I have had some requests to post the article, The IGO Imbrogolio, which
appeared in The Navhind Times. However, I am searching for it. In the meantime
I found the one given below which was posted on Goanet in April 1996. -----
If the IGO is dead, can its part survive?
by Eugene Correia
Despite the best motives in forming the International Goan Organization
(IGO) as one of the vital outcomes of the first-ever International Goan
Convention in 1988, the IGO has turned out ot be nothing but a source of
irritation and annoyance.
The IGO is now dead. I have it on the authority of none other than its
secretary-general Herculano Dourado. According to a letter written by Zulema de
Souza to the President of the Quebec Goan Association, dated Jan. 4, 1995, she
says, "At a meeting in Goa in August 1994 between Herculano and myself, it was
felt that since there was no move to
regenerate the functioning of the IGO, it would be advisable to seek assistance
from anorganization outside Goa to carry on the torch of the IGO. We are
pleased that your Association will accept the IGO. The Quebec Goan Association
has undoubtedly persisted tobe a very active organization and we are glad that
it has decided to continue with the concept
of an international Goan body. We know that we can look to the future with
confidence."
In a circular dated Jan. 10, 1995, Zulema de Souza, chair, IGO Toronto,
says, "The Executive of the Quebec Goan Association, at its last monthly
meeting, passed a resolutionagreeing to take over the IGO. We are indeed
grateful to them and we know we can look forward to the future with confidence."
Nick de Melo, of the Quebec Goan Association, and the Secretary of the
Quebec Goan Association, denied that Quebec Goan Association ever accepted to
take over the IGO. Both, in a conference call, said that the association wrote
to Zulema de Souza that it can'taccept the IGO under its present format.
They were obviously implying that the IGO is not properly constituted. The
Quebec Goan Association had sent a lot of queries and suggestions when the
issue of having a draft constitution was discussed. According to Zulema's
circular "the draft constitution presented at
the meeting would be reviewed and revised by the subcommittee, elected at the
meeting, and that the revised constitution would be circulated to all Goan
Associations and finalized within six months."
This was decided at the International Youth Convention held in Goa in
December, 1990. Since the other decision to have a national convention in Goa
in 1993 fell through, the draft constitution was obviously not presented.
Zulema herself admits "that the IGO Toronto was to continue as a
subcommittee ofthe IGO, Goa and carry out its planned activities of an Academic
Conference to be held inMarch, 1992, and the Technical Train projects". The
academic conference took place. And perhaps the visit of five delegates from
Goa under the Indo-Canadian Enterprise Exchange
Program in November, 1993 is part of the Technical Train projects.
The circular also said that an Academic Conference would be held in March,
1995. This event, however, did not take place for reasons not given. The
circular also outlines the future goals. It says that 'the IGO sub-committee in
Toronto has continued to function. It has
been essentiallhy self-financed by the committee members, donations and
sponsorships."
The circular gives the following options: 1. Restructuring the IGO as well
as the IGO sub-committee in Toronto; 2. To energize the IGO by expanding its
network to include membership and active participation from other "Goan
associations in order to effectively manage and deploy resources for future
projects; 3. Change the constitution.
However, the circular also states that "despite the repeated requests, the
IGO Secretariat in Goa has not yet set up a committee to prepare a draft
constitution and rules for consideration and adoption by the international
membership at large."
It seems confusing to note how a constitution be changed if a draft
constitution hasnever been prepared. Should it mean that the IGO Toronto has a
constitution that we are notaware of? If IGO Toronto has a constitution, a copy
should have been forwarded to the GOA
as GOA is one of the founder members.
Since the IGO has been declared "dead" by its secretary-general, it should
follow that all subcommittees are "dead", too. Since the Toronto subcommittee
had only the mandate to hold the 1992 academic conference, the subcommittee
should have dissolved itself after the
event. Yet, it continues to stay "alive". The Toronto subcommitte had no
"authority" from the secretary-general or the secretariat to hold any future
events. Herculano Dourada expressed surprised when told that the Toronto
subcommittee was hold an academic conference in 1995.
True, the secretariat in Goa was "not functioning" nor Dourado was able to
"put together an Executive Committee or whether he has been operating the IGO
under the auspices of the Goan Trust." But, it does not mean that a
subcommittee can take a decision without contacting the secretary-general who
was "elected" at the meeting held in Goa.
The Toronto subcommittee has no locus standi. By keeping itself afloat, it
defies all norms and conditions that govern associations.
Some of the members of this sub-committee were openly cirtical of the
manner in which the IGO elections were held in Goa during the International
Youth Convention. They called it "undemocratic". However, instead of
challenging the elections, these members agreed
to be members of the sub-committee. It was no use crying foul after coming to
Toronto.
When asked why the IGO hasn't submitted accounts of the International
Youth Convention, Herculano replied, "What accounts?" The convention did not
make any money. Will the GOA agree to pay us some money if the acccounts show a
loss?"
As a proposed federation of Goan associations, though not yet arrived at
that status,and since the GOA and, to some extent, the Goan Association (UK)
and the Quebec Goan Association were involved in the initial process, the IGO
was obliged to send these associations a report along with the statements of
accounts. It didn't matter if the IGO made a
profit or loss. Negligience on the part of the secretary general only showed
that the IGo was not functioning. And Herculano himself admitted, it's "dead".
The Goan Association (UK) has also refused to do anything with the IGO as
long as certain individuals (blood relatives) in Toronto and UK are involved
with the IGO.
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