Recently, I saw a BBC documentary on migration touched upon the sizeable Goan Community in Swindon, UK.
The Documentary showed some UK Goans, making a difficult living via jobs like carpentry, cleaning, plumbing etc The Irony is that in Goa today, these very tasks can earn significant income and it’s very difficult to get such labour in Goa today. Goans are OK to do such jobs outside for a comparable lesser net savings vs. a good earning opportunity in Goa!! Also a Goan Origin youth (working on car) commented that he would not have had a good opportunity in Goa; this might be true for his past generation but surely not true for the present, when Goans bought up in Goa/India are doing fairly well in Goa/India itself. There is a clear lack of awareness of the tremendous opportunities in Goa/India. Yes, Goa has corruption & other negativity, but the Goan brain drain/migration makes things worse; Many Goans acquire the best of Global Practices and then do not return or add value to Goa, but instead migrate forever!! Yes, sometimes migration is necessary for economic/financial reasons but there is actually so much un-necessary migration e.g. Gulf Goan Families who could have lived at much better lifestyles in Goa. I suggest that Overseas Goan Associations, in addition to socializing, start taking initiatives for Goa, like for example helping facilitate a "Goan Return" to Goa; I hope they appreciate that with a Goa without an identity, their associations will be irrelevant. If they choose to do nothing to preserve Goan Identity in Goa, then I respectfully do not see a point in having/continuing with the Overseas Associations. Overseas Goans have to start looking at the bigger picture of a growing/prosperous EAST i.e. India, China, Asia etc today vs. their traditional/past thinking of a “perceived” better life in the WEST!! Nevertheless, I think that Goans have an obligation to save their land, culture & identity. Arwin Mesquita, UAE. -- Please post your comments on my Blog: http://goanidentity.blogspot.com/ Please also see below: 1. Benaulim Village Action Committee: http://www.bvacbenaulim.blogspot.com/ 2. "Rape of Goa" : http://www.parrikar.com/blog/the-rape-of-goa/ 3. MAND - an adivasi-rights resource centre : http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/ 4. EVERY GOAN SHOULD SEE THIS VIDEO: http://infochangeindia.org/Infochange-documentary.html 5. For the Love of Konkani: http://www.radiogoa.net/ 6. Goa's Identity Movement website: http://www.goamag.net/gim 7. Goa's Identity Movement group on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com//#/group.php?gid=193497031686 8. Official Government Site NRI Office (GOA): http://www.globalgoans.org.in/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/ _/ _/ tambdimati: the Goa review is a community blog of original _/ art, writing, music, news and commentary from and about the _/ smallest state in the subcontinent. check out the newest _/ member of the Goanet family daily at _/ http://www.tambdimati.com. _/ _/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/