Dear Friends, For over twelve years now, the priests in the church in Chandor have deprived our villagers of a toilet in the tinto-church area, except during the feast fair in January, when their objections to it miraculously disappear (see the blue mobile toilets highlighted in the photos attached). The vicar says a public toilet here will be too close to the Blessed Sacrament. The truth is, there are three toilets even more close, the kitchen toilet, the school toilet (to the left of the mobile toilets) and one right above the church sacristy, which is adjacent to the altar! A public toilet here will be farthest away from the tabernacle! The irony is that it is the priests themselves who chose this secluded corner for the public toilet in 2005-2006! Four parish council members and the vicar at the time, Antonio Salema, informed us that the church’s original plan was to build the toilet here, but that a Chandor pancha, who is a builder-contractor, decided to shift it into the heart of the tinto and right in front of people’s doorways (including mine).
Fr. Saude Pereira, the next vicar, informed us that he would never allow a toilet in the tinto fish bazaar, where it was sure to contaminate our food and inconvenience the whole village, and he kept his word. But the present vicar, Simao Rodrigues’ reason for not allowing the toilet in its logical location against the school compound wall makes a mockery of the great egalitarian values promoted by the Christian religion. Love your neighbor as yourself is supposed to be the second greatest commandment of the Christian faith, but, perhaps, it is an order meant only for lay people… Having eyes they see not, Ears, hear not... But despite the truth staring them in the face, the priests, by what can only charitably be called a lapse in concentration over the years, have encouraged anti-village elements to start pushing for a toilet in the heart of the tinto again. This despite being aware of the Recommendation of a three-member committee appointed by Chandor’s gram sabha that the site touching the school compound wall was the best location for the toilet. The priests are also aware that the shitty idea for the toilet in the tinto was unceremoniously flushed away in 2009 or so. The file was closed and the Fisheries Department even issued an utilization certificate indicating this. But, clearly, people who think with their backsides don’t give up easy. http://s1347.photobucket.com/user/linkenfernandes/library/?view=recent&page=1 Decide for yourself, dear friend, whether the spot in the photo is the best place for the toilet or no. Like in all new markets throughout the world, it is safely and hygienically located across the road, in a secluded corner, and will in no way inconvenience anyone or contaminate, in the slightest, the precious nistem, mas, torkari we feed our families with. It is also the same spot that the priests had first picked for the public toilet in the tinto area. I think this is a moment of truth for all of us in Chandor and Guirdolim who depend on the tinto for our sustenance. Should we choose the grace and elegance of a well-designed and conscientiously planned bazaar or one which demeans us and takes away from the little pristine charm still left in our ‘heritage village’? Let’s choose smartly, and wisely. Join the Movement! Send a message saying, NO to a public toilet in our tinto! YES to a hygienic public toilet touching the school compound wall (as in the photo)! to the parish priest and the sarpanches of Chandor and Guirdolim (contact info below. Once again, like in 2006-2007, we take this opportunity to request our friends and co-villagers to act in a way that does not harm and degrade this lovely piece of land we live on. Let’s preserve this priceless inheritance as well as we can and pass it on intact to our children and theirs. Forward me copies of your messages addressed to the people above, and I will pass them on to the civil authorities, as well as to the Pope and the Archbishop of Goa. Even though my connection with the religious faith of my childhood is now non-existent, I’m sure His Holiness has the sensitivity to recognize that it’s a horrible idea to mix food with the... unmentionable (even the slightest whiff of it)! Do voice your objection loudly at the gram sabha too, if the matter reaches there. If we are to help preserve the integrity of our little village, we must act immediately. Our time starts now! Linken Fernandes for Villagers for a Clean, Hygienic Tinto In Chandor Send a Whatsapp message or an SMS to the parish priest (98504 53348), the sarpanch of Chandor (80071 12289), the sarpanch of Guirdolim (99227 47392) and the dy. sarpanch of Guirdolim (86055 18317). (For more information, get in touch with Linken Fernandes, 99234 17804) Please share widely through post, tweet, print and xerox. Thank you