HELP HELPLESS KUWAIT GOAN ACCIDENT VICTIM "MINGUEL FERNANDES".
Gulf is the area where everyone likes to come to earn petrodollar. Kuwait being the most sought after place in the Gulf for foreigners like us to come and work and develop our economic position back at home. Because of our employment in the Gulf in general and Kuwait in particular we have made tremendous strides in our otherwise poor economic conditions. If today Goa is so much economically developed it is partly because of the Gulf money that watered Goa’s booming economy. Because of Gulf, poor and average Goan by working in this area made excellent advancement in their life. It is the dream of many of the Goans in Goa to work in the Gulf and make some money and return back to his native place.
Minguel Fernandes a young man from Loutolim Salcette is one of the Goans who came to Kuwait to earn petrollar and make his financial position comfortable. By coming to Kuwait and joining one of the Catering companies his dream was fulfilled but his thoughts remained unfulfilled in life because as we say in one Konkani proverb “tachim chintnam zalint sopnam” because while dreaming his thoughts in the company bus when he was coming home from the work on 11th March this year, his bus met with an accident and he suffered severe injuries to his entire body making him totally disabled from waist down. Because of these injuries both his legs from below the knees were amputated. His physical condition is totally miserable. His employers are in the process of sending him back to Goa for further treatment. His Brother Mr. Alex who works at the Mcdonals in Jaberiya. Cell #7647145 or Macdonald’s in Jabriya 5334848 - working for Mcdonals in Jabriya Kuwait is a shattered man. He is asking help for his brother so that this help may sustain him back home in Goa where he requires lot of medication and financial assistance to face the remaining life of his either on wheel chair or on the bed as a crippled man.
The tradition of Goans in Kuwait is such as put by some of our elders is never to allow a suffering Goan to face more sufferings. Our elders have already built a tradition in Kuwait always to support a needy Goan with a “full na pakli”. In this contribution some participated while others not but contribution of some was very essential. Kuwait Goans are known to create wonders when the need of such issues creeps in. There are many examples in the past to prove my point and many of the current Kuwait Goans are part of these examples. It is during this type of generous help that we Kuwait Goans got united for the common goal even though many of us in many times oppose one another either on flimsy grounds or on ideological grounds. But when the matter of charity or helping hand comes, Kuwait Goans always proved to be united.
The disabled Minguel Fernandes as depicted in the photographic news item in this forum earlier, as supplied by Carmo Santos ex president of Goan Welfare Society requires financial assistance. To render this assistance is not difficult for our huge Kuwait Goan community. We have about 10 to 15 Goan Clubs and Goan Associations, each unit can subscribe to this generous cause with “ful na pakli”. Besides there are so many financially affluent individual Goans in Kuwait who can easily render some help to Minguel Fernandes by contacting directly to his brother on his Cell.
Besides and most importantly ON BEHALF OF ENTIRE GOAN COMMUNITY, Goan Welfare Society can give very good financial help for Minguel Fernandes because GWS is having in its kitty over 30 thousand Kuwaiti Dinars collected from the support and contributions of community members to be utilized for the cause of community and community members. This huge fund was collected not to build castles and invest in business ventures nor to keep in individual accounts of the few selected members but to help the community members in alleviating their sufferings. Precisely because of this motto this organization was named as Goan WELFARE Society. In the initial stages I was a part of this organization not only as a founder member but also one of the initiators supporting the main initiator Mr. Vincente Desouza while some of those who are now controlling GWS were on the fore front to destroy it. In the initial stages I along with my friends and colleagues was on the forefront to raise the funds for this GWS in different forms and this pressure and work we did to fatten the kitty of GWS so that we ultimately help the needy Goans first in our midst who are suffering.
The entire Goan community in Kuwait must know very well the financial strength of GWS and what it is capable of doing. With their current funds at the disposal of GWS we can do wonders for the cause of community in Kuwait. With the strength of this huge funds and by utilizing it for the real purpose of Goan welfare in Kuwait we cannot allow any single suffering Goan to suffer in Kuwait because of lack of financial help. It is time now for GWS under the new managing committee to open their eyes and come out with the donation of at least KD 5000/- (KD Five Thousand) minimum to Minguel Fernandes. Community members must also pressurize and impress upon GWS management to come out with substantial help for Minguel. By helping Minguel Fernandes GWS will not do any favour on anyone but by doing so it will only do its duty as per the motto of the GWS. And please note everyone, today it is the turn of Minguel Fernandes but tomorrow it may be the turn of any of the members of GWS. Don’t simply issue negative verdict just because I am raising this issue openly. I am raising this issue on humanitarian grounds and not for my personal benefits. I am raising this issue openly and publicly because I know that GWS is having in its kitty huge funds collected for the utility of the welfare of the community members. Personally I have nothing to gain in it but Minguel Fernandes will gain something. And as a matter of interest I don’t know personally Minguel Fernandes, he is neither my relative nor friend nor villager. He is from Salcette and I am from Bardez but for me he is first a Goykar as I am and every Goykar has a duty to perform towards his brother Goykar.
Next month and next week there are some cultural and entertainment programs in Kuwait. There is one Dance for May Queen. Cant the organizers themselves allocate some amount for Minguel Fernandes’ cause? Let charity begins at home. On 11th of next month there is going to be a Tiatro of Meni Mario organized by Xavier and Manuel. Can’t they allocate at least the Housie proceeds for the cause of Minguel Fernandes? Earlier they promised to donate “ful na pakli” to one crippled girl in Goa from the proceeds of “Daddy” Tiatro. I am happy that they are going to maintain their promise, as they told me, and shortly this “ful na pakli” as per them will be sent and announced to the public.
Many times people are asking me “how much money I charge for those whose publicity I do?”. For the knowledge of everyone, what I write and what publicity I do for Tiatros, soccer and other things, it is purely free of charge. I don’t accept any monetary benefit for doing publicity of any Tiatro or any Footbal game or tournament. I don’t even accept free pass unless I have no choice when I come to know the organisers will feel hurt and insulted by saying no to them. Even last time for “Daddy” Tiatro when I made total publicity and when the organizers came to me with a complimentary pass I politely turned it down. Even for football the same. During the early days of our soccer activities at Sour Grounds I was on the forefront to supply news items to both the local dailies and to Goa too. The organizers on the final day as a surprise to me, used to give me gifts as a sign of token. But soon I made it known to them that instead of giving me gifts please give paid advertisements to GULAB Konkani Magazine so that my efforts and sacrifices are gone for the most dearest cause of mine and that of genuine Goans, that is for the promotion of Konkani. For Cine Times also I used to render similar help.
Helping Minguel Fernandes is the challenge for our sense of generosity and sense of charity. Let us accept this challenge as we accepted many times in the past. And while concluding, let me repeat “TODAY FOR MINGUEL FERNANDES, TOMORROW IT MAY BE FOR YOU OR ME because nowadays anything can happen to anyone and at any time and at any place. At this time we must be helpful and also we must be conscious of the needs of our brother. And at this critical hour we cannot say to Minguel Fernandes in a Biblical way “AM I MY BROTHER’S KEEPER?”. If we say so then surely we will face the wrath in a Biblical way.
Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
