Guyana Inc Magazine Issue 13

YOUR FREE COPY TO KEEP! - ISSUE 13

Creating Print Advertisements that Sell!

The Key

to Successful

Businesses

Guyana’s boosting Education Sector

Paul Giddings…

Rafieya Husain brings back pageantry fame to Guyana - named Miss World/ Caribbean Queen

How one man helped resuscitate the Pawnshop Business

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Table of Contents The key to successful businesses Paul Giddings: How one man helped resuscitate the pawnshop business Should you have an Alarm System or a CCTV System?

Guyana’s Boosting Education Sector

Buy Quality, Buy Original, Celebrate Life & Live well

Mohamed’s Manufacturing Enterprise Competitiveness, Services and Opportunities in the CSME - Part1

P6

P8

Founder and Publisher Teshawna Lall, BA, MBA

Creating Print Advertisements that Sell!

P26

Hypertension (HTN)

P28

Marketing Innovative Marketing & Publishing Inc.

Infidelity

P30

Rafieya Husain brings back pageantry fame to Guyana

P34

Castellani House artworks now captured in publications

P36

Red Howler monkey

P38

Jumo is no more, meet reigning Soca King Mr. Unruly

P40

P14

P16

P20

P22

P24

Golden Jaguars make welcome return to International Friendly stage

Managing Director Frank Sanichara

P42

Design Innovative Marketing & Publishing Inc. Editorial Contributions Adam Harris Ministry of Culture Teni Housty, LLM, MBA Southland International Marissa Lowden Leonard Gildarie Franklin Wilson Sharmain Grainger Brian Ramsey Sabatini Daniels Dr. Carlin Hanoman Abena Rockliffe Erica Singh Saarah Gajraj Tammy Quail

70 Industrial Site, Eccles, East Bank Demerara, Guyana, South America.

Tel: (592) 665-2206 or (592) 233-2069 For Subscription in Guyana and the Caribbean Contact: (592) 233-2069 North America: 347-599-6426 Email: guyanainc@gmail.com Website: www.guyanainc.biz

While every effort has been made to ensure that information is correct at the time of going to print, Innovative Marketing & Publishing Inc. DBA Guyana Inc. cannot be held responsible for the outcome of any action or decision based on the information contained in this publication. The publishers or authors do not give any warranty for the content, explanation or opinion. It is advisable that prospective investors consult their attorney/s and/ or financial investor/s prior to following/ pursing any business opportunity or entering into any investments.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of the Publisher.

B

usinesses thrive on the customers, who in turn respond to the manner in which these businesses treat them. We have seen some of the best decorated business houses almost empty at the height of the day, when customers are in their numbers.

This unusual sight often causes many people to stop and wonder.

Some would even venture into the store immediately to be flocked by attendants who then seek to offer a service. However, the people who enter do so only out of curiosity, and herefore no purchases are made.

The curious shopper then ventures into the streets and asks questions only to be told that the attendants have no manners or simply do not know to treat customers.

This is a common problem in Guyana. All too often one ventures into an eatery or some haberdashery or even to a stall in the marketplace only to find boorish behavior. At some stalls people do try to bargain or to get the vendor to justify the size or price of an article that was so much cheaper the other day.

There have been cases where the vendor would retaliate, “If you don’t want it, lef it.” Or, “I buy it and so I sell it.” Sometimes the retort is even worse. “That is me price. I ain’t running no charity.”

Certainly, this would chase any buyer and probably keep the buyer away. In the stores, there is nothing more repugnant that walking in and seeing an attendant sitting on a stool, doing nothing and not even venturing to you to offer some assistance. In other cases, there is the person behind the counter either filing or polishing nails and perhaps chewing on something while you stand and wait.

Should you call out to the person you may hear, “I coming.” Or you may hear worse. “You ain’t see I doing something?” Some of us make the mistake of asking for the supervisor, only to learn that the very rude person is indeed the supervisor.

No one who wants something and has money would put up with such rude behavior and in the long run the business suffers. Many a business place has had to close their doors to “remodel” their very image because word does get around and customers react.

These days there are some institutions that offer training courses for shop and store attendants. The Carnegie School of Home Economics is also training young people to work in the service and hospitality industries.

But even more intimate are the courses on etiquette offered on request

by Ms Joyce Sinclair. For years she has been training people attached to international organizations such as CARICOM. She has been doing work with both the Magistrates’ Courts and with the staff of the High Court.

Ms Sinclair has been requested across the country. At one time she even delivered a series of radio programmes designed to ensure that employees treat the public in a courteous manner.

Indeed businesses are about making money first, and making customers happy next. Some of the proprietors look for the easiest way of making money and this is to hire cheap labour. With cheap labour come some of the things that have been mentioned. Sometimes this trend is allowed to continue because the employer knows that his staff can be easily dispensed of since there are always people waiting to rush to fill the vacancy created.

But the employer should grasp every opportunity to ensure that he has properly trained staff. The better trained the staff is, the greater the crush of customers because word does get around.

There is also another trend that tends to chase customers and this happens at night clubs. Since the customer invariably pays at the end of whatever round he or she is having, there is a tab at the bar. When it is time to pay the customer may have reason to question the bill because it appears inflated. And more often than not, it is.

Padded bills are nothing new. The waiter and the cashier are often in

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The Key to Successful Businesses cahoots since in that industry, tips comprise a large part of the wage. Of course when caught, there are apologies and sometimes a dismissal. But one notices that one sees the same waiters at other night clubs. They appear to be a scarcity.

Managers and proprietors would do well to insist that staff attitude take precedence over any other aspect of the business. There is nothing more pleasant that a staff member greeting a customer with a smile and offering to be of service.

There are training courses for people working in the hospitality industry. At present the leading training institution is the Carnegie School of Home Economics. In fact, it should be standard practice for someone seeking employment in the hospitality industry to present a certificate to show that this person is trained.

It is customary for people to prove that they are trained when they seek jobs in the public service and in sections of the private sector. Even skilled jobs, unless the person is joining as a labourer, demands proof of training. That is why there are the technical institutes and the training centres, all of which offer certificates and diplomas., Courts, one of the large department stores in Guyana, has an impressive record of customer service. In fact, when one uses the phone one is pleasantly surprised at the efficiency and courtesy. This is enough to attract customers and may be responsible for the overwhelming support this entity gets from the public.

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Paul Giddings…

How one man helped resuscitate the pawnshop business

I

t is an ambitious plan. But for Paul Ulric Giddings, nothing is impossible.

The businessman is planning to lead the way in transforming Charlestown, a city ward, into a flourishing area that will rival Regent Street and Sheriff Street as centres of commerce.

He returned home from the US, opting to build Guyana, when many were looking to leave.

Already, Giddings, or “Sarge” as he is known to those around him, has made significant strides in making that happen.

He has established the eye-catching Hotel Princess Raven, on Smyth Street, and has started work that will see the construction of an 18-apartment complex, complete with elevator and the works, right in Charlestown.

But Giddings is more known in Guyana for being the man that engineered the resurgence of pawnshops back in the mid-90’s. His military background in the US and deep discipline learnt the hard way from an impoverished early life, have all laid the foundation.

Today, the father of three is a self-made man who followed his dreams, blazing his own trails, using discipline and his drive for success to lead the way.

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become a household name.

Giddings was not born into money. As a matter of fact, he was a school dropout whose early life forced him to start working from a tender age.

The fourth of five children- two boys and three girls- Giddings recalled attending Freeburg Primary School until Form Three, when he stopped going altogether. He never wrote any exams. The need to work was just more important. He remembers living on Regent Street and Hadfield Street. “I didn’t follow much of the school because I was bent on working. I was always a hard worker. I used to leave school when I was about 12 years old…in the afternoon with my needle, and go up to the rice marketing board in Kingston with a group of people hoping that I would be chosen to sew rice bags.” The work was from 15:00 to 23:00 hours.

What made it even more difficult for the family was the fact that Giddings belonged to a single parent home. His father, Ulric, a wharf worker, was living not far away with a family of his own. His mother, Elaine, was a housekeeper who worked in upscale Bel Air. “My life made me strong- it taught me that hard work pays off.”

Working at 13

At just 13, an enterprising Giddings in 1974 was working full time at a place called Nifty on North Road as Store Room Clerk, bagging ice cream.

He also recalls working at the Beharry

Bakery on Hadfield Street, helping to sell. The bakery was, of course, owned by the prominent Beharry family. Testimony to his upbringing was Giddings’s pride of growing up in a neighbourhood that was truly Guyanese. It was a true mix. “I grew up in an Indian background -the Beharry family nurtured me.”

The businessman had vivid recollection of his mother, struggling to make ends meet, working at a city restaurant. He would go and wait until her work was finished around 22:00 hours. He was about 11-years-old. “We never had our own place… we used to live by family. We were a poor family- we grew up without a father in the home.”

It was in 1969 that his eldest sister, Myrtle, migrated to the US. It was not difficult back then for families to migrate. “It was my elder sister who broke the poverty line for us and give us all a break.”

Five years after leaving Guyana, Giddings’s sister came back in 1974 and demanded that he return to school. “It was a must if I wanted to go the US. It was then that I decided to quit Nifty. At that time I used to work for eight dollars an hour. I used to give my mom half and used the rest to buy clothing.”

The 13-year-old went back to school but found that the going was tough. “I decided to drop out again. I wanted money and I had a cousin living next to me at that time who used to captain a trawler with the Guyana Marines Food which was based in King Street.”

At just 14, a young Giddings went out to sea, spending up to six weeks at a time wih his cousin. “Then I was getting paid big bucks and I liked that. I was hardworking. I was forced to be that way by the life I was given and I wanted betterment.”

At 15, a quickly maturing Giddings became a striker, running the trawler. This meant that he was charged with the heavy responsibility of running the vessel from midnight to 06:00 hours, while the rest of the crew was sleeping. “I loved this job and it molded me into a hard worker and my mom would control the money to ensure I spend wisely.”

He spent two more years working on the trawler until October 30, 1977, when his documents to migrate to the US came through.

“Going to America back in those days was a big thing and we stayed in Brooklyn and I told my sister I wanted to work.”

However, his sister was adamant that he return for his High School Diploma.

Again, Giddings found school life hard. It was not so much for the studies but because he was working, resulting in numerous classes being missed. He was working a 3-11 job in a huge factory pricing clothing and separating garments.

“I worked there from 1977 to 1979 throughout my high school days. I also worked part-time jobs although I was doing full time school. My sister gave me a break but I wanted to make sure I held my end, so I worked.”

The extended family was on welfare so times were difficult.

“My last part-time job was pulling clothes horses through the streets from the factory to a customer, using the pavements. It was tricky. I also did some painting and mason work.”

A Marine

It was in the US that Giddings managed to follow his childhood dream…to become a US Marine. “I was sitting on a bridge in Russell Street, in Charlestown in 1972 reading an article about the US Marine Corps in Korea and I said to myself that I like this.”

In 1971 when the recruiters came calling at his Newark, New Jersey school, Giddings was ready, but he had not yet graduated. Determined, he pursued his diploma and months later joined the US Marine Corps.

He was fortunate to snatch the job he wanted…as a small arms repairman. “When you do something that you love you tend to give your best and I was happy.”

A disciplined Giddings quickly caught the eye of his superiors and he moved up fast. After training and a visit to Guyana in 1980, the young Guyanese saw himself reporting for duty in Japan. He was ahead of his class in almost all the disciplines.

He was not afraid to carry around his Guyana flag. Two months after being stationed in Japan, he was asked to report to the Promotion Board where he was promoted. “The Marines is part of the US Army and if I had sons I would have encouraged them to join. Today my success is because of the Marine… it has molded me into a gentleman.”

Giddings’ love for Guyana saw him returning every time he was granted leave. He was also, true to his inborn enterprising ways, looking for business opportunities.

Soon, he was up for a Meritorious Promotion and of the 14 other Marines, Giddings was the one that was successful. “I was asked 14 questions and as I walked out they called me back and said you aced the questions…They asked me why I think that I should promoted out of the 15 Marines for Lance Corporal position. I told them because I am the best PFC (Private First Class) on the whole entire base. I got my stripe seven months ahead of time.”

It was but an indication of a man filled with the confidence of life.

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In June of 1982, the Marine met his first wife from North Carolina and it seems like Lady Luck was smiling on him. He was made Corporal and two years later became a Sergeant.

In September, he married and soon, Cynteah Giddings, was born. He also has another daughter, Jahteah Acrite.

In 1984, after the Marine offered a US$50,000 lump-sum payment for persons willing to re-enlist for another five years, Giddings grabbed the opportunity. He was doing something he loved and had a chance to make money. “As I said, my job was a small arms weapons repair man and marksmanship instructor

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and there I ran one of the biggest military armories where I had under me about 15 troops.”

At the army base, Giddings with his antennas up, looking for an opportunity, saw that there were many West Indians on the base.

He came up with the idea of the “West Indian and American Food Store”. “I would go to the Bronx on the weekends and bring back cassava, yams and eddoes.”

He was making money, and steady money at that. Giddings loved cars. At the beginning he bought a 1979 Monte Carlo. On re-enlisting, he used some of the money paid by the Marines to buy a new 1984 Honda. With his side business of provisions, he was able to trade it in and soon acquired a cherry red 1985 Honda Prelude, much to the jealousy of other Marines on the base. “Eventually I traded it for a BMW. I took out like four credit cards and I worked hard and I took the initiative to do things. I didn’t just sit and watch. I grasped opportunities, but most of all I worked honestly and that’s how I continued for years to come.”

It was while he was stationed at a base in Kentucky, that he heard about the payday loans. It was where persons could pledge valuables and other securities, acquire a loan and pay back the monies at a later date or on payday. “I said to myself Guyana don’t have anything like this.”

The idea played around in the head of Giddings and in 1995, after his stint in the Marines, he made up his mind. “I said to the family, I am going home. I am going to Guyana to give it a try with this pay day loan business also known as a pawn shop.”

Giddings went to withdraw his money from the US bank and to his consternation, it had none. His hopes dashed, Giddings was forced to look at other opportunities. He was determined to come back to Guyana and launch his pawnshop. In Guyana he met up with the female manager of Aqua Beach Hotel in Barbados. He was offered a good paying job at an airline flying from Margarita to London as the Chief Security Officer.

“I never liked Barbados, so after a while I felt as if it was the military again and eventually she lured me into marriage saying that if I wanted to keep the job I would have to marry her in order to stay in Barbados. But after about six months I said I don’t want to be here. I left America for my country and I should be there.”

Pawnshop

In November 1996, he flew home and launched his pawnshop.

“When I came to Guyana I had nothing much, but my wife from Barbados and some friends helped out like Dexter Luther from Luther Pawn Shop, White Castle Fish Shop, Roger Gilgeous from Stereosonic. They were all a part of the pawn shop when I launched it. Roger even sold one of his big motor bikes to help with funds.”

It was a simple operation at 34 King Street. Almost two decades later, Giddings still has the briefcase that he used to take from home to work with the valuables left. “The first shop I opened was located in 34 King Street. The pawnshop basically took care of itself. What happen is that people would bring their jewels and pawn it. I would give them money and they would repay with interest. After I realized that it was a successful venture I started to contact my family from abroad that the business was good and asked them to finance me.”

With many families needing money for the new school year in September, the lines were long at Giddings. He sometimes ran out of money to pay the customers. “Eventually my brother and brother-in-law, cousins, uncles…they all started to invest money in the business and then some of my friends started to invest money and eventually the office got too small and it was in 1997 when I moved to 54 Robb Street.”

At that time, there were no other pawnshops around. Giddings did not like the Robb Street location. He wanted Regent Street, the hub of activities in the city. His business at Robb Street was growing in leaps and bounds. The name Giddings Payday was a household one.

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He got his opportunity for Regent Street when businessman Mokesh Daby had his property there vacant. “But people discouraged me and said don’t rent there. People don’t last long.”

A determined Giddings was not to be stopped. “I went on and rented the place and eventually Mokesh offered me the place to buy. He said pay me the money every month instead of a rent and that was how I eventually owned the building in Regent Street.”

But Giddings did not like competition. When competitors moved in on Robb Street, he went back to his former place of business there and launched Trustees Pawnshop.

“I came back with lower rates.” Giddings then started his aggressive expansions. After 2004, he opened branches at Vreed-en-Hoop and Parika on the West Demerara, and at McDoom and Grove, on the East Bank of Demerara. He also launched an office at Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.

Business was doing well. But Giddings started taking blows after staffers were discovered doing their own thing, using the business to take customers’ stuff and paying out of their own pockets. He was forced to close the branches, except for Vreed-en-Hoop.

“The business was great but when you have a business it is important to have loyal and honest staff and eventually I had to start downsizing because of the lack of trustworthy staff.

“I once carried a huge loss where a staffer stole about $6M worth from my Robb Street branch. After an offer from the manager of the Robb Street branch, Giddings handed over that operation. “Eventually I closed down Mon Repos and Grove after a staff staged a robbery.”

According to Giddings, the pawnshop business has proven extremely profitable. “I am not ungrateful…everything that I have managed to own is because of the pawn shop business. It was me who resurrected the pawnshop business in Guyana. It was dead until Giddings came on scene.

Giddings is a household name now.”

Today, there are more than 50 pawnshops around the country. He also launched Giddings Kiddies Corner, a venture he said was the first exclusive children clothing store in Guyana.

“I did it in a boutique format and then I also ventured promotions bringing artists to Guyana. We brought Elephant Man on September 19, 2002 and then TOK on September 20, 2004. It was one of the biggest shows at Thirst Park.”

But Giddings main focus remained the pawnshop business.

“Some of the many challenges I faced were not getting good people to work with.

Sometimes you would sit down and brainstorm how to make your business profitable and then there are people brainstorming how to rob you.”

Giddings took a personal interest in training staffers to ensure the right carat gold is measured. His military training helped. He managed to implement systems that quickly picked up discrepancies. “So what happen is I didn’t just start a business. I got smart with it and throughout the years that is what helped me to be successful. In the pawnshop business you have to have eyes all over. Sometimes staffers would walk with their own money and bought gold from customers instead of running it through the business. So I had to do spot checks at all the locations but eventually it got tough. So I had no choice but to close a few of them so now I am operating from the Regent Street branch.”

Hotel Venture

Giddings from his Regent Street operations was casting his eyes elsewhere. He managed to acquire a piece of property on Smyth Street, a main road from Brickdam. On it was an old cottage. “The initial idea was to do a dry cleaner because I didn’t think that Guyana had any where that offered a decent service to the people. I was worried about the quality of staffers as people’s clothing had to be taken care of just like jewelry and I didn’t want that problem.”

He eventually, after deep thought, research and consultations, came up with the idea of a hotel. “I said that I wanted something with class and I thought about the hotel.”

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It took Giddings about four years to get the hotel constructed.

His bankers were happy to finance the hotel. “I got a good relationship with the bank. I always paid what I owed and I believed in making an honest living. I am a smart businessman.

While we could have had more rooms, I chose to do less because while business is good now it might not always be the same and I think that it’s better to have 11 rooms and all are taken than to have 50 and only 10 is in use.”

You know it was when I saw people doing bed and breakfast and so that I became interested Hotel Princess Raven, named after Giddings’s last daughter Raven, was opened just over a year ago on Smyth Street. “We are hooked up with booking.com and they handled almost 75 percent of the guests from overseas.”

Across the street from Hotel Princess Raven, lies one of the city’s oldest buildings. Giddings has managed to acquire that property too. And he has big plans for it.

“I am right now working on my apartment complex which will host 18 apartments…it will be Guyana’s first apartment complex with an elevator.”

The businessman insists that he is a behind-the-scenes man, never really liking the spotlight. “Although I had businesses all over, nobody ever knew who I was. I was never an upfront person. I was always the enforcer. I still am. My brain ticks all the time with possibilities and I work very hard. I can work day and day out. I spend most of my time at the office than at home.”

Giddings said that his success lies in the work discipline he developed and a steady support from his family.

He has managed to pay off all his original financiers. However,

his brother and other relatives have remained as close advisors.

On the walls of his office at his hotel, there is a prominent place for the photographs of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King.

“Why? Because I had a dream and it came through. Even when I was in the army I used to come Guyana every year and I believe this was my destiny. I love my country. I worked hard all my life and I think I achieved what I wanted to do in life from a poor fatherless boy working late hours to make ends meet to a striker on a trawler to a marine to the owner of businesses.”

Giddings has grown wise from his businesses. “I believe if you work hard, hold fast and strong to your dreams, anything is possible. It might not always work out picture perfect but hard work pays off. The only regret I have is that I wish I had about six sons. I am proud of my three daughters. The reason for me saying I wish I had sons is that I wish to have Giddings Payday Pawnshop to remain for years to come, to have my boys carry on.”

His stint in the US Marines has remained ingrained in his work discipline. Exercise has remained a major part of his routine, with healthy eating a top priority.

“In life it is always good to have a plan and other backup plans as well and it is very important to stick with your plans, goals and dreams. Always follow them and be motivated to do better. Motivation plays a very important role on how successful a person can be. Also what I have learnt over the years is that honesty has a lot to do with how far you will get in a business.

Don’t ever allow your focus to slip away. Never say to yourself that I cannot do this or it is impossible. Go for it. Give it your best shot I prefer to try and fail than fail to try.”

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Should you have an Alarm System or a CCTV System?

By Brian Ramsey – Alternative Security Services

S

hould you have an Alarm System or a CCTV System? This is often a question that both homeowners and business owners face. What is best for protecting my property? If money is no problem then the clear answer is that you should have both. For most persons however, money is not unlimited and so a choice must be made.

CCTV now appears to be the current “in thing”. Many people when thinking about property protection apparently believe that they must get a CCTV system. It seems that people’s thinking is being driven by hearing about the CCTV network in London and watching television shows such as CSI and by a misunderstanding about the criminal mind, believing that they think like the average person. People believe that criminals will form the view that this place has cameras and so they will be able to catch me and therefore I will go elsewhere.

As a result, there is the view that CCTV is a deterrent, and that it can be, but it is not a complete deterrent. Thieves quickly learn to spot where CCTV is used and to wear masks. Even with masks CCTV can sometimes aid in identifying thieves through showing their other physical characteristics, but that is not always guaranteed.

CCTV’s biggest benefit comes after an event has occurred in the provision of evidence. The recorded images allow one to see what happened and hopefully identify the perpetrators. However, the robbery or burglary or theft has already occurred.

Alarm systems provide the benefit of notification of an intrusion event and do not require any physical presence on the property to determine that an intrusion is taking place. With a properly designed alarm system you know that a burglary or robbery is taking place and can immediately react to try and stop the intrusion and apprehend the perpetrators rather than learning about the intrusion after it has taken place and then seeking to identify the intruders.

If, therefore, a decision has to be made between installing a

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CCTV or an alarm system, the decision should always be to install the alarm first as the alarm system is structured to help you stop the burglary or robbery, stop the loss from taking place, stop the damage from occurring.

If the decision is made to install an alarm system, then that alarm should be connected to a Central Monitoring Station and have guard response to alarm signals. One can no longer depend upon the noise of the alarm howler to scare off an intruder or for a neighbor to hear the alarm and call the Police. The connection to the central monitoring station allows an external party to know of the robbery or burglary that is taking place and to summon the Police or guard response to the scene.

There is the fallacy in the thoughts of many individuals that all alarm systems are the same and that they will all detect thieves, all the time. While some of the components may be the same irrespective of who installs the system, the critical element is the design of the electronic security system and when that system will detect the thief.

Some systems are designed with the principal detection device being beams that are placed inside the room that is to be protected.

Undoubtedly once appropriately placed, so that there are no obstructions to prevent the beam(s) from covering the entire area, the beam will detect the intruder, the problem however is that the intruder has been detected while inside the room. An intruder who is detected when inside a building still has the opportunity to grab a computer or flat screen and run before the response unit or Police arrive.

The loss to the owner may have been minimized, in that they did not lose all their items but they still suffered a loss. The systems must therefore be designed to detect at all possible entry points (doors, windows, walls and roof). The Alarm system must be designed to detect the intrusion attempt when the persons are on the outside

attempting to break in. Thus, the notification would be received before they have broken in and the response can be dispatched.

If after one has installed an alarm system, one decides to then invest in a CCTV System, the decision then has to be made, what do I want to do with the system? Do I want to simply see what is happening, do I want to be able to identify persons in the picture, how far do I want to see, do I want to be able to see in both the day and the night?

Many persons assume that every CCTV system can do all these things equally well and then when they install the system they discover that while it shows what is happening it does not provide clear identification of faces or that is shows very well in the day but does not give clear images at night.

One of the key elements in how well a CCTV system operates is the camera lens, but that is often the device where suppliers cut corners to make the system have a lower price and then the customer finds that the CCTV does not do what they want. The camera’s lens determines how much area the camera covers, how clearly you can see details (especially in the distance), and how much light enters the camera.

The type of lens also determines if the camera can quickly and easily adjust to changing light conditions. Before installing a CCTV system, a customer should always decide what exactly they want the system to do and then ensure that the system has the correct type of lens for that application.

About the Author Brian Ramsey has a B.A. in Accounting & Management, along with an M.B.A. in Finance and over 25 years in the Caribbean security field. He is the Regional Development Director for Amalgamated Security Services Limited which is the parent company of Alternative Security Services St. Lucia Limited. Amalgamated Security operates in Grenada, Barbados, St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. He can be contacted at bramsey@assl.com

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uyana’s education sector, according to Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, has seen consistent support from the administration and has been changed tremendously over the years.

With the highest sectorial budgetary allocation in 2014, more focus has been placed on educating the nation. This beyond doubt has seen many fruitful returns.

In Minister Manickchand’s annual assessment of the education sector, delivered at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), she pointed out that access to education is at an all-time high in sectors. She explained that “with more than 85% students enrolled in schools, this is the highest rating across the Commonwealth Caribbean.”

Enrollments/admissions over the years for nursery, primary and secondary education in Guyana are as follows:

YEARS

2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014

Further, the new age for admission to nursery schools has ensured more students are entered into the system. This age change has seen that two thousand, nine hundred, eight (2908) or twenty three percent (23%) more children have been able to access education in the public system.

Previously, a child had to be three years old by March 31, in order to enter nursery school in September of the same year.

However, after many appeals from parents and intense consultations with head-teachers and nursery teachers, and after noting the resources available to children, a policy decision was made to change the age

NURSERY PRIMARY SECONDARY EDUCATION EDUCATION EDUCATION 12828 13714 11064 13320 16295 14061 12344 15286 13870 12609 18078 18863 12980 18995 18997 13340 19083 19446 13670 19645 19875 13879 19887 19920

Source: Ministry of Education (Guyana)

Guyana Inc. - Issue 13 P.16

for entrance into nursery schools. As such, children born on or before June 30 are now eligible for placement at a Nursery School in the year they turn three.

Minister Manickchand explained that based on figures from the General Registrar Office, it was evident that there were about 1,000 new births every month. “We could estimate that it would be about 3,000 more children added with the three – month period which we are allowing for,” she noted.

Parents countrywide are appreciative of the age-change initiative. This has also seen an advantage for potential nursery teachers where a number have been recruited and strategically placed to absorb the increased intake of nursery school children within the sector. It was also noted by the Minister that

the Ministry of Education has done much consultation with parents and teachers and after noting the resources available to children, a policy decision was made and implemented. “A literate population is going to drive a speedier development,” and as such, the implementation of this policy would assist our children earlier.

With the objective to ensure that by 2015 at least 97% of all children entering primary school achieve grade five education, it must be noted that the second Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of achieving universal primary education is being successful, in which all children in Guyana have access to primary education. In the year 2000, Guyana, along with 188 other countries, adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration which captured and distilled previously agreed goals on international development in the form of eight concrete and measurable development objectives. These have become widely known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). They address extreme poverty, hunger and disease, promote gender equality, education and environmental sustainability, target health care and include a commitment to building a global partnership for development. The ongoing success of the second MDG was stated in the latest Millennium Development Goals Progress Report 2011 which is also the third report produced by the Government of Guyana since the adoption of the Millennium Declaration in 2000.

Guyana has made excellent progress towards achieving universal primary education. The country is on track to meet the education target, ensuring that, by 2015, children everywhere, boys and girls alike, will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling. More concretely, the net primary school enrollment rate has consistently been above 95 percent since 2000 according to survey data and all indications are that access to education is virtually universal. The survival rate, or proportion of students entering Grade 1 who reach Grade 6 of primary schooling, has consistently been above 90 percent from 2006-2009. Government policies on primary education are focused on improving access for students in hinterland regions as well as improving the inclusiveness of education with regard to students with learning disabilities. In addition to access to and completion of primary schooling, Government is committed to the improvement of the quality of education offered. To this end, the Government has identified two key priorities: improving the training and availability of qualified teachers and increasing the attendance rates of both students and teachers.

Although the secondary sector has not yet achieved this goal in every region, the Ministry is very close to achieving universal secondary education by end of 2015. In this regard, plans have been made for the construction of new secondary schools in the new year in which three thousand, six hundred (3600) new secondary students will be catered for.

These new secondary schools include Abram Zuil Secondary in Region 2, Kato Secondary School in Region 8, Zeeburg Secondary School in Region 3. Further, under the Guyana Secondary Education Improvement Project (GSEIP) as the Education Ministry seeks to achieve Universal Secondary Education by 2015, GSEIP will be funding US$10 million as a World Bank funded project geared to improve access to secondary education.

Education Minister, Priya Manickchand said a total of US$7.15 million of the mentioned amount will go towards physical development of secondary schools and the construction of three other new secondary schools, namely at Parfait Harmony, Yarrowkabra and Good Hope. Also stated was that of the 3600 students to be housed in the new schools, 56 per cent (56%) of them are expected to be females, a big boost to education and development of young girls.

Furniture and other essentials for the new schools have been budgeted for under the GSEIP Project. A component of the project also focuses on capacity-building and project management skills.

Some US$1.05 million has been allocated for this aspect of the project, which seeks to strengthen the Education

Management Information System (EMIS).

During education month 2014, under the theme, “Literate by Grade 4 through consistent home, school and community involvement”, Minister Manickchand is working towards making sure that every child is literate

by Grade 4. This is ongoing through the Ministry’s many initiatives.

Along these initiatives, a five-year literacy strategic plan was launched during literacy week, 2014. The new Education Strategic Plan (ESP) will focus on achieving the learning levels of education for all sub-groups.

Improving performance of Government departments responsible for assessing ESP priorities; establishing an accountability system which creates improved students’ learning abilities; improving the quality of school facilities; the quality of teaching and the quality of the curriculum; improving the availability of teaching and learning materials and aligning the curricula of training programmes with the revised curricula are some of the outcomes targeted in the new ESP. In addition, to the many initiatives geared in widening Guyanese scope for education, two new series of textbooks, which aims to empower nursery and primary aged students with more access to adequate materials, have been written. These are the Roraima series for nursery age children and the Atlantic Readers for primary aged children. These include readers, work books, writing skills work books, flash cards, charts and assessment at the nursery level. Minister Manickchand explained that the text books were written by local experts including Undine Giuseppi, who had the Guyanese/Caribbean child in mind.

Core textbooks for Mathematics, English, Social Studies and Science have been procured for every child in all public primary schools. As well as, the relevant Mathematics and English text books were, for the first time in Guyana, procured for each student from Grades 7 to 11, and each should have their copies. The Education Ministry has also purchased a quantity of furniture for all schools countrywide, so as to make the school environment more comfortable and conducive to work.

Furthermore, among the initiatives, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) has approved an education grant for Guyana. The Ministry of Education will apply this grant in improving its Early Childhood Education Programme with particular attention being paid to the Hinterland and Riverin communities. Minister Manickchand expects the grant to allow for the building upon the many gains already made and expects to see vastly improved learning outcomes in literacy and numeracy at the early levels. This new financing reflects the Global Partnership’s top priorities: increasing access to basic education in fragile countries, improving the quality of education, improving teacher’s effectiveness, generating measurable results and championing girls’ education.

In 2014 also, the Ministry of Education launched its Hinterland Education Improvement Project (HEIP) at Lethem, Region Nine. This event commenced a series of public consultations to be held throughout the hinterland region designed to assist the MOE to gather information that will serve to inform a five-year action plan for HEIP. In light of the many achievements regarding access to education and teacher training in the Hinterland, the Ministry recognises that more emphasis needs to be placed on the quality of education delivered in the Hinterland as a whole with specific attention being paid to learning outcomes. As such, the HEIP was formulated to determine the gaps that exist in providing quality education and good learning outcomes.

The Hinterland Education Improvement Project (HEIP) consists of five components which are as follows: • Improving the quality of Teacher Education in the Hinterland, • Aligning Teaching-Learning Resources to Improve Students’ Outcomes, • Improving Physical Facilities, • Fostering Community Alliances, • Strengthening Management and Supervision in the Hinterland.

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Focusing on the development of the sector in the hinterland regions, Minister Manickchand observed that during the past twenty years, the government has grappled with ways to reduce the disparity that existed between the hinterland and the coastal regions as it relates to education.

She pointed out that through support from government and international organisations, a number of programmes were launched, all of which had components that targeted hinterland regions, largely focusing on improving access and participation. Some of the projects mentioned were as follows: Primary Education Improvement Project (PEIP); Secondary School Reform Programme (SSRP), for which St. Ignatius Secondary was a pilot; Guyana Basic Education Teacher Training Programme (GBETT); Basic Education Access Management Support (BEAMS) programme; and Education for All-Fast Track Initiatives (EFA-FTI).

The Minster further highlighted that as a result of the continuous efforts of the Government of Guyana in collaboration with the MOE, a number of key areas within the hinterland education establishment have significantly improved. “In 1994, there were 131 schools across the levels in the hinterland regions. Today there are approximately 250 schools in the hinterland across the levels. The MOE through the Government of Guyana and international support constructed over fifty (50) schools across all levels; approximately half of which are in the hinterland regions. This translates to at least two (2) schools being built in a given hinterland region per y e a r, ” the Minister stated. There was a significant increase in the number of secondary schools in the Hinterland.

In 1994, there were five secondary schools and today there are twelve secondary schools thus allowing for far more access to secondary education.

The Minister further highlighted that the number of trained teachers across all sectors within the hinterland area has increased moving from 40 percent in 1994 to 51 percent in 2014. Hinterland teachers were also supported through the establishment of learning resource centres. According to the Minister, in 2005 a baseline study was conducted which revealed only 38% of the clusters in the hinterland had learning resource centres, today 92% of the clusters now have learning resource centres, with 90% of the teachers utilising these facilities. “Teacher accommodation has also been addressed over the years revealing that since 2000 when only 15% of hinterland schools had teachers’ houses; today 90% of the schools have teachers’ houses,” the Minster said.

Additionally, Education Ministry has stepped up teacher training in 2014.

A two-year associate degree programme is offered to coastal students. In September 2014, over 513 persons enrolled in the programme. Sixty nine (69) students from Regions 1 and 9 enrolled in the teacher upgrade twoyear programme while the programme saw an overall enrollment of 250.

The Education Minister noted that some students are accessing training via satellite in the Hinterland areas.

Minister Manickchand also explained that teacher training will also include training for teachers in the technical field on a one-year programme. This new programme was set up for teachers in technical institutes and technical vocational education and training (TVET) programmes.

“Capacity building, evaluation and improving facilities were also focused on under the Guyana Improving Teaching Education Program.

The number of additionally qualified primary teachers and others has exceeded the targets set”, the Minister said. The focus on secondary education would see capacity strengthening of schools’ Mathematics teachers nationwide, along with expansion of facilities.

Moreover, the Ministry of Education, starting in 2014, conducts Continuous Professional Development Courses for teachers across

Guyana Inc. - Issue 13 P.18

Guyana. The programme which is now entering its fourth year is designed to enhance teachers’ capacity to deliver the school’s curriculum. The programme targets teachers at the Nursery, Primary and Secondary levels. Director of NCERD, Jennifer Cumberbatch, explained that the courses are being delivered to refresh teachers’ knowledge, improve content areas and introduce new methodologies necessary for the effective and efficient teaching/ learning process. It forms part of capacity building and support activities to meet the needs of the teachers and students.

This upgrading programme seeks to target the following subjects in the school’s curriculum -Literacy, Mathematics, Special Needs Education, Classroom Management, Teaching of Composition and Comprehension, Guidance and Counselling, Drama and Physical Education, Portuguese, Multigrade Teaching/Differentiated Learning and Health and Family Life Education among others.

Upon a regular basis also, teachers are assessed and evaluated on their teaching skills and methods at their respective schools, all for their improvement and for providing students with the best teachings. This would see that students will learn even better and performances will be outstanding as they’ve started to be over the years.

Also, the Ministry of Education saw the success of the distribution of GUY$10,000:- cash grant per student in public schools countrywide.

The cash grant initiative ‘Because We Care’ is meant to provide more support to parents with school age children and increase their disposable income. This is in fact the first programme of its kind in the Caribbean and indeed anywhere else in this part of the world, where every public school child is entitled to this benefit.

The Ministry of Education, since its launch in October 2014, has distributed 135,969 vouchers, each valued $10,000. The initiative is meant to provide additional support to parents with children attending a nursery, primary, and secondary school in the public education system. This programme targets 188,406 families. This grant can be used to meet such costs as transportation, and will provide added impetus to raising enrolment and attendance rates, in addition to having the effect of increasing the disposable incomes of the parents of school aged children. Teachers, as well as all public schools are in receipt of similar grants; where teachers are given an extra $8000 towards uniform and schools would normally receive a sufficient amount for stock intake, renovations and in preparation of child-friendly classrooms for students.

Furthermore, nutrition is a major influence on physical and mental growth, and is a main factor in promoting lifelong healthy eating; hence Government commenced its National School Feeding Programme in 2010, which targeted all nursery and primary schools in most of the regions. The programme consists of biscuits and juices which are both locally made.

Schools such as those in Annai, Karasabai, Aranaputa and St. Ignatius receive a daily nutritious snack of cassava bread, peanut butter and fruit juice. After its success, the hot meal project was later implemented in Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9. It was developed since it was recognized that students travel long distances to attend school, which, in some cases, was costly and resulted in low attendance rates and increasing school dropouts.

Billions of dollars have been expended on the National School Feeding Programme, in an effort to ensure improved attendance and attentiveness in the classroom.

Yet, another initiative includes the provision of school uniform vouchers of GUY$1500:- worth to children residing on the coastland and in riverine communities, along with the provision of uniform material to hinterland communities. This is a means by which Government provides assistance

to parents so as to ensure that children attend school and complete their education. The School Uniform Programme ensures one school uniform is given to every child attending a school in the public education system from nursery to Grade 11.

The Ministry of Amerindian Affairs is responsible for the programme in the hinterland, and it procures school uniforms for communities in Regions 1, 7, 8, and 9. This programme has positively influenced school attendance and performance in the Hinterland, and has created job opportunities for residents. The women are given the task of sewing the uniforms for the various schools, for which they are paid.

To reap what has been sown over the years, many successes have been experienced at the Secondary School Entrance Examination (SSEE), Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination levels. Improvements were seen in many instances.

The Ministry of Education was pleased to announce that Guyana has once again placed well at the last CSEC and CAPE examinations (May/ June 2014). Guyanese students have performed remarkably well and have been placed among the top 10 best performing candidates in the Region in a number of subject areas. Candidates have excelled in 16 subject areas at CSEC while at CAPE candidates outperformed the Region in 9 Units.

Apart from these examinations, youngsters are exposed to other academically inclined events including debates, competitions, and fairs.

The Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Caribbean Science Foundation and Sagicor Life Inc. hosted the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge 2014 competition. More than 70 entries were recorded and again, Guyana led in the number of entries in the region. Thirty three (33) project entries were submitted from Guyana which resulted in Guyana entering the highest number of projects for its national competition in the Caribbean. In its preparation, students were required to identify a problem facing their school or local community and use Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to propose a sustainable solution and as a result the following projects were entered: 1. Biological control for Chikungunya 2. Automated sprinkler system 3. Water purification systems 4. Fast food fuel 5. Harnessing of Rain water 6. Making paper from rice straw 7. Use of Piezoelectricity 8. Green spaces for a sustainable future The Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF), the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and Sagicor Life Inc. came together in 2012 to launch the Sagicor Visionaries Challenge competition to engage secondary school students in the Caribbean to develop problem solving skills. Guyana participated in 2013 when the first national and regional competitions were held. The Zeeburg Secondary School represented Guyana in Florida with their winning national project – ‘a solution to a shrimp drying situation’. On April 24-26, 2014, the Ministry of Education hosted its National Science Fair at the Anna Regina Secondary School in Region 2, under the theme: “Science Mathematics and Technology: Providing solutions for the 21st Century.”

In a world increasingly shaped by science and technology, scientific and technological literacy is a universal requirement for national and global development. On Monday, November 10, we celebrated World Science Day for Peace and Development under the theme: “Quality Science Education: ensuring a sustainable future for all.” According to UNESCO, quality basic sciences education is an indispensable lever for innovation, conducive to any sustainable development. In recent years the Ministry of Education has recognized the role that Science and Technology Education in fostering Guyana’s Development along a green pathway. Through its new five year strategic plan (2013-2018) the Ministry of Education has captured innovations in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education for National Sustainable Development. Teacher training and school based follow up support in STEM forms the foundation of the implementation of plan.

The quality of science education is being enhanced through the Inquiry

Based Science Education (IBSE) initiative launched in 2011 through collaboration with UNESCO and the Caribbean Academy of Sciences (CAS). The initiative promotes ‘hands-on’ learning and fosters the development of critical thinking in students at a very early age. It has brought back the ‘fun’ into science teaching and learning. Students learn from the environment and through the environment.

The introduction of the micro-science kits has also contributed to improvements in the quality of science education. Over 90 secondary schools are now equipped with these kits, supporting manuals and chemicals. Since its introduction in 2012, a 20% increase in the numbers of students enrolling for the CSEC single sciences has been recorded. This year a pilot project has commenced for seventeen primary schools in various regions in Guyana. These are portable science kits (true mini-labs) which contribute to interactive hands- on learning in science.

Recent support received from UNESCO will enable the Ministry of Education to develop a policy on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), the infusion of Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development (CCESD) and expand the work in Inquiry Based Science and Mathematics Education and the Global Micro science Experiments project. Guyana is one of the first countries in the Caribbean region selected to pilot these initiatives.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Education, is partnering with local NGOs and other Science and Technology Institutions to promote the use of STEM in solving local school and community problems. The reestablishment of science/environmental clubs in many schools facilitate community based learning. Science learnt inside the classroom is taken outside the classroom and as solutions to local problems. The hosting of science fairs and exhibitions public awareness on the importance of science and technology for national sustainable development is raised.

With these many promising initiatives already in place and many others under-way, Guyana’s Education Sector is soon to be one on par with that of a much developed economy. Our Guyanese youngsters are sure to be the visionaries of tomorrow and our hope for a much better nation.

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Guyana Inc. - Issue 13 P.19

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Mohamed’s

Manufacturing Enterprise

W

hat started off as a small one man business in 1971, now 44 years later, successfully functions as a family business for Mr. Khalil Mohamed and his family who operate a manufacturing company at Lusignan, East Coast Demerara.

The business called Mohamed’s Manufacturing Enterprise produces noodles, flour and a variety of condiments such as, sauces, spices and seasonings, which can all be found on the local market under the name “Peppy’s”. Forty percent of the raw materials that are used to manufacture Peppy’s products are sourced from the owner’s farm.

Mr. Mohamed, who was the brainchild behind the establishment of the business, was employed at Twins Manufacturing at the time when he had the idea to branch off on his own since he realized it was something he could succeed at and had a burning desire to pursue. The businessman who was merely 19 years old at the time had great vision and ambition which proved to be fruitful.

Subsequent to visualizing the business, he poured his savings into starting up the company.

Initially, when the business was established Mr. Mohamed rented a place in Georgetown since he saw this as a prime location for commerce, however, due to a fire in 1976 the building was burnt badly and he was left with no Mr. Khalil Mohamed Guyana Inc. - Issue 13 P.22

option but to relocate to his home in Lusignan which he turned into a factory.

To date, all the products are made at the same factory, but currently the business is in the process of moving to Triumph, East Coast Demerara to a state of the art building. This is part of the owner’s expansion plans.

According to Mr. Mohamed’s daughter who is the Confidential Secretary of Mohamed’s Manufacturing Enterprise, Ms. Saleema Mohamed, “we are moving our business to a 65000 square ft. building. We have a few minor works we have to take care of then we will be able to move in there hopefully by March.”

The new factory will be equipped with more high-tech machineries which the business owner will ship from overseas.

This will also result in the business increasing production since these machines will speed up output tremendously. The 37 staff members are also expected to continue working at the business even with the integration of the new equipment.

The expansion of business is part of the company’s objective to become ISO certified since this will be a useful tool to add credibility, by demonstrating that the products meet the expectations of customers.

Over the years, Mr. Mohamed has ventured off to manufacture different products from what he originally started off producing. The businessman began producing noodles however, soon persons started requesting other condiments, as such, he saw the high demand as a potential profitable business opportunity which he capitalized on. His daughter said, “he had the resources so he thought, why not make it bigger since he loves experimenting on things and making them better, he just saw what people wanted and as he experimented he made it, people loved it and as the years passed he made it better, with the smell ,texture and everything else.” Nevertheless, noodles still remain the business’s number one produce.

Despite the company’s success, it is still faced with competition, its two major competitors are Prestige Foods Guyana and Beharry Group of Companies. Regardless of competition the business still does well due to the fact that it has its own customers.

Ms. Mohamed highlighted that, “competition is not really a problem for us; I guess it just depends on what people want, sometimes how we make our products some people may not like it, but others will love it.” She added that the business always attempts to make its products better and does not place much emphasis and attention on its competitors.

The company has also built lasting relationship with its customers hence, many of the persons who they supply their products to have been with them for years. Presently, the business supplies products solely to the local market. Some of the large businesses it supplies produce to include Bounty’s, N&S Mattai and Survival Supermarket while the small businesses are too numerous to mention.

Presently though, the business is not placing much emphasis on exporting its products because of the hassle that comes with exporting such as loads of paper work and payment issues. “One of the major problems is that when we export we find it hard to get people to pay us and we usually end up with a loss. Actually, we started telling people Cash on Delivery (COD) and no credit and that usually stray them away.”

With the aim of attracting more customers the business has also adopted a number of marketing tactics to attract new customers to the business. For instance, it has hired salesmen who are frequently on the road approaching businesses to get them to put the manufacturing company’s products on sale at their various business places.

The company also advertises its products on MTV cable 65/ channel 14 and facebook. In the past the business advertised via radio as well but it had to put that on hold because of expenses incurred due to the expansion of the business. However, as soon as the business relocates to the new location there are plans to push advertising more on radio, television and facebook. The business has also placed heavy emphasis on its packaging as

well to capture the attention of people which is said to have paid off.

Management also tries to display its products at expositions as often as possible and as a result every year they attend GuyExpo which has proven to be profitable in the past since it has aided to stir up a lot of person’s interest in the business and its products and built its clientele.

In 2013, Mohamed’s Manufacturing Enterprise also attended two separate expositions; Guyana Independence Festival Business and Trade show in Ontario and Guyana Trade Show and Tourism Exposition in New York organized by the Guyana Tourism Authority.The responses in those countries were described as good especially in Canada, where the booth was filled with people. Last year the business also attended a Pack Expo late year in November, 2014 overseas as well.

Being in existence for more than four decades is proof that the business is indeed successful, but Mr. Mohamed does not accredit his success to himself solely but mostly to his family due to their unwavering support from the inception. His daughter said, “my father’s family gave my dad the opportunity to pursue his dreams and cooperated with him.” The young woman also accredited the businessman’s success to his deep dedication and love for his work.

Persons interested in the products would find it informative to know that the sauces are sold in various sizes including 284 ml, 340 ml, 750 ml and 1 litre. Noodles are packaged in quantities ranging from 340 and 400 grams. Seasoning and spices are available in 25, 40 and 100 grams packets.

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Competitiveness, Services and Opportunities in the CSME. Part1

by Teni Housty,

Attorney-at-Law, LL.M., MBA

INTRODUCTION The objective of this two part contribution is to share a few thoughts on approaching an element of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), combining an assessment of the legal framework and the application of concepts of strategy in a Guyana and Caribbean context.

The structure of this two part contribution is as follows: Part1 General CSME Services in the CSME. Part2 Opportunities and competitiveness.

Conclusion.

GENERAL CSME By way of a brief reminder, CSME is designed to benefit the livelihood of the nationals of participating CARICOM Member States in preference to nationals of other countries. The navigating words of the CSME are freedom, harmonisation, hassle free and ease facilitated by the removal of restrictions.

Guyana, like other CARICOM Member States, has committed to undertaking various actions under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, which established the CSME and the regimes under the Revised Treaty. For the purposes of this contribution I substitute the word boat for regime.

There are five boats that can be utilised to navigate the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean which provide the navigational boundaries of the countries that comprise the CSME. In Part 2 the notion of an ocean will have greater significance, as it is the colour of the ocean that may be an indicator of strategic navigation.

The five boats of the CSME are: • Movement of Community Nationals; • Movement of Goods; • Movement of Services; • Right of Establishment; and • Movement of Capital The interesting point for reflection is that the CSME is not a “field of dreams”. The concept of, “if you build it they will come”, does not apply. As is evident in many of the fields developed in Guyana, without use, forests and cattle pastures are the results of non utilisation. For the CSME boats, as Guyanese and CARICOM nationals, there now exists a chance and opportunity to utilise the boats.

SERVICES IN THE CSME

Guyana Inc. - Issue 13 P.24

Regional statistics suggest that the popular boat utilised by Guyanese is that of movement of community of nationals, and the opportunity to stay in participating Member States for six months. The journey on this channel has been a rough one with some costly capsizing for several governments and unnecessary embarrassment for traveling nationals.

Recent practices suggest that the lesson appears to have been learnt. However, for the entrant utilising this boat it must be noted that the immigration entry stamp clearly indicates that employment is prohibited.

This is where distinctiveness and appreciating differences among the boats becomes important.

By way of example, if a person wants to enter a county to seek employment, that individual once within the existing categories, will tend to utilise the avenue of a skilled national. This can be distinguished from providing a service or establishing a business through a company in particular which represents a sense of independence.

The specific boat of relevance for this contribution is that of the movement of services. The CSME recognises the “right to provide a service”. The specific articles are Articles 36, 37 and 38 of the Revised Treaty.

Services are generally classified into 12 major categories, which have further sub-categories: 1. Business services.

2. Communication services.

3. Construction and related engineering services.

4. Distribution services.

5. Educational services.

6. Environmental services.

7. Financial services.

8. Health-related and social services.

9. Tourism and travel-related services.

10. Recreational, cultural, and sporting services.

11. Transport services.

12. Other services not included elsewhere.

Additionally, it should also be borne in mind that there are several modes through which services may be supplied. The mode under specific reflection is by the physical presence in the Member State.

The wharf created by the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas with regard to services: • gives priority to services that directly affect production costs or facilitate the trade in goods and services that generate foreign exchange earnings; • removes administrative practices and procedures, the maintenance of which impedes nationals of other Member States from the provision of services.

• removes all restrictions on the provision of services in priority areas both in terms of conditions for the provision of services as well as the conditions governing the entry of personnel, including their spouses and immediate dependent family members, • ensures that nationals of other Member States have access to land, buildings and other property on a non-discriminatory basis to engage in economic activity, for purposes directly related to the provision of services, • removes discriminatory restrictions on banking, insurance and other financial services, but may exclude certain financial services.

An assessment of the laws of many Member States indicates

that for many, the framework has been created. Services have increasingly contributed to the economic welfare of many Caribbean Member States.

The benefits and opportunities of the framework are however not reflected in the actual behaviour of services providers, primarily based on certain characteristics of services and service sectors. These include: • A person can enter a country as a skilled national, and depending on your sector be permitted to enter and remain as a service provider; • Not all licensing are registration requirements have been removed, particularly where nationals of the Member State are subject to similar requirements; • Services are transitory and the time for provision will expire; • Services provide an opportunity to emerge from a sense of dependency and servitude; • Services are supported by other CSME boats, including the right of establishment and the movement of capital; These factors lead to the suggestion that depending on your sector there are opportunities. To utilise the words of an old professor “that is fine Housty, then what?”. In Part 2 the answers are provided.

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arketing communication has been defined as the sharing of information, concepts, and meanings about products, services and the organization that sell them, by the source and receiver.

Marketing communication is essentially a part of the marketing mix which defines the 4Ps of marketing price, place, product and promotion.

In this case, marketing communication is all about promotion.

Advertisements are one of the best ways to promote goods and services of any organization. With an effective and successful advertising campaign, organizations not only leave a strong impact on their customers but also communicate the company’s philosophy in an effective manner. The function of advertisements is to communicate to potential customers. This communication is meant to create awareness so that the buyer can develop a positive attitude about the product or service so that the seller can secure sales.

A firm’s promotional plan should specify which promotional elements are to be used and how company resources are to be allocated among the promotion mix. When it comes to advertisements, words and design blend together to form what we in the industry call “impact” which does not happen in a vacuum. People usually respond to words and designs that matter to them.

Print advertisements are those appearing in print media like newspapers, magazines, etc. In order for an advertiser to construct and place advertisements in the proper media vehicles, the advertising target or targets must be identified and segmented. The advertising target is the group of people towards which advertisements are aimed at. This target is usually the same as the promotion target.

The target must be identified and regimented in a profile that includes the demographic characteristics so that the segmentation can be useful to the graphic artists who is concerned with the creative aspects of the advertisement. The segmentation is also useful for positioning the communication to fit its target. If the advertising target is not properly identified and analyzed, the campaign is not likely to be effective.

Therefore, advertisement concepts that are used in other countries might not be effective in Guyana due to demographic differences.

Although making the artwork look good is important, the only true measure of any advertisement design, at least commercially, is “How well does it pull?” By pull, we mean what type of response it elicits. Does it pull in calls, or pull people into the store, or increase sales? In essence, does the design accomplish what it set out to do?

The objectives of an advertisement must be specidfically and clearly defined in measureable terms such as “to communicate specific qualities about a particular product, to gain a certain degree of penetration in a definite audience of a given size, during a given period of time, increase

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sales by a certain percentage or, increase the firm’s market shares.”

It is important to note the difference between a “Response-Based Design” and a “Gorgeous Design.” In other words, your graphic designer should not be looking for art awards or best in show; he or she should be looking for a response. Businesses should measure their advertisements based on the performance of the design and not based on the beauty of the design. It is true, that a company can put together the most beautiful advertisement that the world has ever seen, but if it does not make the phone ring then it is not worth the paper it is printed on. The design must be aesthetic and pulls customers.

In the case of Guyana, we must be cognizant of those elements that attract Guyanese consumers to take time out and look and read your advertisement. We often times try to mimic the advertisements as seen on television and international magazines without thinking twice if the advertisement will appeal to the specific target audience. Every potential customer is different, and they are not naturally inclined to want to listen to advertising. They are going to continue to ignore you, unless you can persuade them to listen. To do that, you have to get into their heads, think like them, “BE” them.

You can grab someone’s attention with a catchy phrase or odd image as the focal point of your magazine advertisement, but if those do not relate to your message, you might not keep a potential buyer’s attention.

When you are competing with other articles and advertisements in a magazine, it is important to marry the right layout and design elements with a well-organized message to maximize the return on your advertising investment. As people flip through the magazine, graphic elements such as bold-face headlines, colour, photos and drawings that appear on a page of text catch their eye.

People respond differently to marketing messages, so you need to know what your target market wants to hear. Research can be as indepth as actually phoning some of the people in the target market and conducting surveys, or as simple as looking at your experiences with past customers.

When advertising, stay clear of mystery writing; state clearly what it is you would like customers to do. Believe it or not, people like to be told exactly what to do in advertising. They appreciate fun, humorousness and cleverness, but not at the cost of clarity. You should make it as easy as possible to make the requested action. The more your prospects have to think, the less likely they are to actually act.

It should be noted that not every advertisement in a slick magazine is good (effective), so use your own common sense about what “sells” you as a consumer of advertising. Make a practice of looking at print advertisements from now on. When you find one you like, tear it out and

put it in a folder. Make note about the element (s) of the advertisement that struck you as particularly effective. When it is time for you to do your next advertisement, look though those advertisements to jumpstart your creativity. However, remember you cannot just combine an idea from one advertisement with that of another advertisement, but, you can use them to suggest approaches for the production of an effective advertisement.

When you have some ideas down, ask other people if the advertisement works. Also, remember to analyze the response you get from each advertisement that you run. If an advertisement that is present in several different publications is not producing a response, it probably needs to be fine-tuned or changed. Do not be afraid to experiment but when you find an advertisement that does work, use it until it begins to produce diminishing results.

Print Advertising Design Tips • Make sure your headline has stopping power

If your headline is a snooze, your advertisement will go unread.

It is that simple. Intrigue them, challenge a common belief, ask a question or throw your offer up there – but do not be dull.

• Your advertisement is not about you

Consumers care about their lives and their needs. Not you. So do not waste valuable advertisement space talking about you. Help them understand how or why you can help them. Talk to them about what matters to them.

• One message If your audience can only remember one thing from your advertisement, what do you want it to be? Do not overload the advertisement with every benefit and feature to your offering. Stay focused on your main point and do not take the readers off on a bunch of tangents.

• Short and sweet

Write the copy that you want to include in your advertisement. Now

cut it in half. It is a painful process but it forces you to really think through your message. After you cut it in half, cut it again by a third.

Now…you have boiled down to the bare essentials.

• Say it visually

The visual you select for your advertisement is critical. It should help advance the story. It should not be unoriginal with the same photo everyone else would choose. You do not always have to be literal. If you are going into a trade publication where everyone used a set of the same images to convey the same message, avoid those images like the plague!

• Select The Right Color Scheme Selecting the right colour scheme for your advertising also matters when building a brand and its presence or local and online awareness. Ensuring the color scheme within your print advertisement is streamlined with your logo colors or the colors you use to represent your brand is a way to quickly gain traction with any campaign you have in mind to launch.

• Relate To Your Audience

Ensure your advertisement is able to relate to the audience or demographic you are trying to reach. It is important to create advertisements in locations where they are relevant to individuals who may have a genuine interest in your brand or the products and services you have to offer.

• Make your offer clear and compelling

Every advertisement has one job. To advance the reader to the next step whether it be visit your website, call your telephone number, etc. Whatever it is you want them to do…be clear. And give them a reason to do it now, rather than a few weeks from now.

Print advertising can be a very effective tactic. Hopefully, with these helpful tips, you will be better able to produce effective advertisements that grabs the attention of your specific target audience. Do not waste good money on bad advertisements.

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B

Hypertension (HTN)

lood pressure is the force of blood against the vessel wall and is created by the pumping of the heart. There is a forward pressure resulting from the flow of the blood and a lateral pressure resulting from different factors. The forward pressure corresponds to the higher reading in the blood pressure reading and is known as systolic pressure.

The lower reading is the lateral pressure on the vessel wall and is also known as the diastolic pressure.

Simply put, when the heart contracts, that corresponds to the high pressure and when the heart relaxes that corresponds to the lower pressure in the blood pressure reading.

Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

According to the WHO, the normal adult blood pressure at rest is within the range of 120-130 mmHg (systolic) and 75-80mmHg (diastolic).

HYPERTENSION or high blood pressure is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated.

Uncontrolled hypertension (140/90 mm Hg or higher) is the most

important risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly heart attacks and stroke. It can also cause kidney failure, blindness, peripheral vascular disease (“poor circulation�) and heart failure.

The risk of developing CVD and other complications is increased when high blood pressure occurs together with other risk factors such as tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, inadequate physical activity, obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

Classification is either primary (essential) hypertension or secondary hypertension. Primary hypertension is high blood pressure with no obvious underlying medical cause and accounts for about 90-95% of cases.

Secondary hypertension is caused by other conditions that affect the kidneys, arteries, heart and endocrine systems and accounts for the remaining 5-10% of cases.

Signs and symptoms Hypertension is rarely accompanied by any symptom and its identification is usually through screening or when seeking healthcare for an unrelated problem.

Headaches, particularly at the back of the head in the morning, lightheadedness, vertigo, tinnitus, which is a bussing or a hissing in the ears, altered vision and fainting episodes are all common complaints heard by hypertensive patients.

An ophthalmoscope can be used to examine the eyes of suspected

hypertensive patients and changes in the retina would be seen.

One in three adults worldwide has high blood pressure and prevalence increases with age, from 10% of people in their twenties and thirties to 50% of people in their fifties.

Behind the statistics is a silent killer that can affect anyone; people often have no symptoms, and many are not even aware of their high blood pressure and the associated health risks. The result is that many go undiagnosed until they develop complications.

The impact of hypertension in the Americas is primarily through high rates of CVD, and current CVD death rates are markedly higher among upper-middle and lower-middle-income countries than in high- and low-income countries.

In some developed countries, prevention and treatment of hypertension and other CVD risk factors have significantly reduced deaths from heart attack and stroke especially with the creation of laws to reduce smoking in public places and the curtailing of transfat.

You can reduce the chance of developing high blood pressure by practicing healthy lifestyle changes, which include diet and exercise.

Diet and lifestyle changes can also improve blood pressure control and decrease the risk of health complications, although drug treatment is still often necessary in people for whom lifestyle changes are not enough or not effective.

There has been an increase in the incidence of hypertension in Guyana from 2001 to 2011. There are around 15,000 new cases of hypertension diagnosed each year and a higher prevalence is found in people older than 50. The incidence of hypertension is higher in males than females before the females go through menopause. This is because the high levels of oestrogen in women serve as a protective mechanism.

However, after menopause, the incidence of hypertension in males and females is just about equal. Hypertension is associated with a high mortality and is the fifth leading cause of death in Guyana.

Hypertension can occur in children. However it is not very common, but can be noted when they have kidney disorders, e.g. nephritic syndrome which can occur with bee stings, hairy worm stings, etc.

In Guyana, treatment is easily accessible because of the primary Health centers and the many health facilities that are available in the country. Once the public properly utilizes these facilities, there should be a decline in Hypertensive diseases and sequelae.

Sources: Adapted from MOH Statistics Bulletin, 2008 http://www.who.int/topics/hypertension/en/ http://ish-world.com/activities/guidelines.htm By: Dr Carlin .A. Hanoman

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Coping with - Alternatives to Suicide “A HEART CAN STOP BEATING FOR A WHILE...BUT ONE CAN STILL LIVE” - (Susan Finnamore - A memoir of divorce)

I

nfidelity is any action that violates an implicit or explicit agreement between two people, thereby undermining the relationship. The action may be physical or emotional in nature.

Dishonesty often plays a great part in infidelity. For the purpose of the issue at hand, it is the action or state of being unfaithful to a spouse or other sexual partner.

Being cheated on is a devastating and humiliating experience that can have lifealtering effects. However, in addition to this, studies have shown that suffering from the effects of devastation and humiliation can actually make you sick.

Research suggests that infidelity can be a factor in the development of mental illness and also has consequences for a person’s physical health. Infidelity can result in further consequences and disruptions that may also give rise to mental illnesses because it may result in the breaking up of a marriage.

This leads to a single parent situation where finances become somewhat limited, especially

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if the other party was the sole or main provider of the family.

The mental and emotional strain after discovering that a partner has been unfaithful is undeniable. It is a contributing factor in the development of situational depression or anxiety disorder, and definite risk factors for mental illness.

The most common causes of infidelity are emotional, physical and revenge infidelity.

Emotional The most common cause of infidelity is a sense of emotional disconnection from a partner. The person committing the infidelity will often describe having felt unappreciated, lonely, and sad. These emotions can often lead to the secondary feelings of anger and resentment.

Emotional roots can lead to affairs both emotional and physical in nature. An emotional affair may start off looking like a friendship, but over time the level of intimacy increases and more personal information is shared. The “friend” begins to take on the role that the partner should have.

Physical In some cases a partner who has engaged in infidelity will relate that sexual satisfaction was missing from the relationship with their partner and use that as being the reason that they strayed. In these cases, sex may be not as often as they would like or as fulfilling as they would like.

Seeking sex outside of the relationship can also be compared to seeking alcohol, drugs, shopping, gambling; virtually any substance or behavior that provides a “quick fix,” a distraction from everyday life, something that makes you feel anticipation, intoxication, even

fear of being caught doing something “bad”.

Revenge Infidelity Infidelity can be an attempt to redress the balance in a compromised relationship. In other words, ‘If my spouse/partner can, then I can.’ Persons who have been cheated on decide to give their partner a taste of his/her own medicine by cheating on him/her in turn instead of sitting down and discussing whether or not the relationship has a future. This destroys the relationship further because of the guilt that will more likely follow on the part of the person who has now committed the act.

The Warning Signs If you suspect that your spouse is cheating, it is well within your right to begin to examine every aspect of their behaviour. However, be careful not to become paranoid and obsessive, as this could further aggravate the situation.

Here are some ways to spot a potential cheat.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE Someone having an affair (or even thinking about having one) will want to make him/ herself more attractive. He/she will begin to enhance their appearance in some way. Be alert for changes in wardrobe, grooming, body, and personal hygiene.

CONVERSATIONAL CLUES What your spouse/partner chooses or refuses to talk about can alert you to an involvement in an extramarital affair. He/she may mention new people, places and things, while the people, places and things he/she normally talks about are no longer a part of daily conversation. Even tone of voice can be an important telltale sign.

WORK HABITS Work is commonly used as an excuse to account for large period of time away from home. Men and women who are cheating often use their jobs as a cover for their extramarital affairs. Your spouse/partner’s work habits will undoubtedly change as his affair unfolds. Be on the lookout for work-related telltale signs.

FINANCIAL AFFAIRS Stay alert for financial signs of infidelity.

Affairs cost money. If your spouse/partner is entertaining someone else, he or she would want to dine out with, entertain and buy occasional gifts. No matter how carefully he tries to cover his tracks, sooner or later this will be reflected in the family finances.

A good idea would be to make a check of the family finances around certain significant holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Ask your partner to explain if things don’t add up or look out of order. Their reactions to these queries could also shed some light if there is indeed an affair going on.

PERSONALITY OR BEHAVIORAL CHANGES Be alert for changes in your spouse/partner’s attitude, personality or behavior. Whether there are dramatic or subtle, changes of this type are often an indication of infidelity. If your spouse/partner suddenly becomes verbally abusive or speaks to you in a tone that he/

she previously never did, something could be amiss.

INCREASE IN COMPUTER & CELLPHONE USAGE AT HOME It’s common these days for a cheating spouse/partner to use e-mail to communicate with the other person. Some of the telltale signs in this category may also be an indication of his involvement in an online or cyber affair.

Don’t take this lightly. These affairs can be as harmful to your marriage as the real thing.

Though they may not involve sexual contact, the emotional attachment can be extremely strong, and can quickly progress from cyberspace to physical reality.

If he/she is constantly checking the phone, texting and routinely leaves the room to take their calls, this may be a cause for concern. He/ she may suddenly place passwords on their cellphones, or on the computer that were not there before.

What do you do when your worst fears are confirmed?

Many words are used to describe the way people commonly feel when they learn of a spouse’s infidelity. Some persons are shocked, horrified, crushed, furious, even dazed by the revelation. Perhaps the most common word, however, is “devastated”.

“Devastation” suggests that everything you took for granted, everything that made you feel secure in your relationship, has been ripped away. The trauma of discovery of an affair can have extreme and far-reaching effects. For example, you may be unable to eat, sleep, or concentrate on anything, including work. You may want simply to stay in bed with the covers over your head, hoping that the situation goes away.

Denial, in the long run, however, doesn’t work. If your spouse confesses his infidelity, you can’t escape awareness of it and will most likely have to act. If you discover the infidelity on your own, then you have some critical decisions to make. These include whether, and when to confront your spouse, as well as how you plan to proceed in the future.

Many betrayed spouses choose to wait some period of time before confronting an unfaithful spouse because of confusion as to whether they desire to stay in the marriage, or, if not, what they would like to see happen.

If there are children who would be subject to custody arrangements, or if the betrayed partner’s financial status is uncertain, perhaps because of an extended period of time as an athome parent, one may choose to wait before

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confronting the partner having the affair.

Eventually, however, one either actively decides to stay or to leave, or by default remains in the marriage.

The Effects of Infidelity on your Marriage or Relationship - Infidelity is NEVER a healthy experience.

Extramarital affairs can threaten the foundation on which a marriage or relationship is built. Betraying your spouse can cause severe damage to the relationship or lead to divorce.

These are some of the effects of infidelity.

Distrust Discovering that your spouse/partner has been unfaithful breeds an infinite amount of distrust. By betraying you, he or she eroded the most indispensable element of your relationship, trust. Unfaithfulness takes away the feelings of faith and trust that are sacred in a marriage or relationship.

According to the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, spouses who have the utmost trust in their partners suffer from the greatest amount of emotional trauma because they are the most unsuspecting.

Grief Grieving the loss of trust in the relationship can manifest itself in the victim in various emotions simultaneously. The emotions that some victims may experience can be similar to those symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Feelings of insignificance, anxiety and depression may be mixed with frustration, anger and self-deprecating behavior.

Sleeplessness and inability to eat, function or concentrate are enduring symptoms that may last long after the infidelity has ended. A victim of an affair may impose withdrawal from those around her in order to avoid the pain of confronting the reality of the circumstances Obsession Saving the marriage or relationship after an affair can be extremely difficult when the victim recalls the betrayal and demands to know every intimate detail of the circumstances of the infidelity. Obsessively pondering details of the affair and continuously watching for further signs of betrayal, the victim may fixate on discovering the reason for the infidelity and may attempt to change her physical appearance according to what she believes her spouse expects in a partner.

Additionally, the innocent spouse can become fixated on knowing the whereabouts of the cheating spouse throughout the day, interrogating him about tardiness, and

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investigating his phone calls and computer use.

Usually as a result of this, your partner may resort to constant nagging further aggravating the situation and making the person who cheated unable to continue trying to make efforts that would save the relationship.

Guilt & the feeling of Failure The person having the affair often suffers this effect after the affair is over. He/she may be left guilt ridden after seeing the reaction and effects on the other partner. If this feeling persists for a long time, it could eventually fester and turn into something far more serious, like depression, Post traumatic stress disorder and ultimately death by suicide.

Retaliation As mentioned before, this is called Revenge Infidelity. A real consequence of cheating on someone is actually being cheated on yourself.

Avoiding Infidelity - walking the straight and narrow path It is a common myth that only people who are in an unhappy marriage or relationship engage in affairs. This is far from reality. Sometimes, even those persons find themselves tempted to become involved with other people. The best way to prevent infidelity is to mutually “affair proof” your marriage or relationship.

The following tips may be helpful.

Honor your spouse by honoring your marriage vow of fidelity. Remind yourself from time to time of the commitment that you have made to each other. You can frame a copy of your wedding vows and hang it someplace where you can see it daily as a gentle reminder of the vows you took. Fidelity is a decision; make an agreement with your spouse to practise and honour it. If you are not married but in a committed relationship, you can still make the decision with your partner to be faithful and fully committed to each other.

Be aware of infidelity “danger zones.”

The workplace and the Internet, especially can be dangerous to your marriage. Many people that engage in affairs meet at work or online. Many jobs involve traveling, often with male and female colleagues going on business trips together. If there is a person from work that you feel you may develop an attraction for, protect your marriage by not spending time alone with that person.

At work, or while traveling, socialize in groups. Be disciplined about your behavior in working relationships. Be careful about drinking alcohol when traveling or at work parties. Do not disclose too much personal information to people at work. If you are

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having problems in your marriage, discuss this with a counselor, not a friend or colleague of the opposite sex.

A good option would be to ask yourself, “Would I be doing or saying this if my spouse was here?” If the answer is “no,” then you may be treading into the danger zone of infidelity.

Online relationships can be very dangerous to a marriage. Many marriages today are damaged also by “emotional affairs” which occur via emails and chat rooms. Having a close friendship with a member of the opposite sex can sometimes lead to an emotional affair.

Some indications of an emotional affair include sharing inappropriate or intimate thoughts or personal information, talking in

ultimately happy individuals.

There has been a lot of changes with regards to this, persons now often agree that their marriage or relationship isn’t working out and go separate ways in mutual agreement.

The family can go on to have meaningful relationships with their children in spite of being divorced or separated.

It is critical to understand here that it is far more beneficial and important to be honest than to put yourself and partner/spouse through the emotional trauma, embarrassment and disrespect that infidelity brings.

Make your marriage a priority.

Life is very busy and it is easy to get caught up in work and children and other things that

detail about your marriage in a negative way, and keeping the relationship secret from your spouse.

An “emotional affair” is often just as devastating to a marriage as a physical affair.

Prevent online affairs by keeping the computer in a shared room such as a family room or kitchen where the screen cannot be hidden from your spouse.

Avoid chat rooms and discussing emotional topics and personal or marital problems with people over the Internet.

Assess your feelings first, if you are harbouring some anger or hurt because of something your spouse or partner did, discuss your concerns with your partner, or meet with a couple’s counselor together to learn how to approach difficult subjects, do NOT discuss these with persons of the opposite sex at work or on the social scene.

It should be noted at this point that not all Marriages and Relationships are meant to last.

Long ago there may have been lower divorce rates and more persons were willing to “tough it out”, regardless of how they felt inside, or maybe for the sake of children. This may not have necessarily resulted in happy homes and

consume your time and energy. Many people let their marriage fall lower on the priority list and take their spouse for granted. Set aside daily time to reconnect with your spouse, even if just for a short while.

Make time for doing fun things in the marriage.

The simple idea of “a family that prays together, stays together” is true. Having fun and laughing together helps keep your relationship strong. It is easy to get bogged down with the business of life and many couples do not make time for fun. Make a list of things you enjoy doing together and make sure to do at least two things from the list each month. Continually add to your list and make sure it has a variety of activities to meet your budget. If you are the one feeling neglected, suggest things that you would like to do to your spouse/partner and play a more involved role in getting them done.

Having a good sex life and enjoying a sense of romance is an important part of a good marriage.

Learn what each other’s idea of romance is and discuss what feels romantic to you. Be imaginative and creative. Let your partner

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know how attractive they are to you. Having a mutually satisfying physical relationship strengthens and deepens the bond between you and your spouse.

In the meanwhile, you can try to subtly introduce new things to your partner that you may not have tried before. Tasteful, intimate and erotic movies or literature may be a good first step. Let your partner know that you would like to discover new things together.

Make time for meaningful conversation.

Know what is important to your partner and make time to talk about your shared goals (both short and long-term). Remind yourselves of the unique history you have together to share memories.

Look through wedding and family photo albums together. Develop traditions and rituals that strengthen your marriage. Talking together about your future and your past can keep you bonded to one another.

INFIDELITY don’t “just happen.” Engaging in an affair can have devastating consequences that affect your life forever. There are clear steps and choices that lead into an affair.

The consequences of infidelity are far reaching and dire, refuse to make this an option in your life. If you are tempted to start an affair it may be a good thing to consider the many effects that it could have on your spouse / partner, your child(ren) and last but not least, yourself.

Your spouse will be embarrassed amongst her peers, he/she will be hurt beyond measure and suffer a multitude of debilitating effects.

These effects could potentially lead to depression and in some cases suicide.

Your child(ren) will be affected regardless of age. Younger children tend to become confused and may not know what to make of the situation. They may then act out and exhibit different behaviour traits from what is usually expected from them.

Older children may even blame themselves for the breakup and also exhibit abnormal behaviour patterns. They may be burdened with increased responsibilities because a potential divorce or separation will lead to a single parent situation where they have to now kick in and do more. Their academic progress as a result can also suffer.

The partner that is guilty of infidelity has to face the fact that this one act can cost them their marriage/relationship with their partner, and by extension will put a strain on all relationships that together as a couple they once shared.

Friendships will fall by the wayside, because persons in the event of a separation may now feel the need to choose or stay away altogether.

If children are involved, you should consider the fact that your children may have to move out of their home, and you yourself will get to spend much less time with them. They may even have to change schools as a result.

Ask yourself - IS FLEETING PLEASURE REALLY WORTH IT? The Recovery Process In spite of the devastation that infidelity causes, many couples and marriages are able to work through it and sometimes become even better at their relationship.

There are also those who choose to go separate ways because of the loss of trust being irreparable for one, and the continued anger and blame intolerable for the other. They can and most often go on to having better relationships with other persons.

If you decide to go separate ways, the key is to attempt to empower and focus on yourself and your immediate needs with a view to a better long term you. Throw yourself into healthy activities, do new things, meet new persons and generally get out of your comfort zone.

Divorce and separation do not carry the stigma that they once attracted. Situations happen to everyone in life, but you can refuse to let the actions of another person determine your future and more seriously so your mental health and wellness.

Seek out the support of your elders, elders in the church, family and close friends, they may have just gone through something similar and could be able to share their stories with you.

You are definitely not alone in experiencing

infidelity.

If you choose to try to save your marriage or continue being in the relationship, there are avenues such as couples/marriage therapy and counseling available, and stick to things agreed upon in those sessions. It is generally not advised that you share this with others not in the relationship as you are attempting teambuilding with your partner or spouse.

To solicit or to have others volunteer their non professional opinions may not be in the best interest of this exercise.

If you’ve been unfaithful and you’ve decided to work on the marriage/relationship, it’s important to realize that you’re not going to be able to put the affair away and just move forward. Regaining trust means you must show that you clearly understand what your partner has felt and experienced, and prove to them that you are truly sorry, and willing to change and work on regaining their trust, no matter what it takes.

Your partner needs a lot of proof that you’re serious and reliable, and that it is safe to love before they’re going to trust you again. Rebuilding trust means rebuilding your credibility.

It is both a rite of passage and a healing journey that takes patience, courage, inner strength and time for both the betrayed and the betrayer to heal, regain balance, and

learn to trust anew. This begins by taking full responsibility for what you have done and accepting that it will take a long time but still being willing to commit to it.

You must now exhibit genuine affection, attention and appreciation to your partner daily and when making promises, ensure that they are kept.

If you have been cheated on and have decided to try to make the marriage or relationship work, you must be willing to be thoughtful and sensitive to the other even if you don’t feel like it. Remember you two have chosen the path to reconciliation and must now communicate openly.

When you communicate, let your spouse or partner know exactly how you feel without embellishment. This will allow them to understand what you are thinking and if you are ok with their efforts of reconciliation.

You now know the signs of infidelity which means that your intuition the first time around was correct, continue to trust in your intuition as it’s most likely your conscience guiding you.

Discovery of a partner’s infidelity can be a psychologically traumatic event significant enough to lead to depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety and flashbacks to the affair.

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Guyana Inc. - Issue 13 P.33

Rafieya Husain brings back pageantry fame to Guyana -named Miss World/Caribbean Queen

A

t 22 years of age and standing at 170 centimetres tall, Rafieya Husain was able to strut her way into the hearts of many and undoubtedly, into the annals of Guyana’s history, when she landed a prestigious place at the 2014 Miss World Pageant – a rare feat for this Third World country.

For the first time in years, Guyana was listed among the top 10 finalists when a charismatic, stunning, and confident Husain took to the prestigious Miss World’s catwalk in London last December. Added to this, her focus on Domestic Violence during that pageant saw her claiming a coveted place in the Beauty with a Purpose competition which highlighted the challenge of domestic violence in Guyana.

Because of her prestigious placement at the pageant, Husain was also named Miss World/ Caribbean under the Miss World Organisation (MWO). Aside from naming an overall queen of the Competition, who was 22-year-old Rolene Strauss of South Africa, Husain’s title was announced as one of the several continental queens named by the MWO. She will continue to reign as Miss World/Caribbean until another beauty ambassador is bestowed with the title at this year’s Miss World Pageant.

Husain intends to do the Caribbean, particularly Guyana, proud during her tenure. “I think in any situation, pageantry or not, when you’re an ambassador for a country, showcasing not just what you but your country has to offer, is important. Guyana is a melting pot of six races living harmoniously together; sharing different aspects of their cultures. And Guyanese are known for their unity, food and the wonders of nature...I mean our motto says it all ‘One people, one nation and one destiny; it speaks for itself,” boasted Husain.

On May 26, 2014, Husain was crowned Miss World/Guyana at a pageant venued at the National Cultural Centre, just two days before her 22nd birthday. There also she emphasized the need to tackle domestic violence and even pledged to work with like-mind individuals and organizations to tackle the prevalence of this daunting situation, that oftentimes end fatally. Choosing this issue as her platform was

Guyana Inc. - Issue 13 P.34

quite understandable, as according to the young beauty, both she and her aunt were victims of domestic violence. In fact she, in sharing her views on the issue, during an invited comment to Guyana Inc. recently, said that “domestic violence is a prevalent issue, not only in Guyana, but around the world. It knows no race, gender or age and can affect anyone.”

Moreover, she was only too eager to further promote the need to address the issue not only at a national level but internationally as she competed at a spectacle event that has the potential to raise even more awareness. Husain does not intend to waver in her fight against domestic violence.

She has plans to internationally launch her own Non Governmental Organisation, RIVAH, which will have as its principal focus advocating against domestic violence situations and supporting victims of such actions. Husain is optimistic that this ambitious goal could be realized within the next five years.

Although she currently resides in New York, United States, Husain has a rich Guyanese heritage which was nourished here for half of her existence. The young lady, who is better known to her family members and close friends as Zara, was born in Anna Regina in Region Two to Salena Khan and Jameel Husain.

She recalls vividly that her late grandfather, Shafeek Khan, was the Regional Executive Officer of Region Two. However, she grew up in Kitty, Georgetown, and attended the Mae’s primary level school until she migrated to the Virginia, USA at the age of 11.

Husain recalled that at a tender age her parents as well as her

grandfather instilled the idea of giving back to those in need, a challenge she believes she was able to fulfill by entering into the Miss Guyana World and then the Miss World pageants, and particularly through the Beauty with a Purpose competition. The latter engagement she said “allowed me to spread awareness of my cause (domestic violence).”

“The Miss World (pageant) gave me the arena to promote my platform – Shatter the Silence – which is educating the younger generation on the initial signs of domestic violence,” said Husain who related that “my inspiration came from my grandfather who was a big philanthropist during his time.”

However, she insisted that her role models and biggest supporters as well as her “backbone in everything I’ve done” are her mother and aunt. “My mom and aunt are strong, beautiful and independent

“…I believe that I am truly blessed to be where I am and to have accomplished the things I’ve done and I hope they (young girls) look at me and say that if she can do it so can I.”

women who have shown me that with hard work and family support you can accomplish just about anything.”

As such she is extremely satisfied with her pageantry accomplishments and even went on to commend Strauss, the 2014 Miss World, noting that “she deserved to have the title of Miss World. I believed I did my best and I hope I made my supporters proud of what I’ve accomplished.”

It is the beauty’s hope that young girls would see her as their role model and begin to believe that they can achieve ambitious goals regardless of the situation they were born into. “Growing up in a third world country, I believe that I am truly blessed to be where I am and to have accomplished the things I’ve done and I hope they (young girls) look at me and say that if she can do it so can I.” Husain is certainly not afraid to share her experience with others.

“I think the public has got to know me and the person I am over the past few years. I am pretty much an open book, and I say pretty much because parts of a person’s life should be personal but yes I am an open book and I will answer questions if there is ever any.”

As she eases herself out of the pageantry limelight for now, Husain said that her next move will be to resume her academic studies. Ahead of her pageantry engagements she was pursuing studies in Business Administration.

“My education has always come first but it was placed on hold the past few years due to my travel to campaign. So first and foremost is getting back to my studies,” added Husain.

But she has no plans to completely leave the beauty scene altogether. According to the still blooming young lady her wish is to one day grace the runway of Victoria Secret. “It’s been a dream of mine and a goal I would love to accomplish.” She nevertheless assures that “no matter where I go in life or what I accomplish, as long as I am happy with myself and who I am, I’ll have the world.”

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Guyana Inc. - Issue 13 P.35

Panorama: A Portrait of Guyana is on sale at Castellani House and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

Castellani House artworks now captured in publications

T

he first book in a series featuring artwork from Castellani House was launched on Monday January 12, at Cara Lodge. The book, entitled Panorama: A Portrait of Guyana, is first of three books.

The series of books is the result of a partnership between the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport and the Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Company (GT&T). An agreement to this effect was signed in mid-2014 and will continue for three years. One book will be produced each year.

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony, lauded the production of the book and the cooperation with GT&T. He noted that the books will be of “tremendous educational benefit” to the nation, and will help to make the National Collection accessible as never

Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank (right) and Mr. Radha K. Sharma, CEO of GT&T at launching of Panorama: A Portrait of Guyana

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before. Observing that the three books will only cover a small portion of the National Collection’s more than 1200 pieces, Minister Anthony said that the books will “open the various facets of Guyanese creativity to the world”.

He added that the publication of the books will indirectly yield another benefit, and that is, the digitization of the National Collection.

Mr. Radha K. Sharma, CEO of GT&T, spoke of the great benefits that Art has to the society since it nurtures criticalthinking skills, encourages academic success and prepares young people for the world of work, and gave this as the reason why GT&T seeks to engage in such partnerships.

Also speaking at the launching ceremony, Deputy Curator of Castellani House, Ohene Koama, revealed that the production of such books was a long-standing dream of the gallery, but that it had been unable until now to realize that dream.

Panorama contains 68 images from the National Collection, all in full colour. It features artwork from a range of Guyanese artists and highlights a number of themes in Guyanese life and society, such as ceremonies, work, celebrations, landscape, ancestry, and social commentary.

Apart from the artwork, the book also contains a short essay accompanying each piece of art. These essays help the reader to understand and appreciate the works, artists, and their contexts.

The book was designed and prepared by a team headed

by University of Guyana lecturer and Art critic Alim Hosein.

Other members are UG Art lecturer and Artist Philbert Gajadhar, Deputy Curator of Castellani House Ohene Koama, and former Burrowes School of Art Director of Studies, Jynell Osborne.

Red Howler Monkey

T

he alouatta seniculus, commonly known as the red howler monkey or baboon is the loudest species of monkeys on the planet. These monkeys, which can be found in Guyana, are often heard before they are seen.

Their loud calls are distinctive and consist of a rising chorus of snorts, grunts, roars, and howls which can be heard for up to three miles (five kilometers).

The monkeys inhabit countries such as Guyana, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. This species occupies a large variety of habitats within its range. They are found in secondary, gallery, swamp, and savannah forest habitats. An example of their widespread use of habitat is in Guyana, where they are found in every forest area in the country.

The red howlers are most active in the morning, when the group is on the move to find another feeding spot. These howlers are famous for their “dawn chorus”. This is also used to prevent confrontations between groups, which will prevent energy loss by avoiding physical fighting. The calls also help in the scattering of the groups and lessen the competition over food.

The monkeys call most often at nightfall and dawn, but can also be heard after rainstorms, since they do not like rain, and during the night. The calls are usually performed by the males of the group who are the leaders and have large throats and specialized, shell-like vocal chambers that help to turn up the volume on their distinctive call.

Howlers diets mainly consist of leaves, but they also rely on nuts, small animals, fruits, seeds, and flowers for important nutrients. The most important part of their diets is leaves, which they cannot live without for more

Guyana Inc. - Issue 13 P.38

than a week. Hence, they usually remain high up in trees where they can find the most leaves. They are mischievous animals who like to sit in trees and pester jaguars by throwing sticks and branches down at them.

Red howler groups are usually small, ranging in size from two to 16 animals but usually number three to nine or so individuals. In red howlers groups, there is usually only one dominant male in the group (occasionally two), several females and juveniles. Males from bachelor groups will usually try to overpower the dominant male or males of a group and take over the troop of females.

When this happens, the new males kill all the existing infants and then mate with the females, to produce their own offspring. The females try to protect their infants, but being smaller, they are rarely successful at saving them.

Less than 25 per cent of offspring survive male invasions.

Males typically range from 49–72 cm and females from 46–57 cm long. The males weigh 5.4-9 kg, while females weigh 4.2–7 kg. These monkeys have a long prehensile tail of 49–75 cm. The tail is covered with fur except for the last third of the underside, which allows it to grab branches. The color of both males and females is a deep reddish-brown, and the colour shade changes with age. Their faces are surrounded by fur and they have stubby noses.

There are no major range-wide threats, but they are affected locally by some hunting however, this species withstands hunting pressure better than other atelids.

The species is present in numerous, and large protected areas. For example in Guyana it can be found in conserved areas such as Kaieteur National Park and Iwokrama Forest Reserve.

Jumo is no more, meet reigning

Soca King Mr. Unruly M

any of us know Jumo ‘Rubber Waist’ Primo, but how many know “Mr. Unruly”? Allow me the honors of introduction...

Mr. Unruly was crowned the new Soca King at the coveted 2015 Carib Soca Monarch competition.

The competition that went down on Valentine’s night proved a clash of prowess as each of the 15 artistes vying for the title brought their “A- game” to the National Park to impress both the crowd and judges. Make no mistake, this King had to work hard to be crowned.

With fireworks, elaborate costumes and big mechanical cranes, contestants wowed the crowd with their showcases.

By the end of the spectacular showdown, the then defending Champion, Kwasi Ace Edmonson, copped the $500,000 second place prize; former Junior Soca Monarch Ernesta ‘Nesta’ Nelson secured third with her song “Ain’t Stopping”.

Rounding out the winners was Melissa ‘Vanilla’ Roberts.

Meanwhile, new to the Soca realm, Jory Hector walked away with the Best Newcomer prize of $100,000 with his crowd whistling performance of “Whistle”.

Arriving on a tractor to jumpstart the show was Kwesi Ace, whose “Forking” performance was accompanied by farmers and forks to complete his agricultural motif. But everyone was blown away when Mr. Unruly arrived on stage.

The performer electrified the stage from the time he walked on. He even gifted the crowd with his signature dance moves that made him well known as ‘Rubber-Waist.’

The 39-year-old artiste definitely outshone his 14 other rivals.

One of the good things about his energetic performance was the fact that he did not respond to the other performers who went on stage and talked against him.

Still, Mr. Unruly walked away with $1.5 million in cash, making it the third time he has been crowned King.

Moments after being crowned Soca Monarch, he called on the artistes to end the “ridiculing” since it does not augur well for the local music industry.

He said that there was a time in Guyana when artistes performed “real Soca music” during the competition. Now it has now become a “free style” competition and more so a “sound clash”.

Being crowned Soca King, Jumo now has the chance to represent Guyana at the International Soca Monarch in Trinidad and Tobago in 2016.

Guyana Inc. - Issue 13 P.40

In an exclusive interview with Guyana Inc, the artiste said that in reviewing his performance, he noticed that he grew from the old Jumo to the new Jumo whom he named Mr. Unruly.

“It was professional and I did not skip or miss a beat. It was not boring; it was energy from start to ending. I was proud of the way I talked to the crowd and got them to do everything I asked. It shows that I have grown and I am ready now to take on Trinidad (competition),” declared Mr. Unruly.

He said that the focus for this year’s performance was quite different as he knew that to adequately represent his song he had to be able to get full crowd participation.

Mr. Unruly told this magazine that “the song wasn’t about just putting hands in the air or about wine, it was just a song to make you move. To utilize the song I had to be able to make the crowd follow instructions; I had to motivate them to the extent to get them to misbehave and get on bad. When I said part de crowd, people literally run through and part, that was an accomplishment.

It was hard but it worked and the vibes was great.”

The artiste said that he always enters the competition with a mindset that all other competitors are going to bring their ‘A’ game, but repeated that he was very disappointed that artistes moved away from the Soca vibes and turned the competition into a ‘dancehall thing.’

He said that artistes should not rely on “dissing” others to get crowd support. “I just stick to game and routine…I did not call names, I had no time for that; I went there to mash up the place and that is what I did.”

More about Mr. Unruly The artiste who became very popular in Guyana using his real name—Jumo—decided to take on a new personality.

He told Guyana Inc. that he likes the person he chose to become, someone who is prepared to deal with all the life has to offer.

The artiste said that he has realized that he will always run into negative people “but Mr. Unruly is prepared to deal with them, I am prepared also to deal with the stage and the fans.”

He said that Mr. Unruly is all about positivity but is ready to be unruly with negative people.

He added, “I do not care now. Jumo cared, but Jumo use to hurt a lot. He had enough of that it is a new person, a more positive person. The artiste said that his new persona will not only be for the stage. Mr. Unruly will be around 24/7, 48/14. He pledged

however, to remain cool and humble.

The local act indicated that he is already working on the 2016 song.

He said that he is considering entering the Trinidad competition with his song ‘Unruly’ but has not decided as yet.

In the meantime, the artiste is working on two new songs that will be released in a matter of weeks. Those two songs are titled ‘Harder’ and ‘Lef meh’.

The concept for ‘Lef meh’ surrounds someone who goes to a party with friends “but as soon as you start to enjoy yourself they ready to go home. Well I telling them they can go away and ‘lef meh.’

Asked if he plans to enter the local competition again next year, Mr. Unruly responded with uncertainty.

“My gear right now is to do the International Soca Monarch.

I need to spend time in Trinidad and get to know the producers and work with them. I need to get into that market because I mean Guyana is my home, but the focus is on Trinidad to get my music out there.” He also noted that he wants to collaborate with well known Trinidadian artistes.

Mr. Unruly told Guyana Inc. that the fact that Guyana lacks adequate copyright laws poses a real challenge for artistes to make money. “We get jobs from time to time but Guyana is not a place that has shows all de time for artistes get work.”

He noted that after Mashramani, the Soca vibes dies in Guyana hence he wants his music to be known regionally so he can get gigs at carnivals around the Caribbean.

“My thing is I want to carry my entire team. I want to carry my dancers, my DJ and band so it will be a Guyanese contingent.”

Mr. Unruly has several other popular songs. He pointed to his song “Nosey people” and said it was an instant hit.

Over the past two years he released ‘Nosey People,’ ‘March Out,’ ‘On the road,’ ‘Fireworks,’ ‘One People,’ ‘Mr. Mash,’ ‘Unruly’ and ‘Like talk.’

He said that he is looking to release an album soon.

Even though he has changed his name to Mr. Unruly, the artiste is still a believer in giving back to the community. After winning the competition, Mr. Unruly decided to host a Party for over 200 children.

He told Guyana Inc. that he did this because he is very aware that some of his biggest fans are children.

“The love from children is genuine and pleases his heart to see how much they love me and my music, this is just my way of saying thank you,” said Mr. Unruly.

The Party had face painting; bouncy castles and the children were treated to a performance. They were also given the chance to imitate Mr. Unruly.

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Golden Jaguars make welcome return to International Friendly stage -aiming to better 2014 WC showing

G

uyana’s flagship football team, the ‘Golden Jaguars’, made a welcome return to the international stage when they were held to a 2-2 draw by the Barbados Tridents on Sunday February 1 at the Barbados National Stadium.

The game brought out hundreds of Guyanese living on the island who showed warmth and encouraged their countrymen from the first to the final whistle.

Led by Guyana’s most successful Captain, USA based midfielder Christopher Nurse, Guyana took the early lead through a Sheldon Holder 11th minute goal. Canadian born Emery Welshman, born to Guyanese parents and donning national colors for the first time doubled the advantage in the 33rd minute.

The Guyanese fans were in a frenzy now as they waved the Golden Arrowhead proudly whilst their Bajan rivals were kept quiet. Tables would turn though as the young Bajans returned the favours double fold to even the score.

Jomo Harris breached the Guyanese defense and goalkeeper Derrick Carter with a beautifully executed volley in the 36h minute to cut the Guyanese lead in half. Just one minute later, Barbados Captain Mario Harte drew his team level with another well taken shot.

Thereafter the exchanges continued on either end but neither the Golden Jaguars nor the Tridents was able to score as the defense from both teams kept the opposing side at bay. The intensity on the pitch was evenly matched in the stands with the fans urging on their players.

Guyana Inc. - Issue 13 P.42

Guyana’s Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz, who can also be described as Guyana’s most successful Head Coach having guided the Golden Jaguars to its best ever showing in FIFA World Cup, the third stage (semi-finals) of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, expressed his delight at the way the Golden Jaguars played whilst complimenting Barbados.

Shabazz noted that the result was a fair one and was impressed with the level of commitment displayed by the young Golden Jaguars stating that the future for Guyana is bright. Players the caliber of Pernel Schultz, Trayon Bobb, Holder, Daniel Wilson, Clive Nobrega and Joshua Brown among others will do Guyana proud Shabazz noted.

The Barbados Football Federation which invited Guyana for the game is preparing their team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, CONCACAF Preliminary Competition Round One series and will go into action next month in a home and away tie against the US Virgin Islands.

Guyana was drawn in Round Two 2 and will take on old rivals St. Vincent and the Grenadines in June in their home and away series.

Guyanese fans and lovers of the game from all walks of life supported the Golden Jaguars in the last World Cup qualifying and are eagerly awaiting matches this time around as the Golden Jaguars will be aiming to go all the way, this time around.

However, for this dream to be realized, the full and dedicated support of the Government of Guyana, business community and every Guyanese would be required.

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