JULIO D’SILVA
julio@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Portugal’s Prime Minister Antonio Costa, who is of Goan origin, is seeking to be re-elected this Sunday, but not many Goans who have sought Portuguese citizenship and eligible to vote in the electiions appear interested in this election.
The postal authorities have delivered the ballots to most Portuguese citizens in Goa, but many of the original Goans claim to have discarded the ballots. As one such eligible voter told Herald, “I didn’t understand what it was all about. There were so many names on the list.”
A number of those who hold Portuguese citizenship appeared to be of the same opinion – keep away from the election process. After all, as some would argue, the citizenship they sought and gained was for economic and employment reasons, not to get into Portugal’s political process.
Antonio Antao from Cavorim said he was not participating in the Portuguese electoral process and his wife disclosed that the ballot paper had been thrown in the dustbin. “Why keep the ballot paper when he was not going to vote,” said his wife, who retains her Indian citizenship. Incidentally, Antao’s son and daughter are working in the United Kingdom having also taken Portuguese nationality.
Edmund Gomes from Sirlim, who runs a business, is another who is not concerned with the Portuguese elections. “I am not bothered about the Portugal elections,” he said, admitting that he discarded the ballot paper. Incidentally, Edmund’s wife too retains her Indian citizenship and had even participated in the panchayat elections.
Bernard Mascarenhas is another person from Guirdolim who has Portuguese nationality but will not participate in the electoral process. He is currently in the United Kingdom with his daughter looking for a job for the girl, and his ballot paper is in Goa and hence he will not be able to vote.
Similar is the case with Catherine Fernandes from Chandor who is currently in the United Kingdom and whose daughter is all set to join her shortly. Catherine’s ballot paper too is in Goa. However, she is committed to settling her daughter with a good job in the UK.
Many others who have registered their births have not received the postal ballots, in most cases this is because they have not renewed their registration, though their births continue to be registered in Portugal.
Jwen Gracias from Chinchinim is not even aware of the elections due in Portugal as she has not received her ballot papers. Her worry is whether any action will be taken against her for not participating in the elections despite being a citizen of Portugal.
