Dear Mr Paresekar - CM of Goa, The following article in Herald is self-explanatory.
Your decisions re Casinos as well as that of former CM Parrikar's are very detrimental to Goa and Goans. Not only promotion of Casinos have serious environmental consequences but are also a very harmful social evil to Goan society. Could you advise us what are the Goa Government's measures to support people who have gambling addictions so that we can provide these to those addicted to gambling and their families . We see the harmful effects in our community due to addiction to gambling in casinos and how it's damaging the families and society.As you are responsible for running the Government you need to provide these services to fight addiction to gambling. Awaiting a reply from you in this regard as CM of Goa. Sincerely, Roger D'Souza Parsekar does full U-turn on Parrikar’s casino re-location policy Parrikar had called decision to park casinos beyond Panjim limits an eye wash; Yet Parsekar govt transfers license to Royal Floatel without relocation policy in place; Adds to casino activity on Mandovi waters without gaming commission and regulation By *TEAM HERALD* | 06 May, 2015, PANJIM: The Laxmikant Parsekar-led coalition government has bypassed senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s contentions on casinos and granted ‘in principle’ approval to M V Royale Floatel cum casino. Parrikar had not only described the move to move the casinos out of Panjim by the then Congress government as an ‘eyewash’, he had also targeted the Digambar Kamat government for illegally issuing casino licenses singling out Casino Royale, owned by High Street Entertainment Pvt Ltd for illegal operations’, in a press conference held on February 25, 2009. He had even threatened to file a criminal complaint against the government and the casino owner for the illegalities and corruption in allotting licenses to casinos. “BJP will not take all this lying down and file criminal complaints against the illegalities and corruption in allotting licenses to the casinos,” Parrikar had said at a press conference, where he had also said that the cabinet decision to move the casino vessels one nautical mile away from Panjim was “an eyewash”. The in-principle approval of the transfer of license of Deltin M V Caravela to Deltin M V Royal Floatel with the condition that the vessel cannot be plied in the river Mandovi has been given. But it was Mr Parrikar, then opposition leader and then chief minister who had mocked at the seriousness of the Congress government when it had taken the decision to move casinos beyond Panjim’s city limits. Parrikar had said “Panjim does not end at Kala Academy and is further up till Miramar beach. The government is now trying to move it towards Verem bay and say it is one nautical mile from the city.” Sensing the soft peddling on the issue of moving the casinos out of the Mandovi waters, something that none of the casinos are willing to do, Deltin Pleasure Cruise Company Private Limited, which belongs to Delta Corporation Ltd, has asked the state government to identify the location where they can ply the M V Royal Floatel and start operations or else allow them to operate in river Mandovi till the government relocation policy is finalized. It is also significant to note that Parsekar had said earlier, “MV Floatel, is not a casino but only moors with the permission of the captain of ports.” There is no official confirmation of this though industry sources state that there will be a casino – albeit a small one – on board. Even Parrikar , when he subsequently became chief minister sang a less belligerent tune and in spite of a cabinet decision to shift the casinos out of the Mandovi in 2012-13, the government didn’t come up with a relocation plan. The new chief minister Parsekar completed the U turn dramatically, by sympathizing with casino owners. He said shortly after becoming CM, “These casinos were not given (license) during the tenure of the BJP government tenure. But we can’t ditch those who have invested. We are considering them sympathetically. I don’t even know who all own the casinos,” Parsekar said. The cabinet decision to shift the offshore casino vessels out of river Mandovi was taken by Parrikar’s government in 2012-13. The government had initially proposed to provide a site at Aguada to these vessels, but the proposal did not move forward. Parrikar, when in opposition, was of the firm view that the offshore casino vessels be out of river Mandovi and not just few nautical miles from Panjim. As they say, time and tide wait for no one. And Parsekar certainly hasn’t waited long in giving a comfortable breathing time to MV Floatel and others to be honourable guests on our Mandovi waters. On Tue, May 5, 2015 at 6:07 PM, Stephen Dias <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Sabina/ROGER > > It appears that Parsekar Government is sleeping over Casinos issue. > Nothing can be done when somebody is sleeping. It is easy to wake up a > person when sleeping and not pretending to sleep.. > Nothing is working well in Goa. Even a simple fugitive cannot be found by > the Goa Police. Delhi hotels and Defense colonies have been searched? > Bailancho Saad must search this fugitive not in Delhi but in Goa itself > perhaps must be hiding or gambling in Casinos at River Mandovi and > earning what he has lost his salary? > I still feel that one fine day he will be present at the Court Room or > Crime Branch. Than whole episode will be closed. Why we should waste our > time. It is a Government issue. Let them break their HEAD. It is a shame, > when the Court has given their verdict and steel not surrendering? > GOA NAME. IS GONE AND MUST BE CHANGED INTO GOMANTAK AS ADELMO SUGGESTED. > > stephen dias > Senior Citizen of Goa. > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > E.C.A. DIAS > Retired as TO (E-1) > Former Scientist A-1 and Leader of GOD/INSTRUMENTATION Group > CSIR- National Institute of Oceanography > Dona Paula-Goa 403004 > Email: [email protected] > Tel" 0832-2452915 ( Res) > Mob: (0) 9422443110 > > On 5 May 2015 at 06:36, roger dsouza <[email protected]> wrote: > >> BAILANCHO SAAD >> SF4, Goa Housing Board Complex,Journalist colony ,Porvorim-Goa >> >> Tel 2410864 Email *[email protected] <[email protected]>* >> >> >> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >> >> 4th May 2015 >> >> PRESS RELEASE >> >> >> >> Bailancho Saad strongly objects to the decision of the government to >> bring in more casinos as reported in the press and has decided to resist >> all attempts to take the casinos into the rivers of Goa. >> >> >> At the Saturday meeting, the casino issue was deliberated at length, >> where it was pointed out that the Government had promised to phase out the >> casinos by this year end and no casino would be allowed in river Mandovi. >> The government has not only allowed the casinos to continue but also >> facilitated bigger casinos replacing the smaller ones, thus cheating the >> people of Goa. >> >> >> Bailancho Saad took stock of the increasing rate of casino related >> crimes, the latest being the murder of a gambler. Casinos seriously affect >> the law and order of the state, with the police machinery unable to stem >> related crimes like drugs and prostitution. >> >> >> Casinos have been wrongly promoted stating that they are creating >> employment for the locals. The large scale removal of local workers from >> the casinos and mass recruitment from outside the state speaks for itself. >> To consolidate its base in Goa, initially local people were recruited, but >> now more and more local workers are being pushed out. The government has no >> control over the affairs and the promised Commission has not seen the light >> of the day to check illegalities. >> >> >> The casinos continue to pollute the rivers and people have fallen sick >> eating the sewage contaminated fish from Mandovi. People cannot enter the >> waters of Mandovi as many develop rash with the contaminants. >> >> >> The meeting resolved that NO casinos will be allowed in the inland rivers >> of Goa and will resist all attempts of the government to do so. The People >> from villages have demonstrated their power when the casino was shunted out >> of River Sal. The casinos are now parked in River Mandovi due to the past >> and present local MLAs and governments who receive party funds from casinos. >> >> >> Bailancho Saad calls upon the people to be alert and start awareness >> campaigns in their areas. >> >> >> >> Bailancho Saad demands from the government to scrap all casinos and >> honour the promises made during elections. >> >> >> Sabina Martins >> >> For Bailancho Saad >> >> >> >> > >
