http://www.merinews.com/article/missing-coffee-at-goas-marliz-in-margao/15777065.shtml
Missing coffee at Goa's Marliz in Margao Armstrong Vaz Sat, Jul
25, 2009 14:46:30 IST
THE CLOSED shutters of Marliz restaurant, once
Margao?s much sought-after eating hole and a meeting point for the Satiskars
(residents of Salcete taluka in the Indian state of Goa), points to yet
another grim story. A sad tale of yet another Goan enterprise folding up.
The place had become synonymous with the high and mighty of Salcete as they
discussed the day?s hot stories over coffee while enjoying the fragrance and
greenery of the Margao Municipal garden.
Just as Mumbai?s once famous and now closed Bastani restaurant was a perfect
place for Goans to start their day, back home Satiskars craved for Marliz?s
coffee. If Basanti?s meat mince was once highly-prized by Goans, here in
Margao it was coffee which ruled the roost at Marliz. There are many stories
of marriage, business deals, jobs, career options and land deals woven
around Marliz. But the name Marliz, has a story of its own. Like the Taj
Mahal, here was a man inspired by love for his wife, to name his business
venture after her - Maria and Luiza; she died soon after its establishment.
For many Salcete residents,it was not only about having their first morning
coffee while reading newspapers here, it went much beyond that. Its ideal
location, a few meters away from the old Margao bus station, meant that it
drew customers from varied fields. It served as a link for many
professionals, teachers and government servants. It was a place where the
creamy layer of Salcete met over a cup of coffee. Having your morning coffee
at Marliz was just an excuse for the gossip-happy Goans to make their way
to the restaurant. There were many items on the menu you could pick up for
your breakfast, but there were others which were not served by the Marliz
staff, but which came as side ?assortments?.
The morning newspapers had all the news that the Satiskars asked for. But
some craved for news which did not go into print ? the untold stories of
affairs, bribery scandals, and more hot news. Its client base came from the
far-off villages of Cavelossim to Cansaulim, Curtorim to Cuncolim, Quepem to
Raia. Ask Assolna-based Panchayat Secretary Theophilo Almeida or his
politician-cum-businessman friend John Baretto from Benaulim and they will
have numerous stories to tell, related as they were to Marliz. It was here
that land deals, engagement proposals, career options, job opportunities and
business options were discussed and fine-tuned.
If you wanted to bribe some government official then there were people to
guide you to that effect. The collector?s building was a stone's throw away
from Marliz. The high and mighty from the collector?s building came to
Marliz to have coffee. They needed the caffeine dose to give them the
adrenalin rush for their routine work. As college students, we sometimes ran
into our professors here. In the college canteens we did not have a chance
to share the same table with our teachers and have coffee. Here at Marliz we
did. If the high and mighty strengthen their professional, social and
business links with their association with Marliz, there is another untold
story about Stanley Coutinho, a newspaper vendor, who did business from his
counter outside the restaurant, until the High Court decision to clear all
building passages led to his doom.
He was evicted from the place like many others during the late 90s, in a
drive enforced by the Margao Municipality follwing High Court orders. Others
who were evicted slowly returned to the place, but Coutinho lost in his
fight for survival. The high and mighty who were once so good to him, failed
to bail him out of the situation, leading Coutinho to shut his business
forever. His place has now been taken over by a non-Goan newspaper vendor
who sells newspapers from the foothpath, a few meters away from Marliz. Yet
another non-Goan doing business at the expense of a Goan. But the story of
Marliz has not being entirely wiped away from the Goan radar. Another sister
concern stills operates in the same building of Margao?s Grace church,
selling cakes and Goan sweets. Hope is round the corner and not everything
is lost. It?s time Goans put principles into practice, to protect and
safeguard the business interests of Goans.
Viva Goa! Viva Goenkarponn! Viva Marliz!
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