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A Bad Patch TERRORISM shook the very foundations of the world's most powerful country-the United States-on September 11. The world will never be the same again after the twin-tower tragedy. Very few countries can now feel safe from the types of lethal attacks that the United States was subjected to. They are yet to identify as to who really hit them in such a diabolic manner. Attack may be the best form of defence technically but one wonders whether the US strikes in Afghanistan will ever beget peace, considering the times that we are living in. We had heard about parcel bombs in the past but with the proliferation of the Anthrax attacks, reported at several places, today's foe can select his enemy to kill at will. A whiff of the deadly powder or just coming in touch with it spells certain death. The adverse effect of the prevailing war situation already reflects in Goa in various ways, the major one being the lamentable slowdown on the Tourism front. Though the overseas charters have visited our skies rather timidly, with a subdued strength, the hotel scene has been in the grip of the worst tension in recent years. With the uncertainties arising out of the grim situation in Afghanistan, the hospitality trade feels that their plight will be quite hopeless this season. Depending on the type of the hotel, the business is down from 30 to 50 per cent. The government, however, has come with the idea of attracting more domestic tourists to the State. But the coastal folk, thriving on the overseas visitors, don't seem to be much enthused by the government's diversification move. In Goa, the political situation has, for a change, apparently arrived at a sort of stability, with hardly any news of any more government toppling. The Congress Party appears to be in the dumps, the Gomantak Maharashtrawadi Party gropes in the dark, and the nascent Su-Raj Party is yet to make its presence felt. In the prevailing circumstances, the Bharatiya Janata Party seems to be enjoying its stay at the Secretariat longer than most Goans expected. The BJP celebrated their one year at Idalcao Palace with great gusto. Of course, it is quite a feat to remain in power for twelve months on the trot in Goa. However, the folk are also beefing up their flanks subtly, by ensuring that their influence gets injected in every government department, Education not excluding. With the Goan football team bringing honours to the State by downing formidable opponents in the Junior Women's section, sports circles in Goa were really upbeat for once. The State had also struck a fine patch in diving and athletics too. However, suddenly our sportsworld was plunged into a gloom with the sudden death of Pratima Gaonkar, who was considered as India's most promising athlete. The exact reason, which led the shy, hardworking athlete to end her life by leaping in a well, will probably never be known to anyone anymore. This year's measly monsoons made an ominous exit with lightning killing a girl, a buffalo and knocking off the lights of the Badem Church in Assagao. Poor rainfall generally affects adversely the land's prosperity in these parts of the world. The shortfall in rainfall is estimated to be nearly 30 per cent this year, and that's a good enough sign that the drought will storm the State in a greater hurry than it used to during the bygone years. At GoaNOW, we had a computer crash sending everything haywire. Joel D'Souza |
