Grand Meet at Calangute.

A heavy tun out as expectedly witnessed the meeting called by Calangute Front for Responsible Tourism (CFRT) on Sunday at 5.00 pm at Calangute Curch Square. The convenor Anthony D Souza of Clangute took lot of pains to organise this meet.

Anthony D'Souza was ably supported in this venture by all his coleagues and especially the Calangute Church.
The meet started with a group dance and prayer song and a skit highlighting the ill effects of the dirty tourism spread in Goa by the local Government and local Panchayat bodies.

Among the topmost speakers who created records in their areas and in their respective fields in Goa, Geraldine Fernandes Chairperson of the Benaulim Citizens Action Committee appealed to the people of Goa to unite under one banner to save Goa . She stated that the Ganv Ghor Rakhan Manch was a forum to cover all villages in Go and that the collective efforts would stop the rampant destruction going on.

Ms Adolphine Thamm an activist from Sinquerim Bardez highlighted the issue at Sinquerim plateau way back in 2000 when the Taj Group of hotels intended to open up a three and a half lac recreation park with cine houses swimming pools and hundred houses . This was opposed tooth and nail until the Management took the Directorate of Panchayat to Court and pursued the matter for six long years.. With the help of the Parish priest of Sinquerim Fr David Filinto the issues of sewage waste etc they pursued the matter with the authorities.

Pravin Sabnis GBA rendered a beautiful song "Goa lies over the mountains , My Goa lies around the rivers Bring back oh bring back my Goa to me to me” He reminded the people that while Government does development to satiate its greed the people should make out one for their needs To achieve this he said the Goans should have to put in a moratorium of no fights with one another, visit the villages themselves and make an inventory of the things around the village and then have a development plan. Mr Sabnis was shocked that a Minister for Panchayati Raj was taking an unconstitutional stand declaring that he would permit mega projects if Panchayats through the Gram Sabhas opposed them . This runs contrary to oath sworn by him to protect the Constitution. As the 73rd Constitutional amendment had in 1992 given full powers to village development plans and the gram sabhas. He warned the Police officials at Orlim that the people of Goa would take the law in their own hand if they continued to harass the peaceful agitators. (Referring to a large number of people from Orlim who had attended this meet.)

Ben Evangelist a tiatrist from Benaulim wittingly spoke about his own social background that he came from the family of coastal belt and that during his youth he would see the Rampons along the beach now where stand the starred hotels declared out of bounds for locals . The traditional fishermen went to trawl at 5 fanthoms into the sea and now the motor boats have replaced the purseiners along the beach. His quoted late Chirs Perry from Margao who had a love for Goa’s tourism cradle Calangute and said he would roll in the grave to see Calngute destroyed and warned Goans to wake up and safeguard our lands. He blamed the Bhatcars of Goa (some of whom were on the crowd for selling the land to non goans and now partaking in such movements.

Mr Shyam Subder Naik from Advalpale in Bicholim in his analysis narrated how his village which was named as a jungle area was being destroyed . Mining had stopped in 2000 but the slag flowed from the pits from the mined earth (remember fore every 1 part of ore there are three Parts of rejects. Now with the China demand for low grade ore There are several leases being opened and the field have been destroyed.

Ramesh Gauns from Bicholim activist (Mining areas ) reminded people that the Government was like the blind men who were feeling the elephant. They do not know what they are doing . He said the people of Calangute are affected by Assonora for it is from her that their water needs are met He said that there are nearly seven water networks of which five are in the area of mining belt which is spread along 95 kms . There are 42 tributaries and four rivers and these will be saturated with over 610 leases oif mining being permitted. There are nearly 40, 000 traditional fishermen etc who would be affected with the saturation of water . There will be no tourism. (Incidentally the Carambolim lake has suddenly dried up baffling all )

Soter D Souza an activist on Panchayati Raj urged the people to demand a social audit on development during the last 20 years and the benefit to Goans . He asked the people to urge the government to carry out rural based housing industries etc instead of mega projects.

Anthony Veronica Fernandes from Candolim recalled that he as an activist had always kept the interest of Goans in mind. Though thirty years in Kuwait he had always held the Goans interest at heart . He likened the Goan issue to Palestinians who were fighting for their homeland. He said Candolim in the early 1960’s started to be the hippies bastion. He had protested their presence because of drugs . Today they have come in a high profile life styles. He pledged full support for the agitation.

Though he and many like him are in the Gulf yet they have equal responsibility to protect the interest of Goa and Goans. He concluded by saying that Goa is sold today to non-Goans only by the "Rostad" Goan Bhattkars to the thunderous applaus from the audience. His speech was applauded more than that of anybody.

Fr Maverick Fernandes, Council for Social Justice and Action reminded the large gathering that article 21 of the Constitution not only safeguarded the right to life but also to decent living. Are we being permitted decent living ? he questioned.. He said that there was no need for the government to take action against the will of the people . He said the 73rd amendment had already allowed gram sabhas to decide what is best for the village. Hence if every Goan is concerned with the future of Goa and they love their children then they should spare some time to put in place village development plans. The issue of Free Port the issue of Regional Plan SEZ and several other movements Nylon 6 6 Meta strips Konkan Railway and now the casinos were all agitations which were led as the Government actions were against the will of the people.

Rajan Korgaonkar from Baga was surprised to see how the development had changed . He stated that there was an occasion when there was a person from south who visited north Goa and was shocked that narrow by lanes drains lakes were destroyed . He could even not identify prominent landmarks. A number of foreigners who came to Goa in the early seventies were surprised at the changes and said this does not auger well for the Goans. We need to spare time for the future of Goa .

Mr Herman Abreu of Raia who now lives in Sinquerim sang a beautiful composition of Bob Marlee urging Goans to stand up and act . The audience stood on its feet and then clapped and sang in unison at the beat.

A pictorial diplay of "Rape of Goa" was presented by Rajan Parikar describeing the destruction along the coastline from Polem to Patradevi.

Posted by GOA.KRANTI

UNFIT GOAN CLUB PRESIDENTS

To
Mr Veronica
The Editor
Kranti

Please post this article on your website as soon as possible.

Regards
Peter Gomes

I agree with you Mr Veronica that most of the Goan organizations are run by unfit and uncultured people. It is such a shame that people who are holding good jobs are made the presidents and vice presidents of the Goan organizations while qualified people are made to sit out.

Many of the so-called presidents of the Goan organizations cannot even speak proper English and seem totally ignorant about the developments taking place around them. How will they be able to inspire their members? This itself speaks about our rotten Goan culture. We are only good at organizing ballroom dances and wasting money on useless events.

None of the Goan organizations have organized any quiz or sporting activities for school students. Other communities organize a variety of programmes but Goans are busy pulling down each other. There is a Perzent Of a Goan organization who is bhotto but he manages to win the elections by bribing the members.

Presidents of Goan organisations seem busy in pocketing the profit that they make from this “Faltu” dance shows. These dances are a bad influence on our culture because our youth are getting morally corrupt. A look at the dances shows that young boys and even girls puffing away to glory.

Some bring along their katre and nade boyfriends to these shows and their parents don’t even mind. I blame the parents for not keeping an eye on their children. I know a Goan family in which both the mother and the daughter are serviced by a nado. And the father is such a lolo and rostad that he does not mind. I think Goan organizations should look beyond the dance shows and do something for the student community as well as the runaway maids.

Also try to come up with some worthy projects back home rather than squandering their funds. There should be accountability and transparency among the organizations. Only then I think we will be able to control the funds.

If you look at the Filipino activities, they are focusing more on social activities rather than cultural activities. I truly admire the support of their organizations towards the society..

I ask you Mr Veronica to continue writing on the important issues about our community and hope you will continue your campaign against corrupt Goans.

gomesp14@yahoo.com

DECLARATION OF PROFIT OF THE FUNCTION.

DECLARATION OF PROFIT OF THE FUNCTION.

When we organize our functions such as Socials, Tiatros and Ballroom dancing we invite people by selling tickets to them. Many of the people who attend such functions they do so only to patronise these functions so as to help the organizers to promote their activities. Many people purchase the tickets but don’t attend the functions because they want to help the organizers monetarily to further the cause for which they organize their functions. When they purchase the tickets for such functions then they become obligated to know whether it was a success or not, whether the organizers have made any profit or not. And by duty, the organizers are more obligated, duty bound to inform their patrons and everyone who supported them by purchasing the tickets the full income and expenses or at least the profits acquired by organizing their functions. It is not enough to disclose the profit or loss only to the committee members of the Associations. Such functions are organized also with the help of all those who purchased the tickets and who also got right to know the outcome of their support. Hence, full transparency is imperative. If the organizers do not want to be transparent openly and publicly then they should organize their functions with the help of their committee members only. In which case they should not sell their tickets to outside their circle.

Unfortunately in Kuwait according to my knowledge with the exception of two Konkani associations none of the Goan Associations discloses its profits openly because there is no transparency in their activities – transparency to the public who support them by purchasing their tickets. Transparency to those whom they plead and beg to purchase their tickets. It is not enough to disclose their profits only to their committees. Ticket purchasers are bound by rights to know the profits. Many of our Associations are in the hands of “chors” and in the name of the community they rob the support of the people. It is these associations that disgrace the fair image of the community. These associations are not doing any good for the community; these associations are a curse on Goa and Goans. Unfortunately these associations are manned by “Bebdes” also. The major fund of the major Goan association is held in the personal account of three Curtorcars – tegui chors – because they are withholding what belongs to the account of their association and those who support them and elect them are equally “chors” of first grade because “chors” support and elect “chors” only. Otherwise good people would never support and elect people of dubious character.

If anybody thinks there are people of integrity and dignity in this major association of Goans then they are sadly mistaken. There are all cowards and crooks. Where are the Marios and Manuels from this association gone? Why they cannot challenge the rogues in their association? Where are the Carmos, Julios and Cajys gone? Why they cannot awaken other members? Where are the rest of the members who claim to be upright gone now? What will they do once they return to Goa? Will people especially their own villagers, neighbours and even family members have confidence in them for doing justice? I have lost my confidence in everyone of them. Like in Goa, in Kuwait too the affairs of Goans are gone into the hands of “chors” “bamttes” and “bebdes”. According to one source, the three “chors” have made a pact with the rest of the members who got them elected to share the lakhs with them. For this reason they are allowing the three “chors” to do what they want. Why money only they will share? If I go one step further in the words of one Goan, the guilty members will even share their wives and daughters with the three “chors”. For this reason there is silence over the looted money.

In future, people should not patronize the functions organized by associations manned by persons of questionable character. Unfortunately only the people of questionable character patronize functions of such associations.

A. Veronica Fernandes.