Team Herald
PANJIM: The State government has decided to establish a ‘Sister-State relationship’ with the State of Hawaii (USA) for cross border collaboration to attract tourists and invite foreign investment.
The State cabinet on Thursday granted approval for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Governments of Goa and Hawaii. The draft MoU has already been vetted by the Union Ministry for External Affairs.
Speaking to media persons about the proposal, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said the sister-state programme will develop relationship between two states and help in promotion of tourism and increase prospective opportunities in economic, social, cultural, educational and environmental exchanges.
“It will also help to minimize the barriers to greater foreign investment. It will also help to encourage increase cross-collaboration between those in the film industry in India and Hawaii,” he said.
Parsekar said that a member of the US Congress Tulsi Gabbard, during her visit to Goa in December 2014, had expressed her view regarding strengthening the relationship between Hawaii and Goa.
The department of Art and Culture was appointed as the nodal department to liaison with Hawaii.
The discussion was held on various categories like promotion of trade, tourism, sport, technology, pharmaceuticals, yoga, Ayurvedic, pilgrimage, Hawaiian products, world peace.
“Accordingly, the department of Art and Culture was appointed as the nodal department to liaison with Hawaii. After studying the proposal in details, government decided to sign an MoU,” he said.
