Civil society calls for course correction to take Goa on path of sustainable development

Team Herald

MARGAO: Resort to course correction if Goa is to be put back on the real, sustainable path of development which will provide real benefits to the State and its people, asserted speakers at a webinar on the topic ‘Where are you going, my Goa’ held on Saturday by concerned citizens of Goa.

Speakers also said that Goa needs to maintain it unique cultural identity, unlike the present path with its focus on mega projects benefiting a few selected persons close to the Delhi dispensation.

The speakers minced no words when stating that the present political dispensation was not looking into the Goan welfare, which ought to meet the needs of today without compromising on the needs of tomorrow as part of sustainable development goal. They made no secret that the scenario was compounded by the fact that changing political shirts is becoming a continuous affair since 1995, thus dealing a severe blow to the Goan ethos. 

Appealing to citizens concerned with the welfare of Goa to launch a Citizens’ Forum with people, even with different political ideologies coming together but without any ambition to seek political power, the only goal being to protect Goa, Justice (retd) Ferdino Rebello, former Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court and former Judge of the Bombay High Court said that citizens had a big role to play in cleansing the political system, he also talked about people’s ingenuities. 

“You need to adopt different strategies if your forum aims at making a positive impact, like developmental, transitional and transformational. Above all, you will need committed, knowledgeable people at various stages, maybe three tiers, with the elderly being involved in providing the overall direction and supervision,” Rebello said.

The jurist began his intervention saying, “Look at the degeneration that has set in politics with money power. Criminal activities are often the base for political activities. The economic situation is dismal,” remarked the jurist.

Acclaimed Konkani novelist and short story writer Damodar Mauzo, who has been at the forefront of several agitations to safeguard Goa from unsustainable development said, “The freedom of expression is under threat. 

Those who speak are targeted. Popular opinion is not respected. Lot of pressure is being exerted by the authorities on those who speak about politics of sheer opportunism and corruption. Goa is becoming a city State and as such losing its identity with even our Konkani language losing its cultural identity. Our cultural identity needs to be safeguarded.”

“Electoral reforms are the need of the hour if one looks at the growth rate of the population in the State. The growth rate of the Goan population is zero, while on the contrary, the same is not true in the case of migrants. With the result, by 2021 migrants will outnumber Goans,” Mauzo said.

Blaise Costabir, chairman CII, Goa and past president of Verna Industries Association spoke on the industrial scenario. “The industrial sector, the hotel industry and allied fields and the overall economy of the State are under severe stress following the Covid-19 pandemic. Industries are in search of labour, with the locals, even though struggling, showing no interest in taking up the employment opportunities,” he stated. 

“Overall, people are disappointed with the political dispensation and the corruption in the system. The locals have to be more vigilant,” Costabir stressed.

“The government lacks vision, what with mega projects, polluting coal, Panjim as the decadent casino sin city and the drug parties in North Goa coastal belt. The mindset is on building a samadhi at Miramar and a new Raj Bhavan. It is a sheer pointer to the faulty policies which largely do not benefit the locals. There has been mismanagement, often leading to anarchy,” pointed out Edwin Pinto, adding that public participation was almost non-existent.

ENT surgeon, Dr Jorson Fernandes brought to light the fact that the Education Department and other educational authorities do not have a strategy for reopening schools and other educational institutes. How is it possible to wash the hands (30 seconds for each student) with such a limited number of wash basins and toilets in the interval period of 20 or 30 minutes? And, who will provide soap for all of them? And, what about safe distancing?

Fernandes pointed out to the mismatch between the needs of industries in Goa vis-à-vis the educational requirements in terms of job opportunities. If the majority of employees in the pharma industry at Verna are from the neighbouring states it is because at one time Goa had just one pharmacy college. There is no synergy between the educational sector and the industries requirement, Fernandes pointed out. It is here that the Goa University has to play its role of a positive catalyst. Real research indeed is needed. “We are all responsible, but we also need to be responsive,” he emphasised.

Dr (Fr) Bolmax Pereira, highlighted that the Goan socio-political scenario had undergone an unimaginable change of late, often forcing people to come on the streets to voice their indignation at the sad, never-before-seen scenario. “People need to ask relevant questions to the politicians. It is one’s right and one needs to exercise the right. Our politicians must be made accountable. Enough of the utterances that people are against development. For whom is the present development? One needs to get answers to the questions – what are we losing and what are we getting in return. And finally, we must know who the beneficiaries are,” he stressed. “The preparations for the next elections must start now. Identify candidates now. Put the probable candidates to the test. Prepare today’s youth for the great task ahead. Youth formation is vital to make our politicians accountable. Politics is part and parcel of everyone’s life.”

Earlier, Alexandre Moniz Barbosa, Editor of O Herald, in his key note address, succinctly made a point that a white paper on Goa’s development be brought out as he talked about the change in Goan landscape from 1990, carrying capacity of land, health, economic situation due to the borrowing scenario and politics of crass opportunism.

The session was moderated by Jovito Lopes, former Sports Editor of Herald.