REPORT OF THE ONE DAY STATE LEVEL SEMINAR ON 'CNTEMPORARY GOA: ISSUES OF DEVELOMENT, TRANSITION AND CONFLICT' HELD ON 29TH JANUARY 2008 HOSTED BY CES COLLEGE OF ARTS AND COMMERCE, CUNCOLIM IN COLLABORATION WITH THE WESTERN REGION OF THE INDIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH
[From Sharon da Cruz] [EMAIL PROTECTED] The one day State Level Seminar on Contemporary Goa: Issues of Development and Conflict was held 29th January 2008 at the Audio Visual Hall of CES College of Arts and Commerce, Cuncolim. The Convenor of the seminar, Dr. Sharon da Cruz was very clear in her objectives. In the proposal that was submitted to the ICSSR, she specified that the Seminar that would focus on the challenges before the post liberated Goan society was one step ahead in the process of acquiring, preserving and disseminating the features of Goan society then and now and the developments, transitions and conflicts that have taken place therein since liberation. In his welcome address, the Principal Dr. L. G Naik outlined the broad objectives of the Seminar and welcomed the academicians and activists that represented the different for a across the state. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest; the Honourable Chief Minister of Goa, Mr. Digambar Kamat stated that the issues that are pertinent to the future of the State have to be discussed at academic forums and a comprehensive solution to all the problems that afflict Goa in contemporary times has to be arrives at so that the Government can evolve a pro-active and practical solution to resolve such problems. Focusing on the concept of the 'responsibility of the people', he stated that the Government could not be always blamed for anything and everything that happens in the State. He further stated that he was always responsive to the demands of the people of Goa and that it was precisely for that reason that he had withdrawn the SEZs that were planned out in the State and "did not do anything wrong by doing so". In his address, the former Union Minister for Law and the Guest of Honour, Adv. Ramakant Khalap provided a brief survey of the socio-economic and political developments in the post liberation scenario and highlighted several issues like the present status and lacunae in the Tenancy legislations, land reforms, the social service schemes, the rationing system etc. He stated that many of the 'old occupations' were being abandoned and the unprecedented expansion of the service sector was among the many factors that was responsible for the same. Harping on the fact that development is likely to bring about a transition and a transition is bound to result in a conflict, he lauded the efforts of the College in addressing the developments, transitions and conflicts that have taken place in Contemporary Goa ever since its liberation in 1961 and stated that the Government has to make concentrated efforts to promote such research. The keynote speaker Mr. Roland Martins, the Convenor of the Goa Civic and Consumer Awareness Network tired to link the concept of development as being intrinsically linked to transition and to a subsequent conflict. Having briefed the audience about the various conflicts and agitations that have taken place in Goa since liberation, he stated that the unprecedented pace of development was leading to conflicts between the people on one hand and the beneficiaries of development on the other. He also emphasized on the role of the teaching fraternity in identifying, deliberating upon and arriving at feasible solutions to ensure the future progress of the State and on the empowerment of the people at the grassroot level to fight against a 'democratic' nexus that does not give priority to the people of Goa. In the first technical session on 'The features of Contemporay Goan Society and the aftermath of Evangelsation, Lusitanisation, 'Denatinalisation' and Colonialism on Goan Society' that was chaired by Dr. Narayan Dessai, the Principal of S. S Angle Higher Secondary, Mashem; Dr. Nandakumar Sawant, Reader at the Department of Geography, S. P Chowgule College of Arts and Science, Margao presented a paper entitled 'Goa: Immigration and Issues…A post liberation scenario' in which he addressed the causes and processes that were related to immigration and the effects of the same on post liberation Goa. On the basis of a survey, he identified the various causes of the diverse conflicts that are taking place in Goan society and raised important questions like 'empowerment' and 'identity'. In his much appreciated paper on 'Goan Christian life as seen by a Hindu writer as found in the fiction of Damodar Mauzo', the Head of Department of English at Dempo College of Commerce, Altinho, Mr. Agusto Pinto analysed Damodar Mauzos' view of himself as an observer or rather a commentator of the socio-cultural life of the Christians. He also pointed out Mauzos' depiction of the family life of the Catholics and reviewed the novel Carmelin in which Mauzo expressed the pathetic conditions of the lower middle class family before liberation and the changes that took place in this particular social institution after liberation. Dr. Remy Dias, a Reader at the Department of History, Government College of Arts and Science presented a paper on 'Some aspects of the Goan rural Society' in which he focused on the present state of the Communidades in Goa which is an essential component of the Goan rural set up. Within the broader theoretical paradigm of the various constructs namely, Open/ Closed societies and Centripetal / Centrifugal Societies et al and taking community life as a continuum, Dr. Dias made an attempt to present a 'peoples' perspective' on the present and future of these institutions that have survived the vagaries of time. 'Goan Diaspora in the UK: A cross cultural study' was presented by Dr. Badruddin, Reader at the Department of Political Science at PES College of Arts an Science, Ponda in which he provided an etymological derivation of the term Diaspora with particular reference to the various components of the Goan Diaspora. He also familiarised the audience with the various websites of the Goan Diaspora abroad and particularly in the UK and with those of the different socio-cultural, educational, health-related and religious based organisations, personal websites, etc. He concluded with some of the expectations and demands of the Indians from the same. In the second session that focused on the 'Changing Status of the Occupational Groups and the Impact of 'unplanned development on Goa' and was chaired by Dr. Remy Dias; Dr. Biula Pereira, Head of the Department of Sociology at Fr. Agnel College of Arts and Commerce, Pilar spoke on 'Modernisation and its impact on traditional occupations and related trades ' in which she posited the findings of her field studies in four select villages in Goa to explain the causes for the decline in traditional occupations in general and the toddy tapping industry in particular. The presentation was further substantiated by Mr. Ramchand Sulekar and Mr. Praveen Sawant who are both Lecturers at Zantye College of Commerce, Bicholim who spoke on 'Reindeiros of Goa-The forgotten sons of the soil' in which they argued that the 'profession' of toddy tapping had lost its charm. Drawing their base on a survey that was conducted in the Bicholim and Sattari talukas, they concluded that many of those who belonged to this particular occupational group were abandoning their 'ancestral profession' for more lucrative jobs. In her well researched and prolific presentation on 'Goa – Ravaged and Raped , Ms. Maryann Lobo de Melo a Consultant on Psychosocial Development harped upon the socio-economic and cultural impact of Tourism on Goa and the Goans and went one step further to suggest various ways and means by which the deteriorating situation could be improved. Among the other things, she capitulated upon the manner in which the education system could be improved to fight the various 'sub cultures' that were coming up and destroying the very ethos of Goan society. Fr. (Dr.) Victor Ferrao, a Professor at the Rachol Semminary apoke on the 'The Church in solidarity with the peoples' struggles: Mythicization of History and Historicization of the Jesus-Myth' in which he cited and analysed several instances wherein the Church had identified itself with the people and played a pro – active role in the post liberation period. He concluded by stating that the historicization of myths was a dangerous trend for future research. Dr. Varsha Kamat, a Reader and Head of the Department of History at PES College, Ponda chaired the third technical session on the 'Challenges before the Goan society and the policies of the Government, Institutions of Local Self Governance, Legal Mechanisms and the popular reactions to the same' . In her paper entitled 'Shri Brahmanandaswami: the Crusader of 20th century Goa', Ms. Padmaja Kamat, a Lecturer at PES, touched upon the 'Spiritual Revolution' that was initiated by the Swami. She familiarised the audience with circumstances that promoted the foundation and the personalities who were associated with the institutionalisation of the Padmanabha Sampradaya in Goa as well as the social and religious contributions of the Swami that earned him the epithet of the 'Crusader of the 20th century Goa'. Ms. Susheela Sawant Mendes, the Head of Department of History at Government College of Arts and Science, Quepem and a former student union activist herself spoke on 'The student movement in Goa in the 1980's: An insiders view' , in which she narrated her personal experiences in the Student Union agitation that flared up in the eighties. She led the audience through the causes, the course: the events and the personalities and institutions that were associated with and the responses of the Government, the family, the teacher and the public to the same. She related how the students who were involved in the agitation were dedicated to the task that they had placed before themselves. In her paper on 'Globalisation and Employment in Goa', Dr. Anibel Ferus-Comel, an independent researcher presented a detailed analysis of the industrial scenario in Goa. She outlined the problems that emanated from the industrialisation of the State with reference to the Government policies, proliferation of Multinationals etc and attempted to provide solutions to the 'ills' that govern our industrial policy. She concluded by proposing several measures that could be implemented by the Government to keep the "situation under control". The theme on 'Identity and integration in Goa' was addressed by Dr. Pradeep Maske, a Lecturer at GVM College, Ponda in which he addressed the question of Goan Identity and the attempt of the Goans to retain it during the Opinion Poll that rejected the 'division of Goa and the Goans'. He concluded by stating that the problem of Goan Identity has resurfaced and gripped the Goans on account of globalisation and demographic changes. In his prolific address on the 'Anti-SEZ Agitation in Goa' , Mr. Allan Falleiro who represented the SEZ Virodhi Manch voiced his own involvement in the anti-SEZ agitation. He spoke about the how the politicians planned to grab the land and pass it on to the multinationals in the name of 'bringing industries to Goa' without going into the technicalities and other details of the plan that in the long run intended to create "a State within a State". In the valedictory session, the Chief Guest Dr. Maria Aurora Couto who is the celebrated author of Goa: Her Daughters' story ; who taught English Literature for decades and who is a renowned writer and panellist in her own right, stated that the culture that has grown and developed in Goa after liberation is ' unique and distinct' as it has developed from the matrix of the Indian heartland and is certainly not Lusitanian as claimed by Salazar who then wanted to provide a social base to his Acto Colonial. She emphasized on the fact that we need to the define Goa on the basis of its pre Portuguese identity. Citing the various traditional occupations that were in a state of decline, she explained how Goa had grown and progressed down the years. Instead of blaming the Government for what was happening in the State, she stated that the 'people of Goa' should assume a pro active role and decide for themselves what they want and then make recommendations to the Government about what it can do for them. Speaking on the role of the teachers, she voiced her opinions about the influence that the teachers could have on the student community at large. The Guest of Honour, Mr. Sandesh Prabhudessai – the Editor of Sunaparant narrated his personal involvement in the Students' Movement and the encouragement he received from his own teachers to indicate the potential in the youth and how it could be suitably channelized to ensure the progress of the State in future. END
