The Union Finance Minister in his speech on the budget, made a striking mention of building 20 km of road a day. It was a wonderful way of explaining a stupendous highway construction  program of 20,000 kms.  Easily understandable and a clear target for the persons responsible.  We need the same type of targeting on infrastructure and other  projects in Goa.  The goals should be framed simply and in a manner which the average citizen easily understands.  We also have a right to know how well the implementation is going and the performance versus the promise.

The union budget went through okay.  Unlike the previous budget, the stock market actually registered an increase in real time. Yet the ruckus the opposition created when the fuel price increase was announced was a reminder to us that  measures which will add to the inflationary pressures  will not go down well. Politicians  represent constituencies  and most constituencies  have  a large proportion of those  who are underprivileged and poor.  Yet, there are certain imperatives and  the budget  had to  mop up the large giveaways estimated at around Rs 20,000 crores  in direct tax concessions which was probably the main reason for the fuel price increase.

India’s ambassador to Portugal, Her Excellency Mrs Primrose Sharma, who is a career Indian Foreign Service Officer, came to Goa recently on a brief official visit in the first week of March.  Earlier, when the GCCI delegation visited Portugal in October 2009, they had the opportunity to discuss business opportunities between Goan and Portuguese industrialists at different meetings with her and our members found her very positive and very pro-industry . In fact she was the perfect advisor and also a great hostess.  The Goa Chamber got a chance to welcome her and reciprocate her hospitality.  She was particularly interested in the Lusofonia Games which is  a multinational multi-sport event which involves athletes coming from Lusofonia (Portuguese-speaking) countries, namely those belonging to the CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries), but also others where there are significant Portuguese communities or that have a common past with Portugal. Goa may be the venue for the forthcoming Lusofonia games and  she was interested in meeting sports associations.  Hence the GCCI organised a meeting where the President of Goa Olympic Association, Mr Subash Shirodkar, the Hon. Secretary, Mr. Gurudatta Bhakta, the Treasurer Mr.Anil Madgavkar and the Executive Director of the Sports Authority of Goa Mr.V. M. Prabhu Desai were  present.

On this visit, the Ambassador’s main priority was  increasing trade, economic and cultural ties between Goa and Portugal.  For this, the members of the GCCI organised meetings and receptions with the core group of the management committee, representatives of the tourism industry, other industrialists, members of sister associations, the Chief Minister of Goa, Mr. Digambar Kamat, the NRI Commissioner, Shri Eduardo Faleiro, senior Government officials,  Dr. Paulo Neves Pocinho, Consul General of Portugal, Dr. Delfim Da Silva Correia, Director, Institute Camoes and Dr. Adelino Rodrigues da Costa, Delegate, Fundacao Oriente.

It is important that we have awards to raise the profile of CSR.  The recent initiative of the Green Triangle Society to recognise socially responsible companies would serve to do this.  The fact is that many companies are seeing that there is compatibility between CSR and profitability.  Actually the evidence is growing that, by being responsible in a corporate way, you can actually improve performance over the long term.

There is need to have some good original contributions in the Bulletin. In this issue we have an article by Padmashree Fr. Romualdo de Souza who has made some very interesting suggestions to restructure the educational system in Goa. I look forward to more such contributions.

Cesar Menezes
(President - GCCI)