TIMES

I ndo- Caribb ean

Indian Inheritance Making sada roti P. 16
Museum in TT P. 6
Brampton Masters
Guyana economy not Cricket Club in the
about to collapse P. 7 Premier Division P. 22

Stories of Indo- Poet’s corner: Talking

Caribbean Arrival P. 10 mannish P. 20

Achiever Pandita Time to try a little

Gentle nani Vindra Trinidad & Guyana

Jasodra Persaud P. 11 Caribbean golf P. 23
Vol 1. No 4 June 2007 Tel: 416-289-3898 Fax: 416-289-0528 ictimes@rogers.com

Naipaul is dead, trial shaken by arrests of

of 11 accused to begin anti-US terrorists
FBI: They planned to blow up JFK fuel tanks
FEDERAL prosecutors in Brooklyn yes-
terday charged that a retired cargo worker at
Kennedy International Airport plotted with
a former member of the Guyanese Parlia-
ment and two other men to blow up termi-
nal buildings, fuel tanks and the network of
fuel pipelines that run beneath the airport
complex.
All four men, including the former airport
worker and the former Parliament member,
have been arrested by agents from the Fed-
eral Bureau of Investigation and police de-
tectives in Trinidad.. Officials said
Vindra Naipaul (centre) and ten of the 11 accused additional people may face charges.
LAST December, while most Trinidadians were busy preparing for Christmas, eleven The airport worker, Russell Defreitas, 63,
young black men made their plan to kidnap a 53 year old grandmothe, Chaguanas busi- through the assistance of the member of
ness woman Vindra Naipaul-Coolman. Parliament, Abdul Kadir, was in the process
It was the typical Trinidad kidnapping, one of hundreds seen over the last five years. of seeking the financial backing and bless-
Young black men would snatch a middle aged Indian business person, extract a few hun- ing of a Trinidadian terrorist group, Jamaat
dred thousand dollars in ransom, easily elude the clumsy police and escape scot free. But Al Muslimeen. The group was behind a
this one went wrong. failed 1990 coup attempt in that country.
Five months later police have confirmed that Vindra is dead. Eleven kidnappers have Several law enforcement officials said
been arrested, and the most sensational trial in recent history is set to begin shortly. that there had been no direct threat to the
Details of the gruesome kidnap, shooting, ransoming and death of Vindra Naipaul have airport, which handles an average of 1,000
already been revealed in the local media, when three alleged members of the kidnap gang flights a day and 45 million passengers a
tried to gain amnesty two months ago. year, and that Mr. Defreitas, a United States
Naipaul-Coolman, 52, was snatched from her Lange Park, Chaguanas, home on De- citizen who was born in Guyana, and his
cember 19 last year while pulling into her driveway. Kidnappers had demanded a $3 mil- coconspirators had yet to obtain financing
lion ransom for her safe release. Part of the ransom was paid, but she was not free or explosives.
Prosecutors are expected to show that the men assigned to kidnap Naipaul botched the But the officials said Mr. Defreitas, who
job and accidentally shot her in the chest during the snatch. She was attended by a doctor had long worked at the 4,930-acre airport,
so she could assist in the payment of a part of the ransom, but declined in health soon later developing a thorough knowledge of its
and died. At least one of the men is said to have raped Vindra as she lay dying. Her body layout and its vulnerabilities, sought an at-
was buriedin a grave in Diego Martin, and later dug up again and taken to another tack that he said, according to secretly
gravesite. recorded conversations, would result in “the
At present, 11 men are before Chief Magistrate Sherman McNicolls in the Port of Spain destruction of the whole of Kennedy,” an
Eighth Magistrate's Court, charged with murdering Naipaul-Coolman. attack that only a few people would survive.
They are Allan "Scanny" Martin, Lyndon "Iron" James, Shervon "Buffy" Peters, Keida In addition to a huge loss of life — “even
"Keida" Garcia, brothers Marlon "Mad Man Marlon" Trimmingham and Earl "Bobo" the twin towers can’t touch it,” he said of
Trimmingham, Ronald "22" Armstrong, Antonio "Hedges" Charles, Joey "Joey Ogiste", the plot — the attack would devastate the
Akeil Keron Gloster, aka "Crime B", and Joel "Ninja" Fraser. United States economy and strike a deep
symbolic blow against a national icon, Pres-
ident John F. Kennedy.
“Anytime you hit Kennedy, it is the most
hurtful thing to the United States,” he said
in one of dozens of conversations secretly
recorded during the 18-month investiga-
tion. “To hit John F. Kennedy, wow .... They
love John F. Kennedy like he’s the man ... If
you hit that, this whole country will be in
mourning. It’s like you can kill the man
twice.”
The officials said that Mr. Kadir, on the
other hand, emphasized the goal of causing
economic damage, and seemed to seek to
minimize the killing of innocent men and
women.
But a spokesman for Buckeye Partners,
the company that operates the pipeline, said
that an explosion at a fuel-tank farm at the
airport would not ignite the pipeline.
“It’s not like the pipeline is a stick of dy-
namite and the whole thing would blow
up,” said Roy Haase, the Buckeye
spokesman. “Pipelines don’t blow up.”
The secretly recorded conversations were
described in an indictment unsealed in Fed-
eral District Court in Brooklyn charging
Mr. Defreitas, Mr. Kadir and the two other
men, Kareem Ibrahim and Abdel Nur, with
conspiring to blow up the airport, charges
for which they could face life in prison if
convicted.
News of the arrests came as an unwel-
come surprise to Trinidadians and
Guyanese living in North America, who
now fear that the publicity could have a
negative effect on their security in the
United States and Canada.
SEE MORE STORIES ON PAGES 3, 5, 8
AND 19)

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Caribbean terrorists spoiling our good name
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK Indo-Caribbean Times JUNE 2007 Page 2

OVER the years we have
heard a tremendous quan-
tity of bad news from the
Caribbean , news that was
painful but irrelevant.
They never had much im-
Ram Jagessar pact on those of us living
in North America. The re-
cent news of arrests of terrorists from
Guyana and Trinidad is different.
Here in Canada and the United States ,
the way people see us Trinidadians and
Guyanese is changing as we speak. Inter-
national media are talking about our part
of the Caribbean as a hotbed of terrorism.
Not just any old terrorism, but anti-Ameri-
can terrorism aimed at destroying lives and
property in the United States . The people
arrested were planning to blow up fuel
tanks at JFK Airport in New York and un-
leash something worse than 9-11.
You don’t need to be a CIA analyst to
guess where this is leading. If Trinidad and
Guyana are creating dangerous terrorists,
then how will Americans and Canadians be
thinking about Trinidadians and Guyanese
living around them? Possible terrorists or
supporters of terrorists is the answer. Our
old image as happy but harmless dark
skinned Caribbean people with sing song
accents can get shredded in an amazingly
short time.
Those idiots who were planning the at-
tacks on JFK have struck a tremendous
blow to one of our dearest treasures, our se-
terfere with us, or target us because of our
ethnicity or nationality. We think that we
are safe from harassment and suspicion,
safe from “guilt by association”.
We only have to look at the experience of
the Pakistanis, Saudi Arabians, Iranians and
Iraqis in the United States to see how a
people's security can go down the drain.
Immediately after 9-11 most of the America
based Pakistanis, Saudis, Iranians and
Iraqis found themselves under suspicion.
Neighbours stopped talking to them. Cus-
tomers refused to patronize their busi-
nesses. The FBI started checking up on
them.
Travelling on an airplane was torture, as
they were seen as flight risks. Immigration
officers saw a red flag whenever a passport
said born in Pakistan. Relatives from the
home countries who wanted visitor or stu-
dent visas discovered they couldn't get any.
This hasn't stopped in the US, but only qui-
eted down after no more attacks were
launched after 9-11.
Some of this happened in Canada too.
Brown skinned, Middle Eastern looking
people were taken off airplanes because of
their appearance. CSIS targeted certain
Canadian residents or citizens, and several
were arrested and jailed only because they
were associated with other “suspicious”
people. One man was detained because he
knew a radical imam who was being inves-
tigated by CSIS. A Hindu temple in Hamil-
ton was burned down. Canadian travellers
from our security forces that was very close
to what the paranoid Americans were dish-
ing out.
So don't tell me it can't happen to us
Caribbeans. It has already happened to us
in a small way after 9-11.
The arrests of the Brampton jihadis who
wanted to chop off the prime minister's
head and blow up buildings in Toronto have
put the security forces on alert for danger
from – you guessed it- brown skinned, mid-
dle eastern looking men. Don't believe for
an instant that it has escaped the authorities
that one of the Brampton jihadis was a
Canadian born son of a Trinidad doctor. A
well known Trinidadian living in Brampton
recently told me he's been hearing that po-
lice are paying special attention to people
they pick up who have Brampton ad-
dresses.
Now the world is reading about Trinis and
Guyanese making serious plans to bomb
and kill in America. They are hearing that
the notorious Jamaat al Muslimeen is in-
volved, and remembering that the Mus-
limeen attempted a violent coup to bring
down the Trinidad government in 1990 and
create a radical Islamic state. They are hear-
ing that one of the arrested men is a promi-
nent member of the Trinidad opposition
party Congress of the People, and another
is a former opposition Member of Parlia-
ment in Guyana and mayor of the town of
Linden.
We know that these alleged terrorists are
tainly don't represent the views of most
Muslims in the Caribbean. But don't try
telling that to the world, because they won't
believe you.
The good news is that our reputation is
not completely wrecked but just damaged.
These are still only charges that have to be
proved in court. There is some way to go
before Trinidad and Guyana are fixed in
the North American public's mind as ter-
rorist producing, corrupt, failed states that
should be put on the international watch list
together with Pakistan and Iran. But be
warned. One more plot with terrorists con-
nected to Guyana or Trinidad will sink our
reputation like a stone.
To avoid further damage we Caribbeans
in Canada have to distance our communi-
ties from these lunatic terrorist wannabees,
just as our cousins in New York have al-
ready done.
We have to let the Canadian authorities
and the Canadian public know that we do
not share the views of the Trinis and
Guyanese who have been arrested. We can't
stay quiet and hope this blows over. The
image shattering public experience of the
British when they discovered their home
grown terrorists should be enough lesson
enough for us.
Our sense of security in Trinidad and
Guyana is long gone; that is why most of us
choose to live in North America. Now we
have to look to our threatened security right
here. Nobody is “crying wolf” on this issue.

McGuinty praises Caribbean Business Council

curity here in North America . We really with names like Mohammed, Ali and Khan extremists who don't represent the majority Wolfie is really at the door this time.
love to say that here we feel nobody will in- found themselves getting extra attention of Trinidadians and Guyanese, and cer-

No Trinidad
crowd. "This
BRAMPTON - Emerging ethnic business is where the

pension after 5
organizations are helping this province CCBC can
strengthen its economic advantage over the help, by be-

competition, Ontario Premier Dalton
McGuinty told the local Caribbean busi-
ness community..
"By pulling together members of the
Caribbean diasporas, you are helping to
strengthen the economic advantage pro-
vided by our diversity," McGuinty told
members of the Canada Caribbean Busi-
ness Council at a dinner held at the Holi-
day Inn Select on Peel Centre Drive in
Brampton. "By working with other people
and organizations the CCBC is doing
much to build opportunities for your com-
munity and indeed for all Ontarians. And
that means you are positioning Ontario to
build stronger ties including a stronger re-
lationship with the Caribbean."
About 200 people attended the event,
hosted by the CCBC in conjunction with
the Brampton Board of Trade.
Among those present were numerous
local and foreign dignitaries, including con-
sular generals representing St. Vincent and
the Grenadines, Guyana, Barbados and
Trinidad and Tobago.
In his address, McGuinty said it is vital
for governments and business leaders work
together in order to generate success.
In the case of Ontario's various ethnic
communities, it is essential for those who
coming that
bridge that
links those in-
dividuals
with others to
find mean-
ingful jobs, to
start their
own business,
to give them
the opportu-
nity to sup-
Selywn Baboolal, vice chair of the Canada Caribbean Business Council port their
families and
thanked Premier Dalton McGuinty for speaking at the group's meeting.
to become
work ethic. And all of us who are already contributors to this great province."
here are obligated to build opportunity for Singh said the CCBC is geared to creating
those who are arriving. That's the deal." mentorship and sponsorship programs for
The CCBC was launched nearly a year youth, initiatives to increase the profile of
ago with the intension of acting as a venue Caribbean women and advocating on be-
where business people of Caribbean origin half of the community.
can network and find support. "There are three main things we want to
The aim of the group is also to spearhead see happen for our community. We want to
change within their own community, in part see a sense of pride being reinstalled in our
by providing a means by which young peo- youth. By bringing our business people to-
ple and women can find employment and gether, we believe that we can be that
gain business experience. bridge between mentorship and job place-
Prior to McGuinty's speech, a number of ment for them," Singh said. "We can set the
speakers addressed the crowd. example for our youth to emulate and sur-
Bali Singh, CCBC chair, told the audience pass."
flat out the purpose of the event was to at-
years abroad
SENIOR citizens who spend five years
outside of T&T will not be eligible for pen-
sion.
The Senior Citizens Grant, also referred to
as Old Age Pension, will be revoked if an
individual 65 and over, eligible for the as-
sistance,accumulates five years residence
out of the country.
Barbara Richards-Nelson, a Social Wel-
fare officer attached to the Barataria Wel-
fare office, made the announcement during
a public Open Forum for Older Persons
held at the St Augustine Regional Complex,
St John Road in St Augustine.
It was part of the second cycle of open fo-
rums for the elderly hosted by the Ministry
of Social Development. The first cycle
kicked off in 2006 and thus far has been
held in Tobago, Diego Martin, San Fer-
nando and Sangre Grande.
Richards-Nelson explained to the packed
auditorium that vacationing or spending
time out of the country was not prohibited
but if the time away added up to five years,
pension money would be discontinued.

It pays to
have found success to help pave the way for "Tonight you all have the opportunity to
others by giving back, and by acting as role tract financial support for the organization. form pathways and make connections that
He used the opportunity to ask for help will help you help each other and grow to-

advertise in the
models.
"As business leaders you can show our and lay out exactly what the group intends gether," McGuinty added. "And I wish you
to achieve.

Indo-Caribbean
young people the way as role models be- every success because your success is On-
cause when young people see someone who "Many of best and brightest people im- tario's success."
migrate to Ontario with their families, un-

looks like them in a position like yours,
they can start to see themselves there too,"
McGuinty said. "All of us who come here
are obligated to bring honesty and a solid
Times
able to find friendly business organizations (BRAMPTON GUARDIAN )
in their community. These people end up
getting lost in menial jobs," Singh told the
COMMUNITY NEWS Indo-Caribbean Times
Baboolal leads Naparima Alumni executive
Prominent lawyer and community activist Selwyn Baboolal has been chosen to lead the
executive of the Naparima Alumni Association of Canada (NAAC) for another year. The
seven person executive was elected at the NAAC’s Annual General Meeting on Saturday
May 26. NAAC is one of the oldest Caribbean community organizations in Canada, with
an unbroken record going back to 1978. Its regular membership consists of past students
and staff of seven institutions established by Canadian Presbyterian missionaries in
Trinidad since 1868. These institutions are Hillview College, Iere High School, Naparima
College, Naparima Girls’ High School, Naparima Teachers’ Training College, St. An-
drew’s Theological College and St. Augustine Girls’ High School.
The NAAC executive pictured above are, from the left, Ian Ramdial, Sharlene Seemun-
gal, Merle Ramdial, Darise Crevelle, Selwyn Baboolal, Vitra Mungal, and Norma Ram-
sahai.
Still time to sign up for
major educational
conference in July
We need to see more Caribbean people
signing up for Shades of Brown, a major
education conference that focuses on the
experiences of South Asians in the school
system in Canada, says Krishna Nankissor.
a member of the executive committee.
The conference runs from July 8-12 at
York University, with a theme of Chal-
lenges, Myths and Promises. It features a
series of workshops, panels, films, papers
and displays on South Asians in Education.
Partners include the South Asian Teachers
Organization, All Indian Association of
Educational Researchers, Ontario Gurud-
wara Committe, Peel Multicultural Council
and the South Asian Gallery of Art.
Nankissoor wants to make sure that the
opinions and experiences of Indo-
Caribbeans are well represented in the con-
ference. That would mean more
Indo-Caribbeans registereding for opening
day Sunday July 8 at just $10 a person or
$20 for a family of five. Registration for the
full five day conference including a cruise
on Lake Ontario and tours of Toronto and
Niagara on the Lake is $300. To register go
to www.shadesof brown.org.They were
A Trinidad Hindu school 1914
JUNE 2007 Page 3
Terry Ann Khemrajsingh (left) and Sara Sylvan showing how it’s done
Dancing up a storm at Indo-
Caribbean Arrival show
THEY were talking up an ocean of memories when they celebrated the 99th anniversary
of the arrival of Indo-Caribbeans in Canada on May 27. Ruby Maharaj related how she
almost had her feet frozen when walked off the airplane in Toronto Airport in winter 1964,
wearing a sari and slippers. Her children were called “chocolate face” when they went to
school, as they were the only coloured children in the school at the time.
Ram Maharaj said he bought his first house off Highway 5 in the year 1964 with $25
down on the total price of $16,690. Albion Road was a gravel track at the time, surrounded
by abandoned farms.
Rudy Lochan, who arrived in Canada in 1988, found that Canada was not ready for
Caribbean immigrants and would probably never be ready. He said that the community had
to help its members with the kind of support he received when he landed.
Krishna Nankissoor remembered that 20 years ago the community had no name, and was
not considered part of either the Indian or Caribbean communities. Groups like the Ontario
Society for Services to Indo-Caribbean Canadians (OSSICC) waged a long battle to get
the name Indo-Caribbean accepted.
Broadcasting pioneer Jai Ojah-Maharaj said he was told he could not get on the radio
because he had an accent. He faced much opposition when he started broadcasting chut-
ney on his radio program.
Roop Misir commented that when he came to Winnipeg in 1973 the cost of a postage
stamp was 6 cents, a pint of beer was 10 cents and an all your can eat buffet would set you
back 99 cents. An entire apartment building would sell for $100,000.
This was all part of a fascinating trip down memory lane during a May 27 celebration
of 99 Years of Indo-Caribbean Arrival organized by the Indo-Caribbean Times newspaper
and the IndoCaribbeanHeritage.com community web site at BJ's Family Restaurant in
Etobicoke.
Five speakers related their “arrival” experiences in Canada years ago many years ago,
revealing many little known details of what it was like to be one of the few Indo-
Caribbeans in this country. Today Indo-Caribbeans number over 200,000 and are a marked
presence in Canada.
The event was also the for-
mal launch of the Indo-
CaribbeanHeritage.com web LET BOOSTERLINK MAKE
site, which provides free on- YOUR MORTGAGE OBSOLETE
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Spirited entertainment was
provided by young musicians GET THE MONEY YOU NEED
Randy and Racquel Ma- And
hadeo, tabla player Ramona
Sylvan, and dancers Terry BUILD YOUR
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Ann Khemrajsingh and Sara
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Ijaz Hosein
The stories of Canada long
ago were well received by the
young people who could not
conceive of a time when
Indo-Caribbeans were seldon Financial Adviser
seen on the streets, when Boosterlink Financial
there were no Caribbean gro-
ceries, restaurants, Hindu t 647-401-1608
temples or Muslim mosques, E-mail: ihosein@boosterlink.com
and when you could buy a
four bedroom split level sem
detached house with a down your personal
payment of just $25.
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. All content
must comply with the require-
ments of Canadian law
LETTERS TO
THE EDITOR
Reader gets
lucky at Ducky’s
Dear Editor,
As a Trinidadian who recently
moved to Toronto from another
province, I did not expect much of
the comforts of home. We didn’t
have much in Nova Scotia.
The doubles and roti shops in
Toronto were pleasant but nothing
special. One Saturday recently I
happened to be passing along
Lakeshore Boulevard and just by
chance passed into a Caribbean
place called Ducky’s,
Now that was a treat for the taste-
buds and the memories. Ducky’s
breakfast special had hot sada roti
made on the spot, with bigan
chokha, ochro, tomato shokha, bodi,
pumpkin and even salt fish buljol
Trinidad style. You could pick up a
good selection for under $5.
Well, you can bet I picked them
up. It brought back fabulous memo-
ries of my mother making these
same food on the old chulha a long
time ago. Ducky even had some se-
rious currants roll and sweet bread
for dessert. You know where my feet
are dragging me most Saturday
mornings these days. I’ve learned
that there are several other places
like Ducky’s and all of them are
worth a visit, even if you don’t want
curry duck.
Ralph Singh via e-mail.
Indo-Caribbean Times
TT radio host vs “United Nasty Coolies”
In support of judges
By Anand Ramlogan
Mr George ‘Umballa’ Joseph (a radio talk
show host with Louis Lee Sing’s radio
i95.5FM) recently lost a libel case before
Justice Peter Jamadar.
He had sued UNC’s Harry Partap and the
Newsday over a letter to the editor, which
the former wrote in response to his
(Joseph’s) claim that “UNC MPs were all
malicious.’
During the course of the trial, it emerged
that Joseph had used remarks “which, in the
context of the history and sociology of
Trinidad and Tobago, were clearly deroga-
tory and demeaning.”
Such terms included “damn United Nasty
Canesuckers”, “United Nasty Canecutters”
and “United Nasty Coolies.”
Since then, Joseph has boldly repeated
these obscene, not-so-veiled insulting ref-
erences to the Indo-Trinidadian community.
Apparently, it never dawned on him, that
were Indians to respond by using like
derogatory words to describe the PNM, our
country could just descend into a nasty
racial abyss.
In the meantime, the Telecommunica-
tions Authority stands idly by, afraid to
touch Joseph, presumably because of the
station’s close ties to theGovernment.
The day after he lost the case, Joseph and
Lee Sing launched a scathing attack on the
judiciary that suggested that it was not pos-
sible for “poor black people” to get justice
in this country.
The message was clear: Black people
could only get justice from Afro-Trinida-
dian judges.
Joseph went further, hinting that there was
a Presbyterian mafia in operation, making
Administration too slow to prevent
COMMENTARY:
many wife murders in Guyana
THE frequency with which men have
been murdering their wives and partners is
frightening. In one sense, it might be argued
that these horrible murders are the products
of personal psychopathy and little could be
done by society to prevent them. On the
other hand, the crimes occur in so many dif-
ferent communities and circumstances that
only the state has the resources to study the
problem and introduce solutions.
Wife murders are not freak occurrences.
Although some of the time the crimes might
be concentrated in a few places, most of the
time the causes are varied, the brutality is
intense and the scale is widespread. They
raise the questions of why wife murders are
so prevalent, how they persist and what can
be done to prevent them or to protect likely
victims from that fate.
In this regard, the selective and sancti-
monious statements by the usually well-
meaning Help and Shelter NGO on the
recent murders in Linden have been un-
characteristically unhelpful. Expressing
outrage at the killings, the NGO called on
"the Linden authorities, especially the Lin-
den Police Force, to redouble their efforts
to ensure that women and their children are
given the very best of protection and secu-
rity at all times.
It should be clear, however, that wife mur-
ders are not a local Linden problem alone
and hasty generalisations should be
avoided. Help and Shelter, no doubt, might
MAY 2007
snide references to that fact that it was the
same Jamadar who ruled that the Trinity
Cross was discriminatory.
No mention was made of the fact that Jus-
tice Jamadar openly declared to the lawyers
and litigants that he was an elder in the
Presbyterian Church (as was Partap), and
would gladly disqualify himself from hear-
ing the case if either party so desired, and
that no objection was taken.
The facts were distorted by Joseph to
imply that the judge was biased, because he
was an Indian Presbyterian and that he did
not disclose this.
His judgment in the Trinity Cross case is
prejudicially referred to as evidence of
some deep-seated undisclosed
political/racial/religious bias that affected
‘oseph?s case.
No mention is made of the fact that this
was the same judge who decided the Ken
Gordon “pseudo-racist” case against Pan-
day and ordered him to pay $600,000, plus
interest.
Instead, he is part of some hitherto un-
known “Presbyterian mafia” that has been
secretly operating in this country.
Attacking the judiciary is a favourite
hobby of politicians. Panday is the chief
culprit, having constantly attacked the sys-
tem, claiming he cannot get a fair trial of
genuine justice here.
This, notwithstanding the fact of the his-
toric ruling by three non-Indian judges in
the Court of Appeal in his favour.
Ramesh, his AG, wasn’t exactly backward
either, having suggested that Justice Archie
would have been biased in hearing the
Gypsy and Chaitan election petition cases,
because he had been denied a housing al-
lowance.
Manning almost toppled the judiciary by
going for the jugular in his thus far failed
have been referring to the murders of Mona
Lisa Rigby who was found in a creek near
to her home at Kara Kara; of Melissa An-
thony who was found dead at her home in
Retrieve; and of Nasleen Mohamed, a
Georgetowner, whose partly decomposed
body was found in a coal pit behind the
Wisroc Housing Scheme in Linden. But
several other areas - East Coast and East
Bank Demerara, West Coast Demerara and
WestCoast Berbice - have been the scenes
of many bloody and beastly murders.
Eileen Lall, a mother of five, was stabbed
to death by her partner Chetram Singh in
February at Herstelling after she refused to
return to their home. Savitri Samaroo also
was recently stabbed to death after she had
ended an 18-year relationship with her part-
ner in Annandale and was living with an-
other man at Cotton Tree village in
Berbice.
Nyron Jameer of Tempe Village was
charged with murdering his partner In-
dranie Bridgelall at their home in the Abary
River. On the West Coast, Farida Ishmael
was murdered when a flammable liquid
was thrown on her and she was set alight;
her partner Shilendra Peters, of Uitvlugt,
has been charged with her murder. Nand-
kumar Singh was recently sentenced to 36
years in prison for killing both his partner
Feiona Persaud, 14, who had ended a rela-
tionship with him, and her new boyfriend
Surujpaul Stanley, 19 at Enterprise. In pass-
Page 4
attempt to remove the CJ.
Political manipulation by PNM spin doc-
tors has led to the portrayal of CJ Sharma as
a Hindu Indian extremist who is a diehard
UNC.
The latest salvo came on Friday, when
Minister Ken Valley sought to defend his
political leader who lost a case regarding an
attempt to transfer foreign affairs officer
Feroza Ramjohn, because he deemed her a
threat to national security.
Valley accused trial judge Justice Amrika
Tiwary of being biased. Mr Valley actually
described her as “a UNC,” and pledged that
the Government would appeal the case all
the way to the Privy Council.
Our country is small, politically and
racially-divided. It is not that judges are
above criticism. No one and no system is
perfect.
The tentacles and influence of politics
reach into every institution in every coun-
try. Responsible and justifiable criticism
improves the administration of justice by
highlighting unwanted negatives, but
unjustified attacks by unsuccessful litigants
bring the administration of justice into dis-
repute.
By and large, our judiciary is intelligent,
well-qualified, independent and fair. Even
where there may be grounds for perceptions
of bias (such as previous political affilia-
tions or family members who are actively
involved in politics), these individual
judges oftentimes try doubly hard to be fair
because they are aware of these percep-
tions.
Judges are at a great disadvantage, be-
cause they cannot speak out on matters that
affect them. It is our duty as a society to
protect them from unjustified and malicious
criticism by those who should know better.
ing sentence, the judge bemoaned the facts
that not only were Singh's victims so young
but that Persaud was allowed to enter a
common law relationship with Singh when
she was just 12 years old.
Death sentences were also passed on
Doodnauth Ramsaywack for killing his
partner Ahilla Kuar at their home in Mon
Repos; on Lloyd Anthony McCleoud for
the murder of his wife Beverley Mc Cleoud
at Mocha, and on Royston Alfred for killing
his partner Cathedra Parris at her Werk-en-
Rust apartment. There have been many
more.
Domestic abuse that leads to murder is
seldom sudden or spontaneous; it is usually
cold-blooded and calculated and comes as
the climax of a long series of abusive in-
cidents. The question is, and has always
been, why has the administration been so
slow to recognise the pattern of abuse and
do something to prevent the murders, many
of which are predictable.
The uncomfortable silence and apparent
administrative paralysis on the issue of wife
murders must be replaced by better under-
standing and effective policies. The min-
istries of Human Services and Social
Security, Home Affairs, and Legal Affairs
must acknowledge the ubiquity and gravity
of the problem and together provide better
protection for possible victims.
L
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO NEWS
Supporters protest arrest of 85 yr swami on sex charges
Indo-Caribbean Times JUNE 2007 Page 5

Trying to bring Terror suspect is

back insulted COP executive
Indians to TRINIDADIAN Kareem Ibrahim, 56, who

calypso tents
THE Trinbago Unified Calypsonians Or-
ganisation (Tuco) president Michael Leg-
erton has raised the issue of the declining
attendance of Indo-Trinidadians at calypso
tents during the Carnival season.
Legerton, speaking during the first day’s
review of Carnival 2007 in St Mary’s Cen-
tenary Hall, Pembroke Street, Port-of-
Spain, said efforts were made to get
Indo-Trinidadians back into the tents.
is one of four men arrested for allegedly
being involved in a terrorist plot to blow up
JFK International Airport in New York, is
an executive member of the Congress of the
People’s (COP) Arouca/Bon Air West con-
stituency.
This was confirmed at a press conference
of the party in Chaguanas, conducted by
Captain Gary Griffith, the COP’s national
security advisor. COP Political Leader Win-
ston Dookeran is out of the country.
The plot to blow up fuel depots was un-
covered by the US Federal Bureau of In-
vestigations (FBI) and resulted in the arrest
of three men, one in Brooklyn and two in

Swami
“Kaiso House started a pilot project to bring Trinidad by local policemen.

Don’t pay
back these people into the calypso tent. In- One of the men is Shia Imam Ibrahim of
vitations were sent. Buses were sent if they Cane Farm Road, Tacarigua who was ar-

charged with ransom, say

did not have transport. rested while at his mosque.
“About six buses came back filled with In a media briefing at the COP’s Gaston
people on the first night. On other nights, Court, Chaguanas head office, Griffith

rape Columbian
they came back with new faces. stated Ibrahim was a registered member of
'We wanted to show these people they the COP opposition party who joined dur-

An 85-year-old religious leader from India
was detained by San Fernando police yes-
terdayg questioned by officers into allega-
tions of sexual assault.
The spiritual teacher, or swami, who is
said to have hundreds of thousands of
devotees around the world, arrived in
Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday and was
expected to conduct Satsangh (religious
discourses) across the country throughout
the month.
The guru, also an author of dozens of re-
ligious books and and a composer of reli-
gious songs, along with other devotees
from Trinidad and a contingent of other
spiritual aspirants from India, was staying
at the home of devotees on the outskirts of
San Fernando.
Police reports indicated that a 22-year-old
Guyanese woman who came to Trinidad at
the weekend visited the religious leader..
This is when the incident was alleged to
have happened.
Police reports stated that the woman vis-
ited the guru and was alone with him in a
room when she was sprayed with a liquid.
She alleged she was then assaulted.
The woman was taken to the San Fer-
nando General Hospital (SFGH) for treat-
ment.
Police said a medical examination was
done and showed the woman had sexual in-
tercourse.
Attorney-at-law Prakash Ramadhar is rep-
resenting the religious leader. He asked for
the hearing to begin immediately, but po-
lice declined and have allowed bail. How-
ever, the swami’s passport has been seized
and he has to remain in Trinidad until the
,matter is heard in court.
Attorney Ramadhar has said that he
kidnap experts
“BELIEVE in the police service and do not
pay a ransom. "
This is the advice given by two experts
from the Specialised Anti-Kidnapping Unit
in Colombia, at a press conference held re-
cently at Police Administration, Sackville
Street, Port of Spain headquarters.
Captains Adolfo Romero Camargo and
Jaime Hernan Guzman Cicedo are from the
Colombia military and police Specialised
Anti-Kidnapping Unit.
Their presence in Trinidad and Tobago
falls within the framework of an agreement
signed between Minister of National Secu-
rity Martin Joseph and the then Minister of
National Defence of Colombia, Camilo Os-
pina Bernal on March 22, 2006.
The senior officers came to Trinidad in a
bid to review the operations of the Anti
Kidnapping Unit and to assist in imple-
menting effective mechanisms to solve and
address kidnapping in T&T.
For the year thus far there have been six
reported cases of kidnappings for ransom in
T&T.
The senior officers said, despite corrup-
tion being rampant in their country, things
are under control.
"In any place there is corruption, however,
there is a special unit which deals with cor-
rupt people.
"From the national police to government
officials, we have established a unit to deal
with these things. The unit functions in a
way which will restore confidence in the
police system." Colombia has one of the
highest kidnapping rates worldwide.
Although the numbers are on a decrease,
would not be insulted,” he said. ing the party’s membership drive last year.
Asked by participant Richard Law to ex- He said while Ibrahim was still a party
plain the term “these people,”Legerton fell member, the party’s membership commit-
silent. tee was yet to decide on an appropriate
Law said there was no proper groundwork course of action saying they are still await-
in place to woo Indo-Trinidadians back to ing additional information on the matter.
the tents. He said the party did not have the re-
“There should be some real policy in place, sources available to perform a comprehen-
since this impacts on patriotism and na- sive background check on its over 50,000
tionalism. It is disrespectful”? he said. members and pointed out that Ibrahim’s as-
At the end of the session, Legerton said: sociation with the other conspirators was
“We are working on it. We are taking the not uncovered by any of the TT Govern-
time to embrace everybody.” ment’s anti-spy units including the blimp
Culture Minister Joan Yuille-Williams, and the eye-in-the-sky.
who also spoke during the session, said “No political party can do a comprehen-
there was “no room for discrimination.” sive test on all of its members,” he said
She pointed to the Ana culture tents and adding that during the party’s open mem-
the assistance given to the chutney tents as bership drive, no background checks had
examples of the Culture Ministry’s com- been carried out on persons seeking mem-
mitment to inclusion. bership.
' Right now, Massive Gosein has an Indian Adding that unlike other political parties
Arrival Day tent going around the country. with known “criminal associations” , the
There have been ten Ana concerts for In- COP would not fall into the trap of allowing
dian Arrival Day. criminal elements within the party’s hierar-
' We have given prizes of dholaks and han- chy to allow “bartering” to take place after
tals. We have honoured outstanding people the party was elected into government.
in sports and culture in the communities,” COP chairman Roy Augustus said the
she said. party would now be looking at associates of
Yuille-Williams also boasted that the min- Ibrahim in an effort to weed out those ele-
istry provided funding for William Munro’s ments which sought to infiltrate political,
Soca Monarch competition. social and other organisations.
“”We will be paying the $1.5
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Meanwhile, conveyor of San
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brought witnesses who were present in the
room at the time, and would show that n as-
sault had taken place. Supporters of Swami
Tripathy have pointed out inconsistencies
in the statement given by the young
woman, such as her allegation that the
swami sprayed some liquid on her and then
sprayed some on himsel, after which he
turned into a young man and assaulted her.
News of the arrest has been carried around
the world and have stirred a lively debate
on whether the crime was possible.
approximately 369 political and financial
kidnappings were reported to authorities
in 2005.
Police intelligence in Colombia indi-
cates that up to 28 professional kidnap-
ping gangs are in existence. Foreigners
remain lucrative targets. An estimated $57
million in ransom money was paid out be-
tween 1996 and 2003.
The majority of victims spent an average
of one month in captivity and their release
was secured with a $20,000 ransom.
Lea Nankissoor
In recent years there has been
a pronounuced departure of In-
dians from calypso tents, due
largely to the songs from sup- Associate Mortgage Broker
porters of the ruling PNM at-
(over 15 yrs Banking experience)
tacking Indians, who generally
support the United National
647-294-6241
Congress of former prime min-
ister Basdeo Panday. Several
tents have complainted of hard
times at the box office. *OAC, terms and rates are subject to change without
notice and some conditions may apply
Indian Inheritance
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Museum is launched
Basdeo Panday, Mrs Oma Panday and Kelvin Ramnath (centre) launch the Museum.
LEADER of the UNC, Basdeo Panday has
warned that if someone wants to destroy
you they must first destroy your identity,
and the easiest way to destroy your identity
is to destroy the culture of a people.*
He said,"A person's identity is extremely
important and culture gives people an iden-
tity. We must preserve and defend our cul-
ture." He further warned that those who
ignore the mistakes of history are con-
demned to repeat them.
Panday made the comments at the open-
ing of Indian Arrival Day celebrations and
the launch of a museum dedicated in his ho-
nour " The Basdeo Panday Indian Inheri-
tance Museum" last Saturday.
The Museum is located at the Member of
Parliament for Couva South, Kelvin Ram-
nath's office grounds. Panday recalled the
struggles to get the public holiday and its
name "Indian Arrival Day" which he said
was initially started with a young Indian ac-
tivist named Ramdath Jagessar. Panday told
his audience that it was important for them
to remember the history and the identity of
their ancestors.
Panday was accompanied by his
wife,Oma and other members of the United
National Congress including MPs Roodilal
Moonilal and Wade Mark. The key figure
behind the museum is Kemal Manickchand.
Manickchand said that acquiring, pre-
serving and showcasing rare Indian artifacts
have become his life's passion.
He collects any kind of East Indian or
West Indian memorabilia or artifacts like
coins, jewelry, publications, photos, musi-
cal instruments, kitchen utensils, weapons
and so on.
More assaults on
Indian Arrival
Day in Trinidad
OPPOSITION Parliamentarian Gillian
Lucky has suggested that revision of
Trinidad and Tobago’s public holidays is
one way of dealing with the problem of dis-
crimination.
“Forget about Indian Arrival, Emancipa-
tion Day and other national celebrations
that focus on only one ethnic group, she ad-
vises. Instead, introduce TT Day as an oc-
casion when all ethnic groups can have
their celebrations and displays,” she said.
. charged with robbery.
Indo-Caribbean Times
In reply, Oppostion Leader Kamla Persad-
Bissessar has vowed to ensure that Indian
Arrival Day and Emancipation Day are kept
as separate special public holidays.
Amidst calls that the celebrations of both
days be incorporated into one public holi-
day, the Opposition Leader told the South
Caribbean Conference (SCC) of the Sev-
enth Day Adventist (SDA) Fifth Annual In-
dian Arrival Day celebrations, that Trinidad
and Tobago was a diverse society with dif-
ferent cultures.
The Opposition Leader observed that sev-
eral persons and groups, particularly the
Winston Dookeran-led Congress of the
People, were advocating for a removal of
the separate holidays. She said they wanted
it replaced with a Heritage Day, to celebrate
all cultures and ethnic backgrounds which
make up Trinidad and Tobago society.
Stating that it had been a long struggle to
have both public holidays, Persad-Bisses-
sar said, “I will fight with every breath, as
long as I live, to ensure we keep these spe-
cial days. We are a diverse society, we
worship differently, we do things differ-
ently, but at the end of the day, we are one
people.”
Mass robbery
of 25 people
by sea pirates
MORE than 25 people were robbed by pi
rates at Scotland Bay in Chaguaramas. Po-
lice said around 6 pm, the passengers of a
chartered boat were organising their per-
sonal items on the boat when they were ap-
proached by four men in another boat.
Three of the men got out of the boat. One
had a firearm and the other a cutlass. The
thieves took charge of the chartered MY
Pard vessel and made off with the passen-
gers? personal belongings on board the
boat.
One of the victims managed to alert the
Coast Guard who spotted the vessel not far
away at Staubles Bay and challenged them.
The robbers threw the peoples’ belongings
overboard. After a chase, Coast Guard offi-
cers seized the boat and held the men, five
miles off Gasparee Island.
The three suspects between the ages of 17
and 23, of Carenage, are were expected to
appear in a Port-of-Spain Magistrates Court
The (racial)
JUNE 2007
torture of
Feroza
Ramjohn
SHE’S just a wisp of a woman, but for-
eign service executive Feroza Ramjohn be-
lieves that her decision to go to court to
settle an office feud was vindicated by
Jus’ice Amrika Tiwary-Reddy’s judgment.
Ramjohn clashed with her boss back in
the 90s while both were posted in the New
York office of T&T’s Permanent Mission to
the United Nations.
The animosity came to the fore again
when the boss got a two-and-a-half week
acting appointment just as Ramjohn, a ca-
reer public servant, was about to dash off to
fulfil a dream of working at the T&T High
Commission in London.
That boss is former Foreign Affairs Min-
istry Permanent Secretary, Yvonne Gittens-
Joseph, who is now T&T Ambassador to
Jamaica.
Justice Tiwary-Reddy ruled in favour of
Ramjohn and her attorney Anand Ramlo-
gan on May 3 in the judicial review suit
they had brought against Gittens-Joseph
and Prime Minister Patrick Manning for re-
voking an appointment she had gotten in
writing to take up a post of accountant at
T&T’s High Commission in London.
Costs and damages are to be assessed for
Ramlogan and Ramjohn, who this year will
be 57. The appointment was revoked on
June 7, 2004 .
In affidavits filed by the respondent Git-
tens-Joseph, it was indicated that Ramjohn
was debarred because she was considered a
national security risk.
The judgment delivered by Justice Ti-
wary-Reddy cited Gittens-Joseph as the
party who introduced Special Branch intel-
ligence reports into Ramjohn’s personal file
that indicated she was a national security
risk.
It was these intelligence reports, which
spoke of the probability that Ramjohn had
been involved in a major conspiracy to steal
blank T&T passports, that caused Manning
to revoke her London appointment.
According to the judgment these pass-
ports, with US or Canadian visas inserted,
were sold on the black market for between
US$5,000 and $10,000.
That report proved to be the only blot on
Ramjohn’s file, who joined the Public Serv-
ice in October 1971 and joined Foreign Af-
fairs in 1984.
Ramjohn?s tour of duty had been ap-
proved by the substantive Foreign Affairs
PS, Patrick Edwards, in May, 2004.
At the end of May, Edwards went to South
Africa to help set up a diplomatic mission
there; Gittens-Joseph began a two-and-a-
half week acting stint for him.
Ramjohn had already sold her car, gave
up rental of her Fyzabad apartment and sold
off household items in preparation for the
London sojourn, which would have been
six months in the first instance.
In the judgment, Justice Tiwary-Reddy
noted that Foreign Affairs Minister Knowl-
son Gift instructed Gittens-Joseph on Fri-
day, June 4, 2004 to notify Ramjohn
immediately that her appointment was re-
scinded but Gittens-Joseph waited until
4.30pm the following Monday to do so.
She handed Ramjohn the letter in a sealed
envelope, telling her the transfer had been
revoked and refusing to give an explana-
Page 6
tion.
Ramjohn testified that Gittens-Joseph was
“hostile” in their meeting that afternoon.
This was denied by the current Jamaican
ambassador but the judge stated that
Ramjohn’s account of the meeting was
“more credible.”
The judgment criticised Gittens-Joseph,
stating that while her affidavit mentioned
that there were intelligence and other re-
ports against Ramjohn, she ?strenuously re-
sisted? disclosing the contents on
thegrounds of national security.
Eventually the reports with names excised
were put into evidence, through the agree-
ment of attorney Russel Martineau, SC.
The court said it was unfair to Ramjohn to
debar her from London, yet not tell her on
what grounds so she could offer a defence.
“The State has produced no cogent, evi-
dence that any issue of national security
arose in the transfer of the applicant to Lon-
don.
“Accordingly I find that the applicant was
treated unfairly and contrary to the princi-
ples of natural justice,? the judge ruled.
It was noted, too, that other Foreign Af-
fairs Ministry staffers had been
in charge of the registry, like Ramjohn in
1995, when passports went missing but
they had not been deemed national security
risks.
Ramjohn, in an interview, took the liberty
“f deeming Gittens-Joseph to be “vindic-
tive” and asserted that in another country
she would have been recalled from her
diplomatic posting after such criticism by
the judge.
“I have endured mental torture over the
three years of the case, people were look-
ing at me as some kind of criminal,”
Ramjohn said.
Govt. lowers
minimum
height for
police recruits
NATIONAL Security Minister Martin
Joseph is being forced to lower the mini-
mum height for candidates interested in
joining the Trinidad and Tobago Police
Service, following discussions with mem-
bers of theOpposition.
Joseph said that among the concerns
raised on the Police Service Regulations
Act (2007) was the height requirement as a
criterion for appointment as a trainee.
"One of the concerns, as advanced, was
the need to lower the requirement in the
regulations that males be at least 167 cm in
height and females be at least 150 cm in
height. It was argued that this criterion has
a high probability of eliminating a lot of
competent applicants," Joseph said at a
special sitting of the House of Representa-
tives.
He added that a recommendation was
made that an analysis be done to determine
the average height of a Trinidadian male
and female.
"Such an appreciation may serve a more
useful purpose in arriving at a suitable
height.
At this time, Mr Speaker, the recommen-
dation cannot be effectively treated with
due to present time constraints. It has, how-
ever, been duly noted and consideration
will be given in the future."
Guyana’s economy not about to collapse
GUYANA NEWS
By Lloyd Harradan
ACCORDING to the International Mon-
etary Fund (IMF) the Guyana economy
grew by nearly five per cent last year after
experiencing a two per cent decline in
2005. The IMF attributes the turn around to
"strong aggregate demand, driven by a re-
covery in private sector credit, strong pri-
vate remittances, and foreign direct
investment". Inflation fell to below four per
cent, following a decline in international
fuel prices and a stable exchange rate.
The IMF said foreign international re-
serves increased to US$278 million, or
three months of imports of goods and serv-
ices by end of December last year "as the
widening of the current account deficit was
more than covered by official disburse-
ments, foreign direct investment, and debt
relief in the context of the Multilateral Debt
Relief Initiative. "The latter, together with
the improved growth performance, led to a
significant improvement in the public debt
sustainability outlook."
The IMF said despite the continuation of
a "very ambitious" public expenditure pro-
gramme, the public sector deficit declined
from 13.6 per cent of GDP in 2005 to 11.2
per cent last year, primarily as a result of
the improved performance of the public en-
terprises and an increase in grants. The
Washington-based financial institution said
there has been "significant progress" with
structural reforms, the most notable being
the implementation of the value-added tax
(VAT) on January 1, 2007. It said Guyana
has also made progress with the Millen-
nium Development Goals (MDGs), notably
the attainment of two indicators - eradicate
extreme hunger and achieving universal
primary education.
But while the IMF commended the Bhar-
rat Jagdeo administration for implementing
"sound" macroeconomic policies, resulting
in a better growth and inflation perform-
ance and an improved debt sustainability
outlook, it noted that domestic and external
imbalances remain large, and that the econ-
omy continues to be vulnerable to shocks.
When Guyana gained independence in
1966, it was one of the least developed
areas in the Western Hemisphere. The
Burnham government, which took office in
1964, saw continued foreign domination of
the economy as an obstacle to progress
Third World radicals and some econo-
mists at the time thought that foreign own-
ership was the root cause of local economic
difficulties. Politicians, always anxious to
maximize their power, began to nationalize
industries.
The Guyana government moved vigor-
ously to take control of the economy. In
1970 Burnham proclaimed Guyana as the
world's first "cooperative republic." He said
that the country would continue to welcome
foreign investors but that the government
would own at least 51 percent of any enter-
prise operating in Guyana. The major for-
eign companies were not interested in
shared ownership, and the Burnham gov-
ernment took complete control of the econ-
omy, eliminating both foreign ownership
and foreign management.
During the 1970s, Guyana nationalized
the major companies operating in the coun-
try, including the bauxite and sugar compa-
Indo-Caribbean Times
nies. By the late 1970s, the government
controlled over 80 percent of the economy.
Nationalization of large foreign compa-
nies was but one aspect of pervasive gov-
ernment control of economic activity. By
the early 1980s, the government had also
taken over the bulk of the retailing and dis-
tribution systems. It controlled the market-
ing of all exports, even those few products,
such as rice, which were still produced pri-
vately. It owned all but two financial insti-
tutions and tightly regulated currency
exchange. The government controlled
prices and even attempted to dictate pat-
terns of consumption by banning a wide
range of consumer imports. All Guyanese
will recall that they could not buy ice ap-
ples, potatoes or flour.
During the early 1970s, world prices of
both sugar and bauxite rose, allowing the
newly nationalized enterprises to reap siz-
able profits. Increased government spend-
ing helped stimulate the economy, and GDP
grew at about 4 percent per year from 1970
to 1975.
Sugar cane harvest in Guyana
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, however,
the world commodity prices that had fa-
vored Guyana declined, reversing the ear-
lier gains. Economic output dropped as
demand for sugar and bauxite fell.
Nonetheless, government spending contin-
ued at a high rate, and Guyana was forced
to begin borrowing abroad. This pattern of
declining GDP, continued high levels of
government spending, and foreign borrow-
ing was common throughout Latin Amer-
ica in the 1980s.
Guyana's economic decline grew more
acute during the 1980s. Unfavorable world
prices were only part of the problem. There
were two more basic difficulties: the lack
of local managers capable of running the
large agricultural and mining enterprises,
and the lack of investment in those enter-
prises as government resources were de-
pleted.
Bauxite production, which had dropped
from 3 million tons per year in the 1960s to
2 million tons in 1971, fell to 1.3 million
tons by 1988 . Similarly, sugar production
declined from 330,000 tons in 1976 to
about 245,000 tons in the mid-1980s, and
had declined to 168,000 tons by 1988. Rice
production never again reached its 1977
peak of 210,000 tons. By 1988, national
output of rice was almost 40 percent lower
than in 1977.
The decline in productivity was a serious
problem, and the Burnham government's
reaction to the downturn aggravated the sit-
uation. As export revenues fell, foreign ex-
change became scarce. Rather than
attacking the root of the problem, low do-
mestic output, the government attempted to
ration foreign exchange. The government
JUNE 2007 Page 7
regulated all transactions requiring foreign
Floods ravage
Mahaicony Creek
exchange and severely restricted imports.
This was the usual strategy in the
farmers
Caribbean at that time. But Guyana was al-
ready in a worst off position than the rest of
the Caribbean. Tight government control
encouraged the growth of a large parallel
AFTER two weeks of being inundated, res-
market. Smugglers brought in illegal im-
idents of the eastern bank of the Mahaicony
ports, and currency traders circumvented
Creek have lost all of their produce and say
government controls on foreign exchange.
they are "punishing a lot and are fed up with
Although many citizens began working
the situation."
and trading in the parallel economy, many
They said that because of the rising level
others were leaving the country. An esti-
of water they have few dry places to keep
mated 72,000 Guyanese, almost one-tenth
their livestock and a few of their goats have
of the population, including many of the
already died. They also said caimans and
most skilled managers and entrepreneurs
snakes have been attacking their poultry.
emigrated between 1976 and 1981.
Further, they said their children have be-
The crisis finally came to a head in the
come sick and are unable to attend school.
late 1980s because of Guyana's unsustain-
A medical team from the army visited and
able foreign debt. By then Linden Samp-
administered treatment to them.
son Forbes Burnham, the man who had
Nalini Seetaram, 38, of Pine Hill said
created the debacle, was dead, and so was
even though her children's condition has
“cooperative socialism.” As export rev-
improved they are unable to attend classes
enues fell, the government began borrow-
since sections of the school dam are
ing abroad to finance the purchase of
flooded. The woman who has six children
essential imports. External debt ballooned
with the youngest being six years old said
to US$1.7 billion by 1988, almost six times
her eldest daughter is still not well and she
as large as Guyana's official GDP. Because
cannot afford to take her to a doctor.
the government funneled the borrowed
She said she was depending on the money
money into consumption rather than pro-
from her cash crop farm but everything -
ductive investment, Guyana's economy did
boulanger, ochro, pumpkin have been
not grow out of debt.
washed away.
Instead, the government became increas-
ingly unable to meet its debt obligations.
Overdue payments, or arrears, reached a
staggering US$1 billion in 1988. Rather
than risk a curtailment of all foreign credit
(even short-term loans for imported ma-
chinery and merchandise), the Hoyte gov-
ernment embarked on an IMF-backed
austerity and recovery program. The Eco-
nomic Reform Program (ERP) introduced
in 1988 amounted to a reversal of the statist
policies that had dominated Guyana's econ-
omy for two decades. By the early 1990s,
there were signs that twenty years of stag-
nation and decline could be ending.
Gupta Pooranlall holds up a cassava plant
In 1992 Hoyte was given another ultima-
from his flooded farm
tum – free and fair elections or else. Ru-
mour has it that Jimmy Carter threatened to
"This is real punishment. When ah want
ask President Bush to send in the Marines if
to use me toilet in de yard ah does frighten
Hoyte refused. As all the world knows the
because snakes does be in de water. Me nah
PPP won the ensuing election and has been
able wid this, is every year this place ah
in power ever since.
flood."
Under the PPP government in the 1990s
Gupta Pooranlall's farm close to his home
the Guyana economy began to experience
at Pine Ground was covered with more than
growth. The parallel market (the black mar-
three and a half feet of water and he has lost
ket), the size of which has been variously
all of his peppers, boulanger, cassava,
estimated at between 33% and 100% of the
seame, ochro and cassava plants.
legal economy, was legalized. A large group
Pooranlall, 30, who has four children,
of entrepreneurs suddenly found that they
ages four to eight years, said his foodstuff is
could operate legally and freely. The lack
"running out and we trying wid de lil bit we
of consumer goods under the PNC admin-
gat leff." He said his family was getting
istration had been a disincentive to produc-
some vegetables from the farm to eat but he
tion. People had been unwilling to make
has lost that too and jokingly remarked that
money which they could not spend. The
"we might gat to eat the leaf now."
aura of depression, incompetence, corrup-
Harrychandra, 24, said he works as a
tion and racism associated with the PNC
labourer with rice farmers to support him-
was gone. People both at home and abroad
self and his pregnant wife and now he can-
felt that there was hope for Guyana again.
not get any work since the rice land is also
After the 1997 elections the PNC realized
flooded. He also plants a little kitchen gar-
that they had no hope of winning power by
den and rears eight cows, 15 goats and a
way of free and fair elections. When they
few fowls.
had control of the electoral process, they
He said three of his goats have died and
got horses and dead people to vote for
"bats sucking me cows and they getting
them. That was not going to happen again.
worms. Me carry them to high spot but a lit-
Violence and crime, allegedly orchestrated
tle water still getting them."
by the PNC, increased after 1998. This has
Rakha and Bibi Singh were in their yard
had a negative effect on the economy. But
looking at the uprooted pepper and tomato
as the IMF has said the economy is grow-
plants.Rakha remarked, "Ah don't know
ing, and Guyana is making progress in spite
how people can survive in this. Two times
of the many obstacles.
a year we getting flood. Something gat to
be done, if not everybody gon leave here
and go away."
GUYANA NEWS
Three Guyanese are main figures in JFK terror plot
CHILLING details of the JFK airport ter-
ror plan have been revealed by the US gov-
ernment and the FBI, showing clearly that
Guyanese were the main figures from the
very beginning. This is what we know
about the plot.
It is being alleged by the US government
that former PNCR MP Abdul Kadir began
meeting in New York in February 2007
with those plotting the fire-bombing of JFK
Airport and the prime informant is a drug
convict who allowed security officials to
record four surveillance visits to the airport
and a string of incriminating conversations.
On Saturday, the United States District
Court Eastern District of New York laid
charges against former Linden Mayor
Kadir, two other Guyanese: Russell Defre-
itas and Abdel Nur and Trinidadian Kareem
Ibrahim also known as Amir Kareem. De-
freitas, who appeared to be the linchpin of
the plan, appeared in a New York court on
Saturday while Kadir and Ibrahim were
held in Trinidad and an application for them
to be deported to the US is to be heard soon
in Port-of-Spain. Up to press time Nur was
still said to be at large and is believed to be
in Trinidad and Tobago.
Mastermind Russel de Freitas
According to a copy of the unsealed com-
plaint seen by Stabroek News in Guyana,
Defreitas, a former JFK Airport worker was
the progenitor of the plan and signalled his
intentions to others which eventually led to
the plotters travelling to Guyana on several
occasions and hatching elaborate plans in-
cluding an intention to draft the radical
Trinidadian group Jamaat al-Muslimeen
into the plan. Just days prior to the alleged
plotters being arrested, several of them had
travelled to Trinidad where the US is alleg-
ing that they held a meeting with Mus-
limeen officials. The Muslimeen had been
behind the abortive coup in Trinidad and
Tobago in 1990. Several other Guyanese
were referred to in the complaint but not
named and it is presumed that the US is still
interested in pursuing them.
The complaint
In a complaint sworn to by detective/in-
vestigator Robert Addonizio the US is al-
leging that the quartet and others conspired
to detonate an explosive device at JFK Air-
port, New York and at fuel tanks and
pipelines there "with the intent to cause
death and serious bodily injury and the in-
tent to cause extensive destruction of such
system and facility, where such destruction
would result in and would be likely to re-
sult in major economic loss."
They are also accused of conspiring to de-
stroy by means of fire or explosive a build-
ing and other property used in interstate and
foreign commerce, to wit buildings and
Indo-Caribbean Times
property at the airport. They are further ac-
cused of plotting to place a destructive de-
vice in such a way as to make aircraft in a
special aircraft jurisdiction and civil aircraft
utilized in interstate and overseas air com
Former Parliamentarian Abdul Kadir
merce unworkable and unusable.
Defreitas, Kadir and others are also ac-
cused of surveilling, photographing and
collecting information - including satellite
photos - on the terminal with the purpose of
furthering their plot against the airport.
The plan
The US is alleging that the plot had its be-
ginnings in or about January 2006. Accord-
ing to the complaint, it began tapping
directly into the plan in July that year when
its informant or the `Source' met with De-
freitas at the Gertz Plaza Mall in Queens,
New York on July 13. The complaint char-
acterized the `Source' as follows: "The (US)
government has been working with the
Source since 2004.
"The Source was convicted on federal
drug trafficking and RICO charges in the
Southern District of New York in 1996. The
Source was also convicted on drug traffick-
ing charges in New York Supreme Court in
2003. His sentence in that case is pending
as part of his cooperation agreement with
the government. In addition to the expecta-
tion of a reduced sentence in exchange for
his cooperation, the Source also receives fi-
nancial assistance. The Source has provided
extremely credible information that has
been corroborated by consensual record-
ings, e-mails, financial documents, surveil-
lance and other records and information."
After the Gertz Plaza Mall meeting, the
complaint said that there were several oth-
ers including one on August 1, 2006 when
Defreitas is alleged to have told the source
that he had a vision that would make to
World Trade Center attack seem "small".
The following day at another meeting,
Defreitas told the Source that someone had
vouched for him (Defreitas). A call was
then placed to Guyana in which Defreitas
spoke to another person known as Individ-
ual A. The Source was allowed to speak
with Individual A and Defreitas later told
the Source that Individual A was "very
knowledgeable". It was on August 7, 2006
while driving around New York that the
complaint says that Defreitas told the
Source there were `brothers' from Trinidad
and Guyana who wanted to do something
bigger than the World Trade Center. The
Source was asked if he was interested and
replied in the affirmative.
Recorded
On August 8, the first of the recorded calls
JUNE 2007
began and Defreitas was alleged to have
said that a cell of six or seven people would
be involved and the plan involved JFK Air-
port.
Defreitas travelled to Guyana on August
17, 2006 and from New York the Source
spoke with him and Individual A several
times on the phone. In a recorded conver-
sation on September 10, 2006 Individual A
asked "Can I ask you a question. Would you
like to die as a martyr? The complaint said
that to get himself in with the plotters the
Source replied that this was the greatest
way to die in Islam. The Source then trav-
elled to Guyana for Ramadan on Septem-
ber 20, 2006 and stayed until October 27.
During this period the Source had meetings
with Defreitas, Individual A and another
person, Individual C about the JFK plan.
On September 26, Individuals A and C told
the Source that the three would go to
Trinidad to discuss the plan with a fourth
person, Individual D.
On September 29, the Source was intro-
duced to another Guyanese, Individual E.
On October 7, 2006, the complaint said that
Individual E, Individual A and the Source
met at E's business in Georgetown. Indi-
vidual A then told E he had arranged the
meeting to talk about Jihad. According to
the complaint Individual E told A that he
should be careful about who he approached
about Jihad and mentioned the case of the
blind Egyptian cleric Sheikh Abdel Rahman
and his attorney Lynne Stewart. Several
more meetings were held among the three
and at one, Individual E described an occa-
sion when he had seen US helicopters
parked at a Guyanese airport and "consid-
ered blowing them up". The complaint said
it was during this meeting that Individual E
mentioned that he had good ties with the Ja-
maat al-Muslimeen of Trinidad.
At that meeting on October 10 Individual
A told E about the details of the planned at-
tack and E agreed to take part but according
to the complaint he cautioned them about
speaking about it on the telephone and pro-
vided code names for the plan and JFK.
Surveillance
In the ensuing weeks, Defreitas and Indi-
viduals A, C and E discussed with the
Source in Guyana and by phone in New
York what the next steps would be. The two
major points were that Defreitas would
meet the Source in New York for pre-oper-
ational surveillance of JFK and that Abdel
Nur would journey to Trinidad for a meet-
ing with Individual D through the Mus-
limeen. This trip was delayed as Nur's
passport had expired.
On New Year's day 2007, Defreitas re-
turned to New York and started to discuss
with the Source plans for photographs of
the airport. On January 2, 2007 in a
recorded conversation Defreitas told the
Source what had motivated him to want to
strike at JFK. The complaint said "that
while working at JFK airport, he saw mili-
tary parts being shipped to Israel, including
missiles, that he felt would be used to kill
Muslims. According to Defreitas, as a re-
sult, he "wanted to do something to get
those bastards."
Surveillance was done at JFK four times:
January 3, 4, 10 and 11 and unknown to De-
freitas US law enforcement officers spied
on him and the Source and on each trip had
audio and video equipment installed in the
Source's vehicle so that the Joint Terrorism
Task Force (JTTF) could record what hap-
pened.
Page 8
Fuel tanks, security outposts and planes
were pointed out during the visit and on the
return drive on January 3, in another
recorded conversation, Defreitas said that
Individual E "really wants to get this thing
going" and that Nur was being sent to
Trinidad as he was the only one who knew
the relevant Muslimeen official. Reports
were provided to Individual E and the sur-
veillance continued with Defreitas showing
the Source escape routes. During a return
drive on January 4 Defreitas allegedly ut-
tered his Kennedy quotation which has
dominated US airwaves since the thwarting
of the plot was announced.
According to the complaint, Defreitas
said: "Anytime you hit Kennedy, it is the
most hurtful thing to the United States. To
hit John F. Kennedy, wow. [] They love
John F.Kennedy like he's the man [ ]. If you
hit that, this whole country will be in
mourning. It's like you can kill the man
twice."
After the surveillance, the Source pro-
vided the JTTF with copies of the videos he
and Defreitas had made on two of the trips.
Abdel Nur- surrendered in Trinidad
Explosives
Defreitas and the Source then returned to
Guyana carrying the JFK videos with them
and played them for Individuals E and A.
Nur was later shown the video and plans
were discussed for a trip to Trinidad. On
January 22, the Source met Individual E
and discussed how E could obtain explo-
sives for the plot. In the following days, In-
dividuals A and E became suspicious that
Individual C was a spy and A then said he
would not travel to Trinidad because of
these suspicions.
On February 13, the complaint said that
Individual E, Defreitas and the Source quar-
relled because the Source had removed the
JFK video from Individual E's computer.
Individual E then said he wanted to delay
the plot for a few months so he could focus
on his business and later said he wanted to
cut off involvement all together.
Defreitas told the Source that he was de-
termined to go to Trinidad to present the
plan to the Muslimeen. Defreitas contacted
another Guyanese, Individual F and along
with the Source they went to an internet
café to view the JFK video. It was Individ-
ual F, according to the complaint, who iden-
tified Kadir as someone who might be
interested in the plot and who had connec-
tions with militants in the Middle East and
South America. On February 19 Defreitas,
Individual F and the Source travelled to
Linden where they met Kadir.
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 21)
 Essequibo
SOUTH ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH
VCC program
Indo-Caribbean Times JUNE 2007 Page 9

looks at Indian
Indians in Arrival Mela
Science attracts
thousands
THE VEDIC Cultural Centre successfully
hosted its 9th Annual South Asian Heritage
month celebration on May 5th at its 14th
Avenue building. The program consisted of
an exhibition of artifacts from the immi- THOUSANDS of Essequibians, mostly
gration experience, an authentic ethnic food of East Indian decent turned up at the Anna

India celebrates Fiji celebrates

bar and a cultural stage show. Dancers perform at the South Asian Heritage Month held at the Vedic Cultural Centre Regina Community Centre Ground to par-
In keeping with the theme of Scientific ticipate in the Indian Arrival Committee's
(IAC) 5th Grand Cultural Mela to mark the

Indian Arrival in Girmit Divas

and Technological contributions of the In-
dian Diaspora, guest speakers, popular Car- 169th year of the arrival of East Indians to
diologist, Dr Vivian Rambihar, UNDP Guyana.

Trinidad May 14
Scientist Dr Naresh Singh and retired U of Regarded as the biggest and brightest
T professor Dr Rashmi Desai all took great mela on the coast, the event featured a num-
pride in highlighting the significant contri- ber of Indian dishes, clothing, jewellery and
butions of the Indian Diaspora to Science beverages. Several large booths were set up
NEW DELHI: Minister for Overseas Indian GIRMIT DIVAS - May 14, 2007128 An- where patrons shopped a variety of items;
and Technology and to the world at large.
Affairs Vayalar Ravi inaugurated the cele- niversary of FIJI INDIAN ARRIVAL DAY most displaying the rich culture and tradi-
Among other things, Dr Rambihar spoke
brations in India to mark the arrival of the The International Jahajee Journal, the Ja- tion of our foreparents.
of the positive influence of Dr Rudranath
first batch of Indians in Trinidad & Tobago hajeeDesi Newsgroup, and http://www.Ja- Artistes were backed by the popular
Capildeo on his own life and the significant
in 1845. hajeeDesi.com extend Congratulations and Shakti Strings live band with the main fea-
contributions he made to Science and Tech-
Speaking at a banquet here hosted by Best Wishes to the FIJIAN INDIAN DI- ture being the Surangama Bhojpuri Dance
nology. Dr Capildeo who was from
Trinidad & Tobago High Commissioner ASPORA on the observance of the 128th Troupe from India . The Apex Academy of
Trinidad was hailed as a mathematics ge-
Pundit Maniedeo Persad, Ravi said he was Anniversary of FIJI INDIAN ARRIVAL Education and Reena Dance Troupes, along
nius was a proud member of the Indo
looking forward to his visit to the DAY on May 14, 2007.. with a host of other local artistes also par-
Caribbean community.
Caribbean nation and participation in the We extend warm wishes and fondest ticipated with songs, dances, poems and
Dr Rambihar also commented that there
Indian Arrival Day celebrations May 30. greetings for HAPPY FIJIAN INDIAN skits. A variety of games for the kids and
are enormous, pioneering and fundamental
'My trip to the Caribbean has been long ARRIVAL DAY to Munna Prasad and the the entire family were also available.
contributions to science and technology
overdue. My visit is aimed at strengthening rest of our Indo-Fijian brothers and sisters Evan Radhay Persaud delivered a perti-
from across the Indian Diaspora which can
ties between our two countries,' said Ravi, and friends in Vancouver, BC, CANADA, nent message on behalf of the IAC as did
be used to improve the lives of everyone
who will be leaving for Port of Spain Mon- who are celebrating The Girmit Divas Cel- Regional Vice Chairman Vishnu Samaroo.
and every community. He further added
day night. ebrations on May 13th, 2007. Samaroo told the 8,000-plus gathering that
that the new science of complexity provides
Indian Arrival Day is a national holiday in On May 14, 1879, 128 years ago, the In- the event was a time for reflection of from
new and creative opportunities to extend
Trinidad & Tobago. dians arrived from India in Fiji to work as whence their foreparents came from 169
this even further, with an invitation to add
The first batch of workers, most of who indentured labourers, after they had proven years ago and the rich history and culture
novel ideas for change to the traditional and
hailed from eastern Uttar Pradesh and to be extremely successful in other parts of they brought to these shores. Agriculture
the usual. He said that this approach invites
Bihar, went to work in the sugarcane plan- the British Empire, particularly in Mauri- Minister Robert Persaud who attended the
the community and each one of us to use
tations in that country. tius, Guyana, Trinidad, and West Indian is- occasion noted that every year the event is
science and technology to improve our
Between 1845 and 1917, the year when lands. receiving even greater support.
health and to make a New Heart Healthy
the system of indentured labour was dis- There is a common bond, as Dr. Brij V.

Grenada makes
Diaspora.
continued, 145,000 Indians left for the Lal has pointed out in this his work
Dr Naresh Singh took the opportunity to
Caribbean country. Their descendants, now "CHALO JAHAI", amongst the Jahajees
historic move
highlight the contributions of Indo
numbering around 520,000, constitute over throughout the Indian Diaspora, particularly
Caribbeans to the improvement of agricul-
40 percent of that two-island nation's pop- between the Indo Fijians, Indo Trinidadi-
ture in the region. He concluded by looking
ulation. ans, Indo-Guyanese, and our Jahajees in
ahead in the future and expressed the opin- For the first time, Grenada has joined the
A delegation from the Caribbean nation is Natal in South Africa.
ion that the area which will become the new list of countries that celebrate the arrival of
currently on a tour of India for the Indian Though we may not look alike, our Food,
frontier of human thought and research with Indians in the 19th century.
Arrival day celebrations. The group will Traditions, Culture, Curries, Chautals, and
profound implications for our understand- A group of young Indo-Grenadians got to-
visit Lucknow, Kanpur and Basti - places Nautanki naaches are the same. Some of the
ing of the world around us, including in the gether this year and staged their own celel-
where people of Indian origin in Trinidad Girimiteers were also moved from one
fields of medicine, agriculture, and envi- bration to mark the coming of the Indian
& Tobago trace their ancestry. country to another, sometimes voluntarily
ronment as well as the social sciences, will community and to celebrate the Indian her-
Persad said there had been a 300 percent so, taking up other contracts for they they
derive from the convergence between spir- itage and culture.
increase in travel from India to Trinidad & had truly become adventurous in their own
ituality and science. Many of the original Indian emigrants
Tobago in the last three years. right. Their names could be found on the
Dr Desai presented a slide show of all the later moved to the larger island of Trinidad,
'Over the last three years, under my Immigration Passes or Ships' Register -
scientists of Indian origin who won Nobel which lies just south of Grenada and also to
tenure, the mission (of T&T in Delhi) has with spelling variations.
Prizes in the field of Science and Technol- Guyana on the South American mainland.
established a theme 'Strengthening Rela-
ogy and also featured some of the current One such case was
tions: Trinidad & Tobago and India',' he
work that some scientists are involved in. Munna's grandfather who
said.
He also showed the relationship between had served in South
'A number of firsts have been recorded in-
Vedic thought and Science referencing ma- Africa and Guyana. As
cluding the first ever carnival, first ever In-
terial from the Vedas to support scientific we in the Caribbean &
dian Arrival Day celebrations and a host of
experience. Canada celebrate Indian
activities and business promotions that have
The event was well attended by over 300 Arrival Day in May, we
resulted in over 300 percent increase in
persons from a wide cross section of the join Indo Fijians through-
travel from India to Trinidad & Tobago,' the
community. Among the dignitaries present out the world in celebra-
high commissioner said.
were the Mayor of Markham, Frank tion of the 128
'The Bank of Baroda has been given ap-
Scarpati, MP John McCallum and Minister Anniversary of the Ar-
proval to begin business in Trinidad & To-
of Revenue, Michael Chan. Abhijit Chat- rival of Indians in Fiji.
bago and even as I speak, the first ever
topadhyay represented the Indian Con- Many Fijians have
Bollywood film 'Dulha Mil Gaya' by Vivek
sulate. Danny Doobay, Consulate General moved to the west coast
Vaswani is being shot on location in
of Guyana also sent in congratulatory greet- of the United States and
Trinidad & Tobago,' he noted.
ings for the occasion. Canada because of politi-
Interactions between India and Trinidad &
The stage program, which featured the cal and economic dis-
Tobago have been on the rise in recent
guest speakers, and also included a cultural crimination at home.
years. In November 2006, Vice President
presentation of songs, music and dance was
Bhairon Singh Shekhawat visited the
hosted by Vinita Singh and Adit Kumar
Caribbean nation.
who is also the Chairman of the VCC South
Asian Heritage Organization.
Stories of Indo-Caribbean arrival
SOUTH ASIAN HERITAGE MONTH
From the May 27 celebration of 99 years of Indo-Carribean Arrival in Canada
Ruby Maharaj arrived 1965
. My husband Ram had come to Canada
in 1964, and I and the five children came
six months later. It was February 24, 1965
in the dead of winter.
We had no idea how cold it was in
Toronto. When I was in Trinidad I ask
somebody how cold it was in winter, and if
it was cold like the night in crop time in
Trinidad. That tell you how much I know
about winter.
So I come up in sari and slippers, no coat,
no hat, no scarf, no boots. I nearly get frost-
bite walking from the plane to the immi-
gration place. Lucky for me Mrs Russell
from my husband workplace come and put
on scarf and coat for me and the children.
We rent a place and send the children to
school with warm coats. They were the only
Indian children in the school. The other
children start calling them chocolate face
and pie face and Eskimo because the coats
had a little fur on them.
One of my boys come home one day and
say he want to take a bath. I ask him why
and he say the children tell him his skin
dirty so he should take a bath.
One day one of the boys get lost coming
back from school. He miss the street and
went wandering all over, wearing the tery-
lene shirt we bring from Trinidad. He
couldn't find anybody to ask for directions
because all the doors were closed in winter.
Ram had to go out and look for him before
he freeze up.
My next door neighbour had never seen a
dark person before. So one day she come
up and ask me, Are you a negro?
In those days you couldn't see your peo-
ple anywhere in Toronto. I never see a In-
dian until 6 months after I come here. We
got friendly with a black man and his wife
who had come from California. One day the
wife ask me if I want to meet some Indian
people from Trinidad, and that's how I meet
some people from back home.
In the beginning I didn't want to stay in
Canada. I used to cry every night to go back
home and the children used to cry to go
back home too .
My husband had told me we didn't have
Indian things here, so I bring up dhal,
masala, geera, googul to do puja , one
pound of sindoor, and my religious pic-
tures. We didn't have any temple to go to.
They didn't have one single Hindu temple
in Toronto. Later on we joined up with
some Indians from India and start having
Hindu temple services in Don Mills United
Church. That was the start for the Hindu
Prarthana Samaj in Fern Street.
I open up my roti shop in 1967
I used to cook for some people who set up
a little business on Dupont Street. Three
teachers. I used to cook the roti at home and
they would come and pick it up. The three
Indo-Caribbean Times
Pioneers Ram and Ruby Maharaj enjoy
one more dance for the memories.
people start fighting. They ask me to buy it
and I bought the place and that was how it
started.
I used to live in 3346 Selmore Drive in
Cooksville and I don't know for what rea-
son I decide to open a roti shop. I never
went to college. I didn't have much educa-
tion and I couldn't work in the office. So I
told my husband I want to open a roti shop.
He ask me who going to buy it. I say I don't
know. Try it.
One day I paid $2.50 by cab from
Cooksville to Highway 5. Then I paid 75
cents by Grey Coach to go down to Bloor
and I spend 25 cents again to go to Dupont
Street. And from 11 o'clock in the morning
to seven o'clock in the night I sold one roti
for 85 cents.
Lots of children used to come to my shop
and cry for their mother. I help a lot of peo-
ple and treat them like my children and I
married a few people in my basement. My
house was like a open house.
Ram Maharaj, arrived 1964
It was September 1964 when I came.
When I got to the airport they gave me three
nights at the Ford Hotel on Dundas and Bay
for $5. That hotel does not exist now.
I got a job on the third day and my driver's
license the fourth day. The owner of the
garage where I worked sold me a car for $5
down and $5 a week. Insurance and gas was
on the house.
Now I was learning the rules how to drive
a car and I have to go to Highway 10 in
Mississauga where my job was. How do
you sit in a car and drive from Avenue Road
and Bloor five days after you come to
Toronto from Trinidad? I can't make a mis-
take and go to the other side of the road be-
cause here we were driving on the wrong
side.
As I got in the car I start talking to my-
self. Stay on this side. Stay on this side.
Well, I came through that and then my
family came six months later and life
changed.
Let me tell you how I got my first house.
I went to road test a car and I saw the sub-
division sign on Highway 5 in Erindale
Woodland, saying sod turning. So I turn in
and went to the sales office. This might
sound ridiculous, but the sign said you can
put $25 down and reserve that as a down-
payment on a house.
I look at the guy and give him the $25 and
say give me my receipt please. I couldn't
trust the guy. I couldn't believe. The price
for the house at the time was $16,690 for a
four bedroom semi-detached backsplit. Six
weeks after my family came we moved into
the house.
I move from job to job and had some very
nice work experience.
I had one guy, a Scotsman. He sat on a
tire of one of those big Louisville heavy
truck that run from Toronto to Windsor and
he was calling out to a guy on the other end
of the garage. He say never ever did I think
that this day would come in my life.
I listen to it and say hey, what you talking
about? He say yes, boss. I never thought
the day would come when I have to take in-
struction from somebody who is not white.
We have had massive changes in this
country. Albion Road was a gravel road and
all this was abandoned farms and people
used to go around and pick apples from the
farms.
We used to play host to several young
families who came to settle in this country.
They were home sick. We used to wel-
come them. And now some of them they
bring their grandchildren and their
teenagers and say such nice things about
the family.
Rudy Lochan, arrived 1988
TODAY’S celebration is to reflect on our
long journey since our fore parents left
India over 150 years ago. I was asked to
share with you my Canadian experience.
I arrived in Canada on Jan. 1, 1988. I
had visited Canada on many occasion and
thought that this was a great country to live
in. I was advised that I can apply and im-
migrate as a professional. I did exactly
that. At the time that I applied I was teach-
ing at technical college on Jamaica.
On arriving on Canada I stayed by a most
wonderful and supportive Guyanese family
in Scarborough.
I immediately started looking for a job
in my field. I am an engineer. I quickly re-
alized that that was not going to happen in
a rush. With the help of a Guyanese friend
I found a night job in a factory. Every day
I would religiously hit the companies in
Toronto with my resume.
JUNE 2007 Page 10
I finally gave up hope and called the col
lege in Jamaica asking back for my old
job. They said anytime. I bought a ticket
back to Jamaica..
The day after I bought the ticket, Bell
Canada called in for an interview and of-
fered me a job as a design engineer in Lon-
don Ontario. I started out at Bell in May of
1988. I was very happy and enthusiastic.
However, it slowly dawned upon me that
most of the old Bell boys weren’t too happy
to have a non white work in their midst.
After one year, I was told that I didn’t make
the grade and I’ll have to leave.
I was kinda happy because I wasn’t really
fond of London and the work environment.
I was back in Toronto job hunting after a
year. I got a job as an operations engineer
with that then CNCP Telecommunicaion
which later turned into AT&T Canada.
After being in operations management for
3 years, I moved to Project Management in
AT&T. Again, the white Canadian boys
made it clear that this was an exclusive
area. I got fed up of the attitude and took
a job in Europe for a year.
In 1995 I returned to Canada and took a
Consulting gig with MCI consulting group
flying non stop around the USA doing en-
gagements. I got tired of that since I was
always away from my wife and young
daughter Nalini. I looked around Toronto
and found a job with IBM as Project Man-
ager where I did some major domestic and
international projects.
Over the years I became convinced that
no company can offer Rudy what Rudy
wants; that is recognition and reward for
my work and creativity. That was my frus-
tration. As a visibility minority we live the
illusion that Canada is ready for us, in real-
ity Canada is not. Mainstream Canada sees
us immigrants as a source of labour for the
factories and unskilled jobs. That is why
so many professionals arrived here and ex-
perience broken dreams that sometimes
lead to broken homes and shattered lives.
I decided to go on my own. I left IBM in
February this year to start up my own
Mortgage Broker Company. I am the hap-
piest man in Toronto today. I am finally
free.
What I have learnt over the past 19 years
being in Canada is that the greatest help
came to me from my community. Just as
the original jahajis stuck together in
Guyana and Trinidad we ought to help each
other. In my case I did get tremendous
emotional and material support from
friends and family.
My advice to every other immigrant is
that in as much as possible go to the self-
employment route. The system is pro-
grammed to keep us down. Only by
achieving the highest education level and
self employment can we live out our Cana-
dian dream. It is possible!!
The Exemplary Pandita The journey of the widow
ACHIEVERS
Jasodra Prasad Rani Singh to Trinidad
By Janet A. Naidu
You would not guess it from looking at
her, but Pandita Jasodra Prasad carries with
her a record of more than 60 years of serv-
ice to Hindus in Guyana and Canada. She
also has the distinction since 1986 of being
the first Indo-Caribbean woman to become
a Hindu priest in Canada.
Today you can find her providing reli-
gious services as a Pandita at the Vedic Cul-
tural Centre or in private homes, serving as
a dedicated volunteer in supporting patients
at the Hospital near where she lives in
Toronto. She makes care-giving part of her
daily routine, consistently giving personal
attention to others in need of consolation or
encouragement.
It started when she was a young girl in
Uitvlugt on West Coast Demerara, where
she was born on April 14, 1933. Her father
Pandita Jasodra Pradad
Komal Persaud, worked in the nearby sugar
factory, curing sugar at the laboratory, and
her mother Rukmin Ramchitar, originally
from Windsor Forest, helped bring up the
children, Jasodra and sister Sumintra.
Her father Komal was a Hindu with a
thirst for knowledge of the Vedic principles,
and a follower of the teachings of the Arya
Samaj, a Hindu reform movement founded
in India. He passed this interest on to Jaso-
dra as a child, and also taught her that the
highest goal was a life of service to others.
Around this time, Arya Samaj missionar-
ies from India were spreading the word in
Guyana, and after Professor Baskarananda
built the Arya Samaj movement in the late
thirties and early forties, he had Komal as a
Indo-Caribbean Times
strong supporter. Komal became the first
President of the Arya Samaj in Uitvlugt,
teaching Hindi in the school, writing letters
for illiterate villagers and giving constant
service.
This was the atmosphere in which Jasodra
grew up, learning from an early age to read
the Vedic scruiptures, perform religious
functions like the havan, sing bhajans and
recite mantras even before she was a
teenager. She continued after she was mar-
ried at 16 to 21 year old Harry Prasad , Sec-
retary of the Arya Samaj in Uitvlugt.
Harry soon became a pandit whose home
was described as a mandir and a school, as
well as an ashram or institution of learning
that inspired charity, morality and Sev
Dharma (service).
While bringing up four children Rudrasen
Aditya, Priya Darshni, Indira Sarojini and
Ugrasen Mahipal, Jasodra would often ac-
company her husband to many homes in the
villages to do havan, or recital of mantras
of the Vedas. She helped him build the
Uitvlugt Arya Samaj Mandir.
When the family moved to Georgetown in
the 1960s, Jasodra and Pandit Harry made
their home an informal school for training
young aspiring pandits, and a printery for
Arya Samaj education.
When they immigrated to Canada in 1986,
Jasodra and Harry continued their dedicated
service to the Toronto Arya Samaj. After
Pandit Harry passed away that same year,
the Toronto Arya Samaj applied for Jasodra
to become an official “Pandita”.
She was accepted as a Hindu priest, and
for the last 21 years has been unfailing in
her service to members of the Toronto Arya
Samaj as well as numerous other commu-
nity members. Pandita Jasodra is a pioneer
in her role as she is the first woman of
Guyana to become an official Pandita.
In 1993, Pandita Jasodra was recognized
for her many years of outstanding service
and commitment towards the propagation
and dissemination of Vedic teachings and
philosophy. She has continued to be one in
service, regularly providing spiritual read-
ings and social services, whether in pubic
forums or in the homes of families. In 2005,
the Vedic Cultural Center in Markham,
Canada gave her a Recognition Award for
her selfless service to the Arya Samaj Mis-
sion and the general community.
Without doubt, Pandita Jasodra Prasad is
a courageous woman who shows the perse-
verance to accomplish her goals regardless
of the seemingly busy times of looking after
her family and helping to organize events
in her home, be it weekly havans or prepar-
ing for visiting swamis and missionaries.
She displays a confident calmness and em-
bodies a caring nature, a trait that was
passed on to her from her parents, her late
husband and other family members.
Pandita Jasodra is well respected in the
community in Toronto. In her quiet and
unassuming way, when she is not volun-
teering at the hospital nearby or performing
religious services in someone’s home or the
community, she is also creating beautiful
needlepoint art work, many composed of
landscape in intricate details. More impor-
tantly, she is always ready to provide sup-
port to her family, her children and seven
great grandchildren, friends and others in
the community in need. She dedicates her
life to the philosophy and culture of the
Vedas.
JUNE 2007 Page 11
IN 2006 Francisca Seebaran journeyed later she became a domestic servant in the
from her home in Dallas, Texas in the main house. Mrs. Fabian, the childless es-
United States to India hoping to get some tate manager's wife, grew fond of Rani and
insight into the life of Rani, her maternal Parbatia and treated Parbatia as her own.
grandmother. Fabian christened Parbatia a Roman
Seebaran hopes to one
day produce a motion
picture on Rani's life
and the role Rani
played in turning her
life around at a time
when women in India
were faced with little
choices after becoming
widows.
After a year of con-
stant coaxing, Seebaran
decided to tell Rani's
story to the Guardian.
Rani was born in India
in 1889 to a financially
c o m f o r t a b l e
Thakoor/Thakur caste
family of land owners.
At 22 years Rani mar-
ried Debi Singh, a
high-ranking Indian
army officer, and on
April 1912, gave birth
to a daughter Parbatia.
Soon afterwards Singh
died and Rani's in-laws
started ill-treating her. Rani Singh right) and her daughter Maida
Rani and Parbatia
soon left the home because she would not Catholic, but to Rani and Parbatia, this was
take any of the three traditional choices of- only for outward conformity, as they main-
fered to Hindu widows, which were to com- tained their Hindu faith for the rest of their
mit Suttee, by burning herself on her lives.
husband's funeral pyre, spend the rest of her Seebaran said it was during the lonely
life in a temple, or marry her husband's years that Parbatia remembers seeing her
youngest brother. Rani decided instead to mother, sitting on the floor in a corner of
leave India. the barrack room, with her ohrni (female
In July 1912, Rani was approached by a head scarf) covering her head, and thick
Kangani (a recruiter for the indentured silver bracelets on her hands and feet,
workers). Seebaran said "The recruiter told smoking a chulum pipe and crying uncon-
her Trinidad was by far a much better place trollably. Parbatia later understood that her
and the streets were paved in gold; she was mother was grieving for Baba, her younger
further enticed by the fifteen shillings a brother left behind in India.
week offered to Coolies going to Trinidad.” Parbatia's early memories included the
All she had to do was chiney chalay (sift second marriage of her mother Rani to
sugar) and food and all living accommoda- Abdul Ghany, a Muslim who gave Parbatia
tions would be provided. Rani agreed and the Muslim name, Hapijan. On December
at the sub-depôt of Kanpur on July 6, 1912, 19, 1914, Rani gave birth to Karim,
Rani told the magistrate she would consent Ghany's son. Rani called the child Baba,
to migrate to Trinidad. She travelled by in memory of her brother.
train to the main Immigration Depot in Cal- In 1917, Ghany and Rani Ghany con-
cutta, where she and Parbatia stayed for 15 cluded their indentureship contract at Non
days, were checked by a doctor and issued Pariel cocoa estate and headed for the
a health clearance certificate on July 9, Golden Grove coconut estate at Arouca.
1912. The couple had six other children. Ghany
On July 22, 1912, Rani, her two month loved his new country and never considered
baby and 404 other immigrants were taken returning to India. He bought several pieces
out to sea to board the SS Indus. They of real estate at bargain prices, and soon be-
shared a cabin with several other single fe- came a successful landowner, businessman
male passengers and their young children, and landlord of rented houses despite his
and slept on bags on the floor. Bhaat (rice) lack of education.
and dhal (split peas) soon became Rani's In 1947, after a long, painful battle with
staple meal for the voyage. cancer, Rani died at age 58 in Garden Vil-
After sixty-two days the ship docked at lage, Arouca. During her illness, her eight-
the Immigration Depot at Nelson Island, on een-year-old daughter Maida ( Seebaran's
September 12, 1912. Following a three mother) kept a close bedside vigil and cared
day quarantine, Rani and Parbatia travelled for Rani with much love and attention.
by small boat to the Port-of Spain jetty, and Abdul eventually re-married an East Indian
were later transported by mule carts to the woman named Bhagwanti, and ran his pro-
Non-Pariel cocoa estate in Sangre Grande. vision shop on the Eastern Main Road in
They moved into a tiny, 10 foot room with Laventille, as well as his rental properties
a clay stove and bags for sleeping on the until his death to cancer in 1960, at the Port
floor. Ten families lived in the 100 foot bar- of Spain General Hospital.
rack house in similar rooms.
At first Rani tended the flower and veg- (Trinidad Guardian)
etable gardens around the estate home, but
SAY IT IN PICTURES Indo-Caribbean Times JUNE 2007 Page 12

A Section of the audience obviously enjoying the show at the 99th Indo-Caribbean Young singer-musician Randy Mahadeo and super tabla player Ramona Sylvan delivered
Arrival show staged May 27 at BJ’s Family restaurant in Malton. quality entertainment on May 27

Two very attentive young ladies relax at the Indo-Caribbean Arrival show Sis the first ever Hindu to be Miss United Kingdom Valene Maharaj, the new Miss World TT, is
hoping to take the world title this year.

Krishna Nankissoor talks about the struggles of 20 years ago to get acceptance for New Yorkers try a little street tassa during the Phagwa Parade in February this year.
the name Indo=Caribbean
Why does our gas cost
CONSUMER WATCH Page 13

Home prices likely to

Indo-Caribbean Times JUNE 2007

32 times more than double over the next

Venezuela’s 3c a litre?
In Venezuela today the retail price of
gasoline at the pump is three cents Cana-
dian per litre. This is not a misprint. The
web site http://money.cnn.com/pf/fea-
tures/lists/global_gasprices/ says that
Venezuelan gas prices are the lowest in the
world at 12 cent US per gallon or 13 cents
Canadian per gallon. That amounts to 3.4
cents Canadian per litre, and makes the On-
tario weekend price of $1.10 per litre over
32 times the price in Venezuela .
Consumers must remember this when the
talk comes up on whether the oil companies
and gas stations are gouging us on gas
prices, and whether it is possible to regulate
gas prices. We must also remember that
PEI, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick al-
ready regulate gas prices, and that their
drivers do not see prices jumping ten cents
per litre just before the long weekends.
These crazy gas prices in the rest of
Canada are just killing us. The oil compa-
nies make record profits and go laughing to
the bank while giving us confusing baffle-
gab about low gasoline stocks, refinery
breakdowns, market pricing, Katrina effect
and failure of price regulation.
Consumers have to protect ourselves with
They don’t jump up and down by five per-
cent over a few hours.
We don’t have a problem with the gas sta-
tion making a profit on gas. But we know
that the sale price should be the cost price
(including buying crude oil, refining , dis-
tribution, taxes etc), plus something for a
profit margin. So if the total cost price of
your May 2006 gas to the gas station was
85 cents a litre and 4 cents a litre was added
as a profit margin that would give an ac-
ceptable sale price of 89 cents a litre.
What we should have a problem with is
the gas station changing its profit margin by
the day or the hour or the long weekend.
That is called profiteering and it is a crime.
If companies are caught in “price fixing”
they can be prosecuted.
If we wonder how Venezuela can sell gas
at the pumps for 3 cents a litre, the answer
is that they use their own oil and sell the gas
very close to cost of production and distri-
bution. Why can’t we do that in Canada
too? We have our own oil and refineries
and should set aside some of our oil for
local consumption.
We don’t need to have the New York
Mercantile Exchange set the daily bench-
20 years
HOME prices in Canada will likely dou-
ble in the next 20 years despite predictions
that population pressures will limit their
growth, says CIBC World Markets.
A projected decline of 167,000 in the
number of first- time buyers between 2007
and 2026 is "marginal, at best," CIBC econ-
omist Benjamin Tal said.
"Despite downward pressure from demo-
graphic forces, on average, we expect house
prices in Canada to double in the next 20
years," said Tal.
"Fears of a decline resulting from the
downsizing and increased liquidations of
houses by seniors and the falling number of
first-time buyers are highly exaggerated."
In a report released earlier, the bank com-
pared population growth between two cy-
cles of housing prices, from 1987 to 2006
and from 2007 to 2026, with medium-
growth, medium-immigration projections
from Statistics Canada as a benchmark.
A decline of 2.5 million buyers is pro-
jected for the 45 to 54 age group, as baby
boomers move to the next age bracket, but
that will not severely affect prices, Tal said,
as the group accounts for only 12 per cent
of total housing demand.
"We estimate that in the coming 20 years,
the Canadian housing market will face extra
supply of roughly 250,000 houses," Tal
said.
"While at first glance this appears to be a
large number, it means an average extra
supply of only 12,500 homes a year during
that period."
The housing market is expected to fluctu-
ate in the next 20 years, but the bank pre-
dicts average real house prices will mirror
the performance of the past two decades.
"Assuming a two per cent annual infla-
tion rate, this means that house prices in
Canada are expected to double by 2026,"
said Tal. "This increase, of course, will not
be symmetrical - with large cities seeing
even larger increases in home valuations."
Higher home prices generally mean
higher financial gains by banks and other
lenders who provide financing to home-
owners.
"We estimate that in the coming 20 years,
the Canadian housing market will face extra
supply of roughly 250,000 houses," Tal
said.

A
information about what is happening with mark prices for gasoline. If Iraq holds back
gas prices, and make enough noise to force its oil, or refineries break down in
the politicians to do something meaningful Louisiana , those things should be allowed

F
to end the robbery. to affect prices of our vital gasoline sup-
The first thing to understand is that when plies.

T
the gas station raises the prices from $1.06 Nova Scotia ’s current system of allow-
per litre on Friday morning to $1.10 on Fri- ing a 6 cent per litre wholesale margin, plus

E
day evening, rising crude oil prices on the a transportation allowance of 0.3 to 2 cents
world market cannot be the reason. Low per litre, and a retail margin of 4 to 5.5
gas stocks, supply and demand, refinery cents per litre sounds reasonable and it

problems and other industry excuses won’t
do it either. It is simply “charging what the
market will bear”, or charging what they
can get.
The cost of producing gasolene does not
go up or down in hours or even days, be-
R
should work in Ontario and other
provinces. We don’t need to load up all
those federal and provincial taxes on our
gasoline.
So what’s the way to get a fair deal on
gasoline? It’s nothing less than serious

B
cause of the way it is bought, refined and public pressure on the oil companies and
transported. Oil refineries usually buy their more pressure on the politicians who have

E
oil in advance on the long term contract the power to regulate gasoline sales. High
market, for delivery several months in the gasoline prices are damaging the economy
and sending up the cost of living for every-

F
future. That gasoline you are pumping into
your car today could have been made from body. It’s a serious national issue that is
crude oil bought for $55 a barrel in May more important than the profits of a few oil

O
2006, delivered in November 2006, refined companies and some gas stations. The
in February 2007, and transported to the gas politicians will only move when their own

R
station last week. positions are in danger, so we have to let
The basic cost prices of your gas was them know we are voting with our gas bills.
therefore set last year, and the other costs That will get us some action and cut back

E
like refinery processing costs, marketing on the pain when we sit down in our vehi-
and distribution costs, the retail station cles and look at that gas gauge.
costs and taxes are also fixed and stable.
COMMUNITY
ANNOUNCEMENTS
TORONTO Arya Samaj will be holding
its 10 th Annual Multi Kunda Havan Yajna
on Sunday, June 10, 2007 on the lawns ad-
jacent to the mandir on 4345-14th Avenue,
Markham.
What started as a father's day program in
1998 as has grown to an annual event that is
looked forward to by the community with
pride. Dr Satish Prakash will officiate on
this year's program as he did ten years ago
when the first of such yajnas was held.
Please bring along your friends and fam-
ily for a day of communal prayer under the
big tents. For further information please
contact Dave Ramotar at 416-663-4037 or
Pandita Jasodra Prasad at 416-287- 0330
VREED-EN -HOOP annual picnic takes
place on Saturday June 30 from 12 pm at
Milliken Park, Area A, in Toronto. Location
is on South East corner of McCowan Rd.
and Steeles Avenue, in Scarborough. Bring
the entire family. Special children’s pro-
gramme and games from 2-4 pm. For info
Roti Palace Restaurant at 416-630-0825,
King at 905-276-8942 or Kaysho Singh at
905-278-8917.
SOUND SENSATIONS present a Gala
Dinner Concert on the Father’s Day Week-
end, Saturday June 16 at 7 pm. Venue is the
Royal Banquet Hall, 185 Statesman Drive,
Only 10% success rate for
Brampton (North of Derry, off Edwards
Blvd. East of Hwy 10 and West of Hwy
Guyanese refugee claimants
ONLY about ten per cent of the Guyanese
seeking refugee status in Canada since the
PPP/C took office have been successful in
their bid, though high numbers continue to
apply, claiming persecution without the
protection of the state.
This represents a significant drop com-
pared to the early '90s when some 40% of
such claimants were granted refugee status,
Guyana-born immigration lawyer Kaishree
Chatarpaul said.
Chatarpaul of Toronto, who has been
practising immigration law in Canada since
the 1980s, said in a telephone interview
that during the PNC administration, there
had been a high rate of refugee claimants,
particularly Indo-Guyanese. While the
number decreased after the PPP/C took of-
fice in 1992, he said, it had once again in-
creased with Indo-Guyanese leading the
way.
Chatarpaul said the majority of Indo-
Guyanese claim they are persecuted at
home and are not afforded protection by the
state.
At present, Chatarpaul has 11 cases pend-
ing and three cases on appeal. He said that
while the success rate for his office repre-
senting Guyanese seeking refugee or landed
immigrant status to Canada was "pretty
good" the general success rate of applicants
"is extremely low and it is not as easy to
get into Canada to live as some people be-
lieve."
He said many Guyanese fail the screening
test and others fail to get the nod of the Im-
migration Refugee Board before which
their cases are placed. Many who fail to get
the nod appeal the board's decision and
some might get favourable results.
Many Indo-Guyanese, who claim to be
Indo-Caribbean Times
410). Featured artistes include Rajmini,
Romena Ali, Jaya and Devarti from India,
Bebe, Shanti Jackree, Shalindra, Sherry,
and Bobby Armoogam. Music by Sound
Sensations led by Bobby Armoogam. Ad-
mission is $30 and dress code is formal. For
info and tickets call Bobby at 905-450-
8420, Shalindra at 905-812-1887 or Shanti
at 416-588-7827.
June 1-3, INDO-CARIBBEAN CUL-
TURAL SOCIETY OF BRITISH CO-
LUMBIA holds a Three Day Yagna at the
Vedic Cultural Society, Ram Krishna
Mandir, 8200 #5 Road, Richmond BC.
Pundit Prakash Gossai will conduct the
yagna.
LITERARY EVENING June 15
You are invited to a Literary Evening cele-
brating “Migration to Guyana” on Friday,
June 15, 2007 from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.,
Main Floor Reception Hall, 7805 Bayview
Avenue, Thornhill (Bayview Ave. & John
St.), held under the auspices of the Con-
sulate General of Guyana. The evening fea-
tures performances by master story teller
Ken Corsbie, Januet Naidu, Peter Jailall,
Aunty Come-See, Bernard Heydorn, Ol’
Higue (Pat Moore), Caldwell Taylor (A
Taste of Guyana’s History)and more. Books
by Caribbean authors will be on sale. Ad-
mission is $25.00. For info contact Janet
Naidu 905-780-8866, Nancy Rickford 416-
449-4453, Jennifer Singh 416-291-9848,
or the Guyana Consulate 416-494-6040
X22
supporters of the PPP/C, say they are vic-
tims of physical violence, threats and ha-
rassment. He said many of them claim that
"their homes [have been] broken into and
robbed by Black bandits, they were chased
from their homes, and when they made re-
ports to the police station no action was
taken. Some claim they write to the head of
state who is also the head of government
and get no response," Chatarpaul said.
However, he said, one basis for rejection
by the Canadian authorities was that the
country has reverted to a democratic state;
the Guyana government is doing its best to
resolve the problems of race; and they have
found no evidence that the government was
favouring any one raceabove another.
The authorities also contend that the gov-
ernment's cabinet comprises mostly
Guyanese of East Indian origin and it was
not likely that such a government would
discriminate against East Indians, who are
its main supporters.
Chatarpaul said one of the criteria for the
granting refugee status was that there must
be some form of complicity in the lack of
protection on the part of the government
and the Guyana government is not seen as
an active accomplice in this regard.
Going 'backtrack'
In an interview in November 2006, Cana-
dian High Commissioner Charles Court
told the Stabroek News that 1,300
Guyanese were awaiting deportation from
Canada. He did not say when and how they
were to be deported. Those awaiting depor-
tation include persons who would have
overstayed their visits or were in the coun-
try via the 'backtrack' route. Some 95% of
JUNE 2007
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
RamnarineSahadeo 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
Swami_aksharananda@hotmail.com
TRINIDAD
Hindu Students Council:
hsclink@gmail.com
the Guyanese subject to deportation from
Canada have overstayed their visits or ar-
rived there illegally. A relatively small num-
ber of those awaiting deportation had
criminal convictions in Canada.
He said that only 67 out of the 386
Guyanese who had applied for refugee sta-
tus and whose cases had been heard during
the 2005/2006 year, had been successful.
Canada accepted 35,768 refugees and
other protected persons from around the
world during the same 2005/2006 period
and almost 7,000 people were granted per-
manent residency status on humanitarian
and compassionate grounds.
The majority travel there on visitors'
visas, while a significant number also go
via the 'backtrack' route. Many on visitors'
visa seek refugee status while on 'holiday'
or having overstayed their visit.
Political victimisation
He recalled that last year he successfully
represented a family of four - a father,
mother and two children - who travelled to
Canada on six-month visitors' visas. During
their six-month stay they approached his of-
fice to make a refugee claim to the Cana-
dian immigration authorities.
That case, he said was fraught with emo-
tion because the claimants from the Esse-
quibo Coast felt they were politically
victimised and were offered no protection
from the state. The father, he said, had
changed his political allegiance from the
PPP/C to ROAR after becoming disen-
chanted with the performance of the gov-
ernment which had been in office for more
than one term.
He claimed he was visited by members of
Page 14
the PPP and told that he was trying to di-
vide the East Indians. As a businessman, he
had supplied the regional administration of
Region Three (Pomeroon/Supenaam)
which has strong PPP/C backing with a
number of supplies but as a result of switch-
ing his allegiance his contract was threat-
ened.
He was visited by party officials who re-
minded him that he had two daughters and
there was something called "kidnapping."
On one occasion, he claimed, persons stat-
ing that they were from the Guyana Police
Force intelligence branch had visited his
home and took him for "a walk" to question
him. They roughed him up and asked him a
number of questions. He went to the police
to complain about the problems he had been
experiencing and "they took him for a ride"
asking him instead "whose house would be
the next to be burnt down."
The processing of their application began
with a screening process to see whether the
family members were convicted of a crime
and if they were eligible to be heard by the
Immigration Refugee Board (IRB). The
board, which has the powers of a court, is
manned by lawyers and representatives of
the federal government.
In the case of the family the board heard
the case and they spent long hours going
through, over a period of time, documenta-
tion including a number of newspaper arti-
cles - mainly from the Stabroek News - on
the situation in Guyana. Articles published
by Ravi Dev and e-mails were also used to
gather evidence on the situation that forced
the family to resort "to seek surrogate pro-
tection" out of the country of their birth.
Based on the frank manner in which the
father responded to questions, Chatarpaul
said, the board believed his story. "The
sworn testimony was credible, straightfor-
ward and not lacking in detail," he said. The
family's claim for Canadian citizenship is
now being processed.
Chatarpaul said his office had argued
that the state had an obligation to protect
each and every individual regardless of
their political affiliation and the police did
nothing to assist, according to interna-
tional law, when they were in fear and felt
they were being persecuted.
No distinction
Generally speaking, he said, some
Guyanese who are caught at the airport with
someone else's passport or false documen-
tation and others entering via the 'backtrack'
route are either deported or are released on
bond without status while they apply for
surrogate protection.
When cases are taken before the IRB, he
said, there is no distinction between the vis-
itors arriving in the country legally or those
arriving without status. If there are reason-
able explanations those arriving without
status would eventually be granted refugee
status but the process was not an easy one
since investigations are carried out and ev-
idence gathered over a period of time and
in the meantime persons are without any
status in the country.
Many who travel 'backtrack' would have
sought visas and been denied. Before the
board they would explain the dangers, risks
and expense they took to get to Canada to
escape the situation they perceive to be bad
at home.
Those with visitors' visas generally ex-
plain that they accepted the six-month visas
without explaining that they have would
have been experiencing problems at home
because they feared they would not be
granted the visas. "They lie to get the
visas or they would not be given
them," he said.
 BUSINESS AND FINANCE
Low rate mortgage First step: calculating
era is finally done your net worth
By Rudy Lochan
Low-rate ride is finished, so lock in your
mortgage
The golden age of variable-rate mortgages
is over.
They're still a defensible choice if you're
buying a home or renewing your mortgage,
but the variable-rate option isn't the no-
brainer choice it was a few years ago. In
fact, fixed-rate, five-year mortgages look
like the better choice right now.
Blasphemy, you say? Fair enough, given
that the benefits of variable-rate mortgages
have been talked up a lot in this column
over the years. Priced off the prime rate
used by banks for their best customers, vari-
able-rate mortgages allow you to ride inter-
est rates ups and downs over the years. In
doing so, history has shown that you would
have almost certainly paid less than if you
locked into a five-year mortgage (that's the
term chosen by almost everyone who goes
with a fixed rate).
Benjamin Tal, a senior economist at CIBC
World Markets and consumer credit expert,
believes you'll continue to save on interest
costs if you go with a variable-rate mort-
gage today instead of a fixed-rate loan. But
the amount of the savings will be negligi-
ble, so much so that the worry-free comfort
of the fixed-rate mortgage becomes a good
value.
"Locking in now would not be a mistake,"
Mr. Tal said. "In fact, it could be a good
thing."
It's not just home buyers and people renew-
ing mortgages who face the question of
whether to go with a variable rate or a fixed
rate. Large numbers of people are now
working their way through variable-rate
mortgages they set up a few years ago, and
they're wondering about whether to use an
escape clause that lets them jump into a
fixed-rate mortgage.
To understand the appeal of the fixed-rate
option, you have to look at how rates vary
for short through long terms.
Rates traditionally move higher and higher
for longer terms, but today short rates are
the loftiest. The net result for borrowers is
near parity for short-term rates and longer-
term rates.
Variable-rate mortgages soared in popular-
ity earlier this decade because short-term
rates were much cheaper than long-term
rates, and they were falling. Choosing a
five-year mortgage back then was almost
like buying a useless insurance policy
against interest rate shocks where the pre-
miums were in the form of much higher in-
terest costs. Today, you can get that
insurance at a much lower cost.
Page 15
Indo-Caribbean Times JUNE 2007
mated market value, Don’t worry about any
mortgages owing
2)Cars: - Enter the sum of the blue book
The posted five-year mortgage rate at the values of all of the cars that you own.
big banks hit 7.14 per cent last week, the Again, do not worry about any car loans
highest since the summer of 2001. That's far you have. Just enter the blue book values
from the last word on five-year rates, how- 3)Other vehicles - If you own a boat, motor
ever. A couple of major banks offered dis- home, motorcycle, etc., enter the retain
counted five-year mortgages at 6.08 per value for these items.
cent yesterday, and some credit unions and 4)Jewellery - If you own jewellery of value
alternative banks were as low as 5.3 to 5.5 (perhaps an engagement ring), enter the es-
per cent. timated value.
By Ijaz Hosein
Now, compare these rates to a variable-rate 5)Special items - Cameras, computers, etc.
mortgage, which is currently priced off a 6- Enter the amount you could get if you sold
WHAT is your NET WORTH?
per-cent prime rate at all lenders. Discounts the items today.
I want to thank everyone for the response
on this type of mortgage range from 0.75 to 6)Checking and savings accounts - Add up
that I received from my last column. I am
0.9 of a percentage point, so your true rate the current balance of your regular check-
always very happy to answer any questions
would be as low as 5.1 per cent. Advantage, ing and savings accounts.
that you may have and I encourage you to
variable-rate mortgage. 7)Furniture and household items
keep those questions coming.
For now, that is. Economists at RBC Do- 8)Mutual funds - If you own any mutual
As I speak to people everyday I try to lis-
minion Securities said they expect rate in- funds, enter the total value of the funds
ten to the concerns that may arise. I love
creases this year and next that would push 9)Stocks - If you own any stock, enter its
looking and listening to advertisements and
up the prime to 7 per cent. At TD Econom- value.
one that stands out is the two children,
ics, they see increases that would increase 10)Retirement accounts - Add up the value
armed with flashlights searching through
the prime to 6.5 per cent. Not everyone of all RRSP’s and Pension Plans
the house looking for the “equity”. Another
agrees rates will rise, but if they do, it could 11)Life insurance - If you have a life insur-
is Scotia Bank “you’re richer than you
drive up the discounted cost of a variable- ance policy with a cash value, enter it.
think” series. These ads bring us back to a
rate mortgage above 6 per cent. 12)Other - Enter here anything else you can
question that’s asked a lot- “What is your
The benefit of going with a variable-rate think of that has value if you were to sell it.
net worth”?
mortgage is that you're poised to benefit
Before I go into the calculations, let me
should rates decline after whatever in- Liabilities – (What you owe)
explain why this is important. Your net
creases lie ahead. The question is, what are 1)Mortgage principle - If you have a mort-
worth is the measure of how rich you are. It
the prospects for rates to decline any time gage, enter the amount of principle you owe
is the value of all assets, including cash, less
soon? here. You can determine the principle value
total liabilities. It is often used as an under-
Many economists would say they're mini- by calling the bank that holds the mortgage
writing guideline to indicate an individual’s
mal because of the need to keep inflation or looking at your amortization schedule.
creditworthiness and financial strength.
under control. Mr. Tal believes there's a 2)Car Loans - Enter the amount owed on
Knowing the difference between what
case to be made for the rate that influences any car loans you have.
you own (assets) and what you owe (liabil-
the prime to be half a percentage point 3)College Loans - Enter the amount owed
ities) can help you plan for the future.
higher than it is now for the next few years. on any educational financing
A net worth statement provides you with:
After that, he said, it's possible that infla- 4)Other Loans - Enter the amount owed on
A snapshot of your financial worth at one
tion could become a greater challenge than any other loans you might have - boats, fur-
point in time
it is now and thus trigger more interest rate niture, etc.
A quick reference for all of your assets and
increases. 5)Credit card debt - Enter the balance due
liabilities
Then again, there could be a major terrorist on all of your credit cards here.
A review of where your liabilities are,
attack, or the Chinese economy could stum- Assets – liabilities = Net Worth
which can help identify areas for improve-
ble and send a shockwave around the Your Net Worth - A positive number indi-
ment
world. cates that you own more than you owe, and
A review of where your assets are, which
Global interest rates would fall and people that is a good thing.
can help identify where to invest money
with variable-rate mortgages would bene- So the ad that says “you’re richer than you
Complete the following three steps to get
fit. think” might just be talking to you.
your net worth statement.
Today, inflation is a serious issue for the
Step 1: enter all of your assets
first time in years and interest rate increases Ijaz Hosein is a Financial Advisor with
Step 2: enter all of your liabilities
are widely expected. Sounds like a good Boosterlink Financial Inc. He can be
Step 3: review your net worth statement
time to pay what could very well be a nom- reached at 647-401-1608 0r
inal extra amount for the protection of a ihosein@boosterlink.com
Assets (what you own)
five-year, fixed-rate mortgage.
1)Home : If you own a home use it’s esti-
--------------------
Data researched by Rudy Lochan from the
Globe and Mail. Rudy is our Community
Mortgage Broker and President and founder
of Anava Financing Inc. He can be con-
tacted at 416-410-7501 or by e-mail at
anava@rogers.com.
HEALTH AND FASHION Page 16
Leggings are already a favourite in 2007
Indo-Caribbean Times JUNE 2007
Ayurvedic
Making Sada beauty tips you
SEVERAL years ago, legwarmers sur- Trend Alert : Leggings for

Roti is easy apply at home

faced back on the style radar. This season,
the reborn ‘80s fad of choice is footless Girls Back in Style
tights or leggings. Not only have they
Preteens, tweens and younger girls are
shown up all over the runways, but they There are many home treatments using the
have become favorite fare of young leading crazy over leggings. They are so much
ayurvedic approach to treat your facial
ladies. more fun than socks, and infinitely more By Kamla Harradan
skin, pimple, acne, wrinkles, black circles
comfortable than tights. What leggings are
and black patches. Most of them cost next
Mini hot for Back to School? How should she Ingredients:
to nothing, and have no side effects.
wear them? What shoes should she wear? 4 cups flour
Leggings I'll give you the complete low-down on leg- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
General face treatment
and skirts gings, this minute's hottest fashion must ¼ teaspoon Instant Yeast
Grate raw coconut and squeeze milk out of
are truly a have.
it. Apply this milk over your lips and face.
dynamic What kind of leggings are in demand?
It adds grace and glow to your skin.
duo. If you Especially popular right now are capri
have qualms length leggings. These cropped leggings are
Cleansing the skin
about show- the ones that most girls will be asking for
Dip a piece of cotton wool in unboiled milk
ing off your this season; lengthwise, they should stop ei-
and wipe on the face with it. It also cleans
stems, add a ther just
unseen dirt and goes down to pores.
pair of leg- below the
gings in to knee or at
Skin Moisturizer
the mix. mid-calf.
For normal skin mix 1 tablespoon orange
Leggings Ankle
juice and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a cup
Cropped leggings enable skin- length leg-
of yogurt, to make a paste. Apply it on face
shy women to pull off skirts of all lengths. gings are cool
as a mask and keep it on for 15 minutes.
Choose a color that coordinates with your too, and will Method:
Then clean it off with a wet tissue. This
top, and keep in mind that dark colors are become more In a bowl add flour, baking powder and
mask enhances the complexion and glow of
always more flattering. and more yeast. Add some water and knead to make a
face.
Shirtdresses popular as the dough. Cover with saran wrap and let stand
Peeking out from a sturdy shirtdress, weather gets for about 20 minutes.
Nourishing the skin
tights add an extra layer of style, often in colder. But,
A protein mask help to nourish your skin.
the form of a pattern or color. When it forget about Cut dough into loys/loyas(balls) about the
Danskin leggings Soak a teaspoon of urad dal and 5-6 al-
comes to sun dresses full footed size of a cricket ball.
monds overnight. Grind this to a fine paste
and other breezy leggings or stirrup styles.
apply this protein mask on face and wash it
numbers, take cau- Girls are choosing monochromatic leg- Let stand under saran wrap for about 20
off after half an hour. This mask nourishes
tion: most flirty gings and sticking mostly with neutrals minutes.
the facial skin and also enhances the com-
frocks are just too such as black, grey, beige and white.
plexion.
light for tights. For interest, lace trimmed leggings are
A good rule of stylish as are leggings with touches of
Preventing wrinkles
thumb is that if the sparkle in the fabric or
Application of pure castor oil prevents
dress demands heels, other fun features.
wrinkles and softens the skin. This slows
stick to bare legs. On What should she
down the aging process also.
the other hand, flats wear with her leg-
and sandals work, gings?
Jersey leggings Home made conditioner
leggings will too. For a great look that
Mix one table spoon of honey and 2 table
Tunics will be huge this year,
spoons of cream. Apply this mixture on
If you want your tights can take the spot- pair leggings up with a
face and wash it off after few minutes. It
light, pair them with a tunic. Standard tees skirt or a dress. Or, she
works wonders.
and tanks simply won’t work unless you’re can go 80s retro, and Baylay with a baylnah (rollout with a
a model or an aerobics instructor–make wear them with a long rolling pin) on a floured surface (or chowki
Removing Skin pigmentation and marks
sure your top hem touches your upper shirt that covers her if you have one) into a circle about 7 inches
Rubbing a raw potato on face removes
thigh, and you’re good to go. backside. Steer clear of in diameter.
marks and pigments.
Denim leggings cropped shirts with
Flats leggings for older girls.
Sun-screen Lotion from kitchen
High heels tend to look very “retro dance What Footwear should she wear with her
Prepare a homogenous mixture of cucum-
queen” teamed with tights–and not in a leggings?
ber juice , glycerin and rose water .Apply
good way. Avoid heels of any height and in- Choose shoes that do not require socks
this mixture on face. this mixture can be re-
stead opt for ballet flats, skimmers, moc- like ballet flats, a sporty pair of Mary Janes
frigerated.
casins, and slides. With stylish flats, you or traditional Keds sneakers.
can pull off tights with casual ease. Where can you find leggings for girls?
For fair and glowing skin
Leggings are pretty hot right now, so you
Split Orange lentils (Masoor dal) Flour
should find them in your local malls.
pack ( Gives glow to Skin)
Ingredients:-
1. Split orange lentils (Masoor dal flour
which is available in Indian stores) flour
2. Milk
Cook on tawa or griddle, until lightly
3. Ghee
brown. Sakay (swell) in microwave for
about one minute. You can sakay on stove,
Method of preparation:
by partly moving the tawa away from the
Prepare a paste by mixing the flour with
burner and exposing roti to direct heat.
ghee and milk .Apply this as face pack.
This enhances the glow of skin.

Sandal wood powder pack

(Rejuvenates skin)

Ingredients:-
1. Sandal wood powder
2. Turmeric powder
3. Milk

Method of preparation:-
Mix all the ingredients to form a paste.
Apply this as face pack. This rejuvenates
Keep covered with tea towel until use.
the skin
 US
RELIGION Page 17
Montreal produces new play on Lord Rama
Indo-Caribbean Times JUNE 2007

Anant
Rambachan
the first
MONTREAL, CANADA, April 4, 2007: ent where they are the least expected. In There is, of course, in this Asian offering,
"How is it that one never sees Indians in their new work, "The March of Rama," a wish of the promoters to open their the-

Hindu to
Montreal theatres?" This question was the two play writers take on the Ra- atre to a new clientele. "Among Hindus,
worrying playwrights Alexis Martin and mayana, a major Hindu epic. everyone admires Rama, and even the vil-
Daniel Briere who for two years have lain of the epic is appreciated.

head college’s
taken an "ethnic turn" in their approach. "It is probably the first time that a con-
They have surprised and entertained with densed Ramayana is being staged. The We give more roles to Indian artists in this
laughter everybody on Nouvelle Tele meaning and the importance of the epic play. One could have chosen others to

religion
Communautaire de Montreal (New Com- has been respected. However we did take play Indians. But working with Indian ac-
munity TV) with their Bulgarian, Haitian some liberties so that we can jump from tors taught us a lot, regarding the content
and Vietnamese evenings. Two years later, one type of play to another within sec- and interpretation of the text."

section
they've plunged into Indian culture with onds," explains Daniel Briere. One obvi-
all the playful comic behavior and quirki- ously had to expect that Briere and Martin
ness for which they are famous. would give their personal color to this In- The March of Rama, written and produced
dian masala. To narrate the adventures of by Alexis Martin and Daniel Briere, first
"One likes to be as most incoherent as Rama, they make use of radio-controlled performed at l'Espace Libre April 3 and
possible," proclaims Alexis Martin. With cars, puppets, songs, dance and video pro- April 28, 2007.
A HINDU professor of religion has be- 20 years of rich experience in experimen- jections. "We kept a low tech profile, be-
come the first non-Christian to head St. tal plays, Martin and his partner, Daniel cause we do not have the means of
Olaf College's Religion Department in the Briere have made it a habit of being pres- making holograms in 3D," explained
college's 133-year history."It' s a great Alexis Martin .
honor," Anantanand Rambachan said of
the three-year appointment. "St. Olaf has
one of the finest undergraduate religion de-
partments in the country."
Rambachan, 55, has taught religion, phi-
losophy and Asian studies at the college in
Northfield, Minn., since 1985. He also has
been a leading figure in Minnesota's Hindu
cultural circles.
He grew up on the West Indies island of
Trinidad in a devout Hindu family -- both
of his grandfathers were Hindu priests. As
a young man, he spent three years at a
Hindu monastery in India before deciding
to pursue postgraduate degrees at the Uni-
versity of Leeds in England.
"That time [in the monastery] was very
important in my life," Rambachan said. "I
was able to steep myself in the discipline
of meditation and to enter into a deep sense
of spirituality. There is a close relationship
between those years of reading sacred texts
and practicing sacred disciplines and my
work now as a Hindu scholar and teacher."
His passions, both scholarly and per-
sonal, include interfaith dialogue, in par-
ticular those sponsored by the World
Council of Churches, and "fostering liber-
ation theology in the Hindu tradition in the
areas of gender, caste and poverty," he
said. He recently returned from participat-
ing in a papal conference in Rome about
proselytizing and the tensions it can create
for non-Christians, and will visit with the
Dalai Lama in November.
Last year saw the publication of Ram-
bachan 's most recent book, "The Advaita
World View: God, World and Humanity."
It explores "the fundamental unity of God,
the world and living beings that constitutes
the heart of the Hindu tradition," he said.
("Advaita" is a Sanskrit word meaning
"not two," a reference to the unity of being,
he said.)
"I have tried to give my students an un-
derstanding of what it means to see the
world through Hindu eyes," he said.
Rambachan lives in Apple Valley with his
wife, Geeta, a physician, and their chil-
dren: Ishanaa, 20, Akshar, 16, and Ashesh,
12.
IT PAYS TO ADVERTISE

INDO-
IN THE

CARIBBEAN
TIMES
416-289-3898
Are you eating scary Why the bees are dying
YOUTH Indo-Caribbean Times JUNE 2007 Page 18

Franken foods? in North America

By Staff Writer
Franken foods? What are those? Not for
me, you say?
Another name for Frankenfoods is GMO’s
or GM foods, which is a European term for
genetically modified organisms. Franken
comes from the scary science fiction char-
acter Frankenstein’s monster, who was
made from human parts.
This is how it works. A gene controls the
substances that organisms produce, and we
call these substances gene products. Hu-
mans have about 30,000 genes in all, and
each gene is a section of DNA, another
mystery word. DNA is short for de-oxyri-
bonucleic acid, the stuff of life present in
all living things. We call DNA the universal
molecule.
So back to genes. Scientists have learnt
how to cut genes from human cells and
stick them onto the DNA of bacteria. It’s
sort of like cutting and pasting human DNA
from human cells into bacteria DNA. Now
the bacteria will carry human genes in their
own DNA, and when they multiply many
times and make many new bacteria all car-
rying exact copies of that human gene.
It’s OK. You can get human genes from
hair or skin without too much trouble and
you don’t have to hurt anyone.
The bacteria will produce whatever sub-
stance the human gene tells it to make. In-
sulin is made this way to treat people who
have diabetes. We call this technique gene
splicing. Scientists can use this method to
transfer genes from organisms to the DNA
of other organisms, like a dentist putting a
splice of gold or enamel onto our teeth.
They can really do this, for example, by
taking genes from salmon fish and trans-
ferring them to tomato plants. Salmon can
live in cold water, and this part of their
genes can help the tomato plant survive and
grown better in cooler temperatures, to
overcome frost or last longer in the fridge.
Scientists have been able to find the gene
that makes cattle grow bigger, called
bovine growth hormone or BGH. They take
this gene and put it into bacteria, and the
bacteria multiply and make a lot of BGH.
This BGH is fed back to the cows who are
then able to produce more milk, which be-
comes cheaper to buy in the grocery. The
milk tastes just like normal milk.
Now this sounds good, doesn’t it? If we
can get better crops, more products at
cheaper prices, what could be bad about
this? So why do Europeans call them
Franken foods and refuse to eat them?
I’ll tell you why. Genes lie next to one an-
other in a long DNA string, like pearls on a
necklace. Each gene gives the organism one
instruction to make one substance. But
what a gene does is affected by its neigh-
bours, just as you are affected by people
around you like parents, brothers and sis-
ters, and friends.
Do we know how a gene will behave when
we put it next to strange genes? No, we
don’t know and cannot predict how the
gene’s instruction will change when we
move it from one animal or plant to another.
We don’t know for instance, if it will pro-
duce substances that will cause cancer or
other serious diseases in humans. This is
what is wrong about genetically modified
foods.
Do we know what goods in our groceries
in Canada are genetically modified? No,
we don’t because the labels don’t always
say which foods are modified. If the public
makes a big fuss, though, the groceries and
the food manufacturers will have to make
the correct labels. We will know what we
are eating and can choose if we want to eat
GMO foods.
Why don’t you look for genetically mod-
ified labels the next time you go grocery
shopping? Write us at ictimes@rogers.com
and tell us what you’ve found.
THE SUDDEN unexplained loss of mil-
lions of bees in the Niagara region – up to
90 per cent in some commercial colonies –
has prompted Ontario beekeepers to ask ex-
perts at the University of Guelph to inves-
tigate.
The move comes amid the mysterious dis-
appearance of millions of bees in the U.S.,
in a phenomenon so unusual that it has
spawned a new phrase – "Colony Collapse
Disorder."
In Canada, the problem seems to be con-
fined so far to the Niagara region but is still
early days for beekeepers in the West, who
won't know the extent of the damage until
they unwrap their hives later this month.
"About 80 or 90 per cent of the beekeep-
ers in the Niagara region have had substan-
tial losses," George Dubanow, president of
the Niagara Beekeepers Association, said in
an interview.
"This number is unparalleled. A typical
winter loss is between 10 and 20per cent."
That has some Niagara region fruit grow-
ers worried in the weeks leading up to the
May pollination period because bees don't
just make honey. They also play a vital role
in pollinating everything from cherries to
pear trees in Ontario, hybrid canola in West-
ern Canada and blueberries in New
Brunswick.
As much as a third of the food we eat re-
quires bee pollination, according to experts.
Bee pollination is valued at $1 billion in
Canada.
Theories about why the bees are dying run
the gamut from pesticides to poor weather
and even radio waves from cell phone
transmission towers.
Experts in Canada are reluctant to blame
"Colony Collapse Disorder" for what's hap-
pened so far in Niagara.
"At this point we haven't seen the type of
die-offs we're seeing in the U.S. although
we're all certainly very concerned about it,
said Steve Pernal, a research scientist with
per cent of their bees with some individuals
losing 100 per cent. North of that line,
thank goodness, the bees are quite normal,"
explained Doug McRory, an apiarist with
the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and
Food.
Winter die-offs aren't unusual for bee-
keepers. And while 20 per cent is the aver-
age, sometimes an individual beekeeper's
losses will be much higher, experts said.
However, the U.S. has now received re-
ports from 24 states citing widespread
losses. And more worrisome is the unex-
plained disappearance of the adult bees, a
report to Congress two weeks ago stated.
It's as if the bees flew away and never came
back, highly uncharacteristic behaviour, the
report by U.S. agriculture analyst Renee
Johnson said.
"The odds are some neurotoxin is what's
causing it," said David VanderDussen, a
beekeeper in Frankford, near Trenton,
whose company NOD Apiary Products Ltd.
recently won a provincial award for devel-
oping an environmentally friendly mite re-
pellent.
Len Troup, a fruit grower in Jordan Station
who also chairs the Ontario Tender Fruit
Producers, says farmers in the area start
renting commercial bees to pollinate the
cherry and pear crops around mid-May.
Niagara beekeepers say the problem in
the U.S. is driving up the price of Queen
Bees imported from New Zealand to re-
plenish the hives.
The alarming decline in bee populations
across the United States and Europe repre-
sents a potential ecological apocalypse, an
environmental catastrophe that could col-
lapse the food chain and wipe out human-
ity. Who and what is behind this flagrant
abuse of the eco-system?
Many people don't realize the vital role
bees play in maintaining a balanced eco-
system. According to experts, if bees were
to become extinct then humanity would

WEST INDIAN CUISINE

Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, in
northern Alberta.
Take out Dine in Catering Officials in Ontario blame poor weather
conditions last fall and the Varroa Destruc-
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tor mite, a deadly parasite that first showed
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“This quaint, friendly family owned restaurant serves real home style food in a "The reason I say that is you can almost
homely atmosphere. Service is courteous and friendly and is located just off Tor- draw a line from St. Thomas to the south
bram Rd. N of Bovaird” side of Hamilton. Below that they've lost 70
perish after just four years.
"If the bee disappeared off the surface of
the globe then man would only have four
years of life left. No more bees, no more
pollination, no more plants, no more ani-
mals, no more man," said Albert Einstein.
Others would say four years is alarmist
and that man would find other food
sources.

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Indo-Canadians win seats
CANADA AND THE WORLD
as NDP take Manitoba polls
Mohinder Saran Bidhu Jha
Riding high on the popularity of the Pre-
mier Gary Doer two IndoCanadians got
elected to Manitoba Provincial Parliament
as the ruling NDP swept to power once
again .
. Mohinder Saran and Bidhu Jha, both of
them NDP candidates, won easily from
their respective ridings. Bidhu Jha was de-
clared winner from Radisson riding and
Mohinder Saran and got elected from the
Maples riding. Jha was the sitting MLA
from the iiI same riding.
Jha, currently Legislative Assistant to the
Premier Former Legislative Assistant to the
Minister of Energy, Science and Technol-
ogy was first elected MLA for Radisson in
2003
He got 4808 votes and 56.66% percentage
of the votes polled and defeated his nearest
rival Linda West of the PC party who was
polled 3002 votes and her percentage was
35.38.
Jha is a recipient of the inaugural and pres-
tigious Asia Pacific Award of Entrepre-
neurship from the Asper School of Business
Served as the president and CEO of Opti-
mum Trading Corporation Ltd.
Holding a Bachelor's degree in Mechan-
ical Engineering and postgraduate training
in Industrial Engineering and Management,
Jha helped Gary Doer and the NDP build
Manitoba with projects like 'the Floodway
expansion as well as revitalizing Winnipeg
with the new MTS Centre, the Red River
College Building and the new Hydro head-
quarters. As a member of Gary Doer's team,
Bidhu Jha has helped move Winnipeg and·
Radisson forward on important priorities
such as improving health care with the new
Access Transcona.
He declared in his election manifesto, "I
want to put my progressive business man-
agement skills to work to help move Radis-
son forward and maintain Manitoba as one
of the best places in Canada to live and
raise a family. It has been an honour to be
your MLA and I hope you will choose me
to continue to be your representative and
keep Manitoba moving in the right direc-
tion."
Jha had an extensive history of commu-
nity service in Manitoba prior to his elec-
tion, he was presented with a Queen's
Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.
He was elected for the east Winnipeg rid-
ing of Radisson in the 2003 general elec-
tion, defeating Tory candidate Linda West
by 3888 votes to 2901.
Mohinder Saran defeated another Indo-
Canadian from the Maples riding. As a
NDP" candidate he got 3598 votes and de-
feated Lou Farnandez who was polled 1891
votes. Pritam Brar, another Indo-Canadian
in the fray, got 921 votes as the
Liberal.Party candidate.
Saran also held many coveted posts like
Chief Power Engineer, Manitoba Infra-
structure & Transportation at Red River
College Member of Power Engineering Ad-
visory Committee.
(Observer News Service)
Indo-Caribbean Times
1624: Earliest Asian
Immigrants In
America were
East Indians In
Colonial Virginia
AN AMERICAN researcher Francis C.
Assisi has turned history on its head with
evidence that the first Indians came to
America as far back as 1624.
Assisi says that when the first English
colonists came to what is now Virginia in
the year 1607, the Indians were just 17years
behind in 1624.
The best evidence suggests that the peo-
ple from India arrived in colonial America
in one of two ways. They were taken on
board as lascars or helpers aboard the rad-
ing ships of the British East India Company
from Indian ports, and, on reaching Eng-
land, succumbed to the promises of agents
who were taking indentured workers to the
New World.
Or else they were taken as servants by the
British “Nabobs” who amassed their for-
tunes in India and subsequently returned
home to England and thence to the newly
established colony in America, where they
took their servants with them as a sign of
their status.
A 2003 study prepared by Martha W. Mc-
Cartney, a project historian for the National
Park Service’s Jamestown Archaeological
Assessment reveals that Captain George
Menefie, who was assigned 1200 acres of
land in Jamestown in 1624 used “Tony, an
East Indian,” as a headright. This is fur-
ther confirmed in a 2006 report from the
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation which
identifies Menefie as a wealthy English
merchant who arrived in Virginia in 1622,
and obtained legal right to the land by pay-
ing passage for 24 immigrants, including an
East Indian.
It appears that many other East Indians
were imported to the American colonies by
way of England, arriving already Chris-
tianized and fluent in English. Others ar-
rived as slaves who had been captured and
sold.
The Virginia Gazette of 4 August 1768 de-
scribes one young "East Indian" as "a well
made fellow, about 5 feet 4 inches high"
who had "a thin visage, a very sly look, and
a remarkable set of fine white teeth."
On 13 July, 1776, the Virginia Gazette re-
ported the run away of a “Servant Man
named John Newton, about 20 Years of
Age, 5 feet 5 or 6 inches high, slender
made, is an Asiatic Indian by Birth, has
been about twelve Months in Virginia, but
lived ten Years (as he says) in England, in
the Service of Sir Charles Whitworth.
The above information is culled from a
digital collection of advertisements for un-
away slaves and servants found in 18th cen-
tury Virginia newspapers. There are many
more such references to “East Indians” to
be found in “The Geography of Slavery”
project in Virginia. The database is avail-
able online at
http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/subjects/run-
aways/allrecords.html
They could cause South Asians in Amer-
ica to rewrite their history by acknowledg-
ing the indentured servants and slaves in
America. Assisi can be reached at
indiaspora@gmail.com.
JUNE 2007
Guyanese & Trinida- Indian makes history as
dian Communities in mayor of Gloucester
New York Respond to
Alleged Terror Plot
New Yorkers with connections to
Guyana and Trinidad have come out with
a strong denunciation of the terror plot to
bomb JFK Airport. They have also called
on Americans not to rush to judgement on
their communities because of the plot.
A press release signed by several leading
Caribbean groups in New York states:
We are shocked by this revelation and are
saddened to learn that these suspects are of
Guyanese and Trinidadian heritage. As a
community,
We vehemently condemn any and all acts
of terrorism and call for the highest punish-
ment under the law, we must also ensure
that the legal system run its course. We
therefore cannot pass judgment on these in-
dividuals, except to assure everyone that we
will join hands with law enforcement to en-
sure that all of us can pursue life, liberty
and happiness in our great country.
We ask our neighbors and fellow New
Yorkers not to rush to judgment, and more
importantly, not to paint every Guyanese
and Trinidadian here in the USA with a
prejudiced brush.
The Guyanese and Trinidadian communi-
ties in New York City have been here for
decades, and have assimilated and pro-
gressed as exemplary, loyal and law abid-
ing citizens. Many serve proudly in the
United States armed Services. In fact, we
lost many members of our community on
9/11. A highly industrious community, we
have been primarily responsible for the eco-
nomic revitalization of South Queens.
Please Do not pass judgment or stereotype
us wrongfully.
We invite the NYPD, FBI and DHS to
work with us to ensure that New Yorkers,
and the rest of the nation know that this in-
cident , and wish to give them every assur-
ance that we will assist in our common
goals to fight terrorism.
Trinidad is renowned the world over for
its party atmosphere, eco-tourism,calypso
and carnival. It is a cosmopolitan society
and a nation where every creed and race
finds an equal place in harmony. Guyana is
known for its rich natural resources,
forestry reserves, Kaiteur falls and eco-
tourism.
We, the undersigned, being proud US cit-
izens and loyal leaders and activists in these
communities, hereby ask for unity and un-
derstanding as we move forward to ensure
that New York city and every place is safe
from terrorist attacks.
AALDEF- Glen Magpantay
Guyanese American Workers United -
Chuck Mohan
Trimurthi Bhavan -Dr. Dhanpaul Narine
Indo-Caribbean Federation of NA
Coalition Against Hate Crimes-Dilip Nath
Maha Lakshmi Mandir-Latch Budhai
Richmond Hill/Ozone Park Democratic
Club-Albert Baldeo, Esq.
Agenda 21-Darrel Sukhdeo, Communities
Liaison
Richmond Hill Business Men's Associa-
tion- Deo Gosine
Chandra Bhatnagar
AAARI/CUNY-Dr. Nehru Cherukupali,
Int. Exec. Dir.
GEICA-Prakash Singh, Exec. Dir
Rajkumari center for Indo-Caribbean Cul-
ture-Pritha Singh, Exec. Dir.
Families for Freedom-Subhash Kateel, Co-
chair
Page 19
Indian born Harjit Gill has taken a historic
step by becoming the 527th mayor of the
city Gloucester in England, the first Asian
mayor of the thousand year old municipal-
ity.
Gill migrated to England in 1978 to get
married to his British born wife Jasminder.
Gill had created history in 2005 when he
became the first Asian to be an elected sher-
iff in Britain. He had earlier served as
mayor of Barton, an area of Gloucester city
that has a unique historic system to elect its
own mayor.
The postmaster and player, who was
termed a popular councillor from Barton
and Tredworth in run up to the Gloucester
council elections early May. He won a
Labour ticket at a time when party did not
do well in council elections.
Gill comes from the village of Dakoha in
Punjab province in Indi but has only about
25 Punjabi families in Gloucester.
Though realizing that he comes from an
ethic minority - Gloucester has only about
25 Punjabi families - Gill is confident of
serving the people in the county. "I don't
want to be identified with one community
alone," he said.
A keen hockey player, who even donned
India colours at international hockey
events, had the entire Indian hockey team
attending his wedding.
It was Gill's love for hockey that still
keeps him connected with the game.
He still plays referee at local hockey
events. He took the Gloucester police
hockey team to India in 1998 to play
matches with Indian police teams.
He moved to Britain the same year he
married after completing his masters in po-
litical science from Jalandhar. He had not
even met Jasminder till he arrived in Eng-
land to marry her. The couple now have
two children - son Gurkamal and daughter
Amrit.
Global warming will
displace over seven
million Indians
Global warming and subsequent sea level
rise will hit the eastern cost of India by the
end of this century and displace over seven
million people, the Indian Environment
Ministry has said. Minister of State for En-
vironment and Forests, Namo Narain
Meena, informed parliament that a study
conducted by the government on the impact
of climate change has projected alarming
signals for India.
"In the event of one meter sea-level rise,
5,764 sq km of land in coastal areas of India
is projected to be lost, displacing approxi-
mately 7.1 million people along with 4,200
km of roads by the end of the 21st century,”
Meena said, quoting the study.
Coastal areas are considered to be vul-
nerable to a projected increase in extreme
weather events like storm surges and cy-
clones.
The minister said the ocean adjoining the
Indian subcontinent was likely to warm at
its surface by about 34.16 degrees.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Ash and the two Bachan men were seen at French Open tennis
Bollywood festival in Leeds
LEEDS, England: A film awards festival
known as the Bollywood Oscars gets into
full swing in Britain Thursday with the
world premiere of "The Train," starring
pinup actor Emraan Hashmi and former
Miss India Sayali Bhagat.
The International Indian Film Academy
Awards (IIFAs), which run to June 10 are
taking place in Yorkshire, northern England
and will likely be watched on television by
some 500 million people around the world.
"The Train" is a thriller shot in Bangkok
about a bored husband who has an affair
with a woman he meets on a train.
By securing the prestigious premiere slot,
it is following in the footsteps of movies in-
cluding "Lagaan" in 2001, the last Bolly-
wood work to be nominated for the best
foreign language film Academy Award.
Elsewhere at the festival, veteran star
Dharmendra and his sons Sunny and Bobby
Deol will Thursday be promoting their first
ever film together, the family drama
"Apne."
The climax to the event is Saturday when
the awards ceremony itself takes place in a
massive arena in the city of Sheffield.
Other superstars in attendance include
Amitabh Bachchan, his son Abhishek
Bachchan and daughter-in-law Aishwarya
Rai plus Salman Khan and Shilpa Shetty, a
household name in Britain after this year's
reality TV race row.
Bachchan senior, nicknamed "the Big B,"
was voted biggest star of the millennium in
an online poll conducted by the BBC in
1999 for a dazzling career which dates back
to the 1970s.
But it is thought that Shah Rukh Khan,
dubbed "King Khan," will not attend, amid
reports of a rumbling row with the
Bachchans, despite being scheduled to ap-
pear in London Thursday for a charity auc-
tion.
The IIFAs are held abroad to raise the pro-
file of Hindi film internationally. Previous
venues have included Amsterdam and
Dubai.
Poet’s corner
Indo-Caribbean Times
Talking Tamarind
mannish Grove
By Ram Jagessar
Sudesh hit the dharam patni
(that’s the doolahin, the wife,
the soul mate, for you who don’t know)
He hit Dolly one slap
one little slap, just one,
like he used to do back home
when she talk too mannish.
And as the Trinis say,
everything turn ole mas.
Next thing woo woo woo
police cruiser reach
two second talk with Dolly
and a blonde lady cop
with a big black gun
marching Sudesh out the house
in handcuff and shame.
Neighbours outside peeping
even Dolly surprised
standing mouth open
she thought Sudesh
would get a warning.
The choice of the county of Yorkshire, an
area built on heavy industry such as min- Not so, the lady cop say
ing, to host the event has raised some eye- no options with assault.
brows, but there are several reasons why the Sudesh sleep in the police jail
IIFAs have come to the relatively unglam- say he will kill that Dolly
orous location. when he get bail.
Yorkshire has the third highest population
of Asians and British Asians in Britain - ac- That was only talk.
cording to the 2001 census, some 200,000 Dolly ban him from the house
of the group's overall population of 2.3 mil- he have to live batchie again
lion live in the area. judge put him on a bond.
Next offence Sudesh
In addition, Britain's tourist board has re- will make a real jail.
cently launched a drive to attract more vis-
itors from India and wants to associate itself
more closely with Bollywood movies. In two months
Dolly feel sorry
Britain is now the second-biggest market Sudesh gone back home.
for Bollywood films in the world - in 2005, But everything different
the British and Irish box office take was he ent the boss no more
12.4 million pounds (18.2 million euros, if he only try
US$24.7 million). to raise he voice
and talk a little mannish
The event also allows the Bollywood film Dolly give him one look
industry to reach out to a wider audience - and he see the blond lady cop
despite the fevered interest in India, its in- with the black automatic gun.
ternational success has been modest.
Estimated global revenues for 2002 were Sudesh sweet life
one percent of Hollywood's and only three in Canada disappear
Bollywood films have ever been shortlisted Just like that.
for best foreign language film at the Acad- realize too late
emy Awards - "Lagaan," "Salaam Bom- Canada is not Trinidad.
bay!" (1988) and "Mother India" (1957).
In February, leading actor-director Now he thinking to
Naseeruddin Shah told BBC radio that Bol- go back home
lywood films did not match the quality of checking out jobs
those from other countries such as Iran, in Guardian and Express online
Korea or Mexico. though he know inside
you can’t go home again.
"These countries are producing the most in- Sudesh need
credible movies and we are still plodding a little education
on with our boy-meets-girl, safe, old for- not book sense
mula," he said. but serious common sense
Made in Canada.
"That is the reason I think our films aren't
taken seriousl
JUNE 2007 Page 20
By Janet A. Naidu
Madras, you send rivers in language like a
rising tide.
You live in movies of your streets,
and a glimpse of ancient architecture
so adorningly in small chambers.
tell stories of sacred texts –
only from a distance.
Absent embraces prevent me
from claiming their tides of meaning.
Lights flicker my life-long desire
to decipher words
like granules of salt on your seashore.
Paati, when you arrived, did it rain?
You made garam masala taste like pepper
straight from the yard;
gave me hints of a distant land,
like jewels for body adoration.
You traveled across dark water, scan-
dalous – by whose colour, whose scold-
ing measure?
You huddled alone without family.
Your body forbidden with life
again and again.
You changed companionship in daylight.
Whatever villagers and neighbours said
I am forgetful now.
Did they conspire to call you names?
Illiterate, Mad Rass, play jumbie.
Ahhh, fake boundaries, vapour.
Madras, wait for me.
Every word, this new language
aches of tamarind sauce.
Even mulligatawny and dosa stream
in my vein as I long for some paan.
Rainy days drench me
with yearnings for your abode.
Kali Mai, take me to that distant shore
now ceaselessly soaking my cheek.
These days, I lean towards you
and touch unseen shades
just to feel some small word of recogni-
tion –
Eternal amma,
I follow you to the market near appa,
combing streets through bazaars;
recognize smiles among city dwellers
like annas and akkas of the last century;
I stroll through spice shops, historical
temples
past that obscure village,
not knowing which path to take.
I look for a bright orange shawl,
gentle eyes in the crowd
unguarded and innocent,
perhaps wandering too.
I see an Arkati take hold of your arm.
Remind me, was this your moment
of deciding departure?
You may not recognize my desire to know
something about your childhood days,
the music that once echoed in your heart.
Show me your pulse, your soul on the hill,
long before the drumming of youthful
separation,
long before you carried that bundle
across the bridge to Lil’ Diamond dam.
GUYANA
Three Guyanese in
JFK terror plot
(CONT’D FROM PAGE 8)
They allegedly loaded the video onto
Kadir's computer and according to the com-
plaint Kadir expressed interest.
The chicken hatchery
Kadir, according to the complaint, said he
would need a few weeks to contact associ-
ates and code-named the project "the
chicken hatchery" or "chicken farm". On
February 22 Defreitas, Kadir and the
Source met in Georgetown at a prominent
commercial building and Kadir allegedly
told the Source that they had gone there so
that the people Of Georgetown would see
them with Kadir and would think twice
Accused terrorist Kareem Ibrahim (left) is taken into custody by Trinidad police
about harming them. Kadir is then alleged
to have said that his associates had their
own rules and wanted to minimize the
killing of innocents. "Kadir proposed con-
ducting the operation in the early morning
hours, to minimize the killing of innocent
people. He said that the damage should be
economic in nature. Kadir also said that the
JFK video was not sufficiently detailed for
operational purposes, and told them to use
Google Earth software to get more detailed
pictures of JFK after they returned to New
York", the complaint alleged.
Told of the plans to travel to Trinidad for
the meeting with the Muslimeen, Kadir said
that he had introduced Nur to the relevant
Muslimeen leader and Nur was the right
person to make the intro.
Airport search
Defreitas and the Source returned to the
US and after deplaning at JFK US Customs
officers conducted a search and copied
among other items Defreitas' phone book
with the names and phone numbers of
Kadir and Individuals F, E and A. Defre-
itas then told the Source that he was suspi-
cious that the US government was aware of
their plans. The Source then told Defreitas
that he had been questioned by Guyanese
officers at the airport in Guyana.
According to the complaint, on March 1
in a recorded conversation Defreitas told
the Source that he had called Kadir and told
him about the airport incident. Kadir prom-
ised to get back to him after checking with
his associates.
On March 5 in another recorded conver-
sation, the Source told Kadir that he had
used Google Earth and had found the
"chicken farm" whereupon Kadir said that
that the "the folks don't want to deal with
that hatchery" because "right now it is too
sensitive," an apparent reference to the cus-
toms search.
In early April, 2007, the Defreitas and the
Indo-Caribbean Times
Source discussed travelling to Trinidad to
meet with the Muslimeen. The Source
arranged three tickets and while he sug-
gested that Nur accompany them, Defreitas
said that Kadir should go along with them
for the introduction to the Muslimeen. The
complaint alleges that Kadir agreed to this.
It was later agreed that Nur would travel on
a fourth ticket to Trinidad by himself.
Last month, May 7, Defreitas and the
Source discussed the trip to Guyana and
Trinidad. Defreitas also wanted Kadir to
meet them at the Guyana airport so they
would not have problems with airport se-
curity. The complaint said that Kadir prom-
ised to meet them at the airport and did so
on May 10.
Defreitas stayed in the capital and the
Source travelled to Linden with Kadir
where he met another Guyanese, Individual
G. When Defreitas arrived in Linden a day
later, Kadir is alleged to have said that In-
dividual G would go to Trinidad to arrange
the meeting with the Muslimeen but G did
not know the purpose of the meeting.
Disabling
The complaint alleged that "later in the
day, Defreitas and the Source showed Kadir
the JFK video and Google Earth maps of
JFK. Defreitas identified, among other
things, the fuel tank locations and air traffic
control tower.
"Defreitas explained that because JFK se-
curity monitored the fuel tank locations
from the tower, disabling the control tower
was a key to the operation. Kadir asked
many questions about the maps, including
the distance between the street and the fuel
tanks.Defreitas asked Kadir, who is an en-
gineer by education and training, about the
composition of the tanks.
"Kadir explained, in sum and substance,
that they were probably double tanks, i.e. a
tank within the tank. Kadir said that two ex-
plosions would be necessary to ignite the
fuel inside the inner tank, and explained
that fuel needs oxygen to explode."
Project
On May 14, plans continued for travel to
Trinidad and on May 19 at a recorded meet-
ing, Kadir allegedly told the Source that he
could no longer go to Trinidad because of a
"project" that required his presence here on
May 21-22. He however said that he had
called someone in Trinidad and arranged
for them to meet Defreitas and the Source at
the airport in Trinidad, provide them with a
place to stay and ensure security.
According to the complaint "Later in the
conversation, Kadir took a telephone call
outside of the Source's presence, returned
and informed the Source that, `The folks
called from Trinidad. They said they've
arranged meetings for when you go there.'
JUNE 2007
In this recorded conversation it is alleged
that Kadir advised the two on how to han-
dle themselves in Trinidad.
"Kadir: Right now in Trinidad, with [the
JAM…]. Is hot, with respect to national se-
curity, and the international security.
Because I think there was some problem.
Some problem with the government and
what not. [ ] has been acting up as late. And
they have him under serious surveillance.
Very, very strong surveillance. Even to the
point of the international, because they see
he has links with Mohamar Qadafi. And so
the international people and the local po-
lice. Everybody is zooming in on him. So I
don't know if he'll be available, because of
that. But the brothers are going to try to see
what can happen - if they can hook you up
to meet him".
Trinidad
On May 20, Defreitas and the Source
journeyed to Trinidad and Nur arrived sea-
parately. It is alleged that Kadir's associate
picked up Defreitas and the Source and
travelled to a Muslimeen compound where
they met with Nur. Nur then said that he had
met with the Muslimeen official and the of-
ficial had suggested that they all return in a
few days to discuss the plan in detail and in
the meanwhile he wanted to do some
checks on Defreitas and the Source before
any meeting. The three departed with the
fourth accused, Kareem and went to Ka-
reem's abode. They then called Kadir and
Nur advised him that he had met with the
Muslimeen official and presented the plan
to him.
On May 23, 2007 Kareem was advised of
the plot. Defreitas then said it was his in-
tention to present the plan to the Muslimeen
official. Kareem then advised against this
and said that he (Kareem) would present the
plan to contacts overseas.
The complaint said that on May 24 that
Defreitas advised Kadir that Kareem was
going to present the plan to his contacts.
Defreitas and the Source returned to New
York on May 26 and in a phone call with
Kareem the following day they were told
that the plan was moving forward and he
was sending one of his associates as an
emissary.
At this point arrest warrants were then re-
quested in New York under seal. The depo-
sition was sworn to on June 1, 2007
Guyana low
on human
development
index
JUST THREE days before the United Na-
tions Office on Drugs and Crime and the
Latin America and Caribbean Region of the
World Bank issued their critical joint report
entitled Crime, Violence and Development:
Trends, Costs and Policy Options in the
Caribbean at the World Bank's headquarters
in Washington, Guyana's Minister of Home
Affairs Clement Rohee launched an Inter-
Agency Task Force on Narcotics and Illicit
Weapons in Georgetown. This was quite a
coincidence.
Echoing the arguments advanced in the
UNODC-World Bank report about the
damage to the national economy caused by
illegal drugs and guns, Mr Rohee used the
opportunity of his address to the ceremony
for signing the memorandum of under-
standing to establish the task force to vow
that the government will "stop at nothing"
to stamp out trafficking in illegal drugs and
Page 21
guns.
The UNODC-World Bank report evinced
evidence to explain how narco-trafficking
was at the core of the murder rates in the
Caribbean, which were higher than in any
other region of the world. Narco-trafficking
drives crime by "normalizing" illegal be-
haviour and diverting criminal justice re-
sources from other important activities. In
this way, it "embeds violence, undermines
social cohesion and contributes to the wide-
spread availability of firearms."
The report warned that narco-trafficking,
high crime rates and violence in the
Caribbean are undermining growth, threat-
ening human welfare and impeding social
development. Crime is seen as a major ob-
stacle to investment because, as crime in-
creases, "access to financing declines,
spending on formal and informal security
measures increases and worker productiv-
ity declines."
Although the report deals generally with
the Caribbean, Guyana's particular public
safety predicament is the subject of several
specific references. In fact, various indexes
were used to measure the impact of narco-
trafficking, gun-running and criminal vio-
lence on the quality of life in Guyana. The
country had already been ranked at 103
Human Development Index (HDI) com-
pared to Suriname at 89; and rated at 121
on the Corruption Perception Index (CPI)
compared to Suriname at 90. But other new
statistics paint a poor picture of the people's
quality of life.
Guyana now occupies the notorious lead
in the Disability-Adjusted Life Years
(DALY) index - the standard international
health measure of the burden of disease that
expresses health life lost, years of life lost,
mortality and incapacity. With a rating of
716, Guyana is over twice the world wide
average of 343. The report places Guyana's
high homicide rate as way above Suri-
name's and even the world average. But it
also suggests that the annual national rate
of growth can be boosted by as much as 1.7
per cent if only the country could reduce its
high rate of homicide to, at least, that of
Costa Rica, which has one of the lowest in
the region.
Crime and violence have also contributed
to Guyana's top ranking as world leader in
emigration; it has the world's worst skilled
emigration rate (89 per cent). The report
cites Guyana's own Poverty Reduction
Strategy which admits meekly that "the
crime and security situation will have to be
tackled and dealt with definitively if
Guyana is to minimize the migration of its
highly trained professionals and entrepre-
neurs whose skills and resources are needed
to propel growth."
The UNODC-World Bank report should
convince both the administration and the
criminal justice system that the lawless ac-
tivities of notorious narco-traffickers and
gun-runners have had a deleterious effect
on the country. Should the administration
even half succeed in reducing narco-traf-
ficking and gun-running, Guyana can ex-
pect to see an improvement in economic
growth and the enhancement of citizens'
quality of life.
Guyana does not fare very well in Trans-
parency International's latest Corruption
Perception index, which includes ten
Caribbean countries.
Haiti was ranked as the most corrupt
country of the 163 that were assessed:
Guyana (121) was well below Suriname
(90), Trinidad and Tobago
(79), and Jamaica (61).
The only cause for regional pride was
Barbados (24), a position that places it
"ahead of many European countries".
Brampton Masters
SPORTS
WORLD CUP CRICKET
Cricket Club reaching
for the sky this year
BRAMPTON Masters Cricket Club won
their first game in the Premier Division of
the Toronto and District Cricket Association
last Saturday, beating the Grace Church
Cricket Club by five wickets. The other 11
clubs in the Premier division are taking the
“new kid” very, very seriously, and for
Club president Kevin Seepersad
good reason.
Recently, the Brampton Masters club have
rewritten the record book by being the only
club in the 80 year history of the Cricket
Association to rise through the three lower
divisions and advance to the Premier Divi-
sion. That meant beating all the other teams
in each division, getting promoted and
doing the same thing in the next division,
three years straight.
It's no accident that the rise in the fortunes
of the Brampton Masters coincides with the
move by Kevin Seepersad to take on the po-
sition of president four years ago. The club
is ten years old and was doing moderately
well in the Commonwealth cricket associ-
ation with a team heavily loaded with
Trinidadian and other Caribbean players.
Four years ago, the club approached
Kevin, who had been a decent first class
cricketer in Trinidad, to help them out of a
slump. He had come to the University of
Toronto as a 20 year old, but had not played
much cricket in Canada. They wanted him
as an administrator.
Kevin took up the challenge and went full
blast into re-organizing and expanding the
club. Job number one was to bring some
more discipline into the Brampton Masters
players. Next came the development of a
solid core of supporters, and a range of non
cricket activities to keep the group together.
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
“To keep the culture alive, we have to work
together,” says Kevin.
Next he moved the club into the more
prestigious and more competitive Toronto
and District Cricket Association, even
though that meant starting at the bottom in
the third division. Their first season in the
third division was also their last season, as
they won the division title and gained a pro-
motion to the second division.
The next year they went through the sec-
ond division like a hot knife, taking the title
again by beating all the other teams. They
were promoted to the first division, and to
the astonishment of the Association, took
the division title again. No club in the As-
sociation's history had ever done anything
like that before. Their reward was a promo-
tion to the top rung of the cricket competi-
tion, the Premier Division with the 12 top
ranking teams in the Association.
There is no hiding it. Brampton Masters is
the hot ticket in the Association. Other
cricketers want to get on board and get a
taste of the action. Today the club has over
100 players and supporters, a strong execu-
tive working with Kevin, a well rounded
training program, a funded junior division
and social activities like a boat cruise and
picnics. They are benefiting from what
Kevin sees as a boom in cricket in the GTA.
“Cricket is the fastest growing sport in
Toronto. It's much cheaper than hockey, and
our players have to contribute only $260 a
year, and that includes uniforms. Seven new
pitches have just been laid down in Toronto.
Cricket has a huge following among the In-
dians, Pakistanis, Sri Lankans and
Caribbeans,” he says.
It's called the Brampton Masters Club, but
players and supporters come from all over
the GTA, even as far away as Scarborough.
The club still has hills to climb in the ultra
tough Premier Division, but they have all
the people and the spirit needed to excel at
the very top.
So far this year the Brampton Masters had
their first game rained out, and won their
second match quite convincingly against a
senior team in the Association. It will be
quite a feat to do well in the standings when
the season is over. This is, after all, their
first year in the Premier Division. Just to
survive would be an accomplishment.
Kevin and the gang are not looking merely
to survive. There are still records to break.
JUNE 2007 Page 22
West Indies faces tough climb to
recover from defeat in second test.
MANCHESTER—West Indies, under new offer Ganga another slow bowling option.
captain Daren Ganga, enter the third Test The fast bowlers have also come under the
against England, starting today at Old Traf- microscope, following England’s heavy
ford, aiming to put behind them their record scoring in the first two Tests, and this may
defeat in the second Test. also prompt the inclusion of Fidel Edwards
West Indies to give it
trail the four- bit more
Test series 1-0, firepower,
after losing the and Darren
second Test at Sammy to
Leeds by an in- give it
nings and 283 more sta-
runs—their bility.
heaviest defeat “We
in Tests. The know the
first Test at (Old Traf-
Lord’s was ford) pitch
drawn. is very
Ganga, who conducive
was elevated to Captain Darren Ganga at bat to fast
the post of captain following Ramnaresh bowling, and it has got a lot of pace and
Sarwan’s return home to nurse his injured bounce,” Ganga said.
right shoulder, said the visitors have identi- “We’ve taken those things into consider-
fied where they went wrong in the second ation.
Test, and they were looking to correct them. “We’ve realised that our bowling lacked
“It’s very important for us to focus on the a little bit of penetration, and this is some-
process of winning a cricket game,” Ganga thing that we are going to take into consid-
told reporters on the eve of the match. eration before we select our final 11.
“We did some of the basics wrong in the “I’m sure the best combination is going to
second Test. We definitely did not deal with come up, so that we can get the best chance
the English conditions well, and this is of winning a Test match.”
something that we need to adapt better to as Controversial comments about all-
a team. rounder Andrew Flintoff have distracted
“It is going to be very important for us to England captain Michael Vaughan.
think about the process of cricket—the He is looking to become the most suc-
process of getting partnerships, the process cessful England Test captain of all time.
of bowling in partnerships, the process of He is currently level on 20 wins with
creating chances for us to get 20 wickets. Peter May, and this is enough to get him to
“The series is not beyond us as yet, we’ve
got two opportunities to level the series, and
maybe, win the series.
“A lot of people have written us off, but I
think cricket is played on the field, and it’s
about being prepared mentally for the chal-
lenges, and I’m sure the young guys are
looking forward to making a name for
themselves.”
West Indies failed to cope with the unique Chanderpaul ready to play
conditions at the Headingley ground, and
they were dismissed twice for totals of less focus on the job of leading his side to a
than 150, replying to England’s first innings fourth straight Test series win over West In-
total of dies.
570 for “We want to try and hit home the advan-
seven tage when we are on top,” he said.
d e - “We are up against an inexperienced
clared. Windies team and we want to make most of
Sar- that.
w a n “The key is starting well, it’s important
h o w - whatever we do we start well and get on top
ever, of them.”
was un- England have named the same 11 that
able to Sarwan is out for now
won the second Test.
bat in the match, and Shivnarine Chander-
paul was sidelined with a knee injury which Squads:
raped the side of two of its most experi-
enced batsmen. ENGLAND: Michael Vaughan (captain),
“Shiv is going to be available to play, so Andrew Strauss, Andrew Cook, Kevin
that is going a definite boost for us and our Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Ian Bell, Matt
batting,” Ganga said. Prior, Liam Plunkett, Ryan Sidebottom,
“Chris Gayle is definitely going to play, Steve Harmison, Monty Panesar.
but an assessment is going to be made as to
if he is going to bowl in this Test match. WEST INDIES: Daren Ganga (captain),
“All members of the touring party will be Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul,
under consideration barring Ravi Rampaul Corey Collymore, Fidel Edwards, Chris
who is suffering with a groin injury so he Gayle, Sylvester Joseph, Runako Morton,
will not be considered.” Daren Powell, Denesh Ramdin, Marlon
Gayle tore a muscle in his right side dur- Samuels, Darren Sammy, Devon Smith,
ing the team’s three-day tour match prior to Jerome Taylor; Ravi Rampaul (injured).
the Test, and he was unable to bowl.
Compatriot Marlon Samuels however, UMPIRES: Billy Bowden, Aleem Dar (TV
may benefit from this setback. Flown in to Replays: Peter Hartley).
replace Sarwan, the batting all-rounder
could replace Sylvester Joseph in the 11 to MATCH REFEREE: Allan Hurst.
Getting that golf swing
SPORTS Indo-Caribbean Times JUNE 2007
June 2, at Mayfield: Baal Ramdhan 77,
Boysie Chaitan 78, Les Lee 81, Bobby Nee-
bar 82, Oral 92
Other players include, Harry Siriram,
Arnold Lalchan, Bryan Neebar, Nick
Ramdhan, Jason and Adrian Siriram, Dave,
Adrian, Robert, Justin and Reynold Ram-
dial.
Page 23
Gayle, who damaged a rib muscle in the in-
tervening match, too has recovered.
There has even been a little help from the
other side. Michael Vaughan, the England
captain, has created a distraction for Eng-
land with some ill-timed, and widely con-
demned comments on the effect of Andrew
Flintoff's high jinks during the World Cup
on team morale. It will take more than a lit-
tle straw to suddenly make West Indies
strong again but these few might render

West Indies
them less compliant than they were.
An MCC XI, made up almost exclusively

cricket team
of eager but anonymous university stu-
dents, bore no resemblance to the intimi-
dating task expected over the coming days.

grasping at
All the same, most West Indies players used
the chance for match practice with both bat

Golf enthusiasts getting ready for a session on the links last weekend.
EVERY Saturday a group of Trinidad
Canadian golfers get together for a round
of golf. There have been three games
played so far and the turnout was better
than expected.
The rounds were pretty intense with some
scores in the mid to high 70s. . Apart from
some seasoned players like Bal Ramdhan,
Benny Beekhoo, Bobby Neebar, Boisie
Chaitan, the group has attracted many am-
ateur golfers and enthuiasts. The objective
is firstly to get together with other Trinida-
dians and enjoy what for these guys, is their
passion and also to get new players in to the
game.
Bal, a prolific and intense player, said that
all too often, players get into the game with-
out taking the time to learn the basics. This
could lead to frustrations and eventual quit-
ting. He and others would like to share their
knowledge and experience with anyone in-
terested in golfing. Clinics will be held to
straws
and ball.
Runako Morton's double hundred and De-
nesh Ramdin's ton surely raised the confi-
dence of two players for whom it is more
teach new players the basics of golfing. essential than most. And Fidel Edwards and
By Tony Cozier
The group also plan to have the the 5th Darren Sammy appreciated lengthy spells
annual Indo Trinidad Caniadian Association in their first chance in the middle since ar-
For a team that sustained the heaviest de-
golf tournament at the Streetsville Glen riving in England over a month ago. To the
feat in its long history to the same opposi-
Golf Club, Mississauga Rd., North of the English media and perhaps even to the Eng-
tion only 10 days back - conceding over
401 on September 15, 2007. land dressing room, such developments are
500 runs in both Tests - West Indies will
Members of the group say that while golf irrelevant. Both appear certain of a repeti-
snatch at any available straw. Tenuous as
may not have been popular in the tion of the ruthlessness of Leeds and an-
they are, a few have presented themselves
Caribbean, here in Canada golf is a game other thumping victory.
in advance of the third Test starting at Old
for everyone. It is Vaughan's assertion that Flintoff's
Trafford tomorrow.
Anyone interested in playing the weekly much publicised, inebriated escapade on a
The weather has changed from polar to
game or attending the clinic can contact Bal paddle boat in St Lucia in the early hours
tropical and runs have been made, wickets
at 905 507 3912 or Bobby at 905 451 6483 of the morning after the first round loss to
taken and long spells enjoyed in warm sun-
or send an email to ictimes@rogers.com New Zealand in the World Cup that has at-
shine, albeit in a leisurely three-day match
tracted most attention. Flintoff's weak ankle
inbetween Tests.
Top scores for the past games were: that required a second operation this week
Even though Ramnaresh Sarwan is back
May 12, at Mayfield: Boysie Chaitan 80, has put him out of the series but he remains
home attending to the injured shoulder that
Baal Ramdhan 82, Bobby Neebar 82, an immensely popular cricketer in England,
forced him out of the entire series, the ex-
Benny Beekoo 83, Hardy 85. especially in Manchester where he plays his
perienced and reliable Shivnarine Chander-
May 26 at Streetsville: Baal Ramdhan 77, county cricket for Lancashire.
paul has recovered from his knee injury and
Bobby Neebar 78, Les Lee 78, Benny
can resume his essential place in the mid-
Beekhoo 80, Mohan Sundarlal 88
dle order, so badly missed at Leeds. Chris

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Serious Caribbean fallout from terror arrests
Guyana’s image
soiled, says Guyana
President Jagdeo
PRESIDENT Bharrat Jagdeo has de-
scribed the three Guyanese implicated in
the alleged terrorist plot to destroy the JFK
Airport in the United States as “absolutely
crazy” and said it has soiled Guyana’s
image.
President Jagdeo talks with US
Ambassador David Robinson
Speaking at the opening of a tourism con-
ference at the Guyana international Confer-
ence Centre, Mr Jagdeo said the unveiling
of the terror plot by the Guyanese “is not
good” since Guyana’s future depends on the
linkages with the United States. He referred
to the Guyanese suspects as “crazy”, re-
peating “they are absolutely crazy”.
US Ambassador David Robinson con-
firmed that the US is seeking the extradi-
tion of three of the men who are being held
in Trinidad and Tobago. Kadir and Ibrahim
were arrested last week in Trinidad, while
DeFeritas was nabbed in the US. .
No extra US scrutiny
for travelling
Trinidadians
TRINIDAD and Tobago nationals with
valid visas will not be facing any extra
scrutiny when travelling to the United
States because of the alleged terror plot
against JFK airport, the US Department of
Homeland Security has said.
Some nationals have raised concerns
about being targeted for heavy screening
when travelling to the US because three of
the suspects were arrested here, one of
whom is a Trinidadian.
The concern is even higher among some
Trinidad and Tobago nationals who are
Muslim or have Muslim names as those in-
volved in the plot have been identified as
being of the Islamic faith.
"We don't want to punish anybody be-
cause they belong to a particular, group, re-
ligion, custom or country. We want to
protect the homeland while at the same time
protecting people's civil rights and civil lib-
erties," said US Homeland Security
spokesman Naomi Elmer.
Elmer said, "Just because there is one bad
person in one country, that does not make
the whole country bad."
She said that Trinidad and Tobago na-
tionals should not expect to experience any
additional screenings other than that which
already exits.
She asserted that the Homeland Security
Department does not believe in profiling in
any kind.
Trinidad PM denies
links with arrested
Ibrahim
THE ruling People's National Movement
(PNM) has meanwhile denied claims that
its political leader, Prime Minister Patrick
Manning, is associated with Ibrahiim.
The party issued a press release in de-
fence of Manning, hours after Ibrahiim's
daughter, Huda, claimed at a press confer-
ence that her father is a personal acquain-
tance of Manning and that he had visited his
home.
"The attempt to infer that supporters gath-
ered at the home of Edna Kingston, who is
a relative of Kareem Ibrahiim, constitutes
an association between our political leader
and the suspect is ludicrous to say the least.
"The PNM readily admits that on occa-
sion, after political meetings, constituents
including its political leader were refreshed
at the home of Edna Kingston."
The PNM described Kingston, the sister
of Ibrahiim, as an upright and upstanding
citizen and "a loyal supporter of the PNM
for several years so much so that the
Lopinot/Bon Air Constituency office is
housed in her home".
According to the PNM, Ibrahiim is a
"known opposition activist and is associ-
ated with one of the UNC deputy political
leaders in the Five Rivers area".
Other sources have identified Ibrahim as
a member of the opposition Congress of the
People (COP), headed by Winston Dook-
eran.
New York Trinis
baffled at bomb plot
TRINIDADIANS in New York continue
to be bewildered that one of their own could
have planned a terror attack on their
adopted homeland, Hardbeatnews has re-
ported on its Web site.
The hot question among those living in
Queens and Brooklyn where many
Caribbean migrants live is: “Is this for
real?” it said.
Desmond Chase, the Trinidad-born chair-
man of Hawks International, a youth group
in Brooklyn and one of the city’s largest
mas camp, is doubtful of the facts being
presented by federal officials, it said.
“I don’t think Caribbeans as a whole have
this hate,” it quoted Chase as saying of the
four accused, one of whom is Trinidad-born
Kareem Ibrahiim.
“We are generally people-loving and we
love America...In Trinidad, there is no sup-
port of terrorism against the United States.”
Chase, the report added, is also sceptical
that suspects could have the means to bring
the alleged plot to blow up major jet-fuel
supply tanks and pipeline at John F
Kennedy Airport to fruition.
The report also quoted another Trinida-
dian, Hazra Ali, saying she wasn’t sure
what to make of the allegations.
“People in the Caribbean don’t have that
kind of hate as people in the Middle East,”
she said.
“Trini and Guyanese people don’t share
the history that people in the Middle East
have in terms of their hatred for the US.”

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