Fine example of Guyana’s Diaspora success – Ambassador Karran
7 clinics and visits to more than 12 orphanages planned
NEW YORK,USA: ‘It gives a heartwarming feeling to know that health care professionals and other charitable individuals are pooling their efforts and generously donating of their time, money and skills to cure the sick and help prevent illness in Guyana. In today’s world of fast paced materialism your dedication to this humanitarian mission is a fine example of human charity and kindness,” so said Guyana’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Mr. Bayney Karran, in a well presented, flawless address at the 18th Annual Dinner and Dance of  Guyana Watch Inc.(GWI).
Held at the Royal Indian Palace, Atlantic Avenue, Queens, New York, the popular Medical and Dental Outreach fund-raising programme attracted many prominent businesses and individuals from as far as the Bronx, for a lively evening of reflections and generous contributions.
Treating almost 50 000 Guyanese in the past seventeenth year, GWI’s President said the highlight of this years visit will be treating the children of some of the homes and orphanages of Guyana in collaboration with the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security. “We will be making every effort to see and treat these children if necessary. All together there are almost 500 children in these homes but we are committed to visiting as many as we could. The list provided to us includes the New Opportunity Corp., Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast; Save R Kids, Cornelia Ida, WCD; A Sanctuary Home, Bright Horizon Family Home and Haruni Girls Home, all of Soesdyke; Cheshire Home and Mahaica Home at Mahaica; Alpha Home and Berbice Anjuman at New Amsterdam; Camaal Home and Canaan Home at Albion and Port Mourant respectively; and the Shaheed Boys and Girls Orphanage.”
“This is apart from our regular clinics which will be held from July 23, 2010 thru August 1, 2010; Friday, July 23 (1pm), Kitty Orphanage, Alexander St., Kitty; Saturday, July 24, Patentia Govt School; Sunday, July, 25, Anna Regina Multilateral School; Monday, July 26, Timehri Govt Secondary School; Wednesday, July 28, Rose Hall Govt. Secondary School; Thursday, July 29, Bath Settlement Govt School and Friday, July 30, Windsor Forest Primary School,” Mr. Tony Yassin declared.
Vice-President and philanthropist, George Subraj, also reported that this year’s contingent arriving in Guyana on July 22, consists of over 15 medical professionals and an additional twenty-five support staff. Among the medical talents are Paediatric Cardiologists, Paediatricians, Pharmacists, Dentists, and Nurses.
It is anticipated that over US$400,000 worth of medication will be distributed to the patients, said Subraj.
Ambassador Karran reacting to the team’s growth said this imminent visit, “follows on your previous success. Your successes are not merely in treatment of patients with ailments but also in the performance of advanced surgical procedures and in raising the level of medical expertise. Guyana’s health sector therefore benefits from this exposure to more advanced medical technologies and not to mention the high quality treatment given to patients.
“This is another fine example of how Guyana’s Diaspora organizations can provide the means to assist in the technological development of our country. And which, as we know, is the vision of Guyana’s President Bharat Jagdeo to transform our country into a modern, developed society,” the Ambassador added.
Mr. Yassin in his annual report said that the outreach team saw over 2900 patients last year with almost 1,000 of those being children. “We were also able to have one patient, Ganesh Balkisson, sent to India for a kidney transplant surgery but most importantly four children – Nirmala Persaud, Ramlakan Persaud, Bibi Areifa Khan and Radesh Etwaroo, had heart surgery here.
“I would like to on behalf of our executive and members extend our deepest gratitude to Westchester Medical Center, New York. We received tremendous support from this institution and words are not enough to express our gratitude. While it costs GWI $10 000 (US) per surgery, it is in reality in the vicinity of $60000 – $130000 but the Westchester Medical Center absorbs all the other costs,” the president said.
The non-profit charitable organization based in Richmond Hill, Queens, NY, with an active scholarship programme for university students, known to have completed almost 60 cataract surgeries, is expanding its dental care on this trip by taking two dentists. “Last year the lone dentist worked long hours after all the other doctors were finished for the day. So we are taking two dentists and hoping to work in collaboration with the dental association of Guyana,” Yassin said.
Among the guests of the evening was Senior Vice-President of Zara Realty Holding Corp., Jay Sobhraj who, through an impromptu presentation acknowledged the hard and courageous work of the executive and members of GWI. “This work takes a lot of guts and Tony Yassin and George Subraj show that they have a lot to do this work year after year. So congratulations and keep up the good job,” said the humanitarian who has himself funded several academic centres in Guyana and the U.S. in the past three years.
George Subraj who was extremely active at the meeting spoke briefly about the divinity accrued in charitable endeavors. “Many of us were gifted with more than we actually need for a comfortable life so it is important that we find it necessary to be able to give back. The more you give it’s the more you will receive and giving to help the needy and the sick is probably the most beneficial of all,” said the President of Zara.
Saurabh P. Mehta, Pharmacist, also appealed to the participants to donate generously and when this moment arrived in the second half of the evening’s activities, the members and guests gave liberally.
Emphasizing GWI has no overhead costs and that all support staff travel and provide for themselves at their own expense, President Yassin, reiterated that all monies collected go directly to objectives of the mission – purchasing of  medication, funding surgeries, providing scholarships, etc.
Noting there is a global recession, of which the business community of New York is not immune, George Subraj appealed to the guests to donate generously. And in the circumstances they did so well enough to realize almost US$50 000 through cheques and pledges. From as little as $50 to $5000 the outpouring from almost everyone gathered was instrumental in realizing the sum, including a spontaneous raffle with prizes donated by Estee Lauder and Zara Realty Holding Corp. This raffle was co-coordinated by Tony Subraj, son of George Subraj who along with many other members of the family donated and contributed to the success of the evening.
Tony Yassin led by example with the donations contributing $5500; and Vice-President George Subraj along with his partners of Zara Realty Holding Corp., Ken Subraj and Jay Sobhraj and George’s immediate family members donated in excess of $10,000.
Mahindra Ramdin, businessman of the Bronx and altruistic poker player, presented a number of pledges on behalf of several members of the playing community. “This has been going for a number of years now,” said Mr. Yassin pleasantly, “this group of poker players helped us tremendously. Some of them give us a consistent sum but others contribute a percentage of their winnings. One gentleman gave US$8275 as part of two percent of his pool,” he said candidly.
“We never know when they
win or lose but they always support us. A few of them with members of their family travel with us and work equally hard as any member of our dedicated support team. So we thank the players and our 2nd Vice-President Mr. Ramdin as being an inspiration to us all on behalf of the Diaspora and those who benefit from our services in Guyana,” the GWI President said.
From the response received at last Friday’s 18th Annual Dinner and Dance of Guyana Watch Inc. it is obvious that the organization is really expanding and promoting a concept that appeals to the core dynamics of both the donor and the beneficiary making the  adage ‘the hands that serve is blessed as the lips that pray,’ so potent.