To Goanet -
In yesterday's Herald there was a report masquerading as "news" when in fact it read like a paid advertisement. It was about a concrete pastry king's business. How is it that Goan journalists have time for spurious reportage bordering on propaganda but have no time for the ubiquitous real estate plunder and scams that are taking Goa down? There is so much incriminating evidence to uncover and so much that is EASILY ACCESSIBLE (as I have myself found firsthand) that the only answer to the last question can be: the media is in bed with the miners and builders. Where are all the usual loudmouths, some of whom are adept at flapping their gums here on Goanet? Where's the land conversion data for South Goa? Was that too much to ask for? We read the other day that the Rahejas are inaugurating a campaign to push their SEZ project, rejected by both the people of Goa as well as Goa govt (although it was clear from the get-go that Digu cleverly played both sides to ensure eventual success for the SEZ promoters). The local miners & builders mafia have already switched into overdrive. A slew of sops will soon be unloaded on the Goan people. Tiatrs will be underwritten, sarvajanik Ganesh Chathurthi events will meet with wads of cash, and not a single Narkasur will go unsponsored. Pay careful attention to all the funding sources this year. Don't forget to query the Mineral Foundation of Goa (http://www.mfgoa.com), an outfit established by the miners. Find out which activists are recipients of funds from MFGoa You will be surprised. Mind you, all this windfall does not spring from any altruistic impulse. These are straightforward instances of quid pro quo. Here's the cash, now please look the other way, thank you. The builders and miners have all their bases covered. All but one, and that, I have learnt, is turning out to be a cause of some disquiet and discomfort in their ranks. It is called the Internet. The rascals can control all channels of information flow except the Web. And right now they are seized with the problem of how to muzzle our voice on the Internet. While they has grasped the idea of the power of the Internet, it appears they haven't yet quite grasped the idea that the Internet genie cannot be forced back into the bottle. They might want to start out by asking the Chinese. Warm regards, r