Let’s face it, the Goan way of life, as we knew it, is practically on its way out. It took a massive blow with the exodus that took place in front of our eyes, courtesy Portuguese Passports, while we pretended nothing happened and looked the other way. An exodus of such magnitude naturally had to create a huge vacuum that is now being filled, hence the migration. Today Goans might just manage the numbers, but there is no guarantee these numbers are going to stay the same, and that we are not going to be steamrolled in the near future.
The people of Benaulim have recently realised the effects of uncontrolled migration, and are trying to take corrective action, before they get bulldozed. Even though the realisation has dawned upon them a bit too late, it’s better to be late than never. The only good part is the groups they are up against are still in smaller numbers and so they still have a fighting chance. Migration should never be allowed till we decide on the ground rules. Without deciding on the quantum and an established set of do’s and don’ts, migration can bring havoc to a well settled local population. The village of Benaulim being closer to the city is bearing the brunt.
Here is an example of how peace and tranquility can be lost in a jiffy, if we let people come and do as they please. Benaulim today witnesses hawkers yelling throughout the day selling their wares, creating so much noise as they usually scream in a language which the locals have no clue. With every passing there is an increase in the frequency of these hawkers and their decibel level multiplying. The story of Margao city is even worse; you have young boys in groups selling stickers to adults, sticker which even kids have given up. So the question is, is there a market for stickers in the first place, that justifies so many recruits throughout the day, or is it some decoy for some nefarious activities? In a normal sane society the authorities should have been on top of this by now.
Migration is inevitable and happens all over the world with Goans themselves migrating in droves recently to the United Kingdom. But here is the difference, imagine Goans decide they want to sell their wares and start yelling in Richmond, surely there will be a rule in place to pull them up and because the rules are already in place the authorities will act swiftly, as they know exactly what to do if there is a breach. Richmond is one of the best areas to live in the United Kingdom, does not mean we allow the entire British and European population to squat there, just because technically you cannot stop a British or an European the right to live anywhere in Europe.
These are some of the major issues we need to have a discussion on, and technically this should be discussed in the legislative assembly. Unfortunately we the people by electing the same old charlies, have ourselves to blame, as the elected have reached a saturation point and they hardly have any new ideas to discuss. Meantime, crooked minds are never capable of thinking straight, and solutions as complex as migration can hardly be tackled or discussed by such talent.
Their bread and butter business is to usually manipulate people into thinking they are the only intellectuals of the State, which they are not and so expecting them to discuss, debate and find a solution is too much of an ask. Most of the business conducted in the Assembly is just some follow-up of some street lights, pot holes, development, standup comedy and singing sessions. Add to that there are some corrupt charlies scared to even open their mouth because of their own involvement of coaxing Goans out of Goa and then using indirect methods to fill the void.
Many countries in the Gulf have expatriates that have outnumbered the locals, but there are stringent rules that make sure expatriates don’t cross the line. Rules are in place and the law will deal with them swiftly.
Migration issue in India is not about locals or expats but our own countrymen. But imagine if the entire population of Tamil Nadu decides to one fine day settle in Gujarat, will Gujarat be in a position to deal with it? Everybody agrees, controlled migration is inevitable for this country but they have to put the rules and the numbers in place. Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are still big enough States to accommodate each other, but how much migration for a small State of Goa is within acceptable limits?
Even uncontrolled tourists can be a nuisance sometimes, most of Europe is reeling under pressure from tourists, with a fragile Venice the hardest hit. Most Europeans living near famous tourist locations have either curtailed or changed their weekend lifestyles, as they are now confined to their homes, while the roads are invaded by tourists, some responsible but many reckless to the local sensitivities.
Goa being a tourist destination is bound to face this and it is better the authorities work on some ground rules before things go out of hand. An expected tourism slump this year could be a great opportunity for authorities and tourism stake holders to think and plan for the long term, rather than sulking over those missing tourists.
The migration issue escalated by the people of Benaulim could be a small beginning and should not be allowed to go waste. If something good has to come out of this, then it should be in the form of creation of some ground rules on migration. There is high probability that politicians or their decoys might join the movement on the pretext of resolving the issue.
It is up to the people of Benaulim on how to take control over their destiny, rather than depend on someone else to take them there.
(Plastino D’Costa is a business consultant)
