It would be interesting if a Goan tax payer asked for a public accounting of the finances of the Saldanha Convention that took place in Toronto recently in view of the fact that the NRI Commissioner handed over a cheque for 5000 Euros to the organizers. This is money generated from Goa tax payers (that includes 'bhailles' by the way) and it is my opinion that they would have a right to know where their money went.
It does leave a funny feeling in the pit of one's stomach to think that Goan tax payers were asked to partly finance what was in effect a pointless gathering. One that was organized merely because a single individual (or a couple in this case) officially representing none but themselves, chose to take up the baton at the Portugal Convention. Gabe is right in asking on what basis it is decided to grant every next Goan Convention. Caution must be used in future to grant it to representative bodies of Goans. In retrospect, It would have been better to have accepted Mervyn Lobo's generous private offer to match what the NRI Commissioner was asked to grant. That way everyone could sleep a little better knowing some deserving Goan cause was not deprived. Having made this vinegar posting let me add a little Goan jaggery to it. All said and done kudos to the team for all the hard effort they had to put in. I am personally aware of the great sacrifices to sweat, time and money that was put in by Francis Rodrigues, Mervyn Lobo, Bosco D'Mello, their spouses and family. These are great Goans to have on one's side. -- Roland Francis Toronto +1 (416) 453.3371
