The late Mr. J. P. D’Mello hailing from Porvorim, Bardez, Goa was a renowned Soccer Umpire in Bombay attached with Western Indian Football Association that was organising soccer activities at Cooperage soccer ground in Bombay. He was also linked with All India Football Federation by virtue of his being an expert in soccer laws. The general secretary of All India Football Federation Mr. Ziauddin once asked Mr. J.P., “please give me your brain which is full of excellent knowledge of soccer rules and in the bargain I will give you anything”. For this, Mr. JP replied laughingly saying “Ziauddin Saab, my brain is not exchangeable”. This was the power of this great Goan J.P. D’Mello. He even made a mark for himself at Asian Soccer level.
Once he confided in me saying “as a Goan when I brought honour for Goa in soccer field, what Goans have done for me?” Then in my writings I made lot of reference of his achievements and later on after his death I gave a strong push for the initiative to start a soccer tournament in Kuwait in his memory. Rightly Kuwait Indian Football Federation did this job wonderfully. Unfortunately in his birth place he remained a forgotten hero. It looks Prophets are not adored in their localities. It is many years now since his death that the JP Memorial tournament is organised annually by KIFF in Kuwait and it is become a very prestigious tournament for Indians in general and Goans in particular. This year’s edition has just been completed a fortnight back, G.O.A. Maroons winning the championship. JP in his grave must have been very happy to know Maroons has won this year’s edition because he once told me that after UG, his love and affection go to G.O.A. Maroons which was his favourite team.
JP at the end of his active career in Bombay came to Kuwait to work and got himself employed at KREMENCO, Ahmadi. While he was employed at Kremenco, he was associated with Asian Soccer Federation as well. Also, as a Goan he was associating with our soccer at Sour ground helping and guiding our soccer activities. UG introduced him to our soccer at Sour ground thru Antonio Lawrence Fernandes who was the first president of UG. Since then every Friday JP was seen early in the morning attending soccer activities at Sour ground. It was he who introduced his idea to me first to initiate KIFF to bring all teams and clubs under one apex body to have better control. I liked this idea and I marketed it. After Lawrence Rato, Lawry Pinto worked very hard along with others to get it materialised till Kuwait Indian Football Federation was formed.
Indian Football Referees Association, Kuwait was also JP’s brainchild. Being such a big personality he was always a humble man, a true Goan having all the best attributes of true pristine Goan. Even in our Goan activities beyond soccer he participated as a proud Goan. His natural humility added to his greatness. Thru JP Memorial soccer tournament, KIFF made his name immortal giving due recognition to his selfless and dedicated work for the promotion of soccer.
If it was not for our soccer at Sour ground, JP would remain unknown among us in Kuwait. In Kuwait JP became JP and became known among us only because he got a ready made opportunity to involve himself in our soccer activities and made known to us his talent. United Goans Football Center popularly known as UG initiated our competitive soccer activities at Sour ground in Kuwait and created a base for our soccer and a way to exhibit our talent in this field. For this reason UG deserved highest compliments. To initiate this competitive soccer at Sour ground first time in 1979, UG’s Tony Gonsalves from Divar Goa, Antonio Lawrence Fernandes from Siolim Goa, F.X. Joe D’Souza from Assagao Goa, Moses Menezes from Candolim Goa, Diogo Gomes from Bastora Goa and Custodio Fernades from Navelim Goa along with others have done a wonderful job and because they did this job successfully, we now till today are enjoying our soccer activities. If our soccer activities are running till now it is only because of the strong base originally put by the UG.
Among all the UG stalwarts who worked so hard to lay a solid foundation for the establishment of our competitive soccer tournaments in Kuwait for Indians, the late Custodio Fernandes and the late Diogo Gomes deserve more credit. While doing this job, they did not care for their own jobs, their families, their money and even their health. To achieve their goals so many times they received insults from their opponents unnecessarily but never surrendered. The memory of these two Goan giants who along with their collleagues were responsible to initiate our competitive soccer in Kuwait should be kept alive just as it was done for JP. In fact, more than J.P., Diogo Gomes and Custodio Fernandes deserve respect because they did what JP did not do for our soccer in Kuwait though I admit JP was a great soccer personality rightly deserving a memorial tournament in his memory. Now, somebody must come forward and initiate a memorial soccer tournament in memory of both these soccer crazy Goans, namely Diogo and Custodio. They made history and as such their memory should be kept alive for posterity. Their contribution in initiating our soccer activities in Kuwait cannot be ignored and cannot be forgotten.
I was expecting at least the Navelim Youth Center Kuwait would do something in memory of their villager Custodio Fernandes but no, Navelim Youth Center in Kuwait forgot the worth of their own brother. It is said in Konkani “Bhangarachem mol fokot Xettikuch gomta”.
If we can organise a memorial tournament in Kuwait in memory of the late mother of Churchill Alemao, I feel we also could have done the same for our own ex Kwaitkars namely Navelcar Custodio Fernandes and Bastorcar Diogo Gomes whose contribution in the establishment and promotion of our soccer in Kuwait is so immense and so memorable while that of Churchill’s mother is nothing in Kuwait though she was a great mother blessed with a womb to give birth to the well known football promoters Churchill Brothers. A memorial tournament is oganised in memmory of the contribution of that particular person who has played a prominent role in particular sporting field while he was alive.
Among Goans there are no greater ‘Chamcha’ and Cheap Goans as we have in Kuwait. For gaining cheap prominence from cheap and corrupt politicians many of our Kuwait Goans will do anything, of course shamelessly like Pimps. Some of them are even capable of doling their wives and daughters to our corrupt politicians who after corrupting Goa are trying to corrupt Kuwait. One of the reasons for this is because these Kuwait Goans in their life time never enjoyed prominence because they have no qualities to enjoy dignified prominence. What little prominence they enjoy by associating with corrupt Goan politicians is the cheap and undignified prominence and that too only because they are in Kuwait. Promoting corrupt Goan politicians in Kuwait thru soccer activities and ignoring the genuine Goans whose work in this field in Kuwait is immense is something beyond my imagination. Or do we believe in Konkani proverb which says “MODDLOLEA KHURSAK KHUIM RESPED NA” and for this reason the late Diogo Gomes and Custodio Fernandes are become forgotten heroes? It is a pity that among us in Kuwait who are actively involved in the promotion of our soccer there is not a single person who is intellectually high to think high, all are "Moddche Poixe" inspite of havng lakhs which are meant only for external display.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
..
June 27, 2011
June 26, 2011
SUSHILA NAIK, OH THOU PONTIUS PILOT !
Reading through the Costa’s ground saga at Aquem my heart bleeds at the acrimony that’s displayed by our bureaucrats and authorities. The ruling dispensation of the Margao Municipal council has infact reduced the Aam Janata to mere fools and asses.
If a member of the Aam Janata files papers for the construction of a house, he is made to run from pillar to post for months and sometimes years, but the elite can get huge projects passed even on disputed land in a jiffy and why is that so ? The TPC owes an answer to the Aam Janata !
The objections over the project at Costa’s ground, have been pouring in for a long time and any regular reader of the Goan news papers could vouch that. A play ground, a place where the local lads passed their time, socializing and exercising for ages, even our CM acknowledged that he was fortunate enough to play on this particular ground in his childhood day. How can this ground that was a community centre for such a long time be just taken away from the young local population and be approved for a mega project without the approval of the locals ? How can our CM just look the other way when benefits of the locals are taken away and given to builders ? How can this be, the Government of the Aam Janata ?
The CO of MMC approves the project in just three days, it must be some kind of a record for efficiency of our bureaucratic regime and that to without the knowledge of the Chairperson and the Man behind the MMC, the CM himself. Are we Goans idiots to believe that the CO is a power grid by himself ? The MMC Chairperson has certainly done the Pontius Pilot acts but Madgaokar are not fools and are aware of the treachery. Support for the Aquem locals is pouring in from all sides. I hope the public out cry will overwhelm the petty greed of our bureaucratic babus and common sense prevails. Long live Peoples power !
I request all Goans and the NOG’s to support the Aquem residents in their fight against the corrupt nepotistic policies of the present bureaucratic regime of the Margao Municipal Council towards the builders and the elite.
Freddy Agnelo Fernandes.
If a member of the Aam Janata files papers for the construction of a house, he is made to run from pillar to post for months and sometimes years, but the elite can get huge projects passed even on disputed land in a jiffy and why is that so ? The TPC owes an answer to the Aam Janata !
The objections over the project at Costa’s ground, have been pouring in for a long time and any regular reader of the Goan news papers could vouch that. A play ground, a place where the local lads passed their time, socializing and exercising for ages, even our CM acknowledged that he was fortunate enough to play on this particular ground in his childhood day. How can this ground that was a community centre for such a long time be just taken away from the young local population and be approved for a mega project without the approval of the locals ? How can our CM just look the other way when benefits of the locals are taken away and given to builders ? How can this be, the Government of the Aam Janata ?
The CO of MMC approves the project in just three days, it must be some kind of a record for efficiency of our bureaucratic regime and that to without the knowledge of the Chairperson and the Man behind the MMC, the CM himself. Are we Goans idiots to believe that the CO is a power grid by himself ? The MMC Chairperson has certainly done the Pontius Pilot acts but Madgaokar are not fools and are aware of the treachery. Support for the Aquem locals is pouring in from all sides. I hope the public out cry will overwhelm the petty greed of our bureaucratic babus and common sense prevails. Long live Peoples power !
I request all Goans and the NOG’s to support the Aquem residents in their fight against the corrupt nepotistic policies of the present bureaucratic regime of the Margao Municipal Council towards the builders and the elite.
Freddy Agnelo Fernandes.
June 25, 2011
MID - DAY MEAL OR POISON?
By: Nisser Dias.
Mid-day meal or poison? Is the Education, Health departments and FDA not equally responsible?
Last week as many as 52 students from Murgao High School had to hospitalized after consuming free mid-day meal dished out to them, which was prepared by Saraswati self help group (SHG). As we all know that this is not the first instance where this particular SHG has been responsible for the serving poisoned meal to the students as it had happened just two years back, but still this SHG managed to bag the contract even after being blacklisted. This is the irony of this government, for whom the welfare and well being of the future generation is the last priority.
Of course at the moment all the daggers and swords are pointed towards the Saraswati SHG and especially at its president Urmilla Salgaocar – who is on the run and is evading arrest. Undoubtedly she has to answer lots of questions which is much better then facing parents, however equally responsible are people holding top position in the Education department, Health department and the Directorate of Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
How did the Education department overlook Urmilla Salgaocar’s Saraswati SHG’s bad track record while granting her the tender. Was it at the instance of the politician? Did the health department and FDA carry out inspection to oversee hygiene aspects of the kitchens where the food would be prepared before giving their nod to the successful bidders? Or are we talking about kickbacks and underhand deals.
Be that as it may, what is the purpose of the mid-day scheme. And are the departments involved in the scheme trying to make it successful? When the Government of India had formulated the scheme it had a five point agenda:- firstly protection of children from classroom hunger, second was to increase school enrolment and attendance. third improving socialization among children of all castes, fourth addressing issue of malnutrition among children and lastly social empowerment of women by creating employment.
For us to achieve success in the mid-day meal programme our Education department, Health department, FDA and Women and Child Development board has to work in tandem and dedicatedly. For instance, last week’s incident of students consuming poisoned food could be avoided if the Education department personnel had only adhered to the Government of India’s observations.
On 10th May 2011 Ministry of Human Resources Development, Department of School Education and Learning, Government of India had deliberated on the mid-day meal. The observations of the Monitoring Institution were intimated to Education Secretary P. V. Rao, Director of Education Dr. Celsa Pinto and Dy. Director of Education Anil V Powar. The observation of the Monitoring Institution were :-
In Urban areas:- “It was observed that mid-day meal (MDM) supplied by NGOs/SHGs is not given in time, roti and green vegetables are never given, mainly dal, sambar and kheer are dished out. That the food provided is generally not liked by students especially upper primary school students. That the teachers are not aware of the quality and quantity of MDM. That in 80% schools there is difference between attendance sheet and MDM Sheet. That utensils were not available in most of the schools”.
In Rural areas:- “In 95 percent, supplies for MDM are kept at the SHG president’s home from where it is brought daily by the cook to prepare the mid day meal. That in 10 percent schools, the president do not provide required quantity of food grain for cooking mid day meal and the presidents of SHG do not take interest in MDM. That in 40 percent schools teachers do not taste the food either due to the caste of the cook or because of the poor quality of mid day meal. That non iodized salt is used in 5 percent of schools, 30 percent SHGs use wood for cooking mid day meal. 95 percent of the schools do not provide soap and towels to students. That 60 percent cooks are not aware of standards of MDM. Lastly 20 percent of the kitchens are not properly cleaned and maintained.
I have my doubts whether Dr. Celsa Pinto and her deputy Anil Powar even read the document, instead they must have shelved it. Dr. Pinto is in her own world and Powar is busy scheming to occupy the director’s chair. First and foremost the Education department, Health department has to tell us about the criteria adopted to issue tenders to SHGs to prepare mid-day meal. Did the officials check the credentials and experience of the SHGs, have they checked their kitchens and store rooms.
It is high time that the education department sets a system to monitor the mid-day meal. It should set up school committees or empower PTAs of each school to carry out regular inspection of the kitchens along with official of Education, Health departments and FDA. At the same time PTAs should be authorized to carry out surprise checks. School committees or PTAs should monitor on daily basis nutritional value or wholesomeness of the midday meal served to the student.
(Send your comments/reactions to nisserdias@gmail.com
Or SMS 9422437029)
(Nisser Dias writes a regular column in GT every Thursday).
Mid-day meal or poison? Is the Education, Health departments and FDA not equally responsible?
Last week as many as 52 students from Murgao High School had to hospitalized after consuming free mid-day meal dished out to them, which was prepared by Saraswati self help group (SHG). As we all know that this is not the first instance where this particular SHG has been responsible for the serving poisoned meal to the students as it had happened just two years back, but still this SHG managed to bag the contract even after being blacklisted. This is the irony of this government, for whom the welfare and well being of the future generation is the last priority.
Of course at the moment all the daggers and swords are pointed towards the Saraswati SHG and especially at its president Urmilla Salgaocar – who is on the run and is evading arrest. Undoubtedly she has to answer lots of questions which is much better then facing parents, however equally responsible are people holding top position in the Education department, Health department and the Directorate of Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
How did the Education department overlook Urmilla Salgaocar’s Saraswati SHG’s bad track record while granting her the tender. Was it at the instance of the politician? Did the health department and FDA carry out inspection to oversee hygiene aspects of the kitchens where the food would be prepared before giving their nod to the successful bidders? Or are we talking about kickbacks and underhand deals.
Be that as it may, what is the purpose of the mid-day scheme. And are the departments involved in the scheme trying to make it successful? When the Government of India had formulated the scheme it had a five point agenda:- firstly protection of children from classroom hunger, second was to increase school enrolment and attendance. third improving socialization among children of all castes, fourth addressing issue of malnutrition among children and lastly social empowerment of women by creating employment.
For us to achieve success in the mid-day meal programme our Education department, Health department, FDA and Women and Child Development board has to work in tandem and dedicatedly. For instance, last week’s incident of students consuming poisoned food could be avoided if the Education department personnel had only adhered to the Government of India’s observations.
On 10th May 2011 Ministry of Human Resources Development, Department of School Education and Learning, Government of India had deliberated on the mid-day meal. The observations of the Monitoring Institution were intimated to Education Secretary P. V. Rao, Director of Education Dr. Celsa Pinto and Dy. Director of Education Anil V Powar. The observation of the Monitoring Institution were :-
In Urban areas:- “It was observed that mid-day meal (MDM) supplied by NGOs/SHGs is not given in time, roti and green vegetables are never given, mainly dal, sambar and kheer are dished out. That the food provided is generally not liked by students especially upper primary school students. That the teachers are not aware of the quality and quantity of MDM. That in 80% schools there is difference between attendance sheet and MDM Sheet. That utensils were not available in most of the schools”.
In Rural areas:- “In 95 percent, supplies for MDM are kept at the SHG president’s home from where it is brought daily by the cook to prepare the mid day meal. That in 10 percent schools, the president do not provide required quantity of food grain for cooking mid day meal and the presidents of SHG do not take interest in MDM. That in 40 percent schools teachers do not taste the food either due to the caste of the cook or because of the poor quality of mid day meal. That non iodized salt is used in 5 percent of schools, 30 percent SHGs use wood for cooking mid day meal. 95 percent of the schools do not provide soap and towels to students. That 60 percent cooks are not aware of standards of MDM. Lastly 20 percent of the kitchens are not properly cleaned and maintained.
I have my doubts whether Dr. Celsa Pinto and her deputy Anil Powar even read the document, instead they must have shelved it. Dr. Pinto is in her own world and Powar is busy scheming to occupy the director’s chair. First and foremost the Education department, Health department has to tell us about the criteria adopted to issue tenders to SHGs to prepare mid-day meal. Did the officials check the credentials and experience of the SHGs, have they checked their kitchens and store rooms.
It is high time that the education department sets a system to monitor the mid-day meal. It should set up school committees or empower PTAs of each school to carry out regular inspection of the kitchens along with official of Education, Health departments and FDA. At the same time PTAs should be authorized to carry out surprise checks. School committees or PTAs should monitor on daily basis nutritional value or wholesomeness of the midday meal served to the student.
(Send your comments/reactions to nisserdias@gmail.com
Or SMS 9422437029)
(Nisser Dias writes a regular column in GT every Thursday).
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