COVER STORY
PANORAMA
LETTERS
FROM MY BALCAO
MATTER OF FACTLY
GUEST COLUMN
SPECIAL REPORT
MONTH'S MINDER
NEWS FRONT
FOCUS
CYBERFILE
STYLE SPEAK
SUGAR AND SPICE
EDUCATION
RELIGION
BUSINESSNEWS
SPOTLIGHT
VIEWPOINT
CUISINE
FEATURE
FICTION
LEISURE
MONTHLY ROUNDUP
BIRTHS AND DEATHS
PEOPLE
INTERVIEW
VILLAGE VOICE
A R C H I V E S

SUGAR AND SPICE

Can we trust anyone anymore?
By George Menezes

One of the books I regularly read, is a book called "Awareness" by the late Fr Tony D'Mello whose prophetic voice was not very welcome in our institutionalized, hierarchical Church.

Page after page asks me to wake up and realize that all my good works are intended to meet my own selfish ends. This realization has come, however late.
One such selfish activity is making friends. I mean, friends in places of power and authority. This can have a very positive face if the clout and friendship you develop is used to help others. But not if you are using it to work your own way up to power and pelf.

In the last few years with my regular visits to Goa I have acquired friends amongst Goa's Chief Ministers. The likes of Sashikala Kakodkar, Rane and Luzinho Faleiro. And Sardinha with whom it is easy to make friends and of course the redoubtable Dr Willie D'Souza who has been a friend, in and out of power, and with whom it is difficult to develop a close friendship.

Anywhere else I would have been accused of "dropping names" but in "amchem Goyem" these names are household words. Yesterday's "kashti-wearing" neighbour is today's MLA or Minister.

That is not my problem. My problem is that having painstakingly cultivated a friendship with a Chief Minister the man is suddenly out of power like a candle snuffed out on a birthday cake. In the case of Sardinha he went "down under" like a novice in the monsoon seas at Baga even before I could get to the stage of being allowed to kiss his charming wife on both cheeks.

Now what do I do in the case of Parrikar? The latest edition to Goa's Pulitzer Prize winning book "A brief history (as brief indeed as a bikini) of the Chief Ministers who ruled without the people's mandate?"

All I can say is that he was in short pants, and I don't mean "khaki", when I was in the National Executive of the BJP in 1985. Can I trust him, really trust him, to stay long enough in power for me to pick up old saffron threads and develop a friendship?. Or will he, six months down the road, join hands with Dr. Willie D'Souza, the only one now left with hands to join since he is all by himself?

Frankly I am totally confused. All my life I have trusted all kinds of people. It is part of the learning I got from my parents who trusted people and who were sometimes mercilessly betrayed. They were none the 'verse' for it as my poet father used to say.

"Trust" is not a "Lucknowi" phenomenon where you say "pahleh aap". You first. If you care enough you will have to make the first move. So I will extend a hand of friendship. For the time being I will trust Parrikar seeing that most of the historically and pathologically corrupt MLAs are out of his cabinet.

I am not an Archbishop but I am perplexed by the reaction of "holier than the pope" Catholics at seeing Archbishop in a picture at the oathtaking ceremony, construed as giving his blessing to the BJP government.

To set the record straight the Archbishop has in the past given his blessings to some of the most corrupt Goa governments, led mostly by Catholics!!! A clerical blessings is in fact more effectively meant for sinners, as Catholics should know by now.

The blessing might, if filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, result in miracles in civic and political life. Ministers and bureaucrats abandoning their suitcases and brief-cases, even environmentally hazardous plastic bags and carrying nothing but a little purse not enough to carry any loot. Let us wait and pray and watch!!

Another miracle on the way is a "party" that sounds different. An enthusiastic and almost charismatic Floriano Lobo descended upon me with the Constitution of the "Su-raj" party. It sounds to me like the "Agni" of Mumbai with which I am associated. It talks of "good governance". It intends to be a people's movement. A movement of informed people towards a government that is clean, secular, effective and transparent.

Most interestingly the party's Constitution is aimed at keeping all the present politicians out, controlling defections and with the right to recall their elected candidate in case of transgressions! From the enthusiasm of many of those who attended their first meeting, the party deserves a close look and a chance to have a go.

I am an optimist and I trust people except the present politicians of Goa. Nothing can be worse than the situation Goa finds itself in today. It can only get better. Goans who love Goa more than they love themselves should start taking personal interest in a new dawn. "Su-raj" may be. Talk it over a coptel of feni. Before that, have a look at their Constitution.

Questions or Comments? Please write to us at: goatoday@goa-world.com