FACT ; A 39 year old British man was found dead in his room in Colva. This is an extremely sad event in any circumstance.
FACT : The Goa police and forensics have an historically documented record of ineptitude, cover up, lies and deception. They are well known to be politicised, 'bought' and, if not so tragic, are more fair game for ridicule than the Keystone Cops.
FACT : An increasing number of foreigners have been dying in suspicious circumstances, and no convictions are obtained because culturally, in the mindset of many Goans, foreigners get what they deserve. Such mysterious unsolved deaths have been going on for decades. it is only the mass communication of the internet that has heightened people's awareness and concern.
FACT : Any Goa government who repeatedly feels the need to repeat the mantra that Goa is a safe destination is obviously on the backfoot in a PR campaign to defend the valuable tourism sector into which they have so heavily staked their bets.
FACT : Holiday Truths claims to be independant, not linked to any charter or hotel companies. It is a valuable portal and sometimes first point of access for information about places many people have never visited before. Surely, there is a responsibility to report the truth, warts and all, and let people come to their own conclusions.
FACT : There are many positives to Goa and they are exhaustively highlighted so why not allow room for a balanced view.
FACT : Deleting whole threads, not simply single posts, is extreme censorship and it only seems to happen when actual events which might be deemed by some as negative, or counter productive to tourism, are posted for a wider audience who might have little or no real knowledge of Goa.
SPECULATION : The families and/or friends of this particular deceased may read Holiday Truths and become offended.
QUESTION : How many funerals and cremations (in haste) of good foreigner friends have you attended over the years who clearly died or 'were allowed to die' under highly suspicious circumstances?
QUESTION : By the time booze and food catch up with European prices, and, as we know, the sun reliably shines elsewhere without monsoon, how charming will the concrete desolation of Goa be for all you 'counting the days till Goa' folk?
FACT : The beaches belong to the people of Goa and historically the sea is their latrine. It is not the birthright of seasonal holidaymakers to blot and further pollute their landscape, erode their culture and assume they do not see you for what you are and what they can take from you; 'gora'.
So, what can you post on HT, or is this going to be deleted also?