by Lance Alexander

The Caribbean Children Foundation (TCCF) was the recipient of unexpected glorifying comments from Dr. Frank Anthony, Guyana’s Minister of Youth, Culture and Sports.

Minister Anthony, who is on vacation in Canada, was on his way to the Enmore Village Annual Family Day Picnic at Wildwood Park in Mississauga last Saturday when he made the unscheduled stop at TCCF’s Annual ‘Caribbean Flava Summa Lime’ Picnic in the same park.

Dr. Anthony said he was glad to stop by, after learning of all the good things and special help TCCF is providing for children from Guyana and the Caribbean who are in dire need of surgery which their parents cannot afford.

He declared it’s good to know that Guyanese and other Caribbean people who now reside in Canada have not forgotten their homeland and neighbours in the Caribbean by assisting in this cause.

“We are pleased with the support from Guyanese over here. Your efforts make a big difference in the lives of those children and their families”, he stated.

TCCF uses the Summa Lime as a fund-raising source. All profits realised from this event, as well as a recent boat cruise, and an upcoming annual Fall Dinner and Dance and a Valentine’s Ball earlier this year, will be used for arranging surgery for young Isabella Furguson from Trinidad and Seema Ganesh from Guyana.  The surgeons, as usual, have waived their fees for both operations but the money will cover other medical and related expenses.

Dr. Anthony was loud in his praise for TCCF’s President Jay Brijpaul, members of  TCCF and the 1,500 supporters who attended Saturday’s Summa Lime.

During the last 10 years, TCCF raised enough money through sponsors, several events and individual donations to cover the cost of surgeries for 50 children from Guyana and the Caribbean. The Minister made special mention of the several successful life-saving surgeries performed on children from Guyana and the Caribbean by Canadian doctors, adding that none of this would have been possible without TCCF.

A son of Enmore, Dr. Anthony mixed and mingled with some of TCCF’s guests before  reveling with the Enmore picnic crowd.