On 05/12/2007, Jason Monserrate <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Hey Jose,
1: There had been a rant on the current state of affairs in Goa post liberation ... to which you responded with a post that is archived at http://www.goanet.org/post.php?name=News&list=goanet&info=2007-December/thread&post_id=065755 2: You also include some words of advice - "Study hard, work harder and compete on the global market." 3: I have a simple question - Was making it and striking it rich any different before liberation? Was it easier for a Goan then than it is now? 4: Was the formula you prescribe - "Study hard, work harder and compete on the global market" different then? 5: Outdated educational system, flickering electricity and poor roads now - How was the educational system, roads and the electricity before 1961? 6: To the generation of Goans born after liberation, posts romanticising the fresh fish and fresh vegetables and the clean air of the colonial regime mean nothing. 7: Getting a good education will help the Goan of the current generation a lot more than hours spent at offices to obtain a Portuguese passport :) --- jc's response Dear Jason, First of all - Thank you very much for your well written response. I will start by agreeing absolutely with your #s 1, 2 & 7 I will skip your point #3 as I would NOT like to focus my thoughts on the "Striking it Rich" part. That is contrary to my personal philosophy and life style. I believe that if we concentrate on the "Rich" part too much - there would be no difference between (us) the educated and (them) the smugglers, swindlers and other crooks. One point I will add wrt# 3: I believe that the elderly who had completed giving their sweat and tears to bring up their children - found that the new reality of higher prices, filth, crime and pollution (air, ground water and fish sources) made life significantly difficult for them. #4 should be our Gold standard - always. re #5: I can only recount from the travels of my early childhood. Goa had a significantly higher standard of living and infrastructure than any comparable neighbouring place. IF you know of any place which had a higher standard - please do write back and advise. re # 6: That is how you feel. It does remind me of what an US based Goan (now settled in the Ilhas) wrote a few years ago on GoaNet: The old people are not very important. It is our time now (paraphrased). I disagreed then (when my parents were alive) ... I disagree now. I agree though that every person has a right to be selfish and forget about his parents who struggled for him/her. sincerely jc
