VASCO: In an interesting development, all the four BJP MLAs from Mormugao taluka have called upon Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) to accord high priority in employment to locals.
According to the MLAs, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar as the then defence minister had allotted GSL the job to build two minesweeper ships for the Indian Navy, worth Rs 32,000 crore and this in turn would open up scope for large number of employment. Hence, they said, the GSL must give priority in employment to locals.
The issue of GSL employing outsiders, leaving Goans aside has been raised by political leaders frequently. Recently, after GSL short-listed 28 candidates for the post of carpenters, but since all of them were non-Goans, concerned citizens from Vasco started attacking GSL using social media for discriminating locals.
“Goans should find gainful employment and thus I have always maintained that as part of their (industries) project report they should include training programme for the local youth in advance and then should absorb locals. Since long I am fighting with GSL demanding job preference for locals. If need be, I will not hesitate to take any steps to see that they (GSL) employ local people,” said Mauvin Godinho, the panchayat minister.
Concurring with Mauvin, Mormugao MLA Milind Naik said that GSL should not be under any doubt in giving first preference in employment to locals. “Since day one I have been demanding that GSL should give job preference to the locals. Under some categories (higher post) it is sometimes not possible as they (GSL) might require high skilled people, but for all lower categories GSL should give 100 percent preference to locals. It may be anybody from any constituency but should be Goemkar,” Naik said.
Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida claimed that he too wants GSL to accord high priority in employment to locals. “It is locals who are suffering from their (GSL) operations. There is sound pollution, traffic congestion in Vasco due to operations at GSL and considering all such aspects, GSL should give preference in job to the locals who are facing the brunt from GSL operations.”
