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The International Film Festival Goa 2004 began on 29th November, 2004 and is now nearing to a grande finale on 9th December, 2004. During these days this writer took the opportunity to question every segement of the society. The a) labourers, who toiled to put in place the infrastructue. b) the architects engineers who conceptualised every detail of the edifice that has been put in place, c) those directly connected and those indirectly connected with the activities of IFFI, d) the delegates of the Directorate of Film Festival Ministry of Information and Broadcasting e) the autorickshaw two wheeler the four wheeler driver the bus owners and their staff, the hawkers who have been shifted from within the periphery of the Old GMC, the people from as far as Sanquelim Valpoi and Canacona who witnessed the events outside INOX and KALA Academy. The foreigners, the news media personnel from North south East and west of India. Those that had reason to criticise the highhandedness of the Government in taking the law for granted and several others. One thing came out clearly of which some expressed it openly while others confessed it discreetly ----that it is not the BJP Government but it is just one individual ----Mr Manohar Parrikar --- who happens to be the Chief Minister of Goa or the Chairman of Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation that deserves the whole hearted and singular credit for the success of IFFI Goa 2004 The reasons attributed for this are that a) he has changed the mindset and made people believe that that an infrastructure can be put into place in the shortest time -----if one makes full use of the modern tools ----observes a proper organisation and methods ----and above all ---has the will determination to achieve these targets b) that with this kind of infrastructure in place the quality of tourists arriving in the State will be high, no doubt there will -- be droves of tourists at the next festivity ----if the infrastructure and other amenities improve with the same pace c) that with the kind of renovation witnessed of the Old GMC complex which has surpassed the imaginations of many there is a guarantee that conservation of historical places will definitely recieve the attention they merit d) that with "time as the essence for all projects" whether it is the "cable stayed bridge at Aldona" "the Canacona state of art Bus terminus" the "part construction of the city bus terminus in Panaji, cost over runs which has plagued every project in Goa in 17 years of Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party rule, 19years of Congress rule whether it is the Colvale Bridge the Selaulim Dam the Anjunem Canal the Tillari project the Betul - Cabo de Ram bridge the Zuari bridge etc etc will henceforth be a thing of the past. e) that the infrastructure will in it self necessitate the induction of new skills and hence opportunities for Goans to acquire these skills to man them viz; the film industry or the entertainment industry at large f) that the message is loud and clear that Goa and Goans given the right quality of leadership dynamism and a workaholic attitude can catapult this State as a model for the rest of the country. When the embers of IFFI Goa die down history will record that there was in Goa ----a man who plainly speaking believed in " simple living but high thinking " and could change the face of a city ---in the shortest span of time -- this was the concluding views that came from none other than the foreign delegates and the Indian film personalities. But the points scored in favour were not without views of dissent the biggest is that a) Mr Parrikar should learn to take criticism in his stride constructively and not ride rough shod over those that differ with his views b) Mr Parrikar should realise that it is the bureaucracy, the archaic rules in the revenue, town and country planning department, the planning development authorities, the municipal and village panchayat rules, that " he could overlook or take for granted that permission was given " that made things easier for him to meet the time schedules while the citizens suffer harrasments at the hands of the bureaucracy. But these dissenters are prepared to overlook this now that he has reconciled to agree that it was infact the continuous criticism that kept him on his toes and gave him tense moments which eventually saw him through and that he himself has admitted to certain shortcomings e.g the traffic snarls inconvenience to local residents around the IFFI Goa venue Therefore there is unanimity on one point that Mr Manohar Gopalkrishna Prabhu Parrikar despite thise shortcomings deserves to be conferred the "PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD" by the Government of India the media and other institutions that reckon such splendid works. There is also unanmity from some of his party workers that this writer contacted to ascertain their views that the auspices moment to confer this title could be on 13th December which happens to be his 49th birth anniversary, or at a later date on 19th December, 2004 Goa Liberation Day or 26th January, 2005 Republic Day. from the Kala Academy (Dinanath Mangueshkar Hall) Godfrey J I Gonsalves Borda Margao Goa [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! India Matrimony: Find your life partner online Go to: http://yahoo.shaadi.com/india-matrimony
