Let me reiterate that I have nothing personal against my friend of many years Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. Over the last over four decades, I have had the privilege of interacting with every Chief Minister starting with Goa’s first Chief Minister Dayanand Bandodkar when I was just 10. I have never ever shied away from speaking out against the wrong doings of successive governments.
Today with the opposition almost decimated, with part of it caged and gagged, it is the duty of ordinary citizens to draw Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s attention to the follies of his government. I am sure Mr. Manohar Parrikar will appreciate and be grateful for this though it raises some uncalled for consternation amongst his coterie of chums and sycophants. I read with interest every comment posted and with special gratitude to those few of my detractors. Their opinions I wholly respect. I have had to bear such comments over the last four decades and that is the price one pays for candidly speaking out. Such comments do not deter me but infact only emboldens my determination to carry on fighting for what is right. Freedom of speech and expression is fundamental to any democracy. The failure of this government on all fronts is a matter of concern especially since we have a Chief Minister who is not undereducated as some of the past ones. Besides, despite a very clear mandate this government which had promised a Parivartan has goofed up by its U turns on almost every pledge. The huge expenditure incurred for Carnival and Shigmo and perhaps more festivals is like the Roman Emperors who gave entertainment to people, so that the woes plaguing the kingdom would be forgotten. While Manohar Parrikar has voiced concern at the financial position of the State at the recent meeting of the National Development Council, he continues to spend lavishly on such entertainment, while Goa is burning. Zero tolerance to Corruption and good people friendly transparent governance was what every Goan was looking forward to. Today the common man is being taxed to death. He is paying much more for every government service provided. People had high hopes that this government would deliver. But it has been from doom to disaster. From the frying pan into the fire. With all those doles being doled out to create vote banks, Goa will soon end up a debt trapped State. Aires Rodrigues T1 - B30, Ribandar Retreat Ribandar - Goa - 403006 Mobile: 9822684372
