Category: Features

“Silent night, holy night All is calm and all is bright Round yon virgin, mother and child Holy infant, so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace.” That is how it always started. I remember it like it was just yesterday. The first time the carollers visited our small home. They were from the church my father attended and it was Christmas Eve night, mommy was in the kitchen hurriedly trying to finish baking a cake so the carollers would be able to indulge. It is one of my fondest…

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Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP as it is referred to, is a pill that can reduce the risk of contracting the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in persons who are HIV negative. The daily pill, under the Truvada brand, can result in 90 to 98 per cent protection against the disease and caters mainly for those whose partners are HIV positive. According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pre-exposure prophylaxis is when people at very high risk for HIV take HIV medicines daily to lower their chances of getting…

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By Lakhram Bhagirat “I remember it as though it was just yesterday when in fact it has been six years now. It was a Wednesday morning and I went to GRPA (Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association) for an HIV test and there my world shattered. I was nervous as hell and then they drew the blood and sent me upstairs to talk to the counsellor and await the results. I think I waited like about half hour for the results, but it seemed like it was days. When I was called…

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The Rupununi is by far one of the most picturesque areas in Guyana. The vast savannahs surrounded by the hills and mountains creates the best experience for someone who is all about adventure and wants to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life to enjoy the calmness that the Rupununi exudes. The Rupununi is also the home to several of Guyana’s Indigenous tribes who still practice their traditional way of life. It is an amazing experience to go hunting is the vast creeks or forest with the…

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The talent in Guyana remains immeasurable but the avenues to channel them remains limited. However, that does not stop young people from forging ahead and making a name for themselves. Last week, we focused on some of the elegant evening gowns designed by young Naomi Murray and this week are going to focus on another aspect of her talent. Not only does she go overboard to create the most elegant and stylish dresses but Naomi also creates unique accessories as depicted in the photos below. Her eye for creativity knows…

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Nature has the uncanny ability to transcend us from a place of worry to one where we are in tune with our inner being and at peace. Guyana is nature rich but quite often we do not take the time to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us. We are too caught up in making money, which is good, but ever so often we should take a break, get barefooted and connect with the earth. Among the uncountable places, we can go connect is the Pandama Retreat. Pandama is located along…

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By Lakhram Bhagirat “I have been living with HIV for 15 years now and I am thankful for every passing day that I have here. Some days I just sit down alone and wonder what my life would be if I had been taught how to protect myself from an early state,” Maria says. Maria (not her real name) is a 35-year-old accountant who has been living with HIV for over 15 years and according to her, every day has been nothing short of “life-changing”. I sat down with Maria…

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(Extract of a conversation with Laura Johnston Kohl and Jordan Vilchez, Guyana, March 2018, both are Jonestown survivors. Kohl has already published one book on Jonestown with another forthcoming while Vilchez is preparing two books on the subject for young adults. Part 1 was published in April of this year; the opening remark is shown here in italic.) PP No one book can account for a people’s history. Parts of our history are still stored in diaries and memoires and in foreign archives. However, sometimes we are fortunate to have…

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… Miss World Pageant slated for December 8 Guyanese are urged to vote for Miss World Guyana as the Miss World pageant has launched its online Head-to-Head Challenge. As such, Miss World Guyana, Ambika Ramraj, is seeking the assistance of her Guyanese fans to cast their votes in favour of her. The voting is done in a four-way medium. First on the official Miss World Page at Https://Missworld.com/#/contestants/5408. In addition, persons can vote on Facebook by liking, sharing, following and commenting on posts done by Miss Guyana World. Simply go…

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Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it. It is alarming to know that one in three women and girls experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime, most frequently by an intimate partner. According to the United Nations (UN), only 52 per cent of women married or in a union freely make their own decisions about sexual relations, contraceptive use and health…

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