The minister was probably voicing out aloud what a number of people have been saying in private. The social media has allowed the vast network of Goans spread across the world to post their views on issues affecting Goa, within minutes of announcements being made in the State. Those views haven’t always been complimentary to the government, and at times there have been very critical. This is probably what the minister was thinking about when he said, “If we (Goans) do not put our foot down. If we do not send a strong message to these people (OCIs) then they will poison the minds of real Goans.”
These strong words, however, came just days after Deputy Chief Minister Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar, who was chief guest at the Goa Day celebrations in Doha, Qatar, invited expatriate Goans to invest in organic agricultural projects in Goa. He didn’t just stop with that invitation, but went on to say that once export quality agricultural produce is ready in Goa, the State will require packers, exporters and marketeers to sell it in world markets. “If our own Goans help in this process by investing in home grown businessmen or set up some industries themselves, it will be a win-win situation for everyone.” This of course makes sense, as not just Goa, but the Centre too is inviting the NRI community to be part of the industrial process in the State.
Frankly, where the government is concerned there can’t be two approaches – where on the one hand the NRI community is told to keep away from Goan issues, and on the other asked to invest in industry in Goa. There has to be a clear mandate given to the ministers on what they can say on certain issues, this being one of the topics on which some clarity is required. The vast overseas community cannot be swept aside, their opinions unwanted but their money desired. What kind of message is the government sending out by these conflicting voices of its ministers?
Lobo’s outburst also came a day after NRIs met in Kuwait and discussed the challenges that Goan NRIs face with certain issues in Goa. Among the issues was the cumbersome process for NRIs who aspire to enter into businesses in Goa. Present at the discussion Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco offered to propose in the forthcoming Assembly session, a single-window system to facilitate the process for an aspiring entrepreneur in Goa. At the same discussion there was another issue that most politicians would not be happy to see discussed – of politicians generally disrespecting the people’s mandate and changing parties overnight. It is true that the Goan settled abroad does want to get involved in the development of the State, but then there is also the concern of the manner in which the State is progressing, that causes the NRI to vent out opinions on social media.
In the past there have been conventions in Goa that brought the NRI and the Goan together to disucss issues. Perhaps such a meeting is required again to develop a framework whereby the non resident Goan who holds OCI status and the resident Goan and government representatives can meet to discuss how the NRI can participate in Goa’s development. Such a meeting may be required to be organised as quickly as possible, before there is any damage done.
