GLOBAL GOAN CONVENTION 2009 5-6 NOVEMBER 2009, MUSCAT THE GULF GOANS By Simon D’Silva
We are the world wanderers, coming home to rebuild, the promised dream in the heart of peace, under the coconut tree, wrote Goa’s renowned poet Dr. Manohar Rai SarDessai. His Excellency Mr. Anil Wadhwa, Indian Ambassador to Oman, Honourable NRI Commissioner Mr. Eduardo Faleiro, MLA Agnelo Fernandes, distinguished guests, dignitaries on and off the dias, ladies and gentlemen. We observe today a celebration of liberation. We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that liberation. A new generation - disciplined by hard work, proud of our ancient heritage and committed today at home and around the world. That takes me down the memory lane. Golden Goa abounds in diamonds and minerals that was a song which we regularly used to hear during our childhood days on All India Radio. Yes, Goa is full of minerals but surprisingly we did not come across any mining companies striking it rich with Diamonds. After a closer introspection what I discovered was stunning. The diamonds had long being found in Goa and had been exported to different parts of the world for many generations. The diamonds are you and me, exported as human resources to different parts of the world. Some have become permanent residents of different countries contributing to the economic growth for their adopted countries and continue to maintain their links with their homeland. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich. The topic of the current convention is the Gulf Goan and I wish to dwell, on Goans in the Gulf, yet another diamond exported to GCC countries. He or she cannot become a permanent resident of any of the GCC countries on account of the laws of the land. Like in Goa, where mining resources will diminish one day, the same fate has in store for GCC countries, whose economical boom is centered on the Oil Industry. The economic doom that the world is witnessing now has affected many a Gulf Goan in this part of the world. The worst hit accordingly are the Goans in Dubai. United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do. And to quote John F. Kennedy - ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. Here, my fellow Goans are saying to the government, I contributed to your growth by contributing my share to the foreign resources by toiling hard in this region and now it is time for the country to help me. We read that on August 4 Labour Minister Joaquim Alemao while replying to a discussion on demands for grants to the Labour & Employment Department and Employee State Insurance (ESI), in the Goa assembly, had proposed to set up a cell for monitoring workers of Goan origin who have returned to the State from overseas countries due to global economic meltdown, in coordination with the Commissioner of NRI Affairs. We welcome the measure, and wish to know more about the path setting proposal, with Goa being the only state to take the issue of retrenchment of workers with all its seriousness. If any welfare schemes are introduced by the Goa government for retrenched NRI workers then it is just a short-term solution to keep the Goans tied up to their homeland. We need long term solutions, to provide employment to our educated unemployed of the state. We also welcome the government’s move to establish model overseas workers resource centres in Panjim and Margao to facilitate employment opportunities for Goans in Gulf countries and rest of the world, going by the statement made by our Honorable minister Joaquim Alemao in the assembly. So let us begin a new. Let’s explore what problems unite us instead of belabouring those problems which divide us. It has been noticed that the state is struggling to raise its resources during the current financial year, with a fall in revenue from Tourism and mining. Migration is always a difficult task for the first generation migrants, say many of my Europe-based Goa born friends. The question that immediately springs up is why successive governments in Goa have not been able to keep the large number of young migrating population tied up to the land. Goa’s strength lies in its human resources and government should formulate a policy to tap the talent. Let all know every other power that Goa intends to remain the master of its own house to begin a new quest for a new vibrant Goa, before the dark powers of destruction engulf us all in planned or accidental self-destruction. Coming to the educational field in Goa we owe our gratitude to our teachers and the educational system for what we are. But, we were not ready to take up the challenges of the corporate world with the education we got back home in Goa. Some links were missing and we are proud to say we found them here. So, please remodel our education system to the tune of the times. So that the new generation want a perfect balance to be struck in education too. It is a fact that many Gulf Goans have migrated to UK, US and Canada. What are the reasons for the migration to the Western countries and why not return back to Goa needs to be investigated. I am not sure if the recent migration study conducted by the NRI Cell did take this group into account when they came up with their findings. After many generations having made a dash to the Gulf region, we ought to send a message especially to the youngsters not to cherish high hopes in the region, as just like mining, the petrol wells are soon to run dry, well, not so soon but in the near future. Now the trumpet summons us again - a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, “rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation” - a struggle against the common enemies of Goa and its land. So we should press upon the bureaucrats and our elected representatives to make policy decision taking into account the return of thousands of Gulf Goans who one day or the other will be forced to return back to Goa, just like African Ruler Idi Amin turned away many Goans from the land. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessings and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own. So it is time to join hands in creating a new endeavour, to prepare for any eventuality. Goans have expertise in various fields working in different industries in multicultural environments and this expertise should be used for the continuous development and economic growth of Goa. A slew of measures which I suggest should be done to use the vast pool of talent for the sustained and environmental friendly growth of Goa. We the NRI Goans should have different core groups under the auspices of the NRI Cell for Culture, Tourism, Information Technology, Planning & Development, Education, Sports and Health. Each of the core groups can formulate its own master plan for the implementation in the best interest of Goa. With networking not a problem, we need to act fast. Then, we would be able to say, yes we have diamonds in abundant numbers, but they are not been exported, they are to adore our land adding to its glamour and glitter. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce. We have plodded through the forests of Angola And dipped our hands in the oil of Arabian Gulf We have sung mandos in Oxford And dekhnis in Picadilly "Kitle aile, kitle gele, paus azun Ambea mullant koddkoddttat Goencho put azun! Bhangarachem Goem amchem Kitlem assa pois azun”. Dev Borem Korum. Simon D’Silva President Goan Welfare Association P. O. Box 22083 Doha – Qatar. Tel: +974-5550491
