Meet on global Goans may shift base: Eduardo BY HERALD REPORTER
PANJIM, OCT 16 - NRI Affairs Commissioner Eduardo Faleiro on Tuesday said that the annual Global Goan Convention (Gomant Vishwa Samelan) might not be held in Goa in future as several non-resident Goan organisations across the world are willing to host the event at different places.
Disclosing this at a press conference at the Secretariat, the former Union Minister of State for External Affairs said that the organisations sought financial support to host these conventions and their active participation.
"The Goan community in Portugal held its convention in Lisbon in June last for which the authorities had sanctioned 5,000 euros as grant," he said.
The State NRI Department will also provide some financial support to the conference on ''Goan diaspora - between the home and the host'', to be held on December 15, in New Delhi.
The conference will be conducted by ''Goenkarncho Ekvot'', a Goan organisation based in the national capital.
Faleiro further said that the department had decided to offer Rs 3 lakh financial aid to one such convention each year. Such conventions however, should be held on a rotational basis in different continents and in a country with significant NRG population, he added.
The organisation should be recommended by the Indian Embassy or the office of the High Commission in that country and a detailed programme should also be approved for its successful conduct, Faleiro pointed out.
"Such an event in Goa can be held on the eve of Christmas or New Year as it would allow NRG families to come together," he said.
Meanwhile, Faleiro is scheduled to visit Gulf countries in November-December to interact with the Goan emigrants and sort out their problems, if any, in consultation with local officials. He will be in Kuwait from November 7-9 and Doha (Qatar) from November 11-13.
Faleiro's tour is being organised by the Ministry of External Affairs and by respective Indian embassies in those countries. He will be accompanied by Chairman of Overseas Employment Agency (Goa) Vice-Admiral (Retd) John D'Silva and Director of NRI Affairs U D Kamat.
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