Aldona Congress MLA Adv Carlos Alvares Ferreira hit out at the Goa government for denying local youth and sports persons a chance and instead allowing players from outside the state to represent Goa at the national games.
Speaking during the discussion on demands for grants to the Sports Department, Adv Ferreira highlighted that the certificate of having participated at the national level can help in securing jobs in government, something Goan youth were losing out on.
“I oppose whenever players from outside the state are brought in to represent Goa. I don’t like people being brought in. Our youth don’t get a chance to go to other states and represent them. But our players have to make way for them. They give reasons that we don’t have players who can win medals. But they have no affection for Goa. They come to play, if they win, they go. They get certificates, they even get jobs if they are represented for nationals and internationals,” Adv Carlos said.
“Our Goans are just left out. If we also keep with the belief that we are unfit and cannot compete. When will we improve our standards? We develop infrastructure, equipment and train our children. They all look forward to participating but suddenly their names are eliminated. If we don’t give our children a boost, I don’t think we can ever say that we are promoting sports,” he said.
“I don’t know what sports associations are doing if they cannot groom up our talent and get our children to perform. Because if these sports associations are only conducting meetings and going for tours and coming back, such associations should be wound up and sent home once and for all,” he said.
“According to me this kind of importing of players is a backdoor entry for which they have no obligation to do,” he said reading names of outstation players who represented Goa at the national games.
He pointed out that the entire Sepak Takraw team was from outside the state.
“If we don’t have the discipline, why are we putting people there? I’m told our people are also practising this on the futsal court. We can give a chance to our people, they may not be the best, but within a few years you never know,” he said.
Adv Carlos also demanded that the art and culture department should organise smaller festivals at the village levels before having a state level function for the various arts. “And then at the end of the year a bigger event,” he said. He also called on the government to include local art, history and culture in the local education syllabus.
“You have to promote local art, culture and history, recognise them, put them on educational textbooks and give our children a chance to learn, appreciate and emulate our art and our culture,” he said.