We want a systematic change, in the way we choose, say Goans

1 THE FIGHT OF OUR LIFE
The people of Goa have been dealt another low blow at the hands of our Government – the Bhumiputra Bill, is the legislative equivalent to flinging sand into the eyes of the people of Goa. It is a predictable election strategy to divert attention from the failures of governance, from the unethical behaviour of the past four years, with something that hits the unsuspecting public so hard as to stun them and leave them disoriented for the duration of the period leading to voting. But remember, every armour has its chink. A few days ago, a reader of this paper was asking the question – will the Bhumiputra Bill be this Government’s “coconut palm is not a tree…” moment?
We could make it happen – there is an opportunity in every problem, if we take the trouble to find it.
O Heraldo has come up with this inspired idea of each constituency selecting its candidate rather have one imposed on them. In this spirit, I would like to share a few thoughts, without any pretensions of having special insight into the murky world of Goa politics.
Stay away from National Political Parties
Political life in India has become toxic and the party is the host of the toxicity. Look at the past performance of Governance in Goa, be it Congress or BJP and ask yourself if any one of them passes the smell test. They stink. To associate with a National Political Party is to be part of a hopelessly dysfunctional and perverse system and, inevitably, import that dysfunction to Goa. It is time we stop it now.
The National Parties impose financial obligations on the candidates nominated to contest in their constituencies; a heavier load is imposed on those who are to be Ministers or are given executive positions in various organisations in the sprawling official network. Any wonder we have corruption ingrained in our system? Where is the money to meet these obligations going to come from?
First and foremost, what is the reason why there is a stampede to hold the richest portfolios? The downstream iniquities that flow from this “klepto culture” reads like a catalogue of the State’s miseries – roads that wash away after the first monsoon leaving a moonscape in its wake. Bridges that collapse after 25-30 years, buildings (like the Kala Academy) that need to be shored up after roughly the same time-lapse, citizens who have to pay over a year’s salary to get a Government job (as I was told by an aspirant to a teaching job in Government school system; apparently, this is a standard practice to get a job in public service!). Remember that on June 18, 2021, the CM Mr P Sawant announced a 10,000-job bonanza within six months? 10,000 new Government jobs, in addition to the existing bureaucracy! Do the math if every new appointee is to shell out a year’s salary! Is it any wonder Goa is tottering? How does the person who had to cough up a lakh plus rupees to get a job to recover her/his money? Only by passing the courtesy down the line to members of the public that the individual is supposed to be serving – you have to give an inducement to get attention.
It is time to put a stop to this and the National Parties are not going to get us there. It is only US, the people of Goa, driven by the love of our land that can arrest this rot.
 
Embrace the initiative of O Heraldo – “You tell us…  who your candidate should be”
But go farther. Once the candidate is chosen, do not associate with any National Political Party. Put forward ONE single candidate for each Constituency under the banner of SAVE GOA (or any other name of choice) with no ties, formal or informal, with any other entity contesting the elections. Better be alone than in bad company.
Remember, your candidate could be a “New Goan” i.e. a person who settled in Goa from another State of India, as long as she /he meets the criteria laid out. There are many individuals who have settled in Goa for many years, who love Goa and lament the loss of the ethos of the Goa they knew (and attracted them in the first place).  Good character is not a monopoly of Goans; alas, our woes have come at the hands of ‘nizz Goenkars”. Cry, cry!
Goa is at a turning point in its existence. If we do not pull ourselves together, we will be consigned to the rubbish heap of History,
non-entities in our land.
Make a paradigm shift
Once the 40 candidates are identified, how do we proceed?
If the Save Goa movement has the numbers to form the Government: Think outside the box.
Remember, we are at a time that calls for a government that is united with the single goal of saving Goa. This calls for a collegial approach to Governance, a change of established mindset, getting rid of the false importance that titles connote and the inflated egos that go with it – Chief Minister, Minister, etc. There will be no Chief Minister nor Ministers but ALL the elected members of Save Goa would deliberate meeting weekly or more often, if needed, and take decisions in a truly democratic fashion.
Since there will be no Ministers, areas requiring in-depth study could be delegated to one or more individual MLAs who, with the assistance of appropriate departments, will lead the study, analysis, research, public hearings, all the preparatory work, before reporting back to the team with recommendations. This would a specific assignment for specific legislation or policy decisions and not a vested tenure. The additional duties would be remunerated with the approval of the Team.
If you remain in Opposition, be a watchdog for Goa, a bloodhound to the Government, using all available means to expose misdeeds and abuses, document them, publicise them, seek redress via media, Lokayukta, Courts of Law, courts of public opinion.  Fight relentlessly.
There will be attempts to influence the MLAs and the incentives could be stratospheric. The only armour against this is – Your Character. Ask yourself the question, if you are able to withstand the pressure for the sake of Love of Goa. This is not an exaggeration – we are at an inflexion point in the future of our land. Take your time to reflect, discuss it with your Family, search your innermost voice and then make up your mind.
If you can answer “YES” step forward. For the next FIVE years, come hell or high water you must stay true to your commitment.
If you have doubts, stay put, Goans thank you for being honest with yourself and your fellow Goans.
Use HUMOUR to fight the coming election campaign
There is nothing more effective in fighting this kind of idiocy than the weapon of ridicule. There is a huge talent to be tapped, in fact, many individuals have brought forth videos in social media
exposing the ridicule of the situation. This resource is invaluable and needs to be tapped to
the hilt. There is an enormous amount of goodwill amidst the talented Comedy community of our land. To make it effective, each Constituency needs to mobilise the comedians to target the rest of the candidates with a litany of their misdeeds in the past, expressed in that most lethal of all expressions – Satire.  — António Fonseca,
Oakville, L6M3V6 Canada
2 Wake up Goemkara now –
select genuine amcho candidate
‘Et Tu Brutus’. For long Goa you have been betrayed by your own elected MLAs. We were branded ‘anti Indian’ and warned of harsh police action like Hitler. You elected someone and someone else with a second face is dominating and controlling you after backstabbing you. Greed for money and power is only on their agenda. Forget all the parties and please select a genuine ‘amcho’ candidate. Don’t fall for the crumbs and freebies offered which are short-lived treats. Imagine the future of Goa if the current affairs continue for another five years.
Use your balcao, bazaar, tinto, bar, taverna and barber shop and chai shop to start the change. Mobilise and sensitise other Goans through your every single word for change. Great Brazilian educator Paulo Friere wrote about the ‘ the culture of silence’ and ‘the pedagogy of the oppressed’ to wake up people from Latin America when they were ruthlessly dominated by their rulers. Wake up from your slumber and teach lesson to all the betrayers and selfish rulers. Goans starved for oxygen during COVID but they didn’t care and they will starve you again if you give them a chance. With the excellent support from your much loved newspaper “Herald” take this only golden opportunity to save your suffering Goemkar. If you don’t bring the change, change will never come in our Goa. — Jo Dias,Chandor
3 Host a debate of candidates in each constituency
 I applaud you for taking a great initiative of helping the general public choose their own candidates, it’s something that was required a long time ago, but better late than never. With respect to your experiment, it would be great if you could also host a debate, during the canvassing stage in the 40 constituencies with all the candidates in the fray for the seat. The debate should be held on the same day, at a venue in that particular constituency. The Debate should be recorded live and then uploaded on the last day of canvassing, this won’t allow the candidates to make any change to their answers from the debate as well…
The questions for the debate could be chalked down by your team and handed over to the moderators. Most of the questions that the general public want to ask their “representatives” is been beautifully illustrated in your daily Insight. These questions with a few added ones can counter the leaders we don’t need. — Kai Da Costa
4 Two conditions for a good candidate are:
I appreciate your initiative to choose the candidate for the Assembly elections.
My suggestion for choosing the candidate:
1) How he will generate income for the people.
2) How he will protect our natural resources and will make good use of it, which will benefit the people. — Blair Rodrigues
5 The Bhumiputra Bill has stirred me
The recent Bhumiputra Bill has stirred me to do my bit for my State. If there is any way that I can contribute and help in this noble experiment, then count me in. I don’t belong to any political party and I am above discriminating people on grounds of religion or caste. — Lawrence
Rodrigues
6 Novel democratic way of choosing a people’s candidate
When there are 2 or more candidates whose aim is to defeat the common enemy then the best way is to hold primary selection of candidates in that constituency. How to go about it? Supposing there are 2 or more candidates, then a committee should be formed of 15 prominent people-3/4 of each aspiring candidate. This committee should oversee (supervise) the selection. To simplify the process every village should conduct a poll, ward wise supervised by the committee and find out votes polled by the candidates. The counting is done there and there. When the process gets completed in all villages, the candidate who polls the highest is the automatic choice for that constituency, irrespective of the party label. It’s the people’s choice. The other candidates should then support the candidate people opted for. This way we will ensure a victory. More importantly, we will do away with splitting of votes in the constituency. This process will also pave the way for the deserving candidates who have no money power to fight elections. — Irineu Gonsalves, Nagoa
7 Unity is a must for every Goan
Thank you Herald for taking up this issue and helping our Goans to vote wisely.
As of today, unity is a must for every Goan. Too many parties candidates will split the votes. People should stand united and vote for the right candidate.
Groups must be formed in urban and rural areas so that voters must have the knowledge of whom to vote so that the same people are not voted back to power. — Wilroy Rebello, Benaulim.