RAAJ GONSALVES

Congratulations to all Goans on the Opinion Poll Day. It’s a historic day and an important milestone in the history of Goa. All the Goans know the history and importance of this day, but today on this historic occasion I would like to discuss to what the Goans got out of it. What the common man got out of the Opinion Poll. We all know that because the Goans decided not to merge with Maharashtra, they got their own Government, they got their own Panchayat, and they got their own representatives whom they can approach easily. If Goa was a part of Maharashtra then they might have got maximum 2 or 3 MLAs but the understanding of all this which was displayed by our ancestors, parents and grandparents at that time that is bearing fruit for the Goans today and their efforts have to be appreciated. They understood the value of power in the hand and approachable representatives. They knew that if were to merge with the state of Maharashtra we would lose our identity.

Let’s discuss what the common man have really benefitted from the Opinion Poll. So, can we clearly say that after all these years the common Goan has benefitted? Let us take tourism industry for example. In tourism industry, the major stake holders are the taxi operators and the hotels. Now, if you Google- Goan taxi, Goan taxi driver or taxi in Goa, see what results you will get. They are termed as villains. They are termed as villains because Goan taxi drivers and operators charge exorbitant price and they don’t want to run by the meter and they charge the fares as they want. Some of these things may be correct, but at the same time I am regular traveller to Delhi and I have observed that the fares which I normally get i.e. from Rs. 4000 to 5000 from Goa to Delhi during weekends and peak season time go upto Rs 20000 to 25000 also. But I have never seen an outrage on social media or the negative comments for the airline sites or people agitating against these fares. Then why do we get outraged on the taxi drivers or operators when they charge high rates during the peak season? Well there are only 2 reasons; first- taxi drivers are not big players like the airlines which have got huge funds for their publicity and advertisement and for donations. Second- they are not organised. Why do we want to bring Ola and Uber in Goa? Why can’t we help them in creating a Goan app only in which the Goan taxi drivers will have the liberty to choose their fares during the regular season, during weekends and during the peak season? Let’s give the Goan taxi drivers the power to decide and see what they do.

I have spoken to few of the Goan software development companies and they said that they were ready to design an app like this free of cost. If they are interested they can contact me through The Neutral View. Just send a mail to the editor or meet the CEO and ask for Raaj Gonsalves they will direct you to me, and then we can help make a Goan specific app which will have Goan specific fares.

Now, the next is the hotel industry. We have rules that the hotel industry must employ Goans only. Just do a study and you will find what percentage of Goans are employed in the hotel industry. Secondly, how many Goans are employed at the managerial posts and above? What initiative the politicians are taking to empower the Goans for the higher positions? How many Goans have we trained or are training for higher positions?

Today, on the occasion of the Opinion Poll day we the people of Goa must speak to our politicians and tell them to take initiatives to setup institutions where we can train the Goans specifically for higher positions. Just a few days ago I was listening to a well-known politician from the coastal belt who said “always be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem”. If we all take an initiative and open an institution per constituency or taluka, it will help the youth of Goa tremendously we should train them to lead. Let’s start a new beginning, a new fight for our asmita.  Let’s make our forefathers proud of us. By empowering our youth we will make their dream come true.

Thank you again and have a very happy Opinion Poll Day