GFDO PRESS STATEMENT Pointing out that actions speak louder than words, GFDO expressed disappointment with Dabolim MLA Mauvin Godinho and Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco, who are making political capital of the Airport imbroglio and other contentious issues that have been causing much anguish and distress to Goan citizens, now that Assembly elections are round the corner.
GFDO said that before pontificating to the authorities and telling them to “find a solution” to Dabolim Airport’s parking problem, Mauvin Godinho should first do his own duty as an elected representative of the people and confirm if it was not he himself who is the root cause of this problem by playing a key role in getting the land that was allocated for its city side facilities denotified. Since Sy. 8/1, now in the hands of a commercial builder, was denotified by the authorities, on Mauvin Godinho’s firm assurance of the existence of alternate land of 70,000 square metres, ostensibly available opposite the airport, (minutes of Meeting held on February 14th, 2011), it is the duty of the Dabolim MLA to solve the Airport parking problem by identifying to the authorities his assured 70,000 sq. ms of land based upon which Dabolim tragically lost its notified parking space. Mr. Godinho has also been misleading the people by insisting that Dabolim Airport will remain operational even if Mopa Airport comes up, although aviation expert reports have declared the unviability of having two airports for Goa, given the low density air traffic of the State and available figures that point to a steep decline in incoming tourists to Goa. In April 2013, Nuvem MLA Mickky Pacheco had declared in the Legislative Assembly “I will not just be addressing public meetings. I will be on the street with people from South Goa. The state government has no justification to go ahead with the Mopa airport, when a similar facility is being constructed in Maharashtra's Chippi. So why do we need Mopa airport?" However in the three years that have passed since then, Mr. Pacheco has distinguished himself by his resounding silence on this and other critical issues that have been plaguing not only his constituents but Goa and Goans during the term of this intransigent government that he continues to faithfully support. Mr. Pacheco needs to clarify why he was silent for three years now, while the Mopa Airport project was bulldozed through by the same government he has been loyally supporting against the interests of his own constituents in particular and Goa and Goans in general. Now he claims that he is giving the Government three months to fulfill his demands including scrapping of the Mopa Airport project. However, after this latest outburst, given his past track record, there is every likelihood that he may relapse into silence once again after the elections and extend support to his old partner the BJP if he is elected. GFDO said that it was apparent that these MLAs’ loyalties appeared to be oriented more towards the BJP rather than their own constituents and voters. Now that political testing time was nearing, they had resorted to once again drawing on emotive issues in an endeavour to fill their vote banks. GFDO strongly condemns the intensive, complete and blatant sell out of Goa by the BJP state government as can be seen by the Mopa mega land scam, RP 2021, the draconian Investment Promotion Board that supersedes all rules and laws, as well as the brazen Defence land grab being conducted shockingly with the connivance of a Goan Defence Minister and the assault on our beloved coconut tree. All these attacks on Goa will push the State to economic collapse, environmental disaster and result in the total marginalization of our traditional communities whom it is our duty to support and protect. GFDO appeals to Goans to closely examine the performance of these two and all the other MLAs who are directly or indirectly collaborating and supporting this unresponsive, dictatorial and uncaring BJP government with its anti Goan policies. Now that Goa is on the threshold of Assembly elections, GFDO urges Goans not to be taken in by empty words and promises. Goa is our home and our motherland. We cannot permit it to be ruthlessly used and exploited to fulfill political ambitions and to fill political coffers. For GOANS FOR DABOLIM ONLY Fr. Eremito Rebello Convenor
