Apr 29, 2012

Podcast of Mark McWatt's interview by Commonwealth Writers





Prof. Mark McWatt was recently interviewed on his works. To access a podcast of this interview, please go to this site http://www.commonwealthwriters.org/interview-with-guyanese-writer-mark-mcwat/ and click on Listen to the Podcast. 


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_McWatt

Biodiversity Manual


Godfrey  Bourne and Carol Bourne have published “The CEIBA Reader:  an introduction to the people, ecosystems, plants, animals and cuisine of CEIBA  Biological Center, Guyana.”, a text for students taking field courses in  Guyana.”  Students taking “Documenting  Biodiversity in the Land of the Macusis“ during the 2010 Winter Intersession was the first group using this text as a primer.  Many chapters in the book were co-authored  with high school students, UMSL undergraduates, and graduate students who  collaborated on research projects completed at CEIBA Biological Center,  Madewini, Guyana.  Chapters in this book  focus on the beetles, frogs, butterflies, fish, and lizards in the area. 
 Prof. Bourne, a Saints Alumnus,  is Associate Professor of Evolutionary and Tropical Ecology at the University of Michigan. He is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of CEIBA Biological Center Inc., a nonprofit organization designed to build capacity for Neotropical biotic research, education, and conservation in Guyana.
http://icte.umsl.edu/faculty/bourne.html
http://www.evergreenstudy.org/ceiba.htm
http://www.redorbit.com/images/pic/29365/ceiba-research-guyana-image-2/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TrogonViolaceus.jpg


Apr 28, 2012

Managerial and Supervisory Skills Training Workshop



On April 2 and 3, 2012, an in-house Training workshop was held for Senior Staff at the College. The title was "Managerial and Supervisory Skills Workshop for Administrative Staff of St. Stanislaus College" and the theme "Grooming Administrative Staff for Effective Leadership". The Coordinator was Mr. Vibert Hart with technical assistance from Dr. Maude Bullen-McKenzie, Consultant. Ms. Doomattee Singh (Asst. Chief Education Officer-Secondary) declared the workshop open. The general objective was to qualitatively improve the capacity of the Senior Administrative Staff for their roles as managers, supervisors and teachers in the delivery of quality education. Ms. Donna Chapman (Deputy Chief Education Officer -Admin) made a presentation on "Education Policy Implementation - Issues and Concerns". Ms. Melcita Bovell (Co-ordinator-SBS) gave the closing remarks. Written evaluations from the Saints staff members indicated that the workshop was very useful. We take this opportunity to express our gratitude to the Toronto Alumni, sponsors of the event. 


Photos
In the photos above, Board of Governors' Chairman, Mr. Chris Fernandes is seen chatting with the Headmistress, Mr. Hart, Ms. Granger-Ba (PTA), and Ms. Singh. Receiving their course participation certificates are the Headmistress, Ms. Merrill (from Ms. Bovell), the DHM, Ms. Daniels (from Dr. Bullen McKenzie), and HOD-ICT, Mr. Skeete (from Ms. Granger-Ba).

Apr 22, 2012

Concert of Voices: An Anthology of World Writing in English by Victor Ramraj


 Saints' alumnus, Prof. Victor Ramraj of the University of Calgary, has edited an anthology of Commonwealth Literature. It is highly recommended for all our students.

 
Prof. Ramraj's voluminous anthology is in effect a who's who of prominent and less well known writers across the English-speaking world. A cursory glance at the contents brings a gleam of recognition to the eye even for someone whose background is limited to the Caribbean and Canada. We find fiction, plays, essays and poems by Achebe, Louise Bennett, Neil Bissoondath, Edward Braithwaite, Austin Clarke, Dabydeen, Fred D'Aguiar, Gordimer, Wilson Harris, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Jamaica Kinkaid, Pauline Melville, Mervin Morris, Mistry, Naipaul, R.K Narayan, Ondaatjie, Rhys, Sasenarine Persaud, Olive Senior, Philip Sherlock, Selvon, Soyinka, Ngugi wa Thiongo, and Walcott, to name a few.

In his introduction, Ramraj states that his intention is "to provide an alternative text to anthologies of traditional and established writings (in which the new writings in English invariably are displaced and marginalised) and to complement these anthologies". The selections can be used to show "that literature alerts us to the common and shared in human experience, whatever our own particular cultural, ethnic, historical. national, or political attachments".  What is common to humanity: human relations at the level of the family, community, nation (at home or abroad) are all covered in the selection against a background of diverse cultures.
 
In the multicultural environment that we experience in the Caribbean or North America, it is crucial to realise that beneath it all we are individuals sharing the same basic hopes, dreams. insecurites and concerns of all those around us, no matter what superficial differences may exist. Prof. Ramraj's anthology helps bring home this fact to the reader while simulaneously providing a fascinating read and great insight into various cultures.
 
G.W.

http://www.guyanachronicle.com/site/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=40815:concert-of-guyanese-voices&catid=18:lead-stories&Itemid=17

St. Stanislaus upsets in Under-13 Hockey Final




Congrats to the winning Saints team in the Global Technology Schools Competition which was part of the recently-concluded Western Union Junior Hockey Team indoor tournament.

 

Ontario Volunteer Service Award to Bunty Phillips of SSCAAT


Congratulations to Toronto Saints Executive Committee member, Bunty Phillips, who was a recipient of the Ontario Volunteer Service Award (15 years) in a ceremony on Monday, March 26th. His years of committment to the Saints community has included service at various times as Director, Assistant Secretary, Secretary, Assistant Treasurer, Treasurer, and President as well as his present role as Editor of the quarterly newsletter News and Views. He has also working untiringly to obtain Charitable status for the newly-formed St. Stanislaus College (Guyana) Alumni Society and is a major presence at the annual Last Lap Lime, and all other fund-raising events.
 
The Toronto Alumni Association is working continuously to raise funds for our College for clearly identified projects and to assist in the transfer of Information and Communications Technology in Education.

The Saints Choir




The Saint Stanislaus Choir is seen above taking part in the 2010 Guyana Music Teachers Association annual concert, ‘Musicians on Stage’ . It was held at the Marian Academy Auditorium, Carifesta Avenue.

 

Apr 20, 2012

Recent Book by Saints Alumnus

St. Stanislaus Alumnus, Colin Bobb-Semple, has recently written a book on English Common Law, African Enslavement and Human Rights.

This book is an expanded version of an essay by the author published in Texas Wesleyan Law Review "English Common Law, Slavery, and Human Rights" 13 Tex. Wesleyan L. Rev. 659 (2007), which was developed from a paper presented by the author at a conference in Gloucester, England in 2006 "Too Pure an Air: Law and the Quest for Freedom, Justice, and Equality"; it discusses villeinage in England and the regal age of African history, with particular reference to Kemet (Ancient Egypt), its influence on Greek and Roman law and consequently on European and English Law; the legal aspects of "human chattel" African enslavement as it applied to English plantations in the Americas, with examples from Guyana, South America; the way in which English Common Law dealt with the issue of African enslavement when faced with court applications by Africans who sought emancipation on English soil; the African holocaust e.g. the Zong maritime genocide and insurance claim; the development of human rights in England and on the plantations in Guyana, notably the 1763 Berbice Revolutionary War of Independence led by Kofi against the Dutch colonists, during which an African revolutionary government was formed, believed to be the first of its kind in the region, preceding the American Revolutionary War of Independence (1775-1783), The French Revolution (1789-1802) and the Haitian Revolutionary War of Independence (1791-1804); the Demerara Uprising in 1823, led by Jack Gladstone, son of Quamina, during which 13,000 enslaved Africans sought unconditional emancipation from the British, greatly influencing the abolition cause in England; the Essequibo protest led by Damon in 1834 against the apprenticeship system which was introduced by law in most of the British colonies on emancipation; and the incorporation of several Articles of the European Convention on Human Rights in the domestic law of the UK in 2000.

The Badminton Team 2011


Here are a few photos of the Saints team which participated in the GBA/IMON Tournament in 2011. In the first photo, Kevin Mohan is seen receiving the 4th place Cup.  Nicholas Moore (green pants) is seen in action in the second and Josh Odit is seen holding the Cup in the Team photo.

Photo courtesy: GBA

Apr 16, 2012

Reunion of the '61 Saints Graduating Class



The Saints Class of 1961 went home to Guyana for 11 days from (March 30th to April, 10th) to celebrate their 50th anniversary.
On the program, biographical updates on the following alumni were printed: David Adams, Milton Chee-A-Tow, Elson Da Silva, Compton De Castro, Oliver Farnum, Chris Fernandes, Trevor Gomes, Richard Harford, Ronald F De C Harford, Desmond Hill, Dickson Hooper, Denis La Borde, Frank Mandal, Winston Quail, Bryan Rodrigues, Dennis Rodrigues, Ernest Siebs, Francis Van Slytman, Lennox Williams, and Godfrey Wray.  All except Elson Da Silva, Denis La Borde, and Compton De Castro were able to make it to Georgetown for the occasion.
Kester Alves, Thomas De Castro, and Laurie Dyal were fondly remembered in tributes written by Godfrey Wray, Rupert De Castro and Bryan’s wife, respectively.  A dinner was held at the Forum of Saint Stanislaus College on Saturday 30th, at which Bernard Gibbs and Michael Belgrave were also remembered in prayer by Rev. Oliver Farnum, a 1961 class member.
The group was kept busy with a Bus Tour of the City, a Bounty Farm trip, Sunday Mass, a Reception, an Oldies Night at Club Tropicana, optional trips to Bartica, Baganara, Berbice, Arrow Point, Kaieteur and Orinduik, and even some kite-flying at the Saints (Big) Ground with a Bar-B-Q  Lunch.
Many brothers, sisters, wives, and cousins used this opportunity to come back and enjoy Guyana's Hospitality with some Cook-up with Fry Fish, Metagee, Salt Fish and Bake, Pepperpot and Bread, etc. which brought back so many memories. They all had a fabulous time and most were sad to leave.  Chris, the official host, expressed the wish that this would not be our guests' last trip to Guyana.

Apr 15, 2012

St. Stanislaus College Bible Club















The St. Stanislaus College Bible Club is a Christian youth movement reaching out to students of St. Stanislaus College and other schools. Its mission is to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. Meetings take place every Wednesday.




Photos of Christmas Concert 2011
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.258151680910724.60546.236513029741256&type=3

Spotlighting Elishaba Johnson

The Saint Stanislaus Farm



 
The Saint Stanislaus Farm, in existence over 35 years now, is a centre of agricultural innovation in Guyana. This is recognised by the fact that the USAID-funded Partners' Farmer to Farmer program has its Guyana Office on the compound.


http://www.hydroponics-simplified.com/guyana-college-lettuce-raft.html 

The Saints Basketball Uniforms



We would like to record our thanks to Alumnus Shane Ally of Total Protection Systems Inc. as well as to Dyna’s Embroidery for getting us such attractive uniforms.

Apr 12, 2012

The Saints Facebook Wall


Courtesy of Eon Deen

Fr. Darke and the Saints troop


Fr. Bernard Darke was for many years the Scoutmaster at Saints and organised several trips to the hinterland. Starting in the 60s, he laid the very foundation of the vibrant troop that exists at Saints even today.


http://www.indcatholicnews.com/news.php?viewStory=14604

A Badminton Tradition



Saints has been playing badminton for some time in the recent past. Last year, in March 2011, with players Kevin Mohan, Josh Odit, Nicholas Moore, Aretha Legall and Jinelle Joseph, we took part in the  GBA/IMON Wireless Solutions Inter-School Badminton Tournament. We are proud to note that the Managing Director of IMON, Kieron Stephens, is a Saints alumnus.


http://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2011/03/14/qc-win-imon-wireless-solutions-badminton-title/

http://imon-gy.com/

Apr 9, 2012

A Leader


We recognise the outstanding performance in Basketball in 2011 of 5' 10" shooting guard Neil Gordon of the Saints Under 19 team.
 


http://www.youthbasketballguyana.com/Saints.html

Apr 5, 2012

St. Stanislaus College Fair 2012




On Saturday March 24th , Saints held a very successful fair (Saints Family Affair 2012) organised by the College PTA. A wide variety of stalls and games attracted the attention of students, relatives, friends, and well-wishers.  Most popular were the Chinese and Ice-Cream food stalls.  In terms of games, the most popular by far was the "Pelt the Cans" booth.  Despite a bit of rain at the start, a great time was had by all.
Congrats to students Wanda Emptage (Lower 6th Science) and Terrence Walker (1A) who sold the most tickets and to Mr. Moses’ Class 1A which sold the highest number by class.  Our sincere thanks and appreciation go out to the PTA Chair, Ms. Sharon Granger-Ba, and her team of parents, teachers, and students.