GEM Issue 65

Page 1

Guyana’s Premier Guide to Entertainment, Culture, Fashion, Sports, Beauty and Young Fashionistas EB

RAT

ING G U

Y

A AN

CE L

2014/2015 | Issue 65 | A Bi-monthly Publication

GEM 20

2014 CHRISTMAS The

Wish List Designer

Randy Madray

Mastering the Art of Pageant Gowns The Guyana Relief Council Recognises Its Supporters

Travel

Exploring the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

0 4 - 2 0 14

25 UNDER 40

PROFESSIONALS to Meet

A Glimpse @ Donna RamsammyJames’ SHAPE 2015 Collection Renowned ARTIST STANLEY Greaves Celebrating One Tremendous Milestone GY$1,200 | US$5.99 | BD$12 | CN$5.99




Contents GEM

12 7

LETTERS TO GEM

What readers have to say about the last edition

8

PUBLISHER’S NOTES

Welcome to the 65th Edition of GEM

Guyana's Premier Lifestyle & Entertainment Magazine 2014/2015 | Issue 65

16

18

GEM 22 Page

Designer

Randy Madray

Mastering the Art of Pageant Gowns

10 Macaela's Catwalk

Briony and Alana Fill in the Blanks

12 The ABC, 123, Doe-Rae-Me

Of Makeup!

14 4 20-SOMETHINGS

You Should Know (Part XXI)

16 GOLF 2014

DIGICEL Guyana Open Tournament

18 GUYANA RELIEF COUNCIL

Recognises Its Supporters

2 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

COVER CREDIT The photo of DESIGNER Randy Madray was taken exclusively for GEM by Simeon Corbin



Contents II GEM

50

Guyana's Premier Lifestyle & Entertainment Magazine 2014/2015 | Issue 65

52

26 GUYANA'S 25 UNDER 40

45 GEM HUNK

GEM Introduces 25 Professionals

Meet Professional Weight Loss Trainer - Joshua

32 CHRISTMAS WISH LIST

48 FASHION

Exciting Stocking Stuffers

54

Designer - Donna Ramsammy-James Unveils Her 2015 Collections

36 ART WILLIAMS & HARRY WENDT

Aeronautical School

52 TRAVEL

38 ICON

Exploring The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception

Stanley Greaves - One Tremendous Milestone... 54 RECIPE

44 GEM BEAUTY

Meet 20 Year-Old Tiffany

Maid Marian Multigrain Chocolate Spice Cake and Upside Down Pineapple Cake

45 SAVVY Sister

56 LAST SEEN HERE

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

4 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

Random pictures of people and events. Were you there?


The best Gold, Silver, Diamond, Stainless Steel Jewellery, Perfumes, Sunglasses and Watches. Orders made in 24hrs

SANJAY’S JEWELLERY INC. 26 Sheriff Street, Campbellville. Tel: (592) 225-4537, 223-5263 Website: www.sanjaysjewellery.com Check us out on www.facebook.com/sanjaysjewellery

We accept Master Card and Visa


Celebrating Guyana Since 2004! Issue 65 | 2014/2015 FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Simeon L Corbin MANAGING EDITOR Coretta Corbin-Rival ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGER Tiya Peterkin LAYOUT AND DESIGN Mark James SALES & MARKETING • Tiya Peterkin • Sophia Ramphal INTERNATIONAL SALES & MARKETING Director Coretta Corbin-Rival INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION Director Michelle Corbin CONTRIBUTORS • Coretta Corbin-Rival • Michelle Corbin • Carl Croker • Donna Shortt-Gill • Tiya Peterkin • Sophia Ramphal • June English • Salima Bacchus-Hinds • Macaela Cameron • Majorie Chester • Rene Chester-Thompson GUYANA AND THE CARIBBEAN GEM | 50 BB | Eccles | East Bank Demerara | Guyana P: 011.592.233.3138 / 233.2940 GEM | P.O. Box 12396 | Georgetown | Guyana E: info@GemMagOnline.com W: www.GemMagOnline.com F: www.facebook.com/GEM.Guyana SUBSCRIPTION Guyana GYD6,500 Caribbean & North America USD45 Rest of the World USD50 http://www.gemmagonline.com INTERNATIONAL SALES AND MARKETING Corbin Media Group P.O. Box 357, Boston, MA 02137-0357 Phone: 617.833.7482 Email: gem@corbinmediagroup.com MEMBER Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Guyana Press Association (GPA) Tourism Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) ISSN 181-2019 Since 2004, GEM has been the only magazine with its finger on the pulse of Guyana’s lifestyle and entertainment trends. Every two months, it chronicles the personalities, places and events that make this country a beautiful place to live or visit. All rights reserved. Reproduction of editorial content in whole or in part without permission from the Publisher is prohibited. GEM/CMG does not assume responsibility for advertisements, nor any representation made therein, nor the quality or deliverability of the products themselves. Reproduction of articles, illustrations and photographs in whole or part contained herein without expressed consent from the Publisher is prohibited with the exception for news / media use. All information herein was deemed accurate at the time of printing, but may have changed after. The publisher and editors are not responsible for unsolicited material and it will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication subject to GEM’s rights to edit.

Copyright © 2014 by CORBIN MEDIA GROUP Inc.

6 | GEM 65, 2014/2015


CE L

ING G U RAT Y A AN

Letters to

EB

GEM 20

0 4 - 2 0 14

of the magazine content are fabulous. I would highly recommend this magazine to anyone for reading or advertising their products or services in. – Richard Figueroa, Miami, FL Your issue 64 cover is just stunning. It is one of your best cover and it has luxury written all over it. My experience has been amazing; from the first time I heard about the magazine to the time I bought my first copy. GEM I am sure you have a very bright future ahead. Good luck! -Maria Armadan-Saldara, Toronto, Canada I would like to say that the staff at GEM is really pleasant to deal with. You are very responsive to all my questions in a very reasonable amount of time, often less than 48 hours. The presentation of your magazine allows advertisers to be seen without getting lost in your glossy pages. Placements are spread throughout the magazine so it does not create a jumbled effect. Thank you for such a wonderful experience and for such a beautiful magazine. - Alvin Ramsammy, Queens, NY.

GEM seems to be the only publication that exhibits the dedication and care needed to promote our beautiful country. You go beyond the boundaries of other publications to make us look good in every issue with strict attention to detail. Those are traits that I still admire and cherish for all the years I have been reading the magazine. Keep up the good work. – Pricilla Miranda, NY. I have found your company to represent the best things a true lifestyle magazine should include. Each issue of your magazine has improved tremendously over the years. Your customer service and detailed research

We were very happy with GEM. The magazine is more than we expected. Reading the articles and the look of the classy pictures were a pleasure. We were quite pleased with how professional and high-end the magazine looks. It is nice to be able to pick-up such a beautiful and informative publication for a very low price! Considering the difficulty in finding good quality magazines coming out of Guyana, your issue 64 had an international look and feel with the Miss Earth Guyana 2014, Stacy Ramcharran on its cover. - Josephine Morgan -Ibrahim

We welcome comments, criticisms and ideas from you. Let us know what you think about this edition. Send comments to letters@gemmagonline.com. All letters may be edited for space, clarity and civility.

GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 7


Publisher's Notes “My idea of Christmas, whether old-fashioned or modern, is very simple: loving others. Come to think of it, why do we have to wait for Christmas to do that?” ― Bob Hope Dear Valued Reader, Welcome to the 65th and holiday edition of GEM. Like most people, I’m attracted to the nostalgic feelings that come with the Christmas season. Whether it’s listening to music, going through old photos with my family, shopping, attending events or hooking up with friends, I appreciate every moment.

R EB

ATING GUY A AN

CE L

Also, I’m amazed at how each year the holidays seem to creep up on us so quickly. One minute we’re enjoying the days of summer and the next we’re shopping for Christmas. Guyanese have never had a problem with cleaning and decorating—after all, there are few places that can rival us for our festive spirit. I know that this year will be no different, as we bid farewell to 2014 in our own unique way.

GEM 20

0 4 - 2 0 14

As GEM’s 10 year anniversary comes to an end, we have much to celebrate this season, and in keeping with that mood, we have done an exclusive feature on one of the country’s young stand-out designers - Randy Madray. His exquisite gowns have been the talk of the fashion world ever since numerous pageant queens have been winning their crowns dressed in a Madray design. Writer Donna Shortt-Gill tries to get into the creative mind of this budding fashionista. Also in this edition is our annual Wish List full of items from our

Our New Address: 50 BB | Eccles | East Bank Demerara | Guyana | 233.3138, 233.2940 8 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

diverse group of partners. You can also find features on twenty five professionals under forty, DIGICEL Guyana Open Golf Tournament, beauty Tips, the Guyana Relief Council’s Awards, SHAPE 2015 collection, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and of course, some delicious Christmas recipes from NAMILCO just to name a few. Our compelling content and high standards have helped us to stamp our name in the spheres of travel, health, lifestyle, beauty, sport, fashion and entertainment, as we accentuate our mission to transcend race, politics, religion and class to celebrate Guyana in its entirety. Look for more exciting features and worldclass photography that positively showcase our unique lifestyle and entertainment trends for next year. It has been a wonderful year for GEM, and we’re eager to be your inclusive/exclusive guide to what’s happening in Guyana and the Diaspora. Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year! See you next year, .................................. Simeon L. Corbin Founder & Publisher

/ GEM.Guyana


The product most recommended by doctors for scars & stretch marks. UK, Pharmacist survey (Opinion Health, 2013)

“My daughter had a dog bite on her cheek that left a scar, almost like a puncture wound from the dog’s tooth. We tried every kind of product, lotion and ointment but it remained red and very noticeable for over two years. After three months of consistent use of Bio-Oil, her scar is definitely less noticeable! I now also use Bio-Oil daily for wrinkles, brown spots and dry skin from too much skiing. Thanks for an outstanding product that really delivers.” Leanne Rowntree

Bio-Oil® is a specialist skincare product formulated to help improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone. Its unique formulation, which contains the breakthrough ingredient PurCellin Oil™, is also highly effective for ageing and dehydrated skin. For comprehensive product information and results of clinical trials, please visit bio-oil.com. Bio-Oil is available at pharmacies and selected retailers at the recommended selling price of G$3,300 (60ml). Individual results will vary.

Distributed by

D4 Starlite Square East Coast Demerara, Guyana Telephone # 592 220 8198

GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 9


s ’ a l e a Mac alk

Sister, Sister Edition!

Catw

Briony fills in the blanks! I never leave home without… my

phone.

My dressy, party style is… either a

fitted dress with heels or jeans with an elaborate top and heels.

My comfortable, laid-back style is…

jeans, t-shirt and flip-flops.

Describe your sister’s sense of fashion in 1 word. Sophisticated.

r! Chic Blaze favourite perfume

Gucci Guilty

Sophisticated & Classy!

Who or what has influenced your sense of style? My mother, she

always insisted I leave the house looking presentable and not like a mad woman.

Cool & Sex y!

Who do you think is more fashionable?

Briony’s Must Haves! favourite shoes

Fifi Louboutin

favourite gadget

Definitely my sister.

favourite makeup item

Samsung Galaxy S5 Ruddy Woo Lipstick by Mac

“Express yourself but keep in mind the occasion.” - Briony’s Style Rule!

How many pairs of shoes do you own and which one is your favourite?

Approx. 150 pairs. I love shoes because regardless of the weight I gain, my feet always look fabulous!

Alana fills in the blanks! I never leave home without… my

phone.

My dressy, party style is… a bandage

dress with heels and my lipstick, of course.

My comfortable, laid-back style is…

gs! Those Le

Sexy yet Classy!

palazzo pants or leggings; I love those.

Love the Red

Pout!

Alana’s Must Haves! favourite perfume

favourite shoes

favourite gadget

favourite makeup item

Describe your sister’s sense of fashion in 1 word. Different.

Who or what has influenced your sense of style? I like fashion so I

would have to say the media.

Who do you think is more fashionable?

My sister…she likes to be different.

Chloe

Nine West Gladiator Heels

Apple iPhone 6

“Only wear sequins at night.” - Alana’s Style Rule!

10 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

Mocha Lipstick by Mac

How many pairs of shoes do you own and which one is your favourite? About

80 pairs but I love my gladiator heels; most comfortable pair of shoes I own.

Tune in to see who Macaela picks in our next issue!



The ABC, 123,

Doe-Rae-Me L

Text: Reneé Chester-Thompson Photography: Infinity Photography

et’s start from the very beginning! As my articles will be all about makeup from here on, there’s plenty of time to get into the ‘smokey eye and all the beauty tricks & secrets along with everything that's trending in the cosmetic & beauty industry.’ However, I find it necessary to FIRST lay out the ground rules to wearing makeup flawlessly and the reasons of wearing makeup. Consider this article my GENESIS. Makeup is a characteristic of BEAUTY! Beauty is a combination of qualities; these can be someone’s shape, color or form according to GOOGLE! For me as a makeup artist I see BEAUTY as more. Beauty is something that we cannot see; it is on the inside. It is Confidence, Self-esteem and attitude! Beauty is natural, Makeup is just an accessory and the sooner we accept the way we look naturally, the easier looking and feeling Flawless becomes! By the way, WHAT IS DEFINITION OF BEAUTY?

YOUR

Before rushing to the cosmetic counter to test or purchase products for your daily GLAM routine, do you even know your skin type? Have you ever analyzed your features such as your face, brow, nose, eye and lip shape etc…? By the way, what’s your skin care regimen and what is your diet like? Also, what’s your reaction to your own reflection in the mirror? Are you comfortable/ confident looking at yourself without the makeup on?

12 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

If you’re still fumbling for answers to my “few” questions, then you definitely need to read on.

look too 'cakey' or over applied and in some cases, the makeup 'runs'. Um, did someone yell Primer?

Let’s get into it… first, note that healthy looking skin is a reflection of a healthy diet and exercising lifestyle and the secret to beautiful, healthy skin is to understand how the skin functions and what beauty products are on the cosmetic market to best compliment your skin care needs. Knowing these will help you to treat it correctly.

My point is, to have oily skin is not the worst skin situation in the world because it can be controlled by the use of certain cosmetic products designed especially to aid that situation, especially for women of color. It's actually a myth that all women of color have oily skin. It's primarily because the melanin in their skin acts as a natural barrier to the ultraviolet rays that cause wrinkles.

• Water is your #1 skin-friendly tool. The fact is that water plays a large role in maintaining a healthy and youthful looking complexion. • Water makes your skin glow and helps especially to plump the facial muscles to help give a younger looking appearance. Note: once you commit to drinking more water you should expect to see clearer looking skin in about 1 to 3 weeks. Try it and see! OILY How can I make you understand that oily skin is not dirty skin? In fact, everyone produces SEBUM; (some people overproduce) this is the oily secretion of the sebaceous glands that is a natural moisturizer for the hair and skin and also provides some protection against bacteria. Makeup applied to an oily canvas (without the use of a face primer) will actually make the situation more pronounced, making your makeup

DRY Let me confess, I'd rather have oily skin than a dry skin type! Dryness mainly occurs when your skin does not produce enough Sebum. When it comes to wearing makeup, dryness can make your skin look matted, which is good too but it can be uncomfortable for you and make your skin kind of rough to the touch. Usually your skin would feel itchy or tight and may even have a rough, flaky appearance causing your complexion to look dull. Dry skin is caused by some external factors such as over-washing your face with harsh soaps, cold temperatures and low humidity. Note: Skin that feels overly tight after bathing may indicate excess removal of natural skin oils. If you have dry skin, DO NOT use soap as a facial cleanser. You will need a moisturizing cleanser and a rich moisturizer. Consult a beauty/ skincare specialist to help you choose the right product!


In upcoming articles I will be sure to guide you along to using the right facial cares for your skin type. In the meanwhile get started on the “skin-care” journey. You will love your reflection even more. The task is simple, taking care of yourself is the one thing you MUST do for YOU! Tips: Exercise: Get your heart pumping for at least 2030 minutes a day. A good workout doesn’t only burn calories; it also helps deliver oxygen and nutrients to your skin. Get your rest. Nutrition: Drink plenty of water. Consume a lot of fruits and vegetables. Pop a Zit: Shhhh…you didn’t hear it from me, but popping a pimple is actually OK sometimes, if you do it the rightway! Zits always seem to show up when you’re already stressed, so don’t take out your existing troubles on your poor, helpless face. Only give the spot a squeeze if it’s white on top. Using two cotton swabs, gently press on both sides of the little sucker until it pops. Once you’ve cleaned off the gunk, dab a salicylic acid treatment such as a zit-zapper on top. Questions? Follow-ups? Feedback? Beauty Consultations? Mail me at bromeliad.rnc@hotmail.com

GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 13


20-Somethings

Part You Should Know xxi

In an ongoing series, GEM introduces you to some 20-somethings that are intelligent, creative, selfassured, patriotic and show signs of readiness to lead Guyana.

Despite the frequent talk of “brain drain” in Guyana and disillusioned youths, these young leaders are sticking

around and aggressively pursuing their various fields of endeavor. This list is just a sample of the calibre of talent that is moving to the forefront of our society, ready to takeover and lead the country into a bright future.

Chitramanie Suknanan Age: 24 Hometown: Georgetown High School: North Georgetown Secondary School Occupation: Artist; Designer; Stylist; Entrepreneur; Founder of CHITRARTS Claim To Fame: It always comes back to art Hobbies: Art, Craft and Design Idol: Oprah Winfrey Politics Is?: Our hope for protection and tranquility Where do you see yourself in ten years?: In ten years, I see myself managing the CHITRARTS Group of Companies by creating a leadership path for others to follow through art and design. Inspirational message: Always remember, if you want to be successful; choose to be a leader and bring others with you.

Travis Chase Age: 26 Hometown: Kitty High School: St. John’s College Occupation: Journalist Claim to fame: I think I became famous, I believe, since secondary school after performing in a number of stage plays and being awarded best supporting and best actor on two occasions. Moreover, the HGP Nightly News aired on Channel 16 cable 67 Hobbies: Reading, traveling and research Relationship Status: involved Idol: Marcus Garvey Politics is?: I do not get too involved in politics. I just vote and write the stories on a balanced level for the HGP Nightly News. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?: In ten years I see myself in a top position, either at the BBC or CNN. 14 | GEM 65, 2014/2015


Brandon Harding Age: 20 Hometown: Linden High school: Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary, St Lucia Occupation: Artist Claim to fame: Winner of the GTT Jingle and Song competition Relationship status: not single Idol: Michael Jackson Politics is?: Stress Where do you see yourself in ten years?: Touring the world as an international artist

Priscilla Mackintosh Age: 25 Hometown: Georgetown High School: Queen's College; Recently completed my Bachelor of Social Science Degree in International Relations at the University of Guyana Occupation: Marketing Assistant Claim to fame: I'm not famous… but my friends know me as the loud and bold one.. lol Hobbies: Swimming & Reading. Is eating a hobby? LOL Relationship Status: Taken :) Idol: My mom. I continue to admire her each and every day. She's the type of person that keeps on giving regardless of what she receives in return. Politics is?: Very interesting Where do you see yourself in ten years?: Within the next decade, I hope to complete my Master's Degree and learn to cook! In addition, I would like to have my own healthy and happy family. **********************************************************************************************

If you or you know of someone that should be considered for the 20-somethings list, feel free to contact us via e-mail at letters@gemmagonline.com

Feel the Comfort, Buy for the quality... ‘K’ New Road, Vreed-En-Hoop, West Coast Demerara Tel: (592) 254-1800 / 1801 Email: ndsfurniture_1017@yahoo.com

218 Upper Charlotte & Oronoque Street, Bourda, G/town Tel: (592) 225-8203 / 8205 Email: ndssuperstore@gmail.com GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 15


Digicel 2014

Photography: Carl Croker

Guyana Open Golf Tournament

A

Digicel’s head of marketing Jacqueline James (c) poses with the winners Avinash Persaud and Joaan Deo

fter two days of intense competition at the annual Digicel Guyana Open Golf Tournament on November 2 and 3 at the Lusignan Golf Course, Avinash Persaud and Joaan Deo emerged as the men’s and lady’s champions respectively. Persaud who is no stranger to the winner’s row, added a record fifth

Alfred Mentore 16 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

title to his name as he finished with an overall gross of 144 and a net of 140 ahead of his brother and last year’s champion who had to settle for second place with an overall gross of 153 and a net of 147. In the Ladies game, Joaan Deo created the biggest upset of the tournament by beating longtime champion Christine Suhkram who

had consistently been winning titles since the ladies division was added in 2006. Deo finished with an overall net of 141 and a gross of 181. Shanella Webster, ended in second place with a total net of 146 and a gross of 190, while Sukhram came in third with a total net of 146 and a gross 167 for third place.

From right, Jerome Khan, Clifford Reis and other players tally their scores



Guyana Relief Council Celebrates 20 Years

Text: Donna Shortt-Gill Photography: Carl Croker

"20 years of ‘caring and sharing’ for families left devastated by loss, heartache, bewilderment and fear of the unknown"

and river disasters etc. In the past 20 years, the GRC has provided temporary shelter, counseling and guidance to survivors, food stuff, clothes, beds and other household items. They have also assisted in acquiring building materials for those in need of rebuilding their homes, funeral costs for loved ones lost in a disaster and the replacement of documents such as birth certificates and passports. Funding for this ‘caring and sharing’ organisation is reliant on donations f r o m l o c a l s a nd t ho se l i vi ng abroad, fund raisers and a monthly government subvention. The call to Corporate Guyana to come on board is loud and clear in enabling the GRC to continue their work and to grow. On Sunday, 28th September 2014, at the Pegasus Hotel, Kingston, The GRC celebrated its 20th Anniversary with a special luncheon and a fund-raising Dutch auction under the theme ‘Celebrating the Past, Protecting the Future’.

A section of the patrons

T

he Guyana Relief Council is a humanitarian mission to be highly commended and respected; touching the lives of Guyanese in their time of dire need, reaching across the 10 administrative regions and beyond (Haiti, Venezuela and Grenada when they were hit by natural disasters).

18 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

This non-governmental, non-profit organization was founded on 17th January 1994 and launched as the National Relief Council, initially a government department before becoming independent. It was established to lend assistance to those affected by unforeseen natural and man-made disasters such as fires, flooding, freak storms

In her address, the Chairperson of the Guyana Relief Council, Mrs. Yvonne Hinds, stated that she was “here to share the sense of achievement and happiness in having helped to build a national institution from scratch into the formidable force that the GRC has become in the last two decades” and affirmed that the GRC was in for the long haul. Mrs. Hinds highlighted that the theme for the GRC – Caring and Sharing, was a promise that they have proudly kept for the past 20 years. In 1994, the GRC experienced their own disaster when a fire ripped through their offices, which was at the time housed on South Road. They emerged from the ashes in 1995 with their new and current location in Riverview, Ruimveldt


which also houses an emergency shelter, located behind the building. In 2005 and 2006, the GRC went into full gear during the great floods and as Mrs. Hinds explained, the “facility became the Oasis” she envisioned. They housed over 100 persons daily over a three month period – ranging from babies to the elderly. In 2011 the Guyana Relief Council was quite deservedly awarded The National Medal of Service for the contributions it had made to society, in particularly, the poor and powerless. During the luncheon, Mrs. Hinds lauded the efforts of her council members past and present –Earl Bousquet (from St. Lucia) who acted as the Chairperson for the occasion, Diane Munroe and Olive Clarke (U.S.), Angelique Bispat (Saudia Arabia), Joan Sears who is the former Secretary of the GRC and now President of the GRC in Florida, Vice Chairman for the GRC Maurice Amres, Barbara Walrond, Doris Lewis, Rohini Bonar, Bernice Mansell and to her staff Lynette Carter, Andre Wilson, Alana Valentine, Desiree Harry, Kwame Peters and volunteers and to her continuous supporters - Patron Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, former Government Minister for Human Services & Social Security Dr. Henry Jeffrey, Bernard Crawford, Peter Pompey (BACIF) Mahendra Balram, Oscar Phillips, Courtney Benn, Brian Tiwarie, Greta McDonald, Minister Jennifer Webster (current Minister of Human Services & Social Security), Neville Osman, Dr. Roger Morton. Mrs. Hinds acknowledged the support of the corporate supporters Jorge Medina MACORP, The Gift Centre, Meditron, Ricks & Sari, The New Building Society, The New Thriving Restaurant, The Chinese Embassy, The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, The Guyana Police Force, The Guyana Defence Force,

Maurice Amres, Yvonne Hinds and Chandra Amres

Earl Bousquet, Doris Lewis and a guest

Maurice Amres and Prime Minster Samuel Hinds

Yvonne Hinds with the door prize winner Jennifer Lewis

GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 19


Laparkan Group of Companies and the Guyana Pegasus. Awards were presented to 14 persons who had contributed to the success of the GRC. Amongst them was 94 year old Sybil Fraser who was the first secretary of the GRC. The Dutch auction was conducted by long-time supporter of the GRC, Ron Robinson.

Maurice Amres and Jorge Medina Sybil Fraser and Maurice Amres

Without a doubt, the Guyana Relief Council has affected and impacted the lives of many in their time of distress and garnered hope for a brighter future when families felt all was lost.

Maurice Amres and Bernice Mansell

One of the winners of the Dutch Auction

20 | GEM 65, 2014/2015


D4 Starlite Square East Coast Demerara, Guyana Telephone # 592 220 8198


Simeon Corbin Photo

Designer

Randy Madray

Mastering the Art of Pageant Gowns Text: Donna Shortt-Gill

“I want to empower women. I want people to be afraid of the women I dress”. Alexander McQueen

T

his could easily be a quote by Randy Madray. Randy exploded onto the Guyanese fashion scene and captured our hearts with his unique and breathtaking designs at the ripe age of 15 when he won the FACTS 3 competition run by notable Guyanese fashion designer, Michelle Cole and the late artistic/graphic designer, Trevor Rose, a team known as Facts & Roses. FACTS (Fashion, Arts & Creativity by Talented Students) gave young talented designers a platform to express their creativity and explore their boundaries. Born (way beyond his time) in Meadowbank, Georgetown, Randy grew up with his parents and sister in a small and humble home set in a ‘family yard’. His two older brothers were raised by his grandparents in those lean years. His elder brother now resides in Jamaica as a doctor and the other is an engineer and helps run the family business (ice suppliers). His younger sister is a student at the University of Guyana. Their grandparents who lived in Canal No. 2 exposed Randy to the country life which he loved in comparison to life in town. 22 | GEM 65, 2014/2015


Young Randy loved school and excelled in the arts, social studies, geography, history, mathematics and literature. He was a very high achiever and graduated with superb grades. These subjects, he believes, influenced him through its art form and culture. To this day, Randy keeps in close contact with his former teachers, Mr. Wilfred Success formally of West Ruimveldt Primary School and now Success Elementary School and his art teacher, well-known fashion designer Ms. Lou-Anne LewisJackson formally of Queens College who immediately recognized his talent. Both teachers have been great influences in his life and continue to be two of his strongest supporters. When Randy was in the fourth form, he was introduced to Michelle Cole who was auditioning young talent for FACTS. He secretly auditioned as he knew his family would not approve. As Randy explains, being from a traditional East Indian family, they believed he was “wasting his academic achievements”. His parents had bigger hopes for their son. Randy was successful at the audition and was called back where, to his amazement and utmost joy, won the competition outright. His teachers and friends came out to support him at the finals but unfortunately, not his parents… but he solemnly says he knows his father is silently proud of his achievements and looks forward to the day that his father will accept his career choice and attend one of his runway shows. Although, Randy loved school and loved to learn, he says he faced an extremely difficult time in school due to his desire to be a fashion designer. Those years were very dark for him. A reflection of that, he notes, can be seen in his collection for the FACTS 3 competition. The experience, he explains, had taught him to channel his anger and

frustration into his pieces. He continued that he embraces any negative criticism as it encourages him to forge ahead and try harder. Inspiration for his designs, he states, comes from his clients. He loves to experiment and bring out the best in the women he dresses. Randy was the creative genius behind Niketa Barker’s gown for the Miss Guyana Universe 2014 pageant; a goal he had longed for. Niketa’s breathtaking white gown boasted over 3,000 hand sewn crystals. Guyanese designer Roger Gary was named as Randy’s most admired local designer and who has been a mountain of strength and support to him. On the international stage, he names the late Alexander McQueen as the designer he has garnered great inspiration from. “McQueen”, he states “expresses no limit to fashion and his designs are ever evolving”. Likened to McQueen, Randy sees the similarities in their edginess, pushing boundaries and the keen attention that’s paid to fine detailing. When asked, if given the opportunity, who would he love to design for, he beamed when replying, “Feliz Robertson, the local radio announcer on HJ 94.1FM and internationally renowned singer and actress, Jennifer Lopez.”

In 2011, Randy won the first ever National Dress Competition hosted by pageant director and CEO of Simpli Royal, Ms. Pamela Dillon. The costume was later showcased at the Miss Guyana Earth pageant. Randy explained he wanted to” create a dress fit for international standards and not good for local.” He achieved that goal with a gown that embraced the rich and diverse Guyanese culture. Every intricate detail was paid attention to because as he says, ”it can make or break a design.” His pet peeve in fashion is women who dress ‘overly sexy’ and inevitably look “skanky”. He believes a woman should command respect. He stressed that the clothes a woman wears speaks volumes about her character. Some clothes, he went on, “doesn’t allow for respect – it welcomes and encourages disrespect.”

GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 23


Designer Randy Madray Mastering the Art of Pageant Gowns

Randy’s dream, for the not too distant future, is to hit the runways of Paris, Milan and London… without forgetting his roots and quoting his good friend and newly crowned Miss Guyana Universe, Niketa Barker, “dream above and beyond.” Reflecting on his past ‘mistakes’ he recounts his failed attempts at entering the Barbados Fashion Week noting that he wasn’t maturely prepared but is confident that he is “totally ready now.” To his achievements, Randy has designed gowns for 5 reigning p a g e a n t q u e e n s . T h i s y e a r, 24 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

Guyana’s Alecia Bess won the Miss PJD Caribbean pageant in a ‘Randy Madray’ design and copped the Best Gown prize. Miss. St. Kitts and Miss Anguilla both won their titles also adorned in ‘Randy Madray’ gowns and he is now Miss Anguilla’s official designer for an upcoming pageant in 2015. This new designer is already shipping orders to clients in the United States. I strongly believe (a phrase frequently used by Randy) that there are even greater things ahead for this fierce and determined young designer. With his humble and magnetic

demeanor, he will continue to capture hearts….worldwide…….. Maybe he was born this way. The ‘Randy Madray’ facebook fan page and logo, ‘MR’, have recently been launched. Go ahead and ‘like’ his page and see for yourself.



Guyana's 25 under 40 PROFESSIONALS

GEM recognises twenty five individuals under the age of forty years in this special feature.. Of course, there are over one hundred more that can easily make the list, but we had to make some painful decisions to narrow the list. The “25 under 40” is made up of professionals, entertainers, sports personalities, entrepreneurs, and other game-changers. If you really know Guyana, you will notice that many young people are as patriotic as they come as they continue to believe and excel in a place they live, work and play.

Timothy Austin

Compton Babb (cont'd)

relentless determination I can be what I want to be

Age: 31 Occupation: Public Relations Officer Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) Education: Master in Business Administration, Postgraduate Diploma in Management, Graduate Certificate in Management, Bachelor of Social Science – Communications, Diploma – Media and Communications

Creative Intuitive Driven

Growing up, what was your career choice?: I aspired to be a Film Director. My dream was to create films that would fascinate moviegoers the way Spielberg’s ET forever changed the way children’s movies were created. Best advice you ever received: My grandmother consistently told me to never compromise my integrity for money or any material gain. That advice has helped me throughout my career when dealing with difficult decisions. Your best inspirational quote: Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are. – John Wooden Hobbies: I share my opinion on pop culture, movies, music and books on my blog: http://www.timothyandrewaustin.blogspot. com / Movies, because of my obsession with films. I am also an avid collector of movie soundtracks and film scores. I currently have in excess of 3000 soundtracks.

Your best inspirational quote: “Even in a bad situation, there's always a positive side, even if you can't see it yet.” – Susane Colasanti and “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve.” –Napoleon Hill Hobbies: Drawing, Dancing and Basketball Family: My wife Lilian and son Cornelius Dmitri

Trustworthy Innovative Compassionate

Anisia Veronica Bacchus Age: 33 Occupation: Managing Director Medi-Care Pharmacy Education: Bachelor Degree in Business Management from University of Guyana, Bishops High School, Stella Maris Primary Growing up, what was your career choice?: Entrepreneur

Compassionate Generous Patient

Family: 2 sisters and 1 brother

Best advice you ever received: The things we take for granted someone else is praying for, be thankful for the blessings you have in life.

Compton Babb

Your best inspirational quote: “We know what we are, but know not what we may be. -William Shakespeare

Age: 33 Occupation: Designer, Artist and Animator - Tagman Media Inc.

Hobbies: Spending time with my family, working out, reading, and shopping.

Education: Burrowes School of Art

Family: Nuclear

Growing up, what was your career choice?: Art, which focuses primarily on the visual arts and includes the creation of images or objects in fields

Neil Bacchus

Best advice you ever received: With a positive attitude and a

Occupation: C.E.O. and Academic Tutor - Indigenous Peoples’ Commission and Global Technology Academic Centre

26 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

Age: 38


Neil Bacchus (cont'd)

Mohindra Chand (cont'd)

Education: Queens’ College and University Of Guyana

a bearing tree not a tree without fruits. Your best inspirational quote: Today is a day to make tomorrow's dreams, yesterday's history

Growing up, what was your career choice?: To be part of the medical field as a pharmacist

Hbbies: Watching movies with my Kids and playing games with them

Best advice you ever received: If you want to succeed, you must love what you are doing.

Family: Wife - Tammy Lee Ann Chand, Son - Timothy Rahul Chand & Emily Karishma Chand

Your best inspirational quote: Never take another person’s happiness and make it your distress!

Loving Kind Honest

Hobbies: Reading, music, social work Family: Includes my wife and daughter (8 years)

Keavon U. Bess

Dia Christian Age: 38 Occupation: Trade in Goods Specialist – Economic Partnership Agreement Implementation - Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat

Age: 28

Education: M.Sc – International Trade Policy

Occupation: Attorney at Law - Victoria Law Chambers

Growing up, what was your career choice?: Politician

Education: University of Guyana and Hugh Wooding Law School

Best advice you ever received: Stay out of politics

Growing up, what was your career choice?: At an early age, I wanted to be a Pilot. But the adventures of Matlock and the quest for the courtroom thrills got hold of me and at about 13 years of age I had fixed my mind on being a Lawyer

Your best inspirational quote: "The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do." - Walter Bagehot

Gregarious Decorous Magnanimous

Best advice you ever received: Never wait for the perfect opportunity make every opportunity perfect!

Perceptive, Aspiring Jovial

Hobbies: Trivia, NFL, and dining Family: Wife and a Son

Raul Couchman Age: 32

Your best inspirational quote: "I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it is for or against. I'm a human being, first and foremost, and as such I'm for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole."

Occupation: Owner - Artistic Marketing

Hobbies: Playing cricket, traveling, reading historical events, chilling with family and friends and watching movies.

Growing up, what was your career choice?: Medical Doctor

Family: Single, but has Father, Mother, four Sisters, niece, nephews and two brothers-in-law.

Best advice you ever received: Do what you love and the rest will follow.

Mohindra Chand aka Neil

Your best inspirational quote: ''Sometimes, it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom.'' - Nelson Mandela

Age: 36

Hobbies: Music (Writing, Singing & Composing)

Company: Barama Company Limited

Family: Dedicated wife and two adorable children.

Education: Anna Regina Secondary School

Designation: Head, Corporate Affairs &Forest Planning Education: BSC Forestry & Post Graduate Certificate in Management

Productive Confident Jovial

Dr. Johan Da Silva Age: 34

Humble

Occupation: Manager - Modern Optical Service

Member: Senior VP Forest Products Open-minded Association of Guyana, Member of Committed Guyana Manufacturing & Services Association, Member of Private Sector Commission Growing up, what was your career choice?: Computer Programmer Best advice you ever received: Give people less things to talk about you and remember that people would only go for (pelt at)

Education: Optometrist, Graduate of University of Bradford, UK and Miami Dade College U.S.A

Adventurous Fairless Compassionate

Growing up, what was your career choice?: I had always wanted to follow in my father’s footstep as an optometrist. GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 27


Dr. Johan Da Silva (cont'd)

Dr Carlin Alexie Hanoman (cont'd)

Best advice you ever received: Be Fair to Everyone

Growing up what was your career choice?: The Field of Science.

Your best inspirational quote: The thing needed for evil to prevail is for a good man to do nothing. Hobbies: Hunting, Fishing, Shooting Family: Wife, Maisa Da Silva, Sons, Louis and Brenno.

Ian Defreitas Age: 26

Your best inspirational quote: "Necessity is the mother of hard work. Vision is the mother of invention."G.E. Nordell.

Occupation: Videographer / Motion Designer - SiviCorp Growing up, what was your career choice?: I wanted to be an Engineer

Inquisitive Ambitious Compassionate

Hobbies: Gym fitness, socializing and meeting intelligent people, swimming and playing squash.

Best advice you ever received: People who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are usually the ones who do. – Steve Jobs

Family: Closely knit family.

Awesome Social Vibrant

Your best inspirational quote: “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” – Albert Einstein

Family: My Sister, she has always been there with me through everything.

Dhaneshwar Deonarine

Anjeta Hinds Age: 31 Occupation: Jr. Brand Manager (nonalcoholic brands) - ANSA McAL Trading Limited Education: Furthering my studies and pursuing my degree Growing up, what was your career choice?: As a child, I pretended to be a veterinarian and dreamt of being a prima ballerina…now I know Marketing is where I belong.

Age: 27 Occupation: Deputy Permanent Secretary - Ministry of Tourism, Industry & Commerce Education: Master’s Degree in Human Resource Planning & Development - Guru, Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, India; Bachelors Degree in Economics – University of Guyana; Advance Diploma in Project Management – Institute of Commercial Management

Best advice you ever received: Believe in God and also believe in yourself, always try to do good things. Despite the many obstacles that may come your way, always be optimistic and happiness and success will soon follow.

Patient Forgiving Evolving

Best advice you ever received: Too many to list…what can I say I have profound people around me!

Honest Trustworthy Diligent

Your best inspirational quote: “Nothing before its time and everything in time” (this is my personal take on a Byron Katie quote) Hobbies: Reading, watching TV and spending quality time with my family

Growing up, what was your career choice?: LAWYER

Family: I idolize my mother and now I get to follow her footsteps and be the best mom and home-maker for my “almost” husband, our daughter and family.

Best advice you ever received: “Take your education serious” – My parents

Jerrylee Lewis

Your best inspirational quote: “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value” – Albert Einstein

Age: 34

Hobbies: Reading, watching TV, playing cricket and other sports Family: Wife (Natasha Beerjit Deonarine) and Son

Dr Carlin Alexie Hanoman Age: 29 Occupation: Medical Practitioner - Max Hanoman Medical Centre Education: Bishops' High School, University of Western Ontario, University of Guyana School of Medicine. Member: Board member of The Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association.

28 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

Occupation: Manager - John Lewis Styles Education: Queen’s College/ University of Guyana (Dip. in Accountancy & Deg. Business Management) Growing up, what was your career choice?: Lawyer Best advice you ever received: My Parents always told me that no matter which path life takes me on, be thankful and humble

Humble Thoughtful Ambitious

Your best inspirational quote: The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention – (Khalil Gibran)


Jerrylee Lewis (cont'd)

Nadia Benita Madho (cont'd)

Hobbies: cooking, travelling and reading

to undertake business studies and to be in charge of my own business and the other was to become a lawyer. My focus went primarily to museum and cultural studies for which I am still very much involved in today. As for the lawyer career, I am still not sure but may or may not take it up in my future.

Family: Married my high school sweetheart, John Lewis and we share three adorable children

John Lewis

Best advice you ever received: I received many advices but the ones from my parents I think should be noted and these are:

Age: 35

My mom: Prayer is the key to every problem.

Occupation: Managing Director John Lewis Styles

My dad: How you make your bed, so you must lie on it. He also said that never regret the choices you make in life. Accept the fact and try to move forward as you can’t turn back the hands of time.

Education: Queen’s College & University of Guyana (Deg. in Business Mng) Growing up, what was your career choice?: Pilot Best advice you ever received: Honesty & hard-work pays off but always remain humble and remember where you came from.

Simple Fair Hard-Working

Your best inspirational quote: Success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Hobbies: Enjoying good food & company, travelling, shooting & architectural design. Family: Married to Jerrylee Lewis with 3 children (Victoria 7yrs, Sarah 5yrs & John 15mnths)

Family: Married to Sewdat Sukhu aka Tyrone (Business-man and mechanic) and have one son namely; Tyrone Jaden Sukhu (11 months old

Anand Muneshwar Age: 33

Growing up, what was your career choice?: As a child, I wanted to be a Pilot, just love Airplanes!

Age: 35 Occupation: Operations Manager Medi-Care Pharmacy Education: Queens College, Comenius Primary. Growing up, what was your career choice?: Doctor

Motivated Devoted Ambitious

Best advice you ever received: “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

Your best inspirational quote: “Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” Robert Louis Stevenson Hobbies: Sport, shooting, fishing and hunting. Family: Nuclear

Best advice you ever received: My Grandparents always say- Never stop doing little things for others. Sometimes the little things occupy the biggest part of their hearts! Your best inspirational quote: Strive not to be a success, but rather to be a value!

Honest Determined Hardworking

Hobbies: Cricket, Soccer & fishing Family: Subrina k. Muneshwar(wife) and Ethan B. Muneshwar (son)

Bibi Nafeeza Narine

Nadia Benita Madho

Age: Mid 30s

Age: 28

Occupation: Executive Assistant / Marketing Representative - Vishnu Panday & Associates Inc. (IBM / Lenovo Business Partners)

Occupation: Administrator (ag) Guyana National Museum, Ministry of Culture, Youth & Sport

Growing up, what was your career choice?: I had two choices: one was

Hobbies: playing table-tennis, travelling, cooking, interacting with people and acquiring new skills

Occupation: Financial Controller Cara Hotels

Christopher Stephan Lowe

Education: Computer literate with certificates of distinction & A. BA in History from the University of Guyana (Major in History and minor was Law), Government of Japan Scholarship

Your best inspirational quote: “Tough times never last, but tough people do.”~Dr. Robert Schuller.

Education: Finance / Administration

Hard-working Pleasant Loyal

Growing up, what was your career choice?: To work in a bank (smile)

Fun-loving Determined Very sociable

Best advice you ever received: Do the best job you can, learn as much as you can while doing it and most importantly, have fun.

GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 29


Bibi Nafeeza Narine (cont'd)

Chris Rahaman (cont'd)

Your best inspirational quote: “You will face many defeats in life, but never let yourself be defeated” Maya Angelou

Growing up, what was your career choice?: To own my own business

Hobbies: Reading / Dancing / Shopping for shoes & bags

Best advice you ever received: Hard work pays off

Family: Married: Patrick Narine, kids: Neha & Vinay Narine

Your best inspirational quote: Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be

Dmitri Nicholson Age: 34

Hobbies: Video Games, Pools, Photography and Chess

Occupation: Executive Director - Youth Challenge Guyana

Family: Is important. Wife Stacey and two daughters, Anya and Emma

Education: Associate DegreePsychology Growing up, what was your career choice?: Community Service Best advice you ever received: Know yourself and you can achieve anything

Spontaneous Proactive Cheerful

Your best inspirational quote: The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.-Martin Luther King, Jr. Hobbies: Reading, travelling, playing sports (football, table tennis). Family: Married with one daughter

Charissa A.F. Rampersaud Age: 33 Occupation: Sales, Marketing and Public Relations Manager - W&T George Group of Companies Growing up, what was your career choice?: I wanted to be a stay at home Mom. I still do.

Age: 38 Occupation: Director of Corporate Services/Company Secretary - Guyana Water Inc.

Your best inspirational quote: It's not what you say or do to me that make me feel this way, it's what 'I' do with what you say or do to me that make me feel this way.

Honest Hardworking Spontaneous

Growing up, what was your career choice?: Always wanted to be a Lawyer Best advice you ever received: Never Give Up Your best inspirational quote: Be yourself, everyone else is already taken – Oscar Wilde Hobbies: Swimming, Lawn Tennis, Reading

Chris Rahaman Age: 35

Hobbies: I have a passion for Scouting. I’ve made it my duty to give back and ensure as many children as possible are able to become Scouts and have amazing adventures, learn skills for life and are able to help create a better world by being productive citizens. Family: I’m single. Lost my Dad 15 years ago (I was a Daddy’s girl). I just have my Mom now.

John Michael Ramsingh Age: 33 Occupation: Sales & Marketing Agent; Sports Producer and Cricket Commentator - The National Communications Network Inc.

Occupation: Co-owner - Christa Marketing and Guyananightlife. com

Education: Bachelor Degree in Biology from the University of Guyana, 2004 and The Bishops' High School

Education: Secondary, currently pursuing diploma in Graphic Design

Growing up, what was your career choice?: Medical Doctor

30 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

Kind Adventurous Strong

Best advice you ever received: Approach everything with an open mind. Know that everything happens for a reason and ensure you always learn the lesson it was meant to teach you so you’ll never have regrets. Your thoughts are the most powerful things you create so make sure they are always positive.

Nigel Niles

Education: Bachelor of Laws (LLBHons) –UWI, LEC – Hugh Wooding Law School, Post Grad Diploma in Law (merit) –University of London; currently pursuing the Master of Laws – University of London

Hardworking Dedicated Humorous

Cheerful Optimistic Productive


John Michael Ramsingh (cont'd)

Rawle Toney (cont'd)

Best advice you ever received: Don't depend on anyone to do anything for you that you can't do on your own. Learn to do everything for yourself and nobody will have an edge over you nor will you ever have to return a favour.

Best advice you ever received: “Be yourself at all times; let people accept you for who you are and not what they want you to be”. I remember these words daily, especially during my challenging times. It was said to me by my dad the first day I had migrated to America to live with him in my youth.

Your best inspirational quote: There is a silver lining behind every dark cloud. Hobbies: I enjoy a good cricket match whether I am playing, watching or listening; playing table tennis; spending time with my son indoors and outdoors; a hot corner shop gaff; listening to Soca music; watching 'old school' and 'modern' sitcoms and communicating via BBM, Whatsapp and Viber. Family: It's just my son, Jon Apollo and I. My mother and other siblings are leading their own successful lives at various locations in and out of Guyana.

Your best inspirational quote: “Don’t allow your past to affect your future and don’t allow rumors to control your chosen path(s); remember, people will always talk about you but what’s import is what you know about yourself” – Rawle Toney

Unique Narcissistic Loving

Rawle Toney

Hobbies: Reading,

Age: 32

Family: My son Jarrell Toney, my mom – I’m her only child actually, father, three sisters and a brother. However, it’s my intention to have a family of my own.

Occupation: Sports Journalist - Guyana Chronicle Education: Degree Growing up, what was your career choice?: To be a Psychiatrist. I honestly can’t say how I ended up straying from it but I can say that I never thought that I would’ve ended up being a reporter. I’m a lover of sports and my almost 10 years in the profession has driven me to become some sort of a fanatic.

8 Church Street, G/town. (bet. Waterloo & Camp Sts). Tel: 227-3934 105 Lamaha Street, G/town (bet. Main & Carmichael Sts). Tel: 231-0431 www.facebook.com/theoutdoorstoreandpetshop

GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 31


Christmas Wish List 2014 Jäger Cabinetry Quality doesn’t COST… It PAYS.

Get 15% discounts with purchases this season

19 Middleton St. Campbellville, G/town. Tel: 592-219-4683. Fax: 592-219-4686 Email: sales@jagerInc.blz

0.50ct multi colour diamond pendant set in 14k rose gold

Burberry Sunglasses

Burberry watches

Woman’s 2 tone 14k bangle

SANJAY’S JEWELLERY INC. 26 Sheriff Street, C/ville, Georgetown. Tel: 223-5263, 225-4537

10% discount storewide as of 1st December 32 | GEM 65, 2014/2015


Exciting Stocking Stuffers Just For You!

Exclusively

If you are reading this, so are your potential customers!

To Advertise Contact us for details

Phone: 233.3138, 233.2940 E-mail: sales@gemmagonline.com admin@gemmagonline.com

Gift cards available in store "Get your dreams and fantasies fulfilled this Christmas" The Court Yard Mall 76 Robb Street, G/town. Tel: 225-1800.

Maintenance & Repairs Authorised distributor of York A/C Equipment & Westinghouse Air Conditioner

Contractors, Consultants, Sales and Services for Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Equipment and Spares.

diffusers

CoMMERCiAl & induSTRiAl Air-Conditioning Units, Spare Parts and Duct Materials Capacitors

AC Compressors Fan Motors

It’s time to get comfortable with efficient York & Westinghouse Air-Conditioning Units in your homes and offices. We also sell duct wraps, diffusers and all materials for air-conditioning ducts

110 Third Street, Alberttown, G/town, Guyana. Tel: (592) 223-6320, 623-6311. Fax: (592) 223-6330 E-mail: antarcticrepairs@yahoo.com GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 33


SURVIVAL

SUPERMARKET

Senior

Citizens Day On Senior Citizens Day, every Wednesday, all Seniors Citizens 55 years and older will receive a 7% discount

173 Sheriff St. C/ville. Tel: 227-5286-9

16 Duncan St. &Vlissengen Rd. Tel: 227-8506



ART WILLIAMS & HARRY WENDT Aeronautical School Text & Photography: AWHW

Mission Statement: An NGO committed to developing aircraft engineering skills and technical expertise essential to the development of air transport within Guyana, the Caribbean Community and the World at large.

Capt. Chan-a-Sue, M.S. and Col. Charles Hutson

T

set its future destination when it facilitated the first class of seven trainees to become fully licensed engineers.

he Art Williams and Harry Wendt Aeronautical Engineering School, which is housed in the Hangar of Caribbean Aviation Maintenance Services Ltd., was conceived by Capt. Chan-a-Sue, M.S. and Col. Charles Hutson and began in earnest in 1993. The School was named after the pioneers of aviation in Guyana, Arthur James (Art) Williams and Herman Edgar (Harry) Wendt, both pilot- mechanics, who in the early 1930s laid the foundation for aviation in Guyana and by so doing, opened up much of the Interior for the first time.

Assistance through the British High Commissioner, David Johnson, was provided by Mr. Jim Campbell of the British Executive Services Overseas (BESO) and Mr. William Cottrill of the Voluntary Services Overseas (VSO). This initiation has evolved into the effective operation of one of the most dynamic aeronautical engineering schools in this part of the hemisphere. It is operated in accordance with the requirements of the British Civil Aviation Authority and the procedures are in accordance with their Airworthiness Requirements.

The desire to further the good work of the Engineering School’s two Founders was initially the concern of two prominent organizations in Guyana’s modern aviation industry, Kayman Sankar Group of Companies and Correia Group of Companies. However the task of administration was handed to the Aircraft Owners’ Association of Guyana Inc. with the intention of offering its services to any and all subscribers of that Association. It proved its worth and

The School offers a full time, three year Ab-Initio Programme which enables students to be able to apply for their Basic LWTR (Licence without Type Rating) Licence. Modular courses are also being offered which are designed as a “Fast- Track” method of qualifying experienced mechanics to a recognized standard of academic achievement. The School has also established a Mechanical LogBook System which is a record of

36 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

an Engineer’s experience. Also, the School is fully computerized since March 2012 with each student required to possess a laptop. Since our existence, we have gained success in the CAA exams in both the Modular and Ab- Initio Programmes, thus being able to increase the complement of Engineers in Guyana significantly. This remarkable School, under the Chief Executive Officer, Capt. Malcolm Chan-A-Sue, has graduated 233 Ab- Initio students of whom 108 are fully licenced Engineers under the Ab-Initio Programmes which commenced in 1997. These engineers are working across the Caribbean and Internationally in a number of major airlines in addition to Guyana and continue to do so. The School’s student enrollment in 1997 was seven (7) while presently stands at one hundred and seventeen (117). The School is operated by the Aircraft Owners’ Association of Guyana Inc. It is accredited and certified by the Guyana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), the Caribbean Aviation Safety Oversight System of CARICOM (CASSOS), Jamaica Civil Aviation Authority (JCAA), the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Suriname (CASAS) and the Trinidad


& Tobago Civil Aviation Authority (TTCAA). This School is approved under the Rules and Regulations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Document 7192, Part D1. The United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority audited the School in February 2008 and had found the School acceptable for certification within the British Overseas Territories in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean. The Trinidad and Tobago Bureau of Standards certified the School on July 24, 2006. It is now certified to the ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management Systems Standards. This School is the First Tertiary Educational Institution in CARICOM with an ISO 9001 Certified Quality Management System. This School became a full member of the Flight Safety Foundation in December 2013. In July 2014, the School received a plaque for its commitment to delivering quality education in Guyana and received its reregistration certificate from the National Accreditation Council of the Ministry of Education. LIAT (1974) Ltd. is the first International Airline to commence the Students Attachment Programme with Three (3) Avionics Students and four (4) Mechanical

Students from June 17, 2007 to July 23, 2007. This has been ongoing since then. LIAT (1974) Ltd. was also the first International Airline to sponsor students for the Ab-Initio Programme. In January 2008 six (6) students were sponsored for the Ab- Initio Programme, they were selected from St. Vincent, Barbados and Antigua. These six (6) students returned to LIAT on October 30, 2011, with all six Licenced in Airframe and Engines and five (5) with additional Avionics Licences. One of these students, Dorian Nicholas, who was nominated by this School, was awarded the International Federation of Airworthiness Whittle Scholarship. This Scholarship consisted of an Airworthiness Course conducted at Gatwick Airport, UK by the European Safety Authority and the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority.

All Aeronautical Engineering Instructors are currently involved in the day to day maintenance of aircraft at all maintenance organizations in Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago and Jamaica.

Mr. Nicholas was the ONLY attendee from CARICOM and indeed the Western Hemisphere. There are presently five (5) students sponsored by LIAT from Antigua, Barbados and St. Vincent who commenced training in 2012. Our complement of Staff includes Instructors with University Degrees and years of experience in Management, Education, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine.

ISO 9001:2008 Certified QMS

GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 37


ICON

Greaves with his daughter

Stanley Greaves One Tremendous Milestone In A Life Worth Celebrating Text: Marjorie F. Chester Photography: Simeon L. Corbin

He

has just joined the growing ranks of Guyanese octogenarians. Believe it! Stanley Greaves shot into the Guyanese limelight in the 1950’s with his impressionable art works – paintings in vivid oil and water colours, sculptures, pencil and charcoal single dimensional drawings, ceramics, printmaking and calligraphy. He celebrated

38 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

this awesome milestone, his 80th birth anniversary, with a signature exhibition of a series of twentyfour (24) paintings uniquely titled “Dialogues with Wilson Harris”. The National Art Gallery, Castellani House, hosted the exhibition in November 2014. It is imperative that we take a peek into the collective nuances that make up this exceptionally gifted artist

before delving into the evolution of “Dialogues”. He is famously known for the depth of a statement made twenty years ago. He said: "I still don’t talk about myself as making art! Other people do that. I am a maker of things. In the early days, I found empty matchboxes, cigarette boxes, bits of string, wire, empty boot-polish tins, whatever, and made ‘things’. Drawing was just another activity, and it still is. My favorite medium is still wood, of course. My hitherto secret preoccupation with writing poems, which has now come to light, is another form of ‘making’. Recently at the University of Birmingham where I did a reading, I was asked if the paintings influenced the poetry, and I said, 'No, they come from the same source." Stanley grew up in a low-income ‘tenement yard’ at 132 Carmichael St., Georgetown, in one of the “long range houses where families shared walls”, he said, on the site where the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Center now sits. He spent the first 22 years of his life there before relocating to Lodge. His curiosity and powers of observation was boundless in the 1930’s and 1940’s so he spent a lot of time finding meanings for


everything. Eventually he decided that given the hand dealt him by fate and circumstance, he either had to achieve great things or ‘get into trouble’. Naturally his thirsty mind chose the latter. He had already spent his early childhood making mobile toys out of metal bottle tops (corks), pointers from the household brooms, double-edged razor blades, large and small tins and cans, and household odds and ends. He became ‘ambitious’ he said, and made more intricate toys like buck tops and board games. In adolescence he graduated to wood and there began a particular love he still cherishes for this resource. His grandfather, father and brother operated two furniture making establishments so he took upon himself the task of learning about the many species of wood growing here in British Guiana, their densities, propensities, grains and colour. When asked for his opinion on the new tack adopted by the administrators of Guyana’s Forestry Sector to promote the use of lesserknown species of Guyana’s hard and decorative woods, he casually said, “That is nothing new. We have long been experimenting with other woods (besides Greenheart, Purpleheart, Mora and Silverballli). In the 1960’s Kabakalli was a ‘lesserknown’ species that we found useful and today it is widely used. So were Wamara and Locust”. His interest in wood and rocks has endured throughout the decades of his very active life. Perhaps it was the observation that wood has the capacity to become dust or a commodity and that rocks evolve into sand or clay that awakened his recognition that we live in a world of duality. Opposites, he said, co-exist and develop synergies that inform all conditions. There was a natural progression for his artistic expression. In 1948 the

local community of artists was peopled only by the privileged, but there was a prolific artist named E. R. Burrowes who was himself from the underprivileged class. Reminiscing on that long ago era, he recalled that Burrowes held a strong conviction that artistic talent resided just as strongly among working class folk so he established the Working People’s Art of the Jester 2014, , Stanley Greaves Art Class held in The Dark Jester, Wilson Harris the auditorium of a building on Charlotte St. just west of Camp St. The class later moved to the Queen’s College compound in the period when Burrowes taught Art there. In the evenings until 1961, he (Burrowes) led his class through the history, structure and myriad styles of sketching, drawing and painting in oils, pastels, charcoal and pencil. The ‘students’ were Dialectic of Progress 2013, Stanley Greaves able to display The Secret Ladder, Wilson Harris their work at four he was ready for higher learning exhibitions held during Easter at so he left these shores to pursue the St. Andrew’s School. This was a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Stanley’s first formal foray into the Art at the University of Newcastlecolourful world of Art. upon-Tyne in the UK. His major, of course, was painting and sculpture. Two years after the classes ended GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 39


ICON

One Tremendous Milestone In A Life Worth Celebrating

Greaves performs with vocalist Ena Harvey He graduated with honours and shortly thereafter earned a Diploma in Art Teaching. He won a Fulbright Scholarship to Howard University in 1979 where he pursued a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in Printmaking and Sculpture. All of this knowledge he vowed to impart to young Guyanese so he gave in to the call of his nature and became a teacher first at the Sacred Heart Primary School then the St. Stanislaus College, both his alma maters. He also taught at the Berbice High School, Queen's College and in 1975 was named the first Head of Division, Creative Arts at the University of Guyana. He left Guyana for Barbados in 1987 and had the distinction of sitting on the first panel that designed the Art syllabus for the Caribbean E x a m i n a t i o n s C o u n c i l ( C XC ) . Meanwhile, he served as a part-time tutor at the Barbados Community College and in 2003 he was elected a Distinguished Honourable Fellow of the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus. His fame and skill had long transcended the shores of Guyana, 40 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

even before he migrated to Barbados. He is well known by the literati here and abroad for his artistic dexterity, and the countless accolades he has won. He has been called upon to illustrate numerous publications among which were works of prose and poetry by Guyanese writers Edgar Mittelholzer, Martin Carter and Ian McDonald. And he was himself a secret Poet! Well, it was a secret until about a decade ago. At first he was content to write quietly for his own enjoyment then by some hand of fate, he decided to publish his first anthology titled “Horizons”. In 2010 he published the second collection, “The Poems Man” as a tribute to Guyana’s most highly acclaimed poet, Martin Carter, and he is preparing to launch a third in 2015 that he will name “Haiku”. Greaves explained that poems written in the Japanese Haiku style contain 3-line verses with 17-syllables. The first two lines outline a perception related to the theme and the third provides a metaphysical perception or conjecture. He would take substance over style every time, he said.

“DIALOGUES WITH Sr. WILSON HARRIS” “Ideas are like seeds. They take time to germinate and only under favourable conditions.” This aptly explains the arduous journey Stanley Greaves took before arriving in 2014 at destination Castellani House for this milestone exhibition of 24 paintings. He had developed a deep, abiding love for Guyana’s hinterland many years ago and started exploring it in the 1960’s. He even took his students (all boys) from Saint Stanislaus College on educational field trips to Madewini, to the lakes in the Essequibo, to the Canals Polder at West Demerara, to Mabaruma, Sand Hills and the Mackenzie trail (Linden/Soesdyke Highway) to name a few of the places they have seen. Years later he went on several expeditions with renowned nature photographer Bobby Fernandes. He visited the Iwokrama Rainforest reserve which “reinforced a feeling of total connectedness” with this quiet, undisturbed environment. Then he took to reading the works of fellow Guyanese literati, Sir Wilson Harris who wrote fiction and nonfiction, dark and light stories set in the Guyana hinterland. Originally, in the 1960’s, Stanley’s intent was to create paintings and sculptures depicting his own experiences with colours, textures, shapes and forms in their natural pristine hinterland environment. He was not pleased with his first attempts. He continued to read Sir Wilson’s writings to deepen his understanding of the impact of the landscape on its life forms. He eventually put the project on a shelf because from his perspective, the visual effects approach to abstract representation that he had applied was not giving him the visual links to the sceneries depicted in the stories. And so he gave up in


the face of the “formidable nature of Harris’ presentations”. The ideas unobtrusivelymarinated for about four decades until 2011 when he found a way to parallel visual and verbal imagery ‘engaged in dialogue’. Over the next three years, he selected scenes from several Harris novels including “Tumatumari”, “Age of the Rainmakers”, “Carnival”, “J o n e s t o w n ” , “ Pa l a c e o f t h e Peacock”, “Mask of the Beggar”, and “The Dark Jester” and painted pieces to depict (some abstract) selected themes. To him, these paintings do not necessarily subscribe to any specific school or genre, but could be regarded as the “connecting thread or unifying language in visual terms”. He expressed his gratitude to Sir Wilson Harris for providing him “over several decades with material of

complex richness… that will certainly accommodate future forays into the existential nexus – life/art”. REFLECTIONS AND ACCOLADES In 1996 during a seminar presentation on colleague artist Aubrey Williams, Wilson Harris had this to say about Stanley Greaves: “Stanley is another entirely different painter. He is schooled in the exploration of modern themes, expressionist, impressionist, constructivist, architectonic … but he wears these media or modes upon an inner grasp of form within, yet beyond identical form…” This is praise indeed! Stanley Greaves has won several national awards and he represented Guyana twice at the São Paulo Biennial (Brazil) and once at the Medellin Bienniale in Colombia. He has had major exhibitions in the UK (The Elders in 1999 at the

landmark exhibition curated by Gottfried Donkor), elsewhere in Europe and across the Caribbean. He won a gold medal for Painting in the Barbados entry at the Santo Domingo Bienniale and he has been exhibiting at the Fayetteville Museum of Art; the Moruca Gallery, Washington; the University of Fayetteville; and Claflin University in South Carolina. In addition to being a painter and writer, he is an accomplished classical guitarist, having studied with Francisco Gonzalez of Cuba and Pam Frost of Barbados. This is a tale that merely glosses over the immense life of accomplishments by an extremely humble artist who, with a full saltand-pepper afro, is as sprite as he was 20 years ago.

GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 41


Bio-Oil

Aging Skin? Uneven Skin Tone? Read on… The internal aging process of your skin happens naturally when the Elastin and Collagen - the proteins that keep your skin strong and elastic - are produced more slowly causing wrinkles, thinning and dryness. External aging, however, is due to some factors that we can control. Keep in mind that caring for your skin is not just about your face, after all the skin is the body’s largest organ. Following these tips will keep your skin healthy: Apply sunscreen regularly Sun damage is one of the top causes of premature aging and uneven skin tone. Apply sunscreen daily to your face, ears, neck, arms and hands. Even if it is cloudy or rainy, use at least an SPF 30 with both UVA and UVB protection. UVA are the rays from the sun that cause wrinkles and age spots, while UVB rays are responsible for burning your skin. Drink lots of water Make water your primary drink. The sugar and chemicals in sodas may cause acne and oil buildup, while drinking alcohol steals moisture from your skin. Add cucumber or lemon slices for an extra skin-boosting and a refreshing twist! Exercise regularly Working out helps to generate new skin cells. Make sure to wash your

Distributed by

42 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

face afterwards to keep oil and dirt from clogging your pores. Replace junk food for fresh fruits and vegetables The chemicals, oils, and sugar in junk food cause your skin to create more oil, which clogs your pores. Some foods like blueberries and salmon are high in antioxidants, great for evening out your complexion.

Suitable for use on the face and body, it helps improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks, uneven skin tone, aging and dehydrated skin.

Put down that cigarette Pinching your lips around the cigarette and squinting when the smoke blows into your eyes cause wrinkles. Nicotine also damages the collagen and elastin in your skin and reduces the blood flow in the vessels near its surface.

Bio-Oil is formulated with vitamins A & E and natural plant oils from Lavender, Calendula, Rosemary and Chamomile. Its breakthrough ingredient PurCellin Oil™ ensures that the product is rapidly absorbed into the skin without leaving an oily residue.

Get your Beauty Sleep In addition to looking tired, you can end up with under-eye circles. Some dermatologists suggest that sleeping on your back is better for your skin, as the pillow won’t put wrinkles on your face.

Bio-Oil has won 182 skincare awards and it is recommended by doctors and pharmacists around the world. And, starting at a recommended price of GYD 2,376.00 it is well worth a try! Remember, caring for aging skin may require more diligence but it is possible to have healthy skin for a lifetime.

Now, taking care of your skin doesn’t have to mean spending a lot of money, and a good example of this is Bio-Oil, a highly effective moisturizing oil recently launched in Guyana.

For more information visit www.Bio-Oil.com

D4 Starlite Square East Coast Demerara, Guyana Telephone # 592 220 8198



Tiffany Age: 20 Sign: Libra Fav color: Pink and Purple Fav Food: Pasta, Curry beef and roti, yogurt Hobbies: Photography, Writing, Modeling Location: Georgetown

Think you have what it takes to be a GEM Beauty? Then send us a professional quality photo of yourself with the required information to: letters@gemmagonline.com YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS OR OLDER.

44 | GEM 65, 2014/2015


SAVVY SISTER Text: Coretta Corbin-Rival

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

I

s a mind game many women play each and every day in their intimate relationships. Wondering if their men truly love them, these women struggle with the uncertainty of not knowing if he is crazy about them, subsequently, creating a sense of doubt and insecurity in their relationships. According to relationship experts, there are many reasons why some women may find it difficult to figure out if their man is smitten by them. These include:

1) Differing definitions or ideas of love: Sometimes people tend to confuse lust or their crush for a person with love. Coming to an understanding of each other’s definition of love early on in the relationship can help reduce misunderstanding and doubt about each other’s true intentions. 2) Different ways of showing love and affection for each other: If a woman is physically affectionate, but her man shows his love by lavishing her with material possessions, this may cause her to feel emotionally and sexually neglected. It is best to let him know up front that although you enjoy receiving material items, you also love being cuddled or caressed, holding hands or hugging and

kissing. After all, a 2003 study done by researchers at Brigham Young University found that the display of physical affection is one of the most important ingredients for relationship and partner satisfaction.

3) Mixed messages: He says one thing but does another. This makes him appear hypocritical, especially in a relationship where the old adage, “action speaks louder than words,” is of importance to her. Saying that he loves her, but not following through with physical affection or what she may consider “loving behaviors,” are great examples of what may be perceived by some women as mixed messages. Some ways in which you could take the guess work out of wondering if your man is really into you are by asking yourself these simple questions:

Has he showed the willingness to make compromises for you or be there for you no matter what? Has he introduced you to his friends and family as his “numero uno woman”? Whenever he talks about his future, are you included (is it we and not I)? During your relationship, has he ever said the words, “I Love You” while looking into your eyes? Does he values your opinion and shares his true feelings with you? If your answers to these questions are not a firm “Yes,” then you should have a serious chat with him regarding the future of your romance (if any there be). It is better to know if you are being played, than to suffer in the unknown. There are too many fishes in the vast ocean than to spend valuable time chasing a dead-end relationship.

GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 45



Distributed by

D4 Starlite Square East Coast Demerara, Guyana Telephone # 592 220 8198


Hunk

Joshua Profession: Professional Weight loss trainer and Health Management Trainer Height: 6 ft 1" Weight : 192 lbs Waist: 32 X 30 Biceps: 12.3 Shoe Size: 12 Favourite Junk Food: Popeye's Chicken Work out tip: Train smart not hard

Think you have what it takes to be a GEM Hunk? Then send us a professional quality photo of yourself with the required information to: letters@gemmagonline.com YOU MUST BE 18 YEARS OR OLDER.

48 | GEM 65, 2014/2015


Guyana’s Premier Fine Dining Restaurant. Service, Taste and Ambiance at an Exemplary Level

Available for Corporate Dinners, Luncheons, Special Occasions. Dress code in effect. MON-SAT from 6:00 p.m.

Feels like nowhere you’ve been before, but really you’re home.

Special events and catering packages available WED - SUN from 4:30 p.m. Tel: 226-5225

Tel: 624-6363

A Guyanese Tradition

Always Tasty, Always Fresh

Tel: 226-6614, 225-0930, City Mall: 225-1090

3 Sandy Babb Street, Kitty, Georgetown, Guyana GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 49


FASHION

Designer

Donna Ramsammy-James Unveils Her 2015 Collection Photography: Carl Croker

A

fter fifteen years of private showings of her annual collection, iconic designer Donna RamsammyJames ventured outside of her Durban Backlands setting to launch her 2015 collection at Herdmanston Lodge in the Queenstown section of Georgetown. On October 26, “Carpe Diem”, a Latin term meaning “Seize the day!”, was introduce to a full house of patrons patiently sitting in anticipation.

Designer Donna Ramsammy-James

As has become the norm, this year’s 162-piece ensemble included segments of prominent colours of purple and pink, red and burgundy, blue, green, black and white and yellow, all accented with signature jewelry. As a bonus, there was also a “Jeans and cuts” segment which was a selection of tops displayed by the models for both men and women that can be worn with jeans. The event was also a fundraising affair where proceeds from the gate receipt were donated to the Guyana Relief Council (GRC). Special prizes were also given out to some lucky ticket holders and members of the audience all compliments of DeSinco, Ansa Mcal, Banks DIH and Herdmanston Lodge.

50 | GEM 65, 2014/2015


GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 51


TRAVEL 52 | GEM 65, 2014/2015


Exploring

The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Text: National Trust of Guyana Photography: Simeon Corbin

T

HE Brickdam Cathedral, located at Lot 32-36 Stabroek, is a sterling example of Romanesque architecture. The present edifice is the fourth building constructed. Under the period of Dutch colonisation, Catholic Churches were not tolerated. It was under the period of French colonisation that arrangements were made for a priest at Stabroek and at Plantation La Jalousie on the West Coast of Demerara. However, it was not until 1819 that arrangements were made for the erection of a church at Brickdam, on a portion of the old parade ground at the request of the Catholic Committee: Messrs Fitzgerald, De Ridder, Manget Mibre and Franchland. Governor D’Urban laid the foundation stone of the first church on December 12, 1825. It was known as Christ Church, but it was later renamed circa 1847 as the Church of the Resurrection. Small and plain in design, this church was replaced by the Lady Chapel, which was built on the southern side of Camp and Hadfield Streets. This chapel was soon dismantled and re-erected at Victoria where it stood until 1921. The foundation stone for the St. Mary’s Chapel was laid in the presence of Governor Hinks on April

21, 1868. The main building was designed by Cesar Castellani and the tower was designed by Ignatius Scoles. This cathedral (inclusive of the sanctuary) was 120 feet long and 75 feet wide. Constructed of Greenheart and Crabwood, this cathedral was described by Fr. Ignatius Scoles “as a fine piece of Gothic design as one could expect to meet within Western tropics”. On March 7, 1913, the edifice referred to as the finest in British Guiana, was destroyed by fire owing to the negligence of a Frenchman Henri Bencher Cornelle who left a coal pot burning in the tower, which he was repairing.

Wolga on the Essequibo River, and the sand was procured from Leguan. Though incomplete, the Cathedral was opened and blessed by Bishop Galton, S. J. on March 13, 1921. The entire Cathedral was opened on December 8, 1925. This magnificent edifice is 200 feet long and 1 000 feet wide, with a centre ceiling 60 feet six inches high and a dome 74 feet 10 inches high. The Cathedral was consecrated by the Right Reverend Richard Lester Guilly, S. J., OBE, the first Bishop of Georgetown.

On Sunday March 9, 1913, Catholic Mayor, Mr. Francis Dias, convened a meeting where it was decided that fundraising efforts would be undertaken to rebuild a new cathedral. The first contributions raised for the new cathedral amounted to $12 000. On August 15, 1915, Bishop, C. T. Galton laid the foundation stone for the present Cathedral.

Other noteworthy features of this edifice include an exquisite marble altar, which was erected in 1930 as a gift to Bishop Galton from Pope Pius XI and a marble pulpit, a memorial to the Fogarty family. A metal shrine to the Virgin Mary atop the western facade is a memento of the St. Mary’s Cathedral. This shrine, which adorned the top most pinnacle of the earlier building’s steeple, survived its fall during the fire of 1913.

Designed by an Englishman, Mr. Leonard Stokes, the Cathedral was constructed over a period of 10 years - 1921-1931. On the advice of Reverend Compton Theodore Galton, S. J., titular Bishop from 1901-1931, the Cathedral was made of reinforced concrete. The stone used was granite obtained from the quarries of the Dalli and

The National Trust of Guyana undertakes to promote buildings and sites of national, architectural, historic and artistic interest for the benefit of future generations. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is an important structure to Guyana’s social and cultural development. GEM 65, 2014/2015 | 53


Maid Marian Multigrain Chocolate Spice Cake Text and photography: NAMILCO Ingredients: • 250 grams dark or semi-sweet chocolate • 250 grams unsalted butter • ¾ cup (185ml) water • ½ cup (125ml) butter milk • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil • 2 tablespoons instant coffee granules • 4 eggs • 2 cups (300 grams) Maid Marian Multigrain Flour

• 2 teaspoons baking powder • ½ teaspoon baking soda • ½ cup (50 grams) dark cocoa powder • 2 ½ cups (550 grams) icing sugar • ½ teaspoon ground five spice • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • 1½ tablespoons brandy

Preparation: •

Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease a 9” pan (square or round)

Add chocolate, unsalted butter and water to a saucepan and stir over low heat until smooth. Set aside to cool

Place buttermilk, oil, coffee and eggs in a large bowl and whisk until combine. Add the Maid Marian Multigrain Flour, cocoa, soda, sugar and spices and mix thoroughly. Add the melted chocolate and mix just to get a homogenous mixture.

Pour into prepared cake pan and bake for approx. 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until skewer inserted in centre comes out clean.

Remove cake from oven, prick with a skewer and drizzle with brandy.

Cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before serving.

Upside Down Pineapple Cake Text and photography: NAMILCO Ingredients:

• 130g melted butter • 85g (1/2 cup) dark brown sugar • 125ml (1/2 cup), unsweetened pineapple juice • 1 small pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into rings

• 8-10 whole red cherries • 12/3 cups Maid Marian Self Rising Flour • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 100 g caster (white) sugar • 3 eggs, separated • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence

Method: • Preheat oven to 200 degree celcius. Grease a 23cm/9” round cake tin with butter • Mix 30g of the butter with the dark sugar and 4 teaspoons of the pineapple juice. Spread this mixture in the bottom of the prepared cake tin. Arrange the pineapple rings on top in a decorative pattern. Insert a cherry in the center of each and set aside. • Stir together the Maid Marian Self Rising Flour, salt and caster sugar. Beat the egg whites in a bowl with an electric mixer until 54 | GEM 65, 2014/2015

stiff peaks form. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat two of the egg yolks until pale and creamy and then stir in the vanilla and remaining pineapple juice and melted butter. Stir into the Self Rising flour mixture until just combined. Gently fold in the egg whites. • Pour batter over the top of the brown sugar pineapple rings. Bake for 30 minutes. Test with a cake tester to ensure it is done. • Let cake cool for 10 minutes, then cover cake tin tightly with a serving dish and invert so that the cake is tipped out, pineapple side is up.


Innovation atio tion tion Award rd d

149 Crown Street, Queenstown, Georgetown

Tel: 227-7757 \ 227-7752 Email.impressionsgy@live.com \ Website: www.impressionsgy.com

• SCREEN PRINTING • EMBROIDERY • INDOOR SIGNAGE • OUTDOOR SIGNAGE • PROMOTIONAL NOVELTIES • DIGITAL ADVERTISING MEDIA • FLAG / FABRIC PRINTING • EXPO FACILITIES • ENGRAVING • DISPLAY FIXTURES • EVENT BRANDING


Last seen here Last seen here Last seen here Last seen here

RANDOM PICS OF PEOPLE & EVENTS

WERE YOU THERE?

CSEC Top Performers Photography: Carl Croker

Queen’s College student Elisa Hamilton (r) achieved 19 Grade 1s and one Grade 2 to become Guyana and the Caribbean top performer at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination for 2014. Other top students from left Aliyyah Abdul Kadir, Sarah Hack, Varsha Bodram, Lisa John, Larissa Wiltshire also helped Guyana to win four of the eight annual awards offered at CSEC by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).

Diwali 2014 Photography: Carl Croker

Young dancers line up on October 19, before performing at the annual pre-Diwali celebrations held at The Indian Monument Gardens on Church Street.

Miss Guyana Universe Photography: Carl Croker

New Queen Niketa Barker (c) poses with 1st runner-up, Soyini Fraser (l) and 2nd runner-up, Lakita Mc Phoy after winning the crown on October 26. Niketa will represent Guyana at the Miss Universe competition on January 24, 2015, at Florida International University in Doral, Miami, USA.

56 | GEM 65, 2014/2015




Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.