WHOM TO VOTE?

Whom to vote is the question now because to my naked eyes almost  all the candidates are going to be the same and time is short to assess them appropriately. Some recommended BJP but it is the worst communal party while Congress is the worst corrupt and because it is so, it was rejected in the last election. However, even Congress is preferred to BJP yet Congressmen will increase and multiply corruption if they regain the power since all the known corrupt Congressmen as understood, are going to contest the coming election.

What about AAP?  They will only make a big noise by displaying their Delhi Topis which are fit to wear in Delhi only and not in Goa because weather conditions in Goa are different from Delhi. Besides on certain Goa related issues AAP is gripped with Hamletic indecisiveness where they are not forthright. To follow Kejrival's "bashans" in Hindi, he is not a Jayprakash Narayan.  Kejrival is a master of U Turns like our Parricar and such people cannot be trusted. 

Then what about MGP? Oh my goodness, they are like Judases ready to sell their master not only for 30 Coins but for any amount provided they get an opportunity to harm minority communities in Goa.  Besides, that it is still surviving  in its originally christened name as Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party is a big joke since merger issue of Goa with Maharastra came to an end with the victory for Goans in the Opinion Poll. MGP originally was formed also as as revolt against Bamonshai and Bhattkarshahi but now shamelessly it is gone into the hands of Bamon leadership. Where are the Bahujan samaz followers of MGP now?  Why they are become slaves of Bamon?  

For minorities to vote for MGP and BJP is like committing suicide, it will be an act of self suicide.  Then what about independents?  Before voting them we must know that, if they are elected, they will remain independents only.

Who is left now?  Difficult to  decide.  Only the Holy Spirit to help me to make the right choice.

A.Veronica Fernandes.

                                                                                           

DEATH OF A TIATRIST ACE FOOTBALLER.

It is with deep regret and sorrow I write this piece on the news I  got thru the obituary in Herald dated 26^th inst. of the death of Peter Gomes from Calangute and who was not only an ace Tiatrist but more than that an ace footballer of yesteryears.   During those good old days he developed his soccer skill in that soccer skillful school at Arpora and also in his village at Calangute that was known to produce some of the finest Goan footballers and Peter Gomes was one of them. 

It was somewhere in 1958 first time I saw him playing at Calangute in a friendly festival match against the then mighty Salgaocar comprising 4 ace Pakle footballers. When they entered the field, Salgaocar players with their body language indicated that they will toy with their hosts but Peter Gomes under their bar diving from one end  of the Pole to the other and in acrobatic style punching the ball over the bar, Calangutcar thwarted almost every attempt of their guests who were nervous till the last minute equalizer scored by one of their dynamic Paklo forwards.

Peter Gomes was like a one man team and then immediately Salgaocars recruited him.  That was the dream team of Calangute comprising galaxy of extremely good players such as Eustaqio, Bhaskar, Joshe and Coutinho.  He had unique distinction to shake hand with Premier Nehru who was the chief guest when Salgaocar played their first match for Durand Cup in Delhi in 1962.

Peter Gomes was also the best Tiatrist composing and singing very good songs, mainly the comedy. He was  a member of Young Stars of Goa troupe. He had one more unique distinction to direct and stage "ZAGOR & TIATRO as one Show first time in the history, at Calangute near his house. As a footballer he travelled all over India and as a Tiatrist he travelled all over the Gulf.  He represented Goa at Sanosh trophy many times. 

In his death Goa lost a great footballer of whose type we may not easily get another and as a Tiatrist Konkani Stage lost a gigantic artiste.  May his soul rest in peace.

A.Veronica Fernandes,

Candolim.

Tel:7507394349.

WHO IS SUPREME? PARTY OR INDIVIDUAL?

On 21.12.16  at  Araddy Vaddo, Candolim, during the “Corner Meeting” of Michael Lobo of BJP, attended by a fairly huge crowd, the local Sarpanch Sandra requested the voters to re-elect Sir Lobo on the basis of his individuality by ignoring his BJP tag. During the last election the same Sarpanch asked the voters to re-elect another Sir, the defeated Sir Agnelo Fernandes. I don’t know which Queen conferred the Knighthood on these Sirs to address them as such. Why this sudden change now in the stand of the  local Sarpanch and her colleagues is not known but it is imperative for the voters to know it if Sandra and her colleagues believe in democratic transparency.

Sandra cannot take the voters for a ride and voters are not “Ghanttaboil”, she cannot take the voters for granted. This is not a dancing session, yesterday one party and today another, this is nonsense. Voters are not “Khapurlim” who in one Konkani Proverb is described as “Khapurleak khuim kulei Sarke and Thanaim sarkim”. Because of her call last time, voters supported Congress and made BJP as their enemies. This time is Congress as their enemies? What is this?  Who gains in this Aya Rams and Gaya Rams business? We want to know the real reason behind deserting Agnelo Fernandes and his Congress by Candolim Panchayat headed by Sarpanch Sandra. Otherwise in the next election Sandra may come up with another party’s candidate. People in Candolim is losing their confidence on Sandra because she is proving to be volatile.    

          

However,  as per one story the problem started it seems when the major portion of the loot collected thru Bribe was by precedence pocketed by the last time defeated Sir which is not acceptable by other partners in the crime. No wonder, some Panch members and the Sir accumulated huge wealth when their salaries are miniscule.  The looters in Goa are looting the entire loot for themselves only when that money is meant for the welfare of the people.

Secondly, can we ignore the party tag of the candidate while voting for his individuality even though it is good? For any important issue of public interest can the elected representative overpower his party’s decision? Currently, is there any MLA in BJP rank who got hormones in his body to defy the party’s diktats?  If yes then there would be a voice raised seeking justice for Fr. Bismarque and for Terakol & Vanxim locals, so too against the IT attack on Catholic Church and many more issues.  If the Party supremo instructs any of its members to lower his Pant, he has to, otherwise he is out of the party.  And among the Catholic members there is not a single member in the ruling segment who got guts to challenge the party’s decision however anti-Christian that decision may be.  Even the so called great and strong the late Mathanay Saldanha had no balls to oppose the anti-Christian decision of Parricar government of knocking down the annual Christian holidays including on Good-Friday.   

Once the candidate is elected, he becomes a slave of the party even though he is elected not by the party but by the voters whose decisions he must follow. Will the elected representative assure us that he will ignore his party’s decision and support the voters’ decision because it is the voters who are supreme since  they elect him and not his party?  

Meantime, Congress in Calangute constituency will sink further if the defeated candidate is re-nominated as its candidate in the coming election. People are waiting to teach him again the lesson of revenge which he was teaching to the constituents when he was in power. Also people wants to know the source of income of any candidate contesting in Calangute constituency. For this, Luizin Faleiro as party president must declare his first because “charity begins at home”. Faleiro and Digvijay please take this as an ALERT.

A.Veronica Fernandes.