THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024
St Francis Xavier & Goan freedom struggle
Goa is at 60 after its liberation in the year 1961. Many patriotic and ‘niz’ Goenkars shed their blood for the freedom of Goa from the Portuguese dominion. Recently few fringe groups wanted to divide the peace loving Goan community, who have till now lived in peace and harmony without any riots or so based on religion or creed. They attack ‘Goencho Saib, whose feast we celebrated and whom all Goans irrespective of religion love and revere. The accusation on him is that he was hand in glove with the Portuguese and therefore he too looted the Goans.
I want to remind these people that St Xavier loved and respected the native Goans and thus all Indians. In many of his letters he fought against the oppression and discrimination by the Portuguese against the native people. In fact I would further go to say that Goans were treated as Portuguese citizens and not slaves due to his constant complains against the Portuguese rule.
He never supported the colonialism by Portuguese. Such treatment was not given to other Indians by the British under whom rest of the country laboured and suffered. It is therefore the duty of every Goan to be careful with such manipulative people who manipulate and misinterpret history for their own agenda.
Mathew Almeida, Bastora
What are politicians doing for our country?
“Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country” said JFK. Can we apply this to Goa or even India? No way! This applies to the State/country where the leaders have some sense of morality. In the US if a politician was involved in any immoral activity be it even a whiff of a sex or financial misconduct he would not dare to even stand for public office. Tainted politicians have no moral right to ask you what you can do for your country! We have often seen citizens doing in times of crises what the government should be doing.
Why do we need a government then? Is it only to collect taxes? This is akin to you hiring a maid and she sits on the sofa watching TV while you do the dishes! How many of you would agree to that? So why should it be different when it comes to the State?
These representatives we must remember are servants of the people. Only upright politicians can ask you what you can do for the country. Now how many upright politicians do we have? In India telling us what we can do for the country is just like saying you do it we give up!
D C Dias, Taleigao
Isolate military at Dicarpale camp
This has reference to the report ‘24 military personnel test Covid+ in Dicarpale camp’ (Herald, December 3). While the country is fearing the spread of the new variant Omicron, here comes the bad news that 24 military personnel have tested Covid+ in the Dicarpale camp in Goa. This is indeed cause for worry.
The authorities must take a stricter view and declare the military camp as a containment zone in order to prevent others in the surrounding areas from getting infected. However, the authorities must provide all necessary treatment to the military personnel who are affected and ensure that they are fighting fit in the shortest possible time. We cannot afford to lose those who protect our nation. They need to be kept safe internally if we are to be kept safe from outside aggression.
We the civilians on our part of course, must take all necessary precautions and adhere to basic Covid guidelines. Coronavirus is here to stay in whatever form you call it whether it is Omicron or Delta or whatever. Better to be safe than sorry!
Melville X D'Souza, Mumbai
Adv Palekar wants justice to Goans
With respect to "Support pours in for AAP leader Palekar" (Herald December 3, 2021), there is a light at the end of the dark tunnel. There is still hope for humanity. Politics is dirty. Politicians are liars.
This is the constant theme whenever the word "politics" enters the discussion. But all politicians are not liars. Some politicians have joined the political system to root out the decay and rampant corruption.
Adv Amit Palekar is from the new school of thought who has entered politics to get justice for his beloved people and close to heart Goa.
He is sitting on a fast unto death or indefinite hunger strike to make the voice of Goa heard. Stop illegal construction at Old Goa Heritage site. This is the message he wants to give out to the powers that be.
What is heart tugging is Adv Amit Palekar's nobility of intention. His simplicity sans political grandstanding leaves no one in doubt that Adv Amit Palekar is fighting for Goa without any political agenda whatsoever.
And, the method that he has chosen is Mahatma aka Bapu's "satyagraha". Fast unto death. Indefinite hunger strike. Non-violent approach. Time tested and used by everyone. Goa needs such young men and women with their hearts in the right place. I pray for sanity to prevail.
May the tribe of the likes of Adv Amit Palekar Bab increase in this digital era of live tweeting from the comforts of air conditioned offices.
Gafaar Shaqoor, Margao
Omicron variant & booster vaccine dose
India on Thursday reported its first two cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 from Karnataka in a South African national and a Bengaluru doctor with no travel history and both men have been fully vaccinated. Both the patients had mild symptoms.
It is learnt that five contacts of the doctor have also tested positive and their samples have been sent for genomic sequencing. The fact that the two men have contracted the virus even though they have been fully vaccinated raises the question whether a booster dose is necessary to protect one from the new variant of COVID-19. It is understood that the scientific reasoning for the booster vaccine doses is under examination and the priority is to complete the task of receiving both the jabs of COVID-19 vaccine. It may be necessary to reduce the time gap between the Covishield vaccines so that people can get the booster dose if need arises.
While according to the scientific community it’s too early to tell how vaccines will hold up against omicron, many experts across the globe doubt that a new formula to fight off the variant will be needed. Existing vaccines, plus the overall boost in antibodies from a booster shot for many people, could ultimately be enough according to experts. The higher antibody response to the virus one has after a booster shot might also provide broad protection against different variants, including omicron the medical experts across the world feel.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Negligence, lack of safety gears
On the early morning of Nov 29 an employee of the River Navigation Department (RND) on board the ferry (“Curtorim”) plying between Cortalim and Madkai route lost his precious life. He had dived underwater to unentangle a rope caught up in the propeller but he got trapped and drowned.
The staff/crew members allege that they have to dive without safety gears to free the propellers from debris. If this is true then the RND needs to provide the required gears before any more lives are lost. But if gears are provided then the RND should conduct surprise checks to see if the crew maintains, services and uses the safety gears or not.
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem
