An Open Request To Selwyn Collaco President of GOA. Toronto. You Selwyn, sometimes read posts on this group so I’m hoping you read this. The Goan Community in Toronto loves its feni. This is evident from the fact that stocks are wiped off the shelves in a matter of days when they appear in LCBO stores.
Common Sense dictates that this demand would make any importer ecstatic, constrained only by the lack of supply from Goa exporters. But we read that large Goan exporters are themselves frustrated by the LCBO’s unexplained policy. They have encountered no problems with supplying various countries where Goan customers abound, but the monopoly Ontario importer refuses to set up a process where smooth supply can take place. Over the years, rumours among the community why LCBO doesn’t bring in feni have swirled. They are dissatisfied with the quality received, the alcoholic content is never standard as labelled, the supply is erratic, we allow private importation (with our permission of course) but we won’t stock it in stores etc etc. It doesn’t take too much to realize the community is being taken for a ride. And all this mind you after hefty profits made, through exorbitant prices that are charged. We don’t complain too much about this even though we are gouged with such prices, because we realize that they have a floor price (translation: they must sell it for large multiples of what they bought it for) and profits are returned to the government in the form of a yearly dividend. Just in case you didn’t know and for your information, the price of a bottle gradually went up over less than a decade from $24 to $49 for 750 ml. Since you visit Goa, I need not tell you the retail price there, since my reference to price is not connected to the issue. One must view the LCBO’s quirky behaviour with regard to feni in the context of their claim that all you need to get the liquor of your choice is to ask them to import it. The Goan community in this city and province won’t starve of thirst if we don’t get feni, but it’s an affront and disrespect to all of us and even those of us who are teetotallers or non feni drinkers that a government agency is treating us in this shabby manner. If a meeting with the LCBO CEO George Soleas doesn’t help, you are in a position to put pressure through the many politicians who make their appearance at Viva Goa. The LCBO after all, is a Government Agency as I mentioned. When you exit the presidency of the GOA Toronto, Selwyn, you will leave a legacy of several good things including that of being a President during whose term the Community got its own Clubhouse. To that I myself would not be happier if you left office eventually as also the guy who got Goans their supply of feni in Toronto. With regards. Roland, Scarborough. Roland Francis 416-453-3371
