Dear Readers,

We step into the second half of 2018 as a community which seems to have grown in unity, especially over the past few months. It was wonderful to witness the community’s unity manifest into the much-needed ‘Save Our Atash Behram’ Movement, last month. And more recently, the BPP Board welcomed its newly elected Trustee, Xerxes Dastur, who has emphasised on unity in the Boardroom and in the Community, as one of his main endeavours. That would surely be something to look forward to as the second half of the year unfolds.

Parsi Times thanks you for your encouraging feedback about our continuous Election Day coverage brought live to you by Team PT, on our very popular Facebook Page. PT’s reporters were present through the day at all five voting centres and it was a great experience to connect with hundreds and thousands of our community members who came to vote. Unfortunately, a couple of our reporters, one being a young, enthusiastic teen, were treated rather callously by the Mehta clan, with Dinshaw Mehta pointing out and proclaiming, “she’s from the enemy camp”, and BPP Trustee Viraf Mehta topping that with his oft-repeated proclamation, “I hate Kersi Randeria.” Now, frankly speaking, that there is no love-lost here, is no news, but to spew hatred onto young, unsuspecting reporters who are only doing their jobs, takes the crassness to an unnecessary low. May I request the Mehtas to please grow some B… oardroom manners and spare the youth from this political toxicity. When adults and seniors, who’ve assumed positions of leadership, behave in this detestable way with our youth, how can we expect our youth to show any interest in community matters in the future? We just end up confirming their doubts!

Though the voter turn-out this time was marginally more than last time (6,018 votes as compared to 5,101 votes in 2016 elections), it was still a diminutive electorate, even when compared to our minuscule population. We fail our foremost responsibility as community members when we don’t vote or take interest in community matters. Speaking of community matters which need our attention, the ongoing Bhabha Sanatorium tussle, needs us to unite and speak in one voice again. Encouraged by the Atash Behram Movement, which saw our community unite to effectively fight an external threat, we now need to unite even more strongly, to tackle an internal threat, especially as it could result, quite literally, in the loss of life and limb (Pg.7). I look forward to your feedback.

Have a good weekend!

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– Anahita