Communidade Controversy -Herald

Communidade Controversy Sunday’s move by the gaunkars of the Serula Communidade ~ going ahead and conducting elections to elect a managing committee in violation of the Collector’s order ~ will only provide the government the opportunity to interfere in the functioning of this centuries old institution. The nature of response of the agitated gaunkars was on expected lines and the outcome of their action too is now predictable ~ the authorities will probably term the so-called elected body illegal, compelling the newly elected committee to approach the courts, which would eventually most likely end with the appointment of an administrator. This is all too often seen and repeated, so much so that in spite of past experience, leaders of communidades have failed to come up with effective alternatives to counter “interference” from non-communidade power centers. So, what were the motivating factors for the Collector to instruct that scheduled elections not be held? Whatever they may have been, it is clear that the communidade code offers no such provision, unless, of course, there is a major calamity. The directions were notified to the office of the communidade reportedly at the eleventh hour, which means there was no way to communicate the decision to voters. This sequence of events has, in fact, often been a ploy adopted by politicians of various hues seeking to corner control of communidades. In the case of Serula, the suspicions being voiced is that two legislators are reportedly seeking to hold sway in the management of the communidade. Cancellation, even postponing elections, actually offers these politicians more time for manipulation. We would not be surprised if allegations of "horse-trading" of pliable gaunkars besides including of ineligible "half-gaunkars" in the voting list follow. Serula Communidade is one of the richest in the State. And this is precisely why politicians are eying it. This is not to say that managements of communidades ostensibly devoid of political interference have no shortcomings. Far from it. There have been instances where gaunkars who profess to swear by all things Goan have been responsible for selling communidades land to the highest bidder. The manner in which so-called Goans have sold Goa on a platter and cornered prime plots, even abused their political clout to illegally launch business enterprises on prime communidade land makes for a sorry tale. There have been instances too of how members in management committees scout for investors willing to come up with institutional projects so they can dish out large tracts of land with the sole objective of payoffs to be shared down the line. The story is akin to the 1980s and 90s when industrialists were welcomed to set up shop in Goa and communidade land dished off to industrial projects with government virtually playing land broker. Over the years, communidades have emerged as a milch cow for both the managing committee members as well as politicians. Even honest members who are projected as presidents usually end up succumbing to the "pressure" exerted by fellow members. In bygone years, it had been an avenue to reap vote banks ~ wherein the immigrant labour force was given false hope of free plots for housing, but these shanties were demolished once elections were over, leaving them homeless and devastated. Goans who applied for plots of land were routinely denied plots which were usually awarded to the highest bidder. The greater tragedy is the inability of governing councils to examine ways and means to augment revenue for this age-old institution and ensure that the beneficiaries are gaunkars. http://heraldgoa.in/newscategory/Edit/15