ELECTED BY THE CORRUPT ELECTORATE.
By John Da Silva Collaco USA
Election is round the corner, politicians of all hues are competing with
each other using the dirtiest tricks of the trade to get voted to power.
All ethics and basic civility is consigned to the trash cans. Money and
muscle power has taken center stage. By hook or by crook, the moneyed
and the powerful will pave the way to a predicted victory. Those in
power will do anything to remain in power.
Dishonesty in Goa has become a way of life with the Ministers at the top
of the hierarchy of corruption. The battle against corruption by handful
of genuine NGO’s and well meaning Goans has become indicative of greater
failure than success. When corruption infests the core of society even
the valiant efforts for anti-corruption by stalwarts like Anna Hazare
and his team go up in smoke. When people accept corruption as a way of
life it becomes difficult to eliminate the menace.
About thirty years ago corruption in Goa was rare and relatively easy to
detect, isolate and nip it before it became widespread. Unfortunately in
recent years with the present Government reigning power, corruption has
reached unprecedented proportions. The worst is corruption in Goa has
become systematic. When systematic corruption spreads its tentacles
particularly in a small state like Goa, it becomes institutionalized.
People’s behavior and attitude become inclined and adapted to the
corrupt way of life. A systematic corruption is lethal and bound to have
a devastating effect sooner than later.
In Goa one does not require an analyst to figure out the level of
corruption. Walk into any Government office in Goa. There is usually a
junior clerk who invariably is his higher-ups sycophant willing to bend
backwards to obtain gratifications from helpless Goans. He easily sniffs
the plight and predicament of the unfortunate visitor. The junior clerk/
crook has a shrewd eye to find flaws in mundane applications which
instantaneously becomes acceptable once money changes hands. This is a
microscopic picture of corruption. Now imagine when it happens at a
large-scale level; at the level of Ministers and their Babus; at the
level of builders and conglomerate businesses. The law of demand and
supply plays a crucial role here. Those who demand bribes are guilty
beyond doubt but then the giver too is equally guilty. For the size of
Goa, corruption has become highly institutionalized and systematic,
obviously beyond redemption, caught up in a vicious circle.
Come elections, with corruption at center stage, money and muscle power,
manipulation of the fragile Goan mentality, the same crooks, the same
rogues, the same brothers in arms will rise to supreme power again. The
configuration of the elected may be different but the crooks will be the
same. And the Goans will all over again cry foul. Who is to be
answerable? Many Goans unite and are hell bent on fighting corruption
but end up fighting among themselves. Most have given up or forced to
succumb to the corrupt way of life. Others are hoping against hope. Will
Goans overcome the corrupt way of life? The answer is blowing in the wind.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Protect Goa's natural beauty
Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve
Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
