Mopa Airport pyramid invitation for suggestions and expressions of interest
In the English Dictionary Goa comes before Goan, God and Google. In his song ”Proud to be Goan” written specially for World Goa Day, Basilio Magno, former Editor of Goan Echo, while in Russelsheim Germany described Goa as a small dot on the map. This was more than thirty years ago when Jorge and Livia De Abreu proposed World Goa Day, seconded by a lady in Maryland California. Lest we forget this special event called “World Goa Day (WGD)” was instituted to mark the anniversary of that momentous day – 20th of August 1992 – when the Indian Parliament included Konkani in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. That was the long awaited day when Konkani got due recognition as an official language in India, Konkani – “Amchi Bas” – Our Mother tongue, finally recognized as Indian. What a wonderful reason to celebrate. For ten years nothing happened until the strenuous efforts of Rene Baretto in London got the occasion up and running and created an interest in different parts of the world. This is now celebrated at in various countries at different times of the year. If the date of Christmas day could be changed by the Goan it would have been by now. The Logo of World Goa Day shows a family leaving the Golden Sands of Goa crossing the sea, with them, they carried our culture, music, food and heritage. Rewinding, as a former editor of the Goan Association (UK) Newsletter with no internet access and one finger typing on a slow Remington manual typewriter going tap tap tap into the night waking the neighbours I had asked for a list of outstanding jobs to be done in Goa and invited our people with skills living abroad to assist local people and projects funded by Surplus income from celebrations eating and dancing in several countries that could create employment opportunities. May I ask again perhaps the NRI office can coordinate? Our people are so clever Google not needed. You may recall President Banda of Malawi expelled a whole Goan population from Malawi because there were dancing at the club while his speech was on the Radio. World Goa Day in 2018 is more important than it has ever been. Today it highlights our people who are neither here nor there some even having abandoned Goan family names one would think we have an artificial half cast generation CHOTARA with names like Mckenzie, Johnson, Washington, Shelton, Rodney and Fawn. These are not Goan or Portuguese or Indian names as new arrivals from Goa land in Breadline Britain in search of a better life and employment opportunities. These names could be associated with Kapris from the West Indies along with the local natives. There is a saying you are worth more dead than alive. In England the Registered Charity Goan Welfare Society based in Cranford can and has arranged for a one or four bedroom coffins to be airfreighted to Goa depending on Price. To remind you this new business appears to have no transparent audit trail and, in its absence, could be easily viewed as a hand in pocket thrill recently being mimicked by others begging for money on the internet with no payment safeguard for donations and their donors thus leaving their individual bank account open to fraudsters. Those who qualified so far have been Portuguese Nationals of Goan Origin claiming to have no money. Goan Welfare Society has enough funds for the next hundred coffins or Ashes facility for 200. With unknown additional income from the overcrowded 700 capacity fundraiser New Year’s Ball 2017 at Wands worth Town Hall and income streams from Raffles, Bar, Paper hats, catering Life membership revenue with no receipts or welcome pack creating a feel good factor. Although I have enquired, no one has told me the amount raised and my feeling is nobody cares as they dance the night away. No more begging please. Every other day there are announcements of people dying in UK followed by requiem mass and burial in GOA. Is it the latest craze to come to UK before you die? For free shipment back to Mother Goa for burial? In my note of 5th May I asked as to what happens to bodies chemically treated abroad to prevent decay brought to mother Goa for burial. Just like mining and coal, this business with allegations of Hand in Pocket has no consideration for the environment as in Goa graves are recycled every three years as bodies decompose. There used to be talk of human bones distributed across the state by foxes is this still the Case. The Pyramid will be a memento of our present civilization. The building could have a cremation facility to process the newly arrived bodies, the ashes including gold from tooth fillings and accessories could be passed on to loved ones. The coffins that were zinc or lead lined could be stripped of precious metals that could be recycled. To further protect the environment every person in Goa should now lobby their representatives to ban the burial of chemically treated bodies They must be cremated on arrival with the ashes handed to family and loved ones. To be enshrined in law by the legislative assembly. 21,000 trees have been felled. The MOPA Airport project has been stopped while the search for local workers to be employed resumes. To get the Pyramid project up and running you will need a committee headed by a President, on second thoughts scrub this as no one follows any rules. The days of crab mentality played a vital role in the survival of our people yester year when our hardy ancestors left the shores of Goa without Travel insurance to plant the flag for Europeans inland on the dark Continent. Crab Mentality prevented deaths by stopping people going into disease infested land and wild animals a place where the Europeans sent you first never to return. The views expressed in this article are personal and should not be used as any authority. Melvyn Fernandes Thornton Heath Surrey England 13 March 2018
