Gilbert Lawrence: So Fred, whom shall we believe? Should we have faith in the wishful-thinking (official statistics) of the Goa government and the banks; or the fallacies presented by reporters ani dusrem Goenkars? :=))
In fact as I read your own report, there is "under-reporting of income". Similarly foreign exchange EARNINGS reflect the money foreigners change for rupees to spend locally. It does not reflect money that Indians change "for frivolous purposes like a holiday abroad. Besides, the earnings go not to the State BUT TO PRIVATE POCKETS" (caps mine). I am glad you made both statements. The first reflects expendable income by natives and the second is exactly what we and native Goans should want. Or do you really want the money to go to the gorrment? Of course when tourists spend and then after the natives get the money, they pay tax on it every time they keep spending it. Like Georg Simmel said, "When money stops moving, it is no longer money." I am only analyzing Fred's post because by any standard his posts about Goa are more intelligent and level-headed. Pun tho khoro-niz Goenkar murre! :=)) By nature, Goenkars are naysayer(s) and pessimists. Goan cyberspace is becoming a bullhorn to allow us / Goenkars to complain ani complain under the guise of free-speech. Are we serving the long-term good of our Goan society with this approach? So giving us the luxury and amplifier for 'lagao bathi' is perhaps one of our problems and encourages our 'gloomy-Gus' nature. :=)) I look forward to some pensive responses as well as 'lagao bathi'. :=)) Please do not disappoint me. :=)) Regards, Frederick Noronha: We need to accept that a whole lot of statistics churned out of Goa are based on wishful thinking. ..... When we asked tourism officials as to how exactly they arrived at the figures of tourism arrivals some time back, they were hard-pressed to give an answer. These are just guestimates (often, exaggerations) which after being repeated on many occasions, get life of their own. Earnings from tourism, in an economy which has so much under-reporting, untaxed incomes and a grey-market economy, is speculative at best or a gross exaggeration. To talk about Goa's "foreign exchange" earnings is misleading too. Foreign exchange was a valuable commodity in the past; not any more, you can get it easily even for frivolous purposes like a holiday abroad. Besides, the "earnings" go not to the State but to private pockets. FN Philip Thomas: Not so fast! The Seminar issue is dated NOVEMBER 2004. Hence the material predates IFFI/SFX. The estimate of a Rs 500 cr increase in tourist FX earnings over the "average" figure of previous years (not the actual for 2003-04) may be based on projected increases in tourist arrivals in Goa based perhaps on international trends etc. It would be premature to ascribe the increase in FX earnings to IFFI/SFX and conclude about good ROI from it. Gilbert Lawrence: Can someone tell us why the 500 crore INCREASE in foreign exchange THIS fiscal year? And how much has translated into increased state tax receipts? This 500 crore (increase) is into Goa's local economy spent by tourists' consumers at the retail level. And of course this does not include the tourist expenditures by Indians / non-foreigners who visit Goa. They are reported / estimated to be 60% of Goa's tourists. We are told this year, IFFI and SFX exposition cost the Goa government 125 crore (75 + 50). By my calculations, and I hope the accountants come to the same conclusions, that is some pretty good 'return on investment' for native Goans. Please educate me otherwise. I am all ears.
