Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat and former minister Mickey Pacheco demanded that the government do something tangible to provide relief to the stranded Goan seafarers.
Further, Venzy Viegas, of the Seafarers Association and AAP Goa leader demanded that the two passenger vessels in India be used as quarantine premises for seafarers that will return to the country.
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Digambar disclosed that some women had called on him to tell the misfortune of their children working on the ships and added that Dixon Vaz of the Goan Seafarers Association of India had also apprised him of the matter.
He added that he had spoken to Ayush Minister and North Goa MP Shripad Naik and explained to him the seriousness of the matter and also urged him to take this up on urgent basis with the Prime Minister and the External Affairs Minister.
“I also spoke to NRI Commissioner Narendra Sawaikar about this,” he said. While disclosing that the Chief Minister has assured him to take up the matter seriously,
Digambar also pointed out that the government was duty bound to provide proper information to the family members about those who are out at sea. Digambar argued that as the seafarers contribute to the economic growth of the State and also to the foreign exchange, the government should take proactive steps to reach out to the Goan seafarers who are living in deep anxiety at the moment.
Meanwhile Mickey Pacheco said both the State as well as Union governments has collapsed as there is total lack of coordination between the two, over the issue of the seafarers stranded out in mid sea due to the lockdown to prevent spread of coronavirus.
He pointed out that two flights from Germany and one each from Switzerland and United Kingdom landed in Goa to take back their nationals who were staying in Goa; while no Goan was brought back to their homeland and the Chief Minister only says he has written to the Prime Minister about the issue.
“If the government is not bringing the Goan seafarers because they do not have the facilities to attend to them then I take up the responsibility of providing quarantine facility to these seafarers from Benaulim and Nuvem constituency,” said Mickey. “Goans are cooperating with the government over the lockdown but unfortunately the government is working against the people,” he said, while calling on the State to give an account of how they have spent the money they has received.
