There was a stagecoach load of us going; but I failed th' heart, an' wouldn't goan' I've forethought ever sin'.

Chapter 3: Plant Festivals The rainy season brings out the average Goan's passion ate love for plants and some of this fervour and enthusiasm finds its way into plant exhibitions and plant festivals.

He used to write a weekly column in a Goan paper the "Weekender".

Here I took an active part thanks to the invitation I received from Alexyz, the well known Goan cartoonist, who was in charge of the Siolim Plant Festival called "Green Heritage".

"I ain't too tired," the Ramblin' Kid replied quietly, "I'll goan' ride Captain Jackhe ain't done up."

But all of a sudden she sort of trem'led an' turned ha'f way roun' like she couldn't make up her min' what to do, an' los' her balance, an' caught holt of a ropean' let goan' fell.

This product of Goan journalism has won the respect of his juniors by his honesty at work, his ability to stand by his subordinates, as well as his considerable if under-appreciated talent.

Goan newspaper managements have always hired journalists from outside the state at exorbitant salaries believing them to be better than local talent.

Today, happily there is a vast talent pool of journalists among the Goan Diaspora that is making its mark in news media across the world.

As a rookie reporter in Mumbai in the 1990s, lesson one was about Goan journos fresh off the boat (the Bombay-Goa steamer was a recent memory then) gladly beginning at the bottom despite having done duty in one of Goa's three English-language newspapers.

In Fiji, from where the Indian population flees after every coup d'etat, journos of Goan origin move in the reverse direction.

It's a temptation common to journalists in every small town and Goan journalists have fallen neck deep in it.

Today, there is very little criticism coming up against the ruling BJP government in Goan newspapers.

The kid-glove treatment meted out to the BJP government has also been extended to the extend Sangh parivar, despite the ideological opposition to it in many sections of the Goan society.

What is the Goan-ness that one is seeking to understand and, if possible, to give substance to in a 1,200-word report (under the illiterate regimes that run newsrooms these days, that is a torrent of words)?

Vital ingredients In my opinion, the major requirements for a successful daily newspaper are: a state-of-the-art establishment, a steadfast commitment to the reader, comprehensive coverage of all sections of the society, and the ultimate aim of becoming the voice of the Goan populace.

During the same period, Mumbai witnessed the birth of Goan Express, Goan Sports Weekly, Porjecho Ixtt, Vavraddi, and Cine Times.

Currently, the Goan Review is the only Konknni-English bi-monthly magazine published from Mumbai.

With the death of former Director General of Police Rajinder Singh Sahaye, Goan editors (most of them, anyway) have lost a great patron.

When the cliched few Goan icons were confined only to football players and its organisers.

I experienced the much spoken-of Goan crab mentality very closely during this time.

This is precisely the reason why the average Goan youth doesn't take a risk and avoids aiming higher.

"'Oo's goan t' kape yo?

I sud have goan on looving yo joost the saame.

It had become an agony to goan anguish to absent himself.