CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL JAZZ DAY!
THIS is to let your readers know that Goa Jazz Academy has organised a four-day festival to celebrate International Jazz Day from April 28 to May 1, 2024 at Kala Academy Panaji. Internationally acclaimed jazz artistes Amber Kuti Smith from the United Kingdom and Ben Van Den Dungen from the Netherlands will headline the Goa Jazz Academy’s “All Things Music” 4-day music festival in Goa. The Sunshine Orchestra from noted musician AR Rahman’s Foundation will also be performing during the festival. Show tickets and additional information are available at linktr.ee/goajazzacademy. For more details, contact +91 9021499484.
ONCE A GOAN, ALWAYS A GOAN!
BORN in 1960, a Portuguese national, I have lived for the last over six decades as an Indian. Though I am now again Portuguese by opting for the nationality of my birth, by the grace of God, I have and will always be a proud Goan, with my birthplace Ribandar ever so close to my heart. A global Goenkar now, indeed.
Travelling abroad serves as a timely reminder that “You can take the person out of Ribandar and Goa, but you can’t take Ribandar and Goa out of the person.”
There are no distant places any longer; the world is small, and the world is one. It is encouraging and heart-warming to see and learn in my encounters with various friends that the large Goan diaspora, a vibrant community spread across the world, is still maintaining strong connections with their native land of Goa.
In life we must always be ready for challenges and willing to learn, develop and grow. Being confident, dedicated and committed in all that we endeavour to do is paramount. If we stay firm and focussed on our goals, sky is the limit and everything can be achieved. That is all it takes.
—Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
DEAR SMT PALLAVI DEMPO…
FROM the day your candidature has been announced as Bharatiya Janata Party candidate of south Goa constituency we’ve heard you repeat a line again and again:
“I believe in Shri Narendra Modi Ji’s Vision.”
When asked about the issues of south Goa constituency, you said, the same line. Let me refresh your memory, what Narendra Modi’s vision has resulted in:
• Highest unemployment rate in 45 years, 29% unemployment rate amongst graduate youth, and overall 23% unemployment rate among the youth in India. Our own state Goa has the second highest unemployment rate in India at a whopping 9.78% which more than triples the national average.
• A massive national fiscal deficit that is at par with the GDP, making “economic growth” only appear on paper, and leading to stagnation in growth of salaries of the people. Hence, another jumla of this Modi sarkar and its anti-people vision that you believe in so much.
• Speaking of stagnant salaries, the past decade has seen the sharpest rise in inflation, both in the retail as well wholesale economic markers. Price of fuel has gone up exponentially, despite international price of crude oil being low. The rate of essential commodities has doubled in the past decade, and in some cases more than doubled. Kyun hai itni mehengai ki maaar? Bhool gayi kya apna slogan, yeh Bhajpa Sarkar?
• As a result, 80 crore Indians have now been forced to depend on a monthly dole of grains from the government (it’s not an achievement, rather a demerit) to make ends meet for their families. Is this making Indians atmanirbhar, or dependent? The hypocrisy is self-explanatory.
I leave you with these four points today, but I am not done. We, the public of Goa are not done exposing the reality of this regime. We surely know that by making this choice to stand with BJP and Modi’s “vision” you have made it clear that you’re standing against all Goans, their welfare.
Hope your dead conscience wakes up even now, or is it too much to ask from you? We know you’re well on your way to make lucrative deals with Mr Adani in transporting coal through Goa, the same Adani who is the sole beneficiary of Modi and BJP’s dictatorial, oligarchic and anti-people regime. We also know how much you’ve donated via electoral bonds to get your ticket.
By participating in the expansion of coal transportation with Adani, you too will have the blood of bad health and deaths of Goans on your hands. Hope you’re prepared for that bad karma.
—Devsurabhee Yaduvanshi, Goa