Goan NRI businessmen and industrialist accused the state government of harassing

Panaji Sept 11, 2004
NT Staff Reporter

The state president of the Nationalist Congress party, Dr Wilfred de Souza today accused the state government of harassing Goan NRI businessmen and industrialists even while wooing them with all kinds of promises during NRI conventions. Blaming the Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Parrikar for not taking time to look into people’s problems, he said the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state is “paralysed.”

He cited the case of Mr Jerome Mendes, a Goan NRI based in London, whose application for selling foreign liquor at his Verna establishment has been delayed for one year four months. He said Mr Mendes’ establishment had a lodging, a restaurant and also sold local liqour. He was paying all taxes and only wanted to now sell foreign liquor.

In May 2003, Mr Mendes sent in his application requesting permission for the same but nothing happened. Dr de Souza said he then received a letter from the excise department asking for approved plans of the premises, NOC from the owner of the premises and related documents.

‘’He is already selling local liquor there and excise already has the documents. Still on May 29, he again sent them the papers. In spite of that nothing has been done,’’ Dr de Souza said.

He also cited the case of another Goan NRI, Mr Rui Cosme D’Costa, who he said has wrongly been stopped from producing mineral water at the plant he set up at Sancoale in 2001 after complying with all the conditions. The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has suddenly asked him to refrain from using the ISI mark, effectively stopping production at the unit.

Dr de Souza said the BIS has told Mr D’Costa he has not provided the acceptance scheme for testing and not submitted the test report despite all these things being in order. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has since been conducting raids to ensure that production is not carried out there. Dr de Souza said Mr D’Costa was suffering losses due to this.

He also said the government has not paid the subsidy Mr D’Costa is entitled to since he set up the firm in 2001.

Dr de Souza also criticised the government for failing to give a job to former India football captain and Arjuna-awardee, Mr Bruno Coutinho.

‘’The Chief Minister is on record to assure him a job,’’ Dr de Souza said. He also criticised the government’s failure to remove the River Princess and sarcastically said it will serve as a mascot for Goa during the two forthcoming big events of the International Film Festival of India and the Exposition of St Francis Xavier.