~ US $1,000 donated to Ruby Labega School ~

BELAIR--One St. Maarten student will have the opportunity to study in the technical or economics field on a full scholarship to India. The Indian Government, through its Ministry of External Affairs Technical Cooperation Department, has extended a scholarship to this country.

The student must be nominated by St. Maarten for the place in the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Programme by March, when the application deadline closes. The programme, established in 1964, is a flagship programme with wide geographical coverage via innovative forms of technical cooperation.

The scholarship was announced during a reception for India Republic Day hosted by the Indian Merchants Association (IMA) in Belair Community Centre, Saturday evening. India Republic Day was observed on January 26.

Scholarship documents were formally presented to Prime Minister Sarah Wescot-Williams by IMA Vice President Peter Mirpuri.

The IMA representative said he hopes the candidate selected will "benefit tremendously and bring back with him/her a wealth of knowledge and experience."

Mirpuri said the Indian community has become an integral part of the social fabric of St. Maarten. "We have adopted St. Maarten as our home and are involved in various organisations and contribute wholeheartedly."

India has overcome many challenges to observe its 63rd Republic Day. That anniversary also marks the decades of "hard and dedicated work of nation building with courage and determination, always in the spirit of traditional Indian values of compassion, respect and care for one another."

St. Maarten is on a similar path of nation building having overcome "many obstacles" to mark its first anniversary as a country. "Many more challenges and goals are ahead of us. We believe that together with courage, confidence and determination we can and will build a strong and successful country St. Maarten," Mirpuri said. "Though India is our motherland, St. Maarten is our home."

"Our past becomes the essential guide for the future," he continued, adding a quote from Rabindranath Tagore, the first non-European Nobel laureate: "Every great people hold its history valuable because it contains not mere memories, but hope and therefore the image of the future."

Wescot-Williams said the government and people of St. Maarten are cognisant of and recognise the contributions Indians have made to the country, "St. Maarten is a model of tolerance and acceptance," she said.

The prime minister urged continued contribution and focus on nation building. She thanked the Indian Government, via IMA, for the scholarship.

For its direct contribution to the community, IMA gave the Parent Teacher Foundation (PTF) of Ruby Labega Primary School US $1,000 to help with the needs of the children. This school was recently in the press due to a major rodent infestation, the health hazard of stagnant rainwater and other issues. The Public Works Department has responded by placing rat poison around the school, which is beginning to have results.

PTF President Shanna Cornet received the cheque, which would help aid in the clean-up efforts, from IMA Treasurer Deepu Budhrani and IMA Charity Committee Head Simran Bharwani. Budhrani said this year IMA continues to focus on education and in this vein the school was selected.

Bharwani added that it is part of the rich Indian heritage and culture is the act of "Seva" or service. "This spiritual part of our culture is a tradition thousands of years old to help others that are less fortunate than ourselves." IMA has incorporated this value as a part of its constitution and the Community Service Committee was established to identify areas of need in the community.

IMA has focused on children helping children launching the very first committee fundraiser to mark India Republic Day in 2011. The children of the Indian community created artwork that blended their shared Indian and St. Maarten heritage. The pieces were auctioned and the funds were given to No Kidding with our Kids Foundation.

Continuing in the same spirit for Autism Awareness month in April, Indian children were part of a fashion show in aid of the Ahead Centre for Excellence. IMA members also made private contributions that were used to purchase autism tailored reading and learning materials.

Two classrooms were renovated by IMA at Prins Willem-Alexander Primary School and presented to coincide with Indian Independence Day celebrations in August.

IMA marked the Day of the Elderly in October by joining White and Yellow Cross Foundation to provide lunch and entertainment of classical Indian dance performed by the children of the Indian Community for St. Martin Home residents.

IMA distributed food hampers to families in need as the Indians marked Diwali, the Hindu festival of Light, in October.

Saturday's reception, attended by Governor Eugene Holiday, Finance Minister Hiro Shigemoto and members of the business community, was spiced up with classical Indian Dance preformed by Aparna Samaga blended with a St. Maarten vibe from Imbali Centre for Creative Movement.