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**** Annual Goanetters Meet ****
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Annual Goanetters Meet - January 3, 2012 - 12:30 - 2pm
Tourist Hostel, near the Old Secretariat, Panaji (Panjim)
Planning to attend? Send an email to eve...@goanet.org with contact details
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The issue of defecation in open spaces is not new to Goa. I doubt if
Selma has read Naipaul's Continent of Circe (I will leave the reply to
Naipaul by Robert de Souza aside).
I have always wondered why the Goa government has not installed lot of
public toilets in the vicinity of the beaches. A few does not meet the
demand, especially when the expected rush comes in during the
Christmas season.
What do you do when you have to answer nature's call and there's are
no public toilets? It's a Catch-22 situation. Goa's beaches have been
rendered ugly for the past so many years. The tourism department must
do than just promote them in their advertising campaigns.
I hope the department takes note of what the media said and come up
with a plan to minimize these sort of ugliness. Outsiders are also
drawn by the easily available liquor at our tavernas. Do you think
these taverna owners mind if the patrons are outsiders? Money makes
the world go round.
I have seen the outsiders come to my village during the New Year's eve
and left our beach in a mess. The people from the Dabolim and Vasco
slums descend on Bogmallo, more than they do on the nearby Hollant or
the infamous Baina. There's nothing the villagers could do. Could they
put up barricades on the road leading to the village?
Goa made rave parties on the beaches a speciality, till it dawn on the
wise men in the government to ban them. These wise men also put a curb
on music in public places so that Goans, particularly those living in
beachside villages, could have their sleep.
Fred, please turn your gaze Selma's way and do what you were doing in
the past, kissing her cyber-cheeks. Your one-time goody, goody friend
is feeling cheated or rather abandoned. As for me, once is enough.
Selma, you needn't declare your I-don't-care-attitude because
goanetters are familiar with your didactic "Who the bleeps cares....."
columns. The very use of "bleep" said enough of what's on your mind.
Frankly, we must all care for what is happening to Goa and I have
expressed my views in the piece, What's in store for Goa? As I said
earlier, Goans cannot prevent outsiders from coming to Goa to enjoy
the festivities. Tourism officials have complained before that Goa
should get high-quality tourists instead of the "charter class" and
backpackers. Goa must improve its tourism infrastructure, including
providing rest houses on beaches. But again the problem would be, the
better the facilities at Goa's beaches the more the people will come.
As they say, the more attractive a place it acts powerful magnet. As I
said, it's a Catch-22 situation. We had a discussion on tourism here
in the past. We are like "returning tourists", coming to the issue
once again.
Check the tourism department ad which has a photo of a beach with GOA
written in the sands and with the message, Goa... the jewel of India.
the former Portuguese colony famed for its natural beauty, culture,
hospitality and secular nature of its people is ranked amongst the top
holiday destinations of the world. ...... Goa will leave itself etched
in your heart and mind.
Sandy beaches, swaying palms, mesmerizing landscapes..... Time in Goa
is just never enough!
Goa....The Joy de Vivre...!! At the top of the ad is the Indian
tourism department's tagline, Incredib!e India.
If Selma was staying in a place like Pune with no shoreline would she
not be drawn to Goa by such an invitation? As Selma, it's becoming a
case of konno ghela paichem kitem ghelam. Wake up and smell the shit!
That's more to the point.
Eugene
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Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve
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