Just because I Nunes gave names of books, it was unfair of Selma to provoke the goanetter into implying that she should put the money where the mouth is. Firstlfy, it would have been right if either Selma or Eddie had announced their charitable cause on this forum. What was, in fact, mentioned was that some books were to be given to the Karachi Goans as gift. Secondly, the GOA UK could have taken the lead in helping the Goan community in Swindon through a donation of books to the library. It is unknown so far if the association has made any profits frofm the recently-held Global Goan Convention. If so, the association can think of such a gift now. However, a gift announced as part of the convention would have been a good gesture. Thirdly, Selma could use her "hotline" to the NRI Commissioner to get him to make such a donation through his office. I am sure Eduardo Faliero would not say no to Selma. For spending "12 nodding heads" on what some termed as a "party at taxpayer's money", the department could have could at least some of it to help the Swindon Goans with a gift of books. In this way, the money would have been much better used then getting "pigs at the trough." The Swindon Goans would thank the NRI deparment a million times for its benevolence. The Swindon Goans have at least two associations and I am not sure if the rival groups have settled their issue of which one is the legitimate one. However, the Goan community here holds feasts and other cultural events. Someone can tell us if these events generate any profits and, if so, the money could be used to purchase books. A special appeal could also go out to the Goans for such a project. Or, a donation box could be put up at some of these cultural events and at tiatrs. How about a charity tiatr for this purpose? Lastly, Swindon Goans who have interest in Goan books would have bought them in Goa and may have carried them to their new place of settlement. Or, they could always get them on their visit to their homeland or get someone to send them across the ocean. Many of them visiting Goa on holidays buy lot of stuff for the kitchen. Some of them who want to keep abreast of what is happening in Goa's publishing world can log on to some of the websites of Goan book distributors. The GOA UK or the Goan association in Swindon could make a request to the local library to purchase subscription to magazines such as Goa Today, Gulab, The Goan Review, etc. In case the library fails to do so because of budget contraints or for any other reason, the GOA UK or the Swindon association could purchase the subscriptions and donate the mags to the library. Perhaps, some Goans in London, Swindon or elsewhere may be subscribers to Goa Today and these Goans can donate the mag to the library once they have done reading it. I was informed by a Swindon Goan, who I recently met in Goa, thst many newly-arrived Goans are struggling to make ends meet. But there must be some Goans who could spare some of their money to donate for the purchase of books. These are some of the options that both Selma and Eddie should have explore or could still do so instead of putting someone like Ms Nunes on the backfoot. However, whatever Selma and Eddie are doing as a team is out of their own kind hearts but it should not be termed as a "charity" move to help in the intellectual uplifting of Swindon Goans. Then to crown it all, the issue that was raised first was giving a gift of books to Karachi Goans. In her characteristic style Selma veered it towards the Swindon Goans. Get the first issue settled and then focus on Swindon. Reinforcing her inimitable style, Selma has come out swinging at "Goan bulbuls" in the UK. No doubt Selma is soaring high in her new environment, which seems to let her fly freely instead of being holed up in the US abode, and probably thinks her role in the "success" of the Global Goan Convention and her hobnobbing with the likes of Eduardo Faleiro makes her a special "species" of birds. I will leave the Marxism vs Capitalism part and her "uneducated" view on what kudds were and what have been their contribution to Goans in cities like Mumbai and Kolkatta in times past.
Eugene Correia Time to take my "prescription", that is rereading Selma's article on Salcette in the convention brochure ;-)
