GOA DAY AND FOOD & MANDO FESTIVAL.
The Goan Welfare Society – Kuwait and Goan Cultural Centre – Kuwait have both announced their functions on the same date, that is on 9th of next month. Goa Day by Goan Welfare Society (GWS) and Food & Mando Festival by Goan Cultural Centre. Goan Cultural Centre claims that they have announced their function much in advance and hence GWS should not have scheduled their function on the same date to create an unnecessary clash leading to the division amongst Goans in Kuwait.
Both are Goan organizations and both are organizing their functions for and on behalf of Goans. It is not good to have two functions on the same day. Wisdomatic persons should come forward and avoid this clash and division amongst Goans. If anybody is really for the interest of Goans and also for the unity of Goans then he should make a way for the other to have his function first. Logically the one who announced first should have a priority. In view of this, GWS should withdraw from this clash and postpone or advance its function. By doing this heaven will not fall down for GWS. Adamancy will prove who is for unity and who is for disunity and thus expose themselves as enemies of Goan unity in Kuwait.
I don’t understand why there should be a clash and for what reason. Is it to satisfy one’s ego? Is it to create a discord amongst us unnecessarily? It is not enough to say “we are for unity and peace amongst Goans in Kuwait”. If it is so then why should there be a clash?
Last year, Kuwait Konknni Kendr (KKK) announced its function on a particular date but later on suddenly somebody also came in-between to create a clash. In order not to rupture our unity, KKK not only withdrew from the clashing date silently but totally cancelled its function.
I feel those who are participating in GWS function should impress upon GWS managing committee to avoid this clash, and if they are really interested in the unity of Goans in Kuwait thru their association and participation, then they will force GWS to withdraw and allow Goan Cultural Centre to have 9th November since Goan Cultural Centre has already made preparations by announcing this date first.
Organizing of Goa Day under Goan Welfare Society is coming after a long gap. GWS was in total disarray for the last few years. Everybody knows how a few years back when Goa Day was organized at Indian Arts Circle Funaitees by GWS there were so many dirty scandals and happenings that took place there which brought the fair image of Goans into total disrepute especially of our women. Drunkenness, fist fights and molestation was rampant forcing the decent persons and decent families to leave the hall. Normally, decent Goans do not attend such functions organised by such organisations.
Those who are co-operating with GWS in organizing this year’s Goa Day must think twice. I also request the Church and priests in Kuwait to caution the people of the ills by attending vulgar functions where sinful acts are easily committed. Since most of the people attending such functions are Catholics, I must also convey my concern to the local priests who will be in a better position to guide our community members in the right direction otherwise there is a possibility for Hell to open.
Secondly, Goans should be very careful in participating in vulgarly organized functions because some amongst the organizers of such functions are cunning, drunkards and sexually perverted people. Goans should reject all functions where people with moral deformity are involved in organising Goan functions. Goans I mean Goans with high degree of morality and high degree of decency must avoid patronising social functions where the organisers are led by persons who demand sexual favours from young Goan girls for giving them the jobs. Goans should not support and associate in any activity where such sexually perverted Goans are involved in organizing our Goan functions. If Goans are really decent and if they are of good character then they will boycot the functions organized by sexually perverted leaders and organizers who will bring bad name for our innocent females.
When GWS was established, the founders had high ideals. Vincente D’Souza the then powerful Goan in Kuwait was the initiator of GWS. The existence of GWS is like a monument of Vincente D’Souza but if he was in Kuwait now he would never agree to hand over the custody of over 30 thousand Dinars fund of GWS into the hands of just three persons in their personal account. If all the three die suddenly then who will inherit this money? Surely not GWS or its members but the families of the dead. Because it is a wrong decision to entrust the GWS fund into the hands of three persons in their personal account, one of the members of GWS earlier filed a suit against the said three persons in the court of law for forcing the three persons to surrender the GWS money to GWS account yet no solution found. This fund is a public fund collected from the public for the benefit of Goans. It should come to the parent body and not left into the hands of just three persons in their personal account.
As for me I have no trust in those persons who were earlier involved in misusing the huge funds collected in Goa during the invasion of Kuwait in the name of Kuwait Goan Evacuees Society from the Kuwait evacuees. Up to now nobody knows exactly where this fund has gone. Some say it is gone to Canada. If this is the case, then there is every possibility other fund also to go to Canada. If Goans are real Goans then they will demand justice. It is better to consider “once you are corrupt then you will always be corrupt”.
Finally, a piece of advice to all who are participating in organizing Goa Day. Everyone participating must put their claims for membership of GWS and control the mischief being committed by some of the seniors of GWS. If participants don’t get membership then they should not only refrain from giving their participation but also boycott Goa Day. It is a long time now that there is an embargo on new enrolment which suits only the persons of dubious character. Participants should not be made as tools of the organisers to use them the way they want. If GWS is really for the cause of Goans then it will open its membership for every Goan who is willing to join GWS.
Beware! By having two functions on the same day there is bound to be a clash in the community. By creating this clash we will now come to know who will be the Goans who are on the forefront to create disunity amongst us. It is not enough to say “we are for unity”. If you are for unity then use your brain and work for unity. We are not having an Indo-Pak type of war amongst us warranting this type of clash. Why not engage in talk, discuss the matter amicably and avoid clash?
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
