Sheikha Huda Memorial Trophy

Open Football Tournament – Sheikha Huda Bader Mohammed A-Ahmed Al-Sabah Memorial Trophy

After a successful inaugural tournament which had teams participating from Kuwait and the GCC countries, Real Betalbatim Football Club are all set once again for the 2^nd edition, which is scheduled on 27^th October 2012. The tournament is organized in the memory of Sheikha Huda Bader Mohamed Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, and is a much awaited feature in the expatriate football circuit in Kuwait.

A total of 22 teams participated in the fiesta which coincided with the 50 Years of National Day Celebrations of Kuwait, last year and more details are envisaged to join in this year to claim the glittering Trophy and valuable prizes. To know more about it, kindly call +965 66060985 on how best to contribute towards the success of the tournament and your participation queries.

Last year, Aldona Football Club took flight with the prestigious trophy to the United Arab Emirates to add to their collection, together with one of the 'Man of the Match' awards and the Best Goalkeeper award. Among others who shone during the tournaments were teams: Vaxim Divar from Dubai (UAE), Fahaheel Bros. from Kuwait, CRC Chinchinim from Kuwait and DHL FC, Kuwait whose players were declared to receive special citation and prizes among the 22 teams who equally gave their best during the one day tournament which was cheered by hundreds of spectators and jointly expressed their fondness of celebrating the gold jubilee of Kuwait's independence. Real Betalbatim F.C. looks forward to your presence on 27^th October 2012 (Saturday) which will be a public holiday.

Why No Action Against Monserrate

IT raid's Velim Parish Priest, read the headline in the Goan news papers yesterday, the IT officers went through not only his personal belongings but asked him about the Church funds as well, even though they know that the Church funds are well documented and Audited and kept for public viewing at a given time. All this is acceptable if it is within the rule of law of the ED and should not be challenged or castigated for their actions. If there is a complaint then the law should take its course and if even a Priest is found guilty he should be punished as per the law like any other citizen, as nobody is or should be above and beyond the law, no matter who.

Having said that the rule of law should be uniform, as a democracy no one is above the law, but seeing the reports with proof, in the news papers in the last couple of days, it is hard to digest, why no action has been taken against the rogue Minister in the Kamat Government namely Babush Monserrate ? It certainly looks to be the case of elephants being allowed to trash the fields freely because of their size, while the poor rodent is set traps for its trespass.

The media is full of the news of the present Education Minister's escapades as the then TCP minister wherein only the official figure of his illegal income is reported to be around 26 crores, unofficial could be astronomical and the monkeys in the IT fail to raid his premises. Even the builders connected with the illegal funds were raided and surprisingly no action has been taken against the Minister himself. Is this Minister above the law ? Why should our politicians get away with corruption ?

The Catholic community is aggrieved by this bias disposition of the IT Authorities and should by all mean apologize to the Parish Priest of Velim and the Catholic community at large. If there is a problem there are ways to go about especially while dealing with sensitive issues, no doubt action should be taken against erring citizens but discretion certainly can a better part of valor and as reports suggest that no evidence was recovered against the Parish Priest so what was all the ruckus about ? Or was there a political inclination to the whole drama that was staged to discredit the Priest ?

Velim at the moment is politically unstable because of high levels of corruption, unemployment, the BC class not getting the benefits of BPL schemes, the fishing jetty issue and the fish processing project that the people of Velim object too and its common knowledge that the Priest was supporting the people's causes against the powers that be. In Goa our politicians, because of their money and political clout tend to get away with anything and everything and its high time that the people showed them who it is that gives them this power and for whose benefit they should use that power.

The IT Authorities should answer to the people of Goa for their irresponsible action against the Catholic Priest of Velim and for their inaction against the corrupt politicians. It is certainly obvious that the politicians, bureaucrats and the security services are hand in glove in supporting corruption and suppressing and harassing Goans at the behest of the powers that be.

I thing only a strong Lokpal Bill could be the answer to the tsunami of corruption that has engulfed us and as long as we have the same corrupt politicians in power we will never get the Lokpal Bill that will be worthy of its cause. Get rid of the present lot of corrupt politicians and elect good ones that will give us a strong Lokpal Bill.

Freddy Agnelo Fernandes

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Support Fr Bismark

-Freddy Agnelo Fernandes freddy.agnelo.fernandes@gmail.com

Ripples were caused all over Goa and more so in Goa’s political pond, when Fr. Bismark, a Catholic priest announced his candidature for the forthcoming Assembly elections in Goa, it could yet cause history in Goan politics. Initially there was a mixed reaction from Goans when Fr. Bismark expressed his desire to contest elections. People, especially the Goan Catholics were not sure how to digest the absurd idea of one of their priest jumping into the quagmire of Goan politics, knowing fully well the filth and the immorality that thrives therein. But two week down the line people have a changed perception as truth prevailed over mind-set and they realized the futility of trying to change our appalling and squalid system from outside the system and now most have welcomed the idea of a Catholic priest in Goa’s Vidhan Sabha. We have been complaining for far too long that a rotten apple spoils all the good apples in a basket but here we could yet be witnesses to a good apple changing the bad ones for a change, anyway it is high time that spirituality permeated the walls of our Vidhan Sabha and restored its sanctity and sanity as well.

Fr. Bismark as a socio-environmental activist needs no introduction; his actions and his work speak for itself and his commitment to the Goan causes. He has been leading the aggrieved people from the front in the fight against corruption; the anti peoples policies and the environmental degradation. It is not just we the Catholics but the whole of Goa is proud of Fr. Bismark and his principles. He has been such a revelation in this otherwise horrid situation, that it isn’t even surprising that he commends such huge support from even the vast majority of the non Catholic community, which shows that, if we can come up with some good and credible candidates, our people will support them, irrespective of which community they belong to.

The Church Authorities in Goa have been mute about the situation and have refrained from making any statements in the case of Fr. Bismark’s candidature. I only hope the Church Authorities will not see the actions of Fr. Bismark as challenging the Authorities but on the contrary as of service to the Goan society and the environment who are both victimized and ravaged by our very own who were elected to work for the wellbeing and welfare of Goa and Goans. In the Church today we have doctors, lawyers, scientists, scholars, social workers and other professionals working for the betterment of society, so why cannot we have Fr. Bismark, a priest as a politician in Goa ? As a politician he will still be serving the people of Goa and the land of his birth and it could have enough influence to restore the ever flagging credibility of Goan politics and our faith in it too.

Fr. Bismark has been a source of inspiration to many young and the old with not just his fiery speeches but also his keenness to walk the talk as well. His honesty, dedication and integrity are beyond reproach as we know how he has stood up against his own institution and our corrupt politicians, in keeping with his principles. There is no doubt that he has all the attributes to be a very good politician
and a person who has such courage and conviction as he does, he could be the much awaited source of metamorphosis for healthy Goan politics.

On 21st January 2012, a meeting was held at the Sea View hotel Dubai, by the NRG’s from Cumbarjua constituency and their well-wishers, pledging their support for Fr. Bismark as the candidate for their constituency for the forth coming Goa Assembly elections. It was wonderful to note that the NRG’s though far away from home, still love Goa and want the much needed change in Goa’s political arena. It was indeed good to see Goans together and united for a common cause. I wish to congratulate Cumbarjuemkars for the initiative they have taken to support Fr. Bismark as their candidate for the forth coming elections and wish them all the very best in their endeavor and I hope other Goan across the globe will take this as a cue and work to garner support for a worthy candidate of their own constituency.