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A new book club focused entirely on writing about Goa
First meeting: November 18, 2010 @ 5pm @ Broadway, 18th June Road, Panaji
Details at: http://ttt-goa.notlong.com or SMS 9822122436
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Why this Visa problem?
Svatantra Sarjano
Many thanks to the Herald for having highlighting the visa issue that is
keeping away thousands of tourists from our beaches, and directing
simultaneously all these people towards easier destinations like
Thailand, Sri Lanka, Singapore etc...('Stringent visa norms hit Goa
tourist inflow', Herald, 8Nov)
This "Visa Imbroglio" is one of the most mysterious things happening in
this country, and I still haven't met anyone capable of explaining this
absurdity.
Perhaps this obnoxious attitude doesn't damage Maharastra or Kerala, but
it is certainly damaging Goa's economy very badly, and it is time to do
something about it!
Yes, I'm one of the people who have suffer this anachronism the most,
because I've spent the last 33 years of my life in India, and do you
know how much money I have spent on visas so far? I feel almost
embarrassed to tell you, but the simple truth is that I have spend more
than Rupees 30 lakh on this incomprehensible game!
I could purchased a small house for myself with this money, or spend it
in Goa anyway but no, every year I have to go for a trip somewhere in
order to get a new visa and throw away a little fortune in such a stupid
way.
If this is not enough, there is also the top of absurdity rule, which
states that a tourist cannot come back before two months have passed, my
God, is there anyone who can give me a rational and intelligent
explanation for this sadistic attitude?
Why in hell does one have to wait for two months before applying again
for a visa?
Okay, stop complaining now and let's go to some practical solution:
First of all, if our Central Government wants to keep these absurd
rules, can Goa in response ask for a "Special Status" and be exempted by
the same rules?
What I mean is: can we grant a "Resident Visa" for people that have been
in India more that thirty years? You can call it the way you like it,
even "Honorary Citizenship" if you wish, but let's give this reward to
the people who love this country at the point to have renounce
completely to their originally citizenship, like me, for instance!
Hey, I have been cooking in your most famous ashram for over 25 years, I
have published a couple of books. I have been contributing for more than
a decade to some of the best news-papers in India, viz. The Times of
India and Herald itself. I watch cricket every time India plays a game.
and all in all, I'm more Indian than many people born here, believe me!
And there are plenty of people like me, thousands of it, artists that
have chosen India as their adoptive country, but what a cruel mother
they have chosen to be adopted from!
There is really nothing we can do to make their life simpler? Can we
truly adopt them like our favorite children?
Listen, you live in India because you are born here, so we can say that
you have not chosen it, but all these people that I am talking about
they have chosen to be here and against all odds, and in spite of all
the difficulties your Government is creating to them!
Second of all: will it be possible to grant a special visa to seniors
citizens that would like to spend the rest of their life in Goa, but
they have to go out every six months for a new visa, and are made
incapable of coming back before two months have expired?
I mean, there are tens of thousands of retired persons which would like
to move to Goa permanently, with their pension and everything, which
means that they will bring an enormous influx of money and they will
create a trend for all the retiring people, because I can see this very
well happening: "I have retired in Goa because it is beautiful,
hospitable and cheap, as compared to other countries.cok if compared to
our countries!"
Ultimately, what I want to say is this: Besides doing pressure on our
Central Government, so that it can relax on visas rules. can't we really
ask fora "special status` for Goa. which depends on foreigners more than
any other State?
It will be a revolution that will make pale the Russian revolution, and
it will certainly make the state proud, besides that it will make it
famous all over the world for welcoming tourists, even if the rest of
India doesn't.
I have asked in my latest article 'Foreigners feel like pariahs'
(Herald, 26 Oct) to meet our new Tourism Minister, and I'm still waiting
for his call...I hope that this time he will invite me to an open
conversation, because there is so much that I can tell him in order to
transform Goa into a paradise, so don't be shy and meet me one of these
days. It is high time you listen to a foreigner for once. (ENDS)
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First published in the Herald, Goa - November 18, 2010
