Pres Ali pledges support for maintenance works at Dharm Shala

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Thursday continued the tradition of serving lunch on Christmas Day to the elderly citizens and vulnerable residents at the Dharm Shala in Albouystown, Georgetown, where he pledged the Government’s support for critical works needed to be done.
Addressing the management and residents of the Dharm Shala – Home of the Benevolence for all Races, the Head of State indicated that he would enlist the services of the Men on Mission (MoM) to carry out the upgrade works.
“Next year, we will sit with you, and we will see how far we can support some of the maintenance work that you have on the building here and in Berbice. We know how expensive it is, and… we have to get the material to you [through] the Men on Mission programme and work with you on some of that maintenance [work],” President Ali stated.

This is the sixth consecutive year that the President has visited the country’s oldest humanitarian charity on Christmas Day. He was joined by Minister within the Ministry of Housing, Vanessa Benn, for Thursday’s lunch with the residents of the Dharm Shala.
The Head of State used the opportunity to commend sisters Pamela and Kella Ramsaroop – whose family founded the charity organisation and have been running it for over a century – for the humanitarian work they do not just at the home but also for their advocacy for surrounding communities. He went on to assure the management and residents there of his Government’s commitment to create a safe and comfortable space for them.
“I want the residents here to know that you are highly valued, that this is a place of comfort, a place of healing and a place of hope.  And today this is what we celebrate. The story of hope, the story of comfort, the story of healing, the story of coming together, the story of community.”

“A very important aspect of the Christmas story is the story of community, various communities coming together to acknowledge this symbol of hope, of togetherness, of love, of faith.  And as is demonstrated by this home, it is a collection of all of these virtues – faith, love, patience, care, and commitment. What the sisters in this family have been doing here on the Board is a labour of love.  It is true commitment over decades upon decades. And I want to say to them that you are a true representation of what service to humanity represents,” President Ali stated.
During his first term as President, President Ali made it a tradition to visit the Dharm Shala for the annual Christmas lunch. Under his leadership, the Government has donated over $3 million in monetary aid to the charity, which, according to Pamela Ramsaroop, has helped run the organisation.
At 106 years in service, the Dharm Shala, founded by Pandit Ramsaroop Maharaj, consists of 11 buildings (six in Georgetown and five in Berbice), all solely devoted to charity and free of charge to all who seek shelter and home. Currently, there are approximately 60 residents at the various Dharm Shala locations, which also supply over 200 meals daily at both Georgetown and Berbice locations.
According to Pamela Ramsaroop, the Dharm Shala aims to shelter, to feed, to clothe, and to attend to the spiritual, social, and medical needs of the poor. In ensuring the safety and comfort of residents, maintenance and repair works are continuous on buildings at both the Georgetown and Berbice locations.
She spoke about the challenges, including financial ones, they face in running the charity organisation but assured that they remain steadfast to the aim and objective of the Dharm Shala that was founded by her grandfather.
“Despite the ever-increasing heavy expenditure incurred in the running costs of this institution, its aims and objectives continue as before – to feed, to clothe, to house, and to attend to the spiritual, social, and spiritual needs of residents,” Pamela stated.