---------------------------------------------------------- ***** CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2002 *****
Dec 21 - GOA-LA, Los Angeles, +1 (714) 821-6168 Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a free party announcement Archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Goa-Net/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Goanet2003/ ---------------------------------------------------------- In response to the post of December 16 from Devika Sequeira <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> I shall make only the following comments: Devika: > It has been my policy in general to never respond, because quibbling Goans > will carry on quibbling, no matter what. But I am making an exception once > again, because there are points that must be countered. Jorge: Thank you, Devika («Vicky»), for making an exception in my case. But I want to make it clear that I am not one of those "quibbling Goans" who "will carry on quibbling, no matter what". Devika: > I'm sorry, Jorge, to shatter your illusions about the quality and > competence of your consul generals (I assume you are Portuguese from your > fierce and blinding patriotism). Jorge: Yes you are right, I am Portuguese - or rather a genuine Goan, who loves deeply the land of his birth and who never had any other nationality than the Portuguese one. But you hurt me deeply when you say that my patriotism is fierce and blinding. Never in my life have I spoken or written "blindly" or "fiercely" either pro or against anybody or anything, but always stated my points of view with conviction. And it is not at this my old age that I will stoop so low as to argue fiercely and/or blindly to put across my viewpoints. Devika: > It might dishearten you to learn that one > of the former consuls was known to fudge expenses on travel and > entertainment so he/she could claim higher returns from your government. > Another had run up an enormous tab at a five star resort here entertaining > his jet-setting friends. The hotelier ( a repository of the most > entertaining and useful information to us journalists) had some very anxious > months till your government agreed to clear the backlog. The same career > diplomat was later banished to Bosnia at the height of the ethnic comflict > there. Jorge: I know who you are referring to and I am by no means disheartened and, as you yourself have pointed out, the latter of the two consuls was served a "banishment" notice, though it might be rightly argued whether it was an adequate punishment or if he deserved a tougher one. But you have said not a word about the present consul's immediate predecessor Vera Fernandes. Do you think she did not do anything in favour of improving the cultural and other relations between our two countries? Devika: > One can sympathise with the relieved staff in your consulate here > who've set such high hopes on the present consul-general, said to be the > best candidate so far. If your government has achieved anything by way of > cultural/economic exchange (one is not referring to Fundacao Oriente) with > India through the efforts of previous consuls here, we'd be glad to hear of > it. Jorge: I don't think it is up to me to make such things known. Investigative journalists should do that. And I do wish the present Consul-General M. C. Velozo every success in his mission. Devika: > One last and final point: why journalists don't, and should not, reveal > their sources. > It is an accepted norm in democratic countries that journalists protect > their sources in the larger interest of bringing to light the facts. Which > is why most democratic countries do not make it mandatory for the media to > make public their source of information even in the court. Take away this > practice and perhaps 80 per cent of the better stories would never see the > light of day. Let me remind you of the Nixon case. Would the corruption have > ever been exposed had it not been for Deep Throat? > "Where is the proof?" is an argument we often hear from politicians on > the defensive. It is not for journalists to prove the corruption in > governtments. It is > for governments to clean up their acts at the slightest hint of a stink.-- Jorge: Did I say that journalists should reveal their sources? What I said is that «We think that the names of those who act corruptly should be publicly denounced - with proofs, of course» (I didn't say by whom) and that «a person who makes such grave assertions ... should be prepared to come forward and put his/her signature below such a statement, and not make the assertion and remain in anonymity». It is indeed cowardly for a person to make grave accusations against another person or against an institution (like the "Conservatoria") and hide behind anonymity. So, let those members of the staff of the Portuguese Consulate-General in Goa who produced those accusations come boldly forward. I for my part will send prints of all this e-correspondence to the Public Ombudsman "Provedor de Justica") of Portugal, with copies to the Ministers of Law and of Foreign Affairs, so that they may judge for themselves whether they want to institute inquiries both at the Consulate and the "Conservatoria" to find out what truth there is in all those allegations. Jorge ======================================================================== Ongoing: Exhibition of paintings, Art Chamber, Calangute www.goa-art.com Dec 14 onwards: Shireen Mody's Goa 2002 exhibition, Arpora. Tel 2276759 Dec 17, 18, 20: Indo-Portuguese furniture, lectures Fundacao Ph 2230728 Jan 18-19: International kite carnival at Morgim beach, Pernem ========================================================================
