Fish out of water
That’s us, you and me, the real fish out of water albeit in a different context here. Remember last week I said that there’s this scheme called the ‘Goa Value Added Tax based subsidy on HSD oil consumed by fishing vessels scheme 2006’ wherein an amount equivalent to Rs 6 per litre or the actual VAT paid whichever is less is paid to the owner of a fishing vessel eligible under this scheme as subsidy; limited to a quota of 16,000 KL/year for the whole fishing industry. Also, under the 100 per cent centrally sponsored scheme called ‘The Fishermen Development Rebate’ a rebate of Rs 1.50/lt of HSD oil is paid. Under the VAT racket (can’t think of a better word considering the price of fish) the trawler owners could sink their teeth into Rs 9,57,40,396 of your by now much abused tax money in 2005-06. In 2006-07, the bait was Rs 9,54,38,213. In 2007-08, the payout was Rs 9,42,65,076 and in 2008-9, it was Rs 7,75,74,167. Now, that is a huge, huge Rs 36,30,17,852 blown up on trawler owners over a mere four years during which time the price of fish has soared like the amazing Flying Fish.
Unlike the Biblical ‘fish and loaves multiplication’ – at least that came to pass feeding the really, really hungry – our ‘rich’ trawler owners many of whom own sprawling and colourful homes and drive SUVs get to reap the harvest, so to speak. Under the ‘Fishermen Development Rebate’ Rs 39,59,000 was fed to them in 2004-05. In 2005-06 a subsidy of Rs 2,89,00,000 was paid. In 2006-07 the subsidy was Rs 1,50,00,00. In 2008-09 the subsidy paid was Rs 2,05,54,000. Now, here’s a punch in the pectoral (aka body blow) since we are talking fish terminology here. This particular subsidy works out to Rs 8,22,48,000 and together they total Rs 44,52,65,852. But then this is the land of freebies, subsidies and golden opportunities for bhaillos.
Hook, Line and Sinker
But this I think is the real deal. In 2005-06 the trawlers burnt up a phenomenal 1,63,88,317 litres of HSD Oil. In 2006-07 the diesel consumed was 1,62,74,165 litres. In 2007-08 it was 1,60,31,480 litres and in 2008-09 it was 1,71,95,560 litres. You do the math, is it really worth it, all that diesel burnt up, that is. Worse, did they really, burn up all that? You be the judge. All I can say is there is something extremely fishy going on out at sea and it’s all not about catching fish. What next? If the Fisheries Minister Joaquim Alemao is to be believed, and he said so recently, the Goa government will now subsidize trawlers owners to the extent of Rs 50,000 each if they fit their trawlers with GPS (Global Positioning System) which is to be made mandatory for the nearly 1,200 trawlers in Goa.
Sticky Fingers
It’s official. After the sellout of Goa two years ago, it’s now a buyer’s market. In fact, like some of the landowners in Nerul who sold their farm land to a North Indian who then promptly proceeded to build the biggest house there including a helipad, many land owners are now regretting their anxiety to sell though it made them cash-rich. Turns out, this broker tells me that a bunch of marauding Dilli brokers are actively selling any property they can lay their grubby hands on, to buyers in New Delhi. It works like this. They present Goans with dollar signs in their eyes in the form of an MoU that offers to pay an advance that is tantalizing enough for Goans, who apart from that Gulf job, know of no other way to make big bucks the easy way. The broker, who all this while has been pretending to be the buyer then rushes off to Delhi, returning a few months later with an entirely new buyer. What the broker promised would be ‘soon’ now turns out to mean many months later. In the case of some dumb Goans, when they eventually decide to sell out to a new buyer because they couldn’t wait any longer, they are hauled off to court. The loophole cleverly presented by the Men in Black (lawyers) is an equally shrewdly encrypted ‘grace period’ which is nebulous and undefined even in court. So often ‘grace period’ is gracelessly made out to be enough months to give the Dilli broker time to find buyers. When I last checked there was at least one clever broker doing the same thing. And guess what, a South-based builder tells me he duped a couple of foreigners. In fact, there’s money pouring in from the Hospet-Bellary Reddy Brothers who shorn off the brick red sheen of their iron ore, are now shining in Goa buying up land. There’s also this other ‘settler’ you need to particularly fear. You will know him when he starts to give you his spiritual B….. S….. . Believe me, you will know. But, do try really hard not to be that Goan with the ‘fate accompli’, because then even God can’t help you.
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com)
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Walk the Talk
Touche’
A friend tells me that when she went to Paris over 20 years ago, the one pleasure she looked forward to is to smoke in public and not scandalize anyone. Since then smoking is not so cool and smoking in public is a no-no. Many bars in Goa have a no smoking sign and most respect the ban too, the exception being the bars on the coast. Gone are the days when train travelers lit up under the “smoking is prohibited” sign with casual indifference. Today anti-smokers are in the majority and will carry the day when they protest against someone flouting the law. But not so in Panjim, our capital, it would seem. There was this young woman who walked down the pavement outside Hotel Nova Goa in Panjim blowing smoke nonchalantly on Tuesday this week. She was a foreign tourist and should have known better. Even in Irish pubs, you cannot smoke anymore. So how does a tourist so blatantly break the law with impunity? When politicians like Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik and our own Home Minister Ravi Naik mouth anachronistic mumbo jumbo about how a woman tourist should conduct herself, all of us progressive sections get riled. But when a tourist smokes in public, we should get sanctimonious too. After all, what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander!
Our Hollering Honchos
Last week I promised to ring in Goa’s Walking, Talking champ. He is Joaquim Alemao, the Minister for Fisheries and Urban Development. In between April 2008 and March 2009 he mouthed an amazing talkathon that cost you and me Rs 1,55,601. Your man incurred a bill of Rs 1,63,613.32 between April 2007 and March 2008 using his mobile 9822188899 which is what I wrote last week. In October 2008 alone his yakking cost you Rs 40,348 and in July 2008 it cost you Rs 30,594. The mind boggles when you think he talked up a bill of Rs 3,19,214 in two years. The keys on his mobile must be made of titanium, the metal they make rockets with, to have withstood such wear and tear. His current bill talking to lawyers in Mumbai and to Musli Power (the sponsors of Churchill Brothers) over the Odafe issue, you can bet will go beyond mind boggling. But then in the land of freebies and subsidies (and I haven’t even touched the proverbial tip of the iceberg in this column yet, believe me) who cares? But, if you want to mull over where your hard earned tax bucks go, do Google www.freebirdingoa.blogspot.com, for past updates. Strangely his brother Churchill Alemao, the PWD Minister, ran up a bill of Rs 60,061 in the same 2008-09 period. In the two months April-May 2009, Joaquim ran up a bill of Rs 68,479. In May alone his bill was Rs 67,158. Among this band of brothers, one likes to talk and other is a silent wonder?
Police Conversation
Back to same April 2008-March 2009 period. Digambar Kamat’s (9822129339/9922508060) talking cost you Rs 24,984.40 and Rs 14,557.22. Our montris generally talked themselves hoarse. Jose Philip D’Souza, the Revenue Minister, had much to say. Cost to you: Rs 34,505.93. Surprisingly Miccky Pacheco (992102174) ran up a bill of just Rs 1,527.15. Now, either he stopped talking or Lyndon Monteiro, his Man Friday did all of the talking, as he is prone to do. But with the Group of 7 back in action trying to get a new chief minister, for your sake only mind you, all this light chitchat will be history.
Something’s Fishy
Politicians on permanent chat mode I can understand. In the land of subsidies, freebies and of plentiful opportunities for bhailos, I can understand when your tax money is prodigiously gifted to the wrong people. But in these days when it’s cheaper to get tanked on booze than to fill your hungry belly, what I can’t understand is the high subsidy paid to trawler owners. There’s this scheme called the ‘Goa Value Added Tax based subsidy on HSD oil consumed by fishing vessels scheme 2006’- an amount equivalent to Rs 6 per litre or the actual VAT paid whichever is less; is paid to the owner of a fishing vessel eligible under this scheme as subsidy, limited to a quota of 16,000 KL/year for the whole fishing industry. Also, under the 100 per cent centrally sponsored scheme called ‘The Fishermen Development Rebate’ a rebate of Rs 1.50 lts of HSD oil is paid. Now why did they not think of that for say, if you wanted to get tanked drinking Urrack or ‘Jungle Juice’, coconut feni and caju feni. Because, from among the many other genuine reasons I can think of, it would help the dying breed of toddy tappers who risk life and limb clambering coconut trees. The really bad news is the subsidy runs into crores of rupees (the sordid details next week), but the sad news is you pay through your nose for fish, while the trawler owners laugh all the way to be bank.
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com)
A friend tells me that when she went to Paris over 20 years ago, the one pleasure she looked forward to is to smoke in public and not scandalize anyone. Since then smoking is not so cool and smoking in public is a no-no. Many bars in Goa have a no smoking sign and most respect the ban too, the exception being the bars on the coast. Gone are the days when train travelers lit up under the “smoking is prohibited” sign with casual indifference. Today anti-smokers are in the majority and will carry the day when they protest against someone flouting the law. But not so in Panjim, our capital, it would seem. There was this young woman who walked down the pavement outside Hotel Nova Goa in Panjim blowing smoke nonchalantly on Tuesday this week. She was a foreign tourist and should have known better. Even in Irish pubs, you cannot smoke anymore. So how does a tourist so blatantly break the law with impunity? When politicians like Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik and our own Home Minister Ravi Naik mouth anachronistic mumbo jumbo about how a woman tourist should conduct herself, all of us progressive sections get riled. But when a tourist smokes in public, we should get sanctimonious too. After all, what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander!
Our Hollering Honchos
Last week I promised to ring in Goa’s Walking, Talking champ. He is Joaquim Alemao, the Minister for Fisheries and Urban Development. In between April 2008 and March 2009 he mouthed an amazing talkathon that cost you and me Rs 1,55,601. Your man incurred a bill of Rs 1,63,613.32 between April 2007 and March 2008 using his mobile 9822188899 which is what I wrote last week. In October 2008 alone his yakking cost you Rs 40,348 and in July 2008 it cost you Rs 30,594. The mind boggles when you think he talked up a bill of Rs 3,19,214 in two years. The keys on his mobile must be made of titanium, the metal they make rockets with, to have withstood such wear and tear. His current bill talking to lawyers in Mumbai and to Musli Power (the sponsors of Churchill Brothers) over the Odafe issue, you can bet will go beyond mind boggling. But then in the land of freebies and subsidies (and I haven’t even touched the proverbial tip of the iceberg in this column yet, believe me) who cares? But, if you want to mull over where your hard earned tax bucks go, do Google www.freebirdingoa.blogspot.com, for past updates. Strangely his brother Churchill Alemao, the PWD Minister, ran up a bill of Rs 60,061 in the same 2008-09 period. In the two months April-May 2009, Joaquim ran up a bill of Rs 68,479. In May alone his bill was Rs 67,158. Among this band of brothers, one likes to talk and other is a silent wonder?
Police Conversation
Back to same April 2008-March 2009 period. Digambar Kamat’s (9822129339/9922508060) talking cost you Rs 24,984.40 and Rs 14,557.22. Our montris generally talked themselves hoarse. Jose Philip D’Souza, the Revenue Minister, had much to say. Cost to you: Rs 34,505.93. Surprisingly Miccky Pacheco (992102174) ran up a bill of just Rs 1,527.15. Now, either he stopped talking or Lyndon Monteiro, his Man Friday did all of the talking, as he is prone to do. But with the Group of 7 back in action trying to get a new chief minister, for your sake only mind you, all this light chitchat will be history.
Something’s Fishy
Politicians on permanent chat mode I can understand. In the land of subsidies, freebies and of plentiful opportunities for bhailos, I can understand when your tax money is prodigiously gifted to the wrong people. But in these days when it’s cheaper to get tanked on booze than to fill your hungry belly, what I can’t understand is the high subsidy paid to trawler owners. There’s this scheme called the ‘Goa Value Added Tax based subsidy on HSD oil consumed by fishing vessels scheme 2006’- an amount equivalent to Rs 6 per litre or the actual VAT paid whichever is less; is paid to the owner of a fishing vessel eligible under this scheme as subsidy, limited to a quota of 16,000 KL/year for the whole fishing industry. Also, under the 100 per cent centrally sponsored scheme called ‘The Fishermen Development Rebate’ a rebate of Rs 1.50 lts of HSD oil is paid. Now why did they not think of that for say, if you wanted to get tanked drinking Urrack or ‘Jungle Juice’, coconut feni and caju feni. Because, from among the many other genuine reasons I can think of, it would help the dying breed of toddy tappers who risk life and limb clambering coconut trees. The really bad news is the subsidy runs into crores of rupees (the sordid details next week), but the sad news is you pay through your nose for fish, while the trawler owners laugh all the way to be bank.
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com)
Mr No-All
Denial Mode
"There is no drug scene in Goa. It is created by the media, by press people. You will not get drugs here.” That was Goa’s home minister Ravi Naik. Normally one would say famous last words, but in the case of Ravi Naik, any comment from him has a Teflon effect on him (And he has made many including the insensitive one that women should not wear dupattas after Mahanand Naik was found to be involved in serial killings and all the victims had been strangled with a dupatta). So, although former CM Manohar Parrikar says he is “unfit” to be a minister, nothing is likely to come of it. You don’t believe me? Look at Exhibit A – Scarlet Keeling whose viscera was found to contain a cocktail of drugs and booze. So much for Ravi Naik’s denial. Take a walk down Baga’s roads and I’ll bet the whiff of the sweet-smelling marijuana will assail your nostrils. So no potheads at the rave parties, Mr Minister?
But Naik’s made a career out of denials. Soon after a Russian teenager, Elena Sukhonova was found mysteriously dead on the tracks within hours after she was found till 3 a.m. in a popular Baga hangout, Ravi Naik said foreigners conduct themselves “irresponsibly” in Goa. Not only did that comment get the Russian consul’s back up, it also disturbed people in various sections of society. But the only thing he did not deny is Jyoti Dhavalikar’s involvement with the Sanatan Sanstha which was allegedly behind the Margao blasts. He, in fact, said police was investigating the fact that she seemed to be a volunteer at the sprawling Sanstha premises every day. But wait, is not Jyoti’s husband, Goa’s transport minister Sudin Dhavalikar, his bête noire? Different strokes for different folks.
No Denying This Though
The PMO is concerned over the cost of central ministers blabbing over their mobiles and has asked mobile providers to connect with it. Together they want to bring down costs so that the yak yakking of montris is not going to cost you and me big bucks. You can bet the PMO is concerned, and so should Digambar Kamat be. But then again in the land of freebies and subsidies, who cares? The Chief Minister (9822129339) himself talked up a bill of Rs 37,682.16 between April 2007 and March 2008 chalking up an incredible Rs 10,130.63 in November 2007. On his second official mobile (9922508060) he clocked Rs 11,866.71. Total: Rs 49,548.87. The Home Minister (9922508066), Mr. Denial Mode himself actually denied his vocal cords considerably. He didn’t talk between April-June 2007 and in August 2007 and incurred a bill of only Rs 6,192.97 during the same said above period. Incidentally, when the Sanathan Sanstha episode broke out, one journalist reported that he answered his mobile but excused himself saying he was “in the bathroom” and could the caller call after 20 minutes. Twenty minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, even sixty minutes later, he did not bother to pick up his phone. Talking up a storm is clearly not one of his vices!
The Minister for Finance (9822165611) cost you Rs 1,47,470.62. Yes, that’s right. His walkathon in August 2007 cost you Rs 65,944.74. Now August has 31 days, so that would mean he yakked at a cost of Rs 2,127. His continuous chatter in September 2007 cost you Rs 22,692.69.
Talking, Walking
Like the Ad says, ‘Talking, Walking’. But do heed this statutory warning: Copying them could cause you Lock Jaw. Still don’t you wish that all your Montris observed Maunvrat (Vow of Silence). Better still in the Himalayas! The Minister for Revenue (9922941761) ran up a bill of Rs 47,955.92. The Minister for Forests/Water (9822198009) ran up a bill of Rs 12,330.62. The Minister for Transport (9822180645) ran up a bill for Rs 42,816.83. The Minister for Fisheries/Urban Development (9822188899) chalked up a bill of Rs 1,63,613.32. His talking in October 2007 toted up a bill of Rs 50,020.97 which went from your tax money. He continued to chatter into the next month too (November) recording Rs 54,636.98. You would be right if you thought either of the two bills would set the talkathon record for your Walking, Talking and I might add Flying Montris. You are so wrong. Your walking, talking handsfree champ is someone else, so don’t switch to silent mode yet. Wait a week more.
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com)
"There is no drug scene in Goa. It is created by the media, by press people. You will not get drugs here.” That was Goa’s home minister Ravi Naik. Normally one would say famous last words, but in the case of Ravi Naik, any comment from him has a Teflon effect on him (And he has made many including the insensitive one that women should not wear dupattas after Mahanand Naik was found to be involved in serial killings and all the victims had been strangled with a dupatta). So, although former CM Manohar Parrikar says he is “unfit” to be a minister, nothing is likely to come of it. You don’t believe me? Look at Exhibit A – Scarlet Keeling whose viscera was found to contain a cocktail of drugs and booze. So much for Ravi Naik’s denial. Take a walk down Baga’s roads and I’ll bet the whiff of the sweet-smelling marijuana will assail your nostrils. So no potheads at the rave parties, Mr Minister?
But Naik’s made a career out of denials. Soon after a Russian teenager, Elena Sukhonova was found mysteriously dead on the tracks within hours after she was found till 3 a.m. in a popular Baga hangout, Ravi Naik said foreigners conduct themselves “irresponsibly” in Goa. Not only did that comment get the Russian consul’s back up, it also disturbed people in various sections of society. But the only thing he did not deny is Jyoti Dhavalikar’s involvement with the Sanatan Sanstha which was allegedly behind the Margao blasts. He, in fact, said police was investigating the fact that she seemed to be a volunteer at the sprawling Sanstha premises every day. But wait, is not Jyoti’s husband, Goa’s transport minister Sudin Dhavalikar, his bête noire? Different strokes for different folks.
No Denying This Though
The PMO is concerned over the cost of central ministers blabbing over their mobiles and has asked mobile providers to connect with it. Together they want to bring down costs so that the yak yakking of montris is not going to cost you and me big bucks. You can bet the PMO is concerned, and so should Digambar Kamat be. But then again in the land of freebies and subsidies, who cares? The Chief Minister (9822129339) himself talked up a bill of Rs 37,682.16 between April 2007 and March 2008 chalking up an incredible Rs 10,130.63 in November 2007. On his second official mobile (9922508060) he clocked Rs 11,866.71. Total: Rs 49,548.87. The Home Minister (9922508066), Mr. Denial Mode himself actually denied his vocal cords considerably. He didn’t talk between April-June 2007 and in August 2007 and incurred a bill of only Rs 6,192.97 during the same said above period. Incidentally, when the Sanathan Sanstha episode broke out, one journalist reported that he answered his mobile but excused himself saying he was “in the bathroom” and could the caller call after 20 minutes. Twenty minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, even sixty minutes later, he did not bother to pick up his phone. Talking up a storm is clearly not one of his vices!
The Minister for Finance (9822165611) cost you Rs 1,47,470.62. Yes, that’s right. His walkathon in August 2007 cost you Rs 65,944.74. Now August has 31 days, so that would mean he yakked at a cost of Rs 2,127. His continuous chatter in September 2007 cost you Rs 22,692.69.
Talking, Walking
Like the Ad says, ‘Talking, Walking’. But do heed this statutory warning: Copying them could cause you Lock Jaw. Still don’t you wish that all your Montris observed Maunvrat (Vow of Silence). Better still in the Himalayas! The Minister for Revenue (9922941761) ran up a bill of Rs 47,955.92. The Minister for Forests/Water (9822198009) ran up a bill of Rs 12,330.62. The Minister for Transport (9822180645) ran up a bill for Rs 42,816.83. The Minister for Fisheries/Urban Development (9822188899) chalked up a bill of Rs 1,63,613.32. His talking in October 2007 toted up a bill of Rs 50,020.97 which went from your tax money. He continued to chatter into the next month too (November) recording Rs 54,636.98. You would be right if you thought either of the two bills would set the talkathon record for your Walking, Talking and I might add Flying Montris. You are so wrong. Your walking, talking handsfree champ is someone else, so don’t switch to silent mode yet. Wait a week more.
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Tribulations of the Year
In the land (Goa) of subsidies, freebies, and hand outs, while all you and I get is grief, and that time when Man and Woman of the Year are voted; my humble vote goes to you. Exactly so, it’s for all that grief you get and bear it stoically, except for the occasional rage you show on the road and in some government offices. I say some government offices because here your anger only gets you more grief. Reading about nurses getting a two-year paid holiday which they abuse without remorse, added to my pain. Seventy-four nurses of the Goa Medical College are on long leave that can be extended for two years as childcare leave, study leave and to work in the Gulf! Christopher Fonseca threatening to sabotage the alleged government plan to privatise Goa’s ferry services made the migraine worse. For god sakes, Fonseca ask the islanders of Chorao and Divar and elsewhere, whether they would like a sloppy government ferry service or one that is privately run. These people deserve to be the real candidates for Man and Woman of the Year. Find out how much the ferry crew have pocketed for decades by not issuing tickets to ferry commuters, money that could have been invested in building new ferries. For Pete's sake the government built the last ferry in 1999 and it takes damn years for the River Navigation Department to repair one lousy ferry, thanks again to your union’s inspiration on the workers. Here’s a suggestion, if you need work in 2010, fight for better wages for the thousands employed as contract workers in industrial estates and including government. These, government (the PWD especially) contract workers, in fact are members of your union.
Put the genie back in the bottle
Want to own a piece of Goa? Check. Want to buy into Aldeia de Goa? Check. That was almost the order of things for everyone who wanted to invest in this paradise. The spin went like this: “Situated on a hill, Aldeia de Goa is a project that sprawls over 140 acres of lush ... Aldeia de Goa is located in Dona Paula, home to the elite of Goa.” To further add to its brand equity, the architect for the project is none other than the well known Hafeez Contractor.
So, why on one day in this week alone there were three advertisements wanting to sell plots in this to-die-for piece of real estate in Goa? Simultaneously, the promoters of Aldeia have unleashed a veritable advertising blitz . In fact, this – half page/ front page ads, hoardings on highways has been the project’s hallmark right from the beginning. And yet people are selling. Strange. Is it because they are speculators so they bought into and are getting out so they can laugh all the way to the bank? Or is it because people are changing their minds after the controversy over the regional plan because expat forums (like BritishExpats.com) all debate about slowdown in projects because of the plan? And this has evidently scared off investors. Whatever the reason, one cannot help feeling that some of the sheen is wearing out on this project.
A free for all
What is definitely a relief is that unlike the last few years, there was no manufactured (mostly by electronic channels) phobia about a terror threat to Goa at New Year. So, domestic tourists – cars with registration numbers from Delhi to Kerala, MP to Karnataka, Rajasthan to Andhra Pradesh – jammed this state to take part in the revelry. Panaji’s streets were flooded with tourists going on the wrong side of the road, stopping in the middle of the road to ask for directions, and certainly, the younger lot on bikes (I even spotted an MP registered bike) have not heard of the warning “speed thrills but kills.” Women cops, who looked barely out of their teens policed the street, but who was listening to them anyway? They seem part of an unemployment racket rather than out to keep order on the streets.
Goans had it up to here encountering the mayhem unleashed by the unruly tourists. Our politicians tell us that tourism earns the state and its people top dollars because it is a much sought after destination. But my fish vendor, Philip, seems untouched by the so called ripple effect of tourism. He, shockingly, does not own a home (in fact lives in a chawl) and gets up early to get fish in Margao to bring it all the way to Divar. Why would he do it if tourism brought him revenue? The only tourism earners are hotels, mostly owned by outsiders who take their money outside and don’t put it in the Goan economy. For that matter check out the 5-Star at Mira Mar and see for yourself how many Goans it employs.
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com)
In the land (Goa) of subsidies, freebies, and hand outs, while all you and I get is grief, and that time when Man and Woman of the Year are voted; my humble vote goes to you. Exactly so, it’s for all that grief you get and bear it stoically, except for the occasional rage you show on the road and in some government offices. I say some government offices because here your anger only gets you more grief. Reading about nurses getting a two-year paid holiday which they abuse without remorse, added to my pain. Seventy-four nurses of the Goa Medical College are on long leave that can be extended for two years as childcare leave, study leave and to work in the Gulf! Christopher Fonseca threatening to sabotage the alleged government plan to privatise Goa’s ferry services made the migraine worse. For god sakes, Fonseca ask the islanders of Chorao and Divar and elsewhere, whether they would like a sloppy government ferry service or one that is privately run. These people deserve to be the real candidates for Man and Woman of the Year. Find out how much the ferry crew have pocketed for decades by not issuing tickets to ferry commuters, money that could have been invested in building new ferries. For Pete's sake the government built the last ferry in 1999 and it takes damn years for the River Navigation Department to repair one lousy ferry, thanks again to your union’s inspiration on the workers. Here’s a suggestion, if you need work in 2010, fight for better wages for the thousands employed as contract workers in industrial estates and including government. These, government (the PWD especially) contract workers, in fact are members of your union.
Put the genie back in the bottle
Want to own a piece of Goa? Check. Want to buy into Aldeia de Goa? Check. That was almost the order of things for everyone who wanted to invest in this paradise. The spin went like this: “Situated on a hill, Aldeia de Goa is a project that sprawls over 140 acres of lush ... Aldeia de Goa is located in Dona Paula, home to the elite of Goa.” To further add to its brand equity, the architect for the project is none other than the well known Hafeez Contractor.
So, why on one day in this week alone there were three advertisements wanting to sell plots in this to-die-for piece of real estate in Goa? Simultaneously, the promoters of Aldeia have unleashed a veritable advertising blitz . In fact, this – half page/ front page ads, hoardings on highways has been the project’s hallmark right from the beginning. And yet people are selling. Strange. Is it because they are speculators so they bought into and are getting out so they can laugh all the way to the bank? Or is it because people are changing their minds after the controversy over the regional plan because expat forums (like BritishExpats.com) all debate about slowdown in projects because of the plan? And this has evidently scared off investors. Whatever the reason, one cannot help feeling that some of the sheen is wearing out on this project.
A free for all
What is definitely a relief is that unlike the last few years, there was no manufactured (mostly by electronic channels) phobia about a terror threat to Goa at New Year. So, domestic tourists – cars with registration numbers from Delhi to Kerala, MP to Karnataka, Rajasthan to Andhra Pradesh – jammed this state to take part in the revelry. Panaji’s streets were flooded with tourists going on the wrong side of the road, stopping in the middle of the road to ask for directions, and certainly, the younger lot on bikes (I even spotted an MP registered bike) have not heard of the warning “speed thrills but kills.” Women cops, who looked barely out of their teens policed the street, but who was listening to them anyway? They seem part of an unemployment racket rather than out to keep order on the streets.
Goans had it up to here encountering the mayhem unleashed by the unruly tourists. Our politicians tell us that tourism earns the state and its people top dollars because it is a much sought after destination. But my fish vendor, Philip, seems untouched by the so called ripple effect of tourism. He, shockingly, does not own a home (in fact lives in a chawl) and gets up early to get fish in Margao to bring it all the way to Divar. Why would he do it if tourism brought him revenue? The only tourism earners are hotels, mostly owned by outsiders who take their money outside and don’t put it in the Goan economy. For that matter check out the 5-Star at Mira Mar and see for yourself how many Goans it employs.
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com)
Government on Overdrive?
If they aren’t in the air accumulating flying hours, they are burning rubber on the roads. They get their kicks burning up jet fuel or petrol, it doesn’t matter which. It’s a ‘burning’ within them, just like internal combustion that drives planes and cars, to be able to do the same thing. It does not matter either if you have to borrow your dad’s official car and do a pole dancer act that too at the crack of dawn, if you get my drift or, simply put in an indent for a fleet of posh government cars. As the man said, everything is up for grabs in Goa where netas are builders, those who are not are money lenders to builders, are barge owners, mine lease owners, and hotel owners. For the high-born, for whom the International Film Festival of India that I have been saying for years was custom-made for the ‘preferred hotel’ at Dona Paula that the ‘newspaper you can trust’ endorsed this year for the first time, making it legitimate and public. And you can complain till the cows come home – they don’t care.
Revving up miles
To this end, the cost of driving around just 86 VIPs (all from out of state) in 2006, 2007 and 2008 made a huge dent of Rs 26,99,772 on your tax money. It seems anyone with a VIP tag gets a free ride in Goa. Details over the next few Sundays, but for the moment I am intrigued why Ujwal D. Nikam, a Special Public Prosecutor, keeps coming back like a charter tourist.
Perhaps to say a government on overdrive isn’t the best way to put things in perspective. Cars are fitted with the highest engine gear (overdrive) to economize on for fuel economy and to save engine wear; your government on the contrary condemned 390 vehicles in the past five years. The General Administration Department which is almost the government’s car for hire service, condemned 20 cars, many of which had clocked 2,00,000 km! In a five-day week plus the umpteen holidays, makes you wonder what they do to log such mileage. Imagine the Goa government’s carbon footprint and its contribution to global warming.
The Town & Country Planning Department which has a blind spot for entire valleys and hill sides that are gouged out by builders with the calm of a chess player, managed to condemn nine vehicles, most of its vehicles crossing the 1,50,000 km mark. Does the TCP have a knack of blind driving despite that peculiar blind spot limitation for hill cutting?
Funny Cop
Arvind Gawas, SP (Traffic) is the rare cop with a sense of humour. A couple of weeks ago he said pay parking would encourage drivers to give Panjim a miss, and as a result decongest its commercial streets especially. He’s back. This time he wants cat eyes on the center and edge lines of roads so drivers can gauge the width of the road. If he looked at the driving schools he might find answers on how to keep maniacs off the roads instead. As Dattaram (Mahesh) Nayak of the Jai Damodar Association suggests begin with Kamat Motor Driving School based in Chinchinim who he says declared to the Road Transport Department that its registered automobile engineer is a Sudin Prabhu Dessai. A driving school must compulsorily employ an automobile engineer or ITI qualified technician.
And Speedy Gonzales
But, the man he says is an employee of Chowgule Industries at Fatorda and has been for 10 years. According to Nayak who has been fighting corruption in the Road Transport Department, Margao, and routinely shoots off missives to the Chief Secretary; to issue a new motor driving school license, the official fee is Rs 1,000 while the speed money rate is Rs 25,000. To renew a license, the official fee is Rs 1,000 - the speed money rate is Rs 8,000. Learners license Rs 40 – speed money Rs 100. To issue a permanent license, the official rate is Rs 90 – speed money Rs 300. To issue a permanent professional license, the official rate is Rs 130 – speed money Rs 800. As I said last week, the motor vehicle inspector or ‘Speedy Gonzales’ has his work cut out for him and has a free hand from the Assistant Director of Transport in Margao. Latest estimates of speed money turnover in the south of Goa: between Rs 80,000 and Rs 1 lakh a month. Ahh yes, I promised you the names of the touts who chase with the fastest mouse in all of south Goa; they are Abdul, two touts with the same surname Naik, Raju and two Keralites whose names I don’t know at the moment. Surprise, surprise, the two Naiks are not Goans but bhailos who had their names changed. Even that happens in Goa, the land of opportunity for bhailos.
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com)
If they aren’t in the air accumulating flying hours, they are burning rubber on the roads. They get their kicks burning up jet fuel or petrol, it doesn’t matter which. It’s a ‘burning’ within them, just like internal combustion that drives planes and cars, to be able to do the same thing. It does not matter either if you have to borrow your dad’s official car and do a pole dancer act that too at the crack of dawn, if you get my drift or, simply put in an indent for a fleet of posh government cars. As the man said, everything is up for grabs in Goa where netas are builders, those who are not are money lenders to builders, are barge owners, mine lease owners, and hotel owners. For the high-born, for whom the International Film Festival of India that I have been saying for years was custom-made for the ‘preferred hotel’ at Dona Paula that the ‘newspaper you can trust’ endorsed this year for the first time, making it legitimate and public. And you can complain till the cows come home – they don’t care.
Revving up miles
To this end, the cost of driving around just 86 VIPs (all from out of state) in 2006, 2007 and 2008 made a huge dent of Rs 26,99,772 on your tax money. It seems anyone with a VIP tag gets a free ride in Goa. Details over the next few Sundays, but for the moment I am intrigued why Ujwal D. Nikam, a Special Public Prosecutor, keeps coming back like a charter tourist.
Perhaps to say a government on overdrive isn’t the best way to put things in perspective. Cars are fitted with the highest engine gear (overdrive) to economize on for fuel economy and to save engine wear; your government on the contrary condemned 390 vehicles in the past five years. The General Administration Department which is almost the government’s car for hire service, condemned 20 cars, many of which had clocked 2,00,000 km! In a five-day week plus the umpteen holidays, makes you wonder what they do to log such mileage. Imagine the Goa government’s carbon footprint and its contribution to global warming.
The Town & Country Planning Department which has a blind spot for entire valleys and hill sides that are gouged out by builders with the calm of a chess player, managed to condemn nine vehicles, most of its vehicles crossing the 1,50,000 km mark. Does the TCP have a knack of blind driving despite that peculiar blind spot limitation for hill cutting?
Funny Cop
Arvind Gawas, SP (Traffic) is the rare cop with a sense of humour. A couple of weeks ago he said pay parking would encourage drivers to give Panjim a miss, and as a result decongest its commercial streets especially. He’s back. This time he wants cat eyes on the center and edge lines of roads so drivers can gauge the width of the road. If he looked at the driving schools he might find answers on how to keep maniacs off the roads instead. As Dattaram (Mahesh) Nayak of the Jai Damodar Association suggests begin with Kamat Motor Driving School based in Chinchinim who he says declared to the Road Transport Department that its registered automobile engineer is a Sudin Prabhu Dessai. A driving school must compulsorily employ an automobile engineer or ITI qualified technician.
And Speedy Gonzales
But, the man he says is an employee of Chowgule Industries at Fatorda and has been for 10 years. According to Nayak who has been fighting corruption in the Road Transport Department, Margao, and routinely shoots off missives to the Chief Secretary; to issue a new motor driving school license, the official fee is Rs 1,000 while the speed money rate is Rs 25,000. To renew a license, the official fee is Rs 1,000 - the speed money rate is Rs 8,000. Learners license Rs 40 – speed money Rs 100. To issue a permanent license, the official rate is Rs 90 – speed money Rs 300. To issue a permanent professional license, the official rate is Rs 130 – speed money Rs 800. As I said last week, the motor vehicle inspector or ‘Speedy Gonzales’ has his work cut out for him and has a free hand from the Assistant Director of Transport in Margao. Latest estimates of speed money turnover in the south of Goa: between Rs 80,000 and Rs 1 lakh a month. Ahh yes, I promised you the names of the touts who chase with the fastest mouse in all of south Goa; they are Abdul, two touts with the same surname Naik, Raju and two Keralites whose names I don’t know at the moment. Surprise, surprise, the two Naiks are not Goans but bhailos who had their names changed. Even that happens in Goa, the land of opportunity for bhailos.
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com)
Files crawl, but babus jet
In a government where files are known to crawl at snail’s pace and some even go AWOL, its ministers and officers however prefer to fly at jet speed. These are more of their flying exploits between 2007-08 and 2008-09, this time (as I said earlier) giving the entire expenditure incurred on the junkets.
Sanjit Rodrigues, Director (Industries) – Thailand, China – 1,11,333; Dr Rajnanda Dessai, Director (Health Services) – Zurich, Dusseldorf – Rs 1,23,705, Dubai – Rs 81,020, Oxford, UK – expense not known as it was paid for by the Nova Nordisk Foundation; Joaquim Alemao, Chairman, GSUDA & Daulat Hawaldar, Member Secretary, GSUDA – Frankfurt, Lyon, Paris, La Rochelle – Rs 16,71,846. Never heard of La Rochelle. Me too, so I Googled. It’s on France's west coast between Nante and Bordeaux and is an interesting tourist destination on the sea. La Rochelle has an interesting old harbour fortified in the middle ages and a wonderful medieval core city. The cuisine of La Rochelle is memorable for its seafood. Aahh, Seafood eh! They spent eight days on this whirlwind tour and perhaps achieved nothing. This is possibly why? The distance between Paris and La Rochele is 470 km and it takes an hour to fly. The flying time between Paris and Lyon is 29 minutes. There’s the flight from Frankfurt to Paris to factor in as well, plus the flight from Dabolim to Bombay, then the distance of 6,575 km or eight hours of flying time from Bombay to Frankfurt. If only there was a way to find out how much time was spent working, if they did work, that is. But, if you consider they spent 192 hours (eight days) that works out to a blistering rate of Rs 8,702 an hour.
Then there was R S Yadav, Sr. SP (Crime & Intelligence) who flew to Vicenza in Italy on a 24-day official tour paid for by the Centre for Excellence for stability Police Unit, Vicenza, so his expense is not known.
Fruitful Journeys
Sagun Wadkar, member, board of directors, Goa State Horticulture Corporation (GSHC), Ashok Joshi, also a board director and SSP Tendulkar, Director (Agriculture) each spent Rs 3,49,571 on a 12-day junket to the Phillipines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Total cost: Rs 10,48,713. While Frieda Barreto, the Dy Director (Agriculture) and Larry Barreto, Asst Director (Agriculture) went to Singapore. Total cost: Rs 2,85,000.
Now horticulture is a composite of two words, horti meaning grass, and culture. The only thing that makes sense here is that the idea the grass is greener across oceans must have germinated within GSHC, so it too went along with the ‘culture’ of flying and decided to develop its own strain of ‘wings’. Amen to that.
What is it about Dubai?
Dr Ida de Noronha de Ataide, Professor, Dental College – Dubai – Rs 80,711; Manohar Azgaonkar, Vice-Chairman Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) –Dubai & Doha – Rs 2,27,500; JP Singh, Chief Secretary – Dubai & Doha – Rs 1,47,900, Morad Ahmad, Chief Town Planner – Dubai & Doha – 1,83,070; JJ Rego, Chief Engineer, PWD –Dubai & Doha – Rs 1,83,070; VM Prabhu Desai, Executive Director, SAG – Dubai & Doha – Rs 2,19,801.
Prabhudessai, the blue-eyed boy of all sports ministers is a popular itinerant and even went to World Cup 2006 as he said to check out the stadia there so they could be replicated here. Yeah right! The cost of that trip that included a posse of four others was Rs 7,12,439.
And Down Under
JJS Rego, CE-11 – Australia & New Zealand – Rs 1,15,245; A. Parulakar, Superintendent Engineer – Australia & New Zealand – Rs 1,15,245; JPP de Souza, Superintendent –Australia & New Zealand – Rs 1,15,245.
Of Speed Money
The Jai Damodar Association’s Dattaram Nayak tells me that an officer of the Road Transport Department at Margao, MJ Walke has set the following ‘speed money’ rates for different categories. To renew the fitness certificate of a light motor vehicle, the official fee is Rs 300, while the speed money rate is Rs 600. To renew a fitness certificate of a medium motor vehicle it is Rs 300 and Rs 800 respectively. For a heavy goods vehicle it is Rs 500 and Rs 1,200. For water tankers – Rs 500 and Rs 2,500. Mini buses Rs 500 and Rs 2000. Big buses – Rs 500 and Rs 2,500. National permit trucks Rs 500 and Rs 2,500. To register new trucks and mini buses the official rate is Rs 600, while the speed money rate varies between Rs 5,000-10,000. I love the clarity in this man’s work. Thus, if the vehicle has no hand brake, there is a speed money surcharge of Rs 500. No emergency door for a bus attracts a surcharge of Rs 1,000. If a bus has no complaint box, the extra charge is a mere Rs 200. Ditto for a first aid box. See what I mean, no kit kit. There’s one irritant though. The touts and agents are mostly non-Goans and that means Goans are harassed because if you are a bhailo, you get the expressway treatment. So Goans are pissed off because it does hurt when in your homeland, you have to go through a ghatti. You want to know their names, yes. Wait till next week then.
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com)
In a government where files are known to crawl at snail’s pace and some even go AWOL, its ministers and officers however prefer to fly at jet speed. These are more of their flying exploits between 2007-08 and 2008-09, this time (as I said earlier) giving the entire expenditure incurred on the junkets.
Sanjit Rodrigues, Director (Industries) – Thailand, China – 1,11,333; Dr Rajnanda Dessai, Director (Health Services) – Zurich, Dusseldorf – Rs 1,23,705, Dubai – Rs 81,020, Oxford, UK – expense not known as it was paid for by the Nova Nordisk Foundation; Joaquim Alemao, Chairman, GSUDA & Daulat Hawaldar, Member Secretary, GSUDA – Frankfurt, Lyon, Paris, La Rochelle – Rs 16,71,846. Never heard of La Rochelle. Me too, so I Googled. It’s on France's west coast between Nante and Bordeaux and is an interesting tourist destination on the sea. La Rochelle has an interesting old harbour fortified in the middle ages and a wonderful medieval core city. The cuisine of La Rochelle is memorable for its seafood. Aahh, Seafood eh! They spent eight days on this whirlwind tour and perhaps achieved nothing. This is possibly why? The distance between Paris and La Rochele is 470 km and it takes an hour to fly. The flying time between Paris and Lyon is 29 minutes. There’s the flight from Frankfurt to Paris to factor in as well, plus the flight from Dabolim to Bombay, then the distance of 6,575 km or eight hours of flying time from Bombay to Frankfurt. If only there was a way to find out how much time was spent working, if they did work, that is. But, if you consider they spent 192 hours (eight days) that works out to a blistering rate of Rs 8,702 an hour.
Then there was R S Yadav, Sr. SP (Crime & Intelligence) who flew to Vicenza in Italy on a 24-day official tour paid for by the Centre for Excellence for stability Police Unit, Vicenza, so his expense is not known.
Fruitful Journeys
Sagun Wadkar, member, board of directors, Goa State Horticulture Corporation (GSHC), Ashok Joshi, also a board director and SSP Tendulkar, Director (Agriculture) each spent Rs 3,49,571 on a 12-day junket to the Phillipines, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand. Total cost: Rs 10,48,713. While Frieda Barreto, the Dy Director (Agriculture) and Larry Barreto, Asst Director (Agriculture) went to Singapore. Total cost: Rs 2,85,000.
Now horticulture is a composite of two words, horti meaning grass, and culture. The only thing that makes sense here is that the idea the grass is greener across oceans must have germinated within GSHC, so it too went along with the ‘culture’ of flying and decided to develop its own strain of ‘wings’. Amen to that.
What is it about Dubai?
Dr Ida de Noronha de Ataide, Professor, Dental College – Dubai – Rs 80,711; Manohar Azgaonkar, Vice-Chairman Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) –Dubai & Doha – Rs 2,27,500; JP Singh, Chief Secretary – Dubai & Doha – Rs 1,47,900, Morad Ahmad, Chief Town Planner – Dubai & Doha – 1,83,070; JJ Rego, Chief Engineer, PWD –Dubai & Doha – Rs 1,83,070; VM Prabhu Desai, Executive Director, SAG – Dubai & Doha – Rs 2,19,801.
Prabhudessai, the blue-eyed boy of all sports ministers is a popular itinerant and even went to World Cup 2006 as he said to check out the stadia there so they could be replicated here. Yeah right! The cost of that trip that included a posse of four others was Rs 7,12,439.
And Down Under
JJS Rego, CE-11 – Australia & New Zealand – Rs 1,15,245; A. Parulakar, Superintendent Engineer – Australia & New Zealand – Rs 1,15,245; JPP de Souza, Superintendent –Australia & New Zealand – Rs 1,15,245.
Of Speed Money
The Jai Damodar Association’s Dattaram Nayak tells me that an officer of the Road Transport Department at Margao, MJ Walke has set the following ‘speed money’ rates for different categories. To renew the fitness certificate of a light motor vehicle, the official fee is Rs 300, while the speed money rate is Rs 600. To renew a fitness certificate of a medium motor vehicle it is Rs 300 and Rs 800 respectively. For a heavy goods vehicle it is Rs 500 and Rs 1,200. For water tankers – Rs 500 and Rs 2,500. Mini buses Rs 500 and Rs 2000. Big buses – Rs 500 and Rs 2,500. National permit trucks Rs 500 and Rs 2,500. To register new trucks and mini buses the official rate is Rs 600, while the speed money rate varies between Rs 5,000-10,000. I love the clarity in this man’s work. Thus, if the vehicle has no hand brake, there is a speed money surcharge of Rs 500. No emergency door for a bus attracts a surcharge of Rs 1,000. If a bus has no complaint box, the extra charge is a mere Rs 200. Ditto for a first aid box. See what I mean, no kit kit. There’s one irritant though. The touts and agents are mostly non-Goans and that means Goans are harassed because if you are a bhailo, you get the expressway treatment. So Goans are pissed off because it does hurt when in your homeland, you have to go through a ghatti. You want to know their names, yes. Wait till next week then.
Feedback 2280935, 9822152164 lionroars.goa@gmail.com)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
