Re: The Meeting
 

Hi, Poppetjay,

Totally agree. It is really worrying that we have had no feedback as yet on the meeting between the British Consualate and CM Kamat. We are in the same position as you I think and only hope that something will be resolved. It is frustrating having no feedback as yet. I do hope if there is another meeting for us the ex pats that, others will tell their stories. It seems to me that there are some people who still think that if they don't get involved they will somehow be OK, however, everyone who has purchased property are likely to face problems. I know that others are scared and I totally understand that we have also been scared for a long time. As Poppetjay suggests please lets try and stick together and fight for justice

r

Re: The Meeting
 

A good point made here Poppetjay and David.
You are absolutely right about people needing to come forward and open up about their cirumstances, no matter how scared they are, or how much they want to 'remain under the radar' of the DoE.
There is a poll being run on this site by Lewis Belworth, with an invite for everyone to send in their experiences by pm - confidentiality guaranteed. The reason for this is that he is trying to gather information to actually get some action taken for EVERYBODY, but still only a few are willing to come on board.
Lewis has an excellent plan, but cannot put the details on open site as stealth is the key to the plan's success. The other key factor for the plan to succeed is for enough people to get their vote on the poll and send Lewis their story by pm. If Lewis can get enough peoples' experiences sent to him, the plan has a great chance of actually succeeding, and getting us the support we need to get the property situation changed in Goa.

I appreciate after the length of time this situation has been going on, many are exasperated and lacking in hope, especially when they have been let down before, but Lewis is in the same situation as all of you with his property in Goa, and is determined to fight. `Sometime or other we are all going to have to trust someone, and at least he has as much to lose as everyone else in this.

PLEASE PM Lewis Belworth and he will let you know details of his plan and you will see for yourselves that there is every chance of it working - BUT ONLY IF people come forward and open up with their circumstances.

You are spot on Poppetjay, if we don't step up and fight, we will all lose.

Dread - stand up and be counted
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Re: The Meeting
 

I 100% agree with you Poppetjay
People have got to now stand up and be counted,vote on the Poll on BE and send their stories by PM to Lewis.
If people don't come forward and stand up and be counted then,I'm sorry but I have no sympathy for these lilly livered people,who complain incessantly about the property problem but sit back and do nothing even when they have been promised anonymity.These people will be the first to complain when we all lose our investments and pension fund.Then sit back discussing what should and shouldn't have been done.Or what others should and shouldn't of done on their behalf:thumbdown:
.Complacency is not the answer to this problem and the soon people start to wake up and smell the coffee ,the sooner we get this sorted

Rant over I hope I have raised eye brows and given all some food for thought
GC;)
:wub: & peace

Re: The Meeting
 

There is definitely strength in numbers and there are hundreds if not thousands of Brits who are all in the same boat. Not all of them will realise the problems they have or may not have found this site yet so keep talking to everyone when you are in Goa and tell them about this site. We will be there for 6 weeks in Jan/Feb and will definitely tell everyone we meet who is buying property there.

Re: The Meeting
 

Hi Phillip

Welcome aboard. Like what you say here.:thumbsup:
Please do spread the word, and encourage people to vote the poll and send their stories to Lewis. You need to make one more post, then I would advise you to pm Lewis Belworth so he can explain what is going on behind the scenes to help everyone over these property issues.
We need people like you to spread the word.

Dread - ful'ly fighting
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Re: The Meeting
 

Show case notices are now being sent out.:ohmy:

Have seen them myself.

Re: The Meeting
 

Hi folks

This is even more reason to come forward and join the fight.
The situation is getting more serious than ever now these notices are being served. Please don't wait until it's too late.
At some time, we all need to trust someone, or we will all lose out - well why not trust a fellow Brit who also has property grief in Goa? Pm'ing your circumstances to Lewis Belworth has to be a better bet than paying a Goan lawyer to sit on their axse and do sweet FA.....?

Dread - thinkin' numbers and facts needed !

x

Re: The Meeting
 

They are called "Show Cause" notices Noni, and are a strangely Indian thing where you have to give good reason why you should not be fined/punished/shot at dawn.

An interesting twist on "Innocent until PROVEN guilty"

Re: The Meeting
 

OMG and do you know that they can proceed in your absence, and fine you 5,000 rups every day that you do not comply - even when they don't give you a date!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!111

Re: The Meeting
 

Chapter and verse on that please.

AndyD 8-)#

...and sorry - this is OT

Re: The Meeting
 

FOREIGN EXCHANGE MANAGEMENT ACT, 1999


CONTRAVENTION AND PENALTIES

Penalties.

13. (1) If any person contravenes any provision of this Act, or contravenes any rule, regulation, notification, direction or order issued in exercise of the powers under this Act, or contravenes any condition subject to which an authorisation is issued by the Reserve Bank, he shall, upon adjudication, ,be liable to a penalty up to thrice the sum involved in such contravention where such amount is quantifiable, or up to two lakh rupees where the amount is not quantifiable, and where such contravention is a continuing one further penalty which may extend to five thousand rupees for every day after the first day during which the contravention continues.

(2) Any Adjudicating Authority adjudging any contravention under sub-section (1), may, if he thinks fit in addition to any penalty which he may impose for such contravention direct that any currency, security or any other money or property in respect of which the contravention has taken place shall be confiscated to the Central Government and further direct that the foreign exchange holdings, if any of the persons committing thecontraventions or any part thereof, shall be brought back into India or shall be retained outside India in accordance with the directions made in this behalf.
Explanation.—For the purposes of this sub-section, “property” in respect of which contravention has taken place, shall include—
(a) deposits in a bank, where the said property is converted into such deposits;
(b) Indian currency, where the said property is converted into that currency; and
(c) any other property which has resulted out of the conversion of that property.

Re: The Meeting
 

Maybe not 'chapter and verse', but does confirm the 5,000 rupees a day '...upon adjudication...' and ....'where such contravention is a continuing one....'.

Re: The Meeting
 

In that case 'upon adjudication' should mean that a ruling is made before this penalty comes into play.

Also for any legal proceedings, 'being out of the country' is a reasonable cause for non response to a notice.

Dread - play fair Goa
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Re: The Meeting
 

Agreed. It all adds up to an agenda of harrassment, and for what purpose, or reason?

It is a lie to say that this persecution of an insignificant number of foreigners in the general demographic is in the public interest of Goans, or that there is a clear and consistent policy within the judicial and government establishment of India to maintain law and order.

Have these people to date been acting fair and reasoonably? Foreign nationals are under severe stress and a feeling of intimidation.

This is discriminatory since those advocates, agents, builders, registrars, mamladtars, bankers in Goa/India are not being held under similar investigation.

Re: The Meeting
 

I quite agree Babu, except for the term insignificant - we are not insignificant, we are people !
The fact is that virtually every one of us who has purchased property in Goa has PAID for the services of a professional person, whether that be an advocate, builder or agent. We have all been misled at some point by these people, who have to be licensed to trade by a ministerial department of the Goan govt.
It is these 'professionals' who are the perpetrators of any illegalities, deceptions and fraud in the purchase of properties by foreigners. Most foreign buyers have acted in good faith, and taken steps to act within the law by employing advocates etc. The buyers are therefore the victims of this saga, the 'professionals' are the criminals.
India claims itself as a democracy.... where in any democracy are the victims routinely persecuted and punished ? !!! Isn't that more the trait of a dictatorship ?

Dread - corruption detection !
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