Today's Goa is a democratic banana republic. Christopher Hitchens defines a banana republic as follows: ". in practice, a banana republic is a country operated as a commercial enterprise for <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_property> private <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profit_%28economics%29> profit, effected by the collusion between the State and favoured <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monopoly> monopolies, whereby the profits derived from private exploitation of public lands is private property, and the debts incurred are public responsibility. Such an imbalanced <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy> economy reduces the national <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currency> currency to devalued paper-money, hence, the country is ineligible for international development credit and remains limited by the <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uneven_and_combined_development> uneven economic development of town and country. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleptocracy> Kleptocracy, government by thieves, features influential government employees exploiting their posts for personal gain (embezzlement, fraud, bribery, etc.), with the resultant <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_budget_deficit> deficit repaid by the native <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_class> working people who "earn money", rather than "make money". Because of foreign (corporate) manipulation, the government is unaccountable to its nation, the country's private sector-public sector corruption operates the banana republic, thus, the national legislature usually are for sale, and function mostly as ceremonial government" - a perfect fit with today's Goa. It is democratic because not only do the corrupt, charge-sheeted and in part semi-literate authorities get away with it but they keep getting reelected in fair and democratic elections. In two recent articles, journalists Unny in Indian Express and Vivek Menezes have both expressed great pessimism in the sense that nothing is expected to change after the coming March elections. Is this because the Goan voter puts his/her own personal and selfish interests ("To mujem kam korta") above Goa's and does not care if Goa goes to the dogs? Or is it because he/she is just plain non-discerning? In any event, I believe Aires' list is a good start. If other Goanetters can complete the list as soon as possible, it will make it easier for those Goan voters who choose to vote with their conscience for the good of Goa to choose the right candidate. I endorse Aires' choice for Aldona.
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