On 28 June 2011 07:43, Eugene Correia <[email protected]> wrote:
> Just like to know how many Goans from outside London have registered > for the convention. In Toronto, the number was small and I am not sure > about the number in Muscat. At the Toronto convention, Goans who lived > in the vicinity of the venue did care to attend the convention. > I attended two of these Goan conventions and played a role in the 1988 > Toronto convention and I am still in doubt if these conventions carry > the conviction of helping Goans abroad become more Goa-focussed and > also improve their "Goanness". > I covered one Pravasi Divas but found it was a big tamasha with more > than half the delegates indulging in social networking. The workshops > were attended by ten to 12 people and the primary sessions were > one-quarter full. I attended one Global Organisation of Indian People > (GOPIO) in New York and was shocked to see even New Yorkers keep away > from it. Some said that it was a ego-inflating event for some families > who were running GOPIO then, and still does. But GOPIO seems to have > evolved into a bigger body with chapters in many countries. > The Pravasi Divas meet helps the government make one or two big > announcements favouring the Indians who have foreign citizenship and > NRIs, particularly in the Middle East. It has been criticized as a > show to pamper the foreign-based Indians who always want a little > extra from the government. > The overseas Indians, on the other hand, feel that they be considered > integral part of India and need to be cared for because they > contributed greatly to the Indian coffers through remittances back > home. > > > Eugene Correia > RESPONSE: Eugene, You have echoed what has been written by previous attendees. My wife and I used to attend the A.C.I. Conventions, the spouses were taken on a jolly to see the sights while the men had to attend some sessions. All in all it was one big piss up paid for by the Bank - I guess a time to unwind and to meet counter parts did play a part. We got to visit many Cities around the World! See the definition:- http://www.forextraders.com/forex-glossary/what-is-the-association-cambiste-internationale.html -- DEV BOREM KORUM Gabe Menezes.
