Further to my enquiry regarding the Gomant Vishwa Samellan in 2005, I checked the nrigoa website and saw the following names in the Advisory Committee:-
Committee Members Shri. Edgar Leo Martins, Portugal Shri. Zamir Khan, Saudi Arabia Mr. Rene Baretto, London Mr. Eddie Fernandes, U. K Humberto Rabindra Pimenta, Kuwait Victor Anthony Fernandes, Canada Victorino Pinto, Swizerland Alexander Menino, Kuwait Simon Xavier DSilva, Doha Qatar Thomas A. Pereira, USA Yvonne Pereira, Kenya Alex Wilson Coelho, Kuwait Shri. Ashok G. Bale, New York Shri. Surendra Vasant Borkar, Australia Ms. Karin Elizabeth Fernandes, Canada Maria de Lourdes Figueiredo de Albuquerque, Lisbon Shri. Joaquim DSouza, Dubai Shri. Ratikant Mandrekar, Abu Dhabi I don't know if Joaquim D'Souza attended the Dubai meet. The point here is that the the NRI Facilitation Centre could ask the above committee members to gather the complaints, grievances and problems and sent them to the centre instead of the three-member delegation making the trip to Kuwait, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. --- Here is the full report in The Emirates Evening Post. I have carried the report "as is" George, who is chief reporter, erred in making in Felicitation instead of Facilitation and misspelled Dourdo instead of Dourado. According to the website Surlakar is still a member and not ex-member. However, as Dourado explained the website has not been updated. I was quoted in the paper, but I will provide a personal viewpoint of the whole "exercise" tommorrow. I was waiting for the evening daily to be out and check what was reported. ==== Goans demand better treatment Submit list of problems to team send by state govt but expect no redress By Daniel P. George Dubai -- Even as Goans in Dubai met up with a three-member delegation of the NRI Felicitation Centre appointed by the Governot of Goa to pur out their woes at a hotel last evening, they were dismayed over the step-motherly treament meted out to them by their state government. In what turned out to be classroom-like exercise, the Goans were asked to spell out their problems to the committee comprising Brigadier (Retd) Ian D'Costa, member of the centre; Advocate Herculano Doudo, vice-chairman of the centre; and Mohandas Surlakar, ex-Member of the centre. Dourdo (instead of Dourado -- eugene) who took down the points and grievances of the Dubai Goans on paper, said he would convey to the government their problems and seek speedy redress. The Goans who attended the meeting did not seem happpy at the whole exerices even after giving voice to their problems. They were irked by way their issues were taken down on papger without any details, resitial address or where they hail from. "It was a big farce," said one Goa who did not want to be identified. They were wondering as to how this centre would address theri problems without further details and whether this was yet another shopping rip as most Indian ministers and dignitatires resort to when they visit the UAE. "There have been visits before by people to the UAE and they have come winded, dined and gone back but this is the first time a delegation reprsenting the Government has come here and we will represent your case to the government for redressal" he told those gathered. The range of problems presented by the Goans included land encroachments back home, corruption in goverment departments and a lack of direct flight to Goa from Dubai. According to Eugene Correia, "These issues have already been discussed time and again at the Gomanth Samellan held last year. All that the Goans want is a single window to address their problems when they visit their home state on a vacation." The Dubai placed on record the cheating of job seekers by unscrupulous agents, housemaids in jails, poor and jobless Goans facing a bleak future and lack of medical assistance to the poor. Dourdo assured the Goans their problems would be address icnluding a suggestion for a ferry service between Goa and Dubai due to the rising costs of air fare. Another request from a strudent was to do away with NRI quota in professional colleges and resort to merit system as the fees were too expensive for the average middle class parent. ===== __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com _____________________________________________ Do not post admin requests to the list. Goanet mailing list (Goanet@goanet.org) Help/Unsubscribe/Update your Subscription: %(user_optionsurl)s This email sent to %(user_address)s