The talk shows are filled with one year assessment and report card evaluating the UPA-2 government I am perturbed by the great disappointment and frustration I see in almost every goan I meet. Our CM and his MLAs appear to have become drunk with power, thick skinned and arrogant. Whilst we are sweating it out in this heat and are crying for water, Manoharbab informs us that half the cabinet is abroad. So let me access government performance and draw their report card? Let us start with the Opposition. They have by and large been surprisingly muted. They have made the right noises, but been unable or unwilling to go that extra mile to follow up. Mr. Parrikar has done some good work leading them in the Assembly and also in the Court. Thanks to that, many scams and scamsters have been brought in the forefront. He has comparatively single handedly done a lot of good work during IFFY, for which it is hilarious to see him being crucified by the pot calling the kettle black! No one is perfect and sometimes we must give the lesser Devil his due. We cannot really fault the Opposition for today’s governance and so out of 10; I would give Parrikar 7, and the BJP 5.. Coming to our Congress government, nobody is really happy. The Administration efficiency is at an all time low, and often, the right hand does not know what the left is doing There are good people, but government policies and in fighting make them wary of taking any responsibility. The Vigilance Department seems paralyzed. The CBI office is flooded with complaints, which are a State subject, so they cannot act. The Home department says there is no drug scene in Goa, and negligible crime. We all know the reality! Pray why should Lucky Farmhouse be interested, at the risk of her life, to help our police clean its own stables? There is a thriving police- politicians- builders and vested interests nexus. The latest is the obvious police reluctance to quickly investigate and do all it takes to wipe out the drugs scene in Goa. Instead of encouraging public feedback, the police stonewall public participation. Shoot the messenger philosophy seems to prevail. Most cases are not investigated meticulously and fail to get conviction in the courts. The permanent damage done to Goa and goans will be the legacy of this government. There is no long term vision and unless it can take urgent steps to implement Administrative and Police reforms to minimize further deterioration in law and order, massive corruption in vogue, damage to the ecology and environment, degradation due wrong tourism policies, casino culture and increasing ingress of migrant labour for unsustainable development, Goa is doomed to go the way of the concrete jungles where the rat race will be supreme, overriding all that is beautiful and noble in man. Out of 10, I would therefore have to give minus marks!
