Fellow Muslims....

I waited until the end of Ramadan to write this message to Muslim businessmen in the City of San Fernando.

This is neither a Ramadan nor an Eid ul Fitr message. It is simply an appeal to these brothers and sisters to practise some of what they have learnt during the month of Ramadan. I use Ramadan specifically, because at no time during the entire month did I hear any Imam or Maulana address Muslim businessmen directly. I have heard them being complimented for sponsoring the Azaan and paying for radio programmes on radio and television. But is that all we expect from Muslim businessmen?

I have long been saying that it is not enough to announce that you are a Muslim. In fact, you don't have to make any announcement. Your name will do... Mohammed, Khan, Edoo...

It is not enough to say that you do not sell pork and alcohol in your grocery. You don't have to wish the community Ramadan Mubarak with huge banners. You do not even have to dress up nicely on your way to Taraweeh in the evening.

I want you to look at your business in relation to your workers, your customers and most important, the community in which you operate. Do you treat your workers fairly? Are they well paid? Do they feel oppressed by the long working hours because you are understaffed? When you are planning your business, do you make provision for parking for your customers? Or do you use up all your space in building and warehouse and block up the pavements and streets for your exclusive use? Do you put pedestrians and school children in jeopardy with your trucks and containers. And do you brag about making use of the "government road"? Do you brag about your relationship with the police, to protect you?

When your employees are washing your cars, are they aware that they are spraying water into the road where pedestrians are passing? Have any of you ever told your customers that they shouldn't park their long tray vehicle where the tail hangs out on the main road? Especially when it is in front of a traffic light such as in Mon Repos, near Circular Road?

To tell the truth, I am ashamed of some of these Muslim businessmen. They contribute nothing to the immediate community. Most of their employees are from rural districts. Is it any wonder that these employees are exploited? Do they ever think of sponsoring some activity for young people in the community? What about their pricing of goods? I know of one in particular who boasts of low prices. Yet, the dates (fruit) had gone up by three dollars on the third day of Ramadan.

I want to draw the attention of these businessmen to activities of Sumadh on Coffee Street. That business has been there for as long as I can remember and I have always noticed how much attention is paid to the needs of customers and the community. Although I believe that the Sumadhs are Roman Catholics, an uncle Lynne, who had served on the Borough Council, once told me that the family has Muslim roots. Ishmael Khan and Sons have also been on Coffee Street for the longest while and you never see a truck offloading goods from the street. I am told that they once sponsored a basketball team in Roy Joseph Scheme.

It is about time the our religious leaders reject the donations made by companies which put our citizens at risk. You cannot treat people with disregard and hope to buy your way into Jannat. It just doesn't work that way.

Here's to PC Griffith!

I apologise to PC Griffith for not sending him this thank you note earlier.

In the week before school re-opened, I called the engineering department of the City Corporation on three separate occasions to tell them about a broken slab on the pavement in front of Mon Repos RC School. I explained that new children would be coming and I didn't think they should come upon that huge hole unexpectedly.

On the Sunday before Independence Day, the hole was still there. I called the City Police Department and spoke to PC Griffith. He said he understood the scenario with the school children. With half an hour, a borough truck was on the scene covering the hole with a barrel and sealing of the area with caution tape.

I commend PC Griffith for his prompt response and also use this opportunity to draw the incident to the attention of his employers.

My thanks also to Councillor Wendy Gibbs for e-mailing me on two occasions with the progress reports.