With PAHO assistance…
Health Ministry hosting multi-national course on child illnesses
THE Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), started a three-day training course Wednesday at Regency Suites Hotel on Hadfield Street, Georgetown.

It is a sub-regional programme on Integrated Management of Child Illnesses (IMCI) and involves participants from Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Belize and Jamaica, as well.

Minister of Health, Dr, Leslie Ramsammy said the IMCI approach will enable everyday health workers to make a difference.

It is about giving children a chance, giving their families a chance to make their dreams a reality, he said.

IMCI focuses on the well-being of the whole child and aims to reduce death, illness and disability while promoting improved growth and development of children under five years of age.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), in conjunction with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), introduced it as an initiative that could contribute significantly to the achievement of at least Millennium Development Goal Four (MDG 4), to lessen childhood mortality by two-thirds by 2015.

Towards that objective, IMCI includes both preventive and curative elements that are implemented by families, communities and health facilities.

Strategy
The strategy surrounds improving case management skills of health care staff, overall health systems and family and community health practices.

In the home setting, it promotes appropriate care seeking behaviours, better nutrition and preventative care and the correct implementation of prescribed care.

At health facilities, it promotes the accurate identification of childhood illnesses in out-patient settings, ensures appropriate combined treatment of all major illnesses, strengthens counselling by caretakers and speeds up the referral of severely ill children.

Ramsammy pointed out that the IMCI initiative is a well established one in Guyana as one of his ministry’s aims is that children should be able to lead fulfilled lives.

It was introduced in Guyana in 2003, in recognition of its benefits and, at the end of December 2008, approximately 400 health workers, one IMCI course director, seven senior and 17 junior facilitators were trained to ensure that the new approach is implemented locally.

Guyana has since seen the implementation in all ten Administrative Regions and a work plan to monitor the process has been developed with support from PAHO.

The system has also been included in the curriculum of the medical school, the community health workes and medex programmes of the Health Ministry and Ramsammy said theyu must be trained in all aspects of life, resulting in the comprehensive inclusion of IMCI in the Ministry endeavours.

He explained that, because IMCI forces health workers to be involved in not only diagnosing and treating but also the socio-economic environment of people, they, themselves, become better at what they do.

The adaptation of the IMCI chart booklet to include HIV assessment was initiated this year, involving personnel from the National AIDS Programme Secretariat (NAPS), among other agencies.

Gap
According to Dr. Janice Woolford, Adviser in the Maternal and Child Health Department of the Ministry, the complementary course on HIV, which the sessions will emphasise, is to bridge the gap that might exist among health workers.

She explained that the IMCI course on HIV is specially to increase participants’ knowledge.

PAHO Country Representative, Dr. Kathleen Israel said, in light of the increasing burden of HIV and the high percentage of children infected worldwide, health workers need to be urgently trained and updated to enhance their competencies to effectively assess and manage the virus in children.

She said the coursing is particularly designed to assist health workers in the early detection of HIV, provide care and support to appropriately manage cases and to administer anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to symptomatic children.

“It is also designed to assist health professionals to identify the role of families and communities in caring for children with HIV/AIDS, as well as to acquire enhanced counseling skills to impart to caregivers,” Israel said.

She declared that the efforts of the participants is a moral imperative, because no less is at stake than the lives of the most vulnerable population group, very young children.
Israel said IMCI has already been proliferated in 75 countries worldwide.

GuyExpo proved local products of international standard
- larger location on the cards
WORD IS that the just-concluded trade fair and exposition, GuyExpo, was a huge success, particularly for the craft producers, with many reporting having made contact with overseas buyers, indicating that they had secured export markets for their products, considered by many to be the best in terms of quality in the Caribbean.

This is according to Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Manniram Prashad, who said that the craft, agriculture, furniture and food sectors stood out at this year’s trade show, held from October 1 to 6 at the Sophia Exhibition Centre.

Noting that many Guyanese attending the fair were surprised that the items on display were locally-made, Minister Prashad said one of the factors that contributed to the high quality and fluidity of presentations in the craft section this year was the formation of the Craft Producers’ Association. This organization was responsible for the selection of craft exhibitors and the high level of displays was a testimony to the effectiveness of this group.

Additionally, the Agro-Producers Association screened their membership and was able to front several booths with high quality displays.

Furniture manufacturers also did well and visitors were of the view that the products displayed, especially kitchen sets, were of exceptional quality. Some were convinced that they were imported.

Most importantly, the Minister recognized the impact of the food section, enhanced with international options and a seated area. This was a huge success, with families patronizing local favorites Windjammer, K&VC and the Ridleys. Culinary options were enhanced by the presence of Malaysian, Chinese, Middle Eastern and Brazilian dishes.

Recreation and comfort were key, with the layout of this year’s exhibition featuring large spaces dedicated to accommodating visitors in a relaxing atmosphere with ease of passage, eliminating instances of congestion. This allowed for a good ambience improved by entertainment, for children and adults.

The fact that thousands thronged the venue nightly, indicated serious interest in Guyanese producers and the marketing of their products. Minister Prashad stated that feedback has been confidence-boosting.

Because of the success of the Expo, the endeavours to promote local products and encouraging response of Guyanese, the Minister posited that attempts will be made to seek out another, larger, location to host the exhibition in the future. This would be to facilitate better showcasing of products and greater comfort for exhibitors, viewers and the buying public.

The Minister indicated that Expo 2009 achieved the objective in promoting local products. The presence of buyers was the result of an investor seminar where foreign investors were addressed by the Minister.

For quality assurance purposes, The Ministry, National Bureau of Standards and the Guyana Arts & Craft Association will be monitoring producers to ensure that whatever comes out of Guyana is of high quality. (GINA)

GGMC land management department records marked improvement
- about to become ISO-approved
By Clifford Stanley
THE OPERATIONS of the Land Management Department of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has so improved in recent months, it is now well on its way to achieving its objective of acquiring an ISO 9001 standard.

This is according to the Commissioner, Mr. William Woolford who explained that the Land Management Department is responsible for the processing of applications and the issuing of licenses to large and medium-scale miners.

In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Chronicle, Woolford said that the Department had in recent weeks completed the manuals which need to be in place for an ISO standard, namely, a policy manual and a quality systems manual, and had also passed two internal quality systems audits of its work.

The Department, under the leadership of Miss Adele Butts, is gearing for an external pre-assessment audit of its systems in December, and is hoping to be found compliant with ISO 9001 standards during the first quarter of 2010.

An ISO standard carries the ISO logo and the designation, ‘International Standard’.

“This achievement will put the Land Management Department in the framework for international acceptance of the way we operate. ISO Standards will be an affirmation that we are operating at international standards, and it is vital, because when foreigners and even locals scrutinise us, they must not have doubts about our approaches and the things we do and say,” he said.

The Commissioner, who seemed in rather high spirits at this turn of events, traced the development of the Department to the stage it’s now at, from 2008, when it adopted and implemented a new management system. That system at reference was instrumental in reducing the waiting time for obtaining licenses for large and medium-scale mining from between 337 and 469 days, which is what obtained in 2007, to between 76 and 106 days.

The turning point, he said, was the adoption of a modern management system named ‘The Lean Six - Sigma Method’ – an approach that was developed by Motorola Corporation, an American Telecommunications Company based in Illinois, as a set of practices designed to improve production processes and eliminate defects.

Woolford said the GGMC, with the aid of a consultant experienced in ‘Lean Six Sigma’ approaches, studied the processing of applications and found better ways for each step in the processing, thereby reducing the time required without compromising the integrity of the process.

“Our April 2009 Statistics Spreadsheet showed that the optimum processing time of 76 days was achieved, thus giving the customer a 440% reduction in time taken for the grant of a Medium-Scale Permit on the time which it took prior to the changes,” he said.

The new approach also helped eliminate complaints about favouritism, discrimination and corruption in the processes.

The Executive of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) has since then praised the GGMC for implementing the new system of work.

Woolford said the move for ISO Certification represented a process of building on the achievements of Lean Six Sigma.

A source at the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) said that the GGMC pre-assessment audit for an ISO 9001 standard in December will be a sort of mock audit before the real conformity assessment necessary for certification.

“The external auditors will really be assessing their readiness for ISO. They will tell them how close they are, and will advise them on what additional steps are necessary, or they may pass them for the final conformity assessment and registration,” the source said.

Said source also confirmed that if successful, the GGMC would be first ever public sector agency to achieve such a highly-prized Standard.

Woolford said that the staff of GGMC are excited about this possibility.

“Getting this certification,” Woolford said, “means that the Land Management Department will be recognisable worldwide as having the capability for meeting customer's quality requirements, for enhancing customer satisfaction, and achieving continual improvement of its performance in pursuit of these objectives.”

He’s however acknowledged that the quest of the Land Management Department can be jeopardised if there is a high attrition rate of specially-trained Staff.

He said that cognisant of this fact, management is trying its best to get these staffers the type of remuneration that will encourage them to stay.

He said too that the work of another Department, the Environmental Department, is currently under review, with the aim of eventually acquiring an ISO Standard in this area of the services, hopefully the second ISO for the Commission as a whole some time in the near future

A welcome respite
SATURDAYS are a welcome respite for all children, and yesterday was no different as 52 participants in the Red Thread’s literacy programme were treated to a visit to the National Museum.

The children are from different schools, and in an effort to boost their performance, they attend the after-school classes on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

One of the four teachers, Mrs. Shirley Shafeek, explained that the children were given tuition in Reading, Mathematics, English, Social Studies as well as computer classes.

“The balance between study and having fun should be there so that is what today is all about,” she said.

Father pleads with runaway daughter to come home
A FATHER is at his wits end and is pleading with his 16-year-old daughter, who has been missing a week now, to return home.

Her father, Mr. Christopher Raghubansie, explained that he and his wife are divorced and the girl, who is his eldest daughter, lives with him and spends holidays with her mother, with whom he has five other children.

He acknowledged that this is the second time the girl has left home, the first being when she ran away with a teenage boy.

“She is a good child; is just that she under the wrong influence,” the distraught father said.

He added that the boy’s mother condoned the behaviour of the teenagers and even refused to disclose their whereabouts the last time his daughter ran away.

“Is only when I had the mother lock up, then the boy come forward and the police get back my daughter,” he said.

He said that following the last incident, he sought the intervention of he Welfare Office of the Human Services and Social Security Ministry.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts on Anna Christina is asked to contact telephone numbers #646-2050, #643-6293, #216-1325 or the nearest police station.

Pre-Halloween fair Saturday at GCC
GAMES, face painting, hauntings, the sale of food and generally a whole lot of fun are among the basics of a ‘Spooktacular Time’ as the United Women for Special Children Club (UWSC) hosts its Pre-Halloween Fair next Saturday at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) at Bourda.

The fun is scheduled to begin at 14:00h and tickets can be had from any UWSC member. Children’s tickets cost $300 apiece, while adult ones cost $500.

Founded in the late 80s by Natalia Heyroid of the then European Economic Commission and a group of Spanish-speaking women, the UWSC, which was registered as a non-profit organisation in September 1993, has as its primary objective to help children with special needs meet their highest potential by assisting with needed resources, namely educational, recreation, life training, or welfare assistance.

Up until November 2000, its two main projects were the training of older students at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre and assisting the Special Needs School at Diamond, on the East Bank Demerara.

It has since embraced the David Rose School for the Handicapped and the New Amsterdam Special Needs School among such other institutions.
Members of the organisation can reached by telephone @ 226-8688.

CARICOM Secretariat facilitates broadcasters workshop on the CSME
BROADCASTERS from the Caribbean Community will be participating in a workshop on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) at the Bay Gardens Hotel in Rodney Bay, Saint Lucia tomorrow & Tuesday.

The workshop, which is being organised by the CARICOM Secretariat in collaboration with the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) and the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM), is funded by the 9th European Development Fund (EDF) and the Caribbean Integration Support Programme (CISP).

The activity is all part of the CARICOM Secretariat’s public education programme on the CSME.

Resource persons are drawn from the private and public sectors, The University of the West Indies, the CARICOM Secretariat and Non-Governmental Organisations.

Among the topics to be discussed are Free Movement of Skills; Establishing a Business; CARICOM Trade Issues; The Benefits of Competition Policy and the CARICOM Development Fund. (CARICOM Secretariat)

GGMC land management department records marked improvement
- about to become ISO-approved
By Clifford Stanley
THE OPERATIONS of the Land Management Department of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC) has so improved in recent months, it is now well on its way to achieving its objective of acquiring an ISO 9001 standard.

This is according to the Commissioner, Mr. William Woolford who explained that the Land Management Department is responsible for the processing of applications and the issuing of licenses to large and medium-scale miners.

In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Chronicle, Woolford said that the Department had in recent weeks completed the manuals which need to be in place for an ISO standard, namely, a policy manual and a quality systems manual, and had also passed two internal quality systems audits of its work.

The Department, under the leadership of Miss Adele Butts, is gearing for an external pre-assessment audit of its systems in December, and is hoping to be found compliant with ISO 9001 standards during the first quarter of 2010.

An ISO standard carries the ISO logo and the designation, ‘International Standard’.

“This achievement will put the Land Management Department in the framework for international acceptance of the way we operate. ISO Standards will be an affirmation that we are operating at international standards, and it is vital, because when foreigners and even locals scrutinise us, they must not have doubts about our approaches and the things we do and say,” he said.

The Commissioner, who seemed in rather high spirits at this turn of events, traced the development of the Department to the stage it’s now at, from 2008, when it adopted and implemented a new management system. That system at reference was instrumental in reducing the waiting time for obtaining licenses for large and medium-scale mining from between 337 and 469 days, which is what obtained in 2007, to between 76 and 106 days.

The turning point, he said, was the adoption of a modern management system named ‘The Lean Six - Sigma Method’ – an approach that was developed by Motorola Corporation, an American Telecommunications Company based in Illinois, as a set of practices designed to improve production processes and eliminate defects.

Woolford said the GGMC, with the aid of a consultant experienced in ‘Lean Six Sigma’ approaches, studied the processing of applications and found better ways for each step in the processing, thereby reducing the time required without compromising the integrity of the process.

“Our April 2009 Statistics Spreadsheet showed that the optimum processing time of 76 days was achieved, thus giving the customer a 440% reduction in time taken for the grant of a Medium-Scale Permit on the time which it took prior to the changes,” he said.

The new approach also helped eliminate complaints about favouritism, discrimination and corruption in the processes.

The Executive of the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA) has since then praised the GGMC for implementing the new system of work.

Woolford said the move for ISO Certification represented a process of building on the achievements of Lean Six Sigma.

A source at the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) said that the GGMC pre-assessment audit for an ISO 9001 standard in December will be a sort of mock audit before the real conformity assessment necessary for certification.

“The external auditors will really be assessing their readiness for ISO. They will tell them how close they are, and will advise them on what additional steps are necessary, or they may pass them for the final conformity assessment and registration,” the source said.

Said source also confirmed that if successful, the GGMC would be first ever public sector agency to achieve such a highly-prized Standard.

Woolford said that the staff of GGMC are excited about this possibility.

“Getting this certification,” Woolford said, “means that the Land Management Department will be recognisable worldwide as having the capability for meeting customer's quality requirements, for enhancing customer satisfaction, and achieving continual improvement of its performance in pursuit of these objectives.”

He’s however acknowledged that the quest of the Land Management Department can be jeopardised if there is a high attrition rate of specially-trained Staff.

He said that cognisant of this fact, management is trying its best to get these staffers the type of remuneration that will encourage them to stay.

He said too that the work of another Department, the Environmental Department, is currently under review, with the aim of eventually acquiring an ISO Standard in this area of the services, hopefully the second ISO for the Commission as a whole some time in the near future.

Rehabilitation Centre demonstrating potential of disabled persons
THE Vocational Training Unit (VTU) at the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre, in Carmichael Street, Georgetown, is helping to demonstrate that persons with disabilities have potential and can contribute meaningfully to society.

“At the unit, we target school age individuals and teach them skills,” one teacher, Ms. Jennifer Stephens explained.

She said that though disabled, they learn what is taught them.

Stephens said there is a six-month programme that caters for children and teenagers, but, in the event they need more time, they are accommodated for an additional period.

She said the students attend on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays from 09:00 h to 15:00 h, during which time they are exposed to a comprehensive array of activities, ranging from craft, sewing and embroidery, computer classes, money management, social grooming and physical education, the last on Fridays.

According to Stephens, the variety is necessary as it helps with the overall development of the individual.

“For example, the physical education helps them with various things. Some of them are diabetic and overweight and the exercise acts as a stimulus for them,” she pointed out.

Stephens said development of the individual is a priority.

She revealed that a display of craft pieces and food items at the recent Ministry of Education Health Fair was by students of the VTU.

Stephens said, because VTU students engage in cookery and the fair was themed ‘Promoting Healthy Lifestyles’, the preparations were showcased in an effort to advocate healthy eating.

Currently, the VTU has 20 students, each with a different disability but the two most common are varying degrees of hearing and visual impairments.

Goal
According to Stephens, the ultimate goal is to make those youths as independent as possible.

However, she acknowledged challenges, the main one being inadequacy of materials with which to work.

Stephens said the VTU is trying its best to deliver the skills training and the satisfaction from seeing their dreams fulfilled in a society that thinks them incapable is the best reward.

In that context, she expressed her gratitude to UNAIDS for its support by proving stipends to the students and teachers to offset some of the travelling expenses.

A rehabilitation officer, Mrs. Janice Simmons said, since USAIDS support ended in September, VTU is looking for a new sponsor and a new teacher as Stephens is leaving this weekend.

Mrs. Sabrina Bacchus, a parent volunteer, is also attached to the VTU and Simmons reiterated commitment to the students, reflecting the mission of the Centre, which is to provide specialised rehabilitative care for persons utilising the wide range of quality services available to further the interest of persons living with disabilities.

Young ‘Coastlander’ falls in love with hinterland
By Clifford Stanley
SIX OR so weeks ago, Donielle Douglas, a Public Health undergrad at the University of Guyana, was apprehensive about serving an internship in the gold mining areas of the hinterland.

“Before going, I thought it was just going to be just bush; a whole lot of trees… overgrown trees and some crude tarpaulin camps in between; a real rough and primitive life.”

After successfully completing her stint last week, she now has a different perspective on the matter: “It was nothing like that. In fact, it was a pretty good experience. We found out that there was electricity there, plus the Internet, and creature comforts such as television, DVD players, refrigerators, and others things that some people on the Coast cannot afford,” Donielle said, adding:

“Miners at Mahdia had cell-phone contact with their relatives on the Coast, something I never knew existed.”

Of the work of the miners and pork-knockers Donielle said: “It was like visiting a new world; I was privileged to see mining operations. We all wear gold, but few of us think about the amount of work that goes into it. Miners do a lot of work, invest a lot of time and a lot of energy. I and others got to understand the porkknocker; we grew to appreciate his life and role in the mining sector, and there was bonding.”

GENCAPD is a mining assistance programme for Guyana, which is funded by the Canadian Government through the Canadian Development Agency (CIDA) for organizing, in part, activities aimed at ensuring good health practices among miners and within mining communities.

The programme is being undertaken in conjunction with the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission (GGMC).

The three other females on the sanitation in mining camps study were Rhonda Mitchell, a nurse, and Georgel Abrams and Nikita Wong, both of whom are studying Environmental Science at the university.

As Couture explained, one of the objectives of the CIDA-funded internship programme was to get the participants to develop an appreciation for the natural beauty of the hinterland.

“We wanted them to see that the hinterland was a nice and not necessarily dangerous place,” he said.

Said Donielle of the internship programme: “We sought to find out what the sanitation practices in mining camps were, and whether these practices were adversely affecting either the miners or the people in general.”

The team of young ladies interviewed ‘bahirs’ (camp cooks) and general managers (called GMs in the mining community) in 29 camps (26 at Mahdia and three at Micobie) and recorded their observations, and in some cases made recommendations on-the-spot.

A main outcome of the internship was a preliminary report done by Donielle on matters such as malaria prevention, food storage, water treatment and personal hygiene in the camps and containing recommendations.

She had the privilege of presenting the report to a meeting of a technical Committee comprising officials of the Ministry of Health, GGMC, the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, the Local Government Ministry, GENCAPD, and the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association (GGDMA).

Couture, who is a member of the technical committee, said that members had been very impressed with the quality of her report.

Donielle accredited the success of the internship to Medexes in the Ministry of Health and GENCAPD staffer, Mr Wilton Benn who helped design the questionnaire and who encouraged and inspired her to take the trip into the unknown.

She said that malaria had not been a major cause for concern for the group, since they had been well equipped with insect repellent and nets for the duration of the project.

“It was a great adventure; the hinterland is memorable. The air is different: Clean, fresh. The mountains, the rivers, the creeks, the waterfalls make you really appreciate nature for what it is.”
Ms Douglas graduates from university next month.

International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction
THE UNITED Nations’ (UN) will observe International Day for Natural Disaster Reduction on October 14 this year. This event is observed annually on the second Wednesday of October to promote a global culture of natural disaster risk reduction. This event encourages people and governments to participate in building more resilient communities and nations to withstand disasters. Observance activities usually centre on making people aware of natural disaster reduction and increasing their preparedness for such situations.

In the past year, attention was focused on the devastating impact natural hazards that became disasters had on society. Hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives, infrastructure was destroyed, commerce was disrupted, and the world was shocked and sometimes paralyzed by the realities of what ‘Mother Nature’ could do. Natural disasters can also be devastating to wildlife, especially wildlife already threatened by other factors.

What is a disaster?
A disaster is the tragedy of a natural or human-made hazard that negatively affects society or the environment. (A hazard is a situation which poses a level of threat to life, health, property, or environment). A disaster can be defined as any tragic event which incurs great loss, from events such as earthquakes, floods, catastrophic accidents, fires, or explosions.

Disasters in 2009
In 2009 a series of disastrous events occurred. These include the following:

January in Costa Rica: At least 20 people were killed and thousands more were left homeless after a 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the verdant mountains of northern Costa Rica, setting off landslides.

In Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas: At least 23 people died due to severe storms that covered roads and power lines with snow and ice. Schools closed and more than a million homes were left without electricity.

February, Australia: Over 160 people died when arsonists started fires that resulted in about 400 wildfires—some of the worst wildfires in Australia's history. Oklahoma, US: A cluster of tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma, killing eight people and injuring over a dozen more.

March, North Dakota and Minnesota, US: Flooding of the Red River caused the evacuation of about 150 homes in the Fargo, North Dakota area. The neighbouring town of Moorhead, MN was also evacuated and President Obama declared a state of emergency in Minnesota.

April, Italy: An earthquake of 6.3 magnitude struck central Italy, killing more than 200 people and injuring another 1,000. The town of L'Aquila was the epicenter of the earthquake but as many as 26 towns in the area were affected.

August, Philippines: At least 22 tourists on Mount Pinatubo were trapped and killed when heavy rain caused flooding and landslides.

Taiwan: Typhoon Morakot caused a mudslide that buried schools, homes, and at least 600 people in southern Taiwan.

September, Indonesia: About 60 people died when a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit the island of Java which is the most populous area of the country.

Turkey: More than 30 people were killed when fast-moving floods caused by heavy rain swept through Istanbul.

Philippines: Almost 90 people died in and around Manila in flooding caused by Tropical Storm Ketsana, which dropped about 17 inches of rain in 12 hours. The floods were Manila's worst in about 50 years.

September, Indonesia: About 60 people died when a 7.1-magnitude earthquake hit the island of Java which is the most populous area of the country.

Turkey: More than 30 people were killed when fast-moving floods caused by heavy rain swept through Istanbul.

Philippines: Almost 90 people died in and around Manila in flooding caused by Tropical Storm Ketsana, which dropped about 17 inches of rain in 12 hours. The floods were Manila's worst in about 50 years.

August, Philippines: At least 22 tourists on Mount Pinatubo were trapped and killed when heavy rain caused flooding and landslides.

Taiwan: Typhoon Morakot caused a mudslide that buried schools, homes, and at least 600 people in southern Taiwan.

April, Italy: An earthquake of 6.3 magnitude struck central Italy, killing more than 200 people and injuring another 1,000. The town of L'Aquila was the epicenter of the earthquake but as many as 26 towns in the area were affected.

March, North Dakota and Minnesota, US: Flooding of the Red River caused the evacuation of about 150 homes in the Fargo, North Dakota area. The neighbouring town of Moorhead, MN was also evacuated and President Obama declared a state of emergency in Minnesota.

February, Australia: Over 160 people died when arsonists started fires that resulted in about 400 wildfires—some of the worst wildfires in Australia's history. Oklahoma, US: A cluster of tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma, killing eight people and injuring over a dozen more.

These events confirm that disasters are a common phenomenon experienced in many countries. Fortunately, Guyana has not been a country with a history of severe natural disasters, but it is still important that we be aware of these occurrences and render support, whether moral or material, should this be required.

You can also share your ideas and questions by sending your letters to: ‘Our Environment’, C/O EIT Division. The Environmental Protection Agency, 7 Broad and Charles Streets, Charlestown, GEORGETOWN. Or email us at eit.epaguyana@gmail.com with your questions and comments.

GFF National League…
Alpha United after Liquid Gold in Bartica
… Double-header set for Enmore, ECD
By Michael DaSilva
POINTS leader of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and FIFA’s `Win in CONCACAF with CONCACAF’ National League Alpha United will take on Bartica’s Liquid Gold this afternoon from 15:30 h at the Bartica Community Centre ground.

A double-header is also set for the Enmore Community Centre ground, while one match each will be played at the Uitvlugt Community Centre and Blairmont Community Centre grounds.

Eighth-placed team GDF will meet fifth-placed Buxton United in the opening game of the double-header card set for the Enmore ground from 13:30 h while in the feature match which is scheduled for a 15:30 h start, Sunburst Camptown will oppose Victoria Kings.

At the Blairmont ground, Milerock of Linden will do battle with second-placed Rosignol United of Berbice from 15:30 h. At the Uitvlugt ground, Seawall United of West Demerara tackle Topp XX of Linden.

Alpha, with 11 points to their name, will be seeking to maintain the lead in the points standing as they seek to add the inaugural GFF National League title to the Georgetown Football Association’s Cellink Plus Premier League title which they recently won.

While they will be without the services of midfielder Quincy Madramootoo, who was red-carded during the team’s last game, they will still be starting with a star-studded line-up that includes team captain Howard Lowe along with national strikers Shawn Bishop and Dwight Peters.

Their line-up will also include Leon Grumble, Wendell St Hill, Kevon Smith, Philbert Moffatt, Anthony Harding and Travis Martin.

Bishop and Grumble were instrumental in securing a 2-0 victory over Milerock last Sunday, with goals coming in the 58th and 61st minutes respectively.

To date Alpha United have played five matches, winning three of them while drawing the other two.

They have so far scored 12 goals and conceded five.

Liquid Gold, on the other hand, currently have seven points and occupy the third spot in the points standing. They have played four matches, winning two of them while drawing one and losing the other. They have so far scored three goals and conceded two.

Topp XX, with two wins and a similar number of losses from four matches, will also be seeking to improve their position in the points standing since they currently occupy the fourth spot with six points.

To date they have scored seven goals and conceded six, while Seawall United, made up of former Pouderoyen United players and occupying the fifth spot with five points, have to date scored five goals and conceded four.

The West Demerara team drew two of their four matches, won one and lost the other.

At the Blairmont ground, Milerock will be looking to rebound with a victory as they are currently sharing the bottom of the points ladder with GDF and Victoria Kings. They all have four points each.

A win this afternoon will earn them a valuable three points.

To date the Linden team have played four matches. They won one, drew one and lost the other two.

However, Rosignol United, the `Giant Killers’, with an opening tournament victory over Topp XX, followed by two consecutive victories, will have other ideas and will be going all out for a victory in order to propel them to 12 points.

The Berbice team won their first three matches but lost the other two.

They have so far scored eight goals and conceded seven.

GDF lost two of their matches, drew one and won the other and are on four points, with three goals for and seven against.

Buxton United played four matches as well. They won one, drew two and lost the other. Sunburst Camptown also have five points from five matches. They won one, drew two and lost two.

Victoria Kings have four points from five matches. They won one, drew one and lost two.

Badree wins Champions League prize for tight bowling
BANGALORE, India (CMC) – Trinidadian all-rounder Samuel Badree captured the prize for the most economical bowling figures as the Twenty20 Champions League awarded players for top performances in their respective domestic competitions earlier this week.

The figures of all the domestic T20 tournaments were taken into account in order to decide on the winners.

The 28-year-old leg-spinner copped the award for his performances in the Stanford 20/20 series, the tournament Trinidad & Tobago won to qualify for the Champions League here.

“The function was the most gala one I have been to and to see Samuel Badree walking up to collect the award was really a tremendous feeling,” said T&T Cricket Board’s chief executive Forbes Persaud who attended the function here.

“T&T was on the map at this international tournament and we now hope that the players can use this to motivate themselves unto great things here.”

Badree and T&T will launch their campaign in the tournament when they clash with English county Somerset here tomorrow.

T&T are competing in Group A which also includes Indian Premier League champions Deccan Chargers.

Zimbabwe confident of Test return
ZIMBABWE expects to return to Test cricket in "two to three years" after resolving differences that led to some leading players quitting the country.

The national team has not played a Test since 2005 after becoming uncompetitive because of a policy of selecting mainly inexperienced black players.

But former captain Alastair Campbell told BBC World Service Sport: "Bygones need to be bygones.

"I think we'll be good enough in two or three years to get back and compete."

Campbell, who played 60 Tests and 188 one-day internationals, is now chairman of selectors of Zimbabwe Cricket and also works with the team as a batting coach.

He added: "Selection is now on merit and that's a huge step in the right direction.

"ZC makes no apology for the fact that there was a policy of affirmative action before. There are 13 million black people in Zimbabwe and you're not going to will that away - they had to become more integrated."

Campbell acknowledged that there were question marks over the "manner" in which the policy was implemented.

"I don't think it was thought out. When you get cricketing decisions made by non-cricketers, that is what happens.

"There were a lot of people who muddied the waters as well and I think it just became an exercise that had the right intentions but just got out of control."

Zimbabwe were granted Test status in 1992 and took only 11 matches to register their first win, beating Pakistan in Harare.

They produced a number of world-class players, including batsman Andy Flower, now national team director for England, and seam bowler Heath Streak, with both players having spells as captain.

But as international opposition grew to the policies of President Robert Mugabe, teams became reluctant to tour Zimbabwe.

Flower and team-mate Henry Olonga took part in a black armband protest against the "death of democracy" in their country during a World Cup match in 2003, which led to both migrating to England.

The situation worsened the following year when Streak was replaced as captain by young black wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu and he, along with 15 other players, had their contracts rescinded by Zimbabwe Cricket.

In January 2006, Zimbabwe withdrew from Test cricket after a series of poor performances but has retained one-day international status since that date.

Players like spin bowler Ray Price have returned to the fold and Streak is reportedly close to being appointed head coach of the national team.

"We want to get as much expertise here as possible so that when we go for a meeting in two or three years with the International Cricket Council to say that we want Test match cricket back, we have proof that we can sustain that," stated Campbell.

Ozias Bvute, managing director of Zimbabwe Cricket, told the BBC that he believed one day everyone would understand what they had tried to do.

"To allow cricket to grow, we had to ensure that everybody was represented and that we picked our team from the entire population, rather than just a facet of it," he said.

"At one stage we were only able to raise a team from 200 to 300 individuals. That situation has changed now."

Bvute added: "Ultimately, you can't take away the fact that there are over half a million youngsters who now play cricket in Zimbabwe, that there are over 200 professional cricketers in Zimbabwe, that wherever you go in and around Zimbabwe, people now know about cricket."

Zimbabwe begin a five-match one-day series against Kenya tomorrow. (BBC Sport)

International 6 win ‘Manny Birthday Bash’ dominoes
MAXIE’S Hangout Bar and Fish Shop on Garnett Street and Vlissengen Road was the place to be Friday evening as sports enthusiast Manniram ‘Packer’ Shew held his domino birthday bash, featuring Wild Bunch, Canal 6 and International 6.

With three sittings remaining, International 6, led by their skipper Manniram Shew, Roderick Harry and Edmund Sammy made a dramatic 17 games, in comparison to Canal 6’s 10 games and Wild Bunch eight games to gain a slim lead with the score being now International 6 on 52 games, Canal 6 following with 51 games and Wild Bunch way below par on 33 games.

Not to be outdone, Ron Callender, Colin Hicken and Intikab Ali backed up with a well-played 16 games and widened the lead and it was left to Shew, Harry and Sammy to seal the game in the final sitting as Ramroop Sukhai of Canal 6 was taken down lovers’ lane compliments of Harry. The final scores read International 6 with 78 games, Canal 6 and Wild Bunch romping in on 69 and 61 games respectively.

Top scorers in the match were Roderick Harry with 18 games, Shew chipping in a well supported 14 games for International 6, Tractor Seepaul and Mark Dookhan starring in Canal 6’s cause with 16 and 15 games respectively while Neil Henry and Junior Ramchurjee made 14 games apiece in Wild Bunch’s cause.

There were two other lovebirds for the evening, coming from Wild Bunch - Jermain Jackson and Trevor Bovell.

First- and second-place trophies were awarded to the winners and runners-up respectively with the winners receiving a further $27 000 cash incentive.

Nurse shines with cameo as Windies Masters win
ST GEORGE’S, Grenada (CMC) – Barbados discard Martin Nurse lit up the National Stadium here with an awesome display of power-hitting as West Indies Masters crushed the World Masters by 52 runs in the opening Twenty20 match of the Grenada Cricket Classic yesterday.

The 24-year-old left-hander, who has not played for his country in two years, slammed a frenetic 55 from just 20 balls to inspire West Indies Masters to 195 for five off their allotted 20 overs.

In reply, the World Masters could muster only 143 for six off their quota of overs, with legendary fast bowler Curtly Ambrose clinching two for 14 from three miserly overs.

The match was the first of a double-header, with Barbados beating Grenada by six wickets in the second encounter.

Nurse was one of three batsmen getting half-centuries as former West Indies wicketkeeper Junior Murray top-scored with 61 while opener Phil Simmons chipped in with 55.

A strongly built lad, Nurse smashed three fours and six sixes batting at No.5 to give the innings momentum in the middle overs.

Murray, who opened the batting, lashed nine fours and two sixes off 61 balls while Simmons hit three fours and four sixes off 31 balls, as they shared a second-wicket stand of 78.

When the scored slipped to 127 for three, Nurse dominated a 66-run, fourth-wicket partnership with Keith Arthurton who scored 14.

Ambrose then swiftly removed openers Mal Loye (10) and Niall O’Brien (0) as the World Masters slipped to 23 for three but Stuart Law and Rob Bailey resisted with a 70-run stand.

Bailey stroked 45 from 24 balls with six fours and two sixes while Law hammered three fours and three sixes in his 47-ball knock.

Arthurton claimed Law and leg-spinner Rawl Lewis (2-25) prised out Bailey in quick succession to snuff out the last sign of serious resistance.

In the second match, Nurse hit 26 and Renaldo Kellman got 21 as Barbados easily chased down Grenada’s 102 all out off 19.4 overs, reaching 104 for four with five overs to spare.

Ronald Etienne top-scored for the hosts with 25 while off-spinner Ashley Nurse captured two for eight.

Germany, Denmark, Serbia, Italy reach World Cup finals
… Bosnia, France, Ireland secure playoff berths
By Mitch Phillips
LONDON, England (Reuters) - A dogged Germany, late-scoring Denmark, stylish Serbia and dramatic Italy all booked their places in the World Cup finals on the penultimate night of European qualifying yesterday.

Bosnia, France and Ireland secured places in next month’s seeded playoffs which will provide another four qualifiers. Switzerland are also assured of at least a playoff berth but remain well-placed for automatic qualification.

Group stage qualifying is completed on Wednesday with the two-leg playoffs taking place on November 12 and 16.

Germany again marched impressively into the finals when a 1-0 win at chief rivals Russia secured top place in Group Four.

The key moment came after 35 minutes when Miroslav Klose capitalised on a defensive mix-up on the artificial surface to score his 50th international goal.

Germany, who had defender Jerome Boateng sent off in the 69th minute, held firm in the face of some lively Russian attacking in the second half and top the group on 25 points.
Russia, on 21, were already assured of a playoff place.

GILARDINO EQUALISER
Italy looked as if they would need their final Group Eight qualifier against Cyprus to make sure of progressing after Sean St Ledger put Ireland 2-1 up with a brilliant diving header three minutes from time in Dublin.

But Alberto Gilardino levelled in the 90th minute to secure top spot on 21 points and leave Ireland in the playoffs, which they were guaranteed anyway, thanks to Bulgaria’s surprise 4-1 defeat in Cyprus.

Serbia swamped Romania 5-0 to qualify in style ahead of 2006 runners-up France in Group Seven.

Nikola Zigic, Marko Pantelic, Zdravko Kuzmanovic and two from Milan Jovanovic took Serbia to 22 points.

Andre-Pierre Gignac got two in France’s regulation 5-0 win over the Faroe Islands.

Denmark, who missed out on the last two major championships, went through from Group One as Jakob Poulsen struck 12 minutes from time to secure a 1-0 home win over Sweden.

Sweden now look likely to miss out altogether as they dropped to third on 15 points behind Portugal, who beat Hungary 3-0 with two goals from Simao Sabrosa to move to 16.

Portugal, who looked out of it weeks ago, finish off at home to Malta where a win will secure a playoff berth.

BOSNIA CLOSE
Bosnia, who have never qualified for a major tournament, moved closer after their 2-0 win in Estonia secured second place in Group Five.

Edin Dzeko headed Bosnia into a 32nd minute lead and Vedad Ibisevic settled it midway through the second half.

Bosnia have 19 points, seven clear of Turkey, who lost 2-0 in Belgium.

Group winners Spain made it nine wins out of nine when they beat Armenia 2-1 away with goals by Cesc Fabregas and Juan Mata from the penalty spot.

Defender Philippe Senderos scored two headers as Switzerland cruised past Luxembourg 3-0 to get to 20 points in Group Two. A point at home to Israel on Wednesday will guarantee progress.

Greece are still just in the hunt for top spot as Theofanis Gekas scored four goals in a 5-2 home win over Latvia to move to 17 points with a home game against Luxembourg to come.

Group Three will go to the wire after Slovenia secured a superb 2-0 away win over leaders Slovakia.

Valter Birsa and Nejc Pecnik were on target to take Slovenia to 17 points, two behind Slovakia. The Slovaks are away to Poland on Wednesday while Slovenia visit San Marino.

Czech Republic, who beat Poland 2-0, and Northern Ireland are theoretically still in the hunt for a playoff berth. They meet on Wednesday in Prague.

England’s run of eight successive wins was brought to an end in Ukraine when the home side’s 1-0 success put them in a great position to snatch second spot in Group Six ahead of Croatia.

England had keeper Robert Green sent off after 14 minutes and, though Andriy Shevchenko missed the penalty, Sergiy Nazarenko’s deflected shot after 29 minutes took Ukraine to 18 points, one ahead of Croatia with a trip to Andorra to come.

Brazil, Costa Rica reach U20 World Cup semifinals
CAIRO, Egypt (Yahoo Sport) - Brazil beat Germany 2-1 in extra time yesterday behind two goals by substitute Maicon to reach the semifinals of the Under-20 World Cup.

Brazil next face Costa Rica, who defeated United Arab Emirates 2-1 in the day’s second game. Ghana play Hungary in Tuesday’s other semifinal.

The third-place game and final will take place on Friday.

Brazil have won the U20 tournament four times. Six-time winner Argentina did not qualify.

Woods works magic as U.S. take control of Presidents Cup
By Steve Keating
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker produced a spectacular late comeback to beat Mike Weir and Tim Clark one up as United States dominated the morning foursomes to seize control of the Presidents Cup yesterday.

After staging gritty recoveries on the first two days, the International team could not conjure any late magic this time as the Americans won three of the five matches and halved another to open a 10-7 lead heading into the afternoon fourballs.

Two of the PGA Tour's smallest men, South African Clark and Canadian Weir, looked set to play the role of giant-killers, leading Woods and Stricker from the fifth hole and taking a one-up advantage to the 17th.

However, an inspired Woods sank a 22-foot birdie putt on the 17th to square the match and trigger a roar from the crowd and a screaming double-fist pump from the world number one.

Woods then sent a dagger into the hearts of International hopes when he put his three-iron approach within nine feet of the pin at the par-five 18th to leave Stricker, one of golf's top putters, an eagle chance.

Weir then conceded the eagle putt to the Americans after missing his birdie attempt from 30 feet.
FRONT ROW
"It was fun to watch," said Stricker who has partnered Woods to win all three of their matches this week. "I had a front row seat for that.

"That was pretty cool," he told reporters. "But we all know what he (Woods) does and he stepped it up when he had to. It was pretty impressive."

The first point of the day went to the U.S., world number two Phil Mickelson and Sean O'Hair thrashing South African Retief Goosen and Colombian Camilo Villegas 5&3.

Mickelson has led the American charge from the front, being sent out first for every session by captain Fred Couples and delivering three wins with different partners.

Justin Leonard and Jim Furyk overcame South African Ernie Els and Australian Adam Scott 4&2 before the Internationals registered their only win, Japanese teenager Ryo Ishikawa and South Korea's Yang Yong-eun beating Kenny Perry and Zach Johnson 3&2.

Stewart Cink and Hunter Mahan completed a good morning for the U.S. at a chilly and overcast Harding Park, a birdie at the 18th earning a half with Fiji's Vijay Singh and Australian Robert Allenby.

Puttick superb century takes Cobras into second round
HYDERABAD, India (CMC) – Forgotten South African opener Andrew Puttick slammed an unbeaten century as Cape Cobras romped into the second round of the Twenty20 Champions League with a resounding 54-run win over Otago yesterday.

The left-handed opener, who played a single One-Day International for the Proteas four years ago, crashed 104 off 62 balls to guide his side up to 193 for four off their allotted 20 overs, after being sent in at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.

In response, Otago failed to mount a serious challenge as they lost wickets steadily to stumble to 139 all out off 17.1 overs.

With a win over Royal Challengers Bangalore already under their belts, Cape Cobras were clinical in their display as they announced themselves as one of the favourites to take the inaugural title with their second straight victory.

Their start was less then perfect, however, as Herschelle Gibbs fell for one in the second over with the score on 10 and was followed by Henry Davids who perished for 12 to leave the Cobras 38 for two at the start of the sixth over.

Puttick then engineered his side’s recovery with a superb innings that also formed the basis of two crucial partnerships.

The 28-year-old, who cracked 12 fours and three sixes, carved out a 95-run, third-wicket stand off just 62 balls with JP Duminy whose 32 required 25 balls and included two fours and two sixes.

When Duminy and Rory Kleinveldt (1) fell in the space of four balls with just six runs added to leave Cape Cobras on 139 for four in the 17th over, Puttick combined with Justin Ontong to spark a lower order run spree.

They put on a hasty 54 from 23 balls with Ontong stroking a fine, unbeaten 39 from 14 balls with two fours and four sixes, to end the innings on a high.

New Zealand batsmen Brendon McCullum and Aaron Redman then gave the Kiwi side a feisty start with an opening stand of 33 from 23 balls.

The dangerous McCullum struck 21 from 17 balls with three fours while Redman got 14 from 11 deliveries, but once both were dismissed within eight balls of each other the innings lost direction.

Nathan McCullum, Brendon’s older brother, hammered 38 from 21 balls with four fours and two sixes in a brisk lower order knock but Otago were left with too much to do.

Kleinveldt finished with three for 24 with his medium pace while Duminy’s spin earned him two for 10.
CAPE COBRAS innings
A. Puttick not out 104
H. Gibbs c wkp. de Boorder b Mascarenhas 1
H. Davids c McSkimming b Mascarenhas 12
JP Duminy c Redmond b Butler 32
R. Kleinveldt c Rutherford b Wagner 1
J. Ontong not out 39
Extras: (w-4) 4     
Total: (4 wkts, 20 overs) 193
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-38, 3-133, 4-139. 
Bowling: Wagner 4-0-42-1, Mascarenhas 4-1-20-2, Butler 4-0-48-1, McCullum 4-0-39-0 (w-2), McSkimming 3-0-30-0, Cumming 1-0-14-0

OTAGO innings
B. McCullum run-out 21
A. Redmond c Davids b Kleinveldt 14
H. Rutherford c wkp. Canning b Zondeki 14
C. Cumming run-out 18
N. Broom run-out 5
N. McCullum c Zondeki b Kleinveldt 38
D. Mascarenhas c Gibbs b Duminy 10
I. Butler c Gibbs b Kleinveldt 1
D. de Boorder c Kleinveldt b Philander 12
W. McSkimming not out 2
N. Wagner b Duminy 1
Extras: (w-3) 3     
Total: (all out, 17.1 overs) 139
Fall of wickets: 1-33, 2-40, 3-54, 4-63, 5-79, 6-116, 7-118, 8-131, 9-136. 
Bowling: Zondeki 4-0-26-1 (w-1), Kleinveldt 3-0-24-3, Philander 3-0-27-1 (w-2), Henderson 4-0-25-0, Ontong 2-0-27-0, Duminy 1.1-0-10-2.
Points: Cape Cobras 2, Otago 0.

Last-ball Somerset defeat for Deccan
ALFONSO Thomas was the hero as Somerset beat Deccan Chargers by one wicket in their Champions League opener.

Thomas and James Hildreth put on 50, then Thomas won the game with four off the final ball to finish 30 not out.

Marcus Trescothick earlier departed for 14 and a succession of batsmen holed out before Somerset chased down their target of 154 in Hyderabad.

Earlier, Andrew Puttick struck the event's first century as Cape Cobras booked their Super Eight place.

Puttick's unbeaten 104 was key to his side reaching 193-4 from their 20 overs, a total Otago never threatened in finishing 139 all out.

However, the later game was a far tighter affair with Somerset apparently heading for defeat despite a disappointing Chargers innings.

VVS Laxman's Chargers team-mates failed to keep pace with him as he lashed his way to 46 before being bowled by Peter Trego, who returned figures of 2-19 while Ben Phillips took 3-31.

Having reached 86-3 in no time at all, the total would have been a let-down for Chargers.

Tirumalasetti Suman and Andrew Symonds made just six and eight respectively near the top of the order, while opener Adam Gilchrist hit 17 off one Charl Willoughby over before being removed by Trescothick in the gully.

Rohit Sharma hit 24 and Venugopal Rao 22 from 12 balls, but Somerset made a confident start to their innings despite Trescothick's top edge, collected by Gilchrist with the former England opener on 14.

However, just as Somerset appeared to be pulling away, Gilchrist flung himself to his right to claim the wicket of Zander de Bruyn, off the bowling of RP Singh, for 19.

Justin Langer holed out to mid-off for 15 in the same over and, with the crowd behind them, Chargers assumed the ascendancy.

A couple of thumping sixes from Trego and Arul Suppiah failed to stem the innings' slow decay, and when Symonds caught Phillips to leave Somerset 99-7, the English team looked to be heading for defeat.

But Hildreth and Thomas steadied the ship with a superb eighth-wicket partnership.
As Somerset chipped away at the total, Chargers appeared increasingly devoid of options, until Scott Styris bowled Hildreth for 25 with five to win and five balls remaining.

Max Waller was caught and bowled for a duck to add to the electric atmosphere but, with one wicket left, Thomas slashed a superb four through the covers.

Then, needing one to win from the final ball, Thomas lifted a similar shot safely over the ropes for a magical victory.

"I had to stay focused," said Thomas.

"There was a lot of experience coming through, thinking back to the likes of Lance Klusener saying: 'Whatever you do, take it to the last over.'

"James Hildreth came in and gave us some momentum, it was a great team effort. It was an all-round good performance.” (BBC Sport)
DECCAN CHARGERS innings
A. Gilchrist c Trescothick b Thomas 18
VVS Laxman b Trego 46
T. Suman c Trescothick b Phillips 6
A. Symonds c Hildreth b Trego 8
R. Sharma c Thomas b de Bruyn 24
S. Styris lbw b Thomas 13
Y. Venugopal Rao c Hildreth b Phillips 22
RP Singh b Phillips 2
F. Edwards not out 8
P. Ojha run-out 1
Harmeet Singh not out 0
Extras: (w-5) 5     
Total: (9 wkts, 20 overs) 153
Fall of wickets: 1-35, 2-59, 3-78, 4-88, 5-118, 6-121, 7-143, 8-144, 9-152. 
Bowling: Willoughby 4-0-44-0 (w-1), AC Thomas 4-0-25-2 (w-4), Phillips 4-0-31-3, Trego 4-0-19-2, de Bruyn 4-0-34-1.

SOMERSET innings
M. Trescothick c wkp. Gilchrist b Singh 14
J. Langer c Venugopal Rao b Singh 15
Z. de Bruyn c wkp. Gilchrist b Singh 19
C. Kieswetter c Harmeet Singh b Ojha 5
A. Suppiah c Styris b Ojha 19
P. Trego c Singh b Suman 12
J. Hildreth b Styris 25
B. Phillips c Symonds b Suman 5
AC Thomas not out 30
M. Waller c & b Styris 0
C. Willoughby not out 0
Extras: (b-1, lb-7, w-2, nb-3) 13      
Total: (9 wkts, 20 overs) 157
Fall of wickets: 1-16, 2-50, 3-51, 4-59, 5-84, 6-93, 7-99, 8-149, 9-149.
Bowling: Edwards 2-0-23-0 (w-1, nb-2), RP Singh 4-0-23-3, Harmeet Singh 1-0-13-0, Ojha 4 0 20 2, Sharma 2-0-13-0, Styris 3-0-24-2, Suman 2-0-15-2 (w-1), Venugopal Rao 1-0-9-0, Symonds 1-0-9-0.
Points: Somerset 2, Deccan Chargers 0.

Sibanda ton takes Zimbabwe XI home with 116
VUSI Sibanda completed a monumental performance against Kenya with a match-winning 116 to go alongside his first-innings 209.

Scores: Zimbabwe XI 352 and 238 for 5 (Sibanda 116*, Chibhabha 64) beat Kenya 333 and 254 by five wickets.

After opening first time around he dropped down to No.4 in the run chase and guided the Zimbabwe XI home by five wickets after a shaky start.

Kenya sniffed an opportunity after reducing Zimbabwe to 24 for 2 in the sixth over with the early wickets of new opening pair Friday Kasteni and Shingirai Masakadza. However, Sibanda strode in to once again provide the backbone for the home side.

The match was virtually decided by the third wicket stand of 166 that he and Chamu Chibhabha (64) added in 42 overs. There was a mini wobble when Chibhabha was leg-before to Hiren Varaiya as three wickets fell for 23, but while Sibanda was at the crease Zimbabwe were in control.

Sibanda closed down the chase alongside Forster Mutizwa as Zimbabwe claimed their first victory of the campaign and a full hand of 20 points. Kenya, meanwhile, had nothing to show for their efforts having also conceded a first-innings lead but remain second in the table, six points behind Scotland. (Cricinfo)

Serena to get U.S. Open verdict before end of year
By Nick Mulvenney
BEIJING, China (Reuters) - Serena Williams is likely to discover whether she will be further punished for her outburst at a line judge at the U.S. Open before the end of the year, WTA chief executive Stacey Allaster said yesterday.

The Australian Open and Wimbledon champion was fined $10 000 for the verbal attack on the official during the semi-finals at Flushing Meadow last month.

The 28-year-old, however, still faces possible exclusion from future grand slam events after a further review by the Grand Slam Committee, which oversees the four major tournaments in tennis.

"First of all, I'd like to say I think Serena is a fantastic champion and a great person," Allaster told reporters at the China Open.

"She has acknowledged the incident in New York as being a mistake, and something that she's not proud of, and she's apologised for that.

"That is under investigation, it is ongoing ... it would be safe to assume that they will make a decision before year-end.

"I think all of us would love to have it resolved sooner rather than later. It would be in the best interests for the sport and definitely the best interests for Serena."

Williams bowed out of the China Open in the third round this week, but not before assuring that she would return to the number one spot in the rankings next week.

The 11-time grand slam singles champion had no altercations with officials and said she had taken on board the lessons from the incident.

"I'm a very passionate player, and I do the best I can in the best manner I can," she said after her defeat to Nadia Petrova.

"Obviously I'd be not smart if I were to do the same thing. It's important for people to learn from things they did in the past, and I learned and I would never do the same thing."

Windies must select strongest possible team for Australia
Sports View by Neil Kumar
ALL eyes will be on the Caribbean cricketers who will be playing later this month in the Regional One-Day tournament.

This is the second year that Guyana will be hosting the Regional tournament and our cricket administrators must be commended for this achievement.

Guyanese in all three counties will be given the opportunity to see our top Caribbean cricketers.

Most important is the fact that our regional cricketers will be given equal opportunities to perform and depending on their performance the West Indies Team will be selected.

Senior Players:-

The makeshift Caribbean team was indeed humiliated against Bangladesh and in the ICC Tournament in South Africa.

The captaincy of Floyd Reifer was a total disgrace while his performance with the bat certainly brought shame to West Indies selectors and the cricket administrators.

Nowhere, in the World would a captain who failed so miserably have been kept in the team. West Indies cricket administrators certainly went “too low” and the record will show that they under-achieved.

Let us hope that the Caribbean team to play in South Africa later this year in the Test and limited overs series will be the best possible team.

Captain:-

Christopher Gayle is certainly in very good form and he is the captain of the strong Jamaican team.

Trinidad and Tobago selectors are yet to name their team and more particularly their captain.

However, the strong Guyana team will certainly be captained by Ramnaresh Sarwan. The West Indies selectors will have to make a decision on the West Indies team captain.

Gayle went overboard and his remarks in England will be against him for serious consideration for the captaincy. Ramdin is young and yet to be named captain of the Trinidad team.

Dwayne Bravo’s remarks of freelancing and not playing for the West Indies team will certainly undermine his chances for playing and captaining the West Indies team.

Ramnaresh Sarwan remains the best possible candidate to captain the West Indies team.

Sarwan is a great batsman in the making. He knows the game. He is the most popular player in the team. Further, he can speak well. Hence, his better approach gives him the edge to be named captain of the team. Sarwan is a senior player who was groomed for the captaincy and must be named captain.

The West Indies team’s batting seems to be world class. Gayle, Sarwan and evergreen Shivnarine Chanderpaul are certainly three world class batsmen.

The all-rounder Dwayne Bravo and Ramesh Ramdin are also very useful batsmen.

The West Indies lower-order batting also looks good. Taylor is more than a useful batsman.

There are also several younger players that can make the team. Young Darren Bravo, Lendl Simmons and Narsingh Deonarine are three possible players to tour Australia.

All three of them are good players and the Caribbean people are following them.
West Indies must play the strongest possible team in Australia.

Salvation Army Home League stages annual exhibition, rally
THE Salvation Army Women’s Home League staged its annual Craft Exhibition and Rally in the Citadel, at South Road and Alexander Street, Georgetown on Monday.

Fifteen divisional corps joined in showcasing a colourful array of intricately designed items, including floral arrangements, crocheted embroidered pieces, window curtains, mats, basketry, cushions, doilies, pot holders, stuffed toys and a host of other novel creations.

The things were all produced by women from various communities, not all members of the Salvation Army but who opted to join the Home Leagues from which they derive tremendous benefits, Divisional Head of Ministries, Major Marie Theodore explained.

The event, an eagerly anticipated feature on the local Salvation Army calendar, was a huge success and also had the enthusiastic support of relatives, friends and other members of the public.

The Home League constitutes a forum at which women can partner with the Salvation Army to learn and master various skills for the improvement of self and home while learning socially acceptable behaviours.

Tuition is free and, as agreed by the members, Home League meetings constitute an incredible source of stress relief and virtual unwinding, amidst the daily demands of an ever changing environment.

Peers share views and experiences and build on skills and knowledge previously acquired.

Copping the top positions were Vergenoegen, Georgetown Citadel Corps, Bartica, Wortmanville and Mahaicony.

‘It’s all about service’
- Mohandatt Goolsarran, educator
By Vanessa Narine
THE CULMINATION of Education Month activities last Wednesday with a National Awards ceremony engendered the opportunity to recognise not only the best academic performers in the Education sector, but the man or woman at the helm as well.

In this case, the man behind the wheel -- and literally so, since he mans one of the most important organisations that oversees much of the work geared to providing quality education for the Guyanese children -- is Mr. Mohandatt Goolsarran.

Goolsarran is the Director of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) and boasts nearly 43 years of service to the education sector in Guyana, a dedication he says that has nothing to do with wealth but more with contentment and enjoying the feeling of self-fulfilment.

“It’s not about being wealthy; it’s about the service. My contentment comes from sticking to the task at hand and always finding something to do, knowing that the children of Guyana benefit,” Goolsarran said.

His stint in the field of education started back in 1966, and has seen him hold several posts, among them being a mathematics teacher for going on 14 years at both the Primary and Secondary Levels (1966 - 1980); a mathematics teacher at the Cyril Potter College of Education, preparing students there for the Teachers' Third and Fourth Year Examinations (1977 - 1980); a lecturer in mathematics at the CPCE (1996 - 1980); Lecturer, Pre-University Mathematics, Institute of Adult and Continuing Education (IACE), University of Guyana (1988 - 1991); Chief Course Writer in Mathematics, Distance Education Programme, Ministry of Education (1988 – 1993); Chief Mathematics Examiner, National Fourth Form Achievement Test, Ministry of Education (1990 - 1991);Vice Principal - Development (ag.), CPCE; and Specialist Mathematics Tutor, Hinterland Teacher Training Programme 1994.

He boasts several recognised qualifications, including a BA in Mathematics, a Dip. Ed in Mathematics, and an M.Ed. in Curriculum Development, all of which he obtained at the University of Guyana.

He also holds certificates in ‘Computer Assisted Learning’, ‘Introduction to Computers’, and ‘Science and Mathematics Integrated Learning Experience’, as well as a Post Graduate Certificate in Environmental Education, which he obtained from the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland 1999 – 2000, and a Certificate in Creating E-Learning Lessons.

Looking back at his performance over the years, Goolsarran said: “Working with the education sector has provided me many opportunities to understand the total system, a system which I’ve been privileged to contribute to in many areas.”

One of the highpoints of his career, he said, was the ongoing Fast Track Initiative, a massive literacy programme aimed at raising the literacy level in Guyana.

He said that of the entire programme, the thing that gives him the most satisfaction is seeing adults being given a second chance at becoming literate.

He explained that the programme is moving into communities and making a difference, which is what the work of NCERD is ultimately geared towards.

Goolsarran recounted that when his siblings migrated, he opted to stay on in Guyana and care for his parents. And after they passed on, he said that any thoughts he had of migrating were coupled with the realisation that migrating would equate to starting life all over again.

Reverting to the teachings of his religion, Hinduism, Goolsarran cited the concept of Vanaprastha to explain that presently, his life was about “Work and service” to his country.

Vanaprastha is the third stage in the four main stages of life classified in Hinduism, and there are namely: Brahmacharya (student), Grihastha (householder) Vanaprastha (retirement from worldly attachments) and Sanyasa (renunciation)

Vanaprastha simply means giving up materialistic wants and physical pleasures in search of spiritual enlightenment.

“For me Vanaprastha is total service to society with no selfishness,” Goolsarran said.

At 61, Goolsarran is a husband, father of two and one of Guyana’s long-serving and dedicated citizens committed to the advancement of his country.

“It is not about being wealthy,” he reiterated, “It’s about the service and contributing to Guyana’s future, Guyana’s children.”

Kissoon’s helping fan ‘green’ flame
- stands firmly behind the LCDS
HE’S SO excited about President Jagdeo’s Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS) and what it means for Guyana that for a moment he completely forgets what our meeting is all about.

“We want to support what our president is doing with the Low Carbon Development Strategy,” says Mr Hemraj Kissoon, Managing Director of furniture giants, AH&L Kissoon.

His comment has a bearing of sorts to the company’s recent venture into a line of polypropylene bags, reputed to be even more environmentally-friendly than the traditional paper variety because of their versatility, in that they are not only reusable but completely recyclable as well.

“The idea is to reuse the bag and at the same time say what you want to say,” Kissoon said of the product, which can be customised to suit the purchaser’s taste in terms of the kind of message they want to send or the type of logo they want on it.

And while on the subject of recycling, the businessman said it is high time we in Guyana, particularly the housewives, start getting into the habit of separating our garbage as is done in other countries so as to aid in the proper disposal of our waste.

He also feels that separate trucks should be used to pick up the various types of refuse, and that the media can play a significant role in promoting the cause of the LCDS. “Guyana’s being in the forefront will benefit not only our country, but the entire universe,” Kissoon said, adding: “We in Guyana would benefit directly, because Guyana is being put on the map for tourism and economic tourism.”

With this in mind, he is encouraging the various government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to come on board with the company and help spread the word by producing similar bags with their own special logos and environmental messages.

He says the company is willing to help in whatever way possible, whether it is with sourcing the material, putting the bags together or finding someone reputable to do it, or just the screen-printing aspect of it.

Following the airing of a programme on television promoting the idea, Kissoon said a prominent religious organization has already bought into it and is offering the services of their sewing team.

Reiterating how proud the company is of what President Jagdeo is doing, Kissoon said he hopes there are others out there who feel the same way as they do, and are willing to do their best to see the LCDS through to Copenhagen and beyond.

In a recent speech at the UN climate summit at Greeley Square, the President stressed that a deal at the UN climate change summit in Copenhagen, Denmark which will take place in December, must enable countries like Guyana to generate an income by conserving forests rather than cutting them down.

“The UN General Assembly this week is going to change the world. This is because quiet conversations in meeting rooms and corridors around the UN complex will shape the world's climate negotiations in Copenhagen in December — and all of our lives, and those of every generation that follows,” he said. (Michelle Gonsalves)

Visiting the Jewish Synagogue in Bridgetown
By Norman Faria.
PASSING THE restored Synagogue while walking out of the Barbadian capital, Bridgetown, last Tuesday, I decided to stop in and have a look. From the street, I noticed some other buildings being spruced up beside the Jewish house of worship.

I hadn't been inside the compound for several years, not since I wrote a few articles about it when the main building was being restored in the 1980s.

It was a pleasure to renew acquaintances with Celso Brewster, who now manages the newly opened Nidhe Israel Museum on the compound.  Mr. Brewster kindly briefed me on ongoing developments with the group of buildings, and answered a few update questions about the Jewish community in Barbados.

There are probably about a dozen Jewish families presently in the island. Several of the heads are businesspeople while one, Paul Altman, is one of the island's most well-known realtors.  Mr. Altman was instrumental in getting the Synagogue restored, and he is again the main man in refurbishing an adjoining building, which was once a sort of community centre-cum-school, into the Museum.

The present Jewish community mainly have Ashkenazim roots. This means they are descended from Jewish communities in Europe. The other main type is the Sephardic Jews who are more swarthy looking and from the Mediterranean area.

The restored Synagogue building was erected in 1833 on the site, and probably using some of the original building stone. The connection makes it one of the oldest such Jewish houses of worship in the Western Hemisphere. It's history, including the cemetery in the compound, goes back to the 1650s.

On my earlier visit among the graves  (such wanderings are now more controlled), I was able to look at some of the names on the headstones. Many of them were Portuguese. I subsequently learnt that the first Jewish immigration to the island in the 17th Century was from Brazil. So, you would find such Brazilian names as Da Costa, Pinheiro and Lopez.

As in other countries, the early Jewish immigrants to Barbados gravitated to trades like money-lending and shop-keeping. However, the history books speak prominently of their being of immense help in sugar making technology. For many years, one of Bridgetown's main Department Stores was called ‘Da Costa's’.

The economic decline in the island in the 1920s, perhaps from the fall of sugar prices at the time, was apparently a big reason for the earlier Jewish immigrants leaving. In 1929, only one Jew remained.

By World War II (started in 1939), when Jews were being persecuted in Europe under Hitler's fascism, a new generation came. These were European Jews, among them the Altman family.

The Jewish community in Barbados holds services at another, smaller (and newer) building outside of Bridgetown. But, as Mr. Brewster informs me, services are also held in the restored Synagogue for a few months annually, starting in November. This is partly to accommodate the many Jewish tourists who visit the island at that time.

There is an ongoing debate about whether Jews are members of a religion (Judaism to name it) or a race. From what I know, it is not a race, because the present-day world population of 13.2 million Jews (among them 5.4 million in Israel and another 5.3 million in the USA) is made of several races, including dark-skinned ones from India and Ethiopia.

Jews as a group have been persecuted throughout history. The most well-known instance is when six million of them were murdered under fascism during World War II. But before that, the high Spanish Catholic top brass in Spain in 1492 launched an Inquisition against them. Many fled across the border to Portugal, and from there to Brazil (a Portuguese colony at the time) and also to Madeira, from where most of the Portuguese indentured servants came to Guyana.

They were courageous people. They fought back, for example, against a more well-armed German military machine. Jews rebelled in the Sobibor concentration camp, and forced its closure. They stood up to Hitler's forces and local quislings in the famous Warsaw Uprising. Many leaders of progressive European mass movements were Jewish. Karl Marx was the son of a Jewish Rabbi (a Jewish priest).

There are several views   about the way the ‘Jewish’ state of Israel was established in 1948. Some are correct, especially when they deal with the way the indigenous Palestinians and others were displaced. This is not the place to go into political dimensions, but there are criticisms as well about the Zionist philosophy which guided the establishing of Israel. The UN General Assembly once described it as racist. We, nevertheless, today must respect the right of the  Israeli people to have their own homeland; let the politicians and peoples find a way agreeable to all.

While researching my Portuguese surname on the Internet, I was intrigued to learn that some people of Portuguese descent in the USA  were of the view that the Farias were among those  Jews who fled from Spain over 500 years ago. My Faria family-tree from as far back as I know, and practically all the Portuguese Guyanese people, were however long converted to Catholicism.

It would be interesting to find out how many Jews there are in Guyana today, and their contributions over the years. It is, of course, a well-known fact that the great former Guyana President Janet Jagan came out of a Jewish family in Chicago (the Rosenbergs).

It was once again deeply moving for me to visit the Jewish Synagogue and complex in Bridgetown, Barbados and be updated on ongoing developments there.As I told Mr. Brewster while urging him to pass on my commendations to Mr. Altman and the management committee, the Guyana government and people join with peace loving and democratic peoples worldwide in   respecting  the  religions of other peoples and the rights of minorities, and that we also wish them well.
(NORMAN FARIA <nfaria@caribsurf.com> IS GUYANA'S HONORARY CONSUL IN BARBADOS)

Policeman set free for want of prosecution
-faces inquest into charges of improper conduct
IN 1957, Sergeant Bollers of the British Guiana Police Force had a charge laid against him for fraudulent conversion dismissed for want of prosecution.

Consequent to that, Bollers was charged with improper conduct under Regulation 54 (44) of the Police Regulations [BG], one of the allegations being that he failed to account for money entrusted to him.

The respondent, one Cannon, was appointed by the Court to investigate the charges and commenced the inquiry.

The appellant, this being Bollers, applied for a writ of prohibition to prevent the respondent from proceeding with the inquiry and obtained a rule nisi, which was subsequently discharged.

Upon appeal, he contended that (a) Reg. 54 (44) did not apply to improper conduct, which might be the subject of a criminal prosecution; (b) criminal charges were not cognizable by the Court of Inquiry; and (c) criminal proceedings against him were still pending, and the inquiry was automatically suspended by the operation of General Forces Order 35, made under Reg. 139 of the Police Regulations [BG].

The Federal Supreme Court, in its Civil Appellate Jurisdiction, held that:

There was an end to the criminal proceedings against the appellant when the information against him was dismissed;

Reg. 54 (44) had to be read together with the other sub-regulations and improper conduct within the meaning of the sub-regulation referred to as acts of indiscipline, which might be the subject of criminal charges; and

The Respondent had not exceeded his jurisdiction.

Queen’s Counsel, Mr LFS Burnham appeared for the appellant, while Mr Mohamed Shahabuddeen represented the respondent.

The Federal Court was constituted by Chief Justice Hallinan, and Justices AM Lewis and JF Marnan.

Delivering his judgment, Justice Hallinan related that the appellant was in September 1957, charged with the fraudulent conversion, an indictable offence, of $128.75 which was part of the sum of $1, 908 entrusted to him as secretary of the Berbice Library.

This information, he said, was dismissed for want of prosecution in February, 1959, as the appellant was never called upon to plead to the indictment, not was the issue ever joined, and there was no decision on the merits or at all.

But in May, 1960, Justice Hallinan said, the appellant was charged with improper conduct under Reg. 54 (44) of the Police Regulations, made by the Governor under the Police Ordinance, Chapter 77 [BG]. “Three cases of improper conduct were alleged,” he said, “which, without going into details might be described as (i) buying toys on the credit of the library instead of utilizing part of the $1,908 received by him for that purpose ; (ii) failing to inform Senior Superintendent Griffith, from whom the appellant received the sum of $1, 908, that he had done so, and (iii) failing to account for $128.75 out of the money entrusted to him.

“The Respondent was appointed to hold a court of inquiry into these disciplinary charges preferred against the appellant. In June 1960, the present proceedings were brought on a writ of prohibition to stop the Respondent from proceeding with the inquiry. The Acting Chief Justice who heard the application held that the proceedings before the Respondent were judicial, in respect of which the writ might issue, but no grounds had been made out by the appellant why the writ should go.

“Counsel for the appellant relied on two principal grounds of appeal, (i) that Sub-Reg. 44, which relates to improper conduct, could not be the subject of a disciplinary charge which might also involve a criminal charge. He submitted that because the other sub-regulations in Reg. 54 contained a number of breaches of discipline, which might also be the subject of criminal charges, the intent of the Governor in making the Regulations would be to enumerate in the Regulations specifically all acts of indiscipline which might also be the subject of a criminal charge.”

Continuing with his argument, Justice Hallinan said: “I am unable to accept that construction. On the contrary, I think that Sub-Reg (44) is in the nature of an omnibus clause, which should be construed in conjunction with the other sub-regulations of Reg. 54, and since these sub-regulations refer to acts of indiscipline, which might also be the subject of a criminal charge, improper conduct within the meaning of Sub-Reg (44) might also involve conduct which is the subject of a criminal charge.

Noting that Counsel for the appellant had also advanced the argument that the provisions of General Order 35 should be so construed that in its effect it would deprive the Respondent of jurisdiction to proceed with the inquiry, Justice Hallinan said: “The General Orders are made under Reg. 139 of the Police Regulations, and General Order 35 begins as follows:

‘Suspension of disciplinary enquiry when criminal charge is pending…’

“In cases involving both a criminal charge and a disciplinary charge, the latter will be prepared and communicated to the Inspector, Non-Commissioned Officer or Constable concerned at the earliest possible moment, but no steps will be taken to enquire into the disciplinary charge until the result of the criminal proceedings is known. The facts on which a disciplinary charge is based must not be the same or analogous to those facts which form the basis of the criminal charge.”

Dismissing the appeal, Justice Hallinan, whose judgment was concurred with by the other two judges of the Federal Court, said of the Appellant: “He has not been acquitted on any issue, the subject of these charges, and he has not been punished, not only on of those issues , but on any of the facts upon which the disciplinary charges are based. For these reasons I think the decision of the Acting Chief Justice to refuse the Writ is right and this appeal should be dismissed with costs.”

This week on Merundoi
LIKE somebody sprinkle bird pepper all over Merundoi!

Anil’s drinking and confrontation with Uncle Roy have serious consequences. The fallout causes the villagers to gather at one spot.

Stitchie’s snitching may bear some bitter fruit for Catalina, while over at the Carter’s, Lucille learns what Cecil has been up to with Rhonda, and she’s not at all pleased.

Her son-in-law, James, will also be unhappy when he learns what Candace has in store for him.

Don’t miss this week’s episodes!!

Broadcast times:
98.1 FM Mon & Wed.: 5.45 pm, Tues & Thurs: 2.15pm & Sat: 6pm
VOG Wed. & Fri: 10.05 am & Sun: 2pm
Listen on line: http://www.merundoi.org.gy or join us on FACEBOOK

Please be advised that Merundoi Inc’s Annual General Meeting is scheduled for December 3, 2009. The Dinner Theatre has been postponed.

A long overdue visit to Guyana
By Brigit Wells
(Brigit Wells is the great, great niece of Theophilus Richmond who was the ship’s surgeon on board the ‘Hesperus’ transporting the first set of indentured Indians from India to British Guiana in 1838. Richmond’s diary was recently published as ‘The First Crossing’ and is the only account of that fateful journey. Brigit Wells read History at Oxford. In June 2009, she visited Guyana, hoping to put closure on the voyage of her great, great uncle, a voyage undertaken 171 years ago.)

WHEN I tell friends here in Britain that I have been to Guyana, most of them look startled and then a bit guilty. “That’s near Belize, isn‘t it...or in West Africa...or is it something to do with Cayenne?” Geography is nobody’s strong point these days, especially as fewer children collect stamps from other countries, as I used to do at the age of nine or ten.

British Guiana and Suriname both featured in my collection, and I knew where they were from a big jigsaw puzzle of the world, with the Commonwealth countries coloured in pink. Later on, a friend in the Colonial Office, who was secretary to the Constitutional Commission of 1951, told me fascinating stories of the rainforest and a meeting with the Wai Wai leaders in the interior. My first cousin spent several years in Georgetown in the 50s with a husband who worked in timber, but once she was home again, I never expected to find a reason to visit.

In fact, it was a much more ancient family connection that provided the impetus. Among another cousin’s archives was a small green leather-covered diary written by our grandfather’s uncle, Theophilus Richmond, a young doctor of 22, who had written a lively and often irreverent account of his voyage as ship’s surgeon on the Hesperus, from Liverpool to Calcutta and Demerara in 1837/8. I thought it was an entertaining read but had no idea that the diary had any historical importance until in 2005 when I contacted Professor David Dabydeen at the University of Warwick. Was he by any chance interested in the fact that the Hesperus had carried a number of Indian workers from Calcutta to Guyana? He was: This was, of course, the ‘first crossing’, celebrated on 5 May, Arrival Day, when the Hesperus and the Whitby brought the first people of Indian origin ever to arrive in the Caribbean. Theo Richmond’s diary, since published, was, and is, the only first-hand account we have of that momentous voyage. He describes the coolies’ conditions on board, which he thought reasonably satisfactory, their ample meals and their apparent enjoyment of the voyage until, a week out from Calcutta, one of the Indians dropped down with cholera. Theo, who up to now had had little to do, swung into action. He worked for 48 hours without resting in an attempt to save as many lives as he could, and he managed to limit the deaths to 11 out of 170. By the time the Hesperus arrived in Georgetown three months later, the remaining Indians were healthier, in his opinion, and better nourished than when they got on board. He seems genuinely to have thought that they had a chance of a more rewarding life in Guyana than in Calcutta, where most had been living in desperate poverty.

Perhaps it was fortunate that Theo Richmond did not live long enough to see the breakdown of this first experiment to bring Indian indentured labour to Guyana. Before the Hesperus could take him home, he died of yellow fever, exactly two months after arriving, on 5 July 1838. Looking through the Royal Gazette in the National Archives at Kew, in London, I found his obituary: His new friends in Guyana, including the Acting Chief Secretary, WS Wolseley, in whose Vlissingen home he died, had emphasised his “amiable and cheerful disposition.” It must have been hard for him, at 23, to know he was gravely ill and to be so far from his mother and sisters, of whom he was very fond. By the time I had done the research in the Gladstone papers and elsewhere to find out the background to his story, it seemed increasingly important to follow his trail to the country where he died.

But, although David [Dabydeen] had often recommended it, a trip to Guyana had never seemed practical. For someone of my advanced age (born in 1928), it was a long, tiring and expensive journey; my husband had not been well, and I was scared to go entirely ‘out of the blue’. In May, 2009, however, I met David at a meeting of the Indo-Caribbean Studies Association, and asked him, half-joking, about Guyana. “I’m going in two weeks’ time,” he said. “Why don’t you come then?” I agonised for several days and finally, having sorted out family arrangements, took a deep breath, cashed in some savings, booked a flight and found Online the only affordable hotel in Georgetown which had uniformly good reviews. Remembering the ancestor’s fate, I had a yellow fever injection, just in case.

The flight was exhausting, as expected, especially the long waits for connections at Barbados and Port of Spain. After 22 hours, including the time spent last in the queue for immigration at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, I was very glad indeed to find that the hotel’s driver had waited for me, and even more pleased to find a welcoming bed at Herdmanston Lodge.

Next morning, it was a delight to sit on the airy verandah, dazzled by the flamboyant trees across the road, drinking coffee and eating the freshest pineapple and watermelon I had ever tasted. Thanks to David Dabydeen, I soon had the opportunity to meet some remarkable people with an interest in the Indian heritage: Mr. Yesu Persaud, who was exceptionally kind and hospitable; Mr. R K Sharma, who showed us the archive project he has created at his home; Dr. Frank Anthony, the Minister for Culture, Youth and Sport; Mr. Evan Persaud, Mr. Petamber Persaud and many others. I was particularly lucky to have Mrs. Phyllis Carter as a near neighbour in Queenstown; one day, she prepared a superb Guyanese breakfast for me as an introduction to metagee with pig tails, pepper-pot, souse and salt fish. A neighbour in Sussex, the poet, Guyanese Grace Nichols, (whose work my 16-year-old granddaughter has just been studying for GCSE), kindly introduced me to her sister, Valerie, who found time in a very busy life to take me to her home for a family meal. Through another contact, I forged a rewarding friendship with the journalist, Roxana Kawall. On the trail of Theo Richmond, I spoke, sometimes on the telephone, to other historians with whom I hope to keep in contact.

Like everyone I met in Guyana, they were most friendly and helpful, but none of us, unfortunately, has so far been able to pinpoint the house where Theo died. A major discovery on my first day in Guyana was his entry in the beautifully kept funeral records of the Anglican Church. This showed his place of death as ‘Vlissingen’, which, according to a map of 1824, could have covered the area around Regent Street, Bourda and what is now King Street. The Acting Chief Secretary would probably have had a sizeable house, but of course, it may not have survived. As the main public cemeteries were already filling up, it seems likely that Theo may have been buried at the private cemetery at Bourda, but if so, there is no record of his grave. This, however, is not surprising; since there were no family members around to pay for a tombstone, he probably had to do without. I visited the Bourda Cemetery, anyway, to pay my respects. His funeral service on 6 July was taken by the Rev Mr. Lugar, then Vicar of the St. George’s Cathedral.

That is an amazing building; I was most impressed by the soaring wooden roof vaulting, the intricate rood screen, and the stained glass windows. By the door is the monument to Governor Carmichael, who died in March, 1838, and whose funeral notice is on the page facing Theo’s. He had featured a good deal in the letters to Sir John Gladstone from his agent in Guyana, who thought the Governor much too soft with the plantation workers, the former slaves.

A visit to the former Gladstone plantation at Vreed-en-Hoop, now a bustling small town, involved crossing the unimaginably wide Demerara River, almost at water level on the floating bridge. Even before the Indians arrived, there had been a school of sorts on the plantation, run by a Reverend Gladstone (perhaps a poor relation), who reported to Sir John that the apprentice children knew their letters. I longed to know if there was any continuity between that and the present school and church, next door to one another at the top of the town. We drove past cane fields, water-logged rice fields, and the alternating roadside places of worship -- Mosques, Mandirs and churches, their variety a tribute to Guyana’s inclusive and tolerant society.

A visit to the distillery at Diamond, on the East Bank Demerara, provided a contrast in terms of the shining modern machinery filling, bottling and packing various types of drink with unnerving efficiency. The climb up metal stairs to the main distillery floor was worth the view: Heaving vats of fermenting molasses, and huge reddish pipes with coloured cables snaking around them like some vast sculpture. Mr. Karl Canto was a most enthusiastic and well-informed guide, and the tour ended with a taste of the excellent rum.

I loved the greenness of Georgetown; the coconut palms, the flowering trees, the grass verges, even in the city, and the ever-present water in the dams. The delicate white wooden houses and public buildings seem decorated with icing sugar. The Monument Gardens, with its archetypal ship, is an oasis of calm and natural beauty.

If only there had been more time! I would have loved to have walked along the Seawall, taken a trip up the river to the (Santa) Mission, and gone far enough into the interior to experience the rainforest. But, thanks to many friends and acquaintances, I did appear on a TV programme, attend a Full Gospel church service, meet the pupils at a school and enjoy roti and chicken curry at a couple of roadside cafes. It was a memorable visit, and I shall always be grateful to David for making it possible.

Now more aware of the place of Arrival Day in Guyana’s history, I am glad to have followed Theo Richmond and his Indian charges to the end of his story and the beginning of theirs.

Responses to this author telephone (592) 226-0065 or email: oraltradition2002@yahoo.com

Tales from way back when…
(A look at some of the stories that made the news ‘back-in-the-day’ with CLIFFORD STANLEY)
Hindi interpreter-clerk
MR PAUL D Das, Hindi interpreter/clerk attached to the District Administration Office, New Amsterdam, after having been on two month’s leave of absence, resumed duty on June 1.

Mr C Ramcharran, who acted as interpreter during the period, returned to the Immigration Office in the City.
(Guiana Graphic: June 12, 1948)

Successful fair at Mental Hospital Grounds
THE MENTAL Hospital Grounds at Fort Canje, New Amsterdam presented a most pleasant and attractive scene on Saturday afternoon last when there was held a highly successful fair which was declared open by Mrs Sturzienski, wife of Dr S M Sturzienski, GMO of the Institution.

The decoration of the various stalls reflected credit on Miss M Campbell, social entertainer at the Hospital.

The Mental Hospital Band, under Corporal CE Nichols of the B G Militia Band, discoursed appropriate music.

Among those who attended were Mesdames Wickham, wife of Mr DLB Wickham, District Commissioner for Berbice; AWH Smith; S Billyeald and L Lord; and Messrs W Boyd, J Campbell, O Lancaster and D Peters.

The Stalls: Following were the Stalls and their holders. Ice Cream, Nurse I Simon; Tea, Nurse M Pindar; Dip, Nurse I Babb; Aerated Drinks, Nurse Francis; Slide, Mr C Rodney; Donkey Ride, Mr Mungal; Water Coconut, Mr Dey; Hoop La, Mr Niewenkirk.
(Guiana Graphic: June 10, 1948)

Ten bicycles stolen
DURING the week-end 10 bicycles were reported lost or stolen in Georgetown and its environs.

Four bicycles previously lost or stolen were recovered.
(Guiana Graphic: June 8, 1948)

Controlling price of thread
ATTENTION is invited to an Order by the Controller of Prices, published in the Official Gazette on Saturday with reference to the price of thread.

List Four of the first schedule of the Control of Prices, Order 1948, in which prices of certain brands of thread were fixed, has been deleted and all thread is now price controlled at Item 13 in List A of the Second Schedule as follows:

(a) Sewing- Cotton- on actual cost –wholesale 10% ; retail 6%.

(b) Sewing-other than Cotton –on actual cost-wholesale 10% ; retail 16.2%;.

(c) Embroidery or for fancy work- on actual cost- wholesale 12.5% , retail 16.2%

The Order came into effect on the date of publication.
(Guiana Graphic: June 15, 1948)

Village administration: Successful claim against cattle-owners
THE Golden Grove County District in West Coast Berbice (represented by the Overseer, Mr Sandy Moriah) succeeded in a $30 claim at New Amsterdam Court on Friday last against Jacob Archibald and Joseph Archer (cattle owners), who allowed their cows, on April 14, to trespass on the West sideline dam of the village and also damaged a gate leading to the dam.

Costs in the sum of $6.96 were also awarded, and a $10 fee to Capt. VDP Woolford, MBE, solicitor to the Local Authority.
(Guiana Graphic: June 14, 1948)

Anti-corporal punishment Bill thrown out
AN Ordinance to amend the Juvenile Offenders Ordinance (1931) by abolishing the power of a Court to impose corporal punishment on a child or a young person was thrown out of the Legislature by a majority of ten votes to seven.

The Legislative Council agreed, in principle, that corporal punishment should be abolished, but were of the majority view that there must be reasonable alternatives advanced to maintain discipline in the absence of the rod.
(Guiana Graphic: May 31, 1948)

Notes by the wayside
A CERTAIN wayside church has taken up a new brand of ‘religion’.

This time it is flogging of demons out of members.

This caused a traffic jam recently, when thousands of spectators gathered in the precincts of the Church to get a glimpse of the Rev ‘Beat Man’ in action.

*********
On Saturday last, a City policeman arrested a woman for using indecent language on the streets. She escaped from him and ran into a room in Robb Street.

There she divested herself of all her clothing, leaving the embarrassed policeman outside the locked door.

The policeman reconnoitered the situation through holes in the door and pleaded: “Lady, will you please put something on over your birth suit?”

After some time, the woman agreed to put her clothes back on and accompanied the policeman to the station.
(Guiana Graphic: May 30, 1948)

Residents inconvenienced
THE RECENT heavy downpour of rain caused great inconvenience to residents of Hopetown and No 28 villages, West Coast Berbice.

The districts were flooded, and it was difficult for residents to go to and from their homes.
(Guiana Graphic: June 5, 1948)

Zoo in Botanic Gardens suggested
MR WILSON Minshall, former Secretary of the British Guiana Tourist Bureau and now Secretary of the Tourist and Exhibition Board of Trinidad and Tobago, said that if BG were to clear away a considerable portion of the Kaieteurean Plateau and establish a vacation centre to afford hunting, horseback riding and camping parties for bush life near the famous falls, there was no underestimating the extraordinary boom it would be to the tourist trade of the colony.

It would offset the loss of vast numbers of persons who leave BG every year for expensive vacations in the West Indies.

He further pointed out that if a zoo containing all the known species of animal life in the Guianas were established in the Botanic Gardens, it would more than pay for itself, and at the same time offer considerable study to travelling naturalists while becoming a main source of tourist attraction.
(Guiana Graphic: June 7, 1948)

‘Poseidon’ brings mules for sugar estates
WHEN the ‘SS Poseidon’ of the Royal Netherlands Steamship Company arrived in Port Georgetown yesterday morning, it brought from New York twenty mules for the sugar estate.

These mules were landed at Sandbach Parker’s wharf.

But there was much confusion in High Street yesterday when two mules escaped from their charge.

One went running up the street, while another jumped into the canal.

While being passed through High Street, the two mules broke away.

After being chased, much to the consternation of cyclists and pedestrians, the mules were recaptured.
(Guiana Graphic: June 11, 1948)

Town Council to invite applications for two appraisers
MEMBERS of the New Amsterdam Town Council, at a special meeting on Monday afternoon last, decided to invite applications for two appraisers for $250 each in respect to the general appraisal of properties in the town.

In this connection, advertisements will appear in the daily newspapers.

Among other matters dealt with at the meeting was the fixing of the pension of Mr J L Henry, who was Mechanical Engineer at the Electricity and Water Works, and was in the employ of the Municipality for 30 years.

Mr Henry’s six months leave prior to retirement will expire on June 30.

After some consideration, the Council fixed the pension at $37.50 monthly.

The Council also awarded a gratuity, in the sum of $105, to the widow of the late Mr C Bevaum, who died whilst serving as the Sexton at the Stanleytown Cemetery, New Amsterdam.
(Guiana Graphic: June 12, 1948)

Hitler’s personal physician hanged
NUREMBURG: June 2 (Reuter) - Seven former German Medical leaders, including Dr Karl Brandt, one of Hitler’s personal physicians, were hanged this morning at Landsberg near Munich.

Death sentences were imposed on them by a War Crimes Court here on August 20 after they were found guilty of murder atrocities and other inhumane acts.

The charges arose from the Nazi Genocide programme and so-called medical experiments in high altitude conditions of freezing, typhus and other ‘tests’ at Dachau and other concentration camps.
(Guiana Graphic: June 3, 1948)

Clifford Stanley can be reached to discuss any of the above at cswcb@yahoo.com or 592-657-2043.

Musical pleasure and social stability (Part I)
Everyone involved in the Arts should at sometime ask themselves what social effect they intend to create or encourage with their work?

The art with the most daily, hourly power to affect our social atmosphere and individual personalities is music. And because music comprises so many styles or types (Pop, Soul, R & B, Jazz, Opera, Classical, Calypso, Reggae, Country & Western, Rock, Punk, New Wave, Oriental, African, Salsa, Hip Hop etc) we are faced with admitting and understanding that according to how we access and publicly air this music, we are utilizing our power to influence and shape minds, attitudes, behaviour, emotional and intellectual responses, and eventually the very mental fabric of our society, and therefore its social stability.

In stable societies, where intelligence and social contentment prevail, selected musical styles of high artistry account for 90% of this popular art’s influence on the public’s mental health and progress.

But suppose neither musicians nor those who are responsible for radio and TV musical programmes care about its ability to shape minds, attitudes, behavior patterns, emotional and intellectual values, etc? That, of course, may be an exaggerated speculation, because there are many musicians and bands that do care about these issues, and their music proves it; there are also radio and TV programmers who are guided by these issues, and their concern is reflected in the choice of music they put on the air for half an hour, one hour or two.

However, when we consider importers, individual buyers of music, and audiences that attend live concerts, the choice remains theirs concerning what music they personally choose to purchase and concerts they choose to attend. The only social restriction on such personal choice, as on all music that is played, is the volume at which it is played, since the general public obviously did not ask to hear it.

The broadcasting of music for society provides the unique and important opportunity to provide individuals, couples young and old of any race open to music in a language they understand or at least rhythms they like, with civilized sentiments, emotions, moral reasoning and street-wise wisdom, romantic pleasure and human clemency; music which calms and guides members of society with clear uplifting lyrics and skillful instrumentals.

No one can dictate to musicians what sort of music to make; that comes from their own talent, skills, knowledge, human conscience, and care for society. What various music programmers have the freedom to do is choose music that can distribute and communicate the values mentioned above, within their society. It is here that a problem, based on knowledge and also availability of such music, arises for societies like today’s Guyana at least, which must rely on such artistic products it does not produce in diverse quantity itself.

Such a position of dependence on foreign-made music is in no way a handicap or drawback to the goal of social stability via music. On the contrary, what can be a drawback is simply not knowing, not possessing, and not using for public pleasure and advancement the sort of music that encourages such a social direction.

Obstacles
Two obstacles in Guyana at present seem to block the constant daily programming of such musical values. The first obstacle is the repetitive playing of the same songs over and over again on the same programmes. The other obstacle is an apparent compulsion to play songs with the same sentiment, lyrics, and content; as well as what simply arrives in the studio as the ‘latest’ musical styles.

Yet, if programmers feel obligated to play all of this material without assessment, based on the fact that they are the latest productions, where then is the selective choice based on the best civilised sentiments, lyrical artistry and instrumental arrangement?

Such creative excellence already exists in the world of music (and most people who never left Guyana never heard it), but it largely remains impotent to positively affect society, simply because it may be defined as ‘old’ or ‘past’ (meaningless words when it comes to creative value in music) even though it may never had been heard, or known to exist for local audiences.

Another point to remember is that if we feel that ‘the people’ are the best source to provide public music by requests, we should realise that people cannot request music they never heard or know nothing about. So, the initial responsibility once more returns to radio and TV programmers to INTRODUCE the public to music beneficial to the pleasure and well-being of their society.

We will discuss such music in separate categories, beginning here with Rock music, which also crosses over into Pop, but is one of the least known of musical genres locally because it has become stereotyped as ONLY noisy, incoherent, devil-worshipping, and metallic cacophony.

The problem of stale and stagnant airplay arises when music becomes contracted into a convenient time-span of ‘popularity’ imagined by the player or public programmer, and when selections from the same musical individual or group keep being heard excessively, excluding numerous other excellent tunes, and bands, that are even far better. Or when the same songs or tunes from an individual or band are the only ones played, excluding others from the same individual, or band, that may be even better.

However, in airing music programmes, it is more effective to choose various musical styles based on their lyrical and instrumental artistry and human pleasure of their content, not by rigidly categorizing their styles into separate programmes which confine us to the yardstick of available quantity over quality.

Rock music
Good Rock music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s provided some of the most interesting and pleasurable lyrics, human sentiment, and instrumental excellence. We will focus on a few samples from this era. CREAM was one of the greatest Rock bands to emerge in the 60s, and introduced Eric Clapton as one of the outstanding lead guitarists since the 60s. Among this band’s many vintage recordings, ‘SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE’ remains a song that, by its sheer pleasurable structure and tone, can never grow stale or lose relevance to the pleasures of general human affection.

THE ROLLING STONES is a group whose famous songs most true music lovers know, but some stand out like beacons of hope and contentment; songs like ‘MISS YOU’, written by band leader, Mick Jagger in the 70s when he broke up with his Nicaraguan wife, Bianca. This is the Stones song that fused Rock with Disco, and showed Jagger’s genius for innovatively breaking into colloquial quotation of a friend trying to help him get over his wife’s walking out on him. It goes: ‘What’s the matter, man! I know some Puerto Rican girls just dying to meet you! We gonna bring a case of wine…you know…mess around like we used too!’

LED ZEPPELIN is another Rock band that offers ecstatic instrumentation perfectly fused with sensual and social poetic lyrics which wake up our emotional response and pleasure. Tunes like ‘WHOLE LOTTA LOVE’, ‘STAIRCASE TO HEAVEN’ , ‘LIVIN LOVIN MAID’ and ‘RAMBLE ON’ are examples of gripping human relevance to the ups and downs of everyday life.

Lastly, the uniquely talented Rock band, HEART, led by the extremely talented Wilson sisters, has numerous outstanding tunes, yet on Guyanese radio, only those like ‘Alone’, ‘All I want to do is make love to you’, ‘What about love’, and ‘These dreams’ are heard repeatedly. Radio programmers should introduce their listeners to at least four more of HEART’s most outstanding tunes with unique lyrics and unforgettable instrumentation, such as ‘CRAZY ON YOU’, ‘NEVER’, ‘MAGIC MAN’ and ‘STRANDED’.

The goal of musical pleasure and social stability is possible only if we choose music for its ability to increase our artistic tastes, intellectual growth, and emotional maturity. To find such music, we must look beyond the race of singers and their groups and focus on content and style.

Next week, we will focus on examples of such Pop music.

When you remove your denture, put it in a small bowl of water so it will hold its shape. Denture cleansing tablets is ideal to place in that bowl. If it remains dry for too long, it could warp, so it should always be in liquid. Always keep your dentures in the same place so you don’t forget where you left it. Make sure it’s safe from kids and pets. I recall making a denture for my mother and the dog chewing it up because she left it lying carelessly around one day. So you don’t want the cat to hide it, or the dog to use it as a toy. You don’t want a child to break it or choke on it either!

If you leave it out overnight (in water) and it feels hard and uncomfortable in the morning, clean it by brushing it in warm (not hot) water. Heat makes it feel more natural and comfortable. Brush your denture every morning and night, and after every meal if possible to keep plaque and stains off of it. You should at least rinse out food debris after lunch, even when you are at work. Use the toilet enclosure for the disabled to brush and floss privately. It will probably have a sink and a mirror.

Brush every surface of the denture gently. While brushing the denture, cup it tightly in the palm of your hand so the pressure of your hand will not break it. Fill the sink half full with water in case you drop the denture while brushing it. The water will cushion its fall and prevent damage and another expense.

If you eat, smoke, or drink tea or coffee, your denture will stain. Clean it at least every morning with an over-the-counter denture cleaner. There are excellent denture cleaners available. A denture cleaner can help prevent tartar (calcium deposits known as calculus) from forming and causing odors. If you don’t like the first cleaner you try, try another one until you find one that pleases you. After soaking your denture in the denture cleanser, (or a solution of vinegar and water if money is a problem), brush it gently with a bit of toothpaste for a clean, fresh taste. Some people use dishwashing liquid or hand soap to clean their dentures after soaking. I recommend toothpaste because it tastes better.

Do not use powdered household cleaners because they taste terrible, are abrasive, can scratch your denture, and make you sick. Also, do not use bleach on your dentures. If hard deposits form on your denture, take it to the dentist for cleaning. Do not scrape it yourself.

Clean, clean, clean! There are brushes made especially for dentures, but the manufacturers do not know it. It is hard toothbrushes. If you don’t get a special denture toothbrush from your dental professional, buy one (a hard toothbrush). After all the money you just spent and all the trauma you just experienced, you deserve a special denture toothbrush, and it should be in the colour of your choice. Ask your pharmacist; they’ll talk about it.

Myth: You never have to see a dentist again.

Truth: Dream on! Your mouth and jawbone slowly continue to change. If you have natural teeth left, they should be examined and cleaned at least twice a year. You should also have an oral cancer exam every time you see a dentist – your mouth is already open.

Your dentist should check your denture for proper fitness, looseness caused by tissue changes, bad odors caused by fluids and bacteria, colour changes from reactions to mouth fluids, and stain and calculus deposits caused by fluids in the mouth. Any signs of oral disease, oral cancer, infection, tissue irritation, or problems with your appearance should be discovered and corrected during regular check-ups.

If you have a poorly fitted denture, you may experience pain and difficulty eating. If your denture has been properly fitted, you will be encouraged to eat a well-balanced diet that will add to your good health and happiness, and you’ll feel more secure about enjoying social events and meals with your family and friends.

If you have lost teeth and gained a denture, you have begun a new chapter in your life. No matter how you feel about your denture situation, know that you are worthwhile and loved, and those who know you only care that you are happy and healthy.

Been There, Done That
I HAVE been in a relationship for two years. I am 38, he is 49. I have older children, and am also a grandmother three times over. I would love for us to have our own family, but he is totally against it. He will not explain why.

Neither of us has to work, so we have plenty of time to spend raising a child. I have to say it really hurts and is very confusing. I don't understand how a man can have a child with someone they can't stand, and not have a child with someone they are in love with.

I like to do what I can to make him happy, so why is the feeling not mutual? We have a great relationship, and I think adding another child to the family would make it even stronger. Is that so wrong?
Keely

Keely,
Shakespeare said: “One man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.” A 49-year-old man may think fatherhood belongs to an earlier age of his life, and that is especially true when the woman he is with is a grandmother three times over.

He may also believe he cannot explain his feelings without insulting you. He may think you are simply bored, or trying to compete with your own daughters. Whatever his feelings, they are as valid as your own.
Wayne & Tamara

Present Tense
I'M HAPPILY attached to a new guy, but still haunted by a breakup experience from two years ago where the guy just dumped me with an SMS. We were together more than three years. Coming from an Asian background, I was taught to be protective of my virginity, but I lost it to him.

We had regular sex right up to the end. I was emotionally torn up after that. However, after a few months, I got together with another guy short-term and had sex once. That relationship only lasted five months, and I blamed myself.

The greatest hurt is from the first man, hereafter referred to as ‘the jerk’. It haunts me, and I'm afraid it will affect my current relationship if we ever walk up the wedding aisle.

When I confided in my boyfriend, he said what matters is our present. He does not mind my past, but that makes me feel I'm not on a par with him. How can I get away from the deep hatred and emotional wound I suffered due to the breakup?

I even wondered if the jerk apologized about the hurt he caused, will it close the case? But I think it’s impossible. When I bumped into him last year, I tried to open up and communicate with him, but it didn’t go well.
Lee

Lee,
When a cake falls off the table, some people bake another cake, while others stand around wishing the cake hadn’t fallen. You can’t spend your life in ‘if only’. As long as you focus on the past, something you cannot change, you will not focus on the present.

Start over; work on yourself, and stop being intimate with men you aren’t in love with. If you want marriage, if you want a lifetime relationship, then live like that is what you want.

Thinking you can change your sexual history by getting the first man back, or by changing the past, only allows you to avoid doing things differently now. You were intimate with men who didn’t marry you, so you have a history you don’t want. That is what is upsetting you.

With your current boyfriend, be fair. Either you love him or you don’t, and if you don’t, let him go. But an apology from your first lover won’t fix a thing; it won’t erase what he did to you. In the fairy tale, Pinocchio became a real boy, but in real life, a jerk does not become a gentleman.
Wayne & Tamara