Between the lines
From the plethora of statements being made by our
politicians, some make sense only if you read between
the lines. Unfortunately, public memory is short; and our
politicians know well that their words are quickly forgotten.
There are questions that pop up if one goes by recent
official statements.
What is the logic for waiting so long to bring Goa’s casinos
under the purview of the Prevention of Money Laundering
Act? The government claims that by raising the casino entry
fee from Rs 200 to Rs 2000 in August 2009, the entry of
Goan youth was restrained “to a large extent”. But entry
fees are surely not the only, or the best, way to minimise
local participation in casinos — which the government obviously
sees that as a desirable goal. Then, if this policy was
fetching results, as claimed, then why reduce entry fee of
land-based casinos from Rs 2000 to Rs 500?
So many pages of the government’s tax policy is devoted
to liquor. It would be interesting to study how Goa’s taxes
on liquor compare with other States. We still keep living
with the reputation of being a tipplers’ paradise. Official
fears have also been voiced about the leakage of revenue,
particularly on the alcohol front.
Likewise, Goa’s hoteliers blame officialdom and “high
taxes” for their higher room tariffs. Recently, the State has
levied a 5% cess on all hotel and resort rooms, to fund an “infrastructure
cess on tourism”. This would have been good if
the official tourism kitty was productively used.
Will a higher land revenue rate (at 200%) discourage farmers
from keeping their land fallow? After years of being unable to
set up a Convention Centre at Dona Paula — which was scaled
up to controversial proportions — the government is now
thinking of an “alternative site in the hinterland”. This is
justified in the interest of also “developing hinterland tourism”.
It also seems that Goa is handpicking certain institutions
— libraries, theatre groups, and music forms — and then
going about showering a range of grants on the same. To
justify government largess for certain institutions, a whole
lot of arguments are being used. But should the sarangi and
the shehnai get preference while the ghumot goes unsung?
Instead of merely pushing higher taxes on cine theatres
and multiplexes — some of which gained government largess
in the past — the State has a duty to ensure that such centres
of entertainment are affordable to a wider population — instead
of leaving so many seats empty each show. What official
statements do not say is as important as what they do.
Goa drama
After so much media attention was given to the
pompously-named G7, we are still left guessing about
the genuine motives of these honourable politicians.
Who are the puppeteers behind their actions? Besides forming
a new front attempting to grab power, what would it
mean for the State of Goa?
Each revolt in the past has seen a new set of dramatis personae
claim their own pound of flesh. This has been the
story from 1990, and even earlier. One particular politician
changed sides repeated times, and converted a green village
like Pilerne into a dusty industrial zone and squatter colony.
Others linked to real estate speculation made documents
vanish, and suddenly came to control of large tracts of land
which were replaced by concrete.
Even politicians who didn’t defect — but simply supported
the rising dispensation, whether BJP or Congress or whatever
— were showered with the spoils of office, chairmanships
and other questionable perks. Some saw their business flourish,
and made the most of the situation.
This is not to suggest that the incumbent government is
good or worthy of support. It is only a pointer to the fact that
greed and ambition — supported by lobbies of all sorts —
is not what it takes to offer good governance to the people.
