Features – Page 73 – Guyana Times International

History of State House

May 12, 2017 TIMES INT'L

State House, once known as Government House, has been the official residence of several colonial governors and Guyanese presidents over the years. It is said to have had its origins in the 1820s, when the building was originally owned by William Percy Austin, the first Anglican Bishop of Guyana. Ordinances were passed in 1852 and 1863 allowing the purchase of the property to establish an official residence for the governor of what was then British Guiana. After independence, the country’s first president, Arthur Chung chose State House as his official…

Guyanese author pens book to celebrate the abolition of indentureship

May 2, 2017 TIMES INT'L

“Champions of Indo-Guyanese Welfare, 1838-1938” is a well-documented study and Dr Basdeo Mangru, an overseas-based Guyanese, latest book on Indian immigration into Guyana. It was published to commemorate the centennial of the abolition of indentureship in March 1917. This system, which lasted 87 years, was described as “a new system of slavery, slavery in another guise, regulated serfdom” and was a stigma on India. It took a massive anti-indentureship campaign, solely confined to India, to bring an end to this iniquitous system. “Champions of Indo-Guyanese Welfare, 1838-1938” concentrates on individuals…

Putting Guyana on the map

May 2, 2017 TIMES INT'L

The Royal Geographical Society of London entrusted Sir Robert Hermann Schomburgk with conducting an expedition of exploration of British Guiana in 1835; his work, it is claimed, led to the successful Venezuela and Brazil boundary arbitrations for Guyana, then British Guiana. Schomburgk was born June 5, 1804 in the town of Freyburg on the River Unstrut, in Germany. The eldest of five siblings, he showed an early interest in nature, and in the 1820s, while living with his uncle, he learned botany from a professor. Later, after several years of…

A flair for fashion

May 2, 2017 TIMES INT'L

Shaunell Duesbury, founder of Shunz Royal, is a talented makeup artist and an aspiring designer and ophthalmologist. She is a former student of North Georgetown Primary and St.Roses High School. Presently, Shaunell is pursuing studies in optometry at the University of Guyana. “I am very passionate about the eyes because I feel it is the most outstanding feature of the body and must be taken care of,” Shaunell said in an interview with Sunday Times Magazine. To compliment her other talents, the 20-year-old pursued makeup artistry and fashion designing. Her…

Off the beaten track

May 2, 2017 TIMES INT'L

The picturesque Burro-Burro river, Region Nine, lies minutes away from the popular rainforest resort Surama and Iwokrama International Centre for Conservation and Development. At Burro-Burro, the surrounding community established Carahaa Landing Camp, a hammock camp on the river edge and also the starting point for many river trips. This camp offers a base for night walks and day break canoe floats on the river, which allows the opportunity to observe giant river otters, tapir, spider monkeys and many more species. A trip on the river reveals rich biodiversity and picturesque…

British Guiana in 1913

April 21, 2017 TIMES INT'L

By Peter Halder The year 1913 was propitious for British Guiana. Sir Walter Egerton was the British governor. For the first time, the head of the British sovereign appeared on British Guiana postage stamps. The first map showing the Corentyne River as the boundary between British Guiana and Dutch Guiana (Suriname) was published. The population of the colony reached some 300,000 and the population of Georgetown was 58,000. The Amerindian population was 13,000. Sugar, known as ‘Demerara Crystal’, continued to be the major export. In 1913, the first airplane flight…

History of street lighting, tree planting in Georgetown

April 21, 2017 TIMES INT'L

Have you ever looked at the towering trees on Main Street or around Georgetown and thought of when tree planting in the capital city began? Or thought of the history of the installation of street lights? Gas lighting According to the book “The story of Georgetown” by James Rodway, Stabroek was lighted in early times with lanterns fastened to wallaba posts. The oil used was probably train oil. In 1860 kerosene was introduced and iron lamp posts erected. Rodway also said in his book that gas lighting had been mentioned…

Supernaam: The Secondary Town

April 21, 2017 TIMES INT'L

By Isahak Basir CCH Supenaam, located on the mainland situated left of the Essequibo River and Wakenaam, is an island. Supenaam and Wakenaam are two Dutch words. Originally, Supenaam was involved in agricultural production and subsidized the former sugar estates of Aurora and the 12 sugar plantations of Wakenaam. It also served as a communication point for Fort Island. On one occasion, a Dutch entourage had its vessel sunk in the vicinity of Troolie Island and several persons drowned. Their bodies were recovered from the river and entombed at Caria…

Hamburg Beach

April 21, 2017April 21, 2017 TIMES INT'L

Hamburg Beach is located along the private island of Tiger Island, Region Three (West Demerara/Essequibo Islands). It is a location where families and friends gather to enjoy music, games, fly a kite and even enjoy a refreshing dip in the cool water. It is the ultimate destination for a fun family trip.

Treasures of the National Collection

April 21, 2017 TIMES INT'L

From simple beginnings, the National Collection over the years has gathered and exhibited artwork of Guyana’s best artists Guyana’s national gallery of art, officially known as the National Collection, is housed at Castellani House, the name given to the building in honour of its designer and builder Cesar Castellani. The art collection’s unofficial beginnings developed in the 1950s when public subscription was mustered to purchase a Denis Williams painting, “Human World”. Its official start came in 1962, when the National History and Arts Council was established, which began to acquire…