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UK
Asian Voice - Saturday 9th January 2010
Health boss criticised for earning twice as much as the PM A health trust has been condemned for paying one of its bosses twice as much as the Prime Minister while NHS services are under threat, a national daily reveals. Professor Salman Rawaf, who was director of public health at NHS Wandsworth, was allegedly paid £370,000 last year making him one of the highest-paid public sector workers in the country and well above Gordon's Brown's salary of £194,250. Now the primary care trust has been accused of wasting taxpayers' money. The chairman of Wandsworth council's health committee, Ian Hart, said the trust did not get good value from Professor Rawaf because
Professor Salman Rawaf
he stopped coming to council meetings and sent his deputy instead, as reported in the Evening Standard. A spokesman for NHS Wandsworth told the daily, £175,000 of the money was paid to Professor Rawaf in pension and other "end-of-employ-
ment" payments. Professor Rawaf was unavailable for comment. He appeared on a list of the highest- paid public servants published by the TaxPayers' Alliance. John O'Connell, policy analyst at the alliance, told the same: "These huge payoffs would have been excessive even in the good times. However, front-line workers in Wandsworth are being asked to take a pay freeze while those at the top continue to see salaries shoot up. "It seems to be one rule for the boss and another for everyone else. Ordinary families don't want to see their tax funding bonuses for bureaucrats as their essential services come under threat."
Forgery factory gang jailed A Muswell Hill man has been jailed for helping to run a passport forging factory in Barnet. Malik Cherad, 36, of Buckingham Lodge, admitted forgery, conspiracy to manufacture and supply fake ID documents, and possession of two bogus French passports, a local media has revealed. In April, Met officers from the Organised Immigration Crime Unit raided a house in Mill Hill and uncovered a vast array of forging equipment and fake documents. Cherad was arrested
and charged, and admitted he had acted as a middleman passing data for the fake documents between members of the gang. He was jailed at Wood Green Crown Court for three and a half years. The forgery factory in Mill Hill belonged to Ismail Hasko, 23, and his brother Andi Hasko, 21, who were in charge of producing the documents. Valmir Gjoshi, 21, of Highwood Court, Finchley Road, had organised the set up of the forging equipment, and Abdi Ali, 29, of Limes Close, Limes Avenue, Arnos Grove was
in charge of selling them on for up to £100 each. Gjoshi and Ismail Hasko were both jailed for six years, Andi Hasko was given a five year jail term, and Ali was jailed for 14 months. Detective Inspector Clive Strong, an officer in the case, said after sentencing: "The conviction of this sophisticated criminal network sends a message loud and clear to those involved in forgery factories like this that we will not tolerate this criminal behaviour and will track down those responsible and hold them accountable."
Jailed for attempted robbery and violence Jaspoul Singh, from Bowden Road, London was convicted and sentenced on 15 December 2009 at Blackfriars Crown Court. On 1 October 2009 at around 03:30, intoxicated Jaspoul approached the 49-year-old victim in Killick Street, N1. The Sikh Times reports that he allegedly grabbed hold of the victim's tie and dragged him approximately 50 metres down the street whilst shouting racist abuse and threatening to stab him if he did not hand over his bag. He also punched the victim on the face. The victim managed to run
took the view that although he was a first time offender, his drunken state was no excuse for his attack on an innocent man. TDC Marcus Johnson from the Islington CID investigated the Blackfriars Crown Court attempted robbery: "This is a away from him and called stark warning to anyone police. However jaspoul contemplating a criminal did not manage to steal or violent path. Even if it anything. is your first offence you CCTV footage from a will be jailed for a signifinearby university hall of cant period of time, that residence captured the you were drunk when you moments when Singh committed the crime is no attacked his victim. excuse." Jailing him, the judge
Future Generations Sai School Harrow by Aditi Vyas, Age 11
My Trip to the Maharaja Exhibition
When Sai School Head Teacher, Varsa Mistry read in the Asian Voice about the Maharaja Exhibition at the V&A Museum, she arranged a visit for pupils and parents to see this unique Exhibition on 29th December. I would like to share my experience of my Xmas holiday highlight. I was impatiently waiting for the incredible day to come. It was a long journey in the tube to South Kensington where V&A is located. I walked into the exhibition with Sai School pupils, my eyes slowly widening along with my mouth in great amazement. There in front of me was a fully decorated, life sized elephant positioned behind a horse! The elephant was adorned with a beautiful rich, ruby red cloth. He had a huge silver necklace around his neck. Above the elephant there was a specially designed seat
placed for a royal to sit upon. The horse was also dressed in the same fashion. The exhibition has a rare and amazing collection from different parts of India of various items starting from 18th to 20th century, many being lent from India’s royalty for the first time. As I looked around there were many paintings, depicting weddings; people playing polo; royals meditating, people fighting and portraits. Looking at the paintings one can deduce the richness of lifestyles that the people had. On display there were rich and glamorous robes and sarees with intricate hand stitched designs. Men use to wear big decorated turbans and beautiful shoes. Royals wore elaborate jewellery and they were all made of Gold, diamonds, rubies and and sapphires. On view they also had some of
the weapons that were used. The handle of the weapons were made out of gold with real stones, even the sword sleeves were made out of gold. We could see the British’s entry into India through the British East India Company and changing role of the Maharajas under British rule. Many royals lavished gifts to the British to maintain control over their states. There were also some footage of Mahatma Gandhi at the time of British government. Maharajas had immense wealth, but amazingly it was someone who was born into an ordinary family in Porbandar who had the inner strength to fight for India’s independence. It was a great trip and I would recommend people to visit the Maharaja exhibition at the V & A Museum as it finishes on 15th January.
Estranged husband get life sentence for murder Husband of Varsha Champaclal has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his wife. He has been ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years. V a r s h a Champaclal, aged 44, had left her husband Thaker Kardam Ramanlal, aged 48, in August 2008. Just six months later on 13 February Ramanlal went to her place of work armed with a knife and killed her. Ramanlal, a call centre worker, from Coombe Lane, Kingston
Varsha Champaclal
was charged on the 17
February with the murder of Varsha Champaclal in Mitcham on 13 February. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished r e s p o n s i b i l i t y. However, the jury found him guilty of her murder as evidence showed him to have intent outlining his movements on CCTV, buying a knife at his local Sainsbury's before visiting Varsha's place of work.