------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | New on Goanet's website's A&E section - http://www.goanet.org | | Book in Review: A Kind of Absence - Joao da Veiga Coutinho | | POEM: SUSEGAAD - Cynthia Gomes James | | http://www.goanet.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=216 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is no secret that political representatives in Goa (MLAs, even a current MP) have looted the public treasury. There are no official statistics on these matters given the nature of the activity, but I doubt more than 15% of allocated public expenditures go to the project, 85% fill politicans' pockets. Given this scenario it is difficult to be optimistic about Goa's future since in a globalized world, including the tourism sector, it is important to be cost effective. How can Goa compete when only 15% is actually spent on the project, making each project 7 times more expensive.
Take for example the IFFI scam. Kala Academy was supposedly upgraded at a cost of several crores. The seats were upholstered and the place painted. Nothing else changed inspite of several crores spent, except money transferred from the public treasury to the politicans. In addition, the multi-complex was built at several times the cost of such structures. Under the guise of culture and tourism, IFFI robbed the taxpayer. And that is only one scam of many currently in Goa. Regards, George
