Vulnerable persons are expected to benefit from a humanitarian village that will be constructed at Ankerville, Port Mourant, Corentyne by the New Jersey Arya Samaj and its Guyana Chapter, the Guyana Central Arya Samaj Humanitarian Mission.

At the sod turning ceremony on Saturday, Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, according to the GINA press release, expressed his appreciation towards the organization for efforts which he said complement the work of the government.

“In a world where we all find ourselves stretched to provide for our needs, the Samaj has embarked on a project to help the needs of the less fortunate… I challenge and encourage others to do what they could to meet the evidenced need of their community,” he stated.

Also addressing the gathering was Region Six Chair-man, David Armogan, who opined that persons living in the countryside are the ones mostly affected by societal ills and as a result, considered the location suitable.

“At the regional level, we are committed to such a project, as such whatever is necessary for us to do, we will do… other friendly societies, NGOs and social groups are welcomed to partner with the region to address societal problems,” Armogan stated.

Red Thread Representative, Karen De Souza, said that there will never be enough organizations addressing the needs of the less fortunate. “Whilst this initiative is impressive, we have to commit ourselves to being willing, bold and brave enough to speak out against societal issues… we need to call out the influential people to desist from abusing and taking advantage of the poor and those that are weak willed,” she noted.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Webster, Minister of Human Services and Social Security, considered the sod turning for the construction of the village as historic in Guyana, and moreover for Region Six.

“The Samaj is a body we should be proud of for the humanitarian work they are doing and their initiative to fund a project that will help the less fortunate… government is committed to working with not only the Samaj but any other organization that is willing to become a partner as we must all join forces to rid society of age long societal ills,” Webster said.

She further stated that if these persons are denied access to services of support, society will rapidly deteriorate as these ills are on the increase.

“This is something that must be dealt with… we have seen increased efforts from the judiciary in dealing with matters of domestic violence and child abuse… however, many of our victims at the end of it all cannot face up to what happened to them, therefore the need for support,” the Human Service Minister pointed out.

United States Embassy, Deputy Chief of Mission, Thomas Pierce considered the Arya Samaj and like organizations as indispensible and noted that they assist government by providing a number of social services which spur development.

Canadian High Commis-sioner, David Devine, expressed pleasure with the Samaj for not only this project but previous works, particularly in the area of humanitarian relief. He said that such selfless acts speak volumes and should not go unrecognized.

Also present, GINA said, was Guyana’s Consul General to Canada, Sattie Sawh, who said “we are witnessing the commencement of something that will have impact on thousands who stand to benefit… this project is significant as it cuts across religion and political and cultural identities as it will be opened for the betterment of all and it will not only be a place to have a meal or spend the night but it will also offer educational and skills training opportunities, which is exemplary”.

March 26, 2012 | By KNews | Filed Under News
Kaieteur News

In giving an overview of the project, Pandit Kamal Dhanessar said that the village will house an empowerment centre which will offer skills training in areas such as Information Technology, garment construction, food catering, basic vehicle repairs and electrical installation. The residents will live for a period of time in the village “and when they leave this village, we hope they will be coming out with the necessary skills that they can move into the mainstream society, in the community.”
A guest house will also be erected for overseas- based members of the Mission and on the lower flat there will be off- duty nurses, “because…we also visualise we will need nurses to take care of the old folks and of the children who will be living in the village”. The ambitious project will also see the construction of a multi- cultural shed and “a part of it will be enclosed as multiple prayer rooms where the residents will be allowed to practice their religion”.
The organisation noted that although government has piloted the requisite laws relating to child abuse, domestic violence and other social problems facing Guyanese, the social ills continue unabated. The Humanitarian Village will provide accommodation for street children, abused persons, aged persons without families, as well as provide skills training meant to train and empower not only the residents of the Mission Village, but also single parents, teenage mothers and school drop-outs.
There will also be a tech- voc education programme for accreditation with the Ministry of Education for empowerment.
President of Red Thread, Karen de Souza lauded the effort of the Arya Samaj Mission “because there will never be enough of us who are addressing the needs of the vulnerable and needy”. She noted that while it is good to “put up buildings” the issues should be addressed, such as “skills and how do we move the vulnerable kids and abused women to situations to independence and taking care of themselves”.

“We have to commit ourselves and be bold to speak out when we see our friends and relatives being violent”.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr. Jennifer Webster, in her address, gave the government’s commitment to the project, “because if we don’t arrest this problem and ensure our victims have access to justice, then our society will go further downhill”. She added that the judicial system is committed “now to working with us…and once we have legislation in place, there is need for us to look at issues affecting the implementation and to try to have these issues resolved”. She pledged to amend laws if possible, “because we cannot allow the perpetrators to get away and to flee…and many of our victims have been left traumatised and they have to endure counseling and….cannot face up to what has happened to them”. “Many of the victims are women and as a woman, I feel that we have to help each other…join forces…no matter what…help those woman, children to build their self- esteem and a project such as this is a commendable project because the mission will provide a number of facilities and skills”.
President of the New Jersey Arya Samaj Humanitarian Mission, Pandit Suresh Sugrim chronicled the breakdown of the nation’s societal fabric and blamed it on entertainment shows that are laced with selling of alcohol especially to minors and children.
One such show was held in Canje last weekend, “and it was the most disgusting thing I have ever seen in my life”. “What I saw last Saturday…was a total shame and disgrace to our country that we allow international artistes to come into our country and take our people away”. He urged the religious leaders present at the ground- breaking ceremony to unite and tell the government “that enough is enough and whenever these artistes come into our country, and they’re gone, how are we going to fix the damage? Our people, children and family, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters were all getting drunk; where are our morals and values, the mandirs, churches and mosques?” he questioned.
U.S. Charge de Affairs Thomas Pierce, in adding his bit, stated that the people-to-people activities, that do not involve government, “are all important facets of our bilateral relationship”. He lauded the Mission Village since it will be a place that will approach the problems in a comprehensive way in that skills training will also be provided for the residents, “and will also support other victims of domestic violence”. He pledged the U.S.’s support to the issues that the Mission Village will be tackling.
Consul General to Canada, Mrs. Sattie Sawh was proud of the type of work that is taking place and offered her encouragement to the project. “This village is addressing a need that exists far beyond the boundaries of any one religion, racial, political or social group….and addressing any and all disadvantaged people does not have a single discriminatory aim and I am very proud of this”.
High Commissioner of Canada, His Excellency David Devine noted that there is a need for such a project and urged that recognition be given to projects such as these. He urged the government and private sector to work together to support such ventures.
“The vision of this project is that of empowerment and that is a critical message, and it is open to all religions.”
It is important, he said, to focus on the root of the problem and pledged his government’s support to such programmes.
Prime Minister Samuel Hinds congratulated Pandit Sugrim and the NJASHM. Hinds, in addressing the gathering, stated that he has taken note on the comments of Pandit Sugrim of the kind of entertainers that have been coming to Guyana “and they do pose a problem….and I took note of the call that we should celebrate good role models”. He pledged that the government would do what it can but insisted that citizens should play their part as well.
“Let’s get the building going and I hope we develop enough momentum that the other challenges will be met”. He challenged others in Guyana to do similar projects “to meet the evident needs….so that we could establish a network of bonds through caring, sharing for each other”.
Construction of the complex will begin within a month.

Written by Leroy Smith  Guyana Chronicle

Sunday, 25 March 2012 20:30

–practice destroys social fabric

DOMESTIC violence could be vastly reduced if there was a more serious approach to the root causes of the problem — the men in society.
This is according to Minister within the Finance Ministry, Bishop Juan Edghill, who opined that if there is not meaningful input into the cause of the problem, society would forever be confronted with battered women, abused children, orphans and broken homes.

Human Services Minister Jennifer Webster is greeted By Pandit Suresh Sugrim on her arrival

The minister was speaking to scores of persons who had gathered on Saturday to witness the ground-breaking ceremony for the Humanitarian Village of the New Jersey Arya Samaj at Ankerville, Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice.
Minister Edghill thinks there should be direct contact with grown men and young boys when several issues are addressed, domestic violence being one of them. He said domestic violence comes from a depraved heart, and that the practice is learned behaviour.
Minister Edghill, who is also a minister of the Gospel, opined that the behaviour can be changed. He commended the Arya Samaj for the step it took in providing a safe haven for persons who have suffered as a result of this practice by males, but said that that was only the beginning of the process.

Bishop Edghill explained that there was also need for more focus to be placed on the family, since the family was an institution that played an important role in the society.
He said that rather than trying to change the definition of the family, like was being done by some people, what the family really needed was strengthening.

Returning to spirituality was also another effective way of addressing the issue, the Bishop proffered. He reminded that, despite the faith and religion one practices, all speak of the need to strengthen the family as well as love.
Once those principles were adhered to, the minister opined, the problems of domestic or child abuse should be eliminated, as those would be contradictory to the teachings of one’s religion.
If those principles were not taught and practised, society would forever have to be responding to the call for protective facilities and homes like the one the Samaj intended to erect.

Human Services and Social Security Minister, Jennifer Webster, who also spoke at the event, said she would ensure she remained accessible and open to working with all those whose vision was to rid the society of gender-based violence, because it has long been a social illness in the society, and continues to destroy society’s moral fabric.
She added that if the issues that affect the family, and moreso women, were not addressed, society would be sunk further by domestic violence. She mentioned that, at the level of the government, she was going to ensure that the legislative framework in place to protect women and children was utilized to its fullest.
She also told those gathered that if there were areas that were causing victims not to be properly protected, then the laws would have to be revised where necessary. She urged all women to get on board, and to speak with one voice to effectively be heard in their quest to stop the practice of domestic violence, which seemed to be a fixture in society of late.

Other issues

Special invitees putting all hands on board to turn the sod for the Humanitarian Village

Domestic violence is seen as one of the major problems for women and children, but there are other issues which affect the lives of those persons, and those should also be address.
Minister Webster spoke of empowering women, offering training in the areas of life skills for both women and girls, while building the self-esteem of children as areas which should also be focused upon.
She assured that she would be working with all those who expressed an interest in addressing the issues that affected children and women.
The sod turning event was attended by Prime Minister, Samuel Hinds, who is at the moment also performing the duties of President of Guyana. The Acting Head of State said he was extremely pleased with the move by the Arya Samaj in responding to a very real need of the society. Over the years, he said, the Arya Samaj has been looking beyond its personal needs and priorities in an effort to channel help in the direction of the less fortunate.
In her address, Ms. Varshni Singh made mention of the importance of rendering assistance to those who needed it, regardless of their religious and other beliefs. She pledged her support to working with the Minister of Human Services and Social Security in the area of children and women’s interests.
Karen De Souza of Red Tread underscored the need for the Government to be more aggressive in safeguarding the rights of those who sought the service of the state for justice.
Also speaking at the event were representatives from ‘Rights of the Child’, Red Tread, and members of the diplomatic corps. The event also saw attendance from representatives of the various faiths, business and regional officials of Region 6, and volunteers of the Samaj.

The sod-turning comes almost two months after the organisation was granted a plot of land by President Donald Ramotar, having written and getting approval from former President Bharrat Jagdeo for a plot of land upon which to construct.
The works of the New Jersey chapter are being aided locally by the Guyana Central Arya Samaj. The new facility will be built at Lot 21-26 Ankerville, Port Mourant, where the land is located.
The Humanitarian Village will cater for the elderly, homeless, physically challenged, abused, and victims of fire and other situations that cause persons to be separated from their homes.
The Arya Samaj plans to work very closely with the Government of Guyana and any other organisation, irrespective of its religious and/or ethnic standing.

-woman shares her painful story

By Leon Suseran

Hundreds filled Spready’s Square at Port Mourant on the Corentyne on Wednesday

Amelia Veeren, victim of domestic violence sharing her painful storyevening in one of the first ever Inter-faith candlelight services to show solidarity with victims of sexual abuse.

Hindus, Christians and Muslims from all walks of life, Non- Governmental Organisations, Government leaders and the New Jersey Arya Samaj Humanitarian Mission (NJASHM) all joined in making a loud call for more attention to be placed on dealing with the “cancer” and what many refer to as “the disease” of sexual abuse, especially of young children in Berbice and Guyana as a whole.
The evening began with several keynote speakers who spoke to the issue of violence in every form and shared what needs to be done to aggressively tackle the societal breakdown that exists.
Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Honorable Jennifer Webster, emphasised the brutal violence being committed on persons of both genders. “No one can be immune to the daily horrific stories in the media; they invade our homes and lives with an increasing regularity. Victims are crying for help. The family; the very fabric of society is silently begging for our help as they are ripped asunder by one violent act after another”.
Fathers, she said, perform violent acts on mothers and children, mothers abuse children and friends react in violence at the ‘slightest provocation and the list continues”. Minister noted that parents are the greatest teachers and that “men learn to abuse their wives if they have grown up watching their fathers do so”. “Victims of violence feel hopeless because of the perceived notion that there is no way out, no help and lack of care from those around them”, she noted.
Professor Daizal R. Samad of the University of Guyana urged the gathering to join hands and form a protective barrier if the evil is to be combated. He pinpointed the Guyana Police Force, religious organisations, social groups, the legal community and private sector for having very important roles to play to fight sexual abuse and violence. “I cannot tell you the number of times that wives have come to see me with complaints that they were beaten by their husbands; in two cases, parents have come and shown me bloody clothes from children as young as five years old”, he stated. He added that his social work students at the Berbice Campus are working in hands-on ways to examine these social diseases. He urged the gathering to carefully ponder upon where these acts are being committed the most, what the levels of prosecution are and why are these acts happening, so that information collected can assist with the fight of abuses that are happening.
He chronicled the breakdown of society. “…we have lost control of ourselves. We drink, behave in shameful ways, swear in the loudest voices, and become violent for little or no reason”, he stated. He added his disgust with a popular newspaper columnist who penned an

A section of the gathering during the candle light service article titled ‘Corruption is worse than rape!’ and called the statement a “dreadful, callous and irresponsible” one. “Tell that to our children– males and females– that have been raped!” He referred to the perpetrators of rape and sexual abuse as people “without conscience, without decency, without goodness”. “There are men that I have met who would insist that it is the right of a man to beat his partner. I have warned them not to speak such things in my company…I try to keep as far away from these kinds of diseased people as I can”.

Then the audience with their candles lit, listened to the painful story of an abused victim, Corentyne teacher, Amelia Veeren, who shared her difficult story with the public and broke down in tears several times during the address. She allegedly endured a painful struggle with her husband but was able to get out of the relationship before things turned for the worst. She received a standing ovation for her bravery that evening.
Also speaking to the audience was the mother of the five- year- old rape victim from East Canje. The mother made her appearance in public for the first time since her daughter was brutally raped under the Canje River Bridge on December 22, 2011. She urged the police to find the rapist and bring him to justice.
Regional Chairman of Region 6, David Armogan stated during his address that somewhere in Guyana “right now, another woman is being abused”. “This new feature of our society …is getting completely out of hand”. Statistics, he said, show that domestic violence “affects women and children of all strata of society and therefore, there must be a total approach to this form of violence”. He noted new and modern legislations have been passed including the Domestic Violence Act and Child Protection Act, all of which have assisted in the fight of sexual abuse. Organisations like Red Thread, The Guyana Association of Women Lawyers, among others, “have been formed to tackle this problem”. “Despite the interventions of new organisations and legislations, the problem goes unabated”.
He called for new approaches to deal with the problem, such as strengthening the family unit and helping them to be grounded in religious beliefs. “We have to be able to look out for our brothers and sisters”, he stated. He urged the gathering, “How many of you sitting here have not seen your neighbour suffering from domestic violence and a child being ill- treated in the home and have said something to the authorities?” He said people need to speak out and report it or else “the problem will continue unabated”.
“We need to get back to some level of morality in our society….because it is through this that decency is built”.  He quoted Mahatma Gandhi by saying  “The brutality of this world is not caused so much by the acts of bad men, but by the silence of good men”, he told the audience. The business community, represented by the Upper Corentyne Chambers of Commerce (UCCCI), lauded the event and said that it was long overdue. “We have, however concluded through our intensive interactions with the Upper Corentyne primary and secondary schools, that the foremost cause of sexual abuse proliferation is due to the breakdown of moral fabric in the home and community levels. A lack of positive role models at home and in the community leaves many youngsters at the mercy of unscrupulous individuals and the pressures created by mass media, a media where sex sells”. Other causes of these crimes, they added, were the incomplete penalty enforcement system, “poverty and a disconcerted effort by stakeholders”.
Other speakers included the CEO of the Berbice Regional Health Authority, St Francis Community Developers and Guyanese Women in Development (GuyWid). The ‘B’ Division Police, including the Commander, was a no- show even though they were invited as important stakeholders in the issue.
After the inter- faith service, participants viewed a movie, “Enough”,  starring Jennifer Lopez, that chronicled the struggle and tale of a young mother who was being brutally abused by her husband.

Written by Shirley Thomas

Sunday, 19 February 2012 21:25

DOMESTIC violence, child abuse and their perpetrators came under fire last Wednesday at an inter-faith prayer and candlelight vigil at Port Mourant, East Berbice, where more than 400 persons from all walks of life converged to register their dissatisfaction with the growing scourge and to collectively wage war against it.

Pandit Suresh Sugrim (left) in brief discussion with Minister of Human Service and Social Security, Dr. Jennifer Webster (right) at Port Mourant last Wednesday.

The forum was organized by the New Jersey Arya Samaj, in collaboration with the Guyana Central Arya Samaj Humanitarian Mission. It was designed to address the daunting problem of Domestic Violence and Child abuse locally.

Quote--“It seems to me that as individuals we have lost control of ourselves. We drink [imbibe alcohol] and behave in shameful ways, swear in the loudest voices, and become violent for little or no reason.”

Held under the theme, “Enough is Enough!” the awareness forum brought together persons from diverse groupings, joining hands and taking a principled position aimed at frontally addressing and breaking the neck of the scourge, currently being witnessed in its worst form, and which strikes at the very fabric of society.

The forum, was held outside Spready’s bakery, next to the Port Mourant Market, brought together hundreds of keenly enthusiastic persons who, with one accord, registered their complete dissatisfaction over the fact that, even though there are laws pertaining to Domestic Violence and Child Abuse, these are honoured more in the breach. Concerns raised spoke of persons who, in clear contempt of the law, continue to:

* wantonly batter and humiliate women, denying them their basic rights and freedoms in the home, and invariaby some of these cases result in murder of the vulnerable women
* rape and otherwise molest innocent children, damaging them physically, psychologically (particularly girls) while threatening to kill their parents if the children report the abuse and the parents take action against the predators.
* feel themselves ‘untouchable’ and ‘above the law’ which they openly flout, and who
* attempt to ‘pay off’ the parents/guardians of a child/children, and in other ways attempt to ‘obstruct due process’ as it relates to the prosecution predators.

Among those present at the forum were:  Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Hon. Dr. Jennifer Webster; Regional Chairman, Mr. David Armogan; Deputy Regional Chairman, Mr. Gagroo; Executives of the Arya Samaj; Director of the University of Guyana Berbice Campus, Professor Daizal R. Samad; and representatives of the three major religions in Guyana – Christians, Hindus and Muslims.

Speakers included Minister Webster, Pandit Sugrim, Professor Samad, Dr. Vishwa Mahadeo of the Guyana Central Arya Samaj, Mr. Alex Foster and Pastor Nandrine Kishoon.

The joint body said it sees the need for a unified approach to fighting the scourge, involving stakeholders from across the spectrum.

In a scathing attack on the scourge, Professor Samad declared, “To combat this evil, we must all join hands and form a protective barrier that keeps safe, our young and vulnerable. Each religious organisation has a part to play; each social group must be part of this.
“The Guyana Police Force is central; the legal community must come on board; the private sector must lend its voice. The education system must give this attention; each governmental and regional agency must make this part of its mandate; and the University of Guyana must be at the forefront.”

And calling a spade a spade, he cited imbibing alcohol as one of the root causes of the abuse suffered by women and children at the hands of the abusers.
“It seems to me that as individuals we have lost control of ourselves. We drink [imbibe alcohol] and behave in shameful ways; swear in the loudest voices and become violent for little or no reason,” he chided.

Professor Samad conceded that the perpetrators of domestic violence and child abusers are people without moral substance – “They are without conscience, without decency, without goodness,” he said, adding that our society should have zero tolerance for that kind of moral corruption.

Meanwhile, Pandit Suresh Sugrim whose brainchild the forum was also addressed the gathering and condemned domestic violence and child abuse (molestation) in the strongest possible terms.  Highlighting the atrocities, and calling for a new way forward, he said, “Women need to be loved; children need to be cared for…”
He is however of the view that, “… the only way we can break this vicious cycle is through the power of education and committed endeavour.”

Sunday, 19 February 2012 21:23

…from the New Jersey Arya Samaj

Residents with Acting Administrator, Ms Pauline Davis (second from left in back row) and Pandit Suresh Sugrim, at right.

RESIDENTS of the Palms Geriatric Home, Brickdam, last Friday received a donation of clothing, compliments of the New Jersey Arya Samaj Humanitarian Mission. The clothing was handed over to Ms. Pauline Davis, Acting Administrator of the Palms, by Pandit Suresh Sugrim, President of the New Jersey Chapter of the Arya Samaj, and witnessed by members of the nursing staff and the inmates themselves.

Pandit Sugrim, who has been making frequent donations to charitable organizations, the poor and less fortunate among other deserving cases, said that the items distributed on this occasion were from sole donor, Guyanese-born Mrs. Juliet Ganpath of Queens New York.

Ms. Davis, on behalf of the residents, expressed gratitude to the donor, noting how good it feels to know that their needs are being considered, and not only at Christmas, but at other times during the year.

She said she was impressed that the gifts were donated out of true love and by people who genuinely want to help the residents who had, in their time, served the country.

There is a call for even stiffer penalties for sex offenders, especially crimes committed against young children while bail should be removed as an option.

This rally cry is being made by the New Jersey Arya Samaj Humanitarian Mission through its representative Pandit Suresh Sugrim, who has returned to Guyana on a mission to whip up strong support for advocacy to have laws tightened, make penalties more severe and raise awareness of this emerging problem.

Speaking to  Guyana Times, Sugrim said his organisation has declared war against this sinful act and is spreading the message for all Guyanese  local and in the diaspora to debunk and condemn such conduct and behavior at all levels of society. Sugrim disclosed that the social network, Facebook has really given much publicity to the issues in Guyana, allowing the diaspora to interact on issues affecting people back home. He noted the recent emergence of sexual abuses of heinous proportions is a major topic for discussion on the network among Guyanese, and he has come home with his heart purposed on putting up more barriers against the scourge.

‘Guyanese around the globe are very disturbed over what is happening at home… within the past couple months, I can refer to a five-year-old that was raped and a seven-year-old that was raped…”

A worked up Sugrim stated that he is not pointing fingers but is here to call on religious leaders across the religious spectrum to rally behind his organisation to aid national efforts to address the scourge.

‘It’s not fair for the victims and their families… a child deserves to be loved and a child deserves to be cared for… a child doesn’t deserve to be sexually molested, and as parents, you think about your nine-year, seven-year and five-year being molested… how would you feel if your child has or family becomes a victim.”

On Wednesday, the mission is hosting a candle light inter-faith prayer service to ask for healing of scars suffered by victims of sexually motivated crime. The event is set to involve participants from all spheres of society, including the police, policy makers, religious bodies, NGOs, business community and the Berbice community by extension.

“We‘re coming together to support the government… that this would no longer be tolerated in our society… we need to start nurture our communities because they belong to us… there is an old African saying that ‘its takes an entire village to raise a child’, and when the child is scarred with impressions  for the rest of her life… how do we fix that scar?… it something that we need to put a stop to immediately… we need to be our brothers  keeper… society has changed for the worse”.

The next step is to have proposals prepared and presented to the Home Affairs Ministry after consultations with other religious bodies, NGOs and relevant agencies on the way forward to curb this problem.

Sugrim said this issue is not unique to Guyana, but Guyanese abroad are very concerned about what is transpiring at home.
The inter-faith prayer is scheduled for Wednesday, February 15 on the tarmac of Spready’s Bakery, Port Mourant. The service commences at 18:00hrs.