Team Herald
PANJIM: NRI Goans met over a panel discussion in Kuwait to deliberate over challenges that they face with business and identity issues in Goa. MLA of the Curtorim Constituency, Aleixo Reginaldo along with four NRI Goans consisting of Raymond Pereira, Aldrin Meneses, Sebastian Noronha, and Cajetan Barretto participated in the discussion.
Aleixo Reginaldo, MLA in Goa Assembly said, “The panel discussion was one-of-a-kind, and very fruitful. I am glad I was invited. I have encouraged the NRI Goans to build an NRI Platform, that can represent their concerns, suggestions and ideas for their needs as well as to build Goa. The system can greatly benefit from the vast (untapped) resource pool of the NRI diaspora. As an elected representative in the Government, it is my fundamental duty to take forward such progressive initiatives to the Assembly, and I have given my assurance that I shall certainly take these things up.”
Aldrin Meneses, from the food industry in Kuwait mentioned how cumbersome it is for NRIs who are aspiring to delve into business in Goa. He expressed his experience of having to deal with lengthy bureaucratic processes and red-tapism when he did a small exercise in market research in establishing a small scale food business in Goa. Meneses stressed on need for setting up timelines for each process and that they should be made public to keep corruption under check.
“There should be clarity on the processes given to aspiring entrepreneurs, and the Government should become enablers to facilitate such initiatives. This would give a lot of impetus and encouragement to the potential Goans who wish to get into business,” said Meneses.
Reginaldo expressed his willingness to support and drive the efforts of any individuals interested in setting up such business units in Goa. He offered to propose this in the forthcoming assembly session, a single-window system for facilitating the process of an aspiring entrepreneur. He suggested that we as NRI Goans should work on a model instance and take it to its logical end, and make it an example to replicate and follow. In this way it would help in encouraging potential aspirants too.
Sebastian Noronha, a manager at an IT firm in Kuwait, spoke on the identity crisis that NRIs face. He also highlighted the need for a defining factor to be established in determining ‘Who is a Goan?’ He was of the opinion that today if any such bill which aims to define a Goan has to be passed, it has to be drafted in such a way that it protects the interests of all Goans, NRIs, OCIs and PIOs alike.
Reginaldo in response touched upon the POGO bill that was proposed and said that it is quite close to impossible to get such a bill passed in the first place, and the POGO bill in its current format is just a feeble attempt to create unnecessary unrest.
Raymond Pereira an IT professional working with the Kuwait Government, mentioned about the sustainable solutions that can be derived from the vast pool of resources from the Goan diaspora. “The Government of Goa could reach out to the NRI Platform for resourceful consultation and for expert suggestions and advice. The pool of NRI resources has a lot more to offer that one would imagine,” said Pereira.
Reginaldo suggested formation of an NRI platform and to formally make a proposal with a well-defined structure of how this resource pool can be of service. He said he will do whatever it takes to propose this to the assembly session and to promote more and more collaboration between the Goan administrative system and this NRI platform.
