Goan footballers dejected at being ignored for Arjuna awards

Climax Lawrence

Indian footballers were disappointed after being ignored for the fifth consecutive time for the prestigious Arjuna awards.

This year four footballers - Mahesh Gawli, Deepak Mondal, Climax Lawrence and Renedy Singh - were nominated by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) but none was selected despite the Indian team's winning run in the last one year.

AIFF secretary general Alberto Colaco, sounding helpless, said: "if the selection committee does not select any footballer what can we do".

I.M. Vijayan was the last footballer to receive the Arjuna Award in 2003.

Mahesh Gawli (No. 4 above), who has been the recipient of the prestigious Jarnail Singh award, said deserving sportspersons are being left out.

"I think they don't consider football as a sport. We just had two losses over a period of one year. Can you show me one reason why we don't deserve it? The awards are given to undeserving candidates and it has always happened like that," Gawli told IANS.

The Dempo defender also spoke for his club coach Armando Colaco, whose name was recommended for the Dronacharya Award.

"I think he is one of the best coaches in the country. He even helped Dempo qualify for the AFC Champions League. Do you have any coach in any discipline with Armando's credentials?" asked Gawli.

India captain Bhaichung Bhutia, who received the Arjuna exactly a decade back, also wore a disappointed look after learning that none of his teammates was selected.

"Obviously it is very disappointing when the efforts are not recognised. Having received the Arjuna, I know the importance of it," said Bhutia, who is a member of the committee that decides the Arjuna awards.

Bhutia though was unable to attend the meeting of the committee as he was doing national duty.

Asked whether the AIFF is doing enough to back its players for the award, Bhutia said: "The federation at best can recommend the names of the players and it depends on the committee to decide who are the deserving players. And if the efforts of the footballers are not recognised, what can the federation do?"

Defender Mondal said that it was demoralising for the players to be treeated in this manner.

(Forwarded by gaspersWorld)

LABOUR UNREST IN KUWAIT.

LABOUR UNREST IN KUWAIT.

These days in Kuwait lot of problems are going on between Bangladeshi Cleaners and their employers who accuse their employers of giving them poor salaries and that also not in time. The Cleaners have organised Strikes and created law and order situation. Many of them were arrested and deported to Bangladesh. These deportees were in hundreds of hundreds.

On this topic earlier I wrote in the local Kuwait Times and its copy reproduced in this forum. Again on third of this month I wrote in Kuwait Times as reproduced herebelow:


Where are all the human rights activities gone now leaving the onus on Kuwait Times to fight so forefully against those who are trampling under their feet human rights of poor expatriates? It is sad that many of the Cleaners were deported for crossing the permissible line of control but even then they stand to lose nothing much because they were earning nothing much either.

During my last so many years of stay in Kuwait I have been a witness to many of the tragedies happening in Kuwait. First was the collapse of Soukh Mannakh in eighties, the second was the most tragic event, that is, the vicious invasion of Kuwait and the third is the recent problem of Cleaners. The problem of the staff of cleaning companies was expected because they were over exploited, at home by the recruiting agents and again in Kuwait by their employers. Their Embassy should also accept a small percentage of the blame for not educating their manpower properly back at home on the genuine happenings in Kuwait.

When nothing worked in their favour, the proletarians who were hungry for food and thirsty for water finally took to the streets in accordance with Karl Marx in Das Kapital which tells the exploited farmers to “take up your Sickles and start your fight for your rights. In this fight you stand to lose nothing. However, if at all you lose, you will lose only your Sickles but if you win, you will win your full rights”.

The striking Cleaners must have never known who is Karl Marx and what is Das Kapital but thru their own ingenuity they followed Karl Marx in some way or the other. In their recent awakening in support of their rights they lost nothing in losing their jobs and facing the deportation but only their meager monthly income of 18 Kuwaiti Dinars (about 3 thousand Indian Rupees) which is as good as nothing in this rich country. However, by creating their awakening they made their colleagues to gain more income, as per reports KD 40/- per month which though peanuts in the present living standard of Kuwait but the difference between 18 and 40 KD is very big. It is a real victory for them in their fight for their rights.

Kudos to Kuwait Times for solidly standing behind the heavily exploited expatriate Cleaners in getting them some justice though it was not a full fledged justice. Kuwait Times has created history in late seventies, somewhere in 1977 when it stood by the poor expatriate tenants when they were exorbitantly taxed by the sudden heavy increase in Flats Rent in Kuwait by the greedy Kuwaiti buildings owners. The pictorial front page reports appearing in Kuwait Times at that time created chills in the spine of the authorities leading even to suspend Kuwait Times for one full week to prevent further exposure. But Kuwait Times never cared though it faced suspension. In the end victory came for the tenants thru legal way. This is the power of the Press and power of the Pen which is said “mightier than sword”. The power of the Pen created not only havoc but even revolutions. The trend that is set in motion now by Kuwait Times should be carried forward till full victory is gained by the proletarians and all other exploited expatriates.

Though I support proletarians in their battle for their rights but I disagree with the methods of using violence by the Cleaners in their recent strike. They could have easily got what they already got by following peaceful methods and not by burning Tyres, stoning houses and overturning cars. They must know to obey the laws of the country they are working and accordingly they should follow the peaceful methods. It is not necessary to follow only Karl Marx methods to gain their rights. They could easily follow the methods Mahatma Gandhi used against the mighty British colonial power. By following peaceful methods Gandhiji gained full freedom for India. He never used nor advocated violent methods in his campaign to get his rights and demands.

While concluding, I implore upon Kuwait Times to educate the locals to create a good image of them by not exploiting the weaker segments of the expatriate labour force. Kuwait needs more support and goodwill from all the communities and nationalities. During the invasion of Kuwait and also after its liberation Bangladesh Government and its people firmly stood by Kuwait. To prevent this region from further falling into the tyrant Saddam Hussein’s hands, Gen. Ershad of Bangladesh sent special military troops to Saudi Arabia to guard and to protect the holy places in Saudi Arabia. Many of the relatives of the exploited and deported Cleaners must have lost their precious lives while protecting this region and also while defusing the Mines in Kuwait put by the retreating defeated Iraqi troops. Their sacrifices in protecting this region and particularly this country should be appreciated and rewarded by being considerate to their Cleaning staff. The way they work in Kuwait for keeping this country clean nobody else will work. By not renewing their Iqamas(Residence Permits) they will not be much sufferers because they are accustomed to “living under poverty line” back home. But will Kuwait manage with substitute manpower from some other countries with the pittance of salaries like the current Cleaners are getting? Is there any country in the world ready to send its manpower for KD 18/- salary per month and with innumerable restrictions? I doubt.


A. Veronica Fernandes,
Safat, Kuwait.

JERRY CAL & HIS LOVE FOR KUWAIT.

Dear Jerry Cal,

Thanks for the nice email in this forum in goa.kranti on 5.8.08 in response to my article “SECOND AUGUST”. You were on vacation in Goa during the time of the invasion of Kuwait. I was busy in organizing our movement in support of Kuwait under GOA-KUWAIT SOLIDARITY CENTER in Goa at Panjim. Amongst the tiatrists you were the only person who highlighted boldly and more openly our plight at that time from the Stage. Some tiatrists in spite of being our beneficiaries in so many ways mocked at us at our plight from the stage. It was during that particular time I realized how in tiatr fraternity some tiatrists could stoop to such a low level. Instead of supporting and sympathizing with us during our difficult time they used the stage to mock at us and to criticize us. It was not the right time for them to hurt us when we were already hurt and got hurt terribly. Amongst the tiatrists Jerry Cal you were the only person who solidly stood by us from the stage even though you were on vacation in Goa from Abu Dhabi at that time. Besides, you were not the beneficiary of our help like many of the “Beiman” tiatrists and "Beiman Padris" and "Beiman Madris" who after receiving so much of donations from us showed not only their "Konko" to us but also shamelessly their "Bonko".



Tiatrists and priest from Goa were the biggest beneficiaries of us from Kuwait but during that time both turned against us by criticizing us. Though some did this mischief but rest of them kept their silence thereby giving an impression that they are the silent acceptors of the criticism leveled against us. You Jerry Cal were the only tiatrist stood by us solidly. Your song in support of Kuwait and Kuwaitkars put every other person in Tiatro fraternity into shame especially those who enjoyed our benefits. I heard your song twice once in Remy Colaco’s Tiatro at Calangute and once at Rosary Ferns Tiatro at Benaulim and at both the places you were applauded most fabulously. You were the only tiatrist among all other so called gigantic tiatrists who rendered such a wonderful song during that time which was a big consolation for the Kuwait evacuees’ hurt feelings. Some of the lines of your songs I still remember and note these lines herebelow:



Kuwaitche Goykar mhonn, aiz tankam bhottam dakoitat,

Tanchem jevlem khallolem, poiyat koxe te tankam varear uboitat,

Khorench te Goyam etalet mhonn, Goyenkar dhonde choloitat,

Pun tech Goykar aiz tankam varear uboitat.



Kuwaitchea Goykarani Goa Cancer hospitalak zaitench dilolem,

Konknnichea vellar, toxench martirancheai fundak, lakahni duddu daddlolet,

Thodde amche bhau, Kuwaitkaranchea adharan, montri passun zalole,

Pun Kuwait amche bhau, trassan aslet tedna, rostear mat evunk vissorlet.



When this song Jerry Cal rendered at Benaulim, Churchill Alemao as Minister was the chief guest who listening to this song was totally stunned and made especial mention of this song and Jerry Cal with full of admiration. In Calangute and Mapusa and Panjim when this song was rendered everyone applauded the singer very fabulously. Such was the power and matter of that song Jerry Cal composed and rendered. Of course to the admiration of the audience. No tiatrist in Goa rendered such a powerful and intelligent song in support of Kuwait and Kuwaitkars during that time.



Jerry Cal was my school and classmate at Arpora. He was a good student and very good sportsman, champion in Table Tennis and Cycle Race. He was my classmate at Arpora till our SSC. He was well known in his locality at Calangute. After finishing his SSC he went to Bombay for further studies in Cateering at Taj and from there he went to Abu Dhabi. From there he was sent to Germany, Holland and other European States for further studies in Cateering. Currently he is working in Abu Dhabi since long time and involved in the promotion of Goan and Konkani causes. He is very active in Goan affairs in UAE. He helped many Goans in getting jobs in Abu Dhabi and also in their recruitment. Married to a nice girl from his own village Calangute, Bai Thresa who worked for many years in the Bank (Hongkong Sanghai Bank Corp) also at Abu Dhabi and now a father of four lovely children, 3 girls one of them studying in London and one son. In Abu Dhabi he helped Goa based Goan Triatro troupes to come to UAE. Helped many tiatrists in promoting them. Helped Fr. Freddy J. D. Costa in raising funds for "Gulab" Magazine by helping in organising "Utt Goykara" Tiatro. Brought many needy Goans to Abu Dhabi and got them employed there. During the invasion of Kuwait, he along with others helped some Kuwait evacuees who landed in Abu Dhabi and even helped them to return to Goa and for others got them jobs.



A. Veronica Fernandes,

Kuwait.