There has been a number of very interesting developments happening recently, in the Arab world. It all started in Tunisia and thus has spread to Egypt and Yemen. People there are fed up of thier so called “democratic Governments " that have had, more or less, the same faces all through these years. The only people that have prospered during this period are the corrupt people that have been in power, continuously, and their family members and those that stand close to them.
I think it is time that we too in Goa (the people in Goa and those that have a credible connection to Goa) protest, in a similar manner but peacefully, against the present members of the administration in Goa. Many politicians in Goa have been in power for too long and have thus established a sort of a “fool proof system " to get themselves elected again and again. Most of these politicians are slowly but surely also grooming thier family members and the people that have been close to them to enter politics, thus ensuring that the corrupt system that they have developed all along stays alive. Some of them have already brought in thier relatives and people that are close to them within the Government and other lucrative Government postings.
To the best of my knowledge, there exists no proper democracy in Goa. The people of Goa are paying the price. There is no proper law and order situation in Goa. The police that are supposed to protect Goans and their properties are themselves busy operating illegal activities. The law does not seem to apply to the people that are the members of the Government and to the Government employees. Many of the so called elected representatives to the Assembly ( MLA's ) as well the employees of various Government departments are involved in various corrupt and illegal activities and have thus accumulated enormous wealth that is beyond thier means.
The MLA's in Goa are enjoying various benefits, perks, allowances plus salaries that far exceed their counterparts in the developed Western countries. How can they allow themselves such a extravagant lifestyle when they have not done anything credible for the development and progress of Goa till the present day? The minimum wages for Goans ( I think ) is set at rupees 150 a day by the Government. How can the Goans survive on such low wages? The prices in Goa have reached such a level, that most of the Goans cannot even afford basic essential things like food, clothing and housing. The only people that can afford to buy a house in Goa is the wealthy people from outside Goa that wish to buy a holiday home in Goa ( or probably wish to utilise their ill gained fortune in Goa ) and those that have worked overseas.
The minimum wages in Goa should be at least 600 rupees a day considering the present prevailing prices of essential goods and commodities in Goa. Every Goan should be able to feed himself / herself and its family, pay for public transport to and from work / school, maintain a housing loan, pay for basic entertainment like cable TV connection and pay for unforeseen expenses like doctor / dentist etc with the basic salary earned. The Government has made a big joke of all Goans by capping the minimum wages of ordinary Goans at rupees 150 a day while the members of the Government ( MLA's ) themselves are busy enjoying a lavish lifestyle.
It is wrong to state that Goans do not like to take up jobs in Goa and that they only prefer to travel overseas to find work. The real fact remains that Goans refuse to work like slaves and be exploited for a miserable salary of 150 rupees a day while the MLA's live a lavish lifestyle. The Government has failed miserably to educate Goans in trades like brick laying, tile / floor fitting, electricians, plumbers, etc etc. If the Government had been efficient and sincere enough to pick up all the school drop-outs and encourage them to take up various trades ( at local educational centers ) then we would not have had the need to depend on outsiders to take up such jobs in Goa. All the Governments that have been in power in Goa have encouraged non Goan people to set up hotels, industries, businesses in Goa in the name of creating employment opportunities to Goans and most of the jobs in such establishments, run by non Goans, have systematically been given to non Goans.
All the Governments that have functioned in Goa till present date and the one that still operates, have systematically sold off our beloved Goa, its land, business opportunities, employment opportunities, its natural resources, etc etc etc to non Goans that have " paid the required price " . All this has to change and all the non-Goans, non Goan industires, businesses, employees that have set up / establised in Goa illegally have to GO. Goa is a a very very small place and if the Goa Government itself is very busy creating employment / business opportunities for non Goans then what will the people of Goa do ?
The Government of Goa must not excuse itself by stating that all Indians can live and work everywhere within India. This is absolutely NONSENSE. However, while its true that all Indians can live and work anywhere in India, the constitution of India, clearly does not encourage people to live and work and establish themselves illegally in other states within India. How could the Government of Goa, through all these years, allow mass migration of non Goans into Goa to illegally grab our land, jobs, business opportunities, employment opportunities, resources........etc etc etc ....at the cost of original Goans...???
Everyone of us has the moral responsibility to act when we see things going wrong. So far we Goans have been extremely patient and tolerant, but there is a limit to everything. The time has come to get out on the streets and protest against the worng through peacefull mass protests and public gatherings, and throw out the corrupt people that have looted and ruined Goa and bring such people to justice. Enough is enough.
Amchea Goeamkara moddem soddanch ekvot anik mog assum – Tumcho mogall – Alex.
Only UNO can help us, for that we need a Government who could put our case at the UNO.
ReplyDeleteWe today are an "Indian occupied Goa" as long as we are occupied by India, they can beat and rape us the way they like.
WE'RE INDIAN PROPERTY NOW, the difference between Possesion and Ownership is, we Goan are the Owners of Goa, but unfortunately we're in Indian Posession.
Alex D’Souza, Well written article believe me there will be few regular critics that do not want to see Goans unite for a worthy cause. But majority of Goans are fed up at the current state of affairs in Goa. They are seeking someone to lead them to their Goal, but the only obstacle are the crumb eaters and goons of the corrupt criminal politicians. I pray the day will come for a political revolution
ReplyDeleteDiogo, We Goans are fed up with the state of affairs in Goa. It is only a matter of time when a revolution ' a la Tunisia / Egypt' will take place. The ruling coterie is already feeling the heat from NG, what we need to do now is get organised and put into action our thoughts. A very well written thought provoking article Alex.
ReplyDeleteTo Alex D’Souza, San Francisco :::This is a well researched article and holds the true sentiment of every Goan (bar a few).
ReplyDeleteGoa needs new Dynamic and educated Leaders / people to run the State.
The current bunch of idiots that rule Goa are un-educated, uncultured, lack vision , and I would even say most uncivilised.
Many of them state in their MLA C.V.`s that, they have travelled around the world.But this experience is not reflected in the development of Goa.
Goa also needs a Political Party, that is reginoal and not controlled by extremely corrupt Party Secretarys at the Goa desk in New Delhi.These Party Secretaries are not Goans and do not understand the Goan Pysche.
I pray that a day will come when Goa is given Special status.But better still "if" Goa becomes a Republic.This will allow us to control our own destiny.
India maybe a fast developing Economy,but it is at the cost of half to 3/4 of its population.There is nothing cheerful about this.
This is an excellent article highlighting the mass exodus of the Goan talent to foreign lands. Since well paying jobs are only available on bribes and influence, Goa has seen its young talented workforce migrating to distant lands to secure their future. The young generation has a set standard and it is everyone's right to secure a bright future for oneself. Since the pay scales are pathetic in Goa, the Goan talent has vanished and the riff raff from neighboring states has (devoid of any standard, incompetence and class) has conveniently filled the gap there by creating the vote bank for the goon politician to harvest.
ReplyDeleteWhat we need in Goa is a system of localization as followed by various Gulf states.90% jobs in any industry to be given to Goans with more than 2 generations living in Goa, or residing for minimum 15 years in Goa. We need a system to hold on to our local young talent and support them to excel and go for the mid and higher management positions available. We need to support and back our young entrepreneurs to create more jobs and to take a keen interest in the political field. We need the young generation who are educated and who has passed out from our local colleges to get into the political arena and strive to change the system and make a difference.
John Pereira