This refers to the article "An expensive ride throughGoa" (Saturday January 19).
In December 2007, after my husband died, I came to live inGoa permanently with my son, moving from Kerala where I had lived for 18years. I drove here in myKerala-registered car. As far as I knew,the law was that the car should be registered in Goa within six months of arrival.I went to great pains to get an NOC fromthe RTO Trivandrum before leaving.
Soon after myarrival, I approached the Goa branch of the Automobile Association of WesternIndia in Panjim, to become a member so that they could undertake this task forme. They told me that they doubted ifthe RTO would accept any of the documents I had produced as proof of residencein Goa which were 1) Telephone Bill in my name 2) A letter from my son statingthat I lived with him 3) Residence permit from the Foreigners RegistrationOffice in Panjim. I decided to try and do it myself.
I was told thateither I would have to produce proof of house ownership as proof of or avoter's card which obviously, being a foreigner, I couldn't. During the courseof my interactions with the RTO over a period of two months, I was asked by theHead Clerk whether I could prove that my son was my son! And when it was obvious that I would not begiven Goan registration I asked what I should do, this same person suggestedthat "I could move around in a taxi."
In the end I had toget the Kerala NOC cancelled and my car re-registered in Kerala which is how itstands today. If this new rule about paying entry tax comes into force, Iwonder where I stand now.
Valerie Abraham, Olaulim
A better security system is imperative for Goa
Rather than sit and do nothing, I am writing in with mylittle suggestion for the Home Department to possibly look into. This is inconnection with the Vasco rape case of the little 7 year old girl. I wouldrequest the Chief Minister to look into implementing a policy that makes itmandatory for all government and public-service institutions to install CCTVsystems such that at-least 1 camera faces the street/footpath looking outwardsfrom these establishments.
he reasoning being, is that if a network (however basic orpatchy) monitoring some part of our streets can be placed, then the chances ofa criminal being caught on such a system goes up dramatically. For example, inthe case of the Vasco school incident, if some establishments around the schoolhad cameras as such, there might have been a fair chance of possibly trackingdown the criminal's image or movements.
Let's get over our apathy and stop pretending that this isthe Goa from the 1980s - this is a very different Goa, far more darker,dangerous and criminal.
Gavin J Alvares, Nerul
