Sandra, you got it even more mixed up than Domnic. This is the problem with us Goans. We usually get it all mixed up.

 

The Portuguese did not take away our gold not to return it ever. The gold was deposited by our Goans in a Portuguese bank (BNU) which ceased to exist in Goa after the Indian invasion of 1961. When the bank immediately ceased to exist in Goa after Dec 1961, what did you expect the bank to do? Give the gold to the invaders so that it could be robbed? So that it could disappear?

 

I can assure you the gold was made available to anyone who came to reclaim it. You didn’t even have to go to Portugal to collect it. It was enough to know someone in Lisbon and give that someone a power of attorney to collect the gold. In those three decades before the gold was returned to Goa, lots of our Goans went to Portugal or sent power of attorneys and reclaimed the gold back. It was never ever confiscated. It was not robbed. It did not disappear.

 

Another thing: most of the gold was deposited in the BNU for protection. This is the truth! I know it is the untold truth to many of us, but it is indeed the truth. Many Goans did deposit their gold into BNU in the eve of Dec 1961 for their own protection, because it was not safe to keep it in their houses. Would you then expect BNU to give that gold to an invader army?

 

I rest my case.

Best regards

Paulo.

 


From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Sandra Crasto
Sent: 14 September 2005 14:51
To: [email protected]
Cc: Sandra Crasto
Subject: RE: [Gulf Goans] REFLECTIONS: Old Currencies & Banking in Goa in the 1950's & 1060's -

 

Sandra Crastro" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>  

To:

[EMAIL PROTECTED], [email protected]

 

Hi,

 

Well i didnt read the message from Domnic on the above subject, but i equally agree on what Mr. Dias has got to say about the gold - the precious metal. I dont know when and why? it was deposited into the BNU? but i surely remember my grandma tell us stories on how the portuguese took our gold and she was positive that she would never see it again although they had some sort of receipts, she (my grandma) told us that they have gone never to return so we cant keep our hopes on the gold to return, its gone with them. Ofcourse, my grandma passed away and the receipts along with her...........so all the treasures are gone along with her too. I also reminiscence the stories of my dear grandma about the portuguse.... it seems they were used to the lovely goodies that were available and when the portuguese went off it all stopped, and all that remained were the memories of the good times that they had during the portuguese regime.

 

sandra

 


From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Paulo Colaco Dias
Sent: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 11:04 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [email protected]
Subject: RE: [Gulf Goans] REFLECTIONS: Old Currencies & Banking in Goa in the 1950's & 1060's - Bank of Baroda, Anjuna ! - by Domnic Fernandes

Dear Domnic,

 

I enjoyed reading your article very much, especially the bit about the currency and the photos with the notes and coins. Excellent. Well done. However, I am afraid you got the bit about the Gold deposited in the BNU mixed up.

 

Domnic  wrote:

>“Goans are very fond of gold.  As such, even in the olden days they
>
owned a lot of gold, especially the Basurkar’s wives!  There were some people
>
who deposited their gold with the ‘Banco Nacional Ultramarino’ just to find
>
out that all of it was shifted to Portugal at the time of Goa’s liberation,
>
and it took them some three plus decades to send it back to Goa.  In the
>
meantime, many depositors passed away.”

 

I have the following questions for you:

1. When was most of the gold deposited in the BNU? (Possible replies: one specific year, in the eve of one specific event – please mention the event, etc.)

 

2. What was the main reason for all the sudden an exponential increase of Gold deposits with the BNU, i.e., why was the gold deposited there? What were people afraid of?

 

3. Did you or your family deposited any gold in the BNU?

 

4. Do you personally know anyone who has deposited gold in the BNU?

 

5. Do you know anyone who attempted to recover the Gold just after it was shifted to Portugal?

 

6. Do you really think that the gold was made available only 3 decades after?

 

7. Are you sure it wasn’t available before by contacting the BNU in Portugal? (i.e., by personally visiting BNU in Portugal or by power of attorney given to someone in Portugal to collect the gold).

 

8. If Goans deposited their gold with a Portuguese bank, would you expect the bank to abandon the gold in the hands of the invaders (call them liberators if you wish) after the bank shifted to Portugal (especially considering the turmoil that immediately followed 19 December 1961)?

 

Best regards

Paulo Colaco Dias.


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