This is in response to the news item appearing everywhere during the last two days on the English Question Paper mentioning Goans acquiring Portuguese Passports, for going abroad for jobs. To put it figuratively, it is since time immemorial that Goans are known to go out in search of greener pastures because even after 451 years of Portuguese rule in Goa, we in Goa never attained the optimum level of employment and because of this scarcity of jobs Goans preferred to go abroad.
I don’t understand why a few persons had to make this a big issue when it is a hard fact that so many Goans are acquiring Portuguese Passports because it is become a mode of employment to get not only much better income in the West but also it is become a symbol of respect and dignity. Our government is a bankrupt government whose ministers are selfish interested only to fill their pockets instead of creating job avenues for our jobless manpower. Every Indian who acquires a Portuguese Passport is aware of this fact. During the Portuguese rule in Goa, Goans by virtue of being full fledged Portuguese nationals without any discrimination of first class and second class citizens of Portugal where all were equal citizens, were entitled to acquire Portuguese Passports and migrate to outside world.
If our government was capable to provide jobs for our citizens then nobody would acquire Portuguese Passport. There is no shame in acquiring Portuguese Passports but there is a shame in charging, as informed, lakhs of rupees for providing jobs where ministers and their subordinates are directly involved in accepting the bribe for jobs. This is not only shameful but disgraceful where no government is thinking to put a ban.
Now coming back again on the question paper, those who raised this issue and blown it out of proportion are trying to swim in the muddy water to get them opportunities in the political fields. All those who are making this as a big issue must first of all thank Portugal for providing Portugues Passports for Goans and thereby easing the pressure of Goa government in providing jobs for Goans. Secondly, it was good that thru this question paper the youngsters at this young age only informed what days are lying for them ahead. Thus giving them time to think very hard what misery they will have to face when their time of employment comes. All those powerful people who felt ashamed of Portuguese Passports for our unemployed youth they should have done something when some of them were having political power in their hands. But they did nothing, “tankam fokot Portugues Passport ostad”.
A.Veronica Fernandes.