I found this on the Net, hope it is of interest to some of my readers
By Rosendo P Abreu
I, as a
retired officer from the Colonial Government of Kenya after over 30 years of
service, look with pride at the part played by Goans in the Kenya Civil
Service. The available records show that Goan immigration to British East
Africa commenced during construction of the Uganda Railway, between 1897 and
1898, peaking in 1899 and 1900 when the Railway's Headquarters were moved from
Mombasa to Nairobi. When the Imperial British East Africa Company was granted a
Royal Charter in 1880, many Goans were taken into its service. When the Company
surrendered its Charter in 1895 and control for administering the territories
was transferred to the Colonial Office, most Goan employees were absorbed into
various government departments. It was some time in 1905 that the Government
headquarters shifted to Nairobi and thereafter the number of Goan employees
started increasing gradually as a result of increased activities by the
Administration, but the terms and conditions of service remained
unsatisfactory, forcing them, in 1913, to organise themselves and petition the
Government for improvements.
The
Service was fortunate in its leaders, - Mr. S. R. Rodrigues of the Treasury and
Mr. Leandro de Mello of the Provincial Administration, - the prime movers in
submitting the petition and guiding its subsequent developments. They were also
responsible for forming the Non-European Subordinate Civil Service Association
at a meeting held on 31st March 1917 at the residence of Mr. Franklin de Souza
of the Posts and Telegraphs Departments, its object being to safeguard and
promote the interests of Asian Civil Servants as a body and to foster mutual
good relations between Government and staff.
The
Association changed its name to the Kenya Asian Civil Service Association in
1921 and Mr. Leandro de Mello, on the occasion of the Silver Jubilee of the
Association in March 1946, recalled the improvements he had been able to
achieve in the terms of the Asian Civil Service of the Colony. Mr. A. J.
Santiago, Mr. M. S. Fernandes, Mr. L. de Cruz, Mr. R. A. Oliver were but a few
among other selfless workers giving distinguished service. Goans assisted at
the very birth of British Administration of the country, helping its evolution,
despite the hardships of then "Darkest Africa", contributing
immensely to the growth and progress of service in Kenya with unswerving
loyalty. Through hard work, honesty and integrity, they developed strong links between
the community and the British Rulers in East Africa, who welcomed their
services, appointed them to responsible positions, though at that time Goa was
under Portuguese rule. In March 1946 at the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the
Kenya Asian Civil Service Association Mr. Leandro de Mello also recalled the
Rt. Hon. Mr. Winston Churchill, when Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies,
visiting Kenya Colony in 1907 and declaring that under the vast British Empire
there was room for every nationality and creed. Governor Sir James Hayes
Sadler, the late Mr. Kemps (the then Treasurer) and Mr. MacGregor Ross,
Director of Public Works, had only praise for Goan officials. The report of the
Government-appointed Wade-Mayor Committee in 1934 commended the ability, high
integrity and devotion to duty of Goan employees, often of necessity jacks of
all trades, sufficiently adaptable to accept any kind of duty, which they did
until the 1950's when non-Goans began to fill cashiers' posts. As good
custodians, Goans invariably man Government safes - unless this is done by a
Scotsman.
I have
pleasure in mentioning specially the following officers for their creditable
achievement in attaining the highest positions in the service during 1950's
created for the first time, and for the fame and honour they bought to the
entire Goan community in Kenya.
Mr. M. J.
de Souza (Audit Department); Mr. A. P. de Souza (Legal Department); Mr. S.
D'Cruz (Treasury); Mr. M. C. F. da P. Gonsalves (P.W.D.);Mr. R. P. Abreo
(Prisons Service); Mr. J. S. de P. Dourado (Kenya Police); and Mr. M. F.
Fernandes (Registrar-General's Department).
In 1955, resulting from a public enquiry, the
Government introduced revised terms of service for the civil service,
abolishing racial classification for purposes of salaries and perquisites,
salary scales now being assigned to job classifications and entry to the grades
determined by academic qualifications and experience, vastly widening the field
of possible posts and professions for Goans. When internal self-government and
independence were granted in 1963, entry to the permanent Civil Service was
restricted to Kenya citizens, and within a decade the entire Civil Service was
Kenyanised, with a few exceptions involving special skills, the Goans remaining
rising to various senior positions, always maintaining the ideal of service to
the common good. We are all proud and grateful for the selflessness with which
they discharged their allotted tasks.
Comments