THE PRIORITIES TO SALVAGE GOA.

THE PRIORITIES TO SALVAGE GOA



By Aires Rodrigues



Goa lies in a critical state so very wounded and brazenly defaced. Being a small beautiful State blessed with abundant resources and a very picturesque landscape it should have been India’s best State in all respects. If immediate remedial steps are not taken we will lose the battle to Save this once Paradise of the east now in a state of decay, disarray and grave concern.



Goa needs to have a planned development with an environmental vision by first improving Goa's crumbling basic infrastructure while also tackling serious issues like garbage and vehicle parking in cities on a top priority. Every citizen has a right to good roads, proper power and water supply. The Planning and Development authorities (PDA’s) must be scrapped and planning work must be facilitated by assigning a Town Planner at every Municipality. There is an urgent need to enact necessary amendments to the Town and Country Planning Act to ensure that land use is not manipulated at the whims and fancies of those in power.



There has to be a check on rampant corruption, gross indiscipline and rank abuse of authority currently prevalent in Government offices. With corruption having peaked, Goa urgently needs the setting up of a "Lokayukta” to ensure public accountability of Ministers including the Chief Minister, Members of the Legislative Assembly, Municipal Councilors and Panchayat members, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Managing Director and Members of all the Corporations under the control of the Government. The working of all the NGO’s also needs to be made transparent and accountable.



Independence of the police force is a must. Ministers and MLA’s should stop controlling and manipulating police stations. The power to transfer and promote police personnel should vest only with the Director General of Police, IGP and DIG.



To promote the interests of Goa’s educated unemployed the Government should revert the retirement age of government employees to 58 if not 55 and stop the extensions in service and contract appointments being given to retired government officers.



We need to ensure transparency in recruitment of all government staff by entrusting the entire selection process to a properly constituted Goa Public Service Commission. Selection to all posts should be strictly on merit. All government jobs should go only to people of Goan origin and 80% jobs in private and other organizations must be reserved for those who are domiciled in Goa for at least 25 years. Many of the unnecessary Government Corporations which are operating as white elephants burdening the tax payer should be wound up. The rest should be headed not by politicians but experts in the field related to the subject matter of the Corporation.



Information sought under the Right of Information Act has to be made more accessible to the public by having a centralized call centre in the State to handle all applications for information under the Act as has been done in the State of Bihar.



We must seriously look into the illegal migrant vote banks set up in most constituencies by certain politicians. All bogus voters on the electoral rolls of Goa need to be deleted as most of them are existing as voters in their home state too.



There is need for a law to regulate sale of land to persons not of Goan origin. Communidade land has to be protected for the purpose it was envisaged by taking deterrent action against large-scale encroachment and land use violation.



Everything possible needs to be done to keep Goa alive and healthy for generations to come. Posterity will not forgive us if we do not thwart the vested designs of those selfish and ever so greedy politicians who are out there in full force to devastate, destroy and bury Goa.



(the writer can be contacted on 9822684372 or airesrodrigues@yahoo.com)

Divarkars Celebrate the Feast of Our Lord the Redeemer

Kuwait Divarkars celebrated the feast of "Our Lord the Redeemer" on the 20th Nov.2011,at Royal Terrace Hall Salmiya, Kuwait.

The hall was packed with people from Divar Island,their relatives, friends and well-wishers. Earlier we celebrated Our Lord Redeemer Festive Mass at St. Theresa Church Salmiya, where beautiful hymns were sung by choir.

Sumptuous buffet was served. Excellent music provided by the DJ and our Compere for the evening Ms. Yvonne kept the crowd engrossed right through the end.

Welcome speech was given by John Corte highlighting the event and our future plans plus the statement of account was read to the people present.

The festivities ended with distribution of the prizes for the kid’s & adults games, and in future to meet often in bigger group on such occasions. Vote of thanks proposed by Eldon Carlos thanking all Kuwait Divarkars, members and their families for their support & contribution in making the event a grand success.

Let see the same sprit over the years to come!
Viva Divarkars