noni

HI PJ
Did you go to the meeting and if so what was the news?

Goacrazy56

WHAT HAPPENED AT THIS MEETING? have they all been thrown in jail, thought would be busy on here today.

This is quite normal Greg, its like getting blood out of a stone

Sorry thought someone would have posted before this and yes the answer was/is no news !!!!!!!
SAME SAME as the indians say,
Sir Dickie Stagg chaired the meeting and went over the same old thing by the end of the meeting half the people had left, not that there were many there.
The only positive bit was when afd letter was read out to us, but then there was a negative vib as we all got the impression "Dickie" wants us all to follow in afd footsteps and take the goan government to court, forgetting that alot of us cant afford to do that.
Dickie has had a meeting with kamat to try and come to an agreement for those who purchased legally to be allowed to register their deeds, no positive answer from kamat surprise surprise!!
Visa's once again no answers they are putting pressure on the indian government to help long termers blah blah
They want us to all register with the LOCATE programme and think it may be a good idea to tell them if we are property owners so they can collate numbers.
I did ask what had happened to all the questions that had been forwarded by Noni to simon on expats,
that draw a blank !!!!
and that lewis had collated alot of information another blank!!!
Sorry folks unless i missed something along the way thats was it .... i may be corrected by someone along the way but end of.....

This is the problem, no one knows f_all what happened to the 2 month rule being suspended, and we wil all get 1 year x visa at least or maybe year visas again, it seems like hogwash and if people can refrain from saying that things are changing for the better, without proof can you please keep your comments to yourself, I personally think India is not going to change the visa rules now or the future.

I personally think they will because it will affect to many people, have heard one brit gettting a 15 year residency visa, no pio,oci, nri but yet to see evidence of this, heard of a few people getting 1year x visa's with no 180 rule and 1 year business without 180 rule so who knows we can only hope and if it happens to you good luck !!!!no good getting upset

You can listen to as many people as you want, it is not going to make any difference. It is as it is.

Hi PJ
Sorry, just read your report.

Isn`t the message loud and clear....WE`RE ON OUR OWN.
Forget Sir Tricky, forget the BHC.

I hope Sir Dicky enjoyed his day at the EU Film Festival on Saturday. A pleasant interlude from representing a bunch of commoners.

Wally.

Hi everyone just got back after a 2 day delay been in the house about an hour.
I was at the meeting and will agree with PJ on all points,just one or two that I took notes on and would like to add.

VISA
It was agreed with the Indian Government that the X visa was needed as you can't catagorise everyone into a tourist,a business, or an employment visa, nothing put in writing
PROPERTY ISSUES

a-f-d case was read out which looked promising and Dickie Stag after seeking permission from a-f-d intends to take this up now with CM Kamat.He has got Kamats assurance that he will look into this case.

Dickie Stag spoke to the CM about an amnesty for people who bought legally and are resident in Goa should be allowed to stay.

CM agreed that those who wish to leave should be allowed to sell their property and get the proceeds from the sale out of India but nothing in writing.This was after Dickie mentioned to him that in 2007 128,000 tourists visited Goa.In 2008-2009 there was 77.000,In 2009-2010 there were just 48.000.Kamat agreed it would not be good for tourism if people lost out.(To save face)

CM intermated that property and land should go to Goans (The old Goa for Goa saga)
This was slapped down by people who attended by explaining that it is the very people that Goa don't want that are purchasing the property and land,the out of state indians.
Simon was not at the meeting or may have been for about 10mins.There was a chap sat at the top table at the start of the meeting that left It could have been Simon,dark haired fellow?.
Racism
This was bought up by several of the 100 Brits that attended,One lady made an excellent point and blamed a lot of it on the crap that the media in Goa are publishing daily about the Brits being dregs, on the doles and perverts.The normal sh!t we read daily in the Herald.She suggested that this is having an very adverse effect on how the Goans see the British,my feeling on this is she is correct as the Goans that read the Herald are not educated people and cannot decipher propoganda from fact.Dickie suggested some PR work and getting published some of the good stuff that we Brits do in Goa.

FEMA People did ask for more clarification on the act as there is no clarity and it is open to interpretation.This was agreed and would be done by the British High Consulate.
I did ask also about the questions submitted by BE but no answer as PJ said.I also asked about the people on sales deeds and leases with a right to buy,explaining about the corrupt and criminal behavior of some of these builders, even though many of us had complied with FEMA still could not register and being bullied by builder to sell back.I was shouted down by a very rude Brit who told us if we had a sales agreement to sell it back to the builder even if we were going to loose a few lakh and just get out or Goa."The sort of person that gives the Brits a bad name,loud,bolshy,and not the sort of person you would be seen dead associating with.So no answer given.?

Much more work in my opinion needs doing by the British high consulate before we see any results,though he did keep labouring the point that he wouldn't be able to take up individual cases
CENTRAL GOVERNMENT
When asked why the British High consulate didn't take this up with the central Indian Government,Dickie said that central Government were very reluctant to get involved,it might be different if the BJP government were in power as Goa has the same allegiance as central Government (CONGRESS)at present.
I think we are on our own for the foreseeable future

Well done a-f-d on winning your case.
I'm off to bed now for a few hours I'm sure there will be others that can add more to the points we have already bought up
GC over and out

noni

Hi all,
Keeping everything to do with the British Consul on this sticky, please do not start any new threads. Thanks.

iain492001

Hi

One point that became absolutely apparent at this very depressing meeting is that the BHC has absolutely no idea whatsoever just how many Britons have purchased property in Goa (or run legitimate businesses), other than the 300-400 cases "under investigation". Surely it must be closer to the 5000 mark?

This surely shows the fear that most of us feel - we have purchased legitimately thro' all the correct channels - but feel that if we come forward with personal details, we could be hounded, like others on registered sales deeds, by the authorities if those details were ever hacked into.

So those of us on renewable long leases or sales agreements tend just to keep our heads down and not draw any undue attention to ourselves.

Just how secure is LOCATE? I wonder if Brits with properties in other states are going through the same "angst" as we are here in Goa, apart from the new visa regulations which are common to all.

An NRI neighbour on my complex sent me the following - I know it is not relevant to us, but it does show the utter madness of the Indian mentality - at this rate the mega developers will soon be unable to sell to anyone other than Indians living in India. Maybe that's just what they want............

"" India's new tax code and rules affecting travel to India for N...

INDIA'S NEW TAX CODE TO HIT NRIs BADLY

The 48-year-old Indian Income Tax Act is being replaced by a new Direct Tax Code from April 1, 2011. The provisions of the new Tax Code will have a substantial impact on NRIs who own property and stocks. In the case of property, elimination of tax deductions and the presumptive rate of taxation will adversely impact potential investors.

The new Direct Tax Code is expected to tax:

1. Income (including Non-Resident Ordinary interest) at a flat
rate of 20 per cent without even the shelter of the basic exemption limit.

2. Hitherto fully exempt long-term capital gains on equity and
equity mutual funds at a flat rate of 30 per cent.

3. Aggregated capital gain income at a flat rate of 30 per cent. (Indian residents, however, will pay 30 per cent tax on capital gains only if such gains are above Rs 25 lakh. This tiered system of tax is not available to NRIs under the Direct Tax Code.)

Under the Direct Tax Code, most NRIs and investors in property will pay heavy price for buying property in the motherland. They will pay tax on the higher of the actual or 'presumptive rent' for let out or deemed let out properties. (Presumptive rent, a new concept under the Direct Tax Code, has been fixed at 6 per cent of the rateable value stipulated by the local authority. Where no rateable value has been fixed, 6 per cent shall be calculated with reference to the cost of construction or acquisition of the property.)

For example, a tenant pays rent of Rs 25,000 per month on a property that costs Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million). The annual rent of Rs 300,000 is 3% of the property cost. Under the new Tax Code, the landlord will have to pay tax as if he is receiving Rs 600,000 (6 per cent of a Rs 1 crore). If the property lies vacant, tax will still be payable for the presumptive rent. Currently,
one of the key attractions of India is a tax-friendly capital market system. If this is taken away, there is no gauging the extent of collateral damage that will take place.""

noni

Many people sending me pm they do not want to draw attention to themselves with Anumpum K. What to do?

poppetjay

Sorry having first hand experience with this man and his attitude "would'nt touch him with a barge pole, he dosent give a shit about us FN's and our property issues otherwise he would be approaching the sub registrar and telling him to submit papers for his approval. same old same old!!!!!and the BHC was told this on friday....

Goacrazy56

Anyone that trusts this man would be mad and i have had this on good authority that the whole D of E is corrupt and it is this Anumpum K who as set the bloody D of E up
keep well away i agree with PJ and the British High Consulate Dickie Stag was told
GC giving this bloke a wide birth

iain492001

Seems to me - just keep your head down, ears & eyes always open & get on with life. I can't foresee anything changing in our favour.

I for one won't be registering with LOCATE unless I am 100% certain of its security.

a_f_d

Well he should NOT be doing that - he does not have the legal authority to tell the Sub-Registrar what to do, and the Sub-Registrar does not have legal authority to hold/ refuse/ submit papers to someone else, when the papers are properly presented he MUST REGISTER them ----- that is what the 1908 Registration Act - and my Court judgment SAYS!

AndyD 8-)#

(and that applies to purchase or sale)

poppetjay

well thats what he told us !!!! so as usual you cant beleive any of these arseholes !!!

dreadsoc

I think the BHC needs to recognise the unsuitability of Anupam KISHORE to undertake the role he has been assigned by the CM and contest this appointment. He has a complete conflict of interest in that he was the originator of the DoE and directed all the investigations into foreigners owning property.
Having started the process of targetting foreigners, he can hardly now do an about turn and would find it extremely difficult to exercise fairness or empathy towards foreigners. Human nature just does not work that way !!

I shall be making the BHC aware of my feelings on this appointment by e mail - perhaps others could join me and do the same.

Dread - no double standards !
x

Goacrazy56

Dread Now that Vickie has left for pastures new who do we write to because I agree with you about Anupam Kishore, he is the wrong bloke to deal with these issues.If you post the e-mail address or PM me I will also write
GC - no running with the hares and hunting with the hounds

Return of Santan

[QUOTE=dreadsoc;8522508]I think the BHC needs to recognise the unsuitability of Anupam KISHORE to undertake the role he has been assigned by the CM and contest this appointment. He has a complete conflict of interest in that he was the originator of the DoE and directed all the investigations into foreigners owning property.
Having started the process of targetting foreigners, he can hardly now do an about turn and would find it extremely difficult to exercise fairness or empathy towards foreigners. Human nature just does not work that way !!

I shall be making the BHC aware of my feelings on this appointment by e mail - perhaps others could join me and do the same.


May I suggest we ALL write to ;

email: [email protected] tel: +44 20 7008 2376 fax: +44 20 7008. she is the desk officer for India in London
with a c/c to; [email protected]

We need to express our disgust of having another crook getting privy to all our information

Apparently Mr Kishore " went to public school in England " .. so did most of the bent establishment in the cabinet !

I seem to remember he was on the BBC Radio4 prog "Have Your Say" does anyone have the transcript ?

K-C

dreadsoc

Don't have the e mail address to hand as not indoors at the moment but suggest people write to Simon Ferrand. He seems to be the person who is the most proactive in representing us on these issues.
I thought Vicky's replacement was to be a man called Peter Beckingham ? Where does Richard Stagg come into it ?

Dread - discerning
x

Goacrazy56

Dickie Stagg is the British High Consulate for Delhi who chaired the meeting in Panjim at on 23d April please send me Simons address if anyone has got it
GC