ROXANNE J. PERSAUD - · PDF fileROXANNE J. PERSAUD STATE SENATOR-ELECT ... of the NYPD...

Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. on-line Magazine

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Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc.on-line Magazine

Oct. 302015Vol 5Issue10

ROXANNE J. PERSAUDSTATE SENATOR-ELECT19TH SENATORIAL DISTRICT, BROOKLYN

IN THIS ISSUEPAGE 3: State Senator-ElectRoxanne PersaudPAGE 4-6: Officer Holder celebratedPAGE 7: Remembering Bobby MoorePAGE 8-20: Ramleela at theMonument GardensPAGE 22: Intellectual PropertyLegislationsPAGE 24-27: Baroness Valerie AmosPAGE 28: Guyanese teens in the HaguePAGE 30: Focus on CancerPAGE 31-33: Focus on Agriculture

October EditorEdgar Henry

Cover DesignClaire Goring & Ashton Franklin

Copy Editors-Edgar Henry, Lear Matthews

Gail A. Nunes

Layout and Design by Claire A. Goring & Ashton Franklin

Contributors:Lear Matthews, Vibert Cambridge

Tangerine ClarkeAbena Rockcliffe, Kaieteur News

Josh Surtees, The VoiceCarlyle Harry

Aubrey DeMendonca

Photography:Tangerine ClarkeVibert Cambridge

GCA Media TeamAve Brewster-Haynes (Chairperson), Juliet Emanuel, Edgar Henry,

Lear Matthews, Claire A. Goring,Ashton Franklin,

Margaret LawrenceGail A. Nunes,

Francis Quamina Farrier.

Please join our Facebook group, Website: www.guyfolkfest.org

GCA Secretariat -1368 E.89 Street,Brooklyn, NY 11236Tel: 718 209 5207

2 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

We must apologize for the lateness of this publication, due to circumstancesbeyond our control.

Welcome to the October 2015 Online Magazine. October was originally the eighthmonth of the Roman calendar until 153 BCE. The month originated from the Latinterm - October mensis - eighth month. Although October is the tenth month of theyear in the Julian and Gregorian calendars, it was commonly linked with theautumn season in the Northern Hemisphere and spring in the SouthernHemisphere. The Gregorian calendar has undergone many alterations over theyears. Originally there were only 10 months, October being the 10th.As we continue to bridge the gap, our theme “We Bridgin’” makes more sense notonly in Guyana but also in the Diaspora. With Thanksgiving and Christmas fastapproaching, we will close this year with a bang after our Annual Symposium atthe Empire State College, State University of New York Brooklyn Center 177Livingston St, Brooklyn NY. Our president Dr. Vibert Cambridge recently returned from Guyana where hecemented collaboration in areas such as a Literary Festival; a National Symposiumand a Masquerade Jamboree for the 2016 Guyana Independence celebrations. Ourendeavor is to revive the Guyanese art form and prepare to welcome 2016 whenthe Guyana Cultural Association of New York will celebrate its 15 years of exis-tence. We suggest that you indulge this unprecedented opportunity by participat-ing in our historic cultural events, taking advantage of the inexpensive advertisedairfares and hotel accommodation packages to coordinate our efforts in Guyana forthe 50th anniversary celebrations. Stay tuned for further details which will be pub-lished in our future online magazines.Yes, our Guyana Cultural Association Arts and Cultural Center (GA&CC) is immi-nent. Our Dance Program; Music Program and Performing Arts Program arealmost in place. A launch is scheduled for November 29, on the 2nd. Floor over theauditorium at the St. Stephens Church venue – 2806 Newkirk Avenue corner of E29th. Street in Brooklyn. We are looking for students to participate. Affordable feesare in the offering, and the school is poised to impart knowledge, skills and tech-niques to build positive careers. Our programs are enhanced by qualified profes-sionals to teach and channel students into the different fields of endeavor.October in designated as Agriculture Month in Guyana. The goal is not only tobuild awareness of this important dimension of national development, but to seekprotection and support for our natural resources for productivity and sustainabili-ty. Emphasis is being placed on reestablishing farming and marketing of products.This noble and dedicated effort is not only testimony to the recognition of the sig-nificance of developing the agricultural sector, but about educating and mobilizingthe farming community. It is important to remember the pervasiveness of the dreaded disease “cancer”.This stark reality, as portrayed in one article, was center stage at the CancerAwareness Forum sponsored and supported by three Hometown Associations. Inanother article we are reminded of the reopening of schools and the challenges andopportunities that Caribbean nationals face following the summer holidays.You can also read the Indian origins and celebrations of Ramleela at theMonument Gardens; GCA paying tribute to the fallen Guyanese born detective ofthe NYPD, Randolph A. Holder; Baroness Amos’s recent appointment as Directorof School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and much more.For the past 14 years GCA has continuously provided a stage through the Arts,folklore and literary discourse to entertain, educate, reminisce and articulate possi-ble solutions to social problems and differences. The approach of our cultural orga-nization is not only visually entertaining, but also interactive and inclusive.October was truly a month to contemplate and invigorate as we prepare to plan

and budget for 2016.Happy Reading!Edgar Henry, Editor, October 2015



CONGRATULATIONSSTATE SENATOR-ELECTROXANNE PERSAUDSENATORIAL DISTRICT 19 ,

Roxanne Jacqueline Persaud is the Senator-elect forDistrict 19 of the New York State Senate. She trouncedher rivals, Republican Jeffrey Ferretti and Conservative

candidate Elias Weir, in the race for the 19th Senate District —taking almost 90 percent of the vote in the special election.She served in the New York State Assembly representingDistrict 59 from 2014 to her election in 2015. She was the firstfemale to represent the 59th Assembly District. While in the state legislature, Persaud became a member of theHigher Education, Real Property Taxation and Libraries andTechnology committees, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reports. Shesponsored a number of bills related to housing, healthcare, crim-inal justice reform, and education — including a piece of legisla-tion that would make tuition free for New York residents at thestate’s public colleges. That bill is pending in the Assembly’sWays and Means Committee.Senator-elect Persaud is a longtime advocate for her communityand an avid volunteer. Her dedication to serving her communityhas motivated her to serve in various capacities. She wasPresident of the 69th Precinct Community Council in Canarsie,member of Community Board 18 and Commissioner on the NewYork City Districting Commission. In addition, she is a graduateof the NYPD Citizens Police Academy as well as the New YorkCity Office of Emergency Management-Community EmergencyResponse Team, member of Community Action Board of theNew York City Department of Youth and CommunityDevelopment and Chairperson of the Neighborhood AdvisoryBoard - District 18. She also serves on organizations fightingdomestic violence and cancer awareness. She was born in Guyana, South America and migrated to theUnited States with her parents and siblings. She is a graduate ofPace University from which she earned a Bachelor of Scienceand Master of Science in Education Administration. State Senator-elect Persaud has spent her entire career workingin higher education institutions and works tirelessly encouragingurban youth to attend college.

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5IN MEMORIAM

GUYANESE HONOR RANDOLPH HOLDER AT VIGIL IN BROOKLYNTangerine Clarke, photographs courtesy of Tangerine Clarke

An emotional video by Bobb O Vision chroniclingthe stellar life of fallen NYPD Officer, RandolphHolder set the tone for an evening of outstanding

tributes organized by the Guyana Unity Movement, onSunday 25 and attended by family members of the fall-en officer.“My son was a high achiever. He was a well disciplinedproud young man, a son any family would want to havebecause he sets a good example for others to follow,”said the elder Randolph Holder, referring to the his sonas if he was still alive during an exclusively interviewwith Caribbean Life News, at a traditional ‘wake night’of drumming, gospel music, and food, in Brooklyn’s StStephen’s Church Hall.“He was a kind and loving person who cooperated withothers. He cared about the kids he was around in thecommunity, and he followed good principles.”

These were the loving words of praise for his son, fallenPolice Officer, Randolph Holder Jr. whose life was cutshort by a hail of bullets on a Harlem Street, on October20.A wall of former colleagues, hundreds of Guyanese,politicians, activist and members of the NYPD sur-rounded Holder, a former Guyana police officer.Mrs. Holder, who sat next to Officer Holder’s fiancée,Mary Mahumad at the head table, wiped away tears asCaptain Reymundo Mundo of the NYPD expressedwhat a pleasure it was to work with Officer RandolphHolder Jr.“He was a dedicated officer who gave his life for all ofus. I was working the night when he was shot and we allrushed to his side. I want you to know, we tried veryhard to get him to the hospital as quickly as we could.Unfortunately, it was too late.”

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IN MEMORIAM“We miss him, but we will not forget him. I told hisfather that we would never forget you. That is apromise.”“Mrs. Holder, the community has been at PSA 5 everyday. Children have left cards and messages. We aretruly proud of the support we got, I invite everyone tovisit the memorial to see how it has grown, saidCaptain Mundo, who will be travelling to Guyana forthe burial of his 33-year old for colleague.” said CaptainReymundo Mundo of the NYPD. “I am very supportive of the men and women who risktheir lives to help the community. That is exactly whatthis young man was doing, someone asked for help andhe provided assistance and he was killed, ” saidCouncilmember, Juamanne Williams.“Gun violence is something that is too pervasivethroughout or community, said the politician whocalled on the community to stand up against whoever isdoing the killing and shooting. “We need to fix this,” added Williams who noted thatthere is there was no reason for this young man to die.“I will do whatever I can to eradicate gun violence andcontinue to support our community,” said Williams.

Assemblywoman Roxanne Persaud, expressed condo-lences to the family, noting that PO Holder’s home wasaround the corner of her 58th District office and shewas not only sad that he was a Guyanese, but that hewas a NYPD officer.“I have walked with police officers, and attended theircitizen’s police academy to understand what they do.When you see a police officer thank them for what theydo. Officer Holder took that bullet for all of us,” shesaid as she thanked the parents for the sacrifice theirson made.Other tributes came from President of the Guyana Tri-State Alliance, Sandra Harte of the New Jersey, BernitaMontique and Errol Lewis of the Guyana ActionCommittee and the PNCR, North America Group. Officer Holder’s life was celebrated in true Guyanesestyle. The lyrics of Adrian Dutchin ‘I am a Guyanese”was played as nationals waved their national flag anddanced, while songstress Jennifer Ferreira sang “Thereis a friend in Jesus” while saxophonist Souflantis,drummers Akoya Rudder, Gold-teeth-Lance andMenes DeGroit performed a drum salute.

“My son was a high achiever. He was a well disciplined proud young man, a son any familywould want to have because he sets a goodexample for others to follow” Randolph Holder Sr.

Photographs compliments of

Tangerine Clarke


7IN MEMORIAM

Dr. Robert Moore was preparing for a monasticcommunal life when the University College ofthe West Indies (UCWI) – the forerunner of the

University of the West Indies (UWI) – came calling in1951.Set to enter Codrington College, an Anglican theologicalschool in Barbados, Dr. Moore was surprised when SirPhilip Sherlock – a member of the Irwin Commissionthat conceived the UCWI in 1945 – showed up inGuyana to recruit him to attend the university.Raised by a great aunt after his American-born fatherleft the family when he was just six years old and hismother went to Aruba, Moore had become a protégé ofAlan Knight, the Archbishop of the West Indies and theBishop of Guyana from 1937 until his death in 1979.“His idea was that that I would become a priest andwhen he retired or died, I would succeed him,” said Moore.However, that changed when Sherlock met with Moorewho attended Central High School and taught atQueen’s College, where his students included currentUWI vice-chancellor Nigel Harris, advertising execu-tive Vic Insanally, the late Dr. Walter Rodney and TerryHolder.“Sir Philip told me he was aware of my academicprowess and he wanted me to attend the Mona campusin Jamaica,” said Moore. “I told him I was preparingfor priesthood and he let me know in no uncertainmanner that he didn’t think I was priesthood material.When I informed Bishop Knight about the meeting, hetold me to go if I was getting an open scholarship andthen when I was finished, I could go to Codrington andbecome a scholar and priest. That was the assumption Iwent on, but after four years at Mona, I no longer wantedto be a priest. I wanted to be an educator.” Moore, who graduated in 1955, was conferred with anhonorary doctorate by his alma mater.At UCWI, Moore excelled in public speaking, debatingand acting and was the chair of the Student ChristianMovement.He said the University of the West Indies played animmense role in shaping his life and he noted that thelate Elsa Goveia, the university’s first female professor,whose history lessons left a lasting impression on him

and other students, featuredprominently in his accep-tance speech.A brilliant scholar,Guyanese-born Goveia diedin 1980 at age 55.“If I were to dedicate thisaward to anyone, it wouldbe to Elsa, because shemade me a West Indian his-torian,” he said. “Once you went to her lec-tures, you became a WestIndian nationalist. She wasa very slim woman, but her

lectures were simply fantastic. Very lucid, she openedour minds and was excellent on the topic of slavery.She not only talked about the political aspects of slavery,but also about the psychological aspects too. “When she wanted to describe a particular socialatmosphere, she had the capacity to bring it alive insuch a way that you almost felt you were there. Nobodymissed an Elsa Goveia lecture. If any single personmade me what I am, it was her.”Completing his Master’s at Cambridge University andhis PhD at Sussex University, Moore was a renownedradio broadcaster before serving as Guyana’s HighCommissioner to Canada for almost five and a half years.During his first and only diplomatic assignment thatended in 1979, he was the dean of the CommonwealthGroup of Diplomats and he worked closely with secularand religious non-governmental organizations thatwere devoted to the alleviation of poverty in the GlobalSouth as well as with Canadian universities with out-reach programs in the Caribbean.Moore, who co-founded the now defunct CaribbeanContact newspaper, returned to Guyana with thepromise by former president Forbes Burnham that hewould head an institute for the study and teaching ofGuyanese history. When Moore was informed thatfunding wasn’t available to get the unit off the ground,he went back to Canada and after a three-year stintwith Carleton University’s International Affairs School,joined the Canadian International DevelopmentAgency as a senior policy advisor in public engagement.Moore retired in 1997. He has an honorary doctorate

from a theological college in Saskatchewan – authoredThird World Diplomats in Dialogue with the FirstWorld and co-authored Audacious Anglicans that waspublished six years ago.

Extract from Share Publication

DR. ROBERTMOORE REMEMBERED


8 CELEBRATING OUR CULTURE

RAMLEELA AT THE MONUMENT GARDENS

Vibert C. CambridgePhotographs courtesy of Vibert Cambridge

The stage, Monument Gardens,Georgetown, Guyana.

Iwelcomed the cooling breeze that blew acrossMonument Gardens on the evening of Saturday,October 24, 2013. The Monument Gardens is locat-

ed at the intersection of Camp Street, Church Street,and North Road. The centerpiece is a bronze sculpturerepresenting the ship Whitby.The Whitby’s arrival in Demerara on May 5, 1838 is

recognized as an important moment in the peopling ofGuyana. The garden’s neighbors include St. Roses’ High School,Bedford Methodist Church, the architecturally signifi-cant Go Invest Office building, Real ValueSupermarket, and Bourda Market.

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The cooling breeze and a rising moon encouraged nos-talgic reflection. I knew the location before it becamethe Monument Gardens. I spent many wonderful yearsin nearby Thomas Street with my grandparents. Irecalled early childhood walks up Camp Street, bor-dered with blooming flamboyant trees, to ChurchStreet, and then facing the Water Works at the junc-tion. The Water Works was established in the late 19th cen-tury. It represented achievement—a system to deliverpotable water to homes in Georgetown. The Water Works was also contiguous to BourdaGreen—the epicenter of political life during the early1950s as British Guiana prepared for the first generalelections under universal adult suffrage. I remem-bered the Water Works as being integrated into the cul-tivated landscape of century palms and the large shadetrees that characterized Church Street as one proceededto the Botanic Gardens, GFC, and GCC. In time, as the size of the urban population increasedand demand for water increased, the Water Works was

moved to its current Vlissingen Road location. In 1988, the old Water Works grounds were repur-posed. According to Dr. Seeta Shah, the MonumentGardens was built by the Indian Commemoration Trustto commemorate the 150th anniversary of the arrival ofthe first East Indians from India. In 2012, to commem-orate the 175th anniversary, a performing arts spacewas opened.It was on this stage that Roshini Boodhoo presented aperformance of Ramleela, featuring the Jewan KaNritya dance company. This was my first opportunity to experience a traditionin Guyana’s theatrical history. Ramleela is a dramaticrendition of the Ramayana (Ram’s journey). Ms.Boodhoo’s production has been described as a “colourfulblend of dance and pantomime [using recorded narrationand music to tell] the story of the life of Ram frombirth, training as a prince, his exile from Ayodhya, theabduction of Sita and battle with the demon king culmi-nated with a burning of the effigy of Ravan, the demonking.”

Signage on building at the cornerof Church and Thomas Streets,Georgetown, Guyana.

CELEBRATING OUR CULTURE: RAMLEELA AT THE MONUMENT GARDENS


10

Saturday, October 24, 2015. Photograph courtesy of Vibert Cambridge.

Moon rising over the Monument

Gardens

CELEBRATING OUR CULTURE:


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The Ramayana is recognized as one of the two greatworks of Indian literature. (The other is theMahabharata.) In addition to being a great work ofIndian literature (according to some sources datingback to the second century B.C.), the Ramayana is apivotal text in Hindu literature. It codifies a body of val-ues to guide human relations—respect for elders,healthy lifestyles, loyalty, service, bravery, the ideal hus-band, the ideal wife, and perseverance in the struggleagainst evil. It has almost 24,000 verses. The Ramleela is a theatrical device to deliver the story

of Ram’s journey. It is a story-telling tradition broughtto Guyana by our ancestors from India. It is an earlyexample of entertainment-education (edutainment).Until the middle of the 20th century, the epic story ofRam and Sita was performed by all-male casts in ruralGuyana. By the end of the 20th century, it appears thatthe Ramleela tradition had “died” in Guyana and otherparts of the Caribbean. In recent years, there have beenefforts to revive the tradition in Trinidad and Tobagoand Guyana. Roshini Boodhoo’s recent production atthe Monument Gardens is one such example.

Bronze sculpture representing theWhitby was createdin India and sits on apedestal of black marble from South

India.




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This production revealed the influence of Bollywood’saesthetics on contemporary Guyanese performing arts.It was an altogether exciting production featuring color-ful costumes and innovative performers. The Jewan KaNritya dance company revealed its versatility andenthusiasm. The lighting suggested good lighting infra-structure. The performance succeeded in telling thestory in a way that I understood. It helped me connectdots among the grand narratives of human civilizationand develop a deeper appreciation of the significance ofnames such as Ram, Sita, Kowsilla, Bharat, Sumintra,and Lakshman in Guyanese society. The IndianHeritage Trust must be congratulated for hosting theevent. The producer, director, choreographers, set andcostume designers, and the young cast deserve recogni-tion and encouragement. Similarly, we must also congratulate and support thework that is being done quietly in places like theNational School of Theatre Arts and Drama, Theater

Guild, Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha, and the Nadiraand Indranie Shah Dance Troupe to revive Ramleelaand the other theater and story-telling traditions wehave inherited from our ancestors who have peopledGuyana over the past 5,000 years. Yes, at least 5,000years!The Monument Gardens is rapidly developing into animportant open air performing space. As Dr. SeetaShah has noted, the garden’s beautiful stage is beingused throughout the year to present theatrical showsthat celebrate Guyanese festivals including Christmas,Easter, Phagwah, and Diwali. I look forward to attending creative activities in theMonument Gardens during the 50th anniversary ofGuyana’s independence in 2016.

RoshiniBoodhoo, director of Ramleela.


RAMLEELA AT THE

MONUMENT GARDENS


13CELEBRATING OUR CULTURE: RAMLEELA AT THE MONUMENT GARDENS


14 The birth of Ram.



15CELEBRATING OUR CULTURE: RAMLEELA AT THE MONUMENT GARDENS

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17

Ravan

The abductionof Sita.


RAMLEELA AT THE MONUMENTGARDENS


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Reunification




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Ram and Ravan in battle




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The burning of the effigy



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22 Legislation to address copyright infringement inGuyana remains priority for US

GUYANA GOVERNMENT TO PASS MODERNINTELECTUAL PROPERTY LEGISLATION

WITHIN A YEARAbena Rockcliffe, Kaieteur News

The United States of America remains concernedabout the absence of legislation in Guyana toprevent copyright infringement.

The US had urged Guyana before to establish stringentcopyright legislation, but Guyana slipped behind in itsdeadlines to make this a reality.

At a recent press conference at the Duke Street,Kingston Embassy, US Ambassador, Perry Holloway,said that Ambassadors are legally required to informcongress about errant countries.

Holloway said that his government is keen on ensuringGuyana gets copyright legislation as well as “properprotection.”

“So yes, copyright infringement is certainly a seriousconcern for my government and it will continue to be aserious one. I think we actually have legislation thatrequires us to even inform our Congress of which coun-tries are performing at a certain level and which arenot. So it is an important issue, one that we will contin-ue to work on under the democracy and governance Idescribed as being one of the US top priorities.”

Local musicians have long lamented that an outdatedcopyright law is preventing them from earning a decentliving.

The APNU+AFC coalition had announced that it wouldpass modern Intellectual Property legislation within ayear.

During his contribution to the 2015 National Budgetdebate, Minister of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnarainehad said that the new government could not, “as hashappened for a decade and a half under the previousadministration, pay lip-service to intellectual propertyby neglecting it to the point of institutionalizing intel-lectual property piracy.”

He later said that there would be a wide-ranging con-sultation with musicians, authors, poets and others inthe creative industry, to ensure that the new law takesinto consideration their concerns.

Dr. Roopnaraine, who is also the Minister with overall

responsibility for culture, youth and sport, alsoexpressed hope that the law would be enacted in oneyear to replace the 1956 Copyright Act that Guyanainherited at the time of independence from Britain in1966.

His announcement came less than one week after theGuyana Music Network (GMN) decided to mobilize itscommunity to petition government for new legislation.

Addressing that meeting was world renownedGuyanese singer, Eddy Grant, who issued a passionatecall for the radio stations being operated by the state-owned National Communications Network (NCN) toplay more local music to enable the artistes to earn roy-alties and promote their craft.

The People’s Progressive Party Civic administrationhad claimed that copyright legislation would have pre-vented poor Guyanese from accessing otherwise expen-sive textbooks.

The award of a multi-million dollar contract by theMinistry of Education to a local producer and supplierof bootlegged textbooks was only halted after theUnited Kingdom Publishers Association secured a HighCourt injunction.


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24 COMMENTARY:FOCUS ON EDUCATION

As school re-opens and parents in the CaribbeanDiaspora anticipate the success of their children, itis important to explore the opportunities and chal-

lenges emblematic of that journey. Having come fromsocieties where people of African and East Indian ancestryare in the majority, the patterns of racial and ethnicdynamics in the United States do not escape their attention. Being relegated to “minority communities of color”includes the realization that their adopted communitiesare notorious for characteristics which can make thempoor indicators of success. In New York City, Caribbean-American neighborhoods are among the most racially seg-regated. School District #17 in Brooklyn, with its high con-centration of immigrants in Crown Heights, Flatbush andEast New York, has more than 87% students of color (pri-marily Caribbean and African American) and a smaller,but increasing number of Hispanic, Asian and Caucasian.It is important to note that Guyanese in particular have aproclivity to ‘settle’ in NYC as compared to other immi-grant groups, thus they comprise a significant percentageof school-age children. This dynamic applies to both Afro-and Indo-Guyanese.ChallengesThere are challenges for students, parents and teachers.Approximately half of the ‘West Indian’ student popula-tion attends schools that are often plagued by low acade-mic achievement, high levels of violence and high dropoutrates. Many in the neighborhood face daunting problemsof poverty, violence, law enforcement indiscretions, druguse and various indicators of poor health. Children are expected to assimilate, but they face risks ofacademic failure, delinquency and other forms of mal-adaptive behaviors. A classic example of the latteroccurred when a teacher told a newly-arrived Guyanesestudent that he should “stay away” from the boys in hisclass. To protect themselves from indignities, some stu-dents may disinvest, especially from school, or fromspeaking Standard English, and other positive attributes(including dress code) as opposition to their core identity. A number of factors affect the capacity of students to liveup to their full potential. These include a lack of resourcesessential to the total well being of families. For example,inadequate employment and child care facilities; singleparenthood; undocumented status; poor parenting skills,inability to navigate the system, and gentrification.Although not unique to this population, some parents maybe unaware of potentially debilitating physical and psy-chological conditions of their children. Though generallyoptimistic, lack of such knowledge, compounded by struc-tural racism, cultural dissonance, substandard schools,disinvested neighborhoods and forms of interpersonalindignities have impacted these immigrants. Many endure

the sacrifices in lieu of “being in America”.Indeed there are deficiencies in the educa-tional system in the Caribbean. Owing tothe brain/skills drain caused by emigration,which results in a dearth of qualified teach-ers, students increasingly struggle to exceleducationally when they arrive. This is instark contrast to the past when Caribbeanimmigrant students excelled academically.

Conversely, local school districts, particularly in theMetropolitan regions, are generally unprepared for theinflux of an expanding multicultural student body.Cultural differences are frequently misinterpreted as edu-cational handicaps and enough has not been done toaddress the unique needs of this population. Educational institutions in the Caribbean are largely pat-terned after the British system. Despite recent efforts toreform them, vestiges of an old English approach stillexists. The current debate in Guyana about the use of cor-poral punishment in schools is an example.Understanding the differences in the two educational sys-tems holds important implications for students’ success. The stratified nature of North American schools, particu-larly in the inner city – with typically high teacher-pupilratio, lack of suitable equipment, technology and laborato-ries, and with less quality faculty, often result in differen-tial levels of educational exposure of immigrant students.Depending on the academic tier from which the studentscome, they may require remedial help. A further disad-vantage is that some immigrant children may not enterthe school at the beginning of the term, due to the pat-terns of visa regulations or fragmented migration of fami-lies. Despite these shortcomings, some students (particu-larly those who had “extra lessons” in the home country)tend to do well. RecommendationsCreate a more welcoming school environment, whichwould decrease intimidation by the enormity of theschool’s bureaucracy; teach parenting skills; acquireknowledge of children’s basic health and emotional needs,including access to Early Childhood Intervention pro-grams; encourage frequent attendance at Parent-Teachermeetings; include parents as partners with the school inthe education of their children; promote parent advocacy;improve the relationship between the school and thebroader immigrant community; develop cultural compe-tence among teachers and other school personnel; under-stand that some parents work long hours in multiple jobs,thereby limiting their ability to fully participate in theirchildren’s education; advocate for adequate funding andaccommodating Parent/Teacher meeting schedules; facili-tate counseling on immigration issues, including exploita-tion of the undocumented; collaboration withAdministration for Children’s Services to develop servicesthat are easily accessible and culturally competent.Hometown Associations can play a significant role as cul-tural ambassadors/surrogates in pre- and post-migratorypreparation. Implementing the above will provide a “com-fort zone” and motivation for newly-arrived immigrantstudents.

Back to School: DIASPORA CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIESLear Matthews


FOCUS ON EDUCATION 25BaronessValerieAmosNew director of theSchool of Oriental andAfrican Studies (SOAS)

'Academic endeavourcan shape Africa'

Josh Surtees, The Voice


26 FOCUS ON EDUCATION

THE EXTRAORDINARY life of Baroness Valerie Amoshas taken her from the small island of Wakenaam atthe mouth of the Essequibo River in Guyana to theHouse of Lords.It is a journey that includes time spent at the UnitedNations headquarters in New York and the BritishHigh Commission in Australia.She has now returned to London where she has becomethe first black director of a British university at theSchool of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).From the way Amos speaks you get the sense that shehas taken all of these achievements in her stride.The latest milestone did surprise her though and sug-gested that Britain has a long way to go to competewith America in terms of equality in high-poweredpositions, particularly in education.“On our first day at school," says Amos, talking abouther arrival in Britain in 1963 with her mother and twosiblings (her father had arrived two years earlier), “theclasses were graded and for some reason we were justautomatically put into the bottom class, we didn't knowwhy. And when we came home my mother asked usabout our day and we said we hadn't learnt anything,because of course Guyana had a strong education sys-tem and we came with a huge amount of knowledge."DOWNGRADEDThe following day, her mother went to the school to askwhy her daughters had been downgraded. The nextday, the pair were moved straight into the top class.The legacy of low expectations from Caribbean andAfrican children in British schools is an ongoing prob-lem in the UK.Caribbean pupils, particularly, languish at the bottomof league tables, having fallen behind African pupils.Some blame curriculums or a lack of black teachers,some say cultural attitudes towards education need tochange.In further education, the staffing statistics are shock-ing: just 85 of Britain's 18,500 professors are black.In a previous interview, Amos explained that becauseof segregation in the US, black scholars founded theirown universities creating a tradition of AfricanAmericans in higher education.

In Britain, where the black community has a shorterhistory, that kind of solid foundation and a culture ofacademic ambition are yet to be put in place.Amos hopes to be a role model in that regard.Next year SOAS marks its centenary year, and withAmos at the helm, the institution will aim to do more toguide policy in Africa and other developing regions.“SOAS is connected to the regions that we study andthis means our research is utilised by policy makersacross the world, within developing countries andthrough agencies such as the UN and World Bank,"says Amos.“Our work informs legal frameworks, governance, eco-nomic development as well as cultural heritage. Ourscholars ask challenging questions about access toresources such as water, food and energy, inequalityand social justice.”Amos will contribute to its work through her extensiveexperience at the UN, where she coordinated thehumanitarian and relief programme under secretary-general Ban Ki-moon.The daughter of two teachers, Amos was the first blackgirl at her secondary school in Kent, where she becamedeputy head girl.There weren't many black people in the area at the timebut her mother encouraged her to become a pivotalpart of their new country and culture while retainingher Guyanese identity.She says Guyanese culture not only shaped herupbringing but remains an integral part of who she istoday. Her parents showed her what generosity of spiritand a welcoming ‘open house' culture meant.Growing up in Guyana also gave her a strong sense ofconnection to the African continent as well as theCaribbean region.“Although I was too young really to absorb it all therewas a very strong movement of making sure Afro-Guyanese reconnected with their history" she recalls.She was also aware of the tensions between African andIndian Guyanese communities. In the year she left,there were race riots in Guyana.Later on in her career in local government in London,Amos' diplomatic skills and cross-cultural awarenessput her at the centre of the UK's struggle to tackleracial tension.In her position as race relations advisor at LambethCouncil in south London, she found herself giving a liveinterview as the 1981 Brixton race riots waged allaround her.

Baroness Valerie Amos:'Academic Endeavour CanShape Africa'Josh Surtees, The Voice


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The tensions in Guyana and Britain, although very dif-ferent in context both came, essentially, from the samesource: British colonialism.INFLUENCEThe influence of black Britain continues to be felt nowthat Amos' generation, through sheer necessity, havecarved out the social, cultural and political space thatmakes things easier for younger generations.The Guyanese influence in particular is a strong onewith a small group of highly educated, talented, suc-cessful and influential figures in public life, not leastthe baroness herself who became chief executive of theEqual Opportunities Commission in 1989, was made alife peer in the Lords by Tony Blair in 1997, became thefirst black woman in the British cabinet when she wasappointed International Development Secretary in2003 and later Under-Secretary General forHumanitarian Affairs at the UN in 2010.“I think it was Prince Charles who coined the term‘Guyanese mafia'," says Amos laughing.

“Because at one stage you had myself, Trevor Phillips(former chairman of the Commission for RacialEquality), Colleen Harris (the first black royal presssecretary), David Lammy (Labour MP and former cabi-net minister under Tony Blair) and Waheed Alli (abaron in the Lords and multimillionaire media entre-preneur) whose father is from Guyana and his motheris from Trinidad."“All of these people, either born in Guyana or with astrong Guyanese connection through their parents,were kind of emerging in their different fields at thesame time. And the term [Guyanese mafia] has kind ofstuck. But at any one time you see a confluence, be itfrom Jamaica or Barbados or Trinidad in terms of theCaribbean and at the moment we're seeing a lot of peo-ple from Ghana, like David Adjaye, June Sarpong,Oswald Boateng, in positions of responsibility andauthority across the UK. I think what happens is peopleare always there but suddenly there's more public con-sciousness about them all at the same time, eventhough they were there all along."That it took until 2003 for the first black woman tohold a position in the UK cabinet, 55 years after theWindrush arrived in Britain with the first Caribbeansettlers, is an indicator of the size of the battle Amosand her peers had to negotiate.Now a new challenge awaits her at SOAS. As renownedas SOAS is for its academic credentials, she recognisesthe need to disseminate its important work to circlesoutside of academia.Amos’ work in Africa goes beyond academia andhumanitarian relief.She sits on the board of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation,an organisation whose main aim is to award best prac-tice in an attempt to rid African politics of corruption.But, she argues: “Academic endeavour, scholarship andeducation are all essential elements in sustaining theconsiderable gains made on the African continent inthe last few years.”And with someone of Amos’ formidable talents andinfluential connections highlighting this issue Africahas a lot to look forward to.

Baroness Valerie Amos:Josh Surtees, The Voice

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

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YOUTH IN ACTION: A MOMENT OF PRIDE

Guyanese teens are finalistsfor 2015 Innovating JusticeChallenge in The Hague

Three Guyanese-American siblings, Ima, Ashaand Caleb Christian, who created the FIVE-Omobile app that allows citizens to rate, review andrank police officers, woke up to the uplifting newsthat their creation was selected as one of the threefinalists for the 2015 Innovating Justice Challengein The Hague, Netherlands.‘Team Christian’ madeit through a rigorous screening process and intothe first round of the challenge, then onto a votingprocess in the second round where the top threescores and three wild card picks were chosen. TheFIVE-O team emerged as one of the three wild-card picks.The teens’ selection for the final round means thatthey will pitch their innovation at the Peace Palacein The Hague on December 3 and 4.

The winner of the challenge will receive theInnovating Justice Award 2015 in addition towhich an investment of €20,000 will be made intaking the initiative to the next level.The Innovating Justice Challenge is sponsored by

the HiiL group, an advisory and research institutefor the justice sector, based in The Hague. TheHiil group advocates the application of innovativeapproaches to help solve the global challenge ofunderperforming justice systems.“It is an incredible honour to be chosen as anInnovating Justice finalists,” said one of the sib-lings, Asha Christian. “We are all excited to havethis opportunity to visit the Peace Palace at TheHague and we feel humbled to be a part of thevery important work of the Hiil group to makejustice work all over the world.”Only Asha and Caleb will be attending The Hagueforum since Ima, the eldest of the trio, is currentlyaway studying Computer Science at StanfordUniversity in Palo Alto, CA.


29BOOKS, FILMS & MUSIC:

Roy Brummell is Dartmouth, Essequibo born. He has served as an educator inGuyana and New York. Roy Brummell has wri en the Sunday Chronicle column"A Word with You, Please" and several short stories for the Chronicle and radio.Roy is also a folklorist and produced the weekly radio folklore programme,GANGA TIME, for thirteen years.

ROY BRUMMELL’S

Monday November 16, 2015

5:00 P.M.

atMORAY HOUSE

239, Camp &Quamina StreetsGeorgetown

Guyana

Tel: (592) 226 0724Email: [email protected]: www.morayhousetrust.com

Cost of each book: $2,000 GUY

30

Cancer AwarenessForum promotes QualityCommunity Health CareEducation

FOCUS ON CANCER AWARENESSIn commemoration of cancer awareness month, theCaribbean American Social Workers Association(CASWA) invited the Guyana Nurses Association andGuyana Wives Association to host its annual healthforum at the Hills Lounge, Church Avenue in Brooklyn,New York on Saturday, October 24th. A panel of experts in the healthcare and social servicesfields disseminated a broad range of information onbreast cancer and prostate cancer. Opening remarkswere made by Ms. Elaine Reid, past president ofCASWA and introductions by Ms. Elsa Kum, presidentof CASWA. The presenters were: Dr. Karen Sandford,MD; Mr. Conrad Forsythe, LPN; Ms. Carol F. Nelson,RN, BSN; Ismay Griffith, MS, LCSW and Ms. DebbieFraser, LMSW. Dr. Sandford, a surgeon and specialist in women’shealth issues, opened the forum by articulating the per-vasiveness of cancer among some ethnic groups andthe need for awareness of treatment options. Theframework for the presentations could be grouped intoseveral categories, namely: Preventive care; holisticcare, i.e. focusing on the whole person, including physi-cal and mental health; continuous care, which consid-ers second opinions and follow-up services; quality ofsupport systems, involving family members, friends

and trusted care institutions; health and healthcareeducation, including nutrition, diet and availableresources; Individualization, i.e. respecting the individ-uality of each person as unique, with dignity and thecapacity for positive change. Specifically, presenters’ topics included causes, diagno-sis and treatment of cancer, techniques of self-exami-nation, myths vs. facts, and other pertinent informationabout the disease. Volunteers conducted free bloodpressure checks and distributed multiple flyers andbooklets with pertinent health information.The event was another excellent example of the collab-orative work by immigrant organizations. These associ-ations are often not credited enough for the unprece-dented efforts by a dedicated membership in providingneeded community service through education andintervention. It is important to note that these threeorganizations, mentioned above, are among severalhometown associations throughout the CaribbeanDiaspora, that also provide health and other humanservices to communities in Guyana and otherCaribbean countries.The audience, made up mostly of service providers, wasvery interactive, engaging in meaningful discussionsduring the question and answer period. It is hoped thatin future presentations and workshops there will bemore service users in attendance. In closing, CASWAthanked the proprietor of the Guyanese-owned estab-lishment, Ms. Doris Rodney for her continued supportof meeting the needs of the Caribbean community.Judging from the response of the attendees, the experi-ence was not only gratifying, but they left with anexpanded body of knowledge about an important topic,which they would likely share with others who couldnot attend.

Lear Matthews


COMMEMORATING AGRICULTURE MONTH


31Within the context of the Guyana CulturalAssociation's motto "We Bridging”, I amcompiling this article to add to the obser-

vance of Agriculture Month in Guyana, celebratedduring October. As a “country boy” from theCorentyne, Plaisance and Mahaycony, and with theyouth and their future foremost in my thoughts, Iwill share some history on old-time, small-scale ruralagriculture. My interest and focus on this topic isaroused because of the doubts that are being repeat-edly raised about the future of Guyana's rice andsugar industries.

President David Granger and other speakers at 2015Emancipation events made calls for the revival of theVillage-Movement in Guyana, especially as means ofcatalyzing self-employment avenues to combatextreme forms of poverty among numerous rural res-idents, and curtailing tides of urbanization.

Highlighting the Agri-Context

Adjaero Tony Martina, a population expertopined"...The challenge and impact of rural-urbanmigration have continued to generate great debates

over the last three decades. Rising urban unemploy-ment results from the phenomenal growth in urban-ization and the inability of urban centers to be able toutilize the excess labor..."

The Director General of the Food and AgriculturalOrganization, Jose Graziano da Silva made a recentcall on CARICOM leaders to view agriculture as “…creating employment, especially for the youth, and asa way to reduce rural poverty..." He also supports theview that small scale farming would help to decreaseunemployment, food security and nutrition concerns.

SMALL SCALE AGRICULTURE:

ONE PATH TO SUSTAINABILITY

Carlyle Harry

32

On October 17, 2015 President David Granger in a mes-sage to mark 'World Food Day', with the theme Social-Protection and Agriculture: Breaking the cycle ofpoverty, reiterated, reiterated that “ensuring greaterfood security is one of the means of eliminatingextreme poverty and hunger; food security is built onthree main pillars--food availability, access to food, andthe appropriate use of food...Our challenge is to makeagriculture resilient..."

It is this writer’s firm belief that small-scale agricultureneeds certain guarantees, such as credit, insurance,marketing outlets, storage, transportation, refining andpackaging-mechanisms, and consultative/technical-assistance, as well as guaranteed supplies of feed, seed,fertilizer, equipment, energy, weedicides and pesti-cides.

For the last few years, Dr. David Hinds, AssociateProfessor, Arizona State University and some of his col-leagues have been traveling the length and breadth ofGuyana striving to rekindle economic activities withinvillages mainly through encouraging villagers to goback to farming their lands, and marketing their pro-duce. This noble and dedicated effort is not only testi-mony to the recognition of the significance of develop-ing the agricultural sector, but educating and mobiliz-ing the farming community.

Memories

Many of us might recall pedaling of “fish and bread” atthe Mahaicony train platform, the abundance of fruitsat the Mahaica market, the availability of coconut andcrab oil which was used for cooking and skin/hair-dressing purposes, and the fishermen and milkmenwho used to blow their horns as they peddled throughvillages selling their products. These are examples offarmers and other villagers producing and marketingtheir products.

In the olden days there was an interwoven system ofagriculture, such as the use of animal droppings (down)as manure for their vegetable-gardens. We shouldremember how those residents who raised pigs wouldcome around to households in order to collect food

(washing) for their animals. It was a rich tradition toobserve small farmers leading their cows and sheep tothe pasture to graze early in the morning and returningin the evening to guide them home.

One can also think of the coconut planters dryingcoconuts in order to make copra; and of course, thecoconut water (with some steel-drops – “fo de back!”

Modernization

There have been vast changes globally, which affectedthe capacity of developing nations such as Guyana toeffectively sustain growth in the agriculture sector. Thecultivation of vegetables involves a lot of mechaniza-tion, coupled with the utilization of fertilizers, while therearing of animals for commercial purposes involvesconfining them to pens, and force-feeding them dayand night, via flood-lit pens, stables, or coops.

Since President Granger has expressed a commitmentto the cause, I assume that he is going to have favorableresponses to calls from fellow politicians and econo-mists for small farmers to be granted affordable rentalsof arable lands, grants or low-interest loans to launchagri-ventures and the establishment of a governmentdepartment to organize small farmers into for-profitco-operatives. This writer strongly believes that such astructure and approach could go a far way towardssolving Guyana's racial and social-cohesion problems.

******

Each and everyone

supports the vision

for rekindling the structure

of the Village culture.

Working in agriculture

may no longer be popular;

It will take guidance and education

to revive the mission.

SMALL SCALE AGRICULTURE:

ONE PATH TO SUSTAINABILITYCarlyle Harry

FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE


33FOCUS ON AGRICULTURE

Caribbean Diaspora engagement appears to haveintensified over the past few years. A classic example ofsuch engagement is the work of Guyanese siblings, theDeMendoncas, who launched a program essential tothe agricultural sector. As reported by this magazine,approximately one year ago, twenty one Guyanese hogproducers were trained to manufacture ham andsausage products using fresh pork from hogs that theyraised. The training was conducted at the Value-addedPork Products training workshop in Georgetown,Guyana on October 27 to 29, 2014. Workshop activi-ties were conducted by the DeMendonça siblings,Aubrey, Annette and Arnold who specialize in FoodTechnology, Business Management and AgricultureMarketing, respectively.Since the completion of the workshop several partici-pants started their own small-scale production andmanufactured ham and sausage products for the 2014Christmas season. Funds from the World Bank’s fund-ed Rural Education and Development (READ) projectwere used to assist workshop participants in marketingtheir products. Various sizes of locally made “bone-in”and “boneless” hams were marketed mainly at Nigel’ssupermarket and sales greatly exceeded expectations.“All our hams were completely sold out” said RoxanneEdwards, a workshop participant who raises her ownhogs and now makes ham and sausage products fromthe fresh pork. The ham products received excellent reviews regardingtheir taste and flavor and as the word started to spreadthere were numerous requests for more hams thatexceeded supplies at Nigel’s supermarket. “Some peo-ple could not believe that the ham was made inGuyana” said Guyanese businessman Jeffrey Wong.This response is not surprising because as I observed,“at the workshop we were using one of the basic hamformulations from Iowa State University MeatsLaboratory in Ames, Iowa”. In addition, while thetaste of the locally manufactured ham is very good, thenext steps will include assisting the workshop partici-pants with attractive product packaging, and sustain-ing viable small business operations. In this regard

AnnetteDeMendonça maintained contact and consulted withthose who started their own small-scale ham produc-tion business. From January 2015 to date, Annette DeMendonça pro-vided assistance to several trainees in business plan-ning, marketing strategies and sourcing of some ingre-dients and supplies from the United States. In March2015 Annette and Aubrey made follow-up visits tosmall-scale ham producers in Maichony, East CoastDemerara, Tuschen, West Bank, Demerara and inLinden. During these visits, the DeMendonça duoanswered questions regarding the need for ham formu-lation ingredients and supplies and Annette discussedissues on proper management of the small businessoperations for ham and sausage production. Duringthe visits, the Maichony group of ham producers waspreparing ham for a local food show and had alreadyembarked on the construction of a small outlet forsales of ham and sausage products.Overall, the Guyanese hog producers who were trainedat the 2014 workshop expressed interest in obtaininggreater value from their hogs by investing in value-added pork products. The investment will positionthose producers further up the market chain for meatproducts in Guyana. Advantages of this positioninginclude greater control over their product, a very goodopportunity to gain direct access to customers, andobtaining a much higher income for the sales of value-added pork products compared to income from sales offresh pork products. Workshop participants are nowincreasing ham production for the upcomingChristmas season. This project could be viewed as a prototype or modelfor other areas of growth in the agriculture sector. Italso exemplifies the willingness of the Diaspora to con-tribute to the development of the home country.

Value-added Pork ProductsTraining Workshop revisited: Toward AgriculturalSelf-sufficiencyAubrey DeMendonca, PhD



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