Carmen Miranda: For years now we have proved that we are not even capable of chosing a decent number of politicians to rule in Goa. Do you really think there is any chance at all we will get a different status for Goa? If we get Presidential rule , that will be enough to put things right.
Response: Carmen, sorry if I sound like a dampener to your above suggestion. The cure being prescribed could be infinitely worse than the disease. Goa and many of the north-eastern states are treated nothing more than colonies by the powers that rule Delhi. The builders lobby and mining lobby would be more than happy. They are used to pulling strings in Delhi to get their jobs done. They have no stakes in the well being of the local population. There are no short cuts. The goans in Goa have to take responsibility to elect persons of good character and integrity. The majority of the people have to discard their laid back lifestyle and participate actively in the democratic process of holding their elected representatives accountable for their actions. The NRI/NRG's can form pressure groups and interact with the Central government to push forward certain proposals like setting up an education hub, control on mining, enacting legislation banning the sale of land to non-goans, creating employment generation schemes so that our youth do not have to leave Goa for employment, etc. While it is good to be idealistic, we also need to be practical. Regards, Marshall * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Now available in Toronto, a few copies of *Into The Diaspora Wilderness* by Selma Carvalho. Contact Bosco D'Mello bo...@goanet.org (416) 803-7264 http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/
