Miles To Go And Promises To Keep!

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!

 

Piroja Homi Jokhi

 

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BPP Elections: Dismal Voting Number

 

I first want to congratulate Parsi Times for great live coverage provided through the full election’s day – me and a lot of my friends were glued to the page because it constantly was screening the ongoings at all five voting centers and kept us all informed – I must say, excellent job done by Team Parsi Times.

That said, my community and the matters of my community mean a lot to me – I am not one who needs the spotlight to get into action, nor do I feel the need for my voice to be the loudest, to have a say. But I am aware of my responsibilities and one of the biggest ones is to be there on voting day and cast my vote. I was very sad to see a poor turnout yet again. Though the number of voters who came out to vote last Sunday for the BPP elections was more than that of the elections held last time, it is still a very low count. It is so very disappointing especially because now is the time we need to elect and support leaders we choose to protect our community and our community’s interests. We want to complain and whine all the time, we want to make demands all the time, but we don’t want to take the responsibility of being good community members and showing up to vote. When only around 6,000 from the 50,000 show up to vote, it’s a disgrace, and not even a very fair election for all candidates – whether they won or lost. There is just too much indifference and loss of faith in the BPP for the community to take an interest and show up. We don’t want to be part of the decision making process because that takes effort, we just want to partake of goodies as beneficiaries. How unfortunate is that. I hope the next time around, at least 15,000 voters will show up.

All best wishes for the winner Xerxes Dastur – now it is time to see if he will live up to the promises made by him, after his supporter crawl back from wherever they emerged! It is good to have (hopefully) independent young blood in the Boardroom after a long time. Let us hope, for the sake of the community and in the larger interests, that the trustees will let bygones be bygones and move ahead, as a united leadership, working towards the benefit and welfare of our great community.

 

Dorab J. Siganporia