Francis Ribeiro
PANJIM: The one and only benefit that has come out from the Lusofonia Games, is the state-of-art infrastructure, solely because the Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, took on the task of honoring the commitment that Goa had made with ACOLOP under the Digambar Kamat led Congress Government.
Knowing the challenge that laid ahead in building three brand new state -of-art stadiums and refurbishing the existing infrastructure like the indoor stadium at Peddem, the Nehru stadium at Fatorda and the Tilak Maidan at Vasco, in a span of 12 months with four months of heavy monsoons, Chief Minister has given Goa a legacy for which he will be long remembered.
Now as the curtains are drawn on the Games, Goa had its first experience of hosting the Lusofonia Games. By now Goans have understood what the games and the organizers of the games, LUSOG mean to them, former sports Minister Wilfred Mesquita stated. He further said that the entire Games are nothing but a farce.
Dr Mesquita, pointed out that the Government of Goa in future should never finance nor support such Games which are substandard, at the cost of public exchequer which has only benefited the officials and bureaucrats who have made merry at the cost of public funds.
“Thanks to the dynamism of our Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, we have today world class stadia, which is the only legacy of this Games, which Goans will benefit and remember. This infrastructure was put in place in spite of financial crunch the state of Goa is facing,” Dr Mesquita pointed out.
Further Dr. Wilfred added, “I am surprised that the previous Congress government bided for such kind of games by spending lakhs of rupees in entertaining officials of Lusofonia in Portugal. The Goan delegation at that time with Manohar Azgaonkar as Sports Minister and Digambar Kamat as Chief Minister should be held responsible and accountable for this fraud.”
“The sports rankings of the participating teams Sao Tome, Cape Verde, East Timor which form a part of Lusofonia is so low, that it appears that the Games were held for the enjoyment of the accompanying officials. Sports power nations like Portugal, Brazil and Angola have shown scant respect and regard for these Games by not sending full strength top quality teams for participation in Lusofonia. This is a slap on Goa/India. It is akin to England not participating at the Commonwealth games. So why should Goa burn the night lamp and spend from public exchequer for a poor quality sports event?” Dr. Mesquita rightly questioned.
“Forget breaking records at Asian levels not even Indian records have been broken at this international Games, even by Indian athletes— least forget the foreign athletes. The Government in future should never encourage these Games which are devoid of any quality and lacked seriousness by the officials and ACOLOP,” Dr Wilfred Mesquita, who is credited with sports infrastructure namely Tilak Maidan and Chicalim Sports Complex in Vasco, told Herald in an exclusive chat.
CM Parrikar saluted for Infrustructure
I am surprised that the previous government bided for such kind of games by spending lakhs of rupees in entertaining officials of Lusofonia in Portugal. The Goan delegation at that time with Manohar Azgaonkar as Sports Minister and Digambar Kamat as Chief Minister should be held responsible and accountable for this fraud
— Former sports Minister Wilfred Mesquita
