Category: Features

Melinda Shankar and Simone Small are two television actresses known for their talents in the film industry who never cease identifying the source of their colourful personality – their rich cultural Guyanese background. Melinda Shankar Melinda Shankar is a talented young actress best known for her role in the Canadian teen drama television series: “Degrassi – The Next Generation”. She was born and raised in Ottawa, Canada to Guyanese migrant parents. The actress, born Feb. 18, 1992, started her acting career at age 10 appearing in TV commercials, print ads…

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By Danielle Campbell Some people refer to it as intuition. Some say it is all about God’s providence and guidance, but what Nadira Tulsie and her husband know for sure is that whatever it was that stopped them from going out that day; definitely saved their lives. Tulsie and her husband, of Port Mourant, Corentyne, had gone before to the backlands to make brooms along with her aunt, Florry Papiah, Papiah’s friend, Jennifer Pooran and a 21-year-old cousin, Deodat Persaud. But on September 29, 2012, Tulsie decided against going with…

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By Danielle Campbell-Lowe Michael Griffith is a local portrait artist who understands that beyond the faces he so masterfully sketches are far more intricate details than just the wrinkled lines on a furrowed brow. Griffith grew up in South Georgetown and attended South Ruimveldt primary and North Ruimveldt multilateral schools. He began drawing sketches around the age of eight and by the time he was 14, Griffith was sketching faces with the first-class skill of a trained professional. However, Griffith did not realise his talent until friends of his started…

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DJ Troy Roberts talks about building model planes and his dream to create history From the mining town of Linden, Troy Roberts is a mastermind at constructing a variety of RC model planes, incorporating technical formulas in order to fly them skilfully. Famous in the Linden community for his remote controlled model planes, and his work as a DJ, he is yet to receive national accolades for his craft as only a few people outside the mining town are familiar with his innovative creations. It was the 2011 Building Expo…

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Abiola Abrams is a first-generation Guyanese-American author, columnist, speaker, filmmaker and multimedia personality who was raised in New York City.  Also a certified wellness coach, Abiola gives heartfelt, no-nonsense, stigma-free advice on self esteem and self worth, body image issues, healthy relationships, mental health, sexual health, and how to live with verve. The first person in her Guyanese family born in the U.S., Abrams was bullied in her African American neighbourhood for being “the wrong kind of black” while attending a prestigious all-girls prep school as a child and teenager.…

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By Danielle Campbell When Rita Ramlagan decided to check on her daughter and grandchildren in August 2006, she never believed that anything amiss had befallen them. The woman had gone to the Lot 102 Grove Public Road, East Bank Demerara property where her daughter, 43-year-old Danmattie Kayman had been staying with an elderly gentleman. The man, Fred Looknauth, had taken Kayman, her seven-year-old daughter Alicia Kirkpatrick and three-year-old son, Melville Kayman in after they were evicted and had nowhere else to go. Kayman’s mother recalled that when she called for…

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Andrew Hanoman (first from left kneeling) poses with fellow 2012 National Scholarship Winners of Presentation College, Chaguanas and prinicpal Andrew Hanoman is focused on becoming the fifth generation of doctors in his family. The aspiring doctor hopes to use his medical knowledge to address health issues; making his country a healthier nation. Andrew would be the fifth generation of doctors in the Ramdeholl-Hanoman family, dating as far back as 1913. So far his family has produced 23 doctors and a similar number of lawyers. Andrew won an Open Scholarship from…

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U.S.-based Guyanese educator, poet, author and public speaker Cheryl Ainsworth-Martin, firmly believes that education is priority, and with hard work comes success. These beliefs come from personal experience, and are documented in her recently published books. Cheryl grew up in Victoria Village on the East Coast of Demerara. In a 2011 interview she said her parents, both principals, instilled in their nine children the significance of an education, and the satisfaction it would bring in sharing it. As such, they all became teachers. She began her training at Cyril Potter…

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Playing the saxophone has inspired Roy Stuart to spread hope to the disabled through music Roy serenading on his saxophone Although visually impaired, Roy Stuart is not holding back on following his dreams of becoming a great saxophonist. He is resolute to spread hope to the disabled through his music and to anyone who is willing to listen. Speaking with Guyana Times Sunday Magazine, Roy said he is originally from Linden but was raised and schooled in Suriname. At 22, he returned to Guyana to pursue studies in Theology and…

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