www.oherald.com dated July 2, 2002 TUESDAY TUNES
All Churchillish? DEFEATS NOTWITHSTANDING, IT'S not all gloom it seems for Churchill Alemao. In fact, the 15-day ex-Chief Minister, can draw consolation from his very nemesis - Francisco Mickky Pacheco. Mickky, it seems, is drawing unparalleled inspiration from his foe, and virtually aping the giant he killed from head to toe. From the jewelry on all his fingers, the portfolios, to the cabin, PS and office staff. Yes, the new MLA from Benaulim is indeed obsessed with a one-point programme - imitate Churchill in anything and everything that he does. Mickky has got what he asked for of the CM - tourism and sports portfolios - the ones once held by Churchill. Those - journalists and others - who closely watched this politician for a couple of years, have confirmed he hardly wore more than two rings on his fingers earlier. But now, Mickky wears as many as eight of them, inspired of course by the giant he killed. He's also taken the cabin that Churchill occupied once as a minister... and what's more... .the official that Churchill took on as his private secretary too is now with Mickky, as are a few other office staff. Yes, Mickky has surprisingly taken on as private secretary Mr Anthony Rebello, the one time Passport Officer, courtesy Eduardo Faleiro. For readers who may not recollect who Mr Rebello is, well, he's that loyal civil servant who drafted for Churchill in 1999 the famous 'Coca-Cola EL-TEE-DEE' reply to a 'calling attention motion' on the water spat the soft-drink giant and the minister had. Wonder if there'll be more 'EL-TEE-DEEs' this time from the new master - Mickky Pacheco! Churchill blunder THE STRONGMAN FROM Varca, Churchill Alemao, may not have much to smile about the just concluded May 30 elections. For, the results have not just handed him a humiliating defeat in his hitherto untouchable bastion of Benaulim, but most of the Congress candidates he rooted for, barring of course his own brother Joaquim in Cuncolim, too suffered humiliating defeats. Which means, Churchill Alemao, who kept claiming that he was closest a Goan politician could come to emulating Dayanand Bandodkar, has lost much, if not all, of the 'esteem' he enjoyed in Delhi. Churchill is believed to have cornered as many as five tickets for his 'followers' in the pre-election candidate selection negotiations in the Congress. "Give the tickets to them and getting them elected will be my job" was Churchill's much-echoed boast before the High Command. Four of the five, including Churchill, lost. And, as if that wasn't enough, at least one Congress candidate who pipped a Churchill's man to the coveted ticket and whose 'certain defeat' Churchill had confidently predicted, Babu Kavlekar, won an amazing victory defeating Prakash Velip in Quepem. Now, the 'leader' is crying foul, blaming other leaders for the loss of his 'leadership'. Love's labour lost IT IS THE fourth estate's job to keep a watchful eye. But who watches the watchers? Sometimes, the watchers themselves don't do a good job in watching after their own interests. In the 2001-2002 Parrikar budget, a 'pension scheme' was announced for journos amidst much fanfare. Never mind the question of whether the state should be doling out taxpayers' monies for such a purpose. Even if we agree that it's needed, then why was only five lakh rupees kept aside for this purpose? There was also some confusion over who actually is a 'journalist' (or why should those newspaper employees who write be more privileged than those who don't write, but are newspaper employees all the same). But this quaint tale has taken a new twist. In the 2002-2003 budget, the total funds allocated to this 'pension scheme' is a big zero. No comments (so far) from the press, no announcement from the chief minister, who last year was quick to take credit. Of course, if one criticises the government over this, the answer that comes is that "additional funds" could always be allocated later. If so, what's the purpose and intent of the annual budget? Interestingly, another department which has virtually been fiscally wound-up is the Department of Evacuee Property. In the year 2000-01, some Rs 11.5 lakh was spent on it - largely to pay salaries. There was the politically-turned redundant Silva Commission of Enquiry (which cost almost half a million rupees). This year the total funds allocated to the Evacuee Property Custodian's office is a big zero. Do we take this to mean that it is politically convenient not to protect such property then? Guv's role WHAT DOES IT cost to have a Governor rule the state? Out of the nearly Rs 150-lakh spent for the upkeep of the Raj Bhavan each year, the 'emoluments and allowances of the Governor' amount to barely Rs 4.3 lakh. (Of course, the 'household establishment' costs another Rs 48-lakh almost). In these days of spiraling inflation, it reminds one of the time when the salary of the President of India was just Rs 10,000 per month. With the middle-class boom that India has seen, even any middle-level executive in a prosperous firm would be better off. That brings us to another interesting point: don't our legislators want computers? It would seem so. In the year 2000-2001, only a total of Rs 79,000 was taken - by all the 40 legislators together - for advances to purchase computers. In the current year, there is simply no provision needed on this front. Or are we so advanced in our plans for e-governance and building the cyberstate that all this is simply superfluous? Blundering media? GOA'S CHIEF MINISTER, Manohar Parrikar, seems to be having a quaint grudge against the fourth estate. Everybody seems to be approaching him with their grievances, only after first going to the fourth estate! And, it's not always that the print media airs these grievances correctly. The latest example is of the 'anganwadi' workers. The press blundered in the case of the 'anganwadi' workers, so claims the CM. "I have audio-visual proof that the `anganwadi' workers have told me that their problem is nothing like what you have reported," he told journalists. TAILPIECE Atalji's health is fine The press got the wrong line Now, Advaniji's on cloud nine Well, all in good 'TIME'. Contributed by Ashley do Rosario, Mayabhushan Nagvenkar and Frederick Noronha =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=-= To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet =================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead ! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Help support non-commercial projects in Goa by advertizing!! * * * * Your ad here !!
