26 Jan 2021  |   04:37am IST

Letters to the editor (26 Jan 2020)

Letters to the editor (26 Jan 2020)

Give govt jobs according to merit

To ensure transparency in the recruitment, the Goa Government had in 2019 set up a three member Staff Selection Commission (SSC). The commission was set up by the State government to allow recruitment for all posts in ‘C’ and ‘D’ categories in a very transparent manner and without any political influence. 

With an eye on the 2022 Assembly elections the government proposes to recruit for over 10,000 posts. In yet another retrograde move the government now wants to amend the Staff Selection Commission Act so that the government departments themselves conduct examinations and select candidates for the posts. With this proposed amendment, the Staff Selection Commission will become toothless and redundant while defeating the very objective of ushering the much needed transparency in the selection process.

Over the last few years thousands have been brazenly recruited into government service with merit thrown to the winds. It has been a deceitful attempt to create a vote bank while almost all jobs have been dished away to those without merit. All this is reflecting in the functioning of the government offices with very incompetent staff having managed to creep in with the blessings of their political god fathers.

Any political or other interference and manipulation in the selection of employees is unacceptable. In fact the selection, promotion and transfer of all employees should be totally insulated from any political or other machinations whatsoever. It should be all strictly on merit and merit alone should be the sole criteria in the selection and appointment of every employee to any post.

As government employees are paid by the State Exchequer, the public is entitled to have the best and brightest to serve them. The Civil and public service must always be of the highest calibre and truly independent, defending its neutrality and impartiality while not used or abused according to the whims of the political bosses. 

The bureaucracy in Goa cannot be acting as caged parrots of the politicians in power. 

Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar


VIP culture not at the cost of citizens

In the last few weeks gone by there were the visits to the State by the President of India followed by the Vice President who stayed for a 10-day period. Besides, other Union ministers keep on visiting the State for various purposes. Various Central officials also visited Goa to take stock of the health of the Ayush Minister.

However, during the visits of the President and the Vice President there were exceptionally huge security arrangements. Roads were blocked in so many places putting the motorists and even pedestrians to great hardships. My own family member had her car stuck in the traffic for 75 minutes during which 29 cars of the security apparatus around the VIP passed. What a colossal waste of scarce resources in these difficult times!

Since the Vice President had an extended stay in the State every time he visited some location there was additional security and many roads were blocked putting the traffic system into disarray. 

Thousands of police personnel were deployed for the security and road blockage purposes putting to risk other concerns where policing is required. The police too were harsh at times with people and when confronted the prompt reply was that they had orders from the top. Was it not decided by the present Central dispensation that VIP culture should be toned down and people should not be put to hardship just because a VIP or a VVIP makes a visit? They should learn to practise what they preach.

We have observed how the foreign dignitaries are treated just like any other citizen. For instance we see Boris Johnson, the UK premier cycling and moving around without any security in toe. So also we see Angela Merkel doing her grocery shopping all by herself without any security men following her, or if they do, not making a big hue and cry about it. We also have seen ex-president of the US, Barack Obama or the likes of Bill Gates standing in line to pay for groceries. Isn’t their life at risk? Or do we do all such ostentation with our VIPs to give them a false sense of importance? 

Alwyn M D'Sa, Miramar


Please save the Basilica

The beautiful and historic Basilica of Bom Jesus is on the verge of collapse soon unless its laterite exterior is not plastered forthwith. The walls of the structure are totally saturated and there is ingress of water too from the recently repaired ceiling during the monsoons. The high water table and adverse site drainage conditions in the area doesn't help matters either with settlement of foundation being observed in a few places, manifested by hairline cracks. If this is the state of (dis) repair of the most revered seat of Catholicism in India, a repository to the remains of St Francis Xavier then I shudder to think what the state of the other UNESCO world heritage site monuments will be.

The walls of the Basilica remained plastered up until 1950 before Salazar ordered deplastering to make the building look more appealing. There is efflorescence observed from the perpetually damp walls, yet many building professionals and conservation architects hold very strong views against replastering to preserve the historicity; but practical conditions warrant otherwise.

Bare laterite is a porous stone and cannot withstand the Goan monsoons, even the Portuguese architect who visited the site in 1961 mentioned that removal of plaster was a grave error of judgement on part of the then government. It is time the state authorities open their eyes to this humongous historical damage awaiting us if remedial measures are not initiated. They should draw lessons from the recent collapse of the facade of St Roque church at Velim which was triggered by water seepage. Water is the giver of life but is also the most destructive force of nature, realising this and taking adequate measures would prevent our hoary past from sliding into oblivion. 

Vinay Dwivedi, 

Benaulim

Don’t dilute the powers of Lokayukta

The outgoing Lokayukta, Justice (Retired) Mishra minced no words in an interview with a local daily. He clearly stated that the Goa Lokayukta Act had no teeth, unlike the Kerala and Karnataka Acts. The Goa Act gave no prosecution powers to the Lokayukta. The latter’s judgements included strict remarks on the ‘performance’ of Ministers and Govt. servants. Imagine, a small land owner’s rights were thrown away by the collusion of a minister, govt official and a builder; he could and did approach the various Govt Depts for justice but got none. Only the Lokayukta could come to his rescue, that too partially, as the latter had no prosecution powers.

Now, the Govt has further diluted the powers, specifically because of the Judgements of the outgoing Lokayukta against the Ministers and Govt. servants. Justice is being denied to the public. Imagine, the dilution of powers is being done by the very elected people who are supposed to legislate for the good of the people. They are thus giving themselves the right to subvert the law? Is this not a case for the Lokayukta itself? And what can we do? Only ‘plead’ with the Govt as is being done by the various politicians and citizens?

The case of the 10+ 2 ‘defectors’ is yet to come up. This specific case of dilution of powers is due to the current defection resulting in not only the people’s elected govt not getting its right to govern, but also decimating an Opposition so that such acts are committed. This argument must be placed before the courts. The proof of the pudding is there to be seen.

R Fernandes, Margao

IDhar UDHAR

Idhar Udhar