[Gulf Goans] REFLECTIONS: Motorcycle Pilots !

Sat, 16 Jul 2005 11:48:44 -0700

 
REFLECTIONS:   MOTORCYCLE   PILOTS !
 
 

 - By Domnic Fernandes
 
Everyone knows that 1970’s was the boom period for hippies in Goa, and Anjuna was worldwide renowned for its full moon parties and flea market; its recent addition is rave parties!
 It all began with Anjuna boys in the early 1980’s.  They owned more motorcycles than any other village in Goa.  Every grown up boy in Anjuna owned at least one motorcycle; my late brother, Manuel Fernandes, owned 35 motorcycles!   Most of the boys parked their motorcycles next to the “STARCO Bar-n-Restaurant,” which is why they came to be known as “Starco Boys!”

By the end of the 1970’s, motorcyclists all over Goa had started plying their motorcycles as passenger carriers, especially for the foreigners. 
The foreigners found motorcycle ride cheaper than a car and better because the boys would take them to the doorsteps of their destination which sometimes was located in the interior of a place (they actually chose to live in the interior of a place) where a car could not enter.  A motorcyclist would accommodate an additional passenger on his motorcycle for 50% of the quote for a single person; the rider ended up sitting on the tank of the motorcycle but he didn’t mind it.  The foreigners liked the motorcyclists so much that they would share their food and drinks with them.  Sometimes, they also shared their drugs with them and gradually some of the boys became drug addicts!!!

Suddenly, the Police Authorities began harassing the motorcyclists and demanded money from them; they also harassed the foreigners and took money from them forcibly.  So, it became a big issue which affected the daily income of the boys.  Many boys in Anjuna were earning their daily bread on this business; some had given up their menial jobs and opted for this trade.  They needed urgent help.  I had left my job in Bahrain in November 1980 and was at home without a job for 8 months.  All the Anjuna boys, including my brother, approached me for help.  This is where I filled in. 
I heard their grievances and came to a conclusion that something had to be done to legalize their business.

We contacted Mathany Saldanha, President of the Ramponnkars’ Association and presented the case to him.  He too was of the opinion that we could help the boys provided there was unity among all of them.  He in turn approached Teotonio D’Souza, President of Toddy Tapers’ Association.  Thus, we managed to attach two known personalities to our movement.  We held the first meeting at the Azad Maidan in Panaji which was attended by many motorcyclists from all over Goa.  The large response to our call convinced us that they were indeed interested in having the business legalized.  Once this fact was established, we held more meetings in Anjuna, Calangute, at Azad Maidan, Panaji, Margao, Curchorem, etc.  We also got some MLAs and ministers involved in the movement.

motorcycle animation
I left for Saudi Arabia to join Saudi Aramco in August 1981 but the movement was carried on.  They finally managed to form a Motorcyclists’ Association, I think in the following year, which resulted in black and yellow colored motorcycle taxis ­ the only legal two-wheeler public transportation in the world!   Just like the common _expression “Baba!” which was very much in use among the foreigners in Goa when addressing a local, the title “Motorcycle Pilot” was also bestowed on the motorcyclists by the foreigners.


Moi-mogan,
Domnic Fernandes
Anjuna/Dhahran, KSA
 
 

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