Team Herald
MARGAO: It appears that neither the Margao Municipal Council (MMC) nor the government is serious in acquiring and preserving the house of noted Goan parliamentarian in the Portuguese Parliament Dr Francisco Luis Gomes at Colmorod, Margao.
September 30 will mark the 152nd death anniversary of Dr Gomes, who seems to be a forgotten Goan genius, as all assurances by the elected representatives and the local body have disappeared in thin air.
It may be recalled that the MMC and former minister Avertano Furtado had proposed to acquire the house which is presently occupied by a tenant.
Admitting that the Margao civic body, which adopted a resolution a few years ago, has not been processed, MMC chairperson Lyndon Pereira said he has plans to restore the house of Dr Gomes.
“Nobody took interest in pushing the resolution for the further process in the Council. However, now I have plans to move the proposal again and work out some solution at least to restore the house”, he said.
However, former chairperson Savio Coutinho said in 2009 during his tenure it was resolved to restore the twin heritage structures namely the old municipal building and the house of late parliamentarian Dr Francisco Luis Gomes for posterity.
“A lot of details with regards to survey records, etc, were collected as part of the process for land acquisition of the two sites. However, after the end of our tenure in 2010, things came to a virtual halt”, he said.
Savio said time and again they tried to raise the issue. Later in 2019, the council took another resolution for the same, but there was hardly any headway.
On Dr Francisco Luis Gomes’ death anniversary, the former minister had even made a public announcement that he would ensure that the land acquisition process was completed, but these promises remained hollow.
“It is indeed a shame that our authorities take all pleasure to shower praises during the birth and death anniversaries of Dr Francisco Luis Gomes, but have shown absolutely no interest in maintaining/preserving this structure of historical significance. A year ago, a small stretch of road measuring hardly 100 metres was renamed as Dr Francisco Luis Gomes Road at Colmorod”, said Savio.
Dr Gomes represented Goa in the Cortes Gerais or the Portuguese Parliament and was acknowledged amongst the prominent intellectuals of that time and was called the “Prince of Intellectuals’. He was even felicitated by the then French Emperor Napoleon III, who was the nephew of Napoleon Bonaparte. Unfortunately, Dr Gomes appears to be a forgotten figure in his home state of Goa.
While a road in Vasco and the District Library at Navelim are named after him along with a bridge connecting Margao to Navelim, the most magnificent tribute paid to him was ironically by the Portuguese administration even though he fearlessly denounced their unjust policies.
His bust is installed near the Comunidade building at Margao and another on the ground of Rosary High School, Navelim.
Avinash Shirodkar, President of 18th June Kranti Din Committee said, “Dr Gomes’ 152nd death anniversary will be celebrated at Comunidade building behind Lohia Maidan on September 30 at 10 am. Leader of Opposition and Margao MLA Digambar Kamat, besides Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, MMC chairperson Lyndon Pereira, and others will attend the function.”
