The City of Sugar Land held a half-day Pakistani “101” seminar for departmental leaders and key staff on Nov. 17. The program was the third in a series of sessions hosted by the city manager’s Multi-Cultural Advisory Team.
Barkat Charania, Shaukat Zakaria, Celina Shariff, Saleena Jafry, Farha Ahmed, Farah Lalani, Sugar Land City Manager Allen Bogard, Farah Khan, Naila Burki, Sajjad Burki, Jamal Jivani and Sugar Land Police Officer Arif Vadsaria. Not pictured are Fuad Cochinwala and Zarina Gopalani.
“Our first goal is to educate our staff on the major multi-cultural communities in Sugar Land so that we can better serve our residents,” said City Manager Allen Bogard. “We are excited and grateful that we have the opportunity to hear from representatives of Sugar Land’s South Asian Pakistani community, and we look forward to working with them to achieve our goal of excellence in the delivery of public services for all residents.”
The session included a presentation on the demography and customs of Pakistan, with a focus on why Pakistanis choose to live in Sugar Land and how their culture impacts local service delivery.
Following the presentation, attendees were able to ask a panel of community leaders specific questions such as whether or not emergency notifications need to be translated, what the perception of government is within the Pakistani community and which business etiquette practices need to be better understood by city employees.
Saleena Jafry, Celina Shariff, Zarina Gopalani, Naila Burki, Sajjad Burki, Sugar Land City Manager Allen Bogard, Farah Khan, Farha Ahmed, Shaukat Zakaria, Jamal Jivani and Farah Lalani. Not pictured are Fuad Cochinwala and Barkat Charania.
“As a community, we are very appreciative of the opportunity to open an important dialogue with the city,” said Farha Ahmed, a member of the city’s Multi-Cultural Advisory Team and Planning and Zoning Commission. “While we are very proud of our South Asian and Pakistani heritage, we are equally proud to be Americans, Texans and residents of Sugar Land.”
These “101” sessions are part of a larger city multi-cultural program which was established under the city manager’s leadership in April 2008 and focuses on three main objectives, which are to “enhance the ability for the city to meet the needs of residents
of all cultures and ethnic backgrounds, promote an understanding of all cultures among all residents and build opportunities for residents of all backgrounds to share in
and be a part of Sugar Land, Texan and American traditions,” according to city representatives.
For more information on this session or the city’s overall multi-cultural program, call 281-275-2710 or e-mail citymgr@sugarlandtx.gov.
30. November 2009 at 3:04 pm
southern, schools are a separate tax than municiple taxes, if the municipal employees need to be tought how to type up RFP’s for the trash contract then that is OK, but this is purely pandering to block voters, its PC BS. But, our university and community college system is set up to handle this type of stuff. All I am saying is don’t charge me more for trash pick up because you need to hold a sensitivity class.
30. November 2009 at 3:00 pm
Yeah Mega but this time I am the boss “tax payer” and I say no. And, I will let my councilman know and the mayor too. You know what they say about things that roll down hill don’t you?
You get a simple set of instructions from me, water, trash, fire, police, permits, etc. Pakistani 101 is not on the list, neither is any other seminar that doesn’t teach the employees specific tasks on how to do their job or how to make their job more efficient. I would rather everyone assigned to PAK101 get the day off than attend.
30. November 2009 at 2:58 pm
Our taxes do support UH and many other higher ed. institutions around the state. I still have no problem with them offering the class as long as I’m not forced to take it and they allow other groups the same access.
30. November 2009 at 2:52 pm
southern comfort, where do you draw the line? Can you just use your tax dollars for it? No, so you have to ask, what is the function of government? In my humble opinion, this is going to far. Turn the lights out and save the money. Now.. this is a perfect class for UofH right down the street. You want to pay for the tuition, have at it.
30. November 2009 at 2:50 pm
From what I read here I’d classify it as mandatory sensitivity training for city employees.
30. November 2009 at 2:49 pm
When the city says we have a tax rate of $.30 per $100 and a homestead exemption of 7%. My question is: if we didn’t have Pakistani 101, how much of a reduction could I get in my taxes? Its not about your race and your culture, its about the time and resources of my local government spent singling you out because you are from another country. The media can do it, your church can do it, your country club can do it, but when you ask my dollars to go towards identifying your particular group. It kind of makes me feel like I am getting ripped off.
Are Pakistani’s having a hard time coping in Sugar Land?
30. November 2009 at 2:45 pm
I’m a southern white male and not offended by this class the city is offering. I may not attend and that is also my choice, but I find no problem with them doing it as long as they don’t stop other groups from sponsoring similar classes.
30. November 2009 at 2:39 pm
Of course white men get called names when they object to racism. Ignorant, Loud, Angry. HaHa, what possibly could come out of Pakistani 101 that has any relevance to running the city? Do Pakistani’s drink and bath in different water than I? Do Pakistani’s call a different fire department when they need one? Do Pakistani’s needs special parks than I do? Tell me, what good does this do other than encourage more racism?
30. November 2009 at 1:33 pm
There is a difference in ‘all things equal’ and ‘all things equitable’. We do not live in an all things equal society. In my opinion there is far too much equity and not enough equality.
Although most folks demand equality, what they really want is equity.
30. November 2009 at 1:24 pm
If you speak out they will toss race cards at you. Zzzzz
30. November 2009 at 1:23 pm
And some people will just lay down when being trampled upon, obviously.
30. November 2009 at 1:20 pm
White men are, and have never been, the problem. Ignorant, loud and angry white men, who proclaim to speak for white men and women everywhere, are hugely problematic, no matter how few they are.
30. November 2009 at 1:12 pm
I am tired of everything being black, white, mexican, asian, indian, and now pakistani. It is all racism. Or should I say block voting by race.
But since we have drawn attention to this topic why don’t we just call it what it is and say they are looking for special consideration for their Muslim faith. If they really wanted to assimilate and be Americans, there wouldn’t be any need for Pakistani 101.
I just can’t call you Saleem the American, I also have to know you are Pakistani and are proud of your country and culture, right? And I have to be “sensitive” to your culture, right?
30. November 2009 at 1:08 pm
Don’t hate the player – hate the game.
30. November 2009 at 1:01 pm
WHOA MoCity, that’s not very PC of you! ha
30. November 2009 at 12:58 pm
Hey, here’s a thought – eliminate the white man and all the problems in the world would just go away! Everything would be butterflies and daffodils!
Crazy white men and their racist thoughts… for shame white man, for shame.
30. November 2009 at 12:41 pm
Wow, I think I know where those kids who put up the racist graffiti and swastikas got their ideas. Sugar Land seems to have a few angry and ignorant white dudes left.
30. November 2009 at 12:26 pm
This is total BS, what do you need to know about a foreign country’s customs to provide water, police, and fire protection to in the US. This is a waste of money and resources and I am not happy about it. Can they not read a water bill? Can they not dial 911? Is it too much to ask that people read and write in English? I am offended that they single out people by country of origin to provide specific services and information. I just might file a complaint. This is blatent racism in the form of pandering.
30. November 2009 at 12:23 pm
No joke… I love all this tolerance and pc crap.
‘When in Rome’ apparently doesn’t apply to the US.
30. November 2009 at 9:32 am
Reciprocate by explaining our customs and demography to the Pakistanis in attendance.