Candolim still awaits statue of Abbe de Faria

Calangute: The statue of Abbe de Faria, which was scheduled to be inaugurated at Candolim on his death anniversary on Tuesday, September 20, has been delayed, and will now be inaugurated in a few weeks time. The statue is a replica of the Abbe de Faria statue at the old secretariat in Panaji.
The North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA) had initiated the work of erecting the statue as part of the beautification of the Candolim-Nerul-Sinquerim junction area.NGPDA chairman and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, speaking to TOI, said the statue inaugural has been delayed because the beautification works are still not complete. “We will be completing all the works like the animal-resistant garbage bins, new LED street lights, benches, parking and footpath at the junction, and only then the statue, which will be in the middle of the junction, will be unveiled,” he said.
The bronze statue is being cast in Belagavi. Although one statue had been already cast and sent to Goa, the statue was sent back to Belagavi to be recast as it was smaller than the statue in Panaji. The new one will be of the same height as the Panaji statue.
Abbe de Faria was born in Candolim in 1756. This Tuesday would have been his 197th death anniversary. Faria is considered one of the pioneers of the scientific study of hypnotism.