Just a quick rebut. We are not talking about the Convention held by Toronto Goanetters. It was NOT convened by Kevin. I hope Francis Rodrigues replies to you Eddie. If I may add, I didn't see Roland at the convention. You will be surprised to know the in-fighting there. Anyway, its for Francis to provide the background.
Eugene On Mon, Nov 5, 2018 at 2:31 PM Eddie <gdig...@btinternet.com> wrote: > The IGC, held 10 years ago and convened by Kevin Saldanha, attracted Goans > from far and wide. It may have been a (qualified?) success but also seems > to > have left wounds that have not quite healed. From the emails below, you > can > see that Eugene Correia felt he did not receive the credit he deserved > while > Roland Francis has no sympathy for him. > > Of course, there are other views on the Convention. Here is an well > articulated one by Lisette Saldanha, Kevin's wife. It appeared in New > Diaspora Forum (moderated by me) on 21 August 2008. [It was also sent to > GoaNet, I understand] > Here it is (most of it): > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > As a Goan who has lived outside of Goa, but has an affection for her > homeland, I must confess that I had always heard of the Goan crab > mentality. > For example to identify with Goa, one has to have knowledge of its > history, > culture, traditions and language amongst other indicators. > > Through the convention I have learnt that Goan Identity is also prone to > evolution. Our idea of Goan identity today probably differs greatly from > that of what our ancestors four to five generations before us, might have > described it as. Hence the key to keeping our identity alive is through > communication with the next generation and building bonds and values that > endear them to their homeland. This was the main goal of the convention. > > We do this through example and transferring of knowledge. If we are proud > of > our people, our homeland, our traditions ....then our children will > reflect > the same value. > If we encourage and support our fellow Goans when they endeavor to do good > for the community, so will our children. > If we share in the success of our fellow Goans when they have worked hard > and achieved goals that will bind and promote our culture, bring awareness > to issues that are hurting our ancestral land called Goa, and provide > opportunities for our youth to explore their identity through interactive > workshops, then we have taught our children to promote harmony and growth > within our community. > > Goanet could have been a forum to promote the best in our community. > However > when the gossip and malice of 2 "broken" individuals continue to tear down > the efforts and successes of the Convention, what are we teaching our > children? > Positive feedback from much greater minds than either of these 2 > individuals > continues to be swept aside. Furthermore several delegates have written > positive testimonials of the convention and the personal effect it has > made > on their lives, only to be harassed by these small minds. > Instead of learning from their comments, and making a positive > contribution > to this forum, these 2 individuals continue to work against the flow of > progress and spread more gossip. > > By maligning and slandering the personal integrity of Kevin and myself > (without provocation), and insulting and demeaning members of our family, > what example are we showing? > The likes of Eugene Correia and Roland Francis are the epitome of the so > called crab mentality. Why are they so bitter and envious? In Eugene's own > words, he was involved with the 1988 convention, could not follow through > with his commitments and left bitter and resentful. 20 years later, Roland > Francis came on board the 2008 convention committee with many grand > promises, failed to deliver, resigned with many reasons why the convention > would never happen, and now is shamed and bitter. > > Through my own personal experiences here is my definition of crab > mentality, > which I have already shared with Roland privately. However, he still > shamelessly continues to deride the convention and give his grand opinion > after the convention has already come and gone without him!! > {Envy (also called invidiousness) may be defined as an emotion that > "occurs > when a person lacks another's superior quality, achievement, or possession > and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it."[] > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Eddie > > -----Original Message----- > From: Roland Francis > Sent: Monday, November 5, 2018 3:16 PM > To: GoaNet > Subject: Re: [Goanet] Criticism of the first International Goan Convention > This essay should be included in an English language class under the > caption: > > How to murder the English language and dissolve all its body parts, or > How to be a journalist and make your readers happy they didn’t choose to > become one, or > > Who says that a writer should make any sense, or > Writing for Indian publications can completely destroy your future > ambitions. > > Eugene could have become a successful Goa politician - all hot air and no > sense at all. > Anyone who said he has a king-sized ego was understating. I was this, I > did > this, I left this and they called me back, they promised me this and I got > that, I brought these VIPs and nobody bowed to me. > > Roland > Toronto > > > On Nov 4, 2018, at 2:29 PM, Eugene Correia <eugene.corr...@gmail.com> > > wrote: [extracts] > > > > Dear all, > > If you have my two pieces, you will know how much work I did relating to > > the hosting of the convention. I was Asst Gen. Sec of GOA at that time. > I > > had a young family... I wrote because I was hurt, and I was used and > > discarded. > > Just imagine I was the editor of the souvenir and the page Ireserved for > > my editorial piece was taken away and given to a daughter of a guy who > was > > very friendly to one of the Steering Commitee members. > > That's why I resigned from the GOA and all activities regarding the > > convention. I got Prof Moraes, Dr. Stella and Prof Jose Pereira by > getting > > Free air tickets from my contacts. The GOA didn't spend a penny. I > > arranged accommodation for two, Moraes and Pereira with friends. > > I edited The Pulse for three or four years... I brought out the 20th > > anniversary souvenir... > > I have done lot for GOA and I have earned enough respect among Toronto > > Goans, both for my social service and my journalism. I edited three > South > > Asian weeklies here, and gave lot of publicity to Goan events. > > > > Eugene Correia > >