On 11 September 2012 [A] Antonio Menezes wrote:
[1] the constant criticism leveled at the Indian Government by someone who had himself profited from the subsidized education in post liberation Goa, reminds me of the attitude of some Goans who were working in Bombay and on board of the ships during the colonial times. [2] Most Goans in Bombay were UNKNOWINGLY critical of the Indian Govt. viz a viz the Portuguese. [3] I would not blame them for they were brainwashed by what they heard during sunday mornings from persons who were regularly receiving a monthly stipend (courtesy the Patriarca)at the Fazenda. [4] They worked hard in Bombay and on board of British ships, received their wages with which they comfortably maintained their families in Goa and yet the Portuguese got all the praise for the well being of their kinsfolk during the colonial regime. [B] Bernado Colaco wrote: [5] Goans have to undergo the education they give us. Probably under the Portuguese rule we Goans may have had through education. Today's education in Goa is mass like the dump that was off loaded at the Bastora river. ======= GENERAL COMMENTS: a: I disagree with Bernado's comment wrt the quality of education available in Goa today. And while it may not be equivalent to the education imparted (say) at Harvard, UCL or even Coimbra, it is still the basis for excellent opportunities anywhere in the world ..... BUT ONLY for those who study and work hard. I am not sure that Catholic Goans (in particular) are focusing sufficiently on getting the most out of the educational system. There is this inordinate amount of time spent on drinking, Bollywooding and 'folga'. A good review of what (and How Well) Goans are doing internationally - will reveal that determined Goans trained in pre as well as post 1961 Goa - are doing very well indeed. Could the education have been better? Sure ...but HOW useful would that be for chaps and chappies who do not make appropriate use of what is available? b: Those who carry on with this "subsidized" canard are probably either naive, brainless parrots or just plain ignorant. A question they may wish to ask themselves is the following: HOW MUCH does Goa contribute to the coffers of those who are reportedly subsidizing the education? WHO does it (the contribution/wealth including mineral wealth) belong to? c: Let me stress again: It is quite OK to criticise. Let's remember, however: IF one's criticism is reasonable and equitable, it will be accepted (however grudgingly) by reasonable people. Most reasonable people will ignore unreasonable and inequitable criticism. Only in dictatorships and in anarchic states does one have to fear speaking up, ..... and where one believes that it is better to continue to drink Feni and eat Chicken Makni instead of reporting a blatant illegality to the police; Unless it was raining, of course (:-). So, while I believe that Bernado is wrong when he unreasonably disses the education being imparted in post 1961 Goa, I also believe that he is quite right in being severely critical of the filth and environmental degradation + the accelerated ripping off that has befallen his motherland (i.e. Goa) post 1961. Vide Rajan Parrikar's http://www.parrikar.org/misc/Shah/Google-Images1.pdf and http://www.parrikar.org/misc/Shah/Google-Images2.pdf d: I will politely ignore the rest of Antonio Menezes' comments as being quite bigoted, prejudicial and inequitable. But ...they do provide some insight into Nehru's thinking during "those days" (see pt 2 supra). It explains (perhaps) why Nehru did not ask Goans. After all, did he not (reportedly) state that 'Goans were just Cooks and Butlers"? http://www.colaco.net/1/nizgoemcar.htm jc do excuse any inadvertent typos.
