The old order must changeth! That is the underlying feeling. But the youth of the day are wise and they know that change cannot happen overnight. A calculative approach is what they prefer while the youth aspiring to be the change has to watch the WISE MEN and WOMEN carefuly and then step into their shoes. That is the thought. That is the right approach (quite rightly so) they think.
On the flipside, at a time when students are integral part of the voting process, even as Herald spoke to a group of students outside a café in Miramar, they chose not to interfere in poll talks as for them elections meant only getting to power FOR SOME and nothing else.
“Elections are just a matter of time, once candidates are in power, they forget the electorate and tend to forget all promises made,” said a GU former student.
It is also observed that most of the students who are associated with student wings of political party’s, only a small amount of apolitical students can be seen in college lectures.
Young Joshelle Dantas, an undergrad pursuing a degree in mass media, feels that it’s not possible for the entire lot of older politicians to disappear and be replaced by the younger ones. So, preferably the youth need to start in the backroom and work closely with the government where they can find a veteran politician who people respect and who they themselves admire and who is also open to new ideas. He goes on to say when this veteran politician will put forth his views in public, nobody will doubt his legitimacy as much since he’s a veteran and I feel the political system needs to work that way.
While Hanosh Misquita from The King’s school, a science student, who may fall short by a year to vote this election but clearly thinks that the youth today feel that the government mainly focuses on traditional acts in wanted or wasteful expenditure in terms of development and also the government is orthodox and partial to their own kind be it in implementing new rules, policy, or even giving grants. Hanosh believes that youngsters need to be politicians and bring a change in the mindset and thinking besides emulating many other countries and using social media to interact with citizens thereby allowing everyone a chance to raise their opinion on certain issues.
Ankita Kanwar who’s a fellow scholar and is pursuing research asserted that it’s not politics as MP or MLA but policy and development management is a coveted field – people want to attend more and more seminars on policy formation. Here there were several projects floated which are field work and research oriented and even data analysis and data management oriented and youth need to be a part of that research which is mostly done by old Babus and government servants and it’s this research or study which then projects, the nation in a wrong way, to the politician which ends with wrong decisions taken.
But Young Aaron Gomes who just completed his hotel management and is starting out his career in Goa itself fells that that young people infuse youthfulness in whatever field they are in. So having younger public representatives is the need of the hour. Also, young students and professionals would be able to paint an accurate picture of the challenges they face today and pitch in solutions too.
Manaswita Das who lives in Margao and feels for a change within Goa as the state approaches towards elections feels that it’s not just about youth venturing into politics but the voice of youngsters needs to be taken seriously especially in governance and amongst politicians and political parties.
Lisa Marie from Panjim who’s pursuing medicine, looks at all that happens amongst her friends on the social media sphere and feels that the youth has a lot of good ideas and so many things to say there’s countless open letters being written by people, in the form of forwarded messages and in the newspapers. But nobody listens.
Roselle who’s studying her Masters in psychology after completing her BA from Chowgule College is very honest to say that she’s not a very big fan of politics but believes that youngsters need to strive to be politicians or an MLA to make changes directly in the system instead of putting it through different people or other representatives.
Gayle Carvalho from Panjim who is pursuing Fine Arts in Panjim and lives in Margao asserted, “It would be nice to see new faces as candidates instead of the same old people. Instead of giving us free SIM cards which can be misused by the youth of today, I wish the government gave us grants for further studies which would be more beneficial.
Valucio Rodrigues just completed his M.Sc in Geology and is now busy job hunting. Valucio feels the youth are neglected in Goa by political parties despite India having a majority of a younger population. He feels unemployment is such a huge issue and hence Goans are going and settling in London. Also Valucio feels Goa University needs to improve its standards in terms of facilities and education.
While Klain Simoes studied in Goa and went on to start his own online e-commerce platform namely fabulosindia.com believes that Goa needs a major policy alteration. “ Our service sector is booming but our manufacturing units are in dismal condition. We need to manufacture in lines with China. What we really need in Goa is a skill development center where skills are taught that are up to the latest trends and that will have a good ROI instead of manufacturing products with poor ROI.”
Marisha Fernandes, an MBA post graduate from Goa Institute of Management believes that she not be able to pitch in to bring about change in my land through politics, a thought of most young Goans and hence they don’t want to pursue it as a career. I think of civil society as an agent of change. Also because Government as we know it, is ridden with corruption, I personally think that it’s difficult to bring about change from within the system.
Mandar Ghadi who’s aspiring to be a student of Medicine feels that another name for corruption is politics in Goa thought. The politicians know the ways to secure their seats and the way to tackle the new comers and hence politics is only for the corrupt.
While Commerce graduates Lisa Dsouza believes that youth are the most important pillars of this society. But today if noticed the active participation of youth in politics has dwindled to very small figures. Today I would assume that the younger generation feels politics is a very dirty game and they prefer more to get into the private sector. I really feel the youth of our society need to be more aware of what happens in policy making and begin actively participating in mainstream politics and bureaucracy to make for themselves a better tomorrow.
Jaikeshi Kadam, an Arts undergrad from Chowgule College feels that not political parties but the government should form youth committees in each taluka consisting students from each higher secondary and colleges. This is necessary so that these youth share their thoughts for development of particular taluka and indirectly contribute to the state.
Engineering student Caesar DaSilva from Don Bosco College, Fatorda believes, most of the times kids are raised with the idea that politics and being an MLA or a MP is being corrupt and that politicians don’t do much good. Goans should be made aware of the job of an MLA and students should be urged to take up MLA and MP positions and getting elected as a career.
And his friend Samuel Crasto also feels that youth in Goa are not much involved in politics except at a stage of campaigning for elections but not in governance. They see MLA’s as corrupt and therefore do not engage much in political activities, the youth have to be made aware of their rights as citizens and the power at their disposal.
