* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 2008 Toronto International Goan Convention Theme: Goan Identity And Networking Today. http://2008goanconvention.com/index.php
Mario Miranda Festival, July 24-26, 2008 Old GMC Building http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2008-July/077732.html * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Save Goa crusader Oscar quits GBA By A Staff Reporter [EMAIL PROTECTED] PANJIM: Disparate forces with the Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) have finally forced the resignation of its convenor Oscar Rebello. Two other prominent members of the GBA, Ritu Prasad and Patricia Pinto, who represented Rebello in the Task Force to prepare the draft Regional Plan 2021, have also decided to stay away from the panel henceforth. "I can understand people from outside the GBA criticizing me," said a frustrated Rebello, "but when your own people start labelling you a sell-out, it is better to resign." The resignation is a fallout over differences over the draft Regional Plan with some groups arguing that the GBA should pull out from the Task Force. Trouble in the GBA came to the fore a few months ago when Rebello was on a foreign trip and co-convenor Sabina Martins was coerced into signing a letter stating that the GBA rejects the "methodology adopted" by the Task Force to formulate a Regional Plan. The letter was leaked to the Press. Thereafter, a vicious campaign was launched on the Internet to discredit Rebello. "I think the GBA has lost faith in me and I should resign," Rebello said. Part of the problem lies with the variety of interests in the GBA with each group pursuing individual agendas and forgetting the larger picture, sources said. One group wanted the ban on casinos to be included in the regional plan, another wanted the entire process to be restarted because it believed all the data provided by the government was manipulated. Yet another wanted the spirit of the 73rd and 74th amendment to be included in the plan. Another demand was that members of the Task Force should not sign the document until the Town and Country Plannin gAct is rescinded ... the list is endless. "How long are we going to wait for the government to change the laws?" asked Dr Rebello. "If people want to change government policy, then they should get elected to do it, not through the back door." Added to his was the complication caused by the rising demand by gram sabhas across the state for a blanket ban on mega projects, sources said. "When I suggested that we take a stand on mega projects, it was rejected," said Dr Rebello. Explaining the other issues, he said, the Regional Plan is being held back only because of the 73rd and 74th amendment. There is no precedent in the rest of India, as far as provisions pertaining to planning. "We asked the core committee to produce a document on this issue so that we could take it to the Task Force, nobody responded," Dr Rebello said. "So on the one hand, you have GBA members insisting that the spirit of these two amendments be included, on the other you have a situation where no one is willing to say how this can be accomplished." The problem faced by those who represented the GBA on the Task Force -- Rebello, Ritu Prasad and Patricia Pinto -- was that the disparate forces wanted them to behave as messengers between the GBA and the Task Force instead of active participant. "Everything has changed so much, that I can no longer articulate the concerns of the GBA," lamented Rebello. The doctor took exception to the vicious campaign launched against him by Internet-savvy members of the GBA. "They have tried to destroy my credibility," he said. -------------- Patricia, Ritu resign from Task Force too When contacted, Patricia said they had resigned from the Task Force, but would continue to be the GBA members. "We (myself and Ritu Prasad) have not resigned from the GBA. We were helping Dr Oscar on the Task Force and were authorised to attend the Task Force meetings since Dr Oscar was often pre-occupied with his profession." She said that one of the reasons for them to quit the Task Force was that the GBA had not yet arrived at a consensus to put the process of the 73rd and 74th amendments forward at the Task Force. "We did not attend the Task Force meeting held on Friday because the views we were trying to put forward were not acceptable to the GBA. We can't contribute, as there was no direction to move forward. The GBA was not agreeing to it." The GBA has to arrive to a consensus, Patricia said, adding that the GBA would meet at the Caritas Hall, St Inez, Panjim at 4 pm today, August 2, where Ritu Prasad is likely to make a presentation on Section 16 and 16A of the TCP Act. The resignation of the top three members means the GBA will have to appoint a new set of leaders to represent it on the Task Force. ENDS --------------------------------------------------------------------------- **** http://www.GOANET.org **** --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Tri Continental Film Festival 2008 July 25 - 30, 2008 Goa, India http://www.moviesgoa.org/page/tri_continental/ http://www.moviesgoa.org/tricon/schedule_2008.pdf ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
