Basic facilities, not film fest must be priority in Goa: Remo

Panaji: Noted music composer and singer Remo Fernandes, who is expected to walk the red carpet for the next edition of IFFI in Goa, feels that basic infrastructure and facilities should take precedence over hosting of film festival in the state.

"What should be the priority for Goa is, proper health and educational infrastructure. If we are spending Rs 120-cr for the film festival, then an equal amount should be spent on facilities like health and education in the state.You cannot have posh INOX (multiplexes) on one side and blood-stained bedsheets in hospitals on the other," he told reporters here. The veteran musician was speaking to media persons on the announcement of a Konkani film `O Maria`, for which he has composed songs. This is the first time that the Goa-based singer, who shot to fame with `Humma Humma` in Maniratnam`s `Bombay` is lending music for a Konkani movie. Director Rajendra Talak said the film will be ready before IFFI 2010 and efforts are on to premier it during the festival held in November-December. In 2004, when the festival began in Goa, Remo had voiced his concern over the expenditure on film infrastructure in the backdrop of poor basic facilities in the state. "When I spoke in 2004, everybody misunderstood me. My objection was not for the film festival. I wanted that the state government should spend equal money on basic facilities," he asserted. "Nothing has changed in Goa after that. There are always powerful people exploiting smaller people," he alleged asking "why I alone should be talking about this? What are you (media) doing ?." PTI