More Lessons from Rwanda- IT Revolution
By Keith Burrowes
A few months ago, in August I believe, I wrote an article on Rwandan leader, Paul Kagame and the strides he has taken during his time in office not only to heal the wounds coming out of the 1994 genocide but also to raise his country out of dire poverty.
A few nights ago I was watching BBC news and saw another remarkable story coming out of Rwanda, related to the steps Kagame’s government was taking at poverty reduction and overall development. The article online is headlined “Bold Rwanda Takes Broadband Leap”, the focus of which is how this poor, land-locked country has devised an ambitious plan to incorporate information technology into its overall development.
The Rwandan plan is ambitious in two main ways. First of all, while many prominent thinkers – most notably Harvard Professor Kenyan Calestous Juma – have stressed the need for technology being a vehicle for development in Africa, the calls have mostly been for this to be enabled at a tertiary education level. Rwanda is, however, aiming for a blanket programme, benefitting a country made up of mainly small-scale farmers, many of whom have no access to a reliable supply of electricity. Secondly, the government’s ultimate aim is to extend beyond basic IT literacy and establish Rwanda as the “Singapore of Africa,” that is, making the country a globally significant hub for information technology services.
It is hard to see the story on Rwanda and not make comparisons to Guyana. I am relatively uninformed about the ongoing issues between the Government of Guyana and GT&T but I can safely say that Guyana, like Rwanda, has a situation where one private sector company is solely responsible for the provision of bandwidth. Like Rwanda, the cost for bandwidth is prohibitively high in terms of being useful developmentally and our economy, like Rwanda’s, is heavily dependent on an agriculture industry largely run by rural farmers without the sort of IT skills that are becoming crucial to survival within the current global context. The most important similarity however is the existence of the political will to use IT in development: like Kagame, we’ve seen from President Bharrat Jagdeo, an insistence towards this end. For example, in explaining the sale of the government’s 20 percent stake in GT&T, he explained that proceeds were intended to be reinvested into the ICT sector.
“If we can subsidize bandwidth to get more people connected to the Internet,” the President had stated in one interview, “we’re hoping that over time we could have some 80,000 households connected to the internet.”
The last article on Kagame titled “Lessons from Rwanda”, I had expressed the belief that that his country has something to teach us. In this instance,, it relates to the use of IT in development, primarily with regard to the conceptual approach to policy formulation. Kagame’s government has established an Information Technology body tasked with carrying out a vast developmental agenda. According to Patrick Nyirishema, the Head of that body, “We can’t wait until we have water, until we have built roads, before we get around to ICT. We have to do everything at the same time.” One of the most innovative initiatives I’ve ever seen, and this was during the BBC story, was the use of a bus equipped with laptops, going around the country providing Internet access to people all over Rwanda. It is not inconceivable for me to see Guyana and Rwanda, considering the common goals and experiences, working together in some bilateral agreement in order to share ideas for using IT as an impetus for growth, to the benefit of both states.
As acknowledged in the story however, there remains the issue of adequate training. That would be a first step, in my view, for any IT revolution here in Guyana – we don’t have the sort of population size of Rwanda and while access to hinterland communities is problematic, there are enough cross-sectoral programmes taking place in those areas for an IT-training programme to piggyback on. That said; I believe that while IT training and education are both necessary and relevant, without an overall enabling environment, their impact upon development will be negligent or non-existent; the same goes for the provision of access to web technology. For example, let us say that the farmers in rural Community A are provided with basic training on the use of the Internet, as well as monthly access via something like the Internet bus arrangement in Rwanda – what’s next? How does this tie into any development agenda or policy in a measurable manner?
My point is that there has to be something compelling those who benefit from education and access to actually use these in improving whatever economic activity they are engaged in. I would make a strong case for linking the provision of certain sector- specific services to the use of information technology. For example, there could be a system where online registration will be required for any sort of assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture, that is, the applicant would need an online account. Whatever the approach, the fundamentals must be as coercive as they are statutory: if the rule says an online application must be made for this service, the farmer must be sold on the idea that being connected to the Internet would be beneficial to him - he will save time and money by not having to wait in a necessarily long line at the Ministry, his crop yield would be better due to the information sent to him via e-mail from NARI, he can predict the weather in a more long-term manner through connections to certain websites and so on.
From online banking, to online registration at the University of Guyana, to even the provision of passport application forms online, we are slowly incorporating IT into our routine way of doing things. What needs to be done, however, is the creation of a more holistic agenda where prominence is given to the development component of any such programme. We may be a good deal behind Finland, which has tabled legislation to make access to broadband a basic human right by the middle of next year but with the sort of innovation, and outright guts, that Rwanda has shown, we can start to catch up.
Perspectives
Spare no quarters to remove this nastiness of domestic terrorism
By Prem Misir
An enduring criminality stalks the entire Caribbean; the scourge of narco-trafficking, gun running, etc., gains impetus within the context of remote, unpopulated, and porous borders of the Caribbean, including Guyana, providing attractive transshipment routes for these well-prized possessions. Guyana and all its CARICOM partners present claims of novel and aggressive measures against this deadly affliction.
Here, in Trinidad & Tobago, the killing of 25-year old Guyanese Samuel De Souza at Beetham Gardens a few days ago brings the number of murders this year to 430, tripling the murder rates within three years; and one woman within the security force, encapsulating similar sentiments among a few other persons with whom I spoke, dismissed the Manning Government crime-fighting measures as not working. As a visitor, I see Trinidadians acknowledging the long-lasting crime wave, with almost a symbiotic indifference and disgust at this enduring criminality, while at the same time carry an utter resignation to cope with this evil.
Notwithstanding that Guyana shares a similar burden of crime with its CARICOM partners, ordinary Guyanese do not express the same level of resignation. Indeed, ordinary Guyanese acknowledge the slow-paced results of their Government’s crime-fighting measures; and we also must not be overzealous of our criticisms of these people; ordinary people issue these feelings because of their growing security concerns. But, simultaneously, let’s not forget, too, the manifest and latent role of some unseemly events, episodes, and people that catapult the birth and growth of this criminality in Guyana; inclusive of domestic terrorism.
Politicians have a lot for which to answer when you think of stoking the fire for the purpose of promoting this unsavory criminality; in this context, recall Korten of the Miami Herald alluding to an Opposition member’s assertion that ''We have a new generation of criminals now who have resolved never to be captured because they don't believe the system will bring them justice.''
This kind of remark certainly does not help in the context of enduring domestic terrorism; and, indeed, other politicians weighed in on the crime wave then in 2002-2003 and also now, with sporadic bursts of crime, to augment their own selfish political interests; and these are the politicians who live off politics, rather than live for politics, as I remarked in previous columns.
With tacit political support, we saw what Korten described thus: “…Meanwhile, the escapees' gang grew, and Rondell Rawlins, nicknamed ''Fineman,'' a local term for skinny, joined. Fliers started appearing announcing the group as an armed resistance out to defend the Afro-Guyanese. One of the escapees even appeared on TV, toting a gun, to press that point…” And so much for public interest in broadcasting!
Indeed, integral to this criminality is domestic terrorism that gains momentum as a strategy for political destabilization when economic conditions seem to make a turn for the better. But any government has to spare no quarters to remove this nastiness of domestic terrorism.
The Cabinet is not the professional crime-fighting force in Guyana; that is the job for the Guyana Police Force; and as is the case with police forces globally, the Guyana Police Force is the crime-fighting force with the responsibility to protect the citizenry. But the Cabinet and Parliament have a sacred duty to strengthen other parts of the judiciary.
And so within this context, the Government, as part of its comprehensive crime-fighting strategy, now has in place a number of crime-fighting legislation since 2002, among others, thus:
1. The Criminal Law (Offences) (Amendment) Act 2002 that is expected to prevent acts of violence and destruction of property.
2. The Prevention of Crimes (Amendment) Act 2002 that is expected to have Guyanese deportees monitored by the Police.
3. The Racial Hostility (Amendment) Act 2002 that increases the punishment for offences effected under the principal law.
4. The Evidence (Amendment) Act 2002 provides for the admissibility of documents generated by the computer as well as other documents inclusive of disc, tape, sound track, or other mechanisms.
5. The Criminal Procedure (Plea Bargaining and Plea Agreement) Bill 2008 makes provisions for a plea bargaining agreement.
6. The Evidence (Amendment) Bill 2008 makes provisions to facilitate the presence of detainees in court for obtaining bail, etc., from the place of detention through audio visual communication.
7. The Interception of the Telecommunication Bill 2008 allows for the “monitoring of transmissions made by fibre optic cable or any other forms of wire line, by wireless telegraphy, voice over internet protocol, internet and all other forms of electromagnetic communication to or from the apparatus comprising the systems”.
8. The Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill 2008 mandates providers of SIM-cards and cellular phones to document recording and saving information from SIM-cards and mobile cellular phones, including those of their customers.
The Criminal Law (Procedure) (Amendment) Bill 2008 “will formalize the alleged paper committals of accused for High Court trials instead of awaiting the end of a preliminary inquiry (PI).”
Guyana, prior to the Criminal Law (Offences) (Amendment) Act 2002, had no law that carried the death penalty for a terrorist act. The death penalty, again prior to this law, provided for crimes other than those involving terrorism. This new law mandates the death penalty for a convicted terrorist. Terrorism includes taking human lives, but is not solely confined to human killings; terrorism incorporates other types of heinous crimes, as indicated in the aforementioned ‘terrorist’ offences.
And ordinary people are happy to learn that the CARICOM crowd today sees the wisdom of a regional crime-fighting force; but these ordinary people want to see some action from that force. And so, while people look for progress, whether, it is about crime, economics, health, education, etc., from governments, and so they should, let us also understand that progress also emanates from a change in people’s values; not only change in government’s values.
THE MIND OF A CHILD MOLESTER
Dr. P.S. Thakur, Director
UG Berbice Campus
Child molestation is the ultimate banality of any society; of any right-thinking human. It must be understood as a disease and merely as a crime; to be recognized, defined and treated individually, socially and psychologically.
According to the Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine Nursing and Allied Health a pedophile is one with an abnormal fondness for children;
sexual activity of adults with children. A child is someone from infancy to puberty. The adult maybe a parent, a custodian or even a stranger.
Puberty is evident with pubic hair, beard, etc. in boys
and menarche, enlarged breasts, etc. in girls.
A sexual abuse of children is a sexual dysfunction also known as Sexual and Identity Disorder once known as “Psycho-sexual disorder”. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-Four Revised {DSM IV, R} there are six sexual disorders and one gender identity disorder: Sexual Desires, Sexual Arousal, Orgasm Desires, Sexual Pain, Sexual Dysfunction due to general medical condition and Paraphilias. Under Paraphilias are listed nine categories, hallucinations, exhibitionism or exposing oneself; fetishism, pedophilia, etc.
“Paraphilia comes from the Greek meaning “along side of” and ”love of” and is the involuntary and repeated need for unusual or bizarre imagery, acts or objects to induced sexual excitement. “Pedo” in Greek means “a child”. “Pedology” is the scientific study of the nature and development of a child. “Pedophilia” literally means “love of a child”. It has now become the abuse of a child sexually, socially and criminally. It involves:
a. Inanimate objects.
b. Suffering, humiliation or sexual activity with non-consenting partners.
To be diagnosed under this condition, it must be in existence for six months or more. The cause is not clearly understood but almost always occur in men. To be diagnosed the perpetrator must be age 16 or above.
A pedophile generally engages in petting or oral/genital stimulation. Physical aggressions against the children are rare. However, the publicity and the public perception are associated aggressive action and related to murderous violence. However, these are men who are usually mild mannered and innocuous-appearing men with profound feelings of masculine inadequacy.
The problem of pedophilia is that the public perception and image of the individual and labeled as “molester”, which means “one who annoys or disturbs with hostile intent or injurious effect”. Because the victims are children and helpless there is public outcry, even if tangentially related to these incidents. The subject of pedophilia is discussed with great deal of emotion and anger. Any individual or group will find support for its eradication or “Stamp Out”. Even in prisons child molesters are in the lowest rank of prisoners, well below murders and rapists.
While some Paraphilias are impulsive {such as exhibitionism}, others such as pedophilia are planned. In pedophilia the erotic stimulus is with a prepubescent child, generally age thirteen or below with same or opposite sex. There are three {3} types of pedophiliacs:
a. Those attracted to same sex.
b. Those attracted to opposite sex.
c. Those exclusively {or non-exclusively} attracted to children.
These categories need to be properly understood, because it may be confused with acts committed by the mentally retarded, psychotics, sociopaths, or molesters who impulsively approach children while under the influence of alcohol.
Psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud describes sexual identity and growth in males and females as the Oedipus Complex. Later Carl Jung used the Electra Complex to describe a girl’s sexual feeling for her father. This is the stage where a boy first identifies sexual feelings towards a female, in this case to his mother or care-giver The mother, in turn, will nurture the boy’s sexual attachment by hugging him, playfully agreeing to marry him, etc. These intra-psychic aspects of psychosexual maturation helps the boy to grow appropriately socially and sexually, It must be noted that these are not necessarily biological parents but psychological parents, since any one can take the place of the parent, e.g. an aunt, an older sister or even a caring neighbor. With growth and with time the boy or girls will extend same emotions and sexual feelings from parents to friends of same and/or opposite sex but an age appropriate individual.
THE MIND OF A CHILD MOLESTER
PART II
We do not fully understand the problem of pedophilia. While we speculate about causes and have collected numerous symptoms, true understanding remains elusive. The general perception is one of evaluation in terms of the norms of a society; ignoring and individuality and pathology of child-rearing practices. The question remains if such conduct or individuals should be seen as a psychiatric or psychological problem to be understood and treated, and not as an act of disgust to be punished. Is it a disease or criminal behavior?
The sexual development of an individual is especially noted during puberty when the male sex hormone, testosterone, becomes active. The hormone helps to stimulate the male reproductive system, including the prostate and the secondary sex characteristics such as the beard. In the female this sex hormone is the progesterone. The onset of puberty is and may vary with genetic make-up, health of the child, nutrition, etc. and may vary from age 9 to 14 with girls generally reaching puberty before boys.
When there is abnormal relationships between parent child, the child is unable to extend love and sexual feeling because of rejection or emotional coldness. Such a child will turn those angry or inappropriate feelings inwardly because the extension of the feeling has been rejected As a result and mistrust, instead of trust develops. Because of the deep-seated inwardness, they may in the extreme become anaclitically depressed. Sexually it is much easier to turn to self-blame and masturbate; and even in the excess.
In many ways there are common characteristics of a molester and the adult is to be offender. Generally, there are problems and difficulties in childhood years, resulting in lack of affection and expression of honest and true feelings. Gratification is found in unusual places and behaviors. One such feeling is dominance is a sexual setting, not un- like Sado-masochism; the dominance and submissiveness on the sex act. In Freudian terms the id (or biological impulses) controls the ego (social impulses)) and superego (moral consideration), so that rational or moral considerations are diminished or absent
Many of these individuals have been abused as children. They come to practice what they know even when they are informed about the abnormality or illegality. The id impulses dominates over rationality or the go.
The modus operandi of attracting and seducing the victim varies with the individual. Good listening is an early characteristic of a pedophile. From this trait he gives the impression of being caring and supportive; listening and sharing of secrets lead to trust. One of the first steps is to make and expand contact with children such as in church groups, scout groups or groups associated with high moral qualities. Small favors are followed with bigger ones. A general pattern is developing. trust from the child, parents and family members to the point where the perpetrator may seem that he can do no wrong. Another tactic is to test for keeping secrets. A first test could be to try a game telling a dramatic story and see if it spreads. In childhood, having a secret is the ultimate status symbol. Keeping a secret becomes the ultimate trust and minor secrets build up a feeling of responsibility. The trust will grow to the point where the victim will discuss family matters with the pedophile, seeking advice on when and how he could deal with parental relationships. It may further grow to seek advise about how to deal with parents in matters where parents may normally disapprove.
Relationship with anyone, child-to-child or child-to-adult, is one of power. Even in child’s play there is an interaction to see which one is superior. This is true of animals and well noted in play with puppies and kittens. It is therefore perhaps an innate characteristic in humans because it means power, which means survival; survival of the fittest; a law of nature, a principle of the natural world. In this abnormal relationship the pedophile cannot relate successfully with other adults. In fact, he may find or perceive, that he cannot relate to the adult-to-adult power. A child is a much easier victim because he now demonstrates power and control of the child.
A child’s mind is different from that of an adult, and thus errors in interpretation and understanding are common. An area of misunderstanding is the egocentricity of the child’s relationship with the world. The child assigns a mother role to himself; his needs and wishes. Failure of the mother to play that role may result in frustration and withdrawal; turning away with disappointment and hostility. Another difference is immaturity and understanding of the sexual apparatus, the infantile sexual apparatus. The child views a sexual scene and translates as sexual violence and opens the door to all types of difficulties in identifying with the victim or aggressor. This is intensified by the ignorance or failure of parents to discuss sexual behavior in an open and honest manner.
A third misrepresentation is the weakness or limitations of the thinking process. For example, a child goes to a dentist. He is scared before, during and after the process and the parents are perceived as collaborations in the hurt. The child becomes filled with anger and rage. Similarly, a child views a sex act as violence to the one with whom he identifies, mother or father. In his limited experience and perception the id or instinctive drive predominates. The ego is underdeveloped and in the pedophile the ego is delayed and the id predominates. The child’s id or instinct or sexual drives find outlet in masturbation and form sexual fantasies; the id above the ego or id controlling the ego. The child also is more id than ego and delay of needs are not developed or underdeveloped, in his repertoire. A pedophile is an id driven mechanism.
The pedophile often is turned on children during mid-life when there is a set back in marriage or any close relationship. These are male heterosexuals with low self-esteem. They develop a sense of self-worth and value as they fondle the children. They have a sense of dominance, a sense of control, a power, albeit corrupting. The individual becomes empowered and is rewarded and this feeling and behavior continues and can intensify with time. The condition becomes chronic and difficult to change. There may even be a denial or a rationalization as why he does it. This rationalizations help to reduce any anxiety associated with the sex act.
Treatment: Pedophiles normally do not seek treatment.
They are shy and immature emotionally. However, unlike the sociopath or psychopath, their cognitive functionary is intact, albeit low. He knows that it is abnormal and is a crime, but he can do little about it; as if driven by the devil to do it; an act of compulsion and obsession. Psychiatrists have set out broad guidelines:
a. Help the individual to develop self-awareness and self-conduct.
b. Reduced sexual arousal from childhood years with creative activities.
c. Understand nudity through thoughts and images.
d. Increase normal heterosexual arousal.
e. Teach and reward appropriate arousal skills and relate to adults appropriately.
f. Teach sex education; distinguish acceptable from non-acceptable conduct.
g. Connect psychosexual with sexual surrogate, where legal
The use of drugs may be useful in reducing anxiety; reduce libidinal drives e.g. droxy progesterone acetate. High doses {40-80 milligrams} of fluoxetine reduce sexual fantasies, while sparing normal sexual conduct. It is highly recommended that treatment should be ongoing and not short time, because of the many attributing causes and frequent relapses.
Groups to help with parents and children are self-help groups such as Parents Anonymous, with telephone centers to help parents in crisis. There is also the National Parent’s Chapter located in Redondo Beach, California. There is local help available through Red Thread, Social Workers and pediatricians Parents with similar problems may come together to support each other..
CONCLUSION:
Recent discussions in the media have been very useful in creating sensitivity and public education on the subject. This is significant because it is a problem to be addressed and dealt with by all. This is especially true in a male-dominated society. On the other hand, it must not take on the opposite extreme. Not every man accused maybe guilty. The days of witch-hunts are over. Sanity must prevail.
FROM THE HEART
BY PARVATI PERSAUD-EDWARDS
Ramona Persaud is seventeen years old. She once attended the Enmore Primary School but dropped out at age eleven to take care of younger siblings.
Vanessa Hope, fifteen years old, dropped out of school at thirteen for the same reasons, as did Nazima Bassalut, now eighteen, whose education was curtailed at age eleven to help her mom, a single-parent who vends to support her children.
Sixteen-yr-old Patricia Persaud says that, although her dad lives with the family, he is an abusive alcoholic and money is always scarce, so her mother also has to work long hours at ill-paid jobs to provide for her family, constraining her also to drop out of school to assist with chores at home and take care of siblings.
Restored Hope
These girls, whose future up until just recently looked bleak indeed, now have hope for a second chance of a future filled with possibilities with the literacy programmes established at the Guyana Sevashram Sangha at Cove and John on the East Coast of Demerara, (Cove & John Ashram) which seeks to ensure the competency of their reading and writing skills before they embark on more developed training programmes that will promise that their futures are not abysmal meanderings in the labyrinth of despair and hopelessness currently being traversed by their respective mothers.
Milinda Thornhill, who graduated from the adjunct Hindu College before acquiring a Diploma in Micro-computer studies at the Ashram’s Pranav Computer Centre, now attends the Government Technical Institute where she is pursuing a Diploma in Computer Science.
Milinda currently volunteers as a ‘big sister’ in the Ashram’s literacy programme and also works part-time in the Ashram’s library, together with fellow volunteer, Avenesh, who ‘big brothers’ the little ones as well. She says that upon the completion of her GTI programme she will return to the Pranav Computer Centre to study computerized accounts, A-plus networking PC, and Quick-Book, which was recently introduced by head of the Pranav Computer Centre, young Shyam Sundar, who is also a product is of the Ashram.
Among the younger children are 8-yr-old Taforah Simon, who lives at Victoria Village and attends the Paradise Primary School.
Taforah says that the “big brother, big sister” literacy programme at the Ashram has opened up a new world for her, because she has now discovered the world of books. She borrows books from the Ashram’s library, reads them, and then can write compositions on the contents.
And who are the heroes of these youngsters, along with many others, who have opened up new horizons structured to develop and enhance their latent skills and create vistas and opportunities hitherto closed to them?
The ZARA family!
This family is headed by the most generous benefactor, George Subraj, President of ZARA Apartments and Homes, which are mainly high-rise structures in the USA owned by the Subraj Brothers; other Subraj relatives, especially brother Jay and only son Tony, friends and business associates, such as IT specialist and consultant Naresh Singh; Jaskaran Persaud, real-estate broker who hosts a radio programme on WGBB in New York; and Sarwan Budhu; who especially works closely with Jay and Naresh and Bramchari Vidur, administrative head of the Cove & John Ashram, to better the lives of the children who seek an education at what is the country’s only gurukul.
These altruistic actions by these philanthropists benefits persons across every divide in the nation.
Lakeram Persaud co-ordinated the latest Subraj inititative – which is a singular donation of 40 state-of-the art computers, accessorized components and complete furnishings donated singularly in this instance by George Subraj to the Saraswati Vidya Niketan, which has been described by the principal of the recipient school as the largest donation to the educational system by a single donor.
George said he established the Zara Computer Centre, which currently has forty computers, with the facility to add twenty more, to benefit the children of the West Coast of Demerara, because he feels that divinity lies within good actions, especially when these actions help to enhance and develop the potentials in children. George bought all the beautiful, specially-designed furnishings from ND&S Furniture, which is owned by a cousin of the Subrajs.
The Zara Computer Centre, which has cost the donor in excess of $24 million, is fully-equipped with a large projection screen, DVD player/receiver, high-tech alarm system; and almost everything – 97 pieces, was transported by air at great expense by the donor to facilitate an early opening of the Centre, which was launched on Sunday 29th September with a packed programme which was co-chaired by Lakeram Persaud.
Subraj siblings slept on rice bags:
Speaking at the ceremony, old Subraj family friend, Jailall Kissoon spoke of the earlier, very hard years when the ten Subraj siblings suffered hardships and the Subraj boys had to plough rice fields in the Mahaicony Creek and plant beeya and cut rice by hand – a back-breaking, labour-intensive way of cultivating and padi fields and harvesting the yields.
Kissoon, who himself hails from a family that struggled in earlier years, lashed out at those who speak of wealthy entrepreneurs and high-profile professionals as exploiters, without considering that their education and/or wealth was achieved and garnered through much sacrifice and relentless striving. He said that those who are being condemnatory do not aspire to emulate those achievements, but instead condemn and desecrate them.
George himself spoke of the times when as a child he had to sleep on rice bags spread on the floor and the fact that he has no formal education because he had to help in the fields at an early age. However, by dint of much effort, dedication to the transformation of their fate, hard work sometimes beyond human endurance, aspiration to excellence in achievement, and prudent fiscal management, the Subraj brothers scaled the pinnacle of economic success, to the extent that they now have so much that they continuously attempt to better the lives of those less fortunate than themselves.
George said that their penurious circumstances in their earlier childhood days were alleviated somewhat when their father and two of his brothers pooled their resources and invested in a small rice factory where they lived in Bel Air Village, just outside of Georgetown, not far from their uncle Boysie and cousin Ralph Ramkarran.
Also Boysie had gifted Dr. Cheddi Jagan a piece of land on which the latter built his modest family home so they were surrounded by illustrious persons who were exemplary characters.
Emulating father’s example:
Explaining that the initiative of his father and his brothers working together as a unit helped to develop their family fortunes, George said that this was the concept that motivated his inviting his siblings to pool resources together to establish the ZARA conglomerate, which has fructified in phenomenal success – hence these constant endeavours to return what he terms as “the Lord’s blessings” to society.
Mr. Subraj Snr had instilled in his children social values, not least service to their fellow man, which George says is the primary philosophy expounded by all the religious books – be it the Bible, the Koran, the Torah, the Gita, and although they are traditional Hindus they do no limit their largesse to any one community, but try to extend help wherever they can do so effectively, and within the boundaries of prevailing constraints.
The Subraj siblings pay homage to their deceased father by making periodic pilgrimage and giving patronage to the Vishnu Mandir in Bel Air, which his father had always supported, along with the Bel Air Primary School which they had attended as children.
They have infused this enthusiasm in their offspring also, because their children are following in their very large footprints and George’s only son, Tony, is no exception.
Charitable works are family recreation:
For every project the plans are conceptualized through meticulous attention to detail while they are still in North America, and the materials are bought in North America and shipped by air – a costly exercise that nevertheless saves the group precious time, so upon their arrival they go into over drive with the various stages of implementation – working immediately upon arrival in Guyana until the wee hours of the morning, along with contractors and hired labour, even late into the nights before their flight out of Guyana.
Minutes before the launch of the Zara computer Centre, Tony Subraj was still drilling holes in the hard concrete walls of the centre so that he and IT specialist, Naresh Singh, could ensure that the cables were properly placed and connected, because their attention to detail is infinite and absolutely meticulous. Tony, whose wife is expecting their first child soon, did not hesitate to return to Guyana to finalize this project.
Lakeram Persaud’s 19-yr-old son, Aditya, an automotive engineer at Toyota, who has visited Guyana for the first time ever, is enthralled and plans to continue to periodically visit, especially since he has a seventy-odd year old grandmother whom he has just seen for the first time. It is heart-warming to witness these children who grow up in the USA – and I have four nephews and two nieces over there also, all of whom retain cultural values and respect their elders, never resorting to anti-social behaviour and habits. Tony Subraj epitomizes all that is best in an offspring of whom a parent can be proud.
With his busy schedule and his constant trips to Guyana to troubleshoot and ensure that the projects are being properly implemented Naresh Singh’s time with his family is severely curtailed; yet his children – ages sixteen to eleven, are well-balanced and cultured because their father exemplifies the best of human beings and of fathers, and whatever time he spends with them is nurturing and qualititative.
All the members of the group say that the third generation in their respective families is enthusiastic about their charitable developmental activities, and that this is their primary recreation. George’s wife and only surviving sister (he also lost his penultimate brother recently) have also accompanied him on this trip, along with Tony.
According to George, the Government makes policies and invests heavily in the development of the human capital in a national context, but communities need to also take responsibility to address their own peculiar needs and, while overarching policies may direct the national strategies, it is individuals within communities who need to expend time and energy to drive initiatives into optimal fructification. Within the parameters of their own limitations of space and time, the Subraj family and their group of friends are attempting to reach into communities to empower children through facilitating the mechanics for enhanced educational processes because, as George says, investing in the lives of children is investing in the future of nations, and education is the key to national development, especially in this technologically-advanced world.
George says that everyone has inherent intellect. The challenge is to develop and exploit that intellect, because if youngsters learn skills and become pro-active and productive they would be less tempted toward anti-social habits, and that is why the Subrajs and their friends try to harness the potential of young people and channel them into productive streams of endeavour.
He says smiles on the children’s faces are the rewards they most enjoy for their hard work and non-profit investments.
Computer Whiz passes on skills:
In his very short speech at the launch Naresh Singh, the IT consultant of both the ZARA conglomerate and the group of charitable volunteers, and the man responsible for the installation of the communication networks donated by the various members of the group, explained that internet means the inter-connection of computer network throughout the world – with all its implications, both good and bad, and warned of the dangers the bad can provide and the need for parental monitoring of IT systems. He told the audience that the Zara Computer Centre is equipped with the highest information technology which can serve as a data centre because it can process large volumes of information.
Naresh is a constant visitor to the Cove and John Ashram, where he himself join with the tutors in passing on his vast reserves of skills in this highly technical and specialized field. He has single-handedly been responsible for the upgrading of the skills development programmes and the laboratory at the Pranav Computer Centre.
He is also all set to establish the most advanced computer graphics centre as an adjunct to the Pranav Computer Centre when it comes onstream within weeks, pending the completion of the new Reading and Research Centre in which it will be housed at the Cove and John Ashram, which is another collaborative initiative of the Subraj family, Naresh, and Sarwan Budhu.
Scaling the boundaries:
The ZARA group is expanding and Anand Rambharose, young Guyanese entrepreneur based in New York, has also become part of the honorary ZARA family of donors. He has gifted the air-conditioning system to the ZARA computer centre.
He said that George stands tall everywhere he goes and he spoke of his many generous acts of giving – three elevators to high-rise mandirs to save the elderly from walking up steep stairways, among a host of other compassionate activities he subscribes to.
Lakeram Persaud spoke of George’s generosity to the tenants of his luxury apartments who could not, for some reason or another, any longer afford his rents. George would let them live rent-free until they got back on their financial footing and then let them decide whether they wanted to remain as tenants or seek cheaper accommodation.
The Subrajs are also famous for rescuing battered women, especially Guyanese women, housing them in their luxurious apartments and creating empowerment resources and survival avenues for them.
George Subraj is also the Vice-President of the Guyana Watch team and he was the person who facilitated the first kidney and the first heart transplants in this country, expending his own resources in reconnaissance and other necessary expenditure, sourcing the equipment, co-ordinating and expediting the relevant protocols through the Ministry of Health and other officialdom.
Munesh Mangal, who was merely seventeen years old at the time his mother Leelkumarie donated a kidney and gifted him life twice, owes his future to several persons, but the man who brought them all together was George Subraj.
George extended his stay in Guyana, leaving yesterday instead of on his scheduled Monday flight, just so that he could make another donation – this time gifting to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation some expensive medical equipment that he had sourced from Mt. Sinai Hospital in the USA.
The Subraj family and their group of friends, especially Naresh Singh, Sarwan Budhu, Lakeram Persaud, Anand Rambharose, and Jaskaran Persaud, have scaled the boundaries of giving to society, because these are highly successful persons who return to Guyana to give overwhelmingly of their resources but, even moreso, they are not afraid to get their hands dirty and go sleepless to get the job done, because they are giving from the heart.
MY PET FISH BLUE
By Ashley Alfred
Blue, Blue, where are you?
Not in the fishpond, not in the zoo
Each day swimming to and fro
But you died, and swim no more
