In a shocking expose on how the Goa tourism department in January and February this year spent a total of Rs 1.35 crore under the guise of promoting Goa tourism through roadshows in US and Europe. The truth is far more disturbing…read on…
While in the month of January the tourism department in the Europe roadshow which was held in Rome, Italy spent Rs 40 lakhs on the event which witnessed only one participant from the Italian travel trade. The subsequent month the tourism department exceded its planned budget from the previous month and spent Rs 95 lakhs for its US-bound tourism promotion trip. However, while the Los Angeles and San Fransico roadshows had some positive feedback, the planned roadshows in Las Vegas and Florida were cancelled. However the government officials that attended this US trip and some in this entourage were also a part of the Rome roadshow, ensured that the tax payers money and their time was well spent in understanding the different business models of tourism in casinos, pole-dancing bars and Disneyland.
The shocking details mentioned below are narrated by one of delegates who was part of the Goa Tourism entourage and is also government servant and his disclosure has been under very strict condition of anonymity.
On the list representing the Goa government on the US trip were the Tourism Minister, Nilkanth Halankar; Director Department of Tourism, Swapnil Naik; Chief Secretary of Goa Sanjay Srivastav, Vice-Chairman of Goa State Urban Development Authority (GSUDA) Vijai Sardessai, Suraj Lotlikar, Akbar Mulla and Rajesh Kale – the information officer of Goa Tourism (who went on his on account unofficially without government permission or following of protocol set for travel for government employees). Amongst the other government officials who were to join the group was the Revenue Minister Jose Philip Desouza, he however could not make it as his US-visa approval did not come in time. While Nilkanth and other representative of the tourism department reached the US on February 17, the Chief Secretary joined the group on February 21.
In Los Angeles the delegates stayed at the Hotel Beverly Hilton; the roadshow held here was well received by the travel trade, though the response was not as much at the tourism department desired. Post roadshow parties were about excursions, exploring the city and of course shopping.
The entourage spent three nights and four days at the Venetian Palazio at Las Vegas, this dispite the fact that there were no roadshows planned, in fact our source reveals that there was never a road show planned in Las Vegas. While in Las Vegas; the delegates spent most of their time either at the Casinos which is what many claim you do when you go the Las Vegas. But over and above that, our source informs us that a considerable time and money were spent in Strip Bars and on pole-dancers. In fact, so enamoured was he by the surroundings the Toursim Minister himself got into the act by gyrating with the pole dancers and some of the other Goa representatives joined the tourism minister.
Similarly in Florida, since the road shows that were planned could not be executed, the delegates decided to explore the wonderful tourism potential of Disneyland. From exploring the rides to staying at the Disney Land Resort; in fact it was mooted to explore the potential of creating a tourism attraction of this nature in Goa.
In San Francisco, the roadshow went as planned. The delegates were staying at the Marriotts. In fact the response from the San Francisco road show was positive and the interaction with the travel trade had a lot of promise for the future with opening opportunities for more American tourist to visit Goa. But surprisingly, Nilkanth Halankar did not attend the roadshow as he left to return back to India on March 2nd. So in effect the tourism minister spent more time exploring the different night tourism destinations in US and attended only one-roadshow . He and his friends did however find time to visit the bars, casinos and restaurants. The others returned to Goa on March 4 with the Chief Secretary.
Breach of government duty
• On what tourism related duty was it important for the Chief Secretary to attend international tourism road shows; when the tourism minister and other senior representatives of the tourism ministry are in attendance.
• On what government related duty was the vice chairman of GSUDA doing at a tourism related road show at an international destination.
• How did Rajesh Kale, information officer, Goa Tourism attend this event when he did not have the permission, which is mandatory for all government employees attending government related programmes to adhere, even if he travelled at his own cost.
• Being fully aware of the facts around Rajesh Kale and Vijai Sardessai, how did the Chief Secretary turn a blind eye to a breach of government protocol; including his on travel which is clearly unwarranted.
• Representing the government of Goa; how can government officials be socialising at strip bars and indulge in act unbecoming of government representatives.
While it can be argued that in tourism, the officials need to explore different facets of International tourism; no where in the tourism manual of the country is it written or acceptable that the government representatives spend tax-payers money on drinks, pole dancers and Disney Land.
The government will need to seriously look into this racket as every month the tourism department has planned to travel to foreign destinations and more money on government duty pretext would be schemed and wasted.
In San Francisco they must have gone to promote Gay tourism as most of our politicians are gays.
ReplyDeleteI understand that most of our Goan brothers and sisters are not aware what is happening and who loot our money. This is the way how the spent the Goan exchequer. I remember Goan Ministers and MLA's going to modern infrastructure around the World, to study these things and come back to Goa to implement such things. What Nonsense? Has anything happened? They only spent money, enjoyed and came back and persons like Aleixo Sequeira must have gambled Government money in the Casino machine slots and smoked his way back home. Vijay Sardessai is the pimp of Goa's politics. He knows whom to supply and climb the steps of politics. This is one man we have to be careful about, the day he becomes MLA, it will be another nail on the Goan coffin. This big tout is a white criminal like the other criminals of the Congress Party. People should be wise and act wisely in the coming elections. Give up political lollipops, the religious head should stop interfering in the political system and rather be busy preparing their own souls in cleansing them. Unless the people of Goa refrain from accepting goodies for votes, do not expect miracles to happen and Goa can change.
ReplyDeleteVery good development, our Goan boys will get jobs with so many high profile tourists rushing to Goa with the costly call of our Tourism Minister. There are new hotels coming up, mostly 5 Stars. First and foremost, we can employ Chorchill's pilot son as security guard in one of these hotels as he is not yet employed by any airline (they must be surely believing that his pilot's license is fake). Piglet can be employed as In charge of Security Guards. Babu from Azgaon, Maharashtra can sit outside polishing shoes. We can ask Aleixo Sequeira to put up a Cigarette stall outside the hotels including a mini Casino, Chorchill can employ all his taxi fellows along with Joaquim on the back seat. Sharda Rathod, aunty of Mauvin from Ghanti Nagar at Zuari can start a "Pimping Center' in alliance with Chordessai, the supplier. Ravi Naik can start Matka and "godgodo" booth beside the road and outside these hotels, his son can pimp to sell charas. Dayanand Narvenkar can sell fake tickets for Inox, kadamba buses and Ferry Cruising and later for Asian Games. Police too will have their share of threathening and looting the guests. Ranes will also get gainful income by levying 10% commission on everything that is sold within the tourism industry. This is a good development to show the World how rich Goa is and how everyone is gainfully employed. This will also project how our sincere elected MLA's and Ministers are struggling to make a living.
ReplyDeleteThese elected scoundrels will not do any projects those will benefit us Goans but all for the sake of outsiders, filling their own pockets and enjoying free doles. Nevertheless, they will die a cursed life and suffer in hell and their living generations will eat fire.
Does anyone think that we need these hotesl and budget tourists? Do we really need the International Film (Call it Filth) Festival? Can the aam aadmi be benifited by these events? Outsiders enjoy and go at our cost, that too a five star life.
Nice one Dalia.
ReplyDeleteCan anyone suggest a job for MIckky Pacheco and Digu KAMAT.
To help you on with your suggestion...think of a Hummer, Ratol and A/c toilets.
What about Madkaikar,the thief of OLD GOA.
Shashikala Kakodkar could sell programmes printed in English.
Narguesh Karmali, could guide the Tourists around the relics of the indian Invaders.Tourists will surely be impressed with all his Indian garbage.
Monseratte could take tourists around Taleigao and demonstrate how he rapes everything...movable and immovable.
Valanka could also demonstrate LIP Painting techniques.
Somebody should have shoved the poles up their backsides. The money wasted by these fools could have been used to better some Goan lives.
ReplyDeleteDoes the expenditure includes the visits to different brothels like Mickey? How about money spent in Casinos?
ReplyDelete