Dear Goans, I was shocked to read the following report on the Navhind Times this morning...
I seriously doubt the credentials of vishnu wagh anju timblo and vishal pai cacode to be members of a sub committee associated with the ESG. I know vishal pai cacode at Margao and he doesnt have any cultural or social credentials but to be a close chamcha of Digamber kamat. Anju Timblo is associated with the Fomento group who owns cidade de goa...the fomento group are primarily into mining and are close sympathisers of Digamber Kamat. are there no goenkars fit to be on such boards anymore...names that come to my mind are francisco martins or messias tavares who have a vast experience in cultural and entertainment business,. I wish to know if in Goa such committes are formed by the ruling party to dance to its tunes. I also remember when the BJP and parriker were in power, sanjit rodrigues a staunch parriker follower used to be on such committees, what were the credentials of sanjit in the cultural and entertainment fields was anybody's guess. Will someone in the know throw more light on how such committee members are chosen/elected or handpicked? Kind regards\\ Cedric da Costa Dubai ESG sub-committee members object to hindrances in work Panaji, Oct 19 The exercise to select an event management agency for the forthcoming International Film Festival of India seems to be getting murkier, with some members of the sub-committee appointed by the governing council of the Entertainment Society of Goa to look into the status and various other aspects of one of the bidders, Brilliant Entertainment Network, taking strong objections to the hindrance created in their work. The Brilliant Entertainment Network, one of the two bidding companies - the other being Times Infotainment Media Ltd - which has been short-listed in the tendering process, is yet to pay part sponsorship money towards last year’s film festival to the ESG, amounting to Rs 2 crore. The BEN was the event management agency for the mega film festival, last year. The members of the sub-committee include Mr Vishnu Wagh, Ms Anju Timblo, Mr Vishal Pai Cacode, Ms Ranjana Salgaocar and the internal auditor, Mr S V Padhye. The tenders for selecting an event management agency for the IFFI 2007 were opened by the governing council on October 17, however no final decision could be reached as the creative as well as the financial criteria of both the bidding companies are still being assessed by the council members. One of the senior member of the governing council, who is also a member of the particular sub-committee raised objections during the October 17 council meeting, over agenda number 2, prepared by the ESG CEO, Ms Nandini Paliwal, and which recommended that the Brilliant Entertainment Network be prevented from participating in the tendering process, all it’s directors, including Mr Raman Raheja, Mr Samir Kasal and Mr Kunal Lalani be blacklisted and further, an legal action initiated against the firm for its failure to pay the ESG Rs 2 crore dues as well as towards liquidated damages. This issue about settlement of dues had come before the newly constituted governing council, at its first meeting held on August 22. The particular senior member pointed out that when the sub-committee was deliberating on various aspects as regards the BEN, an agenda deciding about this bidding company should not have been introduced. The senior member maintained that the sub-committee has examined various papers and documentary proofs as regards the BEN, including bills, invoices, etc, and even recommended to the governing council about accepting Rs 45 lakh claim of the particular company. This senior member further told the governing council that the ESG administration should not be allowed to interfere in the jurisdiction of the sub-committee. The member further asked the motive behind the agenda number 2 and said that any decision about the BEN could only be taken by the governing council, acting upon the recommendations of the sub-committee. The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat who chaired the governing council meeting viewed this matter with all seriousness and gave a clear-cut direction to the ESG CEO to avoid clashing with the activities of the sub-committee, it is learnt from the sources. The Chief Minister has already made it clear that if needed, he would convene another meeting of the governing council, before selecting the event management agency. The council members too have taken a decision to maintain a close check on the ESG administration. A governing council member revealed to this daily that the ESG also has to pay a sum of around Rs 1.5 crore to the BEN and payments from both sides will square off the matter. “And the ESG should not forget that it was a party to the tripartite agreement, the other two parties being the BEN and various sponsors,” the council member added. The council member further maintained that the Rs 2 crore dues pending with the BEN mainly comprise of the money to be recovered by the BEN from various sponsors. As a party to the tripartite agreement, the ESG along with the BEN should have pursued this matter, it was told. The council member also stated that M/s Wizcraft International, Mumbai, which was awarded the work order for Rs 5.94 crore as an event management agency for IFFI 2005, also has to settle some dues with the ESG, adding, “This shows that the ESG must work a little harder in the area of its outstanding amounts.” The latest report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India had also passed strictures on the “Uneconomical expenditure on event management of IFFI 2005” stating, “M/s Wizcraft International, Mumbai, was allowed to retain sponsorship income of Rs 98.84 lakh for over five months and extra items of Rs 51.74 lakh were executed without ascertaining reasonableness of the rates during organising of IFFI 2005.” __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
