Campus Buzz December 2012

The University of the West Indies, Mona

thecampusbuzz.tumblr.com

ChristmasChristmasEditionChanging ChristmasPg.2

Vendors Cry FoulPg.5

Kingston: ATwo-Faced CityPg.16

Christmas theCaribbean WayPg.28

Beauty in the KitchenPg.20

New ‘Beast’ In TownPg.32

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Campus Buzz 3- Tessa Thomas_Campus Buzz Template 11/30/12 6:52 PM Page 1

CAMPUS BUZZ

buzz Feature

Page 2 December 2012

See CHANGE on P3

Shereita Grizzle

Campus Buzz Reporter

With Christmas fasta p p r o a c h i n g ,many Jamaicans

are feeling a sense of loss andnostalgia while othersanticipate an exciting holidayseason.

In this the 50th year ofIndependence, the Junkanoocelebrations are today almostnon-existent. Children of the21st century are unaware of afestive celebration that intimes past defined Christmas

in Jamaica.

According to the JamaicaCultural DevelopmentCommission (JCDC), theJonkunno festival dates backto the days of slavery. Itcomprises a band ofmasqueraders that appears insome towns and villages atChristmas time. It has variouscharacters who would parade

through the streets ofJamaica accompanied bymusicians. Charactersincluded; Cow Head orHorse Head, King and Queen(wearing a veil), a Devil,Pitchy-Patchy, Belly Womanand Feathers, a policeman to

monitor the crowds.

Senior Jamaicans theCampus Buzz spoke toreflected on their childhoodwith a great sense ofnostalgia. Leroy Smith, 42,reminisced on Christmascelebrations when he was aboy, stating that childrentoday know nothing of theircultural heritage. “Bwoy mi atell yuh, tings and time reallychange, when I was a boyChrismus was Chrismus”. Herecalled the street parades, theJunkanoo festival and howterrified he was of the ‘devil’in the parade but said if hecould go back he wouldn’tchange anything. Smith saidhe would try and changechristmas celebrations now to

r e f l e c tt r ad i t ion .

“Mi wish mypickney demdid kno jus alikkle boutJunkannu jus

so they could pass it onbecause fi tell u di truth wiJamaican chrismus a dead”.

T h e G o v e r n m e n tinformation service JIS,indicated that Junkanoo lostits significance after it wasbanned in 1841 by the Mayorof Kingston. The traditiondeclined rapidly thereafter,except in the rural areaswhere the ban was not

initiated.Other celebrations that

usually mark the Christmasseason is dying slowly.Michelle Williams, 39,remembers how mesmerisedshe used to be by the beautyof the Christmas lightsadorning the streets of almostevery house in hercommunity.

ChangingChristmas!

CAMPUS BUZZ

buzz Feature



buzz Feature

Others shared similarsentiments, but stated thatthe economic situation inthe country has had aprofound impact onChristmas celebrations inrecent times.

Shauna Mason, 45, saidthat Christmas haschanged because peoplehave no money.“Chrismus tun Chrisbruk,is not that peoplewouldn’t wah fix up demplace an ting but dem jusnuh av di money.”

Statistics gained fromthe Statistical Institute ofJamaica (STATIN),Jamaica’s Gross DomesticProduct (GDP) has beenon an annual decline. TheGDP of a country is usedto measure how thecountry’s economy ismanaging. STATIN’swebsite reveals that in2002 the Jamaicaneconomy declined by 0.7percent. That figure grewto 1.4 percent in 2008.This has resulted in priceincreases on basic fooditems.

Some persons theCampus Buzz spoke tosaid that even thoughpeople have financialconstraints, they find away to make Christmas

dinner special. “Everytingraise up but yuh only eatcertain food once a year sowi save up cuz if wi nuhget nuttin else wi belly musfull,” said Roxanne

Anderson, 36.Cooking a lot of food,

particularly ham usuallymarks the Christmasseason. “Mi nuh feel like aChrismus if mi nuh eatham, da dinner deh nuhcomplete, even a likklepiece yuh mus av,” said 56year old Marvette Grey.

Some young people arehappy with Christmas theway it is today. ChristopherCoombs, 19, said he doesnot see anything wrongwith change, all that shouldmatter is that what peopleare doing is making themhappy. “I don’t knowanything about Junkanooand it doesn’t really matterto me, it obviously did itstime and now its time tocreate new traditions.”These new traditions hesays are parties that areheld more often during theDecember period. “Asidefrom the cool breeze, Iknow Christmas is nearbecause di party dem tunup, nuff niceness and divibes jus different,”Coombs said.

CAMPUS BUZZ December 2012 Page 3

[email protected]

cont’d from page 2


CAMPUS BUZZPage 4 December 2012

editorial

WItH tHe sound of carolsalready pervading the air-waves and traditional

christmas decorations adorningbuildings, the familiar sentiment ofhaving increased family time comesto mind. However, has the entireideal of family time been redefinedwith the advent of electronic gadg-ets and social media platforms?With the increase in use of ipads,handheld games, laptops, facebook,twitter, Instagram among others,has the definition of quality familytime changed? Unfortunately, forsome it has.

Many critics aptly described it asbeing ‘together, but separate’.Scenarios have been described wherea family is sitting in a room, and ratherthan choosing to sit and talk to eachother, each person opts to text or e-mail someone who is possibly sittingbeside them. Has the value of oralcommunication been lost in our fami-lies?

Technology has often been describedas a double edged sword which hasbeen instrumental in cutting the spec-trums of distance and time, thusenabling family members to have videocommunication even when they are liv-ing on different continents(!).

The irony cannot be overlooked how-ever, when we see how something that

has for so long been praised for bring-ing people together, is intervening inthe natural and valuable process ofintimate social communication. Associal beings, the bonds created withthose around us are incremental to ourdevelopment. It can never be seen asa good thing when families share lessface-to-face time as this will result inless cohesive and less communicativefamilies. In the Caribbean, in particu-lar, the value of the family has neverbeen understated for its role in main-taining social stability.

Some may wonder, if this discussionis simply making much ado about noth-ing. However, the impetus is for us tobe careful in assessing the role thattechnological gadgets now play in ourfamily settings and guard againstallowing them to replace traditionalmethods of parenting and communica-tion.

In a society that has lost so muchfooting as it pertains to families andtheir role in facilitating social cohesion,let us not lose anything more. Thevalue of spending quality time, talkingand sharing witheach other directlyshould not be ignoredor lost – not only atChristmas, butthroughout the year.

New Age ParentingNew Age Parenting


News Feature


Vendors

By: Shaunjaye Mitchell


“It ago rough this Christmas pon somea wi enuh...everything in the super-markets expensive and a di likkle

hustling we depend on fi survive.” That’s how 37-year-old Denise Smalling,

described the situation facing the vendors inthe downtown Kingston market district.

Smalling, who has been selling in theCoronation Market for close to 10 yearsbelieves that the decision of the Kingston andSt. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) to removeseveral illegal vendors and stalls from theunregulated areas was a “tough one.” She con-tends that the KSAC could have waited untilthe end of the Christmas period before carryingout the operation, because that is when manyvendors get to make a decent profit.

“How wi ago start off di new year...how demexpect we, the poor people, fi have a goodmeal fi di Christmas?” asked an obviouslyangry Smalling.

Donnette Wynter, a mother of three children,is a seasonal vendor who only plies her waresin the Christmas season, said that the operation

has made it much more difficult for her to pro-vide for her children this year. She points to thedestruction of her stall as a major set back, asshe will now have to try and 'hustle' on thestreets, while trying to avoid the police.

“Mi haffi go try and sell pon di road nowbecause mi nuh have no stall but mi nuh knowhow mi ago work it out with the police dem,”said Wynter.

Wynter, who is from an inner-city, cooperatearea community said she is not too sure aboutChristmas this year. She is not too worriedabout her children 'enjoying' the holiday sea-son but she is more concerned about putting ameal on the table but she will now have to walkand peddle, with the hope of not encounteringthe police.

According to Wynter her condition is madeeven graver, given the fact that one of her chil-dren is autistic and requires extra attention andfrequent trips to the doctor. She also said thatthe children's father who tries his best to assistwhen he can, is not able to help out at this timebecause he too is unemployed.

A section of the downtown market after an operation by the KSACpHoto By: SHaUnjaye mItcHell

cont’d on pg 6

Displaced


“Mi nah look fi no ham this Christmas. Mijust want mi and mi kids fi have something to

eat and the new year nuh come ketch mibroke,” said Wynter.

The KSAC recently carried out an operationto remove illegally constructed stalls in 'NoVending' zones in a bid to restore order to themarket district. With the impending Christmasseason, the KSAC believes that it is best torectify the problem now so that shoppers andcommuters can have a safe and hassle freeholiday season.

Gary Robotham, Commercial ServicesManager at the KSAC, said the capacity in theCoronation Market is about 8,000 vendors butthere are only 5000 active spaces being usedbecause of restorative work being carried outand major disrepair in some areas. He admit-ted that due to those issues and the influx ofwhat he referred to as “seasonal vending”, itcreated a major problem for the council whenvendors decided to set up stalls outside thedesignated vending areas. He said that thereare plans to expand the market so as to easethe congestion. However the expansion willnot be able to accommodate everyone whowants to sell in the Coronation Market.

“The market can accommodate so much

people and no more...the problem that we arehaving is not with the regular vendors but withthe influx of vendors from all over at this timeof the year,” said Robotham.

“People from as far away as Westmorelandcome to sell in the Coronation Market and itjust cannot work,” added Robotham.

According to Robotham the council couldnot just sit by and watch the problem festerand become a hazard for commuters and shop-pers alike. As a result the KSAC passed a res-olution to clear all illegal vending areas ofstalls and handcart operators. He said that con-sideration was given to vendors in light of theChristmas season and that the concerns of thevendors were factored into the Council's deci-sion. He also said that they were given suffi-cient notice to remove their stalls and desistfrom selling in the 'No Vending' areas.

“We jus can't make it happen because ofChristmas. City leaders have to set the rules,”said Robotham.

[email protected]

A vendor looks on after her stall was demolishedcontrIBUted

Vendors Cont’d

KSAC Head OfficepHoto By: SHaUnjaye mItcHell

CAMPUS BUZZ

News Feature



Sonya Lemord

Campus Beat Reporter

While the future of the nation’s econ-omy remains in limbo due to astalled agreement with the

International Monetary Fund (IMF), and thecost of living continues to rise, disparitybetween the rich and the poor of Jamaicaremains extreme.

Data from the Statistical Institute ofJamaica (STATIN) and CIA Factbook, which isan international data index agency, report thata difference of at least 33 per cent separates theincome of the richest and poorest people in thecountry. This as almost half a millionJamaicans living below the poverty line aresurviving on less than US$2 daily according toa 2009 research by the Statistical Institute ofJamaica (STATIN).

Figures from the CIA Factbook sug-gest that the richest 10 per cent of the popula-tion account for 35.8 per cent of national con-sumption, while the poorest 10 per cent

account for just about 2.1 per cent of nationalconsumption.

STATIN also reports an increase of thecost of common household goods. TheConsumer Price Index (CPI) raised by10.5units since the start of the year. According toSTATIN, this rate gives a measure of just howmuch more households are spending in light ofeconomic conditions in the country.

Economics lecturer at the University ofWest Indies (UWI) Mona, Dr. TamoyaChristie, corroborated these figures saying thatshe has conducted studies that resulted in sim-ilar findings and concluded that it makes thecase for a significant disparity in income levelsin the country. The difference in lifestyles iseven more apparent in the KingstonMetropolitan Area where both the very richand very poor co-exist in the city.

Dr. Christie says however that the bestthat can be done is to reduce the gap. “It isnever going to be totally equal, but what youwant to do for any country is to narrow the gap

Kingston: A

Two Faced

City

cont’d on pg 8

News Feature



between the rich and the poor,” said Christiein an interview with Campus Buzz.

Christie expressed optimism sayingthat the exemption of General ConsumptionTax (GCT) on basic food items, and theProgramme of Advancement Through Healthand Education (PATH) are social protectionmechanisms that currently help to mitigate theblows of the harsh economic environmentHowever, Christie commented on the current-ly stalled IMF agreement saying that it spellstrouble for the nation’s poorest. “We need tobe able to borrow moneybecause we have currentdebt that we would needto be able to refloat,” shesaid. Dr. Christie contin-ued, “so the thing aboutit is we need sufficientcash flow to be able tosupplement the work athand...because otherwise,when it comes to crunchtime those kinds of socialspending will be the firsthit”.

The PATH pro-gramme currently assistsas many as 300,000 families and WadeBrown, second year student at the CaribbeanInstitute of Media and Communication(CARIMAC) knows how much the assistanceis important to lower income households.Brown’s family was a beneficiary of the pro-gramme for several years.

Brown’s family is now off the programmeeven as he admits, “mi poor of course! It’sjus’ dat now mi hustle,” regarding his currentfinancial situation.

The “hustle” to which Brown refersvalidates claims made by the Sir Arthur LewisInstitute of Social and Economic Studies(SALISES) that growth in the informal mar-ket accounts in part for consistently decreased

rates of poverty. The poverty rate has beendeclining since the 1990’s despite very littleor negative growth in income generated fromnational output- Gross Domestic Product(GDP).

But even as some families struggle tosurvive, others are only minimally affected.Regina Wong, second year law student at theUniversity of the West Indies (UWI) Mona,readily describes her lifestyle as one of privi-lege.

Despite the recession, and economicpitfalls, Wong says her family is able to main-tain a tradition family vacation trips to

Canada almost annually. “My parents focus on

things like family time andfinances. Yeah those are themost important things tothem,” says Wong about thethings that her parents priori-tize.

This, says Dr. Christie,is what continues to separatethe rich from the poor. Sheexplained that lower incomefamilies spend a far greaterpercentage of income on con-

sumption, while higher income families havea greater disposable income to contribute tosavings, investment, and activities that willfurther increase their wealth.

Meanwhile, SALISES paints an evenmore grim picture for the rest of Jamaica. In adocument entitled Growth and PovertyReduction in Jamaica, SALISES says, ”theincidence of poverty in the rural areas at 24.1percent is more than three times higher thanin Kingston.” This, along with the reductionof the budget allocation to PATH by $271million is, even now, dealing serious blows tothe poor.

[email protected]

...lowerincome fami-

lies spend a fargreater percent-

age of income on consumption...

cont’d from pg 7

CAMPUS BUZZ

News Feature



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CAMPUS BUZZ

CoNGraulatioNs


Moonmattie Devi Seitaran graduatedfrom The University of the WestIndies October 2012, with anHonours Diploma in Media andCommunication from CARIMAC.

Monique Mattis graduated from theUniversity of the West Indies with afirst class honours degree in Mediaand Communication from CARIMAC

Congratulations

EditorShaunjaye Mitchell

Layout EditorTessa Thomas

Photo EditorSonya Lemord

Contributors Tameika Malone

Tiffany Henry Shakera Sharpe

Shaunjaye MitchellMonique Spence

Olivea HaylesTashna-Toya Edwards

Shawne BurellTessa Thomas

Shereita GrizzleThatcher Asphall

Kryss-Ann RichardsSonya Lemord

Editor-In-Chief Dr. Corinne Barnes


buzz Feature


tameika maloneCampus Buzz Reporter

From selling grocery bags in theBerbice market in Guyana at the ageof 11, to earn enough money to pro-

vide a single meal for her and four youngerbrothers, University of the West Indies stu-dent, Moonmattie Devi Seitaram, hasstepped away from the Hindu tradition androse to academic excellence, recently grad-uating with an Honours Diploma in Mediaand Communication.

Now 23-years-old, Seitaram has hersights set on graduating again in 2015 witha Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalismand a minor in Political Science.

Hindu tradition dictates that girls arewed as children in unions arranged by theirparents. Their place in society is at home,having children and taking care of

them,while their usually older husbandsearn a living, said Seitaram.

By challenging the tradition,Seitaram attended the University ofGuyana and worked part-time in a lowincome telemarketing position; a disap-pointment to her parents who had expectedher to marry and start a family at the age of13. Seitaram would have none of that.

“All of my cousins are older and mar-ried the traditional way so they have notstopped harping about me, but that has not

stopped me from playing a major role in mybrothers’ lives.

Before I came here I was taking careof two of my brothers; one followed thewrong company and dropped out of schoolseveral times – public school could notaccept him and I sent him to private sec-ondary school at 18,” she said.

Hindu Traditions

VS

Moonmattie Seitaram broke Hindu traditions in pursuit of higher education. Traditionally young girls are married as children in pre-arranged marriages.

Breaking

pHotoS contrIBUted.

cont’d on pg 12



buzz Feature

“I was working for about US$150 permonth and I sent him and my little brother toschool. I think of myself as their mother andI treat them that way. I have certain expec-tations of them…It was hard. I am the first fe-male in my family to complete secondaryschool and have (attended university) on bothsides of my family.”

At the age of 17, the student seized the op-portunity to elevate herself by applying for avacancy at a television station and out-shone 30 contenders for the job.

From there, she developed a liking for me-dia and with the assistance of her then edi-tor she started writing stories. In 2008, withstrong opposition from her parents, theyoung journalist moved to Georgetown, thecapital to work.

“At that point I was still doing television andwas becoming well known. My parents weretotally against it but I was head strong and de-termined, I fought them and we didn’t talk fora while,” she said sadly.

Her colleague Anika Robinson, who hasknown Seitaram for over a year, said the jour-nalism major is very vocal in her beliefs andwhile she may stand alone, Seitaram isknown for her honesty.

“I think she is a very outspoken person andit can be interpreted as being blunt and inso-lent but she doesn’t mind sometimes. She hasrespect for authority, (and) respect begets re-spect and I think she really believes in that.She is not afraid to comment on controver-sial issues even if she is in the minority,”Robinson said.

Seitaram's life has been plagued by eco-nomic difficulty but this has not stopped herfrom achieving her potential. She was ex-posed to other offers and began freelancingfor major companies. It was those opportu-nities that took her to Florida where she metother young professional who encouraged herto seek formal training.

“I (went) home with it on my mind. I appliedto the University even though I didn’t have themoney and when I was accepted I was con-sidering a loan as I would have had to pay thefull Jamaican $1 million tuition becauseGuyana is not a contributing member of theOrganisation of Eastern Caribbean States(OECS).” With the financial assistanceSeitaram said she enrolled in the 2011 pro-gramme at the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communi-cation (CARIMAC) to read for the Diploma in

cont’t from pg 11

cont’d on pg 13

From being behind a desk at Guyana Times, to braving flood waters in East BankDemerara, Moonmattie Seitaram is dedicated to getting the story.


Media and Communication.After successfully completing the diploma

she applied to read for the Bachelor of Artsdegree in Journalism. Seitaram said she be-came depressed, as the semester started andshe realized she her dream could be slipping.This stemmed from her being required to paythe full tuition of Jamaican $1 million and shehad very little support.

“The first two months into the semester I waslike a zombie, going to classes but didn’t knowif I would be here the next week. It was dif-ficult for me to focus, very emotional but I hada very supportive roommate; when I was sadand depressed, she was really there for me,”she said.

Even though she struggled to adjust to Ja-maican culture which “is very different” from

home, Seitaram said she would not changea thing.

As for her parents, the journalism major saidthey are more supportive of her decision topursue higher learning. Seitaram said she in-tends to complete her Masters Degree in Po-litical Science or Journalism.

“To effect change you have to be at the pointwhere you can influence policies and people– a reality we have to consider, but I do seemyself working in journalism for a long timeand this is why I am pursuing this degree,” avery soft spoken Seitaram told campusBuzz.

[email protected]


buzz reCiPe

cont’d from 12

Ingredientslarge knob of butter

2 large leeks , halved and finely sliced

1 bay leaf

1kg floury potatoes , diced

1l chicken or vegetable stock

100ml double cream

200g smoked salmon , cut into strips

small bunch chives , snipped

Method

Heat the butter in a large saucepan and add the

leeks and bay leaf. Cook over a low heat for 8-

10 mins or until the leek is really soft, then stir

through the potatoes until coated in the butter.

Pour over the stock and cream and bring to the

simmer, then gently bubble for 10-15 mins un-

til the potatoes are really tender. If freezing at this

stage, slightly under-cook the potatoes, then de-

frost and bring back to a simmer to finish cook-

ing them and continue the recipe.

Add two-thirds of the smoked salmon, stir

through and season. Serve the soup in deep bowls

with the remaining smoked salmon and snipped

chives on the top.

Creamy Smoked Salmon, Leek & Potato Soup


Female Beggars Increase

CAMPUS BUZZ

News Feature


Shakera Sharpe

Campus Buzz reporter

Many Kingstonians are concernedabout the marked increase in beg-ging on the streets. Recently not

only disabled but able bodied women havetaken to the streets to solicit funds for a living.Is this practise fast becoming a viable alterna-tive to gainful employment or is this influx ofpanhandlers a result of the harsh economictimes?

The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN)recently indicated a marked increase in unem-ployment rates.Unemployment now lies at 14.1per cent, the highest it has been for adecade.Women are significantly affected sincethe rise in unemployment is heavily skewedtowards them. The unemployment rate is 18.3per cent among women, while for men it is 10.5per cent.

“Job haad fi get so peope affi beg,” affirmedDawn Kelly, a resident of the Elletson Flatsarea.She made reference to the recent increasein unemployment in the country stating that shefeels there is an obvious connection there.”Itnea use to be like dis,” she said.

Heading to the University of the West Indies afew days ago, I met Melissa Newman who is a35 year old single mother. I was entering IrvineGate when I met the pleasant faced womansporting a pixie cut hairdo.When she saw meshe remarked,”come 'ere christian girl,mi waatalk to yuh.” When I walked over to her,sheasked “yuh nuh have anyting can mek up mifare fi guh home?” Out of concern I sat down toask what was the reason for her being in thiscurrent situation.

“Is five children mi have an dem daddy diedlast year,” she said.She further explained that

all her children were brilliant, attending promi-nent high schools in the corporate area. “It haadpon mi since dem daddy died an mi nah work,”she explained.The woman said her husbandwas a very responsible father who supportedhis children in all aspects of their lives. ”Im wasa big help to mi man...” However, since she hasnot been able to get permanent employmentfollowing his death,Newman sometimes has toresort to begging in order to feed her children.

When Mavis Bell lost her job over a decadeago due to a severe spinal injury,she did notenvision herself as a beggar on the streets ofKingston.I came across the medium built,softspoken woman in thick black lens glasses onmy way from Papine Market. I stopped in mytracks when I heard a soft “Miss can I have $10please?”

I was surprised by her appearance since myprevious experiences with panhandlers were

WOMAN BEGS FOR COINS ON THE STREETS.

pHoto taken from google ImageS


News Feature


usually synonymous with dirty,tattered,decrepitindividuals of a certain age group.I was quiteastonished by her neat appearance coupledwith the fact that she was obviously skilledsince she was croqueting. I stopped to hear herstory.

It turned out that Bell,formerly employed atthe Jamaica Flour Mills in St Andrew has nowresorted to soliciting help from randomstrangers as a means of earning a living.”I wasa Janitor at Jamaica Flour Mills for severalyears until I met in an accident,” she said.From the accident she received massive dam-age to the spine and has been confined to awheelchair as a result

”Since the accident,I have not been able tomove around without a wheelchair and so Ihave not worked since,” she said.She confessedthat all of her earnings were depleted becauseof her injury. “I was not entitled to any com-pensation from my employers since the acci-dent was not work related.I was on my wayhome from conducting personal business whenit happened,” Bell said.

As a result she has had to take care of all themedical bills and expenses that accompaniedher injury. ”All my savings went into dealingwith those expenses.My family members wereonly partially supportive.Some did not care andthose who cared really could not afford tohelp,”she continued.She said she grew up inthe Jones Town area and had learnt how to cro-quet from her grandmother.

Today,she says she has no one in her familyto help and so she has to resort to soliciting.Shesays it is a hard life for the beggar on thestreets of Kingston.

Sometimes people just ignore us and they donot stop to understand why we are in this posi-tion.It is not that I want to be here, but circum-stances...You never know what can happen toyou in this life.I used to scoff at the beggarsbut now I find myself in the same position”,she lamented.

As I mulled over the words of the beggar,acurious onlooker stopped to enquire after mysafety.I reassured her that I was not in anyimmediate danger.

The curious passerby, Angella King from theLawrence Tavern area issued a reprimand.”Some a dem neva tek care a dem familymiss.Das why dem en up suh! Yuh nuffi sarryfi dem... Doe give ar yuh money.”

I decided to enquire what others thoughtabout beggars on Kingston Streets.”Some adem genuinely want di help miss an wen demask mi give dem,” said Jenelle Smith of thePapine area. Rayan Reid a resident fromBedward Gardens in St Andrew did not sharehis view.” Some a dem a liad, Mi nah gi I mimoney.. mek dem go luk wok,” he said.

[email protected]

Beggar solicits funds from pesdestrians on the streets.

pHoto taken from google ImageS


Los Posadas for

MexicansMexicans celebrate this festival in

commemoration of the birth of Jesus Christwith an emphasis on the journey taken byJoseph and Mary to Bethlehem, or ‘Belen’as Mexicans call it.

The tradition includes a processionthrough the town with peole singing“letanias” with candles lit.Like the family of baby Jesus is said tohave done, the people visit differnthouseholds seeking accomodation andwhen one is found, a night-long partybegins.

It is at this party that the infamous‘pinata’ is put up for games and otheractivities of the night.

Hanukkah for JewsThe tradition of celebrating Hanukka

at this time of year stems from two eventscommemrated by Jews: the miraculousvictory of a small band of Jews over anoppressive greek army in 2nd CenturyBCE, and the miraculous supply of oil foreight days- long enough to produce morethat could give the people light for theduration.

I n Israel, the eight day festivites aremarked by story telling, singing folk songsand eating lots of fried oily food. Familiesalso travel together and visit the site wherethe miracles took place.

Gift giving is less important, but theHanukiya is lit every night in homes.Hanukkah means ‘dedication’ and refers tothe rededication of the temple.

December

in o

ther Cultu

res

although many christian denominations in jamaica are devotedto celebrating the birth of Hesus christ in december, some donot join in the festivites. around the world, other cultures

celebrate the december period differently. take a look...

Mexicans visit different homes like Josephand Mary did.

Each Jewish family has a Hanukkah can-dle lit during the festive season



Kwanzaa for African

Americans

This year’s kwanzaa celebrationsare themed “Us and the Well Being of theWorld: a Courageous Questioning” accord-ing to the official Kwanzaa website. Theholidy is not affiliated with any major reli-gion, but is assciated with the self identifi-cation struggles of African Americans in the1960’s and aims to reconnect African

Americans to their African roots. Celebrations start on Dcember 26

and end January 1. The festival placesgreat emphasis on developing seven mainprinciples in the black community: umoja(unity); kujichagulia (self-determination);ujima (collective work and responsibility);ujamaa (cooperative economics); nia (purpose); kuumba (creativity); and imani(faith). Colectively, the seven prinicples arecallled Nguzo Saba.

Singature African fabrics are usedthroughout the holiday to adorn furnitureand great importance is placed on consuming the best of fresh vegitables andfruits in accordance with the literal meaningof the origin of the holiday- “matuda yakwanza”- which is Swahili for fresh fruits.

Commitment to heritage and learningare also important principles to personswho participate in Kwanzaa, even as theyinvite persons of other ethnic and racialbackrgounds to partake in the activites.

December

in o

ther Cultu

res

Bodhi Day or Rohatsufor Buddhists

Celebrated on the 8th of December, oron the Sunday immediately preceding. It recallsthe day in 596 BCE, when the Buddha satbeneath a Bodhi tree -- a type of fig tree -- andis believed to have achieved enlightenment,thus escapeing the repeating cycle ofreincarnation: involving birth, life, death andrebirth. A descendent of the original tree is themost important of four holy sites of Buddhism.

Bodhi Day will be celebrated December8th. Bodhi Day, the day of enlightenment, canbe celebrated in many ways. To the Buddhist,it is a day of remembrance and meditation,much like the Christian celebration of the birthof Jesus on December 25th.

Page 17 December 2012 CAMPUS BUZZ


LIVING WITH ‘FITS’

CAMPUS BUZZ

HealtH


Tiffany Henry


Stunted into position, eyes balls rolling over in their sockets, frothy saliva encircling themouth followed by shocking wave of convulsions. This is the everyday experience of theson of Jacquiline Brown, a street vendor who has been living with epilepsy for over eight

years. Epilepsy or 'Fits' is defined by the U.S National Library of Medicine as a 'brain disorder inwhich a person has repeated seizures over time'. Seizures are as episodes of disturbed brain activ-ity that causes changes in attention or behaviour. The symptoms and signs of an epileptic seizureas stated by The National Health Fund are con-fusion and disorientation, stiffening and jerkingof the body, temporary altered behaviour, star-ing and blinking, frightened look or lack ofresponse or speaking unintelligibly. Epilepsy isusually as a result of a stroke, head injuries dur-ing birth or from accidents, brain tumors orinfections such as meningitis.

Epilepsy is usually seen by many Jamaicansin a negative light as stated by neurologists andepilepsy specialists. Brown, like many otherJamaicans, expressed that they have occasionalfeelings of embarrassment because of how thecondition is perceived by others. The WorldHealth Organization (WHO) states that peopleliving with epilepsy and their families often

A picture showing the electrical signals in the brain that causes recurring seizures a.k.a ‘fits’.Image taken from google Images

Dr, Amza Ali, President of JLAE.Image taken from google ImageS

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suffer from stigma and discrimination on adaily basis.

“It stress me out nuff nuff, di medicationexpensive and on top of that me haffi strugglefi get him in an appropriate school becausechildren tease him and call him 'mad bwoy' andnot every school take him with his condition, ”said Brown.

Epilepsy in Jamaica is not given as muchattention as other disorders. The President ofthe Jamaica League Against Epilepsy (JLAE),Dr. Amza Ali, said that much needs to be doneto help those persons living with epilepsy; andthe country needs to develop in order to dealwith these patients.

Dr. Melbourne Chambers, consultant pedia-trician at the Bustamante Children’s Hospital,also noted that children with epilepsy are oftenstigmatized and it becomes hard for the parentswho have children with epilepsy to cope.

“Di teacher dem seh me need fi send him to aspecial school because greater attention isneeded for children like him,” said Brown.

Not only are epileptic children stigmatizedbut adults living with the condition are alsounemployed, underemployed or have lost their

jobs because of the diagnosis. Dr. Ali addressedthis issue at an Editor's Forum in October, 2010and stated that among the persons with epilep-sy 60 per cent were unemployed while theother remaining per cent were underemployed.

Thirty-two year old Mellissa Lambert* hasbeen out of a job for over four years, after hav-ing an epileptic attack at work which causedher to lose her job.

“I worked at a bank. While I was attending toa customer, I had a seizure. I wasn't aware whathappened until after wards when I wasrevived,' said Lambert.

She added that two weeks after she was laid

off from work and since then she has had trou-ble finding a job.

“I do a little domestic work here and therebut nothing steady and I have my children tosend to school,” added Lambert. She said thatshe is sometimes reluctant to go on job inter-views because she believes she will not get thejob because of the reason she lost her last.

For this reason and others, JLEA has labelledepilepsy as not just a medical problem but alsoa social one.

Email- [email protected]

A patient showing signs of epileptic seizure.Image taken from google ImageS


Touch of BeautyCAMPUS BUZZ

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Tashna-Toya Edwards

Campus Beat Reporter

Five acne scrubs. Three different brands

of skin toners. Two unfinished bottles of

skin cleansers. A kaleidoscope of bottle

covers, of every shape and size on her bathroom

shelf- ranging from high-end to low-end brands.

From Proactiv (which she complains irritates her

skin) to Palmers (which her best friend’s cousin’s

sister recommended). She has tried it all to no

end. This is the story of a college student, with

her on-going quest to have beautiful skin.

This desire however, has been fueled by

persons contemplating, if it is more beneficial to

use homemade skin care products rather than

pu rchas e t he i r commerc i a l s yn the t i c

counterparts.

According to cosmetics focused GCI

Magazine,the worldwide cosmetic industry

sales, are averaging over 1 billion dollars

annually, and skin care products are accounting

for just less than 27 per cent of this figure. The

cost for great skin has never seemed more

relevant. This discussion however, has

transcended simply the financial costs.

Many skin care cosmetics, lotions and soaps

purchased in stores contain chemicals and

substances that may irritate the skin. The

American Academy of Dermatology on its

website pointed out that in the cosmetic industry,

chemicals such as “phthalates that are commonly

used to stabilize fragances” are the most

common cause of allergies or irritants, while

preservatives are the second most common.

On the other hand, Denise McPherson, an

Aesthetician and Skin Care Major at Florida

College of Natural Health, in an article with GCI

Magazine said, that when individuals opt to

make their own skin care products, it allows

them to choose what substances go on their skin

while improving their health and appearance.

continued on page 21


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Before purchasing the latest acne treatment

products from the pharmacy, Skin Care

Consultant Falguni Choksin, suggests

experimenting with some natural skin care

products that can be found right in the kitchen.

She pointed out that food products like avocado,

papaya, banana and cucumber can be used as an

excellent part of one’s skin care regime.

“Avocado, for example, is excellent

for the skin as it contains oil that is

similar to that produced naturally

by the skin,” she said. This fruit,

Choksin pointed out, has a high

level of potassium and omega-3s

which encourage moisture,

elasticity and allows the skin to

glow. She added that the papaya is

great for clearing up whiteheads, boils and

spots, as it contains the

papain enzyme which is

an effective skin

whitening agent. “...If

used effectively, natural

skin care products can

be more potent

than commercial

products and

have less

undesirable side

effects.” Choksin said.

Olivea Hayles, a final year student at the,

Caribbean Institute of Media and

Communication (CARIMAC), at the University

of the West Indies, Mona, said, however, that

she doesn’t see homemade products as a viable

skincare option. “I can’t use them because I’d

constantly have to be buying fruits and I’m not

sure it’ll work, when I could just buy one bottle

of scrub that’s already been clinically proven to

work.”

Clayton Williams, a skin care representative

for the international Artistry Cosmetics line in

Jamaica, also pointed out that using fruits as a

homemade skin care alternative is truly a “hit

and miss experience” and that persons should

not be too expectant when using

them. “Even though commercial

products contain natural extracts, it

is a specific chemical balance that

has been tested repeatedly and

proven to work well on

particular skin types,”

he said.

A corporate area salon

owner,Charmaine

Harris, said that she has

recognised that quite a

few of her clients have

decided to experiment

with homemade skin

care. She noted

however that,

“even though

they’ll try it

sometimes,

you’ll see that the effort it takes to get it done

will get the better of them so they don’t keep up

with it.”

She conceded with a chuckle however, “Even

when things get bad, or our budget gets tight,

our appearances should never reflect a tough life

-whether it’s with homemade or store bought

products.”

[email protected]

continued from page 20


Five assignments due Monday, two presentations

10% each, Tutorial paper to hand in valued at

15%, Group Analysis (yay group members) and a

test next week Friday. Not to mention a Term

Paper tomorrow 3000 words who writes that

much! Plus that stupid thing that I promised to

help out with...what is it again? And I’m

forgetting something ... oh yeah sleep I miss it so.

And a mid-semester at the end of the semester

who does that?! How am i going to do this...

sigh...

These are the sentiments of a real life final-year

University of the West Indies student.

With this type of pressure and theend of the semester drawingnearer, many students feel over

burdened by the work load and even themost organized seem to panic. No doubtthere are those who always wait until thelast minute claiming that they work bestunder pressure or simply procrastinate untilthe night before.

PLUMMETING

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Energy drink warning labelpHoto taken from google ImageS

Shawnae Burrell


H I G H SS U G A R YS U G A R Y

cont’d on pg 23

TrinidadianPonche De Creme’What you will need6 Eggs, beaten3 Cans of Evaporated Milk1-11/2 Cans of Condensed Milk11/2 Cups of Rum1tbsp Bitters1 Pinch of Nutmeg2 tbsp Grated Lime Zest

How to make In a large bowl, beat eggs and lime zest using an electric mixer until fluffy and light.Gradually pour in condensed milk and evaporated milk. Stir in rum and bitters withnutmeg. Transfer to bottle, chill for atleast one hour before serving


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cont’d from pg 22

[email protected]

The use of energy drinks become com-mon place. Manufacturers of these drinkspitch their products to the mostsuscpetible - people in professions thatrequire sustained alertness. Many stu-dents view energy drinks as a staplecommodity giving them those ‘wings tofly’.

According to Christopher Chen, a cardi-ologist at Chen Medical Associates inMiami caffeine consumption is safestwhen taken in low doses - about 25 to100 mg in a 12 oz drink. Yet when theamount of caffeine is much higher, as inthe case of energy drinks, a person’shealth can be put in jeopardy as it cansometimes lead to serious side effectssuch as insomnia, an increased or irregu-lar heartbeat, agitation, irritability andseizure, and possibly even death.

Although aware of the side effectsSerona Richards, student at theUniversity of the West Indies (UWI) says“[energy drinks] do what they do, it doeskeep you alert at least for a few hours.The after effects is what sucks with Boom

I feel antsy and anxious, like my stomachis flip flopping and I want to throw up.After awhile with Gatorade I feel reallytired and crave sleep”.

Andre Paker, second year student atUWI and an advocate for the use of ener-gy drinks Gatorade and Powerade sayswhen he needs to get his work done“they are the only two that works for me,monster don’t work, rip don’t work and 5hour energy works but it works a bit toowell.”

On the other hand there are those whostay awy from energy drinks because ofthe adverse effects. Monique Crosbie,final year student at the UWI is weary ofthe side effects of energy drinks, “I don’tparticipate in any sporting activities oranything like that so I don’t see the needfor it. I’ve also heard they give you aboost and then you ‘crash’, not sure howtrue that is.”

“The problem with energy drinks is thatthey will often have a much higher caf-feine to drink ratio then what is healthy,”Chen said. “This is bad because itincreases risks to the heart and also cre-ates caffeine dependency.”

Nicholas Ellington, third year student atthe University of Technology agreed say-ing “I don’t like the excess sugar. I don’tget pressured and I take naps inbetweenall-nighters, whatever can’t get done, justwon’t and I’ll make it up on the finals.”

Nevertheless energy drinks seem tohave made themselves as a vialableoption for exam preparation due to thedrive to improve scholastic performance.However the dangers of it cannot not beignored.

A supermarket shelf stocked with energy drinks.pHoto taken from google ImageS


optIcal IllUSIon"forever always" by octavio ocampo

do you see an old couple or two mexicans?

CAMPUS BUZZ

arts & leisure


1. A crocodile can’t move it’s tongue.

2. Months that start on a Sunday will always have a Friday the 13th.

3. Dreamt and its deriatives are the only common English words that end in ‘mt’.

4. The opposite sides of a dice always adds up to7.

5. Hot water freezes quicker than cold water.

6. It is impossible to lick yourelbow.

7. Camels have three eyelids to protect themselves from blowing sand.

8. Over 75% of people who read this will try to lick

their elbow.9. Earth is the only planet not

named after a god.

Taken from Jamaica-Gleaner.com

A portrait of an old couple reminising on a youthfulscene from their past.

Source: http://brainden.com/face-illusions.htm

cartoonfUn factS

ScHool Word ScraBBle

TUNYIRESIV _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

RRELCTUE _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

TNNASAIGEM _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

SASEY _ _ _ _ _

MNIXAOENTI _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

IDLHOYA! _ _ _ _ _ _ _

ANSWERS

UNIVERSITY

LECTURER

ASSIGNMENT

ESSAY

EXAMINATION

HOLIDAY!


arts & leisure


By: AnonymousTime eludes meFunny how life is straightened outfor you, isn’t it?Or is it?We wake up daily and movethrough the motions with a set taskat handOr do we?

Time eludes me

Is life already planned for us?Are the decisions and choices wemake already forcasted?If we choose to do or not dosomething, does it impact thefurture?Or is tomorrow already known?An hour, a minute, a second, miliseconds

Time eludes me

Does wealth and status ultimatelygive us power?We seem to think soSo many questionsDo we have the answers?They are knownJust not by us“Leave it to time”, they sayBut

Times eludes me

time Eludes mefIgUre-It-oUt game

Tis the season to be jolly. See if you canhazard a guess to these folies.

1. We may not be Americans but we stillhave this guy sitting by the tree in our malls.

2. If you live near a particular Kingston cityyou see these fire birds on New Year’s Eve

3. This day falls on the same day asChristmas Day every year

4. People in the inner-city use these cans todecorate their Christmas trees

5. We Jamaicans do this all year roundespecially in the Christmas season

6. This word describes the shoppingexperience during this season

7. Families across Jamaica end up stuffedafter this on Christmas Day

8. This ingredient is available all year but istypically used during the Christmas season

9. Young boys love to play with these atChristmas time to the annoyance of thepoliceanSWerS for figure-out game:

1. santa 2. fireworks 3. new yearseve 4. red Bull 5. party 6. grand

7. dinner 8. sorrel 9. clappaz


Campus FashionCampus Fashion

CAMPUS BUZZ

liFestyle buzz


Tessa Thomas


Billie Jean can be seen cruising to and fromher classes on the University of the WestIndies (UWI), Mona Campus on any given

day. Each week, a new hairstyle. Each day, a new,unique and equally or sometimes more stylishensemble. Everyday seems like a good day for BillieJean, hair, make-up, outfit and accessories on point.

Twenty-year-old Billie Jean is a second yearLiteratures in English Major and is a part of a small,but increasingly vocal and self-aware contingent ofuniversity men and women who dress to impress.With the campus as their runway, it is beyond theimagination of the average person to picture theirattire outside of school or what they would concoct toattend an uptown social gathering. These trendsetters (or followers depending on your scope ofinfluence) are seemingly always neat, modest (evenin shorts) and have a casual-dressy-chic look.

There is a growing number of UWI studentswho peruse fashion magazines and blogs on theirsmart phones, ipods and other fashionable, high-tech, digital devices. Globalisation has alsofacilitated this type of dapper dressing as studentsare able to see the latest trends, as well as purchaseand have them delivered (in time for class onMonday, or so it appears).

For other students, a T-shirt and one ofmaybe three pairs of jeans would cut it any-day.Second-year Caribbean Institute of Media andCommunication (CARIMAC) student Shantaye' evenadmits to wearing a white T-shirt to school everydayexcept for class presentations and special events. Toher, the school wardrobe should be simple, practicaland comfortable. She accessorises from time-to-timewith coloured necklaces, belts, sandals or sneakersand there is the option of wearing her hair up (in aponytail and/or bun) or sporting her locks out. Easydoes it, she says.

Anything Goes



What a student wears to UWIhowever, is up to their discretion for themost part. Basedon interviews withmembers of thedifferent faculties,the University'sbusiness is notwith the garments(be it scanty ormodest) of itsstudents- inessence, anythinggoes.

“I think thatgenerally there areextremes but we hopethat we wouldn't have toregulate this because it can bequite distracting and inappropriate... this isa self-regulating, adult teaching institution,”said Professor Gordon Shirley, Principal ofthe UWI Mona Campus.

“We are all adults here, so we wearwhat we want, just don't come naked,” saidYanique Pearsons, a member of staff atUWI's Admission's department.

Some faculty lecturers andadministrative staff however, acknowledgethe University's stance on the issue butbelieve that some students have nodiscretion. “If we see students (dressedinappropriately) we usually call them up...persons have been asked to changeclothing,” said Keisha Gayle-Williams,Senior Secretary in the department ofSocial Work. “This is a professionalprogramme and once you leave here youare regarded as a professional socialworker,” she added.

In the Faculty of Medical Scienceson the other hand, there is a strict dress

codeand

students arerequired to

wear a uniform. TheMBBS (Bachelor of Medicine/

Bachelor of Sugery) StudentHandbook of 2012 states that “The

public has expectations of a doctor and, inthese circumstances, you will be regardedas a member of the health care team. It isimportant therefore that you dress (andbehave) at all times in a manner which willidentify you as a member of the professionand allow patients to feel comfortable inyour presence.”

Globally, there has beenconversations about an unresolved debatewith regards to the enforcement of a dresscode within the college or university setting.However, in an environment where mostaim to look stylish and appealing andhaving the majority of the University's staffbeing open to giving students free reign,with little to no guidance about the issue ofdress, it is safe to say that the onus is onstudents to create and uphold an imagethat is visually satisfying as well as relaysan accurate reflection of the individual.

[email protected]

cont’d from pg 26

liFestyle buzz


Christmas the Caribbean

Way

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jamaican christmasdinner

boasts a mouth-water-ing feast of rice andgungo peas, roastchicken, oxtail and cur-ried goat, ham, roastbeef or pork, the tradi-tional Christmas fruitcake and the delicioussorrel, the Christmasdrink of Jamaica.

Honey glazed Ham pHoto By: jamaicagleaner.com

jamaica’s grand market

The streets of major townsand areas of Kingston areclosed off from traffic, asvendors spread their mer-chandises all over the roadfor children along with theirparents to browse andshop on the night beforeChristmas Day. a stall at grand market

pHoto By: jamaicagleaner.com


johnkano celebrations in jamaica

brought to the country by Africansslaves, the festival of masked, danc-ing musicians is still practiced insome rural areas of Jamaica.

ponche de cremepHoto By: faire-delamode.blogspot.com

trinidad & tobago christmas feast

consists of tantalizing displays of serv-ings of ham, turkey, pastelles, fruitcake, sweet breads, and other delica-cies, along with traditional drinks suchas sorrel, ginger beer and ponche decrème.

parang performances

the traditional folk music performed with singers and instrumentalists who travel fromhouse to house in communities with horns, guitars, steel drums, tambourines, pots,pans, and any other kind of mobile instrument or noisemaker.


cont’d from pg 30she said, laughing loud as she continued to

describe him as a joker but not as a trouble-maker.

However, while their lives may seem to besimple and trouble free, there are issuesthat Cunningham was not afraid tospeak about.

“The difficulty I face is likeaccessibility to buildings andsidewalks. For the sidewalks, Ireally don't want to walk out intothe road yuh know? America is builtfor the disabled, Jamaica is not. Mychallenge is just to move about,he said.

He further suggested that the labourforce should be more open so that the disabledcan have access. “Even fast food restaurants'bathroom space is so small, it can hardly fit the

wheelchair.”Being the gentleman that he is, at the end of

the interview, Cunningham strolled with mehalfway to the gate and while he basks in his

post-paralympics glory, which he is not afraidto do, Cunningham continues to train

between 5:30 and 9:00 p.m. on week-days, focussing on his new event- shot-

put. “Kinda start training for javelinalready but i'm not too focussed on it

yet. I will start javelin and discusJanuary,” he said.

“Alphanso will be representing Jamaica atthe 2013 World Championship and should beat the next Olympic if he maintains what he isdoing now,said Dr. Henry.

[email protected]

buzz Featurecont’d from pg 28


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cont’d from pg 31

Although he was born in Tawes Pen, SpanishTown, Cunningham has moved several timesand attended several schools. He attended theHope Valley Experimental Primary School,Horizon Park High School, the UniversityTheological College where he “got some sub-jects and fresh up my head.” He also resided atthe Mona RehabilitationCentre for some yearsbefore moving to his cur-rent home in theElletson Flats area.

With his dream careerbeing graphicd e s i g n i n g ,Cunningham started acomputer course in HalfWay Tree but had to endhis studies when he wentabroad to play basketball.

career in discus andjavelin

With his career kickingoff in 2003 in Birminghamat the British OpeningC h a m p i o n s h i p ,Cunningham won hisfirst two gold medals forboth discus and javelinevents. He continued representingJamaica at several Pan-American andParalympic Games, where he broke his 2003regional record at the 2011 Pan-AmericanGames in Mexico, and the regional record hold-er at the 2012 London Paralympics.

He also plays basketball in his off season forthe Maryland Ravens, a United States-based

club, for which he has played for five years.“We won the championship two times, with thesecond time being last year March,” he said.

However, while he has such a successful ath-letic career, Cunningham has his eyes on theadministrative side of athletics in the future. Hisother options being migration or continuing his

computer graphics course or in jour-nalism. “I used to draw a lot and then

my friend in Baltimoreshowed me that I can

do it on the com-puter and eat a

food,” he said.After our interview,

Cunningham and Istrolled down to thegym area where wecaught up withOctavius Morgan,swimming coach ofthe Paralympic teamand sportsman of theyear recipient in 1967.

“Alphanso is a verydetermined work-er. Serious about

what he does andhe is a nice person tobe associated with.He is also very sup-

portive and tries tohelp his younger

teammates,” said Morgan.Slyvia Grant, veteran paralympian, agreed.

“He's a good friend of mine. When you're sadhe is always there to build you up. The badthong about him is that him sing too much andmi nuh too sure him can sing. He's also a girl'sman,”

Cunningham shows off his gold medalpHoto: contrIBUted

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sPorts buzz


cont’d from pg 32

“We call him 'Sexy Beast'. Alphanso is a verydetermined and good athlete. He is a positiveperson and there's never a dull moment aroundhim,said Dr. Suzanne Henry, Secretary Generalof the Jamaica Paralympics Association andTeam Manager of the Jamaica Paralympicsteam. She added that he has a very “Interestingway of talking, sexy I suppose. He has a radiovoice, that voice that can appeal to people.”

Also called 'Ambassador', 'Spider', 'Nancy'and 'Phanso' by friends and associates, the 32-year-old explained how he got some of his petnames.

“They call me 'Sexy Beast' because of my dis-ability. People always a seh nobody nuh wantmi, so one day I just turn to them and say 'wahyuh mean nobody nuh want mi? Yuh nuh seeI'm one sexy beast? he said.

“They also call me 'Spider' cause I can climbanything so don't let because i'm in a wheel-chair that fool you. The only thing I'm not able todo is walk.”

As I sat there trying to figure out his bubblingpersonality and reflecting on all that I heardabout him, I realised that his personality wasnot one that should be tamed as he quicklymade me comfortable by making me laugh.While he was trying to control his locks, itpeaked my interest and I soon found out thathe had embraced the Rastafari religion,although he emphasized that he is stillChristian-minded.

This belief has translated into him not eatingpork, but he enjoys everything else, except forvegetables and some fruits.

While trying to keep the interview lens on himand not myself, Cunningham shared evenmore private details of his life, revealing that hehas a girlfriend. “Although I'm seeing someone,

it's complicated. She's from Portmore and she'snot wheelchair-bound. She's petite too,he said,smiling. He met her after he was invited tochurch recently, although he is a bit concernedabout whether or not she is really interested or itis because he is now a paralympic star.

“I don't have any kids now but I want two, orany amount. I feel a girl child will give me toomuch trouble but I guess it's how you groomyour child. I will feel more comfortable with aboy though,” said Cunningham.

Describing himself as a party animal, he likesto make appearances at Integration Thursdaysat the University of the West Indies, drink, playdominoes and “hold a vibes” as he puts it.However, Cunningham owns a sound systemcalled Fire Flames where he employs threeselectors. He is also an orthopaedic technician.“We make special shoes for persons with polioand special stuff for people with arthritis. Thedoctor will give us the person's prescriptionsand we work off that,” he explained.

Cunningham in action.pHoto: jpa


The University of the West Indies, Mona

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SPORTS SECTION

WHeelIng HImSelftowards me briskly, hehad a big smile on his

face and as I looked down athim, I could see that alphansocunningham had a big spirit.

It dawned on me that all thebragging by teammates and teammanager of the 2012 London par-alympian were true. He greetedme and I was soon to find out thatadded to his playful character,Cunningham was also a gentle-man as he ushered me into a littleroom located beside the ShoeShop at the Mona RehabilitationCentre, opening all the doors anddirecting me to where I would sit.

In the room was a lounge chairon which laid his PSP and head-phones on which he was listeningto music. This is one of hisfavourite pass times, as I laterfound out cultural and dancehallmusic is what he listens to andthat he is an avid Sizzla Kolonjifan.

New

Gold medalist Alphanso CunninghampHoto:contrIBUted

Olivea Hayles


cont’d on pg 31

Beast In Town


Documents

Campus Buzz December 2012