ALL THAT GLITTERS…….by Freddy Agnelo Fernandes, Dubai

Ervell Menezes has indeed depicted Goa, the sleaze and destruction encumbered Goa, along with the apathy of Goans for quality governance, in a nut shell in the Opinion column of Herald dated 10th March 2011. A lot of people will say we have heard it all before and seen it all too but can we change it ? Or Who will change it ?

Yes indeed, the commercialization of our Carnival has lost it freshness as well as it audaciousness with which it was celebrated in all the villages of rural Goa . It is a proven record that all the local customs or traditions which our inapt government tries to exploit have either disintegrated or headed for disasters.

The Carnival, Holi and Sigmo were all community based celebrations, ethically celebrated by individual communities, it is the secular fabric more prevalent in Goa than any other state of India that had made all the festivities universal in Goa, earlier our pathetic government had no involvement in theses celebrations and hence, all Goans joined in these celebrations, reverberating the secular essence that Goa and Goans espoused.

As always the government was needed to adulterate and contaminate the pure and chaste with malicious and malafide intent that only politicians are known to do. Commercializing our local festivities has brought in ill gotten money from commercial giants and politicians alike with only one purpose in mind, popularity and votes. Today with the gullibility of Goans exposed, each politician is trying to out gun and out run the other, may be of another party or even from the same party, as long as each one can score a valuable brownie point. Even then it is heartening to see a gentleman from Quepem trying to revive the old essence of Carnival in his village, we do need more people like him if we are to have a semblance of a chance to bring back the charm and the authenticity to our local customs and traditions which have been waylaid by our corrupt politicians to propagate their own selfish agendas.

Ervell’s reference to the success of the Cavrem Adivasi Bachao Samiti, the tribals as we call them, have shown us in no uncertain terms, what 150 dedicated people who are fighting for their very existence can do if push comes to shove, it is the will of the people, numbers do not mean a thing, like the villagers of Nuem at Khola where also about 150 people withstood the might of goons, an armed battalion of police and a herd of heavy earth moving machinery, armed with only the statue of their patron Our Lady of Piety and the will to fight, if only a few Goans can do it by themselves, I am sure Goans in unity could achieve anything if we want to. Unity will be the key to success in our fight to protect our land and our Identity. Cavrem people have fought and won but has any action been taken against the offender for illegal mining, this is a serious matter, the proof is there so why no action has been taken?

Yes indeed, it is true, the aam aadmi has not just been left out in the cold but damp and wet as well in this socio-political rhetoric’s of Goa, aren’t we ? The aam aadmi has been left out in the cold for ages by our very own elected elite, who neither have the will nor the inclination to be of service to the common man. Aam aadmi has been pounded and battered with projectiles of promises after promises but action has eluded and found wanting. Corruption and idiocies thrive both at the center as well as the state level. Qualitative governance has become extinct and it’s revival is the need of the hour.

The over all scenario in Goa is appalling on every front like Ervell has expressed, crime, drugs, corruption and illegal mining have left Goa in tatters, decay seemed imminent but fortunately there is still some hope with like minded people coming together to fight for a common goal, a better Goa, a corruption free Goa, a greener Goa. Support GRA on 15th March for a change in Goa . Yes they could be the ones to bring about the change, let’s give them a chance. Goa Jai Ho