Indian Newslink December 15, 2017 Digital Edition

DECEMBER 15, 2017
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The English Fortnightly (Since November 1999)
ISSUE 383 | DECEMBER 15, 2017
Immigration Policy should
be sound and just
Alastair McClymont, who
wrote our frontpage story in
this issue dispels the myth
that the Labour Party is against
immigration and that it erect barricades
to stop international students
and migrant workers from seeking
to become permanent residents and
eventually citizens.
Mr McClymont is an experienced
immigration lawyer, who for the
most part does pro bono work
(there are others who make money
for his firm) for hapless victims
of the unscrupulous employers (a
majority of whom are allegedly
of Indian origin) and what he
describes ‘heartless bureaucrats.’
Streamline, not curtail
His point is simple: Labour
wants to streamline immigration,
not curtail it – hardly a contestable
point. A hundred workers exploited
and left to subsist in an otherwise
rich country is inexcusable transgression
indeed.
We hope that the Labour government
will have in place a sound
and just immigration regime that
behoves the character and culture
of New Zealand as a compassionate
Nation with progressive policies.
Defending Immigration
Looking around the developed
world, most governments are in
favour of immigration, despite
equally vociferous defenders, who
often fight on nativist turf, citing
data to respond to claims about
migrants’ damaging effects on
wages or public services. Those data
are indeed on migrants’ side.
Though some research suggests
that native workers with skill levels
Issue 383 December 15, 2017
similar to those of arriving migrants
take a hit to their wages because of
increased migration, most analyses
find that they are not harmed,
and that many eventually earn
more as competition nudges them
to specialise in more demanding
occupations.
Self-interest Strategy
Appeal to self-interest is
a more effective strategy. In
countries with acute demographic
challenges, migration is a solution
to the challenges posed by ageing:
immigrants’ tax payments help
fund native pensions; they can help
ease a shortage of care workers. In
New Zealand for instance, people
worry that foreigners compete with
New Zealanders for the care of the
Public Health Service, but pay less
attention to the migrants helping to
staff the system.
New Zealanders enjoy other benefits,
too. As migrants prosper and
have children, they become better
able to contribute to Science, the
Arts and entrepreneurial activity.
This is the Steve Jobs case for
immigration: the child of a Muslim
man from Syria might create a
world-changing company in his
new home.
As the Economist would say,
Europeans are not more deserving
of high incomes than Chinese or
Indians. And the discomfort some
feel at the strange dress or speech of
a passerby does not remotely justify
trillions in economic losses foisted
on the world’s poorest people.
No one should be timid about
saying so, loud and clear.
Sunny days are here but Christmas
bells are yet to chime.
The holiday season is closing
in, but the festive mood is yet to
dawn.
But before long, the Nation would
switch to the holiday mood with
hundreds of thousands of people
enjoying their annual vacation or at
least the statutory holidays, which,
carried over the Christmas and New
Year weekends, would be neat.
The Mini Budget
As we went to printers with
this concluding issue of 2017, the
Labour-led Coalition Government
would have introduced its Mini
Budget, giving vent to some of its
election promises. Parliament
would discuss Finance Minister
Grant Robertson’s first-ever Budget
and pass it in urgency. We would
analyse the budget and bring you
expert comments through our three
Web Editions and the Social Media.
The new government deserves
support. That is a fair expectation
in a democracy. National has had
three innings since 2008 and it is
now time for its leaders to relax and
reflect on their deeds and misdeeds
and revitalise themselves before
facing the electorate again in 2020.
To deny a chance to a government
that has been chosen on agreed
principle of majority, would not only
be unjust but also undemocratic.
The media that unabashedly
opposes the incumbent government
is not doing the job of the Fourth
Estate.
Welcoming the New Year
We would like to predict that
2018 would be a year of reconciliation,
reconsolidation and rehabilitation.
The world economy would get
on to the path of recovery, contrary
to the theories of skeptics and those
who believe that we are in for a
long spell of disasters.
In our own little world, we
will continue to speak about
celebrating our cultural plurality,
social partnership and community
engagement.
Most important of all, we will
remain as good New Zealanders, as
we have always been, with passion,
compassion, respect, self-respect,
the will to work and the will to
succeed.
The current year has been
different for different people.
Despite despair, we continued to
smile, because we are a nation of
doers and optimists, with a strong
will to succeed.
Just as every raindrop holds a
flower, every moment of the New
Year should spell peace, harmony
and happiness.
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Gandhi Statue raises
controversy in Grenada
Jai Sears in Grenada
Iwrite in response to a
letter on Mahatma Gandhi
entitled ‘Dustbin of History’
written by Josiah Rougier
and published in ‘The New Today
(November 3, 2017) of Grenada.
In his letter, Rougier is asking
the Government to remove the
bust-statue of Gandhi which overlooks
Sauteurs Bay in Grenada
where East Indians arrived 160
years ago.
His opinion is based on the
false notion that Gandhi was
racist because the Mahatma
reportedly considered Indians
to be superior to black Africans
when he referred to the latter as
“kaffirs.”
Gandhi was only 27 years old
when he made that contextual
statement.
If Rougier had done his research,
he would have found that
Nelson Mandela said, “Gandhi
must be forgiven for these prejudices
in the context of the time
and the circumstances.”
The quote can be found in
“Gandhi the Prisoner” by Nelson
Mandela published in 1995.
Gandhi was a man; he was
not God. And even God made
mistakes.
Rougier must instead focus on
the Gandhi’s vision of non-violent
protest and his belief in satyagraha
which inspired rebels and
revolutionaries around the world.
Influence in Africa and America
Gandhi’s ideas influenced
leaders of the African National
Congress and the struggle by
Indians and blacks against white
apartheid rule in South Africa.
From as early as 1956, when
he was 27 years old, Martin
Luther King, Jr referred to Gandhi
as “The guiding light of our
technique of nonviolent social
change.”
Following the success of his
boycott, King contemplated
The Statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Sauteurs Bay, Grenada unveiled on January 23, 2013.
traveling to India to deepen his “Kafirs (black) are as a rule uncivilised
convicts even more so. They
understanding of Gandhian
principles.
are troublesome, very dirty and
The fact is that Gandhi saw live almost like animals.”
people of all races, castes, colours As a person of African heritage,
and creeds as equal which led is this the kind of person whose
to his assassination by a Hindu bust should be placed any-where
fanatic in 1948.
among our people? What has this
So, who is this unknown Josiah racist ever done for the people of
Rougier? Is he as illustrious as the Grenada?
great Nelson Mandela and Martin In his own country, he did absolutely
nothing for the poor people
Luther King? And is he disagreeing
with his possible heroes? of India including the (Dravidians
A friend to all.
Africans) who occupied the
Jai Sears lives in Grenada, South of India. They were at one
Caribbean. The above letter time the largest group of African
was sent to us by our Trinidad outside Africa according to the
& Tobago based Columnist Dr late Professor Ivan Sertima in his
Kumar Mahabir.
book. ‘Africa’s Gifts to Asia.’
The offending Letter that Gandhi Jayanti
appeared in The New Today of If Indians in Grenada choose
Grenada:
to celebrate the birthday of their
Jai Sears
leader Ghandi, they are free to
Earlier this year, our brothers do so in their own homes, but not
and sisters in Ghana, West Africa, among our young children who
pulled down a statue of the late P should be celebrating the life and
M Ghandi from their University, times of those who fought against
following pressure from the the evil system of the apartheid
public who thought Ghandi was regime in South Africa.”
a racist who supported the apartheid
system in South Africa. should be removed from its
The bust of this racist man
An Old Quote
present location and thrown in
The following is a quote by the “dustbin of history.”
Ghandi dated March 7, 1908:
Hindu Council marks International Volunteers Day
Fun, Food and Accolades in Lower Hutt
Kiran Thakar
Hindu Council of New
Zealand (HCNZ)
Wellington Chapter celebrated
International
Volunteers Day (IV Day) on Saturday,
December 2, 2017 at Naenae
Community Hall in Lower Hutt,
Wellington.
IV Day is a United Nations led
initiative celebrated on December
5 every year.
The theme for IV Day 2017
was “Volunteers Act First. Here.
Everywhere.”
The theme was in recognition
of the efforts of volunteers
around the world, as well as
a tribute to the support that
volunteers provide in times of
instability, disasters or humanitarian
crises.
Volunteers make a world of
difference by donating their
talent and time.
Fun and Games
The event was well attended
by adults and children despite it
being a busy time of the year with
end of year functions and sports.
We organised many enjoyable
Members of the Hindu Council with Volunteers at the event (Picture supplied)
games with the participation of said, “No matter how developed
about 40 adults and children. a country is, without volunteers,
Among them were traditional, it cannot function. Finally, the
rural Indian games like Kabaddi, satisfaction one gets from giving
Kho-Kho and Bhajia.
is also the highest duty one can
The day ended with a picnic perform in his or her life time.
feast of delicious mouth-watering Accordingly, although it is my duty
to thank all our volunteers, one
dishes on the beautiful Sundrenched
lawn with a mild needs to be equally proud and be
cooling breeze on a stunning thankful to the creator to give one
afternoon.
and all the best life possible.”
Our special guest was Elizabeth The Hindu Council of New
Young, National Strategic Ethnic Zealand was accorded a Special
Advisor, Maori, Pacific and Ethnic Consultative Status with United
Services, New Zealand Police. Nations Economic and Social
Elizabeth shared the work that Council (ECOSOC) in 2012.
she does at New Zealand Police The Council is now a part of the
and had fun joining in with the Non-Governmental Organisations
activities.
Branch of the United Nations.
Auckland based HCNZ President
Vinod Kumar, in his message work of HCNZ
This is a recognition for the
volunteers.