Like his previous recordings, FN gave people like myself, thousands of miles away from an event, the opportunity to be close to it.
But again like his previous recordings, he makes no effort to start out with any structure or by enlightening listeners with a suitable introduction. You are pretty much left to your own devices to understand who's who in the presentation and their backgrounds, much less putting in context their roles in whatever took place. This time there was a little saving grace. Questioners and attendees were made to introduce themselves at the fag end, helping to clear the smog a little. To encapsulate, FN is so much in the thick of things that he takes for granted that listeners are too, so no favours are done to them via the normal courtesies. Aside from that rant of mine, Skip's voice was loud, clear and authoritative. That was a good thing since the rest of the people including FN mostly mumbled while spitting out their thoughts, Goan style. Informal though it was meant to be, arre baba, other people not present are interested in what you are saying. Skip's book promises to be interesting because during the time he talked about, he was close to the action and does not lack the boldness required of an investigative reporter. More's the pity he was not or could not be supported by his newspaper The Nation. Who knows what good could have come of a strong press, supported by the opposition at home and by Britain abroad. What am I saying? Britain's interests were actually furthered by the thugs in power Jomo Kenyatta and Idi Amin. And America happy that socialism and communism were kept at bay, were quite happy to provide the immoral compass. Immoral, because anytime the elite is favoured over the vast citizenry, no good can come of it. Skip could have have to face some tough questions if his audience had either done some homework or exhibited some mental keenness. One question I found worthy: If the Goans in Africa had pitted themselves on the black African side, would they have been more welcomed in a free country. The answer was correctly and unanimously given by all. A resounding NO. It's an obvious answer but the question itself has interesting facets. Could the Goans whose livelihood and existence in Africa was owed in totality to the British colonialists, really oppose the latter? Can one really say that those fractured countries could be depended on to remember the Goan contribution to their development. Could Goans really be happy in countries with corrupted, impulsive and often ignorant leadership. Would Goans not have lost their opportunities to have pioneered their societies in western democracies where their prosperity was proved assured if they had remained back for too long. Skip's book plays an important part in the telling of the history of the countries the Goans made home and thought they would never have to leave. In that sense they were betrayed. In other countries, for example in the Middle East, they knew where they stood. But then again, if you knew that you treated your real hosts as an inferior class while you had it good, what returns could you expect once the British - your masters (and overlords of the Black Africans) left, as leave they must. But I doubt that Goan history in East Africa will hold any memories for future Goan generations. The ones who lived there had it good but they did nothing remarkable to be remembered. In their own personal family histories, I hope their stay in East Africa will be gratefully remembered for the fact it enabled them to immigrate to countries that were advanced and which they could call their own. Other than that, one day to Skip's own grandchildren, Pio Gama Pinto and Fritz De Souza will probably be meaningless and alien names. Roland Francis Toronto.
