While the NRG,s were attending a dinner hosted by the Chief Minister of Goa Mr Pratapsing Raoji Rane at the Taj Holiday Village at Sinquerim Bardez Goa which continued until late night on the first day of the three day (3- 5 January,2007 ) GLOBAL GOANS CONVENTION, the inaugural session of which was being held at Cidade de Goa in Caranzalem and other interactive sessions at the Secretariat at Porvorim; news of the resignation of the Minister for Town & Country Planning Mr Antanasio (Babush ) Monserrate trickled in.
It may be recalled that following an advertisement on the local English dailies by his spouse Ms Jennifer Monseratte , Chairperson of the North Goa District Zilla Panchayat wishing the constituents of Santa Cruz Assembly Constituency a Happy New Year 2007, Mr Monseratte had stated publicly that Ms Jennifer was in the fray for the ensuing Goa Legislative Assembly elections and would contest from the Constituency of his arch rival Ms Victoria Fernandes Deputy Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly and MLA Santa Cruz Constitutency irrespective of whether she was given the ticket by the Party or not. It was also learnt that Mr Monserate had not taken kindly to the backstabbing and diatribe resorted to by some of his Cabinet colleagues who had undisputedly signed the note sent by circulation, which included two items one amendment to the Town & Country Planning Act 1974 enhancing fees of some of the services, and another an amendment permitting the TCP authorities the powers to change any zone from one to another if any individual property owner so intended to request for such change ( not the Regional Plan 2011 as is largely made to believe ). He was also deeply annoyed by the stance of the movement against the Regional Plan 2011 notified on 10th August 2006 which made headlines since the last massive rally held on 18th December, 2006 followed by another protest at Bambolim and Taleigao post Christmas,under the GOA BACHAO ABHIYAN - save Goa Dr Oscar Rebello and several NGO's , the news on the audio visual and print media at both State and National level; finally the rebuke by His Grace the Archbishop of Goa Daman & Diu, to all the MLA's of the present coalition Government at the Christmas Celebration at Paco Patriacal Altinho -- where in the message was implicit that it was Monseratte alone who was the " MONSTER RAT behind the Regional Plan 2011" which portends to change not only natures gift to India's tiny State of Goa but also destroy further the demographic composition of this State before the turn of the decade. Interestingly this move of the resignation comes at a time when South Goa strong man Churchill Alemao the MP from South Goa has been sending feelers to the High Command that he and loyal Congress party members are not too happy of the functioning of the Congress Party in Goa to the extent that they have been going against the aspirations of the masses. However it is certain that as of now Mr Monserate will NOT resign as MLA as confirmed by this writer from close quarters and therefore the move is seen as tactful to turn the apple cart against his detractors in the Cabinet. It is now left to be seen what the Rane government intends to do -- whether throw out the RP 2011 in the dust bin as demanded by the VOX POPULI or screen for areas of dissension and reformulate the RP without throwing away the RP 2011 as was the stance adopted by him ever since the turmoil broke out. The Deputy CM Dr Wilfred De Souza however made it explicitly clear to this writer in a brief chat at tea time at Porvorim during the interactive session of the Global Goans Convention that the Regional Plan 2011 was never ever discussed at the Cabinet meet and he has gone through all minutes of such meet and there was none ever in the past year and half since the Government came to power on 2nd February, 2005 / 7 th June 2005 after a brief interlude of Governor's rule. He also voluntereed to show this writer the same in his chamber to confirm his repeated statement both as Dy C.M and NCP chief in Goa. It is therefore clear that there will not be any immediate problems to the coalition Government though speculation is rife of fresh permutations and combinations. Surprisingly Ministers Digamber Kamat Mr Joaquim Alemao Mr Subhash Shirodkar were present for the dinner at Sinquerim but were oblivious of what was in store until they got wind of it through some sources. The CM was however unfazed and entertained guests until 11.38 p.m. before he left the venue just before zero hours. GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES, BORDA, MARGAO, 403 602, GOA. (INDIA) +91 98221 58584 (24 HRS) [EMAIL PROTECTED] Send free SMS to your Friends on Mobile from your Yahoo! Messenger. Download Now! http://messenger.yahoo.com/download.php
