One might suspect Pedro Alphonso D'Souza Fernandes Dacosta Pereira was a whole community, but in reality he is a single Goan. He has the honor of founding the 100th Non-Resident Goan group in the last 10 days and has just annouced this NRG group on 27 different Goan cyber-forums (please contact him if you know of more than 27 Goan forums so he can expand the announcement).
I had the opportunity to chat with Pedro and asked him with a name like that, are you sure you are Goan? Not sure he said, but he vaguely recalls growing up in the West and his parents urged him to "Go on Pedro", trying to motivate him in life. "Goan Pedro" is how he was referred to in high school, hence his affinity for Goa. When he heard of the latest fad to hit Goa - start a NRG goan group - he decided he would join the bandwagon. When did you last visit Goa I asked him. Never, he replied, like most of the other NRGs. Isn't Goa south of Japan, and east of Spain, he inquired. Yes, I replied, so is Singapore, Malaysia and a few other places too. What is your agenda and aims for your NRG group, I asked him. None as of yet came his reply. I want to be like all the other NRG groups: make grand annoucements without the slightest clue of what we want to do. He added he also wanted free meals at the next Goa govt. NRI [sic] Gomantak Sammelan and freeload like the others. He would also like a free pass to the next IFFI. "What can Goa do for me", that's what he thinks NRGs should ask. Never mind what they can do FOR Goa, since they have not lifted a finger in the past and don't intend to now. However, Pedro insists, he is going to break the apron-strings with the Catholic church and will not invite a priest to the inauguration of his group. This will promote communal harmony, a secular move he added. I support communal harmony, he went on, even if I have done nothing in my life to promote it. In fact, I must be Goan he explained since I joined many thousand others in protesting the recent communal riots while watching re-runs of American Idol on TV. Why don't you get your NRG group to promote communal harmony in Goa, I suggested - that is a worthwhile aim. Yes, Pedro agreed but that would mean giving up 'Desperate Housewives' re-runs on TV too. So now you know the truth. Regards, George
