To Goanet - It is not uncommon to encounter people in Goa who tell you -
"Goa must change, it cannot remain the same as before" - or some variation of it. (Yeah, but who gave YOU the mandate to change Goa?) The first thing to realize upon encountering this line is that the utterer has a bridge to sell and make a profit off of Goa's severely limited land resources. And that this is his way of softening opposition to his nefarious plans. The utterer may be an insider or an outsider. And the "change" he has in mind always has to do with real estate or his construction project. The more sophisticated of this breed, like Mr Wise Guy Architect, goes one step further and brings glib talk to the table. He will use terms like "sustainable," "ecology," "green," "local employment," pretending that he is the soul of good sense, and that he is on the side of the village people. Yet when you parse his words you understand that he is first and foremost, a self-preservationist, that he knows how to play all sides. We have seen the "change" these smooth operators have brought to Goa, and it must be rejected in toto. The bums can go elsewhere with their "change." Wise Guy Architect and others like him must answer these questions - 1) What exactly is the fundamental purpose of constructing apartment buildings in Goan villages? For whom? Very few Goans can afford these, so these are for the benefit of bhaile. What is the benefit of increasing the bhaile population and how does it benefit the village and Goa? I can list 100 problems it creates for every 1 benefit you may cite. Go ahead, take a shot, Wise Guy. 2) How many jobs has the construction industry created for Goans? And how does the number compare to the jobs it has created for ghatis? I haven't even mentioned the tremendous environmental costs that we have had to pay, but let that slide for now. So, address these questions, Wise Guy. WHAT PURPOSE DOES THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY SERVE except to line up the pockets of the few and destroy the last idyll left in India? A young Goan today has little hope of buying a place in his own land. Thank you fellas for NOTHING. Regards, r
