Surrey Sikh Temple In Debt

[Inder Singh]

http://www.thelinkpaper.ca/index.php?subaction=showfull&id=1263252932&archive=&start_from=&ucat=1

Police Must Investigate Questionable Transfers Of $520,000 By Balwant Gill’s Moderates SURREY – Were the questionable transfers of$520,000 of Guru Nanak Sikh temple’s money to charities linked to outgoing moderate losers led by Balwant Gill “highway robbery”, as many in the Surrey Sikh community are calling it or is there some “idiotic explanation” behind it.

In either case, it is the duty of Surrey RCMP to probe the questionable (many are calling it “illegal”) transfers of the huge amounts of money to charities closely linked with Gill’s moderate gang.

Guru Nanak Temple’s recent financial report filed with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) show that Gill and his moderate gang approved the transfers (disguised as donation) of $500,000 to Cloverdale Sikh Society, which according to LINK sources, is allegedly run by Harjinder Singh Cheema, who incidentally was installed by Gill to run for President of the losing moderate slate at the recent elections. The Cloverdale Sikh Society operates a temple in leased space in a shopping mall at 5748 175 St.

Gill and the gang also transferred another $20,000 to Bear Creek Cultural Society, which holds services at the Bear Creek Community Hall at 8580 132 St.

Neither Gill nor the representatives of the two Societies receiving the funds have commented publicly on the so-called donations and why they were made.

These questionable transfers have left the Temple with a debt of $450,000. This is absolutely mindboggling given Gill’s claims just last year that the temple had a million dollars in the bank.

“This is nothing more than a robbery,” said one temple worshipper who did not want his name used. “Tell me how do you justify leaving the temple with a debt of $450,000 while you give away $520,000 of the temple’s money for absolutely no reason whatsoever. I hope the police take a hard look at what has happened which in my view is entirely illegal. The money should be returned to the Surrey Guru Nanak Sikh Temple.”

It was also learned during the Sikh Youth’s takeover on Friday, January 1, 2010 of the temple’s affairs that Gill and the gang said some financial records had been accidentally destroyed by a water leak in the treasurer's office. And that the $450,000 debt was the result of taking out a $200,000 loan, a $150,000 line of credit and getting behind on the bills.

Yeah, when you give away $520,000 of the temple’s money, of course, you are going to go into debt. This is why it is extremely important that the money is recovered and punishment is doled out if parties are found to be negligent in throwing away the temple’s money.

Guru Nanak Temple’s new president Bikramjit Singh Sandhar expressed shock at the temple’s debt but reserved comment on the questionable transfers until a financial review of the temple finances is completed.

In 2008, the Gill slate reported the temple had assets of $6 million and revenues of $1.5 million, including $45,000 in investment interest.

During the 2009 election, Gill said there had been extensive renovations to the temple, including the construction of new facilities and the retirement of $2 million in debt.

Sandhar said the news of the debt was a shock because during the temple election, Gill-backed incumbents insisted the temple finances were in order.

The Fraser Health Authority's online records show the temple kitchen has been repeatedly cited for unsanitary conditions, including problems with pests and unclean counters and has been given a "high" hazard rating five times since April of 2008, reported the Surrey Leader newspaper.

Sandhar, whose slate has been stuck with a rundown temple with an unsanitary kitchen, said the temple will be brought up to standard by his team.

"We will overcome this, no problem," Sandhar told the Leader newspaper. "There is strength in numbers."

Sandhar said his slate plans to use English in temple services and will create programs to fight drug use and criminal behaviour by young people. They have also set up the temple’s first website at www.gurunanakgurdwara.ca as well as Facebook page.

11 Jan 2010 by editor