Date: Fri, 17 Jul 2009 11:06:05 +0400 From: Arwin Mesquita <[email protected]>
An argument we sometimes hear, is that "Goa needs Migrants as Migrants are doing jobs that Goans do not want to do!" I want to put this into perspective: Surely this is true but then, there are un-necessary employment opportunities that we create to facilitate migrants. For example, is it not true that with every mega-project (which mostly are for non-goans) we are not only destroying/polluting Goa & changing the demographics, but also are bringing in some many migrants into Goa; for this unnecessary development? Also on other employment opportunities, have our corrupt/selfish politicians identified employment needs for Goans first, before approving any industries/companies? Mario asks: Hey, Arwin, 1. What exactly is an "unnecessary employment opportunity" for someone who is willing to work to support their family? Aren't you doing the same, that too, in the UAE? Don't you see the irony in that? 2. Are most mega projects really for non-Goans? If so the Goans need to wake up and make money promoting and selling them since there seems to be a demand for such projects. I know several Goan builders who have done so. 3. Wasn't it Goans who made money by selling the land to the developers? 4. Do you think people are spending crores to build "unnecessary developments"? 5. Are the corrupt/selfish politicians preventing Goans from working in Goa? Weren't these politicians elected by Goans? 6. Are you aware that Goans have been migrating and changing the demographics of other countries for over a hundred years, even when the wonderful Portuguese dictators were making it like heaven on earth? 7. Regarding polluting/destroying Goa, isn't that a matter of electing honest politicians who will implement rational building policies or enforce those that already exist? 8. Why aren't the Village Panchayats and Gram Sabhas doing their job of protecting the interests of the people in their areas? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. The point is there are already systems in place in Goa, are there not? The problem is they are not working properly because of the dishonesty and corruption of elected officials. Guess who elected them? BTW, I'm still waiting for Selma's post about corrupt and useless Gram Sabhas and why they cannot control untrammeled building in Goa titled "Who the bleep cares about grass roots politics in Goa":-))
