping out the famine struck people in Bengal in 1922.

He promoted the khadi material and also set up many cottage industries. He was a true rationalist and he was completely against the caste system and other irrational social systems etc. He persistently carried on this work of social reformation till he passed away in 1944

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Zeelugt -A thriving location with a tropical glow but marred somewhat by school dropouts and criminal elements

By Alex Wayne

“This village nice bad bai… And almost everybody hea ah wuk. Dem people this does always find something or de otha to do fuhmek honest money. In dis village we get shop keepahs, vendahs, fishamen, and ah large numbah ah people does find ready employment ah de Uitvlugt Sugah Estate. Hardly in dis village yuh gon find people lazing abut de place without ah jab…. Dem people hea very hard wukking…”

Sarsattie Singh a thirty-eight-year-old house wife was concerned about the issue of school dropouts and uneducated youths in the village.

mostly poor. She noted that children from around the ages of seven and most of them, being boys, are being solicited to do odd jobs around the area for money because of their financial constraints in many homes.

She said that some of them have formed small groups and they could be seen walking all around smoking cigarettes and in some cases tormenting elders and getting into mischief.

She expressed grave concerns that in many cases these youths are being encouraged to drink alcohol and use illicit drugs by rogue elements within the area. She fears that in order for them to fund their new habit, they eventually turn to crime.

She said that in some cases when a crime is committed in the village, these youths are singled out and beaten by the victims without any proof of their involvement.

The woman described Zeelugt as a quiet community, and stated that while a considerable number of rum shops could be found in the village, only about one would be filled on any given day.

I was always intrigued by the makings of this thriving village with its somewhat mystical and tropical intrigue, dreamy cottages and thriving businesses all set in a dazzling countryside layout that ignites a soothing allure to the mind upon visiting. On landing there with my colleagues I was instantly enthralled at the hospitality extended by the people and the ready manner in which they were eager to interact with me and discuss issues of concern that either bothered or excited them.

As the children pranced and giggled in the streets, playing marbles and even cards in some areas, fathers were either dozing in hammocks as housewives busied themselves preparing hot stews by the stoves or mud daubed ‘firesides.’

This was the arresting village of Zeelugt located on the East Bank Essequibo, over fifteen miles from Georgetown.

This village is bordered nicely by De Kinderen to the STRIDES IN HOUSING east and the busy Tuschen to Salim Khan a taxi drivthe west and is said to be over er was of high praise for 3,000 in population, inhabthe government for making ited mostly by East Indians. available in 2013 to villagers The residents thrive there in and outsiders, house lots for Works are still ongoing in the new housing scheme at Zeelugt a melting pot that oozes rich building purposes. Today a camaraderie, joyous laughter new housing scheme is in the and welcoming smiles despite some trouble they encounter “Dis ah wan alright village fuh live in. Yes, Zeelugt ah wan making in the village and this can be ascertained by the like some other locations. really nice village but is dem young people wha deh bout de social and even economical mobility for residents.

Along the roadside young men guffawed riotously as place doing stupidness dat does mek de place look bad. Dem Just last September according to reports some eighty five they converged at the various taxi bases, cracking jokes that gat too much ah young person not going to school when they persons received house lots there and the building process is so often infuriated a weak at heart or those easily prone to be should be and dem parents deserve some good lashes. If yuh in its advanced stages. angered. All around there seemed to be a ‘hustle and bustle’ as come heh aftanoon time yuhgon see how dem de bout the This was made possible by the Housing Ministry’s Cenvillagers rushed about doing one errand or another or hurrying place, drinking and smoking, gambling and doing all kind tral Housing and Planning Authority (CHPA) as it continued to their various occupations in and outside the village. ah thing. And if yuh try fu correct some ah dem, dem done its move towards helping Guyanese achieve their dream of redyfuh eat affyuh head and cuss yuh out.” owning a home. This exercise had of course targeted single CHATTING WITH VILLAGERS The woman expressed the hope that the relevant authori- parents and low income earners. The second ‘One Stop Shop’ These residents were certainly not bashful and 58-year- ties should look into this matter. She also opined that if noth- initiative for that year had taken place in the compound of the old Mohammed Shakoor was ready to indulge in conversa- ing is done to curb this serious problem, some of the youths Ministry of Housing, Brickdam where 85 applicants pulled tion beaming at being the first target of attention. could eventually become criminals. their lot numbers for plots situated at Zeelugt, Phase 2.

He explained that the village does not seem to be plagued She noted that in Zeelugt, a lot of children are absenting The 2013 One Stop Shops were conducted under the by an unemployment problem since residents are noted for from school occasionally and gradually they have stopped Continued on page XX11 finding something beneficial to do to make an honest dollar. completely with the blessings from some parents, who are

Zeelugt

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theme: “Live the Guyanese dream, home ownership made easier.” This allowed applicants to select their house lots, make their payments, and thereafter were issued with their allocation letter. At the end of this process, they would have obtained their Agreement of Sale and then made arrangements to access funds for building their homes.

Before getting underway with the processing of allocations, Minister of Housing Irfaan Ali had explained that the previous focus was to consolidate the existing infrastructure in the housing areas to encourage occupancy. He had noted that as a result, many housing schemes have seen rapid response to building and construction. However, the major challenge of electricity supply has seen close collaboration between the Guyana Power and Light and the Housing Ministry to fasttrack this aspect.

The 2013 One Stop Shop saw the processing of applications made up to, and including 2006. Government had reportedly invested $90.5M in infrastructure to ensure that the lots are available to benefit 383 persons. Minister Ali had reported that the entire infrastructure has been completed with the issue of electricity to be dealt with early in 2014 at a cost of $5.160M. This project was of course displaying Government’s commitment to providing housing to every segment of society, notwithstanding the difficult political environment framework existing in the country today.

have to choose from.

The religious at heart would customarily worship in their mosques and temples, or mandirs which offer much solace and refuge for laden souls. With just a sprinkling of Negroes residing in the village the prevalence of Christian churches is almost non-existent. Those practicing this religion in most cases worship at churches in nearby villages.

ROADS TO THE RESCUE All around villagers were of high praise that the Government is turning its attention towards upgrading the roads in the area, just as recently as last week.

Commenting on this issue was Selochnie Pertab , a housewife who fussed like a lead hen amongst some feisty housewives who were gossiping inside the compound of the Zeelugt Primary School as they were waiting to pick up their kids.

“I am certainly grateful to the Government for paying attention to the roads here and are ensuring that the access streets are now well paved and maintained. Before now many streets would get real bad in the rainy weather, so we are really glad about what the Government is doing. I mean all the roads are not yet completed as yet. But this is a positive sign that the Government cares…”

This woman also said that she is very concerned about the drainage system which is very lacking in many areas. The evidence of this glared at us in the large number of drains and trenches that were clogged to capacity with weeds and other vegetation. In some places villagers were engaging in self-help efforts to rectify this situation.

RISING CRIME RATE The main concern of most villagers seemed to surround the issue of the rising crime rate in the village and almost everyone claimed that the police were doing a very ‘lack-lustre performance’ in trying to deal with the situation.

The very angry and agitated Sharon Persaud could barely contain herself as she expressed disgust at the police’s inability to curb the problem. “I don’t know what to say about these police nowadays sir. We are facing a situation where crime is

on the increase all of a sudden. And this is fuelled by the fact that there are criminal elements here now that new persons are coming to reside in the village. We have a new scheme here and a few persons from all over the place is now living here and creating this chaos. Just recently two teenaged girls residing in the new scheme were attacked and raped by four strange males. The family were so terrified that they have locked up their home and have vacated the premises for fear of their lives.. Someone certainly needs to look into what is going on here…”

Safraz Ali a bus driver was equally angry and exclaimed that the police were just a waste of time.

“The police here are nothing but a waste of time. Not so long ago a robbery happened here in the old scheme and the police did not arrive until a hour and thirty eight minutes. And there they were rolling around in their vehicle as if attending the queen’s parade with smirk and leers on their faces. The police are passing the youths gambling and smoking in the village and they are doing nothing about it. Can you imagine that? There must be regular and more centralised police presence in this village so as to ensure our villagers are safe. What happen to all the police vehicles they have here? Yet we are only seeing one vehicle in the village sometimes”.

Shamad Ali, a farmer who lived along the roadside before entering the new Housing Scheme, noted that the criminals are getting bolder and would hide in abandoned houses and wait for persons when they approach the new scheme road and would pounce on them as they wait for vehicles to get to their homes.

Dis thing getting frum bad tuh worse sir! Dese young men, some of them total strangers are lurking on the dark and riding about on bicycles and snatching people’s valuables as they walk by. We live just next to the main road here and fear for our lives, because we have no electricity here as yet and de place does be pitch black in the nights.

Dem thief hiding in them unfinished builds and rabbing people like crazy. And I don’t know why the police can’t be vigilant enough to stop this nonsense” Shopkeeper Danmattie Surujpaul shared the same compliments…

“This thing has to stop right now!!! De otherday I hear ah woman screaming she head off. When I look out me window, two young bai chasing she down de road fuhrabb she, but de gyal is a Negro woman suh she put up ah fight and rundown the road and a mini-bus pull up and rescue she. And sir it was not even yet nine in the night when this was happening” Entertainment and Religion Entertainment is not really a highpoint for villagers and they seem satisfied with the weekend fiestas offered by the many rum shops around.

That aside, folks are quite excited to indulge in birthday celebrations, and the many wedding which pop up in the village ever so often. Most of the villagers would often journey to the nearby Uitvlugt Community Centre Ground where various promoters would often host mega entertainment ventures that attract large crowds. If they are so desirous, others travel to the distant Parika where they can unleash their entertainment fantasies with all the many options they

The traditional horse drawn cart is still widely used in the village

ZEELUGT IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS Today this village boasts an appealing infrastructure except for the areas where the squatters have taken up residence in the backlands and close to the seawall.

There are quite a few businesses there that give the village a certain distinct economic ambience, and among these are the Agriculture and Plant Shop, Sun Day Chinese Restaurant, Natural Vibes Repair Shop, Double Standard Taxi Service, A & K Internet Café, and others.

But in years gone by, according to the elderly Sarsattie Singh, the village was like any other, being underdeveloped and somewhat yester-year in its appearance.

“Zeelugt was wan very busy village and wid de sewalls suh near we bin a get flooding especially when dem big high tide come. We use to loose craps and otha things real bad. Dem nah bin get dem fancy buildings like today and dem roads bin bad. Indem day dah we bin a fect wata frum wan and two stand pipe or frum de sugah estate. We bina do all we washing by dem pond or trenches and dem days we use to plant, do coconut capra and coconut ile fuh a living” The beaming woman reminisced on the days when they would enjoy the fresh Atlantic breeze as they swung in their hammocks enjoying guava juice and Indian dishes as they mashed it around on their plate with their fingers. She said when one desired a ride around the village they would hop on a horse or donkey drawn cart or hitched a drop on the milk man’s bicycle.

In those days one welcomed the chug of the very ancient hire cars as they puffed blue smoke along the way, straining under their load of chattering passengers. Those were the days when the mosquitoes served up platters of great discomfort, especially to those who could not afford protective nets from the noisy, fluttering ‘biting dragons.’

But a lot has changed with time and Zeelugt is now on its way to ultimate development despite a few glitches here and there. And with the unfurling of time has come the modern transition which make this village a ‘must see item’ on your calendar.

As history suggests, this village derived its name from its close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. The name ‘Zeelugt’ which is said to be of Dutch origin refers to ‘sea air’ which best describes the breezy ambience of this village.

CONCLUSION Despite the trails faced by its jolly residents, Zeelugt never fails to impress with its sandy streets, lush waterways and oh, such jovial people. Let’s hop on a bus and visit this striking location. Well I hope that by that time these sweet people will be provided with more security by the relative authorities concerned.

An appealing section of the village

Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

The curious little ones

The Zeelugt Primary School

Relaxing after a hard day in the fields

This family is afraid as the crime rate in the village heightens

Through Government efforts villagers are enjoying newly paved streets

Ripe, juicy mangoes

Places of worship in the village

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Repairs are being done to the Zeelugt School Compound

Its recreation time for these happy students of Zeelugt Primary School

Some villagers earn a living by growing and selling flower plants

This is the state of many trenches in the village

Sun drying the carpets for the Christmas holidays

I pity those who have not paid their water bills. The GWI crew is here to execute disconnections

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

Lisa needs brain surgery and figures its easier to buy a new brain. She asks the doctor what he has on sale.

“Well you’re in luck I have two in stock, a man’s brain for $1000, and a woman’s for $100.”

Surprised she asks why the price difference?

“Generally women brains run cheaper because they come to us used!” ………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… ………………..

A Jehovah’s Witnesses knocked on my door yesterday, so I answered it and asked if he wanted to come in he said, “Yeah, okay.”

I said I’m just making a cup of tea do you want one? He said, “Yeah, sure.”

I said I’ve just made some toast do you want a slice? He said, “Yeah, why not.”

I then he sat down and I asked him, “So what now?”

He said, “I don’t know I’ve never got this far before!” ………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… ………………………

A guy joins a monastery and takes a vow of silence: he’s allowed to say two words every seven years.

After the first seven years, the elders bring him in and ask for his two words. “Cold floors,” he says.

They nod and send him away. Seven more years pass.

They bring him back in and ask for his two words. He clears his throats and says, “Bad food.” They nod and send him away.

Seven more years pass. They bring him in for his two words. “I quit,” he says.

“That’s not surprising,” the elders say. “You’ve done nothing but complain since you got here.” ………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… ………………………

A young curate, in his 1st charge was under the supervision of a vicar with a good sense of humour.

The Vicar was worried that the young curate seemed to have no sense of humour so one day to test him out he told the story, “You know young man, the best years of my life were spent in the arms of another man’s wife.”

At this news the curate was shocked.

Then the vicar said with a laugh, “Yes, the arms of my mother.”

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This at last raised a smile on the young curate’s face.

He was to speak that afternoon to the parish Mothers union, so he thought he might begin by retelling the story as an opener.

So he began, “Ladies, you know the best years of my life were spent in the arms of another man’s wife.”

Then he paused, and finally said, “And for the moment I cannot remember who she was!” ………………………………………………………… ……………………………………………………………… ………………………

Teacher asks student: What is the half of 8?

Student: Miss horizontally or vertically?

Teacher: What do mean?

Student: Horizontally it is 0 and vertically it is 3.

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Be Faithful Have a saying One one dutty build dam But one one dutty removed Destroys dam.  Call to serve Be faithful Be decent Be worthy of respect.

Krishna Nand Prasad

Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

GAS Xenon is a noble gas discovered by Sir William Ramsay and Morris Travers in England in 1898. ……………………………………………………………

A trace gas in Earth’s atmosphere-occurring in one part in twenty million. ……………………………………………………………

Obtained from liquid air, Xenon is used in many touch screen cell phones. …………………………………………………………..

The earth’s atmosphere is 0.0000087% Xenon. …………………………………………………………..

If inhaled, it can cause a person’s voice to deepen. …………………………………………………………..

It is the only one of the noble gases to form a compound. …………………………………………………………..

On December 17, 1903, Orville Wright made the first-ever manned flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

His flight lasted 12 seconds and covered a distance of 120 ft(37 m). That same day, Orville’s brother (Wilbur) made his first flight, which lasted 59 seconds, with the same aircraft. ………………………………………………………..

Almost five years later, the Wright brothers were the first to fly in an airplane for more than one hour. On Sept 9, 1908, Orville Wright flew for 1 hour, 2 minutes, and 15 seconds. On Sept 21, 1908, Wilbur Wright flew for 1 hour, 31 minutes, and 25.8 seconds.

Airplane engines may be classified as driven by propeller, jet, turbojet, or rocket. Most engines originally were of the internal-combustion, piston-operated type, which may be air- or liquid-cooled. ………………………………………………………………

Seventy-five thousand engineering drawings were used to produce the first Boeing 747.

The first United States coast to coast airplane flight occurred in 1911 and took 49 days. …………………………………………………………..

A Boeing 737 weighing 150,000 pounds (68,000 kg) must deflect about 88,000 pounds (40,000 kg) of air – over a million cubic feet (31,50 cubic metres) down by 55 feet (16.75 m) each second while in flight.

The fastest passenger aircraft was the Concorde but it’s no longer in service. The fastest aircraft is SR-71 Blackbird i believe. But I heard somewhere that NASA is working on a hypersonic aircraft. ………………………………………………………………

Birds were the fastest creatures on Earth until 1919. At that time, pilots first reached speeds of 190 mph (306 km/hr). Thus, the record for fastest speeds among birds was broken. The champion bird had been the peregrine falcon, clocked at speeds nearing 185mph(298km/hr) whil diving. Since then, even cars and trains have beaten that record. ……………………………………………………………….

Now, pilots can fly at supersonic (faster than sound) speeds. Currently, pilots in the fastest aircraft, X-15A-2, can fly Mach 6 (six times the speed of sound) or about 4,500 mph (7,000 km/hr).

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Pepperpot’s weekly Health Digest… with Asif Hakim…

Benefits of eating Okra (ochro) Benefits of eating Okra (ochro) and our very own Guyanese vegetable corrila is good for killing cancer and stopping diabetes.

BENEFITS OF EATING OKRA The mucilaginous content in okra sets it apart from other vegetables for its extraordinary benefits.

DESCRIPTION Okra is also known as “lady’s finger” in some parts of Asia and various other names in other parts of the world. The plant is cultivated in tropical, sub-tropical and warm temperate regions around the world.

Okra is an edible pea pod and although can be eaten raw, I’ve never acquired the raw taste. You can lightly blanch, steam or give it a quick stir-fry to reduce the “green” taste.

Use when it’s tender, as it gets very fibrous when it’s older.

In the okra pods, the white soft seeds (edible) are arranged in 5 to 10 vertical columns, giving it the angled appearance on the outside.

NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS Okra is very low in calories and dense with nutrients.

It is high in fibre, vitamins A, C and folate content.

It is also a good source of the B vitamins, vitamin K, calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and traces of magnesium and manganese.

Okra is one of those few vegetables which have the

highest content of phytonutrients and antioxidants such as beta-carotene, xanthin and lutein.

HEALTH BENEFITS Okra is one of the best medicinal vegetable although it is not everyone’s favourite. You may like to try it if you knew about its immense health benefits: Anaemia: Helps red blood cells production and prevent anaemia.

Anti-Cancer: The high antioxidants in okra helps protect the immune system against harmful free radicals and prevent mutation of cells.

Asthma: The high antioxidants and vitamin C content make okra useful for reducing asthmatic attacks.

Bone Strength: Folate in okra builds strong bones and density, preventing osteoporosis.

Cholesterol: The soluble fibre helps to lowerserum cholesterol, thus also reducing atherosclerosis and the risk of heart diseases.

Constipation: The rich fibre and mucilaginous (slimy) content in okra pods help increase bulk, bind to toxins and ensure easy bowel movements with its natural laxative properties. Regularly eating okra also reduces the risk of colon cancer.

Diabetes: It has insulin-like properties that help to reduce blood sugar level.

Gut flora: The fibre helps improve the population of beneficial bacteria in the gut.

Immune Booster: The high antioxidants and vitamin C content make okra a good immune booster food that reduces your chances of catching the cough and cold.

Peptic Ulcers: The mucilaginous content provides a temporary coating to the digestive tract and stomach lining while healing ulcers.

Pregnancy: The rich folate content in okra can help decrease the incidence of neural tube defects in babies.

Okra and Shrimp ready to eat

Continued on page XXXIII

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Chronicle Pepperpot November 23, 2014

Pepperpot’s weekly Health Digest… with Asif Hakim…

Benefits of eating Okra ...

From page XXXI

Skin Health: With good bowel movements, skin health will improve. Helps reduce acne, psoriasis and other skin conditions.

Vision Health: Okra contains beta-carotenes (precursor of vitamin A), xanthin and lutein, all antioxidant properties that are helpful for vision health, preventing eye problems like cataract and glaucoma.

CONSUMPTION TIPS Choose smaller-sized okra over the big ones. The feel should be crisp and firm to be sure they are tender and not overly fibrous. Avoid

stopping diabetes.

According to Dr. Frank Shallenberger, when it comes to fighting cancer, he’s always looking for natural substances that interrupt the odd metabolism of cancer cells.

Some of his discoveries include resveratrol, green tea, Seanol, and others.

Most recently, he found a fruit that was effective in killing pancreatic cancer cells. The fruit is called bitter melon (corrila) and is popular in Okinawa, Japan.

When bitter melon juice is diluted to 5% in water, it proved itself to be incredibly damaging to pancreatic

those which color does not look fresh and are soft.

As with most vegetables, okra may be subject to insecticide/pesticides. Buy organic if possible. If not, soak okra in water with apple cider vinegar and seasalt for about 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

Cut off the tops and cut okra into smaller pieces of 2-3 inches if desired. Lightly blanched, steamed or quickly stir-fried to reduce the mucilage and the “green taste”. It can be added into your salad, or dipped into your homemade chilli sauce, or eat it just on its own.

Okra cannot be juiced due to its very fibrous texture and mucilaginous (slimy) content.

CAUTION Like most vegetables, okra has a small amount of oxalic acid and does not generally bother. Avoid okra if you have a history of kidney stones.

Why our very own Guyanese vegetable corrila is good for killing cancer and

cancer cell lines. According to researchers, bitter melon juice reduced the viability of two cancer cell lines by 90% and killed the remaining two lines at a rate of 98%.

So, great, these studies show that corrila juice worked in cancer cells in a dish. But do they work in animals? Will they work in people? Apparently yes.

University of Colorado researchers administered bitter melon doses to mice and found a 64%reduction in pancreatic tumour size without any kind of side effect.

The dose was the same as six grammes of powder for the average sized human.

Bitter melon may also help diabetics. Researchers found that bitter melon helps ameliorate metabolic problems by its effects on glucose metabolism.

Of course, if you have cancer or diabetes, talk with your doctor about rolling in bitter melon treatment with other treatments to have the highest rate of success against cancer.

Join us again for next

week edition of the Pepperpot’s weekly Health Digest where we will be focusing on Ways to Boost and Support Your Immune System Naturally and Herbs that Lower Blood Pressure

Typical Guyanese food, Dhal, Rice with Corilla

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Growing culinary herbs:Part 2

By Clifford Stanley IF you don’t have this in your garden as yet then you should.

Dill-its scientific name anethum graveolens, is a most useful and easy to grow culinary herb that also serves medicinal purposes.

Dill is a member of the carrot family and is an erect, freely

branching annual herb with finely dissected, lacy, blue-green foliage.

It is grown for its seeds and foliage.

For the conscientious cook, dill is the name of the herb that can make your cooking look and taste like a work of genius.

Dill is the principal flavouring in pickles and is also used to add zest to potato salads, egg salads and to flavour vinegars

Dill flourishing in a garden at Sophia,Georgetown. and sauces for fish.

Dill goes well with cabbage and other boiled vegetables.

Often the seeds are used for these purposes, but the leaves serve equally well.

The dill leaves and seeds are a tasty flavouring for fish, lamb, new potatoes and peas.

Dill is a very popular flavouring in northern, central and eastern European countries almost indispensable in Russian and Scandinavian cookery.

In India, ‘Sowa’ dill, which is more pungent than European and American varieties, is an essential ingredient in curry.

Dill should however be used at the end of cooking, because cooking will destroy most of its flavour Dill is mostly a culinary herb, but experts say that it does have some value in medicine, mostly as a stomach soother and anti-gas remedy.

It is also said to increase mother’s milk and help treat breast congestion from nursing. It is mild, and makes a good remedy for colic in babies.

In many parts of the world, the seed is also used to make dill water or tea which treats indigestion, flatulence, hiccups, stomach and menstrual cramps, insomnia, colds, flu and colic.

It is a constituent of gripe water and other children’s medicines because of its ability to ease flatulence and colic.

Dill is also said to an appetite stimulant among many other medicinal properties.

The dill plant grows about 3-5 ft (0.9-1.5 m) tall and sometimes gets top heavy and falls over.

It is a very attractive plant with wispy feathery leaves and all parts are strongly aromatic.

The flowers are yellow and borne in large, rounded, compound umbrella-like clusters in which all the flower stems originate from the same point on stiff, hollow stems Dill can be grown in small space in the kitchen garden or in containers. It is tolerant of most climatic conditions and easy to germinate, so it causes few problems for novice gardeners.

Dill will grow well in most soils. Prepare the soil by digging to a spade and a half depth.

The long tap roots of dill need to be able to grow without hitting solid soil.

Incorporate some long lasting organic fertiliser such as compost, at the rate of two handfuls per square meter (yard).

The seedlings will emerge in two weeks or so, and should be thinned to 24cm (9in) apart.

Dill will produce wispy leaves growing on a single stem about 75cm (30in) high, which can be harvested about eight weeks after sowing.

The long tapered roots of dill will ensure that it is unlikely to need watering in all but the most extreme dry conditions.

The only care required is to keep the plants weed free Seeds are available at seed plant nurseries and plant shops in and around Georgetown.

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