A minister in the Goa Cabinet has defended the legal provision allowing citizens to change their names, arguing that the procedure is elaborate and well-defined. There is no question that the right to correct a name, adopt one following marriage or adoption, or rectify errors in official records is legitimate and should be protected. But the real question is whether the existing system contains adequate safeguards. Critics allege that changes to Goan-sounding names could subsequently be used in property transactions, succession claims or attempts to establish a local identity. A change of name assumes particular significance when a surname is changed. It can also indicate a change in the faith one follows. The adoption of Goan-sounding names could be an attempt to establish eligibility for foreign citizenship or passports, including Portuguese citizenship claims.
Obviously, a name change alone cannot establish Goan ancestry. However, it could become one component of a larger identity-fraud scheme. If a person with a criminal history changes his name, linking the old and new identities could become more difficult. Government databases should retain both names, if this is not already being done. A name change should not erase the previous identity from the administrative record. What Goa needs is a robust system to distinguish legitimate name changes from attempts to manufacture an identity.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
