Subject: Fwd: PM Manmohan Singh praises GOPIO (Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) for promoting the interests of the overseas Indian community
Bonds between diaspora and motherland precious
GOPIO TRINIDAD & TOBAGO FACEBOOK GROUP
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=95276888363
GOPIO T&T BLOG
http://gopiott.blogspot.com
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has lauded the role of the Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) for promoting the interests of the overseas Indian community.
"GOPIO has emerged as a leading organisation providing a unique platform to the vast Indian overseas community for promoting their interests and realising their aspirations," Manmohan Singh said in a message on the 20th anniversary celebrations of GOPIO being held in New York Aug 20-23.
"It has contributed significantly in the process of engagement between the government of India and the Indian diaspora. The bonds between the motherland and people of Indian origin across the globe are valuable and precious. It is my hope that through such events, they will continue to flourish," the prime minister added.
GOPIO International was founded at the Global Convention of People of Indian Origin in New York in 1989. It is now a global organisation engaged in promoting the interests of people of Indian origin (PIOs).
As part of its 20th anniversary celebrations, GOPIO is organising a convention on the theme - People of Indian Origin: Strengthening Global Connections - Aug 21.
A GOPIO statement issued from New York said, among those who will attend the conference, are leader of the opposition and former prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Basdeo Pandey, Sri Lanka's Minister of Community Development and Social Inequity Eradication P. Chandrasegaran, speaker of the Karnataka assembly Jagdish Shetter, joint secretary in the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA) D.N. Srivastava, GOPIO executive vice-president and member of Briain's House of Lords Diljit Rana, deputy speaker of the New Jersey state assembly Upendra Chivukula and other Indian American political leaders.
Former US ambassador to India Frank Wisner will be the keynote speaker at the conference. Deputy consul general of India in New York Ajay Gondane will also be a speaker.
The three-day celebrations will start with a reception Aug 20 at the World Fair Marina venue followed by an interactive session with some of the diaspora community's political leaders.
Apart from the convention, GOPIO is also organising a pre-convention conference Aug 21 titled - India and the Indian Diaspora in the Context of Global Economic Challenges and Development.
Another full-day diaspora conference will be held Aug 22 on the theme The Indian Diaspora: Challenges and Opportunities in the New Millennium.
There will also be a session on The Living Pioneers - Global Perspective of Indian Elders Aug 22 morning. A networking session titled The Next Generation will also be held the same day in the afternoon.
GOPIO TRINIDAD & TOBAGO FACEBOOK GROUP
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=95276888363
GOPIO T&T BLOG
http://gopiott.blogspot.com
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Launching of Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2010 in T&T
GOPIO Trinidad & Tobago
a Chapter of GOPIO INTERNATIONAL
Gaston Court, Gaston Street, Chaguanas PO BOX 2286, Chaguanas
687-7529 GopioTT@gmail.com
Deosaran Bisnath, President Ena Maraj, PRO Varsha Maharaj, Secretary Oscar Ramoutar, Treasurer
Directors: Niranjan Bhaggan Robert Ramsamooj Jaganath Seeram-Maharaj Ackbar Khan
____________________________________________________________________________________
The media and members of the public are invited to this event. RSVP 687-7529, 662-7159
August 3rd, 2009
Launching of
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2010
in Trinidad and Tobago
Gaston Court, Gaston Street, Lange Park, Chaguanas.
August 17th, 2009, from 12:30 to 2:00 pm
PROGRAMME
12:30 – 12:35 Welcome and Opening remarks by Mr. Deosaran Bisnath,
President, GOPIO Trinidad & Tobago.
12:35 – 12:45 Presentation by His Excellency Shri Malay Mishra,
High Commissioner of India
12:45 – 13:00 Multimedia presentation
13:00 – 13:45 Presentation by His Excellency Shri K. Mohandas,
Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, India.
13:45 – 14:00 Open session for Questions/discussions
___________________________________________________________________________________
GOPIO Trinidad and Tobago is a registered Non-Profit, secular, non-partisan, civic and community service organization. GOPIO Trinidad and Tobago is not associated with any political party or religious group.
--
Gopio Trinidad & Tobago GopioTT@gmail.com 868 687-7529
a Chapter of GOPIO INTERNATIONAL
Gaston Court, Gaston Street, Chaguanas PO BOX 2286, Chaguanas
687-7529 GopioTT@gmail.com
Deosaran Bisnath, President Ena Maraj, PRO Varsha Maharaj, Secretary Oscar Ramoutar, Treasurer
Directors: Niranjan Bhaggan Robert Ramsamooj Jaganath Seeram-Maharaj Ackbar Khan
____________________________________________________________________________________
The media and members of the public are invited to this event. RSVP 687-7529, 662-7159
August 3rd, 2009
Launching of
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2010
in Trinidad and Tobago
Gaston Court, Gaston Street, Lange Park, Chaguanas.
August 17th, 2009, from 12:30 to 2:00 pm
PROGRAMME
12:30 – 12:35 Welcome and Opening remarks by Mr. Deosaran Bisnath,
President, GOPIO Trinidad & Tobago.
12:35 – 12:45 Presentation by His Excellency Shri Malay Mishra,
High Commissioner of India
12:45 – 13:00 Multimedia presentation
13:00 – 13:45 Presentation by His Excellency Shri K. Mohandas,
Secretary, Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs, India.
13:45 – 14:00 Open session for Questions/discussions
___________________________________________________________________________________
GOPIO Trinidad and Tobago is a registered Non-Profit, secular, non-partisan, civic and community service organization. GOPIO Trinidad and Tobago is not associated with any political party or religious group.
--
Gopio Trinidad & Tobago GopioTT@gmail.com 868 687-7529
Saturday, July 4, 2009
GOPIO PICS JUNE 2009
Mr. Deosaran Bisnath,
President,
GOPIO Trinidad & Tobago
Professor Vijay Naraynsingh; Ms. Ena Maraj, GOPIO T&T PRO; Mr. Deosaran Bisnath, President GOPIO T&T; at reception for the Indian Business Delegation, held by H.E. Manideo Persad, High Commissioner of T&T To India, on June 25th 2009, Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Mrs. Madan Sharma; r. Madan Sharma, Director, Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Cooperation, Trinidad; Mr. Deosaran Bisnath, President GOPIo T&T; Mr. Oscar Ramoutar, GOPIO T&T Treasurer; at reception for the Indian Business Delegation, held by H.E. Manideo Persad, High Commissioner of T&T To India, on June 25th 2009, Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Ms. Ena Maraj, GOPIO T&T PRO; Mr. Deosaran Bisnath, GOPIO T&T President; Mr. Madan Sharma, Director, Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Cooperation, Trinidad at reception for the Indian Business Delegation, held by H.E. Manideo Persad, High Commissioner of T&T To India, on June 25th 2009, Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Deosaran Bisnath, President GOPIO T&T; Ena Maraj, PRO GOPIO T&T; H.E. Manideo Persad, High Commissioner of T&T to India, June 25th, 2009 reception for Indian Business Delegation, Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Ms. Ena Maraj, GOPIO T&T PRO; H.E. Manideo Persad High Commissioner of T&T to India
H.E. Manideo Persad, Mrs. Persad, and Oscar Ramoutar, GOPIO T&T Treasurer
Oscar Ramoutar, Treasurer, GOPIo T&T; H.E. Malay Mishra, HIgh Commissioner of India; Deosaran Bisnath, President GOPIO T&T
Anthony Maharaj, Indar Kanhai, Deosaran Bisnath, Ena Maraj at reception for
Indian Business Delegation, June 25th, 2009, held by H.E. Manideo Persad T&T High Commissioner to India
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
GOPIO attends YesTT reception @ Obama Terrace, Hilton Trinidad
Left to Right: Deosaran Bisnath, President GOPIO Trinidad & Tobago; Ena Maraj, PRO GOPIO Trinidad & Tobago; Stephen Cadiz, President of YesTT, at a cocktail reception for Professor Mads Qvortrup, University of London, world-renowned expert on Referendum & Recall; Obama Terrace, Hilton Trinidad, June 29th 2009
Left to Right: Deosaran Bisnath, President GOPIO Trinidad & Tobago; Professor Tomothy M. Shaw, UWI; Ena Maraj, PRO GOPIO Trinidad & Tobago; at a cocktail reception for Professor Mads Qvortrup, University of London, world-renowned expert on Referendum & Recall; Obama Terrace, Hilton Trinidad, June 29th 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
GOPIO PICS JUNE 2009
Dinner/Cultural Programme for the Indian Business Delegation, Port of Spain, Trinidad, June 27th, 2009
Mrs. Sharma; Mr. Sharma, Director of Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Cooperation; Mr. Deosaran Bisnath, President, GOPIO Trinidad & Tobago; Mr. Oscar
Ramoutar, Treasurer, GOPIO Trinidad & Tobago
Left to Right: Oscar Ramoutar, GOPIO T&T Treasurer; H.E. Manideo Persad, T&T High Commissioner to India; Deosaran Bisnath, GOPIO T&T President, Dinner/Cultural Programme for the Indian Business Delegation, Port of Spain, Trinidad, June 27th, 2009
Eating Indian Food on Sohari Leaf: Left to Right - Pundit Mukram Sirjoo; Deosaran Bisnath; Dr. Dev Ramoutar, at Dinner/Cultural Programme for the Indian Business Delegation, Port of Spain, Trinidad, June 27th, 2009
Professor Vijay Naraynsingh; Ena Maraj, GOPIO T&T PRO; Deosaran Bisnath, GOPIO T&T President, at Dinner/Cultural Programme for the Indian Business Delegation, Port of Spain, Trinidad, June 27th, 2009
Mrs. Sharma; Mr. Sharma, Director of Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Cooperation; Mr. Deosaran Bisnath, President, GOPIO Trinidad & Tobago; Mr. Oscar
Ramoutar, Treasurer, GOPIO Trinidad & Tobago
Left to Right: Oscar Ramoutar, GOPIO T&T Treasurer; H.E. Manideo Persad, T&T High Commissioner to India; Deosaran Bisnath, GOPIO T&T President, Dinner/Cultural Programme for the Indian Business Delegation, Port of Spain, Trinidad, June 27th, 2009
Eating Indian Food on Sohari Leaf: Left to Right - Pundit Mukram Sirjoo; Deosaran Bisnath; Dr. Dev Ramoutar, at Dinner/Cultural Programme for the Indian Business Delegation, Port of Spain, Trinidad, June 27th, 2009
Professor Vijay Naraynsingh; Ena Maraj, GOPIO T&T PRO; Deosaran Bisnath, GOPIO T&T President, at Dinner/Cultural Programme for the Indian Business Delegation, Port of Spain, Trinidad, June 27th, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
GOPIO at India-Caribbean Conclave at Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, June 25, 2009
Left to Right: Sayantan Chakravarty, Editor of India Empire magazine; Deosaran Bisnath, President of GOPIO Trinidad & Tobago; Dr. Yesu Persaud, Chairman of GOPIO Guyana; Ashook Ramsaran, Secretary-General of GOPIO International at India-Caribbean Conclave at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, June 25, 2009. The conference was hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
Left to Right: Deosaran Bisnath, President of GOPIO Trinidad & Tobago; Dr. Yesu Persaud, Chairman of GOPIO Guyana; Ashook Ramsaran, Secretary-General of GOPIO International at India-Caribbean Conclave at the Hyatt Regency, Port-of-Spain, June 25, 2009. The conference was hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)
Monday, June 1, 2009
GOPIO knocks Govt over $5,000 Arrival 'pittance'
GOPIO knocks Govt over $5,000 Arrival 'pittance'
Kim Boodram
Monday, June 1st 2009
SPECIAL AWARD: Makandal Daaga, left, congratulates Sri Ravindra Nath Maharaj after he received an award for his contribution to Indian culture during GOPIO's Indian Arrival Day observance and National Chutney Awards ceremony at Gaston Courts, Chaguanas, last Thursday. -Photo: TREVOR WATSON
The local chapter of the Global Organisation for Indian People (GOPIO) announced on Thursday that it intended to "follow up" on what it considers poor funding from the Government to those celebrating Indian Arrival Day this year.
The announcement was made by GOPIO head, Deosaran Bisnath, in the presence of President George Maxwell Richards, the patron of this year's GOPIO Indian Arrival Day Observance and Awards Ceremony and National Chutney Awards 2009.
The joint venture was held at Gaston Courts in Chaguanas and was attended by the cream of the chutney industry, as well as former prime minister and United National Congress (UNC) political leader Basdeo Panday.
Richards was initially scheduled to deliver the feature address but declined to speak, in light of an address to the nation that was planned for Friday night.
In his opening address, Bisnath revealed that GOPIO had received $5,000 from the Government to aid in Indian Arrival Day celebrations, the sum of which was then placed in an envelope for return to the sender.
"It reeks of tokenism," said Bisnath of the "paltry amount".
Though he did not call names, Bisnath remarked on statements by Chaguanas West MP and UNC Deputy Political Leader, Jack Warner, that Indian groups should stop begging for a pittance from the Government.
"I want to make it clear that we are not begging for a pittance, we are simply asking for what is due to us as citizens of Trinidad and Tobago," Bisnath said, adding later on that Indian culture was still not being treated as part of national culture.
He also listed several other issues that GOPIO wants to see resolved immediately, among them the firing of columnist Kevin Baldeosingh by Newsday, shortly after Baldeosingh publicly levelled charges of plagiarism against Fr Henry Charles, who used to have a column in the Guardian newspaper.
It was after this accusation that Fr Charles stepped down from his appointment as head of the Integrity Commission - an appointment that was made by Richards. Charles, however, resigned because the appointment was against the Catholic Church's laws.
On Thursday night, the Head of State remained passive during Bisnath's statements. Bisnath also called for the installation of the Equal Opportunities Tribunal and for ex-workers of Caroni (1975) Ltd to be given their lands.
Chutney awards were also given to a 41 local artistes. A presentation was also made by the Sundar Popo Monument Committee.
A spokesman for the committee said that a statue of Popo has been completed and will soon be erected in Barrackpore. The monument will honour the memory of the late singer, who pioneered chutney soca music locally and abroad.
A GOPIO award was also presented to Chayman Ramlagan Sawh, better known as "Prabhu". Sawh, a sculptor by profession, built the statue of Siewdass Sadhoo which stands near the Temple in the Sea at Waterloo, Carapichaima. He has also carved the statue of Popo.
-Reporting by
Ariti Jankie
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161484758
Kim Boodram
Monday, June 1st 2009
SPECIAL AWARD: Makandal Daaga, left, congratulates Sri Ravindra Nath Maharaj after he received an award for his contribution to Indian culture during GOPIO's Indian Arrival Day observance and National Chutney Awards ceremony at Gaston Courts, Chaguanas, last Thursday. -Photo: TREVOR WATSON
The local chapter of the Global Organisation for Indian People (GOPIO) announced on Thursday that it intended to "follow up" on what it considers poor funding from the Government to those celebrating Indian Arrival Day this year.
The announcement was made by GOPIO head, Deosaran Bisnath, in the presence of President George Maxwell Richards, the patron of this year's GOPIO Indian Arrival Day Observance and Awards Ceremony and National Chutney Awards 2009.
The joint venture was held at Gaston Courts in Chaguanas and was attended by the cream of the chutney industry, as well as former prime minister and United National Congress (UNC) political leader Basdeo Panday.
Richards was initially scheduled to deliver the feature address but declined to speak, in light of an address to the nation that was planned for Friday night.
In his opening address, Bisnath revealed that GOPIO had received $5,000 from the Government to aid in Indian Arrival Day celebrations, the sum of which was then placed in an envelope for return to the sender.
"It reeks of tokenism," said Bisnath of the "paltry amount".
Though he did not call names, Bisnath remarked on statements by Chaguanas West MP and UNC Deputy Political Leader, Jack Warner, that Indian groups should stop begging for a pittance from the Government.
"I want to make it clear that we are not begging for a pittance, we are simply asking for what is due to us as citizens of Trinidad and Tobago," Bisnath said, adding later on that Indian culture was still not being treated as part of national culture.
He also listed several other issues that GOPIO wants to see resolved immediately, among them the firing of columnist Kevin Baldeosingh by Newsday, shortly after Baldeosingh publicly levelled charges of plagiarism against Fr Henry Charles, who used to have a column in the Guardian newspaper.
It was after this accusation that Fr Charles stepped down from his appointment as head of the Integrity Commission - an appointment that was made by Richards. Charles, however, resigned because the appointment was against the Catholic Church's laws.
On Thursday night, the Head of State remained passive during Bisnath's statements. Bisnath also called for the installation of the Equal Opportunities Tribunal and for ex-workers of Caroni (1975) Ltd to be given their lands.
Chutney awards were also given to a 41 local artistes. A presentation was also made by the Sundar Popo Monument Committee.
A spokesman for the committee said that a statue of Popo has been completed and will soon be erected in Barrackpore. The monument will honour the memory of the late singer, who pioneered chutney soca music locally and abroad.
A GOPIO award was also presented to Chayman Ramlagan Sawh, better known as "Prabhu". Sawh, a sculptor by profession, built the statue of Siewdass Sadhoo which stands near the Temple in the Sea at Waterloo, Carapichaima. He has also carved the statue of Popo.
-Reporting by
Ariti Jankie
http://www.trinidadexpress.com/index.pl/article_news?id=161484758
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