Do legislators need a salary hike?
There is rising inflation in the country and in the State, which has led to demands for increments in salaries and remuneration from various quarters. Raising legislators’ salaries do not necessarily improve governance. The lawmakers never bat an eyelid when it comes to taking care of their own monetary interests. There is no checks and balance. They themselves propose an arbitrary hike and then approve it as well. It may even have the opposite effect. At a time when the skyrocketing of prices of all essential commodities including fuel has left the common people high and dry, the peoples’ representatives have reasons to cheer as they can carry heavier wallets.
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On the contrary, contract and fixed pay employees of the government and private sector suffer. Taking the steep price rise into consideration, the lawmakers should first take care of the state employees. It is a national tragedy that those who are supposed to protect the interest of the weaker sections and common people have utilised the Assembly session to serve their own self-interest. They must give better infrastructure, roads, jobs, transport, better life for the common people. Even they don’t utilise their LAD fund to ensure the betterment of their electorate.
K G Vilop, Chorao
We must protect the priceless peace of India
This has reference to your Edit ‘Is India really free?’ and people’s edit ‘Let us together protect the priceless peace of Goa’ by Joel Morais
(O Heraldo August 14, 2023).
On the eve of our country’s Independence Day, your editorial was apt and so was the article by Joel Morais. The editorial poses a very relevant and pertinent question in the light of the situation in our country today – is India really free? Yes, we need to ask ourselves that question. Are we free to speak up against the injustices in society, and in our country?
Another very important question you pose is, are we really a vibrant democracy? Or does it seem like we are just vibrating?
I echo Joel’s thoughts when he says, the real beauty of Goa is dying and today’s Goa is sad and bad. Let us together protect the priceless peace of Goa says the title. I would say, not just Goa but the priceless peace of our entire country! Let us restore that brotherhood which was prevalent not too long ago.
Let us free ourselves from all those scheming thoughts, the evil desires that may be lurking in our minds. Our democracy is too precious to be lost in the mindless violence and disturbance in our country. Rise India, Rise!
Melville X D’Souza, Mumbai
Let’s resolve to stand united in brotherhood
We were a happy people in free India after its Independence in 1947. India was on the path of progress and prosperity. Celebrating the day was joyful, greeting one another, buying and distributing sweets and saluting the national flag with dignity and singing the national anthem was our pride. We did not talk about religious differences to separate us but worked hand in hand to strengthen our country. All in all, we had the freedom to live freely without disturbing one another.
But of late all these seems to have gone into the background, depriving us of our Constitutional rights, freedom and privileges. Seventy five years after Independence, India has suddenly slumped backwards, one could say, in spite of so much advancement in the world be advances in technology, civilization, education or economy. Today we see more violence, separation, misery and down grading, suppression and disturbing our diversity. This was not the India our forefathers fought for against the colonial regime but to make our country one among other prosperous nations. As we usher into celebrating another independent year, let us resolve to stand united in unanimity, love and brotherhood working together for a better India, peaceful and progressive country.
Ayres Sequeira, Salvador
do Mundo
The anatomy of drunken driving
The present drive against drunken driving will lose steam in a couple of weeks. Another big accident and the ‘police exercise’ will be repeated. We can’t blame the police for this malaise. The problem is more complex. Goa is a tourist destination. Tourists come to Goa to have fun among other things. And visiting bars and nightclubs is top of the agenda for those wanting to have a good time. Now if the police check those exiting these haunts it will be found that two out of five are drunk and the remaining three are intoxicated to some extent. So if they have to book all of these revellers they will need to convert football grounds into lockups! It’s impossible. Drinking is not illegal, drunk driving is. So how are these revellers to go home given the pathetic transport system. They come to pubs on hired two or four wheelers. They have to return using these vehicles. So the real issue is that revellers come to pubs on hired vehicles as they have no option as in other cities. In other cities many of those drunk in pubs are still alive because of affordable taxi cabs or aggregators.
Robert Castellino, Calangute
Massive costs of heat waves in China, US
China and the US, in that order are the largest emitters of greenhouse gases and the price both had to pay was overwhelming due to heatwaves, torrential rains and flooding in Beijing which claimed 78 lives and the major wildfire in Hawaii, which has until now claimed 89 lives and about 1000 people are feared missing. The wildfire in Hawaii has also caused losses to the tune of so far $8 to $10 billion which is a massive amount. In China, temperatures were recorded at 40-43o C and the resultant heat led to torrential rains in Beijing which resulted in the worst flooding in over 140 years. In the US, Death Valley in California recorded 53o C.
Unless, both these countries pledge to cut urgently the use of fossil fuels, such extreme heat will continue to haunt both China as well as the US.
Elvidio Miranda, Panjim
