Team Herald
MARGAO: The Goan Seamen Association of India congratulated the National Union of Seafarers India (NUSI) on completing 125 years on February 5 and the Silver Jubilee of its Goa branch.
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GSAI thanked Abdul Ghani and appreciated acknowledgment of the Goa-Portuguese Seamen Club being the forefront and foundation of NUSI’s origin. “NUSI’s appreciation of Bro Xavier Rodrigues’ efforts to raise NUSI’s standards in Goa can still be debatable as GSAI feels his contribution could have been more if he could have worked in tandem with the GSAI, which has raised numerous issues in the State successfully, which had taken a back seat with the Government of Goa, Government of India and simultaneously taken up internationally seafarers issues. But, the Goans will always be proud when sons of the soil are commemorated by NUSI and GSAI congratulates him with open arms,” said GSAI President Frank Viegas.
“The Goan seafarers without a doubt have created a niche for the advent of the seafarers at Mumbai (Bombay) in British India and GSAI would like to bring forth the adversities faced by them. The Portuguese did not make it easier for their families in Goa as Goans were treated differently if they crossed the borders to British India,” said Viegas.
“They were either expelled or their families were harassed. We hope that NUSI someday will appreciate the efforts of the Goan Portuguese seafarers on whose base NUSI is built upon. It is with great respect to those seafarers who were the pioneers for the foundation of Goa-Portuguese Seamen Club way back in 1896 who have come forward for the welfare and betterment of seafarers’ community,” he added.
