Xit-Koddi - Mar-Apr 2017

Re-defining Democracy 

The scenes witnessed on the political stage of Goa have re-defined democracy. Eighty three per cent of the electorate turned out to cast ballots. Seventy per cent of the votes were against BJP. The Goa Forward Party won three seats with the most critical campaign against BJP. ‘Respect the will of the people and please go’, was the answer to BJP given by the people of Goa. But our politicians re-defined democracy by giving us government against the mandate.

BJP promises good and corrupt free governance, but the formation of this government itself stinks of corruption. Goans are betrayed. Goans feel backstabbed and cheated. A traitor has lobbied with losers to give Goans a government against the will of the people. This is surely a mockery of democracy.

All politicians are out to fool people and make hay while the sun shines. We are deceived by politicians shouting from their roof tops about love for Goa and Goans. All that we can do now, is to pray to the Almighty to save Goem, Goenkar and Goenkarponn.

Yours Truly

= GR Crasto

AGM of Goans Club: The 63rd Annual General Body Meeting of Young Goans club is scheduled for March 26 at the club premises in Manama at 7.30 p.m. The main item on the agenda is the election of the executive committee for the year 2017.

Cassius Pereira Elected President: Team Revival panel led by its presidential candidate Cassius Pereira won majority

of seats in the election to the Executive Committee of the Indian Club Bahrain. Cassius who has served on the executive committee of this club in the past is a well known hockey, football and tennis player. He is also a former president of Young Goans Club. Xit-Koddi Congratulates Cassius on his election to the post of president at this prestigious club and wish his team a successful term.

OCI Status for Goans In Canada: The Commission for NRI Affairs, Goa has written to the Indian Mission in Canada raising serious concerns about the denial of Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) status to Canadian citizens of Goan origin. In a communication to the High Commission of India in Ottawa/Consulate General of India, Commission has pointed out that Portuguese language documents, translated in English are not accepted by the consulate and subsequently the OCI card is denied. The Government of Goa has requested the Mission to accept these documents while processing the applications of persons of Goan origin who are forced to rely upon the birth records registered during the erstwhile Portuguese regime, for grant of OCI card status. Presently such Goans are left with no alternative but to apply for tourist visas on every occasion they intend to visit the State.

Are You Indian Or Portuguese?: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has withdrawn its order declaring Benaulim MLA Caetano Silva (Caitu) a Portuguese National. Director (Citizenship)of MHA, Pravin Horo Singh, in his order dated January 31, has stated that Caetano Silva is a citizen of India and not a Portuguese national. The MHA’s earlier order had held that Silva was a Portuguese citizen as his birth was registered in Portugal. The order was challenged by Silva in the high court of Bombay at Goa. The court had remanded the matter back to the MHA asking it to hear it, as expeditiously as possible. Addressing the media, Caitu praised the central government for the order and said that the order is a big relief to hundreds of Goans who have registered their birth in Portugal and are considered as Portuguese nationals. His lawyer Bairon Rodrigues said, mere registration of birth in Portugal is not actually acquiring Portuguese nationality but only a step in the process.

Santo Antonio Cruz

Humility doesn’t top the list of popular virtues these days, but if you’re ever in need of help, a humble person is more likely to be there for you than a prideful one. Xit-Koddi is pleased to highlight a humble Goan who has touched many hearts silently over the years in Bahrain. He is Santo Antonio Cruz, known as Anthony Cruz to his acquaintances.Anthony will bid goodbye to Bahrain by the end of March 2017, after serving a well-known Bahraini family for 20 years. A very soft spoken Anthony shot to fame after staging his well acclaimed Konkani drama ‘Konnakuch Khobor Nam’ under the Konkani Community of Sacred Heart Church (SHC) at Bahrain in May 2013. Hailing from Sanguem, Anthony loved tiatr from a very young age and has staged tiatrs in Benaulim, Varca and Sanguem before his arrival to Bahrain in 1996. Soput, Tuje Paik Vichar and Somdir were some of the tiatrs penned and staged by him in Goa.

Anthony is a founder member of the group ‘Friends Helping Hands’. The group has reached out to several persons over the years. They include help in buying air-tickets and even cash assistance to workers without pay for several months. Back home in India too, they have contributed whatever little possible, towards patients with cancer and kidney ailments. There are cases where they have reached out in supporting poor children to buy schoolbooks. The group has about 20 members, mostly domestic and low income workers.

Anthony, who gets off on Sundays spends most of his time at church. He is a member of Konkani Lectors Ministry and Konkani Charismatic at SHC. ‘God has blessed me and my family abundantly with several good things in life. Probably these are fruits of my little works’ he told Xit-Koddi during our chat with him. His elder daughter Johncia is happily married and younger daughter Armida will be ordained Nun of the Holy Family next year. We wish Anthony a bright future as he retires back to Goa to be with his loving wife Belmira.

CAVES OF GOA 

Many Goans may not even know, the recent archaeological discoveries have proved the existence of ancient settlements in Goa, that flourished in the primitive caves of Goa. Classified as natural and man-made, the caves of Goa are fast catching attractions of the history lovers around the world. We are glad to bring a link with details of these caves to our readers: www.holidaystogoa.org/caves-in-goa/ 

In Loving Memory Of