Goa MLAs continue to evade paying dues for their Brazil tour

PANAJI: As the four Goa BJP MLAs, including a state minister, continue to dodge paying for their Brazil tour undertaken during Fifa World Cup 2014, Sports Authority of Goa (SAG) has now written to the state government seeking its directions on the issue.

Led by Fisheries Minister Avertano Furtado, the legislators Glenn Ticlo, Carlos Almeida and Benjamin Silva were originally scheduled to travel on a state-sponsored junket to Brazil, but agreed to foot their own bill after receiving flak from across the country.

The politicians were allowed to go under the instructions that they would pay back the expenses from their personal coffers.

The SAG had already made the payment, but now finds it difficult to recover the money from the MLAs.

As all the legislators, including the minister, continue to avoid paying the money, the SAG has finally written to Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar asking for his directions.

"The letter has been written seeking directions from the state government on this issue. We have repeatedly sent individual requests to the MLAs, but they have failed to respond," a senior SAG official said on condition of anonymity.

The SAG records indicate that Furtado has to pay Rs 11.10 lakh, while the three others have to pay Rs 12.09 lakh each to the SAG.

A senior official of the sports body said that so far they have sent five notices to these legislators over repayment.