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This MoE employee encouraged disrespectful behaviour from a student and his parent at Annandale Secondary School Sep 18, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, Maintaining discipline in schools is a constant battle that teachers face every day, many have simply chosen to ‘give up’ the fight and seek more peaceful and lucrative professions rather than compromise their mental health and subject themselves to constant disrespect from children. When one has to deal with the antics of misbehaving children, not only is time taken away from the actual lessons but the quality is severely affected. And the majority of well-behaved students who are keen to learn suffer and are the real victims of their indisciplined classmates. Maintaining discipline in the classroom is a never-ending task that one must perform and endure or else, one’s authority is undermined, respect denied and control over the class lost which then leads to great difficulty in delivering the curriculum and quality lessons. Therefore, meaningful support is expected and should be given to teachers in this area especially from the Ministry of Education and the parents of students. Well, what should be happening is hardly ever the reality on the ground. What one gets instead is gross disrespect, lack of support, and a beating down psychologically. Last week I was faced with a disrespectful child in the classroom which is a normal occurrence but what surprised me and prompted this letter was what occurred when I tried to speak with the child’s parent. The child mocked me by repeating what I said to him in a derisive tone while facing the class so I immediately stopped speaking to him and asked for the contact information of his parent. I viewed his behaviour as grossly disrespectful towards me. After giving me the requested information he then gesticulated wildly and loudly stating that he was going to report me etc. This dramatic behaviour was disrupting my lesson so I told him to leave the class and while at the door he continued with his dramatic body movements, head rolling and a final ‘Ta ta’, which prompted the entire class to laugh uproariously for several minutes. Not only were nearby classes affected but my authority was challenged, my lesson was disrupted and I was disrespected by this student in front of the class. His ‘punishment’ was for me to have a conversation with his parent about his behaviour, an apology from him for being disrespectful and an apology to the class for disrupting their lesson. After the class, I tried calling the number he gave but got a message saying that it was not in service so I issued a letter to the child, stamped and signed by the headteacher, for his parent/guardian to visit the school the following day at a specific time. The next day, nobody came so I asked him why his parent didn’t come. He told me that his mother spoke with the acting DHM and that she got ‘the memo’. I asked what was ‘the memo’ and he didn’t respond. Later I was rudely accosted by the school’s counsellor who insisted that she was going to speak with the child although I never requested her intervention. I repeatedly told her that I need to speak with the child’s parent about his behaviour. I then formally requested to speak with the parent in a letter addressed to the head master (HM), Mr Shakoor. The following day, in the HM’s office with the DHM (ag) present I was told by the HM that Ms. Gillian Vyphius who is Chief Schools’ Welfare Officer spoke with them the previous day about my request to see the child’s parent. I wasn’t told what was said and I won’t comment on how I feel the HM and DHM (ag) were affected but it seemed like my request became ‘invalid’ the moment Ms. Vyphius spoke with them. From what I gathered Ms. Vyphius is a relative or acquaintance of the child and his parents. I told the HM that I refused to be intimidated by anyone and that to give ‘special treatment’ to the child because he knows people in ‘high places’ was unfair to the other students apart from being disrespectful to me. I even pointed out that the previous week, I was able to speak with the grandmother of a misbehaving child and not only was she very gracious and profusely apologetic about the child’s behaviour but I noticed positive changes afterwards and he apologised to me. I refused to ‘suck up’ and insisted on meeting the parent; the HM then called her and within two hours she came to the school. From the onset, I perceived her attitude towards me as hostile and threatening and I even mentioned this to the HM who was present. At one point I asked to record the meeting and my request was denied by the HM. Also, I felt uncomfortable staying alone with the parent. Now, this child did not receive corporal punishment, a suspension from school or any other forms of punishment for his behaviour apart from a request to speak with his parent and yet this is what I was subjected to. The most I would have requested was an apology, yet I faced hostility and intimidation. Needless to say, the meeting ended without the child apologising, insinuations from the parent that I would now treat the child differently and a display of obsequiousness. This situation is a microcosm of what occurs in Guyanese society; people feel that they are above rules and laws; should receive special treatment or can treat others deplorably/disrespectfully because they are either VIPs or are personally acquainted with VIPs. Ms. Vyphius’s intervention was unnecessary in this simple school matter. By getting involved she has empowered the child who is only in Grade 8 to behave disrespectfully to his teacher (s) and classmates. He feels that because he knows VIPs he is special and not subjected to the same rules as his classmates. And his parent is also empowered; because she knows people in ‘high places’ she should not have to visit a school her child attends to have a cordial conversation with his teacher about his behaviour. Editor, I do not believe in corporal punishment. I believe that ‘disciplining’ a child could take various non-violent forms one of which is to speak with his/her parents/guardian. Often, parents are unaware of how their children behave in the classroom and by speaking with them positive changes could be realised. Teachers should not have to fear or being intimidated by any student or their parents. Also, those with power and authority in the education sector should use their position to bring about positive changes and not intimidate/show off on ‘lowly teachers’ trying to do the best they can for their students while maintaining discipline and order in the classroom at the same time. Yours faithfully, Narissa Deokarran Related Similar Articles

The Aubrey Norton versus Jermaine Figuiera matter Sep 18, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, Opposition Leader Aubrey Norton is doing what he knows best, that is, humiliating an opponent or someone whom he claims to be an opponent and reduce them to nothingness. It is reminiscent of Burnham Days where the policy stipulates that you follow the leader’s dictates without question, no other views would be accommodated. It further states that all knowledge is vested in its leader and from him all directives should flow. This in itself shows that dissenting views or simply put, a let us address an issue another way, or try another method in doing things, these would be would not be entertained. This is the slave mentality mode that the PNC has forced upon its people. Burnham might have gotten away with it due to his erudite and charismatic footwork, however, that performance lasted for a yesteryear crowd and has long since outlived its usefulness. Norton lacks the finesse of a Burnham whom he copies, and living in a modern-day world, the younger generation would not put up with that nonsensical view, hence the mass exodus from the party. So, let’s follow Norton’s handling of the Jermaine Figuiera matter and his wider appeal to the ordinary rank and file members of his party. To begin with, Norton as a leader, might be a better qualified (Paper certification) person than Figuiera, however, he lacks the intelligent quotient of that member of parliament, hence his erratic and oftentimes hostile response to that party comrade. Contrasting the two personalities, sees Mr. Figuiera standing out as a grassroots person; one who communes with the people, a distinct opposite to the bam bam alley patron. Figuiera chairs The PAC, making a valuable contribution in ensuring that our country stays clean and transparent, before an international audience. Further, Mr Figuiera has thrown out the olive branch and has stepped out in solidarity with Government under a Patriotic One Guyana Theme. These things do not sit well with Mr. Norton, whose philosophy is, to remain belligerent and threatening, never to support the government in anything they aspire to; this in itself is a backward and retrograde school of thought. But Norton does not see it that way, he is holding on to the false PNC doctrine which states that for you to be considered a great leader you must be vindictive and spiteful. How much success that conviction would bring him is left to be seen. These and other matters, provide the firm evidence that Mr Figueira has been under surveillance ever since, and his ostracism was imminent. Norton is caught in an inferiority complex mode and in that insecurity, he lashes out wildly. Respectfully Submitted Neil Adams Related Similar Articles

Reducing Guyana’s & CARICOM’s Value of Food Imports by 25% by 2025 Sep 18, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, Endowed with several natural resources (bauxite, gold, diamond, manganese, pristine forest, arable land, and an abundance of fresh water) and now oil, Guyana moves to extract these in a sustainable way, and not only for the benefit of Guyana but also for CARICOM. It is within this context that Guyana has taken the regional lead on 3 strategic pillars of the economy:  energy, food security, and climate change. In terms of energy, Guyana whose manufacturing possibilities were hampered by high energy costs and whose population have had to endure not only high electricity costs but also periodic load shedding and blackouts, would soon get important relief from the integrated gas processing facility at Wales. When the electricity and gas plants become operational, the energy cost to consumers would decline by 50%: from $(US) 22 cents per kwh to $(US) 11 cents per kwh. Though the estimated cost of the project is $(US)1.9 billion, that works out to just $(US) 4 cents per kwh (covering all capital and operational costs), and the country would save $(US) 100 million annually. The PPPC government’s record on climate change is second to none. Its detailed plan is captured in the Low Carbon Development Strategy (LCDS), 2030. Guyana is Net Zero; thanks to its forest that stores 20 billion tons of CO2, and it also removes 154 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere each year. Guyana joined 139 countries and signed onto the Net Zero emission by 2050. The funds earned through LCDS are being used for climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as for Amerindian land titles and community development (carbon credits). I would expand on energy and climate change in future articles. The biggest challenge to the three pillars however is the country’s ambitious 25/25 food security program along with CARICOM, to reduce the value of food imports by 25% by the year 2025. Between 2018-2020 CARICOM, for example, imported in value, 60% of its food requirements (in a few countries it was 80%). Recognizing that this level of imports cannot continue, CARICOM was able to reduce the value of imports by 12%  in 2023 compared with 2022. And with respect to fish and sea foods, CARICOM has set a goal to reduce imports by 20% (from $US 387 to $US 309). To illustrate the progress towards 25/25, the Agriculture Minister of Guyana Zulfikar Mustapha provides figures for Guyana. These are self-explanatory. The rate of increase is substantial. Production 2023 2024 Percentage in Metric Tonnes Projected Increase Rice 653,706 710,004 8.60% Sugar 60,204 80,000 32.90% Corn 5,216 9,279 77.90% Soya 3,574 16,350 357.50% The production of brakish water shrimps is projected to increase 25% from 958,000 kg in 2023 to 1,200,000 kg in 2024. A multi-million project to cultivate prawns is ongoing at Onwerwagt, West Berbice. Much work needs to be done in egg production. The expanding corn production would lead to increased egg production. Guyana imports 53 million eggs annually. In 2023 Guyana produced just 27,000 eggs. By August 24, 2024, it produced 97,000 eggs (3.5 times). Minister Zulfikar expects that within a few years Guyana would become self-sufficient in egg production. Minister Zulfikar is mindful of ‘el Nino’ weather patterns and has taken measures to mitigate the impact of this on production. The Ministry of Agriculture is building a Hope-like Canal each at No. 51/52 and at Lancaster, which will offer flood protection for over 360,966 acres of farmland and residential areas. The government provides incentives and removes obstacles to growth. The government grants duty free concessions for machinery and agriculture inputs; upgraded market to farm roads as well as constructing several highways to benefit all Guyanese including farmers; has restored the drainage-irrigation charges and land rentals which the APNU+AFC government increased by more than 4 times (from $(G) 3, 500 to $(G) 15,000) to the original level of $3,500. New methods of agriculture husbandry like hydroponic and shade houses are being implemented. President Dr Irfaan Ali takes more than a personal interest in agriculture expansion and diversification. To achieve the target of 25 by 2025, a special Ministerial Task Force on Food Production and Food Security (MTF) was established to guide the implementation of VISION  25 by 2025. Ministers of Agriculture in CARICOM meet monthly to evaluate the situation. For 2023, the value of food imports was reduced by 12% in CARICOM compared with 2022. Minister Zulfikar expresses optimism that that Guyana and CARICOM would attain the objectives of 25 by 2025. And Guyana would never catch the Dutch disease. Sincerely,   Tara Singh  Related Similar Articles

Guyanese should not have to bow in fear to the PPP to get what is rightfully theirs Sep 18, 2024 Letters Dear Editor, I have nothing personal against any individual who chooses to support a party of their choice or to benefit from the taxpayers’ monies that belong to the citizens of Guyana. Part of my work has been and continues to be holding the corrupt PPP regime accountable and to eventually see them removed from office. One of the most potent and effective weapons in the armory of the PPP that they use to slight non-supporters is the use of optics. I push back at the optics and I am in my right on the public political stage to do that. The PPP have for years monitored my platform and have been consistent in trying to undermine my activism in a political way. The PPP reserves every right to do that and it would be remiss of me to complain. This is the nature of politics and the quest to weaken one’s opponent is part of the art of political combat. Credit must be given to any political party that is relentless in pushing back against its contenders. The PPP may be the worst thing that have happened to Guyana for the past several decades but none can say that they are lazy. It is not a coincidence that the PPP go after, with the intention to win over any non political Guyanese in the arts, entertainment or sports that have been first showcased on this political platform. I have seen it time and again. Some have since avoided any interaction for the sake of sidestepping victimization. The PPP must be put on notice that unlike some in the opposition, I am not lazy and will continue to be relentless in pushing back. It is downright wrong to make the Guyanese people political pawns that can be bought and sold and used like chattel. No Guyanese should have to bow in fear to any government to get what is rightfully theirs. We do not live in a Guyana that is akin to a slave plantation of any ruling regime. Sincerely, Norman Browne Social and Political Activist Related Similar Articles

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Desperation led Dayron to acquire a tank that had been used to store ink. By Natalia Lopez Moya (14ymedio) HAVANA TIMES – He vigorously scrubs the...

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