Date: 1 Aug 2008 04:44:32 -0000 From: "jane gillian rodrigues" > ...., many of you have misunderstood my e-mail, and hence, I wish to state, that I am not at all happy, in fact, I am very sad to read on Goanet, that Goans have become so poor, that they are forced to sell their ancestral property to Celina etc. > Mario responds: > Jane Gillian, > I wonder how anyone could misunderstand your comment on July 29, "We are all happy to read on this website, that rich women like Celina and Katrina etc. are helping these poor, goans, by buying their property.":-)) > Besides, if I may respectfully correct your hyperbole, it is not "Goans" who have become so poor that they "are forced" to sell their ancestral property. Each individual or family who does so may have quite a different reason for selling their property, and needing the money may be only one such reason. > One common reason is that, under the Portuguese-era laws that still apply to property, many families who are spread out around the world, cannot decide anymore who should look after it. > I know of one such family from Loutolim where the entire burden of maintaining this huge and now empty Portuguese-era home has fallen to one member of the family. None of the relatives, some of whom live abroad, will contribute to the upkeep, but when asked to give up their share to the family looking after the property, some of them will not do that either. So the property will eventually decay and crumble unless another Celina comes up with enough money to satisfy the entire family - the good and caring ones and the evil and greedy ones as well. I don't know any Goans who can come up with the Rs 5 or 6 crores that this property is worth today. > Jane Gillian wrote: > We can all sit and debate the above issue, but unless we all do something about this sad situation, it will remain just that "a sad situation", where our goan men and women will continue to do all the menial jobs in the homes and offices of non-goans. > Mario responds: > Can you explain how "we all" can do something to help an individual family in Goa to better themselves? Isn't it their responsibility to educate themselves, work hard, work for a competitive wage, and take advantage of the plethora of opportunities that are engulfing Goa? Isn't that what the rest of us did? > Why are non-Goans coming from distant places for the jobs in Goa? Perhaps you can help the local Goans figure this out and show them they can do the same? > Jane Gillian wrote: > The YWCA,Mumbai, in their effort to empower women, offers many courses to young women from all over India, with hostel facilities also. > The government of Maharashtra has a special dptmt that gives loans to christians, for business, education, etc., at very low interest rates. > Mario responds: > Now these are some really good and positive ideas. I wonder if the second one would apply to residents of Goa, but I'm sure the first one will. > Jane Gillian wrote: > You will all be sad to know, that christians are not availing of this scheme. > Mario responds: > That's what I was afraid of. > Jane Gillian wrote: > All Goans can buy, with proof and legal help, land in the village of their ancestors, at very cheap rates, from the village panchayat in goa. > Mario observes: > Another excellent suggestion for all Goans. Are the diaspora Goans reading this? If you snooze, you lose! > Jane Gillian wrote: > I always laughed at his silly question to beggars, "why are you poor?", but now, not only do I miss him a lot, but I also realize that he was right. > Mario observes: > What a great anecdote. > Your father was a good man, Jane, and he obviously taught people to fish, instead of just giving them fish. I can see where you got your caring genes from. >
