INTERNATIONAL journalist and former councillor in the Couva/Tabaquite/Talparo Regional Corporation Parasram "Paras" Ramoutar has expressed his autobiography can inspire community work and an improved level of journalism.
He was speaking with Newsday in an interview about his book A Call Within A Call: All Politics is Local.
The book launched last September at his alma mater, Toronto Metropolitan University, where he completed a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from 1971 to 1974.
It is the first book from the councillor, journalist, religious worker, communications adviser and community worker. He said he has been involved in community work for about 50 years starting from primary school and continuing into high school.
"And when I finished university, it gave it a new spin on it. And I felt I should get involved in the community that I lived and by extension the country, and, by full extension, humanity."
He said it had always been at the forefront of his mind to document his work for others coming after him to "exemplify" what he did.
"To do better than what I've done. To continue the work. Because community work is an ongoing process. It doesn't stop with me."
Asked about the title of the book, he explained he found it an inspiring theme.
"A call within a call lies within all of us. There is a call within all of us. And I felt this was a catchphrase for others to read what I have written and to try and continue where I have stopped."
Follow my footpath
He expressed hope councillors and journalists would look at his book as a "bible."
"To see where they are heading and if they could reach there. So, if they can't reach there, they will look at my book as a guide and an inspiration to reach there. To follow my footpath."
For councillors, he said the book should inspire them to "get their feet on the ground."
[caption id="attachment_1047164" align="alignnone" width="480"] Paras Ramoutar's book: The autobiography A Call Within A Call: All Politics is Local. -[/caption]
"And to try and help anybody, everybody as much as you can. It doesn't matter how high you are, you have to touch the ground at all times and see how you can help people. We are one humanity and we have to be our brother's keeper at all points of our lives."
He noted his motto is Driven by Commitment. Powered by Integrity.
Ramoutar mentioned in the book that he had met former Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and former US President Jimmy Carter and several other notable people through his journalistic career.
He has written for the Toronto Sun, the Indo-Asian news service, and the Press Trust of India. He still writes for the South Asian Monitor and for Hinduism Today – a news service specialising in Hindu issues, and still contributes to some Toronto newspapers.
Asked about the current state of journalism in this country, he replied the media needed to get more serious about their work.
"Because a minister says something in Parliament and three years afterwards it doesn't come into being and he repeats it. T
