In a note sent to me, GOA president Oscar Furtado said that the ssociation
secretary "was able to track down a letter that was sent from the GOA to the
Convention Organizers (to be delivered by Kevin) a week before the event. A
week before the event the GOA was informed the Kevin Saldanha was attending the
convention. On that day we sent Kevin a letter electronically that he was to
present to the Convention Organizers congratulating them for organizing the
convention. In the letter we mentioned that Kevin was representing us. Please
note that at the time we used the word 'representing' incorrectly as it was
meant to be in the form of him presenting this letter to the organizers."
He further states, "Kevin, at the time, had not met with the GOA and had no
knowledge of our issues and views that he would need to have if he
'represented' us in the proper use of the word. In our view, he was only
delivering a message."
Oscar adds, "the GOA did not send Kevin to Portugal with direction for him to
accept this on our behalf. We in no way were considering hosting the
Convention. When Kevin approached us, which I believe was after he had
accepted, we informed Kevin that we already had our commitments for the next
year and that we did not have the resources to host the convention. We did
agree that it was good for the community and that we would advertise the event
to our members. Our focus was to run Viva Goa - which required our full
attention to be successful. Our position was made very clear to the convention
organizers early. Please note that the only request was that we inform them
about the Viva Goa date as they wanted to host it in the same week. In my
opinion, these conventions should only be hosted by existing Goan Organizations
that have membership and a mandate to do this. The risk of failure is
significant when individuals accept such initiatives. A
lesson learned for the future."
Let me give another example of Lisette's rude and arrogant behaviour. I learnt
that at the May Ball, Lisette approached Roland Francis, who was sitting at his
table with friends, and asked him why he has not paid the fees for the dance
and the convention. He found it very "insulting". Roland had carried a cheque
to give to Francis. It was just a matter of time that he would hand over the
cheque to Francis but before he could do it he was confronted by Lisette.
Roland boycotted the convention, even though he paid the delegate fee. I think
his absence was a big loss to the convention as Roland could have contribute in
some way to the convention. We have read him often on goanet and he brings a
wealth of knowledge on Goan issues. Roland, I believe, donated things worth at
least 300 dollars for the May Ball. He has in the past donated his time and
money to charitable causes. Goa Sudharop has been one the beneficiaries of his
charitable act.
When enquiries were made why Roland was missing, the official line was that he
was not supportive of the idea of goanetters' association hosting the
convention. I think Roland was skeptical because he perhaps felt it was an
onerous task by the fledging association. I think it was a legitimate concern,
given the fact that the association lacked financial muscles and voluntary
base. That the association pulled off by holding the convention is another
matter.
Another goanetter who did not participate but was very visible at the
convention venue was Tim de Mello. I am told that Tim, who is an executive
member of the association, was invited for meetings but never showed up. Though
not active on goanet as before, Tim opted out for what differences with the
Saldanhas over a project called Goan Canadian or perhaps Canadian Goan Centre
that was mooted by Time sometime ago. Tim hosted Alexyz and, therefore, had to
drive his guest to and fro from the Mississauga campus of the University of
Toronto, the convention venue. Tim helped Alexyz a great deal, carting copies
of Alexyz's new book, which was launched along with books by other writers at
the convention, and his artwork.
Alexyz, like Dean and Wendell and the Mando Mogi group, came on his own, though
he may have been sponsored by a group in Goa.
The convention organisers did not pay for their presence. It must be mentioned
that Dean is Kevin's cousin. The Mando Mogi group was given two lakh rupees
from the Directorate of Tourism and the group paid for the rest. I heard that
the leader of the group put in eight lakh rupees to make the trip.
For that sort of money the group spent, the group did not get a large audience.
It performed at the Goan Idol event, which clashed with the Q&A meet with
Edward Faleiro off campus and organized by IGO/GOA, where the audience was
about two hundred.
They got a bigger audience at the tiatr but could put just two or three of
their events, and later at the Convention Ball. The group has a repertoire of
acts that could last at least three and half hours. The group almost did not
make it to the convention. Denied visa the first time, one of the memmbers of
the organizing committee Tavares could a Canadian MP's letter and that did the
trick. I believe the group approached Edward Faleiro to help the group get
visa, but nothing much happened. The group also approached Faleiro to help get
funds or free tickets on Air India and that too did not work.
The worst mistake Kevin did was give the Q&A meet to IGO/GOA. Here is a
convention of diaspora Goans and NRI issues are central part of such
conventions, Many convention delegates were not provided the opportunity to
interact with the NRI Commissioner. Maybe some went to the meet held
off-campus. I asked one of the IGO members if I could come and I was told that
there were no seats. The person said I could give or email my questions and it
would be put forward to the commissioner.
However, I learnt that there were a few empty seats. Most of the questions
asked, I am told, related to property matters. I myself have property problems
in Goa but I have never approached Faleiro to help me with them. Don't ask me
why.
By giving away this vital NRI interactive session to the other groups, Kevin
took out the heart of the convention. I couldn't believe that he would commit
such a blunder. The Goan Idol and the NRI Meet clashed as both were held almost
at the same time. I had no choice but to watch the Goan Idol, which was won by
a sweet little thing from Quebec. I feel she wooed the hearts of the audience
even though at least two other contestants were good. The winner lacked
background/musical ccompaniment. She was voted by ballots distributed to the
audience, though the final three were selected by the three judges, including
Jerry Rodricks, father of former very active goanetter Liane, well-known for
her limericks, just like Francis does with his Daily Haiku today. Personally,
it was nice to meet Jerry, who was choirmaster of St. Xavier's Chapel in
Dhobitalao, Mumbai, where I attended Mass.
The tiatr was five- or six-hour long (I lost track of the time). Many seniors
left the hall just after the intermission. It turned out to be a big yawn.
Tiatr time was consumed by giving Mando Mogi a chance to demonstrate its
talent. Besides, the tiatr director took at least another 20 minutes singing
praises of Kevin and, to some extent, of the goanetters association.
It is sad that many seniors could not enjoy the tiatr to the fullest. I spoke
to some and they said they were tired sitting down for long hours and a couple
of them complained of stiff knees. Seniors are the backbone of tiatr supporters
in Toronto.
Eugene Correia
