Hello readers.

I’ll let the following letter I wrote to the Goa tourist board, and the collection of photographs taken of the terrible state of Baga streets, speak for themselves……..

Dear Mr Menino D’Souza

As a seasoned tourist of Goa, I felt compelled to write to you regarding the absolute terrible state of the roads in Baga.

Goa is a beautiful State of a country I love and whilst I am completely accustomed to the ways of India, I was alarmed at the way the Goan tourist board welcomed it’s guests to Baga this year.

As you are aware, Baga not only welcomes party goers, but also two week, and longer, package tourists, many of whom are elderly. However, on the days I stayed there ( I was visiting a friend who works in Baga), I constantly watched folk having to stumble and pick their way gingerly across broken rubble and bricks which were just left strewn across the streets and roads. On many occasions, I witnessed elderly people with walking aids trying their best not to fall down.

Whilst I understand that essential roadworks need to be carried out in aid of the ultimate improvement to the look of the streets, I fail to comprehend how or why any workman can be instructed to leave their work so unfinished! It is one thing to start major building works at the start of the tourist season, but another thing entirely not to clear up what they started in order to make it safe for tourists. Could the workman not have just stacked bricks and cleared rubble to the very side of the pathways?

As for the electric wires just protruding from the ground or just laying randomly everywhere for people to trip over, I am speechless. It presents a major safety issue.

Frankly, the roads are nothing short of a hazardous mess!

I spent as little time as I possibly could in Baga. It has become such a horrible place to stay and in fact I was so heavily disgusted by what I saw.

I would think that common courtesy toward the many folk who pay good money and take their well earned and much saved for holiday abroad to visit Goa once a year, wouldn’t go amiss. These people deserve to be treated better.

Regards

Heidi Hawkins