A Consul General who loves mirchi bhaji

At the end of this week, Consul General of Portugal in Goa, Paulo Neves Pocinho will leave to take up a new posting at Strasbourg, France.

Having served in Goa for over three years Mr Pocinho had the opportunity to observe the State, its people and culture. He spoke to Derek Almeida about the things he will miss when he leaves, like the monsoons and mirchi bhaji

Is your departure as Consul General sudden?

Not really. It was planned. A transfer after a three-year stay in one posting is considered normal.

Having spent three years in Goa what would you say was your main achievement?

I think giving a better organisation to the work at the Consulate was important. Service to the people has improved. Earlier we used to have big crowds and at times people used to wait the previous evening to get their work done. That was a major problem. By introducing a system of appointments we changed all that. Now everybody arrives before 10.30 a.m. by appointment and we attend to all. It is important for the Consulate staff to know how many people are going to arrive on a particular day in order to plan and give better service.

What are your perceptions about Goa?

The people are simple. If you are Portuguese and you come to Goa the people treat you well. There is a bond between Portugal and Goa and every Portuguese national who comes here feels close. India is a diverse country and in Goa there is a little bit of Portugal. So Portugal is now a part of that diversity.

You have apparently made a lot of friends since your arrival. Is there any one friendship that you cherish?

It will not be nice to take names, but there are two or three friends with whom I was able to build a special relationship. In general, the people of Goa are very nice, but there are always some people with whom you feel at ease.

Goais an international tourist destination. Do you think there is something that Goa can contribute to Portugal?

Perhaps. The mixture of cultural and beach tourism is a unique characteristic of Goa. People travel to connect with new cultures or enjoy beaches. In Goa you can have both. Goan architecture is unique and the landscape is totally different.

Is something missing in Goa’s tourism portfolio?

I think more attention needs to be given to older houses. The old Goan houses are wonderful. It is something that you do not encounter anywhere else in the world. You have lovely houses in Panaji, Margao and some of the villages. If you start demolishing these houses and erecting buildings it would be very sad. I know it is very expensive to maintain these houses, but something needs to be done.

What will you miss the most when you leave Goa?

I will miss a lot of things. I will miss the coconut trees…all the greenery. I will miss the weather, the monsoons and the beaches. I think I will miss the monsoons the most because we have beaches in Portugal. Yes, I will miss the monsoons because it is difficult to imaging so much rain falling down.

What is your perception of the people of Goa. Are we still socegado?

Yes, there is a little bit of that mentality. When I traveled to other parts of India I found the people more stressed and aggressive. Goans are more relaxed, sometimes too relaxed. But then, the weather is so different here. In cold countries you have to work hard for everything. In tropical countries nature gives you so much so you don’t have to work that hard, I suppose. So, I think geography had a role to play in shaping this attitude to life.

What about the food?

I will miss the spicy food….sorpotel and sannas. The bhaji puri and the mirchi bhaji, which I savored in local hotels.

How did you develop a taste for bhaji puri?

I first tasted it at a friend’s house in Portugal. He was of Goan origin.

Where do you go from here?

I will be going to Strasbourg in France to work at the Council of Europe. It is difficult to say if my new posting is more important than the one I held in Goa. But it certainly will be a lot different. The Council of Europe deals with democracy, human rights and rule of law. It studies issues and make recommendations to member countries. It functions more or less like a think tank for Europe.  I think it will be interesting.