On 6 September 2011 12:05, Goanet Reader <[email protected]> wrote:
> Office of the Commissioner for N.R.I. Affairs > (Cabinet Minister Rank) > GOVERNMENT OF GOA > September 6, 2011 > > Sir, > > We have seen recently in your esteemed website a statement by Mr. > Aires Rodrigues under the caption "London Convention cost Goa tax > payer over 12 lakhs". He claims that authorities have been unable to > explain the cost of airfare of Hon. Commissioner for NRI Affairs. Mr. > Rodrigues did not seek any clarification from any authority or from > anyone else. Had he done so, he would have been told that the Hon. > Commissioner travelled business class to the London Convention as per > his entitlement which is the entitlement of all ministers, holders of > ministerial rank and officials of the Government of Goa as well as of > all States and Union Territories with grade pay of Rs.10,000/- and > above per month. > > > > As informed by the organizers, the total expenditure incurred with > the Global Goans Convention held in London last July was about thirty > five thousand pounds (GBP 34,941.11) whilst the total expenditure > incurred by Government of Goa amounts to about seventeen thousand > pounds............. > > > > Sd/- > (Datta Pednekar) > Office Secretary > RESPONSE: Bravo, on the the transparency! I have never ever doubted, the above board, honesty of Eduardo Faleiro; I have already declared before, I have no problem whatsoever with the G.O.A. (U.K.) Ltd. I was founder member, also, I have no problem whatsoever with the N.R.I. (Goa) Commissioner. For the record, several years ago Eduardo Faleiro invited both my wife and me to a Lunch at St. James Place, London. It was not an ostentatious affair but was appropriate and appreciated. Last week, I wished him the best on his birthday and he responded that he missed my presence at the G.G.C. I hope this puts to rest, finally, Mrs. Carvalho's contention that I have a problem with either entity. On the accounts side, the figures I had mooted hold good, I was out by 1.5k on the amount given by the Goa Govt. to the host. I had not mentioned, as was stated somehwere, that 300 persons attended the Convention proper over two days, I may stand corrected here; that equates to a conservative 3K. What the Govt. of Goa gave to hold the Convention and what the Hosts spent and what income was generated should tally. I am not an Accountant by profession but I make it that there should be a profit of about 17K. We shall see what figures are generated....to the satisfaction of the diaspora. -- DEV BOREM KORUM Gabe Menezes.
