Dr. Jose, thanks for getting the attention of all to the subject, in your very special inimmitable style.
In my congratulatory message a week after P. Chidambaran took office as Finance Minister, I had touched upon this 40 years plus subject, and suprisingly the matter seems to be handled well so far atleast - by both the Indian Govt. and the Portuguese. Re: the choice of words, you and I know it well that (E)Inglish is a very funny language (specially for the Indians). Will forward your set of questions to all concerned in the Ministry of Finance. As usual, I do not anticipating anyone responding back! Hindustani istyle? I assume you have also copied your remarks to P. Chidambaram. If not, you can at http://www.finmin.nic.in/feedback/index.html Good wishes. AlmeidaG(ji) www.goa-world.com From: Gaspar Almeida"Goa's Pride, www.goa-world.com" Finance Minister, P Chidambaram said, "When they bring these ornaments here, they don't have to pay customs duty. It will be very unfair of me to ask them to pay customs duty on their own ornaments, which were taken away forcibly to Portugal." Dear Gaspar, Thanks for that post. The above news item, I assume, refers to the gold held in safe-deposits and as collateral - at the Banco Nacional Ultramarino in Goa - then transfered to BNU- Lisbon....later Caixa Geral de Depósitos. I am struck by Mr. Chidabaram's choice of the words "taken away forcibly to Portugal" Is this a fair statement, I ask. Here are a few questions that I pose. Once again, I ask only because I do know the answers: 1. What was the gold doing in Banco Ultramarino, in Goa in the first place. 2. Did the Portuguese come into the homes of Goans and confiscate this gold? 3. Was the gold stored by clients at BNU in safe deposit ? 4. Was the gold used as collateral for LOANS obtained by Goans and Maharashtrians? 5. Have the safe deposit fees - until 1961 - ever been paid ? or have they been deducted? 6. Have the LOANS ever been paid back by the Goans & Maharashtrians who borrowed the monies? 7. Has BNU claimed /collected / deducted any interest on the unpaid Loans? 8. What was BNU expected to do - with the gold - at the time of the 1961 invasion? Leave it? 9. WHO would be held responsible for the gold - had it been looted in the aftermath of 1961? 10. Was there any looting in Panjim on the days Dec 19 - 21, 1961? 11. What would the State Bank of India do in a similar situation - with SAFE DEPOSITS - in one of their branches (say in Fiji or in Port Blair) - if there was a chance that the Bank Officials had to leave town in a hurry? Maybe we should think about the choice of our words. What u say Mr. P Chidambaram? But then....you are just a politician. good wishes jc __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com