------------------------------------------------------- CONVENTION OF THE GOAN DIASPORA FROM GOA INTO THE WORLD Lisbon, Portugal June 15-17, 2007 Details at: http://www.goacom.org/casa-de-goa/noticias.html -------------------------------------------------------
Prominent GBA activists join political camps Even as the Goa Bachao Abhiyan convenor, Dr Oscar Rebello maintains that the GBA is apolitical, some of its prominent activists have joined the political campaigns. While some of the activists in South Goa including noted tiatrists, Wilmix Mazzarelo and Prince Jacob have joined the Churchill camp, some in the North Goa, including Mr Aires Rodgriues are now in the Bharatiya Janata Party camp. Another group of activists including former MPT chairman, Mr Arvind Bhatikar has been campaigning against the BJP and some "viciously corrupt" sitting MLAs of the Congress party. Mr Aires Rodrigues, addressing a press conference, this morning said that the people of Goa have to give the BJP a clear mandate at the forthcoming assembly polls to ensure that the state is steered out of the current rut of rampant corruption and administrative chaos. Informing that he would actively campaign for the BJP during next 13 days, Mr Rodrigues informed that he has written letters to the state BJP chief, Mr Shripad Naik and the leader of the opposition, Mr Manohar Parrikar suggesting that they should give priority to issues like reducing the retirement age of the government servants from 60 to 58, introducing transparency in recruitment in government services and tackling garbage disposal issue, if the BJP comes to power in the state. Mr Rodrigues also condemned the habit of the Congress leaders of converting politics into business venture and rushing to the central observers before taking any decision pertaining to the welfare of Goa. Meanwhile, Wilmix Mazzarelo told 'The Navhind Times' that the group of tiatrists - some of them having different political ideologies - has decided to support the Save Goa Front on the single issue of providing the status of the state language to Konkani in Roman script. "Mr Churchill Alemao has given us this assurance in the manifesto of SGF and our hope lies in the party," he added. Ms Patricia Pinto of the Goa Bachao Abhiyan, on the other hand reacting to the political affiliations of various factions linked to the GBA said that these different organisations are not bounded to the Abhiyan and are free to express their political preferences. These organisations came under the GBA umbrella with an honest objective to oppose the Regional Plan 2011 and were committed to take this objective to its logical conclusion. "However, the core members of the Abhiyan like myself, Dr Oscar Rebello, Ms Sabina Martins and so on would continue to follow the apolitical approach of the GBA," she added. http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=05207 ------------------------------------------------------- Goanet recommends, and is proud to be associated with, 'Domnic's Goa' - A nostalgic romp through a bygone era. This book is the perfect gift for any Goan, or anyone wanting to understand Goa. Distributed locally by Broadway, near Caculo Island, Panjim & internationally by OtherIndiaBookStore.Com. For trade enquiries contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------------------------------------
