Pepperpot 2015 8 2

The After Elections Special Link ► Page IX

WELL! Cari-come - Cari-gone, Elections Come- Elections gone, now we gun talk behind dey back.

► Page XVI

Marissa Morgan and Chris Gopaul

A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH ►XXV Page

An article on awardwinning Guyanese actress Simone Dowding

Best Village under monkey invasion

► Page XVIII

- residents believe creatures went to ‘university’ - all attempts at capture have so far proven futile

Need for more employment for youths in Moruca – residents say …as many move away from traditional livelihood

► Page XXXVI

Teenage pregnancy:

► Page X

A social setback and risk to life Moruca, Guyana (photo: offexploring.com)

- babies born to adolescent mothers face higher risk of dying during childbirth

Produced and Edited by Mark Ramotar | Graphic and Layout Design by Duane Prince

Jasmine

II

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

Damned to live

HE stood in the shadows on the pavement, waiting on a cue from her friend to make her entrance.

A girl of the night she was, a dark beauty with a provocative flair, attributes that guaranteed special clients with rich wallets.

The unprecedented nature of fate sometimes caused detours in a person’s life.

She had been a normal person, six months ago, serving in a restaurant and had a nice social life with a few regular friends. As a poor girl, life had always been a struggle, living in a cramped, little, old house in a depressed area, but her mother, a woman of God, never complained, continuing to work hard, holding on to faith and hopes for a better tomorrow.

“When would that happen?” Jasmine had wondered, her small salary, not creating much change.

The patience she had exercised because she was an obedient and good child had started to worn. From her perspective she had seen success in this world as do or die and a strong desire to do something better, that would design new patterns in her life.

Sometime later she had found something, daring, dangerous and immoral.

She stepped out in the light, at her friend’s signal. She was dressed in a short, body hugging dress and walking in high heels. She swayed her hips, just a little for that natural gait. The client who had pulled up in a Lexus watched her stunned and smiled expectantly and as she stepped into the posh ride, on her sojourn to something deemed by the church as unholy, her friend whispered to her, “Work it, girl.”

Jasmine stole a glance at the male beside her and she sighed, saying a silent prayer, “Forgive me mother but I have to do this.”

maureen.rampertab@gmail.com

S

By Maureen Rampertab

She had dared to be whom she was not, not Jasmine nor a woman.

Jonathan was the name given to the baby boy whom the mother had brought forth, christened as Alexander, in the house of God, but he could not be the boy, his mother had wanted him to be.

Something wrong had happened.

He grew up with girlish tendencies, mannerisms and desires and try as he could to be a normal guy, he failed. Society recognised him as someone different and at school he had to tolerate jests and taunts. His mother, a tolerant woman, strong in her Christian faith, could not answer all his questions.

“Why?” he had asked, “Was I born as a boy with girlish attitudes?”

“It’s God’s will son.” She ► Continued on page III

Jasmine

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

► From page II had answered.

“God’s will,” he has scoffed, “God’s will to be teased and taunted? This is a mistake.”

“You have to be strong, Jonathan.” His mother had implored him, close to tears, “I brought you into this world as my son and I will always love you as such.”

“I tried, mother,” Jasmine said to herself as the car drove to a lonely area, “I really tried.”

As Jonathan had grown older, he had become a little more assertive to speak out in defense of who he was and had befriended a few of his own kind with whom he had felt a sense of belonging. But he was careful not to walk with them on the wild side until one night at a house party, he met someone new, named ‘Jade’. He had been walking on the wild side since he was a young boy, a transgender with a daring, defiant personality and lavish lifestyle. He had tried to entice Jonathan into his line of work and one day, he gave him a package and told him, “Wear this, when you feel the need to make some real money and call me.”

In the package were a wig, women’s clothing, shoes and makeup. Jonathan had pushed the package under his bed, not so brave to dress as a woman and venture out into the streets.

“My mother will kill me,” he surmised.

He had continued his job as a waiter at the restaurant, taking in stride the whispered overtures from male customers, Jade’s offer playing at the back of his mind.

“Stay focus, Jonathan,” he warned himself, “Don’t be tempted.”

But it was not the temptation that pushed him to a life on the streets, as a transgender named ‘Jasmine’, it was the urgent needs of his family and his desperation to wrest them from the unkind hands of poverty.

His mother’s body had become worn and tired from long hours of work, over the years as she grappled to make ends meet for her family. The good medication and nourishment she needed, she could not afford, silently battling her illness.

His young sister wanted to study business but her progress was halted by the lack of funds and for his two younger brothers, there was never enough food on the table.

One night, several months after he had met Jade, Jonathan laid in bed, thinking about what kind of job he could possibly do to earn more money, when he heard the soft crying of his littler brothers.

He knew they were hungry and he tried to comfort them so they would sleep. His mother’s coughing had subsided for the moment

and as he looked at her, he made a firm decision in his mind and pulling the package from under the bed, he called Jade.

The next morning, he awoke, a bit late and saw his mother sitting at the kitchen table, a tense look on her face.

“Good morning, mom.” He greeted her, but she did not answer and after a long moment, she asked him.

“Where were you so late, last night?”

“I went to the theatre with Ricardo.” He lied without hesitation. She looked at him, a disappointed look on her face, lies she did not like.

“I spoke to Ricardo’s mother this morning and she told me, he’s in the interior.”

Jonathan did not respond for a moment, not wanting to lie again, then he said, “I was out with someone else.”

“Doing what?”

“Working, so I can buy your medication, put enough food on the table and send Sarah to business school.”

“By selling yourself on the streets?” she asked, a grieved look on her face.

He did not answer, disturbed that he had brought her grief, but he had to make her understand and he spoke, his voice firm and steady.

“You never answered me why I was born this way, and against all odds, I tried to be strong, for you, the boys and Sarah because I love my family but sometimes mother,” his voice broke, “Sometimes the runner stumbles.”

He broke down crying and she hugged him, the forgiving mother she was, “I just wanted the best for you, my son.”

“I’m damned to live this way,” he said, her embrace the only comfort he had.

He did not go out again until Jade showed up at the restaurant and told him, “That first client you had has requested to see you again and he is offering to pay more.”

“Why?” “I don’t know, maybe he saw something special in you.”

It was the money again that lured him to the streets as ‘Jasmine’ dressed more provocatively and so it continued. He became, not a regular street walker but a desirable, attractive, high priced ‘girl’ for special clients.

His mother came to terms with his need to do, as he said, what he had to do for a better life. But being a woman of God, deep inside, she was not happy, despite the fact that their lives had improved, greatly, even to a new home.

But like has a precedent to change and for Jonathan, his mother’s son and Jasmine, the sex worker, there came a change.

III

Jasmine and Jade had left a friend’s birthday bash early in the morning and as they drove along the East Coast highway, singing along to a Whitney Houston song, a black Toyota rover coming from nowhere almost ran them off the road. Jade braked sharply and exited the vehicle against Jasmine’s advice, unleashing expletives at the two men from the black Toyota until one of them pulled a gun.

“Shut up,” he said, sternly, anger in his voice. “Where is your friend, who stole my gold and money?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Jade said in defense.

“Don’t give me that, you’re all the same.”

The man said, hitting Jade with the gun.

That was when Jasmine exited the car and ran to Jade, “Please,” she pleaded, “We were at a party, we don’t know anything.”

The man looked at her and lowering the gun, he said, with a wicked show of admiration, “Well, well, who is this, a new kid on the block?”

“Yes,” Jade answered, scared for her life, “She’s my friend.”

“Interesting,” he remarked, “I’ll tell you what, we’ll take your friend here to spend some time with us, until you find who stole from me.”

“No,” Jasmine refused, “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

“Yeah?” the man raised the gun, aiming at Jade’s head, “Would you like to see your friend die?”

This was the danger that came with the job and to save her friend’s like, Jasmine consented to go with the men. Along the way, they said things to her that drove a deeper fear in her heart. She had not spoken to the Lord in a long time, but now, she prayed.

“Please Lord, save me from harm so I can go home to my family.”

In a dark, lonely area, somewhere, they abused her, hit her and insulted her, not heeding her pleas.

Jade did not return.

At the end of the ordeal, they drove back to town and dumped her body at one of the street corners. She felt no pain, her body cold, lying there on the asphalt road, damned to live as a transgender, now in the throes of death.

He saw a bright light, a most beautiful spectacle and as he walked towards it, he reached a closed door that did not open but from within a voice said, “It’s not your time, you have been gifted with life, for a good purpose, return and be your true self.”

A feeling of deep peace entered his being and the light, vanished.

Jonathan opened his eyes, slowly, the light of day shining in the hospital room. There were flowers at his bedside and his mother sitting by his side, holding his hand, tears in her eyes. He tried to smile but grimaced in pain, wanting to tell her about the strange dream he had.

She would be happy to know that he had found his true self, understanding now, the real meaning of life that was God’s will. Jasmine was gone and he will forever now be Jonathan, his mother’s son, blessed to live.

IV

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

opyright and you (Part 3)

(Extract of an interview with Barrington Braithwaite in Georgetown, Guyana in 2002.

Braithwaite is a well-known illustrator, graphic artist, playwright and author of many publications. He has also won at least two copyright cases.)

By Petamber Persaud * Petamber Persaud (PP): What is the function of copyright in the local creative field?

* Barrington Braithwaite (BB): Copyright is to empower the intellectual property of the writer or artist. The presence

of copyright in a society opens the door for your creative talents, for the expertise in that area to rise above the usual struggle you’re in, to

create a new industry to enable you to earn and have the respect of the community. As it applies to Guyana, the term ‘copyright and intellectual property’ is strange to the people who deal with the writer and the artist and it is strange to people who the writer and artist have to deal with. It is an ongoing battle to get them to respect your intellectual property, to get them in the first place even to deal with the subject because there is a certain mind block to local creativity; it has to be endorsed by someone else before they recognise it. That is like a colonial element still present sort of impeding on copyright. There is also a commercial element because many of our merchants commit copyright infringements on a daily basis by importing a lot of junk.

There is a fear that if copyright becomes active it will affect them.

So they prefer to keep us, the creative people, the writer and the artist in a permanent bondage so they could go on existing. But again there is limited copyright coverage in this country and that coverage is there only because we are part of the Commonwealth Copyright Act [1968].

Barrington Braithwaite On two occasions, I had to put up cases to protect myself and I won both – two out of two! * PP: L e t ’ s look at how copyright could benefit the creative people. * BB: It seems like Guyana is the only country not doing anything. But signing a copyright act is only part of the issue. Enforcement is the bigger issue – there ought to be

training. * PP: Before you go on; let us recap. We need copyright, we need legislation, we need enforcement, and we need training. What training you’re talking about? * BB: You have to train people – the custom, the police and other personnel to look into copyright. * PP: Why? * BB: Because ► Continued on page V

opyright and you

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

V

► Continued on page V

copyright seems to be a non-existent word. In a lot of official areas, people don’t understand what it is, what are you talking about… * PP: It seems then we would need a whole industry to tackle this issue. * BB: You would need effective people and serious participation by whoever is in authority. What we are having is a system that tells artists, writers and so on to get out of Guyana; go, go, go – we don’t need you. * PP: Example… * BB: Every year the calypsonians complain – every year they do a song and in a blink of an eye it is pirated and mixed with other things and selling all over Georgetown. Now the artistes don’t make any money and less than two weeks after Mashramani, they have to go back to earning a living, sometimes taking menial jobs, sometimes a guard service job to feed themselves because there is no impetus to motivate them to plunge into music, and stay in music, to study and understudy, and write so long before the next competition comes around, they may have two/three more hits out on the market… * PP: They must have the time and space to produce and also earn.

* BB: Yes. The same thing with artists and theatre people. I write a play or you write a book and want to transform it into a play – when I had the ‘Jaguar’, there was a big quarrel over filming it because people were filming plays and putting them on cheap DVDs and selling them in West Indian areas like Brooklyn and all over the world and the actors were getting nothing, the writers were getting nothing… * PP: It’s criminal. * BB: Yes, it’s criminal and they could do this get away with it because you don’t have anyone who is listening and can make a difference by preparing the market place so that every television channel could have a potential small local play running, some small local drama running so that the creative people could earn while they work. * PP: No market, no protection… * BB: And there are people who know better who are benefiting from all this confusion and complexity because if they want to make an ad, they would use Shaggy or Dr Dre music. Now with copyright, you can’t do that; you may have to take some local musician and pay them serious money. However, having said all that, you may take that same money and pay some guy [gal] in Trinidad. For example, the

guy who writes for ‘Square One’ the Barbadian group that is tearing up the charts is a Guyanese – he had to go to live in Barbados to be successful; he couldn’t do it and make money here. So what you have, in this country, as I said before, is that the creative people are been kept in a sort of prison and what we need as creative people is face this and do whatever is necessary to bring change, we got to make this discussion part of parliament. * PP: Now where do we go from here. The prospects facing the writer, the scriptwriter, the playwright, the poet, the artist, the artiste is dim without the enactment and enforcement of copyright and intellectual property.

(Look out for a more recent discussion on the subject.)

Responses to this author telephone (592) 2260065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com WHAT’S HAPPENING: * The Guyana Annual Magazine 2014-2015 issue in now available at Guyenterprise Ltd., Lance Gibbs and Irving Streets, Tel # 226-9874, and from yours truly.

VI

Bob Marley

Dr. David Dabydeen

by Rev. Gideon Cecil

ately reveals the actual untranslatability of the Creole) and a parody of the kind of critical commentary that does no more than paraphrase, or at best contextualizes, the original poem.

‘Turner’ is a long narrative poem written in response to JMW Turner’s celebrated painting, ‘Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead & Dying’. Dabydeen’s poem focuses on what is hidden in Turner’s painting, the submerged head of the drowning African. In inventing a biography and the drowned man’s unspoken desires, including the resisted temptation to fabricate an idyllic past, the poem brings into confrontation the wish for renewal and the inescapable stains of history, including the meaning of Turner’s painting. Turner is Dabydeen’s Magnum Opus to date, and is a book of poetry written in classical language like the Georgics of Virgil.

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

Phyllis Wheatley

WRITERS AND POETS OF EMANCIPATION

‘My poem focuses on the sunken head of the African in the foreground of Turner’s picture. In Turner’s seas (and in those of other painters) it has been drowned for centuries. When it wakes up, it can only partially recall the sources of its life, so it invents a body, a biography, and it populates an imaginary landscape.’ David Dabydeen

W

E are contemplating another emancipation celebration in Guyana. Our illustrious poets and writers in Guyana and around the world have reflected on their ancestors and cultures that were taken away from them by their slave masters. One of our major poets and novelists is Dr.David Dabydeen, whose poetry and novels reflect a great deal about slavery and indenture- ship .Dabydeen’s two major works of poetry -- ‘Slave Song’ and ‘Turner’ -- are two of his major books of poetry depicting the struggles of slaves, their torture and dehumanization.

Slave Song is unquestionably one of the most important collections of Caribbean/Black British poetry to have been published in the last twenty years. On its first publication, in 1984, it won the Commonwealth Poetry Prize and established Dabydeen as a provocative and paradigm-shifting writer.

At the heart of Slave Song are the voices of African slaves and Indian labourers expressing, in a Guyanese Creole that is as far removed from Standard English as it is possible to get, their songs of defiance, of a thwarted erotic energy. But surrounding this harsh and lyrical core of Creole expression is an elaborate and critical apparatus of translations (which deliber-

A poem from Turner below: Stillborn from all the signs. First a woman sobs Above the creak of timbers and the cleaving Of the sea, sobs from the depths of true Hurt and grief, as you will never hear But from woman giving birth, belly Blown and flapping loose and torn like sails, Rough sailors’ hands jerking and tugging At ropes of veins, to no avail. Blood vessels Burst asunder, all below – deck are drowned.

Afterwards, stillness, but for the murmuring Of women. The ship, anchored in compassion And for profit’s sake (what well-bred captain Can resist the call of his helpless Concubine, or the prospect of a natural ► Continued on page VII

Rev. Gideon Cecil

WRITERS AND POETS

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

► From page VI

Increase in cargo?), sets sail again, The part – born, sometimes with its mother, Tossed overboard. Such was my bounty Delivered so unexpectedly that at first I could not believe this miracle of fate, This longed-for gift of motherhood.

What was deemed mere food for sharks will become My fable. I named it Turner As I have given fresh names to birds and fish And humankind, all things living but unknown, Dimly recalled, or dead.

Dabydeen’s magnificent Homeric imageries and symbolism in this poem depicting the brutal treatment of slaves is testament of his immense knowledge about slavery.

Though slaves are free and men think that they are free from their past, we still live in contemporary slavery, where rich nations exploit the poor and downtrodden nations. Our country is a classic example of the sugar and rice industry collapsing gradually by contemporary slave masters, but we are too politically naïve to comprehend the true essence of the word slavery.

Modern slave masters no longer control us by the whip and chains; they use modern methods by offering us useless prices for our commodities, thus pushing us to commit gradual suicide by killing our economy by their draconian laws.

Martin Carter wrote: I come from the nigger yard of yesterday leaping from the oppressors’ hate and the scorn of myself; from the agony of the dark hut in the shadow and the hurt of things; from the long days of cruelty and the long nights of pain down to the wide streets of to-morrow, of the next day leaping I come, who cannot see will hear.

This is just the first stanza of a very long poem, ‘I come from the Nigger Yard’. I think Carter is politically correct when he wrote about the ‘oppressors hate’. We can see a great deal of hatred in our nation and all over the world. It’s no wonder Bob Marley’s lyrics from his greatest song below should inspire us all: One Love!

One Heart!

Let’s get together and feel all right.

Hear the children cryin’ (One Love! ); Hear the children cryin’ (One Heart! ), Sayin’: give thanks and praise To the Lord and I will feel all right; Sayin’: let’s get together And feel all right.

What is Brother Bob telling us here? He is telling us in very vivid language to live a life of peace, love and harmony, then he invokes God by giving Him thanks and praise for him to feel alright; also the world around him.

Slavery and indentureship have been literary vehicles for most writers of African and Indian descent in the Caribbean. I call them writers and poets of emancipation.

The African slave poetess Phyllis Wheatley wrote some great poetry. She died at the age of thirty-one, but was well educated by her slave master. She happened to be one of the finest poetesses in the slave era, since she herself was a slave. I believe that, because of racial discrimination, she is rarely heard of in this century, but her poetry is of exquisite beauty. She was trained in the classics, and was well versed in Greek and Latin. Very few of her white contemporaries matched her linguistic and poetic skills. Let’s examine the lyrical and Shakespearean beauty of her poem below. *****

VII

A Hymn to the Evening

SOON as the sun forsook the eastern main The pealing thunder shook the heavenly plain.

Majestic grandeur! From the zephyr’s wing Exhales the incense of the blooming spring.

Soft purl the streams, the birds renew their notes And through the air their mingled music floats.

Through all the heavens what beauteous dies are spread!

But the west glories in the deepest red.

So may our breasts with every virtue glow, The living temples of our God below!

Filled with the praise of Him who gives the light, And draws the sable curtains of the night, Let placid slumbers sooth each weary mind, At morn to wake more heavenly, more refined; So shall the labours of the day begin More pure, more guarded from the snares of sin.

Night’s leaden scepter seals my drowsy eyes, BY: PHYLLIS WHEATLEY Her poems are loaded with imageries of nature, depicting God in His Majesty, and the wonders of nature.

Poets such as Maya Angelo, Langston Hughes and Wole Soyinka are some of the greatest African Poets writing poems about freedom, liberation and emancipation. I close with a few lines from the Poets I mentioned: Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly.

Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow.

BY: LANGSTON HUGHES ********* You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may tread me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?

Why are you beset with gloom?

‘Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells Pumping in my living room?

Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I’ll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Shoulders falling down like teardrops.

Weakened by my soulful cries?

BY: MAYA ANGELOU These two immortal poems of unsurpassed philosophy and beauty have been quoted thousands of times, and will be quoted until the end of time.

(Persons wishing to respond to Rev. Gideon Cecil can call Tel#220-7008, Cell# 690-4755 or email: gcecil2010@hotmail.com) ** Sources of Reference: pepaltreepress.com the best in Caribbean writng.Poemhunter.com ** Some quotes from works by Phyllis Wheatley in the public domain.

VIII

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

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

GRAVE ROBBERS STEAL A SKULL (Guyana Graphic - September 4, 1960) Ruimveldt Police were yesterday searching for ‘ghouls’ (ghosts) who dug up a three-year-old grave at Le Repentir cemetery within the past 48 hours and stole a skull from it.

The Policemen were called out around 9:25am yesterday, ten minutes after cemetery ranger Mohamed Ali and Special Constable Samuel Peters had discovered the freshly opened grave in the allotment consigned to Muslim burials in the eastern section of Le Repentir.

After a search by a municipal grave digger, the head of a skeleton was discovered missing.

On the head-board which had been removed from the grave were written: “M.A. Jabbar Khan died on July 21, 1965 at the age of 59”.

A short distance from the open grave were some shovels and spades which the grave digger said had been stolen from a shed in the cemetery since Friday last.

‘SWORD SUNDAY’ MEETING (Daily Argosy - July 1, 1960) Sunday July 3 is “Sword Sunday” for the Sword of the Spirit Movement.

They will hold a public meeting in the Catholic Parochial Hall, South and Wellington Streets at 5:30pm.

His Lordship Bishop Guilly will speak on ‘The Brotherhood of Man’ and will be prepared to answer questions on the subject.

FIRST SHIPMENT OF MANGANESE OFF (Daily Argosy - August 11th, 1960) “The first ship to carry manganese ore left Port Kaituma on August 5 with cargo of more than 2,000 tons.”

The vessel, the M.V. ‘Ambrosio’, navigated the Kaituma River and the canal leading to Port Kaituma without difficulty.

Ore was loaded overnight at the rate of 400 tons per hour. The M.B. Ambrosio will be carrying ore to the Chaguaramas stockpile in Trinidad from which larger quantities will be drawn off from time to time for ocean going vessels.

STAR OF BETHLEHEM LODGE (Daily Argosy - July 27, 1960) The Star of Bethlehem Lodge No. 2274 Order of Druids will be celebrating their 53rd anniversary of Druidism in British Guiana on Sunday July 24th.

A service will be held in the A.M.E.Z Church, Regent Street at 5pm.

Medical Department keeping close watch on vampire bats situation in North West (Daily Argosy - July 16th, 1960)

WE HAVE ROCKS 2.5 BILLION YEARS OLD, SAYS BOOKLET (Guyana Graphic - September 6, 1968) A new booklet written by former expatriate staff members of the Geological Surveys Department has disclosed that radiometric tests in the Barama-Mazaruni area show that some of the rocks there are over 2,500 million years old.

Others in the Roraima area believed to the source of river bed deposits and diamonds, have been dated as originating 2000 million years ago before the period when the sea invaded Guyana and reached as far as the foot of the Pakaraimas.

These disclosures are contained in the booklet: “The folded Precambrian of northern Guyana related to the Guiana shield” written by Dr. E. Williams, Dr. R.T. Cannon and Dr. R.B. McConnell who were formerly attached to the Geological Survey Department but are now in various parts of the world.

The booklet which contains a series of geological studies, and was recently published is available at the Ministry of Information which said that it was written as a follow-up to the Provisional Geological Map published in 1962.

The Ministry said that it was intended to set out the facts on which the authors based their conclusions concerning their interpretations of the Guiana Shield area.

YOUR MATTRESS? (Daily Argosy - September 1st, 1960) A new striped blue-green mattress was found in front the gate of Mrs. Cuff’s residence at 217 Lamaha Street. Apparently the mattress was dropped there by a cartman. The owner is invited to call at Mrs. Cuff’s residence.

The Medical Department is keeping a close watch on the reported outbreak of paralytic rabies caused by vampire bats which has so far taken the lives of three children with the death of a fourth suspected in the Aruka area in the North West District.

The first threat of the disease for this year occurred in May when an adult in the North West died under conditions which pointed to (although not verified) infection by vampire bat bite.

Since this occurrence, two children from the Aruka area died at the Georgetown Hospital from paralytic rabies.

About eleven days ago another child from the North West was brought to the City and succumbed through the bites of vampire bats.

The Medical Department, a spokesman said yesterday, had already taken steps to combat the outbreak of the disease and serum and vaccine have been provided by the Department for treatment in the North West.

Residents of Aruka have been alerted by Medical officials to avoid being bitten by bats of any type. In 1953, there was an outbreak of Paralytic Rabies in the Kurupung creek.

Last year Mr. Greenhall attached to the Ministry of Agriculture in Trinidad visited B.G. and carried out a survey of the bat population in various parts of the country.

As a result of Mr. Greenhall’s visit, two young Guianese were sent to Trinidad during the early part of this year to undergo training in the identification and destruction of bats.

West Berbice policemen receive awards (The Daily Argosy - January 10th, 1960) Sgt. 4441 James Robertson, Detective Cpl. 5184 Carlton Augustus and Detective Constable 5289 James Allen of Fort Wellington Police Station Western Berbice at Police Headquarters New Amsterdam on Wednesday afternoon received commendation and monetary awards presented by Senior Supt. James Phoenix , Officer in Charge of ‘B’ Division of the Police Force on behalf of the former Commissioner of Police Mr. D. Matheson.

It was stated in the citation by the Commissioner that the awards were granted for commendable action during investigation of a murder. The case referred to was that of Joseph Williams (39) of Rosignol Village West Berbice who was charged with the murder of his wife Marie Williams of Rosignol on April 5th 1958.

He was found guilty at the Criminal sessions on June 24 1959 and sentenced to be hanged by his Lordship Justice Phillips.

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

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

IX

The After Elections Special Link WELL! Cari-come - Cari-gone, Elections Come- Elections gone, now we gun talk behind dey back.

A

Marissa Morgan and Chris Gopaul

Stephen Asif Mohamed, Mark Luke Edwards, Kijana Lewis,Simone Dowding and Mark Kazim

nd there are so many things to talk about that the script writers are having a field day.

We are talking about Guyana’s number one satirical review mega show, The Link Show.

This will be dubbed “The After Elections Link Show” special edition. The proficient team of producer Gem Madhoo and director Ron Robinson have decided that they just can’t let the golden opportunity to satirise the just concluded general and regional elections slip them by. As a result, they summoned their script writers, production and stage managers and a cast of seasoned and professional actors to stage what is anticipated to be the Link of all Links. The show is set to be staged at the National Cultural Center and will run from August 7 -10, with tickets costing $2,500, $2000, $1,500.

Since the establishment of the Link show in 1981 by the Theatre Company, Guyanese theatre goers look forward to their yearly dose of the lampooning of politicians and other key public figures. They can rest assured that no one will be left out this time around. The timing is also perfect as it coincides with the emancipation celebrations when many Guyanese and tourists alike will be vacationing and the kids are home from school.

In the recent past, the producers have been working with young and upcoming dramatists who have all benefitted from the vast experience of esteemed director Ron Robinson. Awarding winning actors, the likes of Mark Kazim, Mark Luke Edwards, Michael Ignatius, Kijana Lewis, Randolph Critchlow and Lloyda Nicholas-Garrett are just a few of the beneficiaries. They will be joined by the seasoned Henry Rodney, Michael Ignatius, Simone Dowding, Sheron Taylor, Kirk “Chow Pow Jardine, Collette Jones-Chin, Paul Budnah, Simone Persaud, Max Masiah and new comers to the Link Shown -Chris Gopaul, Marissa Morgan, Colleen Humphrey, Shevon Henry, Stephen Mohamed, Clinton Duncan and Charisma Chin, to make up the cast of this special edition. Fans can pick up their tickets, $1000, $2000 and $2500, at The National Cultural Centre, Nigel’s Supermarket and Kester D Gospel Center on the corner of South Rd & Orange Walk and Charlotte St.

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Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

Teenage pregnancy: A social setback and risk to life - babies born to adolescent mothers face higher risk of dying during childbirth

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By Tajeram Mohabir HE bringing forth of life is always a joyous occasion; but unplanned pregnancy, especially in cases of teenagers, can be a social setback as well as a risk to life.

In most cases, teenage pregnancy robs mothers of the opportunity to celebrate their youth and live their high-flying dreams of becoming professionals: a doctor, lawyer, accountant or successful entrepreneur.

Eighteen-year-old Tashana Haywood, a resident of East La Penitence, Georgetown, was forced to drop out of school after she became pregnant.

Her mother, she said, was shocked on learning of her condition, but later came around to accepting it.

Haywood said her unplanned pregnancy means that it would take her some time to realise her dream of becoming a nurse.

“Take your education seriously,” she advised teenagers in an invited comment to the Guyana Chronicle. “Missed opportunities are hard to regain.”

Pregnancy forces many young girls to drop out of school. It is an obstacle to their early ambitious plans in life, and it compels them, most anyway, to find ways and means to provide for themselves and their newborn children.

This new phase in their lives can be an arduous journey, as friends become fewer due to the ‘bad influence stigma’ attached to teenage motherhood, and, in some cases, there is the lack of parental support. It is a time when strength, endurance and focus are needed, as a lack in any one of these areas can engineer a tragic downward spiral into the complicated web of perpetual poverty. The challenge to teenage mothers navigating this difficult road is that they require much support in terms of building their lives, providing for their children, and remaining in good health.

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings, understands the challenges of these young mothers because of her years of

experience in the public health system; but Guyana is not the only country affected by this problem.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2014, globally, 16 million girls aged 15-19 and 1 million girls under age 15 gave birth every year; and most came from low income and middle income countries. The WHO also noted that complications during pregnancy and childbirth constitute the second most frequent cause of death for girls aged 15-19 globally.

Teenage pregnancy in Guyana is high, compared to other countries in the region. The State of the World Population 2013 Report has said that, with 97 out of every 1,000 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 giving birth, Guyana has the second highest rate of teenage pregnancy in Latin America and the Caribbean.

According to the report, Ecuador in South America has the highest rate, with 100 girls out of every 1000 aged between 15 and 19 years old getting pregnant.

CONCERN Describing the situation as a matter of concern, the Government of Guyana had, in 2013, told the United Nations Rights of the Child Committee that some 3,000 girls in Guyana get pregnant each year.

“Indeed, many of these girls are forced into early sexual initiation, and some are voluntarily involved in sexual relationships. But, in either case, many young girls become pregnant, and they take those pregnancies full term. Babies born to adolescent mothers ► Continued on page XI

Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Karen Cummings

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

Teenage pregnancy: ► From page X

face a substantially higher risk of dying during childbirth than those born to women aged 20 to 24,” Minister Cummings said.

She explained that this is not only due to poor development of the bodies of adolescent girls, but also to the requirements of pregnancy itself.

Eighteen-year-old Malinda Sukdeo of Industry, East Coast Demerara told this publication that, since becoming pregnant, the health centre in her community has been a great source of knowledge in helping her to manage her condition. Sukdeo said she has learned about healthy eating, and how to care for herself and her baby when delivered.

According to Dr Cummings, a micronutrient survey done here in 2012 had found that two in every five antenatal women were suffering with anaemia. Anaemia can lead to a reduction in work capacity, endurance, and impaired brain function. This in adults, coupled with a decreased resistance to infection, affects their ability to earn, care for their families, and carry out daily tasks, the Food Policy Division of the Ministry of Public Health has said.

SIGNIFICANT NUMBER Dr Cummings noted that the 2012 survey had indicated that half of the women with anaemia were 20 years old or younger.

“Anaemia most frequently would be an indication of iron deficiency, which would be the most common and widespread nutritional disorder in Guyana. Anaemia is therefore a major public health problem for us when relating to pregnant adolescent girls. This public health concern is caused by poor dietary intake and utilisation, which would often be driven by poverty, the inability to purchase nutritious food, and sometimes even a misunderstanding of the importance of nutrition,” she said.

Among the recommendations, the Micronutrient Survey stressed the need for pregnant women to not only be tested for amaemia, but also counselled on the purpose of having the appropriate level of iron in their bodies during pregnancy. It also emphasised the importance of a nutritious diet to prevent and/or treat the effects of anaemia.

This, Dr Cummings said, is the rationale for the Ministry placing focus on healthy eating in adolescents, adolescent mothers, and mothersto-be in particular.

“It would be easy to think of supplements as a solution to this problem, but our strategy would rest on food-based, sustainable approaches as well. No pharmaceutical remedy for poor nutrition had been posited. However, the education of the populace, and more importantly our teenage mothers, and making them health-literate to the consequences and effects of anaemia, would be key. It would be important to emphasise that the

promotion of good nutrition would rest ultimately upon healthy eating and behavioural changes, which then lead to better dietary outcomes,” the Minister said.

Eighteen-year-old Kassey Crawford, who also did not complete her schooling because of her pregnancy, said she is hoping for a safe delivery, and has been rigorously following the advice of the health officials at the Sophia Health Centre.

Dr Cummings has said that Guyana, as a nation, is on its way to having a reduced rate of maternal mortality and complications with pregnancy.

According to the report ‘Trends in Maternal Mortality Estimates 1990 to 2013’, produced jointly by the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, the United Nations Population Fund

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(UNFPA), the World Bank, and the United Nations Population Division, Guyana ranks second in maternal deaths in the Caribbean.

The report said that with 380 deaths between 1990 and 2013, Haiti ranks the highest in the region; followed by Guyana with 250, Bolivia with 200, Guatemala with 140, and Suriname with 130.

With a high level of maternal deaths and teenage pregnancies in Guyana, Minister Cummings said the Ministry of Public Health will be placing primary focus on the health and wellbeing of pregnant teens. The Government has recently announced that it would be engaging donor agencies for assistance in the establishment of a special fund to help adolescents in need.

Symptoms of anaemia during pregnancy (LadyCareHealth.com)

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Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

OBAMA ORDERS WORLD’S FASTEST COMPUTER

Watch out BRICS!

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RESIDENT Barack Obama has signed an executive order calling for the United States to build the world’s fastest computer by 2025.

The supercomputer would be 20 times quicker than the current leading machine, which is in China.

It would be capable of making one quintillion (a billion billion) calculations per second - a figure which is known as one exaflop.

A body called the National Strategic Computing Initiative (NSCI) will be set up to research and build the computer.

The US is seeking the new supercomputer, significantly faster than today’s models, to perform complex simulations and aid scientific research.

It is hoped the machine would help to analyse weather data for more accurate forecasts or assist in cancer diagnoses by analysing X-ray images.

It could allow NASA scientists to model turbulence, which might enable the design of more streamlined aircraft without the need for extensive wind tunnel testing.

Such a computer would be called an ‘exascale’ machine.

Today’s fastest supercomputer, the Tianhe-2 in China’s National Computer Centre, Guangzhou, performs at 33.86 petaflops (quadrillions of calculations per second), almost twice as fast as the second-quickest machine, which is American. Watch out BRICS…here comes OBAMA!

GOOGLE PROJECT LOON to provide free internet across Sri Lanka

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oogle's ambitious Project Loon, which aims to provide free internet through a network of high-altitude balloons, is to be launched in Sri Lanka.

A deal between Sri Lanka's government and Google, signed on last Tuesday, will see free LTE connections made available across the country by March 2016, making it the first country in the world to have universal internet access.

Sri Lanka is to become first country to have universal internet access through Google's Project Loon Sri Lanka is on its way to becoming the very first country in the world to have network connectivity cover the entire country.

Reasons why Microsoft Edge is a better browser than Internet Explorer

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nternet Explorer is the oldest browser on the market, with a lineage dating back to 1995.

And in that 20-year-old browser there’s a lot of 20-year-old code, supporting a lot of standards that are no longer in use. At the same time, new technologies and standards evolved for browsers, and IE has proved to be a laggard.

So it was high time for a clean-sheet redesign -a whole new browser from the bottom up. And with Windows 10, we get it, in the form of Microsoft Edge.

(Yes, Microsoft wants us to keep that ‘Microsoft’ in there, just as Google does with ‘Google Chrome’).

Here’s what I think you’ll find most exciting in Micro-

soft’s brand new browser.

New rendering engine

Microsoft Edge will come with a new rendering engine (Microsoft EdgeHTML) to replace the Trident engine that powered Internet Explorer for decades. The result should be

that webpages appear on the screen a lot faster.

Better security

Microsoft Edge does a bunch of little, behind-the-scenes things to make browsing the Web safer. For example, it renders each individual page inside a “sandbox” — so if there happens to be malicious software on a page, it won’t be able to break out of that page’s browser process to do anything like access your hard drive.

Microsoft Edge also implements some new Internet security standards, including HTTP Strict Transport Security (to make Web connections more secure) and HTML 5 Content Security Policy (to protect against cross-site scripting attacks).

So long IE…Welcome Edge!

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

TALKING TO MY PEOPLE

By Ras Michael ‘Yes me friend We deh a street again.

Yes me friend (me good friend) Dem seh we’re free again The bars could not hold me Or could not control me now They tried to keep me down…yea But Jah wants I around.

Yes I’ve been accused many a times And wrongfully abused...now But through the powers of the MOST HIGH They’ve got to turn me loose…….

‘Duppy Conqueror’ - Bob Marley

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t’s been good to be back home. It’s not an easy road here. Some see the glamour and the glitter and think it’s a bed of roses. It’s been good to be back just to see your smiling faces, listen to your querying voices. Yes, it is good to be back home.

Guyana is unique; all of it; every person, every home; every grass; every stone; even politicians are not alone in claim of fame to mark a spot in history. Sometimes happy thoughts foretell impending misery; so let it be. For Guyana is unique. All 83,000 square miles of tropical green; majestic mountains; luscious valleys and dreams; the grandeur of Kaiete such scenery that turempted the greed of Sir Walter Raleigh. We’re still fighting to be free.

Freedom is more than a word. Freedom is claimed by some to be man’s birthright. Also in the name of freedom very many atrocities have been committed.

In the poem, ‘TALK TO ME’ and dedicated to the memory of Walter Rodney, I was inspired to write, Talk to me of 77 & 78 and the politics of greed, that breeded hate, and the concept of Freedom that sealed Walter’s fate…

FREEDOM & MARTYRDOM To celebrate Freedom is one thing but to appreciate it is another. Without a knowledge of the horrors of captivity there can be no real understanding of the imperative of Freedom. In Guyana there is a continuing culture of martyrdom.

Rodney died and Ronald Waddell died as did Courtney Crum-Ewing. One cannot forget George Bacchus, the three protestors at Linden and there are more. In Essequibo during the 19th century Damon was martyred and Quamina was yet another. But we will continue to celebrate. We must celebrate the history and its significance to the present; it’s influence on the future; it’s importance for the perpetuation of life.

Yes it is good to be back, to be among the hustling throngs of humanity on any street and every avenue. It’s a pleasure to be stopped by old and young to exchange pleasantries and listen to concerns. It’s good to once more enjoy a celebration of Emancipation and my Earthday on the same day. Sure I’ve lost a lot. At present a crookish friend is trying to deny me ownership of US $831,745 plus the meche, meche cents but I have ways of dealing with him. I have lost family and a few good friends but that is not the way my story will end. Many others were not as fortunate as I. I am Rastafari and that means ‘iternal love’. I am Rastafari so judge I not by your own goals and premises.

Guyana is love but it is the love of the common people. The high rise buildings and fancy cars and living cannot control me or hold me down. Emancipation is of the mind, an embryo of the spirit, a manifestation of endurance

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RAS

MICHAEL is

Back and will power. Too many are still entrapped in mental slavery but we know that even garments of African culture cannot dress the naked truth. 1st of August is an auspicious day. It is the people’s day. Enjoyment does not require dancing and drinking. It requires peace of mind and contentment of spirit.

1st of August is my special day that will last all year round. I will share it with you, you who have also suffered and still suffer and I say STAND FIRM be a DUPPY CONQUEROR. Yes me friend We deh a street again Yes me friend(me good friend) Dem seh we free again The bars could not hold me Or could not control me.. now…………..Brother Bob

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Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

It happened in 1960…

Judge’s misdirection likely to cause confusion in jury’s mind - Guilty murder accused freed, but has to face new trial

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By George Barclay N 1960, the Federal Supreme Court, in its Criminal Appellate jurisdiction, allowed the appeal of murder accused Baldeo Dihal on ground that the trial judge’s misdirection on the law as it related to the facts was likely to cause confusion in the jury’s mind.

Found guilty by the jury, the accused was sentenced to death, but appealed the conviction and sentence.

The Federal Appellate Court, constituted by Justices

Rennie, Archer and Wylie, allowed the appeal, set aside the conviction and death sentence, but ordered a new trial in the interest of justice.

The appellate court held that, on the trial of a person charged with murder, the judge should relate the law to the facts in the case. It was pointed out that, when dealing with the question of provocation, mention should not be made of cooling time if the evidence clearly shows that no time elapsed between the provocation and the retaliation; and moreso, where any such mention of cooling

time may cause confusion in the mind of the jury.

The Appellate Court ruled that it is the duty of the judge, in his summing up, to deal adequately with the evidence relating to self-defence. The court allowed the appeal and ordered a new trial.

Attorney-at-law Mr. Stanley Hardyal represented the appellant, while Mr. W. Persaud represented the Crown.

Delivering the judgment of the court, Justice of Appeal Rennie declared that, at the close of the argument,

they allowed the appeal, quashed the conviction, and set aside the sentence.

According to him: “The grounds of appeal are numerous and somewhat wide in scope, but, with the exception of the ground of misdirection, we saw no merit in any of them, and for that reason, refrain from making reference to any ground other than misdirection.

“Exception was taken to

George Barclay

the form of the directions when dealing with the questions of self-defence and provocation. It was submitted to us that the law was laid down in one compartment, so to speak, and the facts were referred to in another, and no attempt was made to relate

the one to the other. The directions do seem to deserve this criticism.

“The law of self-defence was meticulously explained as a lecturer might well ► Continued on page

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Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

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Judge’s misdirection likely to ... ► From page XIV explain it to a class of students”, Justice Rennie said; but, he emphasized, nowhere in the directions were the jury told what facts they should take into account when considering this aspect of the case. The nearest they got to having the facts related to self-defence was the statement that, when considering self-defence, it would be relevant for them to compare the wounds on the body of the deceased with the injuries on the appellant.

This statement, however, deals with only one factor of self-defence - whether there was the necessity to use such force.

“About this factor of self-defence and the direction concerning it, we shall have more to say at a later stage of these reasons, but (for) now (we) return to the matter under consideration.

“The jury (members) were told: ‘If, in all the circumstances, as a reasonable man, he feels that he is in danger – serious danger -- he is entitled to take steps to defend himself, if neces-

sary to the extent of killing; but though he can do that, it is his duty to retreat if he can reasonably do so in all the circumstances. You may think that it is not a very manly thing to do to run away if a person is attacking you, or threatening to attack you. But it is the law.”

“Nowhere in the directions were they told what facts they should take into account in determining whether or not to retreat was reasonable. The evidence, I accepted, would seem to suggest that retreat was not possible, and it must be confusing to a jury in such circumstances to be told that, although it may be considered not manly to retreat, the law nonetheless requires it if the person attacked can reasonably do so.

“As in the case of self-defence, so in the case of provocation; no assistance was given to the jury by relating the evidence to the law.

“We can see a possibility of some confusion being caused in the minds of the jury by this failure to relate the one to the other.

“Such a confusion could have been caused by reason

of their being told: ‘If there was time for cooling between the time that the provocation was given and the time that the killing was done, then, of course, you cannot get the benefit of provocation to reduce the offence from murder to manslaughter.’

“And, in another occasion: ‘But, as I told you, the question of time for cooling is important in considering provocation. If there was time after the provocation was given within which a reasonable person would regain control of himself, then you cannot say that the accused was acting under the impulse of provocation.’

“These directions,” said Justice of Appeal Rennie, “were given in spite of the fact that the evidence, if believed, showed that no time elapsed between the provocation and the retaliation.

“In another case, such an excess of direction in law might not have confused the jury, but in the present case, where evidence was given of the relationship that existed between the deceased and the appellant’s mother as a motive for the alleged offence, the jury might very well have found themselves in the

position where they would ask themselves the question ‘What did the judge mean when he referred to cooling time?’ ‘Had he in mind the relationship between the deceased and the appellant’s mother?’

“There was nothing else in the case, apart from the encounter, that might have affected the appellant’s mind; and if there could have been no question of cooling time with regard to the encounter, the jury must necessarily have wondered why they

were told about cooling time, and moreso when they remember that they were told that it is important; and still moreso, having regard to the fact that the directions on provocation ruled out the relationship between the deceased and the applicant’s mother.

“Apart from these criticisms of the directions, there is also a serious misdirection on the question of self-defence. It concerns the evidence of the attack, which the appellant said he repelled.

That evidence, shortly put, is to the effect that the appellant was held by the neck, choked, and, when he fell in the swamp, was being stifled.”

Justice of Appeal Rennie noted that the choking and stifling seemed to the court to be of far greater consequence, and amounts to a serious misdirection.

The appeal was allowed, conviction and death sentence set aside, but a new trial was ordered in the interest of justice.

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Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

THE SIMPLE TRUTH

Should I tell my children about my wife’s affair?

- Cheaters can’t be trusted Dear Wayne & Tamara, Here's the situation: We are in our 40s with two sons, 11 and 12. My wife is in an affair with a married man, likely a coworker. They were meeting in our house and I found out last month. She admitted it.

Now, during our divorce, she is asking for primary physical custody of the boys and she is determined to continue the affair. She also asks me to keep the affair secret from the kids.

I am torn by the request.

From one side, I want to shield the boys from all these details and give them as much peace as possible during the turmoil. From another side, I would like the boys to know the truth, so things are clear, rather than be shocked later when they find out by themselves.

By the way, my wife's mother had an affair she and her siblings witnessed, and my wife had an emotional affair five years ago with another married coworker.

WEI **** Dear Wei, Based on our experience, we recommend telling your children the truth. Your wife's unfaithfulness is the reason for the divorce. The kids need to know the reason, though they don't need to know the details.

Their mother is dating and that is not allowed while one is married.

She is the party in the wrong, yet she wants you to conceal her misdeeds. Agreeing to that is a mistake for several reasons.

First, as a matter of principle. Things only get worse when we excuse or conceal bad acts.

If you are taking a test in school, is it fair to allow someone to cheat so they get a higher score than you? Is it fair to allow people to cut in front of you in a line so that you have to wait longer?

To whose advantage is it when you fail to tell friends that your plumber billed you for unnecessary or nonexistent

repairs? It is to the plumber's advantage. He is the only one who gains.

Telling is the answer in every case. Why? Because the world is worse for all of us when cheaters thrive. They rise, even as the rest of us fall.

Second, she is telling the kids something when you are not around, she is telling her friends something, she is telling her family something. It almost surely is not that she is cheating.

Third, you have the one, universally accepted reason for divorce. Cheating is right up there with embezzling. She is hoping you keep your mouth shut for the next year or so, and then she can deny her actions by saying, "Well, that is not what he was saying before."

Don't worry about your pride in telling your lawyer and everyone else. Five years from now, when she has made you out to be the villain and the cause of the divorce, you will be sorry you didn't speak the truth in the beginning.

Her lack of character caused this. It is no reflection on your

character. She wants to conceal her actions, lie about them and blame you for the divorce. That is her game plan. That is why you should make sure your children, your family and others know the real reason for the divorce.

She will attempt to give them and everyone else another reason.

Cheaters can't be trusted. You don't need to ask her for permission to tell. You should not forewarn her you are going to tell.

If she says you should have talked to me first, tell her she should have talked with you first before she went ahead and cheated. Any attempt to throw blame on you should be met with, "You did not need to cheat, and you caused this."

The final reason to tell is this. People need to live in reality.

That is the reality of the situation.

WAYNE & TAMARA

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

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MIDNIGHT MIGRATION

By Neil Primus DEVON and Cindy walked slowly home. It was nearing midnight, and they held hands as they strolled along. It was a bit chilly because there had been almost three days of persistent rain, and most areas had suffered some amount of flooding. They were accustomed to this, so they paid little heed to the water on the road.

The couple huddled closer together, enjoying each other’s company. Part of their journey took them through a cemetery, but this, too, was nothing new; they had done this for years.

It was dark when they entered the cemetery. They paused and kissed tenderly. They then resumed their journey. Up ahead a figure was moving. As they drew closer, a man was walking slowly along in front of them. It was just past midnight, so they both thought it funny that anyone so old would be moving around. When they got close enough to see clearly, they both halted in shock. The old man was carrying a casket on his back.

Devon was nineteen and full of life. He lived two houses away from his girlfriend Cindy. They had been together for more than six years. His mother, father and sister liked Cindy, so she became a favourite of his family.

Cindy was an only child brought up by a single-parent mom. Her mother had sacrificed a great lot to ensure that her daughter receive the best education. When she found out about the relationship, she had objected. Later on, she came to accept it. Her first priority was her little girl’s happiness. If Devon made her happy and whole, then they both had her support.

The village of Prosperity lay in a savannah with a lake nearby. The community was well populated, with approximately 65 houses. There were two churches, a market place, two grocery shops, a Chinese shop, a post office and a cemetery. It was a fairly large burial ground, with a road running through it.

The old man’s presence so late at night caused curiosity to get the better of the young lovers. It was Devon who made the first move. “Is where you going dis late night wid dat coffin, uncle?”

The old man stopped, put the coffin down and mopped his sweating brow. “Boy, I moving out!” he replied.

Cindy and Devon looked at each other, and Devon could feel in the pit of his stomach that something was definitely wrong. “How yo mean moving out.

Whey yo gon go?”

Cindy piped in before he could respond. “Where yo used to live, uncle?”

The old man pointed towards the burial ground, but the two thought he was indicating the house beyond the tomb.

Devon pushed for clarity. “Why you moving out, and where you gon live now?”

The old man’s shoulders sagged. “I going over there, because where they bury me flood out.”

His words hit the two fast flies like a tidal wave.

In panic mode, they both took off running. Now, Cindy was champion girl in secondary school. She was

a very good athlete. Devon played rugby for the national squad and was extremely fit. The pair was making good speed away from the cemetery.

Plop! Scrape! Plop! Scrape!

Something was coming along at a rapid pace. They both glanced back at the same time and saw the only thing they hoped never to see again. The old boy was running swiftly after them, carrying the large casket on his shoulder. He was now within touching distance of them.

“Eeeeaaah!” Cindy made her feelings clear.

“Oh Lawd!” Devon took a similar approach.

Both of them climbed into overdrive and were now moving at a terrific speed.

Plip! Plop! Scrape! The man was keeping up effortlessly. They both knew that they were in big trouble. There was no chance of outrunning him. They raced on.

A deep voice came from over Cindy’s right shoulder.

“A could come by yo all?”

It was Cindy’s quick thinking that saved the day. “Sorry uncle, we living down by de koker, and dat place flood worse dan hey!”

“Stuuups!”

The long suck-teeth was followed by another set of noises.

Creak! Drag! Scrape! Drag!

When they looked back, the old man was heading in the opposite direction. This time he was walking reluctantly, with the coffin dragging along behind him.

The two kept running until they reached home.

Meanwhile, on the dark road leading to the cemetery, a tottering figure was heading unsteadily home. Drunk man

Fenton was drunker than ever tonight. His extra-long binge came about because it was his birthday. As he staggered towards the light of home, he noticed a man heading towards him. The man seemed angry and he was pulling something big in his wake. When the man got closer, Fenton made out the dark form of a coffin.

“But…but is wea you going wid dat thing?!”

He was about to find out.

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Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

Best Village under monkey invasion - residents believe creatures went to ‘university’ - all attempts at capture have so far proven futile

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By Tajeram Mohabir HE relatively q u i e t Best Village on the West Coast of Demerara has, for the past 10 years, been waging sporadic battles to stave off a monkey invasion.

Residents say the trouble started when a small band of monkeys “took up residence” in their community about a decade ago. That band has now grown into a formidable troop, and that troop is looking to establish dominion in the community.

Some say the Earth is home to all its creatures, but that is because they have not had to share a village with the persistent primates. Residents of Best Village say they have had to stand strong in their resistance to these determined, agile and very tricky crea-

tures. They are adamant that their village is not the place for this current army of primates. “(The monkeys) are a source of constant disturbance!” a resident

a coconut shell”.

This publication was told that the monkeys move in troops of 12, and start their mischief religiously every day at 05:00 hrs in the morn-

from her house. She described the creatures as not only a source of annoyance, but also a threat.

Several residents said the monkeys have invaded their homes, and apart from leaving their homes in a messy state, have stolen their foodstuff as well.

The monkeys have also allegedly devoured

eggs, cheese, fruits, vegetables, cooked foods, milk, bread and other items. Not even the foods put in the refrigerator are safe when the monkeys come a calling.

GOOD LIFE A n d , q u i t e i n t e restingly, the monkeys would soak the bread in the milk, “rock back”

in their chairs or in a comfortable corner in the homes, and heartily enjoy a feast.

A few days ago, C h r o n i c l e ’s E d i tor-in-Chief Mark Ramotar sought the assistance of his friend, veteran Army Pilot and nature enthusiast Michael Charles to help villagers capture the monkeys.

Charles brought to

The monkeys broke this light on a residents’ fence.

The resident had to replace more than four such lights over the past year, compliments of the monkeys called ‘Old Head’ told this publication as he brandished a slinging shot.

“This is what I use to deal with them!” he said in a tone indicating that, should he ever get hold of one monkey, he would send it to “hell in

ing.

It began with the creatures trampling on the roofs of the houses while searching for a way to enter them. One resident, shy and declining to be identified, said the monkeys have wrenched a zinc sheet

Mike Charles sits patiently, as he waits for the monkeys to enter the ‘cage trap’.

He later left, disappointed, as the monkeys made a ‘no show’ that afternoon

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

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Joseph Paul is seen setting up one of the trap cages to catch the monkeys, last week. Unfortunately, several days has since elapsed since the traps were set but the monkeys are so ‘smart’ that even though they would sit on the cages, they never fell for the bait the village an Amerindian with years of experience in capturing monkeys. The hopes of residents were lifted when the Amerindian, Joseph Paul, set up a few trap cages to catch the monkeys, but the creatures seemed too clever to be conned by the traps.

They made a mockery of the bait.

Mike Charles, who has seen the monkeys, said they belong to the species ‘White Fronted Saki’.

According to ‘Planet of the Monkeys’, the New World Monkey in the Cebidae family of monkeys is found in seven different countries in South America, including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. It is also found in Trinidad and Tobago.

The White-Fronted Capuchin species is divided into several different sub-species, including Ec-

uadorian Capuchins, Shock-Headed Capuchins, Trinidad White-Fronted Capuchins, and Varied Capuchins. Any specific division is uncertain and controversial, according to many scientists and researchers.

White-Fronted Capuchins are medium-sized monkeys that are notable for their light brown top fur and milky white underbelly fur. They are preyed upon by small cats, raptors, and other birds of prey, and their numbers are declining mainly due to deforestation and destruction of habitat caused by humans for the lumber trade and farming.

BUSHY AREA The area where the moneys are prevalent in

‘MONKEY CATCHERS’: Best Village residents (from left) ‘Giddi’, ‘Old Head’ and ‘Soldier Man’ were all armed with their ‘sling shots’ when Chronicle’s photographer Adrian Narine made an unexpected visit to the village last week

Best Village is bushy in most part, with trees.

This is probably a conducive environment for the ‘pest’, which have multiplied in numbers over the years.

According to one resident, popularly known as ‘Soldier Man’, there is a villager who regularly feeds the monkeys. This he likened to encouraging the creatures to continue to cause unease in the village.

He also related that, on more than one occasion, he had tried to harm or injure the monkeys, but all his efforts were futile.

Describing the monkeys are artful dodgers, he said many times he took aim at them from a distance, but they never appeared intimidated. And when he fires, the monkeys would just gaze at him and adjust their position to avoid getting hit by the missiles.

Another resident, called ‘Old Head’ related that, at one time, he had tried baiting them with rat poison, but the usually gluttonous monkeys would smell the poisoned food and contemptuously throw it away.

Residents say if there is anything good about the monkeys it would probably be the spectacle they put on early in the morning when they glide up and down gracefully on the telephone wires from the lamp poles connected to their homes.

But even this some of the residents are finding to be annoying.

They told the Chronicle that several reports were made to the wildlife authority, and while the authority has responded, not much has been done to rid their community of the creatures.

Several licensed firearm holders in the area were many times tempted to shoot at the monkeys but used better judgment or were cautioned against doing so. Residents are pleading for help from anyone, or any source, in getting rid of the monkeys that have invaded the peaceful community.

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CONSUMER CONCERNS:

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By Pat Dial rom to time, consumers and other members of the public tell us about their ailments and the doctors whom they consulted or the hospital they attended. We usually inquired as to what treatments they received and the various fees they paid.

The overwhelming majority of ailments consist of very common ones such as headaches, coughs and colds, sprains and muscular pains, athletes foot, ringworm, dandruff, constipation and diar-

rhoea, wasps and other insect bites and so on.

Many of those patients who could ill-afford it, go to the private hospitals since there is still the strong pervasive myth that the treatment at the public hospitals is inferior, that only the poor go to the public hospitals and that the wait at the public hospitals is interminable.

Several of our older membership who usually seek medical help from the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC) are satisfied with the institution. The hospital staff, especially the younger ones, are always courteous and helpful and the specialist

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

REVIVING CULTURE OF MEDICAL SELF-RELIANCE doctors are as able and skilled as any. And the equipment is among the best and of course, tests and other basic medicines are free.

Undoubtedly, waiting time is often very lengthy because of the numbers who go there for medical help. We would recommend to patients who were fearsome of using the GPHC facilities, to try them, especially for referrals.

The main reason why patients to-day overburden both the public and private hospital facilities is simply because any ailment generates fear and even panic among

patients and their families since they are unable to differentiate between common ailments and serious ones.

Accordingly, thinking they

Pat Dial are engaged in a life-saving struggle, they hasten to the private hospitals for immediate treatment, expending money they could ill-afford.

In the last generation, in most Guyanese families, and especially among the women and housewives, there was a fund of basic medical knowledge. They could immediately identify serious ill-

nesses such as chest pains or severe stomach and urinary disorders, render first-aid, and seek immediate medical assistance. Simple ailments were successfully treated at home by the use of well-tried and safe OTC drugs, such as the almost-forgotten humble smelling salts and sulphur drugs, scarcely ever venturing to touch anti-biotics.

And there was always the use of fruit and other herbal items such as ginger, cloves, tumeric, neem, tulsi, mint, limes, papaws, massages of various types, black salt and others. "Bush medicines" were never used by most people because of their uneven effectiveness.

The resuscitation of this culture of medical self-reliance could greatly relieve the overburdened medical services and save many families substantial sums of money, allow families to be more confident in dealing with illnesses and not to be overcome with fear.

This culture which still survives in some country

villages could be resuscitated by using several methods. Among them is the professional use of the print and electronic media to educate the population, trying to bring the formal medical profession on board and the availability of practical home nursing and home medicine books at the book shops and public libraries as had been the case in the past. Such books must be differentiated from "alternate medicine" books and would include "First aid manuals."

Also, such institutions as the Red Cross and the St John's Ambulance and others should be persuaded to again mount regular and free "first aid" classes.

A spin-off for the graduates of such classes is that they could be more easily accepted for training in the nursing profession and could also provide first aid personnel to be employed whenever there are large congregations of people.

(GCA email: patdial26@gmail.com)

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

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ACCESSING A DENTIST

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Dr. BERTRAND R. STUART DDS.

Dr. BERTRAND R. STUART DDS.

nce a person has made the decision to consult a dentist, there is still the issue of access. Primary dental care – the formal aspect of oral health – is the care provided at the first point of contact.

It is necessary to have information about the use of services for planning purposes, both financial and manpower.

Increasingly in recent

years, patients are being perceived as consumers who can make choices about what services to use and when they might choose to use them. ► Continued on page XXII

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Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

ACCESSING A DENTIST ► From page XXI

Access is made up of five different facets.

These were: * AVAILABILITY: the relationship between the volume and type of services with the consumers’ volume and type of need. Are there enough providers of care and sufficient facilities for them to work in?

focus has tended to be on the facet of availability. However, as availability decreases, it becomes harder for the consumers to access services. There is a range of evidence identifying the factors are important in explaining the use of services, which have been summarized as epidemiological, demographic, socioeconomic, personal and psychological, and the characteristics of the system.

The issue of equitable access has also been highlighted. There is a concept known as ‘inverse care law’. This proposes that the provision of health care is inversely related to the need for it. This was demon-

* ACCESSIBILITY: the relationship between the location of the supply of services and the location of the consumer, considering issues such as transportation, distance and cost of travel. * ACCOMMODATION: the relationship between the organisation of the services, in terms of opening hours and other services, and the patient’s ability to relate to these factors. * AFFORDABILITY: the relationship of the cost of services to the patients’ ability to pay these costs * ACCEPTABILITY: the mutual perceptions that both providers and consumers have of each other, in terms of attributes such as age, sex or ethnicity.

These facets can interlink and have a synergistic effect. The major policy

► Continued on page XXII

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

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ACCESSING A DENTIST â–ş From page XXI

strated in a study of access to dental services. which investigated the uptake of treatment by 508 14-year old children in different social classes in two towns in England with different dentist: population ratios. In the town with an unfavorable dentist: population ratio, the uptake of treatment was considerably higher in the social classes. In the town with a favorable dentist: population ratio, the uptake was similar throughout the social scale. This suggests that patients from lower social classes are put at a further disadvantage when there are fewer dentists available.

There are a number of barriers to accessing professional care, including fear and anxiety, the cost of treatment and aspects of dental practice environment. The impact of these different barriers has been evaluated by researchers. Three thousand five hundred adults were invited to consider 15 statements: five on aspects of fear, five on the cost of treatment and five on the aspects of dental practice organization. A minority of the sample (11%) indicated that they perceived no barriers to dental care, 45% selected a barrier related to fear, and equal numbers (22%) selected barriers related either to practice organization or to cost. Women were more likely to identify with statements, especially those related to fear, while those respondents who attended only with dental problems were more likely to associate themselves with all statements, with fear being most important.

Although self-reports of barriers are informative, some validation of such findings is also needed. While respondents may perceive barriers,

it does not necessarily mean that this will have an impact upon their oral health. However, the oral cavity is particularly accessible to examination compared with other parts of the body, and a strength of the study was that they included a clinical examination of respondents.

There were, indeed, correlations between reported barriers due to fear and dental condition. Fearful patients were more likely to have more missing teeth and fewer filled teeth than those not reporting any barrier statements. That these two factors are correlated together does not necessarily propose a casual practical implication of this finding would appear to be that these patients were delaying accessing treatment until it was difficult for the dentist to provide an adequate restoration.

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Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

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A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH An article on award-winning Guyanese actress Simone Dowding

A

By Alex Wayne CTRESSES come and go. Many of them ‘miss the mark’ altogether and fail to meet expectations, but some shine like a diamond with such remarkable talents that they soon become legends in the areas of drama and theatre, being propelled to great heights of fame and

a flair for cooking, she also holds three separate certificates in all three stages of cake decorating, fabric designing, ceramics, dress making and crochet.

This diva, also an excellent singer, is a past Executive Member of the Theatre Guild’s board of directors, and currently is the Assistant Producer of the ‘First Look Show’ on Channel 9, where she also officiates as a marketing representative.

With a passion for kids,

Actress Simone Dowding glows with delight as she receives one of her many accolades. stardom.

Among those rare gems is versatile award-winning Guyanese actress, Simone Dowding who, over the years, continues to chalk up notable points as she adds more and more accolades to her already bulging belt of achievements.

Simone tells that her journey to fame required immense patience, dedication, and commitment to the arts she has loved so much over the years.

Born under the Zodiac star of Leo, the mother of three attended the Salem Primary and Secondary schools, where her love for the stage was noticed by teachers and peers alike.

In no time at all she had become quite a force to be reckoned with, as she participated in numerous school plays and drama presentations with gusto, finesse and bravery.

Being an artistic person, she attended and graduated from the Burrowes School of Art with flying colours in 2007.

As the years went by, Ms Dowding had become quite a face on the local scene, and has always been popular for her steamy showcases on the stages of the National Cultural Centre, Theatre Guild, and numerous other locations.

It came as no surprise when she won the Best Actress Award in 2012 at the Theatre Guild Awards Ceremony. With

she soon formed her ‘Purple Arts Production’ entity, which is quite a vibrant factor in grooming young children in the areas of drama, theatre, acting, directing, playwriting, costume and stage management, and choreography techniques, among other related concepts.

Each year, Dowding conducts her annual Children’s Drama Workshop for participants aged 6 to 19. This initiative is used as a forum to search, discover and develop the natural drama skills of students, to prepare them for bigger and even international stages.

It also serves as a positive space created for children to be taught the basic disciplines of drama. At this venture, students are made to create their own storyline, which is later scripted into a play for workshop production.

Her exploits have seen the making of ‘Emerged 3’, an award-winning children’s group that won Best Theatre Production this year at the Theatre Guild Awards Ceremony.

At the workshop, students are also involved in poetry, dance and short plays.

Last year the workshop has created five short plays, with the centrepiece being ‘Sliding Floors’, directed

by Dequan Allen (guided

by Dowding). The assistant

Award-winning actress Simone Dowding in action with actor Henry Rodney

The children of Dowding’s Purple Heart Productions entity

► Continued page

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B52

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Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015 This lad is certainly reaching for the ultimate stars

Guyanese musical heavyweight reaching for the stars

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By Alex Wayne FTEN described as “the next big thing in Guyanese music”, the talents of Guyanese musical maestro Wilbur Levans by far surpasses those of many of his competitors.

With his raunchy stage presence, high-energy performance, and superb vocals, Wilbur Levans has, with great style, made a name for himself in the soca arena.

And because he operates under the Kross Kolor ► Continued on page XXVII

B52

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015 ► From page XXVII Records label, it has surely helped him to pave the way for many other singers originating from that music camp.

Hailing from Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara, Wilbur Levans, now called B52, is undeniably a very consistent, hard working individual. Guyanese by birth, B52, formerly known as ‘Lil Man’, has been proving over the years that he has what it takes to keep the standard of Guyanese entertainment on top.

Born November 15, 1979, B52 began his career in music at a very young age, starting first as a songwriter during his teenage years, and later grooving into singing, winning the first-ever Junior Calypso Competition held in Guyana.

He continued winning this competition for three consecutive years, (2002-2004), a trend that has since not been equalled. His success at that competition motivated him to remain a musician, and it was during that time that he slowly started to gain recognition in the entertainment industry in Guyana.

In 2004, B52 went on to win the national ‘In Search of a Star’ competition, and became a member of the now defunct group Impulse. It was during that time that the Western Union R&B Flava Competition was launched, which was hosted by Chris Wilson, an artiste of Kross Kolor Records. The group entered to show what talents they had available, and came out quite successful, placing fourth, but all was not lost. B52 was recognised as one of the most promising artistes from the group, and after conversations and agreements, he was later signed to the Kross Kolor Records.

He has grown tremendously over the years; and later, with advice from his manager, he took a turn and started a new era in the genre of Soca. In 2005, he released his first single, “Wine and Touch Yuh Toes,” on the ‘Wine Til Yuh Drop’ album, which was the first of its kind produced by the company. This song became a national hit, and recommended him to international audience. He found his true potential in performing and decided to persist with the Soca genre of music. In that same year, he entered the second annual Carib Soca Monarch competition here in Guyana.

He placed eighth but did not give up. He continued in the competition from 2006 right up to 2009, and placed third and second in 2006 and 2007 respectively, and second and third in 2008 and 2009 respectively.

With his song ‘Fireman’, which he performed in 2008, he was chosen to represent Guyana in St. Lucia at the International Soca Monarch Competition. He placed among the top ten, and proved there is a lot of talent resident in Guyana.

To date, B52 is known as one of the Kross Kolor Label’s most popular artistes in Guyana, and is featured on all of the albums that have been released from the studio. He is a

Wilbur Levans gives true meaning to the statement ‘Guyana got talent’

Fireman by profession and is a very talented songwriter. He already has a few hit singles to his name, which includes his newest release, “Put It On Me,” on the fifth edition of the “Wine Til Yuh Drop” album.

XXVII

He is releasing his first album, entitled “Sen it On”, being produced by Burchmore Simon. The name B52 was given to him by his manager, and it means “Bomber 52.”

The bomber’s true potential is yet to be realised.

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Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH ► From page XXV director of this piece is Hannah Walters.

The annual workshop has been supported by Guyana’s former First Lady, Madamme Deolatchmie Ramotar, Habitat for Humanity, Car Care Plus, Lambert’s Electrical, Capital News, NALICO/NAFICO, and Guyenterprise. Dowding, however, welcomes the support of other corporate entities or individuals as she sets about to further enhance the initiative.

Being a woman who likes to multi-task, Dowding also is the presenter of the Sunday afternoon re-broadcasted programme ‘Young Professionals’, an initiative of hers in which young, successful individuals are interviewed, and their stories used as a catalyst to motivate others to always reach for dreams, despite setbacks and hurdles.

Dowding also has her sights set on having her own talk show soon.

“I was catapulted into the media, and (I) have gained lots of experience…. As such, my goal right now is to soon have my own talk show and to be a news anchor… I am multi-talented, so this should be almost like a ‘walkover’ for me…” she disclosed.

Ms Dowding is quite popular for making grand entrances with her elite fashion ideas, and fans particularly look out for her impressive designs at awards ceremonies or other functions to which she is invited or officiates.

With her glossy ‘show stopper lipsticks’ well-kept brows and lashes, she instantly becomes a picture of sophistication and glamour the moment she enters a room.

“I believe in looking my best always, since first impression always counts. Besides, I have always had a flair for fashion; and in the world of showbiz, where the dons and divas are always ready to impress, one has to be on top of one’s game, with choosing clothing and styles that make an impact and leave tongues wagging for a long time after”.

Like anyone else, this diva has her fair share of challenges, particularly in parenting her kids as a single mom. However, she certainly cherishes the support she receives from friends like Verna Welshman, Simone Harris-Cox, June Gilbert, and many others.

“These are just a few of the persons who will remain etched on my memory forever. I was down in the gutter and they refused to allow me to die… In 2006, my sister and pal, Dr. Paloma Mohamed, came along and helped me to understand that there is more to my life than what I thought there was. So I started to discover me, and I actually surprised myself. She taught me to use my talents as a springboard to move my life into its present direction,” Dowding acknowledged.

She notes that her children are indeed a blessing, and they take good care of her. And, of course, she has strengths and weaknesses like any normal person.

“My weakness is that I love hard. I always give of my best to everyone, and I get too emotional when disappointed, and would weep for long periods. My strengths are hidden deep within my being. I can weather storms by being alone even though being alone at times can be very agonizing,” she disclosed.

Ms Dowding has won notable awards each year, and has become quite a household name in the field of theatre and the arts. At the moment, she has her sights set on the international horizons of theatre; and, with her talents, she can surely get there.

She advises potential actors/actresses to stay focused and strive to attain the highest of heights, since the sky is always their limit.

Ms Dowding can be contacted on telephone number 685-0743.

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Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

ROLL CALL OF ANOTHER DIMENSION

By Neil Primus NEWS got around fast -- big group meeting down by de calabash tree that growing in de middle of de cemetery! Baccoo, Old Higue, Water Muma, Moon-Gazer, Dry Bones, Jumbie and Dutch Man reach up one cold full moon night to discuss a topic of mutual interest.

TOPIC: Development Coming Fast!

Moon-Gazer: “I didn’t mind development. Moonlight dea all over, so I good with dat”.

Water-Muma: “De sea, ocean, canals and trenches criss-cross dis land. I have nothing to worry about”.

Baccoo: “People stop believing, so I does got fo get on real bad. I never going back in no bottle, not even fo me mother! Wherever me master or mistress go, I bound to follow.”

Dutchman: “Times are getting real hard now. People are disturbing all my relatives and friends; this development is really bad for me. Nobody respects the dead anymore.”

Old Higue: “I like it! People stop believing, so it better and safer for me. All I does hear is “Mame, look a get a hickie.”

Dry Bones: “I does really suffer a lot. Ah have to move away from hey I need darkness, late walkers, drunks and junkies, and long distances fo dem to get home.”

Jumbie: “I doing quite ok. People don’t even realize that I doing me thing. They does blame it on bad luck, or say dat somebody cross dem.”

Dry Bones: “We should all stick together and help out each other.”

Old Higue: “No way! Wat is mine is mine! I don’t want help from nobody!”

Water Mama: “All allyo frighten water, so yoall can’t help me.”

Moon Gazer: “Ok, let’s mark out our territory: All water world – Wata Muma; corked bottles and fast flies – Baccoo; moonlight anywhere – Moon Gazer.”

“No! No!” Not moonlight! De moon itself!”

“Okay don’t be so touchy.”

“All sugar estates and former sugar estates; all cane-fields, past and present -- Dutch Man.” “Men, women, especially children, and even animals is fair game fuh Old-Higue” “No way! Stick to children! We all have to live, yo know.”

“Late-night walkers, especially women. They can’t pass crying babies, kittens or puppies -- Dry Bones.”

Baccoo: “But on a more serious note, other spirits beginning to encroach.”

Old Higue: “Who they?!”

Baccoo: “Kanima, Masakura Man, Bush Dai Dai and Bush Devils. Every now and then yo hearing something bout one a dem.”

Dutch Man: “Don’t be too harsh. As development increases, situations might force some a-we to end up in deh territory.”

Dry Bones: “Is true. Lef dem. They not doing any real damage. Is a big country, so we all got fo learn to survive.”

Old Higue: “Dat ok fo now!”

Moon Gazer: “Old Higue, you mus stop flying so high pon dark night. Nuff time yo does fool me. Got a big man like me gazing at a stupid ball a fire.”

Dry Bones: “You Wata Muma, stop yo late walking. Nuff night yo got me bawling me guts out. Only when a smell yo I does realize is spirit a trying to attract.”

Dutch Man: “You Mr Baccoo, mind how yo pelting. You hit meh grave plenty times. One of these days……”

Baccoo: “Me ain’t frighten you! I is a descendant of an African slave. You is a slave master.

We never fraid you all. Try something an is hell to pay!”

Wata Muma: “Youall stop dis bickering and focus. We all have to work together. Spread the word to the others who could not make it tonight: Charile, Sukante, Granny Melange, Old Man Paw-Pee, Yard Master and Yacoob.”

Zip! Poof! Splash! Swish! Zap! Everyone took off for darker pastures, except Moon Gazer.

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

Vishani Ragobeer

Understanding …from a Teen’s Point of View

FREEDOM H

By Vishani Ragobeer

ey there. How was your past week? Mine was busy, to say the least.

Well, some of you may have read my articles before; some of you may not have done so.

Whether you have or have not, I am asking you to feel free to join me right here in the Pepperpot section of this newspaper every Sunday because I write little articles about various social topics and issues in our Guyanese society with the hope that I would be able to spread a little awareness, a few ideas or even a little entertainment. This week, my friends, I will be writing about Freedom.

Freedom may be defined as the power or right of a person to act, speak or think as they wish. It may also be defined as the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved. Now, sometimes a lot of people (myself included), misunderstand the concept of ‘freedom’. Although you are allowed to do, speak or think in a manner that you would like to, we need to realise and understand that everybody has this very same right and we should respect that not everyone will share the same views.

We do not necessarily need to ACCEPT the ► Continued on page XXXII

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Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

FREEDOM

► From page XXXII

views of others, but we must RESPECT their views. Also, in exercising our Freedom, we need to also realise that there are certain rules and norms of society that we are expected to follow.

The second definition of freedom is something that thankfully has ceased to exist in our part of the world. The days of imprisonment and enslavement are long gone and have been etched onto the pages of our rich and diverse history. The struggles of the forefathers of our land to gain their emancipation, pool their earning to buy villages and start communities and help in the fight for our nation’s independence have all led to our society being what it is today… free! Now that we have celebrated so many years of our African ancestors being emancipated from the bondages of slavery and the denial of their freedom, we can look at ourselves and see that we are better off than we feel we are.

•

Quote for the week (by Abraham Lincoln) “Those who deny the freedom to others, deserve it not for themselves”.

Well, that’s all for this week, see you again right here at your favourite and best newspaper!

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

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ARIES - Though still active on the home front, thoughts turn to vacations, fun in the sunshine, and a chance to relax and do all the things you don’t normally get to do. There’s an upbeat party theme in general, particularly on Friday, when the Aquarius Full Moon encourages some fabulous social events.

Themed get-togethers, charity bashes, dance parties, and more will be enjoyed by all. On Saturday Saturn forges ahead once again, which should be good news for your financial situation.

TAURUS - Though you’ll be busy juggling plates on the home front, the developing Full Moon, which comes to a head on Friday, can see you in the limelight for one reason or another. If you need an opportunity to share a brilliant idea or showcase your skills, this is the time to go for it. Saturn turns direct in your relationship sector on Saturday, which can help improve interactions, particularly if you’ve had problems recently. Solutions may now be within reach.

GEMINI - This week you’ll thrive on new ideas, creative opportunities, and the chance to expand your horizons. If you get the option to network or attend some key social events, consider accepting, as you’ll benefit greatly. Friday’s Full Moon could see you enthusiastically embracing a plan that has plenty of mileage in it. A cutting-edge opportunity may be yours if you’re willing to accept. A piece of news on Sunday might be just what you want to hear, particularly if it involves a love interest.

CANCER - You’re in the mood for action this week! Even so, shopping and investing your hard-earned cash could also be a lot of fun. If you haven’t treated yourself to a few luxuries or a spa day recently, it’s time to do so. You deserve to pamper yourself this week. Saturn pushes ahead in your romance sector, which could see a budding relationship take a new and more positive turn. However, you’ll need to consider if it’s worth the time and energy invested in it.

LEO - You’re in your element and eager to explore creativity, romance, and activities of an entrepreneurial nature. You’re at your best when thinking on your feet and organising things. The Full Moon in Aquarius on Friday brings a pleasant, upbeat energy to key social events, making them more enjoyable than usual. Venus rewinds back into your sign, so you may be more critical of your image and have a desire to make a few changes. Romance needs careful handling, too!

VIRGO - The focus on your spiritual sector continues, making this an excellent time to explore hidden depths for creative ideas and other treasures. Try to relax, as inspired thoughts that show up during times of quiet might help heal some of the issues plaguing you recently. Retrograde Venus leaves your sign and backs into Leo at the end of the week, encouraging you to improve your relationship with yourself. Taking up a spiritual practice could be a positive experience now.

LIBRA - Certain people may be pushing you to make headway with a goal or plan, particularly if they stand to benefit. While this is all well and good, be sure that you aren’t the one making all the effort. If so, you’ll need to speak up.

An active social scene could see you happily involved in planning a celebration or other special event. With the Full Moon on Friday in easy-going Aquarius, this can be one of the better times to hold that fun get-together.

SCORPIO - Your spot in the limelight looks set to continue for some time, so make the most of this chance to showcase your natural brilliance. You may even become known as something of an expert in your field. Saturn in your sign pushes ahead once again on Saturday, which can signal greater progress with a plan or project that seems to have been stalled. Some interesting news over the weekend could give you hope SAGITTARIUS - Opportunities for adventure continue to show up, but try to avoid spending on impulse even if one of them seems especially tempting.

This week’s alignment looks excellent if you’re away on vacation or have a chance to chill and set your own schedule. The Full Moon on Friday brings an opportunity for a highly charged social event or meeting. If you’re going on a date, have fun, but don’t do or say anything you might later regret. Sunday brings some upbeat news!

CAPRICORN - Though interactions could be a tad edgy, you’ll benefit from being honest rather than keeping your feelings to yourself. Shared finances continue to look positive, making this a good week to pamper yourself and splurge on a few luxuries, especially if you’ve been working hard. Opt for something that you’d really enjoy even if it is a little expensive. Saturn forges ahead on Saturday, improving your relationship with a key friend and boosting your social life overall.

AQUARIUS - Whether you’re doing business or dating someone special, relationships and interactions look positive and upbeat this week. It’s time to accept invitations and move in new, exciting circles, as you could benefit by doing so. The Full Moon on Friday bodes well for parties, celebrations, first dates, and anniversaries. Opt for total romance with all the trimmings! Venus edges back into Leo on Friday, which could put you in touch with past friends or lovers.

PISCES - Lifestyle issues continue to keep you occupied, which means you’ll be busy at work and perhaps at the gym. If you can be creative when it comes to varying your everyday routines, you’ll find it easier to stick with them. Mars in your pleasure sector could encourage you to explore cultural events, such as exhibitions of art or crafts, concerts, and much more. Enjoy yourself! A weekend chance to earn some extra cash could become a regular thing.

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Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

English

Chronicle Pepperpot August 2, 2015

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Cherese James U

to represent Guyana at Miss United Continents 2015!

NDER directorship of Missosology Guyana, Cherese James was appointed Miss United Continents Guyana 2015, and will travel to Guayaquil, Ecuador to compete in the 2015 staging of the Miss United Continents pageant.

This will be the first time a Guyanese beauty will be competing in this pageant, which will see participation of different countries from all over the world battling it out in Evening Gown, Swimsuit, National Costume and Interview segments.

The final of Miss United Continents is scheduled for September 12th, 2015.

Twenty-four-year-old Cherese James was born at the GPHC and raised in Guyana’s Region 3. She migrated to the USA at fifteen, where she qualified herself. She is currently a Vascular Surgeon Assistant at the New York Vein Centre. Saving lives and making a difference is what she enjoys doing. She is a kindhearted and communityminded person who has a passion to raise awareness for individuals with disabilities.

Cherese James is no stranger to the world of pageantry.

She competed in Miss World Guyana 2014 and copped the 4th runner up spot, as well as placing in the top five in the Fitness and Talent Fast Track events. Earlier this year, Ms. James represented Guyana at the Miss Caribbean United States 2015 pageant and placed 2nd runner-up. She also won the People’s Choice Award for this competition.

Before she entered the Miss World Guyana Pageant, she always donated charitable stuff to disability homes in Guyana every time she

Need for more employment for youths in Moruca – residents say

…as many move away from traditional livelihood ing riverain areas residents use generators.

Water for domestic use is obtained through a standpipe within many yards while others source water from wells and water tanks.

Moruca, Guyana (photo: offexploring.com)

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By Michel Outridge VER time there has been significant development in Moruca, Region 1 (Barima/Waini) and the lives of residents have been enhanced somewhat.

However, there is need for more employment of youths who have finished school as most of them are not venturing into the traditional livelihood of farming, mining and hunting.

Ingrid Harris, a resident, told the Chronicle that not only Amerindians reside at Moruca and many have moved away from the traditional way of earning a living.

She said that they have seen the construction

VOCATIONAL INSTITUTE of many schools and more trained teachers in the area but their immediate needs are employment for youths, who have completed secondary education but have nothing to do now.

Harris observed also that the roads in the region are deplorable and most of them are what they refer to as ‘mud trails’ and the ones that are actually roads were poorly done.

As it is, she added, some of the youths have since applied to be teachers in the riverain areas of the region while others have gone into mining.

Harris said further that most residents who reside in the central area have electricity through the Moruca Power and Light Company and they pay a monthly fee for that service while in the more outly-

Harris said that one of the needs in the community is a vocational institute where residents can acquire skills so they can become gainfully employed as there is not much to be done at present in relation to employment.

She disclosed that some residents still pursue farming of ground provisions and fruits on a small to large scale basis but there is limited market for their produce. Something needs to be done so farmers can sell their produce to make a living, she added.

Harris told this publication that there is also a great need for the construction of a modern sport facility in Moruca because there are talented youths whose main sport is football but the young people have nowhere to play.

Moruca village is a picturesque place with notable community cohesion. It has a police station, hospital, post office and a cluster of shops and speed boat services.