Start plans about 4 months before the convention date. Dilly-dally about a website. When one is created, let the person who created it, finance it, but you must control it.
Discuss grand plans for costly venues without caring about the funding. Expect commercial sponsors to come up with thousands of dollars a) at a late hour and b) when you expect less than a hundred delegates. If there are no sponsors, shaft the paying delegates with a big fee by promising them a "hot lunch". When few want to pay, let your comrades in free to make the numbers as the minimum promised to the venue has to be paid anyway. Dismiss international visitors' accommodation questions with a casual "let them find their own". Bring enthusiastic overseas speakers (some of whom drive for more than 10 hours and fly for more than 20) to give them the privilege to lecture to a room of 5 people. When things seem scary, try to rope in your local established Goan Association and sulk when they refuse. Be confident of managing with 7 to 8 people half of whom don't or can't attend regular meetings. If you feel the urge to go on a cruise or a holiday during critical planning time, it doesn't matter. Call for meetings in restaurants, discuss while imbibing alcohol and have slanging matches. Invite your friends during such meetings, stage a walk out with them before the bill comes and make those remaining split the tab. Shoot the critics rather than shoot their message, with malicious and vitriolic posts outside of Goanet (they have been rejected there). Get some attendees to pretend it was a huge success so that the same mistakes are repeated. Ignore the huge mass of local Goans with "they are not serious". Pretend 80 "serious" Goans 95% of whom have come for a holiday to the city, have left a legacy for Goa. When you incur a loss and face resignations, tell the committee they can't leave until accounts are settled (dip in your pockets folks, you thought you could get off with just giving your free time and work?) Roland Francis Toronto +1 (416) 453.3371
