TIMES
I ndo- Caribb ean
N
Three way battle in Leaders Manning,
Vol 1. No 8 October 2007
Trinidad election Dookeran and Panday
called November 5
The suspense is over. Trinidad and Tobago
Prime Minister Patrick Manning has called
the general election on November 5, just
four days before Divali on November .9
Many Hindus are annoyed, as the election
campaign will be ending during the tradi-
tional week of fasting and prayer that pre-
cedes Divali. They prefer their minds to be
concentrating on spiritual matters rather
than on a hot and nasty election battle.
Some Hindus may not bother to vote on
November 5, which could complicate an al-
ready confused election.
The votes of Indians are expected to be
critical in what looks like the first genuine
three party race in recent Trinidad history.
On one side is the ruling People’s National
Movement led by Prime Minister Patrick
Manning,solidly backed by most Afro-
Trinidadians and a surprising number of In-
dians. A full 20 of the PNM’s 41 candidates
are Indianss, and Manning has said his
party cannot win without Indian support.
Guyana ready to explore oil and gas
reserves bigger than Trinidad’s
It’s the biggest news in Guyana since the
PPP took over the government from the
PNC in 1992.
There’s oil in Guyana. Black gold. Pros-
perity in a barrel.
The U.S. Geological Survey has esti-
mated that the coastal area off the two coun-
tries called the Guyana-Suriname Basin
may hold recoverable oil reserves of
roughly 15 billion barrels and gas reserves
of 42 trillion cubic feet (1.19 trillion cubic
meters).
Guyana’s share of that could be as much
as 10 billion barrels of oil and 30 trillion
cubic feet of gas.
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Opposing the PNM is the United Na-
tional Congress Alliance composed of the
main opposition UNC and a few smaller
parties, led by the veteran Basdeo Panday
and his trusty lieutenant Jack Warner.
The UNC used to command the support
all ready to rumble!
of the majority of Indo-Trinidadians, but
lost 6 of its Members of Parliament and an
unknown number of supporters to a splinter
group Congress of the People led by former
Panday successor Winston Dookeran.
Dookeran was picked by Panday to be-
Liberals win Ontario election
come opposition leader when Panday had
to step down due to legal problems. He Bas Balkissoon by a landslide, Mani Singh comes in third
broke off and formed his own party COP
barely one year ago. COP has certainly split
some of the “Indian vote” away from the
UNC and picked up some support among Veteran city politician Bas Balkissoon took This means that 47.2% of voters (3.9 mil-
the other groups. But it is a new party and the Scarborough Rouge River riding with a lion people) didn’t think it was important to
its chances of defeating the PNM do not massive 22,362 votes as the Ontario Liberal cast their vote. This cannot be a very
look good. Party easily won the November 10 election healthy democratic system when nearly half
(MORE TRINIDAD ELECTION with 71 seats to the Progressive Conserva- the people don’t take part.
NEWS ON PAGE 5 & 6) tives 26 seats and the New Democrat The referendum on a new voting system
Party’s 10 seats. failed to get the needed 60% support, as
Bas remains the sole Indo-Caribbean 63.1% voted against it and 36.9% were in
Member of Provincial Parliament, and favour. But the 1.5 million who voted for a
given his solid record, he has a good chance change is as significant as the 3.7 milion
of getting a cabinet post. who voted against. It means quite a lot of
But to get an idea of what that means, Mani Singh made a valiant attempt for people want a change in the voting system,
consider that Trinidad’s proven oil reserves the New Democratic Party in Brampton- one that might get those 3.9 million who
are just over 700 million barrels and super Springdale but couldn’t hold off the Lib- didn’t vote more interested in elections.
rich Venezuela has 77.2 billion barrels of eral’s Linda Jeffrey who took the seat with The election was strange in another way,
proven oil reserves. 17,526 votes over the Conservative candi- as the main issue was funding for faith
What could this mean for Guyana in the date Carmen McLellan with 10,704 votes. based schools other than the Catholics. This
near future? IC Times writer Lloyd Har- Mani came in third with 3,780 votes. was a $400 million item in an Ontario
radan explores Guyana’s oil future after the Congratulations to Bas on his victory and budget that runs over $100 billion, but it
UN tribunal decided to open up the door for Mani for being brave enough to take his still caused the Conservatives to lose the
oil explorationsion, in a special article. shot at provincial politics. Our community election. Serious issues like poverty, house
needs people like him to go up for public prices, funding for the cities, shortage of
office and represent our interests. doctors, employment for immigrants, and
SEE “GUYANA’S OIL BOOM The election was something of a disap- high school fees for university and college
COULD BE ONE WELL AWAY” pointment, as only 52.8% of the 8.3 million students were not discussed enough. Some-
PAGE 7 registered voters came out to cast their vote. body has to take them up now.
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CANADA AND THE WORLD
Indian woman McGuinty gives Indians make
leads University winter holiday rust proof iron
of Houston in February from old model
A highly praised educator who has served
as second in charge at the University of
South Florida for the past four years is the
only finalist for the top job at the Univer-
sity of Houston, regents said Monday.
The governing
board's unanimous
selection of Renu
Khator all but
ended a five-
month search for a
replacement for Jay Gogue, who left UH to
become president of Auburn University, his
alma mater. State law requires the regents
to wait 21 days before finalizing the ap-
pointment.
The regents hailed Khator, 52, as a noted
scholar, proven fundraiser and strong leader
popular with faculty, students and lawmak-
ers alike. She has served as the chief aca-
demic officer, or provost, at South Florida
since 2003.
"She is a superstar," said Welcome Wil-
son, chairman of the UH System's govern-
ing board. "She is exactly what we need.
She is going to take us to flagship status."
South Florida is the nation's ninth-largest
university, with more than 45,000 students
on four campuses, including a medical
school. UH enrolls roughly 34,000 stu-
dents.
Even so, Khator recruited top faculty and
more students from diverse backgrounds
while raising millions from government and
private sources. During her four years as
provost, South Florida's sponsored research
grew by 22 percent, from $255 million to
$310 million.
She also took the lead reeling in the uni-
versity's largest donation ever, a gift worth
$34.5 million from a Tampa couple.
Indo-Caribbean Times
Premier Dalton McGuinty celebrated his
election victory by giving everyone the day
off in February.
McGuinty, 52, got down to work by de-
claring the third Monday in February a new
annual "Family Day" statutory holiday.
"This is a small thing, but it's an impor-
tant and, I think, a powerfulrecognition of
our priorities," a bleary-eyed McGuinty
told reporters after a breakfast speech in his
hometown of Ottawa.
"There is nothing more valuable to fam-
ilies than time together," said the premier,
who is married with four adult children and
has nine brothers and sisters.
Promised in the run-up to the election
campaign, Ontario's ninth statutory holiday
was approved with an order-in-council
signed bycabinet yesterday and will be
marked next Feb. 18.
Cabinet does not have to meet to approve
an order-in-council; the document needs
only to have two cabinet signatures.
April Lindgren, a Ryerson University as-
sociate professor, said the low turnout in the
election indicates many Conservatives
stayed home.
"They couldn't bring themselves to vote for
the Liberals or the NDP over faith-based
schools, so they just sat it out," she said.
"I think Ontarians actually wanted some
change, but they didn't want the kind of
change John Tory was talking about with
faith-based schools. That overwhelmed
whatever desire people had to reprimand
the Liberals," she said, referring to
McGuinty's broken promises from the 2003
election, like raising taxes.
OCTOBER 2007
Indian metallurgists have developed a type
of corrosion-resistant iron that construction
engineers would love. And vital clues for it
came for Delhi's famous Iron Pillar that has
been standing tall for over 1,600 years.
Developed by Ramamurthy Balasubra-
maniam and his formerstudent Gadadhar
Sahoo of the Indian Institute of Technology
(IIT) in Kanpur, the iron contains phospho-
rus and shows remarkable resistance to cor-
rosion, especially in concrete.
'This is a significant first step in the pos-
siblecommercial (large-scale) use of these
irons,' Balasubramaniam, better known as
Bala, told IANS.
Most steels today contain small amounts
of carbon andmanganese. Modern steel
makers avoid phosphorus because its segre
gation to grain boundaries makes the steel
brittle.
But the IIT team successfully produced
ductile phosphoric irons by driving the
phosphorus away from grain boundaries
through clever alloy design and novel heat
treatment.
Ironically, Bala's material is not new. It
was being made by Indian ironsmiths cen-
turies ago. Bala says he got the clue for de-
veloping this material from the six-tonne
seven-metre tall Delhi Iron Pillar - a major
tourist attraction in the Qutb Minar com-
plex -- that has been standing for centuries
in the harsh weather of the capital without
any corrosion.
'As a metallurgist, I was intrigued,' Bala
told IANS. And his passionate quest to
unravel the mystery that began in 1990s
has now culminated in phosphoric irons,
which are highly resistant to rusting and
very valuable for structures like bridges. .
Page 2
Vincentians
celebrate
Indian Heritage
The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines In-
dian Heritage Foundation that was estab-
lished just over a year ago has celebrated
celebrate Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
first Indian Heritage Day. The celebrations
was held at Argyle in the area known as
Corner Rock on Sunday, October 14.
The activities were scheduled to include
Indian music and games such as soft-ball
cricket and small goal football. All Indians,
friends and family of Indians in SVG were
invited to enjoy the day at Argyle and to
bring picnic food, drink and other items
such as chairs or tents for their comfort.
Carbonated drinks and some Indian food
were on sale. A short ceremony was sched-
uled for several presentations, includin the
honoring of one individual.
The Parliament of SVG on March 26 of
this year declared October 7th to be Indian
Heritage Day in Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines. The date October 7th was cho-
sen because of its historical significance
when a number of Indian Indentured work-
ers on October 7, 1882 marched fromAr-
gyle to Kingstown to protest against many
grievances including the horrible working
and living conditions on the estate. The
event at Argyle symbolizes the struggle of
the Indians in Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines to obtain their rightful and
equal place in Vincentian society.
The group has also persuaded the Vin-
centian governent to recognize Indian Ar-
rival Day June 1, 1861, to issue a postage
stamp in memory of the Indian immigrants.
They have made an electronic recording of
the landing documents for Indian inden-
tured immigrants and formed a branch of
the GOPIO group in St Vincent.
COMMUNITY NEWS
Family gets refugee status due Was M.N. Santoo the first
Indo-Caribbean Times OCTOBER 2007 Page 3

to failure of Guyana police Indo-Guyanese immigrant?

A Air fares to Trinidad
Guyanese family of three was last

drop below $200

month granted refugee status in
Canada under the Canadian Immi-
gration and Protection Act by arguing that
the police in Guyana provided no protec-
tion after they had been threatened by a
drug lord.
The decision handed down last month in
Toronto by AC Knevel, the tribunal judge
acting on behalf of the Immigration and
Refugee Board of Canada said they were
accepted as refugees under the UN Con-
vention based on their claims.
The family was represented by Guyanese
immigration barrister and solicitor Balwant
Persaud who said that the family fled
Guyana after the head of the family, a for-
mer wharf manager of a leading shipping
company, was asked to turn a blind eye to
shipments of mainly rice, concealing nar-
cotics destined for Europe.
According to the facts of the case, the for-
mer manager, was approached on June 16,
2006 by a person, who offered him
US$20,000 for each shipment of cocaine
that would leave the wharf, where he was
manager and security officer.
When the claimant refused, the person
making the offer became abusive and
threatening. Five days later he received a
call on his cell phonetelling him that he
knew too much and should not be alive.
Trinidadians have been snapping up tickets
to the old country for amazing prices like
$150 and $185 plus tax.
But the bonanza, which is caused by a
“price war” between travel agencies, is not
going to last much longer than the end of
October.
Shobha Maharaj of S&H Global Travel,
said she had tickets in the $200 range but
was having problems finding seats for Exactly 99 years ago the steamship Dahomey sailed into Halifax harbour in Nova Scotia,
those who want to fly to Trinidad for coming from Demerara carrying passangers from Trinidad, Martinique,England, and De-
Christmas or Carnival next year. merara. One of the passengers was a M.N. Santoo from Demerara, a single man 20 years
“There just aren’t any tickets available for old, a clerk able to read and write English. He was an immigrant bound for Montreal.
Christmas, except cancellations. And those That’s all the passenger manifest says about him, but it gives some hope that he could have
are going for $1200 or more, “ she said. been the first Indo-Guyanese to come to Canada. It was 1908, the same year that Trinida-
Would be travellers are learning that they dian Kenneth Mahabir arrived in Halifax to study and remain in Canada. Halifax was then
should have booked by March if they one of the main ports of entry to Canada from the east, maintaining a strong trading con-
wanted to spend Christmas in Trinidad this tact with many parts of the Caribbean including Jamaica, Trinidad and Demerara, the old
year. Getting to Trinidad for Carnival 2008 name for British Guiana. Could Halifax have been the entry port for the first Indo-
is not guaranteed either. Guyanese and the first Indo-Trinidadian immigrants to Canada? There’s some useful re-
Shobha said that the airlines should have search needed here, and especially needed now that we are getting ready to celebrate 2008
known that Christmas is a time of heavy as the Centenary of the arrival of Indo-Caribbeans in Canada.
demand for air tickets, and they should
have put on more flights. But the situation
is complicated by the relatively few
plances owned by Caribbean Airlines and
the cost of chartering planes from other air-
lines.

Americans recall
The business was later robbed and he was
interviewed on television. Hewas told by

infant cough medicine

telephone after the interview that when
there was another robbery at the same busi-
ness he would be the first to die. He re-
ported the offer of money made for him to
pass the drugs through the wharf to the
owner of the wharf who advised him to
make a report to the police.
He made a total of three reports and gave
up after they promised to investigate but
nothing was done, and threats started..
In July, 2006 he made a report to the po-
lice about being on the seawallwith his fam-
ily when a car pulled up asking for him. The
claimant ran and the car followed him and
his family and tried running them off the
The Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) in the US yesterday issued thewith-
drawal of various brands of cough syrup for
young children, including Dimetapp De-
congestant, Little Colds Multi-Symptom
Cold
Formula, Pediacare Infant Dropper Long-
Acting Cough, Robitussin Infant Cough
DM Drops, Triaminic Infant & Toddler
Thin Strips Decongestant and Tylenol Con-
centrated Infants' Drops Plus Cold.

Ganesh Chaturti on Lake Ontario

road but they escaped. On August 11, 2006
his windows were "shot out" during the
evening. Because of continuing threats and
the failure of thepolice to protect them, the
family left for Canada leaving property and
their possessions behind.
Persaud told said his clientshad made re-
ports to the Brickdam Police station; and
that those making threats had promised to
kidnap their daughter, then four years old.
In arguing his clients' case, he said that,
he had to show that the government could
not protect citizens. He also referred to the
inability of the law enforcement authorities
to interdict any major drug trafficker in
Guyana. He said that even smaller countries
with less capacity have interdicted drug
The FDA's statement said while the med-
icines themselves were safe and effective,
the makers of the over-the-counter cough
syrups had observed rare incidents of mis-
use which had led to harmful overdoses,
particularly in infants.
FDA officials have recommended the
medications not be given to children under
the age of two.
IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE
IN THE
Last month a boat cruise was engaged by Hindu Federation to carry the Murti of Lord
Ganesha who was immersed in Lake Ontario at 4 PM in presence of several hundred of
Hindu devotees, who accompanied the image in a procession, dancing, singing, before it
was immersed in the lake. This annual ritual see-off of the Lord is in his journey towards
his abode in Kailash while taking away with him the misfortunes of all man here at this
planet. All join in this final procession shouting "Ganapathi Bappa Morya, Purchya Varshi
Laukariya" (O father Ganesha, come again early next year). Devotees take fresh spiritual
resolves and pray to Lord Ganesha for inner spiritual strength to attain success in all your
undertakings.
After the final offering of coconuts, flowers and camphor a special puja was performed by
Pandit Roopnauth Sharma, President of Hindu Federation and other Presidents of various
Mandirs, who too were present on the occasion along with the devotees, they lifted the
Murti of their idol high with their hands and then immersed it in the lake.

INDO-
traffickers.
Persaud noted that this was the second
case in which he has had to represent a fam-

CARIBBEAN
ily which was forced to flee Guyana be-
cause of drug-related problems.

TIMES
This is the second known case reported
this year in which Guyanese families have
been granted refugee status in Canada be-
cause of the failure of the state of Guyana to
protect its citizens.
In the other case, Guyana-born immigra- 416-289-3898
tion lawyer in Toronto, Kaishree Chatarpaul
successfully represented a family of four -
from Essequibo, who sought refugee status
claiming political persecution and lack of
protection from the state.
COMMENTARY
Indo-Caribbean Times is pub-
lished monthly in Toronto by
Indo-Caribbean Times Ltd.
Editor/Publisher: Ram Jagessar
Editorial Committee:
Reynold Ramdial, Gulcharan Mo-
habir, Lloyd Harradan, Sandy
Kissoonsingh, Roop Misir, Deoraj
Narine, Jiantee Jagessar,Krishna
Nankissoor, Rudy Lochan
Offi
ficce: 17 Gaiety Drive,
Toronto ON Canada M1H 1B9
Tel: 416-289-3898
Fax: 416-289-0528
E-Mail: ictimes@rogers.com
Opinions given in this newspaper
are those of the authors and do
not necessarily reflect the views
of the Indo-Caribbean Times.
We welcome letters, e-mails and
comments on matters relevant to
Indo-Caribbeans in Canada and
abroad, and also those at home in
the Caribbean. All content must
comply with the requirements of
Canadian law.
A copy of this newspaper is
posted on the internet in as a pdf
file immediately after publication,
and the entire contents can be
read online by anyone with a
computer and an internet con-
nection
Commentary: The Guyanese Question in Nevis
By Mark Brantley
T
he issue of citizens of Guyana being in
our midst in Nevis has attracted a lot of
attention. Indeed, more properly put, the
issue of those Guyanese of Indian descent,
has attracted a lot of attention.
It seems unfortunately that there is a
view emerging in Nevis that these people
ought not to be allowed to live and partici-
pate in the socio cultural economic and po-
litical life of their new home, Nevis .
This view has gained currency as it is
constantly suggested by the NRP that the
Guyanese somehow support CCM and help
that Party to so convincingly beat the NRP
at every election since 1992. In New York
recently, the Honourable Joseph Parry,
Leader of the NRP and someone who
claims to be a regionalist in his outlook,
stated that Guyanese were "breeding" faster
than Nevisians and reminded Nevisians as-
sembled in New York that Idi Amin chased
the Indians out of Uganda for a reason. It is
unfortunate in my view when our leaders
look to the worst examples of leadership
that the World has seen for guidance.
I will not join with anyone to lambaste
Guyanese. Most Nevisians on this List are
probably Nevisians living in foreign lands.
My own father lived abroad for nearly 4
decades and his monthly remittances kept
me and my 3 sisters fed and clothed. He
was a black man living first in the white
Indo-Caribbean Times
Indians face a long decline in the Caribbean,
From the editor’s desk
but steady growth in North America & Europe
O ur September issue of
Indo-Caribbean Times
shocked many people with
statistics on the numbers of
Indo-Caribbeans at home
and abroad.
Who wouldn’t be stunned
Ram Jagessar at numbers like one million
Indo-Caribbeans and their
descendants living in other countries than
their homelands? Who would have thought
that in Guyana and Suriname more Indians
have left than are remaining at home?
Things have certainly changed from
thirty years ago. In the November 1974
issue of the Trinidad Indian magazine Muk-
dar we estimated 1,205,000 Indians in the
Caribbean. Trinidad with 500,000 was the
biggest group, followed by Guyana with
400,000, Suriname with 200,000, Jamaica
with 70,000, Martinique with 15,000 and
several other countries with under 5,000.
In the Caribbean, with an annual increase
of just over 3 %, the population is sup-
posed to double every 30 years or so.
Therefore the 1.2 million Indians in the
Caribbean in 1974 should have grown to
2.4 million by 2007.
That hasn’t happened. We are now talk-
ing about 525,000 Indians in Trinidad
today, up by only 25,000 in 30 years. That
can’t be right. In Guyana we are talking
about 376,000 Indians, down from 400,000,
and in Suriname about 162,000 Indians (or
Hindustanis as they are called), still down
from 200,000 thirty years ago.
That’s one million Indians today in those
three countries., When we add in the Ja-
maicans, Vincentians, Guadeloupans, Mar-
tiniquans, Grenadians, and the large
number living in Venezuela, it should not
be hard to reach 1.2 million Indians living
in the Caribbean today. That’s the same
country of England and then later in the
equally white country of America . Thank
God they did not kick him out or try to ex-
clude him from earning a living.
In England he would have registered to
vote after living there for the prescribed pe-
riod. Thank God that the Englishman did
not see it fit to castigate him for how he
voted. In America , he was able to register
to vote and both Democrat and Republican
campaigned for his support. None sought to
exclude him because he was from Nevis .
When he had spent 40 winters in foreign
lands, he acquired monies to invest in his
homeland. He bought land. He built a
home. Indeed, so well had those foreign
lands blessed him that he was able to be-
come a founding member of the Bank of
Nevis, an institution that now gives many,
including Mr. Parry, succour.
Why then do we castigate Guyanese so?
I do not mean to personalize this debate too
much but it might be important to state that
I am not sure that any of Mr. Parry's chil-
dren currently live in Nevis . I am certain
that Hensley Daniel only has one sibling
still living in Nevis . All are in foreign
lands. How then should those foreign lands
react to a call for Nevis to emulate Idi
Amin? How would we like for our people
to be castigated as "breeding" faster than
the locals in those lands?
The Guyanese are merely doing in Nevis
what Nevisians and Caribbean peoples have
OCTOBER 2007
number as in 1974. That means no growth
in the Indian population over the last 30
years.
So what happened to the extra 1.2 million
Indians who should have been born and
grown up in the Caribbean since 1974?
They voted with their feet and took off for
North America, Europe, and many other
parts of the world. They have been bring-
ing up their children and grandchildren far
away from the Caribbean. They aren’t
going back either, except for short tourist
trips.
I’ll put it in plain simple words. As a peo-
ple Indians have shown we don’t believe
we have a future in the Caribbean. The rea-
sons don’t matter. The fact is we don’t want
to stay there, and half the group has left.
Fifty percent is a serious exodus by any
count.
It also means that the centre of gravity
for Indo-Caribbeans is shifting from the
Caribbean to North America and Europe.
North America with over 600,000 Indo-
Caribbeans and Europe with over 250,000
are the new and growing homelands.
Toronto and New York and Miami and Lon-
don and Amsterdam are the places to look
for the action in the future.
I know some of our people in the
Caribbean will howl when they hear this.
But how can they explain away the fact that
in two of three countries where Indians
were a majority (Suriname and Guyana),
that the majority of Indians have left? The
Indian population is actually in decline in
Suriname and Guyana. It’s not a joke that
half of the Indians remaining in Guyana are
just waiting for their visas to arrive. My
friends tell me that a large number of the
Indo-Jamaicans are living happily… in
Miami. Even in Trinidad as much as 36%
of the Indo-Trinis have departed and are liv-
done for decades. They are seeking a better
life for themselves and for their families
back home. Nothing is wrong with that.
While doing so, they provide a much
needed labour force, they provide much
needed consumption, they spend money to
travel home on holidays, they pay work
permit fees to Government or have such
fees paid on their behalf, they pay social se-
curity, they teach Nevisians about their cul-
ture and get the chance to learn about ours.
If Nevis is to become a modern society,
we must at all cost cease and desist from
pandering to the worst and basest emotions
in us but rather seek to lift us up by the level
of our debate and the collective application
of our intellect. Let us not preach regional-
ism when we attend nice cocktail parties or
speak to the BBC but preach hatred and
racism when we address locals at home or
in small gatherings abroad.
Let us be fair to the Guyanese as to all
immigrants coming to our shores remem-
bering that we too were and in many re-
spects still are a migrant people.
Regards
Mark Brantley
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skn/
Page 4
ing abroad. If the black PNM party wins the
election next month, look out for more
Indo-Trinis to join the exodus.
That’s the big picture plain and simple.
Get out of the Caribbean. Find a better
place for yourself and your children, a place
with a future. Some of those who are doing
well are understandably reluctant to leave
until something bad happens. And some-
thing bad happens regularly in the
Caribbean. Even in Trinidad where we
have the biggest concentration of Indians.
What does the future look like? For the
bigger Indian populations in the Caribbean
it’s likely to remain as fairly large and vi-
brant populations that are growing slowly
or not at all, with a steady drain through mi-
gration.. For the smaller Indian populations
there should be more intermarriage with the
local blacks for some, and for the rest,
more migration. Either way, it means fewer
Indians in the Caribbean and a weaker In-
dian presence.
For North America, the Indo-Caribbeans
can look forward to a gradual expansion
through natural population increase and mi-
gration from the Caribbean, from the pres-
ent 600,000 plus to something approaching
a million in 30 years. Europe could see the
Indo-Caribbeans doubling to half a million
in the same period.
We can expect some intermarriage out-
side the Indian group, but if the present pat-
tern continues, there should still be vibrant
and healthy Indo-Caribbean communities
in both North America and Europe. I think
we will have what we sought when we left
our homelands, which is a better life for
ourselves and our children. I may not be
around in thirty years to confirm this pre-
diction, so I leave it to the children to prove
me right (or wrong) in 2037.
Letter to the Editor
Our profound appreciation and thanks must
go to the United Nations Organization for
having unanimously adopted October 2nd,
Mohan Dass Karamchand Gandhi’s other-
wise known as Mahatma Gandhi, birthday,
as “international peace and non-violence
day.” It took the world body some 59 years
to bestow this honor upon the Indian fakir
and pilgrim for peace after his assassination
in 1948, just one year after India ’s inde-
pendence. Gandhi who said “I am prepared
to die, but there is no cause for which I am
prepared to kill” lost his own life to vio-
lence perpetrated by an Indian religious
zealot.
In a world seriously endangered by mili-
tancy, terrorism, violence, crusades, geno-
cides and ethnic cleansing on the one hand
and on the other abnormal hikes in military
expenditures, new and destructive missile
systems, race and black marketing for nu-
clear weapons and technology, military ini-
tiatives and penetrations, occupation and
attempts to establish a new kind of imperi-
alism and the resultant violence, can the
Gandhian model provide a viable alterna-
tive in restoring the peaceful nature of our
society?
Given the ongoing volume of violence in
today’s world,Gandhi’s message of peace
and non-violence is perhaps most relevant
I personally find it distasteful when Hin-
dus demonise Gandhi for some mistakes
he may have made while they ignore the
brilliant and great courage of that man to
be the main instrument to bring about
India 's independence.
Kanayalal Raina
Brampton
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO NEWS
Battle of the polls PNM stuns
NACTA has PNM
10% over UNCA
A national poll conducted by NACTA from
Sep 29 thru Oct 8 shows the People’s Na-
tional Movement leading the race with
40% support, while the United National
Congress Alliance comes in at 30% support
and the Congress of the People 16%. Four-
teen percent of voters are undecided.
The combined UNCA/COP vote would
be 46%, enough to unseat the PNM.
Right now, because of the divided opposi-
tion, the PNM is projected to win 25 to 26
seats, UNCA 15 to 16 seats, and COP no
seat.
The poll findings show in Caroni Cen-
tral, the UNCA leads the PNM 43% to
27% with 18% for COP and 12% unde-
cided. In St. Augustine, UNC polls 41% to
PNM 24% and COP 22% meaning COP
leader Winston Dookeran cannot win his
seat. And in Tabaquite, Ramesh Lawrence
Maharaj is leading Anand Ramlogan
51% to 17% with 23% for the PNM.
Selwyn Ryan says
PNM 32%, COP 28%
Results of a political opinion survey con-
ducted by Selwyn Ryan and Associates
over the period September 29 to October 6,
2007 indicate that the People's National
Movement (PNM) and Congress of the
People (COP) are locked in an electoral bat-
tle that is extremely close, with the PNM
being only marginally ahead of the new
challenger.
When asked which party are you likely
to vote for, 32 per cent said they would vote
for the PNM, 28 per cent said COP, five per
cent said the UNC Alliance. Twelve per
cent said they were uncertain as to what
they would do eventually, 19 per cent re-
fused to say, and two per cent said they
would support "none of the above"
When voters were asked which party they
preferred to have govern the country over
the next five years, the PNM was preferred
by 34 per cent,the COP by 30 per cent, the
UNC Alliance by five per cent, an alliance
or merger of COP and the UNC by 26 per
cent, and None of the Above by four per
cent.
The COP draws 48 per cent of its support
from Indo-Trinidadians, 24 per cent from
mixed elements, and 12 per cent from Afro-
Trinidadians. The PNM, for its part, draws
52 per cent of its support from Afro-
Trinidadians, 35 per cent from the mixed
group, and ten per cent from Indo-Trinida-
dians.
When ethnicity was factored into the analy-
sis, we find a quarter of the Indo-Trinidadi-
ans (24 per cent) saying they would vote for
the unity arrangement while one-fifth (19
per cent) would not vote. Ten (10) percent
said they would vote PNM while another
five per cent would abstain altogether. The
others did not know what they would do or
refused to say.
WICKHAM POLL
COP - 30.5%
PNM - 23.5%
UNC - 10.6%
Leaders preferred
DOOKERAN - 40%
MANNING - 31%
Indo-Caribbean Times
country with
20 Indians
In a complete break with tradition, the
ruling PNM has chosen 20 Indian candi-
dates in its slate of 41 candidates for the
November 5 general elections. It’s a signal
that the party intend to campaign aggres-
sively for the crucial Indian votes. Prime
Minister Patrick Manning has said openly
that his party cannot win win elections
without Indian support, and he has warned
opposition parties about pulling the race
card in the election campaign.
The PNM slate:
1. Arima- Pennelope Beckles
2. Arouca/Maloney- Alicia Hospedales
3. Barataria/San Juan- Joseph Ross
4. Caroni Central- Shivanand Narinesingh
5. Caroni East- Harold Ramoutar
6. Chaguanas East- Mustapha Abdul-
Hamid
7. Chaguanas West- Frankie Ranjitsingh
8. Couva North- Nal Ramsingh
9. Couva South- Naim Ali
10. Cumuto/Manzanilla- Lennox Sirjusingh
11. D'Abadie/O'Meara- Karen Nunez
Tesheira
12. Diego Martin Central- Dr Amery
Browne
13. Diego Martin East- Colm Imbert
14. Diego Martin West - Dr Keith Rowley
15. Fyzabad- Andre Bernard
16. La Brea- Fitzgerald Jeffrey
17.La Horquetta/Talparo- Roger Joseph
18. Laventille East/Morvant- Donna Cox
19. Laventille West- Nyleung Hypolite
20. Lopinot/Bon Air- Neil Parsanlal
21. Mayaro- Michelle Mischier Boyd
22. Naparima- Geeta Rampersad
23. Oropouche East- Shafeeq Mohammed
24. Oropouche West- Dr Raghunath Ma-
habir
25. Princes Town North- Marlon Mo-
hammed
26. Princes Town South/Tableland- Peter
Taylor
27. Point Fortin- Paula Gopee
28. Point-a-Pierre - Christine Kangaloo
29. Port of Spain North/St Ann's West-
Gary Hunte
30. Port of Spain South- Marlene McDon-
ald
31. San Fernando East- Patrick Manning
32. San Fernando West- Junia Regrello
33. Siparia- Lutchman Rampersad
34. St Ann's East- Anthony Roberts
35. St Augustine- Nadra Nathai-Gyan
36. St Joseph- Kennedy Swaratsingh
37. Tabaquite- Heeralal Rampertap
38. Tobago East- Rennie Dumas
39. Tobago West- Stanford Calender
40. Toco/Sangre Grande- Indra Sinanan
Ojah-Maharaj
41. Tunapuna- Ester Le Gendre
It pays to
advertise in the
Indo-Caribbean
Times
OCTOBER 2007 Page 5
Panday and Jack Ramesh returns
Warner leaders of Lawrence
Former Couva South MP Ramesh
UNC Alliance
Maharaj is set to fight
theTabaquite seat on a UNC Alliance ticket
against COP star candidate Anand Ramlo-
The United National Congress Alliance has ganin the upcoming general election.
put up a dual leadership team of UNC Po- And it’s already heating up as one of the
litical Leader Basdeo Panday and Deputy battles to watch. UNCA leader Basdeo Pan-
Political Leader Jack Warner. Opposition day has called on voters to crush Anand for
Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar was shut saying Panday was responsible for closing
out, and YesTT leader Stephen Cadiz down Caroni Ltd.. Ramesh, one of “fear-
walked out on the Alliance at the decision. some foursome” of the past UNC, has
begun attacking Anand in election
meetrings. The PNM's candidate, chutney
singer Heeralal Rampartap, is not consid-
ered to be a threat to take the seat.
Cadiz demands
Panday drop
leadership
Despite severing ties with the leadership
UNC big three (from left) Basdeo Panday, council of the UNC Alliance, chairman of
Jack Warner and Kamla Persad-Bissessar YesTT Stephen Cadiz says he is willing to
are full of enthusiasm at a recent meeting. work with the Alliance right away once
Basdeo Panday steps down from the lead-
The decision was made by the UNC Al- ership council.
liance leadership council of were Panday, “I am willing to work with the Alliance
Warner, Persad-Bissessa from the UNC, council in the morning, but I would not do
YEStt's Stephen Cadiz, Democratic Party it with certain personalities around.'
of Trinidad and Tobago (DPTT) leader Asked who those personalities were,
Steve Alvarez, NAR leader Dr Carson Cadiz responded: “Panday.”
Charles and Leader of Laventille for Laven- Cadiz also declined to contest the Diego
tillians Lennox Smith. Martin North-East constituency for the
A triumphant Warner told the media, UNC Alliance, and swore not to participate
"This is the dream team. To beat this you in any political event for the November 5
have to come better, not good." general election.
Secret document
Warner said this dual leadership was de-
would make Manning
cided upon because of the racial divide in
the country.
executive president
"This arrangement has come about because
of our concern about the two major sectors
of the society, that we will have to get to-
A copy of a secret draft constitution that
gether. Historically they have been apart
suggests the making of a "monster" Execu-
and this arrangement will be one that hope-
tive President, with a specially selected vice
fully will draw them together," Warner said.
president to control the House of Parlia-
When asked if the UNC Alliance wins
ment, was recently dropped in Opposition
the election who would be the prime minis-
Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar's post box.
ter - himself or Panday - Warner said that
Persad-Bissessar claims Prime Minister
would be determined after the election.
Patrick Manning was the mastermind be-
Panday meanwhile offered: "We have re-
hind the secret document, giving credence
alised this country has been traditionally di-
to recent advice by Ken Valley when he
vided on racial lines, particularly political
warned that Manning was a dictator.
racial lines. What we are trying to do is heal
The document, according to Persad-
that wound in society and to unite our peo-
Bissessar, says the executive authority of
ple in the tremendous political struggle."
Trinidad and Tobago shall be vested in the
Warner is known to be a heavy financial
President and subject to this Constitution,
backer of the UNC and a trusted friend to
may be exercised by him directly.
Basdeo Panday.
More kidnaps if
WOW!! 3.74% mortgage rate*
UNCA loses
Senior member of the new
political group Laventille for 100% Financing & No Income Confirmation
Laventillians (LFL) and Good / Bad Credit & Previous Bankrupt
UNC/Alliance candidate for No hassle commercial mortgage financing
Laventille West Lennox Smith
has warned that if the party's vi-
Self Employed & Bank Turndowns
sion for the area is not sup-
Call NOW!!
ported, the national community
Lea Nankissoor
will feel the "wrath of Laven-
tille" in the form of more rob-
beries, kidnappings and other
crimes. Associate Mortgage Broker
"If you don't vote for a (over 15 yrs Banking experience)
change, if you don't vote us into
office, you can expect more
crime, more murders, more
delinquency, more gang wars...
647-294-6241
and the list goes on," he said.
*OAC, terms and rates are subject to change without
notice and some conditions may apply
A mountain of complaints against police
TRINIDAD
t
AND TOBAGO
TT diabetes rate of Beaten pundit
25% highest in region awarded $165,000
Trinidad and Tobago has one of the high-
est incidence of diabetes in the region, with
25 per cent of the adult population suffering
from the disease.
Health Minister John Rahael made this
announcement recently while addressing a
symposium on diabetes at the Centre Point
Mall in Chaguanas.
He also said that diabetics in the country
are amongst those getting the best treatment
in the world. Through the CDAP pro-
gramme, the Government has been able to
provide drugs for diabetics including in-
sulin and that these drugs were free, the
minister said. The Pan American Health Or-
ganisation is said to be looking at CDAP
with the aim of recommending the pro-
gramme to many countries including those
in the developing world.
Criminals have taken
over Trinidad society
President of Trinidad and Tobago Crime
Watch Ian Alleyne is admitting that crimi-
nal elements have taken over the T&T so-
ciety.
Alleyne lamented yesterday the fact that
criminals were often allowed to walk free,
because T&T did not have an adequate wit-
ness protection programme.
His comments followed the recent triple
murder of businessman who were gunned
down in Curepe.
“The execution of these three men is a clear
signal that the criminal elements are fully
confident of their power to execute their un-
lawful duties.They have, indeed, taken over
our society.
“Even though the Government would like
the society and citizens to have confidence
in these agencies, they have failed to instil
that confidence in our society and in our cit-
izens.”
Alleyne added that judges were fearful of
handing down judgment in high-profile
cases, for fear of being attacked.
Airline employees
must take rectal
exam to keep job
As part of their terms of employment,
Caribbean Airlines flight attendants must
undergo mandatory anal examinations, or
risk being dismissed.
Viewed as a draconian policy by staff, the
company’s demand that flight attendants
submit to the rectal procedure is just one in
a series of developments that have con-
tributed to flagging employee morale.
The demand that flight attendants, both
male and female, submit to anal exams has
ignited anger among the affected staff.
While the blood and urine tests fall in line
with standard requirements for many local
employers, affected Caribbean Airlines em-
ployees feel the compulsory anal exams are
unreasonable.
As part of their contracts, all flight atten-
dants must sign an “Authorisation for Re-
lease of Medical Records” in which they
agree to “submit to a medical examination
or test relevant to my employment and to
my fitness for, and performance of, my du-
ties.”
Reference to a rectal examination, how-
ever, is not outlined in the document.
Indo-Caribbean Times
A pundit who claimed he had been badly
beaten, tortured, taunted and locked in the
cells of the Oropouche Police Station is to
receive $165,000 in damages.
The money was awarded to Pundit
Robindranth Choon after the State agreed
to pay damages to him for assault and bat-
tery, false imprisonment and/or unlawful
detention.
Choon, 49, through his attorney Anand
Ramlogan, had filed the action in the San
Fernando High Court in April against PC
Dennis Sooknanan, PC Brian Rambhajan
and Attorney General John Jeremie.
The action stemmed from an incident on
August 4, 2006, in which Choon said he
failed to stop for police in an unmarked car
and was so badly beaten that he suffered
three broken ribs, damage to an eardrum
and cuts and bruises to his body.
He said Sooknanan and Rambhajan
alighted from the vehicle and began beat-
ing him with their batons. He said he was
kicked, cuffed and slapped. On their way to
the police station, Choon said Sooknanan
continuously beat him on the knee with the
baton. The beating continued at the station
with Sooknanan striking him more than 40
times about his body with the baton.
He further claimed that Sooknanan
stuffed a kerosene-soaked newspaper in his
pants and poured kerosene over his head.
Choon said Sooknanan then passed a
“chicken-roaster,” with an open burning
flame back and forthnear his face and
pelvic area.
Choon also claimed Sooknanan made
him sing bhajans and dance. Choon said
the officer asked him to sign a notebook so
he (Sooknanan) “could transfer his (Choon)
liver to somebody”
Kidnap victim freed
Fifteen-year-old Christine Wong is back
home with her family after being held for a
few weeks by her kidnappers.
According to police reports, she was
found about 5.30 a.m. on October 2 on
the Old Valencia Road.
They added that the family was told
where to pick the girl up by her kidnappers,
after an undisclosed amount of ransom was
paid. The teenager was not in her school
uniform at the time police found her and ap-
peared to be unharmed
Wong, a Third Form student of El Do-
rado Secondary School, was last seenon
September 19 at Valencia Junction. She was
wearing her school uniform, a cream bodice
and brown plaid skirt, at the time. Two sus-
pects were held for questioning but were
subsequently released.
High speed internet
for rural areas
People living in several rural areas through
out the country will soon be able to access
high-speed broadband Internet access as ef-
ficiently and as cheaply as someone in the
heart of Port of Spain as new frequencies
have been made available to service
providers.
After a day of bidding on several blocks
of the available frequency bands (12 GHz
and 700 GHz) it was stated by the Telecom-
OCTOBER 2007
munications Authority of Trinidad and To-
bago (TATT) recently that two companies
won several blocks of radio frequency and
are now eligible for national spectrum li-
cences.
The licences, granted by the Ministry of
Public Administration and Information, will
give Green Dot Ltd and Telstar Cable Sys-
tem theauthority to provide public broad-
band wireless access (BWA) services.
While Green Dot is already an authorised
wireless Internet provider, one of the com-
pany's directors, Ajmal Nazir, told the Ex-
press the three blocks of 700 MHz
frequency they acquired at the auction will
allow them to provide the service to cus-
tomers at all areas of the country.
Beaten granny
Soonardaye dies
THE elderly woman beaten unconscious
during a burglary at her home in Las Lomas
No 1 last Sunday has died.
Grandmother Soonardaye Sankersingh,
78, never regained consciousness, relatives
said
Police are moving to charge two men
with the murder and a third man is being
sought for questioning. A woman is also
said to be a suspect with information on the
crime.
And police have asked for an investiga-
tion into the alleged failure of a doctor to
examine Sankersingh to determine if she
was sexually assaulted.
Sankersingh lived at Ganga Trace with
her son, Devanand, 39, daughter Raji, 38,
and a teen grandson. She was with her
daughter on Sunday when three men broke
in, police were told.
Last Wednesday, two men, Romeo
Grannam, 20, and Ancil Ramroop, 19, of
Kelly Village, Caroni, appeared in court
charged with the attempted murder of
Sankersingh.
They were denied bail and taken to prison.
They will return to court on October 17.
Blimp going
back up
The Government’s multi-million dollar
skyship would soon be up and running, an
official from the National Security Ministry
has assured.
According to the official, the skyship, also
known as the blimp, was down for the past
three months to undergo maintenance.
“The skyship is being serviced and is ex-
pected to be up in the air soon. It is not de-
fective or anything like that”? the official
said.
The spokesman, however, could not give
an exact date when the blimp would be up
and running.
National Security Minister Martin Joseph
had announced that the blimp was an inte-
gral part ofGovernment’s fighting tools, ca-
pable of monitoring gang-related activities.
The Ministry of National Security had
said in a news release in August that the
skyship was undergoing routine checks and
would have been back in the skies by mid-
October.People?s National Movement
(PNM) Diego Martin Central MP
Page 6
Valley says PM
is dictatorial
Kenneth Valley is concerned that the polit-
ical leader of his party, Patrick Manning, is
demonstrating a "dictatorial attitude."
Valley, who was rejected by the PNM as
the candidate for r Diego Martin Central,
said he had no row withManning, and did
not know what had caused the situation.
Asked to explain his statement about
forces binding together, Valley replied:
"I said that everyone has an obligation to
be guided by one's conscience, and if you
see what is happening and you have an in-
terest in the country in doing what you
think is right, then you have a duty to
take a stand.
"I am saying that if you perceive action
that is dictatorial, and if you think that
someone is hoping to be executive presi-
dent, you have to ask if you want a consti-
tutional dictator and you have to make that
decision.
"Everyone has to decide. Therefore, I'm
saying that persons with goodprinciples
ought to do what is required in the situation
to deal with it."
Asked if he was referring to Manning?s
proposals for an executive president, Valley
replied:"While I support the PNM to win
elections, we need to guard against aspecial
majority that will allow for the executive
presidency through the back door."
Murder toll is
now 264
A man liming with a group of friends near
his home at Bon Air Gardens, Arouca was
shot dead earlier this week.
Dead is Duane "Foreign" Zinas, 26, and
his death brought this year's murder toll to
264.
The police said that around 2 p.m., while
he was with his friends liming at Emerald
Circular, a man approached the group and
began firing shots at Zinas.
Zinas was shot in the head but managed
to run a short distance and collapsed in a
nearby resident's yard where he died.
The gunman pursued Zinas and also shot
a pitbull which lunged at him in the yard.
The dog survived, police said.
GOD party not
contesting election
One of the newest parties is the GOD
party. or Guardian of Democracy. Leader
Eric Estrada, 52, of Signal Hill, Tobago,
said he was instructed in a dream to form
the political party to become the Guardian
of Democracy (GOD).
"In the dream, I was told to name it
Guardian of Democracy (GOD)," he said.
Estrada said the party at present has 10
members. "I am the political leader and
members of the party worship at the
"Alien House of Prayer" at Signal Hill," he
said.
Estrada said his party was not contesting
this year's general election on November 5.
Guyana’s oil boom may be one well away
GUYANA NEWS
G Ten die, nine are
uyana has a long history of explo-
ration for oil and gas, beginning in
the 1920s and continuing in phases
up to the present but with no commercial
discovery. As early as 1957 Guyana negoti-
ated a concession with California Oil. The
legal draftsman who drafted that licence
was one Shridath “Sonny” Ramphal.
In 1988 the Government of Guyana
signed an accord with British and Aus-
tralian companies, allowing them to explore
for oil about 60 miles off its shores in the
Atlantic Ocean. The agreement was be-
tween the state-owned Guyana Natural Re-
sources Agency and London and Scottish
Marine Oil P.L.C., based in London, and
Broken Hill Proprietary Ltd. Nothing seems
to have come from this initiative. Some
Guyanese claim the project was blocked by
Venezuela.
Some wells were drilled as a result of
these early efforts, but oil was not found in
commercial quantities.
In 1998 Guyana granted CGX, a Cana-
dian company, a concession to drill for oil
in the coastal areas it claimed as its own. By
2000 a platform rested over one of
Guyana's two promising oil fields. But be-
fore drilling started, a Surinamese air force
plane spotted the rig and Suriname ordered
it out of what it claims was its territory.
Then, in the middle of the night, Suri-
namese gunboats towed off the rig and
launched a full-scale international crisis.
The Canadians left and waited for further
developments. Off-shore development by
both countries stopped, while the price of
oil and the potential worth of the claims
steadily rose.
In February 2004 Guyana, out of peace-
ful options, took the dispute to the Interna-
tional Tribune of Sea Law in Hamburg,
Germany. It accused Suriname of frustrat-
ing negotiations the past and of provoking
trouble when it chased CGX Energy from
the disputed sea-area. The Guyana team
was led by Shridath Ramphal.
On Thursday September 20th, a Law of
the Sea Arbitration Tribunal unanimously
decided on a maritime boundary between
Guyana and Suriname. In the words of the
Guyana President Bharat Jagdeo, “The
award is very favourable to Guyana”. It is
an award that is legally binding on both
countries.
News of the settlement saw CGX's share
price leap to $2.50, up from 26 cents a year
ago. But though the geology is promising,
nobody has yet found any oil. Kerry Sully,
CGX's president, is bullish but does not ex-
pect to drill before 2009
Does Guyana have oil? The United States
Geological Survey reckons that the muddy
waters of the Guyana-Suriname basin may
hold more undiscovered oil than the proven
reserves of the North Sea.
A senior petroleum geologist in Trinidad
and Tobago Fazal Hosein, Chief Executive
Officer of International Geological Services
Limited in December last year said
"The search for oil in Guyana cannot be
stopped now. Reviews of existing data and
recent drilling results support a renewed ef-
fort to find the elusive commercial oil field
in Guyana,"…That field may be just one
well away."
Identifying the three main prospective
areas as the Guyana Offshore Province, the
Coastal Onshore Province and the Inland
Onshore Province, Hosein said each of the
provinces has their own characteristics
which encourage the continued search for
oil.
"The main ingredients for finding hydro-
Indo-Caribbean Times
carbons in all three provinces are the pres-
ence of oil source rocks, reservoirs and
traps or seals, all of which are present," said
Hosein, who has evaluated plays in Guyana
and Venezuela on behalf of clients.
"In addition, the presence of oil has been
established by well tests and oil and gas
shows which indicate that commercial
quantities of hydrocarbons could be one
well away.
But it is not just tests and surveys that
fuel Guyana’s hopes for oil. There is oil in
neughbouring Surinam and State Oil Com-
pany, the pride of Suriname, is a huge and
efficient enterprise that generates $70 mil-
lion annual income for Suriname. Manag-
ing Director Eddy Jharap runs it like a
private corporation rather than with the
slow bureaucracy typical of state compa-
nies with massive government involve-
ment. State Oil's on-shore drilling in the
Saramacca district furnishes the local mar-
ket with heavy crude and still leaves 25 per-
cent of production for exports
If
there is oil, some Guyanese fear that it will
bring problems-especially corruption-as
well as benefits. They note that in neigh-
bouring Trinidad oil and natural gas have
brought an economic boom but not an in-
stant fix for social problems. In Guyana, the
tribunal's ruling brought a rare moment of
political harmony. For perhaps the first time
in 50 years, the mainly Afro-Guyanese op-
position People's National Congress hailed
a success by its mainly Indo- Guyanese po-
litical foes in the government of President
Bharrat Jagdeo.
Guyana is a poor country-one of the
poorest in South America-and its hopes run
high that its deal with CGX Energy Inc. will
generate prosperity. CGX Energy and its 62
percent Guyanese subsidiary ON Energy
Inc. recently started drilling on-shore in
Yakusari region in the first of a four well
program.
Warren Workman, vice president of CGX
Energy and president of ON Energy, said
that the company is embarking on a high
risk drilling program based on seismic and
geochemical drillings. "It's definitely excit-
ing to finally be drilling the first of our four
wildcats," he said. In a wildcat, "an ex-
ploratory well in an area not previously
know to produce...the probability of a com-
mercial success is very low, typically no
better than 10 percent. Over the years in
Guyana, there have been only been eight
wells drilled on-shore and 11 off-shore; all
were dry and abandoned. However, oil and
gas shows in several of those historic wells
provided evidence of an active hydrocarbon
system. A successful outcome would have a
significant impact on both our shareholders
and the country of Guyana."
If oil is found in Guyana, the discovery
will not fulfill all the expectations of
Guyanese. It will take at least five years be-
fore commercial drilling comes on-stream.
Meanwhile the necessary infrastructure,
like pipelines and tank farms has to be set
OCTOBER 2007
up. Qualified workers have to be found –
Amoco in Trinidad was demanding work-
ers with passes in Math and Physics for
what was essentially manual work. The oil
industry is not labour-intensive, so that the
number of people employed will be small.
Unless the government has shares in the ex-
ploration company, its share of the oil rev-
enue will be limited to royalties and taxes.
Initially the oil company has to write-off its
start-up costs.
Guyanese people of all races will expect
to get their share of the oil dollars. They
would do well to study two oil economies.
The first is Trinidad, where oil dollars are
handed out to government supporters, spent
on mega-projects they could not manage
and generally squandered and stolen.
Money, said the Jamaican Prime Minister,
was running through Trinidad like a dose of
salts. When the first oil boom came to an
end in the early 1980s Trinidadians suffered
terribly. Trinidad learnt nothing from that
experience. The country is going through
another oil boom. Even more money is
being handed out to government support-
ers. Again money is being squandered and
stolen. The Prime Minister built a $148 mil-
lion house for himself.
The second example is Venezuela. In
1936 the Venezuelan government embarked
on its now-famous policy of sembrar el
petróleo, or "sowing the oil." This policy in-
volved using oil revenues to stimulate agri-
culture, and later, industry. Vast sums of
money were spent in this endeavour. I saw
many of the projects being undertaken, and
I use to admire the Venezuelans for the ef-
forts they were making.
But somehow it did not work. Oil has sti-
fled the rest of the economy and today
Venezuelans regard it as a curse rather than
a blessing. It has created a bonanza mental-
ity and discouraged individual initiative.
Recent surveys have found that 80 per cent
of Venezuelans believe that the role of gov-
ernment is to share the wealth among all,
and that they themselves have not benefited
from these riches.
Closing backtrack to
Suriname causing
hardship
While the ban on travel via the semi-legal
'backtrack' route between Guyana and Suri-
name remained in effect yesterday, desper-
ate Guyanese boat owners were taking their
chances in the nights.
President of the Upper Corentyne Cham-
ber of Commerce (UCCC), David Sub-
nauth condemned this move by operators,
saying that it was "extremely dangerous"
and could only further affect the already
strained relations between authorities at
Nickerie and the speed boat operators.
Suriname closed down the illegal migra-
tion route which is faster but also facilitates
the movement of drugs and weapons across
the two borders. Nickerie District Commis-
sioner Bhagwatpersad Shankar was quoted
in the Suriname Daily, de Ware Tijd (dWT)
as saying that the decision to close the route
was made because of "the continuing chaos,
confusion and anarchy" associated with it,
as well as because bitter competition be-
tween boat operators was threatening to es-
calate.
Page 7
injured in horrific
crash at Linden
Ten people have died and nine have been
injured in a massive road accident at
Amelia's Ward, Linden, described as one of
the worst in recent memory. They were all
passengers in a minibus that smashed into a
parked logging truck at night.
Those who died are Colleen Bacchus, Lor-
raine McCurdy, Florence Cummings,
Carl Austin, Carl McAlmont, Delroy
Mitchell,17, Tyrese McLean, 2, Evelyn
Adams, 42, Elaine Lashley - who died on
the way to the Georgetown
Hospital - and Paul Lewis, the conductor of
the minibus.Those injured and recovering
at the Georgetown and Linden hospitals are
Oriel Simeon, Mark Lewis, Odette Gordon,
35, Wendy Nedd, 16, Sherlock
Daniels, 16, Fonda Lashley, 25, Stacy
Fordyce, 33, Jerome Cruickshank
and Leon Granville, 8.
One passenger said all he could remember
about the accident is that they were
climbing a hill heading to Amelia's Ward
when the bus hit a truck parked
at the side of the road. The minibus driver
claimed that he was blinded by the lights of
an oncoming vehicle as he was overtaking
on the hill, and slammed at full speed into
the parked truck loaded with logs. Charges
against the driver are being considered by
police.
Shankar since Wednesday ordered the
police and the army to close thecrossing
and keep an eye on any illegal move-
ments. DWT has reported that boat oper-
ators and taxi-drivers had protested
against the closure, claiming significant
loss of income, but Shankar insisted that
as soon as the operators settled their dis-
agreements they could report to the au-
thorities who would then decide whether
and when they could offer the service
again.
UCCC President,Subnauth said that
since the closure he has not visited the
area to assess the impact it has had on
businesses, but he said that any restriction
of the service would be dire for the Coren-
tyne and businesses that used the route.
The business community will suffer
tremendously because Surinamese come
to Guyana and do business, likewise
Guyanese go over there to do business,"
Subnauth said.
GUYANA NEWS
Kowsilla, one of the last
Guyana govt.
says reparations jahajis, passes away at 104
due for African ne of the last remaining jahajis belongs to Cove and John.
slavery
who came from India has passed
away in Georgetown.
T
Ghutri Kowsilla, called ‘Ma', passed interview recently.
he Guyana government is taking a
firm stand on calling for apologies
from countries that benefited from slavery,
and compensation to the descendants of
the slaves.
Recently government reaffirmed its po-
sition that there must be “reparatory jus-
tice” for slavery which took place over
two-hundred years ago.
Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr.
Frank Anthony said government share this
view because it is cognizant that after all the
years that has passed it would be virtually
impossible to have retributive justice.
“We (government) are saying that slavery
was a crime against humanity and we want
that to be acknowledged. Recently in Par-
liament we passed a Motion to that effect,
to say that it was a crime and flowing from
that if there is crime, how do you redeem a
crime? It is very difficult to have retributive
justice and therefore, we are asking for
reparation justice,” Dr. Anthony said.
“The government has been making this
call for the governments which have bene-
fited from slavery to pay reparation. They
should make an apology. I think this is im-
portant,” Dr. Anthony asserted.
During his presentation in the National
Assembly on July 27 on the PNC/R African
Slave Trade and Slavery Motion, he said
Guyana should join in the call made by the
Caribbean Community Inter-Sessional
meeting for an apology from the ex-Euro-
pean Colonial powers and reparation for
profiting from the abominable crime of
African slavery.
The Motion which was moved by PNC/R
Member Deborah Backer seeks to have the
National Assembly unequivocally ac-
knowledge the immense debt that all
Guyanese owe to the African ancestors and
recognise the outstanding contributions
they have made to the development of
Guyana.
The Motion also seeks to have an African
Land Commission established to determine
the issue of ancestral land rights of African
Guyanese. The Motion was passed with
PPP/C amendments.
Prior to the passing of the Motion, Min-
ister Anthony said government is aware that
there may be some problems regarding ti-
tles, but there are provisions in place to ad-
dress such issues.
Editor’s note:
Indo-Guyanese would like to hear a similar
strong stand by the government for repara-
tions to the indentured Indians and their de-
scendants who were robbed of their
property by the colonial governments.
During the indentureship period and up to
the middle of the 20th century, Hindu and
Muslim marriages were not recognized by
the colonial government. All children were
therefore illegitimate and none of the wives
were considered legal widows. When a
man died his widow and children could not
claim his property, or his money in the post
office savings bank or a regular bank. They
were not legitimate children or widows,
and could not get a will probated or letters
of administration. Their property often went
to the government Treasury.
These are verifiable cases where persons
suffered financial loss, and where they have
a strong case for reparation.
Indo-Caribbean Times
O
Me meet he and we marry and we go live
at Quakers Hall, Mahaicony,” she said in an
away on Saturday at the Georgetown Pub-
lic Hospital at the age of 104, following a
brief illness..
The final chapter in the life of Kowsilla
ended with her cremation at the Good Hope
Cemetery . Kowsilla who was born on April
20, 1903, somewhere in Uttar Pradesh,
landed in British Guiana on October 10,
1912 aboard the Matla Jahaj. Her father
Dhonra and a mother and brother were also
on the ship
. which her family lived then and that ‘Ma'
Ghutri and her daughter Sookhia
Her mother and father died after coming
to Guyana, and she never saw her brother
who went to work someplace else.
She remembered that the days following
her arrival at the plantation were not easy
ones.
Her first stop was at Cove and John where
she went on to picking caterpillar worms
from sugar cane.
She she was married at the tender age of
12 to Ramdas, a man she met on the plan-
tation.
Some time later, the family moved to De
Kinderen, Mahaicony. Within a few years
‘Ma's' husband died, leaving her to struggle
to raise her children alone.
“Me come from India a small baby; me
get eight pickney for me husband. Me hus-
band, Ramdas, nah come from India. He
Europe scraps vital sugar marketing deal
Guyana’s sugar crop in serious danger
The European Union (EU) has unilater-
ally scrapped the 32-year-old Sugar Proto-
col which has been the fulcrum of trade ties
with Guyana and other ex colonies and the
move came while critical talks on preserv-
ing benefits in new economic partnership
agreements (EPAs) were still ongoing.
The Sugar Protocol, set up in 1975 be-
tween the EU and 18 African, Caribbean
and Pacific (ACP) sugar-producing coun-
tries, had offered the ACP access to the EU
market and a guaranteed price for sugar for
an 'indefinite duration'. World Trade Or-
ganisa-tion (WTO) rules had required a
renegotiation of the EU/ACP pacts to en-
sure compliance but the ACP had always
been assured that the Sugar Protocol bene-
fits would still exist especially considering
its special legal status.
Regional negotiators will now be under
pressure to ensure the preservation of the
OCTOBER 2007
First open heart
surgery brings
hope for many
She spoke of wearing khaki clothing to
work. “We used to mek clothes out of bags
fuh wear,” Kowsilla said.
The hours of work were long and hard. At
the end of each day she retired to a hut with
a family whose matriarch took care of the
children.
The last of ‘Ma's' children, Sookhia, with
whom she has been living for the last ten
years, does not remember her father be-
cause he died when she was an infant.
However, she members the mud hut in
used to “bruk red brick” to maintain her
children after her husband's untimely de-
mise.
Describing her mother as a stalwart who
always puts her family first, Sookhia related
that a few years ago her mother resumed
sewing bags to assist her during a difficult
time following a divorce.
Since then, mother and daughter shared
a home at Good Hope.
“Can't read and write; never been to
school,” Kowsilla said. She had more than
70 grandchildren, about 53 great grandchil-
dren and about 11 great great grandchil-
dren.
Sookhia said,“Me mother used to tell me
that when she did comin' in a boat, water
been rough and they did hungry and they
reach too much punishment. Me father dead
when me was a baby.
“She work hard she whole life. She cut
rice, she wuk a backdam, she patch rice
bag; all kind thing she do. When me used
to go to school she used to patch rice bag a
factory for eight cents a day,” Sookhia said.
“She strong. She never go doctor; since
me know me mother she never go doctor.”
She spoke Hindi and creolese, remem-
bers nothing of India, but did remember her
voyage to BG particularly the sound of the
ocean and the rocking of the steam ship
"Matla Jahaj".
"Ma" had a good appetite, loved dhal
and rice, and fed herself without assis-
tance. She still sang those songs they used
to sing in the sugar and rice fields of Cove
and John a long time ago, and proudly dis-
played her wedding tattoo.
protocol benefits in the EPA which has an
EU deadline for year-end completion.
Guyana's Minister of Foreign Trade
and Interna-tional Cooperation and Cari-
com's spokesperson on sugar, Dr Henry
Jeffrey yesterday reiterated in a release
that the EU must "take into account the
sensitive nature of sugar and the multi-
functional role [it] plays in the economies
of ACP countries." He added that market
access should take into account what had
been available in the Sugar Protocol so
that no country was worse off.
In Brussels, The Financial Times
quoted Guyana's Ambassador to the EU,
PI Gomes as describing the move as "a
pre-emptive strike aimed at coercion. It is
very disappointing. We are still negotiat-
ing in good faith."
Sugar cane farming still remains one
of the strengths of Guyana’s economy.
Page 8
Manmohan Singh
After its first successful open heart surgery,
the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI) is gear-
ing up to deepen its work here and persons
who suffer heart attacks are now being
promised care at its facility.
A 64-year-old pensioner, Manmohan
Singh, from Better Hope was the first per-
son to undergo `beating heart surgery' or
`off-pump heart bypass surgery' and is
presently recovering at the GPHC. He had
been on a list of 30 persons who are in need
of this type of surgery.
Lead surgeon Dr Gary Stephens along
with Dr Sunil Abrol and team performed
the first ever open heart surgery in Guyana
last Saturday at the CHI located at the
Georgetown Public Hospital (GPHC).
Dr Stephens stated that the CHI is open
for business for patients who suffer heart at-
tacks and they have the medication and the
equipment.
Persons can have open heart surgery done
at a cost of US$3,500 to US$4,000 or some-
times US$5,000 which would include the
required medication. This is far less than
the US$10,000 or US$20,000 or more that
persons pay abroad.
Pres. Jagdeo pledges
Guyana’s forests for
climate change fight
President Bharrat Jagdeo yesterday clari-
fied his statement made at the opening of
the Commonwealth Finance Ministers
Meeting on Monday when he spoke about
deploying the country's forest in the fight
against climate change, noting that he did-
n't mean that ownership of the forest would
have been transferred.
"What we're saying is that we would in
Guyana ensure guaranteed sustainable for-
est practices as well as focus heavily on
conservation if there is economic reward
for that and that we're prepared to work
with bilateral donors, as well as commer-
cial entities to put this to the market or to
guarantee a financial flow to the country,"
the Government Information Agency
quoted the president as saying to media per-
sonnel.
He said that this needs to be done ahead of
2012 since currently, there is no provision
for standing rainforests in the Kyoto Proto-
col and "we don't want to be left out of any
financial flows from which our country
could possibly benefit."
The President said that the Government is
hoping that in the post-Kyoto Protocol there
would be a framework for standing forests
and a mechanism for rewarding countries
Know how to avoid
BUSINESS
fraud on seniors
By Ijaz Hosein
Fraud on seniors
Also known as "elder fraud", fraud on
seniors is a separate category of fraud that
takes advantage of fears, loss of capacity
and mobility of senior citizens. A large
number of (but certainly not all) seniors are
more vulnerable due to age, particularly the
widowed. Often the loss of a spouse who
filled a particular role in the family can
leave the surviving spouse vulnerable to
those who act as though they genuinely care
for the surviving senior.
Senior fraud usually starts when someone
(even a family member) befriends the sen-
ior in order to gain control over money or
property.
FRAUD PREVENTION
TIPS FOR SENIORS
1) THERE IS NO SANTA CLAUS. Exam-
ine closely any offer of something for noth-
ing. If it sounds too good to be true, it
probably is.
2) Avoid telemarketers. They specialize in
confusing you to take your money. If you
are interested in the product, find another
way (like the Internet) to research it.
3) NEVER GIVE YOUR CREDIT CARD
NUMBER OVER THE PHONE unless you
initiated the call.
4) PROTECT INFORMATION ABOUT
YOURSELF. Be wary of giving any infor-
mation about yourself to strangers.
5) ASK QUESTIONS. Do not let anyone
intimidate you into not asking any question
you may have. If you are a little bit con-
fused, don't buy.
6) BE CAUTIOUS OF UNKNOWN
COMPANIES. It can be dangerous to buy
over the phone from unfamiliar companies.
7) COUNT TO TEN. Always take time
when making a decision...give yourself 24
hours to think it over. Never give in to high-
pressure sales tactics that urge you to "act
now."
8) NEVER ALLOW YOUR CREDIT
CARD TO BE USED FOR VERIFICA-
TION. Fraudsters try to devises schemes to
obtain your credit card information even
when you do not purchase anything.
9) THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS. Ask
for information in writing.
10) YOU DID NOT WIN THE LOTTERY.
Do not return mail order solicitations.
11) GET ADVICE. Talk to a trusted friend,
relative or financial advisor before com-
mitting your money.
Indo-Caribbean Times
12) KEEP AWAY FROM DOOR-TO-
DOOR SALESPEOPLE. If door-to-door
salespeople approach your home, do not let
them in. If you let them in and they will not
leave, call the police or leave.
13) PRACTICE SAYING "NO". You do
not have to please everyone. Do not try to
please a salesperson.
14) TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS. Your first
impression is often correct. Act on your in-
stincts.
FRAUD TIPS
1) Always try to know the person you are
dealing with. Obtain as much information
as you can before you do business with her.
Reputable promoters will have decades of
experience you can check out.
2) Check all licensed individuals who are
promoting the transaction. Most Provinces
have web sites you can use to verify li-
censes.
3) Does the transaction make sense? If it is
too good to be true it is probably not true.
Don't fall into the trap of thinking that you
have discovered a secret method of how the
rich get richer. There is not much new in
money transactions.
4) Is the rate of return commensurate with
the risk? If not it is probably a fraud. The
market for money is very efficient. Low
risk means low returns. High risk offers
high returns. If you are offered high returns
with low risk, the transaction is probably
being misrepresented.
5) If you find a discrepancy in the presen-
tation that shows either an intent to mislead
or a lack of professional background, do not
get involved.
6) Fraud promoters are very good and very
likable or nobody would be fooled. The
fact that you like the promoter is often a
warning sign. Good fraud promoters work
overtime to make their victims like them.
7) If there is a prospectus and it says that
you can lose all your money, believe it. The
lawyers have put that risk factor there over
the objection of the company because it is
true. If a promoter says something differ-
ent, pass on the investment
To learn more about this and other topics
visit http://www.cpatoronto.org/main.htm
Ijaz Hosein is a financial advisor with
Boosterlink Financial Inc. and can be
reached at 647-401-1608
It pays to
advertise in the
Indo-Caribbean
Times
U.S. home
OCTOBER 2007
building falls
to 14 yr low
Problems in the U.S. housing industry in-
tensified last month with construction of
new homes plunging to the lowest level in
14 years. Consumer prices, meanwhile,
rose at the fastest pace in four months, re-
flecting higher energy and food costs.
The U.S. Commerce Department re-
ported that construction of new homes fell
10.2 per cent last month, compared to Au-
gust, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of
1.191 million units. That was the slowest
building pace since March 1993 and was far
bigger than the 4.2 per cent decline that
economists had been expecting.
Meanwhile, the Labour Department re-
ported that consumer prices rose by 0.3 per
cent in September, slightly more than the
0.2 per cent analysts had been expecting as
energy prices rose after three straight de-
clines and food costs shot up at the fastest
pace since June.
Analysts said the bigger-than-expected
drop in housing construction could be sig-
nalling that the housing downturn, already
the worst in 16 years, may be headed for
bigger troubles. Housing activity is now
30.8 per cent below the level of a year ago.
"The contraction in housing is transitioning
from an average downturn to among the
worst in the post-World War II history. As
the current downturn probes deeper depths,
the risk of an outright recession will
mount," said Michael Gregory, an econo-
mist with BMO Capital Markets.
Housing sales, which had set records for
five straight years, have been slumping
since 2006. That decline has intensified in
recent months as mortgage lenders have
tightened standards for giving loans in re-
sponse to soaring defaults. The higher de-
faults and the inability of prospective
buyers to qualify for mortgages have con-
tributed to record high levels of unsold new
and existing homes.
The National Association of Home-
builders reported Tuesday that its index of
builder confidence fell for the eighth con-
secutive month in October, pushing the
index to a record-low of 18 from a reading
of 20 in September.
Applications for building permits, con-
sidered a good sign for future activity, also
fell sharply in September, dropping by 7.3
per cent to 1.226 million units, also the
weakest pace in 14 years.
Only the Northeast showed construction
gains in September with activity rising by
45.4 per cent in that region. Construction
starts fell by 10.1 per cent in the West, 11.7
per cent in the South and 28.4 per cent in
the Midwest. The 0.3 per cent increase in
consumer prices in September was the
largest rise since a 0.7 per cent surge last
May, when energy prices were soaring.
Energy costs were up 0.3 per cent in Sep-
tember.. Gasoline costs rose 0.4 per cent, ,
while heating oil costs were up 0.9 per cent.
Food costs jumped by 0.5 per cent last
month, the largest increase since a similar
rise in June. The higher prices were led by
a 13.1 per cent surge in the cost of dairy
products and a 7.2 per cent increase in poul-
try prices. The cost of fresh fruits, beef and
pork were also up. Vegetable prices, how-
ever, fell by four per cent in September.
So far this year, consumer inflation is ris-
ing at an annual rate of 3.6 per cent. That
compares with an increase of 2.5 per cent
for all of 2006.
Page 9
Housing market
cooling down in
Central Canada
Sharp gains in the Calgary and Vancouver
housing markets are unsustainable, leaving
the two cities vulnerable to a "significant
moderation" in prices, a TD Bank econo-
mist warned.
Edmonton is also seeing "explosive"
price growth — up 31 per cent in July from
last year for resales homes — but house af-
fordability is still good, TD Financial
Group deputy chief economist Craig
Alexander said in a commentary.
On the whole, housing activity in Central
and Atlantic Canada has cooled down with-
out a price correction, but the Western cities
are "flashing warnings signs," the bank
said.
Alexander, who co-authored the com-
mentary with economist Steve Chan, said
the Canadian market has lacked the amount
of speculation seen in past cycles, and noted
that the "excesses" have been far less than
those experienced in markets south of the
border.
The Canadian average price for resale
homes was up 12.9 per cent in the second
quarter of 2006 from the same period in
2005. When Alberta and British Columbia
are factored out, however, the increase is a
more-modest 7.3 per cent.
"The dominant trends in housing markets
outside of the West have been weaker unit
sales, greater new listings and more moder-
ate price growth, all of which point to more
balanced market conditions and declining
real estate risks," Alexander said.
Statistics Canada cited the cooling hous-
ing market as one of the reasons why eco-
nomic growth slowed to an annualized rate
of two per cent in the April-to-June quarter.
Wicked credit
card fraud on
the rise
Ingenious credit card fraudsters have been
ripping of card holders by the simple
method of getting them to give away their
confirmation number on the phone. Then
they order items online and max out the un
card, leaving the victim to pay for it all.
It all begins with the crook getting hold
of your credit card number and expiry date
through your purchases or sometimes
through the internet. But that information is
not enough for them to buy items online or
over the telephone. For that they need the
three digit confirmation number at the back
of the credit card.
So they get you the card holder to give it
to them. You get a call on the telephone
from somebody pretending to be from the
bank. The “banker” is checking on a suspi-
cious purchase made with your card, and
wants to verify if you made the purchase.
or not. He has your name, your card num-
ber and your expiry date, but he needs to
verify your confirmation number on the
back of your card.
Foolishly, you give it to him, and he says
he will disallow the purchase on your card.
You don’t feel you’ve done anything
wrong. Then he cleans you out. The bank
says you have to pay, because your confir-
mation number was used. You gave it to a
voice on the phone. Banks never ask for
such information on the phone.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO REPORT
A tribe of ignorant, selfish and vicious young men comes to dominate life in Trinidad
A scary tale: The rise of the Guntas in Trinidad over PNM's rule
By Raymond Ramcharitar
Fascinating letter from Merle Hodge—as-
suming it was the MH, and not a doppel-
ganger— in the Newsday of July 6, p12,
misleadingly headlined `Give us the Facts
on Land Distribution' , which has, pre-
dictably, sunk like a stone in the calypso
babble.
The letter began as a request to the Eman-
cipation Support Committee to stop bring-
ing in high-priced lunatics (my paraphrase)
to give lectures about all things black and
get some UWI academics to `give the facts'
on land distribution `in the country'—this
apropos of govt doings at Chatham and
Bagatelle. But such a move, she continued,
might stanch the flow of the government
support for the ESC & similar groups ($2.5
million for Emancipation activities, TG
July 24, p15), because it would raise ques-
tions as to the modern day phenomenon of
Africans squatting on state land which the
government does not want ventilated. And
having made this link, Ms Hodge continued
the PNM should dump the balisier as their
emblem and adopt the bulldozer, and ended
asking for the `real facts' of why Africans
are landless in Trinidad.
Probably coincidental that this letter was
published on the same day (July 6) the pa-
pers, including Newsday, reported that the
banks had declined the contract to transmit
URP payments—but the issues are related.
Now, the URP thugs and thuggesses have
to line up at the Treasury on St Vincent St,
and their government wants them to, uhm,
access their monies at the banks. The banks
thought not. Of course, Rennie Dum'-ass,
the minister responsible—he who started
screaming `Genocide' in Parliament after
former Senator Harry Mungalsingh' s un-
fortunate eugenics contribution— immedi-
ately started screaming about
`discrimination' .
And these two articles are related to a
third, frightening article published in the
Guardian on July 23, pp12 &13, about
gangs in Trinidad. The story, by Geisha
Kowlessar, based on an interview with a
policeman in a newly formed gang-unit,
told of children born into gangs who will
never see the world readers of this blog live
in: like the Lord's Army of Uganda, the
beggar children of Calcutta and the girls
born into brothels in Thailand, these chil-
dren are `schooled' in the world of the
gangs from birth and will never know any
other life. The only thing is that it's hap-
pening in Trinidad, here and now.
The relation among these three articles
(i.e the relation between Africans and the
PNM-state), starts with history. In my book,
Breaking the News, I discussed a populist
history of AfroTrinidad created by the PNM
and disseminated in the media (since about
1995, but which began post 1970). This his-
tory paints AfroTrinidadians as sufferers,
resistors of various things, and deprived of
their birthright by everyone: the Indians pri-
marily, but if necessary, also the high-
coloureds, the black middle class, and local
whites.
The purpose of this was for the PNM to
reacquire power, and make sure they would
have it for life, since it would spark off a
Indo-Caribbean Times
Mixed views
low-intensity racial war that is in progress
now.
I wrote that this history was ludicrously
easy to debunk unless one was suffering
from amnesia, or had no relatives who had
lived in Trinidad for more than 50 years.
Ryan's Entrepreneurship in the Caribbean,
Culture, Structure, Conjuncture (UWI,
ISER, 1994) is one of many books to out-
line the basic facts: Africans were landown-
ers and constituted most of the professional
class in Trinidad before independence, and
most of the skilled labourers.
The question of what happened since
then is not a difficult one: the vast majority
of the black middle and working classes left
Trinidad in the 1960s and 1970s, for the
US, Canada and the UK, and were replaced
by Grenadians, Vincentians and a smatter-
ing of peasants from other small islands
(see Breaking the News, pp57-68). These
people came by boat, walked into Laven-
tille, squatted down, and moved only to go
down to the General Hospital to give birth
to future PNM voters. They were brought
here by the PNM for two things: one, to
vote; two, to act as a militia to keep the
black middle class, the whites, and the In-
dians in line, with the ubiquitous threat of
violence. (See Ryan's The Black Power
Revolution, p 579, for his interview with
PNM minister, Gerard Montano.)
These facts are unpleasant to face, and
are usually dealt with by branding the pur-
veyor `racist' which was, I think, Express
policy when I was writing about this seven
years ago in those pages. But this is stuff
we already know, and Ms Hodge's cri de
coeur sounds a little shrill because it is very
unlikely she does not know this. I would
like to think that her letter was a signal of a
return to sanity, and a turn away from a se-
ductive ethnocentrism which has gripped
most of the black middle class who, as I've
pointed out before, have been strangely
silent as the PNM has destroyed the coun-
try, made explicit links with criminals and
fueled racial conflict using their radio sta-
tions and calypsonians.
And this leads to what Ms Hodge does
not mention but, along with her ilk, is terri-
fied of: the latest consequence of PNM so-
cial engineering: the evolution of the Gunta.
(I was apprised of this appellation by my
students at COSTAATT: they say it has no
racial connotation. )
Guntas are all male, and indigenous to
the East West Corridor, but thanks to the
PNM's `housing' programme, are now
spread across the country. They are usually
second or third generation small islanders,
whose (grand)parents came here in the 60s,
70s & 80s, and almost always belong to the
ten per cent of children of school age who
fail to access any form of schooling, or the
70 per cent who do, with no discernible ef-
fect.
Their lives begin in the tragedy of child
abuse. They are usually illiterate, and used
to living in conditions very similar to those
of slavery. Small, filthy quarters, absent fa-
thers, and a communal matriarchy founded
in violence and physical and sexual abuse.
Guntas probably never experience any form
of emotional kindness, and a fantastic
amount of physical abuse, from birth to the
OCTOBER 2007
age of self-reliance, usually well before pu-
berty.
The Guntas' main sources of education
are the television (BET, MTV, Synergy,
Tempo) and talk radio (I95.5 and Power
102). They have been programmed from
birth to desire the trappings of wealth, and
to hate those who possess them—espe-
cially, in the last ten years, Indians—and
made to feel, directly and indirectly, that
they are justified in taking it in any way
they can. This ranges from `Get Rich or Die
Trying' to `Resistance' to `Africans'
Birthright'—from those great intellects, 50-
Cent, Earl Lovelace and Leroy Clarke.
So Guntas form the core of the criminal
underclass; they are intimately connected to
the URP and CEPEP; but like any sub-cul-
ture which is in direct opposition to main-
stream values, Gunta life finds itself
providing a template, in terms of a look, an
attitude, and even a vocabulary, to popular
culture, which paradoxically gave it its
originary narrative (i.e., gangsta, rude
bwoy, Scarface-type lives) and now con-
sumes, re-packages this life and transmits
it via television.
As to the ethos of Gunta life, let the re-
markable Dr David Bratt describe it, in the
Guardian, July 24, p24:
At all levels civil society has broken
down … The trust between citizens, so nec-
essary for a society to be cohesive is going,
going, gone. Service from the police, tele-
phone companies, WASA and other public
sector areas is almost non-existent … Al-
most everyone I know from every ethnic
group, social class and religious affiliation
has received a good `cussing down' from
another Trini of either a similar or a differ-
ent ethnic group or social class. There is
much talk of guns and people shooting you
for a simple cut-eye. This hasn't happened
yet, but who wants to be the first. We are in
a state of near anarchy, a free-for-all society.
Chaos reigns.
As to the cause of it all, Dr Bratt contin-
ues: There are many who think if the pres-
ent government wins, things will worsen.
Errol McLeod…warns of civil war.
He…may well be right.
I can't add anything to that, except that
the responsibility for the Gunta belongs to
the black and brown middle and upper
classes and the PNM. It would be politically
correct to say the Gunta is `everyone's' re-
sponsibility, but that would not be true.
Gunta life is the creation of the PNM, and
the black middle class intelligentsia (or
what passes for) who have created discur-
sive palliatives to hide it, like doltish dis-
courses of 'resistance' and 'reparations' . The
responsibility is all theirs, and Merle
Hodge's letter is one of the few public ad-
missions, however oblique, of this link.
The Trinidad we're seeing emerge is
merely a representation of Gunta life, which
the black and brown middle & upper
classes address by pretending it does not
exist. That they know Gunta life exists, and
wish to have nothing to do with it, is
demonstrated by the banks' passing up the
opportunity to disburse URP salaries. To get
a better idea of the enormity of the upper
and middle classes' denial: just think what it
would take for the Banks to Refuse Money.
Page 10
By Selwyn Ryan
Managing the economy and the country
There are mixed views as to how well or
badly the PNM ran the country in the past
five years. Only ten per cent of the popula-
tion were "very satisfied", while another 24
per cent were basically satisfied. The posi-
tive aggregate for satisfied was 34 per cent.
Thirty-seven per cent were not very satis-
fied, while another 25 per cent were not at
all satisfied-a negative aggregate of 62 per
cent.
The picture was much the same when one
substituted "Manning" for the "PNM", and
"economy" for the "country". Only seven
per cent were "very satisfied", 24 per cent
"more or less "satisfied"; 38 per cent were
"not very satisfied'; and 28 per cent were
"not at all satisfied". The positive aggregate
was 31 per cent, while the negative aggre-
gate was 66 per cent-twice as many.
These global figures look different when
they are filtered through an ethnic lens.
Indo-Trinidadians were far more inclined to
say that they were not "very satisfied" or
"not at all satisfied" than were Afro-
Trinidadians by significant margin of some
60 per cent. It is, however, worth noting that
as many as 46 per cent of the Afro-Trinida-
dians also gave Manning a failing mark on
the economy, and that 60 per cent of the
mixed group also did so.
Dookeran's potential as prime minister
Doubts have been expressed about Win-
ston Dookeran's competences as a potential
prime minister. It is said that he was inde-
cisive, a wimp, a poor speaker who man-
gled his syntax, and totally lacking in
charismatic appeal. Others have said that he
has since been "blooded", and shows evi-
dence of growing self-confidence.
How does the public feel about Mr Dook-
eran now? Thirty-seven per cent think he
would make a good prime minister, while
29 per cent said he would make a poor
prime minister. Another 29 per cent said
they did not know, and five per cent refused
to say.
Afro-Trinidadians and Indo-Trinidadians
differ sharply in their estimate. Sixty per
cent of the latter think he would make a
good prime minister, compared to only 18
per cent of the former. Forty-three per cent
of the Afro-Trinidadians think he would
make a poor prime minister, compared to
14 per cent of the Indo-Trinidadians who
hold this view.
Perceptions of corruption and political par-
ties
All three parties accuse their rivals of in-
cluding in their ranks people who have been
guilty of gross corruption. The PNM and
the UNC, in particular, trade accusations as
to which was more or less corrupt when
they held office. When asked whether the
UNC was guilty of corrupt behaviour when
it held office, 61 per cent said yes, it was
very corrupt; 22 per cent said it was not par-
ticularly so, five per cent did not know, and
four per cent refused to say.
 ACHIEVERS
Community activist Dhaman Kissoon Roger Pulwarty among five
honoured by Toronto Arya Samaj
Indo-Caribbean Times
Caribbean scientists sharing
Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore
F ive Caribbean scientists are among the
members of the United Nations Inter-
governmental Panel on Climate Change
(IPCC)that shares this years Nobel Peace
Prize with former US vice president Al
Gore.
OCTOBER 2007 Page 11
contributor to the Chapter Three,Freshwater
Resources and their Management.”
Pulwarty, who said he 'played a role in
getting people from the region on the
panel,” studies the role of climate and
weather in society-environment interactions
and works annually at UWI, Barbados, “on
a number of World Bank projects in the
Caribbean.”
Asked about his vision for the future, Pul-
warty said he looked forward to “Green
Governments” in the region.
The Nobel Peace Prize is to be presented
in Oslo, Norway,
on December 10.
Dr Rajendra K

L
Pachauri, Chair-
man, Intergovern-
Dhaman Kissoon (with plaque) and (from left) son Navin, wife Sultana and daughter mental Panel on
Climate Change is
awyer, community worker and phi- University in Kingston, Ontario for the past Roger Pulwarty testified on the work of the a career scientist who took charge in 2002
lanthropist Dhaman Kissoon was the 18 years. In 2002 he was awarded the pres- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate after many years of distinguished service
well deserved recipient of the 2007 tigious Special Lecturer award by the Law Change before the United States Congress. including economic adviser to the president
Toronto Arya Samaj/Vedic Cultural Centre Student's Society at Queen's University. of India. He is credited with bringing to-
Community Award recently. He joins an One of the major reasons for Dhaman's Trinidad’s Roger Pulwarty and John gether the many scientists to produce the
impressive list of Caribbean community decision to establish his own law practice Agard were thrilled to hear of the award, landmark document on climate change that
achievers who have been honoured in the was so he could be at liberty to serve his along with Barbadian lecturer in coastal convinced many governments around the
past few years. community at his discretion. management at UWI’s Cave Hill campus world.
Several prominent members of govern- Shortly after he was called to the bar he Dr Lennard Nurse, Jamaican physics pro- Dr Pachauri was born in Nainital, India,
ment, professionals and community organ- became the Co-Chair of the South Asian fessor TonyChen of the Mona campus, and on 20 August 1940. He assumed his current
izations were among the 300 plus audience Consultative Committee with the Toronto retired St Lucian parasitologist Sam Rollins responsibilities as the head of TERI (Tata
who joined in appreciation of Kissoon’s Police Service, a position which he held for of the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre. Energy Research Institute) in 1981, first as
achievements. Kissoon was recognized for more than ten years. He has also been the The IPCC is headed by Indian scientist Director and, since April 2001, as Director-
his sterling contribution to the community Co-Chair of Advocates for Etobicoke Youth Dr Rajendra Pauchari, and is made up of General. TERI does original work and pro-
and for his dedication and commitment to since its inception in 2004. This organiza- about 3,000 experts. Set up in 1988, the vides professional support in the areas of
issues affecting the less fortunate. tion has been instrumental in assisting dis- IPCC is tasked with giving policymakers a energy, environment, forestry, biotechnol-
Dhaman Kissoon and his wife, Sultana, advantaged youths in the Etobicoke area. summary of the latest knowledge about cli- ogy, and the conservation of natural re-
have two children Mala and Navin. The work that is being done by this organ- mate change. sources to government departments,
Dhaman is the second of seven children ization touches the lives of more than one John Agard is senior lecturer, life sci- institutions, and corporate organizations
born to Latchmin and Sugrim Kissoon. thousand young people each year. ences, faculty of science and agriculture, at worldwide.
He grew up in Bee Hive, East Coast De- Dhaman also sits on the Board of the Eto- UWI’s St Augustine campus and chairman Dr Pachauri has been elected as Chair-
merara, Guyana. He attended Ann's Pri- bicoke Hall Of Fame and was the past Pres- on the man of IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on
mary School and completed his "O Levels" ident of the Brampton Flower City Rotary Environmental Management Authority. Climate Change), established by World Me-
at Golden Grove Secondary SchooL He mi- Club. He was recently awarded the Paul Roger Pulwarty, a senior physical scien- teorological Organization and United Na-
grated to Canada in the mid 70's to pursue Harris Fellowship for his service to the tist at the National Oceanic and Atmos- tions Environment Programme in 1988. He
his legal studies. His studies were inter- community. pheric Administration (NOAA) in has taken charge as Chairman, IPCC from
rupted in 1979 when his father passed away. Over the past eight years the Kissoon Colorado, USA, and the director for the US 20th April 2002 onwards. He has been ac-
He took the time off to assist his mother and family has been organizing a golf tourna- National Integrated Drought Information tive in several international forums dealing
younger siblings to migrate to Canada. ment in honour of his father. This tourna- System. with the subject of climate change and its
He has completed a degree in Economics ment has raised a significant sum of money The award follows the IPCC’s release of policy dimensions.
at York University and Law degrees at the for the Pickering Devi Mandir. Dhaman, in its fourth assessment report on the state of To acknowledge his immense contribu-
University of Kent in the United Kingdom addition, has been working pro bono with a climate change, which said humans are tion to the field of environment, he has been
and at Queen's University in Kingston, On- number of Hindu Temples and other reli- “very likely” the cause of global warming. awarded the Padma Bhushan -- one of
tario. He was called to the bar in 1991 and gious organizations in assisting them with Asked about his IPCC involvement, India's highest civilian awards that recog-
became the 5th member of the Kissoon their legal affairs. Agard said: “I contributed to Working nizes distinguished service of a high order
family to graduate as a lawyer. The family When asked what drives or motivates Group Two “ the impact of climate change. to the nation in any field (January 2001).
now counts 17 members of lawyers and Dhaman Kissoon? The simple answer is his Specifically, the chapter (16) on the impact He has two PhD’s in Industrial Engi-
judges. desire to make a positive impact in his com- on small islands.” neering and Economics, and has worked in
After a brief stint with a medium size firm munity. Pulwarty, when contacted in Washington, several prestigious positions in the United
in Toronto, Dhaman established a general said: “The IPCC is the recipientof the prize States, Europe and India, including presi-
law practice firm in Etobicoke. While the and we are part of the IPCC. As a contribu- dent of the Asian Energy Institute, Advisory
law firm is a general service firm, Dhaman tor to Working Group Two, I had the honour Board on Energy to the Government of
has restricted his practice to Immigration of serving as a lead author on Chapter 17, India, and member of the Oil Industry Re-
and Criminal laws. In addition to being a Assessment of Adaptation Practices, Op- structuring group in India
lawyer he has been a law lecturer at Queen's tions, Constraints and Capacity, and as a

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SAY IT IN PICTURES Indo-Caribbean Times OCTOBER 2007 Page 12

The Nrityanjali Theatre of Trinidad celebrated its 30th aniversary with a ballet titled Ex- A packed house attends salah at the TARIC Islamic Centre on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr
pressions of Light: Divali. Today and Tomorrow

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 Indo-Caribbean Times OCTOBER 2007 Page 13

Jamaican Indian activist visits Toronto

Well known Jamaican cultural pioneer and Indian activist Dr Winston Tolan was in Toronto
recently, where he renewed ties with family and met members of the Indo-Caribbean
Saraswati Puja at the Ram Mandir attracted numerous students and parents
Times. Winston is third from left in this Martin Latchana picture. Others in the group are:
Front row - Kamla Harradan, Del Tolan, Lucille Bideshi, Jiantee Jagessar, Lystra Seuku-
mar, and Roop Sooknarin. Back Row Winston Tolan, Ram Jagessar, Rudy Lochan, Lloyd
Harradan, Reynold Ramdial, David Graham

Gorilla walks the ropes

Sick of just hanging around, Shabani the gorilla has taken to walking the tightrope,
delighting hundreds of visitors at a Japanese zoo.

The 10-year-old Western Lowland gorilla is meant to hang on the rope but has Shamla Persad dancers Leanna, Sherini, Menisha and Sara at the Shabnam
started walking across it instead, flapping his arms to keep balance as onlookers Radio awards
cheer him on.
"The rope is meant for hanging on but he started walking on it shortly after he got
here," said Hiroshi Kobayashi, head of Higashiyama Zoo in the central city of
Nagoya. "Gorillas climb trees in the wild but we have hardly seen them walking
a tightrope," he said.

Shabani, who weighs 110 kilogrammes (220 pounds), arrived in Japan from Syd-
ney's Taronga Zoo in June before joining Higashiyama Zoo to breed with the three
females there.

He already appears close with Nene, who at 36 is more than three times his age.

"She might seen a bit old," Kobayashi said, "but it is still fully possible to have a
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COMMUNITY Indo-Caribbean Times OCTOBER 2007 Page 14
ANNOUNCEMENTS ARYA SAMAJ MARKHAM invites all to its Divali Mela on Saturday October 27 at
the Vedic Cultural Centre, 4345 1th Avenue, Markham, from 4.00 - 10.00 pm.
BHAGVAD GITA FOR EACH HOME

The celebration features live entertainment, a cultural program, numerous food and Bulk distribution centres.
shopping stalls for clothing, music, jewelery and more. Admission is free. For info The Gita can be available in bulk at the fol-
THE LOWER CORENTYNE SECOND-
call the Centre at 905-475-5778 or Shashi at 905-696-7323 or Shailesh at 416-830- lowing contacts: Donations are expected to
ARY SCHOOL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
7447 fund further copies; any individual or or-
- Canada (LCSS) holds its Dinner and
Dance to raise funds for a Computer Lab at ganization wishing to assist in this project
HINDU ARTS AND CULTURAL SOCIETY presents its second annual Divali Nagar can contact us.
LCSS, on Saturday, October 6 at Swagat
celebration on Saturday October 27 at The Centre, Mississauga, starting at 1 p.m.
Banquet Hall, 415 Hood Road, Markham.
Main features include a Ramayan play, Fashion Show, cultural performances by lead- CANADA
6:30 P.M. Cocktails - 7:00 O.M. Dinner Ad-
ing Canadian and Caribbean artistes, and dances by Upscale Dance Academy.Stalls are Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton
mission is $40.00 per person - Cash Bar.
still available. Entrance is $5. For info call 905-362-0320, Indra at 416-531-2628, Ramnarine Sahadeo 905 671 9233 e-mail
Music by D.J. Impulse. For Tickets contact
Rama Prashad at 416-579-7213. ramjihindu@rogers.com, Omesh Sharma
Janet 416-937-9802 or persaudjs@hot-
mail.com Omesh@flexomark.com, Chandan
Trinidad and Tobago 50 Plus and Seniors Association holds its 12th annual Christmas Persaud at 416-754-2382, Gulcharan at
Dinner and Dance on Saturday November 17 at the Elite Banquet Hall, 1850 Albion 416 481-5777 gmohabir@hotmail.com,
SAAZ-O-AWAAZ Academy of Indian
Road, Etobicoke, starting at 6 pm. Los Amigos Parang Group and the Five Star Indian Ram Jagessar at 416 289 9088 or
Music presents An Evening of Dinner and
Dance Group are the featured performers. There is a grand door prize of two return ram@eol.ca
Music in honour of Guruji Dev Bansraj at
tickets to Trinidad and other prizes. Tickets are $45 each. For info or tickets contact
the Woodbine Banquet and Convention
Rasheed Sultan Khan at 416-281-5264 RICHMOND HILL
Centre, 30 Vice Regent Blvd, Rexdale, on
Sunday October 14. from 4 p.m. Dev Ban- Omo Persaud at omo@globalspectru-
sraj will be accompanied on the tabla by minc.com 905-886-1724
DULAHIN DULAHA INDO CARIBBEAN BRIDAL EXPO takes place at Elite Ban-
his son Dev Bansraj Jr., and supported by
quet Hall, 1850 Albion Road, Etobicoke on Sunday October 28, starting at 12 noon. The
students of the academy. A vegetarian and
expo is a one stop shop for every thing related to the Indo Caribbean wedding. Ad- WINNIPEG:
non vegetarian buffet are included. Tickets
mission is $5. For info contact Cookie Khan at 905-782-9579 or Julie Ranbali at 416- Ajodhya Mahadeo 204-661-6643
at $35 per person can be obtained by calling
840-3209, or online at www.ddexpo.com.
Dhaman Kissoon at 416-234-1904 or Ann
Ramkissoon at 905-789-4949 BRITISH COLUMBIA
PAKARAIMA GUYANESE CANADIAN WRITERS AND ARTISTS ASSOCIATION Chameli Seegobin 604-945-9510, e-mail
invites you to their 2nd Anniversay Dinner and Social Evening for friends, associates address maylee34@hotmail.com, and
PEEL ARYA SAMAJ hosts a Satsangh on
and supporters. It will be held on Saturday, November 3 from 6:00 pm at the Scarlet
Saturday October 13th at 173 Advance
Ibis Restaurant , 1880 O'Connor Drive , Toronto (O'Connor & Victoria Park ). Cost is Naraine Mohabir at 604-274-8938
Blvd., Mississauga Unit 50 and 51, from
$20.00 per person (includes Chinese and West Indian buffet dinner). RSVP By Sep- GUYANA: Saraswati Vidya Niketan ph.
.7.00-10.00 p.m.
tember 26, 2007 to Shirley - 416-284-6591, Janet - 905-780-8866 or Roop - 416- 2760013/14
915-7533
There is no cost for the event but a dona-
tion is o.k. Enjoy an event with great music
The Jagan Lecture will be held at York University, Vanier Lecture Hall
and food.
Rm. #135), at 7:30 pm on Saturday, October 20, 2007. The Jagan Lectures began in
1999 and take place annually in commemoration of the life and work of the late Dr.
Please spread the word. We are also looking
Cheddi Jagan, Caribbean statesman and visionary thinker. This year’s speaker is Dr.
for musicians, and performers to assist in
Walton Look Lai, whose lecture is entitled: “They Came in Ships: Imperialism, Mi-
this event
gration and Asian Diasporas in the Nineteenth Century Caribbean.”> Dr. Look Lai is
a noted Caribbean scholar and historian. He has written extensively on the migration

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Taxi driver living with Ram Leela growing
TRINIDAD FEATURES
nine bullets in the head well in Trinidad
T
axi-driver Narace Gangroo's strong
will to live is keeping him alive with
nine bullet pellets, from a bandit's
gun, lodged in his head.
In pain, he hardly ever talks and is
barely able to walk on his own as he strug-
gles from day to day. He has hardly eaten
anything for several days but he is aware
what has happened to him and his family
says he has suffered no memory loss. He
knows his name, recognises family and
friends and is aware of his surroundings.
He communicates with his family in few
words, uses gestures and a simple form of
sign language.
Gangroo, 43, was shot in the head last
month and miraculously survived.
He was plying his car along the Chagua-
nas to California route when two of his pas-
sengers attacked him.
Around 9.45 a.m. on September 26, the
two bandits posing as passengers lured
Gangroo to a lonely spot in Bagna Trace,
Chase Village. The men attempted to rob
Gangroo and when he resisted they shot
him once in the back of the head.
Still conscious, Gangroo desperately
made his way to the main road which was
about 150 feet away. While there, he saw a
woman along the roadway who came
quickly to his aid. She called the Freeport
Police Station and within minutes they
came and took Gangroo to the Chaguanas
Health Facility. Little did Gangroo's family
know, that his problems had only just
begun.
At the time Gangroo was not aware that
he had been shot. He thought it was a stab
wound. At the Chaguanas Health Facility,
the doctors made a worrying discovery. The
shot fired into Gangroo's head was a "scat-
ter shot", according to family members
when they were able to see the X-ray. This
lodged several pellets in Gangroo's head.
The doctors at the facility removed three
pellets but could not do anything more for
him. They left the remaining pieces in his
head. Within a couple hours he was trans-
ferred to the Mount Hope Hospital.
Safraz Khan, Gangroo's brother-in-law,
drove him to the hospital because there was
no ambulance available. Khan arrived there
at 3 p.m. but Gangroo was only given an X-
ray at 7 p.m., the family said. During that
time Gangroo bled on the floor of the hos-
pital while he waited his turn.
Khan expressed disgust and dissatisfac-
tion at the level of treatment at the Mount
Hope Hospital. "They should close that
place down. That is the worst hospital. I
can't believe they have no accommodation
for family members, not even a seat."
Khan told the Sunday Express that doc-
Indo-Caribbean Times OCTOBER 2007
tors denied access to his wife and other rel- There has been something of an explosion
atives. The doctors at Mount Hope gave the of Ram Leela (also called Ramdilla) cele-
family a prescription for medication that brations in Trinidad recently, according to
was very expensive. His sister said she was Raviji, director of the Raal Ramdilla Vaca-
unable to pay for it. His wife was only al- tion Course and Baal Ramdilla.
lowed to see him the next day. After two He counts no less than 29 venues for
days the hospital released him and his fam- Ramdilla this year, to be performed be-
ily took him home. At home, Gangroo com- tween October 11-21.
plained of intense pain and discomfort. There are 19 venues for traditional grong
His sister took him immediately to the Ramdilla, 10 venues for proscenium stages.
Couva Hospital the next day, where doctors
did a second X-ray and told relatives there 1Antar Jyot Mandali (Location)
ORANGE Field Settlement, Carapichima
*26 - 28 : 03 days (Date and duration )
STAGE (Type)
2 Blue Bird Sports and Cultural Org.
Rochard Rd, Penal, (Opp Rite Price Gro-
cery)
12 - 16 : 05
TRADITIONAL
3 Brahma Gyaan Ramleela Group
Esmeralda Rd Cunupia,
12 - 21 : 10
TRADITIONAL
4 Brickfield Shiv Mandir Ramleela Comm.
Shiva Mandir, Brick Field, Carapichima.
12 - 21 : 10
STAGE
5 Cedar Hill Youth Org. 6 - 8 PM
were nine bullet still lodged in Gangroo's Ramleela Grounds, Cedar Hill, South
head. They transferred him to the San Fer- Oropouche.
nando General Hospital. 12-21 : 10
Doctors there told the relatives that the TRADITIONAL
medicine prescribed at Mount Hope was the
wrong medication, it was too weak and had 6 Dharma Jyoti Mandali
little to no effect on Gangroo. He was left in Naranjit Trace, Mon Desir Rd, South
tremendous pain and had trouble sleeping. Oropouche
The doctor administered a stronger dosage *24 - 28 : 05
and Gangroo said that the pain eased. STAGE
When told of the incident, a senior offi-
cial at the Health Ministry described the 7 Divya Ashram 7 - 9 PM
treatment meted out to Gangroo at Mount Divya Ashram, Presal,
Hope as "madness". *26 - 28 : 03
Requesting anonymity, the official said STAGE
an investigation will be conducted into the
matter. 8 Dow V'ge Ramleela and Cultural Org.
Dow Village Ramleela Grounds, Railway
When the Sunday Express visited Gangroo Road, California
at his home he was resting on a mattress on 12 - 21 : 10
the floor of his bedroom. The pain-killers TRADITIONAL
were wearing off and the family was trying
to organise his medicine as soon as possi- 9 First Felicity Ramleela 6.00 - 9.00P
ble. Felicity Grounds, Green St.,
"Gangroo was an active person before TRADITIONAL
this incident. This has changed him. He
does not go near the car and because of this, 10 Gyaan Bhakti Ramleela Group
he may never work taxi again," said his sis- Sanford Street East, Aranguez, San Juan
ter, Amelia. *26 - 28 : 03
STAGE
11Gyaan Deepak Kirtan Mandali
Chooto St., Aranguez, San Juan
19 - 21 : 03
STAGE
12 Gyaan Jyoti Mandali 6.30 - 9 PM
Madras Settlement, Cunupia, San Juan.
*26 - 28 : 03
STAGE
13 Harlem Mandir Ramleela
Harlem Village, Caroni
TRADITIONAL
14 Hindu Prachaar Kendra
Raghunanan Raod, Enterprise 6.30 - 9.00
PM
Page 15
15 - 20 : 06
TRADITIONAL
15 Knox Street & Env. Sports & Cultural
Ass. Knox St., Recreation Grounds, San
Fernando
19 - 21 : 03
TRADITIONAL
16 La Pastora Action Group
Sosconoscu Recreation Ground, Santa
Cruz.
*30 - 03 NOV : 05
TRADITIONAL
17 Mc Bean Ramleela and Cultural Ass.
6.30 - 9.00 PM
Exchange Grounds, near Reinzi Complex,
Mc Bean
19 - 29 : 11
TRADITIONAL
18 Palmiste & Env. Ramleela Comm.
Palmiste Park, Palmiste,
12 - 22 : 11
TRADITIONAL
19 Param Dhaam Ashram 6.00 - 9.00 PM
Lachoos Rd, Penal
*26 - 29 : 04 TRADITIONAL
20 Pierre Road Ramleela Comm.
Piere Raod, Recreation Ground, Char-
lieville.
12 - 22 : 11 TRADITIONAL
21 Rio Claro Ramleela Comm.
Chandrashekar Vishnu Mandir, Rio Claro
12 - 22 : 11 TRADITIONAL
22 Sangre Grande Ramleela Comm.
Sangre Grande Hindu School, Rousseau
St, Sangre Grande
12 - 22 : 11 TRADITIONAL
Sapt Rishi Mandir 6.00 - 9.00 PM
Rookminiya Rd, Barackpore
11 - 20 - 10 TRADITIONAL
23 Shri Ram Indian Cultural Association 5
- 8 PM
Matilda Rd., Princess Town
12 - 21 : 10 TRADITIONAL
24 Shree Ram Dhaam Ramleela Group
Richplane Road, Diego Martin
*26 - 28 : 03 STAGE
25St John's Trace Ramleela Comm.
St John's Trace, Avocat.
12 - 21 : 10 TRADITIONAL
26 Swaha Aranguez,
Corronation St., Aranguez, San Juan
19 - 21 : 03 STAGE
27 Swaha Hindu College Ramleela Group
College GGrounsds, Caolmn Rd, Sangre
Grande *02 - 04 NOV : 03 STAGE
28 TAROUBA
SOUTHERN MAIN ROAD, OFF SAN
FERNANDO
TRADITIONAL
29 Tulsimanas Mandir
Temple site, Coalman Rd, Sangre Grande,
*0 2 - 0 4 NOV: 03 DAYS
STAGE
HEALTH AND FASHION Indo-Caribbean Times OCTOBER 2007 Page 16
Doctors say no Superbug deaths Fashionable swimwear for
Brits pulling their
cold medicines for could match AIDS
It’s the burkini own teeth!
Muslim women hits Trinidad

children under five More than 90,000 Americans get poten-

tially deadly infections each year from a
Cold and cough medicines recently pulled
from sale for infants and toddlers aren’t safe
or effective in slightly older children either,
say doctors lined up to press their case with
government health advisers.
at the beach!
drug-resistant staph “superbug,” the gov-
ernment reported Tuesday in its first over- Falling numbers of state dentists in England
have led to some people taking extreme
all estimate of invasive disease caused by
the germ. measures, including extracting their own
teeth, according to a new study released
Deaths tied to these infections may ex-
ceed those caused by AIDS, said one public Monday.

The expert advisers to the Food and Drug
Administration were scheduled to meet
Thursday and Friday to consider a petition
that argues the over-the-counter medicines
shouldn’t be used in children 5 and
younger.
health expert commenting on the new
study. The report shows just how far one
form of the staph germ has spread beyond Others have used superglue to stick crowns
back on, rather than stumping up for private
its traditional hospital setting.
The overall incidence rate was about 32 treatment, said the study. One person spoke
of carrying out 14 separate extractions on
invasive infections per 100,000 people.
That’s an “astounding” figure, said an edi- himself with pliers.

The meeting opens a week after drug mak-
ers pulled from sale oral cough and cold
medicines for children under 2. The drug
industry maintains the widely used medi-
cines are safe and work but can lead to
overdoses when misused in infants.
Story continues below ↓advertisement
However the petitioners, including Balti-
more city health officials, argue that the
medicines not only don’t work in children
up to age 6 but that they can be dangerous
as well.
The drugs — they include some Dimetapp,
Pediacare, Robitussin and Triaminic prod-
ucts — have never been tested in children.
Drug makers instead have used extrapo-
lated data from studies in adults.
While the focus of the petition and the FDA
is on children under 6, the joint panel of ex-
perts will be asked if there’s evidence that
these drugs work in children up to age 12.
The FDA has not acted on the petition, say-
ing it awaits a recommendation from out-
side experts.
. she is very excited about the new beach
torial in Wednesday’s Journal of the Amer-
ican Medical Association, which published
the study.
Most drug-resistant staph cases are mild
skin infections. But this study focused on
invasive infections — those that enter the
bloodstream or destroy flesh and can turn
deadly.
Researchers found that only about one-
quarter involved hospitalized patients.
However, more than half were in the health
care system — people who had recently had
surgery or were on kidney dialysis, for ex-
ample. Open wounds and exposure to med-
ical equipment are major ways the bug
spreads.
In recent years, the resistant germ has be-
come more common in hospitals and it has
been spreading through prisons, gyms and
locker rooms, and in poor urban neighbor-
hoods.
The new study offers the broadest look yet
at the pervasiveness of the most severe in-
fections caused by the bug, called methi-
cillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or
MRSA. These bacteria can be carried by
healthy people, living on their skin or in
their noses.
Muslim women who are not comfortable
with revealing swimsuits have been snapp-
ping up the specially made burkini and
heading for the beaches in Trinidad and To-
bago.
It is the hottest and newest line of cloth-
ing to hit the Islamic clothes market inter-
nationally, according to clothes store
proprietress Zuryda Edoo, the sole distrib-
utor of this swim wear fashion in the coun-
try.
Owner of Sakina’s Selections Ltd at Todd
Street, San Fernando and Grand Bazaar,
Edoo claims the new and innovative beach
wear—Burkini—has become a craze
throughout the world, especially in the Mid-
dle Eastern countries.
Burkini is a cross between burqua, a re-
strictive all-encompassing gown worn by
women in Islamic cultures, and the modern
sexy two piece bikinis. This is the first of
its kind in world created especially for
Muslim women who usually felt left out
among skimpy clad women in their two
piece and one piece swimsuits on the beach.
The burkini was designed by a woman
named Aheda Zanetti in Sydney, Australia
,and has been prominently featured in the
media throughout the world. It is said to be
made of a high quality high performance in-
novative fabric which is 100 per cent poly-
ester, 50+ UV protected, chlorine resistant,
water repellent and quick drying.
The burkini was launched worldwide last
year, and Edoo. had to travel to Turkey to
find a manufacturer willing to sell the
swimsuits to Trinidad.
A practicing Muslim herself, Edoo said
wear, “It is lightweight, it drips and dry
very quickly, it is very fashionable. Every-
one is so fascinated that some kind of beach
wear can be created for Muslim women.”
Usually, Edoo says, Muslim women attire
themselves in track pants, old clothes, jeans
and jerseys to go the beaches. “That is very
uncomfortable. The cotton material pulls
sand and it becomes heavy when water-
soaked. A lot of women do not go to the
More typically, a lack of publicly-funded
dentists means that growing numbers go
private: 78 percent of private patients said
they were there because they could not find
a National Health Service (NHS) dentist,
and only 15 percent because of better treat-
ment.
"This is an uncomfortable read for all of us,
and poses serious questions to politicians
from patients," said Sharon Grant of the
Commission for Patient and Public In-
volvement in Health.
Overall, six percent of patients had resorted
to self-treatment, according to the survey of
5,000 patients in England, which found that
one in five had decided against dental work
because of the cost.
One researcher involved in compiling the
study -- carried out by members of Eng-
land's Patient and Public Involvement Fo-
rums -- came across three people in one
morning who had pulled out teeth them-
selves.
Dentists are also concerned about the trend.
Fifty-eight percent said new dentists' con-
tracts introduced last year had made the
quality of care worse, while 84 percent
thought they had failed to make it easier for
patients to find care.
Almost half of all dentists -- 45 percent --
said they no longer take NHS patients,
while 41 percent said they had an "exces-
sive" workload. Twenty-nine percent said
their clinic had problems recruiting or re-
taining dentists.
"These findings indicate that the NHS den-
tal system is letting many patients down
very badly," said Grant.
"It appears many are being forced to go pri-
vate because they don't want to lose their
current trusted and respected dentist or be-
cause they just can't find a local NHS den-
tist.
IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE
IN THE

INDO-
beach because of that.”
This problem, she said, not only affected

CARIBBEAN
Muslim women but also women who sim-
ply do not wish to have their bodies ex-
posed.

TIMES
“This (burkinis) eliminates this problem,”
adding, “all women can now enjoy sun sea
and sand. They can enjoy shopping for
beach wear..” Edoo said the swim wear
goes from wrist to ankle, covers the head
and comes in different designs and the lat- 416-289-3898
est trendy colours. She said it also comes in
slim and modest fits.

RELIGION
Trinidad devotees open Maha
Kali Durga Shakti temple
A young couple offers devotions at the new tKali Durga temple in Scarborough
A group of Hindus who missed their old
Maha Kali Hindu temple in Pasea Village,
Trinidad , have decided to set up a branch in
Canada.
The newly opened Maha Kali Durga
Shakti Temple is the creation of the group
led by businessman Harry Ramkissoon, for-
mer assistant pujari in the Trinidad temple.
Harry moved to Canada in 1989 and
soon found some other members of the
Trinidad temple also wanting the familiar
service. Some of them would travel back to
Harry Ramkissoon
Trinidad to do their pujas, and Harry him-
self would do the same. But that was not
enough, and they soon realized they would
have to do their worship in Canada.
They started meeting in the homes of
devotees for several years. But their form
of Devi worship (God as mother) required
more dedicated space than a home base-
ment once a week.
Earlier this year, Harry and the group
took the plunge and rented a space for the
temple at 4500 Sheppard Avenue Unit 3, in
Scarborough. Regular Sunday morning
services are drawing in the devotees, and
Harry has started Shiva Puja on Thursdays,
Nav Durga Puja on Fridays at 6.00 pm, and
Hanuman Puja on Saturday evening.
The Maha Kali temple does not ask for
any money or donations from devotees.
“We never ask for money when you come
here. We don’t have any fundraising drives.
There is no price for anything I do. The
group is willing to take care of the finances.
This is based on faith. Mother Devi has
called us to start this temple and we are
doing it as an offering,” says Harry.
There are no animal sacrifices in this Kali
temple. The Sunday service includes sat-
sangh, offerings to 18 murtis using co-
conuts and flowers, and a self healing
session where devotees take their problems
to Devi Mata and find solutions.
All are invited to attend the temple. For
more information contact Harry
Ramkissoon at 647-299-6805.
Indo-Caribbean Times
Hindus and Muslims
live in one family in
Uttar Pradesh village
By Brajesh Kumar Singh
Sadhan Village in Agra District of Uttar
Pradesh has 45 families in which half of the
members of the same family follow Hin-
duism and the other half abide by Islam.
Half of these family members observed
Rozas during Ramdan ahead of Id-ul-Fitr,
whereas the other half are celebrating
Navratras, the nine-day festival devoted to
Goddess Durga, these days. The prayers are
performed in common courtyards.
The unique feature of the members of
these families showing respecting for each
other's chosen faith is setting a big example
of community in Sadhan Village, 45 kilo-
metres from Tehsil headquarters of
Kirowali in Achnara Block.
Once such family is of Shakuntala, where
two sons follow different religious faiths
but share one roof.
"I have both (Hindu and Muslim) the re-
ligions in my family. I don't feel odd. In the
same home, some of the members observed
Roza and while the rest are observing
Navaratri fast. In this house, one brother is
Muslim and the other is Hindu," said
Shankutala.
"My sister-in-law is a Hindu, I am a Mus-
lim. She is worshipping her deity for the
Navaratri festival and I have observed my
last Roza. We are comfortable with each
other's religious practices. We cook and eat
together and there is no discrimination of
any sort in our family. We are living hap-
pily as one," said Afrozi, elder daughter-in-
law of Ghazni, the family head.
The village has a population of 5,000
people."Today there are many such families
where one brother practices Islam and the
other is a Hindu. There is no discrimination
in this village in the name of religion. Peo-
ple here are very liberal. We stand by each
other and religion creates no hindrance
among us from coming close," said Illiyas
Ahmad Khan, a villager.
In the 16th century the village was con-
verted to Islam, and in the 19th century the
Arya Samaj launched a movement named
"Shuddhi" (purification) to bring back those
families whose ancestors had been con-
verted to other faiths. Sadhan Village re-
jected Shuddhi and opted instead for giving
villagers their choice of religion.
Gita lessons from space
OCTOBER 2007
T
he Bhagvat Gita left spaceship earth
and journeyed into outer space when
it was learned that this immortal text
accompanied, Sunita Williams, the female
astronaut who holds the record for the
longest space flight (195 days), the highest
number of space walks (four) and the max-
imum time spent on space walks (29hours
and 17 minutes).
She was also the second Indian female
astronaut to experience space after the first,
Kalpana Chawla and her other six
crewmembers met with tragedy in 2003.
Sunita is presently attracting mass audi-
ences across India with details of her trip on
the International Space Station. Her father,
Deepak Pandya who originally hails from
Gujurat, gave her a copy of the gita a long
time ago but she admitted that she never
paid much attention to it until the loneliness
of space travel caught up with her and then
she delved into it daily and found comfort
and solace in its universal principles deliv-
ered by Lord Krisha to Arjune. Consistent
with this worldly outlook she described
how India looked beautiful in red, green
and purple from 400 km above the earth.
However she saw no borders or bound-
aries and the world appears quite calm. “It
is hard to imagine people arguing down
there, not to mention fighting… we are
lucky to live on such a planet and should
not take it for granted…I am a lot more tol-
erant of people and opinions, of everything”
she remarked.
Back on earth and around the GTA there
is small group of Gita advocates are tying to
ensure that there is a GITA FOR EACH
HOME for once it is there it will be read
when the time is right in the same way as
Sunita Williams referred to her copy.
Recently another 15,000 copies have ar-
rived and about 5.000 will be sent to
Guyana compliments of OMESH
SHARMA, to be distributed by Swami Ak-
sharanada to the many Gita groups that are
now being formed there. Jagdesh Singh
who has just returned from Guyana feels
that there is a concerted effort to establish
more learning institutions but they can do
with some material assistance from abroad.
It is hoped that professionals, business-
people and devotees of the Gita will con-
tribute to this cause so that it can reach all
the countries in the West where Indentured
Servants lived. It only takes a few activists
to flood every village with gitas since they
Page 17
are not costly. They are printed in Banga-
lore and then shipped to Toronto.
The project has attracted a lot of calls
from across Canada and the USA but the
local distributors did not envisage a situa-
tion of having to mail one copy to someone
across North America, as postage will cost
more than the pocket sized English only
text. They are therefore hoping that bulk
distributors for every city will volunteer to
store the gitas so that people can get the
books in that location.
Ram Sahadeo insists that we have to cor-
rect the imbalance that now exists between
our Rituals. Myths, and the enduring Phi-
losophy that accompanied our fore parents
when they arrived in Guyana on May 5,
1838, and Jamaica on May 10, 1845. While
the overwhelming majority on the Whitby
and Hesperus were Hindus it is not the
same today. In fact, many West Indian
countries the culture and religion of the first
indentured servants have virtually disap-
peared.
However the vision of Swami Viveke-
nanda when he spoke to the Parliament of
Religions in Chicago in 1893 is now more
of a probability because of the recent up-
surge in immigration patterns. IT IS TIME
MORE HINDUS DO SOMETHING FOR
HINDUISM in accordance with the DU-
TIES dictated by the Gita .18: 68-69.
Whatever problems the world faces today
the Gita is still relevant and can contribute
to solutions whether it be personal e.g.
greed or anger, what and how we eat, how
we speak and interact with others, or uni-
versal e.g. the dangers of global warming
or the spread of diseases
A few generous souls and some busi-
nesspeople have recently been purchasing
the gitas in bulk (300 in a box) and donat-
ing it to mandirs, where devotees can take
as many as they want and contribute to the
temple fund. Some are being distributed at
funerals, memorials, birthdays, weddings
and other private functions.
If you wish to participate as a bulk dis-
tributor and your city is not listed below
please email ramjihindu@rogers.com or
call one of the distributors listed on Page
14.
NOTE TO EDITOR
Winner of 4’1”Laukie contest published in
last edition is Daljit Ponia of Brampton
YOUTH
Ontario fails in school nutrition report
Ontario has received a failing grade for
school nutrition, along with Prince Edward
Island and Saskatchewan, for allowing the
sake of junk food in schools.
The health advocacy group Centre for Sci-
ence in the Public Interest (CSPI) gave On-
tario an F in a report card that compared
provinces and territories to recently recom-
mended U.S. standards, which have yet to
be implemented, for vending machines,
tuck shops and cafeterias. Alberta earned
the top mark in the country with the only B,
Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and
Labrador were each given a C and B.C.,
Manitoba, Quebec and New Brunswick
scored Ds.
The report urged all levels of government
to do more to replace junk food in schools
with more nutritious foods.
Childhood obesity is an epidemic in
Canada, and something that "causes terri-
ble social and psychological problems for
children and leads to serious illnesses later
in life," said Bill Jeffrey, national co-ordi-
nator of CSPI, based in Washington, D.C.
He said governments have a responsibility
to ensure that foods sold to students are rich
in nutrients and low in saturated and trans
fats, salt and sugar, but all too often schools
allow foods such as ice cream, pizza, candy
and cookies.
The group said the average provincial and
territorial government investment in school
meals programs was just $5.54 per student
in 2005-2006. The federal government con-
tributes nothing, it said.
On the other hand, the U.S. government
spends an average of $212 per student per
year, 38 times more than Canadian govern-
ment subsidies, the report said.
The institute in April recommended intro-
ducing new nutrition policies for schools
demanding that snacks, food and drinks
have zero trans fat, no more than 35 per
cent of total calories from fat and less than
10 per cent of calories from saturated fat.
Rosie Schwartz, a registered dietitian, said
she was disappointed with the poor results,
and urged parents to contact their provin-
cial and federal politicians to push for
change.
"We need help. We need to rescue this gen-
eration from illness later in life," she said.
Schwartz said schools can teach children
about the merits of healthy eating using
trips to the farm and school gardens.
"Kids need to help make decisions," she
said. "They need to be part of the process
and then they'll buy into it."
Rising obesity levels among children are a
concern for public health officials in North
America.
In March, the House of Commons standing
committee on health released a report that
noted that rates of children and adolescents
being overweight and obese have spiked
over the past three decades.
In 2004, 18 per cent of children and ado-
lescents were overweight and eight per cent
were obese, the report said.
Don Goertzen,
CGA
Investment Repre-
sentative
Quadrus Investment
Quadrus Invest- Services
2 Autumn Drive
Caledon, Ontario
Indo-Caribbean Times OCTOBER 2007 Page 18
Britain building
state funded
Hindu school
While the issue of state funded religious
schools was dominating the Ontario gen-
eral election, Britain went ahead and
agreed to build its first state-funded Hindu
school.
The Krishna Avanti Primary School will
be built in the London borough of Harrow
at a cost of 10 million pounds, and the first
intake of students is expected to start in
September 2008.
Based on Camrose Avenue in Edgware,
the 236-place,one-form entry, primary
school is at the heart of the highest concen-
tration of Hindus in Britain, with around a
third of local residents of the Hindu faith.
The school has received overwhelming Believe it or not, it’s a two headed turtle, with two pairs of legs and two heads facing
backing from the local community, with the opposite directions. It was captured by a turtle collector in Pennsylvania, and is a rare
council receiving over 900 letters of sup- example of a conjoined-twin birth, its owner said.
port from Harrow residents, as against The turtle would have likely died in the wild because it swims awkwardly and would
fewer than 150 objections. be an easy target for predators, according to Jay Jacoby, manager of Big Al's Aquarium
The school is being built by the I-Foun- Supercenter in East Norriton.
dation, a leading Hindu charity organisa- The store bought the tiny turtle from the collector for an undisclosed price and will
tion. Welcoming the borough's decision on keep it on display, he said. The 2-month-old turtle, known as a red-eared slider, fits on a
Monday, I-Foundation director Nitesh Gor silver dollar. It has two heads sticking out from opposite ends of its shell, along with a
said: "This is an incredibly exciting mo- pair of front feet on each side. But there is just one set of back feet and one tail.
ment for the UK's Hindu community. The turtle is seemingly healthy, and the species can live 15 to 20 years, Jacoby said. The
"It is the first time the choice of a faith- turtle has not yet been named.
A
based education will be extended to Hindus
alongside Christians, Muslims, Jews and
Sikhs."
F
All major Hindu groups in Britain have
expressed support to the school, including
T
the Hindu Forum of Britain, Vishwa Hindu
Parishad, the Chinmaya Group and the
Hindu Council.
E
I-Foundation director Nitesh Gor said,
"The primary school aims to give Hindu
R
parents a choice of school that is consistent
with their faith. It will have a strong envi-
ronment aspect, including teaching out-
doors, in accordance with traditional Hindu
ways of teaching and learning. The re-
B
quirements will also meet the norms of the
Department of Education and Skills."
Gor added that the I-Foundation was an
E
independent charity organisation and will
be advised on the faith aspects of the school
F
by a range of Hindu and non-Hindu organ-
isations, including the Chinmaya Group,
Swaminarayan, ISKCON, the Church of
O
England and Board of Deputies of British
Jews. Teachers for the school would be re-
R
cruited from within the Hindu community
in Britain.
E
IINDIANS IN THE CARIBBEAN
First Indian indentured martyrs
Guyana resistance to indentureship: The 1872 Devonshire Castle strike and riots
By Tota C. Mangar
Saturday, 29th September, 2007 marked the
135th Anniversary of the Devonshire Cas-
tle Strike and Riots of 1872, an event in
Guyana's history which unfortunately was
for a long time not given the prominence it
so richly deserves. As a consequence not
many in Guyana and the world at large are
fully conscious of this highly significant
historical event. Indeed, they are more fa-
miliar with the Enmore Strike of 1948 and
Enmore Martyrs Day because of its recency
and more widespread publicity and obser-
vances.
Within recent years however, the Ministry
of Culture, Youth and Sports and the ad-
ministration of Region 2 and other related
agencies have been making strenuous ef-
forts to highlight this event and its impor-
tance largely through their annual
commemorative activity at the monument
site, Devonshire Castle on the Essequibo
Coast.
Background
The importation of indentured labourers
from the Indian sub-continent was part of
the continuing search for a reliable labour
force to meet the needs of the sugar indus-
try and the powerful plantocracy following
the abolition of slavery and the termination
of the apprenticeship system in the 1830s.
The system of Indian indentureship could
be characterized as one of intense struggle,
supreme sacrifice and persistent resistance.
On the estates the indentured labourers
experienced the harshness of the system
and it was obvious that the powerful plan-
tocracy had effective control of the immi-
grant labour force which they exploited to
the maximum. An important aspect of this
control was the contract under which the
immigrant was recruited from his home-
land.
The implementation of the labour laws
and the period of industrial residence were
taking place thousand of miles from the
labourer's homeland and in a social and po-
litical environment dominated by the em-
ployer. It was not surprising therefore that
laws were easily varied and very often
abused by the plantocracy to suit their
"whims and fancies".
Court trials were often subjected to abuse
and were, in many instances reduced to a
farce as official interpreters aligned them-
selves with the plantocracy while the hap-
less labourers had very little opportunity of
defending themselves.
Throughout the period of indentureship
immigrants were faced with meagre wage
rates and unrealistic tasks. Weekly earnings
depended on the number of tasks com-
pleted, the nature of tasks, whether it was
weeding, shovelling, manuring, planting or
harvesting and the speed with which they
were completed. In any event it was the em-
ployer or planter who invariably deter-
mined the wages rate and whenever there
was a fall in sugar prices immigrants found
their wages minimized.
The immigrants often went before the
courts as victims of the harsh labour laws
and the legal system of the day. Punish-
ment resulted in imprisonment or fines.
Moreover, an immigrant imprisoned for
misconduct could have his indenture ex-
tended to include the period in jail.
Immigrants also suffered from a paucity
of social amenities. The tenement ranges or
The Devonshire Castle monument
'logies' were small, overcrowded and un-
ventilated, potable water was virtually non-
existent and medical facilities and
sanitation were poor. As a result outbreak
of diseases tended to assume epidemic pro-
portions.
It was not surprising that from the 1860s
onwards the myth of Indian docility on the
plantations was seriously challenged as the
labourers began to openly defy the system.
There was a steady deterioration of indus-
trial relations, increasing working class
protests and imperial investigation. Violent
eruptions were occasioned by many spe-
cific and localized grievances such as over-
bearing behaviour of managers, wage rates
disputes, disagreement over tasks, sexual
exploitation of women by overseers' and the
arbitrary reduction of labourers' wages.
In 1868 the Royal Gazette reported that
"hundreds perhaps thousands, who would
now work on the sugar estates cannot find
employment." Further by 1869, the price
paid for cutting canes to make one
hogshead of sugar was only half of what it
was in 1854.
The first major disturbance and strike
took place at Plantation Leonora, West
Coast Demerara in 1869 and this was fol-
lowed by violence on Plantations Hague,
Uitvlugt, Mon Repos, Non - Pariel, Zeelugt
and Vergenoegen during the next two years.
The 1872 outbreak
For weeks prior to the 29th of September
1872, the time of the Devonshire Castle
Uprising, restlessness and assertiveness had
became an almost daily feature of estate life
on the Essequibo Coast. The root cause of
this uneasiness was widespread dissatisfac-
tion with the allocation of tasks, the poor
prices offered, the long hours of work, the
frequency of unilateral pay deductions from
wages of labourers and general ill-treatment
and abuse. So marked had the restiveness
become that there was a motion before the
Court of Policy recommending the ap-
pointment of a Commission of Inquiry to
settle serious disputes. The motion was ap-
proved but for one reason or the other the
Commission was not appointed.
Relations took a turn for the worse when
on Tuesday, 24th September 1872 the
labourers at Plantation Devonshire Castle
complained to the acting Sub-Immigration
agent that "they had been paid a too low
Indo-Caribbean Times
price for their work".
Upon an invitation by management to
have the work valued in the customary
manner, the labourers in frustration and
lacking confidence in the official, promptly
declined. The officials considered that was
the end of the matter but the workers clearly
did not think so.
Parag, a factory worker also complained
that he "had been compelled to work all
night in the building". In response, an offi-
cial chose to be dismissive claiming that no
worker could be made to work in excess of
ten hours in the building. The next day, and
based on the official's interpretation, Parag
went about encouraging his fellow workers
to cease work after ten hours of labour had
been given. Obviously a militant, Parag was
targeted. He was arrested on the order of the
estate manager but was promptly rescued
by colleagues who were subsequently ac-
cused of threatening the manager's life.
Events of almost a similar nature took place
at Plantation Anna Regina and Plantation
Eliza and Mary in Berbice around the same
time.
Lacking confidence in the local officials
labourers of both Anna Regina and Devon-
shire Castle decided to travel to George-
town to air their grievances to either the
Governor or to the Immigration-Agent
General. Unfortunately, neither group of
workers succeeded in getting to George-
town. However, Anna Regina workers were
somewhat fortunate to encounter emissaries
in the form of an acting Inspector of Police
and Mr. Trotter, the Sub-Immigration Agent
who promised a serious investigation of
their complaints.
With regards to the Devonshire Castle
episode, on Sunday 29th September 1872,
the labourers refused an offer to appear at
an inquiry at Danielstown village. Instead,
workers in their hundreds headed for the es-
tate where they attempted to invade the
overseers' compound. Most were armed
with their hachia sticks and in a quarrel-
some and aggressive mood they forced the
overseer and their families to evacuate.
Police were subsequently summoned and
workers were told by the Stipendiary Mag-
istrate to disperse. They refused while
threatening to become more aggressive. It
was clear that the labourers had endured too
much for far too long and were now reluc-
tant to reason with those they perceive as
their exploiters.
With a recognition that the striking work-
ers could not be persuaded to disperse the
Riot Act was read. They were told that if
they did not disperse peacefully to their
homes within an hour the magistrate would
be compelled to use force against them.
The labourers stood their ground "re-
maining in position insulting and defiant."
It was clear that the labourers were emo-
tionally charged. There were a mere
twenty-four policemen against well over
three hundred angry and unified labourers.
Interpreters were dispatched to persuade the
workers to disperse but to no avail. Women
and children were also active in the protest
action and this was a significant develop-
ment in Guyana's history.
Faced with a volatile situation the police
were ordered to load their rifles and this ac-
tion further infuriated the labourers. The
police charged forward and the available
evidence suggests that the labourers armed
with their hachia sticks, rather than retreat-
ing, advanced headlong with a charge of
their own. The end result in the uproar and
OCTOBER 2007 Page 19
confusion was the fact that police opened
fire on the crowd of protesting labourers.
During the confrontation five sugar workers
were killed and seven were seriously in-
jured.
Those who died were Kaulica, Baldeo,
Ackloo, Maxidally and Beccaroo. Some fif-
teen labourers were arrested by the police
for" having been unlawfully, riotously and
tumultuously assembled together in open
breach of public peace." To the discerning,
one implication of these charges is that five
persons were gunned to death merely be-
cause they were considered to have been in
open "breach of public peace".
Consequence
Public response to the 1872 Devonshire
Castle tragedy, especially from the official
section of the community was most un-
sympathetic. Not surprisingly they blamed
De Voeux since they argued it was his in-
tervention which caused immigrants to sud-
denly find grievances of "which they had
never dreamed before," such was the arro-
gance of the authorities. One commentator
even brazenly declared "Better sacrifice a
few lives, if it comes to that, than have an
Indian mutiny on a small scale. Short, sharp
and decisive should be the measure adopted
with regard to men found in open rebellion
and the defiance of law and authority."
The Devonshire Castle Protest was the
first major protest in which Indian immi-
grant labourers lost their lives at the hands
of colonial police. It represented a turning
point in the manner in which colonial au-
thorities would henceforth react to sugar
workers militancy. Succeeding uprisings
were to be brutally put down with several
loss of lives. At the same time planters were
deluded by the myth of Indian docility. For
over thirty years estate owners had con-
structed an intricate web of exploitation that
was excessive. The Indian labourer was
subjected to uninhibited abuse of the man-
ager, overseer, driver, magistrate and immi-
gration officials.
The Devonshire Castle, incident clearly
illustrated that the indentured labourer had
altered his attitude in his relationship with
his exploiter. He was more rebellious and
was prepared to assert his rights, demand
justice and was willing to confront his op-
pressor headlong.
Quite predictably the inquest into the
tragedy exonerated the police of their ac-
tion in opening fire that resulted in five
deaths. At the same time there was an obvi-
ous contradiction. The Supreme Court of
Criminal Justice freed the fifteen persons
arrested during the protest. This was a po-
sition that would thereafter not re-occur. In
future disturbances those arrested would be
convicted if only to vindicate the outlandish
use of excessive force against sugar work-
ers.
Largely through their valiant efforts re-
forms and improvement were achieved dur-
ing the period of indentureship. Devonshire
Castle labourers of 1872 including the
fallen heroes must have inspired and influ-
enced their colleagues countrywide to in-
tensify the struggle for social and economic
justice and betterment in general.
In the final analysis the Indian indentured
labourers were to triumph with the eventual
termination of the harsh and exploitative in-
dentureship system in 1917. The pioneer-
ing heroes and martyrs of Devonshire
Castle will long be remembered.
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Bollywood changes its tune IC Times
Book Club
T
By Madhur Singh
he staple of Indian cinema, the boy-
meets-girl musical, is making way
for more complex genres. And the
new films are drawing crowds
While big-budget Bollywood productions
continue to dominate India's movie screens,
smaller, alternative films are beginning to
jostle for space. Helped by evolving audi-
ence tastes and greater availability of fi-
nance from more diverse sources, they are
an increasingly successful antidote to the
glitzy song-and-dance fare.
Chak De India is the latest and most suc-
cessful of these mold-breaking films. Trade
figures show the film has done very well in
bigger cities and among what Chakravorty
terms "the multiplex crowd," who are more
educated, have more spending power, and
have greater exposure to films from around
the world. "Filmmakers are making more
films to cater to this niche segment, because
its numbers are swelling with rising income
and educational levels," says Chakravorty.
It may surprise non-Indians to know that
Indian cinema has always been more than
just Bollywood, as Hindi cinema is popu-
larly known. In fact, true Bollywood
movies make up only a fifth of the 1,000 or
so films made in India every year. Film in-
dustries in the south Tamil, Telegu, Malay-
ali are huge, as is the Bhojpuri industry in
central India. India has also long produced
first-rate art films, from the work the leg-
endary Satyajit Ray to contemporary maes-
tros like Govind Nihalani and Shyam
Benegal.
Critic Chakravorty says the new brand of
cinema caters to the viewer who is exposed
to art house but also enjoys Bollywood.
The budgets are typically small, the cast are
good actors but not necessarily stars, and
the audience is select.
"Noir, comedy, sports, new genres are
being explored," says film critic Rajeev
Masand of TV channel CNN-IBN. "Film-
makers have finally realized that they need
to stop seeing the audience as one giant
mouth to feed, and that different mouths
have different tastes. There's room for all
cuisines."
W intronic Computers
A few recent films have tried to do just
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Indo-Caribbean Times
that: Rang De Basanti made a realistic por-
trayal of disaffected Delhi youth; Omkara
was an adaptation of Othello; and Khosla
ka Ghosla was a realistic portrayal of a
Delhi family's brush with unscrupulous es-
tate agents.
Crucial to this shift has been the rise of
talented new film makers such as Chak De
India scriptwriter Jaideep Saini and Khosla
Ka Ghosla director Dibakar Banerjee. At
the same time, established stars are becom-
ing more open to trying different roles” as
Khan did in Chak De India.
Producers are also more willing to bet
their money on innovative scripts, in part
because of an interesting change to the way
Indian films are financed. Traditionally, a
big part of Bollywood's funding has come
from the Mumbai underworld laundering its
ill-gotten gains.
To try to assure profits, underworld back-
ers insisted on tried-and-tested formulas.
But with liberalization of the economy, pro-
ducers now have legitimate means of rais-
ing film finance; big production houses
such as UTV and Adlabs have recently
raised money by listing on the stock ex-
change and some producers are even tying
up with Hollywood studios.
Neelesh Misra, a journalist and lyricist,
whose story based on a young, ailing pro-
fessor who helps his students mend their
lives has been bought by a leading produc-
tion house, says, "Ten years back if you told
a producer you had a story starting with a
dying professor, they'd show you the door.
Now, they are seeking out scriptwriters
who'd give them something fresh."
Does this mean the end of Bollywood as
we know it? "Hardly," says Misra, "It might
be easier to sell an offbeat script today, but
you still can't negotiate a [decent] price."
Trade analyst and Film Information edi-
tor Komal Nahta says audiences in smaller
towns still want the usual fare, and they
make up the majority of the 4 billion film
tickets sold in India every year.
Chak De India may be an unexpected hit,
but the box office king so far this year is
Partner, a straight-out Bollywood formula
with big funding, big stars and, yes, song
and dance.
Diary of Hesperus
crossing launched
The First Crossing, the diary of British
surgeon Theophilus Richmond who sailed
on the first ship, Hesperus that brought in-
dentured labourers from Calcutta, India to
Georgetown has been launched in Guyana
at Le Meridien Pegasus.
The book which was published by the
Derek Walcott Press is the brainchild of
Guyanese writer, Professor David Daby-
deen who teamed up with Professor Brins-
ley Samaroo, Jonathan Morley, Amar
Wahab and Brigid Wells to edit the book.
Speaking at the launching, Dabydeen said
it took them close to three years to complete
the book.
He recalled how he was introduced to
Richmond's diary, noting that it was very
enlightening to see the first written account
of Indian existence in Guyana. Professor
Dabydeen said they did extensive work in
putting the book together, recalling the
hours of research and editing that was done.
Former Deputy Vice Chancellor of the
University of Guyana Al Creighton who did
an analysis of the book last evening said it
was profound and timely. Creighton added
that the book has made an important con-
tribution to scholarship and he recom-
mended it as a book to be read.
The diary chronicles Dr Richmond's jour-
ney from Liverpool, England in June 1837
to Mauritius, to Calcutta, India and from
Calcutta on January 29, 1838 to Guyana.
Richmond died two months after arriving
in Demerara, Guyana on May 5, 1838 of
yellow fever at the age of 23. His presence
onboard the Hesperus was as a result of
being employed by John Gladstone, father
of the then British prime Minister who
wanted labour from India to replace the ex-
slaves on his sugar plantation on the West
Demerara. Over 100 Indians started the
journey but not all made it through.
Dabydeen said they have compiled a list
of the immigrants on that first voyage,
which would be made available for research
IC Times
purposes.
Book Club
Recommendations
Guyana. Editor Arif Ali, publisher Hansib
Hardback, 284 pages
$50.00 Canadian, postage in Canada $6
In Pursuit of Justice, by Shakoor Man-
raj, Hardback, 297 pages
$30.00 Canadian, including postage in
Canada. US .
Two books of poetry
Winged Heart, by Janet Naidu
$13 plus $2 postage
Rainwater, by Janet Naidu
$15, plus $2 postage
Layers of the Rainforest by Shirley
Najhram
Hardback, children’s book
$15, postage in Canada $2.55
To obtain a copy of any of these books,
call ICTimes Book Club at 416-289-3898
or e-mail ictimes@rogers.com
OCTOBER 2007 Page 20
Ramadan: A lover's tale
By Habeeb Alli
Lying on her back, she starved all day
When asked she cried 'heart-broken'
From dawn to dusk, without food
Fasting yearning for Allah, she silently
prays
The same song repeated, when questioned
She says it's his favorite tune, so I just like
it
Thirty nights sweetly the Book of Allah re-
cited
When asked, the Hafiz says I can't live
without His words, dear
Working two jobs plus school, she saves
every chocolate cent possible
When enquired about this queer thing, she
says it's for his dire finances
Sacrificing every sweet tooth, she gives in
charity from hers and even asks others
When asked, the Zakah collector says 'a
loan for Allah' is well repaid, my Beloved
No gossip or wild thoughts, she hates to
lose him for a moment
To make him unique yet still so many oth-
ers
Throughout the month she avoids distrac-
tions
When asked, the devotee of Ramadan says
I'm saving my heart for Allah, my true de-
sire!
Arising from
Bondage
By Ron Ramdin
Arising from Bondage is an epic story of
the struggle of the Indo-Caribbean people.
From the 1830's through World War I hun-
dreds of thousands of indentured laborers
were shipped from India to the Caribbean
and settled in the former British, Dutch,
French and Spanish colonies.
Like their predecessors, the African
slaves, they labored on the sugar estates.
Unlike the Africans their status was am-
biguous--not actually enslaved yet not en-
tirely free--they fought mightily to
achieve power in their new home.
Today in the English-speaking Caribbean
alone there are one million people of In-
dian descent and they form the majority in
Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.
This study, based on official documents
and archives, as well as previously unpub-
lished material from British, Indian and
Caribbean sources, fills a major gap in the
history of the Caribbean, India, Britain
and European colonialism.
It also contributes powerfully to the his-
tory of diaspora and migration.
Arising from Bondage
Published 2000
NYU Press
Ethnic relations
288 pages
ISBN 0814775489

RELIGION
The sixteen stages of Pooja Gandhi’s birthday becomes
international peace day
A
By Sat Maharaj
s one travels across Trinidad, one
notices triangular flags on bamboo
poles at the front of houses and at
entrances to streets. Those at the front of
houses identify the residence of a Hindu
family.
These prayer flags are of different colours
and indicate that the family has performed
a recent Pooja (Puja). The colour indicates
to which Hindu diety the pooja was per-
formed.
The colour of the jhandi (flag) and the as-
sociated diety is as follows:
Hanuman (red)
Satnarayan (white)
Surujnarayan (red)
Lakshmi (pink)
Durga (yellow
Saraswatie (white)
Ganesh (yellow/pink)
Krishna (yellow
Shiva (white)
Ram (yellow) and
Naw Graha (two red, two white).
Before a pooja (puja) could be performed
a “bedi” or earthen altar is prepared and is
decorated with various religious artifacts.
The structure of the bedi follows an ancient
Hindu geometric pattern with the pundit sit-
ting facing a northerly direction while the
devotee faces eastwards.
Every pooja consist of sixteen steps and
is generally performed by a pundit. Here-
under are the various steps:
First step is Avahana or invocation: The
puranic mantra is: “O God of Gods, Bril-
liance incarnate, protector of the world, the
best of gods, come accept my puja.”
In salutation to gods, the worshipper says
“om” and offers rice grains (aksata) and
flowers.
Second step is Asana or seat: The god is
offered a seat on the altar and recitation of
sacred verse takes place, puranic verses is
later evolution of Hinduism are here re-
cited.
Third step is Padya: The deity is offered
water for washing his/her feet. Recitation
of puranic verses follows.
Fourth step is Arghya: The god is of-
fered water for washing his hands while
recitation of puranic mantras are chanted.
Fifth step is Acamana: The god is offered
water for rinsing mouth while recitation of
a puranic mantra is offered.
Sixth step is Snana or bath: The god’s
image is bathe in water or in a mixture of
milk, yogurt, ghee, honey and sugar (pan-
camrita). Recitation of a puranic mantra
takes place.
Seventh step is Vastra or apparel: Two
apparels are offered to the deity while
recitation of puranic mantras are chanted.
Eight step is Upavastra (quasi”apparel”):
The god is offered yajnopavita and recita-
tion of puranic mantras are recited.
Nineth step is Chandana or Gandha
Samarpana: The god is offered sandal-
wood paste while appropriate recitation of
puranic mantras are chanted.
Tenth step is Puspa Samarpana: Here the
god is offered flowers while recitation of a
puranic mantra is chanted.
Eleventh step is Dhupa: The deity is of-
fered burnt perfume as recitation of a pu-
ranic mantra is chanted.
Twelfth step is Dipa Samarpana: This
consists of offering light to the god. Oil
lamps (deya) are moved in a circle in the
vertical plane. Usually in clockwise direc-
tion. There are specific rules regarding the
number of arati (circular motions) to be of-
A
fered..
In certain cases the arati is moved to and
fro. Recitation of puranic verses are chanted
while this act is performed.
Thirteenth step of Naivedya symbolises
the food offered to the god to the recitation
of puranic verses. In a minor puja milk with
sugar or sugar porridge are offered. And in
the major puja the offering is called maha
naivedya (“great” naivedya) when rich
sweet dishes are offered.
While offering the food the worshipper
acts as if he is feeding the god. The follow-
ing mantra is recalled in silence: om
pranaya svaha, om apanaya svaha, om
vyanaya svaha, om udanaya svaha, om
brahmane svaha.
Sat Maharaj
Fourteenth step is Namaskara or obei-
sance. The devotee prostrates before the
image once, thrice or five times while
recitation of puranic mantras continues.
Fifteenth step is Pradaksina: Recitation
of a Puranic mantra takes place while the
worshipper makes pradaksinas or circum-
ambulation of the alter.
Sixteenth and final step is Mantrapuspa
or “flowers of mantra” while recitation of a
puranic mantra by pundit.
At the end of each pooja special prayers
are offered seeking the diety’s forgiveness
for any inadvertent omission in the ritual.
The pundit accepts full responsibility for
any deviation from the prescribed mantras
to be recited and the precision of the for-
mat.
The pooja terminates with prostrations at
the altar by the devotee and the offering of
flowers and dakshina or financial dona-
tions.
The appropriate jhandi of prayer flag is
then raised in the front of the home.
Satnarayan Maharaj is the secretary gen-
eral of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha
of Trinidad and Tobago.
ndians develop new iron using ancient tech-
nology
October 15, 2007
Indian metallurgists have developed a type
ofIT PAYS TO ADVERTISE
corrosion-resistant iron that construction
engineers IN THE
would love. And vital clues for it came for
Delhi's
INDO-
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tall for
CARIBBEAN
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TIMES
Developed by Ramamurthy Balasubrama-
niam and his former
student Gadadhar Sahoo of the Indian In-
stitute of
Technology (IIT) in Kanpur, the iron con-
tains 416-289-3898
phosphorus and shows remarkable resist-
ance to
corrosion, especially in concrete.
Indo-Caribbean Times
Mahatma Gandhi, birthday as International
peace and non-violence day
O
AHEMSA PARMO DHARMA
Non-violence – the greatest religion
ur profound appreciation and
thanks must go to the United Na-
tions Organization for having unan-
imously adopted October 2nd, Mohan Dass
Karamchand Gandhi’s otherwise known as
Mahatma Gandhi, birthday, as “interna-
tional peace and non-violence day.” It took
the world body some 59 years to bestow
this honor upon the Indian fakir and pilgrim
for peace after his assassination in 1948,
just one year after India ’s independence.
Gandhi who said “I am prepared to die, but
there is no cause for which I am prepared
to kill” lost his own life to violence perpe-
trated by an Indian religious zealot.
Mrs Sonia Gandhi the present day Con-
gress President was rightly invited to speak
on the occasion of United Nation com-
memorating Mahatma Gandhi's birthday as
an international day of peace and non vio-
lence.
In a world seriously endangered by mil-
itancy, terrorism, violence, crusades, geno-
cides and ethnic cleansing on the one hand
and on the other abnormal hikes in military
expenditures, new and destructive missile
systems, race and black marketing for nu-
clear weapons and technology, military ini-
tiatives and penetrations, occupation and
attempts to establish a new kind of imperi-
alism and the resultant violence, can the
Gandhian model provide a viable alterna-
tive in restoring the peaceful nature of our
society?
The answer to this crucial question has to
be a resounding yes because the alternative
is too gloomy, dangerous, destructive and
extremely frightening. The Mahatma an-
swered this question in one sentence i.e.,
“There is no path to peace. Peace is the
path”. Further elaborating he said “Your be-
liefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts
become your words. Your words become
your actions. Your actions become your
habits. Your habits become your values and
your values become your destiny”. Now
you can imagine what might happen when
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OCTOBER 2007 Page 21
we as a society reaffirm our belief in peace
and make Gandhi’s principle “Ahemsa
Parmo Dharma” as our guiding light.
Given the ongoing volume of violence in
today’s world whether it is in Iraq ,
Afghanistan , Pakistan , India , Myanmar ,
Darfur or Palestine , Gandhi’s message of
peace and non-violence is perhaps most rel-
evant today than it has ever been. From the
Indian point of view paying homage to this
naked fakir is especially deserving for he
laid the prosperity and future of his family
and children at the alter of securing justice,
freedom and liberty for hundreds of mil-
lions of his countrymen and women while
following the dictates of GITA – The gospel
of DHARMA & KARMA.
He went into the mindset of murderous
riots during the partition of India and risked
his own life. During that volatile period full
of human turbulence at peace gatherings, a
Muslim rioter in an attempt to kill him
chocked his neck and almost killed him.
But the kindness he expressed even at that
time melted the misguided attacker and he
fell on Mahatma’s feet begging for forgive-
ness. The Mahatma believed that one
should not lose faith in humanity for it was
an ocean and if a few drops of ocean were
dirty that does not make the whole ocean
dirty. He persuasively preached the philos-
ophy imbedded in the proverb “hate the sin
and love the sinner.”
I personally find it distasteful when Hin-
dus demonise Gandhi for some mistakes he
may have made while they ignore the bril-
liant and great courage of that man to be the
main instrument to bring about India 's in-
dependence. One man's life span is not long
enough to eradicate the evils imposed on
India from its past 1000 year history.
Gandhi did well in his life time. I respect
him and am grateful to him. Gandhi paid
the price of having lived in free and inde-
pendent India for year for his mistakes if
any.
Kanayalal Raina
Brampton
SPORTS
SPORTS
Lara,Dhillon join rebel
Indo-Caribbean Times OCTOBER 2007 Page 22
Jagdeo honoured for England falter against
in some

karate support Russians in soccer

Indian Cricket League
Kenyans fight back
England allowed Russia no shots on goal in
last night's Euro 2008 qualifying match, but FORMER West Indies fast bowler Mervyn
Head of State President Bharrat Jagdeo was

against Canada
"five minutes of madness" gave Russia a 2- Dillon has followed the lead of his coun-
honoured recently by Chairman and Chief
1win that could keep England from ad- tryman Brian Lara and signed up with the
Instructor of the International Shoto Kan
vancing to next summer's finals. Indian Cricket League (ICL).
Karate Federation, Teruyuki Okazaki for Thomas Odoyo's maiden ODI century led
The lanky pacer currently in training with
his commitment to assist in the develop- a remarkable Kenya fightback in the open-
Wayne Rooney's penalty on Roman the T&T senior cricket teampreparing for
ment of karate. ing match of their short series against
Pavlyuchenko turned the tide of a game that the KFC Cup, is expected to be in India by
The President met Master Okazaki and Canada in Nairobi. He came in with the
England was supposed to take handily, re- November totake up his three-year contract.
Chairman of the Canadian Japan Karate As- home side in tatters at 49 for 5 chasing 231,
ports the London Times. • Rooney, who It is understood that the Toco-born player
sociation Frank Woon-A-Tai today at his but calmly set about a recovery before tak-
scored England's only goal, seemed to be signed on the dotted linelast week and is
Office in New Garden Street. ing the game away from Canada with a
outside the box when the "disgraceful" now officially the s econd player from the
President Jagdeo during the meeting was flurry of boundaries alongside a composed
penalty was called on him. West Indies to have signed on to play in the
awarded the 6 Dan the highest rank in Jimmy Kamande who helped add a match-
lucrative Twenty20 cricket tournament.
Shoto Khan Karate. winning stand of 98 in 13 overs.
Pavlyuchenko scored on the penalty, then It is understood that players are being of-
In modern times, a dan-ranked practstyle Odoyo, who opened his first-class century
converted on a rebound to take the game for fered between US$450,000 to US$550,000
is usually recognized as a martial artist who count against Bermuda last week, was
Russia. To avoid elimination and prevent to join the league.Shoaib Akhtar, Shaun
has surpassed the kyu or basic ranks. again in commanding form and highlighted
the sacking of coach Steve McClaren, Eng- Pollock and Jacob Oram have joined the In-
Master Okazaki said this was presented his importance to Kenya and also his stand-
land must defeat Croatia, and hope Russia dian Premier League (IPL), according to
to the President in appreciation for his sup- ing among Associate players. Kenya were
doesn't win both of its remaining games.. Lalit Modi, the IPL chairman and a vice-
port. “It is very unique that we have a gov- falling apart when he arrived in the 11th
president of the Indian board (BCCI).

Indian cricket fans

ernment and President supporting karate.” over, but he was quickly into his stride. Any
"To have Akhtar play for an India club
The Head of State was also presented half volley that came along was emphati-
team, together with a cricketer as talented
charged with racism
with a book written by Master Okazaki, cally dispatched through the covers, while
as Pollock will be a dream come true for the
Perfection of Character: Guiding Principles short balls didn't cause any problems. As
cricket-loving Indian fans," said Modi. "It
for the Martial Arts and Everyday Life. the requirement was reduced to double fig-
also reiterates our commitment to create a
Pesident Jagdeo has always demonstrated ures he began using his feet to the spinners
tournament that will showcase some of the
his commitment to the development of and finished the chase in fine style with a
Four Indian cricket fans will face court for best talent in the world. I am very excited
sport in Guyana. straight drive off Sunil Dhaniram.
allegedly racially taunting Australian crick- about the inaugural season of the IPL,
During his New Year’s address to the na- But Odoyo wouldn't have succeeded
eter Andrew Symonds by making monkey which now looks all set to kick off in April
tion, the Head of State spoke of his govern- without support from his team-mates. Nine-
gestures, a police official said Thursday. 2008."
ment’s support and indicated that this year teen-year-old Alex Obanda helped repair
Pollock said that he had signed with the
a $100M Sports and Arts Development the initial damage with 30 in a stand of 86.
The four spectators were evicted from the IPL because "it's recognised by Cricket
Fund would be effected, the largest sum Kamande, who earlier bowled an econom-
one-day international match in Mumbai on South Africa" and "looked forward to play-
ever committed in the country’s history. ical spell of offspin, then showed his bat-
Wednesday after cricket officials showed to ing in the league". He had earlier been ap-
Sports and Arts have a tremendous po- ting skills with a 31-ball 37.
police photographs of them making the ges- proached by the Indian Cricket League but
tential for improving the image of our coun- The result was hard luck on Umar Bhatti,
tures as Symonds — of Caribbean origin — declined the offer.
try, fostering social cohesion and keeping the left-arm opening bowler, who had pro-
came to bat, police officer Sunil Zende said. The US $3 million IPL now has 25
our young people meaningfully occupied,” duced an outstanding spell, bowling his 10
signees. They include Shane Warne, Glenn
Head of State President Bharrat Jagdeo told overs straight through for three wickets. He
The fans, which included one woman, were McGarth, Justin Langer, Mahela Jayawar-
the nation on the dawn of 2007. had David Obuya caught at mid-off, re-
charged with harassment and misbehavior dene, Graeme Smith, Herschelle Gibbs, AB
His commitment to development of the moved Nehemiah Odhiambo with a first-
and released after a paying a 1,200-rupee de Villiers, Ashwell Prince, Albie Morkel,
sector was again demonstrated when he ball edge to the wicketkeeper and
(US$30, €21) bail. They will have to appear Mohammad Yousuf, Shivnarine Chander-
agreed to provide land for the construction accounted for Steve Tikolo for a duck in
in court later to face charges, Zende said. paul, Sanath Jayasuriya, Chaminda Vaas,
of a $100M Karate College. The decision similar style.
Daniel Vettori, Stephen Fleming and Scott
was taken during a meeting with Chairman Canada had wasted a promising position
Indian and Australian cricket officials is- Styris.
of the Canadian-Japan Karate Association with the bat after racing to 89 for 2 in the
sued a joint statement condemning racial
Frank Woon-A-Tai at his Office in New 13th over. They slipped to 131 for 6 as Ka-
taunts.
Garden Street. “He told me that he will give mande and Tikolo conceded 62 in 20 overs
us the land but we have to start raising between them. But 36-year-old Arvind
"There is no place for racism in cricket ei-
funds first,” Woon-A-Tai said. Kandappah, making his ODI debut, ensured
ther on or off the field," said the statement
Woon-A-Tai, one of many founders of against a complete collapse. He added 52
by Sharad Pawar, India's top cricket offi-
the Guyana Karate College, expanded on with Jason Patraj (20) then Umar Bhatti
cial, and Creagh O'Connor, his Australian
the role the institution will play. “As you contributed a 17-ball 22.
counterpart. "All cricket nations have to be
know karate has been accepted as part of
on guard to ensure that the fun does not
the CXC physical education department
cross the boundary into unacceptable be-
HORIZON TOURNAMENT
and we will be training teachers to carry out
havior."
this, because the President would like to see (3) November 24, 2007
karate in every school in the country.”Funds SCHEDULE (Fall 2007)
will be raised via telethons and other events Chess Tournament
to commence construction of the Karate
College. (1) October 27, 2007 (Location to be confirmed)

CHESS, DRAUGHT AND

Draught Tournament

DOMINO TOURNAMENTS
Island Grove Restaurant (Brampton)

4525 Ebenezer Rd (Queen St & The Gore IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE

Rd)
Players of all skill levels (beginners to advanced) are IN THE
invited to participate. Tournaments held every month
during the winter.
INDO-
(2) NOVEMBER 03, 2007

CARIBBEAN
See schedule at www.horizoncricketclub.com or phone
Domino Tournament (2007 World Champi-
onship)
905-794-5423. Also, adult and kids CHESS LESSONS

TIMES
(beginners to advance). Learn to play the world’s best Nice & Easy Restaurant

board game. 415 Oakdale Rd, Toronto

Registration information at
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(Hwy 400 & Finch)
416-289-3898
Taj Mahal story may be a myth
MONUMENTS TO INDO-CARIBBBEANS
BBC News Service
The Taj Mahal, located near the Indian city
of Agra, is one of the world's greatest ar-
chitectural treasures. There are two stories
of how the Taj came to be.
The Taj's Love Story
It has been called the most beautiful tem-
ple in the world, despite the fact that it was
built at the cost of much human life. The
Taj Mahal is a real monument of one man's
love for a woman. The story is a sad one,
told many times. But it never hurts to tell it
again.
In 1631, when his wife died in childbirth,
the emperor Shah Jahan brought to Agra the
most skilled craftsmen from all Asia and
even Europe, to build the white marble
mausoleum that is the Taj Mahal. He in-
tended to build a black marble mausoleum
for himself, and the link between the two
was to be a silver bridge. This fantastic plan
suffered a dramatic and permanent setback
when the Shah himself died.
Its stunning architectural beauty is be-
yond description, particularly at dawn and
at sunset when it seems to glow in the light.
On a foggy morning, it looks as though the
Taj is suspended in mid-air when viewed
from across the Jamuna river.
This is, of course, an illusion. The Taj
stands on a raised square platform with its
four corners truncated, forming an unequal
octagon. The architectural design uses the
interlocking arabesque concept, in which
BERBICE PALACE
each element stands on its own and per-
fectly integrates with the main structure. It
uses the principles of self-replicating geom-
ope
wly
N e
Opening Hours
Mon. 11.30 am - 11 pm
Wed.-Thurs. 11.30 am - Midnight
Fri.-Sat. 11.30 am - 2:00 am
Sun. 11.30 am - Midnight
Indo-Caribbean Times
etry and a symmetry of architectural ele-
ments.
If you don't want the huge crowds to dis-
tract you from your view, try arriving just
as it opens or is about to close. A few min-
utes alone in the perpetually echoing inner
sanctum will reward you far more than sev-
eral hours spent on a guided tour. Especially
if your tour guide is Murbat Singh, who
makes it his job to find a new comic slant
on the Taj story every time he tells it.
To really do the Taj Mahal justice, you
should plan to spend at least a full day in
the grounds, to see this stunning piece of ar-
chitecture at dawn, midday, and at dusk.
The colours and atmosphere of the gardens
and the Taj itself constantly change
throughout the day. Under moonlight the
marble glows.
The Taj's Other Story
If you have ever visited the Taj Mahal
then your guide probably told you that it
was designed by Ustad Isa of Iran, and built
by the Moghul Emperor, Shah Jahan, in
memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Indian
children are taught that it was built in 22
years (1631 to 1653) by 20,000 artisans
brought to India from all over the world.
This story has been challenged by Pro-
fessor P.N. Oak, author of Taj Mahal: The
True Story, who believes that the whole
world has been duped. He claims that the
Taj Mahal is not Queen Mumtaz Mahal's
tomb, but an ancient Hindu temple palace
of Lord Shiva (then known as Tejo Maha-
laya), worshipped by the Rajputs of Agra
city.
In the course of his research, Oak dis-
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covered that the Shiva temple palace had
been usurped by Shah Jahan from then Ma-
haraja of Jaipur, Jai Singh. Shah Jahan then
remodelled the palace into his wife's me-
morial. In his own court chronicle, Bad-
shahnama, Shah Jahan admits that an
exceptionally beautiful grand mansion in
Agra was taken from Jai Singh for Mum-
taz's burial. The ex-Maharaja of Jaipur is
said to retain in his secret collection two or-
ders from Shah Jahan for the surrender of
the Taj building.
The use of captured temples and man-
sions as a burial place for dead courtiers
and royalty was a common practice among
Muslim rulers. For example, Hamayun,
Akbar, Etmud-ud-Daula and Safdarjung are
all buried in such mansions.
Oak's inquiries begin with the name Taj
Mahal. He says this term does not occur in
any Moghul court papers or chronicles,
even after Shah Jahan's time. The term
'Mahal' has never been used for a building
in any of the Muslim countries, from
Afghanistan to Algeria.
'The usual explanation that the term Taj
Mahal derives from Mumtaz Mahal is il-
logical in at least two respects. Firstly, her
name was never Mumtaz Mahal but Mum-
taz-ul-Zamani,' he writes. 'Secondly, one
cannot omit the first three letters from a
woman's name to derive the remainder as
the name for the building.'
Taj Mahal is, he claims, a corrupt version
of Tejo-mahalaya, or the Shiva's Palace.
Oak also says that the love story of Mumtaz
and Shah Jahan is a fairy tale created by
court sycophants, blundering historians and
Li
ve
Sa
te
llit
Wed.
Wing Duck
Night Curry
Page 23
sloppy archaeologists. Not a single royal
chronicle of Shah Jahan's time corroborates
the love story.
Furthermore, Oak cites several docu-
ments suggesting that the Taj Mahal pre-
dates Shah Jahan's era:
Professor Marvin Miller of New York
took samples from the riverside doorway of
the Taj. Carbon dating tests revealed that
the door was 300 years older than Shah
Jahan.
European traveller Johan Albert Man-
delslo, who visited Agra in 1638 (only
seven years after Mumtaz's death), de-
scribes the life of the city in his memoirs,
but makes no reference to the Taj Mahal
being built.
The writings of Peter Mundy, an Eng-
lish visitor to Agra within a year of Mum-
taz's death, also suggest that the Taj was a
noteworthy building long well before Shah
Jahan's time.
Oak also points out a number of design
and architectural inconsistencies that sup-
port the belief that the Taj Mahal is a typi-
cal Hindu temple rather than a mausoleum.
Many rooms in the Taj Mahal have re-
mained sealed since Shah Jahan's time, and
are still inaccessible to the public. Oak as-
serts they contain a headless statue of Shiva
and other objects commonly used for wor-
ship rituals in Hindu temples.
Fearing political backlash, Indira
Gandhi's government tried to have Oak's
book withdrawn from the bookstores, and
threatened the Indian publisher of the first
edition with dire consequences.
The only way to really validate or dis-
credit Oak's research is to open the sealed
rooms of the Taj Mahal, and allow interna-
tional experts to investigate.
e
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