The Goan community in Swindon is not just made up of one Goa Velha natives but from Agacaim, Santa Cruz, Merces, Siridao, Benaulim etc. From North to South all the Goans reside in Swindon. Further Goans in Swindon do not have any specific leader of its own as declared by some elements within the Goan Society. The Goans in Swindon are at ease and a peaceful one.
The recent murder of Raimundo Pereira shook the Goans badly but the community never was nervous nor did any kind of tension prevail among them. The false news of tension among Goans in Swindon is nothing but a fabricated story for some sort of propaganda.
As a Niz Goenkar I ventured around and had friendly chats with all the Goans that I could find and from my enquiries and check ups I found that the Goans in Swindon are absolutely at ease and at peace. There is no tension of any kind among the Goan community in Swindon. Everybody is about their work and are cool.
I agree that the gruesome murder of my friend left a deep scar and concerns but that has hardly caused any tension among the Goans who are all peace loving and peaceful people in Swindon. Every one does his her chores as usual. So it is false propaganda of tension among the Goans in Swindon probably for personal benefits or self upgrading. It was also found out by Niz Goenkar that there is no specific leader of the Goan Community.
On enquiring about the leadership of the Goan Community in Swindon I learnt:
According to some of the Goans I spoke, if anyone calls himself/herself the leader of the community is not elected by the community then it is a self declaration or self proclamation like the tiatrists of Goa who call themselves Kings, Queens, Princes, Emperors, nightingales etc.
Some Goans laughed till they could not laugh anymore on hearing of a “Leader” of Goans in Swindon.
A meeting took place between Goans and some top officials Police officers of Swindon, Borough Council officials and CAB officials etc. About one hundred Goans attended the meeting. This was called to ease the so rumoured tensions among the Goans in Swindon. When the officials asked for difficulties none could give any specific difficulties or the problems. From what news reached us, one person stood up and told the presiding officers that some groups were formed around. When the police officers asked for names and some proof of the activities of the groups claimed by some, there was no answer and as such nothing much happened. The officers however assured of all the help in case of trouble.
Given the present situation there is no kind of trouble brewing up among the Goan community as some say or are trying to create fear in the minds of the people of Goa in Swindon. The Goans are quite safe here and the law is very strong. The Police are very vigilant.
We would like the Goans in Swindon to remain calm, do not heed to such rumours of tensions among us as these are false propagandas by selfish and self glorifying people to create an importance for themselves and for their self publicity.
15 comments:
Menino is absolutely right in reporting that there are no leaders in the Goan Community in Swindon particularly from the Coastal belt of Siridao, Goa-Velha and Agacaim. Although this belt got the majority of the people here. The vast majority of them are illiterate.They don't even know the name of the company in which they are working. When they were working at "Facenda" a poultry processing company they used to say they are working in COMBIANI. Some of them work in the " AIRHOUSE" their equivalent for the "WAREHOUSE". I do not blame them for that. But its the reality which the Goa governament should accept instead of saying Goa is above 70% literate. The Government is just fooling the people by giving wrong statistics. A visit in these villages now will even comfirn my understanding.They were fortunate that they could land in UK. Now you can see their children studying and talking fluent English which otherwise would have been impossible.
Menino is absolutely right in reporting that there are no leaders in the Goan Community in Swindon particularly from the Coastal belt of Siridao, Goa-Velha and Agacaim. Although this belt got the majority of the people here. The vast majority of them are illiterate.They don't even know the name of the company in which they are working. When they were working at "Facenda" a poultry processing company they used to say they are working in COMBIANI. Some of them work in the " AIRHOUSE" their equivalent for the "WAREHOUSE". I do not blame them for that. But its the reality which the Goa governament should accept instead of saying Goa is above 70% literate. The Government is just fooling the people by giving wrong statistics. A visit in these villages now will even comfirn my understanding.They were fortunate that they could land in UK. Now you can see their children studying and talking fluent English which otherwise would have been impossible.
These false rumours created by some people for their own interest or publicity, create disharmony. Goans are always calm and peace loving. It is these rumour mongers who try to create distability.
It's nice to know according to Swindon Advertiser, The Meeting
Organiser Santana Sousa, "the President of Goan Swindon Association"
has taken the lead to, once again and whom I presume will continue to do so in
future too. To defuse the situation and bring calm, peace & tranquillity to
Swindon. God bless
Yes Diogo, Just because of a "once off incident" the Goans in Swindon or anywhere else should not be allowed to tarnish. Goans, anywhere are Goans, and will always be Goans. Viva Goa!!!
When Santana self declared himself as a LEADER of Goans, why is he not ready to take the negative comments? A leader has to accept comments positive as well as negative when he becomes a leader. I heard this man talk about Niz Goenkar comments. I was very much present there for the meeting as well as their private meeting, I am saying that Santana and his group are for self publicity. No one has elected them the leaders of Goans in Swindon or anywhere. Social service is done without prejudice and publicity. Jesus said your right hand must not know what your left hand is doing.
Santan Souza is the lead by default or by his own free will. Hope peace prevail.
Good reporting! What you wrote make sense.Few days back i commented regarding self proclaimed leader(Santan Dsouza).
He is using this incident for his own millage.False news are circulated to the local Councillor and other concern authorities with regard to tension in Goan Community.This same leader created a disaster to the previous President and the Chairman of the Goan Swindon Association.They were insulted,humilated and kicked out of GOA DAY venue in front of public without any justified reason.Because of this incident therev was an uproar within Goan Community. An emergency meeting was called. During this meeting the members decided to ban Mr Santan and Mr Floriano Dsa from any Goan Swindon Association committee post.The new committee was elected on the same date.Till date Mr Santana Dsouza has not hand over any Accounts nor other things owned by Goan Swindon Association.He still thinks he is the leaader...
I am sure under the leadership of Santana, Swindon will be a place for Goans to be proud off. I am sure the untarnished and unselfish person will make him a strong leader among Goans. We need Good strong and honest leaders in Goa too I hope you can one day be that too.
There are many educated people in swindon and they are in their own world , mostly the uneducated are after the name and the fame. As for my knowledge and understandings, we Goans will never remain united but always will go for name and fame like pig of varca.
In reply to Salvador,Seraulim.! You should learn to distinguish between good and evil.This man had an interview with Swindon Advertiser some years back.He wrote about Goan community and how the Goans lived in Goa.The news of the Swindon Advertiser completely tarnished the image of Goans living in Swindon.Even at our work place we were humilated by European staff because of his act. Last two years under the leadership of Mr Santana Dsouza,only 1000 pounds income was added into GSA committee accounts.They have used the money for their personal gains.Till date they have not produced the blue print of Committee account.He has taken loans from many Goans because of his bad Gambling habbits(Casino).Till now he hasnt paid most of the lenders.How can this leader lead this community.By supporting this leader,people like you are selling Goan selfrespect for the bunch of corrupt people.Please ask your conciense and God if you are right...
Has Santan Sousa been elected via a ballot, to be a Leader of Swindon Goans? or is he confusing the words Elder from Leader.
I know than many Goan organisations break up after dissent or a difference of views.Some people think this is Crab Mentality in action
However I feel this is healthy in a democracy,as one group can keep a check on the sinister activities of the other.
When there are 2 groups, each one tries to be better than the other.This surely must be good in some way.
Goans then have a choice.
The reason I say this is because as a child in Nairobi,Kenya , I recollect there were 3 main stream Goan Clubs / organisations.
The Goan Gymkhana(for posh & moneyed Goans), The Goan Institute (the most Popular, inclusive and open to all) & the Goan Railway Gymkhana (run by Goan Railway employees).The Goan Institute was by far the best run,most famous,had the most members, and best organised and still exists today.
Ordinary Goans, of all shades, in Kenya could enjoy the best of all three.
This is why I believe that some Organisations in the Gulf, Like the GWA of Doha are run for ones personal profit & not the greater good of all Goans.
Lets hope the Swindon Goan Associations will succeed and also be accountable for their actions.
Lets also hope they will also accept criticism, as a means to development & a better run , fair and equitable (for all Goans) organisation.
Not forgetting the Goan Tailor's Society . When they sold their premises after the Exodus every menber received equal shares from the sale. No matter which part of the world they moved to, money was sent there. Respecting elders was a priority.Today's Goan club leaders are self centered for each ones existence with a fragile unity .Clubs breaking up are very common.It is more of a Gang Culture.
As a UK citizen living in the immediate vacinity of many Goans in the town centre of Swindon who, although I find the community generally to be very much a "ghetto" keeping itself very much to itself, the vast majority are always very friendly, polite and thoughtful, as I found when I was at school many years ago with those who came to Australia for their education under the stupid "White Australia Policy". Unfortunately, there are always exceptions to the rule. I live next door to Goans, the female member of the household being the rudest and most inconsiderate person on the planet in more ways than one and then wonders why people are retaliatorily rude to her. Whilst I have to accept living with the stench from highly spiced cooking (which, by the way, permeates every nook and cranny in my house) as this is part of Goan culture, could not the Goan community recognise that in the UK we have a culture too. When we have parties whether noisy or otherwise we have them on a Saturday night when very few adults/children are going to work/school respectively on Sunday morning. Unfortunately, the Goan neighbours have noisy parties on a Sunday night which go on until 2-3am Monday morning. This practice is highly inconsiderate as it does not recognise the fact that other neighbours living in the vicinity go to work on Monday morning and the children of the Goan community who attend these noisy parties until the small hours should be attending school on Monday morning. Furthermore, this particular household are known fly tippers of rubbish of all sorts which makes the place around the locality into nothing more than a replica of "third world" crap. Would the Goan community tolerate the mess if we Europeans threw our rubbish around the back streets of towns and cities in Goa. I think not!! Could not Mr Santana Dsouza, the apparently unelected leadership of the Goan community in Swindon, accept that whilst there are positives within the Goan community, there are also negatives which need addressing.
I empatise with the situation you and your family are in.
I would advise you to complain to the Local Authority about the Noise , stench and fly tipping.
I feel ashamed of your neighbours calling themselves GOANS & disgracing the good name of Goans.
I can assure you not all Goans behave in such a manner.However there is always one rotten egg/ apple in the basket.
Unfortunately , you have them as your neighbours.
Lets hope in time, these Goan neighbours of yours ,first get civilised & then begin to live in a civilised world & society.
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