This is a year that will inspire books, films and plays in the future. Books and movies that will win awards or generate much comment as they cast a very critical eye on the human condition at this point in time. The response of people who helped others, the tardiness displayed by certain people in power and decisions that were taken without considering the ramifications on the lives of people at the bottom of the pyramid. In Goa people will talk about all that and more. They will talk about the awakening of the youth. The youth who stepped onto the plate to assist blue collared workers stuck in Goa without food or transport. The youth, who came out in large numbers to protest against the Mollem project, the youth who were earlier accused of being not really interested in developments in the state.
The man who has a ringside view to the evolution of the psyche of the youth Father Bolmax Pereira parish priest of Chicalim church said the youth of Goa were not activists but during the lock down they realized they were being taken for granted and the government were bulldozing the projects. He said “They sent letters to various authorities which were ignored. The Environment Minister and Government bodies ignored the letters. When these letters were ignored the youth came out on to the road two months ago. The youth were not given an ear. I would not say that was the motivation but their hands were forced. The Goan youth are not activists but now they are. Goans want to live their life peacefully and are not fighters. They are not violent and like to bide their time. Right now they have realized what they have been given is not ok. This is the first time the number of youth in such large numbers has come out. The youth have never led any agitation in the past. Now they are doing it. They are well informed, they are aware of the legacy given to them and they are very environmentally conscious. The youth are now saying they don’t need the oldies who mucked up everything and would now like to decide for themselves.”
Cecille Rodrigues is someone else who has been involved in social activism and has had the youth help her in here campaigns. She said “In 2019 I started the Rosto campaign against bad roads, it was inspired by the fact that I have a metal plate in my back due to bad roads. I took an old Lorna song called Bebdo and made it Rosto. It caught the fancy of the people. There was some attention from the national media too. I did artwork aroud gutters, which inspired others to do it too. We started painting speed breakers with the sole intention of saving lives. Saving a life is very important for me. The youth joined in large numbers. When I went to Tivim there were youth who joined my campaign and the same was true in Navelim too. Yes, the youth have changed gears which is great news for Goa.”
Gabby D Cruz a young Marine Biologist who is involved in the Mollem campaign said she had spent a great deal of her childhood in the outdoors and in Mollem too. It was she said extremely said that such a project which would have a dramatic effect on the locality were not consulted. The young people like her she said were now staking a claim on their future and for the future of the state. This year she said had resulted in the youth asking questions about issues like the environment which did not happen earlier.
Mervyn Pereira who has been involved in the youth said he was fighting to save Mollem for his own existence. Sherly Fernandes said the youth were fighting for the future of Goa and they had now gone beyond fearing something like the virus which was plaguing the world.
These were only a few who represented the spirit of the young. There were countless others in towns amd villages including those elected for instance Creson Antao, a panch of Majorda, a former footballer who is the Convenor of Goencho Ekvott an umbrella social group fighting against environmentally destructive government projects.
Goa salutes all of them.
