Masjid in New Amsterdam burgled
…worshippers lament inability to host coming Youman Nabi programme
THE Masjid-An-Nur (mosque) at Providence, Greater New Amsterdam, Berbice has allegedly been burgled, and several wares have been reported missing.President of the Mosque, Feroze Jaffarally, told the Guyana Chronicle that on December 14, 2013, a quantity of wares was lent to a family who hosted a religious function, and those items were returned on the following day and secured in a store room in the compound of the masjid.
“Since that time, no one went into the store room. However, on New Year’s Day, another family came to borrow our wares, and it was that time we (members of the mosque) discovered that the store room lock was broken and all the items were missing,” he related.
Three hundred ware plates and cups, thirty-two huge enamel basins, four enamel buckets with covers, five stand fans, two tarpaulins, one large water pitcher, and a stand-by generator donated by an overseas-based Guyanese and valued at $750,000 have all been discovered missing.
Subsequent investigations around the community led to the door of a character who is known to the police. He was arrested, but subsequently released. Following further investigations, the suspect was again nabbed by the lawmen on Monday, and is currently in custody assisting with further investigations.
CANNOT HOST YOUMAN NABI PROGRAMME
The distraught President of the Mosque pointed out that, with the absence of the items, the administration of the place of worship would be unable to host a Youman Nabi religious programme to mark the birth anniversary of the Islamic Holy Prophet Muhammad on January 14, a national holiday.
“We cannot host our guests at this time because all those items that were stolen were acquired for such events. It is sad that we have to seek other alternatives due to this act of sacrilege,” he regretfully expressed.
Jaffarally is hoping to recover the stand-by generator, since the cost of replacing it would be insurmountable in the near future.
“I can’t see one person being involved in this, and we at the masjid are of the opinion that whoever perpetrated this act had accomplices. A generator is not an easy thing for a single person to handle; and we hope that we can at least recover it, because it was a very valuable gift that served us well, especially during the holy month of Ramadan,” he lamented.
(By Michael Khan)