Community Connection
Thirty-plus individuals, including Indo Caribbean World's publisher Harry Ramkhelawan, were recognized by the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada (NEPMCC) on October 28, 2011. David C. Onley, Ontario's Lieutenant Governor hosted the awards ceremony at Queen's Park - seat of the provincial government. Awards were handed out to Individuals, Journalists, Newspapers, Magazines and Radio and Television and were spread across various categories and communities within the ethnic media. Some of the communities/language groups recognized by the awards include Slovac, Bengali, Somali, Russian, Arabic, Armenian, Chinese, Hindi Speaking, Ethiopian, South Asian, Estonian, Caribbean, Finnish, Pakistani, Iranian, Brazilian, Greek, Persian and Singhalese. Picture at left shows the awardees with the Lieutenant Governor at centre, Mr Thomas Saras, President and CEO of NEPMCC at far right and NEPMCC's executive Director Asha Rajak at far left.
Toronto Arya Samaj will hold a Diwali Concert on Sat Nov 5 at the Vedic Cultural Centre, 4345-14th Avenue, Markham. The program will feature Panwar Music and Dance Productions, starting at 6:30 pm. Call Kevin Samaroo 647-505-1793 or Sat Sarju 647-292-4370.
Friday Nov 18: 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Saturday Nov 19: 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Sunday Nov 20: 9:00 am- 12:00 noon
Venue: Pranav Ashram, 102 Rivalda Rd (Sheppard & Weston Rd).
All former students of the Guyana Hindu College are specially invited to join in the celebration od the Life and Times of this great saint.
Call: 416-741-4335 or 416-283-4109.
Guyana Ex-Police Association of Canada Annual Brunch, Sunday November 6, at Rembrandt Banquet Hall, 930 Progress Ave, Scar. from 1-7 pm. Music by DJ Paul. Adults $30; Seniors/Children $25. For info, call Gordon Collins 905-274-7292, Lance Alexander 416-579-1779 or William Henry 416-385-3766.
Pakaraima Guyanese Canadian Writers and Artists Association and friends of the Caribbean invite all to the Annual Literary Dinner and Social Evening on Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 6:00 pm at the Caribbean Wave Restaurant, 875 Milner Avenue, Unit 106, Scarborough. Call: Shirley 416-904-7912,
Janet 905-780-8866 or Habeeb 416-823-1738.
Toronto Kaiteur Lions Club will hold their Buffet Brunch on Sunday November 13th., 2011 at 12:00 noon at De Sweet Spot Restaurant, 1157 Ellesmere Road at Midland, Scarborough. Tickets $15.00 per person. Tel 647-352-7768.
Rambihar clan
By Adit Kumar
Dr Sherryn Rambihar, recently completed her studies and training in cardiology earning a Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada, FRCPC. She is now one of the newest additions to Canada's prestigious list of cardiologists, following in the footsteps of her illustrious father, Toronto's internationally recognized cardiologist Dr Vivian Rambihar.
Sherryn completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto with Highest Distinction and with the prize for the highest average for a student proceeding to a professional school. She then moved on to the University of Western Ontario where she completed three years of training in Internal Medicine, and then three years of training in cardiology at McMaster University.
Sherryn is currently engaged in subspecialist advanced training in the field of echocardiography at Mt Sinai Hospital in Toronto, with her father who was one of the first to train in this field thirty years ago at the Toronto General Hospital. She plans to start practice within a year's time and hopes to combine teaching and academic medicine with practice.
Sherryn has excelled throughout her academic career, continuing in Canada a trend established by her father's family in Guyana. She received an academic admission scholarship to Hagergal College where she earned many academic and extracurricular prizes. She continued to display her academic excellence in university, medical school and in specialist training earning accolades all the way.
She has excelled in research, receiving the Gold Medal at the McMaster University Annual Resident Research Day in Medicine this year. She has already given many presentations at international meetings including the Caribbean Cardiac Society Conference in Barbados and the First International Congress on Heart Disease and Stroke in Women, in Victoria, British Columbia.
Sherryn has been involved in community health since childhood and continues with extensive community service. She has worked alongside her dad with health promotion in the South Asian community, and is co-author with him, of many publications, including a landmark Editorial in the American Heart Journal, "Race, ethnicity and heart disease: a challenge for cardiology for the 21st century." She continues with research and writing on health for the community.
Sherryn proposes achieving balance in life, and does yoga, runs marathons, reads widely and even sang at a few weddings. She hopes to continue this as she settles into her new practice. For her, the sky is the limit. Sherryn is an excellent role model for young people.
12th October 1925 – 28th October 2011
Dhanwanty, affectionately called Sursattie, was born on October 12th, 1925 in Newtown Kitty, Guyana.
She was the youngest of four children, all of whom have predeceased her.
Growing up in Guyana, she resided in the suburbs of Georgetown and after finishing school, was married to the late Chablall Ramcharan.
Their loving partnership, sixty four years of memorable times, ended with the passing of her husband some five years ago. From their union came four children, three of whom, Vivekanand, Suresh and Kamini, survive them.
Dhanwanty's life was guided by her faith and values as a follower of Hinduism, and in her own quiet way exemplified the life that should be led. Like her husband, she was an active follower of the Arya Samaj movement, particularly in Guyana, where community worship was regularly held at their home.
Her life's investment was in her children whom she nurtured from infancy to adulthood with never a complaint, always there to listen and to gently offer her advice when needed. With the advent of grandchildren came the opportunity to again be a mentor, a role which she most enjoyed and which drew her closer to that generation.
She was not only a mother and housewife but also a seasoned traveller. Among the places she visited, India was one of her most favourite destinations where she made several trips. As the years passed by her activities were limited, yet stimulating to herself. She especially enjoyed the company of her children and their children.
After her husband's passing she resided with her daughter, where on October 28th, 2011 she went peacefully from this abode.
The story of Dhanwanty Ramcharan is one in which a wife, mother, sister and aunt will be recorded as an ideal woman of Indian culture. She will be remembered as one who served in silence with a quiet, beautiful, charming and very wise personality.
Her husband's participation in the growth of Arya Samaj in Guyana and later in Toronto stands out from many others because her strength as a woman gave him the necessary support to discharge his community responsibilities.
With her passing on last Friday, she and her deceased husband left a legacy of values exemplifying how couples can complement each other for successful service to the community.
May her soul find peace and contentment.
By Arti Panday
Members of the Guyana Pioneer Group and Guyana Burn and Health Care Charitable Foundation gathered at the Guyana Consulate last Thursday for an exchange of donations to the Burn Care Unit in the Georgetown Public Hospital.
From the initiation of the Burn Care Unit, the Guyana Pioneer Group has collaborated with the founders of the project to help them realize their goal of a better facility for burn victims.
Currently consisting of seven women, the Guyana Pioneer Group is a 23-year old organization focused on giving back.
"When you feel like you've gotten a lot out of life, it's only right to give back," said the President of the Guyana Pioneer Group, Thelma Tappin.
Their most recent contribution to the hospital wing was nearly one hundred cotton sheets which will go towards making the victims' stay more comfortable there.
Since the opening of the Burn Care Unit in 2002, over 1200 patients have benefited from services provided by specially trained nurses in the unit.
"It has been found that there has been 40% less deaths among patients who have 20-50% bodily burns," said president of the Guyana Burn and Health Care Charitable Foundation, Harry Harakh.
The decrease in the death rate can be attributed to many factors, one being the great support from Sunnybrook Hospital. This hospital has generously donated equipment and provided nurses to assist in the training of their counterparts in Guyana.
Previous donations include medical machines such as EKGs as well as special pressure mattresses and beds intended to provide a more comfortable setting for burn victims.
The Guyana Burn and Health Care Charitable Foundation plans to target a few projects surrounding the improvement of skin grafting procedures, the development of the common area for patients, a surgical suite, and recovery room.
By Adit Kumar
Terry Sawh, President of Topnotch Group of Companies, copped the Procurement Advocate of the Year Award at the Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council`s (CAMSC) 7th Annual business achievement awards presentation held at the prestigious Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto on October 3, 2011. The honour of presenting the award to Terry was given to Steven James of Pepsico.
Terry shared the spotlight with an elite group of awardees who were recognized in other categories. They were: Acosys Consulting, which won the Small Business of the Year Award; Shashi Foods - the Supplier of the Year Award; Contac Services - the CATA Innovation through Technology Award; and Hewlett Packard which took away the Corporation of the Year Award.
The Procurement Advocate of the Year Award is offered to an individual who strongly promotes supplier diversity through outreach activities and is respected by their peers for advocating supplier diversity in Canada. Terry more than met the criterion for the award.
Terry is a passionate advocate of supplier diversity in Canada as even in a casual conversation he takes the opportunity to promote supplier diversity. His advocacy has been reflected in a broad range of endeavours in which he vigorously promotes the broader economic and commercial benefits of diversity and immigration.
In identifying Terry Sawh for this award CAMSC recognizes his strong history as an advocate for supplier diversity.
Terry has been active as a Certified Supplier with CAMSC for the past 5 years. He served with distinction as Chair of the Supplier Input Committee for two years and was part of the inaugural National Minority Supplier Diversity Council`s (NMSDC) mission to China. He actively engages with corporate executives and public policy makers to educate and advocate the benefits of supplier diversity as well as engaging diverse suppliers to take advantage of these potential opportunities.
Coming from humble beginnings in his native Guyana, Terry migrated to Canada as a teenager in the 70`s and by dint of hard work, perseverance and belief in himself he rose to establish the very successful Topnotch group of companies which encompasses recruitment services, debt collections and call centre activities. In 2009 he published his book "Immigrating to Canada: A realistic path to success" which provides valuable guidance and tips to new immigrants to Canada to allow them to integrate in their new homeland. In that year he also earned the People`s Choice award as one Canada`s Top 25 Immigrants to Canada.
CAMSC links Aboriginal and Minority owned businesses to Canada's corporate supply chains.
"This award validates my argument that supplier diversity is a business proposition which continues to drive me to educate my fellow business people, various diverse groups and suppliers on the potential as well as the opportunities in gaining supplier access to mainstream North American corporations" Terry told ICW in a post award interview.