GOA (3rd-JAN-2017): The Goenchi Mati Movement welcomes the statement of the Archbishop at the recent Annual Civic Reception endorsing the idea of intergenerational equity in mining. As was rightly pointed out, minerals are a shared inheritance. And the existing system is leading to enormous corruption and mis-governance.
Update: The relevant section of the speech by the Archbishop of Goa can be viewed here. The full text can be read here.
In the Goa mining case, the Supreme Court ruled that all mining during the period 22-Nov-2007 up to the ban on 10-Sep-2012, was 100% illegal. Goa Foundation estimates that Rs. 65,058 crores were recoverable on account of 5 years of illegal mining. Instead of recovering this staggering amount, the BJP government renewed the leases to the same miners! As there were no auctions or other attempts to get the full value of the minerals, Goa Foundation estimated that there was a further loss of Rs. 79,836 crores. The mining companies again got another windfall.
The Shah Commission said of Goa mining: “It is pertinent to state here that such illegal act can’t happen without connivance of the politicians, bureaucrats and lessees. There is a complete collapse of the system.”
The Goenchi Mati Movement is asking for the implementation of some simple Constitutional principles in the management of our mineral wealth:
- We, the people of Goa, own the mineral in common. The state government is merely a trustee of natural resources for the people and especially future generations (Public Trust Doctrine).
- As we have inherited the minerals, we are simply custodians and must pass them on to future generations (Intergenerational Equity).
- Therefore, if we mine and we sell our mineral resources, we must ensure zero loss, ie. capture of the full economic rent (sale price minus cost of extraction, cost including reasonable profit for miner). Any loss is a loss to all of us and our future generations.
- All receipts from minerals must be saved in the Goenchi Mati Permanent Fund. Similar proposals are already implemented all over the globe. Like the minerals, the Permanent Fund will also be part of the commons. The Supreme Court has ordered the creation of a Permanent Fund for Goan iron ore and already Rs. 94 crores is deposited.
- Any real income (after inflation) from the Goenchi Mati Permanent Fund must only be distributed to all as a right of ownership, a Citizen's Dividend. This is like the comunidade zonn, but paid to everyone.
- The implementation of these principles will be done in a transparent participatory process with the people of Goa.
These are in line with our ethical and moral obligation to our children and future generations, as rightly pointed out by the Archbishop. Its common sense really.
Endorsements and Support
The Movement is also pleased to acknowledge the endorsement and support by independent candidate from Benaulim, Judith Almeida. We call upon all citizens to ask their MLA candidates and political parties to endorse and support our manifesto, and to pledge to implement it faithfully. We will shortly launch a tracker where anyone can check which candidates have committed to the Goenchi Mati Manifesto.
Here is a partial list of prominent individuals and organisations that have endorsed the Goenchi Mati Manifesto.
Individuals
- Maria Aurora Couto, author, Padma Shri
- Suresh Amonkar, author, Padma Shri
- Wendell Rodricks, designer, Padma Shri
- Norma Alvares, lawyer, Padma Shri
- Claude Alvares, Goa Foundation
- Bhasker Assoldekar, Goa State Coordinator, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR)
- Dean D'Cruz, architect, owner Mozaic Design: "Stops the loot and gives a future"
- Arturo D Souza, civil activist: "It is a very fair proposition to all"
- Haresh Melwani, mining lease holder, HL Nathurmal
- Desmond Nazareth, serial entrepreneur: "it is an eminently sensible and meaningful use of the commons"
- Diviya Kapur, Owner, Literati: "I believe the future requires sustainable development and protection of our earth and environment"
- Ahmed Bungalowala, Author
- Reboni Saha, owner Mozaic Design, Secretary, Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA)
- Bhagyashree Patwardhan, Owner, Paperboat Collective: "Believe in a green and living future for the next generations to come"
- Hyacinth Pinto, architect
- Colin D’Cruz, Director, Jazz Goa
- Tallulah D’Silva, Architect T & Mission Green Goa: “It is inclusive! It supports and promotes shared use of resources and therefore benefits are accrued by all members of the community”
- Kaushik Ramanathan, designer: "Future Generations require a sustainable environment and planned development"
- Reginald Goveas, designer: "It is only fair in a democratic country."
- Rahul Chandawarkar, journalist and photographer: "It is people centric. For the people, by the people, of the people."
- Lina Vincent, art curator: "I want a better future for the next generation"
- Saba Hasan, artist: "This earth is our life"
- Seema Kohli, artist: "it is the common earth that we share and not an answer to anyone greed to have "More""
- Rahul Basu, founder and CEO, Ajadé
- Aruna Roy, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS)
- Nikhil Dey, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS)
- Shankar Singh, Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS)
- Jagdeep Chhokar, retired professor, IIM-A, founder, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR)
- Jean Dreze, Professor, Ranchi University
- Felix Padel, anthropologist-activist and author
- EAS Sarma, Former Secretary, Government of India
- Guy Standing, SOAS, University of London, and Hon.Co-President of BIEN (Basic Income Earth Network): "This is the optimum way of promoting community development while giving every man, woman and child a sense of basic security and pride in their community. It is enlightened, it is sensible, and it is eminently feasible."
- Nandan Nawn, Professor, TERI University: "This makes perfect sense. Each human inhabitant on the earth has equal claim over the 'gifts' given by nature in the form of natural resources, from rain, sunshine and wind to iron, bauxite, salt and sand–this principle is the fulcrum of the proposal, which I thoroughly endorse."
- Ilina Sen, Professor, TISS Mumbai
- Gayatri Menon, Professor, Azim Premji University
- Himanshu Upadhyay, Asst Professor, Azim Premji University
- Pradip K Datta, Professor, JNU
- Ashok Shrimali, General Secretary, mm&P (mines, minerals & People)
- Himanshu Damle, Coordinator, Public Finance Public Accountability Collective (PFPAC)
Organisations
- Goa Foundation
- mines, minerals & People (mm&P)
- Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (MKSS)
- Public Finance Public Accountability Collective (PFPAC)
- Nirmal Vishwa, Ponda
- Ajadé
- Mozaic, Goa
The Goenchi Mati Manifesto is available at goenchimati.org/manifesto. It is available in English, with translations into Konkani (Devnagari, Romi), Marathi, Hindi. It will soon be available in Kannada and Portuguese.
Show your support at goenchimati.org/support. Aamchi Mati Aamka Zai!
CONTACT: Roxanne Coutinho
Phone: +91 800 763 6466