Thoughts of a minibus traveller

[This review was never published but shared with Ruel ] This is Ruel Johnson's second book of short fiction and it claims to be an "interrogation in the lives of Guyana's Generation X. The book has 10 pieces of short fiction which are meant to examine "..issues of racial mistrust, individual alienation, exile and return.."   Ruel 's introduction complains of the authenticity of Guyanese literature and criticises those who write from outside of Guyana/the Caribbean and who are regarded as authentic voices of literature. The first piece, CCLE a personal journal is a diary of notes which refer to a trip to Canada. Those who know Ruel would assume that this is an autobiographical piece which made no sense. Rambling notes are entertaining. The descriptions were a bit tedious of places and characters and situations - and the reference to the 'Asian' man was interesting, most Guyanese writing authentically from Guyana would have said 'c...

[I do not like giving speeches nor do I like listening to them usually, I prefer to have conversations with people. Nevertheless, I could not say no. This is perhaps the most difficult thing I have done in my life. In the evaluation, two current students and one old student said that it was 'okay'. this is not a verbatim of the speech, somethings changed 19 Feb, 2009} .. Chairperson, Distinguished guests, staff members, students, parents, friends all [In the Hindu tradition, I would like to acknowledge my teachers. To Mademoiselle Pearson, I say Je Suis tres hereux de vous voir". And I also acknowledge Mrs Crawford, who now we communicate on the maintenance of the only website on the history of chinese immigration in Guyana] I am deeply honoured by the schools' invitation to participate in one of the most significant events in the school's annual calender.. When I told my mother , also an old student of the school,   that I had been asked to give this address,...

Stabroek News March 18, 2007 Culinary Delights II ( Georgetown : The Women's Club of the Indian Cultural Centre) 'Fainting Imam' is the name of one of the interesting recipes in Culinary Delights II, the second edition of a collection of recipes edited by the Women's Club of the Indian Cultural Centre of Guyana. The production of Culinary Delights is one of the activities which the club embarked on to strengthen cultural ties between the peoples of Guyana and India, while the funds raised from the sale of the book support the club's charitable projects. The purpose of the book is to bring together a "lively blend of cooking methods from Guyana and India" while "promoting the use of locally available ingredients enhanced with herbs and spices from both countries." Each section is prefaced by colourful illustrations of some of the dishes. This second edition was published as part of the club's 25th anniversary, and features over a hundr...

[Ms Magda Pollard asked me to review this recipe book. ] Published in Stabroek News - 17 December, 2006 Baked eel and crapaud soup are two interesting foods which we will not find on many Guyanese menus. The recipes for these and many other interesting dishes are in the book An Adventure in Caribbean Cuisine produced by the Caribbean Association of Home Economists (CAHE). CAHE was founded in 1972 and has membership from among home economics educators, health educators, nutritionists and dieticians from the English-speaking Caribbean, Puerto Rico and the USA. This book is a product of the Research Committee of CAHE, and it is intended also to serve as a guide through "the romance of the traditional, and the excitement of the contemporary in Caribbean cuisine." The book is organised into two parts. The first part presents some of the traditional recipes from 17 Caribbean states. The second part, entitled 'An Invitation to Adventure' presents what appear to be the...

[From Weekender in February 2006] Last year October, Guyana Chronicle writer Ruel Johnson referred to SASOD' s efforts at organising a gay and lesbian film festival as 'pseudo-intellectual posturing'. That condemnation was interesting, since at the time SASOD did attempt to open up and also ground the discussions around gay and lesbian issues to people who do not read the letter columns of the newspapers. How do you feel about the level of intellectual stimulation in Guyana? How do you feel about having your own intellect stimulated (as opposed to other parts of your being/body)? Do you feel that there is enough objective conversations in Guyana? Do you view intellectual pursuits as 'elitist'? Or that they are beyond you? Do you feel that now you have finished school/University, you need a rest from thinking or being innovative? Guyana's dysfunction has resulted in a paucity of places for any kind of intellectual pursuit – rum shops aside. This however,...

(Viewpoint from 2005) How tolerant are you? How much difference of opinion and views can you handle? How rigid are your own thinking and views – have you changed your opinion about anything recently? What has caused those changes? To what extent would you go to get others who think differently from you to convert to your views? How much would you accept others trying to confront your beliefs and values without wanting to pick a fight with them? I believe these questions are important at a time when it would appear that there is rising intolerance and displays of prejudice, which have resulted in violent conflicts - between nations or between people. In Guyana, it is important for us to address our own prejudices and levels of intolerance as we create a plural society. My parents this year were accosted by a Christian missionary who felt that the jhandhi flag in our yard was a symbol of our evil and hence it was necessary to save us. My normally tolerant family were shocked at th...

First Published in the Weekender in 2006 Sanity A man urinated on me in front of Igloo Ice cream parlour on Camp Street. It was a Sunday evening, and there were a lot of people buying ice cream . The man was standing around begging and then started to urinate, Yes, right there in front of everybody. And no, nobody could do anything. There were mutterings around him from the crowd, some embarrassed shouts and curses, but the man was in his own world and happily ignored everyone. I passed behind him, thinking a good distance, when he turned around and moved suddenly. His face had this expression of happiness, he was smiling and his eyes were toward the sky, oblivious to any of the people around him. It is not very often you see such expressions of pure joy and glee on any of the adults around Georgetown. My preoccupation with his face caused me to neglect what was going on at my feet. What would you have done? The man did not care about any reaction from the sane people around him. ...