Right move
The Goa government has rightly decided to reduce funding for the carnival in Goa. It is wrongly presumed to be a Christian festival prior to the period of Lent and penance. It is the state that has exploited this tradition by excessively allocating state resources to attract tourists. It has therefore, succeeded in creating an image of fun and street revelry, and by further sponsoring it in major towns and cities of Goa, the otherwise quiet Shigmo celebration too received a shot in the arm. In fact, the Shigmo parade is artistic, elaborate in its display of mythical characters and conveying a message of culture and religious tradition of significance.
Today’s carnival is not a shadow of what it used to be and there are hopes that it will revert as people festival without interference and exploitations as it was before. There was a time when the King Momo parade was restricted to Panaji and in the villages and other places, carnival revelry consisted of people playing with cocotes etc. Now, the carnival has benefited the hotel, transport, business, alcohol, beverage and other industries with its merry-making image. It is perfectly justified now, for the state to withdraw public funding and let the beneficiaries foot the bill. Of course, care must be taken that it is not completely commercialized and there is an element of culture and entertainment in a right proportion.
Nelson Lopes, Chinchinim
Lost voices?
As a Cuncolkar I attended the annual High Feast Mass Eucharist celebration of our Patron Our Lady of Health which was presided by Rev Fr Kyril D’Souza SFX who was main celebrant and preached on the occasion. In the mid of the sermon, he talked about the government legislation declaring the coconut tree as grass, and he was surprise to know not a single Cuncolkar raised his or her voice objecting to this. Cuncolkars were among the first people to oppose any unjust and anti-people or anti-Goan legislation in past. There it struck me. Where are the present generation of Cuncolkars heading? Have they forgotten all that our famous ancestors bestowed on us? Cuncolkars were in the forefront during the Opinion Poll and Konkani language movements and we achieved what we wanted.
Rudolph Noronha, Cuncolim
Gross incompetence
The beach cleaning scam is the biggest scam of the year which warrants a proper in-depth enquiry by a competent agency like the CBI, since public funds are allegedly looted and the culprits must be booked and brought to justice. Secondly, the introduction of helicopter tourism without consulting the locals and other stakeholders is a criminal waste of public funds, as the helipad is located in an eco-sensitive area. It is high time the Chief Minister acts to relieve the concerned tourism minister who is not fit to shoulder the tourism portfolio. Likewise, the power minister has to be replaced as his motive behind the non-acceptance of the selection of engineers for the electricity dept by the Goa Public Service Commission, is unreasonable and smacks of dictatorial attitude in utter disregard to the approval granted by the Chief Minister to issue the appointment letters. And in the process, the prestige and impartiality of the Goa Public Service Commission has been seriously dented.
John Remedios, Panaji
