The battle for the top Congress slot in the state has got intense with the feud coming out in the open.
With incumbent Subhash Shirodkar and his predecessor Francisco Sardinha locking horns, Delhi is reportedly keen on adopting its time-tested formula in such situations - annointing a third person.
And so, BK Hariprasad and Co are on the hunt for a suitable 'dark horse' but can't find any. The trouble is, the Congress in Goa has too many 'independent' thinking politicos and the few that the one or two that the party can count on aren't unwilling to give up their ministerial posts to become PCC chief. And, the wait for a new party chief in Goa will get longer and definitely beyond the bye-poll in Valpoi.
Churchill’s Chaturthi fury
Interesting! PWD Minister Churchill-bab has suddenly discovered the virtue in punctuality.
Last week, he went gung-ho over empty chairs and desks at the Rural Development Agency's office in Margao, and ordered the sacking of a lowly peon and a couple of clerks who were allegedly absent, unauthorisedly. What the Varca strongman did not consider was that it was the Ganesh Chaturthi fortnight, when absentism is more a rule rather than the exception.
He also unusually vent his anger at his otherwise favourite babu Melvin Vaz and spoke to Chief Minister Digambar Kamat on phone, there and then, seeking his immediate removal as project director for RDA (South).
What's it that has upset Churchill-bab so much about the RDA in the South?
For the record, the Varca strongman claims it's the lethargy of the staff there. The RDA in the North has made huge strides while it's lagging far behind in the South, he claims.
But anonymous 'whispers' heard from the other side of GT's fence suggest a different tale. It's the indifference they show to a favourite ex-MLA, who's been throwing all the weight of her stocky physique around them, that's earned them the wrath of the boss.
On the flip side, Churchill-bab's new found enthusiasm to be a 'stern administrator', whatever the provocation, bodes well for Goa, provided it is extended to all the offices he heads as minister. But will he extend it to the offices of his plum portfolio - PWD - where engineers bunk work more often than they wink, to do work for firms they register in the names of spouses and kin? Or is it another gimmick to fool the gullible voter that will leave the RDA peon and clerks mere scapegoats?
Back to square one…
After all the brouhaha over the casinos choking the Mandovi, the government seems to have bowed to the wishes of the roullette spinners. They won't go to the Aguada bay after all. Instead they will now occupy a longer stretch of the narrow river, exciting the anti-Casino lobby.
It's back to square one again!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
All talk and no walk
The frenzied pace at which press conferences were being called and the high-pitch slandering that was going on between the local units of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the youth wing of its big brother Congress, led one to believe that the battle was poised for a grand finish.
But now, it seems like there won't be a finale and the victims of last year's Canacona floods won't get to see the colour of the money collected in their name by the rogues we have for politicians - both young and old.
For the last fortnight almost, a high-pitched tu-tu-mein-mein was witnessed between second rung leaders of the NCP and the Goa Pradesh Youth Congress over what the former alleged was a 'scam' perpetrated by the latter in raising money for the Canacona flood victims and siphoning off the proceeds.
The spokesman, deputy chief spokesman and chief spokesman of the NCP swore that they would file a complaint against GPYC chief Sankalp Amonkar. The party's executive committee even passed a resolution, saying it would file the police complaint. But now it turns out there will be no such complaint filed.
If a complaint has to be filed, then for heaven's sake, file it. Don't just talk about it.
When Manohar Parrikar docked Mauvin Godinho in the power subsidy scam, he didn't merely talk, he walked. The political arena could well do with more such walkers, at least among the fresher faces, rather than profession-less, jobless talkers who have in recent years clogged the space in Goa's political parties.
False alarm
Perhaps for the first time, the Goa Football Association meeting saw near 100 per-cent attendance and there's a story behind how it happened.
Apparently, with elections for control of the football governing body raising the bar following the high-profile entry into the fray of industrialist and boss of Goa's top football club, Srinivas Dempo, some minion thought of playing a prank, and it worked.
All the top guns rushed to the GFA executive committee meet, which incidentally was one of the most insignificant ones with almost nothing of note on the agenda. The reason? Fear of being disqualified from the polls slated for Ocotber!
Sources told us that a day before the GFA executive meeting, one member from the Bardez Zone called Jaju Fernandes, known to be a close aide in football matters of current GFA boss Joaquim Alemao, warning that he would file a complaint to disqualify those who abstained from three consecutive meetings from contesting the October election.
The call sent alarm bells ringing and the following day the GFA achieved a record feat: near 100 % attendance at its executive meet, Dempo and all!
‘Fear Factor’ blackout
The film shooting team of TV reality show 'Fear Factor' kept everyone in a remote ward of a Salcete village in the dark, literally.
Last Thursday, residents of Loutolim's Vanxem ward found their locality plunged in pitch darkness, an unusual scenario what with them represented by Aleixo Sequeira, the man who heads the power department. When some of these residents approached the local electricity department office, the linesman on duty told them that the lights weren't switched on because of a shoot scheduled in a house for the famed TV show - 'Fear Factor'. But Assistant Engineer Sontosh Lolayankar denied having given any such instruction when the locals contacted him on his mobile phone.
Local panchayat member Sergio Fernandes, flooded as he was by complaints from the residents of the ward, was livid over the episode. It was also gathered that no licence/permission had been obtained from the authorities to conduct the shoot.
The Loutolim panchayat authorities too were in the dark and the panchayat secretary revealed that no permission has been issued to the film unit. Officials at the ESG, the nodal agency authorised to permit film shootings in the state, claimed that they too were in the dark. A 'fear factor' indeed!
But now, it seems like there won't be a finale and the victims of last year's Canacona floods won't get to see the colour of the money collected in their name by the rogues we have for politicians - both young and old.
For the last fortnight almost, a high-pitched tu-tu-mein-mein was witnessed between second rung leaders of the NCP and the Goa Pradesh Youth Congress over what the former alleged was a 'scam' perpetrated by the latter in raising money for the Canacona flood victims and siphoning off the proceeds.
The spokesman, deputy chief spokesman and chief spokesman of the NCP swore that they would file a complaint against GPYC chief Sankalp Amonkar. The party's executive committee even passed a resolution, saying it would file the police complaint. But now it turns out there will be no such complaint filed.
If a complaint has to be filed, then for heaven's sake, file it. Don't just talk about it.
When Manohar Parrikar docked Mauvin Godinho in the power subsidy scam, he didn't merely talk, he walked. The political arena could well do with more such walkers, at least among the fresher faces, rather than profession-less, jobless talkers who have in recent years clogged the space in Goa's political parties.
False alarm
Perhaps for the first time, the Goa Football Association meeting saw near 100 per-cent attendance and there's a story behind how it happened.
Apparently, with elections for control of the football governing body raising the bar following the high-profile entry into the fray of industrialist and boss of Goa's top football club, Srinivas Dempo, some minion thought of playing a prank, and it worked.
All the top guns rushed to the GFA executive committee meet, which incidentally was one of the most insignificant ones with almost nothing of note on the agenda. The reason? Fear of being disqualified from the polls slated for Ocotber!
Sources told us that a day before the GFA executive meeting, one member from the Bardez Zone called Jaju Fernandes, known to be a close aide in football matters of current GFA boss Joaquim Alemao, warning that he would file a complaint to disqualify those who abstained from three consecutive meetings from contesting the October election.
The call sent alarm bells ringing and the following day the GFA achieved a record feat: near 100 % attendance at its executive meet, Dempo and all!
‘Fear Factor’ blackout
The film shooting team of TV reality show 'Fear Factor' kept everyone in a remote ward of a Salcete village in the dark, literally.
Last Thursday, residents of Loutolim's Vanxem ward found their locality plunged in pitch darkness, an unusual scenario what with them represented by Aleixo Sequeira, the man who heads the power department. When some of these residents approached the local electricity department office, the linesman on duty told them that the lights weren't switched on because of a shoot scheduled in a house for the famed TV show - 'Fear Factor'. But Assistant Engineer Sontosh Lolayankar denied having given any such instruction when the locals contacted him on his mobile phone.
Local panchayat member Sergio Fernandes, flooded as he was by complaints from the residents of the ward, was livid over the episode. It was also gathered that no licence/permission had been obtained from the authorities to conduct the shoot.
The Loutolim panchayat authorities too were in the dark and the panchayat secretary revealed that no permission has been issued to the film unit. Officials at the ESG, the nodal agency authorised to permit film shootings in the state, claimed that they too were in the dark. A 'fear factor' indeed!
Subhash or Sardinha?: Madam to call
The Congress, at least in Goa, they say needs no Opposition. It has one within, always.
Battle lines were being drawn within the ruling party as the coveted GPCC chief's post came up for grabs. Until a week ago, the elections to the collegium seemed well-managed for a status-quo. For, there's no anti-corruption unit in Madam's AICC, so spot-fix, right-fix, left-fix or centre-fix: you can fix it the way you want.
It seemed therefore that the incumbent Subhash Shirodkar was seated pretty. Not anymore though, what with an out-of-the-blue coup staged by South Goa MP, Francisco Sardinha, who made a strong pitch for the party chief's post himself.
Sardinha, together with another South Goa stalwart who like him was pushed to the sidelines by Election 2007 - Luizinho Faleiro - apparently did their homework well to undo all the match-fixing the 'establishment' within the party had managed with Senadi and Co, simply winking.
The unlikely Sardinha-Luizinho duo reportedly had a tete-a-tete at the latter's Borda bungalow with more than half the newly-elected block presidents and PCC members and were ready to take a go at Shirodkar who was reportedly backed by Digubab, if an election was to be held.
But fearing that the bitter battle would damage the party image and worsen the bad blood in the ranks, BK Hariprasad stepped in and ordered the one-liner be passed to authorise 'Madam' to name the next PCC president. The GPCC obliged on Sunday, instantly triggering another round of hectic lobbying in Delhi, which Hariprasad, Ahmad Patel and Co are all too happy to deal with.
Sardinha, it now emerges, is the strongest contender on the back of the argument that the post should be filled up with a minority community leader as the CM belongs to the majority.
The GPCC president's post gains significance as whoever holds it will be leading the party at the next hustings alongwith the CM. Also, he/she automatically is among the front-runners for the CM's chair, post-poll.
The last time this happened in 2007 - Pratapsing Rane as CM and Ravi Naik as GPCC chief - we saw a bitter post-poll tussle between the two for the top prize: CM's post. In the bargain, the never-thought-I'd-become-CM Diggubab, ran away with the trophy.
Dempo in GFA race
The Football Association election has triggered another hot race in Goa. Throwing his hat in the ring is Srinivas Dempo, the young chairman of football powerhouse Dempo group. His very stature, for sure, makes him the hot favourite but the incumbent GFA secretary, Savio Messias and Clube Sporting de Goa boss, Peter Vaz, too are in the fray and seem determined to ensure an election.
The next couple of weeks will see hectic lobbying in Goa's football circles, but chances are there will be no balloting. In fact, a number of stalwarts are said to be already at work, trying to convince Messias and Vaz to withdraw from the fray.
Meanwhile, the man to be watched is suave but highly manipulative AIFF Secretary Alberto Colaco. The towering soccer administrator from Salcete who's ruled the roost at the AIFF headquarters for nearly a decade it seems has had enough of Delhi and is keen to make a comeback to GFA.
Loud whispers can be heard indicating that the secretary's post which henceforth will be a paid job at the GFA will be reserved by the football establishment for him. According to the new (FIFA-like) constitution adopted by the GFA, the secretary will virtually function as the body's CEO, a perfectly suited position for Colaco who has presided over the country's professional (sic) football league since its inception in the mid-1990s.
What if...?
Finally, the government has been ordered by the Bombay High Court to remove the River Princess before the next monsoon! But will it?
A million dollar question this.
As of now, the government is considering the proposal of the vessel's original charterer Salgaocar Mining Industries, to remove it at no cost. From what we know, the company has no salvage experience to tow it away. It doesn't even have any experience of cutting ships. So, what if the ship is just broken there to corner the resultant bits of scrap and perpetuating a greater disaster than what already is at Sinquerim?
In the early years that the ship was grounded in 2000, 2001, 2002..., this is what the company had proposed to the government - shipbreaking!
Battle lines were being drawn within the ruling party as the coveted GPCC chief's post came up for grabs. Until a week ago, the elections to the collegium seemed well-managed for a status-quo. For, there's no anti-corruption unit in Madam's AICC, so spot-fix, right-fix, left-fix or centre-fix: you can fix it the way you want.
It seemed therefore that the incumbent Subhash Shirodkar was seated pretty. Not anymore though, what with an out-of-the-blue coup staged by South Goa MP, Francisco Sardinha, who made a strong pitch for the party chief's post himself.
Sardinha, together with another South Goa stalwart who like him was pushed to the sidelines by Election 2007 - Luizinho Faleiro - apparently did their homework well to undo all the match-fixing the 'establishment' within the party had managed with Senadi and Co, simply winking.
The unlikely Sardinha-Luizinho duo reportedly had a tete-a-tete at the latter's Borda bungalow with more than half the newly-elected block presidents and PCC members and were ready to take a go at Shirodkar who was reportedly backed by Digubab, if an election was to be held.
But fearing that the bitter battle would damage the party image and worsen the bad blood in the ranks, BK Hariprasad stepped in and ordered the one-liner be passed to authorise 'Madam' to name the next PCC president. The GPCC obliged on Sunday, instantly triggering another round of hectic lobbying in Delhi, which Hariprasad, Ahmad Patel and Co are all too happy to deal with.
Sardinha, it now emerges, is the strongest contender on the back of the argument that the post should be filled up with a minority community leader as the CM belongs to the majority.
The GPCC president's post gains significance as whoever holds it will be leading the party at the next hustings alongwith the CM. Also, he/she automatically is among the front-runners for the CM's chair, post-poll.
The last time this happened in 2007 - Pratapsing Rane as CM and Ravi Naik as GPCC chief - we saw a bitter post-poll tussle between the two for the top prize: CM's post. In the bargain, the never-thought-I'd-become-CM Diggubab, ran away with the trophy.
Dempo in GFA race
The Football Association election has triggered another hot race in Goa. Throwing his hat in the ring is Srinivas Dempo, the young chairman of football powerhouse Dempo group. His very stature, for sure, makes him the hot favourite but the incumbent GFA secretary, Savio Messias and Clube Sporting de Goa boss, Peter Vaz, too are in the fray and seem determined to ensure an election.
The next couple of weeks will see hectic lobbying in Goa's football circles, but chances are there will be no balloting. In fact, a number of stalwarts are said to be already at work, trying to convince Messias and Vaz to withdraw from the fray.
Meanwhile, the man to be watched is suave but highly manipulative AIFF Secretary Alberto Colaco. The towering soccer administrator from Salcete who's ruled the roost at the AIFF headquarters for nearly a decade it seems has had enough of Delhi and is keen to make a comeback to GFA.
Loud whispers can be heard indicating that the secretary's post which henceforth will be a paid job at the GFA will be reserved by the football establishment for him. According to the new (FIFA-like) constitution adopted by the GFA, the secretary will virtually function as the body's CEO, a perfectly suited position for Colaco who has presided over the country's professional (sic) football league since its inception in the mid-1990s.
What if...?
Finally, the government has been ordered by the Bombay High Court to remove the River Princess before the next monsoon! But will it?
A million dollar question this.
As of now, the government is considering the proposal of the vessel's original charterer Salgaocar Mining Industries, to remove it at no cost. From what we know, the company has no salvage experience to tow it away. It doesn't even have any experience of cutting ships. So, what if the ship is just broken there to corner the resultant bits of scrap and perpetuating a greater disaster than what already is at Sinquerim?
In the early years that the ship was grounded in 2000, 2001, 2002..., this is what the company had proposed to the government - shipbreaking!
Decade of the Princess!
It could easily go down as the world's longest drama - a whole decade long. And, in the end, it's the villian who seems to be winning!
Laughing all the way to the bank will be Sanvordem MLA, Anil Salgaocar, whose Salgaocar Mining Industries owned the River Princess when it was grounded way back in 2000, and god knows who else. But the fishermen, the shack operators and dozens of other tourist tradesmen will continue to mourn the demise of Sinquerim-Candolim beach, thanks to a lame-duck set of politicians and bureaucrats Goa has had in this decade.
The state government is actually resigning to its fate where it is now giving the original villian responsible by his company's criminal negligence for the River Princess disaster, the 'first option' to remove it!
Why? Because it's all about money, honey.
It's not that the River Princess is the only vessel to be grounded here in recent history and the state is inexperienced to handle such situations. Another such vessel grounding disaster had occurred in 1994, when the MV Sea Transporter was in similar conditions grounded with tonnes of oil in it just 1.5 nautical miles south of where the Princess is happily embedded on the bottom of the Arabian sea.
In one-week flat, the tonnes of oil were pumped out from MV Sea Transporter, its oil tanks flushed and treated to ensure that even residual black matter is removed, and the ship itself removed from the scene in another four weeks after the monsoon.
So, why didn't the same happen in the case of the River Princess?? Simply because the owners of MV Sea Transporter had insured the vessel and had all its paper work in place, a responsibility which the owners of River Princess criminally neglected. No insurance means no money to foot the bill for salvaging/removing the vessel. That's why, River Princess continues to rampage the beach and Sinquerim-Candolim, even 10 years after it was grounded.
And what does the government of the day do? Nothing, when otherwise its 'goons-in-uniform' go around the streets exhtorting lakhs of rupees from the Aam Admi in fines, both under and above the table, for not possessing valid insurance papers of their two-wheelers and four-wheelers. The mining baron and now politician is not only having the cake, he is soon likely to eat it too!
CWG, Diggu and Goa’s press corps
Magnanimous Diggu! Just 24 hours after his beloved journos from Margao slapped him on his face, literally, the Chief Minister presided over a meeting of his cabinet which among other decisions approved a bonus for my tribe - doubling the Rs 2,000 per-month pension for retiring journalists to Rs 4,000 per-month.
Just the previous day on Sunday, a band of reporters, part-time correspondents and mofussil correspondents acted macho and 'boycotted' (sic) a press conference which the Chief Minister was to address along with Sports Director, Dr Suzanne D'Souza. From what I gather, the reason for the boycott was an unannounced change of venue and a reported two-hour delay for the arrival of CM.
Is it reason enough to keep the readers deprived of the information on the arrival of the Commonwealth Games baton relay in Goa which the CM was to elaborate about at the press conference?
In my eighteen years of journalism, I do not remember a single instance of such high-handedness by the press corps. Yes, there was boycott of ministers and CMs but only in a brief fortnight when we journos launched an agitation to protest the contents of the Right to Information Act. CM after CM that Goa has had in the last two decades have not been known to be punctual. Pratapsing Rane, Dr Wilfred de Souza, Ravi Naik, Manohar Parrikar, Luizinho Faleiro, Francisco Sardinha, have all been CMs and none has punctuality as their forte. Yet, not once do I remember a scheduled press conference was boycotted for delay.
Seems like there are too many carrots dangling before journos these days, leading to addiction.
Laughing all the way to the bank will be Sanvordem MLA, Anil Salgaocar, whose Salgaocar Mining Industries owned the River Princess when it was grounded way back in 2000, and god knows who else. But the fishermen, the shack operators and dozens of other tourist tradesmen will continue to mourn the demise of Sinquerim-Candolim beach, thanks to a lame-duck set of politicians and bureaucrats Goa has had in this decade.
The state government is actually resigning to its fate where it is now giving the original villian responsible by his company's criminal negligence for the River Princess disaster, the 'first option' to remove it!
Why? Because it's all about money, honey.
It's not that the River Princess is the only vessel to be grounded here in recent history and the state is inexperienced to handle such situations. Another such vessel grounding disaster had occurred in 1994, when the MV Sea Transporter was in similar conditions grounded with tonnes of oil in it just 1.5 nautical miles south of where the Princess is happily embedded on the bottom of the Arabian sea.
In one-week flat, the tonnes of oil were pumped out from MV Sea Transporter, its oil tanks flushed and treated to ensure that even residual black matter is removed, and the ship itself removed from the scene in another four weeks after the monsoon.
So, why didn't the same happen in the case of the River Princess?? Simply because the owners of MV Sea Transporter had insured the vessel and had all its paper work in place, a responsibility which the owners of River Princess criminally neglected. No insurance means no money to foot the bill for salvaging/removing the vessel. That's why, River Princess continues to rampage the beach and Sinquerim-Candolim, even 10 years after it was grounded.
And what does the government of the day do? Nothing, when otherwise its 'goons-in-uniform' go around the streets exhtorting lakhs of rupees from the Aam Admi in fines, both under and above the table, for not possessing valid insurance papers of their two-wheelers and four-wheelers. The mining baron and now politician is not only having the cake, he is soon likely to eat it too!
CWG, Diggu and Goa’s press corps
Magnanimous Diggu! Just 24 hours after his beloved journos from Margao slapped him on his face, literally, the Chief Minister presided over a meeting of his cabinet which among other decisions approved a bonus for my tribe - doubling the Rs 2,000 per-month pension for retiring journalists to Rs 4,000 per-month.
Just the previous day on Sunday, a band of reporters, part-time correspondents and mofussil correspondents acted macho and 'boycotted' (sic) a press conference which the Chief Minister was to address along with Sports Director, Dr Suzanne D'Souza. From what I gather, the reason for the boycott was an unannounced change of venue and a reported two-hour delay for the arrival of CM.
Is it reason enough to keep the readers deprived of the information on the arrival of the Commonwealth Games baton relay in Goa which the CM was to elaborate about at the press conference?
In my eighteen years of journalism, I do not remember a single instance of such high-handedness by the press corps. Yes, there was boycott of ministers and CMs but only in a brief fortnight when we journos launched an agitation to protest the contents of the Right to Information Act. CM after CM that Goa has had in the last two decades have not been known to be punctual. Pratapsing Rane, Dr Wilfred de Souza, Ravi Naik, Manohar Parrikar, Luizinho Faleiro, Francisco Sardinha, have all been CMs and none has punctuality as their forte. Yet, not once do I remember a scheduled press conference was boycotted for delay.
Seems like there are too many carrots dangling before journos these days, leading to addiction.
Media’s fetish for Salcete politics
Suddenly, the media is covering blow by blow the happenings in VIP shamianas at football tournament finals held in Salcete on weekends.
If last week, South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha and Luizinho Faleiro made the news for sharing the dais at the finals of the Assis Noronha memorial tournament at Fatorda, this week it was Sardinha, Viola, the pretty live-in partner of Mickky at Betalbatim, with the BJP's Damu Naik, a common 'item number' at both venues.
Realignment of forces as sought to be projected by the media, or merely an ant-hill out of a mole?
In the melee, however, a very significant 'coming together' of two unlikely politicos at a venue in Salcete skipped the attention of the media.
Home Minister Ravi Naik shared the dais with Churchill Alemao at a function to inaugurate a co-operative at Carmona, on the latter's home turf. A heady combo this Ravi-Churchill duo, which if it happens in Goa's real-politik could give the stalwarts including the man wearing the crown at the moment, Margao's Digambar Kamat, some sleepless nights.
Churchill on stage!
Former South Goa stalwart Eduardo Faleiro celebrated his 70 birthday last weekend at his spruced up ancestral home in Raia. In attendance were a host of dignitaries, friends and family of the neo-septugenarian, besides editors and other prominent members of the media tribe.
But the man who stole the show was the heavyweight from Varca, who once humbled the birthday boy and virtually ended his stranglehold over the South Goa Lok Sabha seat. Yes, Churchill Alemao took centre-stage at the party and surprised the guests by belting out a few songs which he claimed were his own compositions.
'Good morning, good afternoon, good evening and good night' went the lyrics of one number which Churchill sang in his hoarse voice, leaving the guests and the host in shock and awe!
Even Siddhanath Buyao, the heir to the legendary Goem Shair, the late Ulhas Buyao, was left stunned with Churchill's crooning.
Luizinho for a comeback?
Another Faleiro celebrated his birthday last week - Luizinho. If what he spoke on his birthday has any meaning, the former CM isn't giving up on representing Navelim again, it seems.
Apparently, the former six-time MLA of Navelim had some time ago given the go ahead to the brother of one of his long-time lieutenants to launch his campaign for the seat. Having got the green signal from his mentor, the young man seemed to be in a hurry.
But suddenly, somewhere in Delhi where he spends most of his time since his loss to Churchill in 2007, Luizinho has smelt an opportunity to make a comeback and has reversed his diktat to his lieutenant's brother.
Incidentally, the disappointed young man had done a stint in the goal with Churchill Alemao's football team in the mid-1990s.
Mickky snubbed
Finding no solace among current friends and allies, the beleagured Francisco (Mickky) Pacheco, approached one of his former Salcete ally, who claims to have the ear of the Congress boss in Delhi, Madam Sonia Gandhi. Threading the narrow path to the bungalow on Margao's hill with his hummer, Mickky pleaded with this Salcetian who has quite a few 'formers' to his name and a rather long current title, to bail him out from his political predicament of being a mere 'MLA'.
Sadly for Mickky, he was snubbed. 'I don't want to have any relations with you - political or otherwise. The last time I did, you ditched me and played footsie with my enemy camp. Now go and fight your own battles,' was the response he got.
(Feedback@tuesdaytickles.blogspot.com)
If last week, South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha and Luizinho Faleiro made the news for sharing the dais at the finals of the Assis Noronha memorial tournament at Fatorda, this week it was Sardinha, Viola, the pretty live-in partner of Mickky at Betalbatim, with the BJP's Damu Naik, a common 'item number' at both venues.
Realignment of forces as sought to be projected by the media, or merely an ant-hill out of a mole?
In the melee, however, a very significant 'coming together' of two unlikely politicos at a venue in Salcete skipped the attention of the media.
Home Minister Ravi Naik shared the dais with Churchill Alemao at a function to inaugurate a co-operative at Carmona, on the latter's home turf. A heady combo this Ravi-Churchill duo, which if it happens in Goa's real-politik could give the stalwarts including the man wearing the crown at the moment, Margao's Digambar Kamat, some sleepless nights.
Churchill on stage!
Former South Goa stalwart Eduardo Faleiro celebrated his 70 birthday last weekend at his spruced up ancestral home in Raia. In attendance were a host of dignitaries, friends and family of the neo-septugenarian, besides editors and other prominent members of the media tribe.
But the man who stole the show was the heavyweight from Varca, who once humbled the birthday boy and virtually ended his stranglehold over the South Goa Lok Sabha seat. Yes, Churchill Alemao took centre-stage at the party and surprised the guests by belting out a few songs which he claimed were his own compositions.
'Good morning, good afternoon, good evening and good night' went the lyrics of one number which Churchill sang in his hoarse voice, leaving the guests and the host in shock and awe!
Even Siddhanath Buyao, the heir to the legendary Goem Shair, the late Ulhas Buyao, was left stunned with Churchill's crooning.
Luizinho for a comeback?
Another Faleiro celebrated his birthday last week - Luizinho. If what he spoke on his birthday has any meaning, the former CM isn't giving up on representing Navelim again, it seems.
Apparently, the former six-time MLA of Navelim had some time ago given the go ahead to the brother of one of his long-time lieutenants to launch his campaign for the seat. Having got the green signal from his mentor, the young man seemed to be in a hurry.
But suddenly, somewhere in Delhi where he spends most of his time since his loss to Churchill in 2007, Luizinho has smelt an opportunity to make a comeback and has reversed his diktat to his lieutenant's brother.
Incidentally, the disappointed young man had done a stint in the goal with Churchill Alemao's football team in the mid-1990s.
Mickky snubbed
Finding no solace among current friends and allies, the beleagured Francisco (Mickky) Pacheco, approached one of his former Salcete ally, who claims to have the ear of the Congress boss in Delhi, Madam Sonia Gandhi. Threading the narrow path to the bungalow on Margao's hill with his hummer, Mickky pleaded with this Salcetian who has quite a few 'formers' to his name and a rather long current title, to bail him out from his political predicament of being a mere 'MLA'.
Sadly for Mickky, he was snubbed. 'I don't want to have any relations with you - political or otherwise. The last time I did, you ditched me and played footsie with my enemy camp. Now go and fight your own battles,' was the response he got.
(Feedback@tuesdaytickles.blogspot.com)
Ravi in attack mode
Home Minister Ravi Naik, battered and bruised by the attack on him from all sides -- opposition and his foes from within -- seems to have had enough on the drug peddlar-police-politician nexus case. And, the old warhorse from Ponda, has fallen back on that tried and tested battle tactic - 'attack is the best defence' - to take on his tormentors, obliquely accusing them (coastal MLAs) of raising the ruckus against him because their 'haftas' from Goa's narco economy have halted. Strangely, not one of the 'we want a CBI probe' critics have refuted or retorted Ravi's charge, although there are at least half-a-dozen 'coastal MLAs' on whom his 'hafta' cap fits.
So, isn't there a single one who'd show us he's got the onions to take up the gauntlet and challenge Ravi's allegations? None as of now, and Ravi it seems, will be let off with this poor excuse for a defence.
Meanwhile, on Independence Day eve, Ravi also defended his son Roy, the pawn (or should we say 'prawn'?) in this high-pitch political drama that's being played out by the 40 thieves since February. It's because he (Roy) intends to contest the next Assembly election from the Mayem constituency that politicos are maligning him, papa Ravi claimed.
Beats me how contesting a future election, or politics, can absolve you of all malfeasance or allegations of it.
Remember the long Mickky run? All his troubles too were the off-shoots of politics, or so he and his defence team said. So what, if a woman in her prime has lost her life. Women die everyday, don't they?
What's of prime importance is that the show of the 40 thieves' must go on. What about law and justice? Let it be damned. After all, politics is what makes Goa tick. And, if not for our politicos, Nostradamas' doomsday may have already wrecked us all!
Great and bad show
Goa tourism tagged on to the concert and claimed that it was a 'change of stance' to attract music-loving visitors to Goa. But although the nightingale did indeed regale, not everyone who paid and went to the show came back home a happy soul.
First, the Rs 99 entry ticket didn't get you back the 'Re one' if you shelled out the green note. Ditto for the higher-priced Rs 199 and Rs 299 tickets.
Second, the organisers claimed that the Rs 99 ticket-holders would have to stand through the show and the seats would be only for the Rs 199 and higher denomination ticket-holders. But at the show, not just the 99 but the 199 and some 299 ticket-holders too were on their feet and in the midst of utter chaos.
A sign of things to come this upcoming tourist season?
For the record though, Lorna, says a colleague who was at the show, was at her best!
Rane Jr’s dilemma
He has to face an election and win it before Christmas, if he has to continue to be a minister. And so, Vishwajeet Rane is moving on the double in Valpoi, hand-holding Ganesh mandals, addressing workers and the public, every other day.
But the scion of Sattari is in a dilemma, selling to the people what he has done ever since he burst on to the scene as a first time MLA and minister, although he was de-facto his own 'Papa', during the latter's many stints in the hot seat. The other day, at a meeting he addressed which unfortunately was infiltrated by some from the opposite camp, the Sattari scion waxed eloquent on how Sattari was 'neglected' all these years, and if it has seen any development, it's only in the last three years when he became MLA and minister.
'So, didn't his dad do anything for Sattari in his more than 30 years, many of them as CM?' was the question shot back at the dimunitive leader.
Now, the health minister talks less of what has been done and more about what he will do!
Mamlatdar via an auction
It's another matter that the 'mamlatdar' posts filled in recent years were auctioned but a man from Borim recently discovered how easy it is to be a 'Mamlatdar', albeit a perceived one, by simply winning an auction!
He recently won an auction for the 'as is where is' basis sale of a government vehicle. The jeep was his, so he began driving around town with it, little realising that the 'Bicholim mamlatdar' embossed on it wasn't removed!
(Feedback@tuesdaytickles.blogspot.com)
So, isn't there a single one who'd show us he's got the onions to take up the gauntlet and challenge Ravi's allegations? None as of now, and Ravi it seems, will be let off with this poor excuse for a defence.
Meanwhile, on Independence Day eve, Ravi also defended his son Roy, the pawn (or should we say 'prawn'?) in this high-pitch political drama that's being played out by the 40 thieves since February. It's because he (Roy) intends to contest the next Assembly election from the Mayem constituency that politicos are maligning him, papa Ravi claimed.
Beats me how contesting a future election, or politics, can absolve you of all malfeasance or allegations of it.
Remember the long Mickky run? All his troubles too were the off-shoots of politics, or so he and his defence team said. So what, if a woman in her prime has lost her life. Women die everyday, don't they?
What's of prime importance is that the show of the 40 thieves' must go on. What about law and justice? Let it be damned. After all, politics is what makes Goa tick. And, if not for our politicos, Nostradamas' doomsday may have already wrecked us all!
Great and bad show
Goa tourism tagged on to the concert and claimed that it was a 'change of stance' to attract music-loving visitors to Goa. But although the nightingale did indeed regale, not everyone who paid and went to the show came back home a happy soul.
First, the Rs 99 entry ticket didn't get you back the 'Re one' if you shelled out the green note. Ditto for the higher-priced Rs 199 and Rs 299 tickets.
Second, the organisers claimed that the Rs 99 ticket-holders would have to stand through the show and the seats would be only for the Rs 199 and higher denomination ticket-holders. But at the show, not just the 99 but the 199 and some 299 ticket-holders too were on their feet and in the midst of utter chaos.
A sign of things to come this upcoming tourist season?
For the record though, Lorna, says a colleague who was at the show, was at her best!
Rane Jr’s dilemma
He has to face an election and win it before Christmas, if he has to continue to be a minister. And so, Vishwajeet Rane is moving on the double in Valpoi, hand-holding Ganesh mandals, addressing workers and the public, every other day.
But the scion of Sattari is in a dilemma, selling to the people what he has done ever since he burst on to the scene as a first time MLA and minister, although he was de-facto his own 'Papa', during the latter's many stints in the hot seat. The other day, at a meeting he addressed which unfortunately was infiltrated by some from the opposite camp, the Sattari scion waxed eloquent on how Sattari was 'neglected' all these years, and if it has seen any development, it's only in the last three years when he became MLA and minister.
'So, didn't his dad do anything for Sattari in his more than 30 years, many of them as CM?' was the question shot back at the dimunitive leader.
Now, the health minister talks less of what has been done and more about what he will do!
Mamlatdar via an auction
It's another matter that the 'mamlatdar' posts filled in recent years were auctioned but a man from Borim recently discovered how easy it is to be a 'Mamlatdar', albeit a perceived one, by simply winning an auction!
He recently won an auction for the 'as is where is' basis sale of a government vehicle. The jeep was his, so he began driving around town with it, little realising that the 'Bicholim mamlatdar' embossed on it wasn't removed!
(Feedback@tuesdaytickles.blogspot.com)
Kudos to the ‘Lil Champ’
Many, friends and foes, lament that this column always focusses on the negative. Can't help it. These tickles are meant to entertain the readers, while I'm not sure what it does to the subjects. But in deference to those who complain that it's too negative, I've decided to begin with a negative about some positive news -- World Championship winning feat of little Nitish Belurkar. Only, the negativism is aimed at my own, the press corps.
A boring double century by Sachin Tendulkar makes front page news on almost all newspapers. But Nitish Belurkar, the std IV student from Sharada Mandir School who did Goa and India proud by becoming the joint world school champion in chess, finds himself confined to an obscure section of the local dailies.
World champion at 9 years of age. Vow! But unfortunately for Nitish, chess is not cricket, and he's not yet a Vishwanathan Anand, for media-owning and patronising businesses to make him their brand Ambassador.
Nevertheless, here's toasting the little champ and wishing him all the best to climb greater heights in the world of chess to make Goa and India proud.
The Secret diary of Mickky
Page I:
I was getting dejected and nervous. Application after application, was being rejected by the judges, only aggravating my jaundice, blood pressure and blood sugar problems in the confines of my police cell. The phony diet, cockroaches scurrying all around the place, and that naughty little mouse that kept coming and going, taking the mickey out of me, didn't help either.
One of my days in the cell with my thinking cap on, this thought came to my mind: 'No one can have such a long run of bad luck. There’s something ominously wrong. The referees aren’t playing fair, and I guess, I need to disband my legal team, just as I disbanded Fransa-Pax mid-way into the National League.”
Telepathically, Betalbatim reacted. Even Viola couldn’t stop the maurading supporters from booing and heckling my team outside the High Court where my team lost the match for bail. Can’t blame them, can I? After all, they were only emulating their master who’s bull run has to date scalped a KTC driver, a cop at the Hospicio junction and an Electricity Dept Junior Engineer at Fransa House in Betalbatim.
And what I thought, in that dingy prison cell at Sada sub-jail came right. In the first attempt, my Legal Team II won its first outing and I got to say good-bye to jail. And how! Hoards of my supporters were there, who garlanded me and Viola. The euphoria was so much that Viola and I, felt very much like what Winnie and Nelson Mandela must have felt on that historic February 11, 1990 on Robben island.
Page II:
There was this one other day, when I was removed from police custody and sent to judicial custody in Sada sub-jail, that I saw a political opportunity. After all, in politics there are no permanent friends or enemies, so the very prospect of meeting my tormentor-in-chief at the 2007 hustings in Benaulim John Fernandes at Sada, instantly brought this thought to my mind: How about making friends?
With Valanka striding all over the place dishing out fertilizer bags and what not, it reminded me of the 'Trojan' strategy I successfully played out in Saligao, in my pre-2007 cabinet stint to give my boss Dr Willy a taste of defeat. Clearly, the political sand was shifting and I could do with a friend like John to tackle this woman lawyer. They put me in a cell at Sada jail and behold, I was face-to-face with the man! I tried to force a smile, but he didn't respond. Perhaps he's not forgiven me for my driving around the Colva police station with the Russian flag flying on my Hummer that December night.
Then, something unexpected happened. There I was chatting and instantly drawing up plans with John for the next innings in Benaulim. After all, the world knows that I can have as many women as I want, but when fighting one I get all so messy. And John is the perfect weapon to be unleased on Valanka. I was wholly disappointed when I woke up and discovered that I was in my cell and all the John talk was only a dream. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, I got bail from Court and couldn't even give a try to realise my previous night's dream.
(As imagined by this columnist)
A boring double century by Sachin Tendulkar makes front page news on almost all newspapers. But Nitish Belurkar, the std IV student from Sharada Mandir School who did Goa and India proud by becoming the joint world school champion in chess, finds himself confined to an obscure section of the local dailies.
World champion at 9 years of age. Vow! But unfortunately for Nitish, chess is not cricket, and he's not yet a Vishwanathan Anand, for media-owning and patronising businesses to make him their brand Ambassador.
Nevertheless, here's toasting the little champ and wishing him all the best to climb greater heights in the world of chess to make Goa and India proud.
The Secret diary of Mickky
Page I:
I was getting dejected and nervous. Application after application, was being rejected by the judges, only aggravating my jaundice, blood pressure and blood sugar problems in the confines of my police cell. The phony diet, cockroaches scurrying all around the place, and that naughty little mouse that kept coming and going, taking the mickey out of me, didn't help either.
One of my days in the cell with my thinking cap on, this thought came to my mind: 'No one can have such a long run of bad luck. There’s something ominously wrong. The referees aren’t playing fair, and I guess, I need to disband my legal team, just as I disbanded Fransa-Pax mid-way into the National League.”
Telepathically, Betalbatim reacted. Even Viola couldn’t stop the maurading supporters from booing and heckling my team outside the High Court where my team lost the match for bail. Can’t blame them, can I? After all, they were only emulating their master who’s bull run has to date scalped a KTC driver, a cop at the Hospicio junction and an Electricity Dept Junior Engineer at Fransa House in Betalbatim.
And what I thought, in that dingy prison cell at Sada sub-jail came right. In the first attempt, my Legal Team II won its first outing and I got to say good-bye to jail. And how! Hoards of my supporters were there, who garlanded me and Viola. The euphoria was so much that Viola and I, felt very much like what Winnie and Nelson Mandela must have felt on that historic February 11, 1990 on Robben island.
Page II:
There was this one other day, when I was removed from police custody and sent to judicial custody in Sada sub-jail, that I saw a political opportunity. After all, in politics there are no permanent friends or enemies, so the very prospect of meeting my tormentor-in-chief at the 2007 hustings in Benaulim John Fernandes at Sada, instantly brought this thought to my mind: How about making friends?
With Valanka striding all over the place dishing out fertilizer bags and what not, it reminded me of the 'Trojan' strategy I successfully played out in Saligao, in my pre-2007 cabinet stint to give my boss Dr Willy a taste of defeat. Clearly, the political sand was shifting and I could do with a friend like John to tackle this woman lawyer. They put me in a cell at Sada jail and behold, I was face-to-face with the man! I tried to force a smile, but he didn't respond. Perhaps he's not forgiven me for my driving around the Colva police station with the Russian flag flying on my Hummer that December night.
Then, something unexpected happened. There I was chatting and instantly drawing up plans with John for the next innings in Benaulim. After all, the world knows that I can have as many women as I want, but when fighting one I get all so messy. And John is the perfect weapon to be unleased on Valanka. I was wholly disappointed when I woke up and discovered that I was in my cell and all the John talk was only a dream. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, I got bail from Court and couldn't even give a try to realise my previous night's dream.
(As imagined by this columnist)
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