In loving memory of our dear husband, father, brother-in-law, son-in-law, cousin, friend and more.
Vickram Singh, also known as Fat Boy was born on November 9, 1961 in Triumph Village, Guyana, the youngest of nine siblings. His life came to an abrupt and tragic end on August 17, 2018 in Edmonton, Alberta leaving us all in total shock and utterly devastated.
Vickram loved his family dearly and worked diligently to provide us the necessities and comforts of life. We feel incredibly grateful and blessed to have him share his precious life on earth with us and are immensely proud of what he has achieved.
He migrated to Canada 32 years ago where he started a new life with his young family. Vic applied himself with dedication and resolve on an uncharted course with the full knowledge that his future, and that of his family, rested on his shoulders if he were to make it a success in his new endeavours.
But he answered the challenge with his usual humorous and light hearted approach to life, with his characteristic ability to apply a soft, gentle touch to any delicate situation and dispensing with negativities and pessimism. He possessed equanimity, poise and an even temperament.
Vic created an indelible impression on all those whose lives he touched with his compassion, humility, love and affection.
He walked tall with his signature kindness and generosity that was freely offered and fully acknowledged by everyone he encountered. He was truly loved by all and sundry.
Vic helped countless numbers of his fellow countrymen and others when they first arrived in Canada providing them with jobs and advice to get established, much of which was borne out by their testimonies at his funeral service.
He was warm and selfless with a big heart, always looking out for those less fortunate.
On his own part, he was very contented and only wanted a simple lifestyle. He was quiet by nature and his presence was always accompanied by that silent gravity.
The lifelong values he acquired from his parents, he dutifully instilled in us, his children, such as the importance of education and hard work.
Vic's departure has left a gaping void in the lives of his family, one that will be sorely felt for a long time to come. We will remember him for his immense virtues and with his absence, we will grow more to appreciate the time he spent with us. He was our hero.
Life is a gift from God and is not measured by the years one lives but by what one puts into those years. His siblings feel extremely blessed to have had him as their baby brother for 56 years. Although his life has been cut short, it was full with love and laughter with many amazing and memorable moments.
May it be known that we have lost one of the most beloved and respected members of our family. May his soul rest in Eternal Peace.
We pray that the good Lord's Grace be on all, especially Vic's wife Nalini, his children Avinash, Devi, Anjali and Anusha. We pray that we may continue with Vic's unblemished legacy.
(Submitted by the children and relatives of Vickram)

By Kemahl Khan
For many years now in Guyana and some Caribbean countries (and even here in Toronto), there have been annual events recalling the first arrivals of indentured labourers from India and honouring their invaluable contribution to the sugar industry in the region.
"Sugar" was the theme of one such event hosted by the Toronto-based voluntary organization, “One Love Media”, on August 17, 2018 at the Rose Garden Banquet Hall in Etobicoke.
Billed as "1838: Brown Sugar - A Fundraiser for Children of Guyana”, the funds raised by this event are earmarked to assist, in particular, the children of the employees of Skeldon (Berbice, Guyana) Sugar Estate who are facing economic hardships and whose incomes have been severely impacted by the closure of the estate at the end of 2017. Established since 1890 and replaced by a state-of-the-art facility in 2009, it was shut down as a result of not achieving its annual production target caused by several factors, including managerial and technical problems.
Mohan Ragbeer, physician, author and columnist for Toronto's Indo Caribbean World newspaper, was the keynote speaker at the event. His talk on ''sugar”, supported visually throughout by a slide-show, was very well received by the many guests present.
Introducing his topic he gave a brief history of sugar production as a profitable commodity in several countries around the globe dating back to many centuries ago. He stated that it was first introduced to Madeira in 1425, thence to the New World (Hispaniola) in 1501. The Dutch in 1658 established the first sugar plantation in the Pomeroon, Essequibo, and later in Demerary. In the mid-18th century the governor of Demerary, Laurens van Gravesande, invited British settlers who established many coastal plantations in Demerara, adding to those in Berbice and Essequibo; African slaves provided the labour for the plantation owners until their full emancipation in 1838.

He pointed out that following emancipation the British plantation owners suffered a decline in sugar profits with some estates becoming bankrupt. Survivors sought cheap labourers from other sources to replace the majority of the freed slaves. That led to the recruitment of Indian labourers under an indentureship contract, and the ensuing immigration to British Guiana, beginning in 1838 (396 labourers) and continuing until 1917 (238,940 labourers). The immigrants, he added, were enticed by the promise of a better life compared to the poor environmental, economic and social conditions they endured at the time in India. After enduring the long and arduous trip to British Guiana aboard the SS Whitby and the SS Hesperus, the first immigrants arrived on May 5, 1838.
He observed that a once thriving industry, built on the backs of African slaves and Indian indentured labourers, no longer plays a major part in the Guyanese economy. Sugar revenue in 2012 provided 80% of Guyana's foreign exchange, he stated , but over the years since then that figure has considerably declined. However, he emphasized that the contributions of the Indian labourers since 1838 and those of the African slaves before them, in building Guyana's sugar industry, cannot be ignored.
Dr. Ragbeer's talk was followed by the presentation of awards by Ms. Anyin Choo, Guyana's Consul General to Toronto. Before doing so, she stressed the important role of Education in society and complimented Mr. Habeeb Alli and “One Love Media” for their fundraising efforts to assist Guyana's children in their educational pursuits. She then presented awards to Ms. Sara Singh, MPP for Brampton, Ontario, for her achievement in politics, and to Mr. Aftab Maxi Shamsudden (in absentia) for his accomplishments in the field of cricket.
A sumptuous South Asian buffet dinner and dancing followed to round off the evening's proceedings.
The “Brown Sugar fundraiser” is one of two events that “One Love Media” has arranged this year to benefit children in Guyana.
Mr. Habeeb Alli has since travelled to Skeldon to present backpacks and school supplies to 250 poor students there for the new school year this September. They will also be receiving, as part of a school-feeding programme, daily lunches during September. He also donated some of the funds raised to the Orphanage at Albion, Berbice.

The 12 successful applicants for the third Caribbean Film Mart, sponsored by BP Trinidad and Tobago have been announced. The Caribbean Film Mart, which will be held from 22 – 23 September, during the trinidad+tobago film festival, seeks to foster relationships between T+T filmmakers and the international film industry, by stimulating and facilitating dialogue and sharing of expertise.
The selected filmmakers will meet one-on-one with international film professionals specialising in production and distribution. The Mart will include presentations on international appeal and viability of local films and funding including co-productions. Robert Maylor, producer of Sprinter, together with director Storm Saulter who workshopped his project at CFM 2015 and which has recently been released to wide acclaim, will present a case study.
At the end of the second the filmmakers will ‘pitch’ their project to an international panel of judges.The winner will be awarded a cash prize of $TT 75,000 sponsored by BP Trinidad and Tobago. A second prize of a year’s mentorship by international industry expert Joanne Butcher will also be awarded.These winners will be announced at the ttff’s awards ceremony on September 25.
The successful participants and their projects are:
Dance the Cocoa – Juliette McCawley
Mas Slaughter – Christopher Din Chong
The Jaguar – Ryan Khan
Virus – Michael Rochford
Steel – Glenford Adams
Igual Paradise – Shea Best
Wishing for Wings – Kim Johnson
Silk Road – Janine – Mendes-Franco
Trinidad’s Missing – Reynald Seydass
Hey Handsome – Roderick Weever
Fairway – Kafi Kareem Farrell
Right and Left – Sonja Dumas
The trinidad+tobago film festival (ttff) celebrates films from and about the Caribbean and its diaspora, as well as from world cinema, through an annual festival and year-round screenings. In addition, the ttff seeks to facilitate the growth of Caribbean cinema by offering a wide-ranging industry programme and networking opportunities. The ttff is given leading sponsorship by BP Trinidad and Tobago, the Ministry of Community Development, Culture and the Arts; supporting sponsorship by The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago and Republic Bank Limited; and contributing sponsorship by FilmTT and The National Lotteries Control Board (NLCB).

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