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On Tue, 10 Apr 2007, Selma responding to Dr Helekar apropos "Desecration
of Goa's old Medical Building", wrote:
Dear Santosh,
We must simply get over the idea of thinking in terms
of "all or nothing". Let's be realistic here. Even if
we all contribute, and I assure you when push comes to
shove, you will have a minuscule minority
contributing, can a contribution or even donation
alone, sustain 43 lakhs in perpetuity for .................
--- Santosh Helekar wrote:
Dear Arnoldbab,
Excellent suggestions! Yes, the best way to restore and preserve the GMC
heritage building is to convert it into a museum. I think there might be
room in it to house, not just our scientific and medical heritage, but the
broader historical and cultural legacy as well. Perhaps, we should all
contribute to making this a reality.
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Dear Selma:
Lets never forget Goas prestige, pride, international appeal and
ultimately marketability, even in a purely commercial sense, lie deeply
embedded in its traditional history, culture, ethnicity, native dynamism as
well as laissez-faire insouciance. Hence Goas Life Blood is the
preservation whether good, bad, obsolete or vibrant of what has been handed
down through the Annals of our glorious History and blessed by our
ancestors. Many of the facets of the foregoing are manifest in our old
physical infrastructure Accordingly, we should be exceedingly proud of and
jealously guard this precious Heritage unless change is inevitably required
in appropriate circumstances.
While conceding your adroit April 10 counterpoint to Dr Helekar has
pragmatic merit quintessentially, let me emphasize we cannot entirely
ignore the obvious current erosion of a unique heritage of pristine
Indo-Iberian culture and values. This devastating phenomena apparently has
unfettered and poorly planned growth and modification among the principal
culprits to blame. Prima facie, in the interests of social justice and
public good, a contemplated deviation from tradition and extant
infrastructure should be carefully examined not only in terms of pure
Economics. Many other factors should also be given due weight. But most
importantly the Will, Conscience and Welfare of the real stakeholders, i.e.
the citizens of Goas wishes must be respected in the light Goa's viability
as a political and socio-economic entity. The Old Medical College, I
understand, was one of the prestigious cornerstones of Goa's advanced
educational system in most vital public service-related fields of Learning
and a salient determinant in Goa's Health system. Besides, I gather this
institution provided the World at large with a myriad of health providers.
If true, surely its special status as a "Sanctum Sanctorum of Scientific
Learning" should be honoured appropriately. Hence its preservation as a
significant element in the on-going integrity of the Land could be
important.
Additionally,.could any such perceived vitiation of Goas popular and
revered edifices and monuments be toxic to the cultural environment and
public morale of Goas people?.
To this end, let there be a plebiscite conducted for all important matters
such as this one polling only validly domiciled citizens. To choose from,
Resident Goans should be offered reasonable alternatives in the ballots,
including the suggestion of housing a Science Museum. Given Goa is a small
state, such polls anent important issues appear to be feasible.
Your concerns about financing the costs of creating a Museum at the Medical
College site are valid and should be addressed. Donations and even a State
Bond issue to cover the necessary outlays could provide the answer. Also
Goa's tycoons could be solicited for patronage. But probably the best source
of financial support could be non-Goan visitors to Goa. Taxing the aliens to
the maximum at every possible point will not only help the coffers of the
State to finance the preservation of heritage momuments but help keep out
the undesirables. It could also provide some additional employment to
resident Goans and relieve the locals' tax burden..
On the macro level, I agree Goa needs a regular stream of adequate revenue
to sustain its viability. In that I believe well planned, controlled and
executed Tourism activity is the goose that can lay the golden eggs of
fiscal prosperity. Furthermore, nurturing Tourism as a lucrative, employment
generating industry requires the mystic of our Monuments properly
preserved and protected in order to allure the free-spending rubberneckers.
Preliminary feasibility studies should be conducted to study all the factors
impacting the various options available and accordingly invitations extended
to experts in the fields involved to give their input.
Does the consensus opine historical and ancestral legacies have
significance in recognizing the value of our forefathers contributions to
who and what we are and how our environs are shaped today? Then it boils
down to a matter of making monuments such as this Medical Edifice either
the Dust or Darling of Goas History. After all, our History is a fact and
an indispensably treasured deja-vu of what was done right and wrong
chronologically, in particular our Medical History. Thus, as far as
possible, any change made in our status quo should be in harmony with
contemporary or prior related Events.
Hence, let's Vindicate History, not Vacate it.
Regards
Arnold
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