Media Release
Doha, Jan 10: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) under the wise leadership of Luizinho Faleiro has announced the establishment of NRI Global Goans Cell under the Chairmanship of Qatar based, Simon D’Silva. The establishment of this cell is to express solidarity with Goans overseas understanding their contribution and sacrifices, to spread awareness of government schemes amongst the global Goan community with a view to motivate them for productive occupations, business and employment in Goa, to ensure that the state government creates better and proper avenues for children of NRI Global Goans to take up higher education in Goa, to work with the government for establishment of a special NRI window to provide quick and speedy relief and services, understanding the NRI potential to the private business sector.
The cell will open the channels of communication for mutual benefit, to facilitate setting up of NRI Global Goans Chamber of Commerce for meaningful interaction with government, departments and corporations to work out public-private partnerships and also for NRI Goans participation in business and industry, to foster social and cultural bonds with Global Goans.
The Congress NRI Global Goans Cell consists of the following managing committee; chairman, Qatar based Simon D’Silva, convenor for Qatar, Edson Fernandes, executives members for Qatar, Mathew Estrocio, Pradeep Kotkar and Sidesh Gaonkar, convenor for Bahrain, Francis Correia and executive member Gabriel Crasto. Convenor for Kuwait, Carmo Santos and executive members for Kuwait are Julio Cardozo, Gaspar Crasto and Ramdas Revadkar. Oman executive members are Domnic Colaco and Francis Fernandes. United Arab Emirates (Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah) executive members are Henry Fernandes, Santana Fernandes, Gabriel Fernandes and Johnito Rodrigues. Executive member for USA is Effie Tavares, UK is Ravi Vaz, Italy is Esmelinda Fernandes, Australia is Agostinho De Melo and more executive members in the committee from other countries will be announced shortly.
GPCC president Luizinho Faleiro said that remittances from Goans who are working in 43 countries – mainly Arabian Gulf, has given a big push to the state economy but expressed regrets that the funds deposited in banks are being diverted for investments in other states.
Faleiro said that migration to foreign countries has been one of the biggest push factors in the economic advancement of Goa during the last three decades. He also said that migration of people to foreign countries for better prospects has been a dominant feature of the state.
He said that the remittance-induced changes have been felt in almost all the sub-sectors of the economy. The positive impact of remittances is seen in bank deposits, housing, real estate and the purchasing power largely in rural households.
Luizinho said that factors such as decline in agriculture, lack of sufficient employment/professional opportunities in Goa and urge for higher and stable earnings have influenced Goans going abroad. Of late, there is an unhealthy perception gaining ground that “Niz Goenkars” can make their future only in foreign countries, he added.
Faleiro also stated that earlier Goans migrated for employment with firm roots in Goa. The trend nowadays is to emigrate for good and final settlement. The threat to identity and demography lies in this trend, he stated further. The sustained international migration has led to the development of ‘remittance-economy’ in many parts of the Goa, particularly the coastal talukas of Bardez, Salcete and Tiswadi.
Emigration has been a dominant feature of the Christian community in Goa. A large numbers of Goans working abroad are now returning back to the state especially from Gulf countries. The returned emigrants face lot of problems back at home like social, cultural, economic, psychological and health related.
Faleiro also said that earlier industry contributed a large chunk to the state economy followed by mining and tourism, but of late “money order” has been main contributor to the deposits in the bank which only a minimum amount was lent to the borrowers in the state.
Faleiro said that a study conducted by him has revealed that Goan emigrants were spread in 43 countries of the world. Faleiro further said that his study has also revealed that nearly 54 percent of the amounts received from abroad were used for day to day household expenses, 18.2 percent for education, 15 percent for debt repayment, 3.2 for purchase of land, 8.2 percent construction or purchase of houses and 19 percent were kept in the banks. Only 2.8 percent was used to maintain agriculture land.