The cause of a second front page edit in two days, dear readers is You. There has been a very welcome reopening of minds as Herald has very humbly turned the keys to a lock which had closed the door of reality, preventing the people of Goa from understanding and realising that we are actually owners of a very large amount of mineral wealth. This is ours. This belongs to us.
Most of us in Goa may think we are financially stable but in reality, each child born in Goa, is born in debt to the tune of around Rs 70,000. However, if this mineral wealth really becomes ours and we earn interest from the sale of minerals, the actual value of each citizen will be over Rs 2.5 lakh. In reality each of the 15 lakh residents of Goa will get anywhere between Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh a year. Undoubtedly, there will be a debate on who should be eligible to get this
and a formula which is agreed upon by a majority of Goans should be cleared. Those born and bred here or those with families who moved here decades ago, will have a rightful claim over all the proceeds. But we are, at this stage jumping the gun. The broad principle needs to be accepted first. Will a Goenchi Mati Permanent Fund (GMPF) where the proceeds of the sale of minerals will be kept in perpetuity make each one of you richer? Is it true that if this works the way it should, each one of you will get a monthly amount into your accounts which will take care of at least some of your important expenses? Is it true that if wealth is created for every eligible resident of Goa, then no Goan will have to go to a local MLA or minister for things like medicines, doctor’s fees and money for school admission fees? The simple answer to all these questions is, Yes. And indeed yes, we can do this.
Ask yourselves. Which is the power that makes politicians more powerful than the people? The only power is wealth. The MLA is always rich, he drives fancy cars, even when he is out of power, he has massive bungalows or apartments (either the ones in lives in or the ones he hides) and he always has wads of cash to dole out. Some MLAs have left instructions in schools where a parent can get admission for his child without paying for it, on production of his voter identity card to establish that he is a voter of that constituency. Others pay for wedding expenses, football matches, festival celebrations and practically every aspect of life which needs major expenses. This is a relationship of unequals. The MLA is the provider, the voter is the taker and this relationship continues till the MLA is ousted and the next MLA is expected to play the same role. The expectations from elected representatives, therefore, is of personal benefit and not betterment of the village, the taluka or the state. As long as this dependence on the MLA by large sections of voters continues, we will see pathetic sights, like we saw in Taleigao after the last municipal elections where people in the slums sold TVs, washing machines and refrigerators, given to them during the elections, because they didn’t have power to run these machines but wanted cash in lieu of them.
When the Goenchi Mati Permanent Fund becomes a reality, there will be change in that relationship. In many civilised countries around the world, people get direct benefits from the government simply by virtue of belonging to that land. Every state in India can create such benefits for their citizens. Goa with its vast mineral resources stands at an advantage to do this. But politicians over the years have not let this happen because that would disturb the power equilibrium between them and the people. And mining companies have naturally not let that happen because they have sat even higher than the politician in the pecking order giving them cash injections. We ask a direct question to all 40 MLAs. Can all 40 stand up and say that they haven’t received a single paisa from a mining company for their elections? Many have in fact, received their entire poll funds from mining companies.
Therefore a Permanent Fund with sale proceeds of minerals owned by you with the state as a custodian, will not just change the face of mining. It will change the face of Goa. It will change the relationship between a common man and a politician. You will no longer have to put your hands out to ask for alms. You will get funds into your account, as a matter of right and as a matter of pride as a local. It is only then the majority of the people in Goa will look for clean honest MLAs who will work for Goa and not hunt for MLAs who give them money and jobs, and that too from the money they loot and not earn.
Let us do this. Let us in 2017 look for change away from the way politics has been controlled since the 1970s. For a change, let us vote for ourselves.
