TIMES
I ndo- Caribb ean
King Rooplal G
Rakesh Yankarran
Anil Pitie
Nellie B
A daring
Mon. Dec. 31st For info call:
Vol 1. No 10 December 2007
5835 Dixie Rd. 905-696-7133
kidnap
shocks
Guyana
Kitty woman and child
rescued from international
gang headed for Colombia
A
confrontation between Guyana police
and an international kidnap gang
ended with the death of a Colombian kid-
napper and the dramatic rescue of a preg-
nant Kitty mother and her three year old
daughter. The country has never seen any-
thing like this before.
Shelly Khan, 26, and her young daugh-
ter were snatched from her Kitty, George-
town business place last Saturday by four
armed men. They by vehicle to Parika
Stelling and left from Pomeroon River in a
small speedboat via the Atlantic Ocean,
heading for Colombia.
The kidnappers stopped at a business
place at Grant Stelling Hope in Lower
Pomeroon River, and three went looking for
larger boat and engine to make a quicker es-
cape. That’s where the police came upon
the businesswoman and the Columbian
bandit who was guarding her with a gun.
He was shot dead by police after he opened
fire.
The other bandits rushed back on hear-
ing the shots, and one, apaparently a
Venezuelan, was shot and captured. Two
others, at least one of whom is believed to
be Guyanese, escaped. The womand child
miraculously escaped unhurt during the
shoot-out.
Police have been combing the backlands
of the Lower Pomeroon River for the two
other bandits. Investigations are also in
progress as to why the businesswoman and
her daughter were kidnapped.
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MORTGAGE SPECIALIST
Richard Aziz
Tel: 416-289-3898 ictimes@rogers.com
TT judge orders govt. to hand
416-832-7293
over lands to Caroni workers
Four year wait an abuse of process
G overnment has dragged its feet on its
promise to lease land to former cane
have been 'business as usual', not really
being concerned about the frustration that
workers and must now deliver the land delay in meeting its promise was causing.
within six months, a Trinidad High Court Up to the present time, there is no credible
judge has declared., evidence as to when these former sugar
So serious was the breach of promise that workers will get their leases without which
Justice Lennox Deyalsingh termed it an they are disadvantaged in a substantial way.
abuse of power. "Government's lack of the sense of ur-
The stinging criticism-a consolation to gency (which) this matter warranted is in
the almost 8,000 former workersof Caroni my view, tantamount to an abuse of power,"
(1975) Ltd-came from Justice Lennox he wrote.
Heroic TT cop to
Deyalsingh, as he noted that the promise to The commitment to lease land to the
expose corruption
lease the land had been made since 2003 sugar workers was a condition of voluntary
and not a single lease had been granted, at separation packages the workers accepted
A
least up to mid 2007. when the government shut down Caroni's
"This matter required a real sense of ur- sugar manufacturing operations mid-2003.
heroic, one of a kind Trinidad police-
gency (from the government). People lost Despite assurances from government that
man has defied the Commissioner of
their means of livelihood. They were wait- sugar workers would be given priority, sev-
Police and the Minister of National Secu-
ing on the promised lands... to get on with eral deadlines for the land distribution went
rity. He has refused promotion, risked his
their lives," Justice Deyalsingh wrote in a by without results.
job and probably his life to expose corrup-
judgment he delivered at the Port of Spain Deyalsingh’s judgement came as a result
tion in the Trinidad Police Service to an im-
High Court. of a lawsuit by Trinidad and Tobago Civil
partial foreign investigator - and won
Venezuela plays the bully after
"Government's attitude seems to me to Rights Association for the former workers.
against all the odds.
Police Superintendent Chandrabhan Ma-
November 15 invasion of Guyana
haraj said earlier this year that he knew of
the corruption among Southern Division
V
police officers and was ready to blow the
whistle. But he would not talk to any in-
enezuela has finally given an explana- other country and destruction of property
vestigator from the Trinidad Police, since
tion for its November 15 invasion of by soldiers, unless the complainer is con-
he didn’t trust any of them. He would talk
Guyana territory in the Cuyuni river area, sidered to be weak or insignificant. The ex-
only to a foreigner with no ties to the local
nearly a month after the event. But it is still planation by Venezuela's Minister of
police.
claiming the attack took place in Venezue- Foreign Affairs Nicolas Maduro that he was
The top brass didn’t like it. They offered
lan territory. Two Venezuelan helicopters out of the country and would handle the
him a big promotion to shut him up, but
flew into Guyana and the venezuelan mili- matter when he returned, was not accept-
Chandrabhan refused. They asked him to
tary blew up two dredges. able.
talk to Superintendent Woodley but he said
Normally, armed invasions of another After two weeks without a response or a
he didn’t trust Woodley, who had failed to
country can lead to severe tension, and even visit by a Venezuelan delegation, Guyanese
clear up other glaring examples of police
declarations of war. And the Guyana gov- Foreign Minister Rudy Insanally said
corruption. He took Anand Ramlogan to
ernment immediately sent a stiff protest pointedly the government would “not wait
fight his case. He went into court with a T
note to the Venezuelan authorities, de- much longer” for a response and would re-
shirt saying “The only solution for corrup-
manding an explanation and compensation. view the situation. That’s diplomatic lan-
tion is execution”, to the horror of police
In what can only be described as a de- guage for saying it was time to make some
brass.
liberate diplomatic insult, the Venezuelans noise. In the end, the Venezuelan response
This week the Trinidad police gave in and
ignored the Guyana protest note for over to the Guyanese diplomatic note was de-
agreed to appoint a foreign investigator to
three weeks. No country would ignore a se- livered by a delegation in the second week
hear Chandrabhan’s corruption evidence.
rious matter like an armed invasion of an- of December. Venezuela is still claiming
(SEE STORIES ON PAGE 4 & 6) the incident happened in their territory.
Immigrants still head for MTV -
Toronto, Montreal Vancouver,
but not for empty rural areas
C anada's three largest cities are strug-
gling to cope with a flood of newcom-
ers primarily from China, India, the
Philippines and Pakistan as immigration ap-
proaches levels not seen since the end of the
"Great Migration" a century ago.
Statistics Canada said Tuesday that 69
per cent of recent immigrants to Canada
resided in the "magnet" or "gateway" cities
of Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver -
dubbed MTV - in 2006. That's down from
73 per cent in 2001 and 74 per cent in 1996.
Still, 97 per cent of all immigrants in the
last five years ended up in large urban
areas.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the fed-
eral government floated the idea of direct-
ing new arrivals to the hinterland to address
the issues of stressed urban services, immi-
grant concentration and rural depopulation.
The idea died a quiet death and has since
been replaced by federal and provincial ef-
forts to "encourage" immigrants to settle in
less-trafficked centres.
In 2006, only five per cent of the immi-
grant population lived in a rural area, Sta-
tistics Canada reported. Setting aside
constitutional concerns, experts say forcing
immigrants to settle outside large urban
centres simply doesn't work.
Amy Casipullai, policy co-ordinator of
Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Im-
migrants, said immigration is no panacea
for rural depopulation.
"If Canada doesn't deal with the problem
of flight from small towns for the Cana-
dian-born population, then how are you
going to convinceimmigrants that this is ac-
tually a worthwhile move for them?" Casip-
ullai said.
Big cities complain they are left on the
hook for providing the vital services that
help immigrants feel at home - social hous-
ing; libraries; community, recreation and
public-health programs and schools.
"We don't get a nickel from the federal
government to support the kind of services
that actually help people settle successfully
in this city," said Toronto Mayor David
Miller, where 46 per cent of the city's pop-
ulation was foreign-born in 2006.
"(But) if we don't properly support new-
comers . . . there can well be problems."
Ontario Immigration Minister Michael
Chan said the province, which gets half the
country's immigrants, spent about $160
million on services for newcomers last year
although he complains that Ottawa has
shortchanged the province in promised sup-
port.
Where in the province immigrants go is
a "personal" choice, Chan said.
The census shows 69 per cent of On-
tario's foreign-born chose the Toronto area,
with suburbs such as Brampton, Missis-
sauga picking up an increasing amount of
immigrants.
Experts say the bright lights of the me-
tropolis are an irresistible lure for newcom-
ers for two main reasons: economic
diversity and social networks.
Editor’s note:
Interestingly, Indo-Caribbean immigrants
come mostly from rural areas in their
homes countries like Trinidad and Guyana,
but few choose to live in rural areas when
they come to Canada. Most head for the
cities where jobs and housing are plentiful,
as well as many other Indo-Caribbeans re-
ligious and cultural groups, groceries,
restaurants and other businesses. Recently
some have been moving into semi-rural
areas around the GTA in Ontario.

COMMUNITY NEWS
TT Seniors celebrate the season
I
t was Christmas Trinidad style, complete with parang and black cake and spicy danc-
ing, when the Trinidad and Tobago 50 Plus and Seniors Association held its 12th An-
nual Xmas banquet on November 17th at the Elite Banquet Hall. President Farook Hydal
informed guests that some of the activities which the Association did in the past year in-
cluded trips, picnics, bots cruise, All Fours games, Fathers, Mothers and Valentines day
celebrations. The Association also has a Ladies Section and he invited the women to par-
ticipate. Entertainment was provided by the Five Star Dancers and Los Amigos Parang
group as well as a DJ. A great time was had by all. Special greetings and best wishes were
given by members of the head table. Seated from L to R are Nazi Mohammed, represent-
ing Caribbean Airlines, Bas Balkissoon, MPP, Rouge Valley, Michael Lashley, Council
General of T & T and Ms. Margo Harris, distinguish member of the Caribbean Commu-
Brampton girl
nity.
killed for refusing
to wear hijab
An Ontario father charged with killing
his 16-year-old daughter who had turned
away from traditional Muslim garb was led
away in handcuffs Wednesday after a judge
denied him bail.
Dressed in an orange prison jumpsuit,
Muhammad Parvez, a 57-year-old cab
driver, appeared unemotional during his
brief appearance at a Brampton court.
He was also ordered not to communicate
with his 26-year-old son Waqas, who was
charged with obstructing police in connec-
tion with the girl's death.
When asked if he understood the order,
the senior Parvez stood quietly in the pris-
oner's area of the court and mumbled "yes."
Parvez was charged after his daughter
Aqsa Parvez, 16, died after being rushed to
hospital on Monday. Earlier in the night, a
man called 911 to say he killed his daugh-
ter.
Police have not commented on any mo-
tive in the case. The girl's friends have said
Parvez frequently clashed with her family
about her reluctance to wear a hijab, the tra-
ditional Muslim headscarf.
Outside the courtroom, the man's son
Sean Muhammed Parvez told reporters he
wasn't sure what exactly led to his sister's
death.
"We don't know so far, we are upset," he
said, adding that his mother was "sick" be-
cause of the ordeal.
A publication ban was imposed on the
court proceedings, but Parvez's lawyer
Joseph Ciraco told reporters outside court
that the family is distraught.
"It's clearly a tragedy," he said.
"You've got a sister that's gone and a fa-
ther and brother in jail."
Ciraco added that Parvez has a heart con-
dition and will have to see a doctor before
his next court date, which will be on Jan. 29
via video link.
Until then, Parvez will remain in police
custody, Ciraco said. CANADIAN COUN-
CIL OF IMAMS
Imams condemn
Indo-Caribbean Times DECEMBER 2007 Page 3
slaying of Aqsa
ticed by all- for the Sharia allows hijab of
The Canadian Council of Imams has con- variant styles as much as it allows flexibil-
ity in different circumstances.
demned the death of Aqsa Parvez as inhu-
Neither a parent nor the siblings can take
mane and un-Islamic.
the law in their hands, believing this is a
The recent tragedy that has befallen the
Godly-duty. Once we have shown our dis-
blossoming young life of an innocent Mus-
like for an act that is considered reprehen-
lim girl in Mississauga, ON, where her fa-
sible, given our circumstances, we have
ther allegedly strangled her, is humanly and
absolved ourselves of that responsibility
Islamically condemnable. This action does-
and hence not sinful. No matter what they
n’t bespeak anything resembling the moral
what they choose in life, to do the opposite
upbringing Islam purports. Aqsa Parvez’s
makes us both criminally indictable and
suffering is simply atrocious and has no
cursed with a major sin. Beating children
place in Canadian parenting. The alleged
leads to brutalization and is therefore ille-
reason is she did not stick to wearing the
gal and sinful.
hijab stringently and instead, left her par-
We call upon all agencies to support the
ent’s home, so as not to be coerced into
transient Muslim community, through their
something she had not decided on wearing.
various generational crises, by providing fi-
Islam came to save girls from being mur-
nancial and logistical auxiliaries, so we may
dered; it gave life to humanity. The Quran
be the colorful petal in this multicultural
has dedicated famous verses against this
flower and not a thorn on this flowery tree.
heinous sin- When the female (infant),
We call on all parents to solicit the legal
buried alive, is questioned …81:8
means readily available to ensure proper
Parents are encouraged to reason with
discipline.
their children when they reach the age of
Commenting on parent’s challenges’,
marriage and seek mutual understanding.
Kahlil Gibran aptly said: Your children are
However, as people of good Faith, this rec-
not your children. They are the sons and
onciliatory approach to discipline and train-
daughters of Life's longing for itself.
ing is no license for our sons and daughters
to be permissive and disrespectful.
The Charter of Rights allows freedom of
Yours humbly,
religion, and rightly so, since our Quranic
Constitution proclaims this freedom of con-
Imam Habeeb
science as a God given right of every
human being. Let there be no compulsion
Kash Heed is first
Secretary
in religion: Truth stands out clear from
Indo-Canadian
Error…2:256
While the freedoms the youths enjoy may
police chief
not always be to the liking of parents and
while the cultures children are engaged in
may not necessarily be the traditions of the
country of origin, the right thing to do is en-
By Balwant Sanghera
gage all in a dialogue. The correct approach
is to get generational-appropriate coun-
The appointment of Kash Heed as West
selors and respect the level of Faith prac-
Vancouver’s police chief is a great news for
the Indo-Canadian community. Kash is not
only a very competent police officer but
also an extremely dedicated member of the
Indo-Canadian community. As a member of
the Vancouver Police Department (VPD)
since 1979 he has added a new dimension
to policing.
It has been a great privilege for this writer
and many others in our community to work
with Kash in addressing the issue of gangs
and youth violence in the Indo-Canadian
community. Since early 1990’s our com-
munity has lost close to one hundred ten
young men to gangs, drugs and violence.
This has resulted in a lot of anxiety and
frustration for all of us. The whole commu-
nity has been devastated by these tragedies.
For quite sometime, the community was
blaming the police for not doing enough
and the police was blaming the community
for lack of co-operation. Finally, having
gone through denial and blaming, the com-
munity accepted the challenge and decided
to do something about it.
He has been serving as a great role model
not only for the Indo-Canadian youth but
also youth in other communities. VPD’s
various innovative programs including in-
terdiction, encouraging more Indo-Cana-
dian youth to join the police force and act as
a great motivator are a credit to him. He has
been playing a major role in keeping and
helping our young people stay out of trou-
ble.
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
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.
Past and current issues of the IC-
Times can be found at
http://www.esnips.com/web/Indo
-CaribbeanTimes
Guest Opinion:
Anand Ramlogan
Letter to the Commissioner of Police:
Having regard to the PM’s curious response
to the sudden upsurge in crime in the after-
math of the election, his hint that it may
(once again) be politically-inspired, I
hereby publish excerpts of the letter I wrote
the Commissioner of Police concerning il-
legal activity in the Police Service.
Dear Sir,
I act for Supt Chandrabhan Maharaj, for-
mer head of Firearms Interdiction Unit. My
client is a well-known detective with a
record of distinguished service in the Or-
ganised Crime and Narcotics Unit and
Guard and Emergency branch.
I’m instructed that you have appointed
Asst Commissioner Glenroy Woodley
(Head of the Fraud Squad) to investigate
claims made by my client about corruption
in the Police Service and the involvement
of senior police officers from the Southern
Division in the illegal arms and ammuni-
tion and drug trade.
This is to advise that my client has grave
reservations about the appointment of
someone from within the present hierarchy
of the Police Service to investigate this sen-
Indo-Caribbean Times
What is the future of Indians in Trinidad?
From the editor’s desk
Over half of the Indians from Guyana and Suriname have left. Is Trinidad next?
Q. Which is an alien land?
A. Any place even if it is
one’s native land, where he
is not respected
Q. Which is one’s own land?
A. Any land where one is
Ram Jagessar respected
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji
Trinidad (and Tobago) is the last of the
three Indian majority countries of the south-
ern Caribbean where there can still be
some debate about the future of the Indian
community.
From nearby Guyana the majority of the
Indo-Guyanese have long departed for safer
and more developed places to live. About
700,000 Indo-Guyanese and their descen-
dants live abroad, mostly in the United
States, Canada, Britain and Venezuela,
while around 375,000 Indo-Guyanese re-
main at home, most of them according to
the old joke just waiting for their visa to de-
part. Indo-Guyanese have voted with their
feet, and there’s little doubt their future is
in New York and Miami and Toronto and
London.
Next door in Suriname, the bulk of the
Indo-Surinamese took off for Holland when
the creole (black) NPK party was negotiat-
ing for independence. Now over 200,000 of
them and their children are happily settling
down as Dutch citizens. Less than 150,000
Indo-Surinamese remain in the land of their
birth. No community can recover when
more than half its people depart. The future
of Indo-Surinamese is in New Amsterdam
and various other Dutch cities.
So how do the Indo-Trinidadians shape
up when compared with our cousins from
Guyana and Suriname? The sad reality is
that we seem to be heading along the same
road and are well advanced towards the
break point of having 50% of the Indo-
Trinidadian community choosing to leave
their home and native land for better
prospects abroad.
If we leave the emotion behind and just
Investigate corruption in Trinidad Police
look at the facts we will find that already
sitive matter, as he has reason to believe
that the corrupt and illegal activities in the
Police Service may involve senior officers
within the present hierarchy.
Apart from the direct involvement of sen-
ior officers in crime, my client is extremely
concerned about the indirect involvement
of several members of the Police Service in
the promotion of the illegal gun and drug
trade.
As you are aware, the claim about police
officers renting out their guns to bandits and
kidnappers has been substantiated by bal-
listics, expert evidence in several murders
and robberies.
Internal investigations conducted by the
Police Service have so far failed to bear
fruit.
A case in point, for example, is the mur-
der of young engineer Uttamdeo Maharaj,
who was shot to death whilst trying to save
his sister from an attempted kidnapping.
The gun in question was, in fact, assigned
to a police officer at the Arima police sta-
tion, and there has been no explanation as to
how the gun was able to walk from Arima
and find itself in the hands of kidnappers
DECEMBER 2007
around 250,000 Indo-Trinis and their de-
scendants have departed and are living else-
where, most of them unlikely to return.
Remaining in Trinidad and Tobago are
around 523,900, or 40.3% of the TT popu-
lation of 1.3 million. Simple mathematics
will tell us that of the total Indo-Trinidad
population of 773,900, a full 250,000 or
32% have decided their future lies else-
where than Trinidad and Tobago. That’s
about one third gone and two thirds re-
maining, which is not as definitive as
Guyana or Suriname but certainly getting
there.
For those who will dispute the estimate
of 250,000 Indo-Trinis gone, let me say
how I arrived at it. We know that Canada
has a minimum 50,000 Indo-Trinis, the
United States more than double that
amount, or around 125,000. Britain has
well over 25,000 in my opinion, which
brings us up to 200,000 already. There are
sizeable but unknown numbers of Indo-Tri-
nis living in Venezuela, Barbados and sev-
eral other Caribbean countries, plus others
scattered everywhere from continental Eu-
rope to Africa to India to the rest of Asia,
and even Australia and New Zealand. I
think it’s well within probability that we
could have another 50,000 Indo-Trinis scat-
tered around the rest of the world.
The natural question to ask is why have
Indo-Trinidadians been leaving the most
prosperous country in the southern
Caribbean, and are we likely to continue
doing so in the future? It comes down to
the respect mentioned by Swami Muralid-
hara. Indians want an equal place in the
land where they were born. They want a fair
chance to build a life for themselves and
their children. They want to able to keep
their culture and religion and way of life
without discrimination and prejudice. They
want economic, cultural, social and reli-
gious equality with the other people living
in the country, nothing more, nothing less.
That’s what the jahajis were looking for
when they decided to stay in Trinidad rather
than returning to India. It’s still what their
and murderers in the opposite end of the is-
land in Palo Seco.
To date, no action has been taken on this
matter.
I’m instructed that my client’s experi-
ence, unfortunately, leaves him in great
doubt as to whether the Police Service is
more interested in covering up police cor-
ruption and misconduct by sweeping it
under the carpet, in the hope that the issue
will simply dissolve with the passage of
time.
I’m instructed that my client has no con-
fidence in Mr Woodley, because over two
years has elapsed since he has been ap-
pointed to investigate the disappearance of
32 kilograms of cocaine from the Princes
Town Police Station, with no end in sight.
My client thinks that it would be better
for Mr Woodley to concentrate his efforts
in bringing this long-overdue investigation
to a belated conclusion, before he is further
burdened with a fresh investigation.
I have been instructed to humbly ask that
you appoint an investigator from the Scot-
land Yard pool of investigators or the FBI to
investigate and act upon the damaging evi-
dence and information my client has in his
Page 4
descendants want. But we’ve never got that
equality, that respect, neither during the
long years of colonialism or in the fifty
years since self government and independ-
ence.
It’s a simple equation. When the British
were getting ready to leave Trinidad, the In-
dians and the Africans battled for political
power to replace them. The Afros won and
the Indos lost, in 1956, 1961, 1966, 1970,
1971, 1976, 1981, for 30 years in succes-
sion. The Afros got the political power, and
with it economic, cultural and social domi-
nance. The Indians became the political
enemy to be kept out of power and posi-
tion at any costs, and put in their place.
Seeing that their prospects for respect and
equality were not good, Indians started mi-
grating quietly from the late fifties and have
continued to do so ever since. Indian lead-
ers told them they could get equality when
an Indian dominated political party won
power, but that didn’t happen for 39 years,
until 1995 when Basdeo Panday’s UNC
won the government.
To their great surprise, Indians discov-
ered that Panday was unable to do much to-
wards getting the much desired equality for
Indians. He lasted only 6 years in govern-
ment, and then the Afro dominated PNM
resumed its hold on power in 2001.
It boils down to this. For the 111 years
since 1845 Indians got no respect or equal-
ity under the British rulers, and for the last
51 years since 1956 they didn’t get it from
the Afros or even their own man Basdeo
Panday. What are their chances of getting
it in future from the Afro PNM and their
leader Patrick Manning?
Not enough to bet your future on and that
of your children, is my guess. There comes
a time when you must cut your losses and
look for a new game. The Indo-Trinidadi-
ans are already a third of the way along the
Guyana-Suriname road of leaving their na-
tive land to find their own land. It's just a
matter of time before they reach the point
of no return when the majority of the ma-
jority Indians in Trinidad go away.
possession, in the interest of a better Police
Service and a safer Trinidad and Tobago.
The media quotes you as having offered
“whistle-blower protection” to my client
and his family, in anticipation of predictable
retaliation and repercussion from those who
may be arrested and charged.
Unfortunately, my client was unaware of
this. It is unfortunate that he had to learn
about such a well-intentioned offer from the
media, as it sends the message that your of-
fice is more concerned about giving the
public the impression that it is serious about
this investigation, when in truth and in fact
it is once again tritely going through the rel-
evant motions in the knowledge and hope
that it will die with the passage of time.
Should the reported offer of protection
be genuine, please note that my client has
applied for a personal firearms user’s li-
cence and this application was submitted
to your office over three months ago.
To date, he has not had any response. As
you’re aware, my client has arrested some
of the most notorious criminals and drug
lords. He’s on the eve of his retirement,
and clearly requires a personal firearm to
ensure his safety
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO NEWS
Police kidnapping
statistics are not
trustworthy
How accurate are Trinidad police statistics
on kidnapping? They’re not worth much,
if we judge by howthe police handled the
reports of kidnap murders for 2006.
On January 2, 2007 the Trinidad Express
said police had reported four kidnap victims
“murdered while in the custody of their ab-
ductors” in 2006.
According to the police, these were:
Rehanna Ramlochan, 22, of Cunupia,
was abducted on October 5 and found dead
in the Tunapuna cemetery.
Riaz Khan, 19, snatched on October 2
in Carapichaima, and found shot to death at
the e Caroni Cremation site.
Accountant Christopher Taylor, kid-
napped on October and found murdered at
Claxton Bay
Reshma Boodoo, 17, kidnapped on May
27 with her boyfriend Anil Singh, at Mara-
bella, and thrown out the moving car to her
death.
TIMES FINDS 18 KIDNAP MURDERS
The Indo-Caribbean Times review of kid-
nap murders found 18 people who had been
murdered by kidnappers in 2006.
These were: Rehanna Ramlochan, Riaz
Khan, Reshma Boodoo and Christopher
Taylor, along with 14 others.
5. 10 year old Sean Luke, kidnapped and
murdered by two young “friends”
6. Siparia 16 year old Pixie Surujdaye
Lakhan, abducted from her home, raped
and murdered,
7. Blind Anthony Ramcharan, kidnapped
and murdered for reasons unknown.
8. Albert Hosein, driver for Anthony Ram-
charan, also murdered.
9. Mary Baldeo-Waheed, killed after jump-
ing out of a moving kidnap vehicle,
10. Businessman Uttamdeo Maharaj, who
died trying to save his sister from kidnap-
pers (killed with a gun assigned to a police
officer!).
11. Real estate agent Gerard Gopaul, bat-
tered and suffocated to death despite an
offer of ransom,
12. Krishna Pooran, dead in intensive care
50 days after being shot in a kidnap attempt.
Indo-Caribbean Times
Trinidad heads for 144 kidnappings in 2007
Reported kidnaps down from 280 in ‘05 and 214 in ‘06 but still a serious problem
By Ram Jagessar
Kidnap plagued Trinidad with an average
of 12 kidnappings per month, is heading for
a total of 144 reported kidnappings in 2007.
On June 18 this year the Trinidad Ex-
press reported National Security Minister
Martin Joseph as saying that seventy-seven
kidnappings had been reported, with five of
them being kidnappings for ransom.
"In 2005, there were 280 reported kid-
nappings of which 58 were for ransom. In
2006, there were 214 reported kidnappings,
of which 17 were kidnappings for ran-
som,”said Mr Joseph.
That 77 kidnaps for six and a half months
works out to an average of 12 kidnaps per
month, and a projected 144 for the year.
That’s down from the 2006 average of 18
per month and the 2005 average of 23 per
month.
This apparent declining trend in kidnap-
ping may please Minister Joseph but is lit-
tle comfort for Trinidadians. These are only
the reported kidnappings, which kidnap-
ping researcher Dr Kumar Mahabir has said
are usually not more than one in ten.
Now that’s a scary thought. If 144 kid-
nappings are only the 10 percent of kid-
nappings that are reported to the police,
what would be the total number of total
number of reported and unreported kid-
nappings?
On a visit to Trinidad last month, this re-
porter was told of several kidnappings that
were not reported to the police and not
mentioned in the newspapers. People said
there was little point in reporting kidnap-
pings to the police, as the cops seldom
caught the kidnappers or recovered the vic-
tims. They found that the police response to
kidnapping was generally slow or indiffer-
ent, and their crime fighting methods were
poor and inadequate.
The Indian community in Trinidad did
not appear to have much confidence in the
police. Several people expressed the belief
that members of the police were in league
with kidnappers and were collecting shares
in the ransom money.
Wealthy Indians were taking more pre-
cautions to avoid being snatched, such as
DECEMBER 2007
Ransom kidnaps resume after “election break”
Kidnappers who appeared to have taken a
political holiday during the election period
in Trinidad, have resumed operations. The
medical doctor and La Romaine housewife
who were taken both escaped with the help
of an alert public and unusually active po-
lice services.
It was a telephone call to the police sta-
tion by an unknown citizen last Thursday
night that triggered the police search and
rescue of a medical doctor who was kid-
napped and was being taken away to be
kept for a ransom.
Dr Marvindra Maharaj, 35, survived a
highway chase reaching speeds of 180 kilo-
metres an hour, and a police confrontation
with his armed captors. A 19-year-old sus-
pect was caught and dragged out of the
bushes byCrime Suppression Unit officers.
Police know the identities of two other sus-
pects, both from Central Trinidad and one a
career kidnapper.
But credit was given to the nameless per-
son who saw Dr Maharaj being grabbed
and hustled intohis SUV outside the Mara-
bella branch of Kentucky Fried Chicken
(KFC), at around 9.30 p.m. Thursday.That
man called the Marabella Police Station.
His actions came on the heels of the hero-
ism shown by people living at Raghunanan
Road, Longdenville, when they helped ab-
ducted housewife Josanne Sammy escape
her kidnappers and kept her safe until po-
lice came. They also led investigators to the
getaway car in which three of the suspected
kidnappers were fleeing the village. Two of
the suspects are in police custody.
And in another display of people power ,
villagers of Flanagin Town, Central
Trinidad formed their own search party to
help a depleted Central Division police
force find missing and murdered teenager
Rebekah Sugrim.
In the Marabella incident, police said the
suspects were working to a plan - with a
second car involved, bogus registration
plates and akidnap house in which to keep
the doctor - a father of two.
But with the tip, police were able to send
out an All Points Bulletin (APB) to squad
Page 5
The officers worked with policemen from
the Marabella-based Crime Suppression
Unit, Inter-agency. Task Force, and a police
helicopterequipped with night vision cam-
era and spotlights, to follow the SUV.
Police said they lost the vehicle twice,
when it drove onto the Rivulet Road, head-
ing to Couva, and again when it reached the
Point Lisas Roundabout. More than 30 of-
ficers were involved in the hunt.
Near the Phoenix Park Government Pri-
mary School, the kidnappers abandoned the
vehicle and stumbled into the bush. Dr Ma-
haraj was left behind.
CSU officers, led by Cpl Henry Quam-
ina, and including officers Nyron Heeralal,
Rudy Seecharan and Terrence Victor and
Highway Patrol officersSwayne Solomon,
Constable Aneil Bharath, led the search.
Dr Maharaj took officers back to Phoenix
Park to help them find the gun that was
being held to his head during the ride. His
family declined to speak with the media.
Police said the doctor thanked them for
saving him. Police used metal detectors and
tracker dogs in the search. It was uncertain
if anything was found.
Police believe Maharaj was followed
from his home. He is the fourth medical
doctor to fall victim to crime recently.
In July, an Indian-born doctor was ab-
ducted and taken to the M-2 Ring Road, Ste
Madeleine, robbed, beaten and his car
stolen. Last June, a doctor from the Philip-
pines was beaten and robbed of his jewelry
outside the Princes Town District Hospital.
Last week, thieves broken into the office
of Dr Omar Ali in Chaguanas.
Acting Police Commissioner Glen Roach
praised the citizen who called in the tip that
led to the rescue of baby Jeremiah, who was
abducted fromthe Mt Hope Women's Hos-
pital late last month.
Jeremiah, who was just 10 hours old when
he was snatched, was reunitedwith his
mother, Nekeisha Noel, shortly after the
rescue at a house at Mt D'or Road, Champ
Fleurs.
It pays to

advertise in the
13. Medical student Mark Rattan, murdered remote controlled electric gates at their cars in the area to look out for the black
in a kidnap attempt. homes, armed security guards, changing SUV.

Indo-Caribbean
14. Samdaye Rampersad, a small shop- their driving patterns, and avoiding places It was spotted heading for the highway at
keeper, beaten, her back broken, and buried where they could be grabbed. Some were Tarouba Village by E-999patrol officers.

alive(kidnapped 2005, body found in 2006)
15. American citizen Balram Maharaj, kid-
napped, his body cut up and buried in two
holes (kidnapped 2005, body found 2006)
16. Businessman Eddie Khoury, murdered
and beheaded, with his head still missing,
17. Elenor Cupid, shot and burned in a car
parked at a Blue Basin lover’s lane, be-
cause she was a potential witness for kid-
nappers of Linda Ali.
18. Kevin Cassie, parked in car with
Elenor Cupid, also murdered.
All 14 of these murders that the police ig-
nored were extensively reported in the local
media by the same police.
Times
sending their children abroad to study to Highway Patrol officers based at the Mon
escape Trinidad, and encouraging them not Repos and Freeport Police Stations joined
to return to Trinidad. the chase.
There have been some changes in kid-
nappings methods in Trinidad. One busi- WOW!! 3.74% mortgage rate*
nessman reported that kidnappers were
shying away from kidnapping foreign na-
tionals, after the FBI came to Trinidad and
solved the case of kidnapped US veteran 100% Financing & No Income Confirmation
Malram Maharaj. Good / Bad Credit & Previous Bankrupt
Some kidnappers have switched to “kid-
No hassle commercial mortgage financing
napping by instalment”. They approach
wealthy busines speople and threaten them Self Employed & Bank Turndowns
with kidnapping unless they pay regular
protection money or what is popularly Call NOW!!

Trinidad police have also made a strange
differentiation between “kidnappings for
ransom” and “abductions”. Only when the
police are officially informed that a ransom
demand has been made does an “abduc-
tion” become a kidnapping for ransom.
That way, when a kidnap takes place and a
ransom is privately paid, the police label it
an abduction and ignore it. When Mark Rat-
tan was killed in a failed kidnap attempt, he
didn’t count as “murdered while in custody
of abductors.”
Lea Nankissoor
called “coward tax”. The tax can be as
much as $1,000 per month per family mem-
ber.
Others have said that young men dressed Associate Mortgage Broker
in long white robes have been coming to
businesses and asking for sizeable regular
(over 15 yrs Banking experience)
charitable donations. If the indidivual de-
clines they threaten “Better pay a small
amount now than plenty money later.”
647-294-6241
An unknown number of families have
migrated to avoid the everpresent kidnap- *OAC, terms and rates are subject to change without
ping threats that are now part of TT life. notice and some conditions may apply
 Crimes and horrors plague Trinidad
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Indo-Caribbean Times DECEMBER 2007 Page 6

Robbery with Seven armed, Foreigners to Terror in once

gun and dog
at the beach!
About 20 bathers at Las Cuevas beach
were terrorised and robbed by three men
armed with cutlasses, a gun and two dogs
on a Sunday afternoon earlier this month.
Carl Hernandez, one of the lifeguards
who was on duty Sunday, said a couple who
were bathing in the sea ran to his post and
alerted him that there were three slim, dark
men who were robbing people on the
beach.
"I ran to the office and called the police,
but there was no response," he said.
"We then called the lifeguard office in
Maracas Bay, who (the guards) drove to the
police station and told them what was going
on."
masked men
attack Tobago
hotel
Seven armed men tried to rob the Turtle
Beach Hotel at Black Rock, Tobago during
the early hours of last Wednesday morning.
Police said around 3.30 a.m., seven men, all
armed and masked, entered the hotel and
overpowered one of the guards and tied him
up.
Luckily, other alert security officials who
observed the situation scampered and
phoned the police. The bandits tried to
crack the hotel "safe" but were unsuccess-
ful. They later escaped on foot, but not
without firing random shots.
probe corrupt safe rural
South Police Central Trinidad
Police Commissioner Trevor Paul has an-
nounced plans to employ foreign investiga-
L iving in the forest of rural Central
Trinidad are a murderous gang of men
who are raping, robbing and killing people
tors to probe allegations of corruption in the
in an orgy of violence, in what was once the
Southern Division made by Supt Chandra-
safest areas in the country.
ban Maharaj.
The men are believed responsible for the
Paul revealed the plan yesterday during
killing of father of two, Jesus Bompartt,
the weekly media briefing at the Police Ad-
who was shot and chopped to death in his
ministration building in Port-of-Spain.
garden near his home at Talparo Village
He assured that the allegations would be
yesterday.
investigated with the “utmost urgency.”
Police have also linked the suspects, a
The CoP said he consulted with National
gang of seven, to the shotgun murder of
Security Minister Martin Joseph about the
farmer Ujistar Narine, in the bushes near his
matter.
home at Las Lomas No 1, the night before
“I am aware that the ministry is seeking
Divali-November 8. A woman was also
to source foreign investigators to ensure
gang raped.
that the allegations of Supt Maharaj are, in
On Divali night, the killers showed up in

Cop escapes death

By the time the police got to Las Cuevas,
Hernandez said, about 20 people had been
robbed of their jewelry, money and cell
phones. The men escaped by running
through the nearby swamp.
One of the victims of Sunday's attack said
she was liming with several friends on the
beach when the men pounced on her group
and announced a hold-up.
They threatened to let the dogs loose on
them and shoot them if they tried to escape.
They then robbed them of cash and cell
phones.
Hernandez said robberies on the beach
had been taking place for some time.
"Long time, they used to run and snatch
your bag but now they doing it at gunpoint.
" But Ramlogan expressed scepticism dur-
Carjacked police style
from taxi robbers
A police officer lost his gun to fake taxi
"passengers" who then tried
to kill him when they realised he was a law-
man.PC Daniel Ashby was heading home
in streetclothes with his service revolver
late one night last week when he tried to
take a taxi from Chaguanas to Enterprise
village. The taxi driver and two passengers
pulled out guns, relieved him of his wallet
and gun, and put him out of the taxi.
While he was leaving, one of the men
found Ashby's police identification card and
shouted for him to be killed. Ashby ran for
his life as several bullets whizzed around
fact ,investigated.
another village, held a family hostage for
“The matter is going to be investigated
six hours, raped a mother and daughter, beat
with the greatest amount of transparency, as
them, and stole several items from the tele-
well as with a sense of urgency and with a
vision to the chickens and ducks.
sense of professionalism.”
Investigators are also considering
Maharaj, the officer in charge of Princes
whether the men, several of whom have be
Town Police Station, had alleged that he
identified, were also the rapists and mur-
had information about corruption in the Po-
derers of 16-year-old Rebekah Sugrim near
lice Service—even at the executive level—
her home in Flanagin Town three weeks
allegations which he said he was not
ago.
confident local officers would be able to in-
All the villages are within a ten square
vestigate effectively.
mile area, and linked by a network of hunt-
This lack of confidence had prompted
ing and garden trails and logging roads. Vil-
Maharaj’s attorney, Anand Ramlogan, to
lagers believe one or more of the suspects
call on President George Maxwell Richards
live among them.
to appoint a commission of inquiry into the
Bompartt, 35, died, but probably saved
claims.
his family by his actions. Over the week-
end, said his father, Andres Bompartt, 70,
ing a telephone interview. He questioned
three of the family's dogs were poisoned.

coming from airport

him. He escaped unhurt.
Man shot, beheaded
T&T senior cricket team scorer Rohit
Balkissoon and his wife Sheila were car-
A man who up to late yesterday, remained
jacked last Friday morning on the M-2
unidentified was shot through the head and
Ring Road in Debe.
neck before being decapitated by two men
They were returning from Piarco Interna-
who also chopped two other men and set a
tional Airport, and on reaching the end of
house alight during an early morning ram-
the Uriah Butler Highway around 1 am,
page in rural Carapo, Arima.
they noticed two cars racing behind them
Residents said the brutal killing has left
whether or not any local police officer
"We were prepared for something to hap-
would be involved in the investigative
pen. I was at home when I heard two gun-
process.
shots and he (Jesus) bawl 'bandit, lock up
Ramlogan said he and his client would
the house'. So we locked up."
co-operate if they were guaranteed an au-
Bompartt's wife, Vashti Sookdeo, fled
tonomous investigation that would not in-
the home and ran a quarter mile to a neigh-
volve any local officer.
bour. The nearest police station, San
He added that the foreign team should be
Raphael, took 20 minutes to respond.
totally independent and the stipulations of
When they reached the scene, officers ini-
the selection should be completely trans-
tially refused to go into the bushes. And
parent.
they had to hold back Andres Bompartt,

Fed up Trinis may

from Golconda Settlement.
Balkissoon proceeded to the M-2 Ring
Road and mere metres from the Debe Traf-
fic Lights in front of the Debe High School,
them in fear since they do not know if the who was loading his licensed gun to go
killers would return to the area. They are after the killers. It was only when back-up
form their own police
calling for police patrols in the area. This arrived that police searched and found

stations: Ramesh
one of the cars pulled in front of him, while was one of three murders to have been com- Bompartt among his cassava plants.
the other stopped behind him, his wife said. mitted in two days. Scores of villagers went to the home yes-

PM’S office raided

Three men alighted from the vehicle and
announced a hold-up, Mrs Balkissoon said.
The couple were relieved off all of their
valuables, including cash, cellphones, duty-
free alcoholic beverages and their car, reg-
istration number PCA 933, she said.
Mrs Balskissoon said one of the gunmen
told them to run into the nearby bushes if
they wanted to live. The robbers then sped
Thieves have raided the San Fernando
East constituency office of Prime Minister
Patrick Manning, and stolen $5,000 in petty
cash that was kept in his desk. They cut
open burglar proofing outside the office and
smashed the front glass door on their way
out. No political documents were taken.
Tabaquite MP Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj
has called on Gasparillo villagers to form
“citizens police stations” to combat the up-
surge in crime.
Maharaj made the appeal during an early
morning protest to address concerns about
crime and traffic woes for constituents.
Maharaj urged demonstrators to get or-
terday. They said Bompartt "was the kind-
est, quietest person, who only raised his
voice when he laughed. Everybody loved
him."
They were angry that three hours after
Bompartt's killing, there had been no search
for the men they were sure were hiding in
the forest nearby.
Among those protesting was the man

off , she said.
Balkissoon then came out and flagged
down a passing car, which took them to
Debe Police Station, where a report was
lodged.
Mrs Balkissoon said the police saw of
one the vehicles but could not give chase,
because the clutch in their van was not
working properly.
They also told Balkissoon they could
not get the police helicopter to chase the
robbers, because it was not working.
Robbers needed
Christmas presents!
Three armed gunmen stormed the casino
Club Monte Carlo at Princess Margaret
Street, San Fernando at 9.30 a.m, stole the
security guard's gun, and made off with
more than $100,000. yesterday. The un-
masked bandits tied up four employees and
forced one of the workers to open the safe.
Before they left the bandits said, “sorry",
but that it was Christmas and they needed to
buy presents.
ganised saying, “I intend to train groups of
people and make armed security available
to defend the people. To defend one’s life
by taking the life of another if necessary.”
Calling these groups “citizen police sta-
tions”, Maharaj boldly stated that, “I’m not
going to wait on the Government. The peo-
ple are going to be the government. I am not
prepared to sit by while Martin Joseph (Na-
tional Security Minister) sleeps in his house
and people of Brasso and Flanigan Town
are robbed and killed and their daughters
are raped.”
He stated, “We are in a time of no law,
no order and we are living in anarchy, and
the detection rate for crime is less than 20
percent.”
whose daughters were raped the night be-
fore Divali.
He said:"Them same fellas attack me, my
wife, my father-in-law, mother-in-law. They
took every possible thing from washing ma-
chine to duck and fowl. They raped my
daughter and wife. The nearest police sta-
tion was Londgenville. This is why we need
a police post in the village."
The lawlessness in the villages of Central
Trinidad has outraged residents, who yes-
terday demanded joint army-police patrols
to secure the area, and a massive forest
search to smoke out the killers.
Guyana: "All we have is parsad and cake.”
GUYANA NEWS
A casual review of the year that was, by Lloyd Harradan
F
Lloyd Harradan
unny things are always happening in
Guyana. But the hilarity occurs in
tragic circumstances, giving rise to
tragic-comedy.
In one recent robbery attempt at Non
Pareil, one of the robbers said: "We want de
money and the jewellery."
Mala, one of the victims, said she told the
man that they had no money and jewellery
since they had only yesterday morning
hosted a religious function. "All we have is
parsad and cake, y'all could get that," De-
claring that they were not interested in food,
the bandits became very furious and threat-
ened them further.
In a rare occurrence, the Police responded
promptly and shot the three bandits dead.
Who’s an “Ole Higue”
In another incident, a woman was beaten
to death by residents of Bare Root, Bache-
lor's Adventure, East Coast Demerara. She
was identified as 55-year-old psychiatric
patient Rabika Singh, of 713 Phase Two,
Good Hope, also on the East Coast of De-
merara.
Rabika Singh, who wandered into the vil-
lage, was beaten to death, by residents who
claimed that she was an ‘Ole Higue', a
mythical figure that sucks the blood of lit-
tle children. But her husband categorically
denied the assertion.
In fact, the husband claimed that his wife
was a psychiatric patient who would wan-
der away from the home they shared with
their 19-year-old son, from time to time. He
even produced a medical card to confirm
his statements. Now that the woman has
been identified, police could go ahead and
press murder charges.
While residents are insisting that the
woman was an ‘Ole Higue', police are now
working on the theory that she had wan-
dered into the village. (How’s that again?)
The woman's body bore several bruises,
and her two hands were broken. Rice grains
were scattered around the body, which was
lying next to a manicole broom which, ac-
cording to the myth, is used to beat the ‘Ole
Higue'.
According to mythical teachings, the ‘Ole
Higue', usually a female, moves in a ball of
fire and sucks the blood of young children.
“All you hearing is rumours that children
get suck, but we have no evidence of this,”
a police source said. Wonder how they went
about looking for evidence…
And then there was the issue of the ap-
pointment of a Chancellor of the Judiciary.
Consultations between President Bharrat
Jagdeo and Opposition Leader Robert
Corbin on the appointments of a Chancellor
and Chief Justice ended in another deadlock
with both parties still holding firm to their
original positions.
The President wants Chief Justice Carl
Singh, who had been acting as Chancellor,
to be the substantive Chancellor of the Ju-
diciary. Corbin wants someone else. Ap-
Indo-Caribbean Times
parently the law requires the agreement of
the leader of the opposition for such ap-
pointments – unlike other countries, where
only consultation is required. Eric Williams
use to consult Panday regularly on such
matters. Panday use to disagree. Williams
would go ahead and make the appointment.
He would then announce that he had con-
sulted the leader of the Opposition, who
was not required to agree.
Which takes us back to President
Jagdeo’s New Year’s Day message.
“Fellow Guyanese,” he said, “from today,
the system of Value-Added Taxation will
take effect.
My government has carefully designed
the VAT to ensure that it does not adversely
impact on the cost of living. As such we
have removed the VAT from all medical
services, prescriptions and over the counter
drugs, water and sewage services, educa-
tional materials and services, rent, local
building materials, gasoline, dieseline,
cooking gas, kerosene, electricity, and basic
foodstuff among other items.
No VAT on sewerage services? The man
mad? In one fell swoop he has given up a
fertile source of revenue. Imagine the bil-
lions of dollars in revenue that would have
come from the PNC’s headquarters. I can
envisage the likes of Corbin. Ellis, Lewis,
Hamilton Green and Freddie Kissoon has-
tening to the VAT office every morning,
with wheelbarrow-loads of cash to make
their second deposit of the day.
But the introduction of VAT left
Guyanese totally confused. Prices that
should have gone up, went down. Prices
that should have gone down went up.
“Thanks to the Georgetown Chamber of
Commerce and Industry,” Vidyaratha
Kissoon wrote in a letter to the Chronilcle
on the 15th of January, “ for publishing the
list of items of things for which we will pay
more, with VAT.
Telephone services, already high due to
the monopoly situation, are higher. And the
cost of alcohol has been further reduced.
It’s a shame that the cost of food and
other essential living items has gone up,
while the cost of alcohol is going down.”
Dumb bombers
You can say a lot of things about
Guyanese. But you can’t say they are stu-
pid.
Most of them aren’t. But in early June
four men including former PNCR Member
of Parliament Abdul Kadir were arrested for
plotting to blow up JFK airport in New
York as well as tanks storing aviation fuel
and underground fuel pipelines.
Those charged were Abdul Kadir, former
JFK worker Russell Defreitas, a Guyanese-
born US citizen; Kareem Ibrahim, an imam
from Trinidad; and Guyanese Abdel Nur.
Quoting an unnamed source, The New
York Daily News said that the group's orig-
inal plan had been to crash an aeroplane
into several other passenger jets on the
ground at Kennedy in order "to create a cat-
astrophic explosion." However, the sus-
pects could not recruit enough
co-conspirators and changed course. In-
stead, their revised plan was to set off an
explosion at the airport's fuel farm in New
Jersey.
The same newspaper also reported that
Defreitas, 63, a retired airline cargo handler,
through the assistance of Kadir had been in
the process of seeking the financial backing
DECEMBER 2007 Page 7
of the Trinidadian group, Jamaat Al Mus-
limeen. The Muslimeen had perpetrated an
attempted coup in Trinidad in 1990, and
had taken over parliament for a time. While Venezuela and Guyana
the Muslimeen are a Sunni group, both to improve alerts after
border incursion
Kadir and Ibrahim are Shi'a Muslims. The
paper quoted several law enforcement offi-
cials as saying that there had been no direct
By Simon Romero, New York Times
threat to the airport which handles an aver-
age of 1000 flights each day, and the al-
Guyana and Venezuela agreed on Tuesday
leged plotters had not obtained either
to establish ways to prevent Venezuelan
financing or explosives.
military activities in Guyanese territory,
The New York Daily News reported a law
after reports that Venezuelan soldiers had
enforcement source as saying, "The feds
entered Guyana in November and de-
didn't move in more quickly [against the
stroyed two gold-mining dredges.
plotters] because they wanted to see
The move is intended to relieve new ten-
whether the probe targets had ties to Al
sion between the countries. President Hugo
Qaeda .There are a couple of shadowy fig-
Chávez's government had previously
ures in the background. Whether those Al
sought to smooth over a long-simmering
Qaeda connections were real or not, we
territorial dispute with shipments of subsi-
don't know."
dized oil to Guyana. Venezuela still claims
"They didn't have the money and they
about two-thirds of Guyana's territory, in
didn't have the bombs," a law enforcement
the gold- and timber-rich Essequibo region.
official told NYT, "but if we let it go it
"We have agreed to set up some mecha-
could have gotten there - they could have
nisms that would not only address this par-
gotten J.A.M. [Jamat Al Muslimeen] fully
ticular issue but try to prohibit other similar
involved and we wouldn't know where it
incidents from occurring," Rudy Insanally,
could have gone." The same official belit-
Guyana's foreign minister, said in George-
tled Defreitas's terrorist credentials, calling
town, the Guyanese capital, after meeting
him "not a Grade A terrorist."
with Venezuelan officials, according to
Israel Khan, the Prosecutor in the extra-
Agence France-Presse. The details of the
dition hearing in Trinidad, in objecting to
agreement remained unclear on Tuesday.
bail for all three men, warned that the issue
The tension involves the region around
should not be determined by superficial fac-
the Cuyuni River, a porous area claimed by
tors.
Guyana and Venezuela that is rife with ille-
"You cannot look at an individual and say
gal mining. Guyana's military says 36
that he is not a terrorist. Terrorists come in
Venezuelan soldiers entered the area last
all forms and fashion...gentlemen, rogues,
month, using helicopters and C-4 explo-
vagabonds..."
sives to blow up the dredges.
Khan noted how the physical appearance
A spokeswoman for Vice Adm. Elías
of one of the suspects, Nur, had changed
Daniels, director of the special office for
substantially since his first appearance last
Guyana in the Venezuelan Foreign Min-
week. He produced a photograph of Nur
istry, said he was unavailable for comment
when he first arrived in Trinidad and said it
on Tuesday. Officials here said this month
showed the suspect "dressed-up like my Is-
that they would issue a report on the inci-
lamic forefathers."
dent.
Are we still looking for Ole Higue?
Guyana, with a population of less than a
Minister of Transport and Hydraulics,
million, has been seeking to lure foreign in-
Mr. Robeson Benn said, in November, that
vestment, particularly from Russia, despite
Guyana will never return to the days of beg-
the Venezuelan claim. The dispute seems to
ging, because of its current prudent econ-
be viewed as a minor irritant in Venezuela,
omy.
which has a population of 27 million, but in
He made the declaration in reference to
Georgetown it is considered a major devel-
an article published by another section of
opment.
the Press, the same day, which said this
Anger erupted there after a self-congrat-
country is begging for help.
ulatory statement last month from
Addressing thousands at the opening of
Venezuela's embassy about the delivery of
‘Essequibo Nite’ Exhibition and Fair, at
16,000 barrels of subsidized fuel; the ship-
Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, Benn said it
ment was announced shortly after reports
was easy to break down things in the coun-
surfaced of the military incursion.
try some years ago.
"The reality is that we are being treated
But it is a hard and difficult task to re-
with utter contempt by an infinitely larger
build, he pointed out.
and wealthier neighbor whose head of state
Minister Benn said those people who
never tires of expatiating on the bullying
spoke about beggary caused Guyana to beg
tactics of the U.S., but is apparently blind
for food years ago as rice was being im-
to those of his own armed forces," said the
ported and Guyanese had to line up to buy
the Stabroek News editorial.
it.
Relations between the nations had im-
He said the nation will never go back to
proved in recent years, with Mr. Chávez
those times and the ‘Essequibo Nite’ exhi-
moving away from vociferous claims he
bition is one example that showcases the
made early in his presidency to Guyanese
abundance of fresh grown food and locally
territory. But Venezuela's reluctance to
manufactured products in Region Two
withdraw its claim still irks Guyana.
(Pomeroon/Supenaam).
The dispute is rooted in an 1899 accord
Benn pointed to the increased acreage
in Paris that established Venezuela's bound-
under agricultural production, and a subse-
aries with Guyana, then a British colony. A
quent increase in overall production.
letter by Severo Mallet-Prevost, who repre-
In spite of the many problems Guyanese
sented Venezuela in the talks, was pub-
are busy rebuilding their country. With a
lished in 1949 suggesting the deal was void
possible oil boom in their future, Minister
because it involved a secret deal between
Benn is right. Guyana will never return to
Britain and Russia.Several Venezuelan
the days of begging.
leaders have pressed ahead with the territo-
GUYANA NEWS
Taxes take in more money but slow down retail sales
G overnment has taken in more money
than expected from Value Added Tax
(VAT) and Excise Tax (ET) for the first six
months of 2007, but the taxation could have
created problems with higher living costs
and a slowdown in retail sales.
The taxes took in $17.1 billion for the
first six months of this year, which is
68.95% of the projected $24.8 billion col-
lection for 2007. This is $4.7 billion more
than the $12.4 billion expected by the end
of June.
Now Finance Minister Dr Ashni Singh
has revised the final tax intake to $30.5 bil-
lion and the government's total revenue has
been revised upward from $64.9 billion to
$70.7 billion. Higher imports and less tax
evasion have been given as reasons for the
huge surplus.
Consumer groups and opposition parties
have long called on the government to re-
duce the VAT rate from 16%, but those calls
have gone unheeded.
They have pointed out the higher cost of
living as one of the problems caused by the
high taxation.
The implementation of the Value Added
Tax (VAT) has seen items that previously
attracted no taxes being taxed and increases
in the prices of imported items such as milk
and oil (which do not attract VAT). These
together with cheese, corn, soybean and
wheat have significantly increased the cost
of the consumer's basket of basic items and
inflation now stands at 13.3%. Locally pro-
duced rice, sugar, peas and fats like mar-
garine and other shortenings have also seen
price increases.
The retail prices of basic food items as
compared to last year show significant in-
creases. For this year one bag of brown rice
has moved from $3600-plus to $4400 and
white rice from between $2700 to $3000 to
$4000 per bag; cheese from $6000-plus last
year per slab to as high as $9700 and
$10,000; sugar from $3400 last year per
bag to $4100 per bag; a bag of flour from
$4000-plus last year to $6000-plus (flour
previously attracted 10% c-tax now but
now attracts 16% VAT); a 11.4 kg box of
margarine moved from $3700 last year to
$3900; a five-gallon pail of oil retailed last
year for $3000 to $4000 and is now $6400-
plus.
One wholesale confectionary and grocery
vendor at Stabroek Market who asked not
to be named complained thateven at No-
vember month end "sales is really bad."
He complained as well that decreased
business also contributes to the shelf life of
items expiring. The wholesaler said that for
the past couple of years holiday sales have
decreased and he believes that with the im-
plementation of VAT it is going to be "
Another grocery stall owner at Stabroek
market who asked not to be named opti-
mistically said vendors are expecting that
sales will be good but, "right now it is very
slow."
Grocery vendor O. Persaud at 6C in
Bourda market revealed too that "it is very
slow right now," adding that last year sales
were a little better. Grocery store owner
Jacklyn Ashby at Bourda Market said,
"since VAT nothing is the same" and she did
not believe that sales will improve this hol-
iday. She explained that more money will
have to be invested into her grocery shop as
a result of rising prices and she will be earn-
ing a smaller profit.
"Who ain't got family outside (abroad) I
sorry for them," commented this vendor,
noting that the disposable income of shop-
pers has to be supplemented by monies
from relatives residing overseas.
Indo-Caribbean Times
Another missing Police kill three Berbice to get
army AK47 robbers in Non bright Christmas
causes shake-up Pareil B
erbicians who were recently plagued
by constant blackouts can likely look
forward to a bright Christmas as an addi-
As the probe intensifies into a missing AK
47 from Camp Ayanganna, the Guyana De-
fence Force (GDF) announced that it has re-
moved three senior officers from their posts
and remanded another eight soldiers into
police custody.
In addition, several others who worked as
duty officers and orderly officers are to face
serious disciplinary action immediately for
failing to supervise the base security per-
sonnel during their tour of duty over the pe-
riod that the weapon went missing, the
GDF said in a hard-hitting statement yes-
terday afternoon which also took a swipe at
retired Chief of Staff, Edward Collins.
The loss of the AK 47 is seen as a major
embarrassment to the new army high com-
mand coming in the wake of the shocking
vanishing of 30 of these weapons the pre-
vious year and a consequential shake-up in
the GDF hierarchy.
Among the three officers who have been
relieved of their duties are the Base Com-
mander,Lieutenant Colone, Windee Alger-
non the Adjutant, Andy Pompey and the
Base Sergeant of Camp Ayanganna, War-
rant officer Torrington. The army statement
said that the relieved officers have been in-
structed to hand over their respective duties
to replacement officers who have already
been appointed, and to make themselves
available to the army and police investiga-
tors. The statement said too that eight army
suspects are in police custody and more are
likely to be detained as investigations con-
tinue.
. Last year February the army made the
shocking announcement that 30 AK 47 ri-
fles and six pistols were spirited away from
the storage bond at Camp Ayanganna. Four-
teen of the weapons have since been recov-
ered, mostly from the hands of criminals
connected to the Buxton/Agricola criminal
gang.
Rice earnings up
to US $68 million
The increase in the global demand for
grain pushed rice earnings to US$68M from
the export of 247,111 metric tonnes (MT)
at the end of November compared to
US$49M earned from the export of 183,000
MT for the same period last year.
Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud said
that with the global demand for grains like
rice increasing Guyana was a critical mar-
ket to supply Caricom and traditional mar-
kets like the European Union (EU) as well
as new ones. Demand for rice, Persaud said,
seemed to be outstripping the ability to sup-
ply.
Rice production in the first crop this year
was 168,902 MT and the second crop was
128,260 MT for a projected total of 297,162
MT. In 2008, the first crop is projected at
168,118 MT and the second crop at 173,544
MT for a total of 341,662 MT, valued at
US$67.2M. Approximately 70% of the pro-
jected acreage for the first crop of 2008 is
already being prepared.
The EU and Caricom continued to be
Guyana's main markets with exports of
50,000 MT to Jamaica surpassing the aver-
ages of the last four years.
DECEMBER 2007
Three armed bandits were dead earlier this
month, but not before they wounded a po-
liceman during a blazing gun battle at a
house the bandits had invaded in Section 'C'
Non Pareil, East Coast Demerara.
aid they all appeared to be in
their late teens or in their early 20s. The
bodies are at the Georgetown
Hospital Mortuary.
Injured is Police Lance Corporal Shawn
Hosannah, who is stationed at
Cove and John Police Station. He was shot
behind his right foot.
Mala, one of the occupants of the house,
said that bandits entered around 9.30 pm
while she and her relatives were relaxing
after hosting a religious function earlier.
She said she was sitting on a chair close to
the front door, while her mother, husband
and other relatives were seated inside the
house.
Mala said she was engrossed in a con-
versation with them, when suddenly some-
one hit her on the head and commanded her
to "get into the house". When she turned
around to see who it was, she was accosted
by one of the three bandits.
The woman said a gun was placed to her
head and she was shoved into the house by
the bandit. By this time, she said the other
two robbers, brandishing their weapons,
had begun threatening her relatives and de-
manding money and jewellery.
"We want de money and the jewellery,"
one of the robbers , Mala said.
She said she told the man that they had no
money and jewellery since they had judy
hosted a religious function. "All we have is
parsad and cake, y'all could get that," Mala
said she offered them. Declaring that they
were not interested in food, Mala said, the
bandits became very furious and threatened
them further.
She said it was at this point that she man-
aged to grab her cellular phone, run to the
washroom, and lock herself in. She con-
tacted a few of her friends in the neigh-
bourhood who immediately called the
police.
Police responded within minutes and the
bandits were still in the house with them,
when the lawmen arrived. She said that by
then her relatives had started handing over
money to the bandits.
Police, on arriving on the scene, cor-
doned off the area. Realising they were cor-
nered, the bandits became desperate to
escape and ignored Mala and her relatives,
while hitting down almost everything in
their way. The family fled the house, and
police moved in on the bandits, confronting
two of them in a bathroom and shooting
both of them dead. The third bandit ran out
the house in an escape bid, but was brought
down by a bullet as he crossed the bridge.
"It was fast and nasty," one resident of
the area commented about the police oper-
ation, noting that the policemen were quick
in their response and their actions were de-
cisive.
"We must commend them for a good job
that was really good," a relative of Mala's
said.
Page 8
tional seven megawatts of electricity will be
added to the Berbice grid through the Skel-
don Modernization Project.
The co-generation project, which is being
undertaken by the ChinaNational Trade Im-
port/Export Corporation (CNTIC) is ex-
pected to be ready in time for Christmas,
senior engineer and construction manager
of CNTIC, Zhao Zhengxiang, said.
Zhao pointed out two of the three Finland-
made Wartsila diesel generators that would
be ready for safe testing next week. The
third generator would be tested the follow-
ing week to ensure there are no mechanical
problems, and then hamded over to
Guyana Power and Light (GPL).
According to Zhao, the three generators
have a total capacity of 10,000 kilowatts
(KW) - two of which consist of 2,500 KWs
each and the other, 5,000 KWs. The gener-
ators are capable of supplying 10
megawatts of electricity but only seven to
eight megawatts would be added to the
Berbice grid. "After the electricity is gen-
erated it goes into the step-up transformer
and is then exported to the outside line," he
said adding that GPL is currently working
on the site to export the electricity.
West Demerara
businessman shot
Armed bandits last evening robbed an
Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara
businessman and shot him in his buttocks
in a brazen attack at his home.
Basdeo Shaadar of Lot 2 Anna Catherina,
WCD was being treated at the Georgetown
Hospital, sources at the institution told
Stabroek News last night.
According to reports Shaadar was under
his house around 6:30 last evening when
four men entered his yard.
The robbers all brandishing handguns ac-
costed him and his household, threatening
to kill them if they did not hand over cash.
Stabroek News was told that the business-
man resisted the robbers and was shot. He
then handed over an undisclosed sum of
cash to the bandits who escaped.
Pirates hiding out
in Suriname
In the wake of yet another piracy attack on
Berbice fishermen the government said it
had now confirmed that the pirates were
using Suriname as a safe haven after com-
mitting their attacks on Guyanese vessels in
the eastern sector of Guyana's maritime
space.
Reports have indicated that some 15
boats were subject to attack by pirates last
Sunday causing Agriculture Minister yes-
terday to call on Suriname to support
Guyana in its fight against piracy.
"We need to see greater demonstration
by Suriname to support our efforton
piracy," the minister said at a media con-
ference yesterday.
Reports said that five of the boats which
were attacked in the Atlantic Ocean are said
to be missing. The recent acts of piracy
have angered fishermen who have threat-
ened to take their own action if something
is not done.
BUSINESS
Keep traditional values in Canada Business network group launched
W hen we come to Canada , Caribbean
people must not abandon sound tra-
ditional values like living within our means,
saving for the future, buying rather than
renting homes, and keeping a close watch
on children in school. But we must adapt
those values to suit the very different con-
ditions in Canada .
That’s the advice from mortgage broker
and financial adviser Rudy Lochan to mi-
grating Caribbeans who want to build a
sound new life in Canada on a strong base.
“ The first thing you need to do is get a
decent job, which is difficult if you don’t
have Canadian qualifications and Canadian
experience. Most employers here feel we
are suitable only for low paying factory or
warehouse jobs, but we don’t want to get
stuck there. We have to make sure our qual-
ifications are accepted in Canada or make
the sacrifice to get our papers from a Cana-
dian school,” explains Lochan.
Next in importance earning an income is
the questions of accommodation, and the
matter of renting or buying a home.
“Buy a house immediately or as soon as
you are able. Rent part of it to cut your
costs, and later on acquire more houses and
rent them out. Owning a house means you
Indo-Caribbean Times DECEMBER 2007 Page 9
strong credit rating and everybody will
want to lend you money for anything you
want. “
He has a warning for credit cards. Use
them to build your credit rating, and pay
your credit card bills in full. Do not pay
minimum amounts and incur ruinous credit
cards interest rates of as much as 20% for
the balance. Do not use credit cards for ex-
penses under any conditions. Use the good
credit rating you develop to acquire wealth,
just as our parents back in the Caribbean
worked all their lives to acquire wealth.
Don’t buy land in Canada , but buy houses.
How about saving money for a rainy day
as we were advised in the Caribbean?
Lochan advises that we save money regu-
larly but put it in RRSP’s, which are tax de-
ductible. In emergencies RRSP’s can be
A group of likeminded Caribbean businessmen got together last week to launch the REV
cashed, but their greater value is that they
Business Networking Group.
can be used to buy a house.
The aim of the group is to provide networking opportunities and business referrals to
Life insurance should be taken out only
support each other to expand their respective client bases. The group plans to meet on a
on the breadwinner, and then only term in-
monthly basis to share new ideas and introduce new products and services to each other
surance. Do not insure children, as nobody
and to brainstorm ideas to overcome some of the challenges facing the business commu-
is dependent on them. Avoid whole life in-
nity.
surance, which have higher premiums and
The first meeting was held at Anava Financing office on Islington Avenue and was at-
are practically useless as savings.
tended by Vic Sarju, Rudy Lochan, Adit Kumar, Nirvan Radhamohan, Roy Rampersaud,
Lochan finds that many of the Caribbean
Mani Singh, Jonathan Roy, Navin Nandram,Vikash Jain, Rohan Harripaul, and Paras Palai.
based values, including family values and
For further information on the group please contact Vic Sarju at 416 686 6127 or Rudy

are acquiring wealth, which is something
our parents in the Caribbean always worked
hard to do. Do not rent, as this is just throw-
Canadians spending
a focus on education work well in Canada .
Lochan at 416 830 1510.
Just as in the Caribbean , we have to pay at-
tention to how our children are growing up

billions on cheaper US goods

ing away money. You have to pay for hous- and not dump them in the schools.
ing anyway, so you might as well use that “It’s easy to lose our children to gangs
money to build equity in your own house. and the Canadian culture of the schools, so
“ Do not buy apartments or condos. Their we have to keep them close and make sure

Canadian prices 20-60% higher

values can go down in recession times, and
maintenance costs can rise without warn-
ing. Houses generally keep rising in value,
and are always in demand.”
At least for the early stages, Lochan sug-
gests you live in Toronto where you can use
the TTC and where schools, hospitals and
most facilities are plentiful and close at
hand. Living in the suburbs means going to
a region with less facilities and the need to
have one or two cars. But since each car
costs around $400 a month to maintain,
apart from car payments, life in the suburbs
may well drain away money you can not af-
ford to lose.
Care must be taken when buying a car,
which is a deteriorating asset that is costly
to maintain. If you do find you need a car,
never buy it new. Buy a good second hand
car, and avoid paying those new car taxes
and taking the immediate depreciation in
value of as much as 15% from the minute
your buy the car. Buy a Japanese car instead
of an American, because of its better per-
formance and value, and keep it in good
condition for several years.
Lochan insists that developing good
credit is a crucial matter for people living
in Canada , and those who do not make the
effort are hurting themselves financially.
In the Caribbean people are proud to say
they pay cash and they have no loans but
that policy is not advisable in Canada .
“You need a strong credit reputation to
get a mortgage to buy a house, to buy or
rent a car, to get a bank loan, to get a room
in a hotel or even to buy furniture on terms.
Businesses and financial organizations
want to know that you have a good record
of paying back loans, so you have to work
to build that record.
“Get a credit card, buy some small things
with the card and make sure to pay the
credit card bills in good time. Take out a
small loan from a bank or a credit union,
even if you don’t need it, and repay the loan
in good time. The size of the loan or credit
card bill is less important than the fact that
you repaid them on time. Then you get a
they follow our culture and values. We have
to get involved in their school life, help
them with their work, and watch them care-
fully. We have excellent libraries, which are
free to use, and have millions of dollars
worth of information. We must use them to
educate ourselves and take the children
there too.
“ One of the most valuable things we can
do as Caribbean people is to affiliate our-
selves with community organizations with
people like ourselves. Link up with a tem-
ple or church group or mosque, with cul-
tural or social or sports groups. They are
full of people who have been here longer
than us, people who can lend us their valu-
able experience in Canada . You don’t have
to fight it alone in Canada when you have
so many of your own people available to
help you integrate to Canadian life. One of
the things you may learn is that you can
never go to the top when working for Cana-
dian companies, so you should aim at be-
coming self-employed or starting your own
business where the sky is the limit.
‘You don’t have to fall into the trap of
trying to keep up with the Joneses. You
can easily get hooked on a high consump-
tion life style, living beyond your means
and digging yourself into a financial hole.
The commercial culture here wants you to
keep buying and changing clothes and cars
and houses and home equipment, throwing
out perfectly good things just to get the lat-
est and newest. That is not a good way to
live.
“Our way is to use education to develop
yourself financially, to build up the whole
family, to create wealth for the future, to
spend only what you have in hand, to de-
pend on the extended family and the com-
munity, and not to let other people impose
their values on us. That is what our ances-
tors fromIndia taught us, and what our an-
cestors in the Caribbean followed, and most
of it is still useful for us here in Canada. We
have to make some changes to adjust to life
in Canada but our core values are solid and
long lasting,” says Rudy Lochan.
If you're thinking of popping down to the
US or checking out the internet shopping
south of the border, you will have a lot of
company from Canada. Cheaper US prices
as much as 60% lower than the Canadian
ones are driving the shopping spree.
A recent Canadian Press-Harris/Decima
survey found that 17 per cent of Canadians
polled had travelled to the U.S. to shop in
the last two months alone, dropping an av-
erage $616 each into the hands of U.S. re-
tailers. And among households with
incomes of $80,000 and more, one in three
said they have shopped in the U.S. in the
past two months.
The poll of 1,000 Canadians, conducted
between Nov. 29 and Dec. 2, asked respon-
dents about their cross-border shopping
during October and November, when the
loonie mostly traded at or above par with
the greenback.
"Based on these numbers, millions of
people spent billions of dollars in the U.S.,"
says pollster Bruce Anderson. Asked if they
intended to return for more bargains before
Christmas, four per cent said they were cer-
tain they would and another 10 per cent re-
sponded that they were likely to.
"It's the highest dollar and it's the highest
economy we've had in probably 30 years,
so there's a compounding effect where peo-
ple have more money," Anderson said.
"They're more confident in the economy
that at any time they've ever been in the 25
years we've been measuring. Put all those
together and you've got a pretty big phe-
nomenon.
It's "a surprisingly high number," says
Toronto-area retail consultant Richard Tal-
bot. "I think the news accounts about the
parity of the dollar and the buildup to
Christmas coming at the same time, it was
perhaps inevitable there was going to be a
fair amount of leakage south of the border."
Canadians living in Ontario and B.C.
were the most likely to say they went alone,
or with a member of their household, to the
United States to shop - at 22 per cent and
30 per cent, respectively.
The survey adds context to sporadic indi-
cators that more and more Canadians are
taking their more muscular loonie, which
hit parity at the end of September and has
been at least around parity with the green-
back ever since, to the U.S. in search of bar-
gains.
Statistics Canada reported recently that
Canadians spent $3.1 billion in the U.S.
during the second quarter of the year before
the loonie reached parity, a jump of 8.8 per
cent, dropping an average of $765 per
overnight trip.
And in a more recent indicator of the mas-
sive shift in buying habits, Canadians im-
ported 25,000 autos in October, twice as
many as last October and 68 per cent more
than in September.
Canadians have been flying and driving
down to the United States in record num-
bers, spending billions of dollars snapping
up bargains at prices they cannot find at
home. Diane Brisebois of the Retail Coun-
cil of Canada told a parliamentary commit-
tee last month that prices are anywhere
from 20 to 60 per cent higher in Canada.
Talbot said the poll should be a wakeup
call to retailers to move Boxing Day sales
ahead to before Christmas to forestall los-
ing more customers.
But he said the phenomenon is likely to
peter out in the long run as more retailers
adjust their prices to the higher loonie.
"Presumably, retailers are going to put
pressure on their suppliers to drop prices,
so that toward 2008 we'll see the prices
moving closer together," Talbot said. "It's
already happening."
Kidnapping review
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO REPORT
Some of the stories and faces of
T
kidnap victims in Trinidad in 2007
here are dozens of reported kidnap-
ping stories in Trinidad this year,
with the total expected to hit 144.
There are even more unreported cases,
where victims suffered in silence without
bothering to take the case to the country’s
distrusted police service.This is a small
sample of the reported stories of the kid-
napping plague that has gripped the country
for the past six years.
Jan 1, 2007
Tota Harricharan, 37, son of a christophene
farmer, was abducted from a relative's
house, in Blanchisseuse on Old Year's
night, by a gang of men who held up his
cousin, her mother and other relatives. A $5
million ransom demand was made for his
release.
January 8
A 44 year old taxi driver was held up at 11
pm while driving along the Solomon Ho-
choy Highway , by four passengers he had
picked up in San Fernando . A passenger
who was put ouf of the car alerted police,
who intercepted the car and arrested the
four men.
January 15
A pregnant Annalee James, 28, of Singh
Street , Tacarigua on her way to rent DVDs
near her home was kidnapped while walk-
ing along Dinsley Main Road at 6.40 pm .
An armed man came out of a car, pepper
her companion Kelly Buchoon, and took
Annalee away. She was visiting from New
York where she lives
Feb 16.
Three armed men wearing military type
camouflage outfits grabbed fisherman Fer-
oze Ali, 38, who was hunting in a Cedro es-
tate with two friends at 8.00 am . The two
friends were tied up and left behind. A land
and sea blockade by police and villagers
forced kidnappers to release Ali after eight
hours.
Feb 19
A young woman working as a live in
babysitter for a Mt Hope businessman
stabbed him several times while attempting
to kidnap his 4 year old daughter. The
babysitter invited two men into the home
Indo-Caribbean Times
and tried to tie up and businessman and his
wife. The businessman escaped and the kid-
nappers ran away when a neighbour raised
the alarm. Police believe the gang had vic-
timized several other families in Trinidad .
March 6
Thirteen year old 13-year-old girl Ana Via
Ramcharan, of St Julien Village, Princes
Town disappeared after leaving home that
morning. Next day her parents received a
call demanding a $100,000 ransom for the
release of the girl, who is a Form Two pupil
of the Tableland High School
March 9
Rennie Mohammed, 37, brother of CCN
journalist, Sasha Mohammed, was kid-
napped when he hired a car at the San Juan
taxi stand on Friday night to take him to
Aranguez. The driver picked up an accom-
plice who held up Rennie at gunpoint. One
man was arrested by police when he tried
to pick up the ransom money, and he he led
them to the other two kidnappers and Ren-
nie, who was being held in Curepe.
March 15
Fifteen year old Chandani Ramsarran of
Bridel Road , Cunupia was reported miss-
ing soon after returning from school. The
house was ransacked but nothing was
taken.
April 6
Three soldiers who kidnapped and beat
Shane Robely, 28, at King’s Wharf in San
Fernando on Food Friday, were arrested
and charged by police
April 10
Thirty seven year old mother Sitar Maraj-
Lewis, her two teenage sons aged 15 and 17
and their relative Bim Dookie, 21, were
charged with false imprisonment of Navin
Jagessar of Longdenville on April 10, and
asking for a $150,000 ransom. Navin had
been held against his will after leaving his
home. He allegedly escaped his kidnappers.
April 22
Richard Deleon, 22, the stepson of a San
Juan dry goods wholesaler,, and his friend,
Rodney Rambarran, 23, were kidnapped at
San Juan Hill and a ransom of $2.5 million
was demanded. Rambarran's father owns a
small auto body repair. The young men
were beaten and released the next day. It
was not known if a ransom was paid.
April 26
Businessman Shiva Sieunarinesingh, whose
family owns Sieunarinesingh's Hardware in
Gasparillo, was kidnapped by armed man
outside a gym at 6.00 pm . He was beaten
DECEMBER 2007 Page 10
by a cutlass and $200,000 demanded from
his family. Police set up roadblocks in the September 19
area immediately and three hours later the
kidnapers abandoned Sieunarinesingh in a
canefield. for his safe release
Around 9.30 p.m. , the kidnappers left Sie-
unarinesingh in the canefield and sped off
in their car. This was a second kidnapping
for Sieunarinesingh, who escaped from an-
other kidnap gang five months earlier
May 3
Kenell Cooper, of Easy Street, Fyzabad,
was stopped by two armed men and forced
into their car along Guapo Main Road at 9 Fifteen-year-old schoolgirl Christine Wong
p.m. Cooper said he was blindfolded, but was grabbed at Valencia Junction while still
continued to fight the men while the car in school uniform of El Dorado Secondary
was being driven, and they eventually School . She was kept for several weeks
threw him out in Caroni.. and released on October 2 after an undis-
closed ransom was paid.
June 8 November 24
A 31 year old man kidnapped his stepson
and tried to drown the six-year-old boy in
an Aripo in an attempt to get back at the
child's mother who broke up with him. The
man took the child out of his Arima primary
school, took the child to the river and, held
his head under water until he thought the
boy was dead. But the boy walked out on
to the road where he was picked up by vil-
lagers.The man is being charged with at-
tempted murder and kidnapping.
July 12
Hospital clerk Varsha Ramkarran-Ramdeo, Rebekah Soogrim, 16, s student of the
28, who was allegedly snatched by kidnap- Tabaquite Composite School did not return
pers on Thursday was released on Friday, to her Flanagin Town home from Saturday
after relatives paid part of the $200,000 ran- maths classes in Chaguanas. The family
som demanded. Varsha was snatched on her appealed to the police for help, but police
way home to Penal after leaving work at the alleged that the girl had "probably run off
Pleasantville Health Centre, driving a lux- with a man.” Her body was found in a
ury Honda Accord recently bought by her cocoa field near her home. She had been
husband, Suraj, from his boss- the owner of raped and murdere
a general contracting firm.
Dec 4
September 1
Foreign used car dealer Ronald Samlal, 42,
reported missing on August 30, was found
dead off the North Coast Road , Maracas.
Samlal left his home on that date to conduct
business at Chaguanas but failed to return
home. Relatives received a call later that
night demanding money for his safe re-
lease.
September 8
Josanne Sammy, 22, common-law wife of
La Romaine used car dealer Riyad Baksh,
was dragged out of her bed at 2 a.m. by
three gunmen ed and forced her into a wait-
ing car. A $200,000 ransom was demanded.
She was rescued by police soon after. A
grave had already been dug for her at the
house where she was to be held.
Gordon Deane, Atlantic LNG's chairman
and former chairman of the Integrity Com-
IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE
mission, was at his estate at Angles Road,
Toco, on September 8, when around 1 p.m.,
three armed men jumped out of the bush
and attacked him .He was put into the back IN THE
of his van and driven around on rough roads
INDO-
for about an hour before being taken out of
the van. Believing that he was going to be
CARIBBEAN
killed, Deane made a dash for freedom at
some stage, ran through the forest, chased
by his armed kidnappers, until he came to a
TIMES
waterfall, where he jumped and fell several
feet. He was hurt but had managed to es-
cape his kidnappers. Police set up a road
block and held three men, aged between
21-27, driving in Deane's van.
416-289-3898
 ACHIEVERS
Coverden boy Mani Singh scales the heights in Canada
M
ani Singh's father Mahadeo Singh
started his adult life as a cane cut-
ter with no formal education and
as a labourer with British Guyana Airways
but worked his way up to becoming the
Stores Manager for the airline, fluent in
Hindi and able to read the Ramayan, presi-
dent of the local Hindu templea and a vil-
lage leader.
With that kind of example, Mani could do
no less when he came to Canada in 1981 as
a young man with no formal secondary ed-
ucation and no work experience. And so he
has. Mani has educated himself and become
one of Remax's top real estate agents in
Ontario with a place in the Remax Hall of
Fame, a frontline leader of the Association
of Concerned Guyanese who has hosted
functions at his home for Guyana President
Bharrat Jagdeo, a noted charitable
fundraiser, and an NDP candidate who
made a very respectable showing in last
month's provincial elections.
He has remained true to his Hindu roots
and culture, along with wife and four chil-
dren, his burning concerns for fellow
Guyanese back in the Caribbean and those
here in Canada He has also mainainted his
working class interests in social justice and
equality gained from the People's Progres-
sive Party in Guyana, and transferred them
to the NDP in Canada.
A driving interest in education, passion
for social justice and his Hindu heritage are
the three drivers that have taken Mani from
humble beginnings in the village of Cover-
den, East Bank Demerara in Guyana to a
key position in the Caribbean community
in the GTA. He aims to integrate into the
Canadian mainstream but on his own terms
and without surrendering his heritage.
He learned early to improvise when con-
ditions were difficult, by educating himself
when secondary education was not avail-
able in Coverden. Mani studied at home
and passed the exams for the Preliminary
Certificate of Education and then the Col-
lege of Preceptors diploma. In his spare
time he developed the Swastika Cultural
and Cricket Club to bring youth into the re-
ligious circle through sports.
He read the Bhagavadgita with its mes-
*
izing In
Special le
ese Sty
Guyan
Chines
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Restaurant & Bar
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Indo-Caribbean Times
sage of standing up for justice, and fol-
lowed the charismatci Guyanese leader
Cheddi Jagan, then the country’s leading
figure in the struggle against injustice on a
world scale. These two teachers have re-
mained with him ever since.
Mani needed the inspiration when he
came with his family to Canada in 1981,
following the death of his mother. His edu-
cation was not recognized. He had no work
experience, and could not get a job in
Guelph where his elder sister and Canadian
sponsor lived.
He had to move to Toronto, and took the
first job he could find, a factory position as-
sembling castors. He had to go to West-
wood High School to get his Grade 12
diploma, and enrol in Humber College to
study trade unionism and politics. All at the
same time.
After four years he was fired from the
factory job for trying to get equal pay for
equal work at the castor assembly plant. It
was an early personal lesson in injustice,
and a signal that he had to boost his educa-
tion to land something better than a dead
end factory job.
Mani finished his Certificate in Labour
Relations, started studying political science
at York University, and moved into insur-
ance sales before finally settling on real es-
tate sales as his career. “Real estate was
more lucrative and it gave me the time to
follow my other interests in the social and
political world,” he remembers.
Now came the work that he really wanted
to do, which included supporting Cheddi
Jagan and the PPP back in Guyana, and en-
gaging in social and political work in
Canada.
Joining the PPP support group Guyana
Research and Representative Services in
Toronto and its successor the Association of
Concerned Guyanese, Mani put serious ef-
fort in fighting the dictatorship of Forbes
Burnham in his native Guyana. He became
president of the ACG and an editorial board
member of the group’s newspaper Guyana
Current. He worked to help Guyanese
refugees in Canada who were fleeing per-
secution and racism in their homeland. And
he rejoiced when Cheddi Jagan finally be-
came president of Guyana in 1992, after the
United States forced the illegal government
in Guyana to hold its first fair election in 28
years.
With the great battle for justice in Guyana
finally won,.Mani found he could focus on
matters in Canada like his Hindu heritage,
social and political affairs, and also on fur-
thering his career. He has done well in all
three.
After 18 years with Remax Real Estate,
Mani has collected a bulging bag of hon-
ours. He is in the Remax Hall of Fame, has
won the Remax Pinnacle Award, and re-
cently was entered in the Remax Circle of
Legends. With his title of “King of the Jun-
DECEMBER 2007
performers with a sizeable clientele in the
mainstream and Caribbean community.
Mani has continued to support several
Hindu temples in the GTA, and to see that
his family carries on the Hindu heritage he
and his wife Prema have transported from
Guyana. His four children, daughters
Renita and Jitisha and sons Tej and Vijay all
attend temple services, and know how to
play Indian musical instruments and sing
bhajans.
Sick Kids Hospital, Children’s Miracle
Network, Canadian Red Cross, Heart and
Stroke Foundation, Canadian Cancer Soci-
ety, Canadian Breast Cancer Society, Habi-
tat for Humanity, Unicef, Doctors Without
Borders and the Nelson Mandela Children’s
Fund are some of the charities that he sup-
ports financially and personally, as well as
several in the Guyanese community in
Canada.
Mani’s interest in political and social is-
sues has blossomed in recent times. His
Mani Singh (third from left) with his extended family including wife Prema, his late fa-
ther Mahadeo, two sisters, sons Tej and Vijay, and daughters Renita and Jitisha.
trade union and social justice leanings made
him a natural supporter of the New Demo-
cratic Party from his early years in Canada,
where he has been a member for the last
decade.
“I’ve always wanted to participate in
mainstream politics in Canada, especially
at the federal level where there are foreign
policy issues that can affect Guyana. I feel
we have to integrate into Canada at all lev-
els,” he explains.
So when the NDP approached him to run
for a Brampton riding in the Ontario elec-
tions this year, Mani didn’t hesitate. He
jumped right in for the Brampton-Spring-
dale seat, a very tough battle facing an in-
cumbent Liberal Linda Jeffrey, in a riding
that has never been won by the NDP before.
Predictably, he didn’t win against five
other candidates, including a strong Pro-
gressive Conservative politician. But he
pulled in over 3,000 votes in his first shot at
PHILLIP
905-794-5551
Page 11
provincial politics, and came in third after
the Liberals and the PC.
“I gained a lot from that experience. I got
my feet wet in mainstream Canadian poli-
tics. Now I know how the system operates,
and next time I will do better, “ he says.
There probably will be a next time, though
it may be at the federal level. Mani feels
federal politics will give him wider oppor-
tunities to raise matters dear to his heart.
Among them are major issues such as for-
eign aid for developing countries like
Guyana, problems with the nation’s health
care, a national minimum wage of $10,
poverty, immigration, and recognition of
the credentials of foreign trained profes-
sionals.
He believes that more Caribbean people
must step up to the crease and engage the
Canadian system, rather than staying on the
outside and complaining about being left
out. That’s what real integration into Cana-
dian life should mean, he believes.
Naturally, Mani always has an eye out for
Guyana. He has spend almost half of his life
in Canada, but he still feels for the land of
his birth and for his countrymen and
women in Canada who were forced out of
Guyana so many years ago.
And yes, he would love to head back to
Guyana to help rebuild a country shattered
by 30 years of dictatorship and misman-
agement. But it’s just not possible. He has
four children still in school, the youngest
just nine years old. They are all born here
and are well integrated into Canada. He
could not leave them here, and it would be
cruel to take them to a Guyana which is
practically a strange country to them.
We are stuck with Mani Singh in Canada,
but that’s not such a bad thing when you
think of it. The Caribbean community needs
people like him. Canada needs people like
him just as much as Guyana.
SAY IT IN PICTURES Indo-Caribbean Times NOVEMBER 2007 Page 12

Students of the Tabla Kendar and entertainers strike a happy pose at the Kendar’s 2007 graduation ceremony, which was held at the Empire Banquet Hall. Guruji
Mohan Singh (with turban) is in the back row, next to event sponsor Jay Brijpaul.

Young students of the Bharat Sevashram Sangh show their ability to handle yoga asanas
at the group’s recent fundraiser in Rexdale. Over 100 youth recited slokas from the Gita,
and dmonstrated stick fighting techniques as yoga postures.
Born Nirush Jani, 7 lb. 12 oz. to Nina and Bhuvan Jani on Tuesday No-
vember 12 2007 at Mt. Sinai Hospital, Toronto. Nirush is the first grandson
of Dilip & Bhavna Jani, and also Dr. Roop & Ramdai Misir (Mishra). Lit-
tle Nirush is the first great grandson of Chandrakant Lalshankar and In-
drakanta Jani, and also Jayendra (Late) and Sakountla Joshi of Ahmedabad,
Gujarat, India; and also Pt. Harinarain (Late) & Mrs. Surujdai Misir of Scar-
borough, and the late Pt. & Mrs. Prasad Ganesh Tiwari of Guyana. He is the
nephew of Dr. Anil Misir (Hamilton), Renuka Misir, and Honey Jani.

Merry Christmas
Christmas Black
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Khel Baldeo Two generations strong since 1973.
Sales Representative Let us Cater your Holidays
5071 Highway #7 East Diabetic & Heart Friendly. We are the healthier choice!
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Tel/Fax: 416-242-3595 BOYZAUTOCOLLISION.COM E-mail: boyz1135@hotmail.com

We pay up to 100% deductible We do customizing
 Indo-Caribbean Times DECEMBER 2007 Page 13

It was the Caribbean diaspora re-connecting with the Indian continent when Nisha Popular promoter DJ Hitman (left) tells his Trinidad guest dramatists Ethel Fraser
Maraj of Trinidadian parentage became the bride of Indian born Joginder Godhara. (centre) and Leroy Joseph after his recent showthat it’s not really so cold in Toronto.

Community activist Krishna Nankissoor and family were sereneded by Peel school principal Dr Sandy Kissoon Singh and his wife Dr Jean Kissoon Singh (right)at a recent
multiple celebration in downtown Toronto. Krishna (in suit)and wife Leah (to Krishna’s right), they both counted their 25th wedding anniversary, daughter Natasha (left) marked
her 21st birthday, and youngest daughter Natalie celebrated her graduation to high school.

Universal Buildings PM
Project Management
Manage Buildings Design & Construction Projects-Design/Build
New/ Addition/Reno
Contract & Manage Professionals & Contractors
(Licensed/Insured/Bonded)
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Design Buildings: Architectural & Engineering
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Contact Sham (Mathura Maraj) Owner/President Cell: 647-885-4501
E-Mail: UniversalBuildingsPM@rogers.com/sham.homeoffice
COMMUNITY Indo-Caribbean Times DECEMBER 2007 Page 14
THE ASSOCIATION OF CONCERNED
GUYANESE and friends cordially invite
you to a fundraising Dinner and Dance in
Aid of the Victims of Bangladesh's Cyclone
Disaster and the Dookhoo family of
To all our readers and friends
Guyana.
It will be held on Friday December 14th,
from 7:30 p.m. at BJ's Restaurant, 1747
Albion Road, Rexdale, Ontario
(S/E Corner of Albion Rd. & HWY 27). A
A Merry Christmas &
donation of $20.00 per person includes din-
ner and dance.
All proceeds will be distributed as fol-
A Happy New Year
From the Indo-Caribbean Times
lows: 60% to Human Concern International
(HCI) for the Victims of the Bangladesh
Cyclone Disaster and 40% to the
Dookhoo's family of Guyana.
For more info call: Azim: 905-206-9377,
Karran Singh: 905-204-0241, Jerry: 905-
837-7554, Jay:416-744-0476, Mani: 416-
569-4172.

ISLAND GROVE RESTAURANT AND

BAR of 4525 Ebenezer Road Unit #,
Brampton (Gore Plaza) holds its Christmas
Party on December 22. Entrance is $20,
which includes food. Old Year’s Night
Dance takes place December 31, with top
DJ’s and other entertainment. Cost is $50
per couple, which includes food. Contact
Hema at 905-813-1200.

ENMORE PARADISE RESTAURANT in-

vites you to its Old Year’s Night Party on
December 31 at 1780 Albion Road, Unit 1,
starting at 9.30 pm and going to 2.00 am.
Admission is free, and there will be danc-
ing, entertainment and music by a popular
DJ. For information call 647-428-6994.

Connections Family Restaurant brings the

Chutney Stars to its New Year’s Eve Show
and Dance, at 5835 Dixie Road (at Shaw-
son), Mississauga. Artistes include Heer-
alal Rampartap, De Hitman, Rakesh
Yankarran, Anil Pitie, King Rooplal G,
Nelly B, the Wave Band, Curtis Band the
Flying Trini. This is 19+ event and ID is
mandatory. For info call 905-696-7133 orr
e-mail at info@connectionsiswe.com

BHAGVAD GITA FOR EACH HOME

Bulk distribution centres.

The Gita can be available in bulk at the fol-
lowing contacts: Donations are expected to
fund further copies; any individual or or-
ganization wishing to assist in this project
can contact us.

CANADA
Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton
Ramnarine Sahadeo 905 671 9233 e-mail
ramjihindu@rogers.com, Omesh Sharma
Omesh@flexomark.com, Chandan
Persaud at 416-754-2382, Gulcharan at
416 481-5777 gmohabir@hotmail.com,
Ram Jagessar at 416 289 9088 or
ram@eol.ca

RICHMOND HILL
Omo Persaud at omo@globalspectru-
minc.com 905-886-1724

Winnipeg:
Ajodhya Mahadeo 204-661-6643

British Columbia
Chameli Seegobin 604-945-9510, e-mail
address maylee34@hotmail.com, and
Naraine Mohabir at 604-274-8938

GUYANA: Saraswati Vidya Niketan ph.

2760013/14
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
Caribbean hot spot on Albion & Highway 27
Indo-Caribbean Times DECEMBER 2007 Page 15

Albion Road

Westmore Drive
Highway 27

You can’t go wrong with Albion Road and Highway 27 in Rexdale if you are looking for a Caribbean Hot Spot packed with food, services and
entertainment for Caribbean people. At least eight Caribbean focused businesses in that area can supply all that you need. The veteran is of
course Ram’s Roti Shop, Canada’s first roti shop which has been serving the delicacy since 1967, along with doubles, and other Caribbean food.
Next door is Enmore Paradise Restaurant which specializes in platters and takeouts with a menu of over 50 Guyanese, West Indian and Chinese
dishes, and Caribbean Temptations with its huge menu of Caribbean and Chinese style cooking. Across the road is BJ’s bar and Grill, and on
Westmore Drive is Nisha’s West Indian Cafe, Grace’s Patty World with its Jamaican patties and jerked meat, and Green’s West Indian Groceries

Kamla’s Fashions Inc.

for that tasty Caribbean food Green’s Travel Services next door will take you to the travel location of choice. Drop in and sample their goods.

Wholesale Garment Manufacturer

Announces the takeover of
TJ Fashions and Design Inc.
1510 Birchmont Road
Units 106 & 107
Scarborough, Ontario M1P 2G5
Massive clearance sale continues in the factory outlet (same location) until Christmas.
 Youth T-Shirts and Tank Tops - $2.00 each
 Adult Golf Shirts 2 for $10.00 or 5 for $20.00
 Adult Golf Shirts 2 for $10.00 or 5 for $20.00
 Ladies Leggings and Capri Pants 4 for $10.00
 Children’s Clothing $2.00 each
 Wide range of Winter Clothing on Sale
Wide variety of transfers/screen prints – Babies, Children, Humour,

Tel: 416-913-2379
Christmas, topical, geographical/Souvenir from 50 cents.
HEALTH AND FASHION
Fasting one day
may help hearts
Mormons have less heart disease - some-
thing doctors have long chalked up to their
religion's ban on smoking. New research
suggests that another of their "clean living"
habits also may be helping their hearts: fast-
ing for one day each month.
A study in Utah, where the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is based,
found that people who skipped meals once
a month were about 40 per cent less likely
to be diagnosed with clogged arteries than
those who did not regularly fast.
People did not have to "get religion" to
benefit: non-Mormons who regularly took
breaks from food also were less likely to
have clogged arteries, scientists found.
They concede that their study is far from
proof that periodic fasting is good for any-
one, but said the benefit they observed
poses a theory that deserves further testing.
"It might suggest these are people who
just control eating habits better," and that
this discipline extends to other areas of their
lives that improves their health, said Ben-
jamin Horne, a heart disease researcher
from Intermountain Medical Center and the
University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
Roughly 70 per cent of Utah residents are
Mormons, whose religion advises abstain-
ing from food on the first Sunday of each
month, Horne said.
Researchers got the idea to study fasting
after analyzing medical records of patients
who had X-ray exams to check for blocked
heart arteries between 1994 and 2002 in the
Intermountain Health Collaborative Study,
a health registry. Of these patients, 4,629
could be diagnosed as clearly having or
lacking heart disease - an artery at least 70
per cent clogged.
Researchers saw a typical pattern: only 61
per cent of Mormons had heart disease
compared to 66 per cent of non-Mormons.
They thought tobacco use probably ac-
counted for the difference. But after taking
smoking into account, they still saw a lower
rate of heart disease among Mormons and
designed a survey to explore why.
It asked about Mormons' religious prac-
tices: monthly fasting; avoiding tea, coffee
and alcohol; taking a weekly day of rest;
going to church, and donating time or
money to charity.
Among the 515 people surveyed, only
fasting made a significant difference in
heart risks: 59 per cent of periodic meal
skippers were diagnosed with heart disease
versus 67 per cent of the others.
The difference persisted even when re-
searchers took weight, age and conditions
like diabetes or high cholesterol or blood
pressure into account. About eight per cent
of those surveyed were not Mormons, and
those who regularly fasted had lower rates
of heart disease, too.
Horne speculated that when people take a
break from food, it forces the body to dip
into fat reserves to burn calories. It also
keeps the body from being constantly ex-
posed to sugar and having to make insulin
to metabolize it. When people develop dia-
betes, insulin-producing cells become less
sensitive to cues from eating, so fasting
may provide brief rests that resensitize
these cells and make them work better, he
said.
But he and other doctors cautioned that
skipping meals is not advised for diabetics
- it could cause dangerous swings in blood
sugar.
Recipes: Trinidad Black Cake, Doubles
Indo-Caribbean Times
Trinidad Black Cake (Christmas Cake)
The elements of this fruit cake from
Trinidad are prepared on separate days. We
have divided it into three sections - the early
preparation, caramelizing sugar, which can
be done the day before, and the day of
cooking. This is a rum cake, a fruit cake, a
Christmas cake. This is euphoria.
* 1 pound currants
* 1 pound raisins
* 1 pound prunes
* 1 pound dried figs
* 1 (16 ounce) jar maraschino cherries,
drained
* 1/2 pound mixed peel
* 1/4 pound almonds, chopped
* 1 tablespoon angostura bitters
* 2 1/2 cups dark Jamaica rum
Caramelizing Sugar (see note below)
* 3/4 pound brown sugar
* 1/2 cup boiling water
Final Cooking
* 2 teaspoons grated lime peel
* 2 teaspoons vanilla
* 4 cups flour
* 4 teaspoons baking powder
* 1 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1 pound butter (4 sticks) softened
* 2 1/4 cups sugar
* 9 large eggs
METHOD
Equipment: Two 9x5x3 inch loaf pans or
1 10 inch tube pan.
Prep Day
Chop currants, raisins, prunes, figs and
cherries. Put in large bowl with mixed peel
and almonds. Stir to combine. Sprinkle on
bitters and pour rum over mixture. Soak for
a minimum of 24 hours, extending to one
month. Dream about this cake for whatever
period of time you have chosen.
For those who avoid alcohol for religious
or personal reasons, soaking can be done
using grape or apple juice!
Caramelizing Sugar
Put brown sugar in heavy pot. Stir, letting
sugar liquefy. Cook over low heat until
dark, stirring constantly, so sugar does not
burn. When almost burnt, remove from heat
and stir in hot water gradually. Mix well, let
cool, and pour into container for use in final
cooking.
Final Cooking
Preheat oven to 250°F.
Bring fruit from its resting place. Stir
lime peel, vanilla and caramelized sugar
into fruit. Mix well. Set aside.
Sift together flour, baking powder and
cloves. Set aside.
Cream together butter and sugar until
mixture is light. Add the eggs, one at a time
until blended.
DECEMBER 2007
Stir in dry ingredients gradually. When
mixed, stir in fruit mixture.
Pour into tins lined with buttered parch-
ment paper or waxed paper. Place pan (or
pans) in large shallow pan of hot water.
Cook in preheated 250°F oven for 2 1/2 - 3
hours or until a tester inserted in center of
cake comes out clean. Cake should have
shrunk from sides of pan.
Cool for 24 hours in tins. When cool,
moisten with rum, remove from tins, and
wrap in aluminum foil or a rum drenched
cloth. Cakes may be stored to ripen. If
keeping for any length of time, check occa-
sionally to add more rum.
Yield:1 large or 2 medium cakes
Make your own
Doubles
For the dough
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp saffron
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp yeast
1/3 cup warm water
1/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp curry powder (optional)
Oil for frying
Additional water
For the channa filling
1 cup dried channa, soaked overnight,
or tinned channa
1 1/2 tbsp curry powder
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, sliced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Pinch of ground geera (cumin powder)
Pinch of black·pepper
Salt to taste
Pepper Sauce to taste
Method
1. Make the dough for the Bara: combine
flour, salt, saffron, curry powder (if using)
and cumin. Set aside.
2. In another bowl pour in warm water,
sugar and yeast. Let sit for about 5 minutes
until yeast and sugar are dissolved.
3. Add the yeast mixture to the dry ingre-
dients with enough water to make slightly
firm dough. Mix well, covering and setting
aside for about 1 1/2 hours so that dough
may rise. Punch the dough down and let it
sit for another 10- 15 minutes.
4. To shape Bara, take about 1 tablespoon
of dough, flattening and stretching with
both hands to a 5" circle. Moisten palms
with some water if dough sticks to hand.
Fry in hot oil, until golden brown, turning
until cooked. Remove and drain on a paper
towel.
5. Make the channa filling. Boil soaked
channa with salt and 1/2 tbsp curry powder
until tender. Drain. Mix the rest of the curry
powder with 1/4 cup water. Heat oil in a
large skillet and add the garlic, onion, and
curry powder mixture.
Page 16
6. Saute for a few minutes. Add the channa.
Stir to coat well with the curry mixture and
cook for about 5 minutes. Add 1 cup water,
geera (cumin), salt, and pepper. Cover,
lower heat and let simmer until the peas are
very soft. Add more water if you need.
Channa should be soft and moist. Add more
salt if required.
7. To assemble, put about 2 tbsp. cooked
curry channa on a Bara. Cover with another
Bara. You can also add mango chutney,
tamarind chutney or pepper sauce before
putting the second Bara on top.
Tomato Choka
Ingredients
1 lb ripe red tomatoes
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1hot,pepper
2 tbsp coriander, chopped
Salt and cumin to taste
Method
1. Ensure that tomatoes are washed. Then,
place under a hot grill, roasting until skin is
charred.
2. Leave tomatoes to cool, then remove
skin.
3. Pound tomatoes in mortar and pestle or
mash in a bowl.
4. Mix in onion, salt, cumin and hot pepper.
5. Cook garlic lightly in a heated frying pan
with the vegetable oil.
6. Add the tomato mixture and coriander
and pllow to reduce slightly.
7. Serve hot with bread or sada roti
Saffron Rice
Ingredients
1/2 tsp saffron powder
4 cups boiling water
3 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
2 vegetable oil or ghee
1 1/2 cups
1 tsp rice
1 tsp ground clove
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp salt
1 stp freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Fry onions in ghee or oil until soft. This
should take about 4-5 minutes.
2. Add rice and stir in clove, cardamom, salt
and pepper.
3. Fry for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add remaining boiling water and saffron
powder, then simmer for 15-20 minutes or
until rice is tender.
5. Drain and place in a serving dish. Serve
hot.
Stop this
RELIGION
woman
bashing
By Habeeb Alli
Under law in Saudi Arabia, women are
subject to numerous restrictions, including
a strict dress code, a prohibition on driving
and a requirement that they get a man's per-
mission to travel or have surgery. Women
are also not allowed to testify in court un-
less it is about a private matter that was not
observed by a man, and they are not al-
lowed to vote. This is a regular media blurp.
But, nothing here resembles the Islam
practised by the majority of Muslims in the
world, so obviously this is Saudi Law and
not an Islamic Law.
Muslim women may travel, not don black
gowns and veils, vote, be witnesses in
courts and appeal for a divorce and well,
even drive, and that too alone. So when
Islam has granted women so many rights
and priviledges, these bias misognist men
are only destroying human life and Islam
with their personal judgements, as in the
ecase of the lady who is sentenced to lashes
after being raped, on the pretext that she is
an accessory to sexual enticement by walk-
ing about alone.
It's nice to hear that the higher Judicial
body is reconsidering these laws and it's
time, especially how we have seen Saudi
Prince Abdullah has been leading some
smart political, social and even economic
moves, recently, to correct some major evils
and build bridges.
The fact is the husband of this rape vic-
tim rightly said that his wife was abducted
from a mall and raped and she was not in
any illicit relationship. Not because a
woman walks without a mahram/ app-
proved relative she is evil. As a matter of
fact, this requirement is only for long dis-
tance travel and too if it's insecure, as can
be seen how Hajj groups relax this law.
Why the Saudis don't charge the girls
who walk the malls passing cell numbers
out, internet chat and enjoy sattelite TV non
chaperoned? That's having a relationship
without a "relative". Moreso how about not
being picky on criminal charges and im-
prove relationship with minorities and Shi-
ite brothers and sisters. Charging non
nationals is no justice; moreso, gang-raping
a woman is no "honor".
So if someone slams this episode as bar-
baric, it's the barbarism of a human nature
expressed by some wicked authority and
not in anyway a libel against the pure fem-
inist laws of Islam nor an attack on an entire
women-protecting society.
In the same token, I would beg that we
continue to support our domestically
abused at home and help them to rise above
these cultural and social yokes, that seems
to travel relentlesly, despite the visas of en-
ligtened ports.
Look how silly the issue in Sudan is,
about a woman naming her pet Muham-
mad, despite being defended ny her stu-
dents and herself claiming this is not her
intention- i.e. to demean our Holy Prophet,
on whom be peace.
So do we have any disenfranchisement
warrant for those whose name is Muham-
mad but do not reperesent His life? How in-
sulting to the Prophet, isn't it? Hence, a
person can name someone or something off
an everyday Moh; is that a problem? How
about other Prophets, be peace on them all?
God, Soul and the World
Indo-Caribbean Times
Hindu Views on the Nature of Existence
I
n a very real sense, we are like the
spaceman in a photo , totally dependent
on our body, mind, emotions and per-
sonal identity to persist in life, just as he de-
pends on his space suit and its supply of
oxygen to enable him to exist in space. Take
away our body, remove our emotions, erase
our identity and what is left? Do we cease
to exist? What are we really? Rishis assure
us that we are immortal souls on a journey
of spiritual evolution. We will take on many
bodies, many lives, many different identi-
ties through the repetitive cycle of birth,
death and rebirth. Each advent into a new
birth is like an astronaut's voyage into the
great unknown.
The soul's underlying joy throughout this
adventure is to commune with and realize
God, learning of its true nature in the great
classroom of experience, known as the
world, or maya. The three realities of exis-
tence, God, soul and world, constitute the
fundamentals of Hindu theology, known as
tattva-trayi in Sanskrit, describing a view in
which Divinity, self and cosmos are a pro-
found, integrated unity. Each and every soul
is on the same journey, spanning many life-
times. The path has been made clear by
those who have gone before. The answers
to life's ultimate questions have been given
time and time again, but still must be asked
and answered by each soul in its own time:
"Who am I?" "Where did I come from?"
"Where am I going?
Never have there been so many people
living on the planet wondering, "What is
the real goal, the final purpose, of life?"
However, man is blinded by his ignorance
and his concern with the externalities of the
world. He is caught, enthralled, bound by
karma. The ultimate realizations available
are beyond his understanding and remain to
him obscure, even intellectually. Man's ul-
timate quest, the final evolutionary frontier,
is within man himself. It is the Truth spo-
ken by Vedic rishis as the Self within man,
attainable through devotion, purification
and control of the mind. On the following
pages, we explore the nature of the soul,
God and the world. Offered here is a broad
perspective that Hindus of most lineages
would find agreement with, though in such
matters there naturally arise myriad differ-
ences of perspective. To highlight the most
important of these we offer a comparison of
Hinduism's four major denominations. Next
we explore the views of these four denom-
inations on liberation from the cycle of
birth, death and rebirth. Finally, we present
a chart of Hindu cosmology that seeks to
connect the microcosm and the macrocosm
and is a lifetime meditation in itself.
Different Views of God, Soul & World -
from Hinduism's Four Denominations
There is a wide spectrum of religious belief
within Hinduism's four major sects or de-
nominations: Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnav-
ism and Smartism. While they share far
more similarities than differences, they nat-
urally hold unique perspectives on God,
soul and the world. In Saivism, the personal
God and primary temple Deity is Siva. He
is pure love and compassion, both imma-
nent and transcendent, pleased by devotees'
purity and striving. Philosophically, God
Siva is one with the soul, a mystic truth that
is ultimately realized through His grace.
DECEMBER 2007
In Saktism the personal Goddess is Shri
Devi or Shakti, the Divine Mother, wor-
shiped as Kali, Durga, Rajarajeshvari and
Her other aspects. Both compassionate and
terrifying, pleasing and wrathful, She is as-
suaged by sacrifice and submission. Em-
phasis is on bhakti and tantra to achieve
advaitic union.
For Vaishnavism the personal God and
temple Deity is Vishnu, or Venkateshwara,
a loving and beautiful Lord pleased by serv-
ice and surrender, and His incarnations, es-
pecially Rama and Krishna. Among the
foremost means of communion is chanting
His holy names. In most schools of Vaish-
navism, God and soul are eternally distinct,
with the soul's destiny being to revel in
God's loving presence.
In Smartism, the Deity is Ishvara. Devo-
tees choose their Deity from among six
Gods, yet worship the other five as well:
Vishnu, Siva, Shakti, Ganesha, Surya and
Skanda. Ishvara appears as a human-like
Deity according to devotees' loving wor-
ship. Both God and man are, in reality, the
Absolute, Brahman; though under the spell
of maya, they appear as two. Jnana, en-
lightened wisdom, dispels the illusion.
In this Insight, along the lower section of
the next four pages, you will find verses
from the writings of seers of these four de-
nominations that offer a glimpse of their
perspectives on the nature of things ulti-
mate.
Who Am I? Where Did I Come From?
Rishis proclaim that we are not our body,
mind or emotions. We are divine souls on a
wondrous journey. We came from God, live
in God and are evolving into oneness with
God. We are, in truth, the Truth we seek.
¦We are immortal souls living and growing
in the great school of earthly experience in
which we have lived many lives. Vedic
rishis have given us courage by uttering the
simple truth, "God is the Life of our life." A
great sage carried it further by saying there
is one thing God cannot do: God cannot
separate Himself from us. This is because
God is our life. God is the life in the birds.
God is the life in the fish. God is the life in
the animals. Becoming aware of this Life
energy in all that lives is becoming aware
Page 17
of God's loving presence within us. We are
the undying consciousness and energy
flowing through all things. Deep inside we
are perfect this very moment, and we have
only to discover and live up to this perfec-
tion to be whole. Our energy and God's en-
ergy are the same, ever coming out of the
void. We are all beautiful children of God.
Each day we should try to see the life en-
ergy in trees, birds, animals and people.
When we do, we are seeing God in action.
The Vedas affirm, "He who knows God as
the Life of life, the Eye of the eye, the Ear
of the ear, the Mind of the mind--he indeed
comprehends fully the Cause of all causes."
Where Am I Going? What Is My Path?
We are all growing toward God, and ex-
perience is the path. Through experience we
mature out of fear into fearlessness, out of
anger into love, out of conflict into peace,
out of darkness into light and union in God.
We have taken birth in a physical body to
grow and evolve into our divine potential.
We are inwardly already one with God. Our
religion contains the knowledge of how to
realize this oneness and not create un-
wanted experiences along the way. The
peerless path is following the way of our
spiritual forefathers, discovering the mysti-
cal meaning of the scriptures. The peerless
path is commitment, study, discipline, prac-
tice and the maturing of yoga into wisdom.
In the beginning stages, we suffer until we
learn. Learning leads us to service; and self-
less service is the beginning of spiritual
striving. Service leads us to understanding.
Understanding leads us to meditate deeply
and without distractions. Finally, medita-
tion leads us to surrender in God. This is the
straight and certain path, the San Marga,
leading to Self Realization--the inmost pur-
pose of life--and subsequently to moksha,
freedom from rebirth. The Vedas wisely af-
firm, "By austerity, goodness is obtained.
From goodness, understanding is reached.
From understanding, the Self is obtained,
and he who obtains the Self is freed from
the cycle of birth and death."
YOUTH
Naipaul among
Indian Nobel
Prize winners
Mahatma Gandhi was tipped to win the
1948 Nobel Peace Prize, but he was assas-
sinated just before nominations closed.
Trinidad's Sir Vidia Naipaul, winner for lit-
erature in 2001, is the first diaspora Indian
to take the world's most prestigious award,
and Dr. R.K.Pachauri of the Inter-govern-
mental Panel on Climate Change is one of
several Indian scientists who shared this
year's Peace Prize with American Al Gore
Trinidad’s Sir Vidia Naipaul
The full list of Indians and those with In-
dian connections who have been awarded
Nobel prizes begins with Ronald Ross, who
won the Nobel for medicine in 1902, born
in Almora and was listed as an ''Indian
physician of Scottish origin.'' He joined the
Indian Medical Service in 1881 and worked
in Calcutta, Bangalore and Ooty. The writer
Rudyard Kipling, who won the Nobel for
literature in 1907, was born in Bombay.
The first ethnic Indian Nobel winner was
Rabindranath who won the Nobel for liter-
ature in 1913, followed by Sir C V Raman
who took the science Nobel for physics in
1930. In 1968 Punjab-born Dr Har Gobind
Khorana won the Nobel for medicine while
working in the United States.
Mahatma Gandhi
Mother Tesera, who was not born in Alba-
nia, but spent most of her life working in
India, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.
Subramanyan Chandrasekhar won the
Nobel for physics in 1983, and in 1989,
Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, born
in Tibet, but living a resident of Dharam-
sala in Himachal Pradesh, India for many
years, was awarded the Nobel for peace.
Roger Pulwarty
Amartya Sen won the Nobel for Eco-
nomics in 1998, followed by Vidia
Naipaul three years later. This year several
of the hundreds of scientists in the Inter-
governmental Panel on Climate Change
which shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Al
Gore, were Indians. Among them were the
head of the Panel Dr Pachauri, and
Trinidad's Roger Pulwarty.
Indo-Caribbean Times
Eid-Diwali Promote Friendships in Our Youths
By Roop Misir
Background
There is no doubt that we take pride in
our own traditions. But having said so,
should the obsession with “our own” cul-
ture and religion makes us oblivious to
those of other citizens?
Today Indo-Caribbean people are living
in Canada, the new country we call home.
Here, changes are taking place at rapid
speeds. New knowledge is helping to shape
our lives in ways never expected even a few
short years ago. In the workplace, innova-
tion is replacing obsolescence. Elsewhere,
there is change, change and more change.
But are these changes here to stay? Or
are they changes for the sake of change?
Of course, many of us adults prefer to
look at the world from a traditional per-
spective. In contrast, the rapid pace of
change is helping to shape the lives of our
younger generation. At school and in the
workplace, they become exposed to other
youths from different backgrounds and a
rich tapestry of cultures.
There are some us who interpret multi-
culturalism in Canada to mean that for us at
least, our cultural life will be the same as in
the Caribbean countries whence we came.
But is this really true?
Canada ’s Multitudes of Cultures
Canada is blessed with a plethora of fes-
tivals, compliments of the confluence of
cultures of immigrants from various coun-
tries. In towns and cities across the vast
landscape, local communities celebrate a
great many festivals; however, only a few
are actually observed widely.
Occasionally, the dates of two such fes-
tivals coincide or follow each other closely.
This was the case recently for Eid (mid-Oc-
tober) and Diwali (early November). Tradi-
tionally, Eid is the Muslim Festival of
Fast-breaking, whereas Diwali is the Hindu
Festival of Lights.
While the faithful of both religions tend
to adhere strictly to traditional ways, the
younger generation celebrates with friends
outside their respective religious communi-
ties. At many of these secular events, the
focus is on having fun, enjoying fine food,
and strengthening friendships. Yes, our
Caribbean youths are actively celebrating
and they contributing to cultural change.
Eid and Fasting
Devout Muslims consider that fasting
helps humanity to appreciate the true value
of food and drink. During Ramadan, ab-
stention from earthly pleasures also allows
us to be truly thankful as we make wise
choices on a daily basis. In addition, it is
thought that the faithful can become pure in
body and mind, and thus are worthy recip-
ients of divine blessings.
From a nutritional viewpoint, fasting
tends to give our overworked digestive sys-
tem a well-deserved ‘rest’. Supposedly, this
allows the system to cleanse itself, and be-
come rejuvenated thereby increasing the ef-
ficiency of food digestion. If subsequently
DECEMBER 2007
we choose ‘healthier’ foods and develop’
better’ eating habits (e.g., reduced intake),
these may lead to increased health through
weight reduction and obesity prevention.
Diwali Glows Global
Also known as Deepavali, Diwali has its
origins in India but now the diyas glow
globally, wherever Hindus and other people
of Indian origin are domiciled. In these
times, more and more people from other
cultures also participate in Diwali festivi-
ties.
Traditionally, the light of Diwali is meant
to symbolize the dispelling of darkness
from our hearts as well as ignorance of the
mind through education and enlightenment.
To the faithful, Diwali is an auspicious time
to worship the Divine Mother Lakshmi,
Goddess of wealth and prosperity. Some
people consider it a time for sharing and
caring, for showing generosity and practic-
ing forgiveness.
Partying and Feasting
With the austerities of Ramadan fasting
over, and the flame of diyas reminding us
of Diwali’s eternal presence, it’s time to cel-
ebrate. Young people party with friends by
wearing the latest fashions, partaking in
fine food and exotic drinks, and dancing to
the latest tunes.
Indo-Caribbean Holidays
The ancestors of Indo-Caribbean people
hail the Indian subcontinent, starting nearly
two centuries ago. In Guyana , Surinam ,
Belize and island countries in the Caribbean
(e.g., Trinidad & Tobago), young people are
rediscovering their roots. They learn for ex-
ample that our ancestors face the daunting
task of cultural survival in a not too friendly
Christian milieu. Our cultural practices
were not encouraged as these were consid-
ered “pagan”. Yet despite the odds, Hin-
duism and Islam (Indian version), and
associated festivities not only survived but
later flourished. Today, some of our cultural
days like Diwali and Eid are national holi-
days. Now it is not unusual for aspects of
both these holidays to be celebrated by all
citizens, at least in Guyana , Surinam and
Trinidad & Tobago. This spirit is catching
on elsewhere too.
Youth Celebrations in Canada
In Schools, Colleges and Universities,
Muslim and Hindu students often hold joint
celebrations of Eid and Diwali. Throughout
November, many Eid-Diwali joint celebra-
tions were held. For example, students at
one Sir Robert Borden BTI (a Toronto High
School ) held a successful joint celebration
in the school cafeteria. Participants re-
flected the broader school population. In
addition to students of Indo-Caribbean ori-
gin, there were others who emigrated from
countries across the world— Afghanistan ,
India , Pakistan , Sri Lanka , former Yu-
goslavia , and parts of Africa . The highlight
of the celebration was a sumptuous lunch
featuring traditional snacks (samosas), and
dishes (Biryani). The celebration took on an
air of elegance as the participants were
decked out with traditional costumes. There
was food, fun and laughter, and dancing to
Bollywood pop tunes.
Of course, occasions like this one pro-
vide youths the opportunity to appreciate
another living culture. The common ele-
ments were emphasized through the shar-
ing of food, having fun, and dancing to
music.
Page 18
Lessons Learned
Caribbean countries have been living ex-
amples of multicultural societies at the time
when immigration to Canada was restricted
to people from Europe . Since the middle
of the last century, however, Canada opened
its doors to people from all over the world.
Today as new cultures take root side by side
in Canada , there is the need for citizens to
understand the significance of traditional
festivals. Joint celebrations of Eid and Di-
wali serve to bring to the forefront mean-
ings and symbolisms beneath the festivities
not otherwise obvious to other Canadians.
True, what may stand out at such events
are the attractive costume worn and fine
food consumed. In due course, the true
message of these great festivals shall per-
meate the fabric of society, as they become
part of an evolving Canadian culture. Today
our youths are getting the best of both
worlds, inspired by the past as they look
forward to a bright future with confidence.
Annual Reminders
There is truth to the saying that what goes
around comes around, just as day follows
night, or light dispels darkness. As our
youths celebrate Eid and Diwali, what is
perhaps more important than costume, food
and drink is the forming of new friendships,
and the cementing of old ones. Undoubt-
edly, some of them over-indulge and lose
track of the true message of fasting (Eid)
and the dissemination of new knowledge
(Diwali). But should anyone be overly con-
cerned? This time next year, all of us will
have the opportunity to celebrate once
again!
In the meantime let’s continue to act re-
sponsibly and strive for success, as we be-
come contributing members of society. In
the process we shall lead healthier lives and
appreciate those benefits that arise from in-
culcating good habits. Therefore, let’s con-
tinue to cherish the new friendships we
make as we learn more about the cultures
of fellow Canadians.
Certainly, we adults can learn a thing or
two from our youths as they jointly cele-
brate Eid and Diwali. Societal changes we
currently experience are helping to shape
the future.
The poem below seeks to capture the
essence of Eid and Diwali:
Feasting in the Light
As the lights of diyas in radiant brilliance
glow
Let the darkness in our thoughts be dis-
pelled.
As the Ramadan feast reinvigorates the
faithful
Let body in strength and mind in truth grow
Youths of today certainly do know
that living in harmony is vital for success
So what a better time is it to celebrate
Festivals from two traditions so great?
Come let’s wish everyone everywhere
Eid Mubarak aur Shubh Diwali
Eid Greetings and Happy Diwali
Where faith abounds and light radiates
As Indo-Caribbean youths join others
from all over the world and celebrate Eid
and Diwali, let’s strive to make life one big
celebration!
[Dr. Roop Misir is a Teacher at Sir Robert
Borden BTI. You may contact him at
roop.misir@gmail.com]
IINDIANS IN THE CARIBBEAN
Sex abuse of young girls by family members a huge problem in Guyana
Close to home: four women
relate how they were sexually
R
molested as children
esentment, an inability to trust,
emotional trauma and depression
are some of the psychological scars
carried by children who suffered sexual
molestation at the hands of family mem-
bers.
Incest remains one of the most under-re-
ported and least discussed crimes in the na-
tion. Associated with strong taboos not just
in the local community but in the interna-
tional one as well, incest often remains con-
cealed by the victim because of guilt,
shame, fear, social and familial pressure,
and coercion by the abuser.
Help and Shelter Crisis Service Centre
(HSCSC) has reported that more and more
persons are coming forward to report incest
cases and have attributed this to its public
education campaign.
For this year, the organization has re-
ceived two reports of children under the age
of six years old being raped. In the six to
eight-year-old age range, HSCSC has seen
three cases, in addition to five children aged
between nine and 11.
The majority of cases, 22 for the year,
were accounted for by children aged 12 to
14. HSCSC is also currently providing
counselling and other assistance to 11 other
rape sufferers, four of whom are between
the ages of 15 and 17; two in the 18 to 20
age range; four between the ages of 21 and
30; and one in the 30 to 31 age range.
Research has determined that many other
cases go unreported either to the police or
to Help and Shelter. A consultation paper
drafted by the Ministry of Human Services
and Social Security as part of its 'Stamp it
out' campaign states that prosecutors and
health care workers have reported increas-
ing levels of violence against young chil-
dren in Guyana. It acknowledges that in
most cases the offender is known to the
child.
In a section headed 'Did you know?' the
paper said that a 2005 study found that only
obout one per cent of the rapes reported to
the police resulted in a conviction. It re-
vealed too that a study done this year found
that 92% of victims of sexual violence were
female and 60% of these were 16 years old
and younger.
In three out of every four cases, the ac-
cused was known to the victim and more
than two-thirds of sexual offences took
place in the home of the victim or the ac-
cused, the document, which was produced
as part of the ministry's efforts to strengthen
protection against sexual violence and re-
forming the law on sexual offences, re-
ported.
From 2000 to 2004, the study said, of the
647 rape cases reported to the police, 341
of the offenders had been charged and 20
had been tried in the high court, but only
nine convictions had been secured.
While the ministry was directing its ef-
forts to instituting tougher legislation to
deal with those who commited these of-
fences, victims who had already suffered
remained scarred by the abuse.
Stolen innocence
"Stolen innocence," is how Bridget (not
her real name) described the pain and agony
she still felt following years of sexual abuse
which started at the tender age of five.
"I just wanted to play with my friends
outside and wanted to do what any five-
year-old girl would do, but daddy said, 'No
stay with me in the bed… I haven't seen
you in three weeks.' So like an obedient girl
I stayed with daddy in the bed. He closed
the door… I don't remember much of what
happened that day but I do remember him
putting his penis in my mouth," she said.
"My sister and I went to the Essequibo
for vacation because daddy lived there… I
remember daddy naked, telling me to take
what I want and asking me why I liked it so
much. I did not understand that it was
wrong. I used to be so scared and never
wanted to tell anyone.
"I remember this one time mommy was
working and daddy had me and my sister at
the dinner table. We were eating. I felt his
hand on my leg slowly moving it up to
touch me, then he took me and my sister in
the room and closed the door.
I don't know if he touched her, but I have
a feeling he did. Maybe one of these days I
would ask her," she said.
She said she tried telling her mother, but
her mother told her to tell her grandmother.
Bridget said that as she grew older she
became shy, especially towards any male
but often felt, "like I wanted to be touched
down there and it used to drive me crazy."
Bridget's father continued to molest her
sexually until she was 11 years old. Then
the abuse became verbal.
"After inflicting so much pain on me as
a child you would think daddy stopped. He
found another way to make me feel horrible
about myself. He told me I was a whore and
that I would amount to nothing and that all
I would do is dress up and go out to look
for men to get money. He would beat me
for no reason. When mom was not home
and I had to cook for the family, dad would
find something to say about the food I pre-
pared."
Bridget said she disliked her father and in
her early high school days she was very de-
pressed and became an introvert.
"It made me scared and I was afraid to
have friends because I was worried that
they would somehow know my secret, and
so for a long time I was the quiet girl in the
corner. I believed some of the things he said
and I questioned my abilities and my future.
Would I really be somebody or would I be
a whore liked daddy said? Would I ask men
for money? I didn't know.
"I had so much bottled up inside and
never really told anyone because I was
ashamed of what people would think of me,
and maybe they would blame me for bring-
ing it on myself. I was so afraid of men be-
cause I thought they all would do the same
thing to me, but I had to learn to let it go,"
she added.
Sara's story
Sara (not her real name) was ten years
old when she faced sexual molestation at
the hands of her 21-year-old brother.
"It was a school day and I was home sick,
really sick - fever, vomiting and I think a
bad cold. I was in my mother's bed in the
only bedroom in the house that had a door
that could be locked. My mother was in the
kitchen downstairs.
"He came home at lunch time and walked
in and out of the room several times. I think
I must have dozed off because the next
thing I recollect is feeling hands on my un-
derwear. I opened my eyes and said a weak
no. 'Sssssh, ssssh,' he said. 'I have to do
this.' I was terrified; I shut my eyes tightly,"
she said.
Indo-Caribbean Times DECEMBER 2007
She continued, "I locked my legs together
so that my underwear only went partway
down, but he was able to touch me inti-
mately. I was ashamed and very, very
scared. Then I felt his penis poking between
my tightly-locked legs. I remember think-
ing that mommy would be angry with me
because she had told me that I should never
allow anyone to do this. I was so rigid with
fear that he could not enter me. Then he
started to tremble and moved away. (I know
now that that was when he ejaculated and
he must have come in his underwear, be-
cause there was nothing on the bed.)"
Sara said she jumped up and ran down-
stairs, drenched in perspiration and started
vomiting. "Mommy came to me and said,
'Thank God the fever has gone.' I had
sweated it out in fear. I stayed close to her
for the rest of the day."
Sara said she went to school the next day
even though she still felt unwell but never
told anyone and never stayed home sick
again.
Sara had blanked the incident from her
mind, but somehow, enough remained for
her to be permanently resentful towards her
brother.
She said she hadn't spoken to her brother
for years and it wasn't until she became an
adult and underwent counselling for an-
other traumatic experience that the whole
thing came flooding back. "I told the coun-
sellor and I told my husband; not a soul
else."
Sara, who is now a grown woman, found
out only three years ago that her brother had
also been abusing her older sister since she
was about eight years old, and that abuse
continued for four years until he moved out
to live with his girlfriend. "He died two
years ago and I did not grieve," she said.
Erin's story
"I hated him and he took advantage of
me and I don't know how I could forgive
him even though he is now dead," Erin (not
her real name) said, adding that even
though there was no intercourse, she be-
lieved her story needed to be told.
"I had just turned 10 and had just written
common entrance and he, my grandfather,
was assisting my single mom to purchase
my school supplies. He told me to meet him
at his house where he lived alone and then
we would go into town to get my stuff.
When I got there, he was still lying on his
bed. I vaguely remember what he was
wearing, but I was dressed in a three-quar-
ter khaki pants and a short-sleeve brown
and cream top. He told me to come into the
room and I saw no harm in it because after
all he was my grandfather…
"He pulled me on him and closed the
door and then held me close to his body. He
pushed his hands in my underwear and
pressed me down as he worked his body up
and down. My chest was flat. I didn't even
have breasts, yet he caressed me as though
I was his woman," she said.
"But I started to panic and he realized it
and asked me if I wanted to take my clothes
off. I asked him why and he told me I
should not tell my mother about it. But then
he leaned over me and got up and eventu-
ally opened the door. I was scared and
wanted to go home. When we left his house
I walked in the opposite direction and he
kept shouting my name. I headed straight
for my mother's workplace and she listened
to me but not with the amount of attention
and urgency I felt my case required.
Though I was so young I knew what he
Page 19
wanted to do."
Erin said her mother later confronted her
grandfather, "who denied everything I said
and my mother simply swallowed all he
said and never discussed the matter with me
again. But it has worried me to this day and
has made me totally incapable of trusting
anyone. I am always suspicious, not only of
men, but of people who try to be too nice
to me, maybe even genuinely so because I
feel like they always want something in re-
turn. While I feel myself growing out of it,
it makes me imagine what many other per-
sons out there suffered and are still suffer-
ing," Erin recounted.
Lisa's story
Lisa (not her real name), whose parents
were busy working to make ends meet
stayed with a close family friend, her hus-
band and her 16-year-old son until her par-
ents came home from work.
"I was in second-year nursery and every
day after nursery school he came to pick me
up and I stayed by them and he was even
delinquent sometimes and left me alone.
One day I was sleeping and I felt him pull
my underwear down and he inserted his fin-
gers into my vagina and he told me not to
tell anyone. But as he pulled my underwear
down he made it rip a little. He asked me
what was the matter and I said nothing. He
zipped down his pants and took his penis
out and tried penetrating me, but he didn't
succeed and he used his finger and then he
stopped," Lisa recounted.
She said she had never told anyone about
her experience but after that day she told
her parents that she never wanted to go
back to that home.
"I can't remember if there was any blood,
but I know I felt him trying to penetrate my
vagina. Until now I struggle with what mo-
tivated my molester and I feel like if I hear
his reaction, if I ask him why he did it, it
may put an end to the thoughts I get," she
said.
Lisa said her experience still caused her
much pain but she believed that the perpe-
trator would face whatever penalties he de-
served later in his life.
A common thread running though these
cases is that none of them were ever re-
ported.
Human Services Minister Priya Man-
ickchand has acknowledged that sexual vi-
olence is the most widespread and
unpunished of crimes. She said too that
Guyana's laws were centuries out of date
and the system here was failing to deliver
either justice or support to those who had
been violated. "This is unacceptable," she
said in her foreword in the consultation
paper. The paper has proposed a number of
measures aimed at stamping-out sexual vi-
olence in our society.
The minister said government action
alone was not enough to deal with this so-
cial ill, adding that "protecting our people
from sexual violence is the responsibility of
all Guyanese. A collective effort is needed,
involving all sectors of society.
It pays to
advertise in the
Indo-Caribbean
Times
Zee TV
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
winners
thrill TT
crowds
TT’s own singing idol singer, Mastana
Bahar winner Pravana Maharaj took to the
stage at Centre of Excellence to perform
“Lapat Japat Arey Bajarewa”. He set the
pace for a memorable evening with the win-
ners of Zee TV’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. *
However, the night belonged to Raja
Hassan who thrilled the audience with his
renditions of Bollywood hits. Raja, who
placed second inIndia?s biggest competi-
tion, sent the crowds in a frenzy when he
did “Tujhe Dek Dek Sona”. His powerful
voice penetrated the hall and many were
clapping and singing along.
Among the early acts were the Bogee
Wogee dancers out of Mumbai, India, who
did pop rock and film dances. Then came
Mauli Dave with an interpretation of “No
entry”. She was followed by Harpreet Doel
who gave a tremendous performance,
singing hit after hit, much to the delight of
their young TT fans who have been follow-
ing the Zee TV competition on cable tele-
vision. Harpreet, who is from Punjab,
started with the chart topper “Chanavey
Ghar Aja Rey”, followed by “Bhegi Hota
Rey”, and “Sare Kay Nakay”. The crowds
erupted when he ended his stint with the old
Bollywood tune “Aaj Mousam Hai Baraa”.
Next on stage was the beautiful Sumedha
Karmahee. She started off with “Baho Meh
Dhar Diya”, followed by “Jawani Janay
Mann”, and ended with “Bedi Chamelay”.
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa winner Aneek Dhar
came on stage at 10 pm and performned
several of his winniong songs much to the
delight of the crowds.
At 11pm the youngest of the lot, Devakar
Sharma 11, who was born blind,came on to
sing a medley of the Bollywood tunes.
The singers left TT last Sunday for three
shows in Miami and other shows in the UK
before returning to India.
Promoter of the local event, Mahenadra
Persad, said people were calling for more
from the young stars but the show had to
end at 1 am on Sunday morning. He said
Zee TV stars are very popular in the west-
ern countries as they have been performing
before sold out audiences in the US and the
UK.
“It is amazing how these young people
can hold the attention of the huge audiences
with their songs,” he said.
Persad said while none of them are play-
back singers they are able to deliver the
Bollywood tunes as perfectly as the origi-
nal singers.
Deepika not signed
for Krrish-2
Model-turned actress Deepika Padukone,
who made her debut with Om Shanti Om
and is believed to have signed Rakesh
Roshan’s Krrish-2, denies the rumour.
Deepika confirms, "I am not doing Krrish-
2." The actress, who has been endorsing a
whole range of products says, "I am not
here to count my endorsements, but to do
good work."
Indo-Caribbean Times DECEMBER 2007 Page 20
Tabla players excel at Arya Samaj concert
Dr Ganraj Kumar (right), former president
of Guyana Central Arya Samaj presents a
book of poems written by Pt Birbal Singh to Students of Chandi Pitamber's Tabla school performing a tabla recital at the Diwali con-
Amar Umadas, Vice President of Toronto cert of Toronto Arya Samaj held on Nov 17 at the Arya Samaj Mandir, 4345-14th Av-
Americans tour
Arya Samaj. enue.
A huge audience was there to cheer them on as they showed off their skills and dexterity
in fine style demonstratng different taals and beats. The concert featured songs, music,
disappoints Indian
dances, and fashion. There was a variety food bar and a raffle to add to the excitement.
Idol Tamang Police say no extortion on Shah Rukh
While the reigning Indian Idol Prashant Mumbai police have dismissed reports in land. Undue advantage is being taken of the
Tamang had a good time on his four-city a section of the media that claimed Bolly- media."
US tour that ended last Monday, the organ- wood star Shah Rukh Khan had received an Pandey was earlier aligned with the
isers were disappointed by the low turnout extortion call for Rs 2 crore from gangster Chhota Rajan gang but later broke away
of Indian Americans at his concerts. Bunty Pandey. and reportedly targets Bollywood personal-
"At Tamang's New York performance, the "Shah Rukh has not received any such ities for extortion.
audience of about 1,700 was predominantly call," said a senior officer from the Crime Pandey's name was in news recently after
Nepalis and Tibetans. Only about 30 Indian Branch. he gave an interview to a private news
Americans attended," said Kashish, who Asked about interviews a person, claim- channel claiming to be behind the murder
managed the concert at the Jacob Javits ing to be Pandey, has been giving to some of NCP Corporator Devidas Chowgule in
Centre Dec 8. television news channels since morning, the the neighbouring satellite city of Navi
"The proportion of Indian Americans at officer said "may be he is doing it just for Mumbai.
the Atlanta concert Dec 9 too was cheap publicity...to become big in the gang-
abysmal," he added.
"The tour that opened with concerts at
Washington DC and Boston was not a fi-
nancial success," Kashish said.
"But then profit was not our motive. It
was to introduce him to the Nepali commu-
nity here," he said.
Tamang himself said he had a good time
on the tour as it was a dream come true for
him. "Ever since I was a child, I had wanted
to visit China and America," he said at a
press conference in New York. "I will re-
turn to the US as a performer and a tourist,"
he added.
He said he was keen to learn more about
singing techniques to improve his skills and
was not averse to doing playback numbers
for Bollywood. He has already released his
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CARIBBEAN
Indian radio programming in TT- the unfolding drama
P
By Ashram B. Maharaj.
ublic administration and information
Minister Dr. Lenny Krishendath
Saith, has recently announced that
thirteen new radio stations will come on air
over the next two years. Minister Saith also
stated that this will comprise ten national
stations and three community stations more
details will be given later. One can expect
that among these new stations there will be
additional Indian frequencies. It is against
this background that this analysis and criti-
cal review is being carried out.
From the arrival of Indians to Trinidad
in 1845, Indian culture was not only rele-
gated to the dark cell, but was treated with
scorn, contempt and hostility by the pow-
ers that be, by the non-Indian population
and later on the PNM government.
The Genesis of Indian
Radio Programming
In 1947, the first Indian radio programme
was introduced by Kamaluddin Mo-
hammed, though some authorities have ar-
gued that it was Pandit Teeluckdharry who
introduced the first Indian programme, this
is still to be verified.
From 1947 until the advent of WABC
103FM in July 1993, Indian culture lovers
were treated to bouts of tokenism by the
two competing radio stations (what was
then known as Radio 610 and Radio 730).
Half an hour and later on, one and a half
hours of Indian programming were allo-
cated to approximately 45% of the popula-
tion with additional hours for Divali and
Eid-Ul-Fitr only. With the introduction of
103FM and its all Indian programming,
many remarked that everyday felt like Di-
vali or Eid-Ul-Fitr.
The genesis of 103FM in 1993 brought
not only smiles of appreciation to the Indian
population, but also had the effect of cat-
alyzing dramatic changes in policies and
programming of at least two other radio sta-
tions, ICN 91.1FM and the then CCN
106FM. Also witnessed was the introduc-
tion of 90.5FM, another exclusive Indian
Radio Station in October 1996 which
brought the total to four Indian radio sta-
tions.
Black Response
As far as the non-Indian population was
concerned, this was a frightening, develop-
ment as evidence by George Harvey’s arti-
cle in the Newsday. He stated
How come an arm of the state re-chris-
tened ICN (Indian Cultural Network) is al-
lowed to peddle Indian music
exclusively…..
We are courting calamity in this calypso
land by violating rules that guide our cher-
ished institutions…..
George Harvey
Newsday, June 19th; 1995 Page 8
Comments by UWI’s Rhoda Rheddock,
Errol Fabian calypsonians Gregory Ballan-
tyne (GB) and Luta also supported George
Harvey’s position: This was so despite the
fact that there were at least six other radio
stations with absolutely no Indian pro-
gramming, neglecting at least half of the na-
tions’ needs. No journalist, columnist or
commentator has seen fit to comment on
this blatant contempt and disregard for In-
dian cultural forms
Explosion of Indianness
At present, there are at least seven Indian
radio stations (91.1FM, 90.5FM, 103FM,
106FM, 94.1FM, AND 101.1FM). How
can we account for this explosion of “Indi-
anness” and consciousness on the air-
waves? Many theories have been advanced
for this phenomenon, including, the need to
fill a vacuum; providing an avenue for In-
dian expression, enhancing education about
and among Indians and mostly the tapping
of the advertising dollar vis-à-vis the Indian
market.
A cursory glance at the above factors will
reveal that the vacuum in which Indians
found themselves has existed since 1845.
They always needed, and still do, avenues
for cultural expression, and they always
needed to be educated about their culture.
With very few exceptions, the need for ed-
ucation has not been fulfilled via the air
waves.
Call-In Programmes
Programmes such as 90.5FM Shabnam
(Gillian Lucky), 106FM Morning Pan-
chayat (Dr. Suruj Rambachan) are com-
mendable in this respect. Sad to say, the rest
of the call-in programmes are disappoint-
ing to say the least. On most of these pro-
grammes the presenters/moderators
demonstrate their incompetence and igno-
rance when dealing with issues, maybe it is
due to a lack of preparation but it reflects
badly on the airwaves.
The Indian Dollar
The advertising dollar appears to have
been discovered by WABC 103FM which
escalated to be the leading station in the
land. The meteoric rise of 103FM galva-
nized CCN 106FM into recognizing the In-
dian factor for the purpose of cashing in on
the Indian dollar. Fast on the heels of
106FM, came the state owned 91.1FM,
which had hitherto previously refused to
even consider increased paid programming
for Indian cultural expression, followed by
90.5FM which also wished to capitalize as
well as 94.1FM.
Programme Format
Indian radio programming by and large
was based on a request format since its in-
ception. This trend has largely continued
and appears to be the most popular on at
least five radio stations. Through the years,
the request program has been the main form
of programming and appears to be internal-
ized by listeners. Clearly, it can be gleaned
that listeners hardly learn anything from
these programmes suggesting that the for-
mat, since its inception has met little edu-
cation need. Hence, the large dose of Hindi
songs and music, the repeated requests and
announcements are very stereo-typed. This
means that one Indian radio programme on
one station parallels on another station. It is
clear that with very few exceptions the pro-
ducers are yet to exploit the true potential
of the airwaves as a means of public edu-
cation with respect to Indian culture.
By and large the radio announcers with
few exceptions on these stations could en-
hance their skills with further training. It
appears as though one of the pre-requisites
to become a radio announcer is the ability
to sing which does not necessarily make
one a good announcer. Their versatility and
skill in dealing with the material at hand de-
mands additional development and prepa-
ration before they come on the air. Then we
Indo-Caribbean Times DECEMBER 2007
may experience less un-informed opinions
and bad pronunciations, bad grammar
loaded with green verbs and pink adjec-
tives, including statements like brother-in-
laws, darma for dharma, Bagwansingh for
Bhagwansingh, baji for bhaji, new innova-
tions, Bay-joo-cal for Bejucal, Soowar (pig)
Sangeet for Swar Sangeet, jess for just and
the list goes on. Most of these announcers
prove to be an embarrassment on many oc-
casions. Clearly, what is required is further
training and the knowledge of basic Eng-
lish and consultation on pronunciation of
Hindi words. The irony is that some of
these stations have Hindi lessons as one as-
pect of their programming. Listen to any of
the Indian stations and one will be bom-
barded with these errors.
The questions needs to asked, Are we
happy with this form of programming or
what we are subjected to? Are we happy to
be continued being stagnated with thin or is
it time for us to renew our efforts and re-
format our programming? Is this the best
that can be offered? Shouldn’t the listening
population demand better?
New Breath of Life
Perhaps, in the restructural process we
can consider new vistas. This does not
mean broadcasting more yagnas which
earns the advertising dollar. Some exposure
should be given to local Indian literary
works. Since radio stations provide a serv-
ice to the community on a daily basis, some
West Indian literary works could be serial-
ized which deal with the Indian presence in
a social, historical and cultural complex.
Fictional works of such writers like Sir
Vidia Naipaul, Samuel Selvon, Ra-
bindranath Maharaj and Vishnu-Ram-
samooj Gosine. Sharlowe Mohammed,
Lakshmi Persaud and this author to name a
few could be serialized for airplay. Drama-
tization of these works could even win a
universal audience.
Non-fictional works are available for use
and, discussion in broadcast to schools. The
radio remains a powerful medium for edu-
cating our people and liberating our minds.
Positive lessons from our past, from our at-
titudes during and after indentureship could
be used to re-inculcate in our progeny, fam-
ily values, work ethics, self-esteem, con-
sciousness and direction.
What about problems rampant among In-
dians, obesity, diabetes, cardio-vascular dis-
eases, exercise and dietary habits? What
about alcoholism, domestic violence, drugs,
incest, suicide? Moral decay, infidelity and
breakdown of the Indian family unit are
now common place. Self-righteousness and
the victim psyche among Indians should be
addressed. There are issues that should
never be peripheralised. Solutions to these
must be addressed. There are sufficient and
capable exemplers in our society, skilled
and qualified to offer prescriptive solutions.
Radio stations have the unique opportunity
to harness the talents of these individuals
and achieve far-reaching and multi-bene-
fits.
Presently radio stations play music, es-
pecially Hindi film music and chutney. This
is all well and good, it is commercially re-
warding. What is necessary is more variety
in the choice of music, e.g. Mehdi Hassan,
Pankaj Udhas, Ravi Shankar and other re-
gional music from India, Fiji, Mauritius,
and South Africa (where Indians have set-
tled). More local artistes should be high-
lighted which would assist in further
developing our creative ability instead of
Page 21
fostering pre-packaged programming. This
does not mean more of. “Rum till I die”,
“Sand fly go bite you” or “Cat lick the but-
ter” but songs with lyrics that can be uplift-
ing.
Probably it can be argued that this is the
successful formula and stations must be
commercially viable. However, sooner or
later, the Indian ear will become saturated
with the similar music on all station and a
new recipe will have to be explored, in
order to retain or increase market share. In-
novative measures and visions will have to
be explored. It can be argued that the lis-
tening audience gets what it demands there-
fore change must come from the
population.
Indian radio stations and Indian radio
programming to a large extent have in-
stilled a sense of pride, self-esteem and con-
sciousness among Indians. However,
improvement in the talk-shows and call-in
programmes should be encouraged. Radio
stations have successfully captured the In-
dian pocket, it is now time for a larger vi-
sion to manifest itself in terms of further
educating the Indian mind and not solely
for entertainment.
Akash is the top
Caribbean
CAPE student
Just months after he shared this country?s
President’s Medal award, Akash Maharaj
received the Caribbean’s top award for his
performance in the Caribbean Advance Pro-
ficiency Examination (Cape).
Maharaj, a past pupil of Presentation Col-
lege in Chaguanas, received the Dennis
Irvine Award for overall outstanding per-
formance.
Dr Dennis Irvine was a past chairman of
the Caribbean Examination Council (CXC).
Maharaj, who is studying physics at
Queen’s College in Cambridge, England,
returned home last week to enjoy Christmas
with his family.
Accompanied by his mother Bina, he left
for St Lucia yesterday to attend
the award ceremony at the Sandals Grande
Beach Resort.
Maharaj and Jemelia Harris, of Bishop
Anstey’s High School, were named
in October as the two President’s Medal
winners for exceptional performance in the
Cape exam.
India wins home series
SPORTS
against rivals Pakistan
I
ndia settled for a draw in the final Test
with Pakistan in Bangalore to claim a
first home series for 29 years against
their fiercest rivals.
The hosts won the three-Test series 1-0
but were heading for an unlikely second
victory, with Pakistan 162-7 chasing 374,
before bad light stopped play.
India declared their second innings on
284-6 with Sourav Ganguly (91) and Di-
nesh Karthik (52) doing the damage. Cap-
tain Anil Kumble then took 5-61 to give
India a sniff of the win.
But with 13 overs lost because of the
gloom, the leg-spinner might rue not de-
claring earlier.
Pakistan raced to 23-0 at tea as they went
through the motions of chasing, but the
game appeared to be up soon after.
Kumble deceived Yasir Hameed (39)
with a quicker ball and then caught Younus
Khan (0) off his own bowling three deliv-
eries later.
The skipper struck for a third time to re-
move Salman Butt for eight after the opener
edged behind to wicket-keeper Karthik but
Pakistan's Faisal Iqbal and Misbah-ul-Haq
stuck around to put on a bit of a show for
the patient crowd.
The pair shared an enterprising 71 before
Iqbal lofted a skier to 19-year-old Ishant
Sharma off Kumble for 51 and then Kam-
ran Akmal was bowled by Kumble's next
ball for a golden duck.
But as the match looked like grinding to-
wards the draw, left-arm spinner Yuvraj
Singh removed Misbah's off stump for 38
off 40 balls to leave Pakistan tottering at
148-6.
The home crowd sensed a chance to skit-
tle Pakistan and the excitement mounted
further when Yuvraj bowled Yasir Arafat for
another duck.
But with an unlikely victory seemingly
within India's grasp, the light worsened and
Pakistan wasted no time in accepting the in-
vitation to go off.
The Indians remained on the pitch but
eventually the umpires conferred with
Kumble and he accepted the bad light was
terminal.
Earlier, India resumed on 131-2 with
Ganguly on 63 and Rahul Dravid on 35.
The two old hands proceeded serenely
for 14 overs and added 46 to their overnight
stand of 106 before the innings stuttered.
Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria trapped
Dravid trapped lbw for 42 to leave India
178-3, a lead of 267.
CHESS, DRAUGHT AND
DOMINO TOURNAMENTS
Players of all skill levels (beginners to advanced) are
invited to participate. Tournaments held every month
during the winter.
See schedule at www.horizoncricketclub.com or phone
905-794-5423. Also, adult and kids CHESS LESSONS
(beginners to advance). Learn to play the world’s best
board game.
Registration information at
www.horizoncricketclub.com
Indo-Caribbean Times
Ganguly, who won man-of-the-series in
his 99th Test, was poised to become the
seventh player to score a double-hundred
and a century in the same match.
Australians Doug Walters and Greg
Chappell, West Indies' Lawrence Rowe and
Brian Lara, India's Sunil Gavaskar and
England's Graham Gooch are the other
batsmen to have achieved the feat.
But the former captain flashed an edge to
Iqbal at gully off Mohammad Sami in the
next over for no further score.
India's stutters continued shortly after
when birthday boy Yuvraj, 26, edged Sami
to wicket-keeper Akmal for two.
But Karthik, who hit Kaneria for a six
and two fours in an over, and VVS Laxman
stemmed the rising tide with a 37-run stand.
India were unfortunate to lose a further
batsman when Laxman retired hurt on 14
after suffering a blow to the elbow when he
ducked into a fiery Shoaib Akhtar short ball
with the third delivery after lunch.
But the aggressive Karthik was ably sup-
ported by Irfan Pathan (21 not out) and the
pair put on 59 before Karthik edged behind
to Sami off Arafat and Kumble finally de-
clared.
England struggle
against Sri Lanka
in second Test
E
ngland face a struggle to save the sec-
ond Test after conceding a sizeable first
innings lead against Sri Lanka on day four
in Colombo.
When the tourists took their fourth wicket
of the day soon after lunch they held hopes
of restricting the lead.
But the hosts' ninth wicket pair of
Prasanna Jayawardene (79) and Dilhara
Fernando (36no) put on a defiant 98.
Mahela Jayawardene's 195 helped them
declare on 548-9, a lead of 197, and Eng-
land reached 48-0 at the close.
Sri Lanka's gritty first-innings display -
they kept the tourists in the field for 13 and
a half hours - effectively ends England's
hopes of winning both the match and the se-
ries.
They lost the first match in Kandy by 88
runs and their best hope now is to avoid de-
feat in Colombo in order to go to Galle for
the third and final Test with a chance of lev-
elling the series at 1-1.
DECEMBER 2007 Page 22
Sri Lanka, who resumed 28 ahead on
379-4, progressed serenely through the first
40 minutes and it was a surprise when Eng-
land made the breakthrough.
Durham paceman Steve Harmison has
shown signs of returning to form on his re-
call to the side following six months out
with injury and he produced a brute of de-
livery to Jehan Mubarak which the left-han-
der could only fend to Ian Bell in the gully.
Prasanna Jayawardene turned the next
delivery through square leg to take the hosts
Amir Khan heads for
European title fight
Y
oung Amir Khan has cemented his
reputation as the best young boxer in
Britain with a sensational knockout of
highly rated Graham Earl last Saturday. He
is now on course for a title fight for the Eu-
ropean championship sometime in the new
year.
The 21-year-old turned professional in
July 2005 having won a silver medal at the
2004 Athens Olympics and impressed in his
rookie year, easily despatching a series of
journeymen.But criticism soon surfaced
Prasanna Jayawardene
about the standard of opponent he was fac-
ing despite the fact he was still a novice.
past 400 but his namesake and captain Ma-
Earlier this year he made a significant rise
hela, who had looked completely unruffled,
in stature by claiming Willie Limond's
was soon back in the pavilion.
Commonwealth lightweight title before de-
The Sri Lanka captain, who had resumed
fending it against Scott Lawton.
on 167, greeted Monty Panesar's arrival
And on Saturday night he silenced the
after an hour's play by merrily clumping his
last remaining critics with a superb, no-non-
third delivery through deep mid-wicket to
sense first-round victory over Luton's for-
move within sight of a double century.
mer WBO interim title challenger Graham
But his desire to dominate Panesar cost
Earl.
him dear when he tried to repeat his mid-
Khan blew Earl away inside a minute
wicket assault in the next over.
and 12 seconds at a packed Bolton Arena,
He succeeded only in skying the ball to
knocking the 29-year-old down before ap-
slip, where Paul Collingwood pouched the
plying further pressure to prompt referee
chance to remove him for 195.
Howard Foster to step in and stop the fight.
At that point the hosts' lead was 69 and
The brilliant victory made a significant
when Broad followed up with his maiden
statement within the sport and Khan admit-
Test wicket, Chaminda Vaas gloving a hook
ted afterwards: "It felt good, I think most of
to Ian Bell at slip, the tourists were right
the time when I fight I will probably get
back in it.
slagged off afterwards, people saying ac-
Prasanna Jayawardene cover drives on
cording to rankings, and on paper, I was al-
his way to his second Test fifty in Colombo
ways going to beat him.
on Wednesday. Prasanna Jayawardene's de-
Such was the impact of Khan's perform-
fiance took the game away from England.
ance that promoter Frank Warren, whose
n even better for England but Ravi Bopara
steady hand has guided Khan's career care-
and Bell failed to cling on to sharp chances
fully so far, revealed he is happy to secure
at short mid-wicket and short extra-cover
his protege a European title fight - against
respectively off Prasanna Jayawardene -
Yuri Romanov of Belarus, who lost to Earl
mistakes which were to prove costly.
last year - at the earliest opportunity before
Sri Lanka lunched on 439-7, a lead of 88,
moving on to bigger things.
but Lasith Malinga's dismissal soon after
"We've seen the start of a new era in British
the interval, trapped in front by Panesar,
boxing,” said Warren.
was a false dawn for England..
Devon Thomas is
The championship was judged by Barry
Thorvardson, President of the Ontario
2007 Chess Master Chess Association and Dr. Harold Chan,
2007 World Draughts Champion.
Horizon’s Cricket Club’s 2007 Ontario Complete tournament results will be up-
Chess Master Championship was held on dated at www.horizoncricketclub.com .
Saturday, December 08 in Brampton, On- Players from across Ontario are invited to
tario. complete for the prestigious title of 2008
The club’s 2007 Ontario Chess Master is Ontario Chess Master in the Spring of 2008
Devon Thomas from the Brampton Chess (date & venue to be confirmed and posted
Club. Second place was claimed by Rob on the website)
Gashgarian from Brantford Chess Club,
and third place was awarded to Lee Hendon UPCOMING TOURNAMENT
from Brantford Chess Club.
Congratulations to all the winners.[Those 2008 Ontario Domino Championship:
who wish to send congratulators letters, Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 1:00 pm at
prizes, gifts, etc to the Master are encour- ISLAND GROVE RESTAURANT (905-
aged to do so. Please mail to: Horizon 913-1200), 4525 Ebenezer Rd, Brampton
Cricket Club, 26 Latania Blvd, Brampton, (Queen & Gore Rd)
Ontario, L6P 1S9. Selected letters will be Registration from 12:30 to 1:00 pm
updated on our the Horizon website Expected finish time: 5:00 pm. No later
http://horizoncricketclub.com/horizon2/con than 6:00 pm.
gratulatory%20letters.html.
 Indo-Caribbean Times DECEMBER 2007 Page 23
Who’s getting killed in TT?
The list of 122 murders for the first five months of 2007
January 1. Neil Alexander, 2. Ophelia DeFeeza, 3. Vonrick Ferguson, 4. Amir Mo-
hammed, 5 Body found in Maracas, 6 Jamal Edwards, 7 Junior Davis. 8 Body Found, 9.
Ako John (Body found in Arima),10 Female body found at Maracas, 11 Body found in El
Dorado, 12 N Jack, 13 Police Officer ELIZABETH Sutherland, 14 IVAN Sutherland,15
ANIKA Sutherland, 16 Kevin Serrette, 17 Lance Corporal Brian O'Shaunessy, 18 Cer-
rano Mason, 19 Darren Francis, 20 Neville Bernard, 21 Akiel Weekes, 22 Body found in
East Dry River, 23 Denise Commissiong, 24 Clyde Commissiong, 25 Clint Lutchman, 26
Michelina Aurecchione, 27 Tariq Ali
February 28 Keron Hazel, 29 Kevon McKenna, 30 Body found at Rock City Laven-
tille31Loretta Hercules, 32 Nicholas Alexander, 33 Anthony Raphae-Silverton, 34 Sean
Spencer, 35 Chaitlal Singh, 36 Anthony Baptiste, 37 Christopher King, 38 Ashmin Sonny,
39 Tevin Besson. 40 Kevon Delpheach,41 Moonshar Ghany,
March
42 Angelo Mendoza 43 Robert Green 44 Ronnie 45 Anthony Pope 46 Sheldon Vala 47
Ann-Marie Singh 48 Fazouk Khan 49 Krishendeo Allpitchia 50 Don Duncan 51 Body
found at Beetham 52 Avalon Gonzales 53 Pastor Kelvin Austin 54 Hamid Mohammad 55
David McCullin 56 Darian Nicholas 57 Kern Hutch 58 Body found at Fyzabad 59 Randy
Reed 60 Aleem Ali
April
61 Marli McKenzie 62 Body found at Couva 63 Dexter Taylor 64 Body found at SS ERIN
RING ROAD 65 Kenrick Ryan Manswell 66 Joel Ross 67 Body found at Belmont 68
Body found at Moruga 69 Alistair Jack 70 Nicholas Clement 71 Neil Henry 72 Nehru
Ramsingh 73 Body found at Caura 74 Jerome Metto 75 Body found at Orangefield Road
Central 76 Deonarine Singh 77 Kendell Belcon 78 Kevon Gabriel 79 Dave Alexander 80
Keston Andrews 81 Dexter Williams 82 Dhanraj Bowlah 83 Sherman Bailey 84 Angus
Davis 85 Felicia Sanker 86 Makesis Nayako Julien 87 Ronald Spence 88 Atiba Griffith
May
89 Blaine Arthur 90 Body found at St James 91 Jerome Batson 92 Whitley Von Hannigan
93 Body found at Iere Village, Princes Town. 94 Anthony Barter 95 Marlon Mathais 96
Emmanuel Jagroo 97 Baby boy found dead at La Brea Village, Guayaguayare 98 Brent
Jason Cook 99 Keron Hypolite 100 Sloane Isacc 101 Kerry Lane 102 Gary Dickson 103
Charles Des Vignes 104 Vindra Naipaul 105 Jerry Salvary 106 Body found at Mahogany
Trace, Bagatelle 107 Nazeem Hosein 108 Body found La Romaine 109 Body found in
Malick Link Road in Morvant 110 Ajoma Mohammed 111 Michael King 112 Rusheed
Goodridge 113 Winston Skeet 114 Russell John 115 Carlon Briggs 116 Marlon Duke

BERBICE PALACE
117 Asquith Clark 118 Rudolph Sorzano 119 Andrew Belcon 120 Shakir Hinds121 An-
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