Dear Mr./Mrs./Miss GOACAN, I have read your call for reviewing the decision of keeping Goa as the Permanent venue for the IFFI, and I have a few points for your consideration in your consequential/inconsequential review process.
Whether we have a serious Film Culture in Goa or not (I highly doubt it), I have always been in favour of Goa hosting the IFFI since the conception of the plan. Put succinctly, my reasons are largely for the infrastructural and economic spin-off benefits that I PRESUME will come along with the IFFI over the years. Last I read (and this was a few years ago), Goa's contribution to the central kitty was around 2500 crores, 55% of which was being generated by tourism and the rest by the iron ore industry (which is steadily declining) and other industries. Tourism is set to contribute around 75% of our earnings in the future. Via the illogical Gadgil formula, we get only around 300-350 crores back for our development (which is why some Goan Lusophiles now call us "economic slaves" of India). The 2004 IFFI cost around 200 crores (fully borne by Goa) BUT, was a one time investment. (Neglect the amount involved in corruption by the BJP for the moment, as 200 crores is easily the entire net worth of a certain single Congressman from south Goa.) The 200 crore's involved 120 crores (not sure) of infrastructural development, which was not only beneficial to the IFFI delegates, but was beneficial to the citizens throughout the year. (Yes, yes I know about the absence of a drainage system on the Campal road) So I do not consider that amount as part of IFFI investment for my amateur in-my-mind cost-benefit analysis. Annually, about 5-10 crores is alloted for the IFFI by the Goan Government. My prediction is that if ESG can successfully market IFFI as a serious tourist attraction, the economic benefits will cover the costs mentioned above. Add to that the infrastructural benefits that the Goans can enjoy for the rest of the year. Already, 10,000 tourists are expected daily during the festival. Air fares and Bus ticket prices to Goa are already 20-50% higher than the normal prices during the festival. Somewhere down the line, they may even come close to the prices during Christmas-New Years, ie, 100-200% higher! This is a good indicator. The standard argument against the IFFI is that the money can be better spent on health infrastructure and other amenities. No doubt. But if this is an investment, there is no reason why we should not invest. Besides, what is stopping the Government from focussing on the health infrastructure now that the IFFI investment is minimal in comparison to the annual budget? My knowledge on the Goa Regional Plan 2011 is minimal for me to make any comment. But I did skim through an article by Nandkumar Kamat that got me worried. A disclaimer, most of the figures I mentioned above were off the top of my head, mostly from recollecting articles I read a long time ago. I could be very wrong, so please correct me if so. Also, if anyone has done a serious cost-benefit analysis of the IFFI, especially the many folks on Goanet who are closley associated with the IFFI, please do let me know. Cheers, Aristo. On 11/26/06, Goacan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > The Goa Civic and Consumer Action Network (GOACAN) demands for the review > of the Government decision to make Goa a permanent venue for the > International > Film Festival of India (IFFI) and calls upon citizens to debate on > this issue and push > for a stand in the forthcoming Panchayat and Assembly elections. > > ...... > GOACAN is deeply concerned that while the Municipalities and the > Panchayats lack the > basic infrastructure like proper markets, public transport system, > good drainage, waste management, > adequate public toilets, basic & effective health care system, > electricity & water, lakhs of rupees > of tax payers money is being spent to prop up Goa as a permanent > venue for IFFI. > > ...... > In view of this, GOACAN calls upon citizens to discuss in their > respective Village Gramsabhas > the linkages between the remodeled Goa Regional Plan 2011 which has > specifically created > scope for the Rich and Famous of the country to consider Goa as their > personal playground > for which land is being allocated for New Townships with luxurious > condos, club houses, malls, > golf courses, Five Star Hotels & Casinos and the money bags > associated with making Goa > the permanent venue for IFFI. > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/attachments/20061127/a2571a9e/attachment.htm ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Goanet supports BMX, the alumni network of Britto's, St Mary's and Xavier's -- three prominent institutions in Mapusa, Goa. Events scheduled from Dec 16 to 21, 2006 For more details visit http://www.bmxgoa.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------
