Today Goa is attacked on various fronts with respect to its Land, Environment, Culture & Identity. The critical reasons are Excessive/Illegal Mining, Rampant/Illegal Hill Cutting, Encouraged Migrant vote banks and un-controlled migration into Goa, Very high Level of corruption, Faulty Employment policies forcing Goans to migrate, Mega Projects which do not favor Goans, Garbage/Sewage crisis, Illegal land conversions favoring the real estate lobby, Drug Menace etc. All of the these are facilitated by Powerful Mining Companies, Real Estate Lobby, Land Sharks, Powerful National Politicians/Companies who use their Goan Politicians as their agents; and last but not least the Excessively Corrupt Goan Politicians themselves.
I had initially hoped that these Global Conventions would bring Goans together, to address the critical issues and facilitate some progress. I have attended Conventions in Goa (Jan 2007) and Oman (2009) and am very disappointed that there has been no significant action/progress for Goa. My criticism to be clear is not on the organizers, like for example the Muscat Goans who organized a good event but my criticism is on the overall purpose of having these conventions. Whilst yes in the last two conventions i.e. Oman and Kuwait, there were speakers for Goa and Its Identity however the sad part is that our corrupt government has ignored these pleas, as it would stop the sources of illegitimate income.
How many of us really see that If we Goans do not act for Goa, then the Goa that we know of today will soon be Gone! Will these "Goan" Conventions be relevant in the future if we lose our "Goan" Identity in Goa, or do we then just adapt and rename these Conventions to say for example Global "Jolly Indian" Convention?
My Direct Question to the Organizers and the Delegates for the London Convention: Are you all just planning to have just another "socializing event" convention with just fun, frolic, and entertainment? OR in addition to the latter, can we also use this Convention as an opportunity on Global Stage to, if I may suggest:
(1) Show our disgust with the Anti-Goan Policies of the Goa Government (can there be some sort of civilized protest e.g. Black Arm Band Protest)
(2) Voice out strongly on the urgent need for Goa to preserve its Land, Environment & identity.
(3) Invite Prominent Activists from Goa and organize meetings with UK Based Goans to support our common cause.
(4) Chalk out an action plan on how UK Goans can contribute or work together with Goans in Goa, to address Goa's Critical Issues
(5) Ensure a system of follow-up is setup from one convention to the other (Which Currently I have not seen being done; please correct me if I am wrong)
(6) Publicize all of the above.
If this Convention and future conventions are at all to be successful in my mind, then the most critical issues of Goa that I have stated above must be addressed, with a timely action plan. If these issues are not addressed not then in my opinion, these Conventions are a just waste of time, valuable resources and are actually not held for Goa's Genuine Interests but are actually held for other reasons!!
Arwin Mesquita, UAE.
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2 comments:
My dear goan, what you said is totaly right, today Goa changed too much after 50 years of "liberation".That`s the price of that liberation. Today goans living in Goa becames egual to the other indians. The old identity based on concani and portuguese languages and education finishied, in those times Goan civil administration was totaly of Goans.There were some few europeans but at the same times lot of Goans were working in Portugal, including overseas territories. Now civil managers, polices, securities,militry personels mostly of them are not goans, but they are countrymen of other parts of India.Goans in Goa accepted all these changes and now Goa will be fully of delivalas, biharis, bomboikars, kasmiris, etc.Perhaps, without these called liberation, during these 50 years Goa could be independent and would preserve the old goan identity based in concani and portuguese languages and in his archives written in portuguese, as a memories of goan histry.
The work done by all convencions will be useless because the bases of the comunication are based in the new identity pós 1961.
WHILE GOA IS IN CHAOS, GOVERNMENT TO PARTY IN LONDON
Goa is reeling under a host of serious issues due to a government that
has become dysfunctional and apathetic to the people’s concerns. The
Aam Aadmi is raging with fury and disgruntled. Almost every decision
taken by this government over the last four years has either been kept
on hold by the government if not stayed and quashed by the Courts.
In the background of this grim reality the Government is co-hosting a
two day Global Goans Convention in London beginning July 22nd. Today
every overseas Goan is aware of the happenings in his motherland. We
have had enough of conventions. The time for mere talk has long past.
We need some concrete action to salvage what remain of this once
beautiful Goa. What purpose will it serve deliberating on Goan issues
overseas. The nitty gritty issues are known to all and have to be
resolved here. But the Government does not have the will or spine to
act and pull Goa out of the woods.
The London bound Goan entourage led by Commissioner for NRI Affairs
Mr. Eduardo Faleiro including musicians, singers and folk dancers will
do what they have been doing best over the last five years. This time
only the destination has changed. Earlier it was at Kuwait, Toronto,
Qatar and Lisbon. This year the eating, drinking and making merry at
the cost of the State exchequer will be at London.
Mr. Chief Minister, how does your government have the audacity to be
celebrating in London when the atmosphere in Goa is of gloom and doom?
The law and order situation is alarming. About the maladies due to the
illegal mining and the other glaring illegalities of your Government,
the less said the better. Corruption under your government is at its
very peak having overtaken the Himalayas. It is an irony that after 50
years of Liberation Goa has to gear up to be freed again.
Aires Rodrigues
Ribandar
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