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5th Annual Konkan Fruit Fest
Promenade, D B Bandodkar Road, Panaji, Goa
16-18, May 2008
http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2008-May/073789.html
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Sorry about the delay in responding. Just catching up on accumulated mail.
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Eddie Fernandes wrote:
We know Goa has become a toilet thanks the photos from Rajan and JoeGoaUk
Cecil Pinto responds:
I will show you thousands of photographs that say otherwise. There's
no denying that there is a public hygene, sanitation and garbage
problem but 'toilet' is a bit harsh. I am sure I could spend half an
hour with a camera selectively photographing your area of London and
show you that you too live in a toilet. Would that be fair? Is your
flat in the Milroc colony in Ribandar a toilet?
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EF:
I would like to know if those who are critical of the expat investment
in Goa, and that includes FN, Floriano and Jane Rodrigues, have read
Michelle Savage's article. Also, could they please let us know if they
feel that she is being treated fairly. A straightforward yes or no
please!
CP:
Let us analyse certain aspects of that infamous letter by 'Michelle
Savage' (MS).
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MS:
Eight years ago, my husband and I decided that we no longer wanted to
deal with the stress of working in high pressure jobs. Our children
were all married and half of them had moved abroad. We looked around
and decided to move to Goa.
CP:
Lovely. At the time of making this important decision did you ask
competent experts and expereinced friends about the legalities
involved in buying land in Goa? No. It appears you first made the
decision to move and then sought advice.
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MS:
We approached a reputed builder and local advocate, who all told us we
were safe to buy property in Goa. To be on the safe side, we asked the
advocate to confirm through the Reserve Bank (RBI) that any purchase
made by us was legal. We received a letter from the RBI advising that
there would be no objection, providing we complied with FEMA. We still
have this letter.
CP:
A 'reputed' builder would not give such advice. An unethical small
time broker/agent would. Even the smallest cog in the real estate
chain tells foreigners about he rules (182 days etc) regarding
buying/selling of property. A few unethical builders just rush the
client through. Looks like Michelle met the wrong type of 'builder'.
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MS:
As we are not great lovers of modern architecture, we purchased an old
Portuguese house with a nice-sized garden. All the paperwork was
completed and we took possession of the property. Renovating the
property and grounds was expensive; in all honesty it would have been
cheaper to build a new house. But we were happy that it was our last
house and we would make it just as we wanted.
CP:
1) You have not specified the nature of the 'paperwork'. Did you get a
Sale Deed, or an Agreement for Sale, or was it something more
complicated?
2) Having been involved in renovation work for clients and friends I
can safely state that renovating an existent house is much cheaper
than building a new house from scratch to the same standards. Stands
to reason. Looks like our small time builder friend has been making a
killing.
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MS:
For several years we were very happy in Goa. Then all of sudden we are
being treated quite disgracefully. The press runs daily horror stories
of how Goa doesn't want people like us. We originally came on a 5 year
X Visa. Then we were told we no longer qualify for these visas, and
can only have a six-month tourist visa.
CP:
1) Please show me the 'daily horror stories', with emphasis on 'daily'
and 'horror'
2) Please show me a country that does not change its visa rules.
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MS:
Now MLAs are openly saying that properties purchased by foreigners
will be confiscated and auctioned.
CP:
Please show me which MLA said that your legally purchased property
would be confiscated and auctioned? Your builder friend is obviously a
crook but your lawyer advised you properly. If you complied with all
FEMA and RBI regulations nobody can take your property from you.
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MS:
We sadly decided to leave Goa, but were informed that we could not
sell our property. Our builder, who has enjoyed our patronage for
years, has said that he will deal with all the paperwork if we sell
the house to him for the initial purchase price (excluding what we
paid him). My husband has become quite ill from all the stress, and we
are now back in the UK so that he can be treated for the illness this
has brought on.
CP:
My heart goes out to you but then I can also see how you not only
panicked unnecessarily but also let yourself be duped by this
'builder' guy. With current property rates in Goa there are a thousand
and one buyers who will buy your property at currently inflated market
rates which will be much more than what you paid (even though you got
cheated all the way) 'several' years back. Why didn't you approach
another builder or real estate agent when selling your property? Are
you in some way obligated to this builder only? Did you make him a
partner in a fake business firm to by pass FEMA rules, as often
happens? Did you buy the property in his name to expedite the matter?
I ask these tough questions because I find it strange that you go to
just this one builder for all your buying and selling requirements,
despite admitting that he has overcharged and cheated you.
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MS:
While we are here, I will asking the UK government to put in place a
reciprocal arrangement whereby propertyies of Goan settlers in the UK
are confiscated and the country's 60,000 Goan immigrants are forced to
return to India.We want to say that we wished we had never heard of
Goa and had never visited India. The whole experience makes me want to
constantly cry, and I have been prescribed anti-depressants, something
that never happened in the past. I would make a sincere plea to the
authorities in Goa. We haven't done anything wrong. Let us sell our
legally purchased property and we guarantee we will come back again.
CP:
Make public the exact nature of your transactions and all persons and
figures involved and I myself will help you legally sell your
proeprty, provided of course you have not broken any laws while
purchasing.
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EF asks:
Is the confiscation of properties by the Goa Government moral? legal?
CP:
Eddie, I expect better from you. Who has confiscated properties? Which
proeperties? Why is everyone panicking?
Just because one English couple has been cheated by an unethical
builder let's not all get in a tizzy. There are many foreigners living
here legally with no problems. There are many builders who are ethical
in their dealings.
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