"POTTACHE" MLA's

"POTTACHE" MLA's

Finally Digambar Kamat an ex BJP stalwart from Margao constituency has finally been selected by the Congress Party to become the next Chief Minister of Goa. Good that Hitlerian Rane was dethroned but how long this Ministry of Digambar Kamat will last? Only the time will tell. Those MLAs from the opposition and also from the ruling party who will be out of ministerial berths, they will have to face hard time to be without power. They must have spent crores of rupees to fight this election and win their seats. And if they are not included in the Cabinet then they will have no possibility to regain their spent crores. How they will regain their spent crores? IT IS ONLY BY TAKING BRIBES IN LAKHS OF RUPPES AFTER THEY GET PLACES IN THE CABINET. Demanding bribes in lakhs of rupees is become an accepted norm and offering bribes too is also become an accepted norm. It is like legalized form of financial transaction though it is not sanctioned by the law and hence it is illegal. This type of rampant bribery developed only with the advent of PDF Government formed thru defections under the leadership of Churchill Alemao supported by Mauwin Godinho, Dr. Proto Barbosa, G.B. Gonsalves and others.

To dethrone Luizinho Faleiro, Francisco Sardinha, Mathanay Saldanha, Dr. Wilfred D’Souza and other heavyweights, middleweights and lightweights the winners must have spent crores of rupees. If these winners are not finding any place in the Cabinet then they will act like desperados leading to their defections and counter defections so as to get them Cabinet ranks. This type of desparateness on the part of those who are denied ministerial positions happen only when Congress Party rules in Goa because Congressmen wants to live the life of Maharajas and British Minarchs. In the name of socialism, Congressmen are aping Monarchs and Maharajas. Once they are in the Cabinet they will exploit the poor Goans in such a way that even for an ordinary water connection they will demand bribes in lakhs and people will have no choice but to surrender because people only elected them knowing well that they will demand bribes only. The current ministry under Digambar Kamat will surely have a short life span and at any moment it will collapse. The Congress ministry under Digambar Kamat is very collapsible. Parrikar, Babush and Churchill will be in readiness to overthrow the current Government of disparate elements collected from different parties and segments. In order to fulfill their ministerial ambitions “Pottache” MLA’s will defect from their parties on whose symbols they got elected and join the ruling party. The voters should be very alert now not to allow their MLA’s to defect to other parties. In order to fight for their MLA’s the voters have sacrificed so much even leading to the creation of enmities between them and the supporters of their opponents. Their efforts and sacrifices in getting their candidates elected should not be in vain. No voters in Goa should allow their MLAs to consider them, that is, the voters, as “Ghantta Boils”.

My regret this time will be like this that all the Government jobs will be on sale for lakhs of rupees. Who could afford this bribe? Can a poor person afford to sell out lakhs of rupees to get a Government job? Can the poor parents of a bright student afford to bribe a minister in lakhs of rupees to get their child a seat in Medical, Engineering or any such Government backed institutes? Will this Government be of poor people for the upliftment of poor? The poor will remain poor only under this Government. It is not Government jobs only that will be on sale but everything that is under Government will be on sale because “Pottache” MLA’s in continuation of their habbits will suck the blood of poor Goans in such a way that there will be nothing left in Goa for the Ministers not to release without bribes.

What will be the fate of Romi Konkani under the present Congress Government? I doubt it will materialize because the Chief Minister himself is the protégé of Marathi faction and Nagri segment. This Chief Minister Digambar Kamat has never said a positive word on Romi Konkani and our Romi protagonists in Goa including Tiatrists have never brought pressure on the Salcette candidates especially of Congress to make commitment on Romi Konkani. Just by releasing few Press Releases on Internet you cannot make a movement. I thought Tiatrists will do something more for the cause of Romi Konkani, but no, my expectations went wrong.

Congress Party has taken the support of Christians for granted because Congress knows that Christians are not having any choice except to support Congress because other parties like BJP and MGP are both anti-Christians. The support of Christians for Congress party was of tremendous assistance for it to gain power from the time UG got dissolved into Cong. Urs and Cong U finally merged with Indira Congress. When Christao in Goa supported current Congress party they did it so only for the Congress party symbol irrespective of the religious affinity of the candidates. Congress should be grateful to Goan Christao for electing it to power and as such Congress should satisfy the wishes and aspirations of Christao in Goa. But is Congress doing so? Surely Not. And what is the role of our Christao Congress MLAs and Ministers? They look like rascals of first grade. If they were sincere to our causes they would have brought in pressure on Congress party command in Goa and Delhi and get our rights materialized. This should have been done at least during the time of Chief Ministership of Christao MLAs. Will Congress party do justice for Romi Konkani? Definitely NOT because that bloody “kontrel” Margareth Alva who was rejected in her home place Mangalore will never do justice for our cause in Goa. She will suck the blood of Goans and destroy Congress Party in Goa and go into oblivion. When last time I called her from Kuwait and asked her opinion on Romi Konkani, she screamed at me like a dictator and answered “You are only talking from Kuwait, you come to Goa and talk, and then she banged her telephone down”. This bloody Margareth Alva who is known to have involved in land and property scams in Goa does not know what I have done from Kuwait for the cause of Goa and Konkani. What I have done for the cause of Konkani from Kuwait Margareth Alva will have to take one more birth to know and even then she will not know. What I have done for the cause of Konkani from Kuwait very few have done from Goa and as a matter of interest no expatriate Goan has done what I have done. This is not to boast but to speak the truth.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

2007 ELECTION RESULTS.

2007 ELECTION RESULTS.

Finally the much awaited results of the Goa election 2007 have been declared. No single party got the majority. Now the formation of Goa ministry will be a very difficult task because expert tailors will be required to stitch the small – small pieces together and go to the Governor. Churchill Alemao has proved to everyone what it means to challenge his worst rival and Kumpar Luizinho Faleiro who was considered like a de facto Monarch of Navelim. The pride of Luizinho’s wife was partly responsible for the fall of her husband. Some of the Navelim constituents in Kuwait have fabulously applauded the fall of Luizinho Faleiro.

The fall of another stalwart of Goan politics Sardinha from Curtorim, over quarter of a century in Goan politics, like Luizin Faleiro, is yet another humiliating kick on his back. Sardinha’s defeat was very much applauded by very many Goans in Kuwait because the real sons of Goa who loved Goa were deeply hurt when he brought in BJP into power in Goa for his selfish benefits last time. He is a cursed man for encouraging BJP to play communalism in Goa. It was he who gave BJP an opportunity to rule Goa against the interests of Christians. It was a shame on Christians to have such a anti-Christian member in their community. And finally he got the deserving punishment though belatedly but definitely because punishment sometimes comes lame footed. He was like a “dada” of Goan politics. He cared for none. He used politics for furthering his personal gains. In order to get maximum benefits for his niece, he once by using his ministerial clout, tried to help her in enhancing her marks in the examination. These politicians to get what they want will do anything because they by all means want power. To get this power some of them will even dole their wives and sacrifice their honours. And their wives will also succumb to this temptation willingly because they are also beneficiaries of the power of their husbands.

Dr. Willy’s defeat is yet another “Sunami” which nobody expected. At the age of 80 I don’t think Dr. Willy should think of taking active part in Goan politics but he will not give up easily because not like Saligaocho “kolo” but like Anjuncho “Xinv” he will try to pounce back on his rival again since as we know once tasted blood Lion will not simply give up sucking the blood of a goat. Dr. Willy if not nil then at least less scandalous Goan politician who maintained much higher decency than most of the dirty Goan politicians. During the language agitation of eighties he was with the then Governor of Goa helped and supported Konknnivadis and Konkani agitationists otherwise MGP and Khalaph with the secret nod of Rane as Chief Minister of Goa would allow our enemies to shoot and kill not only one Florian Vaz and so many Agxekars but countless innocent Konkani souls. Khalap is suffering now political wilderness of course as a course deservingly from the Konkanivadis. No doubt it is time for Willy now to say bi-bi to politics but by involving in politics he got himself changed a lot as an individual otherwise he was very proud man suffering from super superiority complex especially when he was a practicing surgeon at Asilo Hospital Mapusa and later on at Remanso’s before embarking on politcs. Any way he deserves lot of compliments for serving the cause of Goa and Goans because he had great love for Goa. I salute his services for the genuine cause of Goa though he could have done still better but his sense of feudality and casteism prevented him from doing more good.. He got himself involved in politics unlike Luizin and Sardinha not to make money. Money was not unknown to him. He did not get himself involved in sex scandal and other scams normally done by many of the politicians in Goa. It is a pity that he surrendered his precious seat to BJP.

Now, will the elected MLA’s especially from Non-Gongress and Non-BJP parties remain faithful to their parties on whose symbols they are elected? If any elected MLA defects to any other party he will prove to be the number one “Pottacho”. Who will be the “Pottacho” MLA in the next Assembly? He will be the one who changes his party and when once any MLA changes his party label thru defection then he should be dubbed as “Pottacho”. There should be no further evidence to prove his fatherhood, his defection itself will prove who he is. Only the illegitimates will go for defection. And the voters who got these defectors elected must not keep silent for their elected MLAs if they defect. And if they accept defection by their MLA’s then those who worked for them and got them elected will also be the first class “Pottache” because “Pottache” accepts “Pottache”.

The defeat of Mathany Saldanha is a great relief for those who asked punishment for him. He deceived the confidence of his voters by joining communal and anti-Christian BJP when he was elected last time on anti-BJP platform. He took his voters for a ride as if voters are his Mundkars in Cansaulim. Pride and arrogance purely in the style of Bhattkar during the time Portuguese rule in Goa was his forte and these attributes finally put him down. Though he deserves loss because he is the robber who robbed the confidence of his voters by joining BJP but the victory of Mauwin Godinho is not a big consolation. After being out of power during the last 5 years, Godinho will come out like a wounded lion and in the bargain he will do lot of damages to lot of people and for the interest of genuine Goans. I am sure he may even turn whole of Cortalim into a colony of Ghanttis. If he behaves well and acts matured then well and good, if not, Fr. Conceicao and only Fr. Conceicao should be held responsible. It is not enough to ask people to elect Mauwin but more than that it is important for Fr. Conceicao to guide Mauwin in a right direction, unrevengeful, unarrogant and uncorrupt with total humility in tune with Christian principle as propagated in Mandur Retreat by Fr. Conceicao of course with the help of Sister Agnes without whose cooperation Fr. Conceicao is shallow.

The loss of Jennifer Monsurate was a big blow to the pride of Babush Monsurate. Mummy deserves her victory because she is still a very good fighter for the cause of Goa and Goans. In Shirodkar’s defeat another long wicket has been collapsed. These people thought that there is no end for their power and political profession. Shirodkar’s excelled in being very good opportunist in joining any Ministry to promote his personal interests. All the heavyweights who lost the power will have to face the humiliation of powerlessness. At the cost of tax payers they were living the life of Maharajas unmindful of the hardships of the ordinary people. These people unfit to stay in the “Komptti” finally went to occupy Bungalows at Altinho and yet shamelessly they talk of Ghandian principles and Marx’s socialism.

It is not enough for Navelkars and Curtorkars just to elect Churchill and Alex Reginaldo but more than that they must see to it that Churchill and Reginaldo do not defect to any other party nor they join BJP in forming the next ministry. Parrikar is a clever man. In no way he should be given the chance on silver platter to run Goa Government on communal lines. Churchill can do lot of harm for Goa thru politics as he has done in the past but on the other hand he can also do lot of good for the cause of Goa and Goans. His voters should stop him from doing harm but support and encourage him in doing good. Defecting to other party and joining BJP will tantamount to doing harm to Goa. This is to be avoided by all means.

Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

TIATRO IN KUWAIT “HO UZO PALLOIEAT”?

TIATRO IN KUWAIT “HO UZO PALLOIEAT”?

Instead of 3.30 p.m., started at 4.30 p.m., at Hawally A/C hall, on Friday 01.06.07, Menino de Bhandar staged his 86th Show of his Tiatro “Ho Uzo Paloieat” which was thinly attended by the audience. It was very sad to see within a short time to see a second century maker Tiatro writer and director bowled by the Kuwait audience. Earlier it was Rose Ferns and now Menino de Bhandar, both century makers. Are Kuwait people fed up of attending Tiatro now very often? Do they find it hard to open their pockets every month to purchase the tickets? Or they want to tell the directors and Kuwait organizers that you must slow down in staging your Tiatros almost every month? Gone were the days when we used to have once a year one or two Tiatros which were profusely attended by the huge crowd. Now the time is come for the organizers to beg with the people to patronize their Tiatros. It is not only the credidibily of the directors and artistes that count but also the credibility of the organizers too.

Menino de Bhandar a mighty personality physically when I saw his Show first time in Kuwait, it was at Funaitees Indian Arts Circle before the invasion of Kuwait where one of his comedian artistes Carlos, was confronted by a stranger on the stage while the play was on and disrupted the proceedings. Because of his name and fame as depicted the crowd should have been just spontaneously pouring in to attend the show but, no, people in Kuwait have declared openly and loudly that enough is enough. Single century or double century, this is not Goa but Kuwait. When time comes, Kuwait Goans totally apply different attitude towards judging things. Let the Kuwait contractors and organizers get some lesson from the failure of attracting crowd for this show. It is sad to see our Tiatros in Kuwait going down attendancewise. To bring the level of Tiatros and attendance I have worked very hard but currently unnecessary competition amongst the organizers have spoiled the whole scenario.

Beimanpon is the hallmark of some of the noted and prominent tiatrists. For many tiatrists Kuwait is become like a second Goa but when the late Amir of Kuwait died none of the Goa based Tiatrists had human hearts to have a small condolence meeting on the sad demise of the late Sheikh which could have created a goodwill between Goans and Kuwait. This kind gesture would have enhanced even our reputation in Kuwait from where we earn our sustenance and visiting Tiatrists gain financially. Because of Kuwait so many Tiatrists earned and gained so much. But still they have no gratitude for Kuwait. Even during the time of invasion of Kuwait some of the Goa based tiatrists made mockery of Kuwait and Kuwait Goan evacuees from the Stage when we were suffering. That was not the time for us to suffer more when we were already made to suffer by Saddam Hussein. When we organized the movement in Goa in support of the liberation of Kuwait, none of the Goa based tiatrists openly associated with us. But ironically, when Kuwait was liberated they were the first in “Q” to come to Kuwait and earn Dinar. “Ingratitude is your hallmark, oh ye men”. Incidentally, Goa based visiting Tiatrists are the best beneficiaries of the liberation of Kuwait.

The story of “Ho Uzo Palloieat” is based on family life and since this tiatro is going to be staged in other parts of the Gulf next week, I feel I should refrain from disclosing the story so that people’s taste elsewhere is not quenched much in advance. To organize a Tiatro in the Gulf is not an easy task. Last month we know how confusing the situation has occurred for the first time in Kuwait history for the Tiatro of Mini Mario “Kiteak Ho Bazar Cholta”. How much the inconvenience the contractors had to face, how much the loss they had to suffer and how much money they had to sell out as an extortion finally to get the tiatro staged in Kuwait. No doubt financially they suffered the loss but on the other hand they gained maximum goodwill thru sympathy. And today many in the community see them as martyrs crucified without much valid reason.

Giving few glimpses of the play staged on Friday, it was a simple story based on “dubau” but nicely decorated and enacted. Because of “Dubau” St. Thomas refused to acknowledge the real appearance of Jesus Christ after His resurrection when his other apostle colleagues told him the truth. On “Dubau” once the great Saib Rocha wrote and staged his magnificent tiatro “Dubavi Gorkarn” and showed to the audience how a “dubau” into the mind of the lady can destroy the peaceful home. Saib Rocha was a genius. Those days gigantic tiatrists namely J. P. Souzalin, Alexinho de Candolim, Minguel Rod and Souza Ferrao and even others were feeling small in front of him. Unfortunately being a “Saib” of Konkani Stage, Saib Rocha finally died a miserable death as a pauper at St. Inez Old Age House managed by the Provedoria, of course and pitiably unsung, unwanted and anknown. Many times this is the finale of some of the once giants. Currently the so called self proclaimed gigantic directors are pigmies in front of Saib Rocha.

In “Ho Uzo Palloiat”, because of the “dubau” when their “ghorabo” is brought on the verge of destruction, Antonette de Calangute with her majestic and attractive personality, doing the role of dutiful widowed “Uni” of two “Ders” – Anthony San and pony tailed Willy - tells the wives of her “Ders” sternly to remain subjugated to their husbands because they are women and as women they must always remain inferior to their husbands. The roles of destructive and “Dubavi” wives of Anthony San and Willy were appropriately played by veteran Felcy and the new to me on Kuwait Konkani Stage Ida who showed lot of enthusiasm in displaying her talents.

Alexinho de Candolim was a genius. The great son of Goa Fr. Mendonca – the then principal of Arpora High School and considered to be the intellectually genius in Goa, once said about Alexinho de Candolim - “Oh my God, what Alexinho de Candolim is! He is a real genius. If this man had little more education, he would be super human being”. In one of his songs Alexinho de Candolim said “Dadlo sodanch vhoddlo ani ostori sodanch lhan”. As a counter attack, Kid Boxer another genius of Konkani Stage composed and rendered his song at Mapusa and said “Ostori sodanch vhodd dadlea poros and dadlo lhan ostore poros”. Both cited the reasons for their statements. Alexinho de Candolim was attending the Tiatro as a member of the audience where Kid Boxer was singing his song. Listening to this song, Alexinho de Candolim “sidha” went to the dressing room and without uttering a single word gave a mighty slap on the face of physically mighty Kid Boxer accusing him of saying “dadlo lhan ani ostori vhodd”. Then everybody realized the calibre of Alexinho de Candolim’s power to fight and that of Kid Boxer to meekly surrender inspite of having mighty physique.

Damaciano Caridade was then called “Pai Romansi Boroinnarancho” because there is no one to compete with him even now in “Romansi” writing. Within 48 hours Damacian Caridade wrote his new Romans named “Eden” which happened to be his last Romans, very interesting and highly intellectual. Once you start reading this Romans you will never lose its taste. In this Romans Damaciano Caridade accused both the singers Alexinho de Candolim and Kid Boxer for creating discord in the family life of many of the peaceful families when some wives started degrading their husbands and vice versa. And while concluding this Romans, Eden, Damaciano Caridade threatened Kid Boxer and Alexinho de Candolim to apologise publicly from the stage for lowering the status of husband and wife without scientific and valid reasons. If not, said Damaciano Caridade “My next Romans is waiting in readiness to attack you both who are guilty of creating discords in the family lives of so many peaceful “ghorabe”. Unfortunately and regretfully, before executing his threat suddenly Damaciano Caridade DIED. With his death we the readers, writers and Konkani lovers lost the greatest Konkani writer of which type will Konkani world get again? I doubt because “such a man”, to quote poet Y. B. Yeats “comes to this planet once in centuries”. But according to me such a man will never come again in our community.

In Ho Uzo Palloieat, besides Antonette de Calangute, others who also deserve compliments for their good roles are Antonette’s husband Bonny whom I know since 1978 when he first time acted in Epa de Utorda’s Non-Stop Show at Kuwait Church’s big Hall. He was then like a charming prince, handsome and very attractive, full of youth and always well dressed with meticulous precision and doing excellent roles of a hero. At that time I was the correspondent of “Goa Today” monthly magazine and a weekly “Goemcho Mog” but his wonderful performance never made me tired of writing good of him. In Ho Uzo Palloieat on Friday he played the role of an elderly man with much adroitness. During those days he was an active member of Konkani movement and even joined Kuwait Konknni Kendr in the promotion of Konkani activities.

The next who captured my attention more in this Tiatro was evergreen female artiste Felcy whom I first saw acting in late sixties in the Tiatro “Lembddo Santan” of Minguel Rod but staged by his son Jr. Rod. She at that time was like a young princess, very attractive with her beautiful looks doing the role of a heroine opposite to Jr. Rod. Her father Rom Tony was guiding her from behind the curtain. She now has developed into maturity and become seasoned. Though grown in age yet she has not lost her original stage charm. Her dress code, style and attractive silky personality still charms the audience. Doing her role appropriately, she receives more attention from the audience. Precisely because of this she is still a much sought after female artiste.

Anthony San and Willy played their roles well but clarity wise and delivery wise Anthony San remain superior. When the clarity is faulty the effects of the delivery fail the audience. Director goofed at some places in guiding the artistes rightly. I still remember the greatness of those days directors in guiding and directing their artistes in their Tiatros. To name a few, the then gigantic directors Alexinho de Candolim, Minguel Rod, C. Alvares, Saib Rocha, J. P. Souzalin, Airestedes Dias, Nelson Afonso, and Dr. Rosario Rodrigues had their own natural fineness in calibrating the roles of their artistes as per the need of the hour. Comedian Jannet did what once great comedians Anthony Mendes, Jacinto Vaz and M. Boyer used to do individually and single-handedly on the stage in comedy roles. This is the first time I see a female comedian shouldering the entire burden of the whole comedy and the entire audience accepting her. This is something unique and it has to be carried forward for the delight of the audience. At least few in the audience came to see this tiatro only because of comedian Jannet.

Among the songs, Anthony San’s “Goem Bhangarachem” was good, it was based on the tune in ditto of Alfred Rose “Goa-Goa-mhonon sogleaninch marli danv” which was composed by Alfred Rose in 1959 soon after the second last Exposition of St. Francis Xavier before the annexure of Goa by Bharat. Osvi’s solo describing the greatness of yester years tiatrists was worth listening. Even his singing with his sweet voice was admirable.

Unfortunately, there was not a single “canto” that melted the hearts of the audience even though the story at moments takes a pathetic turn. The only canto on fast tempo that I liked was the one based on Portuguese tune of the song “Lae cima esta o tiro lilo-lo”. On this tune Nelson Afonso rendered one canto in his great Tiatro Nationalist in 1965 and Alexinho de Candolim rendered Opening Chorus of his much admired tiatro “Mundkari” in late 1950.

Regretably there was not a single song that gave some education to the Kuwaitkars neither on the community affairs in Kuwait.

A.Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.