This is in response to
the news item appearing everywhere during the last two days on the English
Question Paper mentioning Goans acquiring Portuguese Passports, for going abroad
for jobs. To put it figuratively, it is since time immemorial
that Goans are known to go out in search of greener pastures because even after
451 years of Portuguese rule in Goa, we in Goa never attained the optimum level
of employment and because of this scarcity of jobs Goans preferred to go
abroad.
I don’t understand why
a few persons had to make this a big issue when it is a hard fact that so many
Goans are acquiring Portuguese Passports because it is become a mode of
employment to get not only much better income in the West but also it is become
a symbol of respect and dignity. Our government is a bankrupt government whose
ministers are selfish interested only to fill their pockets instead of creating
job avenues for our jobless manpower. Every Indian who acquires a Portuguese
Passport is aware of this fact. During the Portuguese rule in Goa, Goans by
virtue of being full fledged Portuguese nationals without any discrimination of
first class and second class citizens of Portugal where all were equal citizens,
were entitled to acquire Portuguese Passports and migrate to outside world.
If our government was capable
to provide jobs for our citizens then nobody would acquire Portuguese
Passport. There is no shame in acquiring
Portuguese Passports but there is a shame in charging, as informed, lakhs of
rupees for providing jobs where ministers and their subordinates are directly involved
in accepting the bribe for jobs. This is
not only shameful but disgraceful where no government is thinking to put a ban.
Now coming back again on the
question paper, those who raised this issue and blown it out of proportion are
trying to swim in the muddy water to get them opportunities in the political
fields. All those who are making this as
a big issue must first of all thank Portugal for providing Portugues Passports for
Goans and thereby easing the pressure of Goa government in providing jobs for
Goans. Secondly, it was good that thru
this question paper the youngsters at this young age only informed what days
are lying for them ahead. Thus giving them time to think very hard what misery they
will have to face when their time of employment comes. All those powerful people who felt ashamed of
Portuguese Passports for our unemployed youth they should have done something when
some of them were having political power in their hands. But they did nothing, “tankam
fokot Portugues Passport ostad”.
A.Veronica Fernandes.
