Significant Resolutions Passed at Conclave of Konkani Writers, Tiatrists

Soeme very significant resolutions were passed during the Roman script Konkani writers, tiatrists, and artistes' meeting held at Margão on August 8, 2005.

More than fifty Konkani writers, tiatrists, and artistes and readers of Roman script Konkani held a meeting at Grace Church hall at Margão, which was convened by Dalgado Konknni Akademi (DKA), to demand equal status for Roman script Konkani with that of Devanagari.

DKA president Tomazinho Cardozo, DKA executive members Wilson Mazarello and F. Pratap Naik SJ and well-known tiatrist Mario Menezes addressed the gathering, and explained the need of including Roman script Konkani in the Language Act.

Ullas Buyãv, Cosma Fernandes, Boniface Dias, Jose Gomes, Michael Gracias, and others took part in the iscussion. DKA secretary Jose Salvadore Fernandes proposed vote of thanks. The following resolutions were passed unanimously:

1. Goa's Konkani community is divided into two groups, namely those who read and write Konkani in Devanagari script, and those who read and write Konkani in Roman script. Therefore Goa Government should give equal and official status to Konkani written in Devanagari and Roman scripts. In this direction, the government should modify the Language Act accordingly. The present Language Act,1987 2. (c) reads "Konkani language" means Konkani language in Devanagari script. We propose the following amendment to 2. (c): "Konkani language" means Konkani language in Devanagari and Roman scripts.

2. Goa Government recognizes Marathi Akademi as the official Akademi for Marathi in Goa and gives grants. Similarly, Goa Government must recognize Dalgado Konknni Akademi (DKA) as the official NGO of Konkani in Roman script and give the same amount of grants which the government gives to Goa Konkani Akademi (GKA) and Marathi Akademi.

3. So far, Goa government has not appointed the president of GKA from the Roman script group. The term of the present GKA president will be completed in the month of November 2005. Hence this time Govt. must appoint the
president of GKA from the minority community. In the future, government could appoint the president by turns from Devanagari script and Roman script groups.

4. GKA is a government institution. At present a nominee of the All India Konkani Parishad is the ex-officio member of GKA. GKA Constitution must be amended to include a nominee of Dalgado Konknni Akademi as the ex-officio member of GKA. Goa government appoints three persons eminent in the field of Konkani language, literature or culture as ex-officio members of GKA. While nominating these three persons Govt. should give equal representation to Devanagari and Roman script groups.

5. In the past Kala Akademi (KA) used to give annual prizes for books published in Devanagari and Roman scripts. For the last many years it has stopped giving awards to books written in Roman script. KA should be ordered to give awards to Roman script Konkani writers, and extend to them all other projects and schemes which are available to Konkani in Devanagari script.

6. Kala Akademi gives Gomantak Sharada Puroskar to Konkani writers in Devanagari script and Marathi writers. In future KA must consider and give this prestigious award to Roman script writers and artists as well.

7. Kala Akademi is established to promote the culture of Goa. Hence it should be asked to hold competitions and to promote non-stop Konkani drama, one-act plays in Konkani in Roman script, Mandos, Dekhnnis, Christmas
carols, Church hymns, Motets, Intruz khells, Kantaram, Kunbi songs and dances, and other folk arts.

8. Govt. must name its new theatre for the performing arts in Margão, in honour of the late João Augustinho Fernandes, who is popularly known as "Pai Tiatrist". By doing this government will honour a great Goan tiatrist and his minority community. If this is not done we are forced to consider it as an insult done by the Govt. to Goans and Goan tiatrists and artists.

9. Tiatr is the most popular form of theatre in Goa. To promote this local art form Goa Govt. should make available its theatres in Panaji, Ponda and elsewhere at subsidized rates for tiatrs. This generous gesture of the government will boost the tiatr industry.

10. Goa Konkani Akdemi, Kala Akademi, directorate of art and culture, and other government departments while publishing Konkani books, should publish them in both Devanagari script and Roman script.

11. In school syllabus, lessons from Roman script Konkani must be given equal representation without changing the language and style. In college and university syllabus Konkani literature written in Roman script should be
taught in Roman script itself. Students who opt for Konkani as a major subject at T.Y. B.A. or at M.A. level must know to read and write Konkani in Devanagari and Roman scripts.

12. Konkani has two representatives in Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi. Goa government sends three names to Sahitya Akademi as its nominees. Let the Goa government send names of Devanagari writers and Roman script writers by turns.

13. To promote Konkani films the Govt. must establish a separate board of film experts, and representatives from Devanagari and Roman script writers to check the quality of films and allot them subsidy.