REAL BETALBATIM - DHL - MAROONS - WIN IN UG SOCCER TOURNAMENT IN KUWAIT.

The early morning of 21st December saw not the end of the world like some predicted but it saw yet another match of the United Goans Club Soccer tournament 2012 sponsored by Al Mulla Exchange.

The results of these matches may not have been predicted by the Mayans but it was just as exciting with the clouds pouring away. Nothing could dampen the spirits of the players taking the field not the ominous skies, the pouring rains and not even the talk of the end of the world.

Players of the Real Betalbatim F.C. and C.R.C. Chinchinim began the day with both teams rearing to battle out the storm and the game. Denzil Jodhav scored within minutes of the game givning Real a head start. The celebrations of that goal had not even worn off when Bradley Ragtao scored a well placed goal bringing the score to a 2-0 lead for the Real Betalbatim. It seemed to be raining goals for the Real Betalbatim as minutes after the last goal; John Ferrao scored yet another goal. But 3 Goals at this point apparently weren’t enough as Denzil Jodhav scored his second goal of the day bringing the Real’s score to a 4-0 lead at the end of the first half. Sealing their win with another goal by Ruzario Fernandes, the Real players ended the game with a 5-0 win over Chinchinim.

The Second match between the Indian Strikers and DHL was played well by both teams as they both evaded goals up until the last minute of the first half when Vico D’souza of DHL scored just as the halftime was called. This put DHL in the lead lifting the morale of the DHL players.

As the halftime buzzer sounded again signaling the beginning of the second half the DHL players seemed to be in the spirit of winning as Binoj Cheruvatur a second goal for DHL increasing the pressure on the Strikers. Binoj Cheruvatur surprised the DHL fans when he scored another goal from the center line with a perfect long shot, a beautiful sight for all those were present. The game ended with DHL moving ahead with a 3-0 victory.

The last match of the day was between The Goa Maroons and United Goans and what a match it was. United Goans had more possession of the ball but both sides fought long and hard to protect their goal and possibly score against their opponent. The score remained nil even through extra time and the game was finally decided by a tie breaker and the Goa Maroons walked away victorious after a 7-6 win in penalties.

The match schedule for 28th December 2012 is as follows;

1) Kuwait Goan Association vs. FC Sparks at 6:45am

2) Real Betalbatim vs. Malabar United at 8:15 am

3) Skynet Raiders vs. Curtorcares United at 10:00 am

ADLEY DLIMA.

ARROGANCE OF INDIAN GOVERNMENT.

First of all let me pray for the speedy recovery of the poor medical student girl who is still in Delhi hospital undergoing treatment for the sexual and physical attack inflicted on her in a Bus in Delhi by the six Indian Barbarians. May God give her courage to bear this trauma.

I strongly support all those people, namely men, women, girls and boys who gathered in Delhi, Bangalore, Kashmir and elsewhere making a big noise over this incident to the extent that making Government of India to bow down before the public pressure. This is called the People’s Power and student’s power is more piercing. It would have been nice if the students power would seen all over India demanding quick justice for their suffering colleague in Delhi. Students all over India should rise in unison paralysing whole of India in support of this 23 year Delhi medical student. If today it is in Delhi then tomorrow it can be anywhere in India. For this reason the new law has to be enacted uniformly for whole of India and not to Delhi only to inflict stringent and quick punishment for the rapists, eve teasers and molesters.

It is a pity the Government machinery is very tolerant and slow to react over such criminal incidents. If there was no public pressure this incident would go unnoticed. Government is a liar and arrogant; first it praised the Police saying Police has done a very good job and the next day the same government suspended some policemen for negligence in their duties. And now the Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikxit blamed the Delhi Police for this criminal incident. If police has done good job then why there was a need of suspending some policemen and blaming the Police for not doing their job properly in this matter? I have no trust in this arrogant government that it will handle this case properly. For this reason public vigilance is imperative to check political pressure is not brought to close this case with silly reasons.

In Delhi at Rastrspsti Bhawan and at Premier’s residence two Maharajas are sitting, both are immune to the public outcry. Though they are people’s representatives yet they act like feudal lords. Inspite of their repeated requests to meet the President and Premier of India, the delegation representing the demonstrators were turned back. If people’s representatives are not ready to meet with the people’s delegations then what sort of democracy India is having? Why this dadagiri on the part of Pranab Mukerji and Manmohan Singh? Do they think that they are super human beings coming from outer planet? With this type of feudality on their part will yield no results. By meeting the peoples representatives President and Premier would have identified themselves with the people but by not doing so they both acted like Dictators and colonialists. Even colonialists would not act in such a dictatorial manner. I don’t know when our leaders will learn to identify themselves with the public.

President Obam of USA is the most powerful official on this planet. Not only by nature but also otherwise he is a very humble man. Last week when he attended one condolence meeting to mourn the killing of 20 babies and 6 adults, he went and occupied the chair among the public as if he is a commoner. What a wonderful gesture of humility. By integrating with the public he identified himself with the common people. Will our leaders in India do the same?

During the Portuguese rule in Goa somewhere in 1958-59 the Taxi Drivers from Panjim went in a morcha to the Governor’s Residence shouting slogans in support of their  grievances. When Governor heard their voice, he came out, sent his Secretary to speak to them and assured them of his full support for their grievances. Why could not our President and Premier do in a similar manner as Goa Governor did? Our leaders are proud and drunk with power which keeps them away from public. This type of arrogance will not help India and Indians.  Our leaders should be easily accessible to the public for their grievances.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

CALANGUTE & CANDOLIM PANCHAYATS WASTE PUBLIC MONEY.

CALANGUTE AND CANDOLIM PANCHAYAT SPEND OVER 50 LACS ON ADVOCATES

 

By Aires Rodrigues

 

The North Goa Coastal cash rich Panchayats of Calangute and Candolim together spent a whopping over Rs 50 lacs on advocate’s fees from January 2007 to June this year. This has been revealed in the information obtained under the Right to Information Act.

 

While the Calangute Panchayat spent Rs 28, 16, 250 on fees for advocates, the neighbouring Candolim Panchayat’s expenditure was Rs 22, 21, 575. Surprisingly the documents reveal that the payments were made without certificates issued by the Courts certifying the appearances.

 

The documents obtained under RTI also reveal that in many cases the two Panchayats have paid the advocates for appearances in the High Court much more that what the government advocates are paid. A perusal of the documents further reveals that in some cases payments were made to advocates without furnishing details of the cases or dates on which they appeared.

Interestingly the documents reveal that the two Panchayats had not obtained from the government prior approval required when the legal expenses exceed Rs 50,000 a year.

Since the expenditure by Panchayats is incurred from public funds that is a need for transparency and accountability in every paisa spent including that on Advocate fees. The Panchayats have been paying advocate fees for non effective hearings and the Circular relating to engaging advocates at fees prescribed by the Government is not being followed.

As this Government has vowed to bring down litigation involving the government to half, this should also be the thrust and endeveaour of all local self government bodies including Panchayats.