Thu May 23, 2002 11:01 pm
Subject: Goa Liberated?

This is in response to TGF's comments on Nitin's post of 22 May


I had been keenly following the debate on this question of Goa's Liberation based on one of the editorials on TGF.

A few facts have clearly emerged in regard to the objectivity and clarity of the postings. More than anything else, the venue on which the debate or the discussion is being conducted has also come in for direct criticism and questioning for the views of the moderators. Sadly that puts a question mark on the impartiality of the forum.

If a forum portrays itself to be representative of all Goan points of view, then it has to take in all shades of opinions expressed by all participants. It should refrain from summarily rejecting any points of view on any aspect.

Agreements/rebuttals (if any) expressed by the organisers of the debate ought to be based on reasons or arguments tendered by the participants. As far as possible, the forum should keep silence till the time of winding up the debate. Otherwise what happened at the end of this discussion will surely be the result. The participants not agreeing/ agreeing with the forum or vice versa.
 
A definite time limit should be allotted to start and finish the discussion. It is not always essential for the forum to give a final view point on the discussion at the end unless it differs from the original subject which sparked the discussion. The reasons or the arguments given by the various participants should be left open for the audience to judge.

But no more circular arguments like how many Goans live in Goa or abroad? Some one saying that they live mostly in Goa. Another says he is not sure where they live. The Forum comes up with a brilliant suggestion to count them either in Goa or go all over the world and count! Forum also sights a very scientific method of doing so. It is to apply the "Statistical Sampling Technique" to arrive at the correct figure. I like the suggestion! I wonder if the TGF had applied this technique before making their classical statement that " A vast majority of Goans live outside Goa". Does TGF think that Goans are like a mass produced inanimate objects belonging to the same batch production? Please ask some psephologists who have had different experiences when they applied this method during exit poll predictions. Let me give a little anecdote

Akbar the great asked Birbal "How many crows live in Agra as of today?" Prompt was Birbal's reply " Nine thousand nine hundred and six as by this morning's counting Your Highness!"

Wanting to rattle the legendary Birbal,  Akbar said" But day before there were thirty two less than that figure and yesterday the same number were more than the figure you gave me. Why?"

Not to be outwitted by his King, Birbal replied, "Your highness! That is precisely the reason why I count them every day. The day before these thirty two had gone to the nearby village to call on their relatives. And yesterday! those from the nearby village came to return the call !"

In one of your recent posts the question of liver, disease, jaundice etc has been cited. I tend to agree with TGF when they talk of the jaundiced view. Indeed the liver (Goa & Goans) is infected by jaundice.

It is particularly obvious when a section of the elite population in Goan society indulges in Negativism and despondency instead of taking the lead in guiding the state to the path of progress. By all means talk of filth, pollution and corruption. But it should be coupled with hints for removal of these maladies rather than nitpicking alone.

The above are purely my own humble suggestions. You may take them as you please.

Harbans Singh

[TGF comment: May 24, 2002

TGF thanks Harbans Singh for the above comments but respectfully disagrees with the parameters of discussion / debate on TGF as proposed by him. Besides, TGF has organized no debate on this site. All TGF has done is written an editorial on its own website & responded to those who raised the points and queries.

According to cyber etiquette, it would be rude to do otherwise.

TGF fully subscribes to the free speech criterion of cyberspace with the sole exception of No Abusive language. With that in mind, TGF has published unedited  criticism of its views. E-discussions are dynamic and are meant to be on going.  Agreement is not a prerequisite at TGF. TGF believes that time and information have an unique manner of blending with each other.

One query has been raised by Harbans regarding the Statistical Projection of a given population. These are standardized scientific tests. These are used in most countries to determine the countries' populations at any given time. TGF strongly believes that NOBODY has counted ALL of the billion people who are projected to be living in India at this time.

There are many among us who criticize Statistics using the well oiled quote of Mark Twain "There are lies, damned lies and Statistics!". Even so, TGF strongly believes that one can use statistics to scientifically project with up to 99.7% confidence ......what a given population of any country might be.

Harbans Singh makes a very important point at the end of his post above : By all means talk of filth, pollution and corruption. But it should be coupled with hints for removal of these maladies rather than nitpicking alone.

TGF agrees 100% with that point and reminds us all that only 1/20th of our website is presently "visible". All that will come....time permitting.

Surely.....Harbans, will take the lead by 'bowling the first ball'

JC for TGF

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