Aires's post makes sense. It would be wise on the Goa government's part not to waste huge money on this fanfare when the money could be well spent to meet urgent soci0-cultural needs of Goans in Goa.. In case, the Goa government wants to show the overseas Goans that they care for them, then it should hold this convention at least every two years. In the space between one convention to another, nothing much is done on the resolutions and other issues discussed at this forum. I checked the Goa NRI Affairs website and found one Action Taken Report on the NRI Commissioner's visit to Gulf countries. Why are the summaries of the past conventions put up on the website. I know a few monumental decisions on having an Overseas Employment Agency, Know Goa Programme have been taken and implemented. The Global Goan Convention was moved from its base in Panaji to cities where Goans are in large numbers. I am not sure if this has benefited the Goan community hosting the event. I can say for sure that Toronto did NOT benefit from hosting the convention. The Goan Overseas Association was offered to be part of the event but declined, as I was told. I recently met a relative from Kuwait and he said he was hardly aware of it. Similarly, some Goans I know in Muscat, Oman, said they were not keen on attending what they feel is just empty talk. I have said here before that more Toronto Goans attended the tiatr than the sessions. The Goa University could be persuaded to host periodic seminars on the Goan diaspora. The University of Toronto held one under the umbrella of the International Goan Organization (IGO), which was born out of the first International Goan Convention held in Toronto in 1988. Yeah, the IGO is existing, just as the world Alliance of Goan Associations, proposed and propelled by Rene Barreto. These two "global" associations are no part of any Global Goan conventions, except some of its members attending in their official capacities. Both IGO and WAGA are high-sounding names. I checked the WAGA website and it has many Goan associations, including village associations, as members. It has the GoaNetters Association of Toronto, the group that hosted the Toronto convention, but has been mired in controversy and dead for all purposes. A rethink is much needed on the Gloabl Goan Convention. Now let me make it clear to people like the "doc" that I am not undermining the forthcoming convention in London. But the convention would be ideal occasion to decide if holding it every year is worth the time and money. I checked the Goan Association UK site and it has a flyer on the convention. The programme is not in full as there is no second page. I read Eddie's interview to IANS, but I wish he gives a detailed programme on this forum. Wishing the convention the best of success.
Eugene Corredia
