Dear Roland, On a related note the Mez meant the Governing body of the Administrating body of the Comunidade. In the past these Comunidades exercised considerable influence on the life of the village as did the Regedors. However, the hankering for the creation of vote banks gave us the Land to the Tiller and Tenancy Acts. These have eroded the income of the comunidades severly. The only revenue now a days is restricted to the interest on deposits and lease rent. The important role that the comunidades played in the upkeep and maintenance of the bunds, drains etc has thus been totally destroyed.
The system is also tainted by the Administrators who are appointed by the Government. Most have no idea of what the institution is all about and do things that will suit their bosses and not in the interest of the gaunkars (zoneiros). Many of them hold charge of the office of Administrator and are full time employees in other Government departments. For example the Administrator of Comunidades North Zone (ACNZ) was dislodged because corruption charges were hurled at him in the Assembly in the last session and a new one appointed. The new one appointed hardly seems to have time to discharge his duties as he is in court most of the time as he is holding full time charge elsewhere. As a result, the office is virtually run by the Head Clerk. Letters from the comunidades are not answered for months and files kept pending for years. For all lovers of Goa and those who love and respect this ancient institution of Comunidades this is a tragedy. The Government, it appears, is on the road to destruction of this honourable institution. At the Administrators office, the corruption is rampant as also in a few of the comunidades. There are instances when legislators subvert notices and legal demands from the lessees of properties. There are instances where legislators are themselves trying to use their influence to permit illegalities. I could give examples by the dozen but these would entangle me in a life time of lawsuits. Not that some of the office bearers of comunidades are free of sin. However, there is in Goa a new hope for salvaging the comunidades, government permitting. Gaunkars in some comunidades are awakening and trying to save what is left of the village land from the rape and plunder by electing members of probity. In the past as in the days when the honour system prevailed, no tom, dick or harry could get elected to the Mez. People who were elected had stature. These days many comunidades have elected office bearers who are responsible and have honour and do not wish to sell off their heritage. A sour note though is that the Association of Components of Comunidades under whose banner the comunidades are trying to seek redress from the Authorities is a house divided. It is hoped that the younger generation, which seems to pooh pooh the comunidades, take more of an interest and try to save what is left of their heritage. Zono is not a merely a matter of a few paltry rupees but rather it is the birth right of a gaunkar and symbolizes membership of a brotherhood that existed and persisted in spite of and despite the colonialists. It is only hoped that natural fortitude will survive the new breed of neo-colonialstas. -- Tony de Sa. tonydesa at gmail dot com ^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v^v
