Goa’s big biz and tourism sector is not only growing but for the locals also groaning with pain. Not only do villagers have to live with big biz and hotels changing the character of their villages but also the rising cost of living, and illegalities, too. Poor villagers! They, by and large, are salaried workers. Is this some punishment or is it simply the incompetent policy of the Goa government?
Does the government care more for big business and the inflow of foreign capital than the welfare of Goan villagers? Is the government getting its priorities right? Water, air, food, health, no garbage? Judging by the government’s economic policy, the writing is visible on the wall – golden eggs are for big biz and hotel collaboration with foreign companies and rotten eggs for the villagers. Big projects, destruction of the environment, marinas where they should not be; two sets of rules, one for people who have money and power and another for people who don’t. No, it is not really as bad as that as doles are available for the aam aadmi.
What has the Goa government done to develop the village economy via tourism where the benefits go to the villagers and not to outsiders, and certainly not to foreign-owned companies and foreign nationals? When the eggs occasionally go to the villagers, they aren’t golden. Most of the time they are rotten, or if not rotten only good enough to make a greasy omelet.
Goans need to ask the all-important question: How are your eggs?
Our young people need skills and an opportunity to build their own small businesses in every field, from agriculture to tourism and other crossovers. Why not allow farmers to open restaurants in fields all along the tourism coast and also in the hinterland to make agriculture more lucrative? Is there an ecological problem? Rice farmers can open rice and fish curry restaurants in fields all over Goa, allowing fishermen to work together productively with farmers. After all, what is more Goan than fish curry? Protect our economy, protect our food culture, protect everything Goan. We need to bring various sectors of the economy together for Goans to benefit and be able to keep more of the profits for themselves.
With more big businesses from India forming partnerships with foreign companies, the golden goose is starting to lay more golden eggs for foreign companies. In Goa, more multinationals are taking over our villages. Goans who want to sell their land to the highest bidder should become wiser. Sell, if you must, no more than 75% of the land and retain 25%. Wait for the project to be completed and then start you own business in the now upmarket area. You will find that you have managed to keep some of the eggs, and a few eggs might well be sunny side up.
Finally, remember not to put all the eggs in one basket.
