Samir Kelekar <[email protected]>: And we are complaining about crime in Goa! Incidently, three separate groups of tourists were robbed in Nassau, where our Jose Colaco stays! ;-)
RESPONSE: Dear Samir, I believe that You are indeed 'in a foreign bashing mode', as Eddie Fernandes correctly noted. Even so, I'd say that you have every right to open mouth and speak. However, I'd like to suggest that "it does help to be current." You are indeed correct that there were a spate of robbery incidents involving tourists just before the start of the Christmas season. To the best of my knowledge, no tourist was seriously hurt, raped or killed in the incidents.....but could have been. I also know that the Bahamas police acted very swiftly to prevent further incidents. They now have a strong and disciplined police presence in the normal tourist areas. As a result, even the world largest cruise-liner The Oasis of the Seas comes to Nassau several times a month - and helps The Bahamas generate significant income without using any of the resources eg Water, Electricity etc. Here is a picture http://im.rediff.com/money/2009/nov/04slid1.jpg Now, I do not expect the Bahamas police to prevent all crime - especially crimes involving, as you would call it "girl-friends", but they certainly are doing a fine job - and are being kept on their toes by the very aggressively open UK/US-style Talk radio, newspapers and blogs. Even Portugal which suffered so much suppression of free-speech (under Salazar), has opened up so much like the really free countries of Europe and the US. If you want to know the true meaning of "liberation", please access the US, UK, Ireland and Portugal on line transmissions of their radio (and possibly TV)(many are free) Now ....I am sure, you will advise us what the situation is in Goa. What are the police doing? What is the CCP doing? and How free is speech in Goa? (Your brush and future brushes with Damocles, having been noted). How "liberated" are you (personally) compared to the IT techs in the countries mentioned? BTW: It is inappropriate use of the English language to state that a person "stays" in a particular city/country when that person "lives" in that city/country. One "stays" in hotels or motels .....not in countries and places. If you are unaware if the person is in a particular place for a short or long duration, you may wish to use the word "resides". I took the opportunity to advise you - just in case you wanted to expand your English vocabulary beyond the phrase "boot-licker". yours very sincerely jc
