CONNECTING TOURISM GLOBALLY!
GITM 2024 Sets the Stage for Tourism Renaissance: The first day of the highly anticipated Goa International Travel Mart (GITM) 2024 commenced at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium with an air of excitement and anticipation on April 3, 2024. Industry leaders, government officials and tourism enthusiasts gathered to witness the unveiling of a new era in Goa’s tourism landscape.
The focus of this year’s GITM was on regenerative tourism, a paradigm shift towards sustainable practices that prioritize the restoration and revitalization of local ecosystems and communities. Goa is also the ideal state for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism for it offers world-class infrastructure and amenities. Goa’s appeal as a wedding destination is also unparalleled and couples from around the world look for a dream wedding here where there is a blend of rich cultural heritage, warm hospitality, and impeccable services.
The highlight of GITM 2024 was the inauguration of the Goa Tourism stall by Suneel Anchipaka (IAS, Director Tourism & Managing Director GTDC), in the presence of Parag Rangnekar (member of the Goa Tourism Board, Jack Sukheeja (president-elect of TTAG), Ralph Desouza (chairperson of Desouza Group of Hotels), Mark Mendes, (member of the Goa Tourism Board), Carlos Desouza (Convenor of CII), Deepak Narvekar ( deputy GM-GTDC) and other dignitaries. Afterwards there was a thought-provoking knowledge-sharing session by Travel Trends exploring the evolving landscape of tourism in Goa. There was a robust turnout of 65 international buyers and 80 domestic buyers and participants from around the globe, including delegates from India, Germany, United Arab Emirates, Italy, Norway, Thailand, Czech Republic, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Zimbabwe, Finland, Nepal, Kuwait, South Africa, Spain, France, Turkey, Slovakia, Netherlands, Belgium, Russian Federation, Vietnam, Kenya, Oman, Bahrain, Hungary, Australia, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Singapore, and more.
COMPASSION FOR ABANDONED CHILD, PLEASE!
THE Goa SCPCR, under its mandate to monitor the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 has made a recommendation to the law enforcement agencies, advocating for a reconsideration of the penal provisions applied to a mother who allegedly abandoned her one-and-a-half-month-old baby girl. The baby, born prematurely and suffering from health complications, was found in an isolated area, sparking immediate legal action against the mother.
The GSCPCR emphasizes the need for understanding and compassion, “In facing the immense challenges of caring for a premature infant with health issues, the line between despair and hope can blur. We must recognize the extreme pressures that led to this unfortunate incident and approach it with empathy and a sincere desire to support, rather than penalize, the mother involved.”
The Commission believes that the mother’s actions were driven by overwhelming challenges and feelings of desperation, situations that many parents might find unfathomable unless faced with similar circumstances. With this understanding, the GSCPCR is recommending for a re-evaluation of the case under Section 75 of The Juvenile Justice Act 2015, which acknowledges that abandonment may occur due to situations beyond a parent’s control.
The recommendation seeks not only to address the immediate needs of the mother and child but also to initiate a broader conversation about the support systems available to parents in distress. The GSCPCR calls for a compassionate approach that prioritizes rehabilitation and the well-being of both the mother and the child, aiming to prevent such incidents in the future.
The GSCPCR is committed to working closely with all stakeholders to enhance the support systems for families in crisis, advocating for policies that protect children while also considering the complex realities faced by parents.
—Peter E Borges, chairperson, GSCPCR, Goa
CONGRESS TOUGH FIGHT!
THE newly appointed AICC in-charge for Goa, Manikrao ThakareM during his two-day visit to Goa has expressed his hope that the Congress party will win both Parliamentary seats in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls in Goa.
Now what does Manikrao Thakare really know about the style of functioning of the Congress in Goa? How will the party win both parliamentary seats in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls when the Congress is being run by opportunists and unfit leaders in Goa?
The way leaders like Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira are being treated/sidelined by some so-called “party leaders,” office-bearers, MLAs (which includes the GPCC president, Amit Patkar) and after seeing the ongoing open groupism within the Congress party, it looks like the party will lose (forget about winning the north Goa seat which the Congress has not won for the past so many years) the south Goa seat this time.
AICC in-charge Manikrao Thakare should try to put the Congress house in order. Learn to take the advice of some sincere/honest gutsy leaders from the party and then dream (forget capturing the north Goa seat) of retaining at least the south Goa seat in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls in Goa!
—Jerry Fernandes, Saligoa