Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter....

[Frederick Noronha]

Roland, I don't think you've been following what has been
done, or is being done here.  Also, I don't think the issue
can be solved by pouring in money, from the diaspora or
anywhere else.

Finally, on the issue of properties, there is also the
unhelpful political reality here (caught between building
vote-banks through questionable tenancy laws of the 1960s and
1970s to Bhumiputra attempts in the 2020s...  and out and out
political racketeering connected with politicians across
parties).

In Bombay, as you would know, the issues repeatedly coming up
suggest a few rotten apples selling off assets built over
generations.  This is true not just for some religious properties,
but also community assets like the 'kudds'.  It's more
complex than it perhaps seems from a distance.

That's all I needed to say. FN

[Goanet] Francis roland.francis wrote:

> The wishful part of Frederick’s open letter
> echoes my thoughts: Archbishop Ferrão has not
> done anything significant so far in the areas of
> community life.The areas are: 1.  Education and
> coaching for high level government service.  2.
> A significant Catholic presence in healthcare in
> the form of a general or specialty hospital
> (cancer comes to mind), referral services to
> other facilities in India, dental care and the
> like.3.  A footprint in special needs
> (handicapped) education and rehabilitation and
> senior services.  4.  A strong lay lobby group
> for advancement of the community’s political
> interests.  This means calling out corruption and
> opposing unreasonable state and local government
> diktats.  5.  Consolidating Goa’s communal
> harmony and not being silent when this
> traditional peace between the two major
> communities is suffering from a thousand cuts.  I
> don’t share Frederick’s hope that the Cardinal
> nominee will do any of this now that his new
> appointment will require him to be frequent
> dashing to Rome on useless expeditions that have
> little to do with the welfare of Goan Catholics
> or Catholics throughout India for that matter.And
> that’s a pity because Goa and its Diaspora has
> the resources that can be mustered to meet these
> objectives.  What is needed is Church leadership.
> The existing Catholic political leadership is
> mostly bankrupt and corrupt.Roland.Toronto.
ᐧ

Re: [Goanet] Frederick’s Open Letter to Goa’s Cardinal-To-Be

[Roland Francis]

The wishful part of Frederick’s open letter echoes my thoughts: Archbishop 
Ferrão has not done anything significant so far in the areas of community life.

The areas are:
1. Education and coaching for high level government service.

2. A significant Catholic presence in healthcare in the form of a general or 
specialty hospital (cancer comes to mind), referral services to  other 
facilities in India, dental care and the like.

3. A footprint in special needs (handicapped) education and rehabilitation and 
senior services. 

4. A strong lay lobby group for advancement of the community’s political 
interests. This means calling out corruption and opposing unreasonable state 
and local government diktats. 

5. Consolidating Goa’s communal harmony and not being silent when this 
traditional peace between the two major communities is suffering from a 
thousand cuts.

I don’t share Frederick’s hope that the Cardinal nominee will do any of this 
now that his new appointment will require him to be frequent dashing to Rome on 
useless expeditions that have little to do with the welfare of Goan Catholics 
or Catholics throughout India for that matter.

And that’s a pity because Goa and its Diaspora has the resources that can be 
mustered to meet these objectives. What is needed is Church leadership. The 
existing Catholic political leadership is mostly bankrupt and corrupt.

Roland.
Toronto.

[Goanet] An Open Letter to our Cardinal-to-Be (FN, The Goan)

[Goanet Reader]

An Open Letter to our Cardinal-to-Be

Dear Archbishop,

A search online took me to the many confusing ways for aptly
addressing a Cardinal.  But, permit me to opt out of those.
Not because your elevation in the Church is a few days away,
but as a way of underlining How your simplicity and humility
has touched people like me.  I've been one of those whom you
told, "Call me Father", not a long time back, and I will
cherish that memory.

On Sunday, much of Goa, I'd guess, was thrilled to realise
that one of their very own was soon to become a Cardinal.  It
was as if their deep faith had been recognised, critiques of a
Western-dominated Church somewhat blunted, and what might seem
to be like trying times had also been acknowledged.

People of my generation have accompanied your role in the
Church.  It seems like yesterday when you were installed in
March 2004, as archbishop, if not mistaken, at the See
Cathedral.  (Or was that 1994, when you took over as auxiliary
bishop?  Time just flies...)

  A lot of people are going to say a lot of good
  things at a time like this.  This you certainly
  deserve.  But let me not waste this space by
  focussing on what many know.  Instead, this could
  also be an excuse for stock-taking, for a look back
  at the recent past (and more remote periods), and
  for a commonman's visions of the future as far as
  Catholicism in Goa goes.

Despite all the challenges, I am not one of those who sees a
pessimistic future.  At least not as long as the common people
(leave aside our political class) keep their hearts simple and
pure, stay honest in their dealings with their fellowmen of
all faith, and keep their peace in this world as well.

We were in school when the Church in Goa was in the throes of
change in the uncertain years of the 1960s.  The few printed
records of those times don't tell the story adequately; but
some senior to us still have sharp memories.  Those were not
easy times, and we too could feel the pressures on our elders
then.  Changing from being a Portuguese-run to a post-colonial
Church was definitely not an easy task.  With some
limitiations, it has been done.

Vatican II came along, the Church took to Konkani in a big way
(maybe even overlooking the need for some linguistic
diversity).  It made some bold changes.  For some, this was
not enough.  For others, it was too much.  But then, as they
say, you can't please all.

Whatever the critics hold, there is also a half-filled glass
there.  Many things deserve to be appreciated.  You yourself,
your predecessor Archbishop Raul, have taken the community
forward, spiritually as also in the real world.  I'm sure
Bishop Francisco Xavier da Piedade Rebello †, the apostolic
administrator who retired in 1972, probably would have done
the same.  (I sound uncertain because he was before our times,
maybe we need more writings on Church leaders, or probably I'm
just ill-informed here.)

Over the years, we've seen the Church transform.  In the
1970s, priests came across as blunt, sometimes even arrogant.
There was a fear then of activist stands.  But change has
come; up to a point.  Critics like us have sometimes
appreciated its stands on the environment, activism, and its
willingness to speak out.  For a Church which once was
pro-status quo, it was willing to speak out, and pay the
price.

  The willingness to speak out has brought the
  institution in conflict with some secular heads.
  This has resulted in unhelpful decisions, by the
  State, on issues like the Medium of Instruction.
  But, one could bet that more of the faithful are
  proud of how their Chuch works now, than it ever did
  in pre-1961 times, when it looked like an extension
  of the State.

Without being too self-congratulatory, there is of course need
for introspection, deep-thought and planning ahead.  Our
community is also facing a number of challenges, some not
related to the Church as an institution, but which the Church
can definitely play a role over.

As of now, many Catholic Goans are being convinced that they
have little to no future in their home-state and motherland.
The push to out-migration is all-encompassing.  If nobody can
stop the desire to leave, can we ensure that out Daizpora
retains their daiz, a link with home, and a desire to one day
return as many other Indic communities do?

The community seems to be flagging in building up a generation
of leaders.  In the 1960s and 1970s, we had leadership
development programmes, and social activism trends.  In the
conflict between the two diverse roads, we seem to have
largely given up on both.

We are reminded that Goa has so many "Catholic" leaders, only
when they commit some controversial deeds.  They are in no way
accountable to the community, but the community gets slurred
when they defect, indulge in corruption or electoral practice,
or seek to offer a secular 

Re: [Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO GOA CHIEF MINISTER PRAMOD SAWANT

[Roland Francis]

The ship of trust in your Goa Govt has long since sailed after the rule of the 
old stalwarts was over a decade or so after 1961.

You cannot trust your officials and everybody knows that. In these days of 
quick knowledge from around the world, it’s up to each one to take his or her 
own precautions when you have a Govt of clowns. Each one for himself and God 
for all with personal accountability thrown in the mix.

No sense in berating the insensitive people who rule whose main strategy is 
deny everything that is not favourable to them.

Roland.

> On Apr 28, 2021, at 12:44 PM, Aires Rodrigues  
> wrote:
> 
> Dear Mr. Chief Minister,
> 
> 
> 
> The people of Goa are aghast over your failure to step in decisively to try
> and contain the further spread of the COVID-19 virus which is now raging
> across the State. How many more deaths and positive cases are you willing
> to stomach before you take the bull or virus by the horns?
> 
> 
> 
> 

[Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO GOA CHIEF MINISTER PRAMOD SAWANT

[Aires Rodrigues]

Dear Mr. Chief Minister,



The people of Goa are aghast over your failure to step in decisively to try
and contain the further spread of the COVID-19 virus which is now raging
across the State. How many more deaths and positive cases are you willing
to stomach before you take the bull or virus by the horns?



Our friends and their family members are just dying while we watch and
mourn this grim scenario unfolding and just getting worse by the day. One
death is too many. Worse still the question on everybody’s mind is ‘’Will I
be next’’?



In the current scenario a total lockdown, well policed and adhered to of at
least 15 days is inevitable and mandatory to ensure that the current
devastating situation is brought under some kind of control. Your own
Health Minister has recommended a month.



Our Medical care services are overwhelmed. The brave overburdened Doctors,
nurses and other front line heroes in our Hospitals and Health Centers are
fighting a rear guard action often in vain. They are doing an extremely
commendable job against all odds, tirelessly working to save lives but they
are over stretched and may be reaching a breaking point. Their work made
increasingly impossible by your inaction to do anything significant to
mitigate and contain the spread of the virus.



Mr. Chief Minister, for once show some leadership in this hour of greatest
need and listen to the medical and scientific experts and learn from the
experience of other countries that have successfully and relentlessly
fought the virus and contained while almost eradicating it. In every
instance by competently using a total lockdown as a circuit breaker to stop
this virus increasing as it is spread through human transmission.



You and your Government must realise that your first duty is to protect its
citizens. This failure of yours to do so is creating a human carnage of
unimaginable proportions.  Posterity will never forget or forgive your
inaction at this crucial juncture.



With folded hands, even at this very late stage I seek your immediate
action to prevent further loss of precious lives. A complete and total
lockdown is a must as nothing less will work. Remember that Prevention is
always better than cure!



Taking a chance at the Casinos in the Mandovi is one thing but gambling
with peoples’ lives is unacceptable, abhorrent and tragic.



May wisdom and better sense prevail.

Aires Rodrigues

Advocate High Court

C/G-2, Shopping Complex

Ribandar Retreat,

Ribandar – Goa – 403006

Mobile No: 9822684372

Office Tel  No: (0832) 2444012

Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com

 Or

   airesrodrig...@yahoo.com

You can also reach me on

Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues

Twitter@rodrigues_aires


www.airesrodrigues.com

[Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO THE ADVOCATE GENERAL OFGOA DEVIDAS PANGAM

[Aires Rodrigues]

My Dear Devidas,

The day you were appointed as the Advocate General of Goa, we all rejoiced
as we felt that a very honest, upright and ever so humble person was
appointed to that coveted post. But our hopes are now being shattered as
you alike your predecessors continue to be a pawn in the hands of your
political masters.

Being very well aware that this extremely chronic issue of potholes across
the State is a concern to every citizen, while initially, you appreciated
the concern of the Petitioner Pradeep Padgaonkar for having moved the
Court, you have now justified reasons for having taken objection to the
press conference taken by him as a point of propriety. But rules of the
game have to be the same. If you seek to raise a plea on the basis of that
high moral ground, then one cannot point a finger at others when four
fingers point to the accuser.

What propriety are you speaking about, Devidas? If I were in your place I
would have never ever appeared before His Lordship Mahesh Sonak if I had
been his junior for so many years. I hope that what is good for the goose
is good for the gander.

Our brilliant Justice Sonak may be our first Goan hope who may be a Judge
of the Supreme Court. I would therefore request you to desist from
appearing before your former Senior to leave no room for gossip in the
corridors of the High Court which is required to be as sanitized as the
Court room itself.

For as Lord Chief Justice Hewart said, justice should not only be done, but
should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done. He further stated
that Nothing is to be done which creates even a suspicion that there has
been an improper interference with the course of justice. And this is the
fundamental principle being followed in our country in the dispensation of
justice.

As Advocate General you will appreciate the responsibility for promoting
and protecting judicial independence. This is an important concept that the
judiciary should be independent from other branches of government or from
private or partisan interests and should not be subject to any improper
influence.

Devidas, as Power and Authority comes and also fades away, it is incumbent
that we always maintain the highest levels of humility and mankind with our
ears always to the ground.

Yours Sincerely,


Aires Rodrigues

Advocate High Court

C/G-2, Shopping Complex

Ribandar Retreat,

Ribandar – Goa – 403006

Mobile No: 9822684372

Office Tel  No: (0832) 2444012

Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com

 Or

   airesrodrig...@yahoo.com

You can also reach me on

Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues

Twitter@rodrigues_aires


www.airesrodrigues.com

[Goanet] Casino - Open Letter - Part II

[Gilbert Lawrence]

Casino - Open Letter - PART II
Goa prides itself as a tourist destination and tourism is Goa's largest 
economic sector.  This sector is the largest employer of Goans in Goa and 
spends crores of rupees marketing - Local, National and International; not to 
mention the yeomen work done by expatriate Goans to promote Goa.  Posts like 
the one on the casino are factual, yet on an international Goan forum 
completely undercuts tourism promotion and  the image of Goa.  Perhaps some may 
not care for that image and the tourist economy.  Yet, these descriptions of 
Goa fit well with President Donald Trump's description of "sh*t-hole places."   
So such posts besides being disheartening, do affect local Goans and immigrant 
/ expatriate Goans in more ways than one realize. 
It baffles me that places poorer and much less educated than Goa have made a 
success of tourism (both in India and abroad).  Yet smart native Goans cannot 
make tourism a success story.  Goa cannot be a high-end tourist destination 
without casino-entertainment. It is as simple as that!  So please "do not cut 
off the nose to spite the face."  And holding a BRIC summit in Goa was a great 
occasion despite what some smart Goans may think of the occasion.
Please do not overlook among the govt officials monitoring the pollution 
problem those responsible for the environment and health of the city of Panaji 
and the state of Goa.  There certainly are some elected representatives whom 
you supported who can help fight the garbage issue.  If not, then create a 
party that supports your viewpoints. You have valid concerns for the benefit of 
Goa and the future generations.  Kudos! However at some point, you also need to 
get positive results from your efforts to maintain your own sanity.  But the 
frequently seen Goan attitude of being a constant nay-sayer on very aspect of 
life is a negative approach that has stymied Goa and its peoples, where ever 
they reside.  
Back to the  issue of protest posts on Goanet; a net-site in existence for 
twenty-plus years.  Can you or any other Goanet reader provide us with at-least 
one public issue that has been solved / addressed because of post(s) written on 
Goanet?  Are intellectual Goans using  internet posts or letters-to-the editor 
as a SOP / poor substitute for more direct physical action that requires 
"rolling up of one's sleeves."?  The argument that overseas Goans only talk 
about Goa's problems, really applies to all writers (in print or on the net), 
irrespective of their residence.  Goanet is a great site to disseminate 
information.  It is a poor site to achieve practical results.
I hope this self-examination is seen as a positive and helpful approach.  This 
post is certainly not written as a put-down.  At the end of the day, it is the 
PRACTICAL SUCESS that matters and not the sterile cost-free words.   
Best wishesRegards, GL

[Goanet] Casino - Open Letter

[Gilbert Lawrence]

With the weekend, I have some free time to respond to your OPEN LETTER.  Your 
rather extensive letter needs an extensive response.  So please pardon me that 
I respond to you in two parts. 
PART I
Thank you for your response. Your are right that I do not live in Goa. Yet, I 
appreciate your frustration and your vivid description of Goa's and the 
casino's pollution problem.  As I am sure you well know, garbage disposal 
issues has been a chronic decades-old problem in Goa.  Certainly the 
garbage-disposal problem was not helped with the widely reported kick-backs 
Goa's elected state representative(s) received from the major grant provided by 
Japan to set-up a garbage re-processing plant in the state. 
The major deficiency of your post was that it LACKED THE NAMES AND TITLES of 
individuals causing the problems AND the NAMES AND TITLES of the government 
officials who fail to monitor and prevent theses problems.
Yet, I would like to move beyond your post and let's think out-of-the-box in 
lieu of going over the routine posts on this Casino problem on Goanet. There is 
the theory of "Six degrees of separation." This is something that should be 
even more  pertinent to Goa given the long-standing relationships folks have 
with each-other extending to many generations. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Six_degrees_of_separation
"Six degrees of separation is the idea that all people are six, or fewer, 
social connections away from each other. As a result, a chain of "a friend of a 
friend" statements can be made to connect any two people in a maximum of six 
steps."
Very likely given the longstanding Goan community in towns and villages it 
would be:1. Much less than six people to make the connection between the 
victims and the polluters.2. Some of those responsible are likely YOUR OWN 
relatives, friends and neighbors. 
If after you have approached these individuals linked to the problems and 
failed; you, your neighbors and friends (Panjimites and their supporters) have 
the next best option.  This is repeated mass physical demonstrations, morchas 
and sit-ins in-front of these individuals' offices; publicly displaying your 
grievances and seeking redress. Non-violent protest and seeking redress of 
grievances is the hall mark of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of India.
Another avenue to seek redress is the court system; as seen by the success of 
those affected by Goa's mining industry. I am sure there are very smart 
attorneys in Goa who are affected by the environmental pollution issues and 
would be willing to help pro-bono at least in the initial phase.
Part II to follow tomorrow. 
Regards and Best Wishes, GL

[Goanet] Goanet; OPEN LETTER TO GILBERT LAWRENCE

[Stephen Dias]

GILBERT LAWRENCE Responded to Stephen Dias letter on Casinos:

DEAR GILBERT
 I think you are talking without knowing the present scenario or ground
reality how we Panjimite live and how we are suffering due to Casino
menace. I do not want to elaborate to this person who is away from Panjim
and India and shouting from his country although he is a Goan by birth
possibly. As he says,
we all know that Casino industry is a must for the state of Goa to live and
getting  profits coming from casino industry with the flow of tourist from
all parts of the world. Fine,  this looks logic but at what cost? Does this
person dictating terms from a distance to us .We are living with such a
menace in the river Mandovi. HAVING river Mandovi  poluted with dump of
sewage into the river and tankers running all the 24x7 with additional
sewage into our city roads to the Sewage Treatment Plant at St.Inez and
again this plant when it cannot cope up this supply it overflows into the
creek and back to river where these casinos are parked.  Does Gilbert knows
that Goa Government pockets casino income  into the ministers and mlas
reservoir  which could be almost  70 percent of profit.  Government not yet
appointted a Gaming Commissioner. Government is just passing their time and
we Panjimite are suffering from pollution and environment problem where
Capt of Ports is allegedly  hand in gloves with the government where a
building is likely to come up at the jetty itself under the nose of Captain
of Ports where our ex-CM and ex-Defence Minister  Manohar Parrikar gave the
blessing  for this project but unfortunately  is no more with us. He
inaugurated this building construction and a plaque is standing there near
the jetty .
Panjim residents see day and night this heavy construction with noise going
on and for those residing closeby is still worst. . Even a police complaint
is made by a nearby resident Dr Joe De Souza for stopping this construction
but nobody bothers. This project is at CRZ and No Development Zone. This
building will house these casinos at the jetty in future. Then this is
going to create much more movement with more number of vessels going to
anchor thus polluting our river Mandovi with sewage. Why we need such
income at the cost of destroying the river and the youth which gives rise
for prostitution and gambling without the control of Gaming Commissioner?
Several Nepalis and Biaris girls are roaming throughout the city streets of
Panjim for searching clients and taxis drivers taking them for prostitution
into 5 Star hotels and city lanes for sexual pleasures. I have proofs that
such complaints were lodged to police station but they too are hand in
gloves as the system continues.
With this elaborate explanation do we need Casinos?
 GILBERT MUST REALISE THAT HE SHOUT FROM ROOFTOPS FROM ABROAD AND GIVING
LESSONS OR ADVICES TO US WHICH HE NEEDS TO COME DOWN AND SEE  WHAT IS GOING
ON.

STEPHEN DIAS
DONA PAULA
--

GILBERT LAWRENCE RESPONDS TO STEPHEN DIAS LETTER TO GOANET
I hope all realize that this is a one person opinion; notwithstanding that
the opinion is expressed in capital letters. It is also likely the author's
livelihood is not dependent on the casinos or on tourism.?
Irrespective of our personal opinion about casinos, in the 21st century one
cannot have a tourist destination in India, and certainly through out the
world, without some casino entertainments.? In fact today's
state-of-the-art casinos are more into hotel accommodation and family
entertainment, venues for competitions, exhibitions, and artistic
performances, etc (to attract the youth) than merely into gambling.?
Goa's dialog should be how to upgrade their casinos and compete with
tourist destinations in India, rest of Asia and the world; including Indian
and international cruise boats, now docking in Goa.?
Goans, Indians and tourism is not waiting for Goa to catch-up.?
Regards, GL

Sent from my Samsung device

[Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO GOA CHIEF MINISTER MANOHAR PARRIKAR

[Aires Rodrigues]

Dear Mr. Manohar Parrikar,

It’s your birthday on 13th December and the best gift you can offer to the
people of Goa is to gracefully tender your resignation and allow the State
to move on. Goa cannot suffer any longer on account of your precarious
state of health.

Now that you are health wise very incapacitated you should not continue as
MLA of Panaji and Chief Minister of Goa. There are manifold grounds why on
account of your hunger for power and sheer arrogance you should be put to
pasture.

You may recall that over two decades ago, like many others, I too held you
in great respect while even working alongside you and the BJP, believing
that you were a ray of hope for Goa. But I had to part company after I was
faced with evidence that you were very corrupt, communal and casteist.

In 2007 you had publicly vowed that it would be your last election. However
in that greed and lust for power you went back on your own word and
contested yet again in 2012 and became Chief Minister after promising the
people of Goa a Parivartan by way of Good Governance and Zero Tolerance to
Corruption. But given your string of swift U Turns, the people of Goa soon
realised that by trusting you and electing the BJP they landed from the
frying pan into the fire.

Panaji Constituency which now includes Ribandar sadly remains decaying and
sinking despite you having been its MLA for over two long decades, thrice
the Chief Minister and even being the Defence Minister of the country. With
all that power at your hands you could do nothing for your State and even
your constituency. Incredibly, you had the cheek to last year seek yet
another term as MLA despite your grim performance or should we say non
performance by falsely promising that in 365 days all the problems of
Panaji would be resolved.

Over the years while you allowed Goa to sink you have minted a fortune for
your family to merrily feast on for generations to come

So, Mr. Parrikar, at least for the sake of what remains of Goa, it is time
for you to gracefully pack up and hang up your very soiled boots so that
Goa which today has sadly become a gambling, prostitution, narcotics and
crime destination finally may see some much needed Acche din.

In the words of Abraham Lincoln ‘You can fool all the people some of the
time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the
people all the time”

Sir, hoping that in a miracle better sense will prevail in you so that Goa
can move on. Wishing you a much deserved and long overdue retirement.

Yours Sincerely,



Aires Rodrigues

Advocate High Court

C/G-2, Shopping Complex

Ribandar Retreat,

Ribandar – Goa – 403006

Mobile No: 9822684372

Office Tel  No: (0832) 2444012

Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com

 Or

   airesrodrig...@yahoo.com

You can also reach me on

Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues

Twitter@rodrigues_aires


www.airesrodrigues.com

[Goanet] An open letter to Goa Governor, Mridula Sinha (Monika Kshatriya, Newzhook)

[Goanet Reader]

An open letter to Goa Governor, Mridula Sinha

My Take by Monika Kshatriya

My Take this week is by Monika
Kshatriya, a disability rights
activist and freelance
journalist based in Goa. Monika
has over 17 years' experience
in TV news and has an abiding
interest in issues concerning
persons with disabilities,
environment and gender
non-conformists and continues
reporting on these issues.

Dear Ms. Governor,

On Saturday, at a celebratory event in Porvorim, you managed
to turn a victorious mood to a bitter and anguished one. With
just one line, you displayed not just your utter lack of
understanding of diversity, but you also managed to trample
upon the very Constitution that you swore to uphold while
taking an oath to office.

You were invited as the chief guest at the prize distribution
ceremony of the T20 Series between India, Sri Lanka and
England. This sporting event was organised by the Goa Cricket
Association and the Cricket Association for the Blind in India.

The mood was jubilant because the hosts, Team India, managed
to claim the cup. This was a moment to celebrate the special
abilities of the players, the grit and determination of a
team that fought against all kinds of physical and mental
barriers to reaching this far. What everyone expected or hoped
to hear from you were words of praise for these path
breakers, who are an inspiration to many sportspersons in
this cricket-obsessed nation of ours.

Instead, you chose to heap a huge dollop of humiliation
served with a garnish of insult and served with deep
insensitivity. You said "Blind people are a mistake committed
by God and it is a miracle such people can play cricket".

Ms Governor, today you hold the exalted office of the
governor. You are sworn to uphold the law. We address you as
"Her Excellency", not because you were born in a certain
family, religion or caste, but because you are appointed by
the President himself to the high office to ensure that the
Constitution is adhered to.

Let me enlighten you about what the Constitution says in this
regard.

  Under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act,
  2016 the government is required to inter alia,
  ensure/protect a disabled person’s right to
  equality, dignity and respect for his/her integrity
  equally with others; right to personal liberty,
  right not to be discriminated against; right to
  live in a community, and right to equal protection.
  Clearly in complete disregard of this Act, you have
  attempted to strip persons with disabilities of the
  dignity they deserve.

Cricket for the Blind is a specialised sport. It requires a
special skill to play it and clearly not everyone can. I
assure you that even a blind-folded Sachin Tendulkar or Virat
Kohli will not be able to clear the qualification round for
the district team. Clearly, you failed to see the abilities
of these sports persons. All you could focus on was their
disability.

Also, it didn't take a "miracle" for these sportsmen to
perform, but sheer sweat and hard work in perfecting their
game. A person with visual impairment has to cross a million
hurdles to get to a sports field. After years of struggle one
reaches the international level and plays a game. And then to
be told that you are god’s mistake - is demeaning to say the least.

  Ms. Governor, may I also jog your memory. This is
  not the first time a right wing politician has
  repeated this idea. Can you please enlighten me
  about which text of the Sanatan dharma propounds
  this idea of God's mistake? So you might argue on
  the "Karma” theory, that persons with Disability,
  whom the Prime Minster has lovingly termed "Diyang"
  (one with divine limbs), are a result of mistakes
  made in their last birth. Well, then you must admit
  that one the most revered poets of the Bhakti
  movement, Surdas, was a huge mistake.

Finally, please don't put this down to a mistake of the
Almighty, but to your inability to understand diversity and
the law. Your inability to understand that each of us,
irrespective of our physical features, is a perfect creation.

https://newzhook.com/story/20256?fbclid=IwAR2ENo_zyKr1RTVjANxipfj8dwPl06HZpY92kVikdAs54RocJMUeL7lqSx8

[Goanet] AIRES' OPEN LETTER TO PARIKKAR

[Eddie]

Mr Aires Rodrigues has roundly castigated CM Parikkar (EMAIL of 8th Sept).
Not in the established print media or postal service but in the humble 
GoaNet. I wonder whether Parikkar will receive the message. Does he know or 
care about GoaNet? Why doesn't  do-gooder Aires write directly to the 
intended person(s) by post or courier and send a copy to GoaNet?


Among the accusations levelled against Parikkar:
- corrupt, communal, casteist
- greed and lust for power
- rampant corruption, nepotism, bad governance
- deceitfully forced yourself back as Goa's CM
- hunger for power and sheer arrogance
- minted a fortune for his family
- Goa becoming a place for gambling, prostitution, narcotics and crime.

Knowing the Indian justice system, it is surprising that Aires hasn't got 
himself arrested and detained as a result.
While Aires deserves to be commended for his courage, it is disappointing to 
note that nobody has reacted on GoaNet. Aires does write often on weighty 
matters but hardly anybody seems to write in support. Wonder why but let me 
guess.
People may be put off by Aires' apparent distaste for democratic procedures. 
He is keen on bringing about change in Goa but seemingly all by himself.
Why doesn't he co-opt others or call up a Public Meeting where people can 
engage in discussion and debate and get a resolution passed? There are 
surely many public spirited Goans around.
With support from Goans, Aires would be on much firmer ground to get 
Parikkar kicked out.


-
Eddie

[Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO GOA CHIEF MINISTER MANOHAR PARRIKAR

[Aires Rodrigues]

Dear Mr. Manohar Parrikar,

You are back after having from New York monitored the affairs in Goa round
the clock, but understandably you are medically unfit to continue as our
Chief Minister. You are entitled to all the rest you have been advised. But
please do not allow Goa to suffer any longer.

Despite your ill health you will now have to face the Goa Lokayukta which
is probing that illegal renewal of mining leases by you and waiting in the
wings is also an inquiry on your role in that alleged mega India-France
Rafale fighter jet deal scam.

You may recall that two decades ago, like many others, I too held you in
great respect while even working alongside you and the BJP, believing that
you were a ray of hope for Goa. But I had to part company after I was faced
with evidence that you were very corrupt, communal and casteist.

In 2007 you had publicly vowed that it would be your last election. However
in that greed and lust for power you went back on your own word and
contested yet again in 2012 and became Chief Minister after promising the
people of Goa a Parivartan by way of Good Governance and Zero Tolerance to
Corruption. But given your string of swift U Turns, the people of Goa soon
realised that by trusting you and electing the BJP they landed from the
frying pan into the fire.

In November 2014 with the State engulfed in rampant Corruption, nepotism
and bad governance, you left a messed up Goa in a huff to be the Defence
Minister of India while you continued to deviously operate as the de-facto
Chief Minister reducing the then incumbent Laxmikant Parsekar to a mere
puppet.

After your disastrous stint as Defence Minister, in March last year you
very deceitfully and through all crooked means forced yourself back as
Goa’s Chief Minister despite the people’s verdict having clearly been
against the BJP.

Panaji Constituency which now includes Ribandar sadly remains a decaying
and sinking despite you having been its MLA for over two long decades,
thrice the Chief Minister and even being the Defence Minister of the
country. With all the power at your hands you could do nothing for your
State and city. Incredibly, you had the audacity to last year seek yet
another term as MLA despite your grim performance or should we say non
performance. This is despicable. Now that you are health wise very
incapacitated, can you give us one good reason as to why you should
continue as MLA of Panaji and Chief Minister of Goa? Infact there are
manifold grounds including your hunger for power and sheer arrogance, why
you should be hounded away. You have now turned awfully rancid and run out
of steam with no ideas or vision flowing.

Over the years while you allowed Goa to sink you have minted a fortune for
your family to merrily feast on for generations. Less said the better on
how your puppy and collection agent Siddharth Kunkolienkar has risen from
Rags to Riches and now under the guise of making Panaji a Smart City has
been further raking the moolah galore.

So, Mr. Parrikar, at least for the sake of what remains of Goem, Goenkar
and Goenkarponn, it is time for you to gracefully pack up and hang up your
very soiled boots so that Goa which today has sadly become a gambling,
prostitution, narcotics and crime destination finally may see some much
needed Acche din.

In the words of Abraham Lincoln ‘You can fool all the people some of the
time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the
people all the time”

Hoping better sense will prevail and wishing you a much deserved and long
overdue retirement.

Yours Sincerely,



Aires Rodrigues

Advocate High Court

C/G-2, Shopping Complex

Ribandar Retreat,

Ribandar – Goa – 403006

Mobile No: 9822684372

Office Tel  No: (0832) 2444012

Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com

 Or

   airesrodrig...@yahoo.com

You can also reach me on

Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues

Twitter@rodrigues_aires


www.airesrodrigues.com

[Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO GOA CHIEF MINISTER MANOHAR PARRIKAR

[Aires Rodrigues]

Dear Mr. Manohar Parrikar,

Two decades ago, like many others, I too held you in great respect while
even working alongside you and the BJP, believing that you were a ray of
hope for Goa. But I had to part company after I was faced with evidence
that you were very corrupt, communal and casteist.

In 2017 the people of Goa were hoping that you would heed the sensible
advice given to you by your dear friend Rajan Parrikar and gracefully pack
your bags. So, I am constrained to write to you this letter hoping that you
will allow Goa to move on.

In 2007 you had publicly vowed that it would be your last election. However
in that greed and lust for power you went back on your own word and
contested yet again in 2012 and became Chief Minister after promising the
people of Goa a Parivartan by way of Good Governance and Zero Tolerance to
Corruption. But given your string of swift U Turns, the people of Goa soon
realised that by trusting you and electing the BJP they landed from the
frying pan into the fire.

In November 2014 with the State engulfed in rampant Corruption, nepotism
and bad governance, you left a messed up Goa in a huff to be the Defence
Minister of India while you continued to deviously operate as the de-facto
Chief Minister reducing the then incumbent Laxmikant Parsekar to a mere
puppet.

After your disastrous stint as Defence Minister, in March last year you
very deceitfully and through all crooked means forced yourself back as
Goa’s Chief Minister despite the people’s verdict having clearly been
against the BJP.

Panaji sadly remains a decaying and sinking city despite you having been
its MLA for over two long decades, thrice the Chief Minister and even being
the Defence Minister of the country. With all the power at your hands you
could do nothing for your State and city. Incredibly, you had the audacity
to last year seek yet another term as MLA despite your grim performance or
should we say non performance. This is despicable. Now that you are
incapacitated and parked in New York for over two months can you give us
one good reason as to why you should continue as MLA of Panaji and Chief
Minister of Goa. Infact there are manifold grounds including your hunger
for power and sheer arrogance why you should be hounded away. You have now
turned awfully rancid and run out of steam with no ideas or vision flowing.

Over the years while you allowed Goa to sink you have minted a fortune for
your family to merrily feast on for generations. Less said the better on
how your puppy Siddharth Kunkolienkar has risen from Rags to Riches and
under the guise of making Panaji a Smart City has been now raking the
moolah galore.

So, Mr. Parrikar, it is time for you to gracefully pack up and hang up your
very soiled boots so that Goa which today has sadly become a gambling,
prostitution, narcotics and crime destination finally may see some much
needed Acche din.

In the words of Abraham Lincoln ‘You can fool all the people some of the
time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the
people all the time”

Hoping better sense will prevail and wishing you a much deserved retirement.

Yours Sincerely,


Aires Rodrigues

Advocate High Court

C/G-2, Shopping Complex

Ribandar Retreat,

Ribandar – Goa – 403006

Mobile No: 9822684372

Office Tel  No: (0832) 2444012

Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com

 Or

   airesrodrig...@yahoo.com

You can also reach me on

Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues

Twitter@rodrigues_aires


www.airesrodrigues.com

[Goanet] An Open Letter to Narendra Modi

[Roland Francis]

Here’s the full text of the open letter written by 49 senior Indian bureaucrats:

We are a group of retired civil servants who came together last year to express 
our concern at the decline in the secular, democratic, and liberal values 
enshrined in our constitution. We did so to join other voices of protest 
against the frightening climate of hate, fear and viciousness that the ruling 
establishment had insidiously induced. We spoke then as we do now: as citizens 
who have no affiliations with any political party nor adherence to any 
political ideology other than the values enshrined in our Constitution.

We had hoped that as someone sworn to upholding the Constitution, the 
government that you head and the party to which you belong would wake up to 
this alarming decline, take the lead in stemming the rot and reassure everyone, 
especially the minorities and vulnerable sections of society, that they need 
not fear for their life and liberty. This hope has been destroyed.

Instead, the unspeakable horror of the Kathua and the Unnao incidents shows 
that the government has failed in performing the most basic of the 
responsibilities given to it by the people. We, in turn, have failed as a 
nation which took pride in its ethical, spiritual and cultural heritage and as 
a society which treasured its civilisational values of tolerance, compassion 
and fellow feeling. By giving sustenance to the brutality of one human being 
against another in the name of Hindus we have failed as human beings.

The bestiality and the barbarity involved in the rape and murder of an eight 
year old child shows the depths of depravity that we have sunk into. In 
post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of 
our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble. At 
this juncture, we see no light at the end of the tunnel and we hang our heads 
in shame. Our sense of shame is all the more acute because our younger 
colleagues who are still in service, especially those working in the districts 
and are required by law to care for and protect the weak and the vulnerable, 
also seem to have failed in their duty.

Prime Minister, we write to you not just to express our collective sense of 
shame and not just to give voice to our anguish or lament and mourn the death 
of our civilisational values – but to express our rage. Rage over the agenda of 
division and hate your party and its innumerable, often untraceable offshoots 
that spring up from time to time, have insidiously introduced into the grammar 
of our politics, our social and cultural life and even our daily discourse. It 
is that which provides the social sanction and legitimacy for the incidents in 
Kathua and Unnao.

In Kathua in Jammu, it is the culture of majoritarian belligerence and 
aggression promoted by the Sangh parivar which emboldened rabid communal 
elements to pursue their perverse agenda. They knew that their behaviour would 
be endorsed by the politically powerful and those who have made their careers 
by polarising Hindus and Muslims across a sectarian divide.

In Unnao in UP, it is the reliance on the worst kinds of patriarchal feudal 
mafia dons to capture votes and political power that gives such persons the 
freedom to rape and murder and extort as a way of asserting their own personal 
power. But even more reprehensible than such abuse of power, it is the response 
of the state government in hounding the victim of rape and her family instead 
of the alleged perpetrator that shows how perverted governance practices have 
become. That the government of UP finally acted only when it was compelled to 
do so by the high court shows the hypocrisy and half-heartedness of its intent.

In both cases, Prime Minister, it is your party which is in power. Given your 
supremacy within the party and the centralised control you and your party 
president exercise, you, more than anyone else, have to be held responsible for 
this terrifying state of affairs. Instead of owning up and making reparations, 
however, you had until yesterday chosen to remain silent, breaking your silence 
only when public outrage both in India and internationally reached a point when 
you could no longer ignore it.

And even then, while you have condemned the act and expressed a sense of shame, 
you have not condemned the communal pathology behind the act nor shown the 
resolve to change the social, political and administrative conditions under 
which such communal hate is bred. We have had enough of these belated 
remonstrations and promises to bring justice when the communal cauldron is 
forever kept boiling by forces nested within the Sangh Parivar.

Prime Minister, these two incidents are not just ordinary crimes where, with 
the passage of time, the wounds inflicted on our social fabric, on our body 
politic and the moral fibre of our society will heal and it will soon be 
business as usual. This is a moment of existential crisis, a 

[Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO VIJAI SARDESAI

[Aires Rodrigues]

Dear Vijai,

I wrote to you last year after your grand betrayal of Goa and Goans on 11th
March 2017. You did not care to reply but as a true Goenkar, I humbly write
to you once again, a year later on 2018 Easter Sunday with a heavy heart, a
very heavy heart indeed! But, I have no choice … Having once been your very
close friend, in speaking out I may be hurting you, your two MLAs Jayesh
Salgaonkar, Vinod Paliencar and our common friend Rohan Khaunte, but by
maintaining silence I would be hurting thousands of Goans across Goa and
also failing in my duty to stand up for something that is intrinsically
wrong.

The people of Goa had thought and hoped that you were the future of Goa.
They were all for your promised : Goem, Goenkar & Goenkarponn. In 2017 they
supported you thinking that you were a beacon of hope to fight the
Corruption, nepotism and the U turns of the BJP.

Goans were also very upset with the Congress for the manner you were then
ill-treated. I had myself publicly condemned the Congress for it. But last
March the audacity in which you betrayed your Goem, you shocked every
Goenkar, and you chose to selfishly forsake your very own Goenkarponn.

In the lightning speed in which you selfishly embraced the BJP overnight,
you committed the mother of all U turns. You disgraced yourself, your
family, your Constituency and most importantly your Goa. The great Goan and
your uncle, the late Ravindra bab Kelekar and your late dear sister our
great poet Madhavi must have rolled in heavenly abode over the manner you
so rashly and cunningly took Goa and Goans for a ride.

You cannot and will never ever be trusted by Goans again. Even by your now
New York parked idol Manohar Gopalkrishna Parrikar, who as he always does,
will treat you as a purchasable commodity to be used and disposed off. I am
infact stunned that you dared trust Manohar Parrikar, someone who had
publicly spewed very nasty venom against you and even tried his best to
implicate and arrest you in that Louis Berger case. You, Jayesh Salgaonkar,
Vinod Paliencar and Rohan Khaunte have chosen to face the public wrath and
condemnation for the rest of your lives.

Your’ll have deeply hurt every Goan. But despite your betrayal, Goa will
overcome and survive to see Goem, Goenkar and Goenkarponn.

Let me leave you with those worthy words of Billy Graham, “When wealth is
lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when
character is lost, all is lost”.

Your very now heartbroken and once great well-wisher,

Aires Rodrigues

Advocate High Court

C/G-2, Shopping Complex

Ribandar Retreat,

Ribandar – Goa – 403006

Mobile No: 9822684372

Office Tel  No: (0832) 2444012

Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com

 Or

   airesrodrig...@yahoo.com

You can also reach me on

Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues

Twitter@rodrigues_aires


www.airesrodrigues.com

Re: [Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO VIJAI SARDESAI

[Dan Driscoll]

Even at great distance I take an interest in the socio/political equations
surrounding Goa, having resided there for almost thirty years with a spouse
who considered herself a 'Gandhian' but whose 'ancestry' involved Catholic
Colonial. My over-view these days inclines to the notion that Goa should
have 'special status' somewhat analogous to what Pierre Elliot Trudeau for
Province of Quebec, thus avoiding 'secession'. The 'economic development
zone' template is 'necessary but not sufficient'.

Vijai Sardessai, like many in similar circumstances, may have found himself
'between a rock and a hard place', on 'horns of a dilemma'. Not being well
enough informed, I can only conjecture what the 'horns' are in the
ontological perspective; but it might be helpful to analyse the complete
picture towards determining what that 'dilemma' really is.

I think that in the 'ontological perspective' too, the blindfold goddess
will finally balance the account; Goa served colonialism by enabling
mercantile interests to send gunboats and opium to China & Burma. Payback
Time will come---"The mills of the gods grind slowly, but they grind
exceeding fine".



On Sat, Mar 31, 2018 at 12:11 PM, Aires Rodrigues  wrote:

> Dear Vijai,
>
> I wrote to you last year after your grand betrayal of Goa and Goans on 11th
> March 2017. You did not care to reply but as a true Goenkar, I humbly write
> to you once again, a year later on the eve of 2018 Easter Sunday with a
> heavy heart, a very heavy heart indeed! But, I have no choice … Having once
> been your very close friend, in speaking out I may be hurting you, your two
> MLAs Jayesh Salgaonkar, Vinod Paliencar and our common friend Rohan
> Khaunte, but by maintaining silence I would be hurting thousands of Goans
> across Goa and also failing in my duty to stand up for something that is
> intrinsically wrong.
>
> The people of Goa had thought and hoped that you were the future of Goa.
> They were all for your promised : Goem, Goenkar & Goenkarponn. In 2017 they
> supported you thinking that you were a beacon of hope to fight the
> Corruption, nepotism and the U turns of the BJP.
>
> Goans were also very upset with the Congress for the manner you were then
> ill-treated. I had myself publicly condemned the Congress for it. But last
> March the audacity in which you betrayed your Goem, you shocked every
> Goenkar, and you chose to selfishly forsake your very own Goenkarponn.
>
> In the lightning speed in which you selfishly embraced the BJP overnight,
> you committed the mother of all U turns. You disgraced yourself, your
> family, your Constituency and most importantly your Goa. The great Goan and
> your uncle, the late Ravindra bab Kelekar and your late dear sister our
> great poet Madhavi must have rolled in heavenly abode over the manner you
> so rashly and cunningly took Goa and Goans for a ride.
>
> You cannot and will never ever be trusted by Goans again. Even by your now
> New York parked idol Manohar Gopalkrishna Parrikar, who as he always does,
> will treat you as a purchasable commodity to be used and disposed off.  I
> am infact stunned that you dared trust Manohar Parrikar, someone who had
> publicly spewed very nasty venom against you and even tried his best to
> implicate and arrest you in that  Louis Berger case. You, Jayesh
> Salgaonkar, Vinod Paliencar and Rohan Khaunte have chosen to face the
> public wrath and condemnation for the rest of your lives.
>
> Your’ll have deeply hurt every Goan. But despite your betrayal, Goa will
> overcome and survive to see Goem, Goenkar and Goenkarponn.
>
> Let me leave you with those worthy words of Billy Graham, “When wealth is
> lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when
> character is lost, all is lost”.
>
> Your very now heartbroken and once great well-wisher,
>
>
>
> Aires Rodrigues
>
> Advocate High Court
>
> C/G-2, Shopping Complex
>
> Ribandar Retreat,
>
> Ribandar – Goa – 403006
>
> Mobile No: 9822684372
>
> Office Tel  No: (0832) 2444012
>
> Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com
>
>  Or
>
>airesrodrig...@yahoo.com
>
> You can also reach me on
>
> Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues
>
> Twitter@rodrigues_aires
>
>
> www.airesrodrigues.com
>

[Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO VIJAI SARDESAI

[Aires Rodrigues]

Dear Vijai,

I wrote to you last year after your grand betrayal of Goa and Goans on 11th
March 2017. You did not care to reply but as a true Goenkar, I humbly write
to you once again, a year later on the eve of 2018 Easter Sunday with a
heavy heart, a very heavy heart indeed! But, I have no choice … Having once
been your very close friend, in speaking out I may be hurting you, your two
MLAs Jayesh Salgaonkar, Vinod Paliencar and our common friend Rohan
Khaunte, but by maintaining silence I would be hurting thousands of Goans
across Goa and also failing in my duty to stand up for something that is
intrinsically wrong.

The people of Goa had thought and hoped that you were the future of Goa.
They were all for your promised : Goem, Goenkar & Goenkarponn. In 2017 they
supported you thinking that you were a beacon of hope to fight the
Corruption, nepotism and the U turns of the BJP.

Goans were also very upset with the Congress for the manner you were then
ill-treated. I had myself publicly condemned the Congress for it. But last
March the audacity in which you betrayed your Goem, you shocked every
Goenkar, and you chose to selfishly forsake your very own Goenkarponn.

In the lightning speed in which you selfishly embraced the BJP overnight,
you committed the mother of all U turns. You disgraced yourself, your
family, your Constituency and most importantly your Goa. The great Goan and
your uncle, the late Ravindra bab Kelekar and your late dear sister our
great poet Madhavi must have rolled in heavenly abode over the manner you
so rashly and cunningly took Goa and Goans for a ride.

You cannot and will never ever be trusted by Goans again. Even by your now
New York parked idol Manohar Gopalkrishna Parrikar, who as he always does,
will treat you as a purchasable commodity to be used and disposed off.  I
am infact stunned that you dared trust Manohar Parrikar, someone who had
publicly spewed very nasty venom against you and even tried his best to
implicate and arrest you in that  Louis Berger case. You, Jayesh
Salgaonkar, Vinod Paliencar and Rohan Khaunte have chosen to face the
public wrath and condemnation for the rest of your lives.

Your’ll have deeply hurt every Goan. But despite your betrayal, Goa will
overcome and survive to see Goem, Goenkar and Goenkarponn.

Let me leave you with those worthy words of Billy Graham, “When wealth is
lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when
character is lost, all is lost”.

Your very now heartbroken and once great well-wisher,



Aires Rodrigues

Advocate High Court

C/G-2, Shopping Complex

Ribandar Retreat,

Ribandar – Goa – 403006

Mobile No: 9822684372

Office Tel  No: (0832) 2444012

Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com

 Or

   airesrodrig...@yahoo.com

You can also reach me on

Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues

Twitter@rodrigues_aires


www.airesrodrigues.com

Re: [Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER I HAD WRITTEN TO VIJAI SARDESAI AFTER HE BETRAYED GOA AND GOANS ON 11th MARCH LAST YEAR

[Bernice Pereira]

Good letter sir, but do u think any decency can make a dent in their thick 
skinned armour. Sincerely wish you best of luck.

Bernice

Sent from my iPhone

> On 16-Jan-2018, at 4:53 AM, Aires Rodrigues  wrote:
> 
> 13th March 2017
> 
> 
> 
> Dear Vijai,
> 
> 
> 
> I write this with a heavy heart, a very heavy heart indeed! But, I have no
> choice … Having been your friend, in speaking out I may be hurting you,
> your two MLAs Jayesh Salgaonkar, Vinod Palyekar and our common friend Rohan
> Khaunte, but by maintaining silence I would be hurting thousands of Goans
> across Goa and also failing in my duty to stand up for something that is
> intrinsically wrong.
> 
> 
> 
> The people had thought you were the future of Goa. They were all for your:
> Goem, Goenkar & Goenkarponn. They supported you thinking that you were a
> beacon of hope to fight the Corruption, nepotism and the U turns of the BJP.
> 
> 
> 
> Goans were also very upset with the Congress for the way you were
> ill-treated. I had myself publicly condemned the Congress and Luizinho
> Faleiro for it. But now you have betrayed your Goem, you have shocked every
> Goenkar, and you have forsaken your very own Goenkarponn.
> 
> 
> 
> In the lightning speed in which you embraced the BJP overnight, you have
> committed the mother of all U turns. You have disgraced yourself, your
> family, your Constituency and most importantly your Goa. The great Goan and
> your uncle, the late Ravindra bab Kelekar and your late dear sister our
> great poet Madhavi must be rolling in heavenly abode over the manner you
> have so rashly and selfishly taken Goa and Goans for a ride.
> 
> 
> 
> You cannot and never will be trusted by any one again. Even by your new
> found idol Manohar Gopalkrishna Parrikar, who as he always does, will treat
> you as a purchasable commodity to be used and disposed off. I am infact
> stunned that you dared trust Manohar Parrikar, someone who has publicly
> spewed nasty venom against you and even tried his best to implicate you in
> the Louis Berger case.
> 
> 
> 
> You now have two options. You, Jayesh Salgaonkar, Vinod Palyekar and Rohan
> Khaunte should gracefully resign as MLAs and seek a fresh mandate by
> contesting on a BJP ticket. As an alternative the four of you have the
> choice of facing the public wrath and condemnation for the rest of your
> lives.
> 
> 
> 
> You’ll have deeply hurt every Goan. But despite your betrayal, Goa will
> overcome and survive to see Goem, Goenkar and Goenkarponn.
> 
> 
> 
> Let me leave you with those words of Billy Graham, “When wealth is lost,
> nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is
> lost, all is lost”.
> 
> 
> 
> Your very heartbroken once well-wisher,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Aires Rodrigues
> 
> Advocate High Court
> 
> C/G-2, Shopping Complex
> 
> Ribandar Retreat,
> 
> Ribandar – Goa – 403006
> 
> Mobile No: 9822684372
> 
> Office Tel  No: (0832) 2444012
> 
> Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com
> 
> Or
> 
>   airesrodrig...@yahoo.com
> 
> You can also reach me on
> 
> Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues
> 
> Twitter@rodrigues_aires
> 
> 
> www.airesrodrigues.com

[Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER I HAD WRITTEN TO VIJAI SARDESAI AFTER HE BETRAYED GOA AND GOANS ON 11th MARCH LAST YEAR

[Aires Rodrigues]

13th March 2017



Dear Vijai,



I write this with a heavy heart, a very heavy heart indeed! But, I have no
choice … Having been your friend, in speaking out I may be hurting you,
your two MLAs Jayesh Salgaonkar, Vinod Palyekar and our common friend Rohan
Khaunte, but by maintaining silence I would be hurting thousands of Goans
across Goa and also failing in my duty to stand up for something that is
intrinsically wrong.



The people had thought you were the future of Goa. They were all for your:
Goem, Goenkar & Goenkarponn. They supported you thinking that you were a
beacon of hope to fight the Corruption, nepotism and the U turns of the BJP.



Goans were also very upset with the Congress for the way you were
ill-treated. I had myself publicly condemned the Congress and Luizinho
Faleiro for it. But now you have betrayed your Goem, you have shocked every
Goenkar, and you have forsaken your very own Goenkarponn.



In the lightning speed in which you embraced the BJP overnight, you have
committed the mother of all U turns. You have disgraced yourself, your
family, your Constituency and most importantly your Goa. The great Goan and
your uncle, the late Ravindra bab Kelekar and your late dear sister our
great poet Madhavi must be rolling in heavenly abode over the manner you
have so rashly and selfishly taken Goa and Goans for a ride.



You cannot and never will be trusted by any one again. Even by your new
found idol Manohar Gopalkrishna Parrikar, who as he always does, will treat
you as a purchasable commodity to be used and disposed off. I am infact
stunned that you dared trust Manohar Parrikar, someone who has publicly
spewed nasty venom against you and even tried his best to implicate you in
the Louis Berger case.



You now have two options. You, Jayesh Salgaonkar, Vinod Palyekar and Rohan
Khaunte should gracefully resign as MLAs and seek a fresh mandate by
contesting on a BJP ticket. As an alternative the four of you have the
choice of facing the public wrath and condemnation for the rest of your
lives.



You’ll have deeply hurt every Goan. But despite your betrayal, Goa will
overcome and survive to see Goem, Goenkar and Goenkarponn.



Let me leave you with those words of Billy Graham, “When wealth is lost,
nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is
lost, all is lost”.



Your very heartbroken once well-wisher,





Aires Rodrigues

Advocate High Court

C/G-2, Shopping Complex

Ribandar Retreat,

Ribandar – Goa – 403006

Mobile No: 9822684372

Office Tel  No: (0832) 2444012

Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com

 Or

   airesrodrig...@yahoo.com

You can also reach me on

Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues

Twitter@rodrigues_aires


www.airesrodrigues.com

Re: [Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO GOA CHIEF MINISTER MANOHAR PARRIKAR FROM AIRES RODRIGUES

[BT Yahoo Mail]

All kudos to you, Aires, for your bold and caustic letter to Goa's smug CM, 
calling him 'corrupt, communal and casteist' to his face. 
But, given the feudal minds of these BJPwalas, you might be unwittingly 
stirring up their wrath & inviting revenge. This land has not had much of an an 
intellectual or diplomatic tradition, so they are unlikely to respond by 
calling for a rational discussion or public debate on the hard issues of the 
day. More likely, emotion may be the driving factor, leading to erratic 
responses, such as a herd of confused cows released before you as you walk on 
the road, or seasoned 'goondas' hired to do injury. 
Many older Christian (and Muslim) Goans may be recalling more tranquil times in 
the State but with an established Hindu majority (and fanatics among them), the 
good old days are probably gone for good.
However, I'd like to propose a rather revolutionary idea of dividing Goa into 
two parts with a soft border - the South as home to most Christians and Muslims 
(like the Catholic Irish Republic) , the North for the HIndus, BJPwalas, cows 
and all. A friendly secession.
More importantly, South Goa should be entitled to a good bit of autonomy to 
conduct things their way and to exclude feudal/vedic groups if they don't 
behave.
Aires, is it such an outlandish idea? What do you think?Eddie

 

On Wednesday, 2 August 2017, 6:27, Aires Rodrigues 
 wrote:
 
Dear Mr. Parrikar,

Two decades ago, like many others, I too held you in great respect while
even working alongside you and the BJP, believing that you were a ray of
hope for Goa. But I had to part company after I was faced with evidence
that you are very corrupt, communal and casteist.

The people of Goa were hoping that you would heed the recent sensible
advice given to you by your dear friend Rajan Parrikar and gracefully pack
your bags. But as you haven’t, I am constrained to write to you this letter
hoping that you will allow Goa to move on.

In 2007 you had publicly vowed that it would be your last election. However
in that greed and lust for power you went back on your own word and
contested yet again in 2012 and became Chief Minister after promising the
people of Goa a Parivartan by way of Good Governance and Zero Tolerance to
Corruption. But given your string of swift U Turns, the people of Goa soon
realised that by trusting you and electing the BJP they landed from the
frying pan into the fire.

In November 2014 with the State engulfed in rampant Corruption, nepotism
and bad governance, you left a messed up Goa in a huff to be the Defence
Minister of India while you continued to deviously operate as the de-facto
Chief Minister reducing the then incumbent Laxmikant Parsekar to a mere
puppet.

After your disastrous stint as Defence Minister, in March this year you
very deceitfully and through all crooked means forced yourself back as
Goa’s Chief Minister despite the people’s verdict having clearly been
against the BJP.

Panaji sadly remains a decaying and sinking city despite you having been
its MLA for over two long decades, thrice the Chief Minister and even went
on to be the Defence Minister of the country. With all the power at your
hands you could do nothing for your State and city. Incredibly, you now
have the audacity to seek yet another term as MLA despite your grim
performance or should we say non performance. This is despicable. Can you
give us one good reason as to why you should be re-elected? Infact there
are manifold grounds including your sheer arrogance why you should be
hounded away. You have now turned awfully rancid and run out of steam with
no ideas or vision flowing.

Over the years while you allowed Goa to sink you have minted a fortune for
your family to merrily feast on for generations. So, Mr. Parrikar, it is
time for you to gracefully pack up and hang up your very soiled boots so
that Goa which today has sadly become a gambling, prostitution, narcotics
and crime destination finally may see some much needed Acche din.

In the words of Abraham Lincoln ‘You can fool all the people some of the
time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the
people all the time”

Hoping better sense will prevail and wishing you a much deserved retirement.

Aires Rodrigues

Advocate High Court

C/G-2, Shopping Complex

Ribandar Retreat,

Ribandar – Goa – 403006

Mobile No: 9822684372

Office Tel  No: (0832) 2444012

Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com

                        Or

          airesrodrig...@yahoo.com

You can also reach me on

Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues

Twitter@rodrigues_aires


www.airesrodrigues.com

   

[Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO GOA CHIEF MINISTER MANOHAR PARRIKAR FROM AIRES RODRIGUES

[Aires Rodrigues]

Dear Mr. Parrikar,

Two decades ago, like many others, I too held you in great respect while
even working alongside you and the BJP, believing that you were a ray of
hope for Goa. But I had to part company after I was faced with evidence
that you are very corrupt, communal and casteist.

The people of Goa were hoping that you would heed the recent sensible
advice given to you by your dear friend Rajan Parrikar and gracefully pack
your bags. But as you haven’t, I am constrained to write to you this letter
hoping that you will allow Goa to move on.

In 2007 you had publicly vowed that it would be your last election. However
in that greed and lust for power you went back on your own word and
contested yet again in 2012 and became Chief Minister after promising the
people of Goa a Parivartan by way of Good Governance and Zero Tolerance to
Corruption. But given your string of swift U Turns, the people of Goa soon
realised that by trusting you and electing the BJP they landed from the
frying pan into the fire.

In November 2014 with the State engulfed in rampant Corruption, nepotism
and bad governance, you left a messed up Goa in a huff to be the Defence
Minister of India while you continued to deviously operate as the de-facto
Chief Minister reducing the then incumbent Laxmikant Parsekar to a mere
puppet.

After your disastrous stint as Defence Minister, in March this year you
very deceitfully and through all crooked means forced yourself back as
Goa’s Chief Minister despite the people’s verdict having clearly been
against the BJP.

Panaji sadly remains a decaying and sinking city despite you having been
its MLA for over two long decades, thrice the Chief Minister and even went
on to be the Defence Minister of the country. With all the power at your
hands you could do nothing for your State and city. Incredibly, you now
have the audacity to seek yet another term as MLA despite your grim
performance or should we say non performance. This is despicable. Can you
give us one good reason as to why you should be re-elected? Infact there
are manifold grounds including your sheer arrogance why you should be
hounded away. You have now turned awfully rancid and run out of steam with
no ideas or vision flowing.

Over the years while you allowed Goa to sink you have minted a fortune for
your family to merrily feast on for generations. So, Mr. Parrikar, it is
time for you to gracefully pack up and hang up your very soiled boots so
that Goa which today has sadly become a gambling, prostitution, narcotics
and crime destination finally may see some much needed Acche din.

In the words of Abraham Lincoln ‘You can fool all the people some of the
time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the
people all the time”

Hoping better sense will prevail and wishing you a much deserved retirement.

Aires Rodrigues

Advocate High Court

C/G-2, Shopping Complex

Ribandar Retreat,

Ribandar – Goa – 403006

Mobile No: 9822684372

Office Tel  No: (0832) 2444012

Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com

 Or

   airesrodrig...@yahoo.com

You can also reach me on

Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues

Twitter@rodrigues_aires


www.airesrodrigues.com

[Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO VIJAI SARDESAI

[Aires Rodrigues]

13th March 2017

Dear Vijai,

I write this with a heavy heart, a very heavy heart indeed! But, I have no
choice … Having been your friend, in speaking out I may be hurting you,
your two MLAs Jayesh Salgaonkar, Vinod Palyekar and our common friend Rohan
Khaunte, but by maintaining silence I would be hurting thousands of Goans
across Goa and also failing in my duty to stand up for something that is
intrinsically wrong.

The people had thought you were the future of Goa. They were all for your:
Goem, Goenkar & Goenkarponn. They supported you thinking that you were a
beacon of hope to fight the Corruption, nepotism and the U turns of the BJP.

Goans were also very upset with the Congress for the way you were
ill-treated. I had myself publicly condemned the Congress and Luizinho
Faleiro for it. But now you have betrayed your Goem, you have shocked every
Goenkar, and you have forsaken your very own Goenkarponn.

In the lightning speed in which you embraced the BJP overnight, you have
committed the mother of all U turns. You have disgraced yourself, your
family, your Constituency and most importantly your Goa. The great Goan and
your uncle, the late Ravindra bab Kelekar and your late dear sister our
great poet Madhavi must be rolling in heavenly abode over the manner you
have so rashly and selfishly taken Goa and Goans for a ride.

You cannot and never will be trusted by any one again. Even by your new
found idol Manohar Gopalkrishna Parrikar, who as he always does, will treat
you as a purchasable commodity to be used and disposed off. I am infact
stunned that you dared trust Manohar Parrikar, someone who has publicly
spewed nasty venom against you and even tried his best to implicate you in
the Louis Berger case.

You now have two options. You, Jayesh Salgaonkar, Vinod Palyekar and Rohan
Khaunte should gracefully resign as MLAs and seek a fresh mandate by
contesting on a BJP ticket. As an alternative the four of you have the
choice of facing the public wrath and condemnation for the rest of your
lives.

You’ll have deeply hurt every Goan. But despite your betrayal, Goa will
overcome and survive to see Goem, Goenkar and Goenkarponn.

Let me leave you with those words of Billy Graham, “When wealth is lost,
nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is
lost, all is lost”.

Your very heartbroken once well-wisher,


Aires Rodrigues

Advocate High Court

C/G-2, Shopping Complex

Ribandar Retreat,

Ribandar – Goa – 403006

Mobile No: 9822684372

Office Tel  No: (0832) 2444012

Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com

 Or

   airesrodrig...@yahoo.com

You can also reach me on

Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues

Twitter@rodrigues_aires


www.airesrodrigues.com

[Goanet] [GOANET] OPEN LETTER: QUO VADIS AAP... JUST WHAT THE HELL IS THE TOP LEADERSHIP SMOKING? [OSCAR REBELLO]

[Stephen Dias]

Dear Dr Jose Colaco and  Dr Oscar Rebello,

I have tried to avoid writing controversial letters especially related to
politics because each one has their own way of thinking, but just thought I
would share my thoughts since I am a well wisher of the AAP party and I am
confident that it will clean up the corruption which is ruining our country.

With regards to Aam Admi Party (AAP), I happened to get acquainted with
this party in Goa during their infancy. I interacted with the tall leader
of AAP, Mr. Yogendra Yadav in Goa. We had a meeting at the Goa Chamber of
Commerce in Panjim near Cafe Real. There were about 20 to 30 invitees and I
was one of those present. The way he put his points across was excellent
and superb. I really appreciated this gentleman and predicted he would one
day shine in the party. Unfortunately he had to leave this party along with
Adv.Prashant Bushan.

After the Delhi elections took place, AAP swept the polls with 67 seats
(AAP) against 3 seats (BJP). Arwind Kejriwal Leader of AAP nowadays has
many internal problems with great leaders like Yogendra Yadav and Prasant
Bushan deciding to leave the party. Lots of people are sending Open Letters
trying to ensure a patch up since the AAP party seems the best hope for
clean governance.

Dr. Oscar Rebello also seems to be trying to achieve a patch up. Others are
implying that this is part of an attempt to get a ticket, which may or may
not be the case. However, I believe that Dr. Oscar quitting his well paying
clinic to join into politics will never takes place because he is well
settled in Panjim with high charges or fees and an elite patient base.

Lastly, in general, I do not agree with the statement made by Dr. Jose
Colaco  about doctors and politics.  Earlier we had a number of Doctors in
Goa joining politics, for example Dr. Willy D’Sousa a great surgeon from
Saligao who after returning from UK has entered into this political
business and also remained for few months as CM of Goa, Dr. Carmo Pegado
also joined politics, also Dr. Wilfred Mesquita who is continuing as spokes
person in BJP and who is managing to survive inspite of so many hassles,
Dr. Jack Sequeira was Opinion Leader of Goa Democratic Party. Dr Luis Prota
Barbosa ex-CM also took part in politics and many more.

I wish the AAP party all the best and hope that they resolve their
differences without allowing others to aggravate the situation.

Stephen Dias

D.Paula-Goa=

Date: 18.3.2015=



Message: 5
Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2015 11:04:17 -0400
From: Jose cola...@gmail.com
To: Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!
goanet@lists.goanet.org
Cc: Rajan Parrikar ra...@parrikar.com,
campalhealthservi...@gmail.com campalhealthservi...@gmail.com,
Dr. Oscar Rebello docosca...@rediffmail.com
Subject: Re: [Goanet] Open Letter: Quo vadis AAP... just what the hell
is  the top leadership smoking? (Dr Oscar Rebello)
Message-ID: e8e3d503-f267-424b-9fca-ea0709633...@gmail.com
Content-Type: text/plain;   charset=us-ascii

An Unsolicited Open Letter to Dr. Oscar Rebello from a Distant
ObserverPardon any Typos. This IPad does some curious auto- corrections


Dear Sir,

I am NOT going to ask you What YOU are smoking or even . IF would
benefit from it. I'd merely state the following:

Doctors, in general, make very poor politicians. Having observed you over
the years, I believe you would do very well NEVER to quit your day job.
Politics is not meant for physicians, especially honest and dedicated
physicians like you.

Three closing points: (1) A team player NEVER writes Open Letters to Party
Central, unless he is about to quit OR wishes to draw attention to one's
own self (2) it would be an absolute miracle IF you, dear doctor, would win
an election from Panjim or thereabouts unless on a BJP, MGP or Congress
ticket. (3) Political Parties are not know to give tickets to writers of
Open Letters to Central. Hence consider yourself self-disqualified after
scoring an own goal.

BTW: I hope you noticed that the dissident AAP faction members have
requested a meeting with Kejriwal .

best

jc

On Mar 17, 2015, at 9:14 AM, Goanet Reader goanetrea...@gmail.com posted:

(Oscar Rebello wrote:)
My dear Team AK / Team YY-PB:

Permit me to introduce myself. I am an ordinary AAP volunteer from the
state of Goa.  I haven't quit my job as yet to dive headlong into the world
of politics, but many of my friends have.  Cheerfully (and often
despondently), they are building the  organization in the state, brick by
brick: step by step and heartbreak by heartbreak.

Presumptuously, I have taken it upon myself to speak for them.

And the one overwhelming  question that is driving a dagger in our hearts,
at the moment, is this: Just what the hell is the top AAP leadership in
Delhi smoking?

Why has it induced this inexplicable crash after that dizzy high of Delhi
2015?  Why this messy split in the marriage, when the family

Re: [Goanet] [Goanet-News] Open Letter: Quo vadis AAP... just what the hell is the top leadership smoking? (Dr Oscar Rebello)

[Tensing Rodrigues]

On 17 March 2015 at 18:44, Goanet Reader goanetrea...@gmail.com wrote:

 QUO VADIS AAP: JUST WHAT THE HELL IS THE TOP LEADERSHIP SMOKING?

 Dr Oscar Rebello
 campalhealthservi...@gmail.com
 docosca...@rediffmail.com

 My dear Team AK / Team YY-PB:

   Permit me to introduce myself. I am an ordinary AAP
   volunteer from the state of Goa.  I haven't quit my
   job as yet to dive headlong into the world of
   politics, but many of my friends have.  Cheerfully
   (and often despondently), they are building the
   organization in the state, brick by brick: step by
   step and heartbreak by heartbreak.

 Presumptuously, I have taken it upon myself to speak for them.

 And the one overwhelming  question that is driving a dagger
 in our hearts, at the moment, is this: Just what the hell is
 the top AAP leadership in Delhi smoking?

 Why has it induced this inexplicable crash after that dizzy
 high of Delhi 2015?  Why this messy split in the marriage,
 when the family is still young and the kids are still
 learning to take their baby steps?

 ​With due respect to Dr. Oscar, I would like to submit my views on what he
has said; I do not doubt his sincerity ​

​or acumen. But definitely I cannot say the same thing about the persons he
talks about.
​

 To understand this, let us first get some indisputable facts
 on the table.

   FACT 1: There can be no question that Arvind
   Kejriwal (AK), despite his eccentricities, is our
   lodestar.  In Ashutosh's memorable words, our
   undisputed gladiator and hope.  Almost single
   handedly, he navigated our creaking, wooden boat to
   a resounding victory defeating the mighty flotillas
   of the BJP/Congress.  His sincerity, leadership and
   passion is simply unrivalled.


​All that was achieved by the meteoric rise of ​AAP was offering India to
BJP on a platter.


 FACT 2. Yogendra Yadav(YY) and Prashant Bhushan (PB) are
 easily, two of the most enlightened minds in the country.
 Unyielding in their conviction of ideology, they are men of a
 million ideas.  Many of these ideas may be outdated and
 exasperating to the younger generation, but their integrity
 and unbridled love for AAP can never be doubted.  And
 certainly they can never be painted as some evil, conniving
 Darth Vaders slyly walking around with a nuclear arsenal, out
 to torpedo our Starship Enterprise to Utopia.  None of us buy
 into this silly argument.  They were only asking relevant,
 pertinent questions. If we cannot answer them, the least we
 owe them is an explanation.



​AK, from the very beginning, when he joined the movement for Lokpal, he
showed symptoms of a craving dictatorship - ​

​both personal power and acute lack of faith in democracy. I am happy that
the movement fizzled out. ​Its success on the lines envisaged by AK would
have been the death of democracy.


 FACT 3: Delhi 2015 was like the magical elixir of life for
 all of us. It reinforced our belief that the idea of AAP was
 not just alive, but kicking and kicking real hard.
 Reverentially (but not sycophantically) we must acknowledge
 that the credit for this resurrection of AAP goes to AK.
 Without him, we'd be buried for a long time, and if Delhi
 2015 were not to happen, we'd probably enjoy the same
 relevance as a vaudeville act in ISIS controlled Iraq and Syria.


​Once again, what the AAPs second win in Delhi has achieved is reinforcing
BJP's conviction that it is the only voice of sanity in the midst of fools
and rogues.


 But then, is Delhi 2015, our only goal post? Or are we aiming
 to shoot faster, higher and stronger, in the near future?

 Hence, if these are all undeniable facts, what then is the
 genesis of this macabre display of the unbelievable absurd,
 unfolding in Delhi, almost on a sickeningly daily basis?  The
 answer to my mind lies in the proverbial, titanic clash
 between the 'Theory' and the 'Practicals' of our politics.

 The 'Theory' of our politics, that YY and PB are prepared to
 defend to the death, consists of absolutely no compromise
 with any candidate, with even a light shade of gray in their
 character -- forget 50 shades.

 But in this ruthless world of politics, is any elbow space
 for maneouver permitted, to ensure victory at the hustings?
 Is self righteousness the only antidote to corruption?  That
 is the practical question.

 Because, 'practical' (electoral) politics is a different,
 unkind kettle of fish altogether.

 Here, the art of negotiation and compromise is necessary. A
 little bit of 'jugaad' here and there, so long as you don't
 lose sight of the larger picture, which is transparent and
 accountable politics -- the calling card of AAP.

   It would have been so much more prudent, if once in
   power, Team AK and Team YY would have expended
   their energies to set up and strengthen
   institutions to oversee honest governance in 

[Goanet-News] Open Letter: Quo vadis AAP... just what the hell is the top leadership smoking? (Dr Oscar Rebello)

[Goanet Reader]

QUO VADIS AAP: JUST WHAT THE HELL IS THE TOP LEADERSHIP SMOKING?

Dr Oscar Rebello
campalhealthservi...@gmail.com
docosca...@rediffmail.com

My dear Team AK / Team YY-PB:

  Permit me to introduce myself. I am an ordinary AAP
  volunteer from the state of Goa.  I haven't quit my
  job as yet to dive headlong into the world of
  politics, but many of my friends have.  Cheerfully
  (and often despondently), they are building the
  organization in the state, brick by brick: step by
  step and heartbreak by heartbreak.

Presumptuously, I have taken it upon myself to speak for them.

And the one overwhelming  question that is driving a dagger
in our hearts, at the moment, is this: Just what the hell is
the top AAP leadership in Delhi smoking?

Why has it induced this inexplicable crash after that dizzy
high of Delhi 2015?  Why this messy split in the marriage,
when the family is still young and the kids are still
learning to take their baby steps?

To understand this, let us first get some indisputable facts
on the table.

  FACT 1: There can be no question that Arvind
  Kejriwal (AK), despite his eccentricities, is our
  lodestar.  In Ashutosh's memorable words, our
  undisputed gladiator and hope.  Almost single
  handedly, he navigated our creaking, wooden boat to
  a resounding victory defeating the mighty flotillas
  of the BJP/Congress.  His sincerity, leadership and
  passion is simply unrivalled.

FACT 2. Yogendra Yadav(YY) and Prashant Bhushan (PB) are
easily, two of the most enlightened minds in the country.
Unyielding in their conviction of ideology, they are men of a
million ideas.  Many of these ideas may be outdated and
exasperating to the younger generation, but their integrity
and unbridled love for AAP can never be doubted.  And
certainly they can never be painted as some evil, conniving
Darth Vaders slyly walking around with a nuclear arsenal, out
to torpedo our Starship Enterprise to Utopia.  None of us buy
into this silly argument.  They were only asking relevant,
pertinent questions. If we cannot answer them, the least we
owe them is an explanation.

FACT 3: Delhi 2015 was like the magical elixir of life for
all of us. It reinforced our belief that the idea of AAP was
not just alive, but kicking and kicking real hard.
Reverentially (but not sycophantically) we must acknowledge
that the credit for this resurrection of AAP goes to AK.
Without him, we'd be buried for a long time, and if Delhi
2015 were not to happen, we'd probably enjoy the same
relevance as a vaudeville act in ISIS controlled Iraq and Syria.

But then, is Delhi 2015, our only goal post? Or are we aiming
to shoot faster, higher and stronger, in the near future?

Hence, if these are all undeniable facts, what then is the
genesis of this macabre display of the unbelievable absurd,
unfolding in Delhi, almost on a sickeningly daily basis?  The
answer to my mind lies in the proverbial, titanic clash
between the 'Theory' and the 'Practicals' of our politics.

The 'Theory' of our politics, that YY and PB are prepared to
defend to the death, consists of absolutely no compromise
with any candidate, with even a light shade of gray in their
character -- forget 50 shades.

But in this ruthless world of politics, is any elbow space
for maneouver permitted, to ensure victory at the hustings?
Is self righteousness the only antidote to corruption?  That
is the practical question.

Because, 'practical' (electoral) politics is a different,
unkind kettle of fish altogether.

Here, the art of negotiation and compromise is necessary. A
little bit of 'jugaad' here and there, so long as you don't
lose sight of the larger picture, which is transparent and
accountable politics -- the calling card of AAP.

  It would have been so much more prudent, if once in
  power, Team AK and Team YY would have expended
  their energies to set up and strengthen
  institutions to oversee honest governance in Delhi
  and they still have five years to do so.  This
  interminable slug fest is simply such a waste of time.

Fundamentally, Team AK and Team YY/PB have not been able to
reconcile these two issues.  They've been unable to blend the
'Theory' and 'Practicals' of our politics into a workable model.

Sadly, they have let their bruised egos and innate over-
sensitive natures ride over common sense and are needlessly
letting their hearts rule over their heads.  Is there a way
out of this impasse?  Someway, for this ghastly bloodletting
to stop?

Yes, there is.

  There is however only one man who can do this. AK
  himself, our gladiator and hope.  Despite his pain
  and anguish for being hauled over coals,
  repeatedly, he must summon the courage to unleash
  the most powerful weapon of a great leader -- the
  weapon of forgiveness.

He must be 

[Goanet] Wendells Open Letter to Goa Minister

[Mervyn Maciel]

Hats off to Wendell for his excellent and timely response to
a Minister who is trying to take us backwards.
Goa has long been the favourite destination of Western and
other tourists.
   Is the Minister now trying to put these tourists off by imposing
archaic restrictions??



Mervyn Maciel

[Goanet] An open letter to Narendra Modi

[Gabe Menezes]

http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/an-open-letter-to-narendra-modi/article6022900.ece?homepage=true
-- 
DEV BOREM KORUM

Gabe Menezes.

[Goanet] An Open Letter to Sarpanch Oswald to Improve Associacao Academica de Moira

[augusto pinto]

Dear Ossie

Somebody told me that you, our Sarpanch, Mr Oswald Cordeiro who has
recently been elected as President of A A de Moira was looking for
suggestions as to how to improve A A de Moira.

Somehow you forgot to ask me so I hope you don't mind if I make my
suggestions here on MN with a cc to Goa Net so that someone or the other
will pass on my opinions to you.

1) Buy about 25 tables and 100 chairs. Doing this will mean that whenever
there is a function there will be no need to hire these and incur
unnecessary expense. Also it will be possible to rent out these chairs and
tables to those who need them for their private functions and thus earn
revenue.

2) Buy an Inverter for the club. This will mean that whenever there is a
power cut the club need not have to suffer. The cost of this is about Rs
20,000/=.

3) Both point 1  2 will enable the club to raise the hiring costs of the
club which at the moment is a paltry 2 or 3 K if I mistake not.

4) Organize tournaments in carrom, chess, table-tennis, football,
cricket... Get people who are not in your club committee to help out in
such organization. I would be delighted to help out here if I was asked
nicely to organize a chess tournament. I know people who would be happy to
organize carrom and table-tennis etc for although they are not on the new
committee they would oblige if approached nicely.

5) Get the youth involved.

6) Raise funds from members as this makes them feel part of the club. If
people know you are organizing things they are willing to sponsor provided
you give them credit. For instance if you say that every table one sponsors
will bear one's name then I will be ready to sponsor 5 tables; Vincy may
chip in with 10 tables; Francis with 15 tables and Ola - all the tables you
need are there in your hands. And without asking Mark will say he will
sponsor all the 100 chairs. If you approach the right people the 20 K for
an Inverter will be easily given to you. (This btw is better than getting
Acron or Timblos to sponsor as then they will demand their pound of flesh -
if you know what I mean)

7) And MOST IMPORTANTLY - Make the Club More Broad Based - religion, caste,
gaunkar / non-gaunkar, class, age and gender wise.

After the last elections, FN cynically told me Did you notice how cleverly
the gaunkars made sure that all the committee were comprised of only
gaunkars?

I said yes. Only Ossie himself and perhaps Caetano Raposo were
non-gaunkars. Which is why I was extremely un-keen to contest an election
which had been fixed before hand. In fact I was surprised that Bosco who
hitherto never came to the club became a committee member. ;-)

Mr Cordeiro, if you want to make the club as vibrant as it was in the
middle 70's when I don't think you were around the place  but when the A A
De Moira had a football team with the brilliant defence of Nicholas Andrade
and the forward skills of Gokuldas and the late Seby D'Cunha, and yet there
were Francis D'Cunha, Noel Pinto Correia, Vinod Raikar, Shantaram Raikar,
Ivo and Martin Fernandes and Jairam from Nachinola ... people of all castes
and creeds playing then you will understand that a critical mass of people
who are committed to the club is necessary if it is to do well.

That was the time when there were Edmund and Edwin D'Cunha and Denzil
D'Souza and Peter and Euclid Sequiera and from Nachinola Shivram and
Desmond and Greg playing cricket and firing off 6s at will then you know
what powerful teams we had and how many people used to come to watch our
games which were played with seasoned balls.

And you will remember the Banana Nites and the Christmas Programmes  which
were organized which made festive seasons truly festive.

I think it is time we made the Club more broad based and it becomes a place
where people of all castes and creeds feel that A A De Moira is OUR CLUB,
and not just the private adda of some bamons and some gaunkars who talk a
lot but can do not much for the simple reason that they do not have the
numbers.

One way to do what I suggest is to have activities where all sorts of
people can participate; another is to ensure that the membership becomes
more broad based.

If the elitist attitude which was perpetuated during the more than two
decades  long President-ship of Romeo Coelho, himself not a gaunkar,
continues, I don't thiink that we can expect any improvement in the club.
So think about what I say Ossie and act firmly. Don't act like a servant of
the ganvkars but take the initiative to be a modern forward looking
Sarpanch and President.



Regards
Augusto


-- 


Augusto Pinto
40, Novo Portugal
Moira, Bardez
Goa, India
E pinto...@gmail.com
P 0832-2470336
M 9881126350

Re: [Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO MR. P.A. SANGMA

[Jose Colaco]

AN OPEN LETTER TO MR Marshall Mendonza,

Dear Mr. Mendonza,

I do not need to bring this to your attention, but I will - just in case you 
are a believer of statements made by Politicians.

Perhaps, you will ask yourself the following questions, and come to a 
reasonable understanding of the issues relating to this ' bid':

1:  does Mr Sangma stand even a micro-reallistic chance of becoming President?

2:  if not, WHY is he contesting?

3: why is amcho 'postal dotor' contesting?

4: why is he being courted by the anti-Congress folks?

5: is there, perhaps, a power-kusti among the ranks of the opposition?

6: IF Mr.Sangma had contested for the post (imaginary) of President of his home 
state, what would be the chances of him succeeding in 2012?

So, back again to Q 2 above.

Additionally:

7: why did the folks aka Bhojje Pee start calling their political opponents: 
Kangress?

8: why do the Ingraji-medium chaps spew so much hate against Sonia?

9: is it because she was born a Catholic or is it because she is a woman?

10: are Katlicks daft?

jc

ps: I'd be really stupid to believe the lofty statements made by Politishuns , 
Hacktivists and Guerrist-Barathis.



Pardon any Typos. This IPad does some curious auto- corrections


On Jul 6, 2012, at 11:41 AM, Marshall Mendonza mmendonz...@gmail.com wrote:

 AN OPEN LETTER TO MR. P.A. SANGMA
 
 5th July, 2012
 
 Mr. P. A Sangma
 Presidential Candidate
 Camp: Ahmedabad
 
 Dear Mr. Sangma,
 
 Welcome to Ahmedabad!
 
 Ahmedabad which is over 600 years was founded by a great and benevolent
 ruler: Ahmed Shah who transcended the narrow boundaries of religion;
 besides, from the sanctity of his ashram, on the banks of the river
 Sabarmati, Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of our Nation gave to the world his
 twin doctrine of ‘Ahimsa’ and ‘Satyagraha’.
 
 Sir, it is necessary for me to provide you with this brief introduction
 because as a Presidential candidate, it is important at this stage, that
 you demonstrate every possible desire to safeguard the sacred principles of
 the secular Constitution of India namely Justice, Liberty, Equality and
 Fraternity.
 
 What makes it imperative for me to write this Open Letter to you, are your
 recent utterances on the BJP and the right-wing elements of the country
 which clearly indicate that should you become the President of the country,
 you will abandon all propriety and will not be able to function as the
 final guardian of the Constitution of India.
 
 When you were questioned about the attacks on the Christians in Kandhamal
 and other parts of Orissa, your response has been ‘where is the proof that
 the BJP has done it? Don’t make wild allegations!’ The point is either you
 have not done your homework or you would conveniently like to forget that
 in the run-up to the last Orissa elections 2009, your main backer to these
 Presidential elections Mr. Naveen Patnaik, very clearly said that the BJP
 was responsible for the attack on the Christians in Kandhamal.
 
 If you so wish, we could give you a whole list of BJP leaders (including
 those arrested) both from Orissa and outside, who are responsible for
 fomenting the violence. So it is indeed sad, when people like you brush off
 such incidents as ‘one or two; here and there’ as though it is of no
 consequence for hundreds and thousands be it in Orissa, Karnataka, Madhya
 Pradesh, Gujarat or any of the BJP-ruled states.
 
 Since, you very eloquently maintain that at the heart of Christianity is
 forgiveness, (unfortunately, you do not demonstrate this act when it comes
 to dealing with your opponents.) let’s forget Christians and focus on what
 happened in Gujarat in 2002 when thousands of Muslims were brutally
 attacked, raped, burnt alive, dispossessed of their homes and lands, in
 what is known the world over as the ‘Gujarat Genocide’! Mr. Sangma, I would
 like to know what is your stand on this? Or is it once again for you
 ‘something small; here and there?’ It sounds like a joke! Should you become
 the President of India, would you be able to defend the Constitutional
 rights and freedom of every citizen of this country?
 
 What about the anti-conversion law we have in Gujarat? It could easily rate
 as the most draconian law in any democracy of the world. Just take a moment
 out of your busy schedule and go through it and let us know if it is not
 violative of Article 25 of the Constitution of India.
 
 We do appreciate the fact that you are a tribal but I am not sure what is
 your take on the fact that the adivasis of our country are derogatorily
 referred to as ‘Vanvasis’. There is indeed a great difference between being
 the original inhabitants of the land and mere forest-dwellers! The tribals
 in Gujarat, as in many parts of the country, have lost plenty of what is
 rightly theirs because of the nexus between the politicians and the other
 vested interests. If you look carefully, you will see how the tribal
 identity is systematically denigrated by these groups.
 
 To 

[Goanet] An Open Letter to Mr. Manohar Parrikar April 22, 2012

[J. Colaco jc]

Dear Mr. Parrikar,

It is no secret that I am in 'upsetment' with your electoral triumph.
But, now that you are CM, I thought that I provide you with guidance.

Please understand the following:

a: I have lots of ideas. My ideas are the only way forward. These
ideas must be brought to fruition day before yesterday.

b: Being a patracar, I have every right to be present at the Goa
Cabinet meetings. What do you have to hide from me and the Goan
public?

c: Being a patracar, I am allowed to write whatever I want to hear
and assign it to you, even though you may not have said it.

d: Anyone objecting to a patracar adding recheado masala to your
words, is impinging on the patracar's artistic freedom.


Now, the items you MUST handle as a priority

1: Fire from Gorrment service, anybody I don't like or against whom I
have a vendetta. (You know, do you not, that I am Mr. Spotless?)

2: Immediately clean up all the mess created by the squatters and us.
Are you not our servant? So, WHY have you not finished my work
yesterday?


I will present further list as and when I have time.

From Tongue-in-Chik Mangloor

jc
ps: Any grants, conferences at 7 star hotels,  foren trips, other jobs
where I have to work hardly, available for patracars like me? I could
also serve as 'khursiwalla' of any corporation; best if I have office,
table, chair and secretary. Files not necessary. Expense account would
be nice.

ps: Will I be able to Eat  Drink at any restaurant .and just walk
away without having to pay? That would be excellent.

Re: [Goanet] An open letter to Shri Manohar Parrikar

[floriano]

---
    Goanet Classifieds 
---

  Enescil, a Brazilian engineering firm requires Engineers, Architects

   and Draftsmen, proficient in AutoCAD, for their new office in Goa

  Those interested can email enescil@gmail.com by 15 November 2011

Selected candidates will be sent to Brazil for 2 months training

---



Dearest Dr. Virginkar,

Salutes to you for your excellent Nobel Prize thinking and writing.
Yes, I am more than willing to take on the difficult yoke that you have 
manufactured.
I had told you that things are different, especially after I made a fool of 
myself comparing our Advaniji to  'stale pickle'.

Nothing seems to be going right from then onwards.
You and others around you have done a wonderful job last elections in 2007 
to promote me as the ultimate administrator. But unfortunately, I couldn't 
make it. Sorry for your money that has gone down the drain. But I have 
proved myself  during my tenure  by handling all the pertinent files all by 
myself,  burning the midnight oils. I have even personally helped the 
traffic police to regulate parking at Kala Academy at 3.00 a.m. by throwing 
out a wrongly parked two- wheeler  and damaging it. This was to give a 
lesson to the traffic cops. Then I went to  red-handed catch  Mr. D.C. Sahoo 
whilst taking a bribe while on duty. And I have done what no one can do. I 
have kicked him, not out, but upstairs with a promotion that he will always 
be grateful.


But then, you must know the realities. A person like me cannot survive in a 
pack of hyenas. I can go up there. No doubt about that. But the question is 
for how long. You have said a lot of things which were not in the syllabus 
when I did my IIT. But then, I find it difficult to understand Metallurgy 
itself which is my subject of IIT graduation. The entire concept has changed 
from coal burning foundries to hi-tech computer technology, laser 
heating/cutting etc. But I have no heart to disappoint you. Only see that a 
fair supply of FEVICOL is around. Why? You must not forget the nursery 
rhymes that you have learnt in the Primary schooling. Humpty Dumpty sat on 
the wall. Humpty dumpty had a great fall  Should I fall, the load of 
FEVICOL  will have to do the trick and seat me back again, stuck forever, no 
matter how much they try to unseat me.


Thank you and kind regards

Gratefully Yours,
MP
P.S. I have been a bit busy these days trying to stop the flowing out of our 
goddamed  MLAs who are running to the Congress camp like water into the 
sewers. Therefore I have asked my good friend floriano to send this to you. 
You must know that floriano and I are inseparable friends. He appreciates me 
for stealing his GOOD GOVERNANCE logo and rubbing it in cow-dung. You will 
find him a bit crazy too. For, he considers himself only a GOAN and not 
Indian. Maybe because he was born before the Independence of India. I have 
come to terms with his small peccadilloes. I urge you to do the same. Cheers



- Original Message - 
From: anand virgincar anandvirgin...@hotmail.com

To: goa...@goanet.org
Sent: Sunday, November 13, 2011 11:19 AM
Subject: [Goanet] An open letter to Shri Manohar Parrikar



AN OPEN LETTER TO SHRI MANOHAR PARRIKAR

Dear Manoharbab,


..


Goa must always remain a model of unity with a unified set of unique
identities shaped by our entire recorded history within the Indian
nation. Our Indianness is not apportioned to us on the basis of our
religion, our individual tastes, our scripts and dialects or our medium
of instruction. We are all Goans. We are all Indians.




So we ask you to carry this banner for us. A banner of unity, a banner
of purpose, a banner of determination and a banner of service towards
the betterment of all our people and our land irrespective of religion,
caste or socioeconomic standing. Please, please, Sir, lead us, upholding
honesty and responsibility.

With warm regards, high hopes and best wishes,

Anand Virgincar






---

  Protect Goa's natural beauty

   Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve

 Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php

---

[Goanet] An open letter to Shri Manohar Parrikar

[anand virgincar]

---
    Goanet Classifieds 
---

  Enescil, a Brazilian engineering firm requires Engineers, Architects

   and Draftsmen, proficient in AutoCAD, for their new office in Goa

  Those interested can email enescil@gmail.com by 15 November 2011

Selected candidates will be sent to Brazil for 2 months training

---



AN OPEN LETTER TO SHRI MANOHAR PARRIKAR

Dear Manoharbab,

I am writing this open letter to you because of my love for Goa, my deep 
concern for her future and fervent hope that you, along with your 
colleague, the ever so gentlemanly Shripadbhau Naik, will be my 
motherland’s best stewards in her journey ahead. I and many of my like 
thinking colleagues from every community in Goa, irrespective of 
religion, caste, socioeconomic status or political clout, believe that 
while there has been significant progress in Goa in some areas since we 
got the opportunity to govern ourselves after the first democratic 
general elections in December 1963, many things have become worse. To 
the great dismay and discomfort of the people of Goa, the circumstances 
in which they find themselves are on a downhill slide today.


There are four big problems facing us in Goa. The biggest problem is 
rampant corruption from the lowest level of the government bureaucracy 
to the office of the Chief Minister. It has made life difficult for the 
most vulnerable segment of our society – poor folk without connections, 
clout and status. They have to struggle to make ends meet, and bribe a 
bureaucrat or a minister with their meager earnings to obtain a shop 
license or even a low paying job. Not far behind is the squalor and 
filth in our neighbourhoods, on our roads, and on our beaches and river 
banks. This is compounded by the destruction of our scenic hills, 
invasion of our pristine fields and orchards, and degradation of roads, 
bridges and public spaces by years of public neglect and abuse. The 
final assault is from overburdening of all basic amenities due to unruly 
traffic, uncontrolled influx and settlement of migrant labour, and 
unregulated low-budget tourism.


Besides the above crises concerns, there are countless other urgent 
needs. Thousands of young Goans need to be educated at all levels each 
year. The old school and college buildings are falling apart. There are 
not enough committed teachers. Nothing short of major financial 
incentives for new recruitment and investment for new construction will 
change this state of affairs.


Furthermore, each year hundreds of students complete their 
post-secondary education from the many higher educational institutions 
that have sprung up in Goa. There are no jobs for them in our tiny 
state. They are forced to migrate to other places to make a living, to 
regain their dignity and self-esteem after a long futile and exhausting 
search for it in their birthplace. In the process, not only are they 
unable to contribute to Goa’s progress, but the public investment made 
in their education is not recouped for the immediate local benefit of 
the taxpayers who made it in the first place. This problem can only be 
solved by a concerted effort to create jobs and entrepreneurial 
opportunities by providing incentives for growth of local manufacturing 
plants, information technology firms, high technology companies, 
pharmaceutical outfits, chemical industries and green energy enterprises.


The public health care system in Goa is in a miserable state. Its 
flagship, the new Goa Medical College hospital building in Bambolim is 
already in serious disrepair. Moreover, it continues to fail in its 
repeated attempts to be the much needed fully functional tertiary level 
hospital in Goa offering affordable advanced treatment for the 
increasingly more common diseases afflicting Goans today, such as heart 
disease, cancer and stroke. The unfortunate victims of these scourges 
have to run to Mumbai, Belgaum, Bengaluru or Manipal to save their 
lives. Can the Goa government after 50 long years of bumbling not offer 
its people a decent shot at evading death from treatable conditions in 
their own place of birth? What a crying shame!


The changing world has created new demands as well as opportunities for 
growth in the 21st century. The old ways of governing have become a 
lumbering burden on society, and in many ways, have led to the decadence 
and corruption that we are struggling against. Fortunately, the the 
advances in information technology and the internet offer us new 
solutions and make electronic governance a distinct possibility. The 
resulting reduced paperwork cuts down red tape and eliminates 
opportunities for bribes and kickbacks. Why can’t we have this in Goa? 
Why can’t we have computer controlled traffic 

[Goanet] Fwd: Open Letter to Churchill (Letter in Todays Herald by Roque Estellito Almeida)

[Arwin Mesquita]

http://www.epaperoheraldo.in/Details.aspx?id=274boxid=22919968uid=dat=5/31/2011

*letters to the editor*

*Open letter to Churchill*

Will Churchill Alemao kindly answer a few simple questions asked by the
parents whose children’s future he has virtually ruined? 1) If studying in
one’s mother tongue at the primary school level is good for a child’s
overall development why were your children studying in the English Medium
Sharada Mandir High School, Miramar? 2) Why did you not stand by the system
you introduced in 1991? ( i. e. no grants for English at primary level)? 3)
Why did you make a ‘ U’ turn now and suddenly develop a love for English,
when for last 20 years, you were advocating that a child study in their
Mother tongue? Have you done so, because you realized that doing otherwise
would be politically bad for you? Please stop taking credit for the victory
in Medium of Instruction. In fact Goans deserve an immediate public apology
from you, for your misdeeds in 1991 that ruined lives of Goan students.

Roque Estellito Almeida, Betalbatim.

-- 
Please post your comments on my Blog: http://goanidentity.blogspot.com/

Please also see below:
1. Benaulim Village Action Committee: http://www.bvacbenaulim.blogspot.com/
2. Rape of Goa : http://www.parrikar.com/blog/the-rape-of-goa/
3. MAND - an adivasi-rights resource centre : http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/
4. EVERY GOAN SHOULD SEE THIS VIDEO:
http://infochangeindia.org/Infochange-documentary.html
5. Goa's Identity Movement group on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com//#/group.php?gid=193497031686
6. Official Government Site NRI Office (GOA): http://www.globalgoans.org.in/

[Goanet] An open letter to Heta Pandit

[J. Colaco jc]

Dear Heta,

The following was posted on GoaNet by the Frederick Noronha, the
feudal / semi-feudal Lord of GoaNet: Thanks Heta for doing something
that we Goans long neglected. Of course, you will get paid mostly in
the currency of ingratitude and insult! 

Now, I believe that you have been in Goa long enough to know that the
above statement by Frederick is not only boorish and unfortunate but
also a misrepresentation of the Goan psyche.

Why would Goans be (mostly) ungrateful and insulting to you - if you
are good to them, which I believe you are?

I personally believe that Goans who are not naive would mostly likely
challenge you if you were a controlling or matlabi misrepresenter,
which I believe you are not.

If I remember correctly, Antonio Salazar was a control freak. He was
reportedly efficient and personally honest, but a control freak all
the same. He too was often hurt when he was rightfully criticised.

But that, I submit, is for another day.

I end with gratitude for (what I know of) your work,

BTW: Do you not feel that you have lived long enough in Goa to be
considered a Goan? If so, I wonder why Frederick has excluded you by
referring to the weGoans.

jc
ps: Have not yet read your History book. If there is such a book and
it is reasonably fair and balanced, please accept my advance
congratulations.

Re: [Goanet] DOCUMENT: Open Letter To The Chief Minister Of Goa OnThe Destruction Of Goa's Built Heritage (GHAG)

[Albert Da Cruz]

---
Sign the Petition requesting The Honble Minister of State for Environment
and Forests (I/C) to maintain the moratorium on issuing further
environmental clearances for mining activities in Goa

 http://goanvoice.org.uk/miningpetition.php
---

Dear Concerned Friend,

Sadly when all over the world there is much regard for their heritage, 
it would seem that in Goa the ravages continue to rage.


Can we have a register of  HERITAGE BUILDINGS to be preserved and then 
have the authorities know the consequences of their decision.


It would appear that this building and its carefully crafted 
woodstructures are now gone for ever. Future generation will have to do 
only with photographs and decription of what was once.


Best wishes in all your endeavours.

Albert Da Cruz
HANDS ACROSS THE SEAS
PERTH
WESTERN AUSTRALIA


- Original Message -
From: Goanet Reader

06 April 2010

Mr Digambar Kamat
Chief Minister
Secretariat, Government of Goa
Porvorim, Goa


Open Letter To The Chief Minister Of Goa On
The Destruction Of Goa's Built Heritage

Dear Mr Kamat,

On Saturday 27th March this year a beautiful building in
Panaji popularly known as Café Puna was demolished by its
owners with the approval and the sanction of the Government
of Goa and the Corporation of the City of Panaji.




Read all Goanet messages at:

http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/

Re: [Goanet] DOCUMENT: Open Letter To The ChiefMinister Of Goa OnThe Destruction Of Goa's Built Heritage (GHAG) - Comments 'The Banguis'

[floriano]

---
Sign the Petition requesting The Honble Minister of State for Environment
and Forests (I/C) to maintain the moratorium on issuing further
environmental clearances for mining activities in Goa

 http://goanvoice.org.uk/miningpetition.php
---

This is a  pure waste of time and precious paper on  which this so 
called 'open letter' has been written on.


You are crying after the destruction has been accomplished !.

At best, as heritage lovers, you should have identified and blocked all 
the heritage buildings from destruction by putting them on the heritage 
list and brow-beating the 'punks' sitting high in  the government to 
comply with preserving the  listed items or be done with. If at all the 
government had/has other plans, the public has the right to know before 
these are executed by destroying Goa's heritage. It is said that a 'pig' 
can only appreciate his sty and the human dumpings on the roadside, 
nothing more, nothing less.


Instead, the heritage lovers and preservers of Goa must write these 
'open letters' to the deaf and the blind Goan public to bring them to 
their senses as to what is happening. It is they who are first in line 
to endorse these Congress, BJP, NCP, MGP punks on the voting ballot. 
What else can be expected?


As it is, we have drug contraband lifted from the police lockers and 
substituted with urea.
As it is our Home minister says there are no drugs in Goa and that it is 
a 'media hype'
As it is our CEOs have loose mouths when talking to media reporters who 
are recorded on tape for what they say and then when the fires come down 
on their heads for talking loose, they justify by saying they have been 
misquoted. [Manohar Parrikar with his line of 'Advani has become a state 
pickle' -- Digu with the line Modi is my friend - I shall attend the 
function'


These guys are not CEOs that should lead Goa but should be the banguis 
that should be put to work to clean the rot they have made of Goa.



We would like Heta and Co. to go through the Goa Su-Raj Party's roadmap 
for Goa thoroughly and completely. Then only then they will realise that 
they are wasting their time in trying to knock some little sense in the 
punkheads who are just good for nothing at all and steering GOA to its doom.


Cry Goa, cry the tears of frustration until your tear wells are bone dry 
just like the water well in the villages of Goa, thro' the 
indiscriminate mining policy.


Cheers
floriano
goasuraj
PPS to PPS
9890470896
www.goasu-raj.org

[Goanet] DOCUMENT: Open Letter To The Chief Minister Of Goa On The Destruction Of Goa's Built Heritage (GHAG)

[Goanet Reader]

---
Sign the Petition requesting The Honble Minister of State for Environment
 and Forests (I/C) to maintain the moratorium on issuing further
 environmental clearances for mining activities in Goa

  http://goanvoice.org.uk/miningpetition.php
---

06 April 2010

Mr Digambar Kamat
Chief Minister
Secretariat, Government of Goa
Porvorim, Goa


Open Letter To The Chief Minister Of Goa On
The Destruction Of Goa's Built Heritage

Dear Mr Kamat,

On Saturday 27th March this year a beautiful building in
Panaji popularly known as Café Puna was demolished by its
owners with the approval and the sanction of the Government
of Goa and the Corporation of the City of Panaji.

         The building was at least 70 years old and must
         have taken its craftsmen and builders at least two
         years to build it, decorate it and make it the
         pride of the city. It was located opposite the
         historic Massano da Amorim building and also
         opposite the National Theatre that once had
         Corinthian columns at its entrance and was also the
         pride of the neighbourhood.

Café Puna was not an extraordinary building but embodied a
distinct character. It had two stories and Mangalore roof
tiles like a lot of houses in Panaji. At one time, its upper
floor verandah had wooden railings which had been
hand-crafted by Goan wood craftsmen (later these were
replaced with decorative ironwork). Its chambers contained
furniture that was either Burma teak or Indian teak wood.
Café Puna added an identity and strength to its
neighbourhood, one of the several old structures that give
Panaji its uniqueness.

But on the day and night of the 27th of March 2010, blunt
bulldozers won over the delicate tools of the Goan craftsmen.
High rise won over history.

Why did this happen, Mr Kamat? And what if it did? Apart from
a few heritage lovers of the city, does anyone care? We see
buildings like Cafe Puna (together with other lovely period
buildings in the city) as deposits of Goan craftsmanship and
culture. We remind you that there is no-one in Goa who can
build like this any more, for this was a building of beauty
and an article that shows Goan craftsmanship. These buildings
tell you the story of how people lived, how they worked, what
it meant to them to be Goan.

This is what the thoughtless demolition of Café Puna has
achieved, the loss of an example of our craft and skill. Did
you think of asking the property's new owners what exactly it
was that they had brought down? We wish to remind you that
these are not only buildings we are trying to save. These are
deposits of the city's history. It pains us that the absence
of laws to protect Goa's heritage have destroyed evidence of
history such as Café Puna. Outside of the few conservation
zones in the city (those too are constantly under threat)
there are no protection laws in the state. By allowing the
demolition you have given your sanction to the annihilation
of Goa's history.

Does Goa then not want to protect its heritage? Your
government's reluctance to frame regulations for heritage
protection says it all.

The plot on which Café Puna once stood may belong to
Sungrace Developers on paper but the building was part of our
common cultural heritage. And you have allowed this heritage,
kept safely for 70 years, to disappear overnight. We are told
that the new high rise to come up in its place will be a
40-room hotel. We are told that heritage buildings are 'white
elephants' that cost money and are a financial drain. Who
says so? Some of the finest corporate offices all over the
world (such as Arcelor Mittal in France) and in India (HSBC
in Kala Ghoda. Mumbai) are located in privately owned
heritage buildings. Some of the finest hotels in the world -
like The Lake Palace in Udaipur and The Taj Rambagh Palace -
are located in heritage buildings. Some of the finest stores
in the world (Harrods) are in heritage buildings.

Even in Panaji there are areas which sustain themselves
economically because of their heritage and history. In
Fontainhas, for example, establishments like the Panjim Inn,
Afonso Guest House, Fontainhas Inn, Panjim Peoples, Panjim
Pousada and Park Lane lodge have heritage as their main
drawcard. So do restaurants like Venite, Horseshoe, Viva
Panjim and Ernestos. So do stores like Barefoot, Bombay
Store, Syne and Velha Goa. Elsewhere in Goa establishments
like Siolim House, Fort Tiracol and Goa Chitra depend upon
the heritage value of their establishments as their primary
merchant USP. These are but a few examples to prove
conclusively that heritage buildings can be made economically
viable. That they provide essential character, are a
touchstone of local identity and make a city a better place
to live in is the bonus they bring to any urban settlement.

The city of Singapore has 

[Goanet] An Open Letter to the Hon'ble Education Minister

[Thalmann Pareira]

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An Open Letter to the Hon'ble Education Minister of Goa

 

From

Mr. Thalmann P. Pereira

Advocate

Rani Pramila Arcade

18th June Road

Panaji, Goa.

Tel. 2427582

e-mail: thalm...@sancharnet.in

 

 

To

The Hon'ble Education Minister

Government of Goa

Secretariat

Porvorim

Bardez, Goa.

 

17-02-2010.

 

Subject : Dangerous RTI Query 

 

Dear Sir,

 

1. This Open Letter is addressed to you in the context of some letters
written by the officials of the Directorate of Education addressed to the
Principals / Headmasters of all Higher Secondary Schools and High Schools in
Goa.

 

2.  The first letter in question is from the Assistant Director of
Education (Adm.), Panaji, Goa, bearing Ref. no.
28-263-Adm.I/B/2009/Part-file/II/53 dated 07-01-2010, by which a letter
dated 30-12-2009 received from Mr. Damodar (Damu) G. Naik, Hon'ble M.L.A. of
Fatorda Constituency under the Right to Information Act, 2005, has been
forwarded to the respective Zonal Offices of the Directorate for onward
transmission to all the Principals / Headmasters of all Higher Secondary
Schools and High Schools in Goa, with directions to submit the required
information directly to Mr. Damodar G. Naik.

 

3. As it appears that the Principals / Headmasters of various Higher
Secondary Schools and High Schools in Goa were distinctly uncomfortable
giving the desired information, the Directorate has issued yet another
letter bearing Ref. no. ACAD/R.T.I.-Act/2009/172 dated 21-01-2010 by which
the very same letter dated 30-12-2009 received from Mr. Damodar (Damu) G.
Naik, has been again forwarded, this time directly, to all the Principals /
Headmasters of all Higher Secondary Schools and High Schools in Goa, with
directions to submit the required information directly to Mr. Damodar G.
Naik.

 

4. Non-compliance with the provisions of the Right to Information Act,
2005, is a very serious matter having penal consequences. 

 

5. It therefore ostensibly appears that the officials of the Directorate
of Education are very conscious of their duties under the Act and have
therefore forwarded the letter from the Hon'ble M.L.A. to the Principals /
Headmasters for compliance.

 

6. The problem lies with the mechanical fashion in which the officials
of the Directorate of Education appear to be functioning with absolutely no
dedication to their larger public duty to thoroughly vet a request before
considering it as worthy.

 

7. This becomes clear when one reads the letter dated 30-12-2009 written
by Mr. Damodar (Damu) G. Naik, Hon'ble M.L.A. of Fatorda Constituency under
the Right to Information Act, 2005. The purpose of this Open Letter
addressed directly to you is precisely to lay bear this letter dated
30-12-2009 as well to alert you directly to your constitutional duties in
the matter, without the intermediation of any of your subordinate officials
who cannot be trusted to advise you correctly, given the sorry state of
affairs which reveals total non-application of their minds to such a serious
issue.

 

8. Let us therefore begin by quoting extensively from the letter dated
30-12-2009 bearing Ref. No. -nil- written by Mr. Damodar (Damu) G. Naik,
Hon'ble M.L.A. of Fatorda Constituency, addressed to the Public Information
Officer, Education Department, Panjim-Goa, with the Subject caption Issue
of Information under Right to Information Act and which reads as follows:- 

 

Dear Sir,

Kindly give me the following information under Right to Information Act.

1)  Names of the students studying in Goa in Xth and XIIth std. along with
their perfect postal residential address, date of birth and contact number
like parents mobile or students mobile / Landline Number etc.

2)  Names of the students studying in 1st to 4th Class in and around Margao
Schools with their postal addresses and contact number, D.O.B.

Hope you will do the needful at the earliest.

Thanking you, 

sd/-

Damodar (Damu) G. Naik

MLA FATORDA.  

  

9. No wonder the various Principals / Headmasters of the Higher
Secondary Schools and High Schools in Goa were distinctly uncomfortable
giving the desired information. But the very fact that the officials of your
Department have thought it fit to forward this letter not once but twice
with clear-cut directives, only goes to show that they have made up their
minds that such information can be given to anybody who applies for it.

 

10. In our humble opinion the giving of such information is not only illegal
but downright dangerous.

 

11. We shall not even bother to waste your valuable time with any
allegations about the political affiliations of the Hon'ble MLA of Fatorda
Constituency since he belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP

[Goanet] An Open Letter to the Hon'ble Education Minister

[SHRIKANT BARVE]

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I am amused with the mentality presented by Adv. Thalmann Pereira. 

With this line of presumption any information asked by any one (person, elected 
member, organisation etc) in this world, for any statistical purpose can be 
refused.

 Shrikant Vinayak Barve


  Your Mail works best with the New Yahoo Optimized IE8. Get it NOW! 
http://downloads.yahoo.com/in/internetexplorer/

[Goanet] An open letter to Uddhav Thackeray from Rajdeep Sardesai for benefit of goanet readers

[Camillo Fernandes]

Newsman
Rajdeep Sardesai

 

This appeared in www.ibnlive.com

 
An open letter to Uddhav Thackeray
 
 
Dear Udhavjee, 
At the very outset, my compliments for the manner in which you've literally 
'stolen' the headlines from your cousin Raj in the last fortnight. After the 
assembly election defeat last October, there were many who had written you off 
as a weak, namby-pamby politician, who would be better off doing photography. 
But now, it seems that the 'fire' which burns inside Bal Thackeray is alive in 
the son too. After years of struggling to establish yourself, you have finally 
discovered the mantra for success as a Shiv Sena leader: find an 'enemy', 
threaten and intimidate them, commit the odd violent act, and, eureka!, you are 
anointed the true heir to the original 'T' company supremo.

Your cousin has chosen to bash faceless taxi drivers and students from north 
India, soft targets who are totally unprotected. You've been much braver. 
You've actually chosen to target national icons: Sachin Tendulkar, Mukesh 
Ambani, Sharukh Khan, powerful figures who most Indians venerate. Sharukh is no 
surprise since the Sena has always been uncomfortable with the Indian Muslim 
identity. Forty years ago, your father had questioned Dilip Kumar's patriotism 
for accepting an award from the Pakistani government. You've called Sharukh a 
traitor for wishing to choose Pakistani cricketers in the IPL. That your father 
invited Javed Miandad, the former Pakistani captain and a close relation of 
Dawood Ibrahim, to your house is a matter of record that we shall not go into 
today.

I am a little surprised that you chose to question Ambani and Tendulkar though. 
The Sena has always enjoyed an excellent relationship with corporate India. Why 
then criticise India's biggest businessman for suggesting that Mumbai belongs 
to all? After all, no one can deny that Mumbai's entrepreneurial energy has 
been driven by communities from across India. The diatribe against Sachin is 
even more strange. He is, alongwith Lata Mangeshkar, Maharashtra's most admired 
and recognized face. Surely, you will agree that Sachin symbolizes 
Maharashtrian pride in a manner that renaming shops and streets in Marathi 
never can.

Of course, in-between some of your local thugs also attacked the IBN Lokmat 
office. I must confess that initially the attack did leave me outraged. Why 
would a political outfit that claims to protect Maharashtrian culture attack a 
leading Marathi news channel? But on reflection I realized that we hadn't been 
singled out: over the last four decades, the Shiv Sena has targeted some of 
Maharashtra's finest literary figures and journalistic institutions. That you 
continue to live in a colony of artists while attacking artistic freedom 
remains one of the many tragic ironies in the evolution of the Sena.

Just before the assembly elections, you had told me in an interview that you 
were determined to shake off the Shiv Sena's legacy of violence. You spoke of 
the need for welfarist politics, of how you were saddened that rural 
Maharashtra was being left behind. I was impressed by the farmer rallies you 
had organized, by the fact that you had documented farmer suicides in the 
state. I thought that Udhav Thackeray was serious about effecting a change in 
Maharashtra's political landscape.

I was obviously mistaken. Farmer suicides still continue, the after-effects of 
drought are still being faced in several districts, but the focus is now 
squarely on finding high profile hate figures. You claim to have a vision for 
Mumbai. Yet, on the day the Sena-controlled city's municipal corporation's 
annual budget revealed an alarming financial crisis, your party mouthpiece, 
Saamna, was running banner headlines seeking an apology from Sharukh Khan. You 
asked your Shiv Sainiks to agitate against Rahul Gandhi's visit to Mumbai, but 
why have you not asked them to wage a war against the water cuts that have made 
life so difficult for millions in the city?

At one level, I can understand the reasons for your frustration. The 
Congress-NCP government in the state has been thoroughly incompetent: the last 
decade has seen Maharashtra decline on most social and economic parameters. 
Yet, the Shiv Sena has been unable to capture power in the state. Your war with 
cousin Raj has proved to be self-destructive. The assembly election results 
showed that a united Sena may have offered a real challenge to the ruling 
alliance. In fact, the Sena and the MNS together garnered around 43 per cent of 
the popular vote in Mumbai-Thane, almost seven per cent more than what was 
obtained by the Congress-NCP combine. Yet, because your vote was split, you won 
just nine of the 60 seats in the region, a result which proved decisive in the 
overall state tally.

Your defeat seems to have convinced you that the only way forward is to outdo 
your cousin in parochial politics. It's a strategy which has undoubtedly made 
you a 

Re: [Goanet] An open letter to Pamela Mascarenhas - Deputy Director of Tourism, Goa

[Venantius J Pinto]

Hi JC,
Some recent work has been put out in the form of a book by the Raitur
seminarians. The headline in the Dec 19, MMIX issue of Vavraddeancho Ixtt
read Raiturchea Siminaristamni Turismachea vaitt probavacho poskotto
foddlo. Essentially meaning, Raitur Seminarians Reveal Ill Effects of
Tourism.

Claiming the Right to say No' hem pustok fatllea Aitara Goycho Arsebisp
Filipe Neri Ferrao-an odhikrutponnim (officially) usvadda haddlem.

For those less familiar with written Konkani, the three excerpts cover three
points. But before that let us first remember:
something that Silviano Barboza pointed out in 2005, namely:
Ek don tin --- hampri Agutin
Char panch sou --- cheddvank mellonam ghou.
(Atam gomlem, cheddean zounvop unnea nam. Dis ani dis novim dharan ugtim
zatai).
Mhojea hispan --- kortat te kora punn osleo vatteo/ritteo ghara bhitor gheun
ye naka.

01. On Drugs, Nexus between dealers politicians (Goa  Delhi) and the
stakes, turf involved, police and providers/enablers, Seems like some sort
of a larger plan too.
02. would you like to have sex? Sex, offers for sex, this could lead to
entrapment of the police are in on it.
03. [Reserach methodology properly maintained]

Toddea bhag zoxea xaplam V Ixtt-ant.
[On Drugs, Nexus between dealers politicians (Goa  Delhi) and the stakes,
turf involved, police and providers/enablers, Seems like some sort of a
larger plan too.]
Eka turisttachea utramni, Myron Jesson Narreto oxem boroita: Izraeli
'turistt Goyant yetana, aplea  vangdda Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kaxmir, adi
zageancher thaun kallim vokhdam haddtat, ani tim vikunk Goykaramcho ani
Bharoti lokancho te vapor kortat. Kallim vokdam vikpi Israel turisttancho
Goychea ani Dil'lintlea montreancher tabo asta. Te tankam borpur duddu farik
kortat, Hem turistt lok pulisank-ui lonch ditat. Kallea vokdancho dhondo
korpi Izrael lok Goychea pulisank borech duddhu khavoitat, ani tancho
Goychea montream kodde-isom'bond asa oxem Mario Fernandesan sabar
turisttanche sangnnevelean aplea boroupant mhonnlam.

[Sex, offers for sex, this could lead to entrapment of the police are in on
it.]
Ratchea vellar turisttanchi 'open life' zata ani hangasor ugteponni kallim
vokhdam viktat tantun her turisttam vangda Goyche tornnate-i bhag getat tem
Sanford Araujochea borovpantlean spoxtt zata, Konn-ui ekloeksuro dislear,
eka kagdachea kuddkear would you like to have sex? oxem boroun her turistt
lok tachea mhoreant yetat oxem to sangta,

[Reserach methodology properly maintained]
Aplea survatecha boroupant Dr. Ferrao, siminaristamni kel'ea he obheasacho
hetu vevosthit ritin sangla, Te boroupantlean dakoileli Gouchi poristhiti
Gouchem nisonnton korunk xokta oxen tannem mhonnlam, Tech khatir nove,
samball korpa ani ganv-ghorchea somudayak faideak poddpa sarkea turismachi
tannem goroz ugtaili.

venantius j pinto


From: J. Colaco   jc cola...@gmail.com
To: goa...@goanet.org
Subject: [Goanet] An open letter to Pamela Mascarenhas - Deputy
   Director of Tourism, Goa

To Pamela Mascarenhas,
Deputy Director of Tourism (Goa)

Dear Ms. Mascarenhas,

May I say how appalled I was by the following (attached) statement
reportedly made by you?

For, while you are quite right that all women must try avoid being
assaulted by the criminal men who assault them, and while you are also
right to advise women to attire themselves appropriately, the
following sentence, attributed to you, is disgraceful.

You are reported as having stated that: You can't blame the locals;
they have never seen such women...

Re: [Goanet] An open letter to Pamela Mascarenhas - Deputy Director of Tourism, Goa

[J. Colaco jc]

In response to my Open Letter to Pamela Mascarenhas, Dy. Director of
Goa Tourism,  Venantius J Pinto  wrote:  recent work has been put out
in the form of a book by the Raitur seminarians: Raitur Seminarians
Reveal Ill Effects of Tourism.


Dear Venantius,

As one who lives in a mainly tourist economy and one who has seen how
controlled tourism development can help the development of
infrastructure and local employment, I will say the following of
tourism:

1: It all depends on what controls are set in place.
2: If there is structured development without duplicity of terms, the
ill-effects are automatically minimised.

I ask: Do you not believe that the economies of NY and London (as
examples) are benefited (in the sum total) by tourism? Can you just
walk up in NY or London and build whatever you wish without regard to
the environmental and safety standards?

For sometime a few years ago, when I served as an advisor/consultant
to the WHO/PAHO, I had the opportunity to visit some of the islands of
the West Indies - esp the Eastern Antilles. My observations of tourist
economies in the region, the lowering of the 'native' standard of
living when tourism declined, was the basis of my 'blue print' for how
tourism can benefit a tourist destination.

It is dated but, for what it is worth, it is found here:
http://www.colaco.net/1/tourism1.htm

Having said that, I do not for one second wish to let Pamela
Mascarenhas off the hook for a statement which I expected from some
chauvinist man with no sense. Not from an educated woman, and that
too, a senior official of the Goa Tourism department.

Any other part of the world . and she would have been history. But
then, the GRGs and BRGs know better than we do. Do they not?

Once again: this is the nonsense that Pamela Mascarenhas is reported
as having said (I have not yet seen a denial or an allegation of a
misquote) : You can't blame the locals; they have never seen such
women

jc

[Goanet] An open letter to Pamela Mascarenhas - Deputy Director of Tourism, Goa

[J. Colaco jc]

To Pamela Mascarenhas,
Deputy Director of Tourism (Goa)

Dear Ms. Mascarenhas,

May I say how appalled I was by the following (attached) statement
reportedly made by you?

For, while you are quite right that all women must try avoid being
assaulted by the criminal men who assault them, and while you are also
right to advise women to attire themselves appropriately, the
following sentence, attributed to you, is disgraceful.

You are reported as having stated that: You can't blame the locals;
they have never seen such women...

So, to which horizon will this 'slippery slope' lead women visiting Goa?

a: You can't blame the migrants; they have never seen Goan women...
b: You can't blame the sex-starved men; they have never seen women...
c: etc etc.

It is possible that you meant to say something else, and misspoke.

What is certain, my dear, is that you would need to think seriously
before to you draft a press statement. I also suggest that the
statement is then vetted by someone who is more sensitive to the needs
of women than you have come across as.

I hope that the Women's groups slam you for this. But then again, one
never knows.

sincerely

j. colaco
BURKHA anyone?



http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/Story/81607/India/No+bikinis+on+Goa+beaches.html

The deputy director of Goa Tourism, Pamela Mascarenhas, blamed foreign
tourists for bringing the assaults upon themselves.

Expressing sentiments similar to those of Goa MP Shantaram Naik, which
had led to a furore in the Rajya Sabha in December, Mascarenhas said,
You can't blame the locals; they have never seen such women.

[Goanet] An open letter to the one and only voice of truth and reason on GoaNet

[mgoveia]

Jose Colaco wrote:

I acknowledge that you are indeed the one and only voice of truth and reason 
that has been, is and will be on GoaNet.

Mario responds:

Thank you for acknowledging a well established fact, JC:-))

Jose wrote:

(let me try get a tall glass of Caju Feni - which I hate - to get myself to 
believe that garbage)

Mario responds:

Your comment above sounds like sour feni to me.  You have been a member of 
Goanet far longer than I have.  You could have been the voice of reason, truth 
and peace, but you apparently have chosen not to.

Jose wrote:

BTW: I mean that in a complimentary way, of course:-))

Mario responds:

Of course you do.  Thank you so much:-))

Jose wrote:

I repeat what I wrote earlier i.e. (Sapna) is in a class by him/herself - but 
that  he/she should not be surprised at the support he/she will get from the 
saffron haters of Catholics in Goa and elsewhere.

Mario responds:

No need to repeat it.  We saw it the first time, and it makes even less sense 
the second time around.  Besides, you were wrong about the saffron haters of 
Catholics and also have no way of knowing what class Sapna belongs in unless 
you know her personally.

Jose wrote:

an individual who wants to have an intellectual discussion based on Rough 
Guides.

Mario responds:

The obsession with Rough Guide has became a convenient red herring in this 
thread.  Rough Guides is what it is, and Sapna has now been provided with a 
number of other sources of information on the Inquisition by other Goanetters.  
This is a good example of how an open question in an open forum can help 
straighten out a person who is looking for information.

All Sahani did was to opine that non-Goan visitors to Goa were unaware about 
the Inquisition, wondered why, and asked Goanetters for their thoughts.   

In my initial reponse I remarked that she really had no way of knowing what 
every visitor knew or did not know.  I also  commented that I was shocked at 
the needlessly defensive and churlish responses she had received for the most 
part until then, which included your references to other gory Indian atrocities 
as if those had anything to do with the Inquisition.  

Jose wrote:

Quite contrary to Mario's assertion  and perhaps what this Sapna (dream) 
and other Bhaille believe, the term Goan intellectual is NOT an oxymoron.

Mario responds:

I know that, which is why I said it in jest, which is indicated by a smiley 
face.  However, the responses I had seen up to that point would certainly 
provide decent evidence for the assertion when compared with your 
unsubstantiated denial and nightmares of Bhaille:-))

Jose wrote:

Advise us WHO he/she really is, and where he/she suddenly sprung up from. Most 
of us here know basically who the other person is or is not. 

Mario responds:

Since when is this any of your business, or anyone else's for that matter?  You 
have no possible way to know who most Goanetters are - I certainly don't - but 
the moderators do.

Jose wrote:

Please do not tell me that he/she is a mere Sapna whom you, Mario know 
personally.

Mario responds:

What about my following statement from my initial post in this thread did you 
fail to understand, Since I don't know Sapna,???

Jose wrote:

When one lives in a multi-ethnic and multi-faith community - which is basically 
at peace with itself (understanding that ALL of its forebears, be they Hindu, 
Muslim, Christian, Jew or other, have generally done uncivilised and cruel 
things to others of their own or other faiths), one tries NOT to disturb that 
peace.

Mario responds:

Excuse me, but the peace was only disturbed when you tried to defend the 
indefensible instead of simply answering the question or giving your opinion.

This is like saying the Holocaust Museum is a conspiracy to disturb the peace.

Jose wrote:

Discussions about the past mistakes are important. BUT, for them to be both 
relevant, progressive and fair, they ALL have to be held in context, NOT in 
isolation. That is why I say . Place ALL the dirty laundry on the table and 
come up with a composite understanding.

Mario responds:

You are free to launder whatever you want.  However, that would be a completely 
different thread from the one started by Sapna, which was specifically about 
the Inquisition.  This is an opinion forum not a court of law. Members can say 
whatever they want, fair or not.  Besides, who gets to decide what is fair 
here?

Sapna did not write anything that could not be corrected or rebutted in a civil 
manner, including her use of Rough Guide. 

Jose wrote:

Discussing ONLY a segment of the ills (albeit for political or monetary 
advantage) is what gets us into unnecessary wars, mistrust, deaths, destruction 
and chaos. I take it that You, Mario - as the ONLY voice of reason, sense, 
knowledge etc on GoaNet - have followed recent history and understand (Your 
unsubstantiated and contra-lateral justifications having been noted)

Mario responds:

Yes, I 

[Goanet] An open letter to the one and only voice of truth and reason on GoaNet

[J. Colaco jc]

Dear Mario,

I acknowledge that you are indeed the one and only voice of truth and reason
that has been, is and will be on GoaNet. (let me try get a tall glass of
Caju Feni - which I hate - to get myself to believe that garbage)

BTW: I mean that in a complimentary way, of course:-))

I repeat what I wrote earlier i.e. (Sapna) is in a class by him/herself -
but that  he/she should not be surprised at the support he/she will get from
the saffron haters of Catholics in Goa and elsewhere.

i.e. an individual who wants to have an intellectual discussion based on
Rough Guides.

I am sure (however) that he/she will do the following (IF he/she has the
time, of course)

a: Advise us of his/her basis to have an intellectual discussion with the
intellectuals on GoaNet; Quite contrary to Mario's assertion  and
perhaps what this Sapna (dream) and other Bhaille believe, the term Goan
intellectual is NOT an oxymoron.

b: Advise us WHO he/she really is, and where he/she suddenly sprung up from.
Most of us here know basically who the other person is or is not. Perhaps,
he/she will identify ONE Goan who can confirm who he/she is. After all,
he/she has been (allegedly) visiting Goa for the past 20 years AND would
have invited me to his/her house (obviously in Goa) to confirm that he/she
is an Anglo-Indian; so somebody must know him/her. Would you not say so?

Please do not tell me that he/she is a mere Sapna whom you, Mario know
personally.

c: I commend to you the following thoughts:

(1) When one lives in a multi-ethnic and multi-faith community - which is
basically at peace with itself (understanding that ALL of its forebears, be
they Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Jew or other, have generally done uncivilised
and cruel things to others of their own or other faiths), one tries NOT to
disturb that peace.

(2) Discussions about the past mistakes are important. BUT, for them to be
both relevant, progressive and fair, they ALL have to be held in context,
NOT in isolation. That is why I say . Place ALL the dirty laundry on the
table and come up with a composite understanding.

(3) Discussing ONLY a segment of the ills (albeit for political or monetary
advantage) is what gets us into unnecessary wars, mistrust, deaths,
destruction and chaos. I take it that You, Mario - as the ONLY voice of
reason, sense, knowledge etc on GoaNet - have followed recent history and
understand (Your unsubstantiated and contra-lateral justifications having
been noted)

good wishes

jc

==

 Mario wrote thus:  Sapna, I think you may be finding out that, at least on
this topic, Goan Intellectual is a contradiction in terms:-))  Irritated,
paranoid Christians is more like it:-))

Just kidding, JC, but you are hardly distinguishing yourself with the
uncharacteristic and unsubstantiated comments like the one above, unless you
know Sapna personally well enough to know she is in a class by herself.

BTW, I consider you to be in a class by yourself, in a complimentary way, of
course:-))

[Goanet] DOCUMENT: Open letter from Justice Saldanha on keeping voters off the rolls...

[Goanet News]

The Election Commissioner
Karnataka
Bangalore

Respected Sir,

The 1st phase of voting was undertaken in Bangalore City on
23 April 2009. This year the consciousness levels were
abnormally high and both individuals and organizations over
the last six months had taken the trouble to ensure that
every singly eligible voter was duly represented in the
electoral rolls.  In my own case I personally ensured that
all the requisite procedures were complied with and completed
within the prescribed time.  Despite this when we reached the
Polling Booth No. 5 yesterday the name of Domingos Regino
Fernandes was missing from the electoral roll. This man is
permanently resident at my flat as he works for me and has
voted at all the earlier elections.

Since 7.30 a.m. yesterday I received over 100 calls from
citizens all over the city complaining that their names have
been selectively deleted from the electoral rolls. Every
single one of them stated that they have complied with all
the formalities and it is their charge that the names have
been deliberately removed at the stage of the final printing.

I spent about four hours at the polling booth Nos.4, 5  6
and I desire to record something serious that has taken place
at this centre:

(a)  It is not correct to state that the voter turnout in the
city was poor. I have seen several elections and between 10
a.m.  2 p.m. there was a heavy continuous stream of persons
arriving to cast their votes.  This was the case all through
the day.  Unfortunately as many as 2 to 3 out of every five
persons found their names missing.  The situation was
unpleasant because all of them insisted that they had
complied with all the requirements and they alleged that
because they belonged to the minority community or to
sections of society who would not be supporting the BJP that
their names have been removed. There is considerable
substance in this charge because the absence of names follows
the very pattern that is being complained about.  For
instance, in a family group just one or two names are present
and all the remaining members of the household have been
deleted.  In other instances wholesale deletion has taken
place principally because the names are easily identifiable
such as persons belonging to the Christian and Muslim
community.  The reason why I spent considerable time doing an
on the spot analysis was because I wanted to check the facts
very carefully and I find that the charge is fully
substantiated.

(b) There was a lot of movement around this centre because
the candidates and their representatives were continuously
moving between the various polling centers in Bangalore and
all of them told me that the aforesaid pattern was common at
all the polling centers in Bangalore City.

(c)  On  the basis  of  actual figures available  the voter
turn out in Bangalore City was close to 100% but the report
put out is that the voting was around 40%. This is because
only 40% of the persons who came to vote were allowed to
vote.  What follows from this is extremely serious because
the result that emerges will not be representative of the
will of the people as over 50% of the citizens were prevented
from voting.

(d) THE IRRESISTABLE CONCLUSION IS THAT MORE NUMBER OF VOTERS
HAVE BEEN DENIED THEIR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS TO CAST THEIR VOTES
THAN THE NUMBER WHO HAVE ACTUALLY VOTED BECAUSE OF A DEVIOUS
AND CORRUPT PRACTICE THAT HAS MANIFESTED ITSELF WHILE
PRINTING THE FINAL LIST.  ONE OF THE LADIES PRESENT IS
WILLING TO GIVE EVIDENCE THAT SHE HAD CHECKED THE FINAL LIST,
FOUND HER NAME THERE AND THAT IT HAS STILL BEEN DELETED FROM
THE LIST AVAILABLE AT THE POLLING BOOTH.  THERE WERE
SUSPICIONS AND ALLEGATIONS THAT THE GOVERNMENT WHICH IS IN
CHARGE OF THE PRINTING IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS IN ORDER TO
ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF ITS OWN CANDIDATES.  THE FACTS FULLY
ESTABLISH THIS CHARGE.

The irresistible conclusion is that the electoral process is
vitiated ab initio by a corrupt practice amounting to FRAUD
and on this ground alone the Election Commission will have to
order an enquiry and a re-poll.

As a first step an immediate public notice will have to be
issued in the media very prominently calling upon all those
citizens whose names have been illegally deleted to bring it
to the notice of the Election Commission in a duly prescribed
manner and within a specified time.

It is not necessary that the number of persons complaining
should be higher than or close to those who have voted
because there are instances when the contest is close and
even a few votes could tilt the balance.

If it is found on enquiry that a corrupt practice has
occurred a re-election will have to be ordered at all the
centers where the voting took place on 23 April 2009. It
follows that the results of the vitiated election cannot be
declared.  Please take immediate steps to proceed along the
lines as set out above.  If the Commission refuses to do so
an order to that effect may be passed so that the aggrieved
parties can move for 

[Goanet] An Open letter to Rahul Gandhi

[Dr. U. G. Barad]

Please read the following link.
 
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/an-open-letter-to-rahul-gandhi/28986/1

 
Best regards,

Dr. U. G. Barad

[Goanet] An open letter to Digambar bab

[Antonio Menezes]

Before you put up a candidate for Lokh Sabha elections from South Goa ,
please try to understand
the geography of Salcete in particular.  Salcete is divided into east and
west portions. The easy
runs from Guirdolim, Macasana, Curtorim, Raia, Loutulim, Verna, Sancoale and
Chicalim  but
west Salcete has an overwhelming electorate that can make a difference.
If all you think is Alsu or Forsulo,  well i leave it to your imagination.

Re: [Goanet] An open letter to the Chief Secretary, Government of Goa (Tony de Sa)

[John Gomes]

The Chief Secretary is too busy to look after this small thing! Although his 
main job is the Goa ADMINISTRATION which is  in shambles for the aam admi! 
He is busy going to Dubai to study Sports with the  profiligate sports 
minister delegation (which also included the TCP boss), enjoying 5 star 
hospitality and IFFY stars, Seminars, Chief Guest, and such like 
activities.The Department heads are therefore free to indulge likewise and 
so also the whole  loose administration . Has he ever bothered to discipline 
his lethargic administration like  Kishen Kumar surprise checks, leave alone 
follow up on complaints made?We are too small fry for him to even bother 
about our opinion or welbeing!..JEG 

[Goanet] An open letter to the Chief Secretary, Government of Goa

[Tony de Sa]

An open letter to J. P. Singh - Chief Secretary, Government of Goa

Sir,

It makes me feel no end safe and secure now that the border check posts are
liberated from the rapacious greed of the Goa Police. I find my self at a
loss to find words of praise for the I. G. P Kishan Kumar who actually had
to disguise himself, use his unofficial car and sleuth on bike and foot to
film the corrupt border guards.

That corruption is rampant in the police department is a well known fact and
even a school child of average intelligence will tell you, Sir. If you do
have the time please take the time to check the records of the Panaji Police
Headquarters. You will find that some years ago a police officer on duty at
the police station booked a complaint against a traffic constable who was on
duty at the bus stand for depositing a bundle of cash at the Panaji Police
station counter. This was widely reported in the news papers. There was no
further development in the case so presumably it was swept under the counter
(literally). It is a disgrace to read in the newspapers that the hafta is
spread across the board from Ministerial level to constable level!

The point I am trying to make is that will the I. G. P. show as much
diligence in putting a stop to the hafta taking by the cops in all matters
such as foreigners riding bikes, the buses at the major bus stands, the
matka taking (how can one explain a stall having only a table and a chair
manned by a guy with receipt books and nothing else?), the laxity in
enforcing traffic rules against overcrowded buses, non issuance of tickets,
police themselves breaking traffic rules, the illegal scrap yards, ?

May we know what the vigilance department is doing? Do these guys read the
local papers? Or watch television? Newspapers have reported that a police
inspector has a house way beyond his known sources of income. So how come no
action is taken?

The ordinary citizen needs liberation from these acts of extortion

In the aftermath of 26/11 when all brooms are sweeping clean, will the Goan
brooms come out of the closet?


-- 
тσηу

Tony de Sa
Ph: +91 832 2470 148
M: +91 9975162897
E:  tonydesa at gmail dot com

---
Things do not change; we change.
- Henry David Thoreau

[Goanet] An Open letter to Sonal Shah

[Marshall Mendonza]

Mario Goviea:
Everyone on Goanet knows Santosh is a MAHA-atheist and thus someone who has
about as many friends in the Sangh Parivar as you or Fr. Ivo.
Response:
Without discussing Santosh in any way, I submit it is perfectly possible for
one - whether he be an atheist or agnostic or believer to have friends
across the various divides without professing their beliefs. Friendships can
cut across class, caste, creed or colour lines.
Further Sonal Shah's links with the VHP have emanated from the RSS itself
who have claimed proximity to her and her family. They also expect her to
get Narendra Modi's visa restored.
And just to add to your knowledge, the Ekal Vidyalaya's for whom Sonal's
parents are actively mobilising funds are the fronts of the VHP which have
been in the forefront of the violence in tribal areas whether in the Dangs
or Kandhamal or elsewhere.

Regards,

Marshall

Re: [Goanet] An Open letter to Sonal Shah

[Santosh Helekar]

Public opposition to prejudice in all its forms demands that people reject 
irresponsible speculations, innuendo and defamatory insinuations against 
individuals and their families, such as in the post below.

Cheers,

Santosh


--- On Wed, 11/26/08, Marshall Mendonza [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Without discussing Santosh in any way, I submit it is
 perfectly possible for
 one - whether he be an atheist or agnostic or believer to
 have friends
 across the various divides without professing their
 beliefs. Friendships can
 cut across class, caste, creed or colour lines.
 Further Sonal Shah's links with the VHP have emanated
 from the RSS itself
 who have claimed proximity to her and her family. They also
 expect her to
 get Narendra Modi's visa restored.
 And just to add to your knowledge, the Ekal Vidyalaya's
 for whom Sonal's
 parents are actively mobilising funds are the fronts of the
 VHP which have
 been in the forefront of the violence in tribal areas
 whether in the Dangs
 or Kandhamal or elsewhere.
 
 Regards,
 
 Marshall


  

[Goanet] An Open letter to Sonal Shah

[Mario Goveia]

Mario Goviea wrote:

Everyone on Goanet knows Santosh is a MAHA-atheist and thus someone who has
about as many friends in the Sangh Parivar as you or Fr. Ivo.

Date: Thu, 27 Nov 2008 10:31:37 +0530
From: Marshall Mendonza [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Without discussing Santosh in any way, I submit it is perfectly possible for
one - whether he be an atheist or agnostic or believer to have friends
across the various divides without professing their beliefs. Friendships can
cut across class, caste, creed or colour lines.

Mario observes:

The problem with this sophistry is that you described Santosh as a friend of 
the Sangh Parivar, with no evidence to support your assertion.  I simply 
pointed out that this was as likely as you being a friend of the Sangh Parivar. 
 From what I have seen he is simply challenging your facts, and you are jumping 
to conclusions which have nothing to do with the facts.  That's why I asked you 
to stay on point.

Marshall wrote:

Further Sonal Shah's links with the VHP have emanated from the RSS itself
who have claimed proximity to her and her family. They also expect her to
get Narendra Modi's visa restored.

Mario observes:

I don't consider such a claim by the RSS as evidence of anything.  Besides, as 
a grown woman who has lived in the USA since before you were born, it is 
specious to lump her in with her family, unless you have some credible evidence 
that she shares their views - which has denied.

I have several intellectually challenged family members who are on the opposite 
side of the political spectrum from me:-))

Marshall wrote:

And just to add to your knowledge, the Ekal Vidyalaya's for whom Sonal's
parents are actively mobilising funds are the fronts of the VHP which have
been in the forefront of the violence in tribal areas whether in the Dangs
or Kandhamal or elsewhere.

Mario responds:

If true, this would add to my knowledge of Sonal's parents.  It would not add 
anything to my knowledge of Sonal.

You need to be able to provide some evidence of Sonal's involvement instead of 
insinuating her involvement based on the involvement of others.

This entire attempt to smear her only caught my eye because I have see NO 
direct connection between Sonal Shah and mob-violence in India.  Neither the 
original Open Letter nor any of your posts have made the connection.  You are 
all trying to smear her based on the alleged actions of others.

Believe me, as a political opponent of Sonal Shah and the new American 
administration, I have no political interest in defending her.  However, I saw 
at first hand how her political party and their supporters tried to demonize 
Sarah Palin during the last political campaign, and not a single insinuation 
and innuendo against Palin were found to be true.  Such attempts at character 
assassination will always be opposed by me, whether against an ally or an 
adversary.  There are enough facts on which I can confront the new 
administration without stooping to attacking the character of one of their foot 
soldiers without any credible evidence.

Re: [Goanet] An Open letter to Sonal Shah

[Mario Goveia]

Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2008 06:57:06 -0800 (PST)
From: Santosh Helekar [EMAIL PROTECTED]

As I pointed out elsewhere, the guy who started the smear against Sonal Shah 
this time around, Vijay Prashad, also tried to smear Mother Teresa years ago 
because of her links with convicted embezzlers of public funds and a genocidal 
dictator. Please see the following fringe website for that garbage:
http://www.cpa.org.au/amrarch/40vp.html

Mario observes:

Santosh is right.  Vijay Prashad belongs to the extreme far left wing kook
fringe that dominated Indian politics in the decades after independence,
destroyed its economy and were eventually relegated to the thrash heap of
history by the emergence of Manmohan Singh and others who finally unleashed
India's potential and initiative.

Now they have found a home in American academe from which to spread their vile 
propaganda like termites in the foundations of freedom and democracy.

Vijay Prashad's discombobulated brain is unable to reconcile capital and
freedom, private accumulation and human needs, even as he lives and works in 
America, which has for decades provided living proof that capital is synonymous 
with freedom, whereas extreme socialism is synonymous with totalitarianism, and 
private accumulation of wealth is the greatest source of charity to address 
human needs, whereas there are no extreme socialists to be found wherever the 
poorest of the poor need assistance.

Far left wingers like Prashad are concerned that Sonal Shah will nudge Barack 
Obama away from the far left fringe and towards the political center.

Marshall wrote:

Santosh would do Sonal a favour if could advise his friends in the sangh 
parivar 

Mario observes:

Marshall, Marshall, Marshall.  Get a grip, man.  Don't embarrass yourself like 
this and diminish your credibility.  Can't you stay on point?

Everyone on Goanet knows Santosh is a MAHA-atheist, and thus someone who has 
about as many friends in the Sangh Parivar as you or Fr. Ivo.

Marshall wrote:

Just a thought. Would members of the Nazi party be considered innocent of war 
crimes 

Mario observes:

Not a very rational thought, I must say.  I have excoriated others on Goanet 
when they have used Nazis to make their point, almost always inappropriately.  
There has rarely been anyone quite as diabolical as the Nazis, before or since, 
including those who ended up killing far more of their own citizens in 
political pogroms like Stalin or Mao for example.  Thus it is amost always 
inappropriate to use the Nazi-card.  In fact it tends to demonstrate that one 
is getting desperate, or at least, mentally fatigued.

Furthermore, your thought shows you are uninformed about the aftermath of 
WW-II.  Here's why.  You said, Would members of the Nazi party be considered 
innocent of war crimes if they did not directly order any killings but remained 
passive while members of their party were involved?

The answer is Yes!.

This question has already been answered during the Nuremberg trials.  Those 
members of the Nazi party who did not directly order any killings, or engage in 
any killings, but remained passive, were not convicted of war crimes.  There 
were many younger Germans who were forced into service in the Nazi cause, who 
were only tangentially involved in their atrocities, or not involved at all, 
but were unable to do anything about it.

The Open Letter to Sonal Shah, who has lived and worked in the US since before 
Marshall was born, turns logic on its head by accusing her of being complicit 
in the mob violence being prepetrated by the VHP and RSS etc. in India, BECAUSE 
SHE HAD NOT GONE OUT OF HER WAY TO CONDEMN THEM IN A FORUM SATISFACTORY TO HER 
CRITICS.

This would be about as absurd as someone accusing these people pretending to be 
Obama supporters of being complicit in Saddam Hussain's mass political 
atrocities because, not only did they not condemn them when they were taking 
place, but they also opposed the regime change in Iraq.  For good measure, 
these people did not even condemn the Taliban when they were whipping Afghan 
women in the streets and beheading them in the soccer stadium in Kabul for 
being seen with a man they were not related to.

The fact is Sonal Shah has distanced herself from the Hindu-extremists and 
there is no evidence that she was any more involved in the mob violence than 
Stalin's daughter was involved in his mass killings of innocent Soviets.

As a political opponent of this American administration, believe me, it is 
people like Sonal Shah who will prevent Barack Obama from his more economically 
destructive instincts to raise tax rates inordinately or implement 
protectionist trade policies to reward his labor union supporters that will 
severely damage the demand for the goods and services provided to the US market 
from India.

Re: [Goanet] An Open letter to Sonal Shah

[Santosh Helekar]

--- On Sun, 11/23/08, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 1.Refer below links to know and understand how
 'trivial' and 'nominal' was the association.
 http://www.pragoti.org/node/2442
 http://communalism.blogspot.com/2008/11/no-point-denying-sonal-shahs.html


The smear propaganda continues, now introducing a fresh new installment of 
partisan fringe websites recycling the same old trivial nonsense. This has 
always been the modus operandi of this type of activism. As I pointed out 
elsewhere, the guy who started the smear against Sonal Shah this time around, 
Vijay Prashad, also tried to smear Mother Teresa years ago because of her links 
with convicted embezzlers of public funds and a genocidal dictator. Please see 
the following fringe website for that garbage:
http://www.cpa.org.au/amrarch/40vp.html

Those who engage in these disgraceful activities do not know anything else. 
They do it reflexively. Please note that a new abusive smear and rumor has just 
been initiated against me below:

2.Santosh would do Sonal a favour if could advise his friends in the sangh 
parivar to be a little more circumspect in tom-toming their association with 
Sonal and her family and their expectations from her in her new role.
..Marshall Mendonza

To top it all, like clock work the ever so handy Nazis are finally invoked 
below:

3.Just a thought. Would members of the Nazi party be considered innocent of 
war crimes if they did not directly order any killings but remained passive 
while members of their party were involved?
..Marshall Mendonza

Now, all of you must really be outraged and afraid. Sonal Shah and myself are 
like members of the Nazi party. And since you are linked to me through Goanet, 
you must also be held responsible for the crimes in Orissa.

Cheers,

Santosh


  

Re: [Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO MS. SONAL SHAH,

[Santosh Helekar]

If one bears the pain of reading the open letter in the post appended below, it 
becomes clear how ridiculous this type of political activism has become.

The dishonest smear tactics begin by citing a strained trivial association, 
such as the fact that you have belonged, no matter how nominally or in how 
unrelated a context, to a religious community, cultural organization or 
political party whose extremist members have committed crimes, and then it all 
goes down hill from there. You are then held responsible for similar links of 
other members of your family, your relatives, your friends, your 
co-religionists, people of your native state and other states in the country of 
your birth. What you say and what those who really know you say in your defense 
are ignored, or worse, twisted to compound your offenses. Finally, the entire 
history of all the atrocities committed by people who somehow can be juxtaposed 
in the same sentence with you is recited, and a judgment is passed that the 
heavy burden of their crimes rests on you. 

What a disgrace! No wonder these dime-a-dozen activists do not mature past 
their existence on the fringes.

Cheers,

Santosh

--- On Fri, 11/21/08, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Here is the full text of the Open Letter sent to Sonal Shah
 by Coalition against Genocide, a brief report of which was
 carried in yesterday's DNA newspaper and posted here.
 
 Regards,
 
 Marshall
 
 AN OPEN LETTER TO MS. SONAL SHAH, MEMBER OF PRESIDENT-ELECT
 OBAMA'S TRANSITION ADVISORY BOARD 
 
 Your recent statement on Hindu nationalist groups
 raises more questions than it answers. 
 



  

[Goanet] AN OPEN LETTER TO MS. SONAL SHAH,

[marshallmendonza]

Here is the full text of the Open Letter sent to Sonal Shah by Coalition 
against Genocide, a brief report of which was carried in yesterday's DNA 
newspaper and posted here.

Regards,

Marshall

AN OPEN LETTER TO MS. SONAL SHAH, MEMBER OF PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA'S TRANSITION 
ADVISORY BOARD 

Your recent statement on Hindu nationalist groups raises more questions than 
it answers. 

November 20, 2008 

Dear Ms. Shah, 

We are a coalition of Indian-American groups and individuals representing 
diverse faiths, interests, and political affiliations, who are looking forward 
to working with the administration of President Obama to ensure that the 
interests of all Indian-Americans have a place in its policies. We represent 
families who have grievously suffered from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) led 
pogroms against Muslim minorities of Gujarat in 2002; Christians, whose 
communities and places of worship are under assault by VHP and its various 
creations for no other reason than the faith they were born in, or chose; 
Hindus and human rights activists who have been fighting, often at great peril 
to their persons, against religious bigotry and violence being fanned by the 
VHP, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and their various incarnations in 
India as well as in the United States (the Sangh Parivar). 

As you can understand, we are legitimately concerned about reports of your 
personal links with the VHP -- whose social values, politics, and actions are 
antithetical to President-elect Obama's message of hope and inclusiveness -- 
and how those links might possibly influence your role in the transition team 
and the new administration's policies towards India and Indian-Americans.

Your recent public statement, therefore, that your personal politics have 
nothing in common with the views espoused by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), 
the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), or any such organization is a welcome 
one, and we fully expect that your actions on the transition team will be 
faithful to that assertion. 

However, your statement does not allay all of our concerns, given the 
irrefutable public record of your and your family's linkages to the VHP and 
other Sangh Parivar organizations, as confirmed in recent utterances by RSS 
circles in India and by VHP America. We would like to share those concerns with 
you in the hope that you will respond to them:

To begin with, like you, many of us were engaged in relief work in the 
aftermath of the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, when we came away with admiration for 
Gujarat's civil society, despite persistent allegations that VHP and RSS were 
cynically using the disaster relief efforts to further their sectarian agendas. 
Many of us returned to Gujarat promptly in 2002 to provide relief and succor to 
battered Muslim (and Hindu) families, following the unprecedented violence 
directed against them -- this time despite the openly obstructionist tactics of 
the Gujarat government. This period was followed by systematic intimidation of 
activists by the state: e.g. frivolous lawsuits against Ms. Mallika Sarabhai, a 
renowned artist and community activist, which prompted the Supreme Court of 
India to intervene on her behalf. And more recently, emboldened by their 
impunity in Gujarat, the Sangh Parivar has been orchestrating wide-spread 
violence against Christians in several BJP and BJP-partnered sta tes of India, 
which has renewed the public demand for a ban on the VHP and its affiliate, the 
Bajrang Dal. 

We remind you of this recent history to express our dismay and disappointment 
that at no time during this terrible period are we aware of any statement from 
you dissociating yourself from these dreadful acts of VHP and RSS, especially 
given your proximity to these organizations: As a person associated with 
VHP/RSS's earthquake relief efforts in 2001, we are not aware of any 
acknowledgment from you of their widely reported sectarian bias in providing 
relief. We are not aware of any assistance from you or by IndiCorps to the 
thousands of families affected by the 2002 communal pogroms, nor are we aware 
of your speaking out against the funding of organizations implicated in these 
hate campaigns by charities in the United States, with some of whom you have 
been partnering. And, more recently, we have not heard any condemnation from 
you of the spate of violence against Christian Adivasis being orchestrated by 
VHP, for which the BJP-partnered government in Orissa has been severely i 
ndicted by India's National Commission for Minorities. 

In the face of these facts, your bold assertion that you have always condemned 
any politics of division, of ethnic or religious hatred, of violence and 
intimidation as a political tool is deeply troubling.

Furthermore, the revelation that you were part of the inner circle of VHP 
America at the time of the Gujarat earthquake indicates that your role was not 
confined only to humanitarian relief -- an 

Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter

[Gabe Menezes]

2008/11/5 Mario Goveia [EMAIL PROTECTED]:
 Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2008 20:52:09 +
 From: Gabe Menezes [EMAIL PROTECTED]

 One Goanetter met you and he was not at all complimentry!!

 Mario responds:

 This is false.  I have only met two Goanetters personally and they are both 
 close friends.  One of them lives in Goa and has met Gabe and, to put it 
 kindly, does not think much of him.

RESPONSE: Both are close friends? Hmm!  I have an email stored on my
Google account, of what was said about Mario. ( On Google mail, one
does not need to delete any emails for life ostensibly) but I shall
let this one pass!...but for one thousand dollars, I am willing to
sell it?

I shall give the guy 500 hundred bucks for breaking trust and we shall
both be happy bunnies!

Put your money where your mouth is my man, else belt up and crawl, you
burenthelo munis.


-- 
DEV BOREM KORUM.

Gabe Menezes.
London.

Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter

[Santosh Helekar]

--- On Wed, 11/5/08, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 The greatness of a person lies not in proving others
 wrong but in accepting and acknowledging one's own
 wrongs- Annonymous
 

A man who is happy to have human failings has no illusions of possessing 
greatness - Lame Dukor President Pandurang W. Fernandes

Cheers,

Santosh


  

Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter

[Mario Goveia]

Mario Goveia wrote:

 In a recent post that had nothing to do with animals on display, Mervyn 
 lowered himself, ...er, was inspired, to write to me, And please
 don't try and blame it on the smell from the zoo again. If anything, the 
 smell is coming from your pants being on fire.? I guess, from his own 
 experience, he must have been losing whatever argument was going on at 
 the time:-))

Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2008 13:13:05 -0800 (PST)
From: Mervyn Lobo [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Everyone cringed when?you wrote the following:
 Mervyn himself was a third class citizen in Tanzania.

Mario responds:

No one cringed other than you.  They saw it as a joke with a grain of truth in 
it:-))

Besides, it was you who were lecturing Marshall Mendonza to not lower himself 
to personal insults, which, as I showed, you engage in yourself.

Mervyn wrote:

Just like all your desperate attacks on Obama, you have not been able to come 
up with any justification for your attack on me. Everyone here can see the 
desperation. Everyone. 

Mario responds:

I have justified everything I have writtena.  You will have to pick something 
specific I wrote about Obama and then show that it was not true, rather than 
this typical hit and run generality that you seem to specialize in which makes 
sense only to you.

BTW, you don't get to speak for everyone, especially with your level of
veracity which wastes endless bandwidth to correct every day.

Mervyn wrote:

The world stock markets love him.

Mario responds:

Must be the stock market in your dreams, because the actual Dow Jones 
Industrial Average down today, Wednesday, November 5, the day after Obama was 
elected, by almost 5%.

[Goanet] An Open Letter

[Mario Goveia]

Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2008 20:31:55 +0530 (IST)
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

I do not doubt nor disagree with you that Santosh is a fine person, a 
gentleman, a scholar and whatever other glowing adjectives you may wish to 
describe him. As a fellow goan, I too am proud of him and his achievements. 

Mario responds:

Marshall,

I said none of the above and I have no idea what Santosh's achievements are.  
Though all what you say may well be true, please don't put words on my 
keyboard.  What I objected to was your comment that Santosh  did not practice 
what he preached.  I wondered how you would know that from half a world away, 
and then I said that people who had actually met him spoke well of him, unlike 
what the same people have said about some of his friends and supporters on 
Goanet whom they have also met.

Marshall wrote:

If you find the word 'hypocrisy' offensive, I wonder how you would categorise 
the words 'militant political operative' and 'rumour mongerer' used by him. 
Does it enhance his standing?

Mario responds:

I find any word offensive when it isn't true.

As one who engages in robust denbate myself, I would never dream of squealing 
my head off at being called a third class citizen if I were one, or a hypocrite 
if I were one, so, it depends if these appelations are true or not.  If what 
Santosh writes is not true, such statements would not enhance his standing.  
They could also be easily rebutted by asking him to provide his evidence.  If 
he had none then everyone on Goanet would know he was talking through his 
proverbial hat.

If he had the evidence, these names would just be true.

For example, if I knew Santosh personally and had evidence that he did not 
practice what he preaches, I would not take issue with your calling him a 
hypocrite.  I just didn't think you had the evidence.

As you may also have observed, Santosh often engages in wry fact-free 
hyperbole, which sometimes makes his point, and is sometimes just plain silly 
as some of his recent series of bogus comments about Barack Obama show, in 
which he was using sarcasm to show his strong support for Obama and his far 
left wing philosophy, in my opinion, the same kind of philosophy that caused 
many of us to leave India.  Maybe not Santosh or George Pinto, who joined 
Santosh in similar comments, but most of us.

Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter

[Mario Goveia]

Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2008 21:47:11 +
From: Gabe Menezes [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Both are close friends? Hmm!  I have an email stored on my
Google account, of what was said about Mario. ( On Google mail, one
does not need to delete any emails for life ostensibly) but I shall
let this one pass!...but for one thousand dollars, I am willing to
sell it?

I shall give the guy 500 hundred bucks for breaking trust and we shall
both be happy bunnies!

Mario responds:

Let me repeat.  I have only met two Goanetters personally.  the one who lives 
in Goa thinks Gabe is a dolt.  The other one who lives in America I haven't met 
for over 35 years.

Gabe is spreading obvious personal calumnies without being able to provide any 
proof.

Just like his claim that interbank interest rates were 23% way back when and 
that banks pay each other higher rates than they charge their customers for 
that money.

Make up your own minds.

[Goanet] An open letter

[ignatius fernandes]

Will Mario Goveia and 
Gabe Menezes please stop their feuding 
on Goanet  Thank you
Ignatius Fernandes

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Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter

[Mervyn Lobo]

Mario Goveia wrote:
 In a recent post that had nothing to do with animals on display, Mervyn 
 lowered himself, ...er, was inspired, to write to me, And please don't 
 try and blame it on the smell from the zoo again. If anything, the smell 
 is coming from your pants being on fire.  I guess, from his own experience,
  he must have been losing whatever argument was going on at the time:-))




Mpenzi Mario,
Everyone cringed when you wrote the following:
 Mervyn himself was a third class citizen in Tanzania.


My repose was: 
 Ah! In the classic McSame style...
 Can you provide us with some idea on how you could come up with such
 a desperate statement?
 And please don't try and blame it on the smell from the zoo again.
 If anything, the smell is coming from your pants being on fire.



Just like all your desperate attacks on Obama, you have not been able to come 
up with any justification for your attack on me. Everyone here can see the 
desperation. Everyone. 


Please don't be a cry baby, asking the moderators for help only when people 
catch you with your pants down. 
Nah! on fire.

Mervyn3.0
PS. Obama is going to add Kiswahili and Spanish as official languages of the 
USA. 
The world stock markets love him. Gold up and the US Peso down today  


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[Goanet] An Open Letter

[marshallmendonza]

Mario,

I do not doubt nor disagree with you that Santosh is a fine person, a 
gentleman, a scholar and whatever other glowing adjectives you may wish to 
describe him. As a fellow goan, I too am proud of him and his achievements. 
However, he is no God or demigod like some would like us to believe. He is as 
human like us with the same weaknesses and failings as any of us. He too trips 
at times. Hence, I have to partly disagree with you based on my experiences 
with him.

If you find the word 'hypocrisy' offensive, I wonder how you would categorise 
the words 'militant political operative' and 'rumour mongerer' used by him. 
Does it enhance his standing?

However, I take your point.

I do not wish to start another thread on this subject. I would rather discus 
issues than personalities.

Regards,

Marshall



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[Goanet] An Open letter

[marshallmendonza]

Mervyn Lobo wrote:
Marshall,This is one of the bravest posts I have seen on Goanet.
I hope things do get constructive going forward.
Santosh wrote:
I hope the above assertion turns out to be true in the posts to follow.
Comment:
I would like to repeat my statement once again in case it has not been 
understood properly.
 Rest assured, I am here to contribute positively and constructively
It is a statement of fact and not a resolution. It covers the past, present and 
future.

Regards,

Marshall



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[Goanet] An Open Letter to Barack Obama | Election | TheRoot.com

[Ruby Goes]

Howdy Goanetters.

http://www.theroot.com/id/48726

Check this out.

rubygoes

Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter

[Mario Goveia]

Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2008 20:52:09 +
From: Gabe Menezes [EMAIL PROTECTED]

One Goanetter met you and he was not at all complimentry!!

Mario responds:

This is false.  I have only met two Goanetters personally and they are both 
close friends.  One of them lives in Goa and has met Gabe and, to put it 
kindly, does not think much of him.

Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter

[Santosh Helekar]

--- On Wed, 11/5/08, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 
 He is as human like us with the same weaknesses and failings as any
 of us. He too trips at times.


The above is an accurate characterization of what I am, biologically and 
psychologically. I wouldn't want to be any different.

 
If you find the word 'hypocrisy' offensive, I wonder how you would categorise 
the words 'militant political operative' and 'rumour mongerer' used by him. 
Does it enhance his standing?


I do not find the word hypocrisy offensive. I would categorize as a simple 
dispassionate statement of fact, my  characterization of Marshall's having 
engaged in rumor-mongering and in the activities of a political operative.

Cheers,

Santosh


  

Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter

[Radhakrishnan Nair]

Are we back in kindergarten?

RKN

Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2008 20:52:09 +
From: Gabe Menezes [EMAIL PROTECTED]

One Goanetter met you and he was not at all complimentry!!

Mario responds:

This is false.  I have only met two Goanetters personally and they are
both close friends.  One of them lives in Goa and has met Gabe and, to
put it kindly, does not think much of him.

[Goanet] An Open Letter

[marshallmendonza]

Santosh: 
I do not find the word hypocrisy offensive. I would categorize as a simple 
dispassionate statement of fact, my characterization of Marshall's having 
engaged in rumor-mongering and in the activities of a political 
operative.Cheers,Santosh 
Comment:
The greatness of a person lies not in proving others wrong but in accepting 
and acknowledging one's own wrongs- Annonymous

Regards,

Marshall



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[Goanet] An Open Letter

[marshallmendonza]

Santosh wrote:
What? Now objectivity is a good thing? When did this change of mind occur?
Comment:
Ai saiba. I tried to tell Mervyn in a polite and tactful way that his 
friendship with Santosh should not come in the way of his looking at things 
objectively. And amcho amigo Santosh has totally misconstrued it:-). 

Regards,

Marshall


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Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter

[Mario Goveia]

Marshall Mendonza wrote:

 Santosh does not practice what he preaches. There is a word for this in 
 the English language. It is called HYPOCRISY.

Mario responds:

Marshall,

Tsk, tsk, tsk.  I have no idea how you can tell from half a world away what
Santosh practices, but I would be careful of such inflammatory invective if I 
were you, especially with an email address from IndiaTimes.com.  Those who have 
met the man think well of him, even if they disagree with some of what he seems 
to believe, which contrasts sharply with what the same people think of some 
other Goanetters they have met.

Judging simply by his posts on Goanet, some choice nouns come to mind.  
Somehow, hypocrite is not one of them.  You obviously disagree.

However, as the only real voice of reason and truth and peace on Goanet, may I 
make a suggestion: just stick to the facts as you know them, make rational 
counterpoints to the points made by others, and let your facts and logic speak 
for you.  If you verbally bruise, you lose.

BTW, how did this personal attack get past the Goanet moderators?

Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2008 15:32:14 -0800 (PST)
From: Mervyn Lobo [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Whether you realize this or not, you have?lowered yourself down to the level 
of?personal insults.  In my experience, this usually happens when one does not 
have an argument or when one is losing an argument.

Sadly, from your posts here, my impression is that you are more of a bridge
burner?rather than a bridge builder. 

And Goa has enough of bridge burners.

Mario observes:

In a recent post that had nothing to do with animals on display, Mervyn lowered 
himself, ...er, was inspired, to write to me, And please don't try and blame 
it on the smell from the zoo again. If anything, the smell is coming from your 
pants being on fire.  I guess, from his own experience, he must have been 
losing whatever argument was going on at the time:-))

'Nuff said:-))

Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter

[Santosh Helekar]

--- On Mon, 11/3/08, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

Sometimes our personal equations take precedence over objectivity. 


What? Now objectivity is a good thing? When did this change of mind occur?


I am here to contribute positively and constructively.


I hope the above assertion turns out to be true in the posts to follow.

Cheers,

Santosh


  

Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter

[Mervyn Lobo]

marshallmendonza wrote:
 I do not wish to enter into another discussion pointing out the flaws in 
 Santosh's 
 or your post as I am aware where they come from. But rest assured, I am here 
 to 
 contribute positively and constructively.



 
Marshall,
This is one of the bravest posts I have seen on Goanet. 
I hope things do get constructive going forward.
Mervyn3.0


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Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter

[Gabe Menezes]

2008/11/4 Mario Goveia [EMAIL PROTECTED]:
 Marshall Mendonza wrote:

 Santosh does not practice what he preaches. There is a word for this in
 the English language. It is called HYPOCRISY.

 Mario responds:

 Marshall,

 Tsk, tsk, tsk.  I have no idea how you can tell from half a world away what
 Santosh practices, but I would be careful of such inflammatory invective if I 
 were you, especially with an email address from IndiaTimes.com.  Those who 
 have met the man think well of him, even if they disagree with some of what 
 he seems to believe, which contrasts sharply with what the same people think 
 of some other Goanetters they have met.

COMMENT: One Goanetter met you and he was not at all complimentry!!
-- 
DEV BOREM KORUM.

Gabe Menezes.
London.

[Goanet] An Open Letter to L K Advani by George Menezes

[marshallmendonza]

Santosh wrote:
I give below latest examples of partisan chauvinistic remarks, the likes of 
which are unlikely to promote communal harmony in this secular public forum.

Here is a typical christian response to the violence unleashed against them. 
Love thy enemy. No hate, no hypocrisy, no intellectual airs...Marshall 
Mendonza

Comment:
I am amazed at Santosh's wild imagination. He sees red in the most innocuous 
statement. Any sensible, objective or levelheaded person reading the above 
statement will fail to find any criticism or objectionable word against any 
religion or anyone for that matter.In fact, he misses the crux of the message 
which was in the attachment, a write up by George Menezes addressed to L K 
Advani.

May I ask Santosh whether he is allergic to the word 'christian'? As a 
christian am I banned from saying that my religion teaches me to offer my other 
cheek? Not to hate? Will Santosh kindly explain what is partisan or 
chauvinistic about this?. He too can follow the same principles. No one is 
stopping him. Also will he kindly explain in what way does such a statement 
fail to promote communal harmony?

Does applauding Gurumurthy contribute to communal harmony? Does posting the 
article by Ingrid Albuquerque calling the protest against the carnage in Orissa 
'an unnecessary furore' contribute to communal harmony? Santosh does not 
practice what he preaches. There is a word for this in the English language. It 
is called HYPOCRISY. 

Santosh apparently has formed some pre-conceived idea about me. Therefore 
anything that I post is like a red red rag to a bull for him. He just has to 
find some fault - real or imaginary.Mostly imaginary.

May I request Santosh to at least read George Menezes' article and let us 
discus that rather than indulge in this inane debate which leads nowhere.

Regards,

Marshall
 




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Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter

[Mervyn Lobo]

[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 Santosh does not practice what he preaches. 
 There is a word for this in the English language. It is called HYPOCRISY. 


marshall,
Whether you realize this or not, you have lowered yourself down to the level 
of personal insults. In my experience, this usually happens when one does not 
have an argument or when one is losing an argument. Further more, Santosh has 
been on this forum for more than a decade and there is never been a time when 
he has not practised what he says. Not once.
 

 Santosh apparently has formed some pre-conceived idea about me. 
 Therefore anything that I post is like a red red rag to a bull for him. 
 He just has to find some fault - real or imaginary. Mostly imaginary.


Since members of this group are so widely scattered, the reputation one 
developes is derived solely from the material that you post here. Sadly, from 
your posts here, my impression is that you are more of a bridge burner rather 
than a bridge builder. 
 
And Goa has enough of bridge burners.

 
Mervyn3.0


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[Goanet] An Open Letter

[marshallmendonza]

Mervyn,

Thank you for your message. I am doubtful whether you have gone through all the 
exchanges with Santosh before posting this message. Otherwise you would have 
thought twice before saying what you did. Sometimes our personal equations take 
precedence over objectivity. Santosh is not the only one with a reputation. 
Others have one too. And it takes two hands to clap. Building anything requires 
effort. Destroying is easy.

I do not wish to enter into another discussion pointing out the flaws in 
Santosh's or your post as I am aware where they come from. But rest assured, I 
am here to contribute positively and constructively.

Regards,

Marshall 


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Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter to L K Advani by George Menezes

[Nasci Caldeira]

 Dear Santosh,
 Tum kitea mhunta rea? read below.
 
 --- On Sun, 2/11/08, Santosh Helekar
 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
  [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
   Here is a typical christian response to the
 violence
   unleashed against them. Love thy enemy. No hate,
 no
   hypocrisy, no intellectual airs.
 
   From: Santosh Helekar [EMAIL PROTECTED]
  How are typical Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain,
 Parsi
  or other non-Christian responses different from this?
  Santosh
 
 Nascy Caldeira: (to Santosh and others like him)

 Santosh, what do U think? Give us your frank opinion and
 solutions that work; on the violence and absence of law and
 order; taking the law into one's own hands; acting as
 prosecutor, judge and 'goonda'. 
 Is this the Hindu style and perception? Is this why U felt
 shame and turned into an (self declared) agnostic Hindu?  
 
 Determined communal, fascist persons and groups do respond
 differently, from the way George Menezes has responded. U
 should be enlightened by him.
 Are U looking for 'scientific proof? perhaps?
 Give up your sly defence of these atrocities; and for once
 speak and act openly against these. The way U are going,
 appears to me, as being apologetic towards these goonda
 perpetrators.
 
 I repeat again, my old advice to you: Become Christian and
 immediately U will have been 'Enlightened'!!! Your
 perception of everything even 'God' will change, for
 everybody's good! Try it, I challenge you. U will then
 be of greater service to mankind rather than just the
 scientific field. 
 
 Cheers!
 Nascy Caldeira
 Down Under.



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[Goanet] An Open Letter to L K Advani by George Menezes

[marshallmendonza]

--- On Sat, 11/1/08, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Here is a typical christian response to the violence
 unleashed against them. Love thy enemy. No hate, no
 hypocrisy, no intellectual airs.
Santosh replied:
How are typical Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or other 
non-Christian responses different from this?
Comment:
Possibly the same. However, I know what the hindutva response would be. Refer
1. Gujarat 2002
2. Orissa 2007/2008 ( Swami Lakshmananda allegedly killed by maoists, yet 
violence against christians)
3. Mangalore 2008 ( here no violence against hindus, yet violence against 
christians)
4. Goa 2008 ( no violence against hindus but some temples desecrated by unknown 
elements, yet violently enforced bandh)

Do you wish me to enumerate many more such examples for you to defend?

Regards,

Marshall





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Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter to L K Advani by George Menezes

[Santosh Helekar]

I give below latest examples of partisan chauvinistic remarks, the likes of 
which are unlikely to promote communal harmony in this secular public forum.

I repeat again, my old advice to you: Become Christian and immediately U will 
have been 'Enlightened'!!! Your perception of everything even 'God' will 
change, for everybody's good! Try it, I challenge you. U will then be of 
greater service to mankind rather than just the scientific field.
…..Nascy Caldeira

Here is a typical christian response to the violence unleashed against them. 
Love thy enemy. No hate, no hypocrisy, no intellectual airs.
..Marshall Mendonza

When the sectarian chauvinism in the above remark was questioned from a secular 
pluralistic standpoint, here is how the questioner is now demonized as a 
defender of extremist religious opponents.

Possibly the same. However, I know what the hindutva response would be. Refer
1. Gujarat 2002
2. Orissa 2007/2008 ( Swami Lakshmananda allegedly killed by maoists, yet 
violence against christians)
3. Mangalore 2008 ( here no violence against hindus, yet violence against 
christians)
4. Goa 2008 ( no violence against hindus but some temples desecrated by unknown 
elements, yet violently enforced bandh)

Do you wish me to enumerate many more such examples for you to defend?
..Marshall Mendonza

These underlying tendentious attitudes should be kept in mind when one 
encounters any posts from these contributors.

Cheers,

Santosh

[Goanet] An Open Letter to L K Advani by George Menezes

[marshallmendonza]

Here is a typical christian response to the violence unleashed against them. 
Love thy enemy. No hate, no hypocrisy, no intellectual airs.

http://georgemenace.com/an-open-letter-to-l-k-advani#more-61

Regards,

Marshall


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Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter to L K Advani by George Menezes

[Santosh Helekar]

--- On Sat, 11/1/08, [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Here is a typical christian response to the violence
 unleashed against them. Love thy enemy. No hate, no
 hypocrisy, no intellectual airs.
 

How are typical Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or other 
non-Christian responses different from this?

Cheers,

Santosh



  

[Goanet] An Open letter to Goan Parents.

[JoeGoaUk]

Thanks Selma

I read it twice.

..about the parents

Thought provoking

Some more of it please!

Quote:
http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2008-October/083008.html

Re: [Goanet] An Open letter to Goan Parents.

[reena.martins]

How very beautifully put.

Carvalho wrote:


Yet again I see Goa's parochial views come to the fore, as if to prove to the 
world that we live in the back of beyond. Everytime the victim or alleged 
victim is a young women, Goans seem bent on questioning the parenting skills of 
these unfortunate girls.

Goans, please don't wear your hypocrisy on your sleeves. Please, first tell us where are the fathers and mothers of all those girls that board at Carmels and other hostels? Are they not young girls too, who are left alone to do as they please, because their Goan parents work in the Gulf? 


Please tell us also where are fathers of all those boys who roam the streets on 
their bikes, flashing money and spending like there is no tomorrow? Perhaps 
their fathers are onboard ships, bearing the brunt of callous customers. 
Perhaps their fathers are enduring the heat of the Arabian sun. In anycase, a 
whole generation of young men and women have grown up now, without fathers, 
without mothers, in the custody of aging grand-parents, sometimes worse still 
left in the care of Carmelite nuns.
We too have been guilty of leaving our children alone, but we've had to do it, to fill 
our bellies. perhaps these foreigners have their own reasons as to why they 
are single-handedly bringing up children. Should we sit in judgement of them?

As a Goan girl who finished her college in Goa, let me tell you, your sons and daughters 
are no better than those of these foreigners. Your sons and daughters are 
doing exactly what these Western girls and boys are doing. Except you don't know it. And 
if you do know it, you prefer to blind yourself to the truth, always assuming that your 
own Shanna boy or Baby-girl would never do such a thing. The truth is, adolescent 
hormones are not so discriminatory. They run wild in everyone.

As a Goan mother of a small Goan girl, I am no more capable of protecting her 
from the pedophiles or the rapists of this world, than I am of stopping the 
tide. I cannot hide her from the world, I cannot incarcerate her in an ivory 
tower to keep her safe. She has her own life to live, she has her own path and 
destiny to find, her own exploration and experimentation to engage in. I can 
only wish for her safety. I can only hope that the mothers of sons have done 
their job, in raising responsible men.

So please stop blaming outsiders, they are parents just like you and me, 
trying to do their best in this confusing world in which they have little control.

Best,
Selma


 

 

[Goanet] Goanet] Open letter to Goanet and other Goan related

[Miguel Braganza]

Dear Goanetters,

Goanet's Moderation is at times actually extremist! To add to it, Bosco can 
be quite condescending ... as if he has inherited some divine rights on Goanet 
like the Stewarts and the Tudors of Britain that is no longer Great. I have 
nothing against Bosco D'Mello but Moderator is a term that seems incongruous 
when used to describe him! Sole Arbitrator may be a better term to use. ;-)

I have no problems with Viviana or any one else on Goanet, now that my friend 
and irritator Frederick Noronha has become an occasional Moderator (or 
Approver ;-)] on Goanet. I have had to ask him to withdraw as Moderator on 
on Aldona Net and St. Mary's alumni list due to strong differences on the 
meaning of the term moderation. Both these lists are now moderated by 
moderate people, not extremists like Frederick and Miguel ;-( Jenifer Lewis has 
been doing a wonderful job of moderating Vascokars United yahoogroups and 
Gaspar with Gulf Goans yahoogroups. So is Savio doing a great job with Aldona 
Net and four girls are doing a great job of Chilli Net as we call the St. 
Mary's Convent alumni list in which I am a member by virtue of the three years 
in that school.

Bosco seems to be suffering from Moderation fatigue like some people in Goa 
are suffering form Agitation fatigue. In the GBA, Patricia resigned 
gracefully while Oscar resigned with a bang.Bosco can choose his own style  
or at least take a sabbatical for rest and recreation like the G.I. Joes! ;-) 
He can come back rejuvenated  with a bang, if necessary!

Mog asundi

Miguel 

Date: Sun, 28 Sep 2008 10:15:38 + (GMT)
From: CORNEL DACOSTA [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [Goanet] Open letter to Goanet and other Goan related   websites
Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Hi Santosh
I will agree with you that Viviana is quite happy to provide her name and 
reason for a post rejection  and have nil disagreement with her. 
 Moreover he [Bosco]has told me personally in Toronto that since April 2008, he 
was no longer a moderator. 
 As to Frederick for whom I definitely still hold in high esteem, perhaps you 
will have noted that I indicated that I was not attacking the person but the 
systemic mess that Goanet is in regarding hundreds of unexplained post rejects.

Cornel


--- On Sat, 27/9/08, Santosh Helekar [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 From: Santosh Helekar [EMAIL PROTECTED]
 Subject: Re: [Goanet] Open letter to Goanet and other Goan related websites
 
 I posted the questions to Goanet. But somebody rejected
 them. The person who rejected them did not sign his name.
 When Viviana and Bosco reject a post they invariably sign
 their name.  
 Santosh




  Share files, take polls, and make new friends - all under one roof. Go to 
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[Goanet] Fwd: Open letter to Goanet and other Goan related websites

[Frederick [FN] Noronha * फ्रेडरिक नोरोन्या]

It is sometimes important for pure nonsense to go through too. That's
the price we all pay for free speech. FN

2008/9/26 CORNEL DACOSTA [EMAIL PROTECTED]:
 OPEN LETTER TO GOANET AND OTHER GOAN RELATED WEBSITES

 We have had Cecil Pinto's confirmation on GX (GoenchimXapotam) that, it is
 Frederick Noronha who rejects large numbers of posts sent to Goanet without
 the slightest whiff of an explanation. This disclosure has not been rebutted
 by Frederick for over a fortnight and I therefore want to congratulate him
 on his contribution towards corruption and the absence of transparency for
 which India has just been rated 85th out of 180 countries on the
 Transparency International Survey. But what on earth am I talking about? ...

--
FN * Independent Journalist http://fn.goa-india.org
Blog: http://fredericknoronha.wordpress.com
Tech links from South Asia: http://twitter.com/fn
M: +91-9822122436 P: +91-832-2409490

[Goanet] An open letter to the Chief Minister of Karnataka

[pratap naik]

From: ambrose pinto [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: 2008/9/19



Dear Friends,
 
  I am sending to you an open letter the college has sent signed by 
75 of its teaching staff to the Chief Minister of Karnataka
 
Ambrose Pinto SJ
 

    
   18th September 2008
 
An Open Letter to the Chief Minister of Karnataka from St. Joseph's College, 
Bangalore
 
Dear Sir,
 
  We write to you as members of the Staff of St. Joseph's College and as 
secular citizens of the state of Karnataka deeply distressed by the recent 
attacks on educational institutions and churches in Mangalore and elsewhere in 
Karnataka. We are a college of 126 years, the very first private college of the 
city with a rich legacy of educating generations of students of different 
faiths in the ideals of democracy and secularism. Thousands of citizens in the 
state owe their education into secularism to this college where students have 
lived and learned as members of one human family. We are also aware of your 
high esteem for the college. It is due to that high regard for the institution 
that you had admitted your son here and he had successfully passed out from the 
portals of the college. 
 
  Our contributions to the nation goes right back in time, to those dark 
and frightful years of British imperialism. We as an institution, perhaps the 
only one in the state, have participated in the freedom struggle of the 
country. The college had protested against British colonialism, raising the 
National Tricolor as a banner of national revolt on our premises against the 
British Raj. Our students were hunted and jailed by British Police for 
participating in the Quit India movement. The names of Ratnakar Rai and 
Kripakaran are synonymous with the early struggles while Deendayalu Naidu and 
P.S. Sundaram Reddy were with the Quit India movement.  Several of our students 
were tortured and repressed in these jails for their struggles for the freedom 
of the country. Fr. Ferroli, the Warden was interned in the jail in Whitfield.  
and Fr. Boniface D' Souza was the person who prevented the police from taking 
students into custody during the last phase
 of the freedom struggle. That spirit of secularism and nationalism still 
exists in this campus and we have not deviated from that.  It is this love for 
the nation that prompts and urges us to write to you. 
 
 Over the years, we have educated a variety of students, pundits, 
scientists, activists, journalists, technocrats, bureaucrats, politicians, 
businessmen, sportspersons and women primarily from the state of Karnataka 
though there have been students from outside the state and the country. We have 
never imposed a world-view of our own on the students. Instead we have 
encouraged critical thinking and learning.  Freedom of thought and expression 
has always characterized education in St. Joseph's.  We can claim with 
tremendous pride that we have produced stimulating intellectuals, prominent 
change-makers at the grass root level and provided able administrators to the 
nation and particularly to the State of Karnataka. M. P. Ghorpade, Kumara 
Bangarappa, M.P. Prakash, Bachche Gowda, Narayanaswamy, Allum Veerabhadarappa 
and a host of bureaucrats are all our former students. Many of our former 
students work in different fields of life as innovators and
 policy-framers.  Moreover we have enhanced our services these many years to 
foster the needs and desires of the marginalized. We continue to admit and 
provide educational opportunities to a wide community of educationally and 
socially backward classes, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.  We have thus 
produced sensitive and learned leaders among the Dalit and backward 
communities. We are extremely proud of students from subaltern communities who 
have turned into agents of radical social change.  Our credentials as a secular 
and progressive institution concerned about the well-being of all is a truth 
well known to all. 
 
    St. Joseph's College belongs to no party. But we remain concerned 
with what is taking place in the state. Inculcating social awareness and 
increasing social concern is one of the main thrusts of the college. As an 
educational institution with high moral and ethical credentials, we are 
concerned about the divisive politics that polarizes people on the basis of 
religion. Your party has come to power on the plank of development. You have 
also celebrated with great pride your hundred days in power claiming that 
nearly 90% of your development manifesto has been fulfilled. We may have 
different view of that but we will not debate that here. What disturbs us is 
the mean claim that your party and your cadres make that Christian institutions 
are involved in forced conversion just to defame and malign. Every citizen in 
this country has been given the right to practice, profess and propagate one's 

[Goanet] Re. OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF GOA

[Miguel Braganza]

Dears,

The biggest state in the world is the state of Confusion. 

During my three year term as the President of the Botanical Society of Goa, I 
was simultaneously the Secretary of the Rotary Club of Mapusa and of the Alumni 
association of my Alma Mater. I had also served as the Secretary of the BSG for 
two terms before that. On some really tiring days, I would sit at the BSG 
Executive Committee meeting with pen and paper in hand, waiting for the 
President to begin the proceedings ...till someone reminded me that I was the 
President! ;-)

Floriano-Bab, the self-appointed Convener of the Citizens Initiative [and 
wannabe  Oscar Rebelo counterpart on the funeral pyre of the GBA, so to say 
in Floriano's words] seems to be stuck on the General Secretary of the GSRP. 
Some time back a GEAG seminar on mining also turned out to be a GSRP do.

Confusius says, Proof read your postings fior howlers. The Raj Bhavan staff 
may have got confused in to thinking that it was a Jekyl  Hyde story ...where 
did the Initiative end . and the Party begin? 

Is Floriano writing about Munish Sharma calling himself an ARMY man? Did the 
former Secretary General of ICAO turned Governor bring an Army man as his ADC, 
instead of the normal NAVY man and the occasional IAF Airman or Goa Policeman?

Mog asundi.

Miguel

Date: Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:14:10 +0530
From: goasuraj [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [Goanet] OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF GOA
Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

August 22, 2008

To,
Shri. S.S. Sidhu, Governor of Goa, Raj Bhavan, Dona Paula - Goa.
Via Fax-2453510  2451271(confirmed receipt)

Your Excellency,

Subject:  'Open Letter'Re:   Insensitive and Arrogant  Raj Bhavan staff.




GOA SU-RAJ PARTY - PAGE 2
Coming back to the topic of this communication, Shri.
Dominic Savio Coutinho, who died recently under tragic and mysterious
circumstances at his residence in Canacona, South Goa, allegedly murdered.

  Under the aegis of CITIZEN' [OF GOA] INITIATIVE, and as the  Convenor of this 
Initiative,  I had made a letter-representation to the IGP,  marking copies 
thereof to various other officials including your Excellency, requesting  
speedy initiation of serious investigations into the mysterious death of this 
young lad  through the Crime Branch before vital evidence was lost,  
apprehending possible heavy POLITICAL PRESSURE.

It was in order to hand-over (or rather to in-ward) the said copy  of the
letter-representation   that I had gone to the esteemed Raj Bhavan along
with the family members of the deceased Dominic Savio Coutinho in the hope
that they could, if possible, get to see you.

As the General Secretary of a registered political party,  I  would request
your Excellency to bring your staff down from the high and mighty horse for
once and see that they  are adequately apprised in the manner of dealing
with ordinary tax-paying citizens of Goa.


Sincerely,
Sd/-
(Floriano C. Lobo)
General Secretary,
Goa Su-Raj Party

Tel: (Res)  2470223
Mobile: 9890470896
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]




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Re: [Goanet] An open letter to Goan Catholics

[Frederick [FN] Noronha * फ्रेडरिक नोरोन्या]

Hi Selma, Are you sure you're not falling into the trap of those who
want us to believe that our religious identities are the most
important aspects, and that minorities don't belong? Such a logic
doesn't work for too long, as election results have repeatedly shown.
Even Pakistan is paying the price of religious intolerance and
extremism. FN

Carvalho [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 this morass that Goa has  become of hurt religious sensibilities and
communal tensions, Goan Catholics have no place. Sadly, I urge you to
go to the nearest embassy you can find, whether Canada, Portugal or
New Zealand and apply for citizenship. Don't let the fear of the West
keep you for applying. You are already bi-cultural. Your children's
transition to a Western culture will be fluid. It is the best thing
for your children's safety. I write this with all sadnes for my
beloved Goa and Goans.

[Goanet] An open letter to Goan Catholics

[edward desilva]

Hi All,
I wanted to include only part of the text below, but the whole of it is worth 
reading again.
My brother in law said that his late father (tarvoti) had said to him, 'all 
Goans should go abroad'.
When he came abroad (through his wife), he said, 'now, I know my father was 
right to say that. All Goans should go aborad'.
Where is my brother in law now? in Goa. Has been there for the last 15 years, 
he loves Goa. 
Do 'I' want to be in Goa - YES. 1000 times YES. Destiny dictates otherwise.
ED.
-
Selma said,
I spent three years of my college life in Panjim. Being of Shasti origins, my 
best friend from San Jose d'Ariel and I, would routinely make a trip to Margao 
every weekend. There we would spend endless hours at Peter Stores, buying 
knickknacks we didn't need and then heading to Loughinos for a falooda and 
sausage pao. On our weekend binge into town, being hormonally-charged teenagers 
at the time, we would try to elicit as much eve-teasing as possible from 
teenage boys, feeding into our insecure budding egos. The fear of being 
accosted or assaulted rarely entered our minds.

Those days are long-gone. Today, eve-teasing in Margao is occasion for 
full-scale communal riots and anticipation of these riots, is reason enough to 
bring in swords by the dozens. The Goan Catholic cannot cope with this. The 
male of our species has been emasculated by centuries of Sunday Mass sermaos. 
He has neither swords, nor koitos nor the inclination with which to rise in 
protest. The female of our species is educated and emancipated. She wants 
nothing more than to get on with her professional and family life. In this 
morass that Goa has  become of hurt religious sensibilities and communal 
tensions, Goan Catholics have no place. Sadly, I urge you to go to the nearest 
embassy you can find, whether Canada, Portugal or New Zealand and apply for 
citizenship. Don't let the fear of the West keep you for applying. You are 
already bi-cultural. Your children's transition to a Western culture will be 
fluid. It is the best thing for your children's safety.
I write this with all sadnes for my beloved Goa and Goans.
selma



  __
Not happy with your email address?.
Get the one you really want - millions of new email addresses available now at 
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Re: [Goanet] An open letter to Goan Catholics

[floriano]

Dearest Selma,

Would you please put in a word for me at any prefered Embassy nearest to 
you? That will take a lot of running around for me to do. I think I will 
take your advice, having resisted this urge for such a long time,


UNLESS

(:- you use your good offices with the Archbishop of Goa  Daman to convince 
him that henceforth the Sunday Services in every church and chapel should be 
converted into the training camps to teach girls and boys how to effectively 
wield sharpened  swords which can separate the head from the shoulders in 
one go. Maybe, I can take the contract to supply the swords and not look for 
a visa.  :-)


B/rgds

floriano
goasuraj

- Original Message - 
From: Carvalho [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To: Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994! goanet@lists.goanet.org
Sent: Monday, July 07, 2008 5:44 PM
Subject: [Goanet] An open letter to Goan Catholics



Those days are long-gone. Today, eve-teasing in Margao is occasion for 
full-scale communal riots and anticipation of these riots, is reason 
enough to bring in swords by the dozens. The Goan Catholic cannot cope 
with this. The male of our species has been emasculated by centuries of 
Sunday Mass sermaos. He has neither swords, nor koitos nor the inclination 
with which to rise in protest. The female of our species is educated and 
emancipated. She wants nothing more than to get on with her professional 
and family life. In this morass that Goa has  become of hurt religious 
sensibilities and communal tensions, Goan Catholics have no place. Sadly, 
I urge you to go to the nearest embassy you can find, whether Canada, 
Portugal or New Zealand and apply for citizenship. Don't let the fear of 
the West keep you for applying. You are already bi-cultural. Your 
children's transition to a Western culture will be fluid. It is the best 
thing for your children's safety.


I write this with all sadnes for my beloved Goa and Goans.

selma

[Goanet] An open letter to Goan Catholics

[Arwin Mesquita]

I totally disagree with this doomsday suggestion  defeated attitide. Every
place as its positives  negatives; and I am saying this with confidence
after travelling to many parts of the World; particularly the West and
having also being a permanent resident of Goa. Instead of taking easy route
of complaining  saying all the Cant Do's lets look at Can Do's instead.

I believe if we look at latter we can definetely do wonders for Goa; our
home least we forget!!


Message: 3
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 05:14:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: Carvalho [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [Goanet]  An open letter to Goan Catholics
To: Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!
   goanet@lists.goanet.org
Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I spent three years of my college life in Panjim. Being of Shasti origins,
my best friend from San Jose d'Ariel and I, would routinely make a trip to
Margao every weekend. There we would spend endless hours at Peter Stores,
buying knickknacks we didn't need and then heading to Loughinos for a
falooda and sausage pao. On our weekend binge into town, being
hormonally-charged teenagers at the time, we would try to elicit as much
eve-teasing as possible from teenage boys, feeding into our insecure budding
egos. The fear of being accosted or assaulted rarely entered our minds.

Those days are long-gone. Today, eve-teasing in Margao is occasion for
full-scale communal riots and anticipation of these riots, is reason enough
to bring in swords by the dozens. The Goan Catholic cannot cope with this.
The male of our species has been emasculated by centuries of Sunday Mass
sermaos. He has neither swords, nor koitos nor the inclination with which to
rise in protest. The female of our species is educated and emancipated. She
wants nothing more than to get on with her professional and family life. In
this morass that Goa has  become of hurt religious sensibilities and
communal tensions, Goan Catholics have no place. Sadly, I urge you to go to
the nearest embassy you can find, whether Canada, Portugal or New Zealand
and apply for citizenship. Don't let the fear of the West keep you for
applying. You are already bi-cultural. Your children's transition to a
Western culture will be fluid. It is the best thing for your children's
safety.

I write this with all sadnes for my beloved Goa and Goans.

selma







--

Message: 4
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 13:15:22 +0100
From: Gabe Menezes [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [Goanet] Decline of Panjim, and expanding slums in Goa
To: Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!
   goanet@lists.goanet.org
Message-ID:
   [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

2008/7/7 Sandeep Heble [EMAIL PROTECTED]:
 Dear all,

 After going through the TOI report, I guess we all owe Rajan an apology.

 All this time, we were foolish to think that Rajan was Anti-migrants.

 We now learn that because of Rajan's Petition, not only will the city
 be much cleaner than before but the migrants too will have decent
 toilets whenever they want to answer the calls of Nature.  While we
 are only paying lip-service to their sympathetic needs, Rajan is
 genuinely working to give this poor community a better life. Pravin
 always used to tell me that Rajan in reality is not the same person as
 he appears on the Forum. How Rajan would often advice the migrant
 Labourers to educate their children so that this community could
 prosper in the future, etc.

 Now we really know that Pravin was right and we were all wrong. Let's
 ignore his harsh words. Through his actions, it is quite apparent that
 Rajan is indeed making conditions favourable for Migrants and their
 living.

 As the phrase goes, Actions speak Louder than words!

 Cheers
 Sandeep

RESPONSE: I just read that there is a place in India which pays People
to use its toilets, perhaps the same should be done in Goa, pay
everyone to come over and have a pee or a shiii!

--
DEV BOREM KORUM.

Gabe Menezes.
London, England


--

Message: 5
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 17:05:48 +0100 (BST)
From: JOHN MONTEIRO [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [Goanet] A Trip Down Memory Lane
To: Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!
   goanet@lists.goanet.org
Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

Thank you Rajiv,

Its always nice to experience someone else's memories in the way the author
has described here. Was this you?


A Trip Down Memory Lane was very nice  very pleasant for me to read,
especially when the author mentioned the two lives of the youth  the older
man.


I like the way that the author put a neat separation between the two people,
the 20-year old  the 50 year-old but still able to balance his life.  We
all who love these type of stories  memories all balance a the little tear
in the corner of our eyes, for the 20-year old who was there all those years
ago, and the 50 year old that he is today.


Wonderful stuff

[Goanet] An open letter to Goan Catholics

[Carvalho]

I spent three years of my college life in Panjim. Being of Shasti origins, my 
best friend from San Jose d'Ariel and I, would routinely make a trip to Margao 
every weekend. There we would spend endless hours at Peter Stores, buying 
knickknacks we didn't need and then heading to Loughinos for a falooda and 
sausage pao. On our weekend binge into town, being hormonally-charged teenagers 
at the time, we would try to elicit as much eve-teasing as possible from 
teenage boys, feeding into our insecure budding egos. The fear of being 
accosted or assaulted rarely entered our minds.

Those days are long-gone. Today, eve-teasing in Margao is occasion for 
full-scale communal riots and anticipation of these riots, is reason enough to 
bring in swords by the dozens. The Goan Catholic cannot cope with this. The 
male of our species has been emasculated by centuries of Sunday Mass sermaos. 
He has neither swords, nor koitos nor the inclination with which to rise in 
protest. The female of our species is educated and emancipated. She wants 
nothing more than to get on with her professional and family life. In this 
morass that Goa has  become of hurt religious sensibilities and communal 
tensions, Goan Catholics have no place. Sadly, I urge you to go to the nearest 
embassy you can find, whether Canada, Portugal or New Zealand and apply for 
citizenship. Don't let the fear of the West keep you for applying. You are 
already bi-cultural. Your children's transition to a Western culture will be 
fluid. It is the best thing for your children's safety.

I write this with all sadnes for my beloved Goa and Goans.

selma




  

[Goanet] An Open Letter to Dr. Leo Rebello

[lino dourado]

 
  An Open Letter to Dr. Leo Rebello
 

Dear Dr. Rebello,

 

It gives me great pleasure to inform you that I have crossed the target, 
which you were looking for………

 

You had complimented me on my poems on gulf-goans Newsletter on 1st Sept. 
2002. I have the copy of your email and posting to gulf-goans newsletter 
(Goa-world.com) and on the goanet.org simultaneously so that the netters would 
know the text exactly which you were pleased to write 6 years back. 

 

HERE IS THE TEXT…….

 

Subject: Here is complimenting Lino Dourado for beautiful poems in Konkani

Date: Sun, 1 Sep 2002 

 

I would like to compliment Lino B. Dourado (Utord’dekar-Kuwait) for writing 
very good poems in Konkani. Keep writing more such poems please. If he 
continues writing such high quality poems and complete at least 100- maybe we 
could compile them and recommend them for Sahitya Akademi Award. I have so far 
read two. I look forward to reading another 98 or more. If you run short of 
topics, ask me

 

Best Wishes

Dr. Leo Rebello 
  (As posted on gulf-goans e-Newsletter)

 

Writing Konkani poems and articles on various topics was a hobby since my 
childhood. Yours, as well as other fan’s encouragement gave me the confidence 
to carry my hobby on the net so that every Global Goans should be able to 
identify by our mother tongue Konkani. 

 

I am enlisting of my poems below. Before I conclude I would like to thank 
you and all my fans for devoting your precious time to read my poems and 
Konkani articles including (Aitaracheo Katkutleo). I reckon that is the 
greatest award for me from you.
  I take this opportunity to sincerely say a big ‘Dev Borem Korum’ to all 
Konkani lovers.

 

Moi mogan
   

Lino Dourado

[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
   

1)  ADEUS

2)  AGA PAVSA

3)  AGO SUNDOREA

4)  AICHE BHIKARI

5)  AICHO KARNAVAL

6)  AICHO MONIS

7)  AILEM TUM?

8)  ALI HANSUN GELI RODDUN

9)  AMBO

10)  AMCHEM GOEM

11)  ANI MAGTANA

12)  ATM’ AVOR

13)  AVAZ NASLELI KILLONCH

14)  BOLKANVACHEA HUMBREAR

15)  BOLLI 

16)  BORI VAGNNUNK

17)  DON’VON

18)  DHOR VADDTANA

19)  DUXIT

20)  EK CHITT 

21)  EK GOYKAR SORGINCHEA DARVONTEAR

22)  EK YAD

23)  EK XIDDKAVNNI SORGAR THAVN

24)  FAVO THOIM DIVNCHEM

25)  FESTA DISA

26)  GOYKAR AMI

27)  GOYKAR

28)  GOYKARAM MODDEM

29)  GORIB GIREST NATALAM

30)  GOY KAL ANI AIZ

31)  HANV MONTRI ZALAM GA

32)  HELLO UNCLE

33)  HIXIR ZALO

34)  INTERNET

35)  JEZUK MELLUNK ZAI?

36)  KAL ANI AIZ

37)  KAVLLO RODDTA TEDNAM

38)  KRIST KHOIM ASA?

39)  KON TUM?

40)  KONNACHI CHOLI KAI?

41)  KONNUCH NANT?

42)  KOUNCHECHIM KANKNNAM

43)  KRISTAK PORTUN KHURSAR KHILAITAT

44)  MHOJE AVOIK MAUXI NAM

45)  MHOJEM VALENTINE

46)  MONNEAPONNAN

47)  MONTREACHM NATALAM

48)  MONTREANCHO NATAL DANS

49)  NATALANCHO KUNSVAR

50)  NIDD’DUKAI

51)  NIKAL

52)  NIMNNEM GIT

53)  NIMNNO YEVKAR

54)  NOKHETR

55)  NOVEA VOSACHEM MAGNNEM

56)  NOVEA VORSACHO CHUMB

57)  OXO EK MOG ASLO

58)  PAVSACHEA RATRI

59)  PELETODDI PAVNCHEA ADIM

60)  PINZREM NAXIL’LEM DAR

61)  PORINNAM

62)  PORMOLL UBTOKOCH

63)  POROT AILI PIDDA

64)  POROT KEN’NA YETLEM?

65)  PRATHONAM

66)  PROTIMA

67)  PULIS OHIKARACHEM KUMSAR

68)  PUNN AMI

69)  PUNN

70)  REXEADD BANGDDE

71)  RUCH YETOCH

72)  SUDD

73)  SAIBACHEA FESTAK

74)  SAIKOLL CHOLOITANAM

75)  SANG MHAKA

76)  SANG MOGRE ULOI MOGRE

77)  SIOLIM-CHOPDEM PULACHEM RUDAN

78)  SOBIT GOEM MHOJEM

79)  SORPATEL

80)  SUKNNEM

81)  SUNDOREACHO BEIJ

82)  TALLNNI

83)  TEDNA ANI ATAM

84)  TOKLEN GORIB TE

85)  TOLLMOLLTAM

86)  TUJI VATT POLLETANA

87)  TUJEA AVAZAK AXELAM

88)  TUKA YEVKAR DIUNK

89)  TUKA KOBOR ASA?

90)  TUKACH RAVTAM

91)  TUTTIL’LIM LHARAM

92)  UDKAM

93)  VOGDDAM VIKALIM

94)  XACUTI

95)  XANTICHEA PARVEAKUI DAUKULAM ASAT

96)  ZEZARNNICHO KOMBLO

97)  XINN

98)  YEO SUNDORE MOGAN NACHU-IA

99)  YEO VEGIM

100)  ZAP MELLOT?

101)  ZOKOM’
   
   







http://www.goa-world.com/goa/poems 
http://www.mail-archive.com/cgi-bin/htsearch?config=gulf-goans_yahoogroups_comrestrict=exclude=words=Lino+B.+Dourado





   
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Re: [Goanet] An Open Letter to Dr. Leo Rebello

[Jerry Fernandes]

Mogal Lino

Tujeo Kovita ekdom ruchicheo
Toxeoch tujeo Aitaracheo Katkutleo
Zaito teomp zalo vachun jiv dadostalo
Goanettarank toxench Gulfgoansankam tunvem konkanicho mog dilo.

Amchi Romi Konkanichi ruch tunvem dili zaitea goemkarank
Ingliz uloitat punn konkani vachunk pois ravonknant
Zoxo Domnic babacho book porzol zalo vachunk sogleank
Magtam tuzoi donxim kovatincho book jelo kosso eunk amchea gopant

Wish you all the best

Jerry

[Goanet] An open letter to the Times of India

[Goanet Reader]

An open letter to the Times of India
--

Dear Times of India,

We have been getting the news of the entry of your
publication for many moons now. There has been talk of your
paper opening an edition in Goa for the past decade or so.

Finally it's happening. The journalists' world is agog --
with the thrill of getting access to new jobs and higher
salaries. But, for the most part, the average reader back in
Goa doesn't have a clue about the big news on the horizon.
Media often doesn't discuss media issues. As one colleague
would put it, dog doesn't eat dog.

So, the times are changing, at least as far as the news in
our small State goes.

Welcome to Goa. The Times of India has long had some link
with Goa. Quite a few journalists of Goan origin have worked
for your publication. Quite a number of Mumbai-based Goans
read your paper as their first choice. In fact, during my
high-school days, The Times of India and India Today were the
only two outstation papers that reached my village, and gave
me an insight into the outside world. Some of my
most-respected colleagues have worked with the Times of India.

But it would be hypocritical not to state that we do have
mixed feelings about your decision to finally set up base in
our small place.

  We feel flattered by your decision to finally
  consider Goa worthy enough as a media-market worthy
  of your attention. But, we have reason to feel
  unsure about the impact your arrival here will have
  on both the profession of journalism as also the
  media industry as a whole.

Some of my colleagues argue that your entry here would mean
a great deal of relief to under-paid, overworked journalists
in Goa. Others see your arrival here as a reason for
increasing media penetration and readership, reaching out to
youth and neo-settlers in Goa, creating a bigger market,
improve the salaries of journalists and the operations of ad
agencies or improved national and international coverage
(together with more sensational news, and more Page 3
splashes). Optimists see the arrival of the ToI into Goa as
possibly contributing to better proof-reading, more
application of the RTI Act, better advertising, better
sponsorships (the equivalent of Ganesh in Goa), synergies
with other members of your media empire (on the web with
Indiatimes, and on radio with Radio Mirchi, and in the world
of music with Times Music). But is the job of a newspaper one
of staging great year-end parties? Hardly so

  We are already seeing the impact of the Times
  impact being felt here. To begin, the most obvious
  impact is the fact that journalist salaries are
  going up in Goa. Phenomenally.

In a way, the salaries on the media front in Goa have long
needed an upgrade. Things have stagnated for long. There has
been little media expansion since 1987 in the
English-language print media here (since the birth of
Gomantak Times). But should the hike in salaries come the ToI
way?

Yes, low and stagnant salaries have been a problems here. It
has forced many journos into changing their profession or
even going into a kind of exile. Journalists have become a
major export 'commodity' from Goa today. Whether they settle
in Mumbai or the Gulf, or even places as unexpected as
Bangkok, Sydney and Papua New Guinea, they have had to
migrate far and wide to get access to better jobs.

This is not a healthy situation.

Now, the situation has drastically changed. We are hearing of
Rs 30,000+ and Rs 40,000+ salaries for mid-career
professionals. Not too long back, Rs 12,000 was considered
quite significant by Goan standards. In other sectors, the
depressed Goan market pays people with our educational
background around Rs 5,000 to 12,000. It is only a few of the
entertainment-oriented, tech-focussed or black-money flush
sectors that can pay higher salaries.

  So what effect will the hiked salaries have on the
  media industry as a whole? Will they create 'gilded
  cages' which people can't afford to leave? Will it
  heighten the servility that media-persons have to
  toe? Will it lead to the collapse of one or more
  newspaper in the State?

As one editor-friend put it, those changing jobs primarily
due to the high-salaries bait might just be pricing
themselves out of the market. While media houses obviously
don't want to lose their staff, I suspect he just might be
right.

Trading high salaries for a lack of freedom -- as has been
the case -- is counterproductive to both the journalist's
self-esteem and the wider newspaper business as a whole.

On this score, the Times has still to prove its bonafides. It
needs to reassure the journalist community as well as the
English-language newspaper reader in Goa that its high-salary
gambit is not just meant to destroy the competition. Big
business from Boribunder should desist from playing the role
of 

[Goanet] An open letter to the Times of India

[Philip Thomas]

What a long winded, repetitive letter! Is the author some kind of god father
of Goa's print media? Why hit the panic button so hard? I was interested in
the repeated references to boosting of local journo salaries but nothing at
all about honorariums to contributors. One local paper pays zilch to folks
like me who have contributed and published 10 articles in 4 months. A TOI
affiliate used to send me Rs 2K per published piece --- 10 years ago. Here I
have not even got the courtesy  of an acknowledgement or a word of
appreciation. Btw, the typo editing has certainly improved in this paper of
late. Thank heaven for small mercies.