THE TIMES OUR LEGISLATORS INSULTED GOANS IN 2010 by Nisser Dias

As I reminded the readers in my last article of the chief minister Digambar Kamat’s words to niz Goenkars, “I don’t depend on your votes, go ahead and do whatever you want”. But he was not alone in degrading and insulting Goans. PWD minister and Navelim MLA Churchill Alemao went a step ahead and called Goans ‘squealing pigs’ for objecting to a mega housing project in his constituency.

It was very obvious that he was acting on behalf of the promoters and inspite of his directives to the authorities to sanction the plans, nothing was moving forward as a PIL was filed in the High Court against the project by Carmona panch Orlando D’silva. Churchill’s frustration came out in his words. However it was not the first time that the strong man from Varca has been abusive to Goans. It is pertinent to remind that he was caught on camera calling Goans ungrateful when he was a parliamentarian.

In the second week of July BJP and its allies brought the entire country to a grinding halt by calling and enforcing a bandh to protest against the hike in fuel prices. BJP which is out of power for the last two terms is feeling out of water and tries to remain afloat in the eyes of the people by resorting to such gimmicks. This party which has set a bad precedents of dividing Indians on communal lines should have taken the government to task in the parliament, instead of increasing the hardship of the common man. At the end of the day they were no closer to reducing the spiralling prices but succeeded in increasing the woes of the people.

It was in the month of July Benaulim MLA Mickky Pacheco spilled the beans in the Supreme Court through his anticipatory bail application that he was more than a close friend of late Nadia Torrado. Ironically the highest court in the country rejected his anticipatory bail application thereby sealing his fate of spending time in police custody, which he subsequently suffered. Incidently he became the first MLA to spend entire 14 days in police custody, even though he feigned weakness and sickness, the courts refused to grant his bail. Finally upon end of 14 days in police custody did the courts enlarged him to bail.

During the assembly session in August Health minister Vishwajeet Rane stood completely exposed on his alleged dealing with Israelis Gun Runners. Opposition Leader Manohar Parrikar on the floor of the house disclosed that Vishwajeet had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a company whose main business was dealing in arms. The junior Rane had signed an MoU between the state and the Isaraeli company to hand of 10,000 sq. Mts. of land at GMC to the company to build a 200 bedded hospital (Elbit) at the cost of 120 crores under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) basis. The lease was for 60 years and the Arms company would have to pay a meagre amount of just Rs. 2 crores per year. It is well known that arms deals runs in billions of dollars.

It was also in the month of August that stalwart and face of Goa Bachao Abhiyan Dr. Oscar Rebello resigned from the organisation that had stopped the politicians in their tracks from selling Goa with their draconian Regional Plan 2011. He was the only person other than Patricia Pinto in the GBA who took on the might of the politicians, builders and others who sought to benefit from RP 2011. Dr. Oscar connected with the people from all walks of life. But some in the GBA itself did not like his soaring publicity and questioned his integrity in public thereby forcing him to quit. And was quite predictable Goans who used to flock for meetings called by him dwindled drastically. But we can be sure of one thing, if need be Dr. Oscar will surely rise again with much vigour and might.

In the month of September drug peddler Atala’s disappearance from the state while on bail made news. Atala was arrested after his former girlfriend Lucky Farmhouse released videos on YouTube of him boasting of his connection with the cops. This led to his arrest and that of some cops including a police inspector. However the cops dragged their feet in investigating the case even after the Farmhouse should willingness to co-operate with the cops. Even the suggestion by the High Court to handover the case to the CBI was turned down by the government. Finally Atala was granted bail who fled the country days later leaving the police department red faced.

In the month of October, PWD minister Churchill Alemao roused the anger in the Goans again with his statement that Karwar and Joida should be merged with Goa. There was strong resentment against Alemao not only from Goa but also from Goans living worldwide. The merger God forbid if it ever materializes would surely spell death knell to Goan identity, its ethos and its traditions and cultures. As it is the state is flooded with migrants and still more are entering the state thereby diluting our presence in the state. And if the merger goes through we are doomed forever.

In the month of November Benaulim MLA Mickky Pacheco was not only in the news again, this time he got a taste of his own medicine when he was beaten up by the supporters of his own party colleague Revenue minister Jose Philip D’souza for allegedly distributing money to voters to cast their ballot against the candidates backed by D’souza in the Municipal Council election. Revenue minister himself made a statement that Pacheco was involved in distributing money thereby erasing any doubts in the minds of the people that money is being used to win election.

It was in the same month that the National Geographic Society’s centre for Sustainable Destinations -- rated Goan beaches as among the world’s worst 10. This should be the wake call for the government who from the 70’s has cashed in on beach tourism but has not spent money to conserve them. Infact successive governments since Liberation has allowed destruction of our beaches by allowing illegal construction by star hoteliers. And the present incumbent has even invented a method to circumvent Supreme Court’s order to demolish illegal extension of Cidade de Goa by introducing an Ordinance to save it.

During the end of November Goa Bench of Bombay High Court came to the rescue of activists fighting a battle against the allotment of large tracts of the land to SEZ promoters. The Bench held that the system adopted the Goa Industrial Development Corporation to allot land to the SEZ promoters was lopsided. If the government is sincere enough it should start an enquiry into the assets of the members of the board including the chairman. In my opinion the board members should not be prosecuted but persecuted from trying to commit a fraud on Goans by selling part of the limited land mass of the Goa.

In the month of December Chief minister Digambar Kamat made an irrational statement of compensating land losers at the market rate. Today the land rates in Goa have sky rocketed to the extent of price of land in the same area differs drastically. And if the government tries to pay the land owners the prices demanded by the owners the coffers of the treasury would soon be empty and if the government refuses to pay the amount demanded by the land owners it will invite litigation which will go on for decades thereby stalling all round developments.

As the year was coming to an end flamboyant MLA from Benaulim was once again in the news. Efforts by his High Command to reinstate him in the minister saddle by sacrificing his party colleagues did not fructify as Churchill threatened to overthrow the government. After hectic parleys with party observers it was decided to keep Mickky’s induction as minister in abeyance.