One who has participated in the agitation against the Morjim deal where a large track of beach property has been fraudulently purchased by a couple of foreigners with a Goan partner with the help of the so called authorities and because of which the much talked about bad blood against foreigners is displayed, I would like to make my, as well as my party's position as its spokesperson, clear on this vexed issue.
1. We are not against anyone, least against any foreign national/s who is/are legimately in Goa and doing business or hold landed property/s in Goa legitimately. As and when this party comes to power, it will reverse such detrimental policies to minimise the present run on Goa and Goans by the world at large in the name of development and Global amity. We believe that, first and foremost, CHARITY STARTS AT HOME. 3. I further say that such individual/s need not burden themselves with worry about their well being in Goa since Goans, by nature are very hospitable people, the said hospitality having been runNing in their veins from times immemorial. 4. But this is only limited to those foreign and non-Goan GUESTS who are legit in their property acquisition and running of their respective businesses with due regard to existing laws, rules and regulations. 5. Those individual only, who have been CONNIVING with the authorities and/or politicians, either local or central, NEED BE WORRIED . Goans have come to a stage where they have become tired of HYENAS taking advantage of their hospitality by taking it for granted for far too long. 3. I have posted a detailed write-up of the provisions of the law as it exists in Goa, from the horse's mouth, as it were, coming from the retired, upright State Registrar who has not only given the factual position of the law but also the suggestive remedies to make the laws more perfect, respectable and GOACENTRIC. It will be up to our country's politicians and the houses of Legislatures to take heed and come out with corrective measures for the benefit of all besides taking good measures to severely punish the guilty who have been getting away with murders. 4. Those foreign nationals who may wallow in self pride that they are enriching Goa and Goans with their illicit trades like DRUGS, PROSTITUTION, Paedophilia and such like are not only not welcomed in Goa, but must take cognizance of the widely displayed mood of Goans and leave pronto if they do not want to be targetted. 5. This warning is equally applicable to our local politicians, bureaucrats and policemen who have gotten away with bending the laws rules and regulations for their own benefit. 5. Foreign individuals who are looking at the shining face of the sun in Goa need not remind us that Goans and Indians are also ripping benefits of the liberal policies in their own countries of origin and that we Goans must reciprocate. We know to what extent it is so. We have read the books to the extent of committing them to memory. I want to remind our legitimate and not so legimitate guests to spare us the details. 6. When Goa has opened itself up for tourism, I, and especially my party have amply realised why it is so. More than half the tourist economy is channellised into the private pockets of politicians, bureaucrats and policemen, leaving as exception hardly a minuscule entity, where tourism has been looked upon as a Milch cow. Just one look at Calangute and Candolim will give one an excellent picture. This party does not want this happening to the pristine beaches and beach fronts of North Goa i.e. Morjim etc. and wants to reverse all this madness, tourists or no tourists, for it takes a sane mind to realise that this madness of tourism related development where foreigners and outsiders are pampered to the extent that they are considered as GODS, will only make a DHARAVI out of our immaculate and pristine beaches and beach fronts and render these unserviceable and spoilt forever in a few years to come. This must and will STOP with proper and sane PLANNING RESTORED. Or else, we Goans will be ultimately left holding this dirty baby with foreigners and outsiders taking flight having made maximum use of us until the last. floriano goasuraj ----- Original Message ----- From: "Goa Desc" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2006 9:25 PM Subject: [Goanet] Foreigners in Goa say negative attitude may reduce investment flow > by Joaquim Fernandes > > The raging controversy over the purchase of land in Goa by foreigners > and the accompanying anti-foreigner sentiment may reduce the inflow > of valuable foreign exchange and also affect tourism in the state, feel > some of the foreigners who have complied with the laws and invested > large sums of money in Goa. > > "We feel disappointed. Instead of being made to feel welcome, everybody > is making us feel like we did something wrong," said Mr David, an > Englishman, who has bought a bungalow worth Rs 37 lakh in Candolim > and has lived there with his wife for the last two years. > > The Davids are both an extendable visas and intend to live in Goa > permanently. They said they had complied with the rules; the Foreign > Exchange Management Act, the Reserve Bank of India guidelines > and even registered themselves with the local police. > > "The more people buy in Goa, the more tourism will grow. It will make > Goa a more popular destination," said Mr David. The Davids have > hired a private tutor to teach them Hindi. > > The answer to why foreigners want to settle in Goa is largely the > same. "Lovely people, beautiful weather, comparatively low cost > of living because of the relative big difference between the English > pound and the Indian rupee," said another Englishman, William > (name changed). A retired fire-officer from London, he bought land > and built his house in Candolim. He lives there with his wife > (and four cats) for the last about three-and-half years. > > "We do not run a business," said William. "We only spend. > We invest a lot of lakhs in this country every month. We get > no income from India. What worries me is the amount of > anti-foreigner sentiment that has been generated because > of the controversy. It is wrong to lump all foreigners together." > > He said billions of English pounds are pouring into Goa because > foreigners are buying property here. But the fear factor could > cause a downslide, he said. > > Unlike Mr David, who said that no one had yet bothered him, > William said he had been called some vile names in Goa. But he > was certain that it was only "a small two per cent who are whipping > up this sentiment". He said he loved Goa and India. > > "I have more Goan friends than British friends," said Mr John > Gibb Kelly, a retired Scotsman, who has lived in Calangute for > the last three years. He is now financing the construction of a > 16-bungalow resort in Siolim estimated to cost over Rs 1 crore. > > Said Mr Kelly, "Millions of Indians and Pakistanis are in the UK. > They buy property, homes, businesses, etc. They have the money, > they buy. There are no restrictions. In fact, one of the most > successful businessmen in the UK is Mr Mittal, the steel tycoon." > > Similar sentiments were expressed by William who said he can > never aspire to have a voice in Indian politics, be it the panchayat > or the Parliament, while Indians were enjoying the privilege in the UK. > > Mr Kelly was empathic that if any foreigners have wilfully violated > the laws while buying land in Goa, they should be punished along > with the local persons who have sold them the land. Mr Kelly said > that his project has employed lots of Goan workmen and once > complete, will offer jobs to more Goan youth. > > He explained the present controversy philosophically. "When the > hippies first came to Goa and you started renting rooms to them, > it was inevitable that Goa would change. When a change like that > happens, the old values go and new values take their place. You > can't turn back the clock. You got to take the bad with the good. > Tourism changes a place irrevocably," said Mr Kelly. > > Though the controversy has touched a raw nerve, the foreigners > are not running away yet. But if there was anything untoward, > any incident of violence, it could "wreck the market" as William > put it. It would be bad if Goa were to lose all the foreigners and > their contribution to the local economy, he said. > --------------------------------------------- > The Navhind Times 19/7/06 page 1 _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
