TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: With the Panjim carnival committee scheduled to be re-constituted for the third time, confusion and allegations of corruption are flying thick and fast.
The first committee that was constituted with the Mayor as the Chairman was reconstituted after a complaint filed before the Election Commission alleging that the corporators’ presence on the committee was in violation of the model code of conduct. The second committee was constituted with the Commissioner as the Chairman and without the corporators but he resigned allegedly under political pressure.
Trouble began after committee members who were non-corporators on the first committee who continued to be members of the second committee objected to a “suggestion” from the Commissioner that one Francisco Martins be made the president and he be allowed to constitute his own committee.
“When the old committee was not dissolved how can a new committee be constituted?,” Joaquim Teles the president of the committee asked saying that the committee has already begun preparations for carnival by seeking permissions and inviting expression of interest from parties.
When contacted Commissioner of CCP informed that indeed the plans to float a new committee were on but were not finalized, saying that they were yet to receive approval from the tourism department.
When asked why was there a need to constitute the committee a third time he said, “No particular reason” but that Francisco Martins was accomplished in these matters as floats done by him had won prizes at the Republic Day at New Delhi.
However questions remain as to whether there will be enough time for the new committee to get its act together and put together a carnival show in such a short time.
