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December 2011
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National Ageing Policy and Implementation Season's Greetings Action Plan Launched in Accra from the Publisher
From: Dr. Michael Baffoe, Accra
Dear Community Members, Merry Christmas and Season's Greetings. I wish you and your loved ones good health, happiness and Prosperity as you celebrate the New Year and moving forward to another year by the Grace of God, it is an opportunity to reflect on the past to build on our journey and to renew hope on our future. I want to thank you all especially our valued Advertisers for your continued support of your versatile community news paper the Ghanaian News, and also your advice, suggestions and ideas are most appreciated. On behalf of the Editorial Board, the Writers, the Technical support Group and all Volunteers, I hope these holidays will bring you much joy and a better New Year.
A section of the attendees at the launching
A National Ageing Policy and Implementation Action Plan were launched by the Government of Ghana at the Accra International Conference Center on Tuesday December 20, 2011. In attendance were about 800 old-aged persons, mostly women from various communities in the Greater Accra Region. Delivering the address at the launching under the theme, “Ageing with Security and Dignity�, Hon. E. T. Mensah, Minister of Employment and Social Welfare noted that ageing is an inevitable process of life from which no one can escape. He pointed out that available statistics show that Ghanaians are cont'd on pg. 24
With warmest regards. Emmanuel Ayiku
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
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In Loving Memory of Daniel "Koo" Omari Mensah It's been ten years since God called you home. Our hearts still ache in sorrow and secret tears still flow. What it meant to lose you no one will ever know. In our hearts your memory still lingers. There is not a day that goes by without thoughts of you.
The Late Daniel "Koo" Omari Mensah
Deeply missed by wife Rose Sarfo, your loving children, grandchildren, and entire family.
December 2011
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
The Ghanaian News
December 2011
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
EDITORIAL KEEPING YOU IN TOUCH WITH NEWS FROM HOME AND LOCAL COMMUNITY ISSUES
EDITORIAL Publisher / Editor Emmanuel Ayiku Contributing Editors Dr. Michael Baffoe Joe Kingsley Eyiah Director of Operations Comfort Ayiku Community Reporter Jonathan Annobil Winnipeg Bureau Dr. Michael Baffoe
The Ghanaian News Publishes news and comments from the Community, serves Ghanaians across Canada with good source of information is committed to give good community Journalism The Ghanaian News is published in Canada by The Ghanaian News Corporation
Editorial Office 2256 Sheppard Ave. Suite 202 Toronto, Ont. M9M 1L7 Tel:(416) 916-3700 Advertising Fax (416) 916-6701 Internet: www.ghanaiannews.com E-mail: cayiku@gmail.com Subscription costs $89.95 for one year. $129.95 for two years. U.S. and foreign subscriptions costs US$120.00 per year.
Letters to the Editor We encourage your feedback and value your comments. Please feel free to write to us. keep letters to a maximum of 200 words, include your full name, Telephone # and mailing address with all correspondence. Address your letters to the Editor The Ghanaian News 2256 SheppardAve. Suite 202 Toronto, Ont. M9M 1L7 Tel: 416-916-3700 or Fax: 416-916-6701 or e-mail us at afrocan@afrocan.com
Articles appearing in various columns of the Ghanaian News are intended to generate civil and informed public discussions. You do not have to agree with opinions expressed by the writers. That should encourage you to write to express your own views. This is the way we generate lively and civil discussions in the community. Rejoinders are not forums for personal insults and we want readers to adhere to these principles.
Opinion/ Commentary
Another eventful year draws Mugabe’s Missed Opportunities to Relinquish to a close Power with Honour As is our tradition, we wish to reflect on the year that is about to take leave and to do a few projections into the new one that is about to dawn. The year 2011 is drawing to a close, and another is around the corner. We need to reflect on what worked for us in the closing year, what did not work and what we hope for in the coming year. The year 2011 has been an eventful one for us as a community in the diaspora. On a very dramatic and positive note, we were privileged to receive, on an official visit to Canada, the President of the Land of Our Birth, His Excellency John Evans Attah Mills in November, 2011. This is the second time in ten years that we have being showered with this honour; the first being one by the former President John Agyekum Kufour in November, 2001. A lot of things, dramatic and not-so-dramatic, have happened in our homeland which have impacted many aspects of life in that country. Those of us in the diaspora have also felt the impact of the events in our homeland. For better or worse, we all need to heave a sigh of relief that our country has held together in the face of very trying moments and challenges. We should even feel more proud of ourselves as a nation considering all the upheavals going around our noses in neighbouring countries and in other parts of Africa. The euphoria generated by the visit of our President was tampered negatively and dramatically only three days later with the sudden death of Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada. The shock of his death still reverberates in our community and at home in Ghana. We pay tribute to the late High Commissioner and a number of people that passed away in our community over the past year. We also admonish community members to watch their health as our Medical columnist constantly advises us. Constant medical check-ups are advisable and we should endeavour to take advantage of them At The Ghanaian News, we hosted the eleventh anniversary of events honouring achievers in our community, The Ghanaian-Canadian Achievement Awards Night. It was a splendid and successful event. As we bid farewell to the year 2011 and welcome the New Year, 2012, we admonish all our community members in the diaspora to continue to pray for God’s guidance and good fortune for Ghana, the Land our of our Birth. There will be Parliamentary and Presidential elections in Ghana in December 2012, events that test the limits of tolerance, patience and the stability of the nation. We should all continue to pray and hope for better prospects and good fortunes for the country and for our various communities in the diaspora as well. And we appeal to community members to get actively involved in community and other events for the development and quality of life of our various communities and Canadian society as a whole. We wish all our readers and community members Merry Christmas, a joyful season and all the best in the coming Year. AFENHYIA PA!!!
By Kwabena Akuoko
Robert Gabriel Mugabe, the late Joshua Nkomo and their compatriots’ insistent fight against the Ian Smith Rhodesian minority government ended successfully in 1980. Rhodesia became truly independent from Britain and assumed its current indigenous name, Zimbabwe and with Mr. Mugabe as its only president to date. Having ruled Zimbabwe for three decades and regularly resorting to undemocratic measures to remain in power, there is no denying that Mr. Mugabe has overstayed his welcome as a leader and needs to be replaced. Mr. Mugabe’s political behaviour has profoundly put Zimbabwe’s economic and democratic progress decades behind. Consequently, there was a glimmer of hope for political transformations when under intense international pressure the president finally agreed to share power with his main political rival, Mr. Morgan Tsvangirai. The power sharing agreement between the opposition, Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai (MDC-T) and Mugabe’s Zimbabwe Africa National Union – Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF) initially led many to believe that Mr. Mugabe would afterwards give up power honourably in order to pave way for the much needed political reforms. But as usual, the autocratic and ailing president missed that historic opportunity to leave office. He is still at the helm 31 months after the power sharing agreement took effect. The unity government between President Mugabe and Prime Minister Tsvangirai tentatively agreed a while back to hold presidential and parliamentary elections sometime in 2012. But with no further discussions on the issue and also without consulting with his coalition partners, Mugabe unilaterally announced a few weeks ago that the elections will be held in March 2012. Such unilateral decision suggests that there are deep cracks within the unity government. Mugabe’s unilateral decision to go to the polls in March 2012 without any input from his coalition colleagues is simply undemocratic and can only be described as selfmotivated based on his apparent “president for
life” ambitions. For instance, at 87 years old, Mugabe is unsurprisingly his ZANU-PF party’s presidential nominee. His nomination is viewed by many as a step back with huge implications for the troubled country’s democratic reforms in the foreseeable future. By accepting his party’s presidential nomination again, Mr. Mugabe essentially has missed yet another historic prospect to leave office with honour for the sake of Zimbabwe’s economic and democratic future. He could have utilized the relatively peaceful political climate after the agreement between him and Tsvangirai to resign in a stately fashion. But the octogenarian president did not see it fit to leave. In fact, he has resisted repeated calls to relinquish power and make way for a younger successor. It is only hoped that whether he wins or loses, the outcome of the upcoming elections would eventually provide the last opportunity for Mugabe to renounce power without possible political upheavals. Political infighting amid who will succeed Mugabe has always been a thorny issue. It is now apparent that the president is fighting for his political survival and the obvious threat to him relates to his succession within the ZANU – PF. This threat also feeds into other challenges by the opposition forces, especially Mugabe’s bitter political rival, Tsvangirai who ironically is the current Prime Minister based on the power sharing agreement between the two leaders. Reports indicate that Mugabe’s succession has now taken a new twist with mounting speculations that Defence Chief, General Constantine Chiwenga is seriously interested in replacing Mr. Mugabe. This could hugely change the succession dynamics and the possible outcome given the growing influence of the military within ZANU - PF and Zimbabwean politics in general. Some analysts even suggest that General Chiwenga might seize power militarily if his hope to replace Mugabe does not materialize. And given its current precarious political situation, the last thing Zimbabwe needs is a coup d’état and
its corresponding military rule. The question therefore remains, will President Mugabe collaborate with the ZANU – PF’s leadership, choose his successor and exit honourably while there is still a window of opportunity for him to do so, or will he be forced out at the eleventh hour by circumstances beyond his control? Although Mr. Mugabe has missed numerous opportunities to give up the presidency respectfully, I think there is still enough manoeuvring room for him to orchestrate his exit strategy in order to save his face and most importantly, spare Zimbabwe from potential political chaos. Aside from more than three decades in power and his old age, the opportunity still exists for Mugabe to use his apparent failing personal health situation as a pretext to leave office in honour and pave the way for a younger and visionary leader to pilot Zimbabwe through the second decade of the 21st century. But the concern is that with the help of his loyalists within the Zimbabwean security forces, Mugabe may manipulate the outcome of the upcoming presidential and legislative elections to his advantage as usual. And at 87 years of age, if he wins, his next term of office would last until 2016 when he will be 92. Reform-minded Zimbabweans of different political stripes, including those within Mugabe’s own ZANU – PF party seem to have exhausted all democratic mechanisms to replace him. Mr. Mugabe himself has had numerous opportunities to leave office honourably, but has stubbornly refused. Notwithstanding missed opportunities to resign with honour in the past, the president has yet another chance to step down respectfully. He can use his old age or current poor personal health condition as a pretext to repudiate his decision to run for another term. Repudiation of his already crowned presidential nomination will allow Zimbabweans the chance to replace him harmoniously and begin to work toward comprehensive reforms to salvage their once promising, but now ruined country.
The Ghanaian News
December 2011
Funeral & Memorial for the Late High Commissioner, H.E. Dr. Richard Benjamin Turkson Mrs. Alice Turkson and the Ghana High Commission would like to announce that the funeral and memorial service for the late High Commissioner, H.E. Dr. Richard B. Turkson, who passed away on Wednesday, 23rd November, 2011 will happen as follows:
Funeral & Memorial Date: Saturday, 14th January, 2011 Time: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm – Visitation 1pm – 2pm – Memorial Service Venue: Capital Visitation Centre, 3700 Prince of Wales Drive, Nepean Reception and Celebration of Life (Ghana-Style) Date: Saturday, 14th January, 2011 Time: 7:00 pm – 1:00 am Venue: To be confirmed Contacts: Mr. Kwaasi Obeng-Koranteng (613) 236-0871 Ext. 230 Kwaku Agyei (613) 843-0498
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
Ghana has failed me - Anas Award winning investigative Journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas has said he is undaunted by the failure of Government and state institutions to arrest, prosecute and jail corrupt government and state officials as well as criminals whose evil activities he has exposed in many of his undercover works.
He warned: “If the thieves out there think that because of the lower scores, I’m going to give up or we as a group of journalists are going to give up, then they should forget it”. “We are coming at them; we are coming to their door steps,” Anas said in an interview with the Globe newspaper.
He has declared war on persons he described as “thieves” who have invaded various sectors of the economy and were wrecking the nation.
For more than a decade now, Anas has been digging deep into the cupboards of many
state institutions and exposing the unbearable rot and corruption in such places such as the infamous Soldier Bar brothel for teenagers at the Kwame Nkrumah circle, the Tema Ports and Harbours, The Accra Psychiatric Hospital, cocoa smuggling at the Ghana-Ivory Coast border amongst a raft of other investigative works.
He risked his life and resources to unearth massive corruption and rot in many state institutions through his undercover expeditions which he described as a “weird form of journalism which seeks to name, shame and jail individuals who engage in fraudulent acts that destroy the nation. ”
Speaking to The Globe in his office in Accra, Anas who is currently working together with the Aljazeera Media network on a series of investigations into corrupt practices in some parts of Africa said “If your expectation is ten or better still eight and you get two or three, you don’t have a pass mark.
In all his undercover sorties, Anas was always a disguise away from danger and possible harm to himself.
Anas’s works have received international recognition. US President Barack Obama commended his investigative works in a speech to Ghana’s Parliament when he visited in 2009.
“But also you cannot underestimate the fact that you have moved from zero to two or three. So in that regard, I can always say that it’s not been a 100 percent support and we can’t say that everything has been smooth. ”
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In spite of his global recognition, Anas told the Globe newspaper that his expectations for embarking on his investigative works are not being met.
He said, “I don’t think it (the success of his investigations) is also a bleak one. I think that we have made significant progress. We could have been ahead of where we are today. ”
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Anas cited his Soldier Bar exposé in 2008 where over 160 young prostitutes, some in their teens, were rounded up by a team of armed policemen in the capital Accra. He told the Globe newspaper that it is disheartening that after taking much risk to reveal the horrible happenings at the brothel at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle; little had been done to support the victims and punish the perpetrators. “We were very successful at conducting a raid, arresting all the bad guys and rescuing the innocent kids; the next day not up to 24 hours, all of them were opened. They were all allowed to go; then you ask yourself, was it even worth it? ” Anas also recalled his expose of virtual torture and molestation of child orphans at the Osu Children’s Home in Accra under virtually slavery conditions in 2010. Although he is disappointed about the level of success, Anas told the Globe newspaper he is happy an impression has been left on the minds of Ghanaians and his little contribution to change the lives of the children in the home has been recognized.
The Ghanaian News
December 2011
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Cocaine turns into sodium bicarbonate at Police Headquareters Drama unfolded at a Circuit Court in Accra when it came to light that a slab of cocaine in the custody of the Police Headquarters has turned into sodium bicarbonate. The court therefore charged the Inspector General of Police, Mr Paul Tawiah Quaye to institute a service enquiry to determine who might have tempered or changed a slab of cocaine found on
Nana Ama Martin into Sodium Bicarbonate. Acquitting Nana Ama over the drug charges, the court further ordered the IGP to prescribe the necessary sanctions in respect of the case. On August 22, 2008, Nana Ama was arrested with a slab of substances suspected to be cocaine and when it was subjected to a chromatography test it proved positive of cocaine.
The substance had been in the custody of the Police for the past three years until when hearing commenced this year and the defence counsel insisted that the drugs should be re-tested at the Ghana Standards Board (GSB). After the re-testing at GSB, the result tested negative saying the substance weighing 1,020 grams was Sodium Bicarbonate.
According to the court the GSB officer in the presence of Court’s Registrar and the investigator Detective Thomas Ayekase conducted a test and the substance proved negative for cocaine. “Curious to know the nature of the substance the GSB officer conducted further tests to know the exact nature and it proved to be a sodium bicarbonate,” the court recalled.
This aroused the court’s curiosity, quizzing that “If the substance the prosecution produced before the court was what it tested to be cocaine at Police Forensic Laboratory, how come the same substance suddenly becomes sodium bicarbonate?” According to the court, a government analyst who appeared before it confirmed that “There was no way the substance could suddenly take a different nature unless the substance had been changed.” Nana Ama was charged with possession of narcotic substance without lawful authority namely cocaine, and had pleaded not guilty. Touching on the case, the court presided over by Mr Eric Kyei- Baffour said he was unable to appreciate the position that an accused that had been charged with possession of cocaine had turned to be sodium bicarbonate. “For this trial the light of prosecution that shone brightly has suddenly dimmed in the noon day trial. I only have to take the invidious option to abort the trial, to acquit and discharge the accused,”the court ruled. It said there was no way it could have behaved like
the proverbial “simpa payin” by giving its blessing for whatever substance brought before it and take it for granted that it was cocaine. The court said it found as mind boggling the desperation by the prosecution to blame everybody for the substance not being cocaine. “After all if prosecution genuinely believes that the substance tendered was cocaine what was the cause for such an explicable apprehension as the nature of the drug can never be changed,“ the trial judge noted. On August 22, 2008, Lance Corporal Prince Bonsu in the company of three other officers reported for duty and left for enquiries at Roman Ridge. At Ridge they had a tip off that occupants of a taxi ahead of them were dealing in narcotics. They therefore drove past the taxi cab and ordered to it to stop. They arrested the occupants of which Nana Ama was one of them. The Police officers flanked Nana Ama but her accomplice who was in the front seat escaped. The officers managed to bring Nana Ama to the Police Headquarters and it was discovered that Nana Ama had two bags. One of the bags (that is the same one) contained a slab which was suspected to be cocaine. During the trial, accused’s statement was tendered and a report on the substance which proved positive of cocaine at the Police forensic laboratory. GNA
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
I am just ruminating over my experience with the US immigration/border officers between 6:30 pm and 7:15 pm on Dec 8th 2011 at the Queenston Lewinston border. When I got to the Duty Free shop on the Canadian side, I parked, went in to take a pee. I bought chocolates to feel I just didn’t use their facility for free. I drove to join the queue of cars. I was in the extreme left lane. When I got there, the officer in the booth asked where I was going as I handed him my passport. I told him I was picking family from the Buffalo Airport. He asked how many were in the family. I told him three ladies. He asked if I was bringing anything to the US. I told him I had just bought chocolates from the Duty Free shop, and with that I showed him what I had bought. Meanwhile he was on his walkie-talkie located on his left shoulder communication with another officer. I didn’t hear what he said. The officer then told me to drive to another officer waiting beyond the booth but by the side of the road leading to Buffalo. When I got to the second officer, he also directed me to drive to another officer waiting by a white truck. As I drove towards my second directed spot, the waiting officer signalled that I drove to where he was standing, right in front of a kind of pile-on. When I stopped, the officer came to me with my glass lowered, and informed me that he was directing other cars to line up behind me and later he would ask all of us to leave. About five cars lined up
My exprience at the US border
Philip Arkoh Forson
behind me. The officer then came to me and asked me to get out of my car – he had asked the other travellers behind me to do same. As we waited not too far from our cars in the cold weather, the officer drove the white truck around the linedup cars. He came out of his car and informed all others to leave but told me to wait since they had to examine my car again. Now two officers were inspecting my car.
The second officer I had spoken to came for my car keys, drove my cars to a marked parking spot and came back to take me into their office. A forth officer joined the second one. While the officer with the white truck was going through my car, the two officers were also interrogating me – residence, how long I have been in Canada, my job, what I did before my present job, what my wife does, who else had used the car before, how often I cross the US border, whether I had been arrested at any border before. Meanwhile I was emptying my pocket. I had two cellphones – a personal one and one for office use. They asked who the last person was that I had called. I told them I had just called my daughter. They asked me when my family were arriving at the Airport and wondered why I was about an hour late. I told them I had to complete my work for the day before setting off.
The officer took my passport and my phones away while I waited in the large office. All I did was pray that nobody implanted any drug in the car and cause my arrest. Had some of my students managed to put something in my car? I couldn’t think of anything so I just continued to pray in tongues. Later the officer who had taken my car keys brought my passport to me and asked me to go out to my car and continue my journey. I inquired why the investigation. “Just a random check” was the response. I
drove away before I realized that I was the only black person among the group whose cars were circled. That was random. Of course, how could the officers know who was driving after me. Nothing racial. But it is interesting to know that a black man crossing the US border at 6:30 pm, driving a black-in-and- out BMW X3 could be the only one was made to stay for further inspection and interrogation. The officers tried to conceal their intention but it was obvious since my car was the first in the
queue. Oh, well that could also be random. Come on, Philip. You are a statistician and you know that the probability of throwing a 1 from dice is one out of six, just like any of the other five numbers. The officers were doing their job. It’s nothing racial. Philip Home: Office ext 323 Cell Cell
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December 2011
11
First Earth-sized planets spotted search, said that the discovery was the beginning of a “new era” of discovery of many more planets similar to our own. Both planets are now thought to be too hot to be capable of supporting life. But according to Dr Fressin, the planets were once further from their star and cool enough for liquid water to exist on their surface, which is a necessary condition for life. “We know that these two planets may have migrated closer to their Sun,” he told BBC News. “(The larger of the two) might have been an Earth twin
Astronomers have detected the first Earth-sized planets, which are orbiting a star similar to our own Sun. In the distant past they may have been able to support life and one of them may have had conditions similar to our own planet - a so-called Earth-twin - according to the research team. They have described their findings as the most important planets ever discovered outside our Solar System. Dr Francois Fressin, of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics in Cambridge, US, who led the re-
in the past. It has the same size as Earth and in the past it could have had the same temperature”. Rock and a hard place One of the planets, named Kepler 20f, is almost exactly the size of the Earth. Kepler 20e is slightly smaller at 0.87 times the radius of Earth and is closer to its star than 20f. They are both much closer to their star than the Earth is to the Sun and so they complete an orbit much more quickly: 20e circles its star in just six days, 20f completes an orbit in 20 days whereas the Earth takes a year.
The researchers say that these planets are rocky and similar in composition to our own planet. Dr Fressin says that the planets’ composition may be similar to Earth’s with a third of it consisting of iron core. The remainder probably consists of a silicate mantle. He also believes that the outer planet (Kepler 20f) may have developed a thick, water vapour atmosphere. The discovery is important because it is the first confirmation that planets the size of Earth and smaller exist outside our Solar System. It also shows that the Kepler Space Telescope is ca-
pable of detecting relatively small planets around stars that are thousands of lightyears away. The telescope has discovered 35 planets so far. Apart from 20e and f, they have all been larger than the Earth. Up until now, the most significant discovery, also by a group including Dr Fressin, was of a planet nearly twoand-a-half times the size of Earth that lay in the so-called “Goldilocks zone”. This is the region around a star where it is neither too hot,
nor too cold, but just right for liquid water and therefore life to exist on the planet. But Dr Fressin believes that the two new planets are a much more important discovery. The telescope is scanning 150,000 stars and Professor Andrew Coates of the Mullard Space Science Laboratory in Surrey believes that they will soon find a planet the size of Earth in the Goldilocks Zone. “With every new discovery we’re getting closer to the ‘holy grail’ of an Earth-like planet around a Sun-like star,” he said. BBC News
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
FOCUS
The Bullying Stops Now! Becoming Better Persons and Better Students Asks Joe Kingsley Eyiah, OCT, Brookview Middle School, Toronto The students at Brookview Middle School have a pledge they recite every morning before they begin classes. The pledge goes like this: Everyday, I come to school to save my life by working hard to be better person and a better student” To me, my school pledge became more fulfilling when about 9,000 students from the Toronto District School Board (grades 2 to 8 “anti-bullying” students) pledged ‘to make it better’ at Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto on Wednesday, December 14, this year! The Wednesday Coliseum gathering of students (the bullied and bullies as well as those who have never been either) billed as the “Ultimate Class Trip” organized by TDSB is described as the “largest anti-bullying event in Toronto history.” Obviously, we expect stu-
dents to become better persons in life starting from school where they meet and work with teachers and other students. Bullying does not make students better persons anywhere! No wonder, the TDSB director, Chris Spence appealed to students during the “Ultimate Class Trip” event to help in creating ‘a culture of kindness’ in our schools. I will add in our homes and community too! For, bullying also takes place in many homes and public places among even siblings and friends outside the school system.
The Menace of Bullying: Bullying is considered by experts as the ways in which boys and girls act out their aggression. It usually occurs amongst younger teens and preteens and usually begins to fade by the later teen years. Research has shown that later primary and middle school years are the crucial years to be aware of bullying! Bullying is harmful and can lead to depression, body image issues, and low self-esteem. Both girls and boys can bully in the form of racist, sexist or homophobic remarks. There had been situations where the bullied had taken lives in solitary. The dangers associated with bullying are frightening and ways and means must be sought to prevent them from happening to our students both at school and at home.
Parents expect schools to provide an environment that is emotionally and physically safe for our children. As parents, we normally feel terrified and enraged about any kind of threat to our children’s well being, especially in a place where they have to be. According to psychologist and bullying expert Evelyn Field, bullies and targets of bullies often have undeveloped assertive communication skills. Assertive communication is the open expression of your needs, desires, thoughts and feelings. It involves speaking up for your own needs while also respecting the needs of others. It is advised that boys and girls who are being bullied stand up to their bullies by be confident and calm in saying NO when and where necessary. They
should also promptly report all acts of aggression towards them to adults. The best they can also do is not to make themselves available to the bullies. To the bullies, I say, you can make it better! You can find a better way of expressing your needs, desires, thoughts and feelings than acting cowardly by bullying your friends and other students. Respect for others must guide all your actions! Advice to Parents: When possible, try to notice problems when they are small. Pay attention to changes in your child’s behaviour. Encourage children to tell you about what happens at school. Listen calmly without lec-
turing. Volunteer even a couple of hours a week in the classroom or school yard so that you can both help out and stay aware of potential problems at school. If your child has a bullying problem at school, here are seven practical People Safety solutions that can help parents to be effective in taking charge. All said and done, we, as adults must help our students ‘to make it better.’ The bullying must stop now! I personally wish all my readers merry Christmas and a Happy New Year as by God’s grace, the year 2012 approaches. Together let’s make 2012 a better year and bullyingfree!
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TALKING FINANCES The Smith Manoeuvre By: Gabriel Quayson, Toronto In the USA, residential mortgages are tax deductable, in Canada they are not. Fraser Smith is a retired Financial planner residing in Vancouver BC who deviced a strategy to make Canadian Residential mortgage payments tax deductable. He wrote book about it in 2002, entitled The Smith Manoeuvre. The basic premise is to convert your bad, undeductable debt such as home mortgages, credit cards and car loans into good debts which are deductable. The interpretation of the strategy is explained in this article.
$50,000. Consequently, your marginal tax rate is reduced and you will pay tax at a lower tax bracket as well as the possibility of receiving a larger tax refund. Fraser Smith established a legal way to make mortgage payments tax deductable in Canada without violating tax laws. To properly execute a Smith Manoeuvre, you need to have a re-advanceable mortgage plan. With this form of mortgage plan, your Home Equity Line Of Credit (HELOC) increases by the equal amount paid down on your mortgage principle.
Let us begin with a brief explanation about tax rules and regulations in Canada. Any time an individual borrows money for investment, the interest cost of the debt are deductable against one’s income. For example, let’s assume that you borrowed $100,000 from your bank at 10% interest rate and invested all the funds in an investment portfolio. The $10,000 of annual interest costs is deductable against the individual’s taxable income each year. Deduction reduces your income that is taxable. If your taxable annual income is $70,000 per year, a deduction of $20,000 will reduce your taxable income to
Step 1: Let’s assume the house you own is valued at $400,000 and you have a current mortgage of $200,000 with a monthly payment of $2000 (principal: $1500 and interest: $500). You can approach your bank for 75% Loan-to-Value (LTV) re-advanceable mortgage. You will have a HELOC for $300,000 with $200,000 taken up by the previous mortgage amount. You will then use the $100,000 balance from your HELOC to invest in income producing stocks/mutual funds, preferably in the form of Canadian dividend-paying companies. For the loan to be tax deductable money, must be
invested in an open account, not RESP, TFSA or RRSP. This HELOC should not be used for any non-investment purchases to keep the paper trail clean for Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). This will clearly establish that the entire loan was used for investment purchases. Step 2: When you make your monthly principal mortgage payment of $1500 from your chq/saving account into your new HELOC on the first of the month, you will then transfer the same amount ($1500) from your HELOC to your investment portfolio that has book value of $100,000 shortly afterwards (2nd or 3rd day of the month). Consequently, one month after the HELOC was established, it will show that $300,000 was used up, but the investment portion would have increased to $101,500 and the
mortgage portion reduced to $198,500. The cycle should continue until the investment portfolio portion is equivalent to the maximum limit of the HELOC and/or the mortgage is fully paid off.
will be: mortgage: $180,000 and investment portfolio: $120,000. This annual payment of tax refund toward mortgage will continue until mortgage principle balance becomes zero.
Step 3: Your dividend investment will pay out regular payment to you. This additional money should be used to first pay a portion of the mortgage principal, as per your pre-payment privileges. Secondly, as it was explained in step 2 that the same amount should be transferred from HELOC to your investment portfolio. Hypothetically speaking, at month two if you had a dividend distribution of $8500, then your $300,000 HELOC will be as follows: mortgage principal: $190,000 and investment portfolio: $110,000. Once again the cycle will continue until the mortgage portion is eliminated.
The mortgage in now under attack from 3 fronts with: 1regular payments, 2-dividend payments, 3-Larger than average Annual income tax refund payments. These increase payment will expedite the payment of the mortgage, while at the same time increasing the room available in your HELOC for additional investments. There are many other ways you will be able to implement in expediting your mortgage payment, but those are not part of what Fraser Smith discussed in his book. This triple attack on the mortgage will continue until your mortgage is paid off in a very short period (5yrs to 10yrs) of time and at the same time you have much larger investment portfolio than if you waited until the mortgage was paid off to invest. Lastly, the debt in your HELOC is the result of the funds transferred for investment purposes and therefore all are tax deductible as per CRA, where as your mortgage was not.
Step 4|: The interest payment on the increasing investment loan portion of the HELOC will lead to a larger deduction amount. This larger deduction amount will lead to a much bigger tax refund. The tax refund should be used to pay down the mortgage principal. If your tax refund of $10,000 was paid into your HELOC on month three, the composition
Step 5, Once the mortgage is paid off, you could sell some investment holdings to pay off the balance of the HELOC to bring your debt balance to zero. If the investment were properly done, the investment portfolio should far exceed the balance of the HELOC. At this point you can choose to pay off the HELOC from the investment proceeds and still have a substantial portion remain in the investment account. Consequently, you would have become mortgage free and debt free in a very short period of time. Lastly, the investment aspect of the Smith Manoeuvre is fairly safe if debts were swapped (ie: pay off car loan with savings and borrow equal amounts to buy investments). The Manoeuvre will be very risky if debt is leverage (borrow new money to invest). If you’re interested in doing a Smith Manoeuvre, it is recommended that you speak to a financial planner and your accountant before embarking on it. The information and explanation I have provided is not a how to invest guide but my interpretation of the book written by Fraser Smith. Seasons Greeting and may the new year bring you financial abundance.
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
Brampton transit recognized at National Conference Brampton Transit and the City’s Information Technology divisions are the proud recipients of a 2011 Distinction Award for its SmartBus - In-
telligent Transportation System implementation. The award was recently presented at the Government Technology Exhibition and Conference
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to improve government services and operations. The Distinction Awards recognize innovation, excellence, and leadership in service delivery in Canada’s public sector. The initiative was awarded in the Municipal Category for Excellence in Public Service Delivery. “Once again, Brampton is showing leadership in providing our residents the tools to improve their quality of life,” says Mayor Susan Fennell. “I would like to congratulate everyone involved for their excellent work and commitment on this initiative.”
In September of this year, Brampton Transit in partnership with the City’s Information Technology division launched SmartBus technologies along the city’s second bus rapid transit line, Züm Main Street. Additionally, riders can now readily get next bus information online, via email or by phone, by simply keying in a four-digit bus stop number. These three new technology channels provide riders with instant access to real-time next bus information available for all Brampton Transit bus stops. “Brampton Transit riders have
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Since 2000, the City has been recognized five times at the GTEC conference. About Brampton: The 11th largest city in Canada, Brampton has a successful, well-diversified economy and is home to more than 8,000 businesses. The City continues to retain a Triple ‘A’ credit rating by Standard & Poor’s, reflecting its successful economy and debt-free position. Brampton celebrates its diverse population that represents people from more than 175 distinct ethnic backgrounds who speak more than 70 different languages. Offering more than 6,000 acres of parkland, Brampton takes pride in being known as the Flower City of Canada. Brampton has been designated as an International Safe Community by the World Health Organization. For more information visit www.brampton.ca
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Weekend (special) * Koose * Ball-Float Catering * Vegetable Fried Rice * Vegetable Noodles * Vegetable Jollof Rice * Roast Potatoes * Roast Beef * Dijon Chicken Breast * Baked Chicken * Salad * Sandwiches * Grilled Fish * Cabbage Roll * Fried Chicken
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December 2011
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
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December 2011
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
20ll All Nations Full Gospel Church Christmas Party The prestigious Paradise Banquet Hall, 7601 Jane Street, Concord was the venue of the 2011 End of Year Banquet for the All Nations Full Gospel Church. The event took place on Friday 2nd December 2011. In his welcome address to the gathering, Dr. Samuel Donkor, Senior Pastor of the church said that 2011 which was the “year of the Word” and indeed it was the year that God’s Word tried us as never before. He pointed out that everyone’s faith shall be tested. Everyone’s commitment shall be tested and everyone’s salvation shall be contested for by Satan. Hence the admonition of the scriptures that we should “be steadfast, unmovable al-
ways abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your work is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Cor 15:58. In what was billed like a progress report of the Church’s activities, Dr. Donkor pointed out that the year 2011 took All Nations beyond our borders into new territories. For the first time the Churdch entered 4 countries: namely Trinidad, Costa Rica, Jamaica and Liberia in one year. ANIDA is also finally set up and ready to operate in Jamaica, he added. All Nations University (ANU) completed its first engineering complex this year, however the complex will be fully utilized in 2012. More programs will be introduced in 2012. He also
added that 9 new pastors have been added to the church worldwide. He continued that the “year of the Word” is giving way to the “year of New Beginnings” in 2012 and will release a fresh outpouring of the supernatural upon our churches and God’s awesome pres-
ence will be felt in every service. He concluded that the congregation should watch out for 2012 which is tagged as the “Year of New Beginnings”. Jason Mighty from Jamaica also entertained the congregation. Rev. Dr. & Rev. (Mrs.) Donkor
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The Ghanaian News
SUE AND CHARLIE’S
December 2011
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
Ghana Methodist Church of Toronto, St John's Anglican Church (Ghanaian Congregation), Ghana Calvary Methodist United and Ghanaian Presbyterian Church PRESENT
3-Day Joint End-of-Year Program December 29th - 31st, 2011 Rev. S.V. Mpere (Methodist, U of T)
Theme: Christ Our Hope In The MidstOf Our Hopelessness Heb. 6:16-19 SPEAKERS
Rev. Frank O. Adu (Ghana Presbyterian Church)
December 29th - 30th 2011 TIME: 7:00 P.M. - 10:00 P.M. December 31st 2011 (Watch Night) TIME: 8:00 P.M. - 12:30 P.M. Very Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Asare-Kusi (Ghana Methodist Church)
VENUE: Ghanaian Presbyterian Church 51 High Meadow Place (Finch/Signet)
Very Rev. De-Graft Semie Obiri (Calvary Methodist)
Rev. Gabriel OpokuWare (St. John's Anglican Church)
Contact: Brothers: F. Owusu - 416-407-3161(Presby), Ebenezer Acheampong - 416-675-3677, Sister Agnes Donkor - 905-450-3745 (Calvary Methodist) Rev. Gabriel Opoku Ware - 416-901-3932 (St. John's Anglican Church)
The Ghanaian News
December 2011
21
Dr. Ben Carson speaks at Signs of Science (SOS) event at Humber College Signs of Science (SOS), an educational not-for profit organization, formally introduced itself to the community through an inspiring fusion of sciences event featuring the best selling author and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the US, Dr. Ben Carson. The event involved more than 300 students, staff and community leaders. The event took place at Humber College in Etobicoke on December 3rd 2011. Attendees were treated to multiple innovative and interactive workshops such as the aviation room, robotics programming room, solar technology and many more. John Davies, President of Humber College commenced the festivities with an introductory speech and the event concluded with inspirational words of motivation from Vincent Crisanti, Councilor Ward 1 North Etobicoke. During the event, SOS “Brain of the Month” awards were presented to students
by Dr. Ben Carson and SOS unveiled their new Signs of Science community based website (www.signsofscience.com). “Growing up in Rexdale, I can definitely empathize with the need for enrichment. We are blessed and honoured to have someone of Dr. Ben Carson’s stature here supporting our endeavours”, said Lydia Amponsah, Executive Director of Signs of Science. Dr. Ben Carson, Director of Pediatric Neurosurgery at the renowned John Hopkins Hospital in US was the event’s keynote speaker. Speaking about his unique upbringing and overcoming extenuating circumstances, his speech resonated with an audience who also have their share of obstacles they must overcome.
signed to support young people living in marginalized communities in Toronto to pursue post secondary education in STEM related programs. For info. Contact, Lydia Amponsah, Exective Director Signs of Science, 647-7866 0 3 2 , e m a i l : lydiaamponsah@gmail.com
Dr. Ben Carson
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Economic figures best in 20 years - Veep Three years into its administration, the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) continues to blame the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for leaving “empty coffers”, hence the reason it has lagged behind in the fulfillment of many of its campaign promises. Vice President John Dramani Mahama, addressing a forum of NDC Youth at the National Theatre in Accra, said the government has used huge amount of money to defray colossal debt left behind by the NPP, a reason
he cited, as having led to the agitations of the NDC foot soldiers. Nonetheless, he intimated that the government is still on course with her “Better Ghana Agenda” which focuses on stabilizing the economy. Vice President Mahama explained that the ruling NDC took over the reins of governance at a time when the economy was on the verge of collapse. He continued that the Mills-led government inherited an economy with a
deficit of about 22% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which according to him affected the stability of the country. He discounted the initial economic figure of 9% deficit of GDP purported by the NPP, adding that the huge GDP deficit left by the erstwhile President J.A Kufour and his government depreciated the cedi currency as against the US dollar, hence, sagging the “confidence” of the country. “As soon as we took
over power, the first letter we got was that; oh it’s not 9%, we didn’t know all along but actually the deficit is like about 13 or 14%. But be that as it may, we should be able to tell the truth now. We were faced with an economy where the cedi was falling, inflation was high, interest rate had gone up, and confidence in the economy was shaken. And so even though the official figure given was 13%, when Governor Duffour went to parliament to present the final budget for 2009,
he used a figure of 15%. Subsequently we found deficit and arrears that meant that the deficit on the economy was closer to 22%.” He emphasized that such economic failure on the part of the NPP prolonged the activities set up by the incumbent government to revive the economy. According to him, the money allocated for the projects and promises enshrined in the NDC Manifesto was used
to defray the cost in order to stabilize the economy. Allaying all fears in public domain, he said the Kufuor’s regime left Ghana in arrears which the incumbent NDC government has remitted within its three years of administration. “We put our shoulders to the wheel and decided that we will fix this economy. And with God on our side, we have fixed this economy.”
He praised the government for stabilizing the cedi and achieving a single inflationary digit stressing that the “economic figures” achieved under the administration of President J.E.A Mills are the “best we’ve seen in more than 20 years.” He was confident the government would be given another mandate into power touting the achievements so far chalked by the government. XFM
22
The Ghanaian News December 2011
Rejoinder We mourn the sudden sad end of Ghana’s High Commissioner in Canada In an attempt to pay tribute to the memory of Ghana’s High Commissioner to Canada, His Excellency, Dr. Richard Benjamin Turkson, the Ghanaian News wrote an Editorial which when dissected, renders one sad, ashamed and cold. The said Editorial can be found on page 5 of Vol. 15, No. 11 of the November 2011 edition of the paper. Let me say from the outset that I find the Editorial to be irresponsible, infantile, insensitive, and in fact, un-Ghanaian. At a time of deep sadness and sorrow, the Ghanaian News decided to malign and attack the late High Commissioner all with misinformation and disinformation. In the said Editorial, the Ghanaian News provided that “the late High Commissioner did not make himself fully available and known to the Ghanaian community during his two years of duty tour of Canada. Apart from one or two short trips to some community events in Toronto, the rest of the Ghanaian community outside of Ottawa never got to meet him. In other words, Dr. Turkson did not really reach out to the larger Ghanaian-Canadian community.” Let me say that this is completely false. Beside the two or so visits that the Ghanaian News credits Dr. Turkson to have undertaken to Toronto, he (Dr. Turkson) also is on record
to have visited, Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Regina, Saskatoon, and Charlottetown. And he visited some of these cities more than once. Dr. Turkson certainly visited Toronto more than twice but at this point, that is inconsequential. Furthermore, at his behest, the Consul-General in Toronto, Mr. Kodjo Mawutor, and Mr. Francis Kotia of the Mission in Ottawa visited Halifax and Winnipeg respectively. If anybody is in doubt, they can call residents of the above-mentioned cities to verify. The Ghanaian News purports to speak for the entire Ghanaian community in Canada, from coast to coast to coast but any critical analysis of the length, breadth, and depth of its coverage will reveal it has neither the track record nor the credibility nor, for that matter, the authority to do so. The paper is without doubt very Toronto-centric and thus should not present itself as what it isn’t: a paper that is well-informed on issues across all of Canada. In Ghanaian culture, whenever a tragedy like death strikes, people put aside their differences and come together to work for a common purpose. The least that can be expected in such circumstances is for one to maintain a respectful silence, if at all there was any-
thing brewing before the incident. It is never considered prudent or wise to talk ill about the deceased, let alone to peddle falsehoods about them. I do not, and will never advocate that people sweep the evils or errors that men commit under the carpet when they pass. All I am saying here is that there will be a time to do so if truly any evils have been committed. I must submit that it would also have been a different ballgame if the assertions were to be true. But quite sadly, they are based on falsehoods. In the penultimate paragraph, the Ghanaian News writes “It is all talk, talk and talk; pretensions and hypocrisy and no action. We wish to offer our very heartfelt condolences to the family of the late Dr. Richard Turkson, the government and people of Ghana on this loss.” The paper seems not to know what it is about. Otherwise, how on earth does it offer its very ‘heartfelt’ condolences just as it says that it is all pretensions and hypocrisy? I am tempted to think that this might be due to some flawed professionalism at the paper. The way the Ghanaian News wrote it, you would think that apart from the two or so visits to Toronto, the man didn’t travel anywhere else. The paper concedes that he was at some two community events
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but that does not seem to be adequate. It appears the paper would have loved to see him at every community event in Toronto. That is not only unfair, but also unreasonable. It is important to point out that of all the regions in Canada, Toronto alone has an Office of the Consul-General, headed by a Consul-General, specially posted from Ghana with the full complementary staff. The Consul-General is supposed to take care of business in Toronto and I fully believe he does that. If the people in Toronto are not pleased with that arrangement, it is the responsibility of the Ghanaian News to explain things to them and not to cheerlead on any misconceptions. Dr. Turkson was arguably the most community-oriented High Commissioner that we have had in Canada. I say this with some palpable and solid evidence. I am the President of the Ghanaian Association of Ottawa, and apart from the staff of the High Commission, I can confidently say that I am the one who worked most closely with him in the community. He encouraged anybody he met to visit the High Commission. Fact is, the High Commissioner is not and can never be a community liaison or organizer for the Government of Ghana. Yet he did his part. In Ottawa, where he lived, like any High Commissioner before him, he attended our events whenever he could. He attended our independence parties, outdoor events, and churches. In fact, he was billed to preach at the Ghana Methodist Church in Ottawa, the immediate Sunday
after his demise. If this is not community involvement, then what is it? At GhanaFest 2011, which Emmanuel Ayiku, the publisher, proprietor, and Editor of the Ghanaian News also attended, Dr. Turkson was there for almost the entire day. He stayed around, talked to people, bought items on sale and watched our game with folks from Nigeria before leaving. So he did what he could. In the final paragraph, the Ghanaian News writes “We will, in conclusion, appeal to the government to consider seriously the idea of posting relatively younger persons to its top diplomatic positions abroad since the work is rigorous and demanding. We do not know whether that was a factor in the death of the High Commissioner but it would certainly have helped if he had spent the last few years of his life enjoying his retirement in the comfort of the warm weather in the land of our birth.” Dear Ghanaian News, it is not your business to suggest when and where Dr. Turkson should spend his retirement. That is his personal decision. His age, in my view, shouldn’t be an issue. Younger folks have served in the post High Commissioner and never connected as well as Dr. Turkson did. Besides, death is no respecter of age: the young as well as the aged can die, and indeed, do die. Dr. Turkson’s health may not have been the best, but he had earned the right to serve Ghana in the capacity that he did. Some of us traveled abroad to study and never went back to serve Ghana. And we have the full right to do whatever we please. Dr. Turkson, unlike
some, came to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to do his Ph.D., and went back home after his studies. He stayed and worked in the country all along subsisting on the paltry pay that was given to lecturers of the time. He, together with some others, helped to educate many, many lawyers and other professional who are today spread all over the world. Unlike Dr. Turkson, Emmanuel Adinortey Ayiku came to Canada and studied architecture at the University of Ottawa. In search of greener pastures he refused to go back home and I have nothing against that but I would expect him to be circumspect and respectful to those who sacrificed by going home. Dr. Turkson, with his many years of sacrifice to Ghana, had earned the right and privilege to represent the country. Finally, I find the act by the Ghanaian News to be dishonourable, in the sense that I met Emmanuel Ayiku a number of times in the same location as Dr. Turkson and he seemed to have a great deal of respect for the man. If indeed, he had no regard for him, or had so many beefs against him, why was he behaving the way he was doing. Is it because he needed some favours? I for one, if ever I were to have anything against someone, I will not wait till s/he dies before I pour it out: at a time when s/he would not be in a position to defend him/herself. Simply because that will be dishonourable. Kwaku T. Agyei, President of Ghana Assoc. Ottawa 63 Collington Street Ottawa, Ontario K2G 6X3 kwaku.agyei82@gmail.com
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Having a baby is supposed to be one of the happiest times of your life. But for some women, childbirth can be the trigger that causes them to temporarily ‘lose their minds’. Every year, about 1,000 women in the UK suffer from what is called postpartum psychosis. Most of them will need several weeks in hospital to help them recover but, because of the stigma of mental illness, it is not often talked about. When I gave birth to my baby daughter Ettie, I was absolutely elated. But this elation soon turned into a form of mania - non-stop talking, an inability to sleep, an exhausting energy - all of which were unnatural and unsustainable. I became very irritable, suffering from extreme mood swings and hallucinations. I was admitted to a psychiatric hospital for several weeks. That period in my life was not one I discussed readily with anyone. It was so far from most people’s experience of new motherhood and because of the stigma of mental illness that exists in our society, I felt slightly ashamed. Would people want to associate with a “crazy person”? Might they think I was “a bad mother”? It took me a few years to get over that feeling and it is only recently that I have had the opportunity to meet other women who have also suffered from postpartum or puerperal psychosis. Sharing stories was a liberating experience and prompted us to become involved in a Wellcomefunded project to publicise the illness and tackle the stigma that hinders recovery. The project is called Unravelling Eve. It was conceived by artist Joan Molloy, an artist and mother of two whose work has focused on themes of family, memory and time. I helped to run a workshop where Joan met a group of women who had all had postpartum psychosis, to hear what the experience had been like for them.
For the first time, these women were able to talk about the terrible impact of the illness. Tracy spoke of her terrifying hallucinations: “I thought I’d given birth to the anti-Christ and my child, I believed, had little devils living inside his stomach which would come out at night and dance around my kitchen floor.” The Unravelling Eve meetings give women the opportunity to share their experiences Some spoke of suicidal thoughts and being convinced that their babies would be better off without them. For some it also took a long while to get better. “I felt like a zombie for at least a year or two”, says Ceri. “I can’t remember how long I was on anti-psychotics for - obviously the drugs saved my life, but my goodness they take a while to recover from.” With treatment each of these women recovered, but it was a life-changing experience for them all. So why does it happen to some new mothers? Joan and I went to see Dr Ian Jones of Cardiff University, a perinatal psychiatrist and expert on the condition. He explained: “When we’re talking about postpartum psychosis, we’re talking about some of the most severe episodes of illness we see in psychiatry.” “These are women who very quickly after childbirth have an episode triggered that may involve lots of different mood symptoms. “They often have psychotic symptoms, delusions, believing things that aren’t true, or hallucinations... seeing things or hearing things when nothing’s there.” Tragically, if the symptoms are not recognised in time, in rare cases this can result in suicide or, very rarely, infanticide. The causes of postpartum psychosis are unclear, though we do know that genetic factors are important. You are more likely to have
23
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When having a baby can cause you to ‘lose your mind’
December 2011
cont'd on pg. 24
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
IMMIGRATION AND SOCIAL ISSUES By: James A. Kwaatemg, B.A. (Hons), LLB (Hons)
Working in Canada as a Foreigner after Graduating from an Institution in Canada My previous article focused broadly on the three main foreign students work permit programs namely; off-campus work permit program; co-op work program and postgraduation work permit program. The article briefly touched on eligibility criteria for students’ participation in the abovementioned programs without any in-depth discussion. This article focuses exclusively on post-graduation work permit programs. The post-graduation work permit program, as the previous article reveals, is designed to provide graduating students with Canadian work experience. The program may permit students to work in Canada for a maximum period of three years after graduation but the
work permit cannot be valid longer than the length of time the student studied in Canada. For example, students graduating from an eightmonth certificate program would only be eligible for a work permit of eight months while students graduating from a fouryear degree program might be eligible for the maximum three-year work permit.
applicant must have graduated from a specific program of full-time study of at least eight months in Canada at a public postsecondary institution or a private post-secondary institution that operates under the same rules and regulations as a public institution, and receives at least 50 percent of its financing for its overall operations from government or a private institution that is authorized by provincial law to confer degrees but that applies only if the applicant is enrolled in one of the programs of study leading to a degree as authorized by the province and not in any other programs of study offered by the private institution.
As indicated in the previous article, to be eligible for the post-graduation work permit program, the
A student must submit his application for a work permit within 90 days, starting from the day
Face veils banned for citizenship oaths The government is placing a ban on face coverings such as niqabs for people swearing their oath of citizenship, Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said Monday. The ban takes effect immediately. As a result, Muslim women will have to remove their niqabs or any other face-covering garments, such as burkas, before they can recite the oath of citizenship to become Canadians. Citizenship judges will be di-
rected to enforce the rules at ceremonies over which they preside. It’s a “public declaration that you are joining the Canadian family and it must be taken freely and openly,” he said, calling it “frankly, bizarre” that women were allowed to wear face veils while they swear their citizenship oaths. Kenney said he doesn’t accept that it’s a religious obligation to wear the veil, explaining that when Muslim women perform the
hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca required by their faith, they are required not to cover their faces. “It’s a cultural tradition, which I think reflects a certain view about women that we don’t accept in Canada. We want women to be full and equal members of Canadian society and certainly when they’re taking the citizenship oath, that’s the right place to start,” Kenney said in an interview on CBC News Network. CBC News
When having a baby can cause you to ‘lose your mind’ cont'd from pg. 23 postpartum psychosis if a close relative has had it. Changes in hormone levels and disrupted sleep patterns may also be involved. More research is needed, so we have set up a new charity called Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) to raise awareness and support women and their partners who feel isolated. For many women with postpartum psychosis there is no warning, but if you have bipolar disorder you are at considerably greater risk, so it is wise to find out about postpartum psychosis and prepare yourself just in case.
Due to a shortage of specialist beds, many women will have to be admitted to a general psychiatric hospital, usually without their baby. But some parts of the country are lucky enough to have specialist mother and baby units where women can keep their newborns with them for the weeks or months it takes to recover. We visited the oldest of these, the Channi Kumar Unit at the Bethlem Royal Hospital, south London. They support the mother in developing a relationship with her infant in order to reduce
the impact of the illness on the child. Mothers and babies can stay together or the mothers can stay on their own with a gradual reintroduction to their babies on the ward. The average length of inpatient treatment is eight to 12 weeks, and staff encourage the involvement of fathers or partners in the treatment process. Perinatal psychiatrist Dr Trudi Seneviratne says their aim is to prepare mothers for a lasting return to the community. “One of the joys of working in a unit like this is that women do get better”, she says.
when his final marks are issued or when he receives a formal written notification of graduation from the institution, whichever comes first. The work permit application could also be submitted while the student is completing his last semester as a part-time student. If a student has any other evidence such as a final transcript or a letter from his institution that indicates that he has successfully completed his program of studies, he may use that to apply for the work permit in lieu of formal notification of graduation. Students who, at the time of graduation, might be working already under a work permit issued under the previous rules are also eligible to apply for an extension. However, in such situations, the total dura-
tion of the permit including the extension is not likely to exceed the maximum duration allowed by the new program parameters. Generally, a foreign student is eligible to apply for the post-graduation work permit only if the student has a valid study permit and has not previously been issued a work permit for post-graduation employment following completion of any other course. It should be noted that distance learning from either inside or outside of Canada is excluded from this program. A student in a program of less than eight months long; a student whose education is being funded by the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA); and students par-
ticipating in several other scholarship or award programs may not be eligible for participation in this program. Check that before you submit your application. Readers are cautioned that this article is not an in-depth discussion of post-graduation work permit program. Prospective applicants are therefore advised to seek professional advice regarding their applications. James A. Kwaateng is an Immigration Law practitioner with offices located at 168A Oakdale Road, Suite 4, Toronto, Ontario. For thorough discussion of your immigration and related social and legal issues, contact him at telephone number (416) 743-2758.
National Ageing Policy and Implementation Action Plan Launched in Accra cont'd from pg. 1
now living longer today than generations before. He therefore noted that government and the nation should be prepared to meet the challenges that this phenomenon will bring Hon. E. T. Mensah stated that the national policy has a number of objectives aimed at achieving social protection for the aged in Ghana. Among these are: * Promotion of the independence of older persons * Promotion of their active participation in society * Promotion of Community Support and care for them
* Promotion of self-fulfilment in the pursuit of educational and other opportunities and * Promotion of the Dignity of the elderly in society and their freedom from exploitation. The Minister expressed his gratitude to the United Nations Fund on Population (UNFPA) for financial support and technical assistance for the program as well as other social partners and stakeholders including the Ghana Veterans Association, Ghana pensioners Association, Social Security and National Insurance Trust, Ministry of Healthy and Ghana Statistical Service
Parliament approves GHc19.9bn for 2012 govt business Ghana’s Parliament on Wednesday, under a certificate of urgency, passed the Appropriation Bill, authorizing the utilization of Ghc19.9 billion from the Consolidated Fund and other funds to meet government’s expenditure for the 2012 fiscal year. Thus, after debate on the budget estimates of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and in accordance with constitutional requirement under
Article 179 (2) of the 1992 Constitution, Government is to appropriate an amount of GHc19,935,767,331 during the financial year commencing January 1, ending December 31, 2012. Out of this projected amount, GHc11,817,167,748 would be used for the payments of recurrent expenditure, GHc5,697,910,350 for Capital expenditure and GHc2,420,689,233 would go to service other payment, including road cont'd on pg. 25
The Ghanaian News
Ghana to start online acquisition of driver’s license The Minister of Transport, Collins Dauda, has hinted that Ghanaians will soon be able to acquire their driver’s licenses through the internet. According to the minister, this will materialise once the automation services at the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) offices across the country are launched. The minister’s comments
come months after some 3,000 fake driver’s licenses were confiscated by DVLA officials in Accra. He noted that the current situation could be attributed to the cumbersome procedures involved in the acquisition of licenses. Hon. Dauda also added that the new system will help ease the license acquisition process. He said,
“we are introducing systems that would make acquisition of driving license very easy. ” “You can even sit in the comfort of your room and get a license by getting it online. If we perfect this system I believe that people would not have to go to the DVLA premises to look for licenses to be accosted by the ‘goro’ boys,” Hon. Dauda added.
Parliament approves GHc19.9bn for 2012 govt business cont'd from pg. 24 arrears, non-road arrears, tax refunds and amortization. Also, GHc1, 140,990,000 of Internally Generated Funds (IGF) would be retained by the MDAs during the 2012 financial year. The House, which worked late into the evening also approved three financial agreements for social interventions and infrastructural
upgrade in the Eastern region. These included approval of Supplementary Mixed Credit Agreement between the Government of Ghana and Bank Hapoalim of Israel for an amount of 113.5 million dollars for the implementation of the rehabilitation and expansion of the Kumawu, Konongo and Kwahu Ridge Water Supply Project.
The house also approved Credit Facility Agreement between the Government of Ghana and the UniCredit Bank, Austria, AG for an amount of 7.9 million Euros for the rehabilitation and expansion of water supply to Anyinam, Apedwa, Kibi, Kwabeng and Osenase, as well as a Loan Agreement between Ghana and the UniCredit Bank Austria AG for an amount of 12.9 million Euros to fiancé the rehabilitation of the Adomi Bridge. GNA
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He also hinted that the Ghana Parliament is set to pass the revised road traffic regulations. citifmonline
December 2011
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U.S. seeks oil supply cushion as Iran sanctions loom The United States is building ties with Ghana and other oil producing countries in an effort to ensure a steady supply of crude to global markets as the West ratchets up the threat of increased sanctions against Iranian exports.
will all be fine,’ it’s become a much more complicated market to be able to work with,” Carlos Pascual, the State Department’s special envoy and coordinator for international affairs told a meeting at the Council on Foreign Relations on Tuesday night.
According to a State Department official, the groundwork is being laid with exporters including Ghana, Angola, and Iraq, where the oil industry is recovering from war and years of neglect, to boost global spare oil capacity in case of outages that can lead to price spikes that threaten the fragile economy.
Pascual was in charge of creating the State Department’s new Bureau of Energy Resources, which takes the lead on issues from market stabilization to lowering environmental risks of energy production.
As Iran, the world’s fifth biggest oil exporter, faces calls for fresh sanctions based on concerns it is developing a nuclear bomb, the United States is working with countries beyond its old ally Saudi Arabia to ensure spare capacity in global oil markets. “It’s no longer just going to one or two places and saying, ‘Hey can you pump an additional million barrels per day and we
Tighter sanctions on Iran could result in its output falling by about a quarter to below 3 million bpd by 2016, the International Energy Agency, the West’s energy watchdog, said this week. Some groups in Washington also hope to make U.S. sanctions on Iran smarter by pushing China and other countries in the East to buy more of Iran’s oil. The idea is China has a better bargaining position than Europe because it’s state oil companies buy crude as a monolithic
block and can force Iran to sell its crude for a lower price and deprive it of billions of dollars in petroleum revenues. Saudi Arabia remains the swing producer of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, a major factor in the world’s spare capacity cushion, now estimated about 2.5 million bpd to 5 million bpd. FABRIC OF A STABLE MARKET But as the kingdom’s domestic demand for crude rises and as the world’s thirst for oil grows to nearly 90 million bpd, new sources of oil are also coming into focus for Washington. Angola’s oil production, which is currently about 1.7 million bpd is expected to rise to nearly 2 million bpd by 2013 and keep rising. Iraq’s output has risen about 500,000 bpd this year to about 2.95 million bpd, the highest level in two decades, and could easily rise by the same cont'd on pg. 29
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The Ghanaian News
The ageing population in the country is likely to be bored stiff as the only and first-ever ageing support centre in the country HelpAge Ghana- has been temporarily closed down due to over population. The non-governmental, non-religious and nonprofit making organization which has been operational since 1988, served as a recreational health care centre for retirees and other seniors who did not have anything or anyone to occupy their time with.
27
Ghana’s only aged home closed down It also provided health care, feeding and did advocacy on behalf of the aged to ensure that they were better represented in society. Staff of the centre have currently embarked on an old people monitoring exercise in the Volta, Ashanti and parts of the Greater Accra regions. The exercise aimed at scrutinizing the conditions under which old people, especially the incapacitated ones are catered for in such parts of the country.
In an interview with The Globe newspaper, Vice President of HelpAge Ghana, Edward Ameyibor, said the activities of the organization would have been more effective if they had more philanthropic support. For instance with their day care centres that have been closed down, Mr. Ameyibor said “we used to provide three square meals each day at the centres, but it got to a time they started complaining about the quality of food.
Kaf African Caribbean Market Tel: 905-855-3595 We specialize in African, Caribbean Groceries: *Gari Pounded *Yam *Vegetable Salad *Fufu *Potato Starch *Stock Fish *Salted Fish *Smoked Fish *Cerelac *Rice *Bournvita *Milo *Corned Beef *Phone Cards *Cosmetics *Goat meat and many more We are wholesalers and distributors of smoke fish
Then we started preparing different kinds of meals but at the cost of 50 pesewas each day but that also didn’t work out. We started running out of so we closed down the centre, not just because of the food but also because our facility didn’t have the capacity to handle the rising numbers of members”. He said they couldn’t provide good health care for the aged inmates as they should. “The very essence of the centre was
not being realized anymore so we decided to shut it down for a while, at least until the facility is improved and better managed. ” Mr. Ameyibor further called on organizations to help support the early reopening of the centre. He also complained bitterly about the “constant tagging of old-age as a disease. ” “There are certain ailments associated with ageing, but old age in it-
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The Centre is thankful to government for passing The National Policy on Ageing, a policy they had pushed for over the past 10 years. They however are encouraging government to move past the implementation plan and speed up the implementation process.
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self is not a disease! ” Mr. Ameyibor said, adding that “one of the things old people need most in this country, are professional Geriatric Health practitioners”.
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28
The Ghanaian News December 2011
Vaclav Havel: Czechs pay final respects to late leader A state funeral is expected to be held on Friday for the former dissident playwright, who died on Sunday morning, December 18, aged 75. Vaclav Havel became president of Czechoslovakia in 1989 after the fall of communism. When Slovakia split in 1993, he remained Czech leader until 2003. Having suffered from respiratory problems for many years, he died at his country home in Hradecek, north-east of Prague. One report said the former dissident had died after making plans with his wife for a quiet Christmas party. He had gone back to sleep and did not wake up again. A week of mourning is being held in the Czech Republic and hundreds of candles were lit in Wenceslas Square - once the focal point of the “Velvet Revolution” that overthrew the country’s communist regime.
Vaclav Havel
* Born in 1936 to a wealthy family in Czechoslovakia * Considered “too bourgeois” by communist government, studied at night school * Writing banned and plays forced underground
after the 1968 Prague Spring * In 1977, co-authored the Charter 77 movement for democratic change * Faced constant harassment and imprisonment as Czechoslovakia’s most famous dissident * Czechoslovakia’s first post-communist president in December 1989 * Oversaw transition to democracy, and 1993 division into the Czech Republic and Slovakia * Left office in 2003 and continued writing, publishing a new play in 2008 and directing first film in 2011
Ghanaian News online www. ghanaiannews.ca
Kim Jong-il dead at 69 The North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has died at the age of 69, say state media. Mr. Kim, who has led the communist nation since the death of his father in 1994, died of a heart attack caused by
overwork and stress on Saturday, 17th December, 2011. He will be buried on December 28, 2011. Kim Jong-il had been in the process of formalizing his third son, Kim Jong-un, as his successor. Kim Jong-il .
Toronto Veteran Journalist Colin Rickards, 74 is dead wrote book reviews for the St. Lucia-based She magazine.
The award-winning historian, commentator, Journalist and author, Colin William Rickards, died suddenly on Thursday November 24th 2011. Rickards who was to celebrate his 74th birthday on December 15, 2011 left behind his wife of 37 years Ida and son, Damian. Born in England, Rickards was an editor and writer for eight years with Pride News Magazine, a staff writer/columnist for Share
newspaper, a Jamaica Weekly Gleaner writer, and a weekly columnist for Caribbean Camera newspaper. He also
Rickards, a prolific author of nine non-fiction books, was a member of the Who’s Who in Black Canada directory’s advisory group and of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada (Toronto chapter) since 2002, where he served as the board’s vice-chair from 2003 to 2005 and chair from 2005 to 2010.
House For Sale House No. Z3A/181, Lebanon Zone 3, Ashaiman near Michel Camp, Community 22, Tema, Ghana
This is a 4 bedroom single-storey residential building. It is fenced with sandcrete block wall and fitted with two metal gates. The compound is predominantly paved with some few trees. This house is a bungalow with attached warehouse fitted to house 40 footer cantainer goods, 2 washrooms, self contained master bedroom with water heater kitchen with cabinets. TENURE:
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Offeh-Gyimah The GhanaianAbena NewsKwatemaa December 2011
29
Community Information The Immigrant TV Talk Show Series Launching on January 9th 2012 on Rogers TV! Channels 63,10 •Mondays: 1pm •Wednesdays: 9.30am •Saturdays:‘10.30pm
•Tuesdays:9.30am •Friday:7.30am, 3pm & 6.30pm •Sundays 10.30pm
Immigrant Integration processes/education - A talk show that offers an open forum to discuss professional experience with focus on “getting into the system” - Discusses Social experience with focus on “culture conflict” - A show that does not only focus on immigrant challenges or system flaws, but also captures success stories to inspire others - Increasing public awareness of the services available to immigrants - A grounded theory approach to immigrant integration processes Offers Expert feedback on emerging concepts, opportunities, solutions & resources
*Email us to be a guest or to advertise during the show. Your story will inspire someone! For more information please visit: www.theimmigranttalkshow.com and let us know what you think
Prayer can change your life to better and remember there is still miracle through prayer.
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Send your prayer request about your health. Our prayer can change the life of stubborn children to better. Send your prayer request about your career and we are here to help you with prayer. call (647) 885 2998 or (647) 703 9410 for prayer and spiritual advice, or send your email to pfun09@yahoo.com Do not think that you are powerful in prayer or that you are going to church regularly. Remember that there is a lot of Christian in Nineveh before God sent Prophet Jonah to the city. I am not asking you to leave your church but let us pray together it will make your life great.
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U.S. seeks oil supply cushion as Iran sanctions loom cont'd from pg. 26
amount next Pascual said.
year,
Ghana joined the club of oil producers in late 2010 when the offshore Jubilee field operated by Tullow Oil started up producing light sweet crude. The company is hoping to soon hit a target of 120,000 barrels per day from the field, while Ghana’s total oil reserves are estimated to be at least 1.25 billion barrels. Production in offshore
East Africa could also take off in coming years, Pascual added. “What seemed in the past to people as maybe not that significant, 200,000 barrels here and 400,000 barrels there, is part of what actually makes up that whole texture, that whole fabric, of what can become a stable market,” Pascual said. Rising oil output in the Western Hemisphere also has big potential to add to the global supply cushion. Offshore drilling in Brazil
could make it Latin America’s biggest oil producer in coming years, while Canadian and U.S. oil production is also rising from unconventional sources such as shale oil and oil sands. “The problem is those new supplies are not elastic,” Pascual said. “You can’t turn them on and off tomorrow, and so if you have an immediate problem or spike that takes those supplies off the market, then the speculation starts, then the price spikes start.” Reuters
A Clarion Call Odeneho Nana Kwafo Akoto sons and daughters of Akwamu traditional area in the Eastern Region of Ghana, resident in Ontario and their families and all people who recognize their historical, cultural and spiritual ties with Akwamu are kindly requested to come together urgently to consider and discuss plans in support of development projects and other relevant issues in Akwamu State. Contacts: Barima Darko Margaret Owusu Comfort Ennin Augustina Dampare Faustina Owusu Ansah
416-419-7762 905-455-2433 416-614-2736 647-294-6454 647-462-4313
Baffour Awuah Nyarko Mintah William Asante Evelyn Sackey Patrick Asare
416-741-6393 905-456-3171 905-495-5431 647-702-4591 647-706-3616
OKOFOROBO AKWAMU KOTOI Long Live Akwamu State! Long Live Ghana!
30
The Ghanaian News December 2011
The
Youth Journal MOVINGFORWARD WITH OUR YOUTH THE FUTURE OFOUR COMMUNITY
Canada’s Escalating Child Poverty Crisis: Third World Predicament in the First World By Kwabena Akuoko, MSW, RSW, Toronto
Western countries, including Canada primarily associate child poverty or poverty in general with poor or the socalled developing world. And hence many Canadians for example find it difficult to comprehend the level of poverty in First Nations Reserve as recently exposed by the media. Similarly, many Canadians do not realize that poverty rate among other diverse groups of Canadians in both urban and rural Canada has significantly gone up in recent years. Many Canadians also tend to mistakenly assume that just because Canada is adjudged among the seven or eight richest nations in the world, our country does not have poverty related problems. The sad truth is that significant number of children and families live in abject poverty amid plenty in Canada. Child and family poverty is a bigger problem than most Canadians would like to acknowledge. Many families in working class and immigrant communities such as ours are for instance familiar with child poverty. The problem unfortunately is evident from coast to coast in this great and wealthy nation. While child poverty cuts across cultural, racial or class lines, the problem is evidently pronounced in the First Nations communities than elsewhere. Once again, we are for instance witnessing the extreme level of poverty among Indigenous peoples across Canada. A specific case in point is the obvious deplorable living conditions in the Northern Ontario First Nations community of Attawapiskat. Such conditions are nothing short of outrageousness. The situation in Attawapiskat provides an appalling, but true example of how the poor and marginalized populations in Canada have been neglected for years. The truth is that significant numbers of Canadians, First Nations peoples or otherwise are economically deprived to the extent that they frequently depend on food banks to meet their needs. Unfortunately however, the inexcusable conditions many children and their families live in did not occur overnight. It took years for such appalling circumstances to become apparent. Lack of fundamental poverty alleviation policies by the various levels of government have culminated into what we are witnessing today in Attawapiskat Reserve for example. Children in First Nations Reserves are cold and lack basic necessities. No one and let alone, innocent children deserve to live in such deplorable conditions as exemplified by the First Nations Attawapiskat community. John F. Kennedy rightly said it some decades ago that every society has a moral obligation to help its poor and vulnerable groups because as the late president put it, “If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich”. The key question is why are so many Canadians living in poverty
and what are our priorities as a nation? Our priorities are misplaced when we for instance spend billions of dollars to build prisons to incarcerate people while child poverty flourishes. Child poverty has been recognized as a fundamental problem in Canada for over two decades, yet successive federal governments, both Liberals and Conservatives have only paid lip services to it. Campaign 2000 was for instance a House of Commons All-Party Resolution, which was passed in November 24, 1989 to eliminate poverty among children by the year 2000. The year 2000 has come and gone for well over a decade, yet child poverty is with us with vengeance. The problem has as a matter of fact gotten worse. Every year since the Resolution was passed, advocacy groups have endlessly pressed on the federal government to live up to its commitment to end child poverty in Canada. Various social groups have collaborated and issued Report Card or evaluation on the progress or lack of it on child poverty and each year, the report paints a worrying picture on the issue. It is for instance estimated that one in ten children in the general population and their families live in poverty. As exemplified by the Attawapiskat’s Reserve living conditions and seen in the news, one in every four children and their families in the First Nations communities live in extreme poverty. The 2010 Report Card on child poverty reminds us that the problem is too desperate to the extent that Canada ranks poorly at 22nd among 34 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries on infant mortality rate. Similarly, the use of food bank among children and families has gone up significantly. Children are only 20% of the population, but they consist of 38% of food bank clients. It is nothing shy of embarrassment that poverty rate in Canada is allowed to rise to its current astronomical level. It is simply unacceptable that there are so many people mostly children living in poverty in various communities across Canada, which is supposedly one of the wealthiest nations in the world. In view of the rising level of child poverty in Canada, federal government’s certain policies in my view are at best, misguided. What sense does it make for the government to build more prisons or spend billions of dollars on defence while children are starving or living in tents and shacks in the First Nations Communities for example? The unrelenting increase in poverty or specifically child poverty are crises or challenges that must be seen by all levels of government as a good roadmap to make sure that child poverty and poverty in general is either eliminated or markedly reduced. 1
The Ghanaian News online Check it out www.ghanaiannews.ca
Africentric Schooling: What is the Problem? By: Abena Kwatemaa Offeh-Gyimah
The Africentric School raises numerous debates, questions, outrage, and concerns about how an Africentric school looks like. In mainstream media, they argue that the school calls for the segregation of Black youths, which undermines the years of Black people fighting for integration. In the context of the Africentric School, the words segregation and integration have to be examined carefully. What does integration in public school mean when over 40 percent of Black males drop out of each year? What does integration mean when Blacks youths in public schools only learn a curriculum that is Eurocentric? What is integration when the public school system is currently failing majority of Black youths? Is Black youths achieving academically at alternative school with Africentric curriculum segregation? The problem of Black youth’s engagement at school is beyond their regular attendance at school, and reaches deep into what Black youths are being taught at school. The teachings at the Africentric School is rooted in, “a worldview that espouses social responsibility, community belonging, mutual interdependence, respect for self, group and community, authority and citizenship responsibility. The schooling recognizes
the importance of affirming the leaner’s complex identities (racial, class, gender, sexual, spiritual, ability, etc) histories, cultures and how they may be used as catalysts in a student’s ownership of knowledge.” (George Dei, “Reading the Africentric School, Differently”) As a student that has gone through the public school system, I can adequately argue that the current public school system was obviously not created with minorities in mind. The current curriculum existed prior to minorities being allowed to attend school and so little or no changes have been made now that minorities and Whites attend the same school. For instance, in Canadian history class, people of color are barely acknowledged if not mentioned at all. The history between Blacks and Whites in Nova Scotia is never taught. Black inventors, innovators,
and intellects such as Marcus Garvey and W.E.D. Du Bois are never mentioned. The only texts read in secondary and elementary schools are those of White scholars, such as the works of Shakespeare from grade nine to twelve. The current school system is ethnocentric. So how can Black youths achieve in a system that is not created for them to succeed? How can they succeed in a system that participates in their oppression? Mind you, the many of us who made it through the public school system survived on the notion that we will not fall into stereotypes, as well as having some sort of academic support. Education is not just about going to school but raising consciousness, teaching respect, identity and thus forth. Education is not about a regular attendance at an institution but rather as the Africentric school pushes to do, which is teaching students, “self-reflection, the strength of their identities, their relationship to learning and education, their sense of purpose in life, and their commitment to their communities.” (George Dei, “Reading the Africentric School, Differently”) Education is not only about teaching the necessary skills of mental, physical, social and emotional survival but also about instilling humanity, which the current public system fails to do.
The Move out of the Under privileged Areas of Toronto Spells Progress for Ghanaians in the GTA By Kwaku Wirekoh-Boateng
As most of us living in the GTA have probably observed, there is an increasing number of Ghanaians moving from inner city Toronto into the surrounding cities and suburbs, with Brampton being the most popular destination. This development is one that bodes well for the community and will give rise to positive outcomes in both the near and long term. It suggests that the Ghanaian community is making advances up the socioeconomic ladder of the broader Canadian society. The vast majority of Ghanaians in Canada initially settled in low-income areas upon their arrival, with many living in public housing units.
This is something that is quite commonplace among new immigrants. Due to this fact, impoverished neighbourhoods tend to have high concentrations of new immigrants. These neighbourhoods also tend to be disadvantageous, especially for racialized minorities, and are characterized by high levels of poverty and crime. With many Ghanaians moving out of these areas, they avoid some of the negative aspects of inner city living. In recent years, crime among Ghanaian youth has been a significant concern within the community, namely the scourge of gun violence. I would venture to say that incidences of crime and gang activity involving Ghanaians in the GTA will likely decrease with more people moving out of the high-crime areas and into the more peaceful ones of the suburbs. With social environment being a key determinant of youth behaviour, locating to a more favourable location will likely have the effect of discouraging youth from getting involved in crime and gangs.
Moreover, the youth will also have access to better education because of the move out of the disadvantaged neighbourhoods. The unfortunate reality is that schools in the inner city – particularly those in at-risk neighbourhoods and other areas with high immigrant populations – tend to be less funded than those in the suburbs. With more Ghanaian kids attending better schools and in more favourable environments, we will see an improvement in academic performance among the youth. As a people, we tend to make the mistake of comparing ourselves negatively to other groups. What we fail to realize is that most new immigrant groups experience the growing pains of adjustment in a new country, albeit in variable ways. With time, however, things begin to change. The trend of people moving out of the underprivileged neighbourhoods of Toronto and into the surrounding cities and suburbs is a development that is part of that positive change, and it will lead to further progress for Ghanaians in the GTA and Canada.
THE CRITICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EMPLOYEES AND INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS
The Ghanaian News
December 2011
31
BUSINESS Let’s Live and Act in 2012 and Beyond By Eddie Twumasi Smith Bsc(Hons) Chem Eng, MBA,CGA
the door. Often times marketing dollars are spent with no return on the investment.
As the year 2011 comes to an end, we welcome 2012 with new hopes and expectations. Many are those who want to right their wrongs and make the best to improve upon their lives and the lives of others who depend upon them. There are many wishes, hopes, and dreams coupled with New Year resolutions come 2012. To achieve and realized our wishes we have to act, do what we mean and mean what we do. By virtue of the Canadian economic policies and business environment, in my previous articles, I tried to highlights the need for our community to start considering self employment as well as finding ways to serve a given market at a profit. Pursuing this career option provides unlimited rewards but I have to admit are not without challenges. Ask any successful business person and you will realize they had to overcome a lot of hurdles or challenges. During my research for this article, I visited an internet job forum blog and below is the thread of communication between people who are self-employed and those with intentions to start their own business: Person # 1: Hi! Everybody would agree that there are many advantages to run your own business. You have no bosses, no schedules. You work for yourself and are very flexible. Still, not many people start their own business. So I ask you: why? What are the reasons for this? Is it not enough money? Or connections? Or courage? Person # 2: Although there are a lot of guides on how you can start a business it is not as easy as that. One thing people are afraid of is taking the risk, it is money that you will lose if the business will not succeed. Person # 3: I’ve owned my own business for just over 5 years now which I work at full time. Although there are a great number of pros, here are some of the cons I’ve experienced: 1) Getting new customers. This is a real challenge. I know my skills can be applied in many companies however it is very difficult to get your foot in
2) Paperwork. Processing the bills, invoices, GST, PST, taxes, customer statements, etc. is time consuming. If you’re not doing it yourself you’re paying someone to do it. At times this can take up to 20% of my time. That’s time that I’m not making money. 3) Vacation. It is hard to get away from the business for any length of time. The customers will still call. After 3 years in business I finally decided to just schedule some vacation time but it is still difficult to take more than 1 week at a time. Long weekends are easy to take however. 4) Long hours. Now this is a funny one. With my job I have always put in long hours, just the nature of my work. That being said, my first year in business I put in less hours but that quickly changed as my business grew. 60 to 80 hours a week was very common. In this recession its not so common anymore, more like 40 hours a week now. 5) Constantly defending your prices. Customers always want to talk your price down. Doesn’t matter if you are the cheapest guy in town, they want to pay less. You need to have thick skin to handle all the comments about how much you charge. I’m always being bombarded for freebies and lower rates. This has always been the case for me. The above are some of the real issues and challenges facing small business start ups. As a matter of fact, many people have not tried self employment because of the risk of failure. Although the above conversation may sound cliché, in a business world, one should be willing to take on some calculated risks else there will not be any rewards. Many established businesses face similar if not same challenges in developing and growing their businesses. Established businesses adopt some techniques in management called the (S.W.O.T) and (S.M.A.R.T) analysis in managing their operations to overcome most of the challenges outlined by person#3 above. What these acronyms mean are as below. S.W.O.T analysis and Option Strategies Strengths: Is your unique selling disposition or natural talents which are not common to everyone. Permit me to use catering business as a case study. Strength will be the talent for cooking various cuisines and gourmets. Weaknesses: Is your limitations and inability to deliver a given service or product. For
example, a catering business not having the knowledge and expertise in serving a particular cuisine Opportunities: Are external environmental factors that are available to everyone but not everyone can translate that into revenue or potential source of income. Example is a catering business will have opportunities like total services i.e. helping clients plan their parties, organizing & coordinating, renting halls and serving and finally cleaning the mess for an individual who wants to host a special occasion for family members or loved ones or friends. These are opportunities out there that are not being served which can be a model for a catering business. Threats: Are external environmental factors beyond the control of an individual. Issues like competition, economic climate, financing etc. The strategy is to avoid threats or source competitive advantage through partnership, franchise, or building equity from property to serve as collateral security. Options Strategies: Having considered your SWOT, the next step is to critically think about what you can do with your strengths to take advantage of the opportunities. For a catering business for example, one can have options like providing catering services during some annual events, determine the revenue potential and the financing implications of your choices. Having done this, one needs to design a plan and devise tactics on how to achieve these objectives. S.M.A.R.T Objectives Specify Objectives: Decide on what exactly you want to offer your clients. Specify product or services that has the income potential Measurable Objectives: Make sure your objectives can be quantified. Example, serving 100 clients or 25 events in 2012 Achievable Objectives: Make sure your objectives are achievable given your resources, strengths and competitive advantage. Realistic Objectives: Make sure your objectives are realistic given the potential external threats. Time Bound Objectives: Make sure your set plan has a time plan. When to get your license, permits, when you apply for financing, looking for space to rent, etc. Putting a time objectives will help you to determine your progress and where necessary revise your targets or tactics. I hope and pray in the year 2012 and beyond, where we lacked the 4 Ds; we will have the Desire, the Discipline, the Doable spirit and the Dedication, be SMART to activate our God given talents & potential to realize our passion and wishes. Let’s live and act! E m a i l : eddiesmith77@gmail.com
The critical differences between employees and independent contractors By: Jayson Schwarz LL.M. The alarm clock fails to ring, and you wake head straight for the door. You make it into to work just before nine o’clock, gasping. Why the rush? Was it a fear of being fired or a fear of losing business? In today’s marketplace we have bosses and employees, and then there are “consultants” or “independent contractors” (“IC”), who are contracted by businesses, though not in an employment capacity. These ICs are selfcontained, independent businesses, which, on any given day, could be easily confused with the employee occupying the office next door. How does one know if someone is an employee or a consultant, and why does it matter?
those amounts. In fact a contractor deemed to be an employer might end up paying an IC without deduction and then after an assessment having to remit the tax. A contractor hiring a true IC is not responsible for making these deductions. Furthermore, a contractor is not required by law to provide a true IC with vacation pay, overtime, severance or benefits, unless those items are specified in the contract negotiated by the IC. In certain industries an employer is also required to remit premiums under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, which is not required by a contractor when dealing with a true IC.
The Supreme Court of Canada said we need to consider the following factors:
The obligations owed to an employer also vary in that employees owe obligations of confidentiality, good faith and loyalty to their employer; whereas, unless the contract states otherwise, ICs owe only an obligation of good faith to the contractor. This is reflected in the obligations owed to an IC, which are few. An IC can expect fewer benefits, if any, as compared with an employee. Furthermore, employees are guaranteed minimum employment standards by statute.
1) level of control the direct supervisor has over the worker’s activities; 2) whether the worker provides his or her own equipment; 3) whether the worker hires his or her own helpers; 4) the degree of financial risk taken by the worker; 5) the degree of responsibility for investment and management held by the worker; and 6) the worker’s opportunity for profit in the performance of his or her tasks; The existence of these factors is a question of fact and will depend heavily on the circumstances of each case. The Court made this effort in order to help clarify this distinction as the difference between an IC and employee has a significant practical effect on the employer’s obligations and the worker’s rights. Remember you are a contractor when you hire an IC and an employer when you hire an employee. An employer has many legal obligations when it comes to employees: source deductions that may include without limitation: Income Tax, Canada Pension Plan, Ontario Employer Health tax and Employment Insurance. If the Canada Revenue Agency discovers that these deductions have not been collected and remitted, or makes a determination that an IC is in fact an employee, the contractor now employer could face penalties and even interest charges on
In the current marketplace which is characterized by uncertainty and unpredictable employment trends, it is difficult to gauge which choice would be best for someone with an opportunity to pursue an IC or employment route. A lawyer can help advise you on the best course of action given your financial circumstances, skill sets and the demand for your type of skill or expertise, and your potential rights and obligations under the law. Remember this is a critical question and failing to make the right decision could result in significant costs if there is an adverse finding in a Government audit. Jayson Schwarz LL.M. is a Toronto real estate lawyer and partner in the law firm Schwarz Law LLP. If you have a topic in mind, mail, deliver or fax letters to the magazine or to the firm, use the web site (www.schwarzlaw.ca), email (info@schwarzlaw.ca) and give us your questions, concerns, critiques and quandaries. Assistance for this article was provided by a former associate Aaron Grinhaus
Schwarz Law Barristers and Solicitors Schwarz Law LLP is a full service law firm, offering sound and practical professional advice in the areas of Business Law, Corporate, Commercial, Real Estate, General Litigation, Personal Injury, Construction Liens, Immigration and Estates and Tax Planning. Schwarz Law LLP is also associated with law firms in Providenciales (Turks & Caicos Islands), Kansas City, Missouri (USA), Accra (Ghana) & Montreal, Quebec. Jayson Schwarz is also a foreign referral associate of Cyrus Ross International (Europe). As a result, through our network of associated firms, we can provide national and international solutions as required.
Tel: 416-486-2040 schwarz@schwarzlaw.ca
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church Holds Annual Harvest From: Dr. Michael Baffoe, Assin Wurakese
The St. Cecilia Catholic Church at Assin Wurakese in the Central Region held their Annual Thanksgiving Service at the Church premises at Assin Wurakese on Sunday December 18, 2011. Preaching the sermon at the pre-harvest Church
Service, Reverend Father Paul Annan admonished the congregation to contribute generously to the Lord’s work. He noted that the Annual Thanksgiving Harvest is one positive way for the believers to show their appreciation to
God for the abundant blessing they had received during the year for their farm produce and other business ventures. A vast array of farm produce including giant tubers of yams, plantain, firewood and cassava were on display and sold to raise funds in aid of a proposed new church building.
Dr. Baffoe, left and his mentee, middle
Rev. Father Paul Annan blesses the harvest produce
A section of the congregation dances around the harvest produce.jpg A section of the congregation dances around the harvest produce
Harvest produce displayed before the congregation A Giant cluster of Yam displayed at the harvest to thank God
The AGAMS GROUP OF COMPANIES, Ghana holds Annual Get-Together in Accra
From: Dr. Michael Baffoe, Accra
The AGAMS GROUP OF COMPANIES, a business Conglomerate with six subsidiaries in Ghana held a lavish End-of-Year Banquet with its Stakeholders, patrons and specially invited guests in Accra on Friday December 16, 2011. The event was held at the Ball Room of the new ultra-modern MOVENPICK Hotel (the former Ambassador Hotel) in Accra. The six Subsidiary companies that make up the AGAMS Group are: rLG COMMUNICATIONS, ACI CONSTRUCTION, ACI FINANCIAL SERVICES, ASONGTABA (VOCATIONAL TRAINING) ,MARA TRADING COMPANY and CRAFT PRO. The Get-Together with its stakeholders and patrons was to wish them a Merry Christmas, to thank them for their patronage over the course of the year 2011, and to explore new partnerships for the coming year. Among the distinguished patrons at the Banquet were Hon. Enoch Teye Mensah, Minister of Employment and
Social Welfare, Akua Sena Dansua, Minister of Tourism, Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa, Deputy Minister of Information, Dr. Omane Boamah, Deputy Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, and a delegation from the Malian Embassy in Accra Live Music was provided by old High Highlife Musician, Ben Brako, and Becca, one of only two current top female highlife artistes in the country. The show was hosted by Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Host, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
Banquet Patrons hit the floor Dr. Michael Baffoe engages Ghana's most beautiful on the dance floor.
Patrons at the banquet, from left 2010 Ghana's Most Beautiful 1st Runner Up, Chanaa, Dr. Michael Baffoe, second from right
Event ushers at the banquet
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December 2011
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Foso Teachers’ College Alumni Holds Homecoming Summit From Staff Reporter, Assin Foso
The Past Students Association of Assin Foso College of Education, formerly known as Foso Training College at Assin Foso in the Central Region held a two-day Homecoming Summit of its Alumni at the College at Assin Foso on December 2nd and 3rd, 2011. The College Alumni who attended the exciting Get-
Together were old graduates of the College from 1969 through the year 2010. In a welcome address to the Alumni, the Principal of the College, Dr. Nana Kwaku Asiedu, expressed his gratitude to the Alumni for showing interest in their Alma Mater. He pointed out that the development of the College in
College Principal, Dr. Nana Asiedu, left, Hon. Kennedy Agyepong, MP for Assin North, second from right, and Dr. Michael Baffoe, right
The 2005 Year Group present their greetings
Dr. Theophilus Tefe, Alumni 1973, delivers the Keynote Address
Students and Foscopa alumni at the dining hall
Evangelist Kwesi Eduful celebrated his 53rd birthday on Sunday 27th Nov. 2011 at The Christ Healing Church Int'l, Toronto Evang. Kwesi Eduful
Family and friends at church
Evang. Eduful enjoying a treat
Praise and worship time
Evang. Eduful being blessed by Apos. Twumasi Ankrah Prophetess Twumasi Ankrah giving exhortation flanked by Evang. Eduful, family and friends
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
Community i
in Pictures
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
PEOPLE AND PLACES Marriage Blessing of Robert and Maggie 3rd September, 2011 at the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rose of Sharon Congregation, Santasi, Kumasi. The officiating Minister was Rev. Kofi Antwi, District Minister.
Mr. & Mrs. Hagan at Church service on Sunday after the wedding on Saturday
Apostle & Rev. (Mrs.) Osei-Bonsu of Praise Temple of Christ Int'l Toronto
Mr. & Mrs. Hagan
George Sanniez celebrated his 65th birthday at the African House Spot Bar Restaurant on Sunday, Dec. 18 2011 with friends and wellwishers
George receiving a gift from the Strategic Committe of Presby Church
Apostle Osei Bonsu giving word of exhortation
George Sanniez Cutting the birthday cake with the support of wife flanked by well-wishers
The Ghanaian News
December 2011
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One Millionth Tower, High-Rise Housing Documentary By Jonathan Annobil, Toronto
Toronto is a city of highrise residential buildings. Yet, many are aging and in disrepair. How these buildings can be re-imagined as tremendous assets to the city overall and to the many thou-
sands of people who live in them was the focus of a new NFB documentary. One Millionth Tower, explores the power of imagination – an collaboration – to change spaces and minds.
The residents of the highrise on 2667 Kipling Avenue, led by Kwabena Obeng and representatives from the United Way, City of Toronto led by Ms Elise Hug, Highrise Director from NFB
Katerina Cizek, Mozila Foundation and all who worked together to create the world’ first opensource documentary, One Millionth Tower met on Tuesday December 6, 2011 at Gladstone Hotel on 1214 Queen St. W.,
Toronto. It was to discuss how a better city could be built and a better web. According to the panelists, Toronto has more high-rises than any city in NA with the exception of
New York. The 6-member panel talked about how the project was started, the various organizations involved and how far the project has reached. According to Director Katerine Cizek, the documentary has been seen in 180 countries. Resident representative Kwabena Obeng said Ms. Elise Hug of City of Toronto has been of immense help to the project not excluding all the other panelists. Jamal, also a resident of the high-rise project entertained the audience by playing on his saxophone. After the panel collaboration, there were some questions from the audience which were answered by the panelists. Watch the trailer here: h t t p : / / w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=rzUb6LvvOrl Watch the documentary: http://highrise.nfb.ca/ onemillionthtower
Tenants, Panel members of One Millionth Tower, right Kwabena Obeng, (tenant rep.), Katerina Cizek, 6th from right (highrise director), Ms Elise Hug, 7th from right (City of Toronto)
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
WORLD NEWS Ivory Coast’s Laurent Gbagbo appears at ICC in Hague
Laurent Gbagbo
Ivory Coast’s Laurent Gbagbo has become the first former head of state to appear at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. He faces four charges of crimes against humanity, including murder and rape, in the wake of Ivory Coast’s disputed presidential elections a year ago. Some 3,000 people were killed in violence after Mr. Gbagbo refused to accept defeat in the 2010 polls. He was not asked to plead but has denied responsibility for the violence. The 66-year-old has also rejected accusations that the elections were rigged and accuses former colonial power France of plotting to topple him from power in the world’s biggest cocoa producer. His transfer from Ivory Coast - where he had been under house arrest since April - to The Hague last week sparked anger from his supporters who described it as a “political kidnapping”. His Ivorian Popular Front has pulled out of the 11 December parliamentary elections in protest. “My lawyers were not prepared for that,” he told the court. He also said that he was not told he was being taken to The Hague until after he was at the airport. His lawyer Habiba Toure told the BBC the transfer had been illegal under Ivorian law and that current President Alassane Ouattara should also face justice. The hearing was the first step in a process which could lead to Mr. Gbagbo going on trial. The court said it would announced on 18 June 2012 whether to proceed to trial. Mr. Gbagbo’s arrest follows an ICC investigation into the four months of conflict that began in Ivory Coast when he refused to hand power to his longtime rival Mr. Ouattara, who was declared winner of the election. The charges relate to events between 16 December 2010 and 12 April 2011, when Mr Gbagbo was arrested after UN forces helped bomb proGbagbo positions, after
pro-Ouattara forces had entered the main city, Abidjan. Mr. Gbagbo is accused of being an “indirect co-perpetrator” in attacks that were “widespread and systematic... committed over an extended time period, over large geographic areas, and following a similar general pattern”. There were numerous reports of areas seen as pro-Ouattara being shelled by Mr. Gbagbo’s forces and of attacks on northerners, seen as supporters of the long-time. Louis Moreno-Ocampo, chief prosecutor at the ICC, says there is evidence of widespread and systematic attacks against civilians. But troops loyal to Mr. Ouattara are also suspected of carrying out abuses, and human rights groups have urged an investigation into crimes allegedly committed by other parties. As pro-Ouattara forces headed south, there are reports of massacres of people from ethnic groups seen as pro-Gbagbo. Mr. Moreno-Ocampo said Mr. Gbagbo was only the first to be brought to account and “there is more to come”. The ICC was set up in 2002 to prosecute and bring to justice those responsible for the worst crimes - genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes - committed anywhere in the world. It is currently hearing six other cases, all relating to crimes committed in Africa, including that of Jean-Pierre Bemba, former vice-resident of DR Congo, whose trial began in November 2010. It has issued an arrest warrant for Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir, who is accused of genocide and crimes against humanity. The African Union has accused the ICC of concentrating on alleged atrocities committed in Africa and ignoring crimes elsewhere in the world - charges Mr Moreno-Ocampo has denied. Former Liberian President Charles Taylor is currently on trial in The Hague by the Special Court for Sierra Leone, set up jointly by the UN and Sierra Leonean government Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was on trial by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) - an ad hoc UN court - at the time of his death in 2006.
Jackson doctor Conrad Murray sentenced to four years Judge Michael Pastor said Conrad Murray “repeatedly lied, and he has absolutely no sense of remorse” Conrad Murray, the US doctor convicted of the involuntary manslaughter of pop superstar Michael Jackson, has been sentenced to four years in county jail. Murray was found guilty earlier this month after a six-week trial. Judge Michael Pastor told the court that while Murray was legally eligible for probation, he did not think his actions showed he was suitable. He said the evidence in the case showed a “continuous pattern of lies and deceit” by Murray. Prosecutors and defence will return in January 2012 to discuss the prosecution’s request for restitution to Jackson’s family. While the prosecution successfully argued for the maximum term, Murray’s lawyers asked that he be kept on probation, saying he is serving “a lifetime sentence of selfpunishment”. Defence lawyer Ed Chernoff said he would already be punished for life by being known as “the man who killed Michael Jackson”. In addition, Murray could still lose his licence to practise medicine. ‘Trust abused’ As the sentencing hearing began a family friend of the Jackson family, lawyer Brian Panish, read a statement on behalf of the family. Expressing their sense of loss for their “son, husband, brother and father”, the statement said the court should impose a suitable sentence. “We respectfully request that you impose a sentence that demonstrates that physicians cannot sell their services to the highest bidder and lose sight of their Hippocratic oath,” Mr Panish read. In a sentencing memorandum delivered to Judge Michael Pastor in advance of Tuesday’s hearing, Mr Walgren said Murray had shown no remorse for Jackson’s death. Lawyer Brian Panish read a statement on behalf of the Jackson family
Defence lawyers argued that Murray had done a huge service to the community throughout his life, including donating supplies to Caribbean doctors and opening a clinic in the poorest area of Houston, Texas. “I do wonder though to what extent the court considers the entirety of a man’s book of life, as opposed to one chapter,” Mr Chernoff said, adding that Murray could better serve the community on probation.
‘Prison is warranted’ Michael Jackson died on 25 June 2009 from an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol. He had been out of the public eye for several years but was preparing for a series of comeback performances at the O2 arena in London. The defence argued that Jackson was a drug addict who caused his own death by giving himself an extra dose of propofol while the cardiologist was out of the
room at the star’s rented mansion in Los Angeles. However, lawyers for Dr Murray dropped a key argument midway through the trial - that the pop superstar had drunk the propofol. But they continued to argue that Jackson had somehow dosed himself otherwise. There is no law against administering propofol, but the prosecution’s case rested on the argument that Dr Murray was grossly negligent by doing so outside a hospital setting and without the proper monitoring equipment. Calling for a four-year prison sentence, Mr Walgren said Conrad Murray had demonstrated a level of “planning and sophistication” in procuring and using propofol to treat Michael Jackson. He had abused the trust placed in him by his patient, Mr Walgren said. “It is the people’s position that prison is warranted.”
Panama’s ex-ruler Noriega returns home after 22 years Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega arrived Sunday evening in his home country, nearly 22 years after U.S. forces forcibly removed him from office. The 77-year-old was taken straight to El Renacer prison to serve time for crimes committed during his rule. Reporters flooded the medium-security facility in Gamboa, but the former leader was shielded from public view. Officials later confirmed that he was there. Earlier, Noriega arrived at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, where security was tight. “I think it has historic and symbolic significance,” said Michael Shifter, president of the Washington D.C.-based InterAmerican Dialogue, about Noriega’s return. “It’s a sense of closure for the Panamanian people. He clearly was a dictator for six years and presided over assassinations, disappearances and killing of opposition leaders. And so I think that it’s something that was unfinished busi-
ness and I think it’s important for Panama to have a sense of closure,” he said. Noriega’s extradition process began Sunday morning with a flight from Paris to Madrid. He was in Spanish police custody during a four-hour layover before leaving Madrid Sunday afternoon on a flight to Panama City, a spokesman for Spain’s airport authority said. Last month, a French court authorized his extradition to Panama, where officials want Noriega to face justice in the killings of Hugo Spadafora, his political opponent, and at least one other person. He was convicted in absentia. Speaking outside of the prison complex in
Gamboa, Noriega’s attorney said his client deserves fair representation. “He (Noriega) wanted to return to the country and face in this land the charges for which he was tried in absentia,” attorney Julio Berrios told reporters. “General Noriega is accused of having participated in three homicides. U.S. President George H.W. Bush invaded us and that cost 4,000 deaths. Has anybody said anything against Bush?” he said. Noriega has been in France since 2010, after two decades in an American prison. Authorities have strengthened security to guarantee his safety in Panama, according to Panamanian Foreign Minister Roberto Henriquez. “We have to be ready for all the possibilities in all aspects. Noriega inspires very big emotions, and Noriega’s life could very well be at risk in Panama,” Henriquez said. Interior Minister Roxana Mendez said Noriega will cont'd on pg. 46
The Ghanaian News
Fighting for a new fair and equal deal with the federal government for newcomers – Sousa By William Doyle-Marshall
Charles Sousa Ontario’s Minister of Citizenship and Immigration said the ethnic media provides his a sense of what is important to their respective communities. Speaking to members of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council at their December meeting, the minister said they are very important for him to have a sense of what’s going on. “You have the pulse, you are there all the time reporting and capturing the activities in the respective communities out there,” he emphasized. Sousa has come to appreciate and learn so much more even in the Portuguese community for example because of the ethnic media activities and outlay. The assembly of journalists, editors and broadcasters heard from the minister that they have very much captured the essence of things that are important locally. “The multilingual press, the media, you are very much the window to millions of Ontarians. So much of what I see is happening because of the work that you do. You are respected, you are trusted in your communities and you become such a vital bridge to new comers,” Sousa said. While the broad scope of issues are sometimes well
known, Sousa observed that he is satisfied with the coverage of “those more intimate issues that are important for folks like me who want to do my job that much better.” He confessed that being at the meeting of the NEPMCC had a two-fold purpose. He was there for their benefit and his own. Sousa said their questions will help him better understand some of the communities’ issues. The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration said he is excited to having his present portfolio following a lot of experience in the financial area.”Now in my new role in citizenship and immigration as well as the Pan Am Games its giving me a bit of exposure to things that are more diverse,” Sousa continued. “Going forward this position allows me to work with folks like you to effect some change in the province and there are a number of issues that we need to address. Immigrant issues affect him personally, being the son of an immigrant. “My father came to Canada to Pier 21 in 1953. I grew up just a few blocks away in Kensington Market. He (his father) had a saying even then when he came over. He fled a fascist regime in post-war Europe to come to Canada and he said then when he
was starting off there is room for everyone; there is room for everyone to live to work, to compete and more importantly to help each other.” The minister said he always finds himself fighting for improvement and he got into politics because I want to effect some change. That has driven him over the years to take a stand at times against his federal counterparts especially when it comes to settlement funding and the unreasonable cuts experienced over the last two years. Emphasizing that Ontario is the engine to Canada and our engine to growth, Sousa said this province welcomes the most immigrants than any other province or territory. “For that reason we deserve the same level of success and the same level of fairness as some of the other parts of the country have,” Sousa emphasized. “I feel strongly that we as a province have a responsibility and duty to support our new comers and I made it very clear to the federal government that Ontario deserves a better share; not at the expense of other jurisdictions or provinces but because we know that Ontario has the most migration of immigrants than any other provinces combine,” Sousa concluded.
Minister Kenney Announces Important Change for Live-in Caregivers Live-in caregivers will be able to get open work permits about 18 months sooner, thanks to a processing change announced today by Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney. “Too many live-in caregivers have completed their work obligations but must continue living in the home of their employer, waiting for their application for permanent residence to be reviewed,” said the Minister. “This is understandably frustrating. That’s why we have started issuing open work permits to live-in caregivers as soon as they have completed their obligations and submitted an application
for permanent residence.” The Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) allows Canadian families to hire workers from abroad to provide care to a child, an elderly person or an adult with disabilities when there is a demonstrated shortage of Canadians and permanent residents to fill available positions. Caregivers are obliged to work for two years, or 3,900 hours, and then become eligible to apply for permanent residence in Canada. Until now, live-in caregivers waited for an initial approval on their application for permanent residence before being eligible for an open work permit. An open work permit allows the caregiver to move out of
their employer’s home and seek jobs in other fields, if that is their wish. As of December 11, 2011, all live-in caregivers who had met their obligations and submitted an application for permanent residence have had their files reviewed. Those who submitted an open work permit application with no missing information are being issued open work permits. “I’d also like to thank the Toronto Caregiver Resource Centre for advocating on behalf of caregivers and bringing this situation to my attention,” the Minister added. The LCP is a demandbased program and the number of caregivers cont'd on pg. 43
December 2011
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Parent and Grandparent super visa takes flight Up, up and away: Parent and Grandparent Super Visa takes flight Applying for a Parent and The first applications for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa will be accepted today, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced. The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa is one element of Phase I of the Action Plan for Faster Fa, announced in November. The Super Visa will allow applicants to remain in Canada for up to 24 months at a time without the need for renewal of their status. To be eligible, the applicant must: - Be a parent or grandparent of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident; - Provide a written commitment of financial support from their child or grandchild in Canada, including proof that the child or grandchild meets the minimum necessary income (Low-Income Cut-Off); - Complete the Immigration Medical Examination; - Submit proof that they have purchased comprehensive Canadian medical insurance, valid for at least one year; and - Satisfy the visa officer that they meet all other standard admissibility criteria. Current processing times through the Family Class indicate that many parents and grandparents could wait for eight years or more to be accepted to Canada. With the Super Visa, they could be enjoying the company of their family in about eight weeks. For more details on applying for the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa, please see the attached backgrounder. BACKGROUNDER
Grandparent Super Visa Requirements - An application for a Parent and Grandparent Super Visa is made using the Application for a Temporary Resident Visa Made Outside of Canada [IMM 5257] form. - In addition to the information required for completing the IMM 5257, the applicant must also provide proof of the parent/ grandparent relationship to the Canadian citizen or permanent resident and a signed letter pledging financial support to the parent/grandparent for the duration of their visit to Canada by their child/grandchild. - Evidence of the family’s ability to provide that financial support must be submitted with the application. The ability to support visiting parents/ grandparents is based on a minimum necessary income (known as the low-income cutoff, or LICO). The chart below is also used to determine an individual’s ability to sponsor family members through the Family Class. The minimum necessary income is updated each year on January 1st. Size of Family Unit Minimum necessary income 1 person (the sponsor) $22,229 2 persons $27,674 3 persons $34,022 4 persons $41,307 5 persons $46,850 6 persons $52,838 7 persons $58,827 More than 7 persons, for each additional person, add $5,989 - The applicant must also submit proof that they have purchased Canadian medical insurance that: - is valid for a minimum period of one year from the date of entry to Canada; - provides a minimum of $100,000 in coverage; and
- covers the applicant for health care, hospitalization and repatriation. - The applicant must also meet all standard admissibility criteria. There are a number of reasons you can be found inadmissible, denied a visa and refused entry to Canada. - In order for the visa officer to determine whether the applicant is medically admissible to Canada, the applicant will also be required to undergo an Immigration Medical Examination (IME) prior to being issued a Super Visa. For parents and grandparents already visiting Canada - Parents and grandparents who are currently in Canada may apply for an extension of their status for up to two years by submitting an Application to Change Conditions, Extend Stay or Remain in Canada (IMM 1249) to the Case Processing Centre in Vegreville, Alberta, as long as they meet all the criteria. These applications will be examined on a case by case basis. For parents and grandparents from visa-exempt countries - Parents and grandparents of Canadian citizens and permanent residents from a country whose citizens are not required to have a visa to enter Canada are also eligible to enjoy the Super Visa’s authorized stay of two years. They may apply at a Canadian visa office (no fee required) and demonstrate that they meet all of the requirements for the Super Visa. - If the applicant has met all the criteria, they will be issued a letter by the visa office that the applicant will present to a Canada Border Services Agency officer at the port of entry upon their arrival in Canada. The officer may authorize a visit to Canada for up to two years.
The International Visa Application Network Reaches West Africa Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney today announced the expansion of the international visa application centre (VAC) network into West Africa. The six new VACs that are scheduled to open on December 16 will be located in Nigeria (Lagos), Mali (Bamako), Niger (Niamey), Cote d’Ivoire (Abidjan), Senegal (Dakar) and Cameroon (Yaounde). With these openings, there will now be VACs
in 41 countries around the world. “VACs are an example of the Government of Canada’s commitment to improve service to applicants and processing efficiency,” said Minister Kenney. “This means applicants no longer have to spend time and money travelling to a visa office if they choose to use a VAC closer to their home.” VACs provide valued administrative support to individuals submitting their applications, particularly in countries or regions where there are few or no visa
offices. Client service agents at the VACs are available to explain, in local languages, how to fill out forms and ensure that applications are complete. This helps applicants avoid unnecessary delays or refusals due to incomplete applications. “Based on the success and demand of the current VAC network, Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) intends to continue to expand this service until it reaches global coverage,” added Minister Kenney.
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
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December 2011
41
Frankly Speaking Of Ghana Governments, Cocaine Businesses and National image From: Dr. Michael Baffoe, in Accra Here we go again! Another heavy cocaine catch, criminal court proceedings start; the seized cocaine ordered to be stored as exhibits by the courts; exhibits either disappear or turn into other unknown substances; suspects are acquitted or disappear; national uproar and outcry erupts; accusations and counter accusations fly against the government of the day; top and low brass of the police are suspected of complicity; commissions or committees of enquiry are launched; reports are submitted to governments after months or years; some low-level officials are “punished” and “case die”!!. Aftermath?? Ghana’s name gets unto the international narcotics radar. Ghanaians traveling abroad, including government officials, all become narcotics suspects and on and on it goes. The above scenario is what has been playing in Ghana over the past five years or so. Once upon a
time, during the NPP government era, a whole shipload of cocaine was seized in Ghana’s territorial waters after intelligence tips by British and American officials. Large quantities of cocaine were then intercepted aboard a ship known as M.V Benjamin. Four or five suspects in the case were arrested and charged with offences ranging from conspiracy to import narcotics to possession of narcotics for the purposes of trafficking etc, etc. Within a few months, the stash of cocaine which was ordered to be kept by the police as exhibits had disappeared from “custody”. A national outcry ensued with people call-
ing for an “official investigation” and “public enquiry”. The Kufour government agreed and set up a high-powered Commission of Enquiry under the Chair of a renowned Judge, Mrs. Justice Georgina Theodora Wood. The report of the Georgina Theodora Wood Commission was shocking, to say the least. Among others, it seriously implicated top brass of the Ghana Police Service including an Assistant Commissioner of Police, A. C. P. Kofi Boakye and even the then Inspector General of Police of complicity in the disappearance of the cocaine and for aiding the narcotics dealers. The A.C.P was suspended but the I.G. P kept his position. The case died a natural death. The then opposition party, the NDC loudly and noisily accused the NPP government of being drug dealers and assisting drug dealers. The barrage of criticism from the NDC against the NPP government was unrelenting. They even equated the
NPP’s acronym to “National Narcotics Party”. Enter the NDC government in January 2009. Among other noises and promises they made were to stamp out the menace of drug trade in and out of the country. They claimed to have shored up and strengthened the Narcotics Control Board, put more personnel at ports of entry and departures. The President, John Attah Mills was fond of staging some stunts at the Kotoka Airport whenever he was traveling out of the country by going through drug detection machines at the airport in carefully orchestrated and stagemanaged shows with the media in tow. In the same year, 2009, that the NDC government took power, another highprofile drug bust was made at the Kotoka Airport. The suspect, a woman, was arrested together with her load of cocaine which was impounded. She was arraigned before court. The prosecution and defence
all agreed that the suspected substance be tested in our drug laboratories which the court ordered. At the next sitting of the court, the testing authority reported that the suspected substance was indeed pure cocaine. The defence raised no objection to the test results. The Accra Circuit Court presided by one KyeiBaffour ordered that the tested cocaine be stored securely by the court as Exhibit for the case. That was the last time anyone heard about the case for over a year. When the case was somehow resurrected sometime in 2011, the defence again asked that the same substance that had been tested and proved to be cocaine should be tested again. The prosecution strongly objected but strangely the Judge agreed. When the new “test” result was submitted to the court again in early December, 2011, it was reported that the previously tested cocaine was now found to be bathing soda. What a world!! It was now the turn of the
opposition NPP to accuse the ruling NDC government of complicity with the drug dealers. The criticism and reportage of the case in the Ghana media has been interesting. The NDC government has also been telling different stories and versions of what happened. The more they try to explain, the more the story gets stranger. Calls for public enquiry have been mounting. Eventually, the government has ordered another Commission of “enquiry” into the missing cocaine saga. And the current Chief Justice, Her Lordship Georgina Theodora Wood who happens to be the same Judge who presided over last missing cocaine saga involving the M. V. Benjamin ship during the NPP government has also appointed a Committee of “Enquiry” to probe the involvement of the Judiciary in the case. The reports from the hearing are laughable. In the meantime, the NDC government pretends that since a Commission of Enquiry has been established, all is fine and they do not have to do anything. Here we go again!! What is this business of our governments and cocaine? Ghanaians want answers and they are demanding answers NOW!! It is ironic and very interesting to note that one of the first things the NDC government under President Attah Mills did on assuming office was to re-instate the disgraced A.C.P. Kofi Boakye who was suspended by the NPP government for complicity in the M.V. Benjamin missing cocaine saga. What message was the Mills government sending? And how does ACP Kofi Boakye and his expertise in cocaine smuggling and cover-ups relate to the present missing cocaine saga under the Mills government? These are interesting questions Ghanaians are asking and waiting for answers, Commissions or Committees of Enquiries, notwithstanding.
42
PARENTAL FAVOURITISM; DOES IT EXIST?
The Ghanaian News December 2011
View Point
Communit y Concer ns Community Concerns
Concepts to Ponder on during the Holidays Reflecting on practical words/actions and challenges we encounter during the year and life experiences we learned. By Golda Abena Quayson
As the year draws to a close and another draws near, we often sit back and ponder as well as reflect on things we should have done, those that we should not have done, things that we were happy about and some things that we were not so happy about. We often have to deal with gains and losses that affected us emotionally and physically. But in all, our life’s journey continues and we must look at the brighter side of it and strive to do well in the coming year. There are some things we can never do away with and somehow we have to deal with. Our experiences and expectations are usually centered around certain concepts, expressions and words which shape our life experiences. These are some of them: Health and Hope: they say if you don’t have your health, you’ve got very little to live for. Health as a metaphor also works for all sorts of other areas outside of the realm of mental and physical wellness, such as relationships and work/ businesses. In this realm, we need to reflect on the following in the realm of health and see if we can make changes or keep to what we do: Boost, Cure, Energize, Flush, Food, Exercise and Vibrant. Does any of these affect you, or can you relate to any of them? Hope: Likewise, if you don’t have hope, life seems bleak indeed. Hope is defined as the “expectation of something good”. The desire to believe that things will be better in the future is a primary motivator for action, recently exemplified as a core theme of the Barack Obama campaign for U.S. President. Again, we have to put ourselves in a position of anticipating, or looking forward to energize ourselves through life with these concepts and attitudes: Bright, Destiny, empower, overcome, Not givingup, Undo or Sankofa. Now think about concepts like Anger and Frustration. What do they do for/to us? Let’s face it; a lot of people are pissed off about a lot of things/ Empathizing with that anger while simultaneously engaging it is very
powerful. You don’t provoke anger for anger’s sake though; you do it to create identification with your solution that ends the anger and moves people to a more positive emotional state. In this realm consider these concepts as well to question yourself. Arrogant, Cruel, Greed, Hate, and Unscrupulous. Tapping into the Frustration, you are emotionally hurting going through dissatisfaction. Frustration stems from the inability to solve a problem. If you have a real solution, identifying with the frustration first intensifies the immediate desire for that solution. Consider these concepts here: Had enough? Never again, Pointless, Temporary fixes, and Tired. What about dealing with Betrayal and Revenge? The word betrayal itself is a powerful emotional trigger word. As a theme, it is at the heart of Shakespeare’s most powerful works, and runs repeatedly though current headlines regarding countries, politicians, economies, families, Wall Street, Companies, and so on. Everyone that has experienced life’s roller coaster may at times feel cheated, and want to do something about that. These concepts may come to your mind from time to time: Burned, Conspiracy, Unfaithfulness, Fleece, and Swindle. The concept of Revenge centers around a desire that results from betrayal, and it’s so powerful because revenge connotes action. The action you want people to take, however, is more along the lines of “living well is the best revenge,” not something ugly or destructive. Most of the time, revenge is an evil behavior and at the end the person loses. These concepts/actions may come to you: Avenge, Payback, Reclaim, Turn the tables, and Vindication. But hei, as I have already said, “living well is the best revenge”. Do not waste your energy on it. Concepts like Forbidden and Powerless: Consider banning books to prevent exposure to the ideas in them. This is a stupid strategy. In a nutshell, we want what we can’t have (or what we’re told we shouldn’t have), and respond favorably to a solution or promise that we can now have it. Think about these concepts: Banned, Controversial, Exposed, Insider and Taboo. Again, it is important to have discipline in our lives, which does not mean we are weak, but we should understand that some things are not for us, not just because we want it.
Powerlessness is frustration taken to the extreme, and we’ve all felt it at one point or other in our lives. Beyond that which is forbidden, we feel a solution is literally unattainable. Beyond anger, we feel intense resentment. The ability to empathize with and empower those who feel this way makes you a hero. You may struggle with these feelings: Agony, Floundering, Helpless, Paralyzed and Surrender. Do not give up. It is all part of life’s experiences. Finally, consider Passion and Urgency. When your audience is passionate about what you have to say or sell, there’s no need to convince them of need, and it is all about want. Beyond attaining the objects of our desire, we love to experience excitement along the way. So don’t take passion for granted; enhance it! Think about these words and create room for it in your life to make it happen. Be Blissful, Delightful, and Jubilant, Rave, Laughter and Thrilled. It’s not enough to make someone want to do something. You’ve often got to get them to take immediate action if they’re to take action at all. A sense of urgency is an emotional response that can range from fear of loss to unbridled enthusiasm, and one way or another you’ve got to create it. At the same time, be responsible in your task, and take care of what has been entrusted upon you. Be mindful and do what you need to do before you forget. Beat deadlines, things/ time limited, Seize opportunities, and use it while it is fresh in your mind. In conclusion the Power of the Right Concepts/Words always encourages and does wonder in people’s lives. It is understandable, non-judgmental, believing, assurance and healing. The difference between the right word and the almost right word is determined by the level of emotional identification that word prompts. In other words, the right emotion triggers the right concepts. Take the same basic message to all new heights. Don’t settle for lightning bugs on a clear summer night when you could be shooting for the stars. These are few concepts and words to ponder on during the holidays. Be kind to one another, and always remember to choose encouraging words and not words that dump the spirit. Have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. God bless you all.
Is the CHRISTMAS SEASON exacting Tension for YOU? Doris Osei Bonsu, Crisis Counselor, Toronto The Christmas season is once again upon us and with it comes overwhelming appeals, admonitions, cajoling and encouragement from the media and businesses through different types of commercials to spend what we have not earned, and to buy what we cannot afford. The socalled Black Friday buying frenzy in the United States usually signals the start of the “holiday shopping season”. This phrase by itself reveals the commercialized emphasis that has unfortunately come to define Christmas for many people. The real meaning and significance of Christmas as we have grown to know it is now lost. Commercialization, extreme form of it has taken over. Some do not even want to mention the word “Christmas” or the traditional greetings of “Merry Christmas”. In its place, becoming ever more popular is the concept of “Seasons Greetings”. The message these commercials is trying to send to the public is that Christmas or the holidays is best enjoyed or most fully realized through acquisition of ‘things” Advertisers bombard us with images of bountiful Christmas scenes. Evidence that these messages actually work is found in the fact that over fifty percent of Christmas shoppers will spend well over what they planned to and will go further into debt. This is a research by a financial advisor. In the earlier days, Christmas was celebrated only for the birth of Christ. These days it looks like Christmas is celebrated more for buying things. The commercialization of the festival has brought many negative factors. Most people are worried about falling in debt during Christmas. Christmas is becoming a festival of retailers. And they will do anything, fair or foul, deceitful or otherwise to woo people into buying their products. The incessant barrage of commercial appeals to consumers during this season is frightening to say the least. How do we avoid falling into this trap? The first remedy is to simply recognize the false and illogical “gospel” offered by consumerism. This alone offers some degree of immunity from the insidious and seductive voice of consumerism.
Secondly from a financial perspective, the following are practical advice relative to Christmas. * Make a list of everyone you are buying a gift for and put a dollar amount by every name. Check to see if it is necessary to buy gift for all of them. The judgment of who to receive a gift can save you a good sum of money. Total it at the bottom. * Pay cash and when the amount budgeted is finished stop spending. * If possible or necessary do not buy a gift for yourself. This is a season to give and not to receive from your self. * Hunting for bargains is a wise thing. Those who buy what ever is sold are many times overpaying. Those who hunt around get bargains that saves them money * All parents should teach their children that Christmas is a religious festival. Before the new generation gets affected by retailers. They should know why Christmas is important. It is not about decorations and gifts, but because of thye birth of Christ. It is just that simple. * Do not be mesmerized into believing that tomorrow will never come. Budget your spending very carefully. The crowd psychology should be avoided and one must keep one’s finances in mind during Christmas. If you find yourself swept up in the rush of consumerism, stop! Remember that Christmas is about God’s gracious and abundant gift to humanity-the gifts of life, family and friends, good food, music, worship, the virtues of peace, charity and mercy. The greatest of all is His Son Jesus. So during this year’s Christmas, let us not be swept away by the illusory/ deceptive claims of consumerism. Instead, let us revel in God’s gracious gifts; this will leave you truly satisfied and debt free! Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year!! I hope if you can adhere to a few of the tips above, you will wake up the day after Christmas very satisfied that you embarked on the power of self-control and tried, at least, to resist the power of the crazy commercialization and really stuck to the real meaning of Christmas.
Ghanaian News is Now Online www.ghanaiannews.ca
The Ghanaian News
December 2011
43
Lifestyle Ask The Doctor By: David Yaw Twum-Barima, MD, MSc, FRCPC
This column is devoted to answering your questions on health and discusions of diseases which are common among the African Canadians.
Herbal supplements: What to know before you buy Herbal supplements aren’t right for everyone. Get the facts before you buy. Echinacea to prevent colds. Ginkgo to improve memory. Flaxseed to lower cholesterol. The list of herbal remedies goes on and on. Herbal supplements, sometimes called botanicals, aren’t new. Plants have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. However, herbal supplements haven’t been subjected to the same scientific scrutiny and aren’t as strictly regulated as medications. For example, makers of herbal supplements don’t have to get approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before putting their products on the market. Yet some herbal supplements — including products labeled as “natural” — have drug-like effects that can be dangerous. So it’s important to do your homework and investigate potential benefits and side effects of herbal supplements before you buy. And be sure to talk with your doctor, especially if you take medications, have chronic health problems, or are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Are herbal supplements safe? Herbal supplements are regulated by Health Canada as drugs or as foods. They fall under a category called dietary supplements. The rules for dietary supplements are as follows: * Manufacturers don’t have to seek Health Canada approval before putting dietary supplements on the market. In addition, companies can claim that products address a nutrient deficiency, support health or are linked to body functions — if they have supporting research and they include a disclaimer that Health Canada hasn’t
evaluated the claim. * Manufacturers must follow good manufacturing practices to ensure that supplements are processed consistently and meet quality standards. These regulations are intended to keep the wrong ingredients and contaminants, such as pesticides and lead, out of supplements, as well as make sure that the right ingredients are included in appropriate amounts. * Once a dietary supplement is on the market , Health Canada is responsible for monitoring its safety. If Health Canada finds a product to be unsafe, it can take action against the manufacturer or distributor or both, and may issue a warning or require that the product be removed from the market. These regulations provide assurance that herbal supplements meet certain quality standards and that Health Canada can intervene to remove dangerous products from the market. The rules do not, however, guarantee that herbal supple-
ments are safe for anyone to use. Because many supplements contain active ingredients that have strong effects in the body, these products can pose unexpected risks. For example, taking a combination of herbal supplements or using supplements together with prescribed medications could lead to harmful, even lifethreatening results. For this reason, it’s important to talk with your doctor before using herbal supplements. How do you know what’s in an herbal supplement? Health Canada requires that the following information be included on the labels of all herbal supplements: The name of the herbal supplement, the name and address of manufacturer or distributor; a complete list of ingredients — either in the Supplement Facts panel or listed beneath it; serving size, amount and active ingredient If you don’t understand something on an herbal supplement’s label, ask your pharmacist or the distributor for
Minister Kenney Announces Important Change for Live-in Caregivers
cont'd from pg. 39
accepted as permanent residents generally corresponds with the number who came to Canada as temporary foreign workers (TFWs) a few years earlier. For instance, about 4,700 livein caregivers entered the program as TFWs in 2002, and about 4,500 permanent residents were accepted through the Live-in Caregiver Class in 2005. More than 7,200 caregivers entered the program in 2005 and about 10,400 individuals, including spouses and dependants of those caregivers, became permanent residents through the Live-in Caregiver Class three years later. In 2010, CIC admitted a record number of permanent residents through the Live-in Caregiver Class-nearly 14,000 in allcorresponding with the record number of live-in caregivers who entered the country as TFWs in 2007. In both 2009 and 2010, about five percent of all
permanent residents to Canada were admitted through the Live-in Caregiver Class, a huge percentage for any single occupation. However, the number of caregivers entering the program has declined every year since 2007. “The change I have announced today will help caregivers settle into their new life in Canada while they wait for their permanent resident applications to be processed,” the Minister added. “And with the significant improvements being made to our global case processing system, my department’s officers will be better able to manage the file load between Canada and missions abroad and improve the efficiency of that processing.” The Government of Canada has taken action to protect live-in caregivers from abuse and exploitation with regulatory improvements implemented in the Livein Caregiver Program in
2010 and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in 2011. Changes include: - allowing live-in caregivers to apply for permanent residence after 3,900 work hours, rather than two years of work, to ensure overtime is appropriately recognized; - the elimination of the need for a second medical examination when the caregiver applies for permanent residence; - increasing the amount of time a caregiver has to complete their work obligations, from three years to four; - the adoption of a standardized employment contract that ensures both parties agree to the salary, hours of work, vacation time, overtime,holidays, sick leave, and the terms of termination and resignation; - defining the costs the employer is obliged to pay, including the caregiver’s travel expenses in coming to Canada, medical insurance, workplace safety insurance and third-party representative fees;
- emergency processing of work permits and employer authorizations to hire live-in caregivers who have been abused and need to leave their employment immediately; - a dedicated phone service for live-in caregivers through the department’s Call Centre; - an assessment of the genuineness of the job offer, including confirmation that the caregiver would be residing in a private residence and providing child care, senior home support care or care of a disabled person in that household without supervision, as well as whether the employer has sufficient financial resources to pay the wages of the caregiver and whether the accommodations being provided are adequate; and - a two-year period of ineligibility from hiring foreign workers, including live-in caregivers, for employers who have failed to live up to the terms of past job contracts. Marketwire
an explanation. If you are not sure check with your doctor. How do you know if herbal supplements’ claims are true? Manufacturers of herbal supplements are responsible for ensuring that the claims they make about their products aren’t false or misleading and that they’re backed up by adequate evidence. So be a smart consumer and do a little homework. Don’t just rely on a product’s marketing. Look for objective, researchbased information to evaluate a product’s claims. To get reliable information about a particular supplement: * Ask your doctor or pharmacist. Even if they don’t know about a specific supplement, they may be able to point you to the latest medical guidance about its uses and risks. Contact the manufacturer. If you have questions about a specific product, call the manufacturer or distributor. Ask to talk with someone who can answer questions, such as what data the company has to substantiate its products’ claims. Who shouldn’t use herbal supplements? If you have health issues, it’s essential that you talk with your doctor before trying herbal supplements. In fact, in some high-risk situations, your doctor will likely recommend that you avoid herbal supplements altogether. It’s especially important that you talk to your doctor before using herbal supplements if:
* You’re taking prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Some herbs can cause serious side effects when mixed with prescription and OTC drugs, such as aspirin, blood thinners , blood pressure or diabetes medications. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about possible interactions. * Pregnant or breast-feeding women should avoid herbal preparations at all costs. Medications that may be safe for you as an adult may be harmful to your fetus or your breastfeeding infant. As a general rule, don’t take any medications — prescription, OTC or herbal — when you’re pregnant or breast-feeding unless your doctor approves. * People who are undergoing or have recently had surgery should avoid herbal preparations . Many herbal supplements can affect the success of surgery. Some may decrease the effectiveness of anesthetics or cause dangerous complications, such as bleeding or high blood pressure. Tell your doctor about any herbs you’re taking or considering taking as soon as you know you need surgery. As a rule of thumb, do not mix herbal medicines with prescription medications or medications that you buy over the counter. Be ware of herbal medications that claim to “Cure” different diseases. Remember, in life there are no short cuts and easy/quick fixes may lead to trouble.
Canadians more tolerant of immigration levels as doors open wider: study A new study suggests Canadians have grown more tolerant of the country’s immigration levels — even as the number of newcomers has increased over the years. A poll of 2,020 people, taken for the Institute for Research on Public Policy, found that 58 per cent of Canadians surveyed last year supported the country’s level of immigration. The findings also suggest that Canadians have had positive views of
immigration levels for more than a decade. The results tell a contrary story to one occasionally found in news headlines that suggest Canadians might be increasingly fed up with accommodating newcomers. There were actually two prominent news stories Monday in Quebec related to disputes over m i n o r i t y accommodations. Talk TV was exercised over a report on a Montreal-area cont'd on pg. 54
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
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Canada, U.S. take ‘most significant’ step since NAFTA Harper, Obama agree to increase cooperation on security while reducing trade barriers A new perimeter security and trade agreement between Canada and the U.S. aims to make everything from travel to cross-border business easier, co-ordinating regulations to cut red tape that the government estimates costs the economy $16 billion a year. But in exchange for changes Prime Minister Stephen Harper hopes will smooth trade to Canada’s biggest and most important partner, officials have negotiated informationsharing to ease Americans’ security concerns. The government argues Canada loses no sovereignty in the agreement: both countries retain the power to allow people and products into and out of the country. It will take months before people see the results of the agreement, but pilot projects will start as soon as April, 2012. “These agreements represent the most significant step forward in Canada-U.S. co-operation since the North American Free Trade Agreement,” Harper said in a statement Wednesday before a press conference in Washington, D.C. with U.S. President Barack Obama to announce the new “action plan.” Obama told reporters Canada is key to his plan to grow the U.S. economy, and he implored Canadians to travel to America and spend money there. And he noted the border security deal strikes a better balance by dealing with regulations that didn’t need to be duplicated. Harper said the two countries are already cooperating closely on security and that will continue, and said Canada has no friend among American enemies. “Believe me, if we could replicate our relationship anywhere else in the world, the world would be a better place.” The two leaders first announced the Beyond the Border talks last February, leading to months of consultations and discussions on trade and security culminating in Wendesday’s announcement, which had been rumoured for weeks. For travelers and consumers, the Beyond the Border deal should mean: * Not having to clear baggage at U.S. airports if it’s already been cleared in Canada. * Faster border crossings should move faster, with commercial traffic getting more dedicated lanes and technology to move them through faster. * Wait times measured and posted ahead of border crossings. * Consumer health products that have already been approved in the U.S. could get faster approval in Canada, with regulatory bodies sharing information and adjusting labeling standards to make it easier to market a product in both countries. But it will also mean the two countries will share information about who enters and exits the country, and Canada will adopt two U.S. screening measures over the next four years: an electronic travel authorization for visitors who don’t need
Prime Minister Harper and President Obama
visas to travel to Canada, and a system to deny boarding to inadmissible passengers before they get on a plane. Canada and the U.S. will also share information about people from third countries — not Canadian or U.S. citizens — denied boarding or entry because of national security concerns. Officials say it’s not yet clear exactly what information will be shared about Canadian and U.S. citizens when they cross the shared border. Currently, no information is shared upon entry or exit. For business, the plan should eventually mean faster shipment of goods, with less paperwork for low-risk travelers and pre-clearance away from the border. The agreement will expand programs that speed up border crossings for frequent and trusted traders. Cargo will be cleared at its first port of entry, operating under the philosophy of “cleared once, accepted twice,” to reduce the time and expense re-screening. And companies will have a “single window” to submit data required by government for shipments. The cargo clearance pilot project will start in Montreal and Prince Rupert, B.C., by 2013. Perrin Beatty, head of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and a cabinet minister in Bryan Mulroney’s Progressive Conservative government, said he wishes Canada hadn’t gone through 10 years of a thickening border, but that this is a good deal for Canadians. Beatty said he’s surprised at how measurable the benchmarks are, with the report including clear goals and dates by which they should be in place. “Some days governments get it right, and this is one of those days,” Beatty said. Beatty added it’s vital there’s political will on both sides of
the border to fully implement the agreement. “Pressure from business and from government to move ahead will only grow... I don’t see the appetite for this being rolled back.” Joint investigations to target security threats Under the agreement, border and law enforcement efforts will be more integrated, starting with a radio system that will work on both sides of the border, all the way up to integrated criminal and intelligence investigations. The two countries will also conduct joint investigations to target security threats and how to prevent them, including dealing with violent extremism. A Canada Customs border agent and a trained sniffer dog inspect the carriage of a tractor trailer vehicle entering Canada.An ‘action plan’ touted by the Canada and U.S. Wednesday aims to reduce duplication of screening at the border. Eric Foss/CBC One of the most talked-about aspects of the agreement is the joint entry-exit system at the land border. Officials plan to share biographical information on citizens, permanent residents and others when they enter one country and thereby exit the other. The pilot project is set to start by Sept. 30, 2012, at anywhere between two to four border crossings. The full pro-
gram is to be in place by June 30, 2014. Critics, including Canada’s privacy commissioner, have said any information that’s shared must be safeguarded according to Canadian law. There are also plans to share biometric information of thirdcountry nationals by 2014 to reduce identity fraud, enhance screening and support “other enforcement actions,” according to the action plan that sets out the details of the agreement. John Manley, head of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives and a former Liberal cabinet minister, said Wednesday any international agreement involves a compromise on sovereignty to a certain extent, but that the Canada-U.S. plan deals practically with the issues of two countries sharing the longest land border in the world. The plan also commits the two countries: * To set up emergency management plans, with a focus on chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives events, and prepare for major health security threats. * To plan guidelines on who and what gets to cross the border first following major emergencies like terrorist attacks or natural disasters. * To co-ordinate emergency communications plans. * To develop programs to strengthen cross-border critical infrastructure. Co-ordinating regulations It’s difficult to measure exactly how much duplicated inspections, slow border crossings and un-aligned regulations cost, but Canadian officials estimate it could be as much as $16 billion a year, or one per cent of GDP.
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
106 journalists killed in 2011 At least 106 journalists were killed in 2011, among them 20 who reported on the Arab spring uprisings, a campaign group said on Monday. More than 100 others
were attacked, intimidated, arrested and wounded in countries including Egypt, Libya, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen, the Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign said.
Mexico and Pakistan were the most dangerous countries to work in however. The PEC said 12 journalists died in Mexico, likely victims of the ongoing
Panama’s ex-ruler Noriega returns home after 22 years cont'd from pg. 38 receive the same treatment as other inmates in the Panamanian prison. “The Panamanian state has no special consideration when it comes to him serving his sentence inside the prison complex,” Mendez said. “However, based on our laws, and if there’s a valid request from his attorneys, they can ask that he be transferred from the prison to house arrest if the inmate’s health is in jeopardy or if the inmate, being over 70 years old, may face risks inside the prison complex.” Last year, a French court sentenced Noriega to seven years in prison for laundering 2.3 million euros ($2.9 million) through banks there. He was ordered to pay the money back. Noriega denied the charges. For almost two decades, Noriega was a major
player in a country of critical regional importance to the United States because of its location on the Panama Canal, the key strategic and economic waterway between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans on the narrow isthmus linking the Americas. Amid growing unrest in Panama, then-U.S. President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in December 1989, saying Noriega’s rule posed a threat to U.S. lives and property. Noriega fled his offices and tried to seek sanctuary in the Vatican Embassy in Panama City. He surrendered in January 1990 and was quickly escorted to the United States for civilian trial. Noriega was indicted in the United States on charges of racketeering, laundering drug money and drug trafficking. He
was accused of having links to Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar’s notorious Medellin cartel and, in the process, amassing a multimilliondollar fortune. He was convicted of drug trafficking and other crimes in the United States. While in U.S. custody, he suffered from prostate cancer and a stroke. The man who once loomed large in Panama, Noriega returned home a shadow of his former self. “I don’t think it’s going to change in great measure the politics in Panama,” said Shifter. “The country has moved on. They’re interested in different things. Many young people don’t even know about the Noriega era. But I think for those who do remember I think it is important,” he said. CNN
conflict between the military and drug cartels in the north of the country. “The casualties could be higher if figures were known for journalists who were victims of enforced disappearances,” the group said in a statement. Pakistan came second with 11 journalists killed, the majority of whom died on the border with Afghanistan, followed by
Iraq, Libya and the Philippines. Seven journalists were killed in the conflict which saw the toppling of strongman Colonel Moamer Kadhafi earlier this year. Two thirds of the journalists killed were intentionally targeted, the PEC said, particularly in Latin America where the body said press freedom was threatened.
Others were accidentally killed during demonstrations, in fights, in suicide bombings or in mine explosions. “There are half a dozen cases worldwide where the causes leading to the death of journalists are still unclear,” said secretary General Blaise Lempen. The toll was down one on 2010 when 105 journalists were killed. AFP
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
108 Year old Evangelist Bishop Otis Clark Visits All Nations Church Bishop Otis Clark was on Sunday Nov 27, 2011 a special Guest Preacher at the All Nations Full Gospel Church in Toronto. After the Sermon, Bishop Clark gave one on one blessings to most of the congregation. Bishop Otis G. Clark was born on February 13, 1903, in Meridian, Oklahoma, before Oklahoma was even a state. At the time it was an Indian Territory. Evangelist Clark is 108 years old. At the age of eighteen. Otis was caught in the “1921 Tulsa Race Riot” in the Greenwood District of Tulsa. Clark was heavily involved with the original Azusa Street Mission members. The Azusa Street Revival began in 1906 and was led by William J. Seymour in Los Angeles, Cali-
fornia. Before the Azusa Street Mission building was torn down, Clark was given the Power of Attorney by Bishop Driscoll over the Azusa Street Mission. He still has the original document. Samuel M. Crouch of Los Angeles, California officially ordained Clark as a preacher - this took place at 33rd and Compton Street in Los Angeles. He also had the honor of serving Charles H. Mason, whom he affectionately called “Dad.” Bishop Mason is the founder of the Church of God in Christ. To the glory of God, he has served as an International Minister for over 80 years, longer than the average life expectancy. Clark is presently going strong at the young age of 108 as he continues to
preach and write about the oracles of God. He still lives independently, takes no medications, and has all of his natu-
ral teeth. He does not regularly wear glasses with the exception of reading glasses, eats a healthy and balanced diet of
Bishop Otis Clark being escorted by Rev. Dr. Donkor (left) and Patrick Dadzie
Mr. Botchwey receiving blessing from Bishop Clark
lean beef, chicken, fruits and vegetables. He has traveled on a couple of mission trips to Africa. The first when he was
103 yrs old and the second at 104 and then went to the West Indies at 107. He is the world’s oldest traveling minister.
Dr. Donkor receiving blessing from Bishop Clark
Bishop Clark coming to pulpit to preach
Nana Picks Bawumia For Veep 2012 Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has finally decided to maintain the 2008 New Patriotic Party ticket for the 2012 election by picking Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the astute economist and banker, as his running mate. Dr. Bawumia returns from Harare, Zimbabwe today after bowing out of the top African Development Bank (ADB) job in the Southern African country where he has been working for the past one year. His resignation from the top job prompted questions as to whether he had foreknowledge of what awaits him on the political plane. Some observers did not tarry in concluding that the resignation could not have come about without an assurance from the flagbearer that everything was cut and dry and that he could tender his resignation.
The National Council of the party is due to deliberate on the choice next week so that the announcement of the running mate can be made by the end of the year, in consonance with party standards. The NPP 2012 flagbearer ended his listening tour of the Northern Region three days ago, an exercise which is said to have enabled him to learn at first hand the widespread preference of the former Deputy Bank of Ghana Governor as his running mate. A search team empanelled six months ago to assist the flagbearer on the choice of a running mate is said to have short-listed two persons for the top job, with Dr Bawumia leading the pack. The flag-bearer has already met with the committee since his return to base, after a tiring trip to the North which has been described as highly successful.
Nana Akufo-Addo was insistent on adhering to the party’s position of choosing a Northern/ Muslim partner, a notice about which he had served earlier on a number of platforms including meeting with Imams and chiefs. A critical factor which informed the flagbearer’s decision, Daily Guide has gathered, had to do with his conviction that the former banker is primed with the appropriate wherewithal to support him in the realization of his vision of a massive economic and industrial transformation of the country in which job creation would form a critical cornerstone. Nana Akufo-Addo has also decided to avoid the inconvenience of explaining the change of the man who partnered him in the last election, an explanation which would definitely be demanded by curious observers both within and outside the largest opposition party
and likely prompt embarrassing political backlashes. According to sources, since Bawumia had been marketed before, it was only fair to continue from where they stopped. Those opposed to the maintenance of Dr. Bawumia have argued that he somewhat fled to Zimbabwe to take up an appointment when he should have remained at home to support the party. This argument has been rubbished by the revelation that het ADB appointment in Zimbabwe was the culmination of the intervention of former President John Agyekum Kufuor and Nana AkufoAddo himself. The Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe, was said to have preferred an AADB intervention to other international financial institutions in the task of treating his country’s myriad economic challenges.
The migration of Dr. Bawumia was therefore a response to a distress call from an African leader by a fellow African, as represented by former President Kufuor and Nana AkufoAddo, two persons who were instrumental in the astute banker ’s final movement to Zimbabwe.
When the announcement is eventually made, it would put paid to a month or so long hectic lobbying which was approaching levels unpalatable to the party leadership because as Nana Akomea said, it was beginning to look as though crisis had engulfed the grouping over the choice of a running mate.
Daily Guide has learnt that Dr. Bawumia has, within the past year of association with the ADB in Zimbabwe, impacted positively on the fortunes of the troubled Southern African country, with President Robert Mugabe regretting the Ghanaian expert’s departure.
Alhaji Nurudeen Jawula, a retired civil servant and sports administrator, Alhaji Haruna Alhassan, deputy managing director of Metro TV and Ambrose Dery, deputy Minority Leader, were the front runners for the highly coveted position. Daily Guide
www. ghanaiannews.ca
The Ghanaian News
December 2011
Lakeside Estate holds 2-day Housing Exhibition in Toronto on Saturday Dec. 3rd & Sunday Dec. 4th 2011 Some of the clients
Mr. Lawrence De Souza, Sales Manager with some clients Mr. Lawrence De Souza, Sales Manager with some clients
From left Col.(rtd.) Barnes, Managing Director, Emmanuel Ayiku, Yusif, Kalmoni, Director, Lawrence De Souza
From left Kalmoni, Lawrence De Souza, Emmanuel Ayiku, Col. (rtd.) Barnes
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
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51
Youth Now on Track Services (YNOT) host Family Day at the Carmine Community Centre on Saturday Dec. 10, 2011
Distribution of toys From R. Pastor Francis Ubah, Executive Director, Mario Sergio, MPP, Toronto Police Rep. and a Board Member
Pastor Francis Ubah helping in distribution of toys Serving food
Community members
Pastor Francis Ubah with some invited guests
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
Living Word Assembly of God church Christmas Party Sunday Dec. 18, 2011
Rev. & Mrs. Osei-Amoah, Snr Pastors
From right Rev. & Mrs. Osei-Amoah, Brothers Larry Kutuadu, Felix Oppong-Kyekyeku
Sister Victoria Yankey dancing to the glory of God
Guests Lunching time
Some of the Men's Ministry members
Some of the youth
Guests
Sister Vida Adusei Poku (left) and Beatrice Twumasi
Church choir
Some of the church members
Mr. & Mrs Appiah-Agyei
Guests
Victoria Mintah (left) and Comfort Ayiku
Church members
Guests
The Ghanaian News
December 2011
Trinity Baptist Church's Christmas get-together at Naija Banquet Hall on Sunday Dec. 18 2011
Some of the church members
Church members
Guests
Guests
Guests
Guests
Rev. & Mrs. Nana Amoakohene and church leaders
Serving food at the party
Church members
Adansiman Association of Toronto end-of-year party December 17, 2011
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
Canadians more tolerant of immigration levels as doors open wider: study cont'd from pg. 43
municipality’s decision to remove Christmas and Hanukkah decorations at city hall. A community group had requested to have Islamic symbols erected as well, and the Town of Mount Royal responded by taking down symbols from all religions, save for a Christmas tree. There was also a report on the city of Gatineau’s immigrant guide book, asking newcomers not to take part in honour killings or cook smelly foods. But the research director for IRPP’s diversity, immigration and integration program said while disputes make flashy headlines, they overshadow the many positive stories of integration that are never told. “We think sometimes these debates are kind of tough in Canada and things are getting worse — but we’re in a lot better shape, in all kinds of ways, than a lot of other countries,” Leslie Seidle said Monday in Montreal. “Contrary to many other countries, particularly in western Europe, we have a strong majority who think that the level of immigration we have right now is about right.” The IRPP study cited a 2010 survey that found close to 60 per cent of people in the United Kingdom thought there were too many immigrants in their country. By comparison, less than 20 per cent of Canadians felt the same way. In the poll taken by the German Marshall Fund of the United States, Canadians were also found to be more tolerant of immigrants than people in Italy, Spain, the U.S., France, Netherlands and Germany. But Canadians’ views toward immigrants haven’t always been as welcoming. The study by IRPP, a non-partisan, Montrealbased public policy think-tank, suggests there was a shift in public opinion about a decade ago. From the late 1970s until the early 1990s, the majority of Canadians held negative attitudes about the country’s immigration levels. Following a shift in the 1990s, Canadians’ view of immigration has been more positive than negative since the latter part of that decade. The country opened its doors to 280,000 immigrants last year and has accepted more than 200,000 newcomers annually since 2000, according to Citizenship and Immigration Department statistics cited in the study. In the mid 1980s, fewer than 100,000 immigrants per year came to Canada. The report argued that Canadians who support immigration believe that multiculturalism is a source of national pride and creates economic benefits. The research also found that attitudes about immigration varied by region, though each area had majority support for existing levels. The Prairies (62.8 per cent), Atlantic Canada (62.5 per cent) and Quebec (61.8 per cent) scored higher than the Canadian average. The other regions, included British Columbia (57.4 per cent), Alberta (54.4 per cent) and Ontario (53.5 per cent). Seidle was asked whether he was surprised the study found one of the most pro-immigration areas in Quebec, a province that has been at the centre of heated debate over minority accommodations. He blamed Quebec media for putting too much emphasis on disputes, such as a request a few years ago by a Montreal Jewish community group that a local YMCA frost its windows. The group no longer wanted its youth to be able to see people wearing revealing clothes as they exercised inside. “These stories have been blown up,” said Seidle, who, for example, added that little adjustments to accommodate diet, dress and days of religious observance are made in schools throughout Montreal every day. “But maybe we end up paying too much attention to this kind of stuff because it’s got conflict underneath it.” Canadian Press
The Ghanaian News
December 2011
55
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The Ghanaian News
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
Gloryland Shipping Enterprise Inc. Seko Shipping & Freight Forwarding Inc. Commercial & Personal
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The Ghanaian News
Ghanaian News online www.ghanaiannews.ca
December 2011
57
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
PLACES OF WORSHIP DIRECTORY The Apostolic Church Int'l.
Ghana Methodist Churches in Canada ( SOCIETIES UNDER THE GHANA METHODIST CONFERENCE)
The Apostolic Church International (Toronto Assembly) is a Branch of The Apostolic Church in Ghana
Meeting Schedule
The Superintendent Minister-In-Charge
invites you to worship with us
Apostle F.Y. Agyemang (Area Supt. Canada-Wide)
Sunday (Worship) 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Wednes: - (Bible Studies) 7:30 p.m. Fri: (Intercessory/Deliverance Prayers) -7:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Fri: (Alt.) All Night 10:30 p.m. - 3:00 a.m. Saturday(Alt.) Women's, Men's,Youth Movement Meetings) 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. 1st Saturday of every month Prayer for breakthrough) (Montreal)
9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. TORONTO CENTRAL ASSEMBLY Pastor: 905-791-8190 Cell: 647-218-1052 Church: 416-740-1979 94 Kenhar Drive, Unit 39 & 40, North York, Ont. BRAMPTON ASSEMBLY 270 Rutherford Road, Unit 10 Brampton, Ontario, L6W 3K7 HAMILTON ASSEMBLY 801 King Street East Hamilton, Ontario, L8M 1A8 MONTREAL ASSEMBLY Elder Eric Frimpong - 514-748-1545 Church 514-279-6565
845 Jean Talon West, Montreal, Quebec, H3N 1S5
HOLY ALPHA & OMEGA CHURCH
Very Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Asare-Kusi
Toronto Society
Place of Worship: 19 Penn Drive, North York, Ont. (off Finch Av./Milvan)
Day and Time of Worship: Sunday: Bible Class Meeting: 9:00 a.m. - 10.30 a.m. Church Service: 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Jericho Hour Prayer Meeting - 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. Friday: Bible Teaching/Prayer Meeting 8:00 p.m. - 10.00 p.m. Saturday Organizational Meeting: 6.30p.m. - 9.30 p.m.
Contact: Tel: (416) 743-4555 (Church) In Montreal at: Place of Worship: 6870 Rue de Terreborne, Montreal, Que, H4B 1C5
Day and Time of Worship Sunday Divine Service: 12:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Friday Prayer Meetings: 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Contact: Rev. Emmanuel Ohene Gyimah - 514-542-0871 Anna Phillips (Church Secretary) 514-421-4152 SERVICES ARE CONDUCTED FOLLOWING THE TRADITIONAL GHANA METHODIST LITURGY. PLEASE COME AND JOIN US. WE HAVE A PLACE FOR YOU. GOD RICHLY BLESS YOU
Redemption Faith Church Invites you to worship with us at 1485 ALBION ROAD (Albion/Kipling)
We invite you to worship with us Church Service: Sunday Worship: 10.00a.m. - 12.30 p.m. Wednesday Bible Studies: 6.00p.m. - 7.30 p.m. Friday Prayer Meeting: 7.00p.m. - 9.00 p.m.
JESUS Loves You
Tel:
Tel: 416-638-5990 / 416-419-6671
EVANGEL ASSEMBLY OF GOD CHURCH 1245 Martin Grove Road, Rexdale, Ontario, M9W 1L4
Tel: 416-242-7950 Fax: 416-242-8573 Church Activities
Pastor in Charge Rev. Milton Offei
Sunday School: Church Service: Sunday Evening: Wednesday Bible Studies: Friday Prayer Meeting:
10a.m. -11:00a.m. 11a.m. - 1:30p.m. 7p.m. - 8:30p.m. 7p.m. - 8:30p.m. 7p.m. - 9:00p.m.
Fax:
905-495-1937
This is a loving and caring Church that preaches and teaches the whole counsel of God. A place where the word of God is backed by strong anointing to bring Salvation, Healing and Deliverance to all people who believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST
Prophet John Mensah
869 Wilson Avenue, North York, Ont.
905-495-1936
Rev. Dr. Stephen Ofori-Darko
CHURCH ACTIVITIES: Sunday Search the Scriptures - 12 noon - 12-45 p.m. Church Service - 12:45 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Fridays - 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Bible Studies, Intercession & Deliverance
CHRIST REDEEMER CHURCH Pastor-in-charge: Pastor Eric Amoah Tel: (416) 748-1242 Cell: (416) 300-9970 Church Services Sunday Service: Bible Study: 10 a.m.-11a.m. Worship Service: 11a.m. - 1p.m. Wednesday: Bible Study 6:30p.m.-7:30p.m. Friday Night Prayer: 8p.m.-10p.m. Pastor Eric Amoah Location: 4 Racine, Unit 9
(Kipling/Rexdale)
The Ghanaian News
December 2011
59
FOOD FOR LIFE Bringing the Gospel to our Community By: Rev. Joseph Osei-Amoah THE PEACE OF GOD IS STILL WITHIN YOUR REACH “Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. 10 Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. 11 For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: 14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” (Luke 2:8-14 NKJV) Before I present the peace that God has been offering humanity since the time of Christ, Rev. Dr. J. Vernon McGee, editor of “Thru the Bible Commentary”, a Logos Library System Software, published by Nelson Electronic Publishing Company, has shed more light on Luke 2:13-14: “Our Authorized Version gives the wrong impression here. The angels did not say, “on earth peace, good will toward men.” What they actually said was, “peace to men of good will,” or “peace among men with whom He is pleased.” The
angels did not make the asinine statement that many men make today which goes, “Let’s have peace, peace, peace.” My friend, “There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked” (Isa. 48:22). We live in a day when we need to beat our plowshares into swords— not the other way round.” The late Rev. McGee, was a great scholar of the Hebrew and Greek, the original languages of the Old and the New Testaments of the Bible. What I want to emphasize in this Christmas message is God’s offer of genuine peace to humanity through His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, over two thousand years ago. This offer still stands. If humanity ever needed lasting peace it is now. Each passing day, peace seems to be a scarce commodity in our world. Violence is everywhere; homes are invaded; children are kidnapped, abused and murdered. In many nations armed conflicts continue. The sudden economic down turn in 2008 continues to undermines financial security of the most determined worker in rich nations. One can imagine the condition of the worker in poor countries. Natural disasters occur at rapid succession. It is easy to fill the space for this article with the list of conditions that produce anxiety. Heads of States are obviously frustrated as they try to deal with displaced victims of
natural disasters and armed conflicts within their jurisdiction.. When the Lord Jesus predicted the last-days condition of the world in Luke 21, the message was so frightening that he had to encourage his followers with this statement: “Now when these things begin to happen look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Luke 21:28) His promise of a future deliverance for those who would believe in him was meant to enable all his followers to live in the peace he offered. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”(John 14:27) It is God’s will for all people to live in peace, therefore, the Lord Jesus commended those who work to bring harmony between opposing factions: “Blessed are the peacemak-
ers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9) Genuine and lasting peace can only came from a holy God as a gift to sinful humanity. It was first offered to the world when God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” (Luke 2:14 New Living Translation) Only God can provide lasting peace. God’s unique kind of peace is offers through His Son. It can exist in the life of the one who will receive it in all adverse situations. That was why the Lord Jesus said it as different from what the world offers. It is impossible for anyone to have genuine peace without beginning with God. Conflicts that are increasing in our world are the direct result of the broken relationship between man and God, his Creator. What makes the resolution of the conflict difficult is that many people prefer to deal with God on their own terms as recorded the book of Romans: “18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who push the truth away from themselves. 19 For the truth about God is known to them instinctively. God has put this knowledge in their hearts. 20 From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They
can clearly see his invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. 21 Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. The result was that their minds became dark and confused. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became utter fools instead. 23 And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people, or birds and animals and snakes.” (Romans 1:18-23 New Living Translation) God did not give up on us whom He created in His own image. He set the process of reconciliation with us in motion through the incarnation of His own Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Since God did not create us as robots but in His own image, with the freedom of choice, He would not force us to do anything against our will. Instead, He extended His love to all of us by sending Christ to bear the punishment of our rebellion. “8But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) Any offer of peace must be accepted by the other party to be effective. Every Christmas reminds us that God
is still extending “an olive branch”, a symbol of peace, to those who care to receive it. “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1:12) The Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), Jesus, will one day rule the world in righteousness and bring about perfect peace that has eluded humanity from the time the first human beings walked on the face of the earth. The perfect peace from God will even affect the animal kingdom. (Read Isaiah 11:1-9). Beginning this Christmas, ignore the new “Happy Holiday” greetings and shout, “Merry Christmas!” Teach your children to appreciate your gifts for them and do not give the credit to an imaginary “Santa Claus”. If you have not yet accepted God’s peace offer, follow this instructions: “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved.” (Romans 10:9-10 New Living Translation) Merry Christmas! May the Lord grant you His peace that passes all understanding!
Living Word Assembly of God Church (Affiliated with P.A.O.C.)
139 Millwick Drive Toronto, Ont. (Steeles/Islington) Tel: 416- 741-6285 Fax: 416- 741-0133 Email: livingwordag@bellnet.ca Church Activities
Senior Pastor: Rev. Joseph Osei-Amoah
Sunday Early Morning Prayer: 8:30 a.m. Sunday School: 9:30 a.m. Worship Service: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday Prayer: 10:00 a.m-12 noon Wednesday Bible Study 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Friday Prayer 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. (Last Friday of the month “All Night Prayer”): 7:30 p.m.-12 mid-night Youth Service (Fridays): 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. Departmental Meeting (Every other Sunday): 7:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
Ghana Calvary Methodist United Church, Toronto 65 Mayall Avenue, Toronto Ontario, M3L 1E7
Tel: 416-614-6110 Email: gcmethodist@hotmail.com
Invites all Christians to join us to worship and glorify the Living God
Worship Schedule: Sunday Class Meetings: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Church Service: 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Wednesday Midweek Service: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Friday Prayer Meeting: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Saturday Youth Musical & Computer Lessons Fellowship Meetings Choir Practice, Singing Band Practice
Do you desire to experience the power and the presence of God demonstrated in your life? Do you want to experience the marvelous work of God's grace in your life? Then, Bethel Prayer Ministry International would like to invite you to visit their church where the word of God is preached powerfully to release the power of God in your life. Pastor Dennis Awuku COME AND YOU WILL BE BLESSED Senior Pastor
Contact:
Res. 416-740-6963 Church 416-642-0390 Worship Hours: Sunday Service: 9am - 1pm Tuesday 9am - 2 pm Consultation Wednesday: 7pm - 9p.m. Friday: 9pm - 12 pm Saturday (Prayer Warriors) 6pm - 8pm Location: 52 Carrier Drive, Unit 12, (Albion/Hwy 27)
Etobicoke, Ont., M9w 5S5
Very Rev. De-Graft Semie Obiri (Calvary Methodist)
Venue of Worship 65 Mayall Avenue, Toronto (Route: Through Jethro Road or Haymarket Road, off Wilson Ave. between Weston Rd. and Jane St., or walk across bridge from Chalkfarm North)
Tel: 416-614-6110
Bethel Prayer Ministry Int'l
End-Time Harvest Ministry Invites you for a wonderful time with the Lord
Worship Hours Sundays (Mornings) 10 - 12:45pm Wednesday (Bible Study) 7 -8:30 pm Friday (All Night Prayer) 8-10:30pm Rev Moses Sarpong
COME AND EXPERIENCE THE POWER OF THE WORD Join us at 196 Toryork Drive(Corner of Weston/Finch)
Tel: 416-743-2507 Email: gcmethodist@hotmail.com
IT’S HARVEST TIME SO REACH OUT AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE
It’s A Great Commission!
The Ghanaian News
December 2011
61
Lighthouse Assembly of God Church Senior Pastor: Isaac Takyi De-Graft Exclusive English Service: 8:00am - 10:00am School of the Light: 10:00am - 10:45am Exclusive Ghanaian Service : 10:45am - 1:00am Tuesday(Time with the Holy Spirit) 10:00 am-12:30 pm Wednesday(School of Ministry) 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm -Torontonians Thursday(School of Ministry) 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm - Bramptonians Friday(Time in His Presence) 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Every First Friday is Special Youth Service 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm Every Fouth Friday is Half Night Service: 9:00 pm - 12:30 am
NEW LOCATION: 42 Steinway Blvd. Unit 1&2 (Hwy 27/Steeles) Toronto, Ontario, M9W 6Y6
Tel: 416-740-1200 Fax: 416-740-6435 Email:
lighthouse@lighthouseag.caWebsite: http:/www/lighthouseag.ca
RESURRECTION POWER EVANGELISTIC MINISTRIES INT'L Invites all OLD and NEW members to come and fellowship with us and experience GOD'S RESSURECTION POWER through JESUS CHRIST our Lord.
THE APOSTLES' CONTINUATION CHURCH INTERNATIONAL (CANADA)
We fellowship on: Rev. Akwasi Kyeremateng
Sun. 10:30am - 1pm Wed. 7:00pm - 9pm Fri. 7:00pm - 9pm
North American Headquarters: 10 Belfield Road Toronto, Ont., M9W 1G1 Tel: 416-247-6629 Fax: 416-247-5308
Worship Prayer Meeting House of Prayer
Venue: 445 Eddystone Avenue, 2nd Floor For further information please call Tel: 647-351-8155 Cell: 647-700-5062 Secretary: 647-704-4904 We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. (Col.1:28)
Power of Grace Chapel Int'l Invites all Christians, Non-Christians and members of the Resurrection Power Tradition to join us worship the Great Jehovah
Place of Worship: 95 Milvan Drive (Off Finch/Milvan) Sunday Wednesday Friday
Rev. Joe Bonnah Days And Time of Worship - Divine Worship - 10a.m. - 1p.m. Pastor-in-charge - Bible Studies - 7p.m. - 9p.m. - Prayer / Deliverance - 7p.m. - 10p.m.
Contact Lines: Tel: 416-321-2796 (Pastor's Res) 416-745-7065 (Church)
Cell: 647-403-2796
Peace Light Ministries
SERVICE TIMES: Worship Service - Sunday 10:30 a.m. Bible Studies - Wednesday 7:00 p.m. All Night Service - Friday 9:30 p.m. Deliverance - Saturday 4:00 p.m. Worship With Us At These Branches In Canada
Toronto 10 Belfield Road Tel: 416-247-6629 Scarborough Assembly 1632 Midland Ave., M1P 1C2 Tel: 416-288-1333 Pastor In-Charge: Pastor Patrick Antwi Contact: 647-402-4708
Montreal Assembly 378 Cremazie East Montreal, Quebec, H2P 1E5 Tel: 514-271-9083 Pastor-In-Charge: John Arhin Contact: 514-274-2978
Praise Temple of Christ International
Senior Pastor & Founder: Rev. Augustine Adu-Anane BRE, M.Th. CPC
Snr. Pastor: Apostle Osei-Bonsu
Senior Associate Pastor: Rev. Eleanor Adu-Anane BRE, ECE
336 Gary Ray Drive @ Signet
TIME OF WORSHIP
Rev. Augustine Adu-Anane
Apostle Charles Anokye-Manu
Website: www.apostlescontinuation.org
Wednesday: Bible Study 7:00 - 9:00 pm Friday: Group Prayer Meeting 8:00 - 11:00 pm Sunday: Christian Education 9:30 am - 10:30 am Sunday Service: 10:30 am - 12:30 pm
Tel: 416-839-1662 / 647-892-9412 LOCATION: 100 Penn Drive, Unit #3, North York, Ont. M9L 2A9 Happy are those who work for PEACE, for God will call them His children Mtt: 5:9
Worship Schdule Sunday Worship - 10 am - 12:30 pm Wednesday - Bible Study - 7 pm - 9 pm Friday - Prayer Meeting - 8 pm - 10 pm Second and last Friday of each month All Night Prayer Meeting 8 pm - 12 midnight
For information call: Apostle - 647-330-3346 (cell) or 905-216-5733 (Res) Emmanuel - 647-701-1912 (cell)
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
Let's Think Family - By Rev. Dr. Samuel Kisseadoo PLAN TO MAINTAIN THE COMMITMENT AND ROMANTIC FIRE OF YOUR LONG DISTANCE RELATIONSHIP We have been discussing the complexities and problems involved in initiating and sustaining several of the long distance romantic relationships and marriages that have been proliferated across the globe in our era, especially for people of developing nations. I outlined some useful suggestions of practical steps we can take as preventive as well as curative measures for the multiplicity of depressing situations and relational problems that have characterized these long distance separations. There should be definite plans to keep your relationship alive, active, interesting, and pleasurable during your time of separation. A few additional suggestions are as follows: 1) Depend entirely upon the power of God as your first line of protection and primary source of power and provision to supply all of your needs and keep you, your partner, children, your marriage, fiancée, or relationship. 2) Both of you must seriously make communication your number one foundation as well as the primary material to keep your relationship intact and flourishing. Communication is always the blood of all relationships. Thoughtfully plan to engage in frequent conversation by visits (at weekends or monthly etc. if possible), phone calls, e-mail, post cards, letters, or other means. Hearing each other’s voice is a great balm. Do not call only when there is a need or complaint. Apart from the emergency calls, and calls to report spe-
ships with people. True prayer that is based on scripture will also diffuse all anger, competition, envy, resentment, arrogance, pride, arguments, selfishness, quarrels, fear, anxiety, worry, doubts, suspicions, and discouragement.
cial problems, solutions, and needs, learn the art of spontaneous phone conversation about common things of life and especially what is mutual. Be a good listener. Listening attentively is a very important part of excellent communication and conversation. 3) Avoid being forceful, controlling, and argumentative. Remember that you are not together physically to see each other’s face and predict how the other one is taking what you are saying. The husband or male fiancée in particular should be the strong leader who does not misuse his manly qualities and privileges to yell at the fragile lady partner, but must demonstrate real strength and wisdom by gently, patiently, and wisely resolving difficult issues. The man must exhibit good leadership by diffusing tension during conversation, engage in conflict management, and successfully steer general discussions. The lady must learn to control her words and temper, as well as control of financial demands and cravings for attention. 4) Engage in regular prayers. The power of any corporate prayer is dependent upon the power and preparation of the individuals participating in the prayer. If your partner has backslidden, has a different belief, or does not like to pray with you, do not force him or her to do so, but ask for wisdom from God to be truly loving and tactful, as you look for opportunities to say short prayers for him or her. As you pray for your difficult partner,
and handle him or her with love, patience, forgiveness, and gentleness, you can throw in very short sentences of prayer at appropriate times that would touch and bless the one, until God breaks through with your secret sincere prayers. Remember that prayer is the best communication, because it is communication with God. If prayer becomes established, then mutually make your commitment, obedience, devotion, and prayers very strong in the romantic relationship, courtship, or marriage. Establish also the condition of never parting on the phone without some form of prayer as closure. Prayer has worked wonders for my wife Henrietta and I in our 29 years of marriage, and we can assure you that sincere prayer of faith will work for you as well. 5) Meditation on scripture is a sure way of cleansing our souls, giving us assurances based on God’s promises, setting us straight, awakening our dead conscience and making us think, plan, speak, walk, and operate in God’s light and in the Spirit. Scripture will always bring God’s Spirit into your life and into all of your relation-
6) Make use of other available avenues of communication such as personal greetings and passing of information through trusted friends and family members. 7) Decide to be romantic and loving in all of your communication and interactive opportunities. Remember you are dealing with a lover who is starved of physical contact and visible affection from you. Know the differences between men and women and what invokes love and affection in the other partner. 8) Forgive very quickly and don’t delay to say sorry when the other partner is (or feels) offended. Even if you don’t see why he or she should be offended by “that little thing”, or if you think it is “meaningless offence”, you must still apologize (respecting his or her point of view), for the fellowship to continue flowing. Do your best to desist from repeating offences and continuing to say sorry all the time. Such habit will damage your integrity and thereby erode any trust, suggesting that you are faking repentance and character change to merely deceive your partner and get your way in order to obtain what you selfishly want to obtain in the relationship.
9) Be very honest in everything you say and do, without giving room for doubts, mistrust, fear, and anxiety or worry regarding your loyalty. Let your “yes” be “yes”, and your “no” be “no”. Beware of secret plans in the absence of your partner. Beware of lies or half-truths. If the complete truth later gets to your partner, that is a disaster for the trust and confidence between the two of you. 10) Beware of pleasing or putting first your family members and friends before your spouse. Let every family member and friend know clearly that your wife or husband comes first, even when the two of you are temporarily separated. Do your best to discuss and mutually agree on the disbursement and distribution of things to family members and friends before you do so. 10) Avoid close relationships with old boyfriends and girlfriends in the absence of your mate, especially if you indulged in immoral acts with them in the past. Old fires can be easily re-kindled, and they can easily lead you astray into sin and unfaithfulness, and ultimately ruin your marriage or courtship. 11) Have a firm control over late night parties, club meetings, late night visits that cause you to come home very late, or visits with opposite sex where you are alone with another man (if you are the wife), or another woman (if you are the husband). Far-away partners will frequently be dis-
turbed and will have fear, anxiety, mistrust, and doubt sown in their minds if they frequently hear the voice of another opposite sex in your room (or if you are often in the room of such strangers), during a phone call to your abode or location, or if people begin to give such reports of your questionable activities to your mate. Sometimes the one is a genuine study mate for academic activity, or close business partner etc., but things must be clearly communicated, and trust must be built in order to avoid all suspicions. To prevent any doubts, I suggest that you discuss any such necessary frequent interactions with your mate, provide all the necessary information, and set everybody’s heart and mind at peace. If the person interacting with you is decent and principled, he or she might also be concerned about how your husband, wife, or fiancee would take it at a distant location if he or she gets to know of the close association with you. We know that some partners are unduly possessive, and suffer from chronic extreme jealousy. In that case much prayer, wisdom, exhibition of due affection, rich conversation, provision of adequate information of your motives and movements, and planning of your interactions, will enable life to go on peacefully. Usually you might feel that your partner is “getting on your nerves, and is too controlling”, and so you arrogantly retort when questioned, or discouragingly and fearfully try to hide your interactions with others in his or her cont'd on pg. 64
GHANAIAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MONTREAL INVITES YOU TO WORSHIP WITH US REV. SOWAH ABLORH - MINISTER-IN-CHARGE
SUNDAY WORSHIP 10.00AM - 1.00PM WEDNESDAY SERVICE 7.00PM - 9.00PM FRIDAY PRAYER MEETING 7.00PM - 9.00PM
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Ghanaian Congregation
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December 2011
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
Around the Ghana Sports Scene African Player of the year 2011 contenders Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew, Yaya Toure and Seydou Keita have been named on the final shortlist for the 2011 African Player of the Year award. The announcement by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) means that last year’s winner, Samuel Eto’o, misses out on this year’s title. The winner will be announced at a ceremony in Accra on Thursday. He will be crowned after a vote by national team head coaches and technical directors from within Caf * Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew (Marseille and Ghana) * Seydou Keita (Barcelona and Mali) * Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast) Ayew, Toure and Keita are the final contenders for the crown after Caf revealed that Eto’o and Senegal’s Moussa Sow had failed to make the final shortlist. Ayew, who plays for Marseille and Ghana, was named as the BBC African Player of the Year last week. He helped his club to Cup success in France last season, has steered them into the knock-out phase of the European Champions League and was a key man for Ghana as the Black Stars qualified with some ease for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
Yaya Toure has been central to the resurgence of Manchester City and is central to Ivory Coast’s success as well - the Elephants qualified for the Nations Cup with a perfect record. Keita has helped all-conquering Barcelona throughout another impressive 12 months and returned to the Mali side in time to help them squeeze through qualification for Equatorial Guinea and Gabon ahead of Cape Verde. Eto’o has won four African Player of the Year awards but will not be adding to that total this year. Caf will also reveal the winners of several other awards, including female player of the year, African-based player of the year and national team of the year. The women’s shortlist features Nompumelelo Nyandani of South Africa, Perpetua Nkwocha from Nigeria and Miriam Paixao Silva of Equatorial Guinea. The winners will be unveiled at a ceremony on 22 December in the Ghanaian capital Accra. Full list of Nominees: African Player of the Year 2011: Andre Ayew (Marseille and Ghana), Seydou Keita (Barcelona and Mali), Yaya Toure (Manchester City and
Ivory Coast) African Player of the Year 2011 (Based in Africa): Oussama Darragi (Esperance and Tunisia), Zouhir Dhaouadi (Club Africain and Tunisia), Banana Yaya (Esperance and Cameroon) National Team of the Year: Botswana, Ivory Coast, Niger, Tunisia Women’s National Team of the Year: Cameroon, Nigeria, South Africa Club of the Year: Esperance (Tunisia), MAS (Morocco), Wydad Athletic (Morocco) Most Promising Talent of the Year: Ahmed El Shenawi (El Masry and Egypt), Souleymane Coulibaly (Tottenham Hotspur and Ivory Coast), Ahmed Musa (VVV Venlo and Nigeria) Coach of the Year: Harouna Doula (Niger), Nabil Maaloul (Esperance, Tunisia), Stanley Tshosane (Botswana) Women’s Footballer of the Year: Nompumelelo Nyandani (South Africa). Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria), Miriam Paixao Silva (Equatorial Guinea) Referee of the Year: Alioum Neant (Cameroon), Noumandiez Doue (Ivory Coast), Djamel Haimoudi (Algeria) Legend Award: Mustapha Hadji (Morocco), Jay-Jay Okocha (Nigeria)
Caf Lauds Ghana’s Contribution To African Football Confederation of African Football vice president Almamy Kabele Camara has lauded Ghana for its contribution towards the development of African football. Camara, who was addressing the Executive Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) on Tuesday, also praised Ghana for its “very good sporting and political credentials.” “Ghana has played a leading role in the development of African football at both club andnational team levels,” he said after leading a delegation to the GFA head office on afamiliarization visit
ahead of the African football awards (Glo/CAF awards night) in Accra onFriday. The CAF vice president, who was accompanied by CAF General Secretary Hicham El Amraniand Director of Finance Heba Bakr, also highlighted the individual contribution of KwesiNyantakyi since assuming his role on the executive committee of the African football governingbody this year. Ghana has won the Africa Cup of Nations four times (in 1963, 1965, 1978, and 1982), making itthe second most successful team in the contest’s history behind Egypt.
“The Black Stars, in particular, have not only represented Ghana very well, but also the entire African continent,” he added. Ghana reached the second round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup and became the third Africanteam in history to reach the quarterfinals stage at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The Black Stars were also quarterfinalists at the 2010 African Nations Cup in Angola. Ghana’s Olympic team, the Black Meteors, in 1992 became the first African country to win a medal at football at the Olympic Games.
with Jonathan Annobil
Toronto FC to use Rogers Centre for Champions League opener
Toronto FC will forego its regular stomping ground of BMO Field in favour of the larger, indoor Rogers Centre for the first leg of its CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final against the Los Angeles Galaxy on March 7, sportsnet.ca is reporting. The second leg of the home-and-away series against the MLS Cup champion Galaxy is March 14 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Toronto FC is expected to make an official announcement Wednesday afternoon. TFC’s home — sometimes dubbed by fans as “Fortress BMO Field” for its passionate atmosphere — is an outdoor, grass-field facility of 20,000. Due to the late-winter timing of the Champions League playdowns, snow and cold weather could cause damage to the facilities, particularly with the plumbing. Rogers Centre presented another option for the club. Home to the Blue Jays and Argonauts,
it can seat over 50,000 spectators, although the playing surface is field turf. Natural grass has been brought in to Rogers Centre for soccer matches in the past. The status of the Galaxy’s marquee star, David Beckham, is still unknown. He’s out of contract with the MLS club and there are rumours he’s close to joining Paris St. Germain of Ligue 1 in France. Toronto FC advanced to the quarter-final round of the Champions League for the first time after edging out FC Dallas in their round-robin group in October. The only other Canadian club to advance to the quarter-final stage of the tournament was the Montreal Impact, when they played in the lower USL-1 league. The Impact played their quarter-final match at Olympic Stadium in February 2009 where they beat Mexico’s Santos Laguna 2-0 in front of over 55,000 fans. Montreal kicks off its inaugural MLS campaign this season.
European drama for African stars African stars scored, got red carded, were accused of penalty-area ‘theatre’ and became embroiled in a racism storm during a dramatic weekend across Europe. Nigeria midfielder Peter Odemwingie struck a late winner for West Brom in a drop-zone showdown at Blackburn while Hoffenheim drew 1-1 with Hertha Berlin despite the dismissal of Ghana defender Isaac Vorsah. Former Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng infuriated Siena wth a theatrical dive that earned a penalty as AC Milan won 2-0 and Morocco-born Auxerre midfielder Kamel Chafni accused an assistant referee of racism after being sent off. ENGLAND Peter Odemwingie: The Nigerian picked the perfect moment to score his first goal since October as his last-minute strike clinched a crucial 2-1 win at Blackburn. Odemwingie had gone six games without a goal and looked like extending that barren run until the 89th minute when he made a perfectly timed run behind the defence before firing a superb shot past Paul Robinson to give Albion their first win in four matches.
Kolo et Yaya Toure (Manchester City): The Ivory Coast brothers helped Manchester City restore their two-point lead at the top of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Arsenal at Eastlands. Manchester United’s victory at QPR earlier Sunday had knocked City off top spot, but former Arsenal defender Kolo and ex-Barcelona midfielder Yaya delivered composed displays as David Silva’s second-half strike killed off the Gunners. Emmanuel Adebayor (Tottenham): The Togo striker could not extend his impressive recent scoring run, but Spurs still moved into third place with a 1-0 win over Sunderland at White Hart Lane. Adebayor, who scored five times in his previous four appearances, was a menace to the Sunderland defence but it was substitute Roman Pavlyuchenko who scored the second-half winner. Didier Drogba (Chelsea): The Ivory Coast striker was below his best as Chelsea’s revival ground to a halt with a disappointing 1-1 draw at struggling Wigan. Drogba had been in superb form during Chelsea’s run of victories over Newcastle, Valencia and Manchester City, but was subdued for long periods at DW Stadium.
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The Ghanaian News
Ghana Gas to award contracts in January The Ghana National Gas Company (Ghana Gas) has assured that it is on course to deliver to the country the gas infrastructure required for the transportation and processing of gas from the Jubilee Field, before the end of next year. It is therefore looking forward to awarding contracts for the construction of the remaining offshore pipeline as well as onshore pipeline and a gas processing plant in January 2012. According to Dr. George Adjah-Sipa Yankey, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Gas, the survey for the constructability of the onshore pipelines and choice of route to Aboadze and Prestea through Esiama, is being undertaken by Ghana Gas and Sinopec, with 30km of the 120km stretch completed. “Hopefully, we shall award the contract for the supply of the pipelines in January,” Dr. Yankey revealed to The Business Analyst in Accra last Monday, December 19. Even though under the Master Facility Agreement (MFA) covering the $3 billion CDB facility 60% of supplies and services must be sourced from China, Ghana Gas and Sinopec are looking at a company in the United States of America (USA) and another in Europe, for the supply of the processing plant itself. “Each has promised to manufacture and deliver within nine months from the date of order,” Dr. Yankey revealed. He said even before the plant is completed, the onshore pipelines would have been completed. Sinopec International Petroleum Service Corporation arrived in Ghana early this month, after it signed a Project Implementation Agreement with Ghana Gas in mid-November, under which the former is responsible for the Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Commissioning (EPCC) of the 150 MMSCFD Gas Processing Plant. The Sinopec Group, listed as the 5th on the Global Fortune 500 companies list, with an annual turnover of $288.9 billion, has since arrived to work with Ghana Gas towards delivering a functioning gas processing plant linked to the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah in the Jubilee Field as well as to Aboadze and Prestea through Esiama by December next year. The Sinopec team, together with Ghana Gas engineers, has since been reviewing all the technical and construction details of the gas processing plant and the onshore-offshore pipelines. Sinopec, under the agreement with Ghana Gas, is pre-financing the ongoing work, to be re-imbursed. There are high expectations for the gas infrastruc-
ture to be in place in a timely manner by the time it becomes no longer safe to re-inject it into the field’s reservoir. The alternative to re-injecting the gas at that stage would be to flare it, which would also translate into the loss of millions of dollars to the state if it continued for long. The gas infrastructure project involves the laying of pipeline from the Jubilee Field onshore, construction of a plant with the capacity to process 150mmscf of gas at Domunli in the Jomoro District of the Western region, and construction of a 120-kilometre pipeline to transport the processed gas to Aboadze. Technip, early this year, constructed the 14kilometre deepwater stretch of the gas pipeline from the Jubilee Field, using the Apache II drillship, under a contract awarded by the (GNPC), while Intecsea-Worley Parsons Atlantic completed the FEED for the 36-kilometre shallow water pipeline. Dr. Yankey indicated that Ghana Gas was getting ready to undertake a competitive tender to ensure that all companies have an equal chance of participating, stressing on transparency that had characterized the execution of the project. He indicated that Ghana Gas was working closely with the Jubilee partners. “We are all working together to forestall any adverse impact of continued gas reinjection on the Jubilee reservoir.” Costs The construction and laying of the 50-kilometre 12-inch offshore pipeline from the Jubilee Field to the Domunli site for the gas processing plant is estimated to cost $100million, while the onshore 120 kilometre 20-inch pipeline from the plant site to Aboadze will swallow about $190million. Dr. Yankey, had assured the country in an interview with this paper that Ghana Gas was determined to be meticulous and professional but with speed, to ensure the company delivered on its mandate. The Jubilee Operator, has, since April this year been re-injecting about 80% of gas from the field into the reservoir, utilizing some, and flaring the rest. It was estimated that continuous re-injection of gas into the Jubilee reservoir beyond 18 to 24 months could threaten the safety of the reservoir. Son of the soil. Meanwhile, Dr. Yankey, a son of the Western Region, has been spending some time in the area, engaging the chiefs and people to assure them that the country will not shortchange them.
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Plan to maintain the commitment and romantic fire of your long distance relationship Cont'd from pg. 62 absence. This will rather give you future deeper problems of suspicion and distrust when your partner later discovers your activities. 12) Develop a good sense of humor along with your chats; and let your sense of humor be alive as needed, but avoid sarcasm and mockery that leaves your partner feeling stupid on the phone or feels degraded after reading your letter or email. Throw in appropriate jokes and laughter frequently in conversation. Take time to study and know your partner well, and be conversant with the things that will make him or her sad, cry, anxious, worried, fretful, happy, laugh, silent, or open up. 13) Balance photographs with communication. Men are creatures of the eye, and will love to see monthly meaningful photos from any woman. The lady fiancee or wife (and children) should therefore send him good pictures that carry messages of love, affection, progress in his absence, and general interactions. It is even easier now if you have computers or cell phones at both ends for transmission of electronic pictures. Women are creatures of the ear, and could always be nurtured and kept romantically alive with rich conversation and affection on phone etc. 14) Little gifts with meaning, properly thought of and exchanged from time to time, will
also keep your long distance relationship alive. 15) Arrange for your partner to be cared for in some good, mature, and sincere hands. Several people have often made special arrangements with particular trusted family members, elders, friends, pastors, men and women of God, and responsible colleagues at work, church, or school, and in their neighborhoods, to keep in constant touch with their spouses or fiancées in their absence. Most of these caretakers do a good job (although some casualties sometimes result from careless or selfish handling of the people entrusted to them). I consider this as a wise move that should be properly, strategically, and officially made before the other partner travels. If that was not initially done, it could still be arranged at some point while the partner is away. It may not work in some cases because of human pride that would not admit or ask for assistance, and especially when the mate does not trust people due to past bad experiences. The partner that was left behind (or the traveler) might not also want any formal assistance in order to maintain his or her privacy in the relationship, or would not want it to appear as if someone was monitoring him or her. Whatever your circumstances, explore and exploit all available resources and opportunities that will enable you to maintain the best relationship with your partner, while you
leave no stone unturned to do the best with what you have. Cultivate the unflinching determination and firm resolution to be faithful till the end in your God-given courtship or marriage relationship, and aim at pursuing the singular vision of a very fruitful and successful family life that should constitute an enduring and a glowing legacy for several generations in the annals of history. May the Lord be your helper! Obtain more detailed information on this topic from Dr. Kisseadoo’s Book “Challenges Of Modern Men And women In Relationships”. Tune in to JOY99.7FMinAccra,GhanaonSaturdays at 5:30 am – 6:00 am (Ghana Time)orUSEasternST12:30am–1:00 am November to March) and listen to Dr.Kisseadoo’sbroadcast “HopeFor Your Family”. Access on the Internet using MYJOYONLINE.COM, and click on “Live Radio”. Obtain Dr. Kisseadoo’s books online from: RedLeadBooks.com or Amazon.com usinghisname.ContacthimintheUSA (1-757-7289330)forcopiesofallofhis 14 books, free counseling and prayer. Visit his website: www.fruitfulministriesint.com for essentials that will enrich your relationships and ministry. Use DrSamuel Kisseadoo to access his Wall on Facebook. Rev. Dr. Samuel A. Kisseadoo (Professor of Biology, USA. International Evangelist.Ordained&LicensedMinister. Teacher, Conference Speaker). Founder and President, Fruitful Ministries International Inc. (Evangelistic &TeachingMinistry). 6 Red Robin Turn, Hampton, Virginia 23669, USA. Tel.1- 757-7289330 E-mail:kisseadoo@msn.com
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
St. Augustine's Past Students Union (APSU) Christmas Party in Brampton on Saturday Nov 26, 2011
From right Alex Kyei, president, Kwame Bediako Agyei, William Paintsil
Mr. Tony Aidoo receiving his prize from Mrs. Cecilia Kyei
Amanda Osei
APSU members
Mr. Alex Kyei, president and wife Cecilia Kyei Dancing Time
Amanda Osei Presents Music and Dinner Fundraiser for Sick Kids Foundation at All Nations Living Spring Church on Dec. 10, 2011 Worship Team From R. Doris, Amanda, Rev. & Mrs. Akonnor
MCs Jon Sarpong and Emmanuel
Amanda and instrumentalists
Amanda, Rachel and other gospel singers
Doris Osei and family
Amanda and friends
Amanda and some Gospel singers
The Ghanaian News
December 2011
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The Ghanaian News December 2011
Real Estate Corner Freddy Agyemang, BA Sales Representative
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Detached, 4 bedroom 2,500 sq ft. Separate entrance to the basement, entrance from garage to the house, Hardwood and ceramic throughout main floor, main floor laundry room, only 2 1/2 years old, shows 10 ++++
Thank you to all those who have helped to make my Real Estate Career a success. Your continuous support is always appreciated, and may the Lord Bless you for your REFERRAL. IF YOU OR ANYONE YOU KNOW IS THINKING ABOUT BUYING OR SELLING THEIR HOME, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL now and reserve your spot for the next publication
Freddy Agyemang, BA
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Season's Greetings Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year It's a pleasure to be of service. Wishing you and your family all the best this Holiday Season. Don't Drink and Drive. Have a Safe and Happy New Year RE/MAX REALTY SPECIALISTS INC., BROKERAGE Tel: 905-456-3232 Each office is independently owned and operated