On a lazy Sunday, the issue of migrants and outsiders came up again. Right after lunch, I read the GT's weekender. Sheela Jaywant's column focussed this week on the Goan attitude towards settlers in Goa. In her own experience, she said that it took unusually long to make friends, and get helpful tips, and it was only when she got a job, things began to change. Now she's accepted and people are very nice to her and she thought this attitude was a strange Goan way. A few pages later, there was the discussion on the recent Sanvordem riots and the local politician Ramrao stated that 'outsiders' were responsible for the destruction of property belonging to the Muslim community. Sujay Gupta, the editor of GT then asked Ramaro, "who were the outsiders, and from where they were and if they were outsiders indeed, how could they target just local Muslim property?" To which Ramrao replied, 'they were from Margao, Vasco, Ponda and Panjim' bus did not answer furthermore. So when we ask for regulation of migrants, outsiders, settlers, who are we talking about? Where are the boundaries? If I step out of my own room at my home, am I an outsider?
It seems that every time I write on a controversial topic, I get into trouble! :-) But this time, I have no apologies, nor regrets, on my last article titled Migrants and Misinformation. This evening, I got a mail from a friend of a friend of a friend who sent me a write-up by Croydon in response to my article that I wrote on Goanet last week. (His latest write-up is reproduced below). It's obvious that Mr. Croydon did not get the point and does not like criticism. :-) No problem! I cant make him change his views and his writing, and so cant he. Mr. Madeira did not write to me though. Clinton Vaz Benaulim, Goa +91 9860036828 [EMAIL PROTECTED] Croydon's 1st Writeup in the Herald http://oheraldo.in/node/10667 My article on Migrants http://www.goanet.org/post.php?name=News&list=goanet&info=2006-March/date&po st_id=039694 Croydon's 2nd Writeup in the Herald http://oheraldo.in/node/11038 Goans BY CROYDON MEDEIRA It is not surprising to know that Goa has now become a haven for terrorists, shady character people,pimps,drug peddlars etc. Thanks to the lethargic attitude of all our successive governments who turn a nelson's eye to the growing problems we Goans face in our very own state.And then we also have people like Clinton Vaz from Benaulim, who come out in support of migrants just because he does not want to pay our local people a few rupees more to get the same work done. Where are we heading?? Take for instance this terrorist Battlo who had gret plans for mass destruction in Goa. What would have happened if he had to succeed?? Could the government and people who support these migrants living here bring back lives of people lost as a result of these terrorists dectructive plans?? No matter what compensation the government gives it can never ever replace and repair the grief of loosing a loved one. And what about the psycological fear that lives on in the mids of the affected people for years to come, can that be cured by giving a few pieces of silver as compensation? The Kashmiris,Lamaanis, Bihari's dotting the coastal belt of Goa with businesses of carpets,jewellery etc. are all fronts for peddling drugs,women etc. You mean to say the governments don't know of this?? They very well do. Do you think the police and law enforcing machinery don't know of this?? They too very well know about what goes on in those dingy shacks and shops by the coastal belt.They don't want to do anything about it because they get their hands greased so well that when told to catch them they loose their grip and their nerves start to give way and they all get temorary paralysis. My fellow Goan brother & Sisters, Uncles & Aunties, Fathyers & Mothers & today's most powerfull shaping force the YOUTH of today and future of tommorrow WAKE UP. The next time you have these politicians coming to your door step begging for votes see that they give assurance to rectify the following Jobs to only Goans in all industries, government offices, IT firms etc. Only if they do not find any qualified goans then and only then people from outside can be hired. In short one should get jobs purely on merit and not by paying hefty bribes. Do away with corruption right from the office boy level in governement offices to Ministers and their chamchas. Give full powers to anti corruption cell,CBI,Income Tax department to conduct raids on anyone irrespective of their position or money & muscle power. Law enforcing authorities like the Police etc. should be able to function by themselves without any outside interference from local politicians. But at the same time there should be guidelines for the law enforcing authorities so that they do not misuse their powers and begin to harass innocent people.These guidelines should be made public and an awareness program should be held to make the general public aware of their rights,duties and freedom they enjoy. All government departments should be totally computerised. Applications in all departments and enquiries should be attended to qwithin a period of 3 working days. People found to be present in the office but not on their seats should be reported to a cell specially formed to handle this kind of lethargy and punishment to these people should be stringent. Basic amenities like electricity,water, cleanliness should be top most priority and corporations/departements taking care of this should be answerable to the public directly. For this to happen weekly meeting should be held with responsible people from each department and the general public of that constituency and the grieviencies they face. Action should be intitiated within 4 days on all grieviencies come up in that week. Security of people,property, etc. should be top most. Round the clock patrolling should be held. Each and every house should be connected to a circuit board at the police station of that area.In case of distress police should know which family is in distress at the push of just a button. Check to maintained on construction of new houses, buildings, villas etc.Areas should be marked as no development zones in consultation with general public of that area. This will help in maintaining a balance on construction activities & maintaining natural habitat. Leisure areas and play areas for young and old should be developed at a nominal fee for maintainence and up keep. Businesses found to be floundering rules set by a competitive department or for not adhering to the purpose for which license has been obtained or for not maintaining the highest level of cleanliness or for causing inconvienience to the public should have thier license revoked and permanantly shut down after a proper speedy investigation. No migrants from any other part of the country should be allowed to purchase land or set up shop in the state. Littering of streets,spitting or chewing tobbacco, smoking in public places other then in designated areas which should be many should attract a hefty fine. Public transport should be monitored to check that they do not stop at unauthorised bus stops/stations to pick up passangers and cause hinderance to traffic. Multi storey parking facilities should built in every town/city to accomodate the parking woes of the public.Nominal fee should be charged for maintainence and upgrade whenever needed. These are some of the burning issues that need to be tackled in a right fashion. We should see that the next time we vote for any of the candidates that these issues are taken care of.If incase they are not taken care of the public has the right to pull up the concerned public servant/politician to a governing body which has to be set up only to summon and check/verify that what has been promised is what is being done and not something else. This way you also employ more people by forming new governing bodies and at the same time all politicians are held accountable thus improving the lives of us GOANS. VIVA GOA!! VIVA GOENKAR!! -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.2.5/284 - Release Date: 3/17/2006
