MSTT Minister the Hon. Fazal Karim receives from Dr. Yahia Abdul-Rahman a copy of his latest book entitled “The Art of Islamic Banking and Finance - Tools and techniques for community-based banking.”

“I challenge the Takaaful T & T Friendly Society to go beyond what you are now doing and to respond to those who have previously been neglected by plunging yourselves deeper into acts of charity… and thus commemorate the pleasure of Almighty Allah’s permission for us to live in this duniyah (world) with daily acts of ibadaat (worship).”

Minister of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education, the Hon. Fazal Karim (standing in for an ailing Minister of Community Development) was speaking at an all-day seminar entitled ‘Waqf - A Sustainable Development Institution for Muslim Communities’ held on February 20th at the Centre of Excellence in Macoya  at which visiting Banker, Imam, Author and Scholar, Dr. Yahia Abdul-Rahman was the principal facilitator.

Stating that “finance has always been a rich topic for discussion in Islam” and that “we all need financial security”, the affable Minister lauded the Society’s efforts to date but urged them to extend the various products that were presently offered so as to open the net to a wider number of the poor an dispossessed. In this connection, he suggested that an invitation to a similar event be again extended to the both the Ministers of Community Development and Minister of the People.

Minister Karim pointed out that the oil-rich kingdom of Saudi Arabia had been setting up “economic cities” based on the theme that “there is life after oil and gas” while the present Government were expanding the GATE project in order to address a wider spectrum of the needs of our society.