Hi Antonio, Second question first: I lived in a Goan village (Aldona) from 1950-1961 (and visited the place in later years). Pre-1961, Aldona had no electricity (and gadgets that depended on it), running water (flush toilets) or paved roads. As my mother would say Goan villagers "did not have a pot to piss in." These daily deprivations did not matter. We HAD Portuguese citizenship (humor with sarcasm!).
What made the progress in Goan village life? IMHO, it is all the revenue that Goa is earning from tourism. Recently I read about 5 crores will be spent in Aldona in the next FY. I doubt Aldona generates that kind of revenue in taxes. So Goans have to be grateful for the Golden Goose and take care of it. Don’t take it for granted and don't abuse it - Tourism I mean!!! Pre-1961 the only revenue the Govt received was mine exports and the proud and sacred "monthly remittances" of Diaspora Goans. Goa was a negative balance of payments for Portugal. So there were no revenues to improve Goa's dire needs in spite of all the frequent speeches, good intentions and decades of "planning on the drawing board." Politicians and government, be they Portuguese or Indian do not generate or print money; they only spread the wealth. Kind Regards, GL Antonio Menezes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> And so what one does think made all this possible in a village. Freedom and democracy and its representatives like panchayat members, MLA s and MP s who tried to provide the infrastructure. Now a question to all those Goanetters who had lived in a Goan village during the Portuguese regime in the late forties and fifties. Do you remember what village life was like and if so, compare it with todays burstling life of any Goan village.
