[Goanet] The continuing saga over Selma Carvalho's highly acclaimed book (Response to Mervyn Maciel by Melvyn Fernandes))
Dear Mervyn There were many policies that the administrators in East Africa or for that matter wherever they were in administration in Africa used which you may or may not be aware of as a mere employee in government service. One of them was along the lines of divide and rule and the other one was prestige. There may also have been others. In his forward on a dissertation submitted by T.H.R. Cashmore for the Degree of Ph.D in the University of Cambridge titled Studies in District Administration in East Africa Protectorate (1895 to 1918), John Lonsdale, Trinity College, Cambridge has referred to it (page viii). Quote: To avoid such stains on their reputation district officers cultivated 'prestige', so much cheaper than force. Unquote Once again, I am not sure whether you or other readers have come across this dissertation which is most interesting, thanks to the technology of today and goanet on the super highway, this link can be shared with you as below. http://www.african.cam.ac.uk/images/files/titles/cashmore In my previous goanet posting, I have already talked about those who pleased their colonial masters, getting an extra bag of wool and becoming top shots. During my night school days in England studying for a degree at the University of South Bank I learned that unless one had an Oxford or Cambridge degree, there was no chance of getting any higher in the UK government hence could understand the term the Old School Tie. As a teenager, I was priviledged to hear an address given by the late Mathany Saldanha on his visit from Goa to our now burnt out, completely destroyed and sold to others freehold clubhouse land, the little piece of Goa we once had and were proud of. He said our problem was mainly behaving and using the Portuguese term grandioso, it did not mean much at the time but looking back at our so called top shots the peon, coolie administrative thinking demonstrated by our people is self explanatory, just look around you today. For those in the know, patronising letters are easy to spot and pleases simple minds. Happy to discuss. Melvyn Fernandes Thornton Heath, Surrey, United Kingdom 18 May 2014
Re: [Goanet] The continuing saga over Selma Carvalho's highly acclaimed book
Mervyn, flippant is quite weak a word for Gabe's completely uncalled for comments. It is in the line of more bekaar bakwas, idle nonsense to put it in its kindest translation. Did Goans bow down to the British in East Africa? There's no doubt about it if by bowing down you mean obeying, following orders, discharging your duties in the manner expected of a loyal and faithful employee and a host of other similar behaviours. It was because of Gabe's parents doing this very thing that he himself was able to be recruited eventually into the RAF. He will tell you it was his own merit but that is the usual shallow answer he would be capable of. The train of events that led his parents or grandparents to bow to the British that led eventually to a brown man being taken in a white air force is something he would have relegated to that didn't happen. There is nothing wrong with maintaining a later friendship with your former employer. It only goes to show a genuine friendship that existed beyond the boundaries of work although it would have started there. Ultimately it was you who were putting food on your family's table just as he too was for his family. If you didn't chose to maintain a friendship with him, that was your choice not some punk's on Goanet who in his days whether he liked it or not would have had to suck up to far more people than you would have needed to, without the dignity that you were afforded. Roland. Sent from Samsung Mobile Original message From: Mervyn Maciel mervynels.watuwasha...@gmail.com Date: 05-17-2014 5:54 AM (GMT-05:00) To: goanet@lists.goanet.org Subject: [Goanet] The continuing saga over Selma Carvalho's highly acclaimed book I'm afraid, I just cannot let his flippant comments go unchallenged. Firstly, may I say that I was NOT looking for acknowledgement from the very people who lorded over you. Sir John Johnson, who happens to be a personal friend of mine, was sent the book, NOT by me, but our now highly acclaimed author(Selma) in recognition of his contribution towards the Oral history programme. Several Goans who also asked for the book received a FREE copy, as would have Gabe had he asked for one or turned up and queued in an orderly fashion at the recent book launch in Beckenham. To now try to criticise a book that has been highly acclaimed in many circles by Goans and non-Goans alike, smacks more of sour grapes. Contrary to what Gabe implies, I have NEVER bowed to anyone, be it in Kenya or here, and don't intend to either! By suggesting that I am pandering to the people who lorded over you, is Gabe now degrading the thousands of Goan civil servants who worked for the administration? It is their valiant hearts which put food on the table for their families, built schools and the churches. Is he now disrespecting their contribution? I sometimes wonder what makes him proud as an East African Goan? Much though the colonisers come in for criticism, I wonder why some critics chose to come and live in the land of the self same colonisers?? Mervyn Maciel
[Goanet] The continuing saga over Selma Carvalho's highly acclaimed book(Response to Melwyn Fernandes)
Dear Melwyn, Quite honestly, I fail to see the import of your rather long-winded reply to my original message in response to Gabe. It is quite outside the ambit of the subject under discussion.For your information though, I have known Dick Cashmore for some time as also Hugh Walker, the individual mentioned in John Lonsdale's foreword. In fact,Cashmore's thesis were circulated to us as members of the Kenya Administration Club(U.K.), so I was well aware of his important contribution. The letter from Sir John Johnson which I'd circulated was in appreciation of Selma's book and the effort that had gone into its making, You would do well to take some time to read the two chapters she has written on the Civil Service, which give us a good idea of the merits and demerits of the British Administration. That the British can now accept their demerits and still write us letters of congratulation shows that they have come a long way. We can argue about the role played by the Goans till Kingdom come but the fact is, they were part of it. I have NEVER and will NEVER kowtow to anyone. For me, the topic ends here. Mervyn Maciel
Re: [Goanet] The continuing saga over Selma Carvalho's highly acclaimed book
My mother (84), worked for the British Army. On her own merit. Her record stands.The remark below is uncalled for. FR Message: 12 Date: Sun, 18 May 2014 13:07:22 -0400 From: roland.francis roland.fran...@ymail.com To: Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994! goanet@lists.goanet.org Subject: Re: [Goanet] The continuing saga over Selma Carvalho's highly acclaimed book It was because of Gabe's parents doing this very thing that he himself was able to be recruited eventually into the RAF. He will tell you it was his own merit but that is the usual shallow answer he would be capable of. The train of events that led his parents or grandparents to bow to the British that led eventually to a brown man being taken in a white air force is something he would have relegated to that didn't happen. Roland. Sent from Samsung Mobile
[Goanet] The continuing saga over Selma Carvalho's highly acclaimed book
In his recent post, Gabe Menezes wrote: Dear Mervyn, I am deeply disturbed that you, having served under the Colonial regime, are still looking for acknowledgement from the very same people who lorded over you, for God's sake have you no pride in yourself? The reply if I may say so, is patronising, the person is chuffed that you are still bowing to him! Can you envisage this stance by and Indian to the Colonisers? I'm afraid, I just cannot let his flippant comments go unchallenged. Firstly, may I say that I was NOT looking for acknowledgement from the very people who lorded over you. Sir John Johnson, who happens to be a personal friend of mine, was sent the book, NOT by me, but our now highly acclaimed author(Selma) in recognition of his contribution towards the Oral history programme. Several Goans who also asked for the book received a FREE copy, as would have Gabe had he asked for one or turned up and queued in an orderly fashion at the recent book launch in Beckenham. To now try to criticise a book that has been highly acclaimed in many circles by Goans and non-Goans alike, smacks more of sour grapes. Contrary to what Gabe implies, I have NEVER bowed to anyone, be it in Kenya or here, and don't intend to either! By suggesting that I am pandering to the people who lorded over you, is Gabe now degrading the thousands of Goan civil servants who worked for the administration? It is their valiant hearts which put food on the table for their families, built schools and the churches. Is he now disrespecting their contribution? I sometimes wonder what makes him proud as an East African Goan? Much though the colonisers come in for criticism, I wonder why some critics chose to come and live in the land of the self same colonisers?? Mervyn Maciel
