OLD GOA
The much-publicised Sao Joao event promoted by the Tourism Department at Dhauji helipad, Old Goa turned into a damp squib, as very few participants participated in the festivities for a major part of the day.
Incidentally, the event is being promoted by the Tourism Department since last year and this year, going by the publicity made, there were expectations that it would prove to be a hit among locals and tourists alike.
Some reports in the local media, in fact, had put the expenditure for hosting the event at around Rs 1.4 crore.
However, the participation was so less that the inauguration of the festival had to be postponed twice due to lack of audience.
First, it was supposed to be inaugurated at around 10 am but then it was postponed to 12.30 pm, which also did not happen. Finally, the festival was thrown open at around 2 pm with the dignitaries, police, security, organisers making the most numbers among those present. The scene did not change much till late evening when the crowd started arriving at the venue.
Meanwhile, questions were being raised in certain corners about the venture of the Tourism Department in promotion of a religious festival like Sao Joao, which has got nothing to do with tourism.
Speaking to The Goan, activist and Corlim resident Mariano Ferrao slammed the tourism department for organising the Sao Joao event.
“Sao Joao is an event of the Catholics who celebrate the life of St John the Baptist, who baptised Jesus. It has got nothing to do with tourism and the venturing of the tourism department in this festival is highly condemnable,” Ferrao said.
He further appealed to the Church in Goa to send a clear message to the government that festivals like Sao Joao cannot be commercialised.
“Is the government trying to promote that Sao Joao is a festival to drink and make merry?” Ferrao further questioned.
The huge expenditure for the festival has also come into question with a local slamming the government for such wasteful expenditure, which otherwise could be put to good use.
“The government, on one side, borrows money to run the administration and on the other, wastes money in organising such events,” the local informed, on condition of anonymity.
